scholarly journals Common ground: The foundation of interdisciplinary research on bat disease emergence

PLoS Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. e3000947
Author(s):  
Rebekah C. Kading ◽  
Tigga Kingston
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Human Perturbation ◽  
Common Causes ◽  
Bat Conservation ◽  
Interdisciplinary Projects ◽  
Domain Integration

Human perturbation of natural systems is accelerating the emergence of infectious diseases, mandating integration of disease and ecological research. Bats have been associated with recent zoonoses, but our bibliometric analysis of coauthor relationships identified a separation of bat ecologists and infectious disease researchers with few cross-disciplinary relationships. Of 5,645 papers, true interdisciplinary collaborations occurred primarily in research focused on White Nose Syndrome (WNS). This finding is important because it illustrates how research with outcomes favoring both bat conservation and disease mitigation promotes domain integration and network connectivity. We advocate for increased engagement between ecology and infectious researchers to address such common causes and suggest that efforts focus on leveraging existing activities, building interdisciplinary projects, and networking individuals and networks to integrate domains and coordinate resources. We provide specific opportunities for pursuing these strategies through the Bat One Health Research Network (BOHRN).

scholarly journals White-nose syndrome-related changes to Mid-Atlantic bat communities across an urban-to-rural gradient

BMC Zoology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Deeley ◽  
Joshua B. Johnson ◽  
W. Mark Ford ◽  
J. Edward Gates
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
National Capital Region ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Species Of Conservation Concern ◽  
National Capital ◽  
Park Service ◽  
Bat Conservation ◽  
Conservation Concern

Abstract Background White-nose Syndrome (WNS) has reduced the abundance of many bat species within the United States’ Mid-Atlantic region. To determine changes within the National Park Service National Capital Region (NCR) bat communities, we surveyed the area with mist netting and active acoustic sampling (2016–2018) and compared findings to pre-WNS (2003–2004) data. Results The results indicated the continued presence of the threatened Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared bat) and species of conservation concern, including Perimyotis subflavus (Tri-colored bat), Myotis leibii (Eastern Small-footed bat) and Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown bat). However, we documented a significant reduction in the abundance and distribution of M. lucifugus and P. subflavus, a decrease in the distribution of M. septentrionalis, and an increase in the abundance of Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown bat). Conclusions Documented post-WNS M. septentrionalis recruitment suggests that portions of the NCR may be important bat conservation areas. Decreases in distribution and abundance of P. subflavus and M. lucifugus indicate probable extirpation from many previously occupied portions of the region.

scholarly journals Behavioral Disturbances in Dementia and Beyond: Time for a New Conceptual Frame?

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (15) ◽  
pp. 3647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambrogio ◽  
Martella ◽  
Odetti ◽  
Monacelli
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Future Perspective ◽  
Mixed Dementia ◽  
Behavioral Disturbances ◽  
Clinical Issue ◽  
Common Causes ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Prevalent Form

Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia are estimated to be the most common causes of dementia, although mixed dementia could represent the most prevalent form of dementia in older adults aged more than 80 years. Behavioral disturbances are common in the natural history of dementia. However, so far, there is a paucity of studies that investigated the causal association between behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia and dementia sub-types, due to the high heterogeneity of methodology, study design and type of clinical assessment. To understand the scant evidence on such a relevant clinical issue, it could be hypothesized that a new shifting paradigm could result in a better identification of the relationship between behavioral disturbances and dementia. This narrative review provides an update of evidence on the behavioral patterns associated with different dementia sub-types and offers a potential future perspective as common ground for the development of new translational studies in the field of behavioral disturbances in dementia and the appropriateness of psychoactive treatments.

scholarly journals Natural Morphological Computation as Foundation of Learning to Learn in Humans, Other Living Organisms, and Intelligent Machines

Philosophies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Philosophy Of Mind ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Natural Philosophy ◽  
Learning To Learn ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Integrative View

The emerging contemporary natural philosophy provides a common ground for the integrative view of the natural, the artificial, and the human-social knowledge and practices. Learning process is central for acquiring, maintaining, and managing knowledge, both theoretical and practical. This paper explores the relationships between the present advances in understanding of learning in the sciences of the artificial (deep learning, robotics), natural sciences (neuroscience, cognitive science, biology), and philosophy (philosophy of computing, philosophy of mind, natural philosophy). The question is, what at this stage of the development the inspiration from nature, specifically its computational models such as info-computation through morphological computing, can contribute to machine learning and artificial intelligence, and how much on the other hand models and experiments in machine learning and robotics can motivate, justify, and inform research in computational cognitive science, neurosciences, and computing nature. We propose that one contribution can be understanding of the mechanisms of ‘learning to learn’, as a step towards deep learning with symbolic layer of computation/information processing in a framework linking connectionism with symbolism. As all natural systems possessing intelligence are cognitive systems, we describe the evolutionary arguments for the necessity of learning to learn for a system to reach human-level intelligence through evolution and development. The paper thus presents a contribution to the epistemology of the contemporary philosophy of nature.

scholarly journals Enabling Research Network Connectivity to Clouds with Virtual Router Technology

2017 ◽  
Vol 898 ◽  
pp. 082047
Author(s):  
R Seuster ◽  
K Casteels ◽  
CR Leavett-Brown ◽  
M Paterson ◽  
RJ Sobie
Keyword(s):  
Network Connectivity ◽  
Research Network

Resilience and sustainable development

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHARLES PERRINGS
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Stability Domain ◽  
The Other ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Disturbance Regime ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Return To Equilibrium ◽  
Ecological Concept ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Current State

This special issue results from a call for papers to address the connection between resilience and sustainability, and stems from the fact that the ecological concept of resilience has been exercising an increasing influence on the economics of development. Resilience is interpreted in two different ways by ecologists: one capturing the speed of return to equilibrium following perturbation (Pimm, 1984), the other capturing the size of a disturbance needed to dislodge a system from its stability domain (Holling, 1973). The latter may be interpreted as the conditional probability that a system in one stability domain will flip into another stability domain given its current state and the disturbance regime (Perrings, 1998). The relevance of this concept for the problem of sustainable economic development has been recognized for at least fifteen years (Common and Perrings, 1992). Indeed, Levin et al. (1998) claimed that resilience is the preferred way to think about sustainability in social as well as natural systems, and a research network – the Resilience Alliance – has subsequently developed around the idea.

scholarly journals Bat Research Networks and Viral Surveillance: Gaps and Opportunities in Western Asia

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra Phelps ◽  
Luke Hamel ◽  
Nisreen Alhmoud ◽  
Shahzad Ali ◽  
Rasit Bilgin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Effort ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Research Networks ◽  
Virus Surveillance ◽  
Western Asia ◽  
Bat Conservation ◽  
Viral Surveillance ◽  
Published Research

Bat research networks and viral surveillance are assumed to be at odds due to seemingly conflicting research priorities. Yet human threats that contribute to declines in bat populations globally also lead to increased transmission and spread of bat-associated viruses, which may pose a threat to global health and food security. In this review, we discuss the importance of and opportunities for multidisciplinary collaborations between bat research networks and infectious disease experts to tackle shared threats that jeopardize bat conservation as well as human and animal health. Moreover, we assess research effort on bats and bat-associated viruses globally, and demonstrate that Western Asia has limited published research and represents a gap for coordinated bat research. The lack of bat research in Western Asia severely limits our capacity to identify and mitigate region-specific threats to bat populations and detect interactions between bats and incidental hosts that promote virus spillover. We detail a regional initiative to establish the first bat research network in Western Asia (i.e., the Western Asia Bat Research Network, WAB-Net), with the aim of integrating ecological research on bats with virus surveillance to find “win-win” solutions that promote bat conservation and safeguard public and animal health across the region.

scholarly journals Engineering roles in Building with Nature interdisciplinary design

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 73-98
Author(s):  
Renate Klaassen ◽  
Baukje Kothuis ◽  
Jill Slinger
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
Building With Nature ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Fluid Design

Building with Nature (BwN) infrastructure designs are characterised by disciplinary integration, non-linearity, diverse and fluid design requirements, and long-term time frames that balance the limitations of earth’s natural systems and the socio-technical systems created by humans. Differentiating roles in the engineering design process may offer strategies for better solutions. Four complementary engineering design roles were distinguished, namely: Specialists, System Integrators, Front-end Innovators, and Contextual Engineers. The key research question addressed in this paper asks, how can the introduction of engineering roles enhance interdisciplinary processes for BwN design? Three Building with Nature design workshops with international groups of students from multiple disciplines and various education levels provided the ideal context for investigating whether engineering roles enhance such interdisciplinary ways of working. Results indicate that the application of engineering roles in each of the three workshops indeed supported interdisciplinary design. A number of conditions for successful implementation within an authentic learning environment could be identified. The engineering roles sustain an early, divergent way of looking at the design problem and support the search for common ground across the diverse perspectives of the team members, each bringing different disciplinary backgrounds to the design table. The chapter closes with a discussion on the value of engineering design roles and their significance for the Building with Nature approach.

scholarly journals Species Richness and Seasonality of Bat Occupancy on Northwestern National Wildlife Refuges

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 468-479
Author(s):  
Jenny K. Barnett ◽  
Gail H. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Great Basin ◽  
Recording Equipment ◽  
Ecosystem Integrity ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Bat Conservation ◽  
Basic Parameters ◽  
Acoustic Recording ◽  
Wildlife Refuges ◽  
Passive Acoustic

Abstract Bats are critical to ecosystem integrity but are being threatened by a variety of disease and anthropogenic stressors. Further, information is generally lacking on basic parameters necessary for long-term bat conservation in North America, including the timing of seasonal activity and location of overwintering sites. Between 2011 and 2016, we used passive acoustic recording equipment to collect and analyze 115,855 bat calls from six National Wildlife Refuges across three geographic areas in the northwestern United States; the majority of the data was collected from 2014 to 2015. We documented the presence of 16 species, with species richness varying from 6 to 15 species across sampled Refuges. This includes detection of two species outside of their expected ranges: western red bat Lasiurus blossevillii were found in the Great Basin and western pipistrelle Pipistrellus hysperus were found in the Northern Rockies. Overwintering bats were found across all three geographic areas, although only one species, western pipistrelle, was documented as active year round on more than one Refuge. Six species of bats were also identified as potentially overwintering within their respective areas. For suspected nonoverwintering species, including those considered susceptible to white-nose syndrome, dates of first detections began in early March to early May and last detections between early October and early November. Public lands established for conservation can provide important monitoring and conservation resources for bats.

scholarly journals Natural morphological computation as foundation of learning to learn in humans, other living organisms, and intelligent machines

2021 ◽  
pp. 4-34
Author(s):  
G. Dodig-Crnkovic
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Philosophy Of Mind ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Natural Philosophy ◽  
Learning To Learn ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Integrative View

The emerging contemporary natural philosophy provides a common ground for the integrative view of the natural, the artificial, and the human-social knowledge and practices. Learning process is central for acquiring, maintaining, and managing knowledge, both theoretical and practical. This paper explores the relationships between the present advances in understanding of learning in the sciences of the artificial (deep learning, robotics), natural sciences (neuroscience, cognitive science, biology), and philosophy (philosophy of computing, philosophy of mind, natural philosophy). The question is, what at this stage of the development the inspiration from nature, specifically its computational models such as info-computation through morphological computing, can contribute to machine learning and artificial intelligence, and how much on the other hand models and experiments in machine learning and robotics can motivate, justify, and inform research in computational cognitive science, neurosciences, and computing nature. We propose that one contribution can be understanding of the mechanisms of ‘learning to learn’, as a step towards deep learning with symbolic layer of computation/information processing in a framework linking connectionism with symbolism. As all natural systems possessing intelligence are cognitive systems, we describe the evolutionary arguments for the necessity of learning to learn for a system to reach humanlevel intelligence through evolution and development. The paper thus presents a contribution to the epistemology of the contemporary philosophy of nature.

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