scholarly journals Indigenous knowledge and local practices concerning the endemic plant Ipomoea beninensis Akoègn., Lisowski & Sinsin (Convolvulaceae): an initial assessment for its conservation in Benin

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 3-13
Author(s):  
Hospice Gbèwonmèdéa Dassou ◽  
Rodrigue Idohou ◽  
Aristide Cossi Adomou ◽  
Jéronime Marie-Ange Sènami Ouachinou ◽  
Hounnankpon Yédomonhan
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Local Practices ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Longterm Survival ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Insight Into

Ipomoea beninensis Akoègn., Lisowski & Sinsin (Convolvulaceae) is the only endemic plant known for Benin. To date, no data exist on its usages, distribution, abundance, and threats. An improved understanding of indigenous knowledge and of local practices can provide insight into how the species could be sustainably conserved. We interviewed 114 local residents for collecting ethnobotanical and ethnoecological data in six sites known to host the species. Data were processed by calculation of descriptive statistics and variance and multivariate analyses. A total of twelve uses were reported. Among them, treatment of varicella (19%), malaria (18%) and fodder (17%) were the most recurrent. These mainly involve use of the species rootstock. Almost all respondents mentioned decline of the species in natural habitats. None of them was aware about the endemic status of the species. Consequently, negative practices toward the protection of I. beninensis were prevalent among local residents. Several conservation measures are proposed to ensure the longterm survival of I. beninensis.

scholarly journals Journey-to-Crime Distances of Residential Burglars in China Disentangled: Origin and Destination Effects

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luzi Xiao ◽  
Lin Liu ◽  
Guangwen Song ◽  
Stijn Ruiter ◽  
Suhong Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Road Network ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Journey To Crime ◽  
Home Community ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Distinct Features ◽  
Multilevel Regression Model ◽  
Insight Into

Research on journey-to-crime distance has revealed the importance of both the characteristics of the offender as well as those of target communities. However, the effect of the home community has so far been ignored. Besides, almost all journey-to-crime studies were done in Western societies, and little is known about how the distinct features of communities in major Chinese cities shape residential burglars’ travel patterns. To fill this gap, we apply a cross-classified multilevel regression model on data of 3763 burglary trips in ZG City, one of the bustling metropolises in China. This allows us to gain insight into how residential burglars’ journey-to-crime distances are shaped by their individual-level characteristics as well as those of their home and target communities. Results show that the characteristics of the home community have larger effects than those of target communities, while individual-level features are most influential. Older burglars travel over longer distances to commit their burglaries than the younger ones. Offenders who commit their burglaries in groups tend to travel further than solo offenders. Burglars who live in communities with a higher average rent, a denser road network and a higher percentage of local residents commit their burglaries at shorter distances. Communities with a denser road network attract burglars from a longer distance, whereas those with a higher percentage of local residents attract them from shorter by.

scholarly journals Evaluation metrics and validation of presence-only species distribution models based on distributional maps with varying coverage

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamil Konowalik ◽  
Agata Nosol
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Niche Modeling ◽  
Niche Modeling ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Wide Field ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Environmental Niche Modeling ◽  
Almost All

AbstractWe examine how different datasets, including georeferenced hardcopy maps of different extents and georeferenced herbarium specimens (spanning the range from 100 to 85,000 km2) influence ecological niche modeling. We check 13 of the available environmental niche modeling algorithms, using 30 metrics to score their validity and evaluate which are useful for the selection of the best model. The validation is made using an independent dataset comprised of presences and absences collected in a range-wide field survey of Carpathian endemic plant Leucanthemum rotundifolium (Compositae). Our analysis of models’ predictive performances indicates that almost all datasets may be used for the construction of a species distributional range. Both very local and very general datasets can produce useful predictions, which may be more detailed than the original ranges. Results also highlight the possibility of using the data from manually georeferenced archival sources in reconstructions aimed at establishing species’ ecological niches. We discuss possible applications of those data and associated problems. For the evaluation of models, we suggest employing AUC, MAE, and Bias. We show an example of how AUC and MAE may be combined to select the model with the best performance.

Gated communities in Ankara: are they a tool of social segregation?

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-702
Author(s):  
Leyla Alkan-Gökler
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Gated Communities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive View ◽  
Social Segregation ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Gated communities, surrounded by walls or fences, have emerged as a new trend in almost all cities in Turkey, and are homogenous in terms of the socioeconomic status of their occupants. Within these communities, several facilities and services are provided that are available only to the residents, with restrictions on access from the outside, and this has led to criticisms of social segregation. This study aims to analyze the impact of these communities on social segregation in Ankara, through two different surveys aimed at investigating the attitudes of the residents of local neighborhoods and gated communities toward each other. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes how the process of gating has affected social segregation in Ankara through two separate surveys: with the residents of gated communities and with the residents of local neighborhoods around these gated communities. Findings The study revealed that the residents of gated communities tended to have a positive view of the residents of local neighborhoods. In contrast, the responses of the local residents show evidence of feelings of social segregation, based on the presence of the high walls, fences and guards that are in place to keep them out of the community. Originality/value This study shows that, although segregation from the rest of the society is not the main reason for gating, the emergence of gated communities in Ankara leads inevitably to a socially and economically segregated city in which local residents feel excluded from these gated areas.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Comparative Genomics and Phenotyping of Methylobacterium Species

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ola Alessa ◽  
Yoshitoshi Ogura ◽  
Yoshiko Fujitani ◽  
Hideto Takami ◽  
Tetsuya Hayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Genomics ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationship ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Genotypic Differences ◽  
Clade C ◽  
Single Genus ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Type Strains ◽  
Dependent Pathway ◽  
Insight Into

The pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFMs), a major bacterial group found in the plant phyllosphere, comprise two genera: Methylobacterium and Methylorubrum. They have been separated into three major clades: A, B (Methylorubrum), and C. Within these genera, however, some species lack either pigmentation or methylotrophy, which raises the question of what actually defines the PPFMs. The present study employed a comprehensive comparative genomics approach to reveal the phylogenetic relationship among the PPFMs and to explain the genotypic differences that confer their different phenotypes. We newly sequenced the genomes of 29 relevant-type strains to complete a dataset for almost all validly published species in the genera. Through comparative analysis, we revealed that methylotrophy, nitrate utilization, and anoxygenic photosynthesis are hallmarks differentiating the PPFMs from the other Methylobacteriaceae. The Methylobacterium species in clade A, including the type species Methylobacterium organophilum, were phylogenetically classified into six subclades, each possessing relatively high genomic homology and shared phenotypic characteristics. One of these subclades is phylogenetically close to Methylorubrum species; this finding led us to reunite the two genera into a single genus Methylobacterium. Clade C, meanwhile, is composed of phylogenetically distinct species that share relatively higher percent G+C content and larger genome sizes, including larger numbers of secondary metabolite clusters. Most species of clade C and some of clade A have the glutathione-dependent pathway for formaldehyde oxidation in addition to the H4MPT pathway. Some species cannot utilize methanol due to their lack of MxaF-type methanol dehydrogenase (MDH), but most harbor an XoxF-type MDH that enables growth on methanol in the presence of lanthanum. The genomes of PPFMs encode between two and seven (average 3.7) genes for pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases, and their phylogeny is distinctly correlated with their genomic phylogeny. All PPFMs were capable of synthesizing auxin and did not induce any immune response in rice cells. Other phenotypes including sugar utilization, antibiotic resistance, and antifungal activity correlated with their phylogenetic relationship. This study provides the first inclusive genotypic insight into the phylogeny and phenotypes of PPFMs.

scholarly journals Therapeutic Exosomes in Prognosis and Developments of Coronary Artery Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ai-Qun Chen ◽  
Xiao-Fei Gao ◽  
Zhi-Mei Wang ◽  
Feng Wang ◽  
Shuai Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
Stent Restenosis ◽  
Artery Disease ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Different Cell Types ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Systematic Knowledge

Exosomes, with an diameter of 30~150 nm, could be released from almost all types of cells, which contain diverse effective constituent, such as RNAs, proteins, lipids, and so on. In recent years, exosomes have been verified to play an important role in mechanism, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cardiovascular disease, especially coronary artery disease (CAD). Moreover, it has also been shown that exosomes derived from different cell types have various biological functions based on the cell stimulation and microenvironment. However, therapeutic exosomes are currently far away from clinical translation, despite it is full of hope. In this review, we summarize an update of the recent studies and systematic knowledge of therapeutic exosomes in atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and in-stent restenosis, which might provide a novel insight into the treatment of CAD and promote the potential clinical application of therapeutic exosomes.

Pacific Salmon: Ecology and Management of Western Alaska’s Populations

2009 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Traditional Knowledge ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Pacific Salmon ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Local And Traditional Knowledge

<em>Abstract.</em>—The Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative (AYK SSI) is a research program in Alaska focused on learning from the knowledge and understanding of local indigenous fishing communities. From the mid-1990s, Alaska Natives have urged that local and traditional/indigenous knowledge be recognized as a serious body of ecological insights and stewardship traditions. This paper provides a survey of milestones in Alaska, from the early definitional debates and the rise of systematic methods for documentation, to the growing body of substantive information. The discussion on local and traditional knowledge at the AYK SSI Symposium in February 2007 provided an opportunity to assess achievements and identify obstacles. Participants underscored the continuing challenges of the diverse cultural context for joint research by biologists and local communities, directing attention to foundational questions of trust and respect. Local residents celebrated the great promise for local and traditional/indigenous knowledge to contribute to our shared scientific understanding of salmon and to promote respectful and effective systems of stewardship, but they were also acutely perceptive of the barriers to improved synthesis and mutual learning. The concluding section of this paper explores implications for the on-going research agenda of the AYK SSI, particularly the need for an on-going consultative process to insure that local communities and researchers are mutually aware of methodologies available and the substantive contributions made by local and traditional knowledge research. In this way, the on-going development of research in this area can draw more fully on the struggles and accomplishments of the preceding decade.

scholarly journals Improving Seed Quality of Soybean Suitable for Growing in Europe

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Sudarić ◽  
Maja Matoša Kočar ◽  
Tomislav Duvnjak ◽  
Zvonimir Zdunić ◽  
Antonela Markulj Kulundžić
Keyword(s):  
Acid Composition ◽  
Seed Quality ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Soybean Seed ◽  
Trade Deficit ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Future Production ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Insight Into

The potential of soybean for food, feed, and pharmaceutical industry arises from the composition of its seed. Since European countries import 95% of the annual demand for soybean grains, meal, and oil, causing an enormous trade deficit, the governments in Europe had started to introduce additional incentives to stimulate soybean cropping. To rebalance the sources of soybean supply in the future, production must be followed by continuous research to create varieties that would make European soybean more appealing to the processing industry and profitable enough to satisfy European farmers. This chapter is giving an overview of the European soybean seed quality research and an insight into soybean seed quality progress made at the Agricultural Institute Osijek, Croatia. The studies presented are mainly considering maturity groups suitable for growing in almost all European regions. The most important traits of soybean seed quality discussed are protein content and amino acid composition, oil content and fatty acid composition, soluble sugars, and isoflavones. Defining quality traits facilitates the parental selection in breeding programs aiming to improve the added value properties of final soybean products and enables the exchange of materials between different breeding and research institutions to introduce diversity, which is a prerequisite for genetic advance.

scholarly journals Source of Enterococci in a Farmhouse Raw-Milk Cheese

2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 3560-3565 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Gelsomino ◽  
M. Vancanneyt ◽  
T. M. Cogan ◽  
S. Condon ◽  
J. Swings
Keyword(s):  
Raw Milk ◽  
Streptococcus Bovis ◽  
Human Feces ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Enterococcus Casseliflavus ◽  
Flavor Development ◽  
Bulk Tank ◽  
Milking Machine ◽  
Raw Milk Cheese ◽  
Almost All

ABSTRACT Enterococci are widely distributed in raw-milk cheeses and are generally thought to positively affect flavor development. Their natural habitats are the human and animal intestinal tracts, but they are also found in soil, on plants, and in the intestines of insects and birds. The source of enterococci in raw-milk cheese is unknown. In the present study, an epidemiological approach with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to type 646 Enterococcus strains which were isolated from a Cheddar-type cheese, the milk it was made from, the feces of cows and humans associated with the cheese-making unit, and the environment, including the milking equipment, the water used on the farm, and the cows' teats. Nine different PFGE patterns, three of Enterococcus casseliflavus, five of Enterococcus faecalis, and one of Enterococcus durans, were found. The same three clones, one of E. faecalis and two of E. casseliflavus, dominated almost all of the milk, cheese, and human fecal samples. The two E. casseliflavus clones were also found in the bulk tank and the milking machine even after chlorination, suggesting that a niche where enterococci could grow was present and that contamination with enterococci begins with the milking equipment. It is likely but unproven that the enterococci present in the human feces are due to consumption of the cheese. Cow feces were not considered the source of enterococci in the cheese, as Enterococcus faecium and Streptococcus bovis, which largely dominated the cows' intestinal tracts, were not found in either the milk or the cheese.

scholarly journals Giving up on Drugs: Homeless Young People and Self-Reported Problematic Drug Use

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Keys ◽  
Shelley Mallett ◽  
Doreen Rosenthal
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Young People ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Problematic Drug ◽  
Level Of Use ◽  
Professional Assistance ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
The Way

Numerous studies have revealed high levels of drug-taking among young people experiencing homelessness. This article draws upon 40 in-depth interviews carried out as part of a five-year longitudinal study of homeless young people (Project i). It is noteworthy that almost all of those who identified their drug use as problematic gave up or reduced their level of use without treatment or professional assistance during the period of the study. The interviews provided insight into the way in which some young people experiencing homelessness view their drug use and the actions they take in light of these understandings. Here we report their stated reasons for giving up or reducing usage and identify some commonalities that may have impacted on the outcomes.

scholarly journals Splitting to survive: understanding terrorist group fragmentation

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Francis Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Significant Role ◽  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Terrorist Group ◽  
Al Qaeda ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose From Al-Qaeda to the IRA, almost all terrorist organisations have experienced splits in some shape or form. This can spell the dawn of violent spoiler groups, but it may equally play a significant role in the overall politicisation of a group. The purpose of this paper is to provide a greater understanding of these splits by assessing the issue from a political organisational perspective. Design/methodology/approach The author proposes that by addressing splits through the lens of organisational survival, we may gain a greater insight into the process which takes place in the lead up to, and in the aftermath of, organisational cleavage. Findings It is posited that the rationale behind schism can, at times, be the result of a desire from at least one side to maintain the survival of the organisation in a form they both respect and recognise. In order to achieve this, it might require forming an independent, autonomous organisation, or alternatively promoting the exit of internal factional competitors. Research limitations/implications Within the paper, three organisational hypotheses are proposed. It is vital that in order to assess their validity, these are empirically tested by future researchers. Practical implications To be able to counter terrorist organisations, one must first have an understanding of the external and internal events and processes. While much of our attention is on understanding paid to the external violent activity of the groups, we must also develop a significant understanding of the non-violent internal activities as well. This paper provides a theoretical basis for understanding one of these process, organisational split. Originality/value By addressing splits from an organisational survival viewpoint, the paper challenges the previously held assumption that splits should be analysed as part of the “end of terrorism.”

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