Complementary Analysis Research Articles

Between global risk reduction goals, scientific–technical capabilities and local realities: a modular approach for user-centric multi-risk assessment

Abstract. We live in a rapidly changing and globalized society. The increasing interdependence and interconnection of our economic, social and technical systems; growing urbanization; and increasing vulnerability to natural hazards (including climate change) are leading to ever more complex risk situations. This paper presents a conceptual approach for user-centred multi-risk assessment aimed to support potential users like disaster risk managers, urban planners or critical infrastructure operators. Based on the latest scientific and technical capabilities, we developed a method that enables the simulation and visualization of a range of scenarios with different intensities. It is based on a modular and decentralized system architecture using distributed web services that are published online, including a user-friendly interface. The approach is demonstrated using the example of earthquakes and tsunamis for the Lima metropolitan area (Peru), a megacity exposed to various cascading natural hazards. The development involved a wider group of Peruvian stakeholders from research and practice in a structured, iterative and participative feedback process over a period of 2.5 years to capture the needs and requirements from the user perspective. Results from the feedback process, including 94 responses to 5 questionnaires, confirmed the potential of the demonstrator as a complementary analysis and visualization tool. Together with the visualization of cascading processes, the ability to simulate and compare scenarios of varying severity was considered relevant and useful for improving the understanding of and preparedness for complex multi-risk situations, in practical applications, especially at the local level.

Brief communication: Accurate and autonomous snow water equivalent measurements using a cosmic ray sensor on a Himalayan glacier

Abstract. We analyze snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements from a cosmic ray sensor (CRS) on the lower accumulation area of Mera Glacier (central Himalaya, Nepal) between November 2019 and November 2021. The CRS aligned well with field observations and revealed accumulation in pre-monsoon and monsoon observations, followed by ablation in post-monsoon and winter observations. COSIPY simulations suggest significant surface melting, water percolation, and refreezing within the snowpack, consistent with CRS observations yet liable to be missed by surface mass balance surveys. We conclude that CRS can be used to determine mass fluxes in various climatic settings, but the interpretation of the total changes in SWE needs complementary measurements and model analysis to determine the share of specific mass fluxes, such as melt and refreezing.

An explainable AI framework for spatiotemporal risk factor analysis in public health: a case study of cardiovascular mortality in South Korea

ABSTRACT Understanding environmental disease risk factor analysis at the district level is essential for gaining valuable insights into regional disease variations, offering a broader perspective compared to individual-level studies. Recently, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) has received increasing attention in the analysis of factors affecting public health. However, previous purely data-driven XAI-based risk factor analyses faced challenges in capturing regional effect of environmental variables, leading to confusion regarding key spatiotemporal risk factors. Therefore, this study proposes a framework that includes two complementary XAI-based risk factor analyses following two assumptions. Regionally rescaled environmental variables must account for the unequal effects on environmental factors, which are likely influenced by variations in adaptation capacity to weather conditions and differences in exposure-response relationships to air pollutants. District-level disease distribution highlights geographic disparity in sociodemographic vulnerability, whereas temporal variation in diseases by district underscores temporal environmental impacts. Based on these two hypotheses, we rescaled environmental variables using two complementary schemes: one that employs the district-level disease distribution as the target variable, and another that utilizes the temporal residual of the disease within each district. We evaluated this framework by analyzing the association between cardiovascular age-standardized mortality rate (CVD-ASMR) and various risk factors in South Korea from 2010 to 2019, using high-performing random forest and light gradient boosting models with additive Shapley explanation. Compared to previous purely data-driven XAI-based analyses, the proposed schemes achieved significantly better results in capturing regional exposure-response relationships. In two complementary schemes, the most explainable factor to districts with high CVD-ASMR was low education level related to sociodemographic vulnerability, whereas the most explainable factors to high temporal CVD-ASMR patterns were low greenness and high air pollution levels. In addition, the two complementary schemes enabled us to reasonably analyze the interaction effect of the two risk factors, i.e. temperature and air pollutants. Furthermore, high CVD-ASMR and its high temporal variation were observed in situations of high sociodemographic vulnerability with poor air quality. These findings provide insightful public health planning for sustainable cities and society by pinpointing high-risk areas and tailoring strategies to address regional environmental challenges.

Hydride-Induced Reconstruction of Pd Electrode Surfaces: A Combined Computational and Experimental Study.

Designing electrocatalysts with optimal activity and selectivity relies on a thorough understanding of the surface structure under reaction conditions. In this study, experimental and computational approaches are combined to elucidate reconstruction processes on low-index Pd surfaces during H-insertion following proton electroreduction. While electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy clearly reveals pronounced surface roughening and morphological changes on Pd(111), Pd(110), and Pd(100) surfaces during cyclic voltammetry, a complementary analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry excludes Pd dissolution as the primary cause of the observed restructuring. Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations further show that these surface alterations are related to the creation and propagation of structural defects as well as phase transformations that take place during hydride formation.

Metal corrosion in partially saturated sands: Pore fluid conductivity and water saturation

Sediments can facilitate the electrochemical processes that drive the corrosion of buried metallic components. Common analyses and guidelines emphasize the effect of pore fluid conductivity on soil corrosivity and overlook the effect of partial saturation; yet, most buried metals are situated within the vadose zone. The detailed experimental study reported herein used mass loss measurements from passive corrosion tests, X-ray microtomography, and image analyses to examine the evolution of corrosion in C-steel coupons embedded in sand specimens mixed with de-ionized water and brine at various degrees of saturation. Experimental observations show that corroding cells preferentially form at contacting grains, and that the evolution of corrosion is biased by the variability in packing density and saturation, while fluid conductivity plays a lesser role. Above all, results highlight the critical importance of percolating gas and water phases, and show that water-grain-metal interfaces restrict the actively corroding area to a fraction of the entire metal surface. A complementary macroscale analysis anticipates asymptotic conditions based on mass and charge conservation, and the transport of corroding agents and residuals. Together, the measurements and model results highlight the significant impact of the degree of saturation on corrosion rates and mass loss.

Post-GWAS Prioritization of Genome–Phenome Association in Sorghum

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are widely used to infer the genetic basis of traits in organisms; however, selecting appropriate thresholds for analysis remains a significant challenge. In this study, we introduce the Sequential SNP Prioritization Algorithm (SSPA) to investigate the genetic underpinnings of two key phenotypes in Sorghum bicolor: maximum canopy height and maximum growth rate. Using a subset of the Sorghum Bioenergy Association Panel cultivated at the Maricopa Agricultural Center in Arizona, we performed GWAS with specific permissive-filtered thresholds to identify genetic markers associated with these traits, enabling the identification of a broader range of explanatory candidate genes. Building on this, our proposed method employed a feature engineering approach leveraging statistical correlation coefficients to unravel patterns between phenotypic similarity and genetic proximity across 274 accessions. This approach helps prioritize Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that are likely to be associated with the studied phenotype. Additionally, we conducted a complementary analysis to evaluate the impact of SSPA by including all variants (SNPs) as inputs, without applying GWAS. Empirical evidence, including ontology-based gene function, spatial and temporal expression, and similarity to known homologs demonstrates that SSPA effectively prioritizes SNPs and genes influencing the phenotype of interest, providing valuable insights for functional genetics research.

Direct observation of ultrafast cluster dynamics in supercritical carbon dioxide using X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy

Supercritical fluids exhibit distinct thermodynamic and transport properties, making them of particular interest for a wide range of scientific and engineering applications. These anomalous properties emerge from structural heterogeneities due to the formation of molecular clusters at conditions above the critical point. While the static behavior of these clusters and their effects on the thermodynamic response functions have been recognized, the relation between the ultrafast cluster dynamics and transport properties remains elusive. By measuring the intermediate scattering function in carbon dioxide at conditions near the critical point with X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, we directly capture the cross-over dynamics between 4 and 13 picoseconds, revealing the transition between ballistic and diffusive motion. Complementary analysis using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations reveals that this behavior arises from collisions between unbound molecules and clusters. This study provides direct evidence of the ultrafast momentum exchange between clusters, which has significant impact on transport properties, solvation processes, and reaction kinetics in supercritical fluids.

The Portrait of Elisabeth Braderic by Pieter Cristus: A Holistic Multidisciplinary Study

ABSTRACT The Adornes Domein, a preserved medieval family estate in Bruges, houses the Portrait of Elisabeth Braderic, which underwent an extensive multidisciplinary investigation in 2024. This portrait of a prominent patrician woman from fifteenth-century Bruges has long intrigued art historians, sparking numerous hypotheses. Due to its extended absence from public view, questions arose regarding its authenticity, casting doubt on whether it was an original portrait or a copy after a lost original. Recently rediscovered, the portrait was subjected to several technical analyses, including MA-XRF, macrophotography, and infrared reflectography by the International Platform for Art Research and Conservation (IPARC), as well as Raman spectroscopy conducted by the Raman Spectroscopy Research Group at Ghent University. These were complemented by a comprehensive art-historical analysis. This article presents the findings from these diverse yet complementary analyses, unveiling a traditional palette of fifteenth-century pigments, a detailed portrayal of 1450s fashion, and the newly detected presence of a pentimento. The main conclusions of the study affirm that, despite some restorations and pigment discolouration, the portrait has remained relatively intact and was most likely painted around 1450 by Pieter Cristus. This hypothesis, previously suggested in earlier studies, has now gained compelling corroboration.

Capturing inter-individual variability in stress dynamics with heart rate traces reveals activity in the bilateral hippocampus, amygdala, and insula

Abstract Abnormalities in the neural mechanisms of the stress response have the potential to serve as a transdiagnostic marker for stress-related disorders. This potential is rooted in the highly individual and dynamic stress response, which poses a challenge to classical experimentally informed models that focus on specific phases, conditions, or stimuli during a stress task. Here, we integrate individual heart rates (HR) as an immanent index of the stress-response and combine these with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. In this study, 83 healthy participants completed a multimodal psychosocial imaging stress task comprising three different task phases (PreStress, Stress, and PostStress), with each phase consisting of five 60 s blocks of active task interleaved with 40 s of rest, and simultaneous recordings of pulse plethysmography. Participants were asked to solve mental calculations and were exposed to negative social feedback during the Stress phase. We estimated a general linear model (GLM) with individual heart rates averaged per active block as a single parametric modulator of the task regressor across all 15 active blocks irrespective of the task phase. Results revealed a negative correlation between HR and activation in the bilateral amygdala and anterior hippocampus as well as deactivation in the default mode network. Positive correlations with HR were detected in the bilateral insular cortex, bilateral angular gyrus, and parts of the inferior and superior parietal lobes. In summary, our findings emphasize the utility of integrating the commonly assessed cardiovascular stress response (here: HR) as an immediate index of the participant’s stress status. We conclude that by such integration, brain regions involved in regulating the acute stress response, such as the anterior hippocampus and amygdala, are detected more sensitively by tracking the individual’s “stress wave” rather than treating every experimental block uniformly. Our approach may serve as a complementary analysis to the task-regressor based model.

Households’ Willingness to Use Water from a Solar Water Disinfection Treatment System for Household Purposes

The consumption of contaminated water contributes to the global burden of diarrhea and other water-borne diseases, especially among young children. While decentralized solar water disinfection treatment systems (hereafter SODIS) remain a viable option to have safe drinking water, our understanding of the effects of household water treatment before use on willingness to accept and adopt a SODIS is limited. In this study, a complementary log-log regression analysis of the compositional and contextual factors that systematically vary with willingness to accept and adopt a SODIS in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba (STK) district of Ghana was carried out. Based on our findings, a greater proportion of households (97%) are willing to accept and adopt a SODIS. Compositional and contextual factors such as age, marital status, education, religion, and geographical location significantly contribute to households’ willingness to accept and adopt a SODIS in the STK district of Ghana. Households that treat their water before use (66%, p < 0.05) are more likely to accept and adopt a SODIS compared to those that do not treat their water before use. The findings, therefore, suggest that scaling up SODIS in the STK district is sacrosanct and highlight the necessity to analyse compositional and contextual factors influencing willingness to accept and adopt SODIS. Our findings will inform policies and programs aimed at implementing SODIS in the study area to improve the health of communities that rely on poor-quality drinking water sources.

On the development of effective heave pressure in deep excavations

The processes and factors that underpin the development of effective heave pressure (EHP) at the base of deep excavations in soft soils have been numerically quantified for two idealised soil–structure systems, namely, a building unit cell and a tunnel geometry, using the finite-element method. Charts were developed exploiting dimensional analysis to estimate the impact of normalised time between the end of excavation and the completion of the restraining structure at the base, on the emerging magnitude of EHP for several scenarios where the excavation geometry, ground profile, relative stiffness and retaining wall length were varied. The results of the analyses were in good agreement with available data from physical model tests and the monitoring data of a deep excavation in Gothenburg, Sweden. Complementary analyses of site-specific background settlements and water table levels demonstrate that the charts developed are conservative. The results of this study can, within the limitations of the scenarios studied, readily be used for estimations of EHP in the preliminary design stage, and as a complement to detailed, project-specific analyses.

The Roman army in Central Portugal: Reassessing the archaeological evidence of two possible military sites

Following a complementary non-invasive analysis including satellite and aerial imagery, as well as UAV-based photogrammetric and LiDAR surveys, this paper presents and discusses the Roman military evidence identified at Alto do Golado (São Pedro do Sul) and Modedufe (Lamego). Though the archaeological remains of these sites have been partly noticed before, undetected relevant aspects resulted in misinterpretations, which are now reassessed in this study. Constituting the first known evidence of the Roman army in the region located between the Vouga and Douro rivers, further analysis of computed GIS models resulted in some hypotheses regarding mobility, visibility and territorial control. Ultimately, this paper also stresses the importance and the need for additional, invasive archaeological research to validate these hypotheses and, consequently, contribute to a better understanding not only of the sites here discussed but also of the Roman military presence in Western Iberia.

Inclusive B¯→Xsℓ+ℓ− at the LHC: theory predictions and new-physics reach

We present theoretical predictions for observables in inclusive B¯→Xsℓ+ℓ− suitable for measurements at hadron colliders through a sum-over-exclusive approach. At low q2 we calculate the branching ratio and three angular observables. At high q2 we provide the branching ratio and the ratio of the B¯→Xsℓ+ℓ− rate with respect to the inclusive B¯→Xuℓν¯ rate with the same phase-space cut. We compare our predictions to the B factory measurements and also to an extraction of the experimental rate through a sum-over-exclusive method using branching ratios of the exclusive B¯→K∗μ+μ− modes measured at LHCb. We find a consistent picture comparing Standard Model theory and experiment. As such, our analysis does not support a recent claim about a deficit in the inclusive branching ratio in the high-q2 region. Finally, we present current model-independent bounds on new physics and emphasize the potential of complementary analyses of B¯→Xsℓ+ℓ− at Belle II and the LHC.

Sex hormones and reproductive factors with cardiac arrhythmia and ECG indices: a mendelian randomization study

BackgroundSex is a determinant of the incidence and etiology of arrhythmia. Observational and basic studies suggest that sex hormones are essential in this process; however, the relationship between sex hormones and arrhythmia remains unclear. Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to investigate the causal relationships between sex hormone levels, arrhythmia, and electrocardiographic (ECG) indices.MethodsLarge genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data on sex hormones, stratified by sex, from the UK biobank consortium, were used as exposure data, and data on atrial fibrillation (AF), atrioventricular block, sick sinus syndrome, paroxysmal tachycardia, and ECG indices were obtained from the FinnGen consortium and summarized large GWAS data. Inverse variance weighting or wald odds was used as the primary analytical method, and weighted medians and MR-Egger regression were used for complementary analyses. The results of the MR of sex hormones and AF from different sources were analyzed using a meta-analysis. Summary-data-based MR analysis was utilized to explore the relationship between sex-hormone related drugs and arrhythmia.ResultsIn men, genetically predicted higher estradiol concentrations were associated with a lower risk of AF (odds ratio: 0.908 [0.852–0.967]; p = 0.0029], whereas genetically predicted higher concentrations of total testosterone were associated with lower heart rate variability. Sex hormones showed no association with atrioventricular block, sick sinus syndrome, paroxysmal tachycardia, resting heart rate, P wave duration, P wave terminal force in lead V1 [PTFV1], PR interval, QRS duration, QTc [QT interval corrected by heart rate], ST duration, spatial [spQRSTa] and frontal [fQRSTa] QRS-T angles in males. In females, there was no significant evidence that sex hormones are associated with arrhythmias or ECG indices.ConclusionIn this study, we identified a potential causal relationship between estradiol and the risk of AF in males. However, there was no significant association between sex hormones and either arrhythmias or ECG indices in females. These results suggested that sex hormones may play a limited role in cardiac arrhythmias, which requires further verification.

More inattentive dogs benefit from repetitive but not permissive training

Dogs’ learning performance is influenced by various factors, including training style and post-learning sleep. Family dogs naturally display a large variation in their inattention and impulsivity, traits that can affect both their behaviour and learning outcomes. In this study, we conducted a complementary analysis on the dataset from Reicher et al. (2024) to investigate the effect of dogs' inattention and impulsivity on their behaviour and learning performance. We also revealed to what extent the dogs’ training level, and the owner’s strictness influence the results. Family dogs (N=25) were trained under both Permissive and Controlling conditions in a counterbalanced within-subject design. Each training session was followed by a learning performance test, a two-hour sleep session, and a post-sleep retest. Owner-rated inattention and impulsivity scores were retained from a validated questionnaire (DAFRS). More impulsive dogs tended to learn slightly faster, regardless of the training condition. Dogs with higher inattention scores performed better during the pre-sleep test on the second training occasion (regardless of the condition) and in the post-sleep retest under the Controlling condition. In the Permissive condition, less inattentive dogs showed greater performance improvement from pre- to post-sleep. Furthermore, dogs with stricter owners performed better in the retest, regardless of the training condition, while the dogs’ training level did not affect their performance. Our results revealed complex interactions between training style, training order, sleep, and dogs’ impulsivity and inattention. Some advantages of more impulsive and inattentive dogs may be less surprising considering our typical dog sample, not including individuals with extremely high inattention or impulsivity scores. Although dogs performed better on the first training occasion (Reicher et al., 2024), more inattentive dogs seemed to be less affected by proactive interference (prior learned information impeding subsequent learning within a similar context) on the second session, and they appeared to benefit from a Controlling training style and the repetitive nature of the training procedure. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of different training styles depends on individual dog traits, such as inattentiveness.

A pathway for decreasing the water footprint from grazing-based beef production systems in the Tropics

CONTEXTWater availability shapes agricultural land use patterns, which in turn impacts water supplies. Beef cattle production is one of the most water-intensive food production activities. Therefore, it is fundamental to identify pathways to reduce water consumption and to determine suitable producing-regions to mitigate the current pressures on water resources. OBJECTIVEOur objectives were to assess the water footprint of beef cattle in different land use systems and investigate the potential of alternative production strategies to reduce the environmental impacts associated with water resources use. METHODSThe water footprint of beef produced in conventional pasture system (CON), agropastoral (ICL), and agro-silvopastoral (ICLF) systems was analysed from cradle-to-farm gate using a life cycle assessment approach, which included a complementary analysis of the environmental impacts of the rainfall water consumption in the Brazilian Cerrado. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSIncreases in the efficiency of the systems (e.g., greater feed conversion efficiency, stocking rates, reduced slaughter age of animals, amongst others) resulted in a lower water footprint and water scarcity footprint in ICL (18,332 L and 1526 L/kg carcass weight), followed by ICLF (31,024 L and 1846 L/kg carcass weight) compared to CON (60,023 L and 2446 L/kg carcass weight). The impact of rainfall water consumption (i.e., green water scarcity) was lowest in ICL (182–328 Lworld equivalents/kg carcass weight). Although the tree presence in ICLF systems can limit the productivity, it improves the thermal environment as well as the canopy structure and nutritional value of forage on pastures for grazing animals, thereby reducing the water footprint indicators compared to CON systems. The environmental impacts of rainfall water consumed should not be neglected in water footprint studies due to its importance for restoring water cycles, which is particularly complex in diversified land uses, such as ICL and ICLF. In conclusion, ICL and ICLF are viable production strategies for reducing the environmental impacts of water consumption in grazing-based systems. SIGNIFICANCEThe research was carried out in the Brazilian Cerrado, a major region for producing and exporting beef cattle in the world and a biome of strategic importance in the water resources dynamics. The region faces significant water consumption challenges because of the accelerated agricultural development disassociated from long-term planning and monitoring of its water resources use. Therefore, our findings are critical in supporting ecosystem resilience and production of beef by also providing insights into the environmental impacts of water consumption in agropastoral and agro-silvopastoral systems, which have been underrepresented in scientific literature.

Genetic variation perspective reveals potential drug targets for subtypes of endometrial cancer

The study aims to identify potential drug targets for endometrial cancer (EC) subtypes through a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, assessing their clinical relevance. We utilized genetic instruments for 4,907 plasma proteins from the deCODE Genetics study dataset, and data with EC (n = 12,906) from a genome-wide study (GWAS) meta-analysis in European populations for MR analyses. Complementary analyses included protein-protein interactions (PPI) network analysis, therapeutic efficacy evaluation, differential gene expression assessment, and prognosis evaluation. The expression levels of key drug targets were quantitatively measured at both the transcriptional and translational stages utilizing reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Additionally, we analyzed various clinicopathological features. Five drug targets for EC (CBR3, GSTO1, HHIP, IGF2R, and MMP10), seven for endometrioid subtypes (ACAP2, CBR3, GSTO1, HHIP, IGF2R, MMP10, and TLR2), and seven for non-endometrioid subtypes (CST3, DNAJB14, FSTL5, GMPR2, IFI16, MAPK9, and NEO1) were identified. Among these, IGF2R (OR = 1.165; 95% CI 1.067–1.272; p = 1.046 × 10− 2) and CST3 (OR = 0.523; 95% CI 0.339–0.804; p = 7.010 × 10− 3) were highlighted as key drug targets with causal evidence both at transcriptional and translational levels. This study preliminarily confirms that IGF2R and CST3 may serve as novel targets for the treatment of EC, providing a foundational reference for innovative clinical approaches to this disease.

Hierarchical modelling of epibenthic communities on the Scotian Shelf and Gulf of Maine (Atlantic Canada) in support of conservation planning

Identification of ecologically significant units at different spatial scales is essential for management of biodiversity attributes. This case study illustrates a coupled methodological approach to delineate benthic habitats and associated assemblages at different spatial scales. Two complementary analyses were employed based on the occurrences of 99 epibenthic invertebrate species in Atlantic Canada, sampled during depth-stratified random trawl sets. To identify epibenthic assemblage types, isometric feature mapping and partitioning around medoids (ISOPAM) was used in combination with a joint species distribution model (JSDM), which also produced continuous distribution surfaces across the spatial domain. ISOPAM identified nine significantly spatially coherent assemblages (biotopes) at spatial scales of hundreds of meters to hundreds of kilometers, with associated diagnostic species. Those assemblages were closely matched by eight regions of common profile using the JSDM, indicating strong environmental influences on their distributions. These smaller-scale assemblages were grouped into three biophysical units. The results from the JSDM were validated with independent data showing good congruence. This indicates that the spatial units ascribed to identified assemblages are robust and suitable for marine spatial planning and monitoring.

Whole-genome sequencing reveals genetic structure and adaptive genes in Nepalese buffalo breeds

BackgroundIndigenous buffaloes, as the important livestock species contributing to economy of the country, are the lifeline of livelihood in Nepal. They are distributed across diverse geographical regions of the country and have adapted to various feeding, breeding, and management conditions. The larger group of these native buffalo breeds are present in narrow and stiff hilly terrains. Their dispersal indicates a possible environmental adaptation mechanism, which is crucial for the conservation of these breeds.ResultsWe utilized whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and selection signatures of Nepalese indigenous buffaloes. We compared 66 whole-genome sequences with 118 publicly available sequences from six river and five swamp buffalo breeds. Genomic diversity parameters indicated genetic variability level in the Nepalese buffaloes comparable to those of Indian breeds, and population genetic structure revealed distinct geography-mediated genetic differentiation among these breeds. We used locus-specific branch length analysis (LSBL) for genome-wide scan, which revealed a list of potentially selected genes in Lime and Parkote breeds that inhabit the hilly region. A gene ontology (GO) analysis discovered that many GO terms were associated with cardiac function regulation. Furthermore, complementary analyses of local selection signatures, tissue expression profiles, and haplotype differences identified candidate genes, including KCNE1, CSF1R, and PDGFRB, related to the regulation of cardiac and pulmonary functions.ConclusionsThis study is a comprehensive WGS-based genetic analysis of the native Nepalese buffalo breeds. Our study suggested that the Nepalese “hilly” buffaloes, especially the Lime and Parkote breeds, have undergone some characteristic genetic changes and evolved increased cardiac and pulmonary function for their adaptation to the steep hilly terrains of the country.

Qualitative process evaluation of a disability-inclusive ultra-poor graduation programme in Uganda

Background: There is a paucity of evidence regarding what works to help persons with disabilities escape the trap of poverty. To address extreme poverty among the general population, poverty graduation approaches have gained popularity. These programmes combine direct livelihood assistance (e.g. provision of assets) with wider support given to individuals (e.g. skill development). However, these interventions have rarely been adapted to be disability-inclusive.Objectives: The present research is a qualitative process evaluation of a disability-inclusive poverty graduation intervention, implemented in Uganda from 2020 to 2022. The study focusses on contextual influences on the intervention and mechanisms of impact according to the perspectives of implementers and intervention recipients, with a complementary analysis of structures and resources used to deliver the intervention derived from a desk-based review of programme reports.Method: In all, 15 implementers and 23 persons with disabilities who received the intervention were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Interview data underwent framework analysis.Results: National infection prevention measures and loss of intervention funding associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were identified as contextual influences on the intervention. Respondents highlighted increases in social empowerment and positive changes in societal attitudes to disability as routes through which the intervention had a positive impact. However, instances of jealousy from community members not receiving the intervention were also an unintended consequence.Conclusion: Results are discussed in terms of practical implications for delivering similar interventions in other contexts.Contribution: This study contributes new knowledge about the key factors that influenced the effectiveness of a disability-inclusive poverty graduation intervention.