Complex Drivers Research Articles

Tobacco Market Transformation in Hungary

Smoking has emerged as a longstanding global concern, with a significant number of individuals within our immediate and bariatric circles becoming addicted to this detrimental habit. The gravity of the issue is reflected in the staggering statistics, as smoking claims the lives of more than six million people worldwide annually, earning its notorious title as the leading cause of preventable death according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite strict regulations and restrictions on smoking imposed by many countries to combat the escalating health risks, smoking habits persist as a major problem, particularly among young people. In the 1960s, smoking was widely accepted in society, and smoking rates remained high across nations. However, the tides began to turn with the growing awareness of the dire health risks associated with smoking. Health professionals and policymakers took active measures against smoking, contributing to a decline in its prevalence. Nevertheless, the extent of change in smoking habits varies significantly from country to country. The intricate web of factors influencing smoking habits encompasses social and economic elements, stress and mental health considerations, as well as the alluring temptations surrounding tobacco products. Raising awareness about the devastating health impacts of smoking and taking relentless action against this harmful habit are pivotal in reducing smoking rates globally. However, it is crucial to acknowledge the diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and psychological aspects that underpin smoking behavior to implement effective strategies tailored to specific regions and demographics. To combat the persistent smoking epidemic, comprehensive and integrated efforts are required, ranging from targeted public health campaigns to comprehensive tobacco control policies. Empowering individuals with knowledge about the hazards of smoking and equipping them with effective cessation resources can be transformative in curbing the addiction. Equally vital is fostering a supportive environment that promotes mental well-being and addresses stressors, offering healthier alternatives to cope with challenges. In conclusion, the fight against smoking demands unwavering commitment from policymakers, health professionals, and society at large. By understanding the complex drivers behind smoking habits and adopting a multifaceted approach, we can endeavor to save lives, promote healthier communities, and ultimately work towards a smoke-free future for generations to come.

Fifty+ years of primate research illustrates complex drivers of abundance and increasing primate numbers.

Many primate populations are threatened by human actions and a central tool used for their protection is establishing protected areas. However, even if populations in such areas are protected from hunting and deforestation, they still may be threatened by factors such as climate change and its cascading impacts on habitat quality and disease dynamics. Here we provide a long-term and geographically wide-spread population assessment of the five common diurnal primates of Kibale National Park, Uganda. Over 7 year-long or longer census efforts that spanned 52 years, our team walked 1466 km, and recorded 480 monkey groups. Populations were generally relatively stable with a few exceptions, for which no apparent causative factors could be identified. This stability is unexpected as many ecological changes documented over the last 34+ years (e.g., decreasing food abundance and quality) were predicted to have negative impacts. Populations of some species declined at some sites but increased at others. This highlights the need for large, protected areas so that declines in particular areas are countered by gains in others. Kibale has large areas of regenerating forest and this most recent survey revealed that after 20+ years, forest regeneration in many of these areas appears sufficient to sustain sizeable primate populations, except for blue monkeys that have not colonized these areas. Indeed, the average primate abundance in the regenerating forest was only 8.1% lower than in neighboring old-growth forest. Thus, park-wide primate abundance has likely increased, despite many pressures on the park having risen; however, some areas in the park remain to be assessed. Our study suggests that the restoration, patrolling, and community outreach efforts of the Uganda Wildlife Authority and their partners have contributed significantly to protecting the park and its animals.

Complex drivers of invasive macroalgae boom and bust in Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawai'i

Invasive macroalgae Eucheuma sp. and Kappaphycus spp. (E/K) became a dominant benthic feature in Kāne'ohe Bay throughout the past four decades - occurring on up to 74 ha of reef area and growing up to three meters thick, which prompted intensive management action. In 2013, E/K cover began decreasing at managed and unmanaged sites. This study examined the extent and timing of the E/K decline and evaluated environmental and ecological drivers beyond management contributing to the decline. E/K continued to recede into 2017 and remains sparse in Kāne'ohe Bay today. Increasing over the sampling period, herbivore biomass was negatively correlated with E/K cover, and other significant, non-linear relationships emerged between E/K cover and coral cover, sea surface temperature, wind, and rainfall. This study uncovers several possible mechanisms explaining a boom and bust in E/K abundance, emphasizes the importance of herbivory, and highlights the resilience of coral reefs in Kāne'ohe Bay.

Evolution, Challenges and Applications of Modern MOSFETs

As technology scales down to the nanoscale regime, MOSFETs are widely used in various applications today, which serve as key components in power supplies, amplifiers, digital circuits, and microprocessors. Their ability to control and switch high currents makes them essential in electronic devices, ranging from smartphones and laptops to industrial machinery and electric vehicles. However, traditional MOSFET designs face significant limitations due to quantum effects, increased variability, and many other issues. They are prone to overheating, which limits their power handling capability, and their switching speeds are relatively slow, leading to inefficiencies in high-frequency circuits. Furthermore, traditional MOSFETs suffer from voltage limitations and require complex driver circuits, restricting their use in certain high-voltage applications. This paper provides a focused exploration of the challenges and opportunities in designing nanoscale MOSFETs, which starts from providing a comprehensive overview of the history, differences, dilemmas, and applications of modern MOSFETs. By examining the evolution of MOSFET technology, discussing the challenges faced by designers, and exploring the wide range of applications, which aims to inspire further research, innovation, and advancements in this critical field of electronics.

Tree diversity increases productivity through enhancing structural complexity across mycorrhizal types.

Tree species diversity and mycorrhizal associations play a central role for forest productivity, but factors driving positive biodiversity-productivity relationships remain poorly understood. In a biodiversity experiment manipulating tree diversity and mycorrhizal associations, we examined the roles of above- and belowground processes in modulating wood productivity in young temperate tree communities and potential underlying mechanisms. We found that tree species richness, but not mycorrhizal associations, increased forest productivity by enhancing aboveground structural complexity within communities. Structurally complex communities were almost twice as productive as structurally simple stands, particularly when light interception was high. We further demonstrate that overyielding was largely explained by positive net biodiversity effects on structural complexity with functional variation in shade tolerance and taxonomic diversity being key drivers of structural complexity in mixtures. Consideration of stand structural complexity appears to be a crucial element in predicting carbon sequestration in the early successional stages of mixed-species forests.

Limpopo National Park (Mozambico): groundwater assessment as a tool for a sustainable management of the area

This paper deals with updated results coming from hydrogeological studies carried on the framework of the SECOSUD Phase II, called “Conservation and equitable use of biological diversity in the SADC region (Southern African Development Community), a project supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the SADC, whose focus area includes South Africa Development Countries. The main goal of the SECOSUD Phase II Project is the definition and implementation of scenarios for sustainable development, aimed at an equitable conservation of biodiversity resources and, as a consequence of this target, the hydrogeological characterization, with the groundwater recharge assessment, of this area and its buffer zone. Limpopo National Park is one of the jewels in the crown of Mozambique’s protected areas. As a matter of fact, sustaining the conservation of biodiversity, due to its complexity and multiple drivers, which stress it, is on first a matter of water environment assessment, as most ecosystems are highly dependent on the hydrological cycle and groundwater availability. After gathering regional and local geological data, which let us set up a detailed geological map of the area under study, pointing out the main outcropping geological units, with their main hydrogeological properties, the methodological approach adopted has been to assess the potential infiltration, applying the Inverse Hydrogeological Budget Technique, performed for the focus area. Because of the lack of meteorological data referred to Limpopo National Park, it has been applied a spatial distribution of precipitation measurements, collected in many gauge stations, located in the Kruger National Park during the last 54 years, which represent an interesting rainfall historical series. The target of the study has been to assess a trend of meteorological data with the aim of understanding how precipitations could affect groundwater recharge, and their influence on groundwater availability. The estimation of groundwater recharge is the tool for suggesting better water management in the area, aimed to preserve as much biodiversity as people living in the buffer zone.

Public and private sector zero-deforestation commitments and their impacts: A case study from South Sumatra Province, Indonesia

In Asia, Africa, and Latin America, complex drivers of deforestation have sparked mandatory and voluntary initiatives, including moratorium policies, zero-deforestation pledges and certification systems. The impacts of these different commitments, which aim to reduce deforestation, have yet to be documented or analytically scrutinized. Using South Sumatra as a case study, we used the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to identify the context and impacts of public and private sector commitments. Public sector commitment was assessed by examining political will reflected in government policies and regulations, while private sector commitment was assessed by looking at compliance with mandatory and voluntary certification schemes. South Sumatra lost 63% of its natural forest between 1990 and 2019. Deforestation is driven by expansion of large-scale commercial plantations, as well as illegal logging and clearing. Our study indicates that public and private sector commitments do matter. Statistically, we found sufficient evidence that private sector commitments were able to significantly reduce deforestation from year of commitments to 2019, at a 90% confidence level. Efforts to support zero-deforestation commitments must involve radical shifts in current policy and practice, with stricter law enforcement to combat illegal activities, greater transparency to inform progress, and the development of strategic and actionable plans.

“How in God’s Name Are We Going to Navigate This?”: Parent Support for Transgender Adolescents

The extant literature has clearly demonstrated that transgender and nonbinary adolescents (TNBA) face extreme stress related to navigating gender identity and expression across various social environments. Additionally, parents are perhaps the most critical aspect of support for TNBA, and research has repeatedly identified the benefits of parent support for adolescent mental health. However, few studies underscore how TNBA and parents within the same family perceive parent support after adolescents disclose that they are transgender or nonbinary. The present qualitative study uses a life history calendar (LHC) interview approach with 20 TNBA-parent dyads (40 individual interviews) to explore TNBA-parent perceptions of parent support and adjustment related to TNBA gender identity and affirmation. Findings yielded three main points regarding parental support for TNBA. First, the time between disclosure to a parent and puberty mattered for parental support and adjustment processes. Second, parents who stepped into their child’s gender journey during their child’s adolescence grappled with feelings of grief and loss as they were making decisions to support their child’s gender affirmation. For many of these families, stigma-related fears and adolescent distress impacted parent support for their child’s gender journey. Third, parents lacked a familiar and affirming roadmap in their own families and communities, and although parents connected with other parents of trans kids for support, for some, these supportive resources presented challenges. Continued research can further study the complex drivers of support and the potential impact of these support processes on adolescent and parental well-being.

Structural and Chemical Diversity and Complexity of Sulfur Minerals

The chemical and structural diversity of minerals containing sulfur as an essential mineral-forming element has been analyzed in terms of the concept of mineral systems and the information-based structural and chemical complexity parameters. The study employs data for 1118 sulfur mineral species approved by the International Mineralogical Association. All known sulfur minerals belong to nine mineral systems, with the number of essential components ranging from one to nine. The chemical and structural complexity of S minerals correlate with each other; that is, on average, chemical complexification results in structural complexification. The minerals with S–O bonds (sulfates and sulfites) are more complex than those without S–O bonds (sulfides and sulfosalts). However, the most complex sulfur mineral known so far is incomsartorite, Tl6Pb144As246S516, a sulfosalt. The complexity-generating mechanism in sulfides and sulfosalts is the complex combination of different modules excised from parent PbS or SnS archetypes with the subsequent formation of superstructures. The drivers for structural complexity in sulfates are more diverse and, in addition to modular construction and superstructures, also include a high hydration state, the presence of polyatomic clusters, and framework complexity. The most complex Martian minerals are most probably halotrichite-group minerals. The chemical and structural complexity increases with the passage of geological time with the formation of the most complex sulfosalts at Lengenbach (Swiss Alps) triggered by life (activity of sulfur-reducing bacteria).

Exploring the association between perceived male attitudes and female attitudes toward the discontinuation of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Egypt.

There are 200 million girls and women alive worldwide that have undergone the practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and 4 million girls are at risk of undergoing the practice each year. FGM/C provides no known health benefits, while puts a plethora of medical, psychological, and sexual health risks into perspective. One of the countries where the prevalence of FGM/C is the highest in the World, even though local authorities legally banned the practice in 2008, is Egypt. Within the Egyptian context, there are several complex socioeconomic, religious, and cultural drivers that influence the familial decision making of the daughters being cut. Female attitudes hold great significance in the process, because mothers and female family members are typically the prime decision makers at the daughter's circumcision. However, whilst FGM/C is often performed to enhance marriageability and address male preferences, in practicing communities there is little to no open communication between men and women about the practice, making women rely on their perceptions on FGM/C related expectations of men. Even though the connection between female and perceived male attitudes toward the discontinuation was established almost 20 years ago, since then to our knowledge little is known about the further characteristics of this association. Therefore, this study aims to explore the association between female and perceived male attitudes within families of a younger cohort and moreover attempts to provide a more layered picture of it within different levels of education. To explore the relation between female and perceived male attitudes toward the discontinuation of FGM/C we conducted a 3-step binary logistic regression model. Our results show that women are significantly less likely to favor a continuation of FGM/C if they think men are disapproving of the practice, compared to women that think men want it to continue. The strength of this association partially varies between the different levels of education as it is less pronounced at the level of secondary education, compared to the reference group. In alignment with previous findings in the literature, women were more likely to support the discontinuation of FGM/C if they believed that men want the practice to discontinue as well and vice versa. At a higher level of secondary education however this association is less pronounced. This result concludes that the role of perceived male attitudes should be an important factor associated with female ones and studied further, and underlines the importance of education in women empowerment.

Complex drivers of primary production along an anthropised estuary (Seine estuary—France)

The Seine estuary is a typical model of a system in which phosphorus (P) inputs have been considerably reduced to reduce past eutrophication, with a parallel decrease in phytoplankton biomass. However, reducing P alone while concentrations of nitrate (N) remains high led to a dystrophic nutrient balance in the estuary (high N/P and N/Si). To identify the drivers of primary production and phytoplankton communities in the highly anthropised Seine estuary, sampling was performed along a 110-km stretch over a period of 3 years. Photosynthetic parameters were measured with a single turnover active fluorimeter and the phytoplankton community was assessed using a fluoroprobe and flow cytometry. The results revealed an annual primary production of 33 g C.m−2.y−1 which was largely controlled by light availability (turbidity) but also by nutrients in late spring and summer period. Massive blooms, not seen since 2002, were observed in a specific area of the estuary. None of the nutrients measured explained the particular location of the blooms but phytoplankton production and productivity indicators were higher in this specific zone excluding a biomass accumulation phenomenon. The local effect of tide slowdown increasing water residence time in this exact part of the estuary could explain the bloom area. The question thus arises: does phosphate play a role as a limiting nutrient? The diatom bloom led to total depletion of Si, but no clear limitation of P was observed. Nevertheless, the decrease in Si appears to have played a key role by triggering a succession from diatoms (microphytoplankton) to chlorophytes (nanophytoplankton) and hence affecting phytoplankton composition. The N/P balance appeared to be more important than the absolute concentration of P to explain the phytoplankton dynamics and the biomass decrease observed the last decades.

Measuring the global burden of diabetes: implications for health policy, practice, and research

Over the past two decades, global health practitioners and researchers have put forth evidence-based guidance on how to respond to the growing threat from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors. 1 WHOGlobal action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013–2020. World Health Organization, Geneva2013 Google Scholar Many goals and targets have been set, but few countries are on track to meet them, and measurement has proven challenging. 2 Watkins DA Msemburi WT Pickersgill SJ et al. NCD Countdown 2030: efficient pathways and strategic investments to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4 in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet. 2022; 399: 1266-1278 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (28) Google Scholar The Lancet Commission on Diabetes 3 Chan JCN Lim LL Wareham NJ et al. The Lancet Commission on diabetes: using data to transform diabetes care and patient lives. Lancet. 2021; 396: 2019-2082 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (194) Google Scholar and the Global Diabetes Compact 4 Gregg EW Buckley J Ali MK et al. Improving health outcomes of people with diabetes: target setting for the WHO Global Diabetes Compact. Lancet. 2023; 401: 1302-1312 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar sought to elevate the status of diabetes within the NCD agenda and provide focused recommendations and targets, respectively. Global, regional, and national burden of diabetes from 1990 to 2021, with projections of prevalence to 2050: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021Diabetes remains a substantial public health issue. Type 2 diabetes, which makes up the bulk of diabetes cases, is largely preventable and, in some cases, potentially reversible if identified and managed early in the disease course. However, all evidence indicates that diabetes prevalence is increasing worldwide, primarily due to a rise in obesity caused by multiple factors. Preventing and controlling type 2 diabetes remains an ongoing challenge. It is essential to better understand disparities in risk factor profiles and diabetes burden across populations, to inform strategies to successfully control diabetes risk factors within the context of multiple and complex drivers. Full-Text PDF Open Access

Global, regional, and national burden of diabetes from 1990 to 2021, with projections of prevalence to 2050: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and affects people regardless of country, age group, or sex. Using the most recent evidentiary and analytical framework from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD), we produced location-specific, age-specific, and sex-specific estimates of diabetes prevalence and burden from 1990 to 2021, the proportion of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in 2021, the proportion of the type 2 diabetes burden attributable to selected risk factors, and projections of diabetes prevalence through 2050. Estimates of diabetes prevalence and burden were computed in 204 countries and territories, across 25 age groups, for males and females separately and combined; these estimates comprised lost years of healthy life, measured in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs; defined as the sum of years of life lost [YLLs] and years lived with disability [YLDs]). We used the Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm) approach to estimate deaths due to diabetes, incorporating 25 666 location-years of data from vital registration and verbal autopsy reports in separate total (including both type 1 and type 2 diabetes) and type-specific models. Other forms of diabetes, including gestational and monogenic diabetes, were not explicitly modelled. Total and type 1 diabetes prevalence was estimated by use of a Bayesian meta-regression modelling tool, DisMod-MR 2.1, to analyse 1527 location-years of data from the scientific literature, survey microdata, and insurance claims; type 2 diabetes estimates were computed by subtracting type 1 diabetes from total estimates. Mortality and prevalence estimates, along with standard life expectancy and disability weights, were used to calculate YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs. When appropriate, we extrapolated estimates to a hypothetical population with a standardised age structure to allow comparison in populations with different age structures. We used the comparative risk assessment framework to estimate the risk-attributable type 2 diabetes burden for 16 risk factors falling under risk categories including environmental and occupational factors, tobacco use, high alcohol use, high body-mass index (BMI), dietary factors, and low physical activity. Using a regression framework, we forecast type 1 and type 2 diabetes prevalence through 2050 with Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and high BMI as predictors, respectively. In 2021, there were 529 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 500-564) people living with diabetes worldwide, and the global age-standardised total diabetes prevalence was 6·1% (5·8-6·5). At the super-region level, the highest age-standardised rates were observed in north Africa and the Middle East (9·3% [8·7-9·9]) and, at the regional level, in Oceania (12·3% [11·5-13·0]). Nationally, Qatar had the world's highest age-specific prevalence of diabetes, at 76·1% (73·1-79·5) in individuals aged 75-79 years. Total diabetes prevalence-especially among older adults-primarily reflects type 2 diabetes, which in 2021 accounted for 96·0% (95·1-96·8) of diabetes cases and 95·4% (94·9-95·9) of diabetes DALYs worldwide. In 2021, 52·2% (25·5-71·8) of global type 2 diabetes DALYs were attributable to high BMI. The contribution of high BMI to type 2 diabetes DALYs rose by 24·3% (18·5-30·4) worldwide between 1990 and 2021. By 2050, more than 1·31 billion (1·22-1·39) people are projected to have diabetes, with expected age-standardised total diabetes prevalence rates greater than 10% in two super-regions: 16·8% (16·1-17·6) in north Africa and the Middle East and 11·3% (10·8-11·9) in Latin America and Caribbean. By 2050, 89 (43·6%) of 204 countries and territories will have an age-standardised rate greater than 10%. Diabetes remains a substantial public health issue. Type 2 diabetes, which makes up the bulk of diabetes cases, is largely preventable and, in some cases, potentially reversible if identified and managed early in the disease course. However, all evidence indicates that diabetes prevalence is increasing worldwide, primarily due to a rise in obesity caused by multiple factors. Preventing and controlling type 2 diabetes remains an ongoing challenge. It is essential to better understand disparities in risk factor profiles and diabetes burden across populations, to inform strategies to successfully control diabetes risk factors within the context of multiple and complex drivers. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Exploring the potential for children to act on antimicrobial resistance in Nepal: Valuable insights from secondary analysis of qualitative data.

This study explores the perceived roles of children in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in two sites across Nepal. AMR is a global challenge and underpinned by many complex behavioural drivers including how antimicrobial medicines are sourced and used. Because of this social dynamic, several research groups are using community engagement (CE) approaches to understand AMR at community level. However, most data negate the importance of children in behaviours linked to, and potentially driving AMR. In this study, authors apply secondary analysis methods to 10 transcripts representing the views of 23 adults engaged in an AMR-focused film-making project. By focusing on participants' reference to children, we reveal that antimicrobial usage and adherence to health providers' messages can be influenced by the age of the patient. Secondly that children are involved in some of the behaviours which are known to drive antimicrobial resistance such as purchasing over-the-counter antibiotic drugs. Finally, community members discuss that, with careful creation of resources, AMR could be meaningfully presented in educational settings with a view to children acting as agents of change around AMR-driving behaviours. Findings suggest that age-inclusive community engagement projects could be effective in tackling AMR at community level in Nepal and other low resource settings.

Complex Drivers of Riparian Soil Oxygen Variability Revealed Using Self‐Organizing Maps

AbstractOxygen (O2) regulates soil reduction‐oxidation processes and therefore modulates biogeochemical cycles. The difficulties associated with accurately characterizing soil O2 variability have prompted the use of soil moisture as a proxy for O2, as O2 diffusion into soil water is much slower than in soil air. The use of soil moisture alone as a proxy measurement for O2 could result in inaccurate O2 estimations. For example, O2 may remain high during cool months when soil respiration rates are low. We analyzed high‐frequency sensor data (e.g., soil moisture, CO2, gas‐phase soil pore O2) with a machine learning technique, the Self‐Organizing Map, to pinpoint suites of soil conditions associated with contrasting O2 regimes. At two riparian sites in northern Vermont, we found that O2 levels varied seasonally, and with soil moisture. For example, 47% of low O2 levels were associated with wet and cool soil conditions, whereas 32% were associated with dry and warm conditions. Contrastingly, the majority (62%) of high O2 conditions occurred under dry and warm conditions. High soil moisture levels did not always lead to low O2, as 38% of high O2 values occurred under wet and cool conditions. Our results highlight challenges with predicting soil O2 solely based on water content, as variable combinations of soil and hydrologic conditions can complicate the relationship between water content and O2. This indicates that process‐based ecosystem and denitrification models that rely solely on soil moisture to estimate O2 may need to incorporate other site and climate‐specific drivers to accurately predict soil O2.

MiaSim: an R/Bioconductor package to easily simulate microbial community dynamics

Abstract Microbiomes never stop changing. Their compositions and functions are shaped by the complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic drivers, such as growth and migration rates, species interactions, available nutrients and environmental conditions. Mathematical models help us make sense of these complex drivers and intuitively explain how, why and when specific microbiome states are reached while others are not. To make simulations of microbiome dynamics intuitive and accessible, we present miaSim. miaSim provides users with a wide range of possibilities to match their specific assumptions and scenarios, starting from a core implementation of four widely used models (namely the stochastic logistic model, MacArthur's consumer‐resource model, Hubbell's neutral model and the generalized Lotka‐Volterra model) and several of their derivations. The diverse model implementations share the same data structures and, whenever possible, share state variables, which significantly facilitates cross‐model combinations and comparisons. We combined and simulated some published examples of microbiome models in miaSim and performed cross‐model comparisons and tested diverse model assumptions. Our examples illustrate the reliability, robustness and user‐friendliness of the package. In addition, miaSim is accompanied by miaSimShiny, which allows users to explore the parameter space of their models in real‐time in an intuitive graphical interface. miaSim is fully compatible with the ‘miaverse’, an R/Bioconductor framework for microbiome data science, allowing users to combine and compare model simulations with microbiome datasets. The stable version of miaSim is available through Bioconductor 3.15, and the version for future development is available at https://github.com/microbiome/miaSim. miaSimShiny is available at https://github.com/gaoyu19920914/miaSimShiny. We anticipate that miaSim will significantly facilitate the task of simulating microbiome dynamics, highlighting the role of ecological simulations as important tools in microbiome data science.

No retreat from the heat: temperature-related risk of violent assault is increased by being inside

ABSTRACT Studies finding an association between increasing temperature and violent crime have largely overlooked the potential effect modification of crime location. This study analysed 13 years of reported violent crime to investigate if there is a relationship between daily ambient temperature and crime type (domestic, non-domestic and sexual assault), and how this differs by whether the crime occurred inside or out. We found that predicted daily counts of domestic violence increased with temperature, and this association was greater for locations inside. Non-domestic assaults also increased with higher temperature, however when compared by location the incidents that occurred outside rose to around 30°C then plateaued while inside the risk continued to rise. Sexual assault peaked and then declined at around 30°C in inside and outside locations. The findings support the development of prevention and preparedness strategies by considering how the complex drivers behind the temperature–aggression association are modified by the location where it occurred.

Aridity and decreasing soil heterogeneity reduce microbial network complexity and stability in the semi-arid grasslands

Soil microbes play vital roles in mediating the functions and services of terrestrial ecosystems in the context of ongoing climate change and human disturbance. There are complex interactions between soil microbial taxa. However, research on the drivers of soil microbial network complexity and stability based on microbial taxa interactions is still in its infancy. We examined network structure and the complexity and stability of soil microbial communities across a large-scale environmental gradient in semi-arid grasslands of northern China by combining network theory and high-throughput sequencing. We found that aridity was the strongest driver of soil microbial network structure. Increasing aridity directly reduced the complexity and stability of soil microbial networks by decreasing the ratio of microbial taxa that participated in network construction and the ratio of potential positive and negative interactions of networks. Soil heterogeneity enhanced microbial network complexity and stability by potentially promoting diverse host plants and mediating uneven distribution of soil resources. These findings suggest that aridity and decreasing soil heterogeneity may have detrimental influences on soil microbial functions and the associated plant performance. This study provides new insights into the controls of climatic and/or edaphic variables in regulating soil microbial networks and highlights the importance of environmental heterogeneity in community assembly mechanisms of soil microbes.

Assessing patterns of eavesdropper risk on sexual signals and the use of meta-analysis in behavioural ecology: a comment on: ‘The exploitation of sexual signals by predators: a meta-analysis' White et al . (2022)

Assessing patterns of eavesdropper risk on sexual signals and the use of meta-analysis in behavioural ecology: a comment on: ‘The exploitation of sexual signals by predators: a meta-analysis' White <i>et al</i> . (2022)

Sex ratio potentially influence the complexity of social calls in Himalayan leaf-nosed bat groups

Animals living in a complex social environment emit diverse acoustic signals and thus serve as excellent subjects for understanding the evolution of acoustic communication. Previous studies have focused on the complexity of social calls in some group-living animals, yet the determinants of vocal complexity at the intraspecific level remain unclear. Here, we aimed to assess the influence of group composition on social call complexity in Himalayan leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideros armiger) in the non-breeding season. The bats divided into three groups with the same number of individuals but with different sex ratio compositions. We monitored social vocalizations for the all-male group, the all-female group, the mixed group, and also quantified vocal complexity for each group based on multiple acoustic metrics, including vocal repertoire, call sequences, the diversity index, and information capacity. The results showed that there were significant differences in the composition of call sequences among the three bat groups. The number of vocalizations was the highest in the mixed group, while the social call complexity was the highest in the all-male group, followed by the all-female group, and was the lowest in the mixed group. The results suggest that sex ratio potentially influence the vocal repertoire in Himalayan leaf-nosed bats. Our findings might provide a cue for vocalization research to investigate sex ratio in social groups as a potential driver for vocal complexity.