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Background: Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent) is a dioecious tree native to East Asia and mainland Southeast-Asia, introduced prehistorically to Polynesia as a source of bark fiber by Austronesian-speaking voyagers. In Oceania, trees are coppiced and harvested for production of bark-cloth, so flowering is generally unknown. A survey of botanical records of paper mulberry revealed a distributional disjunction: the tree is apparently absent in Borneo and the Philippines. A subsequent study of chloroplast haplotypes linked paper mulberry of Remote Oceania directly to a population in southern Taiwan, distinct from known populations in mainland Southeast-Asia. Methodology: We describe the optimization and use of a DNA marker designed to identify sex in paper mulberry. We used this marker to determine the sex distribution in selected localities across Asia, Near and Remote Oceania. We also characterized all samples using the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence (ITS) in order to relate results to a previous survey of ITS diversity. Results: In Near and Remote Oceania, contemporary paper mulberry plants are all female with the exception of Hawaii, where plants of both sexes are found. In its natural range in Asia, male and female plants are found, as expected. Male plants in Hawaii display an East Asian ITS genotype, consistent with modern introduction, while females in Remote Oceania share a distinctive variant. Conclusions: Most paper mulberry plants now present in the Pacific appear to be descended from female clones introduced prehistorically. In Hawaii, the presence of male and female plants is thought to reflect a dual origin, one a prehistoric female introduction and the other a modern male introduction by Japanese/Chinese immigrants. If only female clones were dispersed from a source-region in Taiwan, this may explain the absence of botanical records and breeding populations in the Philippines and Borneo, and Remote Oceania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments around the world are increasingly committed to reaching terrestrial and marine conservation goals. But achieving such commitments is challenging, and conservation targets that are reached on paper, e.g., in terms of square kilometers protected, can be misleading. Designating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) does not guarantee achieving marine conservation goals, and so-called 'paper parks,' i.e., MPAs that are legally designated but ineffective, are common. Little is known about the de facto protection status of the established MPAs and no studies or databases have considered local stakeholders' knowledge. Using a one-question questionnaire, we collected data on local stakeholders' perceptions of de facto fishing in their MPA from most of the world's maritime countries. While the level of fishing effort was generally perceived to be higher in fully 'take' MPAs than in 'no-take' or multi-zone MPAs, we show that high levels of fishing also occur in MPAs that are fully protected according to MPAtlas and the IUCN, via a new 'Paper Park Index' (PPI), which allowed the identification of 55 likely 'paper parks,' i.e., 30 % of our total sample. Most of them are located in the regions of 'Latin America and the Caribbean' (31 %), 'Southeast Asia and Oceania' (25 %) and 'Indian Ocean' (20 %). The 11 MPAs with the highest PPI are listed and 10 of them are shown to have been already identified as not being very protective. These results highlight the importance of different stakeholders' knowledge about the extent and type of marine protection. They also serve as an invitation to policy-makers, spatial planners, managers and the scientific community to consider local knowledge and encourage the participation of a wider group of stakeholders in policy-making, planning and management of marine spaces. • An efficient method that considers different stakeholders' knowledge of the fishing intensity level in Marine Protected Areas; • The 'Paper Park Index' (PPI) identify potential 'paper parks' or areas with a mismatch between protection status on paper and the ground; • Of the 184 MPAs in this study that have an IUCN management category, 30 % are likely 'paper parks.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans introduced paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) from Taiwan into the Pacific over 5000 years ago as a fiber source to make barkcloth textiles that were, and still are, important cultural artifacts throughout the Pacific. We have used B. papyrifera, a species closely associated to humans, as a proxy to understand the human settlement of the Pacific Islands. We report the first genetic analysis of paper mulberry textiles from historical and archaeological contexts (200 to 50 years before present) and compare our results with genetic data obtained from contemporary and herbarium paper mulberry samples. Following stringent ancient DNA protocols, we extracted DNA from 13 barkcloth textiles. We confirmed that the fiber source is paper mulberry in nine of the 13 textiles studied using the nuclear ITS-1 marker and by statistical estimates. We detected high genetic diversity in historical Pacific paper mulberry barkcloth with a set of ten microsatellites, showing new alleles and specific genetic patterns. These genetic signatures allow tracing connections to plants from the Asian homeland, Near and Remote Oceania, establishing links not observed previously (using the same genetic tools) in extant plants or herbaria samples. These results show that historic barkcloth textiles are cultural materials amenable to genetic analysis to reveal human history and that these artifacts may harbor evidence of greater genetic diversity in Pacific B. papyrifera in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent. (Moraceae), a dioecious species, was transported by humans from Taiwan to the islands of Remote Oceania. Its introduction and cultivation in Remote Oceania was intentional due to its cultural importance as a fiber source for barkcloth textiles. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic diversity and structure of paper mulberry populations within Remote Oceania in order to infer dispersal patterns that may reflect past human interaction among island groups. We present the integrated analysis of 380 samples (313 contemporary and 67 herbarium specimens) collected in Near and Remote Oceania. Genetic characterization was based on a set of ten microsatellites developed for B. papyrifera and complemented with the analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer ITS-1 sequence, a sex marker and the chloroplast ndhF-rpl32 intergenic spacer. Microsatellite data identify a total of 64 genotypes, despite this being a clonally propagated crop, and show three major dispersal hubs within Remote Oceania, centered on the islands of Fiji, Tonga, and Pitcairn. Of 64 genotypes identified, 55 correspond to genotypes associated to female-sexed plants that probably descend from plants introduced by the prehistoric Austronesian-speaking voyagers. The ratio of accessions to genotypes between herbarium and contemporary samples, suggests recent loss of genetic diversity. In addition to the chloroplast haplotypes described previously, we detected two new haplotypes within Remote Oceania both originating in Taiwan. This is the first study of a commensal species to show genetic structuring within Remote Oceania. In spite of the genetic bottleneck, the presence of only one sex, a timespan of less than 5000 years, and asexual propagation of this crop in Remote Oceania, we detect genetic diversity and regional structuring. These observations suggest specific migration routes between island groups within Remote Oceania., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The peopling of Remote Oceanic islands by Austronesian speakers is a fascinating and yet contentious part of human prehistory. Linguistic, archaeological, and genetic studies have shown the complex nature of the process in which different components that helped to shape Lapita culture in Near Oceania each have their own unique history. Important evidence points to Taiwan as an Austronesian ancestral homeland with a more distant origin in South China, whereas alternative models favor South China to North Vietnam or a Southeast Asian origin. We test these propositions by studying phylogeography of paper mulberry, a common East Asian tree species introduced and clonally propagated since prehistoric times across the Pacific for making barkcloth, a practical and symbolic component of Austronesian cultures. Using the hypervariable chloroplast ndhF-rpl32 sequences of 604 samples collected from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceanic islands (including 19 historical herbarium specimens from Near and Remote Oceania), 48 haplotypes are detected and haplotype cp-17 is predominant in both Near and Remote Oceania. Because cp-17 has an unambiguous Taiwanese origin and cp-17-carrying Oceanic paper mulberries are clonally propagated, our data concur with expectations of Taiwan as the Austronesian homeland, providing circumstantial support for the "out of Taiwan" hypothesis. Our data also provide insights into the dispersal of paper mulberry from South China "into North Taiwan," the "out of South China-Indochina" expansion to New Guinea, and the geographic origins of post-European introductions of paper mulberry into Oceania.

Between 2012 and 2013 the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office transferred some 20,000 colonial files from 37 territories to the National Archives in Kew. These ‘Migrated Archives’ had been repatriated to the UK between 1963 and 1994, but only in 2011 were they fully and publicly disclosed as the result of an English court hearing into claims of human rights violations by British authorities during the Mau Mau emergency in Kenya (1952–60). Yet the Migrated Archives contain many records related to the Pacific, including Fiji, Vanuatu (the New Hebrides), the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu. These Pacific records can be assessed in relation to approaches to contested property, public availability, diplomatic sensitivity and the management of official information. They also provide potentially new sources for Pacific historians on the politics of decolonisation in the region and the synergies and contrasts the Pacific shares with other areas of the former British empire. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The automotive industry has always represented a key sector within the economy of any country. Moreover, its significant contribution to the gross domestic product of many countries transformed this industry into one of the main pillars of the global economy. Therefore, numerous countries have built and produced various motor vehicles on different continents. The purpose of the paper is to briefly present and analyze the evolution of the world motor vehicle production on the four continents (Europe, America, Asia-Oceania, and Africa) in the period 2018-2022. The research methodology is based on a qualitative research method. The paper shows that the pre-pandemic period was a better period for the automotive industry than the pandemic period. Also, it demonstrates that Asia- Oceania dominates the production hierarchy by continents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the mid-twentieth century, growing North American textile and ready-to-wear industries vigorously appropriated Native American aesthetics to cultivate a commercial and design identity apart from Europe. Most studies of the circulation of Indigenous idioms in these industries focus on Southwestern or South Pacific regionalisms, and scholarship on studio and commercial fabric and fashion design from the Northwest Coast in the twentieth century is limited. This paper contributes by raising Indigenous and non-Indigenous use of Northwest Coast design forms during the politically turbulent 1940s–1960s and analyzing the impact of this aesthetic vocabulary within broader North American textiles and fashion. Throughout, I engage with the approaches of critical fashion theory and multiple modernisms, considering the frictions of property and power relations within settler-colonial states, then and now. Drawing from study of objects, periodicals, and archival materials as well as first-person perspectives, I contextualize these representations within entangled art, museum, and design worlds in the Northwest Coast, New York City, and the Southwest. My examination illustrates that Northwest Coast artists and art ideas asserted a peripheral but locatable role in mid-century textiles and fashion, facilitating the development of today's robust Indigenous fashion network on the Northwest Coast and its cultural politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food is one of the basic necessities for human life. Nutritious food is essential for human health and helps oneself live up to our best potential as productive members of society. In spite of this, 3 billion people are estimated to have limited access to nutrient-rich food, and there are 768 million undernourished people in the globe today. There are still concerns with food systems and food security, despite the fast economic transformation of low-and middle-income nations in Maritime Southeast Asia and Oceania over the past 10 years. These issues include dwindling agricultural land, deforestation, ineffective food supply networks, environmental degradation, changing and unhealthy diets, non-communicable diseases, disappearing cultural legacy, and ineffective policies. These problems are exacerbated by climate change, natural hazards, and pandemic shocks. This review explores the perspectives of food systems that relates to all the elements and activities in transforming agri-food industry. In this paper, we discuss the challenges and solutions to transforming food systems in this region to achieve a sustainable and healthy diet for all, with the perspective of bringing the region closer toward the UN sustainable development goals. This paper is an outcome of the deliberations that took place during the Food Security in Small Islands and Developing States workshop in 2020. It also includes insights from subsequent expert group sessions that focused on the following topics: Agriculture and Food Systems; Nutrition, Health, and Culture; Innovations and Digitalization in Food Systems; as well as Policies Coordination and Future Shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous and strategic planning of full-service carriers plays a prominent role in transferring and adapting them into resilient full-service carrier network structures. The exploration of full-service carrier network structures using the latest long-term empirical data facilitates enhancing cognitive capabilities in aspects of identifying network development tendencies, readjusting network structures, and supporting determinations of strategic business routes. Aiming at providing sustainable transport network solutions with historical long-term network structure analysis, this paper researches the global top 10 full-service carriers' air transport networks from 2007 to 2022, applied using social network analysis (SNA). The static metrics from local to path-based perspectives are adopted to explore the global network evolution trend, along with competitiveness characteristics over critical airports. The cascading failure model is applied as a key indicator to analyze the dynamic robustness capability for the network. The similarity changing feature among the selected networks over the past years from 2007 to 2022 is measured using the autocorrelation function (ACF). The results indicate that, from 2011 to 2019, the majority of full-service carrier networks belong to the network types of closed, structural symmetry and two-way transitivity. The critical airports in North America present superiority in terms of network efficiency over those in Europe, Asia, and Oceania. The 10 full-service carriers' air transport networks all show the trend of being more destruction-resistant. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, the merger with other airlines and the signing of a joint venture agreement led to higher temporal variability in the network structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archaeology in Oceania is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To convert screening tools for depression and suicide risk into algorithmic decision support on smartphones for use by community health nurses (CHNs), and to evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, and usability of the mHealth tool in providing mental health (MH) care.Method: Two scenarios of depression and suicide risk were developed and presented to 48 nurses using paper-based and mobile-based guidelines under laboratory (nonclinical) conditions. Participants read through the case scenarios to provide summaries, diagnoses, and management recommendations. Audiotapes were transcribed and analyzed for accuracy in scoring guidelines, therapy decisions, and time for tasks completion. The validated System Usability Scale (SUS) was used to measure mobile app usability.Results: Using mHealth-based guidelines, nurses took significantly less time to complete their tasks, and generated no errors of addition, as compared to paper-based guidelines. Although coding errors were noted when using the mHealth app, it did not influence treatment recommendations. The system usability scores for both guidelines were over 84%.Conclusions: Usable mHealth technology can support task-sharing for CHNs in Fiji, for the efficient and accurate screening of patients for depression and suicide risks in a nonclinical setting. Studies on clinical implementation of the mHealth tool are needed and planned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. New Zealand health training institutions have an important role in supporting health workforce training programmes in the Pacific Region. Aim. To explore the experience of Pacific Island country-based doctors from the Cook Islands, Niue, and Samoa, studying in New Zealand’s University of Otago distance-taught Rural Postgraduate programme. Methods. Document analysis (16 documents) was undertaken. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with Pacific Island country-based students. Thematic analysis of the interviews was undertaken using the framework method. The two data sources were analysed separately, followed by a process to converge and corroborate findings. Results. For Pacific Island countries with no previous option for formal general practice training, access to a recognised academic programme represented a milestone. Immediate clinical relevance and applicability of a generalist medical curriculum with rural remote emphasis, delivered mainly at a distance, was identified as a major strength. Although technologies posed some issues, these were generally easily solved. The main challenges identified related to the provision of academic and other support. Traditional university support services and resources were campus focused and not always easily accessed by this group of students who cross educational pedagogies, health systems and national borders to study in a New Zealand programme. Study for individuals worked best when it was part of a recognised and supported Pacific in-country training pathway. Discussion. The University of Otago’s Rural Postgraduate programme is accessible, relevant and achievable for Pacific Island country-based doctors. The programme offers a partial solution for training in general practice for the Pacific region. Student experience could be improved by tailoring and strengthening support services and ensuring their effective delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the reproductive biology of elasmobranchs are essential for understanding their life history. Published studies on batoid ray reproductive biology are comparatively scarce, leading to limited understanding and data gaps. The Oceania fantail ray, Taeniura lessoni, is a good example. This Data Deficient nearshore stingray is restricted to Melanesia, with lacking biological and ecological data, including reproduction. To expand upon the limited life-history data for this species, this short paper provides observational data on the reproductive condition in female T. lessoni, at Drawaqa Island, Fiji. Field work involved direct observations and ocean temperature measurements. Over 40 days spanning three months, 105 surveys were conducted across five sites, resulting in 71 sightings of the species. Based on spot patterns and body markings, four female individuals were identified. Between January and March 2024, these females exhibited convex dorsa indicating advanced gestation, transitioning to concave dorsa suggesting parturition. The presence of neonates from early March onwards coincided with the estimated parturition period inferred from the rays' condition. Furthermore, a female previously pregnant was photographed with a dermal abrasion around her pectoral fin, possibly indicating pre-copulatory biting, suggesting a continuous reproductive cycle. The average monthly water temperature at the surveyed sites remained relatively stable throughout the study. Collectively, our findings suggest that Drawaqa Island provides suitable habitat niches for reproductive activities in female T. lessoni. Repeated and long-term data is certainly needed to confirm either a continuous reproductive cycle or seasonal peaks. While preliminary, our observational data represents the first documentation on female reproductive condition in a stingray in Fiji. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used a retrospective cohort study to measure the impact of caring for children on female Australian researchers. Our aim was to see whether caring for children was associated with reduced outputs and collaboration. Women were randomly selected for inclusion if they published a first author paper in one of three Australian journals during 2007 to 2015, women who did not publish during this time were not included. One-hundred and sixty women were approached and 95 (59%) completed a survey on their history of caring for children. Two key outcomes were the women's publication and citation counts, which were accessed from Scopus. We also examined the number of authors, affiliations and countries on their published papers, as a reduction in these numbers could indicate an impaired ability to collaborate. We examined the probability of being first or last author as a measure of esteem. There was a small increase in publication counts after the first child that was reversed after the second child. Average citations counts declined after children, particularly after the second child. There was some evidence of a reduced collaboration with overseas collaborators after the first child. The probability of being the last author increased after the second child. Three women were identified as statistically influential and all three had children and were in the top 10% of overall publications and citations. After removing these women the estimated changes in outcomes were noticeably different for most of the outcomes. The repeated presence of statistically influential women shows that it may be impossible to find an "average impact" of caring for children when considering research output. Adjustments may need to be made individually, with women explaining how caring for children has altered their career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While our knowledge of tropical montane forests (TMFs) is limited, human activities continue to damage them. Remote sensing has shown its usefulness for forest investigations with difficult terrain. This study systematically reviewed the applications of spaceborne remote sensing to TMFs with regards to time, spatial distribution, journal publication, methodology, theme, sensor systems, vegetation zones, research needs, and techniques applied. Our review found that the number of papers published between 1997 to 2021 has increased considerably. Experts used optical sensors with low to medium spatial resolution (85.76%), and that the use of synthetic aperture radar received little attention (12.70%). Published articles varied substantially between continents, with the Americas having the most studies (62.26%), leaving Asia, Africa, and Oceania behind. Most research has focused on forestry (42.66%), climate science (11.01%), and disaster management (9.63%). This paper highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the application of remote sensing in TMF conservation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent observations in the eastern tropical South Pacific (ETSP) demonstrated the key role of meso- and submesoscale processes (e.g. eddies) in shaping its hydrographic and biogeochemical properties. Off Peru, elevated primary production from coastal upwelling in combination with sluggish ventilation of subsurface waters fuels a prominent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Given that nitrous oxide (N2O) production/consumption processes on the water column are sensitive to oxygen (O2) concentrations, the ETSP is a region of particular interest to investigate its source-sink dynamics. To date, no detailed surveys linking mesoscale processes and N2O distributions as well as their relevance to nitrogen (N) cycling are available. In this study, we present the first measurements of N2O across three mesoscale eddies (two mode water or anticyclonic and one cyclonic) which were identified, tracked and sampled during two surveys carried out in the ETSP in November-December 2012. A "two peak" structure was observed for N2O, wherein the two maxima coincide with the upper and lower boundaries of the OMZ, indicating active nitrification and partial denitrification. This was further supported by the abundances of the key gene for nitrification amoA and the gene marker for N2O production during denitrification, nirS. Conversely, we found strong N2O depletion in the core of the OMZ (O2 < 5 μmol L−1) to be consistent with nitrite (NO2-) accumulation and low levels of nitrate (NO3−), thus suggesting active denitrification. N2O depletion within the OMZ's core was substantially higher in the center of mode water eddies, supporting the view that eddy activity enhances N-loss processes off Peru, in particular near the shelf break where nutrient-rich, productive waters from upwelling are trapped before being transported offshore. Analysis of eddies during their propagation towards the open ocean showed that, in general, "aging" of mesoscale eddies tends to decrease N2O concentrations through the water column in response to reduced supply of material to fuel N-loss, although hydrographic variability might also significantly impact the pace of the production/consumption pathways for N2O. Our results demonstrate the relevance of mode water eddies for N2O distribution, thereby improving our understanding of the N-cycling processes, which are of crucial importance in times of climate change and ocean deoxygenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore current developments and trends in the field of subjective well-being (SWB) of older adults at a macro level and identify research hotspots. Methods: We included reviews and articles on the SWB of older adults in the Web of Science Core Collection published from 2002 to 2021. We used Cite-Space to draw a knowledge map of the authors, institutions, countries, references, and keywords for visual analysis and used Microsoft Excel tables to count basic information details. Results: A total of 354 papers were included, and the number of papers published over the past two decades showed a pattern of growth. The core force of publications was primarily attributed to studies conducted in Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania, which have relatively major issues of aging and good economic strength. However, links between states, institutions, and authors were relatively weak. Cluster analysis showed that the research field could be divided into eight topics: the application of social psychology in the study of the SWB of older adults, aging in older adults, health condition of older adults, achieving successful aging, interventions for SWB, age differences in SWB research, an economic perspective of SWB research and social support for older adults. Current research frontiers are socioeconomic status, community, intervention, participation, adjustment, validation, and personality. Conclusion: The results of the present study provided a comprehensive picture in the research field of SWB of older adults. It showed that the mechanism, especially the bidirectional effect, between the SWB of older adults and its influencing factors is still worthy of further exploration. More research on evidence-based and intervention strategies should be conducted in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breadfruit is a tropical fruit-bearing tree native to Oceania and a staple food in the diets of many Pacific Islander communities. During the so-called Age of Discovery, several European voyages returned from the Pacific with descriptions of the region's flora, including breadfruit. Since that time, scientists have sometimes struggled to agree upon an adequate acknowledgement of those early descriptions in modern botany and taxonomy. This paper considers one such struggle: the centuries-long disagreement among botanists regarding the value of the botanical descriptions and illustrations of breadfruit, as well as the proposed scientific name for the species attributed to Sydney Parkinson, a young artist who sailed with Cook aboard HMS Endeavour during the late eighteenth century. While Parkinson's descriptions were thorough, it is suggested here that his contributions were neglected by later scientists, due mainly to his status as an artist and to an approach that today we would call interdisciplinary. This outcome can be viewed as indicative of the tension between the arts and the sciences that remains to this day and, I suggest, continues to hamper our understanding of the natural world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critiques the recent use of Marshall Sahlins' model, which opposes big men to chiefs to establish a contrast between Austronesian and Non‐Austronesian communities in Oceania. By reviewing Sahlins' model and drawing upon Oceania‐wide ethnographic work, I argue that the two opposed paradigms underlying Sahlins' model of leadership, namely achievement and ascription, are in fact entangled in practices and in ideologies. I contend that the cooccurrence of 'achievement' and 'ascription' is widely supported by ethnographies of Oceania; that these two features can simultaneously characterize a single leadership position; and that this dual aspect of leadership is conveyed in Remote Oceania by the indigenous concept of mana. This suggests that the historical analysis of leadership in Oceania should move beyond this the achievement/ascription dichotomy. Thus, instead of mapping the region in terms of their absence or presence, it is more productive to analyse how these features articulate, or to focus on other aspects of leadership in Oceania such as the relation between leaders and deities or ancestors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on a rich two-year ethnographic study that followed evolutionary biologists in their everyday work, this paper explores the making of scientific knowledge through the spatial conceptual imagery developed by Deleuze and Guattari. In particular, this paper focuses on a field expedition to the South Pacific and investigates how different rhythms, forces and intensities are harmonized and assembled in the production of scientific knowledge. Within this setting, maintaining a balance between striating and smoothing forces is an important yet difficult task. On many occasions, alternative rhythms and 'tropical forces' jeopardized the success of the expedition, despite the scientists' best efforts to formalize the research process and bring the striations of the laboratory into the forest. Paradoxically, these challenges also played a key role in the inquiry as they opened new possibilities and ultimately led to more intense engagements with the tropical forest and its rhythms and spatiality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archaeology in Oceania is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

From August to October 2018, a series of strong earthquake (EQ) events occurred in southeast Asia and northern Oceania (22°S to 0°N, 115°E to 170°E) within 50 days. In this paper, we analyze the features of ionospheric plasma perturbations, recorded by the Plasma Analyzer Package (PAP) and Langmuir probe (LAP) onboard the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01), before four EQs with magnitudes of Ms 6.9 to Ms 7.4. The ion parameters such as the oxygen ion density (No+), the ion drift velocity in the vertical direction (Vz) under the conditions of geomagnetic storms, and strong EQs are compared. The results show that within 1 to 15 days before the strong EQs, the No+ and the electron density (Ne) increased while the electron temperature (Te) decreased synchronously. Meanwhile, the Vz significantly increased along the ground-to-space direction. The relative variation of No+ and Vz before the strong EQs is more prominent, and the Vz is not easily influenced by the geomagnetic storm but is susceptible to the seismic activities. Our results suggest that the anomaly of ionospheric plasma perturbations occurring in this area is possibly related to the pre-EQ signatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies the trend of LIS education and practice in the Asia-Oceania region in four areas, namely LIS research, LIS education, library technologies, and library services. A bibliometric analysis was carried out based on the publications indexed by Scopus, ranging from 1979 to 2021. India, China, Iran, and Australia rank the highest for number of publications within the four focus areas and areas of bibliometrics, research productivity, text mining, and big data are frequently being studied recently. Within the past five years, the LIS education sector has been concerned with the quality of LIS education programs and integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in the education delivery. Meanwhile, library technology adoption and services are seeing a positive move toward enhancing the user experience via the latest technology enhancements, such as green technology initiatives, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality apps. Although several studies have reported on the trends in LIS fields, scarcely any research has been carried out in the area of LIS education and practices as a whole, particularly focusing on Asia and Oceania. This study elucidates the most recent trends of LIS education and practices, including all recent innovations and explorations within the specific areas analyzed in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific Islands countries consist of thousands of isolated islands with a combined population of over 10 million people. It is a heterogeneous and diverse region culturally, linguistically economically and politically. Health challenges are considerable and healthcare systems are often overstretched. Framed in the context of the World Health Organisation's strategic directions and policy priorities, this paper describes an account of collaboration across these countries to develop leadership skills in the nursing and midwifery professions. It outlines lessons for nursing leadership, healthcare policy development and the valuable role of Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers. The South Pacific Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers Alliance (SPCNMOA) is a cooperative partnership, which was formed to improve the quality of healthcare in the region. It acts as an enabler to promote leadership skills and provide a safe space for learning, developing policy and the sharing of good practice. Through mentorship programs, international meetings and strong relationship-building, the SPCNMOA has strengthened partnerships within the region and improved community health services in even the most remote areas. By strengthening leadership and collaboration, these health professionals are now recognised by key policy makers as knowledgeable experts who have a legitimate role in guiding policy development, changing practice and delivering health policy improvements at local, country and international levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable, healthy families are the loto or heart of strong Pacific communities. This paper addresses the problem of a decline in the strength of Pacific families. It introduces and discusses the Tongan concept of O'ofaki , as the way in which shared, core relational commitments can bring Pasifika peoples together to support one another for health and community development. This process is based on a reciprocal sharing of social capital to promote cultural solidarity and social justice. We describe two studies by the lead author, through which the concept of O'ofaki emerged. The first study utilized an action research model while the second study focused on two Pasifika-centric research approaches: talanga , which is a Tongan word for interactive talking for a purpose, and the kakala (Tongan garland) research approach. The latter approach is incorporated within a general inductive methodology as well as luva— the dissemination of the results. Finally, the paper focuses on the components of O'ofaki and its application to Pasifika communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an assessment of hydrological research activity conducted in the Oceania Region. Literature from three databases (Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and Google Scholar) was collected and analysed. Results show large gaps in the variety of themes and poor collaborative efforts between regional water specialists. Results also suggest that local specialists potentially lack the ability to conduct quality hydrological research or that, due to the region's developing status, more focus has been placed on project-based objectives rather than building a body of research. A solution could be the development of a self-reliant base for conducting hydrological research by empowering and improving capabilities of local citizens. Firstly, an overhaul of organization policies regarding the introduction of research and performance monitoring is needed. Secondly, education in hydrology must be improved to suit local capabilities while addressing the complex socio-cultural environment with transdisciplinary measures. This assessment could benefit the future management of hydrological services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional calculus (FC) has recently received increasing attention due to its applications in many fields involving complex and nonlinear systems. However, one of the key challenges in using FC to deal with fractal or multifractal phenomena is how to relate functions to geometries with fractal dimensions. The current paper demonstrates how fractal calculus can be used to represent physical properties such as density defined on fractal geometries that no longer have the Lebesgue additive properties required for ordinary calculus. First, it introduces the recently proposed concept of fractal density, that is, densities defined on fractals and multifractals, and then shows how fractal calculus can be used to describe fractal densities. Finally, the singularity analysis based on fractal density calculation is used to analyze the depth clustering distribution of seismic frequencies around the Moho transition zone in the subduction zone of the Pacific plates and the Tethys collision zones. The results show that three solutions (linear, log-linear, and double log-linear) of a unified differential equation can describe the decay rate of the fractal density of depth clusters at the number (frequencies) of earthquakes. The spatial distribution of the three groups of earthquakes is further divided according to the three attenuation relationships. From north latitude to south latitude, from the North Pacific subduction zone to the Tethys collision zone, and then to the South Pacific subduction zone, the attenuation relationships of the earthquake depth distribution are generally from a linear, to log-linear, to double log-linear pattern. This provides insight into the nonlinearity of the depth distribution of earthquake swarms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in non-performing loans and bad debts in the banking sector can make banks vulnerable to a loss of confidence among customers and other banks and a banking collapse. The recent pandemic (COVID-19) and the evolving globalisation can affect bank operations, although the effects may depend on the type of banks and other bank-specific factors. In this paper, we revisit the topic on the determinants of non-performing loans of banks in a small island economy of Fiji over the period 2000 to 2022. We apply a fixed-effect method and consider seven banks (five commercial banks and two non-bank financial institutions). In our estimations, we examine the effect of bank-specific factors and control for the social and economic globalisation, the GFC, the COVID-19 pandemic, and bank-type effects, as well as the effect of the interaction between the bank type and the pandemic, as key contributions of the study. Overall, our results are consistent in terms of the effects noted from the bank-specific factors. From the extended model estimations, we note that COVID-19 had a more adverse effect on loan losses than the GFC, and the interaction between the bank type and COVID-19 indicates that non-banks were highly vulnerable to loan losses, whereas commercial banks exhibited greater preparedness. Economic globalisation reduces bank losses, whereas social globalisation exacerbates NPLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using China's milk scandal as a natural experiment, this paper explores whether the countries of origin and export destinations have the same responses to the original country's food scandal. Our difference‐in‐difference estimation shows that the outbreak of China's milk scandal had asymmetric impacts on China's total imports (increased by 23.4%) and exports (sharply dropped by 65.8%). The results further show that China's milk scandal contributed to import increases from European and Oceanian countries. Moreover, China's milk scandal worsened exports, mainly those going to neighbouring Asian regions but increased exports to Oceania. A product quality index is constructed to explain this finding. Intuitively, consumers' perceived quality of Chinese products declined, and they tended to consume products from other countries. The lower the product quality was with those in China, the lower the perceived quality and safety, thereby affecting demand. During the scandal, Chinese consumers tended to buy high‐quality dairy products from Europe and Oceania rather than the perceived unreliable dairy products produced by China or neighbouring countries. We conclude that product quality plays a key role in imports and exports when facing food scandals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, trans inclusion in the military has become the focal point for much of trans activism in the US. Advocates seeking inclusion highlight how participation in the military is often a means of socioeconomic mobility and access to trans-friendly healthcare. Such advocacy hinges upon notions of "good citizenship," which buttresses US exceptionalism, and concretizes the US empire vis-à-vis militarism. In this paper, we examine a popular documentary, TransMilitary (2018), released in the context of the US–led War on Terror. This documentary serves as a cultural artifact that showcases the deployment of trans service members to Iraq and Afghanistan as a form of inclusion advocacy. Against the backdrop of US imperialism in Asia and Oceania, we extend Asian/American and Pacific Islander feminist analytics to bring into conversation a trans of color abolitionist praxis that centers demilitarization and abolition of the military. In conclusion, we formulate Asian and Pacific Islander trans feminist abolitionist critiques of US trans militarism. A trans abolitionist framework unsettles ideas of liberal inclusion and, instead, centers abolishment of the military for collective trans liberation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing technology is vital for precision agriculture, aiding in early issue detection, resource management, and environmentally friendly practices. Recent advances in remote sensing technology and data processing have propelled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into valuable tools for obtaining detailed data on plant diseases with high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution. Given the growing body of scholarly research centered on UAV-based disease detection, a comprehensive review and analysis of current studies becomes imperative to provide a panoramic view of evolving methodologies in plant disease monitoring and to strategically evaluate the potential and limitations of such strategies. This study undertakes a systematic quantitative literature review to summarize existing literature and discern current research trends in UAV-based applications for plant disease detection and monitoring. Results reveal a global disparity in research on the topic, with Asian countries being the top contributing countries (43 out of 103 papers). World regions such as Oceania and Africa exhibit comparatively lesser representation. To date, research has largely focused on diseases affecting wheat, sugar beet, potato, maize, and grapevine. Multispectral, reg-green-blue, and hyperspectral sensors were most often used to detect and identify disease symptoms, with current trends pointing to approaches integrating multiple sensors and the use of machine learning and deep learning techniques. Future research should prioritize (i) development of cost-effective and user-friendly UAVs, (ii) integration with emerging agricultural technologies, (iii) improved data acquisition and processing efficiency (iv) diverse testing scenarios, and (v) ethical considerations through proper regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the contemporary Pacific, relationships that indigeneity makes possible are emerging as celebrated resistance to post‐colonial development anxieties. In the process, lived experience heightens the commitment to decolonize thinking, language and practice in teaching and research. Not only because these imperatives are highly personalized but also because they are gendered and heavy with generational trauma. These gendered dynamics circulate around popular culture and imaginaries of Pacific paradise but also problematically around the challenges of long‐standing intolerances especially around gender and race. The paper asks how a gendered politics of positionality engages with emerging positionalities that uncritically allow for such intolerances. I touch on two ways in which colonial continuities of belittlement are often reinforced, but are also offering hopeful and careful decolonial scholarly futures. The first is the naming of the Pacific and the second is supervising women doctoral candidates from the Pacific. In this paper, the audacity of the ocean offers a metaphorical opportunity to carefully reconcile these tensions and provide trajectories for decolonial knowledge‐making. However, it also offers a material way of understanding the on‐going work with 'tensions' and disruptions in their ever present but changeable forms. Oceanic tropes and a feminist Oceanic audacity of embodied engagement in the Pacific offer dynamic and gendered intellectual agility which runs counter to the tropical imageries of languid indifference.black/is a state of mindlike the colour of an islandTeaiwa (2017)we sweat and cry salt water,so we know that the oceanis really in our bloodTeaiwa (2008) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial black spot (BBS) of mango, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae, is an emerging disease affecting mango‐producing areas in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. The disease spreads primarily through wind‐driven rain and farm implements, and its host range is limited, affecting mango, cashew, and pepper plants. BBS is characterized by dark, angular lesions with elevated borders on infected leaves and fruits in the lower and upper parts of the tree canopy. Infected plants display numerous tiny water‐soaked black lesions on leaves, fruits, and stems. Early symptoms on leaves include tiny, veined, water‐soaked patches with angular black dots and occasionally chlorotic spots. Managing BBS presents challenges, but various control measures have shown effectiveness in different regions. Integrated disease control measures, such as cultural methods and removing diseased plant parts, could further reduce BBS prevalence in the field. This paper reviews the detrimental effects associated with the disease, while also offering a concise overview of the existing body of research concerning BBS and its implications for mango cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife tourism has experienced a shift from passive observations towards highly interactive encounters between tourists and wild animals. Tourist behaviour is influenced by the pursuit of 'visual trophies' for social media. More specifically, the 'wildlife selfie' phenomenon, which requires proximity to a plethora of animal species, may contribute to compromised tourist safety and harassment of wildlife. This paper explores the perceptions of swim-with wildlife tour participants regarding wildlife-focused user-generated content such as wildlife selfies in three different commercial encounter settings in the South Pacific. In-depth qualitative interviews and a thematic analysis of the data yielded two prominent themes: Tourists perceived human-wildlife interactions online as 'a double-edged sword', identifying animal welfare as a key concern. Such content was found to shape the decision-making processes of tourists and affected tourists' perceptions, creating unrealistic expectations of wildlife encounters. Further, whale-swim participants were identified as non-selfie-takers/opponents, while seal swimmers and shark divers were somewhat supportive, actively participating in selfie-taking behaviour to provide proof to peers ('to selfie or not to selfie'). Those findings indicate that a sound monitoring of the constructed human-wildlife relationship in the twenty-first-century media landscape with a focus on guidelines and regulations to ensure tourist safety and animal welfare is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1980, the Melanesian archipelago of Vanuatu achieved independence from French and British colonialism. The political condominium's Black Power–affiliated Vanua'aku Pati (VP) threw off its imposed Scottish moniker of New Hebrides and crowned itself Vanuatu. The country considered itself a Melanesian nation and a Black Pacific member of the Africana world. Harnessing a distinctly Black internationalist foreign policy, the VP strategically positioned Vanuatu to be a radical advocate for the anticolonial and anti-imperialist struggles of Oceania and the Black Diaspora. This article shows how its immediate concerns were both ecological and political—nuclear testing in Oceania, French colonialism in New Caledonia, Indonesian imperialism in West Papua, and apartheid in South Africa. From political spaces like the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific conferences and its permanent mission to the United Nations based in Harlem, Vanuatu challenged nuclear testing in Oceania, denounced French colonialism in New Caledonia, and identified itself with radical states such as Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oceania region is home to some of the world's most restrictive abortion laws, and there is evidence of Pacific Island women's reproductive oppression across several aspects of their reproductive lives, including in relation to contraceptive decision‐making, birthing, and fertility. In this paper we analyse documents from court cases in the Pacific Islands regarding the illegal procurement of abortion. We undertook inductive thematic analysis of documents from eighteen illegal abortion court cases from Pacific Island countries. Using the lens of reproductive justice, we discuss the methods of abortion, the reported context of these abortions, and the ways in which these women and abortion were constructed in judges' summing up, judgements, or sentencing. Our analysis of these cases reveals layers of sexual and reproductive oppression experienced by these women that are related to colonialism, women's socioeconomic disadvantage, gendered violence, limited reproductive control, and the punitive consequences related to not performing gender appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oyster shell is a residue rich in calcium carbonate, which can be reused as a raw material for creating building materials. For this reason, many researchers focused on the incorporation of oyster shell in the composition of composites, as it is a means of contributing to the economic sustainability by reducing the presence of pollution caused by aquaculture waste in the environment, thus increasing the value chain of the construction sector and reducing its carbon footprint. This paper intends to systematize the scientific production related to oyster shell-based composites in construction, carrying out a search using the Scopus tool and a systematic review based on the PRISMA statement. The results show that research on the incorporation of oyster shell into cementitious mortar mixtures, with a focus on its use in concrete, dominates existing scientific research. There is a lack of studies on the incorporation of the oyster shell that address its application as an aggregate or binder in the composition of coating and laying mortars. Most existing research is from Asia, and there is a lack of research in some parts of Europe. In the Americas, Africa and Oceania, no existing studies were found. Despite the growing understanding of the importance of sustainability and economic issues related to products used in the blue circular economy sector, there are still few studies that consider the incorporation of waste or by-products of aquaculture. Future investigations that cover these practical and contextual gaps can contribute to the better use of oyster shell waste and its insertion in the blue circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent widespread and recurrent coral bleaching events over the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system on Earth and a hotspot of marine biodiversity, are a reminder of the vulnerability of reef ecosystems to human activities and a warming world. Protection of the Great Barrier Reef and similar reef ecosystems across Oceania requires a better understanding of environmental and socio-economic pressures, as well as the development of integrated management strategies. The rapid expansion of Earth Observation technologies and data has greatly advanced our capability to map and monitor reef habitats, ecological processing and exposure risk, providing spatially rich data essential to support and evaluate management and conservation strategies. However, these technologies are proportionally still under-utilized, and it is important to synthesise remote-sensing-derived tools and methods currently available for mapping reef ecosystems in Oceania to facilitate their intake in coral reefs studies. Publications in this Special Issue contribute toward filling this gap and explore recent advances in remote sensing of the Great Barrier Reef and other reef ecosystems in Oceania, from novel methodological approaches (sensors, algorithm development and improved thematic classification) to applications for environmental monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on policing in the Global South rarely discuss police self-evaluation of performance. Furthermore, internal performance assessments usually reflect the perspectives of senior management with little to no input from frontline officers. This paper seeks to present a more inclusive view of police performance as it presents the findings of a stakeholder perceptions survey commissioned by the Tuvalu Police Service (TPS) to examine police perceptions about their performance as service providers. We examine the survey responses of 100% of TPS officers on active duty (N=84) and 14 in-depth interviews to determine their views on the integrity, professionalism and service provision of TPS members. Findings indicate that police are able to provide useful assessments of the organisation and of their colleagues, but are less valid sources of information about personal performance. These findings are particularly relevant to discussions about improving police service provision in the developing world. The paper makes a contribution to policing scholarship by highlighting the potential of self-evaluation as an impetus for improved policing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the parallels and connections between the histories of Taiwan and the Oceanic realm, focusing on the period between the 17th century and the present. It raises the question of whether or not Taiwan might be thought of as 'Outermost Oceania', a zone that is on the periphery of the island Pacific but still linked to it. The paper depicts the relationship between Taiwan and the Oceanic world in terms of seven 'modalities' of Pacific history – an Austronesian Pacific, a Southeast Asian Pacific, a European Pacific, a Chinese Pacific, a British Pacific, a Japanese Pacific and an American Pacific. All seven modalities of Taiwan/Pacific history converge in the 17th century and continue to co-exist in the present. Through the systematic comparison of Taiwan history with that of three locations in Remote Oceania – Western Micronesia (Palau, Guam and the Northern Marianas), Hawai'i and Aotearoa New Zealand – the paper explores these modalities of Pacific history with reference to processes of settlement, colonization, the expansion and contraction of imperial power and the conflicts to which these processes give rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocaine use is a public health concern in many countries worldwide, particularly in the Americas and Oceania. Overdose deaths involving stimulants, such as cocaine, have been increasing markedly in North America, especially with concurrent opioid involvement. To date, no pharmacological treatment is available to treat stimulant (including cocaine) use disorders. Prescription psychostimulants (PPs) could be useful to treat cocaine use disorder (CUD) as they share the pharmacological effects with cocaine, as evidenced by a recent meta‐analysis that assessed 38 randomized clinical trials (RCTs). PPs were found to promote sustained abstinence and reduce drug use in patients with CUD. The aim of this paper is to provide a narrative review of the clinical pharmacology of PPs and comment on the current stage of evidence supporting PPs to treat CUD. We also propose a model of care that integrates PPs with evidence‐based psychosocial interventions (such as cognitive‐behavioural therapy [CBT] and contingency management [CM]), a harm reduction approach and case management with social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fall armyworm , Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is a polyphagous agricultural pest threatening food security worldwide. This American species recently invaded most of Africa, many Asian countries, and Oceania, where it mainly damages maize. Classical biological control (CBC) through the introduction of natural enemies from its area of origin is considered as a potential management approach. The paper reviews the prospects and constraints of a CBC programme against S. frugiperda using larval parasitoids, which are considered the most suitable natural enemies for introduction against this pest. The most important larval parasitoids in its native range are presented and discussed for their suitability as CBC agents, based the following criteria: their frequency of occurrence and parasitism levels, specificity, climatic suitability and absence of closely related species parasitizing S. frugiperda in the area of introduction. The ichneumonid Eiphosoma laphygmae Costa-Lima (Hymenoptera: Icheumonidae) is considered as a potential candidate for introduction because of its specificity and its importance as a parasitoid of the pest in most of its native range. The most frequent and important parasitoid of S. frugiperda in the Americas, the braconid Chelonus insularis Cresson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), would most probably contribute to the control of S. frugiperda if released in invaded areas. However, it is oligophagous and would most certainly parasitize nontarget species. Before introducing C. insularis , or any other parasitoid species, the potential nontarget effects will have to be assessed and the risks will have to be weighed against the benefits of improving the natural control of this important pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive plants are a prominent threat to ecosystems and economies worldwide. Knowing the identity of invasive plants is critical for preventing their introduction and spread. Yet several lines of evidence, including spatial and taxonomic biases in reporting and the ongoing emergence of new invasives, suggest that we are missing basic information about the identity of invasive plants. Using a database of invasive plants reported in the peer‐reviewed literature between 1959 and 2020, we examined trends in the accumulation of new invasive plants over time and estimated the size of the current pool of invasive plants both continentally and globally. The number of new invasive plants continues to increase exponentially over time, showing no sign of saturation, even in the best studied regions. Moreover, a sample‐size based rarefaction‐extrapolation curve of reported taxa suggests that what is documented in the current literature (3008 taxa) only captures 64% of the likely number of invasive plants globally (4721 taxa ± 132 SE). These estimates varied continentally; less than half of invasive plant taxa have likely been identified in Oceania and Central and South Americas. Studies that included multiple invasive plants (e.g., floristic studies) were much more efficient at adding new taxa to our global understanding of what is invasive (identifying 4.2 times more new taxa than single‐taxon studies). With more potential invaders arriving every day, this analysis highlights a critical gap in our knowledge of the current invasive plant pool. Expanding invasion science to better encompass understudied geographic areas and increasing the numbers of floristic surveys would greatly improve our ability to accurately and efficiently identify what taxa are invasive. Preventing invasive plant introductions is incumbent upon knowing the identity of invasive plants. Thus, large knowledge gaps remain in invasion ecology that hinder efforts to proactively prevent and manage invasive plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have revealed that extratropical forcing can lead to changes in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Based on reanalysis data from 1979 to 2019, this paper discusses the influence of the South Pacific Ocean Dipole (SPOD, a dominant mode between the subtropics and extratropics in the South Pacific) and its coordination with ENSO in the ITCZ. Results show that SPOD has an effect on the position and intensity of the ITCZ, especially in the region around Niño4. From the latitudes of ITCZ axes and precipitation averaged over 160°E–160°W, positive (negative) SPOD events force a northward (southward) shift in the ITCZ in boreal winter (DJF), while the position moves in the opposite direction in boreal summer (JJA). In addition, ENSO can obviously enhance the influence of SPOD on the ITCZ. It is evident that there is a wider range of northward (southward) shift in the ITCZ under both positive SPOD and El Niño (negative SPOD and La Niña) conditions during DJF. Similar to DJF, both positive SPOD and El Niño (negative SPOD and La Niña) events still cause the ITCZ to move toward (away from) the equator during JJA, except that the magnitude of the movement in JJA is less than that in DJF. Precipitation averaged over 160°E–160°W is at a maximum under both positive SPOD and El Niño events, which have the greatest influence on ITCZ intensity, followed by both negative SPOD and La Niña in DJF, while in JJA, ITCZ intensity is most sensitive to negative SPOD events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite progress made in recent decades, gender bias is still present in scientific publication authorship. The underrepresentation of women and overrepresentation of men has already been reported in the medical fields but little is known in the fields of exercise sciences and rehabilitation. This study examines trends in authorship by gender in this field in the last 5 years. All randomized controlled trials published in indexed journals from April 2017 to March 2022 through the widely inclusive Medline dataset using the MeSH term “exercise therapy” were collected, and the gender of the first and last authors was identified through names, pronouns and photographs. Year of publication, country of affiliation of the first author, and ranking of the journal were also collected. A chi-squared test for trends and logistic regression models were performed to analyze the odds of a woman being a first or last author. The analysis was performed on a total of 5259 articles. Overall, 47% had a woman as the first author and 33% had a woman as the last author, with a similar trend over five years. The trend in women’s authorship varied by geographical area, with the higher representation of women authors in Oceania (first: 53.1%; last: 38.8%), North-Central America (first: 45.3%; last: 37.2%), and Europe (first: 47.2%; last: 33.3%). The logistic regression models (p < 0.001) indicated that women have lower odds of being authors in prominent authorship positions in higher-ranked journals. In conclusion, over the last five years, in the field of exercise and rehabilitation research, women and men are almost equally represented as first authors, in contrast with other medical areas. However, gender bias, unfavoring women, still exists, especially in the last authorship position, regardless of geographical area and journal ranking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]