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1. From GenderMag to InclusiveMag: An Inclusive Design Meta-Method

   https://doi.org/10.1109/VLHCC.2019.8818889  

   Mendez, Christopher; Letaw, Lara; Burnett, Margaret; Stumpf, Simone; Sarma, Anita; Hilderbrand, Claudia (October 2019, IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing)

   How can software practitioners assess whether their software supports diverse users? Although there are empirical processes that can be used to find “inclusivity bugs” piecemeal, what is often needed is a systematic inspection method to assess software's support for diverse populations. To help fill this gap, this paper introduces InclusiveMag, a generalization of GenderMag that can be used to generate systematic inclusiveness methods for a particular dimension of diversity. We then present a multicase study covering eight diversity dimensions, of eight teams' experiences applying InclusiveMag to eight under-served populations and their “mainstream” counterparts. 

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2. Multinational evaluation of genetic diversity indicators for the Kunming‐Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

   https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14461  

   Mastretta‐Yanes, Alicia; da_Silva, Jessica M; Grueber, Catherine E; Castillo‐Reina, Luis; Köppä, Viktoria; Forester, Brenna R; Funk, W Chris; Heuertz, Myriam; Ishihama, Fumiko; Jordan, Rebecca; et al (July 2024, Ecology Letters)

   Under the recently adopted Kunming‐Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, 196 Parties committed to reporting the status of genetic diversity for all species. To facilitate reporting, three genetic diversity indicators were developed, two of which focus on processes contributing to genetic diversity conservation: maintaining genetically distinct populations and ensuring populations are large enough to maintain genetic diversity. The major advantage of these indicators is that they can be estimated with or without DNA‐based data. However, demonstrating their feasibility requires addressing the methodological challenges of using data gathered from diverse sources, across diverse taxonomic groups, and for countries of varying socio‐economic status and biodiversity levels. Here, we assess the genetic indicators for 919 taxa, representing 5271 populations across nine countries, including megadiverse countries and developing economies. Eighty‐three percent of the taxa assessed had data available to calculate at least one indicator. Our results show that although the majority of species maintain most populations, 58% of species have populations too small to maintain genetic diversity. Moreover, genetic indicator values suggest that IUCN Red List status and other initiatives fail to assess genetic status, highlighting the critical importance of genetic indicators. 

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3. Genetic diversity and structure of the critically endangered Artocarpus annulatus, a crop wild relative of jackfruit ( A. heterophyllus )

   https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9897  

   Dickinson, Leta; Noble, Hilary; Gardner, Elliot; Puad, Aida Shafreena; Zakaria, Wan Nuur; Zerega, Nyree J.C. (January 2020, PeerJ)

   Limestone karsts of Southeast Asia can harbor high levels of endemism, but are highly fragmented, increasingly threatened, and their biodiversity is often poorly studied. This is true of the Padawan Limestone Area of Sarawak, Malaysia, home to the endemic Artocarpus annulatus, the closest known wild relative of two important and underutilized fruit tree crops, jackfruit ( A. heterophyllus ) and cempedak ( A. integer ). Identifying and conserving crop wild relatives is critical for the conservation of crop genetic diversity and breeding. In 2016 and 2017, five A. annulatus populations were located, and leaf material, locality information, and demographic data were collected. Microsatellite markers were used to assess genetic diversity and structure among populations, and to compare levels of genetic diversity to closely related congeneric species. Results indicate no evidence of inbreeding in A. annulatus , and there is no genetic structure among the five populations. However, diversity measures trended lower in seedlings compared to mature trees, suggesting allelic diversity may be under threat in the youngest generation of plants. Also, genetic diversity is lower in A. annulatus compared to closely related congeners. The present study provides a baseline estimate of A. annulatus genetic diversity that can be used for comparison in future studies and to other species in the unique limestone karst ecosystems. Considerations for in situ and ex situ conservation approaches are discussed. 

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4. Hadrurid Scorpion Toxins: Evolutionary Conservation and Selective Pressures

   https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins11110637  

   Santibáñez-López, Carlos E.; Graham, Matthew R.; Sharma, Prashant P.; Ortiz, Ernesto; Possani, Lourival D. (November 2019, Toxins)

   Scorpion toxins are thought to have originated from ancestral housekeeping genes that underwent diversification and neofunctionalization, as a result of positive selection. Our understanding of the evolutionary origin of these peptides is hindered by the patchiness of existing taxonomic sampling. While recent studies have shown phylogenetic inertia in some scorpion toxins at higher systematic levels, evolutionary dynamics of toxins among closely related taxa remain unexplored. In this study, we used new and previously published transcriptomic resources to assess evolutionary relationships of closely related scorpions from the family Hadruridae and their toxins. In addition, we surveyed the incidence of scorpine-like peptides (SLP, a type of potassium channel toxin), which were previously known from 21 scorpion species. We demonstrate that scorpine-like peptides exhibit gene duplications. Our molecular analyses demonstrate that only eight sites of two SLP copies found in scorpions are evolving under positive selection, with more sites evolving under negative selection, in contrast to previous findings. These results show evolutionary conservation in toxin diversity at shallow taxonomic scale. 

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5. Hadrurid Scorpion Toxins: Evolutionary Conservation and Selective Pressures

   https://doi.org/doi:10.3390/toxins11110637  

   Santibáñez-López, Carlos E.; Graham, Matthew R.; Sharma, Prashant P.; Ortiz, Ernesto; Possani, Lourival D. (November 2019, Toxins)

   Scorpion toxins are thought to have originated from ancestral housekeeping genes that underwent diversification and neofunctionalization, as a result of positive selection. Our understanding of the evolutionary origin of these peptides is hindered by the patchiness of existing taxonomic sampling. While recent studies have shown phylogenetic inertia in some scorpion toxins at higher systematic levels, evolutionary dynamics of toxins among closely related taxa remain unexplored. In this study, we used new and previously published transcriptomic resources to assess evolutionary relationships of closely related scorpions from the family Hadruridae and their toxins. In addition, we surveyed the incidence of scorpine-like peptides (SLP, a type of potassium channel toxin), which were previously known from 21 scorpion species. We demonstrate that scorpine-like peptides exhibit gene duplications. Our molecular analyses demonstrate that only eight sites of two SLP copies found in scorpions are evolving under positive selection, with more sites evolving under negative selection, in contrast to previous findings. These results show evolutionary conservation in toxin diversity at shallow taxonomic scale. 

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