ARPHA Preprints
Not a member yet
49208 research outputs found
Sort by
Natural Resource Rents, Chinese Financing and Sustainable Economic Growth nexus in sub-Saharan Africa
No full textSub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has abundant natural resources and attracts substantial investment, especially from China, but sustainable growth remains limited. This study examines the persistent disconnect between resource wealth, foreign financing, and long-term economic performance in the region. Using 20 years of panel data from 31 SSA countries, we estimate seven econometric models — including fixed effects, dynamic panels, and instrumental variables (IV) — to assess the long-run impact of natural resource rents, Chinese investment, trade flows and foreign direct investment (FDI) on GDP growth.Exports are consistently associated with stronger economic growth. By contrast, Chinese investment does not show a robust effect across specifications. Natural resource rents have a weak or no correlation with growth, but become significant in the IV model, suggesting that their impact is mediated by institutional quality. Imports are negatively or insignificantly associated with growth until endogeneity is addressed, after which their effect turns positive indicating the importance of trade efficiency. FDI consistently correlates with lower growth, pointing to problems such as capital flight or extractive investment practices.This study challenges the assumption that Chinese finance and resource abundance are driving development in SSA. The findings highlight the critical role of effective governance, transparent resource management, and coherent trade and investment policies. Policymakers need to align external finance and natural resource use with institutional reforms to promote sustainable growth
Review: long-term trends of pesticide residues in the Danube River Basin
No full textPesticides play an important role in boosting agricultural production by controlling pests. Pesticides can be algicides, antimicrobials, disinfectants, herbicides, insecticides, molluscicides, pheromones, rodenticides (raticides), and biopesticides. Despite regulations, pesticide pollution remains a threat to human health, food security, and the environment. Pesticides can harm the environment, affecting water quality and biodiversity, and can be toxic to non-target species. This study aimed to assess the impact of pesticide residues on the surface waters of the Danube River through concentrations determined in the period 1995–2023 in the Danube River Basin. In the present study, scientific techniques were used to collect scientific evidence, consulting academic literature databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, MDPI, etc. The study also looked at the quantities of pesticides used in the countries of the Danube River Basin compared to agricultural production during 2014–2022. Five compounds from the pesticide class were selected from the literature. This selection was based on the frequency of determination in surface waters from the Danube River Basin. Pesticides have a negative effect on both the aquatic ecosystem and humans, directly affecting the proper functioning of the body. Continuous monitoring of pesticide residues is essential for determining the quality of the Danube water, as well as for biodiversity
Description of a new genus and species of Isohypsibioidea (Tardigrada), together with its mitochondrial genome sequence
No full textAbstract A new tardigrade taxon, Thulyphoribius melitense gen. nov. et sp. nov. is described from a population of limnic tardigrades collected in the sediment of a temporary pond in Malta. Those habitats, characterized by fluctuating environmental conditions and ephemeral water availability, provide a particularly challenging setting that can drive morphological and genetic diversity in aquatic microfauna. The new genus shows a unique combination of morphological characters, including distinctive morphologies of the peribuccal region, a short and wide ventral lamina and Pseudobiotus-type claws. Although it shares certain traits with some extant genera, the presence of unique characters combinations, precludes its assignment to any of the previously established genera. A comprehensive investigation was conducted, including morphological (using Phase-Contrast Light Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy), morphometric, and molecular analysis. In the latter context, the molecular markers 18S, 28S, COI, and ITS2 were sequenced, and the complete mitochondrial genome was obtained and characterized, offering important insights for future molecular studies of tardigrades. Phylogenetic analyses based on Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods, incorporating the four aforementioned molecular markers, indicate that the new genus belongs to the superfamily Isohypsibioidea, yet it does not cluster within any currently recognized extant family of tardigrades. Collectively, these findings underscore the relevance of investigating underexplored habitats and highlight the potential for discovering novel evolutionary lineages among limnic microinvertebrates that inhabit temporary ponds
On the species status of Blattella germanica and Blattella asahinai (Blattodea, Blattellidae), and other morphologically similar species
No full textBlattella germanica (Linnaeus, 1767), a member of the Blattellidae family within the order Blattodea, is a significant global sanitary pest. Several species within the genus Blattella Caudell, 1903 and its closely related genera (Episymploce Bey-Bienko, 1950; Symploce Hebard, 1916; and Jacobsonina Hebard, 1929) exhibit external morphological traits similar to those of B. germanica. By integrating morphological identification and molecular analyses, one new species was identified: Jacobsonina uncata Cai, Yao & Che, sp. nov. Additionally, Blattella asahinai Mizukubo, 1981 was downgraded to a subspecies of B. germanica. The application of molecular data, specifically cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI), has proven to be a straightforward and effective method for distinguishing B. germanica from its morphologically similar relatives
New records and range extension of Alburnus chalcoides (Güldenstädt, 1772) (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) from the upper Syr Darya River, Uzbekistan
No full textWe report new records of Alburnus chalcoides (Güldenstädt, 1772) from the upper Syr Darya in Uzbekistan. Previously, this species was only known in Central Asia from the Aral Sea basin, including the Amu Darya, Zeravshan, and lower Syr Darya drainage. Field surveys in 2023–2024 yielded specimens from the Kara Darya, Naryn, and Chirchik rivers, all in the upper Syr Darya. Comparative morphometric analysis with material from the Zeravshan drainage indicates close similarity of A. chalcoides. These records expand the known range of A. chalcoides in Central Asia
The first specimen with skin preserved of Lariosaurus (Eusauropterygia) from the Middle Triassic of Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland) allows inferences about its swimming method
No full textA new virtually complete specimen of the eosauropterygian nothosauroid Lariosaurus valceresii is described. The specimen was collected in the Kalkschieferzone of the Meride Limestone (Ladinian, Middle Triassic) in the UNESCO World Heritage area of Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland/Italy). The new specimen is the first L. valceresii collected in Switzerland and the first known Lariosaurus specimen with remains of the skin. The skin is preserved as a carbon film revealing the shape of the scales. It outlines the body and limbs, showing that the hands and feet were webbed. The skin is present postaxial to both the humeral shafts and the anterior portion of the trunk suggesting the possible presence in life of large and very strong retractor muscles for the forelimbs indicative that Lariosaurus could have performed a paraxial, otariid-like, "flying-rowing" swimming for rapid acceleration
Prevalence, risk factors, and safety interventions upon prescription errors in addiction substitution therapy: a systematic review
No full textBackground: Prescription errors in substitution therapy for addiction treatment, including opioid substitution therapy (OST) with methadone and buprenorphine and pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder (AUD) with naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram, pose a critical patient safety issue. These errors are a major contributing factor to adverse drug events (ADEs), poor treatment adherence, discontinuation, and severe outcomes such as fatal overdoses. Additional factors such as miscommunication, inadequate training, and complex medication regimens exacerbate the risk. Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the prevalence, causes, and consequences of prescription errors in substitution therapy for addiction treatment. It explores the roles of healthcare professionals, system-level factors and their impact on patient safety, focusing on adherence, treatment outcomes, and ADEs. Methodology : A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published between January 2000 and July 2025. Studies addressing prescription errors in OST or AUD pharmacotherapy, including generic or therapeutic substitution, were included. Data on error types, prevalence, contributing factors, consequences, and interventions were extracted. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis, while quantitative data were synthesized descriptively. Results: Prescription error rates in OST varied widely, from 1.7% in older adults to 30.3% in overdose reports, with methadone and buprenorphine implicated most frequently. Common errors included incorrect dosing, dispensing errors, and inadequate monitoring, leading to respiratory depression, overdose, and treatment failure. Key contributing factors were miscommunication, insufficient training, frequent formulary changes, and patient-related factors such as cognitive impairment. Pharmacist-led interventions, digital prescribing systems, and standardized protocols significantly reduced errors. Data on AUD pharmacotherapy errors were sparse, highlighting a critical research gap. Conclusion: Prescription errors in substitution therapy pose significant risks to patient safety, primarily due to systemic and human factors. Enhanced training, standardized protocols, and digital tools are effective mitigation strategies. Further research is needed to quantify errors in AUD pharmacotherapy and develop targeted interventions
Taxonomic and distributional revision of Pareas boulengeri (Reptilia, Squamata, Pareidae), including two new species from eastern and central China
No full textThe Boulenger’s slug snake (Pareas boulengeri Angel, 1920) has previously been documented as relatively widely distributed across the eastern, southern, and southwestern regions of China. In the present study, integrated morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analyses were undertaken to reevaluate the taxonomic status of P. boulengeri and to describe two new species: Pareas dabieshanensis sp. nov. and Pareas orientalis sp. nov. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on CYTB gene sequences indicated that populations previously identified as P. boulengeri comprise three distinct lineages: true P. boulengeri, P. dabieshanensis sp. nov., and P. orientalis sp. nov. The two new species exhibit significant genetic divergence from their congeners, with uncorrected pairwise distances of 4.1–4.5%, consistent with interspecific divergence within the genus. Morphologically, P. dabieshanensis sp. nov. is distinguished by the presence of two subocular scales, the absence of preocular scales, and higher ventral (184–187) and subcaudal (68–74) counts. P. orientalis sp. nov. is characterized by a single preocular scale and fused subocular and postocular scales. The revised distributions restrict P. boulengeri to southwestern China, while the new species are confined to the Dabie Mountains (Anhui, Hubei, Henan) and eastern China (southern Anhui, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang), respectively. The non-overlapping ranges of P. dabieshanensis sp. nov. and P. orientalis sp. nov., bisected by the Yangtze River, suggest that this major hydrological system acted as a biogeographic barrier driving speciation. This study expands the genus Pareas to 33 recognized species (27 in China) and underscores the prevalence of cryptic diversity within morphologically conserved lineages
Two new species and a new host record of Hyphomycetes associated with decaying wood in Yunnan Province, China
No full textIn recent years, there has been certain progress in the research on fungal diversity in Yunnan Province, China, particularly in aquatic habitats. This study introduces two new species, Ellisembia yuxiense and Sporidesmium ailaoshanense, as well as a new host record of Sporidesmium tropicale on Pinus yunnanensis from freshwater habitats in Yunnan Province. All taxa were identified by integrating morphological traits with phylogenetic analysis of combined LSU, ITS, and rpb2 DNA sequences. Comprehensive morpho-anatomical descriptions and detailed illustrations are provided to elucidate the characteristics of each taxon
Morphology, chemistry, and phylogeny reveal three new species of Lecidea (Lecideaceae) from China
No full textThree new species, Lecidea flavothallia, L. sublaboriosa, and L. tibetica, are reported from China based on morphological, chemical, and molecular characters. Lecidea flavothallia is characterized by an orange thallus and the presence of schizopeltic acid. Lecidea sublaboriosa is characterized by a sparsely developed thallus, brown hypothecium, and the presence of 4-O-demethylplanaic acid in the apothecia. Lecidea tibetica is characterized by a well-developed thallus, I+ violet medulla, hyaline to pale straw-colored hypothecium, and the presence of 2′-O-methyperlatolic acid as the major secondary metabolite. All of the new species were collected from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in Southwest China. Detailed descriptions, discussions, and figures are provided for each species, along with a key for all known Chinese Lecidea s. str. species