bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CRHR1-mediated Akt activation involves endocytosis and soluble adenylyl cyclase activity
Authors: dos Santos Claro Paula A. , Armando Natalia G. , Attorresi Alejandra , Lindl Karen E. , Silbermins Micaela , Inda Carolina , Silberstein Susana
Published: August 2022

Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) signaling initiates at the cell membrane and continues after receptor internalization. A sustained cAMP generation after ligand-activated CRHR1 endocytosis supported by the soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is required for the G protein-independent phase of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in neuronal cells. Here, we report that Akt is activated by CRHR1 stimulation in a mechanism dependent on the endosomal cAMP production by sAC activity. Moreover, AktS473 phosphorylation profile was distinct to that of phospho-ERK1/2 revealing a crosstalk between these pathways. We found that the CRHR1 activation of PI3K/Akt pathway is required for a full ERK1/2 activation but negatively regulates the cAMP response and CREB phosphorylation downstream CRHR1 stimulation. Immunofluorescence colocalization analysis revealed that activated CRHR1 transits to early (Rab5) and recycling (Rab11) endosomes. Additionally, CRHR1 colocalized with two Rab5 effectors, APPL1 and EEA1. shRNA mediated knockdown uncovered a role of these proteins in CRHR1 signaling. APPL1 silencing led to a decrease in pAktS473 levels without affecting ERK1/2 activation, whereas EEA1 depletion had the opposite effect, suggesting that CRHR1 intracellular signaling diversity may be achieved through different signaling platforms.
Transient glycolytic complexation of arsenate enhances resistance in the enteropathogen Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Bueno Emilio , Pinedo Víctor , Shinde Dhananjay D. , Mateus André , Typas Athanasios , Savitski Mikhail M , Thomas Vinai C. , Cava Felipe
Published: August 2022

The ubiquitous presence of toxic arsenate (AsV) in the environment has virtually raised mechanisms of resistance in all living organisms. Generally, bacterial detoxification of AsV relies on its reduction to arsenite (AsIII) by ArsC, followed by the export of AsIII by ArsB. However, how pathogenic species resist this metalloid remains largely unknown. Here, we found that V. cholerae, the etiologic agent of the diarrheal disease cholera, outcompetes other enteropathogens when grown on millimolar concentrations of AsV. To do so, V. cholerae uses, instead of ArsCB, the AsV-inducible vc1068-1071 operon (renamed var for vibrio arsenate resistance), which encodes the arsenate repressor ArsR, an alternative glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, a putative phosphatase, and the AsV transporter ArsJ. In addition to Var, V. cholerae induces oxidative stress- related systems to counter ROS production caused by intracellular AsV. Characterization of the var mutants suggested these proteins function independently from one another and play critical roles in preventing deleterious effects on the cell membrane potential and growth derived from the accumulation AsV. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that V. cholerae complexes AsV with the glycolytic intermediate 3-phosphoglycerate into 1-arseno-3-phosphoglycerate (1As3PG). We further show that 1As3PG is not transported outside the cell; instead, it is subsequently dissociated to enable extrusion of free AsV through ArsJ. Collectively, we propose the formation of 1As3PG as a transient metabolic storage of AsV to curb the noxious effect of free AsV. This study advances our understanding of AsV resistance in bacteria and underscores new points of vulnerability that might be an attractive target for antimicrobial interventions.
Improving the secretion of designed protein assemblies through negative design of cryptic transmembrane domains
Authors: Wang Jing Yang (John) , Khmelinskaia Alena , Sheffler William , Miranda Marcos C. , Antanasijevic Aleksandar , Borst Andrew J. , Torres Susana Vazquez , Shu Chelsea , Hsia Yang , Nattermann Una , Ellis Daniel , Walkey Carl , Ahlrichs Maggie , Chan Sidney , Kang Alex , Nguyen Hannah , Sydeman Claire , Sankaran Banumathi , Wu Mengyu , Bera Asim K. , Carter Lauren , Fiala Brooke , Murphy Michael , Baker David , Ward Andrew B. , King Neil P.
Published: August 2022

Computationally designed protein nanoparticles have recently emerged as a promising platform for the development of new vaccines and biologics. For many applications, secretion of designed nanoparticles from eukaryotic cells would be advantageous, but in practice they often secrete poorly. Here we show that designed hydrophobic interfaces that drive nanoparticle assembly are often predicted to form cryptic transmembrane domains, suggesting that interaction with the membrane insertion machinery could limit efficient secretion. We develop a general computational protocol, the Degreaser, to design away cryptic transmembrane domains without sacrificing protein stability. Retroactive application of the Degreaser to previously designed nanoparticle components and nanoparticles considerably improves secretion, and modular integration of the Degreaser into design pipelines results in new nanoparticles that secrete as robustly as naturally occurring protein assemblies. Both the Degreaser protocol and the novel nanoparticles we describe may be broadly useful in biotechnological applications.
Probability Ramp Control reduces the number of sessions required to find an acceptable dose of succinylcholine during Electroconvulsive Therapy - an in silico analysis
Authors: Mandel Jeff E
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Electroconvulsive Therapy may be utilized in as many as 76,000 cases annually in the US, with the majority of cases employing succinylcholine. The reported dose spans the range of 0.29 - 2.1 mg/kg, and while motor seizures only last 36 ± 6 seconds, the duration of paralysis extends to 310 ± 38 seconds. While a model of succinylcholine pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics exists, this has not been employed to facilitate dose selection in clinical practice. Probability ramp control was investigated for this purpose.

Methods

Two approaches to dose finding were implemented. The first was an optimized Up-Down Method (UDM) that utilized an initial bolus, an adjustment dose, and a decrement to decrease the adjustment when crossing the target of 95% twitch depression. The second utilized probability ramp control (PRC) comprised of an infusion sequence that stopped when 95% twitch depression was obtained, a model that mapped the times for onset and offset of blockade to a subsequent bolus, and an adjustment dose to refine this dose when needed. Two populations of 10000 randomly parameterized models were developed from published data to train and evaluate the performance. Performance was assessed with a fuzzy classifier that segmented outcomes into three sets – LOW, HIGH, and SUCCESS. A loss function was developed that determined the number of sessions required to bring all models to SUCCESS. The probability distributions were compared using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov 2 sample test, with P<0.001 considered significant.

Results

Optimal values for the UDM parameters BOLUS, ADJUSTMENT, and DECREMENT were 0.7834 mg/kg, 0.3334 mg/kg, and 0.4056. Optimal values for the PRC SEQUENCE were 0.2663 mg/kg/min for 3 minutes followed by 0.7028 mg/kg/min. A fourth order polynomial MODEL produced estimates of the bolus that brought 99% of models to SUCCESS on the second session, while UDM required 6 sessions to achieve 99% SUCCESS. The probability distributions were distinct with P<<0.001.

Discussion

PRC was able to correctly produce SUCCESS in significantly fewer sessions than UDM. Additionally, PRC is easy to implement and allows pooling of results from multiple clinicians. The performance of PRC in clinical use for ECT will require further study.

Key Points

Question

Can probability ramp control reduce the number of ECT sessions with suboptimal succinylcholine dosing?

Findings

Probability ramp control found the correct dose in two sessions in 99% of simulations, compared to six sessions for the Up-Down Method.

Meaning

Probability ramp control is a more efficient method for finding the appropriate dose of succinylcholine for repeated sessions of ECT.
Cortical Dynein Drives Centrosome Clustering in Cells with Centrosome Amplification
Authors: Mercadante Dayna L. , Aaron William A. , Olson Sarah D. , Manning Amity L.
Published: August 2022

During cell division, the microtubule nucleating and organizing organelle, known as the centrosome, is critical for the formation of the mitotic spindle. In cells with two centrosomes, each centrosome functions as an anchor point for microtubules, leading to the formation of a bipolar spindle and progression through a bipolar cell division. When extra centrosomes are present, multipolar spindles form and the parent cell may divide into more than two daughter cells. Cells that are born from multipolar divisions are not viable and hence clustering of extra centrosomes and progression to a bipolar division are critical determinants of viability in cells with extra centrosomes. We combine experimental approaches with computational modeling to define a role for cortical dynein in centrosome clustering. We show that centrosome clustering fails and multipolar spindles dominate when cortical dynein distribution or activity is experimentally perturbed. Our simulations further reveal that centrosome clustering is sensitive to the distribution of dynein on the cortex. Together, these results indicate that dynein’s cortical localization alone is insufficient for effective centrosome clustering and instead, dynamic relocalization of dynein from one side of the cell to the other throughout mitosis promotes timely clustering and bipolar cell division in cells with extra centrosomes.
Influence of Zr content on immersion and electrochemical corrosion behavior of as-cast TiZr alloys
Authors: Zhao Suli , Liu Shuguang , Liu Yaqing , Liu Xuan , Xu Kuixue , Shi Chunbao , Jiang Qing
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of Zr content on immersion and electrochemical corrosion behavior of Zr-containing Ti-based (TiZr) alloys.

Design/methodology/approach

The phase analysis of as-cast TχZAB alloys was carried out using X-ray diffraction. The microstructure of corrosion surfaces of the samples was observed using optical metallographic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy.

Findings

The immersion test reveals that the corrosion is alleviated in the presence of a high amount of Zr, whereas pitting corrosion occurs when the Zr content is up to 40 Wt.%. Furthermore, the electrochemical analysis demonstrates that the corrosion resistance TiZr alloys is improved with increasing Zr content.

Originality/value

The TiZr alloys are promising candidates for high-end applications because of their excellent comprehensive properties. These alloys are usually used in marine or other harsh corrosive environments; therefore, it is essential to study their corrosion behavior.
Development of a novel supervisory controller on a parallel-hybrid powertrain for small unmanned aerial systems
Authors: Fouellefack Lionel Dongmo , Smith Lelanie , Kruger Michael
Published: August 2022

Purpose

A hybrid-electric unmanned aerial vehicle (HE-UAV) model has been developed to address the problem of low endurance of a small electric UAV. Electric-powered UAVs are not capable of achieving a high range and endurance due to the low energy density of its batteries. Alternatively, conventional UAVs (cUAVs) using fuel with an internal combustion engine (ICE) produces more noise and thermal signatures which is undesirable, especially if the air vehicle is required to patrol at low altitudes and remain undetected by ground patrols. This paper aims to investigate the impact of implementing hybrid propulsion technology to improve on the endurance of the UAV (based on a 13.6 kg UAV).

Design/methodology/approach

A HE-UAV model is developed to analyze the fuel consumption of the UAV for given mission profiles which were then compared to a cUAV. Although, this UAV size was used as reference case study, it can potentially be used to analyze the fuel consumption of any fixed wing UAV of similar take-off weight. The model was developed in a Matlab-Simulink environment using Simulink built-in functionalities, including all the subsystem of the hybrid powertrain. That is, the ICE, electric motor, battery, DC-DC converter, fuel system and propeller system as well as the aerodynamic system of the UAV. In addition, a ruled-based supervisory controlled strategy was implemented to characterize the split between the two propulsive components (ICE and electric motor) during the UAV mission. Finally, an electrification scheme was implemented to account for the hybridization of the UAV during certain stages of flight. The electrification scheme was then varied by changing the time duration of the UAV during certain stages of flight.

Findings

Based on simulation, it was observed a HE-UAV could achieve a fuel saving of 33% compared to the cUAV. A validation study showed a predicted improved fuel consumption of 9.5% for the Aerosonde UAV.

Originality/value

The novelty of this work comes with the implementation of a rule-based supervisory controller to characterize the split between the two propulsive components during the UAV mission. Also, the model was created by considering steady flight during cruise, but not during the climb and descend segment of the mission.
Benchmarking sustainability of pilgrimage cities: a case of three cities in Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: V.S. Kavitha , Firoz C. Mohammed
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Rapid urbanization and development of pilgrimage cities cause significant problems for the environment and society, leading to long-term challenges. Despite several discussions on city sustainability, the literature does not address some of the specific problems of pilgrimage cities. Hence, this study attempts at developing a method to examine the growth pattern and sustainability of pilgrimage cities in southern part of India.

Design/methodology/approach

The benchmarking method and the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability are considered to construct the Pilgrimage City Sustainability Index (PCSI). Appropriate variables and categories are identified through a literature review and expert opinion survey. The benchmark values of the variables are derived by contemplating the pilgrimage cities of Tamil Nadu, one of the states with the largest tourist arrivals in India. Subsequently, three prominent pilgrimage cities from Tamil Nadu were chosen for the case study and the method was tested.

Findings

The result reveals that the cities investigated are performing above average in the sustainability index, with slight variations in their dimension scores. While the category scores of cities assist in identifying macro-level issues, the variable scores provide an insight into micro-level issues. Furthermore, the gap analysis between the benchmark and the present value of each variable discloses the immediate area of attention in each city. Thus, the cities could set more specific targets, frame strategies and/or collaborate with matching cities to bridge these gaps.

Social implications

This index assessment provides a comparison of the pros and cons of these pilgrimage cities and helps identify their demand and supply. Policymakers can find appropriate tools and approaches that aid in sustainable urban development and tourism management.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in emphasizing the application of the benchmarking method to assess the sustainability of Indian pilgrimage sites. With appropriate modifications, this method can be used in varied contexts across the globe.
The impact of organisational capabilities on the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Ofori-Amanfo Joshua , Akonsi Samuel Wunmalya , Agyapong Gloria Kakrabah-Quarshie
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which organisational capabilities do impact the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey design was used for the study. Data was collected from 306 SMEs from different sectors of the economy. The partial least square structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationships between organisational capabilities and SMEs’ performance measured by their financial viability.

Findings

The findings reveal as predicted that four out of the five organisational capabilities tested were indeed important predictors of SMEs’ financial viability. Specifically, managerial capability, supply chain capability, operations capability and marketing capability were found to positively and significantly impact SMEs’ financial viability. The findings further reveal that firm size does not moderate the relationship between these capabilities and financial viability.

Research limitations/implications

This study was undertaken in a developing economy with peculiar business operating conditions and, thus, may limit the generalisability of the findings.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that key organisational capability development is critical for enhancing the financial viability of firms, confirming four of such critical capabilities that are needed by SMEs. The findings further suggest the need for firms irrespective of size to develop organisational capabilities.

Originality/value

This study has empirically established that developing managerial capability, supply chain capability, operations capability and marketing capability are important success factors if SMEs, irrespective of size, intend to enhance their financial viability.
Stories of employability: improving interview narratives with image-supported past-behaviour storytelling training
Authors: Lin-Stephens Serene , Manuguerra Maurizio , Tsai Pei-Jung , Athanasou James A.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Stories of employability are told in employment and educational settings, notably the selection interviews. A popular training approach guiding higher education students to construct employability stories has been the past-behaviour storytelling method. However, insufficient research exists regarding the method's effectiveness and optimisation. This study examines whether the method (1) increases the quantity and quality of interview narratives in story forms and (2) can be enhanced by image stimuli.

Design/methodology/approach

In a double-blind randomised control trial with repeated measures, participants submitted four weekly interview narratives. After receiving past-behaviour serious storytelling training in Week 3, they were randomly allocated to an exposure group using images and a control group using keywords as a placebo to continue producing interview narratives. The interview narratives were assessed based on the number of stories and quality ratings of narrative conformity, relevance and conciseness. Results before and after the training, and with and without the image stimuli, were analysed.

Findings

Training increased the number of stories. Training and repeated practice also increased narrative quality ratings. However, the image-based intervention was the strongest predictor of improved quality ratings (effect size 2.47 points on the observed scale of 0–10, p < 0.01, 95% CI [1.46, 3.47]).

Practical implications

A pre-existing ability to tell employability stories cannot be assumed. Training is necessary, and intervention is required for enhancement. Multi-sensory narrative interventions may be considered.

Originality/value

This study is the first known double-blind randomised control trial with repeated measures evaluating if storytelling training and image stimuli improve interview narratives.
Academic online learning experience during COVID-19 - a systematic literature review based on personality traits
Authors: Morfaki Christina , Skotis Apostolos
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the literature regarding the academic online learning experience under the lens of broad personality traits, in the transition from traditional to online learning due to global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review is based on preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) method and includes indexed empirical studies in academic institutes during the period of COVID-19 outbreak.

Findings

Electronic sources identified 103 references; while after the elimination of duplicates and irrelevant titles, 42 papers were forwarded for abstract screening and later full-text assessment. Of these, 14 met the eligibility criteria. Finally, nine studies were included in the literature review profiling and in the qualitative analysis.

Originality/value

The research insights provided in this study are useful in terms of enhancing the view that link broad personality traits and various learning outcomes, during the necessitated transition to online learning by the public health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effective management strategies for construction contract disputes
Authors: Amoah Christopher , Nkosazana Hlatshwayo
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Contract risk management has become a critical mission, as contract issues may lead to a loss of vast amounts of money to parties involved or cause project failure. This study sought to identify effective management strategies to mitigate construction contract issues that might emerge during construction.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research approach was adopted for the study. Structured questionnaires made up of close-ended questions were distributed to construction professionals in South Africa via the SurveyMonkey platform. The data were then analysed using descriptive statistics.

Findings

The findings indicate that the critical sources of contract-related disputes are ambiguous definitions of the contract parties' scope of their rights and obligations, lack of precise arrangements regarding the calculation of contractual penalties for failure to meet the deadline, lack of detailed specification of the works and specific milestones, lack of provisions regulating changes to the project documentation during the construction stage, an excessive amount of contractual penalties on contractor's side and lack of provisions regarding the rules of performing additional and replacement works and their settlement. However, for these disputes to be effectively managed, strategies such as reduction uncertainties in project's phases, setting up contingency plans, construction guarantee, extension of time claims, payment guarantee, retention and escalation clause should be implemented by the parties involved.

Research limitations/implications

Even though the empirical study focused on construction professionals in South Africa, the findings could be applied to other countries outside of South Africa.

Practical implications

To effectively manage and prevent contract disputes from averting project failures and losses to parties involved in the contract, construction professionals need to be aware of strategies that must be implemented before and during the project execution. If well implemented, these strategies will help a construction project be successful and experience fewer contractual disputes.

Originality/value

The study has identified the knowledge gap concerning suitable contract risk management strategies available for implementation to effectively prevent any contract parties from losing money, time and project failure.
Perceptions of leadership teams regarding organisational knowledge creation through lesson study: perspectives from P. Gronn's hybrid leadership
Authors: Arii Yuta
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study explores the perceptions of the leadership team on knowledge creation in lesson study (LS) using P. Gronn's concept of hybrid leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

This study included teachers from a public elementary school in Japan that has been engaged in autonomous LS for several years. Teachers (n = 8) from the leadership team of the LS practice for four years (2016–2019) were interviewed for the study.

Findings

The findings are threefold. First, teachers in the leadership team most often referred to teachers' leadership practices as occurring in the phases of externalisation and combination, which are the important phases in the organisational knowledge creation process. Second, in the context of LS, the study found that teachers in the leadership team used three approaches to take the lead in knowledge creation, approaching the individual and the groups using tools. Third, using the concept of hybrid leadership helped detail the complexity of the leadership practices performed by the leadership team in LS.

Originality/value

This study focusses on teachers in the leadership team in LS, which has been an overlooked topic in this field of research. In many Japanese schools where LS has been practiced for many years, leadership teams have been set up with certain expectations. The findings of this study highlight certain leadership team practices that will contribute to the development of a sustainable LS.
The process of mentoring and tutoring in lesson study in initial teacher training: two case studies
Authors: Sepúlveda Ruiz María del Pilar , Gallardo Gil Monsalud , García-Vila Elena
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper focusses on the tutoring process developed by three teachers during the implementation of two lesson studies (LSs) by students of the Bachelor of in Primary Education as a methodological strategy to facilitate the reconstruction of the teachers' practical knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is set within the framework of qualitative research and the methodology adopted is borne out by the case study.

Findings

The analysis shows how an adequate process of tutoring and accompaniment during the design, development and evaluation of the LS assists students to reconstruct their practical knowledge through action and to reflect on their actions and to develop key professional competences for initial teacher training.

Research limitations/implications

This study was constrained by the need to develop a particular methodology of the study over a single four-month period, given that this type of process requires some quiet time for analysis and reflection. And the time that the tutors could make available due to the high ratio and the need to provide continuity to these processes to allow the students to consciously modify the tutors' lessons plans and incorporate this vision of being a teacher.

Practical implications

The paper advised to repeat the experience in successive courses, to accompany the students in order to analyse the educational value of LS and how educational value of LS affects the how the students reconstruct their practical knowledge.

Originality/value

This paper shows the strategies adopted to promote the reconstruction of practical knowledge in initial teacher training.
Emotional mechanics of gamification and value co-creation: the digital platform Nike+ as a B2B2C ecosystem
Authors: García-Magro Cristina , Martín-Peña María-Luz , Sánchez-López José María
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of utilitarian, hedonic and social emotional mechanics in gamified digital platforms on the components of value co-creation.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses are proposed to test the emotional mechanics of gamification as antecedents of value co-creation in terms of the components of the DART (dialogue, access, risk assessment, transparency) model. The Nike+ gamified digital platform is used as the context for the empirical analysis. The hypothesis testing is performed from the consumer perspective, with data gathered using a questionnaire sent to users of the Nike+ application.

Findings

The social emotional mechanics of gamification have a positive impact on the value creation components of dialogue, access, transparency and risk. Utilitarian and hedonic mechanics also exert an impact on the value creation component of access. This study contributes to the value co-creation literature. The findings also reveal the role of customer emotions in embracing gamified platforms in a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) ecosystem.

Practical implications

Practitioners and consumers in B2B2C ecosystems can gain insight into how to interact in digital gamified platforms and how to co-create value. This study shows the importance of customers’ emotional mechanics when participating in gamified platforms. The results can help organisations ensure the success of their value co-creation processes.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a combination of approaches that have traditionally been studied in isolation, placing emotions at the heart of the value co-creation paradigm.
Clinicians’ perceptions of virtual reality for firesetting
Authors: Sambrooks Katie , Lockerbie Lona , Majid Shahid , Gannon Theresa
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Virtual reality (VR) is a novel technology that could be used in the assessment and/or treatment of deliberate firesetting. This study aims to develop an understanding of clinicians’ views of VR for deliberate firesetting, to identify areas where VR could potentially add value to current practice and any particular barriers to using VR in this context.

Design/methodology/approach

Through an online survey, 73 clinicians rated their agreement with nine potential benefits of using VR for firesetting and 11 potential barriers to using it. They also provided free text responses detailing the greatest perceived potential benefit and the greatest perceived barrier. Factors related to intent to use VR for firesetting in the future were explored.

Findings

Clinicians perceived the ability to safely expose clients to fire-related stimuli to be highly beneficial. However, clinicians were concerned about the possibility of re-traumatisation and logistic barriers. Previous experience of using VR with individuals who have set fires was significantly related to using it in the future.

Practical implications

Further research establishing the feasibility and effectiveness of using VR with individuals who have set fires may help alleviate clinicians’ concerns. Increasing opportunities for clinicians to experience a firesetting VR programme may widen the implementation of firesetting VR.

Originality/value

Previous research has only focused on clinicians’ perceptions of VR in the general field of forensic mental health and has failed to consider offence-specific applications.
Exploring the effectiveness of VR-based product demonstrations featuring items of furniture
Authors: Xin Chengyao
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to present a case study of virtual-reality-based product demonstrations featuring items of furniture. The results will be of use in further design and development of virtual-reality-based product demonstration systems and could also support effective student learning.

Design/methodology/approach

A new method was introduced to guide the experiment by confirming orthogonal arrays. User interactions were then planned, and a furniture demonstration system was implemented. The experiment comprised two stages. In the evaluation stage, participants were invited to experience the virtual-reality (VR)-based furniture demonstration system and complete a user experience (UX) survey. Taguchi-style robust design methods were used to design orthogonal table experiments and planning and design operation methods were used to implement an experimental display system in order to obtain optimized combinations of control factors and levels. The second stage involved a confirmatory test for the optimized combinations. A pilot questionnaire was first applied to survey demonstration scenarios that are important to customers.

Findings

The author found in terms of furniture products, product interactive display through VR can achieve good user satisfaction through quality design planning. VR can better grasp the characteristics of products than paper catalogs and website catalogs. And VR can better grasp the characteristics of products than online videos. For “interactive inspection”, “function simulation”, “style customization” and “set-out customization” were the most valuable demonstration scenarios for customers. The results of the experiment confirmed that the “overall rating”, “hedonic appeal” and “practical quality” were the three most important optimized operating methods, constituting a benchmark of user satisfaction.

Originality/value

The author found that it is possible to design and build a VR-based furniture demonstration system with a good level of usability when a suitable quality design method is applied. The optimized user interaction indicators and implementation experience for the VR-based product demonstration presented in this study will be of use in further design and development of similar systems.
Evaluating the need for supervision of advanced mental health practitioners in psychiatric practices in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alyousef Seham Mansour , Alhamidi Sami Abdullrahman
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Research supports the value of clinical supervision as an essential aspect of mental health nursing. Despite the need for this, there appears to be a deficit in qualified supervision in the mental health field, although efforts have been made toward advanced mental health practitioner nursing. This study aims to characterize the ideas that advanced mental health nurse practitioners hold about supervision in practice and to consider what is required to support changes to advanced mental health nursing in Saudi Arabia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a qualitative exploratory design that applied a phenomenological approach as the research method. Twelve postgraduate mental health nurses were recruited through purposive sampling.

Findings

The data analysis generated the central theme, which indicates the attributes of a competent supervisor of advanced mental health nurse practitioners. The components of a supervisor’s competence had the following three main themes: nursing competencies, professional characteristics and communication.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of this study is that the data was collected from practicing advanced care mental health practitioners in Saudi Arabia. Further research conducted in different geographical areas and with different categories of staff is warranted. The results of those studies could be compared against the results presented here.

Practical implications

Best practice measures indicated that mental health nurse practitioners working in mental health settings and private practice should receive supervision to help them reflect upon their daily nursing practice challenges.

Originality/value

The findings of this study indicate that to support mental health practitioners and advanced mental health practitioners working in private practice, competent supervisors need to be on hand and willing to invest in creating a supportive culture in practice.
Information discernment and online reading behaviour: an experiment
Authors: Pointon Matthew , Walton Geoff , Turner Martin , Lackenby Michael , Barker Jamie , Wilkinson Andrew
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper intends to explore the relationship between participants' eye fixations (a measure of attention) and durations (a measure of concentration) on areas of interest within a range of online articles and their levels of information discernment (a sub-process of information literacy characterising how participants make judgements about information).

Design/methodology/approach

Eye-tracking equipment was used as a proxy measure for reading behaviour by recording eye-fixations, dwell times and regressions in males aged 18–24 (n = 48). Participants' level of information discernment was determined using a quantitative questionnaire.

Findings

Data indicates a relationship between participants' level of information discernment and their viewing behaviours within the articles' area of interest. Those who score highly on an information discernment questionnaire tended to interrogate the online article in a structured and linear way. Those with high-level information discernment are more likely to pay attention to an article's textual and graphical information than those exhibiting low-level information discernment. Conversely, participants with low-level information discernment indicated a lack of curiosity by not interrogating the entire article. They were unsystematic in their saccadic movements spending significantly longer viewing irrelevant areas.

Social implications

The most profound consequence is that those with low-level information discernment, through a lack of curiosity in particular, could base their health, workplace, political or everyday decisions on sub-optimal engagement with and comprehension of information or misinformation (such as fake news).

Originality/value

Ground-breaking analysis of the relationship between a persons' self-reported level of information literacy (information discernment specifically) and objective measures of reading behaviour.
Emotional culture of joy and happiness at work as a facet of wellbeing: a mediation of psychological safety and relational attachment
Authors: Aboramadan Mohammed , Kundi Yasir Mansoor
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Drawing upon theories of conservation of resources (COR), broaden-and-build (BnB), self-determination, and the job demands- resources (JD-R) model, this study uniquely tries to understand the mechanisms that contribute to happiness at work by proposing a model of the effects of emotional culture of joy on happiness at work, where psychological safety and relational attachments serve as intervening mechanisms among the aforesaid relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-wave time-lagged study with 340 employees from Pakistani organizations was conducted. Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results indicate that emotional culture of joy significantly predicts happiness at work. Furthermore, emotional culture of joy significantly and positively influences both psychological safety and relational attachment. Finally, the relationship between emotional culture of joy and happiness at work is found to be mediated by both relational attachment and psychological safety.

Practical implications

The results are of utmost importance as they provide insights to policy makers and organizations administrators on the value of emotional culture of joy and its contribution to employees’ wellbeing, and indeed its role in fostering important psychological and emotional resources such as psychological safety and relational attachment.

Originality/value

This study is unique for the following reasons. First, it addresses and bridges a gap pertaining to the drivers of happiness at work. Second, this is the first study that considers emotional culture of joy as an antecedent to happiness at work. Third, the employment of both psychological safety and relational attachment as intervening mechanisms in the relationship between emotional culture of joy and happiness at work has not been previously addressed in the management and wellbeing literature. Finally, the study shifts direction from studying organizational drivers (i.e. HR, organization support, etc.) of happiness at work to the examination of psychological and emotional resources that may influence happiness at work.
Population regulation throughout a complex life cycle
Authors: Little Chelsea J.
Published: August 2022

Research Highlight: McIntosh, A. R., Greig, H. S., & Howard, S. (2022). Regulation of open populations of a stream insect through larval density dependence. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2656.13696. Despite decades of research on population regulation through density dependence, it remains challenging to identify and understand the relative importance of mechanisms governing open populations of organisms with complex life cycles. McIntosh et al. (2022) manipulated density of aquatic invertebrates in the field, and then followed populations for 2 years to track the effects on abundance through multiple life‐history stages. The authors found that their density manipulation, performed on larvae that were about to pupate, had minimal effects on the number of emergent adults collected several months later. The manipulation had a similarly negligible influence on the number of egg masses laid at study locations. The authors attribute this to stochasticity around dispersal of flying adults through the terrestrial environment. However, later in the study, the authors found evidence of density‐dependent population regulation among larval stages, seemingly controlled by resource availability. These results suggest that population dynamics depend on multiple mechanisms operating at different points in organisms' life history, which could either help or hinder population persistence with disturbance or environmental change.
Artificial selection in human‐wildlife feeding interactions
Authors: Griffin Laura L. , Haigh Amy , Amin Bawan , Faull Jordan , Norman Alison , Ciuti Simone
Published: August 2022

The artificial selection of traits in wildlife populations through hunting and fishing has been well documented. However, despite their rising popularity, the role that artificial selection may play in non‐extractive wildlife activities, for example, recreational feeding activities, remains unknown.

If only a subset of a population takes advantage of human‐wildlife feeding interactions, and if this results in different fitness advantages for these individuals, then artificial selection may be at work. We have tested this hypothesis using a wild fallow deer population living at the edge of a capital city as our model population.

In contrast to previous assumptions on the randomness of human‐wildlife feeding interactions, we found that a limited non‐random portion of an entire population is continuously engaging with people. We found that the willingness to beg for food from humans exists on a continuum of inter‐individual repeatable behaviour; which ranges from risk‐taking individuals repeatedly seeking and obtaining food, to shyer individuals avoiding human contact and not receiving food at all, despite all individuals having received equal exposure to human presence from birth and coexisting in the same herds together. Bolder individuals obtain significantly more food directly from humans, resulting in early interception of food offerings and preventing other individuals from obtaining supplemental feeding.

Those females that beg consistently also produce significantly heavier fawns (300–500 g heavier), which may provide their offspring with a survival advantage. This indicates that these interactions result in disparity in diet and nutrition across the population, impacting associated physiology and reproduction, and may result in artificial selection of the begging behavioural trait.

This is the first time that this consistent variation in behaviour and its potential link to artificial selection has been identified in a wildlife population and reveals new potential effects of human‐wildlife feeding interactions in other species across both terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
How seeds and growth dynamics influence plant size and yield: Integrating trait relationships into ontogeny
Authors: Gómez‐Fernández Alicia , Milla Rubén
Published: August 2022

Seeds, growth rates and duration of growth influence plant development. However, we lack a mechanistic understanding of how they lead to larger and higher‐yielding plants, as these traits have not yet been explicitly studied in combination and across ontogeny. Seed size and growth dynamics have evolved differently during domestication and improvement. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether the relationships between these traits and their contribution to plant size and yield have also changed over the course of crop evolution.

Here we grew wild, landrace and improved accessions of 18 annual herbaceous crops in a glasshouse. For each plant, we measured seed mass, growth rate and duration of vegetative growth. We also measured plant size at three ontogenetic stages: seedling, juvenile and mature, and reproductive output. Using path analyses, we tested causal relationships between the traits and quantified their relative importance in determining mature plant size and yield.

Seed mass and duration of vegetative growth were more important than growth rates in explaining variations in mature plant size and yield among species. Domesticated plants were larger, had heavier seeds and higher yields, but did not grow faster or for longer time‐spans than their wild progenitors. Trait relationships did not differ between the wild, landrace and improved accessions.

Our results suggest that annual herbs reach larger sizes primarily through a combination of heavier seeds and longer vegetative growth periods. Moreover, domestication has increased plant size only through the heavy‐seed causal pathway, via cascading effects during ontogeny. However, the high yields of modern crops hardly be explained by the traits considered here, suggesting the importance of other drivers, such as roots and their microbiome.

Synthesis. We provide a better mechanistic understanding of the size axis of global plant trait variation and emphasise the role of growth duration in explaining the diversity of mature plant sizes. Seeds and growth dynamics are highly functionally coordinated with plant size, and this coordination has changed little during crop evolution. Our results highlight that multi‐trait relationships throughout plant ontogeny play a key role in governing how domestication has influenced plant size and crop yields.
Microbial diversity and adaptive strategies in the Mars‐like Qaidam Basin, North Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Liu Li , Liu Haiyun , Zhang Wensi , Chen Yan , Shen Jianxun , Li Yiliang , Pan Yongxin , Lin Wei
Published: August 2022

The Qaidam Basin on the northern Tibetan Plateau, China, is one of the driest deserts at high elevations, and it has been considered a representative Mars analogue site. Despite recent advances in the diversity of microbial communities in the Qaidam Basin, our understanding of their genomic information, functional potential and adaptive strategies remains very limited. Here, we conducted a combination of physicochemical and metagenomic analyses to investigate the taxonomic composition and adaptive strategies of microbial life in the regolith across the Qaidam Basin. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene‐based and metagenomic analyses both reveal that microbial communities in the Qaidam Basin are dominated by the bacterial phylumActinobacteria. The low levels of moisture and organic carbon contents appear to have essential constraints on microbial biomass and diversity. A total of 50 high‐quality metagenome‐assembled genomes were reconstructed and analysed. Our results reveal the potential of microorganisms to use ambient trace gases to meet energy and carbon needs in this nutrient‐limited desert. Furthermore, we find that DNA repair mechanisms and protein protection are likely essential for microbial life in response to stressors of hyperaridity, intense ultraviolet radiation and tremendous temperature fluctuations in this Mars analogue. These findings shed light on the diversity and survival strategies of microbial life inhabiting Mar‐like environments, which provide implications for potential life on early Mars.