bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Partial Disclosure in Research: Challenges, Justifications, and Recommendations for Ethical Oversight
Authors: Akuma Ifeanyichukwu , Vaswani Vina
Published: October 2024

Deception in research is contentious, as ethical codes stress informed consent, yet complete disclosure may jeopardise validity. Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines classify deception into active, incomplete, and authorised forms. This study explores the ethical justification for incomplete (partial disclosure), permissible instances, and the dilemma faced by ethics committees in balancing scientific rigour and participant protection. The qualitative, non-experimental cross-sectional research, using in-depth interviews, identifies themes through thematic analysis. Findings reveal challenges for ethics committees, as incomplete information hampers understanding, amongst others. The paper proposes an ethics committee framework, urging researchers to minimise or avoid partial deception and recommending institutional awareness campaigns and standard operating procedures for minimal-harm studies using partial disclosure. Therefore, it proposes that partial disclosure should be justified by the 3Vs—value, validity, and veracity to preserve research integrity.
Methodological challenges in studying disease processes using observational cohort data
Authors: Cook Richard J. , Lawless Jerald F.
Published: October 2024

Cohort studies of disease processes deal with events and other outcomes that may occur in individuals following disease onset. The particular goals are often the evaluation of interventions and estimation of the effects of risk factors that may affect the disease course. Models and methods of event history analysis and longitudinal data analysis provide tools for understanding disease processes, but there are numerous challenges in practice. These are related to the complexity of the disease processes and to the difficulty of recruiting representative individuals and acquiring detailed longitudinal data on their disease course. Our objectives here are to describe some of these challenges and to review methods of addressing them. We emphasize the appeal of multistate models as a framework for understanding both disease processes and the processes governing recruitment of individuals for cohort studies and the collection of data. The use of other observational data sources in order to enhance model fitting and analysis is discussed.
Impact on physico-chemical characteristics of cream cheese analogue using blend of dairy and vegetable fat
Authors: Junaid Muhammad , Rehman Tasbeeha , Imran Muhammad , Inayat Saima , Rehman Hifz Ur , Ullah Ehsan , Muzamil Hafiz Shahzad , Younas Umair
Published: October 2024

Cream cheese analogue is a soft cheese with a slightly sweet and pleasantly tangy taste. It is prepared using the substitutes of dairy fats and proteins partially or completely. Cream cheese analogue ingredients are purchased carefully keeping in mind the required specifications. For the above-mentioned research, different samples of cream cheese (T0, T1, T2 and T3) were manufactured with standardized fat and protein and the moisture was maintained at 50–55% during these trials. All ingredients were added in a large container for mixing and cooking treatment for 1–2 min at 75 °C and homogenized for 5–6 min with the help of a hand mixture until completely homogenous sample was obtained. Samples were then transferred in to another container and allowed them to attain temperature between 20 and 25 °C. After that, samples were incubated with the addition of mesophilic culture until desired pH (4.6–4.7) was achieved. Later samples were heated at 50–55 °C for 2–3 min and then placed in a muslin cloth and left overnight for whey drainage. Physicochemical, microbial analysis were performed while sensory evaluation was performed using different parameters and scales. Sample prepared using 75% dairy cream and 25% cocoa butter substitute fat (T1) showed good results. T1 had better consistency which was considered desirable characteristics of cream cheese. This research proved the cost effective as cream cheese prepared with plant-based fat which made its production possible at industrial level. Cream cheese which was made from dairy fat (75%) and cocoa butter substitute fat (25%) had more springiness, smoothness, gumminess, more pleasant taste, color, flavor and aroma than other samples. This dairy product can be used in future in Pakistan.
Contribution of environmental and biological factors to bacterial community structure and stability in a subalpine lake
Authors: Guo Ping , Li Cui , Liu Jinxian , Wu Tiehang , Chai Baofeng
Published: October 2024

Bacterial community play an essential role in regulating water quality and the global biogeochemical cycle in aquatic ecosystems. However, how trophic interactions (i.e., biotic factors) regulate the diversity and composition of bacterial community in lake ecosystems remains unknown. Here, we employed DNA meta-barcoding of water samples to explore the impact of bacterivorous protozoans on the bacterial community. The results showed significant seasonal variations in the diversity and composition of both bacterial and protist communities. The composition of bacterivorous protozoans was identified as the primary predictor for the bacterial community alpha diversity in spring and summer, and for beta diversity in spring and autumn, indicating that biotic interactions play a greater role in driving the diversity of bacterial community across different seasons. Biological factors were more important than environmental factors for explaining the variations in the relative abundance of several bacterial genera (i.e., Pseudoxanthomonas, hgcI_clade, and Pseudorhodobacter). Network analyses showed that bacterial networks differed among seasons, and the autumn network exhibited the highest stability. Our findings indicated that the bacterial community stability was significantly affected by environmental factors, specifically SO4
2–and PO4
3–, rather than bacterivorous protozoans. Overall, our findings provide new perspectives on the role of trophic interactions in maintaining the structure of bacterial community in different seasons, and enhance our understanding of the bacterial community assembly in lake ecosystems.
Expert Consensus Recommendations on a Biosimilars Value Framework for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
Authors: Alnaqbi Khalid A. , Al-jedai Ahmed , Farghaly Mohamed , Omair Mohammed A. , Hamad Anas , Abutiban Fatemah M. A. , Shirawi Ali Al , Rayes Hanan Al , Aldallal Sarah , Fahmy Sahar , Simoens Steven
Published: October 2024

Objective

This paper aims to develop a biosimilar value framework with local stakeholders in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Methods

A convenience sample of ten key opinion leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar participated in an expert panel meeting in November 2022 that examined factors positively influencing biosimilar adoption in these countries. The discussion was structured around a conceptual biosimilar value framework and an overview of biosimilar policies as derived from a targeted review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature.

Results

The expert panel agreed on a biosimilar value framework for the GCC countries that is founded on trust, cost savings and contextual considerations. They emphasized the importance of launching educational initiatives that build trust in and expand knowledge of all stakeholders about biosimilars. This also includes making stakeholders aware of the various value propositions of biosimilars as an instrument to produce, for example, cost savings. Finally, they stressed that biosimilar adoption is influenced by contextual factors such as incentives and implementation efforts.

Conclusion

Our proposed biosimilars value framekwork is the first set of recommendations in the Arab countries designed to help policymakers and decision-makers promote biosimilar adoption, both in high-income GCC countries and in low- and middle-income countries.
Regulatory mechanism of bamboo biochar dosage on cadmium accumulation in Salix psammophila: insights from rhizosphere microbial communities, assembly processes, and interactions
Authors: Gai Xu , Xing Wenli , Cheng Wanqing , Xiao Jiang , Chen Guangcai
Published: October 2024

Soil amendments play a pivotal role in regulating rhizosphere microbial communities, which is essential for maintaining robust plant growth under adverse environmental conditions. However, the microbial mechanisms that underlie the impact of biochar on phytoremediation performance remain incompletely understood in the context of different application rates. Here, we compared the phytoremediation performance, rhizosphere microbial community characteristics, and microbial interactions in Salix psammophila across different biochar application rates (1%, 3%, 5%, and 7%) in Cd-contaminated soil. Applying 5% biochar increased plant biomass by 10.02%, root activity by 183.82%, and Cd accumulation by 13.65%. Lower biochar rates (1% and 3%) decreased Cd accumulation in plants by 21.89% and 42.05%, respectively, compared to the control. Rhizosphere soil properties and Cd content, except for nitrogen, showed a gradient change with increasing biochar application rates. This was accompanied by an elevation in the Chao1 index for the bacterial community, although the fungal community remained unaffected in terms of diversity and structure. Null-model analyses indicated that fungal community assembly was mainly driven by ecological drift, explaining its unresponsiveness to biochar application. Applying 1% biochar enhanced microbial network stability while reducing bacterial network complexity. Conversely, 3% biochar application resulted in the lowest microbial network stability. Biochar application, except 3%, reduced the proportion of bacteria-fungi associations, suggesting increased independence between two microbial kingdoms. Random forest and piecewise structural equation models revealed that phytoremediation performance is influenced by microbial network stability, complexity, and bacteria-fungi associations. Fungal complexity and stability, along with bacterial stability, were identified as key predictors of phytoremediation performance. Our findings reveal potential mechanisms by which biochar influences phytoremediation through altering microbial interactions. For long-term microbial stability and cost-effectiveness, a 1% biochar application is recommended for phytoremediation. Conversely, for rapid Cd accumulation in plants, a 5% biochar application is optimal.

Graphical Abstract
Socioeconomic status and sex ratio in the contemporary Hungarian population
Authors: Sarkadi Fanni , Szász Eszter , Rosivall Balázs
Published: October 2024

According to the Trivers–Willard hypothesis (TWH), when the mother's condition around conception influences the future reproductive success of male and female offspring differently, the adjustment of offspring sex ratio (SR) to maternal condition will increase the parents’ fitness. The TWH has been tested in several taxa, including humans where socioeconomic status as an index of condition has been widely used. The results are inconsistent, possibly because the preconditions of the TWH are not always met. To investigate the preconditions and prediction of the TWH in the contemporary Hungarian population, we collected data by an online questionnaire on self-perceived childhood living standard, the number of children and the sex of the respondents’ siblings. We found no sex-specific relationship between reproductive success and childhood living standards, thus the precondition of the TWH was not met. We found no relationship between socioeconomic status and offspring SR when data from the whole country was used, but there was a tendency in the predicted direction when we used data from Budapest and considered the SR of only those family members who were born under similar conditions. Similar approaches should be preferred in the future to avoid noise caused by changing status during the reproductive lifespan.
Performance of a large language model for identifying central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) using real clinical notes
Authors: Rodriguez-Nava Guillermo , Egoryan Goar , Goodman Katherine E. , Morgan Daniel J. , Salinas Jorge L.
Published: October 2024

We evaluated one of the first secure large language models approved for protected health information, for identifying central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) using real clinical notes. Despite no pretraining, the model demonstrated rapid assessment and high sensitivity for CLABSI identification. Performance would improve with access to more patient data.
Gravity modelling of ice thickness and valley geometry on Taku Glacier (T'aak̲ú K̲wáan Sít'i), Alaska
Authors: Borthwick Louise , Muto Atsuhiro , Tinto Kirsty
Published: October 2024

Taku Glacier recently began retreating for the first time since the late 19th century but limited observations of its bed leaves uncertainties on how this retreat will proceed. In this study, we use ground-based gravity measurements to improve the extent of bed-elevation estimates on the Taku by modelling the glacier in 3D. We find the across-flow geometry of the middle to upper reach of the Taku and the Matthes branch has a step-like feature near the edge and a wide, flat bottom. We constrain the ice thickness along flow within uncertainty limits and provide a range of expected values. Along the centre line of our model, we find a maximum ice thickness of 1556 ± 143 m and the deepest bed at 445 ± 166 m below sea level. The along-flow results also delineate two bedrock bumps, which could help stabilise the retreat of the Taku when its terminus is submerged in water. We model the bed to be below sea level until at least 35 km upstream of the terminus where the Matthes branch joins the main branch, improving constraints on how far upstream the Taku would be vulnerable to marine retreat.
Work after lawful status: formerly undocumented immigrants’ gendered relational legal consciousness and workplace claims-making
Authors: Tenorio Luis Edward
Published: October 2024

Undocumented status impedes immigrants’ workplace claims to legal rights and better treatment. But what happens when they obtain lawful permanent residency – does the reluctance to make claims in the workplace change? If so, how? Drawing on timeline interviews, I examine changes in the relational legal consciousness and reported workplace claims-making of 98 formerly undocumented Latino immigrants. Most respondents reported increased willingness to engage in, and follow through with, workplace claims. However, gendered differences emerged. Men’s claims largely revolved around wage negotiations, moving to a better paying position, and enforcement of legal rights with an attached monetary value. They were also more likely to frame claims as legal rights. In contrast, women’s claims largely revolved around better work treatment, access to job benefits, and workplace accommodations. They were also more likely to frame claims as moral rights. I explain these outcomes as a function of three relational mechanisms: lawful status being understood relative to experiences being undocumented; gendering in the legalization process; and social ties promoting gendered expectations of lawful permanent residency. My findings highlight the importance of gendered differences in relational legal consciousness and how lived reference points (e.g., prior undocumented experience) inform how legal consciousness changes over time.
Maximizing RAG efficiency: A comparative analysis of RAG methods
Authors: Şakar Tolga , Emekci Hakan
Published: October 2024

This paper addresses the optimization of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) processes by exploring various methodologies, including advanced RAG methods. The research, driven by the need to enhance RAG processes as highlighted by recent studies, involved a grid-search optimization of 23,625 iterations. We evaluated multiple RAG methods across different vectorstores, embedding models, and large language models, using cross-domain datasets and contextual compression filters. The findings emphasize the importance of balancing context quality with similarity-based ranking methods, as well as understanding tradeoffs between similarity scores, token usage, runtime, and hardware utilization. Additionally, contextual compression filters were found to be crucial for efficient hardware utilization and reduced token consumption, despite the evident impacts on similarity scores, which may be acceptable depending on specific use cases and RAG methods.
Recommendations for sharing network data and materials
Authors: Neal Zachary P. , Almquist Zack W. , Bagrow James , Clauset Aaron , Diesner Jana , Lazega Emmanuel , Lovato Juniper , Moody James , Peixoto Tiago P. , Steinert-Threlkeld Zachary , Teixeira Andreia Sofia
Published: October 2024

One of the goals of open science is to promote the transparency and accessibility of research. Sharing data and materials used in network research is critical to these goals. In this paper, we present recommendations for whether, what, when, and where network data and materials should be shared. We recommend that network data and materials should be shared, but access to or use of shared data and materials may be restricted if necessary to avoid harm or comply with regulations. Researchers should share the network data and materials necessary to reproduce reported results via a publicly accessible repository when an associated manuscript is published. To ensure the adoption of these recommendations, network journals should require sharing, and network associations and academic institutions should reward sharing.
Evolutionary biology as a frontier for research on misinformation
Authors: Simeone Michael , Roschke Kristy , Walker Shawn
Published: October 2024

The field of misinformation studies has experienced a boom of scholarship in recent years. Buoyed by the emergence of information operations surrounding the 2016 election and the rise of so-called “fake news,” researchers hailing from fields ranging from philosophy to computer science have taken up the challenge of detecting, analyzing, and theorizing false and misleading information online. In an attempt to understand the spread of misinformation online, researchers have adapted concepts from different disciplines. Concepts from epidemiology, for example, have opened doors to thinking about spread, contagion, and resistance. The life sciences offer concepts and theories to further extend what we know about how misinformation adapts; by viewing information as an organism within a complex ecosystem, we can better understand why some narratives succeed and others fail. Collaborations between misinformation researchers and life scientists to develop responsible adaptations of fitness models can bolster misinformation research.
Conservation biology of three threatened Limonium species endemic to Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece)
Authors: Valli Anna-Thalassini , Papaioannou Charikleia , Liveri Eleni , Papasotiropoulos Vasileios , Trigas Panayiotis
Published: October 2024

Knowledge of the life history traits, reproductive biology and demography of rare species is fundamental for their conservation, yet plant population monitoring is uncommon. The restricted ranges of the Limonium species endemic to the Mediterranean area, combined with the vulnerability of their specialized littoral habitats, indicate the need for appropriate conservation measures. We evaluate the conservation status and estimate the future extinction risk of three Limonium species endemic to Zakynthos Island in the Ionian Islands, Greece (Limonium korakonisicum, Limonium phitosianum and Limonium zacynthium) using 5 years of monitoring data. We compile information on their geographical distribution, population dynamics, reproductive biology and genetic diversity. Population sizes and survival rates of seedlings exhibited marked annual fluctuations, although fecundity and relative reproductive success remained high throughout the monitoring period. We observed a dominance of mature individuals in all three species, indicating their increased tolerance to salinity. Three subpopulations each of L. phitosianum and L. zacynthium were genotyped using five microsatellite loci. The observed number of alleles and the low gene flow value potentially indicate reduced genetic diversity, inbreeding, and limited gene flow within and among subpopulations of both species. Based on the IUCN categories and criteria, we assess L. korakonisicum as Critically Endangered, L. phitosianum as Near Threatened and L. zacynthium as Endangered. Population viability analyses predict that, among the three species, L. zacynthium will face the highest risk of extinction within the next 50 years. Knowledge of the biology of these species provides data essential for identifying critical factors for their survival and for proposing targeted conservation measures.
Morphological and molecular characterization of Henneguya cardii n. sp. (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) from the bulbus arteriosus of European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax (Teleostei: Moronidae)
Authors: Rangel Luis F. , Severino Ricardo , Santos Maria J. , Rocha Sónia
Published: October 2024

A new species of Myxobolidae, Henneguya cardii n. sp., is described infecting the European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax, a fish of high commercial value intensively cultivated in southern Europe. Henneguya cardii n. sp. was found in the bulbus arteriosus and spleen with a prevalence of infection of 13.5%. In the heart, it forms irregular whitish plasmodia measuring 1 mm in size. Mature myxospores are broadly obovoid in frontal view and ellipsoidal in lateral view, with 2 equal caudal appendages. Polar capsules are ovoid and symmetric, with 3–4 polar tubule coils. Myxospores measure 10.2 ± 0.6 (8.8–11.6) μm in length, 8.0 ± 0.7 (5.3–8.8) μm in width and 5.6 ± 0.2 (5.1–6.4) μm in thickness. Caudal appendages are 36.6 ± 3.2 (27.4–42.9) μm long. Total spore length is 47.6 ± 3.2 (41.2–53.2) μm. Polar capsules measure 4.0 ± 0.2 (3.4–4.6) by 2.2 ± 0.1 (1.9–2.6) μm. Small subunit ribosomal RNA-based tree topologies position H. cardii n. sp. within a lineage of marine myxobolids that is mostly comprised of other Henneguya species. Host-relatedness is reinforced as the main evolutionary driver for myxobolids, with the positioning of H. cardii n. sp. further suggesting tissue tropism as another important evolutionary driver for marine heart infecting Henneguya. Nonetheless, the inner complexity of this lineage suggests that identification of the evolutionary patterns driving its phylogeny will require discovery of the true diversity of marine myxobolids.
Immersive remote telerobotics: foveated unicasting and remote visualization for intuitive interaction
Authors: Tefera Yonas T. , Kim Yaesol , Anastasi Sara , Fiorini Paolo , Caldwell Darwin G. , Deshpande Nikhil
Published: October 2024

Precise and efficient performance in remote robotic teleoperation relies on intuitive interaction. This requires both accurate control actions and complete perception (vision, haptic, and other sensory feedback) of the remote environment. Especially in immersive remote teleoperation, the complete perception of remote environments in 3D allows operators to gain improved situational awareness. Color and Depth (RGB-D) cameras capture remote environments as dense 3D point clouds for real-time visualization. However, providing enough situational awareness needs fast, high-quality data transmission from acquisition to virtual reality rendering. Unfortunately, dense point-cloud data can suffer from network delays and limits, impacting the teleoperator’s situational awareness. Understanding how the human eye works can help mitigate these challenges. This paper introduces a solution by implementing foveation, mimicking the human eye’s focus by smartly sampling and rendering dense point clouds for an intuitive remote teleoperation interface. This provides high resolution in the user’s central field, which gradually reduces toward the edges. However, this systematic visualization approach in the peripheral vision may benefit or risk losing information and burdening the user’s cognitive load. This work investigates these advantages and drawbacks through an experimental study and describes the overall system, with its software, hardware, and communication framework. This will show significant enhancements in both latency and throughput, surpassing 60% and 40% improvements in both aspects when compared with state-of-the-art research works. A user study reveals that the framework has minimal impact on the user’s visual quality of experience while helping to reduce the error rate significantly. Further, a 50% reduction in task execution time highlights the benefits of the proposed framework in immersive remote telerobotics applications.
Ebstein’s anomaly with coarctation of the aorta and a bicuspid aortic valve: a case report of a rare association with unique prenatal findings
Authors: Kawasaki Yuki , Murakami Yosuke , Ehara Eiji
Published: October 2024

Ebstein’s anomaly is rarely accompanied by coarctation of the aorta, although patients with Ebstein’s anomaly have a relatively small left ventricle. Here, we report a rare case of Ebstein’s anomaly with coarctation of the aorta and a bicuspid aortic valve. We compared the foetal echocardiographic parameters of five previous cases with Ebstein’s anomaly without left heart obstruction to explore the association between left ventricular volume, Ebstein’s anomaly severity, and left heart obstruction.
Looking through the crystal ball feasibility of tele-echocardiography using smart glasses in neonates: a pilot study
Authors: Michaelis A. , Weidenbach M. , Altmann I. , Markel F. , Löffelbein F. , Dähnert I. , Gebauer R.A. , Paech C.
Published: October 2024

Background:

In recent years, the importance of telemedicine has increased significantly. Especially in the field of echocardiography, virtual reality glasses offer the possibility of real-time data transmission without restrictions in the examination process. In particular, the care of critically ill newborns with suspected CHD might be improved by allowing a specialized paediatric cardiologist to remotely guide an echocardiographic examination. The current study aims to prove whether novices, under Google Glass guidance by a paediatric cardiologist, can perform an appropriate neonatal echocardiography.

Methods:

The current study is a prospective monocentric single-blinded pilot study. Participants were supposed to perform two test runs: The first test run was “unguided” and the second test run was instructed via Google Glass. A validated training simulator for neonatal echocardiography “EchocomNeo, Echocom GmbH” was used. The study took place at the Leipzig Heart Center, Department of Pediatric Cardiology from April 2022 to November 2022.

Results:

A total of 21 medical students were enrolled. In total 252 views (126 views in each test run) were recorded. The overall performance was significantly higher in the Google Glass guided test run compared to “unguided” (structure score: 77.6% vs. 63.2%. p < 0.001 and quality score: 58.7% vs. 47.2%, p < 0.001). Also, the time was significantly lower in the Google Glass guided test run than in the unguided test run, p = 0.014.

Conclusion:

Google Glass guidance by a paediatric cardiologist could optimize the performance of novices in echocardiography using a standardized neonatal echo-simulator with structural normal cardiac anatomy.
Use of exclusive human milk diet in a neonate with single ventricle physiology supported on a ventricular assist device as a bridge to heart transplantation: case report
Authors: Horsley Megan L. , Reyes Sarah M. , Lorts Angela
Published: October 2024

Malnutrition is common among paediatric heart failure patients, with nutritional rehabilitation critical for survival and optimal health outcomes. Ventricular assist devices have been associated with improved growth, though additional nutritional support may be needed. Here, we report the use of human milk-based fortifiers to avoid severe malnutrition in a neonate supported on a ventricular assist device until transplantation.
Late complete atrioventricular block after transcatheter perimembranous ventricular septal defect closure with the KONAR-MF™ VSD occluder: a case report and systematic review
Authors: Bichali Saïd , Houeijeh Ali , Godart François
Published: October 2024

The soft nitinol KONAR-MF™ ventricular septal defect (VSD) Multifunctional Occluder (MFO) device is increasingly used for transcatheter perimembranous ventricular septal defect closure. We report for the first time a case of delayed complete atrioventricular block with pacemaker implantation 20 months post-procedure. Through a systematic review, the overall rate of persistent complete atrioventricular block was 0.6% with this device, but follow-up duration was limited.
Laurie Atkinson – President of ALLA
Authors: Breslin Mike
Published: October 2024

The President of the Australian Law Librarians’ Association talks to LIM about her varied career, the problems facing the organisation, and why she believes we're living in a time where those working in the profession can really make a difference.
The Legal Information Sector: Designing and Delivering a Postgraduate LIS Module
Authors: Hearn Jake
Published: October 2024

Last year Jake Hearn, Vice Chair of the LIM editorial board, created an elective module on the core components of and types of roles within the legal information profession, which was offered to postgraduate students at City, University of London, with the module being hosted at City, University of London and The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. Here Jake gives the reasons for creating the module and tells us how it all came together and how it has progressed since then.
Effects of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics on Human Labour: A Systematic Review
Authors: Intahchomphoo Channarong , Millar Jason , Gundersen Odd Erik , Tschirhart Christian , Meawasige Kris , Salemi Hojjat
Published: October 2024

This systematic literature review paper, written by Channarong Intahchomphoo, Jason Millar, Odd Erik Gundersen, Christian Tschirhart, Kris Meawasige and Hojjat Salemi, examines academic research publications to learn about the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics on human labour. Papers were collected from three academic databases: Scopus, Web of Science and ABI/INFORM Collection. From 710 papers, 159 papers were included. The article finds that the effects of AI and robotics on human labour can be categorised as: (i) positive effects, (ii) negative effects, and (iii) neutral or unsure effects. The positive effects have five reasons regarding AI and robotics’ potential to: do dangerous work, do tedious work with high efficiency and accuracy, do some aspects of computing work, do work that human labour does not want to do and be used to deal with the labour shortage, and help to reduce business production and maintenance costs. The negative effects are based on two reasons, that AI and robotics will take over human labour in part or entirely, thereby creating unemployment crises, and will not only replace manually repetitive jobs from human labour but also cognitive jobs, causing human labour to fear that their jobs will be replaced by AI and robotics. The neutral and unsure effects are based on various unique arguments. The findings of this review are used to suggest future research for academic communities and practical recommendations to legal professionals and policy makers.
Raiders of the Lost Archive
Authors: Breslin Mike , Breslin Jas
Published: October 2024

In the latest in our series reviewing archived copies of Legal Information Management and The Law Librarian – as the journal was once known – LIM's co-editors leaf through the issues, and the issues, of 1984.
Work First or Education First? Frontline Service Challenges of Providing Enabling Activation
Authors: Gjersøe Heidi Moen , Nicolaisen Heidi
Published: October 2024

Activation policies, especially formal upskilling, can strengthen social inequality among long-term unemployed people. Also, receiving skill-enhancing activities may be at odds with the ‘work first’ principle. Drawing on interviews with frontline workers in the Norwegian employment and welfare service (NAV), this article analyses how frontline workers handle the challenging aspects arising from activation policies in providing enabling activities to claimants who need comprehensive support. The findings suggest that frontline workers face claimants who expect to embark on an education, and on the contrary, claimants who lack motivation or capability to do so. In both cases, frontline workers are challenged in terms of experiencing contradictory expectations from policies and users and in assessing future outcomes and suitability of the services. Education activities provided by the public employment agency (PES) involves multiple policy fields and require specific competency on the part of frontline workers.
Acceptance and commitment therapy as an approach for working with climate distress
Authors: Williams Marc O. , Samuel Victoria M.
Published: October 2024

Climate distress describes a complex array of emotional responses to climate change, which may include anxiety, despair, anger and grief. This paper presents a conceptual analysis of how acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is relevant to supporting those with climate distress. ACT aims to increase psychological flexibility, consisting of an open and aware orientation to one’s experiences, and an engaged approach to living, guided by personal values. We discuss the pertinence of each of these processes for adapting to the challenging reality of climate change. By embracing climate distress as a natural human experience and promoting value-guided action, ACT offers a promising approach that brings co-benefits to individuals and wider society.

Key learning aims

(1)

To understand the concept of climate distress and its various emotional responses.

(2)

To explore the relevance of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in addressing climate distress and promoting psychological well-being.

(3)

To examine the importance of psychological flexibility in coping with climate change.

(4)

To analyse the role of ACT in embracing climate distress as a natural human experience.

(5)

To investigate how ACT can encourage pro-environmental behaviours and climate change mitigation efforts.
Echoes from the trenches: World War I deaths and contemporary support for the far-right in France
Authors: Surdea-Hernea Vlad
Published: October 2024

In this paper, I examine the relationship between community-level exposure to war losses and long-term patterns of electoral behaviour. Using novel data that identifies and geolocates all French soldiers who died during World War I, I show that communities that experienced higher death rates exhibit greater levels of electoral support for the far-right. Subsequently, I provide both theoretical and empirical evidence on how such persistent effects propagate: communities more exposed to the horrors of war develop stronger in-group preferences at the expense of the out-group. In cases like France, where the in-group is defined primarily in terms of the nation, this preference translates into a higher demand for nationalism, which is supplied by far-right political parties.
Adverse pregnancy outcomes are associated with shorter telomere length in the 17-year-old child
Authors: Bianco-Miotto Tina , Phillips Aaron L. , Heinze Dale R. , Pennell Craig E. , Maganga Richard K. , Beilin Lawrence J. , Mori Trevor A. , Grieger Jessica A.
Published: October 2024

This study examined associations between pregnancy and infant birth outcomes with child telomere length at age 17 years; and investigated if there are sex differences between pregnancy complications and telomere length. We utilised the population-based prospective Raine cohort study in Western Australia, Australia. 2900 pregnant women were recruited at 16–20 weeks’ gestation (Gen 1), and their children (Gen 2) were followed up over several years. Generalised linear models were used to examine relationships between pregnancy or birth outcomes (gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight, macrosomia), and as a composite, with telomere length, measured via a DNA sample from blood at 17 years of age. Analyses were adjusted for a range of confounders. Among the 1202 included children, there were no differences in child telomere length for any of the individual maternal or birth weight pregnancy outcomes nor were there any significant interactions between each of the complications (individual or composite) and the sex of the child. However, females born from any of the 5 adverse outcomes had shorter telomeres (estimated mean (SE) = -0.159 (0.061), p = 0.010) than females born in the absence of these complications. Specifically, females born from a pre-eclamptic pregnancy had shorter telomeres than females not born from a pre-eclamptic pregnancy (estimated mean (SE) = -0.166 (0.072), p = 0.022). No relationships were observed in males. Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand mediating factors that are important in predicting offspring telomere length and the necessity to investigate females and males independently.
Grapevine, peach, and plum response to simulated florpyrauxifen-benzyl drift
Authors: Inci Deniz , Hanson Bradley D , Al-Khatib Kassim
Published: October 2024

Off-target movement of herbicides is a concern in California rice production, where sensitive crops are often grown nearby. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr are auxin mimics that are commonly used in rice systems. To steward florpyrauxifen-benzyl around the time of its initial registration in the state, research was conducted to compare the onset of foliar symptoms from simulated florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr drift onto grapevine, peach, and plum. The use rates on rice were 1/200×, 1/100×, 1/33×, and 1/10× of 29.4 g ai ha–1 florpyrauxifen-benzyl; and 1/200×, 1/100×, and 1/33× of 420.3 g ae ha–1 triclopyr. Herbicides were applied on one side of 1- to 2-year-old peach and plum trees and one side of established grapevines in 2020 and 2021. The general symptoms from applications of florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr were similar and included chlorosis, leaf curling, leaf distortion, leaf malformation, leaf crinkling, and necrosis. The symptoms from herbicides were observed on both sides of the grapevine canopy, whereas florpyrauxifen-benzyl symptoms on peach and plum were mostly observed on the treated side of the tree. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl and triclopyr symptoms were observed 3 d after treatment (DAT) for grapevines and 7 DAT for peach and plum. In all crops, most symptoms persisted through 42 DAT. Some grape clusters showed deformation and dropping of berries. All treated crops gradually recovered during the season regardless of application rates. Because symptoms in peach and plum were relatively minor, this research suggests that application precautions to reduce off-site drift are likely to minimize the occurrence of significant injury. However, grapevines were more sensitive and showed injury symptoms of up to 71% at 14 DAT with a simulated drift rate of 1/10× florpyrauxifen-benzyl. Therefore, extra precautions, such as using drift-management agents and closely monitoring wind speed conditions at the time of florpyrauxifen-benzyl applications may be necessary if vineyards are nearby.
Mature tubers of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) confer flooding tolerance by adopting a low-oxygen quiescence strategy that may contribute to its emergence in rice fields
Authors: Yi Shan-Chi , Wei Chen-Yang , Tong Yao , Xu Lin , Fan Dan-Li , Yu Shi-Xian , Liu Shu-Yu , Wu Ren-Hai , Liu Xiao-Liang , Tang Wen-Wei
Published: October 2024

Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) is one of the world’s resilient upland weeds, primarily spreading through its tubers. Its emergence in rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields has been increasing, likely due to changing paddy-farming practices. This study aimed to investigate how C. rotundus, an upland weed, can withstand soil flooding and become a problematic weed in rice fields. The first comparative analysis focused on the survival and recovery characteristics of growing and mature tubers of C. rotundus exposed to soil-flooding conditions. Notably, mature tubers exhibited significant survival and recovery abilities in these environments. Based on this observation, further investigation was carried out to explore the morphological structure, nonstructural carbohydrates, and respiratory mechanisms of mature tubers in response to prolonged soil flooding. Over time, the mature tubers did not form aerenchyma but instead gradually accumulated lignified sclerenchymal fibers, with lignin content also increasing. After 90 d, the lignified sclerenchymal fibers and lignin contents were 4.0 and 1.1 times higher than those in the no soil-flooding treatment. Concurrently, soluble sugar content decreased while starch content increased, providing energy storage, and alcohol dehydrogenase activity rose to support anaerobic respiration via alcohol fermentation. These results indicated that mature tubers survived in soil-flooding conditions by adopting a low-oxygen quiescence strategy, which involves morphological adaptations through the development of lignified sclerenchymal fibers, increased starch reserves for energy storage, and enhanced anaerobic respiration. This mechanism likely underpins the flooding tolerance of mature C. rotundus tubers, allowing them to endure unfavorable conditions and subsequently germinate and grow once flooding subsides. This study provides a preliminary explanation of the mechanism by which mature tubers of C. rotundus from the upland areas confer flooding tolerance, shedding light on the reasons behind this weed’s increasing presence in rice fields.
Structured, inbred, and plastic: the genome and population genetics of the weed false cleavers (Galium spurium)
Authors: Martin Sara L. , Sears Elizabeth , James Tracey , Sharpe Shaun , Tidemann Breanne D.
Published: October 2024

False cleavers (Galium spurium L.) is an aggressive weed from the Rubiaceae. Here we assemble a chromosome-scale draft of its genome, laying the foundations for determining the genetic basis of auxinic herbicide resistance and for systematic research into its polyphyletic genus. We use the genome to examine the population genetics of material from the Canadian Prairies and, in concert with a common greenhouse experiment, to examine whether the phenotypic variation observed in the field results primarily from genetic or environmental factors. The genome assembly covers approximately 85% of G. spurium’s expected 360-Mbp genome size, with 94% of BUSCO (Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs) genes complete and most single copy (89%). Approximately 37% of the genome is repetitive elements and 35,540 genes were annotated using RNA-seq data, including 100 homologues for genes involved in, or potentially involved in, herbicide resistance. The genome shows strong synteny with other members of the Rubiaceae, including smooth bedstraw (Cruciata laevipes Opiz) and robusta coffee [Coffea canephora (Pierre ex Froehner]. Double-digested RAD-seq data for the 19 populations from the Canadian Prairies indicated that G. spurium has high levels of population structure (FST = 0.54) and inbreeding (FIS = 0.86) with low levels of hetrozygosity (HO = 0.02) and nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0003). Variation in flowering time and seed weight largely overlapped among populations grown in the greenhouse. A redundancy analysis investigating genotype–phenotype associations showed few associations between single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variation and these characteristics. In contrast, the majority of SNPs under selection were associated with mericarp hook density. This suggests that for most traits, environmental variation rather than genetic variation likely underlies phenotypic differences observed in the field. Several genes of interest, including several homologues involved in the assembly of the Skp1-Cullin-F-Box IR1/AFB E3 ubiquitin ligase complex (e.g., CAND1, ECR1), are located in areas of the genome with evidence of selection and are targets for further investigation.
Confirmation of glyphosate resistance in annual bluegrass (Poa annua) via EPSPS duplication in a soybean and rice rotation
Authors: Sudhakar Susee , Norsworthy Jason K. , Avent Tristan , González-Torralva Fidel , McElroy Scott , Butts Thomas R.
Published: October 2024

Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) populations in turfgrass have evolved resistance to several herbicides in the United States, but there has been no confirmed resistance from an agricultural field. Recently, glyphosate failed to control a P. annua population found in a field in a soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation in Poinsett County, AR. The present study focused on determining the sensitivity of a putatively resistant accession (R1) to glyphosate compared with two susceptible accessions (S1 and S2). The experiments included a dose–response study, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene copy number and expression analysis, and assessment of mutations in EPSPS. Based on the dose–response analysis, R1 required 1,038 g ae ha−1 of glyphosate to cause 50% biomass reduction, whereas S1 and S2 only required 148.2 and 145.5 g ae ha−1, respectively. The resistance index (RI) was approximately 7-fold relative to the susceptible accessions. Real-time polymerase chain reaction data revealed at least a 15-fold increase in the EPSPS copy number in R1, along with a higher gene expression. No mutations in EPSPS were found. Gene duplication was identified as the main mechanism conferring resistance in R1. The research presented here reports the first incidence of glyphosate resistance in P. annua from an agronomic field crop situation in the United States.
Setting Up Methane Mitigation Measures for Indian Rice Fields: Representative Emissions and New Interpretations
Authors: Sahil Fida Mohammad , Narayanan Mukund , Ilampooranan Idhayachandhiran
Published: October 2024

Rice cultivation produces methane (CH4) due to anaerobic conditions induced by flood irrigation, significantly contributing to global warming. While most studies use national emission factors (EFs), our study synthesized 726 published measurements across India (the second largest methane emitter after China) to develop district‐level water regime‐specific EFs for estimating district‐scale emissions and warming potential. CH4 emissions from Indian rice fields increased from 3.7 (3.4–4.1) Tg to 4.8 (4.4–5.3) Tg during 1966–2017, driven by rice area and water‐regime variations. Meanwhile, district‐level emissions increased by ∼930%, influenced by management practices such as animal manure, fertilizer application, and water input, accurately reflecting regional variations compared to previous estimates. Employing a novel muti‐output random forest mitigation model (R2 ∼ 0.9), we found that a 25% warming reduction at the district‐level requires curtailing animal manure, nitrogen fertilizer, and water input by 8.5%, 12.9%, and 10.9%, respectively. These curtailments nearly double for a 50% mitigation scenario. Comparing our emissions with previous bottom‐up studies (used as inputs in global climate models) revealed discrepancies in prior national figures. With top‐down estimates, our emissions correlated positively, suggesting higher reliability. Including our new regionally validated data in global climate models may provide more accurate climate projections at the Indian and global scales.