bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conflict with customers: the limits of social support and job autonomy in preventing burnout among customer service workers
Authors: Klingbyle Alyssa T. , Chung-Yan Greg A.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the burnout of workers in customer service roles as a result of conflict with customers; and the role that coworker support, non-work-related social support and job autonomy play in buffering customer service workers from conflict with customers.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 191 young customer service workers completed an online self-report questionnaire.

Findings

Although it was found that coworker support, non-work-related social support and job autonomy moderated the relationship between customer conflict and burnout, the form of the interactions was not as expected. Rather than buffering customer service workers specifically against customer conflict, it was found that as customer conflict intensifies, it gradually erodes the positive benefits that coworker support, general social support and job autonomy have in preventing burnout as a result of general work stress.

Originality/value

This study is one of few to empirically investigate the unique stressors experienced by customer service workers. It also expands understanding of social support and job autonomy in the context of work stress, demonstrating that there are limits to the effectiveness of these personal and organizational resources in preserving worker well-being.
Market amplification or transformation? The role of industry analysts in spreading WOM in B2B
Authors: Cowan Kirsten , Palo Teea , Chapple Duncan , Zhang Yiwei
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to address these questions. Word-of-mouth (WOM) is increasingly important in business-to-business (B2B) decision-making. Yet, research on this topic is rather limited, and often borrows from business-to-consumer (B2C) WOM literature. The question remains as to whether these assumptions realistically occur in B2B WOM. Specifically, this study explores the following questions: What value does B2B WOM have? Why do social media influencers in B2B engage in WOM? What type(s) of social media influencers spread WOM in B2B?

Design/methodology/approach

To address these questions, this study adopts a qualitative research strategy. This study focuses on industry analysts in information technology markets who often influence the buying decisions of customers through their expertise and recommendations of technology solutions. Based on interviews with these influencers, this study explicates B2B WOM, an area the authors know much less of in comparison to B2C WOM.

Findings

This study reveals differences in who spreads WOM within B2B, their roles, key features of their content and how they spread WOM. Second, this study demonstrates the types of actors spreading WOM in B2B in relation to the type of WOM and how it actually influences B2B markets.

Originality/value

This study broadens the current definition of WOM and, specifically, showcases WOM not only as amplifying messages but as a means to co-create the market itself with vendors and clients. This research offers several contributions to the B2B WOM literature and influencer practice.
The origins and informed uses of the terms phenomenography and phenomenology
Authors: Cibangu Sylvain K.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this short reflection is to allow for an informed use of both phenomenography and phenomenology in information studies and cognate fields.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper apprises uses of phenomenography found particularly in accounts of information literacy commonly describing phenomenography as distinct from phenomenology.

Findings

Both phenomenography and phenomenology continue to hold much credence in methods applied across scores of academic fields, with information studies being among those in the vanguard. Claims displaying differences of phenomenography from phenomenology are misleading and incomplete descriptions of phenomenology.

Originality/value

The paper presents newer materials on the origins of phenomenography and phenomenology to advocate for tighter relationships between and clearer applications of these methods in information studies and beyond.
An investigation of barriers to the application of building information modelling in Nigeria
Authors: Toyin James Olaonipekun , Mewomo Modupe Cecilia
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The utilisation of building information modelling (BIM) technology is rapidly increasing among construction professionals across the world. Notwithstanding, recent studies revealed a low level of BIM implementation in the context of the Nigerian construction sector. Moreover, previous studies have established that BIM application comes with its share of various barriers. Therefore, this study aims to carry out an on-site survey on barriers to the application of BIM on construction sites in the Nigerian construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive review of literature on BIM barriers was conducted, from where 33 factors were identified as significant BIM barriers peculiar to the developing countries. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to the targeted respondents, who are practicing professionals in the Nigerian construction industry, based on the identified barriers. The data collected were analysed by using both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Findings

The principal component analysis revealed that 27 barriers were peculiar to the Nigerian construction industry. The “lack of familiarity with BIM capacity, habitual resistance to change from the traditional style of design and build, and poor awareness of BIM benefit” were identified as the three most critical barriers hindering BIM application on construction sites in the Nigerian construction industry.

Practical implications

This study reveals key information on the peculiar barriers to BIM application in the Nigerian construction industry. The avoidance of these barriers will not only assist various construction stakeholders in the successful implementation of BIM application on a construction project but also promote information management systems and productivity within the construction industry to a great extent. These will further improve post-construction activities.

Originality/value

This study provides a substantial understanding of BIM state of the art in the context of barriers hindering BIM application on construction sites in the Nigerian construction industry.
“Cardboard gangsters”, “in crowd” and “no control”: a case study of autism spectrum disorder in the prison environment
Authors: Allely Clare Sarah , Wood Toni
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to add to the relatively limited existing literature exploring the experience of individuals with autism spectrum disorder in the prison environment. Prisoners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) need to be identified in order that they are given the necessary and appropriate support and safeguards. It is increasingly recognised that, for individuals with ASD, prison can be more challenging. This can be due to ASD traits which can make problems occur in everyday life. Some of these ASD traits include: obsessions, compulsions and difficulties in communicating with others. There is increasing recognition that adults with ASD who are in prison are more vulnerable to bullying, social isolation, sexual victimisation and exploitation confrontations with other prisoners. Given this, more research is warranted in this area highlighting the specific needs and challenges of individuals with ASD in the prison.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a case study of Mr C.T., a British Citizen, who is currently serving a life sentence (discretionary). Mr C.T. has spent more than 10 years in prison. At the time of completing the questionnaire for the present study, Mr C.T. was 51 years of age. He pled guilty to charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour; making an indecent photograph contrary to s52(1)(a) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982; and possession of indecent photographs contrary to s52(A)(1) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Mr C.T. was convicted of Lewd, Indecent and Libidinous Practices and Behaviour and 2 x Civic Government (Scotland) Act, Section 52 (1) (a) and was sentenced to Life Imprisonment with a punishment part of 6 years.

Findings

The case study discussed in this paper clearly raises a number of issues and concerns that urgently need attention in our criminal justice systems.

Originality/value

There is relatively little research exploring the experiences and challenges faced by individuals with ASD. This paper will add to the existing body of research in this limited field.
Can micro-enterprises use Tawarruq Fardi Financing (TFF) for fund raising?
Authors: Siddiky Sumaira , Swandaru Randi , Muneeza Aishath
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Micro-enterprises, like any other business entity, face financing challenges. However, micro-enterprises often cannot access financial institutions as they cannot fulfill the conditions to obtain financing facilities from a formal financial institution. As such, they have to rely on family or friends for financing needs. The most critical challenge faced in this regard to Muslim micro-enterprises is finding out a way in which family and friends could give a financial helping hand without the involvement of riba (interest). At the same time, the person giving the financing can enjoy a profit. This paper aims to propose the Tawarruq Fardi Financing (TFF) model that Islamic micro-enterprises could use to fulfill their financial needs. It becomes a solution when obtaining financing from friends and family or any other third party who could be a private investor who does not want to engage in an equity relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a qualitative research methodology, combining descriptive and content analysis using the inductive reasoning approach.

Findings

The paper's outcome shows that the proposed TFF could assist Islamic micro-enterprises in obtaining Shariah-compliant financing without engaging in an equity partnership. It allows them to fulfill their financing needs bearing in mind the interest of both parties involved in the transaction.

Originality/value

This research will assist Islamic micro-enterprises to find out a Shariah-compliant financing facility from family, friends and any other private investors without entering into an equity relationship. The proposed model would be a Shariah-compliant alternative to interest-free loans and engaging in an equity relationship for the sake of getting benefits for both parties involved in the transaction.
The Nordic formula: an analysis of policy learning in sectorial networks of the Nordic Council of Ministers
Authors: Nedergaard Peter , Nobel Trine C.
Published: September 2022

Organised policy learning among the Nordic countries—Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland—has been around for more than 50 years, but it is an under‐researched subject. This article analyses the process as well as the output of policy learning among Nordic countries on adult education in networks under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The data material consists of 10 in‐depth interviews with actors herein over a period of 2 years, as well as the few documents available. The most important results are that the policy learning process is characterised by so‐called epistemic and reflexive learning modes dominated by cooperation, inputs from science and dialogue. The output from the Nordic policy learning networks mainly consists of combining elements from other Nordic countries that are frontrunners in the relevant policy area. The output of Nordic policy learning is certainly much more than just being inspired by practices in Nordic countries. The results from the analysed networks can easily be generalised to other Nordic networks, but to a lesser extent to international policy learning networks where ‘value consensus’ is not as pronounced as among the Nordic countries.
Co‐CRISPR: A valuable toolkit for mutation enrichment in the gene editing of Spodoptera frugiperda
Authors: Han Wei‐Kang , Tang Feng‐Xian , Gao Hao‐Li , Wang Yan , Yu Na , Jiang Jian‐Jun , Liu Ze‐Wen
Published: September 2022

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been successfully applied in dozens of diverse species; although the screening of successful CRISPR/Cas9 editing events remains particularly laborious, especially for those that occur at relatively low frequency. Recently, a co‐CRISPR strategy was proved to enrich the desired CRISPR events. Here, the co‐CRISPR strategy was developed in the Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, with kynurenine 3‐monooxygenase gene (kmo) as a marker. The kmo mosaics induced by single‐guide RNAs (sgRNAs)/Cas9 displayed the darker green color phenotype in larvae, compared with wild type (brown), and mosaic‐eye adults were significantly acquired from the mosaic larvae group. In the kmo knockout strain, no significant difference was observed in larval development and adult reproduction. Acetylcholinesterase 2 (ace2) and Wnt1 were selected as target genes to construct the co‐CRISPR strategy using kmo marker. By co‐injection of kmo and ace2 sgRNAs, the mutant efficiency of ace2 was significantly increased in the kmo mosaic (larvae or adults) groups. Similarly, more malformed pupae with Wnt1 mutations were observed in the darker green larvae group. Taken together, these results demonstrated that kmo was a suitable visible marker gene for the application and extension of co‐CRISPR strategy in Fall armyworm. Using darker green color in larvae or mosaic‐eye in adults from kmo knockout as a marker, the mutant efficiency of a target gene could be enriched in a Fall armyworm group consisting of marked individuals. The co‐CRISPR strategy is helpful for gene function studies by the knockout technique with no or lethal phenotypes.
Capabilities and competencies for digitised human resource management: perspectives from Australian HR professionals
Authors: Nankervis Alan R , Cameron Roslyn
Published: September 2022

This research aimed to identify the HR strategies and functions most likely to be affected by emerging digital technologies and explores the competencies and capabilities required by present and future HR professionals to transform these changing functions. Further, it analyses the developmental roles of educational institutions and professional associations in equipping HR professionals for this transition process. The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design incorporating two phases. Phase I involved a survey of HR professionals (n = 203) and Phase II involved a focus group of senior HR professionals and HR academics involved in accrediting HR courses nationally in Australia. The findings point to a patchy uptake of smart technologies, artificial intelligences, robotics and algorithm (STARA) technologies in workplaces, with the expected usage of most of these technologies more likely in the future than currently. Most HR functions and HR roles are likely to be affected by these new digital technologies and associated competencies and skills.
Potential impacts of reduced inflows to the Salton Sea: Forecasting non‐market damages
Authors: Ayres Andrew , Adams Taylor , Carron John , Cohen Michael , Saracino Anthony
Published: September 2022

Terminal lakes throughout the American West provide important amenity and environmental values, but many are shrinking due to reduced inflows and warming temperatures. In California's Imperial Valley, agricultural water use reductions diminish inflows supporting the Salton Sea, a terminal desert lake and important environmental amenity for both the region and the state as a whole. The costs of these reduced inflows are difficult to monetize yet complicate management decisions. We assess the costs of potential future drought‐induced transfers by linking novel hydrologic scenarios to an economic framework for quantifying local and regional damages based on existing estimates of non‐market environmental values from the literature. The costs of lost wetland ecosystems, increases in particulate matter from exposed playa, and other local disamenities are substantial. For the scenarios considered, they range between approximately $500 million and $1 billion in present value (2019 USD). Estimated damages per acre‐foot (or thousand m3) of reallocated water exceed several thousand dollars. The majority arise from loss of wetland habitat; incremental particulate matter damages are relatively modest in our modeling but exacerbate salient air quality issues in the region. Interest in reallocating water from Imperial Valley, the largest user of Colorado River water, to other applications will increase over time. Our work highlights the importance of evaluating the impacts of such efforts.
Malthus and gender
Authors: Bashford Alison
Published: September 2022

This article re‐reads Malthus'sEssay on the Principle of Populationfor his explicit discussion of men and women, masculinity and femininity. A feminist reading is possible, but not undertaken here. Rather, the purpose is simply to demonstrate how ‘gender’ was Malthus's own object of inquiry. Historical actors, perhaps especially economic thinkers, often considered gender far more fully and explicitly than almost all subsequent analysts of them. It therefore remains not just insufficient, but empirically erroneous not to inquire into how ‘men’ and ‘women’ were considered, constructed, instructed, symbolised or valued by the historical actors we study, including those in the political economy canon.
Truncated CSF3 receptors induce pro‐inflammatory responses in severe congenital neutropenia
Authors: Olofsen Patricia A. , Bosch Dennis A. , de Looper Hans W. J. , van Strien Paulina M. H. , Hoogenboezem Remco M. , Roovers Onno , van der Velden Vincent H. J. , Bindels Eric M. J. , De Pater Emma M. , Touw Ivo P.
Published: September 2022

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) patients are prone to develop myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Leukaemic progression of SCN is associated with the early acquisition of CSF3R mutations in haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), which truncate the colony‐stimulating factor 3 receptor (CSF3R). These mutant clones may arise years before MDS/AML becomes overt. Introduction and activation of CSF3R truncation mutants in normal HPCs causes a clonally dominant myeloproliferative state in mice treated with CSF3. Paradoxically, in SCN patients receiving CSF3 therapy, clonal dominance of CSF3R mutant clones usually occurs only after the acquisition of additional mutations shortly before frank MDS or AML is diagnosed. To seek an explanation for this discrepancy, we introduced a patient‐derived CSF3R‐truncating mutation in ELANE‐SCN and HAX1‐SCN derived and control induced pluripotent stem cells and compared the CSF3 responses of HPCs generated from these lines. In contrast to CSF3R‐mutant control HPCs, CSF3R‐mutant HPCs from SCN patients do not show increased proliferation but display elevated levels of inflammatory signalling. Thus, activation of the truncated CSF3R in SCN‐HPCs does not evoke clonal outgrowth but causes a sustained pro‐inflammatory state, which has ramifications for how these CSF3R mutants contribute to the leukaemic transformation of SCN.
Molecular landscapes of longitudinal NF2/22q and non‐NF2/22q meningiomas show different life histories
Authors: Ng Ho‐Keung , Li Kay Ka‐Wai , Chung Nellie Yuk‐Fei , Chan Janice Yuen‐Tung , Poon Manix Fung‐Man , Wong Queenie Hoi‐Wing , Kwan Johnny Sheung‐Him , Poon Wai‐Sang , Chen Hong , Chan Danny Tat‐Ming , Shi Zhi‐Feng , Mao Ying
Published: September 2022

Recurrence is a major complication of some meningiomas. Although there were many studies on biomarkers associated with higher grades or increased aggressiveness, few studies specifically examined longitudinal samples of primary meningiomas and recurrences from the same patients for molecular life history. We studied 99 primary and recurrent meningiomas from 42 patients by FISH for 22q, 1q, 1p, 3p, 5q, 6q, 10p, 10q, 14q, 18q, CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, ALT (Alternative Lengthening of Telomere), TERT re‐arrangement, targeted sequencing and TERTp sequencing. Although NF2 mutation and 22q were well known to be aetiological events in meningiomas, we found that in these paired meningiomas, combining the two events resulted in an NF2/22q group (57 tumors from 25 patients) which were almost mutually exclusive with those cases without these two changes (42 tumors from 17 patients) for NF2/22q. No other molecular changes were totally unique to NF2/22q or non‐NF2/22q tumors. For molecular evolution, NF2/22q meningiomas had higher cytogenetic abnormalities than non‐NF2/22q meningiomas (p = 0.003). Most of the cytogenetic changes in NF2/22q meningiomas were present from the outset whereas for non‐NF2/22q meningiomas, cytogenetic events were uncommon in the primary tumors and most were acquired in recurrences. For non‐NF2/22q tumors, CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, 1q gain, 18p loss, 3p loss, and ALT were preferentially found in recurrences. Mutations were largely conserved between primary and recurrent tumors. Phylogenetic trees showed 11/11 patients with multiple recurrent tumors had a conserved evolutionary pattern. We conclude that for molecular life history, NF2 and 22q should be regarded as a group. NF2/22q recurring meningiomas showed more cytogenetic abnormalities in the primary tumors, whereas non‐NF2/22q meningiomas showed CDKN2A/B deletion and other cytogenetic abnormalities and ALT at recurrences. Although chromosome 1p loss is a known poor prognostic marker in meningiomas, it was also associated with a shorter TBR (time between resection) in this cohort (p = 0.002).
Decoding post‐orogenic sediment recycling and dispersal using detrital zircon core and rim ages
Authors: Liu Li , Xu Jie , Stockli Daniel F. , Lawton Timothy F. , Blakey Ronald C.
Published: September 2022

Detrital zircon (DZ) geochronology has become a popular tool in provenance studies during the past two decades. However, similar zircon crystallization ages from different source regions greatly hamper the interpretation of sediment dispersal and recycling processes. The Alleghenian–Ouachita–Marathon (AOM) foreland and vicinity in North America is a region where some dominant DZ age groups could come from both the southern Appalachians in the eastern United States and the Gondwanan terranes in Mexico. In this study, we present 1045 new DZ U–Pb ages and 81 DZ core–rim age pairs in lower Permian sandstone in the Permian Basin and Miocene sandstone in the eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). These new data were integrated with published DZ single U–Pb age and core–rim ages from syn‐ to post‐orogenic strata in the Permian Basin, Marathon foldbelt, southern Appalachian foreland basin and eastern GOM to interpret the sediment‐dispersal models in the AOM foreland and eastern GOM. Our models show that during the Leonardian Stage, sediments derived from the Appalachians were first delivered to the US midcontinent and then recycled to the Permian Basin; during the Miocene, sediment from the Appalachians fluxed to the eastern GOM, with no longshore mixing from the western GOM. These models based on the integration of single U–Pb and core–rim ages are consistent with published results that used other methods, including zircon single U–Pb age, zircon Hf isotopic data, zircon (U–Th)/He age, sedimentology and stratigraphy. Our results demonstrate that although some limitations exist, zircon core–rim age is a powerful tool, adding an extra constraint on the interpretation of sediment‐dispersal systems. This tool is particularly applicable to the post‐orogenic stage, during which the sediment pathways are more complicated because of the dominant input from distal sources. Insights gained in this study imply that this novel strategy of using core and rim ages could be integrated with other methods to better understand sediment dispersal.
Drug formulation augments the therapeutic response of carboplatin administered through a lymphatic drug delivery system
Authors: Mishra Radhika , Sukhbaatar Ariunbuyan , Dorai Arunkumar , Mori Shiro , Shiga Kiyoto , Kodama Tetsuya
Published: September 2022

Treatment of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) is challenging due to their unique architecture and biophysical traits. Systemic chemotherapy fails to impede tumor progression in LNs due to poor drug uptake and retention by LNs, resulting in fatal systemic metastasis. To effectively treat LN metastasis, achieving specific and prolonged retention of chemotherapy drugs in the tumor‐draining LNs is essential. The lymphatic drug‐delivery system (LDDS) is an ultrasound‐guided drug‐delivery methodology for administration of drugs to LNs that addresses these requirements. However, early‐stage metastatic LNs have an additional set of drug transport barriers, such as elevated intranodal pressure and viscosity, that negatively impact drug diffusion. In the present study, using formulations of elevated osmotic pressure and viscosity relative to saline, we sought to favorably alter the LN's physical environment and study its impact on pharmacokinetics and consequently the therapeutic efficacy of carboplatin delivered using the LDDS. Our study confirmed the capability of a drug formulation with elevated osmotic pressure and viscosity to alter the architecture of LNs, as it caused notable expansion of the lymphatic sinus. Additionally, the study delineated an optimal range of osmotic pressure and viscosity, centered around 1897 kPa and 11.5 mPa·s, above and below which therapeutic efficacy was found to decline markedly. These findings suggest that formulation osmotic pressure and viscosity are parameters that require critical consideration as they can both hinder and promote tumorigenesis. The facile formulation reported here has wide‐ranging applicability across cancer spectrums and is thus anticipated to be of great clinical benefit.
‘Disability is not a word we use’: Social workers' professional judgements about support for disabled young people leaving care
Authors: Bennwik Ingri‐Hanne Braenne , Oterholm Inger , Kelly Berni
Published: September 2022

Disabled young people leaving care often experience a more complex transition to adulthood than other youths. Still, policy and services can fail to recognize the intersection between a young person's care experiences and disability. Drawing on data from a qualitative interview study with 14 social workers who work with aftercare in the Norwegian child welfare services, we investigate social workers' professional judgements about support for this subgroup of the leaving care population. Our analysis uses the theoretical construct of institutional logics and shows that social workers did not include concepts of disability in their judgements about support for these young people. Instead, the social workers' considerations were guided by three other organizing principles: a ‘medical logic’, an ‘activation logic’ and an ‘aftercare logic’. We discuss these findings in light of critical disability studies and argue for a more nuanced understanding of disability in social work practice with care leavers. Highlighting disability rights and going beyond diagnosis and categorisations of disabled people can challenge a medical model approach to service provision.
Metal ions in cerebrospinal fluid: Associations with anxiety, depression, and insomnia among cigarette smokers
Authors: Li Yuying , Wu Fenzan , Mu Qingshuang , Xu Kewei , Yang Shizhuo , Wang Ping , Wu Yuyu , Wu Junnan , Wang Wei , Li Hui , Chen Li , Wang Fan , Liu Yanlong
Published: September 2022

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metal ions and anxiety, depression, and insomnia among cigarette smokers.

Methods

We measured CSF levels of various metal ions from 178 Chinese male subjects. Apart from sociodemographic and clinical characteristics data, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were applied.

Results

BDI and PSQI scores (all p < 0.001) were significantly higher in active smokers than nonsmokers. Active smokers have significantly higher CSF levels of magnesium, zinc, iron, lead, lithium, and aluminum (all p ≤ 0.002). Some metal ions, including zinc, iron, lead, and aluminum, were found to have a significant correlation with BDI scores, whereas metal ions, including zinc and lead, were found to have a significant correlation with PSQI scores in the general group. More interesting, mediation analysis showed that aluminum mediated the relationship between smoking and depression.

Conclusions

Cigarette smoking was indeed associated with depression and insomnia. Active smokers had significantly higher CSF levels of magnesium, zinc, iron, lead, lithium, and aluminum. Furthermore, CSF aluminum played a mediating role in the relationship between smoking and depression, which further confirmed its neurotoxicity.
Classic or hybrid? The performance of next generation ecological models to study the response of Southern Ocean species to changing environmental conditions
Authors: Guillaumot Charlène , Belmaker Jonathan , Buba Yehezkel , Fourcy Damien , Dubois Philippe , Danis Bruno , Le Moan Eline , Saucède Thomas
Published: September 2022

Aim

In the context of intensifying threats of climate change on marine communities, ecological models are widely applied for conservation strategies, though polar studies remain scarce given the limited number of datasets available. Correlative (e.g. species distribution models, SDM) and mechanistic (e.g. dynamic energy budget models, DEB) modelling approaches are usually used independently in studies. Using both approaches in integrative, hybrid models could help to better estimate the species potential ecological niche, as mechanistic and correlative models complement each other very well, giving more insights into species potential response to fast‐changing environmental conditions.

Location

The study focusses on the Baie du Morbihan, a silled basin located in the east of the Kerguelen Islands (sub‐Antarctic).

Methods

A hybrid, correlative‐mechanistic model was implemented to predict the response of the endemic sea urchin Abatus cordatus (Verrill, 1876). We compared the performances of classic and integrated approaches to predict A. cordatus distribution according to two dates representing seasonal contrasts. Two integrated approaches were studied and performed by either (1) including the spatial projection of the DEB model as an input layer inside the SDM (‘integrated SDM‐DEB’) or (2) using a Bayesian procedure to use DEB model outputs as priors of the SDM (‘integrated Bayesian’ approach).

Results

Results show higher performances of ‘integrated Bayesian’ approaches to evaluate A. cordatus potential ecological niche compared with ‘classic’ and ‘integrated SDM‐DEB’ methods. The influence of environmental conditions on model predictions is further captured with these Bayesian procedures and better highlights the environmental influence on the species‐predicted distribution. Model performance is good for the different simulations, and uncertainty in predictions is well‐highlighted.

Main conclusions

The good performances of ‘integrated Bayesian’ approaches to estimate species potential ecological niche opens perspectives for future applications to a broad panel of natural examples, noteworthy for decision‐making and conservation management purposes.
Organ transplantation in Nepal: Ethical, legal, and practical issues
Authors: Atreya Alok , Upreti Manish , Menezes Ritesh George , Dawadi Ambika , Subedi Nuwadatta
Published: September 2022

In Nepal, live donor organ transplantation is only 14 years old with the first successful kidney transplant made in 2008 and a successful liver and bone marrow transplant made in 2016. However, transplantation of cadaveric cornea dates back to 1998. There are still no cases of animal‐to‐human organ transplantation in Nepal. There are stringent laws to regulate human body organ transplantation in Nepal which are amended from time to time. However, there is a racket of human traffickers who lure rural people from this low‐income country into the illegal organ trade. Furthermore, there is a substantial lack of awareness of organ donation among the general public. This article focuses on the stipulations of ethical, legal, and practical issues of obtaining organs procured from living and brain‐dead donors that support the process of transplantation in Nepal. In addition, the article also explores the legal and practical issues of organ trafficking and organ donation awareness in Nepal on the basis of factual data and findings from other studies.
Neglected symbionts and other metazoan invertebrates associated with molluscs from Africa's largest lake: Diversity, biotic interactions and bioindication
Authors: Outa James Omondi , Hörweg Christoph , Avenant‐Oldewage Annemariè , Jirsa Franz
Published: September 2022

Freshwater molluscs are hosts for diverse metazoan symbionts. However, apart from the digenean helminths, symbionts of molluscs are underreported worldwide. Therefore, this study focused on the diversity of oligochaetes, leeches, mites, insect larvae and nematodes associated with gastropods and bivalves from Lake Victoria, East Africa.

Overall, 1,633 mollusc specimens representing 14 species were sampled from the Kenyan part of the lake. Each host specimen was examined to determine co‐occurrence of symbionts (including digeneans) and other metazoan invertebrates, and their microhabitat preferences on/in the hosts. In addition, prevalence and abundance of symbionts were compared for molluscs obtained from an unpolluted site, and sites that are eutrophic and polluted with heavy metals.

In total, 33 species were recovered from the molluscs: six oligochaetes, four insects, two mites, two nematodes, one leech and 18 digeneans. The nematode Daubaylia potomaca, mite Unionicola macani, leech Batracobdelloides sp., oligochaetes Chaetogaster limnaei, Dero digitata, Aulophorus africanus, Allonais paraguayensis and Ophidonais serpentina, and gorgoderid digenean larvae are new records for Lake Victoria. Moreover, the genus Bratislavia (Oligochaeta) is reported for the first time in Africa. Our results show that parasitic mites and leeches were absent from mollusc specimens that harboured chironomids. Likewise, there was no co‐occurrence of C. limnaei, D. potomaca and digeneans, suggesting that antagonistic interactions occur between the symbionts. Although co‐occurrence of mites and digeneans in individual mollusc hosts was common, the symbionts occupied different microhabitats. This study shows that prevalence and intensities of U. macani and C. limnaei, were significantly higher in hosts from the unpolluted site, compared with the polluted sites. What is more, D. potomaca and trichopteran larvae, were recorded only from the unpolluted site. The distribution of the chironomid Kiefferulus chloronatus suggests their preference for sites that are rich in organic matter and their ability to tolerate pollution.

Information on antagonistic interactions between symbionts might be applicable in biocontrol, especially of digenean species that have veterinary or medical importance. Finally, this study shows a potential for the use of U. macani, C. limnaei, D. potomaca and insect larvae as discriminators of the quality of aquatic habitats.
Soil organic matter molecular composition with long‐term detrital alterations is controlled by site‐specific forest properties
Authors: Castañeda‐Gómez Laura , Lajtha Kate , Bowden Richard , Mohammed Jauhar Fathima Nahidha , Jia Juan , Feng Xiaojuan , Simpson Myrna J.
Published: September 2022

Forest ecosystems are important global soil carbon (C) reservoirs, but their capacity to sequester C is susceptible to climate change factors that alter the quantity and quality of C inputs. To better understand forest soil C responses to altered C inputs, we integrated three molecular composition published data sets of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil microbial communities for mineral soils after 20 years of detrital input and removal treatments in two deciduous forests: Bousson Forest (BF), Harvard Forest (HF), and a coniferous forest: H.J. Andrews Forest (HJA). Soil C turnover times were estimated from radiocarbon measurements and compared with the molecular‐level data (based on nuclear magnetic resonance and specific analysis of plant‐ and microbial‐derived compounds) to better understand how ecosystem properties control soil C biogeochemistry and dynamics. Doubled aboveground litter additions did not increase soil C for any of the forests studied likely due to long‐term soil priming. The degree of SOM decomposition was higher for bacteria‐dominated sites with higher nitrogen (N) availability while lower for the N‐poor coniferous forest. Litter exclusions significantly decreased soil C, increased SOM decomposition state, and led to the adaptation of the microbial communities to changes in available substrates. Finally, although aboveground litter determined soil C dynamics and its molecular composition in the coniferous forest (HJA), belowground litter appeared to be more influential in broadleaf deciduous forests (BH and HF). This synthesis demonstrates that inherent ecosystem properties regulate how soil C dynamics change with litter manipulations at the molecular‐level. Across the forests studied, 20 years of litter additions did not enhance soil C content, whereas litter reductions negatively impacted soil C concentrations. These results indicate that soil C biogeochemistry at these temperate forests is highly sensitive to changes in litter deposition, which are a product of environmental change drivers.
The capillary and thermal performance of the porous silicon nitride ceramics with nearly spherical pore structure
Authors: Li Xueqing , Zeng Yu‐Ping
Published: September 2022

The capillary and thermal performance of porous Si3N4 ceramics with nearly spherical pore structure has been investigated by altering the addition and diameter of pore‐forming agent polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in this work. An exponential model is used to evaluate the liquid uptake capacity of porous Si3N4 ceramics. Porous Si3N4 ceramics fabricated by 5 μm PMMA with 40 wt.% addition possess the lowest capillary time constant and show the best capillary performance owing to the perfect balance between friction resistance and capillary force. The thermal conductivity of porous Si3N4 ceramics is significantly impacted by their porosity. Alexander model with an exponent of .96 is suitable for predicting the thermal conductivity of porous Si3N4 ceramics due to its R‐squared up to .99. Moreover, with the addition and diameter of PMMA decrease, the flexural strength of porous Si3N4 ceramics increases. These results support the application of porous Si3N4 ceramics in the field of mass and heat transfer.
Theoretical study of the thermal conductivity of silica glass–crystal composites
Authors: Kim Hongyeun , Yang Yongjian , Tokunaga Hirofumi , Koike Akio , Ono Madoka , Mauro John C.
Published: September 2022

The heat dissipation of silicate glasses draws much attention for various applications, and the desire for glasses with high thermal conductivity remains an unsolved challenge. The structural origin of thermal conductivity in glass remains not fully understood. The present study aims to elucidate the impact of embedding highly thermally conductive crystalline α‐quartz in a silica glass matrix. We consider both nano‐thread (NT) (1D) and nano‐plate (NP) (2D) structures and use molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the role of its connectivity on thermal conductivity in the glass–crystal composite as a function of the volume fraction of the α‐quartz region. The directional dependence of thermal conductivity was also investigated to obtain percolation threshold behavior along the cross‐sectional directions, whereas the parallel circuit model of electricity can be used to account for the change of thermal conductivity along the longitudinal direction. Incorporation of α‐quartz NTs or NPs into silica glass offers the opportunity to enhance its thermal conductivity.
Implications of barrier ephemerality in geogenomic research
Authors: Araya‐Donoso Raúl , Baty Sarah M. , Alonso‐Alonso Pedro , Sanín María José , Wilder Benjamin T. , Munguia‐Vega Adrian , Dolby Greer A.
Published: September 2022

Aim

Previous population genetic and phylogeographical studies have shown how generation time and dispersal affect population divergence in the presence of a vicariant barrier. More recently, speciation genomic studies have revealed that selection and recombination can be equally impactful. Here, we test how the interaction of these factors shapes the divergence expected in response to an ephemeral barrier and compare these results to empirical literature using the Baja California peninsula as a test case.

Location

Global.

Taxon

Diploid eukaryotes.

Methods

We forward simulated population genomic data with CDMetaPOP and SLiM by varying dispersal rate, mutation rate, generation time, selection pressure and recombination in the presence and then removal of a physical barrier. We tested which factors affect the divergence signal (measured as FST). We compared simulation results to empirical literature that included 147 records of generation times and 78 divergence estimates from population genomic studies.

Results

Population differentiation not only occurred due to the presence of a barrier under lower dispersal abilities but also emerged as a result of low dispersal among structured populations without a barrier. Divergent selection strengthened differentiation, which is supported by empirical data. Barrier removal quickly eroded the divergence signal (~500 generations) for high‐dispersing species, but low dispersal species retained divergence after gene flow resumed. In the empirical data, generation times varied by four orders of magnitude and dispersal by three orders of magnitude.

Main Conclusions

Divergence can arise without vicariant barriers, it may not produce a tight co‐divergence peak in absolute time, and co‐divergence may not imply a common cause of divergence. Deeper integration of geologic, climatic and genomic data (i.e. geogenomics) may help clarify origins of divergence in physically complex settings.
Structural basis of glucocorticoid receptor signaling bias
Authors: Jeanneteau Freddy , Meijer Onno C. , Moisan Marie‐Pierre
Published: September 2022

Dissociation between the healthy and toxic effects of cortisol, a major stress‐responding hormone has been a widely used strategy to develop anti‐inflammatory glucocorticoids with fewer side effects. Such strategy falls short when treating brain disorders as timing and activity state within large‐scale neuronal networks determine the physiological and behavioral specificity of cortisol response. Advances in structural molecular dynamics posit the bases for engineering glucocorticoids with precision bias for select downstream signaling pathways. Design of allosteric and/or cooperative control for the glucocorticoid receptor could help promote the beneficial and reduce the deleterious effects of cortisol on brain and behavior in disease conditions.
Sleep in cardiac arrest survivors
Authors: Hellström Amanda , Bremer Anders , Gunnarsson Lise‐Lotte , Hjelm Carina
Published: September 2022

Background

Insomnia, sleep apnoea and sleep loss are risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Most research on sleep disturbances includes patients with heart failure, while the role of sleep in sudden cardiac arrest survivors (SCA) has been only partially investigated and understood. Sleep‐related breathing disorders and obstructive sleep apnoea increase illness and mortality in the aftermath of SCA. Also, post‐traumatic stress is evident in SCA survivors, where sleep disruptions are some of the main symptoms of the condition. Consequently, it is important to identify sleep problems in SCA survivors at an early stage to avoid unnecessary suffering.

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate registered nurses' perceptions of SCA survivors' sleep, both in hospital and after discharge.

Study Design

This was an explorative interview study with a phenomenographic approach. Nineteen registered nurses (RNs) varying in age, sex and years in the profession participated.

Findings

The nurses' perceptions of SCA survivors' sleep were categorized as: “The observer – noticing behaviours, emotions and habits of the patient that affect sleep”, “The oblivious witness – attitudes that hinder the ability to recognise sleep behaviours”, and “The practitioner – advising and medicating for sleep”. The outcome space showed that the nurses detected both obvious and subtle signs relating to patients' sleep. However, attitudes hindering the recognition of sleep behaviours were independent of acting as an observer or practitioner. If nothing unforeseen was observed, or if the patient did not spontaneously raise the subject, sleep was considered less important than other health problems in SCA survivors.

Conclusions

Although the nurses knew that SCA survivors suffered from poor sleep, they failed to reflect on the consequences for the patient. Nurses' feelings of insufficient knowledge about sleep, as well as their omittance of sleep in the follow‐up documentation could leave sleep issues unaddressed and cause unnecessary patient suffering.

Relevance to clinical practice

Nurses need increased knowledge and training to enable them to detect subtle signs of sleep problems in SCA survivors.
Long‐term forest monitoring reveals constant mortality rise in European forests
Authors: George J.‐P. , Bürkner P.‐C. , Sanders T. G. M. , Neumann M. , Cammalleri C. , Vogt J. V. , Lang M.
Published: September 2022

European forests are an important source for timber production, human welfare, income, protection and biodiversity. During the last two decades, Europe has experienced a number of droughts which have been exceptional within the last 500 years, both in terms of duration and intensity. These droughts seem to leave remarkable imprints on the mortality dynamics of European forests. However, systematic observations on tree decline, with emphasis on a single species, has been scarce so far so that our understanding of mortality dynamics and drought occurrence is still limited at a continental scale.

Here, we make use of the ICP Forest crown defoliation dataset, permitting us to retrospectively monitor tree mortality for all major conifers, major broadleaves, as well as a pooled dataset of minor tree species in Europe. In total, we analysed more than three million observations gathered during the last 25 years and employed a high‐resolution drought index which can assess soil moisture anomaly based on a hydrological water‐balance and runoff model.

We found overall and species‐specific increasing trends in mortality rates, accompanied by decreasing soil moisture. A generalized linear mixed model identified a previous‐year soil moisture anomaly as the most important driver of mortality patterns in conifers, but the response was not uniform across the numerous analysed plots.

We conclude that mortality patterns in European forests are currently reaching a concerning upward trend which could be further accelerated by global change‐type droughts in the near future.