bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The activity of soil microbial taxa in the rhizosphere predicts the success of root colonization
Authors: Harris Jennifer E. , Bledsoe Regina B. , Guha Sohini , Omari Haneen , Crandall Sharifa G. , Burghardt Liana T. , Couradeau Estelle M.
Published: December 2024

Plant-beneficial microbes have great potential to improve sustainability in agriculture. Still, managing beneficial microbes is challenging because the impact of microbial dormancy on community assembly across the soil, rhizosphere, and endosphere is poorly understood. We address this gap with the first documented use of Biorthogonal Non-Canonical Amino Acid Tagging (BONCAT) to probe active microbes in the soil-to-root gradient. Using nodule-forming legumeTrifolium incarnatum,we confirmed that BONCAT is suitable for labeling endospheric microbes with microscopy. Next, we coupled BONCAT to Flow Cytometer Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to probe patterns of microbial activity and the structure of the active microbial community across the soil, rhizosphere, root, and nodule with a native soil microbial community. As expected, we found x10 higher microbial activity in the endosphere than in the rhizosphere or bulk soil, likely due to increased plant resources. Finally, we revealed that microbial activity in the rhizosphere was significantly associated with successful endosphere colonization, more so than microbial abundance alone. This last finding has implications for the development of microbial inoculants, suggesting colonizing plant roots is linked to a microbe’s ability to overcome dormancy once deployed in the soil.
Hospital Waste Management: An Overview of the Situation in Health Districts outside Yaounde in the Centre Region, Cameroon
Authors: Edzamba Michel Franck , Cheuyem Fabrice Zobel Lekeumo , Sime Paule Sandra Djomo , Minlo Fernande Eliane Nyangon , Sani Bertille Ngon , Nkongo Florence Kissougle , Mossus Tatiana
Published: December 2024

Background

Hospital waste management is an important process that must be handled with care. This is because of the potential risks it represents for human health and the environment. A good understanding of the processes and legislation involved is an important asset, especially in developing countries. In order to assess the level of application of regulations, this study describes the quality of hospital waste management in health districts outside Yaounde in the Centre region.

Methodology

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in public health facilities of 24 Health Districts in the Centre Region from February 1 to March 31, 2024. Sampling was consecutive and non-exhaustive. Data were collected using a Google form from health facility managers and/or staff in charge of hospital hygiene. The data was coded and analyzed using R Statistics version 4.3.1.

Results

A total of 61 participants coming from 20 Health Districts of the Central Region were enrolled in the study. With a sex ratio (M/F) of 0.9, most of the participants were paramedical staff. Less than 10% of the participants were Medical-sanitary technician. Most of the respondents reported that waste was sorted at source. However, nearly half (45%) carried out regular checks at this stage. More than two-thirds of responded (78%) reported that household waste was packed in buckets and black bags. More than half of the infectious waste was packaged in bin buckets (57%). More than one-third (39%) of the waste was collected daily. The vast majority (93%) reported that they disposed of waste on site. Nearly 5% reported disposing of waste in a public landfill. A small proportion (7.3%) of health facilities had an incinerator.

Conclusion

Despite the efforts made, there are still significant shortcomings in the hospital waste management strategy of the health facilities visited. Stakeholders need technical, financial and material support if they are to meet international standards.
ProkBERT PhaStyle: Accurate Phage Lifestyle Prediction with Pretrained Genomic Language Models
Authors: Juhász Judit , Babett Bodnár , Juhász János , Ligeti-Nagy Noémi , Pongor Sándor , Ligeti Balázs
Published: December 2024

Background

Phage lifestyle prediction, i.e. classifying phage sequences as virulent or temperate, is crucial in biomedical and ecological applications. Phage sequences from metagenome or metavirome assemblies are often fragmented, and the diversity of environmental phages is not well known. Current computational approaches often rely on database comparisons and machine learning algorithms that require significant effort and expertise to update. We propose using genomic language models for phage lifestyle classification, allowing efficient direct analysis from nucleotide sequences without the need for sophisticated preprocessing pipelines or manually curated databases.

Methods

We trained three genomic language models (DNABERT-2, Nucleotide Transformer, and ProkBERT) on datasets of short, fragmented sequences. These models were then compared with dedicated phage lifestyle prediction methods (PhaTYP, DeePhage, BACPHLIP) in terms of accuracy, prediction speed, and generalization capability.

Results

ProkBERT PhaStyle consistently outperforms existing models in various scenarios. It generalizes well for out-of-sample data, accurately classifies phages from extreme environments, and also demonstrates high inference speed. Despite having up to 20 times fewer parameters, it proved to be better performing than much larger genomic language models.

Conclusions

Genomic language models offer a simple and computationally efficient alternative for solving complex classification tasks, such as phage lifestyle prediction. ProkBERT PhaStyle’s simplicity, speed, and performance suggest its utility in various ecological and clinical applications.
Meta-prediction extends human cortical and subcortical reward learning
Authors: Shin Jaehoon , Lee Jee Hang , Lee Sang Wan
Published: December 2024

Human reward learning is constrained by environmental structure. Stable environments facilitate reward prediction but limit learning experiences1–8, while uncertain environments hinder predictability and learnability9–12. We propose a novel framework extending these boundaries through “meta-prediction” – predicting human prediction. The meta-prediction entwines two Bellman equations: one for human prediction and the other for predicting the prediction error of the former. The framework pretrains computational models imitating individuals’ reward prediction (specification), then generates new tasks to extremize the models’ prediction errors (generalization). Simulations with 82 subjects’ data generated subject-independent task design across four scenarios without compromising learnability. In an independent fMRI experiment with 49 participants, meta-prediction guides behavior and neural activities in the ventral striatum, lateral prefrontal, and insular cortex, the areas encoding prediction errors. We also demonstrated that meta-prediction can generate complex tasks compositionally to discern human reward learning bias. Our framework redefines the role of tasks in cognitive science and AI.
Beyond dichotomy: diversity of rat’s ultrasonic vocalizations
Authors: Wada Reo , Hakataya Shiomi , Tachibana Ryosuke O. , Shiramatsu Tomoyo Isoguchi , Ito Tetsufumi , Kanno Kouta , Koshiishi Riseru , Matsumoto Jumpei , Saito Yumi , Toya Genta , Okabe Shota , Okanoya Kazuo
Published: December 2024

Understanding animal emotions is of great interest to researchers in various fields, from neuroscience to animal welfare. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in rats (Rattus norvegicus) have been established as an ideal model for studying emotional expression because they reflect internal emotional states. Since the discovery of USVs in rats, it has gradually been revealed that two types of adult rats’ USVs with distinct acoustic features (high-short and low-long) are closely linked to positive and negative affect, respectively. Thus, for many years, most studies have grouped USVs into dichotomous categories: 50-kHz (positive) USVs and 22-kHz (negative) USVs, using these numbers as labels rather than measured values. However, the diversity of rats’ USVs may have been overlooked due to this 50- / 22-kHz dichotomous framework, as several recent studies claim to have found new categories in USVs outside the framework. Here, through a systematic survey of descriptions of rats’ USVs in the past literature, we confirmed a non-negligible number of reports on USVs that are outside the dichotomous framework. Our results support the abundance of diverse USVs beyond the dichotomy. This extends the traditional association between acoustic features and emotional states, highlighting the importance of research on diverse vocalizations that might reflect complex affective states beyond the simple distinction between positive and negative.
Behavior-relevant periodized neural representation of acoustic but not tactile rhythm in humans
Authors: Lenoir C , Lenc T , Polak R , Nozaradan S
Published: December 2024

Music makes people move. This human propensity to coordinate movement with the rhythm of music requires multiscale temporal integration, allowing fast sensory events composing rhythmic input to be mapped onto slower internal templates such as periodic beats. Relatedly, beat perception has been shown to involve a selective enhancement of the beat periodicities in the neural response to rhythm. However, the extent to which this ability to move to the beat, and the relatedperiodizedneural representation, are shared across the senses beyond audition remains unknown. Here we addressed this question using acoustic and tactile rhythms, while recording separately the electroencephalography (EEG) responses and finger tapping to these rhythms in healthy volunteers. Consistent with previous studies, EEG responses to the acoustic rhythm featured significant enhancement of the beat, and this periodized neural representation was specifically concentrated within a low-frequency range below 15 Hz. In contrast, the same rhythm conveyed with tactile inputs elicited responses over a broader frequency range, up to 25Hz, with no significant periodization, and resulted in less stable tapping. Together, these findings indicate that low-frequency neural activity preferentially supports behavior-relevant internal representation of rhythmic input. However, this neural representation is not necessarily shared across the senses, as well as the ability to move to the beat, corroborating multimodal differences in beat perception. This low-frequency neural representation may thus reflect a process of multiscale temporal integration allowing the auditory system to go beyond mere tracking of onset timing and support higher-level internal representation and motor entrainment to rhythm.

Significance statement

Integrating the fast sensory events composing music into slower temporal units is a cornerstone of beat perception and social interaction through music. The current study shows that this ability critically relies on brain activity concentrated in a lower frequency range – below the recurrence of sensory events – in response to acoustic rhythm. In contrast, when the rhythm is conveyed through touch, brain responses comparatively exhibit higher frequency activity corresponding to the faithful tracking of each individual events of the tactile rhythm. Most importantly, these auditory-specific slow fluctuations feature a periodization of rhythmic inputs, compatible with behavior. This higher-level neural processing of rhythmic input could thus reflect internal representations of the beat that are not necessarily shared across sensory modalities, in line with the concept of auditory dominance in temporal event perception and motor entrainment to rhythm. The current study thus opens a promising avenue to gain fundamental knowledge on high-level multimodal perception and motor entrainment processes specific to humans.
Influence of freestream turbulence and porosity on porous disk-generated wakes
Authors: Bourhis M. , Buxton O. R. H.
Published: December 2024

This study aims to evaluate the effect of freestream turbulence (FST) on wakes produced by disks with different porosity. The wakes are exposed to various freestream turbulence “flavors,” where turbulence intensity and integral length scale are independently varied. The turbulent wakes are interrogated through hot-wire anemometry from 3 to 15 diameters downstream of the disks. It is found that disks with low porosity behave similarly to a solid body, in terms of both entrainment behavior and scaling laws for the centerline mean velocity evolution. Far from the disks, the presence of FST reduces both the wake growth rate and entrainment rate, with a clear effect of both turbulence intensity and integral length scale. As porosity increases, these “solid body” FST effects gradually diminish and are reversed above a critical porosity. The entrainment behavior in disk-generated wakes is significantly influenced by the presence of large-scale coherent structures, which act as a shield between the wake and the surrounding flow, thus impeding mixing in the near wake. We found that higher porosity, turbulence intensity, or integral length scale weakens the energy content of these structures, thereby limiting their influence on wake development to a shorter distance downstream of the disk. This, in turn, potentially reduces the influence of large-scale engulfment on the overall entrainment mechanism to a shorter distance downstream of the disks as well. For low-porosity disks, freestream turbulence intensity initially promotes near-wake growth through the suppression of large-scale structures; however, farther downstream, the wakes grow faster when the background is nonturbulent.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Actinide-Boosting
r
Process in Black-Hole–Neutron-Star Merger Ejecta
Authors: Wanajo Shinya , Fujibayashi Sho , Hayashi Kota , Kiuchi Kenta , Sekiguchi Yuichiro , Shibata Masaru
Published: December 2024

We examine nucleosynthesis in the ejecta of black-hole–neutron-star mergers based on the results of long-term neutrino-radiation-magnetohydrodynamics simulations for the first time. We find that the combination of dynamical and postmerger ejecta reproduces a solarlike r-process pattern. Moreover, the enhancement level of actinides is highly sensitive to the distribution of both the electron fraction and the velocity of the dynamical ejecta. Our result implies that the mean electron fraction of dynamical ejecta should be ≳0.05 in order to reconcile the nucleosynthetic abundances with those in r-process-enhanced, actinide-boost stars. Since the tidal ejecta preserve the neutron richness in the inner crust of premerging neutron stars, this result provides an important constraint for nuclear equations of state if black-hole–neutron-star mergers are responsible for actinide-boost stars.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum computer error structure probed by quantum error correction syndrome measurements
Authors: Gicev Spiro , Hollenberg Lloyd C. L. , Usman Muhammad
Published: December 2024

With quantum devices rapidly approaching qualities and scales needed for fault tolerance, the validity of simplified error models underpinning the study of quantum error correction needs to be experimentally evaluated. In this work, we have assessed the performance of IBM superconducting quantum computer devices implementing heavy-hexagon code syndrome measurements with circuit sizes up to 23 qubits, against the error assumptions underpinning code threshold calculations. Circuit operator change rate statistics in the presence of depolarizing and biased noise were modeled using analytic functions of error model parameters. Data from 16 repeated syndrome measurement cycles were found to be inconsistent with a uniform depolarizing noise model, with slightly improved fits found with biased and inhomogeneous noise models. Spatial-temporal correlations investigated via Z stabilizer measurements revealed significant temporal correlation in detection events. These results highlight the nontrivial structure that may be present in the noise of quantum error correction circuits, revealed by operator measurement statistics, and support the development of noise-tailored codes and decoders to adapt.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Coherent multistep rovibrational excitation using intense midinfrared pulses
Authors: Tsusaka Hiroki , Morichika Ikki , Ashihara Satoshi
Published: December 2024

We experimentally demonstrate coherent multistep rovibrational excitation in gas-phase carbon dioxide using intense midinfrared laser pulses. Ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy directly observes excited-state rovibrational lines up to V=11 state with rotational quantum numbers of J=0−40. The observed signal for each transition line is found to oscillate with the pump-probe delay time, attributed to rotational beats based on higher-order nonlinear response function theory. These results indicate generation of rotational wave packets in the high-lying vibrational states, which paves the way toward mode-selective stereochemistry at the electronic ground-state.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
How Do Particles with Complex Interactions Self-Assemble?
Authors: Koehler Lara , Ronceray Pierre , Lenz Martin
Published: December 2024

In living cells, proteins self-assemble into large functional structures based on specific interactions between molecularly complex patches. Because of this complexity, protein self-assembly results from a competition between a large number of distinct interaction energies, of the order of one per pair of patches. However, current self-assembly models typically ignore this aspect, and the principles by which it determines the large-scale structure of protein assemblies are largely unknown. Here, we use Monte Carlo simulations and machine learning to start to unravel these principles. We observe that despite widespread geometrical frustration, aggregates of particles with complex interactions fall within only a few categories that often display high degrees of spatial order, including crystals, fibers, and oligomers. We then successfully identify the most relevant aspect of the interaction complexity in predicting these outcomes, namely, the particles’ ability to form periodic structures. Our results provide a first extensive characterization of the rich design space associated with identical particles with complex interactions and could inspire engineered self-assembling nano-objects as well as help us to understand the emergence of robust functional protein structures.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
A multivariable adaptive formation control for multiple UAVs with external uncertain disturbances
Authors: Ding Jian , Jiang Xiaotong , Zou Yuchun , Tang Zhen , Zhen Ziyang
Published: December 2024

Purpose

A multivariable model reference adaptive control method is proposed to solve a distributed leader–follower formation control problem of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with uncertain parameters and unknown external disturbances for both leader and followers.

Design/methodology/approach

A case of uncertain stochastic external disturbances for UAVs is considered, and based on the distributed communication network of UAVs, a state-feedback adaptive controller is proposed to maintain the formation of UAVs consistently. Then, the stability and asymptotic tracking performance of the UAV formation control system are analyzed by the Lyapunov function.

Findings

The simulation results demonstrate that this formation control scheme can effectively solve the stochastic external disturbance problem of UAVs and ensure the stability of their formation.

Originality/value

The proposed multivariable model reference adaptive control method reduces the error of formation control system and improves the stability and control performance of UAV compared with fixed control.
Empowerment or ornament? Gender diversity’s impact on cash holdings amid quota enforcement in an emerging market
Authors: El-Dyasty Mohamed M. , Elamer Ahmed
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study examines the impact of female directors on cash holdings in Egyptian listed firms, particularly in light of Decree 123/2019, which mandates female board representation. This study aims to determine if female directors mitigate agency conflicts related to cash holdings and how these dynamics shift post-quota implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a panel fixed-effects model, the research analyzes 1,563 firm-year observations from 223 non-financial Egyptian firms listed on the EGX between 2014 and 2022. The robustness of the findings is tested through additional analyses using alternative proxies for cash holdings, different sample periods and a two-stage least squares approach to address endogeneity concerns.

Findings

This study finds a significant negative association between female directors and cash holdings, suggesting that female board members may promote more conservative cash management practices. However, this relationship weakens post-quota implementation, becoming statistically insignificant. This implies that while quotas increase female representation, they do not necessarily enhance corporate governance effectiveness regarding cash management. The pre-quota positive link between female directors and excess cash holdings also becomes insignificant post-quota.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses on female directors’ impact on cash holdings, excluding potential effects on other board subcommittees or functions. It does not capture long-term benefits of increased female representation, which may emerge as the pool of qualified female directors grows. Future research should explore broader implications of gender diversity guidelines and other diversity dimensions across various corporate governance aspects and institutional contexts.

Originality/value

This research provides empirical evidence from an emerging market context on the understudied impact of gender diversity on cash holdings. It critically evaluates the unintended consequences of mandatory gender quotas, highlighting the complexity of regulatory interventions in corporate governance. The study stresses the need for policymakers to address factors limiting the effectiveness of such quotas and to consider potential suboptimal outcomes when increasing female board representation without a corresponding increase in the supply of qualified female directors.
The relational model of sense of coherence: explaining refugees’ mental health and well-being in Austria
Authors: Rosenlechner-Urbanek Doris
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to construct a model explaining migrant health and well-being from a salutogenic perspective. Accounting for the relational, interactional factors impacting on the health of forced migrants, the “Relational Model of Sense of Coherence” combines elements from Antonovsky’s theory of salutogenesis with elements from Honneth’s theory of recognition.

Design/methodology/approach

The model has been developed from the empirical findings of a two-year qualitative study with 28 forced migrants in Austria. Besides initial and final surveys on the participants’ perception of health, health literacy and participation, data were gathered in a qualitative, participatory action research setting and analysed by the method of interpretative case reconstruction. The model is applied to the case reconstruction of a female refugee from Iraq explaining the dimensions impacting on her self-perceived status of health and well-being.

Findings

Next to consistency/comprehensibility and load balance/manageability persons need to experience participation/controllability as well as relatedness/self-confidence, recognition of rights/self-respect and social recognition/self-esteem to develop and/or maintain a strong, relational sense of coherence. All six dimensions contribute to feelings of meaningfulness; all components are necessary for a move towards the healthy end of the health-ease/dis-ease continuum.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to theory building in the fields of salutogenesis and recognition by developing a model based on an in-depth, participatory qualitative study with a vulnerable target group.
Governance of ESG implementations: governance dimensions and their structural implementation
Authors: Müller Ralf , Caron Marie-Andrée , Drouin Nathalie , Lereim Jon , Alonderienė Raimonda , Chmieliauskas Alfredas , Šimkonis Saulius , Šuminskienė Raminta
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study identifies the various governance dimensions for environmental, social and governance (ESG) implementations, including reporting. Subsequently, it investigates the governance structures in place to steer these dimensions in project-based and project-oriented organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review identifies 11 organizational governance dimensions for ESG implementations, followed by a conceptual mapping of these dimensions to the most likely governance structures being set up for their implementation (i.e. single-level, multi-level and polycentric governance).

Findings

Eleven governance dimensions are identified and categorized under (1) organizational settings, (2) ESG strategy and (3) implementation. The conceptual mapping of these dimensions against the governance structures for their implementation identifies an inverse relationship between the governance level in the organizational hierarchy and the complexity of governance structures needed for steering these dimensions. The paper suggests a variety of context-dependent governance structures and contributes to the governance literature on the interface between projects and their parent organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Academics benefit from an organization-wide model and the first taxonomy on the relevant governance dimensions for ESG implementation and reporting projects, thus a first approach to theorizing the governance of ESG implementations.

Practical implications

The results are of value for practitioners by allowing them to understand the diversity of dimensions and the structural implementation of ESG and its reporting.

Social implications

One of the first studies to address governance of ESG implementation and reporting across intra-organizational boundaries between the permanent and the project-based parts of the organization. This provides for organization-wide improvements in the governance toward the UN Sustainability Goals.

Originality/value

The paper investigates the under-researched link of governance implementations from the corporate level to individual projects in the context of ESG implementations, including reporting.
Exploring corporate financial reporting theories: a systematic approach
Authors: Rouf Md. Abdur , Siddique Md. Nur-E-Alam , Akhtaruddin Md.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The study aims to identify, summarize and synthesize the theories used in corporate financial reporting (CFR) and propose a conceptual framework based on those theories.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied the systematic literature review approach to achieve the study objectives. So, the researchers systematically collected the relevant documents from the Scopus database with the help of an advanced search string containing keywords to the CFR theories. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses technique was used for the relevant document selection process. Finally, 67 documents were extracted and analyzed spanning from the year of 2017 to 2023.

Findings

The major findings of this study indicate a predominance of legitimacy, agency and stakeholder theories in CFR studies. Whereas, this study reveals that neo-institutional, signaling, resource dependency, political economics and impression management theories have been less focused on by scholars in the CFR studies. Those theories need to be reemphasized in this field in future research.

Originality/value

The study’s contributions are significant for academics, policymakers and different parties, as it enhance the understanding of CFR theoretical frameworks and suggest directions for future research to broaden the theoretical landscape. The study maps the motivations of applying a certain theory which will help the researchers to select a specific theory for the underlying context of CFR.
Influence of the main bulb’s parameters of bulbous bow vessels on heave and pitch motions for head sea
Authors: Ruiz-Capel Samuel , Romero-Tello Pablo , Gutiérrez-Romero José Enrique , Kraniotis Dimitrios , Reyes Aase
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper addresses the influence of the main bulb’s parameters of a containership on heave and pitch RAO for head waves.

Design/methodology/approach

To obtain the RAO curves, these parameters are scattered over the design space through latin hypercube sampling (LHS), where different bulb designs are obtained using the free form deformation (FFD) technique. Linear RAO curves are calculated based on numerical software, split into various frequency intervals and assessed according to six evaluation parameters.

Findings

The findings show that maximum, minimum and average values of the RAO curve are useful indicators to study the RAO of a ship. Average values of the curve are reduced more than 6% for heave and over 24% for pitch with respect to a vessel with a conventional bulbous bow. The best designs concentrate the volume around the mid-lower part of the bulb, whilst the worst designs concentrate the bulb volume towards the upper part of the bulb.

Originality/value

In the literature, we get an overview of the influence of different bows on seakeeping. However, the influence of the bulb or large variations of the bow in a parametric way have not been studied yet. Since most of these parameters are derived from the RAO curve and ship motions, this paper focuses on studying the RAO curve for heave and ship motions of a bulbous bow containership. The objective is to minimize the RAO values of the curves so that most derived parameters reduce their values as well.
Adapting teaching practices and enhancing intercultural competence: student teachers’ experiences in an international exchange program
Authors: Thinh Mai Phuc
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine how participation in international exchange programs influences both the teaching practices and intercultural competence of student teachers. Focusing on the experiences of Vietnamese participants in Thailand, the study explores how these educators adapted their teaching methods in response to cross-cultural challenges and developed essential intercultural skills through immersion in a new educational environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative case study approach, this research highlights the transformative experiences of 13 Vietnamese student teachers who participated in a three-week exchange program in Thailand. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and reflective journals to capture rich insights into how the exchange shaped their teaching practices and intercultural competence.

Findings

The findings indicate that the program significantly impacted participants’ teaching practices, as they adapted their instructional strategies to better meet the needs of diverse students and manage cross-cultural classroom dynamics. In addition, participants demonstrated growth in intercultural competence, developing greater empathy, flexibility and cultural sensitivity. These skills not only improved their teaching but also enabled them to engage more effectively with students from different cultural backgrounds.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding of how short-term international experiences can lead to both pedagogical transformations and the development of intercultural competence in a global educational context. It underscores the necessity of incorporating structured intercultural training within teacher education programs to better prepare educators for the complexities of teaching in culturally diverse settings.
A new business model (BM) for small independent retailers
Authors: Cassidy Kim Julie , Grimsey William , Yostrakul Amee
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to advance understanding of the key elements of a new business model (BM) for independent retailers, which reflects their current competitive position within the retail ecosystem. It is a conceptual paper, drawing on theory and practical examples of strategy changes made by independent retailers during COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper builds on existing research into retail BMs and independent retail strategies during COVID-19. It incorporates findings from a significant review of UK Independents’ performance during the pandemic, titled “Against All Odds, a Grimsey Review research paper (2021)”. It highlights changes in business format, activities and governance during the pandemic, alongside managers’ reflections on the impact of these changes on their businesses. This paper advances theory by adapting current conceptualisations of a retail business model with insights from value co-creation found in Service-Dominant logic (Vargo and Lusch 2008; Vargo et al., 2023).

Findings

This BM identifies a set of design principles and design elements/themes, which allows for a clearer delineation of the sources of competitive advantage for the sector moving forward. Design principles include the adoption of a hybrid format with resource configuration capturing co-creation activities and governance co-ordinated by institutions and institutional arrangements. Consumers lie at the heart of value co-creation. Design elements/themes need to be underpinned by value drivers including flexibility and agility, a dynamic IT capability and collaboration and community engagement.

Originality/value

This paper makes a two-fold contribution. Firstly, drawing on theory and practical examples of change made by business owners during the pandemic, the authors develop a new BM for independent retailers that captures key elements and relationships relevant to their competitive position in the sector. Secondly, the authors draw on the model to advance a set of propositions to be tested by further research to support a more stable and sustainable future for the sector.
How occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech and language therapists can benefit from precision teaching
Authors: Van Jared , Kubina Richard M.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss how precision teaching holds great promise in enhancing the skills of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. Precision teaching plays a significant role in developing fluency in foundational motor and speech skills, leading to improved performance in complex skills.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews research focusing on precision teaching’s effectiveness in enhancing oral motor and fine motor skills, such as the Big 6 + 6, and its potential application in related skills.

Findings

Precision teaching provides a measurable and efficient approach to skill development, assisting therapists in improving the daily living and communication abilities of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Originality/value

The broader implications of precision teaching’s application in therapeutic settings are discussed.
Heat alters diverse thermal tolerance mechanisms: An organismal framework for studying climate change effects in a wild bird
Authors: Woodruff Mary J. , Tsueda Susanna N. , Cutrell Tiernan S. , Guardado Ethan A. , Rusch Douglas B. , Buechlein Aaron , Rosvall Kimberly A.
Published: December 2024

The ability to cope with heat is likely to influence species success amidst climate change. However, heat coping mechanisms are poorly understood in wild endotherms, which are increasingly pushed to their thermoregulatory limits.

We take an organismal approach to this problem, unveiling how behavioural and physiological responses may allow success in the face of sublethal heat. We experimentally elevated nest temperatures for 4 h to mimic a future climate scenario (+4.5°C) during a critical period of post‐natal development in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor).

Heat‐exposed nestlings exhibited marked changes in behaviour, including movement to cooler microclimates in the nest. They panted more and weighed less than controls at the end of the four‐hour heat challenge, suggesting panting‐induced water loss. Physiologically, heat induced high levels of heat shock protein (HSP) gene expression in the blood, alongside widespread transcriptional differences related to antioxidant defences, inflammation and apoptosis.

Critically, all nestlings survived the heat challenge, and those exposed to milder heat were more likely to recruit into the breeding population. Early life but sub‐lethal heat may therefore act as a selective event, with the potential to shape population trajectories.

Within the population, individuals varied in their physiological response to heat, namely in HSP gene expression, which exhibited higher mean and higher variance in heat‐exposed nestlings than in controls. Heat‐induced HSP levels were unrelated to individual body mass, or among‐nest differences in brood size, temperature, and behavioural thermoregulation. Nest identity explained a significant amount of HSP variation, yet siblings in the same nest differed by an average of ~4‐fold and individuals in the population differed by as much as ~100‐fold in their HSP response. This massive variation extends previous laboratory work in model organisms showing that heat shock proteins may harbour cryptic phenotypic variation.

These results shed light on oft‐ignored elements of thermotolerance in wild birds at a critical stage of post‐natal development. By highlighting the scope of heat‐induced HSP gene expression and coupling it with a suite of organismal traits, we provide a framework for future testing of the mechanisms that shape species success in the face of change.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Carnivorous sundews (Drosera rotundifolia) are more carnivorous in high‐light bog microhabitats that are not also nutrient‐rich
Authors: Hatcher Christopher R. , Millett Jonathan
Published: December 2024

Carnivorous plants adapt to variations in nutrient availability and shade by altering investment in carnivory in response to different environmental conditions. It is not clear, however, how carnivorous plants might alter investment in carnivory in relation to habitat heterogeneity at small scales. We hypothesised that the carnivorous plant Drosera rotundifolia would alter investment in carnivory and the amount of plant nitrogen (N) derived from prey in response to differences in shade and nutrients between hummock and hollow microforms on patterned peatlands.

We investigated D. rotundifolia growing on three peatlands in Northern Europe: Scotland, Sweden, and Finland where we expect microhabitat variability to differ between peatlands due to differences in the ratio of precipitation to evapotranspiration. We measured differences in the density of sticky leaf tentacles (investment in carnivory) and the proportion of plant N that was prey‐derived (%Ndfp) for plants growing on hummocks and hollows at each peatland.

At the Finland site P:ET ratio was lowest (1.86), and root N availability was similar for hollows and hummocks. Here, tentacle density and %Ndfp were ~50% higher for plants on hollows than on the more shaded hummocks. At the Scotland site P:ET was highest (5.40), root N availability was lower for hummocks than for hollows, and hummocks were more shaded. Here, there was little difference in tentacle density and %Ndfp between plants growing on hummocks and hollows. The Sweden site was intermediate in terms of P:ET ratio (2.63), habitat heterogeneity, and carnivory.

Our results are consistent with the predictions of an evolutionary cost–benefit model for plant carnivory in which the marginal benefits of carnivory decrease with increasing root nutrient availability and decreasing light. This model predicted carnivorous plant phenotypic variability at small scales in response to different extents of habitat heterogeneity at our three study sites.

Our study demonstrates the capacity for a carnivorous plant species to vary investment in carnivory, adjusting the proportion of prey‐derived N, in response to small‐scale habitat heterogeneity. We suggest that as well as an adaptation to low‐nutrient conditions, carnivory may also provide a means for plants to adapt to and persist in heterogeneous habitats.

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Remote sensing approaches to monitor tropical forest restoration: Current methods and future possibilities
Authors: de Almeida Danilo R. A. , Vedovato Laura B. , Fuza Matheus , Molin Paulo , Cassol Henrique , Resende Angélica F. , Krainovic Pedro M. , de Almeida Catherine T. , Amaral Cibele , Haneda Leo , Albuquerque Rafael W. , Gorgens Eric , Romanelli João , Ferreira Matheus , Salk Carl , Espinoza Nikolai , Silva Carlos , Broadbent Eben , Brancalion Pedro H.S.
Published: December 2024

Tropical forests are increasingly threatened by deforestation and degradation, impacting carbon storage, climate regulations and biodiversity. Restoring these ecosystems is crucial for environmental sustainability, yet monitoring these efforts poses significant challenges. Secondary forests are in a constant state of flux, with growth depending on multiple factors.

Remote sensing technologies offer cost‐effective, scalable and transferable solutions, advancing forest restoration monitoring towards more accurate, efficient and real‐time data analysis and interpretation. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the current state and advancements in remote sensing technologies applied to monitoring tropical forest restoration.

Synthesis and applications: This review brings together the state of the art of remote sensing technologies, such as very‐high‐resolution RGB imagery, multi‐ and hyperspectral imaging, lidar, radar and thermal‐infrared technologies and their applicability in monitoring forest restoration. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the potential of remote sensing technologies, coupled with advanced computational techniques, to enhance global efforts towards effective and sustainable forest restoration monitoring.
Coordinated variation in elemental composition and morphology in leaves, but independence in roots across Chinese grasslands
Authors: Wang Chao , Geng Yan , Sardans Jordi , Peñuelas Josep , He Jin‐Sheng
Published: December 2024

The biogeochemical niche (BN) hypothesis, which states that each species has a specific elemental concentration and stoichiometric proportions, has yet to be tested in different organs from plants spanning a broad environmental spectrum in grasslands.

As a novel aspect, we tested the BN hypothesis by analysing leaf and root elemental composition (i.e. carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and its ratios), as well as leaf and root morphological traits (i.e. leaf thickness, specific leaf area, leaf tissue density, root diameter, specific root length and root tissue density) from 139 species across 82 sampling sites in northern China's grasslands. We also investigated the relationships of the BN, determined by leaf and root elemental composition and its stoichiometry, with the morphological niche (MN), defined by leaf and root morphological traits in these grasslands.

We found that a substantial amount of the variance in leaf and root elemental concentrations, their ratios and morphological traits was explained by legacy effects (phylogenetic + species). This demonstrates that both elemental composition and morphology can serve as valuable tools for identifying species niches. Additionally, leaf BN was highly associated with root BN. These findings introduce a new potential paradigm for understanding BN, highlighting a significant connection between species‐specific elemental compositions across different organs. Leaf BN and MN were also strongly correlated, supporting the leaf economics spectrum. However, root BN and root MN were independent of each other, indicating the presence of a multidimensional root economics spectrum.

Synthesis. Our findings demonstrate the broad applicability of the BN hypothesis and the relationship between BN and MN in different plant organs. In this regard, our results suggest that elemental composition and morphological traits co‐evolve in leaves but evolve differently in roots among species in grasslands.
Affective assemblages of kinship and single mothers’ labour migration from a ‘climate hotspot’
Authors: Dewan Camelia
Published: December 2024

In coastal Bangladesh, ‘affective assemblages of kinship’ produce differential abilities for landless single mothers to migrate to brick kilns, the garment industry, and the Gulf. This group of women who return to their natal homes as a response to violence or abandonment is neglected by anthropologists of kinship and migration. Thinking of assemblages of kinship as open‐ended gatherings enables us to move away from fixed genealogical constructs of patrilineal and virilocal households and to theorize how different people may join or leave a kinship assemblage based on the fluctuations of emotional bonds over time. A rapidly changing socioeconomic landscape has contributed towards the unkinning of returning sisters from failed marriages, shifting filial duties, and matrifocal living. Such ‘divorced’ women make new kin through unofficial romantic partners, with whom they may choose to migrate together as a means to exert emotional agency. Thinking through ‘affective assemblages of kinship’ via single mothers reveals the gendered complexities of rural labour migration – of economic and affective‐sexual‐moral considerations – and how it is contingent on social reproductive support. Such an ethnographic corrective towards reductive explanations of climate‐induced migration and the vulnerability of ‘female‐headed households’ shows the importance of anthropology in understanding complex phenomena in a world undergoing rapid socioenvironmental change.
Development of optimized artificial diets for enhanced growth of Zophobas atratus larvae
Authors: Park Min Ji , Kim Sun Young , Yoon Hyung Joo
Published: December 2024

This study evaluates the effects of various artificial diets on the development of Zophobas atratus larvae. Artificial diets containing various concentrations of agar were also investigated for their ability to reduce death rates during the early stages of larval development. Our results indicated that larvae fed artificial diets experienced a slightly longer developmental period but achieved significantly higher weights. Notably, wheat bran + fish meal 6% resulted in the highest weight gain; however, wheat bran + fish meal 6%, wheat bran + fish meal 5% + ginseng leaf 1%, and wheat bran + fish meal 4% + ginseng leaf 2% yielded higher death rates. The diet with 4% agar resulted in the shortest developmental period, whereas that with 3% agar produced the highest weight gain. However, considering death rates, the diet with 2% agar provided the most balanced outcome across developmental time, weight gain, and survival, making it the most suitable diet for Z. atratus larvae. In conclusion, wheat bran + fish meal + agar 2% artificial diet is more suitable for Z. atratus larval development than wheat bran, leading to greater weight gain, shorter development periods, and higher adult emergence rates. Additionally, this diet showed the potential to reduce the dust issues and labor demands associated with wheat bran usage. Our findings suggest that wheat bran + fish meal + agar 2% could be an effective artificial diet for the optimal development of Z. atratus larvae.