bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
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

Abstract

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

Abstract

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.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

AbstractThis 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.
Risk Factors Associated With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and Malignancies in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in a Real‐World Setting in Japan
Authors: Yamaoka Kunihiro , Sugiyama Naonobu , Hoshi Masato , Jo Joo‐Young , Shin Kichul , Hirano Toshitaka 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTAimTo identify risk factors associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using real‐world data from Japan.MethodsThis cohort study used the Real World Data database of medical institutions in Japan. Eligible patients (January 2013–December 2021) had ≥ 1 RA diagnosis, were aged ≥ 18 years, prescribed ≥ 1 antirheumatic drug, had no psoriasis diagnosis, and had a record postindex. Patients had no myocardial infarction/stroke ≤ 31 days (MACE cohort) or malignancy < 1 year (malignancy cohort) before index. Cohorts were determined by incidence of initial MACE or malignancy. Known/exploratory variables were selected using Cox regression models.ResultsAcross MACE (n = 16 012) and malignancy (n = 14 545) cohorts, most patients were female and aged ≥ 65 years. Overall, 214 MACE per 43964.7 patient‐years (incidence rate 0.49 per 100 patient‐years) and 315 malignancies per 40251.6 patient‐years (incidence rate 0.78 per 100 patient‐years) occurred. Male sex, older age (≥ 65 years), hypertension, renal disease, cerebrovascular disease, and prior X‐ray examination were significantly associated with increased MACE risk. Male sex, older age (≥ 50 years), nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug use, emphysema, serious infection, malignancy history, and prior X‐ray examination were significantly associated with increased malignancy risk. Conversely, glucocorticoid use and fracture diagnosis were significantly associated with reduced malignancy risk.ConclusionIn patients with RA in Japan, male sex, older age, and prior X‐ray examination were associated with increased MACE and malignancy risk.
Functional effect of adiponectin and body composition assessment in lung cancer subjects after video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy
Authors: Messina Gaetana , Natale Giovanni , Fiorelli Alfonso , Puca Maria Antonietta , Moscatelli Fiorenzo , Monda Vincenzo , Monda Marcellino , Di Domenico Marina , Corte Carminia Maria Della , Marsala Gabriella , Vicario Giuseppe , Dalia Carmine , Bassi Paola , Leonardi Beatrice , De Maria Antonella , Monda Antonietta , Messina Giovanni , Messina Antonietta , Polito Rita 
Published: December 2024

AbstractBackgroundLung cancer is a pathology with an important incidence. It is a multifactorial disease characterized by epigenetic and nutritional factors. Indeed, there is a strong association between adipose tissue and the pulmonary system, and low‐grade inflammation of obese and/or overweight subjects have a pivotal role in lung cancer establishment.MethodsIn this study, we analyzed body composition through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and biochemical parameters such as glycemic and lipidic profile, inflammation profile and adiponectin serum levels in 30 patients (19 male; 11 women) undergoing video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for lung cancer from September 2021 to May 2022 at the Thoracic Unit of Luigi Vanvitelli University of Naples. A control group were also recruited (15 male; 15 female) consisting of age and sex matched volunteered subjects at the Thoracic Unit of Luigi Vanvitelli University of Naples. The control group and lung cancer patients were monitored for anthropometric and biochemical parameters before VATS lobectomy. Furthermore, the lung cancer patients were also monitored after 6 months of surgery.ResultsBody composition is modified after surgery and also albumin and C‐reactive protein (CRP) serum levels. In the overweight patients in our study, adiponectin levels were found to be reduced compared with the control group and increased in the same patients after VATS lobectomy.ConclusionsTumor removal as well as weight loss could affect adiponectin levels, and thus also a reduction in inflammation. In addition, weight loss could also be due to a psychological condition given by the intervention and not to malnutrition related to therapy.
Decloaking whiteness: Linguistic and pedagogical imperialisms of International Baccalaureate teacher education in Japan
Authors: Shah Akira 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis article examines everyday International Baccalaureate Educator Certificate (IBEC) environments in Japanese higher education through a theoretical framework of whiteness. Exploring dissonances shaped by English and constructivism at two universities, I argue that communities challenge Anglo‐American and Euro‐American epistemologies imbued within globalist education. I call for scholarship on whiteness to better prioritize decloaking its plethora of still concealed artifacts, an issue I elucidate with two examples in language and pedagogy.
Comparative analysis of hidden damage caused by the stem borer Ceutorhynchus species in oilseed rape using computer tomography
Authors: Keszthelyi Sándor , Gerbovits Bálint , Donkó Tamás , Csóka Ádám , Balog Adalbert , Somfalvi‐Tóth Katalin 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The weevils of the Ceutorhynchus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are significant pests, posing a threat to oilseed rape cultivation in Central Europe. Due to their lifestyle, these weevils cause hidden damage within the stems.
Our non‐invasive computer tomography‐based study aimed to compare the damage characteristics of three species within this genus: C. pallidactylus (Marsham), C. napi (Gyll.), and C. picitarsis (Gyll.), in oilseed rape stems.
During the CT analysis of the plant samples from axial, coronal, and sagittal approaches at different points, we measured the length of the damaging larvae, their number per plant, their distance from each other, the volume of the formed cavity, and the diameter of the damaged plant stems. Additionally, we investigated the closeness of the connections between these forms of damage.
Our study found that damage to plant samples during the period of interest was species‐specific. Significant differences were observed in the longitudinal size dimensions of the larvae, the volume of the formed cavities, and the diameters of the stems of the attacked plants among the species causing the damage.
The Pearson correlation results confirmed a strong correlation between the volumes of the formed cavities and the values of larval length (l) and stem diameter (⌀), as well as between stem diameter and larval length data for each species (C. pallidactylus: l = 6.903 ± 1.332 mm, ⌀ = 11.43 ± 0.707 mm; C. napi: l = 9.868 ± 0.617 mm, ⌀ = 23.11 ± 2.813 mm; C. picitarsis: l = 3.772 ± 0.967 mm, ⌀ = 11.16 ± 0.365 mm). These results suggest that the damages caused by these hidden lifestyle stem pests of oilseed rape are species‐specific.