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Environmental, social and governance (ESG) in agriculture: trends and gaps on research
No full textInterest in the use of environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks to increase sustainability and reduce associated risks is growing in the agricultural sector. However, it remains unclear how and to what extent ESG could best be integrated into agricultural systems to benefit farmers. Drawing on the existing scientific literature, this article aims to (i) identify current and emerging themes in ESG research relevant to the agricultural sector, (ii) describe research gaps and thus opportunities to progress an ESG research agenda in Australia and (iii) propose potential future research directions based on the initial findings. This review demonstrates that research on ESG in the agricultural sector is in its early stages, but changing quickly and that there is an opportunity for academic research to advance our science-based knowledge of ESG in agriculture. We suggest that future research focus on ESG policy and management and innovative technologies with the goal of addressing ESG limitations and advancing the adoption of ESG principles and practices in agriculture. Specifically, we recommend that efforts be made to create sustainability credentials to improve the adoption of ESG in the agricultural sector to benefit sustainable producers and the potential of technologies for verifying improved ESG outcomes
Fish isoallergens and variants: database compilation, in silico allergenicity prediction challenges, and epitope-based threshold optimization
No full textIntroduction: Fish is a major food allergy trigger with a complex variety of allergenic protein isoforms and vast species diversity exhibiting variable allergenicity. This is the first study to systematically compile fish isoallergen and variant entries associated with ingestion-related allergic reactions.
Methods: Entries were compiled from four major allergen databases: World Health Organization and International Union of Immunological Societies (WHO/IUIS), AllergenOnline, Comprehensive Protein Allergen Resource (COMPARE), and Allergome, including evidence from in vitro IgE-binding assays and complete amino acid sequences. Challenges in predicting the allergenicity of fish isoallergens and variants were evaluated, and the sensitivity of five widely used in silico tools (AllerCatPro 2.0, AlgPred 2.0, pLM4Alg, AllergenFP v.1.0, and AllerTop v.2.0) was assessed. Epitope mapping and phylogenetic analyses were performed for the major fish allergen parvalbumin, incorporating experimentally validated B-cell epitope data from the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) and evolutionary relationships.
Results: A comprehensive dataset of 79 unique fish isoallergen and variant entries from 34 fish species was identified, with 25 entries common across all four databases. AllerCatPro 2.0 achieved the highest sensitivity (97.5%). A phylogenetic tree was constructed, integrating epitope data to optimize protein family-specific thresholds for differentiating allergenic from less/non-allergenic parvalbumins. A threshold of ≥4 IEDB-mapped epitopes allowing up to two mismatches captured 52 out of 54 parvalbumin sequences (96%) in the dataset, effectively distinguishing between parvalbumin classes.
Discussion: This study enhances understanding of fish allergy by systematically compiling fish isoallergens and variants and integrating B-cell epitope data. The optimized thresholds improve the performance of allergenicity prediction tools and can be applied to other protein families in future studies
Therapeutic Potential Targeting Gut Microbiota Modulation With Emphasis on Lactobacillus spp. in Common Metabolic Disorders: A Systematic Review
No full textMetabolic disorders are complex conditions that arise from abnormal biochemical reactions, disrupting normal metabolic processes. The most prevalent metabolic disorders include obesity, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite extensive research, no definitive therapeutic strategy has been established for a complete cure. Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiome dysbiosis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of these disorders, as maintaining microbial homeostasis is essential for metabolic health. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a key metabolite produced by gut microbiota and exhibit significant therapeutic potential by serving as an energy source for colonocytes, enhancing gut barrier integrity, and modulating inflammation. Our analysis reveals that targeted microbial modulation—particularly through SCFA-producing probiotics and prebiotics—consistently benefits host metabolism and reduces systemic inflammation across multiple conditions. Thisreview highlights the importance of gut microbiota as a viable therapeutic target and underscore the need for further clinical trials to validate microbiome-based interventions in metabolic disease management
Testing the study protocol and interrater reliability of a new end-of-life wound assessment tool: a feasibility study
No full textBackground: Some dying individuals can develop skin injuries at the end-of-life (EOL) due to factors associated with the disease processes, aging or both. These EOL wounds, which include Kennedy terminal ulcers, Trombley-Brennan terminal tissue injuries, Skin Changes at Life’s End and end-stage skin failure, have distinguishing features. Yet, they can appear similar to pressure injuries (PIs), making assessment difficult. Compounding this was the lack of clinical assessment tool for EOL wounds. In 2022, we conducted a modified Delphi panel to develop a new EOL wound assessment tool for use in dying adults and established the face and content validity of the items. The new tool does not differentiate between a PI and EOL wound; rather, it aids clinicians’ assessment of EOL wound characteristics and suggests the development of a multidisciplinary management plan. The next step in the tool development is to determine its reliability. The aim of this study was to test the study protocol and interrater reliability of a new EOL wound assessment tool. Methods: This feasibility study was conducted in dying hospitalised adult patients admitted to medical and palliative care units at three hospitals across southeast Queensland, Australia. We gathered quantitative data according to the study protocol including participant screening, recruitment, consent, data collection and interrater reliability. Our four research assistants (RAs) and an independent blinded outcome assessor were trained in the study protocol and use of the new EOL wound assessment tool. Using a pragmatic approach, patients with a new reported PI were screened for study eligibility. For recruited participants, clinical data, skin blanching, and a deidentified wound photograph were first collected. Next, the RAs used the new tool to assess the patient and the skin to determine the presence of an EOL wound (Yes/No). An off-site independent blinded outcome assessor accessed the participant research data and, using the new tool, undertook the same assessment as the RA. Frequencies and percentages were computed for the feasibility outcomes. Cohen’s kappa statistic was calculated to determine the interrater reliability agreement. Results: Over 20 months, 140 patients were screened, with 23 (16.4%) eligible for recruitment, exceeding our ≥ 10% target. Ten (43.5%) participants were recruited, which fell short of our ≥ 50% target, with study refusal and imminent death the reasons for non-recruitment. Among the 10 recruited study participants, 13 wounds were observed on the sacrum, coccyx, and lower extremities. The interrater reliability between the two assessors was moderate (n = 8/13; 61.5%), with disagreement on five wounds, all located on the heels and toes. Conclusions: Assessing for EOL wounds in dying patients is a clinical imperative. With minor study protocol adjustments, such as having two clinicians concurrently undertake independent wound assessment and only recruiting from palliative care units, conducting a larger multisite study testing the inter- and intrarater reliability of the new EOL wound assessment tool is feasible
Lost in the third space: using Aristotle to map pathways from precarity into sustainable careers
No full textIn precarious times for higher education, the calls for career sustainability resonate across student, professional, and academic communities. From our perspective as third-space practitioners who navigate the liminal spaces between academic, professional, and administrative spheres, two Australian educators working in researcher development celebrate both the value we represent for our institutions and the transferability of our unique skillset.
Against a backdrop of institutional neoliberalism, we return to a classical founder of philosophy and teaching, to apply an ancient lens to sustainable career realignment. This paper aligns contemporary sustainable career frameworks with Aristotelian epistemology, amplifying the value of the third-space practitioner in navigating Aristotle’s five knowledges in pursuit of eudaimonia to sustain both ourselves and the students we support.
We propose both philosophical and pragmatic frameworks to integrate ancient wisdom with modern theory into a cohesive narrative of third-space educator strengths in preparing for unpredictable futures
Co-administration of a synthetic saccharide conjugate vaccine with BCG provides synergistic protection against murine tuberculosis
No full textTuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge claiming over 1 million lives annually. Bacillus Calmette-Gu´erin (BCG), the only licensed vaccine against TB, provides limited efficacy against pulmonary TB in
adults and only partial protection against serious disease in children. Hence, the development of safer and more effective new vaccines against TB remains a global health priority. Here we show in a new approach that co-
administration of BCG with a novel synthetic glycan conjugate vaccine, corresponding to conserved terminal mannose sequences in Phosphatidyl-myo-inositol-mannosides (PIMs) in the cell envelope of mycobacteria, results
in reduced bacterial burden compared to BCG vaccination alone. This first in vivo efficacy study suggests that targeting conserved essential oligosaccharides of mycobacteria is an important factor in improving TB vaccine efficacy
Precision robotic spot-spraying: Reducing herbicide use and enhancing environmental outcomes in sugarcane
No full textPrecise robotic weed control plays an essential role in precision agriculture. It can help significantly reduce the environmental impact of herbicides while reducing weed management costs for farmers. In this paper, we demonstrate that a custom-designed robotic spot spraying tool based on computer vision and deep learning can significantly reduce herbicide usage on sugarcane farms. We present results from field trials that compare robotic spot spraying against industry-standard broadcast spraying, by measuri ng the weed control efficacy, the reduction in herbicide usage, and the water quality improvements in irrigation runoff. The average results across 25 hectares of field trials show that spot spraying on sugarcane farms is 97% as effective as broadcast spraying and reduces herbicide usage by 35%, proportionally to the weed density. For specific trial strips with lower weed pressure, spot spraying reduced herbicide usage by up to 65%. Water quality measurements of irrigation-induced runoff, three to six days after spraying, showed reductions in the mean concentration and mean load of herbicides of 39% and 54%, respectively, compared to broadcast spraying. These promising results reveal the capability of spot spraying technology to reduce herbicide usage on sugarcane farms without impacting weed control and potentially providing sustained water quality benefits
Ghostwriting in the Machine: Conversations with the Paranormal and the Digital
No full text[Extract] IN 1919, IN a railway carriage travelling through California, Georgie Hyde-Lees began to talk in her sleep. Her husband, William Butler Yeats, carefully and dutifully wrote down the words she spoke. The couple had spent the last two years experimenting with automatic writing, but the verbal channelling of voices as Hyde-Lees drowsed was a new and exciting development. Their practice would continue for many years, culminating in a book that proposed a system of history, philosophy and psychology built around moon phases and intersecting gyres. This system, the couple believed, was transmitted to them by an external, supernatural force – a series of unknown ‘communicators’ – whose messages were frequently accompanied by odd whistlings, sudden flashes of light or mysterious smells. Yeats’ A Vision was published in 1925, with a second edition in 1937. His subsequent poetry is deeply influenced and informed by the imagery and symbolism of this automatic writing
Developing competency of the management workforce in the Veterinary Industry: a two-step approach
No full textBackground
The historical challenges facing veterinary care have been exacerbated by the surge in pet ownership and demand for services following the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers in veterinary services are essential in navigating these challenges while ensuring the provision of quality animal care. Evidence from human healthcare highlights the importance of developing and supporting managers to thrive in their management roles. However, there is currently no established management competency framework to guide development of managers working in veterinary care.
Methods
A two-step approach was used to explore the existing efforts to develop a competent veterinary management workforce. A scoping review of Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. This review aimed to identify both the key management challenges in veterinary services and specific competencies required by veterinary managers. A supplementary web-based search of professional institutions and postgraduate programmes relevant to veterinary leadership and management was also completed.
Results
Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria with only five of them published after 2011. The literature identified key challenges in managing veterinary services and revealed a limited recognition of skills and competencies for veterinary managers, especially when compared with the human healthcare sector. Several professional institutions and educational programmes supporting veterinary leaders were identified.
Conclusion
Findings confirm that current approaches to management competency identification and development in veterinary care are insufficient. A validated, comprehensive framework to build management capability in veterinary care is urgently needed to support managers in fulfilling their roles and to promote sustainable veterinary service delivery
Sequestration of dead-end undecaprenyl phosphate-linked oligosaccharide intermediate
No full textMost Gram-negative bacteria synthesize a plethora of cell surface polysaccharides that play key roles in immune evasion, cell envelope structural integrity and host–pathogen interactions. In the predominant polysaccharide Wzx/Wzy-dependent pathway, synthesis is divided between the cytoplasmic and periplasmic faces of the membrane. Initially, an oligosaccharide composed of 3–8 sugars is synthesized on a membrane-embedded lipid carrier, undecaprenyl pyrophosphate, within the cytoplasmic face of the membrane. This lipid-linked oligosaccharide is then translocated to the periplasmic face by the Wzx flippase, where it is polymerized into a repeat-unit polysaccharide. Structural alterations to the O-antigen repeating oligosaccharide significantly reduce polysaccharide yield and lead to cell death or morphological abnormalities. These effects are attributed to the substrate recognition function of the Wzx flippase, which we postulated to act as a gatekeeper to ensure that only complete substrates are translocated to the periplasmic face. Here, we labelled Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium group B1 with [14C] d-galactose. Our results showed that strains unable to synthesize the full O-antigen repeat unit accumulate significantly higher levels of Und-P-linked material (~10-fold). Importantly, this sequestration is alleviated by membrane disruption which opens the lipid-linked oligosaccharide at the cytosolic face to periplasmic ligation to support accumulation occurs at the cytosolic face of the membrane