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Accounting for Non-native Freshwater Fish in the Mekong River: Towards a Better Understanding for Management
No full textNon-native species have long plagued aquatic environments and are considered major global threats to native biodiversity. This problem is especially pertinent in large tropical river systems, but information on their prevalence and distribution is typically limited. This study examines the diversity, distribution, and contribution of non-native fish species to the fisheries and biodiversity of the Mekong basin and potential actions to manage adverse impacts on native fish fauna. The assessment is largely based on reviewing existing literature, information, and data, supplemented by fisheries catch and aquaculture production data for the region. One hundred and seven non-native fish species, distributed amongst 36 Families and 14 Orders, have been reported in the Mekong basin. This count represents ∼7.3% of the overall fish species diversity. Where known, the majority of fish species were introduced for aquaculture or ornamental purposes. The greatest contributions of non-native species to total catch were in upper Lao PDR and the Mekong Delta. These zones coincide with areas of intense aquaculture production, especially cage culture along the riverbanks. There is a divergence of species cultured in different countries, with production dominated by non-native species, especially Oreochromis niloticus, in Thailand and Lao PDR, but native species in Vietnam and Cambodia. Given the proliferation of non-native species in the Mekong, there is an urgent need for action to avoid deterioration of the native fish fauna. It is recommended that continuous monitoring is carried out on the distribution and spread of non-native species in the Mekong, including introduction and invasion pathways, to focus regional management measures to remediate any pending threats to biodiversity and fisheries
A rapid review and narrative synthesis of the evidence for oral sodium chloride supplements in the management of heart failure
No full textAims Intravenous (i.v.) hypertonic saline alongside i.v. loop diuretics is sometimes used to enhance diuresis in people hospitalized with heart failure (HF) but is challenging to administer. Oral sodium chloride (NaCl) supplements might be a practical alternative, but little is known about their effects in patients with HF. We performed a rapid review of the relevant evidence. Methods and results A rapid systematic review was registered (PROSPERO: CRD420250618965) and reported following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Medline and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for studies involving adults with HF administered with oral NaCl. Randomized and observational studies were included. Studies of oral NaCl restriction or i.v. hypertonic NaCl were excluded. All available data were extracted. Risk of bias was evaluated using Risk of Bias 2 and Risk Of Bias In Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tools. From an initial 335 records, five studies involving 139 patients were included. Oral NaCl did not affect weight or urine volume but were associated with higher serum and urinary sodium concentrations. Some studies reported that NaCl was associated with smaller diuretic-induced increases in serum urea and creatinine, lower haematocrit, higher plasma volume, and less neurohormonal activation compared to normal NaCl intake. Clinical outcomes, including hospital length of stay and mortality, were unaffected. The quality of evidence was limited by small sample sizes and methodological heterogeneity. Conclusion For patients with HF treated with loop diuretics, higher oral NaCl intake may increase serum and urine sodium concentration, improve renal function, and reduce neurohormonal activation. There is insufficient evidence to support oral NaCl as an adjunct to diuretic treatment. More research is needed
What affects autonomy in healthcare and how can this improve nurses' wellbeing?
Full text linkMeeting nurses’ core needs – autonomy, belonging and contribution – is vital for their wellbeing and ability to deliver high-quality patient care. This is addressed by the professional nurse advocate role and is part of a compassionate leadership approach. In this article, the second in a series on compassionate leadership, we explore the concept and importance of autonomy. Autonomy enables nurses to align actions with values and beliefs and is affected by factors such as influence, fairness and working conditions. The professional nurse advocate role recognises the importance of autonomy in supporting a resilient nursing workforce and improving patient outcomes
Law and Political Authoritarianism in Plato’s Statesman
No full textIn this article I explore how Plato balances the power of ruling elites and masses in the Statesman and assess whether the political system in which the political expert rules and which Plato considers to be the only correct political system is best classified as authoritarian or antiauthoritarian. After developing a framework for discussing political authoritarianism in Plato, I argue that the rule of the political expert is strongly authoritarian and that an integral part of Plato’s political authoritarianism in the Statesman is his disregard for the value of the rule of law. I defend my interpretation against two recent antiauthoritarian interpretations of the dialogue advanced by Melissa Lane and John Cooper
Dark personality traits in project management: A bibliometric analysis and agenda for future research.
Full text linkFor the past thirty-five years, project management research has been largely dominated by studies emphasizing the prosocial, and therefore positive, traits of project managers and their influence on project outcomes. Alongside this tradition, however, a growing body of work has begun to examine alternative traits, specifically project manager dark personality (PMDP) traits, which are frequently described as ‘dark’. These traits are generally characterized as aversive, deviant, or malevolent. Despite increasing scholarly interest, the intellectual structure of research on PMDP traits remains underexplored. To address this gap, the present study undertakes a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of PMDP literature published between 1989 and 2024, with the aim of uncovering the thematic focus and publication patterns within this field. Our analysis reveals seven recurring project-focused themes: ‘Corruption, unethical, and negative behaviours’; ‘Impact of dark traits’; ‘Causes and effects of biases’; ‘Dark leadership and well-being’; ‘Causes of selective reporting’; ‘Authoritarian leadership and toxicity’; and ‘PM traits and outcomes’. The study makes two key contributions: first, it provides a pioneering primer on PMDP traits and traces their developmental trajectory; second, it highlights emerging themes and trends that merit further investigation
Assessing the potential for Crude Oil degradation by Biosurfactant-producing Bacteria isolated from Marine Ecosystems in Nigeria
Full text linkOptimization of petroleum hydrocarbon degradation process in contaminated environments could be feasible using biosurfactant-producing bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate crude oil degradation potential of biosurfactant-producing bacteria isolated from a marine ecosystem in Nigeria. Sediment and water samples were collected from ten marine locations in Nigeria, and physicochemical analyses were carried out on them. Isolates were identified and screened for biosurfactant production and crude oil degradation after 7 days of incubation. The screened isolates were assayed for biosurfactant production and crude oil degradation for 35 days and analysed every 7 days for changes in pH, OD and total petroleum hydrocarbon content. The strains with the highest yields were identified using PCR-based molecular method. Twenty bacterial species were isolated from the marine locations, and 15 of these isolates showed good potential for biosurfactant production and crude oil degradation. The isolates with the highest biosurfactant production using oil spread and emulsification index tests are Pseudomonas aeruginosa Sihong_820_11, P. aeruginosa Strain P73 and Atlantibacter hermannii Strain K167. In addition, these bacterial isolates have the highest crude oil degradation efficiencies of 87%, 68% and 68%, respectively. The findings revealed that biosurfactant-producing bacteria isolated from marine ecosystems within Nigeria could effectively degrade crude oil in contaminated sites. In addition, bacteria with higher potential for biosurfactant production are more efficient in crude oil degradation
Assessing the impact of instream barriers and climate change on wild Atlantic salmon in forested boreal watersheds
Full text linkAround the world, instream barriers like culverts, weirs and hydropower dams have impacted rivers for decades. Ecosystems previously teaming with migrating fish are now unable to support spawners. Climate change increases the risk, projected to raise river temperatures to unbearable levels, wreaking havoc with more frequent storms and less predictable rainfall. Better approaches to assessing watersheds and the numerous barriers within them is necessary to improve river conditions.This thesis develops a framework approach and toolset to improve the benefits of watershed assessment and restoration decisions.The thesis opens with development of the river restoration planning and analysis (RRPAT) tool. The values-based approach for ecological restoration is a roadmap for improving fish passage-ways, integrating design and decision-making to ensure a results-oriented plan. The case study highlights barrier prioritization on a river in the United Kingdom (UK). RRPAT is complemented by development of the Watershed Fragility Index (WFI) tool, designed to offer a comprehensive evaluation of watershed stressors. The WFI explores spatial analytics and fuzzy logic to tackle complex ecological frameworks, prioritizing stressors to enable superior watershed assessments. The case study covers WFI application on a river in western Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada.Next, the method for assessing climate change impacts at various scale for Atlantic salmon is developed with application of thesis tools. A case study examines 13 popular Atlantic salmon rivers for NL. Additional chapters share the development of the dynamic connectivity assessment tool (D-CAT). The D-CAT can perform complex river network calculations for in-depth barrier analysis, integrating customizable input data with proven connectivity understanding. Case studies covering rivers in both the UK and NL showcase D-CAT effectiveness, providing best barrier restoration choices plus alternatives for improved management decisions.The thesis work closes with policy implications of developed frameworks and tools, including some recommendations for further research considerations
Ill by mouth? Patients’ experiences of the oral and dental manifestations of scleroderma
Full text linkScleroderma is a rare chronic multi-system disease characterised by fibrotic changes in the skin, connective tissues and internal organs. The high mortality rate associated with the condition means that clinical attention is often focussed exclusively in these contexts. This paper reports on a mixed methods study which explored patients’ and practitioners’ experiences of the oral and dental manifestations of scleroderma – other aspects of the condition that, patients state, also have life-changing, and limiting, effects. The overarching research questions underpinning the study were, what are patients’ and practitioners’ experiences of scleroderma-related dental problems and what strategies can be developed to improve patients’ quality of life? Here we focus exclusively on patients, who reported a significant disjuncture between their own experiences and professionals’ understanding and intervention, such that their scleroderma related oral and dental problems were perceived to be clinically ignored and/or trivialised. This evident mismatch generates a range of keenly felt absences wherein the patient, the mouth, and the oral cavity more broadly, can be seen to both literally, and metaphorically, dis/dysappear. We draw on a range of theoretical and empirical perspectives to recognise the complex interplay of priorities and expectations that play out between patient and practitioner, concluding that far greater clinical attention should be afforded to the patient’s own account of their condition whether or not this fully aligns with practitioners’ perspectives. Scleroderma affects in excess of 2.5 million people globally, but the issues we explore here have a resonance far beyond this one rare condition. A range of other auto-immune and chronic conditions, such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, also prominently feature oral and dental problems and, as such, this work has the potential to help shape the treatment and understanding of the illness experiences of significant numbers of people
Principles for developing, undertaking, and reporting research with minority ethnic populations in palliative and end of life care: A modified Delphi study
Full text linkBackground: Minority ethnic populations face persistent inequities in end-of-life care, yet research often fails to capture these disparities due to methodological limitations. Robust approaches are urgently needed to investigate and address these inequities. Aim: To develop best practice principles for conducting qualitative and quantitative research on ethnicity in palliative and end of life care. Design: We conducted a modified Delphi study online, comprising one qualitative round and two quantitative rounds. Round 1 collected open-ended responses to generate 97 statements. In rounds 2 and 3, participants rated these on a 5-point Likert scale; statements were retained if ⩾75% rated them 'very' or 'extremely important'. Consensus statements informed the development of guiding principles, which were further refined during a stakeholder workshop. Participants were UK-based and included minority ethnic patients, carers, community representatives, researchers, health professionals, and palliative care specialists. Results: Forty-five participants completed round 1, 43 round 2, and 45 round 3. Of 97 statements, 78 (80%) reached consensus in round 2, and all 78 (100%) in round 3. Seventeen stakeholders attended the workshop, resulting in 13 consensus-based guiding principles. Conclusions: This UK-based Delphi established 13 key principles to strengthen research involving minority ethnic populations in palliative and end-of-life care. Implementing these principles will help address inequities and improve the quality and impact of future studies, with validation needed in international contexts
Submission to Reading for Pleasure Inquiry - evidence from custodial settings (RFP0165)
Full text linkThis submission to the UK Parliament Education Committee’s Reading for Pleasure Inquiry presents evidence from an ongoing research programme examining reading for pleasure in custodial settings. It argues that prisons, while outside the inquiry’s primary focus on early years and schools, offer a critical lens through which to understand long-term reading disengagement and the conditions required to rebuild reading motivation in adulthood. Drawing on prior prison-based reading initiatives and a forthcoming large-scale digital rollout across more than ninety prisons in England and Wales (subject to final Ministry of Justice approval), the project examines reading for pleasure as a behavioural process rather than solely an attitudinal outcome.The submission identifies four enabling conditions for restoring reading engagement: access, autonomy, relevance, and creative extension. It outlines a digitally delivered, self-paced reading-and-writing model designed to generate large-scale behavioural evidence on voluntary uptake, sustained engagement, and progression across reading levels. The evidence positions custodial settings as a legitimate and informative site for national literacy policy, arguing that reading for pleasure should be recognised as a lifelong practice extending beyond childhood. The submission calls for policy recognition of prisons within reading-for-pleasure frameworks, endorsement of autonomous digital provision, and support for ethical national data generation on adult reading engagement