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Behavioral assessment of heavy metal pollution effects on birds unveils species-specific responses to different elements
No full textHeavy metal pollution can alter animal behaviors in ways that can significantly reduce fitness. However, the direct influence of exposure to highly polluted environments on behavioral traits has rarely been studied in the field. Here, we investigated the effects on behavior of heavy metal accumulation by analyzing four primary heavy metals—Mercury (Hg), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), and Cadmium (Cd)—extracted from feathers of six passerine bird species from a heavily polluted subtropical region in southwest China. We examined the correlations between these heavy metals’ concentrations and three behavioral traits assessed during handling: breath rate, distress calls, and handling aggression. We recorded contrasting patterns across species and elements so that negative effects of heavy metals were masked to some extent by divergent tendencies across taxa. Only a marginally significant negative correlation between Cd concentration and the number of distress calls at handling (p = 0.09) was apparent overall, although this was significant in 4 of 6 species (p < 0.03). Thus, our results suggest that in heavy metal-polluted areas, exposure to potentially toxic metals such as Cd and Pb, which often co-occur and show strong correlations, could reduce the anti-predator responses of birds, indicating that the behavioral effects of heavy metals may vary depending on both species and the combined influence of different elements. As altering aggressive defensive behaviors in either direction (too much or too little) could adversely affect bird fitness, more studies are needed to understand the species-specific patterns. This study provides a foundation for future research on behavioral responses to handling obtained non-destructively to assess heavy metal contamination in polluted regions
Animal tracking with particle algorithms informs protected area design
Get PDFAnimal movements affect their exposure to threats and the efficacy of conservation measures, such as marine protected areas (MPAs). However, many species’ movements are difficult to reconstruct from available datasets, hampering conservation efforts. This is especially the case for aquatic species that rarely surface, for which data are often limited to observations from acoustic telemetry (detections) and ancillary sensors. Here, we pioneer the use of state-of-the-art particle algorithms to model movements, integrate datasets, and assess MPA design, leveraging a case study of a Critically Endangered elasmobranch. Our algorithms led to 5-fold improvements in space-use maps and 30-fold improvements in residency estimates compared to prevailing methods. By integrating tracking datasets, we were uniquely able to examine movements beyond acoustic receivers, MPA-scale residency, and specific habitats beyond protected areas that warrant protection. This work reveals a modeling framework that enhances the conservation value of acoustic telemetry, supporting analyses of MPA efficacy worldwide
Factors influencing fatigue in nurses working in respiratory clinical areas during the second wave of the Covid‐19 pandemic: An online survey
Get PDFAims and objectivesThis study explores UK nurses' experiences of working in a respiratory clinical area during the COVID-19 pandemic over winter 2020.BackgroundDuring the first wave of the pandemic, nurses working in respiratory clinical areas experienced significant levels of anxiety and depression. As the pandemic has progressed, levels of fatigue in nurses have not been assessed.MethodsA cross-sectional e-survey was distributed via professional respiratory societies and social media. The survey included Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9, depression), a resilience scale (RS-14) and Chalder mental and physical fatigue tools. The STROBE checklist was followed as guidance to write the manuscript.ResultsDespite reporting anxiety and depression, few nurses reported having time off work with stress, most were maintaining training and felt prepared for COVID challenges in their current role. Nurses reported concerns over safety and patient feedback was both positive and negative. A quarter of respondents reported wanting to leave nursing. Nurses experiencing greater physical fatigue reported higher levels of anxiety and depression.ConclusionsNurses working in respiratory clinical areas were closely involved in caring for COVID-19 patients. Nurses continued to experience similar levels of anxiety and depression to those found in the first wave and reported symptoms of fatigue (physical and mental). A significant proportion of respondents reported considering leaving nursing. Retention of nurses is vital to ensure the safe functioning of already overstretched health services. Nurses would benefit from regular mental health check-ups to ensure they are fit to practice and receive the support they need to work effectively.Relevance to clinical practiceA high proportion of nurses working in respiratory clinical areas have been identified as experiencing fatigue in addition to continued levels of anxiety, depression over winter 2020. Interventions need to be implemented to help provide mental health support and improve workplace conditions to minimise PTSD and burnout
Prudence as an ethical foundation for risk management
Get PDFPurposeThis paper aims to draw on historical conceptions of true and false prudence within the broader context of virtue ethics ideas, to create a prudence framework for developing risk-and-ethics cultures in organisations.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a theoretical analytical approach as a means of examining plausible representations of risk as ethical practice.FindingsWhile the ethical ideal of true prudence is explained primarily with reference to psychological theories of generativity, false prudence is explained as undesirable, primarily with reference to psychological problems of narcissism and the broader dark triad. True and false prudence are represented as centring upon very different motivations for foresight, each of which might set the cultural tone for organisational risk management.Originality/valueThis paper’s main contribution is therefore to call attention to the benefits for organisations of reflecting upon differences between true and false prudence when planning the risk management they want
Digital Twins: Towards an Overarching Framework for the Built Environment
Get PDFDigital Twins (DTs) have entered the built environment from more established industries like aviation and manufacturing, although there has never been a common goal for utilising DTs at scale. Their assimilation into the built environment lacked its very own handover documentation: how should DTs be implemented into a project and what responsibilities should each project stakeholder hold in the realisation of a DT vision. What is needed is an approach to translate these requirements into actionable DT dimensions. This paper presents a foundation for an overarching framework specific to the built environment. For the purposes of this research, the project timeline is established by referencing the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Plan of Work from 2020, providing a foundation for delineating project stages. The RIBA Plan of Work consists of eight stages designed to inform on the definition, briefing, design, coordination, construction, handover, and use of a built asset. Similar project stages are utilised in other countries; therefore, the recommendations from the interviews presented in this paper are applicable internationally. Simultaneously, there is not a single mainstream software resource that leverages DT abilities. This ambiguity meets an unparalleled ambition from governments and industries worldwide to achieve a national grid of interconnected DTs. For the construction industry to access these benefits, it necessitates a defined starting point. This research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential applications and ramifications of DT in the context of the built environment. This paper is an integral part of a larger research aimed at developing a conceptual framework for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector following a conventional project timeline. Therefore, this paper plays a pivotal role in providing practical insights and a tangible foundation for developing a stage-by-stage approach to assimilate the potential of DT within the built environment. First, the research focuses on a review of relevant literature, albeit acknowledging the inherent constraint of limited sources available. Secondly, a qualitative study compiling the views of 14 DT experts is presented, concluding with an inductive analysis of the interview findings-ultimately highlighting the barriers and strengths of DT in the context of framework development. As parallel developments aim to progress net-zero-centred design and improve project efficiencies across the built environment, the limited resources available to support DTs should be leveraged to propel the industry to reach its digitalisation era, in which AEC stakeholders have a fundamental role in understanding this, from the earliest stages of a project
Toward a Real-Time TCP SYN Flood DDoS Mitigation Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Classifier and SDN Assistance in Fog Computing
Get PDFThe growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has recently impacted our daily lives in many ways. As a result, a massive volume of data are generated and need to be processed in a short period of time. Therefore, a combination of computing models such as cloud computing is necessary. The main disadvantage of the cloud platform is its high latency due to the centralized mainframe. Fortunately, a distributed paradigm known as fog computing has emerged to overcome this problem, offering cloud services with low latency and high-access bandwidth to support many IoT application scenarios. However, attacks against fog servers can take many forms, such as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that severely affect the reliability and availability of fog services. To address these challenges, we propose mitigation of fog computing-based SYN Flood DDoS attacks using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and software defined networking (SDN) assistance (FASA). The simulation results show that the FASA system outperforms other algorithms in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. This shows how crucial our system is for detecting and mitigating TCP-SYN floods and DDoS attacks
Cluster-based oversampling with area extraction from representative points for class imbalance learning
Get PDFClass imbalance learning is challenging in various domains where training datasets exhibit disproportionate samples in a specific class. Resampling methods have been used to adjust the class distribution, but they often have limitations for small disjunct minority subsets. This paper introduces AROSS, an adaptive cluster-based oversampling approach that addresses these limitations. AROSS utilizes an optimized agglomerative clustering algorithm with the Cophenetic Correlation Coefficient and the Bayesian Information Criterion to identify representative areas of the minority class. Safe and half-safe areas are obtained using an incremental k-Nearest Neighbor strategy, and oversampling is performed with a truncated hyperspherical Gaussian distribution. Experimental evaluations on 70 binary datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of AROSS in improving class imbalance learning performance, making it a promising solution for mitigating class imbalance challenges, especially for small disjunct minority subsets
Wood properties and uses of larch in Great Britain
No full textThis report collates and synthesises research into the production and use of larch timber in Great Britain, drawing on information from a range of published and unpublished studies. It is written for forest scientists, engineers, wood processors and end users of wood products who are seeking to determine the potential end uses of larch. The report is divided into three parts: (1) the distribution of larch, including introduction of different species into Great Britain and the current extent of the resource, (2) the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of larch wood and their variation, and (3) the suitability of larch timber for different end products
Introduction to Special Issue: Expanding Landscapes of Academic Writing in Academia
Get PDFAcademic writing is essential for disciplinary learning, academic success, knowledge creation, social status, and career advancement within academia (Fang, 2021). Academic research, writing, and publishing form the foundations of the majority of academic positions and remain primary considerations for hiring, renewal, promotion, and tenure in most higher education institutions (Ratković et al., 2019; Rawat & Meena, 2014). Early-career researchers must establish a significant track record of research, including publishing in high-impact journals (Couch, 2020). In graduate programs, academic writing competencies are critical for student success, with doctoral students often led to believe that they must be prolific academic writers to gain entry and advancement within academia (Mandke, 2019)
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