scholarly journals Towards a Better Understanding of the Evolution of Specialized Parasites of Fungus-Growing Ant Crops

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sze Huei Yek ◽  
Jacobus J. Boomsma ◽  
Michael Poulsen
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Fungus Growing Ants

Fungus-growing ants have interacted and partly coevolved with specialised microfungal parasites of the genusEscovopsissince the origin of ant fungiculture about 50 million years ago. Here, we review the recent progress in understanding the patterns of specificity of this ant-parasite association, covering both the colony/population level and comparisons between phylogenetic clades. We use a modified version of Tinbergen's four categories of evolutionary questions to structure our review in complementary approaches addressing both proximate questions of development and mechanism, and ultimate questions of (co)adaptation and evolutionary history. Using the same scheme, we identify future research questions that are likely to be particularly illuminating for understanding the ecology and evolution ofEscovopsisparasitism of the cultivar maintained by fungus-growing ants.

scholarly journals Fungi inhabiting attine ant colonies: reassessment of the genus Escovopsis and description of Luteomyces and Sympodiorosea gens. nov.

IMA Fungus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Quimi Vidaurre Montoya ◽  
Maria Jesus Sutta Martiarena ◽  
Rodolfo Bizarria ◽  
Nicole Marie Gerardo ◽  
Andre Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Diverse Group ◽  
New Genera ◽  
Monophyletic Clade ◽  
Ant Colonies ◽  
Taxonomic Approach ◽  
Taxonomic Framework ◽  
Fungus Growing Ants

AbstractEscovopsis is a diverse group of fungi, which are considered specialized parasites of the fungal cultivars of fungus-growing ants. The lack of a suitable taxonomic framework and phylogenetic inconsistencies have long hampered Escovopsis research. The aim of this study is to reassess the genus Escovopsis using a taxonomic approach and a comprehensive multilocus phylogenetic analysis, in order to set the basis of the genus systematics and the stage for future Escovopsis research. Our results support the separation of Escovopsis into three distinct genera. In light of this, we redefine Escovopsis as a monophyletic clade whose main feature is to form terminal vesicles on conidiophores. Consequently, E. kreiselii and E. trichodermoides were recombined into two new genera, Sympodiorosea and Luteomyces, as S. kreiselii and L. trichodermoides, respectively. This study expands our understanding of the systematics of Escovopsis and related genera, thereby facilitating future research on the evolutionary history, taxonomic diversity, and ecological roles of these inhabitants of the attine ant colonies.

Dysfunctional Behavior in Organizations: Insights from the Management Control Literature

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 117-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista Fiolleau ◽  
Theresa Libby ◽  
Linda Thorne
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Fraud Triangle ◽  
Audit Risk ◽  
Research Opportunities ◽  
Dysfunctional Behavior ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Published Research

SUMMARY As the scope of the audit continues to broaden (Cohen, Krishnamoorthy, and Wright 2017), research questions in management control and internal control are beginning to overlap. Even so, there is little overlap between these fields in terms of published research to date. The purpose of this paper is to take a step in bridging the gap between the management control and the internal control literatures. We survey relevant findings from the extant management control literature published between 2003 and 2016 on dysfunctional behavior and the ways in which it might be mitigated. We then use the fraud triangle as an organizing framework to consider how the management control literature might help to address audit risk factors identified in SAS 99/AU SEC 316 (AICPA 2002). The outcome of our analysis is meant to identify and classify the extant management control literature of relevance to research on internal control in a manner that researchers new to the management control literature will find accessible. We conclude with a set of future research opportunities that can help to broaden the scope of current research in internal control.

scholarly journals The role of habitat configuration in shaping animal population processes: a framework to generate quantitative predictions

Oecologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng He ◽  
Pierre-Olivier Montiglio ◽  
Marius Somveille ◽  
Mauricio Cantor ◽  
Damien R. Farine
Keyword(s):  
Population Level ◽  
R Package ◽  
Habitat Configuration ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Alternative Habitat ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Habitat Networks ◽  
Animal Habitat

AbstractBy shaping where individuals move, habitat configuration can fundamentally structure animal populations. Yet, we currently lack a framework for generating quantitative predictions about the role of habitat configuration in modulating population outcomes. To address this gap, we propose a modelling framework inspired by studies using networks to characterize habitat connectivity. We first define animal habitat networks, explain how they can integrate information about the different configurational features of animal habitats, and highlight the need for a bottom–up generative model that can depict realistic variations in habitat potential connectivity. Second, we describe a model for simulating animal habitat networks (available in the R package AnimalHabitatNetwork), and demonstrate its ability to generate alternative habitat configurations based on empirical data, which forms the basis for exploring the consequences of alternative habitat structures. Finally, we lay out three key research questions and demonstrate how our framework can address them. By simulating the spread of a pathogen within a population, we show how transmission properties can be impacted by both local potential connectivity and landscape-level characteristics of habitats. Our study highlights the importance of considering the underlying habitat configuration in studies linking social structure with population-level outcomes.

scholarly journals People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their caregivers: what matters most?

2021 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2020-002741
Author(s):  
Paola Brunori ◽  
Maria Grazia Celani ◽  
Angelo Alberto Bignamini ◽  
Marzia Carlini ◽  
Rossella Papetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Disease Burden ◽  
Anger Management ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Text File ◽  
Medical Issues ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to collect the perspectives and values of people affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their carers to offer clinicians, researchers and policymakers aspects which are precious in prioritising future research questions and reshaping care service organisations in a participatory approach.Design and settingCohort study using ALS Umbria, the electronic database in Italy.ParticipantsEleven patients and 33 carers who agreed to participate in the study were divided into six focus groups by ‘status’ (patient or carer) and by four severity levels of ‘burden of disease’.MethodsA semiquantitative analysis was undertaken. Each recorded group discussion was transcribed into text file and independently read by two psychologists and two ALS specialists to blindly identify needs, emotions and medical issues, which are the key semantic meanings expressed. Any disagreement in interpretation was resolved through consultation among authors.ResultsCarers pronounced significantly more words related to patient’s disease burden they cared. 40% of subjects expressed the need for ‘assistance’, regardless of the disease burden. ‘Anger’ alone represented more than 1/4 of all expressed emotions and was more common in patients than in carers (73% vs 36%, p=0.077). The most frequent medical issue expressed by 1/3 of participants was ‘difficulty in communication’.ConclusionThis study has given voice to the expectations of those affected by the burden of ALS. ‘Welfare assistance’, ‘anger management’ and resolution of ‘difficulties in communication’ represent issues that need to be analysed in a common prioritised research agenda with sensible and shared outcome measures to implement patient-centred medicine.

scholarly journals Artificial intelligence in hospitals: providing a status quo of ethical considerations in academia to guide future research

AI & Society ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Mirbabaie ◽  
Lennart Hofeditz ◽  
Nicholas R. J. Frick ◽  
Stefan Stieglitz
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Citation Network ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Biomedical Ethics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Discourse ◽  
The Status ◽  
Clinical Environments ◽  
Research Questions

AbstractThe application of artificial intelligence (AI) in hospitals yields many advantages but also confronts healthcare with ethical questions and challenges. While various disciplines have conducted specific research on the ethical considerations of AI in hospitals, the literature still requires a holistic overview. By conducting a systematic discourse approach highlighted by expert interviews with healthcare specialists, we identified the status quo of interdisciplinary research in academia on ethical considerations and dimensions of AI in hospitals. We found 15 fundamental manuscripts by constructing a citation network for the ethical discourse, and we extracted actionable principles and their relationships. We provide an agenda to guide academia, framed under the principles of biomedical ethics. We provide an understanding of the current ethical discourse of AI in clinical environments, identify where further research is pressingly needed, and discuss additional research questions that should be addressed. We also guide practitioners to acknowledge AI-related benefits in hospitals and to understand the related ethical concerns.

scholarly journals Recent Progress of Fluxgate Magnetic Sensors: Basic Research and Application

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1500
Author(s):  
Songrui Wei ◽  
Xiaoqi Liao ◽  
Han Zhang ◽  
Jianhua Pang ◽  
Yan Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Recent Progress ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Magnetic Sensor ◽  
Magnetic Sensors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Calibration Methods ◽  
Wearable Electronic ◽  
Wearable Electronic Devices

Fluxgate magnetic sensors are especially important in detecting weak magnetic fields. The mechanism of a fluxgate magnetic sensor is based on Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. The structure of a fluxgate magnetic sensor mainly consists of excitation windings, core and sensing windings, similar to the structure of a transformer. To date, they have been applied to many fields such as geophysics and astro-observations, wearable electronic devices and non-destructive testing. In this review, we report the recent progress in both the basic research and applications of fluxgate magnetic sensors, especially in the past two years. Regarding the basic research, we focus on the progress in lowering the noise, better calibration methods and increasing the sensitivity. Concerning applications, we introduce recent work about fluxgate magnetometers on spacecraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, wearable electronic devices and defect detection in coiled tubing. Based on the above work, we hope that we can have a clearer prospect about the future research direction of fluxgate magnetic sensor.

Engaging Undergraduate Public Health Students Through a Textbook Creation Project

2020 ◽  
pp. 237337992096241
Author(s):  
Jessica Sloan Kruger ◽  
Christopher Hollister
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Open Educational Resource ◽  
Educational Resource ◽  
Final Version ◽  
Primary Motivation ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Health Course ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Undergraduate Public Health

This study examines students’ perceptions of an open pedagogy experiment in which they created their own textbook for an undergraduate public health course. The lead author’s primary motivation for developing this assignment was the high cost associated with the traditional textbooks that were otherwise needed to cover the breadth of subject matter in the course. The resulting open textbook included 19 chapters, covering all the required components of the course, and the final version was published in a statewide open educational resource repository. Students provided feedback about this undertaking by way of an end-of-term survey. The results showed high percentages of students who associated the textbook creation project with greater engagement and satisfaction than the passive use of traditional textbooks. Students also reported their perception of a learning benefit related to the creation of course content. Pedagogical implications of this study are discussed, and future research questions are proposed.

scholarly journals It’s Time to Change Direction on Agility Research: a Call to Action

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren Young ◽  
Russell Rayner ◽  
Scott Talpey
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Validity ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Change Of Direction ◽  
Movement Component ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Action Coupling ◽  
Perception Action ◽  
Opinion Article

AbstractAgility is an important skill for both attackers and defenders in invasion sports such as codes of football. On the sporting field, agility requires reacting to a stimulus, often presented by an opponent’s movement, before a change of direction or speed. There is a plethora of research that examines the movement component of agility in isolation, which is described as change-of-direction (COD) ability, and this is thought to underpin agility performance. This opinion article proposes that COD ability should not be researched as the only or primary outcome measure when the objective is to inform agility performance in invasion sports. It is argued that pre-planned COD movements and tests lack ecological validity because they lack perception-action coupling and involve movement out of context from the game. The movement techniques and strength qualities required for the performance of COD tests can be quite different to those required for agility. It is suggested that COD tests can be applied to sports that involve pre-planned COD movements, but researchers should endeavour to use agility tests when studying invasion sports. Some new methods for assessing one-on-one agility contests are reported as potentially valuable for future research, and examples of research questions are provided.

scholarly journals Sustainable Waste Management Innovations in Africa: New Perspectives and Research Agenda for Improving Global Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6646
Author(s):  
Frederick Ahen ◽  
Joseph Amankwah-Amoah
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Waste Management ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Incorrect Diagnosis ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Green Business ◽  
Research Questions

The need for green business practices and green innovations underscores a growing recognition that climate change is now an existential threat not just to population health but also to the survival of businesses that are unable to embrace green practices with a sense of urgency. This paper contributes to the literature on market violence as an inhibitor of green innovations for sustainable waste management to curb the unneeded health effects of wastes in Africa. Our purpose is to problematize received wisdom, unquestioned assumptions, and incorrect diagnosis of the sources and health consequences of various forms of wastes in Africa. Much of the discourse on this issue remains ahistorical, and that risks leaving aside a vital question of exploitative extraction. By including this ‘out-of-the-box’ explanation through major case references, we are able to shed light on the critical issues that have hitherto received limited attention, thus enabling us to propose useful research questions for future enquiries. We propose a framework that delineates the structural composition of costs imposed by market violence that ranges from extraction to e-waste disposal. We advocate for the engineering of policies that create conditions for doing more with less resources, eliminating waste, and recycling as crucial steps in creating sustainable waste management innovations. Additionally, we highlight a set of fundamental issues regarding enablers and inhibitors of sustainable innovations and policies for waste management worth considering for future research. These include programmed obsolescence, irresponsible extraction, production, and consumption, all seen through the theoretical lens of market violence.

Perspective of Organoboron Chemistry

Synlett ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingbing Kong ◽  
Chunming Cui
Keyword(s):  
Recent Progress ◽  
Main Group ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Materials Chemistry ◽  
Organoboron Compounds ◽  
The Future ◽  
Research Hotspots

Organoboron compounds play prominent roles in structural, synthetic and materials chemistry because the boron atoms may feature electrophilic, amphiphilic and nucleophilic characters. This perspective briefly describes the most recent progress in organoboron chemistry by focusing on both new advent boron molecules and their applications, which greatly inspire the interest of main group chemists. Meanwhile, the future research hotspots based on these pioneering results are also discussed.

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