Principal Gaps Research Articles

The genus Artemia, the nanoplastics, the microplastics, and their toxic effects: a review.

Plastic pollution is a threat to the marine environment, the destination of mismanaged plastic. Due to reduced size, microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) can interact with a wide range of organisms. Non-selective filter feeder zooplanktonic microcrustaceans are potential targets for MNP accumulation. Zooplankton is a key group for the food web, linking primary producers to secondary consumers. The genus Artemia has been widely used to investigate the effects of plastic particles on the biota. The present work critically reviewed the ecotoxicological studies about plastic particles and Artemia, pointing out methodological aspects and effects caused by MNPs, highlighting their importance and limitations, and suggesting directions for future research. We analyzed twenty-one parameters into four categories: characteristics of plastic particles, general particularities of brine shrimp, methodologies of the cultures, and toxicological parameters. The principal gaps in the area are the lack of methodological standardization regarding the physicochemical parameters of the particles, the biology of the animals, and culture conditions. Even though few studies performed realistic exposure scenarios, results indicate MNPs as potential harmful contaminants to microcrustaceans. The main effects reported were particle ingestion and accumulation followed by reduced brine shrimp survival/mobility. The present review poses Artemia as suitable animals for investigations concerning the risks of MNP exposure at the individual level and to the ecosystems, although protocol standardization is still needed.

Developing PSS business ecosystems in the digital era

This paper presents two approaches to developing PSS (product-service systems) business ecosystems for manufacturing and service organisations by leveraging digital development. Our research is based on two in-depth, comparative case studies of large multinational corporations: one manufacturing company that takes the servitisation approach and the other a logistics services company taking a productisation approach. The research addresses two principal gaps in extant PSS research. First, most extant PSS research focuses predominantly on servitisation development and overlooks the productisation perspective. We address this gap by considering PSS from both a productisation and servitisation perspective. Second, extant research investigates PSS integration mainly from the ‘technical’ and ‘commercial’ perspectives. In contrast, this research adds a ‘social’ perspective by considering the business-to-authority (B2A) and business-to-public (B2P) relations. The findings also provide business practitioners with preliminary yet meaningful insights into holistic consideration of PSS ecosystem integration from ‘technical’, ‘commercial’ and ‘social’ perspectives. Moreover, we seek to push the boundaries of PSS ecosystem research and promote interdisciplinary research across fields, including business strategy, industrial marketing, social marketing, public policy and supply chain management.

Ordovician of the Eastern Baltic palaeobasin and the Tornquist Sea margin of Baltica

Abstract This paper summarizes recent knowledge on the palaeontology, biostratigraphy, correlation, sea-level and climate history and isotopic geochemistry of the Ordovician rocks in the western and central parts of the East European Craton, in the area extending from the southern margin of the Fennoscandian Shield to the western margin of the Ukrainian Shield. The regional chronostratigraphic standard is briefly summarized and its correlation to the global standard of the Ordovician is addressed. A two-part correlation chart of 10 areas with unique local Ordovician successions is aligned with the most recent international correlation standard of the Ordovician System and presented against the regular timescale. An updated summary of the evolution of the marine assemblages is provided, the principal gaps in the existing extremely rich palaeontological database are identified and the main bioevents are discussed.

Global development cooperation in a COVID-19 world

COVID-19 and the economic response have amplified and changed the nature of development challenges in fundamental ways. Global development cooperation should adapt accordingly. This paper lays out the urgency for new methods of development cooperation that can deliver resource transfers at scale, oriented to addressing climate change and with transparency and better governance. It looks at what is actually happening to major donor countries’ development cooperation programs and where the principal gaps lie, and offers some thoughts on how to move forward, notwithstanding the clear geopolitical rivalries that are evident.The most immediate challenge is to provide a level of liquidity support to countries ravaged by the global economic downturn. Many developing countries will see double-digit declines in GDP, with some recording downturns not seen in peacetime. Alongside the short-term challenge of recovery, COVID-19 has laid bare longer-term trends that have pointed for some time to the lack of sustainability—environmental, social, and governance—in the way economic development was occurring in many places, including in advanced economies. This new landscape has significant implications for development cooperation in terms of scale, development/climate co-benefits, and transparency and accountability.

Subtype diagnosis, treatment, complications and outcomes of primary aldosteronism and future direction of research: a position statement and consensus of the Working Group on Endocrine Hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension.

: Primary aldosteronism is a frequent cause of secondary hypertension requiring a specific pharmacological treatment with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist or with unilateral adrenalectomy. These treatments have shown to reduce the excess of cardiovascular risk characteristically associated with this disease. In part I of this consensus, we discussed the procedures for the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. In the present part II, we address the strategies for the differential diagnosis of primary aldosteronism subtypes and therapy. We also discuss the evaluation of outcomes and provide suggestions for follow-up as well as cardiovascular and metabolic complications specifically associated with primary aldosteronism. Finally, we analyse the principal gaps of knowledge and future challenges for research in this field.

Views of health care professionals and policy-makers on the use of surveillance data to combat antimicrobial resistance

BackgroundProviding healthcare professionals with health surveillance data aims to support professional and organisational behaviour change. The UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Strategy 2013 to 2018 identified better access to and use of surveillance data as a key component. Our aim was to determine the extent to which data on antimicrobial use and resistance met the perceived needs of health care professionals and policy-makers at national, regional and local levels, and how provision could be improved.MethodsWe conducted 41 semi-structured interviews with national policy makers in the four Devolved Administrations and 71 interviews with health care professionals in six locations across the United Kingdom selected to achieve maximum variation in terms of population and health system characteristics. Transcripts were analysed thematically using a mix of a priori reasoning guided by the main topics in the interview guide together with themes emerging inductively from the data. Views were considered at three levels - primary care, secondary care and national - and in terms of availability of data, current uses, benefits, gaps and potential improvements.ResultsRespondents described a range of uses for prescribing and resistance data. The principal gaps identified were prescribing in private practice, internet prescribing and secondary care (where some hospitals did not have electronic prescribing systems). Some respondents under-estimated the range of data available. There was a perception that the responsibility for collecting and analysing data often rests with a few individuals who may lack sufficient time and appropriate skills.ConclusionsThere is a need to raise awareness of data availability and the potential value of these data, and to ensure that data systems are more accessible. Any skills gap at local level in how to process and use data needs to be addressed. This requires an identification of the best methods to improve support and education relating to AMR data systems.

Performance measurement in product development process (PDP): literature review and gaps for further research

Goal: this paper performs a literature review to identify and analyze the main themes related to PDP performance measurement and presents the gaps for further exploration.
 Design / Methodology / Approach: this paper searches the main bases of academic data in order to find scientific papers related to PDP performance measurement and classify them on five main themes: design performance; human resources; knowledge resources; financial performance, and literature review.
 Results: the results show that more than fifty percent of the papers are associated with knowledge resource issues and the principal gaps to be explored are associated with design performance, human resources, financial performance and literature review.
 Limitations of the investigation: the main limitation is related to the bases of academic data. Additional papers available on different bases can lead to different results. 
 Practical implications: this paper intends to make a contribution to academia and practitioners as it shows gaps on PDP performance measurement research that can be better explored.
 Originality / Value: to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no study that evaluates a literature review for PDP performance measurement. This work contributes to the literature by presenting the directions for further PDP performance measurement research.

Autonomous Mobile Scanning Systems for the Digitization of Buildings: A Review

Mobile scanning systems are being used more and more frequently in industry, construction, and artificial intelligent applications. More particularly, autonomous scanning plays an essential role in the field of the automatic creation of 3D models of building. This paper presents a critical review of current autonomous scanning systems, discussing essential aspects that determine the efficiency and applicability of a scanning system in real environments. Some important issues, such as data redundancy, occlusion, initial assumptions, the complexity of the scanned scene, and autonomy, are analysed in the first part of the document, while the second part discusses other important aspects, such as pre-processing, time requirements, evaluation, and opening detection. A set of representative autonomous systems is then chosen for comparison, and the aforementioned characteristics are shown together in several illustrative tables. Principal gaps, limitations, and future developments are presented in the last section. The paper provides the reader with a general view of the world of autonomous scanning and emphasizes the difficulties and challenges that new autonomous platforms should tackle in the future.

Regulatory Practices of Urban Agriculture: A Connection to Planning and Policy

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Municipalities across the United States are gradually recognizing urban agriculture as an integral part of planning, land use, and zoning ordinances. We review the literature on the regulation of urban agriculture at a moment when policy and regulatory vacuums exist and the acceptance and integration of urban agriculture is uneven. We review the current regulatory practices of 40 metropolitan and 40 micropolitan municipalities in the 4 U.S. Census regions. We find that municipalities are filling policy vacuums by adopting enabling ordinances (zoning ordinances, land use designations, resolutions), regulations on urban agriculture production (backyard animals, built structures, practitioner responsibility), and fiscal policy instruments (restrictions on sales of agricultural products, tax abatement, urban agriculture fees). Our findings support local planning practitioners in filling regulatory gaps, practitioners of urban agriculture in seeking how it’s done elsewhere, and researchers in discerning new applied and basic research projects. We identify 3 principal knowledge gaps: Planners need a complete typology of regulatory possibilities; a better understanding of how local, state, and federal legislations constrain or enable urban agriculture; and empirical evidence of the economic, social, and environmental impacts of urban agriculture.Takeaway for practice: Planners should assess existing urban agricultural practices and consider which regulatory frameworks best support multiple local goals, incorporating a concern with urban agriculture into ongoing activities, deploying existing or innovative land use tools, facilitating institutional cooperation, and promoting inclusive decision making and community engagement.

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OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Our objectives are to provide opportunities for graduate students, clinical interns, and postdoctoral fellows in traditional training programs to have immersive experiences in clinical research conduct from a CRP perspective. In addition, we aimed to address common causes of job dissatisfaction by providing professional development and networking opportunities for the existing CRP workforce. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: In collaboration with the CTSA workforce development group, the Duke Office of Clinical Research hosted a site visit for 19 PhD scientists interested in nontraditional career pathways and a short lecture series on project management careers in clinical research. Additionally, we crafted specific clinical research training electives for 20 masters students and 10 dietetic interns. Finally, in collaboration with UNC-CH, we combined Research Professional Networks to provide a pilot joint professional development event for 109 CRPs from both schools. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The number of Masters students enrolling in the CRP elective grew from 7 students in year 1 to 13 students currently enrolled. A retro-pre/postprogram adapted CRAI survey was issued following program completion. Students self-reported increases in competence across all 24 skills measured. Largest increases were seen in areas specific to CRP roles such as consenting patients, understanding the IRB, and reviewing key study documents. A baseline culture survey issued at the joint Duke/UNC CRP event garnered a 65% response rate and indicated that the principal gaps in professional training are in communications, teamwork, leadership, and professionalism. Moreover, respondents indicated that creating a sense of community and providing networking opportunities were the most important outcomes for future CRP collaborations. Future evaluations of both of these programs will allow us to tailor training to be most effective in strengthening our CRP workforce. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These initiatives lay the groundwork for the development of a robust training pipeline into CRP careers. Future initiative will apply lessons learned toward creating internship programs aimed at improving diversity and inclusion within these careers. In addition, by addressing the professional development needs of the existing workforce, we create a sustainable environment for well-trained professionals. By evaluating these primary initiatives, we can better define the critical elements that must be included in CRP educational, development, and support programs and subsequently apply these to ultimately improve the clinical and translational research being conducted in academic research settings.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT OF GREEN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT: A LITERATURE REVIEW AND GAPS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) has been receiving increased attention because of the urgent need of organizations to address sustainability issues as a condition for their competitiveness, and the issue of how performance should be measured becomes crucial. This paper performs a literature review on an academic basis in order to identify the main subjects and sustainable dimensions of research studies involving the performance measurement of GSCM and the gaps for further research. Sixty three percent of the analyzed papers are associated with framework, mathematical modelling, empirical research and application, and the principal gaps to be explored are the metrics, measures and integration of the GSCM with existing quality methods. Almost all of these subjects are discussed in an economic and environmental dimension, remaining the social dimension a relevant gap to be explored. Based on this scenario, this paper intends to make a contribution to the academia and professionals of the area.

Composition behaviour of energy band gaps in the alloy AlxGayIn1–x–ySbzAs1–z

The principal energy band gaps [E(), E(L), and E(X)] of the pentanary alloy are calculated over the entire composition space (x,y, and z) using the universal tight-binding method based on basis functions. As the compositions x,y, and z increase, increases rapidly and approaches E(X) or E(L). A direct-to-indirect transition occurs in the high-composition range of because of either E(X) or E(L). It is found that the direct band-gap energy ranges from 0.18 to 1.98 eV. The independent composition effects of x, y, and z in the band gaps are investigated and compared with experimental data, and the results are in good agreement. In addition, the energy band gaps of the alloy that were lattice matched on InAs and GaSb are found to be in the mid-infrared spectral range, which ranges from 0.35 to 0.57 eV (3.50–2.17 m) and 0.32 to 0.54 eV (3.88–2.29 m), respectively.

Datos geográficos de los murciélagos (Chiroptera) en el Neotrópico

The global effort to digitize biodiversity occurrence data from collections, museums and other institutions has stimulated the development of important tools to improve the knowledge and conservation of biodiversity. The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) enables and opens access to biodiversity data of 321 million of records, from 379 host institutions. Neotropical bats are a highly diverse and specialized group, and the geographic information about them is increasing since few years ago, but there are a few reports about this topic. The aim of this study was to analyze the number of digital records in GBIF of Neotropical bats with distribution in 21 American countries, evaluating their nomenclatural and geographical consistence at scale of country. Moreover, we evaluated the gaps of information on 1 degrees latitude x 1 degrees longitude grids cells. There were over 1/2 million records, but 58% of them have no latitude and longitude data; and 52% full fit nomenclatural and geographic evaluation. We estimated that there are no records in 54% of the analyzed area; the principal gaps are in biodiversity hotspots like the Colombian and Brazilian Amazonia and Southern Venezuela. In conclusion, our study suggests that available data on GBIF have nomenclatural and geographic biases. GBIF data represent partially the bat species richness and the main gaps in information are in South America.

Potential interactions between diadromous fishes of U.K. conservation importance and the electromagnetic fields and subsea noise from marine renewable energy developments

The considerable extent of construction and operation of marine renewable energy developments (MRED) within U.K. and adjacent waters will lead, among other things, to the emission of electromagnetic fields (EMF) and subsea sounds into the marine environment. Migratory fishes that respond to natural environmental cues, such as the Earth's geomagnetic field or underwater sounds, move through the same waters that the MRED occupy, thereby raising the question of whether there are any effects of MRED on migratory fishes. Diadromous species, such as the Salmonidae and Anguillidae, which undertake large-scale migrations through coastal and offshore waters, are already significantly affected by other human activities leading to national and international conservation efforts to manage any existing threats and to minimize future concerns, including the potential effect of MRED. Here, the current state of knowledge with regard to the potential for diadromous fishes of U.K. conservation importance to be affected by MRED is reviewed. The information on which to base the review was found to be limited with respect to all aspects of these fishes' migratory behaviour and activity, especially with regards to MRED deployment, making it difficult to establish cause and effect relationships. The main findings, however, were that diadromous species can use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation and direction finding during migrations. Juveniles of anadromous brown trout (sea trout) Salmo trutta and close relatives of S. trutta respond to both the Earth's magnetic field and artificial magnetic fields. Current knowledge suggests that EMFs from subsea cables may interact with migrating Anguilla sp. (and possibly other diadromous fishes) if their movement routes take them over the cables, particularly in shallow water (<20 m). The only known effect is a temporary change in swimming direction. Whether this will represent a biologically significant effect, for example delayed migration, cannot yet be determined. Diadromous fishes are likely to encounter EMFs from subsea cables either during the adult movement phases of life or their early life stages during migration within shallow, coastal waters adjacent to natal rivers. The underwater sound from MRED devices has not been fully characterized to determine its acoustic properties and propagation through the coastal waters. MRED that require pile driving during construction appear to be the most relevant to consider. In the absence of a clear understanding of their response to underwater sound, the specific effects on migratory species of conservation concern remain very difficult to determine in relation to MRED. Based on the studies reviewed, it is suggested that fishes that receive high intensity sound in close proximity to construction may be physiologically affected to some degree, whereas those at farther distances, potentially up to several km, may exhibit behaviour responses; the effect of which is unknown and will be dependent on the properties of the received sound and receptor characteristics and condition. Whether there are behavioural effects on the fishes during operation is unknown but any change to the environment and subsequent response by the fishes would need to be considered over the lifetime of the MRED. It is not yet possible to determine if effects relating to sound exposure are biologically significant. The current assumptions of limited effects are built on an incomplete understanding of how the species move around their environment and interact with natural and anthropogenic EMFs and subsea sound. A number of important knowledge gaps exist, principally whether migratory fish species on the whole respond to the EMF and the sound associated with MRED. Future research should address the principal gaps before assuming that any effect on diadromous species results in a biological effect.

Making it Count

Public consultation has become a major part of planning in the last forty years and much has been written on the subject. This article reviews the writing generated over the past two decades and breaks it into sections respecting the theory and rationale behind consultation, the conceivable approaches to engage the public, and the means available to analyze and evaluate consultative efforts. Conclusions relevant to academics and practitioners are drawn as are suggestions from the authors concerning the principal gaps that needed to be filled in order for planners to have reliable tools to evaluate the effectiveness of consultative processes.

Securing multicast in DVB-RCS satellite systems

While TV broadcasting is probably the best known application of satellite technology, satellite service providers are now expanding their services to include Internet data transmission. Consequently, security of satellite data is becoming an important issue. This article examines the current DVB-RCS security standard and identifies the principal gaps in the provision of secure multicast over DVB-RCS. The main contribution of this article is a proposal for adapting the current DVB-RCS two-way satellite standard to provide secure multicast services over satellites.

Interband transitions of wide‐band‐gap ternary pnictide BeCN2 in the chalcopyrite structure

AbstractEquilibrium lattice constants, bulk modulus, electronic band structure, and different optical transitions calculated by means of the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method are presented for BeCN2 in the chalcopyrite structure. Analysis of the band structure suggests a pseudo‐direct band gap, which refers to an indirect band gap in binary compounds. We also discuss the relationships of the principal band gaps of the c‐BN zinc‐blende analogs. We investigate the assignment of the different optical transitions that are discussed in more detail from the reflectivity spectra. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The effectiveness of marketing strategy making processes: A critical literature review and a research agenda

This paper contributes to the literature concerning the marketing strategy process. It reviews the extant literature in this field, drawing out areas of consensus and gaps in that literature. The principal gaps identified concern non-rational strategy making processes and the combined implications of internal and external contingencies. Using well-established theories from the sociological perspective of the organisational behaviour literature, this work proposes relevant questions for future research in this field.

A Review of Liquid Cooling of High-Temperature Gas-Turbine Rotor Blades

This paper reviews post-war progress in evaluating the heat transfer performance of the single-phase and evaporative systems proposed for liquid-cooling gas turbine rotor blades. Laboratory investigations of the heat transfer processes are considered in detail, particular attention being given to the open and closed thermosyphon systems of cooling. Where relevant investigations of experimental turbines have been reported these are considered also but it is in this area—the practical application of liquid cooling—that the principal gaps in knowledge lie.

Excavations at Nimrud, 1949-1953: Seals and Seal Impressions

This article is concerned with the seals and seal impressions on clay labels and business documents discovered at Nimrud during the five seasons of excavations conducted by the British School of Archaeology in Iraq, from 1949-1953. The seals, and particularly the impressions of seals on dated tablets, and a few bullae provide a valuable addition to our knowledge of the development of Assyrian seal engraving. One of the aims of this study is, of course, to obtain as close a dating as possible for the different types. For this we have previously been dependent on the few seals in public and private collections, dated by inscription; on the seals and impressions from the excavations at Assur, dating mostly to the thirteenth century B.C., and to the ninth-eighth centuries B.C.; on the few seals found at Khorsabad, presumably not later than the reign of Sargon; and on the impressions upon clay sealings found by Layard in Sennacherib's palace at Quyunjik, (a few of these Layard illustrated and others he described).The new material leaves inevitably a number of gaps and problems; one of the principal gaps seems to be the lack of evidence for seals made at the time of Tiglath-pileser III; for example, we do not know whether the delicate engraving of seals such as ND.305 (Pl. XI, 1) was practised in his reign. The stone reliefs from Nimrud of Tiglath-pileser III are evidence of a distinctive development in design, and a comparable development in the art of seal engraving might be expected.