scholarly journals Physiological and Molecular Responses to Acid Rain Stress in Plants and the Impact of Melatonin, Glutathione and Silicon in the Amendment of Plant Acid Rain Stress

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 862
Author(s):  
Biswojit Debnath ◽  
Ashim Sikdar ◽  
Shahidul Islam ◽  
Kamrul Hasan ◽  
Min Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Rain ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Antioxidant Activities ◽  
Antioxidant Defense System ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Acid Rain Stress ◽  
The Impact

Air pollution has been a long-term problem, especially in urban areas, that eventually accelerates the formation of acid rain (AR), but recently it has emerged as a serious environmental issue worldwide owing to industrial and economic growth, and it is also considered a major abiotic stress to agriculture. Evidence showed that AR exerts harmful effects in plants, especially on growth, photosynthetic activities, antioxidant activities and molecular changes. Effectiveness of several bio-regulators has been tested so far to arbitrate various physiological, biochemical and molecular processes in plants under different diverse sorts of environmental stresses. In the current review, we showed that silicon (tetravalent metalloid and semi-conductor), glutathione (free thiol tripeptide) and melatonin (an indoleamine low molecular weight molecule) act as influential growth regulators, bio-stimulators and antioxidants, which improve plant growth potential, photosynthesis spontaneity, redox-balance and the antioxidant defense system through quenching of reactive oxygen species (ROS) directly and/or indirectly under AR stress conditions. However, earlier research findings, together with current progresses, would facilitate the future research advancements as well as the adoption of new approaches in attenuating the consequence of AR stress on crops, and might have prospective repercussions in escalating crop farming where AR is a restraining factor.

Impact and paybacks of biomedical research findings in Malaysia 2005–2015

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Kuan Lai ◽  
S Nalliah ◽  
CL Teng ◽  
NLP Chen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health System ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Knowledge Production ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health System Policy

Background: Impact in research encompasses health, economic, and cultural benefits beyond adding to the knowledge base. Funders are under immense pressure to be accountable for the paybacks from funded research.Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to look into the impact of funded biomedical research between the years 2005 and 2015 in Malaysia from the aspects of knowledge production, research targeting and capacity building, as well as health system policy and decision making.Methods: This study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design. Biomedical projects related to breast cancer, coronary heart disease, and dengue, funded by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), and Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) between the years 2005 and 2015, were included.Findings: From the questionnaire responses (n=58), on average each funded project managed to produce two outputs and one higher degree student. More than half (61.4%) of the funded projects led to subsequent future research. However, low citations in systematic reviews (10.3%), health policies (6.9%), and clinical practice guidelines (5.2%) were reported. In-depth interviews with the key opinion leaders also saw that most of the local research findings were found to be irrelevant to be adopted into policies by the policymakers.Discussion and conclusions: Paybacks on knowledge production as well as research targeting and capacity building had been achieved, but impact on health system policy and decision making had not been well attained, due to the lack of relevant research findings needed by the policymakers.<br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Payback on knowledge production was achieved, as there had been a lot of new knowledge generated as captured in academic publications, conference proceedings, policy briefs, technical reports, and research highlights, which is important to advance the frontiers of knowledge.</li><br /><li>Payback on research targeting was achieved, with the current research leading to future study with identification of the knowledge gap and generation of new ideas for new research.</li><br /><li>Payback on capacity building was achieved with the training of researchers, building up research capacity and competencies, production of MSc and PhD graduates, promotion of lecturers, and development of new partnerships and networks.</li><br /><li>Impact on health system policy and decision making was not well attained. There had been a lack of relevant research data and findings being incorporated into policymaking, due to the basic and fundamental nature of most of the funded biomedical research in Malaysia.</li></ul>

Conclusion

2020 ◽  
pp. 154-164
Author(s):  
Eva Sørensen
Keyword(s):  
Political Communication ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
Political Learning ◽  
Conditioning Factors ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact

Chapter 11 aggregates the conceptual developments and theoretical argument and research findings presented in the previous chapters into a theoretical framework for studying the political leadership of elected politicians in the age of governance. The framework suggests that interactive political leadership holds the potential to promote robust political authorization in the age of governance through a promotion of interactive democracy, political learning accountability, interactive political entrepreneurship, and socio-political implementation. Conditioning factors are multi-level governance, an increased mediatization of political communication and access to interactive political platforms and arenas. Moreover, the chapter provides twenty propositions regarding the prospects for, and dilemmas and challenges related to the performance of interactive political leadership that can guide and inspire future research. Finally, the chapter proposes an agenda for future research and highlights the need for empirical studies on the scope for interactive political leadership in different contexts, discourse analyses of current understandings of political leadership and followership, process studies of the interplay between politicians and citizens, and studies of the impact of institutional design on political leadership styles.

scholarly journals Restoring redox balance enhances contractility in heart trabeculae from type 2 diabetic rats exposed to high glucose

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (4) ◽  
pp. H291-H302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niraj M. Bhatt ◽  
Miguel A. Aon ◽  
Carlo G. Tocchetti ◽  
Xiaoxu Shen ◽  
Swati Dey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
High Glucose ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Antioxidant Activities ◽  
Contractile Function ◽  
Heart Function ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Type 2 Diabetic

Hearts from type 2 diabetic (T2DM) subjects are chronically subjected to hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, both thought to contribute to oxidizing conditions and contractile dysfunction. How redox alterations and contractility interrelate, ultimately diminishing T2DM heart function, remains poorly understood. Herein we tested whether the fatty acid palmitate (Palm), in addition to its energetic contribution, rescues function by improving redox [glutathione (GSH), NAD(P)H, less oxidative stress] in T2DM rat heart trabeculae subjected to high glucose. Using cardiac trabeculae from Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats, we assessed the impact of low glucose (EG) and high glucose (HG), in absence or presence of Palm or insulin, on force development, energetics, and redox responses. We found that in EG ZDF and lean trabeculae displayed similar contractile work, yield of contractile work (Ycw), representing the ratio of force time integral over rate of O2 consumption. Conversely, HG had a negative impact on Ycw, whereas Palm, but not insulin, completely prevented contractile loss. This effect was associated with higher GSH, less oxidative stress, and augmented matrix GSH/thioredoxin (Trx) in ZDF mitochondria. Restoration of myocardial redox with GSH ethyl ester also rescued ZDF contractile function in HG, independently from Palm. These results support the idea that maintained redox balance, via increased GSH and Trx antioxidant activities to resist oxidative stress, is an essential protective response of the diabetic heart to keep contractile function.

Unexpected Arrivals

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 692-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilyn Ruble Whitesell ◽  
Leanna Stiefel ◽  
Amy Ellen Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Heterogeneous Effects ◽  
Eighth Grade Students ◽  
Short Run ◽  
The Impact

Across the country and in urban areas in particular, many students change schools during the academic year. While much research documents the impact of changing schools on the academic achievement of mobile students themselves, less research explores whether new arrivals have negative spillovers on stable classmates. The lack of research on impacts of mid-year entry is problematic, as poor, minority, and low-achieving students are disproportionately exposed to mid-year entry. In this study, we use a rigorous causal identification strategy and rich longitudinal data on fourth- through eighth-grade students in the New York City (NYC) public schools to estimate the impact of exposure to mid-year entry on the achievement of stable students. We analyze heterogeneous effects of mid-year entrants by origin (arriving from other NYC public schools, from other U.S. school systems, or from other countries), determine the extent to which mid-year entrants’ characteristics mediate the impact of mid-year entry, and explore the moderating influence of stable students’ characteristics. We find small negative effects of mid-year entry on both math and English language arts test scores in the short run. These impacts are not driven by mid-year entrant characteristics and are somewhat larger for Asian students and those who do not qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Finally, results suggest mid-year entry continues to negatively influence the math performance of stable students beyond the year of exposure. We discuss the relevance of results and conclude with recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Designing and Piloting a Tool for the Measurement of the Use of Pronunciation Learning Strategies

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 189-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirosław Pawlak
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Collection Tool ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Point Of Departure

Despite the fact that the last few years have witnessed a growth of interest in pronunciation learning strategies (PLS) (e.g. Petersen 2000; Pawlak 2008a; Wrembel 2008), this line of inquiry still remains neglected and is in urgent need of further empirical investigation. This is because the available research findings are primarily confined to the identification and description of the strategic devices that learners draw upon in their attempts to learn the various segmental and suprasegmental features, with only a handful of studies addressing such issues as the factors influencing PLS choice and use, the impact of proficiency levels or the value of strategies-based instruction in this area. Another problem is related to the use of diverging research methodologies and data collection tools, which renders it impossible to make comparisons between various studies, view their results in a cumulative way and arrive at conclusions concerning the effectiveness of specific strategies used by learners. What appears to be indispensable to drive the field forward and ensure that research findings will be comparable across studies and provide a sound basis for feasible pedagogic proposals is to draw up a classification of PLS and design on that basis a valid and reliable data collection tool which could be employed to measure the use of these strategies in different groups of learners, correlate it with individual and contextual variables, and appraise the effects of training programs. In accordance with this rationale, the present paper represents an attempt to propose a tentative categorization of pronunciation learning strategies, adopting as a point of reference the existing taxonomies of strategic devices (i.e. O'Malley and Chamot 1990; Oxford 1990) and the instructional options teachers have at their disposal when dealing with elements of this language subsystem (e.g. Kelly 2000; Goodwin 2001). It also introduces a research instrument designed on the basis of the classification that shares a number of characteristics with Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning but, in contrast to it, includes both Likert-scale and open-ended items. The findings of a pilot study which involved 80 English Department students demonstrate that although the tool requires considerable refinement, it provides a useful point of departure for future research into PLS.

scholarly journals The Impact of e-Skills on the Settlement of Iranian Refugees in Australia

10.28945/3704 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 059-077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Shariati ◽  
Jocelyn Armarego ◽  
Fay Sudweeks
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Main Stream ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Mainstream Society ◽  
The Impact

Aim/Purpose: The research investigates the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Iranian refugees’ settlement in Australia. Background: The study identifies the issues of settlement, such as language, cultural and social differences. Methodology: The Multi-Sited Ethnography (MSE), which is a qualitative methodology, has been used with a thematic analysis drawing on a series of semi-structured interviews with two groups of participants (51 Iranian refugees and 55 people with a role in assisting refugees). Contribution: The research findings may enable the creation of a model for use by the Aus-tralian Government with Iranian refugees. Findings: The findings show the vital role ICT play in refugees’ ongoing day-to-day life towards settlement. Recommendations for Practitioners: The results from this paper could be generalised to other groups of refugees in Australia and also could be used for Iranian refugees in other countries. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers may use a similar study for refugees of different backgrounds in Australia and around the world. Impact on Society: ICT may assist refugees to become less isolated, less marginalized and part of mainstream society. Future Research: Future research could look into the digital divide between refugees in Australia and main stream Australians.

Opportunities for auditing research: back to our interdisciplinary roots

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hay
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review potential areas for interdisciplinary research in auditing. Approach The paper reflects on the relevance of the findings from auditing research, and discusses an example from medical research. The medical example highlights how unexpected results can lead to surprising research findings. The paper then examines the areas in which further auditing research should be most valuable. Findings Auditing research is generally based on practical problems. It can be qualitative, quantitative, use mixed methods or be interdisciplinary. There are examples of each of these, including interdisciplinary research that has contributed to the auditing literature. The paper describes areas in which future research in auditing is likely to be valuable. These include research in developing countries, smaller entities and other settings that have not been widely researched; research in the public sector, including the impact of armchair auditors; research about the place of auditing in corporate governance; and research about the function of auditing in confirming earlier unaudited announcements. Practical implications Standard setters are becoming more aware of research and more likely to make evidence-based decisions about auditing standards. Originality/value The paper evaluates existing research and provides suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals Impact of Training Practices on Employee Productivity: A Comparative Study

2010 ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Rohan Singh ◽  
Madhumita Mohanty
Keyword(s):  
Focal Point ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Comparison And Analysis ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Level Of Analysis

The paper studies the effects of training on employee productivity. This paper provides a review of the current evidence of such a relationship and offers suggestions for further investigation. An extensive review of the literature in terms of research findings from studies that have been trying to measure and understand the impact that individual HR practices like training have on employee productivity across various sectors. The focal point of our review is on training practices and employee productivity and their relationship. In conclusion, we can say that taken as a whole, the research findings are varied. Some studies have found a positive association, some negative and some no association whatsoever. The paper concludes with directions for future research by applying different level of analysis on exploring the impact of training practices on employee productivity. Our comparison and analysis suggest that there definitely exist a relation between these two but the impact and effect of training practices on employee productivity varies for different industry.

scholarly journals A critical review of habitat use by feral cats and key directions for future research and management

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim S. Doherty ◽  
Andrew J. Bengsen ◽  
Robert A. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
The Impact

Feral cats (Felis catus) have a wide global distribution and cause significant damage to native fauna. Reducing their impacts requires an understanding of how they use habitat and which parts of the landscape should be the focus of management. We reviewed 27 experimental and observational studies conducted around the world over the last 35 years that aimed to examine habitat use by feral and unowned cats. Our aims were to: (1) summarise the current body of literature on habitat use by feral and unowned cats in the context of applicable ecological theory (i.e. habitat selection, foraging theory); (2) develop testable hypotheses to help fill important knowledge gaps in the current body of knowledge on this topic; and (3) build a conceptual framework that will guide the activities of researchers and managers in reducing feral cat impacts. We found that feral cats exploit a diverse range of habitats including arid deserts, shrublands and grasslands, fragmented agricultural landscapes, urban areas, glacial valleys, equatorial to sub-Antarctic islands and a range of forest and woodland types. Factors invoked to explain habitat use by cats included prey availability, predation/competition, shelter availability and human resource subsidies, but the strength of evidence used to support these assertions was low, with most studies being observational or correlative. We therefore provide a list of key directions that will assist conservation managers and researchers in better understanding and ameliorating the impact of feral cats at a scale appropriate for useful management and research. Future studies will benefit from employing an experimental approach and collecting data on the relative abundance and activity of prey and other predators. This might include landscape-scale experiments where the densities of predators, prey or competitors are manipulated and then the response in cat habitat use is measured. Effective management of feral cat populations could target high-use areas, such as linear features and structurally complex habitat. Since our review shows often-divergent outcomes in the use of the same habitat components and vegetation types worldwide, local knowledge and active monitoring of management actions is essential when deciding on control programs.

Taking It To The Streets: Moving Scent Research Out Of The Lab

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy L. Henke ◽  
Gwen Fontenot ◽  
Frank Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Sales Performance ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Purchase Decisions ◽  
Consumer Decision Making ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Impact

With a recent surge of interest in the impact of scent on consumers, the trade press and the popular press have been at odds with the academic community regarding the effectiveness of scent in influencing purchase decisions.  Academic research has provided scant confirmation of the beliefs, widely accepted throughout industry, that the use of scent has vast power to influence purchase decisions.  The bulk of the academic literature has addressed effects other than purchase, and has taken place in the lab, sometimes in “simulated stores.” Most retailers, however, are more concerned with actual sales performance in real stores than with theories about cognitive processes and mediating variables associated with smell and consumer decision making.  The growing disparity between popular wisdom and research findings has lead researchers to call for greater collaboration with practitioners and more studies conducted in the field, in a variety of store types, rather than the lab.  Shifting research from the controlled lab environment to the field, with its myriad of uncontrollable factors, however, presents special challenges to the researcher which, if ignored, may threaten to invalidate findings regardless of their apparent significance.  Following is one account of the difficulties connected with attempting to close the gap between the field and the lab, with implications for researchers and retailers, and recommendations for future research.

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