Search Results (249)

Background/Objectives: The nursing profession is experiencing a global shortage of nurses. Early-Career Nurses (ECNs) assist in addressing the shortage; however, a significant number are leaving their workplaces and the profession. The aim of the review is to explore the factors that impact early-career nurses thriving at work, including their motivation and intention to stay in employment and the profession. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. The objectives, analysis, and inclusion and exclusion criteria were informed by PRISMA for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) to ensure accurate and complete reporting of findings. The target population were ECNs who are in the first five years of practice. Databases including CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched to identify the literature on ECN thriving between 1985 and 2025. Titles, abstracts, and full texts of the identified studies were screened by two independent reviewers, and thematic analysis was undertaken to analyse the data. Results: A total of 190 studies was initially identified, and after screening and review, a total of 16 articles met the inclusion criteria and explored factors related to thriving and retention. Key themes identified within the literature that contribute to ECNs thriving at work encompass the work environment, work–life balance, and education, where generational differences may also create unique nuances between ECNs. Conclusions: ECNs encounter many challenges in the early stages of their nursing career. Organisational support may be responsive and provide conducive work environments that nurture growth, career development, and thriving for ECNs. However, future research is needed to further confirm drivers of thriving, along with understanding the impact of targeted interventions to better support ECN thriving and retention. Future search will include stakeholders to validate the findings. Full article

Peganum harmala (L.) Schrad., a perennial medicinal plant thriving in arid Moroccan soils, represents a natural reservoir of unexplored bacterial diversity. To uncover its hidden foliar endosphere microbiota, we isolated and characterized two Acinetobacter strains: a novel endophytic bacterium, AGC35, and another strain, AGC59, newly reported from this host. Both are non-halophilic, aerobic, Gram-negative bacteria exhibiting optimal growth at 30–35 °C, pH5, and with 1% NaCl. An integrative genomic, phylogenetic, functional, and phenotypic characterization classified both strains within the genus Acinetobacter (class Gamma-pseudomonadota). However, Average Nucleotide Identity (<96%) and digital DNA-DNA Hybridization (<70%) values distinguished the AGC35 strain as a novel species, for which the name Acinetobacter endophylla sp. nov. is proposed. A comparative genomic and phenotypic analysis with the co-isolated Acinetobacter pittii strain AGC59 revealed extensive genome rearrangements, reflecting distinct evolutionary lineage and ecological strategies. While both genomes share core metabolic pathways, A. endophylla harbors specialized genes for the degradation of plant-derived aromatic compounds (e.g., catechol) but shows reduced capacities in carbohydrate metabolism and osmotic stress tolerance, traits indicative of a metabolic specialist with plant-growth-promotion potential, including phosphorus, potassium, and silicon solubilization and indole-3-acetic acid production. In contrast, A. pittii exhibits a more generalist genome enriched in stress functions. Analysis using the Antibiotics and Secondary Metabolite Analysis Shell revealed multiple biosynthetic gene clusters in both strains, showing ≤26% similarity to known references, suggesting the potential for novel antimicrobial secondary metabolite biosynthesis, including antifungal lipopeptides and thiopeptide antibiotics. Altogether, functional specialization and ecological coherence of these findings support the recognition of A. endophylla sp. nov. as a genomically and functionally distinct species, highlighting niche partitioning and adaptive metabolism within the P. harmala holobiont. These results underscore the plant’s value as a reservoir of untapped microbial diversity with significant ecological and biotechnological relevance. Finally, future work will focus on elucidating the novel metabolites encoded by the biosynthetic gene clusters in both isolates and exploring their applications in crop-improvement strategies and natural-product discovery. Full article

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) are crucial for building equitable and thriving communities. The majority of NPOs are small, community-based organizations that serve local needs. Despite their significance, NPOs often lack the resources to manage cybersecurity effectively, and information about them is usually found in nonacademic or practitioner sources rather than in the academic literature. The recent surge in cyberattacks on NPOs underscores the urgent need for investment in cybersecurity readiness. The absence of robust safeguards and cybersecurity preparedness not only exposes NPOs to risks and vulnerabilities but also erodes trust and diminishes the value donors and volunteers place on them. Through this systematic literature review (SLR) mapping framework, the existing work on cyber threat assessment and mitigation is leveraged to make a framework and data collection plan to address the significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities faced by NPOs. The research aims to offer actionable guidance that NPOs can implement within their resource constraints to enhance their cybersecurity posture. This systematic literature review (SLR) adheres to PRISMA 2020 guidelines to examine the state of cybersecurity readiness in NPOs. The initial 4650 records were examined on 6 March 2025. We excluded studies that did not answer our research questions and did not discuss the cybersecurity readiness in NPOs. The quality of the selected studies was assessed on the basis of methodology, clarity, completeness, and transparency, resulting in the final number of 23 included studies. Further, 37 studies were added investigating papers that referenced relevant studies or that were referenced by the relevant studies. Results were synthesized through quantitative topic analysis and qualitative analysis to identify key themes and patterns. This study makes the following contributions: (i) identify and synthesize the top cybersecurity risks for NPOs, their service impacts, and mitigation methods; (ii) summarize affordable cybersecurity practices, with an emphasis on employee training and sector-specific knowledge gaps; (iii) analyze organizational and contextual factors (e.g., geography, budget, IT skills, cyber insurance, vendor dependencies) that shape cybersecurity readiness; and (iv) review and integrate existing assessment and resilience frameworks applicable to NPOs. Full article

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) plays a vital economic and cultural role in many tropical and subtropical regions. A comprehensive review of the existing literature underscores that advanced biotechnologies are pivotal in unlocking the full potential of coconut germplasm exchange, which is crucial for the future sustainability of this crop. While traditional exchange methods are hampered by phytosanitary risks and logistical burdens, biotechnological interventions such as in vitro conservation and cryopreservation present targeted solutions to overcome these bottlenecks. The exchange, facilitated by these technologies, allows for the efficient introduction of desirable traits. We indicate that diversification and germplasm exchange hold the key to improving coconut quality and yield, developing varieties resistant to pests and diseases, and ensuring long-term conservation of coconut genetic diversity. This review highlights the potential to overcome the challenges faced by regional breeding programs often hindered by restricted genetic resources. Furthermore, by examining past successes and challenges in coconut germplasm identification and exchange, we offer perspectives on optimizing strategies to conserve diversity. This work emphasizes that germplasm exchange paves the way for coconut varieties that can thrive under changing environmental conditions, securing the future of this highly valuable crop. Full article

Autonomous navigation in unknown; map-free environments is a core requirement for advanced robotics. While significant breakthroughs have been achieved in terrestrial scenarios, extending this capability to the unstructured, dynamic, and harsh underwater domain remains an enormous challenge. This review comprehensively analyzes the mainstream technologies underpinning mapless autonomous underwater navigation, with a primary focus on conventional Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). It systematically examines key technical pillars of AUV navigation, including Dead Reckoning and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). Furthermore, inspired by the emerging concept of fourth-generation submersibles—which leverage living organisms rather than conventional machinery—this review expands its scope to include live fish as potential controlled platforms for underwater navigation. It first dissects the sophisticated sensory systems and hierarchical navigational strategies that enable aquatic animals to thrive in complex underwater habitats. Subsequently, it categorizes and evaluates state-of-the-art methods for controlling live fish via Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), proposing a three-stage control hierarchy: Direct Motor Control, Semi-Autonomous Control with Task-Level Commands, and Autonomous Control by Biological Intelligence. Finally, the review summarizes current limitations in both conventional AUV technologies and bio-hybrid systems and outlines future directions, such as integrating external sensors with fish, developing onboard AI for adaptive control, and constructing bio-hybrid swarms. This work bridges the gap between robotic engineering and biological inspiration, providing a holistic reference for advancing mapless autonomous underwater navigation. Full article

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs (AAPs) are intrinsically paradoxical; these species use a pathway commonly found in oxygen-deprived environments called anoxygenic photosynthesis, as a supplementary energy source to their obligately aerobic respiration. At the surface, such a combination seems odd, but AAPs thrive in a plethora of environments and are phylogenetically broad, suggesting that this feature is advantageous and ecologically valuable. The range of habitats and taxonomy have been reviewed, yet the main element which unites the group, their anoxygenic photosynthesis, which is diverse in its components, has not received the deserved attention. The intricate light-capturing photosynthetic complex forms the site of photon-induced energy transfer and therefore, the core basis of the process. It has two parts: the reaction center and light harvesting complex(es). The variability in composition and overall usage of the apparatus is also reflected in the genome, specifically the photosynthetic gene cluster. In this review, what is known about the differences in structure, light wavelength absorption range, activity, and related genomic content and the insights into potential AAP evolution from anaerobic anoxygenic phototrophs will be discussed. The work provides an elegant summation of knowledge accumulated about the photosynthetic apparatus and prospects that can fill yet remaining gaps. Full article

This essay highlights how, in lieu of a supportive community, Toni Morrison’s artistic daughter-protagonist, Sula, creates her own safe space within her liberated imagination through self-mothering. Thematic motifs of creative identity, the social role of the artist, and revolutionary self-care are relevant not only to Sula but to how Morrison herself conceived of transformative, safe spaces for Black women writers through her work as a writer and editor. In addition to discussing Sula, I briefly expound on Morrison’s novels, Beloved, Song of Solomon, Tar Baby, Paradise, and Bluest Eye, showing how audacious self-preservation undergirds the moral, political, and social dimensions of art, leading to personal and communal good. Reflecting on how Morrison flourished as a writer and editor after her divorce, while being the single parent to two young boys, I explicate Morrison’s understanding of motherwork as a complement to her artistic life, instructive of the ways in which carework, including self-care, helps artists and communities thrive. Morrison praised self-mothering in her unconventional artistic characters to reveal how female community and self-love are essential to sustain Black women artists. Full article

This article reimagines Hispanidad as a flexible cultural repertoire rather than a fixed ideology, examining how Francoism, after 1945, staged official doctrine as public spectacle that then served as “evidence” of its own legitimacy. Through a combined lens of political theology (Schmitt on decision and secularization) and media theory (Benjamin on the aestheticization of politics; Agamben on glory and acclamation), it analyzes Juan de Orduña’s Alba de América (1951) and its paratexts to show how National-Catholic principles—unity of faith and language, providential destiny, and obedience-based authority—were translated into affect through narrative voice, emblematic staging, liturgical music, and choreographed acclamation. Although the film underperformed commercially, it thrived institutionally, excerpted in newsreels and rebroadcast annually on October 12 as a ritual object of state culture. The article argues that spectacle in Francoist Spain functioned not only as propaganda but also as a mechanism for stabilizing power by shaping collective memory and everyday habits, revealing how aesthetic form can naturalize political authority and offering a model for analyzing the everyday workings of power across media and regimes. Full article

Background: Transition from clinical to academia requires newly appointed nurse educators to deploy certain coping strategies to thrive in their newly assumed roles. This is because this period is often coupled with high teaching expectations, research, increased workloads, and a lack of proficiency with work–life balance, resulting in a lack of coping. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and describe the coping strategies used by newly appointed nurse educators in a South African university. Methods: A qualitative, explorative, and descriptive research design was used. Data were gathered from 12 newly appointed nurse educators using online semi-structured individual interviews. Nurse educators who joined academia from clinical practice within the last six months to five years were included in this study. Data were analysed using Cresswell and Cresswell’s five steps for data analysis. Findings: Four categories emerged from the data: newly appointed nurse educators’ experiences of problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, meaning-focused coping, and coping through support from others during the transition from clinical practice to academia. Among the many coping strategies, the participants expressed that they apply clinical experience, self-assertiveness, conflict management, and setting boundaries to cope with the transition to academia. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the transition from clinical practice to academia remains challenging for newly appointed nurse educators. This study further suggests that there is a need to have support measures in place for newly appointed nurse educators during their transition to academia to improve their ability to cope. Full article

Methane, a greenhouse gas which has a global warming potential 80 times greater than carbon dioxide on a 20-year time scale, greatly contributes to global warming. Removing 1 Gt of atmospheric methane by 2050 would limit global temperature increase from reaching 1.5 °C. Currently, biotrickling filter systems for removing atmospheric methane via methanotrophs exist, but not for very low methane concentrations (<1 v%). Recent work at the University of Washington to isolate and improve a microbial strain which thrives at 500 ppmv CH₄ has removed one obstacle in making this technology feasible. In this study, techno-economic and environmental life cycle assessment analyses conducted on this process have assessed its economic feasibility, greenhouse gas reduction potential, and possible areas of improvement. Study results show that at 500 ppmv CH₄, this process could remove atmospheric methane at a cost of USD 3992–5224/tCH₄. The best-performing case also produces annual net reductions in warming potential by 276–311 tCO₂e/120 m³ process unit deployed. Many opportunities exist to improve the outcomes of the baseline analysis even further, especially related to reducing the transport distance of media and harvested biomass. Full article

Drawing upon the works of Kazadi wa Mukuma, Gerhard Kubik, Carlos de Lima, Vivian Gotheim, Wilson Nogueira, Temitope Fagunwa, and Alaba Simpson, this study traced the evolution of Bumba-Meu-Boi from its regional origins in Maranhao, Brazil, to its adaptation in Lagos, Nigeria, as an Afro-Brazilian returnee festival within the context of Lagos carnival. Beyond serving as a crucible for the historical return of repatriated Africans from Brazil following abolition of slavery in Brazil, the study also documents how the Afro-Brazilian community has been fully integrated into the Nigerian society. Through the formation of a thriving Brazilian Descendants Association, the Brazilian community has been able to sustain their Afro-Brazilian heritage through social events and community impact by preserving Brazilian architecture, culinary knowledge, festivals, teaching of Portuguese language, and the celebration of their Afro-Brazilian genealogical past. Full article

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is an herbaceous, evergreen, dwarf shrub of the genus Vaccinium in the family Ericaceae, often used as a functional food. Cranberries are primarily distributed in the northern United States—including Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Maine—as well as in Quebec, Canada; the state of Columbia; Chile in South America; and northeastern Europe. They are also found in China’s Greater Khingan Range and Fuyuan City, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang Province. The plants thrive in cool environments and exhibit considerable adaptability to soil conditions, preferring acidic soils. Cranberries are rich in a variety of biologically active components, such as polyphenols (proanthocyanidins, chlorogenic acid, flavonols, anthocyanins, caffeic acid, etc.), triterpenoids, and other nutrients. Studies have shown that the chemical components extracted from cranberry fruit have pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and urinary tract infection prevention and treatment, and are commonly used clinically in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, the prevention of urinary tract infections, blood pressure lowering, and the fight against Helicobacter pylori, among other clinical diseases. Cranberries also play a huge role in daily nutrition, and they are named for their richness in a variety of mineral elements, trace elements and vitamins. This work uses information from Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and related papers. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the phytochemical composition, pharmacological mechanism of action, clinical application value and nutritional significance of cranberry was conducted in recent years to provide references for the further extraction of chemical components in cranberry and rational clinical application, which can help to guide people to rationalize their diets and promote the formation of healthy diets. Full article

In service-intensive, compliance-driven settings such as banking, identifying how internal corporate social responsibility (ICSR) fosters employees’ vitality and learning is crucial for sustainable organisational performance. Amid growing interest in employee thriving, this study explores how perceived internal corporate social responsibility (PICSR) and moral meaningfulness (MM) shape thriving at work (TaW) through organisational embeddedness (OE). Rooted in self-determination theory, the findings reveal OE as a key mediator between PICSR and TaW, shedding light on how ICSR initiatives influence employee dynamics. The study also reveals that MM alone does not significantly predict TaW directly, but does so indirectly through OE, highlighting the importance of contextual mechanisms. Additionally, it identifies a surprising negative moderating effect of risk-taking, one dimension of intrapreneurial behaviour (IB), on the relationship between OE and TaW, while innovativeness, another dimension, shows no such effect. Theoretical and practical implications underscore the importance of aligning ICSR practices with employees’ psychological needs, supporting moral alignment, and tailoring support for intrapreneurs. Organisations must achieve a balance between autonomy and security to sustain engagement and innovation, advancing human and organisational sustainability, ultimately leading to thriving. Full article

Set against the current societal and religious contexts that Church of England schools find themselves positioned in, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) teachers must navigate the contested space between their embodied identity and expectations of others. Whilst this research focuses specifically on Church of England schools in England, broader questions of belonging, purpose, and pedagogy are argued to transcend geographical and denominational boundaries. In this series of six interviews with teachers at different career stages who work, or have worked, in Church of England secondary and primary schools, we explore their lived experience of balancing their queer identity against the professional standards of teaching and the views of the school community. Five LGBTQ+ teachers and one ally were interviewed—all but one of whom hold or held senior leadership positions. Key foci for the researchers were discussions around the often-unacknowledged pressure and responsibility that teachers might feel for being a role model for the LGBTQ+ community, with particular nuances due to the Church school context, and, in particular, if the teachers felt that the school environment enabled them to be their authentic selves. An overarching concern was the extent to which LGBTQ+ teachers felt that they were able to thrive in these communities. One consideration for the authors was a hope that key messages could be shared with Diocesan Education Leaders that might enable future generations of LGBTQ+ teachers to feel that they were being appropriately supported and enabled. Full article

As small–medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increasingly adopt cloud technologies, understanding the factors influencing this shift is crucial as it helps to optimize cloud integration strategies, enabling SMEs to thrive in today’s digital economy. A cross-sectional, quantitative survey was conducted in February 2022 on 626 employees of SMEs in the USA, based on the TAM-2, TAM-3, and UTAUT-2 models. The questionnaire presented satisfactory reliability, as well as factorial and convergent validity. Employees presented positive behavioral intentions to use cloud technologies, particularly during the COVID-19 period. SMEs were satisfied with the use of Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and the public cloud development model in the wake of the COVID-19 period. Behavioral intention to use cloud technologies was linked with higher performance and effort expectancy, price, perceived enjoyment, computer self-efficacy, and social influence. A higher behavioral intention was observed in employees (a) with a mid–top-level role; (b) who worked in finance and insurance, information services data, construction, or software and in an SME with 26–500 employees; (c) who had a master’s degree; (d) were 35–44 years old; and (e) had family obligations. Higher experience with the use of cloud technologies enhanced the positive impacts of effort expectancy, computer self-efficacy, and perceived enjoyment on behavioral intention. Full article