Organic Research Centre

ABSTRACTEarly career researchers (ECRs) are in an ideal position to soothsay. Yet, much of what we know about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) comes from vested interest groups, such as publishers, tech companies and industry leaders, which are strong on hyperbole, are superficial and, at best, narrow surveys. This paper seeks to redress this by providing deep empirical data from researchers, allowing us to hear researchers' views and ‘voices’. The data comes from a project, which focuses on the impact of AI on scholarly communications. From this study, we report on the perceived transformations to the scholarly communications system by AI and other forces. We were especially interested in discovering what future ECRs foresaw for the established pillars of the system—journals and libraries. The interview‐based study covers a convenience sample of 91 ECRs from all disciplines and half a dozen countries. The main findings being that while the large majority thought there would be a transformation there was no consensus as to what a transformation would look like, but there was agreement on it being one shaped by AI. The future appears rosy for journals, but less so for libraries and, importantly, for most ECRs, too.

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) poses substantial economic and quality-of-life challenges. With the rising incidence of hip and knee arthritis globally, understanding the changing profile of PJIs across different age groups becomes crucial. While various studies have explored risk factors, the influence of age on PJI remains debated, with potential bimodal relationships. This study aims to investigate the causative organisms of PJIs in patients of different age groups undergoing TJA. Conducted as a retrospective cohort study at a high-volume PJI referral center, the study adhered to Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Data spanned from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2022, including patients with documented PJI undergoing revision TJA. Patients were categorized into age quintiles, and outcomes analyzed included causative organisms, difficult-to-treat infections, antimicrobial resistance, and Gram stain characteristics. Statistical analyses used descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and sensitivity analyses for hip and knee patients separately. The study comprised 2,392 patients, with 60.7% undergoing hip arthroplasty and 39.3% undergoing knee arthroplasty. 1,080 women (45.2%) and 1,312 men (54.8%) were included. Older patients were markedly more likely to have gram-negative infections and atypical infections. Patients in the youngest age group had the lowest rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. Results were similar between hip and knee PJIs. The study reveals age-related variations in the characteristics of PJIs after TJA, emphasizing higher risks of atypical and resistant infections in older patients. These findings underscore the importance of tailored preventive measures and potential considerations for adjunctive or prolonged antibiotic therapies, especially in the elderly population. Recognizing the unique infection patterns in older patients may inform better prevention and treatment strategies, with implications for enhanced patient care and outcomes. Future directions should focus on patient-specific strategies for preventing and treating PJIs, particularly in high-risk populations.

A winter wheat composite cross population (CCP), created in the UK in 2001, has been grown in Germany, Hungary, and the UK since 2005 (F5 generation). In 2008/09 (F8), a cycling pattern for the populations was developed between partners to test the effects of rapidly changing environments on agronomic performance and morphological characteristics. One CCP was grown by eight partners for one year and subsequently sent to the next partner, creating “cycling CCPs” with different histories. In 2013, all eight cycling CCPs and the three non-cycling CCPs (from Germany, Hungary, and the UK) were included in a two-year experiment in Germany with three line varieties as references. Differing seed weights of the F13 at sowing affected some agronomic parameters under drought conditions in 2014/15 but not under less stressful conditions in 2013/14. In both experimental years, the CCPs were comparable to the line varieties in terms of agronomic performance, with some CCPs yielding more than the varieties under the drought conditions of 2015. The results highlight the potential of CCPs to compete with line varieties, while the overall similarity of the CCPs based on their origin and cycling history for agronomic traits indicates a high buffering potential under highly variable environmental conditions.

ABSTRACT Purpose To explore the perceived credibility, relevance, legitimacy and accessibility of videos and podcasts in farm extension. Methods A two-phase mixed methods approach consisting of a pre-COVID online survey of farmers (n = 221), farmer telephone interviews (n = 60) and in-person focus groups of farmers (n = 4) followed by an analysis of how viewers interact with Agricology videos and podcasts, a further online survey (n = 141) and online farmer focus groups (n = 4) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings If they are to be perceived as effective extension methods, videos should be short, concise, practical, advert-free and visualise how to implement a practice. Podcasts can be longer, more detailed, and allow multitasking. Both should use farmer-friendly language, be easily accessible, high quality, non-biased, and be created by someone whom farmers respect. Practical implications Helps policy-makers and extensionists understand the potential of videos and podcasts and the trade-offs in using them with other forms of extension. The findings are also of use to global advisory services seeking to offer hybridised advice as a result of the ongoing COVID pandemic. Theoretical implications Elucidates the trade-offs of using videos and podcasts when face-to-face extension is not possible and develops the CRELE framework. Originality Discusses the role of podcasts in farm extension and re-evaluates the role of videos when face-to-face extension is impossible.

The AgroFossilFree project is supporting Fossil-Energy-Free Technologies and Strategies (FEFTS) in agriculture by coordinating several stakeholder actions and by providing information on FEFTS in agriculture. Thereby, special emphasis is placed on applications of photovoltaics (PV) in agriculture. The core objective of the project is to set-up an online platform for farmers, advisors, researchers, industrial partners and other actors on which they can find useful information on FEFTS in agriculture. The AgroFossilFree project contributes to the High Level EU Strategies (i.e. EU Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy) as it aims to decrease the use of fossil energy in any farming process. It also contributes to close the gap between the available FEFTS and the everyday EU agricultural practices by promoting effective exchange of novel ideas and by exchanging information between research, industry, extension services and the farming community. If this gap closes, European agriculture could become more sustainable with minimum energy, environmental and socioeconomic impacts. With the knowledge that is collected, classified and presented to actors in the agricultural field, the European agricultural sector is able to promote and comply with the fossil energy use reduction policies, the related legal and regulatory frameworks and sustainable food production practices. This paper presents the current status of the AgroFossilFree project which is funded by the Horizon 2020 Programme of the European Commission.

Sodium tungsten bronze (NaxWO3) is a promising alternative plasmonic material to nanoparticulate gold due to its strong plasmonic resonances in both the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions. Additional benefits include its simple production either as a bulk or a nanoparticle material at a relatively low cost. In this work, plasmonic NaxWO3 nanoparticles were introduced and mixed into the nanoparticulate zinc oxide electron transport layer of a water processed poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PC61BM) nanoparticle (NP) based organic photovoltaic device (NP-OPV). The power conversion efficiency of NP-OPV devices with NaxWO3 NPs added was found to improve by around 35% compared to the control devices, attributed to improved light absorption, resulting in an enhanced short circuit current and fill factor.

A study from the Harbingers research project provides a comprehensive assessment of the main features of the scholarly communications system as viewed by early career researchers (ECRs) in the final year of the study (2018). Aspects covered are: discovery and access, authorship practices, peer review, publishing strategies, open access publishing, open data, sharing, collaboration, social media, metrics, impact, reputation, libraries, publishers, and scholarly transformations. Nearly 120 science and social science researchers from seven countries were questioned about these 16 aspects. It was found that some scholarly features work well for ECRs, and in this category can be included: discovery and access, authorship practices, sharing, collaboration, and publishers. Reputation, publishing strategies, and impact are more problematical, and they, in turn, cause tensions regarding some other factors – social media, open access, and open data. Of the rest, libraries are largely invisible, and ECRs have conflicting views concerning ethical behaviour. Few envisage that transformational change will take place in the next 5 years.

Dialkoxy and dialkyl substituted paracyclophane-1,9-dienes undergo bidirectional ring opening metathesis polymerisation (ROMP) on addition of bifunctional Hoveyda–Grubbs initiators.