A scoping review of evidence for the effects of seven global deer species on woody vegetation

Context: Rapid expansion of deer (Cervidae) populations is a concern for forest ecosystems. Despite extensive reviews on how deer affect forests, variation in effects across deer species has received less attention. A lack of focus on species‐specific effects may lead to oversights and failure to achieve desired management outcomes. Methodology: We used a systematic approach to compile data on the extent to which the effects of seven deer species on woody vegetation have been studied. We focused on the six deer species present in Britain and Ireland, and elk (Cervus canadensis). Results: A total of 455 studies were included from across the globe. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) (n = 163) and elk (n = 158) were the most studied species, while Reeve's muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) (n = 18) and Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis) (n = 5) were the least researched. Fifty‐four per cent of studies (n = 245) used fenced exclosures to assess deer impacts. Research mainly focused on defoliation via browsing and grazing (n = 424), while debarking (n = 44), defecation (n = 8) and trampling (n = 5) were less frequently studied. Vegetation density (n = 235), height (n = 189) and diversity (n = 135) were the most common metrics used, while fewer studies focused on vegetation mortality (n = 74), structural variability (n = 28) and condition (n = 15). Practical implication: While previous studies have often focused on the probability or severity of deer damage to woody vegetation, we identified key knowledge gaps on the ecological influence of such damage, with a species‐specific focus. Researchers should treat deer species as distinct entities and appreciate the differences in their body size, sociality, physiology and behaviour when studying their ecological effects. Where multiple deer species co‐occur, identifying relative local species abundance and differences among species foraging behaviours will help to determine how their interactions—whether additive, synergistic or antagonistic—affect ecosystem processes and vegetation dynamics

Sustainability credentials of the Farm to Fork strategy in times of crisis

Purpose This research’s main aim is to assess the level of resilience in the governance of the food system in the European Union (EU) in light of recent crises. It evaluates to which extent there is a common understanding of what it is meant by a sustainable food system, analysing if the Farm to Fork Strategy, as part of the current policy framework, fulfils the necessary sustainability criteria, including the ability to keep a balanced integration of the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social and environmental). Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a two-stages approach. Content and critical discourse analysis are used in a first stage to determine the conceptual and governance framework. This is followed by a comparative case study analysis based on the recently developed Global Food Security Index (GFSI). Progress on this index over time in conjunction with data available from the Horizon2020 SUSFANS project, are used to select a sample of EU Member States as case studies and undertake a comparative analysis that contributes to answering the research questions posed. Findings The research reveals an uneven approach to food policy governance both at the EU and the Member State levels, with a significant barrier posed by the lack of conceptual framework for food sustainability. The Farm to Fork Strategy appears as a step in the right direction, but there is a remarked bias towards addressing food sustainability only from the security of supply point of view, and insufficient integration of the Strategy with the rest of the policy mix. Practical implications This research suggests opportunities for improvement in the measurement tools and indicators of food sustainability, as well as opportunities to adopt more integrative and coordinated approaches to food sustainability policy-making to enhance the multilevel governance framework. It contributes to the debates on food security, poverty and sustainability in Europe and provides the basis for further research and policy development. Social implications The social pillar of sustainability of the food system seems to be given a lower level of priority than the economic and environmental pillars, which provides arguments for a more integrated and comprehensive consideration of food poverty and sustainability at the EU level, in support of or to complement existing national measures. In addition, the paper can contribute to the wider understanding of sustainability, which may affect citizens’ quality of life through the promotion of more equitable and sustainable food systems. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that combines the analysis of the sustainability and governance of the food system in Europe with empirical data from the GFSI in comparison to European-generated data. It also deviates from traditional approaches that focus on the Common Agricultural Policy as the main instrument of the food policy framework, to look at the role of the Farm to Fork Strategy, highlighting the existence of an incomplete food governance framework

Strategic Marketing Management

This practical textbook equips leaders and managers with the tools and insights they need to apply strategic marketing principles directly to their roles, driving business success and sustainable growth.Designed specifically for managers, MBA students, and senior executives across various industries—including healthcare, finance, engineering, and B2B—the book presents theory, actionable strategies and reflective exercises tailored to the challenges faced by professionals in non-marketing roles.Chapters delve into essential marketing concepts, such as market and customer insights, implementation of effective strategies, global marketing, brand management, and the impact of digital transformation. Real-world examples from leading companies like AstraZeneca, Bentley, and the NHS illustrate how strategic marketing principles can drive long-term growth, while reflective questions throughout the book encourage readers to apply these lessons to their own organizational challenges. Readers will learn how to:Make informed, data-driven decisions that align with business goalsDevelop and implement marketing strategies that are adaptable and future-focusedLead cross-functional teams to foster a customer-centric cultureLeverage emerging technologies and global trends to maintain a competitive edge.A valuable resource for students and leaders, this book will help you build the strategic marketing expertise needed to drive success in a rapidly changing landscape

How do credit ratings affect corporate investment efficiency?

This study examines the impact of credit ratings on the efficiency of firms' investments. Using a large sample of US firms, we find a positive relationship between the existence of credit ratings and investment efficiency. The cross-sectional analyses show the positive relationship is more pronounced for firms with greater information asymmetry and weaker corporate governance. Our results are robust to different methods to address potential endogeneity concerns, alternative measures of key variables, and the inclusion of additional control variables. Overall, the findings support the notion that credit rating agencies enhance information transparency and external monitoring, thereby allowing rated firms to promote investment efficiency. The findings contribute to our understanding of the significant role played by credit rating agencies in shaping firms' investment behaviour and efficiency

Modular Monolith Architecture in Cloud Environments: A Systematic Literature Review

Modular monolithic architecture (MMA) has recently emerged as a hybrid architecture that is positioned between traditional monoliths and microservices. It combines operational simplicity with modularity and maintainability. Although industry adoption of the architecture is growing, academic research on MMA remains fragmented and lacks systematic synthesis. This paper presents the first systematic literature review (SLR) of MMA in cloud environments. The review follows Kitchenham’s guidelines; we searched six major digital libraries for peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and May 2025. From 369 retrieved records, we included 15 primary studies through a structured review protocol. Our synthesis highlights the problem of inconsistent terminology usage in the literature. It also identifies the architectural scope of MMA, and specifies the adoption drivers such as simplified deployment, maintainability, and reduced orchestration overhead. We also analyse implementation practices—including Domain-Driven Design (DDD), modular boundaries, and containerised deployment—and highlight comparative evidence showing MMA’s suitability when microservices introduce excessive complexity or costs. Key research gaps include the absence of consensus on a clear comprehensive definition, limited empirical benchmarking, and insufficient tools support. Thus, this study establishes a conceptual foundation for future research and provides practitioners with structured insights to inform architectural decisions in cloud-native environments

Gait Rehabilitation for Early rheumatoid Arthritis Trial (GREAT): lessons learnt from a mixed-methods feasibility study and internal pilot trial

Background People with rheumatoid arthritis experience foot and lower limb pain due to active synovitis, resulting in impaired lower limb function. Earlier intervention may help with prevention of functional decline. The aims of this research were to develop and evaluate a new gait rehabilitation intervention for people with early rheumatoid arthritis, evaluate its feasibility, and to test whether or not gait rehabilitation plus usual care is more clinically and cost-effective than usual care alone. Design and methods We undertook a single-arm, repeated-measures, pre- and post-intervention, mixed-methods feasibility study with embedded qualitative components. We planned to undertake a pragmatic, two-arm, multicentre, superiority randomised controlled trial, with health economic evaluation, process evaluation and internal pilot. Setting and participants Participants with early rheumatoid arthritis (< 2 years post diagnosis) were identified from early arthritis and rheumatology outpatient clinics and referred for intervention in either podiatry or physiotherapy clinics. Intervention(s) Participants were randomised to a gait rehabilitation programme (Gait Rehabilitation Early Arthritis Trial Strides) involving a six-task gait circuit. Sessions were underpinned by motivational interviewing to facilitate behaviour change, supported by trained physiotherapists or podiatrists for a minimum of two sessions. Both groups received their normal usual care from the rheumatology multidisciplinary team. Main outcome measures Outcome measures for the feasibility study were intervention acceptability, adherence using the Exercise Adherence Rating Scale and fidelity using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Scale. The main outcome measure for the internal pilot/randomised controlled trial was the Foot Function Index disability subscale. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. Other outcomes: intervention acceptability questionnaire, Exercise Adherence Rating Scale, exercise treatment beliefs via the Theory of Planned Behaviour Questionnaire, intervention fidelity (Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Scale), health-related quality of life (EuroQol-5 Dimensions, five-level score). Results Thirty-five participants were recruited for feasibility and 23 (65.7%) completed 12-week follow-up. Intervention acceptability was excellent: 21/23 were confident that it could help and would recommend it and 22/23 indicated it made sense to them. Adherence was good, with a median (interquartile range) Exercise Adherence Rating Scale score of 17/24 (12.5–22.5). Twelve participants’ and nine therapists’ interviews confirmed intervention acceptability, identified perceptions of benefit, but highlighted some barriers to completion. Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Scale scores demonstrated good fidelity. The trial did not progress from internal pilot to full main trial as a result of low recruitment and high attrition, after 53 participants were recruited from 9 sites over 12 months. Process evaluation confirmed good intervention acceptability and adherence, and fair fidelity. Evaluation of clinical and cost-effectiveness was not possible. Limitations Significant delays were experienced with the impact of coronavirus disease 2019, regulatory approvals, contracts and site readiness, resulting in few sites opening in time and low recruitment capacity. Foot and/or ankle pain prevalence was lower than anticipated, resulting in a low potential participant pool and a low conversion rate from screening to enrolment. Conclusions The Gait Rehabilitation Early Arthritis Trial Strides intervention was acceptable to people with early rheumatoid arthritis and intervention clinicians, safe, with good levels of adherence by participants, and fair intervention fidelity. The randomised controlled trial stopped early following failure to meet recruitment targets. Gait Rehabilitation Early Arthritis Trial Strides is a promising intervention that could be adapted for future evaluations. A definitive trial of the Gait Rehabilitation Early Arthritis Trial Strides gait rehabilitation intervention still needs to be done. Funding This synopsis presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme as award number 15/165/04

Understanding internet-supported self-management for low back pain in primary care: a qualitative process evaluation of the SupportBack 2 randomised controlled trial

Objective: The SupportBack 2 randomised controlled trial (RCT) compared the clinical and cost-effectiveness of an internet intervention supporting self-management versus usual primary care in reducing low back pain (LBP)-related disability. In this study, we aimed to identify and understand key processes and potential mechanisms underlying the impact of the intervention. Design: This was a nested qualitative process evaluation of the SupportBack 2 RCT (ISRCTN: 14736486 pre-results). Setting: Primary care in the UK (England). Participants: 46 trial participants experiencing LBP without indicators of serious spinal pathologies (eg, fractures, infection) took part in telephone interviews at either 3 (n=15), 6 (n=14) or 12 months (n=17) post randomisation. Five physiotherapists who provided telephone support for the internet intervention also took part in telephone interviews. Intervention: An internet intervention ‘SupportBack’ supporting self-management of LBP primarily through physical activity and exercise delivered in addition to usual care, with and without physiotherapist telephone support. Analysis: Data were analysed thematically, applying a realist logic to develop context-mechanism-outcome configurations. Results: Four explanatory themes were developed, with five context-mechanism-outcome configurations. Where benefit was reported, SupportBack appeared to work by facilitating a central associative process where participants linked increases in physical activity or exercise with improvements in LBP, then continued to use physical activity or exercise as key regulatory strategies. Participants who reported little or no benefit from the intervention appeared to experience several barriers to this associative process, including negative expectations, prohibitive beliefs about the cause of LBP or functional limitations preventing engagement. Physiotherapists appeared to provide accountability and validation for some; however, the remote telephone support that lacked physical assessment was viewed as limiting its potential value. Conclusions: Digital interventions targeting physical activity and exercise to support LBP self-management may rely on mechanisms that are easily inhibited in complex, heterogeneous populations. Future research should focus on identifying and removing barriers that may limit the effectiveness of digital self-management support for LBP

Skew bracoids: from Hopf-Galois theory to the Yang-Baxter equation

The skew bracoid is a novel algebraic object consisting of two groups connected by a transitive action of one on the other and satisfying a compatibility relation. This generalises the skew brace, as defined by Guarnieri and Vendramin, which instead has two group structures on a single underlying set, whose interaction is governed by an analogous compatibility relation. This thesis introduces the skew bracoid, giving numerous examples, making key characterisations, and defining notions of substructure and homomorphism. We discuss three nested sub-classes of skew bracoids, the first specifies that the acting group admits a certain exact factorisation, the next that this is a semi-direct product, and the last additionally specifies the relationship between the two groups. Broadening the connection between skew braces and Hopf-Galois structures on Galois extensions of fields, we show that skew bracoids are deeply connected to Hopf-Galois structures on separable extensions of fields. We give preliminary results suggesting the use of skew bracoids in addressing questions concerning the Hopf-Galois correspondence, and generalise a product construction of Crespo, Rio and Vela from the Galois setting to the merely separable. Finally, we connect a large family of skew bracoids to solutions of the set-theoretic Yang-Baxter equation, showing that a single skew bracoid can yield distinct solutions by our procedure