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Idea generation and inspiration are important in creative tasks. This article reports on descriptive quantitative results from an exploratory study conducted in 2016 on the creative tasks and the personal information preferences of 23 third-year architecture students at a South African university. Maniotes' third space in guided inquiry model served as the theoretical framework. A profile questionnaire and individual interviews were used to collect data. Findings cover information use and preferences for information sources (e.g. books, search engines, conference papers and strangers) that can inspire idea generation during creative tasks, such as architectural design. Librarians were of less value than peers, lecturers and family members in inspiring creative ideas. Recommendations focus on the role of academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Studies of information behaviour can inform the design of information systems, services and creative workspaces. Creative workspaces are associated with access to tools, expertise, guidance, innovation and constructivist learning. The work of Kuhlthau on information seeking, the information search process (ISP) model, zones of intervention, and later with third space(s) might hold value for the exploitation of creative workspaces in academic libraries. Method. A thematic analysis of a selection of key publications of Kuhlthau is presented focusing on the value for creative workspaces. Analysis. Publications were analysed according to key characteristics of creative workspaces using makerspaces as an example: applicability to diverse contexts; provision of access to tools, expertise, and skills; the provision of safe spaces; providing an open environment for expressions; space to support a hands-on learning environment for guided and constructivist learning; and providing a space to cultivate character traits important to collective creativity. These were compared with information behaviour themes noted in the work of Kuhlthau. Results. Various issues in the work of Kuhlthau hold potential for creative workspaces; acknowledgement of uncertainty, complexity of tasks, the need for sense-making, and affective and cognitive experiences throughout information searching, seeking and other information activities encompassed by information behaviour. Conclusion. Kuhlthau's work can inform information behaviour studies that guide the development of creative workspaces in academic libraries. Specifically, with reference to the phases of creation, information seeking, information searches, thoughts, feelings, the development of zones of intervention, and third spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of utilising a holistic ergonomic approach, covering engineering, cognitive and social perspectives, to cultivate beneficial and productive collaborative information seeking (CIS) systems and environments, specifically with regard to three main CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness). Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research approach, based on a selective corpus of CIS literature, was utilised to perform a content analysis to note if terms and concepts normally associated with engineering, cognitive and social ergonomics can be used to eliminate terms reflecting issues related to three CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness) that can benefit from a holistic ergonomic approach. Findings – The content analysis revealed that a fairly extensive amount of holistic ergonomic terminology is prominent within the CIS literature, therefore establishing a connection between the two disciplines: CIS and ergonomics. This suggests that CIS system issues could benefit from the insights of a holistic ergonomic approach. Research limitations/implications – Since this is an exploratory study the scope of CIS literature utilised in the content analysis was limited to a selection considered most important by the authors; this should be supplemented by further research. Practical implications – Intended to instigate interest in further exploration of the beneficial and productive implications and practical application of holistic ergonomics in designing CIS systems and environments. Originality/value – This is the first research paper in the Library and Information Science literature that explores the potential of utilising holistic ergonomics to cultivate CIS systems and environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Much has been published on makerspaces: the history, development and progress and how they are used – stories of successes and opinions on their potential. The purpose of this paper is to comment on such publications within the library and information science (LIS) literature and to warn libraries to not only focus on providing physical spaces and tools but to explore the bigger potential of extended, interconnected spaces for information and information resources and “mutations” of makerspaces such as makerlearning. Design/methodology/approach – The contribution is based on a pragmatic and reflective analysis of the LIS literature on makerspaces. The questions are: what to make of the literature, and what needs to be done to enrich the subject literature to support an interconnected approach to makerspaces and information resources and information support? Findings – There is a very strong focus in the literature on libraries as physical spaces for makerspaces, the planning, provision, maintenance and how-we-do-it approaches. Although very important this does not sufficiently explore an interconnection between makerspaces and an expanded information-related involvement of libraries, e.g. in information literacy training, guided inquiry, bridging the digital divide, research (embedded librarianship) and community support. Research limitations/implications – There are many publications on makerspaces in the LIS literature. They however, mostly do not reflect on the opportunities to take a more holistic look at the potential of makerspaces in libraries interconnected to the use of information resources, and information-related support and intervention from libraries. Originality/value – Although there are many papers on makerspaces the purpose of this contribution is to focus on extended input from libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of utilising a holistic ergonomic approach, covering engineering, cognitive and social perspectives, to cultivate beneficial and productive collaborative information seeking (CIS) systems and environments, specifically with regard to three main CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness). Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research approach, based on a selective corpus of CIS literature, was utilised to perform a content analysis to note if terms and concepts normally associated with engineering, cognitive and social ergonomics can be used to eliminate terms reflecting issues related to three CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness) that can benefit from a holistic ergonomic approach. Findings – The content analysis revealed that a fairly extensive amount of holistic ergonomic terminology is prominent within the CIS literature, therefore establishing a connection between the two disciplines: CIS and ergonomics. This suggests that CIS system issues could benefit from the insights of a holistic ergonomic approach. Research limitations/implications – Since this is an exploratory study the scope of CIS literature utilised in the content analysis was limited to a selection considered most important by the authors; this should be supplemented by further research. Practical implications – Intended to instigate interest in further exploration of the beneficial and productive implications and practical application of holistic ergonomics in designing CIS systems and environments. Originality/value – This is the first research paper in the Library and Information Science literature that explores the potential of utilising holistic ergonomics to cultivate CIS systems and environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallocanta Lake (NE Spain), with a high ecological value, is the largest and best preserved saline lake in Western Europe. The aim of this study is to map the landforms developed in the margins of the central sector of Gallocanta Lake, at adequate scale for the study of soils and habitats, which is needed for the delineation, management and protection of the wetland. Photointerpretation was combined with topographical, geological, and satellite data in a geographical information system. This study, applied in two selected areas of the central body of the lake, allowed the identification of contrasting landforms and processes in the lake margins. The southern margin, which receives most of the fluvial materials in the zone exhibits coastal progradation by means of barrier-island generation and sedimentation in the resulting coastal lagoon, a process that can be inferred from the map presented in this work and was confirmed by comparison of aerial photographs taken in different decades. With virtually no sediment supply on the margin, coastal erosion and shoreline retreat prevail. In summary, coastal landforms are a result of a complex combination of fluvial and lacustrine processes operating during high and low water-level periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper analyses the economic aspects of the Ebro water transfer, which have been overlooked in the Spanish National Hydrological Plan. The questions exam ined are the cost of transferred water, and irrigated agriculture in the Levante and south-eastern regions, which are the main water transfer destinations. Results show that the water transfer is not economically sustainable, because the costs of the diverted water are higher than the current marginal value of water in agriculture, and crop profitability is insufficient to pay for the whole volume of transferred water. A compromise solution between increasing water supply and demand management measures will combine a reasonable water price increase with water desalination in coastal counties. This solution would reduce water demand with a moderate effect on farmers' revenue and net income. Spain could find alternative investment projects to the water transfer, able to improve social welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The genetic diversity of Echinococcus multilocularis was assessed in Switzerland. • A total of 12 EmsB profiles were described among 55 AE lesions from domestic pigs. • The data were compared to 123 other Swiss specimens to reach 18 EmsB profiles. • Three EmsB profiles presented a clear spatial organization in the Swiss plateau. • Pigs permit to assess the environmental presence and distribution of the parasite. Assessing the genetic diversity of the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis provides key information about the temporal and spatial strain flow in a given area. Previous studies indicated that a historical endemic area conventionally presents a relatively high genetic diversity, whereas peripheral or newly endemic areas exhibit a more restricted variability of the parasite. The Swiss plateau region is part of the European historically endemic area, and the genetic diversity has already been investigated by assessing either human metacestode isolates or adult worms from foxes. To date, there have been no studies covering the whole geographical area affected by the parasite. The aim of the present study was to make use of the domestic pig to investigate the genetic diversity of E. multilocularis in relation to spatial distribution. A total of 55 E. multilocularis -induced hepatic lesions from slaughtered pigs from Switzerland were studied using EmsB microsatellite analyzes, and findings were compared to already published data (originating from human, primate, foxes, and rodent samples). A total of 12 EmsB profiles were described among the domestic pigs, some of them presenting a clear spatial organization in the Swiss plateau, with three of the main profiles geographically separated. One of the 12 EmsB profiles has been newly identified for Switzerland in this study, while the other 11 profiles had been previously described in other Swiss E. multilocularis isolates from other hosts. Overall, a total of 18 EmsB profiles have so far been described within the Swiss endemic area. Six profiles appeared only among human, primate, rodent, and fox samples. Based on a richness and diversity accumulation analysis, the sampling efficiency for the whole studied area has now been improved considerably by compilation of 178 E. multilocularis specimens obtained from four different intermediate and one definitive host species in Switzerland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The canid tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis causes alveolar echinococcosis (AE) in humans and other intermediate hosts. Depending on the permissiveness of the intermediate host, the larval form of E. multilocularis (metacestode) may be either fertile, e.g. in rodents, and thus supporting the life cycle of the parasite, or infertile, e.g. in pigs, and thus interrupting the life cycle. Pigs have been shown to act as aberrant hosts for the metacestode and consequently develop liver lesions but represent a dead-end for the parasite. Routine liver inspection at slaughter provided the basis for a large-scale surveillance study on E. multilocularis infection in pigs. The aim of this combined cross-sectional and case-control study was to estimate the minimal prevalence of E. multilocularis in pigs in Switzerland, to find factors associated with infection, and to assess potential regional clusters of infection. During the 12-month-study period, approximately 85% of all pigs slaughtered in Switzerland were assessed. In total, 450 pig livers with macroscopic lesions suggestive of E. multilocularis infection were analysed. Of those, 200 samples were positive by E. multilocularis -PCR. Thus, the overall minimal prevalence detected by molecular means was 0.009% in all slaughter pigs (200 of 2'143'996), 0.008% in finishing pigs (177 of 2'123'542), and 0.11% in breeding pigs (22 of 20'454). Histology revealed the unique presence of a laminated layer in 105 cases, and an additional germinal layer detected in a single case. Protoscoleces could not be observed in any of the lesions. Factors positively associated with infection were "foxes seen in the pig shed", "foxes on premises", "presence of other animals in the shed", "absence of a hygiene barrier", "outdoor feeding", "feeding grass", "lack of rodent control", "not having own dogs on the farm" and "infrequent deworming of sows". Infection was present in all regions sampled and was representative of the important pig rearing areas of Switzerland, without evidence of any obvious geographical cluster. Conclusively, our study provided further evidence of widespread environmental contamination with E. multilocularis eggs in Switzerland. Furthermore, the absence of protoscoleces in any of the lesions supported the concept that pigs act only as a dead-end host and thus do not contribute to the life cycle of the parasite. Factors associated with E. multilocularis infection were in-line with parasite biology, and many can be addressed by increasing hygiene and management standards., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

Virus filters are membrane-based devices that remove large viruses (e.g., retroviruses) and/or small viruses (e.g., parvoviruses) from products by a size exclusion mechanism. In 2002, the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) organized the PDA Virus Filter Task Force to develop a common nomenclature and a standardized test method for classifying and identifying viral-retentive filters. One goal of the task force was to develop a test method for small virus-retentive filters. Because small virus-retentive filters present unique technical challenges, the test method development process was guided by laboratory studies to determine critical variables such as choice of bacteriophage challenge, choice of model protein, filtration operating parameters, target log10 reduction value, and filtration endpoint definition. Based on filtration, DLS, electrospray differential mobility analysis, and polymerase chain reaction studies, a final rating based on retention of bacteriophage PP7 was chosen by the PDA Virus Filter Task Force. The detailed final consensus filter method was published in the 2008 update of PDA Technical Report 41. Virus Filtration.