Relieving a fear of public speaking

SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY

 

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INSPIRED BY HER OWN EXPERIENCE, SMU ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR KYONG JIN SHIM IS LEADING A RESEARCH PROJECT THAT INTEGRATES VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY AND AI TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS IN STUDENTS.

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CREDIT: SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY

By Alistair Jones

SMU Office of Research - If you dread public speaking you are not alone. It is a leading social phobia, one that can cause a state of anxiety that reduces otherwise articulate people to nervous incoherence. 

A strong fear of public speaking is known as glossophobia. Academic studies estimate it affects 20 per cent of the population, but depending on the sample and methodology, the figure could be as high as 40 per cent. 

As American writer and humourist Mark Twain said, "There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.”

But help may be on the way. Kyong Jin Shim, an Associate Professor of Information Systems at Singapore Management University (SMU), is leading a research project that explores the integration of virtual reality (VR) technology and AI to improve public speaking skills in students. 

And while the research specifically focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of utilising this technology for the development of public speaking skills for university students, the methodology could have wider applications. The project has been awarded an MOE Tertiary Education Research Fund (TRF) grant and the proposed solution is called PresentationPro.

"[Through headsets], presenters will see a three-dimensional virtual environment that mimics a real-world presentation setting, complete with a crowd of AI-driven avatars representing an audience," Professor Shim says. 

"These avatars will display behaviours typical of a live audience, such as nodding, making eye contact, showing various expressions and providing real-time feedback to the presenter," Professor Shim says.

In a high-tech update on practice makes perfect, PresentationPro aims to provide a way for presenters to hone their public speaking skills without the logistical challenges of assembling a live audience for every student.

The team is collaborating with SMU’s Centre for English Communication (CEC) to translate their “presentation” know-how and best practices into a digital platform, and eventually to scale CEC’s communication coaching.

Avatar triggers

The VR content, including the audience avatars, is generated through a combination of advanced computer graphics and AI algorithms. To make the avatars responsive in real time is no small task.

"This is achieved through sophisticated AI programming that includes natural language processing (NLP) and behaviour modelling. The system uses machine learning to analyse the presenter’s speech and body language, allowing avatars to respond realistically in real time to both verbal and non-verbal cues," Professor Shim says.

By working with SMU’s Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Professor Shim’s faculty team tapped into CTE’s expertise in classroom management and wealth of knowledge in different kinds of behaviour that can manifest in classroom “presentation” scenarios. The behaviours of students and faculty/instructors play a crucial role in engineering PresentationPro’s “audience avatar” behaviours using AI.

But can the avatars interrupt the presenter?

"Yes, avatars can interrupt and ask questions, simulating a dynamic interaction typical of real audiences. This capability is enabled by integrating NLP and speech recognition technologies, allowing avatars to process spoken language and respond appropriately," Professor Shim says.

The physical cues of presenters will also be monitored.

"In addition to heart rate tracking with Fitbits, the system uses VR headsets such as Meta Quest equipped with head and gaze tracking technology to monitor where the presenter is looking, such as whether they are avoiding eye contact by staring at their feet. Gesture tracking is also employed to catch other physical behaviours like fidgeting," Professor Shim says.

Verbal triggers for the avatars are set up using a combination of speech recognition and sentiment analysis technologies. 

"These triggers are calibrated to recognise various speech patterns and anomalies such as tics, stutters, or deviations from the script, which then cue the avatars to react in specific ways that mimic a real audience's response," Professor Shim says.

Behavioural changes

The researchers have generated digital twins, which are highly detailed digital replicas of human behaviours and interactions – much like individuals – ensuring a diverse and realistic audience simulation reflective of a typical SMU classroom.

"Using different avatars helps to avoid repetition and predictability in audience reactions, enhancing the realism of the virtual environment and mimicking a typical seminar or classroom setting," Professor Shim says.

"VR and AI can simulate realistic social interactions, which can help individuals practise and improve their public speaking skills in a low-risk environment. Repeated exposure and positive reinforcement through VR can reduce anxiety, build confidence and lead to behavioural changes.

"Improvements will be measured through both subjective evaluations (participant and instructor feedback) and objective metrics (performance data collected during VR sessions and traditional in-person assessments). Comparisons will be drawn between control and experimental groups to assess the efficacy of VR training," Professor Shim says.

Transformative tool

Interestingly, for a project that is about behavioural change, no psychologists were among the project's expert investigators when it began.

"The research team primarily consists of specialists in education technology, AI, and public speaking, focusing on the technological and instructional design aspects of the project," Professor Shim says. 

"Although psychologists play a crucial role in understanding and addressing anxiety, our project's current scope concentrates on developing and integrating AI-driven solutions for public speaking training. Nevertheless, we recognise the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and are very open to partnering with experts in the social sciences to enhance our understanding of anxiety management. 

"Such collaborations could lead to further refinements in our VR system, ultimately enriching the learner's experience by more effectively addressing public speaking anxiety."

Professor Shim has since added SMU Assistant Professor of Psychology Andree Hartanto to the team to explore:

• Psychological mechanisms through which VR may reduce glossophobia;
• Long-term impacts of VR training on public speaking anxiety; and
• Differential effects of VR training across diverse demographic groups

Professor Shim's journey into VR applications began in 2021 with a prototype designed to train new lecturers at SMU. 

"My personal experiences as a faculty member, grappling with the challenges of adapting to a new cultural and academic environment, deeply influenced this initiative. During my early years at SMU, I found lecturing to a seminar-style classroom of 45 students from diverse backgrounds to be particularly daunting," she says.

"As I transitioned into a mentorship role for newer faculty members, I realised how beneficial immersive technologies like VR could be in accelerating the on-boarding process for new lecturers. This technology allows them to practice lecturing in their own time and space, repeat sessions as needed, and eliminates the logistical challenges of scheduling real seminar rooms and audiences. 

"Inspired by the potential of this initial application, we set out to develop a similar VR system to enhance public speaking skills for students. This project not only leverages my teaching-related research in collaboration with CTE, but also builds upon our foundational work in VR, aiming to provide a transformative educational tool for a wider audience," Professor Shim says.

 

Lighting up the brain: What happens when our ‘serotonin center’ is triggered?

By studying how activating the brain’s serotonin center affects awake animals for the first time, scientists show that serotonin activates brain areas influencing behavior and motivation.

OKINAWA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (OIST) GRADUATE UNIVERSITY

 

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USING LIGHT STIMULATION AND MRI, SCIENTISTS COMPARED THE EFFECTS OF STIMULATING THE BRAIN’S SEROTONIN CENTER IN AWAKE AND ANESTHETIZED MICE, SHOWING A CLEAR DIFFERENCE IN ACTIVATION LEVELS BETWEEN THE TWO STATES.

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CREDIT: HAMADA ET AL., 2024

Our brains are made of tens of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These cells communicate with each other through biomolecules called neurotransmitters. Serotonin, a type of neurotransmitter, is produced by serotonin neurons in our brains and influences many of our behavioral and cognitive functions such as memory, sleep, and mood. 

Using mice, scientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and their collaborators from Keio University School of Medicine have studied the main source of serotonin in the brain – the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). By studying how activating the brain’s ‘serotonin center’ affects awake animals for the first time, they found that serotonin from the DRN activates brain areas that affect behavior and motivation.  

“Learning about the brain’s serotonin system can help us understand how we adapt our behaviors and how mood therapy medication works. But it was hard to study how serotonin from the DRN affects the entire brain. First, because electric stimulation of the DRN can also activate neurons that don’t use serotonin to communicate with each other, and second, using drugs can affect other serotonin in the brain,” explained Dr. Hiroaki Hamada, a former PhD student at OIST’s Neural Computation Unit and lead author of a paper on this study published in the journal Nature Communications.  

Previous studies by researchers at the Neural Computation Unit have shown that serotonin neurons in the DRN promote adaptive behaviors in mice associated with future rewards. Dr. Hamada and his collaborators wanted to understand the mechanisms in the brain that cause these adaptive behaviors.  

“We knew that DRN serotonin activation has strong effects on behavior, but we didn’t know how this serotonin activation affects different parts of the brain,” Prof. Kenji Doya, leader of the Neural Computation Unit, stated. 

 

Observing the entire brain’s response to DRN serotonin activation

 

The researchers used a novel technique called opto-functional MRI to address this question. They used a method called optogenetics to selectively activate serotonin neurons in the DRN with light and observed the entire brain’s response using functional MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). They utilized the latest MRI scanner with a strong magnetic field to achieve the high resolution needed to study the small brains of mice. The mice were put in the MRI scanner and serotonin neurons were stimulated at regular intervals to see how this affected the whole brain. 

They found that DRN serotonin stimulation causes activation of the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia, brain areas involved in many cognitive functions. This result was very different from a previous study performed under anesthesia. Additionally, the brain's response to serotonin stimulation is strongly linked to the distribution of serotonin receptors (proteins activated by serotonin) and the connection patterns of DRN serotonin neurons. 

“We clearly see from the high-field MRI images which areas in the brain are activated and deactivated during the awake state and under anesthesia when we activate serotonin neurons in the DRN,” Dr. Hamada said. “A previous study showed that the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia were mostly deactivated under anesthesia, which we also observed, however, in awake states these areas are significantly activated.”  

The cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia are parts of the brain critical for many cognitive processes, including motor activity and behaviors to gain rewards such as food and water. Activation of DNR serotonin neurons can therefore lead to changes in motivation and behavior. 

 

Patience and stimulating your own serotonin

 

Combining the new technique of high field MRI and optogenetics presented many obstacles that Dr. Hamada had to overcome. “We introduced and adapted a method previously used by our collaborators and established many new procedures at OIST. For me, the main challenge was using the new MRI machine at the time, so I needed to have patience and stimulate my own serotonin. I started doing a lot of exercise after that,” he laughed.  

Seeing activations in the DRN for the first time was a standout moment for Dr. Hamada. In the beginning, he used the same light intensity that his collaborators used, but this was too weak to see the brain responses in the MRI. He then used bigger optical fibers and increased the intensity to stimulate the DRNs.   

Prof. Doya noted that the next important milestone to achieve is understanding exactly how this brain-wide activation of serotonin occurs: “It’s important to find out what is the actual molecular mechanism allowing this activation in our brain. People who would like to get better at adjusting their behavior and thinking in different situations could also find it helpful to learn more about how serotonin helps control our moods.” 

To read more about research on the effects of serotonin from Prof. Doya’s unit, please see here. 

Activation of the brain when the DRN is stimulated in awake states

In awake states, when serotonin neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are stimulated by light, specific areas of the brain are activated at different levels of intensity. 

CREDIT

Hamada et al., 2024

The high-field MRI scanner located at OIST was a key instrument in this study.

CREDIT

OIST

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JOURNAL

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-48489-6 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Optogenetic activation of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons induces brain-wide activation

 

Swiss study of Portuguese immigrants looks into the impact of citizenship on identity

THE POLISH ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

 

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"THE MAGNET CITIZENSHIP" MARCH 1917 CARTOON BY HENRY MAYER - MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY

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CREDIT: MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY PUB. CO.

From the moment immigrants set eyes on acquiring citizenship in their host country - especially when they accept it as a nationality of higher status - they already begin to identify with the particular nation. Furthermore, they simultaneously grow attachment to its culture as they distance themselves from their original one. These are the conclusions made by a Swiss research team after surveying 400 immigrants from Portugal, who either: (1) have already acquired Swiss citizenship; (2) wished to acquire Swiss citizenship; or (3) did not want to acquire Swiss citizenship. Their findings are published in the open-access scholarly journal Social Psychological Bulletin.

People belong to particular social groups depending on their gender, ethnicity, profession, or nationality. Often these groups are perceived as having a specific social status within the society which affects evaluations of individuals in the group. For example, a Portuguese immigrant in Switzerland may be perceived as of lower status, because they belong to a group that is less valued than the host population. In addition, this low status is often combined with other features of low-status group memberships, such as having a profession that is poorly paid and of lower status in the context of employment.

On these lines, a research team from Switzerland decided to study how Portuguese immigrants in Switzerland negotiate between their multiple identities, in terms of their sentiments towards both their home and host culture. This depends on whether they have acquired Swiss citizenship or wish to acquire it. The team further explains that they were particularly interested in Portuguese immigrants, because they are currently the third-largest immigrant population in Geneva, and are also overrepresented in manual labour. Compared to other European immigrant groups in the country, they are also earning the lowest mean salary. 

Amongst the major findings of the team was that it was not necessary for immigrants to have already acquired Swiss citizenship for them to identify as Swiss. Rather, it was “already the desire or wish to join a group that leads the individuals to ready themselves for joining the group through an increase in identification with the desired group”.

Curiously, things changed when it came to the immigrants identifying with Portuguese. Compared to both, the Portuguese who had already acquired Swiss citizenship and those who were not interested in applying for it, the immigrants who anticipated to qualify for citizenship showed the weakest attachment bond with their home country. According to the researchers, this phenomenon can be interpreted as a strategy of “assimilation to the host society” in the sense that the surveyed immigrants had a strong desire to make it clear for the community they wish to join, and, moreover, that it is their preferred one. However, as soon as they achieve it, they start to regrow more attachment to their original group.

As for the engagement and interest in cultural practices, results were similar to those concerning identity. Interest in Swiss practices is reported to increase when the immigrants desired to acquire Swiss citizenship or had actually become Swiss nationals. Meanwhile, their interest in Portuguese practices decreased. 

While the scientists did not find an effect of citizenship and presumed social status on attitudes towards immigration in general, their findings suggest that immigrants who have become Swiss nationals or wished to become ones, were more unlikely to engage in collective actions with other Portuguese.

“Overall, these findings let us conclude that individuals psychologically manage their identities,”

says the team. 

“They approach the high-status identity (Swiss nationality), when they wish to be part of it, or are already part of it. At the same time, immigrants seem to start distancing themselves from their original, and - in the host country - less valued identity, by showing lower levels of attachment, lower interest in cultural practices and support for other Portuguese in Switzerland.” 

“Thus, these changes in identity management are not a consequence of officially becoming a citizen in the host country. Rather, they can be considered a sign of the psychological preparation to one day become a member of a higher valued group,”

the researchers conclude.

Original source:

Chipeaux, M., Kulich, C., Iacoviello, V., Politi, E., & Lorenzi-Cioldi, F. (2024). Anticipated and Achieved Individual Mobility Amongst Portuguese Immigrants in Switzerland: Social Identity Adjustment and Inter-Minority Relations. Social Psychological Bulletin, 19, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.32872/spb.9465

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JOURNAL

Social Psychological Bulletin

DOI

10.32872/spb.9465 

ARTICLE TITLE

Anticipated and Achieved Individual Mobility Amongst Portuguese Immigrants in Switzerland: Social Identity Adjustment and Inter-Minority Relations

 

Moving beyond cubicles: How an active workplace design can drive workers’ behaviors

Researchers underscore the impact of workplace culture and building layouts on workers’ behaviors and the necessity for accurate behavioral measures

JAPAN ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

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WORKPLACES WITH ACTIVITY-PROMOTING FEATURES COULD INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND REDUCE SITTING TIME AMONG OFFICE-BASED WORKERS, ENHANCING THEIR HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING.

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CREDIT: "EMPTY CUBICLES" BY OREGONDOT ON OPENVERSE. IMAGE SOURCE LINK: HTTPS://OPENVERSE.ORG/IMAGE/C156D8D9-A974-4432-B7F1-963AA8C3E5B2

Ishikawa, Japan -- Physical inactivity and sitting for prolonged hours are highly prevalent among office-based workers, known to be resulting in various health risks and economic constraints. However, to reduce sedentary time and increase physical activity, health promotion interventions alone are insufficient. The design of workplaces should also be considered to promote interactive behavior among workers.

Many models, such as the socio-ecological model, show how multiple factors interact to influence workers' active and sedentary behaviors. These models specifically magnify the impact of workplace environments in shaping these behaviors. Several studies have also shown that physical environmental factors within and outside the workplace can encourage physical activity among workers. However, several gaps in the existing literature warrant further investigation.

Recently, researchers from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) have identified three significant gaps in understanding how workplace design influences sedentary and active behaviors among employees. The research team was led by Associate Professor Mohammad Javad Koohsari from JAIST, who is also an adjunct researcher at Waseda University and an honorary associate fellow at Deakin University (Australia), along with Associate Professor Andrew T. Kaczynski from the University of South Carolina, Professor Akitomo Yasunaga from Bunka Gakuen University, Associate Professor Tomoya Hanibuchi from Kyoto University, Professor Tomoki Nakaya from Tohoku University, Professor Gavin R. McCormack from the University of Calgary, and Professor Koichiro Oka from Waseda University. Their study was published online in British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Delving deeper, Dr. Koohsari and his team reviewed existing literature to underscore the importance of investigating these gaps and to suggest future research directions. Elaborating further, he says, “We have focused on the interactive effects of workplace norms and culture, and the spatial layout of buildings on workers’ behaviors, along with the need for accurately measuring these behaviors.”

Workplace norms and culture can influence workers’ sedentary behaviors and determine how workplace design affects above mentioned behaviors. However, existing studies in this area have been conducted primarily in Western settings. So, cross-cultural studies are needed to understand these dynamics across different geographical settings, ensuring workplace interventions are culturally relevant. Moreover, the extension of workplace norms to remote and hybrid work environments could also be explored.

Understanding the full impact of workplace design on workers’ behaviors requires measuring active and sitting behaviors accurately and identifying the locations where these behaviors usually occur. While the global positioning system (GPS) in combination with accelerometer devices are commonly used for this purpose, the signals are less accurate indoors. Instead, an indoor positioning system (IPS), which uses low-cost Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, can precisely locate people within indoor environments. Through its integration with activity-tracking wearable devices, workers’ movements, intensity of activities, and other biometric data could also be collected. Additionally, combining IPS and geospatial AI (GeoAI) to analyze geospatial data could precisely locate people within workplaces and analyze workers’ movement patterns.

Previous studies have considered the impact of isolated design elements on movement and behaviors. However, the overall building layout, which is the spatial arrangement of elements like walls, doors, windows, and access routes, majorly defines the functionality of interior spaces. Yet, it remains unclear which workplace layouts promote active behaviors among employees. Space syntax theory—a method of quantifying spatial layouts using graph-based estimators—could fill this knowledge gap. Dr. Koohsari highlights, “By considering the spatial layout of a whole building rather than only the individual design elements, space syntax could be used to study how factors of building layout, such as locations of common spaces and workstation arrangement, impact workers’ movements and behaviors.”

As digitalization and automation engulf the modern world, sedentary behaviors among office-based workers are expected to increase. In response, Dr. Koohsari reiterates, “Future studies should examine the interactive effects of workplace norms and culture on behavior and conduct cross-cultural studies to identify similarities and differences. Innovative measurement methods can also be employed to accurately measure behaviors and locations where those behaviors occur within workplaces. Additionally, exploring the influence of spatial layout, and utilizing space syntax, can offer valuable insights into the design of work environments that facilitate workers' engagement inactive behaviors. ”

In conclusion, these insights suggest that addressing the existing knowledge gaps is crucial for developing workplace interventions and designing healthy and productive work environments, eventually enhancing the well-being of workers.

 

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Reference

Title of original paper:	Active Workplace Design: Current Gaps and Future Pathways
Authors:	Mohammad Javad Koohsari*, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Akitomo Yasunaga, Tomoya Hanibuchi, Tomoki Nakaya, Gavin R. McCormack, and Koichiro Oka
Journal	British Journal of Sports Medicine
DOI:	10.1136/bjsports-2024-108146

 

                                           

About Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Founded in 1990 in Ishikawa prefecture, the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) was the first independent national graduate school in Japan. Now, after 30 years of steady progress, JAIST has become one of Japan’s top-ranking universities. JAIST counts with multiple satellite campuses and strives to foster capable leaders with a state-of-the-art education system where diversity is key; about 40% of its alumni are international students. The university has a unique style of graduate education based on a carefully designed coursework-oriented curriculum to ensure that its students have a solid foundation on which to carry out cutting-edge research. JAIST also works closely both with local and overseas communities by promoting industry–academia collaborative research.

 

About Associate Professor Mohammad Javad Koohsari from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Dr Koohsari is an Associate Professor at Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Japan. He also is an Adjunct Researcher with the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Waseda University, Japan, and an Honorary Associate Fellow with the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Deakin University, Australia. He obtained his PhD in Urban Design from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and another PhD in Health and Sport Sciences from Waseda University, Japan. His research focuses on how built environment science can contribute to population health, especially in the context of super-aged societies. Dr Koohsari has a publication record with over 115 refereed journal articles (such as at Nature Reviews Cardiology). In 2020, 2021, and 2022, he was recognised in the top 2% of most influential researchers worldwide across all scientific disciplines (Stanford University & Elsevier). He is also included in the 'Top Scientists' list in the field of 'Social Science & Humanities' for the year 2022 (Research.com). He is an editorial board member of several international journals, such as Landscape & Urban Planning, Heart & Mind, Clinical eHealth, and Journal of Architectural & Planning Research.

 

Funding information

Mohammad Javad Koohsari is supported by the JSPS KAKENHI (grant 23K09701). Koichiro Oka is supported by the JSPS Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research program (grant 20H04113).

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JOURNAL

British Journal of Sports Medicine

DOI

10.1136/bjsports-2024-108146 

ARTICLE TITLE

Active Workplace Design: Current Gaps and Future Pathways

 

Fjords are effective carbon traps regardless of oxygen levels

UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG

 

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GULLMARSFJORDEN IN SWEDISH BOHUSLÄN WAS ONE OF THE FJORDS STUDIED. IT HAS A VARYING OXYGEN CONTENT IN THE WATER NEAR THE BOTTOM. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT THE BOTTOM SEDIMENTS ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE CARBON TRAP, EVEN WHEN THE WATER HAD A HIGHER OXYGEN CONTENT.

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CREDIT: ASTRID HYLÉN

The fjords on Sweden’s west coast act as effective carbon traps regardless of whether the bottom water is oxygen-rich or not. This is the conclusion of a new study with researchers from the University of Gothenburg.

Large quantities of plant parts sink to the bottom of fjords on the Swedish west coast where they form sediment. This buries organic carbon, which would otherwise contribute to ocean acidification and the greenhouse effect. When the plant parts are exposed to oxygen and other substances, the organic carbon begins to decompose into inorganic carbon, which can be dissolved into carbonic acid in the water. Research has previously assumed that it is the oxygen content of the bottom environment that determines how effectively the carbon can be captured, but measurements in three fjords in Sweden show that oxygen content plays less of a role.

Same pattern in three fjords

“We chose three fjords with different oxygen levels in the bottom water and for these fjords it seems that the amount of particles that settle is so high that the impact of oxygen on decomposition is low,” says Per Hall, professor emeritus of marine biogeochemistry at the University of Gothenburg and co-author of the study published in JGR Biogeosciences.

The three fjords; Byfjorden, Hakefjorden and Gullmarsfjorden show the same pattern in the sediments. Large amounts of organic carbon are stored, and decomposition proceeds at the same rate whether plant parts from land or sea have landed on the seabed.

“This is also new knowledge. Further into the fjords, the proportion of terrestrial plant parts is greater in the sediments than further out in the fjord, closest to the sill. But as a carbon sink, the fjord works equally well everywhere, regardless of the origin of the organic material,” says Per Hall.

Mineral particles contribute to the carbon trap

Another thing that could be noted in the measurements was that the organic material combines with mineral particles that are transported out into the fjord by water courses. This association makes the organic matter sink faster and slows down decomposition because bacteria and other organisms cannot break down this material as well. It also contributes to the carbon sink.

Fjords are the marine environments that bury the most organic carbon relative to their size. About 18 megatonnes (million tonnes) of organic carbon are buried in fjord sediments globally each year, representing 11 percent of all carbon captured in the world's oceans, even though fjords account for only one-tenth of one percent of all ocean surface area.

“Therefore, we conclude that fjords, especially those located in a temperate climate with surrounding terrestrial vegetation that can contribute to fjord sedimentation, play an important role in climate regulation on longer time scales. This emphasises the importance of exploring these ecosystems in the context of global change,” says Per Hall.

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JOURNAL

Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences

DOI

10.1029/2023JG007978 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

ARTICLE TITLE

Burial of Organic Carbon in Swedish Fjord Sediments: Highlighting the Importance of Sediment Accumulation Rate in Relation to Fjord Redox Conditions

 

Large corporations can improve the environment by taking risks and innovating, according to a study

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

Businesses with dynamic, risk-taking cultures can be leaders in delivering positive environmental changes quickly, according to a study from the University of Surrey. 

Researchers surveyed 249 managers from multinational enterprises (MNEs) in Turkey and studied how well companies apply dynamic capabilities – their ability to adapt products and strategies in response to technological advancements and shifting consumer preferences. The study found that MNEs deploying dynamic capabilities collaborate better with suppliers to improve environmental practices. 

MNEs willing to take risks and try new approaches benefit more, especially with simpler environmental challenges like imposing sustainability standards, encouraging cleaner production, or waste reduction strategies. 

These findings offer valuable insights for businesses and policymakers. MNEs can use dynamic capabilities to build strong supplier relationships focused on environmental solutions. 

Dr Abderaouf Bouguerra, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Strategy and International Business at the University of Surrey, said: 

“Utilising dynamic capabilities enables MNEs to collaborate with suppliers and improve environmental sustainability. Sensing external pressures and reconfiguring processes is critical to supporting suppliers’ sustainability, which is essential for meeting development goals. By working with suppliers and other key stakeholders, they can create a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone.” 

The study also found that complex environmental problems, such as initiatives to help suppliers reduce waste, can distract from long-term sustainability goals. To address this, MNEs should reduce risks in sustainability efforts by developing strong supplier collaborations and investing in targeted resources. 

The study argues that MNEs embracing collaborative environmental practices, such as working with suppliers on materials and waste reduction, can unlock various benefits. 

Professor Tazeeb Rajwani, Professor of International Business and Strategy at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study, said: 

“Companies working together on environmental solutions can save money, use resources more efficiently, and reduce waste. They can also improve their reputation and attract environmentally-conscious customers. By fostering a culture of innovation and risk-taking, MNEs can lead in developing sustainable solutions throughout their supply chains.” 

Read the full study in the International Business Review.    

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Note to editors:      

• Professor Tazeeb Rajwani and Dr Abderaouf Bouguerra are available for interview upon request      

• Contact the University of Surrey press office: mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk   

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JOURNAL

International Business Review

DOI

10.1016/j.ibusrev.2024.102298 

ARTICLE TITLE

MNEs engagement with environmental sustainability in an emerging economy: Do dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation matter?

 

The world’s most powerful anti-fungal chemistries cause fungal pathogens to self-destruct

Scientists have discovered that the most widely-used class of antifungals in the world cause pathogens to self-destruct.

UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

 

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FIGURE 1: AN AUTOPHAGOSOME (GREEN) IN THE PROCESS OF "EATING" A NUCLEUS (RED) IN A AZOLE-TREATED CELL OF Z. TRITICI. IMAGE PROVIDED BY CO-AUTHOR DR. MARTIN SCHUSTER.

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CREDIT: DR. MARTIN SCHUSTER

Scientists have discovered that the most widely-used class of antifungals in the world cause pathogens to self-destruct. The University of Exeter-led research could help improve ways to protect food security and human lives.

Fungal diseases account for the loss of up to a quarter of the world’s crops. They also pose a risk to humans and can be fatal for those with weakened immune systems.

Our strongest "weapon" against fungal plant diseases are azole fungicides. These chemical products account for to a quarter of the world agricultural fungicide market, worth more than £3 billion per year. Antifungal azoles are also widely used as a treatment against pathogenic fungi which can be fatal to humans, which adds to their importance in our attempt to control fungal disease. 

Azoles target enzymes in the pathogen cell that produce cholesterol-like molecules, named ergosterol. Ergosterol is an important component of cellular bio-membranes. Azoles deplete ergosterol, which results in killing of the pathogen cell. However, despite the importance of azoles, scientists know little about the actual cause of pathogen death.

In a new study published in Nature Communications, University of Exeter scientists have uncovered the cellular mechanism by which azoles kill pathogenic fungi. 

Funded by the BBSRC, the team of researchers, led by Professor Gero Steinberg, combined live-cell imaging approaches and molecular genetics to understand why the inhibition of ergosterol synthesis results in cell death in the crop pathogenic fungus Zymoseptoria tritic (Z. tritici). This fungus causes septoria leaf blotch in wheat, a serious disease in temperate climates, estimated to cause more than £250 million per year in costs in the UK alone due to harvest loss and fungicide spraying.

The Exeter team observed living Z. tritici cells, treated them with agricultural azoles and analysed the cellular response. They showed that the previously accepted idea that azoles kill the pathogen cell by causing perforation of the outer cell membrane does not apply. Instead, they found that azole-induced reduction of ergosterol increase the activity of cellular mitochondria, the "powerhouse" of the cell, required to produce the cellular "fuel" that drives all metabolic processes in the pathogen cell. While producing more "fuel" is not harmful in itself, the process leads to the formation of more toxic by-products. These by-products initiate a "suicide" programme in the pathogen cell, named apoptosis. In addition, reduced ergosterol levels also trigger a second "self-destruct" pathway, which causes the cell to "self-eat" its own nuclei and other vital organelles – a process known as macroautophagy (Figure 1). The authors show that both cell death pathways underpin the lethal activity of azoles. They conclude that azoles drive the fungal pathogen into "suicide" by initiating self-destruction.

The authors found the same mechanism of how azoles kill pathogen cells in rice-blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. The disease caused by this fungus kills up to 30 per cent of rice, an essential food crop for more than 3.5 billion people across the world. The team also tested other clinically relevant anti-fungal drugs that target the ergosterol biosynthesis, including Terbinafine, Tolfonate and Fluconazole. All initiated the same responses in the pathogen cell, suggesting that cell suicide is a general consequence of ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors.

Lead author Professor Gero Steinberg, who holds a Chair in Cell Biology and is Director of the Bioimaging Centre at the University of Exeter, said: “Our findings rewrite common understanding of how azoles kill fungal pathogens. We show that azoles trigger cellular "suicide" programmes, which result in the pathogen self-destructing. This cellular reaction occurs after two days of treatment, suggesting that cells reach a "point of no return" after some time of exposure to azoles. Unfortunately, this gives the pathogen time to develop resistance against azoles, which explains why azole resistance is advancing in fungal pathogens, meaning they are more likely to fail to kill the disease in crops and humans.  

“Our work sheds light on the activity of our most widely used chemical control agents in crop and human pathogens across the world. We hope that our results prove to be useful to optimise control strategies that could save lives and secure food security for the future.”

The paper is entitled ‘Azoles activate type I and type II programmed cell death pathways in crop pathogenic fungi’ and is published in Nature Communications. Co-authors are Dr Martin Schuster and Dr Sreedhar Kilaru at the University of Exeter.

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JOURNAL

Nature Communications

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Cells

ARTICLE TITLE

Azoles activate type I and type II programmed cell death pathways in crop pathogenic fungi