UNASSIGNED: Next-generation sequencing technology can now be used to sequence historical specimens from natural history collections, an approach referred to as museomics. The museomics allows obtaining molecular data from old museum-preserved specimens, a resource of biomolecules largely underexploited despite the fact that these specimens are often unique samples of nomenclatural types that can be crucial for resolving scientific questions. Despite recent technical progress, cricket mitogenomes are still scarce in the databases, with only a handful of new ones generated each year from freshly collected material.
UNASSIGNED: In this study, we used the genome skimming method to sequence and assemble three new complete mitogenomes representing two tribes of the cricket subfamily Eneopterinae: two were obtained from old, historical type material of Xenogryllus lamottei (68 years old) and X. maniema (80 years old), the third one from a freshly collected specimen of Nisitrus vittatus. We compared their genome organization and base composition, and reconstructed the molecular phylogeny of the family Gryllidae.
UNASSIGNED: Our study not only confirmed that the genome skimming method used by next generation sequencing allows us to efficiently obtain the whole mitogenome from dry-pinned historical specimens, but we also confirmed how promising it is for large-scale comparative studies of mitogenomes using resources from natural history collections. Used in a phylogenetic context the new mitogenomes attest that the mitogenomic data contain valuable information and also strongly support phylogenetic relationships at multiple time scales.

Museums increasingly rely on cutting-edge digital technologies to attract visitors. Understanding the intricate factors influencing user acceptance of these technologies is, however, crucial for their effective use. This study therefore proposes a model, grounded in the technology acceptance model, to investigate user acceptance of online virtual reality (VR) museum exhibitions. Leveraging the online VR exhibition at Liangzhu Museum as a case study, data were collected from 313 participants and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with Smart PLS. Semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals were conducted to complement the quantitative findings. The results reveal that factors such as interactivity, immersion, and presence positively influenced users\' intrinsic technological beliefs (perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, and perceived usefulness), ultimately affecting their willingness to use and intention to visit on-site. Notably, immersion had a direct positive effect on perceived usefulness. There is a pressing need to leverage digital and web technologies to cater to the increasingly complex and diverse needs of online visitors, and emphasizing navigational performance in online VR exhibitions is also paramount for enhancing the overall user experience.

Gene expression is regulated by changes in chromatin architecture intrinsic to cellular differentiation and as an active response to environmental stimuli. Chromatin dynamics are a major driver of phenotypic diversity, regulation of development, and manifestation of disease. Remarkably, we know little about the evolutionary dynamics of chromatin reorganisation through time, data essential to characterise the impact of environmental stress during the ongoing biodiversity extinction crisis (20th-21st century). Linking the disparate fields of chromatin biology and museum science through their common use of the preservative formaldehyde (a constituent of formalin), we have generated historical chromatin profiles in museum specimens up to 117 years old. Historical chromatin profiles are reproducible, tissue-specific, sex-specific, and environmental condition-dependent in vertebrate specimens. Additionally, we show that over-fixation modulates differential chromatin accessibility to enable semi-quantitative estimates of relative gene expression in vertebrates and a yeast model. Our approach transforms formalin-fixed biological collections into an accurate, comprehensive, and global record of environmental impact on gene expression and phenotype.

Informal educational opportunities such as visits to museums, aquariums, and zoos support children\'s semantic knowledge gain. Most research focuses on outcomes of direct learning, such as factual recall. The extent to which children engage in productive memory processes such as inferential reasoning and self-derivation through memory integration is not yet well understood. We assessed 8- to 9-year-old children\'s performance on tests of direct (e.g., fact recall) and productive (e.g., inference, integration) learning from virtual museum exhibits. We also examined the influence of children\'s involvement on learning outcomes, through measuring within-exhibit dyadic conversation and post-exhibit reflection. Children performed successfully on all three tests of learning; fact recall was the most accessible and self-derivation was the least. Both within and post-exhibit involvement predicted overall learning outcomes; within-exhibit conversational phrases predicted self-derivation performance in particular. The current work provides novel insights into mechanisms that support children\'s informal learning.

In this paper, we reflect on \'new commons\' theory and elaborate on the ontology of memory institutions with the aim to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for \'commons-oriented\' GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums). In doing so, we propose an alternative for governing and managing cultural heritage against a backdrop of limited public funding and pressures for developing memory institutions into more inclusive, participatory and \'entrepreneurial\' organisations. Our theoretical analysis is grounded in the review of the extant literature, including both the \'Ostromian\' and \'Autonomist\' schools of thought, drawing particularly on the new commons (urban, digital, cultural/heritage commons) to inform our framework. The conceptual schema we present here is adapted to fit with the idiosyncrasies of the sector, describing the functioning of commoning practices in GLAMs. Such a framework is critical for navigating future research and devising workable solutions to address current challenges for memory institutions in Europe.
Over the last decades, GLAMs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) have faced several challenges, including the limitation of public funding due to the global economic crisis of 2008, the need to keep up with digitalization trends in order to make collections accessible to larger audiences, the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic which impacted income sources such as visitor revenues, licensing, donations, endowments and sponsorships. All these challenges require GLAMs to be proactive in adopting innovative strategies, collaborating with other institutions, leveraging partnerships, and seeking sustainable funding models to address their unique and evolving needs. In this paper, we explore the potentiality of GLAMs to operate as commons, towards ensuring their vibrancy, sustainability and resilience, while meeting broader societal needs. The commons constitute a mode of resource management (in our case cultural ones) through which a specific community (instead of a state body or actors of the market) is responsible for the exploitation and managmenet (or, in several cases also the production) of a resource under inclusive and democratic principles. In this way, the commons constitute of i) a (set of) commons pool resource(s), including a diverse range of material and intangible resources, ii) a group/ community that appropriate, use, manage and take care of the resources, iii) a governance/ management framework established through mixes of official and informal sets of rules, decision-making processes, governance arrangements.

Museum genomics provide an opportunity to investigate population demographics of extinct species, especially valuable when research prior to extinction was minimal. The Bachman\'s warbler (Vermivora bachmanii) is hypothesized to have gone extinct due to loss of its specialized habitat. However, little is known about other potential contributing factors such as natural rarity or changes to connectivity following habitat fragmentation. We examined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and genome-wide SNPs using specimens collected from breeding and migration sites across the range of the Bachman\'s warbler. We found no signals of strong population structuring across the breeding range of Bachman\'s warblers in both mtDNA and genome-wide SNPs. Thus, long-term population isolation did not appear to be a significant contributor to the extinction of the Bachman\'s warbler. Instead, our findings support the theory that Bachman\'s warblers underwent a rapid decline likely driven by habitat destruction, which may have been exacerbated by the natural rarity, habitat specificity and low genetic diversity of the species.

In recent years, cultural tourism has increasingly embraced museum visits. Museums serve as both cultural heritage guardians and integral parts of tourist destinations, significantly impacting visitor satisfaction and experience. Moreover, online museum reviews have become a crucial indicator of museum service quality, visitor experience, and public feedback in the digital age. An analysis of online reviews on major tourism websites and social media platforms can assist museums in developing appropriate management strategies. This study employed the structural topic model (STM) to analyze online museum reviews, identifying three primary attributes of museums and visitors\' personal experiences, as well as 19 sub-attributes. The study confirmed that core offerings have a positive impact on visitor experience and satisfaction, while peripheral services and overall ambiance are also positively related to visitor experience and satisfaction. Furthermore, the results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that visitors\' personal experiences have a positive impact on satisfaction. The results of structural equation modeling analysis support all seven hypothesized relationships. These findings will assist museum managers in developing effective management strategies and future plans.

This study aims to develop a digital retrieval system for art museums to solve the problems of inaccurate information and low retrieval efficiency in the digital management of cultural heritage. By introducing an improved Genetic Algorithm (GA), digital management and access efficiency are enhanced, to bring substantial optimization and innovation to the digital management of cultural heritage. Based on the collection of art museums, this study first integrates the collection\'s images, texts, and metadata with multi-source intelligent information to achieve a more accurate and comprehensive description of digital content. Second, a GA is introduced, and a GA 2 Convolutional Neural Network (GA2CNN) optimization model combining domain knowledge is proposed. Moreover, the convergence speed of traditional GA is improved to adapt to the characteristics of cultural heritage data. Lastly, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), GA, and GA2CNN are compared to verify the proposed system\'s superiority. The results show that in all models, the sample output results\' actual value is 2.62, which represents the real data observation results. For sample number 5, compared with the actual value of 2.62, the predicted values of the GA2CNN and GA models are 2.6177 and 2.6313, and their errors are 0.0023 and 0.0113. The CNN model\'s predicted value is 2.6237, with an error of 0.0037. It can be found that the network fitting accuracy after optimization of the GA2CNN model is high, and the predicted value is very close to the actual value. The digital retrieval system integrated with the GA2CNN model has a good performance in enhancing retrieval efficiency and accuracy. This study provides technical support for the digital organization and display of cultural heritage and offers valuable references for innovative exploration of museum information management in the digital era.

BACKGROUND: This study was motivated due to psychological exhaustion, demands, and conflict degenerating from the work environment and family responsibilities facing career female workers. These roles and expectations have posed serious dilemmas to female populations in workplaces. Leaving them untreated is risky and could lead to severe psychological disturbances. Based on these, this study investigated the effect of the occupation health model of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy on work-family conflict and work-deviant behavior among female workers in Tourism, Museum, Art Gallery and Exhibition Centers in Enugu State.
METHODS: A randomized control design was used. A total of 119 female workers were randomized into intervention and control groups, measured at 3 points (pretest, posttest, and follow-up test), and the data collected were analyzed using repeated measure statistics.
RESULTS: The finding showed that the intervention is significantly effective in reducing the work-family conflict and work deviance behavior among female workers in Tourism, Museum, and Art Gallery Exhibition Centers. Nonetheless, the findings show that the gender and time interaction effects did not significantly affect the work-family conflict and work deviance behavior scores of the workers. The follow-up stage improved the intervention\'s favorable impact on the reduction of work-family conflict and work-deviant behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS: This suggest that occupation health model of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy has significant impact in reducing and changing female workers\' perceptions of work-family conflict and work deviant behaviors.

Although adults are known to play an important role in young children\'s development, little work has focused on the enactive features of scaffolding in informal learning settings, and the embodied dynamics of intergenerational interaction. To address this gap, this paper undertakes a microinteractional analysis to examine intergenerational collaborative interaction in a science museum setting. The paper presents a fine-grained moment-by-moment analysis of video-recorded interaction of children and their adult carers around science-themed objects. Taking an enactive cognition perspective, the analysis enables access to subtle shifts in interactants\' perception, action, gesture, and movement to examine how young children engage with exhibits, and the role adult action plays in supporting young children\'s engagement with exhibits and developing ideas about science. Our findings demonstrate that intergenerational \"embodied scaffolding\" is instrumental in making \"enactive potentialities\" in the environment more accessible for children, thus deepening and enriching children\'s engagement with science. Adult action is central to revealing scientific dimensions of objects\' interaction and relationships in ways that expose novel types of perception and action opportunities in shaping science experiences and meaning making. This has implications for science education practices since it foregrounds not only \"doing\" science, through active hands-on activities, but also speaks to the interconnectedness between senses and the role of the body in thinking. Drawing on the findings, this paper also offers design implications for informal science learning environments.