21649 research outputs found
Sort by
Different Strokes for Different Croaks: Using an African Reed Frog Species Complex as a Model to Understand Idiosyncratic Population Requirements for Conservation Management
Get PDFBiodiversity is under increasing pressure from environmental change, although the scope and severity of these impacts remain incompletely understood. For many species, a lack of information about population-specific responses to future environmental change hinders the development of effective conservation strategies. Here, we use an East African reed frog species complex as a model to explore spatial variation in vulnerability to future environmental changes. Our sampling across two threatened biodiversity hotspots spans the entire geographic range of H. mitchelli and H. rubrovermiculatus in Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. Using genome-wide (ddRAD-seq) data, we evaluate levels of neutral genetic diversity and local adaptations across sampling localities. We then integrate spatial approaches (genomic offset, modeled dispersal barriers, and Species Distribution Models) to predict how populations may respond differently to future environmental changes, such as climate warming and predicted land use changes. Based on our analyses, we characterize population structure and identify region-specific management needs that reflect genetic variation among populations and the uneven impacts of predicted change across the landscape. Peripheral populations are most vulnerable to future environmental changes due to (i) low levels of neutral genetic diversity (Malawi and Pare mountains in Tanzania), (ii) putative signals of local adaptation to wetter conditions with predicted disruptions to genotype-environment associations (i.e., high genomic offset, Kenya and Northern Tanzania), and (iii) the projected contraction of suitable habitat, which is a pervasive threat to the species complex in general. Populations in Northern, Central, and Southern Tanzania show the lowest vulnerability to environmental change and may serve as important reservoirs of genetic diversity for potential future genetic rescue initiatives. Our study highlights how populations across different parts of species ranges may be unevenly affected by future global changes and provides a framework to predict which conservation actions may help mitigate these effects
Card games are effective tools to enhance foundation year health and safety inductions
Get PDFHealth and safety knowledge is critical in a laboratory setting but is often taught passively. As passive learning approaches are associated with lower student engagement and subsequent attainment, higher education institutions are increasingly focussed on active learning methodologies. One such approach is the use of card‐based games to gamify learning. Based on this, this study designed and evaluated three health and safety card games focussing on personal protective equipment, hazard symbols and laboratory equipment identification. Students' health and safety knowledge was evaluated using a 10‐point scale before and after completion of all three games. Wider pedagogical impact on factors such as student experience, transferable skill development and gamified learning value was also evaluated using open‐answer questions or a 5‐point Likert scale. A total of 91 foundation year students participated in the study. Most students reported positive responses regarding their enjoyment (89.9 %) and learning (74.7 %) from the games. Students liked their design (80.1 – 91.1%) and visual appeal (82.3 – 91.1 %), considering them a valuable addition to their laboratory induction (89.9 %). Pre‐ and postevaluation revealed a significant increase in self‐perceived knowledge of health and safety (6.4 ± 2.1 to 8.4 ± 1.5, P < 0.001), PPE (7.6 ± 2.0 to 8.7 ± 1.5, P < 0.001), laboratory hazards (6.8 ± 1.9 to 8.2 ± 1.5, P < 0.001) and laboratory equipment (6.3 ± 2.1 to 8.2 ± 1.8, P < 0.001). Stratification of participants based on socio‐economic factors and university entry qualifications revealed no significant differences. These findings highlight the wide benefits of card games as active learning tools to enhance health and safety education while providing a positive and equitable student experience
Failed Securitization of Climate Change on the Agenda of the UN Security Council
No full textThe attempt to set climate change on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council ( UNSC ) has failed, despite nearly twenty years of international efforts. The main reason for such a failure lies in the fact that securitization does not happen in a vacuum; instead, it happens in the context of time inconsistency, anarchical sovereignty, and institutional contestation. First, time is inconsistent between urgent measures to address climate change and the long-term benefits spanning more than one generation. Second, China and Russia, two veto players at the UNSC , along with many developing countries, are concerned more about their sovereignty over their own energy security than climate securitization. Third, there is institutional contestation between the UNSC and the UNFCCC over authority in global climate governance. Given these complexities, a more pragmatic approach for the UNSC to tackle climate change might be to incorporate it alongside the existing items on its agenda
Tracking Persistent Symptoms in Scotland (TraPSS): a longitudinal prospective cohort study of COVID-19 recovery after mild acute infection
Get PDFBackground COVID-19 disease results in disparate responses between individuals and has led to the emergence of long coronavirus disease (Long-COVID), characterised by persistent and cyclical symptomology. To understand the complexity of Long-COVID, the importance of symptom surveillance and prospective longitudinal studies is evident.Methods A 9-month longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted within Scotland (n=287), using a mobile app to determine the proportion of recovered individuals and those with persistent symptoms and common symptoms, and associations with gender and age.Results 3.1% of participants experienced symptoms at month 9, meeting the criteria for Long-COVID, as defined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence terminology. The random effects model revealed a significant time (month) effect for infection recovery (p<0.001, estimate=0.07). Fatigue, cough and muscle pain were the most common symptoms at baseline, with fatigue persisting the longest, while symptoms like cough improved rapidly. Older age increased the likelihood of reporting pain (p=0.028, estimate=0.07) and cognitive impairment (p<0.001, estimate=0.93). Female gender increased the likelihood of headaches (p=0.024, estimate=0.53) and post-exertional malaise (PEM) frequency (p=0.05, estimate=137.68), and increased time x gender effect for PEM frequency (p=0.033, estimate=18.96).Conclusions The majority of people fully recover from acute COVID-19, although often slowly. Age and gender play a role in symptom burden and recovery rates, emphasising the need for tailored approaches to Long-COVID management. Further analysis is required to determine the characteristics of the individuals still reporting ongoing symptoms months after initial infection to identify risk factors and potential predictors for the development of Long-COVID
Lifelines and faultlines: charity shop volunteering in a time of uncertainty
No full textThis research note explores how older volunteers experienced working in the charity retail sector during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws on original research conducted in three charity shops across Greater Manchester, which explored experiences of ageing in a ‘professionalising’ sector. Findings suggest that the pandemic: (1) strengthened a collective sense of solidarity among charity shop volunteers, staff and customers, and (2) accelerated aspects of neoliberal professionalisation within the sector that made this solidarity difficult to sustain. It is argued that the pandemic not only laid bare many of the existing tensions within the charity retail sector, but posed new threats to the inclusivity of this environment. This provides insights into the long-term implications for voluntary and community sector services as they continue to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic
Long lives, poor health? A comprehensive review of the evidence among international migrants
No full textIntroduction Empirical evidence on migrant morbidity suggests that migrant populations have a higher burden of disease compared to non-migrants in high-income destination countries. Yet, empirical evidence on migrant mortality typically shows a lower risk of death compared to non-migrants. Migrants might be living longer lives in worse health—a ‘migrant “morbidity-mortality” paradox’. Sources of data Peer-reviewed, English-language publications. Areas of agreement The paradox has been reported in different destinations, across different migrant groups, and across different health outcomes. It presents most consistently among migrants and women born in low and middle-income countries, and/or when morbidity is self-reported. Areas of controversy The majority of the evidence is based upon unlinked, aggregated, cross-sectional prevalence data that has well-known limitations. Nearly all the studies to date have been descriptive, and there is a lack of understanding concerning what might explain this paradox among migrants. Growing points That migrants are living longer subject to a higher burden of diseases is a social and public health concern that needs to be further explored and understood through more research. Areas timely for developing research We need more evidence of the paradox based upon linked individual-level, incidence-based data that compares the morbidity and mortality risks of the same migrant and non-migrant populations using objective data on morbidity from primary care (general practitioners) or secondary care (hospitalizations). We need to know how widespread the paradox is, which migrant populations are most affected by it, and the potential mechanisms responsible for it
Advancing Sustainability and Resilience in Vulnerable Rural and Coastal Communities Facing Environmental Change with a Regionally Focused Composite Mapping Framework
Get PDFRural and coastal communities in areas of socio-economic deprivation face increasing exposure to compound climate-related hazards, including flooding, erosion and extreme heat. Effective adaptation planning in these contexts requires approaches that integrate physical hazard modelling with measures of social vulnerability in a transparent and reproducible way. This study develops and applies the Adaptive and Resilient Rural-Coastal Communities in Lincolnshire (ARRCC-L) framework, a sequential process combining data collation, two-dimensional hydraulic simulation using LISFLOOD-FP, and composite vulnerability mapping. The framework is versioned and protocolised to support replication, and is applied to Lincolnshire, UK, integrating UKCP18 climate projections, high-resolution flood models, infrastructure accessibility data and deprivation indices to generate multi-scenario flood exposure assessments for 2020–2100. The findings demonstrate how open, reproducible modelling can underpin inclusive stakeholder engagement and inform equitable adaptation strategies. By situating hazard analysis within a socio-economic context, the ARRCC-L framework offers a transferable decision support tool for embedding resilience considerations into regional planning, supporting both local adaptation measures and national risk governance
Effect of boswellic acids on the expression of PD-1 and TIGIT immune checkpoints on activated human T cells.
No full textBoswellic acids (BAs) have been documented as anti-inflammatory agents with the potential to regulate immune responses. However, their impacts on the expression level of immune checkpoint (IC) molecules in T cells have never been reported. By using flow cytometric assays, we investigated whether BAs extracted from Boswellia sacra (B. sacra) have any potential effects on the expression of PD-1 and TIGIT immune checkpoints (ICs) on activated T cells in vitro. Interestingly β-BA at a concentration of 50 μM significantly reduced the expression of PD-1 and TIGIT on both activated CD4 and CD8 T cells without any cytotoxicity. Additionally, β-KBA significantly reduced the percentages of CD4 PD-1 and CD8 TIGIT T cells at 50 μM concentration. Furthermore, a significant reduction in CD4 PD-1 T cells was observed following treatment with a lower concentration (25 μM) of β-AKBA. These findings show that BA compounds have the ability to reduce the expression of PD-1 and TIGIT in stimulated human T cells, which might play critical roles in reinvigorating exhausted T cells, indicating their potentials in immunosuppressed disease settings such as cancers and infections. This study is the first to investigate the effects of these compounds on the expression of immune checkpoints in human T cells. Clearly, further investigations are required to assess the mechanism of action of these compounds on ICs, and their efficacy as therapeutic agents in different diseases
Effect of Relative Isometric Strength on Countermovement Jump Performance in Professional and Semi-Professional Soccer Players
Get PDFAs powerful actions commonly proceed goal scoring opportunities within soccer, enhancing powerful actions could be essential to optimize performance. There is a large body of evidence supporting the positive associations between maximal isometric mid-thigh pull force-generating qualities and jump performance. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if relative maximal isometric force production can discriminate between higher- and lower-performing jumpers among professional and semi-professional soccer players. As such, it was hypothesized that stronger players would have a greater jump performance than weaker players. Methods: An observational cross-sectional research design was used to assess ballistic and isometric force production of the lower limbs across players from four professional and semi-professional soccer clubs during the pre-season period. Seventy-six professional male lower-league soccer players (mass: 82.5 ± 8.2 kg; height: 1.80 ± 0.07 m; age: 25.8 ± 4.3 years) performed three trials of the countermovement jump (CMJ) and isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) using force plates. Players were categorized as strong and weak using the group’s average IMTP relative peak force (33.41 N/kg). A series of one-way Bayesian independent t-tests were performed to determine the difference between strong and weak groups. Results: A large magnitude of difference was observed between strong and weak players for relative peak force (d [95% CI] = 2.53 [2.017–∞]), with strong evidence supporting the hypothesis (BF10 = 2.698 × 10+14). There was moderate evidence to support the hypothesis that strong players (n = 37) had a greater modified reactive strength index (mRSI) and relative average braking force in comparison to weaker players (n = 39). All other evidence was weak, with trivial-to-small differences (d = 0.10–0.42) for jump height, jump momentum, propulsive force, force at minimum displacement, time to take off, and countermovement depth. Conclusions: Maximal relative strength has implications on jump performance, albeit not on the jump outcome. Stronger players performed the CMJ more efficiently when observing the mRSI, with a shorter time to take off, while producing greater average relative forces during the braking phase. This could have potential implications in the sporting environment when performing jumping tasks, where they can achieve a similar outcome over a shorter duration
Approaches to Automatic Classification, Detection and Segmentation of Breast Arterial Calcification Using Deep Learning
Get PDFObjective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of premature death in the United Kingdom with one type, coronary artery disease, killing more than two times as many women as breast cancer. Recently, researchers have noted that breast arterial calcification (BAC), which is regularly observed as an incidental finding on mammograms, could be used to risk‐stratify women for CVD. However, identifying BAC is known to be a tedious, expensive and time‐consuming process. Thus, this paper investigates deep learning models for BAC classification, object detection and segmentation. Methodology: A data set, annotated under the guidance of two consultant radiologists, was created using data augmentation. This was used to evaluate several alternative deep learning models. Results: A modified ResNet22 classification network achieved a test accuracy of 80%, indicating that this method could be used as a flag for the presence or absence of BAC. We also used this network for feature extraction in a YOLOv4 BAC object detection network. Despite improving on a recent similar study, this latter network performed poorly with very low average precision scores at several thresholds. More promising was our DeepLabv3+‐based BAC segmentation network, which reached similar high global accuracy scores to three recent studies and a BFScore of over 70% specifically for BAC. It also performed satisfactorily on an unseen data set. Conclusions: These results show the potential for using classification and segmentation models as part of a pipeline for detecting BAC
Data sources:
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage University of Salford Institutional Repository? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!