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Seasonal progression and differences in major floral resource use by bees and hoverflies in a diverse horticultural and agricultural landscape revealed by DNA metabarcoding
Get PDFGardens are important habitats for pollinators, providing floral resources and nesting sites. There are high levels of public support for growing ‘pollinator- friendly’ plants but while plant recommendation lists are available, they are usu-ally inconsistent, poorly supported by scientific research and target a narrow group of pollinators. In order to supply the most appropriate resources, there is a clear need to understand foraging preferences, for a range of pollinators, across the season within horticultural landscapes.2. Using an innovative DNA metabarcoding approach, we investigated foraging preferences of four groups of pollinators in a large and diverse, horticultural and agricultural landscape, across the flowering season and over 2 years, signifi-cantly improving on the spatial and temporal scale that can be achieved using observational studies.3. Bumblebees, honeybees, non-corbiculate bees and hoverflies visited 191 plant taxa. Overall floral resources were shared between the different types of pol-linators, but significant differences were seen between the plants used most abundantly by bees (Hymenoptera) and hoverflies (Diptera).4. Floral resource use by pollinators is strongly associated with seasonal changes in flowering plants, with pollinators relying on dominant plants found within each season, with preferences consistent across both years.5. The plants identified were categorised according to their native status to inves-tigate the value of native and non- native plants. The majority of floral resources used were of native and near- native origin, but the proportion of horticultural and naturalised plants increased during late summer and autumn.6. Synthesis and applications. Plant recommendation lists for pollinators should dis-tinguish between bees and hoverflies and provide evidence- based floral recom-mendations throughout the year that include native as well as non- native plant
Integrating a Group-Based, Early Childhood Parenting Intervention into Primary Health Care Services in Rural Bangladesh: A Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial
Get PDFBackground: Over 250 million children globally do not reach their developmental potential. We tested whether integrating a group-based, early childhood parenting program into government healthcare clinics improved children's development, growth, and behavior.Methods: We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial in 40 community clinics in the Kishorganj district of Bangladesh. We randomly assigned clinics (1:1) to deliver a group-based parenting interventions or to a comparison group that received no intervention. Participants were children aged 5-24 months, with weight-for-age z-score of ≤ -1.5 SDs of the WHO standards, living within a thirty-minute walking distance from the clinic ( n = 419 intervention, 366 control). Government health staff facilitated parenting sessions in the clinic with groups of four mother/child dyads fortnightly for one year as part of their routine duties. Primary outcomes measured at baseline and endline were child development assessed using the Bayley scales, child behaviors during the test by tester ratings, and child growth. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02208531. Findings: 91% of children were tested at endline (396 intervention, 319 control). Multilevel analyses showed significant benefits of intervention to child cognition (effect size 0.85 SDs, 95% CI: 0.59, 1.11), language (0.69 SDs, 0.43, 0.94), and motor development (0.52 SDs, 0.31, 0.73), and to child behaviors during the test (ranging from 0.36 SDs, 0.14, 0.58, to 0.53 SDs, 0.35, 0.71). There were no significant effects on growth.Conclusion: A scalable parenting intervention, integrated into existing government health services and implemented by government health staff, led to significant benefits to child development and behavior.</p
Talent development in sport. How do you make it to the top?
Get PDFAround the world, billions of children participate in sport, and many are identified as being talented. However, only a small number of these individuals go on to become elite athletes. In fact, you have more of a chance of being struck by lightning than becoming an elite athlete! So how do those who do become elite athletes make it happen? What enables a talented young athlete to become an international superstar? In this article, we will review key information about talent development and answer some important questions: How early should I start my sport? Should I focus on one sport or try lots? How important is “failing” in the journey to stardom? We will discuss various talent development pathways and why some may be better than others. We will also look at the factors that might influence an athlete’s chances of success
End of life care for infants, children and young people (ENHANCE):Protocol for a mixed methods evaluation of current practice in the United Kingdom [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]
Get PDFBackground: Although child mortality has decreased over the last few decades, around 4,500 infants and children die in the UK every year, many of whom require palliative care. There is, however, little evidence on paediatric end-of-life care services. The current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance provides recommendations about what should be offered, but these are based on low quality evidence. The ENHANCE study aims to identify and investigate the different models of existing end-of-life care provision for infants, children, and young people in the UK, including an assessment of the outcomes and experiences for children and parents, and the cost implications to families and healthcare providers.Methods: This mixed methods study will use three linked workstreams and a cross-cutting health economics theme to examine end-of-life care models in three exemplar clinical settings: infant, children and young adult cancer services (PTCs), paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), and neonatal units (NNUs).Workstream 1 (WS1) will survey current practice in each setting and will result in an outline of the different models of care used. WS2 is a qualitative comparison of the experiences of staff, parents and patients across the different models identified. WS3 is a quantitative assessment of the outcomes, resource use and costs across the different models identified.Discussion: Results from this study will contribute to an understanding of how end-of-life care can provide the greatest benefit for children at the end of their lives. It will also allow us to understand the likely benefits of additional funding in end-of-life care in terms of patient outcomes.</p
Advanced control scheme and dynamic phasor modelling of grid-tied droop-controlled inverters
Get PDFThis paper develops an advanced scheme, modelling, and analysis of power flow control intended for grid-connected droop-controlled VSIs within a single-phase microgrid (MG). The proposed control scheme includes a power calculation method based on an enhanced second-order generalized integrator frequency-locked loop (ESOGI-FLL). Contrary to the existing power calculation methods that use low-pass filter (LPF) with a low cutoff frequency to reject the grid voltage distortion and achieve average power, which may result in reducing the power calculation speed, the involved ESOGI-FLL can offer a fast transient response and benefits from high filtering capability of sub- and low-order harmonics. In addition, the ESOGI-FLL provides total rejection of the DC offset, which is another issue that may adversely affect the accuracy of the traditional methods. Thus, this proposal can contribute to improving the speed and accuracy of the power computation and make the power calculation scheme immune to DC disturbance, thereby enhancing the performance of the power control. On the other hand, a dynamic phasor modelling approach is adopted considering the dynamics of the ESOGI-based power calculation, instead of the LPF transfer function used to describe the power computation dynamic in the related works. The small-signal model of the grid-connected VSI power flow considering the line impedance R/X ratio as well as that describing the dynamics of the ESOGI-based power calculation are derived. Using these models, the closed-loop model of the grid-interactive inverter including the power controller dynamics is obtained. The system stability is assessed, which helps to determine properly the controller's gains. A simulation study of a grid-connected VSI is carried out in MATLAB/Simulink™ and PSIM's processor in the loop (PIL) platforms to assess the effectiveness of the proposed control approach. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed control to regulate real and reactive powers with good transient performances when the grid is subject to several working conditions
Qualitative Evaluation of a Scalable Early Childhood Parenting Programme in Rural Colombia
Get PDFBackground: Integrating early childhood parenting programmes into existing government services is a key strategy for reducing the loss of children’s developmental potential in low- and middle-income countries. There is limited evidence of participants’ perceptions of these programmes, especially when implemented at scale. We integrated an intervention into an existing government programme targeting pregnant women and mothers of children up to two years of age and their families in rural Colombia. Methods: As part of a cluster randomised trial, 171 government workers (facilitators) implemented the intervention. The intervention included four components: 1) structured curricula, 2) play materials, 3) nutrition, and 4) training and supervision. In this qualitative evaluation of the programme, we conducted semi-structured interviews with beneficiary mothers (n=62), facilitators (n=40) and supervisors (n=8). Topic guides were developed to collect information on participants’ perspectives of the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention and the enablers and barriers to implementation. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed and data was analysed using the framework approach.Results: Participants’ responses indicated that the intervention was acceptable, feasible and effective. Key enablers to implementation were: 1) the use of evidence-based behaviour change techniques leading to interactive, fun and participatory sessions, 2) structured curricula with easy to use, simple activities and materials, 3) the focus on positive, supportive relationships, and 4) the perceived benefits of the programme to the beneficiary mothers, children and families, facilitators and programme supervisors. The main barriers were: 1) facilitators took time to become comfortable and competent in using the new participatory methodology, and 2) the logistics related to making and distributing the play materials. Conclusion: Providing structured curricula and play materials with training and ongoing supervision to enhance an existing programme targeting mothers, families and children was reported as acceptable, feasible, and effective by beneficiary mothers and programme staff.<br/
Upsetting the apple cart: Within-team profiles of intragroup conflict and their associations with narcissism
Get PDFDifferent types of intragroup conflict (i.e., relationship, task, and process conflict) co-exist in team environments yet how this co-existence is expressed is poorly understood, particularly in sports teams. Further, there is a lack of knowledge surrounding the antecedents of intragroup conflict. Here, we examined the nature of conflict profiles in sports teams and investigated narcissism as an antecedent to the conflict profiles. In a large, multi-group sample (n = 1107 athletes from 109 teams), participants completed measures of intragroup conflict and narcissism. Team-level latent profile analysis of intragroup conflict variables indicated five distinct within-team conflict profiles which varied in patterns of relationship, task, and process conflict. Moreover, teams high in narcissism (both in terms of team mean and team maximum scores) were more likely to occupy dysfunctional conflict profiles, that is profiles high in all conflict types. These findings underscore the importance of considering conflict profiles within teams and provide the first evidence for narcissism as a contributing factor in the development of conflict profiles in groups
Peer support for people living with rare or young onset dementia: An integrative review
Get PDFObjectivesThe aim of this integrative review was to identify and synthesize the literature on peer support interventions for people living with or caring for someone with a rare or young onset dementia.DesignA literature search of articles was performed using the Nipissing University Primo search system, a central index that enables simultaneous searches across databases which included MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Cochrane Library.ResultsThe eleven papers that met the inclusion criteria spanned eighteen years and from five countries. Studies reported on peer support programs that were either hospital-based (n = 6) or community-based (n = 4), and were predominantly led by disciplines in the health sciences. Only one study did not involve delivering services. There was a range of methodological quality within the studies included in the review. Further analysis and synthesis led to the identification of three overarching peer support themes. These included: (1) peers as necessarily part of social support interventions; (2) a theoretical portmanteau; and (3) dementia spaces and relationality.ConclusionConsistent with a much larger body of work examining peer involvement in social interventions, this review reinforced the valuable contribution of peers. A full understanding of the mechanisms of change was not achieved. Notwithstanding, the issue of studies neglecting to sufficiently conceptualize and describe interventions is an important one – drawing attention to the need to continue to explore varied delivery, including co-produced models, and more effective evaluation strategies to inform the dementia care sector