1,721,026 research outputs found
Structure and biological characteristics of purse seine landings off the Lebanese coast (eastern Mediterranean)
No full textSmall pelagic fishes constitute most of the fish caught in the Mediterranean Sea and two thirds of the Lebanese landings. In this study, we present some biological parameters for the most common species collected during the fishing season. In Lebanon, juvenile pelagic fishes are attracted to floating lights and captured using purse seine nets. At least 32 species were collected but only 11 (mainly Engraulis encrasicolus, Sardina pilchardus, Sardinella aurita and Scomber japonicus) represented most of the catches. Weight–length relationships and different condition indices for common species were calculated. Most landed fishes were juveniles with a mean size of 11.3 ± 8.8 cm TL. Fish conditions exhibited a similar temporal pattern with a minimum recorded in July, probably due to interspecific food competition in the nurseries. The monitored fishing vessel landed about 15 tonnes of juvenile fishes during the 4-month fishing season while fishing effort remained constant. Size-ranges and length–frequency distributions showed that the dominant sizes ranged between 6 and 8 cm TL and that harvested fishes are smaller than the minimum size fished in neighbouring Mediterranean countries. The Lebanese purse seine fishery targets 0 age-class juvenile of many fishes in the nurseries, which is against sustainable fishing practices and has a potential impact on pelagic fish communities in the eastern Mediterranea
Interpregnancy weight change and premature birth: findings from a population-based cohort in the south of England
No full textBackground: premature birth (<37 weeks gestation) is linked to maternal weight. However, the impact of maternal interpregnancy weight change on premature birth is unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the association between maternal interpregnancy weight change and premature birth, in a population-based cohort.
Methods: data from 2003 to 2018 from one maternity centre in England was used to produce two cohorts. The primary cohort (n=14,961 women) consisted of first and second live-birth pregnancies. The secondary cohort (n=5,108 women) consisted of second and third live-birth pregnancies. Logistic regression was used to look for associations between interpregnancy weight change and premature birth, whilst adjusting for covariates at second or third pregnancy (maternal age, ethnicity, educational achievement, employment status, co-morbidities, pregnancy complications, smoking status, previous premature birth, sex of the infant, fertility treatment), BMI and gestational age at initial pregnancy booking appointment and interpregnancy interval. Subgroup analyses were performed by booking BMI group at initial pregnancy.
Results: more women gained weight (>1 kg/m2, primary cohort: 47.1%, secondary cohort: 46.5%) than lost weight (>1 kg/m2, primary cohort: 15.8%, secondary cohort: 18.1%) between pregnancies. The median weight change was 0.8 kg/m2 between pregnancies in both primary (IQR -0.4 to 2.4 kg/m2) and secondary (IQR -0.5 to 2.4 kg/m2) cohorts.
Primary cohort: 3.4% (n=514) of second pregnancy births were premature births. Weight loss (>3 kg/m2) was associated with increased risk of premature birth (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.50, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.78–6.88), in women who were normal weight (BMI 18.5–25 kg/m2) at the start of their first pregnancy. Weight gain >1 kg/m2 was not associated with the outcome in any of the initial BMI categories.
Secondary cohort: 4.2% (n=212) of third pregnancy births were premature births. Losing >3 kg/m2 was associated with increased risk of premature birth (aOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.05–3.87) when analysing the whole sample, but not when restricting the analysis to overweight or obese women at the start of the second pregnancy.
Conclusion: interpregnancy weight loss in women who were normal weight in their first pregnancy was associated with increased risk of premature birth. No such association was found when the analysis was restricted to women who were overweight or obese in their previous pregnancy whether it was first or second. Interpregnancy weight gain was not associated with premature birth. Current national guidelines encouraging obese women to lose weight before a pregnancy should be followed, in order to reduce other maternal and offspring adverse outcomes of maternal obesity
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Is iron intake during early pregnancy associated with size at birth? Insights revealed through structural equation modelling
No full textIntroduction: iron deficiency during early pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Results of studies investigating the relationship between dietary iron intake during pregnancy and birth size are conflicting.Methods: we aimed to investigate the association between iron intake during pregnancy and birth size in a prospective cohort of 1274 pregnant women (18–45?years) in Leeds, UK, where iron supplements are not routinely recommended during pregnancy. Dietary intake was reported in a 24?h recall administered by a midwife at 12?weeks gestation. Dietary supplement intake was ascertained using dietary recall and three questionnaires throughout pregnancy.Results: 80% of women reported dietary iron intake below the UK Reference Nutrient Intake of 14.8?mg/day. 24%, 15% and 8% reported taking iron-containing supplements in the first, second and third trimesters respectively. Women with dietary iron intake >14.8?mg/day were more likely to be older, have a university degree and take daily supplements during the first trimester. They were less likely to be smokers and live in a deprived area. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationship between iron, vitamin C intakes and birth size taking into account socioeconomic status and smoking using Mplus software. The model showed excellent fit (?2=2.7, p=0.8, df=5, RMSEA<0.001). The directions of the causal paths were the same as the apriori model.Conclusion: the positive effect of iron status on customised birth size is influenced by both iron and vitamin C intakes. Using SEM describes the relevant relationships in a more holistic way than traditional regression modellin
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
The relationship between birthweight and brachio-femoral pulse wave velocity in early infancy: findings from a British birth cohort (Baby VIP study).
No full textBACKGROUND: In adults, pulse wave velocity (PWV) is regarded as a predictor of cardiovascular disease.(1) However, associations in infants are not well established. One study has linked neonatal aortic PWV, at 1-3 days, with birthweight and maternal blood pressure.(2) AIM: To examine the relationship between infant brachio-femoral PWV and size at birth. METHODS: Baby VIP study recruited 362 newborn babies from the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, including 64 small for gestational age (SGA) (18%). PWV was measured non-invasively from each baby at a follow-up home visit 2-6 weeks after recruitment, using the Vicorder kit. Birthweight and other covariables were collected from the delivery and antenatal medical notes. Individualised birthweight centiles were calculated using the GROW-Centile calculator taking into account maternal weight, height, parity, ethnicity, gestational age and baby's sex.(3) RESULTS: Mean birthweight was 3329 g (standard deviation [sd] 632). Mean infant PWV was 6.7 m/s (sd 1.3). In univariable analysis, SGA babies had, on average, lower PWV by 0.4 m/s (95% confidence interval 0.0, 0.9, P = 0.04). This association persisted after adjusting for pregnancy factors including maternal smoking, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, blood pressure at booking and 36 weeks, and infant factors including type of feeding, baby's age, position and whether asleep or awake at the time of measurement (0.5 m/s lower, 0.1, 0.9, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of measuring PWV in early infancy. SGA was associated with a lower PWV. These findings support the evidence linking SGA with cardiovascular indicators, even very early in life
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