1,639 research outputs found
Observing adaptive capacity in Indian rice production systems
No full textTheoretically we understand the dimensions of both generic and specific adaptive capacity, however, there are few studies which document actual observed adaptive capacity. This study aims to address this gap by documenting the adaptive capacity of Indian rice production systems, an agro-socio-ecological system. We explore how Indian rice production systems have responded to historical climate shocks in order to assess their likely capacity to respond to current and future climate changes. Using a panel dataset of both Indian rice crop yield and extreme heat and drought shocks measured at the district level from 1980 to 2009, we sought to detect evidence of farmers: (i) adapting through reduced rice crop yield sensitivity to climate shocks over time, and (ii) responding to climate shocks by altering farming practices. We found that changes in average climate shock exposure over time was not linked to changes in average rice crop yields over time at a location. We also observed that rice crop yield sensitivity to year-to-year fluctuations in climate shocks has not decreased over time; this implies that over time the Indian rice production system has not increased its capacity to buffer inter-annual variation in shock exposure. We did not detect the presence of learning from exposure to climate shocks; in fact, greater exposure to extreme heat shocks eroded farmers’ capacity to respond to current heat events. There was no clear pattern of farmers in districts that experienced worsening average climate shock exposure responding with the uptake of plausible adaptive practices. In summary, there was not a clear signal of adaptive capacity being present in Indian rice production systems
sj-docx-1-spo-10.1177_17479541231202015 - Supplemental material for Importance of fundamental movement skills to predict technical skills in youth grassroots soccer: A machine learning approach
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-1-spo-10.1177_17479541231202015 for Importance of fundamental movement skills to predict technical skills in youth grassroots soccer: A machine learning approach by Michael J. Duncan, Emma L. J. Eyre, Neil Clarke, Abdul Hamid, and Yanguo Jing in International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching</p
Resilience to hazards: rice farmers in the Mahanadi Delta, India
No full textDeveloping country deltas are important food producing areas and are home to large numbers of subsistence farmers. In particular, rice farmers dominate the populous deltas of South and South-East Asia and face frequent climate hazards which have short- and long-term impacts on rice production and livelihoods. The aim of this study is to identify and explain proximal and ultimate factors (land access, cultural practices, and institutional support) that affect rice farmer resilience; that is to explain why some farmers are more sensitive to climate shocks, why some farmers suffer long-term impacts from climate shocks, and what underlying 'ultimate' factors reproduce this vulnerability over time. We undertake this analysis using qualitative interviews and household survey data from two districts in the Mahanadi Delta, Odisha, India. We show that climate hazards cause rice production shocks that are problematic for farmers as rice is predominantly used for household consumption in a context of unreliable off-farm income sources and a lack of insurance and credit. Our research emphasizes that 'ultimate' drivers interact with the current mode of rice cultivation to reproduce a low resilience farming state. We argue that agricultural development interventions seeking to make rice farming more resilient to climate hazards should focus on boosting productivity and shock-resistance, but also be cognizant of the system within which rice farming is practiced and the contextual 'ultimate' factors that reproduce vulnerability
Mangrove forests enhance rice cropland resilience to tropical cyclones: evidence from the Bhitarkanika Conservation Area
No full textCounting the cost: estimating the number of deaths among recently released prisoners in Australia
No full textTO THE EDITOR: Kinner and\ud
colleagues described the high\ud
proportion of deaths among recently\ud
released prisoners in Australia..
The genetics of osteoporosis
No full textIntroduction Osteoporosis is the commonest metabolic bone disease worldwide. The clinical hallmark of osteoporosis is low trauma fracture, with the most devastating being hip fracture, resulting in significant effects on both morbidity and mortality. Sources of data Data for this review have been gathered from the published literature and from a range of web resources. Areas of agreement Genome-wide association studies in the field of osteoporosis have led to the identification of a number of loci associated with both bone mineral density and fracture risk and further increased our understanding of disease. Areas of controversy The early strategies for mapping osteoporosis disease genes reported only isolated associations, with replication in independent cohorts proving difficult. Neither candidate gene or linkage studies showed association at genome-wide level of significance. Growing points The advent of massive parallel sequencing technologies has proved extremely successful in mapping monogenic diseases and thus leading to the utilization of this new technology in complex disease genetics. Areas timely for developing research The identification of novel genes and pathways will potentially lead to the identification of novel therapeutic options for patients with osteoporosis
Genetic studies in osteoporosis: The end of the beginning
Full text linkOsteoporosis and disorders of bone fragility are highly heritable, but despite much effort the identities of few of the genes involved has been established. Recent developments in genetics such as genome-wide association studies are revolutionizing research in this field, and it is likely that further contributions will be made through application of next-generation sequencing technologies, analysis of copy number variation polymorphisms, and high-throughput mouse mutagenesis programs. This article outlines what we know about osteoporosis genetics to date and the probable future directions of research in this field
New and emerging therapies for osteoporosis
No full text<b>Key Points</b>\ud
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- Osteoporosis is a common yet under-recognised condition, with high morbidity and mortality.\ud
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- ‘Traditional’ antiresorptive medications such as bisphosphonates, hormone replacement therapy and raloxifene are effective but have some limitations.\ud
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- Denosumab, a newer antiresorptive, has antifracture efficacy, and favourable 10-year safety data. It has generally similar side effects to bisphosphonates; however, hypocalcaemia is a potential risk particularly in people with stage 4 to 5 chronic kidney disease, and rebound-associated vertebral fractures have been observed after denosumab discontinuation. The role of denosumab in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is under investigation.\ud
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- Teriparatide, the only available anabolic agent in Australia, is limited to 18 months’ use. After discontinuation, commencement of an antiresorptive agent is trongly recommended.\ud
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- Combining denosumab and teriparatide appears promising, with impressive gains in bone mineral density; however, no fracture data are available yet, and the ombination is not currently available on the PBS.\ud
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- Novel anabolic agents with phase III trial evidence include abaloparatide (a parathyroid hormone-related protein analogue) and romosozumab (an antisclerostin antibody).\ud
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- Although associated with significant fracture reduction in phase III trials, development of odanacatib (a cathepsin K inhibitor) has been discontinued because of a small increased risk of stroke
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