EVALUATION OF PRIMING ON ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS IN LEAF OF CUCURBITA MAXIMA IN RIVERS STATE NIGERIA

The capacity of priming agents on the management of antinutritional factors in the leaf of Cucurbita maxima (duchesne Linn) winter squash was evaluated using hydro-prime agent (Biomagnetic treated water) and Bioprime agents (Biochar and Bacillus licheniformis with control at Rivers State University Teaching and research farm Port Harcourt, the leaf of Cucurbita maxima primed plant was harvested and further processed for the reduction of antinutritional factors using standard methods. The harvested data was subjected to ANOVA of variance-(DUNNETT and Turkey means comparison), Microsoft test and Statistical analysis system-john Macintosh project. However, the test results inferred that Biomagnetic treated water and Bacillus licheniformis had highest positive and negative percentage difference while biochar treated sample showed equilibrium in both negative and positive percentage different but reduced more negatively on phenol antinutritional value all on the leaf and seed sample plant. Moreover, the variational analysis confirmed the efficacy of biomagnetic treated water followed by Bacillus licheniformis and biochar sample plant informed importance of ipomea aquatica as biomass for biochar production verified via sequenced result obtained

Are smokers scared by COVID-19 risk? How fear and comparative optimism influence smokers’ intentions to take measures to quit smoking

Research suggests that smoking may compound the risk of serious health problems to smokers who contract COVID-19. This study examines whether and how exposure to news stories reporting the severe COVID-19 risk to smokers may influence smokers’ emotional responses (fear, anxiety, and sadness) and intentions to take measures to quit smoking. Current smokers in the US participated in an online experiment (N = 495) and were randomized to read smoking risk news stories or news stories reporting the combined risk of smoking and COVID-19. We found that combined risk news stories lead to participants feeling more fearful and sadder than when they viewed smoking risk news stories (M = 5.74; SD = 2.57 vs. M = 5.20; SD = 2.74; p \u3c .05). Fear fully mediated the effect of news exposure on intentions to take measures to quit smoking (ß = .09; SE = 05; 95% CI [.010, .200]). Moreover, moderated-mediation analyses revealed that the mediating effect of fear was conditioned on the levels of comparative optimism, such that the association between fear and intentions to take measures to quit smoking was only significant among smokers whose comparative optimism was at the mean score (ß = .16; SE = 05; 95% CI [.071, .250]), and for those whose comparative optimism was high (ß = .27; SE = .06; 95% CI [.146, .395]). These results suggest that fear of the pandemic and optimism might play important roles in predicting and explaining the association between exposure to news stories and intentions to take measures to quit smoking. Messages about heightened risk of COVID-19 complications for smokers that increase fear might be an effective strategy to motivate smokers to quit. Such messages should be used to turn the adversity of COVID-19 pandemic into an intervention opportunity to reduce tobacco-related disease

Further Evidence for Seed Size Variation in the Genus Zostera: Exploratory Studies with Z. japonica and Z. asiatica

Recent studies found seed size variation within the seagrass Zostera marina, one of nine species in the genus Zostera. The objectives of this study were to determine if variation also exists in the seeds of two other species Zostera japonica and Zostera asiatica within this genus. Results indicate that: (1) length and weight varied between two populations (one indigenous population from Akkeshi-Ko, Japan, and one exotic population from Willapa Bay, Washington, USA) of the small-bodied intertidal seagrass species Z. japonica, and (2) seed-size classes were discernable. Preliminary investigations were also initiated with a Japanese population of Z. asiatica, a large-bodied subtidal seagrass species. Z. japonica seeds from the exotic population were significantly (P \u3c 0.00 1) longer and heavier when compared to those from the indigenous population, a finding which may help explain both the process of the earlier introduction and the recent expansion of this exotic in the northeastern Pacific. Also, preliminary results indicate that Z. asiatica seeds are heavier than both those of Z. marina and Z. japonica, which suggests that larger seeds may be associated with large-bodied plants in this genus, an observation that should direct future seed ecology studies within the genus. These findings demonstrate that, similar to the study of terrestrial angiosperms, investigations designed to describe the comparative ecology of marine seed-bearing plants should include an evaluation of seed size

Olfactory stimulation for people with dementia: a rapid review

There is a growing interest in using olfactory (smell) stimulation in dementia care. This study aims to extend current knowledge by synthesising the evidence on the efficacy of interventions using olfactory stimulation for people with dementia and to assess the effects of different types of odours and administration methods using a mixed methods approach. The rapid review was conducted based on searches in six electronic databases. A narrative approach was applied to assess 20 studies included in the review. Fourteen studies used a quasi-experimental design, five studies used an experimental design and one was a case study. High heterogeneity was found on odours and methods of application used, with the majority of studies administering lavender oil using a diffuser. Mixed results were reported on the benefits of olfactory stimulation on responsive behaviours and cognitive function. Although the evidence available is limited, encouraging results were found regarding olfactory stimulation and increased sleep duration, food intake and improved balance. It was not possible to draw any overall conclusion in relation to the effect of olfactory stimulation. However, this review shows promising results that support further investigation of olfactory stimulation as a nonpharmacological intervention for people with dementia. The review is limited due to the low to moderate quality of studies included. Furthermore, the broad range of approaches was employed, and comparison between the studies was difficult. Further high-quality mixed method studies using robust and detailed protocols are needed to clarify the effects of olfactory stimuli and any other factors that may influence the responses of people with dementia

The characteristics and dynamics of wave-driven flow across a platform coral reef in the Red Sea

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2016. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 121 (2016): 1360–1376, doi:10.1002/2015JC011141.Current dynamics across a platform reef in the Red Sea near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, are examined using 18 months of current profile, pressure, surface wave, and wind observations. The platform reef is 700 m long, 200 m across with spatial and temporal variations in water depth over the reef ranging from 0.6 to 1.6 m. Surface waves breaking at the seaward edge of the reef cause a 2–10 cm setup of sea level that drives cross-reef currents of 5–20 cm s−1. Bottom stress is a significant component of the wave setup balance in the surf zone. Over the reef flat, where waves are not breaking, the cross-reef pressure gradient associated with wave setup is balanced by bottom stress. The quadratic drag coefficient for the depth-average flow decreases with increasing water depth from Cda = 0.17 in 0.4 m of water to Cda = 0.03 in 1.2 m of water. The observed dependence of the drag coefficient on water depth is consistent with open-channel flow theory and a hydrodynamic roughness of zo = 0.06 m. A simple one-dimensional model driven by incident surface waves and wind stress accurately reproduces the observed depth-averaged cross-reef currents and a portion of the weaker along-reef currents over the focus reef and two other Red Sea platform reefs. The model indicates the cross-reef current is wave forced and the along-reef current is partially wind forced.This research is based on work supported by awards USA 00002 and KSA 00011 KAUST. K. Davis was supported by a WHOI Postdoctoral Fellowship. T. Farrar was partly supported by NSF grant OCE-1435665. S. Lentz was partly supported by NSF grants OCE-1332646 and OCE-1357290.2016-08-1

A crab swarm at an ecological hotspot : patchiness and population density from AUV observations at a coastal, tropical seamount

© The Author(s), 2016. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in PeerJ 4 (2016): e1770, doi:10.7717/peerj.1770.A research cruise to Hannibal Bank, a seamount and an ecological hotspot in the coastal eastern tropical Pacific Ocean off Panama, explored the zonation, biodiversity, and the ecological processes that contribute to the seamount’s elevated biomass. Here we describe the spatial structure of a benthic anomuran red crab population, using submarine video and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) photographs. High density aggregations and a swarm of red crabs were associated with a dense turbid layer 4–10 m above the bottom. The high density aggregations were constrained to 355–385 m water depth over the Northwest flank of the seamount, although the crabs also occurred at lower densities in shallower waters (∼280 m) and in another location of the seamount. The crab aggregations occurred in hypoxic water, with oxygen levels of 0.04 ml/l. Barcoding of Hannibal red crabs, and pelagic red crabs sampled in a mass stranding event in 2015 at a beach in San Diego, California, USA, revealed that the Panamanian and the Californian crabs are likely the same species, Pleuroncodes planipes, and these findings represent an extension of the southern endrange of this species. Measurements along a 1.6 km transect revealed three high density aggregations, with the highest density up to 78 crabs/m2, and that the crabs were patchily distributed. Crab density peaked in the middle of the patch, a density structure similar to that of swarming insects.This work was sponsored by a grant from the Dalio Foundation, Inc, through the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Consuming post-disaster destinations: The case of Sichuan, China

Addressing the call for a better understanding of tourist behavior in relation to post-disaster destinations, this study explores the motivations and intentions of potential domestic tourists (from non-hit areas) to visit Sichuan, China in the aftermath of an earthquake. Drawing on dark tourism theories, this study offers a more comprehensive insight into the consumption of post-disaster destinations, aiming to capture the impact of the changes to the destination’s attributes on tourist behavior. The findings move beyond the common approach to tourism recovery, which solely focuses on reviving the traditional ‘‘non-dark’’ products. This study reveals the importance of newly formed dark attributes that emerge from the disaster as another means to destination recovery, reflected in the emergence of new tourist segments

A systematic review of mental health measurement scales for evaluating the effects of mental health prevention interventions

Background: Consistent and appropriate measurement is needed in order to improve understanding and evaluation of preventative interventions. This review aims to identify individual-level measurement tools used to evaluate mental health prevention interventions to inform harmonisation of outcome measurement in this area. Methods: Searches were conducted in PubMed, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Cochrane and OpenGrey for studies published between 2008 and 2018. that aimed to evaluate prevention interventions for common mental health problems in adults and used at least one measurement scale (PROSPERO CRD42018095519). For each study, mental health measurement tools were identified and reviewed for reliability, validity, ease-of-use, and cultural sensitivity. Results: 127 studies were identified that used 65 mental health measurement tools. Most were used by a single study (57%, N = 37) and measured depression (N = 20) or overall mental health (N = 18). The most commonly used questionnaire (15%) was the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A further 125 tools were identified which measured non- mental health specific outcomes. Conclusions: There was little agreement in measurement tools used across mental health prevention studies, which may hinder comparison across studies. Future research on measurement properties and acceptability of measurements in applied and scientific settings could be explored. Further work on supporting researchers to decide on appropriate outcome measurement for prevention would be beneficial for the field

Identifying research priorities for digital technology in mental healthcare: results of the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership

Digital technology, including the use of internet, smartphones and wearables, holds the promise to bridge the mental health treatment gap by offering a more accessible, potentially less stigmatising, flexible and tailored approach to mental healthcare. However, the evidence-base for digital mental health interventions and demonstration of clinical- and cost-effectiveness in real-world settings remains inadequate. The James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) for digital technology in mental healthcare was established to identify research priorities that reflected the perspectives and unmet needs of people with lived experience of mental health problems, mental health service users, their carers, and healthcare practitioners. 644 participants contributed over 1350 separate questions, which were reduced by qualitative thematic analysis into six overarching themes. Following removal of out of scope questions and a comprehensive search of existing evidence, 134 questions were verified as uncertainties suitable for research. These questions were then ranked online and in workshops by 628 participants to produce a shortlist of 26. The top ten research priorities were identified by consensus at a stakeholder workshop. The top ten priorities should inform research policy and funding in this field. Identified priorities primarily relate to the safety and efficacy of digital technology interventions in comparison with face to face interventions, evidence of population reach, mechanisms of therapeutic change, and how best to optimize the effectiveness of digital interventions in combination with human support