Prioritisation of companion dog welfare issues using expert consensus

Resources for tackling animal welfare issues are often limited. Obtaining a consensus of expert opinion on the most pressing issues to address is a valuable approach to try to ensure that resources are wisely spent. In this study, seven independent experts in a range of disciplines (including veterinary medicine, animal behaviour and welfare science and ethics) were consulted on the relative prioritisation of welfare issues impacting companion dogs in Great Britain. Experts first anonymously ranked the priority of 37 welfare issues, pre-defined from a literature review and an earlier published survey. In a subsequent two-day panel workshop, experts refined these issues into 25 composite groups and used specific criteria to agree their relative priorities as a Welfare Problem (WP; incorporating numbers of dogs affected, severity, duration and counter-balancing benefits) and a Strategic Priority (SP; a combination of WP and tractability). Other criteria — anthropogenicity, ethical significance and confidence in the issue-relevant evidence — were also discussed by the panel. Issues that scored highly for both WP and SP were: inappropriate husbandry, lack of owner knowledge, undesirable behaviours, inherited disease, inappropriate socialisation and habituation and conformation-related disorders. Other welfare issues, such as obese and overweight dogs, were judged as being important for welfare (WP) but not strategic priorities (SP), due to the expert-perceived difficulties in their management and resolution. This information can inform decisions on where future resources can most cost-effectively be targeted, to bring about the greatest improvement in companion dog welfare in Great Britain

Five reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) of personality questionnaires: Comparison, validity and generalization

There are six purpose-built Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) personality questionnaires currently in use to measure the fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS), the behavioural inhibition system (BIS), and the behavioural approach system (BAS). They differ in their conceptualizations and operational constructs, and this poses a problem for their differential validity and the generalizability of results, and comparison of results from different studies. This paper examined the psychometric properties of five of these RST questionnaires, with a total sample of 821 participants, taken from the factor structures for the Croatian translations of BIS/BAS scales, SPSRQ, Jackson-5, RSQ and RST-PQ. Data were analysed by correlational and confirmatory factor analyses. We found some of these questionnaires achieved marginal to adequate fit indices, and they showed ambiguity in terms of convergent validity for all three general behavioural systems. These findings highlight the difficulties with generalization and comparison of results with the use of different RST questionnaires. Based on these findings, as well as the ongoing debate concerning how best to measure RST constructs, we provide information on how to interpret results from the studies conducted with different RST scales

Spectral absorption of biomass burning aerosol determined from retrieved single scattering albedo during ARCTAS

Actinic flux, as well as aerosol chemical and optical properties, were measured aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites) mission in Spring and Summer 2008. These measurements were used in a radiative transfer code to retrieve spectral (350-550 nm) aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) for biomass burning plumes encountered on 17 April and 29 June. Retrieved SSA values were subsequently used to calculate the absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE) over the 350-500 nm range. Both plumes exhibited enhanced spectral absorption with AAE values that exceeded 1 (6.78 ± 0.38 for 17 April and 3.34 ± 0.11 for 29 June). This enhanced absorption was primarily due to organic aerosol (OA) which contributed significantly to total absorption at all wavelengths for both 17 April (57.7%) and 29 June (56.2%). OA contributions to absorption were greater at UV wavelengths than at visible wavelengths for both cases. Differences in AAE values between the two cases were attributed to differences in plume age and thus to differences in the ratio of OA and black carbon (BC) concentrations. However, notable differences between AAE values calculated for the OA (AAEOA) for 17 April (11.15 ± 0.59) and 29 June (4.94 ± 0.19) suggested differences in the plume AAE values might also be due to differences in organic aerosol composition. The 17 April OA was much more oxidized than the 29 June OA as denoted by a higher oxidation state value for 17 April (+0.16 vs. -0.32). Differences in the AAEOA, as well as the overall AAE, were thus also possibly due to oxidation of biomass burning primary organic aerosol in the 17 April plume that resulted in the formation of OA with a greater spectral-dependence of absorption. © Author(s) 2012. CC Attribution 3.0 License

PAD4 is not essential for disease in the K/BxN murine autoantibody-mediated model of arthritis

INTRODUCTION: Both murine and human genome-wide association studies have implicated peptidyl arginine deiminase (PAD4) as a susceptibility gene in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, patients with RA commonly have autoantibodies which recognize PAD4 or and/or citrullinated peptides. This study aims to evaluate the role of PAD4 in the effector phase of arthritis. METHODS: PAD4 knock out (KO) and wild type (WT) C57BL/6J mice were injected with K/BxN sera to induce disease. Progression of disease was monitored by measuring paw and ankle swelling and clinical indexes of disease, and pathogenesis was assessed by indexing of clinical progression on paws collected from WT and PAD4 KO mice injected with K/BxN serum. PAD4 activity was determined by visualization of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and immunohistological analysis of histone citrullination. RESULTS: PAD4 activity is readily detectable in the inflamed synovium of WT but not PAD4 deficient animals, as demonstrated by histone citrullination and NET formation. However, PAD4 WT and KO animals develop K/BxN serum transfer disease with comparable severity and kinetics, with no statistically significant differences noted in clinical scores, swelling, joint erosion or joint invasion. CONCLUSIONS: PAD4 WT and KO mice develop disease in the K/BxN serum transfer model of arthritis with similar severity and kinetics, indicating that PAD4 is dispensable in this effector phase model of disease

Equilibrium model for two low-pressure electronegative plasmas connected by a double layer

Plihon et al. [J. Appl. Phys.98, 023306 (2005)] have recently shown that double layers usually form during the expansion of a low pressure electronegative plasma. These double layers act as permeable internal boundaries between the source (upstream) plasma and the downstream expanding plasma; positive ions flow from upstream to downstream whereas negative ions flow in the opposite direction. So far, the detailed physical mechanisms leading to their formation have not been identified. In this paper, we develop a model for the two plasma equilibria, upstream and downstream, assuming that the double layer exists and couples the two plasmas. At very low pressure, typically 0.5mTorr, the coupling is strong and acts both ways. The negative ions created downstream contributes to the upstream equilibrium as well as the upstream positive ions contribute to the downstream equilibrium. As the pressure increases, the situation becomes asymmetric. The sourceplasma is not affected by the negative ions flowing from downstream, whereas the positive ions coming from the source control the downstream plasma equilibrium, where local ionization is negligible.This work has been supported by the European Space Agency, under Ariadna Study Contract No. ACT-04-3101. One of the authors A.J.L. acknowledges the hospitality of the LPTP, where the collaboration was begun

Individual patient data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of community occupational therapy for stroke patients

<p><b>Background and Purpose:</b> Trials of occupational therapy for stroke patients living in the community have varied in their findings. It is unclear why these discrepancies have occurred.</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> Trials were identified from searches of the Cochrane Library and other sources. The primary outcome measure was the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) score at the end of intervention. Secondary outcome measures included the Barthel Index or the Rivermead ADL (Personal ADL), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Nottingham Leisure Questionnaire (NLQ), and death. Data were analyzed using linear or logistic regression with a random effect for trial and adjustment for age, gender, baseline dependency, and method of follow-up. Subgroup analyses compared any occupational therapy intervention with control.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> We included 8 single-blind randomized controlled trials incorporating 1143 patients. Occupational therapy was associated with higher NEADL scores at the end of intervention (weighted mean difference [WMD], 1.30 points, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.47 to 2.13) and higher leisure scores at the end of intervention (WMD, 1.51 points; 95% CI, 0.24 to 2.79). Occupational therapy emphasizing activities of daily living (ADL) was associated with improved end of intervention NEADL (WMD, 1.61 points; 95% CI, 0.72 to 2.49) and personal activities of daily living (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.91), but not NLQ. Leisure-based occupational therapy improved end of intervention NLQ (WMD, 1.96 points; 95% CI, 0.27 to 3.66) but not NEADL or PADL.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> Community occupational therapy significantly improved personal and extended activities of daily living and leisure activity in patients with stroke. Better outcomes were found with targeted interventions.</p&gt

Teacher perspectives on the introduction of linguistics in the languages classroom: Evidence from a co-creation project on French, German and Spanish

Linguistics is conspicuously absent from language teaching in UK schools. A-level cultural topics cover a range of themes such as cyber-society, cultural heritage, and multiculturalism, but the approach taken to these topics is not informed by linguistics. In previous work (Sheehan et al. 2021), we have argued that this is an unfortunate omission not only because linguistics is appealing to many language students and perceived by them to be useful, but also because the existing cultural topics could be significantly enriched by the inclusion of the critical/analytical study of language itself (Corr et al. 2019). In this paper, we provide concrete examples of how linguistics can be integrated into the existing A-level curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in England and Wales. Reporting on a project in which teachers trialled linguistics materials co-created by us (a group of academics) and experienced languages teachers, we present evidence that linguistics materials are perceived to be both highly novel but nonetheless compatible with the existing A-level curriculum. Data from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with participating teachers also shows that: (i) these new materials can be taught with little or no prior experience of linguistics; and (ii) adding linguistics materials to the curriculum leads to significant impacts on teacher and pupil attitudes towards language(s). Despite some challenges, which we also discuss, the results highlight again the great potential of linguistics as a component of language teaching and the contribution that it can make to the enrichment of the discipline

Adaptive broadband beamforming with arbitrary array geometry

This paper expands on a recent polynomial matrix formulation for a minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) broadband beamformer. Within the polynomial matrix framework, this beamformer is a straightforward extension from the narrowband case, and offers advantages in terms of complexity and robustness particularly for off-broadside constraints. Here, we focus on arbitrary 3-dimensional array configurations of no particular structure, where the straightforward formulation and incorporation of constraints is demonstrated in simulations, and the beamformer accurately maintains its look direction while nulling out interferers

Motivating Emotional Intelligence: A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) Perspective

Trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) is generally associated with positive outcomes and can inform clinical and social interventions. We investigated the sub-factors of trait EI: Wellbeing, Self-control, Emotionality, and Sociability, in the context of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) of motivation. In Study 1, participants (N = 247) completed Carver and White’s (1994) BIS/BAS scales and a measure of trait EI. All EI sub-factors were positively associated with BAS Drive and negatively with BIS. Study 2 (N = 382) employed a new questionnaire based on revised RST (Corr & Cooper, 2016). All trait EI factors were positively associated with BAS Goal-Drive Persistence and Reward Interest, and negatively with the BIS. Self-control showed negative associations with BAS Impulsivity and was the only factor not to correlate with BAS Reward Reactivity. Results suggest that high trait EI individuals are goal driven, sensitive to reward and lower in avoidance motivation and negative emotion. This motivational basis to trait EI further explicates its structure