Developmental morphology of cover crop species exhibit contrasting behaviour to changes in soil bulk density, revealed by X-ray computed tomography

Plant roots growing through soil typically encounter considerable structural heterogeneity, and local variations in soil dry bulk density. The way the in situ architecture of root systems of different species respond to such heterogeneity is poorly understood due to challenges in visualising roots growing in soil. The objective of this study was to visualise and quantify the impact of abrupt changes in soil bulk density on the roots of three cover crop species with contrasting inherent root morphologies, viz. tillage radish (Raphanus sativus), vetch (Vicia sativa) and black oat (Avena strigosa). The species were grown in soil columns containing a two-layer compaction treatment featuring a 1.2 g cm-3 (uncompacted) zone overlaying a 1.4 g cm-3 (compacted) zone. Three-dimensional visualisations of the root architecture were generated via X-ray computed tomography, and an automated root-segmentation imaging algorithm. Three classes of behaviour were manifest as a result of roots encountering the compacted interface, directly related to the species. For radish, there was switch from a single tap-root to multiple perpendicular roots which penetrated the compacted zone, whilst for vetch primary roots were diverted more horizontally with limited lateral growth at less acute angles. Black oat roots penetrated the compacted zone with no apparent deviation. Smaller root volume, surface area and lateral growth were consistently observed in the compacted zone in comparison to the uncompacted zone across all species. The rapid transition in soil bulk density had a large effect on root morphology that differed greatly between species, with major implications for how these cover crops will modify and interact with soil structure

The emergent rhizosphere: imaging the development of the porous architecture at the root-soil interface

The rhizosphere is the zone of soil infuenced by a plant root and is critical for plant health and nutrient acquisition. All below ground resources must pass through this dynamic zone prior to their capture by plant roots. However, researching the undisturbed rhizosphere has proved very challenging. Here we compare the temporal changes to the intact rhizosphere pore structure during the emergence of a developing root system in diferent soils. High resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) was used to quantify the impact of root development on soil structural change, at scales relevant to individual micro-pores and aggregates (µm). A comparison of micro-scale structural evolution in homogenously packed soils highlighted the impacts of a penetrating root system in changing the surrounding porous architecture and morphology. Results indicate the structural zone of infuence of a root can be more localised than previously reported (µm scale rather than mm scale). With time, growing roots signifcantly alter the soil physical environment in their immediate vicinity through reducing root-soil contact and crucially increasing porosity at the root-soil interface and not the converse as has often been postulated. This ‘rhizosphere pore structure’ and its impact on associated dynamics are discussed

Prevalence and prognostic impact of subclinical cardiovascular disease in individuals with the metabolic syndrome and diabetes

Dostępne dane dotyczące występowania i znaczenia prognostycznego subklinicznej postaci choroby sercowo-naczyniowej (CVD), u pacjentów z zespołem metabolicznym są ograniczone. W prezentowanej pracy zbadano częstość występowania subklinicznej choroby sercowo-naczyniowej u 1945 uczestników próby Framingham Offspring Study (śr. wieku 58 lat, 59% uczestników stanowiły kobiety) z wykorzystaniem elektrokardiografii, echokardiografii, ultra ultrasonografii tętnic szyjnych, wskaźnika ciśnienia tętniczego kostka&#8211;ramię oraz wydalania albumin z moczem. W pracy oceniono w sposób prospektywny częstość występowania subklinicznej choroby sercowo-naczyniowej związanej z zespołem metabolicznym i cukrzycą, w zależności od obecności subklinicznej postaci tego schorzenia lub jej braku. Przekrojowo u 51% z 581 uczestników z zespołem metabolicznym zdiagnozowano subkliniczną formę choroby sercowo-naczyniowej w przynajmniej jednym z badań dodatkowych, co było częstsze niż u chorych bez zespołu metabolicznego [iloraz szans skorygowany pod względem wielu zmiennych 2,06 (95% CI: 1,67&#8211;2,55); p < 0,0001]. W trakcie dalszej obserwacji klinicznej (śr. 7,2 lat) jawna klinicznie choroba sercowo-naczyniowa rozwinęła się u 139 pacjentów, 59% tej liczby stanowiły osoby z zespołem metabolicznym (10,2%). Uogólniając, występowanie zespołu metabolicznego było związane ze zwiększonym ryzykiem występowania CVD [iloraz ryzyka skorygowany pod względem wielu zmiennych (HR, hazard ratio) 1,61 (95% CI: 1,12&#8211;2,33)]. U pacjentów z zespołem metabolicznym oraz subkliniczną postacią choroby sercowo-naczyniowej zaobserwowano zwiększone ryzyko wystąpienia jawnej klinicznie postaci choroby sercowo-naczyniowej [2,67 (1,62&#8211;4,41) w porównaniu z chorymi bez zdiagnozowanego zespołu metabolicznego, cukrzycy lub subklinicznej formy choroby sercowo-naczyniowej]. Zaobserwowano także mniejszy związek występowania zespołu metabolicznego z rozwinięciem się choroby sercowo-naczyniowej u pacjentów bez subklinicznej postaci CVD [HR 1,59 (95% CI: 0,87&#8211;2,90)]. Podobne zmniejszenie ryzyka wystąpienia choroby sercowo-naczyniowej u pacjentów bez subklinicznej postaci CVD obserwowano u chorych na cukrzycę. Występowanie subklinicznej formy CVD stanowiło istotny predyktor rozwinięcia się jawnej klinicznie choroby sercowo-naczyniowej u pacjentów bez zespołu metabolicznego lub cukrzycy [1,93 (1,15&#8211;3,24)]. W niniejszym populacyjnym badaniu osób z zespołem metabolicznym zaobserwowano częstsze występowanie subklinicznej postaci miażdżycy, co prawdopodobnie przyczynia się do wyższego ryzyka wystąpienia jawnej klinicznie postaci CVD związanej z tym schorzeniem.Data are limited regarding prevalence and prognostic significance of subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individuals with metabolic syndrome. We investigated prevalence of subclinical CVD in 1,945 Framingham Offspring Study participants (mean age 58 years; 59% women) using electrocardiography, echocardiography, carotid ultrasound, ankle-brachial blood pressure, and urinary albumin excretion. We prospectively evaluated the incidence of CVD associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes according to presence versus absence of subclinical disease. Cross-sectionally, 51% of 581 participants with metabolic syndrome had subclinical disease in at least one test, a frequency higher than individuals without metabolic syndrome [multivariable- adjusted odds ratio 2.06 (95% CI: 1.67- 2.55); p < 0.0001). On follow-up (mean 7.2 years), 139 individuals developed overt CVD, including 59 with metabolic syndrome (10.2%). Overall, metabolic syndrome was associated with increased CVD risk [multivariableadjusted hazards ratio (HR) 1.61 (95% CI: 1.12-2.33)]. Participants with metabolic syndrome and subclinical disease experienced increased risk of overt CVD [2.67 (1.62-4.41) compared with those without metabolic syndrome, diabetes, or subclinical disease], whereas the association of metabolic syndrome with CVD risk was attenuated in absence of subclinical disease [HR 1.59 (95% CI: 0.87&#8211;2.90)]. A similar attenuation of CVD risk in absence of subclinical disease was observed also for diabetes. Subclinical disease was a significant predictor of overt CVD in participants without metabolic syndrome or diabetes [1.93 (1.15-3.24)]. In our community-based sample, individuals with metabolic syndrome have a high prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis that likely contributes to the increased risk of overt CVD associated with the condition

Children’s discourses of natural spaces: considerations for children’s subjective well-being

Based on the evidence provided in the literature, it is manifest that increased time spent in nature increases various aspects of children’s well-being. Using discourse analysis on focus group interviews with 28 children between the ages of 12 and 14 years old from three socio-economically diverse communities in the Western Cape of South Africa, the study aimed to explore how children construct and assign meaning to natural spaces. More specifically the study explored how children use specific discursive resources and repertoires to construct and assign meaning to their engagement with natural spaces, and the extent to which this influences their subjective well-being. Several pertinent discourses emerged from the participants’ accounts within four themes of: Safety and natural spaces, Appreciation for natural spaces, Degradation of Nature: Thinking environmentally, acting pro-environmentally, and Natural spaces and children’s subjective well-being. The study highlights the critical role that children’s engagement in natural spaces has on their subjective well-being, and how these benefits can be harnessed to better children’s overall quality of life.IS

Spanish Validation of the Flourishing Scale in the General Population

Well-being research and its measurement have grown in the last two decades. The objective of this study was to adapt and validate the Flourishing Scale in a sample of Spanish adults. This was a cross-sectional study using a non-probabilistic sample of 999 Spanish general adult population participants. The psychometric properties of the scale were analysed from an exploratory and confirmatory perspective. Exploratory factor analysis showed a one-factor solution explaining 42.3% of the variance; an internal consistency of .846; temporal reliability correlation of .749; convergent validity with the Satisfaction with Life Scale of .521 and criterion validity with positive and negative affect (PANAS), pessimism and optimism (LOT-R) ranging from .270 to .488. Confirmatory factor analysis testing the one-factor solution showed a χ2 of 65.57 df = 20; CFI of .982, RMSEA of .06, average variance extracted index of .518 and composite reliability index of .841. Results showed that the Spanish version of the FS is a reliable and valid method for measuring high levels of well-bein

A New Approach to Age-Period-Cohort Analysis Using Partial Least Squares Regression: The Trend in Blood Pressure in the Glasgow Alumni Cohort

Due to a problem of identification, how to estimate the distinct effects of age, time period and cohort has been a controversial issue in the analysis of trends in health outcomes in epidemiology. In this study, we propose a novel approach, partial least squares (PLS) analysis, to separate the effects of age, period, and cohort. Our example for illustration is taken from the Glasgow Alumni cohort. A total of 15,322 students (11,755 men and 3,567 women) received medical screening at the Glasgow University between 1948 and 1968. The aim is to investigate the secular trends in blood pressure over 1925 and 1950 while taking into account the year of examination and age at examination. We excluded students born before 1925 or aged over 25 years at examination and those with missing values in confounders from the analyses, resulting in 12,546 and 12,516 students for analysis of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. PLS analysis shows that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased with students' age, and students born later had on average lower blood pressure (SBP: −0.17 mmHg/per year [95% confidence intervals: −0.19 to −0.15] for men and −0.25 [−0.28 to −0.22] for women; DBP: −0.14 [−0.15 to −0.13] for men; −0.09 [−0.11 to −0.07] for women). PLS also shows a decreasing trend in blood pressure over the examination period. As identification is not a problem for PLS, it provides a flexible modelling strategy for age-period-cohort analysis. More emphasis is then required to clarify the substantive and conceptual issues surrounding the definitions and interpretations of age, period and cohort effects

Health Journalism Internships: A Social Marketing Strategy to Address Health Disparities

The USA seeks to eliminate health disparities by stimulating the rapid uptake of health-promoting behaviors within disadvantaged communities. A health journalism internship incorporates social marketing strategies to increase communities' access to cancer information, while helping the interns who are recruited from underrepresented communities gain admission to top graduate schools. Interns are taught basic health journalism skills that enable them to create immediate streams of cancer-related press releases for submission to community newspapers. Interns are charged with the social responsibility of continuing this dissemination process throughout their careers. Intermediate outcomes are measured as mediators of distal behavioral change goals

Review article: Use of ultrasound in the developing world

As portability and durability improve, bedside, clinician-performed ultrasound is seeing increasing use in rural, underdeveloped parts of the world. Physicians, nurses and medical officers have demonstrated the ability to perform and interpret a large variety of ultrasound exams, and a growing body of literature supports the use of point-of-care ultrasound in developing nations. We review, by region, the existing literature in support of ultrasound use in the developing world and training guidelines currently in use, and highlight indications for emergency ultrasound in the developing world. We suggest future directions for bedside ultrasound use and research to improve diagnostic capacity and patient care in the most remote areas of the globe

The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score.

Roach, Robert C., Peter H. Hackett, Oswald Oelz, Peter Bärtsch, Andrew M. Luks, Martin J. MacInnis, J. Kenneth Baillie, and The Lake Louise AMS Score Consensus Committee. The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score. High Alt Med Biol 19:1-4, 2018.- The Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) scoring system has been a useful research tool since first published in 1991. Recent studies have shown that disturbed sleep at altitude, one of the five symptoms scored for AMS, is more likely due to altitude hypoxia per se, and is not closely related to AMS. To address this issue, and also to evaluate the Lake Louise AMS score in light of decades of experience, experts in high altitude research undertook to revise the score. We here present an international consensus statement resulting from online discussions and meetings at the International Society of Mountain Medicine World Congress in Bolzano, Italy, in May 2014 and at the International Hypoxia Symposium in Lake Louise, Canada, in February 2015. The consensus group has revised the score to eliminate disturbed sleep as a questionnaire item, and has updated instructions for use of the score

Complexity Theory for a New Managerial Paradigm: A Research Framework

In this work, we supply a theoretical framework of how organizations can embed complexity management and sustainable development into their policies and actions. The proposed framework may lead to a new management paradigm, attempting to link the main concepts of complexity theory, change management, knowledge management, sustainable development, and cybernetics. We highlight how the processes of organizational change have occurred as a result of the move to adapt to the changes in the various global and international business environments and how this transformation has led to the shift toward the present innovation economy. We also point how organizational change needs to deal with sustainability, so that the change may be consistent with present needs, without compromising the future