Viewpoint Environmental Slogans: Memes with Diverging Interpretations

Environmental slogans can be seen as memes, i.e. cultural constructs that, not unlike genes, replicate themselves from one generation to the next. Memes may, however, be divergently interpreted and some memes can even have unwanted side-effects. We wanted to find out how supporters of an environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) interpreted their slogan ‘People Caring for the Earth’. During a celebratory event of one of the NGO’s branches we asked 65 supporters of the organisation to write down their interpretation of the meaning of the slogan, as well as the actions that they regularly engage in to give substance to it. Fifty-eight per cent of the 34 respondents gave social-ecological systems  interpretations of ‘Caring for the Earth’ and interpreted it as humans living  sustainably with nature. Their associated actions centred around sustainable living principles. Forty-two per cent of respondents held strong naturecentric interpretations of the slogan, understanding it as a call to conserve species and ecosystems. Their associated actions centred around awareness raising and educating others. While these were broad patterns rather than exclusive, distinct categories, our results suggest that environmental memes should be used with circumspection, that their meaning should be clarified through actions rather than words, and that organisations should give as much attention to the meaning of their slogan as they do to the environmental causes they aim to address. The way  environmental slogans are perpetuated within an organisation has implications for the membership they attract or deter

Genome-wide mapping reveals single-origin chromosome replication in Leishmania, a eukaryotic microbe

Background DNA replication initiates on defined genome sites, termed origins. Origin usage appears to follow common rules in the eukaryotic organisms examined to date: all chromosomes are replicated from multiple origins, which display variations in firing efficiency and are selected from a larger pool of potential origins. To ask if these features of DNA replication are true of all eukaryotes, we describe genome-wide origin mapping in the parasite Leishmania. Results Origin mapping in Leishmania suggests a striking divergence in origin usage relative to characterized eukaryotes, since each chromosome appears to be replicated from a single origin. By comparing two species of Leishmania, we find evidence that such origin singularity is maintained in the face of chromosome fusion or fission events during evolution. Mapping Leishmania origins suggests that all origins fire with equal efficiency, and that the genomic sites occupied by origins differ from related non-origins sites. Finally, we provide evidence that origin location in Leishmania displays striking conservation with Trypanosoma brucei, despite the latter parasite replicating its chromosomes from multiple, variable strength origins. Conclusions The demonstration of chromosome replication for a single origin in Leishmania, a microbial eukaryote, has implications for the evolution of origin multiplicity and associated controls, and may explain the pervasive aneuploidy that characterizes Leishmania chromosome architecture

Healthy ageing: the flower children’s emotional responses to music in exercise

Reaching the age of 65 is widely celebrated in the United Kingdom as a milestone, bringing about retirement and supposedly a time for increased relaxation (Wang & Shi, 2014, Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 209-233). As the population of over 65s steadily increases however, so does the incidence of age related disorders and diseases (Rowe & Kahn, 1997, The Gerontologist, 4, 433-440). As regular exercise is well demonstrated to prolong healthy lives, and fight such disorders and disease, it is therefore important to encourage the ageing population to be active. Although, to date, music has been compellingly shown to help motivate healthy exercise, little research has investigated the role of music choices used within gym and exercise facilities for the over 65 population. The purpose of this study, using an ethnographic approach, was to explore how a group of over-65s, when exercising to music, make sense of their own preferences. With institutional ethical approval, 7 participants were recruited via social media, announcements on local radio stations, direct exercise classes and word of mouth. The participants took part in two exercise classes, which were filmed for reference to visual reactions, and a focus group was held post-class, allowing participants the opportunity to discuss their individual opinions of the music choices. An ethnographic frame work was used to build knowledge and understanding of how important music genres are to this population during exercise. While the final outcomes of the investigation are pending, initial findings suggest that music typically used within gym and class environments is not music that the over 65’s enjoy. ‘Music with a solid defined beat’ and ‘music that reminds me of my youth’ were discussed, whilst dance music ‘did nothing for me’ and most ‘struggled to find the beat’. It is also mentioned that gym environments are not appealing to their age group, they lack character and warmth and are intimidating. Existing research into music choices for gyms focuses on younger generations and has eliminated the older populations. This study discusses how much value the over 65’s place on music, not just in exercise but in everyday life. Creating playlists of music from their youth is a logical way to encourage exercise for an increasingly sedentary age group. Thus allowing this overlooked generation a reflection of their youth whilst inspiring increased activity levels, mental wellbeing and healthy ageing and potentially relieving an already overstretched health care system

The role of disease management programs in the health behavior of chronically ill patients

__Abstract__ Objective: Investigate the effects of disease management program (DMP) implementation on physical activity, smoking, and physical quality of life among chronically ill patients. Methods: This study used a mixed-methods approach involving qualitative (35 interviews with project managers) and quantitative (survey of patients from 18 DMPs) data collection. Questionnaire response rates were 51% (2010; 2619/5108) at T0 and 47% (2011; 2191/4693) at T1. Results: Physical activity and the percentage of smokers improved significantly over time, whereas physical quality of life declined. After adjusting for patients' physical quality of life at T0, age, educational level, marital status, and gender, physical activity at T0 (p< 0.01), changes in physical activity (p< 0.001), and percentage of smokers at T0 (p< 0.05) predicted physical quality of life at T1. Project managers reported that DMPs improved patient-professional interaction. The ability to set more concrete targets improved patients' health behaviors. Conclusions: DMPs appear to improve physical activity among chronically ill patients over time. Furthermore, (changes in) health behavior are important for the physical quality of life of chronically ill patients. Practice implications: Redesigning care systems and implementing DMPs based on the chronic care model may improve health behavior among chronically ill patients

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Additional file 1: of Genome-wide mapping reveals single-origin chromosome replication in Leishmania, a eukaryotic microbe

Supplementary methods and supporting information (11 figures and 1 table, each of which is referred to and explained in the main paper). (PDF 68032 kb

Overview of SMOS Level 2 Ocean Salinity processing and first results

International audienceSMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity), launched in November 2, 2009 is the first satellite mission addressing the salinity measurement from space through the use of MIRAS (Microwave Imaging Radiometer with Aperture Synthesis), a new two-dimensional interferometer designed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and operating at L-band. This paper presents a summary of the sea surface salinity retrieval approach implemented in SMOS, as well as first results obtained after completing the mission commissioning phase in May 2010. A large number of papers have been published about salinity remote sensing and its implementation in the SMOS mission. An extensive list of references is provided here, many authored by the SMOS ocean salinity team, with emphasis on the different physical processes that have been considered in the SMOS salinity retrieval algorithm