Sitting too much: a hierarchy of socio-demographic correlates

Too much sitting (extended sedentary time) is recognized as a public health concern in Europe and beyond. Time spent sedentary is influenced and conditioned by clusters of individual-level and contextual (upstream) factors. Identifying population subgroups that sit too much could help to develop targeted interventions to reduce sedentary time. We explored the relative importance of socio-demographic correlates of sedentary time in adults across Europe. We used data from 26,617 adults who participated in the 2013 Special Eurobarometer 412 "Sport and physical activity". Participants from all 28 EU Member States were randomly selected and interviewed face-to-face. Self-reported sedentary time was dichotomized into sitting less or >7.5h/day. A Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) algorithm was used to create a tree that hierarchically partitions the data on the basis of the independent variables (i.e., socio-demographic factors) into homogeneous (sub)groups with regard to sedentary time. This allows for the tentative identification of population segments at risk for unhealthy sedentary behaviour. Overall, 18.5% of the respondents reported sitting >7.5h/day. Occupation was the primary discriminator. The subgroup most likely to engage in extensive sitting were higher educated, had white-collar jobs, reported no difficulties with paying bills, and used the internet frequently. Clear socio-demographic profiles were identified for adults across Europe who engage in extended sedentary time. Furthermore, physically active participants were consistently less likely to engage in longer daily sitting times. In general, those with more indicators of higher wealth were more likely to spend more time sitting

Metal enrichment processes

There are many processes that can transport gas from the galaxies to their environment and enrich the environment in this way with metals. These metal enrichment processes have a large influence on the evolution of both the galaxies and their environment. Various processes can contribute to the gas transfer: ram-pressure stripping, galactic winds, AGN outflows, galaxy-galaxy interactions and others. We review their observational evidence, corresponding simulations, their efficiencies, and their time scales as far as they are known to date. It seems that all processes can contribute to the enrichment. There is not a single process that always dominates the enrichment, because the efficiencies of the processes vary strongly with galaxy and environmental properties.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews, special issue "Clusters of galaxies: beyond the thermal view", Editor J.S. Kaastra, Chapter 17; work done by an international team at the International Space Science Institute (ISSI), Bern, organised by J.S. Kaastra, A.M. Bykov, S. Schindler & J.A.M. Bleeke

States and the political economy of unfree labour

A growing body of academic and policy research seeks to understand and address the problem of contemporary unfree labour. In this article, we argue that this literature could be strengthened by a stronger conceptualization of, and more systematic attention towards, the role of national states. In particular, we argue that there is a need to move beyond simplistic conceptualisations of states as simple agents of regulation and criminal justice enforcement who respond to the problem of unfree labour, and to recognize the causal and multifaceted role that national states play in creating the conditions in which unfree labour can flourish. We propose a framework to understand and compare the ways in which national states shape the political economy of unfree labour. Focusing on the United States, we outline three arenas of governance in which national states have been particularly central to enabling the conditions for unfree labour: the regulation of labour mobility, labour market regulation, and business regulation. We conclude by reflecting on the comparative political economy research that will be required to understand the role of different states in shaping the conditions in which unfree labour thrives or is eliminated

JIRAM, the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper

JIRAM is an imager/spectrometer on board the Juno spacecraft bound for a polar orbit around Jupiter. JIRAM is composed of IR imager and spectrometer channels. Its scientific goals are to explore the Jovian aurorae and the planet's atmospheric structure, dynamics and composition. This paper explains the characteristics and functionalities of the instrument and reports on the results of ground calibrations. It discusses the main subsystems to the extent needed to understand how the instrument is sequenced and used, the purpose of the calibrations necessary to determine instrument performance, the process for generating the commanding sequences, the main elements of the observational strategy, and the format of the scientific data that JIRAM will produce

The Vöhrum section (northwest Germany) and the Aptian/Albian boundary

Prior to 1947, the Aptian/Albian boundary was placed at the base of the Nolaniceras nolani ammonite Zone. From (Trav. Lab. Geol. Fac. Sci. 26 (1947) 17), until (Cret. Res. 20 (1999) 609), the base of the Albian stage has been taken at the first appearance of the ammonite Leymeriella (Proleymeriella) schrammeni, a species known only from a limited area of northwest Germany. The early succession of Leymeriella and its relationship with ammonite taxa from the underlying Hypacanthoplites jacobi ammonite Zone can only be determined in the northwest German sections, all of which are ephemeral clay pits. Thus, the definition of the base of the Albian on these criteria cannot be used in a global context. The positioning of the boundary has been the subject of intense discussion in the last years. After the second International Symposium on Cretaceous Stage Boundaries in 1995 (Bull. Inst. R. Sci. Nat. Belgique, Sci. Terre 66 (1996) 45). (Cret. Res. 20 (1999) 609) lowered the boundary to the base of his Hypacanthoplites rubricosus ammonite Subzone without describing a global boundary stratotype section. (Cret. Res. 21 (2000) 591) raised the boundary to the alleged first occurrence (FO) of Leymeriella tardefurcata in a permanent section, but neither proposals can be accepted globally (Cret. Res. 23 (2002) 1). (Cret. Res. 22 (2001) 677) supported by (Cret. Res. 23 (2002) 1), suggested a radical solution by raising the boundary to the base of the geographically widespread Lyelliceras lyelli ammonite Subzone, currently the base of the Middle Albian. In order to document accurately the classical northwest German succession of the Aptian/Albian boundary, a detailed multidisciplinary study has been made of a new section at Vohrum (clay pit no. 4) with respect to its content of calcareous nannofossils, benthic foraminifera, planktonic foraminifera, ostracods, ammonites, as well as its clay mineralogy, gamma ray signature and tuff geochemistry. The ammonite succession, in particular the Callizoniceras-Leymeriella lineage, is discussed in detail. The FO of Leymeriella (Proleymeriella) schrammeni anterior, 0.65 m below a tuff horizon near the base of the section is taken as the Aptian/Albian boundary in the classical German sense. Sections in France are discussed and the Leymeriella lineage is reviewed