741 research outputs found
Incorporating usability evaluation into iterative development of an online platform to support research participation in Parkinson\u27s disease: A mixed methods protocol
\ua9 Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. Introduction Many people with Parkinson\u27s (PwP) are not given the opportunity or do not have adequate access to participate in clinical research. To address this, we have codeveloped with users an online platform that connects PwP to clinical studies in their local area. It enables site staff to communicate with potential participants and aims to increase the participation of the Parkinson\u27s community in research. This protocol outlines the mixed methods study protocol for the usability testing of the platform. Methods and analysis We will seek user input to finalise the platform\u27s design, which will then be deployed in a limited launch for beta testing. The beta version will be used as a recruitment tool for up to three studies with multiple UK sites. Usability data will be collected from the three intended user groups: PwP, care partners acting on their behalf and site study coordinators. Usability questionnaires and website analytics will be used to capture user experience quantitatively, and a purposive sample of users will be invited to provide further feedback via semistructured interviews. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, and a thematic analysis undertaken for interview data. Data from this study will inform future platform iterations. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Plymouth (3291; 3 May 2022). We will share our findings via a \u27Latest News\u27 section within the platform, presentations, conference meetings and national PwP networks
How to evade a coevolving brood parasite: egg discrimination versus egg variability as host defences
Arms races between avian brood parasites and their hosts often result in parasitic mimicry of host eggs, to evade rejection. Once egg mimicry has evolved, host defences could escalate in two ways: (i) hosts could improve their level of egg discrimination; and (ii) negative frequency-dependent selection could generate increased variation in egg appearance (polymorphism) among individuals. Proficiency in one defence might reduce selection on the other, while a combination of the two should enable successful rejection of parasitic eggs. We compared three highly variable host species of the Afrotropical cuckoo finch Anomalospiza imberbis, using egg rejection experiments and modelling of avian colour and pattern vision. We show that each differed in their level of polymorphism, in the visual cues they used to reject foreign eggs, and in their degree of discrimination. The most polymorphic host had the crudest discrimination, whereas the least polymorphic was most discriminating. The third species, not currently parasitized, was intermediate for both defences. A model simulating parasitic laying and host rejection behaviour based on the field experiments showed that the two host strategies result in approximately the same fitness advantage to hosts. Thus, neither strategy is superior, but rather they reflect alternative potential evolutionary trajectories
Spatial and environmental processes show temporal variation in the structuring of waterbird metacommunities
Metacommunity theory provides a framework for assessing the role of spatial and environmental processes in structuring ecological communities and places emphasis on the role of dispersal. Four metacommunity perspectives have been proposed: species-sorting, patch dynamics, mass effects, and a neutral model. Metacommunity analysis decomposes the variance in communities into regional and local dynamics and ascribes it to one of these perspectives, although they are not always mutually exclusive. Although birds are a well-studied taxon, consensus around processes structuring freshwater avian metacommunities is lacking and few studies have repeated samples through time. We used variance partitioning to analyze waterbird community data collected over seven sampling periods at 60 wetland sites in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to distinguish the processes driving beta-diversity and identify which metacommunity perspective(s) best explained these patterns. We addressed two focal questions: (1) how do environmental, spatial, and spatially structured environmental components contribute to variance in the waterbird community; and (2) given a significant contribution, which environmental variables were most important in explaining metacommunity structure? We also investigated the role of temporal variation in community processes by comparing results across sampling periods. The underlying landscape was characterized by four groups of environmental variables: vegetation structure, water quality, rainfall, and land cover. Moran's eigenvector maps were used to generate a set of multiscale spatial predictor variables. Our results showed that the spatially structured environmental component was dominant through the sampling periods. Purely spatial and environmental components contributed a significant proportion of variance, but their magnitudes showed considerable temporal variation. Environmental processes were more pronounced in winter periods while purely spatial processes were augmented in the summer months. Our results suggest that species-sorting is the primary structuring forces in waterbird communities. The presence of spatial effects, especially in summer, does however suggest that species-sorting does not operate in isolation. Future efforts also need to address the causes and consequences of temporal variation in metacommunity processes
Breeding latitude predicts timing but not rate of spring migration in a widespread migratory bird in South America
Identifying the processes that determine avian migratory strategies in different environmental contexts is imperative to understanding the constraints to survival and reproduction faced by migratory birds across the planet. We compared the spring migration strategies of Forkâtailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus s. savana) that breed at southâtemperate latitudes (i.e., austral migrants) vs. tropical latitudes (i.e., intratropical migrants) in South America. We hypothesized that austral migrant flycatchers are more timeâselected than intratropical migrants during spring migration. As such, we predicted that austral migrants, which migrate further than intratropical migrants, will migrate at a faster rate and that the rate of migration for austral migrants will be positively correlated with the onset of spring migration. We attached lightâlevel geolocators to Forkâtailed Flycatchers at two tropical breeding sites in Brazil and at two southâtemperate breeding sites in Argentina and tracked their movements until the following breeding season. Of 286 geolocators that were deployed, 37 were recovered ~1 year later, of which 28 provided useable data. Rate of spring migration did not differ significantly between the two groups, and only at one site was there a significantly positive relationship between date of initiation of spring migration and arrival date. This represents the first comparison of individual migratory strategies among conspecific passerines breeding at tropical vs. temperate latitudes and suggests that austral migrant Forkâtailed Flycatchers in South America are not more timeâselected on spring migration than intratropical migrant conspecifics. Low sample sizes could have diminished our power to detect differences (e.g., between sexes), such that further research into the mechanisms underpinning migratory strategies in this poorly understood system is necessary.Fil: Jahn, Alex. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Cereghetti, JoaquĂn. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Cueto, VĂctor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de InvestigaciĂłn Esquel de Montaña y Estepa PatagĂłica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Centro de InvestigaciĂłn Esquel de Montaña y Estepa PatagĂłnica; ArgentinaFil: Hallworth, Michael T.. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Levey, Douglas J.. National Science Foundation; Estados UnidosFil: Marini, Miguel Ă.. Universidade do BrasĂlia; BrasilFil: Masson, Diego. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Pizo, Marco A.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Sarasola, JosĂ© HernĂĄn. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Tuero, Diego Tomas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Oficina de CoordinaciĂłn Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de EcologĂa, GenĂ©tica y EvoluciĂłn de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de EcologĂa, GenĂ©tica y EvoluciĂłn de Buenos Aires; Argentin
From a certain point of view: sensory phenomenological envisionings of running space and place
The precise ways in which we go about the mundane, repetitive, social actions of everyday life are central concerns of ethnographers and theorists working within the traditions of the sociology of the mundane and sociological phenomenology. In this article, we utilize insights derived from sociological phenomenology and the newly developing field of sensory sociology to investigate a particular, mundane, and embodied social practice, that of training for distance running in specific places: our favored running routes. For, despite a growing body of ethnographic studies of particular sports, little analytic attention has been devoted to the actual, concrete practices of âdoingâ or âproducingâ sporting activity, particularly from a sensory ethnographic perspective. Drawing upon data from a 2-year joint autoethnographic research project, here we explore the visual dimension, focusing upon three key themes in relation to our runnersâ visualization of, respectively, (1) hazardous places, (2) performance places, (3) the timeâspaceâplace nexus
Incorporating usability evaluation into iterative development of an online platform to support research participation in Parkinsonâs disease: a mixed methods protocol
Abstract
Introduction Many people with Parkinsonâs (PwP) are not given the opportunity or do not have adequate access to participate in clinical research. To address this, we have codeveloped with users an online platform that connects PwP to clinical studies in their local area. It enables site staff to communicate with potential participants and aims to increase the participation of the Parkinsonâs community in research. This protocol outlines the mixed methods study protocol for the usability testing of the platform.
Methods and analysis We will seek user input to finalise the platformâs design, which will then be deployed in a limited launch for beta testing. The beta version will be used as a recruitment tool for up to three studies with multiple UK sites. Usability data will be collected from the three intended user groups: PwP, care partners acting on their behalf and site study coordinators. Usability questionnaires and website analytics will be used to capture user experience quantitatively, and a purposive sample of users will be invited to provide further feedback via semistructured interviews. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, and a thematic analysis undertaken for interview data. Data from this study will inform future platform iterations.
Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Plymouth (3291; 3 May 2022). We will share our findings via a âLatest Newsâ section within the platform, presentations, conference meetings and national PwP networks
Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse Against Men: Voices of Victimization Among Ex-Servicemen of the British Armed Forces
This study presents the personal testimonies of male British ex-Armed Forces personnel who have experienced violence and abuse victimization that was perpetrated by civilian female partners. In this research, we argue that to embark upon any understanding of the domestic lives of military personnel, an appreciation of the linkages to the cultural context of the military institution is necessary. Understanding the influence of the military institution beyond the military domain is crucial. We unveil the nature and character of the violence and abuse and how the servicemen negotiated their relationships. In doing so, we highlight the embodiment of military discipline, skills, and tactics in the homeânot ones of violence which may be routinely linked to military masculinities; rather ones of restraint, tolerance, stoicism, and the reduction of a threat to inconsequential individual significance
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Flow characteristics of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in a vessel stirred by a 60° pitched blade impeller
Mean and rms velocity characteristics of two Newtonian flows at Reynolds numbers of 12,800 (glycerin solution) and 48,000 (water) and of a non-Newtonian flow (0.2% CMC solution, at a power number similar to the Newtonian glycerin flow) in a mixing vessel stirred by a 60° pitched blade impeller have been measured by laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The velocity measurements, resolved over 360° and 1.08° of impeller rotation, showed that the mean flow of the two power number matched glycerin and CMC flows were similar to within 3% of the impeller tip velocity and the turbulence intensities generally lower in the CMC flow by up to 5% of the tip velocity. The calculated mean flow quantities showed similar discharge coefficient and pumping efficiency in all three flows and similar strain rate between the two power number matched glycerin and CMC flows; the strain rate of the higher Reynolds number Newtonian flow was found to be slightly higher. The energy balance around the impeller indicated that the CMC flow dissipated up to 9% more of the total input power and converted 7% less into the turbulence compared to the glycerin flow with the same power input which could lead to less effective mixing processes where the micro-mixing is important
Duke Activity Status Index and Liver Frailty Index predict mortality in ambulatory patients with advanced chronic liver disease:A prospective, observational study
BACKGROUND: There remains a lack of consensus on how to assess functional exercise capacity and physical frailty in patients with advanced chronic liver disease (CLD) being assessed for liver transplantation (LT). Aim To investigate prospectively the utility of the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) and Liver Frailty Index (LFI) in ambulatory patients with CLD.AIM: To investigate prospectively the utility of the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) and Liver Frailty Index (LFI) in ambulatory patients with CLD.METHODS: We recruited patients from outpatient clinics at University Hospitals Birmingham, UK (2018-2019). We prospectively collated the DASI and LFI to identify the prevalence of, respectively, functional capacity and physical frailty, and to evaluate their accuracy in predicting overall and pre-LT mortality.RESULTS: We studied 307 patients (57% male; median age 54âyears; UKELD 52). Median DASI score was 28.7 (IQR 16.2-50.2), mean LFI was 3.82 (SDâ=â0.72), and 81% were defined either 'pre-frail' or 'frail'. Female sex and hyponatraemia were significant independent predictors of both DASI and LFI. Age and encephalopathy were significant independent predictors of LFI, while BMI significantly predicted DASI. DASI and LFI were significantly related to overall (HR 0.97, pâ=â0.001 [DASI], HR 2.04, pâ=â0.001 [LFI]) and pre-LT mortality (HR 0.96, pâ=â0.02 [DASI], HR 1.94, pâ=â0.04 [LFI]).CONCLUSIONS: Poor functional exercise capacity and physical frailty are highly prevalent among ambulatory patients with CLD who are being assessed for LT. The DASI and LFI are simple, low-cost tools that predict overall and pre-LT mortality. Implementation of both should be considered in all outpatients with CLD to highlight those who may benefit from targeted nutritional and exercise interventions.</p
The interview as narrative ethnography : seeking and shaping connections in qualitative research.
Acts of counter-subjectification in qualitative research are always present but are often submerged in accounts that seek to locate the power of subjectification entirely with the researcher. This is particularly so when talking to people about sensitive issues. Based on an interview-based study of infertility and reproductive disruption among British Pakistanis in Northeast England, we explore how we, as researchers, sought and were drawn into various kinds of connections with the study participants; connections that were actively and performatively constructed through time. The three of us that conducted interviews are all female academics with Ph.Ds in anthropology, but thereafter our backgrounds, life stories and experiences diverge in ways that intersected with those of our informants in complex and shifting ways. We describe how these processes shaped the production of narrative accounts and consider some of the associated analytical and ethical implications
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