COVID‑Specific Coercive Control among Emerging Adults Attending College: A Brief Note

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a “perfect storm” with regards to risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). Abusive partners may engage in novel forms of coercive control, such as pressuring their partner to engage in activities associated with COVID-19 infection risk (e.g., attend a large gathering). However, no empirical research has focused on COVIDspecific coercive control. The current study sought to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-specific coercive control in a large sample of U.S. college students, as well as its association with other forms of IPV and depression and anxiety. A total of 2,289 undergraduate students attending eight U.S. universities who were currently in a sexual/dating/romantic relationship completed an online survey in Fall 2020 about COVID-specific coercive control, other forms of IPV (psychological, physical, sexual, coercive control) and depression and anxiety symptoms. Overall, 15.5% (n = 355) of students reported experiencing COVID-specific coercive control. Individuals who experienced COVID-specific coercive control were more likely to have experienced all other forms of IPV than those who did not experience COVID-specific coercive control. Further, individuals who experienced COVID-specific coercive control had significantly greater anxiety than individuals who did not experience any form of IPV. Individuals who experienced both COVID-specific coercive control and other forms of IPV had the highest levels of depression and anxiety. COVID-specific coercive control may serve to increase depression and anxiety, particularly if it co-occurs with other forms of IPV. Future work should evaluate the prevalence and long-term impact of coercive control during the COVID-19 pandemic

Reforms in Small-Scale Fishing in Senegal by Crisis or New Forms of Dialogue?

For decades, fishing was considered an area warranting public support policies, particularly its industrial segment. The sector continues to enjoy the support of international donors in addition to significant private overinvestment. Globally, catches of artisanal fisheries continue to grow while industrial fisheries decline since the mid 1990s. The latter are important for local food security, but are also increasingly export-oriented. Attempts to reform the sector are slow to make progress. Our case study in Senegal helps to understand better the opportunities for reforms securing local livelihoods and food security. It is based on more than350 interviews with fisherfolk, local public administrators and fish mongers in major artisanal fishing centres. We note that the efforts of the public administration since 2000 to reign in the expansion of the artisanal fleet have met with strong social resistance. At the same time, the artisanal fleet has increased in numbers, size and horsepower of outboard engines of new pirogues. Mobile phones and use of scientific data, particularly weather forecasts, have helped with risk management and keep otherwise increasing transaction costs engendered, e.g. by avoidance or conflict with the navy's surveillance of licence holders, under control. Using the interviews, we explore options for a more fruitful meeting of rather effective traditional social organisation with public policy to move forward in the reform attempts, including through better use of research by all parties.Proceedings of the Eighteenth Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade, held July 11-15, 2016 at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Center (AECC), Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Genetic Analysis of Viruses Associated with Emergence of Rift Valley Fever in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, 2000-01

The first confirmed Rift Valley fever outbreak outside Africa was reported in September 2000, in the Arabian Peninsula. As of February 2001, a total of 884 hospitalized patients were identified in Saudi Arabia, with 124 deaths. In Yemen, 1,087 cases occurred, with 121 deaths. Laboratory diagnosis of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infections included virus genetic detection and characterization of clinical specimens by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, in addition to serologic tests and virus isolation. Genetic analysis of selected regions of virus S, M, and L RNA genome segments indicated little genetic variation among the viruses associated with disease. The Saudi Arabia and Yemen viruses were almost identical to those associated with earlier RVF epidemics in East Africa. Analysis of S, M, and L RNA genome segment sequence differences showed similar phylogenetic relationships among these viruses, indicating that genetic reassortment did not play an important role in the emergence of this virus in the Arabian Peninsula. These results are consistent with the recent introduction of RVFV into the Arabian Peninsula from East Africa

Qualite et vitesse de decomposition des litieres des principaux arbustes natifs de la savane humide au centre de la Cote d’Ivoire

Cette étude a été conduite en zone de savane humide de Côte d’Ivoire pour évaluer la qualité et la vitesse de décomposition des litières de feuilles de trois espèces d’arbustes dominantes: Crossopteryx febrifuga, Terminalia schimperiana et Piliostigma thonningii et la contribution des termites dans ce processus. La vitesse de décomposition a été suivie pendant six mois dans des sachets (Litterbags) puis le coefficient de décomposition k a été déterminé. La contribution des termites a été estimée à travers la quantité de sol « termitique » déposée sur les sachets. Les résultats montrent que les teneurs des litières en C, N, K et Mg étaient plus élevés avec C. febrifuga qu’avec P. thonningii et T. schimperiana respectivement. Le rapport N/P suivait exactement la même tendance. La teneur en P n’a pas varié significativement avec les espèces. Les rapports C/N et C/P n’ont pas non plus varié significativement. La concentration de Ca des litières était plus élevée avec P. thonningii. La densité surfacique des litières (caractéristique physique) était plus élevée avec P. thonningii qu’avec les autres espèces. La décomposition des litières de T. schimperiana (0,64 mois-1) était plus rapide que celles de C. febribuga (0,52 mois-1) et de P. thonningii (0,39 mois-1). L’activité des termites était plus importante sous les litières les plus denses (P. thonningii). L’espèce C. febrifuga est apparue comme ayant le meilleur potentiel d’amélioration de la fertilité du sol.   English title: Quality and decomposition rate of native shrub species’ leaf litters in a wet savanna in central Côte d’Ivoire This study was conducted in Central Côte d’Ivoire, aimed to assess the quality and rate of decomposition of the dominant native shrub species’ leaf litters, namely Crossopteryx febrifuga, Terminalia schimperiana and Piliostigma thonningii and the termite’s contribution in this process. Investigations took place in the Lamto Natural Reserve, including five replicate trees per species. Leaf litters were left to decompose in litterbags for six months and then, the decomposition coefficient (k) was determined. The termites’ contribution to decomposition was estimated by the amount of soil they deposited on the litterbags. Results showed that higher leaf litter C, N, K and Mg concentrations were associated with C. febrifuga compared to P. thonningii and T. schimperiana, respectively. The N/P ratio followed the same order. Litter P, C/N and C/P ratios did not varied across species. Higher litter Ca was observed with P. thonningii. Litter surface area was higher with P. thonningii compared to the other two species while decomposition was faster with T. schimperiana (k = 0.64 month-1) followed by C. febribuga (k = 0.52 month-1) and P. thonningii (0.39 months-1). The contribution of the termites to decomposition were found to be greater on high surface area-leaf litters, supposedly more ligneous (P. thonningii). These results suggest that C. febrifuga holds a greater ability to improve soil fertility

News from the SIOP-United Nations team: Exploring work experiences of informal workers and promoting decent work for all

For the first time, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) has funded a humanitarian work psychology research project under the SIOP Foundation’s Grants and Awards program this year. The project is led by Mahima Saxena from the Illinois Institute of Technology and John Scott from APTMetrics, and is titled, “I-O Psychology and ILO: Exploring Work Experiences of Informal Workers and Promoting Decent Work for All.

The Lantern Vol. 30, No. 2, May 1963

• An Observation • Interim • The Collected Raid • Please • Love Me • Waiting With the Sun • Upon a Summit • A Hedonist Comments on His Religion • Like Ice • Dark Morning • So Soft the Breeze • The Heat of Youth • Solemnity • A Laugh • Peter Departinghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1084/thumbnail.jp

Caractérisation phénotypique et génétique du riz africain (Oryza glaberrima Steud) phenotypic and genetic characterization of african rice (oryza glaberrima steud)

The agronomic interest of African rice and the morphological similarities with other species, arouse the necessity to characterize African rice for recovery and conservation. The present study aims primarily to characterize phenotypically and genetically African rice for better exploitation in aid of rice producers and consumers. Indeed, the phenotypic characteristics of the rice accessions examined have been determined in two agronomics systems (upland and irrigated) carried out about 235 accessions of African rice; and afterwards, genetic characterization using a specific marker has been carried. At the end of the analyzes, with regard to the phenotypic characters, 22 O.sativa or interspecific accessions differing morphologically on several descriptors were identified. Genetically, out of 19 profiles revealed on a 935-bp band, 14 confirmed the phenotypic results. This study shows that 221 out of 235 accessions are O. glaberrima rice. These results show that the accessions of different species analyzed were confused during the collection. They also seems to validate the possibility of hybridization between the two rice species in peasant environment. The accessions characterized strengthen the conservation effort of African rice. This collection can be used for future studies, particularly with perspective to selection and running African rice with the possibility to establish a genetic model to facilitate the transfer of useful genes from O.glaberrima to O.sativa, while controlling the reproductive barrier. Thus, it will be easy to better exploit the genetic diversity of the African species of cultivated rice

Rift Valley Fever during Rainy Seasons, Madagascar, 2008 and 2009

The virus reemerged during an outbreak in Madagascar in 2008

Tailoring interfacial effect in multilayers with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction by helium ion irradiation

We show a method to control magnetic interfacial effects in multilayers with Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) using helium (He+) ion irradiation. We report results from SQUID magnetometry, ferromagnetic resonance as well as Brillouin light scattering results on multilayers with DMI as a function of irradiation fluence to study the effect of irradiation on the magnetic properties of the multilayers. Our results show clear evidence of the He+irradiation effects on the magnetic properties which is consistent with interface modification due to the effects of the He+ irradiation. This external degree of freedom offers promising perspectives to further improve the control of magnetic skyrmions in multilayers, that could push them towards integration in future technologies

Prevention of Liver Fibrosis and Cancer in Africa: The PROLIFICA project – a collaborative study of hepatitis B-related liver disease in West Africa

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes a spectrum of acute and chronic liver disease ranging from inactive chronic carrier status to progressive chronic hepatitis, culminating in end-stage cirrhosis and liver cancer. In sub-Saharan Africa, HBV infection is endemic and the HBV-related disease burden is high, making HBV a signficant threat to health in the African continent. The European Union-funded Prevention of Liver Fibrosis and Cancer in Africa (PROLIFICA) project was established in 2011, with the central directive to reduce the incidence of HBV-related liver cancer in West Africa. In this editorial, we outline some of the achievements and challenges of the PROLIFICA platform in West Africa, highlighting the the importance of collaborative studies in Africa