The Auroral Planetary Imaging and Spectroscopy (APIS) service

The Auroral Planetary Imaging and Spectroscopy (APIS) service, accessible online, provides an open and interactive access to processed auroral observations of the outer planets and their satellites. Such observations are of interest for a wide community at the interface between planetology and magnetospheric and heliospheric physics. APIS consists of (i) a high level database, built from planetary auroral observations acquired by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) since 1997 with its mostly used Far-UltraViolet spectro-imagers, (ii) a dedicated search interface aimed at browsing efficiently this database through relevant conditional search criteria and (iii) the ability to interactively work with the data online through plotting tools developed by the Virtual Observatory (VO) community, such as Aladin and Specview. This service is VO compliant and can therefore also been queried by external search tools of the VO community. The diversity of available data and the capability to sort them out by relevant physical criteria shall in particular facilitate statistical studies, on long-term scales and/or multi-instrumental multi-spectral combined analysis

The Relationships between Adolescents' Climate Anxiety, Efficacy Beliefs, Group Dynamics, and Pro-Environmental Behavioral Intentions after a Group-Based Environmental Education Intervention

The present study examined the relationship between adolescents’ efficacy beliefs (both personal and collective), climate anxiety (as measured with climate worry), group dynamics during an environmental intervention, and behavioral intentions in a setting where their agency was called upon. Data were collected in French-speaking Switzerland during and after four environmental education interventions during which adolescents developed climate-related projects or narratives in small groups. Questionnaire data (N = 150 adolescents) were matched with observations (from group dynamics) and interview data (from teachers). Self- and collective efficacy, climate anxiety, citing group work as a most interesting part of the intervention, and observed group attention were all positively related to stronger pro-environmental intentions. In addition, feeling involved in the group was also indirectly related to pro-environmental behaviors, through climate anxiety. Overall, our results suggest that being worried about climate change has the potential to translate into climate action. In addition, working in small groups has clear benefits for adolescents

Pregnant Women’s Energy Consumption and Weight Gain: The Perspective of a Rural Community at Rongo District Kenya

Women in poor rural communities often consume diets that are deficient in energy. Maternal malnutrition continues to be a global problem. Population studies indicate that kilocalorie intake is usually less than recommended and pregnant women often do not show a significant augmentation in energy intake. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition is reflected in the high incidences of maternal deaths, increased risk of disease, and lower pregnancy weight gain. Low rates of gestational weight gain increase the risk of low birth weight infants and shorter gestations and from an international health perspective, birth weight is the most readily available index of pregnancy outcomes. This study investigated women’s socio-demographic factors, energy intake, and and their influence on gestational weight gain among pregnant women attending Rongo Sub-District Hospital. Objectives of the study included determining socio-demographic factors, energy intake, assessing weight gain, and testing for relationships between energy intake, maternal variables and weight gain. The study adopted longitudinal design and comprehensive sampling was used to select a sample of 100 pregnant women. Data was collected by use of structured questionnaires, observation, 24- hour recall and food weighing techniques. Data was analyzed by SPSS and dietary data by use of Nutri-survey. Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to test for significant relationships and t test for significant difference between mean of nutrients. Daily energy intake was found to be 1436.42 ± 421 Kcal/ day. Mean weight gain was 245.9±201std g/week and was higher for women with lower weight. The study found a significant relationship between energy intake and gestational weight gain (P≤ 0.05) and suggested possible confounding with certain socio-demographic factors. The pregnant women consumed fewer calories than the recommended levels. The study fills the knowledge gap, benefits future research work, government departments, NGOs, the community and pregnant women. The government and NGOs need to monitor gestational weight gain more closely in order to provide counselling as well as nutritional support to pregnant women

Perceptions of and responses to coastal erosion risks:The case of Cotonou in Benin

Intensive erosion has affected the coastal zone of Cotonou for several decades. An analysis of satellite images showed an average coastline retreat of 115 m in the study area over the period 2002–2013 with several hundred houses destroyed. Since 2014, a stabilisation of the coastline is observed. This study aimed at identifying the atrisk population and at analysing the perceptions of people who experience and those who manage coastal erosion risk, as well as the responses adopted. Based on four criteria and their hierarchy, we identified five profiles of inhabitants in this risk zone. (1) Wealthy people who leave the zone when they are affected or (2) fall into the category of people in danger in case they cannot migrate. (3) Fishermen who deliberately stay near the sea. (4) The most precarious people, trapped in the risk zone. Finally, (5) poor newcomers who continually increase the at-risk population. With the recent stabilisation of the coastline, the national authorities manage the “hazard” component of the risk. However, the majority of the population is not serene. The anthropogenic stress linked to evictions gradually replaced the stress to be engulfed by the sea. We conclude that the “vulnerability” component of the risk is not yet resolved. All categories of the population in this sensitive area need to be secured. Cooperation among multiple levels of governance, the application of land use planning regulations and of the Kampala Convention and the involvement of local communities are all measures which will enable to meet this objective

Cognitive effects of calligraphy therapy for older people: a randomized controlled trial in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND: This pilot study investigated the effects of calligraphy therapy on cognitive function in older Hong Kong Chinese people with mild cognitive impairment. METHODS: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial was carried out in a sample of 31 adults aged 65 years or older with mild cognitive impairment. They were randomly assigned to receive either intensive calligraphy training led by a trained research assistant for eight weeks (calligraphy group, n = 14) or no calligraphy treatment (control group, n = 17). Participants' cognitive function was assessed by the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) before and after calligraphy treatment. Repeated measures analysis of variance and paired samples t-tests were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A significant interaction effect of time and intervention was detected [F (1, 29) = 9.11, P = 0.005, eta(2) = 0.24]. The calligraphy group was found to have a prominent increase in CMMSE global score, and scores in the cognitive areas of orientation, attention, and calculation after two months (DeltaM = 2.36, P < 0.01), whereas their counterparts in the control group experienced a decline in CMMSE score (DeltaM = -0.41, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Calligraphy therapy was effective for enhancing cognitive function in older people with mild cognitive impairment and should be incorporated as part of routine programs in both community and residential care settings. © 2011 Kwok et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd.published_or_final_versio

Social and environmental malaria risk factors in urban areas of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite low endemicity, malaria remains a major health problem in urban areas where a high proportion of fevers are presumptively treated using anti-malarial drugs. Low acquired malaria immunity, behaviour of city-dwellers, access to health care and preventive interventions, and heterogenic suitability of urban ecosystems for malaria transmission contribute to the complexity of the malaria epidemiology in urban areas.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was designed to identify the determinants of malaria transmission estimated by the prevalence of anti-circumsporozoite (CSP) antibodies, the prevalence and density of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>infection, and the prevalence of malarial disease in areas of Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso. Thick blood smears, dried blood spots and clinical status have been collected from 3,354 randomly chosen children aged 6 months to 12 years using two cross-sectional surveys (during the dry and rainy seasons) in eight areas from four ecological strata defined according to building density and land tenure (regular versus irregular). Demographic characteristics, socio-economic information, and sanitary and environmental data concerning the children or their households were simultaneously collected. Dependent variables were analysed using mixed multivariable models with random effects, taking into account the clustering of participants within compounds and areas.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall prevalences of CSP-antibodies and <it>P. falciparum </it>infections were 7.7% and 16.6% during the dry season, and 12.4% and 26.1% during the rainy season, respectively, with significant differences according to ecological strata. Malaria risk was significantly higher among children who i) lived in households with lower economic or education levels, iii) near the hydrographic network, iv) in sparsely built-up areas, v) in irregularly built areas, vi) who did not use a bed net, vii) were sampled during the rainy season or ii) had traveled outside of Ouagadougou.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Malaria control should be focused in areas which are irregularly or sparsely built-up or near the hydrographic network. Furthermore, urban children would benefit from preventive interventions (e.g. anti-vectorial devices or chemoprophylaxis) aimed at reducing malaria risk during and after travel in rural areas.</p

The Effects of Videotape Testimony in Jury Trials: Studies on Juror Decision Making, Information Retention, and Emotional Arousal

Summary of Contents I. Introduction: The Nature of the Research II. Group I : The Nugent u. Clark Studies A. Background 1. Selecting the stimulus trial 2. Editing the transcript 3. Preparing the trial a. Casting b. Equipment B. Nugent u. Clark Study 1 : live v. videotape trials 1. Questions examined 2. Procedures a. The live presentation b. The videotape presentation c. The questionnaire 3. Results and discussion a. Negligence verdicts and mean awards b. Juror perception of attorney credibility c. Juror information retention d. Juror interest and motivation 4. Conclusions from Study 1 C. Nugent u. Clark Study 2: split-screen v. full-screen videotape presentations 1. Questions examined 2. Procedure

The Effects of Videotape Testimony in Jury Trials: Studies on Juror Decision Making, Information Retention, and Emotional Arousal

Summary of Contents I. Introduction: The Nature of the Research II. Group I : The Nugent u. Clark Studies A. Background 1. Selecting the stimulus trial 2. Editing the transcript 3. Preparing the trial a. Casting b. Equipment B. Nugent u. Clark Study 1 : live v. videotape trials 1. Questions examined 2. Procedures a. The live presentation b. The videotape presentation c. The questionnaire 3. Results and discussion a. Negligence verdicts and mean awards b. Juror perception of attorney credibility c. Juror information retention d. Juror interest and motivation 4. Conclusions from Study 1 C. Nugent u. Clark Study 2: split-screen v. full-screen videotape presentations 1. Questions examined 2. Procedure