Hormones and temporal components of speech: sex differences and effects of menstrual cyclicity on speech

Voice onset time (VOT) is a salient acoustic parameter of speech which signals the “voiced” and “voiceless” status of plosives in English (e.g. the initial sound in ‘bat’ vs. the initial sound in ‘pat’). As a micro-temporal acoustic parameter, VOT may be sensitive to changes in hormones which may affect the neuromuscular systems involved in speech production. This study adopted a novel approach by investigating the effects of menstrual cycle phase and sex on VOT. VOT data representing the 6 plosives of English (/p b t d k g/) were examined for 7 women (age 20-23 years) at two phases of the menstrual cycle (day 18-25: High Estrogen and Progesterone; day 2-5: Low Estrogen and Progesterone). Results indicated that menstrual cycle phase had a significant interaction with the identity of the plosive (F (5,30) = 5.869, P .05), or the contrast between voiced and voiceless cognates (F (1,10) = .407, P > .05). In contrast, the high hormone phase VOT samples displayed significant plosive by sex interactions (F (5,50) = 4.442, P < .005). In addition, significant sex differences were found for the contrasts between cognate voiced and voiceless plosives (F (1,10) = 5.019, P < .05); the women displayed a more marked voiced/voiceless contrast. The findings suggest that ovarian hormones play some role in shaping some temporal components of speech

Physical activity promotion in physiotherapy practice: a systematic scoping review of a decade of literature

Background: The health benefits of physical activity (PA) have been extensively documented. Globally PA levels are low with only a small proportion of the population reaching recommended levels. Insufficient PA is seen as a major public health problem with high cost to society. Physiotherapists work with people to manage long-term conditions and are well-placed to deliver individual interventions to increase PA. Despite this little is known about the evidence that exists in this field. Methods: This scoping review comprises a comprehensive search of key databases using pre-determined search terms. This is supplemented with a parallel search that incorporated novel social media strands. In-line with current guidance, a robust screening process took place using agreed inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Thirty one studies met the inclusion criteria. The number of studies published annually increased over the decade. Ireland and USA yielded the largest number of publications with only one study from the UK. The target populations included physiotherapists and service users from a range of clinical populations. The studies were mainly quantitative and observational in design with a predominance of studies that scoped attitudes, perceptions, barriers and current practice. Conclusions: This reconnaissance has shown the state of the evidence to be sparse and disparate. However, the sharp rise in published work in recent years is encouraging. The predominance of scoping studies and the clear social, economic and political drivers for change in this area highlights a need for more pragmatic, interventional studies that can inform clinical practice

Transformative change in context-stakeholders' understandings of leverage at the forest-climate nexus

Transformation acquires its meaning within contexts and particular settings where transformative change is experienced, and where people engage in meaning-making. We used the forest-climate nexus in Sweden as an empirical case study, and the leverage-points perspective as an analytical lens. The aim was to investigate contextual leverage for transformative change, and how our use of context and relations shapes our understanding of transformation and leverage for change. The empirical basis was a whole-day workshop, held in both northern and southern Sweden, for local forest stakeholders. To detract from current conflict and barriers to change, we asked the stakeholders to reflect on transformative change in the past and in the future, and the spatio-temporal relations that form the forest-climate nexus. Our analysis suggests that leverage associated with a transformative change in the future is commonly seen as universal and detached from context, reflecting, for example, national and global discourses on forests and climate change. Regarding transformative changes in the past, however, contextual leverage is linked to the community values and pluralism that drove the change in particular situations. Focusing on the complex spatio-temporal relations and meaning-making helps identify how leverage emerges from context, and how leverage also acquires a richer meaning for people experiencing transformative change

Food system by-products upcycled in livestock and aquaculture feeds can increase global food supply

Optimizing biomass use by reducing food-feed competition is paramount to achieving sustainable food systems. This study assesses global food systems in terms of livestock and aquaculture feed use and the availability of food system by-products and residues to quantify the potential for replacing food-grade feeds with food system by-products. Many livestock and aquaculture feeds compete for resources with food production. Increasing the use of food system by-products and residues as feed could reduce this competition. We gathered data on global food system material flows for crop, livestock and aquaculture production, focusing on feed use and the availability of by-products and residues. We then analysed the potential of replacing food-competing feedstuff-here cereals, whole fish, vegetable oils and pulses that account for 15% of total feed use-with food system by-products and residues. Considering the nutritional requirements of food-producing animals, including farmed aquatic species, this replacement could increase the current global food supply by up to 13% (10-16%) in terms of kcal and 15% (12-19%) in terms of protein content. Increasing the use of food system by-products as feed has considerable potential, particularly when combined with other measures, in the much-needed transition towards circular food systems.Peer reviewe

Genetic effects on gene expression across human tissues

Characterization of the molecular function of the human genome and its variation across individuals is essential for identifying the cellular mechanisms that underlie human genetic traits and diseases. The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project aims to characterize variation in gene expression levels across individuals and diverse tissues of the human body, many of which are not easily accessible. Here we describe genetic effects on gene expression levels across 44 human tissues. We find that local genetic variation affects gene expression levels for the majority of genes, and we further identify inter-chromosomal genetic effects for 93 genes and 112 loci. On the basis of the identified genetic effects, we characterize patterns of tissue specificity, compare local and distal effects, and evaluate the functional properties of the genetic effects. We also demonstrate that multi-tissue, multi-individual data can be used to identify genes and pathways affected by human disease-associated variation, enabling a mechanistic interpretation of gene regulation and the genetic basis of disease.Postprint (published version

DUVET: sub-kiloparsec resolved star formation driven outflows in a sample of local starbursting disk galaxies

We measure resolved (kiloparsec-scale) outflow properties in a sample of 10 starburst galaxies from the DUVET sample, using Keck/KCWI observations of H$\beta$ and [OIII]~$\lambda$5007. We measure $\sim450$ lines-of-sight that contain outflows, and use these to study scaling relationships of outflow velocity ($v_{\rm out}$), mass-loading factor ($\eta$; mass outflow rate per SFR) and mass flux ($\dot{\Sigma}_{\rm out}$; mass outflow rate per area) with co-located SFR surface density ($\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$) and stellar mass surface density ($\Sigma_{\ast}$). We find strong, positive correlations of $\dot{\Sigma}_{\rm out} \propto \Sigma_{\rm SFR}^{1.2}$ and $\dot{\Sigma}_{\rm out} \propto \Sigma_{\ast}^{1.7}$. We also find shallow correlations between $v_{\rm out}$ and both $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$ and $\Sigma_{\ast}$. Our resolved observations do not suggest a threshold in outflows with $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$, but rather we find that the local specific SFR ($\Sigma_{\rm SFR}/\Sigma_\ast$) is a better predictor of where outflows are detected. We find that outflows are very common above $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}/\Sigma_\ast\gtrsim 0.1$~Gyr$^{-1}$ and rare below this value. We argue that our results are consistent with a picture in which outflows are driven by supernovae, and require more significant injected energy in higher mass surface density environments to overcome local gravity. The correlations we present here provide a statistically robust, direct comparison for simulations and higher redshift results from JWST.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, plus 4 figures in appendix, submitted to MNRA

DUVET: Resolved direct metallicity measurements in the outflow of starburst galaxy NGC 1569

We present the results of direct-method metallicity measurements in the disk and outflow of the low-metallicity starburst galaxy NGC 1569. We use Keck Cosmic Web Imager observations to map the galaxy across 54\arcsec (800 pc) along the major axis and 48\arcsec (700 pc) along the minor axis with a spatial resolution of 1\arcsec ($\sim$15 pc). We detect common strong emission lines ([\ion{O}{III}] $\lambda$5007, H$\beta$, [\ion{O}{II}] $\lambda$3727) and the fainter [\ion{O}{III}] $\lambda$4363 auroral line, which allows us to measure electron temperature ($T_e$) and metallicity. Theory suggests that outflows drive metals out of the disk driving observed trends between stellar mass and gas-phase metallicity. Our main result is that the metallicity in the outflow is similar to that of the disk, $Z_{\rm out} / Z_{\rm ISM} \approx 1$. This is consistent with previous absorption line studies in higher mass galaxies. Assumption of a mass-loading factor of $\dot{M}_{\rm out}/{\rm SFR}\sim3$ makes the metal-loading of NGC 1569 consistent with expectations derived from the mass-metallicity relationship. Our high spatial resolution metallicity maps reveal a region around a supermassive star cluster (SSC-B) with distinctly higher metallicity and higher electron density, compared to the disk. Given the known properties of SSC-B the higher metallicity and density of this region are likely the result of star formation-driven feedback acting on the local scale. Overall, our results are consistent with the picture in which metal-enriched winds pollute the circumgalactic medium surrounding galaxies, and thus connect the small-scale feedback processes to large-scale properties of galaxy halos.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted by MNRA

A qualitative evaluation of volunteers' experiences in a phase I/II HIV vaccine trial in Tanzania

Evaluating experiences of volunteers in an HIV vaccine trial will be useful for the conduct of future trials. The purpose of this study among volunteers who participated in a phase I/II HIV vaccine trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania was to assess what characterized their experiences during the trial. We conducted four focus group discussions with 35 out of the 60 individuals (women and men) after the five scheduled vaccinations. An interpretive description approach was applied to data analysis. As a result of the trial interventions, both men and women gained confidence in their own abilities to have safer, less risky sexual behaviour. The participants experienced the trial as a way of accessing free [insured] medical services. Most of the men said they had gone from self-medication to professional medical consultation. Despite these benefits, the participants faced various challenges during the trial. Such challenges included mistrust of the trial shown by health care providers who were not connected to the trial and discouragement from friends, colleagues and family members who questioned the safety of the trial. However, they managed to cope with these doubts by using both personal and trial related interventions. We found that during the phase I/II HIV vaccine trial, participants had both the opportunities and the ability to cope with the doubts from the surrounding community. Follow up visits enhanced the opportunities and individuals' abilities to cope with the doubts during the trial. Understanding this discourse may be useful for the trial implementers when designing future trials.\ud \ud \ud \u

Chemical abundances of metal-poor RR Lyrae stars in the Magellanic Clouds

We present for the first time a detailed spectroscopic study of chemical element abundances of metal-poor RR Lyrae stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud (LMC and SMC). Using the MagE echelle spectrograph at the 6.5m Magellan telescopes, we obtain medium resolution (R ~ 2000 - 6000) spectra of six RR Lyrae stars in the LMC and three RR Lyrae stars in the SMC. These stars were chosen because their previously determined photometric metallicities were among the lowest metallicities found for stars belonging to the old populations in the Magellanic Clouds. We find the spectroscopic metallicities of these stars to be as low as [Fe/H]_{spec} = -2.7dex, the lowest metallicity yet measured for any star in the Magellanic Clouds. We confirm that for metal-poor stars, the photometric metallicities from the Fourier decomposition of the lightcurves are systematically too high compared to their spectroscopic counterparts. However, for even more metal-poor stars below [Fe/H]_{phot} < -2.8dex this trend is reversed and the spectroscopic metallicities are systematically higher than the photometric estimates. We are able to determine abundance ratios for ten chemical elements, which extend the abundance measurements of chemical elements for RR Lyrae stars in the Clouds beyond [Fe/H] for the first time. For the overall [alpha/Fe] ratio, we obtain an overabundance of 0.36dex, which is in very good agreement with results from metal-poor stars in the Milky Way halo as well as from the metal-poor tail in dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Comparing the abundances with those of the stars in the Milky Way halo we find that the abundance ratios of stars of both populations are consistent with another. Therefore we conclude that from a chemical point of view early contributions from Magellanic-type galaxies to the formation of the Galactic halo as claimed in cosmological models are plausible.Comment: accepted for publication in AJ, 19 pages, 12 figure