Wackiness and event management: the case of the World Alternative Games

The World Alternative Games (WAG) is a biennial event which takes place in Britain’s smallest town. This paper considers the ways in which wackiness is central to event spaces within the town of Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales. Based on a social constructivist approach, this work sheds light on aspects of the concept development, planning and organisation of events within a particular locale. It shows how wackiness is an important element of the event management development in the town and a key part of wider rural tourism development

Rainbow trout CK9, a CCL25-like ancient chemokine that attracts and regulates B cells and macrophages, the main antigen presenting cells in fish

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors want to thank Dr. Oriol Sunyer for the anti-IgT and Dr. Uwe Fischer for the anti-CD8 antibodies used in this study. We also want to acknowledge Lucía González Torres for technical assistance. GRANT SUPPORT This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant 2011 280469), by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) of the European Union (Grant Agreement 311993 TARGETFISH) and by project AGL2011-29676 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). C. Aquilino was supported by a MINECO PhD student fellowshipPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Does Diet Self Efficacy and Stress Affect Body Composition in College Students?

Body composition is influenced by many variables, including stress and nutrition, which in turn is affected by the person’s belief in his or her ability to manage a diet even in the face of obstacles (Nastaskin, 2015). PURPOSE: This study examined the influence of college students’ dietary self-efficacy and responses to stress on body weight and body fat percentage from their freshman to senior year. METHODS: Fourteen participants (11W/3M, 18.1 ± 0.4 yrs, 165.3 ± 7.7 cm, 64.9 ± 14.2 kg at Year 1) underwent whole-body dual x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, Hologic W). They also completed 2 questionnaires: 1) Diet Self-Efficacy (Knäuper, 2013), which assesses three factors that could negatively impact diet: high caloric food temptation (HCF), social/internal factors (SIF), and negative emotional events (NEE) (0-100 range for each score) and 2) the Vanderbilt Responses to Stress - Peer Stress College, which is a 57-question survey measuring coping and involuntary stress responses to specific situations (0-50 range). All assessments were completed annually from the students’ freshman to senior year. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation. RESULTS: Overall, participants gained 5.1 ± 5.7 kg (6.6 ± 8.1%) of body weight and 0.5 ± 4.0% of body fat over the 4 years. At Year 1, diet self-efficacy scores were moderate (HCF 47.8 ± 22.1, SIF 56.7 ± 21.7, NEE 64.9 ± 22.0). Over four years, there was a strong negative correlation between NEE and body weight in 3 participants(r = -0.98, r = -0.96, r = -0.86), indicating that when these participants were better able to resist eating temptation when faced with a negative emotional event, they had a lower body weight. Also, SIF was trending towards a significant inverse relationship with body fat percentage (p = 0.07). Stress scores were inversely related with body fat percentage in the majority of the participants with the strongest correlation at (r = -0.96). CONCLUSION: Nutritional self-efficacy could influence weight changes in college students. However, any influence is highly individualized. Based on the limited number of participants in our study, it is too early to make generalized statements

Fitness Correlates to Firefighter Job Tasks

Firefighters have their focus on rescuing and responding in any emergency and fire situations (Antolini, 2015). The demand for firefighting includes a need for both aerobic and anaerobic fitness, along with muscular strength, endurance, explosive power, and reaction time (Xu, 2020). PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between fitness assessments and job task simulations in firefighter cadets. METHODS: 21 firefighter academy students performed fitness assessments and job task simulations on different days. Fitness assessments included vertical jump, lateral medicine ball throw, push up, horizontal row, and 300-yard shuttle run. Job task simulations were conducted in a sequential format, i.e., physical agility course and consisted of equipment carry, stair climb, ladder carry and raise, bear crawl, kneeling hose drag, over shoulder hose drag, tire strike, hose deploy, victim drag, and charged line. Pearson r correlation analyses were conducted to determine relationships between all variables in fitness assessments versus time to complete job task simulations. RESULTS: Positive correlations were found between the 300-yard shuttle run time and stair climb (r = .495, p = .023), ladder carry and raise (r = .433, p = .050), bear crawl (r = .516, p = .017), over shoulder hose drag (r = .486, p = .030), tire strike (r = .656, p = .002), hose deploy (r = .486, p = .030), and victim drag (r = .686, p \u3c .001). Negative correlations existed between the vertical jump and stair climb (r = .511, p = .018), ladder carry and raise (r = .439, p = .047), kneeling hose drag (r = .560, p = .008), hose deploy (r = .458, p = .042), and charged line (r = .645, p = .002). Negative correlations were found between the lateral medicine ball throw right and equipment carry (r = .529, p = .014), stair climb (r = .481, p = .027), ladder carry and raise (r = .489, p = .025), kneeling hose drag (r = .498, p = .021), and charged line (r = .486, p = .030). With the left side of the lateral medicine ball throw, negative correlations existed with stair climb (r = .465, p = .034), ladder carry and raise (r = .445, p = .043), kneeling hose drag (r = .508, p = .019), and charged line (r = .471, p = .036). Negative correlations were found between push up and stair climb (r = .616, p = .003), ladder carry and raise (r = .608, p = .003), bear crawl (r = .571, p = .007), kneeling hose drag (r = .594, p = .005), over shoulder hose drag (r = .629, p = .003), hose deploy (r = .539, p = .014), victim drag (r = .587, p = .006), and charged line (r = .511, p = .021). Finally, a negative correlation was evident between the horizontal row and over shoulder hose drag (r = .487, p = .029). CONCLUSION: Job task simulation scores are highly associated with a number of fitness assessments. Firefighters and academy instructors should focus on improving fitness, especially power, agility, and muscular endurance to improve specific job tasks

Local-scale nutrient regeneration facilitates seaweed growth on wave-exposed rocky shores in an upwelling system

Abstract This study shows that, even on exposed, wave-swept, rocky shores in a nutrient-replete upwelling ecosystem, mussels (Mytilus californianus) facilitate the growth of the seaweed Porphyra perforata by enhancing nutrient concentrations in the nearby water column. In field surveys on emergent substrate in the mid-intertidal zone, we found ten times greater abundance of P. perforata on mussels than on adjacent rock. In field experiments, P. perforata accumulated and grew more quickly on mussels than on bare rock or on mussel mimics, suggesting that nutrients excreted by mussels might be responsible for greater P. perforata cover. At high tide, water column ammonium concentrations over mussel beds were nearly double those found over bare rock. Correspondingly, tissue nitrogen concentrations were higher, and carbon-to-nitrogen ratios were lower in P. perforata growing on mussels compared to bare rock. Given the dominance of mussels in mid-intertidal regions of temperate coasts worldwide, ammonium regeneration could be a general contributor to local-scale nutrient availability, even in high-flow systems characterized by high nutrient concentrations

Story Map Caminhos d’O Conspirador: um percurso literário na vila de Marvão com Branquinho da Fonseca

Os autores pretendem apresentar uma nova forma de divulgação da investigação em turismo literário, num formato mais atrativo, recorrendo às novas tecnologias e bem assim, aferir as suas potencialidades. A ferramenta tecnológica utilizada foi o story map que permite combinar mapas na Web com aplicações e templates que incorporam funções interativas e mapas dinâmicos. Um dos recursos utilizados na produção do story map foi a base de dados do Museu Virtual de Turismo (MUVITUR) em cujo site o produto final será disponibilizado. Os conteúdos e itinerários turísticos literários organizados por especialistas permitem envolver os viajantes online nas geografias imaginárias, para as quais os escritores nos remetem. Experiências virtuais mais envolventes possibilitam a cada utilizador a descoberta dos melhores percursos por territórios literários. O objeto do presente trabalho foi o conto “O Conspirador”, de Branquinho da Fonseca (1905-1974) tendo o percurso na vila de Marvão sido enriquecido com desenhos e fotografias da sua autoriaThe authors intend to present a more attractive format to disseminate research in literary tourism, making use of new technologies. The story map is the technological tool used, and it allows the combination of online maps with apps and templates that incorporate interactive functions and dynamic maps. One of the resources the authors use in the production of the story map is the database of the Virtual Tourism Museum (MUVITUR) on whose website the final product will be made available. The literary content and tourist itineraries organized by specialists allow online travellers to be involved in imaginary geographies created by writers. More engaging virtual experiences enable users to discover the best routes through literary territories. The object of the present study was the short story “O Conspirador”, by Branquinho da Fonseca (1905-1974) and the itinerary in the village of Marvão was enhanced by drawings and photographs authored by the writer.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Are mixed diets beneficial for the welfare of captive axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum)? Effects of feeding regimes on growth and behavior

Good nutritional husbandry is crucial to maintain high welfare standards in captive animals. Both direct effects of diet on growth, development, and maintenance and indirect effects of feeding regimes on behavior may be important. Despite this, many questions remain as to how we should best feed many of the species that are commonly kept in captivity. There is a great deal of speculation among animal keepers as to issues such as whether a mixed diet is better than an invariant one, but little research is available to inform this question. In this study, we investigate the impact of mixed versus invariant diets on growth and behavior in the axolotl (. Ambystoma mexicanum), an aquatic amphibian of severe conservation concern that is frequently maintained in captive collections. We then use our results to provide advice on feeding management in the context of improved welfare. We maintained juvenile axolotls under 1 of 3 "diets" (feeding regimes): bloodworm (invariant), Daphnia (invariant), and alternating these 2 prey items between feeds (mixed). Morphologic and behavioral data were collected over a period of 15weeks and analyzed using generalized linear mixed models to determine whether our feeding treatments influenced growth and behavior. We find that axolotls grew fastest on our bloodworm diet and slowest on our Daphnia diet, with a mixed feeding regime leading to intermediate growth rates. Diet treatment did not significantly influence our measured behaviors, but feeding and locomotion events were more frequent (and resting less frequent) on feeding days than nonfeeding days. These data suggest that providing a mixed diet is not necessarily beneficial to either growth or welfare of captive animals. In the case of axolotls, an invariant diet of bloodworm should increase growth rates, but the diet (mixed vs. invariant) does not influence behavior. Overall, our results suggest that mixed diets in themselves may not be beneficial to the growth or welfare of axolotls as compared with a high-quality invariant diet

Gender differences in the impact of family background on leaving the parental home

We address the question to what extent characteristics of the family of origin influence the timing of leaving the parental home and to what extent these effects differ between men and women. We use data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study to examine the effects of parental resources, atmosphere in the family of origin and family structure on leaving home to live without a partner and leaving home to live with a partner. The results indicate that a pleasant atmosphere in the parental home decreases the risk of leaving home and living in stepfamilies or single-parent families increases this risk. The availability of parental resources leads to a decreased risk of leaving home at young ages, but an increased risk at later ages. Many of these effects are found for both men and women and for both pathways out of the home. Furthermore, we find evidence that women are affected more strongly by family background characteristics than men are

Characterization of Patients with Chronic Diseases and Complex Care Needs: A New High-Risk Emergent Population

Background: To analyze the prevalence and main epidemiological, clinical and outcome features of in-Patients with Complex Chronic conditions (PCC) in internal medicine areas, using a pragmatic working definition. Methods: Prospective study in 17 centers from Spain, with 97 in-hospital, monthly prevalence cuts. A PCC was considered when criteria of polypathological patient (two or more major chronic diseases) were met, or when a patient suffered one major chronic disease plus one or more of nine predefined complexity criteria like socio-familial risk, alcoholism or malnutrition among others (PCC without polypathology). A complete set of baseline features as well as 12-months survival were collected. Then, we compared clinical, outcome variables, and PROFUND index accuracy between polypathological patients and PCC without polypathology. Results: The global prevalence of PCC was 61% (40% of them were polypathological patients, and 21% PCC withouth polypathology) out of the 2178 evaluated patients. Their median age was 82 (59.5% men), suffered 2.3 ± 1.1 major diseases (heart diseases (70.5%), neurologic (41.5%), renal (36%), and lung diseases (26%)), 5.5 ± 2.5 other chronic conditions, met 2.5 ± 1.5 complexity criteria, and presented functional decline (Barthel index 55 (25-90)). Compared to polypathological patients, the subgroup of PCC without polypathology were younger, with a different pattern of major diseases and comorbidities, a better functional status, and lower 12-months mortality rates ((36.2% vs 46.8%; p = .003; OR 0.7(0.48-0.86). The PROFUND index obtained adequate calibration and discrimination power (AUC-ROC 0.67 (0.63-0.69)) in predicting 12-month mortality of PCC. Conclusion: Patients with complex chronic conditions are highly prevalent in internal medicine areas; their clinical pattern has changed in parallel to socio-epidemiological modifications, but their death-risk is still adequately predicted by PROFUND index