A temporal investigation into the butterfly kick placement following a breaststroke start and turn

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an early or late placement of the butterfly kick during the arm pull-down is more effective in terms of breaststroke start and turn performance between female and male swimmers. Overall the timing of the kick placement does not appear to influence the effectiveness of the underwater phase following a breaststroke start or turn. Therefore the style selected by swimmers may be as a result of individual preference. Females overall start performance was improved by using an early placement

Can propensity score matching be applied to cross-sectional data to evaluate Community-Based Rehabilitation? Results of a survey implementing the WHO's Community-Based Rehabilitation indicators in Vietnam

OBJECTIVES Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a multi-sectoral approach working to equalise opportunities and include people with disabilities in all aspects of life. The complexity of CBR and often limited resources lead to challenges when attempting to quantify its effectiveness, with randomisation and longitudinal data rarely possible. Statistical methods, such as propensity score matching (PSM), offer an alternative approach to evaluate a treatment when randomisation is not feasible. The aim of this study is to examine whether PSM can be an effective method to facilitate evaluations of results in CBR when data are cross-sectional. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Data were collected using the WHO's CBR Indicators in Vietnam, with treatment assignment (participating in CBR or not) determined by province of residence. 298 participants were selected through government records. RESULTS PSM was conducted using one-to-one nearest neighbour method on 10 covariates. In the unmatched sample, significant differences between groups were found for six of the 10 covariates. PSM successfully adjusted for bias in all covariates in the matched sample (74 matched pairs). A paired t-test compared the outcome of 'community inclusion' (a score based on selected indicators) between CBR and non-CBR participants for both the matched and unmatched samples, with CBR participants found to have significantly worse community inclusion scores (mean=17.86, SD=6.30, 95% CI 16.45 to 19.32) than non-CBR participants (mean=20.93, SD=6.16, 95% CI 19.50 to 22.35); t(73)=3.068, p=0.001. This result did not differ between the matched and unmatched samples. CONCLUSION PSM successfully reduced bias between groups, though its application did not affect the tested outcome. PSM should be considered when analysing cross-sectional CBR data, especially for international comparisons where differences between populations may be greater

Behavioral, morphological, and ecological trait evolution in two clades of New World Sparrows (Aimophila and Peucaea, Passerellidae)

Copyright 2020 Cicero et al. The New World sparrows (Passerellidae) are a large, diverse group of songbirds that vary in morphology, behavior, and ecology. Thus, they are excellent for studying trait evolution in a phylogenetic framework. We examined lability versus conservatism in morphological and behavioral traits in two related clades of sparrows (Aimophila, Peucaea), and assessed whether habitat has played an important role in trait evolution. We first inferred a multi-locus phylogeny which we used to reconstruct ancestral states, and then quantified phylogenetic signal among morphological and behavioral traits in these clades and in New World sparrows more broadly. Behavioral traits have a stronger phylogenetic signal than morphological traits. Specifically, vocal duets and song structure are the most highly conserved traits, and nesting behavior appears to be maintained within clades. Furthermore, we found a strong correlation between open habitat and unpatterned plumage, complex song, and ground nesting. However, even within lineages that share the same habitat type, species vary in nesting, plumage pattern, song complexity, and duetting. Our findings highlight trade-offs between behavior, morphology, and ecology in sparrow diversification

Molecular characterization of the proteinase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus, a fish birnavirus

The A segment of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) is expressed as a polyprotein encoding three primary gene products, VP2, NS and VP3, from a large open reading frame. The nucleotide sequence for the A segment of the Sp isolate of IPNV was determined. The NS protein is the putative autocatalytic proteinase responsible for the cleavage of the polyprotein. The functional boundaries of the NS proteinase were mapped by plasmid deletion analysis and examined in an La vitro, translation system. The NS proteolytic activity was determined to lie within the EcoRI and Nsil restriction sites. Characterization of the NS proteinase also was approached by use of proteinase inhibitors and site-directed mutagenesis of the putative catalytic and cleavage sites. Eight proteinase inhibitors, representative of all four proteinase classes, were tested and all failed to inhibit the NS enzyme. Mutagenesis of a putative aspartyl proteinase catalytic motif, DTG, to VTG did not affect proteolytic processing. Additionally, the mutagenesis of the predicted N-terminal cleavage site did not alter processing, however, altered processing was observed when the predicted C-terminal cleavage site was mutated. The major capsid protein, VP2, was mapped with polyclonal and monoclonal antisera. The VP2 gene was digested with Sau3A and subcloned into the pATH expression vector. The trpE-fusion proteins were characterized with polyclonal and monoclonal antisera. Two immunoreactive regions were identified with anti IPNV-Sp sera. A common immunoreactive region, B10, was reactive with antisera to three serotypes of IPNV as well as a neutralizing monoclonal antibody, AS-1. A serotype specific immunoreactive region, A43, also was identified, being recognized only by anti IPNV-Sp sera. The B segment of IPNV encodes the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), VP1. The nucleotide sequence for the B segment of the Sp isolate was determined and the deduced amino acid sequences were compared to other polymerases. Concensus sequences associated with GTP-binding proteins and RdRps were identified in the VP1 sequence. However, unlike RdRps associated with single-stranded RNA viruses, the IPNV VP1 proteins lack the Gly-Asp-Asp motif characteristic of this enzyme family. Additionally, the VP1 protein was expressed in a bacterial system and polyclonal antisera was raised against the protein

Concurrent panel session 2: Challenges facing our youth and aged populations

Moderator: Dr. Ann McDonough, UNLV Gerontology Program Scribe: Lisa Gioia-Acres, UNLV Department of History Conference white paper & Full summary of panel session, 4 page

Genetic variation among western populations of the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) indicates recent colonization of the Channel Islands off southern California, mainland-bound dispersal, and postglacial range shifts

© 2014 American Ornithologists\u27 Union. The Channel Islands off the coast of southern California host \u3e50 species of terrestrial vertebrates with varying degrees of phenotypic differentiation. However, most organisms that breed on the Channel Islands remain unstudied with respect to genetic differentiation from mainland populations. By comparing patterns of genetic variation between the Channel Islands and the mainland, we aimed to further our understanding of the role that the Channel Islands have played in diversification of the North American biota. We evaluated long-standing, untested hypotheses regarding colonization patterns and evolutionary relationships among western populations of the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), including the endemic Channel Island subspecies E. a. insularis. We also examined how many times Horned Larks have colonized the Channel Islands, whether the species exhibits asymmetrical patterns of gene flow between mainland and island populations, and whether E. a. strigata of the Pacific Northwest is closely related to the phenotypically similar, but geographically separated, island subspecies. We found that E. a. insularis is polyphyletic, which suggests either multiple colonization events from the mainland or incomplete lineage sorting of a large ancestral population. We also inferred higher rates of migration from the Channel Islands to the mainland, with E. a. strigata being closely related to individuals from the Channel Islands and coastal southern California. Moreover, ecological niche models for E. a. strigata identified suitable abiotic conditions in southern California and the Pacific Northwest during the Last Glacial Maximum, which suggests that E. a. strigata experienced a postglacial range shift in addition to a population bottleneck. Our results provide novel insight regarding the origins of the Channel Island avifauna and the evolutionary history of the Horned Lark in the western United States. Moreover, our findings suggest that Channel Island birds may be weakly differentiated from mainland populations despite phenotypic differences between recognized subspecies

‘Shall We Send a Panda?’ A Practical Guide to Engaging Schools in Research: Learning from Large-Scale Mental Health Intervention Trials

The substantial time that children and young people spend in schools makes them important sites to trial and embed prevention and early intervention programmes. However, schools are complex settings, and it can be difficult to maintain school engagement in research trials; many projects experience high levels of attrition. This commentary presents learning from two large-scale, mixed-methods mental health intervention trials in English schools. The paper explores the barriers and challenges to engaging schools in promotion or early intervention research and offers detailed recommendations for other researchers

Development of indicators for monitoring Community-Based Rehabilitation

BACKGROUND: Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a multi-sectoral approach working to equalize opportunities and include people with disability in all aspects of community life. Reliable and internationally comparable data needed to monitor and evaluate CBR are scarce, partially due to the absence of standardized indicators. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the collaborative development process which led to the World Health Organization's (WHO) recently launched set of standardized CBR outcome indicators. METHODS: The WHO's CBR Guidelines recognize CBR as a comprehensive and multi-sectoral strategy, and were therefore used as the starting point for the development of the indicators, in a consensus process involving WHO and International Disability and Development Consortium. Pilot implementations in Guatemala, Egypt and China using a specifically developed mobile phone application to collect data, and an online expert survey were completed to assess validity and feasibility of the indicators and their corresponding questions. RESULTS: The indicator set includes 13 Base Indicators which are broad enough to capture the situation of people with disability in settings where CBR is carried out, independently of the specific CBR activities carried out in a community; and 27 Supplementary Indicators that provide more specific coverage and can be selected based on the specific goals of a CBR program. CONCLUSION: The indicators were suitable to assess differences in health, education, social life, livelihood and empowerment between people with disability and other community members. This comparability provides valuable information to CBR managers, donors and government agencies, to guide decision making, support advocacy and improve accountability. The CBR indicators will support WHO and its member states in their efforts towards strengthening CBR, by generating evidence on its effectiveness

Understanding freight drivers’ behavior and the impact on vehicles’ fuel consumption and CO2e emissions

Despite the significant impact of driver behavior on fuel consumption and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions, this phenomenon is often overlooked in road freight transportation research. We review the relevant literature and seek to provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between freight drivers’ behavior and fuel consumption. This study utilizes a real-life dataset of over 4000 driving records from the freight logistics sector to examine the effects of specific behaviors on fuel consumption. Analyzed behaviors include harsh acceleration/deceleration/cornering, over-revving, excessive revolutions per minute (RPM), and non-adherence to legal speed limits ranging from 20 to 70 miles per hour (mph). Our findings confirm existing literature by demonstrating the significant impact of certain driving characteristics, particularly harsh acceleration/cornering, on fuel consumption. Moreover, our research contributes new insights into the field, notably highlighting the substantial influence of non-adherence to the legal speed limits of 20 and 30 mph on fuel consumption, an aspect not extensively studied in previous research. We subsequently introduce an advanced fuel consumption model that takes into account these identified driver behaviors. This model not only advances academic understanding of fuel consumption determinants in road freight transportation, but also equips practitioners with practical insights to optimize fuel efficiency and reduce environmental impacts

The impact of universal, school based, interventions on help seeking in children and young people:a systematic literature review

Reviews into universal interventions to improve help seeking in young people focus on specific concepts, such as behaviour, do not differentiate between interpersonal and intrapersonal help seeking, and often report on statistical significance, rather than effect size. The aim of this review was to address the gaps highlighted above, to investigate the impact of universal, school-based interventions on help-seeking in children and young people, as well as to explore longer term impact. Four databases were searched. Data were extracted on country of origin, design, participant, school, and intervention characteristics, the help-seeking concept measured (e.g. knowledge, attitude/intention, behaviour), the duration between baseline and each follow-up (if applicable) and effect sizes at each follow-up. Quality assessment of the studies was undertaken using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) quality assessment tool. Overall, 14 different interventions met inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies were rated low in the quality assessment. Three constructs were most frequently reported a) intrapersonal attitudes towards help-seeking, b) interpersonal attitudes towards help-seeking and c) intrapersonal intended help-seeking. Findings around intervention effect were mixed. There was tentative evidence that interventions impacting interpersonal attitudes produced small effect sizes when measured between 3 and 6 months post intervention and that when effect sizes were initially observed intrapersonal attitudes, this remained at 3–6 month follow-up. Further work should pay attention to implementation factors, understanding the core ingredients needed to deliver effective interventions and whether embedding mental health education could help sustain or top up effect sizes from help-seeking interventions.</p