Wandering wetlands: spatial patterns of historical channel and floodplain change in the Ramsar-listed Macquarie Marshes, Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Ralph ◽  
Paul P. Hesse ◽  
Tsuyoshi Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Wetland Ecology ◽  
Floodplain Wetlands ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Ecological Changes ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Management Plans

In the context of static conservation reserves, dynamic fluvial processes and patterns of river channel and floodplain change are problematic for environmental management. Floodplain wetlands that evolve by erosion and sedimentation experience changes in the location and extent of channels and wetlands regardless of conservation reserve boundaries. We describe historical channel and floodplain change in an Australian wetland of international ecological significance, the southern Macquarie Marshes, and synthesise the role of avulsion in wetlands that move laterally on the broader floodplain. Avulsion has shifted the foci of flooding and areas of aquatic habitat in the system over the last century. By ~1925, active wetlands surrounding the Old Macquarie River and the original conservation area contracted around Monkeygar Creek within the present nature reserve, and the boundary of this reserve has changed little since the 1940s. Ecological changes associated with continued wetland desiccation in the reserve triggered a recent Ramsar Article 3.2 notification for the Macquarie Marshes, prompting management responses from government agencies. Fluvial morphodynamics and their impacts on wetland ecology should be specifically recognised and integrated with adaptive management plans to combine new findings with lessons learned from previous intervention strategies for the long-term ecological sustainability of floodplain wetlands.

Neurotrophins and Proneurotrophins: Focus on Synaptic Activity and Plasticity in the Brain

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 587-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Gibon ◽  
Philip A. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Synaptic Activity ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Term Potentiation ◽  
Neurotrophin 3 ◽  
New Findings ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Brain

Neurotrophins have been intensively studied and have multiple roles in the brain. Neurotrophins are first synthetized as proneurotrophins and then cleaved intracellularly and extracellularly. Increasing evidences demonstrate that proneurotrophins and mature neurotrophins exerts opposing role in the central nervous system. In the present review, we explore the role of nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin 3 (NT3), and neurotrophin 4 (NT4) and their respective proform in cellular processes related to learning and memory. We focused on their roles in synaptic activity and plasticity in the brain with an emphasis on long-term potentiation, long-term depression, and basal synaptic transmission in the hippocampus and the temporal lobe area. We also discuss new findings on the role of the Val66Met polymorphism on the BDNF propeptide on synaptic activity.

scholarly journals AI and robotics to help older adults: Revisiting projects in search of lessons learned

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 356-378
Author(s):  
Gabriella Cortellessa ◽  
Riccardo De Benedictis ◽  
Francesca Fracasso ◽  
Andrea Orlandini ◽  
Alessandro Umbrico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Technology Acceptance Models ◽  
Key Points ◽  
New Research ◽  
And Robotics

Abstract This article is a retrospective overview of work performed in the domain of Active Assisted Living over a span of almost 18 years. The authors have been creating and refining artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics solutions to support older adults in maintaining their independence and improving their quality of life. The goal of this article is to identify strong features and general lessons learned from those experiences and conceive guidelines and new research directions for future deployment, also relying on an analysis of similar research efforts. The work considers key points that have contributed to increase the success of the innovative solutions grounding them on known technology acceptance models. The analysis is presented with a threefold perspective: A Technological vision illustrates the characteristics of the support systems to operate in a real environment with continuity, robustness, and safety; a Socio-Health perspective highlights the role of experts in the socio-assistance domain to provide contextualized and personalized help based on actual people’s needs; finally, a Human dimension takes into account the personal aspects that influence the interaction with technology in the long term experience. The article promotes the crucial role of AI and robotics in ensuring intelligent and situated assistive behaviours. Finally, considering that the produced solutions are socio-technical systems, the article suggests a transdisciplinary approach in which different relevant disciplines merge together to have a complete, coordinated, and more informed vision of the problem.

scholarly journals Music and Dance in respiratory disease management in Uganda: A qualitative study of patient and healthcare professional perspectives

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keir EJ Philip ◽  
Lucy L Cartwright ◽  
Debra Westlake ◽  
Grace Nyakoojo ◽  
Ivan Kimuli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Management ◽  
Respiratory Disease ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Low Resource ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Respiratory Conditions

AbstractIntroductionMusic and dance are increasingly used as adjunctive arts-in-health interventions in high-income settings, with a growing body of research suggesting biopsychosocial benefits. Such low-cost, low-resource interventions may have application in low-resource settings such as Uganda. However, research on perceptions of patients and healthcare professionals regarding such approaches is lacking.MethodsWe delivered taster music and dance for chronic respiratory disease (CRD) sessions to patients and healthcare professionals. We then conducted an exploratory qualitative study, using thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with the healthcare professionals and patients regarding i) the role of music and dance in Ugandan life and ii) the perceived acceptability and feasibility of using music and dance in CRD management in Uganda.ResultsEleven patients with long-term respiratory conditions and eight healthcare professionals were interviewed after selection by purposeful convenience sampling. Four key themes were identified from (interview) analysis: Music and dance: 1) were central components of daily life; 2) had an established role supporting health and wellbeing; 3) had strong therapeutic potential in respiratory disease management; 4) the importance of modulating demographic considerations of culture and religion, and age.ConclusionMusic and dance are central to life in Uganda, with established roles supporting health and wellbeing. These roles could be built on in the development of music and dance interventions as adjuncts to established components of CRD disease management like pulmonary rehabilitation. Through consideration of key contextual factors, and co-development and adaptation of interventions, such approaches are likely to be well received.Summary Box: Key QuestionsWhat is already known?Music and dance are increasingly being used as adjunctive components of CRD management in high resource settings, with a growing body of research suggesting such approaches are effective, well-received, and can be delivered at low cost. However, the perceptions of patients and healthcare professionals about potential application of such approaches in low-resource settings, such as Uganda, is not known.What are the new findings?Music and dance have central roles in the social, religious and cultural life in Uganda, including a clear view that participation supports both collective and individual health and wellbeing. In this study, both healthcare professionals and patients saw great potential for the use of music and dance as interventions for people with CRD, and highlighted important factors for consideration for successful implementation.What do the new findings imply?Music and dance interventions for people with long-term respiratory conditions in Uganda are likely to be accepted with enthusiasm due to the existing role of such activities in daily life. Delivery is likely to be feasible, but interventions would need to be co-developed with patients, their family members, and healthcare professionals, considering a number of key factors. Suggested approaches to address these considerations are provided. More generally, this study highlights how genuine co-design processes can provide valuable insights into health intervention development.

scholarly journals Climate change concern among youth: Examining the role of civics and institutional trust across 22 countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Lyn Kessler
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Institutional Trust ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Climate Change Concern

Although scholars have long documented perceptions of climate change and the public’s evolving response to the perceived risk it poses, only more recently have these analyses begun to examine youth and their views of the issue. Given that education has traditionally been considered a long-term strategy to promote sustainability among youth, this article conducts a cross-national and comparative study of students from 22 countries to evaluate factors commonly associated with youth perceptions of climate change as a threat to the world’s future. In doing so, this study finds that promoting institutional trust and civic knowledge may increase student climate change concern to a greater degree than other, more emphasized, curricular and co-curricular environmental school opportunities. These new findings reveal potential pathways for future climate change education research, policy, and practice to help promote greater climate awareness and action among youth.

Cyberchondria in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2022 ◽  
pp. 173-194
Author(s):  
Nataša Jokić-Begić ◽  
Branka Bagarić
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Options ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Online Searching ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Potential Risk Factors ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Pathological Anxiety

The appearance of a new and unknown disease, COVID-19, provides a fertile ground for the rise of cyberchondria, an excessive online searching about coronavirus transmission, COVID-19 symptoms, and its long-term health-related effects, which is followed by more anxiety. The purpose of this chapter is to review and discuss new findings on cyberchondria in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter presents research findings on aspects of the pandemic which may give rise to cyberchondria, potential risk factors for cyberchondria during the pandemic, the role of cyberchondria in the development of pathological anxiety in the pandemic period with an emphasis on health anxiety and OCD, and possible impacts of seasonality of the pandemic on cyberchondria. Finally, this chapter discusses possible treatment options for cyberchondria in the time of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Effects of long-term flooding on biogeochemistry and vegetation development in floodplains; a mesocosm experiment to study interacting effects of land use and water quality

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 1325-1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Banach ◽  
K. Banach ◽  
R. C. J. H. Peters ◽  
R. H. M. Jansen ◽  
E. J. W. Visser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Floodplain Wetlands ◽  
Vegetation Development ◽  
River Floodplains ◽  
Fertilized Soil ◽  
Agricultural Use ◽  
Effects Of Land Use

Abstract. Raising safety levees and reinforcing dykes is not a sufficient and sustainable solution to the intense winter and summer floods occurring with increasing frequency in Eastern Europe. An alternative, creating permanently flooded floodplain wetlands, requires improved understanding of ecological consequences. A 9 month mesocosm study (starting in January), under natural light and temperature conditions, was initiated to understand the role of previous land use (fertility intensity) and flooding water quality on soil biogeochemistry and vegetation development. Flooding resulted in severe eutrophication of both sediment pore water and surface water, particularly for more fertilized soil and sulphate pollution. Vegetation development was mainly determined by soil quality, resulting in a strong decline of most species from the highly fertilized location, especially in combination with higher nitrate and sulphate concentrations. Soils from the less fertilized location showed, in contrast, luxurious growth of target Carex species regardless water quality. The observed interacting effects of water quality and agricultural use are important in assessing the consequences of planned measures for ecosystem functioning and biodiversity in river floodplains.

scholarly journals What can be learned from fishers’ perceptions for fishery management planning? Case study insights from Sainte-Marie, Madagascar

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259792
Author(s):  
Thaïs A. Bernos ◽  
Clodio Travouck ◽  
Naly Ramasinoro ◽  
Dylan J. Fraser ◽  
Barbara Mathevon
Keyword(s):  
Fishery Management ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Ecological Changes ◽  
Local Support ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
The Individual

Local support is critical to the success and longevity of fishery management initiatives. Previous research suggests that how resource users perceive ecological changes, explain them, and cope with them, influences local support. The objectives of this study were two-fold. First, we collated local fishers’ knowledge to characterize the long-term socio-ecological dynamics of the small-scale fishery of Sainte-Marie Island, in Madagascar. Second, we empirically assessed the individual- and site-level factors influencing support for fishery restrictions. Our results indicate that fishers observed a decline in fish abundance and catch sizes, especially in nearshore areas; many also perceived a reduction in fish sizes and the local disappearance of species. To maintain their catches, most fishers adapted by fishing harder and further offshore. Accordingly, fishers identified increased fishing effort (number of fishers and gear evolution) as the main cause of fishery changes. Collectively, our results highlight that the transition from a subsistence to commercial fishery, and resulting changes in the relationship between people and the fisheries, was an underlying driver of fishery changes. Additionally, we found that gender, membership to local associations, coping mechanisms, and perceptions of ecological health, were all interlinked and significantly associated with conservation-oriented attitudes. Conservation-oriented attitudes, however, were not associated with fishers’ willingness to decrease fishing. In the short-term, area-based restrictions could contribute to building support for conservation. In the long-term, addressing the underlying causes of the decline will necessitate collaborations among the various groups involved to progressively build livelihood flexibility. Collectively, our study provides additional insights on the individual- and site-level factors influencing support for fishery restrictions. It also highlights the importance of dialoguing with fishers to ensure that fishery management plans are adapted to the local context.

Nutrient economics and trophic status of Lakes Sorell and Crescent, Tasmania

1976 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
DMH Cheng ◽  
PA Tyler
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Status ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Increase Productivity ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Polymictic Lakes ◽  
Enriched Cultures

Effects of various nutrients on short-term photosynthetic carbon uptake and longer-term yield of algae were assayed for two similar, connected lakes (Lake Sorell flowing into Lake Crescent) with contrasting plankton populations. Phosphorus (P) and phosphorus plus nitrogen (P+N) were the only nutrients to stimulate 14C uptake, and more for Lake Crescent than for Lake Sorell, over 3-h incubations, and P+N was only marginally more effective than P alone. Added SiO2 was inhibitory in short-term but not in long-term incubations. During 3-day incubations, P, N and P+N increased 14C uptake for Lake Sorell but usually not for Lake Crescent. Micronutrients and chelators also accelerated 14C incorporation for Lake Sorell but not for Lake Crescent. No nutrient tested singly increased the ultimate yield of algae, but P+N, Na2CO3 and SiO2 added incrementally produced marked, incremental increases in yield, and more so in Lake Sorell than in Lake Crescent. Addition of micronutrients had no further stimulatory effect. Removal of tripton from lake samples seriously impaired yields, even in P+N-enriched cultures. Incremental replacement of tripton produced incremental restoration of yields. Volume for volume, Lake Crescent water contained more tripton and a more organic tripton than Lake Sorell water. Weight for weight, Lake Crescent tripton stimulated faster growth than Lake Sorell tripton but ultimate yields were the same. Micronutrients and chelators together could substitute for native tripton, the role of which seems to be the maintenance of micronutrients in solution in the oxidizing milieu of the polymictic lakes. The greater productivity and greater phytoplankton biomass of Lake Crescent rests on its greater tripton load, derived from greater scouring of sediments, its flow through from Lake Sorell and an abundant fringing marshland. It is likely that the distinctive floras of the two lakes are adapted to the different nutrient conditions, so that flow-through inocula of Lake Sorell algae cannot become established in Lake Crescent. As Lakes Sorell and Crescent are already mesotrophic and eutrophic respectively, and since additions of P and P+N considerably increase productivity and yield, management plans for this recreational area should seek to limit nutrient inputs.

Optimist, Pessimist or Engineer - Conductivity Based on Need Not Fashion

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Rylance
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Successful Outcome ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Relative Value ◽  
Infinite Conductivity ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Relative Functionality

Abstract An optimist says the glass is half-full, a pessimist half-empty, whereas a good engineer says that the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. There has been much debate over the years about the relative functionality, application and even necessity of proppant in delivering effective hydraulic fractures. Often these debates have been directly linked to major changes in core frac applications, more recently in the dominant North American onshore unconventional market. However, the debates have all too often used broad or unclear brush strokes to describe shifting fracture requirements. Meanwhile, the developing oilfield in the rest of the world resides in more permeable areas of the resource triangle, great care must be taken to ensure that conventional lessons hard learned are not lost, but also that unconventional understanding develops. Over recent years there have been many debates and publications on the relative value of the use of proppant (and associated conductivity), although the true question was about appropriate fracture design in different rock/matrix qualities and environments. Certainly, the vast majority of fracturing engineers appreciate the difference between continuous proppant-pack conductivity and other techniques, such as infinite conductivity, pillar fracturing or duning designs. However, there is increasing evidence that conventional fracturing is suffering from populist attitudes, leading to ineffective fracturing. Additionally, and just as impactful, that unconventional fracturing continues to rely on the lessons learned and physics derived directly from our conventional experience but applying this in an entirely different environment. Primarily, the main concern is with the transfer of recent lessons learned and techniques utilised in one rock quality and environment, to an entirely different scenario, resulting in the misapplication, reduced IP30, poorer NPV or reduced long term EUR and IRR. Examples will be referenced where appropriate proppant selection and frac design can be the difference between success and failure. Fundamentally, we have not sufficiently developed our understanding of the role of proppant and conductivity, for application in unconventionals and thereby rely far too much on our previous conventional thinking. While at the same time we are exporting often inappropriate unconventional populist practice into very conventional environments, thereby potentially achieving the abhorrence of the worst of both worlds. This paper will describe and address scenarios where appropriate engineering selection, rather than popularity-based decision making, has resulted in a successful outcome. It will also attempt to ensure that we show the importance of studying your rock, in anticipation of engineering design, and that this should be a key consideration. The paper will also suggest that as an industry we urgently need to address our approach to consideration of conductivity, placement and importance and ensure that unconventional knowledge and learning progresses with a beneficial outcome for all.

scholarly journals Communication Pattern of Family Planning Field Officers in Increasing Community Participation of Long-Term Contraception Usage

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
Nuraisyah Ambo ◽  
Andi Febri Herawati
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Contraceptive Usage ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
New Findings ◽  
The Social ◽  
Giving Feedback

The Field Officers play a role to convey family planning information and services. Thus, the community members can receive and understand family planning information properly and giving feedback. The problem posed is on how the role of Family Planning Field Officers in increasing the long-term contraceptive usage in Parigi Moutong Regency, Central Sulawesi Province. This research was conducted with the aim of revealing new concepts about the role of the Field Officers. This research was conducted using qualitative approach. Data collection is done through interviews, observation, and document study. The results of the study illustrate that the role of the Field Officers in communicating Family Planning Programs to increase couples participation using long-term contraception has not yet materialized, because the quality of information delivered is insufficient.Local cultural factors also do not approve vasectomy because it is contrary to religious values. Based on the results of the study, the new findings raised were the capacity of the Field Officers, the social cultural and economic aspects of husband and wife, as well as the environment which greatly influenced the Field Officers’ role in increasing community participation of long-term contraceptive usage in Parigi Moutong Regency.

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