Contrasting effects of urban habitat complexity on metabolic functional diversity and composition of litter and soil bacterial communities

Functional diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities affect important soil biogeochemical processes. In natural and semi-natural ecosystems, variations in habitat complexity have been shown to significantly impact both litter and soil bacterial communities. However, this remains largely untested in urban ecosystems, where human management can lead to habitat complexity combinations unobserved in rural ecosystems. We established 10 research plots in low-complexity park, high-complexity park, and high-complexity remnant habitat types (n = 30) in Melbourne, Australia. The use of organic carbon substrates by soil and litter bacteria was measured using EcoPlates to investigate the effects of habitat complexity upon metabolic functional diversity and functional composition of bacterial communities of i) soil and ii) one-year old litter. Direct and indirect effects of habitat complexity, microclimate and decomposition status upon litter microbial functional diversity and composition were also modelled using path analysis. Soil bacterial communities had significantly higher functional diversity compared to litter bacterial communities, but no significant effect of habitat complexity was apparent. The functional composition of soil bacterial communities was not affected by habitat complexity. In contrast, the functional composition of litter bacterial communities in high complexity parks and remnants was significantly different from that in low-complexity parks. The functional composition of litter bacterial communities, but not their diversity, was directly affected by habitat complexity and microclimate as well as their indirect effects upon the decomposition status of litter. Human management of urban habitat complexity can alter the functional composition of litter and soil bacterial communities without affecting their functional diversity. While this can have significant impacts on bacteria-regulated processes and ecosystem services, it also suggests that urban bacterial communities might be able to adjust to further environmental and climatic changes affecting urban ecosystems.     

Comparing protests and demonstrators in times of austerity: regular and occasional protesters in universalistic and particularistic mobilisations

The recent economic crisis shaped a new wave of protest in Europe mobilising thousands of people. Austerity measures brought not only the ‘usual suspects’ onto the streets, they also awoke less frequent demonstrators. What brought all these people to the streets? Are their motivations the same for participation in all demonstrations? We compare participants in two types of mobilisations against austerity: those called particularistic (which are reactions to particular anti-austerity issues), and those universalistic (which address much broader issues such as questioning the political system). We also compare two typologies of participants taking into account their participation history: regular and occasional protesters. Employing a two-by-two design defined by type of demonstration (Particularistic vs. Universalistic) and the individual’s participation history (Occasionals vs. Regulars), we found that the differences between demonstrations were smaller than those within types of protesters. Nevertheless, even in this period of hardship, motivation to participate in particularistic or universalistic protests differ depending on the perceptions of political system, ideological positioning and organisational embeddedness. Interaction analyses showed that different levels of identity, trust in institutions and satisfaction with democracy are crucial in driving people to participate in different types of demonstrations as occasionals or regulars.     

Bayesian binary quantile regression for the analysis of Bachelor-to-Master transition

The multi-cycle organization of modern university systems stimulates the interest in studying the progression to higher level degree courses during the academic career. In particular, after the achievement of the first level qualification (Bachelor degree), students have to decide whether to continue their university studies, by enrolling in a second level (Master) programme, or to conclude their training experience. In this work we propose a binary quantile regression (BQR) approach to analyse the Bachelor-to-Master transition phenomenon with the adoption of the Bayesian inferential perspective. In addition to the traditional predictors of academic outcomes, such as the personal characteristics and the field of study, different aspects of student's performance are considered. Moreover, the role of a new contextual variable, representing the type of university regulations experienced during the academic path, is investigated. The utility of the Bayesian BQR to characterize the non-continuation decision after the first cycle studies is illustrated with an application to administrative data of Bachelor graduates at the School of Economics of Sapienza University of Rome. The method favourably compares with more conventional model specifications concerning the conditional mean of the binary response.     

Ichthyofauna diet changes in response to urbanization: the case of upper Paranapanema River basin (Brazil)

Alterations in stream environments can alter fish food availability, but there is little research data related to the impacts of urbanization on fish diets in tropical streams. Thus, we sought to compare the diet of ten fish species in urbanized and non-urbanized streams reaches. Fish stomach contents were obtained for four urban and five non-urban stream reaches from two medium-sized cities. We verified the similarity of diet composition from urbanized/non-urbanized streams. In-stream features mainly related to the substrate highlighted a perturbation gradient: gravel, pebbles and cobbles were associated to the wider urban reaches while silt were representative in the narrow pools from non-urban streams. Fishes changed their diet in response to urban and non-urban treatments. Omnivorous fishes consumed more detritus and Chironomidae and less terrestrial adult insects in urban reaches, while invertivorous fish consumed more terrestrial adult insects and Trichoptera larvae in the non-urbanized stream reaches. Although the management of the physical structure of streams in Brazil has been basically focused on riparian reforestation, our results suggest that a restoration plan for urban streams cannot be limited to reforestation of its surroundings, but also need to consider the physical structure of the channel, especially the substrate, which contributes to promote in-stream variability.     

Fear of childbirth in primiparous Italian pregnant women: The role of anxiety,depression, and couple adjustment

Background

The prevalence of fear of childbirth in pregnant women is described to be about 20–25%, while 6–10% of expectant mothers report a severe fear that impairs their daily activities as well as their ability to cope with labour and childbirth. Research on fear of childbirth risk factors has produced heterogeneous results while being mostly done with expectant mothers from northern Europe, northern America, and Australia.

Claudia Jones speaks to “half the world”: gendering Cold War politics in the Daily Worker, 1950–1953

As feminist scholarship has illustrated, historical resurgences of global migration raise questions about the intersections between war politics, persecution of activists, and its gendered implications. Informed by a new historicist approach, this article seeks to contextualize contemporary scholarly conversations on journalism, migration, and feminist studies by conducting a historical analysis of a bi-weekly column entitled “Half the World.” This column was published in the Daily Worker and was written by little-known Caribbean activist and journalist Claudia Jones. A close reading of all printed columns between 1950 and 1953 illustrate that despite Jones’ tendency to reinforce gendered dichotomies of war discourse, where women represented peace and men violence, she also placed women as the creators of a national and transnational movement against US intervention in Korea. Jones’ story, therefore, contributes to previous feminist histories on the role female journalists and activists have played in shaping the relationship between gender, nation, and war politics.     

Ergonomic considerations in natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES): a case study

Surgical technique evolved from traditional open surgery to laparoscopic surgery, offering patients reduced pain and quick recovery. Recently, a new approach called natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has emerged. In NOTES, procedures may be transvaginal, transgastric, or transrectal or transesophageal. NOTES procedures present new ergonomic challenges to surgeons due to visualization and tissue manipulation challenges. An ergonomic analysis of NOTES cholecystectomy was conducted. As there is currently no standardization for performing NOTES, this analysis presents the results as a case study. Results showed NOTES procedures impose unique limitations on the surgeon's ability to perform surgical tasks autonomously, requiring collaboration and coordination amongst the surgical team members.     

Musculoskeletal disorders and psychosocial risk factors among workers of the aircraft maintenance industry

During the recent decades Brazil has experienced an exponential growth in the aviation sector resulting in an increasing workforce. The aircraft maintenance industry stands out, where the workers have to handle different kind of objects. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychosocial indicators as well as musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among aircraft maintenance workers. One hundred and one employees were evaluated (32.69 ± 8.25 yr, 79.8 ± 13.4 kg, and 1.75 ± 0.07 m). Musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders were assessed through the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and a standardized physical examination. The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were applied to evaluate psychosocial indicators. Results of the NMQ indicate the lower back as the most affected body region. On the other hand, the physical examination has shown clinical diagnosis of shoulder disorders. Neck, upper back and ankle/foot were also reported as painful sites. Most of workers have active work-demand profile and high work engagement levels. We suggest that musculoskeletal symptoms may be related to high biomechanical demand of the tasks performed by workers, what must be further investigated.     

Biomechanical and organizational risk and prevalence of low back pain in the old adults caregivers of a nursing home in Joao Pessoa/PB

The objective present study was to investigate the presence of low back pain in caregivers of a nursing home, related with the labored activities executed by these workers. 16 subjects were investigated, 15 female and one male, with 40,8 age average all being caregivers as their profession. It consisted of three phases, where the first concerns the analysis of the collective work, assessed in a perspective of caregivers, Second, a postural assessment to verify the retractions in such workers and the third stage was used Diagram of Corllet to identify the presence of signs and symptoms in caregivers. The study demonstrated that organizational and biomechanical factors are responsible for the high level of physical fatigue and presence of pain in 93,75% of the caregivers in some region of the body. 50% referred pain in the lumbar region. The results of the postural evaluation confirmed that the caregivers had alterations in the postural alignment, presenting retractions of the anterior and posterior chain. The suggestions are to minimize the risk factors of this productive process and the symptoms and signals presented from these workers by adoption ergonomic measures and the realization of a physical program with stretching and muscular strengthening of the muscles of the anterior and posterior body chain based on the method of Reorganization Postural Sensoperceptive.     

Analysis of the compensatory postures adopted by day caregivers through OWAS-Ovako Working Posture Analysing System

The Ergonomic Work Analysis reports that there are many activities performed by the professional caregivers and that they are exposed to physical and psychological overload. This situation favors the emergence of pain which influences the quality of life in the work place. In this way, the objective of this study was to verify the main postural constraints adopted by caregivers in public day cares. Visits were conducted in 28 day cares aiming at performing an interview to 126 caregivers who have been working for more than 4 years. From the questionnaire it was found that 80% of the participants refer some sort of pain, being 42% in the trunk, 33% in the shoulder and 25% in the lower limbs. The data from OWAS method showed that from the total of 30 postures performed during the work One could see that the main postures adopted by the caregivers were: flexion, lateral inclination and rotation of the trunk and most of the time they are standing. These movements, when bad performed, can lead to injuries in the lower limbs, upper limbs and trunk. It's necessary more attention to these workers.Thought preventive ergonomic actions to reduce pain symptoms and promote a work in health and safety.