The proposed social media crisis mapping platform for natural disasters uses locations from gazetteer, street map, and volunteered geographic information (VGI) sources for areas at risk of disaster ...and matches them to geoparsed real-time tweet data streams. The authors use statistical analysis to generate real-time crisis maps. Geoparsing results are benchmarked against existing published work and evaluated across multilingual datasets. Two case studies compare five-day tweet crisis maps to official post-event impact assessment from the US National Geospatial Agency (NGA), compiled from verified satellite and aerial imagery sources.
Mapping of terrestrial chlorophyll fluorescence from space has shown potential for providing global measurements related to gross primary productivity (GPP). In particular, space-based fluorescence ...may provide information on the length of the carbon uptake period. Here, for the first time we test the ability of satellite fluorescence retrievals to track seasonal cycle of photosynthesis as estimated from a diverse set of tower gas exchange measurements from around the world. The satellite fluorescence retrievals are obtained using new observations near the 740nm emission feature from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment 2 (GOME-2) instrument offering the highest temporal and spatial resolution of available global measurements. Because GOME-2 has a large ground footprint (~40×80km2) as compared with that of the flux towers and the GOME-2 data require averaging to reduce random errors, we additionally compare with seasonal cycles of upscaled GPP estimated from a machine learning approach averaged over the same temporal and spatial domain as the satellite data surrounding the tower locations. We also examine the seasonality of absorbed photosynthetically-active radiation (APAR) estimated from satellite measurements. Finally, to assess whether global vegetation models may benefit from the satellite fluorescence retrievals through validation or additional constraints, we examine seasonal cycles of GPP as produced from an ensemble of vegetation models. Several of the data-driven models rely on satellite reflectance-based vegetation parameters to derive estimates of APAR that are used to compute GPP. For forested (especially deciduous broadleaf and mixed forests) and cropland sites, the GOME-2 fluorescence data track the spring onset and autumn shutoff of photosynthesis as delineated by the upscaled GPP estimates. In contrast, the reflectance-based indicators and many of the models, particularly those driven by data, tend to overestimate the length of the photosynthetically-active period for these biomes. Satellite fluorescence measurements therefore show potential for improving the seasonal dependence of photosynthesis simulated by global models at similar spatial scales.
•Satellite fluorescence captures seasonality of gross primary productivity.•Satellite fluorescence may help improve modeling of carbon uptake period.•Satellite fluorescence better indicator of photosynthesis than vegetation indices
Thalidomide-like drugs such as lenalidomide are clinically important treatments for multiple myeloma and show promise for other B cell malignancies. The biochemical mechanisms underlying their ...antitumor activity are unknown. Thalidomide was recently shown to bind to, and inhibit, the cereblon ubiquitin ligase. Cereblon loss in zebrafish causes fin defects reminiscent of the limb defects seen in children exposed to thalidomide in utero. Here we show that lenalidomide-bound cereblon acquires the ability to target for proteasomal degradation two specific B cell transcription factors, Ikaros family zinc finger proteins 1 and 3 (IKZF1 and IKZF3). Analysis of myeloma cell lines revealed that loss of IKZF1 and IKZF3 is both necessary and sufficient for lenalidomide's therapeutic effect, suggesting that the antitumor and teratogenic activities of thalidomide-like drugs are dissociable.
Globally mapped terrestrial chlorophyll fluorescence retrievals are of high interest because they can provide information on the functional status of vegetation including light-use efficiency and ...global primary productivity that can be used for global carbon cycle modeling and agricultural applications. Previous satellite retrievals of fluorescence have relied solely upon the filling-in of solar Fraunhofer lines that are not significantly affected by atmospheric absorption. Although these measurements provide near-global coverage on a monthly basis, they suffer from relatively low precision and sparse spatial sampling. Here, we describe a new methodology to retrieve global far-red fluorescence information; we use hyperspectral data with a simplified radiative transfer model to disentangle the spectral signatures of three basic components: atmospheric absorption, surface reflectance, and fluorescence radiance. An empirically based principal component analysis approach is employed, primarily using cloudy data over ocean, to model and solve for the atmospheric absorption. Through detailed simulations, we demonstrate the feasibility of the approach and show that moderate-spectral-resolution measurements with a relatively high signal-to-noise ratio can be used to retrieve far-red fluorescence information with good precision and accuracy. The method is then applied to data from the Global Ozone Monitoring Instrument 2 (GOME-2). The GOME-2 fluorescence retrievals display similar spatial structure as compared with those from a simpler technique applied to the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). GOME-2 enables global mapping of far-red fluorescence with higher precision over smaller spatial and temporal scales than is possible with GOSAT. Near-global coverage is provided within a few days. We are able to show clearly for the first time physically plausible variations in fluorescence over the course of a single month at a spatial resolution of 0.5° × 0.5°. We also show some significant differences between fluorescence and coincident normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVI) retrievals.
Early pregnancy diagnosis is critical to reproductive success on dairy farms. Reproductive success depends on cows becoming pregnant before 130 d in milk and then maintaining that pregnancy. The ...earlier non-pregnant cows are identified, the sooner they can be reinseminated, thus reducing days to pregnancy. Assays for pregnancy-specific protein B (PSPB) and pregnancy-associated glycoproteins can be used to diagnose pregnancy >28 d post-artificial insemination (AI) in lactating cows. The objective of this study was to determine whether percentage change in serum levels of PSPB within cow from d 17 to 24 can be used to identify non-pregnant cows using a commercially available assay. This study was performed on a large commercial dairy. Blood samples were taken at d 17 and 24 post-AI. The d 17 sample served as a baseline based on previous data. Cows with a 10% increase in serum PSPB levels from d 17 to 24 were considered pregnant. Lactating dairy cows (n = 206; 39% primiparous and 61% multiparous) were synchronized using G6G-Ovsynch. The PSPB diagnosis was compared with the herd veterinarian's diagnosis via ultrasound on d 34. The sensitivity for a 10% cutoff as a non-pregnant diagnosis was 100%, and the specificity was 93.58%. The positive predictive value was 93.27%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. Low PSPB levels at d 24 were predictive of early pregnancy loss by 60 d post-AI. To our knowledge no other method can diagnose non-pregnancy with 100% accuracy and predict pregnancy loss earlier than 24 d post-AI. Using comparative PSPB samples at d 17 and 24 post-AI provides an accurate non-pregnancy diagnosis earlier than any other pregnancy diagnosing method.
Despite the generally accepted view that aerobic exercise can have positive effects on brain health, few studies have measured brain responses to exercise over a short time span. The purpose of this ...study was to examine the impact within one hour of a single bout of exercise on brain perfusion and neuronal activation.
Healthy adults (n = 16; age range: 20-35 yrs) were scanned using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) before and after 20 minutes of exercise at 70% of their age-predicted maximal heart rate. Pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pcASL) was used to measure absolute cerebral blood flow (CBF) prior to exercise (pre) and at 10 min (post-10) and 40 min (post-40) post-exercise. Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) was performed pre and post-exercise to characterize activation differences related to a go/no-go reaction time task.
Compared to pre-exercise levels, grey matter CBF was 11% (±9%) lower at post-10 (P<0.0004) and not different at post-40 (P = 0.12), while global WM CBF was increased at both time points post-exercise (P<0.0006). Regionally, the hippocampus and insula showed a decrease in perfusion in ROI-analysis at post-10 (P<0.005, FDR corrected), whereas voxel-wise analysis identified elevated perfusion in the left medial postcentral gyrus at post-40 compared to pre (pcorrected = 0.05). BOLD activations were consistent between sessions, however, the left parietal operculum showed reduced BOLD activation after exercise.
This study provides preliminary evidence of regionalized brain effects associated with a single bout of aerobic exercise. The observed acute cerebrovascular responses may provide some insight into the brain's ability to change in relation to chronic interventions.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Body condition loss during early lactation varies among cows in the herd and is associated with future health and reproductive outcomes. The objective of this study was to gain a greater ...understanding of the relationship between previous calving interval and body condition change during the first 30 d in milk (DIM) and their relationship to subsequent fertility and health variables and sex ratio at birth. Dry cows and heifers (n = 851) from a single farm entered the study approximately 25 d before the due date. They were evaluated and given a body condition score on a 1-to-5 scale with 0.1-point increments weekly until parturition. Body condition score was assessed within 1 wk of parturition and then again 27 to 33 DIM. Previous calving interval, gestation length, periparturient health events (giving birth to twins, dystocia, retained placentas, ketosis, metritis, and displaced abomasum), sire net merit ($), and milk data were used for each cow as recorded in PCDART (Dairy Records Management Systems, Raleigh, NC) by the herd managers. Longer previous calving intervals were related to greater body condition at parturition and body condition loss during the first 30 DIM. A 75% greater proportion of cows with a calving-to-pregnancy interval shorter than 130 d maintained or gained body condition during the first 30 DIM compared with cows with calving-to-pregnancy intervals longer than 130 d. Multiparous cows that maintained or gained body condition (n = 144) had greater pregnancies per AI following first service compared with cows that lost body condition (n = 577) during the first 30 DIM when health events were considered or removed. When cows with health events were considered, multiparous cows that maintained or gained body condition had a greater percentage pregnant by 130 DIM compared with cows that lost body condition (67 vs. 55%; n = 522). Cows that lost body condition during the first 30 DIM regardless of health events experienced greater pregnancy loss (n = 224) between 35 and 60 d after first AI (0.0 vs. 6.7%) compared with cows that maintained or gained body condition (n = 69) during that period. Based on data in this study from a single herd, maintaining a cycle of pregnancy before 130 DIM may reduce the amount of body condition lost after the next parturition, enhance subsequent pregnancies per AI, and reduce the possibility of early pregnancy loss. We refer to this phenomenon as the high-fertility cycle.
Remote sensing of terrestrial vegetation fluorescence from space is of interest because it can potentially provide global coverage of the functional status of vegetation. For example, fluorescence ...observations may provide a means to detect vegetation stress before chlorophyll reductions take place. Although there have been many measurements of fluorescence from ground- and airborne-based instruments, there has been scant information available from satellites. In this work, we use high-spectral resolution data from the Thermal And Near-infrared Sensor for carbon Observation - Fourier Transform Spectrometer (TANSO-FTS) on the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) that is in a sun-synchronous orbit with an equator crossing time near 13:00 LT. We use filling-in of the potassium (K) I solar Fraunhofer line near 770 nm to derive chlorophyll fluorescence and related parameters such as the fluorescence yield at that wavelength. We map these parameters globally for two months (July and December 2009) and show a full seasonal cycle for several different locations, including two in the Amazonia region. We also compare the derived fluorescence information with that provided by the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). These comparisons show that for several areas these two indices exhibit different seasonality and/or relative intensity variations, and that changes in fluorescence frequently lead those seen in the EVI for those regions. The derived fluorescence therefore provides information that is related to, but independent of the reflectance.
COVID-19 severity and mortality risk are greater for older adults whereas economic impact is deeper for younger adults. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a framework, this study used a web-based ...survey to examine how perceived COVID-19 susceptibility and severity and perceived efficacy of recommended health behaviors varied by age group and were related to the adoption of health behaviors. Proportional odds logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between age group and perceived COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, impact, and health behavior efficacy and adoption. Structural equation modeling based on HBM constructs examined the relationships between health beliefs and behaviors. Data from 820 participants (Ontario, Canada) were analyzed (age: 42.7, 16.2 years; 79% women). Middle-aged and older adults reported greater concerns about the personal risk of hospitalization and mortality, economic impact, and social impact of COVID-19 than young adults. Middle-aged adults also reported greatest concern for other age groups. Adoption and perceived efficacy of health behaviors was similar across age groups with few exceptions. Both middle-aged and older-adults were more likely to perceive their own and each other's age groups as responding adequately to COVID-19 compared to young adults. Structural equation modeling indicated perceived benefits of health behaviors were the primary driver of behavior uptake, with socioeconomic factors and perceived severity and susceptibility indirectly associated with uptake through their influence on perceived benefits. Overall, these results suggest adoption of health behaviors is very high with few differences between age groups, despite differences in perceived impact of COVID-19. Public health communications should focus on the benefits of health behaviors to drive adoption.
BACKGROUND Studies suggest that physically active people have reduced risk of incident cognitive impairment in late life. However, these studies are limited by reliance on self-reports of physical ...activity, which only moderately correlate with objective measures and often exclude activity not readily quantifiable by frequency and duration. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between activity energy expenditure (AEE), an objective measure of total activity, and incidence of cognitive impairment. METHODS We calculated AEE as 90% of total energy expenditure (assessed during 2 weeks using doubly labeled water) minus resting metabolic rate (measured using indirect calorimetry) in 197 men and women (mean age, 74.8 years) who were free of mobility and cognitive impairments at study baseline (1998-1999). Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and 2 or 5 years later using the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination. Cognitive impairment was defined as a decline of at least 1.0 SD (9 points) between baseline and follow-up evaluations. RESULTS After adjustment for baseline Modified Mini-Mental State Examination scores, demographics, fat-free mass, sleep duration, self-reported health, and diabetes mellitus, older adults in the highest sex-specific tertile of AEE had lower odds of incident cognitive impairment than those in the lowest tertile (odds ratio, 0.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.79). There was also a significant dose response between AEE and incidence of cognitive impairment (P = .05 for trend over tertiles). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that greater AEE may be protective against cognitive impairment in a dose-response manner. The significance of overall activity in contrast to vigorous or light activity should be determined.
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