bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Srovnání výkonnosti studentek studijních oborů Tělesná výchova a sport a Fyzioterapie v motorických testech
Authors: Havel Zdeněk , Vaníková Kateřina
Published: February 2018

The aim of this study is to contribute expansion of knowledge about the level of the performance and health oriented fitness at represented students of Physiotherapy on Faculty of Health Studies Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. We compare resulting values with the values that were obtained by general population and students of Physical education and sports. Students participated these tests: progressive run for 20 meters, 2 kg heavy ball throw with both hands, standing long jump with both legs together, flexed – arm hang forward grip for woman, sit-up test 1 minute, deep bend in sitting position, Iowa Brace and calculated Body mass index (BMI). We asked two questions for our study. First, what is the level of motor skills students of Physiotherapy so academic students, what is the difference of level of motor skills between students of Physiotherapy compared with general population and second, what is the difference of the level of motor skills between students of Physiotherapy and students of Physical education and sports. Results showed that students of Physiotherapy had the same level of motor skills such as general population. Students of Physiotherapy had the same level in only two tests – deep bend in sitting position – flexibility and flexed-arm hang forward grip for woman with students of Physical education and sports.
Vzájomná podmienenosť kondičných a koordinačných schopností 13- až 14-ročných atlétov
Authors: Doležajová Ladislava , Stenchlák Erik
Published: February 2018

The purpose of study was to find interdependence conditionality of condition and coordination skills of 13 up to 14 year old athletes. We analyzed condition and coordination skills of athletes and based on the correlation matrix, we investigated the interdependence conditionality between age, anthropometry and analyzed movement skills. We do not found any statistically significant positive link between indicators of age, physical development to tests the condition skills. We confirmed that coordination skills are less affected by physical development. Correlation matrix confirmed the factor saturation in different parameters, especially in tests with more complex requirements on the level of movement skills.
Vliv funkčního australského tréninku na aerobní parametry hráčů ledního hokeje
Authors: Požárek Petr , Suchý Jiří
Published: February 2018

The aim of the case study is to analyse the effects of a 10-week fitness Function Australian Training (FAT) off- ice. The research was conducted with 23 professional ice hockey players (n = 23], members of the ice hockey league club HC Mountfield České Budějovice. The FAT method strives to complement existing training methods of selected current knowledge and approaches to ice hockey fitness training. The authors express a positive opinion on this method and describe its advantages especially in relation to reducing muscle imbalances and effect on muscle strength, dynamics and persistence of participating probands. The FAT was primarily focused on explosive strength and power endurance of main body segments with additional exercises to stimulate anaerobic and aerobic performance. The probands underwent a spiroergometric testing on the Quasar running ergometer, followed by measurement of body composition using BIA 2000 and another testing on the bioimpedance device Tanita in order to verify the contribution of FAT. The input and output testing proceeded under laboratory constant conditions on the premises of the UK FTVS in Prague. The quasi experiment lasted for ten weeks. The obtained results confirmed the effectiveness of this training programme by increasing aerobic performance, which has proven the average value of VO2max 55,89 ml.kg.min-1at the input testing. The output testing has showed the averagevalue of VO2max 58,67 ml.kg.min-1.
Diagnostika úrovně výkonnostních předpokladů elitních tenistů (longitudinální studie)
Authors: Zháněl Jiří , Černošek Miroslav , Psalman Vladimír , Zvonař Martin
Published: February 2018

The contribution deals with the issues of the level and evolution trends of selected factors of sports performance in tennis. The research intent was to perform a longitudinal observation of the level of somatic and motor predisposition in two male tennis players, who have reached a high international level of performance in their adult age, to evaluate evolution trends and to compare the data with a population of male tennis players (national level). The research data were gathered using the test battery TENDIAG1 containing three somatic and six motor items. The results of both observed players clearly show that the total point score in the test battery was above (on two occasions at) the boundary of the average level of the male tennis players’ population (national level). The level of body height and weight of both players was above average. The results confirm the importance of somatic, conditioning, and coordination preconditions for tennis.
Změny aktuálních psychických stavů způsobené cvičením aqua aerobiku a jejich vliv na subjektivní pohodu u vysokoškolských studentek s disabilitou
Authors: Janošková Hana , Blahutková Marie
Published: February 2018

In our research we focused on the issues of detecting actual mental states, especially the subjective satisfaction of the Mendel University students with disability who attended regular classes of physical education in the form of aqua aerobics. While moving in water the individual is exposed to a number of factors. Pleasant feeling when a person stays in the water depends on how his body copes with the effects of water temperature and hydrostatic pressure. The research was carried out over a period of one semester in the form of a questionnaire surveys, interviews and observations. We found out that students with a disability (visual and auditory) show higher scores of positive responses in the positive effect of water on their subjective well-being, feel healthier and moving in the water feels freer. After completing the course positively evaluated the influence of water and regular exercise on anxiety and higher quality of life. The question may be to what extent these states are only caused by exercise. The states may be influenced by other factors such as the environment in which lessons were held, celebrity trainer, but also a good cooperation in the group.
Žonglování jako cesta k divadlu – projekt s neslyšícími studenty JAMU
Authors: Kratochvílová Adéla
Published: February 2018

A juggling project with students of the Department of Drama in Education of the Deaf, Faculty of Theatre JAMU Brno will be presented in the paper. The students went through two and half year long technique and art training. The project finished in a perfomance – Juggling Variations. The performance together with the juggling skills were later used in studentsʼ pedagogical and artistic work. The students were cotinuously tested in some of psychomotor abilities. The results of the research will be also mentioned in the paper.
Vliv psychomotoriky na pozornost dětí s ADHD
Authors: Louková Tereza , Blahutková Marie
Published: February 2018

This work deals with the influence of the intervention program, which includes psychomotor activities to the attention of the younger school-aged children with ADHD. The aim of the work is to validate the impact of the intervention program to the attention of the younger school-aged children with ADHD. We used the quantitative-qualitative case study. We used the methods of data collection Test of Attention d2, Test of Attention “Numerical Square”, interviews and observation. We worked with 4 children in the age of 9 to 10 years with ADHD from 2 different classes of primary school. We tested the change in concentration and extent of the attention before and after application of the intervention program. We found out that concentration and extent of attention were significantly improved at each child.
Integrovaná tělesná výchova – limity a návrhy jejich řešení
Authors: Bartoňová Radka , Ješina Ondřej
Published: February 2018

Integration of students with disabilities (DD) in mainstream education is becoming a reality in a number of mainstream schools. However, the success can be very variable. Most of the school subjects are supported by special educational needs advice centres. Unfortunately, integration in Physical Education (PE) is very often overlooked. In general, disabled children are often released from PE. The most common reasons are barriers (not only architectural), concerns of parents, lack of teachersʼ competence, lack of equipment, etc. Properly conducted Physical Education can significantly help to form positive interpersonal relationships, develop a range of social skills, self-confidence, and communication skills. It can also help to participate in successful ontogenesis psychomotor functions. Furthermore, interaction with disabled students can help intact students to develop positive qualities. In this paper, we present selected perceived limits of integrated PE and offer solutions based on experience in dealing with projects of the APA Centre, FTK UP in Olomouc.
Uplatnění paravoltiže v rámci léčebné hipoterapie
Authors: Sklenaříková Jana
Published: February 2018

Paravaulting or acrobatics on the horseback is one of many rehabilitation methods based on therapeutic riding and is a sports event for people with disabilities. Paravaulting is basically identical to the vaulting but is tailored to individuals with disabilities. The aim was to design a regular motor preparation for training paravaulting which has not been written till present. Gymnastic exercises were included in the training unit of paravaulting. Workouts are designed to improve orientation, balance and overall agility. During applying gymnastic exercises in motion program had to be based on information that the focus had to match the mental abilities of individual probands, their condition and specifics of disability.
Očekávané kompetence studentů oborů aplikované pohybové aktivity a aplikovaná tělesná výchova a jejich rozvoj na základě vstupního předmětu kurz pobytu v letní přírodě
Authors: Brusová Petra , Ješina Ondřej
Published: February 2018

Study of adapted physical activity (APA) and adapted physical education (ATV) are taught on the FTK UP Olomouc, together with three individually-oriented modules aimed at teaching ability, adapted physical activity and special pedagogy. Summer course focusing on getting to know the future content of teaching and the development of individual professional qualifications is jointed at the beginning of the study. The aim of the investigation was to determine the prerequisites for study, the influence of the input rate on the expected professional competence were involved 88 people (53 women, 35 men), the average age was 23 years old (the youngest 7, the eldest 50 years). On the basis of our findings is the most common secondary education completed (an unrelated field). The expected employment, which they would like to study (both discipline) is a teacher (most often with a focus on physical education). Only 2 % of students not in the IP experience working with persons with disabilities (the most common experiences we have with persons with disabilities). In terms of the benefits of the course, students shall be considered as input for easing the development of cooperative skills, highly evaluate the formation of interpersonal relationships and understanding of basic approaches when modifications programs to the needs of persons with special needs.
Bezbariérová Olomouc – příklad dobré praxe přístupu města k podpoře vytváření podmínek pro volnočasové aktivity osob nejen se zdravotním postižením
Authors: Čuková Jana , Ješina Ondřej , Kučera Martin
Published: February 2018

Cooperation differently oriented public institutions in order to develop leisure activities of people with disabilities is crucial in relation to the implementation of a series of legislative standards (UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Act on the promotion of sports, etc.). The city of Olomouc is one of the most active operators in the long term municipal level, which addresses support for people with disabilities or physical handicaps comprehensively. In 2012, the APA Center began an intense collaboration (Department APA, FTK UP in Olomouc) with the Department of Social Affairs to address accessibility of cultural and sports facilities, public spaces, playgrounds, etc for people woth special needs. As part of efforts to unify methodologies and sharing information we intend to use in the monitoring of barrier-free collaboration with Kazuist company. APA Center was invited to a group of community planning in the city of Olomouc. In addressing the use of specific professional works contracts by the city for the development of leisure activities, promotion of tourism and social services.
Běžecké lyžování vozíčkářů venku i vevnitř
Authors: Doležalová Hana , Krátký Jakub
Published: February 2018

Wheelchair user and cross country skiing used to be a rare connection in the Czech Republic – especially because of its difficulty incombination with unsatisfactory equipment and the poor track situation. Nowadays the ski tracks are well prepared on many places in our country, also the special equipment – sledge construction with seat matches the standard ski binding and skis. Ski simulator is an inside alternative. The movement is possible due to upper limbs bimanual locomotion and residual muscles of the trunk. It is good to try activating muscles that tend to grow weaker in ordinary life and by contrast reduce the activity of overloaded muscles. The ski simulator allows complex motoric activity that increases the fitness level influencing the ADL (activity of daily living). Cross country skiing for handicapped people can be understood as another possibility how to improve fitness abilities, compensatory locomotion and one of not many activities that can be done during winter and help people to be in the nature and get to up to now inaccessible places at the same time.
Vliv plyometrického tréninku (depth jump) na běžeckou a cyklistickou ekonomiku pohybu
Authors: Bílý Jiří , Cacek Jan , Kalina Tomáš , Arnold Sunday Akaninyene
Published: February 2018

Endurance sport performance is influenced by many factors, such as motor economies. In this research we focused on running and cycling economies. Twenty-eight first year students of Faculty of Sport science of Masaryk University (age 20.29 ± 0.94 years, height 182.32 ± 7.98 cm, weight 76.98 ± 10.03 kg) were purposively selected to participate as subjects. The test subjects were randomized into experimental group (n = 17) and control group (n = 11). Pre-test and post-test were taken on RE and CE. The PI protocol was eight weeks, twice a week, eight sets per day, and ten repetitions per set. The results showed that short-term plyometric training using depth jump had no significant effect on RE when running at 10 and 12 km.h–1. Likewise there was no significant effect on CE using strain of 1.5 W.kg–1 and 2 W.kg–1. From the point of view of practical use we do not recommend apply analogous plyometric training using declared running speed and cycling intensity.
Hodnocení individuální míry pohybové aktivity dotazníky IPAQ a Wellness Inventory: případová studie
Authors: Stará Jana , Vespalec Tomáš
Published: February 2018

Questionnaire surveys are relatively quick, cheap and effective way of obtaining data and as such are used as a basis for designing intervention programs, and consequently also in individual work with a client. The quantitative nature of questionnaire method, however, does not cover the qualitative characteristics of individual changes in behavior and as such is limited as to the interpretation of individual behavior changes. This case study compared two questionnaire instruments – International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Wellness Inventory (WI) in order to explain their advantages and disadvantages, and the ability to reflect the qualitative factors affecting the current level of physical activity of individuals. IPAQ was confirmed as a tool for monitoring the objective amount of physical activity with limited capacity for measuring individual changes. Conversely, WI focuses more on the subjective evaluation of the level of physical activity as one of the examined dimensions and is more burdened by subjective bias. Neither of the instruments directly reflected external factors (seasons, health, job change, motivation), whereas WI has been more sensitive to these influences. Both tools can be used to monitor changes in physical activity. To enhance the ability to interpret individual change it is recommended to supplement other instrumental and qualitative methods.
Návrh koncepce modelových situací v boji zblízka jako součásti výcviku speciální tělesné přípravy příslušníků Armády České republiky
Authors: Novohradský Tomáš
Published: February 2018

The aim of this article is to introduce the issue of model situations in close combat in specific conditions of military environment. The article describes the design of concept model situations. The model situations are currently one of the dominant teaching methods among different systems of self-defense. Close Combat Training in the Army is an important factor affecting the ratings soldier in the special physical training. The proposal is a stimulus for further research and practical applications within training. The proposal recommends on based of principles of training in special physical training to create a basic framework of model situations of close combat for the Czech Army regardless of their proficiency.
Měření síly úderové techniky v kjókušinkai karate
Authors: Droščák Petr
Published: February 2018

The purpose of the study is to determine the amount of power hitting techniques of karatekas who are dedicated to preparing for the sporting match – kumite and breaking wooden boards – tameshiwari in Kyokushinkai karate style in various levels of sportsmen in the Czech Republic. Straight rear punch (gjaku cuki, or cross) on dominant side was measured. Testing was done by strain gauge Zemic L6E C3 after the intense physical training in macro-annual training cycle. As the most influential factors were found the the training time, experience in fullcontact performance, body weight and speed.
ÚROVEŇ POHYBOVEJ VÝKONNOSTI MLADÝCH BASKETBALISTIEK, REPREZENTANTIEK SLOVENSKA V KATEGÓRII U14
Authors: Doležajová Ladislava , Lednický Anton
Published: February 2018

In Slovak basketball absent a systematic monitoring and evaluation of the development of young players. The first measurement of the wider selection of U14 (n = 44) was carried out at the initiative of a national coach of this age category. The results show us, that the basic somatic indicators need to be completed by subcutaneous fat measurement and the biological age of probands. Physical height of basketball players compared with the population was higher. Up to two-thirds of the players were in above the average group, respectively significantly above average. The independence of movement performance from somatic indicators in speed targeting tests was confirmed. In the area of the movement performance were carried out tests of general movement, which should have to be completed by special basketball tests
Komparace metod získávání a vyhodnocování plantogramů
Authors: Kalichová Miriam , Vysloužil Miloš
Published: February 2018

This paper deals with comparing methods of gaining and evaluating plantograms. The primary goal was to verify similarity of results of plantographic measurements that were carried out on two different platforms – Emed and PodoCam. The second goal of this paper was to evaluate and compare gained plantograms using three methods of evaluating plantograms, specifically Chippaux-Šmiřák (simplified), Sztriter-Godunov and Segment Method. While comparing the platforms we found out, using the Wilcoxon pair test, that plantograms gained on Emed and PodoCam platforms differ significantly. Emed generates plantograms testifying mostly high foot arches, while PodoCam with the same people reports foot arch to be standard or even slightly flat. While comparing three chosen evaluating methods on individual platforms, we primarily used Friedman ANOVA test. We notified statistically significant difference for plantograms gained on the PodoCam platform which Wilcoxon pair test confirmed. For plantograms from the Emed platform Friedman ANOVA did not show any statistically significant difference. Based on the upper mentioned results we recomend to use PodoCam and within the verified evaluating methods we recomend Sztriter-Godunov method. For evaluating high foot arch it would be appropriate to use Chippaux-Šmiřák method.
Chorological highlight news for vascular flora of Andalusia, (South Spain) II
Authors: Fuentes Julián , Cueto Miguel , Segura José Manuel
Published: February 2018

Se presentan 34 citas de 20 taxones, que suponen novedades o aportaciones corológicas destacables para la flora vascular de Andalucía, con especial hincapié en su parte más oriental.
El soporte a la investigación en las bibliotecas universitarias españolas
Authors: Rey Martin Carina , Camón Luis Enric , Pacheco Fernando
Published: February 2018

En el contexto actual, en el que las universidades y su cuerpo docente deben adaptarse a los requerimientos legislativos vinculados al incremento de la investigación, las bibliotecas ocupan un rol crucial para dar respuesta a esta demanda, reforzando la prestación de servicios específicos de apoyo a los investigadores. El presente artículo pretende ofrecer una visión global de cuáles son los servicios de apoyo a la investigación prestados por las bibliotecas vinculadas a REBIUN. Con esta intención se llevó a cabo una encuesta dirigida a los responsables de las bibliotecas de dichas universidades. En este artículo se presentan y se analizan los datos recogidos, con especial incidencia en los servicios centrados en la formación, el asesoramiento y en la ayuda a la difusión de los resultados de investigación. Se concluye que algunos servicios de apoyo a la investigación se prestan de manera extendida desde las bibliotecas de las universidades, como por ejemplo los relacionados con el uso y formación de recursos de información. Sin embargo también es cierto que otros menos tradicionales, especialmente los vinculados a la integración de las bibliotecas en los proyectos de investigación, se prestan de manera poco homogénea entre las universidades analizadas. Este hecho podría tener respuesta en la necesidad de responder a las necesidades específicas de las políticas de investigación de los propios centros.
¿Las correlaciones altmétricas/métricas tradicionales se ven afectadas por los planes de marketing en medios sociales de las revistas? El caso de la revista Comunicar
Authors: González-Fernández-Villavicencio Nieves , Moya-Orozco Victor M.
Published: February 2018

En este estudio se analizan las correlaciones entre los datos aportados por los sistemas de citas tradicionales y las altmetrics de los artículos publicados en los últimos cinco años en la revista Comunicar, ya que se trata de una revista que destaca sobre las demás de su área por su avanzado plan de marketing en medios sociales. Además, se presentan los indicadores que ofrecen datos altmétricos y se lleva a cabo una revisión bibliográfica sobre las publicaciones que han tratado el tema de las correlaciones y destacan relaciones débiles entre métricas tradicionales y altmetrics. Del estudio de correlaciones sobre los datos de la revista, se confirman las débiles relaciones entre los tipos de métricas y se concluye que son significativas para evaluar el nivel de atención que reciben las publicaciones en distintos ámbitos. Como recomendación a los investigadores y editores se destaca la importancia de utilizar los medios sociales, en especial Mendeley y Twitter, para dar visibilidad y difundir la producción científica.
Applicability of Worldwide CO2 Worldwide Immiscible Flooding and Prediction
Authors: Zhang Na , Wei Mingzhen , Bai Baojun
Published: February 2018

Carbon dioxide (CO2) flooding is a mature technology in oil industry that finds broad attention in oil production during tertiary oil recovery (EOR). After about five decades of developments, there have been many successful reports for CO2 miscible flooding. However, operators recognized after considering the safety and economics that achieving miscible phases is one of big challenge in fields with extremely high minimum miscible pressure (MMP). Compared with CO2 miscible flooding, immiscible flooding of CO2 demonstrates the great potential under varying reservoir/fluid conditions. A comprehensive and high-quality data set for CO2 immiscible flooding is built in this study. Valuable guidelines have been concluded, and production prediction models are established to further assist the applicability of new projects for the first time. Results show that along with the current method in literature to find applicability guidelines, prediction models involved with important operation and production parameters help to increase the accuracy of CO2 immiscible applicabilities. Data involved in this study are checked for independence for feature selection before utilization. We also find that support vector machine could predict the enhanced oil production rate and CO2 injection efficiency better than multiple linear regression method based on the data set. Furthermore, the multiple linear regression method build an excellent model for the prediction of enhanced oil recovery with an accuracy of almost 100%.

Introduction

A prediction model is a tool for decision making and problem solving that has been applied in variety of fields (e.g., medical science [1-3], meteorology [4], transportation [5, 6], business [7, 8], biology [9, 10], and chemistry [11, 12]) for further applicability evaluation. Eagle et al. built a prediction model to accurately estimate the risk of six month mortality after patients have been hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which provides guidance of the intensity of therapy to clinicians in clinical medicine [13]. Gendt et al. established a numerical weather prediction model to help people to make plans for many activities (e.g., farmers to find the best time for harvest; pilots to schedule the safest path, etc. [14]). In a prediction model, prediction accuracy mainly depends on the methodology of prediction and the quality of data that fed into the model, which is one of the crucial indicator to evaluate the effectiveness of models that researchers spare no efforts to pursue as high of an accuracy as possible.
Conservation of Symbiodinium spp. clade in the coral Pocillopora damicornis during the 2014 mass-bleaching event
Authors: Murphy James WA , Spies Narrissa P , Richmond Robert H
Published: February 2018

Symbiotic single-celled dinoflagellates play critical roles in providing corals with both energy and tolerances to survive over a range of environmental conditions. Stressors can cause the breakdown of this symbiosis, resulting in mass bleaching events, and are projected to increase in frequency and spatial extent, threatening the long-term survival of coral reefs. Recent studies have identified symbiont shuffling in corals towards more thermo-tolerant clades as a functional tool for their surviving thermally-induced stress events. However, this was not observed within Pocillopora damicornis colonies tracked over a complete bleaching to recovery cycle during the 2014 mass coral bleaching event in Hawai‘i. Instead, previously acquired symbiont clades were maintained following bleaching recovery. This observation suggests additional factors may be involved in thermal-stress acclimation and adaptation in this coral.
Narrativas de mujeres que adoptan monoparentalmente en Chile: dispositivos de intervención y prácticas de resistencia
Authors: Salvo Agoglia Irene
Published: February 2018

This article analyzes the narratives of a group of women who are the single parents of adopted children, in the broader context of the qualitative investigation of this subject. Their stories speak of the various legal-judicial, institutional and technical procedures they faced during the adoption process, which highlight the biased and discriminatory treatment most of them received, as well the acts of resistance they used to challenge these obstacles and vindicate their legal right to adoption. The discussion of the background and findings of this research is meant to influence and transform public policies and professional interventions in the field of adoption.
Transgenerational dynamics of rDNA copy number in Drosophila male germline stem cells
Authors: Lu Kevin L , Nelson Jonathan O , Watase George J , Warsinger-Pepe Natalie , Yamashita Yukiko M
Published: February 2018

rDNA loci, composed of hundreds of tandemly duplicated arrays of rRNA genes, are known to be among the most unstable genetic elements due to their repetitive nature. rDNA instability underlies aging (replicative senescence) in yeast cells, however, its contribution to the aging of multicellular organisms is poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the dynamics of rDNA loci during aging in the Drosophila male germline stem cell (GSC) lineage, and show that rDNA copy number decreases during aging. Our study further reveals that this age-dependent decrease in rDNA copy number is heritable from generation to generation, yet GSCs in young animals that inherited reduced rDNA copy number are capable of recovering normal rDNA copy number. Based on these findings, we propose that rDNA loci are dynamic genetic elements, where rDNA copy number changes dynamically yet is maintained through a recovery mechanism in the germline.
AMPK signaling to acetyl-CoA carboxylase is required for fasting- and cold-induced appetite but not thermogenesis
Authors: Galic Sandra , Loh Kim , Murray-Segal Lisa , Steinberg Gregory R , Andrews Zane B , Kemp Bruce E
Published: February 2018

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a known regulator of whole-body energy homeostasis, but the downstream AMPK substrates mediating these effects are not entirely clear. AMPK inhibits fatty acid synthesis and promotes fatty acid oxidation by phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) 1 at Ser79 and ACC2 at Ser212. Using mice with Ser79Ala/Ser212Ala knock-in mutations (ACC DKI) we find that inhibition of ACC phosphorylation leads to reduced appetite in response to fasting or cold exposure. At sub-thermoneutral temperatures, ACC DKI mice maintain normal energy expenditure and thermogenesis, but fail to increase appetite and lose weight. We demonstrate that the ACC DKI phenotype can be mimicked in wild type mice using a ghrelin receptor antagonist and that ACC DKI mice have impaired orexigenic responses to ghrelin, indicating ACC DKI mice have a ghrelin signaling defect. These data suggest that therapeutic strategies aimed at inhibiting ACC phosphorylation may suppress appetite following metabolic stress.
Factors associated with elevated blood pressure or hypertension in Afro-Caribbean youth: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ferguson Trevor S. , Younger-Coleman Novie O.M. , Tulloch-Reid Marshall K. , Bennett Nadia R. , Rousseau Amanda E. , Knight-Madden Jennifer M. , Samms-Vaughan Maureen E. , Ashley Deanna E. , Wilks Rainford J.
Published: February 2018

Background

Although several studies have identified risk factors for high blood pressure (BP), data from Afro-Caribbean populations are limited. Additionally, less is known about how putative risk factors operate in young adults and how social factors influence the risk of high BP. In this study, we estimated the relative risk for elevated BP or hypertension (EBP/HTN), defined as BP ≥ 120/80 mmHg, among young adults with putative cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in Jamaica and evaluated whether relative risks differed by sex.

Methods

Data from 898 young adults, 18–20 years old, were analysed. BP was measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer after participants had been seated for 5 min. Anthropometric measurements were obtained, and glucose, lipids and insulin measured from a fasting venous blood sample. Data on socioeconomic status (SES) were obtained via questionnaire. CVD risk factor status was defined using standard cut-points or the upper quintile of the distribution where the numbers meeting standard cut-points were small. Relative risks were estimated using odds ratios (OR) from logistic regression models.

Results

Prevalence of EBP/HTN was 30% among males and 13% among females (p < 0.001 for sex difference). There was evidence for sex interaction in the relationship between EBP/HTN and some of risk factors (obesity and household possessions), therefore we report sex-specific analyses. In multivariable logistic regression models, factors independently associated with EBP/HTN among men were obesity (OR 8.48, 95% CI [2.64–27.2], p < 0.001), and high glucose (OR 2.01, CI [1.20–3.37], p = 0.008), while high HOMA-IR did not achieve statistical significance (OR 2.08, CI [0.94–4.58], p = 0.069). In similar models for women, high triglycerides (OR 1.98, CI [1.03–3.81], p = 0.040) and high HOMA-IR (OR 2.07, CI [1.03–4.12], p = 0.039) were positively associated with EBP/HTN. Lower SES was also associated with higher odds for EBP/HTN (OR 4.63, CI [1.31–16.4], p = 0.017, for moderate vs. high household possessions; OR 2.61, CI [0.70–9.77], p = 0.154 for low vs. high household possessions). Alcohol consumption was associated with lower odds of EBP/HTN among females only; OR 0.41 (CI [0.18–0.90], p = 0.026) for drinking <1 time per week vs. never drinkers, and OR 0.28 (CI [0.11–0.76], p = 0.012) for drinking ≥3 times per week vs. never drinkers. Physical activity was inversely associated with EBP/HTN in both males and females.

Conclusion

Factors associated with EBP/HTN among Jamaican young adults include obesity, high glucose, high triglycerides and high HOMA-IR, with some significant differences by sex. Among women lower SES was positively associated with EBP/HTN, while moderate alcohol consumption was associated lower odds of EBP/HTN.
Microseismic Monitoring of Stimulating Shale Gas Reservoir in SW China: 1. An Improved Matching and Locating Technique for Downhole Monitoring
Authors: Meng Xiaobo , Chen Haichao , Niu Fenglin , Tang Youcai , Yin Chen , Wu Furong
Published: February 2018

We introduce an improved matching and locating technique to detect and locate microseismic events (−4 < ML < 0) associated with hydraulic fracturing treatment. We employ a set of representative master events to act as template waveforms and detect slave events that strongly resemble master events through stacking cross correlograms of both P and S waves between the template waveforms and the continuous records of the monitoring array. Moreover, the residual moveout in the cross correlograms across the array is used to locate slave events relative to the corresponding master event. In addition, P wave polarization constraint is applied to resolve the lateral extent of slave events in the case of unfavorable array configuration. We first demonstrate the detectability and location accuracy of the proposed approach with a pseudo‐synthetic data set. Compared to the matched filter analysis, the proposed approach can significantly enhance detectability at low false alarm rate and yield robust location estimates of very low SNR events, particularly along the vertical direction. Then, we apply the method to a real microseismic data set acquired in the Weiyuan shale reservoir of China in November of 2014. The expanded microseismic catalog provides more easily interpretable spatiotemporal evolution of microseismicity, which is investigated in detail in a companion paper.
Changes in Physical Properties of the Nankai Trough Megasplay Fault Induced by Earthquakes, Detected by Continuous Pressure Monitoring
Authors: Kinoshita C. , Saffer D. , Kopf A. , Roesner A. , Wallace L. M. , Araki E. , Kimura T. , Machida Y. , Kobayashi R. , Davis E. , Toczko S. , Carr S.
Published: February 2018

One primary objective of Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 365, conducted as part of the Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment, was to recover a temporary observatory emplaced to monitor formation pore fluid pressure and temperature within a splay fault in the Nankai subduction zone offshore SW Honshu, Japan. Here we use a 5.3 year time series of formation pore fluid pressure, and in particular the response to ocean tidal loading, to evaluate changes in pore pressure and formation and fluid elastic properties induced by earthquakes. Our analysis reveals 31 earthquake‐induced perturbations. These are dominantly characterized by small transient increases in pressure (28 events) and decreases in ocean tidal loading efficiency (14 events) that reflect changes to formation or fluid compressibility. The observed perturbations follow a magnitude‐distance threshold similar to that reported for earthquake‐driven hydrological effects in other settings. To explore the mechanisms that cause these changes, we evaluate the expected static and dynamic strains from each earthquake. The expected static strains are too small to explain the observed pressure changes. In contrast, estimated dynamic strains correlate with the magnitude of changes in both pressure and loading efficiency. We propose potential mechanism for the changes and subsequent recovery, which is exsolution of dissolved gas in interstitial fluids in response to shaking.
Modeling the Geometry of Plate Boundary and Seismic Structure in the Southern Ryukyu Trench Subduction Zone, Japan, Using Amphibious Seismic Observations
Authors: Yamamoto Y. , Takahashi T. , Ishihara Y. , Kaiho Y. , Arai R. , Obana K. , Nakanishi A. , Miura S. , Kodaira S. , Kaneda Y.
Published: February 2018

Here we present the new model, the geometry of the subducted Philippine Sea Plate interface beneath the southern Ryukyu Trench subduction zone, estimated from seismic tomography and focal mechanism estimation by using passive and active data from a temporary amphibious seismic network and permanent land stations. Using relocated low‐angle thrust‐type earthquakes, repeating earthquakes, and structural information, we constrained the geometry of plate boundary from the trench axis to a 60 km depth with uncertainties of less than 5 km. The estimated plate geometry model exhibited large variation, including a pronounced convex structure that may be evidence of a subducted seamount in the eastern portion of study area, whereas the western part appeared smooth. We also found that the active earthquake region near the plate boundary, defined by the distance from our plate geometry model, was clearly separated from the area dominated by short‐term slow‐slip events (SSEs). The oceanic crust just beneath the SSE‐dominant region, the western part of the study area, showed high Vp/Vs ratios (>1.8), whereas the eastern side showed moderate or low Vp/Vs (<1.75). We interpreted this as an indication that high fluid pressures near the surface of the slab are contributing to the SSE activities. Within the toe of the mantle wedge, P and S wave velocities (<7.5 and <4.2 km/s, respectively) lower than those observed through normal mantle peridotite might suggest that some portions of the mantle may be at least 40% serpentinized.
Large Ecosystem Service Benefits of Assisted Natural Regeneration
Authors: Yang Yusheng , Wang Lixin , Yang Zhijie , Xu Chao , Xie Jingsheng , Chen Guangshui , Lin Chengfang , Guo Jianfen , Liu Xiaofei , Xiong Decheng , Lin Weisheng , Chen Shidong , He Zongming , Lin Kaimiao , Jiang Miaohua , Lin Teng‐Chiu
Published: February 2018

China manages the largest monoculture plantations in the world, with 24% being Chinese fir plantations. Maximizing the ecosystem services of Chinese fir plantations has important implications in global carbon cycle and biodiversity protection. Assisted natural regeneration (ANR) is a practice to convert degraded lands into more productive forests with great ecosystems services. However, the quantitative understanding of ANR ecosystem service benefits is very limited. We conducted a comprehensive field manipulation experiment to evaluate the ANR potentials. We quantified and compared key ecosystem services including surface runoff, sediment yield, dissolved organic carbon export, plant diversity, and aboveground carbon accumulation of ANR of secondary forests dominated by Castanopsis carlesii to that of Chinese fir and C. carlesii plantations. Our results showed that ANR of C. carlesii forest reduced surface runoff and sediment yield up to 50% compared with other young plantations in the first 3 years and substantially increased plant diversity. ANR also reduced the export of dissolved organic carbon by 60–90% in the first 2 years. Aboveground biomass of the young ANR forest was approximately 3–4 times of that of other young plantations, while aboveground biomass of mature ANR forests was approximately 1.4 times of that of mature Chinese fir plantations of the same age. If all Chinese fir plantations in China were replaced by ANR forests, potentially 0.7 Pg more carbon will be stored in aboveground in one rotation (25 years). The results indicate that ANR triggers positive feedbacks among soil and water conservation, biodiversity protection, and biomass accumulation and thereby enhances ecosystem services.
An Evaluation of Semiempirical Models for Partitioning Photosynthetically Active Radiation Into Diffuse and Direct Beam Components
Authors: Oliphant Andrew J. , Stoy Paul C.
Published: February 2018

Photosynthesis is more efficient under diffuse than direct beam photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) per unit PAR, but diffuse PAR is infrequently measured at research sites. We examine four commonly used semiempirical models (Erbs et al., 1982, https://doi.org/10.1016/0038‐092X(82)90302‐4; Gu et al., 1999, https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JD901068; Roderick, 1999, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168‐1923(99)00028‐3; Weiss & Norman, 1985, https://doi.org/10.1016/0168‐1923(85)90020‐6) that partition PAR into diffuse and direct beam components based on the negative relationship between atmospheric transparency and scattering of PAR. Radiation observations at 58 sites (140 site years) from the La Thuille FLUXNET data set were used for model validation and coefficient testing. All four models did a reasonable job of predicting the diffuse fraction of PAR (ϕ) at the 30 min timescale, with site median r2 values ranging between 0.85 and 0.87, model efficiency coefficients (MECs) between 0.62 and 0.69, and regression slopes within 10% of unity. Model residuals were not strongly correlated with astronomical or standard meteorological variables. We conclude that the Roderick (1999, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168‐1923(99)00028‐3) and Gu et al. (1999, https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JD901068) models performed better overall than the two older models. Using the basic form of these models, the data set was used to find both individual site and universal model coefficients that optimized predictive accuracy. A new universal form of the model is presented in section 5 that increased site median MEC to 0.73. Site‐specific model coefficients increased median MEC further to 0.78, indicating usefulness of local/regional training of coefficients to capture the local distributions of aerosols and cloud types.
A New Mechanism for the Dependence of Tropical Convection on Free‐Tropospheric Humidity
Authors: Virman M. , Bister M. , Sinclair V. A. , Järvinen H. , Räisänen J.
Published: February 2018

Atmospheric deep convection is responsible for transport of the most important greenhouse gas, water vapor, to the free‐troposphere and for most of the precipitation on Earth. Observations show that deep convection is strongly sensitive to the amount of moisture in the low‐to‐midtroposphere. The current understanding is that this sensitivity is due to entrainment. In this study, it is found that over tropical oceans shallow warm anomalies, likely strong enough to hinder subsequent convection, are observed just above the boundary layer after precipitation, but only where the low‐to‐midtroposphere is dry. The results, showing a cold anomaly above the warm anomaly, suggest that evaporation of stratiform precipitation and subsidence warming below likely cause these temperature anomalies. Evaporation of stratiform precipitation should therefore be a topic of high priority for developing more realistic theories of convective weather phenomena and for improving climate and weather forecast models.
A Probabilistic Assessment of the Next Geomagnetic Reversal
Authors: Buffett Bruce , Davis William
Published: February 2018

Deterministic forecasts for the next geomagnetic reversal are not feasible due to large uncertainties in the present‐day state of the Earth's core. A more practical approach relies on probabilistic assessments using paleomagnetic observations to characterize the amplitude of fluctuations in the geomagnetic dipole. We use paleomagnetic observations for the past 2 Myr to construct a stochastic model for the axial dipole field and apply well‐established methods to evaluate the probability of the next geomagnetic reversal as a function of time. For a present‐day axial dipole moment of 7.6 × 1022 A m2, the probability of the dipole entering a reversed state is less than 2% after 20 kyr. This probability rises to 11% after 50 kyr. An imminent geomagnetic reversal is not supported by paleomagnetic observations. The current rate of decline in the dipole moment is unusual but within the natural variability predicted by the stochastic model.
Using gEUD based plan analysis method to evaluate proton vs. photon plans for lung cancer radiation therapy
Authors: Xiao Zhiyan , Zou Wei J , Chen Ting , Yue Ning J , Jabbour Salma K , Parikh Rahul , Zhang Miao
Published: February 2018

The goal of this study was to exam the efficacy of current DVH based clinical guidelines draw from photon experience for lung cancer radiation therapy on proton therapy. Comparison proton plans and IMRT plans were generated for 10 lung patients treated in our proton facility. A gEUD based plan evaluation method was developed for plan evaluation. This evaluation method used normal lung gEUD(a) curve in which the model parameter “a” was sampled from the literature reported value. For all patients, the proton plans delivered lower normal lung V5 Gy with similar V20 Gy and similar target coverage. Based on current clinical guidelines, proton plans were ranked superior to IMRT plans for all 10 patients. However, the proton and IMRT normal lung gEUD(a) curves crossed for 8 patients within the tested range of “a”, which means there was a possibility that proton plan would be worse than IMRT plan for lung sparing. A concept of deficiency index (DI) was introduced to quantify the probability of proton plans doing worse than IMRT plans. By applying threshold on DI, four patients’ proton plan was ranked inferior to the IMRT plan. Meanwhile if a threshold to the location of curve crossing was applied, 6 patients’ proton plan was ranked inferior to the IMRT plan. The contradictory ranking results between the current clinical guidelines and the gEUD(a) curve analysis demonstrated there is potential pitfalls by applying photon experience directly to the proton world. A comprehensive plan evaluation based on radio‐biological models should be carried out to decide if a lung patient would really be benefit from proton therapy.