| 1. |
- Addazi, A., et al.
(författare)
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New high-sensitivity searches for neutrons converting into antineutrons and/or sterile neutrons at the HIBEAM/NNBAR experiment at the European Spallation Source
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Physics G. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 0954-3899 .- 1361-6471. ; 48:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The violation of baryon number, , is an essential ingredient for the preferential creation of matter over antimatter needed to account for the observed baryon asymmetry in the Universe. However, such a process has yet to be experimentally observed. The HIBEAM/NNBAR program is a proposed two-stage experiment at the European Spallation Source to search for baryon number violation. The program will include high-sensitivity searches for processes that violate baryon number by one or two units: free neutron–antineutron oscillation () via mixing, neutron–antineutron oscillation via regeneration from a sterile neutron state (), and neutron disappearance (n → n'); the effective process of neutron regeneration () is also possible. The program can be used to discover and characterize mixing in the neutron, antineutron and sterile neutron sectors. The experiment addresses topical open questions such as the origins of baryogenesis and the nature of dark matter, and is sensitive to scales of new physics substantially in excess of those available at colliders. A goal of the program is to open a discovery window to neutron conversion probabilities (sensitivities) by up to three orders of magnitude compared with previous searches. The opportunity to make such a leap in sensitivity tests should not be squandered. The experiment pulls together a diverse international team of physicists from the particle (collider and low energy) and nuclear physics communities, while also including specialists in neutronics and magnetics.
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| 2. |
- Jones, Benedict C, et al.
(författare)
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To which world regions does the valence-dominance model of social perception apply?
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature Human Behaviour. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3374. ; 5:1, s. 159-169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over the past 10 years, Oosterhof and Todorov's valence-dominance model has emerged as the most prominent account of how people evaluate faces on social dimensions. In this model, two dimensions (valence and dominance) underpin social judgements of faces. Because this model has primarily been developed and tested in Western regions, it is unclear whether these findings apply to other regions. We addressed this question by replicating Oosterhof and Todorov's methodology across 11 world regions, 41 countries and 11,570 participants. When we used Oosterhof and Todorov's original analysis strategy, the valence-dominance model generalized across regions. When we used an alternative methodology to allow for correlated dimensions, we observed much less generalization. Collectively, these results suggest that, while the valence-dominance model generalizes very well across regions when dimensions are forced to be orthogonal, regional differences are revealed when we use different extraction methods and correlate and rotate the dimension reduction solution. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 5 November 2018. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7611443.v1 .
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| 3. |
- Ovadia, C., et al.
(författare)
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Ursodeoxycholic acid in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-1253. ; 6:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Ursodeoxycholic acid is commonly used to treat intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, yet its largest trial detected minimal benefit for a composite outcome (stillbirth, preterm birth, and neonatal unit admission). We aimed to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid affects specific adverse perinatal outcomes. Methods In this systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Global Health, MIDIRS, and Cochrane without language restrictions for relevant articles published between database inception, and Jan 1, 2020, using search terms referencing intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, ursodeoxycholic acid, and perinatal outcomes. Eligible studies had 30 or more study participants and reported on at least one individual with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and bile acid concentrations of 40 mu mol/L or more. We also included two unpublished cohort studies. Individual participant data were collected from the authors of selected studies. The primary outcome was the prevalence of stillbirth, for which we anticipated there would be insufficient data to achieve statistical power. Therefore, we included a composite of stillbirth and preterm birth as a main secondary outcome. A mixed-effects meta-analysis was done using multi-level modelling and adjusting for bile acid concentration, parity, and multifetal pregnancy. Individual participant data analyses were done for all studies and in different subgroups, which were produced by limiting analyses to randomised controlled trials only, singleton pregnancies only, or two-arm studies only. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019131495. Findings The authors of the 85 studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria were contacted. Individual participant data from 6974 women in 34 studies were included in the meta-analysis, of whom 4726 (67.8%) took ursodeoxycholic acid. Stillbirth occurred in 35 (0.7%) of 5097 fetuses among women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and in 12 (0.6%) of 2038 fetuses among women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy not treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.04, 95% CI 0.35-3.07; p=0.95). Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment also had no effect on the prevalence of stillbirth when considering only randomised controlled trials (aOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.04-2.42; p=0.25). Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment had no effect on the prevalence of the composite outcome in all studies (aOR 1.28, 95% CI 0.86-1.91; p=0.22), but was associated with a reduced composite outcome when considering only randomised controlled trials (0.60, 0.39-0.91; p=0.016). Interpretation Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment had no significant effect on the prevalence of stillbirth in women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, but our analysis was probably limited by the low overall event rate. However, when considering only randomised controlled trials, ursodeoxycholic acid was associated with a reduction in stillbirth in combination with preterm birth, providing evidence for the clinical benefit of antenatal ursodeoxycholic acid treatment. Copyright (C) 2021 The Authors(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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| 4. |
- Ralimanana, H., et al.
(författare)
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Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 378:6623
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Madagascar’s unique biota is heavily affected by human activity and is under intense threat. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the conservation status of Madagascar’s terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by presenting data and analyses on documented and predicted species-level conservation statuses, the most prevalent and relevant threats, ex situ collections and programs, and the coverage and comprehensiveness of protected areas. The existing terrestrial protected area network in Madagascar covers 10.4% of its land area and includes at least part of the range of the majority of described native species of vertebrates with known distributions (97.1% of freshwater fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals combined) and plants (67.7%). The overall figures are higher for threatened species (97.7% of threatened vertebrates and 79.6% of threatened plants occurring within at least one protected area). International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments and Bayesian neural network analyses for plants identify overexploitation of biological resources and unsustainable agriculture as the most prominent threats to biodiversity. We highlight five opportunities for action at multiple levels to ensure that conservation and ecological restoration objectives, programs, and activities take account of complex underlying and interacting factors and produce tangible benefits for the biodiversity and people of Madagascar.
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| 5. |
- Antonelli, Alexandre, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity : Evolution, distribution, and use
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 378:6623, s. 962-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Madagascar's biota is hyperdiverse and includes exceptional levels of endemicity. We review the current state of knowledge on Madagascar's past and current terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by compiling and presenting comprehensive data on species diversity, endemism, and rates of species description and human uses, in addition to presenting an updated and simplified map of vegetation types. We report a substantial increase of records and species new to science in recent years; however, the diversity and evolution of many groups remain practically unknown (e.g., fungi and most invertebrates). Digitization efforts are increasing the resolution of species richness patterns and we highlight the crucial role of field- and collections-based research for advancing biodiversity knowledge and identifying gaps in our understanding, particularly as species richness corresponds closely to collection effort. Phylogenetic diversity patterns mirror that of species richness and endemism in most of the analyzed groups. We highlight humid forests as centers of diversity and endemism because of their role as refugia and centers of recent and rapid radiations. However, the distinct endemism of other areas, such as the grassland-woodland mosaic of the Central Highlands and the spiny forest of the southwest, is also biologically important despite lower species richness. The documented uses of Malagasy biodiversity are manifold, with much potential for the uncovering of new useful traits for food, medicine, and climate mitigation. The data presented here showcase Madagascar as a unique " living laboratory" for our understanding of evolution and the complex interactions between people and nature. The gathering and analysis of biodiversity data must continue and accelerate if we are to fully understand and safeguard this unique subset of Earth's biodiversity.
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| 6. |
- Hudson, P L, et al.
(författare)
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Strategies and checklist for designing and conducting palliative care research with family carers : EAPC international expert elicitation study
- 2023
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Ingår i: Palliative Medicine. - : Sage Publications. - 0269-2163 .- 1477-030X. ; 37:1, s. 163-173
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Palliative care services seek to improve the wellbeing of family carers of people living with serious and life-limiting illness. To help achieve this goal, systematic reviews have recommended priority areas for family carer research and the need to improve the quality of study design. Policy makers have also advocated for enhanced family carer support. However, there are specific methodological considerations and challenges in designing and conducting carer research conducted during the course of the serious illness trajectory and in bereavement.AIM: To develop strategies to improve the design and conduct of research with family carers.DESIGN: Expert elicitation study using an adapted version of the 'Identify, Discuss, Estimate and Aggregate' elicitation protocol, supplemented with strategies from peer-reviewed literature.SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Nine members of the management committee of the European Association for Palliative Care's Reference group on family carer research, comprising international senior research academics in family caregiving.RESULTS: A compilation of recommended strategies and checklist was created to: (a) help researchers plan research involving family carers focussing on: preparation, conduct and dissemination and (b) assist ethics committees and funding bodies to evaluate proposals.CONCLUSIONS: The strategies and checklist for conducting research with family carers may enhance methodologically rigorous research. Consequently, researchers, practitioners and policy makers will not only gain a more comprehensive understanding of the unmet needs of family carers but also promote the development of empirically sound interventions.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Petersson, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Sprouts of shoot-clipped oak (Quercus alba and Q. robur) germinants show morphological and photosynthetic acclimation to contrasting light environments
- 2020
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Ingår i: New forests. - : Springer. - 0169-4286 .- 1573-5095. ; 51, s. 817-834
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sprouting by woody plants can increase species resilience to disturbance and foster regeneration during periods with little recruitment from seed. Though sprouting often plays a critical role in oak forest regeneration, there is little information available on sprouting capacity and sprout physiology at the seedling stage, particularly for new germinants. This study compared sprouting capacity and sprout photosynthesis of shoot-clipped germinants of two temperate oaks established in contrasting light environments. We studied the North American Quercus alba and the European Q. robur, both are in the section Quercus and appear to share similar biological and ecological requirements. Sprouting capacity for both species was enhanced under high light availability (29% more sprouts per plant), a response not previously noted for oak germinants. Seedling sprouts acclimated to high light with a 34% decrease in leaf area ratio, a 56% increase in leaf mass per area, and a 49% increase in the light-saturated maximum photosynthetic rate. Though both species appeared similarly adapted to shoot loss, a greater sprouting capacity (29% more sprouts per plant) and plant-level net photosynthesis (73% higher) was observed for Q. robur, regardless of light environment. As naturally regenerated oak seedlings in forest understories often experience disturbance or stress resulting in shoot loss or die-back, our results highlight the importance of the light environment during early plant development. Our comparison of temperate oaks from different continents should facilitate exchange of successful stand regeneration practices within the range of temperate oak forests.
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| 9. |
- Romagnoli, F, et al.
(författare)
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Windstorm impacts on European forest-related systems: an interdisciplinary perspective
- 2023
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Ingår i: Forest Ecology and Management. - 1872-7042 .- 0378-1127. ; 541
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Windstorms are considered the main disturbing abiotic agent in European forests. They affect a multiplicity of forest-related dimensions, such as forest ecology, forest operations, geomorphology, economy, and socio-cultural aspects. Due to the complex dynamics set off by windstorms, the design of post-windstorm forest management should be characterized by an interdisciplinary approach able to address multiple environmental and social needs. However, scientific literature investigating the impacts of windstorms on forests appears mainly focused on specific aspects. An interdisciplinary and more comprehensive approach is needed to cope with such multi-facet phenomena and to address future forest research.We reviewed current literature analyzing consequences of windstorms on European forests focusing on interconnections and cascade effects among forest-related dimensions in post-windstorm dynamics. We performed an in-depth review of 111 articles to detect most recurrent direct and indirect impacts as well as cascade effects among ecological, geomorphological, operational, economic, socio-cultural, and institutional forest-related dimensions. Our analysis aimed at providing a detailed analysis of the state of the art of windstorm impacts on European forests reported in literature, and suggesting an innovative approach to analyze windstorm consequences at a systemic level to acquire a comprehensive overview of post-windstorm dynamics.Our results showed that most of the studies dealt with interactions among ecological components of forests, but links between ecology, geomorphology, and society have been poorly studied. These knowledge gaps reduce the comprehension of windstorm impacts in the short and long terms and overlook the influence of societal-related aspects in post-windstorm forest management. Moreover, our analysis suggested the need of a post-windstorm management acting at systemic and comprehensive level, supported by forest policies that promotes multifunctionality to overcome challenges derived by natural disturbances intensification.
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| 10. |
- Ulrich, Roger, 1946, et al.
(författare)
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ICU Patient Family Stress Recovery During Breaks in a Hospital Garden and Indoor Environments
- 2020
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Ingår i: HERD. - : SAGE Publications. - 2167-5112 .- 1937-5867. ; 13:2, s. 83-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives : Measure the immediate change in intensive care unit (ICU) family members’ state stress levels from the beginning to the end of a person’s visit to a hospital garden and compare the changes produced by the garden with those associated with spending time in indoor hospital environments intended for respite and relaxation. Background : No previous research has compared the efficacy of different physical environments as interventions to foster stress reduction in family members of ICU patients, a group of hospital visitors known to experience high levels of distress. Method : A convenience sample of 42 ICU patient family (from 42 different families) completed the Present Functioning Visual Analogue Scales (PFVAS) before and after each visit (128 total visits) to a garden, an atrium/café, or ICU waiting room. Results : Stress scores significantly declined (i.e., improved) from the start to the end of a break on all PFVAS subscales (p <.0001) in both the garden and indoors locations. However, it is noteworthy that garden breaks resulted in significantly greater improvement in the “sadness” scale than breaks in indoor locations (p =.03), and changes in all five other PFVAS scores showed somewhat more reduction of stress for breaks spent in the garden than indoors, although these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion : Creating an unlocked garden with abundant nature located close to an ICU can be an effective intervention for significantly mitigating state stress in family members of ICU patients and can be somewhat more effective than indoor areas expressly designed for family respite and relaxation.
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