Context Of Change Research Articles

Look, over there! A streaker! – Qualitative study examining streaking as a behaviour change technique for habit formation in recreational runners

ABSTRACT Background Running as a form of physical activity is beneficial to overall health and wellbeing. The aim of the study is to examine ‘run streaking’ (i.e. running on consecutive days, for a minimum period of time or distance, typically at least one mile) as a technique for habit formation and behaviour change. Methods Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 21 recreational adult runners (11 female and 10 male). Run streak length ranged from a minimum of 100 days to over 4500 days. Transcripts were analysed using a hybrid deductive–inductive thematic analysis. Results Run streaking was reported to lead to several benefits, health improvements and a sense of accomplishment, although many run streakers reported running through injuries and lack of recovery. Accounts of run streaking showed features of automaticity indicative of habitual behaviour. Other behavioural processes identified included motivation, identity, self-regulation and social support. Behavioural streaking showed the potential to influence change in behaviours other than running. Conclusion Accounts of run streaking demonstrate an interplay between automatic and deliberate processes in the maintenance of running behaviour. Behavioural streaking is a technique that could be used in other behaviour change contexts beyond running to support habit formation.

Two Centuries of Monthly Rainfall in Barcelona (NE Spain): Disparity Trends, Correlation of Autumnal Rainfall with the WeMO Index and Its Contribution to Annual Amounts

Rainfall irregularity in Mediterranean regions is a characterizing feature of their climate. The aim of this manuscript is to analyze, in a climate change context, the evolution of this irregularity in Barcelona. A very long monthly database (1786–2023) enables detailed analysis of rainfall evolution, with its irregularity quantified using the concept of disparity, the trends of which are assessed using moving windows and a modified Mann–Kendall test. The relationship between disparity and the Western Mediterranean Oscillation index (WeMOi) is also explored. Additionally, the study compares rainfall amounts to the 1961–1990 reference period and evaluates autumn’s contribution to annual totals. A significant and increasing disparity trend over the years is detected for the autumn months. While correlations between disparity and WeMOi are limited, the WeMOi and monthly precipitation are significantly correlated for two autumn months, October and November, and for December, aligning with previous studies. This suggests the potential influence of the WeMOi fluctuations on future rainfall during these three months. Recent evidence of the increasing autumn irregularity is seen in the consecutive low-rainfall years of 2021, 2022 and 2023, which stand out as the driest since 1835, with the last two autumns ranking among the 5% driest.

Impacts of land use and abiotic factors on fruit, seed, and leaf morphology of the desert date Balanites aegyptiaca in Benin: Implications for management

Preserving intraspecific phenotypic variation within socio-economically important but declining species is fundamental in the current context of rapid change in land use and environmental conditions. Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile is a valuable seed oil tree species native to the arid and semi-arid regions of Africa. Notable morphological variations within the species are recognized by local communities, who often select trees with preferred traits for preservation in croplands. This study compared phenotypic variation in B. aegyptiaca based on sixteen phenotypic traits of fruits, seeds, and leaflets between trees in a strictly protected area and those in croplands. Furthermore, the relative role of land use, soil characteristics, bioclimatic variables, elevation, and slope in the observed variation was analysed. Student t-test, principal component analysis, redundancy analysis, and variance partitioning were used for data analysis in R software. Results showed that, after accounting for tree variation, significant differences were observed in only two traits: seed ratio, and leaflet dry weight, with mean values in cropland being 1.470 (higher), and 0.943 (lower) times that of wild trees, respectively. Furthermore, principal component analysis showed great overlap between ellipses of cropland and wild trees. The variance partitioning analysis showed that bioclimatic variables explained 18 % of the total variation followed by soil characteristics (11 %), and land use (9 %). These findings collectively suggest weak impacts of croplands and a lack of domestication syndrome in B. aegyptiaca in Benin, potentially due to persisting gene flow between wild and cropland trees, inadvertent species management, or low intensity of selection pressures. Future studies should explore organoleptic properties, physico-chemical characteristics of the pulp and seed oil and discern the extent to which observed differences are attributable to genetic factors and biotic factors (pest attacks, plant-plant interactions, etc.).

Development of a Refugee Health Research Agenda in North America.

The lack of a cohesive, stakeholder-informed refugee health research agenda has been a barrier to promoting, funding, and conducting health research with refugee populations in North America. A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals working in refugee health in North America (N = 93) to describe major domains within the field of refugee health research and to develop refugee health research priorities. Open-ended survey questions included: (1) What research topics specific to refugee research would you like to see in an international research agenda? (2) Please describe current and important gaps that you believe exist in refugee research and why? Overarching themes focused on the need for the development of research partnerships with refugee communities that are intentional, effective, and driven by the needs of refugee communities. The survey also identified a need for best practices in creating sustainable, community-based research partnerships (effective models and evidence-based strategies) that translate across 12 domains. The refugee health research priorities for North America described in this manuscript should continue to be modified over time as political, economic, social, and medical contexts change.

Challenges and Opportunities in Transitioning Autistic Individuals Into Adulthood.

Approximately 1.2 million autistic youth will reach the legal age of adulthood over the next decade. Given dynamic changes in the socioecological context of the transition to adulthood, we produced an updated transitions research agenda reflecting the perspectives of autistic young adults, care partners (parents), and professionals who use autism research. We conducted 9 focus groups: 4 young adult, 4 care partner, and 1 professional, with 59 total participants. Young adults were grouped by self-reported identity: (1) racial and ethnic minority, (2) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other identities, and (3) nonspeaking, in addition to a general group. We selected care partners who supported youth with varying intensity of support needs. We used rapid qualitative inquiry methods to extract key points from answers to semistructured interview questions. Delays in diagnosis and transition processes, and placement on wait lists resulted in significant obstacles to successful transitions. Parents assumed a dominant role by coordinating services, navigating systems and identifying opportunities for community participation, and providing direct supports. There was an overarching need for inclusion of autistic people in transitions research and consideration of cultural differences in priorities and values. Participants prioritized investigation of variation in transitions among autistic youth with intersecting identities, navigation support (eg, peer mentors), efficacy of services and supports (eg, transition and employment services), differences in available services by location, and problems within specific benefits programs. Research should focus on understanding population-level factors of system performance on outcomes and support needs, service delivery among marginalized groups, and transformation of complex service ecosystems.

Evolution of the Concept of Traumatic Experience: Cultural Aspect

The purpose of the article is to conduct a cultural reflection to clarify the peculiarities of the evolution of the concept of traumatic experience, to outline the specifics of its conceptual and semantic deployment in the European socio-cultural space. The research methodology includes general scientific principles of systematisation and generalisation of the problem under study, which allowed to identify and scientifically substantiate existing theories, conceptual approaches to understanding the content of the concepts of ‘trauma’, ‘traumatic experience’, ‘trauma of modernisation’, ‘trauma of social change’. The purpose and objectives of the article led to the use of an axiological approach, which allowed identifying the interdisciplinary nature of the theories under consideration, revealing personalised scientific positions and their cultural context. The use of the analytical method allowed us to identify conceptual foundations for further scientific perspectives on the problematisation of traumatic experience, namely, to clarify the role and significance of cultural/creative practices in processing traumatic experience by studying the evolution of this concept within the framework of the formation of trauma studies as an independent field of scientific knowledge and to make an attempt to develop algorithms for their practical implementation in the discourse of applied cultural studies. The scientific novelty lies in the cultural analysis of personalised scientific positions on the evolution of the concept of ‘traumatic experience’, in view of the specifics of its conceptual and semantic deployment in the European socio-cultural space. Conclusions. The conceptual and semantic development of the concept of traumatic experience unfolds against the dynamic change in the European general socio-cultural context caused by the outbreak and course of the First World War. Already during the war and after its end, on the basis of the empirical experience gained in the treatment of numerous traumas and mental disorders, scientific understanding of their nature, the specifics of traumatic experience manifestations began, and practicing military doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists developed recommendations for its experience, overcoming, and processing/working through. The evolution of the concept of traumatic experience in the discourse of classical psychoanalysis developed in the unity of epistemological and hermeneutical theory of experience, playing a leading role in explicating trauma and traumatic experience in the sphere of interest of various social sciences and humanities, from art history and cultural studies to sociology and political science. By expanding the subject field of studying trauma and traumatic experience, Freud laid the foundation for a methodological principle that is called interdisciplinary and becomes one of the basic ones for further studying trauma and traumatic experience against the broad background of a holistic picture of human existence in society and the world of culture.

No Evolution Without Revolution: Historical Revelations for LIS Education

As the field evolves and adapts to emerging technologies and societal changes, the rich historical context and radical changes that have shaped libraries and information systems risks being overshadowed. This SIG panel presentation will feature presentations ranging from understanding the role of caucuses in the LIS field, using creative storytelling to illuminate LIS history, and how AI will impact our ability to tell, know, and make history. Following the presentations, we expect to have a conversation about how we preserve and share LIS history in the face of technological change. National Associations of Librarians of Color Provides Historical Context to Teach Social Justice Work - Long Before DEI and social justice were integrated into statements, core principles, standards, or competencies for LIS education, there were efforts conducted by BIPOC library leaders who moved the needle in the profession by establishing professional associations that represented their communities. This presentation makes the connection between diversity efforts in LIS history and LIS pedagogy, by proposing the use of the specific historical context of social movements to substantiate and inform the social justice work that current LIS graduates will encounter. Demystifying the Past to Examine the Present and Shape the Future: Historical Research and Creative Storytelling in LIS Education - Ely-Ledesma Unpacking the complicated history of libraries in the United States, and recognizing historical threads that connect past to present, is vital as the profession continually adapts to emerging technologies and societal changes. When considering implementing historical perspectives into LIS education, we must ask a basic question: How can we infuse historical perspectives into LIS courses in an effective way? Historical research and creative storytelling are one way to address this question. To this end, I propose a three-step process for a project suitable for foundational courses or courses on library history. Teaching the History and the Evolution of the Information and Knowledge Profession - Hawamdeh According to Marcus Garvey “A person without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots." Understanding the LIS history, evolution and the radical changes is a key to the continued transformation of the information and knowledge profession. The continued expansion, evolution, and the emergence of concepts such as knowledge management, data science and generative AI are raising questions like how these concepts are related to LIS, how can they be woven into LIS curriculum, and how historical perspectives can be used to shape the future of the information and knowledge profession.

Past Answers to Present Concerns. The Relevance of the Premodern Past for 21st Century Policy Planners: Comments on the State of the Field

ABSTRACTHow is history relevant to the present, or indeed the future? Governments around the world have used history to inform planning and decision‐making in various fields for years, but more recently it has taken on a renewed importance as governments grapple with increasingly complex challenges arising from the impacts of climatic change. Yet identifying “lessons from the past” is not straightforward. Especially in the case of big questions about historical structures and social processes, establishing precise causal relationships is complex and interpretive, making consensus difficult among specialists. A second major challenge arises over the uses of history. Historical precedent can and does play a role in some contexts in helping formulate new strategies for addressing local environmental challenges. At the national level policy‐makers and politicians often look to the past for inspiration, guidance, or justification. In both respects, the cases and examples chosen are often highly selective and tend to align with pre‐existing assumptions. This article briefly reviews these challenges within the context of climate change and associated environmental and sustainability issues, comments on recent work in the field, and suggests some ways forward for historians.

Adaptive Leadership for Multilevel Resilience in the Context of Disruptions

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the relationship between adaptive leadership and three levels of resilience: individual, team, and organizational. Developing multilevel resilience enables organizations to better anticipate conflicts and respond to environmental disruptions. Through correlation and regression analysis based on 148 respondents from companies in Russia, we build the relationship between adaptive leadership and three levels of resilience, unpacking the new role of leadership in shaping managerial responses to contextual change. The results suggest that adaptive leadership can positively influence all three levels of resilience, with adaptive leadership having the most significant impact on team resilience, then organizational resilience, leaving employee resilience behind. Such findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how exactly managerial mechanisms should be redesigned to overcome disruptions and develop leadership capabilities.

Combining satellite and field data reveals Congo's forest types structure, functioning and composition

AbstractTropical moist forests are not the homogeneous green carpet often illustrated in maps or considered by global models. They harbour a complex mixture of forest types organized at different spatial scales that can now be more accurately mapped thanks to remote sensing products and artificial intelligence. In this study, we built a large‐scale vegetation map of the North of Congo and assessed the environmental drivers of the main forest types, their forest structure, their floristic and functional compositions and their faunistic composition. To build the map, we used Sentinel‐2 satellite images and recent deep learning architectures. We tested the effect of topographically determined water availability on vegetation type distribution by linking the map with a water drainage depth proxy (HAND, height above the nearest drainage index). We also described vegetation type structure and composition (floristic, functional and associated fauna) by linking the map with data from large inventories and derived from satellite images. We found that water drainage depth is a major driver of forest type distribution and that the different forest types are characterized by different structure, composition and functions, bringing new insights about their origins and successional dynamics. We discuss not only the crucial role of soil–water depth, but also the importance of consistently reproducing such maps through time to develop an accurate monitoring of tropical forest types and functions, and we provide insights on peculiar forest types (Marantaceae forests and monodominant Gilbertiodendron forests) on which future studies should focus more. Under the current context of global change, expected to trigger major forest structural and compositional changes in the tropics, an appropriate monitoring strategy of the spatio‐temporal dynamics of forest types and their associated floristic and faunistic composition would considerably help anticipate detrimental shifts.

Prescriptivist attempts at a spelling reform in Early Modern English: sociolinguistic and stylistic routes and rates of adoption

ABSTRACT Some late Renaissance scholars, like Smith (1568); Hart (1569; 1570); Bullokar (1580); Mulcaster (1582), attempted to reform English spelling to reflect the pronunciation changes resulting from the Great Vowel Shift. Their goal was to align letters and phonology by devising a more stable and predictable new system. This study explores the impact and diffusion of these spelling proposals. It examines texts from 1300 to 1700, written by authors from different socio-demographic and biological backgrounds, and across various genres, registers and text-types. The sources used as linguistic materials are the Innsbruck Corpus of Middle English Prose, an archival data source of prose pieces representing different genres from 1150 to 1500 and the Parsed Corpus of Early English Correspondence, a collection of 4,970 authored documents written from 1410 to 1681 by informants from different social ranks. This study may allow us to trace the sociolinguistic and stylistic route and rate of adoption (if any) followed by these attempts at reforming the English spelling system within processes of diffusion of linguistic innovations at the level of orthography, as well as to reconstruct the sociolinguistic contexts of language variation and change in past communities.

Revisiting “An Ever Closer Union of Law and Values”. Still Paddling Together?

The ambition of this analysis is to move beyond the dominant perspective of human rights and instead embrace the neglected dimension of the axiology of the supranational integration. The technical question “how” supranational governance must today respond to the changing context of the law of integration and go hand in hand with revisiting the “why”, despite all our differences, we are still ready to live together within the supranational community. Such a shift in the emphasis is necessary given the fact that the law of integration read only through the prism of market has proven ineffective when it comes to counteracting new kinds of legalistic dangers that feed off „the politics of fear”, where the law is used not to empower but to disempower, not to liberate but to oppress, not to bring to the surface, but to hide and manipulate. In these circumstances one of the major scientific and political tasks is thus to improve the understanding of the novel threats on the individual, social and political levels and in this way to develop counter strategies and counter narratives. In other words, supranational governance needs a new conceptual justification that would explain the ethnography and the practice of supranational law of integration when faced with the novel forms of contestation. It is argued that the value discourse associated with supranational legality provides a truly paradigmatic turn in the studies on the supranational governance and design. In this spirit the analysis invites attention and more robust research to the neglected first order questions of belonging and identity in a common legal order where all the actors are being challenged to rethink their allegiances and anchor them firmly within the framework of common values and aspirations. For that to happen, though, a new narrative is needed, one that would provide all the actors of the law of integration with the discursive framework and a point of reference to defend and better explicate transnational democracy and the rule of law, and not just human rights, as the constitutional essentials (“First Principles”) of the supranational legal order.

La formación inicial del profesor para la ciudadanía en una universidad pública del Perú

Being a teacher today has regained new importance in the formation of citizens. On one hand, we want individuals who are critical and committed to their time, and for this, it is essential to understand the world we live in, to position ourselves within these new contexts of change and regulations. We are participants in the global and national crises, migration and its integration issues, as well as the political, economic, social, and cultural tensions of each region—factors that should enable us to provide responses in educational settings through critical reflection and participatory action. This academic work presents a qualitative and descriptive approach, arising from the analysis of documents related to the educational policy of our country: the General Education Law of Peru, the National Education Project, curricular plans, as well as the syllabus of the History and Geography degree program at a public university, with the aim of identifying, categorizing, and analyzing the subjects where citizenship-related issues are addressed, either explicitly or implicitly. Finally, after conducting a documentary analysis of the syllabus from the History and Geography degree program at a public university in Lima, we present a discussion of the findings and the respective conclusions. It is important to mention that, regarding teacher training for citizenship, there are various Peruvian studies that provide a complementary perspective on the gaps between the teacher training intended to be provided at universities and the development of social science subjects in schools.

Investigation of the impact of dual inoculations of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on drought tolerance of maize grown in a compost-amended field under Mediterranean conditions.

In the current context of rapid climate change, water scarcity and soil poverty are becoming increasingly alarming, leading to growing losses of 30-50% of global agricultural production. It is imperative to find environmentally-friendly approaches for improving plant tolerance to drastic conditions, particularly in arid and semi-arid Mediterranean regions. Biostimulants based on symbiotic microbes are emerging as effective strategies for improving tolerance and agricultural productivity. This study aims to evaluate the effects of single and double inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (My) and plant growth-promoting bacteria (Ba) on the growth, physiological and biochemical traits of maize crop grown in compost (Co) amended soil under two irrigation regimes: well-watered (WW: 100% of crop evapotranspiration [ETc]) and drought-stressed (DS: 50% ETc) using drip irrigation system. Reducing irrigation to 50% reduced shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), 1,000-grains weight (TGW) and grain yield (Y). However, Ba alone increased SDW by 63%, while CoMyBa improved RDW, TGW and Y by 197, 43 and 175%, respectively compared with the control under DS conditions. Dual inoculation boosted root colonization intensity, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), total chlorophyll and leaf area of maize seedlings in compost-amended soil, compared to the controls. The application of Ba significantly reduced hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde by 46%, in maize seedlings grown in compost-amended soil, compared to the controls under DS. Our results indicated that My and Ba significantly boost the ability of maize to tolerate drought by improving water supply and physiology and stimulating the accumulation of organic and inorganic osmolytes, as well as improving the properties of soils such as cation exchange capacity particularly amended by Co. The dual inoculations were the most effective and represent an environmentally-friendly and relatively inexpensive approach to optimizing agricultural production and soil restoration programs in Mediterranean regions.

DIABEZE: Diabetes self-management among the elderly in a Belgian home for the aged: a best practice implementation project.

The aim of this project was to improve the self-management of diabetes among elderly residents in a Belgian home for the aged. Diabetes is a common chronic condition with significant comorbidity. Incidence is increasing, but a third of patients with diabetes are unaware that they have the disease. The treatment of diabetes requires a multifactorial approach. Treatment guidelines on diabetes recommend involving patients in monitoring their condition because supported self-management improves daily glycemic control. This evidence implementation project used the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework, which follows three phases. In the first phase, the area of change, stakeholders' role, and practice context and readiness for change are investigated. In the second phase, a baseline audit is conducted to compare current practice with best practice. Strategies are then implemented to address any areas of non-compliance with best practice. In the third phase, a follow-up audit is conducted to evaluate changes in practice. At baseline, six criteria had 0% compliance, two criteria had compliance lower than 50%, and only 49% of health care workers were familiar with the procedure for hypoglycemia treatment. Improvement strategies included creating awareness among health workers. In the follow-up audit, one criterion improved from 0% to 100%, three criteria improved from 0% to 85%, two criteria reached the threshold of 50% compliance, and one criterion reached 19%. Further audits are needed to ensure sustainability. This project improved diabetes self-management in elderly people living in a Belgian home for the aged. An in-depth planning phase with internal facilitation and interdisciplinary collaboration between all co-workers addressed barriers related to quality systems, structure, communication, and education. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A258.

Global Climate Change, Mental Health, and Socio-Economic Stressors: Toward Sustainable Interventions across Regions

Global climate change’s pervasive impacts extend beyond the environment, significantly affecting mental health across diverse regions. This study offers a comprehensive multi-regional analysis spanning Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas, addressing three critical gaps in existing research: (i) the necessity of a global scope given climate change’s widespread impact, (ii) the under-researched mental health dimension compared to general health effects, and (iii) the integration of climate and mental health data. Using data from 1970 to 2020, we found a strong correlation between climate change and rising mental disorders globally. Regional patterns emerged, with Asia, Africa, and Oceania showing broader associations with various mental health issues, while Europe and the Americas saw increases in anxiety and depression. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the interconnectedness between climate change, mental health, and sustainability. By addressing the mental health impacts of climate change, we can identify sustainable solutions that promote both environmental well-being and human well-being. Our findings highlight the urgent need for global action to mitigate climate change’s mental health effects and provide insights for tailored interventions and public health strategies. Additionally, socio-economic factors like unemployment, urbanisation, GDP growth, and globalisation are incorporated to explore the intricate interplay between climate change, mental health, and societal contexts, offering a clearer understanding of the mechanisms at play.

Empirical study on the relationship between economic growth and implied carbon emissions in Western China's undertaking of international industrial transfer.

In the macro context of global climate change, given the profound challenges that the intensifying greenhouse effect poses to global ecological balance and sustainable economic and social development, the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) is increasingly acknowledged, particularly regarding its dual impact on the environment: while serving as a catalyst for economic growth, it might also exacerbate carbon emissions in host countries. This paper focuses on the panel data of 11 provinces and cities in the western region (excluding Xizang) from 2006 to 2021, calculates the implied carbon of foreign-invested enterprises in the western region, and explores the relationship between the implied carbon of foreign-invested enterprises in the western region and the economic development of the western region. The results indicate that from 2006 to 2021, the implied net carbon value of import and export trade of foreign-invested enterprises in the western region was greater than zero and roughly exhibited an upward trend year by year. FDI has an environmental deficit in terms of carbon emissions in the western region; FDI in the western region has a significant positive effect on the implied carbon emissions in import and export trade; The GDP of the western region has a significant positive effect on the implied carbon emissions of import and export trade. Therefore, this article puts forward corresponding suggestions from five aspects: policy incentives and regulatory constraints, technology research and innovation drive, clean energy development and resource recycling, international cooperation and regional linkage, and public awareness enhancement and cultural advocacy.

Historical and theoretical roots of the big events framework

This article traces the evolution of the Big Events framework since it began as an attempt to understand why sociopolitical transitions in the Former Soviet Union, South Africa, and Indonesia were followed by HIV outbreaks. Big Events frameworks have evolved over time, but all versions try to concretize how macrosocial changes lead to social, personal and environmental changes that shape risk environments and drug use or other behavioral patterns in ways that may lead to epidemics. Important stages in the evolution of the Big Events framework included understanding that the sequelae of Big Events were contingent rather than deterministic, and the development of new survey measures to understand pathways through which Big Events affect social and epidemiologic outcomes. On a broader level, the Big Events framework is a useful crystallization and application of more abstract sociological, social epidemiologic and Marxist frameworks about upstream/downstream relationships and how major social changes are related to epidemics. As such, they raise issues of how to conduct research on dialectical interaction processes. On another level, this article traces the Big Events “style of thought” as Mannheim (Mannheim, 1971) termed it, within the historical context of changes in public health and social science theory, particularly during and after the 1960s.

A chromatic feature detector in the retina signals visual context changes.

The retina transforms patterns of light into visual feature representations supporting behaviour. These representations are distributed across various types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), whose spatial and temporal tuning properties have been studied extensively in many model organisms, including the mouse. However, it has been difficult to link the potentially nonlinear retinal transformations of natural visual inputs to specific ethological purposes. Here, we discover a nonlinear selectivity to chromatic contrast in an RGC type that allows the detection of changes in visual context. We trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) model on large-scale functional recordings of RGC responses to natural mouse movies, and then used this model to search in silico for stimuli that maximally excite distinct types of RGCs. This procedure predicted centre colour opponency in transient suppressed-by-contrast (tSbC) RGCs, a cell type whose function is being debated. We confirmed experimentally that these cells indeed responded very selectively to Green-OFF, UV-ON contrasts. This type of chromatic contrast was characteristic of transitions from ground to sky in the visual scene, as might be elicited by head or eye movements across the horizon. Because tSbC cells performed best among all RGC types at reliably detecting these transitions, we suggest a role for this RGC type in providing contextual information (i.e. sky or ground) necessary for the selection of appropriate behavioural responses to other stimuli, such as looming objects. Our work showcases how a combination of experiments with natural stimuli and computational modelling allows discovering novel types of stimulus selectivity and identifying their potential ethological relevance.

Enhancing LSPIV accuracy in low-speed flows and heterogeneous seeding conditions using image gradient

Flow measurement in rivers and channels is crucial for water resource management and infrastructure planning, especially under the context of climate change. However, traditional methods like mechanical current meters and hydroacoustic instruments face limitations in terms of cost, intrusiveness, and accessibility. In recent years, image-based velocimetry techniques have emerged as promising alternatives due to their non-contact nature and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, persistent challenges remain, particularly concerning the uniform distribution of surface tracers necessary for precise measurements. These challenges are particularly pronounced in cases involving artificial seeding, where ensuring uniform distribution poses a significant obstacle. To address this issue, this study presents a novel methodology for filtering Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) data based on indicators of pixel intensity gradients. The methodology was evaluated across various field measurements under low flow conditions, encompassing a wide range of seeding characteristics. The evaluations demonstrated improvements in mean surface velocity profile estimation, showing reductions of up to 70 % in normalized root mean square error compared to not using filters. Additionally, the results were compared with filters typically employed by experienced LSPIV users, such as background subtraction and cross-correlation coefficient thresholds, showing improvements with the proposed filter. Implementation of the proposed strategy reduces the subjectivity in LSPIV implementation, particularly for users with limited knowledge of the technique, but also require minimal post-processing efforts. The methodology is anticipated to be integrated into existing software tools, thereby enhancing the accessibility of LSPIV for individuals with limited expertise in image velocimetry. Overall, this methodology facilitates cost-effective expansion of hydrological information availability, particularly in resource-constrained regions.