Distinct Strata Research Articles

Casos de arboviroses e correlação com os indicadores de infestação vetorial, fatores climáticos e determinantes sociais de saúde

<p><span class="fontstyle0">There are two main species of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes (Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus) capable of transmitting dengue and other arboviruses such as Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. The present study aimed to characterize data on arboviruses and their correlation with the population density of vectors, climatic and socio-environmental factors in the city of João Pessoa-PB. We selected districts in the neighbourhood that integrate two distinct strata organized and grouped according to the Survey of the Rapid Index of Ae. aegypti (LIRAa) in the municipality of João Pessoa-PB. Stratum I, composed of districts with low quality life indicators, while stratum II grouped neighborhoods with better indicators. In these strata, epidemiological data were compared with the population density of vectors, climatic and socioeconomic factors from 2015 to 2017. It was found that Stratum II presented a strong correlation between the Building Infestation Index and the climatic variables related to precipitation and relative humidity. According to epidemiological data, Stratum I presented a higher number of dengue, Zika and chikungunya notifications, with significant difference (p = 0.001) in relation to Stratum II. Results indicated thatthe Breteau and building infestation indices are considered high; these data indicate that the population presents a higher probability of risk of arbovirus outbreak, mainly in periods of greater rainfall due to the accumulation of water in artificial reservoirs.</span></p>

Electron-Microscopic Studies on the Palatine Tonsil of the Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

The study examined the ultrastructural features of the palatine tonsils of the local mixed breed of adult buffaloes using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The tissue samples collected from the palatine tonsils were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde solution and processed for scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The scanning electron microscopy of the tonsil's surface epithelium presented folded mucosa consisting of folds divided by shallow grooves. The mucosal surface was having a squamous arrangement of cells that were delineated from the adjacent cells. These cells at higher magnification presented the microplicae, which appeared as if filled with material. A few small duct openings were irregularly placed throughout the mucosal surface. The transmission electron-microscopy elaborated structural details of the distinct strata of the surface and reticular epithelia, the cell organelles as well as the lymphocytes migration across the high endothelial venules. The vesiculo-vacuolar organelle was also observed. The study provided detailed ultramicroscopic features of the palatine tonsil, which might play a significant role in the induction of immunity against ingested antigens sampled at the mucosal surface.

Greenspace sites conserve taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles in an urbanized landscape in the Brazilian Cerrado

Urbanization transforms natural ecosystems, creating an environmental mosaic, characterized by native vegetation sites mixed with constructed sites. In this study, we compared dung beetle taxonomic and functional diversity between residential and greenspace sites (remnants of native vegetation) in an urban landscape in the Brazilian Cerrado. We sampled dung beetles in February (2013–2014 – 2015) in four sites of remnants of native Cerado (here called “greenspace”) and four residential sites in the city of Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Greenspace sites are characterized by a mixture of plants of two distinct strata (phytophysiognomy Cerrado sensu stricto), a woody layer of trees and large shrubs, while residential sites are characterized by residential buildings (housing and commercial sites), unpaved roads with tree-lined streets. Dung beetle abundance and species richness were higher in greenspace sites. Species composition differed significantly among habitats but functional composition did not differ. Functional dispersion and functional richness was higher in greenspace sites. On the other hand, functional evenness was similar between greenspace and residential sites. In this study, we found higher taxonomic and functional components of dung beetle diversity in greenspace when compared to residential sites in the Brazilian Cerrado. Thus, we highlight the importance greenspace sites for the conservation of dung beetle biodiversity and consequently their ecological services (i.e. such as soil aeration, secondary seed dispersal, parasite regulation), which indirectly can affect human life quality in the urban matrix.

Tailoring integrated care services for high-risk patients with multiple chronic conditions: a risk stratification approach using cluster analysis

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to produce a risk stratification within a population of high-risk patients with multiple chronic conditions who are currently treated under a case management program and to explore the existence of different risk subgroups. Different care strategies were then suggested for healthcare reform according to the characteristics of each subgroup.MethodsAll high-risk multimorbid patients from a case management program in the Navarra region of Spain were included in the study (n = 885). A 1-year mortality risk score was estimated for each patient by logistic regression. The population was then divided into subgroups according to the patients’ estimated risk scores. We used cluster analysis to produce the stratification with Ward’s linkage hierarchical algorithm. The characteristics of the resulting subgroups were analyzed, and post hoc pairwise tests were performed.ResultsThree distinct risk strata were found, containing 45, 38 and 17% of patients. Age increased from cluster to cluster, and functional status, clinical severity, nursing needs and nutritional values deteriorated. Patients in cluster 1 had lower renal deterioration values, and patients in cluster 3 had higher rates of pressure skin ulcers, higher rates of cerebrovascular disease and dementia, and lower prevalence rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the existence of distinct subgroups within a population of high-risk patients with multiple chronic conditions. Current case management integrated care programs use a uniform treatment strategy for patients who have diverse needs. Alternative treatment strategies should be considered to fit the needs of each patient subgroup.

Data-Driven Volume Thresholds Predictive of Improved Outcomes after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation

It is well established that "high volume" centers have better outcomes for complex surgical care including transplantation. However, few studies have used data-driven methodology to establish clinically meaningful volume thresholds predictive of improved outcomes for centers performing orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). All OHT cases performed between 2005 and 2015 (with follow-up through 2016) within the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database were reviewed for potential eligibility. All patients ≥18 years of age undergoing isolated OHT were included. Stratum-specific likelihood ratio analysis (SSLR) was used to establish volume thresholds predictive of the primary outcome of mortality at 1-year. Preoperative characteristics and postoperative outcomes were compared between volume strata using χ2 tests (categorical) or ANOVA (continuous). A total of 21,800 recipients (mean age 52.6 ± 12.8 years; 25.2% female) were included in the final cohort. Three distinct center volume strata were identified from the analysis: low (<10 OHT/year), intermediate (10-18 OHT/year), and high volume (≥19 OHT/year). More than half of recipients (57.4%) were transplanted at high volume centers. Compared to low volume centers, recipients at high volume centers had higher survival at 30-days and 1-year (96.0% vs 94.2% and 90.0% vs 86.6%, respectively; both P<.001). These recipients also had a lower rate of post-transplant dialysis (10.0% vs 12.8%; P<.001) despite higher rates of intra-aortic balloon pump and inotropic medication usage (table), along with shorter length of stay (20 days vs 23 days; P=.002). The results of our study demonstrate that higher volume centers perform better than their lower volume counterparts in terms of early mortality after OHT. Our study adds to the existing literature by providing specific, data-driven volume thresholds predictive of improved early outcomes in the contemporary transplant and circulatory support landscape.

Increasing Access to Clean Fuels and Clean Technologies: A Club Convergence Approach

In this paper we test for convergence in access to clean energy and clean technology among nations in order to study the economic determinants of access to clean energy and clean technologies. This is important because without access to clean fuels, no global development strategy can be environmentally sustainable. After obtaining an estimated convergence rate under a conditional β -convergence model, we use a more sophisticated club convergence econometric framework and ultimately reject the hypothesis of β -convergence in favor of subgroups exhibiting intra-group convergence tendencies that are distinct from the other groups. We then employ a club convergence algorithm which groups the 93 nations studied into 8 convergence clubs based on characteristics including the percentage of the population with access to clean energy in the household and the growth rate of this percentage. Evidence that household access to clean energy and clean technology is tied to economic development and institutional quality is provided by showing that the convergence clubs not only reflect distinct strata in access to clean energy but are also strongly tied to important indicators of institutional quality.

Forest community assembly is driven by different strata‐dependent mechanisms along an elevational gradient

AbstractAimThe mechanisms driving forest community assembly along elevational gradients remain elusive. The distinct strata in heterogeneous forest are subject to differing assembly mechanisms. This study aims to evaluate how different ecological mechanisms driving forest community assembly across strata and spatial scales, and to identify how these assemblages respond to different abiotic or biotic variables along an elevational gradient.LocationYulong Mountain within Hengduan Mountains, Southwest China.TaxonSeed plants.MethodsWe sampled plant species along a 1,200 m elevational gradient across forest strata (trees, shrubs and herbs) at different spatial scales (neighbourhood and community). We integrated phylogenetic and functional diversity to disentangle the roles of ecological mechanisms in structuring community assembly. We also determined the relative effects of climatic, soil and biotic variables and their interactions on these community assemblages.ResultsThe phylogenetic and functional diversity of trees were lower at the extremes of the elevational gradient, where they were constrained by water availability or temperature. While communities with higher species diversity exhibited an overdispersed structure at mid‐elevations. For shrubs, overdispersion was exhibited at high elevations despite low species richness, which could be consistent with facilitative interactions or competition exclusion. However, most communities of herbs appear to have a markedly random structure, despite some incongruence between phylogenetic divergence and functional convergence, as well as influences from overstorey trees and local light conditions. The relative effects of abiotic variables on community structure were larger at the community scale than at the neighbourhood scale.Main conclusionsOur study emphasises the importance of considering phylogenies and traits in understanding the strata‐ and scale‐dependent mechanisms of forest community assembly. Collectively, results indicate that contrasting assembly mechanisms interact across different strata along elevational gradients to shape diverse forest communities.

Stakeholders’ Perception of Residential Rental Value Determinants in Ghana

The determinants of Residential Rental Values (RRVs) have been analysed differently by housing researchers across the globe. This paper scrutinises the perception of stakeholders in Accra’s housing market in order to identify and conceptualise commonalities and differences in variables that determine RRVs. It adopts relative importance index to rank 38 different variables that determine RRVs. Using the stratified sampling technique, the population of experts and stakeholders with knowledge in the rental market space were identified and categorised into six distinct strata. The sample frame was drawn from landlords; tenants; real estate agents; academic staff from real estate departments in universities; valuation and estate surveyors; and a group labelled as ‘others’. Purposive sampling was then used to identify respondents within each stratum. The findings suggest that electricity and piped water connection, type of house, property condition and number of bedrooms are the most significant determinants of RRVs in Accra. Contrariwise, the least significant variables include storeroom availability, proximity to recreational facilities, proximity to place of worship, landscape quality and number of storeys. This study contextualises RRVs by identifying variables that reflect characteristics of the rental housing market in Accra. This paper serves as a guide in understanding rental market dynamics in a typical African city where access to data remains a challenge.

Disease Risk Index Predicts Relapse in Children Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT)

Relapse is most common cause of death after HCT. However, given the heterogeneity of diseases and disease states among patients (pts), risk for relapse is often difficult to manage in clinical trials when survival is the endpoint. The Disease Risk Index (DRI) predicts overall survival (OS) based on pre-HCT disease characteristics such as type of disease, remission status, and cytogenetic abnormalities and can be used to group heterogeneous diseases into 4 risk strata: very high risk [VHR, 1% of pts], high risk [HR, 23%], intermediate risk [IR, 64%], and low risk [LR, 12%] (Armand, Blood, 2014). OS for each of these strata is distinctly different. The DRI has been validated for adults, but not for children. Furthermore, the DRI cannot be calculated for some pediatric diseases like juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). To determine its validity for children we calculated the DRI for 280 pediatric pts transplanted between 2008 and 2018 at Mount Sinai Acute GVHD International Consortium centers. The median age was 8.9 years (range, 0.4 - 17). The most common indications for HCT were ALL (51%), AML (31%), MDS (10%), and JMML (4%). Donors were adult unrelated donors (48%), unrelated cord blood (20%), haploidentical donors (17%), and matched siblings (15%). We first determined 2y survival by DRI for the 270 pts without JMML. Survival for JMML was closest to the VHR strata and we grouped JMML with VHR for all further analyses. The size of each of the risk strata were different for children compared to adults, VHR (n=32, 11%), HR (n=108, 39%), IR (n=128, 46%), and LR (n=12, 4%). Given the small number of LR pts, we excluded them from further analyses. We then determined that DRI effectively stratified pts into distinct strata for relapse (FIG 1A) and disease-free survival (FIG 1B). Because transplant practices are different for children compared to adults (e.g., more myeloablative conditioning), we examined whether DRI remained predictive of outcomes after adjustment for age, donor type, stem cell source, and conditioning intensity. We used IR as the reference group for these multivariate analyses. Children with HR DRI were significantly more likely to relapse (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2-3.7) and have worse DFS (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.5). The risks for relapse and worse DFS were even greater for children with VHR DRI (relapse, HR 3.4, 95% CI 1.6-7.3, DFS 3.59, 95% CI 2.0-6.5). There were no significant differences in 2y non-relapse mortality by DRI. VHR pts had significantly worse 2y OS (HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6-6.4) but HR pts were not significantly different for 2y OS than IR pts (HR 1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.2). OS for HR and IR pts may diverge with longer follow-up. In summary, the LR strata is small and more pts are needed to determine their outcomes. However, for >95% of children the DRI creates 3 distinct risk strata. The DRI can be used in pediatric clinical trials to stratify for risk of relapse.

Geobotany in a fault in the world’s largest continuous wetland in central South America

The Pantanal is located in the center of South America in a tectonically active sedimentary basin of Quaternary age. Even though the relief is flat and the diversity of the sediments is low, its vegetation cover has high variability resulting from seasonal fluctuations in water levels and the presence of four surrounding biomes. Changes in elevation of less than 1 m influence the length and intensity of floods, powerfully affecting the vegetation. Faults with small vertical displacement can generate abrupt vegetation changes and, consequently, expressive vegetation lineaments. This study characterizes a lineament in the northern Pantanal, considering Land Surface Phenology, estimates of precipitation, and floristic survey. The phenological metrics, obtained from a 15-year time series from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer processed by TIMESAT software, discriminate evergreen forests in the NW of this lineament from savanna-like physiognomies in the SE region. Plant taxonomic identification shows two distinct regional strata with a clear separation between species adapted to prolonged floods in the NW and typical species of the Cerrado biome, mostly xeromorphic, in the SE. Data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission complemented the analysis, showing different dependence on local rains on different sides of the lineament. The entire dataset defines this geological structure as a driver of the Pantanal’s plant communities, being a boundary for the extensive establishment of propagules of the Amazon biome. This research, in addition to advancing knowledge of this singular region, which is essential for management studies, can be a stimulus to biological and forest investigations.

Extending the Case-Control Design to Longitudinal Data: Stratified Sampling Based on Repeated Binary Outcomes.

We detail study design options that generalize case-control sampling when longitudinal outcome data are already collected as part of a primary cohort study, but new exposure data must be retrospectively processed for a secondary analysis. Furthermore, we assume that cost will limit the size of the subsample that can be evaluated. We describe a novel class of stratified outcome-dependent sampling designs for longitudinal binary response data where distinct strata are created for subjects who never, sometimes, and always experienced the event of interest during longitudinal follow-up. Individual designs within this class are differentiated by the stratum-specific sampling probabilities. We show for parameters associated with time-varying exposures, subjects who experience the event/outcome at some but not at all of the follow-up times (i.e., those who exhibit response variation) are highly informative. If the time-varying exposure varies exclusively within individuals (i.e., intraclass correlation coefficient is 0), then sampling all subjects with response variability can yield highly precise parameter estimates even when compared with an analysis of the original cohort. The flexibility of the designs and analysis procedures also permits estimation of parameters that correspond to time-fixed covariates, and we show that with an imputation-based estimation procedure, baseline covariate associations can be estimated with very high precision irrespective of the design. We demonstrate features of the designs and analysis procedures via a plasmode simulation using data from the Lung Health Study.

Reconstructing Sociology: The Critical Realist Approach. By Douglas V. Porpora. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. 249. $35.99 (paper).The Relational Subject. By Pierpaolo Donati and Margaret S. Archer. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. 356. $37.95 (paper).

<i>Reconstructing Sociology: The Critical Realist Approach</i>. By Douglas V. Porpora. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. 249. $35.99 (paper).<i>The Relational Subject</i>. By Pierpaolo Donati and Margaret S. Archer. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. 356. $37.95 (paper).

On the Evolution From Micrometer-Scale Inhomogeneity to Global Overheated Structure During the Intense Joule Heating of a z-Pinch Rod

Ultrafast optical microscopy of metal z-pinch rods pulsed with megaampere current is contributing new data and critical insight into what provides the fundamental seed for the magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor (MRT) instability. A two-frame near infrared/visible intensified-charge-coupled device gated imager with 2-ns temporal resolution and 3- $\mu \text{m}$ spatial resolution captured emissions from the nonuniformly Joule heated surfaces of ultrasmooth aluminum (Al) rods. Nonuniform surface emissions are consistently first observed from discrete, 10- $\mu \text{m}$ scale, subelectronvolt spots. Aluminum 6061 alloy, with micrometer-scale nonmetallic resistive inclusions, forms several times more spots than 99.999% pure Al 5N; 5–10 ns later, azimuthally stretched elliptical spots and distinct strata (40–100 $\mu \text{m}$ wide by 10 $\mu \text{m}$ tall) are observed on Al 6061, but not on Al 5N. Such overheat strata, which are aligned parallel to the magnetic field, are highly effective seeds for MRT instability growth. These data give credence to the hypothesis that early nonuniform Joule heating, such as the electrothermal instability, may provide the dominant seed for MRT.

Influence of Nutrient Availability and Quorum Sensing on the Formation of Metabolically Inactive Microcolonies Within Structurally Heterogeneous Bacterial Biofilms: An Individual-Based 3D Cellular Automata Model.

The resistance of bacterial biofilms to antibiotic treatment has been attributed to the emergence of structurally heterogeneous microenvironments containing metabolically inactive cell populations. In this study, we use a three-dimensional individual-based cellular automata model to investigate the influence of nutrient availability and quorum sensing on microbial heterogeneity in growing biofilms. Mature biofilms exhibited at least three structurally distinct strata: a high-volume, homogeneous region sandwiched between two compact sections of high heterogeneity. Cell death occurred preferentially in layers in close proximity to the substratum, resulting in increased heterogeneity in this section of the biofilm; the thickness and heterogeneity of this lowermost layer increased with time, ultimately leading to sloughing. The model predicted the formation of metabolically dormant cellular microniches embedded within faster-growing cell clusters. Biofilms utilizing quorum sensing were more heterogeneous compared to their non-quorum sensing counterparts, and resisted sloughing, featuring a cell-devoid layer of EPS atop the substratum upon which the remainder of the biofilm developed. Overall, our study provides a computational framework to analyze metabolic diversity and heterogeneity of biofilm-associated microorganisms and may pave the way toward gaining further insights into the biophysical mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.

Physical environmental controls on riparian root profiles associated with black poplar (Populus nigra L.) along the Tagliamento River, Italy

AbstractTree roots contribute to the resistance of riparian sediments to physical deformation and disintegration. Understanding reinforcement by roots requires information on root distributions within riparian soils and sediments. Continuous‐depth models or curves have been proposed to describe vertical root density variations, providing useful indicators of the types of function that may be appropriate to riparian trees, but have generally been estimated for terrestrial species or broad vegetation types rather than riparian species or environments.We investigated vertical distributions of roots &gt;0.1 mm diameter of a single riparian tree species (Populus nigra L.) along the middle reaches of a single river (Tagliamento River, Italy), where Populus nigra dominates the riparian woodland. Root density (hundreds m−2) and root area ratio (RAR in cm2 m−2) were measured within 10 cm depth increments of 24 excavated bank profiles across nine sites. Sediment samples, extracted from distinct strata within the profiles, were analysed for moisture content, organic matter content and particle size. Statistical analyses identified two groups of wetter and drier profiles and five sediment types.Following loge‐transformation of root density and RAR, linear regression analysis explored their variation with depth and, using dummy variables, any additional influence of moisture and sediment type. Significant linear regression relationships were estimated between both root density and RAR and depth which explained only 15% and 8% of the variance in the data. Incorporating moisture and then sediment characteristics into the analysis increased the variance explained in root density to 29% and 36% and in RAR to 14% and 26%.We conclude that riparian tree root density and RAR are highly spatially variable and are poorly explained by depth alone. Complex riparian sedimentary structures and moisture conditions are important influences on root distributions and so need to be incorporated into assessments of the contribution of roots to river bank reinforcement. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Vertical profiles of zooplankton community structure in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during the austral summer of 2012/2013

The abundance and vertical distribution of zooplankton in the mesopelagic zone are important to better understand their role in carbon and energy transfer in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. In the austral summer of 2012/2013, in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, the vertical profiles of zooplankton community structures between 0 and 1500 m were investigated by multivariate analysis of samples collected using a Hydro-Bios MultiNet (200-µm mesh, 0.5 m2 mouth size). Four zooplankton communities belonging to distinct water strata were identified. Group 1 contained samples collected from the surface water strata (<100 m) of four shelf and neritic stations. Group 2 was composed of samples collected from the neritic and shelf regions (<500 m) and the upper layers (0–200 m) of the oceanic region. Group 3 mainly comprised samples collected from the mesopelagic and upper bathypelagic zones (200–1500 m) of shelf and oceanic stations north of the shelf break edge. Group 4 consisted of samples in the 1000–1500 m water stratum of three oceanic stations. The four groups differed more in animal abundance than in species composition. Similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER) showed that zooplankton communities in the upper depth strata (0–200 m) had higher abundance and more pronounced dissimilarity within samples than those below 200 m. A few species (Metridia gerlachei, Rhincalanus gigas, Alacia spp.) showed significant diel vertical migration based on quadratic regression analysis. Sampling depth was the strongest differentiating factor between samples. These results suggest that depth-related differences in environmental characteristics of water masses, such as temperature and salinity, may have the greatest effect upon community structure.

Polymeric membranes modulate human keratinocyte differentiation in specific epidermal layers

In vitro models of human bioengineered skin substitutes are an alternative to animal experimentation for testing the effects and toxicity of drugs, cosmetics and pollutants. For the first time specific and distinct human epidermal strata were engineered by using membranes and keratinocytes. To this purpose, biodegradable membranes of chitosan (CHT), polycaprolactone (PCL) and a polymeric blend of CHT-PCL were prepared by phase-inversion technique and characterized in order to evaluate their morphological, physico-chemical and mechanical properties. The capability of membranes to modulate keratinocyte differentiation inducing specific interactions in epidermal membrane systems was investigated. The overall results demonstrated that the membrane properties strongly influence the cell morpho-functional behaviour of human keratinocytes, modulating their terminal differentiation, with the creation of specific epidermal strata or a fully proliferative epidermal multilayer system. In particular, human keratinocytes adhered on CHT and CHT-PCL membranes, forming the structure of the epidermal top layers, such as the corneum and granulosum strata, characterized by withdrawal or reduction from the cell cycle and cell proliferation. On the PCL membrane, keratinocytes developed an epidermal basal lamina, with high proliferating cells that stratified and migrated over time to form a complete differentiating epidermal multilayer system.

A Rasch Analysis of Assessments of Morning and Evening Fatigue in Oncology Patients Using the Lee Fatigue Scale

ContextTo accurately investigate diurnal variations in fatigue, a measure needs to be psychometrically sound and demonstrate stable item function in relationship to time of day. Rasch analysis is a modern psychometric approach that can be used to evaluate these characteristics. ObjectivesTo evaluate, using Rasch analysis, the psychometric properties of the Lee Fatigue Scale (LFS) in a sample of oncology patients. MethodsThe sample comprised 587 patients (mean age 57.3 ± 11.9 years, 80% women) undergoing chemotherapy for breast, gastrointestinal, gynecological, or lung cancer. Patients completed the 13-item LFS within 30 minutes of awakening (i.e., morning fatigue) and before going to bed (i.e., evening fatigue). Rasch analysis was used to assess validity and reliability. ResultsIn initial analyses of differential item function, eight of the 13 items functioned differently depending on whether the LFS was completed in the morning or in the evening. Subsequent analyses were conducted separately for the morning and evening fatigue assessments. Nine of the morning fatigue items and 10 of the evening fatigue items demonstrated acceptable goodness-of-fit to the Rasch model. Principal components analyses indicated that both morning and evening assessments demonstrated unidimensionality. Person-separation indices indicated that both morning and evening fatigue scales were able to distinguish four distinct strata of fatigue severity. ConclusionExcluding four items from the morning fatigue scale and three items from the evening fatigue scale improved the psychometric properties of the LFS for assessing diurnal variations in fatigue severity in oncology patients.

The Genealogy of the Muses: An Internal Reconstruction of Archaic Greek Metapoetics

This article puts forward a novel approach to the history of poetic forms in Archaic Greece. By investigating the evolution of the “diegetic frames” involving the figure of the Muse(s), it seeks to trace mutual influences between different genres (Homeric epic, catalogue poetry, the Homeric Hymns, early choral lyric) and, in the case of the Iliad and Hesiod’s Theogony , to identify distinct strata in the composition of one text. This genealogical analysis of the invocation of the Muses demonstrates that choral lyric had a significant impact on the evolving forms of hexameter poetry.

Defoliation patterns and their implications for the management of vegetative tropical pastures to control intake and diet quality by cattle

AbstractThis study assessed the use of pasture attributes to control daily intake and diet quality during progressive defoliation on pastures of Axonopus catarinensis. Three consecutive 12‐day grazing treatments of progressive defoliation were conducted with Brahman cross‐steers. Daily forage intake and defoliation dynamics were assessed using a pasture‐based method. The treatments differed in initial sward height (33, 44 and 61 cm) and herbage mass (1030, 1740 and 2240 kg ha−1). The post‐grazing residual sward height, at which forage intake decreased, appeared to increase with the initial sward height (12·3, 14·6 and 15·5 cm). Steers grazed up to four distinctive grazing strata in all treatments. The depth and herbage mass content of the top grazing stratum were at least five times higher than the lower grazing strata in all treatments. This explains why forage intake decreased when the top grazing stratum was removed in approximately 93% of the pasture area in all treatments, equivalent to approximately 7% of the pasture area remaining ungrazed. We conclude that the residual ungrazed area of the pasture, rather than residual sward height, can be used to develop grazing management strategies to control forage intake and diet quality in a wide range of pasture conditions.