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Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an emerging pathogen of high concern given its resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Broiler chicken, which is the number one consumed meat in the United States and worldwide, can be a reservoir of ESBL E. coli. Backyard poultry ownership is on the rise in the United States, yet there is little research investigating prevalence of ESBL E. coli in this setting. This study aims to identify the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles (phenotypically and genotypically) of ESBL E. coli in some backyard and commercial broiler farms in the U.S. For this study ten backyard and ten commercial farms were visited at three time-points across flock production. Fecal (n = 10), litter/compost (n = 5), soil (n = 5), and swabs of feeders and waterers (n = 6) were collected at each visit and processed for E. coli. Assessment of ESBL phenotype was determined through using disk diffusion with 3rd generation cephalosporins, cefotaxime and ceftazidime, and that with clavulanic acid. Broth microdilution and whole genome sequencing were used to investigate both phenotypic and genotypic resistance profiles, respectively. ESBL E. coli was more prevalent in backyard farms with 12.95% of samples testing positive whereas 0.77% of commercial farm samples were positive. All isolates contained a blaCTX-M gene, the dominant variant being blaCTX-M-1, and its presence was entirely due to plasmids. Our study confirms concerns of growing resistance to fourth generation cephalosporin, cefepime, as roughly half (51.4%) of all isolates were found to be susceptible dose-dependent and few were resistant. Resistance to non-beta lactams, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, was also detected in our samples. Our study identifies prevalence of blaCTX-M type ESBL E. coli in U.S. backyard broiler farms, emphasizing the need for interventions for food and production safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of aura deployed in this article – a notion contained in inchoate form in the popular usage of "backyard" – evokes the tension between the apparent stable boundaries of the state and its much more ambiguous incarnation. It allows for a view of the state that is both unconfined to its physical boundaries and that melts into its contiguous neighbours. Building upon the recent work of philosophers on more-than-human entanglements and symbiotic assemblages, the auratic can also help challenge the Darwinian model currently predominant in geopolitics. Indeed, adopting collaboration and symbiosis as organising metaphors rather than zero-sum survival predicated on competition and rivalry seems especially crucial in the current context of climate change and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the cocreation of an emergent place-identity in a Hakka household in the Hong Kong countryside triggered by architectural restoration. Located in Kuk Po, a quintessential Hakka village that was established over 300 years ago, Yeung House was restored by the research team under a government-funded initiative to regenerate architectural values. Rebuilt in 1967, Yeung House has experienced decay and evolution over the years. It signifies the adaptive lifestyle of Hakka immigrants through its adapted siting, hybrid tectonics and modernised features. After restoration, Yeung House was repurposed into a base for education and research managed by the three house-owning villagers. Different activities were initiated by the villagers and coarranged by the research team. As a serendipitous outcome, the front yard of Yeung House has been activated into a multifunctional communal space. Subsequently, it is argued that a place-identity has emerged in Ng To and is influenced by the distinctiveness of the restored Yeung House and the continuity of the front yard. New meanings of the place have been created by the villagers through the practice of a potential, alternative lifestyle in the rural-urban parallel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The October Revolution ushered in a radical, future‐orientated political agenda. Almost immediately, through the press, advice literature, activism and avant‐garde planning, a lively discourse on domestic life presented the home as a central site for building this 'new epoch'. The home became the hub of a new and burgeoning Soviet temporality – a professed modern vision of time, which pitched the past against the future, embraced rational time discipline, pictured the world through a progress‐orientated teleology, and stressed mankind's ability to master time itself. While Marx famously refrained from outlining what communism would actually look like, the home and visions of the home provided a very immediate means of picturing the communist future – and how people would occupy it. As historians have started to note, the home became a temporal marker of difference between the self‐identified scourge of 'Russian backwardness' and the future‐orientated promise of Soviet communism. This was the difference between the fatalism and rigidity of old Russia and the intentionally disruptive mobilisation campaigns of the Soviet project. This article examines how visions of a 'new way of life' and modern utopian thinking on the home grounded a future‐orientated revolutionary ideology, making the promise of communism and new temporal understandings of the world tangible in the wake of 1917. But, crucially, drawing on the latest debates about time and temporalities, the article examines how different temporal modes can exist side by side in dynamic form – even in creative tension. Past and future temporalities, it posits, together formed radical Russia's vision of revolutionary time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a method to infer the 3D pose of mice, including the limbs and feet, from monocular videos. Many human clinical conditions and their corresponding animal models result in abnormal motion, and accurately measuring 3D motion at scale offers insights into health. The 3D poses improve classification of health-related attributes over 2D representations. The inferred poses are accurate enough to estimate stride length even when the feet are mostly occluded. This method could be applied as part of a continuous monitoring system to non-invasively measure animal health, as demonstrated by its use in successfully classifying animals based on age and genotype. We introduce the Mouse Pose Analysis Dataset, the first large scale video dataset of lab mice in their home cage with ground truth keypoint and behavior labels. The dataset also contains high resolution mouse CT scans, which we use to build the shape models for 3D pose reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warren H. Manning developed a distinctive approach to civic horticulture that recurred throughout his career as a city planner, calling for educational plantings beyond limited educational gardens to encompass streets, neighborhoods, school and college campuses, and entire park systems. These plantings, supported by printed media, were resources for citizens to educate themselves, improve their own home grounds, and in turn participate in the improvement of the community's civic landscape as a whole. Manning's approach brought together village improvement, amateur naturalist societies, schoolyard gardening, and his own experience designing arboreta with the Olmsted firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying locations prone to exporting nitrogen (N), also called export control points, within residential landscapes, is key to determining N mitigation strategies. Within residential landscapes, lawns have the potential to act as either a sink of N via uptake and denitrification, or a source of N via additions such as fertilizer. Lawns draining to impervious surfaces are more likely to be sources of N loading to receiving water bodies through directly connected curb and sewer flow paths. We utilized small-scale rainfall experiments to examine whether hydrobiogeochemical measurements of potential denitrification and saturated infiltration rates were predictive of N mobilization, and how potential export control points (locations within the upper quartile of N mobilization values) varied spatially and temporally on residential lawns in Baltimore, Maryland. We found potential denitrification, but not infiltration, was predictive of N mobilization in runoff and leachate, only on fertilized lawns. Potential export control points occurred more often in the late summer and fall and 85% were on fertilized lawns. Applying fertilizer shortly before a rainfall event increased the N mobilization in runoff and leachate by an order of magnitude. Suburban front yards also had more potential export control points compared to backyards, which is notable as front yards are surrounded by impervious surfaces increasing their vulnerability to transporting N to downstream ecosystems. These findings highlight the spatial and temporal variability of N mobilization on lawns. Targeting locations such as vulnerable front yards, or behaviors, such as timing of fertilizer application, may be useful N mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Backyards to Ballparks: More Personal Baseball Stories from the Stand and Beyond" by Eric C. Gray is a collection of baseball anecdotes from people across the United States and around the world. The book categorizes the stories into chapters based on themes, such as family and baseball, and includes a variety of content, including personal memories, historical events, and poems. While the book is highly edited and lacks individual voices, it offers a diverse range of stories that highlight the impact of baseball on people's lives. It is recommended for baseball enthusiasts who are interested in connecting with others who share their passion for the sport. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores the presence and behavior of Sericophorus wasps in a backyard in Melbourne's sand-belt, highlighting their unique hunting habits and nesting behavior. Topics include their specialized predation on blowflies, nesting habits, and mimicry of prey, shedding light on their ecological role and adaptations.

Background and Aim: Avian viral diseases usually cause high economic losses because of high morbidity and mortality and poor growth. The rearing of chickens in backyards could have an important role in the spread of certain diseases, particularly those of viral origin. Infected birds might be prone to many viral infections for several reasons, including a lack of vaccination programs, the mixing of different bird species in the same location, and the close interactions of these birds with wild and migratory birds carrying various pathogens. This study aimed to conduct serological surveillance of avian encephalomyelitis virus (AEV) in some backyard chickens in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Serum samples (n = 368) were collected from domestic chickens reared in 10 backyards in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. None of the domestic birds in these 10 backyards were vaccinated against the virus. In addition, 78 serum samples were collected from free-ranging birds belonging to Columbidae, such as pigeons and doves, in common areas near the domestic backyards. We tested these sera for specific antibodies against AEV. Results: Our results revealed seroconversion to AEV among the examined chickens (14.6%). None of the tested pigeons and doves displayed seroconversion to AEV. Conclusion: Seroconversion of these non-vaccinated birds against AEV was suggestive of a recent natural infection by this virus. Further studies with a large number of birds are required to molecularly characterize the circulating strains of this virus in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a method to infer the 3D pose of mice, including the limbs and feet, from monocular videos. Many human clinical conditions and their corresponding animal models result in abnormal motion, and accurately measuring 3D motion at scale offers insights into health. The 3D poses improve classification of health-related attributes over 2D representations. The inferred poses are accurate enough to estimate stride length even when the feet are mostly occluded. This method could be applied as part of a continuous monitoring system to non-invasively measure animal health, as demonstrated by its use in successfully classifying animals based on age and genotype. We introduce the Mouse Pose Analysis Dataset, the first large scale video dataset of lab mice in their home cage with ground truth keypoint and behavior labels. The dataset also contains high resolution mouse CT scans, which we use to build the shape models for 3D pose reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for Salmonella enterica and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in backyard production systems (BPS) from central Chile. BPS were determined as the epidemiologic unit, collecting, for every sampled PS, cloacal or rectal swabs, which were then analyzed by bacterial culture and confirmed by conventional PCR. A positivity rate of 4.17% was estimated among BPS for S. enterica in the Metropolitana region, while no positive samples were found in the Valparaíso region. For STEC, a positivity rate among BPS of 11.76% in the Metropolitana region and 18.52% in the Valparaíso region was estimated. The study also identifies different antimicrobial phenotypical resistance profiles in both S. enterica and STEC, including multiresistant strains, considered critically important under the One Health approach. The presence of ruminants inside BPS was identified as a factor that raises the risk of positivity for STEC and S. enterica/STEC. The study highlights the need for improved biosecurity measures and education regarding zoonotic agents in BPS. The findings of this study are of high importance, providing evidence to policymakers and stakeholders to develop strategies to reduce the risk of transmission of zoonotic agents from BPS to humans and other animals. BPS managed exclusively by women were shown to be at a greater risk for S. entarica/STEC positivity compared to men of the family, emphasizing the need to implement and deliver training to women to reduce the current consequences of the gender gap and its potential impact on this animal and human neglected population in Chile. Backyard production systems (BPS) are distributed worldwide, rearing animals recognized as reservoirs of Salmonella enterica and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), both zoonotic pathogens. The aim of this study was to characterize isolates of both pathogens obtained from animals raised in BPS from two central Chile regions. The presence of pathogens was determined by bacterial culture and confirmatory PCR for each sampled BPS, calculating positivity rates. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine risk factors. Additionally, phenotypic antimicrobial resistance was determined. A positivity rate of 2.88% for S. enterica and 14.39% for STEC was determined for the complete study region (Valparaíso and Metropolitana regions). Risk factor analysis suggests that the presence of ruminants (OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.002–1.075) increases the risk of STEC-positive BPS, and the presence of ruminants (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.002–1.075) and the animal handlers being exclusively women (OR = 3.54; 95% CI = 1.029–12.193) increase the risk for S. enterica/STEC positivity. Eighty percent of S. enterica isolates were multidrug resistant, and all STEC were resistant to Cephalexin. This study evidences the circulation of multidrug-resistant zoonotic bacterial strains in animals kept in BPS and the presence of factors that modify the risk of BPS positivity for both pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backyards are family settings adjacent to the house, characterized mainly by being small-scale and diversified productive spaces. The research typologically characterized the backyards and their contribution to family food security in La Concordia municipality, Chiapas, Mexico. The research was descriptive and mixed, quantitative, and qualitative, and semi-structured interviews were applied to 130 families. For the typification, 21 variables were used, and the statistical techniques of Factorial Analysis and Clusters were applied. The cases studied were classified, according to the relevance of their production and contribution to food security, into two general groups: a) a group of backyards that is more productive and contributes to food security, which in turn includes three subtypes of backyards that differ from each other by their profile towards vegetable or poultry production for subsistence, and/or pigs as a form of savings; b) a group of less productive backyards in which other management strategies for food security are assumed and differ from each other by the level of expulsion of labor force and types of families, nuclear or extended. Poultry and plant species for multiple uses was the most frequently characteristic, regardless of the type of backyard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) is a recently discovered respiratory virus in chickens. Avian metapneumovirus has been linked to respiratory syndromes, reproductive failure in affected chickens and turkeys, swollen head syndrome in chickens, and rhinotracheitis in turkeys. Wild birds are considered potential reservoirs of aMPV, particularly aMPV-C. However, little is known about the prevalence of aMPV in Saudi Arabia. Considering the relevance of backyard chickens in the transmission and sustainability of certain avian viral diseases, this study aimed to assess aMPV exposure in backyard chickens and wild birds circulating near selected locations. Materials and Methods: We collected 368 serum samples from unvaccinated backyard chickens in ten locations in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, we collected 78 serum samples from species of free-ranging birds belonging to the Columbidae family, such as pigeons and doves, captured from the same areas. Using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits, we tested the sera of domestic backyard chickens and wild birds for antibodies against aMPV. Results: Our results showed that 74/368 birds were positive for aMPV-related antibodies. Conversely, none of the tested wild birds seroconverted to aMPV. Conclusion: The antibody titers detected in the backyard chickens suggested recent exposure to aMPV. Considering these results, further large-scale serological and molecular studies are needed to evaluate the prevalence of aMPV in these birds and characterize the circulating strains of aMPV in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents and discusses data from a qualitative study carried out in April and May 2020 with families under lockdown in Italy (N = 319) and Greece (N = 297). The research examined how confinement and restrictions on movement had impacted families' everyday geographies (with a particular focus on 'liminal' places located between homes and public spaces, such as balconies, hallways, courtyards, backyards), as well as parents' most valued public spaces and propensity (and modes) to use them. Data were analysed following a top-down thematic approach. The results suggest that restricted access to public spaces (as enforced during the Greek and Italian lockdowns) may influence the signification of domestic places, prompt remodulation of the dialectic between public and private spheres, and bring to light the social value of families' (parents and children's) experiences in public spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, informal rental accommodation constructed in the backyards of formal houses is the fastest growing housing segment. These backyard dwellings (BDs) are makeshift structures made from timber frames, metal sheets or wooden planks. Despite the proliferation of BDs, national and local governments have done little to improve the living standards of backyard dwellers. The research uses focus groups, interviews and building surveys to examine the current state of backyard dwellings and identify opportunities and barriers for government interventions. We analyse the barriers to home improvements, highlighting the important role of tenant dignity and landlord-tenant relations. Furthermore, the research discusses the challenges of potential government-led interventions, which could easily fail in the context of resistance, mistrust and anxiety over housing. We present four key considerations that any intervention to upgrade BDs in South Africa or similar rental units in other localities must consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This retrospective study assessed the diagnoses of emergency presentations and the survival to discharge of backyard chickens in five veterinary clinics within Australia. A total of 333 cases were reviewed from September 2019 to March 2022. October to December was the busiest period in both 2021 and 2020, with cases steadily increasing in the warmer months. Discharge following emergency presentation occurred in 57.4% of reviewed cases. Female chickens represented 92.7% of total cases, with an average age at presentation of 2.2 years (ranging from 1 day to 10 years). The most frequent diagnoses were of reproductive disease (n = 94/333), open diagnosis (n = 55/333), respiratory disease (n = 42/333), predator attack (n = 28/333), musculoskeletal disease (n = 22/333) and parasitism (n = 22/333). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some prediction methods use probability to rank their predictions, while some other prediction methods do not rank their predictions and instead use p -values to support their predictions. This disparity renders direct cross-comparison of these two kinds of methods difficult. In particular, approaches such as the Bayes Factor upper Bound (BFB) for p -value conversion may not make correct assumptions for this kind of cross-comparisons. Here, using a well-established case study on renal cancer proteomics and in the context of missing protein prediction, we demonstrate how to compare these two kinds of prediction methods using two different strategies. The first strategy is based on false discovery rate (FDR) estimation, which does not make the same naïve assumptions as BFB conversions. The second strategy is a powerful approach which we colloquially call "home ground testing". Both strategies perform better than BFB conversions. Thus, we recommend comparing prediction methods by standardization to a common performance benchmark such as a global FDR. And where this is not possible, we recommend reciprocal "home ground testing". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backyard conservation is a community-based approach aiming to weave traditional knowledge, management practices, customary land ownership, and Indigenous-driven solutions with other scientific knowledge to enhance conservation. The islands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) provide an important example towards understanding the role of backyard conservation in culturally diverse and complex societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of the parasitic agents that alter the health of swine could be spread to humans, especially in backyard conditions, and, many times, cause difficulties in public health and food security. This investigation was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with swine cysticercosis and Trichinella spiralis in backyard pigs in the Bucaramanga province of Colombia. A total of 380 serum samples were used for the search for Tr. spiralis and Tenia solium antibodies using the ELISA technique. The seroprevalence of T. solium cysticercosis infection was 40.5%, whilst anti-Tr. spiralis antibodies were not observed in the processed samples. Regarding risk factors, free-ranging pigs and non-dewormed pigs showed almost 3 (OR=2.9; P ≤ 0.05) and 2.7 (OR=2.7; P ≤ 0.05) times more risk of presenting antibodies against T. solium cysticercosis, respectively. The seroprevalence of swine cysticercosis found in this investigation can be caused by low-quality housing and poor hygiene, increasing the spread of this zoonotic parasite infection among swine and humans. No positive samples for Tr. spiralis were observed. The variables access to latrines and deworming of pigs were presented as the risk of infection for cysticercosis by T. solium, this could increase the probability of infection risk of parasites with zoonotic potential between pigs and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, Russia's South Caucasus policy has been examined and its impact on the problems in the region has been discussed. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many states that were included in the union were dissolved, while regions with many different ethnic origins within the disbanded states attempted to declare independence. This situation has created both new conflict areas in the region and has exposed many problems in the past. This is especially evident in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, which are defined as the Balkans of Eurasia. The reason for writing the study is to explain the impact of Russia, which is a global power and sees the South Caucasus as its own backyard, on the Abkhazia-South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts that have become chronic in the region with its approach to the region. Although there are differences in Russia's approach to the problems in the region, basically Russia wants to prevent the countries of the region from becoming members of the EU and NATO. Because with the membership of the countries of the region to the EU and NATO, Russia will be surrounded, and the West will expand a little more towards the former Soviet geography. This is a situation that will harm both Russia's security and political position, and it does not seem possible for Russia to accept it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Uruguay was the first country in the world to explicitly authorize the personal cultivation of cannabis in 2013 within a comprehensive market regulation model. This policy development provides a unique opportunity to gauge the first impact of cannabis regulation on domestic cannabis growing and to have a more accurate picture of the characteristics of cannabis growers, a topic largely neglected by previous research in the country. Method: The Survey on Regulated Cannabis in Uruguay was conducted between October and December of 2017 to a random sample of the population between 15 and 65 years of age (n = 2,181). Using face-to-face interviews, the survey asked about the use of cannabis (forms, amounts, access, motivations, etc.) and other drugs, included a sociodemographic module, and a specific section on domestic cultivation (n = 213). The questions were formulated to ensure comparability with previous international surveys (ICCQ-GCCRC) conducted in 13 industrialized countries. Results: After regulation, the type of product consumed in Uruguay changed completely, with a significant increase in the preference for domestically grown cannabis. Most growers are experienced and frequent cannabis users. In the comparison with other countries, important similarities appear, as the quantity produced or the ages of growers, as well as relevant differences. While there is a predominance of men, a higher number of women got involved in growing after the law was adopted. Most cannabis is produced outdoors and with low costs per harvest. Conclusions: In a context of scarcity of legally sold cannabis, both registered and unregistered cannabis personal growing increased in Uruguay, though mostly through "experimental" attempts and motivations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The State of Campeche in southeastern Mexico borders the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea that contribute to rich flora and fauna that include many species of economic importance. Local agriculture is frequently affected by pests of quarantine importance, such as the fruit fly complex. The purpose of this research was to identify the presence of fruit flies in backyard orchards in the south of the State. Multilure-type artisanal traps were installed in August, September, and October in backyard citrus (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck, Citrus aurantium L.) orchards at the Municipality of Escarcega. Two species of fruit flies were found: Anastrepha ludens (Loew) 1873 and A. serpentina (Wiedemann) 1830 in sweet and sour orange trees. Results confirmed the two species of fruit fly in citrus, which might be useful in decisions for effective and economical control of the fruit fly complex in the State of Campeche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growth and popularity of white pekin duck farming is increasing among farmers due to assured return and marketing linkages in peri-urban areas. The growth performance and meat quality of pekin ducks under backyard farming was evaluated in the present study. Methods: Body weight and feed consumption data of 140 white pekin ducks managed under rice bran-based feeding in backyard farming, were recorded weekly up to 8th week of age. Gompertz's growth model was used to calculate growth parameters. Meat quality parameters were recorded after slaughter on 56th day. Result: White pekin ducks attained 2.003 kg at 56 days of age with 3.2 FCR (Feed conversion ratio). The asymptote weight calculated from Gompertz's equation was 4513.25 g. Inflection points of bodyweight and time was determined as 1659.28 g and 49.9 days respectively. The maximum growth rate was 58.17 g/day. The high growth rate of pekin ducks in backyard condition indicates suitability of rice bran-based diet in this farming system. Dressing percentage (57.9%) of eviscerated carcass was however less than earlier reports. Lipid peroxidation activity of breast-meat was measured and found to be less than previous reports. Reduced lipid peroxidation in muscle might be due to liberal access to natural feeding system by pekin ducks that is unique in backyard farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientation and Mobility training (O&M) is a specific program that teaches people with vision loss to orient themselves and travel safely within certain contexts. State-of-the-art research reveals that people with vision loss expect high-quality O&M training, especially at early ages, but the conventional O&M training methods involve tedious programs and require a high participation of professional trainers. However, there is an insufficient number of excellent trainers. In this work, we first interpret and discuss the relevant research in recent years. Then, we discuss the questionnaires and interviews we conducted with visually impaired people. On the basis of field investigation and related research, we propose the design of a training solution for children to operate and maintain direction based on audio augmented reality. We discuss how, within the perceptible scene created by EasyAR's map-aware framework, we created an AR audio source tracing training that simulates a social scene to strengthen the audiometric identification of the subjects, and then to verify the efficiency and feasibility of this scheme, we implemented the application prototype with the required hardware and software and conducted the subsequential experiments with blindfolded children. We confirm the high usability of the designed approach by analyzing the results of the pilot study. Compared with other orientation training studies, the method we propose makes the whole training process flexible and entertaining. At the same time, this training process does not involve excessive economic costs or require professional skills training, allowing users to undergo training at home or on the sports ground rather than having to go to rehabilitation sites or specified schools. Furthermore, according to the feedback from the experiments, the approach is promising in regard to gamification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the tropics, outdoor areas are important arenas of social life and the scene of economic and daily activities. Yet, outdoor areas are not often detected due to destructive post-depositional processes and low archaeological visibility. Here, we use microarchaeology to establish the settlement history and outdoor use of space at Lo Gach in Long An Province, southern Vietnam. The radiocarbon chronology identifies two phases of occupation: an initial presence at 3300–3000 cal. BP and later activity at 2750–2400 cal. BP. Microarchaeological analysis of the stratigraphy reveals complex sequences of organic waste severely transformed by chemical diagenesis. The results indicate that the excavated area at Lo Gach was an outdoor 'backyard' containing external surfaces utilised for a range of activities including rice processing, disposal of combustion residues, in situ burning, and recurrent foot traffic. Intensified rice agriculture and the systematic management of organic waste were the main structuring rhythms of social life that were performed at the Lo Gach settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiders rely on chemosensory cues to help locate prey, evade predators, and select mates. This reliance on chemosensory detection makes spiders an ideal organism for inquiry-based projects that students can design and conduct on a shoestring budget. This investigation, designed for secondary education grades (6–12), encourages students to examine whether chemosensory cues influence web construction of harmless female spiders collected from backyard habitats. Students work in groups to develop hypotheses that they later test by introducing spiders into a simple T-maze containing some mix of chemosensory cues. To pilot this study, I designed two experiments to determine how female spiders construct their webs in response to chemosensory cues of potential prey or dangerous fire ants. The data from both projects were compiled and statistically analyzed using open-source software available online. In a classroom or laboratory setting, your students can work in groups to develop their own hypotheses, design and run their experiments, and statistically analyze their results using the same free software. Although simple in design, this activity provides students with an opportunity to develop novel lines of research inquiry and engage in the practice of science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In test cricket, we rated batters' performance. We have proposed rating criteria as introduced by Scarf, Akhtar, and Rasool in 2014 with additional explanatory variables on the updated data set. The newly added covariates that we included in our research are the home factor and the ground influence. The same rating system is applied in the previous study. Using multinomial logistic regression, sessions from all days of a test match are modeled to determine match outcome probabilities at the end of each session. These models are based on all of the factors that can influence the outcome of a match. It is discovered that the predictors of home factor and pitch quality have a significant impact on the outcome of the test match. We used multinomial logistic regression to model data and estimate the parameters in the models. We forecasted match outcomes using these models at the end of each session and measured batters' performances by using these probabilities. This process is repeated in a test match at the end of a session, and batters' contributions to their team score are accumulated. Both teams' batters are then ranked based on their rating points. The batsmen are rated based on their performance in the match by adding new factors (pitch effect and home advantage) in the models. The proposed ranking is compared with the ICC's traditional ranking of batters in the test cricket series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of limited bearing capacity of wharf, a set of methods of load sharing and load transfer between bearing beams of different structural forms in front and back yard of wharf are studied when large-scale products slide onto the ship. The peak value of support reaction force is successfully reduced, so that the wharf with limited bearing capacity can carry nearly 30 000 tons of large-scale products and slide onto the ship without structural reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies examined child abuse and neglect and its consequences in the context of a complex socio-political reality such as East Jerusalem. Additionally, research typically addresses trauma resulting of child maltreatment from the perspective of the children. Yet, little is known about the perceptions of the parents whose children were removed from their home by court order. This study explored the perceptions of families in East Jerusalem whose young children were removed from their home by an Israeli court order. Specifically, the parents' perceptions of the trauma experienced by their children and of the responses of their children to the removal from home. Semi-structured interviews with 22 caregivers (13 mothers, 8 fathers, and one aunt) of children at risk from East Jerusalem. The qualitative analysis was based on the principles of grounded theory. The analysis of the data revealed five risk factors attributed by the parents to their children's situation: Their young age, the abuse and neglect, the secondary victimization, the removal from home, and living in a conflict zone such as East Jerusalem. These risk factors of the children who are at the center of this study result in a cumulative trauma which intensifies their vulnerability. The lack of early childhood educational services in East Jerusalem places these children under the radar of the social service. Therefore, it is essential for policymakers to provide the necessary resources to these families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep ocean is the largest ecosystem on the planet, constituting greater than 90% of all habitable space. Over three-quarters of countries globally have deep ocean within their Exclusive Economic Zones. While maintaining deep-ocean function is key to ensuring planetary health, deficiencies in knowledge and governance, as well as inequitable global capacity, challenge our ability to safeguard the resilience of this vast realm, leaving the fate of the deep ocean in the hands of a few. Historically, deep-ocean scientific exploration and research have been the purview of a limited number of nations, resulting in most of humankind not knowing the deep ocean within their national jurisdiction or beyond. In this article, we highlight the inequities and need for increased deep-ocean knowledge generation, and discuss experiences in piloting an innovative project 'My Deep Sea, My Backyard' toward this goal. Recognizing that many deep-ocean endeavours take place in countries without deep-ocean access, this project aimed to reduce dependency on external expertise and promote local efforts in two small island developing states, Trinidad and Tobago and Kiribati, to explore their deep-sea backyards using comparatively low-cost technology while building lasting in-country capacity. We share lessons learned so future efforts can bring us closer to achieving this goal. This article is part of the theme issue 'Nurturing resilient marine ecosystems'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the place-based advertisements used in international soccer. First, it elucidates the aspects of history and myth that are used by Liverpool Football Club (LFC) to attract and encourage international supporters to visit the home ground of the club. This paper uses the author's first-hand experience of sports-based tourism to develop a case study which advances a conceptual model highlighting the differences among local cultural practices, global brands, and locally practiced brands. Autoethnographic data is used in conjunction with advertisements from LFC analysing their rhetoric to support the claim that the myth of Anfield and Liverpool's unique history are critical towards motivating international support of the club and sports-based tourism. This advertising of the 'local' ultimately allows the club to participate in a globalized market while simultaneously offering it the chance to preserve the characteristics which make it unique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we deal with community pedagogical experiences developed in 2018 and 2019 in the Águas de Menino project, located in the northern region of Goiânia, State of Goiás, Brazil. Capoeira Angola is the central theme of the project, from which ethnic-racial, intergenerational, class and gender issues are problematized. Backyard fund is a metaphor that implies the existence of a physical and symbolic space that enables the community experience through knowledge sharing processes. The project has been materializing as a space for identity affirmation, politicization and collaboration in which the foundations of Capoeira Angola and other Afro-Brazilian manifestations are experienced in a popular dimension, in which thought, feeling and action interpenetrate in a context where we value ancestry, corporeality, orality, affectivity, cultural liveliness and socio-cognitive justice. With this, the action of Águas de Menino can be understood as a possibility of confronting the coloniality of knowledge and the establishment of a proposal for a backyard education that acts in a decolonial perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design of a permanent magnet generator for a gearless backyard wind turbine. The magnetisation characteristics of the rotor steel and the stator at different field strength ranges were considered at the design stage and mathematically described using a model in Matlab. The detailed calculations and the design of the planar model were carried out using FEMM software. The high-quality results obtained from the calculations shown in the paper made it possible to make a real model of the generator. This paper presents views of the stator package, the rotor, the entire generator and selected test results. The parameter of this turbine that distinguishes it from a wide range of manufactured generators is its low, non-standard rotational speed and low breakaway torque, which allows the power plant to start in winds of approximately 2 m/s. Other advantages of this generator is its low weight resulting from the use of a light rotor and light alloys for the generator housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The commercial rearing of native chicken has been gaining importance due to higher demand for natural and organic meat. In this context the present study was designed to compare the carcass and meat quality characteristics of native chicken reared under backyard system as compared to native chicken reared under farm setting in Karnataka. Methods: Sixty (30 backyard and 30 farm reared) native birds were used to evaluate the carcass characteristics viz., dressing per cent, yield of cut up parts and meat bone ratio. Breast muscle was used to evaluate physico-chemical (pH, WHC, colour, drip loss and cooking loss), compositional (proximate composition, cholesterol content and collagen content), structural characteristics (muscle fibre diameter, sarcomere length, shear force) and sensory characteristics. Result: A significant difference (P<0.05) in live weight, carcass weight and dressing per centage was evident in backyard native chicken (BNC) and farm reared native chicken with higher weight being recorded in FNC, whereas no significance could be observed in yield of various primal cuts between them. Physico-chemical and compositional characteristics revealed no significant difference, whereas farm reared birds had lower shear force and collagen compared to backyard birds. Sensory evaluation revealed no negative influence on any of the eating quality indicating that commercial rearing of native chicken could be advocated for faster growth of native birds without compromising on the quality of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backyard egg production provides food and extra income to rural families. The resulting eggs are produced under conditions analogous to organic eggs, suggesting the possibility of a price premium for backyard eggs. The contingent valuation method was applied in a willingnessto- pay study of backyard eggs in four locations in the State of Mexico, Mexico. Results of a survey of 126 heads-of-household was analyzed using a binomial logit model. Most (70 %) interviewees were willing to pay a premium of 25 % for backyard eggs over the price for commercial eggs. The most significant variables were health awareness, fruit and vegetable consumption, monthly income and age. In the study area, backyard eggs could be sold at a premium price, potentially providing greater income to the rural families producing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted on backyard chicken farmers of Escalante City, Negros Occidental to assess their knowledge and awareness of the disease. Despite most of the respondents being aware of AI, a huge fraction believe that the disease is caused by bacteria. Moreover, most of them have low knowledge and awareness about the disease, which is supported that none of them obtained knowledge through seminars, professional assistance, or membership in any chicken-raising associations. Similar studies should be conducted by other LGUs and the government must be proactive in information dissemination about the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical housing conditions and neighbourhood characteristics influence people's living conditions. This article aims to determine changes in the living conditions of people residing in main and backyard shacks, and backyard rooms in the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni from 2001 to 2011. The methods involved computing percentages to determine profile characteristics, calculating an average living conditions index (LCI) score per main place for 2001 and 2011, and mapping the average LCI scores through thematic and hot spot analyses. Results show that young, Black, single men mostly reside in these dwellings. People are better educated and have higher incomes in backyard rooms, compared to main shacks; service delivery shows similar patterns. People in all the dwelling types and municipalities generally experience poor to average LCI scores, and none higher than 60%. Backyard rooms do, however, generally produce higher LCI scores than main shacks. Important policy implications are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infected poultry is one of the most important reservoirs of Salmonella. Aims: The investigation presented here was conducted to examine the occurrence of Salmonella in fecal samples among selected flocks of backyard poultry in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Methods: Isolation and identification of Salmonella was performed in accordance with BAS EN ISO 6579/AMD 1:2007. When genus Salmonella was confirmed, the determination of the antigenic formula of Salmonella isolates was performed in accordance with BAS CEN ISO/TR 6579-3:2015. After that, Salmonella serotypes were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing using EUVSEC sensititre microtiter plates impregnated with different concentrations of antibiotics. At the end, real-time PCR was used to detect extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) and carbapeneamase encoding genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, blaCMY, blaKPC, blaNDM, blaOXA-48, blaVIM and blaGES). Results: Salmonella spp. was detected in pooled feces from four backyards, housed by chickens only. Three isolates were confirmed by slide agglutination as serotype Enteritidis and one as serotype Typhimurium. Antibiotic susceptibility testing by microdilution did not reveal phenotypical resistance among these four isolates. Real-time PCR used to detect ESBL and carbapeneamase encoding genes revealed the blaTEM gene in one S. Enteritidis isolate. Conclusion: Data presented in this study provide further evidence on the circulation of different Salmonella serotypes in backyard poultry in B&H. These findings emphasize the potential role of backyard poultry in the epidemiology of salmonellosis and the risks it poses for keepers, consumers, and general public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]