Cape Breton University

Data on various air-quality metrics are collected repeatedly by numerous monitoring stations worldwide to closely assess the severity of pollution. Particle pollution from fine particulate matter PM2.5 is one such measure used as an indicator of whether air quality is unhealthy. PM2.5 is a specific form of air contamination that negatively impacts the environment and human health when levels are above a certain threshold. As data are collected repeatedly over time at multiple locations, there may be a temporal dependence among repeated outcomes and spatial dependence between neighboring stations. Thus, it is important to assess the impact of risk factors on trajectory risk prediction. However, due to the temporal and spatial dependencies, trajectory risk prediction for such data becomes complicated, as both types of dependences must be accounted for during model building. In this paper, we propose a modeling framework that accounts for both types of dependences by incorporating Markov chains and Markov regression, using autologistics for model fitting and trajectory risk prediction. The proposed model fitting and trajectory risk prediction are illustrated using PM2.5 outdoor air pollution data from the United States from 2000 to 2020.

The Adult-Oriented Sport Coaching Survey (AOSCS) measures perceptions of adult-oriented coaching practices known to enhance Masters athletes ' (MAs) sport experiences. However, beyond single case studies, little is known about MAs ' generalizable preferences for when and how often they want these practices from their coaches. This mixed-methods study explored MAs ' preferences for adult-oriented coaching and used these fi ndings to develop a practical guide for new and experienced coaches of adult and Masters sport. An online survey of 135 MAs used the AOSCS preference version (AOSCS-P) to assess how often they preferred adult-oriented coaching at fi ve points in the season. Open-ended questions provided deeper insights into their preferences. Factor-level curve estimation analyses indicated MAs have stable preferences during the season. A descriptive analysis of item-level modes revealed MAs ' preferences for AOSCS-P items to be used in high, moderate, or low frequencies by their coaches. Qualitative fi ndings provided the rationale for these item-level patterns, revealing important nuances for coaches regarding their contextual application. These fi ndings inform a novel coaching guide that illustrates MAs ' general preferences, providing an accessible, evidence-based resource for coaches to enhance and complement ongoing coach-adult athlete dialogue.

This meta-analysis investigates the impact of remittances on labor supply decisions in recipient households. Using 1811 estimates from 64 studies, we find that international remittances reduce labor force participation by 4.4 percentage points while domestic remittances reduce it by 2.2 percentage points. The decline in labor force participation is stronger in South Asia (−5.6 percentage points) than in other regions. In contrast, conditional on remaining in the labor force, the effect on hours worked is negligible. Although remittances lower participation across most employment types, they have no significant effect on the self-employed. These findings highlight the complex economic implications of remittances, emphasizing the need for policies that foster labor market engagement and entrepreneurship. We also outline key directions for future research on this topic.

Greenalite in iron-rich Precambrian sedimentary rocks is widely regarded as a primary mineral that formed in ferrous iron-rich and anoxic conditions. However, primary greenalite has rarely been reported in Phanerozoic rocks, as Phanerozoic oceans are considered to have been more oxygenated and less favorable for greenalite precipitation. Here, we report the discovery of greenalite nanoparticles in the Late Devonian Xialei Mn deposit. Nanoscale (20-1000 nm) euhedral to anhedral greenalite particles occur as randomly oriented crystallites enclosed in microcrystalline quartz crystals within chert-rich Mn and Fe-Mn ores. Greenalite-bearing ores show negative delta 30Si values (avg. -0.5 parts per thousand) close to those of Precambrian iron formations and hydrothermal silica, suggesting a substantial hydrothermal contribution. These characteristics support the interpretation that the greenalite formed in a mixing zone near deep-water vents where Fe2+-rich and SiO2(aq)-rich hydrothermal fluids mixed with seawater to produce gradients in pH and temperature amenable to greenalite genesis. The greenalite nanoparticles then accumulated hundreds of kilometers from this formation zone, being found in continental shelf metalliferous ores formed beneath upwelling zones, as indicated by sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and paleogeographic constraints. The presence of these greenalite-bearing Mn and Fe-Mn deposits on distal shelves (below storm wave base) records a profound regional oxygenstratified water column in South China, characterized by hydrothermal input and anoxic bottom waters. These conditions are reminiscent of Precambrian oceans. Thus, greenalitebearing Mn deposits provide a new archive to track hydrothermal metal fluxes and anoxia in Phanerozoic basins, with potential implications for other Phanerozoic hydrothermal chert and metal deposits.

Flow has been highly valued by educational researchers and practitioners for its positive effects on learner well-being, learning outcomes, and academic success. While interest in flow within second language (L2) acquisition has grown recently, comprehensive evidence remains limited regarding both its antecedents and its impact on L2 task performance, particularly in writing contexts. Grounded in Egbert's (2003) theoretical model of flow and language acquisition, this study investigated how flow states in L2 writing are shaped by learners' prior writing proficiency and immediate perceptions of task control, and how these factors collectively influence writing task performance. A total of 206 Chinese eighth-graders learning English as a foreign language completed a pre-task L2 writing proficiency test, an argumentative writing task, and post-task scales measuring task flow and task control. Path analysis revealed that perceived task control predicted task performance both directly and indirectly through its influence on task flow. In contrast, L2 writing proficiency predicted task performance directly, without mediation by task flow. These findings largely support Egbert's (2003) model within a task-based L2 writing context. The study suggests pedagogical implications for task design, emphasizing the importance of fostering a sense of control to facilitate flow states and enhance task performance.