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Asian hornbills have limited ex situ breeding success, yet these species are some of the most threatened of birds, in need of managed breeding programs. To optimize breeding and increase the sustainability of such populations, it is necessary to assess and improve their husbandry and welfare. Evidence to improve reproduction can be gathered through global husbandry surveys. A survey was sent out to all European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and Association of Zoos and Aquarium holders of the wreathed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus) and Papuan hornbill (R. plicatus) to determine predictors for ex situ breeding success. This research found that pairs that have spent more years together (p =.016) and that adding additional proteins to the diet (p =.006) are two significant predictors of breeding success for wreathed‐ and Papuan hornbill pairs. This paper found a general trend that successful hornbill pairs prefer nest boxes that are situated outside (p =.054). The behaviors of calling to each other and sitting in close proximity showed a general trend and were observed more frequently in successful pairs and, therefore, could be good indicators of bonded pairs. We recommend that ex situ institutions allow their hornbill pairs time to form strong bonds, and that pair compatibility is monitored regularly to ensure that such interactions are positive and not consistently negative. An increase in the percentage of dietary proteins, prior and during the breeding season appears to stimulate pairs to breed. If the management and husbandry alterations presented in this study are implemented, the sustainability of Rhyticeros hornbill populations may be enhanced. Research highlights: Hornbills are difficult to breed in captivity.A husbandry survey revealed that dietary proteins and strong pair bonds influence breeding success.Future studies should focus on behavioral outputs and nest box characteristics and parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal bottlenose dolphin populations are highly vulnerable due to their small population sizes and proximity to human activities. Long‐term studies in the UK have monitored populations protected within Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) since the 1990s, but a small community of bottlenose dolphins inhabiting the coastal waters of southern England has received much less attention. The English Channel is one of the most heavily impacted marine ecosystems worldwide and increasing anthropogenic pressures pose a severe threat to the long‐term viability of this population. Conservation measures to protect these animals have been hindered by a lack of knowledge of population size, distribution and ranging behaviour. This study aimed to fill these knowledge gaps. A citizen science sighting network yielded 7458 sighting reports of bottlenose dolphins between 2000 and 2020. Resightings of identified individuals were used to estimate abundance, distribution, and ranging behaviour. Social structure analysis revealed a discrete interconnected group of animals in shallow coastal waters, which did not appear to mix with conspecifics identified further offshore. A Bayesian multi‐site mark–recapture analysis estimated that this population comprises around 48 animals (CV = 0.18, 95% HPDI = 38–66). These dolphins ranged between North Cornwall and Sussex, with an average individual range of 530 km (68–760 km). Areas of high‐modelled habitat suitability were found to overlap with high levels of anthropogenic pressure, with pollution and boat traffic identified as the most pervasive threats. Although adult survival rates indicated that the population was relatively stable from 2008 to 2019 (0.945 (0.017 ± SE)), the small population size implies a significant risk to their long‐term viability and resilience to environmental change. By highlighting the most deleterious anthropogenic activities and regions of conservation significance, our results will be useful for developing management policies for threat mitigation and population conservation, to protect this vulnerable group of dolphins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Programmed cell death (PCD) is fundamentally important for plant development, abiotic stress responses and immunity, but our understanding of its regulation remains fragmented. Building a stronger research community is required to accelerate progress in this area through knowledge exchange and constructive debate. In this Viewpoint, we aim to initiate a collective effort to integrate data across a diverse set of experimental models to facilitate characterisation of the fundamental mechanisms underlying plant PCD and ultimately aid the development of a new plant cell death classification system in the future. We also put forward our vision for the next decade of plant PCD research stemming from discussions held during the 31st New Phytologist workshop, 'The Life and Death Decisions of Plant Cells' that took place at University College Dublin in Ireland (14–15 June 2023). We convey the key areas of significant progress and possible future research directions identified, including resolving the spatiotemporal control of cell death, isolation of its molecular and genetic regulators, and harnessing technical advances for studying PCD events in plants. Further, we review the breadth of potential impacts of plant PCD research and highlight the promising new applications of findings from this dynamically evolving field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an approach to overcome the challenges associated with the increasing demand of high‐throughput characterization of technical lignins, a key resource in emerging bioeconomies. Our approach offers a resort from the lack of direct, simple, and low‐cost analytical techniques for lignin characterization by employing multivariate calibration models based on infrared (IR) spectroscopy to predict structural properties of lignins (i. e., functionality, molar mass). By leveraging a comprehensive database of over 500 well‐characterized technical lignin samples – a factor of 10 larger than previously used sets – our chemometric models achieved high levels of quality and statistical confidence for the determination of different functional group contents (RMSEPs of 4–16 %). However, the statistical moments of the molar mass distribution are still best determined by size‐exclusion chromatography. Analyses of over 500 technical lignins offered also a great opportunity to provide information on the general variability in kraft lignins and lignosulfonates (from different origins). Overall, the effected savings in analysis time (>7 h), resources, and required sample mass combined with non‐destructiveness of the measurement satisfy key demands for efficient high‐throughput lignin analyses. Finally, we discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of our approach, along with critical insights into the associated chemical‐analytical and spectroscopic challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private gardens are recognised as potentially important refugia for butterflies. Yet little is known about how gardens might be contributing to butterfly conservation, as their restricted accessibility has meant that garden habitats are not well‐represented in traditional monitoring schemes.Garden BirdWatch (GBW) is the UK's largest structured bird survey, comprising over 25 years of weekly bird counts from more than 14,000 gardens, predominantly occupying suburban and rural locations. Since 2007, a subset of GBW participants have additionally recorded the weekly abundances of butterflies. Using data for 14 seasons (2007–2020) from 7971 gardens with consistent butterfly monitoring, we present the first garden‐specific, national trends for 22 widespread butterfly species (37% of all UK butterflies).Half of the species investigated increased significantly in abundance in gardens between 2007 and 2020. Conversely, only one species, Wall (Lasiommata megera), showed a marginal reduction, though this change was not statistically significant.A strong, positive association between these new, habitat‐focused trends and those for UK butterflies more broadly, previously reported by the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), indicates that patterns of abundance in gardens are largely a reflection of the changes that are occurring nationally. However, butterflies do appear to be faring better in gardens compared to the wider landscape. Averaging trends across non‐migratory species revealed that GBW recorded significantly greater increases over time than UKBMS.Effective monitoring of butterflies in gardens can produce reliable and informative population trends, and it provides important evidence of the significant role gardens play in sustaining butterfly populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pleural procedures are essential for the investigation and management of pleural disease and can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is a lack of pleural procedure complication data in the Australian and New Zealand region. Aims: To review pleural procedure practices at Wollongong Hospital with an emphasis on the assessment of complications, use of thoracic ultrasound (TUS), pathology results and comparison of findings with international data. Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records was performed on pleural procedures identified through respiratory specialist trainee logbooks at Wollongong Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021. Comparison of complication rates was made to the British Thoracic Society 2011 a national pleural audit. Results: One hundred and twenty‐one pleural procedures were identified. There were 71 chest drains, 49 thoracocentesis and one indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) insertion. Ninety‐seven per cent of procedures were performed for pleural effusions and 3% for pneumothorax. This audit demonstrated a complication rate (excluding pain) of 16.9% for chest drains and 4.1% for thoracocentesis. This gave an overall complication event rate of 10.8% (excluding pain) for pleural procedures. There was no major bleeding, organ puncture, pleural space infection or death. Bedside TUS was used in 99% of procedures. Conclusion: Complication rates for pleural procedures performed by respiratory specialist trainees at Wollongong Hospital are comparable with international outcomes. This audit provides data for comparison on pleural procedure complication rates in Australia. Future studies are required to determine complication rates with IPCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental enrichment (EE) is commonly provided to animals managed under human care, being beneficial to behavioral diversity and improving animal welfare. Use of EE appears to be particularly beneficial to individual wild animals spending a short period of time in captivity, for example, as part of conservation or rehabilitation programs. This paper documents a case study on the application and relevance of EE for a group of captive mute swans housed in a rescue center. Observational data were analyzed for two groups of juvenile swans that were provided with a physical EE device to increase time spent foraging. Periods of no EE were observed and compared to data from when birds were provided with EE. Results show that EE promoted foraging time and helped to reduce long periods of inactivity in captive birds. EE helped to reduce occurrence of captive‐focused (i.e., abnormal behaviors) although these was already seen at very low rates. Inactivity as a measure of welfare in captive swans specifically (and waterbirds generally) should be further investigated to understand potential impacts on bird health. Our research shows the benefits of simple and easy‐to‐use EE devices on captive animal behavior and how use of EE for individuals spending a short amount of time in captivity (e.g., within a rescue center) could ensure diversity of behavior patterns and promote the performance of adaptive behaviors upon release to the wild. Research highlights: Enrichment for captive mute swans increased time spent foraging and swimming.Enrichment reduced time spent on inactivity and on preening.Further study into the most appropriate enrichment for waterfowl is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In zoos and aquariums globally, studbooks provide a format by which threatened or important species populations can be carefully managed. These documents can be used to answer complex questions about animal population demographics, animal husbandry, breeding success and mortality. Given the time‐intensive nature of studbook collation, only a subset of all animal species held in zoological facilities are managed using these programs. The purpose of this project was to identify how studbooks are being used by researchers, the topics being investigated, and the taxa being covered. To achieve this, data were collected on the types of research paper being produced using studbook information. A literature search, covering several zoo and aquarium journals, was utilized. Data on the types of studbook available were additionally collected for three international zoo organizations. A Poisson regression was run to determine the predictive power of taxonomic class, animal threat status and studbook type on a studbook featuring in published research. Overall, the study identified that taxonomic class and threat status were significant predictors of the number of published studbook papers, with threatened species being more likely to appear in papers. Additionally, population demography was the most common use of studbook data, followed by genetics and reproduction. Not all taxonomic groups were featured in the literature, with mammals featuring much more frequently than would be expected based on the types of studbook available. Research highlights: Studbooks are available for a range of species, though mammal species tend to be featured more in studbooks.Specific taxonomic groups occur more in studbook literature than would be expected based on their presence in terms of global, European, or American studbook availability.There is scope to diversify the types of ways in which studbooks are used for zoological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Securing an adequate blood supply relies on accurate knowledge of blood donors and donation practices. As published evidence on Asian populations is sparse, this study aims to gather up‐to‐date information on blood donors and donation practices in Asia to assist planning and strategy development. Materials and Methods: Ten blood collection agencies (BCAs) provided 12 months' data on donors who met eligibility criteria or were deferred, as well as details of their donation practices. Body mass index and blood volumes were calculated and analysed. Results: Data on 9,599,613 donations and 154,834 deferrals from six national and four regional BCAs revealed varied donation eligibility and collection practices. Seven used haemoglobin (Hb) criteria below the World Health Organization anaemia threshold. Seven accepted donors weighing <50 kg. Data collection on the weight and height of donors and on deferrals was inconsistent, often not routine. Deferred donors appear to weigh less, with corresponding lower estimated blood volume. Conclusion: The diversity in eligibility criteria and donation practices reflects each BCA's strategy for balancing donor health with securing an adequate blood supply. Use of lower Hb criteria substantiate their appropriateness in Asia and indicate the need to define Hb reference intervals relevant to each population. We encourage routine gathering of donor weight and height data to enable blood volume estimation and local optimization of donation volumes. Blood volume estimation formulae specific for the Asian phenotype is needed. Information from this study would be useful for tailoring donation criteria of Asian donors around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important that the environment provided in the zoo is relevant to the species being housed and its suitability be easily assessed by personnel. As shared space and resources can overlap in a zoo's enclosure a tool is required to measure the effects of such overlap between individual animals in a shared enclosure. This paper outlines the Pianka Index (PI), a tool used in ecology to quantify niche overlap, that has value in quantifying the amount of time that animals spend in shared enclosure zones. One limitation to this method, however, is that the established method of determining the PI requires division of the enclosure into equally sized zones, something that is not always relevant to a zoo enclosure. To combat this, we created a modified index, entitled the Zone Overlap Index (ZOI). This modified index is the exact mathematical equivalent of the original index when zone sizes are equal. When zone sizes are unequal, the ZOI generates higher values when animals share smaller, as opposed to larger, zones. This is because animals are more likely to share larger enclosure zones simply by chance, and shared use of smaller zones brings individuals into closer proximity with the potential for competition. To illustrate the application of the ZOI, a series of hypothetical situations were generated to reflect real‐world scenarios, demonstrating how this index could be used to better understand zone occupancy overlap in the zoo. Research highlights: The Pianka Index can be used to quantify space use overlap in exhibits with equal‐sized zones.The Zone Overlap Index (ZOI) quantifies space use overlap in exhibits with unequal‐sized zones.The ZOI places higher weightings on small zones which animals are unlikely to shareby chance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease involving demyelination and axonal damage in the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we investigated pathological changes in the lumbar spinal cord of C57BL/6 mice induced with progressive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) disease using 9.4‐T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Multiparametric MRI measurements including MR spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and volumetric analyses were applied to detect metabolic changes in the CNS of EAE mice. Compared with healthy mice, EAE mice showed a significant reduction in N‐acetyl aspartate and increases in choline, glycine, taurine and lactate. DTI revealed a significant reduction in fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity and an increase in radial diffusivity in the lumbar spinal cord white matter (WM), while in the grey matter (GM), fractional anisotropy increased. High‐resolution structural imaging also revealed lumbar spinal cord WM hypertrophy and GM atrophy. Importantly, these MRI changes were strongly correlated with EAE disease scoring and pathological changes in the lumbar (L2–L6), particularly WM demyelination lesions and aggregation of immune cells (microglia/macrophages and astrocytes) in this region. This study identified changes in MRI biomarker signatures that can be useful for evaluating the efficacy of novel drugs using EAE models in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on enhancing pediatric services for rural children and families, and it emphasizes the necessity for timely interventions in developmental challenges, particularly in remote areas. It reports the development of an integrated child health model at Saint Anthony's Family Medical Practice, showcasing the model's three key aspects: pediatric-related services, reduced waiting times for local pediatricians, and coordinated care and support for families with diagnostic children.

The potential impact of human presence on captive animal behavior has recently been the focus of considerable research interest, especially following 2020 and 2021 periods of enforced closure as a result of COVID‐19 opening restrictions. It is important to investigate whether human presence represents an enriching or stressful stimulus to a range of zoo‐housed species. In 2020, during an easing of lockdown restrictions, investigations of the "visitor effect" and "observer effect" were carried out, using the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) as a model species. To investigate the impact of both visitor and observer presence, otter behavior and space use was recorded for a pair of on‐show and a pair of off‐show otters. Observations were conducted using either a human observer, or cameras, allowing the researchers to investigate otter behavior when no one was present at the exhibits. The Electivity Index was used to assess the otters' use of four enclosure zones. Overall, otter behavior was significantly impacted by observer presence, though the impact of an observer differed between individual otters. Visitors had a minimal effect on otter enclosure use, whereas observers had a greater impact, whereby otters used their pools less frequently and houses more frequently when observers were present. However, this change in zone use differed between individuals, with more dominant otters tending to make use of indoor zones more often when observers were present. Zoos should consider the potential impact of human presence on their animals and use both behavior and space use when conducting their investigations. Research highlights: Otter behavior was significantly impacted by observer presence, with reductions in swimming and water use.Observer presence significantly reduced use of water and increased use of covered house zones.Otter hierarchy significantly affected behavior, with dominant otters using houses more during observer present periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Young people with learning disabilities use many digital technologies to undertake meaningful and social activities in their everyday lives. Understanding these digital activities is essential for supporting their digital participation. Including them in exploring their digital activities can be challenging with conventional qualitative research methods, because digital activities are a complex and abstract topic to discuss, particularly for people with learning disabilities. In this paper, we present the rationale for developing and using visual tangible artefacts (VTAs) to include young people with learning disabilities in exploring their digital activities. Methods: We devised a suite of VTAs to engage young people (aged 14–27 years) with learning disabilities in exploring their digital activities via interviews, diaries, and workshops. The VTAs comprised Talking Mats (TMs), probing with technology, digital snapshots and inspiration cards. Findings: Our significant methodological findings were that VTAs are useful for exploring digital activities with young people with learning disabilities. TMs and probing with technology can engage participants to map, recall and explain their digital activities. Digital snapshots are valuable for validating findings with participants, and inspiration cards aid perspectives about digital aims. Although communication and abstract representations can be challenging for people with learning disabilities, VTAs that combine familiar, simple, intuitive, individualised, rewarding elements and collaboration with participants proved valuable for exploring their digital activities. Conclusion: We concluded that VTAs are inclusive tools for exploring the digital activities of and with young people with learning disabilities. The VTAs allowed access to conversations, information and insights that are not obtainable otherwise. As such, the VTAs may be regarded as a new model for inclusive research in the field of disability and technology studies. Accessible summary: Digital technologies are widely used by young people with learning disabilities to talk to their friends and family, meet new friends and entertain themselves.These digital activities are complex and can be difficult to talk about.We developed methods to support conversations about digital activities with young people with learning disabilities.The paper gives examples of how the methods are used, why they are necessary and how they promote discussion of digital activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article shows how to interpret the scores and loadings based around a simulated dataset, consisting of two groups of 10 objects in each group, and 5 variables, to demonstrate how principal components analysis (PCA) can be used to discriminate between the groups when individual variables cannot, and how the loadings can show which variables are most likely markers for each group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Namibia, a southern African country with an Ubuntu culture that emphasizes interrelations, generally displays a low reading culture. In this study, we explored a social approach to reading to engage Namibian primary learners. Inspired by promising reading approaches, such as shared group reading enhanced by embodied actions, we created Spin Da Bottle—a multiplayer reading‐action game to draw Namibian learners into reading while keeping them captivated in action. The game was co‐designed with 36 learners and then evaluated by 32 learners with an adapted immersion questionnaire, post‐experience survey and individual interviews. 50 learners were then observed while playing at a public event. Our findings confirm that learners are engaged and enjoy the collective embodied reading experience. We observed different group behaviours scaffolding individual readers. We contribute to the field of reading technologies a digital tool that creates a collective and embodied reading experience, and an adapted immersion instrument. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic It has been recognized that shared reading increases learners engagement and participation.Dialogic reading experience is enhanced through embodied actions.What this paper adds Through a design‐based research approach, a digital multiplayer reading‐action game was developed to explore whether a social, embodied, group game could increase interest and engagement of children in reading. The game was co‐designed and the immersion validated with primary school learners in Namibia.An adapted immersion instrument was derived for reading games.Implications for practice and/or policy Collective reading games offer weak readers support from their peers.A Namibian inclusive education for all, considering an Ubuntu pedagogy, can be supported with appropriate technologies.Teachers can integrate this game in the classroom by authoring their content in order to engage learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, food fraud was a major public health concern which helped drive the development of early food regulations in many markets including the US and EU market. In the past 10 years, the integrity of food chains with respect to food fraud has again been questioned due to high profile food fraud cases. We provide an overview of the resulting numerous authoritative activities underway within different regions to counter food fraud, and we describe the guidance available to the industry to understand how to assess the vulnerability of their businesses and implement appropriate mitigation. We describe how such controls should be an extension of those already in place to manage wider aspects of food authenticity, and we provide an overview of relevant analytical tools available to food operators and authorities to protect supply chains. Practical Application: Practical Application of the provided information by the food industry in selecting resources (guidance document, analytical methods etc.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Conventional wastewater treatment relies on a complex microbiota; however, much of this community is still to be characterized. To better understand the origin, dynamics and fate of bacteria within a wastewater treatment plant: untreated primary wastewater, activated sludge and post‐treatment effluent were characterized. From 3163 exact sequence variants (ESVs), 860 were annotated to species‐level. In primary wastewater, 28% of ESVs were putative bacterial species previously associated with humans, 14% with animals and 5% as common to the environment. Differential abundance analysis revealed significant relative reductions in ESVs from potentially human‐associated species from primary wastewater to activated sludge, and significant increases in ESVs from species associated with nutrient cycling. Between primary wastewater and effluent, 51% of ESVs from human‐associated species did not significantly differ, and species such as Bacteroides massiliensis and Bacteroides dorei increased. These findings illustrate that activated sludge increased extracellular protease and urease‐producing species, ammonia and nitrite oxidizers, denitrifiers and specific phosphorus accumulators. Although many human‐associated species declined, some persisted in effluent, including strains of potential health or environmental concern. Species‐level microbial assessment may be useful for understanding variation in wastewater treatment efficiency as well as for monitoring the release of microbes into surface water and the wider ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil contamination with toxic metalloids, such as arsenic, can represent a substantial human health and environmental risk. Some plants are thought to tolerate soil toxicity using root exudation, however, the nature of this response to arsenic remains largely unknown. Here, white lupin plants were exposed to arsenic in a semi‐hydroponic system and their exudates were profiled using untargeted liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. Arsenic concentrations up to 1 ppm were tolerated and led to the accumulation of 12.9 μg As g−1 dry weight (DW) and 411 μg As g−1 DW in above‐ground and belowground tissues, respectively. From 193 exuded metabolites, 34 were significantly differentially abundant due to 1 ppm arsenic, including depletion of glutathione disulphide and enrichment of phytochelatins and coumarins. Significant enrichment of phytochelatins in exudates of arsenic‐treated plants was further confirmed using exudate sampling with strict root exclusion. The chemical tolerance toolkit in white lupin included nutrient acquisition metabolites as well as phytochelatins, the major intracellular metal‐binding detoxification oligopeptides which have not been previously reported as having an extracellular role. These findings highlight the value of untargeted metabolite profiling approaches to reveal the unexpected and inform strategies to mitigate anthropogenic pollution in soils around the world. Root exudation response of white lupin to arsenic contamination was tested in a semi‐hydroponic system using untargeted tandem mass spectrometry. Significant enrichment of phytochelatins in exudates represents a potential mechanism which can explain the successful tolerance of metalloid excluder species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment through primary care and community‐based services will be a critical component of HCV elimination. We evaluated a nurse‐coordinated programme providing care across eight sites and analysed progression through the HCV care cascade. Methods: People‐accessing services from six primary care clinics, a homeless crisis accommodation provider and a mental health service were directly referred to nurses or engaged by nurses during regular clinic visits. Nurses supported HCV testing, treatment and follow‐up. The prescription was provided by affiliated clinicians. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with treatment commencement and sustained virological response (SVR) testing. Results: Of 640 people referred to and/or engaged by the nurses from January 2017 to July 2019, 518 had an HCV RNA test of whom 381 (74%) were HCV RNA positive. Treatment was commenced by 281 (74%) people of whom 161 had an SVR test, 157 (97.5%) were cured. Opioid agonist therapy was associated with treatment commencement (aOR 2.68, 95% CI 1.48‐4.88). People who were homeless/unstably housed were less likely to commence treatment (aOR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23‐0.87). Treatment prescription from a specialist (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.20‐4.74) and recent injection drug use (<6 months) (aOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.07‐4.31) was associated with SVR testing. Conclusion: A nurse‐coordinated model of care led to high levels of HCV treatment uptake and cure amongst people attending primary care and community services. More tailored models of care may be beneficial for people who are homeless or have unstable housing. These results support primary care and community‐based hepatitis C treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate published interventions aimed at improving the management of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia in the Caribbean.Methods: We conducted a systematic review of four databases in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were conducted in the Caribbean among adults ≥ 18 years who had type 2 diabetes, hypertension or dyslipidaemia; controlled trials, interventions, or comparative studies with pre-post designs and reported on at least one of the clinical outcomes of interest.Results: Seventeen studies met the criteria for inclusion. The majority were conducted in Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago, and 35% were conducted over 10 years ago. Samples were small and largely consisted of older adult females and patients with type 2 diabetes. Four of eight (50%) studies that reported on HbA1c, 5 of 12 (42%) that reported on blood pressure and 2 of 7 (29%) that reported on body mass index observed significant improvements. Study heterogeneity precluded our ability to conduct a meta-analysis. The overall quality of evidence based on GRADE criteria was low for all outcomes assessed.Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence on interventions to address type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia in the Caribbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver–Russell syndrome (SRS) is a rare genetic condition primarily characterized by growth restriction and facial dysmorphisms. While hypomethylation of H19/IGF2:IG‐DMR (imprinting control region 1 [IC1]) located at 11p15.5 and maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 7 (upd[7]mat) are the most common genetic mechanisms responsible for SRS, the expanding body of literature describing alternative causative variants suggests SRS is a highly heterogeneous condition, also involving variation in the HMGA2‐PLAG1‐IGF2 pathway. We report a familial PLAG1 deletion in association with a complex chromosomal rearrangement. We describe two siblings with differing unbalanced chromosomal rearrangements inherited from a mother with a 5‐breakpoint balanced complex rearrangement involving chromosomes 2, 8, and 21. The overlapping but diverse phenotypes in the siblings were characterized by shared SRS‐like features, underlined by a PLAG1 whole gene deletion. Genetic analysis and interpretation was further complicated by a meiotic recombination event occurring in one of the siblings. This family adds to the limited literature available on PLAG1‐related SRS. We have reviewed all currently known cases aiming to define the associated phenotype and guide future genetic testing strategies. The heterogeneity of SRS is further expanded by the involvement of complex cytogenomic abnormalities, imposing requirements for a comprehensive approach to testing and genetic counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoo‐housed pelicans are commonplace, but their breeding record is poor and little research is published on the activity patterns, as potential predictors of nesting, of captive flocks. Existing literature shows that comparative research can provide useful information for husbandry and conservation planning for pelican populations. The opportunity arose to investigate the time‐activity budget and social network of a breeding flock of captive great white pelicans. Three chicks were hatched in June and July 2016 and one in March 2017. Data on state behaviors, space use, and association preferences were collected around these nesting events, from October 2016 to February 2017 and July to October 2017. Results suggest that pre‐nesting periods were associated with heightened flock‐wide vigilance, suggesting that vigilance may be a precursor for courtship or nesting activity. Social network analysis revealed nonrandom associations between birds and a social structure across the flock, in which subadults seemed to associate more with each other than with adult birds. A limited visitor effect was noted; whilst no overall behavior change was apparent with different numbers of visitors, pelicans did widen their enclosure usage with increased visitor presence. These data are relevant to those attempting to breed this pelican, who wish to know more about the daily behavior patterns of this species across the season and physiological state, and who wish to understand pelican social structure, which is useful to the planning and implementation of bird moves or changes to the social environment of the flock. Further extending such research to include uninterrupted observation over a successful breeding event is recommended. Highlights: Captive great white pelicans show a structured social network of nonrandom associations between birds in the flock.Preferential dyadic associations are noted between and within sexes and these may be indicative of a social support mechanisms within the flock.Behavior change is noted across season, with increases in vigilance levels potentially predicting nesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screening for malaria in the returning traveler has often required repeat testing; however, audit data suggest that patients have not been reattending. We sought to ascertain if this was safe by examining the diagnostic efficacy of a single screen consisting of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and a thin film. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with suspected malaria who attended in the past 5 years from two large teaching hospitals. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of a single screen, reporting measures of sensitivity and specificity. To establish a reference standard, we cross‐linked data with the national malaria registry held at Public Health England and regional centers. Results: The cohort consisted of 1365 patients, of whom 33 opted out of the research and one did not have a complete initial screen. Of those 1331 screens there were 74 cases of Plasmodium falciparum (prevalence of 5.6%) and 104 of any malaria species (prevalence of 7.8%). Sensitivity for the detection of P. falciparum was 100.00% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 95.1 to 100), with a specificity of 99.4% (95% CI = 98.9 to 99.8). For the detection of any species of malaria the sensitivity was slightly lower due to the presence of one false negative; sensitivity was 99.0% (95% CI = 94.8 to 100) and specificity was 99.5% (95% CI = 98.9 to 99.8). Conclusions: A single thin film and RDT is likely to be sufficient as a first screen for falciparum malaria in the returning traveler with important caveats. For those sent home from emergency departments, appropriate safety netting must be provided. Further prospective study is required to investigate this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following on from the definitions of Null and Alternative hypothesis, and number of definitions are described including the concept of False Discovery Rates, Power, Sensitivity, Selectivity and Likelihood Ratios, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Climate change has been predicted to facilitate poleward expansion of many early‐successional specialist invertebrates. The Grizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvae, is a threatened butterfly in long‐term decline that has not met expectations of northern expansion in Britain, possibly indicating that climate change has not improved northern habitat suitability or that another driver (e.g. land use change) is masking its effects. Here, we explore the effect of climate on population size trends over four decades, and whether any regions show an improving population trend that may be a precursor to northern expansion. Examining detailed spatio‐temporal abundance data can reveal unexpected limitations to population growth that would not be detectable in widely used climate envelope models. Location: Central and southern England. Methods: Mixed models were used to investigate P. malvae population size in relation to time and monthly climate measures across its UK range since 1976, based on repeated transect walks. Results: We found that P. malvae population size declined more over time in the north and west of its UK range than in the south and east, and was negatively related to high December temperature and summer rainfall. However, the effect sizes of temperature and rainfall were minimal. Main Conclusions: The last 40 years of climate change have not ameliorated climate suitability for P. malvae at its range edge, contrary to expectations from spatial‐only climate envelope models. The clear long‐term downward trends in population size are independent of climate change and we propose probably due to habitat deterioration. Our findings highlight potential hazards in predicting species range expansions from spatial models alone. Although some climate variables may be associated with a species' distribution, other factors may be more dominant drivers of trends and therefore more useful predictors of range changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is more prevalent among people with experience of severe mental illness compared to the general population, due in part to higher levels of injecting drug use. Delivering HCV care through mental health services may reduce barriers to care and improve outcomes. A nurse‐led HCV program was established in a co‐located mental health and addiction service in Melbourne, Australia. People with a history of injecting drug use, including current use, were referred for HCV testing by nurses, with support provided on‐site from a general practitioner and remotely from infectious disease and hepatology specialists. A nurse practitioner, general practitioner or specialists were able to prescribe HCV treatment. One‐hundred and thirty people were referred to the nurse‐led service, among whom 112 (86%) were engaged in care. Of those 112, 84 (75%) were found to have detectable HCV RNA, 70 (83%) commenced treatment; 28 (40%) prescriptions were nurse initiated, 19 (27%) were general practitioner initiated and 20 (29%) were prescribed from hospital clinics or elsewhere. All people with an SVR result (48/70) achieved HCV cure (intention to treat SVR 69%, per‐protocol SVR 100%). Treatment commencement was highest among people prescribed opioid agonist therapy (28/29, 96%) compared to those who were not (18/26, 69%). In conclusion, a nurse‐led, HCV service for people with severe mental illness including pathways to specialist support when needed can achieve high treatment uptake and cure. Further implementation work is required to improve treatment uptake, particularly among people not prescribed opioid agonist therapy, and to improve follow‐up for SVR testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: (1) To describe the patient and membership cohort captured by the otolaryngology-based specialty-specific Reg-ent registry. (2) To outline the capabilities of the Reg-ent registry, including the process by which members can access evidence-based data to address knowledge gaps identified by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery/Foundation and ultimately define "quality" for our field of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. Methods: Data analytics was performed on Reg-ent (2015-2020) Results: A total of 1629 participants from 239 practices were enrolled in Reg-ent, and 42 health care specialties were represented. Reg-ent encompassed 6,496,477 unique patients and 24,296,713 encounters/visits: the 45- to 64-year age group had the highest representation (n = 1,597,618, 28.1%); 3,867,835 (60.3%) patients identified as Caucasian; and "private" was the most common insurance (33%), followed by Blue Cross/Blue Shield (22%). Allergic rhinitis–unspecified and sensorineural hearing loss–bilateral were the top 2 diagnoses (9% each). Overall, 302 research gaps were identified from 17 clinical practice guidelines. Discussion: Reg-ent benefits are vast—from monitoring one's practice to defining otolaryngology–head and neck surgery quality, participating in advocacy, and conducting research. Reg-ent provides mechanisms for benchmarking, quality assessment, and performance measure development, with the objective of defining and guiding best practice in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. To be successful, patient diversity must be achieved to include ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Increasing academic medical center membership will assist in achieving diversity so that the quality domain of equitable care is achieved. Implications for Practice: Reg-ent provides the first ever registry that is specific to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery and compliant with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) to collect patient outcomes and define evidence-based quality care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alternative hypothesis is introduced, and the ideas of type 1 errors and type 2 errors are described and illustrated using contingency tables and graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells‐2 (TREM2) is an immune receptor expressed on microglia that also can become soluble (sTREM2). How TREM2 engages different ligands remains poorly understood. Methods: We used comprehensive biolayer interferometry (BLI) analysis to investigate TREM2 and sTREM2 interactions with apolipoprotein E (apoE) and monomeric amyloid beta (Aβ) (mAβ42). Results: TREM2 engagement of apoE was protein mediated with little effect of lipidation, showing slight affinity differences between isoforms (E4 > E3 > E2). Another family member, TREML2, did not bind apoE. Disease‐linked TREM2 variants within a "basic patch" minimally impact apoE binding. Instead, TREM2 uses a unique hydrophobic surface to bind apoE, which requires the apoE hinge region. TREM2 and sTREM2 directly bind mAβ42 and potently inhibit Aβ42 polymerization, suggesting a potential role for soluble sTREM2 in preventing AD pathogenesis. Discussion: These findings demonstrate that TREM2 has at least two ligand‐binding surfaces that might be therapeutic targets and uncovers a potential function for sTREM2 in directly inhibiting Aβ polymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A computed tomography (CT) venogram was performed and reported as within normal parameters, thus excluding a cerebral sinus venous thrombosis as the cause of her headache. This reported a total of 79 cases of probable vaccine-induced immune-mediated thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (VITT) up to 31 March 2021, 44 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, 34 cases of other site venous thrombosis, and one case of arterial thrombosis subsequently described. Keywords: vaccines; thrombosis - arterial; thrombocytopenia; anticoagulation; anti-platelet factor 4 EN vaccines thrombosis - arterial thrombocytopenia anticoagulation anti-platelet factor 4 121 123 3 03/30/22 20220401 NES 220401 In conjunction with additional public health measures, vaccination against COVID-19 has been vital in protecting population health. [Extracted from the article]

Aim: Europe's only globally critically endangered seabird, the Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), is thought to have expanded its postbreeding range northwards into UK waters, though its at sea distribution there is not yet well understood. This study aims to identify environmental factors associated with the species' presence, map the probability of presence of the species across the western English Channel and southern Celtic Sea, and estimate the number of individuals in this area. Location: The western English Channel and southern Celtic Sea. Methods: This study analyses strip transect data collected between 2013 and 2017 from vessel‐based surveys in the western English Channel and southern Celtic Sea during the Balearic shearwater's postbreeding period. Using environmental data collected directly and from remote sensors both Generalized Additive Models and the Random Forest machine learning model were used to determine shearwater presence at different locations. Abundance was estimated separately using a density multiplication approach. Results: Both models indicated that oceanographic features were better predictors of shearwater presence than fish abundance. Seafloor aspect, sea surface temperature, depth, salinity, and maximum current speed were the most important predictors. The estimated number of Balearic shearwaters in the prediction area ranged from 652 birds in 2017 to 6,904 birds in 2014. Main conclusions: Areas with consistently high probabilities of shearwater presence were identified at the Celtic Sea front. Our estimates suggest that the study area in southwest Britain supports between 2% and 23% of the global population of Balearic shearwaters. Based on the timing of the surveys (mainly in October), it is probable that most of the sighted shearwaters were immatures. This study provides the most complete understanding of Balearic shearwater distribution in UK waters available to date, information that will help inform any future conservation actions concerning this endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Lagrangian plankton model (LPM) is developed, in which the motion of a large number of Lagrangian particles, representing a parcel of plankton, is calculated under the turbulence field simulated by large-eddy simulation. A spring phytoplankton bloom is realized using the LPM, and the mechanism for its 1 generation is investigated. The criterion based on these results is proposed as ..., where δE (= u*/f) is the scale for the Ekman boundary layer, δS (= u2*/fQ0) is the scale for the depth of a seasonal thermocline, u* is the wind stress, Q0 is the surface buoyancy flux, f is the Coriolis parameter, and C1 and C2 are constants. The critical depth hypothesis can be applied for the onset of a spring bloom, when (C2δS / C1δE)2 <<1, using the mixing layer depth instead of the mixed layer depth, as zc > C2dS, but the critical turbulence hypothesis can be applied, as zc > C1δE, when (C2δS / C1δE)2 >>1. A spring bloom is more likely to occur at higher latitudes, even if the atmospheric forcing is the same. The diurnal variation of Q0 tends to increase the strength of the spring bloom at small u*. Furthermore, various statistics of Lagrangian particles, such as the mixing length of plankton, the residence time of plankton within the euphotic zone, and the growth of plankton clarify the movement and growth of plankton cells. Plain Language Summary Phytoplankton concentrations increase rapidly in early spring in the high-latitude ocean, which is known as a spring phytoplankton bloom. It is caused by the weakened vertical mixing after surface cooling in winter switches to surface heating, which makes plankton spend more time near the surface, where the sunlight for photosynthesis is plentiful. In order to understand this phenomenon and predict its occurrence, a new type of plankton model is developed, in which a large number of particles, representing a parcel of plankton, move around in turbulent flows of the ocean. The spring bloom is simulated by the plankton model. The simulations show that a spring bloom occurs when the depth of a seasonal thermocline is shallower than the critical depth determined by radiation penetration. It can also occur in the absence of surface heating, when wind is very weak. Furthermore, results show that spring blooms are more likely to occur at higher latitudes, even if the atmospheric condition is the same. A new criterion for the onset of the spring bloom is proposed. Various statistical analyses of plankton particles are carried out to illustrate how plankton move and grow at different latitudes under the influence of the diurnal variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lagoon of Islands was a rare wetland of high conservation value, supporting floating islands of vegetation before it was dammed to supply water for consumptive use downstream. After damming, water quality declined to such an extent that in 2013, the dam wall was removed and a wetland restoration project was commenced, resulting in immediate improvements in water quality and, within five years, regeneration of a plant community largely composed of dominant species of the original wetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Applied Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The historic origins of the concept of P values are described together with its mathematical and statistical definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Conservation Biology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary: We previously reported a protective association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs4415345G and rs4610776A alleles) of Paneth cell α‐defensin‐5 against acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGVHD). Because dysbiosis has been associated with aGVHD, we hypothesized that these SNPs may have a gut microbiota signature. In Lasso regression analysis of 248 healthy individuals, rs4415345G was associated with a higher abundance of Odoribacter splanchnicus, an anaerobic butyrogenic commensal. In multivariable analysis of data from 613 allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant recipients, peri‐engraftment presence of O. splanchnicus was associated with ~50% lower risk for grade II–IV aGVHD (hazard ratio 0·53, 95% confidence interval 0·28–1·00, P = 0·05). O. splanchnicus may protect rs4415345G individuals against aGVHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution maps of cetaceans and seabirds at basin and monthly scales are needed for conservation and marine management. These are usually created from standardized and systematic aerial and vessel surveys, with recorded animal densities interpolated across study areas. However, distribution maps at basin and monthly scales have previously not been possible because individual surveys have restricted spatial and temporal coverage.This study develops an alternative approach consisting of: (a) collating diverse survey data to maximize spatial and temporal coverage, (b) using detection functions to estimate variation in the surface area covered (km2) among these surveys, standardizing measurements of effort and animal densities, and (c) developing species distribution models (SDM) that overcome issues with heterogeneous and uneven coverage.2.68 million km of survey data in the North‐East Atlantic between 1980 and 2018 were collated and standardized. SDM using Generalized Linear Models and General Estimating Equations in a hurdle approach were developed. Distribution maps were then created for 12 cetacean and 12 seabird species at 10 km and monthly resolution. Qualitative and quantitative assessment indicated good model performance.Synthesis and applications. This study provides the largest ever collation and standardization of diverse survey data for cetaceans and seabirds, and the most comprehensive distribution maps of these taxa in the North‐East Atlantic. These distribution maps have numerous applications including the identification of important areas needing protection, and the quantification of overlap between vulnerable species and anthropogenic activities. This study demonstrates how the analysis of existing and diverse survey data can meet conservation and marine management needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing developmental activities, such as hydropower construction, farm roads, and other human activities, are affecting the critically endangered white‐bellied heron (WBH). Out of a known global population of 60, 28 individuals inhabit the river basin area and freshwater lakes and ponds of Bhutan. Several constraints impede continuous monitoring of endangered species, such as the isolated and cryptic nature of the species and the remoteness of its habitat; to date, there are no long‐term reference data or techniques implemented for continuous monitoring of this species.In this study, we designed acoustic detection and habitat characterisation methods using long‐duration recordings from three habitat areas in Bhutan. Acoustic indices were extracted and used to implement a species‐specific call detector and to generate habitat soundscape representations. Using WBH calls annotated in month‐long recordings from a known site, a novel indices‐based detector was implemented and tested. A total of 960 hr of continuous audio recordings from three habitats in Bhutan were analysed.We found that a species call detector implemented using a combination of acoustic indices (that includes measures of spectral and temporal entropy and different angles of spectral ridges) has a correct detection rate of 81%. Additionally, visual inspection of the species' acoustic habitat using long‐duration false‐colour spectrograms enabled qualitative assessment of acoustic habitat structure and other dominant acoustic events.This study proposes a combined approach of species acoustic detection and habitat soundscape analysis for holistic acoustic monitoring of endangered species. As a direct outcome of this work, we documented acoustic reference data on the critically endangered WBH from multiple habitat areas and have analysed its temporal vocalisation patterns across sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how environmental change affects ecosystem function delivery is of primary importance for fundamental and applied ecology. Current approaches focus on single environmental driver effects on communities, mediated by individual response traits. Data limitations present constraints in scaling up this approach to predict the impacts of multivariate environmental change on ecosystem functioning. We present a more holistic approach to determine ecosystem function resilience, using long‐term monitoring data to analyze the aggregate impact of multiple historic environmental drivers on species' population dynamics. By assessing covariation in population dynamics between pairs of species, we identify which species respond most synchronously to environmental change and allocate species into "response guilds." We then use "production functions" combining trait data to estimate the relative roles of species to ecosystem functions. We quantify the correlation between response guilds and production functions, assessing the resilience of ecosystem functioning to environmental change, with asynchronous dynamics of species in the same functional guild expected to lead to more stable ecosystem functioning. Testing this method using data for butterflies collected over four decades in the United Kingdom, we find three ecosystem functions (resource provisioning, wildflower pollination, and aesthetic cultural value) appear relatively robust, with functionally important species dispersed across response guilds, suggesting more stable ecosystem functioning. Additionally, by relating genetic distances to response guilds we assess the heritability of responses to environmental change. Our results suggest it may be feasible to infer population responses of butterflies to environmental change based on phylogeny—a useful insight for conservation management of rare species with limited population monitoring data. Our approach holds promise for overcoming the impasse in predicting the responses of ecosystem functions to environmental change. Quantifying co‐varying species' responses to multivariate environmental change should enable us to significantly advance our predictions of ecosystem function resilience and enable proactive ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplification data for microbial barcoding can be inaccurate across complex environmental samples. A method, ANCHOR, is presented and designed for improved species‐level microbial identification using paired‐end sequences directly, multiple high‐complexity samples and multiple reference databases. A standard operating procedure (SOP) is reported alongside benchmarking against artificial, single sample and replicated mock data sets. The method is then directly tested using a real‐world data set from surface swabs of the International Space Station (ISS). Simple mock community analysis identified 100% of the expected species and 99% of expected gene copy variants (100% identical). A replicated mock community revealed similar or better numbers of expected species than MetaAmp, DADA2, Mothur and QIIME1. Analysis of the ISS microbiome identified 714 putative unique species/strains and differential abundance analysis distinguished significant differences between the Destiny module (U.S. laboratory) and Harmony module (sleeping quarters). Harmony was remarkably dominated by human gastrointestinal tract bacteria, similar to enclosed environments on earth; however, Destiny module bacteria also derived from nonhuman microbiome carriers present on the ISS, the laboratory's research animals. ANCHOR can help substantially improve sequence resolution of 16S rRNA gene amplification data within biologically replicated environmental experiments and integrated multidatabase annotation enhances interpretation of complex, nonreference microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming has advanced the timing of biological events, potentially leading to disruption across trophic levels. The potential importance of phenological change as a driver of population trends has been suggested. To fully understand the possible impacts, there is a need to quantify the scale of these changes spatially and according to habitat type. We studied the relationship between phenological trends, space and habitat type between 1965 and 2012 using an extensive UK dataset comprising 269 aphid, bird, butterfly and moth species. We modelled phenologies using generalized additive mixed models that included covariates for geographical (latitude, longitude, altitude), temporal (year, season) and habitat terms (woodland, scrub, grassland). Model selection showed that a baseline model with geographical and temporal components explained the variation in phenologies better than either a model in which space and time interacted or a habitat model without spatial terms. This baseline model showed strongly that phenologies shifted progressively earlier over time, that increasing altitude produced later phenologies and that a strong spatial component determined phenological timings, particularly latitude. The seasonal timing of a phenological event, in terms of whether it fell in the first or second half of the year, did not result in substantially different trends for butterflies. For moths, early season phenologies advanced more rapidly than those recorded later. Whilst temporal trends across all habitats resulted in earlier phenologies over time, agricultural habitats produced significantly later phenologies than most other habitats studied, probably because of nonclimatic drivers. A model with a significant habitat‐time interaction was the best‐fitting model for birds, moths and butterflies, emphasizing that the rates of phenological advance also differ among habitats for these groups. Our results suggest the presence of strong spatial gradients in mean seasonal timing and nonlinear trends towards earlier seasonal timing that varies in form and rate among habitat types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To construct a comprehensive picture of the typical chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patient in the United States including the demographics, comorbidities, and geographic prevalence. The study will also identify the diagnostic and treatment regimens, their cost, and pattern of use for both medically and surgically managed patients. Study Design: Historical cohort study utilizing private and public payer databases. Methods: Medical claims data from the Truven Health MarketScan Research Databases from the years 2010 to 2012 for patients with acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) and CRS 18 and older were analyzed. Results: There were 54 million unique patients in the databases from 2010 to 2012. Approximately 8 million had at least one diagnosis of ARS and 298,337 had a diagnosis of CRS. Females represented 63.7% of patients with ARS and 59.4% with CRS. Medicare patients represented 6.7% of the ARS population and 10.2% of the CRS population. The mean cost of a CRS episode for those commercially insured was $1024 and $762 in Medicare. CRS patients underwent diagnostic procedures including diagnostic endoscopy (55.1%), cultures (23.6%), sinus CT scan (82.1%) and MRI (0.2%). Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) was performed on 14.4% of those patients with CRS. Change in frequency of medication use from the 6 months prior to ESS to the 6 months post‐ESS yielded a reduction in total costs of 34.2% or $3.9 M. The most commonly operated sinuses (with or without septoplasty on same day as ESS) were the maxillary (94%/76.1%); followed by ethmoid (82.1%/66.6%); frontal (38.8%/35.1%); and sphenoid (28.5%/28.1%). In total, 16.6% had one sinus operated on, 39.1% had two, 24.6% had three, and 18.7% had four sinuses operated on. Conclusions: This data paints a much clearer understanding of the current medical and surgical management. This study confirms the previously described "value proposition" for the surgical management of those CRS patients refractory to medical management. Level of Evidence: 4 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven magnesium complexes (1–7) were synthesized by reaction of new (L3‐H–L5‐H) and previously reported ketoimine pro‐ligands with dibutyl magnesium and were isolated in 59–70% yields. Complexes 1–7 were characterized fully and consisted of bis‐ligated homoleptic ketoiminates coordinated in distorted octahedral geometry around the magnesium centers. The complexes were investigated for their ability to initiate the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of l‐lactide (L‐LA) to poly‐lactic acid (PLA) and ɛ‐caprolactone (ɛCL) to poly‐caprolactone in the presence of 4‐fluorophenol co‐catalyst. For L‐LA polymerization, complexes containing ligand electron‐donating groups (1–5) achieved >90% conversion in 2 h at 100 °C, while the presence of CF3 groups in 6 and 7 slowed or resulted in no PLA detected. With ɛCL, ROP initiated with 1–7 resulted in lower percentage conversion with similar electronic effects. Moderate molecular weight PLA polymeric material (14.3–21.3 kDa) with low polydispersity index values (1.23–1.56) was obtained, and ROP appeared to be living in nature. Copolymerization of L‐LA and ɛCL yielded block copolymers only from the sequential polymerization of ɛCL followed by L‐LA and not the reverse sequence of monomers or the simultaneous presence of both monomers. Polymers and copolymers were characterized with NMR, gel permeation chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 48–59 Bis‐ligated magnesium complexes were synthesized and shown to be effective l‐lactide and ε‐caprolactone ring opening (co)‐polymerization initiators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is accumulating anecdotal evidence that anosmia and dysgeusia are associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To investigate their relationship to SARS-CoV2 infection, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery developed the COVID-19 Anosmia Reporting Tool for Clinicians for the basis of this pilot study. This tool allows health care providers to confidentially submit cases of anosmia and dysgeusia related to COVID-19. We analyzed the first 237 entries, which revealed that anosmia was noted in 73% of patients prior to COVID-19 diagnosis and was the initial symptom in 26.6%. Some improvement was noted in 27% of patients, with a mean time to improvement of 7.2 days in this group (85% of this group improved within 10 days). Our findings suggest that anomia can be a presenting symptom of COVID-19, consistent with other emerging international reports. Anosmia may be critical in timely identification of individuals infected with SARS-CoV2 who may be unwittingly transmitting the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origins of chemometrics in quantitative analytical chemistry is contrasted to the emerging growth points of statistically based hypothesis testing and generation such as in applications to metabolomics and heritage science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]