Browse Articles

Estimating setback distances for a threatened, cryptic, data-sparse migratory shorebird

Cryptic fauna species using highly modified habitats face many conservation challenges, with disturbance from human use being an ongoing issue across many global settings. Setbacks or buffers are a key planning tool for protecting habitat, and are often specified under law. However, for many species using modified and urban habitats there are no published data on how wide setbacks should be. Latham’s Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii) is a case in point. It is a threatened, cryptic, migratory shorebird that breeds in Japan and spends its non-breeding season almost entirely in Australian wetlands and grasslands. Many sites used by snipe are within urban areas, potentially triggering protections under national law and there is an urgent need for information on setbacks to inform planning and conservation management. The aim of this project was to derive transparent, scientifically-derived buffer recommendations for mitigating disturbance to Latham’s Snipe, by estimating Alert Distances (AD; the first sign of behavioural disruption associated with human proximity) from measures of flush distances (FIDs; the distance at which flight occurs). ADs are almost impossible to observe in this cryptic species which uses dense habitat. We used 1529 FIDs to estimate AD from: (1) a within-species regression of FID against the few available ADs for this species (n =  8), and (2) cross-species associations between AD and FID of Scolopacidae from analysis of an unpublished dataset. FIDs varied between site and observers, so we resampled using bootstrapping to account for this variation and produce estimates of AD. Based on these estimates, we recommend minimum buffer widths between 75 - 110 m, which would prevent 80 - 95% of vigilance responses by Latham’s Snipe, respectively. The methods we employ may be useful in determining appropriate buffer widths for other cryptic fauna species. These buffers should be monitored for effectiveness and adapted as required.

Cardiorespiratory fitness in stroke patients with different activities of daily living levels: a cross-sectional study

The relationship between body condition, body composition, and growth in amphibians

Body condition of animals is often assumed to reflect advantages in survival or reproduction, but body condition indices may not reflect body composition, or condition may be unrelated to fitness-associated traits. The relationship between body condition indices and composition has rarely been quantified in amphibians, and body condition has not previously been related to growth in adult amphibians. We used laboratory (quantitative magnetic resonance) and field methods to evaluate the relationship between body composition and the four common body condition indices for wildlife studies (body mass index, Fulton’s index, scaled mass index, and residual index) in two frog and one salamander species in Montana, USA. We then assessed the relationship between body condition and summertime somatic growth during a 3-yr mark-recapture study of one of our study species (Columbia spotted frogs, Rana luteiventris). Correlation of body condition indices with fat and lean mass differed across species, sexes, and whether components were represented as percentages or were scaled based on size. Scaled mass index, residual index, and Fulton’s index were most often well correlated (r > 0.6) with scaled body components, but Fulton’s index was strongly correlated with body length. Scaled mass and residual indices predicted scaled fat relatively well and were uncorrelated with body length. Heavier condition predicted higher growth rates of Columbia spotted frogs, regardless of the index used. Frogs of heavy body condition (90th percentile residual index) grew 0.04 and 0.05 mm/day greater than frogs of light condition (10th percentile) for average length males and females, respectively. Frogs of short body length (10th percentile) grew 0.11 and 0.19 mm/day more than long (90th percentile) males and females, respectively. By examining the relationship between body condition indices and body composition and revealing a link between condition and future growth, our results provide an empirical basis for choosing the most appropriate condition index, as well as a potential link to fitness-related traits.

A hybrid segmentation and classification CAD framework for automated myocardial infarction prediction from MRI images

Ancient DNA reveals Phoenicians’ surprising genetic ancestry

Retraction: Intraperitoneal injection of PDTC on the NF-kB signaling pathway and osteogenesis indexes of young adult rats with anterior palatal suture expansion model

Time to death and its predictors among neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Boru Meda General Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia

Retraction: On the networking synthesis of studio factors to the integration of design pedagogy

Retraction Note: Flowering season of vernal herbs is shortened at elevated temperatures with reduced precipitation in early spring

Evidence to shared genetic correlation of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage and cardiovascular related traits

Background Previous studies have demonstrated the genetic basis of stroke and also revealed their genetic correlation with some cardiovascular related diseases or traits at the entire genome, which, however, would not give the answer which regions may mainly account for the genetic overlap. This study aims to identify specific genetic loci that contribute to the shared genetic basis between ischemic stroke subtypes and common cardiovascular traits. Methods We used Local Analysis of [co]Variant Annotation (LAVA), a recent developed local genetic correlation method, to perform a system local genetic correlation analysis on GWAS summary data of two major subtypes of stroke, including any ischemic stroke (AIS) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and ten common cardiovascular related diseases or traits (CRTs). We further used colocalization analysis to explore potential shared causal genes in loci with significant local genetic correlation. In addition, we also performed Transcriptome-wide association (TWAS) analysis and fine-mapping for each phenotype to functionally annotate significant loci. Results LAVA analysis identified a total of 3 significant local genetic correlations (Bonferroni-adjusted P <  0.05) across 3 chromosomes between AIS and systolic blood pressure (SBP), AIS and hypertension (HT), and ICH and body mass index (BMI), among which locus 7.24 explicated to harbor a shared causal variant for AIS and SBP. TWIST1 in locus 7.24 was defined to be nominally associated with SBP, but not for AIS. Fine-mapping analysis also only identified TWIST1 a credible causal gene for BMI. Conclusions Our study revealed the local genetic correlations between two stroke subtypes and ten common CRTs. Gene-level analyses indicated that biological explanations underlying these identified local genetic correlations may existed elsewhere beyond a common pattern of genetic-gene expression regulation.

Unveiling optimal mother wavelets by COPRAS Method Analyzing speech signals despite face mask and shield obstacles

Public demand and optimization of smart government service platform from the perspective of service life cycle based on the Kano model: A Chinese case study

Preparedness for caregiving among caregivers of breast cancer patients and its association with health literacy and caregiving competence

Predictors of complications following alloplastic cranioplasty in trauma patients: A multi-center retrospective study

Object Although technically simple, cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy is associated with high complication rates. Assessing the factors that contribute to these complications is essential. The study aimed to present the complications following alloplastic cranioplasty in trauma patients and evaluate the factors that predispose patients to an increased risk of complications. Methods The author retrospectively reviewed cranioplasty cases at three institutions following craniectomy for trauma between 01/01/2018 and 31/12/2021. The risk factors included age, sex, smoking history, defect site, defect size, type of alloplastic materials, hydrocephalus after decompressive craniectomy (DC), hydrocephalus shunts before cranioplasty (CP), and the time interval between initial craniectomy and cranioplasty. The cranioplasty complications assessed were postoperative new-onset seizures, reoperation for hematoma, implant failure, and postoperative subgaleal effusion. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess these risk factors. Results A total of 191 cranioplasties were included in this study, with a major complication rate of 26.2% (50 of 191). In multivariate analysis, the risk factors for major complications were smoking history, titanium cranioplasty, and a time interval to cranioplasty exceeding 3 months. Predictors of new-onset seizures in multivariate analysis included younger age, smoking history (OR = 4.69, p < 0.001), titanium cranioplasty (OR = 4.85, p = 0.049), and intermediate CP (OR = 5.46, p = 0.042). The rates of implant failure and postoperative hematoma were higher when cranioplasty was performed over 3 months or involved titanium cranioplasty. The rate of minor complication, specifically subgaleal effusion, was 18.9% (36 cases), with male sex being a significant variable in multivariate analysis. Conclusions This study presented complications and predictors of complications for cranioplasty in trauma patients, which could be incorporated with surgical decision-making for neurosurgeons.

Lignin-containing cellulose nanofiber-selenium nanoparticle hybrid enhances tolerance to salt stress in rice genotypes

Umbilical cord length and neurodevelopmental disorders, a national cohort study

Introduction Adversities in fetal life are known risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Despite the pivotal role of the umbilical cord, little is known about its associations to later NDD. Objective To estimate the associations between umbilical cord length and NDD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), cerebral palsy (CP), epilepsy, impaired vision or hearing), and whether associations differed by sex. Materials and methods A prospective population-based cohort study including all liveborn singletons in Norway from 1999, through 2013 and followed up through 2019. Data were retrieved from The Medical Birth Registry of Norway and linked with other national health and administrative registries. Exposures were extreme umbilical cord length (empirical percentile <5th or ≥ 95th percentiles). Main outcome measures were NDD (ADHD, ASD, ID, CP, epilepsy, impaired vision or hearing). Associations with umbilical cord length were assessed using logistic regression. Results The cohort consisted of 858,397 births (51.3% boys). We identified 33,370 persons with ADHD (69.8% boys), 10,818 had ASD (76.0% boys), 5538 ID (61.4% boys), 2152 with CP (59.9% boys), 8233 epilepsy (55.0% boys), 900 impaired vision (boys 55.0%), and 11,441 impaired hearing (boys 52.8%). Cord length was positively associated with ADHD (OR 1.15; 95%CI 1.09–1.22), i.e., the risk increased with long cord and decreased with short cord, regardless of sex. A short cord was positively associated with ID (OR 2.42; 95%CI 2.17–2.69), impaired hearing (OR 1.41; 95%CI 1.29–1.54), and epilepsy (OR 1.31; 95%CI 1.18–1.46). CP was associated with both short and long cord (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.07–1.61 and 1.34, 95%CI 1.13–1.60, respectively). There was no association between cord length and impaired vision. Conclusions This first population study finds that umbilical cord length is associated with NDD. The findings support the hypothesis that neurodevelopment and development of the umbilical cord share pathways.

Exploring ripening suppression in peach fruit during controlled atmosphere storage with transcriptome insights

Point-of-care testing of hyponatremia and hypernatremia levels: An optoplasmonic biosensing approach

In the human body, sodium ion (Na+) is the principal extracellular cation and its imbalance in blood or lymph results in either hyponatremia or hypernatremia conditions. Any of these scenarios have fatal effects on a patient’s health over time. However, the existing technologies limit quick point-of-care (POC) testing options. To overcome the challenges associated with prompt diagnosis, we proposed a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for in situ rapid testing of Na+ ion levels in patient’s blood samples. A unique PCF sensor with a modified square lattice is engineered to achieve a propagation-controlled core that permits enhanced control over wave guidance resulting in improved sensing performance. Plasmonically active conducting indium tin oxide (ITO) is used to omit the limitations that arise from undesired oxidation with time and to enable higher spectral tunability. The finite element method (FEM) is used to perform the numerical analysis on performance and all sensor parameters are optimized to ensure the best sensing outcome. The structural asymmetry-induced birefringence enforced a superior y-polarized sensing response compared to that of the x-polarized mode for the proposed sensor, where it proffers the highest wavelength sensitivity of 15,157 nm/RIU with a detection resolution of 6.61 ×  10−6 RIU. Additionally, the sensor exhibits a maximum amplitude sensitivity of 470 RIU−1 and an outstanding figure of merit (FOM) of 171 RIU−1. Due to the high sensitivity and resolution, we infer that the proposed sensor will be a promising POC alternative to the conventional serum electrolyte panels used in present medical practice.

Harmonized prevalence estimates of dementia in Europe vary strongly with childhood education

Abstract Up-to-date, strictly cross-nationally comparable and nationally representative data on cognitive health are essential for our understanding of the dementia-related challenges in healthcare, to detect shortcomings in healthcare systems and to design effective prevention strategies. Such data have been missing in Europe. We use the most recent 2022 wave of the strictly harmonized Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 47,773 individuals age 65 and older) to obtain prevalence estimates of mild cognitive impairment and dementia for 27 European countries and Israel in 2022. The novelty of the paper is to validate these estimates using the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) as a validation tool. These new data exhibit much higher prevalence rates of dementia in the Mediterranean and Southeastern European countries and a much larger variation of cognitive impairment across Europe and Israel than previously known. Dementia prevalence ranges from 4.5% in Switzerland to 22.7% in Spain, MCI prevalence from 17.2% in Sweden to 31.1% in Portugal. Most of this variation can be explained by differences in education when respondents were young. Prevalence rates vary plausibly with other risk factors such as age and comorbidities associated with dementia.

Adherence to alcohol consumption-related recommendations and predictors of heavy episodic drinking among patients with NCDs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction Managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) requires adherence to lifestyle recommendations like a healthy diet, regular exercise, smoking cessation, and limiting alcohol intake. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced barriers to maintaining these habits, including limited healthcare access, increased stress, and reduced physical activity. This study assessed adherence to lifestyle recommendations, with a focus on heavy episodic drinking (HED), among NCD patients during the pandemic in Arba Minch, Ethiopia, to identify areas for public health intervention. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among 310 randomly selected NCD follow-up patients at Arba Minch General Hospital. The data was collected using the WHO STEPS and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) tool from March 1 to April 30, 2022. Data analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistics (bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression). Confounding variables were identified and controlled for to ensure result accuracy. Results Adherence to lifestyle recommendations was found to be low, at just 16.1% [n=50, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (12.5–20.6%)]. The prevalence of HED was 12.6%, with a higher prevalence among males (18.4%) compared to females (7.4%). Recent alcohol consumption was reported by 29.0% of participants, and among these, 43.3% engaged in HED. Factors significantly associated with HED included male gender (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 2.63, 95% CI 1.11, 6.24), higher education level (AOR 2.91, 95% CI 1.11, 7.58), and current tobacco use (AOR 6.36, 95% CI 1.62, 25.04). Healthcare disruptions due to COVID-19 (AOR 3.28, 95% CI 1.16, 9.26) and COVID-19-related anxiety (AOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.06, 1.56) were also linked to HED. Conclusion The study revealed low adherence to lifestyle recommendationsand significant prevalence of HED among NCD patients during the pandemic. Associations between HED, healthcare disruptions, and anxiety highlight the critical role of mental health and healthcare access in risky behaviors. Targeted public health interventions are essential, including community-based alcohol reduction programs, improved mental health support, and stronger healthcare systems. Integrating mental health services and culturally sensitive health education and community engagement can help improve adherence to lifestyle recommendations.