Lead exposure in an urban population of free-ranging kaka (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Veterinary Science in Wildlife Health at Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand

Anthropogenic lead use has resulted in widespread environmental lead contamination known to affect wildlife populations worldwide. Lead is a highly toxic, non-essential heavy metal recognised as a cause of morbidity and mortality in birds. Ecotoxicological investigations in wild birds have thus far prioritised waterfowl and raptor species and primarily addressed contamination in natural ecosystems. Urban areas are increasingly associated with high levels of heavy metal contamination, however the risk of lead exposure in urban wildlife is less well known. This study aimed to identify the significance of lead exposure in a well-established urban population of kaka (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis). Blood lead concentrations were assessed in adult and nestling birds to quantify exposure prevalence and magnitude. The impact of lead exposure on physiological and neurological function was assessed using behavioural and physiological parameters. Finally, lead stable isotope analysis was employed to identify the primary sources of lead in the urban environment. Lead exposure is prevalent in this kaka population, with 43.2% of adults and 36.7% of nestlings with detectable blood lead concentrations. Blood lead concentrations in nestlings ranged from <3.3 to 42.9ug/dL, with no detectable neurological or physiological deficits. The pattern of exposure in chicks is suggestive of parental feeding of lead, however detection of lead in some eggshells suggests that maternal transfer is another route of exposure in this species. Blood lead concentrations in adult birds ranged between 3.4 to 50.7ug/dL. Although no acute clinical signs of toxicity were observed, lead exposure was associated with reduced body condition in adults. Behavioural changes were present in one individual with the highest recorded blood lead concentration. Lead isotope ratios in kaka blood samples overlap with isotope values of roof-collected rainwater, suggesting this to be an important source of exposure in this population. The prevalence of lead exposure observed in this study suggests that lead is a threat to kaka interacting with urban areas. Wildlife intoxications largely result from anthropogenic lead sources and this study identifies a previously undescribed urban source of lead in wildlife. The well-described subclinical and persistent effects of lead highlight the need for abatement strategies to reduce lead exposure and its effects in this population

Statistical hydrodynamics of ordered suspensions of self-propelled particles: waves, giant number fluctuations and instabilities

General principles of symmetry and conservation are used to construct the hydrodynamic equations for orientationally ordered suspensions of self-propelled particles (SPPs). Without knowledge of the microscopic origins of the ordering or the mechanisms of self-propulsion, we are able to make a number of striking, testable predictions for the properties of these nonequilibrium phases of matter. These include: novel wavelike excitations in vectorially ordered suspensions; the absolute instability of nematic SPP suspensions at long wavelengths; the convective instability of low-Reynolds-number vector-ordered suspensions; and giant number fluctuations in vector-ordered SPP suspensions

Extraperitoneal versus transperitoneal cesarean section: a retrospective analysis

Background: Cesarean section is becoming a more common delivery type worldwide. The objective of this study was to compare surgical morbidity in extraperitoneal versus transperitoneal techniques of cesarean section.Methods: A total of 60 patients was included in this study out of which 30 underwent extraperitoneal cesarean section(ECS) and 30 patients underwent transperitoneal cesarean section (TCS) and compared both the techniques with respect to nausea or vomiting intra-operatively, pain score (as measured by visual analogue scale) post operatively, return of bowel function and blood loss.Results: Intra-operative nausea and vomiting was noted in 33.34% of patients in TCS group while none of the patients in ECS group had any such complaints. No difference was noted in average blood loss between the 2 groups. Post-operative pain in ECS was 4.13 as compared to 6.86 in TCS. Return of bowel sounds in ECS group was much earlier (5.46 hours) as compared to TCS group (11.33 hours).Conclusions: We conclude that extraperitoneal technique is advantageous over transperitoneal approach. Decreased nausea and vomiting, early return of bowel function in the post-operative period, decreased post-operative pain allowing early feeding and mobilization are definite benefits of this technique. This further helps in making a relatively smoother post-operative recovery

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy- case series done in a tertiary care hospital

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) also known as obstetric cholestasis is a liver disorder of pregnancy which is characterised by maternal pruritus usually in the third trimester, raised serum bile acids and increased incidence of adverse fetal outcomes and usually complete resolution of symptoms post-delivery. The etiology of ICP is complex and multifactorial as is the mechanism by which fetal complications occur which is yet not completely understood. The introduction of ursodeoxycholic acid in the management of ICP has provided significant improvement in maternal symptoms as well as fetal outcome. We present a case series of 5 cases of obstetric cholestasis which presented in our tertiary care hospital which could possibly help and guide obstetricians in the future who are dealing with dilemma in diagnosis and management of this condition.  

Hydrodynamic fluctuations and instabilities in ordered suspensions of self-propelled particles

We construct the hydrodynamic equations for {\em suspensions} of self-propelled particles (SPPs) with spontaneous orientational order, and make a number of striking, testable predictions:(i) SPP suspensions with the symmetry of a true {\em nematic} are {\em always} absolutely unstable at long wavelengths.(ii) SPP suspensions with {\em polar}, i.e., head-tail {\em asymmetric}, order support novel propagating modes at long wavelengths, coupling orientation, flow, and concentration. (iii) In a wavenumber regime accessible only in low Reynolds number systems such as bacteria, polar-ordered suspensions are invariably convectively unstable.(iv) The variance in the number N of particles, divided by the mean , diverges as $^{2/3}$ in polar-ordered SPP suspensions.Comment: submitted to Phys Rev Let

A Dynamic Renormalization Group Study of Active Nematics

We carry out a systematic construction of the coarse-grained dynamical equation of motion for the orientational order parameter for a two-dimensional active nematic, that is a nonequilibrium steady state with uniaxial, apolar orientational order. Using the dynamical renormalization group, we show that the leading nonlinearities in this equation are marginally \textit{irrelevant}. We discover a special limit of parameters in which the equation of motion for the angle field of bears a close relation to the 2d stochastic Burgers equation. We find nevertheless that, unlike for the Burgers problem, the nonlinearity is marginally irrelevant even in this special limit, as a result of of a hidden fluctuation-dissipation relation. 2d active nematics therefore have quasi-long-range order, just like their equilibrium counterpartsComment: 31 pages 6 figure

Obstetric hysterectomy in a tertiary centre: a 3-year retrospective study

Background: Obstetric hysterectomy (OH) is a life-saving procedure and involves removal of uterus in cases of intractable hemorrhage. This study includes 21 cases of OH in a period of 3 years at a tertiary centre. We sought to understand the prevalence, indications and outcomes of emergency obstetric hysterectomy. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study, conducted with the means of hospital delivery records in a tertiary care centre in Navi Mumbai. We included all patients who underwent obstetric hysterectomy in a span of 3 years between 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2023, in Dr. D.Y. Patil Hospital, Navi Mumbai, India. Results: Twenty- one OH were done in the period of study. The incidence of obstetric hysterectomy was 0.45% (452 OH per 100,000 deliveries). It was more prevalent in patients with caesarean section compared to vaginal delivery. Women between the age 25-35 years group comprised of 57.15% cases. Out of the 21 women in the study 7 women were primigravida (33.33%). Most common cause for OH was observed to be uterine atony (42.85%) followed by adherent placenta (28.57%). Maternal morbidity like admission to intensive care unit and need for blood and blood product transfusion was noted in most patients, mortality was observed in only 1 case. Neonatal mortality was nil in this study but, admission to neonatal intensive care unit was required in 7 patients. Conclusions: Although, obstetric hysterectomy kills the future reproductive prospect for a woman, it is life saving for her. Timely decision for OH can not only prevent mortality but, also morbidity for the woman. Previous caesarean section and multigravida have higher incidence of OH. Atonicity is the predominant cause for obstetric hysterectomy in this study

Rheology of Active-Particle Suspensions

We study the interplay of activity, order and flow through a set of coarse-grained equations governing the hydrodynamic velocity, concentration and stress fields in a suspension of active, energy-dissipating particles. We make several predictions for the rheology of such systems, which can be tested on bacterial suspensions, cell extracts with motors and filaments, or artificial machines in a fluid. The phenomena of cytoplasmic streaming, elastotaxis and active mechanosensing find natural explanations within our model.Comment: 3 eps figures, submitted to Phys Rev Let

Travelling waves in a drifting flux lattice

Starting from the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) equations for a type II superconductor, we derive the equations of motion for the displacement field of a moving vortex lattice without inertia or pinning. We show that it is linearly stable and, surprisingly, that it supports wavelike long-wavelength excitations arising not from inertia or elasticity but from the strain-dependent mobility of the moving lattice. It should be possible to image these waves, whose speeds are a few \mu m/s, using fast scanning tunnelling microscopy.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 2 .eps figures imbedded in paper, title shortened, minor textual change

‘It doesn’t happen how you think, it is very complex!’ Reconciling stakeholder priorities, evidence, and processes for zoonoses prioritisation in India

BackgroundWhy do some zoonotic diseases receive priority from health policy decision-makers and planners whereas others receive little attention? By leveraging Shiffman and Smith’s political prioritisation framework, our paper advances a political economy of disease prioritisation focusing on four key components: the strength of the actors involved in the prioritisation, the power of the ideas they use to portray the issue, the political contexts in which they operate, and the characteristics of the issue itself (e.g., overall burdens, severity, cost-effective interventions). These components afford a nuanced characterisation of how zoonotic diseases are prioritised for intervention and highlight the associated knowledge gaps affecting prioritisation outcomes. We apply this framework to the case of zoonoses management in India, specifically to identify the factors that shape disease prioritisation decision-making and outcomes.MethodsWe conducted 26 semi-structured interviews with national, state and district level health policymakers, disease managers and technical experts involved in disease surveillance and control in India.ResultsOur results show pluralistic interpretation of risks, exemplified by a disconnect between state and district level actors on priority diseases. The main factors identified as shaping prioritisation outcomes were related to the nature of the zoonoses problem (the complexity of the zoonotic disease, insufficient awareness and lack of evidence on disease burdens and impacts) as well as political, social, cultural and institutional environments (isolated departmental priorities, limited institutional authority, opaque funding mechanisms), and challenges in organisation leadership for cross-sectoral engagement.ConclusionThe findings highlight a compartmentalised regulatory system for zoonoses where political, social, cultural, and media factors can influence disease management and prioritisation. A major policy window is the institutionalisation of One Health to increase the political priority for strengthening cross-sectoral engagement to address several challenges, including the creation of effective institutions to reconcile stakeholder priorities and prioritisation processes