Post-Cranial Osteology of Bats

Fossil bats give few clues to the early evolution of the Chiroptera. Adaptations for flight were well established by early Eocene, and osteological characters of Recent Chiroptera show only minor changes since the Eocene. Examination of the post-cranial skeleton reveals these important general features: (1) arch, anteroposterior compression and partial fusion of the vertebral column; (2) well developed pectoral girdle with large clavicles and a small keel present on the sternum; (3) secondary humeroscapular association; (4) modification of the forearm for flight with the ulna rudimentary and the metacarpals and phalanges elongated to spread the flight membranes; (5) weak hind limbs, incomplete fibula; and (6) well developed hind feet

Comparative Osteology of the Pelvic Girdles of the Phyllostomatidae (Chiroptera; Mammalia)

The Chilonycterinae are the most primitive of the subfamilies of the Phyllostomatidae. Two basic groups comprise this subfamily: the first includes the genera Pteronotus and Chilonycteris; the second, the genus Mormoops. This grouping is based principally upon the characteristics of the humerus and the innominate. Within the subfamily Phyllostomatinae two types are recognized. The Macrotus-type is considered the more primitive, because of its resemblance to the chilonycterines, and the Phyllustomus-type the more advanced. From these two phyllostomatine groups are derived the more advanced lines of the Phyllostomatidae. The phyllonycterine line appears to be derived from the Macrotus-type. The sturnirine-glossophagine line and the stenodcrmine line are derived from the Phyllostomus-type. The Vam pyrops-type of stenodermine shows affinities with the glossophagines and is considered the more primitive stenodermine. The Artibrns-type stenodermine is considered the more advanced. The carolline group shows relationships to the Macrotus-type of phyllostomatine and also shows affinities with the sturnirines. A more thorough study of the genera involved is needed to determine this relationship. The family Phyllostomatidae has its closest affinities with the Desmodontidae, and post-cranial evidence offers little reason to consider these as separate families. Other close relationships of the Phyllostomatidae appear to exist with the Noctilionidae and possibly with the Emballonuridae

The food insecurity gap and protracted humanitarian crisis

In 2022, record-high food prices, supply-chain disruptions and increasing climate and conflict risks are causing millions of people across the globe to face worsening levels of food insecurity. But the trend toward greater food insecurity is not simply a product of current events. The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2022 highlights that the population considered in need of urgent action due to acute food insecurity doubled between 2016 and 2021. Food insecurity can cause, deepen, or worsen humanitarian crises, and understanding the most effective ways to target assistance is crucial to preventing multiple and protracted crises.What is food insecurity?Acute food insecurity is faced by people who are unable to afford or access essential food needs, and presents the risks of malnutrition, starvation or death. While the risk of food insecurity is greater for those in humanitarian crisis contexts, a humanitarian crisis does not have to be present for countries to experience high levels of food insecurity.There are a number of metrics which indicate the overall level of food insecurity in a country: the absolute size of a population facing food insecurity; the size of a population facing food insecurity relative to the total population; and the intensity of the food insecurity felt by the population in need, as measured by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) acute food insecurity Phases 1-5.IPC phases range from 1 to 5, where Phases 1 or 2 (minimal or stressed) indicate no immediate unmet food needs; and Phases 3, 4, and 5 (crisis, emergency and catastrophe/famine) indicate increasing severity of unmet food needs and the requirement for urgent assistance. The number of people in Phase 3 and above is a primary metric in tracking food insecurity, although the IPC does not cover every country every year. In 2022, the GRFC assessed 53 countries experiencing acute food insecurity and requiring external emergency assistance to cope. To produce a global total, other sources such as humanitarian needs assessments can be used to supplement IPC data, although these figures may use differing definitions of food security. For more information on calculating the number of people facing food insecurity in countries not covered by the IPC, see the methodology in the Appendix.The food insecurity gapKnowing the overall numbers of people facing food insecurity does not give a complete picture, as the intensity of food insecurity differs between populations, ranging from crisis-level (IPC Phase 3) to catastrophic levels or even famine (IPC Phase 5).We can understand the difference in these levels as increasing gaps in food insecurity: populations with a greater gap – or deeper food insecurity – are experiencing more intense food insecurity and require a different and more urgent set of interventions. Measuring how the intensity of food insecurity differs and changes between populations is vital to understanding and comparing levels of need, and tracking progress over time. To do this, we created a metric known as the 'food insecurity gap', a single percentage figure which indicates the intensity of food insecurity across a population. See the Appendix for more information on the methodology used to calculate this metric.How do we define humanitarian crisis?We define countries experiencing humanitarian crisis as those with a United Nations (UN)-coordinated humanitarian appeal. We identify countries facing protracted crisis as those with five or more consecutive years of UN-coordinated humanitarian appeals, while recurrent-crisis countries are those with two to four consecutive years of appeals. As of September 2022, there are 71 countries with UN-coordinated humanitarian appeals and 44 facing protracted crisis

Diurnal Retreats of Bats

The forelimbs of bats are so highly modified for flight that they are of little value for terrestrial locomotion. Deprived of all but limited use of the front feet in terrestrial activity, roosts or resting sites are also limited. All bats are primarily nocturnal and most of them spend the day in elevated, secluded retreats. Elevation is critical, for some bats show limited ability to take flight from flat, horizontal surfaces. Many bats, however, do show marked agility on the ground, and are quite capable of gaining flight from flat, horizontal surfaces. There is little correlation between taxonomy and roosting habits, although utilization of vegetation as roosts appears to be the general rule in the Megachiroptera and rather uncommon in the Microchiroptera

The Role of Market Knowledge Type on Product Innovation Performance

While it is understood that market knowledge can positively impact product innovation performance (PIP), a better understanding on the nuanced roles of different aspects of market knowledge is needed. More specifically, we aim to gain an understanding of how different types of market knowledge, such as tacit knowledge, are developed and utilised, especially in high uncertainty environments. This research was conducted with a sample of in-depth interviews with industry experts in new product development in the UK grocery sector (N=8) followed up by a survey of 193 companies from the UK grocery sector. The study proposes two measures of market information-gathering activities (MIGA) and market knowledge volume informed by input from experts in the UK grocery sector. Results show that MIGA have a positive effect on market knowledge volume and specificity. Market knowledge volume and specificity consequently have a direct effect on PIP. Finally, market knowledge tacitness is positively moderated by market uncertainty. That is, market knowledge tacitness is most impactful in high uncertainty environments, but offers limited benefit in low uncertainty environments. This study provides evidence of how market knowledge-gathering activities and types can positively impact new product performance, especially in high uncertainty environments

Freight Data Architecture Business Process, Logical Data Model, and Physical Data Model

Texas Department of Transportation Research and Technology Implementation Office P.O. Box 5080 Austin, Texas 78763-5080Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineerin

Effectiveness of a Community Health Worker as Sole Diabetes Educator: Comparison of CoDE with Similar Culturally Appropriate Interventions

Article discussing the effectiveness of a community health worker as sole diabetes educator

Instrumented cervical fusion using patient specific end-plate conforming interbody devices with a micro-porous structure in nine dogs with disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy

ObjectiveTo report the medium and long-term outcome of nine dogs with disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (DA-CSM), treated by instrumented interbody fusion using patient specific end-plate conforming device that features a micro-porous structure to facilitate bone in-growth.Study designA retrospective clinical study.AnimalsNine medium and large breed dogs.MethodsMedical records at two institutions were reviewed between January 2020 and 2023. Following magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of DA-CSM, pre-operative computed tomography (CT) scans were exported to computer software for in-silico surgical planning. Interbody devices were 3D-manufactured by selecting laser melting in titanium alloy. These were surgically implanted at 13 segments alongside mono-or bi-cortical vertebral stabilization systems. Follow-up included neurologic scoring and CT scans post-operative, at medium-term follow up and at long-term follow-up where possible. Interbody fusion and implant subsidence were evaluated from follow-up CT scans.ResultsNine dogs were diagnosed with DA-CSM between C5-C7 at a total of 13 operated segments. Medium-term follow up was obtained between 2 and 8 months post-operative (3.00 ± 1.82 months). Neurologic scoring improved (p = 0.009) in eight of nine dogs. Distraction was significant (p < 0.001) at all segments. Fusion was evident at 12/13 segments. Subsidence was evident at 3/13 operated segments but was only considered clinically relevant in one dog that did not improve; as clinical signs were mild, revision surgery was not recommended. Long-term follow up was obtained between 9 and 33 months (14.23 ± 8.24 months); improvement was sustained in 8 dogs. The dog that suffered worsened thoracic limb paresis at medium-term follow up was also diagnosed with immune-mediated polyarthropathy (IMPA) and was euthanased 9 months post-operative due to unacceptable side-effects of corticosteroid therapy.ConclusionEnd-plate conforming interbody devices with a micro-porous structure were designed, manufactured, and successfully implanted in dog with DA-CSM. This resulted in CT-determined fusion with minimal subsidence in the majority of operated segments.Clinical significanceThe technique described can be used to distract and fuse cervical vertebrae in dogs with DA-CSM, with favorable medium-and long-term outcomes

One-year outcomes after transcatheter insertion of an interatrial shunt device for the management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Background—Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction has a complex pathophysiology and remains a therapeutic challenge. Elevated left atrial pressure, particularly during exercise, is a key contributor to morbidity and mortality. Preliminary analyses have demonstrated that a novel interatrial septal shunt device that allows shunting to reduce the left atrial pressure provides clinical and hemodynamic benefit at 6 months. Given the chronicity of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, evidence of longer-term benefit is required. Methods and Results—Patients (n=64) with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥40%, New York Heart Association class II–IV, elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (≥15 mm Hg at rest or ≥25 mm Hg during supine bicycle exercise) participated in the open-label study of the interatrial septal shunt device. One year after interatrial septal shunt device implantation, there were sustained improvements in New York Heart Association class (P<0.001), quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure score, P<0.001), and 6-minute walk distance (P<0.01). Echocardiography showed a small, stable reduction in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (P<0.001), with a concomitant small stable increase in the right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (P<0.001). Invasive hemodynamic studies performed in a subset of patients demonstrated a sustained reduction in the workload corrected exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (P<0.01). Survival at 1 year was 95%, and there was no evidence of device-related complications. Conclusions—These results provide evidence of safety and sustained clinical benefit in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients 1 year after interatrial septal shunt device implantation. Randomized, blinded studies are underway to confirm these observations

Integrating Public and Private Data Sources for Freight Transportation Planning

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) stipulates that state transportation agencies expand their interest in freight initiatives and modeling to support planning efforts, particularly the evaluation of current and future freight transportation capacity necessary to ensure freight mobility. However, the understanding of freight demand and the evaluation of current and future freight transportation capacity are not only determined by robust models, but are critically contingent on the availability of accurate data. Effective partnerships are clearly needed between the public and private sectors to ensure adequate freight planning and funding of transportation infrastructure at the state and local levels. However, establishing partnerships with firms who are both busy and suspicious of data-sharing, remains a challenge. This study was commissioned by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to explore the feasibility of TxDOT entering into a data-sharing partnership with representatives of the private sector to obtain sample data for use in formulating a strategy for integrating public and private sector data sources. This report summarizes the findings, lessons learned, and recommendations formed from the outreach effort, and provides a prototype freight data architecture that will facilitate the storage, exchange, and integration of freight data through a data-sharing partnership.Texas Department of Transportation Research and Technology Implementation Office P.O. Box 5080 Austin, TX 78763-5080Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineerin