Seasonality of Conceptions Under Varying Conditions in a Rhesus Macaque Breeding Colony

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are well documented as seasonal breeders. Despite this, little is known about what factors influence seasonal reproduction in rhesus. It has been proposed that rhesus are relaxed income breeders (Brockman and van Schaik, 2005), which means they respond to changes in photoperiod but endogenous cues can allow deviations from photoperiod-timed seasonality. This study presents the results of a natural experiment on the influence of different housing conditions (featuring different levels of environmental exposure) on the seasonal pattern of reproduction in rhesus. Once the number of attempts was controlled for, rhesus did not exhibit a seasonal distribution in their conceptions regardless of their level of exposure to environmental cues. This indicates that no conceptual model as of yet has adequately assessed the variation in seasonal reproduction in rhesus macaques

A multifactorial analysis of acceptance of evolution

Background: Despite decades of education reform efforts, the percent of the general US population accepting biological evolution as the explanation for the diversity of life has remained relatively unchanged over the past 35 years. Previous work has shown the importance of both educational and non-educational (sociodemographic and psychological) factors on acceptance of evolution, but has often looked at such factors in isolation. Our study is among the first attempts to model quantitatively how the unique influences of evolutionary content knowledge, religiosity, epistemological sophistication, and an understanding of the nature of science collectively predict an individual’s acceptance or rejection of evolution. Results: Our study population had a high acceptance of evolution, with an average score of 77.17 (95% C.I. ± 1.483) on the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument. Our combined general linear model showed that, of the variables in our model, an understanding of the nature of science explained the greatest amount of variation in acceptance of evolution. This was followed in amount of variance explained by a measure of religiosity, openness to experience, religious denomination, number of biology courses previously taken, and knowledge of evolutionary biology terms. Conclusions: Understanding of the nature of science was the single most important factor associated with acceptance of evolution in our study and explained at least four times more variation than measures of evolutionary knowledge. This suggests that educational efforts to impact evolutionary acceptance should focus on increasing an understanding of the nature of science (which may be expected to have additional benefits towards generalized science denial). Additionally, our measure of epistemological sophistication had a unique, significant impact on acceptance of evolution. Both epistemological sophistication and an understanding of the nature of science are factors that might change throughout a liberal arts education, independent of the effect of direct evolutionary instruction

Effects of an adapted physical activity program in a group of elderly subjects with flexed posture: clinical and instrumental assessment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Flexed posture commonly increases with age and is related to musculoskeletal impairment and reduced physical performance. The purpose of this clinical study was to systematically compare the effects of a physical activity program that specifically address the flexed posture that marks a certain percentage of elderly individuals with a non specific exercise program for 3 months.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants were randomly divided into two groups: one followed an Adapted Physical Activity program for flexed posture and the other one completed a non-specific physical activity protocol for the elderly. A multidimensional clinical assessment was performed at baseline and at 3 months including anthropometric data, clinical profile, measures of musculoskeletal impairment and disability. The instrumental assessment of posture was realized using a stereophotogrammetric system and a specific biomechanical model designed to describe the reciprocal position of the body segments on the sagittal plane in a upright posture.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The Adapted Physical Activity program determined a significant improvement in several key parameters of the multidimensional assessment in comparison to the non-specific protocol: decreased occiput-to-wall distance, greater lower limb range of motion, better flexibility of pectoralis, hamstrings and hip flexor muscles, increased spine extensor muscles strength. Stereophotogrammetric analysis confirmed a reduced protrusion of the head and revealed a reduction in compensative postural adaptations to flexed posture characterized by knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion in the participants of the specific program.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Adapted Physical Activity program for flexed posture significantly improved postural alignment and musculoskeletal impairment of the elderly. The stereophotogrammetric evaluation of posture was useful to measure the global postural alignment and especially to analyse the possible compensatory strategies at lower limbs in flexed posture.</p

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700

Prospective observational cohort study of the association between antiplatelet therapy, bleeding and thrombosis in patients with coronary stents undergoing noncardiac surgery

Background: The perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in noncardiac surgery patients who have undergone previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a dilemma. Continuing dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) may carry a risk of bleeding, while stopping antiplatelet therapy may increase the risk of perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Methods: Occurrence of Bleeding and Thrombosis during Antiplatelet Therapy In Non-Cardiac Surgery (OBTAIN) was an international prospective multicentre cohort study of perioperative antiplatelet treatment, MACE, and serious bleeding in noncardiac surgery. The incidences of MACE and bleeding were compared in patients receiving DAPT, monotherapy, and no antiplatelet therapy before surgery. Unadjusted risk ratios were calculated taking monotherapy as the baseline. The adjusted risks of bleeding and MACE were compared in patients receiving monotherapy and DAPT using propensity score matching. Results: A total of 917 patients were recruited and 847 were eligible for inclusion. Ninety-six patients received no antiplatelet therapy, 526 received monotherapy with aspirin, and 225 received DAPT. Thirty-two patients suffered MACE and 22 had bleeding. The unadjusted risk ratio for MACE in patients receiving DAPT compared with monotherapy was 1.9 (0.93–3.88), P=0.08. There was no difference in MACE between no antiplatelet treatment and monotherapy 1.03 (0.31–3.46), P=0.96. Bleeding was more frequent with DAPT 6.55 (2.3–17.96) P=0.0002. In a propensity matched analysis of 177 patients who received DAPT and 177 monotherapy patients, the risk ratio for MACE with DAPT was 1.83 (0.69–4.85), P=0.32. The risk of bleeding was significantly greater in the DAPT group 4.00 (1.15–13.93), P=0.031. Conclusions: OBTAIN showed an increased risk of bleeding with DAPT and found no evidence for protective effects of DAPT from perioperative MACE in patients who have undergone previous PCI

Evolution Acceptance, Religiosity, and Nature of Science in an Undergraduate Population

Decades of research into the acceptance of evolutionary biology have revealed a number of factors that are related to an individual’s choice to accept or reject evolutionary biology. This work seeks to extend that work in the following key ways: (1) Use a longitudinal time frame, along with multifactorial linear modeling, to investigate the changes in evolution acceptance and its associated factors across a year of introductory biology education. (2) Expand the study population to a general undergraduate population, and study the change in acceptance of evolution in this general student population across the first semester of university education. (3) Use qualitative methods to interview students from the general undergraduate population to gain a more nuanced understanding into the specific reasons individuals choose to accept or reject evolutionary biology. Results from this work show that students enrolled in introductory biology and a more general student population have very similar associations between their acceptance of evolution and related variables. Specifically, changes in students’ acceptance of evolution is positively and significantly related to changes in their knowledge of evolution and understanding of the nature of science, while increasing acceptance of evolution is significantly related to a decrease in religiosity. Upon interview, students were able to articulate well how their religious views influenced their acceptance of evolution, but did not discuss as much about how their understanding of science influenced their acceptance of evolution. Together, these results help us to understand the reasons behind an individual’s acceptance or rejection of evolutionary biology, while showing areas that are ripe for future study

MOESM1 of A multifactorial analysis of acceptance of evolution

Additional file 1. Supplemental methods and results

A multifactorial analysis of acceptance of evolution

Abstract Background Despite decades of education reform efforts, the percent of the general US population accepting biological evolution as the explanation for the diversity of life has remained relatively unchanged over the past 35 years. Previous work has shown the importance of both educational and non-educational (sociodemographic and psychological) factors on acceptance of evolution, but has often looked at such factors in isolation. Our study is among the first attempts to model quantitatively how the unique influences of evolutionary content knowledge, religiosity, epistemological sophistication, and an understanding of the nature of science collectively predict an individual’s acceptance or rejection of evolution. Results Our study population had a high acceptance of evolution, with an average score of 77.17 (95% C.I. ± 1.483) on the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument. Our combined general linear model showed that, of the variables in our model, an understanding of the nature of science explained the greatest amount of variation in acceptance of evolution. This was followed in amount of variance explained by a measure of religiosity, openness to experience, religious denomination, number of biology courses previously taken, and knowledge of evolutionary biology terms. Conclusions Understanding of the nature of science was the single most important factor associated with acceptance of evolution in our study and explained at least four times more variation than measures of evolutionary knowledge. This suggests that educational efforts to impact evolutionary acceptance should focus on increasing an understanding of the nature of science (which may be expected to have additional benefits towards generalized science denial). Additionally, our measure of epistemological sophistication had a unique, significant impact on acceptance of evolution. Both epistemological sophistication and an understanding of the nature of science are factors that might change throughout a liberal arts education, independent of the effect of direct evolutionary instruction

Evolution Acceptance Survey

The data set included is from a survey of Anatomy and Physiology students at a medium sized midwestern public university. The questions were set to explore their acceptance of evolution and related factors, and includes their responses to measures of their knowledge of evolution, understanding of the nature of science, acceptance of evolution (MATE), attitudes about evolution (EALS-SF), and the Big Five Inventory personality measure. This data was used in the publication "A Multifactorial Analysis of Acceptance of Evolution (DOI:10.1186/s12052-017-0068-0)" and was collected with institutional IRB approval

Peer-Led Team Learning Helps Minority Students Succeed

<div><p>Active learning methods have been shown to be superior to traditional lecture in terms of student achievement, and our findings on the use of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) concur. Students in our introductory biology course performed significantly better if they engaged in PLTL. There was also a drastic reduction in the failure rate for underrepresented minority (URM) students with PLTL, which further resulted in closing the achievement gap between URM and non-URM students. With such compelling findings, we strongly encourage the adoption of Peer-Led Team Learning in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses.</p></div