Testing the connectivity of Dissostichus eleginoides (Patagonian toothfish) between the Pacific coast of southern Chile and the Patagonian Shelf in the southwest Atlantic

Patagonian toothfish, Dissostichus eleginoides, are endemic to the Southern Hemisphere and are commonly associated with sub-Antarctic Islands and seamounts. They are found around the Falkland Islands and an economically valuable long-line fishery, targeting adult toothfish, operates in the Falkland Island Conservation Zones year round. This research explores gaps in the understanding of toothfish early life history by conducting egg buoyancy experiments and particle tracking simulations to resolve important spawning locations, transport pathways and larval retention areas. Buoyancy of toothfish eggs was estimated up to 21 days post fertilisation. Egg buoyancy followed a similar pattern to other species, where buoyancy initially decreased for several days before returning toward its initial value, although further data is needed to confirm this. Particle tracking simulations were undertaken using the software ICHTHYOP. Particles were released from potential spawning areas around the Burdwood Bank and southern Chile during July 2009 and 2012. These simulations represented spawning corresponding to a good and poor recruitment year respectively. Results of these particle tracking simulations for 2009 and 2012 suggest that transport from the Burdwood Bank is unlikely to be a major contributor to the recruitment of juveniles around the Falkland Islands or the Patagonian Shelf, with low connectivity (50%), indicating that larval transport from southern Chile to this area may be important for successful recruitment of juveniles around the Falkland Islands. Connectivity between these areas was weaker in 2012, potentially due to changes in the position and/or density of the boundary current that flows around southern Chile, forced by changes in the phase of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). These findings have implications for fisheries management due to the connectivity of early life stages between Chile and the Patagonian Shelf region. Depletion of spawning stock biomass in Chile could impact potential recruitment in the South Atlantic, therefore a co-ordinated management strategy between Chile and the Falkland Islands should be considered

Cherry Blossoms

Illustration of cherry tree in bloomhttps://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/4210/thumbnail.jp

The Effect of Dog-Assisted Intervention on Student Well-Being, Mood, and Anxiety

This novel, exploratory study investigated the effect of a short, 20 min, dog-assisted intervention on student well-being, mood, and anxiety. One hundred and thirty-two university students were allocated to either an experimental condition or one of two control conditions. Each participant completed the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMBS), the State Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI), and the UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist (UMACL) both before, and after, the intervention. The participants in the experimental condition interacted with both the dogs and their handlers, whereas the control groups interacted with either the dog only, or the handler only. The analyses revealed a significant difference across conditions for each measure, with those conditions in which a dog was present leading to significant improvements in mood and well-being, as well as a significant reduction in anxiety. Interestingly, the presence of a handler alongside the dog appeared to have a negative, and specific, effect on participant mood, with greater positive shifts in mood being witnessed when participants interacted with the dog alone, than when interacting with both the dog and the handler. These findings show that even a short 20 min session with a therapy dog can be an effective alternative intervention to improve student well-being, anxiety, and mood

Progressing delineations of key biodiversity areas for seabirds, and their application to management of coastal seas

Aim: Decision-making products that support effective marine spatial planning are essential for guiding efforts that enable conservation of biodiversity facing increasing pressures. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are a product recently agreed upon by an international network of organizations for identifying globally important areas. Utilizing the KBA framework, and by developing a conservative protocol to identify sites, we identify globally importants places for breeding seabirds throughout the coastal seas of a national territory. We inform marine spatial planning by evaluating potential activities that may impact species and how a proposed network of Marine Management Areas (MMAs) overlap with important sites. Location: Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Methods: We collated a national inventory of all breeding locations for seabirds, including abundance records where available, and complementary estimates of at-sea distribution. We delineated areas of importance in coastal seas following approaches tailored to the ecology of species and assessed areas against global KBA criteria. To determine opportunities for species conservation and management, we reviewed which human activities have been documented to impact the target species globally via IUCN Red List accounts, and also assessed the overlap of important sites with a proposed MMA network. Results: We identified global KBAs for nine seabird species (Anatidae, Diomedeidae, Laridae, Procellariidae, Spheniscidae, Stercorariidae) throughout national coastal seas. Globally important areas where multiple species overlapped were only partially accounted for in key zones of the proposed MMA network. Main Conclusions: Development of a conservative protocol to identify marine sites for assessment against KBA criteria, revealed opportunities for enhancing a network of proposed Marine Management Areas in coastal seas. The framework we apply in this study has broad relevance for other systems where the design or review of management plans for the marine environment is required.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Effect of Audio-Visual Smiles on Social Influence in a Cooperative Human–Agent Interaction Task

Emotional expressivity is essential for human interactions, informing both perception and decision-making. Here, we examine whether creating an audio-visual emotional channel mismatch influences decision-making in a cooperative task with a virtual character. We created a virtual character that was either congruent in its emotional expression (smiling in the face and voice) or incongruent (smiling in only one channel). People (N = 98) evaluated the character in terms of valence and arousal in an online study; then, visitors in a museum played the “lunar survival task” with the character over three experiments (N = 597, 78, 101, respectively). Exploratory results suggest that multi-modal expressions are perceived, and reacted upon, differently than unimodal expressions, supporting previous theories of audio-visual integration

Views of commissioners, managers and healthcare professionals on the NHS Health Check programme: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesise data concerning the views of commissioners, managers and healthcare professionals towards the National Health Service (NHS) Health Check programme in general and the challenges faced when implementing it in practice. DESIGN: A systematic review of surveys and interview studies with a descriptive analysis of quantitative data and thematic synthesis of qualitative data. DATA SOURCES: An electronic literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Health Management Information Consortium, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Global Health, PsycInfo, Web of Science, OpenGrey, the Cochrane Library, NHS Evidence, Google Scholar, Google, ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number registry from 1 January 1996 to 9 November 2016 with no language restriction and manual screening of reference lists of all included papers. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Primary research reporting views of commissioners, managers or healthcare professionals on the NHS Health Check programme and its implementation in practice. RESULTS: Of 18 524 citations, 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. There was evidence from both quantitative and qualitative studies that some commissioners and general practice (GP) healthcare professionals were enthusiastic about the programme, whereas others raised concerns around inequality of uptake, the evidence base and cost-effectiveness. In contrast, those working in pharmacies were all positive about programme benefits, citing opportunities for their business and staff. The main challenges to implementation were: difficulties with information technology and computer software, resistance to the programme from some GPs, the impact on workload and staffing, funding and training needs. Inadequate privacy was also a challenge in pharmacy and community settings, along with difficulty recruiting people eligible for Health Checks and poor public access to some venues. CONCLUSIONS: The success of the NHS Health Check Programme relies on engagement by those responsible for its commissioning, management and delivery. Recognising and addressing the challenges identified in this review, in particular the concerns of GPs, are important for the future of the programme

NHS Health Check Programme rapid evidence synthesis

Background: The NHS Health Check programme is the largest current prevention initiative in England. Since its introduction in 2009 a growing literature has been published evaluating the first eight years of the programme. These have been summarised in reports published by Public Health England but, to date, no synthesis has been performed. There is, therefore, a need for an independent, comprehensive, rapid evidence synthesis to identify what has been learnt about the NHS Health Check programme so far. Aims and Objectives: To provide a rapid synthesis of the published research evidence on NHS Health Checks, specifically addressing the six research questions posed by Public Health England: 1. Who is and who is not having an NHS Health Check? 2. What are the factors that increase take-up among the population and sub-groups? 3. Why do people not take up an offer of an NHS Health Check? 4. How is primary care managing people identified as being at risk of cardiovascular disease or with abnormal risk factor results? 5. What are patients’ experiences of having an NHS Health Check? 6. What is the effect of the NHS Health Check on disease detection, changing behaviours, referrals to local risk management services, reductions in individual risk factor prevalence, reducing cardiovascular disease risk and on statin and antihypertensive prescribing? Design: A systematic review with descriptive synthesis of quantitative data and thematic synthesis of qualitative data. Data sources: Medline, PubMed, Embase, Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Global Health, PsycInfo, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, NHS Evidence, Google Scholar, Google, OpenGrey, Clinical Trials.gov, the ISRCTN registry, and article reference lists. Study selection: Studies identified by the searches were selected for inclusion in the review by two reviewers in a two-step process. First, studies relevant to the NHS Health Check were identified. These were then screened against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria for each of the six research questions. Data extraction: At least two researchers assessed eligibility, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the included studies. Key findings: Coverage varies substantially across regions and in different settings. Multiple definitions used interchangeably make comparisons difficult. It is consistently higher in older people, females and more deprived populations but this may reflect targeting. Outreach services in the community can reach particular socio-demographic groups but better descriptions and robust evaluations are needed. There is a lack of national level studies reporting the characteristics of those who take-up the invitation to an NHS Health Check. Regional studies report uptake between 27% and 53%, similar to national reported uptake (48.3%). Older people, women in younger age groups and men in older age groups, and those from least deprived areas are more likely to take up invitations. Promising methods to increase uptake are modifications to the invitation (3-4% increase), and text message invites or reminders (up to 9% increase). There is a lack of quantitative evidence for the effect of community settings on uptake but qualitative evidence highlights their convenience and the value of community ambassadors. People do not take up the offer of an NHS Health Check due to lack of awareness or knowledge, competing priorities, misunderstanding the purpose, an aversion to preventive medicine, difficulty getting an appointment with a GP, and concerns about privacy and confidentiality of pharmacies. Amongst attendees there are high levels of satisfaction (over 80%). Some reported attendance had acted as a wake-up call and precipitant for lifestyle changes. Others were left with feelings of unmet expectations, were confused about or unable to remember their risk scores, and found lifestyle advice too simplistic and un-personalised. There are wide variations in the process, delivery and content of NHS Health Checks across the country, in part due to different local implementation. Regardless of region or setting those delivering NHS Health Checks reported challenges with workload, IT, funding, and training. Amongst general practice professionals there were concerns about inequality of uptake and doubts about the evidence underpinning the programme and the cost-effectiveness. NHS Health Checks are associated with small increases in disease detection. There is very little data on behaviour change or referrals to lifestyle services. NHS Health Checks are associated with a 3-4% increase in prescribing of statins

Eristalis flower flies can be mechanical vectors of the common trypanosome bee parasite, Crithidia bombi

Flowers can be transmission platforms for parasites that impact bee health, yet bees share floral resources with other pollinator taxa, such as flies, that may be hosts or non-host vectors (i.e., mechanical vectors) of parasites. Here, we assessed whether the fecal-orally transmitted gut parasite of bees, Crithidia bombi, can infect Eristalis tenax flower flies. We also investigated the potential for two confirmed solitary bee hosts of C. bombi, Osmia lignaria and Megachile rotundata, as well as two flower fly species, Eristalis arbustorum and E. tenax, to transmit the parasite at flowers. We found that C. bombi did not replicate (i.e., cause an active infection) in E. tenax flies. However, 93% of inoculated flies defecated live C. bombi in their first fecal event, and all contaminated fecal events contained C. bombi at concentrations sufficient to infect bumble bees. Flies and bees defecated inside the corolla (flower) more frequently than other plant locations, and flies defecated at volumes comparable to or greater than bees. Our results demonstrate that Eristalis flower flies are not hosts of C. bombi, but they may be mechanical vectors of this parasite at flowers. Thus, flower flies may amplify or dilute C. bombi in bee communities, though current theoretical work suggests that unless present in large populations, the effects of mechanical vectors will be smaller than hosts

The Prevalence of Trachomatous Trichiasis in People Aged 15 Years and Over in Six Evaluation Units of Gaoual, Labé, Dalaba and Beyla Districts, Guinea.

PURPOSE: Trachoma is a public health problem in 42 countries. Inflammation associated with repeated ocular infection with Chlamydia trachomatis can cause the eyelid to scar and turn inwards, resulting in the eyelashes rubbing against the eyeball, known as trachomatous trichiasis (TT). In Guinea, baseline surveys conducted in 2013 reported inflammatory trachoma prevalences below the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold for elimination, but TT prevalences above threshold. Given this epidemiological context and time since baseline survey, TT-only surveys were conducted in selected districts to determine current TT prevalence. The results of this study provide critical data for assessing Guinea's achievement of trachoma elimination targets. METHODS: Four health districts, consisting of six evaluation units (EU), were surveyed. In each EU, field teams visited 29 clusters with a minimum 30 households included in each. Participants aged≥15 years were examined by certified graders trained to identify TT and determine whether management had been offered. RESULTS: A total of 22,476 people were examined, with 48 TT cases across the six EUs identified. Five of six EUs had an age-and-gender adjusted TT-prevalence unknown to the health system less than 0.2%, whereas one EU, Beyla 2, had an adjusted TT prevalence of 0.24%. CONCLUSION: These TT-only surveys, along with findings from other trachoma interventions, suggest that Guinea is close to achieving elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. This study demonstrates the value of undertaking TT-only surveys in settings where baseline surveys indicated active trachoma prevalences below WHO elimination threshold, but TT prevalences above it

Prognostic indicators and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients with neurological disease: An individual patient data meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Neurological COVID-19 disease has been reported widely, but published studies often lack information on neurological outcomes and prognostic risk factors. We aimed to describe the spectrum of neurological disease in hospitalised COVID-19 patients; characterise clinical outcomes; and investigate factors associated with a poor outcome. METHODS: We conducted an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of hospitalised patients with neurological COVID-19 disease, using standard case definitions. We invited authors of studies from the first pandemic wave, plus clinicians in the Global COVID-Neuro Network with unpublished data, to contribute. We analysed features associated with poor outcome (moderate to severe disability or death, 3 to 6 on the modified Rankin Scale) using multivariable models. RESULTS: We included 83 studies (31 unpublished) providing IPD for 1979 patients with COVID-19 and acute new-onset neurological disease. Encephalopathy (978 [49%] patients) and cerebrovascular events (506 [26%]) were the most common diagnoses. Respiratory and systemic symptoms preceded neurological features in 93% of patients; one third developed neurological disease after hospital admission. A poor outcome was more common in patients with cerebrovascular events (76% [95% CI 67-82]), than encephalopathy (54% [42-65]). Intensive care use was high (38% [35-41]) overall, and also greater in the cerebrovascular patients. In the cerebrovascular, but not encephalopathic patients, risk factors for poor outcome included breathlessness on admission and elevated D-dimer. Overall, 30-day mortality was 30% [27-32]. The hazard of death was comparatively lower for patients in the WHO European region. INTERPRETATION: Neurological COVID-19 disease poses a considerable burden in terms of disease outcomes and use of hospital resources from prolonged intensive care and inpatient admission; preliminary data suggest these may differ according to WHO regions and country income levels. The different risk factors for encephalopathy and stroke suggest different disease mechanisms which may be amenable to intervention, especially in those who develop neurological symptoms after hospital admission