Mapping the terrestrial reptile distributions in Oman and the United Arab Emirates

The terrestrial reptile fauna of Oman and the United Arab Emirates is rich, with at least 79 species of lizards and snakes and a single species of worm lizard. However, to date there have been no accurate maps published of their distribution ranges, and distribution data relies on scattered museum specimen localities and published accounts. Considerable numbers of locality data points do exist, collected by visting and resident herpetologists, and more recently, from ecologists working on surveys for environmental impact assessments and biodiversity action plans. These data are invaluable, as amongst other uses, they can assist conservation planning and management, and will eventually document changes in distributions over time. This is especially true where there has been extensive habitat loss and degradation due to urbanisation and development activities. Data have been collected from museum records, published accounts and unpublished data from a variety of sources, including many records made by the author over the last 20 years, with the aim of producing an atlas of species distributions. The number of records is now approaching 5.000, giving sufficient coverage to produce maps that are useful for a variety of applications. Examples are discussed, including endangered and endemic species, snakes of medical importance and species of potential interest in ecological and evolutionary studies. © Andrew S. Gardner

An overview and checklist of the native and alien herpetofauna of the United Arab Emirates

This paper provides an updated checklist of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) native and alien herpetofauna. The UAE, while largely a desert country with a hyper-arid climate, also has a range of more mesic habitats such as islands, mountains, and wadis. As such it has a diverse native herpetofauna of at least 72 species as follows: Two amphibian species (Bufonidae), five marine turtle species (Cheloniidae [four] and Dermochelyidae [one]), 42 lizard species (Agamidae [six], Gekkonidae [19], Lacertidae [10], Scincidae [six], and Varanidae [one]), a single amphisbaenian, and 22 snake species (Leptotyphlopidae [one], Boidae [one], Colubridae [seven], Hydrophiidae [nine], and Viperidae [four]). Additionally, we recorded at least eight alien species, although only the Brahminy Blind Snake (Ramphotyplops braminus) appears to have become naturalized. We also list legislation and international conventions pertinent to the herpetofauna

The influence of obesity on falls and quality of life

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

A new troglomorphic whip spider of the genus Charinus from the Sultanate of Oman (Amblypygi: Charinidae)

Charinus omanensis n. sp. is described from the Al Fallah - Al Hota cave system in the Jebel Akhdar in northern Oman. It is a troglomorphic species with reduced eyes and in most characters is very similar to Charinus stygochthobius from Socotra. However, the different tibia IV articulation, the possession of lateral eye vestiges, and the different genitalia, particularly in the male, suggest that both species evolved their nearly identical troglomorphic appearance by convergent evolution

Sex-specific predictors of improved walking with step-monitored, home-based exercise in peripheral artery disease

The aim of this study was to determine whether baseline clinical characteristics and the duration and intensity of ambulation during our step-monitored home-based exercise program were predictive of changes in ambulatory outcomes at completion of the program in symptomatic patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Twenty-two men (ankle–brachial index (ABI) = 0.71 ± 0.19) and 24 women (ABI = 0.66 ± 0.23) completed the home exercise program, consisting of intermittent walking to mild-to-moderate claudication pain for 3 months. Ambulatory outcome measures were peak walking time (PWT) and claudication onset time (COT) during a treadmill test, and the distance recorded during a 6-minute walk distance test (6MWD). Men experienced significant increases (p<0.01) in COT, PWT, and 6MWD following the home exercise program, and women had significant increases in 6MWD (p<0.01) and PWT (p<0.05). In women, average exercise cadence during the home exercise sessions was the only predictor that entered the model for change in COT (p=0.082), and was the first predictor in the model for change in PWT (p=0.029) and 6MWD (p=0.006). In men, the ABI was the only predictor that entered the model for change in 6MWD (p=0.002), and ABI was a predictor along with metabolic syndrome in the model for change in COT (p=0.003). No variables entered the model for change in PWT. Faster ambulatory cadence during the step-monitored home-based exercise program may predict greater improvements in ambulatory function in women, whereas having less severe PAD and comorbid burden at baseline may predict greater improvements in ambulatory function in men. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00618670Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Isolated Ventricular Noncompaction Syndrome in a Nigerian Male: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Isolated ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (IVNC) is a rare, morphologically distinct primary genetic cardiomyopathy, which is now gaining prominence as an important differential diagnosis in patients presenting with cardiac failure. We describe a case report of a Nigerian male with facial dysmorphism presenting with cardiac failure. This is followed by a review of the literature with focus on the diagnosis of this condition, which may be difficult especially in non-Caucasian populations

Video analysis and verification of direct head impacts recorded by wearable sensors in junior rugby league players

Background: Rugby league is a high-intensity collision sport that carries a risk of concussion. Youth athletes are considered to be more vulnerable and take longer to recover from concussion than adult athletes. Purpose: To review head impact events in elite-level junior representative rugby league and to verify and describe characteristics of X-patchTM-recorded impacts via video analysis. Study Design: Observational case series. Methods: The X-patchTM was used on twenty-one adolescent players (thirteen forwards and eight backs) during a 2017 junior representative rugby league competition. Game-day footage, recorded by a trained videographer from a single camera, was synchronised with X-patchTM-recorded timestamped events. Impacts were double verified by video review. Impact rates, playing characteristics, and gameplay situations were described. Results: The X-patchTM-recorded 624 impacts ≥ 20g between game start and finish, of which 564 (90.4%) were verified on video. Upon video review, 413 (73.2%) of all verified impacts ≥ 20g where determined to be direct head impacts. Direct head impacts ≥ 20g occurred at a rate of 5.2 impacts per game hour; 7.6 for forwards and 3.0 for backs (range = 0–18.2). A defender’s arm directly impacting the head of the ball carrier was the most common event, accounting for 21.3% (n = 120) of all impacts, and 46.7% of all “hit-up” impacts. There were no medically diagnosed concussions during the competition. Conclusion: The majority (90.4%) of head impacts ≥ 20g recorded by the X-patchTM sensor were verified by video. Double verification of direct head impacts in addition to cross-verification of sensor-recorded impacts using a secondary source such as synchronised video review can be used to ensure accuracy and validation of data

Response to exercise rehabilitation in smoking and nonsmoking patients with intermittent claudication

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose was to compare the changes in claudication pain, ambulatory function, daily physical activity, peripheral circulation, and health-related quality of life following a program of exercise rehabilitation in smoking and nonsmoking patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) limited by intermittent claudication.Methods and resultsThirty-nine smokers (63 ± 4 pack-year smoking history; mean ± SE) and 46 nonsmokers (former smokers who had a 51 ± 7 pack-year smoking history who quit 14 ± 2 years prior to investigation) completed the study. The 6-month exercise rehabilitation program consisted of intermittent treadmill walking to near maximal claudication pain 3 days per week, with progressive increases in walking duration and intensity during the program. Measurements were obtained on each patient before and after rehabilitation. Following exercise rehabilitation the smokers and nonsmokers had similar improvements in these measures, as initial claudication distance increased by 119% in the smokers (P < .001) and by 97% in the nonsmokers (P < .001), and absolute claudication distance increased by 82% (P < .001) and 59% (P < .001) in the smokers and nonsmokers, respectively. Furthermore, exercise rehabilitation improved (P < .05) ambulatory function, daily physical activity, peripheral circulation, and health-related quality of life in the smokers and nonsmokers.ConclusionExercise rehabilitation is an effective therapy to improve functional independence in both smoking and nonsmoking patients with PAD limited by intermittent claudication. Therefore, smokers with intermittent claudication are prime candidates for exercise rehabilitation because their relatively low baseline physical function does not impair their ability to regain lost functional independence to levels similar to nonsmoking patients with PAD