The framework species approach to forest restoration: using functional traits as predictors of species performance.

Due to forest degradation and loss, the use of ecological restoration techniques has become of particular interest in recent years. One such method is the Framework Species Approach (FSA), which was developed in Queensland, Australia. The Framework Species Approach involves a single planting (approximately 30 species) of both early and late successional species. Species planted must survive in the harsh conditions of an open site as well as fulfilling the functions of; (a) fast growth of a broad dense canopy to shade out weeds and reduce the chance of forest fire, (b) early production of flowers or fleshy fruits to attract seed dispersers and kick start animal-mediated seed distribution to the degraded site. The Framework Species Approach has recently been used as part of a restoration project in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in northern Thailand by the Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) of Chiang Mai University. FORRU have undertaken a number of trials on species performance in the nursery and the field to select appropriate species. However, this has been time-consuming and labourintensive. It has been suggested that the need for such trials may be reduced by the pre-selection of species using their functional traits as predictors of future performance. Here, seed, leaf and wood functional traits were analysed against predictions from ecological models such as the CSR Triangle and the pioneer concept to assess the extent to which such models described the ecological strategies exhibited by woody species in the seasonally-dry tropical forests of northern Thailand. It was found that seed storage behaviour (orthodox and recalcitrant) was strongly linked to other functional traits and that this was the basis of observed differences in performance based on seed size. There was evidence for the existence of a leaf economic spectrum in these forests and for differing positions of deciduous and evergreen species on this spectrum. It was further found that wood hydraulic capacity and safety was more strongly linked to leaf traits than wood mechanical strength; reflecting the importance of the seasonal drought in this type of forest. Selected functional traits were then used to predict the performance of species within the FORRU project. It was found that a combination of wood and leaf traits that encompassed mechanical strength, hydraulic capacity and water storage best described species growth rates in most years and that survival may be linked to a combination of both drought and pathogen load that differs by year due to environmental conditions. In conclusion, functional traits were found to be valuable indicators of performance in forest restoration projects

Economic benefits and costs of surgery for filarial hydrocele in Malawi

Background Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is endemic in 72 countries of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. An estimated 25 million men live with the disabling effects of filarial hydrocele. Hydrocele can be corrected with surgery with few complications. For most men, hydrocelectomy reduces or corrects filarial hydrocele and permits them to resume regular activities of daily living and gainful employment. Methodology and principal findings This study measures the economic loss due to filarial hydrocele and the benefits of hydrocelectomy and is based on pre- and post-operative surveys of patients in southern Malawi. We find the average number of days of work lost due to filarial hydrocele and daily earnings for men in rural Malawi. We calculate average annual lost earnings and find the present discounted value for all years from the time of surgery to the end of working life. We estimate the total costs of surgery. We compare the benefit of the work capacity restored to the costs of surgery to determine the benefit-cost ratio. For men younger than 65 years old, the average annual earnings loss attributed to hydrocele is US$126. The average discounted present value of lifetime earnings loss for those men is US$1684. The average budgetary cost of the hydrocelectomy is US$68. The ratio of the benefit of surgery to its costs is US$1684/US$68 or 24.8. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the results are robust to variations in cost of surgery and length of working life. Conclusion The lifetime benefits of hydrocelectomy–to the man, his family, and his community–far exceed the costs of repairing the hydrocele. Scaling up subsidies to hydrocelectomy campaigns should be a priority for governments and international aid organizations to prevent and alleviate disability and lost earnings that aggravate poverty among the many millions of men with filarial hydrocele

Infrared Thermal Imaging as a Novel Non-Invasive Point-OfCare Toolto Assess Filarial Lymphoedema

Researchers from LSTM’s Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases (CNTD) have been using an infrared thermal imaging camera to detect subclinical cases and predict the progression of lymphatic filariasis in Banglades

Quantifying the socio-economic impact of leg lymphoedema on patient caregivers in a lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis co-endemic district of Ethiopia

Background Lymphoedema caused by lymphatic filariasis (LF) or podoconiosis can result in physical dis-ability and social exclusion, which is exacerbated by painful acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA) episodes. These conditions have a significant impact on patients, however, little is known about the indirect effects on their caregivers. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the impact on caregivers for patients with leg lymphoedema in a co-endemic district of Ethiopia. Methodology/Principal findings A cross-sectional survey of lymphoedema patients and their caregivers was conducted using semi-structured questionnaires in the Southern Nation Nationalities Peoples Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. Lymphoedema patient information on clinical severity (mild, moderate, severe), frequency of ADLAs, their socio-demographic characteristics and the identity of main caregiver(s) was collected. Caregiver information on socio-demographic characteristics, types of care provided, their quality of life (QoL) measured across nine domains, and productivity was collected, with key indicators compared in the presence and absence of patients’ ADLAs. A total of 73 patients and 76 caregivers were included. Patients were grouped by mild/moderate (n = 42, 57.5%) or severe (n = 31, 42.5%) lymphoedema, and reported an average of 6.1 (CI± 2.18) and 9.8 (CI± 3.17) ADLAs respectively in the last six months. A total of 48 (65.8%) female and 25 (34.2%) male patients were interviewed. Caregivers were predominately male (n = 45, 59.2%), and spouses formed the largest caregiving group for both female and male patients. In the absence of an ADLA, most caregivers (n = 42, 55.2%) did not provide care, but only one caregiver did not provide care during an ADLA. In the absence of an ADLA, the average time (hour:minute) spent by mild/moderate (00:17, CI: ± 00:08) and severe (00:10, CI: ± 00:07) patient caregiver per task was minimal. The time mild/moderate (00:47, CI: ± 00:11) and severe (00:51, CI: ± 00:16) patient caregivers spent per task significantly increased in the presence of an ADLA. In addition, caregivers’ QoL was negatively impacted when patients experienced an ALDA, and they had to forfeit an average of 6 to 7 work/ school days per month. Conclusion/Significance Lymphoedema and ADLAs impact negatively on patients’ and their caregivers’ lives. This emphasises the importance of increasing access to effective morbidity management and disability prevention services to reduce the burden and help to address the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, target 5.4, which seeks to recognise and value unpaid care and domestic work

The wider societal benefits of surgical interventions for lymphatic filariasis morbidity management and disability prevention

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for global elimination as a public health problem by interrupting transmission with mass drug administration and providing an essential package of care to people affected by the debilitating lymphedema and hydrocoele conditions [1]. In recent years, many LF endemic countries have scaled up their morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) programmes with a new focus on universal health coverage, primary healthcare strengthening, and integrated management of skin neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with the aim of fully integrating quality services for LF MMDP into national health systems to ensure sustainability [2]. The positive impact of MMDP interventions for patients has been documented [3–6]; however, no research has been conducted on the wider societal benefits, including the impact on the people who care for patients, i.e., caregivers. Ton and colleagues [7] calculated that the burden of depressive illness in LF patient caregivers was 229,537 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Other studies have documented a negative socioeconomic impact on the caregivers of people affected by filarial and nonfilarial leg lymphedema and those who experience painful secondary bacterial infections, acute adenolymphangitis [8–10]. Hydrocoele is the most common LF clinical manifestation, which affects approximately 19 million men worldwide and can be cured by surgery [11]. In Malawi, recent large-scale patient mapping and modelling estimate that at least 14,000 men have hydrocoele across the country. In 2015, surgical campaigns were initiated to address the burden, together with a study to highlight the significant positive impact of surgery on men in highly endemic areas [4]. We advocate that the positive impact of this surgical intervention can extend beyond the patient to include their caregivers, who are likely to be family members (predominately female) and have their own time, work, and quality of life affected

Retuning of lexical-semantic representations: Repetition and spacing effects in word-meaning priming.

Current models of word-meaning access typically assume that lexical-semantic representations of ambiguous words (e.g., 'bark of the dog/tree') reach a relatively stable state in adulthood, with only the relative frequencies of meanings and immediate sentence context determining meaning preference. However, recent experience also affects interpretation: recently encountered word-meanings become more readily available (Rodd et al., 2016, 2013). Here, 3 experiments investigated how multiple encounters with word-meanings influence the subsequent interpretation of these ambiguous words. Participants heard ambiguous words contextually-disambiguated towards a particular meaning and, after a 20- to 30-min delay, interpretations of the words were tested in isolation. We replicate the finding that 1 encounter with an ambiguous word biased the later interpretation of this word towards the primed meaning for both subordinate (Experiments 1, 2, 3) and dominant meanings (Experiment 1). In addition, for the first time, we show cumulative effects of multiple repetitions of both the same and different meanings. The effect of a single subordinate exposure persisted after a subsequent encounter with the dominant meaning, compared to a dominant exposure alone (Experiment 1). Furthermore, 3 subordinate word-meaning repetitions provided an additional boost to priming compared to 1, although only when their presentation was spaced (Experiments 2, 3); massed repetitions provided no such boost (Experiments 1, 3). These findings indicate that comprehension is guided by the collective effect of multiple recently activated meanings and that the spacing of these activations is key to producing lasting updates to the lexical-semantic network. (PsycINFO Database Recor

Environmental Factors Associated With Loa loa Microfilaria Prevalence and Intensity in Diverse Bioecological Zones of Cameroon

Loiasis (African Eye Worm) is a filarial infection caused by Loa loa and transmitted by Chrysops vectors, which are confined to the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa. Loiasis is a major impediment to control and elimination programmes that use the drug ivermectin due to the risk of serious adverse events. There is an urgent need to better refine and map high-risk communities. This study aimed to quantify and predict environmental factors associated with loiasis across five bioecological zones in Cameroon. The L. loa microfilaria (mf) prevalence (%) and intensity (mf number/ml) data from 42 villages within an Equatorial Rainforest and Savannah region were examined in relation to climate, topographic and forest-related data derived from satellite remote sensing sources. Differences between zones and regions were examined using nonparametric tests, and the relationship between L. loa mf prevalence, mf intensity, and the environmental factors using polynomial regression models. Overall, the L. loa mf prevalence was 11.6%, L. loa intensity 927.4 mf/ml, mean annual temperature 23.7°C, annual precipitation 2143.2 mm, elevation 790 m, tree canopy cover 46.7%, and canopy height 19.3m. Significant differences between the Equatorial Rainforest and Savannah region were found. Within the Equatorial Rainforest region, no significant differences were found. However, within the Savannah region, significant differences between the three bioecological zones were found, and the regression models indicated that tree canopy cover and elevation were significant predictors, explaining 85.1% of the L. loa mf prevalence (adjusted R2 = 0.851; p&amp;lt;0.001) and tree cover alone was significant, explaining 58.1% of the mf intensity (adjusted R2 = 0.581; p&amp;lt;0.001). The study highlights that environmental analysis can help delineate risk at different geographical scales, which may be practical for developing larger scale operational plans for mapping and implementing safe effective interventions.</jats:p

Impact of muscle glycogen availability on the capacity for repeated exercise in man

Purpose: To examine whether muscle glycogen availability is associated with fatigue in a repeated exercise bout following short-term recovery. Methods: Ten endurance-trained individuals underwent two trials in a repeated measures design, each involving an initial run to exhaustion at 70% (Run-1) followed by a 4-h recovery and a subsequent run to exhaustion at 70% (Run-2). A low-carbohydrate (L-CHO; 0.3 g·kg BM-1·h-1) or high-carbohydrate (H-CHO; 1.2 g·kg BM-1·h-1) beverage was ingested at 30-min intervals during recovery. Muscle biopsies were taken upon cessation of Run-1, post-recovery and fatigue during Run-2 in L-CHO (F2). In H-CHO, the muscle biopsies were obtained post-recovery, the time point coincident with fatigue in L-CHO (F2) and the point of fatigue during the subsequent exercise bout (F3).Results: Run-2 was more prolonged for every participant in H-CHO (80±16 min) than L-CHO (48±11 min; p&lt; 0.001). Muscle glycogen concentrations were higher at the end of recovery in H-CHO (269±84 mmol·kg dm-1) versus L-CHO (157±37 mmol·kg dm-1; p= 0.001). The rate of muscle glycogen degradation during Run-2 was higher in H-CHO (3.1±1.5 mmol·kg dm-1·min-1) than L-CHO (1.6±1.3 mmol·kg dm-1·min-1; p= 0.05). The concentration of muscle glycogen was higher in H-CHO than L-CHO at F2 (123±28 mmol·kg dm-1; p&lt; 0.01) but no differences were observed between treatments at the respective points of exhaustion (78±22 versus 72±21 mmol·kg dm-1·min-1; H-CHO and L-CHO, respectively). Conclusion: Increasing carbohydrate intake during short-term recovery accelerates glycogen repletion in previously exercised muscle and thus improves the capacity for repeated exercise. The availability of skeletal muscle glycogen is therefore an important factor in the restoration of endurance capacity because fatigue during repeated exercise is associated with a critically low absolute muscle glycogen concentration

Effect of an Enhanced Self-Care Protocol on Lymphedema Status among People affected by Moderate to Severe Lower-Limb Lymphedema in Bangladesh, a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a major cause of lymphedema, affecting over 16 million people globally. A daily, hygiene-centered self-care protocol is recommended and effective in reducing acute attacks caused by secondary infections. It may also reverse lymphedema status in early stages, but less so as lymphedema advances. Lymphatic stimulating activities such as self-massage and deep-breathing have proven beneficial for cancer-related lymphedema, but have not been tested in LF-settings. Therefore, an enhanced self-care protocol was trialed among people affected by moderate to severe LF-related lymphedema in northern Bangladesh. Methods: Cluster randomization was used to allocate participants to either standard- or enhanced-self-care groups. Lymphedema status was determined by lymphedema stage, mid-calf circumference, and mid-calf tissue compressibility. Results: There were 71 patients in each group and at 24 weeks, both groups had experienced significant improvement in lymphedema status and reduction in acute attacks. There was a significant and clinically relevant between-group difference in mid-calf tissue compressibility with the biggest change observed on legs affected by severe lymphedema in the enhanced self-care group (∆ 21.5%, −0.68 (−0.91, −0.45), p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study offers the first evidence for including lymphatic stimulating activities in recommended self-care for people affected by moderate and severe LF-related lymphedem