Too Close for Comfort? Isotopic Niche Segregation in New Zealand’s Odontocetes

Species occurring in sympatry and relying on similar and limited resources may partition resource use to avoid overlap and interspecific competition. Aotearoa, New Zealand hosts an extraordinarily rich marine megafauna, including 50% of the world’s cetacean species. In this study, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes as ecological tracers to investigate isotopic niche overlap between 21 odontocete (toothed whale) species inhabiting neritic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic waters. Results showed a clear niche separation for the bathypelagic Gray’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon grayi) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), but high isotopic niche overlap and potential interspecific competition for neritic and mesopelagic species. For these species, competition could be reduced via temporal or finer-scale spatial segregation or differences in foraging behaviour. This study represents the first insights into the coexistence of odontocetes in a biodiverse hotspot. The data presented here provide a critical baseline to a system already ongoing ecosystem change via ocean warming and subsequent effects on prey abundance and distributions

Interventions, outcomes and outcome measurement instruments in stillbirth care research: A systematic review to inform the development of a core outcome set

Background: A core outcome set could address inconsistent outcome reporting and improve evidence for stillbirth care research, which has been identified as an important research priority. Objectives To identify outcomes and outcome measurement instruments reported by studies evaluating interventions after the diagnosis of a stillbirth. Search strategy Amed, BNI, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and WHO ICTRP from 1998 to August 2021. Selection criteria Randomised and non-randomised comparative or non-comparative studies reporting a stillbirth care intervention. Data collection and analysis Interventions, outcomes reported, definitions and outcome measurement tools were extracted. Main results 40 randomised and 200 non-randomised studies were included. 58 different interventions were reported, labour and birth care (52 studies), hospital bereavement care (28 studies), clinical investigations (116 studies), care in a multiple pregnancy (2 studies), psychosocial support (28 studies) and care in a subsequent pregnancy (14 studies). 391 unique outcomes were reported and organised into 14 outcome domains: labour and birth; postpartum; delivery of care; investigations; multiple pregnancy; mental health; emotional functioning; grief and bereavement; social functioning; relationship; whole person; subsequent pregnancy; subsequent children and siblings and economic. 242 outcome measurement instruments were used, with 0-22 tools per outcome. Conclusions: Heterogeneity in outcome reporting, outcome definition and measurement tools in care after stillbirth exists. Considerable research gaps on specific intervention types in stillbirth care were identified. A core outcome set is needed to standardise outcome collection and reporting for stillbirth care research

Does short-term memory develop?

Such is the consistency by which performance on measures of short-term memory (STM) increase with age that developmental increases in STM capacity are largely accepted as fact. However, our analysis of a robust but almost ignored finding – that span for digit sequences (the traditional measure of STM) increases at a far greater rate than span for other verbal material – fundamentally undermines the assumption that increased performance in STM tasks is underpinned by developmental increases in capacity. We show that this digit superiority with age effect is explained by the relatively greater linguistic exposure to random sequences of digits versus other stimuli such as words. A simple associative learning process that learns incrementally from exposure to language accounts for the effect, without any need to invoke an STM mechanism, much less one that increases in capacity with age. By extension, using corpus data directed at 2-3 year old children, 4-6 year old children, and adults, we show that age-related performance increases with other types of verbal material are equally driven by the same basic associative learning process operating on the expanding exposure to language experienced by the child. Our results question the idea that tests such as digit span are measuring a dedicated system for the temporary maintenance and manipulation of verbal material, and as such have implications for our understanding of those aspects of typical and atypical development that are usually accounted for with respect to the operation of such a system

Isotopic Niche Analysis of Long-Finned Pilot Whales (<i>Globicephala melas edwardii</i>) in Aotearoa New Zealand Waters

The quantification of a species’ trophic niche is important to understand the species ecology and its interactions with the ecosystem it resides in. Despite the high frequency of long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii) strandings on the Aotearoa New Zealand coast, their trophic niche remains poorly understood. To assess the isotopic niche of G. m. edwardii within New Zealand, ontogenetic (sex, total body length, age, maturity status, reproductive group) and spatiotemporal (stranding location, stranding event, and stranding year) variation were investigated. Stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were examined from skin samples of 125 G. m. edwardii (67 females and 58 males) collected at mass-stranding events at Onetahua Farewell Spit in 2009 (n = 20), 2011 (n = 20), 2014 (n = 27) and 2017 (n = 20) and at Rakiura Stewart Island in 2010 (n = 19) and 2011 (n = 19). Variations in δ34S values were examined for a subset of 36 individuals. General additive models revealed that stranding event was the strongest predictor for δ13C and δ15N values, whilst sex was the strongest predictor of δ34S isotopic values. Although similar within years, δ13C values were lower in 2014 and 2017 compared to all other years. Furthermore, δ15N values were higher within Farewell Spit 2017 compared to any other stranding event. This suggests that the individuals stranded in Farewell Spit in 2017 may have been feeding at a higher trophic level, or that the nitrogen baseline may have been higher in 2017 than in other years. Spatiotemporal differences explained isotopic variation of G. m. edwardii in New Zealand waters better than ontogenetic factors

Isotopic Niche Analysis of Long-Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas edwardii) in Aotearoa New Zealand Waters

The quantification of a species’ trophic niche is important to understand the species ecology and its interactions with the ecosystem it resides in. Despite the high frequency of long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii) strandings on the Aotearoa New Zealand coast, their trophic niche remains poorly understood. To assess the isotopic niche of G. m. edwardii within New Zealand, ontogenetic (sex, total body length, age, maturity status, reproductive group) and spatiotemporal (stranding location, stranding event, and stranding year) variation were investigated. Stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were examined from skin samples of 125 G. m. edwardii (67 females and 58 males) collected at mass-stranding events at Onetahua Farewell Spit in 2009 (n = 20), 2011 (n = 20), 2014 (n = 27) and 2017 (n = 20) and at Rakiura Stewart Island in 2010 (n = 19) and 2011 (n = 19). Variations in δ34S values were examined for a subset of 36 individuals. General additive models revealed that stranding event was the strongest predictor for δ13C and δ15N values, whilst sex was the strongest predictor of δ34S isotopic values. Although similar within years, δ13C values were lower in 2014 and 2017 compared to all other years. Furthermore, δ15N values were higher within Farewell Spit 2017 compared to any other stranding event. This suggests that the individuals stranded in Farewell Spit in 2017 may have been feeding at a higher trophic level, or that the nitrogen baseline may have been higher in 2017 than in other years. Spatiotemporal differences explained isotopic variation of G. m. edwardii in New Zealand waters better than ontogenetic factors

Is self-management a burden? What are the experiences of women self-managing chronic conditions during pregnancy? A systematic review

Objective This systematic review examines the qualitative literature on women’s experiences of self-managing chronic conditions in pregnancy. Design Systematic review of qualitative literature. Searches were performed in PubMed and CINAHL from inception to February 2021. Critical interpretive synthesis informed the coding framework and the analysis of the data. The Burden of Treatment theory emerged during the initial analysis as having the most synergy with the included literature, themes were refined to consider key concepts from this theory. Participants Pregnant women who are self-managing a chronic condition. Results A total of 2695 articles were screened and 25 were reviewed in detail. All 16 included studies concerned diabetes self-management in pregnancy. Common themes coalesced around motivations for, and barriers to, self-management. Women self-managed primarily for the health of their baby. Barriers identified were anxiety, lack of understanding and a lack of support from families and healthcare professionals. Conclusions Pregnant women have different motivating factors for self-management than the general population and further research on a range of self-management of chronic conditions in pregnancy is needed. PROSPERO registration number CRD42019136681

Is self-management a burden? What are the experiences of women self-managing chronic conditions during pregnancy? A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review examines the qualitative literature on women's experiences of self-managing chronic conditions in pregnancy. DESIGN: Systematic review of qualitative literature. Searches were performed in PubMed and CINAHL from inception to February 2021. Critical interpretive synthesis informed the coding framework and the analysis of the data. The Burden of Treatment theory emerged during the initial analysis as having the most synergy with the included literature, themes were refined to consider key concepts from this theory. PARTICIPANTS: Pregnant women who are self-managing a chronic condition. RESULTS: A total of 2695 articles were screened and 25 were reviewed in detail. All 16 included studies concerned diabetes self-management in pregnancy. Common themes coalesced around motivations for, and barriers to, self-management. Women self-managed primarily for the health of their baby. Barriers identified were anxiety, lack of understanding and a lack of support from families and healthcare professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women have different motivating factors for self-management than the general population and further research on a range of self-management of chronic conditions in pregnancy is needed. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019136681.National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care Oxford (NIHR CLAHRC Oxford) now recommissioned as NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley, the Primary Care Research Trust, and a NIHR Programme Grant (RP-PG-0614-20005)

Cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study of self-testing for proteinuria during hypertensive pregnancies:The UDIP study

Objective To determine the accuracy of self-testing for proteinuria during pregnancy. Design Diagnostic accuracy study. Setting Antenatal clinics, maternity assessment units and inpatient wards at three hospital sites. Population or Sample 345 pregnant women. Methods Pregnant women self-tested in-clinic for urinary protein using visually read dipsticks with samples then sent for laboratory estimation of the spot protein-creatinine ratio (PCR) (primary reference test). Secondary index tests included testing by antenatal healthcare professionals and an automated colorimetric reader. Main outcome measures Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and likelihood ratios were calculated for self-testing (primary index test) along with healthcare professional and colorimetric testing compared to the primary reference test (PCR). Results 335/345 (97%) had sufficient data to be included in the analysis. Self-testing had a sensitivity of 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62–0.79) and a specificity of 0.89 (95% CI 0.84–0.92) compared to PCR. Sensitivity and specificity of testing by healthcare professionals and the colorimetric reader were similar: sensitivity 0.73 (95% CI 0.64–0.80) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.69–0.85), respectively; specificity 0.88 (95% CI 0.82–0.92) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.78–0.88), respectively. Conclusion Pregnant women can visually read a dipstick for urinary protein with similar accuracy to antenatal healthcare professionals. Automated colorimetric testing was not significantly different, in contrast to some previous studies. Self-testing has the potential to form part of a self-monitoring regime in pregnancy

Cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study of self-testing for proteinuria during hypertensive pregnancies:The UDIP study

Objective: To determine the accuracy of self-testing for proteinuria during pregnancy. Design: Diagnostic accuracy study. Setting: Antenatal clinics, maternity assessment units and inpatient wards at three hospital sites. Population or Sample: 345 pregnant women. Methods: Pregnant women self-tested in-clinic for urinary protein using visually read dipsticks with samples then sent for laboratory estimation of the spot protein-creatinine ratio (PCR) (primary reference test). Secondary index tests included testing by antenatal healthcare professionals and an automated colorimetric reader. Main outcome measures: Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and likelihood ratios were calculated for self-testing (primary index test) along with healthcare professional and colorimetric testing compared to the primary reference test (PCR). Results: 335/345 (97%) had sufficient data to be included in the analysis. Self-testing had a sensitivity of 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62–0.79) and a specificity of 0.89 (95% CI 0.84–0.92) compared to PCR. Sensitivity and specificity of testing by healthcare professionals and the colorimetric reader were similar: sensitivity 0.73 (95% CI 0.64–0.80) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.69–0.85), respectively; specificity 0.88 (95% CI 0.82–0.92) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.78–0.88), respectively. Conclusion: Pregnant women can visually read a dipstick for urinary protein with similar accuracy to antenatal healthcare professionals. Automated colorimetric testing was not significantly different, in contrast to some previous studies. Self-testing has the potential to form part of a self-monitoring regime in pregnancy.</p