Applying Island Biogeography Theory and Ecoacoustic Approaches to Explore the Species Composition, Richness, and Biodiversity in Northern Temperate Salt Marsh Pools of the Little River Estuary

Salt marsh habitats are prevalent throughout coastal New England and offer a wide rangeof ecological services, including serving as nursery habitats to both transient and resident species, trapping sediment and nutrients to keep pace with rising sea levels, and improving water quality through filtration of runoff. These complex habitats remain poorly understood, especially regarding the biological communities that occupy them. The northern temperate salt marshes that characterize the coast of Northern New England contain northern temperate salt marsh pools (NTSPs) that serve as important wildlife habitats with unique abiotic conditions and biotic communities. The isolated nature of these pools from their estuary mainland, with the exception of inputs from infrequent tidal flooding, allows them to be characterized as islands in the context of island biogeography theory. Here, I assess two island biogeography variables, island size (pool volume) and connectivity (distance of pools from a tidal creek), to determine their effect on the abundance, species richness, and biodiversity of NTSPs. Data from this study indicated that NTSP size is positively correlated with both organism abundance and species richness, while NTSP connectivity is correlated with biodiversity. The monitoring of ecosystems using passive acoustic techniques has gained increasing popularity in recent years, as it is cost effective, and less time intensive than traditional biodiversity surveys. To expedite the process of analyzing recordings, many acoustic indices have been developed to analyze soundscape recordings. During this study, I used passive acoustic methods to monitor 20 NTSPs during the summer of 2021 to determine whether acoustic indices in the R packaged soundecology and seewave (H, BIO, ACI, ADI, AEI, and NDSI) highlight relationships between NTSP soundscapes with the abundance, species richness, and/or biodiversity of their inhabitants. This analysis determined that the AEI index had the strongest correlation with organism abundance and species richness, while only the maximum values produced by the BIO index correlated with NTSP biodiversity. This analysis also determined that the abiotic variable pool volume was positively correlated with ACI and AEI index values, as well as maximum values from the BIO index. While correlations between both biotic and abiotic variables and acoustic indices were found, it is recommended that acoustic indices designed for aquatic use are created, as there are many differences between aquatic and terrestrial soundscapes

Bringing Library Resources to the Online Classroom: Building Faculty-Librarian Partnerships

The number of students taking online classes has risen substantially over past several years. Many traditional colleges offer online and hybrid classes as an alternative to traditional face-to-face instruction. Face-to-face faculty are encouraged to learn and use course management systems (CMS) to publish syllabi and assignments, track student grades and supplement traditional interactions with chat and electronic discussion boards. Often overwhelming to instructors, digital educational tools proliferate throughout the academic landscape. Determining which tools will work for your classroom environment can be daunting, in addition to the hours of training so as to effectively use those tools. Partnering with librarians who are already trained using classroom enhancement tools can be a solution. The purpose of this presentation is to show various ways that can improve faculty-librarian collaboration in promoting library resources and information literacy:-Incorporating library resources into course management systems (iCollege, blackboard)-Collaborating with faculty on electronic pathfinders that are customized to a specific subject or assignment (Libguides)-Embedding virtual reference tools into online classes to provide immediate library and research assistance in an online classroom environment (ask-a-librarian widget) This presentation also looks at statistical evidence that can demonstrate increased usage of the digital classroom tools, and thereby enhancement of student information literacy as a result of established partnerships involving faculty and their librarians. This presentation is geared for instructors who teach in online, hybrid, and face-to-face classroom environment and academic librarians interested in collaborating with faculty in virtual classroom

Effective Collaborations in Multi-Campus and Online Environments Using LibGuides

The paper presents a series of case studies that describe and demonstrate successful collaborations created via partnerships with instructors, departments, and other groups in both multi-campus and online environments at Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) where all three authors worked together as librarians for five years. The case studies illustrate the use of LibGuides in building librarian-librarian and librarian-­faculty partnerships to support teaching and other campus activities. This discussion includes successful strategies for establishing connections and adopting LibGuides as communication tool for collaborative projects

Characterization and ecotoxicity evaluation of chitosan/tripolyphosphate nanoparticles loaded with different essential oils

Essential oils (EOs) are botanical products extracted from medicinal and aromatic plants, which are constituted by volatile hydrophobic compounds exhibiting varied biological activities such as biopesticidal properties1. Chitosan is a polysaccharide with cationic nature and high potential to encapsulate natural ingredients. Electrostatic interactions between the cationic chitosan (protonated amine groups) and polyanions like tripolyphosphate (TPP) can be considered as an efficient polyelectrolyte complex to encapsulate EOs2. Therefore, the objective of this study was to encapsulate Anethum graveolens, Coriandrum sativum, Satureja montana and Thymus vulgaris EOs into chitosan/TPP nanoparticles via the ionic gelation technique. The particles encapsulating the EOs were characterized regarding their physicochemical and structural properties through DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) and UV-vis spectroscopy during 30 days of storage. A first screening of the ecotoxic potential of the formulations was performed through the Microtox Test using the bioluminescent bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri. Nanoparticles with average sizes ranging from 188 to 210nm and surface charge between +28 to +35 mV, respectively, were physically stable throughout storage at 4ºC. The EOs encapsulation efficiency (EE %) was high for the 4 EOs tested (86 to 97%). Despite having less toxicity than EOs loaded nanoparticles prepared from a concentration of 4.76 mg of EO/mL, empty chitosan/TPP nanoparticles (4.76 mg/mL of chitosan) also showed some toxicity through the Microtox Test. Other ecotoxicity tests will be carried out to assess the nanoformulations´ potential hazard towards different non-target organisms. Chitosan/TPP nanoparticles are a suitable, stable, and high-efficient nanocarrier.This work was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through a PhD research grant with the reference UI/BD/151043/2021.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A systematic review of digital interventions for improving the diet and physical activity behaviors of adolescents

Many adolescents have poor diet and physical activity behaviors, which can lead to the development of noncommunicable diseases in later life. Digital platforms offer inexpensive means of delivering health interventions, but little is known about their effectiveness. This systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of digital interventions to improve diet quality and increase physical activity in adolescents, to effective intervention components and to assess the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Following a systematic search, abstracts were assessed against inclusion criteria, and data extraction and quality assessment were performed for included studies. Data were analyzed to identify key features that are associated with significant improvement in behavior. A total of 27 studies met inclusion criteria. Most (n = 15) were Web site interventions. Other delivery methods were text messages, games, multicomponent interventions, emails, and social media. Significant behavior change was often seen when interventions included education, goal setting, self-monitoring, and parental involvement. None of the publications reported cost-effectiveness. Due to heterogeneity of studies, meta-analysis was not feasible.It is possible to effect significant health behavior change in adolescents through digital interventions that incorporate education, goal setting, self-monitoring, and parental involvement. Most of the evidence relates to Web sites and further research into alternate media is needed, and longer term outcomes should be evaluated. There is a paucity of data on the cost-effectiveness of digital health interventions, and future trials should report these data

Assessing Faculty Awareness of Library Services in Two Georgia Undergraduate Institutions

In order to ascertain faculty awareness of library resources and services, librarians at two Georgia intuitions, Georgia Perimeter College and Oglethorpe University, joined forces to conduct a survey in 2012. The results were surprising and challenging, yet productive in forming a benchmark for further collaboration between librarians and faculty in student use of library services and resources

Cultural affordance, social relationships, and narratives of independence:Understanding the meaning of social care for adults with intellectual disabilities from minority ethnic groups in the UK

Objectives: To explore the perspective of adults with intellectual disabilities from minority ethnic groups, on their relationship with social care services. Methods: Thirty-two adults took part in semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were analyzed within a Pluralist framework, adopting the structure of Template Analysis and then drawing on phenomenological, narrative, and discursive approaches. Results: Our participants were generally positive about the services which they received, which they evaluated primarily in terms of their continuing good relationship(s) with specific workers. Our respondents were sophisticated users of cultural resources and identities; the concept of ‘cultural affordance’ may be useful alternative to ‘cultural competence’. We discuss three distinctive narratives about independence (Stability; Progress; Resistance). Each highlights the importance of maintaining connectedness to others, and the crucial role played by ownership of decision-making. Conclusions: We have developed a set of resources which service providers (and researchers) can use with people with intellectual disabilities, in order to support mutual understanding, service planning and delivery

Predictable phenotypic, but not karyotypic, evolution of populations with contrasting initial history

This study was financed by Portuguese National Funds through FCT - ‘Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia’ within the projects PTDC/BIA-BEC/098213/2008, PTDC/BIA-BIC/2165/2012 and cE3c Unit FCT funding UID/BIA/00329/2013. I.F. had a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/60734/2009), P.S. has a Post Doc grant (SFRH/BPD/86186/2012) and S.G.S. has a Post Doc grant (SFRH/BPD/108413/2015) from FCT. M.S. is funded by grant CGL2013-42432-P from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain) and grant 2014 SGR 1346 from Generalitat de Catalunya. The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available in the figshare repository, at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4797550.The relative impact of selection, chance and history will determine the predictability of evolution. There is a lack of empirical research on this subject, particularly in sexual organisms. Here we use experimental evolution to test the predictability of evolution. We analyse the real-time evolution of Drosophila subobscura populations derived from contrasting European latitudes placed in a novel laboratory environment. Each natural population was sampled twice within a three-year interval. We study evolutionary responses at both phenotypic (life-history, morphological and physiological traits) and karyotypic levels for around 30 generations of laboratory culture. Our results show (1) repeatable historical effects between years in the initial state, at both phenotypic and karyotypic levels; (2) predictable phenotypic evolution with general convergence except for body size; and (3) unpredictable karyotypic evolution. We conclude that the predictability of evolution is contingent on the trait and level of organization, highlighting the importance of studying multiple biological levels with respect to evolutionary patterns.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

EstablishINg the best STEp-up treatments for children with uncontrolled asthma despite INhaled corticosteroids (EINSTEIN): Protocol for a systematic review, network meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis using individual participant data (IPD)

IntroductionAsthma affects millions of children worldwide—1.1 million children in the UK. Asthma symptoms cannot be cured but can be controlled with low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) in the majority of individuals. Treatment with a low-dose ICS, however, fails to control asthma symptoms in around 10%–15% of children and this places the individual at increased risk for an asthma attack. At present, there is no clear preferred treatment option for a child whose asthma is not controlled by low-dose ICS and international guidelines currently recommend at least three treatment options. Herein, we propose a systematic review and individual participant data network meta-analysis (IPD-NMA) aiming to synthesise all available published and unpublished evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to establish the clinical effectiveness of pharmacological treatments in children and adolescents with uncontrolled asthma on ICS and help to make evidence-informed treatment choices. This will be used to parameterise a Markov-based economic model to assess the cost-effectiveness of alternative treatment options in order to inform decisions in the context of drug formularies and clinical guidelines.Methods and analysisWe will search in MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, NICE Technology Appraisals and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment series for RCTs of interventions in patients with uncontrolled asthma on ICS. All studies where children and adolescents were eligible for inclusion will be considered, and authors or sponsors will be contacted to request IPD on patients aged &lt;18. The reference lists of existing clinical guidelines, along with included studies and relevant reviews, will be checked to identify further relevant studies. Unpublished studies will be located by searching across a range of clinical trial registries, including internal trial registers for pharmaceutical companies. All studies will be appraised for inclusion against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria by two independent reviewers with disagreements resolved through discussion with a third reviewer. We will perform an IPD-NMA—eventually supplemented with aggregate data for the RCTs without IPD—to establish both the probability that a treatment is best and the probability that a particular treatment is most likely to be effective for a specific profile of the patient. The IPD-NMA will be performed for each outcome variable within a Bayesian framework, using the WinBUGS software. Also, potential patient-level characteristics that may modify treatment effects will be explored, which represents one of the strengths of this study.Ethics and disseminationThe Committee on Research Ethics, University of Liverpool, has confirmed that ethics review is not required. The dissemination plan consists of publishing the results in an open-access medical journal, a plain-language summary available for parents and children, dissemination via local, national and international meetings and conferences and the press offices of our Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). A synopsis of results will be disseminated to NICE and British Thoracic Society/Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) as highly relevant to future clinical guideline updates.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019127599.</jats:sec