The role of dispersal in range change in birds

Eurasian reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus expanded its range in Great Britain in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The role of dispersal in this range expansion was investigated. Inference of the mechanisms underlying the range dynamics drew on fieldwork, analysis of large observational datasets, and a simulation model; this model was run in a reedbed map of Britain, generated from satellite data using machine learning. Breeding season temperature sets up reed warbler’s range limit in Britain directly, by influencing occupancy in the current year, perhaps mediated through reed Phragmites australis phenology. Although components of productivity were positively related to temperature, these and adult survival did not decline to the range edge. There was therefore no evidence that demography plays a role in limiting reed warbler’s range in Britain; however, not all aspects of demography were investigated. Survival was negatively related to temperature, and simulations suggested that this may allow reed warbler to maintain a more northerly range limit than without such a relationship. Reed warbler’s range expansion can be explained by a gradual equilibration with climate space, enabled by long-distance dispersal: only rare long-distance dispersing individuals matched the rate of range expansion. Reed warbler’s range edge tracked climate change, but the bulk of the population lagged behind. This could be due to dispersal-limitation, or perhaps newly established populations grow too slowly to generate sufficient emigrants. Simulations suggested that reed warbler’s range size is more sensitive to demography than to dispersal. The number of fledglings per breeding attempt increased over time, probably due to climate warming, and could have increased emigration; if so, this may be the cause of a more rapid movement in the range centroid later in the study period. Emigration, transition and immigration may therefore play different roles in reed warbler’s range dynamics in space and time

Are current clinical guidelines on the use of Peripheral Intravenous Cannula for blood draws supported by evidence? An organizational case study

© 2020 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aim: To examine the quality of evidence used to inform health policies. Policies on peripheral intravenous cannulas were used as exemplars. Design: An organizational case study design was used, using the STROBE reporting guidelines. Methods: Policy guidelines were sourced between June and September 2018 from health departments in Australia. Seven documents were compared regarding intravenous cannula dwell times and blood collection use. Evidence used in the documents was critiqued using assessment guideline from the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine. Results: Large variations exist between policies regarding blood sampling and dwell time. Evidence used a variety of sources. Few references received an A evidence rating and policies differed in their interpretation of evidence

The art of tacit learning in serious location-based games

Over the past two decades, location-based games have moved from media art fringes to the mass cultural mainstream. Through their locative affordances, these game types enable practices of wayfaring and placemaking, with the capacity to deliver powerful tacit knowledge. These affordances suggest the potential for the development of location-based games in educational contexts. This paper presents three cases studies—TIMeR and Wayfinder Live and Pet Playing four Placemaking—to illustrate how each uses elements of wayfaring and placemaking to bring new opportunities for education through a tacit knowledge approach

Blood sampling through peripheral intravenous cannulas: A look at current practice in Australia

Background: Sampling blood from a peripheral intravenous cannula offers an alternative to venepuncture. This practice can reduce frequency of venepuncture and patient discomfort. Opponents argue the practice increases the chance of haemolysis, risk of infection and device failure. Aim: To describe the prevalence and practice of blood sampling from peripheral intravenous cannulas by Australian nurses. Methods: This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design and data were collected using an electronic survey. The survey examined Australian nurses’ practice of sampling blood from peripheral intravenous cannulas. Quantitative descriptive data was analysed and presented as frequencies, percentages, medians and ranges. Findings: A total of 542 nurses participated in the survey. Of these, 338 (62.4%) completed the survey. The majority of responses came from the State of Victoria (n = 137, 40.5%) and one-third were emergency nurses (n = 112, 33.1%). Sampling of blood from peripheral intravenous cannulas occurred between 37.5% and 66.7% throughout the State and Territories of Australia. Peripheral intravenous cannula blood sampling was most common in the emergency department (n = 93, 53.4%). The most frequent reasons given were difficulty of access (n = 223, 66.0%) followed by patient comfort (n = 194, 57.4%). Discussion: Blood sampling is required to diagnose and monitor treatment responses. A peripheral intravenous cannula offers the opportunity to sample blood without the need for venepuncture. Practice recommendations on when to sample blood and correct sampling technique are based on limited or conflicting evidence. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate it is common practice to draw blood samples from a peripheral intravenous cannula. Further research is required to examine the accuracy and safety of this practice to further inform policy

How arsenic residues get in wool

Wool can become contaminated with arsenic in various ways, and several different sources may each contribute to any individual arsenic residue problem. • dipping sheep in an arsenical dip ( now illegal), • dipping sheep in a non-arsenical dip in a contaminated dipping facility • penning sheep on soil with high levels of arsenic before shearing. Other possible sources include running sheep on land contaminated by gold mine tailings or exploration sites, and allowing sheep access to sites on the farm where arsenical compounds have been dumped, for example, rubbish dumps or sites where dip/sump sludge has been dumped. Farmers can prevent wool arsenic levels above the Industry Standard by soil testing and sensible management of their dip and yards

Demographic characteristics of exploited tropical lutjanids: a comparative analysis

Demographic parameters from seven exploited coral reef lutjanid species were compared as a case study of the implications of intrafamily variation in life histories for multispecies harvest management. Modal lengths varied by 4 cm among four species (Lutjanus fulviflamma, L. vitta, L. carponotatus, L. adetii), which were at least 6 cm smaller than the modal lengths of the largest species (L. gibbus, Symphorus nematophorus, Aprion virescens). Modal ages, indicating ages of full selection to fishing gear, were 10 years or less for all species, but maximum ages ranged from 12 (L. gibbus) to 36 years (S. nematophorus). Each species had a unique growth pattern, with differences in length-at-age and mean asymptotic fork length (L∞), but smaller species generally grew fast during the first 1–2 years of life and larger species grew more slowly over a longer period. Total mortality rates varied among species; L. gibbus had the highest mortality and L. fulviflamma, the lowest mortality. The variability in life history strategies of these tropical lutjanids makes generalizations about lutjanid life histories difficult, but the fact that all seven had characteristics that would make them particularly vulnerable to fishing indicates that harvest of tropical lutjanids should be managed with caution

Urban Outbreak 2019 Pre-Analytic “Quick Look”

From 17-18 September 2019, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) - National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) and the United States Naval War College (NWC) conducted a game at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab (JHU-APL) in Laurel, Maryland. Titled “Urban Outbreak 2019,” this two-day, three-move analytic game was internally developed by the NWC’s Humanitarian Response Program (HRP) and emerged as an output from their 2018 Civilian-Military Humanitarian Response Workshop.https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/civmilresponse-program-sims-uo-2019/1000/thumbnail.jp

Ethnic differences in treatment outcome for children and young people accessing mental health support

Children and Young People (CYP) from minoritized ethnic backgrounds experience structural inequalities in Children and Young People's Mental Health Settings (CYPMHS). This mixed methods study explores whether CYP's ethnicity is associated with their treatment outcomes (operationalised as 'measurable change') from CYPMHS. A multilevel multi-nominal regression analysis, controlling for age, gender, referral source, presenting difficulty, case closure reason, suggests that CYP from Asian backgrounds (OR = 0.82, CI [0.70, 0.96]) and Mixed-race (odds ratio (OR) = 0.80; 95% CI [0.69, 0.92]) are less likely to report measurable improvement in mental health difficulties compared to White British CYP. Three themes from a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 15 CYP from minoritized ethnic backgrounds focused on views and experiences of ending mental health support are also presented. CYP view personalised support and the right therapist as conducive to good endings and valued a range of outcomes pertaining to empowerment. Experiences of stigma and inequalities may begin to explain the less positive outcomes experienced by Asian and Mixed-race CYP found in the regression analysis. The implications of these findings and future areas of research are suggested