Exploring Barriers to Exercise among Adolescents at the Burlington Boys and Girls Club

Introduction: The Boys and Girls Club of Burlington (BGCB) is a non-profit that holds after-school activities for adolescents, including music, art, technology, and sports. The BGCB has struggled to encourage physical activity (PA) among many participants. We designed our study to identify deterrents to PA, as well as possible ways to improve participation.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1066/thumbnail.jp

Climate and Dispersal: Black-Winged Stilts Disperse Further in Dry Springs

Climate affects the abundance and distribution of many species of wildlife. Nevertheless, the potential effects of climate on dispersive behaviour remain unstudied. Here, I combine data from (i) a long-term Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) monitoring program, (ii) a capture-recapture marking program in Doñana, and (iii) reports from the Rare Birds Committee in the United Kingdom to analyse at different geographical scales the relationship between climate, survival, philopatry, and dispersive behaviour. Black-winged Stilt populations varied in size in consonance with changes in both the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and local rainfall during the breeding season. Changes in population size are related to changes in philopatry and increases in dispersal beyond the traditional range of the species. The results indicate that climatic conditions influence the dispersive behaviour of individual birds, explaining rapid changes in the local population of this species breeding in unstable Mediterranean wetlands

Broad- Versus Narrow-Spectrum Perioperative Antibiotics and Outcomes in Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease Surgery: Analysis of the Vizient Clinical Data Base

BackgroundDespite guidelines recommending narrow-spectrum perioperative antibiotics (NSPA) as prophylaxis for most children undergoing congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery, broad-spectrum perioperative antibiotics (BSPA) are variably used, and their impact on postoperative outcomes is poorly understood.MethodsWe used administrative data from U.S. hospitals participating in the Vizient Clinical Data Base. Admissions from 2011 to 2018 containing a qualifying CHD surgery in children 0-17 years old were evaluated for exposure to BSPA versus NSPA. Propensity score-adjusted models were used to compare postoperative length of hospital stay (PLOS) by exposure group, while adjusting for confounders. Secondary outcomes included subsequent antimicrobial treatment and in-hospital mortality.ResultsAmong 18 088 eligible encounters from 24 U.S. hospitals, BSPA were given in 21.4% of CHD surgeries, with mean BSPA use varying from 1.7% to 96.1% between centers. PLOS was longer for BSPA-exposed cases (adjusted hazard ratio 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71-0.89, P < .0001). BSPA was associated with higher adjusted odds of subsequent antimicrobial treatment (odds ratio [OR] 1.24; 95% CI: 1.06-1.48), and there was no significant difference in adjusted mortality between exposure groups (OR 2.06; 95% CI: 1.0-4.31; P = .05). Analyses of subgroups with the most BSPA exposure, including high-complexity procedures and delayed sternal closure, also did not find (but could not exclude) a measurable benefit from BSPA on PLOS.ConclusionsBSPA use was common in high-risk populations, and varied substantially between centers. Standardizing perioperative antibiotic practices between centers may reduce unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure and improve clinical outcomes

Plausible bounds for maximum rate of increase in magpie geese (Anseranas semipalmata) : implications for harvest

We used improved information on fecundity and credible estimates of survival to define the plausible bounds of maximum intrinsic rate of population increase (r m) in magpie geese and explored the management and conservation implications, given current estimates of off-take. We considered previous estimates of r m (0.78, based on time-series analysis of aerial count data) and the corresponding predicted maximum sustainable harvest rates (30–39% per annum) to be excessive, thereby risking poor management decisions. In contrast, our estimate of the maximum plausible range of r m (0.11–0.28) is substantially lower than the previous estimate, and suggests maximum harvest rates of no more than 5–14% of total population size per annum. We consider that it would be unwise to adopt the prior estimate of r m for management policy because it would risk over-exploitation. Our results embody a more precautionary approach to assessing maximum sustainable yield for magpie geese in northern Australia, and are not confounded by migration. The move from a simple empirical model to a partially mechanistic one reflects a significant improvement in understanding, but must nevertheless be viewed as part of an ongoing process of model refinement and testing.Barry W. Brook and Peter J. Whitehea