Understanding plant invasions: An example of working with citizen scientists to collect environmental data

Citizen science programs are useful tools for collecting important environmental science data. To ensure data quality, however, it must be shown that data collected by volunteers can produce reliable results. We engaged 143 volunteers over four years to map and estimate abundance of invasive plants in New York and New Jersey parklands. We found that off trail abundance of only a few of our targeted invasive species were positively correlated with on trail abundance. Our results support that citizen science programs can be a useful and sometimes a much needed addition to environmental science protocols

Characteristics, Access, Utilization, Satisfaction, and Outcomes of Healthy Start Participants in Eight Sites

To describe the characteristics, access, utilization, satisfaction, and outcomes of Healthy Start participants in eight selected sites, a survey of Healthy Start participants with infants ages 6–12-months-old at time of interview was conducted between October 2006 and January 2007. The response rate was 66% (n = 646), ranging from 37% in one site to >70% in seven sites. Healthy Start participants’ outcomes were compared to two national benchmarks. Healthy Start participants reported that they were satisfied with the program (>90% on five measures). Level of unmet need was 6% or less for most services, except for dental appointments (11%), housing (13%), and child care (11%). Infants had significantly better access to medical care than did their mothers, with higher rates of insurance coverage, medical homes, and checkups, and fewer unmet needs for health care. Healthy Start participants’ rates of ever breastfeeding (72%) and putting infants to sleep on their backs (70%) were at or near the Healthy People 2010 objectives, and considerably higher than rates among low-income mothers in the ECLS. The high rate of health education (>90%) may have contributed to these outcomes. Elimination of smoking among Healthy Start participants (46%) fell short of the Healthy People 2010 objective (99%). The low-birth weight (LBW) rate among Black Healthy Start participants (14%) was three times higher than the rate for Whites and Hispanics (5% each). Overall, the LBW rate in the eight sites (7.5%) was similar to the rate for low-income mothers in the ECLS, but both rates were above the Healthy People 2010 objective (5%). Challenges remain in reducing disparities in maternal and child health outcomes. Further attention to risk factors associated with LBW (especially smoking) may help close the gaps. The life course theory suggests that improved outcomes may require longer-term investments. Healthy Start’s emerging focus on interconception care has the potential to address longer-term needs of participants

Patterns of ambulatory care utilization in Taiwan

BACKGROUND: We used the insurance claims of a representative cohort to quantify the patterns of ambulatory care visits, especially the doctor-shopping phenomenon, in Taiwan. METHODS: The ambulatory visit files of the 200,000-person cohort datasets from the National Health Insurance Research Database in 2002 were analyzed. Only a visit with physician consultation would be considered. We computed the visit patterns both by visit count and by patient count. RESULTS: In 2002, there were 182,474 eligible people with 2,443,003 physician consultations. During the year, 87.4% of the cohort had visited physician clinics and 57.5% had visited hospital-based outpatient or emergency departments. On average, a person had 13.4 physician consultations and consulted 3.4 specialties, 5.2 physicians, and 3.9 healthcare facilities in a year. In 2002, 17.3% of the cohort had ever visited different healthcare facilities on the same day; 23.5% had ever visited physicians of the same specialty at different healthcare facilities within 7 days and the percentage of second visits was 3.8% of all visits. Besides, 7.6% of the cohort had visited two or more specialties at the same facility on the same day, and such visits make up 2.5% of all visits. CONCLUSION: The people in Taiwan did visit the physicians and outpatient departments frequently. Many patients not only consulted several physicians of different specialties and at different healthcare facilities during the year, but also switched the physicians and facilities quickly. An effective referral system with efficient data exchange between facilities might be the solution

Health insurance, neighborhood income, and emergency department usage by Utah children 1996–1998

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that approximately half of emergency department (ED) usage in the U.S. and other developed countries is for non-urgent conditions and that this usage is related to availability, social, and economic factors. We examined pediatric ED usage in a U.S. state with respect to income, health insurance status, types of medical conditions, and whether introduction of managed care affected utilization by Medicaid children. METHODS: Emergency department usage rates were calculated from 1996 through 1998 using Utah ED data for children with commercial health insurance, Medicaid, for uninsured children, and by income group estimating neighborhood household income from Zip code of residence. We analyzed usage following the July 1996 transition of Utah Medicaid to managed care. RESULTS: Children with Medicaid had approximately 50% greater ED utilization rates than children with commercial health insurance or uninsured children. The majority of usage for Medicaid and uninsured children was for non-traumatic conditions. Only 35% of total ED usage was for non-emergent or non-urgent conditions and this was related to both Medicaid and low household income. Children lacking health insurance were more likely to be discharged against medical advice (OR = 2.36, 95% C.I. 1.88–2.96). There was no reduction in Medicaid ED usage following the transition to managed care. CONCLUSION: Usage of ED services is related to both health insurance status and income. Children lacking health insurance and Medicaid children have excessive usage for conditions which could be treated in a primary care setting. That managed care does not reduce Medicaid ED usage is consistent with findings of other studies

The biogeography of the atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) gut microbiome

Although understood in many vertebrate systems, the natural diversity of host-associated microbiota has been little studied in teleosts. For migratory fishes, successful exploitation of multiple habitats may affect and be affected by the composition of the intestinal microbiome. We collected 96 Salmo salar from across the Atlantic encompassing both freshwater and marine phases. Dramatic differences between environmental and gut bacterial communities were observed. Furthermore, community composition was not significantly impacted by geography. Instead life-cycle stage strongly defined both the diversity and identity of microbial assemblages in the gut, with evidence for community destabilisation in migratory phases. Mycoplasmataceae phylotypes were abundantly recovered in all life-cycle stages. Patterns of Mycoplasmataceae phylotype recruitment to the intestinal microbial community among sites and life-cycle stages support a dual role for deterministic and stochastic processes in defining the composition of the S. salar gut microbiome

Histological analysis of low dose NMU effects in the rat mammary gland

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Our objective was to assess the histological changes in mammary glands of the female Wistar-Furth rat as a result of low dose exposure to N-nitrosomethylurea (NMU).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Groups of 30–40 virgin female rats of between 49–58 days old received a single injection of 10, 20, 30 or 50 mg NMU/kg body weight (BW). A group of 10 control rats received 0.9% NaCl solution only. The formation of palpable mammary gland tumors was assessed weekly and, upon sacrifice at 12, 22 and 25–30 weeks after treatment, we performed a comprehensive histological analysis of all mammary gland lesions and tumors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Alongside the predicted increase in tumor number and decrease in tumor latency with increasing NMU dose, we observed a number of microscopic lesions and other epithelial abnormalities in the mammary glands for all NMU doses. Two types of non-neoplastic histological changes were observed in rats exposed to 10 or 20 mg NMU/kg BW: namely, (i) an increase in the number of acinar structures often accompanied by secretion into the lumen which is normally associated with pregnancy and lactation, and (ii) an increase in the number of epithelial cells sloughed into the lumen of the epithelial ducts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study establishes a baseline for low-dose exposure and defines the histological features in the mammary gland resulting from NMU exposure. Furthermore, this system provides an ideal platform for evaluating the relative susceptibility of animals protected from, or predisposed to, developing cancer through environmental influences.</p

Ocean Acidification Affects Prey Detection by a Predatory Reef Fish

Changes in olfactory-mediated behaviour caused by elevated CO2 levels in the ocean could affect recruitment to reef fish populations because larval fish become more vulnerable to predation. However, it is currently unclear how elevated CO2 will impact the other key part of the predator-prey interaction – the predators. We investigated the effects of elevated CO2 and reduced pH on olfactory preferences, activity levels and feeding behaviour of a common coral reef meso-predator, the brown dottyback (Pseudochromis fuscus). Predators were exposed to either current-day CO2 levels or one of two elevated CO2 levels (∼600 µatm or ∼950 µatm) that may occur by 2100 according to climate change predictions. Exposure to elevated CO2 and reduced pH caused a shift from preference to avoidance of the smell of injured prey, with CO2 treated predators spending approximately 20% less time in a water stream containing prey odour compared with controls. Furthermore, activity levels of fish was higher in the high CO2 treatment and feeding activity was lower for fish in the mid CO2 treatment; indicating that future conditions may potentially reduce the ability of the fish to respond rapidly to fluctuations in food availability. Elevated activity levels of predators in the high CO2 treatment, however, may compensate for reduced olfactory ability, as greater movement facilitated visual detection of food. Our findings show that, at least for the species tested to date, both parties in the predator-prey relationship may be affected by ocean acidification. Although impairment of olfactory-mediated behaviour of predators might reduce the risk of predation for larval fishes, the magnitude of the observed effects of elevated CO2 acidification appear to be more dramatic for prey compared to predators. Thus, it is unlikely that the altered behaviour of predators is sufficient to fully compensate for the effects of ocean acidification on prey mortality

An evaluation of completeness of tuberculosis notification in the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND: There has been a resurgence of tuberculosis worldwide, mainly in developing countries but also affecting the United Kingdom (UK), and other Western countries. The control of tuberculosis is dependent on early identification of cases and timely notification to public health departments to ensure appropriate treatment of cases and screening of contacts. Tuberculosis is compulsorily notifiable in the UK, and the doctor making or suspecting the diagnosis is legally responsible for notification. There is evidence of under-reporting of tuberculosis. This has implications for the control of tuberculosis as a disproportionate number of people who become infected are the most vulnerable in society, and are less likely to be identified and notified to the public health system. These include the poor, the homeless, refugees and ethnic minorities. METHOD: This study was a critical literature review on completeness of tuberculosis notification within the UK National Health Service (NHS) context. The review also identified data sources associated with reporting completeness and assessed whether studies corrected for undercount using capture-recapture (CR) methodology. Studies were included if they assessed completeness of tuberculosis notification quantitatively. The outcome measure used was notification completeness expressed between 0% and 100% of a defined denominator, or in numbers not notified where the denominator was unknown. RESULTS: Seven studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified through electronic and manual search of published and unpublished literature. One study used CR methodology. Analysis of the seven studies showed that undernotification varied from 7% to 27% in studies that had a denominator; and 38%–49% extra cases were identified in studies which examined specific data sources like pathology reports or prescriptions for anti-tuberculosis drugs. Cases notified were more likely to have positive microbiology than cases not notified which were more likely to have positive histopathology or be surgical in-patients. Collation of prescription data of two or more anti-tuberculosis drugs increases case ascertainment of tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: The reporting of tuberculosis is incomplete in the UK, although notification is a statutory requirement. Undernotification leads to an underestimation of the disease burden and hinders implementation of appropriate prevention and control strategies. The notification system needs to be strengthened to include education and training of all sub-specialities involved in diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis

Day and night surgery: is there any influence in the patient postoperative period of urgent colorectal intervention?

Background Medical activity performed outside regular work hours may increase risk for patients and professionals. There is few data with respect to urgent colorectal surgery. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of daytime versus nighttime surgery on postoperative period of patients with acute colorectal disease. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in a sample of patients with acute colorectal disease who underwent urgent surgery at the General Surgery Unit of Braga Hospital, between January 2005 and March 2013. Patients were stratified by operative time of day into a daytime group (surgery between 8:00 and 20:59) and the nighttime group (21:00–7:59) and compared for clinical and surgical parameters. A questionnaire was distributed to surgeons, covering aspects related to the practice of urgent colorectal surgery and fatigue. Results A total of 330 patients were included, with 214 (64.8 %) in the daytime group and 116 (35.2 %) in the nighttime group. Colorectal cancer was the most frequent pathology. Waiting time (p?<?0.001) and total length of hospital stay (p?=?0.008) were significantly longer in the daytime group. There were no significant differences with respect to early or late complications. However, 100 % of surgeons reported that they are less proficient during nighttime. Conclusions Among patients with acute colorectal disease subjected to urgent surgery, there was no significant association between nighttime surgery and the presence of postoperative medical and surgical morbidities. Patients who were subjected to daytime surgery had longer length of stay at the hospital

Improved precision on the experimental E0 decay branching ratio of the Hoyle state

Stellar carbon synthesis occurs exclusively via the $3\alpha$ process, in which three $\alpha$ particles fuse to form $^{12}$C in the excited Hoyle state, followed by electromagnetic decay to the ground state. The Hoyle state is above the $\alpha$ threshold, and the rate of stellar carbon production depends on the radiative width of this state. The radiative width cannot be measured directly, and must instead be deduced by combining three separately measured quantities. One of these quantities is the $E0$ decay branching ratio of the Hoyle state, and the current $10$\% uncertainty on the radiative width stems mainly from the uncertainty on this ratio. The $E0$ branching ratio was deduced from a series of pair conversion measurements of the $E0$ and $E2$ transitions depopulating the $0^+_2$ Hoyle state and $2^+_1$ state in $^{12}$C, respectively. The excited states were populated by the $^{12}$C$(p,p^\prime)$ reaction at 10.5 MeV beam energy, and the pairs were detected with the electron-positron pair spectrometer, Super-e, at the Australian National University. The deduced branching ratio required knowledge of the proton population of the two states, as well as the alignment of the $2^+_1$ state in the reaction. For this purpose, proton scattering and $\gamma$-ray angular distribution experiments were also performed. An $E0$ branching ratio of $\Gamma^{E0}_{\pi}/\Gamma=8.2(5)\times10^{-6}$ was deduced in the current work, and an adopted value of $\Gamma^{E0}_{\pi}/\Gamma=7.6(4)\times10^{-6}$ is recommended based on a weighted average of previous literature values and the new result. The new recommended value for the $E0$ branching ratio is about 14% larger than the previous adopted value of $\Gamma^{E0}_{\pi}/\Gamma=6.7(6)\times10^{-6}$, while the uncertainty has been reduced from 9% to 5%.Comment: Accepted for publication as a Regular Article in Phys. Rev. C on July 29 202