Demographic Responses Research Articles

Acute and lagged fitness consequences for a sagebrush obligate in a post mega-wildfire landscape.

Species responses to disturbance influence their extinction risks. Greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are bioindicators of sagebrush ecosystem health and the loss of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) due to wildfire, can cause long‐term declines in sage‐grouse populations and other sagebrush obligate species. We examined the demographic response of a greater sage‐grouse population following a mega‐wildfire using stochastic age‐structured female‐based matrix models over 6 years (2013–2018). Notably, chick survival (range = 0.18–0.38) and female survival (yearling range: 0.20–0.68; adult range: 0.27–0.75) were low compared to values reported for greater sage‐grouse in other parts of their distribution. Greater sage‐grouse displayed variation in demographic tactics after the fire; however, adult female survival explained most of the variation in λ during each year, which reflected a declining population in 3 of 6 years with more uncertainty observed in 2015 when populations may have been increasing, and 2017 and 2018, when populations may have been declining. The continued annual population decline observed since 2016 suggested there were additional strong environmental impacts that may have been compounded by the fire effects, prolonging recovery of greater sage‐grouse. Our results support others that reported negative effects to greater sage‐grouse demographics from broad‐scale fire and provide a baseline for understanding how this species responds to loss of sagebrush cover based on their life history strategy.

Diagnosis and Treatment Approaches in Infantile Colic (IC): Results of a Survey Among Paediatricians in Turkey.

Background and Objective: Due to limited knowledge on the etiopathogenesis of infantile colic (IC) and the insufficiency of data regarding current treatments, different approaches emerge in terms of diagnosis, and treatment modalities globally and also in Turkey. The objective of this study was to observe how infantile colic is diagnosed and treated by paediatricians in Turkey.Methods: An anonymous electronic questionnaire was used to collect the respondents' opinions. The study questionnaire was comprised of 4 different sections with 56 multiple-choice questions covering demographic features, diagnostic approach, treatment preferences and response to treatment.Results: A total of 375 paediatricians responded to the survey. Fifty three percent of the participants stated that they established the IC diagnosis based only on their clinical experience. Factors that most affected the decision to start treatment were identified as parent discomfort, decreased family quality of life, and crying duration (68, 66, and 54%, respectively). Application of soothing methods, probiotics, and simethicone were identified as the most frequently used treatment modalities (frequency ranking; 81, 76, and 50%, respectively). Of the participants, 98% stated that they used probiotic as supplements, on the other hand, 72% of the participants indicated that they used simethicone as the only medical treatment to treat IC. The question about the participants' observations regarding the response to probiotic treatment was answered by 71% of the participants with decreased crying duration, while easier stool/gas passage and resolved digestion problems were the other frequent observations (54 and 49%, respectively). The observations related to the response to simethicone treatment also included decreased crying duration in addition to decreased crying periods after feeding and easier gas/stool passage (67, 47, and 44%, respectively).Conclusions: Survey results revealed that the majority of the paediatricians used their clinical experience alone to establish the diagnosis of IC and preferred probiotic supplements and simethicone as the only medical treatment to treat IC and they observed clinical benefits from them. Insights generated by this study will be helpful to guide future efforts to improve the management of infantile colic by paediatricians.

Need Assessment for Faculty Development in Wah Medical College

Introduction: Faculty development (FD) is defined broadly as the range of activities that institutions use to assist faculty in their roles and fields including teaching, research and administration. And faculty is now expected to be more effective and creative in their teaching methods. Objectives: To determine the needs assessment for faculty development. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and duration of study: Wah Medical College, January- June 2019. Methodology: A questionnaire was prepared after the review of literature. It had two parts; demographic profile and responses of the faculty on various aspects regarding needs assessment. Questionnaires were distributed to all the faculty members of college. Data was analyzed by SPSS and frequencies were calculated. T-test was used with p value of 0.05. Result: 90 faculty members responded back. Out of these 90, 34(37.8%) were in favor of 1 workshop per year. 59(65.6%)wanted half day workshop. 75(83.3%) members wanted workshops to be on weeks days. 66(73.3%) favored one-day workshops. 71(78.9%), 47(52.2%), 38(42.2%) don’t attend workshops due to lack of time, institutional support, trained facilitators respectively. Conclusion: We concluded that the Wah medical college faculty is in need of faculty development programs that should be conducted by the medical education department with in the college. The college should facilitate the faculty in the best possible way especially considering the limitations and responsibilities of the female faculty.

Plasticity in Abundance and Demographic Responses of Walleye to Elevated Exploitation in a North Temperate Lake

AbstractKnowledge of density‐dependent responses of fish populations to exploitation is important for the sustainable management of fisheries and in structuring fish populations to meet angler desires. To better understand the density‐dependent responses of Walleye Sander vitreus to exploitation, we conducted a 10‐year, 50% annual exploitation experiment on Sherman Lake, Wisconsin, during 2007–2016. In the following order, annual exploitation goals were met through liberalized recreational angling regulations, tribal spearfishing, and physical removals (if necessary). Response variables included total and sex‐specific adult density, age‐0 and age‐1 relative abundance, age‐0 to age‐1 survival, length at maturity, individual growth, and population size structure. To control for environmental and interannual influences on adult density and recruitment, unexploited Escanaba Lake, Wisconsin, was used as a reference system. Total and sex‐specific adult density and age‐0 relative abundance did not differ between Sherman and Escanaba lakes. Age‐1 relative abundance was significantly higher and more variable under elevated exploitation compared with the reference lake. Age‐0 to age‐1 survival significantly increased between pretreatment and elevated‐exploitation time periods. Sex‐specific length at maturity significantly declined between pretreatment and elevated‐exploitation time periods. Mean juvenile length at age increased, male asymptotic length declined, and the proportional size distribution of quality‐sized Walleye declined between pretreatment and elevated‐exploitation time periods. Our results suggest that compensatory age‐0 to age‐1 survival and declines in length at maturity interacted to offset elevated‐exploitation effects on adult density. Likewise, density‐dependent growth responses were most evident in juveniles. Although the Sherman Lake Walleye population appeared resilient to elevated exploitation, we caution that this level of long‐term exploitation is likely not sustainable for most Walleye populations due to the findings of previous exploitation studies and observations of depensatory recruitment dynamics in Walleye.

249. Evaluation of 99 Radiologically-proven Osteomyelitis Cases

BackgroundHerein we aimed to evaluate osteomyelitis cases in our setting.MethodsWe evaluated the hospital records of patients with osteomyelitis between January 2013 and December 2020 retrospectively. Osteomyelitis was confirmed by direct radiography or magnetic resonance imaging or pathology. Demographic features, risk factors, clinical/laboratory findings, treatment response and mortality rates were evaluated. Clinical response was defined as (resolution of clinical signs including fever and purulent discharge and other symptoms) and/or negative culture at the end of antimicrobial therapy.ResultsPatients were 33 female, aged 29–85 years (mean 59±12.6). Fourty nine of the patients were diabetic foot infection, 30 were spondylodiscitis, eight were primary, seven were post-traumatic, and five were post-surgical osteomyelitis. Overall 62 patients had diabetes mellitus and 16 patients had chronic renal failure. Peripheral arterial disease, neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy and venous insufficiency rate in the DM subgroup is shown in table. Fever was present in 24.2% of the cohort. İncreasing of CRP was in 95,9%, erythrocyte sedimentation rate in 83,9%, and leukocytosis in 37.3%. The radiological findings of osteomyelitis were detected via magnetic resonance imaging in 73 patients. Etiology in biopsy cultures were elucidated in 59.5% and the most common pathogen was S. aureus (30%) Table1. The most common empirical treatment regimens were tigecycline in 27 patients, ampicillin/sulbactam in 19 patients and ceftriaxone+teicoplanin in 12 cases. Duration of treatment was 36,2±17.3 days (range 6-104 days). Overall, clinical response was obtained in 91.9%. Fifty patients were performed surgical procedure + antibacterial treatment, clinical response was 96% (p:0.091). Surgical debridement could be performed in 22 patients, clinical response was obtained in all (p:0.193). Thirteen patients developed recurrence within one year. Sixty-seven patients received oral consecutive treatment after discharge. In hospital mortality rate was 2/99 (2,02%). ConclusionDespite surgical debridement and/or developed antimicrobial treatment, approximately 1/5 of osteomyelitis cases required further treatment Further interventions seem to be needed to reach better outcomes.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

A survey of United States dairy cattle nutritionists’ practices and perceptions of reducing crude protein in lactating dairy cow diets

The objective was to assess if US dairy nutritionists’ approaches toward balancing CP in lactating cow diets are influenced by demographic information, feelings toward environmental nitrogen (N) excretion, and dietary CP cost. An electronic survey was sent to 886 US certified dairy nutritionists through the database of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) via email. For survey data analysis, a nonparametric statistic was used to check whether the responses to each question were independent. Relationships among demographic data and responses to other questions were performed using Spearman’s correlation. Poisson regression and least squares means were used to identify statistically meaningful differences between response counts within each respective question. A total of 77 nutritionists representing 1,065 herds from 28 states with a total of 521,000 total lactating dairy cows responded to the questionnaire. Eighty-nine percent of nutritionists balanced diets based on one or more individual AA requirements of dairy cows. Most respondents (72%) reported that they are currently formulating diets with lower dietary CP than they were 3 to 5 yr ago. The primary concern with formulating lower CP diets was the cost per unit of MP, likely due to the high and fluctuating cost of high-RUP feedstuffs. Currently, the impetus to reduce dietary CP in lactating cow diets is primarily financially, rather than environmentally, driven. Nutrition models that accurately predict individual AA requirements of dairy cows will allow nutritionists to develop even lower CP diets than is presently possible. Monitoring income over feed cost of low-CP diets supplemented with AA is critical to support the sustainability of the dairy industry.

Half a century of thermal tolerance studies in springtails (Collembola): A review of metrics, spatial and temporal trends.

Global changes in soil surface temperatures are altering the abundances and distribution ranges of invertebrate species worldwide, including effects on soil microarthropods such as springtails (Collembola), which are vital for maintaining soil health and providing ecosystem services. Studies of thermal tolerance limits in soil invertebrates have the potential to provide information on demographic responses to climate change and guide assessments of possible impacts on the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Here, we review the state of knowledge of thermal tolerance limits in Collembola. Thermal tolerance metrics have diversified over time, which should be taken into account when conducting large-scale comparative studies. A temporal trend shows that the estimation of 'Critical Thermal Limits' (CTL) is becoming more common than investigations of 'Supercooling Point' (SCP), despite the latter being the most widely used metric. Indeed, most studies (66%) in Collembola have focused on cold tolerance; fewer have assessed heat tolerance. The majority of thermal tolerance data are from temperate and polar regions, with fewer assessments from tropical and subtropical latitudes. While the hemiedaphic life form represents the majority of records at low latitudes, euedaphic and epedaphic groups remain largely unsampled in these regions compared to the situation in temperate and high latitude regions, where sampling records show a more balanced distribution among the different life forms. Most CTL data are obtained during the warmest period of the year, whereas SCP and 'Lethal Temperature' (LT) show more variation in terms of the season when the data were collected. We conclude that more attention should be given to understudied zoogeographical regions across the tropics, as well as certain less-studied clades such as the family Neanuridae, to identify the role of thermal tolerance limits in the redistribution of species under changing climates.

Tropical tree growth sensitivity to climate is driven by species intrinsic growth rate and leaf traits.

A better understanding of how climate affects growth in tree species is essential for improved predictions of forest dynamics under climate change. Long-term climate averages (mean climate) drive spatial variations in species' baseline growth rates, whereas deviations from these averages over time (anomalies) can create growth variation around the local baseline. However, the rarity of long-term tree census data spanning climatic gradients has so far limited our understanding of their respective role, especially in tropical systems. Furthermore, tree growth sensitivity to climate is likely to vary widely among species, and the ecological strategies underlying these differences remain poorly understood. Here, we utilize an exceptional dataset of 49years of growth data for 509 tree species across 23 tropical rainforest plots along a climatic gradient to examine how multiannual tree growth responds to both climate means and anomalies, and how species' functional traits mediate these growth responses to climate. We show that anomalous increases in atmospheric evaporative demand and solar radiation consistently reduced tree growth. Drier forests and fast-growing species were more sensitive to water stress anomalies. In addition, species traits related to water use and photosynthesis partly explained differences in growth sensitivity to both climate means and anomalies. Our study demonstrates that both climate means and anomalies shape tree growth in tropical forests and that species traits can provide insights into understanding these demographic responses to climate change, offering a promising way forward to forecast tropical forest dynamics under different climate trajectories.

To Assess the Effectiveness of Breathing Exercise on Labour Pain and Behavioral Response of Primi Gravida Mothers during First Stage of Labour, at Selected Maternity Hospitals

Background of the Study: Labour is tough and headaches occur, however mother's our bodies are designed to supply birth. The shape of the pelvis, hormones, effective muscle mass and further all paintings collectively that may help mother to convey her child into the globe - before, within the course of and after childbirth.
 Objectives: 1. To assess pain intensity level among the Primi gravida mothers during first stage of labour in experimental and control group.2. To assess the behavioral response of primi gravid mothers during 1st stage of labour in control and Experimental group. 3. To determine the effectiveness of breathing exercise on labour pain among primi gravida mothers during first stage of labour.4. To determine the effectiveness of breathing exercise on behavioral response among primi gravida mothers during first stage of labour. 5. To determine the association between selected demographic variables and pain of primi gravida mothers during first stage of labour.6. To determine the association between selected demographic variables and behavioral response of prim gravid mothers during first stage of labour.
 Material and Methods: The design of this research study was based on a True Experimental research design with a pre-test and post-test control group. A total of 400 mothers were included in the study (200 in experimental group and 200 in control group). The samples were chosen using the probability simple random sampling technique. The data will be gathered using Baseline Proforma and an observational check list.
 Expected Results: At selected Maternity hospitals, this study will assess the effects of respiratory exercise on Childbirth pain and behavioral responses of primi gravida moms during the early stage of childbirth. After intervention, the degree of discomfort in primi gravida women should be reduced, and their behavioral reaction should improve.
 Conclusion: Final conclusion is drawn from the ultimate results of the statistical review.

Habitat quality mediates demographic response to climate in a declining large herbivore

Understanding the interacting role of climate and habitat in shaping wildlife population dynamics can help to reveal synergistic pathways that drive population resilience or decline across variable and changing environments. Moose (Alces alces) is a pan-boreal herbivore experiencing population declines across large portions of North America; however, the species has shown variable response to climate across its distribution. We investigated moose demographic response to climate and evaluated the interacting role of habitat across 36 years and along a biogeographic gradient in Ontario, Canada that has experienced decadal changes to climate and habitat quality. Moose density exhibited a nonlinear trend that initially increased and then decreased over the study timeframe and was negatively affected by regional and local patterns of winter severity and later frost onset. Recruitment exhibited a monotonic decline and was positively affected by spring heat and deciduous forest cover, while also exhibiting density-dependent effects. The negative response of moose density to winter severity was reduced in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) with higher proportions of dense canopy cover, supporting expectations that this habitat type improves moose winter mobility and predator avoidance. The negative effect of later frost onset was greater in WMUs with more regenerating forest, and both variables are associated with higher exposure to parasites and predators. Further, density-dependent effects on recruitment were suppressed by warmer springs that support vegetation productivity and in WMUs with higher proportions of dense canopy cover that can provide concealment from predators. Our study illustrates the important role habitat conditions can have to mitigate, or exacerbate, climate-change effects for a wide-spread herbivore occupying variable environments by potentially altering pathways relevant to energetic balance, predation, and parasite transmission. In this system, moose occupying sparse or regenerating forests are more susceptible to adverse climatic effects and should be managed accordingly.

Behavioral and Mental Responses towards the COVID-19 Pandemic among Chinese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

The novel COVID-19 pandemic spread quickly and continuously influenced global societies. As a vulnerable population that accounted for the highest percentage of deaths from the pandemic, older adults have experienced huge life-altering challenges and increased risks of mental problems during the pandemic. Empirical evidence is needed to develop effective strategies to promote preventive measures and mitigate the adverse psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the behavioral responses (i.e., preventive behaviors, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption) and mental responses (i.e., depression and loneliness) towards the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese older adults. A further aim was to identify the associations among demographics, behavioral responses, and mental responses. Using a convenience sampling approach, 516 older adults were randomly recruited from five cities of Hubei province in China. Results of the cross-sectional survey showed that 11.7% of participants did not adhere to the WHO recommended preventive measures, while 37.6% and 8.3% of participants decreased physical activity and fruit–vegetable consumption respectively. For mental responses, 30.8% and 69.2% of participants indicated significantly depressive symptoms and severe loneliness, respectively. Participants’ behavioral and mental responses differed significantly in several demographics, such as age group, living situation, marital status, education levels, household income, medical conditions, and perceived health status. Demographic correlates and behavioral responses could significantly predicate the mental response with small-to-moderate effect sizes. This is the first study to investigate the characteristics of behavioral and mental responses of Chinese older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research findings may give new insights into future developments of effective interventions and policies to promote health among older adults in the fight against the pandemic.

First evidence of post‐glacial contraction of Alpine endemics: Insights from Berardia subacaulis in the European Alps

AbstractAimLate Quaternary glaciations left an enduring imprint on the distribution of species and their genetic structure. The responses of plants endemic to the Alps can be summarized in three major demographic hypotheses: (i) post‐glacial expansion hypothesis; (ii) post‐glacial contraction hypothesis; and (iii) long‐term stability hypothesis. Here we test these hypotheses and reconstruct the time and extent of demographic responses of an endemic plant to the Late Quaternary climate dynamics.LocationEuropean Alps.TaxonBerardia subacaulis Vill. (Asteraceae).MethodsWe used species distribution models to estimate the paleodistribution of B. subacaulis (Asteraceae) throughout the last 28 Ky and generated genome‐wide sequences to estimate current patterns of spatial structure of genetic diversity. We tested five demographic models by integrating the results of the two independent approaches in an Approximate Bayesian Computation framework.ResultsThe species has weak genetic differentiation among populations, with two main genetic groups. Species distribution models showed a reduction in potentially suitable areas for B. subacaulis during the post‐glacial climate warming and demographic models identified a recent split (2.46 Kya) between the two genetic groups and they slightly supported the post glacial contraction hypothesis.Main conclusionsTaken together, our results support the post‐glacial contraction of an endemic plant, differing from the main pattern observed for endemics species in the European Alps during the Late Quaternary. The different pattern observed in B. subacaulis might be due to several factors, including the less severe effects of glaciations and the environmental heterogeneity of the South Western Alps, combined with some features of the species (i.e. poor dispersal ability, slow growth and microhabitat preferences). Future research in areas where the ice cover was less extensive will contribute to a more complete understanding of the role of climatic changes in shaping the endemics of the European Alps.

A bone bruise at the lateral and medial tibial plateau with an anterior cruciate ligament injury is associated with a meniscus tear.

Bone bruises with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury are well studied, but the association between bone bruises and multiple factors is unclear. The main objective of this study was to investigate the association between bone bruising and ACL injury and concomitant injury as well as clinical and functional scores. The second objective was to investigate the presence and distribution patterns of bone bruises. A total of 176 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction for primary ACL injury were included. The demographic characteristics and responses to clinical and functional assessments (the Visual Analog Scale for activities of daily living and sports, the Cincinnati Knee Rating System, the Lysholm score, the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and side-to-side difference in anterior laxity) were recorded at the initial visit. Concomitant injuries were evaluated by intraoperative assessment. Bone bruises were detected in 141 patients (80.1%). The lateral femoral condyle (LFC) was the most common site in 116 patients (65.9%), followed by the lateral tibial plateau (LTP) in 82 patients (46.6%), medial tibial plateau (MTP) in 47 patients (26.7%) and medial femoral condyle (MFC) in 29 patients (16.5%). Regarding the distribution patterns, bone bruising at only the LFC, which was the most common pattern, was detected in 38 patients (27.0%). Bone bruising at the LTP or MTP was significantly associated with lateral (LM) and medial meniscus (MM) tears (odds ratios 4.0, 3.0, 4.3 and 40.5, 95% confidence intervals 1.5-11.6, 1.2-15.1, 1.2-17.3 and 8.6-283.0, respectively). No marked differences in the functional or clinical scores were noted. The severity of bone bruising at the MTP was significantly associated with MM tears and that at the LTP was significantly associated with LM tears. (p < 0.01). This study showed association between bone bruising at LTP and LM tears or at MTP and MM tears. Additionally, it provided detailed information on the presence and distribution patterns of bone bruises at each anatomic site. These findings are clinically relevant and will aid in preoperatively diagnosing meniscus tears in cases of ACL injury. Level III.

Linking Plant Functional Traits to Demography in a Fragmented Landscape

Habitat loss in highly deforested landscapes such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest has been severely affecting the diversity and survival of palm species. As some species are more sensitive than others, trait responses to the environment, as well as environmental effects on fecundity, growth, and mortality rates, may affect species demography. Considering this context, we studied functional and demographic responses of three palm species (Astrocaryum aculeatissimum, Euterpe edulis, and Geonoma schottiana) to habitat loss in the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil by measuring morpho-physiological traits related to plant growth and light acquisition for photosynthesis. We also tested the response of population fitness to fragment size. Plant survival and growth was subsequently monitored in 2006 and 2007, and population dynamics were summarized in pool matrices for large and small forest fragments in the monitoring periods comprehending one full year between 2005–2006 and 2006–2007. The asymptotic growth rate of populations (defined here as population fitness, λ) in five forest fragments was then calculated. Diameter of individuals of the demography plots (from year 2005 to 2007) was used to calculate the relative diameter growth rate. Later, in 2015, we measured a set of morpho-physiological functional traits in palms in the same plots used in the demographic studies. While A. aculeatissimum populations were stable in both monitoring periods in small and large fragments, E. edulis populations were predicted to decline due to intense predation by monkeys in the large fragment, but were stable in the smaller fragments, and G. schottiana populations were stable in the large fragments in both monitoring periods, but populations in the smaller fragments were predicted to decline in the second period, i.e., with lower fitness in these fragments. In addition, the functional traits analyzed showed that G. schottiana is a forest interior species associated with the shade/understory environment response. E. edulis was also affected by the size of the fragment, but due to a disruptive interaction with a predator and showed intermediate functional traits values. On the other hand, A. aculeatissimum thrived in areas with higher and lower incidence of light and was not demographically affected by forest remnant size. This suggests that E. edulis and A. aculeatissimum are habitat generalists. We concluded that differences in the ecophysiological performance of palms due to distinct morpho-physiological functional traits related to leaf economic spectrum, such as LDMC or specific leaf area (SLA) and to photosynthetic responses to light environment as electron transport rate (ETR) and saturation irradiance (Ik) were linked to the demographic variation observed in forest remnants of different size.

Climate change effects on desert ecosystems: A case study on the keystone species of the Namib Desert Welwitschia mirabilis.

Deserts have been predicted to be one of the most responsive ecosystems to global climate change. In this study, we examine the spatial and demographic response of a keystone endemic plant of the Namib Desert (Welwitschia mirabilis), for which displacement and reduction of suitable climate has been foreseen under future conditions. The main aim is to assess the association between ongoing climate change and geographical patterns of welwitschia health, reproductive status, and size. We collected data on welwitschia distribution, health condition, reproductive status, and plant size in northern Namibia. We used ecological niche models to predict the expected geographic shift of suitability under climate change scenarios. For each variable, we compared our field measurements with the expected ongoing change in climate suitability. Finally, we tested the presence of simple geographical gradients in the observed patterns. The historically realized thermal niche of welwitschia will be almost completely unavailable in the next 30 years in northern Namibia. Expected reductions of climatic suitability in our study sites were strongly associated with indicators of negative population conditions, namely lower plant health, reduced recruitment and increased adult mortality. Population condition does not follow simple latitudinal or altitudinal gradients. The observed pattern of population traits is consistent with climate change trends and projections. This makes welwitschia a suitable bioindicator (i.e. a ‘sentinel’) for climate change effect in the Namib Desert ecosystems. Our spatially explicit approach, combining suitability modeling with geographic combinations of population conditions measured in the field, could be extensively adopted to identify sentinel species, and detect population responses to climate change in other regions and ecosystems.

Differential habitat use and recruitment facilitate coexistence in a community with intraguild predation.

Theory predicts that species engaged in intraguild predation (IGP) can only coexist under limited conditions, yet IGP is common in nature. Habitat complexity can promote coexistence by reducing encounter rates, but little information is known about the contribution of differential habitat use. We hypothesized that differential use of alternative habitats promotes coexistence of an intraguild (IG) predator and prey. We evaluated predictions of this hypothesis with an experimental introduction of an IG predator fish into four natural stream communities that previously contained only the IG prey fish. We monitored the development of this IGP over the course of four years to determine how each species used alternative stream habitats. The introduced species preferred pool habitats while the resident species was more evenly distributed across pools and riffles. The density of the resident decreased in the pool habitat preferred by the invader, accompanied by a local increase in the mean of the resident size distribution. Selective predation by the invader on hatchling residents appears to impact the residents' demographic response. The continued recruitment of resident juveniles in riffles, where the introduced species is rare, facilitated the persistence of the resident. This differential use of habitats was not accompanied by a change in the resident's growth rates in either habitat. Our results showed that differential habitat selection and recruitment promoted persistence during an invasion involving IGP, which helps to bridge the gap between theory and observation in explaining coexistence in IGP systems.

Real world results of venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agents in relapsed/refractory AML.

Relapsed/refractory AML cases are much more resistant to chemotherapy. Venetoclax is a highly sensitive BCL-2 inhibitor. It was aimed to evaluate the effects of venetoclax therapy on real-world R/R AML survival outcomes, the effects of the cytogenetic characteristics of the patients and previous clinical applications on treatment response, and venetoclax treatment toxicity. The study included patients who only received a venetoclax-based salvage on R/R AML patients from Turkey. The study included a total of 62 patients from 6 different centers in Turkey. Response to 2 cycles of venetoclax treatment was assessed by bone marrow blast rate. The demographic data, cytogenetic characteristics, AML type, MDS type, response rates and overall survival of the patients after venetoclax combination treatment were assessed. Median age of the patients was 65 (19-85). Mean number of prior treatments was 2.67 ±1.75. 13 patients (21%) had a history of allogenic stem cell transplantation. 58 (93.5%) had received HMA therapy before venetoclax. 36 patients (58.1%) had de-novo AML, and 25 (40.3%) previously had MDS. Treatment response was evaluated as complete remission (n = 21, 33.9%), partial response (n = 17, 27.4%), and treatment failure (n = 24, 38.7%). Patients in the TF group were significantly more likely to have poor cytogenetic and to have received allogeneic transplants. The mean estimated overall survival after the venetoclax treatment was 9.13 ± 0.75 months. The study population consisted of a group of patients who had relapsed or primary refractory disease with poor prognosis, despite numerous rounds of chemotherapy. It is our belief that the high response rates obtained with the combination of venetoclax/HMA, and having obtained positive results with poor risk patients, indicated a promising perspective for R/R AML patients.

Incentive delivery timing and follow-up survey completion in a prospective cohort study of injured children: a randomized experiment comparing prepaid and postpaid incentives

BackgroundRetaining participants over time is a frequent challenge in research studies evaluating long-term health outcomes. This study’s objective was to compare the impact of prepaid and postpaid incentives on response to a six-month follow-up survey.MethodsWe conducted an experiment to compare response between participants randomized to receive either prepaid or postpaid cash card incentives within a multisite study of children under 15 years in age who were hospitalized for a serious, severe, or critical injury. Participants were parents or guardians of enrolled children. The primary outcome was survey response. We also examined whether demographic characteristics were associated with response and if incentive timing influenced the relationship between demographic characteristics and response. We evaluated whether incentive timing was associated with the number of calls needed for contact.ResultsThe study enrolled 427 children, and parents of 420 children were included in this analysis. Follow-up survey response did not differ according to the assigned treatment arm, with the percentage of parents responding to the survey being 68.1% for the prepaid incentive and 66.7% with the postpaid incentive. Likelihood of response varied by demographics. Spanish-speaking parents and parents with lower income and lower educational attainment were less likely to respond. Parents of Hispanic/Latino children and children with Medicaid insurance were also less likely to respond. We found no relationship between the assigned incentive treatment and the demographics of respondents compared to non-respondents.ConclusionsPrepaid and postpaid incentives can obtain similar participation in longitudinal pediatric critical care outcomes research. Incentives alone do not ensure retention of all demographic subgroups. Strategies for improving representation of hard-to-reach populations are needed to address health disparities and ensure the generalizability of studies using these results.

High Work-Related Stress and Anxiety as a Response to COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers in South Korea: Cross-sectional Online Survey Study.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 outbreak had a severe impact on health care workers' psychological health. It is important to establish a process for psychological assessment and intervention for health care workers during epidemics.ObjectiveWe investigated risk factors associated with psychological impacts for each health care worker group, to help optimize psychological interventions for health care workers in countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsRespondents (n=1787) from 2 hospitals in Korea completed a web-based survey during the period from April 14 to 30, 2020. The web-based survey collected demographic information, psychiatric history, and responses to the 9-item Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics (SAVE-9), 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scales. We performed logistic regression to assess contributing factors as predictor variables, using health care workers’ depression as outcome variables.ResultsAmong 1783 health care workers, nursing professionals had significantly higher levels of depression (PHQ-9 score: meannurse 5.5, SD 4.6; meanother 3.8, SD 4.2; P<.001), general anxiety (GAD-7 score: meannurse 4.0, SD 4.1; meanother 2.7, SD 3.6; P<.001), and virus-related anxiety symptoms (SAVE-9 score: meannurse 21.6, SD 5.9; meanother 18.6, SD 6.3; P<.001). Among nursing professionals, single workers reported more severe depressive symptoms than married workers (PHQ-9 score ≥10; meannurse 20.3%; meanother 14.1%; P=.02), and junior (<40 years) workers reported more anxiety about the viral epidemic (SAVE-9 anxiety score; meannurse 15.6, SD 4.1; meanother 14.7, SD 4.4; P=.002). Logistic regression revealed that hospital (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.45, 95% CI 1.06-1.99), nursing professionals (adjusted OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.02-1.98), single workers (adjusted OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.05-2.16), higher stress and anxiety to the viral infection (high SAVE-9 score, adjusted OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.17-1.24), and past psychiatric history (adjusted OR 3.26, 95% CI 2.15-4.96) were positively associated with depression.ConclusionsPsychological support and interventions should be considered for health care workers, especially nursing professionals, those who are single, and those with high SAVE-9 scores.

Comparative and predictive phylogeography in the South American diagonal of open formations: Unravelling the biological and environmental influences on multitaxon demography.

Phylogeography investigates historical drivers of the geographical distribution of intraspecific lineages. Particular attention has been given to ecological, climatic and geological processes in the diversification of the Neotropical biota. Several species sampled across the South American diagonal of open formations (DOF), comprising the Caatinga, Cerrado and Chaco biomes, experienced range shifts coincident with Quaternary climatic changes. However, comparative studies across different spatial, temporal and biological scales on DOF species are still meagre. Here, we combine phylogeographical model selection and machine learning predictive frameworks to investigate the influence of Pleistocene climatic changes on several plant and animal species from the DOF. We assembled mitochondrial/chloroplastic DNA sequences in public repositories and inferred the demographic responses of 44species, comprising 70 intraspecific lineages of plants, lizards, frogs, spiders and insects. We then built a random forest model using biotic and abiotic information to identify the best predictors of demographic responses in the Pleistocene. Finally, we assessed the temporal synchrony of species demographic responses with hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation. Biotic variables related to population connectivity, gene flow and habitat preferences largely predicted how species responded to Pleistocene climatic changes, and demographic changes were synchronous primarily during the Middle Pleistocene. Although 22 (~31%) lineages underwent demographic expansion, presumably associated with the spread of aridity during the glacial Pleistocene periods, our findings suggest that nine lineages (~13%) exhibited the opposite response due to taxon-specific attributes.