Future Recovery Research Articles

Recovering the American horseshoe crab through a commitment to collaboration

ABSTRACT American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus populations are recovering because of cooperation among diverse stakeholders and data-driven collective action. Limulus polyphemus is one of four extant species facing common threats, and conservation successes and limitations hold lessons applicable to all the species. We review the advancement in management and monitoring over recent decades, discuss the current population status throughout the species’ range, and describe the potential future status and recovery based on recent assessments. In retrospect, L. polyphemus conservation has followed the frameworks promoted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature: mobilize networks to increase assessment capacity, engage diverse stakeholders, measure impacts, and amplify successes. Data show significantly increased populations in the Delaware Bay region and improved status in the Northeast. The average abundance of adults in Delaware Bay over the recent decade (2013–2022) is more than twice that in the previous decade (2003–2012). In 2022, the abundances for adult females and males in the Delaware Bay population were estimated to be 16 million and 40 million, respectively. However, reversing persistent poor conditions in some regions and mitigating the widespread threat of habitat loss from coastal development and sea level rise will rely on collaboration among diverse stakeholders to build upon the current conservation successes. Scientists and conservationists working on the horseshoe crab species indigenous to Asia are advancing along a similar track, establishing a monitoring network and mobilizing diverse stakeholders. However, there is a need for capacity building for robust assessment of the species in Asia to measure the impact of conservation, just as that need remains unmet for L. polyphemus in the Gulf of Mexico. The importance of partnerships and collaborations is apparent in their absence. The regions where partnerships and collaborations among researchers, conservationists, and agency scientists do not exist are those where the capacity for monitoring and assessment is notably lacking.

Mapping of great erosion in cities of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, Equatorial Africa

Since the 1980s, gullies have been a problem for the cities of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, whose research presents the case of 3 gullies located in the Congo River Basin in urban and peri-urban areas. The objective of the research was to present a digital model of elevation of urban gullies, with topographic data used in engineering projects for future recovery. The acquisition of topographic data was carried out through the Google Earth Pro software and the QGIS geographic information system, with data processing for visualization in the Golden Surfer software. The Laloux gully located in Kinshasa is one of the largest in the world, with a length of 1,100 m and a 3-way format. The mouth of the city of Brazzaville has a width of less than 40 m, but is more than 900 m long, in a densely populated area. The Buma gully in Kinshasa is an example of the development of the erosive process in a peri-urban area, with the expansion of one of the largest cities on the African continent, being induced by the existence of a road on a slope.

Impacts of Anthropogenic Actions on Açude do Saco: Diagnosis For Environmental Preservation and Recovery

Objective: Analyze the effects of human activities on the Açude do Saco and propose sustainable strategies for the preservation of this essential resource. Theoretical Framework: The study is based on theories regarding water resources in semi-arid regions, environmental impacts, and sustainable management practices. Method: The research employs direct on-site observations and qualitative analysis of environmental degradation factors to identify the main challenges and propose solutions. Results and Discussion: The results indicate that the reservoir faces serious challenges related to pollution and inadequate use of its surroundings. Sustainable management strategies, effective public policies, and environmental awareness actions were identified as priorities to reverse this scenario. The study also highlights that collective participation and integrated planning are essential to ensure environmental balance and meet the region's water demands. Research Implications: The research highlights the need for sustainable management practices, effective public policies, and environmental education actions to mitigate impacts on the Açude do Saco, such as pollution and soil degradation. It emphasizes integrated planning involving managers, the community, and researchers as a strategy for effective solutions. The results provide a foundation for future studies and conservation initiatives, contributing to water security, quality of life, and socio-economic development in the semi-arid region. Originality/Value: This work makes significant contributions by proposing concrete and integrated actions to mitigate environmental impacts and promote the sustainability of the Açude do Saco, benefiting the local community and the environment. The results serve as a basis for future recovery and conservation initiatives, reinforcing the importance of preserving this natural heritage in a semi-arid region with limited water resources.

Psychological symptoms, quality of life and dyadic relations in family members of intensive care survivors: a multicentre, prospective longitudinal cohort study

BackgroundThere is scarce literature evaluating long term psychological or Quality of Life (QoL) outcomes in family members of ICU survivors, who have not experienced invasive ventilation. The objective was to compare long-term psychological symptoms and QoL outcomes in family members of intubated versus non-intubated ICU survivors and to evaluate dyadic relationships between paired family members and survivors.MethodsProspective, multicentre cohort study among four medical-surgical ICUs in Australia. Adult family members of ICU survivors and family-survivor dyads had follow-up assessments (3 and 12 months after ICU discharge), using Impact of Event Scale-Revised; Depression, Anxiety Stress Scales-21; EQ-5D-5L. Dyadic relationships examined associations of psychological symptoms or QoL impairments.ResultsOf 144 family members (75% female, 54% partners/spouses) recruited, 59% cared for previously intubated survivors. Overall, 83% (110/132) of eligible family members completed ≥ 1 follow-up. In family members of intubated vs non-intubated survivors, clinically significant psychological symptoms (PTSD/depression/anxiety) were reported by 48% vs 33% at 3-months (p = 0.15); and 39% vs 25% at 12-months (p = 0.23). Family self-rated their QoL with a mean score of 83 (SD 13) on a visual analogue scale (range 0–100), and > 30% reported problems in pain/discomfort or anxiety/depression domains at 12-months. Family members were more likely to have persistent psychological symptoms of PTSD [OR 4.9, 95% CI (1.47–16.1), p = 0.01] or depression [OR 14.6, 95% CI (2.9–72.6), p = 0.001]; or QoL domain problems with pain/discomfort [OR 6.5, 95% CI (1.14–36.8), p = 0.03] or anxiety/depression [OR 3.5, 95% CI (1.02–12.1), p = 0.04], when the paired survivor also reported the same symptoms.ConclusionsAlmost one-third of the family members of ICU survivors reported persistent psychological symptoms and QoL problems at 12-months. There was a noticeable dyad effect with family members more likely to have persistent symptoms of PTSD, depression, and problems in QoL domains when the paired ICU survivors experienced similar symptoms. The family members of non-intubated ICU survivors had an equal propensity to develop long-term psychological distress and should be included in long-term outcome studies. Future recovery intervention trials should be aimed at ICU family-survivor dyads.Trial registration ACTRN12615000880549

A metagenomic perspective on the microbial prokaryotic genome census.

Following 30 years of sequencing, we assessed the phylogenetic diversity (PD) of >1.5 million microbial genomes in public databases, including metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of uncultivated microbes. As compared to the vast diversity uncovered by metagenomic sequences, cultivated taxa account for a modest portion of the overall diversity, 9.73% in bacteria and 6.55% in archaea, while MAGs contribute 48.54% and 57.05%, respectively. Therefore, a substantial fraction of bacterial (41.73%) and archaeal PD (36.39%) still lacks any genomic representation. This unrepresented diversity manifests primarily at lower taxonomic ranks, exemplified by 134,966 species identified in 18,087 metagenomic samples. Our study exposes diversity hotspots in freshwater, marine subsurface, sediment, soil, and other environments, whereas human samples yielded minimal novelty within the context of existing datasets. These results offer a roadmap for future genome recovery efforts, delineating uncaptured taxa in underexplored environments and underscoring the necessity for renewed isolation and sequencing.

Drought and Wildfire Legacies Highlight Vulnerability of a Mediterranean Climate‐Type Forest

ABSTRACTAlongside gradual changes in climate, extreme events such as droughts and heatwaves have increased in frequency globally. Together, chronic change and extreme events have been linked to forest die‐off, as well as larger, more severe wildfires. Increased disturbance frequency inevitably increases the likelihood of compounding effects, highlighting the importance of understanding forest responses and recovery. This study investigated physiological characteristics of the dominant canopy tree species, Eucalyptus marginata, on sites affected by a drought/heatwave event (2011) and five years later by a wildfire (2016) in southwestern Australia. Using a factorial design of drought vulnerability (sites with high and low vulnerability to drought), and sites that had experienced moderate and high fire severity, physiological measurements including pre‐dawn leaf water potential, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf temperature, specific leaf area, and live foliar moisture content were quantified to reveal impacts and potential compound effects on tree function. Measurements were taken during a summer heatwave and typical wet‐winter conditions to span periods of high and low stress. High drought vulnerability/ high severity wildfire sites had significantly lower pre‐dawn leaf water potentials, and stomatal conductance. Although E. marginata is known to be drought and fire tolerant, this forest stand had visible tree death and canopy contractions (via leaf drop) between summer and winter measurements, suggesting low plant available water in summer approached E. marginata's threshold for survival in high severity fire sites. Trees on high drought vulnerability sites experienced significantly more stress, but fire severity effects primarily manifested within these sites, measured via decreased specific leaf area and chlorophyll fluorescence. These results reveal interactive, contingent nature of multiple disturbances and their implications for future forest recovery. Monitoring forest health and function is central to developing predictive capacity of forest dynamics and tree responses as extreme events increase in frequency, severity, and scale.

Genomic Evidence for the Purging of Deleterious Genetic Variation in the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale

ABSTRACTThe reduced genetic diversity and frequent inbreeding associated with small population size may underpin the accumulation and expression of deleterious mutations (mutation load) in some declining populations. However, demographic perturbations and inbreeding coupled with purifying selection can also purge declining populations of deleterious mutations, leading to intriguing recoveries. To better understand the links between deleterious genetic variation and population status, we assess patterns of genetic diversity, inbreeding, and mutation load across the genomes of three species of Balaenidae whale with different demographic histories and recoveries following the end of commercial whaling in the 1980s. Unlike bowhead (BH) and Southern right whales (SRW), which show signs of recent recovery, reproductive rates of the endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) remain lower than expected. We show that the NARW is currently marked by low genetic diversity, historical inbreeding, and a high mutation load. Still, we reveal evidence that genetic purging has reduced the frequency of highly deleterious alleles in NARW, which could increase chances of future population recovery. We also identify a suite of mutations putatively linked to congenital defects that occur at high frequencies in nulliparous NARW females but are rare in NARW with high reproductive success. These same mutations are nearly absent in BH and SRW in this study, suggesting that the purging of key variants may shape the probability of population recovery. As anthropogenic disturbances continue to reduce the sizes of many populations in nature, resolving the links between population dynamics and mutation load could become increasingly important.

Mudurnu: The Realities of a Small Turkish Silk Road Town vs. UNESCO World Heritage

Abstract This paper presents the story of a heritage management professional’s journey through her various roles, from the academic, consultant, administrator, and property owner through to entrepreneur, to support the cultural and natural heritage-led sustainable development of the Historic Guild Town of Mudurnu, a small town inscribed on Türkiye’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List and located on the northwest Anatolian section of the Silk Road. The author first provides the background of her doctoral dissertation on urban conservation projects and governance, the Mudurnu Cultural Heritage Site Management Plan preparation and implementation periods, the nomination file prepared for the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the context in which it failed to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. She then presents the experiences of the following civilian entrepreneurial period, where she founded Terra Mudurnu Culture Tourism and Real Estate Inc. with her partners, restored a historic building in Mudurnu called Madanlar Mansion, and started operating it as a boutique hotel. The author shares her interpretation of events and situations in Mudurnu from the perspectives of the “people,” “economy,” and “politics” challenges in heritage management and destination development. She juxtaposes the historical trajectory of the town—its rise, decline, and potential future recovery—with contemporary global trends like climate-driven tourism shifts and neo-ruralization, linking these macro perspectives to localized challenges and opportunities. While acknowledging the resilience of cities and their tangible heritage in the context of the “longue durée,” the author testifies that the creative and persistent search for new and improved models in the path of culture and heritage-led sustainable development needs to be humbly reconciled with local realities, seeing the mix of successes and failures as a learning experiment on the limits and possibilities for heritage professionals contributing to broader society.

Recently Delisted Songbird Harbors Extensive Genomic Evidence of Inbreeding, Potentially Complicating Future Recovery.

The Kirtland's warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) is a rare migratory passerine species and habitat specialist of the North American Jack Pine Forests. Their near extinction in the 1970s classified them as endangered and protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. After decades of intense conservation management, their population size recovered, and they were delisted from federal protection in 2019. We explore the genomic consequences of this harsh bottleneck and recovery by comparing the genomic architecture of two closely related species whose population sizes have remained large and stable, Hooded Warblers (Setophaga citrina) and American Redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla). We used whole-genome sequencing to characterize the distribution of runs of homozygosity and deleterious genetic variation. We find evidence that Kirtland's warblers exhibit genetic patterns consistent with recent inbreeding. Our results also show that Kirtland's warblers carry an excess proportion of deleterious variation, which could complicate management for this conservation-reliant species. This analysis provides a genetically informed perspective that should be thoroughly considered when delisting other species from federal protections. Through the increasing accessibility of genome sequencing technology, it will be more feasible to monitor the genetic landscape of recovering populations to ensure their long-term survival independent of conservation intervention.

A behavioral choice analysis of the role of life events during early nonabstinent natural recovery from alcohol use disorder.

Prior research supported a behavioral choice analysis of the role of life events in posttreatment drinking among abstinence-seeking inpatients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). This study investigated the generality of those relationships among persons attempting "natural" recovery involving moderation drinking. We had two hypotheses: (1) The likelihood of drinking after an event would be related to the degree of alcohol-related disruption in the life-health area of the event. (2) Event-related drinking episodes would be quantitatively greater than event-unrelated episodes. Participants (N = 83) were from a larger integrated data set of prospective natural recovery studies of persons with AUD who had stopped heavy drinking and had 6-month follow-up reports of drinking and events; abstainers were excluded. Alcohol-related disruption before resolution was assessed in four domains (relationships, vocational/financial, living arrangements/legal, physical health). As predicted, postresolution event-related drinking was positively correlated with preresolution vocational/financial disruption (p < .01) and negatively correlated with preresolution physical health problems (p = .06). Event-related drinking episodes involved heavier drinking than event-unrelated episodes (p < .001). These findings indicate strong support for the generality of the latter relationship and qualified support for the generality of the former relationship. The different results in the two samples are attributed to differences in the evolution of their AUD recovery process and the decoupling of the event-drinking relationships. The behavioral choice framework suggests ways to improve the characterization of environmental variables in future recovery research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Transcranial Corticospinal Motor-Evoked Potentials in Cases of Ventral and Ventrolateral Intradural Extramedullary Cervical Spinal Cord Tumors.

Background and Objectives: We studied the clinical significance of an amplitude decrement and disappearance alarm criteria in transcranial motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring during surgeries on extramedullary tumors at the cervical spine with reference to postoperative morbidity. Material and Methods: We diagnosed and surgically treated fourteen patients with intradural extramedullary ventral or ventrolateral lesions to the cervical spinal cord in the Clinic of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital St Ivan Rilski from January 2018 to July 2022. Eight cases were diagnosed with schwannoma, and the remaining six had meningiomas. The follow-up period for neurological assessment was six months. Results: A decrease in the intraoperative transcranial MEPs of 50% or more compared to baseline in two cases (14.3%) resulted in an immediate postoperative motor deficit. One patient demonstrated full neurological recovery within six months, while the other exhibited only partial improvement. In six cases (42.9%) with preoperative motor deficits, tumor resection and decompression of the cervical spinal cord led directly to an increment of the transcranial MEPs by more than 20%. Postoperatively and at the 6-month follow-up, these patients showed recovery from the preoperative deficits. In the remaining cases, MEPs were stable during surgery with no clinical deterioration of the motor function. Conclusions: The decremented MEP criteria corresponded to postoperative motor deficit, whereas the improvement of the same parameters after decompression implied future recovery of preoperative motor deficits. The combination of different MEP criteria is likely to be helpful when tailored to a specific case of ventral or ventrolateral extramedullary lesions in the cervical spine.

Inflammation primes the murine kidney for recovery by activating AZIN1 adenosine-to-inosine editing.

The progression of kidney disease varies among individuals, but a general methodology to quantify disease timelines is lacking. Particularly challenging is the task of determining the potential for recovery from acute kidney injury following various insults. Here, we report that quantitation of post-transcriptional adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing offers a distinct genome-wide signature, enabling the delineation of disease trajectories in the kidney. A well-defined murine model of endotoxemia permitted the identification of the origin and extent of A-to-I editing, along with temporally discrete signatures of double-stranded RNA stress and adenosine deaminase isoform switching. We found that A-to-I editing of antizyme inhibitor 1 (AZIN1), a positive regulator of polyamine biosynthesis, serves as a particularly useful temporal landmark during endotoxemia. Our data indicate that AZIN1 A-to-I editing, triggered by preceding inflammation, primes the kidney and activates endogenous recovery mechanisms. By comparing genetically modified human cell lines and mice locked in either A-to-I-edited or uneditable states, we uncovered that AZIN1 A-to-I editing not only enhances polyamine biosynthesis but also engages glycolysis and nicotinamide biosynthesis to drive the recovery phenotype. Our findings implicate that quantifying AZIN1 A-to-I editing could potentially identify individuals who have transitioned to an endogenous recovery phase. This phase would reflect their past inflammation and indicate their potential for future recovery.

Acceleration of the Banking Sector and Economic Growth: Effectiveness of Economic Recovery Strategies Post-Covid-19

The banking sector around the world is under great pressure due to the current state of the Covid-19. This study investigates how Covid-19 impacts systemic risk in the banking sector across all types of banking lines affected by Covid-19. This study found that all banking lines experienced a significant increase in systemic risk among the types of banking that were sampled initially. By using spillover policies, it is also possible to identify institutions that are systemically important. The analysis was performed using Panel Data Regression, SVAR, and FEVD on individual bank data and macroeconomic data. The findings proved that government policies to drive the business cycle and MSME actors in the context of overcoming the impact of Covid-19, have not shown their effectiveness. This is indicated by the negative response of economic growth to the policies that have been issued. On the other hand, the performance of banking financial institutions also contributes to national economic growth. This is indicated by the sensitivity of the bank's internal variables in responding to national economic growth. Likewise, with the response to government policies and macroeconomic conditions. Therefore, there is a need for an acceleration policy in handling the current national economic recovery.Originality/Value: This paper focus on systematic risk in banking during COVID-19, use of advanced econometric techniques, evaluation of government policies, integration of bank performance and macroeconomic growth, and its assessment of policy effectiveness, and its implications for future economic recovery efforts.

Subjective sleep may mediate the associations between tomorrow anticipations and next-day affect.

This study investigated whether stress and positive anticipations about tomorrow are associated with emotional experiences the following day, mediated by the preceding night's sleep. Data were from 141 full-time nurses, utilizing a 14-day ecological momentary assessment combined with actigraphy sleep monitoring. Each evening, participants rated the anticipated pleasantness or stressfulness of the following day. Each morning, participants reported on their previous night's sleep. Additionally, participants reported their momentary positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) three times per day, with daily averages computed. Multilevel mediation models, adjusted for sociodemographics, work shift, workday, and previous day's affect, revealed that days following more stress anticipations were associated with reduced PA and increased NA. Conversely, days following more pleasantness anticipations were associated with increased PA and decreased NA. These within-person associations were mediated by self-reported time-in-bed, sufficiency, and quality, such that less stressful and more pleasant anticipations were associated with better sleep, and better sleep was subsequently associated with increased PA and decreased NA. No mediation was found by the actigraphy sleep parameters. Findings suggest that emotional states may covary not only with present stimuli but also with anticipation of future events and subjective sleep recovery in the context of those anticipations.

A Dramatic Case Report: Achived Remission in Metamphetamine Addiction After Changing City, Yet Ended Up in Prison

Introduction: Addiction is often viewed as a brain disease, focusing on the individual's body or brain and describing it as a disordered state. However, this perspective overlooks the significant role of social contexts and how consumption patterns evolve. Substance use disorders should be addressed with a biopsychosocial model, considering environmental impacts on addiction development and treatment. Research shows that changes in the environment can alter substance use behaviors. Additionally, substance use is linked to criminal activities, as drugs can influence thoughts and behaviors leading to crime. Case Presentation: This report details a patient with methamphetamine use disorder who was on probation for theft during his substance use p eriod. Despite multiple hospitalizations and treatments, he relapsed each time he returned to his previous environment. However, he achieved remission after moving to a stable, developed area with family support. Unfortunately, he was later imprisoned for his p rior offense during this remission period. Conclusions This case underscores the critical impact of the living environment on substance use behaviors. The patient's remission after relocating from a socially disadvantaged area highlights the importance of environmental factors in addiction treatment. While his imprisonment is unfortunate, the positive changes during his stay with his sister and his abstinence from substance use are promising for his future recovery. Effective treatment for methamphetamine addiction must consider and integrate environmental factors into treatment strategies.

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant impact on regional economies from 1960 to 2010

Understanding the economic and social impact of nuclear power on a region is crucial; this is particularly important for Fukushima because the region relies on nuclear power and its sustainable recovery following the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi. However, existing studies do not reveal any consensus on the economic impact of nuclear power plants. Further, long-term time-series data for conducting such an analysis are lacking; so, for this study, a long-term database from 1960 to 2010 was constructed (before the earthquake and nuclear power plant accidents happened in 2011). The data were analyzed to evaluate the effects of the nuclear power plants on employment in various sectors in Fukushima, using the difference-in-differences (DID) and staggered DID methods. Unlike previous studies, this study revealed that nuclear power surprisingly increased agricultural employment (892.62 more jobs) while reducing manufacturing employment (−466.40 fewer jobs) due to crowding-out effects. Furthermore, although employment in the construction sector also increased, the impact was temporary. These findings highlight the complex economic dynamics triggered by the presence of a nuclear power plant, which may have significant implications for long-term recovery strategies in the region. Despite the positive impacts on certain sectors, the negative effects on manufacturing underscore the need for careful consideration in future economic planning and recovery efforts. The study's findings provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by regions hosting nuclear power plants, which must be considered for long-term recovery.

Developing a balanced strategy: A multi-objective model for emissions reduction and development of civil aviation in China

Due to the impact of COVID-19, China's civil airlines face an urgent imperative: to devise strategies that reconcile their development goals with the imperative of reducing emissions. Consequently, we have developed a multi-objective model that assesses the trade-offs between mitigation efforts and developmental pursuits. Furthermore, we have established future recovery and development scenarios for the post-epidemic era, with a specific focus on two major Chinese civil airlines selected for comprehensive case studies. Results show that: Our model can be used as a reference for airlines when deciding to introduce aircraft types and to purchase SAF fuel, and it can also offset the impact of rapidly rising airline costs due to fuel and aircraft type prices; In the scenario of considerable development of the operational level, the optimal investment strategy of the case companies would introduce mainly two types of aircraft, the A320NEO and the B737MAX8, which account for about 28.2 percent and 32.6 percent of the proportion of the types of aircraft introduced in the year. The results of the sensitivity analysis show that the main factor affecting the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by civil aviation enterprises is the SAF supply cap. Only when the supply ceiling is increased by 90 % does the SAF usage rate change significantly with the SAF price. Finally, policy proposals are made on the use of clean fuels, the introduction of aircraft types and the resumption of the development of aviation companies.

In-Person and Teleconsultation Services at a National Hospital in Peru: Time Series Analysis of General and Psychiatric Care Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a global reduction in health care accessibility for both infected and noninfected patients, posing a particular burden on those with chronic conditions, including mental health issues. Peru experienced significant devastation from the pandemic, resulting in a collapsed health care system and leading to the world's highest per capita mortality rate as a result of COVID-19. Understanding the trends in health care utilization, particularly in mental health care, is crucial for informing pandemic response efforts and guiding future recovery strategies. This study aims to analyze the trends of outpatient medical and psychiatric consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic in a national hospital in Peru. This observational study was conducted at a national hospital in Lima, Peru. We analyzed data on user care across all services, including psychiatric services, from May 2019 to December 2022. The data were calculated for users served per month, including the number of users seen monthly in mental health services. Sociodemographic variables such as sex (female or male), age (≥0 years), type of medical appointment (regular or additional), and modality of care (in-person or teleconsultations) were taken into account. An interrupted time series regression model was conducted to assess the number of outpatient medical and psychiatric consultations. Subgroup analyses were performed based on service modality, including overall consultations, telemonitoring/teleconsultations only, or face-to-face only, for all service users and for mental health service users. A total of 1,515,439 participants were included, with females comprising 275,444/484,994 (56.80%) of the samples. Only 345,605/1,515,439 (22.81%) visits involved telemedicine. The total monthly outpatient visits were significantly reduced compared with the expected projection (P<.001) at the beginning of the pandemic, followed by a later monthly increment of 298.7 users. Face-to-face interventions experienced a significant reduction at the beginning of the pandemic (P<.001), gradually recovering in the following months. By contrast, telemedicine use initially increased but subsequently declined toward the end of the pandemic. A similar trend was observed in mental health units. During the pandemic years, health care utilization in both general and psychiatric services experienced a significant decrease, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic (March 2020). However, no significant trends were observed in either case throughout the pandemic period. Telemedicine consultations witnessed a significant increase overall during this period, particularly among mental health users.

Inter- and intraspecific variability of total mercury concentrations in bats of Texas (USA)

Exposure to mercury (Hg) may cause deleterious health effects in wildlife, including bats. Texas produces more Hg pollution than any other state in the United States, yet only one study has examined Hg accumulation in bats. This study measured the concentration of total Hg (THg) in fur (n = 411) collected from ten bat species across 32 sites in eastern and central Texas, USA. Fur THg concentrations were compared among species, and when samples sizes were large enough, between sex and life stage within a species, and the proximity to coal-fired power plants. For all sites combined and species with a sample size ≥8, mean THg concentrations (μg/g dry weight) were greatest in tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus; 6.04), followed by evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis; 5.89), cave myotis (Myotis velifer; 2.11), northern yellow bats (Lasiurus intermedius; 1.85), Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis; 1.03), and red bats (Lasiurus borealis/blossevillii; 0.974), and lowest in hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus; 0.809). Within a species, fur THg concentrations did not significantly vary between sex for the five examined species (red bat, northern yellow bat, cave myotis, evening bat, Brazilian free-tailed bat) and only between life stage in evening bats. Site variations in fur THg concentrations were observed for evening bats, tri-colored bats, and Brazilian free-tailed bats. Evening bats sampled closer to point sources of Hg pollution had greater fur THg concentrations than individuals sampled further away. Sixteen percent of evening bats and 8.7% of tri-colored bats had a fur THg concentration exceeding the 10 μg/g toxicity threshold level, suggesting that THg exposure may pose a risk to the health of bats in Texas, particularly those residing in east Texas and on the upper Gulf coast. The results of this study can be incorporated into future management and recovery plans for bats in Texas.

Archaeological evidence for long-term human impacts on sea turtle foraging behaviour.

Early conservation efforts to prevent the loss of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) from the Caribbean Sea jumpstarted marine habitat and biodiversity protection. However, even there, limitations on historical observations of turtle ecology have hampered efforts to contextualize foraging behaviours for conservation management. We integrate isotopic and zooarchaeological evidence from green sea turtles harvested at the Miskito Cays (Nicaragua) to assess foraging behaviour before and after a step change in harvesting intensity. Highly structured isotopic evidence shows greater foraging adaptability in earlier populations. This provides a counterpoint to recent synthesis, suggesting the ecological non-exchangeability of sea turtles, which complicates conservation planning focused on genetic-stock-based repopulation. In contrast, our results suggest future populations would have a capacity for higher degrees of ecological exchangeability than current perspectives allow. This highlights a need to consider the kinds of longer term perspectives, such as those offered by archaeological materials, when planning for future sea turtle recovery.