High Level Of Variability Research Articles

Analysis of exterior indices of Russian sturgeon juveniles grown at sturgeon fish factories of the Astrakhan region

The aim of our work was to assess the exterior features of Russian sturgeon juveniles grown at sturgeon fish factories (SFF) of the Astrakhan region. In the process of research, samples of juveniles, obtained from six factories, which are conditionally divided into six groups, were studied: group I - Zhitninsky SFF, group II - Aleksandrovsky SFF, group III - Sergievsky SFF, group IV - Bertyulsky SFF, group V - Kizansky SFF and group VI - Lebyazhy SFF. Assessment of Russian sturgeon juveniles was carried out postmortally on 360 individuals with 60 instances from each factory. According to the data obtained, the following exterior indices were calculated: fatness index, runability index, high back index, long head index and caudal peduncle index. In the process of our research, it was found that the index of long-headedness showed the least variability in all the studied samples. The coefficient of variation of indicators in all six groups did not exceed 10%. The highest coefficient of variation was observed in terms of the average weight (in the studied samples it ranged from 30.0% to 67.0%) and the caudal peduncle index (from 15.0% to 20.0%). Besides, it is worth noting that the sample from group VI had the lowest level of variability among the studied groups, that indicates the uniformity of the obtained juveniles and the high quality of the fish breeding indicators of the released juveniles. In the sample of group IV, on the contrary, the highest level of variability was observed, as evidenced by the maximum values of the coefficient of variation and standard deviation for 4 of the studied indicators out of 7. At the same time, during the study, it was noted that on the quality of the released Russian sturgeon juvenile, and later on the percentage of commercial return, was influenced not only by the hydrochemical regime and the state of the natural food supply in nursery ponds, but also by the high level of inbreeding of the brood stock on sturgeon fish factories.

Investigating a Closed Loop Neural Control System to Optimize Sacral Neuromodulation

Background and Hypothesis:Approximately 16% of the American population suffers from overactive bladder, with 25-40% of patients reporting unsatisfactory results following first line treatments. Sacral neuromodulation is a well-established, minimally invasive treatment option for several forms of bladder and bowel dysfunction that are non-responsive to first line pharmacologic or behavioral therapies. While more broadly applicable stimulus parameters are being investigated, the precise set of nerve fibers whose activity regulates optimal bladder function(s) is not known, leading to high levels of treatment variability between patients and within patients over time. We hypothesize that treatment efficacy and durability could be rapidly improved by continuously tuning the electrical stimulus waveform and pattern of stimulation to recruit the nerve fiber populations that mediate micturition.
 Experimental Approach:We aim to access the sacral (S2-4) nerves and implant a set of recording and stimulating bipolar cuff electrodes (FNC-400-V-R-C-2C-30, Micro-Leads, Somerville, MA, USA) to measure the evoked CAP of the sacral nerves at various combinations of pulse amplitude and duration. Simultaneously, we will measure changes in bladder pressure using a pressure transducer attached to a bladder catheter and amplifier. By measuring how the bladder responds to all applied nerve stimulation parameters we will be able use an Autonomous Neural Control algorithm to identify the compound nerve action potential response that produces the most robust changes in pressure.
 Results:We developed a surgical protocol, currently pending PACUC approval, that allows us to decode and encode specific CAP signatures that represent the firing activity of distinct subsets of nerve fibers, each differing in diameter, degree of myelination, activation threshold, conduction speed, and presumably function.
 Conclusion and Potential Impact:This study aims to act as proof of concept for a system that selects stimulation parameters based on fibers required to produce a desired response rather than patient tolerance to stimulation parameters, ultimately improving efficacy of sacral neuromodulation therapy.

Exploring the role of advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) and their contribution to health services in England: A qualitative exploratory study

BackgroundAn extended role being explored globally is the advanced clinical practitioner (ACP). In England this is an extended role for allied health professions, nurses and midwives in a range of settings. ObjectivesThis paper focuses on three research questions: 1) What is the role of ACPs in England? 2) What are the barriers and facilitators to implementing the role? and 3) What is the contribution of ACPs to health services in England? Design/settingA qualitative, exploratory study to explore perspectives on the ACP role in a range of clinical settings. ParticipantsWe recruited 63 stakeholders, including 34 nurses, working in a ACP role or ACP education. A purposive snowball sampling technique identified participants meeting inclusion criteria. MethodsOne-to-one semi-structured interviews throughout 2020, recorded and transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed. ResultsThe ACP role in England was undertaken in a broad range of clinical contexts. In England ‘advanced clinical practitioner’ was not a protected title. There were high levels of variability and ambiguity of understanding and deployment of the ACP role in England. Facilitators to the implementation process included training and education, clinical supervision and organisational support. Lack of protection for the role and variances in experience were barriers. Employer support facilitated development of the ACP role, however where support was limited, at either an individual or organisation level, this was a barrier. Our study highlighted the wide range of ways the ACP role benefitted patient outcomes and workforce development. ConclusionsThis study outlines the contribution that ACPs can make to health services, contributing factors and key barriers and facilitators to implementing this role. The work showed the positive contribution ACPs can make to service redesign, workforce development and patient outcomes, whilst accepting there is much work to do to ensure protected status and parity across all professions and clinical contexts

The InBIO barcoding initiative database: DNA barcodes of Iberian Trichoptera, documenting biodiversity for freshwater biomonitoring in a Mediterranean hotspot.

The Trichoptera are an important component of freshwater ecosystems. In the Iberian Peninsula, 380 taxa of caddisflies are known, with nearly 1/3 of the total species being endemic in the region. A reference collection of morphologically identified Trichoptera specimens, representing 142 Iberian taxa, was constructed. The InBIO Barcoding Initiative (IBI) Trichoptera 01 dataset contains records of 438 sequenced specimens. The species of this dataset correspond to about 37% of Iberian Trichoptera species diversity. Specimens were collected between 1975 and 2018 and are deposited in the IBI collection at the CIBIO (Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Portugal) or in the collection Marcos A. González at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). Twenty-nine species, from nine different families, were new additions to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD). A success identification rate of over 80% was achieved when comparing morphological identifications and DNA barcodes for the species analysed. This encouraging step advances incorporation of informed Environmental DNA tools in biomonitoring schemes, given the shortcomings of morphological identifications of larvae and adult Caddisflies in such studies. DNA barcoding was not successful in identifying species in six Trichoptera genera: Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae), Athripsodes (Leptoceridae), Wormaldia (Philopotamidae), Polycentropus (Polycentropodidae) Rhyacophila (Rhyacophilidae) and Sericostoma (Sericostomatidae). The high levels of intraspecific genetic variability found, combined with a lack of a barcode gap and a challenging morphological identification, rendered these species as needing additional studies to resolve their taxonomy.

Nurses knowledge, attitudes and education needs towards acute pain management in hospital settings: A meta-analysis.

Effective pain assessment and management is widely reported as sub optimal due to inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes among nurses. To determine nurses' attitudes, knowledge and education needs towards acute pain management in acute hospital settings METHODS: PRISMA (2021) and guidelines from the University of York, CRD (2009) informed the design and conduct of this review. We included studies with registered nurses involved in direct adult patient care and acute pain management in hospital settings. Seven databases were searched (10 June 2020 and 21 January 2022): Medline (EBSCO), EMBASE (Ovid), CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), Web of Science and the WHO Library Global Index Medicus. The review outcomes were nurses' knowledge, attitudes and education needs towards acute pain assessment and management. The CASP Cohort Assessment tool was used to independently conduct a quality assessment of included studies. Data extraction was conducted by paired reviewers working independently of each other. A meta-analysis of findings relating to nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards acute pain management was undertaken using MedCalc software. Ten articles with 1,478 participants met the inclusion criteria. Five studies addressed the review items of knowledge and attitudes while the remaining studies focused on knowledge alone. No study measured educational needs. This meta-analysis found that only 45.59% (95% CI: 20.46-71.97) of the 1090 respondents had adequate or above adequate levels of knowledge about acute pain management. The proportion of participants with positive attitudes was 25.76% (95% CI: 11.01-44.12). High levels of variability exists across the included studies which reduces their comparability. To improve homogeneity and comparability, adaptation of instruments should be kept to a minimum. Reporting knowledge and attitudes separately may highlight education, both theoretical and clinical as the focus for improving assessment and management of acute pain.

Seed yield structure in taiga and sub-settlement Siberian stone pine forests: level, and nature of differences

On the example of Siberian stone pine, seed productivity was analysed in two stands that differed in origin and formation conditions. The cone yield was analysed in years with different levels of seed production in the period from 2016 to 2019. In terms of the number of cones per tree, the sub-settlement Siberian stone pine forest was 2-3 times superior to the taiga Siberian stone pine forest. The level of individual variability in the number of cones in the near-settlement Siberian stone pine forest was significantly lower than in the taiga forest. There is reason to believe that the high level of variability is likely related to a more pronounced differentiation of the stand by crown size. The number of dead ovules in the Siberian stone pine forest in settlement is 60-70% higher than in the taiga forest. Due to high “mortality” of ovules and high variability of this trait, the number of filled seeds in the near-settlement Siberian stone pine forest is much lower, and variability in the number of complete seeds is much higher than in taiga Siberian stone pine forest. When there are few filled seeds in a cone, the size of each of them increases. Therefore, the average weight of one filled seed is higher in the subsettlement Siberian stone pine forest than in the taiga forest. Thus, the quality of the cones in the years of average and especially high yield in the near-settlement Siberian stone pine forest is much lower, and the level of variability of the traits that characterise it is much higher, and the distribution of the traits is characterised by a pronounced negative kurtosis. Obviously, these peculiarities of the near-settlement Siberian stone pine forest are related to human interference in the course of its development, which disturbed the course of natural selection and deformed the genotypic composition of the population.

CHARACTERIZATION OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE TRAITS FOR DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT AND CORRELATION STUDIES IN FOXTAIL MILLET (SETARIA ITALICA (L.) BEAUV.)

A higher level of variability can be found in Nepalese foxtail millet. To assess potential traits for further breeding activities and estimate the genetic diversity, phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability, genetic advance, and correlation coefficient for 15 different genotypes of foxtail millet, an experiment was conducted in alpha lattice design with 3 replications at Agronomy farm of IAAS, Lamjung, Nepal during March- June 2021. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the accessions for all the traits observed indicating the presence of a sufficient amount of variability. The value of the Shannon index ranged from 0.245 (plant anthocyanin coloration of the basal sheath) to 1.309(grain color) which indicates that the characters were more diverse for grain color while the value of evenness ranged from 0.22 (plant: anthocyanin coloration of the basal sheath) to 0.965(panicle density) indicating that the characters are more evenly distributed for the intensity of green leaf foliage. High PCV, high GCV, high heritability, and high genetic advance per mean were found for flag leaf length, peduncle length, no. of nodes, and yield per hectare. It indicates that these traits are less influenced by the environment and hence can be exploited by pure line and mass selection methods for crop improvement. Yield per hectare was positively and significantly correlated with grain per panicle (r=0.4**) and no. of nodes (r=0.39**). A strong positive correlation was observed between plant height and the number of nodes, flag leaf width, panicle length, and flag leaf length indicating their consideration for further breeding activities. The findings of the study can be crucial in identifying better-performing genotypes that can help develop improved varieties

The role of integrated soil fertility management in improving crop yields in the Ethiopian Highlands

Summary Land degradation and declining productivity in the Ethiopian Highlands are primarily caused by soil fertility decline due to erosion, nutrient depletion, and soil acidity. An integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) project operating over a six-year period aimed to combat this and boost yields through participatory demonstrations. Despite high levels of yield variability expected from a farmer-managed observational study over a wide area, results show that crop yields increased with increased use of ISFM. Detailed statistical analysis using multiple linear regression models explained the contribution of individual practices. Use of improved varieties and line-seeding rather than broadcasting were consistently and highly significant. The contribution of inorganic blended fertiliser was less clear, probably due to low soil organic matter and use on acidic soils, although response to nitrogen was highly significant. The contribution of organic fertilisers was less than expected, possibly due to soil disturbance from farmer practices of multiple ploughing. Responses to crop residue management and agroforestry practices were significant on most crops reflecting their importance in improving soil water management, soil organic matter and recycling nutrients. Response to lime application on acid soils was highly significant confirming the importance of correcting acidity. Unexplained differences are attributed to the additive effects of using several ISFM treatments as well as unrecorded beneficial farmer management practices. It can be concluded that ISFM can play an essential role in improving productivity, addressing food insecurity and the challenges of climate change. Further expansion will require advocacy, awareness-raising, field-level extension and involvement of the private sector.

Modeling the potential distribution of the threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas across its entire range

Summary Understanding the distribution and extent of suitable habitats is critical for the conservation of endangered and endemic taxa. Such knowledge is limited for many Central African species, including the rare and globally threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas, one of only two species in the family Picathartidae endemic to the forests of Central Africa. Despite growing concerns about land-use change resulting in fragmentation and loss of forest cover in the region, neither the extent of suitable habitat nor the potential species’ distribution is well known. We combine 339 (new and historical) occurrence records of Grey-necked Picathartes with environmental variables to model the potential global distribution. We used a Maximum Entropy modelling approach that accounted for sampling bias. Our model suggests that Grey-necked Picathartes distribution is strongly associated with steeper slopes and high levels of forest cover, while bioclimatic, vegetation health, and habitat condition variables were all excluded from the final model. We predicted 17,327 km2 of suitable habitat for the species, of which only 2,490 km2 (14.4%) are within protected areas where conservation designations are strictly enforced. These findings show a smaller global distribution of predicted suitable habitat forthe Grey-necked Picathartes than previously thought. This work provides evidence to inform a revision of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status, and may warrant upgrading the status of the species from “Near Threatened” to “Vulnerable”.

ФОРМУВАННЯ РЕЛІГІЙНО-ЕТИЧНОГО ЛЕКСИКОНУ В УКРАЇНСЬКІЙ МОВІ XVI–XVII СТ. (на матеріалі Послання до Галатів)

The article explores the origins of the Ukrainian language ethical lexicon in biblical written monuments of the early modern period. It traces the rendition of the vices and virtues catalog in the Epistle to the Galatians (Gal. 5:19–23) in the Krekhiv Apostle, a manuscript of the 2nd half of the 16th century, in comparison with the Church Slavonic Ostroh Bible of 1581, as well as lexicographical works of the 17th century, in particular Pamva Berynda’s “Lexicon”, and Ukrainian translations of the Bible of the 19th and 20th centuries. The Epistle to the Galatians contains one of the most extensive New Testament catalogs of ethical values/anti-values. The vices and virtues in Gal. 5:19–23 form axiological oppositions, which indicate the values of verbal, emotional, behavioral, and social interaction between members of society. The Krekhiv Apostle uses Old Ukrainian and Church Slavonic words to nominate virtues and vices in the Epistle to the Galatians. More than half of the words in the ethical catalog of Gal. 5:19–23 in the Krekhiv Apostle differ from the usage of the Ostroh Bible. Most of these words are indicated as belonging to the “prosta mova” in lexicographical works of the 17th century, in particular in Pamva Berynda’s “Lexicon”. Two thematic subgroups of ethical vocabulary denoting vices in Gal. 5:19–21, namely vices of the corporal and emotional-volitional spheres, show a high level of variability in usage of the Old Ukrainian words instead of Church Slavonicisms in written monuments of the early modern period. Ukrainian biblical translations of the 19th and 20th centuries – in particular those of Panteleimon Kulish, Ivan Levytskyi and Ivan Pului (1905), Ivan Ohiienko (1962), and Ivan Khomenko (1963) – inherited some of the words of the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century “prosta mova” to denote religious and ethical values/anti-values in Gal. 5:19–23, e. g., within the thematic groups of “debauchery”, “apostasy”, and “anger/discord”. The biblical written monuments of the early modern era laid the foundation for the traditions of Ukrainian Bible translation and paved the way for the formation of the Ukrainian linguistic usage in the field of religious communication.

Phenotypic variations in M2 generation by ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis in lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)

Context Mutagenesis is an effective method to create genetic variation in an available accession. Aim This study aimed to generate variability in a genetically distinct genotype of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) by using a chemical mutagen. Methods Eight different ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) concentrations were used to determine lethal dose for 50% of the population (LD50). Among them, two EMS concentrations were used to treat 20 000 seeds of BAL-08-01 accession. A total of 8301 individual plants from 1225 families in the second generation (M2) were established under field conditions. Phenotypic observations were recorded as per Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) testing guidelines. Key results Wide variations were observed for all phenotypic characters. Among these, green fodder yield, plant height and number of tillers varied with a range of 1–372.5 g, 8.1–120.8 cm and 0–77 per plant, respectively. Variations were also recorded for other characters such as leaf shape, flower colour, primary branching, etc. A total of 86.76% of plants showed purple colour flowers. Principal component analysis was performed for fodder characters from each EMS concentration. First, two principal components contributed an overall 97.06% variability. M2 plants outside 95% ellipses show the highest phenotypic variations. Conclusion EMS is effective in inducing mutation in lucerne. Phenotypic mutations were recognised in the M2 generation for the quantitative and qualitative characters and green fodder yield. Implications The resulting high level of variability will serve as source material for the improvement of lucerne for various traits.

EVALUATION THE MICROELEMENTS AND HEAVY METALS CONTENT IN THE CONDITIONS OF SOME AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST LANDS

The study analyzed and evaluated the content of some microelements and heavy metals in the conditions of two categories of agricultural and forest land. The study location was in the "Padurea Cenad" Protected Area and the bordering agricultural area, Timis County, Romania. Among microelements, the content of iron (Fe, ppm), manganese (Mn, ppm), copper (Cu, ppm) and zinc (Zn, ppm) was analyzed, and among heavy metals, the content of chromium (Cr, ppm), nickel (Ni, ppm) and lead (Pb, ppm) was analysed. The ANOVA test was used to quantify the statistical reliability of the data, and to evaluate the presence of variance in the data set (Alpha=0.001). The correlation level of the determined microelements and heavy metals was evaluated by correlation analysis (Pearson), and the statistical safety was evaluated based on p parameters (p <0.05; p <0.01; p <0.001). Correlations of different intensity levels were recorded between the analyzed elements (eg r=0.914 between Fe and Cu; r=0.916 between Fe and Ni; r=0.935 between Mn and Zn; r=0.933 between Mn and Cr; r= 0.920 between Zn and Cr; r=0.990 between Ni and Pb; r=0.851 between Fe and Pb; r=-0.732 between Mn and Ni; r=-0.731 between Mn and Pb). A high level of variability was recorded in the case of Pb content (CVPb=43.8455), and a low level of variability in the case of Mn content (CVMn=8.1807). Intermediate values was recorded in the other cases, CVCr=25.4583, CVNi=23.9941, CVCu=23.0055, and CVFe=21.0282 respectively. According to PCA, PC1 explained 70.240% of variance, and PC2 explained 22.469% of variance. Separate positioning in relation to the content of microelements and heavy metals (as biplot) was found at CP1-A and CP2-F. Associated with the content of Mn, Zn and Cr (as biplot) CP2-A was positioned, and associated with Fe, Cu, Ni and Pb (as biplot) CP1-F was associated.

GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PADDLEFISH (POLYODON SPATHULA (WALBAUM, 1792)) BROOD STOCKS

GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PADDLEFISH (POLYODON SPATHULA (WALBAUM, 1792)) BROOD STOCKS

Constraints on clumps in the representative wind of the WN8 Wolf–Rayet star HD 96548 = WR 40 with simultaneous broad-band light and linear-polarization variability

ABSTRACT We report precision ground-based broad-band optical intensity and linear-polarization light curves for the sky’s brightest WN8 star, WR 40. WN8 stars are notorious for their high level of variability, stemming from stochastic clumps in their strong winds that are slower and less hot than the winds of most other Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars. We confirm previous results that many WR stars display an amplitude of variability that is an order of magnitude higher in photometry than in polarimetry. For the first time, the unique nature of near simultaneity of our photometric and polarimetric observations of WR 40 allows us to check whether the two types of variability show correlated behaviour, of which we find none. Assuming simple temporal functions for the brightness and polarization of individual clumps, a model for simulated light curves is found to reproduce the properties of the observations, specifically the absence of correlation between photometric and polarimetric variations, the ratio of standard deviations for photometric and polarimetric variability, and the ratio of the average intrinsic polarization relative to its standard deviation. Mapping the solution for time variability to a spatial coordinate suggests that the wind clumps of WR 40 are free-free emitting in addition to light scattering.

Population structure and genetic diversity characterization of soybean for seed longevity.

Seed longevity is an important trait in the context of germplasm conservation and economics of seed production. The identification of populations with high level of genetic variability for seed longevity and associated traits will become a valuable resource for superior alleles for seed longevity. In this study, Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS)-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) approach, simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and agro-morphological traits have been explored to investigate the diversity and population structure of assembled 96 genotypes. The GBS technique performed on 96 genotypes of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) resulted in 37,897 SNPs on sequences aligned to the reference genome sequence. The average genome coverage was 6.81X with a mapping rate of 99.56% covering the entire genome. Totally, 29,955 high quality SNPs were identified after stringent filtering and most of them were detected in non-coding regions. The 96 genotypes were phenotyped for eight quantitative and ten qualitative traits by growing in field by following augmented design. The STRUCTURE (Bayesian-model based algorithm), UPGMA (Un-weighed Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean) and principal component analysis (PCA) approaches using SSR, SNP as well as quantitative and qualitative traits revealed population structure and diversity in assembled population. The Bayesian-model based STRUCTURE using SNP markers could effectively identify clusters with higher seed longevity associated with seed coat colour and size which were subsequently validated by UPGMA and PCA based on SSR and agro-morphological traits. The results of STRUCTURE, PCA and UPGMA cluster analysis showed high degree of similarity and provided complementary data that helped to identify genotypes with higher longevity. Six black colour genotypes, viz., Local black soybean, Kalitur, ACC Nos. 39, 109, 101 and 37 showed higher seed longevity during accelerated ageing. Higher coefficient of variability observed for plant height, number of pods per plant, seed yield per plant, 100 seed weight and seed longevity confirms the diversity in assembled population and its suitability for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping.

Clinically relevant monitoring of long-term night-time behaviour and physiology from the homes of people living with dementia.

Disturbances of sleep and night-time behaviours are amongst the most disabling symptoms of dementia. They often increase carers' burden and the risk of institutionalization. The causes are complex and are difficult to investigate because of a lack of acceptable methods for monitoring behaviours in the home. Here we show that a passive under-mattress can be used to track changes in night-time behaviour and physiology, and that a range of digital biomarkers produced are informative in understanding the effects of medication changes, disease progression and intercurrent illness in patients living with dementia (PLWD). We used contactless Withings Sleep Mattress (WSM) to monitor bed-occupancy in 4 PLWD (age 74-93, 3males) enrolled into the CR&T MINDER cohort study. Each participant was tracked over 1000 nights between 2019 and 2021. Minute-to-minute timeseries were extracted from WSM to calculate bed occupancy metrics and nocturnal physiology measures (heart and breathing rates (HR/BR)). Raw measures were standardized within subjects by comparing each time point to the mean of the time points that preceded it. We then investigated the relationship between these metrics and clinical events such as infections and medication. The 4 case studies illustrate the potential of this technology for passive health monitoring in PLWD. High levels of intraindividual variability in behavioural and physiological metrics were observed. Progressive changes in bed occupancy were observed in two patients with frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease (Cases 1&2). Intercurrent illness and medications changes influenced the measures. For example, Patient 1 showed progressive night-time wandering with increasing time spent out of bed, which improved following the initiation of risperidone. Case 2 showed recurrent episodes of heart failure accompanied by increased nocturnal HR. Cases 3 and 4 showed urinary tract infections, which were accompanied by transient changes in bed occupancy measures. Passive monitoring of night-time behaviour and physiology is a simple and cost-effective way to monitor the effects of medication change and medical events in PLWD. Digital biomarkers derived from these simple measures hold great promise as measures of dementia progression, to enhance dementia care by identifying at risk individuals and as novel clinical outcome measures in clinical trials.

Variability and performance of NHS England’s ‘reason to reside’ criteria in predicting hospital discharge in acute hospitals in England: a retrospective, observational cohort study

ObjectivesNHS England (NHSE) advocates ‘reason to reside’ (R2R) criteria to support discharge planning. The proportion of patients without R2R and their rate of discharge are reported daily by acute hospitals...

Rainfall dynamics in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Nigeria under RCP 8.5

The study analysed the historical (1961–90) and projected rainfall variability for the rainy season expected in the near future (2021–50) at selected locations within the Komadugu-Yobe and Sokoto-Rima River Basins in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of northern Nigeria. Three models were utilised, and analyses were based on Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5. Projected changes in mean, level of variability and distribution of rainfall were analysed using the Relative Percentage Change Method and the Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI), while the performance of the models was evaluated using the Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) index. The results show that changes in mean rainfall will be predominantly negative, with a minimum and maximum level of change of ˗1.02 per cent at Nguru, and ˗70.4 per cent at Jos, based on the IPSL-CM5A and HadGEM2-ES models, respectively. The rainy season of the baseline period varied between low and moderate variability, while the near future ranges between low and high levels of variability. The validation indicates acceptable levels of performance, with most values ranging between 0.0 and 1.0. The PCI for the near future suggests that the rainy season will be mainly characterised by uniform and near-uniform rainfall distribution. Hence, the projected negative changes and high variability of rainfall at some locations call for the development of an Adaptive Benefit Mechanism that will minimise future natural resource conflicts.

Negative reinforcement of behavioral variability without previous training with positive reinforcement

In a previous study, Fonseca Júnior and Hunziker (2017) provided evidence of the control of behavioral variability by avoidance contingencies. However, their study presented three methodological weaknesses: (1) only one contingency reversal was conducted in the experimental design adopted, (2) the lever press was shaped using a positive reinforcement procedure, and (3) the intermittency of reinforcement between Lag n and Yoke conditions was not successfully equaled. The present study aimed to overcome these three methodological limitations. Three experimentally naive male rats with no prior history with positive reinforcement had sequences of three lever presses between two levers negatively reinforced under the following discrete trial avoidance contingencies that provided similar intermittency of reinforcement: Lag 1, Yoke, Lag 1, and Yoke. All subjects showed high levels of behavioral variability under the Lag 1 contingency and decreased levels of behavioral variability under the Yoke contingency. These results replicate the findings of Fonseca Júnior and Hunziker, suggesting that behavioral variability can be controlled by avoidance contingency without previous exposure to positive reinforcement. Moreover, these findings suggest that the high levels of variation obtained under the Lag n condition are an effect of operant contingency and not a mere byproduct of the intermittency of reinforcement.

Revision of Achrocerides Hering, 1937 (Lepidoptera: Chrysopolomidae)

The taxonomy of the monotypic genus Achrocerides Hering, 1937 is revised using a combination of morphological and genetic evidence. Achrocerides theorini (Aurvillius, 1891) was determined to be a widespread, forest-dwelling species which shows high levels of intraspecific variability in both the external and genital morphology. Examination of the holotype of Chrysopoloma flavoantennata Berio, 1937 revealed this to be a rare species of Achrocerides exhibiting a large body size, and a new combination is introduced thus: Achrocerides flavoantennata (Berio, 1937) comb. n. Finally, a new species is identified from the Central African Republic and is herein described: Achrocerides smithi sp. n. The adults and genitalia of all taxa are illustrated, and a distribution map provided to facilitate identification.