Loss Priority Research Articles

The UK clinical eye research strategy: refreshing research priorities for clinical eye research in the UK

ObjectivesTo validate and update the 2013 James Lind Alliance (JLA) Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership (PSP)’s research priorities for Ophthalmology, as part of the UK Clinical Eye Research Strategy.MethodsTwelve ophthalmology research themes were identified from the JLA report. They were allocated to five Clinical Study Groups of diverse stakeholders who reviewed the top 10 research priorities for each theme. Using an online survey (April 2021-February 2023), respondents were invited to complete one or more of nine subspecialty surveys. Respondents indicated which of the research questions they considered important and subsequently ranked them.ResultsIn total, 2240 people responded to the survey (mean age, 59.3 years), from across the UK. 68.1% were female. 68.2% were patients, 22.3% healthcare professionals or vision researchers, 7.1% carers, and 2.1% were charity support workers. Highest ranked questions by subspecialty: Cataract (prevention), Cornea (improving microbial keratitis treatment), Optometric (impact of integration of ophthalmic primary and secondary care via community optometric care pathways), Refractive (factors influencing development and/or progression of refractive error), Childhood onset (improving early detection of visual disorders), Glaucoma (effective and improved treatments), Neuro-ophthalmology (improvements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of neurodegeneration affecting vision), Retina (improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration), Uveitis (effective treatments for ocular and orbital inflammatory diseases).ConclusionsA decade after the initial PSP, the results refocus the most important research questions for each subspecialty, and prime targeted research proposals within Ophthalmology, a chronically underfunded specialty given the substantial burden of disability caused by eye disease.

Identifying ecosystem service value and potential loss of wilderness areas in China to support post-2020 global biodiversity conservation

Preserving wilderness areas is one of the key goals in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework(GBF). However, far too little attention has been paid to identifying wilderness conservation priorities on the national scale. In this study, we developed a methodological framework to evaluate the ecosystem service values, potential loss and conservation priorities of wilderness areas in China, providing guidance for wilderness conservation. First, we assessed the conservation value of wilderness areas and found that wilderness areas provided more ecosystem services than non-wilderness areas per unit area in most ecoregions. Then we identified threatened wilderness areas under multiple scenarios due to land use and land cover change. We found that 5.82 % of the existing wilderness areas were projected to be lost by 2100. Finally, wilderness conservation priorities were identified considering both conservation values and potential loss, and 11.24 % of existing wilderness areas were highlighted as conservation priorities. This methodological framework could be applied to other countries to support post-2020 global biodiversity conservation.

Limited understanding of bushfire impacts on Australian invertebrates

Abstract Understanding how increasing risk of frequent and severe fires affects biodiversity and ecosystem function is important for effective conservation and recovery, but large knowledge gaps exist for many taxa in many parts of the world, especially invertebrates. After Australia's 2019–2020 catastrophic bushfire disaster, estimates of biodiversity loss and government priorities for post‐fire conservation activities were focused on vertebrates and plants because of lack of knowledge about invertebrates. Our synthesis of published evidence reveals a fragmented and ambiguous body of literature on invertebrate responses to fire in Australian ecosystems, limiting the capacity of evidence to inform effective conservation policy in response to extreme fire events. Peer‐reviewed studies are available for only six of the more than 30 invertebrate phyla and 88% were on arthropods, predominantly ants. Nearly all studies (94%) were conducted in terrestrial habitats, with only four studies measuring impacts in freshwater habitats and no studies of impacts on marine invertebrates. The high variation in study designs and treatment categories, as well as the absence of key methodological details in many older observational studies, means that there is substantial opportunity to improve our approach to collating meaningful estimates of general fire effects. To understand the full ecological effects of catastrophic fire events, and design effective policies that support recovery of ecosystems now and in future, it is critical that we improve understanding of how fire regimes affect invertebrates. We list key priorities for research and policy to support invertebrate conservation and ecosystem recovery in the face of increasing fire risk.

DRL-GAN: Dual-Stream Representation Learning GAN for Low-Resolution Image Classification in UAV Applications

Identifying tiny objects from extremely low-resolution (LR) unmanned-aerial-vehicle-based remote sensing images is generally considered as a very challenging task, because of very limited information in the object areas. In recent years, there have been very limited attempts to approach this problem. These attempts intend to deal with LR image classification by enhancing either the poor image quality or image representations. In this article, we argue that the performance improvement in LR image classification is affected by the inconsistency of the information loss and learning priority on low-frequency (LF) components and high-frequency (HF) components. To address this LF-HF inconsistency problem, we propose a dual-stream representation learning generative adversarial network (DRL-GAN). The core idea is to produce enhanced image representations optimal for LR recognition by simultaneously recovering the missing information in LF and HF components, respectively, under the guidance of high-resolution (HR) images. We evaluate the performance of DRL-GAN on the challenging task of LR image classification. A comparison of the experimental results on the LR benchmark, namely HRSC and CIFAR-10, and our newly collected `WIDER-SHIP' dataset demonstrates the effectiveness of our DRL-GAN, which significantly improves the classification performance, with up to 10% gain on average.

Postfire evaluation of fuelwood loss and restoration priority in a mixed, community-managed conifer forest of central New Mexico, United States

The causes and consequences of severe fires must be understood to strategically manage forest resources, including timber and fuelwood. Floods and resulting infrastructure damages are intensified due to soil erosion and debris exhumed by recently-burned catchments. A mixed Ponderosa and Piñon-Juniper forest managed by a rural New Mexico community burned in 2016, destroying harvestable fuelwood and damaging access roads. The objectives of this study were to: (1) estimate lost fuelwood value; (2) identify burned catchments that contributed to road damages; (3) develop criteria to prioritize a restoration area; and 4) recommend possible forest management actions based on assessment of fire regime, natural resource usage, ecological dynamics, and feasibility. Field reconnaissance facilitated image-based mapping of forest structure, burn severity, and early-successional recovery by 2018. High spatial resolution aerial images collected before fire were used to map tree density, as well as height based on shadow lengths and sun angle, and to infer stem volumes from empirical diameter-height relationships. Results suggest that 1.5–2.5 million USD of fuelwood was lost from a 1053-ha area. A remediation priority area (112 ha) was identified within a severely-burned, erosive catchment with limited successional plant cover. Econometrics and landscape-scale optimizations for restoration are proposed. Potential fire management strategies are outlined in order to maximize ecosystem products and services while enhancing safety. Techniques developed in this study – involving open-source data and minimal field work – may be useful to conifer forest managers with limited scientific funding.

Establishing and prioritizing research questions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hair loss (excluding alopecia areata): the Hair Loss Priority Setting Partnership

Hair and scalp problems are common. Various conditions can result in hair loss and may present as increased hair shedding, hair thinning or patchy to complete hair loss. In some conditions the hair may regrow, in others the alopecia (hair loss) is permanent. Frequently overlooked is the psychological impact of hair loss on an individual. The visible nature of hair loss and fear of progression may lead to low self‐esteem, anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, there is a lot of uncertainty around the most effective treatments for these disorders. This study, funded by the charity Alopecia UK, aimed to identify uncertainties in hair loss management, prevention, diagnosis and treatment that are important both to people with hair loss and to healthcare professionals. This was done by creating a hair loss ‘priority setting partnership’ (PSP) between patients, their carers and relatives, and healthcare professionals, to identify the most important uncertainties in hair loss. This study presents the top 10 research priorities for hair loss (excluding alopecia areata) to guide researchers and funding bodies to support studies important both to patients and clinicians.

Establishing and prioritizing research questions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hair loss (excluding alopecia areata): the Hair Loss Priority Setting Partnership.

Hair and scalp problems are common. Unfortunately, many uncertainties exist around the most effective management and treatment strategies for these disorders. To identify uncertainties in hair-loss management, prevention, diagnosis and treatment that are important to both people with hair loss and healthcare professionals. A Hair Loss Priority Setting Partnership was established between patients, their carers and relatives, and healthcare professionals to identify the most important uncertainties in hair loss. The methodology of the James Lind Alliance was followed to ensure a balanced, inclusive and transparent process. In total, 2747 treatment uncertainties were submitted by 912 participants; following exclusions 884 uncertainties relating to hair loss (excluding alopecia areata) were analysed. Questions were combined into 'indicative uncertainties' following a structured format. A series of ranking exercises further reduced this list to a top 25 that was taken to a final prioritization workshop where the top 10 priorities were agreed. We present the top 10 research priorities for hair loss (excluding alopecia areata) to guide researchers and funding bodies to support studies important to both patients and clinicians.

Hearing, Emotion, Amplification, Research, and Training Workshop: Current Understanding of Hearing Loss and Emotion Perception and Priorities for Future Research.

The question of how hearing loss and hearing rehabilitation affect patients’ momentary emotional experiences is one that has received little attention but has considerable potential to affect patients’ psychosocial function. This article is a product from the Hearing, Emotion, Amplification, Research, and Training workshop, which was convened to develop a consensus document describing research on emotion perception relevant for hearing research. This article outlines conceptual frameworks for the investigation of emotion in hearing research; available subjective, objective, neurophysiologic, and peripheral physiologic data acquisition research methods; the effects of age and hearing loss on emotion perception; potential rehabilitation strategies; priorities for future research; and implications for clinical audiologic rehabilitation. More broadly, this article aims to increase awareness about emotion perception research in audiology and to stimulate additional research on the topic.

Analysis of Risk Factors for Gunshot Wound Infection in a Nigerian Civilian Trauma Setting.

Survivors of firearm injury are at risk of wound infection. On average, civilian gunshot wound infection rates in developing countries are relatively high and almost on a par with infection rates in war trauma settings. Overall, there are limited data on civilian gunshot wound infection and its predisposing factors. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for gunshot wound infection in a civilian trauma setting of a developing nation. This was a retrospective analysis of data on the entire patients who presented in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki with firearm injury from January 2005 to December 2014. There were 196 patients, and wound infection was a complication in 58 (29.6%) of them. The significant factors for high wound infection rate in univariate analysis were perforating wound (p<0.001), high velocity injury (p<0.001), haematocrit <30% (p<0.001), presence of fracture (p<0.001), hollow viscus injury (p<0.001) and injury to hospital arrival interval later than 6h (p<0.014). Anatomical site of injury correlated with infection rate (p<0.001), highest rate (40.6%) in lower extremity and least (9.1%) in head and neck wounds. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified haematocrit (p<0.001), perforating wound (p<0.021), presence of fracture (p<0.043) and hollow viscus injury (p<0.039) as independent predictors of gunshot wound infection. The independent predictors of infection identified in this study call for judicious replacement of blood loss and high priority accorded to perforating wound, fractures and hollow viscus injury in interventions aimed at reducing gunshot wound infection rate.

Macular disease research in the United Kingdom 2011-2014: a bibliometric analysis of outputs, performance and coverage.

BackgroundBibliometric indicators, based on measuring patterns of publications and citations, are widely used by universities and research funders to assess research performance. Our aims were to: (1) perform a bibliometric analysis of UK macular disease research publications from 2011 to 2014 and compare this with the other countries producing major output in the area, and (2) compare the pattern of UK macular disease publication with the priorities for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) developed by the Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership (SLV-PSP).MethodsWe used the Scopus database to retrieve macular disease articles published from 2011 to 2014. Citations to articles from 2011 to 2013 and journal impact factors (JIFs) for 2014 articles were obtained. Articles with UK authors were allocated to the 10 SLV-PSP priorities for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where possible.ResultsThe UK, USA, and Germany and China were the top four producers of macular disease research from 2011 to 2013. All except China had a higher proportion of citations than articles. There were 421 articles with UK authors published from 2011 to 2014, of which 49 % had international collaborators. The UK produced 9.7 % of the world’s output of macular disease articles from 2011 to 2013, but received 14.2 % of the world’s share of citations. UK authors’ share of the world’s top 10 % of cited publications from 2011 to 2013 was 16.2 %. In 2014, 13.2 % of UK articles were in journals in the top 10 % when ranked by Journal Impact Factors (JIFs), while the overall UK article share for that year was 9.9 %. UK articles did not show a strong correlation between citations and JIFs. The SLV-PSP published a set of 10 priorities for research into age-related macular degeneration in October 2103. Only 8 % of the UK’s 2011–2014 publications matched the SLV-PSP top priority (treatment to stop dry AMD progressing) and 34 % did not match any of the SLV-PSP priorities, mainly because the priorities did not include invasive treatment of wet AMD.ConclusionsThe UK is performing well in macular research, based on bibliometric indicators. The distribution of past research topics does not match the priorities set by the SLV-PSP.

Climate change modifies risk of global biodiversity loss due to land-cover change

Climate change and land-cover change will have major impacts on biodiversity persistence worldwide. These two stressors are likely to interact, but how climate change will mediate the effects of land-cover change remains poorly understood. Here we use an empirically-derived model of the interaction between habitat loss and climate to predict the implications of this for biodiversity loss and conservation priorities at a global scale. Risk analysis was used to estimate the risk of biodiversity loss due to alternative future land-cover change scenarios and to quantify how climate change mediates this risk. We demonstrate that the interaction of climate change with land-cover change could increase the impact of land-cover change on birds and mammals by up to 43% and 24% respectively and alter the spatial distribution of threats. Additionally, we show that the ranking of global biodiversity hotspots by threat depends critically on the interaction between climate change and habitat loss. Our study suggests that the investment of conservation resources will likely change once the interaction between climate change and land-cover change is taken into account. We argue that global conservation efforts must take this into account if we are to develop cost-effective conservation policies and strategies under global change.

When two is a crowd: mitochondrial genome merger and its aftermath.

When two is a crowd: mitochondrial genome merger and its aftermath.

Agro-hydrologic landscapes in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins.

A critical part of increasing conservation effectiveness is targeting the "right practice" to the "right place" where it can intercept pollutant flowpaths. Conceptually, these flowpaths can be inferred from soil and slope characteristics, and in this study, we developed an agro-hydrologic classification to identify N and P loss pathways and priority conservation practices in small watersheds in the U.S. Midwest. We developed a GIS framework to classify 11,010 small watersheds in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins based on soil permeability and slope characteristics of agricultural cropland areas in each watershed. The amount of cropland in any given watershed varied from <10 to >60 %. Cropland areas were classified into five main categories, with slope classes of <2, 2-5, and >5 %, and soil drainage classes of poorly and well drained. Watersheds in the Upper Mississippi River basin (UMRB) were dominated by cropland areas in low slopes and poorly drained soils, whereas less-intensively cropped watersheds in Wisconsin and Minnesota (in the UMRB) and throughout the Ohio River basin were overwhelmingly well drained. Hydrologic differences in cropped systems indicate that a one-size-fits-all approach to conservation selection will not work. Consulting the classification scheme proposed herein may be an appropriate first-step in identifying those conservation practices that might be most appropriate for small watersheds in the basin.

The Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership (SLV-PSP): overview and results of the research prioritisation survey process

ObjectivesThe Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership aimed to identify research priorities relating to sight loss and vision through consultation with patients, carers and clinicians. These priorities can be...

The UK Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership (SLV‐PSP): Vision research questions prioritised by patients and health care professionals

AbstractPurpose The SLV‐PSP process aims to identify research priorities that can be used to inform decisions of funding bodies and enhance the case for additional research funding.Methods People were asked to submit questions about prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sight loss and eye conditions that are most important to them. The survey was available online, by phone, post and alternative formats (Braille and audio). The partner organisations were Fight for Sight, the College of Optometrists, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Vision 2020. Over 30 charitable and professional organisations promoted the survey.Results 2,200 people responded generating 4,461 questions. 65% of respondents had sight loss or an eye condition. 17% were healthcare professionals (ophthalmologists, optometrists, orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses, opticians, social care/ rehabilitation). The questions were allocated to 12 eye disease categories before subsequent prioritisation of the top 10 at 12 workshops (questions at http://fightforsight.org.uk/sightlosspsp). The categories were ARMD, cataract, corneal and external, glaucoma, inherited retinal, neuro‐ophthalmology, ocular cancer, ocular inflammatory, refractive error and ocular motility and vitreoretinal/ocular trauma.Conclusion Analysis of demographic data for respondents indicates that the sample is generally representative of the UK population. The number and diversity of conditions represented in responses is distributed across the major conditions and fits projected population incidence.

Calculation of Loss Probability in a Finite Size Partitioned Buffer for Quantitative Assured Service

This paper proposes an approximate yet accurate approach to calculate the loss probabilities in a finite size partitioned buffer system, for the achievement of a quantitative assured service in differentiated services networks. The input is modeled as a fractional Brownian motion (FBM) process including $J$ classes of traffic with different packet loss requirements. A first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer partitioned with $J-1$ thresholds is used to provide $J$ loss priorities. Heuristic expressions of the loss probabilities for all the $J$ classes are derived and validated by computer simulations. The proposed loss calculation technique is then extended to a general input process by using the recently proposed traffic substitution technique, where both long-range dependent (LRD) and short-range dependent (SRD) input sources are equivalent to a properly parameterized FBM. We also apply the loss calculation to admission control, where the partition thresholds are optimally configured for quality of service guarantee and maximal resource utilization. Computer simulation results demonstrate that resource allocation based on the accurate finite buffer loss analysis results in much more efficient resource utilization than that based on the classic large-buffer overflow approximation.

Delay Analysis of anM/G/1/KPriority Queueing System with Push-out Scheme

This paper considers anM/G/1/Kqueueing system with push-out scheme which is one of the loss priority controls at a multiplexer in communication networks. The loss probability for the model with push-out scheme has been analyzed, but the waiting times are not available for the model. Using a set of recursive equations, this paper derives the Laplace-Stieltjes transforms (LSTs) of the waiting time and the push-out time of low-priority messages. These results are then utilized to derive the loss probability of each traffic type and the mean waiting time of high-priority messages. Finally, some numerical examples are provided.

Effectiveness of Cardiac Rehabilitation for Weight Loss in Individuals with a Focused Weight Loss Priority

Effectiveness of Cardiac Rehabilitation for Weight Loss in Individuals with a Focused Weight Loss Priority

QoS Scheduler/Shaper for Optical Coarse Packet Switching IP-Over-WDM Networks

For IP-over-WDM networks, optical coarse packet switching (OCPS) has been proposed to circumvent optical packet switching limitations by using in-band-controlled per-burst switching and advocating traffic control enforcement to achieve high bandwidth utilization and quality-of-service (QoS). In this paper, we first introduce the OCPS paradigm. Significantly, we present a QoS-enhanced traffic control scheme exerted during packet aggregation at ingress nodes, aiming at providing delay and loss class differentiations for OCPS networks. Serving a dual purpose, the scheme is called (/spl psi/,/spl tau/)-Scheduler/Shaper, where /spl psi/ and /spl tau/ are the maximum burst size and burst assembly time, respectively. To provide delay class differentiation, for IP packet flows designated with delay-associated weights, (/spl psi/,/spl tau/)-Scheduler performs packet scheduling and assembly into bursts based on their weights and a virtual window of size /spl psi/. The guaranteed delay bound for each delay class is quantified via the formal specification of a stepwise service curve. To provide loss class differentiation, (/spl psi/,/spl tau/)-Shaper facilitates traffic shaping with larger burst sizes assigned to higher loss priority classes. To examine the shaping effect on loss performance, we analytically derive the departure process of (/spl psi/,/spl tau/)-Shaper. The aggregate packet arrivals are modeled as a two-state Markov modulated Bernoulli process (MMBP) with batch arrivals. Analytical results delineate that (/spl psi/,/spl tau/)-Shaper yields substantial reduction, proportional to the burst size, in the coefficient of variation of the burst interdeparture time. Furthermore, we conduct extensive simulations on a 24-node ARPANET network to draw packet loss comparisons between OCPS and just-enough-time (JET)-based OBS. Simulation results demonstrate that, through burst size adjustment, (/spl psi/,/spl tau/)-Shaper effectively achieves differentiation of loss classes. Essentially, compared to JET-based OBS using out-of-band control and offset-time-based QoS strategy, OCPS is shown to achieve invariably superior packet loss probability for a high-priority class, facilitating better differentiation of loss traffic classes.

Effective bandwidth of multiclass Markovian traffic sources and admission control with dynamic buffer partitioning

We investigate the statistical multiplexing and admission control for a partitioned buffer, where the traffic is generated by multiclass Markov-modulated fluid sources. Each of the sources has J (>1) classes at each state. The quality of service (QoS) is described by the packet loss probability for each class. The buffer is partitioned with J-1 thresholds to provide the J loss priorities. Extending the effective bandwidth concept to such a buffer system is a challenging topic. We find the minimal effective bandwidth in the asymptotic regime of large buffers and small loss probabilities by optimally setting the partition thresholds. The minimal effective bandwidth achieves efficient resource utilization and can be used to do admission control for heterogeneous multiclass Markovian sources in an additive way. The buffer partition thresholds are dynamically adjusted according to the input traffic load to guarantee QoS. Numerical analysis and simulation results verify the QoS satisfaction and the obvious improvement of resource utilization compared with previously published results, when the minimal effective bandwidth is used for resource allocation with the proposed dynamic buffer partitioning techniques.