Small Body Research Articles

Up for Debate: Does Regular Physical Activity Really Improve Mental Health?

Physical activity is frequently touted as beneficial for mental health. This paper, based on a 2023 ACSM colloquium, highlights key strengths and limitations of the evidence regarding physical activity and mental health from three perspectives: epidemiological studies, randomized controlled trial experiments, and investigations that explicitly consider the potential role that contextual factors, such as the social climate in which physical activity is completed, can play in physical activity-mental health interactions. A large body of epidemiological evidence supports that regular leisure time physical activity is associated with less depression and anxiety. Higher amounts of physical activity are often associated with fewer depressive symptoms, but there may be a dose-response point where for some people more is not better but can plateau or even worsen. Epidemiological evidence is emerging but currently inadequate to support associations between mental health and occupational, transportation/active commuting or domestic/household physical activity types. A large body of randomized controlled trials, typically small, short duration and conducted with samples biased toward middle-to-higher socioeconomic status Whites, supports that the adoption of regular exercise improves aspects of mental health; however, the mechanisms are unclear and for those without mental disorders the mean effects are small. Mental health benefits of exercise may be partially a placebo response or result from contextual factors surrounding exercise. A small body of evidence supports that contextual elements, such as the program implementation quality and social environment, can influence the mental health outcomes associated with physical activity programs, but the evidence is currently inadequate to identify which contextual variables have consistent moderate or larger effects. Greater progress will be made in this area when research designs are expanded to include consideration of the potential influence of contextual factors on relationships between physical activity and mental health.

Robust solutions via optimisation and predictive process monitoring for the scheduling of the interventional radiology procedures

AbstractInterventional radiology (IR) is an increasingly used medical specialty relying on the possibilities offered by medical imaging guidance technologies to perform minimally invasive procedures (both diagnostic and therapeutic) through very small incisions or body orifices. Although the operative context is quite similar to that of the classical operating room (OR) literature, to the best of our knowledge management problems arising in the IR operative context never appeared in the healthcare management literature. This is even more true for studies that combine the OR approach with automatic extraction of information from real hospital health record data as in the present study. Two specific features characterise our case study with respect to the traditional OR literature: due to the Italian legislation, the anaesthetist (usually in a very limited number) must be present for the entire duration of the procedure (), and the IR does not have its own ward but receives inpatients from different wards (). The aim of this paper is to introduce a novel approach to determine a robust solution for our case study problem addressing both features and . Our approach is based on the interplay between optimisation and predictive process monitoring (PPM) models. The obtained results show that the proposed approach produces schedules that achieve higher usage rate, lower overtime and more patients operated on than the original schedule. We also show that the integration of PPM models within the optimisation workflow improves the quality of the output schedule with respect to the standard one‐shot optimisation.

The vanishing limit of a rigid body in three-dimensional viscous incompressible fluid

AbstractWe consider the evolution of a small rigid body in an incompressible viscous fluid filling the whole space $${{\mathbb {R}}}^3$$ R 3 . When the small rigid body shrinks to a “massless” point in the sense that its density is constant, we prove that the solution of the fluid-rigid body system converges to a solution of the Navier–Stokes equations in the full space. Based on some $$L^p-L^q$$ L p - L q estimates of the fluid–structure semigroup and a fixed point argument, we obtain a uniform estimate of velocity of the rigid body. This allows us to construct admissible test functions which plays a key role in the procedure of passing to the limit.

Small water body extraction in remote sensing with enhanced CNN architecture

In climate change, the precise acquisition of data about natural resources is essential and poses a significant difficulty in remote sensing. Identifying water resources has become a key focus in addressing the global issue of water scarcity. Using remote sensing techniques to extract water bodies from satellite images is complex. While Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have shown potential in image segmentation, challenges such as unclear boundaries, the requirement for extensive training data, and a high number of trainable parameters persist. To address these challenges, a CNN architecture called ”WaterNet” has been developed by integrating two residual refinement capsules to improve predicted results and ensure continuity in boundary pixels. Incorporating dense layers within the network reduces the total count of trainable parameters, thus alleviating the computational burden. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed method, a comparison was made with several conventional and deep learning approaches. These included the use of NDWI, Unet, Deepunet, Segnet, DeepwaterMap, and Multi-layered Feature Fusion Approach (MFFA). The proposed solution demonstrated superior performance, surpassing all existing approaches, with an outstanding accuracy of 0.97% in extracting water resources from high-resolution satellite imagery. The model is accurate in distinguishing water from other features such as land, ice, clouds, and shadows using sentinel data as input. The uniqueness of this work lies in the development of the ”WaterNet” system tailored for water body extraction, showcasing improved accuracy, efficient context transmission, incorporation of dense layers, utilization of residual refinement modules, and addressing the limitations of conventional approaches. These contributions collectively advance remote sensing and deep learning used in the detection of small bodies of water from imagery captured by satellites.

Abundant tiny turtle ants can foster notably speciose mimicry complexes

AbstractIn the current study, I report a single‐site mimicry complex involving 20 arthropods from 12 families in five orders resembling the small turtle ant Cephalotes pusillus. The complex is the most species‐rich single‐site complex with predominately Batesian mimics that has been reported so far. Considering that small turtle ants are likely less defended than highly noxious butterflies or aculeate Hymenoptera with potent stingers, possible factors explaining the high species richness of the complex may include high model abundance, small body size and easy to develop morphological resemblance.

Rediscovery of Euxinopetalum dobatorum Hoffman, 1973 (Diplopoda, Callipodida, Schizopetalidae) in Turkey

A remarkable dwarf schizopetalid, Euxinopetalum dobatorum Hoffman, 1973, is rediscovered in the Heracles Cave (type locality) in Turkey. This poorly known species is recorded after more than 50 years and is illustrated here with photographs, photomicrographs, and scanning electron micrographs, including descriptive notes and remarks. The small body size and the reduced number of body segments in Callipodida are briefly discussed, while the question about the type locality is clarified.

Effectiveness and safety of vonoprazan and amoxicillin dual regimen with Saccharomyces boulardii supplements on eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

Currently, Vonoprazan (VPZ) and amoxicillin dual regimen (VA-dual) has not achieved satisfied efficacy as the first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in China. Thus, we aimed to determine the effect of VA-dual plus Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) on H. pylori eradication rate. Naive H. pylori-infected patients were randomly allocated to the ECAB group [20-mg esomeprazole, 500-mg clarithromycin, 1000-mg amoxicillin, and 220-mg bismuth twice/day for 14 days] or the VAS group [20-mg VPZ twice/day, 750-mg amoxicillin three times/day, and 250-mg S. boulardii twice/day for 10 days]. Factors associated with eradication success were explored, and cost-effectiveness analyses were also performed. Herein, 126 patients were finally included and randomly assigned to the two groups in a 1:1 ratio. The H. pylori eradication rates of VAS and ECAB groups by intention-to-treat analysis were 87.3% and 88.9% (P = 1.000) and by per-protocol analysis were 87.3% and 91.8% (P = 0.560), respectively. The ECAB group had a significantly higher incidence of adverse events than the VAS group. Superior H. pylori eradication in the VAS group was related to small body surface area and being a non-smoker. The cost-effectiveness ratio of the VAS group was less than that of the ECAB group. Addition of S. boulardii to VA-dual for 10 days is as effective as the 14-days bismuth-based quadruple regimen while ensuring fewer adverse events and lesser cost. This regimen is particularly suitable for low-BSA patients or non-smokers. Chinese Clinical trial Registry No. ChiCTR2100055101 31/12/2021.

Implementation and Evaluation of Cultural Safety Initiatives in Australian Hospital Settings: A Scoping Review.

The aim of this scoping review was to synthesize and summarize existing evidence for implementing and evaluating Cultural Safety initiatives in Australian hospitals for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The rationale for this work was to establish guidelines for best practice in providing culturally safe care across hospital and health services. A systematic search guided by PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews was conducted across five databases: CINAHL, Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, and Informit. Reference lists and citations of eligible studies were also examined. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were in English and discussed the implementation and/or evaluation of Cultural Safety initiatives in Australian hospitals. Evaluations assessing both health care staff and patient perspectives were included. Studies were excluded if they presented future implementation protocols or initiatives among health care students. No date limiters were applied due to the small body of available literature. Nine studies met the criteria and were included in this review. Five themes emerged: (a) process of implementation; (b) process of evaluation; (c) change in health professional's behavior; (d) change in patient behavior; and (e) future recommendations. Validated implementation frameworks and evaluation tools are needed for integrating Cultural Safety initiatives into Australian hospital settings. This review has highlighted that despite the availability of evidence-based tools, their use was lacking. This scoping review also highlighted that evaluation of Cultural Safety initiatives is primarily focused on the attitudes and knowledge of health professionals, rather than patient experience. As Cultural Safety is determined by recipients of care, future evaluation of initiatives should prioritize patient perspectives.

Effect of Body Size on Plasma and Tissue Pharmacokinetics of Danofloxacin in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Danofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic approved for use in fish. It can be used for bacterial infections in fish of all body sizes. However, physiological differences in fish depending on size may change the pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin and therefore its therapeutic efficacy. In this study, the change in the pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin in rainbow trout of various body sizes was revealed for the first time. The objective of this investigation was to compare the plasma and tissue pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin in rainbow trout of different body sizes. The study was conducted at 14 ± 0.5 °C in fish of small, medium, and large body size and danofloxacin was administered orally at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Concentrations of this antimicrobial in tissues and plasma were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector. The plasma elimination half-life (t1/2ʎz), volume of distribution (Vdarea/F), total clearance (CL/F), peak concentration (Cmax), and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-last) were 27.42 h, 4.65 L/kg, 0.12 L/h/kg, 2.53 µg/mL, and 82.46 h·µg/mL, respectively. Plasma t1/2ʎz, AUC0-last and Cmax increased concomitantly with trout growth, whereas CL/F and Vdarea/F decreased. Concentrations in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues were higher than in plasma. Cmax and AUC0-last were significantly higher in large sizes compared to small and medium sizes in all tissues. The scaling factor in small, medium, and large fish was 1.0 for bacteria with MIC thresholds of 0.57, 0.79, and 1.01 µg/mL, respectively. These results show that therapeutic efficacy increases with body size. However, since increases in danofloxacin concentration in tissues of large fish may affect withdrawal time, attention should be paid to the risk of tissue residue.

Small But Healthy: An Adaptive Response in Baduy Children

Life history explains natural selection, resulting in phenotypic plasticity that can be studied through the growth pattern (growth rate and body size). The Baduy People, one of the indigenous peoples in Indonesia, exhibit prolonged growth, a slow growth rate, a low peak growth spurt, and small adult size as an adaptation to challenging biocultural conditions. The life history trade-offs of the Baduy People are demonstrated by ontogenetic allometry, which synchronizes between skeletal growth and future reproduction. The study aims to characterize the growth of Baduy children aged 0-5 years with more precise ‘tracking’ of developmental plasticity. We collected anthropometric data (body height-BH, body weight-BW, head circumference-HC, body mass index-BMI) using a cross-sectional method from 118 girls and 97 boys aged 0-5 years across 24 Baduy Luar hamlets. Data were analyzed with Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS) in R version 4.2.1. Nutritional statuses were categorized based on the BMI z-score. The growth pattern showed a decline in growth rate after birth until 2 or 3 years, but the body size increased yearly. The body size (BH and BW) of Baduy children is lower than the Indonesian National Synthetic Growth Charts (INSGC), but most of them have a good nutritional status (>80%). This finding is consistent with the "small but healthy" hypothesis: a small body is an advantageous evolutionary strategy for energy efficiency and maximizing growth potential in challenging biocultural conditions.

Enhancing feedback capabilities with the peer feedback module

Feedback has a powerful impact on student learning (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Although it has now become an essential component of higher education courses, learning how to receive and provide feedback can be difficult, as evidenced by dissatisfaction in student surveys on a global scale (e.g., MacKay et al., 2019). Carless and Boud (2018) argue that for feedback to be effective, students need to develop their feedback-related capabilities. To enhance student feedback capabilities, feedback should be viewed as a complex process that has the potential to enhance learning and which emphasizes student agency (Niemienen et al., 2021). Peer feedback offers a range of opportunities for promoting student agency, where students practice constructing, delivering, and receiving feedback (Nicol et al., 2014). In the shift to hybrid and digital learning contexts, such opportunities are frequently mediated by technology, which may require different or additional capabilities to traditional teacher-led feedback practices. A small body of work from the peer feedback literature has focused on what specific capabilities students need during the feedback process. For example, Han and Xu (2020) argue that the literacy needed for peer feedback includes cognitive readiness (making judgements and taking action) and social-affective readiness (appreciating feedback and managing affect). To expand on this, peer feedback has been conceptualized as entailing a cognitive aspect (knowing what to critique in the work), a critical thinking aspect (such as judging work), and a socio-emotional aspect (considering emotions and the social climate) (Cheng et al., 2023). With the understanding that feedback literacy can be developed over time (Malecka et al., 2022) and a recent focus on developing interventions to improve feedback skills (see Little et al., 2024), this poster presentation details the creation and development of a feedback literacy intervention which contains an online module to develop peer feedback skills. To participate in the intervention, students are required to reflect on their feedback literacy levels using a recently developed feedback literacy behaviour scale (FLBS) (Dawson et al., 2023). Following this, participants engage in a student-led, self-paced online module nested within the University’s learning management system. Each sub-module targets different peer feedback capabilities which have been categorized into five dimensions, including domain knowledge, using evaluative judgement, crafting and delivering the feedback message, managing the socio-emotional environment, and using motivation. After participation in the online module, students complete an organic and pre-existing peer feedback activity before assessing their feedback literacy levels once more through the FLBS (Dawson et al., 2023). A smaller sample of students are involved in focus groups, where insights into how the module has the potential to influence feedback capabilities are discussed. Participants also bring along student work to highlight how their feedback capabilities have been used. Through this intervention, learners may develop better feedback practices (including general feedback literacy). Crucially, they may also learn how to provide effective and helpful feedback information to their peers, which is one of the key requirements for moving beyond university and into the workforce.

Subcutaneous emphysema in patients undergoing robotic cardiac surgery: risk factors and clinical outcome.

Little is known about the incidence of subcutaneous emphysema (SE) after robotic cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, identify risk factors, and assess its influence on postoperative outcomes. Patients undergoing robotic mitral valve repair (n = 63, 54.3%), robotic minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 23, 19.8%), and robotic totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 30,25.9%) were included in the analysis (total n = 116). Subcutaneous emphysema occurred in 53/116 patients (45.7%). It was mild in 30/53 patients (56.6%), moderate in one patient (1.9%), and severe in 22/53 patients (41.5%). Low body weight (p = 0.009), low BMI (p = 0.006), small body surface area (p = 0.01), and older age (p = 0.041) significantly correlated with SE. Patients undergoing robotic mitral valve repair were affected more often than patients undergoing robotic coronary artery bypass grafting (p = 0.04). Severe subcutaneous emphysema resulted in an increased need for CT-chest imaging (p = 0.026), and additional chest tubes (p = 0.029). Severe emphysema was highly associated with pneumothorax (p < 0.001) and increased duration of chest tube drainage (p = 0.003). Subcutaneous emphysema after robotic heart surgery occurs preferentially in patients with low body weight, low BMI, a small body surface area, and older age and is more common in robotic MVR than in robotic coronary artery bypass surgery. It leads to an increased need for thoracic imaging and additional chest tube insertion. Clinical outcomes are not affected.

Fisheries-induced life-history changes recover in experimentally harvested fish populations.

Overfishing is one of the greatest threats to fish populations. Size-selective harvesting favours faster juvenile growth, younger maturation, small adult body size and low reproductive output. Such changes might be slow to recover and ultimately threaten population fitness and survival. To study the recovery potential of exploited experimental populations, we compared life-history traits in three differently size-selected experimental lines (large-selected, small-selected and random-selected) after five generations of harvesting and 10 subsequent generations of recovery (i.e. cessation of harvesting). We show that after a recovery period twice as long as the harvesting period, the differences in adult body size among the selection lines have eroded. While there was still a significant body size difference among the selection lines, this did not translate to differences in reproductive success. Although size-selective harvesting causes phenotypic changes in exploited fish populations, we show that such changes are reversible if the recovery period is long enough.

Socialising the Frequency Code: Effects of gender and age on iconic associations of pitcha).

Burgeoning research has shown the pervasiveness of sound symbolism, a type of iconicity, in language. However, little work looks at how individual experiences and beliefs affect sound symbolic associations. We investigate pitch associations under the Frequency Code, which links high vs low pitch to small vs large body size and female vs male gender (via sexual dimorphism), long claimed to underlie "universal" meanings like submissiveness vs dominance. While such associations appear widespread, the Frequency Code assumes ideological links, e.g., between dominance and masculinity, which differ between individuals and cultures. In Implicit Association Task experiments with English-speaking listeners, we show high pitch is implicitly associated with small size and female gender, and low with large and male, following the Frequency Code. Crucially, though, the strength of these associations varies by social factors. Associations are stronger for male voices and listeners, particularly older men, as ideologies related to the Frequency Code (linking large size, strength, and dominance) tend to be stronger for men. The association of pitch with gender is stronger than with body size, reflecting stronger gender-based stereotypes. This work shows that social experience shapes and reinforces iconic associations, with important implications for how iconic meanings develop and are processed.

“What benefits do homeless systems get from by-name data?”

ABSTRACT Built for Zero (BFZ) is a novel data-driven method to manage entries into and exits from homeless systems that is gaining popularity throughout the Global North. By-name data (BND) is the cornerstone of BFZ that gives local administrators up-to-date information about who enters, occupies, and exits their homeless system. A small body of research has analysed BFZ implementation, but neglected the benefits administrators reportedly get from BND. This paper extends that literature by answering the question: What benefits do homeless systems get from BND? The author uses interview data from administrators at 28 BFZ communities (n = 35) across the USA to answer that question. Participants said BND enhanced the efficiency, fairness, and capacity of their homeless system. This observation extends previous research by identifying ways this kind of data can help local administrators reduce the frequency and/or length of homelessness in their community. The author discusses policies and future research that are needed to maximize the benefits of BND.

The mitochondrial physiology of torpor in ruby-throated hummingbirds, Archilochus colubris.

Hummingbirds save energy by facultatively entering torpor, but the physiological mechanisms underlying this metabolic suppression are largely unknown. We compared whole-animal and pectoralis mitochondrial metabolism between torpid and normothermic ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). When fasting, hummingbirds were exposed to 10°C ambient temperature at night and they entered torpor; average body temperature decreased by nearly 25°C (from ∼37 to ∼13°C) and whole-animal metabolic rate (V̇O2) decreased by 95% compared with normothermia, a much greater metabolic suppression compared with that of mammalian daily heterotherms. We then measured pectoralis mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) fueled by either carbohydrate or fatty acid substrates at both 39°C and 10°C in torpid and normothermic hummingbirds. Aside from a 20% decrease in electron transport system complex I-supported respiration with pyruvate, the capacity for OXPHOS at a common in vivo temperature did not differ in isolated mitochondria between torpor and normothermia. Similarly, the activities of pectoralis pyruvate dehydrogenase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase did not differ between the states. Unlike heterothermic mammals, hummingbirds do not suppress muscle mitochondrial metabolism in torpor by active, temperature-independent mechanisms. Other mechanisms that may underly this impressive whole-animal metabolic suppression include decreasing ATP demand or relying on rapid passive cooling facilitated by the very small body size of A. colubris.

Strain Sensing Enhancement of 3D-printed Polyurethane through Surface Deposition of Carbon Black

Strain sensors for wearable electronics function by identifying mechanical deformations and translating into electrical signals. For optimal performance, electrical conductivity, electrical sensitivity, and flexibility are major properties of strain sensors. Polyurethane (PU) shows promise for custom strain sensors due to its high flexibility. Additionally, using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to shape PU is suitable for detecting body movements. Therefore, the aim of this study is developing 3D-printed PU to strain sensing devices, utilizing the surface coating method on 3D-printed PU with carbon black (CB) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to fabricate the (PDMS+CB)/CB/PU strain sensor. The conductive network of CB enhances sensitivity, while PDMS is incorporated to act as an adhesive for the durability of CB on the PU surface. The results of the experiment reveal a gauge factor of 6.04 with range from 1 to 10% elongation. The strain sensor of this study has high potential to use for strain sensing technology and is capable of detecting small body movements.

Revisiting the taxonomy of Korean Ischnochiton species (Polyplacophora, Ischnochitonidae) based on a combined analysis of morphological and molecular data.

Chiton species belonging to the genus Ischnochiton J. E. Gray, 1847 are commonly found in intertidal rocky shores worldwide, with the exception of the northern Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Ischnochiton species are characterised by imbricate girdle scales that are uniform in size, rounded, sculpted with striae or occasionally smooth. However, their species-level taxonomy is complicated due to the high variation in their shell microstructures. Despite more than a hundred species reported worldwide, taxonomic studies of this group remain relatively unexplored in Korean waters, with only a few species recorded to date. In this study, we compared the microstructural characteristics of tegmentum sculpture, girdle scales and radula amongst four Korean Ischnochiton species using high-resolution microscopic images and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Along with mtDNA cox1 sequence comparison, a comprehensive analysis of their morphology revealed that I.hayamii Owada, 2018 was identified for the first time in Korean waters. This species is morphologically distinguished by its small body size of adults, smooth lateral areas on valves and small perinotum scales sculptured with weak longitudinal ribs. Phylogenetic analysis of the mtDNA cox1 sequence provides distinct resolution at the species level, but interrelationships amongst Ischnochiton species remain unresolved. Results from the morphological and molecular analyses presented in this study offer valuable taxonomic information for accurate species identification amongst closely-related Ischnochiton species.

Fostering trust - a qualitative outcome study of psychodynamic group and individual psychotherapy for refugees with PTSD.

Background: Refugees and asylum-seekers have an elevated risk of mental health issues, such as depression and posttraumatic stress. Qualitative outcome studies can contribute by offering insight into patients' experiences of what they find beneficial and how they undergo the process of recovery. This study aligns with the small body of qualitative research focusing on refugees' perspectives of psychotherapeutic treatment for PTSD.Objective: This study investigates and compares the treatment experiences of refugees with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in psychoanalytic group therapy (PAGT) and individual psychodynamic therapy (PDT) within an outpatient context in Sweden.Method: 10 former patients were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Data were analysed and interpreted according to the principles of grounded theory.Results: The findings reveal distinct categories for each treatment modality, being reborn for PDT and building a home for PAGT. Being reborn involved persistent intrapersonal change and lasting improvement in posttraumatic symptoms. Building a home involved a sense of belonging, support and temporary relief from posttraumatic symptoms. Participants from both treatment modalities underscored the significance of cultivating trust in therapeutic relationships.Conclusions: The study emphasises the necessity for tailored therapeutic approaches, contributing valuable insights to the limited research on effective mental health interventions for this population.

An estimate of resident time of the Oort Cloud new comets in planetary region

We describe the result of our numerical orbit simulation which traces dynamical evolution of new comets coming from the Oort Cloud. We combine two dynamical models for this purpose. The first one is semi-analytic, and it models an evolving comet cloud under galactic tide and encounters with nearby stars. The second one numerically deals with planetary perturbation in the planetary region. Although our study does not include physical effects such as fading or disintegration of comets, we found that typical dynamical resident time of the comets in the planetary region is about 108 years. We also found that the so-called planet barrier works when the initial orbital inclination of the comets is small. A numerical result concerning the temporary transition of the comets into other small body populations such as transneptunian objects or Centaurs is discussed.