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The effects of functional electrical stimulation cycling on muscle spasticity in individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review
No full textObjectives: To evaluate the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling on muscle spasticity in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and provide recommendations for optimal FES cycling parameters to treat muscle spasticity.
Method: In this systematic review, database searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE (Ovid), PEDro, PubMed, and Scopus were conducted to identify relevant studies published up to June 2023. Studies were screened for eligibility. Those that included an FES cycling intervention, an outcome measure of spasticity, and were available in full-text English were included. Two independent reviewers extracted the data and appraised the literature via the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT).
Results: Of the 1782 studies identified, 16 satisfied the criteria for this review. Two-hundred and three participants were included, aged 7 to 80 years old. Ten studies identified a reduction in spasticity following FES cycling via objective or subjective outcome measures. Methodological quality was variable, with CCAT scores ranging from 19/40 (48%) to 35/40 (88%). National Health and Medical Research Council hierarchy levels ranged from II to IV.
Conclusion: Evidence for the effectiveness of FES cycling to reduce muscle spasticity remains inconclusive. Long-term effects on spasticity were evident in moderate- to high-quality studies where FES cycling was conducted for 60 minutes, three times per week for 16 weeks. Additional research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these findings. Further clarification of the optimal parameters of FES frequency, amplitude, and pulse width to reduce spasticity is required
Book Review of "Marketing 6.0: The Future is Immersive" by Philip Kotler, Hermawan Kartajaya and Iwan Setiawan. John Wiley & Sons, 2023. ISBN:9781119835219
Full text linkThis review is based on the book ‘Marketing 6.0: The Future is Immersive’ by Philip Kotler, Hermawan Kartajaya and Iwan Setiawan (Kotler et al., 2024). This book represents the fourth publication in their popular Marketing X.0 series which began with Marketing 3.0 (Kotler et al., 2010) followed by Marketing 4.0 (Kotler et al., 2017) and Marketing 5.0 (Kotler et al., 2021). The authors of this book series are renowned experts in their respective academic and industry fields, namely, the S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor (Emeritus) of International Marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Philip Kotler, the founder and chairman of M Corp Hermawan Kartajaya and the Chief Executive Officer of Marketeers Iwan Setiawan
Leaf warming in the canopy of mature tropical trees reduced photosynthesis due to downregulation of photosynthetic capacity and reduced stomatal conductance
No full textTropical forests play a large role in the global carbon cycle by annually absorbing 30% of our annual carbon emissions. However, these forests have evolved under relatively stable temperature conditions and may be sensitive to current climate warming. Few experiments have investigated the effects of warming on large, mature trees to better understand how higher temperatures affect these forests in situ. We targeted four tree species (Endiandra microneura, Castanospermum australe, Cleistanthus myrianthus and Myristica globosa) of the Australian tropical rainforest and warmed leaves in the canopy by 4°C for 8 months. We measured temperature response curves of photosynthesis and respiration, and determined the critical temperatures for chloroplast function based on Chl fluorescence. Both stomatal conductance and photosynthesis were strongly reduced by 48 and 35%, respectively, with warming. While reduced stomatal conductance was likely in response to higher vapour pressure deficit, the biochemistry of photosynthesis responded to higher temperatures via reduced Vcmax25 (−28%) and Jmax25 (−29%). There was no shift of the Topt of photosynthesis. Concurrently, respiration rates at a common temperature did not change in response to warming, suggesting limited respiratory thermal acclimation. This combination of physiological responses to leaf warming in mature tropical trees may suggest a reduced carbon sink with future warming in tropical forests
Downscaling global reference points to assess the sustainability of local fisheries
Full text linkMultispecies coral reef fisheries are typically managed by local communities who often lack research and monitoring capacity, which prevents estimation of well-defined sustainable reference points to perform locally relevant fishery assessments. Recent research modeling coral reef fisheries globally has estimated multispecies sustainable reference points (i.e., the maximum reef fish yields that can be harvested sustainably and the corresponding reef fish standing biomass at which those are expected to be achieved) based on environmental indicators. These global reference points are a promising tool for assessing data-poor reef fisheries but need to be downscaled to be relevant to resource practitioners. Using a small-scale multispecies reef fishery in Papua New Guinea, we estimated sustainable reference points and assessed the sustainability of the fishery by integrating global-scale analyses with local-scale environmental conditions (i.e., coral cover, sea surface temperature, ocean productivity, and whether the reef is an atoll), reef area, fish catch and standing biomass estimates, and fishers’ perceptions. Local-scale relevant data were obtained from a combination of remote sensing products, underwater visual censuses, catch surveys, and household structured social surveys. Our sustainability assessment based on downscaled estimated sustainable reference points was consistent with local fishers’ perceptions. Specifically, our downscaled results suggested that the fishing community was overfishing their reef fish stocks and stocks were below biomass levels that maximize production, making the overall reef fishery unsustainable. These results were consistent with fisher perceptions that reef fish stocks were declining in abundance and mean fish length and that fishers had to spend more time finding fish. Our downscaled site-level assessment revealed severe local resource exploitation, the dynamics of which were masked in national-scale assessments, emphasizing the importance of matching assessments to the scale of management. Overall, we show how global reference points can be applied locally when long-term data are not available, providing baseline assessments for sustainably managing previously unassessed multispecies reef fisheries around the globe
Disaster nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A collection of new evidence
No full text[Extract] Given the area of disaster nursing remains deplete of robust evidence required to drive effective and efficient nursing interventions, this special section aimed to present an overview of current disaster nursing evidence to promote excellence in nursing practice, research and education. As the call for papers coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, we also recognised the need for a disaster nursing evidence base to help guide the pivotal role of nurses in health care delivery during this pandemic. Since the emergence of, and ongoing nature of the pandemic, the important role played by nurses has been highlighted. Given that nurses comprise the largest part of the healthcare workforce (Said & Chiang, 2020), undertake most of the infectious disease containment and provide most of the front-line care during pandemics (Usher et al., 2009), the need for evidence to support nurses and to understand their issues and concerns during pandemics is crucial. In addition, the challenges faced by nurses as they carried out these important roles have been immense. For example, not only are they burdened by the increased volume and intensity of their work, but they are also challenged by a constant need to adapt ways of working (Maben & Bridges, 2020). We also know that nurses are at risk of burnout (Zhang et al., 2020), compassion fatigue (Alharbi et al., 2020), emotional/psychosocial exhaustion (Maben & Bridges, 2020) and issues related to the use and supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) (Fernandez et al., 2020). Nurses have also expressed concern about treating infectious patients, the risk of infecting family members (Fernandez et al., 2020) and stigma associated with their work (Chiang et al., 2007)
Complicated Grief Following the Traumatic Loss of a Child: A Systematic Review
Full text linkComplicated grief is a disabling condition that occurs when the natural grief process is disturbed or prolonged. Research demonstrates that complicated grief is more prevalent following the sudden or violent loss of a child. Despite the high incidence of accidental death worldwide, little research has focused on parental grief trajectories following this form of traumatic loss. A systematic review was conducted to explore parental bereavement outcomes following accidental death. Studies were included if they specifically examined complicated grief in parents bereaved by the accidental death of their child. A total of 767 articles were identified and seven studies met the eligibility criteria for review. Poorer outcomes were identified in relation to the mode of death, relationship type, time post-loss, perceived support, perceived justice and comorbidities. Results of the current study may be used to inform the development of clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of complicated grief
Delineation of geochemical anomalies through empirical cumulative distribution function for mineral exploration
Full text linkIn this paper, a statistical outlier detection technique based on empirical cumulative distribution functions (ECOD) is applied to a multivariate geochemical dataset from southeastern Iran, which is known for its porphyry and vein-type copper mineral occurrences. The ECOD method assumes that outlier samples are situated in both the left and right tails of the cumulative distribution functions, and it determines whether the outliers are located in the right or left tails using the concept of skewness. Anomaly maps produced by the ECOD method are compared with those generated by the local outlier factor (LOF) method. Both ECOD and LOF are applied to two subsets, including 4 and 12 trace elements. The anomaly maps are evaluated by comparing the number of delineated known mineral deposits and using ROC curves. The result revealed that LOF was outperformed by ECOD in the delineation of known Cu mineralization and in the identification of zones containing mineralized samples collected during the anomaly checking stage. The ECOD anomaly map is also compared with results from the k-means clustering method, and the superiority of ECOD over k-means clustering is demonstrated. The implementation of ECOD on clr-transformed multivariate geochemical data shows promise but assumes statistical independence among features, often unmet in geochemical exploration. To address this, we transformed clr data into new principal and independent feature spaces using principal component analysis (PCA) and independent component analysis (ICA), enhancing anomaly detection efficiency. ECOD_ICA outperformed ECOD_PCA, successfully classifying all mineralized samples and 15 of 18 Cu mineral occurrences in the highest score class (Q4), as confirmed by ROC analysis. However, the reliance of the ECOD method on univariate tail probabilities limits its ability to detect multivariate anomalies arising from complex inter-element relationships. Strong correlations in geochemical datasets can lead to false positives, necessitating dimension reduction techniques. While PCA and ICA help manage these correlations, they may obscure meaningful signals. The ECOD outlier detection method is also sensitive to the skewness of the dimensions, so a careful feature selection stage is recommended before applying it. The method is less sensitive to the number of dimensions, which enhances its robustness. Additionally, the absence of hyperparameter tuning makes ECOD a reliable and efficient outlier detection method
Assessment of dinoflagellate diversity using DNA metabarcoding reveals toxic dinoflagellate species in Australian coastal waters
Full text linkHarmful algal blooms (HABs) present severe risks to marine ecosystems, wildlife, human health and economies globally. This study investigates the diversity and abundance of the primary HAB group—dinoflagellates—in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia, a region notable for its ecological uniqueness and high susceptibility to HABs. By employing DNA metabarcoding targeting the 18S rRNA V8-V9 regions, we aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of dinoflagellate communities across various substrates and locations, identifying both toxic and non-toxic species. Our findings revealed 66 distinct genera, including known toxin producers such as Alexandrium, Gambierdiscus, Karenia and Prorocentrum, with some toxic species detected in Australian waters for the first time. Additionally, we assessed the abundance of these toxic species and examined the influence of environmental factors on their occurrence. This study emphasises the importance of ongoing monitoring and ecological assessments to manage HAB impacts in vulnerable coastal areas such as Hervey Bay
A scoping review of Indigenous Cultural Mapping of coastal, island, and marine environments
Full text linkIndigenous Cultural Mapping (ICM) has the capacity to contribute to sustainably managing Sea Country. While there is a growing community of practice using ICM of marine, island, and coastal areas to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and cultural values into sustainability and conservation efforts, the literature is widely dispersed, and the method is not clearly defined or described. This scoping review evaluates the breadth and depth of practice undertaking ICM in island, coastal, and marine areas as captured within the English language scientific and grey literature. The objectives of this review were: 1) to determine the extent to which ICM is used a tool to manage Sea Country; 2) to evaluate the methods used throughout the process of ICM; and 3) to assess the studies against Arnstein’s (1969) ladder of participation. We used the Population Concept Context framework, searched Scopus, Web of Science, and Informit databases and Google Scholar, and identified studies that mapped Indigenous culture and/or cultural values in Sea Country. We included 54 studies that used ICM methods and were focused on Sea Country. These studies contribute to a growing body of work that demonstrates the value Indigenous knowledge adds to the sustainability of Sea Country now and into the future. High-level power-sharing and partnership throughout the research process is critically important. However, a lack of consistent standards of practice perpetuates research practices that exclude Indigenous communities from the research cycle. This limits the ability of ICM to improve sustainable practices that conserve and protect Sea Country
Exploring the potential of tiger milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerotis) crude extracts as immunostimulants for Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): effects on survival and immunological responses against Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Full text linkThis study investigated the effects of tiger milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerotis) extract (LRE) on immune responses and resistance against the aquatic pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) to improve disease management in shrimp aquaculture. LREs were extracted using methanol and water to evaluate their cytotoxicity and antimicrobial efficacy. L. rhinocerotis methanol extract (LRME) exhibited higher antimicrobial activity and lower acute toxicity compared to the aqueous extract, and was selected for subsequent in vitro hemocyte assays and in vivo feeding trials. The in vivo trials were conducted in two batches, with each batch consisting of five diets: a basal diet without LRME inclusion (control), a commercial diet, and three treatment diets supplemented with LRME at 1 g (LRME1), 5 g (LRME5), and 10 g (LRME10) per kilogram of feed. Each diet had three replicates (n = 3). The first batch included 120 shrimp with an average weight of 13.38 ± 1.72 g, and was used to evaluate immune parameters, including total hemocyte count (THC), hemocyte type proportions, phenoloxidase (PO) activity, phagocytic activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, over a 12-day feeding trial. The second batch consisted of 225 post-larvae (PL10) with an average weight of 0.06 ± 0.01 g, and was used for bacterial challenge tests to assess survival rates following a 4-day feeding trial. In the 12-day feeding trial, shrimp fed with LRME showed significant increases in THC, ROS production, phagocytic, and PO activity, with LRME1 consistently demonstrating substantial improvements across multiple immune parameters. Days 4 and 8 were observed as specific time points when LRME exhibited significant effects on shrimp immunity, highlighting the temporal nature of shrimp immune responses to LRME supplementation. In a subsequent bacterial challenge test, a 4-day supplementation of LRME1 significantly enhanced shrimp survival rates. This study highlights the potential of LRME in enhancing shrimp immunity and resistance against V. parahaemolyticus, with significant effects observed at 1 g kg−1 dietary inclusion and a supplementation period of 4 days