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Communication from the zoo: Reports from zoological facilities of the impact of COVID-19 closures on animals
Get PDFZoos engaged in a range of communication types with prospective visitors during the temporary closures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to (1) investigate social media reports and public responses to zoo-animal-related posts over a one-year period during COVID-19 lockdowns; (2) understand the use of reporting language in news articles concerning animal responses during zoo closures, and to investigate whether this differed across species; and (3) investigate how keepers perceived general animal behavior, and how they perceived animal behavior in keeper–animal interactions, during the COVID-19 facility closures. Data were collected from BIAZA-accredited zoos’ Facebook pages (March 2020 to March 2021) and news reports (Google search outputs from 20 March to 5 April 2021). Keeper perceptions were captured via questionnaires (May to August 2021). Data were collected on taxa, the reported behavioral changes and the language used in media communications. In Facebook posts and news reports, mammals were more frequently represented than was expected (p < 0.05). Behavioral responses were more frequently negative (p < 0.05) and less frequently positive or neutral (p < 0.05). Keepers reported overall behavioral changes, as well as changes during their own interactions with animals. On Facebook, mammals were described using a combination of behavioral descriptions and anthropomorphic terms, which were used more frequently than was expected (p < 0.05). In the news reports concerning primate species, anthropomorphic descriptions were used more frequently than expected (p < 0.05), while behavioral descriptions were used less frequently than expected (p < 0.05). The reports regarding the Carnivora were the reverse of this. This study enabled an understanding of the impact of the temporary closures on the animals, and how this impact was communicated to the public. The findings may reflect the relationships that humans have with animals and the need for communication methods that will capture visitors’ interest and induce empathy with the various species
The tube-web spiders of the genus Ariadna (Araneae: Segestriidae) from South Australia and Victoria
Get PDFThe tube-web spider genus Ariadna Audouin, 1826 has been revised for South Australia and Victoria, revealing a remarkable diversity, particularly centred in the arid north of South Australia. We describe 23 species as new, ten of which are supported by molecular data, where these were available. We recognise two species groups for some of the species based on a combination of genitalic morphology, macrosetae patterns and somatic characters: the clavata species group, which includes Ariadna clavata Marsh, Baehr, Glatz & Framenau, 2018 and A. spinosa sp. nov. from South Australia, and A. otwayensis sp. nov. and A. sinuosa sp. nov. from Victoria, and the formosa species group, including A. formosa sp. nov. and A. umbra sp. nov. from South Australia, and A. tria sp. nov. from Victoria. Seventeen new species could not be placed into these two species groups: A. arenacea sp. nov., A. bellatula sp. nov., A. curvata sp. nov., A. deserta sp. nov., A. diucrura sp. nov., A. flavescens sp. nov., A. inflata sp. nov., A. insula sp. nov., A. pollex sp. nov., A. propria sp. nov., A. rutila sp. nov., Ariadna simplex sp. nov., A. subplana sp. nov., A. una sp. nov., A. ungua sp. nov., A. valida sp. nov. and A. woinarskii sp. nov. We provide updated diagnoses and distributional data for A. clavata and A. tangara Marsh, Baehr, Glatz & Framenau, 2018; however, the holotype of A. burchelli (Hogg, 1900) from Victoria could not be located for this project
A comparison of lead-based and lead-free bullets for shooting sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) in Australia
Get PDFContext: In response to the toxic health threats posed by lead (Pb), there is currently a focus on transitioning to lead-free bullets for shooting wild animals.
Aim: We aimed to quantify the killing efficiency and animal welfare outcomes of lead-based and lead-free (copper-based) bullets for ground-based shooting of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) in Victoria, south-eastern Australia.
Methods: We used shooter-collected data from recreational diurnal hunting and professional nocturnal culling during 2020–2021. Shooters recorded rifle calibre, cartridge type, bullet mass, bullet type, shooting outcomes (miss, wound or kill), shooting distance, flight distance (the distance between where the animal was shot and where it died) as an assumed positive correlate of time to incapacitation, anatomical zones struck by bullets, and frequency of bullet exit wounds. We used flight distance as our response variable, assuming that it is positively correlated with time to incapacitation. To examine the role of several predictor variables (including bullet type) potentially influencing flight distance, the dataset was reduced to those deer killed with a single thoracic shot.
Key results: Our data captured shooting events involving 276 deer, with 124 deer shot at with lead-based bullets and 152 with copper-based bullets. Most (87%) of the deer were killed with a single shot. The frequency of non-fatal wounding was <4% for both bullet types and there was no distinct difference in the probability of a single shot kill for deer shot with either bullet type. For those deer killed with a single thoracic shot (n = 198), there was no evidence that bullet energy or shooting distance influenced flight distance. After accounting for differences in terminal kinetic energy, the mean flight distance of deer shot with lead-free bullets (35 m) was 56% greater than that of deer shot with lead-based bullets (22 m).
Conclusions: Lead-based and lead-free bullets produced similar animal welfare outcomes for shooting sambar deer.
Implications: A transition to lead-free ammunition for shooting sambar deer would have minimal impact on efficiency or animal welfare outcomes
Exercise medicine for cancer cachexia: targeted exercise to counteract mechanisms and treatment side effects
Get PDFPurpose
Cancer-induced muscle wasting (i.e., cancer cachexia, CC) is a common and devastating syndrome that results in the death of more than 1 in 5 patients. Although primarily a result of elevated inflammation, there are multiple mechanisms that complement and amplify one another. Research on the use of exercise to manage CC is still limited, while exercise for CC management has been recently discouraged. Moreover, there is a lack of understanding that exercise is not a single medicine, but mode, type, dosage, and timing (exercise prescription) have distinct health outcomes. The purpose of this review was to examine the effects of these modes and subtypes to identify the most optimal form and dosage of exercise therapy specific to each underlying mechanism of CC.
Methods
The relevant literatures from MEDLINE and Scopus databases were examined.
Results
Exercise can counteract the most prominent mechanisms and signs of CC including muscle wasting, increased protein turnover, systemic inflammation, reduced appetite and anorexia, increased energy expenditure and fat wasting, insulin resistance, metabolic dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, hypogonadism, impaired oxidative capacity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cancer treatments side-effects. There are different modes of exercise, and each mode has different sub-types that induce vastly diverse changes when performed over multiple sessions. Choosing suboptimal exercise modes, types, or dosages can be counterproductive and could further contribute to the mechanisms of CC without impacting muscle growth.
Conclusion
Available evidence shows that patients with CC can safely undertake higher-intensity resistance exercise programs, and benefit from increases in body mass and muscle mass
Incremental cost of venous thromboembolism in trauma patients with contraindications to prophylactic anticoagulation: A prospective economic study
No full textVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is common in patients after major trauma. Attributable cost of VTE and whether this is related to the severity of injury have not been thoroughly investigated. We aimed to define the hospitalization costs of VTE and assess whether the costs were related to the severity of injury in this prospective economic study. Cost data of each patient enrolled in the da Vinci trial were drawn from hospital finance departments and standardized to 2020 Australian dollars (A4307) as well as the hospitalization costs (A1210; p < 0.001 and A43,292 (95% confidence interval [CI] 12,624–73,961, p = 0.006) and 41,680 (95%CI 7766–75,594, p = 0.016) after adjusted for Trauma Embolic Scoring System and Injury Severity Scores, respectively. VTE was common after major trauma and incurred a substantial incremental financial cost to the healthcare system, especially among those who had extremely severe injuries
Ionic mass transfer at point electrodes located at cathode support plate in an electrorefining cell in presence of rectangular turbulent promoters
Get PDFCurrent density plays a major role in deciding the plant size, current efficiency, and energy consumption in electrorefining cells. In general, operating current density will be 40% of the limiting current density. Forced circulation of the electrolyte in the presence of promoters improves the mass transfer coefficient. In the present study, rectangular turbulence promoters are fitted at the bottom side of the cell to improve the mass transfer coefficient at the cathode support plate. The limiting current density technique is used to measure the mass transfer coefficient. The variables covered in the present study are the effects of flow rate, promoter height, and spacing among the promoters. The electrolyte consists of copper sulfate and sulphuric acid. At a regulated flow rate, the electrolyte is pumped from the recirculation tank to the cell through an intermediate overhead tank. The limiting current density increased with an increasing flow rate in the presence of promoters, and thus the overall mass transfer coefficient on the cathode support plate also improved. With an increase in the flow rate of the electrolyte from 6.67 × 10−6 to 153.33 m3/s, limiting current density increased from 356.8 to 488.8 A/m2 for spacing of 0.30 m, with a promoter height of 0.01 m. However, it is noteworthy that when the promoter height is increased from 0.01 to 0.07 m, the overall mass transfer coefficient is found to increase up to 60%, but with the further increase in the promoter height to 0.30 m the mass transfer coefficient starts to decrease. Therefore, the optimized cell parameters are established in this work. The current sustainable concept of employing rectangular turbulence promoters will bring benefits to any precious metal refining or electrowinning tank house electrolytes
Lifestyle and complementary therapies in multiple sclerosis guidelines: Systematic review
No full textManagement of multiple sclerosis (MS) may comprise clinical interventions and self-management strategies, including complementary therapies and modifiable lifestyle factors such as exercise and smoking cessation. Lifestyle modifications and complementary therapies with proven safety and efficacy are essential as part of best-practice MS management, especially when faced with limited access to healthcare services. However, it is unclear to what extent MS clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements address these strategies. A systematic review was conducted, wherein MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, guideline databases and developer sites were searched for guidelines and consensus statements that addressed lifestyle modifications and complementary therapies of interest. Two researchers independently screened articles, extracted data and assessed guideline quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation version II. Thirty-one guidelines and consensus statements were included. Quality was high for ‘clarity of presentation’ (77%) and ‘scope and purpose’ (73%), moderate for ‘stakeholder development’ (56%), ‘rigour of development’ (48%) and ‘editorial independence’ (47%), and low for ‘applicability’ (29%). Two guidelines, related to physical activity and exercise, mindfulness, smoking cessation, and vitamin D and polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation, scored high in all domains. These guidelines were two of only four guidelines intended for use by people with MS. High-quality guidelines and consensus statements to guide lifestyle modifications and complementary therapies in MS management are limited. Our findings indicate the need for more guidelines intended for use by people with MS, and a further focus on implementation resources
Densities and Apparent Molar Volumes of Rubidium and Cesium Triflates to High Concentrations in Aqueous Solution at Temperatures from 293.15 to 343.15 K
No full textDensities of aqueous solutions of rubidium triflate (RbTf) and cesium triflate (CsTf), where Tf– is the trifluoromethanesulfonate ion (CF3SO3–), have been measured by vibrating-tube densimetry at temperatures from 293.15 to 343.15 K at 5 K intervals. Concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 5.0 mol·kg–1 for RbTf and from 0.02 to 3.9 mol·kg–1 for CsTf. No volumetric data for either salt appear to have been published previously. Apparent molar volumes (Vϕ) calculated from the densities were well modeled with Pitzer equations. Standard partial molar volumes, Vo, for RbTf(aq) and CsTf(aq) were determined by extrapolation of the Pitzer fits to infinite dilution. Isobaric coefficients of thermal expansion (expansivities), α, derived from the temperature dependence of the densities, increased with concentration, especially at lower T, consistent with the solvent-structure-breaking character of their component ions. Combination of the present Vo values with a common extra-thermodynamic assumption and relevant literature data provided ionic volumes, Vo(Rb+,aq) and Vo(Cs+,aq), that show more realistic temperature dependences than previous estimates
Exacerbation of chronic cigarette-smoke induced lung disease by rhinovirus in mice
No full textA significant proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations are strongly associated with rhinovirus infection (HRV). In this study, we combined long-term cigarette smoke exposure with HRV infection in a mouse model. Our aim was to better understand the effects of HRV infection on such exacerbations, using a realistic method for generating a COPD-like phenotype. After 12-weeks of cigarette smoke exposure, adult female BALB/c mice were infected with HRV-1A and three days later we assessed a range of outcomes including lung volume and function, collected lung tissue for measurement of viral titre, bronchoalveolar lavage for assessment of pulmonary inflammation and levels of key mediators, and fixed lungs for stereological structural analyses. Cigarette smoke exposure alone significantly increased total cells and macrophages, and reduced MIP-2 in bronchoalveolar lavage. HRV-1A infection alone increased neutrophilic inflammation, IP-10 and total protein in lavage and also increased specific airway resistance measured at functional residual capacity. Cigarette smoke and HRV-1A together impacted various lung structural parameters including increasing stereological lung volume. Our results show that long-term cigarette smoke exposure and HRV-1A infection both individually impact respiratory outcomes and combine to alter aspects of lung structure in a mouse model, thus providing insight into the development of future mechanistic studies and appropriate interventions in human disease
Does galvanic coupling with pyrite increase the rate of dissolution of chalcopyrite under ambient conditions? An electrochemical study
No full textThe role of galvanic coupling of chalcopyrite and pyrite in the enhanced rate of dissolution of chalcopyrite in acidic sulfate and chloride solutions at 30 °C has been defined in a detailed electrochemical study.
The results indicate that, under ambient conditions, the effect of galvanic contact with pyrite only marginally increases the rate of dissolution of chalcopyrite in both sulfate and chloride solutions containing iron(III) despite significant increases in the mixed potential of chalcopyrite. This has been shown to be due to the fact that the effect of potential on the rate of anodic oxidation of chalcopyrite is small in the relevant potential under these conditions. This is confirmed by the observation that the mixed potential and, therefore, the galvanic current is largely unaffected by a 4-fold decrease in pyrite surface area. The galvanic current transients compared well with potentiostatic current/time transients for chalcopyrite at the mixed potential observed during coupling.
In the case of copper(II) as the oxidant in chloride solutions, the galvanic currents are small due largely to the fact that the increase in chalcopyrite potential and decrease in pyrite potential are small as a result of the lower reduction potential of the copper(II)/copper(I) couple than the iron(III)/iron(II) couple. The galvanic currents with dissolved oxygen as the oxidant are significantly lower than with iron(III) as the oxidant and confirm the well-known fact that oxygen is less effective than iron(III) as an oxidant for chalcopyrite even when galvanic coupled to pyrite.
The electrochemical data obtained in this study indicate that the small galvanic currents observed do likely not account for the relatively large increases in rate previously observed in agitated leaching of chalcopyrite/pyrite slurries at elevated temperatures