In a previous paper, we investigated whether the Greater Glider ('Petauroides volans') is declining in Blue Mountains local government area and, if so, the factors responsible. In this paper, we ...reanalyse the data, replacing elevation (used as a proxy measure of climatic conditions) with temperature and rainfall estimates based on climatic modelling. The Greater Glider remains relatively common at higher elevations but has declined at lower elevations. In the 1980s, it occurred in similar abundance at all elevations, but in 2015-16 it was seven times more abundant above 500 m than below and could not be detected at 7 of 20 study sites in known habitat. Three variables accounted for most of the variation in abundance between sites: a negative relationship with mean annual temperature (31% of the variation) and positive relationships with mean annual rainfall (20%) and time since fire (14%), suggesting that the decline is linked to climate change, especially increasing temperature. We found no evidence that an alternative explanation, an increase in owl predation, was having a significant impact. The situation has worsened since our study, with a disastrous bushfire season in 2019-20 heralding a likely drastic change in the fire regime under climate change. The future prospects of the Greater Glider are looking increasingly bleak.
We have compiled a comprehensive account of the native terrestrial vertebrate fauna of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. A total of 432 species has been reliably recorded within the ...area since European settlement, including 68 mammal, 254 bird, 74 reptile and 36 frog species. At least five species are represented by more than one subspecies. There have been losses: one mammal species is now totally extinct and eight others appear to be extinct in the World Heritage Area. Seventy-three species are currently listed as threatened under NSW and Commonwealth legislation, including 28 mammal, 34 bird, 4 reptile and 7 frog species. It is still a rich and diverse fauna of international significance, but it is a fauna under threat, a situation made worse by the bushfires of 2019-20, which burnt a globally unprecedented proportion of Australia's temperate forests, including 75% of the World Heritage Area. There is much to be done to support the recovery of the region's biodiversity after the fires. This should include an increase in land management staff and resources and the establishment of a systematic, comprehensive, long-term biodiversity monitoring program as a basis for effective adaptive management practices in these uncertain times.
We conducted a Phase I study to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of neoadjuvant capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and radiation therapy (RT) in Stage II to III rectal adenocarcinoma.
Capecitabine ...was given orally twice daily Monday through Friday concurrently with RT. Oxaliplatin was given i.v. once weekly x 5 (for 5 weeks) starting the first day of RT. RT was given daily except on weekends and holidays at 1.8 Gy per fraction x 28. Escalation for capecitabine or oxaliplatin was to occur in cohorts of three patients until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was defined. Endorectal tumor biopsy samples were obtained before and on Day 3 of treatment to explore the effects of treatment on thymidine phosphorylase, thymidylate synthase, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, DNA repair, and apoptosis.
Twelve patients were enrolled on this study. Two of 6 patients at dose level (DL) 1 (capecitabine 825 mg/m2 orally (p.o.) given twice daily (b.i.d.); oxaliplatin 50 mg/m2/week) had a dose-limiting diarrhea. One of 6 patients at DL (-)1 (capecitabine 725 mg/m2 p.o., b.i.d.; oxaliplatin 50 mg/m2/week) experienced-dose-limiting diarrhea. Three of 11 patients who underwent resection had a complete pathologic response. No remarkable variations in rectal tumor biologic endpoints were noted on Day 3 of treatment in comparison to baseline. However, a higher apotosis index was observed at baseline and on Day 3 in complete pathologic responders (no statistical analysis performed).
Capecitabine 725 mg/m2 p.o., twice daily in combination with oxaliplatin 50 mg/m2/week and RT 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions is the recommended dose for future studies.
Indospicine (l-2-amino-6-amidinohexanoic acid) is a natural hepatotoxin found in all parts of some Indigofera plants such as Indigofera linnaei and Indigofera spicata. Several studies have documented ...a susceptibility to this hepatotoxin in different species of animals, including cattle, sheep, dogs, and rats, which are associated with mild to severe liver disease after prolonged ingestion. However, there is little published data on the effects of this hepatotoxin in camels, even though Indigofera plants are known to be palatable to camels in central Australia. The secondary poisoning of dogs after prolonged dietary exposure to residual indospicine in camel muscle has raised additional food safety concerns. In this study, a feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the in vivo accumulation, excretion, distribution, and histopathological effects of dietary indospicine on camels. Six young camels (2–4 years old), weighing 270–390 kg, were fed daily a roughage diet consisting of Rhodes grass hay and lucerne chaff, supplemented with Indigofera and steam-flaked barley. Indigofera (I. spicata) was offered at 597 mg DM/kg body weight (bw)/day, designed to deliver 337 μg indospicine/kg bw/day, and fed for a period of 32 days. Blood and muscle biopsies were collected over the period of the study. Concentrations of indospicine in the plasma and muscle biopsy samples were quantitated by validated ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The highest concentrations in plasma (1.01 mg/L) and muscle (2.63 mg/kg fresh weight (fw)) were found at necropsy (day 33). Other tissues were also collected at necropsy, and analysis showed ubiquitous distribution of indospicine, with the highest indospicine accumulation detected in the pancreas (4.86 ± 0.56 mg/kg fw) and liver (3.60 ± 1.34 mg/kg fw), followed by the muscle, heart, and kidney. Histopathological examination of liver tissue showed multiple small foci of predominantly mononuclear inflammatory cells. After cessation of Indigofera intake, indospicine present in plasma in the remaining three camels had a longer terminal elimination half-life (18.6 days) than muscle (15.9 days), and both demonstrated monoexponential decreases.
Venous thromboembolic disease Streiff, Michael B; Bockenstedt, Paula L; Cataland, Spero R ...
Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
11, Issue:
11
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a common and life-threatening complication among patients with cancer. Thromboprophylaxis can be used to prevent the occurrence of VTE in patients with cancer who ...are considered at high risk for developing this complication. Therefore, it is critical to recognize the various risk factors for VTE in patients with cancer. Risk assessment tools are available to help identify patients for whom discussions regarding the potential benefits and risks of thromboprophylaxis would be appropriate. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for VTE provide recommendations on risk evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of VTE in patients with cancer.
Children on the autism spectrum frequently display difficulties engaging with people and with functional tasks. A pilot, randomised control trial was completed to explore the impact of canine ...assisted occupational therapy on the on-task behaviours and goal attainment of autistic children when compared to occupational therapy sessions as usual. Twenty-two children between the ages of 4, and 6 years and 11 months, were randomly placed in either the treatment group (n-11) or waitlist control group (n = 11). Results showed that although there was a positive trend for on-task behaviour and goal attainment within the treatment group, results were not statistically significant. These results support the need for further research in the area of canine assisted occupational therapy for autistic children.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the drivers that allow for enhanced personal productivity of knowledge-based workers in Central London focusing on the physical and social environment ...as well as worker’s individual preferences.
Design/methodology/approach
A closed-ended questionnaire was sent to employees of eight professional companies (Consultancy, Financial and Media Services) based in Central London. Of the 500 questionnaires sent, 213 were successfully completed and returned, representing a response rate of 42.6 per cent.
Findings
The findings from this trial study show that comfort, convenience, IT connectivity, good design and working to a specific time scale were strong drivers of personal productivity. Knowledge workers prefer a flexible range of office settings that enable both a stimulating open and connected work environment, knowledge sharing, collaboration, as well as quiet concentration locations, free of distractions and noise. It was also found that moves of knowledge workers into open-plan office space (and especially fee earners) is normally met with initial resistance. However, there is normally greater acceptance of open space after experiencing an actual move into open-plan, with benefits improving teamwork and communication being highlighted. The research also stresses that office design considerations need to be closer aligned with knowledge worker’s overall well-being and individual psychological needs.
Research limitations/implications
Limited to Central London offices and self-assessed evaluation of productivity drivers within the knowledge worker’s office environment.
Practical implications
Corporate real estate managers and office occupiers, designers and facilities managers can use the findings as part of their workplace strategy by providing a range of flexible workplaces that allow the knowledge worker a place for greater personal productivity through the provision of a well-designed collaborative office environment alongside private and quiet working spaces. Developers and landlords should also be aware of these requirements when taking their decisions.
Originality/value
This paper focuses specifically on the high-productivity knowledge-based work environment, demonstrating that there is a need to consider the collaborative physical and social environment and the individual preferences of knowledge workers to ensure enhanced personal productivity and well-being within the office. This can be achieved through the provision of a well-designed office space that allows for open, connected and comfortable work environments, as well as opportunities to use dedicated concentration spaces that are free of distraction. It was also shown that hot-desking was unanimously disliked by knowledge workers.
Design charettes have been utilized in architectural and design practice to generate innovative ideas. The Reimagining Workshop is a version that combines practical and blue-sky thinking to improve ...healthcare facility design. The workshop engages diverse stakeholders who follow a human-centered design framework. The Reimagining the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit workshop sought to generate ideas for the future, optimal NICU without specific site or client constraints. Key themes include family-centered care, technology-enabled care, neighborhood and village design and investing in the care team. Recommendations include a supportive physical environment, celebrating milestones, complementary and alternative medicine, enhancing the transition of care, aiding the transition period, and leveraging technology. The workshop showcased the potential for transformative change in NICU design and provided a roadmap for future advancements. These findings can inform regulatory standards for NICU design and drive improvements in family-centered care, patient experiences, and outcomes within the NICU environment.
Purpose
Excessive daytime sleepiness is the most common complaint reported in sleep clinics. We hypothesised that utilising modern media to deliver an online Epworth Sleepiness Scale, age- and ...gender-related differences in subjective daytime sleepiness could be assessed.
Methods
Age, gender and online Epworth Sleepiness Scale (range 0–24 points) of 39,448 subjects were recorded between January 2013 and November 2015.
Results
A significant trend, for males but not females, was found between age and Epworth score (
p
< 0.001). Average scores were higher for female subjects in their 1st and 2nd (
p
= 0.014), 3rd (
p
< 0.011) and 4th lifetime decade (
p
= 0.011), whereas male subjects conveyed significantly higher levels of sleepiness in their 7th lifetime decade (
p
< 0.001). Individual item analysis found differences between gender; females scored significantly higher than males in items 1, 4 and 5, while male subjects had higher scores for items 3, 6, 7 and 8. Lowest levels of sleepiness were reported for item 8 and highest scores for item 5.
Conclusions
The use of an online Epworth Sleepiness Scale identifies gender- and age-specific differences and facilitates new pathways in the delivery of chronic care.
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