scholarly journals Group Size of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins (Sousa chinensis): An Examination of Methodological and Biogeographical Variances

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingming Liu ◽  
Mingli Lin ◽  
Xiaoming Tang ◽  
Lijun Dong ◽  
Peijun Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
Near Shore ◽  
Sousa Chinensis ◽  
Potential Factors ◽  
True Group ◽  
Size Estimates

Observer-based counts and photo-identification are two well-established methods with an extensive use in cetacean studies. Using these two methods, group size has been widely reported, especially for small dolphins. Both methods may come with potential errors in estimating the group size, yet there is still a lack of comparison between both methods over a broad range of group size. Particularly, biogeographical variances in group size estimates were often mixed with methodological variances, making it difficult to compare estimates from different geographic regions. Here, group size estimates of a small, shallow-water, and near-shore delphinid species, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), were simultaneously sampled using observer-based counts and photo-identification at three regions in the northern South China Sea. Data showed that dolphin group size from two methods were highly variable and associated with sampling regions. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) indicated that dolphin group size significantly differed among regions. Statistical examinations further demonstrated dolphin group size could be affected by a complex combination of methodological and biogeographical variances. A common hurdle to examine potential factors influencing the estimation process is the inability to know the true group size at each sample. Therefore, other methods that could generate comparable estimates to represent true group size are warranted in future studies. To conclude, our findings present a better understanding of methodological and biogeographical variances in group size estimates of humpback dolphins, and help yield more robust abundance and density estimation for these vulnerable animals.

scholarly journals Predictors of Urgent Cancer Care Clinic and Emergency Department Visits for Individuals Diagnosed with Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 1773-1789
Author(s):  
Kathleen Decker ◽  
Pascal Lambert ◽  
Katie Galloway ◽  
Oliver Bucher ◽  
Marshall Pitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Median Number ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Planning Service ◽  
Care Clinic ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Acute Complications ◽  
Ed Visits

In 2013, CancerCare Manitoba (CCMB) launched an urgent cancer care clinic (UCC) to meet the needs of individuals diagnosed with cancer experiencing acute complications of cancer or its treatment. This retrospective cohort study compared the characteristics of individuals diagnosed with cancer that visited the UCC to those who visited an emergency department (ED) and determined predictors of use. Multivariable logistic mixed models were run to predict an individual’s likelihood of visiting the UCC or an ED. Scaled Brier scores were calculated to determine how greatly each predictor impacted UCC or ED use. We found that UCC visits increased up to 4 months after eligibility to visit and then decreased. ED visits were highest immediately after eligibility and then decreased. The median number of hours between triage and discharge was 2 h for UCC visits and 9 h for ED visits. Chemotherapy had the strongest association with UCC visits, whereas ED visits prior to diagnosis had the strongest association with ED visits. Variables related to socioeconomic status were less strongly associated with UCC or ED visits. Future studies would be beneficial to planning service delivery and improving clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Anaemia among the Elderly in Malaysia and Its Associated Factors: Does Ethnicity Matter?

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muslimah Yusof ◽  
S. Maria Awaluddin ◽  
Maisarah Omar ◽  
Noor Ani Ahmad ◽  
Fazly Azry Abdul Aziz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Demographic Information ◽  
Point Of Care Testing ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
History Of ◽  
Potential Factors ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Introduction. Anaemia is common among the elderly, yet it remains an underresearched clinical condition. This study investigates ethnic differences in prevalence of anaemia and identifies potential factors associated with anaemia in the elderly. Methods. Data from the National Health & Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2015 conducted by Ministry of Health was analyzed. Haemoglobin levels were measured using point-of-care testing, HemoCue® Hb 201+ System©, from consenting individuals. Demographic information and other clinical information were obtained through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted and significant results were presented as adjusted odds ratio. Results. A total of 3794 participants aged 60 years and older responded to the anaemia module with a response rate of 93.7%. 64.0% of respondents were of Malay ethnicity, 21.6% were Chinese, 6.1% were Indians, and 8.3% were of other ethnicities. The overall prevalence of anaemia among older people was 35.3%. The highest prevalence of anaemia was found among respondents of Indian ethnicity (45.5%). The Indian (aOR: 1.72; 95% CI 1.26–2.34) and Malay (aOR: 1.25; 95% CI 1.04–1.49) ethnic groups were more likely to be anaemic in comparison to those of Chinese ethnicity. Anaemia in older people was also associated with increasing age, history of hospital admission, and the presence of diabetes mellitus. Conclusion. Anaemia in the elderly is associated with Indian and Malay ethnicities, increasing age, hospitalization, and diabetes. Our study has identified important information on a common condition which will guide and assist future studies in reducing the burden of anaemia.

scholarly journals Genome Size Dynamics in Marine Ribbon Worms (Nemertea, Spiralia)

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1347
Author(s):  
Juraj Paule ◽  
Jörn von Döhren ◽  
Christina Sagorny ◽  
Maria A. Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Genome Size ◽  
Evolutionary Rate ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Recent Common Ancestor ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Most Recent Common Ancestor ◽  
Upper Intertidal ◽  
Developmental Traits ◽  
Important Basis ◽  
Size Estimates

Nemertea is a phylum consisting of 1300 mostly marine species. Nemertea is distinguished by an eversible muscular proboscis, and most of the species are venomous. Genomic resources for this phylum are scarce despite their value in understanding biodiversity. Here, we present genome size estimates of Nemertea based on flow cytometry and their relationship to different morphological and developmental traits. Ancestral genome size estimations were done across the nemertean phylogeny. The results increase the available genome size estimates for Nemertea three-fold. Our analyses show that Nemertea has a narrow genome size range (0.43–3.89 pg) compared to other phyla in Lophotrochozoa. A relationship between genome size and evolutionary rate, developmental modes, and habitat was found. Trait analyses show that the highest evolutionary rate of genome size is found in upper intertidal, viviparous species with direct development. Despite previous findings, body size in nemerteans was not correlated with genome size. A relatively small genome (1.18 pg) is assumed for the most recent common ancestor of all extant nemerteans. The results provide an important basis for future studies in nemertean genomics, which will be instrumental to understanding the evolution of this enigmatic and often neglected phylum.

scholarly journals Accuracy and precision of dolphin group size estimates

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Gerrodette ◽  
Wayne L. Perryman ◽  
Cornelia S. Oedekoven
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Accuracy And Precision ◽  
Size Estimates

scholarly journals Application of Machine Learning Methods in Nursing Home Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6234
Author(s):  
Soo-Kyoung Lee ◽  
Jinhyun Ahn ◽  
Juh Hyun Shin ◽  
Ji Yeon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Logistics Regression ◽  
Accuracy Measure ◽  
Automated Knowledge ◽  
Potential Factors

Background: A machine learning (ML) system is able to construct algorithms to continue improving predictions and generate automated knowledge through data-driven predictors or decisions. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare six ML methods (random forest (RF), logistics regression, linear support vector machine (SVM), polynomial SVM, radial SVM, and sigmoid SVM) of predicting falls in nursing homes (NHs). Methods: We applied three representative six-ML algorithms to the preprocessed dataset to develop a prediction model (N = 60). We used an accuracy measure to evaluate prediction models. Results: RF was the most accurate model (0.883), followed by the logistic regression model, SVM linear, and polynomial SVM (0.867). Conclusions: RF was a powerful algorithm to discern predictors of falls in NHs. For effective fall management, researchers should consider organizational characteristics as well as personal factors. Recommendations for Future Research: To confirm the superiority of ML in NH research, future studies are required to discern additional potential factors using newly introduced ML methods.

Evidence of interactions between sharks and Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphins ( Sousa chinensis ) in the northern South China Sea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agathe Serres ◽  
Wenzhi Lin ◽  
Eric E. G. Clua ◽  
Mingli Lin ◽  
Mingming Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
South China ◽  
Northern South China Sea ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Sousa Chinensis

Patterns of association among female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in a population forming large groups

Behaviour ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1013-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miki Nishita ◽  
Miki Shirakihara ◽  
Masao Amano
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Association Measure ◽  
Remarkable Feature ◽  
Tursiops Aduncus ◽  
Large Group ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Large Groups

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) around Amakusa-Shimoshima, Japan form large groups of >100 individuals, a remarkable feature of this population, which is much larger than previously studied bottlenose dolphins. Using photo-identification data collected on 33 days in 2012, associations among 70 females were investigated using two scales of association measure (photograph- and group-based association) to know whether they associate based on their reproductive status, as is typically observed in other populations with smaller group size. Significant differences in associations between females of the same reproductive status category and those in different categories were detected, and a female that lost her calf within a year decreased associations with females with calves of the same age. These suggests that even in a population with large group size, the reproductive status of females is one of the factors influencing their associations.

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Angolan and Gulf of Guinea waters, tropical West Africa

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (8) ◽  
pp. 1601-1611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline R Weir ◽  
Tim Collins ◽  
Inês Carvalho ◽  
Howard C. Rosenbaum
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Orcinus Orca ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Killer Whales ◽  
External Appearance ◽  
Tropical Waters ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
Mola Mola

Killer whales Orcinus orca are considered to be relatively uncommon in tropical waters. Few sightings have been reported from the west coast of Africa due to a paucity of survey coverage. We present data on 32 killer sightings from tropical waters off Angola (N = 18), Gabon (N = 7), São Tomé (N = 6) and Cameroon (N = 1), comprising a combination of dedicated survey sightings (N = 21) and reliable anecdotal records (n = 11). Killer whales were reported from coastal waters, the shelf edge and deep, oceanic areas. Sightings indicate a probable year-round occurrence of killer whales within the region. Mean group size was 5.6 animals. There was no difference in group size between sightings in waters >200 m deep and those on the continental shelf. No photo-identification matches were found between Angola, Gabon and São Tomé. Re-sightings of two individuals occurred annually in São Tomé during 2002–2004. Killer whales had external appearance consistent with the Type A nominate species form. Antagonistic encounters were recorded between killer whales and humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae off Angola, Gabon and Cameroon, and with sperm whales Physeter macrocephalus off Angola. Predation on ocean sunfish Mola mola was recorded in São Tomé, and possible predation on sharks was recorded twice in Gabon.

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