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This special feature concerns understanding human‐nature relations through the lens of values to comprehend how values of the natural world connect with wider processes of change, action and transformation in social‐ecological systems.The relationships between values and action have preoccupied several disciplines and multiple discourses concerned with implementing change, including sustainability and health, and conservation.Focusing on the conceptual underpinnings of how values, action and change are generally understood, this paper proposes an alternate view informed by more‐than‐human thinking and theories of social practices. In doing so, it aims to closely scrutinise the relationship between values and actions in the context of creating transformative change.In highlighting this relationship and presenting some different ways to understand it, the paper aims to contribute to deepening understanding of how to relate to, value and act for nature and how this might be encouraged.One of the most common pathways assumed to generate action is based on the idea that action is driven by values, and that in order to change action, we therefore need to change values. The paper questions the assumed relationship between values and actions and its direction, and instead posits that beginning with actions is a more productive place to start.To work through these ideas, I introduce more‐than‐human theories, focusing on theories of social practice, to discuss how these theories can change how values and actions are conceptualised, how the relationships between them can be understood, and what these ideas can mean for rethinking how to achieve social‐ecological change. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are influenced by many context‐ specific factors related to local food systems as well as social and cultural practices. Understanding these local contextual perspectives is essential for designing effective programs and policies. This paper uses focused ethnographic study methods to examine challenges experienced by mothers related to IYCF in two counties in Kenya, a country with considerable heterogeneity in agriculture, food systems, and cultures. A two‐phase qualitative study was undertaken in each of Kilifi County and West Pokot County, entailing interviews and rating activities with mothers, health workers, and vendors. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed, translated into English, coded, and analysed by topic. Results show low levels of dietary diversity in both counties; in West Pokot, the level of adequate meal frequency is also low. Core foods in young child diets included maize porridge and family foods such as ugali (stiff maize porridge), vegetables, beans, fish, and plantains. Food safety, acceptability, and acquisition ease were the main drivers of food choice. Mothers generally felt that all core foods fed to young children are healthy and safe, but there was more variability regarding child acceptance, acquisition ease, cost, and convenience. Common barriers to feeding nutrient‐dense foods to children included child illness, economic constraints, and limited knowledge of modification strategies, skills, or tools to make the foods suitable for young children. Potential actions to address these barriers include sharing information on child‐appropriate recipes; raising awareness on local, affordable nutrient‐dense foods; and improving WASH practices to reduce illness frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Zoonoses among household pets are recognized as disease and infections transmitted between animals and humans. World Health Organization‐estimated zoonotic diseases have contributed about one billion cases of illness and millions of mortalities every year. Despite the emerging and re‐emerging zoonotic disease, most pet owners are unaware of the risks posed by their pets. As there are a lack of studies assessing infections at home, this study aimed to develop and validate a cognitive, affective and behaviour questionnaire (CAB‐ZDQ) to assess household pets' zoonotic diseases. Methods: This paper covers detailed explanation on the various developmental and validation process stages of the CAB zoonotic disease questionnaire development. The development phase comprised thorough literature search, focus group discussion, expert panel assessment and review. The validation process included pre‐test and pilot testing, data analysis of results, analysis of internal consistency and the development of the final version of the questionnaire. Participants selected represented main ethnicities, gender, levels of education and population type (urban/rural) in the Klang Valley area. Results: The items in the questionnaire has undergone various changes in structurally and linguistically. The final refined CAB questionnaire consists of 14 items cognitive (no items removed at pilot phase), nine items affective (one item removed at pilot phase) and five items behaviour (no items removed from pre‐test phase), respectively. Reliability analysis revealed Cronbach's alpha values were 0.700 (cognitive) and 0.606 (affective) which indicated good internal consistency after item reduction. Conclusions: The developed questionnaire has proved its feasibility in assessing the Malaysian general population cognitive, affective and behavior regarding the household pets' zoonotic diseases. This article detailed the process of development and validation of a questionnaire used to assess Cognitive, Affective and Behaviour for humans in relation to zoonotic diseases for pets at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsive feeding has been identified as important in preventing overconsumption by infants. However, this is predicated on an assumption that parents recognise and respond to infant feeding cues. Despite this, relatively little is understood about how infants engage parental feeding responses. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to identify what is known about infant communication of hunger and satiation and what issues impact on the expression and perception of these states. A search of Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Science Direct and Maternal and Infant care produced 27 papers. Eligibility criteria included peer reviewed qualitative and/or quantitative publications on feeding behaviours, hunger, and satiation/satiety cues of typically developing children in the first 2 years of life. Papers published between 1966 and 2013 were included in the review. The review revealed that feeding cues and behaviours are shaped by numerous issues, such as infants' physical attributes, individual psychological factors and environmental factors. Meanwhile, infant characteristics, external cues and mothers' own characteristics affect how feeding cues are perceived. The existing literature provides insights into many aspects of hunger and satiation in infancy; however, there are significant gaps in our knowledge. There is a lack of validated tools for measuring hunger and satiation, a need to understand how different infant characteristics impact on feeding behaviour and a need to extricate the respective contributions of infant and maternal characteristics to perceptions of hunger and satiation. Further research is also recommended to differentiate between feeding driven by liking and that driven by hunger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective delivery strategy coupled with relevant social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) have been identified as central to the implementation of micronutrient powders (MNP) interventions, but there has been limited documentation of what works. Under the auspices of 'The Micronutrient Powders Consultation: Lessons Learned for Operational Guidance,' three working groups were formed to summarize experiences and lessons across countries regarding MNP interventions for young children. This paper focuses on programmatic experiences related to MNP delivery (models, platforms, and channels), SBCC, and training. Methods included a review of published and grey literature, interviews with key informants, and deliberations throughout the consultation process. We found that most countries distributed MNP free of charge via the health sector, although distribution through other platforms and using subsidized fee for product or mixed payment models have also been used. Community-based distribution channels have generally shown higher coverage and when part of an infant and young child feeding approach, may provide additional benefit given their complementarity. SBCC for MNP has worked best when focused on meeting the MNP behavioural objectives (appropriate use, intake adherence, and related infant and young child feeding behaviours). Programmers have learned that reincorporating SBCC and training throughout the intervention life cycle has allowed for much needed adaptations. Diverse experiences delivering MNP exist, and although no one-size-fits-all approach emerged, well-established delivery platforms, community involvement, and SBCC-centred designs tended to have more success. Much still needs to be learned on MNP delivery, and we propose a set of implementation research questions that require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct interactions with nature are important for people's health, well‐being and support for pro‐nature policies. There is an urgent need better to understand the structure and dynamics of these interactions, and how they differ among individual people, human populations and the communities to which they belong.The determinants of these interactions have two components. First are the factors that influence whether someone undertakes actions that may lead to interactions with nature (e.g. looking through a window, going for a walk, travelling to the countryside). These factors have attracted significant attention. Second are the factors that influence what nature interactions are obtained when someone is present in a situation in which these could occur. These have received little explicit attention.One way of formalizing understanding, and identifying gaps in knowledge, of the second group of factors is to consider human–nature interactions in terms of detection functions. Rather than using such functions for the estimation of species abundances, the purpose for which they were originally developed, they can be reorganized as descriptors of influences on people's nature interactions.This paper considers how the different variables contained within detection functions influence human–nature interactions, and in particular how the number of nature interactions a person has in a given place and time is shaped both by clearly 'nature'‐associated variables, such as the number of organisms present, and also by variables that are strongly influenced by characteristics of the observer, such as how they use or explore an area and their personal nature detection abilities.Many issues explored in the context of human–nature interactions are then seen to concern these component variables of detection functions, and approaches to improving the frequency of interactions seen, in effect, to be targeted at affecting change in different ones of these variables. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical studies indicate that many people across the industrial west are decreasingly inclined to respond to seasons by behaving differently during particular phases of the year and one of the most popular explanations is they are now spending more time than ever within climatically controlled indoor environments. Yet, whilst this trend has clear implications for issues that range from sustainable resource use to wider human wellbeing, little is currently known about the cultural dynamics involved and how they are subjectively experienced. This paper argues that geographers are well placed to address this issue and demonstrates one way of doing so by using concepts of social practice to examine the working lives of professional office workers in London. Superficially this group would seem to be leading the march indoors as they spend long periods cocooned within corporate blocks pumped full of mechanically conditioned air. It was therefore worth examining the degree to which they were already insulated from the experience of seasonal change and the extent to which they ever struggled against this condition. This paper does so by considering how easily they were captured by habits that effectively rendered them oblivious to this gradual environmental process. It ends by reflecting on the wider implications of this situation in terms of usefully disrupting routine behaviour and studying climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generic budgeting systems such as PPBS and Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) are criticized by academics for failing to give consideration to some of the key variables affecting behaviour in budgeting endeavours. Despite this criticism, the literature has devoted little attention to modifications that can be made to make the systems more responsive to different configurations of organizational variables. This paper addresses this oversight in regard to ZBB. In particular the paper discusses ZBB within the context of two variables: (a) the degree of task uncertainty engendered by the system and (b) the character of performance measures used to evaluate units that employ ZBB. The paper argues that ZBB materially increases the degree of task uncertainty. Configured with the type of performance measures used to evaluate departments employing ZBB, the paper maintains that the increase in task uncertainty creates incentives to engage in dysfunctional behaviour, largely in the form of invalid data reporting. It is hypothesized that this problem may be responsible for the general failure of ZBB to lead to large budget re-allocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper provides an overview of the theoretical framework of the Psychological Sciences' reviews and describes how improved psychological research can foster our understanding of mental health and mental disorders in a complementary way to biomedical research. Core definitions of the field and of psychological interventions and treatment in particular are provided. The work group's consensus regarding strength and weaknesses of European Union (EU) research in critical areas is summarized, highlighting the potential of a broader comprehensive 'Behaviour Science programme' in forthcoming programmatic EU funding programmes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Healthcare professionals have an important role in advocating for the adoption of a brain‐healthy lifestyle for optimal multiple sclerosis (MS) care. Nonetheless, studies to date have mainly focussed on the consumer perspective. Herein, we aimed to explore the current practices of how healthcare professionals support protective, lifestyle‐related behaviour changes to optimise brain health among people living with MS (plwMS), and their perspectives of professional roles. Methods: Australian healthcare professionals were recruited via study advertisements, purposive and snowball sampling, to participate in an online, semi‐structured and audio‐recorded interview. Clinicians were eligible if they had a minimum of a tertiary Bachelor's degree and 12‐months experience working with plwMS, access to the Internet and sufficient time to participant. An inductive, data‐driven form of reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken before thematic categorisation of the quotes from transcripts. Data analysis was guided by the methods of Braun and Clark and the study's underpinnings drew on the constructs of the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Results: Six physicians, 10 MS nurses, 18 allied health professionals, one exercise therapist and one alternative therapist were interviewed. Three primary themes encompassing the perceived role of healthcare professionals in supporting a brain‐healthy lifestyle were identified: (1) the empowering role, (2) collaborative role and (3) communicative role. External factors/forces including time constraints, professional expertise, training and skill set, power dynamics, consumer readiness, health literacy, self‐efficacy and motivation are at play, and affect how/when healthcare professionals may support behaviour change to optimise lifelong brain health for plwMS. Conclusion: Healthcare professionals recognise their critical role in encouraging and supporting the adoption of a brain‐healthy lifestyle to optimise lifelong brain health for plwMS. However, discord is evident when they underestimate the complexity of translating knowledge of lifestyle‐related behaviour change(s) into action. Greater awareness must be made in recognising and addressing the bidirectionality of external factors such as those in the SCT, that may influence how behaviour change occurs. Public Contribution: Healthcare professionals volunteered to be interviewed as part of the data collection phase of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A high incidence of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) was found in Saudi Arabia (SA). International literature reports that children with CHD exhibit behavioural and emotional issues due to experiencing hospitalisation and clinical treatments combined with a dearth of qualitative understanding of the experiences of younger children with CHD. Therefore, the aim was to explore the behaviour and emotions of 4–10‐year‐olds with CHD in SA through children's accounts of their own experiences and parental proxy reports of children's behaviour and emotions. Methods: Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory (GT) approach was used. Twenty single semi‐structured interviews of 10 child/parent dyads were undertaken at a hospital clinic in SA. Children's interviews were combined with an arts‐based approach using drawings, pictures and faces of emotions (emojis). Constant comparison analysis was undertaken. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines was followed in reporting this study. Findings: A substantive GT: children's behavioural and emotional reactions towards stressors related to living with CHD was developed and provides new insights into children's and parents' perceptions of the children's behavioural and emotional reactions to living with CHD in SA. The theory proposes that children's reactions to living with CHD relate to medical treatment stressors, sociocultural stressors and physical change stressors. Several further factors influenced children's responses to these stressors. Conclusion: Children and parents in SA contributed to a new understanding of the relationship between CHD and children's behavioural and emotional reactions. In addition, findings support the need for early assessment of behaviour and emotions among children with CHD and the application of preventative and supportive measures for the children and their families in SA. Patient or Public Contribution: Before the research commenced, the developmental appropriateness of the proposed arts‐based data collection tools was tested with three healthy children aged 6–9 years old; the tools were then revised accordingly before the interviews were undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Immobilization of rats is required in many psychological and physiological experiments. The aim of the current paper was to invent a universal device allowing for adaptation of rats of a wide age range and to maximize convenience for in vivo exposure to optical radiation under not-anaesthetized conditions. Methods: Eighty-three 6-week-old and three 18-week-old Sprague-Dawley albino female rats were progressively familiarized daily with the restraining device 5 days prior to exposure to acquire a conditioned response and to reduce stress. After initial habituation, 10 min preceding the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, the animal was fixed in the rat restrainer. Each unanaesthetized animal was unilaterally exposed to a single dose of 8 kJ/m2 UVR-300 nm for 15 min. Three of the 6-week-old and three of the 18-week-old rats were in vivo exposed to UVR once for 10 consecutive days. Results: All rats acclimatized well to immobilization in the restrainer. Young rats adapted quicker than older rats. The device prevented head movement and body rotation, which allowed for uncomplicated single as well as repeated in vivo exposures to UVR. Conclusions: The restrainer effectively immobilizes unanaesthetized rats in the age range 6-18 weeks old, making it useful in future projects involving chronic repeated in vivo exposure of the eye to UVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary 1. The problems of vertebrate pests are greater now than ever before, with vertebrate control constrained by problems of humaneness, scale and environmental impact. However, immunocontraception involves a conceptually ideal solution. Although not intrinsically novel, its delivery in baits or by a self-spreading vector and its effectiveness in pest control, are now the focus of growing international interest. 2. Major ecological questions correspond to the two forms of delivery: baits and vectors. First, given an effective immunocontraceptive, inserted into a bait and eaten by a pest, would the resulting level of sterilization in the population effectively suppress densities? Secondly, given that the immunocontraceptive agent can be inserted into a microparasitic or macroparasitic infective vector, would the modified vector persist at sufficient prevalence in the host population, and hence suppress densities to the required extent? 3. The papers published in this Special Profile focus on behaviour following sterilization or they model the likely impact of viral-vectored immunocontraception. They highlight advantages and disadvantages of immunocontraception and some general, novel and specific issues. These include the possibility of behaviourally mediated population responses to fertility control; the possible advantages of a mixed baiting and vector strategy; the competitiveness of a modified vector; the appropriateness of immunocontraception for controlling invasive vertebrates on islands; and the need for a ‘pay-off’ methodology for assessing genetic modifications against alternatives. 4. The findings offer significant benefits for management and policy: they will inform decisions on whether to pursue immunocontraception as a control option, and they provide evidence about efficacy and risk in applications to release genetically modified vectors. 5. Although many of the problems in developing immunocontraception technology are... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many individuals worldwide continue to take benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRAs) long term (≥3 months). The aim of this study was to conduct a content analysis of the views and experiences of discontinuing long‐term BZRA use as documented in the free‐text responses of respondents to an online questionnaire examining mediators of behaviour change relating to the discontinuation of long‐term BZRA use. Design: The questionnaire was disseminated via online BZRA support groups to community‐based adults with either current or previous experience of long‐term BZRA use. The four free‐text questions focused on (1) barriers and (2) facilitators to discontinuing BZRA use; (3) additional supports required to discontinue BZRA use; and (4) additional comments regarding BZRA use. Response data were analysed using summative content analysis. Results: The most commonly reported barrier to BZRA discontinuation related to the consequences of stopping the medication, including withdrawal symptoms and the possibility of return of the original symptoms. The most common facilitator that respondents reported would help them in discontinuing BZRA use was support, primarily from medical professionals. Many respondents reported having been harmed or negatively affected in some way because of BZRA use. Several respondents expressed regret over ever taking BZRAs and/or reported that, with the benefit of hindsight, they should never have taken BZRAs in the first instance. Conclusion: The findings highlight the range of barriers faced by those attempting BZRA discontinuation and the importance of additional supports. Holistic and person‐centred approaches are needed to support discontinuation of long‐term BZRA use that considers an individual's personal circumstances and wider social context. Patient or Public Contribution: 'Experts by experience' with previous experience of long‐term BZRA use were involved in developing the questionnaire and writing the manuscript as collaborators. Individuals with lived experience of taking BZRAs completed the questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trainability in dogs is affected by learning aptitude and memory capacity. While this trait has a heritable basis in canines, the specific genetic loci responsible for it remain unknown. Our previous results suggested that the BDNF, CCK and TAC1 genes are associated with learning and memory in canines. Experimental validation is crucial to confirm the effects of these candidate genes on trainability. Understanding the genetic foundation of this trait would offer insight into the inheritance pattern of complex behavioural characteristics. Objective: This study aimed to assess the genetic variations within candidate genes and explore their potential associations with behavioural phenotypes in dogs. Methods: The behavioural characteristics of 123 male Belgian Malinois dogs were assessed using a customised questionnaire. Target regions of candidate genes were screened for genetic variation by single‐strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP). Following that, SSCP banding patterns were sequenced, and putative transcription factor binding sites were predicted using bioinformatics tools. Quantitative association analysis between identified genetic variants and behavioural trait scores was performed using the general linear model (GLM). Results: Sequencing the coding and flanking regions revealed three mutations (c.‐89C>T, c.‐162G>C and c.*33T>A) in the dog TAC1 gene. Bioinformatics analysis predicted two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were located within the putative TAC1 promoter and could disrupt transcription factor binding sites. Statistical tests revealed that the c.‐89C>T was significantly associated with excitability (p < 0.01), while the c.‐162G>C was significantly associated with trainability level (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In summary, we identified two regulatory SNPs in the 5'‐UTR promoter region of the TAC1 gene that are associated with excitability and trainability in Belgian Malinois dogs. These genetic variations have the potential to alter the binding sites of transcription factors NRF1 and OTX1, consequently influencing TAC1 expression and related behavioural characteristics. Our findings implicate TAC1 polymorphisms as candidates influencing breed‐specific behavioural characteristics in canines. Further studies on diverse breeds of dogs are necessary to validate these SNPs' effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Despite the consequences of neonatal distress and agitation, preterm infants undergo stress owing to weighing procedures. The objective of this study was to enable very low birth weight infants to maintain adequate self‐regulation during weighing. Design: This prospective crossover study utilizes a within‐subjects design, where intervention days were compared to control days. Method: Infants were exposed to both swaddled and unswaddled weighing in an intensive care nursery setting. Nineteen very low birth weight infants were weighed on two consecutive days. Variables of heart rate, respiratory rate and ALPS‐Neo score were recorded. Results: Stress score decreased significantly from 1.65 (pre‐weight) to 0.23 (weight measurement) in swaddled‐intervention periods; conversely, it increased significantly from 1.26 (pre‐weight) to 4.97 (weight measurement) in control periods. During weight measurement, heart and respiratory rate were significantly lower for swaddled‐intervention days when compared to control days. Given the significant impact of swaddled weighing in reducing stress, this method can be used as an appropriate weighing procedure in intensive care. This research has no patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Prescribing is a complex task and a high risk area of clinical practice. Poor prescribing occurs across staff grades and settings but new prescribers are attributed much of the blame. New prescribers may not be confident or even competent to prescribe and probably have different support and development needs than their more experienced colleagues. Unfortunately, little is known about what interventions are effective in this group. Previous systematic reviews have not distinguished between different grades of staff, have been narrow in scope and are now out of date. Therefore, to inform the design of educational interventions to change prescribing behaviour, particularly that of new prescibers, we conducted a systematic review of existing hospital-based interventions. Methods Embase, Medline, SIGLE, Cinahl and PsychINFO were searched for relevant studies published 1994-2010. Studies describing interventions to change the behaviour of prescribers in hospital settings were included, with an emphasis on new prescibers. The bibliographies of included papers were also searched for relevant studies. Interventions and effectiveness were classified using existing frameworks and the quality of studies was assessed using a validated instrument. Results Sixty-four studies were included in the review. Only 13% of interventions specifically targeted new prescribers. Most interventions (72%) were deemed effective in changing behaviour but no particular type stood out as most effective. Conclusion Very few studies have tailored educational interventions to meet needs of new prescribers, or distinguished between new and experienced prescribers. Educational development and research will be required to improve this important aspect of early clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer simulation of human personalities is presented using standing ovation as an example of human social behaviour. Five personality components are used to influence behaviour. The experiment has proven the efficacy of basing a nonlinear dynamic system simulation on precepts derived from personality traits. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Land snail dispersal abilities are considered poor; however, the current invasion of the French Mediterranean region by Xeropicta derbentina (Krynicki 1836), as well as the past invasions of this region by several other species, seems to contradict this view. 2. Using a multilevel approach, from individual experimentation to landscape analysis, the dispersal abilities and mechanisms allowing the passive dispersal of X. derbentina are studied. 3. The colonization of Provence occurred by stratified diffusion, where short-range active dispersal occurs side by side with long-range passive dispersal. 4. Active dispersal is not as limited as previously thought. In the field, the capture–mark–recapture method recorded a maximum distance covered of 42 m in 6 months within a radius of 38 m from the original release point. 5. Temperature and humidity, and therefore the time of year, influence the main type of dispersal. Dispersal is active during wet periods and essentially passive in dry and hot months. 6. Heat avoidance behaviour is one of the mechanisms allowing passive dispersal. 7. Passive dispersal via human activities is the main determinant of X. derbentina distribution within the landscape. In comparison to other species, X. derbentina is found more often in the vicinity of a communication route. 8. These results show that land snails can cover large distances in a lifetime. The potential for active and passive dispersal described in this paper enables X. derbentina to be a successful invasive species and explains the rapid spread and current distribution of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Methods in Ecology & Evolution is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

1. The functional significance of floral traits in Linum pubescens (Linaceae), a Mediterranean annual that is pollinated almost exclusively by the bee-fly Usia bicolor (Bombyliidae), was investigated. The flies feed on both pollen and nectar, and use the flowers as mating rendezvous sites in the afternoon. 2. Choice experiments with model flowers were used to determine the response of U. bicolor to visual cues, such as shape, size, colour and pattern. 3. Bee-flies strongly preferred models with a dissected outline over models with a simple outline. They also preferred pink models over other colours, and larger models over smaller models. 5. Flies landing on models with converging lines (‘nectar guides’) tended to follow the lines to the point where they meet in the centre of the model, while flies landing on plain models showed undirected behaviour, often moving to the edge of the model. 6. Flies were strongly attracted to flowers of L. pubescens which had a fly glued on to one of the petals, as well as flowers with a dark spot painted onto one of the petals. In addition, models with a dark spot were strongly preferred over plain models during the afternoon when flies exhibit mating behaviour. This evidence suggests that the dark centre of the L. pubescens flower may function as an attractant to mate-seeking bee-flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trilobites were notably flexible in the moulting behaviours they employed, producing a variety of moult configurations preserved in the fossil record. Investigations seeking to explain this moulting variability and its potential impacts are few, despite abundant material being available for study. We present the first quantitative study on moulting in a single trilobite species using a dataset of almost 500 moult specimens of Estaingia bilobata from the Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4) Emu Bay Shale, South Australia. Specimens were categorized by moulting mode (Salter's or Sutural Gape) and their associated configurations, and their body proportions measured from both a museum collection (including a bycatch sample) and a randomly‐collected field sample. This enabled analysis of the proportion of E. bilobata specimens displaying the Sutural Gape and Salter's modes of moulting and their different configurations, and tests for association between moulting behaviour and body proportions. The results show a wide range of E. bilobata moulting configurations in all samples, suggesting that configurations represent definable instances in a largely continuous spectrum of variation. Analyses comparing body proportions of specimens showing the two modes of moulting were non‐significant, suggesting there is no true association between moulting behaviour and body proportion, except for a single significant result for body length. All results were relatively consistent between the museum and field samples. However, removing accessioned specimens from the museum sample brought results even further in line with the field sample, supporting the need for consideration of museum collection bias in palaeontological analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of e‐flipped and online case‐based workshops on the nurses' knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding thalassemia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Design: A pre‐test–posttest interventional study was conducted with two intervention groups and a control group. Methods: One hundred and fifty nurses were recruited from comprehensive urban health centres in June–December 2020. The nurses were randomly allocated to one of the three groups: case‐based e‐flipped workshop (n = 50), case‐based online workshop (n = 50) and control (n = 50). A researcher‐made questionnaire was completed by eligible subjects at baseline, after the end of the training sessions and 4 weeks after interventions to assess their knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Data were analysed in IBM SPSS v16.0. ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc tests were used to compare the three groups. Results: The mean knowledge, attitude and behaviour scores in the intervention groups increased significantly more than that in the control group (p <.001). One week and 4 weeks following the intervention, the mean score of knowledge, attitude and behaviour in the e‐flipped group was greater than that in the online group (p <.001). According to the results, e‐flipped and online case‐based workshops can improve nurses' knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding thalassemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To develop and validate a questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, behaviour and care preference of family members of Chinese older adults related to palliative care. Design: A descriptive study design and STROBE checklist were applied in this research. Methods: The theoretical framework of the questionnaire was knowledge–attitude–behaviour model. An additional dimension of palliative care preference of family members was set up in the questionnaire. Items were generated from a rapid review of international literature and interviews with 61 family members of the older adults living either in an aged care service organization or the community. The content validity was examined by five experts. A preliminary questionnaire with 69 items was then set up, and its psychometric property was assessed. Results: A final version of questionnaire with 42 items under four dimensions was constructed. The content validity index of the overall questionnaire was 0.93 and of each item ranged 0.80–1.00. The factor loading of all items was higher than 0.50 as per exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis; the average variance extracted for each dimension was higher than 0.50; the composite reliability was higher than 0.90; and the absolute value of the correlation coefficient of each dimension was <0.50 and less than the square root of the average variance extracted. The Cronbach's alpha value and the split‐half reliability value of the overall questionnaire were 0.93 and 0.97, respectively. Conclusions: This questionnaire has good validity and reliability, but needs further testing in multi‐centered settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?Are renal changes occurring post‐nephrectomy accompanied by cognitive changes, and does early administration of zinc supplements such as ZnSO4 to uninephrectomized rats ameliorate the renal and cognitive changes if present?What is the main finding and its importance?Uninephrectomy‐induced renal changes were accompanied by species‐atypical behaviour in rats in both Morris water maze and T maze tests, together with hypozincaemia and hippocampal inflammatory and oxidative changes. Early zinc administration to uninephrectomized rats ameliorated the renal, behavioural, hippocampal and serum zinc changes. Cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized as an important consequence of kidney disease in humans. Kidney donation is a safe procedure but is known to increase the long‐term risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease. Whether kidney donation impairs cognitive function is not known. In the present study, we examined whether the renal changes occurring post‐nephrectomy were accompanied by cognitive changes as well, and whether early administration of zinc supplements such as ZnSO4 to uninephrectomized (UNX) rats could ameliorate the renal and cognitive changes if present. The present study included 30 adult male Wistar rats that were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 10 per group): sham‐operated rats, UNX and UNX treated with ZnSO4 for 20 weeks. Before termination, rats were subjected to 24‐h urine collection and behavioural testing with the Morris water maze and T maze tests. UNX induced significant proteinuria, renal functional, fibrotic and oxidative changes, as well as increased renal desmin expression. UNX rats also showed significant behavioural changes indicating spatial learning and memory affection, together with decreased hippocampal brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and antioxidant capacity, and increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), nitric oxide and malondialdehyde. In addition, UNX induced significant hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia, as well as significant reduction in serum zinc, copper and selenium. Early administration of ZnSO4 starting 1 week post‐nephrectomy significantly ameliorated renal and behavioural changes, as well as hippocampal oxidative, BDNF and GFAP changes. Additionally, Zn recovered serum changes of triglycerides, cholesterol, zinc and copper. Therefore, early administration of zinc to humans undergoing nephrectomy may be of benefit and should be considered in human trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non‐breeding season presents significant energetic challenges to birds that breed in temperate or polar regions, with clear implications for population dynamics. In seabirds, the environmental conditions at non‐breeding sites drive food availability and the energetic cost of regulatory processes, resulting in variation in diet, behaviour and energetics; however, very few studies have attempted to understand if and how these aspects vary between populations. We investigated whether non‐breeding location influenced diet, behaviour and energetics in the common guillemot Uria aalge. We studied guillemots from four UK breeding colonies, two located on the west coast of Scotland and two on the east. We quantified non‐breeding distribution, foraging behaviour and activity budgets of 39 individuals from July to March, using geolocation–immersion loggers and time‐depth recorders, and used feather stable isotope signatures to infer diet during the post‐breeding moult. We calculated energy expenditure and investigated whether the peak (an indicator of the potential vulnerability to marine threats) varied between colonies. Individuals were spatially segregated according to the coastline they breed on, with west coast guillemots distributed off the west coast of the UK and east coast guillemots distributed off the east coast. Diet and behaviour were more similar in guillemots that shared a breeding coastline than those that did not, as west coast guillemots foraged at a lower trophic level, spent less time diving and engaged in more pelagic foraging than east coast guillemots. However, energy expenditure was remarkably similar between colonies, peaking during late February/early March, indicating that, during our study period, there was high synchrony between colonies in the timing of potential vulnerability to marine threats. Therefore, any anthropogenic changes that result in decreased food availability or increased energy expenditure during late winter may have greater impacts on energy balance, with consequences for population dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At 33% of under‐5s, stunting rates in Rwanda remain stubbornly high, as do figures for maternal (25% of pregnant women) and childhood anaemia (37%). Intensive communication and education campaigns have provided caregivers with high levels of knowledge about best practices in Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), but this is not translating into the improved diets which could contribute to reducing rates of stunting. Deploying an anthropological approach via multi‐module Focused Ethnographic Studies carried out within household case studies, the research team sought to understand drivers of suboptimal feeding practices in a sample of 30 households across all of Rwanda's districts. The sample included households with pregnant women as well as children in the 6–60 month age range. Analysed against a framework of proximal and underlying causes of under‐nutrition, our results reveal gaps in the knowledge‐capability‐practice chain resulting from decisions and prioritisations taken by caregivers and heads‐of‐household. Pregnant women and mothers of young children possess high levels of knowledge about feeding themselves and their young children, but this is not reflected in decision‐making and prioritisation around the acquisition and feeding of animal source foods, whose consumption is low among both groups. This was found to be true even in households which own and raise livestock. Turning to policy and programmes, we argue for a move towards incentivized human capital programming focusing on the 'last mile' behaviour change which is needed to translate knowledge and capability into better dietary choices. Key messages: Results of this study point to a combination of behavioural drivers of under‐nutrition, particularly in infants and young children. Results reveal gaps in the knowledge‐capability‐practice chain resulting from decisions and prioritizations taken by caregivers.We are seeking a shift towards greater diversity of micronutrient‐rich foods including more animal source foods in the diets of pregnant and lactating women and young children. Household level behavioural change, reinforced by social norm change at the community level, is required to help caregivers make better decisions around both cultivar and market choices.In policy and programme terms, we argue for a move towards incentivized human capital programming focusing on the 'last mile' behaviour change which is needed to translate both knowledge and capability into better dietary choices and prioritisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptation of organisms to a rhythmic environment is mediated by an internal timing system termed the circadian clock. In mammals, molecular clocks are found in all tissues and organs. This circadian clock network regulates the release of many hormones, which in turn influence some of the most vital behavioural functions. Sleep–wake cycles are under strict circadian control with strong influence of rhythmic hormones such as melatonin, cortisol and others. Food intake, in contrast, receives circadian modulation through hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, insulin and orexin. A third behavioural output covered in this review is mating and bonding behaviours, regulated through circadian rhythms in steroid hormones and oxytocin. Together, these data emphasize the pervasive influence of the circadian clock system on behavioural outputs and its mediation through endocrine networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Understanding the ecology and evolution of personality and cognition requires the development of new tools to measure individual and species differences in behavioural and cognitive performances in wild populations. Furthermore, such tools should facilitate collection of large sample sizes, evaluate the repeatability of measured traits and allow direct comparison of species performances across a variety of behavioural tasks. 2. Here we present a RFID-based feeder (OpenFeeder) designed to run visual cognitive tasks in wild animals. We illustrate the flexibility of the tool showing performances of three wild passerine species (Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus and Poecile palustris) in an associative learning task. 3. We recorded performances of a large number of individuals (>300) in the wild and showed both interspecific and intraspecific differences in associative learning. We also found moderate to high repeatability in individual differences in associative learning in each species. 4. We show that the OpenFeeder is a flexible tool to record performance in multiple cognitive and behavioural tasks in free-ranging animals across a variety of passerine species. The design, firmware and software are open source to facilitate use in a wide variety of species and thus allow continuous improvement of the system and development of new behavioural and cognitive tasks. In doing so, we hope that this tool will be used by a large community of cognitive ecologists and comparative psychologists for both within and across species studies. Furthermore, our system should facilitate replication of results across populations along large-scale environmental gradients to improve our understanding of the role ecology plays in the evolution of cognitive traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Long‐term benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use persists in healthcare settings worldwide and poses risks of patient harm. Objective: This study aimed to develop an intervention to support discontinuation of long‐term BZRA use among willing individuals. Methods: The intervention development process aligned with the UK Medical Research Council's complex intervention framework. This involved a previous systematic review of brief interventions targeting long‐term BZRA use in primary care and qualitative interviews based on the Theoretical Domains Framework that explored barriers and facilitators to discontinuing long‐term BZRA use. A codesign approach was used involving an active partnership between experts by experience, researchers and clinicians. Intervention content was specified in terms of behaviour change techniques (BCTs). Results: The SAFEGUARDING‐BZRAs (Supporting sAFE and GradUAl ReDuctIon of loNG‐term BenZodiazepine Receptor Agonist uSe) toolkit comprises 24 BCTs and includes recommendations targeted at primary care‐based clinicians for operationalizing each BCT to support individuals with BZRA discontinuation. Conclusion: The SAFEGUARDING‐BZRAs toolkit has been developed using a systematic and theory‐based approach that addresses identified limitations of previous research. Further research is needed to assess its usability and acceptability by service users and clinicians, as well as its potential to effectively support safe and gradual reduction of long‐term BZRA use. Patient or Public Contribution: The qualitative interview phase included patients as participants. The codesign process included 'experts by experience' with either current or previous experience of long‐term BZRA use as collaborators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid prototyping of an evidence-based tool Stakeholders were then invited to evaluate an online interactive tool for biodiversity assessments on New Zealand farms (MacLeod et al., 2018). Factors anticipated to influence tool engagement behaviour Our analysis of stakeholder feedback (encompassing 255 discussion points) identified 14 contextual factors (18 of those in the ISM tool) expected to influence uptake and use of the biodiversity assessment tool (Figure 1b). Keywords: behaviour; biodiversity; data governance; evidence; human thinking; interventions; participatory action research; prototype tools EN behaviour biodiversity data governance evidence human thinking interventions participatory action research prototype tools 428 444 17 04/06/22 20220401 NES 220401 INTRODUCTION Sustainability assessment has been criticised for focusing too much on refining sustainability criteria or monitoring tools rather than identifying mechanisms to ensure their successful uptake and application to improve sustainability outcomes (Collins et al., 2007; de Olde et al., 2018; Schindler et al., 2015; Whitehead et al., 2020). The stakeholder discussions covered: (a) whether the tool was easy to use and understand; (b) whether the tool provided useful information; (c) how they envisaged the tool being used; (d) how the tool could be improved to better meet their own or others' needs; and (e) whether they would like to see this tool adapted to address other management issues. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Existing interventions to reduce long‐term benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use lack theoretical underpinning and detailed descriptions. This creates difficulties in understanding how interventions work and how to replicate them in practice. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) can be used to identify behaviour change determinants to target during intervention development. Objective: To explore barriers and facilitators to discontinuing BZRA use from the perspective of both current and previous long‐term BZRA users. Design/Setting and Participants: Semistructured TDF‐based interviews were conducted with community‐based individuals with current or previous experience of long‐term BZRA use. Data were recorded, transcribed and analysed using the framework method. Results: Twenty‐eight individuals were interviewed. Despite commonalities in perceived barriers/facilitators to discontinuing BZRA use within individual TDF domains, individual participants had different experiences of identified determinants of BZRA discontinuation. For example, both similarities and differences existed within and between each participant group in terms of knowledge of the appropriate duration of BZRA use ('Knowledge' domain) and experience of withdrawal symptoms ('Reinforcement' domain). Compared to previous users, current users typically anticipated more barriers to discontinuing BZRA use and fewer positive consequences of discontinuation. Conclusion: This study reports on barriers and facilitators to discontinuing BZRA use from the perspectives of current and previous long‐term users. The findings highlight the challenging nature of BZRA discontinuation and a multitude of barriers that impact participants' behaviour regarding BZRA use. Future work will involve developing a theory‐based intervention to support BZRA discontinuation in primary care. Patient Contribution: The study included patients as participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species can affect the ecosystems they colonize by modifying the behaviour of native taxa; for example, avoidance of chemical cues from the invader may modify habitat use (shelter site selection) by native species. In laboratory trials, we show that metamorphs of most (but not all) native frog species on a tropical Australian floodplain avoid the scent of invasive cane toads ( Bufo marinus Linnaeus 1758). Cane toads also avoid conspecific scent. This response might reduce vulnerability of metamorph frogs and toads to larger predatory toads. However, similar avoidance of one type of pungency control (garlic), and the presence of this avoidance behaviour in frogs at the toad invasion front (and hence, with no prior exposure to toads), suggest that this may not be an evolved toad-specific response. Instead, our data support the simpler hypothesis that the metamorph anurans tend to avoid shelter sites that contain strong and unfamiliar scents. Temporal and spatial differences in activity of frogs versus toads, plus the abundance of suitable retreat sites during the wet season (the primary time of frog activity), suggest that avoiding toad scent will have only a minor impact on the behaviour of native frogs. However, this behavioural impact may be important when environmental conditions bring toads and frogs into closer contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Austral Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Methods in Ecology & Evolution is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We have examined the effects of herbivore diversity on parasitoid community persistence and stability, mediated by nonspecific information from herbivore-infested plants. First, we investigated host location and patch time allocation in the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata in environments where host and/or nonhost herbivores were present on Brassica oleracea leaves. Parasitoids were attracted by infochemicals from leaves containing nonhost herbivores. They spent considerable amounts of time on such leaves. Thus, when information from the plant is indistinct, herbivore diversity is likely to weaken interaction strengths between parasitoids and hosts. In four B. oleracea fields, all plants contained herbivores, often two or more species. We modelled parasitoid–herbivore communities increasing in complexity, based on our experiments and field data. Increasing herbivore diversity promoted the persistence of parasitoid communities. However, at a higher threshold of herbivore diversity, parasitoids became extinct due to insufficient parasitism rates. Thus, diversity can potentially drive both persistence and extinctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overexploitation for consumption of meat from wild animals in urban centres currently threatens numerous species across the globe. Indiscriminate offtake to satisfy demand for wild meat affects a range of wildlife of conservation concern in Vietnam. It is essential to understand the consumption of wild meat in Vietnam in order to ensure it is not detrimental to wild species.We apply the principles of target audience segmentation to a sample of 384 respondents who had consumed wild meat in the previous year in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We carried out a cluster analysis to divide wild meat consumers into subgroups considering demographic, behavioural and psychographic variables.We found three consumer groups: Classic Consumers (older, less educated), Up‐and‐coming Professionals (younger, wealthier, more educated) and Students. Compared to Students, Classic Consumers and Up‐and‐coming Professionals were significantly more likely to have paid for their meal at wild meat restaurants and to have ordered a combination of wild meat and other types of food rather than other types of food only.Classic Consumers match previous characterisations of wild meat consumers, but the other two groups should also be considered in demand reduction campaigns. As Students appear to have limited influence on restaurant/food choices in certain social contexts and less propensity to eat wild meat, Up‐and‐coming Professionals may be an important target group.A wide variety of species are consumed in wild meat restaurants. Some, such as pangolins, are of conservation concern and were consumed by 5% of our respondents. This is potentially an unsustainable level of consumption.Our study showcases an audience segmentation approach to understanding wildlife consumers and provides insights for behavioural interventions and further research to curtail demand for wild meat in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where it is of conservation concern. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of People & Nature is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Predation is one of the most important ecological factors determining the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Among the various strategies used by predators to obtain food, there are those in which they take advantage of the vulnerability of the prey during its foraging bouts. An unexplored example of this strategy is the interaction between vertebrate pollinators and ambush predators. Despite the reports of arboreal tarantulas preying on hummingbirds, little is known about the behaviour of these birds in the presence of their predators. Thus, our study sought to investigate hummingbird behaviour against potential opportunist predators during their search for food resources. We used Heliconia velloziana as a mutualist model, in which, we separated plant flowers in two groups – plants with predators and plants without predators – in order to observe the behaviour of pollinators during their foraging activity. The rate of visitation was also indirectly estimated based on residual nectar and pollen. Our results show that hummingbirds initially avoided contact with the predator, but later they visited both groups indiscriminately. The results suggest that these birds do not have counter‐adaptations to identify invertebrate ambush predators as a threat. Since such predators are generalists and the events of predation are sporadic, they do not exert selective pressures strong enough to lead to the development of evasive behaviours. We conclude that hummingbirds are potential prey for opportunistic ambush predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the process of daily going outside in a nursing home garden and explore the effect of garden use on quality of life and neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons with dementia. Design: A feasibility study with quantitative and qualitative approaches. Methods: Twenty residents with a diagnosis of moderate‐to‐severe dementia participated. The intervention consisted of at least 30 min of garden use, whereby any activity outside is possible as long as it is person‐centred and fitting within usual daily nursing home practice. Interviews were held with caregivers, and questionnaires were sent to other disciplines involved. Quality of life (QUALIDEM) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI‐NH) were collected at baseline, intervention and postintervention. Results: Caregivers experienced and observed benefits of going outside for themselves, in residents and relatives. Incorporating daily garden use does not imply an additional task, but rather rearranging priorities and doing the usual activities outside a part of the time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This pilot study aimed to investigate whether a 4‐week programme of intermittent high‐intensity training (HIT) will improve counterregulatory responses and improve hypoglycaemia awareness in adults with type 1 diabetes who have been exposed to recurrent hypoglycaemia. Methods: Adults with type 1 diabetes who have been exposed to recurrent hypoglycaemia will be recruited from NHS Tayside, Scotland. All participants have a 4‐week run‐in period to optimize glycaemic control and to receive instruction in hypoglycaemia avoidance using insulin dose adjustment and real‐time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Following this, they will undergo a baseline 90‐minute hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemic clamp to assess symptomatic, cognitive and hormonal counterregulatory responses. Subsequently, participants will be randomized in a parallel‐group design to either undergo a 4‐week intervention with HIT or to no exercise with both groups using CGM throughout and receiving additional advice on hypoglycaemia avoidance. Participants in the HIT arm of the trial will be instructed to exercise 3 times a week on a cycle ergometer and asked to achieve ≥ 90% max heart rate during each period of exercise. On completion of the intervention period, all subjects then undergo a second matched hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemic clamp study. Discussion: This pilot study will determine whether high‐intensity exercise may offer a novel approach to restore hypoglycaemic awareness in type 1 diabetes (International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials No: ISRCTN15373978). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative review aims to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on actors that link global aquatic food production systems with fish consumption and nutritional status, with a special focus on adolescent girls in Bangladesh. The writing of this narrative perspective was undertaken within the framework of the Aquatic Food for Health and Nutrition (AQN) project that aimed to develop a metric for assessing the impacts on nutrition and health of agroecosystems producing farmed seafood. Previous studies evaluating links between agricultural ecosystems, aquaculture, food security and human health have systemically ignored the importance of diet and nutrition. Such studies have also ignored the importance of local communities, cultural norms and household composition and behaviours to identify vulnerable groups such as adolescent girls. This narrative review presents our current understanding of the relationships between aquaculture, fish production and consumption patterns, food security, optimal nutrition and health. It also highlights the importance of research into aquaculture food systems, linking aquatic food production systems with nutritional status, health and socioeconomic prosperity, which would help to develop more integrated and relevant food policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of many diseases depends on the demography and dispersal of arthropod vectors. Classic epidemiological theory typically ignores vector dynamics and instead makes the simplifying assumption of frequency‐dependent transmission. Yet, vector ecology may be critical for understanding the spread of disease over space and time and how disease dynamics respond to environmental change.Here, we ask how environmental change shapes vector demography and dispersal, and how these traits of vectors govern the spatiotemporal spread of disease.We developed disease models parameterised by traits of vectors and fit them to experimental epidemics. The experiment featured a viral pathogen (CYDV‐RPV) vectored by aphids Rhopalosiphum padi among populations of grass hosts Avena sativa under two rates of environmental resource supply (i.e. fertilisation of the host). We compared a non‐spatial model that ignores vector movement, a lagged dispersal model that emphasises the delay between vector reproduction and dispersal, and a travelling wave model that generates waves of infections across space and time.Resource supply altered both vector demography and dispersal. The lagged dispersal model fit best, indicating that vectors first reproduced locally and then dispersed globally among hosts in the experiment. Elevated resources decreased vector population growth rates, nearly doubled their carrying capacity per host, increased dispersal rates when vectors carried the virus, and homogenised disease risk across space.Together, the models and experiment show how environmental eutrophication can shape spatial disease dynamics—for example, homogenising disease risk across space—by altering the demography and behaviour of vectors. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points: Photoinhibition of endogenous activity of lateral hypothalamic orexin neurons causes place preference and reduces innate avoidanceEndogenous activity of orexin neurons correlates with place preferenceMediobasal hypothalamic Agrp neurons inhibit orexin neurons via GABA, and chemogenetic suppression of Agrp neurons increases avoidance in an orexin receptor‐dependent manner. Hypothalamic orexin/hypocretin neurons integrate multiple sensory cues and project brain‐wide to orchestrate diverse innate behaviours. Their loss impairs many context‐appropriate actions, but the motivational characteristics of orexin cell activity remain unclear. We and others previously approached this question by artificial orexin stimulation, which could induce either rewarding (positive valence) or aversive (negative valence) brain activity. It is unknown to what extent such approaches replicate natural/endogenous orexin signals, which rapidly fluctuate during wakefulness. Here we took an alternative approach, focusing on observing and silencing natural orexin cell signals associated with a fundamental innate behaviour, self‐paced spatial exploration. We found that mice are more likely to stay in places paired with orexin cell optosilencing. The orexin cell optosilencing also reduced avoidance of places that mice find innately aversive. Correspondingly, calcium recordings revealed that orexin cell activity rapidly reduced upon exiting the innately aversive places. Furthermore, we provide optogenetic evidence for an inhibitory GABAergic Agrp→orexin hypothalamic neurocircuit, and find that Agrp cell suppression increases innate avoidance behaviour, consistent with orexin disinhibition. These results imply that exploration may be motivated and oriented by a need to reduce aversive orexin cell activity, and suggest a hypothalamic circuit for fine‐tuning orexin signals to changing ethological priorities. Key points: Photoinhibition of endogenous activity of lateral hypothalamic orexin neurons causes place preference and reduces innate avoidanceEndogenous activity of orexin neurons correlates with place preferenceMediobasal hypothalamic Agrp neurons inhibit orexin neurons via GABA, and chemogenetic suppression of Agrp neurons increases avoidance in an orexin receptor‐dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dental disease is highly prevalent in people with stroke. Stroke survivors regard oral hygiene as an important, yet neglected, area. The aim was to explore experiences of and barriers to oral care, particularly in relation to oral hygiene practice and dental attendance, among stroke survivors in the community. Methods: This was a qualitative study incorporating a critical realist approach. Interviews were conducted with community‐dwelling stroke survivors requiring assistance with activities of daily living, and focus groups were held with health and care professionals. Interviews and focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Twenty‐three stroke survivors were interviewed, and 19 professionals took part in 3 focus groups. Professionals included nurses, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, professional carers and dental staff. Interviews revealed difficulties in carrying out oral hygiene self‐care due to fatigue, forgetfulness and limb function and dexterity problems. Routine was considered important for oral hygiene self‐care and was disrupted by hospitalization resulting from stroke. Professionals highlighted gaps in staff training and confidence in supporting patients with oral care. Access to dental services appeared particularly problematic for those who were not registered with a dentist pre‐stroke. Conclusion: Oral hygiene routines may be disrupted by stroke, and resulting disabilities may make regular oral self‐care more difficult. This study has identified specific barriers to oral hygiene self‐care and dental service access. Findings from this study are feeding into the development of an intervention to support stroke survivors with oral care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In November 2017, a high‐intensity storm caused a catastrophic flash flood that devastated the city of Mandra, in Greece, and led to the tragic loss of 24 people. The storm caused flooding in the two main tributaries of the basin, creating two very similar hydrological responses with similar flood characteristics that hit two different environments: one within the city and one outside. This work examines the fatal incidents that occurred in relation to the characteristics of the surrounding environment, to investigate the role of the latter in flood mortality. Then, the analysis carried out for the 2017 flood is expanded to a broader database of flood deaths for Greece (1960–2018) for comparison. Results show that certain mortality characteristics differ substantially depending on the setting. Outdoor incidents are more abundant in nonurban environments, in which victims exhibit mostly an active or risk‐taking behaviour against the imminent risk. Urban environments are characterised by a greater diversity of victim activities, higher percentages of indoor deaths, especially for older victims and more passive behaviours. Overall, the study presents evidence on how risk situations develop differently between urban and nonurban settings. Findings are relevant in shaping policy and education programs aiming to mitigate risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We generally assume that animals should maximize information acquisition about their environment to make prudent decisions. But this is a naïve assumption, as gaining information typically involves costs.This is especially so in the social context, where interests between interacting partners usually diverge. The arms race involved in mutual assessment is characterized by the attempt to obtain revealing information from a partner while providing only as much information by oneself as is conducive to one's own intentions.If obtaining information occasions costs in terms of time, energy and risk, animals should be selected to base their decisions on a cost–benefit ratio that takes account of the trade‐off between the risk of making wrong choices and the costs involved in information acquisition, processing and use.In addition, there may be physiological and/or environmental constraints limiting the ability to obtaining, processing and utilizing reliable information.Here, we discuss recent empirical evidence for the proposition that social decisions are to an important extent based on the costs that result from acquiring, processing, evaluating and storing information. Using examples from different taxa and ecological contexts, we aim at drawing attention to the often neglected costs of information recipience, with emphasis on the potential role of sensory ecology and cognition in social decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A dental therapy dog may help anxious patients in the dental clinic overcome their fear and facilitate the completion of necessary dental care. Dental clinic activities are associated with hazards that may pose potential risks to the health and safety of the dental therapy dog. Objectives: To describe potential hazards associated with risks to health and safety to therapy dogs in dental clinics and to present suggestions for risk minimisation by adopting best practices in dental clinic settings. Materials and method: Literature searches in Medline, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar for qualitative and quantitative assessments of occupational hazards and risks in dental clinics, in combination with a review of the reference list of the included studies. Identified hazards and risks were analysed relative to their relevance for the health and welfare of a therapy dog present in a dental clinic setting. Results: Workplace hazards in the dental clinic that apply to both humans and therapy dogs are allergies, sharps injury, eye injury, stress, rhinitis, hearing impairment, and other hazards. Additional concerns associated with risks for the dental therapy dog are situations involving erratic patient behaviour and threats if the patient is an undisclosed disease carrier. Risks to the health and safety of the dental therapy dog in the clinics are present but are low if the dental clinical staff and dog handlers comply with best practices. Conclusions: Best practice includes awareness amongst the clinic staff and the dog handler of all potential hazards in the dental clinic and on how to reduce these hazards as well as adverse events that may scare the dental therapy dog. The dental therapy dog team must be specially trained to work in a dental clinic. Each treatment session has to be exclusively tailored to that specific appointment and the individual patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Approximately 6% of flowering plant species possess flowers with anthers that open through small pores or slits. Extracting pollen from this type of specialised flower is achieved most efficiently by vibrating the anthers, a behaviour that has evolved repeatedly among bees. Here I provide a brief overview of the study of vibrations produced by bees and their effects on pollen release. I discuss how bee morphology and behaviour affect the mechanical properties of vibrations, and how floral traits may influence the transmission of those vibrations from the bee to the anther, thus mediating pollen release, and ultimately bee and plant fitness. I suggest that understanding the evolution of buzz pollination requires a study of the biomechanics of bee vibrations and their transmission on flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]