Environmental variables drive spatial patterns of trophic diversity in mammals.

Understanding environmental drivers of species diversity has become increasingly important under climate change. Different trophic groups (predators, omnivores and herbivores) interact with their environments in fundamentally different ways and may therefore be influenced by different environmental drivers. Using random forest models, we identified drivers of terrestrial mammals' total and proportional species richness within trophic groups at a global scale. Precipitation seasonality was the most important predictor of richness for all trophic groups. Richness peaked at intermediate precipitation seasonality, indicating that moderate levels of environmental heterogeneity promote mammal richness. Gross primary production (GPP) was the most important correlate of the relative contribution of each trophic group to total species richness. The strong relationship with GPP demonstrates that basal-level resource availability influences how diversity is structured among trophic groups. Our findings suggest that environmental characteristics that influence resource temporal variability and abundance are important predictors of terrestrial mammal richness at a global scale.

Weighted Vest Loads Do Not Elicit Changes in Spatial-Temporal Gait Parameters in Children and Adolescents With Autism.

Weighted vests have been used primarily as behavioral interventions for children and adolescents with autism. Contemporary research has begun to examine weighted vest effects on movement. Previous research in children with neurotypical development revealed 15% body mass loads modified spatial-temporal gait characteristics; however, a value applicable to children and adolescents with autism has not been established. The purpose of this study was to establish an appropriate mass value by examining spatial-temporal gait parameters in children and adolescents with autism with various loads in a weighted vest. Nine children and adolescents with autism, aged 8-17, walked without a weighted vest, with 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% body mass while spatial-temporal data were captured. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (α = .05) were conducted among conditions for each variable, with a Holm-Bonferroni method correction. Analysis revealed significant decreases in right step length, but no differences in stride width, left step length, double-limb support time, or stride velocity were observed. Due to insignificant findings, an appropriate mass value could not be determined for weighted vests for children with autism. However, unchanged spatial-temporal gait parameters with increasing loads could be clinically relevant as weighted vest loads of 10% are typically used for behavioral interventions.

Children With Autism Exhibit More Individualized Responses to Live Animation Biofeedback Than Do Typically Developing Children.

Children with autism have displayed imbalances in responding to feedback and feedforward learning information and they have shown difficulty imitating movements. Previous research has focused on motor learning and coordination problems for these children, but little is known about their motoric responses to visual live animation feedback. Thus, we compared motor output responses to live animation biofeedback training in both 15 children with autism and 15 age- and sex-matched typically developing children (age range: 8-17 years). We collected kinematic data via Inertial Measurement Unit devices while participants performed a series of body weight squats at a pre-test, during live animation biofeedback training, and at post-test. Dependent t-tests (α = 0.05), were used to test for statistical significance between pre- and post-test values within groups, and repeated measures analyses of variance (α = 0.05) were used to test for differences among the training blocks, within each group. The Model Statistic technique (α = 0.05) was used to test for pre- and post-test differences on a single-subject level for every participant. Grouped data revealed little to no significant findings in the children with autism, as these participants showed highly individualized responses. However, typically developing children, when grouped, exhibited significant differences in their left hip position (p = 0.03) and ascent velocity (p = 0.004). Single-subject analyses showed more individualistic live animation responses of children with autism than typically developing children on every variable of interest except descent velocity. Thus, to teach children with autism new movements in optimal fashion, it is particularly important to understand their individualistic motor learning characteristics.

Lesser magnitudes of lower extremity variability during terminal swing characterizes walking patterns in children with autism.

BACKGROUND: Anecdotally, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have highly variable lower extremity walking patterns, yet, this has not been sufficiently quantified. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine walking pattern variability by way of lower extremity coordination and spatio-temporal characteristics in children with autism compared with individuals with typical development during over-ground walking. METHODS: Bilateral continuous relative phase variability was computed for the thigh-leg, leg-foot, and thigh-foot segment couples for 11 children with autism and 9 children with typical development at each gait sub-phase. Furthermore, left and right stride lengths and stride width were computed and compared. The Model Statistic was utilized to test for statistical differences in variability between each child with autism to an aggregate group with typical development. Effect sizes were computed to determine the meaningfulness between responses for children with autism and typical development. Coefficient of variation and effect sizes were computed for stride lengths and stride width. FINDINGS: Analysis revealed that children with autism exhibited differences in variability in each gait sub-phase. Notably, all but two children with autism exhibited lesser variability in all segment couples during terminal swing. Differences in stride lengths were relatively minimal, however, greater coefficient of variation magnitudes in stride width were observed in children with autism. INTERPRETATION: This finding reveals that children with autism may have limited or a preferred movement strategy when preparing the foot for ground contact. The findings from this study suggest variability may be an identifiable characteristic during movement in children with autism.

Computer interactions during walking workstation use moderately affects spatial-temporal gait characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Due to increased sedentary workstyles, active workstations have shown the ability to increase activity while only moderately affecting work ability. However, previous examinations have not examine fine motor mousing tasks on tripping descriptors. RESEARCH QUESTION: What affect do mousing tasks of varying target size have on tripping descriptors during walking workstation use? METHODS: Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected while participants used a walking workstation completing one baseline and three mousing conditions of varying target sizes. RESULTS: Target size main effects (p < 0.001) detected decreased stride length in all experimental conditions, which were supported by moderate effect sizes, and decreased stance width and time in double limb support (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Stance width differences resulted in large effect sizes between baseline and all conditions, while only moderate effect sizes were observed between time in double limb support in baseline compared to all conditions. No changes in knee flexion range of motion were observed in response to target size (p = 0.278). SIGNIFICANCE: These results indicate that walking workstation users shorten their stride length and decrease their base of support while completing mousing tasks. The placement of the upper extremities on the workstation desk likely acted as the primary mechanism to increase stability. It is concluded that performing mousing tasks of varying target size using a walking workstation does not pose greater risk for adverse gait events.

Injuries and Safe Communities Accreditation: Is there a link?

Safe Communities (SC) is a global movement that brings together community stakeholders to collaboratively address injury concerns. SC accreditation is a formal process through which communities are recognized for strengthening local injury prevention capacity. Six million Americans live in 25 SC sites, but no research has been done to understand the model's potential impact on this population. This study explored the temporal relationship between SC accreditation and injury trends in three SC sites from the state of Illinois-Arlington Heights, Itasca, and New Lenox. Hospitalization data, including patient demographics, exposure information, injury outcomes, and economic variables, were obtained from a statewide hospital discharge database for a 12-year period (1999-2011). Joinpoint regression models were fitted to identify any periods of significant change, examine the direction of the injury trend, and to estimate monthly percent changes in injury counts and rates. Poisson random-intercept regression measured the average total change since the official SC accreditation for the three communities combined and compared them to three matched control sites. In joinpoint regression, one of the SC sites showed a 10-year increase in hospitalization cases and rates followed by a two-year decline, and the trend reversal occurred while the community was pursuing the SC accreditation. Injury hospitalizations decreased after accreditation compared to the pre-accreditation period when SC sites were compared to their control counterparts using Poisson modeling. Our findings suggest that the SC model may be a promising approach to reduce injuries. Further research is warranted to replicate these findings in other communities.