Eavesdropping on the Arctic: Automated bioacoustics reveal dynamics in songbird breeding phenology.

Bioacoustic networks could vastly expand the coverage of wildlife monitoring to complement satellite observations of climate and vegetation. This approach would enable global-scale understanding of how climate change influences phenomena such as migratory timing of avian species. The enormous data sets that autonomous recorders typically generate demand automated analyses that remain largely undeveloped. We devised automated signal processing and machine learning approaches to estimate dates on which songbird communities arrived at arctic breeding grounds. Acoustically estimated dates agreed well with those determined via traditional surveys and were strongly related to the landscape's snow-free dates. We found that environmental conditions heavily influenced daily variation in songbird vocal activity, especially before egg laying. Our novel approaches demonstrate that variation in avian migratory arrival can be detected autonomously. Large-scale deployment of this innovation in wildlife monitoring would enable the coverage necessary to assess and forecast changes in bird migration in the face of climate change.

Therapists' Perceptions of Application and Implementation of AM-PAC "6-Clicks" Functional Measures in Acute Care: Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) "6-Clicks" tools are functional measures used in acute care. No studies have identified reactions and perceptions of therapists in implementing these measures. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore therapists' perceptions regarding the application and implementation of AM-PAC "6-Clicks" tools. DESIGN: This study used a qualitative design with thematic analysis. METHODS: A convenience sample of 13 physical therapists and occupational therapists participated in semistructured telephone interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded, after which thematic analysis was used to determine common themes. RESULTS: Five themes were identified: (1) unclear purpose, (2) lack of confidence in scoring, (3) too simple for decision making or generalizing patient function, (4) no effect on clinical routine, and (5) potential for communicating patient function across disciplines. LIMITATIONS: Participants came from one health care system. A relatively small percentage of staff agreed to participate in this study, and additional interviews might have revealed new themes. CONCLUSIONS: As participants in this study implemented the AM-PAC "6-Clicks" tools, they considered the role of the measures, how they fit within the context of practice, and their value. They also were concerned with the accuracy and feasibility of the tools. The tools were accepted as potentially valuable to assist administrative decisions and research; however, they were not perceived as particularly useful for routine patient care. Participants lacked complete confidence in the reliability of their scoring and expressed concern that the scores might be substituted for their clinical decision making. They also felt that the tools were too simple to fully reflect patients' overall function and were not useful alone for discharge planning. Participants believed the tools had the potential to be used for communication among colleagues about patients' physical function.