Boosting biodiversity monitoring using smartphone-driven, rapidly accumulating community-sourced data.

Comprehensive biodiversity data is crucial for ecosystem protection. The Biome mobile app, launched in Japan, efficiently gathers species observations from the public using species identification algorithms and gamification elements. The app has amassed >6 million observations since 2019. Nonetheless, community-sourced data may exhibit spatial and taxonomic biases. Species distribution models (SDMs) estimate species distribution while accommodating such bias. Here, we investigated the quality of Biome data and its impact on SDM performance. Species identification accuracy exceeds 95% for birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians, but seed plants, molluscs, and fishes scored below 90%. Our SDMs for 132 terrestrial plants and animals across Japan revealed that incorporating Biome data into traditional survey data improved accuracy. For endangered species, traditional survey data required >2000 records for accurate models (Boyce index ≥ 0.9), while blending the two data sources reduced this to around 300. The uniform coverage of urban-natural gradients by Biome data, compared to traditional data biased towards natural areas, may explain this improvement. Combining multiple data sources better estimates species distributions, aiding in protected area designation and ecosystem service assessment. Establishing a platform for accumulating community-sourced distribution data will contribute to conserving and monitoring natural ecosystems.

The internet has allowed people to share their experiences through images, videos or audio recordings. This has led to the creation of online communities around a variety of topics, including biodiversity. In 2019, a smartphone app, called Biome, was created to fuel biodiversity engagement by making wildlife surveying an easy and fun activity via gamification and assisted species identification through image recognition and ecological analyses. These types of observations are essential for understanding biological communities and species habitats, and they can indicate where and when species occur. Across Japan, Biome has gathered over 6.5 million observations of different species. For biologists, this type of data is extremely useful because it is continuous and enables advanced statistical estimations of species distributions. The fact that the approach is enjoyable to the user also means more people are willing to participate, lowering the barriers to collecting data about biodiversity loss. However, questions remain regarding whether community-sourced data is robust enough for scientific purposes. To address this, Atsumi et al. investigated the quality of occurrence data collected in Biome. The researchers found that community identification of birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians all exceeded 95% in accuracy. However, the accuracy fell for harder-to-judge seed plants, molluscs and fish species, ranging below 90%. Atsumi et al. also compared how estimated distributions of each species changed when only scientific data was used, versus when it was combined with community data. To perform this analysis, the scientists recognized variations in observation efforts across different locations and individuals and adjusted for these biases in their estimations. They found that adding community-sourced data significantly improved the accuracy of species distribution estimations, including endangered species. Atsumi et al. demonstrate that Biome data is useful when deciding which areas to designate as protected in terms of biodiversity. Additionally, these data can provide guidance for stakeholder-informed ecosystem service assessments. The element of rapid and reliable data collection can contribute to growing positive attitudes towards nature and biodiversity, The platform's community-driven nature also indicates an increase in biodiversity awareness and may link to crafting informative socio-environmental policy commitments.

Effectiveness of Intensive Rehabilitation Therapy on Functional Outcomes After Stroke: A Propensity Score Analysis Based on Japan Rehabilitation Database.

AIM: To examine the association of the amount of rehabilitation with functional gains of elderly stroke patients at a convalescent rehabilitation ward using propensity score analysis methods and the Japan Rehabilitation Database. METHODS: This study was a retrospective cohort study. From the database, 6875 patients who were admitted to the convalescent rehabilitation wards with stroke were identified. After excluding 4586 patients, 2325 were eligible for the study. Intensive rehabilitation therapy (IRT) was defined as rehabilitation therapy of more than 15 hours per week by a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and/or a speech therapist. Functional Independence Measure (FIM) gain, discharge rate to home, and FIM efficiency were examined using student's t test and the χ2 test after inverse probability weighting (IPW). RESULTS: IRT was provided to 862 patients (37.1%). The unadjusted data showed that patients in the IRT group had a longer hospital stay, more physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy. After adjustment for IPW, the baseline characteristics were found to be closely matched between the 2 groups. The IRT group showed significantly higher motor FIM gain, cognitive FIM gain, FIM gain, and discharge rate to home. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that a longer rehabilitation time per week was associated with increased functional gain in elderly stroke patients at convalescent rehabilitation wards.

Rate of torque development and the risk of falls among community dwelling older adults in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Rate of torque development (RTD) is defined as the slope of the torque-time curve obtained during an isometric contraction. Several studies have shown that RTD is lower in fallers than in nonfallers. However, these studies had small sample size and was not adjusted confounding factors. RESEARCH QUESTION: Is RTD associated with falls history in healthy community dwelling older adults. METHODS: This was cross-sectional study. In total, 122 participants aged ≥65 (mean, 71.3 ± 4.4) years were recruited for this study. We assessed RTD, muscle strength, functional capacity, and physical activity. We assessed RTD over the first 200 ms of the maximal isometric contraction, whereby the onset of contraction was deemed as the point at which torque had risen 4 Nm above the baseline. Differences between the 3 groups (no fall group, single fall group and multiple falls group) were examined using one-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test. A post-hoc Bonferroni or Games-Howell test was used to assess the differences between the individual groups. A multivariate multinomial logistic model was built using the factors associated with the fall category. RESULTS: RTD was significantly different between the no fall group and multiple falls group (P = 0.047). Similarly, RTD was significantly different between the single fall group and multiple falls group (P = 0.016). RTD was associated with both the no fall group and single fall group (odds ratio = 2.05, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-3.97, odds ratio = 2.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-4.98, respectively) in multinomial logistic regression. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first study to investigate the relationship between RTD and falls history in community-dwelling older adults in multivariate analysis. RTD is more strongly associated with falls history than other performance measures in community-dwelling elderly.

The impact of malnutrition on efficacy of resistance training in community-dwelling older adults.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have focused on the effect of resistance training under conditions of malnutrition in older adults requiring long-term care. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of nutritional status in older adults on resistance training-induced changes in physical performance. METHODS: A total of 91 community-dwelling older adults participated in 24 weeks of resistance training. Participants used the 60% of one repetition maximum for three sets of 10 repetitions for resistance training. Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF), Barthel Index, and grip strength were measured before and after the resistance training. The participants were classified into three groups according to the MNA-SF score at baseline (0 to 7 as malnutrition group, 8 to 11 as at risk group, and 12 to 14 as well-nourished group). RESULTS: In comparing the preintervention and postintervention changes in functional fitness of the groups, there was a significant Group × Time interaction for SPPB scores (F = 11.59, p < 0.01), 4-m walk speed (F = 5.87, p < 0.01), and grip strength (F = 3.27, p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that well-nourished group was significantly more likely to improvement of physical function (odds ratio 3.08, 95% confidence interval [1.54, 6.15], p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results of study revealed that malnutrition was an independent negative factor of effects of resistance training in older adults. These results suggested that effects of resistance training may be affected by the nutritional state.

Prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with activities of daily living among japanese nursing home residents.

Sarcopenia is an important predictor of adverse outcomes in elderly people. Based on a common clinical experience, sarcopenia may be associated with activities of daily living (ADL). To our knowledge, no study has investigated the association between sarcopenia and ADL in nursing home residents requiring long-term care. This cross-sectional study included 250 nursing home residents. Nutritional status, physical function, ADL and cognitive function were assessed using Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Barthel Index (BI) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). To examine the factors that may affect self-care capacity, a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 45.2%. Age, MMSE, MNA-SF, SPPB, and grip strength were independently associated with BI. A high prevalence of sarcopenia was observed among nursing home residents in Japan. However, sarcopenia was not associated with ADL.

Coexisting severe frailty and malnutrition predict mortality among the oldest old in nursing homes: A 1-year prospective study.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of coexisting severe frailty and malnutrition with all-cause mortality among the oldest old in nursing homes. This study was conducted among all subjects (n=160) aged 85 years and older who lived in two nursing homes of Japan. Information about the health status of participants was gathered from history, medical documentation, test assessing frailty, according to the Canadian Study of Health and Aging-Clinical Frailty Scale (CSHA-CFS) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). Seventy five residents (46.9%) were identified as affected by coexisting severe frailty and malnutrition. After a 12-month follow-up period, 42 (26.3%) residents died. In the Cox regression analysis, coexisting severe frailty and malnutrition, and heart failure were associated with mortality during the 12-month follow-up period among the oldest old nursing home residents (adjusted HR 10.89, 95% CI 4.04-29.33, p<0.0001; and adjusted HR 7.83, 95% CI 3.25-18.88, p<0.0001, respectively). The present study suggests that coexisting severe frailty and malnutrition are very frequent, and coexisting severe frailty and malnutrition are associated with all-cause mortality among the oldest old in nursing homes.

Supine effect of passive cycling movement induces vagal withdrawal.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine changes in vagal tone during passive exercise while supine. [Subjects and Methods] Eleven healthy males lay supine for 5 min and then performed passive cycling for 10 min using a passive cycling machine. The lower legs moved through a range of motion defined by 90° and 180° knee joint angles at 60 rpm. Respiratory rates were maintained at 0.25 Hz to elicit respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Heart rate variability was analyzed using the time domain analysis, as the root mean squared standard differences between adjacent R-R intervals (rMSSD), and spectrum domain analysis of the high frequency (HF) component. [Results] Compared to rest, passive cycling decreased rMSSD (rest, 66.6 ± 92.6 ms; passive exercise, 53.5 ± 32.5 ms). However, no significant changes in HR or HF were observed (rest, 68.2 ± 6.9 bpm, 65.6 ± 12.0 n.u.; passive exercise, 70.2 ± 7.2 bpm, 67.9 ± 10.0 n.u.). [Conclusion] These results suggest that passive exercise decreases rMMSD through supine-stimulated mechanoreceptors with no effect on HR or HF. Therefore, rMSSD is not affected by hydrostatic pressure during passive cycling in the supine position.

Relationship between physical activity and the very low-frequency component of heart rate variability after stroke.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between high physical activity (PA) and function of the autonomic nervous system, which is important in the prognosis after stroke. We hypothesized a positive association between PA and the very low-frequency (VLF) component of heart rate variability (HRV). METHODS: Eight patients participated in this study. PA was measured using an accelerometer, and HRV was measured using a heart rate monitor. RESULTS: A significant and positive relationship was observed between the VLF component of HRV and PA. A significant negative relationship was observed between the VLF component of HRV and the duration of inactivity. No significant relationship was identified between the low-to-high frequency ratio of HRV and between the high-frequency component of HRV and PA. CONCLUSIONS: A positive correlation was observed between the VLF component of HRV and PA in stroke patients. Therefore, the VLF component of HRV links PA to cardiovascular prognosis.

Age-associated changes in the level of physical activity in elderly adults.

[Purpose] This study aimed to clarify how light-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity physical activity in older adults changes with age, subdividing physical activity according to intensity levels, by using an accelerometer. [Subjects] Older adults living independently in the community were included (n = 106, age: 65-85 years). [Methods] A triaxial accelerometer was used to measure the amount of light-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity physical activity (1-2.9, 3-5.9, and ≥6 metabolic equivalents, respectively) and inactive time over 7 days. Light- and moderate-intensity physical activity levels were further subdivided into 1-1.9, 2-2.9, 3-3.9, and 4-5.9 metabolic equivalents, respectively. [Results] The amount of moderate-intensity physical activity at both sub-levels showed significant inverse correlations with age (r = -0.34, -0.33, respectively), but this was not seen with other levels. Both levels of moderate-intensity physical activity were independently predicted by age using multiple regression analysis adjusted for gender and body mass index. [Conclusion] These results suggest that understanding the reduction in moderate-intensity physical activity with age in older adults, subdivided according to intensity level, could be a useful index to increase the amount of higher intensity physical activity in stages, considering individual health conditions.

Direct and indirect effects of nutritional status, physical function and cognitive function on activities of daily living in Japanese older adults requiring long-term care.

AIM: To identify the direct and indirect effects of nutritional status, physical function, and cognitive function on activities of daily living in Japanese older adults requiring long-term care. METHODS: In total, 179 participants aged ≥ 65 years who were eligible for long-term care insurance (mean age 85.5 ± 7.8 years) were recruited for this study. Nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment, Short Form) and physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery) were examined. Activities of daily living, cognitive function and frailty were assessed using the Barthel Index, Mini-Mental State Examination and Clinical Frailty Scale, respectively. Path analysis was used to determine relationships between these factors and the activities of daily living. RESULTS: For Japanese older adults requiring long-term care, pathways were modeled for nutritional status, physical function and the activities of daily living. The total effect of nutritional status was 0.516 (P<0.001). The indirect effect of nutritional status through physical function on the activities of daily living was 0.458 (P<0.001). Finally, no significant direct effect of nutritional status on activities of daily living was observed (b=0.058, P=0.258). CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified the complex pathway from nutritional status to the activities of daily living through physical function in aged Japanese people requiring long-term care. These findings suggest that maintaining good nutritional status and nutritional support might delay physical function decline, and prolong the activities of daily living.

The Association of Calf Circumference with Resting Pulse Rate in Community-dwelling Healthy Elderly Women -Pilot Study-.

[Purpose] High resting blood pressure and heart rate are associated with the risk of cardiovascular events. In patients with decreasing amounts of slow twitch muscle fiber, hypertension may develop and resting heart rate may increase. Measurement of the amount of slow twitch muscle fiber and capillary density using muscle biopsy is inconvenient and expensive. Therefore, a better screening test is required to determine these parameters for prevention of cardiovascular events. In this study, relationships among calf circumference, resting blood pressure, and pulse rate in the soleus muscle were investigated. [Subjects] Healthy elderly women (n= 19, 61-84 years of age) living in the community were the subjects of this study. [Methods] Blood pressure was measured using an automatic hemodynamometer on the left arm. The calf circumference was measured, and pulse rate was measured on the left radial artery for 1 min by palpation. [Results] No correlations were observed between calf circumference, resting systolic or diastolic pressure, pulse pressure, or mean blood pressure. However, an inverse correlation was observed between calf circumference and resting pulse rate. [Conclusion] Calf circumference measurement may be used as a screening test for resting pulse rate. This test may be useful for the prevention of cardiovascular events.

Relationships of pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics with skeletal muscle fatigue resistance and peak oxygen uptake in healthy young adults.

[Purpose] The objective of this study was to determine the validity of pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics in assessment of the ability of skeletal muscles to utilize oxygen. [Subjects] We evaluated 12 young, healthy males. [Methods] The subjects completed a series of tests to determine their peak oxygen uptake, pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics at the onset of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise, and the rate of decline in electromyographic (EMG) mean power frequency (MPF) (EMG MPFrate) during one continuous, fatiguing, isometric muscle action of the plantar flexors until exhaustion at approximately 60% maximum voluntary contraction. We discussed the relationships between pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics and EMG MPFrate reflecting the ability of skeletal muscles to utilize oxygen and between pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics and peak oxygen uptake reflecting the ability to deliver oxygen to skeletal muscles. We hypothesized that pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics may be more highly correlated with EMG MPFrate than peak oxygen uptake. [Results] Pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics (33.9 ± 5.9 s) were more significantly correlated with peak oxygen uptake (50.6 ± 5.5 mL/kg/min) than EMG MPFrate (-14.7 ± 8.7%/s). [Conclusion] Pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics is a noninvasive index that is mainly usable for evaluation of the ability of cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen to skeletal muscles in healthy young adults with slower pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics (>20 s).