Platypus Activity Areas and Patterns in a Sub-Alpine Tasmanian Lake System.

1998 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 311
Author(s):  
H.M. Otley ◽  
S.A. Munks ◽  
M.A. Hindell
Keyword(s):  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Kernel Analysis ◽  
Lake System ◽  
Foraging Area ◽  
Portable Radio ◽  
Yagi Antenna ◽  
North Western ◽  
Activity Areas

The seasonal activity patterns and habitat usage of platypuses were examined in Lake Lea, a sub-alpine lake system in north western Tasmania. Activity data were collected by radio tracking individuals for one 24 hour period (in two 12 hour blocks) using a portable radio-receiver and 3-element Yagi antenna. In addition, the location of other individuals was recorded periodically during the 24 hour period. Information collected so far for ten individuals during late winter and mid spring will be presented. Preliminary analysis suggests that a high proportion of the population may be diurnally active. Out of five adult platypuses tracked during late winter, three were predominantly diurnally active and only two were nocturnal. Day-active individuals emerged from burrows between 0530 and 0700 and returned before 1930, thus foraging for at least 13.5 hours per day. Nocturnal individuals emerged between 1730 and 1900, foraged for approximately 12.5 hours and returned between 0600 and 0700. Mean dive times of three day-active individuals were between 29 and 34 seconds, with an intervening surface period of between 12 and 20 seconds. Maximum foraging area of three individuals were between 14 and 30 hectares (95% isopleth, Kernel analysis).

Timing and synchrony of activity in caribou

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 1999-2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie AK Maier ◽  
Robert G White
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Food Limitation ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Alaska Range ◽  
Time Activity ◽  
Focal Animal ◽  
Limited Food ◽  
Free Ranging

Activity data were analyzed to assess activity patterns of caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti). We hypothesized that equal day and night activity, termed nychthemeral activity, would be expected if food constitutes a limiting resource for a highly gregarious species. To test this hypothesis, we investigated activity patterns of two caribou populations at the same latitude: one captive with no food limitation and the other wild and free-ranging in the Alaska Range in interior Alaska known to be at the end of a 3-year low plane of nutrition. For captive caribou, activity patterns were determined from focal-animal behavioural observations each month except May. Data were collected on wild caribou using activity-recording radio collars in each of three seasons: late winter, postcalving, and midsummer. Wild and captive caribou exhibited nychthemeral activity and did not time activity to sunrise or sunset. Wild caribou exhibited no among-group synchrony. Within-group synchrony was high in both herds. Wild caribou exhibited significantly fewer cycles of activity than captive caribou. Longer resting bouts in late winter, and longer active bouts postcalving and in midsummer for wild caribou, were interpreted as behavioural responses to ecological effects of limited food availability, with and without snow, and disturbance by insects.

279 WACSAW: A Statistical and Individually Adaptive Method to Determine Sleep and Wakefulness from Activity

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A111-A112
Author(s):  
Austin Vandegriffe ◽  
V A Samaranayake ◽  
Matthew Thimgan
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Optimal Transport ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Adaptive Method ◽  
Wasserstein Distance ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Commercial Grade ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Levene Test

Abstract Introduction Technological innovations have broadened the type and amount of activity data that can be captured in the home and under normal living conditions. Yet, converting naturalistic activity patterns into sleep and wakefulness states has remained a challenge. Despite the successes of current algorithms, they do not fill all actigraphy needs. We have developed a novel statistical approach to determine sleep and wakefulness times, called the Wasserstein Algorithm for Classifying Sleep and Wakefulness (WACSAW), and validated the algorithm in a small cohort of healthy participants. Methods WACSAW functional routines: 1) Conversion of the triaxial movement data into a univariate time series; 2) Construction of a Wasserstein weighted sum (WSS) time series by measuring the Wasserstein distance between equidistant distributions of movement data before and after the time-point of interest; 3) Segmenting the time series by identifying changepoints based on the behavior of the WSS series; 4) Merging segments deemed similar by the Levene test; 5) Comparing segments by optimal transport methodology to determine the difference from a flat, invariant distribution at zero. The resulting histogram can be used to determine sleep and wakefulness parameters around a threshold determined for each individual based on histogram properties. To validate the algorithm, participants wore the GENEActiv and a commercial grade actigraphy watch for 48 hours. The accuracy of WACSAW was compared to a detailed activity log and benchmarked against the results of the output from commercial wrist actigraph. Results WACSAW performed with an average accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of >95% compared to detailed activity logs in 10 healthy-sleeping individuals of mixed sexes and ages. We then compared WACSAW’s performance against a common wrist-worn, commercial sleep monitor. WACSAW outperformed the commercial grade system in each participant compared to activity logs and the variability between subjects was cut substantially. Conclusion The performance of WACSAW demonstrates good results in a small test cohort. In addition, WACSAW is 1) open-source, 2) individually adaptive, 3) indicates individual reliability, 4) based on the activity data stream, and 5) requires little human intervention. WACSAW is worthy of validating against polysomnography and in patients with sleep disorders to determine its overall effectiveness. Support (if any):

scholarly journals Novel approach to modeling high-frequency activity data to assess therapeutic effects of analgesics in chronic pain conditions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zekun Xu ◽  
Eric Laber ◽  
Ana-Maria Staicu ◽  
B. Duncan X. Lascelles
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
High Frequency Activity ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Chronic Pain Conditions

AbstractOsteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition often associated with pain, affecting approximately fourteen percent of the population, and increasing in prevalence. A globally aging population have made treating OA-associated pain as well as maintaining mobility and activity a public health priority. OA affects all mammals, and the use of spontaneous animal models is one promising approach for improving translational pain research and the development of effective treatment strategies. Accelerometers are a common tool for collecting high-frequency activity data on animals to study the effects of treatment on pain related activity patterns. There has recently been increasing interest in their use to understand treatment effects in human pain conditions. However, activity patterns vary widely across subjects; furthermore, the effects of treatment may manifest in higher or lower activity counts or in subtler ways like changes in the frequency of certain types of activities. We use a zero inflated Poisson hidden semi-Markov model to characterize activity patterns and subsequently derive estimators of the treatment effect in terms of changes in activity levels or frequency of activity type. We demonstrate the application of our model, and its advance over traditional analysis methods, using data from a naturally occurring feline OA-associated pain model.

Leaf spot and dry rot of lettuce caused by Xanthomonas vitians (Brown) Dowson

1963 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 778 ◽  
Author(s):  
DE Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Spot ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Dry Rot ◽  
Complete Destruction ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Valley Area ◽  
North Western

During the late winter and early spring of 1960, and again to a lesser extent in 1961 and 1962, many lettuce crops in the Murray Valley area of north-western Victoria were seriously affected by a disease characterized by blackening, dry rotting, and collapse of the affected leaves. The incidence of disease varied from about 10% up to practically complete destruction of some plantings. A yellow bacterium was consistently isolated from affected plants and proved to be pathogenic to lettuce. Laboratory studies have shown that the organism agrees closely with the recorded description of Xanthomonas vitians (Brown) Dowson, which has not, apparently, been previously studied in Australia.

scholarly journals Limitations of Canada’s physical activity data: implications for monitoring trendsThis article is part of a supplement entitled Advancing physical activity measurement and guidelines in Canada: a scientific review and evidence-based foundation for the future of Canadian physical activity guidelines co-published by Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism and the Canadian Journal of Public Health. It may be cited as Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 32(Suppl. 2E) or as Can. J. Public Health 98(Suppl. 2).

2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (S2E) ◽  
pp. S185-S194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter T. Katzmarzyk ◽  
Mark S. Tremblay
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Activity Measurement ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Scientific Review ◽  
Physical Activity Guidelines ◽  
Applied Physiology

The current low level of physical activity among Canadians is a dominant public health concern. Accordingly, a clear understanding of physical activity patterns and trends is of paramount importance. Irregularities in monitoring, analysis, and reporting procedures create potential confusion among researchers, policy-makers, and the public alike. The purpose of this paper is to consolidate reported findings and provide a critical assessment of the physical activity surveillance procedures, analytical practices, and reporting protocols currently employed in Canada to provide insights for accurate and consistent interpretation of data, as well as recommendations for future surveillance efforts.

Revealing Student Blogging Activities Using RSS Feeds and LMS Logs

2012 ◽  
pp. 234-249
Author(s):  
Michael Derntl
Keyword(s):  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Rss Feeds ◽  
First Time

Blogs are an easy-to-use, free alternative to classic means of computer-mediated communication. Moreover, they are authentically aligned with web activity patterns of today’s students. The body of studies on integrating and implementing blogs in various educational settings has grown rapidly recently; however, it is often difficult to distill practical advice from these studies since the application contexts, pedagogical objectives, and research methodology differ greatly. This paper takes a step toward an improved understanding of employing blogs in education by presenting a follow-up case study on using blogs as reflective journals in an undergraduate computer-science lab course. This study includes lessons learned and adaptations following from the first-time application, the underlying pedagogical strategy, and a detailed analysis and discussion of blogging activity data obtained from RSS feeds and LMS logs.

Activity patterns, movements and burrows of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in a sub-alpine Tasmanian lake

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen M. Otley ◽  
Sarah A. Munks ◽  
Mark A. Hindell
Keyword(s):  
Adult Male ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Predation Pressure ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Ornithorhynchus Anatinus ◽  
North Western ◽  
Tracking Period

Adult male and female platypuses were radio-tracked in summer and winter at Lake Lea, north-western Tasmania. They appeared to exhibit greater diurnality, particularly during winter months, a greater degree of overland movement and more frequent use of non-earth refuge sites than do animals inhabiting mainland water bodies. Individuals foraged continuously for up to 16 h, with longer foraging bouts observed during the winter tracking period. Foraging range varied between 2 and 58 ha, with no significant differences observed between the sexes or seasons. All platypuses foraged predominantly in the lake; however, a number of animals were observed moving overland to and from waterbodies and burrows. Burrows were located on lake, creek and pool edges. A high percentage of burrows (25%) were located within dense sedge tussocks and scrub vegetation. Both the terrestrial activity and more opportunistic burrow-site selection may be related to reduced predation pressure in Tasmania.

scholarly journals Quantile Coarsening Analysis of High-Volume Wearable Activity Data in a Longitudinal Observational Study

Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 3056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Cheung ◽  
Pei-Yun Hsueh ◽  
Ipek Ensari ◽  
Joshua Willey ◽  
Keith Diaz
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Daily Physical Activity ◽  
Sampled Data ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Partner Status ◽  
Versatile Tool

Owing to advances in sensor technologies on wearable devices, it is feasible to measure physical activity of an individual continuously over a long period. These devices afford opportunities to understand individual behaviors, which may then provide a basis for tailored behavior interventions. The large volume of data however poses challenges in data management and analysis. We propose a novel quantile coarsening analysis (QCA) of daily physical activity data, with a goal to reduce the volume of data while preserving key information. We applied QCA to a longitudinal study of 79 healthy participants whose step counts were monitored for up to 1 year by a Fitbit device, performed cluster analysis of daily activity, and identified individual activity signature or pattern in terms of the clusters identified. Using 21,393 time series of daily physical activity, we identified eight clusters. Employment and partner status were each associated with 5 of the 8 clusters. Using less than 2% of the original data, QCA provides accurate approximation of the mean physical activity, forms meaningful activity patterns associated with individual characteristics, and is a versatile tool for dimension reduction of densely sampled data.

Predicting the ecological impact of cane toads (Bufo marinus) on threatened camaenid land snails in north-western Australia

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 533 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Pearson ◽  
Matthew Greenlees ◽  
Georgia Ward-Fear ◽  
Richard Shine
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Bufo Marinus ◽  
Land Snails ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Habitat Overlap ◽  
Litoria Caerulea ◽  
North Western

The spread of cane toads (Bufo marinus) through north-western Australia may threaten populations of endemic camaenid land snails because these snails exhibit restricted geographic distributions, low vagility and ‘slow’ life-histories. We conducted laboratory trials to determine whether toads would consume camaenids if they encountered them, and conducted field surveys to evaluate the likelihood of such encounters (on the basis of habitat overlap). In laboratory trials with 13 camaenid species, cane toads were more likely to consume camaenids than were two species of native frogs that we tested (Cyclorana australis, Litoria caerulea). However, field surveys suggested that many camaenids are active on vertical surfaces in limestone outcrops, and cane toads rarely venture into these habitats. Although the preferred habitats and activity patterns of camaenids thus reduce their vulnerability to cane toads, we recommend regular surveys of toad and snail numbers to monitor toad impacts. Given the restricted distributions of threatened saxicoline camaenid species in the Kimberley, localised management of grazing stock and fire is feasible to maintain vine-thicket vegetation cover and snail populations, as well as reducing open habitats favoured by toads.

scholarly journals Applying time series analyses on continuous accelerometry data – a clinical example in older adults with and without cognitive impairment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torsten Rackoll ◽  
Konrad Neumann ◽  
Sven Passmann ◽  
Ulrike Grittner ◽  
Nadine Külzow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Accelerometer Data ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Early Afternoon ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIntroductionCurrent analysis approaches of accelerometry data use sum score measures which do not provide insight in activity patterns over 24 hours, and thus do not adequately depict circadian activity patterns. Here, we used a functional approach to analyze accelerometer data that models activity pattern and circadian rhythm. As a test case, we demonstrated its application in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and age-matched healthy older volunteers (HOV). Moreover, we assessed the impact of chronotype on distribution of activity data.MethodsData of two studies were pooled for this analysis. Following baseline cognitive assessment participants were provided with accelerometers for seven consecutive days. A function on scalar regression (FoSR) approach was used to analyze 24 hours accelerometer data. In a second step, analyses were controlled for chronotype using the German version of the morningness-eveningness questionnaire (d-MEQ).ResultsInformation on 47 HOV (mean age 66 SD 6 years) and 13 patients with MCI (mean age 69, SD 8 years) were available for this analysis. MCI patients displayed slightly higher activity in the morning hours as compared to HOV (maximum relative activity at 7:35 am: 75.6%, 95% CI 2.6 to 200.4%, p = 0.031). After controlling for d-MEQ, disturbed activity patterns were found in MCI of intermediate or evening chronotype, compared to HOV, i.e., MCI presented with higher activities in the morning hours (peak at 8:40 am: 357.6%, 95% CI 92.9 to 985.1, p < 0.001) and early afternoon hours (peak at 1:40 pm: 401.8%, 95% CI 63.9 to 1436.4, p < 0.001).DiscussionUsing a novel approach of FoSR, we found timeframes with higher activity levels in MCI patients compared to HOV which were not evident if sum scores of amount of activity were used. In addition, we found that previously described activity patterns as a function of chronotype swere altered in MCI patients, possibly indicating that changes in circadian rhythmicity in neurodegenerative disease are detectable using easy-to-administer accelerometry.Clinical TrialsEffects of Brain Stimulation During Nocturnal Sleep on Memory Consolidation in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairments, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01782391?term=NCT01782391&rank=1,ClinicalTrial.gov identifier: NCT01782391Effects of Brain Stimulation During a Daytime Nap on Memory Consolidation in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment,https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01782365?term=NCT01782365&rank=1,ClinicalTrial.gov identifier: NCT01782365

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