Bat populations are declining in many areas, partly because up to two-thirds of their wetland habitats have been lost. One natural agent creating wetlands is the beaver, which is recolonizing its former range. Beaver flowages are known for their high production of aquatic invertebrates. We tested the hypothesis that the high numbers of insects emerging from beaver flowages influences their use by foraging bats. We compared bat use and bat numbers above flowages of introduced Canadian beavers Castor canadensis and in nearby control ponds where beavers were absent. The two bat species detected, Eptesicus nilssoni and Myotis daubentoni, used beaver flowages more than nonbeaver ponds. This is especially the case for Eptesicus nilssoni. Bats also seemed to forage in larger groups while above beaver ponds compared to the control ponds. Beaver flowages appeared to improve bat habitats. A plausible reason for this could be the high number of insects emerging from beaver ponds. Favouring the beaver in habitat management is a tool for creating suitable conditions for many other species, such as bats. In areas not suited for the beaver, insect production can be achieved by imitating the beaver with man-made impoundments. This is especially important in areas which have lost most of their wetlands.
Background We sought to provide a description of surge response strategies and characteristics, clinical management and outcomes of patients with severe COVID‐19 in the intensive care unit (ICU) during the first wave of the pandemic in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Methods Representatives from the national ICU registries for each of the five countries provided clinical data and a description of the strategies to allocate ICU resources and increase the ICU capacity during the pandemic. All adult patients admitted to the ICU for COVID‐19 disease during the first wave of COVID‐19 were included. The clinical characteristics, ICU management and outcomes of individual countries were described with descriptive statistics. Results Most countries more than doubled their ICU capacity during the pandemic. For patients positive for SARS‐CoV‐2, the ratio of requiring ICU admission for COVID‐19 varied substantially (1.6%–6.7%). Apart from age (proportion of patients aged 65 years or over between 29% and 62%), baseline characteristics, chronic comorbidity burden and acute presentations of COVID‐19 disease were similar among the five countries. While utilization of invasive mechanical ventilation was high (59%–85%) in all countries, the proportion of patients receiving renal replacement therapy (7%–26%) and various experimental therapies for COVID‐19 disease varied substantially (e.g. use of hydroxychloroquine 0%–85%). Crude ICU mortality ranged from 11% to 33%. Conclusion There was substantial variability in the critical care response in Nordic ICUs to the first wave of COVID‐19 pandemic, including usage of experimental medications. While ICU mortality was low in all countries, the observed variability warrants further attention.
Objectives Motivated by reports of increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in ethnic minorities of high-income countries, we explored whether patients with a foreign first language are at an increased risk of COVID-19 infections, more serious presentations, or worse outcomes. Methods In a retrospective observational population-based quality registry study covering a population of 1.7 million, we studied the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), admissions to specialist healthcare and the intensive care unit (ICU), and all-cause case fatality in different language groups between 27th February and 3rd August 2020 in Southern Finland. A first language other than Finnish, Swedish or Sámi served as a surrogate marker for a foreign ethnic background. Results In total, 124 240 individuals were tested, and among the 118 300 (95%) whose first language could be determined, 4005 (3.4%) were COVID-19-positive, 623 (0.5%) were admitted to specialized hospitals, and 147 (0.1%) were admitted to the ICU; 254 (0.2%) died. Those with a foreign first language had lower testing rates (348, 95%CI 340–355 versus 758, 95%CI 753–762 per 10 000, p < 0.0001), higher incidence (36, 95%CI 33–38 versus 22, 95%CI 21–23 per 10 000, p < 0.0001), and higher positivity rates (103, 95%CI 96–109 versus 29, 95%CI 28–30 per 1000, p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in ICU admissions, disease severity at ICU admission, or ICU outcomes. Case fatality by 90 days was 7.7% in domestic cases and 1.2% in those with a foreign first language, explained by demographics (age- and sex-adjusted HR 0.49, 95%CI 0.21–1.15). Conclusions The population with a foreign first language was at an increased risk for testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, but when hospitalized they had outcomes similar to those in the native, domestic language population. This suggests that special attention should be paid to the prevention and control of infectious diseases among language minorities.
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