Identifying animal behaviours from accelerometers: Improving predictive accuracy of machine learning by refining the variables selected, data frequency, and sample duration.

Observing animals in the wild often poses extreme challenges, but animal-borne accelerometers are increasingly revealing unobservable behaviours. Automated machine learning streamlines behaviour identification from the substantial datasets generated during multi-animal, long-term studies; however, the accuracy of such models depends on the qualities of the training data. We examined how data processing influenced the predictive accuracy of random forest (RF) models, leveraging the easily observed domestic cat (Felis catus) as a model organism for terrestrial mammalian behaviours. Nine indoor domestic cats were equipped with collar-mounted tri-axial accelerometers, and behaviours were recorded alongside video footage. From this calibrated data, eight datasets were derived with (i) additional descriptive variables, (ii) altered frequencies of acceleration data (40 Hz vs. a mean over 1 s) and (iii) standardised durations of different behaviours. These training datasets were used to generate RF models that were validated against calibrated cat behaviours before identifying the behaviours of five free-ranging tag-equipped cats. These predictions were compared to those identified manually to validate the accuracy of the RF models for free-ranging animal behaviours. RF models accurately predicted the behaviours of indoor domestic cats (F-measure up to 0.96) with discernible improvements observed with post-data-collection processing. Additional variables, standardised durations of behaviours and higher recording frequencies improved model accuracy. However, prediction accuracy varied with different behaviours, where high-frequency models excelled in identifying fast-paced behaviours (e.g. locomotion), whereas lower-frequency models (1 Hz) more accurately identified slower, aperiodic behaviours such as grooming and feeding, particularly when examining free-ranging cat behaviours. While RF modelling offered a robust means of behaviour identification from accelerometer data, field validations were important to validate model accuracy for free-ranging individuals. Future studies may benefit from employing similar data processing methods that enhance RF behaviour identification accuracy, with extensive advantages for investigations into ecology, welfare and management of wild animals.

Awareness about developmental coordination disorder.

The present paper is designed to promote awareness of DCD outside the academic world. With a prevalence of 5-6% it is one of the most common disorders of child development. It is therefore surprising that so little is known about it among professionals in child healthcare and education. Parents have expressed frustration about this lack of awareness, including the general public. The general aim of this paper was to describe those critical aspects of DCD that will promote awareness.

Poisoning of big cats.

Carolyn Dunford introduces the poisoning of big predatory felids, which causes significant conservation concerns.

Evaluating the validity, reliability and clinical utility of the Music therapy Sensory Instrument for Cognition, Consciousness and Awareness (MuSICCA): protocol of a validation study.

INTRODUCTION: A growing number of children and young people are surviving severe acquired brain injuries due to advances in healthcare. However, many fail to emerge from coma and continue to live with disorders of consciousness (DOC). Diagnostic, clinical and ethical challenges are prominent in this group. Misdiagnosis can have severe consequences for children and their families, including inadequate care, insufficient access to rehabilitation and stimulation, reduced accessibility to services and inappropriately limited opportunities for participation. The proposed project will develop and validate a diagnostic measure that supports detailed goal-planning-the Music therapy Sensory Instrument for Cognition, Consciousness and Awareness (MuSICCA). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Face validity will be assessed using a short questionnaire and the MuSICCA will be amended if face validity is insufficient. Once face validity is sufficient, 80 participants with suspected DOC will be recruited from multiple sites around the UK, USA and Ireland.Validity will be assessed using external reference standards (Coma Recovery Scale-Revised, Coma Near-Coma Scale and Nociception Coma Scale). Intra-rater reliability will be established using repeated ratings of video recordings from the assessment sessions. Inter-rater reliability will be assessed through video ratings by a second blinded assessor. In addition to these analyses, the clinical utility of the MuSICCA will be evaluated using a questionnaire to be completed by clinicians and relatives of the participants following the completion of the MuSICCA assessment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained for this study from the Research Ethics Committee and Health Research Authority of the National Health Service of the UK (ID: 167534). Results will be presented at national and international conferences, published in scientific journals and disseminated to participant representatives, clinicians, educators and care providers. TRIAL REGISTRATION DETAILS: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System on 7th August 2019 (ID: NCT04050995); Pre-results.

Surviving in steep terrain: a lab-to-field assessment of locomotor costs for wild mountain lions (Puma concolor).

BACKGROUND: Under current scenarios of climate change and habitat loss, many wild animals, especially large predators, are moving into novel energetically challenging environments. Consequently, changes in terrain associated with such moves may heighten energetic costs and effect the decline of populations in new localities. METHODS: To examine locomotor costs of a large carnivorous mammal moving in mountainous habitats, the oxygen consumption of captive pumas (Puma concolor) was measured during treadmill locomotion on level and incline (6.8°) surfaces. These data were used to predict energetic costs of locomotor behaviours of free-ranging pumas equipped with GPS/accelerometer collars in California's Santa Cruz Mountains. RESULTS: Incline walking resulted in a 42.0% ± 7.2 SEM increase in the costs of transport compared to level performance. Pumas negotiated steep terrain by traversing across hillsides (mean hill incline 17.2° ± 0.3 SEM; mean path incline 7.3° ± 0.1 SEM). Pumas also walked more slowly up steeper paths, thereby minimizing the energetic impact of vertical terrains. Estimated daily energy expenditure (DEE) based on GPS-derived speeds of free-ranging pumas was 18.3 MJ day- 1 ± 0.2 SEM. Calculations show that a 20 degree increase in mean steepness of the terrain would increase puma DEE by less than 1% as they only spend a small proportion (10%) of their day travelling. They also avoided elevated costs by utilizing slower speeds and shallower path angles. CONCLUSIONS: While many factors influence survival in novel habitats, we illustrate the importance of behaviours which reduce locomotor costs when traversing new, energetically challenging environments, and demonstrate that these behaviours are utilised by pumas in the wild.

The Information Gap for Children and Young People with Acquired Brain Injury.

Statement of Purpose: This study explored the information requirements of children/youth with an acquired brain injury.Methods: An online survey (n = 16), focus group (n = 5) and in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 3) elicited the views of 24 children/youth with ABI. A priori thematic coding was used to analyze the data.Results: Five themes emerged: stage and age, school, friendship and peers, delivery methods and information content. The desired information changes over time depending on age and time since the injury. Children/youth want their friends and teachers to access information on brain injury. Children/youth want information delivered through a range of channels, including videos (featuring genuine case studies), apps and board games. Children/youth wanted information specific to their injury, information on brain injury more generally, and practical strategies for overcoming problems.Conclusions: Children/youth with ABI were able to express views about their information needs, which change over time and include a range of channels.

Using child- and family-centred goal setting as an outcome measure in residential rehabilitation for children and youth with acquired brain injuries: The challenge of predicting expected levels of achievement.

PURPOSE: Collaborative, child- and family-centred goal setting is essential in paediatric, acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation. This study aims to understand which goals children and families prioritize and how accurately therapists predict expected levels of achievement for these goals. METHODS: Routinely collected Goal Attainment Scale-Light data from 122 children with severe ABI receiving residential rehabilitation were retrospectively analysed. Goals were mapped onto the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Descriptive analysis of accuracy of therapists' prediction of goal achievement was conducted. RESULTS: Eight-hundred sixty goals were set: 82% in activities and participation domains, most commonly mobility, self-care, and communication chapters. Forty-six per cent of therapist-set expected levels of achievement for these goals were met at the expected level, and 24% were exceeded. Chapters with the highest prediction accuracy included two environmental chapters and one body structure and function. Accurate prediction of activity and participation goals varied (35% in general tasks and demands to 58.8% in major life areas). CONCLUSIONS: Children and families prioritize mobility, self-care, and communication during ABI residential rehabilitation. Setting expected outcomes for these goals is challenging, as demonstrated by the variety in accurate prediction rates between and within chapters. Families need to be aware of this uncertainty during goal-setting discussions.

Paediatric Rehabilitation Ingredients Measure: a new tool for identifying paediatric neurorehabilitation content.

AIM: To develop an instrument (Paediatric Rehabilitation Ingredients Measure [PRISM]) for quantitative estimation of contents of interdisciplinary neurorehabilitation for use in studies of relationships between rehabilitation treatment delivered and severity-adjusted outcomes after acquired brain injury (ABI). METHOD: The measure was developed using an ingredients-mediators-outcomes model consistent with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, a literature review, and other current initiatives in the development of rehabilitation treatment taxonomies, with item codevelopment in workshops with rehabilitation professionals. Interrater reliability was assessed in inpatient and residential paediatric rehabilitation settings. RESULTS: Although sometimes an initially unfamiliar perspective on rehabilitation practice, PRISM's acceptability amongst professionals was excellent. Internal consistency of scores was sometimes an issue for users unfamiliar with the tool; however, this improved with practice and interrater reliability (assessed by Kendall's W) was good. The tool was felt to have particular value in facilitating interdisciplinary communication and working. Modifications to the design of the tool have improved internal consistency. INTERPRETATION: PRISM supports identification of the 'active ingredients' of an interdisciplinary rehabilitation package and facilitates interdisciplinary communication. It also has potential as a research tool examining relationships between rehabilitation delivered and severity-adjusted outcomes observed after paediatric ABI. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Identifying contribution of rehabilitation to outcomes after acquired brain injury requires quantification of rehabilitation 'dose' and 'content'. Previous approaches to 'parsing' of rehabilitation dose and content may have overemphasized one-to-one sessions with therapists. We present a novel, holistic tool for identification of ingredients of an interdisciplinary rehabilitation package. It supports interdisciplinary communication and has potential as a research tool.

Impaired mobility associated with an increased likelihood of death in children: A systematic review.

Improved identification of children with an increased likelihood of death can support appropriate provision of integrated palliative care. This systematic review aims to consider immobility and the associated likelihood of death in children with disabilities, living in high-income countries. Two reviewers independently searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, OpenGrey and Science Citation Index (1990-2016) for studies that reported hazard ratios (HRs) and relative risk for the likelihood of death related to impaired mobility. Nine papers were included. Three studies reported functioning using the Gross Motor Function Classification Scale (GMFCS) and the remaining studies reported measures of functioning unique to the study. The strongest single prognostic factor for the likelihood of death was 'lack of sitting ability at 24 months', HR 44.4 (confidence interval (CI) 6.1-320.8) followed by GMFCS V HR 16.3 (CI 5.6-47.2) and 11.4 (CI 3.76-35.57) and 'not able to cruise by 24 months', HR 14.4 (CI 3.5-59.2). Immobility is associated with an increased risk of dying over study periods, but different referent groups make clinical interpretation challenging. Overall, the quality of evidence is moderate. The findings suggest that immobility can support identification of children who may benefit from integrated palliative care.

Assessment of pain in children with brain injury: moving to best practice.

Nurses are guided to use pain tools for assessing pain. Appropriate tools exist for all ages of children, as well as accounting for diverse communicative abilities and impairments such as brain injury. Use of pain tools, and good documentation of pain management, is part of providing best practice, high-quality care. Clinical audit, based on compliance with the Royal College of Nursing guideline for pain assessment, measured current and changing practice at a 70-bed national specialist centre for children with brain injury. Compliance was initially poor. Changes in practice were supported by evidence-based measures, including a written guideline, classroom teaching, visits to practice areas, sharing of audit results, reminders and a special interest group. Over 3 years, the audits showed an increase of child-specific pain tools available in children's care files from 9% to 83%; assessment of pain using a pain tool, when indicated, increased from 0 to 30%. Documentation of interventions to relieve pain increased from 51% to 80% and reassessment of pain following an intervention increased from 15% to 63%. This article will resonate with any organisation trying to embed systematic pain assessment into routine practice.

Goal-orientated group intervention for children with developmental coordination disorder.

This study measures the effectiveness of a goal-orientated group intervention using concentrated practice schedules for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The study design is repeated measures. The sample comprises eight children with DCD, aged 7-11 years. Outcome measures are the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC), the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Harter's Scale of Perceived Competence/Harter and Pike's Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence, and clinical observations. The children set goals with the perceived efficacy and goal setting system with parents/caregivers input. The intervention used a goal-oriented approach combining motor learning and cognitive strategies consisting of eight 50-min sessions over 2 weeks. The results show significant improvements in the COPM and MABC scores following intervention but no changes in Harter's scores. Fifty-six goals were identified with 34 met totally, 12 met partially, and 10 remained unmet. A goal-oriented group intervention shows potential as an effective intervention method.

Intervention and the role of theory, empiricism and experience in children with motor impairment.

PURPOSE: This paper presents a framework for examining the different approaches to intervention in children with motor impairment such that more informed decisions are made by researchers and clinicians in their respective fields. METHOD: Studies are examined using a framework employing theoretical, empirical and experiential evidence. A range of interventions are analysed and are applied to the conditions of cerebral palsy and developmental coordination disorder. The theoretical, empirical and experiential evidence is analysed by an examination of such methods as constraint induced therapy, Bobath techniques, bimanual coordination methods, sensory integration therapy and functional task approaches, all set within a development and learning context. RESULTS: The results show that evidence from the three parts of the framework, namely theoretical, empirical and experiential are often in conflict with each other and it is not surprising that there is confusion in the field about the efficacy of the various methods. CONCLUSIONS: First, it is recommended that more complete information is required on the methods employed from the three areas of our framework. Secondly, researchers, clinicians and other practitioners should examine the evidence from these three areas and align it to the needs of their research or practice before embarking on action.