Metadata recommendations for light logging and dosimetry datasets.

Background: Light exposure significantly impacts human health, regulating our circadian clock, sleep-wake cycle and other physiological processes. With the emergence of wearable light loggers and dosimeters, research on real-world light exposure effects is growing. There is a critical need to standardize data collection and documentation across studies. Results: This article proposes a new metadata descriptor designed to capture crucial information within personalized light exposure datasets collected with wearable light loggers and dosimeters. The descriptor, developed collaboratively by international experts, has a modular structure for future expansion and customization. It covers four key domains: study design, participant characteristics, dataset details, and device specifications. Each domain includes specific metadata fields for comprehensive documentation. The user-friendly descriptor is available in JSON format. A web interface simplifies generating compliant JSON files for broad accessibility. Version control allows for future improvements. Conclusions: Our metadata descriptor empowers researchers to enhance the quality and value of their light dosimetry datasets by making them FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable). Ultimately, its adoption will advance our understanding of how light exposure affects human physiology and behaviour in real-world settings.

Influence of Fix Schedule on the Location Accuracy of a Low-Cost GPS Data Logger on Cattle.

Global positioning system (GPS) data loggers are commonly used to track the movements and distribution of both wild and domestic animals. However, the expense often poses a challenge for researchers. Recently, there has been a rise in the utilization of affordable and user-friendly GPS data loggers for tracking animal movements, albeit with compromised accuracy. We aimed to identify factors influencing the accuracy of a low-cost GPS data logger (I-gotU GT-600) and to enhance its location accuracy. Initial investigations revealed that recording intervals impacted the location error of the GPS data logger. To elucidate the relationship between recording intervals and location accuracy, we conducted stationary and motion tests. Our findings indicated that recording intervals of less than 15 sec substantially enhances the location accuracy of the low-cost GPS data logger. Our results highlight the relationship between the fix schedule and location accuracy for these GPS data loggers. Our study provides information that enhances the quality of data for researchers using low-cost GPS data loggers for short-term studies in various settings, such as zoos and livestock facilities.

Seasonal migration patterns of Siberian Rubythroat (Calliope calliope) facing the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

BACKGROUND: Small songbirds respond and adapt to various geographical barriers during their annual migration. Global flyways reveal the diverse migration strategies in response to different geographical barriers, among which are high-elevation plateaus. However, few studies have been focused on the largest and highest plateau in the world, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) which poses a significant barrier to migratory passerines. The present study explored the annual migration routes and strategies of a population of Siberian Rubythroats (Calliope calliope) that breed on the north-eastern edge of the QTP. METHODS: Over the period from 2021 to 2023, we applied light-level geolocators (13 deployed, seven recollected), archival GPS tags (45 deployed, 17 recollected), and CAnMove multi-sensor loggers (with barometer, accelerometer, thermometer, and light sensor, 20 deployed, six recollected) to adult males from the breeding population of Siberian Rubythroat on the QTP. Here we describe the migratory routes and phenology extracted or inferred from the GPS and multi-sensor logger data, and used a combination of accelerometric and barometric data to describe the elevational migration pattern, flight altitude, and flight duration. All light-level geolocators failed to collect suitable data. RESULTS: Both GPS locations and positions derived from pressure-based inference revealed that during autumn, the migration route detoured from the bee-line between breeding and wintering grounds, leading to a gradual elevational decrease. The spring route was more direct, with more flights over mountainous areas in western China. This different migration route during spring probably reflects a strategy for faster migration, which corresponds with more frequent long nocturnal migration flights and shorter stopovers during spring migration than in autumn. The average flight altitude (1856 ± 781 m above sea level) was correlated with ground elevation but did not differ between the seasons. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding indicates strong, season-dependent impact of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau on shaping passerine migration strategies. We hereby call for more attention to the unexplored central-China flyway to extend our knowledge on the environment-migration interaction among small passerines.

Cardiovascular physiology of decapod crustaceans: from scientific inquiry to practical applications.

Until recently, the decapod crustacean heart was regarded as a simple, single ventricle, contraction of which forces haemolymph out into seven arteries. Differential tissue perfusion is achieved by contraction and relaxation of valves at the base of each artery. In this Review, we discuss recent work that has shown that the heart is bifurcated by muscular sheets that may effectively divide the single ventricle into 'chambers'. Preliminary research shows that these chambers may contract differentially; whether this enables selective tissue perfusion remains to be seen. Crustaceans are unusual in that they can stop their heart for extended periods. These periods of cardiac arrest can become remarkably rhythmic, accounting for a significant portion of the cardiac repertoire. As we discuss in this Review, in crustaceans, changes in heart rate have been used extensively as a measurement of stress and metabolism. We suggest that the periods of cardiac pausing should also be quantified in this context. In the past three decades, an exponential increase in crustacean aquaculture has occurred and heart rate (and changes thereof) is being used to understand the stress responses of farmed crustaceans, as well as providing an indicator of disease progression. Furthermore, as summarized in this Review, heart rate is now being used as an effective indicator of humane methods to anaesthetize, stun or euthanize crustaceans destined for the table or for use in scientific research. We believe that incorporation of new biomedical technology and new animal welfare policies will guide future research directions in this field.

Are Current Protection Methods Ensuring the Safe Emancipation of Young Black Storks? Telemetry Study of Space Use by Black Storks (Ciconia nigra) in the Early Post-Breeding Period.

The black stork is a protected species in Poland, and its numbers have declined significantly in recent years. The protection of nesting sites during the period of growth and independence of young birds is crucial for the population. In 2022-2023, 34 young storks were equipped with GPS-GSM backpack loggers. On average, birds had left the nest by the 87th day of life. In the period between the first flight attempt and the final abandonment of the nest, the birds spent 82% of their time in a zone up to 200 m from the nest. During the period of independence, resting areas played an important spatial role, 75% of which were located within 500 m of the nest. As the young birds grew older, their area of activity gradually increased. Differences in nesting phenology were observed depending on the geographical location of the nest. A shorter migration route from the wintering grounds allowed for earlier breeding. As a result, the young birds begin to fledge earlier. The data collected confirm the validity of designating protective zones with 500 m radii around nests and the need to maintain them from the beginning of the breeding season in March until the end of August.

Retrospective Risk Assessment of Injuries and Fatalities in the Forestry and Logging Workforce in the United States, 2003-2019.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study on the forestry and logging workforce are to: 1) Analyze causes of injuries/fatalities to inform future intervention studies focused on risk mitigation, 2) determine whether there are any trends or associations between work-related risk factors and workplace injuries/fatalities over a 16-year period (2003-2019), and 3) identify knowledge gaps related to injuries and fatalities for future studies to address. METHODS: Data on fatalities, injuries, and illnesses of the forestry and logging workforce from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics were analyzed. Correlation analysis (p < .05) was conducted to assess the relationship between causes of forestry and logging workforce fatalities by cause of fatality in the United States. Injury and fatality rates were calculated for each year (fatalities: 2003-2018; injuries: 2005-2019) and time span-specific incidence rates were calculated by cause. RESULTS: Contact with objects and equipment was the primary cause of injuries and fatalities in the forestry and logging workforce during the study period. Transportation-related incidents ranked second as the cause of fatalities, while the category of falls, slips, and trips was the second leading cause of injuries. CONCLUSION: Gaps in occupational health and safety identified by this study should be collaboratively addressed by researchers and the forestry industry.

Evaluation of Post-Surgical Recovery in Olive Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) by Assessing Behavior, Heart Rate, and Wound Healing.

This study examined the post-surgery recovery of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) following tag insertion by analyzing behavior, heart rate, and wound healing. The experiments used 30 individuals (length: 38.67 ± 2.12 cm; weight: 742.48 ± 116.41 g). Heart rate was measured using a DST milli-HRT (Star-Oddi) bio-logger. To assess the influence of water temperature on the recovery process after surgical tag insertion, behavioral analyses, heart rate, and wound healing were conducted in two experimental groups: Experiment 1 (22 °C, optimal water temperature); Experiment 2 (28 °C, high water temperature); and control group (22 °C, non-operated fish). The experiment was repeated twice over a 7-day period for each experimental group. Compared to the non-operated fish, the operated fish exhibited stable levels after the 3rd to 4th day in Experiment 1. Statistical analyses based on heart rate in Experiment 1 indicated that the appropriate post-surgery recovery time point was approximately 3 days, representing the point at which behavioral fluctuations stabilized. In the case of Experiment 2, abnormal behavioral patterns (e.g., tilted swimming) and changes in average swimming time and daily heart rate were found to stabilize after 4 days post-surgery.

A smartphone serves as a data logger for a fully automated lab-constructed microfluidic system.

Fluorescence is an innovative technique that has captivated scholars in recent years due to its superior sensitivity and selectivity. The development of microfluidic components has added to its appeal, particularly given the technology ability to control fluid using very small quantities (microliter range) and achieve high liquid throughput. We have combined these two technologies to develop a lab-constructed simple system for measuring fluorescence, notable for the following features:•The device constructed entirely in our lab and programmed for measuring the fluorescence of liquids using microfluidic technology, delivered excellent results. The regression coefficient R² (0.9995) was obtained five points between 0.001-0.01µg .ml-1. Moreover, the reproducibility standard deviation (%) of 0.008 µg .ml-1 fluorescein dye remained at zero, for ten repeated experiments.•The device was full automated using a smartphone as a data logger, and lab-constructed programs.•The results were satisfactory with a detection limit of 1 × 10-4 µg.ml-1. This proposed system can measure over 200 samples per hour making it highly efficient and eco-friendly due to the reduced use of reagents and lower waste production. The fully automated system can effectively be used to determine fluorescein dye concentrations. Another application (micro pump view) manages all actions required in this microfluidic system, such as operating the two lab-constructed peristaltic pumps.

Formal Assessment of Agreement and Similarity between an Open-Source and a Reference Industrial Device with an Application to a Low-Cost pH Logger.

Open-source devices are nowadays used in a vast number of research fields like medicine, education, agriculture, and sports, among others. In this work, an open-source, portable, low-cost pH logger, appropriate for in situ measurements, was designed and developed to assist in experiments on agricultural produce manufacturing. Τhe device was calibrated manually using pH buffers for values of 4.01 and 7.01. Then, it was tested by manually measuring the pH from the juice of citrus fruits. A waterproof temperature sensor was added to the device for temperature compensation when measuring the pH. A formal method comparison process between the open-source device and a Hanna HI9024 Waterproof pH Meter was designed to assess their agreement. We derived indices of agreement and graphical assessment tools using mixed-effects models. The advantages and disadvantages of interpreting agreement through the proposed procedure are discussed. In our illustration, the indices reported mediocre agreement and the subsequent similarity analysis revealed a fixed bias of 0.22 pH units. After recalibration, agreement between the devices improved to excellent levels. The process can be followed in general to avoid misleading or over-simplistic results of studies reporting solely correlation coefficients for formal comparison purposes.

Diagnostic sample transport via pneumatic tube systems: data logger and their algorithms are sensitive to transport effects.

OBJECTIVES: Many hospitals use pneumatic tube systems (PTS) for transport of diagnostic samples. Continuous monitoring of PTS and evaluation prior to clinical use is recommended. Data loggers with specifically developed algorithms have been suggested as an additional tool in PTS evaluation. We compared two different data loggers. METHODS: Transport types - courier, conventional (cPTS) and innovative PTS (iPTS) - were monitored using two data loggers (MSR145® logger, CiK Solutions GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany, and a prototype developed at the University Medicine Greifswald). Data loggers differ in algorithm, recording frequencies and limit of acceleration detection. Samples from apparently healthy volunteers were split among the transport types and results for 37 laboratory measurands were compared. RESULTS: For each logger specific arbitrary units were calculated. Area-under-the-curve (AUC)-values (MSR145®) were lowest for courier and highest for iPTS and increased with increasing recording frequencies. Stress (St)-values (prototype logger) were obtained in kmsu (1,000*mechanical stress unit) and were highest for iPTS as well. Statistical differences between laboratory measurement results of transport types were observed for three measurands sensitive for hemolysis. CONCLUSIONS: The statistical, but not clinical, differences in the results for hemolysis sensitive measurands may be regarded as an early sign of preanalytical impairment. Both data loggers record this important interval of beginning mechanical stress with a high resolution indicating their potential to facilitate early detection of preanalytical impairment. Further studies should identify suitable recording frequencies. Currently, evaluation and monitoring of diagnostic sample transport should not only rely on data loggers but also include diagnostic samples.

Reliability Testing of a Low-Cost, Multi-Purpose Arduino-Based Data Logger Deployed in Several Applications Such as Outdoor Air Quality, Human Activity, Motion, and Exhaust Gas Monitoring.

This contribution shows the possibilities of applying a low-cost, multi-purpose data logger built around an Arduino Mega 2560 single-board computer. Most projects use this kind of hardware to develop single-purpose data loggers. In this work, a data logger with a more general hardware and software architecture was built to perform measurement campaigns in very different domains. The wide applicability of this data logger was demonstrated with short-term monitoring campaigns in relation to outdoor air quality, human activity in an office, motion of a journey on a bike, and exhaust gas monitoring of a diesel generator. In addition, an assessment process and corresponding evaluation framework are proposed to assess the credibility of low-cost scientific devices built in-house. The experiences acquired during the development of the system and the short measurement campaigns were used as inputs in the assessment process. The assessment showed that the system scores positively on most product-related targets. However, unexpected events affect the assessment over the longer term. This makes the development of low-cost scientific devices harder than expected. To assure stability and long-term performance of this type of design, continuous evaluation and regular engineering corrections are needed throughout longer testing periods.

A Real-Time Streaming System for Customized Network Traffic Capture.

Logging network traffic offers valuable insights into data flow, enabling the proactive analysis and troubleshooting of issues as they arise. Moreover, it provides a means to access and examine the exchanged information among network users that would otherwise be inaccessible. To enhance network traffic analysis, the integration of innovative technologies that facilitate real-time querying and pattern matching proves indispensable. This research paper presents a system that exemplifies such advancements-an innovative network traffic logging tool. The tool specifically focuses on performing real-time network packet transfer to Apache Kafka and ksqlDB, leveraging their capabilities to ensure swift and dependable storage of network packets in Apache Kafka topics. By showcasing this solution, the paper demonstrates the benefits and effectiveness of employing modern technologies for network traffic analysis and management.

A versatile and fast-sampling rate wearable analog data logger.

We propose a wearable, versatile, and open-source data logger that harvests the capacities of a low-cost microcontroller and enables fast-sampling recording of Analog signals into a microSD card. We describe here the circuit design and an exhaustive list of instructions to build a small, lightweight, and fast sampling rate data logger (up to 5 kHz for simultaneous recording of 3 channels and up to 40 kHz when using a single channel). We provide data analysis instructions, including publicly available scripts to facilitate its replication and customization. As a straightforward proof-of-concept, we tested our device embedded with a three-axial Analog accelerometer and were able to record triple axis acceleration of body movements in high resolution. A Fourier transform followed by a principal component analysis discriminated accurately between body motions of two participants and two types of movement recorded (walking VS running). Our wearable and fast-sampling rate data logger overcomes limits that we identified in previous studies, by being low-cost, capable of fast sampling rate, and easily replicated. Moreover, it can be customized to fit with a wide variety of applications in biomedical research by substituting the three-axial Analog accelerometer with virtually any type of Analog sensors or devices that output Analog signals. •We present a method to build and use a low-cost, fast-sampling rate and wearable Analog data logger, where having an engineering background is not required.•The data logger we present can collect Analog signals from 3 channels simultaneously at 5kHz and up to 40 kHz when using a single channel.•We demonstrate that our data logger can record data from a triple axis Analog accelerometer at 5 kHz, however, signals from virtually any Analog sensor or device that outputs Analog signals can be collected.

GNSS Observation Generation from Smartphone Android Location API: Performance of Existing Apps, Issues and Improvement.

Precise position information available from smartphones can play an important role in developing new location-based service (LBS) applications. Starting from 2016, and after the release of Nougat version (Version 7) by Google, developers have had access to the GNSS raw measurements through the new application programming interface (API), namely android.location (API level 24). However, the new API does not provide the typical GNSS observations directly (e.g., pseudorange, carrier-phase and Doppler observations) which have to be generated by the users themselves. Although several Apps have been developed for the GNSS observations generation, various data analyses indicate quality concerns, from biases to observation inconsistency in the generated GNSS observations output from those Apps. The quality concerns would subsequently affect GNSS data processing such as cycle slip detection, code smoothing and ultimately positioning performance. In this study, we first investigate algorithms for GNSS observations generation from the android.location API output. We then evaluate the performances of two widely used Apps (Geo++RINEX logger and GnssLogger Apps), as well as our newly developed one (namely UofC CSV2RINEX tool) which converts the CSV file to a Receiver INdependent Exchange (RINEX) file. Positioning performance analysis is also provided which indicates improved positioning accuracy using our newly developed tool. Future work finding out the potential reasons for the identified misbehavior in the generated GNSS observations is recommended; it will require a joint effort with the App developers.

Spatial coding in the hippocampus and hyperpallium of flying owls.

The elucidation of spatial coding in the hippocampus requires exploring diverse animal species. While robust place-cells are found in the mammalian hippocampus, much less is known about spatial coding in the hippocampus of birds. Here we used a wireless-electrophysiology system to record single neurons in the hippocampus and other two dorsal pallial structures from freely flying barn owls (Tyto alba), a central-place nocturnal predator species with excellent navigational abilities. The owl's 3D position was monitored while it flew between perches. We found place cells-neurons that fired when the owl flew through a spatially restricted region in at least one direction-as well as neurons that encoded the direction of flight, and neurons that represented the owl's perching position between flights. Many neurons encoded combinations of position, direction, and perching. Spatial coding was maintained stable and invariant to lighting conditions. Place cells were observed in owls performing two different types of flying tasks, highlighting the generality of the result. Place coding was found in the anterior hippocampus and in the posterior part of the hyperpallium apicale, and to a lesser extent in the visual Wulst. The finding of place-cells in flying owls suggests commonalities in spatial coding across mammals and birds.

Low cost macroalgal canopy biomass monitoring using light attenuation.

Macroalgal canopies are productive and diverse habitats that export material to other marine ecosystems. Macroalgal canopy cover and composition are considered an Essential Ocean Variable by the research community. Although several techniques exist to both directly and remotely measure algal canopies, frequent measures of biomass are challenging. Presented here is a technique of using the relative attenuation of light inside and outside canopies to derive a proxy for algal biomass. If canopy attenuation coefficients are known, the proxy can be converted to an area of algal thallus per seabed area (thallus area index). An advantage of the approach is that light loggers are widely available and relatively inexpensive. Deployment for a year in the intertidal demonstrated that the method has the sensitivity to resolve summertime peaks in macroalgal biomass, despite the inherent variation in light measurements. Relative attenuation measurements can complement existing monitoring, providing point proxies for biomass and adding seasonal information to surveys that sample shores at less frequent intervals.

The first documentation of the Nearctic-Paleotropical migratory route of the Arctic Warbler.

The Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) is a cryptically plumed songbird with an uncommon Nearctic-Paleotropical migratory strategy. Using light-level geolocators, we provide the first documentation of the migratory routes and wintering locations of two territorial adult male Arctic Warblers from Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. After accounting for position estimation uncertainties and biases, we found that both individuals departed their breeding grounds in early September, stopped over in southeastern Russia and China during autumn migration, then wintered in the Philippines and the island of Palau. Our documentation of Arctic Warbler wintering on Palau suggests that additional study is needed to document their wintering range. Our study provides hitherto unknown information on stopover and wintering locations for Arctic Warblers and indicates that this species may migrate further overwater than previously thought.

Microclimatic conditions mediate the effect of deadwood and forest characteristics on a threatened beetle species, Tragosoma depsarium.

While climate change has increased the interest in the influence of microclimate on many organisms, species inhabiting deadwood have rarely been studied. Here, we explore how characteristics of forest stands and deadwood affect microclimate inside deadwood, and analyse how this affects wood-living organisms, exemplified by the red-listed beetle Tragosoma depsarium. Deadwood and forest variables explained much of the variation in temperature, but less of the variation in moisture within deadwood. Several variables known to influence habitat quality for deadwood-dependent species were found to correlate with microclimate. Standing deadwood and an open canopy generates warmer conditions in comparison to downed logs and a closed canopy, and shaded, downed and large-diameter wood have higher moisture and more stable daily temperatures than sun-exposed, standing, and small-diameter wood. T. depsarium occupancy and abundance increased with colder and more stable winter temperatures, and with higher spring temperatures. Consistently, the species occurred more frequently in deadwood items with characteristics associated with these conditions, i.e. downed large-diameter logs occurring in open conditions. Conclusively, microclimatic conditions were found to be important for a deadwood-dependent insect, and related to characteristics of both forest stands and deadwood items. Since microclimate is also affected by macroclimatic conditions, we expect species' habitat requirements to vary locally and regionally, and to change due to climate warming. Although many saproxylic species preferring sun-exposed conditions would benefit from a warmer climate per se, changes in species interactions and land use may still result in negative net effects of climate warming.

Retention and loss of PIT tags and surgically implanted devices in the Eurasian beaver.

BACKGROUND: Passive integrated transponder devices (PIT tags) are a valuable tool for individual identification of animals. Similarly, the surgical implantation of transmitters and bio-loggers can provide useful data on animal location, physiology and behavior. However, to avoid unnecessary recapture and related stress of study animals, PIT tags and bio-loggers should function reliably for long periods of time. Here, we evaluated the retention of PIT tags, and of very high frequency (VHF) transmitters and bio-loggers that were either implanted subcutaneously or into the peritoneal cavity of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). RESULTS: Over a 21-year period, we implanted PIT tags in 456 individuals and failed to detect a PIT tag at recapture in 30 cases, consisting of 26 individuals (6% of individuals). In all instances, we were still able to identify the individual due to the presence of unique ear tag numbers and tail scars. Moreover, we implanted 6 VHFs, 36 body temperature loggers and 21 heart rate loggers in 28 individuals, and experienced frequent loss of temperature loggers (at least 6 of 23 recaptured beavers) and heart rate loggers (10 of 18 recaptured beavers). No VHFs were lost in 2 recaptured beavers. CONCLUSIONS: Possible causes for PIT tag loss (or non-detection) were incorrect implantation, migration of the tag within the body, a foreign body reaction leading to ejection, or malfunctioning of the tag. We speculate that logger loss was related to a foreign body reaction, and that loggers were either rejected through the incision wound or, in the case of temperature loggers, possibly adhered and encapsulated to intestines, and then engulfed by the gastro-intestinal tract and ejected. We discuss animal welfare implications and give recommendations for future studies implanting bio-loggers into wildlife.

At-Sea Habitat Use of Rhinoceros Auklets Breeding in the Shelf Region of Eastern Hokkaido.

At-sea habitat use of breeding seabirds is strongly influenced by marine environmental features that vary over space and time. The use of bio-loggers allows researchers to track fine-scale movements of seabirds and provides opportunities to identify the primary factors affecting their area use for foraging. Using GPS loggers, we tracked chick-rearing rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata), which are wing-propelled divers, at Daikoku Island, eastern Hokkaido, Japan. The central phase for foraging activity on birds' trips was determined using a multiple change points model. To examine environmental factors explaining the distribution of the foraging phase, a generalized additive model was used where sea surface temperature, chlorophyll a concentration, bathymetry, and distance from the colony were explanatory variables. To obtain information supporting the behavioral tracking, prey items in the bill-loads of adult auklets were collected. We found that auklets foraged over the continental shelf shallower than the 200-m isobath and that distance from the colony was related to the area use. Adult auklets predominately brought back age-0 chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), which was abundant in coastal waters along southeast Hokkaido during the study period. Our findings indicate that rhinoceros auklets rearing chicks, hence visiting nests frequently, on Daikoku Island can find suitable feeding grounds nearby.