Quantifying long-term phenological patterns of aerial insectivores roosting in the Great Lakes region using weather surveillance radar.

Organisms have been shifting their timing of life history events (phenology) in response to changes in the emergence of resources induced by climate change. Yet understanding these patterns at large scales and across long time series is often challenging. Here we used the US weather surveillance radar network to collect data on the timing of communal swallow and martin roosts and evaluate the scale of phenological shifts and its potential association with temperature. The discrete morning departures of these aggregated aerial insectivores from ground-based roosting locations are detected by radars around sunrise. For the first time, we applied a machine learning algorithm to automatically detect and track these large-scale behaviors. We used 21 years of data from 12 weather surveillance radar stations in the Great Lakes region to quantify the phenology in roosting behavior of aerial insectivores at three spatial levels: local roost cluster, radar station, and across the Great Lakes region. We show that their peak roosting activity timing has advanced by 2.26 days per decade at the regional scale. Similar signals of advancement were found at the station scale, but not at the local roost cluster scale. Air temperature trends in the Great Lakes region during the active roosting period were predictive of later stages of roosting phenology trends (75% and 90% passage dates). Our study represents one of the longest-term broad-scale phenology examinations of avian aerial insectivore species responding to environmental change and provides a stepping stone for examining potential phenological mismatches across trophic levels at broad spatial scales.

The correlation between eBird community science and weather surveillance radar-based estimates of migration phenology.

Aim: Measuring avian migration can prove challenging given the spatial scope and the diversity of species involved. No one monitoring technique provides all the pertinent measures needed to capture this macroscale phenomenon - emphasizing the need for data integration. Migration phenology is a key metric characterizing large-scale migration dynamics and has been successfully quantified using weather surveillance radar (WSR) data and community science observations. Separately, both platforms have their limitations and measure different aspects of bird migration. We sought to make a formal comparison of the migration phenology estimates derived from WSR and eBird data - of which we predict a positive correlation. Location: Contiguous United States. Time period: 2002-2018. Major taxa studied: Migratory birds. Methods: We estimated spring and autumn migration phenology at 143 WSR stations aggregated over a 17-year period (2002-2018), which we contrast with eBird-based estimates of spring and autumn migration phenology for 293 nocturnally migrating bird species at the 143 WSR stations. We compared phenology metrics derived from all species and WSR stations combined, for species in three taxonomic orders (Anseriformes, Charadriiformes and Passeriformes), and for WSR stations in three North American migration flyways (western, central and eastern). Results: We found positive correlations between WSR and eBird-based estimates of migration phenology and differences in the strength of correlations among taxonomic orders and migration flyways. The correlations were stronger during spring migration, for Passeriformes, and generally for WSR stations in the eastern flyway. Autumn migration showed weaker correlation, and in Anseriformes correlations were weakest overall. Lastly, eBird-based estimates slightly preceded those derived from WSR in the spring, but trailed WSR in the autumn, suggesting that the two data sources measure different components of migration phenology. Main conclusions: We highlight the complementarity of these two approaches, but also reveal strong taxonomic and geographic differences in the relationships between the platforms.

COMPARISON BETWEEN SEVERAL OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY DEVICES AND INDOCYANINE GREEN ANGIOGRAPHY OF CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION.

PURPOSE: To compare indocyanine green angiography and four different optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) devices and to test their reproducibility in the evaluation of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). METHODS: This study was an observational case series of Type 1 and Type 2 CNV presenting at the Eye Clinic, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, imaged with indocyanine green angiography and four different OCTA devices: prototype PlexElite (Carl Zeiss Meditec), prototype Spectralis OCTA (Spectralis; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany), Optovue RTVue XR Avanti (Optovue, Inc, Fremont, CA), and AngioPlex (Cirrus 5000 HD-OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, CA). Optical coherence tomography angiography examinations were performed using a 3 × 3-mm or 6 × 6-mm volume scan pattern to capture the full lesion. The mean area of CNV, vessel density, and fractal dimension were compared between the devices. RESULTS: Seventeen eyes of 17 patients with CNV were enrolled. The CNV area was significantly larger in indocyanine green angiography than in the OCTA devices. Moreover, the four different instruments produced measurements with different mean values of CNV area, vessel density, and fractal dimension. The Bland-Altman analysis revealed that the limits of agreement for the comparisons were not acceptable. CONCLUSION: The choroidal neovascularization area is larger when imaged with standard indocyanine green angiography than with different OCTA devices with different algorithms, wavelengths, and scan patterns. The differences between several OCTA devices in the evaluation of quantitative parameters of CNV, such as CNV area, vessel density, and fractal dimension, suggest the necessity to standardize OCTA measurements for research and clinical practice.

SCOTOPIC AND FAST MESOPIC MICROPERIMETRY IN EYES WITH DRUSEN AND RETICULAR PSEUDODRUSEN.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility in the clinical practice of a fast and simple mesopic microperimetry examination comparing the retinal sensitivity in eyes with drusen and reticular pseudodrusen by scotopic and mesopic testing. METHODS: In eyes with only drusen and only reticular pseudodrusen, retinal sensitivity was assessed by mesopic testing and after 35 minutes of dark adaptation by scotopic testing using 2 grids of 6 and 10 stimulus points. RESULTS: Fifteen eyes with drusen and 14 eyes with reticular pseudodrusen were enrolled with mean best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20. In mesopic and scotopic examination, we found significant higher retinal sensitivity of eyes with drusen compared with reticular pseudodrusen (P < 0.001). The mean duration of the examination of mesopic testing was less than 2 minutes, significantly reduced compared with scotopic testing (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Eyes with reticular pseudodrusen presented a significantly reduced retinal sensitivity than eyes with drusen with scotopic and mesopic testing. The different retinal sensitivity between patients was found despite both group presenting good visual acuity. The retinal sensitivity evaluated by mesopic testing may replace the use of scotopic testing and best-corrected visual acuity examination, saving time and providing useful information in the assessment of macular function to identify patients with risk of disease progression.

Macular hemorrhage after laser exposure and cannabinoid intake during a disco party.

PURPOSE: To describe two cases of macular hemorrhage in young patients, both occurred after laser exposure and cannabinoid intake during a disco party. OBSERVATIONS: Case 1: a 21-year-old man was evaluated at our Emergency Unit for sudden vision loss in the right eye (RE). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was count fingers in the RE and 20/20 in the left eye (LE). Fundus examination revealed a broad pre-retinal hemorrhage in macular region of RE, confirmed by optical coherence tomography. The patient reported vision loss, suddenly occurred after fixation of a laser source and cannabinoid intake during a disco party the night before. We administered a macular supplement and closely followed up the patient. After two months BCVA of the right eye was 20/20. CASE 2: The following day another 21-year-old man was referred to our Emergency Unit complaining of sudden vision loss in LE. As in Case 1, he reported to have fixed a laser beam as well as the consumption of cannabinoids at the same disco. BCVA was count fingers in the LE and 20/20 in the RE. Fundus examination showed a broad pre-retinal hemorrhage in macular region of LE. He had taken the macular supplement for two months and then the hemorrhage was reabsorbed. CONCLUSION AND IMPORTANCE: Laser exposure must be considered as a possible cause of macular hemorrhage. Furthermore, low cost of drugs and lack of formal control of laser sources may increase the emergence of new cases of retinal injuries especially among young people.

The In Vivo Correlation between Retinal Pigment Epithelium Thickness and Quantitative Fundus Autofluorescence in a White Population.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of age on the thickness of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/Bruch's membrane (BM) complex and the quantitative autofluorescence (qAF) and to study the possible correlation existing between these 2 parameters in a healthy White population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy White volunteers aged 18 to 65 years. METHODS: All subjects underwent spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) and qAF imaging with the Heidelberg HRA-Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Spectral domain OCT images were analyzed using the in-built graph-based automatic segmentation algorithm for single retinal layer identification to assess RPE/BM complex thickness in vivo. The thickness values of both inner and outer rings of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid, generated by the software using the "RPE" segmentation, were averaged to obtain a single RPE/BM complex thickness value in each eye. Quantitative autofluorescence images were also evaluated using a dedicated software. The qAF values of 8 subfields forming a ring centered onto the fovea were collected and averaged to obtain a single qAF value (qAF8) in each eye. The correlation among the RPE/BM complex thickness, the qAF value, and the age of the subjects was investigated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The in vivo correlation between RPE/BM complex thickness and qAF. RESULTS: A total of 105 eyes from 105 subjects (mean age, 42.1 ± 13.9 years; range, 18-65) were included in the analysis. The mean RPE/BM complex thickness significantly increased with age (r = 0.33, P = 0.0006). The values of qAF also positively increased with age (P < 0.0001). A significant correlation was found between qAF and RPE/BM complex thickness (r = 0.27, P = 0.004). After adjusting for age, iris color, and gender, the correlation remained significant only for subjects aged less than 40 years (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: BM complex thickness was significantly co/BM complex thickness increased with age in a healthy White population. A similar increase was found for qAF values. After adjusting for age and iris color, qAF and RPE/BM complex thickness were still correlated in subjects aged less than 40 years. The RPE/BM complex thickness could reflect the lipofuscin/melanolipofuscin accumulation in normal subjects, adding great interest in RPE cell biology.

Three-quarters attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 in the Brazilian Amazon during a largely unmitigated epidemic.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread rapidly in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state in northern Brazil. The attack rate there is an estimate of the final size of the largely unmitigated epidemic that occurred in Manaus. We use a convenience sample of blood donors to show that by June 2020, 1 month after the epidemic peak in Manaus, 44% of the population had detectable immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. Correcting for cases without a detectable antibody response and for antibody waning, we estimate a 66% attack rate in June, rising to 76% in October. This is higher than in São Paulo, in southeastern Brazil, where the estimated attack rate in October was 29%. These results confirm that when poorly controlled, COVID-19 can infect a large proportion of the population, causing high mortality.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil.

The first case of COVID-19 was detected in Brazil on 25 February 2020. We report and contextualize epidemiological, demographic and clinical findings for COVID-19 cases during the first 3 months of the epidemic. By 31 May 2020, 514,200 COVID-19 cases, including 29,314 deaths, had been reported in 75.3% (4,196 of 5,570) of municipalities across all five administrative regions of Brazil. The R0 value for Brazil was estimated at 3.1 (95% Bayesian credible interval = 2.4-5.5), with a higher median but overlapping credible intervals compared with some other seriously affected countries. A positive association between higher per-capita income and COVID-19 diagnosis was identified. Furthermore, the severe acute respiratory infection cases with unknown aetiology were associated with lower per-capita income. Co-circulation of six respiratory viruses was detected but at very low levels. These findings provide a comprehensive description of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil and may help to guide subsequent measures to control virus transmission.