Evaluation of a text-mining application for the rapid analysis of free-text wildlife necropsy reports

by Stefan Saverimuttu, Kate McInnes, Kristin Warren, Lian Yeap, Stuart Hunter, Brett Gartrell, An Pas, James Chatterton, Bethany Jackson

The ability to efficiently derive insights from wildlife necropsy data is essential for advancing conservation and One Health objectives, yet close reading remains the mainstay of knowledge retrieval from ubiquitous free-text clinical data. This time-consuming process poses a barrier to the efficient utilisation of such valuable resources. This study evaluates part of a bespoke text-mining application, DEE (Describe, Explore, Examine), designed for extracting insights from free-text necropsy reports housed in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Wildbase Pathology Register. A pilot test involving nine veterinary professionals assessed DEE’s ability to quantify the occurrence of four clinicopathologic findings (external oiling, trauma, diphtheritic stomatitis, and starvation) across two species datasets by comparison to manual review. Performance metrics—recall, precision, and F1-score—were calculated and analysed alongside tester-driven misclassification patterns. Findings reveal that while DEE (and the principals underlying its function) offers time-efficient data retrieval, its performance is influenced by search term selection and the breadth of vocabulary which may describe a clinicopathologic finding. Those findings characterized by limited terminological variance, such as external oiling, yielded the highest performance scores and the most consistency across application testers. Mean F1-scores across all tested findings and application testers was 0.63–0.93. Results highlight the utility and limitations of term-based text-mining approaches and suggests that enhancements to automatically capture this terminological variance may be necessary for broader implementation. This pilot study highlights the potential of relatively simple, rule-based text-mining approaches to derive insights natural language wildlife data in the support of One Health goals.

Triadic relationships between pasture exposure, gastrointestinal parasites, and hindgut microbiomes in grazing lambs

by Jack Jefferson, Claire Reigate, Alessandra Giacomini, M. Jordana Rivero, Matthew Hitchings, Tamsyn Uren Webster, Konstans Wells

Livestock grazing in confined pastures often means grazing on a less diverse diet than under more natural conditions and increased exposure to gastrointestinal parasites prevailing in these pastures. However, how sward composition influences gut microbiome (GM) diversity and its relationship with parasite burden remains poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the faecal GM of weaned lambs grazing on two distinct sward types (perennial ryegrass and a mixed-species sward) over three consecutive months using 16S rRNA sequencing, in order to assess how microbial diversity and composition are related to environmental conditions and the gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) burden in naturally infected lambs. Sward type and sampling time explained some of the variation in GM alpha diversity and community composition (beta diversity), whereas individual lamb identity accounted for considerably more variation in microbial assemblages. Shifts in the relative abundance of bacterial genera such as Saccharofermentans, Anaerosporobacter, Butyrivibrio in relation to sward type and sampling time suggest mostly adaptive fluctuations in response to diet and pasture condition. Abundance shifts of Negativibacillus, and Candidatus Saccharimonas were also associated with GIN burden, which, in turn, was higher in lambs grazing on mixed swards compared to ryegrass. Our findings add to the growing understanding of how sheep microbiomes vary with pasture management and changes in parasite burden. We highlight that individual identity may shape gut microbiota, and that potential triadic interactions among gastrointestinal parasites, sward exposure, and the gut microbiome underscore the importance of considering host, parasite, and environmental factors collectively when evaluating microbiome dynamics in grazing livestock.

Remote maternal-fetal telemedicine monitoring for high-risk pregnancy care: A feasibility study

by Jack Le Vance, Alexandra Emms, Victoria Hodgetts Morton, R. Katie Morris, Leo Gurney

High-risk pregnancies undergo regular antenatal monitoring, including cardiotocography (CTG) and ultrasound. Recently there has been an emergence of sophisticated remote telehealth interventions, potentially enabling care to be shifted into the home setting. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of home CTG and home ultrasound monitoring for high-risk pregnancies. This was a single center study. Women aged ≥18 years, English speaking, singleton pregnancy, ≥ 32 weeks gestation and had at least one of four high-risk obstetric conditions were eligible. Participants were randomized to one of three groups: (1) home ultrasound; (2) home CTG; and (3) both, whilst continuing their routine antenatal care. The primary outcome was completion of 20 minutes of interpretable fetal heart recording and/or completion of an interpretable fetal ultrasound for each monitoring episode. Ultrasound interpretability was assessed for three validated criteria: fetal heartbeat, fetal movements and liquor volume assessment. Secondary outcomes included monitoring adherence, anxiety management, acceptability and safety. Fifteen participants, within three groups, completed 24 remote ultrasounds and 59 remote CTGs. Overall, the fetal heartbeat, movements and an assessment of the liquor volume were identified in 92%, 83% and 100% of all ultrasound scans respectively. 79% of all scans had all three criteria unanimously assessed. Three-quarters of all CTGs contained at least 20 minutes of continuous interpretable computerized fetal heartrate recording. Neither ethnicity, parity, BMI nor fetal presentation were significant factors for achievement of the primary outcome for both devices. There was non-significant reduction in anxiety scores before and after device usage (p = 0.19). Participants’ monitoring adherence and acceptability ratings were high in all groups. No adverse maternal-fetal outcomes relating to device usage occurred. Home ultrasound and cardiotocography are potentially feasible and acceptable to high-risk pregnant women. Larger studies are required to refine how best to implement such devices into clinical practice. ClinicalTrials ID: NCT06366711.

Adverse childhood experiences and COVID-19 vaccination uptake: Examining the intersection of sex and urban-rural residence

by Karyn Fu, Dylan B. Jackson, Alexander Testa

Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to negative health outcomes and behaviors in adulthood. Despite widespread research on ACEs, their relationship with COVID-19 vaccination uptake, particularly heterogeneity across demographic groups, remains underexplored. This study examined the association between ACEs and COVID-19 vaccination status, with a focus on how this relationship varies by sex and urban-rural residence.

Methods

Data were obtained from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), including respondents who participated in the ACEs and COVID-19 vaccination optional state modules (N = 12,085 adults). COVID-19 vaccination status (yes/no) served as the dependent variable, while ACEs were categorized into four levels: 0, 1, 2–3, and 4 + ACEs. Multivariable logistic regression analyses, stratified by sex and urban-rural residence, were conducted to assess the association between ACEs and vaccination status.

Results

Among the sample, 76.2% reported receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Multivariable analysis revealed no statistically significant association between ACEs and vaccination status for the full sample. Stratified analyses indicated that male respondents living in rural counties with 4 + ACEs had significantly lower odds of vaccination (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.34–0.96). No significant associations were observed for other demographic groups (e.g., females in urban or rural areas; males in urban areas).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that males in rural areas with high ACE exposure may be vulnerable to low COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Targeted trauma-informed public health interventions warrant consideration to address vaccination uptake among this population.

Enhancing food security sustainability through digital information extension services in rural Uganda: Maize postharvest evidence-based strategies

by Jackline Estomihi Mayende Kiwelu, Patrick Ngulube

Background

Postharvest losses caused by poor drying and storage practices lead to maize waste, reduced food availability, unsafe food due to aflatoxin contamination, and income loss for farmers. This exacerbates food insecurity and threatens the livelihoods of rural communities. Leveraging digital solutions to provide quality maize postharvest handling information is critical to mitigating these challenges.

Objective

This study examined maize postharvest handling extension information services provided by rural agricultural extension officers in selected districts of Uganda, focusing on how evidence-based practices supported by information sources, expert knowledge, and ICT infrastructure ensure the quality and relevance of the information delivered.

Methods

A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. Data were collected from 312 rural smallholder maize farmers, 22 extension officers, and four information officers. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti version 24, quantitative data were analyzed in SPSS version 29 to generate descriptive statistics and conduct Pearson’s chi-square tests.

Findings

Agriculture extension officers applied digital evidence-based information practices to improve maize postharvest handling advisory services. The study reported that the most frequently used practices were asking (identifying farmers’ information needs), acquiring (gathering relevant information), appraising (evaluating information quality), and applying (guiding farmers’ decisions). Aggregation (organizing information for accessibility) and assessment (evaluating the effectiveness of applied information) were less practiced. The study suggests a significant relationship between evidence application and maize postharvest handling practices (p = 0.002). No significant relationship between asking farmers’ information needs and maize postharvest handling practices (p = 0.887). The study identified inadequate updated sources of information, insufficient skills in evidence-based practices, and information communication technologies.

Conclusion

This study suggests that decision-makers update the evidence source and develop continuous professional development (CPD) training programs for rural agricultural extension officers to equip them with knowledge and skills in maize postharvest handling, evidence-based information practices, and new developments in ICTs.