BMC Ecology and Evolution - Citizen science in eDNA monitoring for Mediterranean monk seal conservation 

Citizen Science projects aim at involving volunteers in the collection of large datasets for research purposes and are increasingly being used to collect ecological data to support efforts in conservation biology.  

Also known as Monachus monachus, the Mediterranean monk seal is among the most endangered marine mammals, largely due to habitat loss, pollution, increased human activity and illegal killing, and data deficiency in these areas impedes conservation efforts. This research seeks to involve volunteers in the collection and filtration of water samples through Citizen Science to facilitate the monitoring of seal populations using environmental DNA (eDNA). The authors found that volunteers were able to collect and filter water samples from the Southern Adriatic Sea and the Northern Ionian Sea using a newly developed filtration system called WET. In addition, the involvement through Citizen Science led to an increase in perceived knowledge of seal conservation and improved conservation behaviours in the volunteers. 

This highlights the important role that ecological projects involving volunteers play not only in supporting conservation efforts, but also in raising awareness of environmental issues and improving conservation behaviours among the public.   

This article is part of the ‘Citizen science in ecological research’ Collection. You can read more about the Collection here: https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/CSER  

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making - Assessing the accuracy and quality of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot-generated responses in making patient-specific drug-therapy and healthcare-related decisions 

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) language processing tools have recently gained popularity among the public and have been used, among other things, as a source of information. It is therefore important to assess the reliability and accuracy of such tools especially when it comes to providing healthcare related information. 

The authors of this study looked into the quality and consistency of responses given by ChatGPT to a set of health-related questions. They found that the answers sometimes differed when posed by different users, and that the recommendations obtained from ChatGPT were not always consistent with official governmental and medical guidelines. Additionally, misinformative responses were given in answer to qualitative questions and computational inconsistencies were noticed, as well as erroneous or unconfirmed references when ChatGPT was asked to provide the information source.  

This study highlights the fact that at the moment AI tools do not replace official guidance when it comes to clinical decisions and healthcare advice, especially when it comes to complex queries, and clinical information generated by ChatGPT should be verified through reliable sources. 

BMC Genomics - Unraveling the ancient fungal DNA from the Iceman gut 

The discovery of the Iceman mummy, named Ötzi, in 1991 on the Tyrolean Alps by a hikers drew the attention of the world and offered a wealth of information about life in the Copper Age. Ötzi was found together with extensive equipment, which helped characterise his social status and habits. The presence of ancient DNA associated with specific bacterial strains in Ötzi’s gut has already been confirmed. 

In this study, the authors looked into the potential presence of fungal ancient DNA in Ötzi’s stomach and intestine, and indeed found evidence of two species of Pseudogymnoascus in the gut. Given the nature of these fungal species, which are commonly found in soil and on plants and one of which is known to be an opportunistic pathogen, the authors suggest it is likely that Ötzi might have accidentally ingested contaminated food. This hypothesis, as opposed to permafrost or ice colonisation, is supported by the absence of such genomic signals in the muscle tissue, which was used as a control, and large intestine.  

This study delves into the fascinating world of fungal ancient DNA, showing how much knowledge Ötzi can provide and the important role fungi can have in shedding light on what life was like thousands of years ago.  

BMC Digital Health - Digital mental health: locations and contexts in youths’ presentation of self in video consultations— a qualitative study

The mode and type of interaction between patient and therapist is an important consideration when it comes to mental health services. While the use of video consultations in providing mental health services has been investigated for a long time, it has been brought to the forefront over the last 5 years or so especially as a means to provide such services during periods of lockdown. Tele-mental health has been increasingly implemented to improve access to services especially for those struggling to travel or those feeling uncomfortable with face-to-face interaction.  

In this study, the authors use a hermeneutic-phenomenological methodology to qualitatively assess the experiences of young people using video consultations, and how this affects the perceive relationship between patient and practitioner. 

Semi structured interviews found that patients struggle to discuss deeper issues and, for some, to express emotions over video sessions. They felt that not being able to see the therapists’ body language was a significant barrier, and likewise that the therapists were not able to capture emotional cues coming from patients as effectively. Conversely, some reported that they found it easier to communicate because they felt they were given less attention (e.g. less eye contact). Communicating with the therapist from home was experienced in different ways by the participants, some finding it a more comfortable environment, others being less willing to share for fear family members would overhear. Holding the therapy session while at school was overall seen as a negative experience, primarily due to lack of privacy and of emotional support if/when needed.  

Overall this study highlights the importance of choosing an appropriate environment for mental health consultations and to assess the use of digital tools in the individual contexts that the patients may experience.  

BMC Medical Ethics - Investigating ethical considerations in the communication network of married women undergone hysterectomy: instrumentation of a questionnaire 

Hysterectomy is an invasive surgical procedure which can be carried out to treat a variety of gynaecological conditions. It can have a major impact on psychological as well as physical aspects of a woman’s life.  

The authors of this study developed and conducted a questionnaire designed to assess the ethical aspects in the communication network of women who elected to undergo hysterectomy. Due to the impact that this procedure can have in day-to-day life, the choice to undergo hysterectomy can be difficult and can be influenced by the woman’s attitude towards motherhood and the idea of femininity as well as sexual considerations. For these reasons, the attitude towards the procedure can be affected by the women’s interactions with their social network, and they rely on the support of their families and colleagues as well as healthcare providers. This means there are important ethical elements to consider when taking such interactions into account.  

This study verified the consistency and validity of the questionnaire presented and highlights the need for further investigation into this topic in a wider context.