Ondokuz Mayis University

An international team of scientists has for the first time identified two new underground mammals that could have been living, undetected, in eastern Turkey for up to 3 million years. They say it is rare to find new species of mammals today, and evidence that the true nature of biodiversity can be under-estimated. Scientists have identified two types of mole which they believe have been living undiscovered in the mountains of eastern Turkey for as many as 3 million years. The new moles -- named Talpa hakkariensis and Talpa davidiana tatvanensis -- belong to a familiar group of subterranean, invertebrate-eating mammals found across Europe and Western Asia. While only one species, Talpa europaea, is found in Britain, further east there are a number of different moles, many of which have very small geographical ranges. The researchers -- using cutting edge DNA technology -- have confirmed the new forms are biologically distinct from others in the group. Both inhabit mountainous regions in eastern Turkey, and are able to survive in temperatures of up to 50°C in summer and being buried under two metres of snow in winter. The study, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, was conducted by researchers from Ondokuz May's University (Turkey), Indiana University (USA), and the University of Plymouth (UK). Senior author David Bilton, Professor of Aquatic Biology at the University of Plymouth, has previously been responsible for identifying almost 80 new species of animals, particularly insects, and said the new discoveries were notable for a number of reasons. "It is very rare to find new species of mammals today," he said. "There are only around 6,500 mammal species that have been identified across the world and, by comparison, there are around 400,000 species of beetles known, with an estimated 1-2 million on Earth. Superficially, the new moles we have identified in this study appear similar to other species, since living underground imposes serious constraints on the evolution of body size and shape -- there are a limited number of options available for moles really. Our study highlights how, in such circumstances, we can under-estimate the true nature of biodiversity, even in groups like mammals, where most people would assume we know all the species with which we share the planet." The discoveries mean that the number of known Eurasian moles has been raised from 16 to 18, and each have their own distinct genetic and physical characteristics. To identify their latest finds, the researchers studied the size and shape of various bodily structures, using advanced mathematical analyses, which also allowed them to include specimens collected in the 19th century that are still available in museum collections. A complementary analysis of the moles' DNA, and a detailed comparison with known species, then confirmed their distinctiveness. As a result, Talpa hakkariensis -- found in the Hakkari region of southeastern Turkey -- was identified as a new species of mole, highly distinctive in terms of both its morphology and DNA. Talpa davidiana tatvanensis -- found near Bitlis, also in southeastern Turkey -- was also identified as being morphologically distinct but has been classified as a subspecies of Talpa davidiana. First identified in 1884, T. davidiana it is listed as data deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Professor Bilton added: "We have no doubt that further investigations will reveal additional diversity, and that more new species of mole remain undiscovered in this and adjacent regions. Amid increasing calls to preserve global biodiversity, if we are looking to protect species we need to know they exist in the first place. Through this study, we have established something of a hidden pocket of biodiversity and know far more about the species that live within it than previously. That will be critical for conservation experts, and society as a whole, when considering how best to manage this part of the planet."

COLLEGE STATION, Texas--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Mays Business School at Texas A&M University and leading health and well-being company Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) have announced the winners of the 2022 Humana-Mays Healthcare Analytics Case Competition , a competition during which students use their analytical abilities to solve a real-world business problem. In its sixth year, the competition has grown to be one of the top healthcare analytics case competitions in the country. Over 550 master’s level students, representing 48 major universities in the U.S., registered for the national competition to compete for $80,000 in total prizes. The student team of Rick Kessels, Karthik Maddipoti and Charlotte Nouwen from UCLA received the first-place prize of $50,000. The second-place prize of $20,000 was awarded to Madhusree Chowdhury, Sai Jahnavi Gamalapati and Di Zhao from University of Connecticut, while the third-place prize of $10,000 was presented to Chen Lin, Bill Pahutski and Paul Selling from UCLA. This year’s competition focused on the theme “Health-Related Social Need (HRSN) of Housing Insecurity,” which is defined as the lack of access to quality and safe housing. Students, who were asked to create a model to identify Medicare members most likely to struggle with housing insecurity issues, proposed solutions to help people achieve their best health. This included a targeted outreach strategy for Humana that prioritizes the most vulnerable and underserved populations so that they may receive health solutions. “Humana is committed to helping people and the communities we serve achieve their best health. We do this by addressing social determinants of health and health-related social needs, both inside and outside of the clinical setting,” said Sam Deshpande, Chief Information Officer at Humana. “Advanced analytics enable us to identify how to meet the needs of the whole person while helping to steer resources to those who need extra support. It is exciting to see the passion and creative ideas of this year’s participants as they work to solve these systemic health challenges and open the door to future possibilities.” “The quality of the analytics these students are delivering has improved each year,” said Scott Bagley, PhD, Vice President of HQRI Technology and Analytics at Humana. Bagley, a Texas A&M alumnus, who has served as a Case Competition Finalist Judge for the past five years, added, “Serving as a judge for this competition is my favorite professional opportunity, an exciting partnership that fosters ingenuity and creativity, especially as the real world problems provided have become more challenging to match America’s need to advance and evolve healthcare in this country.” “Business schools educate students to solve real-world problems,” said Jerry Strawser, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs at Mays Business School. “This case study illustrates how students can apply skills they learn in the classroom to make a difference in the world by improving the health and lives of patients and their families.” The sixth annual competition was held virtually and was open to all accredited educational institutions based in the United States. Full-time and part-time master’s students from accredited Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Information Systems, Master of Public Health, Master of Business Administration programs or other similar master’s programs in business, healthcare or analytics, were eligible to enter. The teams were judged based on the following criteria: Quantitative analysis identifying key business insights Professionalism, data visualization, and presentation skills Ability to provide meaningful implications and recommendations based on results/insights Prior top winners include Georgia Tech (2021), Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (2020), UCLA (2018 & 2019) and Purdue University (2017). For more information, visit HumanaTAMUAnalytics.com . About Mays Business School At Mays Business School, we strive to advance the world’s prosperity. Our mission is to be a vibrant learning organization that creates impactful knowledge and develops transformational leaders. Mays Business School educates nearly 6,300 undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students in accounting, finance, information systems and operations management, management, and marketing. Mays ranks consistently among the top public business schools in the country for its programs and for faculty research. About Humana Humana Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large. To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s website at humana.com , including copies of: Annual reports to stockholders; Securities and Exchange Commission filings; Most recent investor conference presentations; Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls; Calendar of events; and Corporate Governance information.