The Tanzania-Zambia (TANZAM) Highway traversing Mikumi National Park (MINAPA) has been a concern for wildlife managers since it was first paved in 1973-74. After its upgrade in 1989-90, researchers have documented increasing traffic resulting in considerable animal injuries and mortalities. Yellow baboons in MINAPA are known to use the road as their bridge to and from foraging areas, therefore in addition to the risk of mortality; road use could potentially have significant influence on their feeding behaviour. However, knowledge on the influences of the TANZAM highway in the feeding behaviour of the baboons is sparse. Using focal animal sampling techniques, we collected data on feeding and foraging behaviour of two habituated troops of yellow baboons to examine to what extent the TANZAM highway is important in their feeding and foraging behaviour. Results showed that in relation to habitat availability, visitation to habitat types reflect actual habitat choice of baboons. In general, baboons less frequently visit and spent less time in the highway compared to natural habitats. Whenever they were on the highway, adult females and subadult males engage more into feeding, resting and socializing, while adult males were more vigilant. The major dietary compositions were fruits, seeds, leaves, sap and invertebrates, almost exclusively collected from natural habitats, foods from the highway were opportunistically consumed. This study provides empirical evidence and concludes that yellow baboons do not directly depend on the highway for food, rather they use the TANZAM highway as normal part of their home range. The TANZAM highway is used because it improves visibility and reduces the perceived predation risk compared to natural habitats. However, its location near sleeping sites may have significant impact on baboons’ activity budget. With these findings, we recommend strict implementation of rules against park littering and animal feeding in protected areas traversed by highways.

Understanding the consequences of human induced translocations on natural populations requires genetic monitoring. Salmonid fishes represent a group of species experiencing several such large-scale perturbations expected to affect microevolutionary processes. Here, two genetically separate brown trout populations with divergent life history traits are studied following their release into waters previously void of trout. We use a pooled sequencing approach to explore the genomic characteristics of the released stocks and of populations established in the wild in two lakes down-stream of the release site 30 years (4-5 generations) later. While most of the differences (FST=0.16) between the released stocks can be attributed to drift, we identify putatively adaptive differences between them in genes involved in immunity, hearing, skin and muscle texture. Higher levels of genome-wide diversity in established populations compared to released stocks suggest extensive hybridization between stocks. However, released stocks are unequally represented in the established populations, with one stock mainly contributing to the lake closest to the release site, and the other dominating the lake further downstream. We also identify genomic regions putatively under directional selection in the new environment, where genes from one of the released populations, governing metabolism, appear advantageous. Our results demonstrate that hybridization, establishment, and adaptation can be rapid after release into novel environments. We show that such ongoing processes, important for conservation and management, are possible to monitor over contemporary time scales even for a species with relatively small local effective population sizes and a large, complex genome.

In this paper, we investigate a well-balanced and positive-preserving non-staggered central scheme, which has second-order accuracy on both time and spatial scales, for open channel flows with variable channel width and non-flat bottom. We perform piecewise linear reconstructions of the conserved variables and energy as well as discretize the source term using the property that the energy remains constant, so that the complex source term and the flux can be precisely balanced so as to maintain the steady state. The scheme also ensures that the cross-sectional wet area is positive by introducing a draining time-step technique. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the scheme is capable of accurately maintaining both the still steady-state solutions and the moving steady-state solutions, simultaneously. Moreover, the scheme has the ability to accurately capture small perturbations in the moving steady-state solution and avoid generating spurious oscillations. It is also capable of showing that the scheme is positive-preserving and robust in solving the dam-break problem.

In this manuscript,we present a parametric family of derivative-free 3-steps iterative methods with a weight function for solving nonlinear equations. We study various ways of introducing memory to this parametric family in order to increase the order of convergence without new functional evaluations. We also performed numerical experiments to compare the iterative methods fromdifferent points of view.

This paper is concerned with a class of singular prey-taxis models in a smooth bounded domain under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions. The main challenge of analysis is the possible singularity as the prey density vanishes. Employing the technique of a priori assumption, the comparison principle of differential equations and semigroup estimates, we show that the singularity can be precluded if the intrinsic growth rate of prey is suitably large and hence obtain the existence of global classical bounded solutions. Moreover, the global stability of co-existence and prey-only steady states with convergence rates is established by the method of Lyapunov functionals.

Tenacibaculum maritimum is a devastating bacterial pathogen affecting a large variety of marine fish species. It is responsible for significant economic losses in aquaculture farms worldwide. Different typing methods have been proposed to analyze bacterial diversity and population structure. Serological heterogeneity has been observed and up to four different serotypes have been described so far. However, the underlying molecular factors remain unknown. By combining conventional serotyping and genome-wide association study, we identified the genomic loci likely involved in the O-antigen biosynthesis. This finding allowed the development of a robust multiplex PCR-based serotyping scheme able to detect subgroups within each serotype and therefore performs better than conventional serotyping. This scheme was successfully applied to a large number of isolates from worldwide origin and retrieved from a large variety of fish species. No obvious correlations were observed between the mPCR-based serotype and the host species or the geographic origin of the isolates. Strikingly, the distribution of mPCR-based serotypes does not follow the core-genome phylogeny. Nevertheless, this simple and cost-effective mPCR-based serotyping method could be useful for different applications such as population structure analysis, disease surveillance, vaccine formulation and efficacy follow-up.

Congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis of Hashimoto and Pritzker (CSHR), a form of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), is a rare benign proliferative disorder that typically self-resolves at 6 months. We present an atypical case of CSHR with first onset at 10 months of age which showed histologic features of LCH.

Wild boar is the main sylvatic reservoir of the genotype 3 of hepatitis E virus (HEV). The occurrence of HEV-3 human cases has been linked to the consumption of raw or undercooked pig and wild boar meat and liver. The zoonotic transmission of HEV-3 has been confirmed by sequencing identical or strictly related viral strains in humans, wild boar, and derived food. The HEV sequences classified within the HEV-3 genotype are highly variable, and although only one serotype has been identified so far, the observed differences allow for the further classification of the HEV-3 genotype into subtypes, named in alphabetical order. Compared to human and pig strains, an even higher heterogeneity is observed among strains infecting wild boar. In the present study, the genetic variability of eight HEV-3 strains detected in wild boars living in a small geographical area in central Italy (Lazio and Umbria regions) was investigated by full genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The strains were classified within the HEV-3a, HEV-3c, HEV-3f subtypes and within two new recently proposed subtypes. Results demonstrate – despite the relatively small geographic area of origin – an unexpected divergence within HEV-3 strains hosted by the investigated wild boar population and highlights the need for extensive sequencing of HEV in reservoirs to fully understand diversity, geographical distribution and evolution of this group of viruses.

Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are licensed for the prevention of thromboembolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation amongst other indications. Prescribers use information derived from the summary of product characteristics which is based on the key trials supporting the DOAC’s market authorisation. However, prescribers may be aware of the limitations of these trials regarding underrepresentation of patient populations commonly encountered in clinical practice and how this may adversely impact them. This review highlights the gaps in the licensing evidence using 3 clinical vignettes that explore prescribing challenges in the elderly, obese and female patients.

Objective: To study the value of fetal epicardial fat thickness (EFT) in gestational diabetes mellitus in the third trimester of pregnancy and its relationship with clinical parameters and perinatal outcomes. Methods: A total of 80 participants, including 40 with diagnosed GDM and 40 healthy pregnant women, were included in the study. Demographic data were obtained from medical records. Sonographic examinations were performed, such as amniotic fluid value, fetal biometric measurements, and Doppler parameters of the umbilical artery. Fetal EFT values were measured at the free wall of the right ventricle using a reference line with echocardiographic methods. Correlation tests were performed to evaluate the relationship between fetal EFT and clinical and perinatal parameters. P < 0.05 were interpreted as statistically significant. Results: The fetal EFT value was statistically higher in the GDM group than in the control group (p:0.000). Spearman correlation tests revealed statistically significant but weak positive correlations between fetal EFT value, 1-hour 100-gr OGTT, birth weight, and BMI (r: 0.198, p:0.047; r:0.395, p:0.012; r:0.360, p:0.042, respectively). The optimal fetal EFT threshold for predicting GDM disease was found as 1.55 mm, with a specificity of 74.4% and sensitivity of 75.0%. Statistically significant differences between the two groups in umbilical artery Doppler resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), and systolic/diastolic ratio (S/D) were not found (p:0.337; p:0.503; p:0.155;). BMI and amniotic fluid volume were higher in the GDM group compared to the control group (p:0.009; p:0.000). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that increased fetal EFT may occur as a reflection of changes in glucose metabolism in intrauterine life. Future studies with larger series, including the study of neonatal metabolic parameters, will contribute to the understanding of the importance of fetal EFT in determining the metabolic status of the fetus.

Severe shortage of donor hearts has increased the mortality of patients on the transplant waiting list. However, donor hearts with valvular dysfunction are rarely used. Utilizing donor hearts with valvular lesions that can be repaired or replaced at the time of transplant will decrease waitlist mortality and offer many patients a second chance in life.

LetterDelta or Omicron BA.1/2-neutralizing antibody levels and T-cell reactivity after triple-vaccination or infectionTo the editor,In Germany, SARS-CoV-2 infections in fall 2021 were caused by the Delta variant of concern (VOC B.1.617.2), which was completely replaced by the Omicron VOC (BA.1, B.1.529.1/BA.2, B.1.529.2) in winter. Meanwhile, the BA.2 sublineage dominates, apparently having a selection advantage1.We studied the kinetics of anti-spike (S) protein IgG and Delta neutralizing antibodies (NA) as well as the release of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) from SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cells in 152 individuals (117 women, 35 men, median age 41 years) who received two doses of vector vaccine (AstraZeneca, AZD, N=34), mRNA vaccine (BioNTech or Moderna, mRNA, N=62), or a combination of both (N=56) followed by an mRNA vaccine boost (N=81). In a subset of 15 age- and gender-matched vaccinees and in ten triple-vaccinated and two unvaccinated patients with previous BA.1 infection, the Delta- and Omicron BA.1/BA.2 NAs and T-cell reactivity were examined. For comparison, variant-specific antibody responses of unvaccinated patients after infection with Alpha- (N=10) or Beta VOCs (N=1) were included.Within 279 days after the second vaccination, a decrease in anti-S IgG concentrations (Figures S 1A-C) and Delta NA titers (Figure 1A) was measured regardless of the immunization regimen. The booster vaccination led to a significant increase of anti-S IgG concentrations (Figures S1 D-F) and of Delta NA titers (Figure 1B). The IgG levels and Delta NAs reached four weeks after the mRNA vaccine booster were 1.3 - 1.7-fold higher than after the second mRNA dose, but this difference was significant only for IgG (Figures 1A, C; Figures S 1A-C, G-I). The release of IFN-γ as a measure of SARS-CoV-2 T-cell reactivity was demonstrated for months after second vaccination. In contrast to the Delta NA levels, IFN-γ concentrations were independent of the underlying vaccination schedule and increased slightly after the third immunization (Figures 1D, E). The parameters of humoral and cellular immunity decreased again after the booster vaccination (Figures 1C, F; Figures S 1G-I).As reported by others 1-4, NAs to Omicron BA.1 were induced by the mRNA vaccine booster, but also against the predominant BA.2 sublineage, which was previously unclear. The BA.2 NA geometric mean titer (GMT) was higher than the BA.1 NA GMT (Figure 2A). With respect to the results presented in Figures 1C and 2B, we suspect that NAs against the Omicron VOC will decline rapidly after booster vaccination alone. High NA titers against Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and against Delta VOC were exclusively observed in triple-vaccinated individuals two to three weeks after Omicron breakthrough infection (Figure 2A). This indicates broadened immunity covering additional viral variants and may also explain why few BA.2 infections have occurred in this group of individuals to date 5. Because Omicron is a distinct serotype 6, only NAs against this VOC were detectable in two unvaccinated BA.1-infected individuals (Figure 2A), while unvaccinated Alpha- and Beta VOC patients developed isolated NAs against the antigenically more related Delta VOC (Figure S 2A). Accordingly, both BA.1 patients had very low IgG levels against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of a Wuhan-like virus (Figure S 2B), whereas IgGs against the higher preserved nucleocapsidprotein were barely affected (Figures S 2C, D). The results of a surrogate neutralization assay confirmed very limited humoral immunity after Omicron infection alone (Figure S 2E).The increase of IFN-γ release by mRNA booster vaccination was moderate (Figures 1D, E), while the breakthrough infection insignificantly increased IFN-γ release by a factor of 1.9 - 2.6 (Figure 2C).In conclusion, the importance of pre-existing vaccine-induced immunity is clearly demonstrated. The booster vaccination with the conventional mRNA vaccine resulted in measurable BA.1/BA.2 NAs. However, a multivalent vaccine could induce higher titers, which could provide better protection.

Charcot foot or neurogenic osteoarthropathy, is a serious complication of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The association between false aneurysm and Charcot foot is yet uncommon, and has not been reported through the literature. We describe a case of false aneurysm in a Charcot foot in a 55-year-old patient.

With the help of the Meir-Keeler contraction method and the Mann-type method, two adaptive inertial iterative schemes are introduced for finding solutions of the split variational inclusion problem in Hilbert spaces. The strong convergence of the suggested algorithms are guaranteed by a new stepsize criterion that does not require calculation of the bounded linear operator norm. Some numerical experiments and applications in signal recovery problems are given to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithms.

DEATH AND SEVERE MORBIDITY IN ISOLATED PERIVIABLE SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE FETUSESBy Meler et alDescriptive title:Middle cerebral artery Doppler improves risk stratification of SGA babies at a peri-viable gestationMini-commentary by Lawrence ImpeySmall for gestational age (SGA) babies identified before 26 weeks are a heterogenous group but the largest contributor is ‘isolated’ SGA’. Most are ‘constitutionally’ small, but placental issues are common. Traditionally, the ultrasound Doppler parameters used to identify the most at risk are the umbilical artery (UA) and uterine artery (UtA). This paper (Meler et al, BJOG, 2022) challenges the dogma that MCA Doppler in early onset-SGA babies is of limited use, reporting an 87% detection rate for a 14% false positive rate for UA and MCA together in predicting a severe composite adverse outcome (CAO).The analysis uses Doppler findings at referral, thereby reducing but not eliminating the ‘intervention paradox’, common to many analyses, whereby an ‘abnormal’ finding’s association with an outcome is altered because it leads to intervention.The group is defined by local centiles and only comprises those referred but, by including both apparently FGR and SGA babies, is less subject to selection bias. Because of the high risk nature and size of this cohort, the frequency of adverse outcomes is adequate for analysis of a severe CAO (20.4%), of death (15.4%) or long term morbidity that is sufficiently serious and includes postnatal follow up (minimum 9 months).The role of MCA Doppler with placental failure is poorly understood. Near term, as part of the cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), it helps identify the at-risk SGA baby (Veglia et al, UOG, 2018), and even some at-risk normally grown babies. Earlier, however, the role of UA Doppler is clear (Alfirevic et al, Cochrane, 2017). That MCA Doppler adds predictive value at diagnosis is important because it will allow enable more appropriate counselling, follow up and potentially better timing of iatrogenic birth.What does the analysis make of UtA Doppler and the ductus venosus (DV)? It is surprising (Allen et al, UOG 2016) that the former was not predictive, but as its role is well established, this could be the subject of intervention bias. Mild abnormalities (PI>95th c) of the DV were not useful, but severe ones, occurring late in the deterioration in FGR, will still be useful to time iatrogenic birth (Lees et al, Lancet, 2015).MCA Doppler in referred small peri-viable babies improves risk stratification, a process central to maternity care. The ‘checklist’ approach to risk must be replaced by models using continuous variables (as opposed to cut offs of ‘abnormal’) of multiple independent risk factors: as with aneuploidy screening. Only then can we better identify high risk (sensitivity) whilst not over-medicalising pregnancy (specificity). Developing this is complex, not least because of the rarity and gestation-dependence of serious perinatal events and because of the presence of the intervention paradox in large datasets. Nevertheless, the Tommy’s app (https://www.tommys.org/) is a welcome start. Such screening is likely to need to be staged, and this analysis demonstrates one risk factor potentially worth including following a 20 week scan.

The establishment of biological soil crusts is widely perceived as a main method to control ecological environment in arid and semi-arid regions. However, artificial biocrusts are insufficient to face with some stress from environment by using traditional established methods. Hence in this study, kaolin, a common clay mineral, was introduced as a stabilizer by mixing with Microcoleus steenstruppi of different mass ratios for inoculating onto sand to establish artificial biocrust. The results showed that the addition of kaolin exhibited a significantly positive effect on promoting biocrust formation, and accelerating the biocrust development. Moreover, the artificial biocrust from 1:500 (algae:kaolin) inoculant achieved the best performances with coverage of 98%, and thickness of 5.62 mm after 86 days of incubation. The highest contents of chlorophyll a, exopolysaccharides, and soluble protein were also observed in 1:500 mass ratio of algae:kaolin throughout the biocrust development process. As for the water retention performances, the results of contact angle, water drop penetration time (WDPT), and repellency index (RI) illustrated that biocrusts improve water utilization in kaolin-treated groups by delaying the time of water infiltration, especially in 1:500 group. After 86 days post inoculation, a series of common bacteria appeared in the biocrusts such as actinobacteria and acidobacteria and decomposed metabolites from cyanobacteria as energy source to supply their own life activities. This study gains new insights on clay minerals on biocrust development and puts forward a new approach for rapid artificial biocrust establishment to reverse desertification.

Recent findings suggest that immune functions do not unidirectionally deteriorate with age but that a potentially adaptive remodelling where functions of the immune system get down regulated while others get upregulated with age could also occur. Scarce in wild populations, longitudinal studies are yet necessary to properly understand the patterns and consequences of age variations of the immune system in the wild. In the meanwhile, it is challenging to understand if the observed variations in immune parameters with age are due to changes at the within-individual level or to selective (dis)appearance of individuals with peculiar immune phenotypes. Thanks to a long-term and longitudinal monitoring of a wild population of Alpine marmots, we aimed to understand within- and between-individual variation in the immune phenotype with age, in order to improve our knowledge about the occurrence and the evolutionary consequence of such age-variations in the wild. To do so, we recorded the age-specific leukocyte concentration and profile in repeatedly sampled dominant individuals. We then tested whether the potential changes with age were more likely due to within-individual variations and/or selective (dis)appearance. Finally, we investigated if the leukocyte concentration and profiles were correlated to the probability of death at a given age. The leukocyte concentration was stable with age, but the lymphocyte count decreased, while the neutrophil count increased, over the course of an individual’s life. Moreover, between individuals of the same age, individuals with fewer lymphocytes but more neutrophils were more likely to die. Therefore, selective disappearance seems to play an important role in the age variations of the immune parameters in this population. Further investigations linking age variations in immune phenotype to individual fitness are needed to understand whether remodelling of the immune system with age could or could not be adaptive.

Since water deficit (WD) and ultraviolet radiation (UV) trigger similar protective mechanisms in plants, we tested the hypothesis that UV modulates grassland acclimation to WD, mainly through changes in the root/shoot (R/S) ratio, enhances the ability of grassland to acquire water from the soil and hence affects its productivity. We also tested the potential of spectral reflectance and thermal imaging for monitoring the impacts of WD and UV on grassland production parameters. The experimental plots were manipulated by lamellar shelters allowing precipitation to pass through or to exclude it. The lamellas were either transmitting or blocking the UV. The results show that WD resulted in a significant decrease in above-gound biomass (AB). In contrast, below-ground biomass (BB), R/S ratio and total biomass (TB) increased significantly in response to WD, especially in UV exclusion treatment. UV exposure had a significant effect on AB and BB, but only in the last year of the experiment. The differences in the effect of WD between years show that the effect of precipitation removal is largely influenced by the potential evapotranspiration (PET) in a given year and hence mainly by air temperatures, while the resulting effect on production parameters is best correlated with the water balance given by the difference between precipitation and PET. Canopy temperature and selected spectral reflectance indices showed a significant response to WD and also significant relationships with morphological (AB, R/S) and biochemical (C/N ratio) parameters. In particular, the vegetation indices NDVI and RDVI provided the best correlations of biomass changes caused by WD and thus the highest potential to remotely sens drought effects on terrestrial vegetation.