Quantification of habitat fragmentation reveals extinction risk in terrestrial mammals

Although habitat fragmentation is often assumed to be a primary driver of extinction, global patterns of fragmentation and its relationship to extinction risk have not been consistently quantified for any major animal taxon. We developed high-resolution habitat fragmentation models and used phylogenetic comparative methods to quantify the effects of habitat fragmentation on the world's terrestrial mammals, including 4,018 species across 26 taxonomic Orders. Results demonstrate that species with more fragmentation are at greater risk of extinction, even after accounting for the effects of key macroecological predictors, such as body size and geographic range size. Species with higher fragmentation had smaller ranges and a lower proportion of high-suitability habitat within their range, andmost high-suitability habitat occurred outside of protected areas, further elevating extinction risk. Our models provide a quantitative evaluation of extinction risk assessments for species, allow for identification of emerging threats in species not classified as threatened, and provide maps of global hotspots of fragmentation for the world's terrestrial mammals. Quantification of habitat fragmentation will help guide threat assessment and strategic priorities for global mammal conservation

COMBINE: a coalesced mammal database of intrinsic and extrinsic traits

The use of species’ traits in macroecological analyses has gained popularity in the last decade, becoming an important tool to understand global biodiversity patterns. Currently, trait data can be found across a wide variety of data sets included in websites, articles, and books, each one with its own taxonomic classification, set of traits and data management methodology. Mammals, in particular, are among the most studied taxa, with large sources of trait information readily available. To facilitate the use of these data, we did an extensive review of published mammal trait data sources between 1999 and May 2020 and produced COMBINE: a COalesced Mammal dataBase of INtrinsic and Extrinsic traits. Our aim was to create a taxonomically integrated database of mammal traits that maximized trait number and coverage without compromising data quality. COMBINE contains information on 54 traits for 6,234 extant and recently extinct mammal species, including information on morphology, reproduction, diet, biogeography, life‐habit, phenology, behavior, home range and density. Additionally, we calculated other relevant traits such as habitat and altitudinal breadths for all species and dispersal for terrestrial non‐volant species. All data are compatible with the taxonomies of the IUCN Red List v. 2020‐2 and PHYLACINE v. 1.2. Missing data were adequately flagged and imputed for non‐biogeographical traits with 20% or more data available. We obtained full data sets for 21 traits such as female maturity, litter size, maximum longevity, trophic level, and dispersal, providing imputation performance statistics for all. This data set will be especially useful for those interested in including species’ traits in large‐scale ecological and conservation analyses. There are no copyright or proprietary restrictions; we request citation of this publication and all relevant underlying data sources (found in Data S1: trait_data_sources.csv), upon using these data

Gender Differences in Er Psychiatric Consultations Among Suicide Attempters

Purpose: Suicide attempts are extremely prevalent and associated with many risk factors that vary with age and gender, occur in combination, and may change over time. The aim of the present study was to describe gender differences among psychiatric ER users at the AOU Maggiore della Carità Hospital in Novara for attempted suicide with regard to intentions and methods of attempting. Methods: Determinants of ER psychiatric consultations were studied prospectively during the period 2008- 2014 at the 'Maggiore” Hospital in Novara. Comparison of qualitative data was performed by means of the χ2 test. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05. Results: We have already gathered data from more than 2000 ER psychiatric consultations. Preliminary results suggest that suicide attempts are more common in females than in males, although through the years there seems to be a trend towards increase of attempts even in males. Surprisingly, suicide attempts are found to be more common in employed subjects than in unemployed ones. Reasons for self-harming are associated with relational problems rather than psychiatric symptoms. Drugs poisoning seems to be the preferred suicide method. Conclusions: The results described above should be considered as preliminary, as data collection and statistical analyses are still ongoing. Anyway, the possible correlation between employment and suicide attempt, and the growing frequency of attempts in males seem to be particularly interesting. Implications will be discussed

Asenapine in Clinical Practice: Responders Vs Non-responders

ntroduction Asenapine is a second-generation antipsychotic approved in Europe for the treatment of manic or mixed episodes. Objective To describe the clinical features of Asenapine responders and non-responders. Methods A naturalistic, observational study is ongoing in patients treated with Asenapine. We have already recruited 37 manic patients with a lifetime diagnosis of Bipolar I (BDI) or Schizoaffective Disorder referring to our Psychiatric Ward. Patients are assessed with the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) at baseline (T0), and after 1 (T1) and 4 weeks (T2) of treatment. According to YMRS scores, patients are classified as responders and non-responders. Results The preliminary results highlight a significant improvement of the YMRS score from T0 to T2 in most patients. Asenapine seems particularly effective in patients with less severe manic symptoms, and responders are more likely to have lower baseline YMRS score. No correlation has currently emerged between responder status and diagnosis. Non-responders in our sample are females sharing some clinical features: early onset BDI diagnosis, several previous treatments (antipsychotics, mood stabilizers), initial cognitive impairment confirmed with the Mini Mental State Examination, Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale and neuroimaging. Conclusions Elderly manic patients with neurological impairment and/or dementia may have poorer therapeutic outcomes and poorer response to pharmacological treatment, which may prove effective in reducing agitation but not mania ratings. Diagnosis (BDI or schizoaffective disorder) does not seem to have a significant impact on Asenapine efficacy. The further recruitment and assessment of patients is expected to support the results described above

An Activatable Cancer-Targeted Hydrogen Peroxide Probe for Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Imaging.

Reactive oxygen species play an important role in cancer, however, their promiscuous reactivity, low abundance, and short-lived nature limit our ability to study them in real time in living subjects with conventional noninvasive imaging methods. Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging modality for in vivo visualization of molecular processes with deep tissue penetration and high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we describe the design and synthesis of a targeted, activatable probe for photoacoustic imaging, which is responsive to one of the major and abundant reactive oxygen species, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This bifunctional probe, which is also detectable with fluorescence imaging, is composed of a heptamethine carbocyanine dye scaffold for signal generation, a 2-deoxyglucose cancer localization moiety, and a boronic ester functionality that specifically detects and reacts to H2O2. The optical properties of the probe were characterized using absorption, fluorescence, and photoacoustic measurements; upon addition of pathophysiologic H2O2 concentrations, a clear increase in fluorescence and red-shift of the absorption and photoacoustic spectra were observed. Studies performed in vitro showed no significant toxicity and specific uptake of the probe into the cytosol in breast cancer cell lines. Importantly, intravenous injection of the probe led to targeted uptake and accumulation in solid tumors, which enabled noninvasive photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging of H2O2. In conclusion, the reported probe shows promise for the in vivo visualization of hydrogen peroxide. SIGNIFICANCE: This study presents the first activatable and cancer-targeted hydrogen peroxide probe for photoacoustic molecular imaging, paving the way for visualization of hydrogen peroxide at high spatiotemporal resolution in living subjects.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/79/20/5407/F1.large.jpg

Skeletal disproportion in glucocorticoid-treated boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We aimed to compare body segment and bone lengths in glucocorticoid-treated boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with healthy controls using dual-energy absorptiometry (DXA) images. Total height (Ht), sitting height (SH), leg length (LL) and bone lengths (femur, tibia) in boys with DMD and age-matched control boys were measured using DXA. Thirty boys with DMD (median age 10.0 years (6.1, 16.8)) were compared with 30 controls. SH in DMD was 3.3 cm lower (95% CI − 6.1, − 0.66; p = 0.016). LL in DMD was 7.3 cm lower (95% CI − 11.2, − 3.4; p < 0.0001). SH:LL of boys with DMD was higher by 0.08 (95% CI 0.04, 0.12; p < 0.0001). Femur length in DMD was 2.4 cm lower (95% CI − 4.6, − 0.12; p = 0.04), whereas tibial length in DMD was 4.8 cm lower (95% CI − 6.7, − 2.9; p < 0.0001). SH:LL was not associated with duration of glucocorticoid use (SH:LL β = 0.003, 95% CI − 0.01 to 0.002, p = 0.72). Conclusion: Glucocorticoid-treated boys with DMD exhibit skeletal disproportion with relatively shorter leg length and more marked reduction of distal long bones. As glucocorticoid excess is not associated with such disproportion, our findings raise the possibility of an intrinsic disorder of growth in DMD

Cryogenic surface resistance of copper:Investigation of the impact of surface treatments for secondary electron yield reduction

The surface resistance of copper samples with an amorphous carbon (a-C) coating or with laser surface structuring, the surface treatments of choice for electron cloud suppression in critical cryogenic sectors of the high-luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), has been measured for the first time at a cryogenic temperature using the quadrupole resonator at CERN. Three different frequencies of relevance for evaluating beam impedance effects, namely, 400, 800, and 1200 MHz, have been investigated. No significant increase in surface resistance is observed for the a-C coating, compared to plain copper. In the case of laser structuring, the surface resistance depends on the direction of the surface currents relative to the laser-engraved groove pattern. The increase is minimal for parallel patterns, but in the perpendicular case the surface resistance increases considerably. Radio frequency (rf) heating from wake losses would then also increase in the HL-LHC case; however, the reduction in the power deposited onto the cold surfaces thanks to electron cloud suppression would still outweigh this effect

Asenapine Effects On Peroxidation and Calcium Movements in HL-1 Cells

Introduction Bipolar patients are at higher risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than their counterparts in the general population. In a recent in vitro study, Asenapine, a new antipsychotic for the treatment of mania/mixed mania, was found to keep physiological endothelial function by activation of eNOS-related NO release and to protect endothelial cells against peroxidation by interference with mitochondria, apoptosis and cell survival. Objectives To examine the cardiac protective effects elicited by Asenapine against peroxidation and on the Ca2+ movements. Methods In HL-1 that had undergone oxidative stress by 20 min hydrogen peroxide the effects of 30 min pre-treatment with Asenapine on survival and proliferation will be examined. In Fura-2AM loaded HL-1 we will next analyze the effects of Asenapine on Ca2+ movements and the related involvement of cAMP/PKA and PLC pathways, CaMKII, L and T type Ca2+ channels and 5HT1A receptors. The role of 'capacitative” Ca2+ entry, plasma-membrane Ca2+ pump inhibitor (PMCA) and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger will be analyzed. Changes of membrane potential caused by interference with K+ channels will be examined, as well. Results We expect to find a proliferative and anti-peroxidative effect of Asenapine in HL-1 cells. Asenapine could also affect Ca2+ movements through cAMP/PKA and PLC-dependent signalling and the involvement of 5HT1A receptors. The effects of Asenapine could also be related to changes of plasma membrane by interference with K+ channels and the modulation of PMCA activity and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. Conclusions We expect to further confirm the protective effect of Asenapine against peroxidative injuries.Implications will be discusse

The James Clerk Maxwell telescope Legacy Survey of the Gould Belt: a molecular line study of the Ophiuchus molecular cloud

CO, 13CO, and C18O J = 3-2 observations are presented of the Ophiuchus molecular cloud. The 13CO and C18O emission is dominated by the Oph A clump, and the Oph B1, B2, C, E, F, and J regions. The optically thin(ner) C18O line is used as a column density tracer, from which the gravitational binding energy is estimated to be 4.5 × 1039 J (2282 M⊙ km2 s-2). The turbulent kinetic energy is 6.3 × 1038 J (320 M⊙ km2 s-2), or seven times less than this, and therefore the Oph cloud as a whole is gravitationally bound. 30 protostars were searched for high-velocity gas, with 8 showing outflows, and 20 more having evidence of high-velocity gas along their lines of sight. The total outflow kinetic energy is 1.3 × 1038 J (67 M⊙ km2 s-2), corresponding to 21 per cent of the cloud's turbulent kinetic energy. Although turbulent injection by outflows is significant, but does not appear to be the dominant source of turbulence in the cloud. 105 dense molecular clumplets were identified, which had radii ˜0.01-0.05 pc, virial masses ˜0.1-12 M⊙, luminosities ˜0.001-0.1 K km s-1 pc-2, and excitation temperatures ˜10-50 K. These are consistent with the standard Giant Molecular Cloud (GMC) based size-linewidth relationships, showing that the scaling laws extend down to size scales of hundredths of a parsec, and to subsolar-mass condensations. There is however no compelling evidence that the majority of clumplets are undergoing free-fall collapse, nor that they are pressure confined