Correction: How Long Is Too Long in Contemporary Peer Review? Perspectives from Authors Publishing in Conservation Biology Journals.

<p>Correction: How Long Is Too Long in Contemporary Peer Review? Perspectives from Authors Publishing in Conservation Biology Journals</p

Prevalence of macropod progressive periodontal disease ("lumpy jaw") in wild western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus)

Macropod Progressive Periodontal Disease (MPPD), colloquially referred to as “lumpy jaw”, is a commonly observed disease in captive macropods. However, the prevalence of this disease in the wild is largely unknown. A systematic study of MPPD in wild macropods would provide an indication of the endemic presence of this disease in wild populations, and could assist those managing disease in captive populations, by highlighting potential risk factors for disease development. Utilising kangaroos culled as part of a population management program, this study used visual observation and computer tomography (CT) of skulls to investigate the prevalence of MPPD in wild western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) from the Perth metropolitan region, Western Australia. The sample suitable for visual and CT analysis comprised 121 specimens, 71 (58.7%) male and 50 (41.3%) female, with the mean age for all 121 specimens being 4.5 years (±2.63 SD). No evidence of MPPD was detected in any of the specimens examined. Overabundance may not be associated with the development of MPPD, as previously considered, and age-related factors should not be eliminated. This results may reflect low susceptibility to MPPD in western grey kangaroos, given low prevalence is reported in this species in captive populations. Further investigation into species-specificity is recommended, and should include samples with soft tissue to improve sensitivity of disease detection. Surveillance of MPPD in wild populations of macropods helps to improve our understanding of the biological significance, development and potential spread of this disease. Notably, this information may assist in the management of MPPD in captive populations, and may have a positive impact on both the welfare and conservation of macropods in captivity

Genetic modifiers of repeat expansion disorders.

Repeat expansion disorders (REDs) are monogenic diseases caused by a sequence of repetitive DNA expanding above a pathogenic threshold. A common feature of the REDs is a strong genotype-phenotype correlation in which a major determinant of age at onset (AAO) and disease progression is the length of the inherited repeat tract. Over a disease-gene carrier's life, the length of the repeat can expand in somatic cells, through the process of somatic expansion which is hypothesised to drive disease progression. Despite being monogenic, individual REDs are phenotypically variable, and exploring what genetic modifying factors drive this phenotypic variability has illuminated key pathogenic mechanisms that are common to this group of diseases. Disease phenotypes are affected by the cognate gene in which the expansion is found, the location of the repeat sequence in coding or non-coding regions and by the presence of repeat sequence interruptions. Human genetic data, mouse models and in vitro models have implicated the disease-modifying effect of DNA repair pathways via the mechanisms of somatic mutation of the repeat tract. As such, developing an understanding of these pathways in the context of expanded repeats could lead to future disease-modifying therapies for REDs

The effect of Ku on telomere replication time is mediated by telomere length but is independent of histone tail acetylation

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Ctf18 RFC-like complex positions yeast telomeres but does not specify their replication time

Peer reviewedPreprin

The need for speed in a crisis discipline: Perspectives on peer-review duration and implications for conservation science

Scholarly peer review relies on rigorous yet fair assessments of articles by qualified referees in a timely manner. We considered the extent to which a prolonged peer-review process can delay the dissemination of results in a conservation context by combining insight from a survey with our own perspectives. A survey of authors who published peer-reviewed articles in biodiversity and conservation in 2012 and 2013 yielded 461 responses from participants in 119 countries. Approximately 44% of respondents thought that slow review times might hamper conservation, while only ~5% provided specific examples of how slow reviews had actually impeded conservation actions or policy formation. When queried about the value of expediting the review process for studies of high policy or conservation relevance, ca. 1/3 of respondents thought it was a worthwhile idea in principle, though mechanics of implementing such practices are unclear. Author self-identification of potentially important papers could lead to requesting a rapid review provided that a paper meets certain criteria-an approach already used by some generalist journals. Given the urgency of many conservation-oriented initiatives, we encourage the entire editor - ial team (staff, editors, referees, authors) to make a concerted effort towards improving the speed of the peer-review process while maintaining quality. Such efforts would reflect the notion that timeliness is a key component of scientific relevance to practitioners and policy makers in a crisis discipline. We conclude that there is a 'need for speed' and advocate that rapid, rigorous and thorough peer review can be accomplished and can provide collective benefits to the scientific community and global biodiversity

Yang-Mills instantons and dyons on homogeneous G_2-manifolds

We consider Lie G-valued Yang-Mills fields on the space R x G/H, where G/H is a compact nearly K"ahler six-dimensional homogeneous space, and the manifold R x G/H carries a G_2-structure. After imposing a general G-invariance condition, Yang-Mills theory with torsion on R x G/H is reduced to Newtonian mechanics of a particle moving in R^6, R^4 or R^2 under the influence of an inverted double-well-type potential for the cases G/H = SU(3)/U(1)xU(1), Sp(2)/Sp(1)xU(1) or G_2/SU(3), respectively. We analyze all critical points and present analytical and numerical kink- and bounce-type solutions, which yield G-invariant instanton configurations on those cosets. Periodic solutions on S^1 x G/H and dyons on iR x G/H are also given.Comment: 1+26 pages, 14 figures, 6 miniplot

A review of acoustic telemetry in Europe and the need for a regional aquatic telemetry network

Background Globally, there are a large and growing number of researchers using biotelemetry as a tool to study aquatic animals. In Europe, this community lacks a formal network structure. The aim of this study is to review the use of acoustic telemetry in Europe and document the contribution of cross-boundary studies and inter-research group collaborations. Based on this, we explore the potential benefits and challenges of a network approach to identify future priorities and best practices for aquatic biotelemetry research in Europe. Results Over the past decade, there was an approximately sevenfold increase in the number of acoustic telemetry studies published on marine and diadromous species in Europe compared to a sixfold increase globally. Over 90% of these studies were conducted on fishes and undertaken in coastal areas, estuaries, or rivers. 75% of these studies were conducted by researchers based in one of five nations (Norway, UK, France, Portugal, and Spain) and, even though 34% were based on collaborations between scientists from several countries, there was only one study with an acoustic receiver array that extended beyond the borders of a single country. In recent years, acoustic telemetry in European waters has evolved from studying behavioural aspects of animals (82.2%), into more holistic approaches addressing management-related issues (10%), tagging methods and effects (5%), and technology and data analysis development (2.8%). Conclusions Despite the increasing number of publications and species tracked, there is a prominent lack of planned and structured acoustic telemetry collaborations in Europe. A formal pan-European network structure would promote the development of (1) a research platform that could benefit the acoustic telemetry community through capacity building, (2) a centralized database, and (3) key deployment sites and studies on priority species requiring research in Europe. A network may increase efficiency, expand the scope of research that can be undertaken, promote European science integration, enhance the opportunities and success of acquiring research funding and, ultimately, foster regional and transatlantic collaborations. It may also help address research priorities such as the large-scale societal challenges arising from climate change impacts and assist the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive via identification of good environmental status of endangered or commercially important species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Changes in prevalence and load of airway bacteria using quantitative PCR in stable and exacerbated COPD

BACKGROUND: Prevalence and load of airway bacteria in stable and exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been previously studied using microbiological culture. Molecular techniques, such as quantitative PCR (qPCR), may be more informative. METHODS: In this study, 373 sputum samples from 134 COPD outpatients were assessed for prevalence and load of typical airway bacteria (Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis) by multiplex qPCR, with 176 samples analysed for atypical bacteria. Paired stable and exacerbation typical bacteria data were compared in 52 patients. We compared routine culture with qPCR in 177/373 samples. RESULTS: Typical bacteria were more prevalent in exacerbation than stable-state paired samples: 30/52 (57.7%) vs. 14/52 (26.9%); p=0.001. In patients who were bacteria-positive at both time points, mean (±1 SEM) load was significantly higher at exacerbation than stable state (108.5(±0.3) vs. 107.2(±0.5) cfu/ml), constituting a 20-fold increase (p=0.011). qPCR was more discriminatory at detecting typical bacteria than microbiological culture (prevalence 59.3% vs. 24.3%; p<0.001). At stable state, higher airway bacterial load correlated with more severe airflow limitation (FEV(1)%predicted) (r=-0.299; p=0.033) and higher inhaled corticosteroid dosage (r=0.382; p=0.008). Mean C-reactive protein was higher in bacterial-associated exacerbations (35.0 Vs 25.1 mg/L; p=0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Airway bacterial prevalence and load increase at COPD exacerbations and are an aetiological factor. qPCR is more discriminatory than culture, identifying higher airway bacterial prevalence. Exacerbations associated with bacterial detection showed a higher mean C-reactive protein level. In the stable state, airway bacterial load is related to more severe airflow limitation and higher inhaled corticosteroid dosage used