Detection of fruit and the selection of primate visual pigments for color vision

Primates have X chromosome genes for cone photopigments with sensitivity maxima from 535 to 562 nm. Old World monkeys and apes (catarrhines) and the New World (platyrrhine) genus Alouatta have separate genes for 535-nm (medium wavelength; M) and 562-nm (long wavelength; L) pigments. These pigments, together with a 425-nm (short wavelength) pigment, permit trichromatic color vision. Other platyrrhines and prosimians have a single X chromosome gene but often with alleles for two or three M/L photopigments. Consequently, heterozygote females are trichromats, but males and homozygote females are dichromats. The criteria that affect the evolution of M/L alleles and maintain genetic polymorphism remain a puzzle, but selection for finding food may be important. We compare different types of color vision for detecting more than 100 plant species consumed by tamarins (Saguinus spp.) in Peru. There is evidence that both frequency-dependent selection on homozygotes and heterozygote advantage favor M/L polymorphism and that trichromatic color vision is most advantageous in dim light. Also, whereas the 562-nm allele is present in all species, the occurrence of 535- to 556-nm alleles varies between species. This variation probably arises because trichromatic color vision favors widely separated pigments and equal frequencies of 535/543- and 562-nm alleles, whereas in dichromats, long-wavelength pigment alleles are fitter

Age and cancer type : associations with increased odds of receiving a late diagnosis in people with advanced cancer

Funding: SM’s PhD fellowship was funded through the Chief Scientist Office (CAF_17_06) through a Clinical Academic Fellowship scheme. PATCH Scotland and Tayside Oncology Research Foundation Research Grants provided funding for data collection and storage.Purpose In order to deliver appropriate and timely care planning and minimise avoidable late diagnoses, clinicians need to be aware of which patients are at higher risk of receiving a late cancer diagnosis. We aimed to determine which demographic and clinical factors are associated with receiving a ‘late’ cancer diagnosis (within the last 12 weeks of life). Method Retrospective cohort study of 2,443 people who died from cancer (‘cancer decedents’) in 2013–2015. Demographic and cancer registry datasets linked using patient-identifying Community Health Index numbers. Analysis used binary logistic regression, with univariate and adjusted odds ratios (SPSS v25).  Results  One third (n = 831,34.0%) received a late diagnosis. Age and cancer type were significantly associated with late cancer diagnosis (p 85 years had higher odds of late diagnosis (95%CI OR3.45 (OR2.63 to 4.55)), compared to those aged < 65 years.  Conclusions  Cancer decedents who were older and those with lung cancer were significantly more likely to receive late cancer diagnoses than those who were younger or who had other cancer types.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Age and cancer type:associations with increased odds of receiving a late diagnosis in people with advanced cancer

PURPOSE: In order to deliver appropriate and timely care planning and minimise avoidable late diagnoses, clinicians need to be aware of which patients are at higher risk of receiving a late cancer diagnosis. We aimed to determine which demographic and clinical factors are associated with receiving a 'late' cancer diagnosis (within the last 12 weeks of life).METHOD: Retrospective cohort study of 2,443 people who died from cancer ('cancer decedents') in 2013-2015. Demographic and cancer registry datasets linked using patient-identifying Community Health Index numbers. Analysis used binary logistic regression, with univariate and adjusted odds ratios (SPSS v25).RESULTS: One third (n = 831,34.0%) received a late diagnosis. Age and cancer type were significantly associated with late cancer diagnosis (p &lt; 0.001). Other demographic factors were not associated with receiving a late diagnosis. Cancer decedents with lung cancer (Odds Ratios presented in abstract are the inverse of those presented in the main text, where lung cancer is the reference category. Presented as 1/(OR multivariate)) were more likely to have late diagnosis than those with bowel (95% Confidence Interval [95%CI] Odds Ratio (OR)1.52 (OR1.12 to 2.04)), breast or ovarian (95%CI OR3.33 (OR2.27 to 5.0) or prostate (95%CI OR9.09 (OR4.0 to 20.0)) cancers. Cancer decedents aged &gt; 85 years had higher odds of late diagnosis (95%CI OR3.45 (OR2.63 to 4.55)), compared to those aged &lt; 65 years.CONCLUSIONS: Cancer decedents who were older and those with lung cancer were significantly more likely to receive late cancer diagnoses than those who were younger or who had other cancer types.</p

Death from cancer:frequent unscheduled care

Funding: SEEM is funded through a Clinical Academic Fellowship from the Chief Scientist Office (CAF_17_06). Funding for data extraction and storage was through PATCH Scotland and Tayside Oncology Research Foundation Research Grants.OBJECTIVE : To examine the demographic, clinical, and temporal factors associated with cancer decedents being a frequent or very frequent unscheduled care (GP-general practice Out-Of-Hours (GPOOH) and Accident & Emergency (A&E)) attender, in their last year of life. METHODS : Retrospective cohort study, of all 2443 cancer decedents in Tayside, Scotland, over 30- months period up to 06/2015, comparing frequent attenders (5-9 attendances/year) and very frequent attenders (≥10 attendances/year) to infrequent attenders (1-4 attendances/year) and non-attenders. Clinical and demographic datasets were linked to routinely-collected clinical data using the Community Health Index number. Anonymised linked data were analysed in SafeHaven, using binary/multinomial logistic regression, and Generalised Estimating Equations analysis. RESULTS : Frequent attenders were more likely to be older, and have upper gastrointestinal (GI), haematological, breast and ovarian malignancies, and less likely to live in accessible areas or have a late cancer diagnosis. They were more likely to use GPOOH than A&E, less likely to have face-to-face unscheduled care attendances, and less likely to be admitted to hospital following unscheduled care attendance. CONCLUSIONS : Age, cancer type, accessibility and timing of diagnosis relative to death were associated with increased likelihood of being a frequent or very frequent attender at unscheduled care.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Community prescribing trends and prevalence in the last year of life, for people who die from cancer

Funding: SM is funded through a Clinical Academic Fellowship (CAF_17_06) from the Chief Scientist Office. PATCH Scotland and Tayside Oncology Research Foundation Research Grants funded data extraction and storage costs. Publication costs were funded by the University of St Andrews.Background People who die from cancer (‘cancer decedents’) may latterly experience unpleasant and distressing symptoms. Prescribing medication for pain and symptom control is essential for good-quality palliative care; however, such provision is variable, difficult to quantify and poorly characterised in current literature. This study aims to characterise trends in prescribing analgesia, non-analgesic palliative care medication and non-palliative medications, to cancer decedents, in their last year of life, and to assess any associations with demographic or clinical factors. Methods This descriptive study, analysed all 181,247 prescriptions issued to a study population of 2443 cancer decedents in Tayside, Scotland (2013–2015), in the last year of life, linking prescribing data to demographic, and cancer registry datasets using the unique patient-identifying Community Health Index (CHI) number. Anonymised linked data were analysed in Safe Haven using chi-squared test for trend, binary logistic regression and Poisson regression in SPSSv25. Results In their last year of life, three in four cancer decedents were prescribed strong opioids. Two-thirds of those prescribed opioids were also prescribed laxatives and/or anti-emetics. Only four in ten cancer decedents were prescribed all medications in the ‘Just in Case’ medication categories and only one in ten was prescribed breakthrough analgesia in the last year of life. The number of prescriptions for analgesia and palliative care drugs increased in the last 12 weeks of life. The number of prescriptions for non-palliative care medications, including anti-hypertensives, statins and bone protection, decreased over the last year, but was still substantial. Cancer decedents who were female, younger, or had lung cancer were more likely to be prescribed strong opioids; however, male cancer decedents had higher odds of being prescribed breakthrough analgesia. Cancer decedents who had late diagnoses had lower odds of being prescribed strong opioids. Conclusions A substantial proportion of cancer decedents were not prescribed strong opioids, breakthrough medication, or medication to alleviate common palliative care symptoms (including ‘Just in Case’ medication). Many patients continued to be prescribed non-palliative care medications in their last days and weeks of life. Age, gender, cancer type and timing of diagnosis affected patients’ odds of being prescribed analgesic and non-analgesic palliative care medication.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The value of habitats of conservation importance to climate change mitigation in the UK

The input of PS contributes to the following UKRI-funded projects: DEVIL (NE/M021327/1) and Soils-R-GRREAT (NE/P019455/1). The contributions of RHF, GMB, AH and RBB were funded by RSPB. Thanks to Olly Watts and Phil Grice and three anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier versions of this paper, their comments immeasurably improved it. Thanks also to Ruth Davies, Mel Coath, Vicki Swales, Arfon Williams, Tom Lancaster, Andrew Midgely, Phillip Carson, Jonathan Cryer, Adam Barnett, Paul Morling, Pat Thompson, Beatriz Luraschi, Kate Jennings and Jonathon Bell who helped frame the question addressed here and shape the ‘storymap’ based on this work, available at https://arcg.is/098uiD.Peer reviewedPostprin

Looking in the mirror for the first time after facial burns: a retrospective mixed methods study

Appearance-related concerns are common following burns. However, there is minimal research that has specifically investigated patients' reactions when they looked in the mirror for the first time following facial burns. The current study aimed to investigate patients' reactions and factors associated with distress. Burns patients (n=35) who had sustained facial injuries completed a questionnaire which examined their reactions when looking in the mirror for the first time. Data were collected between April and July 2013. Participants had sustained their burns 12 months prior to participating, on average (ranging from one to 24 months). Forty-seven percent (n=16) of patients were worried about looking for the first time, 55% (n=19) were concerned about what they would see, and 42% (n=14) held negative mental images about what their faces looked like before they looked. Twenty-seven percent (n=9) of patients initially avoided looking, 38% (n=13) tried to 'read' others' reactions to them to try to gauge what they looked like, and 73% (n=25) believed that it was important for them to look. Mean ratings suggested that patients found the experience moderately distressing. Patients most often found the experience less distressing compared to their expectations. Distress was related to feeling less prepared, more worried and increased negative mental images prior to looking. In conclusion, patients' reactions to looking in the mirror for the first time vary. Adequately preparing patients and investigating their expectations beforehand is crucial. The findings have a number of important implications for practice

Response to novel objects and foraging tasks by common marmoset (Callithrix Jacchus) female Pairs

Many studies have shown that environmental enrichment can significantly improve the psychological well-being of captive primates, increasing the occurrence of explorative behavior and thus reducing boredom. The response of primates to enrichment devices may be affected by many factors such as species, sex, age, personality and social context. Environmental enrichment is particularly important for social primates living in unnatural social groupings (i.e. same-sex pairs or singly housed animals), who have very few, or no, benefits from the presence of social companions in addition to all the problems related to captivity (e.g. increased inactivity). This study analyses the effects of enrichment devices (i.e. novel objects and foraging tasks) on the behavior of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) female pairs, a species that usually lives in family groups. It aims to determine which aspects of an enrichment device are more likely to elicit explorative behaviors, and how aggressive and stress-related behaviors are affected by its presence. Overall, the marmosets explored foraging tasks significantly longer than novel objects. The type of object, which varied in size, shape and aural responsiveness (i.e. they made a noise when the monkey touched them), did not affect the response of the monkeys, but they explored objects that were placed higher in the enclosure more than those placed lower down.Younger monkeys were more attracted to the enrichment devices than the older ones. Finally, stress-related behavior (i.e. scratching) significantly decreased when the monkeys were presented with the objects; aggressive behavior as unaffected. This study supports the importance of environmental enrichment for captive primates and shows that in marmosets its effectiveness strongly depends upon the height of the device in the enclosure and the presence of hidden food. The findings can be explained ifone considers the foraging behavior of wild common marmosets. Broader applications for the research findings are suggested in relation to enrichment

The reddest ISO-2MASS quasar

In the course of the NIR/MIR AGN search combining the 6.7 mu ISOCAM Parallel Survey and 2MASS we have discovered 24 type-1 quasars about a third of which are too red to be discriminated by optical/UV search techniques. Here we report on a detailed case study of the reddest type-1 quasar of our sample (J2341) at redshift z=0.236 with M_K=-25.8 and J-K=1.95. We performed spectroscopy in the optical with VLT/FORS1 and in the MIR with Spitzer as well as NIR imaging with ISPI at CTIO. The optical and NIR observations reveal a star forming emission-line galaxy at the same redshift as the quasar with a projected linear separation of 1.8 arcsec (6.7 kpc). The quasar and its companion are embedded in diffuse extended continuum emission. Compared with its companion the quasar exhibits redder optical-NIR colours, which we attribute to hot nuclear dust. The MIR spectrum shows only few emission lines superimposed on a power-law spectral energy distribution. However, the lack of strong FIR emission suggests that our potentially interacting object contains much less gas and dust and is in a stage different from dust reddened ULIRG-AGN like Mrk 231. The optical spectrum shows signatures for reddening in the emission-lines and no post-starburst stellar population is detected in the host galaxy of the quasar. The optical continuum emission of the active nucleus appears absorbed and diluted. Even the combination of absorption and host dilution is not able to match J2341 with standard quasar templates. While the BLR shows only a rather moderate absorption of E_(B-V)=0.3, the continuum shorter than 4500 AA requires strong obscuration with E_(B-V)=0.7, exceeding the constraints from the low upper limit on the 9.7 mu silicate absorption. This leads us to conclude that the continuum of J2341 is intrinsically redder than that of typical quasars.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure