Garbage in the diet of carnivores in an agricultural area

Human food waste is considered to be richer in carbohydrates, lipids and proteins than most natural food supplies; however, it is very well digested in scats. So, as an indication of this kind of food in the diet, we have used each indigestible, anthropogenic origin element found in faeces (e.g., glass, plastic, rubber, etc.). There are few studies discussing the importance of garbage in the diet of mammalian predators living in farmland; definitely,  most focus on this issue in urban areas. We studied the contribution of garbage in the diet of raccoon dog  (Nyctereutes procyonoides), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), marten (Martes sp.), polecat (Mustela putorius), stoat (Mustela erminea), American mink (Neovison vison) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in the agricultural areas of western Poland in 2006-2010. In addition, we examined the spatial changes in the diet of red fox and polecat. The largest contribution of garbage was found in scats of raccoon dog (8.8%), red fox (4.8%) and marten (4.3%). The diet of polecat, stoat and Eurasian otter contained 2.5%, 1.7% and 0.2% garbage items respectively. The most frequent item was plastic. Our analysis showed that garbage consumption by red fox and polecat was greater  closer to human settlements. The results reveal a continuous gradient in the garbage consumption that corresponds with the degree of synanthropization of particular species

Sexual dimorphism, asymmetry, and the effect of reproduction on pelvis bone in the bank vole, Myodesglareolus

Sexual dimorphism in anatomical traits has been widely studied in animals. Although pelvis dimorphism was mostly studied in humans, it occurs also in many other mammalian species. Here, we investigated sexual dimorphism in the pelvis of the bank vole Myodes glareolus using individuals with known sex and reproductive status of females (parous vs nulliparous). The analyses revealed that the size and shape of pelvis differed significantly between sexes, as well as between nulliparous and parous females. In comparison with males, females had a significantly longer pelvis and pubis bones and a longer obturator foramen length, but a smaller pubis width. Interestingly, the difference between parous and nulliparous females resembles that between females and males: parous females had bigger pelvis, which probably resulted from changes during pregnancy and after birth. Left bones were on average larger than right ones, but the magnitude of directional asymmetry was not different between sex and reproduction group. Moreover, we noticed that fluctuating asymmetry of pelvis and pubis length was higher in females than in males and higher in parous than in nulliparous females, what is presumably associated with locomotor performance. A discriminant function analysis performed for the four bone size traits showed that the traits can be effectively used for a nearly perfect recognition of sexes and also a quite reliable recognition of the reproductive status of females

Morphological variability of baculum (os penis) in the polecat Mustela putorius

Abstract. The study presents the morphological variation in three traits of the baculum (os penis) in the polecat (Mustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758), based on an analysis of 108 males (7 juveniles and 101 adults) collected in NE Slovakia between 1958-1978. Adult in- dividuals had a significantly larger baculum (length, width and distal tip size) than juve- niles. All three measured baculum traits correlated significantly with each other. However, these relationships only explained from 10% (width . distal tip size relation- ship) up to 51% (length . width relationship) of the variance between the studied traits. Therefore, evolutionary analysis based on baculum variation should take into account not only baculum size, but also base width, which may be a measure of baculum developmen- tal stage. Moreover, coefficients of variation were 10.2%, 30.2% and 11.4%, respectively for length, width and distal tip size of the baculum, much greater than the known variation of cranial measurements. Therefore, more data on the variability among individuals, as well as between measured traits, are needed for a better understanding of the evolutionary processes which influence baculum size and shape

Variability of the mammalian os penis – phylogenesis and ecology

The penis bone (also called as baculum or os penis) is a heterotopic bone occurring in such orders like: carnivores, bats, insectivores, rodents and some primates. Baculum is extremely morphologically diverse both in shape and size, even between closely related species. Hence it has been widely used as a systematic tool. Consequently, os penis serves different functions across the species: e.g. stimulation of reproductive track, mechanical support, protection of the urethra from compression. Some analysis suggest also, that hooked tip of the penis bone can be used to damage and remove sperm which comes from the previous male. It can be also used as an indicator of genetic quality in males because it continues growth throughout life. Numerous researches into baculum provide some information about animal evolution, sexual selection and reproductive strategies in the different groups of animal. However, our knowledge about evolution, significance and environmental influence on the os penis seems to be incomplete and needs to be further studied

Variability of the mammalian os penis – phylogenesis and ecology

The penis bone (also called as baculum or os penis) is a heterotopic bone occurring in such orders like: carnivores, bats, insectivores, rodents and some primates. Baculum is extremely morphologically diverse both in shape and size, even between closely related species. Hence it has been widely used as a systematic tool. Consequently, os penis serves different functions across the species: e.g. stimulation of reproductive track, mechanical support, protection of the urethra from compression. Some analysis suggest also, that hooked tip of the penis bone can be used to damage and remove sperm which comes from the previous male. It can be also used as an indicator of genetic quality in males because it continues growth throughout life. Numerous researches into baculum provide some information about animal evolution, sexual selection and reproductive strategies in the different groups of animal. However, our knowledge about evolution, significance and environmental influence on the os penis seems to be incomplete and needs to be further studied

Garbage in the diet of carnivores in an agricultural area

Human food waste is considered to be richer in carbohydrates, lipids and proteins than most natural food supplies; however, it is very well digested in scats. So, as an indication of this kind of food in the diet, we have used each indigestible, anthropogenic origin element found in faeces (e.g., glass, plastic, rubber, etc.). There are few studies discussing the importance of garbage in the diet of mammalian predators living in farmland; definitely, most focus on this issue in urban areas. We studied the contribution of garbage in the diet of raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), marten (Martes sp.), polecat (Mustela putorius), stoat (Mustela erminea), American mink (Neovison vison) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in the agricultural areas of western Poland in 2006-2010. In addition, we examined the spatial changes in the diet of red fox and polecat. The largest contribution of garbage was found in scats of raccoon dog (8.8%), red fox (4.8%) and marten (4.3%). The diet of polecat, stoat and Eurasian otter contained 2.5%, 1.7% and 0.2% garbage items respectively. The most frequent item was plastic. Our analysis showed that garbage consumption by red fox and polecat was greater closer to human settlements. The results reveal a continuous gradient in the garbage consumption that corresponds with the degree of synanthropization of particular species

Ticagrelor in patients with diabetes and stable coronary artery disease with a history of previous percutaneous coronary intervention (THEMIS-PCI) : a phase 3, placebo-controlled, randomised trial

Background: Patients with stable coronary artery disease and diabetes with previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), particularly those with previous stenting, are at high risk of ischaemic events. These patients are generally treated with aspirin. In this trial, we aimed to investigate if these patients would benefit from treatment with aspirin plus ticagrelor. Methods: The Effect of Ticagrelor on Health Outcomes in diabEtes Mellitus patients Intervention Study (THEMIS) was a phase 3 randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, done in 1315 sites in 42 countries. Patients were eligible if 50 years or older, with type 2 diabetes, receiving anti-hyperglycaemic drugs for at least 6 months, with stable coronary artery disease, and one of three other mutually non-exclusive criteria: a history of previous PCI or of coronary artery bypass grafting, or documentation of angiographic stenosis of 50% or more in at least one coronary artery. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either ticagrelor or placebo, by use of an interactive voice-response or web-response system. The THEMIS-PCI trial comprised a prespecified subgroup of patients with previous PCI. The primary efficacy outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (measured in the intention-to-treat population). Findings: Between Feb 17, 2014, and May 24, 2016, 11 154 patients (58% of the overall THEMIS trial) with a history of previous PCI were enrolled in the THEMIS-PCI trial. Median follow-up was 3·3 years (IQR 2·8–3·8). In the previous PCI group, fewer patients receiving ticagrelor had a primary efficacy outcome event than in the placebo group (404 [7·3%] of 5558 vs 480 [8·6%] of 5596; HR 0·85 [95% CI 0·74–0·97], p=0·013). The same effect was not observed in patients without PCI (p=0·76, p interaction=0·16). The proportion of patients with cardiovascular death was similar in both treatment groups (174 [3·1%] with ticagrelor vs 183 (3·3%) with placebo; HR 0·96 [95% CI 0·78–1·18], p=0·68), as well as all-cause death (282 [5·1%] vs 323 [5·8%]; 0·88 [0·75–1·03], p=0·11). TIMI major bleeding occurred in 111 (2·0%) of 5536 patients receiving ticagrelor and 62 (1·1%) of 5564 patients receiving placebo (HR 2·03 [95% CI 1·48–2·76], p<0·0001), and fatal bleeding in 6 (0·1%) of 5536 patients with ticagrelor and 6 (0·1%) of 5564 with placebo (1·13 [0·36–3·50], p=0·83). Intracranial haemorrhage occurred in 33 (0·6%) and 31 (0·6%) patients (1·21 [0·74–1·97], p=0·45). Ticagrelor improved net clinical benefit: 519/5558 (9·3%) versus 617/5596 (11·0%), HR=0·85, 95% CI 0·75–0·95, p=0·005, in contrast to patients without PCI where it did not, p interaction=0·012. Benefit was present irrespective of time from most recent PCI. Interpretation: In patients with diabetes, stable coronary artery disease, and previous PCI, ticagrelor added to aspirin reduced cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke, although with increased major bleeding. In that large, easily identified population, ticagrelor provided a favourable net clinical benefit (more than in patients without history of PCI). This effect shows that long-term therapy with ticagrelor in addition to aspirin should be considered in patients with diabetes and a history of PCI who have tolerated antiplatelet therapy, have high ischaemic risk, and low bleeding risk