Forest loss during 2000–2019 in pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) habitats was driven by shifting agriculture

The Upper Guinea Forest (UGF; West Africa), a global biodiversity hotspot, has lost more than 90% of its original area since 1900, threatening endemic species such as the endangered pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). However, little is known about the proximate causes of this deforestation. We classified Sentinel-2 data using the random forest algorithm to differentiate between three main human processes (shifting agriculture, intensive agriculture or urban expansion) driving deforestation between 2000 and 2019 across the pygmy hippopotamus distribution area. Out of c. 89 600 km2 in the year 2000, 15 900 km2 (17%) of forest were lost, primarily to shifting agriculture (14 900 km2). Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia accounted for 14 900 km2 (94%) of the net area of forest lost, c. 15 times greater than deforestation in Sierra Leone and Guinea combined (953 km2). Forest loss inside protected areas is pervasive, and it is essential to prioritize conservation efforts in areas where deforestation is still low (e.g., Taï, Sapo and Gola Rainforest national parks). We suggest that the preservation of the UGF will face challenges associated with people’s demand for food and income. Continued landscape-scale planning and action to reduce deforestation are urgently needed to limit the impact of shifting agriculture on pygmy hippopotamus habitat

Neuregulin signaling regulates neural precursor growth and the generation of oligodendrocytes in vitro

Peer reviewe

Return-to-Play Clinical Milestones: Fail-Rate for Those Claiming to Be Fully Symptom Free

Sport-related concussion remains a concerning public health issue. A multifaceted test battery is recommended for clinical judgments, including return-to-play (RTP). Initiation of RTP testing is based on the athletes\u27 honesty with their current symptoms and is confirmed by the multifaceted test battery. PURPOSE: Examine the rates of test failure in NCAA Division I athletes when they present as being symptom free for 24 hours. METHODS: 36 Division I athletes (18 male, 18 female; avg. age=20.1 years) were evaluated at pre-season baselines (BL), within 48 hours of a diagnosed concussion (CON), and when they reported being symptom free (SF) for 24 hours. At each time point, they were evaluated on a symptom severity score (TS), the vestibular/ocular motor screening (VOMS) exam, and tandem gait (TG) under single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions (serial-7s subtraction). Neurocognitive testing using the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) was only performed at BL and again if they were clinically clear on the VOMS and TG. Lastly, the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test (BCTT) was administered at CON and SF using the standard recommended procedures. Concussions were diagnosed using the international consensus criteria alongside symptom presentation and a mechanism of injury. The fail rate was determined if they presented with one or more of the following: 1) a TS of \u3e7 or physiological symptoms (i.e. headaches, dizziness) not present at BL, 2) VOMS change score \u3e2, 3) NPC \u3e5.0cm, 4) ST outside of 1.5s of their BL, 5) DT outside of 1.7s of their BL, 6) declined ImPACT test results determined by a trained clinician using minimal detectable change score, and 7) symptom provocation during the BCTT. RESULTS: A total of 67% (n=23/36) successfully cleared all the testing criteria and moved onto an RTP protocol once subjectively considered SF. 67% (n=12/18) of females and 61% (n=11/18) of males successfully cleared all the testing at their respective impressions of being SF. The average time from CON to SF was 16.8±16.91 days with no significant difference (p=.56) between males (18.50±17.72 days) and females (15.11±16.41 days). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a multifaceted concussion assessment battery is heavily warranted to determine the athletes\u27 concussion status and readiness for RTP

Polymorphisms in the Gene That Encodes the Iron Transport Protein Ferroportin 1 Influence Susceptibility to Tuberculosis

Background: We studied the association between iron intake and polymorphisms in the iron transporter gene, SLC40A1, and the risk of tuberculosis. Methods: We compared iron intake, the frequency of SLC40A1 mutations, and interactions between these variables among 98 TB patients and 125 controls in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Results: Four SLC40A1 SNPs were associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis and one with reduced risk. We also found a gene-environment interaction for four non-exonic SNPs and iron intake. Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrated an association between polymorphisms in SLC40A1 and tuberculosis and provided evidence for an interaction between dietary iron and SLC40A1.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog

A Functional Role for ADAM10 in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 Replication

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene trap insertional mutagenesis was used as a high-throughput approach to discover cellular genes participating in viral infection by screening libraries of cells selected for survival from lytic infection with a variety of viruses. Cells harboring a disrupted <it>ADAM10 </it>(A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease 10) allele survived reovirus infection, and subsequently ADAM10 was shown by RNA interference to be important for replication of HIV-1.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Silencing ADAM10 expression with small interfering RNA (siRNA) 48 hours before infection significantly inhibited HIV-1 replication in primary human monocyte-derived macrophages and in CD4⁺cell lines. In agreement, ADAM10 over-expression significantly increased HIV-1 replication. ADAM10 down-regulation did not inhibit viral reverse transcription, indicating that viral entry and uncoating are also independent of ADAM10 expression. Integration of HIV-1 cDNA was reduced in ADAM10 down-regulated cells; however, concomitant 2-LTR circle formation was not detected, suggesting that HIV-1 does not enter the nucleus. Further, ADAM10 silencing inhibited downstream reporter gene expression and viral protein translation. Interestingly, we found that while the metalloprotease domain of ADAM10 is not required for HIV-1 replication, ADAM15 and γ-secretase (which proteolytically release the extracellular and intracellular domains of ADAM10 from the plasma membrane, respectively) do support productive infection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We propose that ADAM10 facilitates replication at the level of nuclear trafficking. Collectively, our data support a model whereby ADAM10 is cleaved by ADAM15 and γ-secretase and that the ADAM10 intracellular domain directly facilitates HIV-1 nuclear trafficking. Thus, ADAM10 represents a novel cellular target class for development of antiretroviral drugs.</p

Reported and recorded sleepiness in obesity and depression

Civil war, flight, escape and expulsion are extremely stressful and assert a negative impact on refugees’ mental health. However scientific research about resilience and coping of refugees is scarce. Especially in the recent refugee crisis, calls have been made to consider factors contributing to coping and resilience in this vulnerable population. Therefore, the current research sought to investigate individual differences that could serve as antecedents of coping and contextual factors that might moderate these effects. Specifically, it took into account individual’s self-regulatory differences in terms of regulatory focus (i.e., a promotion focus on nurturance needs, ideals and gains vs. a prevention focus on security needs, oughts and losses). It furthermore explored contextual influences by considering Syrian refugees in Turkey (Sample 1, N = 273) and Germany (Sample 2, N = 169). Compared to Syrian refugees in Turkey, those in Germany had a stronger promotion focus. They also reported more problem-focused and less maladaptive coping, as well as less symptoms. Both promotion and prevention focus were positively related to problem-focused coping. Problem-focused coping, in turn, predicted more symptoms in Turkey but not in Germany. Furthermore, a stronger promotion focus was associated with less symptoms and maladaptive coping was associated with more symptoms in both samples. These results contribute to the coping literature in demonstrating that under certain conditions problem-focused coping can be maladaptive and extend the scarce previous work on self-regulation and coping. Most importantly, they highlight a promotion focus as a clear resilience factor and the role of maladaptive coping in increasing vulnerability. As such, they might inform the design of effective interventions among Syrian refugees and beyond

Forest loss during 2000–2019 in pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) habitats was driven by shifting agriculture

DATA SHARING : Google Earth Engine code for the analyses are accessible through Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7091804 (Erazo Mera, Younes Cárdenas, Murray, 2022). All Sentinel-2 imagery is publicly available via Sentinel Hub: https://sentinel.esa.int/web/sentinel/sentinel-data-access or through Google Earth Engine.Please read abstract in the article.A James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship, HDRES Grant and an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award.https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-conservationhj2024Mammal Research InstituteSDG-15:Life on lan

The next generation virus‐like particle platform for the treatment of peanut allergy

Background: Allergy to peanut is one of the leading causes of anaphylactic reactions among food allergic patients. Immunization against peanut allergy with a safe and protective vaccine holds a promise to induce durable protection against anaphylaxis caused by exposure to peanut. A novel vaccine candidate (VLP Peanut), based on virus‐like particles (VLPs), is described here for the treatment of peanut allergy. Methods and Results: VLP Peanut consists of two proteins: a capsid subunit derived from Cucumber mosaic virus engineered with a universal T‐cell epitope (CuMV$_{TT}$) and a CuMV$_{TT}$ subunit fused with peanut allergen Ara h 2 (CuMV$_{TT}$‐Ara h 2), forming mosaic VLPs. Immunizations with VLP Peanut in both naïve and peanut‐sensitized mice resulted in a significant anti‐Ara h 2 IgG response. Local and systemic protection induced by VLP Peanut were established in mouse models for peanut allergy following prophylactic, therapeutic, and passive immunizations. Inhibition of FcγRIIb function resulted in a loss of protection, confirming the crucial role of the receptor in conferring cross protection against peanut allergens other than Ara h 2. Conclusion: VLP Peanut can be delivered to peanut‐sensitized mice without triggering allergic reactions, while remaining highly immunogenic and offering protection against all peanut allergens. In addition, vaccination ablates allergic symptoms upon allergen challenge. Moreover, the prophylactic immunization setting conferred the protection against subsequent peanut‐induced anaphylaxis, showing the potential for preventive vaccination. This highlights the effectiveness of VLP Peanut as a prospective break‐through immunotherapy vaccine candidate toward peanut allergy. VLP Peanut has now entered clinical development with the study PROTECT