Low‐temperature tolerance in coprophagic beetle species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): implications for ecological services

1. Low temperatures affect insect functioning and population dynamics. Although temperate species cope with low temperatures better than their tropical counterparts, increasing temperature variability due to climate change exposes tropical species to frequent cold stress. For keystone insect species providing important ecosystem services, low-temperature tolerances, and behavioural responses remain unknown, hampering predictions under climate change. 2. The present study examined low-temperature physiology [critical thermal minima (CTmin) and chill coma recovery time (CCRT)] of six dung beetle species across three activity times: diurnal Allogymnopleurus indigaceous (Reiche) and Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche); crepuscular Onthophagus alexis (Klug) and Onthophagus gazella (Fabricius), and; nocturnal Copris elephenor (Klug) and Scarabaeus zambezianus (Peringuey). Further, ecological service delivery (dung removal) was examined between diurnal and nocturnal species across the temperature regimes. 3. Nocturnal species had significantly greater cold tolerance than both crepuscular and diurnal species, while CCRT was significantly shortest in diurnal than both crepuscular and nocturnal species. Dung ball production between diurnal and nocturnal species interacted with temperature, with diurnal species producing significantly fewer balls at low temperatures, while nocturnal beetles were not significantly affected. In turn, nocturnal species produced significantly larger balls than the diurnal species across temperatures. Effects of temperature regime shifts were intertwined with the foraging ecology of individual species. 4. Future research should quantify species' functional responses toward different amounts of dung masses as stressful temperatures increase. 5. Results are significant for determination of species thermal ranges and predicting costs of low-temperature stress through reduced ecological services under shifting thermal environments

Global perspective of familial hypercholesterolaemia: a cross-sectional study from the EAS Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC)

Background The European Atherosclerosis Society Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) global registry provides a platform for the global surveillance of familial hypercholesterolaemia through harmonisation and pooling of multinational data. In this study, we aimed to characterise the adult population with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and described how it is detected and managed globally. Methods Using FHSC global registry data, we did a cross-sectional assessment of adults (aged 18 years or older) with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of probable or definite heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia at the time they were entered into the registries. Data were assessed overall and by WHO regions, sex, and index versus non-index cases. Findings Of the 61 612 individuals in the registry, 42 167 adults (21 999 [53·6%] women) from 56 countries were included in the study. Of these, 31 798 (75·4%) were diagnosed with the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network criteria, and 35 490 (84·2%) were from the WHO region of Europe. Median age of participants at entry in the registry was 46·2 years (IQR 34·3–58·0); median age at diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia was 44·4 years (32·5–56·5), with 40·2% of participants younger than 40 years when diagnosed. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors increased progressively with age and varied by WHO region. Prevalence of coronary disease was 17·4% (2·1% for stroke and 5·2% for peripheral artery disease), increasing with concentrations of untreated LDL cholesterol, and was about two times lower in women than in men. Among patients receiving lipid-lowering medications, 16 803 (81·1%) were receiving statins and 3691 (21·2%) were on combination therapy, with greater use of more potent lipid-lowering medication in men than in women. Median LDL cholesterol was 5·43 mmol/L (IQR 4·32–6·72) among patients not taking lipid-lowering medications and 4·23 mmol/L (3·20–5·66) among those taking them. Among patients taking lipid-lowering medications, 2·7% had LDL cholesterol lower than 1·8 mmol/L; the use of combination therapy, particularly with three drugs and with proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin type 9 inhibitors, was associated with a higher proportion and greater odds of having LDL cholesterol lower than 1·8 mmol/L. Compared with index cases, patients who were non-index cases were younger, with lower LDL cholesterol and lower prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases (all p<0·001). Interpretation Familial hypercholesterolaemia is diagnosed late. Guideline-recommended LDL cholesterol concentrations are infrequently achieved with single-drug therapy. Cardiovascular risk factors and presence of coronary disease were lower among non-index cases, who were diagnosed earlier. Earlier detection and greater use of combination therapies are required to reduce the global burden of familial hypercholesterolaemia. Funding Pfizer, Amgen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Sanofi–Aventis, Daiichi Sankyo, and Regeneron