Activity patterns and reproductive behavior of the Critically Endangered Bermuda skink (Plestiodon longirostris)

The study of rare or cryptic species in zoos can provide insights into natural history and behavior that would be difficult to obtain in the field. Such information can then be used to refine population assessment protocols and conservation management. The Bermuda skink (Plestiodon longirostris) is an endemic Critically Endangered lizard. Chester Zoo's successful conservation breeding program is working to safeguard, increase and reinforce skink populations in the wild. A key aim of this program is to develop our understanding of the behavior of this species. In this study, using 24 h video recordings, we examined the daily activity patterns, basking behavior and food preferences of four pairs of Bermuda skinks. The skinks displayed a bimodal pattern of activity and basking, which may have evolved to avoid the strength of the midday sun in exposed habitats in Bermuda. Captive Bermuda skinks appear to prefer a fruit‐based diet to orthopteran prey. We also documented their reproductive behavior and compared it against two closely related species. Although there were many similarities between the courtship and mating behaviors of the three species, there was a significantly shorter period of cloacal contact in the Bermuda skink. Oophagia was also documented for the first time in this species. This knowledge has enabled the evaluation of the current ex‐situ management practices of this species, filled gaps in knowledge that would be challenging to obtain in the field, and enabled the enhancement of both animal husbandry and reproductive success for the conservation breeding program

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Association between population density and infection rate suggests the importance of social distancing and travel restriction in reducing the COVID-19 pandemic

International audienceCurrently, 2019-nCoV has spread to most countries of the world. Understanding the environmental factors that affect the spreadof the disease COVID-19 infection is critical to stop the spread of the disease. The purpose of this study is to investigate whetherpopulation density is associated with the infection rate of the COVID-19. We collected data from official webpages of cities inChina and in the USA. The data were organized on Excel spreadsheets for statistical analyses. We calculated the morbidity andpopulation density of cities and regions in these two countries. We then examined the relationship between morbidity and otherfactors. Our analysis indicated that the population density in cities in Hubei province where the COVID-19 was severe wasassociated with a higher percentage of morbidity, with an r value of 0.62. Similarly, in the USA, the density of 51 states andterritories is also associated with morbidity from COVID-19 with an r value of 0.55. In contrast, as a control group, there is noassociation between the morbidity and population density in 33 other regions of China, where the COVID-19 epidemic is wellunder control. Interestingly, our study also indicated that these associations were not influenced by the first case of COVID-19.The rate of morbidity and the number of days from the first case in the USA have no association, with an r value of − 0.1288.Population density is positively associated with the percentage of patients with COVID-19 infection in the population. Our datasupport the importance of such as social distancing and travel restriction in the prevention of COVID-19 spread

Effect of Antiplatelet Therapy on Survival and Organ Support–Free Days in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19

International audienc