Survey of the critically endangered Perrier’s sifaka (Propithecus Perrieri) across most if its distribution range.

Propithecus perrieri (Perrier’s sifaka) is one of the most endangered lemur species due to its small and fragmented distribution range. Despite a Critically Endangered (CR) conservation and flagship species status, there are still many uncertainties regarding its actual distribution and its presence in some forests of its putative distribution range. We report the results of diurnal and nocturnal surveys carried out in 2012 across most forest fragments of its putative distribution range, namely the Ankarana National Park, the Analamerana Special Reserve and Andrafiamena-Andava-koera Protected Area. During our surveys the species was only observed in Andrafiamena and Analamerana protected areas.FCT fellowship: (SFRH/BD/64875/2009), Institut Français de la Biodiversité, the GDRI Madagascar, the “Laboratoire d'Excellence” (LABEX) entitled TULIP (ANR-10-LABX-41), Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, “Optimus Alive!” Biodiversity grant, The Rufford Small Grant for Nature Conservation: (ref. 10941-1), Département de Biologie Animale et Ecologie (D.B.A.E.), Faculté des Sciences, University of Mahajanga, the University of Antsiranana, and the Fanamby NGO (in particular S. Rajaobelina), Madagascar National Park, Analamerana Special Reserve, Ankarana National Park

Impacto da umidificação aquecida com pressão positiva automática em vias aéreas na terapia do síndroma de apneia obstrutiva do sono Impact of heated humidification with automatic positive airway pressure in obstructive sleep apnea therapy

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto da umidificação aquecida introduzida no início da terapia com pressão positiva automática em vias aéreas (APAP, do inglês automatic positive airway pressure) na adesão e efeitos secundários. MÉTODOS: Foram randomizados 39 doentes com síndroma de apneia obstrutiva do sono sem terapia prévia em dois grupos de tratamento com APAP: com umidificação aquecida (grupo APAPcom; e sem umidificação (grupo APAPsem). Os doentes foram avaliados 7 e 30 dias após a colocação de APAP. Os parâmetros analisados foram a adesão ao tratamento (número médio de horas/noite), efeitos secundários (secura nasal ou da boca, obstrução nasal e rinorreia), sonolência diurna (escore da escala de sonolência de Epworth) e o conforto subjectivo (escala visual analógica). Foram ainda avaliados o índice de apneia-hipopneia (IAH) residual, pressões e fugas médias registados nos ventiladores. RESULTADOS: Os dois grupos de doentes estudados eram semelhantes no que respeita à média etária (APAPcom: 57,4 ± 9,2; APAPsem: 56,5 ± 10,7 anos), IAH (APAPcom: 28,1 ± 14,0; APAPsem: 28,8 ± 20,5 eventos/hora de sono), Epworth basal (APAPcom: 11,2 ± 5,8; APAPsem: 11,9 ± 6,3) e sintomas nasais iniciais. A adesão foi semelhante nos dois grupos (APAPcom: 5,3 ± 2,4; APAPsem: 5,2 ± 2,3 horas/noite). Não se verificaram diferenças nos outros parâmetros avaliados. CONCLUSÕES: A introdução inicial da umidificação aquecida na terapia com APAP não demonstrou vantagem no que diz respeito à adesão e efeitos secundários.<br>OBJECTIVE: To study the impact that heated humidification instituted in the beginning of automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) therapy has on compliance with and the side effects of the treatment. METHODS: Thirty-nine treatment-naïve patients with obstructive sleep apnea were randomized into two groups to receive APAP using one of two modalities: with heated humidification (APAPwith group); and without heated humidification (APAPw/o group).Patients were evaluated at 7 and 30 days after APAP initiation. The following parameters were analyzed: compliance with treatment (mean number of hours/night); side effects (dry nose or mouth, nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea); daytime sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale score) and subjective comfort (visual analog scale score). Patients were also evaluated in terms of residual apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), as well as mean pressures and leaks registered in the ventilators. RESULTS: There were no differences between the two groups in terms of mean age (APAPwith: 57.4 ± 9.2; APAPw/o: 56.5 ± 10.7 years), AHI (APAPwith: 28.1 ± 14.0; APAPw/o: 28.8 ± 20.5 events/hour of sleep), baseline Epworth score (APAPwith: 11.2 ± 5.8; APAPw/o: 11.9 ± 6.3) and initial nasal symptoms. Compliance was similar in both groups (APAPwith: 5.3 ± 2.4; APAPw/o: 5.2 ± 2.3 h/night). There were no differences in any of the other parameters analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of heated humidification at the beginning of APAP therapy provided no advantage in terms of treatment compliance or side effects of treatment

Development and worldwide use of a non-lethal and minimal population-level impact protocols for the isolation of chytrids from amphibians

Parasitic chytrid fungi have emerged as a significant threat to amphibian species worldwide, necessitating the development of techniques to isolate these pathogens into sterile culture for research purposes. However, early methods of isolating chytrids from their hosts relied on killing amphibians. We modified a pre-existing protocol for isolating chytrids from infected animals to use toe clips and biopsies from toe webbing rather than euthanizing hosts, and distributed the protocol to interested researchers worldwide as part of the BiodivERsA project RACE; here called the RML protocol. In tandem, we developed a lethal procedure for isolating chytrids from tadpole mouthparts. Reviewing a database of use a decade after their inception, we find that these methods have been widely applied across at least 5 continents, 23 countries and in 62 amphibian species, and have been successfully used to isolate chytrids in remote field locations. Isolation of chytrids by the non-lethal RML protocol occured in 18% of attempts with 207 fungal isolates and three species of chytrid being recovered. Isolation of chytrids from tadpoles occured in 43% of attempts with 334 fungal isolates of one species (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) being recovered. Together, these methods have resulted in a significant reduction and refinement of our use of threatened amphibian species and have improved our ability to work with this important group of emerging fungal pathogens