Foraging Interference and Fruit Palatability in Pteropus Scapulatus (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae): Management Implications

The “residents and raiders” theory emphasizes the importance of conspecific feeding interference in seed dispersal by frugivorous megachiropterans. Agonistic interactions at fruiting trees frequently result in the “ejection” of one bat, which has often first obtained some fruit. The ejected bat then flies to an unoccupied tree, thus dispersing non-consumed seeds. For seeds too large to be swallowed this may be the sole method of dispersal. Raiding and subsequent seed spread only occur when bat populations are sufficiently large, relative to resources, to cause competition for food. If competition similarly affects nectarivorous bats and their floral resources, decline in a bat population could lead to reduced seed set and genetic diversity in their food-plant species. Pteropus scapulatus (Little Red Flying Fox) visit the flowers of dozens of Australian and New Guinean species and are believed to play an important role in the pollination of Eucalyptus and Melaleuca. Feeding-interference and raiding “success” by P. scapulatus eating fruit at Wellington Zoo (New Zealand) was studied to infer the importance of population size on cross-pollination. Decrease in population-to-resource ratio was correlated with decrease in raiding frequency, suggesting a decreased likelihood of cross pollination. These results highlight the value of management practices that promote the maintenance of large populations of nectarivorous megachiropterans. The effects of dominance and food preference on these behaviours were also evaluated. Dominance was inversely correlated to both dispersal and maturity. Contrary to many reports, females were not always subordinate to males. Fruit preference data may be useful for selecting “distracter” trees in orchards prone to damage by fruit bats and for ex situ husbandry concerns. Implications for population-, orchard-, and captive-management are discussed

Global prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus infection in 2015 : A modelling study

Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Elsevier LtdBackground The 69th World Health Assembly approved the Global Health Sector Strategy to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by 2030, which can become a reality with the recent launch of direct acting antiviral therapies. Reliable disease burden estimates are required for national strategies. This analysis estimates the global prevalence of viraemic HCV at the end of 2015, an update of—and expansion on—the 2014 analysis, which reported 80 million (95% CI 64–103) viraemic infections in 2013. Methods We developed country-level disease burden models following a systematic review of HCV prevalence (number of studies, n=6754) and genotype (n=11 342) studies published after 2013. A Delphi process was used to gain country expert consensus and validate inputs. Published estimates alone were used for countries where expert panel meetings could not be scheduled. Global prevalence was estimated using regional averages for countries without data. Findings Models were built for 100 countries, 59 of which were approved by country experts, with the remaining 41 estimated using published data alone. The remaining countries had insufficient data to create a model. The global prevalence of viraemic HCV is estimated to be 1·0% (95% uncertainty interval 0·8–1·1) in 2015, corresponding to 71·1 million (62·5–79·4) viraemic infections. Genotypes 1 and 3 were the most common cause of infections (44% and 25%, respectively). Interpretation The global estimate of viraemic infections is lower than previous estimates, largely due to more recent (lower) prevalence estimates in Africa. Additionally, increased mortality due to liver-related causes and an ageing population may have contributed to a reduction in infections. Funding John C Martin Foundation.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Foraging Interference and Fruit Palatability in Pteropus Scapulatus (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae): Management Implications

The “residents and raiders” theory emphasizes the importance of conspecific feeding interference in seed dispersal by frugivorous megachiropterans. Agonistic interactions at fruiting trees frequently result in the “ejection” of one bat, which has often first obtained some fruit. The ejected bat then flies to an unoccupied tree, thus dispersing non-consumed seeds. For seeds too large to be swallowed this may be the sole method of dispersal. Raiding and subsequent seed spread only occur when bat populations are sufficiently large, relative to resources, to cause competition for food. If competition similarly affects nectarivorous bats and their floral resources, decline in a bat population could lead to reduced seed set and genetic diversity in their food-plant species. Pteropus scapulatus (Little Red Flying Fox) visit the flowers of dozens of Australian and New Guinean species and are believed to play an important role in the pollination of Eucalyptus and Melaleuca. Feeding-interference and raiding “success” by P. scapulatus eating fruit at Wellington Zoo (New Zealand) was studied to infer the importance of population size on cross-pollination. Decrease in population-to-resource ratio was correlated with decrease in raiding frequency, suggesting a decreased likelihood of cross pollination. These results highlight the value of management practices that promote the maintenance of large populations of nectarivorous megachiropterans. The effects of dominance and food preference on these behaviours were also evaluated. Dominance was inversely correlated to both dispersal and maturity. Contrary to many reports, females were not always subordinate to males. Fruit preference data may be useful for selecting “distracter” trees in orchards prone to damage by fruit bats and for ex situ husbandry concerns. Implications for population-, orchard-, and captive-management are discussed

Hepatitis C virus prevalence and level of intervention required to achieve the WHO targets for elimination in the European Union by 2030 : a modelling study

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the European Union (EU), treatment and cure of HCV with direct-acting antiviral therapies began in 2014. WHO targets are to achieve a 65% reduction in liver-related deaths, a 90% reduction of new viral hepatitis infections, and 90% of patients with viral hepatitis infections being diagnosed by 2030. This study assessed the prevalence of HCV in the EU and the level of intervention required to achieve WHO targets for HCV elimination. Methods We populated country Markov models for the 28 EU countries through a literature search of PubMed and Embase between Jan 1, 2000, and March 31, 2016, and a Delphi process to gain expert consensus and validate inputs. We aggregated country models to create a regional EU model. We used the EU model to forecast HCV disease progression (considering the effect of immigration) and developed a strategy to acehive WHO targets. We used weighted average sustained viral response rates and fibrosis restrictions to model the effect of current therapeutic guidelines. We used the EU model to forecast HCV disease progression (considering the effect of immigration) under current screening and therapeutic guidelines. Additionally, we back-calculated the total number of patients needing to be screened and treated to achieve WHO targets. Findings We estimated the number of viraemic HCV infections in 2015 to be 3\ue2\u80\u88238\ue2\u80\u88000 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2\ue2\u80\u88106\ue2\u80\u88000\ue2\u80\u933\ue2\u80\u88795\ue2\u80\u88000) of a total population of 509\ue2\u80\u88868\ue2\u80\u88000 in the EU, equating to a prevalence of viraemic HCV of 0\uc2\ub764% (95% UI 0\uc2\ub741\ue2\u80\u930\uc2\ub774). We estimated that 1\ue2\u80\u88180\ue2\u80\u88000 (95% UI 1\ue2\u80\u88003\ue2\u80\u88000\ue2\u80\u931\ue2\u80\u88357\ue2\u80\u88000) people were diagnosed with viraemia (36\uc2\ub74%), 150\ue2\u80\u88000 (12\ue2\u80\u88000\ue2\u80\u93180\ue2\u80\u88000) were treated (4\uc2\ub76% of the total infected population or 12\uc2\ub77% of the diagnosed population), 133\ue2\u80\u88000 (106\ue2\u80\u88000\ue2\u80\u93160\ue2\u80\u88000) were cured (4\uc2\ub71%), and 57\ue2\u80\u88900 (43\ue2\u80\u88900\ue2\u80\u9367\ue2\u80\u88300) were newly infected (1\uc2\ub78%) in 2015. Additionally, 30\ue2\u80\u88400 (26\ue2\u80\u88600\ue2\u80\u9342\ue2\u80\u88500) HCV-positive immigrants entered the EU. To achieve WHO targets, unrestricted treatment needs to increase from 150\ue2\u80\u88000 patients in 2015 to 187\ue2\u80\u88000 patients in 2025 and diagnosis needs to increase from 88\ue2\u80\u88800 new cases annually in 2015 to 180\ue2\u80\u88000 in 2025. Interpretation Given its advanced health-care infrastructure, the EU is uniquely poised to eliminate HCV; however, expansion of screening programmes is essential to increase treatment to achieve the WHO targets. A united effort, grounded in sound epidemiological evidence, will also be necessary. Funding Gilead Sciences

Ultrasound renal denervation for hypertension resistant to a triple medication pill (RADIANCE-HTN TRIO): a randomised, multicentre, single-blind, sham-controlled trial

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