How do invasive predators and their native prey respond to prescribed fire?

Fire shapes animal communities by altering resource availability and species interactions, including between predators and prey. In Australia, there is particular concern that two highly damaging invasive predators, the feral cat () and European red fox (), increase their activity in recently burnt areas and exert greater predation pressure on the native prey due to their increased exposure. We tested how prescribed fire occurrence and extent, along with fire history, vegetation, topography, and distance to anthropogenic features (towns and farms), affected the activity (detection frequency) of cats, foxes, and the native mammal community in south-eastern Australia.

Clinical features and cognitive sequelae in COVID-19: a retrospective study on N=152 patients.

Background: The novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) shows neurotropism and systemically affects the central nervous system (CNS). Cognitive deficits have been indeed reported as both short- and long-term sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the association between these disturbances and background/disease-related clinical features remains elusive.

Impact of hyperleptinemia during placental ischemia-induced hypertension in pregnant rats.

The prevalence of preeclampsia and obesity have increased. Although obesity is a major risk factor for preeclampsia, the mechanisms linking these morbidities are poorly understood. Circulating leptin levels increase in proportion to fat mass.

Administration of recombinant human placental growth factor decreases blood pressure in obese hypertensive pregnant rats.

Objectives: Although epidemiological studies have shown that obesity is associated with increased incidence of hypertension during pregnancy, the mechanisms linking these two comorbidities are not as well studied. Previous investigations detected lower levels of the anti-hypertensive and pregnancy-related factor, placental growth factor (PlGF), in obese hypertensive pregnancies. Therefore, we examined whether obese hypertensive pregnant rats have reduced PlGF and whether increasing its levels by administering recombinant human (rh)PlGF reduces their blood pressure.

Paranoid delusions • ideas of reference • sleep problems • Dx?

► Paranoid delusions ► Ideas of reference ► Sleep problems ► Multiple, vague somatic symptoms.

Does a regular Wessex Head Injury Matrix assessment identify early signs of infections in people with Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness?

Background & Objective: Patients with brain injury are at high risk for infections. Although infection and cognitive deterioration are established for people with dementia, this has not been shown for patients with a prolonged disorder of consciousness (PDOC). This study determines whether regular Wessex Head Injury Matrix (WHIM) assessments can identify early signs of infections in patients with PDOC.

Demographic and genetic viability of a medium-sized ground-dwelling mammal in a fire prone, rapidly urbanizing landscape.

The rapid and large-scale urbanization of peri-urban areas poses major and complex challenges for wildlife conservation. We used population viability analysis (PVA) to evaluate the influence of urban encroachment, fire, and fauna crossing structures, with and without accounting for inbreeding effects, on the metapopulation viability of a medium-sized ground-dwelling mammal, the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus), in the rapidly expanding city of Perth, Australia. We surveyed two metapopulations over one and a half years, and parameterized the PVA models using largely field-collected data.

TD: The case of Diogenes Syndrome-deficit or denial?

Diogenes Syndrome (DS) is characterised by extreme self-neglect, domestic squalor, hoarding, social withdrawal, and lack of concern and shame for the individual's residential situation. This paper describes TD who was unable to identify emotional expressions of disgust and was borderline-impaired for facial recognition associated with perceptual difficulties. Problems interpreting expressions of disgust were interesting as TD was living in squalor, neglecting himself, and lacked concern for his circumstances.

Brugada syndrome and the story of Dave.

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a little known genetic condition that causes severe disturbances in cardiac rhythm and may result in sudden unexpected cardiac death in an apparently healthy person. The heart structure is typically normal but there are problems with electrical activity. The syndrome is named after Spanish brothers who are cardiologists, Pedro and Josep Brugada.

Akinetic mutism and the story of David.

Following a description about the characteristics of akinetic mutism (AM) and how it differs from locked-in syndrome (LIS) and a disorder of consciousness (DOC), we present the case of David, a 71-year-old man with AM. David sustained a stroke following a middle cerebral artery (MCA) thrombus. A CT scan at the time detected old ischaemic infarcts affecting the right frontal lobe, the left occipital lobe and the left parietal lobe so David had bilateral brain damage.

Sheehan's syndrome and sickle cell disease: the story of Natasha.

Sheehan's syndrome (SS) is one of the pituitary disorders caused by severe blood loss during childbirth leading to necrosis of the pituitary gland. Diagnosis is made following severe haemorrhage, failure to produce milk and failure to menstruate. Rare in countries with good obstetric care, SS is still frequent in those countries with poor healthcare services.

Does Modafinil improve the level of consciousness for people with a prolonged disorder of consciousness? a retrospective pilot study.

Background And Aim: Modafinil is best known as a sleep regulator among healthy individuals, but studies suggest that it reduces excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with brain injury. This retrospective pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of Modafinil for people with a prolonged disorder of consciousness and whether those with a traumatic brain injury did better than those with a non-traumatic brain injury.

Method: Twenty four prolonged disorder of consciousness patients who were prescribed Modafinil, were assessed at least four times both before and during treatment.

Alexander's disease and the story of Louise.

We describe the rare condition known as Alexander's disease or Alexander's leukodystrophy, which is essentially a childhood dementia. We then present the case of Louise Davies (we are using Louise's real name with the permission and special request of her mother), a woman who was diagnosed with this disease at the age of 5 years and is still alive at the age of 38, making her the longest known survivor of this condition. Although now severely impaired, both physically and mentally, and able to do very little, she has lived far longer than expected.

Seeing red: Relearning to read in a case of Balint's Syndrome.

Background And Aims: Balint's Syndrome is a rare condition, often associated with hypoxic brain damage. The major characteristic is an inability to localise objects in space, another is simultanagnosia frequently resulting in reading difficulties. We present RN, a 37 year old woman whose major problem with reading was her inability to recognise individual letters correctly in either lower or upper case.

The natural history of continuing improvement in an individual after a long period of impaired consciousness: The story of I.J.

Aim: Recovery of consciousness and recovery of function among patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness rarely occur. Those patients who do regain consciousness typically remain with severe disability. The aim of this retrospective study is to suggest that continuing improvement is possible in a survivor of catastrophic brain injury after being in a prolonged state of disordered consciousness.

Low-dose quetiapine induced or worsened mania in the context of possible undertreatment.

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness with a lifetime prevalence of 2% and has a dramatic impact on quality of life. Mania is a distinct period of abnormal and sustained elevated, expansive, or irritable mood and increase in goal-directed activity or energy that lasts at least 1 week and is present for most of each day. Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic approved for the treatment of bipolar depression and mania.