Thermal tolerance for the tropical clawed frog, Xenopus tropicalis with comments on comparative methods for amphibian studies.

Thermal tolerance data are important for identifying the potential range of non-native species following introduction and establishment. Such data are particularly important for understanding invasion risks of tropical species introduced to temperate climates and identifying whether they can survive outside tropical regions. A breeding population of the tropical clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis) was recently discovered in west-central Florida, U.

Commonly collected thermal performance data can inform species distributions in a data-limited invader.

Predicting potential distributions of species in new areas is challenging. Physiological data can improve interpretation of predicted distributions and can be used in directed distribution models. Nonnative species provide useful case studies.

Dermatomycosis Caused by Paranannizziopsis australasiensis in Nonnative Panther Chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) Captured in Central Florida, USA.

Emergent fungal pathogens in herpetofauna are a concern in both wild and captive populations. We diagnosed dermatomycosis by Paranannizziopsis australasiensis in two panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) and suspected it in eight others captured from an established free-living nonnative population in Florida, USA. Chameleons developed skin lesions following recent exposure to cold weather conditions while housed in captivity, approximately 10 mo after capture and 12 wk after being placed in outdoor enclosures.

Misapplying autonomy: why patient wishes cannot settle treatment decisions.

The principle of autonomy is widely recognized to be of utmost importance in bioethics; however, we argue that this principle is often misapplied when one fails to distinguish two different contexts in medicine. When a particular patient is offered treatment options, she has the ultimate say in whether to proceed with any of those treatments. However, when deciding whether a particular intervention should be regarded as a form of medical treatment in the first place, it is the medical community who has the ultimate say.

The Quick Sepsis-Related Organ Failure Assessment Score Is Prognostic of Pancreatitis Severity in Patients With Alcohol-Induced Pancreatitis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if the quick Sepsis-Related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score assessed at and 48 hours after admission is prognostic for alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis (AAP) severity.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort review study of 161 patients admitted to a single academic hospital in Houston, TX, with the diagnosis of AAP. Receiver operator characteristics analysis and logistic regression were used to assess the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic ability of the qSOFA score.

Hypophosphatemia Is More Common and Is Prognostic of Poorer Outcomes in Severe Alcoholic Pancreatitis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if hypophosphatemia is more common in patients with severe alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis (AAP).

Methods: This is a retrospective, single institution, cohort study that analyzed 147 patients admitted to the hospital for AAP. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine if hypophosphatemia would be related to clinical outcomes of disease severity.

The Association of Drug-Use Characteristics and Active Coping Styles With Positive Affect in Patients With Heroin-Use Disorder and Methamphetamine-Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Positive affect (PA) is crucial for individuals to cope with the current pandemic and buffer the lingering fears after it, especially for patients with substance-use disorders (SUDs). The current study aimed to explore PA and its related factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in male patients with the heroin-use disorder (HUD) and patients with the methamphetamine-use disorder (MAUD), respectively. A total of 325 male patients with SUDs (106 with HUD and 219 with MAUD, all were single-substance users) in a compulsory rehabilitation center underwent semi-structured interviews during the pandemic.

Association of serum lipid levels with psychotic symptoms in first-episode and drug naïve outpatients with major depressive disorder: a large-scale cross-sectional study.

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder, with increasing evidence that patients with MDD display psychotic symptoms. Studies have shown the association between lipid levels and MDD, but few have explored the relationship between lipids and psychotic symptoms in MDD. The objective of this study was to compare the differences of lipid levels between patients with psychotic major depressive disorder (PMD) and those with non-psychotic major depressive disorder (NPMD) in first-episode and drug-naive (FEDN) MDD patients.

Prevalence, clinical correlates and risk factors associated with Tardive Dyskinesia in Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a serious, nonrhythmic and iatrogenic movement disorder, and is a common comorbidity in patients with schizophrenia (SZ). The main goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence, clinical correlates, and risk factors of TD in Chinese patients with chronic SZ, which has not been fully studied. This study adopted a cross-sectional design.

Do free-ranging rattlesnakes use thermal cues to evaluate prey?

Rattlesnakes use infrared radiation to detect prey animals such as small mammals and lizards. Because ectotherm locomotor performance depends on temperature, rattlesnakes could use prey temperature to evaluate the potential of lizards to evade attacks. Here, we tested whether hunting rattlesnakes use infrared information to (1) detect and (2) evaluate prey before attack.

Patient Knowledge and Attitudes About Fecal Microbiota Therapy for Infection.

In a survey of patients with infection, physician recommendation seemed to be the largest factor affecting the likelihood of patients considering future fecal microbial therapy.