Middle Ear Mechanics in the Barn Owl.

The barn owl is a common research subject in auditory science due to its exceptional capacity for high frequency hearing and superb sound source localization capabilities. Despite longstanding interest in the auditory performance of barn owls, the function of its middle ear has attracted remarkably little attention. Here, we report the middle ear transfer function measured by laser Doppler vibrometry and direct measurements of inner ear pressures.

Beauty is in the eye of your cohort: Structured individual differences allow predictions of individualized aesthetic ratings of images.

In the last few years, there has been an increasing interest in computational models that are capable of predicting the aesthetic ratings of images based on objective image features. Given that aesthetic ratings vary across individuals, models that predict the average aesthetic ratings ignore the unique taste of an individual. In this paper, our goal is to better understand the individual differences in aesthetic ratings by investigating if individual differences follow structural rules or if taste is due to a random component of an individual's ratings.

Upper bill bending as an adaptation for nectar feeding in hummingbirds.

Observations of maxillary (upper bill) bending in hummingbirds have been considered an optical illusion, yet a recent description of out-of-phase opening and closing between their bill base and tip suggests a genuine capacity for bill bending. We investigate bill kinematics during nectar feeding in six species of hummingbirds. We employed geometric morphometrics to identify bending zones and combined these data with measurements of bill flexural rigidity from micro-computed tomography scans to better understand the flexing mechanism.

Cretaceous bird from Brazil informs the evolution of the avian skull and brain.

A dearth of Mesozoic-aged, three-dimensional fossils hinders understanding of the origin of the distinctive skull and brain of modern (crown) birds. Here we report Navaornis hestiae gen. et sp.

Recognising and responding to the community needs of gay and bisexual men around mpox.

Background: In May 2022, a global surge in mpox cases, typically endemic to Western and Central Africa, particularly affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM). This study examines gbMSM communities' experiences and perceptions around Ireland's public health response to the outbreak.

Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods online survey was conducted.

"Real-world" performance of the Confirm Rx™ SharpSense AF detection algorithm: UK Confirm Rx study.

Introduction: The novel Confirm Rx™ implantable cardiac monitor (ICM) with SharpSense™ technology incorporates a new P-wave discriminator designed to improve AF detection. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the Confirm Rx™ ICM in detecting AF episodes of varying durations.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis of consecutive patients implanted with a Confirm Rx™ ICM (v1.

Linkages between Soil Security and One Health: implications for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Soil provides multiple and diverse functions (e.g., the provision of food and the regulation of carbon), which underpin the health of animals, humans, the environment and the planet.

Tactile bill-tip organs in seabirds suggest conservation of a deep avian symplesiomorphy.

Birds' bills are their main tactile interface with the outside world. Tactile bill-tip organs associated with specialized foraging techniques are present in several bird groups, yet remain understudied in most clades. One example is Austrodyptornithes, the major seabird clade uniting Procellariiformes (albatrosses and petrels) and Sphenisciformes (penguins).

Screening canine sources for novel antimicrobials reveals the circular broad-spectrum bacteriocin, caledonicin, produced by .

Introduction: Antimicrobial-resistant pathogens present an ongoing threat to human and animal health, with deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) predicted to increase annually. While the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans undoubtedly contribute to this escalation, antibiotic use in the veterinary field, including companion animals, also plays a contributing role. Pet owners' desire to improve the quality of life of their pets is likely to support antibiotic use in this field.

NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis and fulminant relapse of multiple sclerosis: a rare overlap syndrome.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune disease that has been rarely associated with AQP4-IgG and MOG-IgG demyelinating diseases, and even more rarely with multiple sclerosis. We present the case of a woman in her 40s with confirmed NMDAR encephalitis and coexistent fulminant relapse of multiple sclerosis treated with alemtuzumab 6 years prior, who had a favourable outcome following treatment with ocrelizumab. We proceed to systematic review of similar reported cases, finding a lower than anticipated prevalence of underlying malignancy compared with isolated NMDAR encephalitis, in this rare overlap syndrome.

UNITY: A low-field magnetic resonance neuroimaging initiative to characterize neurodevelopment in low and middle-income settings.

Measures of physical growth, such as weight and height have long been the predominant outcomes for monitoring child health and evaluating interventional outcomes in public health studies, including those that may impact neurodevelopment. While physical growth generally reflects overall health and nutritional status, it lacks sensitivity and specificity to brain growth and developing cognitive skills and abilities. Psychometric tools, e.

Investigating the antimicrobial potential of bovine lactoferrin against the neonatal pathogen, Staphylococcus capitis.

Lactoferrin is an antimicrobial glycoprotein that demonstrates a broad-spectrum of activity against a wide variety of clinical pathogens. This study investigated the potential of bovine lactoferrin (bLf) against multidrug resistant Staphylococcus capitis (S. capitis) strains.

Biomechanical properties of non-flight vibrations produced by bees.

Bees use thoracic vibrations produced by their indirect flight muscles for powering wingbeats in flight, but also during mating, pollination, defence and nest building. Previous work on non-flight vibrations has mostly focused on acoustic (airborne vibrations) and spectral properties (frequency domain). However, mechanical properties such as the vibration's acceleration amplitude are important in some behaviours, e.

Paleoneurology of stem palaeognaths clarifies the plesiomorphic condition of the crown bird central nervous system.

Lithornithidae, an assemblage of volant Palaeogene fossil birds, provide our clearest insights into the early evolutionary history of Palaeognathae, the clade that today includes the flightless ratites and volant tinamous. The neotype specimen of Lithornis vulturinus, from the early Eocene (approximately 53 million years ago) of Europe, includes a partial neurocranium that has never been thoroughly investigated. Here, we describe these cranial remains including the nearly complete digital endocasts of the brain and bony labyrinth.

Inhibition of Clinical MRSA Isolates by Coagulase Negative Staphylococci of Human Origin.

is frequently highlighted as a priority for novel drug research due to its pathogenicity and ability to develop antibiotic resistance. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are resident flora of the skin and nares. Previous studies have confirmed their ability to kill and prevent colonization by through the production of bioactive substances.

Macroevolutionary drivers of morphological disparity in the avian quadrate.

In birds, the quadrate connects the mandible and skull, and plays an important role in cranial kinesis. Avian quadrate morphology may therefore be assumed to have been influenced by selective pressures related to feeding ecology, yet large-scale variation in quadrate morphology and its potential relationship with ecology have never been quantitatively investigated. Here, we used geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods to quantify morphological variation of the quadrate and its relationship with key ecological features across a wide phylogenetic sample.

Predictive value of the PRAETORIAN score for defibrillation test success in patients with subcutaneous ICD: A subanalysis of the PRAETORIAN-DFT trial.

Background: The PRAETORIAN score estimates the risk of failure of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) therapy by using generator and lead positioning on bidirectional chest radiographs. The PRospective randomized compArative trial of subcutanEous implanTable cardiOverter-defibrillatoR ImplANtation with and without DeFibrillation Testing (PRAETORIAN-DFT) investigates whether PRAETORIAN score calculation is noninferior to defibrillation testing (DFT) with regard to first shock efficacy in spontaneous events.

Objective: This prespecified subanalysis assessed the predictive value of the PRAETORIAN score for defibrillation success in induced ventricular arrhythmias.

Trial of Selective Early Treatment of Patent Ductus Arteriosus with Ibuprofen.

Background: The cyclooxygenase inhibitor ibuprofen may be used to treat patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants. Whether selective early treatment of large PDAs with ibuprofen would improve short-term outcomes is not known.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating early treatment (≤72 hours after birth) with ibuprofen for a large PDA (diameter of ≥1.

Impact of bacteriocin-producing strains on bacterial community composition in a simplified human intestinal microbiota.

Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides that have been studied for decades as food bio-preservatives or as alternatives to antibiotics. They also have potential as modulators of the gut microbiome, which has been linked to human health. However, it is difficult to predict how bacteriocins will impact complex microbial communities through direct and indirect effects.