Range-wide salamander densities reveal a key component of terrestrial vertebrate biomass in eastern North American forests.

Characterizing the population density of species is a central interest in ecology. Eastern North America is the global hotspot for biodiversity of plethodontid salamanders, an inconspicuous component of terrestrial vertebrate communities, and among the most widespread is the eastern red-backed salamander, . Previous work suggests population densities are high with significant geographic variation, but comparisons among locations are challenged by lack of standardization of methods and failure to accommodate imperfect detection.

Ontogenetic variation in metabolic rate-temperature relationships during larval development.

Predictive models of ectotherm responses to environmental change often rely on thermal performance data from the literature. For insects, the majority of these data focus on two traits, development rate and thermal tolerance limits. Data are also often limited to the adult stage.

Spatial distribution of tumor-associated macrophages in an orthotopic prostate cancer mouse model.

Mounting evidence suggests that the immune landscape within prostate tumors influences progression, metastasis, treatment response, and patient outcomes. In this study, we investigated the spatial density of innate immune cell populations within NOD.SCID orthotopic prostate cancer xenografts following microinjection of human DU145 prostate cancer cells.

Geographic variation in larval cold tolerance and exposure across the invasion front of a widely established forest insect.

Under global climate change, high and low temperature extremes can drive shifts in species distributions. Across the range of a species, thermal tolerance is based on acclimatization, plasticity, and may undergo selection, shaping resilience to temperature stress. In this study, we measured variation in cold temperature tolerance of early instar larvae of an invasive forest insect, Lymantria dispar dispar L.

Cervical Lacerations: A Review of Risks.

Cervical laceration (CL), although infrequent, is an often-unrecognized complication of vaginal birth and can cause significant blood loss in the immediate postpartum period. The rate of clinically significant CL ranges from 0.14% to 0.

Re-Envisioning the Culture of Undergraduate Biology Education to Foster Black Student Success: A Clarion Call.

The purpose of this paper is to present an argument for why there is a need to re-envision the underlying culture of undergraduate biology education to ensure the success, retention, and matriculation of Black students. The basis of this argument is the continued noted challenges with retaining Black students in the biological sciences coupled with existing research that implicates science contexts (i.e.

Growth and development of an invasive forest insect under current and future projected temperature regimes.

Temperature and its impact on fitness are fundamental for understanding range shifts and population dynamics under climate change. Geographic climate heterogeneity, behavioral and physiological plasticity, and thermal adaptation to local climates make predicting the responses of species to climate change complex. Using larvae from seven geographically distinct wild populations in the eastern United States of the non-native forest pest (L.

Assessing drivers of localized invasive spread to inform large-scale management of a highly damaging insect pest.

Studies of biological invasions at the macroscale or across multiple scales can provide important insights for management, particularly when localized information about invasion dynamics or environmental contexts is unavailable. In this study, we performed a macroscale analysis of the roles of invasion drivers on the local scale dynamics of a high-profile pest, Lymantria dispar dispar L., with the purpose of improving the prioritization of vulnerable areas for treatment.

Demand for regional level III neonatal services is not reduced during national COVID lockdowns.

Following the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports from around the world suggested a reduction in preterm deliveries during lockdown periods. We reviewed preterm admissions to a large tertiary neonatal unit in inner North East London during two United Kingdom (UK) national lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. We found no evidence of difference in admissions during two national lockdowns compared to previous years.

Development and evaluation of an LGBT+ education programme for palliative care interdisciplinary teams.

Background: Despite national policy recommendations to enhance healthcare access for LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and those who do not identify as cisgender heterosexual) people, education on LGBT+ issues and needs is still lacking in health and social care curricula. Most of the available resources are focused on primary care, mental health, and sexual health, with little consideration to broader LGBT+ health issues and needs. The limited available educational programmes pertaining to LGBT+ individuals outside the context of sexual or mental health have mainly focused on cancer care or older adults.

Routine Use of Swallowing Outcome Measures Following Head and Neck Cancer in a Multidisciplinary Clinic Setting.

 Chemoradiotherapy treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) can have a major impact on swallowing function and health-related quality of life. The use of outcome measures in early detection of patients with swallowing problems provides the opportunity for targeting speech and language therapy (SLT) interventions to aid adaption and promote better clinical outcomes.  The purpose of the present study was to assess relationships between four outcomes measures over time, in a cohort of HNC patients, treated by (chemo-)radiotherapy.

The Effect of Early Sedation With Dexmedetomidine on Body Temperature in Critically Ill Patients.

Objectives: Previous case series reported an association between dexmedetomidine use and hyperthermia. Temperature data have not been systematically reported in previous randomized controlled trials evaluating dexmedetomidine. A causal link between dexmedetomidine administration and elevated temperature has not been demonstrated.

Overcoming TRAIL-resistance by sensitizing prostate cancer 3D spheroids with taxanes.

Three-dimensional spheroid cultures have been shown to better physiologically mimic the cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions that occur in solid tumors more than traditional 2D cell cultures. One challenge in spheroid production is forming and maintaining spheroids of uniform size. Here, we developed uniform, high-throughput, multicellular spheroids that self-assemble using microwell plates.

Taxanes Sensitize Prostate Cancer Cells to TRAIL-Induced Apoptotic Synergy via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

Docetaxel and cabazitaxel are guideline-chemotherapy treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), which comprises the majority of prostate cancer deaths. TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an anticancer agent that is selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells; however, many human cancers are resistant to TRAIL. In this study, we sensitized androgen-independent and TRAIL-resistant prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis via taxane therapy and examined the mechanism of sensitization.

Substrate promiscuity of a de novo designed peroxidase.

The design and construction of de novo enzymes offer potentially facile routes to exploiting powerful chemistries in robust, expressible and customisable protein frameworks, while providing insight into natural enzyme function. To this end, we have recently demonstrated extensive catalytic promiscuity in a heme-containing de novo protein, C45. The diverse transformations that C45 catalyses include substrate oxidation, dehalogenation and carbon‑carbon bond formation.

Demographic consequences of changing body size in a terrestrial salamander.

Changes in climate can alter individual body size, and the resulting shifts in reproduction and survival are expected to impact population dynamics and viability. However, appropriate methods to account for size-dependent demographic changes are needed, especially in understudied yet threatened groups such as amphibians. We investigated individual- and population-level demographic effects of changes in body size for a terrestrial salamander using capture-mark-recapture data.

Hurricane-induced demographic changes in a non-human primate population.

Major disturbance events can have large impacts on the demography and dynamics of animal populations. Hurricanes are one example of an extreme climatic event, predicted to increase in frequency due to climate change, and thus expected to be a considerable threat to population viability. However, little is understood about the underlying demographic mechanisms shaping population response following these extreme disturbances.

The need for early referral to palliative care especially for Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in a COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a service evaluation.

Background: Palliative care services face challenges in adapting and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how palliative care needs and outcomes have changed during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic is crucial to inform service planning and research initiatives.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on symptoms, clinical characteristics, and outcomes for patients referred to a hospital-based palliative care service in a district general hospital in London, UK.

Forced degradation studies of medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable suspensions (150 mg/ml) with implementation of HPLC, mass spectrometry, and QSAR techniques.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) injectable products are a key commodity for reproductive health and are available in the global market from a variety of manufacturing sources. Depending on the climatic zone conditions of the destination country for product use, MPA injectables are at risk of exposure to adverse transport and storage conditions. Analytical methods are available that quantify impurity levels in MPA and MPA injectable products, but minimal information is publicly available on the source of impurity and degradation product generation or the safety risk of these compounds.

Comparison of wound strength, histologic, and aesthetic outcomes after microsurgical versus conventional skin closure in a rat model.

The purpose of this study was to compare the healing, strength, and cosmetic outcome of linear incisions after repair with the naked eye, surgical loupes, or a surgical microscope. Two parallel incisions were made on the dorsal skin of Sprague-Dawley rats ( = 36) and the rats randomized into four groups. A single surgeon repaired the incisions using 5-0 poliglecaprone in a running subcuticular pattern using the naked eye (Group I), surgical loupes with 2.