The hoarding behaviour of animals has evolved to reduce starvation risk when food resources are scarce, but effects of food limitation on survival of hoarding animals is poorly understood. Eurasian pygmy owls (Glaucidium passerinum) hoard small mammals and birds in natural cavities and nest boxes in late autumn for later use in the following winter. We studied the relative influence of the food biomass in hoards of pygmy owls on their over-winter and over-summer apparent survival.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study addresses the critical need for effective antibacterial materials by exploring the innovative integration of dimethyloctadecyl [3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] ammonium chloride (DTSACl) onto cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), followed by its incorporation into polylactic acid and gelatin matrices to engineer antibacterial nanofiber mats. The modification of CNC with DTSACl (QACNC) was studied and confirmed by FT-IR, C NMR, and XRD analysis. Furthermore, the impact of such addition on the morphology, mechanical, hydrophobic properties, and antibacterial efficacy of the resultant QACNC nanofibers were thoroughly investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImproving the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs is essential for enhancing bioavailability, formulation flexibility and reducing patient-to-patient variability. The preparation of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) is an attractive strategy to formulate such drugs, leading to higher apparent water solubility and therefore higher bioavailability. For such ASDs, water-soluble polymer excipients, such as poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) or poly(vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (P(VP-co-VA)), are employed to solubilize and stabilize the drug against crystallization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated photooxidation is an efficient method for triggering a drug release from liposomes. In addition to the release of small molecules, it also allows the release of large macromolecules, making it a versatile tool for controlled drug delivery. However, the exact release mechanism of large macromolecules from ROS-sensitive liposomes is still unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHabitat preferences of invasive predators determine where and for which prey species they pose a threat upon. This is crucial information for the conservation of endangered prey species because invasive predators pose additional predation on top of that caused by natural predators. In large parts of Europe, the most common invasive mesopredator is the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiocompatibility and precise control over their size and shape make DNA origami nanostructures (DONs) promising for drug delivery applications. Whilst many investigations have focused on cancer treatment, this might not be the best fit for DONs that get degraded by nucleases in blood. In comparison, an eye is a uniquely isolated target organ, which could benefit from DONs to achieve and maintain therapeutic concentrations in diseases that threaten the eyesight of millions of patients every year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhotoswitchable molecules that undergo nanoscopic changes upon photoisomerisation can be harnessed to control macroscopic properties such as colour, solubility, shape, and motion of the systems they are incorporated into. These molecules find applications in various fields of chemistry, physics, biology, and materials science. Until recently, research efforts have focused on the design of efficient photoswitches responsive to low-energy (red or near-infrared) irradiation, which however may compromise other molecular properties such as thermal stability and robustness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMigratory bird populations are declining globally at alarming rates. Non-breeding site conditions affect breeding populations, but generalising non-breeding habitat conditions over large spatial regions cannot address potential fine-scale differences across landscapes or local populations. Plumage characteristics can mediate the effects of environmental conditions on individual fitness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Investigation of treatment options in the pediatric population necessitates the use of valid patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). We aimed to assess the construct validity and internal consistency of the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) in the pediatric population with upper extremity fractures treated both operatively and conservatively.
Patients And Methods: QuickDASH, along with several reference PROMs and objective outcome measures, was obtained from 148 5- to 18-year-old patients with a humeral medial epicondyle fracture or a fracture of the distal forearm in a cross-sectional setting with a single follow-up visit.
In our research we used the anionic nanofibrillar cellulose (ANFC) as a platform for far-red light-induced release of cargo from liposomes. In contrast to previous works, where photosensitizers are usually in the liposomal bilayers, we used a cellulose-binding dye. Our phthalocyanine derivative has been shown to bind very strongly to cellulose and cellulose nanofiber hydrogels, allowing us to place it outside of the liposomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFor many aquatic and semiaquatic mammal, amphibian and fish species, environmental DNA (eDNA) methods are employed to detect species distribution and to monitor their presence, but eDNA is much less employed for avian species. Here, we developed primers for the detection of true geese and swan species using eDNA and optimised a PCR protocol for eDNA. We selected taiga bean goose () as our focal (sub)species and sampled water from lakes, from which the presence of taiga bean goose was visually confirmed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWetland habitats are changing under multiple anthropogenic pressures. Nutrient leakage and pollution modify physico-chemical state of wetlands and affect the ecosystem through bottom-up processes, while alien predators affect the ecosystems in a top-down manner. Boreal wetlands are important breeding areas for several waterbird species, the abundances of which potentially reflect both bottom-up and top-down ecosystem processes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Natal dispersal, the distance between site of birth and site of first breeding, has a fundamental role in population dynamics and species' responses to environmental changes. Population density is considered a key driver of natal dispersal. However, few studies have been able to examine densities at both the natal and the settlement site, which is critical for understanding the role of density in dispersal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSensitivity of bird species to environmental metal pollution varies but there is currently no general framework to predict species-specific sensitivity. Such information would be valuable from a conservation point-of-view. Calcium (Ca) has antagonistic effects on metal toxicity and studies with some common model species show that low dietary and circulating calcium (Ca) levels indicate higher sensitivity to harmful effects of toxic metals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExtensive research has been conducted on cationic light-activated thermosensitive liposomes (CLTSLs) as a means for site-specific and controlled drug release; however, less attention has been given to the stability of these nanoparticles. Selecting the appropriate lipids is crucial for the development of a stable and responsive system. In this study, we investigated the impact of various lipids on the physical properties of cationic light-activated liposomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiazocines are bridged azobenzenes with phenyl rings connected by a CH-CH group. Despite this rather small structural difference, diazocine exhibits improved properties over azobenzene as a photoswitch and most importantly, its configuration is more stable than the isomer. Herein, we reveal yet another unique feature of this emerging class of photoswitches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMigratory divides separate populations of migratory animals, facilitating the evolution of intraspecific differences in migration strategies. Migration strategies are expected to be different for birds using different flyways and environments, but the knowledge regarding the impact of the flyway on individual migration strategies is scarce. By using satellite tracking and neckband resightings, we reveal the existence and structure of a gradual migratory divide between two European flyway populations of greylag geese .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSince mid-July 2023, an outbreak caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus clade 2.3.4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Premature physeal closure (PPC) is a common and concerning complication to distal femoral fractures as the distal growth plate accounts for 70% of the growth of the femur. The literature is not unanimous in determining the risk factors of PPC, and the epidemiological characterization of these fractures is limited. Our aim was to calculate the population-based incidence and investigate risk factors for PPC in these fractures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUpdate: This article was updated on July 19, 2023, because of a previous error, which was discovered after the preliminary version of the article was posted online. On page 1080, in the last sentence of the Results section of the Abstract, the text that had read "0.05% (4 of 777)" now reads "0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymer self-assembly leading to cooling-induced hydrogel formation is relatively rare for synthetic polymers and typically relies on H-bonding between repeat units. Here, we describe a non-H-bonding mechanism for a cooling-induced reversible order-order (sphere-to-worm) transition and related thermogelation of solutions of polymer self-assemblies. A multitude of complementary analytical tools allowed us to reveal that a significant fraction of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic repeat units of the underlying block copolymer is in close proximity in the gel state.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe off-target effects of light-activated or targeted liposomes are difficult to distinguish in traditional well plate experiments. Additionally, the absence of fluid flow in traditional cell models can lead to overestimation of nanoparticle uptake. In this paper, we established a perfusion cell culture platform to study light-activated liposomes and determined the effect of flow on the liposomal cell uptake.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEarly-life conditions can have long-term fitness consequences. However, it is still unclear what optimal rearing conditions are, especially for long-lived carnivores. A more diverse diet ('balanced diet') might optimize nutrient availability and allow young to make experiences with a larger diversity of prey, whereas a narrow diet breadth ('specialized diet') might result in overall higher energy net gain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe analysis of nanoparticle (NP) dynamics in live cell studies by video tracking provides detailed information on their interactions and trafficking in the cells. Although the video analysis is not yet routinely used in NP studies, the equipment suitable for the experiments is already available in most laboratories. Here, we compare trajectory patterns, diffusion coefficients, and particle velocities of NPs in A549 cells with a rather simple experimental setup consisting of a fluorescence microscope and openly available trajectory analysis software.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOscine birds preferentially respond to certain sounds over others from an early age, which focuses subsequent learning onto sexually relevant songs. Songs vary both across species and, due to cultural evolution, among populations of the same species. As a result, early song responses are expected to be shaped by selection both to avoid the fitness costs of cross-species learning and to promote learning of population-typical songs.
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