Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) display selective behaviors while foraging bromeliads (Puya spp.) in high elevation puna grasslands.

Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) forage extensively on bromeliads (Puya spp.) across their range, although their selectivity for bromeliads is less understood. We report on foraging activity by Andean bears on two species of bromeliad, Puya leptostachya and Puya membranacea, in high elevation puna grasslands (3499-3806 m.

Assessing the risk of climate maladaptation for Canadian polar bears.

The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world, threatening the persistence of many Arctic species. It is uncertain if Arctic wildlife will have sufficient time to adapt to such rapidly warming environments. We used genetic forecasting to measure the risk of maladaptation to warming temperatures and sea ice loss in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) sampled across the Canadian Arctic.

Clinical Assessment of a Lateral Epicondylar Anatomical Plate for the Stabilization of Humeral Condylar Fractures in Dogs.

Objective:  To report the use of a Lateral Epicondylar Anatomical Plate for the management of humeral condylar fractures (HCF) in dogs.

Study Design:  Medical records of dogs with HCF stabilized using the Lateral Epicondylar Anatomical Plate at six UK veterinary referral centres between April 2018 and February 2021 were reviewed. Long-term follow-up (>6 months) was obtained via owner questionnaire, which incorporated the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs clinical metrology instrument.

Identifying Gut Microbiome Features that Predict Responsiveness Toward a Prebiotic Capable of Increasing Calcium Absorption: A Pilot Study.

Previously, we demonstrated that prebiotics may provide a complementary strategy for increasing calcium (Ca) absorption in adolescents which may improve long-term bone health. However, not all children responded to prebiotic intervention. We determine if certain baseline characteristics of gut microbiome composition predict prebiotic responsiveness.

Survival improvements of marine mammals in zoological institutions mirror historical advances in human longevity.

An intense public debate has fuelled governmental bans on marine mammals held in zoological institutions. The debate rests on the assumption that survival in zoological institutions has been and remains lower than in the wild, albeit the scientific evidence in support of this notion is equivocal. Here, we used statistical methods previously applied to assess historical improvements in human lifespan and data on 8864 individuals of four marine mammal species (harbour seal, ; California sea lion, ; polar bear, ; common bottlenose dolphin, ) held in zoos from 1829 to 2020.

Assessing the effectiveness of protected areas for panda conservation under future climate and land use change scenarios.

While the relatively stable land use and land cover (LULC) patterns is an important feature of protected areas (PAs), the influence of this feature on future species distribution and the effectiveness of the PAs has rarely been explored. Here, we assessed the role of land use patterns within PAs on the projected range of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) by comparing projections inside and outside of PAs for four model configurations: (1) only climate covariates, (2) climate and dynamic land use covariates, (3) climate and static land use covariates and (4) climate and hybrid dynamic-static land use covariates. Our objectives were twofold: to understand the role of protected status on projected panda habitat suitability and evaluate the relative efficacy of different climate modeling approaches.

Canine laparoscopic-assisted ovary-sparing hysterectomy does not increase risk of stump pyometra.

Objective: To evaluate incidences of pyometra and orthopedic, behavioral, urinary/reproductive, neoplastic, or atopic disease processes as outcomes for dogs undergoing either a laparoscopic-assisted ovary-sparing spay/hysterectomy (LapOSS) or a laparoscopic ovariectomy (LapOVE).

Animals: 33 client-owned dogs.

Procedures: Medical records of client-owned dogs presenting between August 2013 and May 2020 for elective LapOSS or LapOVE were reviewed.

Factors influencing terrestriality in primates of the Americas and Madagascar.

Among mammals, the order Primates is exceptional in having a high taxonomic richness in which the taxa are arboreal, semiterrestrial, or terrestrial. Although habitual terrestriality is pervasive among the apes and African and Asian monkeys (catarrhines), it is largely absent among monkeys of the Americas (platyrrhines), as well as galagos, lemurs, and lorises (strepsirrhines), which are mostly arboreal. Numerous ecological drivers and species-specific factors are suggested to set the conditions for an evolutionary shift from arboreality to terrestriality, and current environmental conditions may provide analogous scenarios to those transitional periods.

Long-term increases in pathogen seroprevalence in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) influenced by climate change.

The influence of climate change on wildlife disease dynamics is a burgeoning conservation and human health issue, but few long-term studies empirically link climate to pathogen prevalence. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are vulnerable to the negative impacts of sea ice loss as a result of accelerated Arctic warming. While studies have associated changes in polar bear body condition, reproductive output, survival, and abundance to reductions in sea ice, no long-term studies have documented the impact of climate change on pathogen exposure.

Nuclear Medicine Advanced Associates: Physician Extenders in Nuclear Medicine-Now Is the Time.

From its inception in 2008 until 2020, the nuclear medicine advanced associate (NMAA) has evolved into a valuable member of the imaging team. Data show that NMAAs perform key services including supervision, interpretation, protocoling of adjunct studies, and management, freeing nuclear medicine physicians to concentrate on more complicated and time-intensive responsibilities. Additionally, the profession has gained ground by becoming recognized by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB), with the advent of a formal NMAA certification examination and recognition guidelines for institutions interested in establishing NMAA educational programs.

Assessing the Effectiveness of China's Panda Protection System.

Protected areas form the backbone of biodiversity conservation, yet their effectiveness is often not known nor even evaluated [1-3]. China-best known for its record of ecological degradation in the face of rapidly increasing gross domestic product and resource consumption [4]-has in recent years enacted a series of policies and programs to conserve its natural resources. Chief among them is an ambitious protected area system covering 17% of its terrestrial land mass [4, 5].

Anticipating Postoperative Delirium During Burst Suppression Using Electroencephalography.

Objective: This study develops an electro-encephalography-based method for predicting postoperative delirium early during cardiac surgeries involving deep hypothermia circulatory arrest (DHCA), potentially providing an opportunity to intervene and minimize poor surgical outcome. DHCA is a surgical technique used during cardiac surgeries to facilitate repairs. Deep hypothermia is induced and supplemented by perfusion techniques to protect the brain during circulatory arrest, but concern for cerebral injury still remains.

Rapid evolution by sexual selection in a wild, invasive mammal.

Sexual selection theory provides a framework for investigating the evolution of traits involved in attracting and competing for mates. Given the sexual function of such traits, studies generally focus on individual interactions (i.e.

Influence of season and social context on male giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) vocal behaviour.

Documenting the different social and behavioural contexts that vocalisations are produced in remains an important step towards understanding the functional relevance of specific call types in a given species' vocal repertoire. In this study we investigated whether seasonal differences and the presence or absence of male and female conspecifics influence the production of male giant panda vocal signals. To this end, captive male giant pandas were observed during and outside of the breeding season in three social contexts: only male conspecific neighbours, only female conspecific neighbours, and a context with no neighbours.

Comprehensive Breeding Techniques for the Giant Panda.

The dramatic growth of the captive giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) population exemplifies how the application of scientific findings to animal care and reproductive management can improve conservation breeding outcomes. Detailed behavioral studies of giant panda estrus, pregnancy and cub rearing have demonstrated the importance of husbandry management that supports natural reproductive behavior to enhance breeding success. Natural breeding has been valuably augmented by the development of assisted reproductive techniques founded through detailed studies of the reproductive physiology of the giant panda and outlining fundamental information about reproductive seasonality, male fertility and characterization of the estrous cycle.

The Andean bear alopecia syndrome may be caused by social housing.

The Andean bear alopecia syndrome is a progressive and chronic condition documented in ex situ populations. Recent advances focus on treating symptoms, not preventing future cases. We therefore explored the epidemiology of this syndrome through an analysis of husbandry and veterinary conditions of 63 Andean bears (26M:37F) housed in North and South American zoos and other ex situ circumstances.

Coevolution of vocal signal characteristics and hearing sensitivity in forest mammals.

Although signal characteristics and sensory systems are predicted to co-evolve according to environmental constraints, this hypothesis has not been tested for acoustic signalling across a wide range of species, or any mammal sensory modality. Here we use phylogenetic comparative techniques to show that mammal vocal characteristics and hearing sensitivity have co-evolved to utilise higher frequencies in forest environments - opposite to the general prediction that lower frequencies should be favoured in acoustically cluttered habitats. We also reveal an evolutionary trade-off between high frequency hearing sensitivity and the production of calls with high frequency acoustic energy that suggests forest mammals further optimise vocal communication according to their high frequency hearing sensitivity.

Acoustic recordings provide detailed information regarding the behavior of cryptic wildlife to support conservation translocations.

For translocated animals, behavioral competence may be key to post-release survival. However, monitoring behavior is typically limited to tracking movements or inferring behavior at a gross scale via collar-mounted sensors. Animal-bourne acoustic monitoring may provide a unique opportunity to monitor behavior at a finer scale.

Bone without minerals and its secondary mineralization in Atlantic salmon (): the recovery from phosphorus deficiency.

Calcium and phosphorus (P) are the main bone minerals, and P deficiency can cause hypomineralized bones (osteomalacia) and malformations. This study used a P-deficient salmon model to falsify three hypotheses. First, an extended period of dietary P deficiency does not cause pathologies other than osteomalacia.

Vocal behaviour predicts mating success in giant pandas.

Surprisingly little is known about how mammal vocal signals are used to achieve behavioural synchrony in the lead up to copulation. The ability to signal short-term fluctuations in arousal levels and behavioural intention is likely to be particularly important for synchronizing mating behaviour in asocial species, which must overcome their natural avoidance and aggressive tendencies to mate. Here, we examined vocal behaviour during breeding encounters in captive giant pandas () to gain a greater understanding of how close-range vocal signalling mediates reproduction in this asocial, and conservation-dependent species.

Approaches to studying behavior in captive sloth bears through animal keeper feedback.

Animal keepers at zoos and wildlife rescue centers often possess in-depth knowledge of the health and behavior of the individuals under their care. While it is often not feasible for keepers to regularly collect behavior data through formal scientific methods, efforts should be made to find alternative means to capture this knowledge. We investigated the use of keeper feedback to study the behavior of sloth bears at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF; Agra, India).

Identifying Free-Living Physical Activities Using Lab-Based Models with Wearable Accelerometers.

The purpose of this study was to classify, and model various physical activities performed by a diverse group of participants in a supervised lab-based protocol and utilize the model to identify physical activity in a free-living setting. Wrist-worn accelerometer data were collected from ( N = 152 ) adult participants; age 18⁻64 years, and processed the data to identify and model unique physical activities performed by the participants in controlled settings. The Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and the hidden Markov model (HMM) algorithms were used to model the physical activities with time and frequency-based accelerometer features.

Sound transmission in a bamboo forest and its implications for information transfer in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) bleats.

Although mammal vocalisations signal attributes about the caller that are important in a range of contexts, relatively few studies have investigated the transmission of specific types of information encoded in mammal calls. In this study we broadcast and re-recorded giant panda bleats in a bamboo plantation, to assess the stability of individuality and sex differences in these calls over distance, and determine how the acoustic structure of giant panda bleats degrades in this species' typical environment. Our results indicate that vocal recognition of the caller's identity and sex is not likely to be possible when the distance between the vocaliser and receiver exceeds 20 m and 10 m, respectively.

Temperature sensitive regions of the Chinook salmon vertebral column: Vestiges and meristic variation.

Variation of vertebral centra numbers is common in vertebrates. Likewise, the number of associated elements such as ribs and neural and haemal arches can vary and affect all regions of the vertebral column. In mammals, only the number of cervical vertebrae is invariable.