A vision for incorporating human mobility in the study of human-wildlife interactions.

As human activities increasingly shape land- and seascapes, understanding human-wildlife interactions is imperative for preserving biodiversity. Habitats are impacted not only by static modifications, such as roads, buildings and other infrastructure, but also by the dynamic movement of people and their vehicles occurring over shorter time scales. Although there is increasing realization that both components of human activity substantially affect wildlife, capturing more dynamic processes in ecological studies has proved challenging.

Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns.

COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020 reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance of 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the lockdowns to the same period in 2019. Individual responses were variable with no change in average movements or road avoidance behavior, likely due to variable lockdown conditions.

The potential function of post-fledging dispersal behavior in first breeding territory selection for males of a migratory bird.

One possible hypothesis for the function of post-fledging dispersal is to locate a suitable future breeding area. This post-fledging period may be particularly important in migratory species because they have a limited period to gather information prior to autumn migration, and in protandrous species, males must quickly acquire a territory after returning from spring migration to maximize their fitness. Here we use color-ring resightings to investigate how the post-fledging dispersal movements of the Cyprus wheatear , a small migratory passerine, relate to their first breeding territory the following year when they return from migration.

Age-related changes in migratory behaviour within the first annual cycle of a passerine bird.

First time migrants (juveniles hereafter) of many species migrate without specific knowledge of non-breeding locations, but experience may aid adults in timing and route decisions because they can migrate more efficiently to their previous non-breeding sites. Consequently, we expect a transition to more efficient migratory behaviour with age, but when and how this happens is little known. We used light-level geolocator data from Cyprus wheatears Oenanthe cypriaca to compare migration timing and route directness between juveniles and adults, and repeatability of their timing and non-breeding locations.

The Building Blocks of Battery Technology: Using Modified Tower Block Game Sets to Explain and Aid the Understanding of Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries.

While Li-ion batteries are abundant in everyday life from smart phones to electric vehicles, there are a lack of educational resources that can explain their operation, particularly their rechargeable nature. It is also important that any such resource can be understood by a wide range of age groups and backgrounds. To this end, we describe how modified tower block games sets, such as Jenga, can be used to explain the operation of Li-ion batteries.

Population consequences of migratory variability differ between flyways.

Long-distance migratory bird populations are likely to be declining because of climate change shifting habitats or anthropogenic habitat loss [1], but this may be mediated by the size of the non-breeding area over which a population spreads (migratory spread), and migration distance (or number of stop-over sites). High migratory spread may make populations more resilient to climate change because they already encompass shifting habitats, but less resilient to uneven habitat loss that may not affect populations with low migratory spread [2] (Figure 1C). As migration distance increases so the probability of encountering a stop-over site with negative environmental change increases [3] (Figure 1D).

Potassium Binding Adjacent to Cationic Transition-Metal Fragments: Unusual Heterobimetallic Adducts of a Calix[4]arene-Based Thione Ligand.

The synthesis of cationic rhodium and iridium complexes of a bis(imidazole-2-thione)-functionalized calix[4]arene ligand and their surprising capacity for potassium binding are described. In both cases, uptake of the alkali metal into the calix[4]arene cavity occurs despite adverse electrostatic interactions associated with close proximity to the transition-metal fragment [Rh···K = 3.715(1) Å; Ir···K = 3.

Coordination chemistry of a calix[4]arene-based NHC ligand: dinuclear complexes and comparison to I(i)Pr2Me2.

The preparation and coordination chemistry of 5,17-bis(3-methyl-1-imidazol-2-ylidene)-25,26,27,28-tetrapropoxycalix[4]arene (1) is described. Starting from the bis(imidazolium) pro-ligand 1·2HI, the free carbene 1 was readily generated in solution through deprotonation using K[O(t)Bu] and its reactivity with rhodium(i) dimers [Rh(COD)Cl]2 (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) and [Rh(CO)2Cl]2 investigated. Dinuclear complexes were isolated in both cases, where the calix[4]arene-based NHC ligand adopts a bridging μ(2)-coordination mode, and in one case characterised in the solid-state by X-ray diffraction.

Lack of association between polymorphisms in the prostaglandin F2α receptor and solute carrier organic anion transporter family 2A1 genes and intraocular pressure response to prostaglandin analogs.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between variants in the prostaglandin F(α) receptor (PTGFR) and solute carrier organic anion transporter family 2A1 (SLCO2A1) genes and intraocular pressure (IOP) response to prostaglandin analogs.

Methods: The medical records of subjects with previously diagnosed open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were searched for intraocular pressure measurements before and after prescriptions of prostaglandin analogs. Stored DNA samples were genotyped for the following SNPs: rs3753380 (promoter region) and rs3766355 (intronic region) of the prostaglandin F(2α) receptor gene, and rs34550074 (Ala396Thr) of SLCO2A1.

Intraocular pressure response to medication in a clinical setting: the Marshfield Clinic Personalized Medicine Research Project.

Purpose: To estimate glaucoma and ocular hypertension prevalence and to describe temporal trends in prescribing patterns and intraocular pressure (IOP) response to topical medications used in glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Materials And Methods: The medical records of adult subjects enrolled in the population-based Marshfield Clinic Personalized Medicine Research Project were searched to identify participants who had been diagnosed with ocular hypertension or glaucoma and prescribed agent(s) to lower IOP. All IOPs before and after prescription of the IOP agents were recorded.

Intraocular pressure response to topical beta-blockers associated with an ADRB2 single-nucleotide polymorphism.

Objectives: To determine whether candidate pharmacodynamic (beta-adrenergic receptor) and pharmacokinetic (cytochrome P450 2D6) gene polymorphisms are associated with the intraocular pressure (IOP) response to topical beta-blockers.

Methods: Medical records of 18,773 adults in the Personalized Medicine Research Project were searched to extract all IOP measurements for subjects who had been prescribed a topical beta-blocker. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the beta(1)-, beta(2)-, and beta(3)-adrenergic receptor genes and 6 polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene were genotyped.

Pharmacogenetics of ophthalmic topical beta-blockers.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The primary glaucoma risk factor is elevated intraocular pressure. Topical beta-blockers are affordable and widely used to lower intraocular pressure.

Lactate and acetate production in Listeria innocua.

Listeria innocua NCTC 11289 was grown aerobically in continuous culture in defined media at 30 degrees C. Both acetate and lactate were produced, the proportion of acetate decreased with increasing dilution rate. Enzymatic analysis showed lactate dehydrogenase was activated 10-fold by fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate.

The effect of temperature and growth rate on the susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes to environmental stress conditions.

The effect of growth temperature and growth rate on the susceptibility to heat and pH stress were investigated in Listeria monocytogenes grown in continuous culture where these two growth variables could be varied independently of each other, and in batch culture. After growth at 30 degrees C or 10 degrees C at constant growth rate, or at 30 degrees C at different growth rates, cells did not differ in their resistance to heat at 55 degrees C. Cells grown at 30 degrees C were more resistant to acid stress at pH 2.

Transport of glycine-betaine by Listeria monocytogenes.

Uptake of [14C]glycine-betaine by Listeria monocytogenes was stimulated by NaCl with optimal stimulation at 0.4-0.5 M.

Effect of sodium chloride on the intracellular solute pools of Listeria monocytogenes.

The concentrations of intracellular solutes in Listeria monocytogenes were examined in cells grown at various concentrations of NaCl. At 5% NaCl, cells contained elevated concentrations of potassium and glycine betaine compared with concentrations in cells grown without NaCl. At 7.

The use of immobilized lectins in the separation of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria and Salmonella spp. from pure cultures and foods.

Lectins from Helix pomatia, Canavalia ensiformis, Agaricus bisporus and Triticum vulgaris agglutinated cultures of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria and Salmonella spp. This agglutination was specific as it was inhibited (except with A. bisporus lectin) by the competing sugar substrates.

Use of the polymerase chain reaction and oligonucleotide probes for the rapid detection and identification of Carnobacterium species from meat.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used selectively to amplify specific rDNA sequences of Carnobacterium divergens, C. mobile, C. piscicola and C.

The adsorption of bacteria to immobilized lectins.

The agglutination of a selection of bacteria by some lectins was examined. The lectin from Codium fragile agglutinated seven strains of Salmonella typhimurium. The lectin from Helix pomatia agglutinated eight of 12 strains of Listeria monocytogenes and a further two strains gave a weak agglutination reaction.

Respiratory activity in Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes possessed glucose oxidase and NADH oxidase activities in whole cells and lysed protoplasts respectively. The NADH oxidase activity sedimented with the membrane fraction and was inhibited by the respiratory inhibitors rotenone, 2-heptyl-4-hydroxy-quinoline-N-oxide and cyanide, suggesting the presence of a membrane associated respiratory chain.

Investigation of a simple amperometric electrode system to rapidly quantify and detect bacteria in foods.

A two electrode system mounted as a single probe was developed to measure electrochemically the rate of reduction of a redox mediator (thionine) by bacteria. The system gave a rapid (2 min) bacterial-dependent current above 2.5 x 10(5) cfu/ml with pure cultures of bacteria, but when applied to the measurement of the bacterial contamination in samples of meat and milk it was unable to detect or quantify the contamination reliably.

Ophthalmic complications with disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Massive lid oedema, ecchymosis, proptosis with a total restriction of extraocular movement, markedly raised intraocular pressure, and occlusion of the central retinal artery developed acutely in the right eye of a 26-year-old woman with a past history of disseminated intravascular coagulation. She had been admitted to hospital for symptoms of abdominal pain and bleeding from multiple sites a few hours earlier. Five days previously she had some proptosis of the other eye and had been treated with antibiotics for suspected orbital cellulitis at another hospital.

Treatment of experimental granulomatous uveitis by lipoxygenase and cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors.

Lens-induced granulomatous uveitis was produced in brown Norway rats. To determine the role of the lipoxygenase and cyclo-oxygenase products of arachidonic acid in the modulation of granulomatous uveitis, one group of experimental animals was treated with nafazatrom, while another group was treated with nordihydroguaiaretic acid (lipoxygenase inhibitors). Both resulted in significant attenuation of granulomatous inflammation, with reduced giant-cell infiltration into the choroid.