Characterising the gut microbiome of stranded harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in rehabilitation.

Animal rehabilitation centres provide a unique opportunity to study the microbiome of wild animals because subjects will be handled for their treatment and can therefore be sampled longitudinally. However, rehabilitation may have unintended consequences on the animals' microbiome because of a less varied and suboptimal diet, possible medical treatment and exposure to a different environment and human handlers. Our study describes the gut microbiome of two large seal cohorts, 50 pups (0-30 days old at arrival) and 23 weaners (more than 60 days old at arrival) of stranded harbour seals admitted for rehabilitation at the Sealcentre Pieterburen in the Netherlands, and the effect of rehabilitation on it.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus (HPAIV) H5N1 infection in two European grey seals () with encephalitis.

Recent reports documenting sporadic infections in carnivorous mammals worldwide with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.

CD56 natural killer cells preferentially kill proliferating CD4 T cells.

Human CD56 natural killer (NK) cells represent a small subset of CD56 NK cells in circulation and are largely tissue-resident. The frequency and number of CD56 NK cells in blood has been shown to increase following administration of low-dose IL-2 (LD-IL2), a therapy aimed to specifically expand CD4 regulatory T cells (Tregs). Given the potential clinical application of LD-IL-2 immunotherapy across several immune diseases, including the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes, a better understanding of the functional consequences of this expansion is urgently needed.

Thymocyte regulatory variant alters transcription factor binding and protects from type 1 diabetes in infants.

We recently mapped a genetic susceptibility locus on chromosome 6q22.33 for type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosed below the age of 7 years between the PTPRK and thymocyte-selection-associated (THEMIS) genes. As the thymus plays a central role in shaping the T cell repertoire, we aimed to identify the most likely causal genetic factors behind this association using thymocyte genomic data.

Novel 3D in situ visualization of seal heartworm (Acanthocheilonema spirocauda) larvae in the seal louse (Echinophthirius horridus) by X-ray microCT.

The seal heartworm Acanthocheilonema spirocauda (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) parasitizes the heart and pulmonary arteries of various phocid seals of the Northern Hemisphere. Over many decades, potential vectors of this parasite have been discussed, and to this date, the life cycle is not fully known. The seal louse Echinophthirius horridus (Anoplura: Echinophthiriidae) is an obligatory, permanent and haematophagous ectoparasite of phocids that has been hypothesized to function as obligate intermediate host for A.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related factors in a large sample of antipsychotic naïve patients with first-episode psychosis: Baseline results from the PAFIP cohort.

Background: Few investigations have been carried out on metabolic syndrome in antipsychotic- naïve patients with schizophrenia.

Methods: Our primary objective was to compare the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III in 2001 (NCEP-ATP III), between a Spanish cohort of 303 drug-naïve patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) without any previous cardiovascular condition, and 153 healthy individuals.

Results: Participants included 303 patients with FEP (M:F 53:46) and 153 control subjects (M:F 56:43).

Vocal tract allometry in a mammalian vocal learner.

Acoustic allometry occurs when features of animal vocalisations can be predicted from body size measurements. Despite this being considered the norm, allometry sometimes breaks, resulting in species sounding smaller or larger than expected for their size. A recent hypothesis suggests that allometry-breaking mammals cluster into two groups: those with anatomical adaptations to their vocal tracts and those capable of learning new sounds (vocal learners).

Trauma and stressor-related disorders among health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic and the role of the gender: A prospective longitudinal survey.

Introduction: Health-care Workers (HCW) are facing a critical situation caused by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) which could impact on their mental health status. In addition, HCW women have been identified as a group at high-risk of developing psychological distress, although no previous longitudinal studies have explored this issue in a sample of HCW.

Aims: The main aim of the study was to observe the temporal pattern of the stress reactions among HCW as well as to explore its potential predictors of poor outcome.

Neuroanatomy of the grey seal brain: bringing pinnipeds into the neurobiological study of vocal learning.

Comparative animal studies of complex behavioural traits, and their neurobiological underpinnings, can increase our understanding of their evolution, including in humans. Vocal learning, a potential precursor to human speech, is one such trait. Mammalian vocal learning is under-studied: most research has either focused on vocal learning in songbirds or its absence in non-human primates.

Variational determination of ground and excited-state two-electron reduced density matrices in the doubly occupied configuration space: A dispersion operator approach.

This work implements a variational determination of the elements of two-electron reduced density matrices corresponding to the ground and excited states of N-electron interacting systems based on the dispersion operator technique. The procedure extends the previously reported proposal [Nakata et al., J.

Drug-drug Interactions between COVID-19 Treatments and Antidepressants, Mood Stabilizers/Anticonvulsants, and Benzodiazepines: Integrated Evidence from 3 Databases.

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with psychiatric comorbidities leads to a scenario in which the use of psychotropic drugs may be required. This requires the support of evidence-based medicine to take into account possible interactions between antidepressants, mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, and coronavirus infection treatments.

Methods: Three databases were consulted: (a) Lexicomp Drug Interactions, (b) Micromedex Solutions Drugs Interactions, (c)Liverpool Drug Interaction Group for COVID-19 therapies.

The seal louse (Echinophthirius horridus) in the Dutch Wadden Sea: investigation of vector-borne pathogens.

Background: Belonging to the anopluran family Echinophthiriidae, Echinophthirius horridus, the seal louse, has been reported to parasitise a broad range of representatives of phocid seals. So far, only a few studies have focused on the vector function of echinophthiriid lice, and knowledge about their role in pathogen transmission is still scarce. The current study aims to investigate the possible vector role of E.

RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF REFRACTIVE OSTEOMYELITIS AND INFECTIOUS ARTHRITIS IN THE FLIPPERS OF SEALS IN THE NETHERLANDS.

Amputation surgery in pinniped rehabilitation centers is a feasible procedure when animals are presented with open fractures, osteomyelitis, and/or infectious arthritis of the flippers that appear to be refractory to medical treatment. From 2011 to 2017, the Sealcentre Pieterburen in The Netherlands admitted 3,775 seals for rehabilitation. Of these, 37 individuals presented clinical and radiologic signs of bone abnormalities indicative of osteomyelitis or infectious arthritis refractory to medical treatment.

Drug-drug interactions between COVID-19 treatments and antipsychotics drugs: integrated evidence from 4 databases and a systematic review.

Rationale: Management of anxiety, delirium, and agitation cannot be neglected in coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Antipsychotics are usually used for the pharmacological management of delirium, and confusion and behavioral disturbances. The concurrent use of treatments for COVID-19 and antipsychotics should consider eventual drug-drug interactions OBJECTIVE: To systematically review evidence-based available on drug-drug interactions between COVID-19 treatments and antipsychotics.

After the bite: bacterial transmission from grey seals () to harbour porpoises ().

Recent population growth of the harbour porpoise (), grey seal () and common seal () in the North Sea has increased potential interaction between these species. Grey seals are known to attack harbour porpoises. Some harbour porpoises survive initially, but succumb eventually, often showing severely infected skin lesions.

HEMATOLOGY AND SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY OF HARBOR SEAL () PUPS AFTER REHABILITATION IN THE NETHERLANDS.

Hematology and serum biochemistry profiles are used to evaluate the health status of animals ongoing rehabilitation. The aim of this project was to develop blood and biochemistry ranges for harbor seal pups () after rehabilitation; thus, 22 different blood parameters in 60 animals were tested before release. The second goal was to test for differences due to sex, stranding location, body condition at admission, and presence or absence of umbilical cord.

Variational reduced density matrix method in the doubly-occupied configuration interaction space using four-particle N-representability conditions: Application to the XXZ model of quantum magnetism.

This work deals with the variational determination of the two-particle reduced density matrix (2-RDM) and the energy corresponding to the ground state of N-particle systems within the doubly occupied configuration interaction (DOCI) space. Here, we impose for the first time up to four-particle N-representability constraint conditions in the variational determination of the 2-RDM matrix elements using the standard semidefinite programming algorithms. The energies and 2-RDMs obtained from this treatment and the corresponding computational costs are compared with those arisen from previously reported less restrictive variational methods [D.

Ontogeny of vocal rhythms in harbor seal pups: an exploratory study.

Puppyhood is a very active social and vocal period in a harbor seal's life . An important feature of vocalizations is their temporal and rhythmic structure, and understanding vocal timing and rhythms in harbor seals is critical to a cross-species hypothesis in evolutionary neuroscience that links vocal learning, rhythm perception, and synchronization. This study utilized analytical techniques that may best capture rhythmic structure in pup vocalizations with the goal of examining whether (1) harbor seal pups show rhythmic structure in their calls and (2) rhythms evolve over time.

Variational reduced density matrix method in the doubly occupied configuration interaction space using three-particle -representability conditions.

Ground-state energies and two-particle reduced density matrices (2-RDMs) corresponding to -particle systems are computed variationally within the doubly occupied configuration interaction (DOCI) space by constraining the 2-RDM to satisfy a complete set of three-particle -representability conditions known as three-positivity conditions. These conditions are derived and implemented in the variational calculation of the 2-RDM with standard semidefinite programming algorithms. Ground state energies and 2-RDMs are computed for N, CO, CN, and NO molecules at both equilibrium and nonequilibrium geometries as well as for pairing models at different repulsive interaction strengths.

Association of Batai Virus Infection and Encephalitis in Harbor Seals, Germany, 2016.

We isolated Batai virus from the brain of a euthanized, 26-year-old, captive harbor seal with meningoencephalomyelitis in Germany. We provide evidence that this orthobunyavirus can naturally infect the central nervous system of a mammal. The full-genome sequence showed differences from a previously reported virus isolate from a mosquito in Germany.

Change detection in complex auditory scenes is predicted by auditory memory, pitch perception, and years of musical training.

Our world is a sonically busy place and we use both acoustic information and experience-based knowledge to make sense of the sounds arriving at our ears. The knowledge we gain through experience has the potential to shape what sounds are prioritized in a complex scene. There are many examples of how visual expertise influences how we perceive objects in visual scenes, but few studies examine how auditory expertise is associated with attentional biases toward familiar real-world sounds in complex scenes.

The plasma biomarker soluble SIGLEC-1 is associated with the type I interferon transcriptional signature, ethnic background and renal disease in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: The molecular heterogeneity of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases has been one of the main obstacles to the development of safe and specific therapeutic options. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic and clinical value of a robust, inexpensive, immunoassay detecting the circulating soluble form of the monocyte-specific surface receptor sialic acid binding Ig-like lectin 1 (sSIGLEC-1).

Methods: We developed an immunoassay to measure sSIGLEC-1 in small volumes of plasma/serum from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients (n = 75) and healthy donors (n = 504).