Human-bat contacts in the Netherlands, and potential risks for virus exchange.

Background: Contacts between people and free-ranging animals have a potential to cause viral disease epidemics when novel viruses are exchanged. The Netherlands has approximately 18 native bat species, of which some generally use buildings for roosting, and has a dense human population. Frequent indirect and direct contacts between bats and humans could thus be expected, however, this has hardly been studied.

Overlooked importance: The supporting roles of satellite wetlands for waterbirds around the Yangtze-connected lakes, China.

Core-satellite wetland networks are widespread in large floodplains, but whether these satellite wetlands provide valuable alternatives for the core wetland remains often unknown in the context of global degradation and loss of natural wetlands. During the wintering season of 2022-2023, we conducted field surveys for waterbirds in two core wetlands (Shengjin Lake and Chao Lake located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China) and their surrounding satellite wetlands (aquaculture ponds, paddy fields, reservoirs and natural ponds). The supporting contribution of each satellite wetland was quantified using ratios in terms of individual numbers (SI), species richness (SI), Shannon-Wiener index (SI) and compositional similarity (SI) relative to the corresponding core wetland.

Spinach seed microbiome characteristics linked to suppressiveness against Globisporangium ultimum damping-off.

Recently we demonstrated that the seed microbiome of certain spinach (Spinacia oleracea) seed lots can confer disease suppression against Globisporangium ultimum damping-off (previously known as Pythium ultimum). We hypothesized that differences in the microbial community composition of spinach seed lots correlate with the levels of damping-off suppressiveness of each seed lot. Here, we show that a large proportion of variance in seed-associated bacterial (16S) and fungal (Internal Transcribed Spacer 1) amplicon sequences was explained by seed lot identity, while 9.

Incidence and prevalence of primary biliary cholangitis in the Netherlands - A nationwide cohort study.

Background & Aims: Although primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is considered a rare disorder, accurate determination of its incidence and prevalence remains challenging due to limited comprehensive population-based registries. We aimed to assess the incidence and prevalence of PBC in the Netherlands over time through the nationwide Dutch PBC Cohort Study (DPCS).

Methods: DPCS retrospectively included every identifiable patient with PBC in the Netherlands from 1990 onwards in all 71 Dutch hospitals.

Naturally occurring horse model of miscarriage reveals temporal relationship between chromosomal aberration type and point of lethality.

Chromosomal abnormalities are a common cause of human miscarriage but rarely reported in any other species. As a result, there are currently inadequate animal models available to study this condition. Horses present one potential model since mares receive intense gynecological care.