The effect of group size on sleep in a neotropical bat, Artibeus jamaicensis.

Sleep is associated with many costs, but is also important to survival, with a lack of sleep impairing cognitive function and increasing mortality. Sleeping in groups could alleviate sleep-associated costs, or could introduce new costs if social sleeping disrupts sleep. Working with the Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), we aimed to: (1) describe sleep architecture, (2) assess how sleeping in groups affects sleep, and (3) quantify total sleep time and identify rapid eye movement (REM) sleep using behavioral indicators that complement physiological evidence of sleep.

Global atmospheric methane uptake by upland tree woody surfaces.

Methane is an important greenhouse gas, but the role of trees in the methane budget remains uncertain. Although it has been shown that wetland and some upland trees can emit soil-derived methane at the stem base, it has also been suggested that upland trees can serve as a net sink for atmospheric methane. Here we examine in situ woody surface methane exchange of upland tropical, temperate and boreal forest trees.

Variation in induced responses in volatile and non-volatile metabolites among six willow species: Do willow species share responses to herbivory?

Chemical variation is a critical aspect affecting performance among co-occurring plants. High chemical variation in metabolites with direct effects on insect herbivores supports chemical niche partitioning, and it can reduce the number of herbivores shared by co-occurring plant species. In contrast, low intraspecific variation in metabolites with indirect effects, such as induced volatile organic compounds (VOCs), may improve the attraction of specialist predators or parasitoids as they show high specificity to insect herbivores.

Detection through the use of RT-MqPCR of asymptomatic reservoirs of malaria in samples of patients from the indigenous Comarca of Guna Yala, Panama: Essential method to achieve the elimination of malaria.

Background: Plasmodium vivax is the main causative agent of malaria in Panama. However, the prevalence of asymptomatic infections in the different endemic regions remains unknown. Understanding the epidemiological behavior of asymptomatic infections is essential for the elimination of malaria.

A rapid inventory of amphibians, squamates, and bats of Mata de Plátano Field Station and Nature Reserve, Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico harbors a diverse vertebrate fauna with high levels of endemism. However, while several books for vertebrate diversity and local checklists for birds have been published, checklists of amphibians, reptiles, and bats are lacking or nonexistent at both local and regional scales. In this study, we documented the amphibian, reptile, and bat faunas at Mata de Plátano Field Station and Nature Reserve, in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

Tropical root responses to global changes: A synthesis.

Tropical ecosystems face escalating global change. These shifts can disrupt tropical forests' carbon (C) balance and impact root dynamics. Since roots perform essential functions such as resource acquisition and tissue protection, root responses can inform about the strategies and vulnerabilities of ecosystems facing present and future global changes.

Anthropometric and sociodemographic variables, but not preconception or prenatal maternal nutrition supplementation, predict neurodevelopment in offspring of the 'Women First' trial.

Multiple factors influence infant and child neurodevelopment in low resource settings. In offspring of participants in the preconception maternal nutrition trial, Women First (WF), we examined the impact of providing a preconception (Arm 1) or prenatal (Arm 2) nutrient supplement (compared to controls, Arm 3) on neurodevelopmental outcomes at 24 months; predictors of neurodevelopment scores; and associations of infant anthropometrics with neurodevelopmental scores. Follow-up visits for anthropometry were conducted at 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-month of age.

Reduced palatability, fast flight, and tails: decoding the defence arsenal of Eudaminae skipper butterflies in a Neotropical locality.

Prey often rely on multiple defences against predators, such as flight speed, attack deflection from vital body parts, or unpleasant taste, but our understanding on how often and why they are co-exhibited remains limited. Eudaminae skipper butterflies use fast flight and mechanical defences (hindwing tails), but whether they use other defences like unpalatability (consumption deterrence) and how these defences interact have not been assessed. We tested the palatability of 12 abundant Eudaminae species in Peru, using training and feeding experiments with domestic chicks.

Topology Testing and Demographic Modeling Illuminate a Novel Speciation Pathway in the Greater Caribbean Sea Following the Formation of the Isthmus of Panama.

Recent genomic analyses have highlighted the prevalence of speciation with gene flow in many taxa and have underscored the importance of accounting for these reticulate evolutionary processes when constructing species trees and generating parameter estimates. This is especially important for deepening our understanding of speciation in the sea where fast-moving ocean currents, expanses of deep water, and periodic episodes of sea level rise and fall act as soft and temporary allopatric barriers that facilitate both divergence and secondary contact. Under these conditions, gene flow is not expected to cease completely while contemporary distributions are expected to differ from historical ones.

Magnetic behaviour of a spin-canted asymmetric lanthanide quinolate trimer.

An asymmetrical dysprosium trimer with a molecular formula of was obtained through a reflux reaction employing as starting material Dy(NO)·HO and 8-quinolinoline as ligand. Magnetic susceptibility investigations show the system to be an SMM, which was corroborated by sub-Kelvin μSQUID studies. Upon cooling, the magnetic susceptibility also exhibits a decrease in the product, which was confirmed to be due to intramolecular antiferromagnetic interactions.

Using motion-detection cameras to monitor foraging behaviour of individual butterflies.

The activity of many animals follows recurrent patterns and foraging is one of the most important processes in their daily activity. Determining movement in the search for resources and understanding temporal and spatial patterns in foraging has therefore long been central in behavioural ecology. However, identifying and monitoring animal movements is often challenging.

Future climate doubles the risk of hydraulic failure in a wet tropical forest.

Future climate presents conflicting implications for forest biomass. We evaluate how plant hydraulic traits, elevated CO levels, warming, and changes in precipitation affect forest primary productivity, evapotranspiration, and the risk of hydraulic failure. We used a dynamic vegetation model with plant hydrodynamics (FATES-HYDRO) to simulate the stand-level responses to future climate changes in a wet tropical forest in Barro Colorado Island, Panama.

Genomic evidence reveals three W-autosome fusions in Heliconius butterflies.

Sex chromosomes are evolutionarily labile in many animals and sometimes fuse with autosomes, creating so-called neo-sex chromosomes. Fusions between sex chromosomes and autosomes have been proposed to reduce sexual conflict and to promote adaptation and reproductive isolation among species. Recently, advances in genomics have fuelled the discovery of such fusions across the tree of life.

Early magnesium discontinuation postpartum and eclampsia risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The optimal duration of magnesium administration postpartum for prevention of eclampsia has not yet been established. Our objective was to investigate the effect of early discontinuation of postpartum magnesium on the rates of postpartum eclampsia compared to continuation for 24-hours postpartum.

Material And Methods: Searches were performed using keywords related to "preeclampsia" and "magnesium sulfate" from inception of database until August 2023.

A pilot study surveying the impact of pharmacist-led counseling on naloxone dispensing.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist counseling on patients purchasing naloxone and to highlight reasons for naloxone purchase refusal.

Design: A multisite study that was conducted from September 15, 2022, to January 11, 2023.

Setting: Independent community pharmacies.

American registry of ambulatory and acute decompensated heart failure (AMERICCAASS registry): Rationale and design.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is a highly prevalent and progressive condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Acute decompensated HF precipitates millions of hospitalizations each year. Despite therapeutic advances, the overall prognosis of HF is poor.