Nest

AbstractThe mechanisms underlying the divergence of reproductive strategies between closely related species are still poorly understood. Additionally, it is unclear which selective factors drive the evolution of reproductive behavioral variation and how these traits coevolve, particularly during early divergence. To address these questions, we quantified behavioral differences in a recently diverged pair of Nova Scotian three-spined stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) populations, which vary in parental care, with one population displaying paternal care and the other lacking this...

AbstractIn species with resource-defense mating systems (such as most temperate-breeding songbirds), male dispersal is often considered to be limited in both frequency and spatial extent. When dispersal occurs within a breeding season, the favored explanation is ecological resource tracking. In contrast, movements of male birds associated with temporary emigration, such as polyterritoriality (i.e., defense of an additional location after attracting a female in the initial territory), are usually attributed to mate searching...

AbstractLong-term social and genetic monogamy is rare in animals except birds, but even in birds it is infrequent and poorly understood. We investigated possible advantages of monogamy in a colonial, facultative cooperatively breeding bird from an arid, unpredictable environment, the sociable weaver ( Philetairus socius ). We documented divorce and extrapair paternity of 703 pairs over 10 years and separated effects of pair duration from breeding experience by analyzing longitudinal and cross-sectional datasets...

How the resource use by consumers vary in different environments and time scales is one of the fundamental ecological questions. Replicated field studies are rare, however; so the extent to which nutrient use varies and why is uncertain. We studied an endangered tyrphobiotic species, the black bog ant (Formica picea), and its feeding preferences in temperate peatlands. We conducted a baiting experiment at three different sites with high nest densities, repeated over three years and three periods of growing season...

A model construction of systemic acute leukemia is challenging. Herein, we established a systemic leukemia mouse model using highly immunodeficient NPG mice without any immunosuppressive treatments. NPG mice received tail intravenous injection of SHI-1 cells at the concentration of 1×107 cells (group A) or 5×107 cells (group B) and randomly sacrificed each seven days post-inoculation. Tumor development was monitored using nested-PCR, peripheral blood-smear analysis, flow cytometry, pathological examinations, and immunohistochemistry...

OBJECTIVES: Kenya has implemented a national school-based deworming program, which has led to substantial decline in the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), although some pockets of infections remain. To effectively design an STH control program that leads to significant reductions of Trichuris trichiura, there is a need to understand the drivers of persistent infection despite ongoing treatment programs. METHODS: This study was conducted between July and September 2019 at the south coast of Kenya, using a two-stage sampling design...

BACKGROUND: Over 20 states and local jurisdictions in the U.S. have imposed e-cigarette taxes. It is important to evaluate how adult vapers, including those who also smoke respond to e-cigarette taxation. The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with adult vapers' cost perception of e-cigarettes relative to cigarettes and budget allocations between two products. METHODS: We recruited a nationally representative sample of 801 adult e-cigarette users in the U...

BACKGROUND: Zoonotic P. knowlesi and P. cynomolgi symptomatic and asymptomatic infections occur across endemic areas of Southeast Asia. Most infections are low-parasitemia, with an unknown proportion below routine microscopy detection thresholds. Molecular surveillance tools optimizing the limit of detection (LOD) would allow more accurate estimates of zoonotic malaria prevalence. METHODS: An established ultra-sensitive Plasmodium genus quantitative-PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene underwent LOD evaluation with and without reverse transcription (RT) for P...

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: The level of molybdenum (Mo) in a mother's urine has been linked to the growth rate of the fetus and the blood pressure levels in children. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: We evaluated the variations in maternal plasma Mo concentrations throughout pregnancy and their potential association with the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (SPB). WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: Future research must determine the Mo levels in pregnant women across various regions in China...

Patagial wing tags are commonly used for identification of Red Kites (Milvus milvus) for postrelease monitoring, as they are easy to apply, affordable, permanent, and are apparently safe. The Red Kite was successfully reintroduced in the UK in the second half of the 20th century and postrelease health surveillance has been achieved through radio and satellite tracking, monitoring nest sites, and pathologic investigation of Red Kites found dead. This study reports on pathologic findings associated with the use of patagial wing tags in three of 142 (2...

BACKGROUND: Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) play a significant role in expanding case management in peripheral healthcare systems. Histidine-rich protein-2 (HRP2) antigen detection RDTs are predominantly used to diagnose Plasmodium falciparum infection. However, the evolution and spread of P. falciparum parasite strains with deleted hrp2/3 genes, causing false-negative results, have been reported. This study assessed the diagnostic performance of HRP2-detecting RDTs for P. falciparum cases and the prevalence of pfhrp2/3 deletions among symptomatic patients seeking malaria diagnosis at selected health facilities in southern Ethiopia...

INTRODUCTION: Characterised by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fatigue can significantly impact patient's quality of life. Therapeutic developments in the last 20 years have revolutionised treatment. However, clinical trials and real-world data show primary non-response rates up to 40%. A significant challenge is an inability to predict which treatment will benefit individual patients...

Anoikis plays a crucial role in the progression, prognosis, and immune response of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, its specific impact on LUAD remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the intricate interplay of nesting apoptotic factors in LUAD. By analyzing nine key nesting apoptotic factors, we categorized LUAD patients into two distinct clusters. Further examination of immune cell profiles revealed that Cluster A exhibited greater infiltration of innate immune cells than did Cluster B. Additionally, we identified two genes closely associated with prognosis and developed a predictive model to differentiate patients based on molecular clusters...

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been reported to have hepatotoxic effects. However, it is unclear whether they are linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This nested case-control study focused on the epidemiological links between PFAS and the prevalence of NAFLD. We selected 476 new cases of NAFLD and 952 age- and sex-matched controls from the Jinchang cohort population between 2014 and 2019. Serum concentrations of PFAS were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS)...

During the 14th century CE, a pivotal shift took place in the world of medicine as its epicenter transitioned from the Middle East to Europe. The emergence of the European Renaissance sparked skepticism regarding the significance of Avicenna's contributions to the advancement of medicine. This paper explores how the rise of secularization and the Renaissance in Europe marked significant cultural transformations, fostering the spread of literacy. These societal shifts influenced the trajectory of medical thought, and Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine" received both praise and condemnation amidst the evolving intellectual landscape...

The giant honeybee Apis dorsata (Fabricius, 1793) is an evolutionarily ancient species that builds its nests in the open. The nest consists of a single honeycomb covered with the bee curtain which are several layers of worker bees that remain almost motionless with their heads up and abdomens down on the nest surface, except for the mouth area, the hub between inner- and outer-nest activities. A colony may change this semi-quiescence several times a day, depending on its reproductive state and ambient temperature, to enter the state of mass flight activity (MFA), in which nest organisation is restructured and defense ability is likely to be suppressed (predicted by the mass-flight-suspend-defensiveness hypothesis)...

Child obesity is a growing global issue. Preventing early development of overweight and obesity requires identifying reliable risk factors for high body mass index (BMI) in children. Child eating behavior might be an important and malleable risk factor that can be reliably assessed with the parent-report Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). Using a hierarchical dataset (children nested within child care centers) from a representative cohort of Swiss preschool children, we tested whether eating behavior, assessed with a 7-factor solution of the CEBQ, and BMI at baseline predicted the outcome BMI after 1 year, controlling for socioeconomic status ( n  = 555; 47% female; mean age = 3...

We describe a new treefrog species from Lao Cai Province, northwestern Vietnam. The new species is assigned to the genus Zhangixalus based on a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) dorsum green, smooth; body size medium (SVL 30.1-32.2 in males); (2) fingers webbed; tips of digits expanded into large disks, bearing circum-marginal grooves; (3) absence of dermal folds along limbs; (4) absence of supracloacal fold and tarsal projection. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by: (1) dorsal surface of the head and body green without spots; (2) axilla and groin cream with a black blotch; (3) ventral cream without spot; (4) chin creamy with grey marbling; anterior part of the thigh and ventral surface of tibia orange without spots; posterior parts of thigh orange with a large black blotch; (5) ventral side of webbing orange with some grey pattern (6) iris red-bronze, pupils black; (7) finger webbing formula I1¼-1¼II1-2III1-1IV, toe webbing formula I½-½II0-1½III¼-1¾IV1¾-½V...

The nested data structure is prevalent for cognitive measure experiments due to repeatedly taken observations from different brain locations within subjects. The analysis methods used for this data type should consider the dependency structure among the repeated measurements. However, the dependency assumption is mainly ignored in the cognitive neuroscience data analysis literature. We consider both statistical, and machine learning methods extended to repeated data analysis and compare distinct algorithms in terms of their advantage and disadvantages...

Conventional life-history theory predicts that energy-demanding events such as reproduction and migration must be temporally segregated to avoid resource limitation. Here, we provide, to our knowledge, the first direct evidence of 'itinerant breeding' in a migratory bird, an incredibly rare breeding strategy (less than 0.1% of extant bird species) that involves the temporal overlap of migratory and reproductive periods of the annual cycle. Based on GPS-tracking of over 200 female American woodcock, most female woodcock (greater than 80%) nested more than once (some up to six times) with short re-nest intervals, and females moved northwards on average 800 km between first and second nests, and then smaller distances ( ca 200+ km) between subsequent nesting attempts...