Reduced human activity during COVID-19 alters avian land use across North America.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extraordinary declines in human mobility, which, in turn, may affect wildlife. Using records of more than 4.3 million birds observed by volunteers from March to May 2017­2020 across Canada and the United States, we found that counts of 66 (80%) of 82 focal bird species changed in pandemic-altered areas, usually increasing in comparison to prepandemic abundances in urban habitat, near major roads and airports, and in counties where lockdowns were more pronounced or occurred at the same time as peak bird migration. Our results indicate that human activity affects many of North America's birds and suggest that we could make urban spaces more attractive to birds by reducing traffic and mitigating the disturbance from human transportation after we emerge from the pandemic.

Noise Source and Individual Physiology Mediate Effectiveness of Bird Songs Adjusted to Anthropogenic Noise.

Anthropogenic noise is a pervasive pollutant altering behaviour of wildlife that communicates acoustically. Some species adjust vocalisations to compensate for noise. However, we know little about whether signal adjustments improve communication in noise, the extent to which effectiveness of adjustments varies with noise source, or how individual variation in physiology varies with response capacity. We played noise-adjusted and unadjusted songs to wild Passerculus sandwichensis (Savannah Sparrows) after measurements of adrenocortical responsiveness of individuals. Playbacks using songs adjusted to noisy environments were effective in restoring appropriate conspecific territorial aggression behaviours in some altered acoustic environments. Surprisingly, however, levels of adrenocortical responsiveness that reduced communication errors at some types of infrastructure were correlated with increased errors at others. Song adjustments that were effective in communicating for individuals with lower adrenocortical responsiveness at pumpjacks were not effective at screwpumps and vice versa. Our results demonstrate that vocal adjustments can sometimes allow birds to compensate for disruptions in communication caused by anthropogenic noise, but that physiological variation among receivers may alter effectiveness of these adjustments. Thus mitigation strategies to minimize anthropogenic noise must account for both acoustic and physiological impacts of infrastructure.

Effect of a plant growth regulator prohexadione-calcium on insect pests of apple and pear.

The effect of prohexadione-calcium, a plant growth regulator that inhibits gibberellin metabolism, on Cacopsylla pyricoloa (Foerster) in pear trees, and Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris) and Aphis spireacola Patch, in apple trees was studied. C. pyricoloa and A. spireacola populations were significantly reduced in prohexadione-calcium-treated pear and apple, respectively. Insecticide control of both pests with imidacloprid was synergized in treatments with prohexadione-calcium. In apples treated with prohexadione-calcium, there was a significant reduction in the number of C. rosaceana shelters per tree and amount of fruit injury at harvest attributable to the C. rosaceana. There was an additive effect when tebufenozide was used to control C. rosaceana in trees treated with prohexadione-calcium. Prohexadione-calcium significantly reduced vegetative growth in both pears and apples. Synergistic and additive treatment effects of prohexadione-calcium and pesticides used in this study may be due to better penetration and coverage of pesticides due to reduced foliar growth or to changes in the nutritional quality of the host plants.

Identification of turkey biliary metabolites of ractopamine hydrochloride and the metabolism and distribution of synthetic [14C]ractopamine glucuronides in the turkey.

1. The bile duct cannulated turkey poult (n = 3) dosed orally with [14C]ractopamine HCl [(1R*,3R*),(1R*,3S*)-4-hydroxy-alpha-[[[3-(4-hydroxy[14C]phenyl)-1-methy lpropyl]amino]methyl]-benzenemethanol hydrochloride; 19.9 mg; 9.28 microCi] excreted 37.4 +/- 12.1% (mean +/- SD) of the administered radioactivity in bile by 24 h post-dosing. 2. A mono-glucuronide, conjugated at C-10 (the methylpropylamino phenol) of ractopamine, accounted for 76.6% of biliary radioactivity. 3. Urine collected from the colostomized turkey poult (n = 3) orally dosed with synthetic [14C]ractopamine-glucuronides (10.1 mg; 3.6 microCi) contained 11.9 +/- 1.0% (mean +/- SD) of the administered radioactivity 24 h after dosing, indicating that some absorption of radioactivity occurred. Faeces contained 60.6% of the administered radioactivity and carcasses (with gastrointestinal tracts) contained 23.3% of the starting radioactivity. 4. Five colostomized poults were fitted with bile duct cannulas and were dosed intraduodenally with 10.2 mg (3.6 microCi) synthetic [14C]ractopamine-glucuronides. Urine and bile contained 15.5 +/- 2.2 and 16.8 +/- 2.1% respectively of the administered radiocarbon by 24 h post-dosing. Faeces contained 54.3% of the administered radioactivity. Total absorption of the dosed radioactivity averaged 33.4%. 5. Bile and urine collected from the colostomized, bile-duct cannulated bird contained mainly ractopamine glucuronides. Indirect evidence suggests that the dosed ractopamine glucuronides were not absorbed intact.

Restless legs syndrome. How to provide symptom relief with drug and nondrug therapies.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a perplexing, debilitating, and fairly common condition that can be challenging to manage. Hallmark symptoms include an increase in the severity of sensations during rest and an irresistible urge to move the affected limbs. RLS often occurs concomitantly with periodic limb movement disorder. There are no known causes of RLS, but likely triggers include heredity, iron and vitamin deficiencies, caffeine, and alcohol. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and Parkinson's disease can worsen and prolong RLS symptoms. Symptom management begins by establishing proper nutrition intake and improved sleep hygiene. If these fail, conservative pharmacologic treatment is appropriate, with regimens chosen from dopaminergic agents, benzodiazepines, opioids, and anticonvulsants.

Whipple's disease mimicking progressive supranuclear palsy: the diagnostic value of eye movement recording.

Treatable causes of parkinsonian syndromes are rare; Whipple's disease is one of them. A patient is described who presented with a parkinsonian syndrome and abnormal vertical gaze. Measurement of eye movements showed marked slowing of upward saccades, moderate slowing of downward saccades, a full range of voluntary vertical eye movements, curved trajectories of oblique saccades, and absence of square wave jerks. These features, atypical of progressive supranuclear palsy, suggested the diagnosis of Whipple's disease, which was subsequently confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis of intestinal biopsy material. Precise measurement of the dynamic properties of saccadic eye movements in parkinsonian patients may provide a means of identifying treatable disorders.

Distribution of radiocarbon after intramammary, intrauterine, or ocular treatment of lactating cows with carbon-14 nitrofurazone.

Three lactating Holstein cows (634 to 698 kg) were dosed, respectively, with 65.6 mg (44.5 microCi/mg), 131.2 mg (20.1 microCi/mg), or 8.4 mg (141.3 microCi/mg) of [14C]nitrofurazone by intramammary, intrauterine, or topical ocular administration. Intramammary and intrauterine treatments were single doses; ocular treatment was daily for 4 consecutive d (2.1 mg/d). Cows were slaughtered after 72-h withdrawal periods. Excreta and milk were quantitatively collected from each cow after dosing. Seventy-two hours after treatment, urine, feces, and milk contained 62.9, 17.6, and 2.3%, respectively, of the radiocarbon administered intramammarily to the cow. Radioactive residues in milk collected from the dosed quarter were 150 ppb (nitrofurazone equivalents) and were 39 ppb in milk collected from the undosed quarters at 12 h after dosing. Urine, feces, and milk from the cow that received the intrauterine dose contained 12.24, 5.17, and 0.13% of the administered dose, respectively, at 72 h after treatment. Concentrations of total radioactive residues in milk were 9.3 ppb at 12 h after dosing. For the cow that was dosed ocularly, the cumulative excretion of radiocarbon in urine, feces, and milk was 17.6, 28.5, and 0.5% of the dose, respectively. Milk residues from the cow that was dosed ocularly were never > 1 ppb of nitrofurazone equivalents. Livers and kidneys contained the greatest amounts of residues relative to other edible tissues. Parent nitrofurazone was not suitable as a marker compound to determine total residues in milk using HPLC analysis. Radioactive residues were available systemically and were excreted in milk after intramammary, intrauterine, or ocular application of [14C]nitrofurazone. Illegal residues in milk and edible tissues would result from the administration of nitrofurazone to lactating cows.

Family with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease/X-linked spastic paraplegia and a nonsense mutation in exon 6 of the proteolipid protein gene.

We report on a C-to-T transition in exon 6 of the PLP gene in a male with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease/X-linked spastic paraplegia. The transition changes a glutamine at amino acid residue 233 to a termination codon. This premature stop codon probably results in a truncated protein that is not functional. Six other relatives were analyzed for the mutation and two female carriers were identified. Autopsy data on one male are presented.

Effects of thalamic deep brain stimulation based on tremor type and diagnosis.

It has been suggested that deep brain stimulation (DBS) is less effective in alleviating proximal than distal postural arm tremor reduction is said to be less in essential tremor (ET) than in Parkinson's disease (PD). We analyzed blinded rater's tremor scores and subjects' disability ratings at 3-month follow-up to examine the effects of DBS based on tremor type (rest, kinetic, distal postural, proximal postural) and diagnosis (ET, PD). An independent examiner provided tremor scores using randomized videotaped footage of 19 ET and 10 PD subjects at baseline and at follow-up with DBS "on." Subjects provided self-ratings of disability at baseline and at follow-up. Comparisons of baseline and follow-up tremor scores and disability ratings were made using the Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon rank sum W test; correlation analyses were performed using Spearman rank order correlation test. There were significant and essentially equal improvements in tremor scores of test, kinetic, distal postural, and proximal postural tremor at follow-up. Only one subject had no improvement in tremor. Tremor improved significantly and to the same extent in ET and PD subjects in each position except "at rest," which was most improved in PD (p = 0.0003). ET and PD subjects did not differ in the extent of disability improvement. Improved disability correlated only with improved postural tremor scores; proximal postural and distal postural (r = 0.41, p = 0.03; r = 0.47, p = 0.01). DBS is effective in alleviating tremor and disability in both ET and PD. Resting, kinetic, distal postural, and proximal postural tremor can be reduced to an equal degree. However, DBS produces the greatest improvement in disability in association with improved postural tremor in both ET and PD.

Lou Gehrig and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Is vitamin E to be revisited?

Investigators are beginning to reexamine the use of vitamin E for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Vitamin E was isolated in the 1920s, and the results of animal studies led rapidly to clinical use. Regrettably, vitamin E did not ameliorate the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for Lou Gehrig, but more recent advances may identify subpopulations that do respond to vitamin E.

Distribution, elimination, and residues of [14C]clenbuterol HCl in Holstein calves.

Clenbuterol HCl is a beta-adrenergic agonist that has been used illegally in Europe and the United States by some livestock producers to increase carcass leanness. The objectives of this study were to determine the metabolic disposition, distribution of radioactivity, and the concentrations of parent clenbuterol in tissues after a single oral dose of [14C] clenbuterol HCl in calves. [14C]Clenbuterol HCl (1.59 microCi/mg, 3 mg/kg BW) was administered to a 74- and a 96-kg Holstein bull calf as a single oral dose. Blood samples were taken at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h after dosing; urine and feces were collected separately and placed into respective pools from 0 to 6, 6 to 12, 12 to 24, 24 to 36, and 36 to 48 h after dosing. At 48 h after dosing, calves were anesthetized and exsanguinated, and visceral organs, bile, eyes, brain, skeletal muscle, skin, adipose tissue, and the remainder of the carcass were collected. Tissues were processed by coarse grinding through a Hobart grinder, followed by homogenization on dry ice. Eyes were dissected and the various tissues and excreta were assayed for total radiocarbon content by combustion analysis and(or) liquid scintillation counting. Parent clenbuterol was measured in selected tissues by HPLC after solvent extraction. Urinary, fecal, and carcass radioactivity averaged 41.5 +/- 8.1, 2.4 +/- .4, and 52.3 +/- 8.7% of the dose, respectively (mean +/- SD.). Average total recovery of radiocarbon was 96.2 +/- .4%. Radioactive residues present in carcasses averaged (ppm; mean +/- SD.): blood, .6 +/- .2; heart, 1.4 +/- .0; lungs, 8.4 +/- 1.7; spleen, 2.6 +/- .3; liver, 5.0 +/- .4; kidney, 5.9 +/- .0; brain, 1.9 +/- .4; adipose tissue, 1.1 +/- .2; rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, 2.3 +/- .4; small intestine, 3.2 +/- .3; large intestine, 4.0 +/- .4; skeletal muscle, 1.0 +/- .2; bile, 12.5 +/- 4.0; white skin, .7 +/- .1; black skin, 4.0 +/- .7; remainder of the carcass, 1.0 +/- .2. Ocular residues were as follows: aqueous humor, 6.3 +/- 1.2; cornea, 13.5 +/- 8.6; iris, 255.8 +/- 167.0; lens, 2.3 +/- 1.5; vitreous humor, 2.2 +/- .4; retina/choroid, 84.5 +/- 34.1; sclera, 11.1 +/- 2.1. Mean concentrations of parent clenbuterol in tissues were (ppm; mean +/- SD): lung, 6.8 +/- .9; liver, 2.2 +/- .5; kidney, 3.7 +/- .5; and heart, .9 +/- .1. Parent clenbuterol represented from 43.9% of the total residue in liver to 81.2% of the total residue in lung.

Issues related to DNA testing for Huntington's disease in symptomatic patients.

The DNA test for Huntington's disease simplifies diagnosis, but does not eliminate clinical and ethical issues. Records of 80 consecutive patients who had testing were reviewed; 54 had a positive result. We present seven examples of the variety of problems disclosed by our review. Among the issues that remain unsettled are: (1) Who should do needed counseling and how much? (2) When, if ever, is presymptomatic testing for this incurable disease indicated? (3) Should the patient have access to information about the length of repeats, as the age of onset is affected by the length of repeat? (4) Is it true that insurance companies or relatives have no right to learn the results of DNA testing on a patient?

Visual hallucinations in the elderly.

Visual hallucinations, without auditory hallucinations and in the elderly, are not usually based on previous psychiatric illness. The elderly can, of course, hallucinate as part of severe depression or a life-long schizophrenia, but the clinician should assume that there is an organic basis when an elderly individual begins to develop visual hallucinations for the first time. Representative cases that illustrate visual hallucinations due to ophthalmological, vascular, or degenerative processes are presented. Visual hallucinations can be linked to disorders in multiple parts of the nervous system. Even when related to medications, dementia may also be contributory, as is illustrated by the hallucinations seen in those with Parkinson's disease. Treatment of visual hallucinations is treatment of the underlying cause although some newer drugs such as clozapine may also be helpful for selected patients.

Visual hallucinations associated with Parkinson disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine factors that are predictive for the development of hallucinations associated with Parkinson disease (PD). BACKGROUND: Hallucinations are a common difficulty for patients with established PD, and hallucinations and psychosis may be the most common causes for nursing home placement. The characteristics of the hallucinations associated with PD differ from the hallucinations associated with schizophrenia or cocaine abuse. Multiple factors have been suggested as causal. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 214 consecutive patients were interviewed during routine visits to the Parkinson's Disease Clinics in Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Fla, using a hallucination questionnaire, Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination, and an attempt to correlate age, duration of disease, medication, and psychological or sleep disorders with the hallucinations. RESULTS: Hallucinations were almost exclusively visual and were present in 55 of the 214 patients. Dementia, age, duration of disease, history of depression, or history of sleep disorder were strongly associated with the hallucinations. CONCLUSIONS: While reduction in levodopa and anticholinergic medication doses is appropriate in the management of hallucinations, the factors that predispose patients to hallucinations include dementia and advancing age. The phenomena of visual hallucinations associated with PD, while not fully explained, are unique enough to be of interest to all neurologists and neuroscientists.

Metabolism of 14C-sulphadimethoxane in swine.

1. 14C-sulphadimethoxine (4-amino-N-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-pyrimidinyl)benzene-[U-14C]-sulphonamide; 14C-SDM) was given orally (60 mg/kg body weight) to eight swine (weight 27-32 kg). Urine and faeces were collected from 0 to 72 h after dosing and tissue samples were collected from animals exsanguinated at 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after dosing. The concentration of total 14C-labelled residues (14C-SDM equivalents) in tissues other than the gastrointestinal tract ranged from 99-1 ppm (plasma) to 13.8 ppm (adipose tissue) 12 h after dosing. Seventy-two hours after dosing tissue concentrations ranged from 5.4 ppm (plasma) to 0.5 ppm (skeletal muscle). The concentration in the large intestine was substantially higher (10.4 ppm) than in the stomach (2.8 ppm) and small intestine (1.4 ppm) 72 h after dosing. 2. Of the 14C, 77% was excreted in the urine from 0 to 72 h after dosing with 14C-SDM, mostly in the 0-24-h collection. Fifteen percent was excreted in the faeces from 0 to 72 h after dosing, with most of this occurring 36-72 h post-dosing. 3. 14C-SDM accounted for 24% (liver) to 66% (adipose tissue) and the N4-acetyl derivative of SDM (N4-Ac-SDM) accounted for 10% (skeletal muscle) to 35% (kidney) of the total 14C in the tissues 12 h after dosing. The N4-glucose conjugate of SDM (G-SDM) was a major 14C-labelled compound in skeletal muscle (21% of total) and liver (28%) but it was not detected in adipose tissue or kidney. The N4-glucuronic acid conjugate of SDM (GA-SDM) was a minor metabolite in kidney, but was not detected in other tissues collected 12 h after dosing. Desamino SDM was a minor metabolite in the kidney. A minor metabolite in plasma was identified as the sulphate ester of 3-hydroxysulphadimethoxine. 4. 14C-labelled fractions isolated from 0 to 6-h urine included N4-Ac-SDM (82%), SDM (3%) and GA-SDM (6%).

The disposition of 14C-levamisole in the lactating cow.

1. 14C-Levamisole 1(-)-2,3,5,6-tetrahydro-6-phenyl[U-14C]imidazo[2,1-b]-thiazole was administered orally and subcutaneously to lactating cows (8 mg/kg body weight). Urine, faeces, milk and blood samples were collected from 0-48 h after dosing and tissues were collected 48 h after dosing. 2. 14C-Labelled residues (ppm 14C-levamisole equivalents) in blood were highest at 3 h (2.2 ppm, oral dose) or 6 h (2.1 ppm, subcutaneous dose) and then declined to less than 0.5 ppm 48 h after dosing. 3. 14C-Labelled residues in milk were highest in samples collected from 0-12 h after dosing (1.55 ppm and 1.86 ppm of levamisole equivalents from oral and subcutaneously dosed animals, respectively) and declined to 0.06 ppm in milk collected from 36-48 h after dosing. Milk collected from 0-48 h after dosing accounted for 0.2% (oral dose) and 0.6% (subcutaneous dose) of the total 14C-activity administered as 14C-levamisole. The parent compound, 14C-levamisole, accounted for 12% or less (declined with time after dosing) of the total 14C-activity in the milk. Three 14C-labelled metabolites (formed by oxidation of imidazoline ring and/or opening of thiazolidine ring) in the milk were isolated and identified. 4. Urinary excretion accounted for 83% and 84% and faecal excretion accounted for 11% and 9% of the total 14C-activity given orally and subcutaneously, respectively, as 14C-levamisole. No 14C-levamisole was detected in the urine; the major urinary metabolite (formed by opening of thiazolidine ring) was isolated and identified. 5. The 14C-activity remaining in the animals 48 h after dosing was widely distributed in body tissues; however, the concentration in the liver was substantially higher than in all other tissues examined. Less than 5% of the 14C-activity in the liver was present as 14C-levamisole.

Event-related potentials in Parkinson's disease.

The increasingly recognized occurrence of dementia in Parkinson's disease (PD) has prompted study of cognitive evoked potentials in this disorder. The P300 wave is related to cognitive performance, while the contingent negative variation (CNV) may reflect dopaminergic function. We measured P300 and CNV in 21 nondemented PD patients and compared them to elderly controls. The P300 was recorded from Cz with linked ear reference. 3,000 and 1,000 Hz tones were presented in an 80:20 ratio at 76 dBSL interstimulus interval was 1.1 seconds, and filter bandpass was 1-100 Hz. CNV recording utilized a 2000 Hz tone followed after 1.5 seconds by a light flash and button press, and was recorded from Fz with linked ear reference, 10-second analysis time, and 0.1-20 Hz filter bond pass. N200 and P300 amplitudes were significantly longer and latency significantly lower in PD patients than in controls, and P300 latency was correlated with composite score on cognitive tests. CNV amplitude was significantly reduced in PD patients, but was correlated with measures of motor disability rather than cognition. These findings suggest that bradyphrenia may occur in nondemented PD patients, and that P300 may measure cognitive changes in PD. CNV may be a dopaminergic slow potential and may correlate with motor function in nondemented PD patients.