Broad aggressive interactions among African carnivores suggest intraguild killing is driven by more than competition.

Theory on intraguild killing (IGK) is central to mammalian carnivore community ecology and top-down ecosystem regulation. Yet, the cryptic nature of IGK hinders empirical evaluations. Using a novel data source - online photographs of interspecific aggression between African carnivores - we revisited existing predictions about the extent and drivers of IGK. Compared with seminal reviews, our constructed IGK network yielded 10 more species and nearly twice as many interactions. The extent of interactions increased 37% when considering intraguild aggression (direct attack) as a precursor of killing events. We show that IGK occurs over a wider range of body-mass ratios than predicted by standing competition-based views, with highly asymmetrical interactions being pervasive. Evidence that large species, particularly hypercarnivore felids, target sympatric carnivores with a wide range of body sizes suggests that current IGK theory is incomplete, underestimating alternative competition pathways and the role of predatory and incidental killing. Our findings reinforce the potential for IGK-mediated cascades in species-rich assemblages and community-wide suppressive effects of large carnivores.

Closely related species show species-specific environmental responses and different spatial conservation needs: Prionailurus cats in the Indian subcontinent.

Phylogenetically closely related species are often assumed to have similar responses to environmental conditions, but species-specific responses have also been described. These two scenarios may have different conservation implications. We tested these two hypotheses for Prionailurus cats (P. rubiginosus, P. bengalensis, P. viverrinus) in the Indian subcontinent and show its implications on species current protected area coverage and climatic suitability trends through time. We fitted ecological niche models with current environmental conditions and calculated niche overlap. In addition, we developed a model for the Jungle Cat Felis chaus to compare species responses and niche overlap estimates within Prionailurus with those for a related sympatric small cat species. Then we estimated the proportion of current suitable environment covered by protected area and projected climatic models from past (last interglacial) to future (2070; RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) conditions to show implications on population management and conservation. The hypothesis of a similar response and niche overlap among closely related species is not supported. Protected area coverage was lowest for P. viverrinus (mean = 0.071, SD = 0.012) and highest for P. bengalensis (mean = 0.088, SD = 0.006). In addition, the proportion of the subcontinent with suitable climate varied through time and was species-specific. For P. bengalensis, climatic suitability shrunk since at least the mid-Holocene, a trend that can be intensified by human-induced climate warming. Concerning P. viverrinus, most predictions show stable future climatic suitability, but a few indicated potential loss. Climatic suitability for P. rubiginous was predicted to remain stable but the species exhibited a negative association with intensive agriculture. Similar responses to environmental change by phylogenetically closely related species should not be assumed and have implications on protected area coverage and natural trends of species climatic suitability over time. This should be taken into account during conservation and management actions.

Disentangle the Causes of the Road Barrier Effect in Small Mammals through Genetic Patterns.

Road barrier effect is among the foremost negative impacts of roads on wildlife. Knowledge of the factors responsible for the road barrier effect is crucial to understand and predict species' responses to roads, and to improve mitigation measures in the context of management and conservation. We built a set of hypothesis aiming to infer the most probable cause of road barrier effect (traffic effect or road surface avoidance), while controlling for the potentially confounding effects road width, traffic volume and road age. The wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus was used as a model species of small and forest-dwelling mammals, which are more likely to be affected by gaps in cover such as those resulting from road construction. We confront genetic patterns from opposite and same roadsides from samples of three highways and used computer simulations to infer migration rates between opposite roadsides. Genetic patterns from 302 samples (ca. 100 per highway) suggest that the highway barrier effect for wood mouse is due to road surface avoidance. However, from the simulations we estimated a migration rate of about 5% between opposite roadsides, indicating that some limited gene flow across highways does occur. To reduce highway impact on population genetic diversity and structure, possible mitigation measures could include retrofitting of culverts and underpasses to increase their attractiveness and facilitate their use by wood mice and other species, and setting aside roadside strips without vegetation removal to facilitate establishment and dispersal of small mammals.

Arthritis and Periodontitis: An Association Debated for Over Two Centuries.

The chronic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal disease (PD) lead to confined destruction of soft and hard tissues as a result of inflammatory processes. Their pathogenesis is dictated by a network of inflammatory cells and its mediators. They also share some etiological risk factors and therapeutic alternatives. The evolution of focal infection theory is summarized in this review, with special reference to PD and its relationship to RA. Foci of chronic infections exist in the oral cavity and may result in anatomically distant disease in certain individuals. Recent cumulative evidences document the influence of inflammatory diseases such as RA on the development of PD. Historical evidences and new theories on the interrelationship between the two diseases have the potential to identify novel mechanisms and therapy to improve patient outcomes. This review focuses on not only the association of focal infection theory and RA, but also on the reciprocal effects of RA and PD.

Biventricular diastolic function assessed by Doppler echocardiogram in children vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus / A função diastólica biventricular por meio da análise com ecocardiograma com Doppler em crianças infectadas verticalmente pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana

OBJECTIVE: to determine, by Doppler-echocardiography, the frequency of cardiac diastolic dysfunction in asymptomatic and clinically stable pediatric patients with vertical infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), from the cardiovascular viewpoint. METHODS: this was an observational, prospective, and cross-sectional study, performed at a regional referral clinic for patients with HIV, in a convenience sample of 94 individuals, assessing biventricular diastolic function by Doppler-echocardiography, and weight, blood hemoglobin, and percentage of lymphocytes T-CD4+. RESULTS: fifty patients had diastolic dysfunction. Left ventricular dysfunction occurred in 38.7%, and the predominant type of dysfunction was decreased myocardial compliance. Right ventricular dysfunction was observed in 29.4% of the sample, and abnormal relaxation was the most prevalent type. Simultaneous biventricular dysfunction occurred in 14.1% of the individuals. There was no association between dysfunction and the immune status. CONCLUSIONS: diastolic dysfunction occurred, individually or simultaneously, with no association with immune status; decreased myocardial compliance was predominant in the left ventricle, and abnormal relaxation in the right ventricle. .

OBJETIVO: verificar, por meio do ecocardiograma com Doppler, a frequência de disfunção cardíaca diastólica em pacientes com infecção vertical pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana na faixa pediátrica, assintomáticos e clinicamente estáveis do ponto de vista cardiovascular. MÉTODOS: estudo observacional, prospectivo e transversal, realizado em um Ambulatório de Referência Regional para pacientes portadores do vírus da imunodeficiência humana, com uma amostra de conveniência de 94 pacientes, avaliados pelo sexo, idade, peso, função diastólica biventricular ao Doppler, hemoglobina sanguínea e percentual de linfócitos T-CD4+. RESULTADOS: apresentaram disfunção diastólica 50 pacientes. Disfunção ventricular esquerda ocorreu em 38,7% deles, e o tipo de disfunção predominante foi diminuição da complacência miocárdica. A disfunção ventricular direita foi evidenciada em 29,4% da amostra, sendo o tipo relaxamento anormal o mais prevalente. Disfunção biventricular simultânea ocorreu em 14,1% dos indivíduos. Não houve associação da disfunção com o estado imunológico. CONCLUSÕES: foi verificada disfunção diastólica, isolada ou simultânea, sem associação com o estado imunológico, sendo a diminuição da complacência miocárdica mais comum no ventrículo esquerdo e relaxamento anormal no ventrículo direito. .

Biventricular diastolic function assessed by Doppler echocardiogram in children vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

OBJECTIVE: to determine, by Doppler-echocardiography, the frequency of cardiac diastolic dysfunction in asymptomatic and clinically stable pediatric patients with vertical infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), from the cardiovascular viewpoint. METHODS: this was an observational, prospective, and cross-sectional study, performed at a regional referral clinic for patients with HIV, in a convenience sample of 94 individuals, assessing biventricular diastolic function by Doppler-echocardiography, and weight, blood hemoglobin, and percentage of lymphocytes T-CD4(+). RESULTS: fifty patients had diastolic dysfunction. Left ventricular dysfunction occurred in 38.7%, and the predominant type of dysfunction was decreased myocardial compliance. Right ventricular dysfunction was observed in 29.4% of the sample, and abnormal relaxation was the most prevalent type. Simultaneous biventricular dysfunction occurred in 14.1% of the individuals. There was no association between dysfunction and the immune status. CONCLUSIONS: diastolic dysfunction occurred, individually or simultaneously, with no association with immune status; decreased myocardial compliance was predominant in the left ventricle, and abnormal relaxation in the right ventricle.