Female chimpanzees avoid inbreeding even in the presence of substantial bisexual philopatry.

Inbreeding (reproduction between relatives) often decreases the fitness of offspring and is thus expected to lead to the evolution of inbreeding avoidance strategies. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are expected to avoid inbreeding as they are long-lived, invest heavily in offspring and may encounter adult, opposite sex kin frequently, especially in populations where both males and females commonly remain in the group in which they were born (bisexual philopatry). However, it is unclear whether substantial bisexual philopatry has been a feature of chimpanzees' evolutionary history or whether it is a result of recent anthropogenic interference, as the only groups for which it has been documented are significantly impacted by human encroachment and experience notable rates of potentially unsustainable inbreeding. Here we use 14 years of observational data and a large genomic dataset of 256 481 loci sequenced from 459 individuals to document dispersal and inbreeding dynamics in an eastern chimpanzee (P. t. schweinfurthii) community with low levels of anthropogenic disturbance. We document the first case of substantial bisexual philopatry in a relatively undisturbed chimpanzee community and show that, despite an increased inbreeding risk incurred by females who do not disperse before reaching reproductive age, natal females were still able to avoid producing inbred offspring.

Genetic mixing in conservation translocations increases diversity of a keystone threatened species, Bettongia lesueur.

Translocation programmes are increasingly being informed by genetic data to monitor and enhance conservation outcomes for both natural and established populations. These data provide a window into contemporary patterns of genetic diversity, structure and relatedness that can guide managers in how to best source animals for their translocation programmes. The inclusion of historical samples, where possible, strengthens monitoring by allowing assessment of changes in genetic diversity over time and by providing a benchmark for future improvements in diversity via management practices. Here, we used reduced representation sequencing (ddRADseq) data to report on the current genetic health of three remnant and seven translocated boodie (Bettongia lesueur) populations, now extinct on the Australian mainland. In addition, we used exon capture data from seven historical mainland specimens and a subset of contemporary samples to compare pre-decline and current diversity. Both data sets showed the significant impact of population founder source (whether multiple or single) on the genetic diversity of translocated populations. Populations founded by animals from multiple sources showed significantly higher genetic diversity than the natural remnant and single-source translocation populations, and we show that by mixing the most divergent populations, exon capture heterozygosity was restored to levels close to that observed in pre-decline mainland samples. Relatedness estimates were surprisingly low across all contemporary populations and there was limited evidence of inbreeding. Our results show that a strategy of genetic mixing has led to successful conservation outcomes for the species in terms of increasing genetic diversity and provides strong rationale for mixing as a management strategy.

Quantitative estimates of glacial refugia for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) since the Last Interglacial (120,000 BP).

Paleoclimate reconstructions have enhanced our understanding of how past climates have shaped present-day biodiversity. We hypothesize that the geographic extent of Pleistocene forest refugia and suitable habitat fluctuated significantly in time during the late Quaternary for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Using bioclimatic variables representing monthly temperature and precipitation estimates, past human population density data, and an extensive database of georeferenced presence points, we built a model of changing habitat suitability for chimpanzees at fine spatio-temporal scales dating back to the Last Interglacial (120,000 BP). Our models cover a spatial resolution of 0.0467° (approximately 5.19 km2 grid cells) and a temporal resolution of between 1000 and 4000 years. Using our model, we mapped habitat stability over time using three approaches, comparing our modeled stability estimates to existing knowledge of Afrotropical refugia, as well as contemporary patterns of major keystone tropical food resources used by chimpanzees, figs (Moraceae), and palms (Arecacae). Results show habitat stability congruent with known glacial refugia across Africa, suggesting their extents may have been underestimated for chimpanzees, with potentially up to approximately 60,000 km2 of previously unrecognized glacial refugia. The refugia we highlight coincide with higher species richness for figs and palms. Our results provide spatio-temporally explicit insights into the role of refugia across the chimpanzee range, forming the empirical foundation for developing and testing hypotheses about behavioral, ecological, and genetic diversity with additional data. This methodology can be applied to other species and geographic areas when sufficient data are available.

A roadmap for high-throughput sequencing studies of wild animal populations using noninvasive samples and hybridization capture.

Large-scale genomic studies of wild animal populations are often limited by access to high-quality DNA. Although noninvasive samples, such as faeces, can be readily collected, DNA from the sample producers is usually present in low quantities, fragmented, and contaminated by microorganism and dietary DNAs. Hybridization capture can help to overcome these impediments by increasing the proportion of subject DNA prior to high-throughput sequencing. Here we evaluate a key design variable for hybridization capture, the number of rounds of capture, by testing whether one or two rounds are most appropriate, given varying sample quality (as measured by the ratios of subject to total DNA). We used a set of 1,780 quality-assessed wild chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) faecal samples and chose 110 samples of varying quality for exome capture and sequencing. We used multiple regression to assess the effects of the ratio of subject to total DNA (sample quality), rounds of capture and sequencing effort on the number of unique exome reads sequenced. We not only show that one round of capture is preferable when the proportion of subject DNA in a sample is above ~2%-3%, but also explore various types of bias introduced by capture, and develop a model that predicts the sequencing effort necessary for a desired data yield from samples of a given quality. Thus, our results provide a useful guide and pave a methodological way forward for researchers wishing to plan similar hybridization capture studies.

High-quality fossil dates support a synchronous, Late Holocene extinction of devils and thylacines in mainland Australia.

The last large marsupial carnivores-the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilis harrisii) and thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus)-went extinct on mainland Australia during the mid-Holocene. Based on the youngest fossil dates (approx. 3500 years before present, BP), these extinctions are often considered synchronous and driven by a common cause. However, many published devil dates have recently been rejected as unreliable, shifting the youngest mainland fossil age to 25 500 years BP and challenging the synchronous-extinction hypothesis. Here we provide 24 and 20 new ages for devils and thylacines, respectively, and collate existing, reliable radiocarbon dates by quality-filtering available records. We use this new dataset to estimate an extinction time for both species by applying the Gaussian-resampled, inverse-weighted McInerney (GRIWM) method. Our new data and analysis definitively support the synchronous-extinction hypothesis, estimating that the mainland devil and thylacine extinctions occurred between 3179 and 3227 years BP.

Relict or reintroduction? Genetic population assignment of three Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) recovered on mainland Australia.

Today, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is found only on the island of Tasmania, despite once being widespread across mainland Australia. While the devil is thought to have become extinct on the mainland approximately 3000 years ago, three specimens were collected in Victoria (south-eastern Australia) between 1912 and 1991, raising the possibility that a relict mainland population survived in the area. Alternatively, these devils may have escaped captivity or were deliberately released after being transported from Tasmania, a practice that has been strictly controlled since the onset of devil facial tumour disease in the early 1990s. Such quarantine regimes are important to protect disease-free, 'insurance populations' in zoos on the mainland. To test whether the three Victorian devils were members of a relict mainland population or had been recently transported from Tasmania we identified seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mitochondrial genome that can distinguish between Tasmanian and ancient mainland populations. The three Victorian devil specimens have the same seven SNPs diagnostic of modern Tasmanian devils, confirming that they were most likely transported from Tasmania and do not represent a remnant population of mainland devils.

Why sinonasal disease spares the inferior turbinate: An immunohistochemical analysis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Clinically, inflammatory polyps are found in the middle turbinate (MT) in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) but not in the inferior turbinate (IT). The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in protein expression between IT and MT tissue in patients with CRS. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort. METHODS: Pathologic specimens obtained from patients with CRS undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery with IT reduction were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis of inflammatory markers cysteinyl leukotriene 1 receptor (CysLT1R), toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1). Protein expression was quantified with nuance multispectral analysis and results compared between MT and IT tissue. RESULTS: The total expression of VCAM1 and CysLT1R was decreased in the IT compared to the MT. There was no difference in total TLR2 expression between the IT and MT. When comparing patients with eosinophilic CRS to noneosinophilic CRS (neCRS), there was decreased expression of VCAM1 in the IT of patients with neCRS. When comparing patients with nasal polyposis to those without polyps, there was decreased expression of VCAM1 in the IT of patients without polyps. CONCLUSIONS: There is a difference in protein receptor expression of VCAM1 and CysLT1R in MT compared to IT tissue. Although the leukotrienes are a well-known target for treatment of chronic sinusitis, this is the first study demonstrating an upregulation of VCAM1 expression in the MT and could be a potential future target for the treatment of CRS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 126:E179-E183, 2016.

Bony erosion patterns in patients with allergic fungal sinusitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate bony erosion patterns in allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) and to determine whether the extent of erosion correlates with demographics and preoperative clinical parameters. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. METHODS: Seventy-four patients with a histopathologic diagnosis of AFS were identified. Preoperative computed tomographies (CT) were reviewed to determine sites with bony erosion. The 20-item Sinonasal Outcomes Test (SNOT-20) scores, endoscopy scores, and Lund-Mackay CT scores were compared between patients with and without bony erosion. Patients with bony erosion were further classified based on the extent of erosion. Statistical analysis was performed by using the Student's t-test and the χ(2) test of independence. RESULTS: Of the 74 patients, 39 (52.7%) had bony erosion and 35 (47.3%) did not. Bony erosion was found to be associated with younger age (27.5 versus 36.0 years; p = 0.011) and African American race (p = 0.041). Preoperative CT scores correlated with the presence and extent of bony erosion (p = 0.010). Sex, race, number of previous surgeries, SNOT-20 scores, and endoscopy scores did not correlate significantly. CONCLUSION: Younger age and African American race were found to significantly correlate with bony erosion in AFS, which indicated that a more severe inflammatory response was mounted in these patient groups. As expected, higher Lund-Mackay scores correlated with the severity of erosion. The lack of correlation with SNOT-20 scores indicated the insidious nature of this destructive disease. The level of evidence is 4.

The effect of smoking on quality of life following sinus surgery: 10-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the 10-year postoperative quality of life outcomes in smokers and nonsmokers with chronic rhinosinusitis. STUDY DESIGN: This is a single-institution prospective cohort study. METHODS: 235 patients who have previously been enrolled in a 4-year follow-up study were identified and contacted for a telephone interview. Rates of revision surgery, smoking status and 20-item sinonasal outcomes test (SNOT-20) scores were obtained. Preoperative SNOT-20 scores were compared with those obtained at the 10-year follow-up. RESULTS: Of the patients enrolled in the initial 4-year study, 22.5% were available for a telephone interview, including 43 out of 185 nonsmokers (23.2%) and 9 out of 50 smokers (18%). Demographic data including age, sex and race were analyzed and found to be similar between the two groups. Preoperative SNOT-20 scores were similar between nonsmokers and smokers (28.9 vs. 25.8, p = 0.89). There was no significant difference in long-term SNOT-20 scores (10 years postoperatively) between nonsmokers and smokers (31.5 vs. 28.2, p = 0.629). CONCLUSIONS: While cigarette smoke may have long-term adverse effects on the sinonasal mucosa, we found no difference in quality of life outcomes between smokers and nonsmokers 10 years after functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

Supraorbital ethmoid cell: a consistent landmark for endoscopic identification of the anterior ethmoidal artery.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that the supraorbital ethmoid cell (SOEC) is a consistent and reliable landmark in identification of the anterior ethmoidal artery (AEA). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective radiographic study. SETTING: Tertiary care rhinology practice. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The computed tomography (CT) scans for 78 consecutive patients were evaluated for the presence of SOECs, degree of pneumatization, and location of the AEA in relation to fixed anatomic structures. Forty-one patients with normal SOECs were identified and compared with a group of 15 patients with pathological expansion of the SOEC secondary to inflammatory disease. The CT findings were correlated with endoscopic findings. RESULTS: The incidence of SOECs was 53%. Compared to normal SOECs, expanded SOECs had significantly greater pneumatization laterally (9.3 vs 18.5 mm, respectively; P < .0001) and AEAs that were significantly farther from the skull base (1.3 vs 6.6 mm, respectively; P < .0001). The distance between the AEA and the nasal beak was similar between the 2 groups (P = .1). More importantly, 68 of 68 sides with normal SOECs (100%) demonstrated the AEA within or in continuity with the posterior border of the SOEC opening. In patients with pathological expansion, the AEA remained within the posterior border of the SOEC opening in 19 of 19 sides (100%), despite significant expansion of the cell superolaterally. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate a consistent landmark to identify the AEA even in cases of distorted anatomy of the frontal recess. Identifying the SOEC is a practical and reliable technique for minimizing the risk of injury to the AEA during frontal recess surgery.

Etiologies of pediatric craniofacial injuries: a comparison of injuries involving all-terrain vehicles and golf carts.

OBJECTIVE: To determine incidence and etiologies of craniofacial injuries in the pediatric population through comparison of injuries caused by all-terrain vehicles and golf cart trauma. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of pediatric traumas at a tertiary academic medical center from 2003 to 2012 identified 196 patients whose injuries resulted from accidents involving either all-terrain vehicles or golf carts. Data was collected and variables such as age, gender, driver vs. passenger, location of accident, Glasgow coma scale, Injury severity scale, Abbreviated injury scale, and presence or absence of helmet use were examined. RESULTS: 196 pediatric patients were identified: 68 patients had injuries resulting from golf cart accidents, and 128 patients from ATV accidents. 66.4% of ATV-related traumas were male, compared to 52.9% of golf cart-related traumas. Ages of injured patients were similar between the two modalities with average age of ATV traumas 10.8 (±4.0) years and golf cart traumas 10.0 (±4.6) years. Caucasians were most commonly involved in both ATV (79.7%) and golf cart traumas (85.3%). 58.6% of all ATV related trauma and 69.1% of all golf cart trauma resulted in craniofacial injuries. The most common craniofacial injury was a closed head injury with brief loss of consciousness, occurring in 46.1% of the ATV traumas and 54.4% of the golf cart traumas. Temporal bone fractures were the second most common type of craniofacial injury, occurring in 5.5% of ATV accidents and 7.4% of the golf cart traumas. Length of hospital stay and, cases requiring surgery and severity scores were similar between both populations. Intensive care admissions and injury severity scores approached but not reach statistical significance (0.096 and 0.083, respectively). The only statistically significant differences between the two modalities were helmet use (P=0.00018%) and days requiring ventilator assistance (P=0.025). CONCLUSIONS: ATVs and golf carts are often exempt from the safety features and regulations required of motor vehicles, and ATV and golf cart accidents represent a significant portion of pediatric traumas. This study found that ATV and golf cart accidents contribute significantly to craniofacial trauma requiring hospitalization, with resultant morbidity and mortality. Further investigation of these injuries and their prevention in the pediatric population is needed before efforts to promote effective safety regulations for such vehicles in the future can be addressed.