Ferroptosis: A New Target for Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury?

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) can seriously affect graft survival and prognosis and is an unavoidable event during liver transplantation. Ferroptosis is a novel iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by iron accumulation and overwhelming lipid peroxidation; it differs morphologically, genetically, and biochemically from other well-known cell death types (autophagy, necrosis, and apoptosis). Accumulating evidence has shown that ferroptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic IRI, and targeting ferroptosis may be a promising therapeutic approach. Here, we review the pathways and phenomena involved in ferroptosis, explore the associations and implications of ferroptosis and hepatic IRI, and discuss possible strategies for modulating ferroptosis to alleviate the hepatic IRI.

Innovative reuse of mineral waste for treatment of a contaminated soil by fluorine: synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and chemical performance assessments.

This research aimed to introduce a novel method for the valorization of mineral waste, focusing on the development of hydroxyapatite (HAP) as an effective and economical adsorbent for immobilizing fluoride ions (F-) in soil. Hydroxyapatites were produced through the reaction between potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) and calcium-abundant limestone soil (CLS). X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that the primary phases in HAPCLS were brushite (CaHPO5·2H2O) and hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2). The FTIR spectra exhibited characteristics akin to natural HAP, including the presence of orthophosphate groups (PO43-), hydroxyl groups (OH-), and both A/B types of carbonates in the apatite structure. The morphology of the synthesized HAP, as observed through SEM-EDS, was consistent with that of phosphocalcic hydroxyapatite crystals. The EDS results indicated a Ca/P atomic ratio of 1.7 for HAPCLS, aligning closely with the typical hydroxyapatite stoichiometry (Ca/P = 1.67). The application of HAP to reduce fluoride (F-) levels in soil proved to be successful; introducing 1% of various HAP formulations reduced the fluoride concentration from 51.4 mg/kg in untreated soil to levels below the IWSI limit (10 mg/kg), achieving a reduction to 8.1 mg/kg for HAPCLS. The sequential extraction of fluoride demonstrated that after soil treatment, fluoride was predominantly removed from the residual fraction (Fraction 4) and was effectively sequestered by the hydroxyapatites (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) through anionic exchange with hydroxide ions (OH-), resulting in the formation of stable and insoluble fluorapatite (Ca10(PO4)6F2).

Wave trapping by porous breakwater near a rigid wall under the influence of ocean current.

The present work investigates the water wave interaction with bottom-standing thick porous trapezoidal-shaped structures and shore-side vertical rigid wall in the presence of uniform ocean currents. This study has been done to understand the impact of different physical parameters like friction, porosity, and ocean currents along with different structural parameters (width and height) on different phenomena like wave energy reflection, wave forces, wave energy dissipation, etc. The quadratic boundary element method-based numerical technique has been used to solve the boundary value problem. The structural porosity is modeled using Sollitt and Cross's model of water wave interaction with thick porous structures. Several results associated with the wave energy reflection and energy dissipation have been analyzed. Also, the wave force exerted by the incoming waves has been investigated to check the stability and sustainability of the right vertical rigid wall and porous structure. The Doppler-shift effect is observed in wave transformation characteristics due to the presence of ocean currents. The impact of following and opposing ocean currents can be seen in the graph of wave energy reflection, dissipation, and wave forces. The periodic patterns can be observed clearly in wave characteristics like wave energy reflection, dissipation, and wave forces when plotted against the non-dimensional separation gap between the porous breakwater and shore-side rigid seawall.

Mixture of Synthetic Plant Volatiles Attracts More Stick Tea Thrips Dendrothrips minowai Priesner (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and the Application as an Attractant in Tea Plantations.

The stick tea thrip (Dendrothrips minowai) is one of the most serious sucking pests of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) in China, North Korea, and Japan. Plant volatile lures are widely used for both monitoring and mass trapping. Previously, we demonstrated that sticky traps baited with p-anisaldehyde, eugenol, farnesene, or 3-methyl butanal captured significantly more D. minowai in tea plantations, with p-anisaldehyde notably capturing the most. In this study, we showed that D. minowai adults exhibited significantly higher attraction to mixtures of p-anisaldehyde, eugenol, and farnesene compared to an equivalent dose of p-anisaldehyde alone in H-tube olfactometer assays under laboratory conditions. Moreover, in field experiments conducted in 2022, rubber septa impregnated with a ternary blend of p-anisaldehyde, eugenol, and farnesene (at 3-4.5 mg and a ratio of 3:1:1) captured the highest number of adults on sticky traps, outperforming traps bailed with individual components or a solvent control over two weeks. Significantly, the mass trapping strategy employing these lures achieved control efficacies ranging from 62.8% to 70.7% when compared to traps without attractant, which achieved control efficacies of only 14.2% to 35.4% across three test sites in 2023. These results indicate that the combination of p-anisaldehyde, eugenol, and farnesene exhibits an additive or synergistic effect on D. minowai. In conclusion, our findings establish a theoretical framework and provide practical technological support for integrating attractant-based strategies into comprehensive thrips management strategies.

Mealybug Population Dynamics: A Comparative Analysis of Sampling Methods for Saccharicoccus sacchari and Heliococcus summervillei in Sugarcane (Saccharum sp. Hybrids).

This research is focused on a comparative field-based study of the population dynamics and sampling methods of two mealybug species, Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell, 1895) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha, Pseudococcidae) and Heliococcus summervillei (Brookes, 1978) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha, Pseudococcidae), in sugarcane (Saccharum sp. hybrids) (f. Poaceae) over consecutive growing seasons. The research monitored and compared the above- and belowground populations and seasonal abundance of these two mealybug species in sugarcane fields in Far North Queensland, with non-destructive sampling techniques of yellow sticky traps, pan traps, and stem traps, and destructive sampling of the whole leaf and whole plant. The results indicated that S. sacchari (n = 29,137) was more abundant and detected throughout the growing season, with population peaks in the mid-season, while H. summervillei (n = 2706) showed peaks of the early-season activity. S. sacchari is primarily located on sugarcane stems and roots, compared to H. summervillei, which is located on leaves and roots. The whole-leaf collection and stem trap were the most effective sampling techniques for quantification of H. summervillei and S. sacchari, respectively. This study enhanced the understanding of S. sacchari and the first-ever record of H. summervillei on sugarcane in Australia and will contribute to the development of more effective pest management strategies.

Positive Bias Temperature Instability in SiC-Based Power MOSFETs.

This paper investigates the threshold voltage shift (ΔVTH) induced by positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) in silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFETs. By analyzing ΔVTH under various gate stress voltages (VGstress) at 150 °C, distinct mechanisms are revealed: (i) trapping in the interface and/or border pre-existing defects and (ii) the creation of oxide defects and/or trapping in spatially deeper oxide states with an activation energy of ~80 meV. Notably, the adoption of different characterization methods highlights the distinct roles of these mechanisms. Moreover, the study demonstrates consistent behavior in permanent ΔVTH degradation across VGstress levels using a power law model. Overall, these findings deepen the understanding of PBTI in SiC MOSFETs, providing insights for reliability optimization.

Photochemical Initiation and Reactions of Thiyl Radicals Studied with SH2' Radical Traps.

A radical trapping method based on an SH2' homolytic substitution reaction was applied to study the mechanism of a photochemical spirocyclisation of indole-ynones in the presence of thiols. Starting material, products and a range of trapped radical intermediates were simultaneously detected in reaction mixtures by mass spectrometry (MS). The trapped intermediates included both initiating and main chain propagating radicals. These data made it possible to propose a self-initiation mechanism consistent with the originally postulated photoexcitation of an intramolecular electron donor-acceptor complex of the substrate. The effect of thiol structure on the MS peak intensity of the reaction components was rationalised in terms of the relative stability of the radical intermediates. The results were compared to a simpler related reaction, a photochemical thiol-ene addition where reagents, products and trapped intermediate radicals were also detected by MS. Relative MS peak intensities were again explained by a combination of electronic and steric effects on the stability of intermediate radicals. Overall, SH2' radical trapping was demonstrated to be a powerful experimental technique for providing mechanistic evidence on photochemical and other organic radical reactions.

Field longevity of methyl eugenol and cue-lure plugs and associated insecticidal strips: captures of Bactrocera dorsalis and Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii.

Certain species of true fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) cause tremendous damage to commercially important fruits and vegetables, and many countries operate continuous trapping programs which rely on male-specific lures such as trimedlure (TML), methyl eugenol (ME), and cue-lure (CL). Traditionally, these attractants have been applied as liquids to cotton wicks inside traps, although this results in high evaporative loss of the lure. Slow-release, polymeric plugs have been widely adopted for TML, but such devices are not widely used for ME or CL. Recent data, however, suggest that ME and CL plugs may be attractive for as long as 12 wk in the field. The present study investigates whether ME and CL plugs weathered for 18 or 24 wk are effective in capturing males of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), respectively. For B. dorsalis, 6 g ME plugs were as effective as the control treatment (fresh liquid on a wick) after 12 wk of weathering but not after 18 or 24 wk. For Z. cucurbitae, 3 g CL plugs were as effective as the control treatment (fresh CL plugs) after 12 and 18 wk of weathering but not after 24 wk. The residual content and release rate of the 2 lures were also measured over time, but, with the exception of the residual content of ME, we did not find a direct correlation between these parameters and numbers of flies captured.

Density of a cryptic Australian small mammal: The threatened Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi).

Globally, hundreds of mammal species face the threat of extinction in the coming decades, and in many cases, their ecology remains poorly understood. Fundamental ecological knowledge is crucial for effective conservation management of these species, but it is particularly lacking for small, cryptic mammals. The Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi), a threatened, cryptic carnivorous marsupial that occurs in scattered populations in the central west of Queensland, Australia, was once so poorly studied that it was believed extinct. Sporadic research since its rediscovery in the early 1990s has revealed that S. douglasi is distributed across land at risk from many threats. Fundamental knowledge of S. douglasi population density is urgently required to inform conservation management at key sites, yet the species has historically proven hard to detect. Indeed, the status of the largest known population of S. douglasi, in Bladensburg National Park, is unknown. Here, we conducted a population study on S. douglasi at two sites within Bladensburg National Park via live mark-recapture surveys during 2022 and 2023. From likelihood-based spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) modelling we provide the first estimates of density and population size for S. douglasi. Live trapping resulted in captures of 49 individual S. douglasi (with 83 captures total, including recaptures). We estimated S. douglasi to occur at a density of 0.38 individuals ha-1 (0.25-0.58) at one site and 0.16 individuals ha-1 (0.09-0.27) at another site, with an estimated mean population size in suitable habitat at Bladensburg National Park of 1211 individuals (776-1646). Our S. douglasi density estimates were similar to that reported for other threatened small mammals in Australia. We also found evidence of extreme S. douglasi population fluctuations over time at Bladensburg National Park, which is of concern for its future conservation. Our study has provided the first estimate of density for S. douglasi, a threatened dasyurid species from the Mitchell Grass Downs of central western Queensland, Australia. Our research provides crucial population data to assist the management of this poorly studied species. We demonstrate a method that can be applied to species with low detection probability to ultimately help address the mammal extinction crisis faced by Australia and the rest of the world.

Forest fragmentation and edge effects impact body condition, fur condition and ectoparasite prevalence in a nocturnal lemur community.

Forest fragmentation and edge effects are two major threats to primate populations. Primates inhabiting fragmented landscapes must survive in a more degraded environment, often with lower food availability compared to continuous forests. Such conditions can have deleterious effects on animal physiological health, yet some primates thrive in these habitats. Here, we assessed how forest fragmentation and associated edge effects impact three different components of physiological health in a nocturnal primate community in the Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park, northwest Madagascar. Over two periods, 6 March 2019-30 October 2019 and 10 January 2022-17 May 2022, we collected data on body condition, fur condition scores and ectoparasite prevalence for 125 Mirza zaza, 51 Lepilemur sahamalaza, 27 Cheirogaleus medius and 22 Microcebus sambiranensis individuals, and we compared these metrics between core and edge areas of continuous forest and fragmented forest. Body condition scores for all species varied between areas, with a positive response to fragmentation and edge effects observed for M. zaza and L. sahamalaza and a negative response for C. medius and M. sambiranensis. Fur condition scores and ectoparasite prevalence were less variable, although M. zaza and L. sahamalaza had a significantly negative response to fragmentation and edge effects for these two variables. Interestingly, the impacts of fragmentation and edge effects on physiological health were variable-specific. Our results suggest that lemur physiological responses to fragmentation and edge effects are species-specific, and body condition, fur condition and ectoparasite prevalence are impacted in different ways between species. As other ecological factors, including food availability and inter/intraspecific competition, likely also influence physiological health, additional work is required to determine why certain aspects of lemur physiology are affected by environmental stressors while others remain unaffected. Although many nocturnal lemurs demonstrate resilience to fragmented and degraded habitats, urgent conservation action is needed to safeguard the survival of their forest habitats.

A simple and Sequential Strategy for the Introduction of Complexity and Hierarchy in Hydrogen-bonded Organic Framework (HOF) Crystals for Environmental Applications.

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a new class of crystalline porous organic molecular materials (POMMs) with great potential for a diverse range of applications. HOFs face common challenges to POMMs, and in general to purely organic crystals, that is, the difficulty of integrating complexity in crystals. Herein, we proposed a simple and sequential strategy for the formation of HOFs with hierarchical superstructures. The strategy is based on controlling the assembly conditions, avoiding the use of any surface functionalization or template, which allows to obtain hierarchical crystalline porous superstructures in an easy manner. As proof of concept, we obtained the first example of core-shell (HOF-on-HOF) crystals and HOFs with hierarchical superstructures having superhydrophobicity and trapping abilities for the capture of persistent water contaminants such as oils and microplastics. We expect that this strategy could serve as inspiration for the construction of more intricated multiscale structures that could greatly expand the library of HOFs materials.

Analysis of Protein Cysteine Acylation Using a Modified Suspension Trap (Acyl-Trap).

Proteins undergo reversible S-acylation via a thioester linkage in vivo. S-palmitoylation, modification by C16:0 fatty acid, is a common S-acylation that mediates critical protein-membrane and protein-protein interactions. The most widely used S-acylation assays, including acyl-biotin exchange and acyl resin-assisted capture, utilize blocking of free Cys thiols, hydroxylamine-dependent cleavage of the thioester and subsequent labeling of nascent thiol. These assays generally require >500 µg of protein input material per sample and numerous reagent removal and washing steps, making them laborious and ill-suited for high throughput and low input applications. To overcome these limitations, we devised "Acyl-Trap", a suspension trap-based assay that utilizes a thiol-reactive quartz to enable buffer exchange and hydroxylamine-mediated S-acyl enrichment. We show that the method is compatible with protein-level detection of S-acylated proteins (e.g., H-Ras) as well as S-acyl site identification and quantification using "on trap" isobaric labeling and LC-MS/MS from as little as 20 µg of protein input. In mouse brain, Acyl-Trap identified 279 reported sites of S-acylation and 1298 previously unreported putative sites. Also described are conditions for long-term hydroxylamine storage, which streamline the assay. More generally, Acyl-Trap serves as a proof-of-concept for PTM-tailored suspension traps suitable for both traditional protein detection and chemoproteomic workflows.

Unveiling the Influence of Brightness Heterogeneity in Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy of Perovskite Nanocrystals.

Nanoparticles (NPs), including perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) with single photon purity, present challenges in fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) studies due to their distinct photoluminescence (PL) behaviors. In particular, the zero-time correlation amplitude [g2(0)] and the associated diffusion timescale (τD) of their FCS curves show substantial dependency on pump intensity (IP). Optical saturation inadequately explains the origin of this FCS phenomenon in NPs, thus setting them apart from conventional dye molecules, which do not manifest such behavior. This observation is apparently attributed to either photo-brightening or optical trapping, both lead to increased NP occupancy (N) in the excitation volume, consequently reducing the g2(0) amplitude [since g2(0) α 1/N] at high IP. However, an advanced FCS study utilizing alternating laser excitation at two different intensities dismisses such possibilities. Further investigation into single-particle blinking behaviors as a function of IP reveals that the intensity dependence of g2(0) primarily arises from the brightness heterogeneity prevalent in almost all types of NPs. This report delves into the complexities of the photophysical properties of NPs and their adverse impacts on FCS studies.

Pushing Trap-Controlled Persistent Luminescence Materials toward Multi-Responsive Smart Platforms: Recent Advances, Mechanism, and Frontier Applications.

Smart stimuli-responsive persistent luminescence materials, combining the various advantages and frontier applications prospects, have gained booming progress in recent years. The trap-controlled property and energy storage capability to respond to external multi-stimulations through diverse luminescence pathways make them attractive in emerging multi-responsive smart platforms. This review aims at the recent advances in trap-controlled luminescence materials for advanced multi-stimuli-responsive smart platforms. The design principles, luminescence mechanisms, and representative stimulations, i.e., thermo-, photo-, mechano-, and X-rays responsiveness, are comprehensively summarized. Various emerging multi-responsive hybrid systems containing trap-controlled luminescence materials are highlighted. Specifically, temperature dependent trapping and de-trapping performance is discussed, from extreme-low temperature to ultra-high temperature conditions. Emerging applications and future perspectives are briefly presented. It is hoped that this review would provide new insights and guidelines for the rational design and performance manipulation of multi-responsive materials for advanced smart platforms.

Establishing Silphids in the invertebrate DNA toolbox: a proof of concept.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses are an increasingly popular tool for assessing biodiversity. eDNA sampling that uses invertebrates, or invertebrate DNA (iDNA), has become a more common method in mammal biodiversity studies where biodiversity is assessed via diet analysis of different coprophagous or hematophagous invertebrates. The carrion feeding family of beetles (Silphidae: Coleoptera, Latreille (1807)), have not yet been established as a viable iDNA source in primary scientific literature, yet could be useful indicators for tracking biodiversity in forested ecosystems. Silphids find carcasses of varying size for both food and reproduction, with some species having host preference for small mammals; therefore, iDNA Silphid studies could potentially target small mammal communities. To establish the first valid use of iDNA methods to detect Silphid diets, we conducted a study with the objective of testing the validity of iDNA methods applied to Silphids using both Sanger sequencing and high throughput Illumina sequencing. Beetles were collected using inexpensive pitfall traps in Alberta, Michigan in 2019 and 2022. We successfully sequenced diet DNA and environmental DNA from externally swabbed Silphid samples and diet DNA from gut dissections, confirming their potential as an iDNA tool in mammalian studies. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of Silphids for iDNA research where we detected species from the genera Anaxyrus, Blarina, Procyon, Condylura, Peromyscus, Canis, and Bos. Our results highlight the potential for Silphid iDNA to be used in future wildlife surveys.

KAT6A Condensates Impair PARP1 Trapping of PARP Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer.

Most clinical PARP inhibitors (PARPis) trap PARP1 in a chromatin-bound state, leading to PARPi-mediated cytotoxicity. PARPi resistance impedes the treatment of ovarian cancer in clinical practice. However, the mechanism by which cancer cells overcome PARP1 trapping to develop PARPi resistance remains unclear. Here, it is shown that high levels of KAT6A promote PARPi resistance in ovarian cancer, regardless of its catalytic activity. Mechanistically, the liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of KAT6A, facilitated by APEX1, inhibits the cytotoxic effects of PARP1 trapping during PARPi treatment. The stable KAT6A-PARP1-APEX1 complex reduces the amount of PARP1 trapped at the DNA break sites. In addition, inhibition of KAT6A LLPS, rather than its catalytic activity, impairs DNA damage repair and restores PARPi sensitivity in ovarian cancer both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, the findings demonstrate the role of KAT6A LLPS in fostering PARPi resistance and suggest that repressing KAT6A LLPS can be a potential therapeutic strategy for PARPi-resistant ovarian cancer.

Low microbial diversity, yeast prevalence, and nematode-trapping fungal presence in fungal colonization and leaf microbiome of Serjania erecta.

Medicinal plant microbiomes undergo selection due to secondary metabolite presence. Resident endophytic/epiphytic microorganisms directly influence plant's bioactive compound synthesis. Hypothesizing low microbial diversity in Serjania erecta leaves, we assessed leaf colonization by epiphytic and endophytic fungi. Given its traditional medicinal importance, we estimated diversity in the endophytic fungal microbiome. Analyses included scanning electron microscopy (SEM), isolation of cultivable species, and metagenomics. Epiphytic fungi interacted with S. erecta leaf tissues, horizontally transmitted via stomata/trichome bases, expressing traits for nematode trapping. Cultivable endophytic fungi, known for phytopathogenic habits, didn't induce dysbiosis symptoms. This study confirms low leaf microbiome diversity in S. erecta, with a tendency towards more fungal species, likely due to antibacterial secondary metabolite selection. The classification of Halicephalobus sp. sequence corroborated the presence of nematode eggs on the epidermal surface of S. erecta by SEM. In addition, we confirmed the presence of methanogenic archaea and a considerable number of methanotrophs of the genus Methylobacterium. The metagenomic study of endophytic fungi highlighted plant growth-promoting yeasts, mainly Malassezia, Leucosporidium, Meyerozyma, and Hannaella. Studying endophytic fungi and S. erecta microbiomes can elucidate their impact on beneficial bioactive compound production, on the other hand, it is possible that the bioactive compounds produced by this plant can recruit specific microorganisms, impacting the biological system.

Influence of photothermal nanomaterials localization within the electrospun membrane structure on purification of saline oily wastewater based on photothermal vacuum membrane distillation.

Today, synergistic combination of special nanomaterials (NMs) and electrospinning technique has emerged as a promising strategy to address both water scarcity and energy concerns through the development of photothermal membranes for wastewater purification and desalination. This work was organized to provide a new perspective on membrane design for photothermal vacuum membrane distillation (PVMD) through optimizing membrane performance by varying the localization of photothermal NMs. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) omniphobic photothermal membranes were prepared by localizing graphene oxide nanosheets (GO NSh) (1) on the surface (0.2 wt%), (2) within the nanofibers structure (10 wt%) or (3) in both positions. Considering the case 1, after 7 min exposure to the 1 sun intensity light, the highest temperature (∼93.5 °C) was recorded, which is assigned to the accessibility of GO NSh upon light exposure. The case 3 yielded to a small reduction in surface temperature (∼90.4 °C) compared to the case 1, indicating no need to localize NMs within the nanofibers structure when they are localized on the surface. The other extreme belonged to the case 2 with the lowest temperature of ∼71.3 °C, which is consistent with the less accessibility of GO NSh during irradiation. It was demonstrated that the accessibility of photothermal NMs plays more pronounced role in the membrane surface temperature compared to the light trapping. However, benefiting from higher surface temperature during PVMD due to enhanced accessibility of photothermal NMs is balanced out by decrease in the permeate flux (case 1: 1.51 kg/m2 h and case 2: 1.83 kg/m2 h) due to blocking some membrane surface pores by the binder. A trend similar to that for flux was also followed by the efficiency. Additionally, no change in rejection was observed for different GO NSh localizations.

Lung Volumes in a Mouse Model of Pulmonary Allergic Inflammation.

PURPOSE: Air trapping, often attested in humans by elevated residual volume (RV) and ratio of RV on total lung capacity (RV/TLC), is frequently observed in asthma. Confirming these alterations in experimental asthma would be important for translational purposes. Herein, lung volumes were investigated in a mouse model of pulmonary allergic inflammation. METHODS: Eight- to 10-week-old male C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were exposed once daily to intranasal house dust mite (HDM) for 10 consecutive days. All readouts were measured 24 h after the last exposure. Lung volumes were assessed with the flexiVent using a new automated method consisting of degassing the lungs followed by a full-range pressure-volume maneuver. The weight and the volume of the lungs were also measured ex vivo and a lobe was further processed for histological analyses. RESULTS: HDM exposure led to tissue infiltration with inflammatory cells, goblet cell hyperplasia, thickening of the airway epithelium, and elevated ex vivo lung weight and volume. It also decreased TLC and vital capacity but without affecting RV and RV/TLC. These observations were similar between the two mouse strains. CONCLUSION: Alterations of lung volumes in a murine model of pulmonary allergic inflammation are inconsistent with observations made in human asthma. These discrepancies reflect the different means whereby lung volumes are measured between species. The invasive method used herein enables RV to be measured more precisely and without the confounding effect of air trapping, suggesting that changes in RV and RV/TLC using this method in mice should be interpreted differently than in humans.

Predator in proximity: how does a large carnivore respond to anthropogenic pressures at fine-scales? Implications for interface area management.

Background: Driven by habitat loss and fragmentation, large carnivores are increasingly navigating human-dominated landscapes, where their activity is restricted and their behaviour altered. This movement, however, raises significant concerns and costs for people living nearby. While intricately linked, studies often isolate human and carnivore impacts, hindering effective management efforts. Hence, in this study, we brought these two into a common framework, focusing on an interface area between the critical tiger habitat and the human-dominated multiple-use buffer area of a central Indian protected area. Methods: We employed a fine-scale camera trap survey complemented by GPS-collar movement data to understand spatio-temporal activity patterns and adjustments of tigers in response to anthropogenic pressures. We used an occupancy framework to evaluate space use, Bayesian circular GLMs to model temporal activity, and home range and step length analyses to assess the movement patterns of tigers. Further, we used predation-risk models to understand conflict patterns as a function of tiger presence and other habitat variables. Results: Despite disturbance, a high proportion of the sampled area was occupied by 17 unique tigers (ψ = 0.76; CI [0.73-0.92]). The distance to villages (ß ± SE = 0.63 ± 0.21) and the relative abundance of large-bodied wild prey (ß ± SE = 0.72 ± 0.37) emerged as key predictors of tiger space use probability, indicating a preference for wild prey by tigers, while human influences constrained their habitat utilisation. Distance to villages was also identified as the most significant predictor of the tigers' temporal activity (µ ± σ = 3.03 ± 0.06 rad) that exhibited higher nocturnality near villages. A total of 11% of tiger home ranges were within village boundaries, accompanied by faster movement in these areas (displacement 40-82% higher). Livestock depredation probability by tigers increased with proximity to villages (P = 0.002) and highway (P = 0.003). Although tiger space use probability (P = 0.056) and wild prey abundance (P = 0.134) were non-significant at the 0.05 threshold, their presence in the best-fit predation-risk model suggests their contextual relevance for understanding conflict risk. The results highlight the importance of appropriately managing livestock near human infrastructures to effectively mitigate conflict. Conclusions: Shared space of carnivores and humans requires dynamic site-specific actions grounded in evidence-based decision-making. This study emphasises the importance of concurrently addressing the intricate interactions between humans and large carnivores, particularly the latter's behavioural adaptations and role in conflict dynamics. Such an integrated approach is essential to unravel cause-effect relationships and promote effective interface management in human-dominated landscapes.