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Widespread species often possess rapid population expansion capabilities, posing potential threats to global marine biodiversity. One key aspect is asexual reproduction involving anterior body regeneration. This process, while uncommon among Nemertea, has apparently evolved several times within the phylum. Evelineus mcintoshii (Langerhans, 1880), originally described from Madeira, has been reported from warm waters around the world under various names. This study reports the first observations of anterior regeneration in E. mcintoshii under captive conditions. Observations under a stereomicroscope revealed full wound recovery within one night, with complete anterior regeneration, including cephalic slits and orange bands, by 15 days postamputation. The rapid head regeneration in E. mcintoshii suggests potential for asexual reproduction, potentially resulting in its wide distribution. This regenerative ability may also indicate survival potential after fragmentation during transport, facilitating population expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study describes aortic growth, survival and events in patients with aortic arch pathology. Methods: Patients with an index diameter ≥4.5 cm or other pathology of the native aortic arch, were followed with longitudinal computed tomography and clinical data collected retrospectively. Aortic growth was estimated using a linear mixed model. Survival and event rates were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox analysis assessed clinical and radiological predictors with outcomes (death, local or remote aortic events (acute aortic syndromes or intervention)). Results. 186 patients underwent 683 CT scans during 638 of patient years. The estimated annual growth was 0.28 (mm/year). 47 (25%) patients had an event and a 66% five-year event-free survival. 29 patients died, of whom 11 suffered an aortic death. 19 events were local and 25 events were remote, mostly primary events were interventions. In Cox analysis, increasing descending aortic diameter was an independent predictor of all cause of death (hazard ratio [HR], 2.16), aortic death (HR 4.81), and local event (HR 1.71). Conclusions. In patients with aortic arch pathology, growth, and aortic events should be expected. Increasing descending aortic diameter could presage an added risk, but other variables appear needed to identify patients at risk, select them for intervention or surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study describes growth, local and remote aortic events, and survival in patients with proximal (root, ascending) aortic diameters just below threshold for operation. Methods. Patients with proximal aortic diameter of 4.5 to 5.4 cm at baseline, were followed with serial computed tomography studies and data collected retrospectively. Aortic growth rate was estimated using mixed effects modelling. Clinical and radiological features associated with outcomes (all-cause death, aortic death, local or remote aortic events (dissection, rupture, intramural hematoma, or intervention)) were assessed with Cox analysis. Survival and freedom from events were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results. 80 patients underwent 274 CT scans during 265 patient-years. Median proximal aortic growth was 0.2 cm in 3 years. 32 events occurred in 28 patients (35%). Eleven events were local, all elective proximal aortic surgery. Nine events were remote: 5 type B aortic dissections, 3 descending aneurysms undergoing elective repair, and one infrarenal aortic rupture. Twelve patients died, half of type B aortic dissection. Relative survival compared to a matched normal population was 82% (95% confidence limits 55–98%) at 10 years. In Cox analysis, increased descending aortic diameter was an independent predictor of all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.39) and aortic death (HR 1.96). Conclusions. Descending, but not proximal, aortic growth was predictive of lethal events. The decreased relative survival, the substantial number of remote aortic events and aortic deaths strongly suggest continuous serial CT surveillance of the entire aorta. Other indicators than proximal aortic diameter appear needed to improve management of this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are vascular lesions that commonly present with intracranial haemorrhage. Pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of bAVM rupture. However, their natural history in pregnant women is uncertain. Case description: A 27-year-old female at 28 weeks of gestation presented with a compromised neurological status secondary to a ruptured left frontal Spetzler-Martin scale (SM) III + bAVM. An emergent caesarean section was performed due to the high risk of foetal distress. Endovascular treatment successfully controlled the bleeding site, and stereotactic radiosurgery was offered as a subsequent treatment option. Conclusion: bAVMs should be considered in pregnant women with intracranial haemorrhage. The management of these lesions during pregnancy is controversial. Surgical risk and foetal development should be considered when selecting a management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have historically been considered congenital lesions with treatment options including surgery, radiation therapy, and observation. Spontaneous resolution of cerebral AVMs remains an exceedingly rare event with poorly understood pathophysiology. Materials and methods: Herein we report a retrospective case review of a 28-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis who presented with a seizure 3 weeks after liver transplantation. Neuroimaging confirmed the presence of a Spetzler–Martin grade 2 AVM in the right frontal lobe. Due to the recent liver transplantation, treatment was deferred at the time of initial diagnosis and the patient was observed for a course of 1 year. Follow-up imaging 1 year later showed resolution of the AVM, confirmed by a catheter angiogram. Conclusion: Spontaneous resolution of cerebral AVMs is a rare event. Treatment of chronic liver disease resulted in the normalization of angiogenic factors that likely led to AVM resolution. This case provides valuable insight into the vital role of angiogenesis in the natural history of AVMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the narrative desert that exists around the role of emeritus academics by considering how such colleagues fit within the narrative ecology of the university. By drawing on my personal experience of becoming emeritus, I illustrate how the dynamic tension of composing and de-composing processes of identity construction can be traced within an adaptive cycle of development. In this case, the anomic deconstruction of the academic is balanced by the salutogenic reconstruction of the post-academic professional identity. This offers a methodological exemplar that could be used to generate a patchwork of professional autoethnographies to inform the description of a neglected element of institutional natural history. The approach sees emeritus status as an active part of the process of professional identity development rather than as a passive endpoint and presents a departure from the perception of the frail elderly academic who lurks in the shadows of the zombie university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article traces and examines the history of some of the specimens used in teaching in Swedish secondary grammar schools from the mid-nineteenth century up until today. Previous research has focused on empirical analyses of teaching materials and school collections, while this paper adds new knowledge to the history of education using an object-biographic approach. Whilst focusing on the history of two distinct specimens, a bird and a small collection of butterflies, and how these were circulated and recontextualised, the paper raises wider questions about how different actors are involved as meanings and knowledge content change. Through the object-biographic approach, we show that the use of natural history objects was multifaceted and had several purposes at the same time, ranging from research to education to providing status or being a hobby. The use of natural history specimens changed with reforms of the Swedish educational system. New teaching materials and new educational ideals were developed, and from 1960 onwards the importance of these objects decreased. We show how the specimens have taken on new meanings today as selected and displayed museum objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the substantial efforts made by higher education institutions to reduce dropout rates, a considerable proportion of students still discontinues their initial study program. In view of this situation, the present study aims to investigate whether participation in first-year courses for personal and academic support goes along with a decreased risk of student dropout, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. We draw on data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS, student cohort) and apply mediation analysis based on event history models and linear regression models for students in the fields of mathematics/natural sciences and humanities. Our findings reveal that participation in social events for students in both subject groups and academic skills trainings for students in mathematics/ natural sciences is associated with a lower risk of student dropout, which is, partially, mediated by increased social integration. Attendants of bridging courses (often also referred to as summer bridge programs) do not have a lower risk of higher education dropout than students who did not participate. The results highlight the need for comprehensive evaluations of course effectiveness and a more frequently offering of academic skills trainings in STEM subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding behaviour is a key process for avian fitness and evolution, but the basic natural histories of many species are unknown. We studied the breeding biology of D'Arnaud's Barbet Trachyphonus darnaudii (family Lybiidae) on the Usangu Plains in southwestern Tanzania. The birds excavated a vertical tunnel into the soil, expanding into a nesting chamber about 46 cm below the surface. Nests were located in small territories (between 500 and 10 000 m²) defined by song perches visited for duetting (and sometimes for chorusing). Probing the nesting chambers with a wireless endoscope camera enabled the first images of the eggs and the young of this species in the wild. On average, the clutch size was 3.8 eggs, birds incubated for 15.3 days, the nestling period was 28 days, and 2.5 young fledged from a nest. The nestlings were mainly fed insects, which may explain why the birds breed during the wet season (when insects are abundant) despite the potential risk of the subterranean nests being flooded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of facilitators to engage visitors in conversations at collections-based institutions has the potential to greatly impact and deepen visitor experience. The job requires the development of complex skills across specific strands of study. In this article, we share details on the strands of study in the training of youth floor facilitators from diverse backgrounds for work in a collections-based museum. This training program has been developed over several years. In this article, we review lessons learned, discuss issues we continue to grapple with, and recommend opportunities for further research for practitioners and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object: Vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms (VBDAs) are known to have a poor natural history with high rates of re-bleeding and mortality. There is a strong relation between hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and cerebrovascular disease; we perform a retrospective study within the male of Chinese Han population to explore the association between HHcy and VBDAs. Methods: Eighty-eight male patients with VBDA and Eighty-one male control subjects were evaluated for their serum total homocysteine levels. With multiple logistic regression analysis, the association between HHcy and the risk of VBDAs was estimated. Interaction and stratified analyses were conducted according to age, BMI, smoking status, drinking status, and chronic disease histories. The two-piecewise linear regression model examined the threshold effect. Results: The multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between HHcy and VBDAs (odds ratio (OR) = 2.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02–6.71) after adjusting for classical vascular risk factors. The relationship was stable in all subgroup analysis. The interactive role was not found in the association between HHcy and VBDAs for the potential risk factor. Conclusions: In summary, our study provides evidence that HHcy can increases the risk of VBDAs in the male Han Chinese population. Further researches with appropriate study designs including sex differences and aneurysm types are needed to verify this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a comprehensive overview of the events and developments in the field of micromounting in 2023. It discusses the incorporation of Zoom components into physical micromount events and the potential for a permanent Zoom component in the future. The article also acknowledges the deaths of prominent figures in the micromounting community and their contributions to the field. It highlights various micromounting events and symposia that took place throughout the year, showcasing the global nature of the hobby and the camaraderie among enthusiasts. The text emphasizes the importance of preserving micromounting traditions and providing educational opportunities for students. It concludes by mentioning other small organizations and providing contact information for further information. [Extracted from the article]

Oecomys cleberi is an arboreal rodent little known reagarding its natural history, distribution, and ecology. In this paper, we present new records of O. cleberi within a region of the Atlantic Forest, in a transition zone with Cerrado, in the northwestern state of São Paulo. We investigated the effects of the structure of fragmented landscapes on its occurrence at 40 sites in this region. We detected O. cleberi only in seasonal semideciduous forests and palm forests, but not in pastures, wetlands, and young reforestation. Our results indicated that its occurrence was determined by the amount of habitat within a 500 m radius landscape, and extremely low occupancy probabilities in landscapes with less than 25% forest cover (ψ < 0.3). Our results show the importance of the amount of habitat at the landscape scale for the occurrence of Oecomys cleberi, and point out that most of the landscapes in the study region presented low occupancy probabilities by this forest rodent. Although O. cleberi should not be considered as an Atlantic Forest species, it seems to be a resident species in ecotone areas with Cerrado, within the Atlantic Forest domain. Thus, conservation actions are necessary to preserve their populations in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive strategies are one of the more fascinating aspects of Anuran biology and are likely affected by species habitat use and availability of reproductive sites. The Cerrado endemic Pithecopus oreades is a habitat specialist that reproduces in seasonal high-altitude rocky streams in Central Brazil. Herein, we describe its reproductive behavior based on observations made during two consecutive reproductive seasons in a high-altitude stream located in an open field area in Central Brazil. The reproductive activity of P. oreades occurs during the rainy season, from the very first rains, and lasts about 3 months. The species is nocturnal, showing a vocalization peak between 20:00 h and 21:00 h. Its vocalization activity was related to total precipitation. The nests, composed by only one folded leaf, are placed on shrubs along streams. The nests, which hang over the stream pools, contain approximately 30 eggs that last about 13 days of incubation, producing about 25 tadpoles per spawning. Males are territorial, remaining in the same places for more than 60 days, defending them through vocalizations and eventual physical combats. Males with a higher body condition usually stay longer in the same territory. We also recorded males displaying satellite behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text provides information about the mineral mendipite, including its appearance, analysis, and various global localities where it has been found. Mendipite is a lead oxychloride that is colorless to white, grayish-white, or brownish-cream, but can also have tinges of pink, purple, yellow, or blue. It is commonly found alongside other minerals such as calcite, cerussite, malachite, and pyromorphite. Mendipite has been discovered in twelve natural locations worldwide, with three of them being in the Mendip Hills in southwest England. These hills have a rich mining history dating back to Roman times and are primarily composed of sedimentary rocks. The characteristics of mendipite can vary depending on the specific locality, and it is often associated with other rare minerals. [Extracted from the article]

Posthumanist orientations have underlined the need to foster non-hierarchical relations with other-than-human beings to adequately attend to planetary crises and help life to survive and flourish. Since a posthumanist critique towards natural sciences has mostly leaned on questioning the premise of human subjects making sense of objectified nature, little effort has been made to explore if and how scientific research and posthumanist approaches might intersect and co-exist without abandoning their respective aims. In this paper, we analyse a case of ecological citizen science inquiry on urban rats to explore theoretical and practical opportunities for environmental education that arise from bridging the posthumanist call for attentiveness towards multispecies worlds with ecological research endeavor. We reconceptualize ecological inquiry as sharing atmospheres with other animals as well as through its material aspects to articulate conceptual tools to disrupt the subject-object division of knowledge creation between humans and other animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the rediscovery of Glaucomys volans, also known as the southern flying squirrel, in Honduras, a species classified as 'Deficient Data' on the Honduran Red List. Efforts are being made to understand the natural history of this species through non-invasive methods like camera-trapping, which has revealed valuable insights into their behavior and ecology. The study highlights the importance of using camera-trapping for ecological monitoring to aid in conservation efforts for the southern flying squirrel in Honduras. [Extracted from the article]

In anurans communities, vocalizations play a fundamental role in social interactions, being the most important behavioral modality of communication. Therefore, the description of acoustic signals is indispensable for understanding aspects of their evolutionary history. The Cycloramphus genus consists of 30 species allocated into five groups, of which only 19 have the vocalization described. Cycloramphus lithomimeticus is a small-sized frog belonging to the C. granulosus group. This poorly known species is associated with rock surfaces near waterfalls in Atlantic montane forests, restricted to the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Currently, it’s classified as Near Threatened species category of IUCN and many aspects of its natural history remain unknown. Herein, we describe the advertisement call of C. lithomimeticus extending its known geographical distribution and providing additional data on the natural history of the species. We recorded and analyzed 44 calls from 10 males of C. lithomimeticus. The advertisement call of C. lithomimeticus consists of a single pulsed note with 0.3–0.8 sec of duration, emitted sporadically, with an interval between calls of 27.5–226.3 sec, composed by 7–17 pulses emitted at a rate of 18–26/sec, with a peak frequency of 2062.5–3000 Hz. After defining the correspondence between structures for systematic purposes, we made a comparative analysis determined by establishing homology connections with other species of the genus. According to our dominant frequency evolutionary reconstruction, an evolutionary increase in frequency mainly occurred in the C. lithomimeticus species lineage from an ancestral dominant frequency of 1500 Hz of the clade with C. eleutherodactylus species group, C. granulosus species group, and C. fuliginosus species group. This study contributes to our knowledge about the biology of C. lithomimeticus, and our results provide basic data for further acoustic, taxonomic and ecological studies in the genus Cycloramphus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guilds have been used to assess how vegetation or environmental perturbations influence the community structure of animal communities. Spiders use a variety of hunting strategies. In arid environments they are the main predators of arthropods. Despite this, spider guilds have not been studied in desert ecosystems. Our study was carried out in one area of the Chihuahuan Desert. We used ramp-type traps and manual collection to capture the spiders. After identifying the specimens caught, we used a classification based on 20 and 23 traits to group the species into guilds. We used new traits for classification (eg horizontal web, triangular web, vertical web, threads coming out of the retreat). As a result, we obtained 11 guilds. Some species of the same family (e.g Gnaphosidae, Oxyopidae, Philodromidae, Theridiidae, Thomisidae) were positioned in different guilds. In addition to the classification, we provide information on the natural history of the species found. This information can be used to understand the differences between spider communities in desert vegetation types and those in other biomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plutonium zwierleini is a large plutoniumid centipede of great evolutionary interest, occurring with isolated populations along the western Mediterranean area, from Spain to Italy. Due to its rarity and the extreme paucity of available records, P. zwierleini is among the least known Mediterranean chilopods, and scarce information is currently available on its ecology and natural history. Based on an extensive sampling effort carried out in Sicily between 2022 and 2023, we here provide additional occurrence localities for the species across Sicily, and new insights into its ecology. Overall, 29 novel Sicilian records of P. zwierleini, scattered across 21 localities, were collected thus increasing its known Sicilian distribution area by 117%, and the number of localities by 110%. The species was found in a wide range of habitats such as open areas, woods, buildings, and caves, characterizing Plutonium zwierleini as a habitat generalist, whose fine ecological preferenda need to be further explored. Moreover, to explore the diet and behaviour of the species, some specimens were kept in captivity. The captive individuals fed mostly on dead or poorly mobile soft-bodied prey and inert food, without ever displaying predatory behaviour; this suggests that, contrarily to what is currently assumed, P. zwierleini might be a scavenger rather than a predator. The potential distribution of Plutonium zwierleini in Sicily was inferred based on georeferenced occurrence records and climatic variables. The implemented MaxEnt model forecasts the possible occurrence of P. zwierleini on the whole island, with the single exception of its south-easternmost part, possibly due to the local pattern of precipitation seasonality. We hope that the present work might pave the way for further surveys aimed at a better understanding of the ecology of Plutonium zwierleini and the collection of new data in the other regions inhabited by this secretive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution analyses the scientific and political meaning of the concept of 'population' within Thomas Robert Malthus' thought. It is here argued that by encapsulating 'population' in a scientific principle, the author not only aimed at contrasting radical and revolutionary theories of his time; he was also looking for a renovation of the role principles hold in scientific reasoning. He considered this crucial for delineating a plausible science for such an elusive political object as society. Through an examination of key passages of Malthus' theoretical production – his critique of previous definitions of 'population', his reassessment of the natural history of society, and the use of selected metaphors to explain his political thought – it is possible to observe how the author attempted to naturalize society and the inequalities arising from its historical laws. As shown in the conclusions, Malthus' scientific and political effort was directed towards questioning possibilities to reduce the history of social relations to a path of rational progress, which is consistent with the way he re-conceptualized 'population' as regarding the fate of the people and their chances to transform the future in the plausible outcome of their political action in the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of the Garifuna sublime, which refers to the resistance and landscape aesthetics of the indigenous Garifuna people in St. Vincent, West Indies. It discusses how the Garifuna challenge European narratives that depict them as savages and reclaim a heroic past. The article also examines the use of cartography and technologies by Britain to control the Caribbean, as well as the Garifuna's use of maritime routes to counter colonization. The author focuses on Alexander Anderson's Geography and History of St. Vincent, West Indies, which categorizes the island's flora and fauna and demonstrates how the Garifuna challenge British claims to sovereignty. The text highlights the importance of understanding diverse perspectives and the impact of colonialism on indigenous communities. [Extracted from the article]

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory, disabling disorder characterized by prominent eosinophilic inflammation of the esophagus, leading to troublesome symptoms including dysphagia and food impaction. The natural history of EoE is poorly known, but it may lead to esophageal strictures. The therapeutic armamentarium is expected to grow in the near future, especially due to the availability of novel biological therapies targeting crucial inflammatory pathways of EoE. In this review, we discuss the main clinical features and natural history of EoE, focusing on the current therapeutic strategies, as well as past and current trials investigating biologics for its treatment. Dupilumab has been the first approved biologic drug for the treatment of EoE; long-term studies assessing how it could change the natural history of EoE are awaited. Novel biological drugs or other molecules are currently under study and could change the current treatment algorithms in the near future. Proper drug positioning and long term 'exit strategies' are yet to be defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue for a novel reading of Spinoza’s position in his exchange with Boyle about Boyle’s experiment with nitre. Boyle claimed to have shown through experiments that nitre ceased to be nitre after heating. Spinoza disagreed and proposed the alternative hypothesis that nitre has changed its state and not its nature. Spinoza’s position was construed in the literature as rational scepticism denying that experiments can yield knowledge of essences because all sensory experience is underdetermined and open to multiple interpretations. I argue for an alternative reading of Spinoza’s position which focuses on Bacon’s notion of crucial instance. According to this reading, Spinoza did not deny the possibility of knowing by experimentation whether nitre has changed its nature, he asked for a crucial instance, i.e. an experiment that would refute the hypothesis that nitre has changed merely its state. Spinoza’s argumentative strategy shows that, contrary to the mainstream reading, the representational content of sensory ideas can be determined even if it does not represent the essence of the object: we can know with absolute, rather than merely moral, certainty whether nitre ceased to be nitre without knowing what nitre is. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet studies of cracids have highlighted the group's significance as seed dispersers and the impact of their disappearance from natural environments. However, the diet of Penelope jacucaca remains largely unknown, limiting our understanding of its natural history and potential ecosystem services. In this study, we investigated the diet of P. jacucaca in two Caatinga fragments with varying levels of preservation using fecal material analysis. The diet of the species consisted primarily of fruits, flowers, and leaves, comprising a total of 22 food items. The number of seeds found in individual fecal samples exhibited a negative correlation with individual seed masses. The species demonstrated a preference for zoocoric fruits of different sizes from the local vegetation. The diet varied between the sampled areas, suggesting that P. jacucaca exhibits dietary flexibility based on local vegetation. However, it is also possible that fragmentation affects the nutritional value of the species' diet. Due to its large body size, the White-browed guan can ingest a wide variety of fruits, including larger ones, incorporating seeds that are rarely explored by other birds. We propose that plant species with "large" seeds (> 15 mm), such as Ziziphus joazeiro, Brosimum gaudichaudii, and Ximenia americana, would be mainly negatively affected by the absence of P. jacucaca in the studied areas. The decline in the population of this important seed disperser in the region is likely to have negative implications for the viability of many zoocoric plants, thereby posing a threat to the vegetation of the studied fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Radical by Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace" by James T. Costa is a biography that provides a detailed account of Wallace's life. The book covers his early childhood in Wales, his interest in various scientific fields such as geology, astronomy, and botany, and his travels to South America and the Malay Archipelago. It also highlights his contributions to the theory of evolution, particularly his concept of natural selection. The biography sheds light on Wallace's experiences, discoveries, and interactions with other scientists, including Charles Darwin. [Extracted from the article]

The Ochre-breasted pipit Anthus nattereri is a terrestrial bird restricted to natural grasslands of south-eastern South America. The species is globally Vulnerable to extinction and its natural history is still poorly known. We investigated the breeding biology of Ochre-breasted pipits, commenting on its habitat use and the potential impacts of local grasslands management practices with fire on the species' conservation. Fieldwork took place mainly between January and December 2016 in the Upper Rio Grande Grasslands, south-eastern Brazil. Five nests of the species were found between September and November, one of them recently destroyed by fire. Nests were cup shaped and placed on the ground, being built with dry grasses, resembling the pattern documented for other species of Anthus. The eggs were covered with brownish spots and dots to a variable extent and the background colour ranged from greyish white to brownish white. The egg colour pattern also fell within the known range of variation for congeneric species, as did the clutch size (two to three eggs) observed in tropical species of Anthus. Ochre-breasted pipits tended to occupy nesting sites with higher and denser grass cover (eg small patches of vegetation that survived the last fire event) when compared to non-nest sites located in adjacent recently burned areas, which potentially suggests a preference for such habitat attributes. Although the Ochre-breasted pipit is relatively common in the study area, the highest temporal incidence of fire coincides with its breeding season, which can directly impact the local population through the burning of nests and the elimination of suitable nesting sites. Thus, it is important to conduct long-term studies to evaluate the impact of different fire regimes on the reproductive performance of Ochre-breasted pipits, thus allowing the design of better ecosystem management practices to guarantee its conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop an updated staging system for long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency (LCHADD) chorioretinopathy based on contemporary multimodal imaging and electrophysiology. We evaluated forty cases of patients with genetically confirmed LCHADD or trifunctional protein deficiency (TFPD) enrolled in a prospective natural history study. Wide-field fundus photographs, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) were reviewed and graded for severity. Two independent experts first graded fundus photos and electrophysiology to classify the stage of chorioretinopathy based upon an existing published system. With newer imaging modalities and improved electrophysiology, many patients did not fit cleanly into a single traditional staging group. Therefore, we developed a novel staging system that better delineated the progression of LCHADD retinopathy. We maintained the four previous delineated stages but created substages A and B in stages 2 to 3 to achieve better differentiation. Previous staging systems of LCHADD chorioretinopathy relied on only on the assessment of standard 30 to 45-degree fundus photographs, visual acuity, fluorescein angiography (FA), and ffERG. Advances in recordings of ffERG and multimodal imaging with wider fields of view, allow better assessment of retinal changes. Following these advanced assessments, seven patients did not fit neatly into the original classification system and were therefore recategorized under the new proposed system. The new proposed staging system improves the classification of LCHADD chorioretinopathy, with the potential to lead to a deeper understanding of the disease's progression and serve as a more reliable reference point for future therapeutic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dung beetles perform essential ecological functions (e.g. nutrient cycling, secondary seed dispersal and parasite control) and are excellent indicators of ecosystem quality. However, in the Amazon region, the biodiversity of these insects is still poorly known. Here, we investigated the dung beetle biodiversity of the southwestern Brazilian Amazon and provide information on the distribution and natural history. We sampled dung beetles using pitfall traps baited with human feces in five forest fragments in municipality of Pimenta Bueno – Rondônia, Western Brazil. In all, 8502 individuals from 58 species of dung beetles were captured. In addition, four species were reported for the first time in the state of Rondônia: Canthon brunneus (Schmidt, 1922), Dendropaemon lydiae, Eurysternus howdeni and Eurysternus ventricosus Gill, 1990. Thirty species were classified as forest specialist, and seven as habitat generalists, suggesting an effect of the expansion of anthropic areas (e.g. introduced pastures) on the forest landscape. Thus, we highlight the need for monitoring the proportion between forest species and open-area species in the study region, in order to investigate a possible biotic homogenization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arboreal rodent Oecomys cleberi was previously considered endemic to the Cerrado domain in central-western Brazil. We report on a range extension of O. cleberi to the Atlantic Forest domain of São Paulo, and add new records to Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais states, totaling 10 new records. Based on a large sample of O. cleberi, we did not find evidence for sexual dimorphism. Our results revealed that specimens of O. cleberi from Cerrado and Atlantic Forest are larger than O. bicolor from the Amazon. Moreover, the larger buccinator–masticatory/foramen ovale confluence in O. cleberi allowed further distinction to O. bicolor. We also provide further details of morphological variation within O. cleberi. Reproductive males and females of O. cleberi were recorded in the rainy season, between December and January, and one male was infested by the mite Gigantolaelaps canestrinii. Our new records show that this arboreal rodent is also present in seasonal forests within the domain of the Atlantic Forest. We suggest that this species, typical of the Cerrado, occurs only marginally in the Atlantic Forest of São Paulo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Peruvian gracile mouse opossum (Gracilinanus peruanus) is known from scattered localities. Very little information is available on its natural history, habitat requirements and geographic distribution. Also, its conservation status has never been evaluated. We provide a new hypothesis on its distribution limits using species distribution models (SDM), and evaluate for the first time the conservation status of the species. The SDM suggested high suitability for G. peruanus in the Brazilian Shield, indicating continuous suitable areas for the species between the disjunct areas of western Brazil and Bolivia/Peru. Voucher records show that Teles Pires River is not a geographic barrier and the eastern limits still need to be delimited. To the south, the species appears to be limited by the Pantanal wetlands and the Chaco biome, and to the west by the Andes mountains. We suggest that G. peruanus should be globally classified as 'Least Concern.' Nevertheless, the species may be considered as Near Threatened in a near future in Brazil, mainly because it occurs in an area with high rates of deforestation and habitat loss in the Cerrado of western Brazil, thus reinforcing the importance of protecting gallery forests to forest dweller species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a relatively broad distribution in Africa, the Spotted Rubber Frog, Phrynomantis affinis, is extremely rarely encountered. Only 18 specimens from 12 localities have been collected with a few additional observations recorded. Virtually nothing of the species' natural history is known. We report or summarise new localities and range extensions of P. affinis in Namibia and Zambia and describe the call for the first time. We also compare its call to that of the sister species, P. bifasciatus, describing this call for the first time and noting a considerable range extension. The calls show several key differences, with P. affinis calls generally having a lower dominant frequency, pulse repetition rate, and number of pulses than P. bifasciatus. The calls of Namibian and Zambian P. affinis also show marked differences. These descriptions add valuable natural history information for both species and will considerably improve the field detection of the enigmatic P. affinis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of emotions, specifically awe, in educational contexts. It highlights the importance of emotions in learning and the potential benefits of harnessing emotions to support student achievement and well-being. The article explores the concept of awe, its various definitions, and its transformative nature. It also discusses how awe can positively impact biology teaching by fostering joint exploration and engaging marginalized or disinterested students. The article concludes by emphasizing that biology already provides numerous opportunities for experiencing awe in the classroom. [Extracted from the article]

Michael (Mike) Richard Perrin, an academic zoologist, passed away on December 28, 2023, at the age of 77. He had a distinguished career, working in various countries including the UK, Canada, Uganda, and South Africa. Perrin was known for his dedication to his field and his mentoring of young zoologists. He played a significant role in developing the academic department at the University of Natal and later focused his research on African parrot species. Perrin published numerous research papers and made important contributions to the understanding and conservation of wildlife. His legacy lives on through the students and researchers he inspired. [Extracted from the article]

Cooperative hunting can confer fitness benefits by increasing foraging efficiency. We documented a breeding pair of wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem of Minnesota, USA that appeared to periodically use cooperative ambushing to hunt beavers. The breeding pair primarily chose to wait-in-ambush close to one another (< 65 m) but on different beaver feeding trails, which appears advantageous because: (1) feeding trails are where beavers are most active and vulnerable on land, (2) the probability that the pair encounters a beaver is increased, and (3) either wolf can quickly assist the other in killing a beaver. The cooperative ambush strategy these wolves used appears rare for most social Carnivora but we hypothesize this behavior is widespread in areas of wolf-beaver sympatry. This observation demonstrates that novel insights into the natural history of even well-studied predators are possible when technological advancements are combined with intensive fieldwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural history studies are important in helping to understand the origin and evolution of social organization as well as the evolution of specialized morphological structures linked to mating behavior of animals. Here we describe the burrow use pattern, sex ratio, and sexual dimorphism of the burrowing shrimp Lepidophthalmus siriboia to test a series of evolutionary hypotheses. To this end, a total of 259 individuals of L. siriboia were collected from the northeast region of Brazil. No shrimp pairs or burrows inhabited by more than one shrimp were detected during the study period. A solitary habit is a non-random behavior in this species because single shrimps were found with a greater frequency than expected by chance. All ovigerous females were found living solitarily, which suggests that males abandon these females shortly after insemination. Contrary to the expectations of an anisogamous species, L. siriboia produced a female-biased operational sex ratio (OSR), contradicting the hypothesis that only males compete for mates. The latter was supported by the existence of sexual dimorphism in cheliped size, a condition that argues in favor of female–female competition in this species. In the same line of reasoning, heterochely was present in adult males, although it was also present to a lesser degree in adult females. Female asymmetry of chelipeds suggests the evolution of an unconventional role in female major cheliped use. The major cheliped showed a positive allometric growth pattern through the ontogeny of both sexes. However, when growth patterns of the major and minor chelipeds were compared, the fitted regression lines for each sex had different slopes, indicating that the cheliped could be an appendage sexually selected by individuals of the opposite sex during mating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Galloway Hills in southwest Scotland are characterized by glacial drift, lakes, and extensive areas of blanket and basin mire. The climate is oceanic, with an average rainfall of 2300 mm per year and a mean temperature range of 2.0-13.4 °C. The original woodland of the area has been largely replaced by conifer plantations. Loch Doon IV is a deep mire located west of Loch Doon, with sediment dating back to the early Holocene. The pollen record from the site shows changes in vegetation and land use over time, including the spread of arboreal taxa and evidence of burning related to hunter-gatherer activity. The uppermost deposits contain cereal-type pollen. The research was funded by the Leverhulme Trust. [Extracted from the article]

This article presents new records of bryophyte species in different regions, including Sicily, Argentina, India, Russia, Benin, Iceland, Africa, China, Turkey, Peru, and Brazil. The text provides information about the characteristics, distribution, and where these species were collected. The research was conducted by multiple authors from various institutions and was supported by different funding sources. These new records contribute to our understanding of the distribution and diversity of bryophytes in different regions. [Extracted from the article]

Natural history studies have been informative in dissecting radiation injury, isolating its effects, and compartmentalizing injury based on the extent of exposure and the elapsed time post-irradiation. Although radiation injury models are useful for investigating the mechanism of action in isolated subsyndromes and development of medical countermeasures (MCMs), it is clear that ionizing radiation exposure leads to multi-organ injury (MOI). The Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases partnered with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to convene a virtual two-day meeting titled 'Radiation-Induced Multi-Organ Injury' on June 7-8, 2022. Invited subject matter experts presented their research findings in MOI, including study of mechanisms and possible MCMs to address complex radiation-induced injuries. This workshop report summarizes key information from each presentation and discussion by the speakers and audience participants. Understanding the mechanisms that lead to radiation-induced MOI is critical to advancing candidate MCMs that could mitigate the injury and reduce associated morbidity and mortality. The observation that some of these mechanisms associated with MOI include systemic injuries, such as inflammation and vascular damage, suggests that MCMs that address systemic pathways could be effective against multiple organ systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Washington Irving's short story 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow', animals are everywhere and almost seem interchangeable with humans. Nevertheless, the story's pervasive animal imagery has received scant critical attention. In this paper, I consider the blurring human/animal binary in the story as a proxy for blurred lines between different 'races' of humans coexisting in Early America. Washington Irving uses his satirical Dutch narrator Dietrich Knickerbocker's engagement with the Count de Buffon's Natural History to question categorization based on the interrelated concepts of species and race, which were becoming important in an increasingly biopolitical early United States. I place Irving's engagement with natural history in context before considering the 'racial' tension between the Dutch and the Yankees that Knickerbocker constructs in 'Sleepy Hollow'. Irving marks this tension as satire in part through Knickerbocker's deployment of bears and lions, two animal metaphors with special significance in Buffonian natural history. Close attention to the implications of these metaphors complicates our understanding of Brom Bones, a central but understudied character. I also discuss how this satirical use of race could deepen our understanding of 'Sleepy Hollow's' actual racialized characters. Focusing on the animals in 'Sleepy Hollow' reveals Irving's critique of using science to categorize humans into distinct racial groupings for political convenience and complicates our understanding of how early Americans grappled with the interplay between shifting scientific and political paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The third edition of Aglaé Comte's Histoire naturelle racontée à la jeunesse (1853) includes an understudied introduction on "human races." While it avows the theory of monogenesis, praises abolition and displays compassion for Black peoples, it also affirms white supremacy based on the "civilized" status of white bodies and Western cultures. Comte uses tropes of sentimentalism: sympathy with oppressed persons, appeals to pathos and calls for benevolent action. Using affect studies and Black studies, I demonstrate how Comte teaches a biocultural account of race that perpetuates hierarchies, encourages sympathy instead of structural change and mobilizes paternalistic power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I address an uncharted topic in the scholarship on Salomon Maimon – the great influence that Bacon's philosophy had on Maimon. I suggest that by considering Maimon as a Baconian, we achieve a better understanding of Maimon's work, especially in three respects: (i) his use of natural histories to achieve philosophical insights, (ii) the employment of induction to find new propositions and establish known ones as certain but not as objectively necessary and (iii) a probabilistic view of science, wherein we acknowledge that we can achieve higher degrees of certainty attributed to propositions but are unable to show that empirical propositions are objectively necessary. It is in this context that I propose to use the term ‘ladder of certainty’ and discuss how it is connected to Maimon's skeptical stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pithecopus rusticus is a small and charismatic leaf frog species known only from the type locality, in the Brazilian Subtropical Highland Grasslands of the Atlantic Forest, southern Brazil. In this study, we describe aspects of the reproductive biology and populational size of P. rusticus, encompassing the characterization of breeding season, microhabitat use for vocalization and spawning, the variation in body size of males and females and operational sex ratio, as well as explore the influence of climate variables on the abundance of individuals. We collected information from 2015 to 2021, mainly in the breeding seasons of 2015/16 and 2017/18. We recorded 91 individuals of P. rusticus, with a recapture rate of 61% in the 2015/16 breeding season and 57% in the 2017/18 breeding season. The estimated population size was 28.9 individuals for the 2015/16 breeding season and 21 individuals for the 2017/18 breeding season. The temporal reproductive pattern was intermediate, being concentrated in spring to early summer months (October to January), and the male calling activity differed throughout the night, increasing from 9pm onwards. The abundance of P. rusticus was significantly related with relative air humidity. We found sexual size dimorphism, with females larger than males, and a male-skewed operational sex ratio. Males and females used Poaceae and Cyperaceae leaves located close to water. Spawns contained 43 ± 5 eggs, with a diameter of 3.26 ± 0.45 mm, and were deposited on leaves of Senecio (Asteraceae) and Eriocaulon (Eriocaulaceae). Information on natural history is essential to support the implementation and success of in situ and ex situ conservation strategies for this endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesising this natural history knowledge with "big-data" and new analytical tools, will lead to the greatest advances in Aotearoa biogeography. The panbiogeographic method, however, had gained little traction internationally: was this really mainstream biogeography of Aotearoa? Another important component of the success and impact of evolutionary biogeography in Aotearoa has been a multi-disciplinary approach, particularly biologists and geologists working together (e.g. Waters et al. [51]; Trewick et al. [42]). When one of us (GPW) arrived in Aotearoa in 1988, Carolyn Burns recommended I Prehistoric New Zealand i (Stevens et al. [39]) as an introduction to the biological history of Aotearoa. [Extracted from the article]

Amid growing public and academic interest in the identification and return of Aboriginal objects acquired by Britain from Australia after 1788, enquiries into the disputed origins of the British Museum's 'Gweagal shield' have highlighted the need for new and better forms of provenance research. This article explores a novel methodology and source of information: British Treasury and customs records detailing the descriptions, values, and duties paid upon a vast number of colonial collections of Aboriginal objects, human remains, and natural history specimens known to have disembarked in Britain between 1788 and 1823. By positing a new provenance for the 'Gweagal shield' – namely, that it may have accompanied Bennelong, Yemmerrawanne and Arthur Phillip on their passage to England in 1793 – the article explores the potential of such records for highlighting what, when, how, and from whom Australian collections arrived in Britain in this early and hitherto little-understood period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two poems that are submitted collectively as "Black Lifeworlds" are interventions in nature-society discussions. They are specifically concerned with the radical challenge that Black Geographies and Black Ecologies make vis-a-vis scholarship and discourse that are silent on the role of race in the production of space and nature. The first poem challenges racial discourses that relegate antiblackness to the colonial and antebellum period compared to a post-racist present. Through allusion to the Great Migration, the poem traces the agitations of Black mobilities. The second poem responds to the racist ecology and natural history of a European Union official, who lamenting migrants as threats to a sublime Europe, described the non-European world as a jungle. The second poem offers a counter-environmental history that rebukes European amnesia about colonial ecological violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine chronometers, often considered precision instruments, proliferated in navigational practices during the nineteenth century. This paper examines their use in the hands of naval officers in the early-nineteenth century. It argues that both the instruments and their operators required careful management and regulation. In addition, officers learnt and adapted observatory practices relating to the process of data collection and management. Through these means, chronometric data was collected, organized, and reduced to negotiate accurate results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the extent to which ancient Greek authors formulated concepts that approximate or encompass our modern notions of precision and accuracy. First, we focus on estimates and measurements of geographic features, astronomical times and positions, and weight. These raise further questions about whether the quantities reported were measured, estimated, or rounded. While ancient sources discuss the use of instruments, it is not always clear that the aim was to achieve what we would today regard as 'precision'. Next, we briefly consider round numbers, observing that they could carry symbolic meaning, while unrounded numbers could give an impression of hard-won achievement. Finally, we examine uses of the word akribeia. This is often translated as 'precision' or 'exactness', and Greek writers sometimes used akribeia to denote an ideal for their inquiries. A brief look at its uses by a number of Greek writers will on the one hand show the mismatch with our term 'precision', and on the other hand throw some light on the aims of Greek investigators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the century between the creation of the first large, European astronomical observatory by Tycho Brahe in the 1580s and the national observatories of France and England in the 1660–1670s, astronomers constructed ever more sets of tables, derived from various geometrical and physical models, to compute planetary positions. But how were these tables to be evaluated? What level of precision or accuracy should be expected from mathematical astronomy? In 1644, the Stetin astronomer and calendar-maker Lorenz Eichstadt published a new set of tables, mostly cobbled together from earlier tables, which include a running commentary on how his tables might be expected to match 'observed' planetary positions. His earlier works also often display a rhetoric of 'exactitude' and 'error'. Eichstadt thus offers a case study of explicit discussions of 'precision' in mid-seventeenth astronomy. Although some tables could generate positions to arcseconds, Eichstadt argued that a regime of five arcminutes should be enough for most table users who were, presumably, computing horoscopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]