In animal communication, functionally referential alarm calls elicit the same behavioral responses as their referents, despite their typically distinct bioacoustic traits. Yet the auditory forebrain ...in at least one songbird species, the black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus, responds similarly to threat calls and their referent predatory owl calls, as assessed by immediate early gene responses in the secondary auditory forebrain nuclei. Whether and where in the brain such perceptual and cognitive equivalence is processed remains to be understood in most other avian systems. Here, we studied the functional neurogenomic (non-) equivalence of acoustic threat stimuli perception by the red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus in response to the actual calls of the obligate brood parasitic brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater and the referential anti-parasitic alarm calls of the yellow warbler Setophaga petechia, upon which the blackbird is known to eavesdrop. Using RNA-sequencing from neural tissue in the auditory lobule (primary and secondary auditory nuclei combined), in contrast to previous findings, we found significant differences in the gene expression profiles of both an immediate early gene, ZENK (egr-1), and other song-system relevant gene-products in blackbirds responding to cowbird vs. warbler calls. In turn, direct cues of threats (including conspecific intruder calls and nest-predator calls) elicited higher ZENK and other differential gene expression patterns compared to harmless heterospecific calls. These patterns are consistent with a perceptual non-equivalence in the auditory forebrain of adult male red-winged blackbirds in response to referential calls and the calls of their referents.
Animals can evade predators in multiple ways, one of the most effective of which is to avoid detection in the first place. We know much about the evolution of color patterns that match the visual ...background to avoid detection (i.e., crypsis), yet we know surprisingly less about the specific behaviors that have co-evolved with these morphological traits to enhance or maintain crypsis. We here explore whether the match between body color and background in a seemingly well-camouflaged tropical shore crab is a result of active background choice. Taking advantage of a coastal area in the Solomon Islands with variable sand color and a population of the pallid ghost crab Ocypode pallidula with varying carapace color, we experimentally tested whether individuals actively choose specific substrate that best matches their color patterns. We found that individuals taken from extreme sand colors chose substrate that maintained crypsis, with relatively darker crabs typically choosing dark sand and lighter crabs choosing light sand. Crabs of intermediate color pattern, in contrast, showed no clear preference for dark or light sand. Our results suggest that potential prey can actively choose specific backgrounds to enhance and maintain crypsis, providing insights into how behavior interacts with morphological traits to avoid predator detection.
Group formation and recognition mechanisms can strongly influence the decision to cooperate or attack in animal societies. Therefore, testing how individuals recognize group membership, and the ...decision to cooperate or attack during social interactions is critical to understanding the evolution of sociality. We explore decision-making in the weaver ant
Oecophylla smaragdina
, a highly territorial and also cooperative species. Here, we report a previously undescribed rescue behavior for weaver ants, and determine the role of distance and group membership in residents’ decisions to either rescue or attack conspecifics in distress. First, we tested if residents preferentially rescued nestmates and attacked non-nestmates. Our results show that rescue was more likely for nestmates; however, surprisingly, conspecifics from neighboring colonies were rescued in 43% of the distress trials. Furthermore, attacks became more frequent as distance between colonies increased showing a dear enemy effect, which may be explained by familiarity, odor recognition, and/or relatedness. Our work exploring the factors that influence the decision to rescue or attack provides novel evidence to understand the underlying selective pressures that shape decisions of cooperation or conflict in highly cooperative societies.
BACKGROUNDImmunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) poses clinical challenges due to its heterogeneous ocular and systemic manifestations. We aim to report the systemic involvement and ...the clinical, serological and radiological associations of a cohort of Chinese patients.METHODSA territory-wide, biopsy-proven, Chinese cohort. A retrospective, masked chart review of medical records, orbital images, and histopathology reports.RESULTSA total of 122 (65 male) patients with a follow-up of 81 ± 49 (24 to 84) months were reviewed. Ninety (74%) patients presented bilaterally. Subacute upper eyelid swelling was the commonest presentation (82/122, 67%). During follow-up, 91/122 patients (75%) underwent extra-orbital imaging including computer tomography (692 films), ultrasonography (182 films), magnetic resonance imaging (76 films) and whole body FDG-PET scan (33 films). Eighty-six (95%) of these 91 patients had extra-orbital involvement radiologically (2.7 ± 1.6 regions, range: 0 to 9). Lymph node was the most prevalent (N = 60,66%), followed by salivary gland (N = 51,56%), lung (N = 49,54%), kidney (N = 22, 24%), hepatobiliary tree (N = 18, 20%) and pancreas (N = 17, 19%). Other organs include thyroid, aorta, meninges/brain and skin. Twenty-eight (23%) patients had allergic diseases (19 asthma, 16 allergic rhinitis, and 6 eczemas). Fifty-seven (48%) patients had paranasal sinusitis. Serum eosinophilia was associated with a higher number (3.24 versus 2.52, P = 0.0304) of organ involvement. Patients with deep organ involvement was associated with a higher age of IgG4-ROD onset (70 ± 12 versus 56 ± 13, P < 0.0001).CONCLUSIONS95% of the patients who underwent systemic imaging in our cohort had systemic organ involvement. An early physicians' assessment and radiological imaging are recommended after the diagnosis of IgG4-ROD.
Bridge load limit monitoring is a major problem in the Philippines. Since this was not implemented strictly, the structural integrity of the bridges was affected hence it resulted to frequent ...maintenance, retrofitting of strucutral members and collapse. The integrity of the bridge continously decreases through time once the maximum load limit was experienced by the structure. Therefore, this study aims to emphasize the importance of traffic load monitoring in conducting structural health assessment of bridges aside from earthquake and mass loads. The 7.7% increase in the flexure stress of the bridge deck indicates that truck loading has a significant effect on the bridge. In addition for this, variation on the truck volume for peak hours and non peak hours will correlate to the reading of the smart sensor attached on the bridge for structural health monitoring.
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is not new in the field of structural engineering and its application goes from the monitoring to evaluation of bridges, dams, buildings, and other similar ...structures. As per National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP) Volume 11-4, the Implementing Rules of earthquake recording instrumentation of buildings has been continually advancing, but not in the case of bridges and dams. The objective of this paper is to apply the established sensor-driven accelerometer developed by USHER (Universal Structural Health Evaluation and Recording) system in the evaluation of Padre Jacinto Zamora Bridge in Manila; specifically, to determine the proper installation of the developed accelerometer in the identified critical parts of the bridge. SHM addresses the problem of structural integrity assessment and help in assuring repair cost to a minimal. SHM helps quantify the strength of a structure by identifying the damage. Often evaluations are made using visual inspection and by age consideration. Most of the time, the use of this type of evaluation tend to be expensive. Repairs are not directed to the damaged component alone but the whole structure. Hence, the expenditure expands. SHM with the application of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Sensors (MEMS) will allow gathering of data that can be converted in the form of the structure's modal properties (i.e. natural frequency, mode shape, and damping ratio) 6, 7. Structural health is then determined and be ready to compare it to the structural model simulation results. A method was developed to incorporate seismic fragility curves 5 to determine the thresholds for the evaluation of the structural health. Capacity spectrum method was utilized to derive the seismic fragility function. A Monte Carlo Simulation was used to derive the flood fragility curves.
Objectives Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a therapeutic option for selected patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. The impact of lymph node metastasis on the site of recurrence and the role of ...mediastinoscopy in the selection of patients for extrapleural pneumonectomy, however, remain unclear. Methods We reviewed 50 consecutive patients undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma in our institution between January 1993 and March 2005. Results The median survival was 11 months, with a 3-year survival of 24%. Survival was significantly worse for patients with N2 disease than for those with no lymph node metastasis (median survival 10 months vs 29 months, respectively, P = .005). Patient sex, histologic cell type, stage, and N2 disease, but not mediastinoscopy, had significant impacts on survival according to univariate analysis. In a multivariate analysis, however, only the presence of N2 disease remained a significant predictor of poor outcome. The proportion of patients with N2 disease and the long-term survival was similar regardless of whether preoperative mediastinoscopy yielded a negative result. The initial site of recurrence was determined in 28 patients (locoregional in 10 and distant in 18). The presence of N2 disease had no impact on the site of recurrence. Adjuvant hemithoracic radiation therapy, however, significantly decreased the risk of locoregional recurrence. Conclusions The presence of N2 disease negatively affects the prognosis of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Mediastinoscopy, however, seems to have a limited role in patient selection for extrapleural pneumonectomy. Adjuvant hemithoracic radiation therapy but not N2 disease affects the risk of locoregional recurrence.
Objective Optimal management of stage IIIA-N2 non–small cell lung cancer remains controversial. The surgical arm of the North American Intergroup 0139 trial was adopted as the standard treatment for ...patients with resectable N2 disease at the University Health Network. Results after 7 years of experience are reported. Methods This is a retrospective study of consecutive patients with biopsy-proved T1-3 N2 M0 lung cancer who underwent induction chemoradiation before surgical intervention from January 1997 through August 2004. Induction chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin, 50 mg/m2 , on days 1 and 8; etoposide, 50 mg/m2 , on days 1 to 5, weeks 1 and 5; and concurrent daily external beam radiotherapy to 45 Gy. Lung resection was performed within 6 weeks of completion of chemoradiation, followed by 2 further cycles of consolidation chemotherapy. Results Between January 1997 and August 2004, 40 patients were treated according to this protocol (25% T1, 62.5% T2, 7.5% T3, and 5% T4). Overall and disease-free median survivals were 40 and 37.1 months, respectively, whereas overall and disease-free 3-year survivals were 51.7% and 52.3%, respectively. R0 resection was achieved in 92.5%. The overall operative mortality rate was 7.5% (0% for lobectomy and 27% for pneumonectomy). Notably, all mortalities occurred within the first 2 years of our experience with this regimen. Conclusion Chemoradiation before pulmonary resection in carefully selected patients with surgically resectable stage IIIA (N2) non–small cell lung cancer can lead to improved overall and disease-free survival.
Objective We examined the outcome of lung transplantation with the use of donors aged 60 years or more. Methods From May 1994 to May 2005, 467 lung transplants were performed at our institution. A ...total of 60 recipients received lungs from donors aged 60 years or more (range 60–77 years, median 65 years), whereas 407 recipients received lungs from younger donors (range 9–59, median 39 years). Results A total of 48 patients (10%) died within 30 days of surgery: 10 (17%) in the older donor group versus 38 (9%) in the younger donor group ( P = .08). The operative mortality varied with the underlying lung disease and was higher in recipients presenting with pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis than with emphysema or cystic fibrosis. A total of 210 patients died after a median follow-up of 25 months (range 0–136 months). The overall 5- and 10-year survivals were 57% and 38%, respectively. However, the 10-year survival tended to be worse in the older donor group (16% vs 39% in the younger donor group, P = .07). Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome was the predominant cause of death in recipients of older donors who survived for more than 90 days after surgery (11/17, 65% vs 45/132, 34% in recipients of younger donors surviving for >90 days after surgery, P = .01). Conclusions Given the lack of organ donors, lungs from donors aged 60 years or more should be considered for transplantation. However, the use of donors aged 60 years or more is associated with a lower 10-year survival, and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome plays a significant role as the cause of late death.
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