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•A well-structured population and a highly reproductive potential points to an increasing population.•Diet analysis shows a highly plasticity trophic ecology which reinforce its ...population expansion.
The common raccoon, Procyon lotor was introduced at the Balearic Islands (Spain) in 2006. Since then, a colonization process has been carried out, with captures of specimens in 24.30% of the surface of the whole Mallorca Island. For the first time, information has been provided on the invasive process of P. lotor in an insular ecosystem. 257 specimens of P. lotor were captured during the period 2007–2018, of them 104 were analysed to estimate population parameters. Demographic data showed that the population had a sex ratio of 1.00:1.21 (males:females), high BMI values and up to 40% of females were lactating when captured. Related to diet data, the composition was mainly the same as previous studies around its natural and introduced distribution area. Plant residues represented the 53.25 ± 38.66% followed by invertebrates with 12.22 ± 22.54%, inorganic remains with 11.9 ± 22.07% and finally the vertebrates with 4.94 ± 18.27%. Thus, it is shown how an opportunistic omnivorous species has adapted to the resources provided by the island. Cultivated plants' remains and plastic content in diet evidence that P. lotor is entering in contact with human settlements and agricultural areas. As occurred in other islands where P. lotor was introduced, it is expected that it could become a future problem for the conservation biodiversity in insular ecosystems, as well as for agriculture and human activity. Due to the potential impact on native biodiversity it is necessary to reinforce the implementation of control actions and prevent its expansion to the rest of the island.
In the present study, the hydrogen storage performance of multi-principal-component ZrTiVNiCrFe alloy produced through rapid solidification has been examined by electrochemical methods and gas-solid ...reactions. XRD and EBSD analyses reveal the hexagonal Laves phase structure (type C14) with average grain size of 300 nm and root-mean-square microstrain of 0.19%. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses in the hydrogen sorption/desorption region give insight to the sorption/desorption kinetics and the change in the desorption charge in terms of the applied potential. The pressure-composition isotherms measured in course of gas-solid reaction confirm the hydrogen storage capacity reaching 1.6 wt% at the first hydrogenation at room temperature, then reducing to 1.3–1.4% during subsequent cycling. According to the calorimetric titration study, there is a significant hysteresis primarily caused by the non-equilibrium character of the hydrogenation process.
•Single phase ZrTiVNiCrFe has been synthesized by melt spinning.•Reversible hydrogenation was confirmed by gas-solid and electrochemical methods.•Maximum hydrogen capacity at room temperature reaches 1.6 wt%.•Hydrogen desorption enthalpy of 38 kJ/mol H2 was evaluated from calorimetric measurements.
Before they infect red blood cells and cause malaria, Plasmodium parasites undergo an obligate and clinically silent expansion phase in the liver that is supposedly undetected by the host. Here, we ...demonstrate the engagement of a type I interferon (IFN) response during Plasmodium replication in the liver. We identified Plasmodium RNA as a previously unrecognized pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) capable of activating a type I IFN response via the cytosolic pattern recognition receptor Mda5. This response, initiated by liver-resident cells through the adaptor molecule for cytosolic RNA sensors, Mavs, and the transcription factors Irf3 and Irf7, is propagated by hepatocytes in an interferon-α/β receptor-dependent manner. This signaling pathway is critical for immune cell-mediated host resistance to liver-stage Plasmodium infection, which we find can be primed with other PAMPs, including hepatitis C virus RNA. Together, our results show that the liver has sensor mechanisms for Plasmodium that mediate a functional antiparasite response driven by type I IFN.
In this study the intermetallic compound (IMC) formation of annealed 50μm copper wires, thermosonically nailhead bonded to thick Al−0.5wt.% Cu pads, was investigated. The annealing experimental ...matrix covered the full range of Al consumption. The IMC thickness (growth behavior), obtained from FIB cuts, follows an Arrhenius type equation. TEM was used to identify the three formed intermetallic phases – CuAl2, CuAl and Cu9Al4 – which were detected in several interface FIB cuts. The activation energy for the growth of the total IMC stack was found to be 1.26eV. The impact on bond strength was studied using ball shear test. The test results did not show a significant decrease in interface strength across the full experimental matrix even Al being fully consumed. Special procedures were applied to improve pad surface condition and wire bonding process parameters to get parallel and homogeneous IMC layer growth, and therefore reliable data.
To assess the role of the Janus kinase (Jak) family member Tyk2, we have generated
Tyk2
-/-
mice. In contrast to other Jaks, where inactivation leads to a complete loss of the respective cytokine ...receptor signal,
Tyk2
-/-
mice display reduced responses to IFNα/β and IL-12 and a selective deficiency in Stat3 activation in these pathways. Unexpectedly, IFNγ signaling is also impaired in
Tyk2
-/-
mice.
Tyk2
-/-
macrophages fail to produce nitric oxide upon lipopolysaccharide induction.
Tyk2
-/-
mice are unable to clear vaccinia virus and show a reduced T cell response after LCMV challenge. These data imply a selective contribution of Tyk2 to the signals triggered by various biological stimuli and cytokine receptors.
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•Simplified buckling-delamination model wrongly assumes negligible elastic mismatch.•Elastic mismatch influences modes I + II mixity through phase factor ω.•Real ω-value differs ...largely from original assumption for modern material systems.•Proper mode-mixity evaluation assures better experimental data analysis.
Modern electronics, micromechanical devices and applications demanding high reliability to weight or cost ratio consist of various combinations of multilayered thin films on rigid and compliant substrates, whereas the used materials can differ in their mechanical properties. In recent years, differences in the elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratios of such structures are becoming more pronounced. Therefore, a strong push to investigate interface stability with a more in-depth view on the elastic material properties mismatch influence is needed. Measurements of the adhesion of thin films on different substrate materials can be easily performed by the spontaneous buckling method described by Hutchinson and Suo. However, the original approach assumes several simplifications. One is to omit the changes of the influence of the elastic mismatch between the thin film and substrate on the basis of small variations in then-used materials, which is not true for modern materials combinations with vastly different elastic properties. The elastic mismatch on the interface between two different materials can be described by the Dundurs parameters. In this work, finite element modelling is combined with analytical solutions according to general description of the original model to extend the usability of the Hutchinson and Suo method for use with more different materials with higher accuracy. Obtained results point out the fact that disregarding the Dundurs parameters introduces significant errors in evaluating adhesion energy in relation to loading mode, proving the necessity to properly include elastic mismatch.
Tail breakage is an important anti-predator mechanism in snake populations, which can be used as a proxy for predation intensity as natural observations of predator-prey interactions are scarce. ...Frequency of tail breakage was calculated for two Iberian colubrids recently introduced in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean, Spain): the Horseshoe Whip Snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Eivissa and the Ladder Snake (Zamenis scalaris (Schinz, 1812)) in Formentera. The effect of sex, life stage, dorsal coloration pattern, body length, and body condition on frequency of tail breakage and on remaining subcaudal scale pairs were analyzed and compared between the indigenous range and the invaded islands. An increase of the frequency of tail breakage with body size was found, supporting a size-related effect, which also occurs in the indigenous range. Frequency of tail breakage of H. hippocrepis was lower in Eivissa when compared with the original area, whereas in Formentera, Z. scalaris showed a higher frequency, which could be related to the different predator community on each island compared with the mainland. The study of the main ecological aspects of these recently introduced species may allow one to assess their potential impact on insular ecosystems and their indigenous biodiversity, as well as to promote future control actions in these areas previously free of snakes.
Tail breakage is an important anti-predator mechanism in snake populations, which can be used as a proxy for predation intensity as natural observations of predator-prey interactions are scarce. ...Frequency of tail breakage was calculated for two Iberian colubrids recently introduced in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean, Spain): the Horseshoe Whip Snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Eivissa and the Ladder Snake (Zamenis scalaris (Schinz, 1812)) in Formentera. The effect of sex, life stage, dorsal coloration pattern, body length, and body condition on frequency of tail breakage and on remaining subcaudal scale pairs were analyzed and compared between the indigenous range and the invaded islands. An increase of the frequency of tail breakage with body size was found, supporting a size-related effect, which also occurs in the indigenous range. Frequency of tail breakage of H. hippocrepis was lower in Eivissa when compared with the original area, whereas in Formentera, Z. scalaris showed a higher frequency, which could be related to the different predator community on each island compared with the mainland. The study of the main ecological aspects of these recently introduced species may allow one to assess their potential impact on insular ecosystems and their indigenous biodiversity, as well as to promote future control actions in these areas previously free of snakes.
Abstract
Aim
We aimed to present an overview of changes in daily practice of primary PCI in relation to on the growing evidence in device and adjunctive pharmacologic therapy.
Methods and results
...Clinical outcomes, data on treatment as well as characteristics of 19,054 patients prospectively enrolled in a nation-wide registry of primary PCI between 2005 and 2018 were analysed. A year-by-year trend analysis was done to show the dynamic of changes following landmark trial publications and new guideline recommendations. Patient characteristics remained stable except a slight increase of patients needing resuscitation (from 8% to 12%) and treatment delays showed improvements over time. The prescription of new P2Y12 Inhibitors rapidly increased after approval in 2009. Femoral access was predominant in 2011 (over 90%) followed by a steady decrease to under 30% in 2018. The use of thrombus aspiration increased since 2008 with a maximum in 2013 followed by a decrease after publication of two negative randomised trials. Mortality was in average 6%.
Conclusion
Trial results and guideline recommendations had a strong impact on the practice of PPCI in this national registry. Despite improved treatments, the average in-hospital mortality of 6% indicates the necessity of continuous reassessment of treatment delays and other quality indicators to further improve patient outcome after STEMI.Changes over time
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