A brief history of primate research in the Ndoki forest.

The Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (NNNP) in Republic of Congo has become a beacon for conservation in Central Africa. This manuscript documents the arrival of primatologists, the establishment of field stations and major discoveries in primate behavior and ecology. Field stations were strategically established to study primate behavior in a variety of different contexts from stationary platforms to forest follows of habituated groups. The implementation of new technologies and analyses have also been a hallmark of research at Ndoki. Scientists are shaping a new era in primatology at NNNP by building on past successes and promoting the next generation of Congolese conservationists to address environmental challenges. Results have proven crucial in discussions with government and industry and led to conservation gains such as the inclusion of the intact forests of the Goualougo and Djéké Triangles into the NNNP. The research stations have also become essential for developing a long-term certified sustainable international gorilla tourism program. Despite the many advancements for conservation such as increased protection of forests, development of internationally recognized protocols and large-scale capacity building initiatives, there are reasons for considerable concern in the near- and long-term for primates and their forest habitats in the Ndoki landscape. To address these concerns, we emphasize the long history of forming partnerships with local communities. We also discuss shared overlap featuring multicultural and environmental use of forest resources that is likely to be crucial in championing the conservation of the Ndoki forests for the next 25 years and beyond.

Memory for rewards guides retrieval.

Rewards paid out for successful retrieval motivate the formation of long-term memory. However, it has been argued that the Motivated Learning Task does not measure reward effects on memory strength but decision-making during retrieval. We report three large-scale online experiments in healthy participants (N = 200, N = 205, N = 187) that inform this debate. In experiment 1, we found that explicit stimulus-reward associations formed during encoding influence response strategies at retrieval. In experiment 2, reward affected memory strength and decision-making strategies. In experiment 3, reward affected decision-making strategies only. These data support a theoretical framework that assumes that promised rewards not only increase memory strength, but additionally lead to the formation of stimulus-reward associations that influence decisions at retrieval.

Ectoparasites of the Critically Endangered Giant Shovelnose Ray Glaucostegus typus in the Eastern Indian Ocean, with a Summary of the Known Metazoan Parasites.

PURPOSE: This study examined the metazoan ectoparasites of the Critically Endangered giant shovelnose ray, Glaucostegus typus, in the eastern Indian Ocean. METHODS: We screened 186 G. typus for ectoparasites in four coastal regions of Western Australia between 2020 and 2022: the Pilbara Region, Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo Coast and Shark Bay. RESULTS: Five parasite taxa were encountered on 186 G. typus: Caligus furcisetifer (Copepoda: Caligidae), Dermopristis cairae (Monopisthocotyla: Microbothriidae), Branchellion plicobranchus and Stibarobdella macrothela (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae), and praniza larvae of unidentified gnathiid isopod/s (Isopoda: Gnathiidae). Two of these species, B. plicobranchus and S. macrothela, are reported for the first time on G. typus. Only C. furcisetifer and S. macrothela were relatively common, encountered on 31% and 40% of G. typus, respectively. Gnathiids were observed infrequently, encountered on 13% of G. typus, and D. cairae and B. plicobranchus were scarce, encountered on 1% and 2% of G. typus, respectively. Intensity of infection for C. furcisetifer and gnathiids increased with host length. Likelihood of infection varied seasonally for C. furcisetifer, being considerably lower in summer, and regionally for gnathiids, being greatest at Shark Bay. Intensity and likelihood of infection for S. macrothela increased with host length and varied regionally, being greatest at Shark Bay. CONCLUSION: These findings improve our understanding of the downstream impacts for dependent parasites that might arise should populations of G. typus continue to decline.

Long-term observations in the Ndoki forest resolve enduring questions about truffle foraging by western lowland gorillas.

While there is growing recognition of the importance of traditional knowledge in science, these perspectives remain underrepresented in research publications. However, the synthesis of these approaches has tremendous potential to improve our understanding of wildlife and ecosystems. Toward realizing this aim, we combined local traditional knowledge with molecular classification techniques to investigate "soil scratching" behavior in western lowland gorillas in two localities in Republic of Congo, the Goualougo Triangle and the Djéké Triangle. Daily observations of four gorilla groups for nearly a decade revealed that soil scratching is a foraging strategy to access a deer truffle species, identified here as Elaphomyces labyrinthinus. We also conducted group scans to calculate the time gorillas spent foraging for deer truffles and video focal observations to assess foraging efficiency. There was considerable variation in soil scratching across groups. It was most common in Buka's group, followed by Kingo's group and Mététélé's group. Truffle foraging was rarely observed in the Loya-Makassa group. While the overall distribution of deer truffles seemingly determines the occurrence of this behavior across populations, we found indications of social influences on soil scratching within populations. For example, an adult female transferred from a group in which the behavior was rare to another group where it is common and adjusted her frequencies of soil scratching to that of her new group. Finally, these findings were included in an ecological impact assessment of the Djéké Triangle that prompted conservation managers to shift the location of tourism-associated construction to safeguard this putative cultural behavior.

Institutional Conversion to Energy-Efficient Ultra-Low Freezers Decreases Carbon Footprint and Reduces Energy Costs.

Introduction: The storage of biospecimens is a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions and institutional energy costs. Energy-intensive ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers used for biospecimen storage are a significant source of carbon emissions. ENERGY STAR-certified ULT freezers have the potential to decrease the carbon footprint. Objective: Quantify the impact of an institutional-scale freezer conversion program on carbon emissions and energy costs. Methods: A ULT freezer energy use prediction model was developed to identify and replace the most inefficient freezers in the research building for this pilot, and eventually institution-wide. Multiple linear regression factors included the number of years of use, storage volume, and ENERGY STAR certification status. Electrical usage and carbon emissions were quantified before and after replacement with ENERGY STAR models. Logistical methods were developed to decrease the risks of exposure of frozen samples to ambient temperature during content transfers. Institution-wide energy costs were derived by converting electrical burden to electrical costs. Carbon footprint assessment from ULT freezer operation was computed using the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. Results: The pilot project revealed an annual reduction of 310,493 kilowatt hours of electrical usage, equivalent to 134 metric tons of carbon emissions. Annual electrical costs were reduced by $55,889 resulting in an 8-year payback on the initial investment. Using the pilot results, we modeled the benefit of the freezer exchange across the entire institution. The modeling predicted that conversion of the institution's remaining 1119 conventional ULT freezers to ENERGY STAR models would lower annual electrical usage by 7,911,549 kilowatt hours (3423 metric tons of carbon emissions), resulting in savings of over $1.4 million annually. Conclusion: Our methods make a large-scale initiative to replace energy-inefficient ULT freezers logistically possible, reduce carbon footprint, and demonstrate an attractive return on investment while proactively protecting valuable research materials.

Influence of Pd, Pt and Au nanoparticles in the photocatalytic performance of N-TiO2 support under visible light.

In this article, we report the modification and photocatalytic evaluation of commercial TiO2-P25 under visible light for methyl orange (MO) dye degradation under visible light. The activity of materials doped with N, Pd, Pt and Au on to the TiO2-P25 was evaluated, with optimal photocatalytic performance achieved using Au nanoparticles doped on an N-functionalized titania surface. X-ray diffraction (XRD), physical nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm curves, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to study the structural and textural properties of the samples. The chemical species present in the bulk and surface of the catalysts were identified using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and microwave plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. The results show that Au/N-TiO2 photocatalyst presents a remarkable enhanced activity for MO dye degradation, under visible light illumination, reaching 100% after 4 h. The enhanced photocatalytic activity using this composite is attributable to the well-dispersed and small size of Au nanoparticles, large surface area, reduction of band-gap energy and the interaction between nitrogen and Au which promoted a synergistic effect. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Green carbon for the chemical industry of the future'.

Biophysical and Solution Structure Analysis of Critical Residues Involved in the Interaction between the PupB N-Terminal Signaling Domain and PupR C-Terminal Cell Surface Signaling Domain from Pseudomonas capeferrum.

Cell surface signaling (CSS) is a means of rapidly adjusting transcription in response to extracellular stimuli in Gram-negative bacteria. The pseudobactin BN7/8 uptake (Pup) system not only imports iron but also upregulates its own transcription through CSS in Pseudomonas capeferrum. In the absence of ferric pseudobactin BN7/8, the signaling components are maintained in a resting state via the formation of a periplasmic complex between the N-terminal signaling domain (NTSD) of the outer membrane iron-transporter, PupB, and the C-terminal CSS domain (CCSSD) of the sigma regulator, PupR. The previously determined 1.6 Å crystal structure of this periplasmic complex has allowed us to probe the structural and thermodynamic consequences of mutating key interfacial residues. In this report, we describe the solution structure of the PupB NTSD and use Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, and Circular Dichroism spectroscopy together with thermal denaturation to investigate whether three PupB point mutations, Q69K, H72D, and L74A, influence the interaction merely due to the chemical nature of the amino acid substitution or also cause changes in overall protein structure. Our results demonstrate that binding to the PupR CCSSD does not alter the structure of PupB NTSD and that the individual mutations have only minor effects on structure. The mutations generally lower thermodynamic stability of the NTSD and weaken binding to the CCSSD. These findings validate the X-ray crystal structure interface, emphasizing the importance of amino acid chemical nature at the interface.

Rural-Urban mild cognitive impairment comparison in West Michigan through EHR.

INTRODUCTION: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a significant public health concern and a potential precursor to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study leverages electronic health record (EHR) data to explore rural-urban differences in MCI incidence, risk factors, and healthcare navigation in West Michigan. METHODS: Analysis was conducted on 1,528,464 patients from Corewell Health West, using face-to-face encounters between 1/1/2015 and 7/31/2022. MCI cases were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, focusing on patients aged 45+ without prior MCI, dementia, or AD diagnoses. Incidence rates, cumulative incidences, primary care physicians (PCPs), and neuropsychology referral outcomes were examined across rural and urban areas. Risk factors were evaluated through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The geographic distribution of patient counts, hospital locations, and neurology department referrals were examined. RESULTS: Among 423,592 patients, a higher MCI incidence rate was observed in urban settings compared to rural settings (3.83 vs. 3.22 per 1,000 person-years). However, sensitivity analysis revealed higher incidence rates in rural areas when including patients who progressed directly to dementia. Urban patients demonstrated higher rates of referrals to and completion of neurological services. While the risk factors for MCI were largely similar across urban and rural populations, urban-specific factors for incident MCI are hearing loss, inflammatory bowel disease, obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, being African American, and being underweight. Common risk factors include diabetes, intracranial injury, cerebrovascular disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, and increased age. Lower risk was associated with being female, having a higher body mass index, and having a higher diastolic blood pressure. DISCUSSION: This study highlights rural-urban differences in MCI incidence and access to care, suggesting potential underdiagnosis in rural areas likely due to reduced access to specialists. Future research should explore socioeconomic, environmental, and lifestyle determinants of MCI to refine prevention and management strategies across geographic settings. Highlights: Leveraged EHRs to explore rural-urban differences in MCI in West Michigan.Revealed a significant underdiagnosis of MCI, especially in rural areas.Observed lower rates of neurological referrals and completions for rural patients.Identified risk factors specific to rural and urban populations.

Generating luminescent Graphene quantum Dots from Tryptophan: Fluorosensors for hydrogen peroxide in cancer cells.

Herein, we report a single step synthesis of highly fluorescent Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) using tryptophan and glycerol as precursors via pyrolysis. The morphological and functional characterization of the prepared GQDs was performed using PXRD, FTIR, TEM, XPS and zeta potential measurements. The prepared GQDs found their practical application in ultrasensitive detection of an emerging potential cancer biomarker, H2O2, by exploiting the fluorescence quenching behaviour of H2O2. To evaluate the detection sensitivity, a series of various concentrations of H2O2 was spiked to biomatrices like, serum and MCF-7 (human breast cancer cell line) cell lysate medium. A remarkably low limit of detection (LOD) was found in serum medium (139.5 pM) which further improved in MCF-7 cell lysate medium (LOD 61.43 pM). Moreover, the sensing capacity of the GQDs was further validated in presence of various physiological variables such as glucose, cholesterol, insulin and nitrite. Sensing assay was also carried out in HaCaT (human keratinocyte cell line) cell lysate medium to compare the performance of our prepared sensor but the non-linearity of the F0/F versus H2O2 concentration plot pointed towards the conduciveness of the MCF-7 cell lysate medium for sensitive detection of H2O2.The mechanism behind the sensing was also explored using spectroscopic methods.

Interface Engineering of Water-Dispersible Near-Infrared-Emitting CuInZnS/ZnSe/ZnS Quantum Dots.

We report the synthesis of near-infrared (IR)-emitting core/shell/shell quantum dots of CuInZnS/ZnSe/ZnS and their phase transfer to water. The intermediate ZnSe shell was added to inhibit the migration of ions from the standard ZnS shell into the emitting core, which often leads to a blue shift in the emission profile. By engineering the interface between the core and terminal shell layer, the optical properties can be controlled, and emission was maintained in the near-IR region, making the materials attractive for biological applications. In addition, the hydrodynamic diameter of the particle was controlled using amphiphilic polymers.

Basin-scale study of CO2 storage in stacked sequence of geological formations.

Commercial scale decarbonization through carbon capture and storage may likely involve many CO2 storage projects located in close proximity. The close proximity could raise concerns over caprock integrity associated with reservoir pressure buildup and interference among adjacent projects. Commercial-scale injection will also require large prospective CO2 storage resource and high injectivity in the targeted storage formations. To accommodate the need for both large resource and high injectivity, project operators could consider injecting CO2 into a stacked sequence of formations. This analysis investigates the benefits of injecting CO2 into a vertically stacked sequence of saline formations, over injecting the same amount of CO2 into a single saline formation, in addressing these challenges. Our analysis shows that injecting into the stacked sequence mitigates the extent of pressure buildup among the stacked formations, while still achieving the same or greater target CO2 storage volumes. Among cases modeled, the resulting pressure buildup front is most reduced when each storage site distributes injection volumes over several wells, each of which injects a portion of the total CO2 mass across the stacked sequence. This favorable case not only results in the smallest CO2 aerial footprint, but also shows the largest reduction in the pressure buildup at the top of perforation at the injection wells (upwards of approximately 46% compared to the single-formation storage), the result of which is crucial to maintain caprock integrity. This analysis provides insights into required decision-making when considering multi-project deployment in a shared basin.

Blended e-learning and certification for medicines development professionals: results of a 7-year collaboration between King's College, London and the GMDP Academy, New York.

Introduction: The field of Medicines Development faces a continuous need for educational evolution to match the interdisciplinary and global nature of the pharmaceutical industry. This paper discusses the outcomes of a 7-year collaboration between King's College London and the Global Medicines Development Professionals (GMDP) Academy, which aimed to address this need through a blended e-learning program. Methods: The collaboration developed a comprehensive curriculum based on the PharmaTrain syllabus, delivered through a combination of asynchronous and synchronous e-learning methods. The program targeted a diverse range of professionals serving in areas related to Medical Affairs. Results: Over seven annual cohorts, 682 participants from eighty-six countries were enrolled in the program. The program's effectiveness was assessed using Kirkpatrick's model, showing elevated levels of satisfaction (over 4.0 on a five-point scale), suggesting significant gains in competence at the cognitive level and leveraged performance. Notably, 70% of responding alumni reported significant improvement in their functions, corroborated by 30% of their supervisors. The further long-term impact of the program on their respective organization has not been established. Discussion: The GMDP Academy's program has significantly contributed to life-long learning in Medicines Development, addressing educational gaps and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Its success highlights the importance of continuous education in keeping pace with the industry's evolving demands and underscores the potential of blended learning in achieving educational objectives in pharmaceutical medicine.

Insights into the nucleation and growth of BiOCl nanoparticles by in situ X-ray pair distribution function analysis and in situ liquid cell TEM.

The synthesis of bismuth oxyhalides as defined nanostructures is hindered by their fast nucleation and growth in aqueous solutions. Using our recently developed single-source precursor, the formation of bismuth oxychloride in such solutions can be slowed significantly. As reported herein, this advance enables BiOCl formation to be investigated by in situ X-ray total scattering and in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy. In situ pair distribution function analysis of X-ray total scattering data reveals the local order of atomic structures throughout the synthesis, while in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy allows for tracking the growth of individual nanoparticles. Through this work, the precursor complex is shown to give rise to BiOCl upon heating in solution without the observation of structurally distinct intermediates. The emerging nanoparticles have a widened interlayer spacing, which moderately decreases as the particles grow. Mechanistic insights into the formation of bismuth oxyhalide nanoparticles, including the absence of distinct intermediates within the available time resolution, will help facilitate future design of controlled BiOX nanostructures.

Developing the Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus consensus measures for assessment of supervised psilocybin services: An e-Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Voter initiatives in Oregon and Colorado authorize legal frameworks for supervised psilocybin services, but no measures monitor safety or outcomes. AIMS: To develop core measures of best practices. METHODS: A three-phase e-Delphi process recruited 36 experts with 5 or more years' experience facilitating psilocybin experiences in various contexts (e.g., ceremonial settings, indigenous practices, clinical trials), or other pertinent psilocybin expertise. Phase I, an on-line survey with qualitative, open-ended text responses, generated potential measures to assess processes, outcomes, and structure reflecting high quality psilocybin services. In Phase II, experts used seven-point Likert scales to rate the importance and feasibility of the Phase I measures. Measures were priority ranked. Qualitative interviews and analysis in Phase III refined top-rated measures. RESULTS: Experts (n = 36; 53% female; 71% white; 56% heterosexual) reported currently providing psilocybin services (64%) for a mean of 15.2 [SD 13.1] years, experience with indigenous psychedelic practices (67%), and/or conducting clinical trials (36%). Thematic analysis of Phase I responses yielded 55 candidate process measures (e.g., preparatory hours with client, total dose of psilocybin administered, documentation of touch/sexual boundaries), outcome measures (e.g., adverse events, well-being, anxiety/depression symptoms), and structure measures (e.g., facilitator training in trauma informed care, referral capacity for medical/psychiatric issues). In Phase II and III, experts prioritized a core set of 11 process, 11 outcome, and 17 structure measures that balanced importance and feasibility. CONCLUSION: Service providers and policy makers should consider standardizing core measures developed in this study to monitor the safety, quality, and outcomes of community-based psilocybin services.

α-Adrenergic regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been characterized by lower blood flow to exercising limbs and lower peak oxygen utilization ( V ̇ O 2 ${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ ), possibly associated with disease-related changes in sympathetic (α-adrenergic) signaling. Thus, in seven patients with HFpEF (70 ± 6 years, 3 female/4 male) and seven controls (CON) (66 ± 3 years, 3 female/4 male), we examined changes (%Δ) in leg blood flow (LBF, Doppler ultrasound) and leg V ̇ O 2 ${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ to intra-arterial infusion of phentolamine (PHEN, α-adrenergic antagonist) or phenylephrine (PE, α1-adrenergic agonist) at rest and during single-leg knee-extension exercise (0, 5 and 10 W). At rest, the PHEN-induced increase in LBF was not different between groups, but PE-induced reductions in LBF were lower in HFpEF (-16% ± 4% vs. -26% ± 5%, HFpEF vs. CON; P < 0.05). During exercise, the PHEN-induced increase in LBF was greater in HFpEF at 10 W (16% ± 8% vs. 8% ± 5%; P < 0.05). PHEN increased leg V ̇ O 2 ${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ in HFpEF (10% ± 3%, 11% ± 6%, 15% ± 7% at 0, 5 and 10 W; P < 0.05) but not in controls (-1% ± 9%, -4% ± 2%, -1% ± 5%; P = 0.24). The 'magnitude of sympatholysis' (PE-induced %Δ LBF at rest - PE-induced %Δ LBF during exercise) was lower in patients with HFpEF (-6% ± 4%, -6% ± 6%, -7% ± 5% vs. -13% ± 6%, -17% ± 5%, -20% ± 5% at 0, 5 and 10 W; P < 0.05) and was positively related to LBF, leg oxygen delivery, leg V ̇ O 2 ${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ , and the PHEN-induced increase in LBF (P < 0.05). Together, these data indicate that excessive α-adrenergic vasoconstriction restrains blood flow and limits V ̇ O 2 ${{\dot{V}}_{{{{\mathrm{O}}}_{\mathrm{2}}}}}$ of the exercising leg in patients with HFpEF, and is related to impaired functional sympatholysis in this patient group. KEY POINTS: Sympathetic (α-adrenergic)-mediated vasoconstriction is exaggerated during exercise in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which may contribute to limitations of blood flow, oxygen delivery and oxygen utilization in the exercising muscle. The ability to adequately attenuate α1-adrenergic vasoconstriction (i.e. functional sympatholysis) within the vasculature of the exercising muscle is impaired in patients with HFpEF. These observations extend our current understanding of HFpEF pathophysiology by implicating excessive α-adrenergic restraint and impaired functional sympatholysis as important contributors to disease-related impairments in exercising muscle blood flow and oxygen utilization in these patients.

Long-term climatic stability drives accumulation and maintenance of divergent freshwater fish lineages in a temperate biodiversity hotspot.

Anthropogenic climate change is forecast to drive regional climate disruption and instability across the globe. These impacts are likely to be exacerbated within biodiversity hotspots, both due to the greater potential for species loss but also to the possibility that endemic lineages might not have experienced significant climatic variation in the past, limiting their evolutionary potential to respond to rapid climate change. We assessed the role of climatic stability on the accumulation and persistence of lineages in an obligate freshwater fish group endemic to the southwest Western Australia (SWWA) biodiversity hotspot. Using 19,426 genomic (ddRAD-seq) markers and species distribution modelling, we explored the phylogeographic history of western (Nannoperca vittata) and little (Nannoperca pygmaea) pygmy perches, assessing population divergence and phylogenetic relationships, delimiting species and estimating changes in species distributions from the Pliocene to 2100. We identified two deep phylogroups comprising three divergent clusters, which showed no historical connectivity since the Pliocene. We conservatively suggest these represent three isolated species with additional intraspecific structure within one widespread species. All lineages showed long-term patterns of isolation and persistence owing to climatic stability but with significant range contractions likely under future climate change. Our results highlighted the role of climatic stability in allowing the persistence of isolated lineages in the SWWA. This biodiversity hotspot is under compounding threat from ongoing climate change and habitat modification, which may further threaten previously undetected cryptic diversity across the region.

Induction of tauopathy in a mouse model of amyloidosis using intravenous administration of adeno-associated virus vectors expressing human P301L tau.

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease in which extracellular aggregates of the amyloid beta (Aß) peptide precede widespread intracellular inclusions of the microtubule-associated protein tau. The autosomal dominant form of AD requires mutations that increase production or aggregation of the Aß peptide. This has led to the hypothesis that amyloid deposition initiates downstream responses that lead to the hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau. METHODS: Here we use a novel approach, somatic gene transfer via intravenous adeno-associated virus (AAV), to further explore the effects of pre-existing amyloid deposits on tauopathy. APP+PS1 mice, which develop amyloid deposits at 3 to 6 months of age, and non-transgenic littermates were injected at 8 months of age intravenously with AAV-PHP.eB encoding P301L human tau. Tissue was collected at 13 months and tauopathy was assessed. RESULTS: Total human tau expression was observed to be relatively uniform throughout the brain, reflecting the vascular route of AAV administration. Phospho-tau deposition was not equal across brain regions and significantly increased in APP+PS1 mice compared to non-transgenic controls. Interestingly, the rank order of phospho-tau deposition of affected brain regions in both genotypes paralleled the rank order of amyloid plaque deposits in APP+PS1 mice. We also observed significantly increased MAPT RNA expression in APP+PS1 mice compared to non-transgenic despite equal AAV transduction efficiency between groups. DISCUSSION: This model has advantages over prior approaches with widespread uniform human tau expression throughout the brain and the ability to specify the stage of amyloidosis when the tau pathology is initiated. These data add further support to the amyloid cascade hypothesis and suggest RNA metabolism as a potential mechanism for amyloid-induced tauopathy.

Ectoparasites of the Critically Endangered green sawfish Pristis zijsron and sympatric elasmobranchs in Western Australia.

This study reports the metazoan ectoparasite fauna of juvenile Critically Endangered green sawfish, Pristis zijsron, and sympatric elasmobranchs in Western Australia. Five parasite taxa were found on 76 screened P. zijsron: Caligus furcisetifer (Copepoda: Caligidae), Dermopristis pterophila (Monogenea: Microbothriidae), Branchellion plicobranchus and Stibarobdella macrothela (Hirudinea: Piscicolidae), and praniza larvae of an unidentified gnathiid isopod. Only C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila were common, exhibiting discrepant site-specificity, with C. furcisetifer occurring mostly on the head and rostrum, and D. pterophila around the pectoral and pelvic fins. Intensity of infection for C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila increased with host total length and was influenced by host sex, but in opposite directions; intensity of C. furcisetifer was greater on female P. zijsron, whereas intensity of D. pterophila was greater on males. In the Ashburton River, likelihood of infection for C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila on P. zijsron increased with time since substantial freshwater discharge events, suggesting decreased salinity impacts both taxa. In addition to P. zijsron, five other sympatric elasmobranch species were opportunistically screened for ectoparasites in the study area: the giant shovelnose ray, Glaucostegus typus, the eyebrow wedgefish, Rhynchobatus palpebratus, the nervous shark, Carcharhinus cautus, the lemon shark, Negaprion acutidens, and the graceful shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides. Caligus furcisetifer was found on R. palpebratus; no other parasites of P. zijsron were found on other sympatric elasmobranch species. Conversely, Perissopus dentatus (Copepoda: Pandaridae) was found on all three carcharhinids but not on batoid rays (P. zijsron, G. typus or R. palpebratus).