A worldwide perspective on large carnivore attacks on humans.

Large carnivores have long fascinated human societies and have profound influences on ecosystems. However, their conservation represents one of the greatest challenges of our time, particularly where attacks on humans occur. Where human recreational and/or livelihood activities overlap with large carnivore ranges, conflicts can become particularly serious. Two different scenarios are responsible for such overlap: In some regions of the world, increasing human populations lead to extended encroachment into large carnivore ranges, which are subject to increasing contraction, fragmentation, and degradation. In other regions, human and large carnivore populations are expanding, thus exacerbating conflicts, especially in those areas where these species were extirpated and are now returning. We thus face the problem of learning how to live with species that can pose serious threats to humans. We collected a total of 5,440 large carnivore (Felidae, Canidae, and Ursidae; 12 species) attacks worldwide between 1950 and 2019. The number of reported attacks increased over time, especially in lower-income countries. Most attacks (68%) resulted in human injuries, whereas 32% were fatal. Although attack scenarios varied greatly within and among species, as well as in different areas of the world, factors triggering large carnivore attacks on humans largely depend on the socioeconomic context, with people being at risk mainly during recreational activities in high-income countries and during livelihood activities in low-income countries. The specific combination of local socioeconomic and ecological factors is thus a risky mix triggering large carnivore attacks on humans, whose circumstances and frequencies cannot only be ascribed to the animal species. This also implies that effective measures to reduce large carnivore attacks must also consider the diverse local ecological and social contexts.

Predictive value of EGFR mutation in non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with platinum doublet postoperative chemotherapy.

The mutation status of tumor tissue DNA (n = 389) of resected stage II-III non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (Ns-NSCLC) was analyzed using targeted deep sequencing as an exploratory biomarker study (JIPANG-TR) for the JIPANG study, a randomized phase III study of pemetrexed/cisplatin (Pem/Cis) vs vinorelbine/cisplatin (Vnr/Cis). The TP53 mutation, common EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion and L858R), and KRAS mutations were frequently detected. The frequency of the EGFR mutation was significant among female patients. Patients with an EGFR mutation-positive status had a significantly shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) time (24 mo vs not reached) (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.22-2.21; P = .0011 for EGFR mutation status). Multivariable analysis identified both the pathological stage and EGFR mutation status as independent prognostic factors for RFS (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.30-2.44; P = .0003 for disease stage; and HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.15-2.16; P = .0050 for EGFR mutation status). This study demonstrated that the EGFR mutation has either a poor prognostic or predictive impact on a poor response to postoperative chemotherapy with platinum doublet chemotherapy for stage II-III Ns-NSCLC patients. This result supports a role for mandatory molecular diagnosis of early-stage Ns-NSCLC for precision oncology and signifies the importance of adjuvant for the 3rd generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor rather than platinum-based chemotherapy. This study is registered with the UMIN Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN 000012237).

A prospective observational study of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer in elderly patients (≥ 75 years).

BACKGROUND: To examine the effects of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for elderly (≥ 75 years of age) patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we conducted a multi-institutional and prospective observational study. METHODS: Patients were recruited between January 2014 and December 2017, and assigned to two cohort groups based on the patients' choice either to receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (Cohort B) or not (Cohort A). All the patients were observed for 2 years after enrollment. The primary endpoint was the postoperative change of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) at 2 years. The secondary endpoints were postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) at 2 years, and the completion rate of the adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-two patients were enrolled (Cohort A, n = 225; Cohort B, n = 47). At any time point after surgery, no marked difference of KPS was observed between Cohort B and Cohort A. The RFS at 2 years was 70.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64.3-76.4) in Cohort A and 76.0% (95% CI 60.8-85.9) in Cohort B. The OS at 2 years was 85.9% (95% CI 80.4-89.9) in Cohort A and 89.1% (95% CI 75.8-95.3) in Cohort B. The completion rate of planned chemotherapy was 49.9% (95% CI 34.1-63.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The elderly patients were not likely to choose to receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy; however, no significant adverse effect on postoperative KPS was identified. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Registration ID: UMIN000020736.

Tumor mutation burden as a biomarker for lung cancer patients treated with pemetrexed and cisplatin (the JIPANG-TR).

The JIPANG study is a randomized phase III study of pemetrexed/cisplatin (Pem/Cis) versus vinorelbine/cisplatin (Vnr/Cis) for completely resected stage II-IIIA non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (Ns-NSCLC). This study did not meet the primary endpoint (recurrence-free survival, RFS) but Pem/Cis had a similar efficacy to Vnr/Cis with a better tolerability. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is thought to have a predictive value of immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, the relevance of TMB to cytotoxic chemotherapy remains unknown. This exploratory study investigates the relationship between tumor mutation profiles and clinical outcome of Pem/Cis. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues (n = 389) were obtained from the patients. Mutation status of tissue DNA was analyzed by targeted deep sequencing. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations were detected frequently in Ns-NSCLC (139/374). Patients without any EGFR mutations experienced longer RFS in the Pem/Cis arm versus Vnr/Cis arms. Pem/Cis in patients with high TMB (≥12-16 mut/Mb) tended to have improved survival. In patients with wild-type EGFR, TMB ≥ 12 mut/Mb was significantly associated with improved RFS with Pem/Cis versus Vnr/Cis (not reached vs 52.5 months; hazard ratio (HR) 0.477). It could be proposed that TMB was predictive of RFS benefit with Pem/Cis versus Vnr/Cis in Ns-NSCLC. Further investigation is required to determine whether TMB combined with EGFR mutation status could be used as a predictive biomarker.

Associations between plasma testosterone levels and season, nutritional status, age, and body size in free-ranging male Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in central Honshu, Japan.

Testosterone is an important regulator of male reproduction in terms of spermatogenesis and physiological changes in the accessory reproductive organs. Despite the important role of the testosterone level in male reproduction, testosterone levels vary among male bears even during the breeding season, and the causative underlying factors remain unknown. We postulated that testosterone levels are higher during the breeding season than during other seasons in free-ranging male bears, and that testosterone levels increase with advancing age, larger body size, and better nutritional status. We assessed potential factors (season, time of sampling, body condition index, head circumference, and age) associated with the testosterone level in 80 blood samples collected from free-ranging Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) captured in barrel traps in the Ashio-Nikko Mountains and Okutama Mountains in central Honshu Island, Japan. The plasma testosterone level was higher during the breeding season (May-July) than during the non-breeding season (August-November). The body condition index was significantly and positively associated with the plasma testosterone level. None of the other factors were significantly associated with the plasma testosterone level. Therefore, the body condition index may be essential for maintaining high plasma testosterone levels. These findings imply that testosterone secretion might be activated in free-ranging males during the breeding season, and animals with good nutritional status may be able to maintain high plasma testosterone levels. This study uncovered an association between nutritional conditions and reproductive activity in male bears.

Histamine Production Behaviors of a Psychrotolerant Histamine-Producer, Morganella psychrotolerans, in Various Environmental Conditions.

Histamine food poisoning is a major safety concern related to seafood consumption worldwide. Morganella psychrotolerans is a novel psychrotolerant histamine-producer. In this study, the histamine production behaviors of M. psychrotolerans and two other major histamine-producers, mesophilic Morganella morganii and psychrotrophic Photobacterium phosphoreum, were compared in seafood products, and histamine accumulation by M. psychrotolerans was characterized at various pH and temperature levels in culture broth. The growth of M. psychrotolerans and P. phosphoreum increased similarly at 4 °C in canned tuna, but M. psychrotolerans produced much higher levels of histamine than P. phosphoreum. Histamine accumulation by M. psychrotolerans was induced at lower environmental pH condition at 4 and 20 °C. The optimal temperature and pH for producing histamine by crude histidine decarboxylase of M. psychrotolerans were 30 °C and pH 7, respectively. The activity of the crude HDC extracted from M. psychrotolerans cells at 10 °C retained 45% of the activity at 30 °C. Histidine decarboxylase gene expression of M. psychrotolerans was induced by low pH conditions. These results suggest that M. psychrotolerans are also a very important histamine-producer leading to histamine poisoning associated with seafood below the refrigeration temperature.

Molecular detection of apicomplexan protozoa in Hokkaido brown bears (Ursus arctos yesoensis) and Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus).

Many tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are present in wildlife. The objective of this study is to reveal the role of wild bears in maintaining TBPs. A total of 49 brown bears (Ursus arctos yesoensis) from Hokkaido, and 18 Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) from Tochigi, and 66 Japanese black bears from Nagano were examined by two molecular methods, reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization, and nested PCR. A total of 5 TBPs (Hepatozoon ursi, Babesia sp. UR2-like group, Cytauxzoon sp. UR1, Babesia sp. UR1, and Babesia microti) were detected from bear blood DNA samples. B. microti was detected from blood DNA samples of Japanese black bear for the first time, with the prevalence of 6.0% (5/84). Out of detected pathogens, H. ursi, Babesia sp. UR2-like pathogens, and Cytauxzoon sp. UR1 were considered as three of the most prevalent TBPs in bears. The prevalence of H. ursi were significantly higher in Japanese black bear (0% vs 96.4%) while that of Babesia sp. UR2-like group was higher in Hokkaido brown bears (89.8% vs 40.5%). The prevalence of Babesia sp. UR1 were significantly higher in Japanese black bears from Tochigi (44.4%), comparing with those from Nagano (18.2%). The prevalence of the detected TBPs were significantly higher in adult bears, comparing with those in younger bears. The present study suggests that Japanese bear species contribute in the transmission of several TBPs in Japan. The expanding distribution of bears might cause the accidental transmission of TBPs to humans and domestic animals.

Heart rate during hyperphagia differs between two bear species.

Hyperphagia is a critical part of the yearly cycle of bears when they gain fat reserves before entering hibernation. We used heart rate as a proxy to compare the metabolic rate between the Asian black bear ( Ursus thibetanus) in Japan and the Eurasian brown bear ( Ursus arctos) in Sweden from summer into hibernation. In the hyperphagic period, black bears feed on fat- and carbohydrate-rich hard masts whereas brown bears feed on sugar-rich berries. Availability of hard masts has quantitative and spatial annual fluctuations, which might require increased activity and result in intraspecific stress. Using generalized additive mixed models we analysed the differences in heart rate between the two species. Black bears had decreased heart rates during summer but had doubled heart rate values throughout the hyperphagic period compared to brown bears. This letter illustrates the different physiological consequences of seasonal differences in food availability in two species of the same genus dealing with the same phenological challenge.

Metabolic derangements and reduced survival of bile-extracted Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus).

BACKGROUND: Across China and Southeast Asia, an estimated 17,000 bears are currently farmed for bile, primarily for traditional medicines. Depending on country, bile is extracted daily via transabdominal gallbladder fistulas, indwelling catheters, or needle aspiration. Despite claims that bears do not develop adverse effects from bile extraction, health issues identified in bears removed from bile farms include bile-extraction site infections, abdominal hernias, peritonitis, cholecystitis, hepatic neoplasia, cardiac disease, skeletal abnormalities, and abnormal behaviors. We present a comprehensive assessment of the effects of bile farming by comparing serum biochemical and hematological values of bears from farms that were bile-extracted (BE) and bears from farms not bile-extracted (FNE) with bears from non-farm captive (ZOO) and free-range (FR) environments. We hypothesized BE bears would have significant laboratory abnormalities compared to all non-extracted bear groups. We also hypothesized BE bears would have reduced long-term survival compared to FNE bears despite removal from farms. RESULTS: BE bears exhibited the highest values and greatest variation (on a population level) in laboratory parameters compared to all non-extracted bear groups particularly for alanine transaminase, gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine (CREA), and total white blood cell count. Significant differences were detected between bear groups when accounting for season, sex, and/or age. BE bears exhibited greater mean serum GGT compared to all non-extracted bear groups, and the odds of having elevated TBIL were 7.3 times greater for BE bears, consistent with hepatobiliary disease. Biochemical parameter elevations in BE bears persisted up to 14 years post-rescue, consistent with long-term effects of bile-extraction. BE bears that arrived with elevated CREA and ALKP had median survival times of 1 and 4 years respectively, and regardless of laboratory abnormalities, BE bears had significantly shorter survival times compared to FNE bears. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide strong evidence that bile extraction practices not only represent a temporary constraint for bears' welfare, but confer distinct long-term adverse health consequences. Routine laboratory panels may be insensitive to detect the extent of underlying illness in BE bears as these bears have significantly reduced survival regardless of biochemical assessment compared to FNE bears.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Marine Algae against Dental Plaque Bacteria.

Dental plaque biofilms cause various dental diseases; therefore, inhibiting the growths of the dental plaque bacteria which produce biofilms can be a strategy for preventing dental disease. Certain sulfated polysaccharides from marine algae exert antimicrobial activities against human bacterial pathogens in addition to their physiological benefits. On the basis of these observations, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of sulfated polysaccharides from different marine algae were evaluated against dental plaque bacteria. Among the sulfated polysaccharides, a fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus showed notable antimicrobial activities against the selected dental plaque bacteria, including some foodborne pathogenic bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were of 125 to 1000 µg mL-1. Regarding the antibiofilm activity, the fucoidan at the concentrations of above 250 µg mL-1 completely suppressed the biofilm formations and planktonic cell growths of Streptococcus mutans and S. sobrinus. However, no eliminative effect on the completed biofilm was observed. The fucoidan consisted of almost fucose base polysaccharide containing approximately 14.0% sulfate content. The average molecular weight of the fucoidan was changed by heat treatment (121 °C for 15 min) and it affected the antimicrobial activity.

The prognostic impact of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema in patients with clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the long-term outcomes of clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) who underwent lobectomy. METHODS: We reviewed the chest computed tomography (CT) findings and divided the patients into normal, fibrosis, emphysema and CPFE groups. We evaluated the relationships among the CT findings, the clinicopathological findings and postoperative survival. RESULTS: The patients were classified into the following groups based on the preoperative chest CT findings: normal lung, n = 187; emphysema, n = 62; fibrosis, n = 8; and CPFE, n = 17. The patients with CPFE were significantly older, more likely to be men and smokers, had a higher KL-6 level and lower FEV 1.0% value and had a higher rate of squamous cell carcinoma. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival rates were as follows: normal group, 82.5 and 76.8%; emphysema group, 80.0 and 74.9%; fibrosis group, 46.9 and 50%; and CPFE group, 36.9 and 27.9%, respectively (p < 0.01). A univariate and multivariate analysis determined that the pathological stage and CT findings were associated with OS. CONCLUSIONS: CPFE is a significantly unfavorable prognostic factor after lobectomy, even in early-stage NSCLC patients with a preserved lung function.

Osimertinib reactivated immune-related colitis after treatment with anti-PD1 antibody for non-small cell lung cancer.

We reported a case of relapsing immune-related colitis (initially caused by nivolumab) following osimertinib therapy for lung adenocarcinoma. A 45-year-old female who had never smoked was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the lung and underwent surgical resection. Four years after surgical resection, she was diagnosed with recurrent disease and was eventually treated with nivolumab as third-line therapy. One month after the completion of nivolumab therapy, the patient reported abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea. We diagnosed immune-related colitis and started oral prednisolone. However, the steroid therapy was ineffective, so the patient was administered infliximab and an increased dose of prednisolone. Her symptoms subsequently resolved, and her mucosal lesions improved. Six months after the last administration of nivolumab, osimertinib was initiated as fourth-line therapy, but 3 days later, the patient developed blood in the stool and frequent diarrhea. Osimertinib treatment was discontinued, given the possibility that it had reactivated the patient's immune-related colitis. We subsequently re-administered oral prednisolone (2 mg/kg/day), and the colitis resolved within a few weeks.

Contribution of intracellular negative ion capacity to Donnan effect across the membrane in alkaliphilic Bacillus spp.

To elucidate the energy production mechanism of alkaliphiles, the relationship between the H(+) extrusion rate by the respiratory chain and the corresponding ATP synthesis rate was determined in the facultative alkaliphile Bacillus cohnii YN-2000 and compared with those in the obligate alkaliphile Bacillus clarkii DSM 8720(T) and the neutralophile Bacillus subtilis IAM 1026. Under high aeration condition, much higher ATP synthesis rates and larger Δψ in the alkaliphilic Bacillus spp. grown at pH 10 than those in the neutralophilic B. subtilis grown at pH 7 were observed. This high ATP productivity could be attributed to the larger Δψ in alkaliphiles than in B. subtilis because the H(+) extrusion rate in alkaliphiles cannot account for the high ATP productivity. However, the large Δψ in the alkaliphiles could not be explained only by the H(+) translocation rate in the respiratory chain in alkaliphiles. There is a possibility that the Donnan effect across the membrane has the potential to contribute to the large Δψ. To estimate the contribution of the Donnan effect to the large Δψ in alkaliphilic Bacillus spp. grown at pH 10, intracellular negative ion capacity was examined. The intracellular negative ion capacities in alkaliphiles grown at pH 10 under high aeration condition corresponding to their intracellular pH (pH 8.1) were much higher than those in alkaliphiles grown under low aeration condition. A proportional relationship is revealed between the negative ion capacity and Δψ in alkaliphiles grown under different aeration conditions. This relationship strongly suggests that the intracellular negative ion capacity contributes to the formation of Δψ through the Donnan effect in alkaliphilic Bacillus spp. grown at pH 10.

Clinicopathological Features and Outcome of Lung Cancer Patients with Hematological Malignancy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to report the incidence of lung cancer in patients with hematological malignancy (HM), as well as patient characteristics and outcome. METHODS: We investigated 1503 consecutive patients treated for HM and 1208 patients who underwent surgical resection for lung cancer. RESULTS: Lung cancer with HM was observed in 12 patients (0.8 % of HM cases and 1.0 % of lung cancer cases), including eight men who were smokers and four women who had never smoked. The average Brinkman index was 1010, which suggested heavy smokers. In synchronous cases, all four patients preceded to HM treatment; however, three patients died from HM. In metachronous cases, during a mean 52.7 months after treatment of lung cancer, three patients had HM. At a mean 41.4 months after HM treatment, five patients had lung cancer and underwent surgery without serious postoperative events. CONCLUSIONS: A second cancer tended to be detected within 5 years after treatment of the first cancer. Men with a history of heavy smoking might be at risk for combined lung cancer and HM. Careful follow-up is recommended within 5 years after treatment of the first cancer. Most lung cancer detected synchronously with HM had poor prognosis. In metachronous cases, surgical resection of lung cancer after treatment of HM was feasible and safe.

Diaphragmatic hernia caused by heterotopic endometriosis in Chilaiditi syndrome: report of a case.

A 50-year-old Japanese female was admitted to our hospital because of ileus due to Chilaiditi syndrome. Her symptoms did not improve with conservative therapy, so chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT) was performed on the fifth day after hospital admission. A diagnosis of incarceration of a right diaphragmatic hernia was established in the coronal view of CT, and emergency surgery was performed. A dilated loop of small intestine was seen in the right thoracic cavity, which was strangulated by the 2-cm defect in the diaphragm. Primary closure of the diaphragm was performed. Approximately 80 cm of the terminal ileum showed obvious ischemic changes, and it was cut and reconstructed. Postoperatively, the patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged on the 15th postoperative day. A histological examination of the specimen of the diaphragm around the hernia orifice showed the presence of a small cystiform glandular system with hemorrhage and congestion. These findings indicated that heterotopic endometriosis was present in the diaphragm. This report describes the first known case of right diaphragmatic hernia secondary to heterotopic endometriosis in a patient with Chilaiditi syndrome. The clinical course and management of affected patients and a literature review of these three unusual conditions are discussed.

Increase of bone morphogenetic protein-7 expressing pulmonary resident cells in pneumonectomized rats.

PURPOSE: Compensatory lung growth (CLG) is recognized in rodents subjected to major pulmonary resection; however, the source of cells constituting regenerated tissues during the CLG is still unknown. We investigated the differentiation of lung resident cells and the participation of bone marrow (BM)-derived cells in the remnant lung of pneumonectomized rats. METHODS: After left pneumonectomy, the right remnant lung of Wistar rats was subjected to morphologic and molecular experiments at several time points. We studied the expression of bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP-7), an accelerator of epithelial differentiation, based on the gene expression profile data of the remnant lung. Next, we evaluated the presence of GFP-positive cells in the remnant lung of Wistar rats that had received BM transplantation from green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene-transgenic Wistar rats prior to left pneumonectomy. RESULTS: We observed progression of emphysematous change, modulation of gene expression profile, and proliferating cellular nuclear antigen-positive cells in the alveoli of the remnant lungs. BMP-7 protein positive cells were detected in the alveolar septa, which increased significantly over time with the progression of emphysematous change. No bone marrow-derived cells were detected in the right remnant lung of the GFP-BM transferred rats by fluorescence microscopy, immunohistochemistry, or polymerase chain reaction at any time. CONCLUSION: Lung resident cells appear to contribute to CLG, possibly via a trans-differentiation pathway.

Removal of a Metallic Stent after 9 Years of Placement That Caused Tracheal Stenosis: A Rare Case Report.

Introduction: Metallic stents are widely used to prevent airway obstruction for tracheal stenosis caused by malignant diseases. Although their efficacy has been recognized, there is no established evidence surrounding their long-term safety. We report a case of airway stenosis caused by a metallic tracheal stent. Removal of the stent to secure the airway was difficult and extremely complicated. Case Presentation: A 50-year-old male suffering from dyspnea caused by malignant lymphoma (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) of the thyroid gland was treated with a metallic tracheal stent. After remission of the lymphoma, stenosis of the stent lumen developed gradually, and the patient complained of dyspnea. Tracheostomy could not be performed due to the metallic stent. Since the patient was unable to intubate, the stent was removed under general anesthesia with partial percutaneous cardiopulmonary support 9 years after the stent placement. Conclusion: Otolaryngologists should be aware of the possibility of severe stenosis following the long-term placement of a metallic tracheal stent.

Comparing information derived on food habits of a terrestrial carnivore between animal-borne video systems and fecal analyses methods.

In recent years, animal-borne video cameras have been used to identify the food habits of many species. However, the usefulness and difficulties of identifying food habits from animal-borne video cameras have not been sufficiently discussed in terrestrial mammals, especially large omnivores. The aim of this study is to compare the video analysis of foraging behavior by Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) acquired by camera collars with estimates from fecal analysis. We attached GPS collars equipped with video cameras to four adult Asian black bears in the Okutama mountains in central Japan from May to July 2018 and analyzed video clips for foraging behavior. Simultaneously, we collected bear feces in the same area to determine food habits. We found that using video analyses was advantageous to recognize foods, such as leaves or mammals, that were physically crushed or destroyed while bears chewed and digested foods, which are difficult to identify to species using fecal analyses. On the other hand, we found that camera collars are less likely to record food items that are infrequently or quickly ingested. Additionally, food items with a low frequency of occurrence and short foraging time per feeding were less likely to be detected when we increased the time between recorded clips. As one of the first applications of the video analysis method for bears, our study shows that video analysis can be an important method for revealing individual differences in diet. Although video analysis may have limitations for understanding the general foraging behavior of Asian black bears at the present stage, the accuracy of food habit data from camera collars can be improved by using it in combination with established techniques such as microscale behavior analyses.

Prognostic Impact of Central Nervous System Recurrence After Surgery in Patients With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation-positive Non-small-cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Adjuvant therapy using third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) demonstrated improved central nervous system (CNS) disease-free survival after surgery in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive lung cancer. However, the prognostic impact of CNS recurrence in surgical patients remains unknown. We evaluated the effect of CNS recurrence on post-recurrence survival (PRS) in patients with postoperatively recurrent NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed the prognostic impact of CNS recurrence using a cohort from a prospective observational study (Kyushu University Lung Surgery Group Study 2: KLSS-2). Based on data from 340 patients in whom EGFR mutations were assessed among 498 total patients in the KLSS-2 cohort, factors related to CNS recurrence and prognosis after postoperative recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: We noted no marked differences in the presence of EGFR mutations (p=0.14) between patients with CNS recurrence and those without CNS recurrence. Among the patients tested for EGFR mutations with stage IV recurrences (n=219), survival analysis of patients with EGFR mutations showed that the CNS group had a significantly poorer PRS than the no-CNS group (MST: 36.8 vs. 43.9 months, p=0.035). In multivariate survival analysis of stage IV EGFR mutation-positive cases, recurrence in multiple organs and recurrence of brain metastases were independent poor prognostic factors (hazard ratio=2.2, p=0.029; hazard ratio=3.2, p=0.0006, respectively). CONCLUSION: Postoperative CNS recurrence was associated with a poor prognosis among patients with EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer in the period when third-generation EGFR-TKIs were not available. In EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer, prevention of CNS recurrence after surgery may improve post-recurrence prognosis.

Timing and distance of natal dispersal in Asian black bears.

Dispersal has important implications for population ecology and genetics of a species through redistribution of individuals. In most mammals, males leave their natal area before they reach sexual maturity, whereas females are commonly philopatric. Here, we investigate the patterns of natal dispersal in the Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) based on data from 550 bears (378 males, 172 females) captured or removed in Gunma and Tochigi prefectures on central Honshu Island, Japan in 2003-2018. We used genetic data and parentage analysis to investigate sex-biased differences in the distance of natal dispersal. We further investigated the age of dispersal using spatial autocorrelation analysis, that is, the change in the correlation between genetic and geographic distances in each sex and age group. Our results revealed that male dispersal distances (mean ± SE = 17.4 ± 3.5 km) were significantly farther than female distances (4.8 ± 1.7 km), and the results were not affected by years of mast failures, a prominent forage source for this population. Based on an average adult female home range radius of 1.8 km, 96% of the males and 50% of the females dispersed. In the spatial autocorrelation analysis, the changes in the relationship between genetic and geographic distances were more pronounced in males compared to females. Males seem to mostly disperse at age 3 regardless of mast productivity, and they gradually disperse far from their home range, but young and inexperienced males may return to their natal home range in years with poor food conditions. The results suggest that factors driving the dispersal process seem to be population structure-based instead of forage availability-based. In females, a significant genetic relationship was observed among all individuals in the group with a minimum age of 6 years within a distance of 2 km, which resulted in the formation of matrilineal assemblages.