Estimating deer density and abundance using spatial mark-resight models with camera trap data.

Globally, many wild deer populations are actively studied or managed for conservation, hunting, or damage mitigation purposes. These studies require reliable estimates of population state parameters, such as density or abundance, with a level of precision that is fit for purpose. Such estimates can be difficult to attain for many populations that occur in situations that are poorly suited to common survey methods. We evaluated the utility of combining camera trap survey data, in which a small proportion of the sample is individually recognizable using natural markings, with spatial mark-resight (SMR) models to estimate deer density in a variety of situations. We surveyed 13 deer populations comprising four deer species (Cervus unicolor, C. timorensis, C. elaphus, Dama dama) at nine widely separated sites, and used Bayesian SMR models to estimate population densities and abundances. Twelve surveys provided sufficient data for analysis and seven produced density estimates with coefficients of variation (CVs) ≤ 0.25. Estimated densities ranged from 0.3 to 24.6 deer km-2. Camera trap surveys and SMR models provided a powerful and flexible approach for estimating deer densities in populations in which many detections were not individually identifiable, and they should provide useful density estimates under a wide range of conditions that are not amenable to more widely used methods. In the absence of specific local information on deer detectability and movement patterns, we recommend that at least 30 cameras be spaced at 500-1,000 m and set for 90 days. This approach could also be applied to large mammals other than deer.

The effects of bioavailable gluconate chelated stannous fluoride dentifrice on gingival bleeding: Meta-analysis of eighteen randomized controlled trials.

AIM: To estimate gingivitis effects of a bioavailable gluconate chelated 0.454% stannous fluoride (SnF2 ) family of dentifrices in adult subjects versus positive (triclosan) and negative (NaF or MFP) controls when used ≤3 months. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A meta-analysis evaluated bioavailable gluconate chelated SnF2 dentifrices versus a negative or positive control for gingival bleeding. RESULTS: In 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 2,890 subjects assessing SnF2 paste versus a negative or positive control, the average number of bleeding sites was reduced by 51% and 31%, respectively. The average change (95% CI) in number of bleeding sites was -16.3 (-27.8, -4.9) versus the negative control and -3.6 (-5.4, -1.8) versus the positive control. Subjects with localized or generalized gingivitis had 3.7 times better odds (95% CI [2.8, 5.0]) of shifting to generally healthy using SnF2 versus a negative control and 2.8 times better odds (95% CI [2.1, 3.9]) of shifting to generally healthy using SnF2 versus a positive control. The individual study risk of bias was deemed to be low in all categories of bias. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrates significant gingivitis benefits of bioavailable SnF2 dentifrices when used ≤3 months versus positive (triclosan) and negative (NaF or MFP) controls.

Prefrontal rTMS for treating depression: location and intensity results from the OPT-TMS multi-site clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Motor cortex localization and motor threshold determination often guide Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) placement and intensity settings for non-motor brain stimulation. However, anatomic variability results in variability of placement and effective intensity. OBJECTIVE: Post-study analysis of the OPT-TMS Study reviewed both the final positioning and the effective intensity of stimulation (accounting for relative prefrontal scalp-cortex distances). METHODS: We acquired MRI scans of 185 patients in a multi-site trial of left prefrontal TMS for depression. Scans had marked motor sites (localized with TMS) and marked prefrontal sites (5 cm anterior of motor cortex by the "5 cm rule"). Based on a visual determination made before the first treatment, TMS therapy occurred either at the 5 cm location or was adjusted 1 cm forward. Stimulation intensity was 120% of resting motor threshold. RESULTS: The "5 cm rule" would have placed stimulation in premotor cortex for 9% of patients, which was reduced to 4% with adjustments. We did not find a statistically significant effect of positioning on remission, but no patients with premotor stimulation achieved remission (0/7). Effective stimulation ranged from 93 to 156% of motor threshold, and no seizures were induced across this range. Patients experienced remission with effective stimulation intensity ranging from 93 to 146% of motor threshold, and we did not find a significant effect of effective intensity on remission. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicates that individualized positioning methods are useful to reduce variability in placement. Stimulation at 120% of motor threshold, unadjusted for scalp-cortex distances, appears safe for a broad range of patients.

The C/A polymorphism in intron 11 of the XPC gene plays a crucial role in the modulation of an individual's susceptibility to sporadic colorectal cancer.

Epidemiological data show that colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most frequent malignancy worldwide. The involvement of "minor impact genes" such as XME and DNA-repair genes in the etiology of sporadic cancer has been postulated by other authors. We focused on analyzing polymorphisms in DNA-repair genes in CRC. We considered the following genes involved in DNA-repair pathways: base excision repair (OGG1 Ser326Cys, XRCC1 Trp194Arg and Arg399Gln); nucleotide excision repair [XPA (-4)G/A, XPC C/A (i11) and A33512C (Lys939Gln), XPD Asp312Asn and A18911C (Lys751Gln), XPF Arg415Gln, XPG Asp1104His, ERCC1 C118T]; homologous recombination repair [NBS1 Glu185Gln, Rad51 135G/C, XRCC3 C18067 (Thr241Met)]. The study group consisted of 133 patients diagnosed with sporadic CRC, while the control group was composed of 100 age-matched non-cancer volunteers. Genotyping was performed by PCR and PCR-RFLP. Fisher's exact test with a Bonferroni correction for multiple testing was used. We found that: (i) XPC C/A (i11) heterozygous variant is associated with increased risk of CRC [OR is 2.07 (95% CI 1.1391, 3.7782) P=0.038], (ii) XPD A18911C (Lys751Gln) is associated with decreased risk of CRC [OR=0.4497, (95% CI 0.2215, 0.9131) P=0.031] for an individual with at least one A allele at this locus. (1) The XPC C/A (i11) genotype is associated with an increased risk of sporadic colorectal cancer. (2) The NER pathway has been highlighted in our study, as a most important in modulation of individual susceptibility to sCRC.

More lateral and anterior prefrontal coil location is associated with better repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation antidepressant response.

BACKGROUND: The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is the most commonly used target for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of depression. The "5-cm rule" is an empiric method used for probabilistic targeting of the DLPFC in most clinical trials. This rule may be suboptimal, as it does not account for differences in skull size or variations in prefrontal anatomy relative to motor cortex location. This study is a post hoc analysis of data from a large repetitive TMS (rTMS) trial in which we examined the variability of coil placement and how it affects antidepressant efficacy. METHODS: Fifty-four depressed subjects enrolled in a randomized, single-site trial received either active rTMS or sham for 3 weeks. Prior to treatment initiation, investigators placed vitamin E capsules at the point of stimulation and used a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to image these fiducials relative to anatomy. We employed a semiautomated imaging-processing algorithm to localize the cortical region stimulated. RESULTS: Active TMS significantly reduced Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores. A linear model for this improvement involving the coordinates of the stimulated cortex location, age, and treatment condition was highly significant. Specifically, individuals with more anterior and lateral stimulation sites were more likely to respond. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that within the general anatomical area targeted by the 5-cm rule, placing the TMS coil more laterally and anteriorly is associated with improved response rates in TMS depression studies. Controlled studies testing this anatomical hypothesis are needed.

Motor threshold in transcranial magnetic stimulation: the impact of white matter fiber orientation and skull-to-cortex distance.

The electrophysiology of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of motor cortex is not well understood. In this study, we investigate several structural parameters of the corticospinal tract and their relation to the TMS motor threshold (MT) in 17 subjects, with and without schizophrenia. We obtained structural and diffusion tensor MRI scans and measured the fractional anisotropy and principal diffusion direction for regions of interest in the corticospinal tract. We also measured the skull-to-cortex distance over the left motor region. The anterior-posterior trajectory of principle diffusion direction of the corticospinal tract and skull-to-cortex distance were both found to be highly correlated with MT, while fractional anisotropy, age and schizophrenia status were not. Two parameters-skull-to-cortex distance and the anterior component of the principle diffusion direction of the corticospinal tract as it passes the internal capsule-are highly predictive of MT in a linear regression model, and account for 82% of the variance observed (R2 = 0.82, F = 20.27, P < 0.0001) in measurements of MT. The corticospinal tract's anterior-posterior direction alone contributes 13% of the variance explained.

A pilot feasibility study of daily rTMS to modify corticospinal excitability during lower limb immobilization.

Short term immobilization of the lower limb is associated with increased corticospinal excitability at 24 hours post cast removal. We wondered whether daily stimulation of the motor cortex might decrease brain reorganization during casting. We tested the feasibility of this approach. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), resting motor threshold and recruitment curves were obtained at baseline in 6 healthy participants who then had leg casts placed for 10 days. On 7 of the 10 days subjects received 20 minutes of 1 Hz repetitive TMS (rTMS). TMS measures were then recorded immediately after and 24 hours post cast removal. Four of 6 subjects completed the study. At the group level there were no changes in excitability following cast removal. At the individual level, two participants did not show any change, 1 participant had higher and one lower excitability 24 hours after cast removal. Daily rTMS over motor cortex is feasible during casting and may modify neuroplastic changes occurring during limb disuse. A prospective double blind study is warranted to test whether daily rTMS might improve outcome in subjects undergoing casting, and perhaps in other forms of limb disuse such as those following brain injury or weightlessness in space flight.

Lower limb immobilization is associated with increased corticospinal excitability.

Temporary immobilization of the leg serves as a useful model for the brain's adaptive responses to casting, long-term confinement to bed rest and possibly to trauma. As part of a larger program using TMS to investigate changes associated with bed rest, we sought to determine whether casting of the leg causes brain excitability changes measurable with TMS, and the time course of resolution of these changes. In this study, eight adults wore a full leg cast for 10 days. TMS measures of motor cortex excitability were gathered before the cast was placed, and then immediately after cast removal, and 24 and 48 h later. A control group did not wear a cast and underwent the same TMS sessions. Significant excitability changes occurred and peaked at 24 h post cast removal in the TMS experimental group but not the non-casted group.