The dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus spp.) of Madagascar are the only obligate hibernators among primates. Despite century-old field accounts of seasonal lethargy, and more recent evidence of hibernation in the western fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius), inducing hibernation in captivity remained elusive for decades. This included the Duke Lemur Center (DLC), which maintains fat-tailed dwarf lemurs and has produced sporadic research on reproduction and metabolism. With cumulative knowledge from the field, a newly robust colony, and better infrastructure, we recently induced hibernation in DLC dwarf lemurs. We describe two follow-up experiments in subsequent years. First, we show that dwarf lemurs under stable cold conditions (13°C) with available food continued to eat daily, expressed shallower and shorter torpor bouts, and had a modified gut microbiome compared to peers without food. Second, we demonstrate that dwarf lemurs under fluctuating temperatures (12-30°C) can passively rewarm daily, which was associated with altered patterns of fat depletion and reduced oxidative stress. Despite the limitations of working with endangered primates, we highlight the promise of studying hibernation in captive dwarf lemurs. Follow-up studies on genomics and epigenetics, metabolism, and endocrinology could have relevance across multidisciplinary fields, from biomedicine to evolutionary biology, and conservation.

OBJECTIVE: Kidney transplantation (KT) should be postponed in those people with active bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic processes, since these must be treated and resolved previously. The objective of this study is to present the screening circuit implemented by the Nephrology clinic and describe the prevalence of tropical and imported infections in KT candidates born or coming from endemic areas.
METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study, carried out in 2021. Sociodemographic and clinical variables, serological data of general infections and specific tests of tropical infectious diseases were collected. A descriptive analysis of the data was carried out.
RESULTS: 67 TR candidates from Latin America (32.8%), North Africa (22.4%), Sub-Saharan Africa (14.9%) and Asia (29.9%) were included. 68.7% were men and the mean age was 48.9 ± 13.5 years. After the general and specific studies, 42 (62.7%) patients were referred to the Infectious Diseases Service to complete this study or indicate treatment. 35.8% of the patients had eosinophilia, and in one case parasites were detected in feces at the time of the study. Serology for strongyloidiasis was positive in 18 (26.9%) cases, while positive serology for other tropical infections was hardly detected. 34.3% of patients had latent tuberculosis infection.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of tropical and imported infections in migrant candidates for RT was low, except for strongyloidiasis and latent tuberculosis infection. Its detection and treatment are essential to avoid serious complications in post-TR. To this end, the implementation of an interdisciplinary screening program from the KT access consultation is feasible, necessary and useful.

Biotic interactions, such as plant-animal seed dispersal mutualisms, are essential for ecosystem function. Such interactions are threatened by the possible extinction of the animal partners. Using a data set that includes plant-lemur interactions across Madagascar, we studied the current state of knowledge of these interactions and their structure to determine which plant species are most at risk of losing dispersal services due to the loss of lemurs. We found substantial gaps in understanding of plant-lemur interactions; data were substantially skewed toward a few lemur species and locations. There was also a large gap in knowledge on the interactions of plants and small-bodied or nocturnal lemurs and lemurs outside a few highly studied locations. Of the recorded interactions, a significant portion occurred between lemurs and endemic plants, rather than native or introduced plants. We also found that lemur species tended to primarily consume closely related plant species. Such interaction patterns may indicate the threats to Malagasy endemic plants and highlight how lemur population loss or reductions could affect plant phylogenetic diversity. When examining the impacts of lemur extinction, losing critically endangered species left 164 plant species with no known lemur frugivore partners. Despite phylogenetic patterns in lemur diet, plants for which the only known lemur frugivore is critically endangered were not closely related. These results emphasize the need for further studies to complete our knowledge on these essential interactions and to inform conservation priorities.
Análisis de la estructura de las interacciones entre lémures y plantas de cara al conocimiento incompleto Resumen Las interacciones bióticas, como el mutualismo entre plantas y animales para la dispersión de semillas, son esenciales para que el ecosistema funcione. Dichas interacciones se encuentran amenazadas por la posible extinción del animal que participa en ellas. Usamos un conjunto de datos que incluye las interacciones entre lémures y plantas en Madagascar para estudiar el estado actual del conocimiento de estas interacciones y su estructura. Con lo anterior determinamos cuáles especies botánicas tienen mayor riesgo de perder la dispersión de semillas debido a la extinción de los lémures. Encontramos vacíos sustanciales en el entendimiento de las interacciones entre lémures y plantas; los datos estaban sesgados para unas cuantas especies de lémures y localidades. Hubo un gran vacío de conocimiento para las interacciones entre las plantas y los lémures pequeños o nocturnos y aquellos fuera de unas cuantas localidades estudiadas. De las interacciones registradas, una porción importante ocurrió entre los lémures y plantas endémicas, en lugar de plantas nativas o introducidas. También encontramos que las especies de lémures tienden a consumir especies botánicas con filogenia cercana. Dichos patrones de interacción podrían indicar las amenazas para las plantas endémicas de Madagascar y enfatizar cómo la pérdida o reducción de las poblaciones de lémures podrían afectar la diversidad filogenética de las plantas. Cuando examinamos el impacto de la extinción de los lémures, la pérdida de especies en peligro crítico dejó a 164 especies de plantas sin un lémur frugívoro mutualista. A pesar de los patrones filogenéticos en la dieta de los lémures, las plantas cuyo único lémur frugívoro se encuentra en peligro crítico no tienen una filogenia cercana. Estos resultados resaltan la necesidad de más estudios para completar nuestro conocimiento sobre estas interacciones esenciales y para guiar las prioridades de conservación.
【摘要】生物相互作用(如植物‐动物种子传播的互惠过程)对生态系统功能至关重要, 而动物潜在的灭绝风险会对这些相互作用造成威胁。本研究利用马达加斯加各地植物与狐猴之间相互作用的数据集, 分析了这些相互作用及其结构的知识现状, 以确定哪些植物物种最有可能因狐猴灭绝而失去种子传播服务。我们发现在理解植物‐狐猴相互作用方面仍存在巨大空缺, 已有数据严重偏向于少数狐猴物种和地点, 而在植物与小体型狐猴、夜行性狐猴以及在少数研究较多地点以外的狐猴之间的相互作用方面, 仍有明显的知识空缺。已有记载的相互作用很大一部分发生在狐猴与特有植物之间, 而非本地或外来引进的植物。此外, 狐猴物种往往主要食用系统发育关系相近的植物物种。这种相互作用格局表明马达加斯加的特有植物可能面临威胁, 并突出了狐猴种群灭绝或数量下降对植物系统发育多样性的影响。在研究狐猴灭绝的影响时, 我们还发现, 当极度濒危的狐猴物种灭绝后, 有164种植物物种会失去所有已知的果食性狐猴伙伴。尽管狐猴的食性存在系统发育相似性, 但唯一已知的果食性狐猴伙伴已极度濒危的植物物种却并不相近。以上结果强调了通过深入研究来增进对这些重要相互作用的认识以指导优先保护的必要性。【翻译:胡怡思;审校:聂永刚】.

Biotic interactions play a critical role in shaping patterns of global biodiversity. While several macroecological studies provide evidence for stronger predation in tropical regions compared with higher latitudes, results are variable even within the tropics, and the drivers of this variability are not well understood. We conducted two complementary standardized experiments on communities of sessile marine invertebrate prey and their associated predators to test for spatial and seasonal differences in predation across the tropical Atlantic and Pacific coastlines of Panama. We further tested the prediction that higher predator diversity contributes to stronger impacts of predation, using both direct observations of predators and data from extensive reef surveys. Our results revealed substantially higher predation rates and stronger effects of predators on prey in the Pacific than in the Atlantic, demonstrating striking variation within tropical regions. While regional predator diversity was high in the Atlantic, functional diversity at local scales was markedly low. Peak predation strength in the Pacific occurred during the wet, non-upwelling season when ocean temperatures were warmer and predator communities were more functionally diverse. Our results highlight the importance of regional biotic and abiotic drivers that shape interaction strength and the maintenance of tropical communities, which are experiencing rapid environmental change.

BACKGROUND: Fungal keratitis is an ophthalmic emergency that can cause visual impairment and blindness. We reviewed the epidemiology and clinical features of fungal keratitis in a tropical Australian setting.
OBJECTIVE: To document the clinical and microbiological characteristics of fungal keratitis in an Australian tropical setting.
METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients with fungal keratitis from October 2014 to December 2022 was conducted at Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia. We reviewed all patients with culture-proven fungal keratitis and their outcomes.
RESULTS: There were 31 patients identified. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) patients were of a significantly younger median age (28 years) compared to non-ATSI patients (42 years), and they also presented later to health care. Contact lens use and ocular trauma were the most common predisposing factors. Most patients presented with a corneal infiltrate and corneal epithelial defect, and the central visual axis was affected in 54% of patients. Curvularia spp. and Fusarium spp. were the commonest causative fungi (39% and 30% respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: Our series is different and reveals a wider range of fungal species identified over the 7 years of the study, in particular, a range of Curvularia spp. were detected. Access to eye health services in rural and remote settings is important, particularly for ATSI patients, as morbidity remains high.

We explored the ecological and historical factors that led to formation of the unique guild of native and introduced mammalian herbivores between 5 and 1000 kg in northern Australia. Following the disappearance of large native herbivores about 46 kya, and until the arrival of Europeans and their livestock, the only herbivorous mammals were mid-sized endemic marsupial macropods, which continued to utilise the same vegetation as their much larger former neighbours. Only one species of contemporary native herbivore has an adult bodyweight approaching 100 kg, and for the past 150-200 years, the total biomass of introduced domestic and wild vertebrate herbivores has massively exceeded that of native herbivorous species. We conclude that the current guild of native and introduced mammalian herbivores differentially utilises the landscape ecologically. However, climate- and anthropogenically related changes due to fire, drought, flooding, predation and introduced weeds are likely to have significant impacts on the trajectory of their relative ecological roles and populations. Given their differing ecological and dietary characteristics, against this backdrop, it is unclear what the potential impact of the dispersal of deer species could have in northern Australia. We hence focus on whether sufficient knowledge exists against which the potential impacts of the range expansion of three deer species can be adequately assessed and have found a dearth of supporting evidence to inform appropriate sustainable management. We identify suitable research required to fill the identified knowledge gaps.

This review aims to provide an insight into the application and efficiency of CIDR-based protocols for ES in goats raised under tropical and subtropical environments. In temperate regions, short-term CIDR treatments are replacing long-term treatments and sponges used in earlier decades. In addition, the use of co-treatments for the induction of ovulation is gradually changing from hormonal to non-hormonal methods, given the drive towards clean, green, and ethical techniques for reproductive management. Whereas the subtropical region registers ongoing research in the development of new ES protocols, there are few reports from the tropics, particularly Africa, one of the regions with the highest population of goats. Therefore, this calls for research to develop the most appropriate protocols for these regions, since the protocols currently used are largely hormonal based, as they were developed for goats at higher latitudes. Management and environmental factors determine the breeding pattern of goats at tropical latitudes rather than photoperiods, and they are the main causes of reproductive seasonality. The use of ES methods, particularly short-term CIDR-based protocols, along with artificial insemination, may have a significant impact on the productivity of goats in these regions when these factors are controlled.

The foraminiferal environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding based on high-throughput sequencing (HTS) is a powerful tool to unravel the hidden genetic diversity and environmental lineages. Results from the eDNA approach provided valuable insight into an unplumbed diversity of soft-bodied monothalamous foraminifers [1]. Micropaleontologists overlooked monothalamids due to their soft organic and/or finely agglutinated test, which often gets destroyed during routine morphological investigations [2]. On the other hand, some foraminifera taxonomists or studies included monothalamids (soft-shelled species) in ecological and diversity investigations ranging from deep-sea locations to coastal marine habitats [1], [3], [4]. Here, we document our metabarcoding analysis of foraminiferal diversity and abundance from the mining-affected estuaries of the Indian state of Goa. High-throughput sequencing using the Illumina platform indicated the overwhelming abundance of monothalamous foraminifers in the studied estuarine sediments. For the first time, such detailed data of the foraminiferal diversity utilizing sedimentary environmental DNA (eDNA) methods was carried out in India. The raw sequence data used for analysis is available in NCBI under the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) with the BioProjects and SRA accession number: PRJNA1040471. The presented data may be used as baseline information for eDNA-based biomonitoring and biodiversity assessment surveys from Indian marine habitats across time and space.

暂无摘要。

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is a major public health concern, exacerbated in countries with a (sub)tropical climate. The built environment can facilitate physical activity; however, current evidence is mainly from North American and European countries with activity-friendly climate conditions. This study explored associations between built environment features and physical activity in global tropical or subtropical dry or desert climate regions.
METHODS: A systematic review of four major databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and SportDISCUS) was performed. To be included, studies had to investigate associations between perceived or objective built environment characteristics and adult\'s physical activity and had to be conducted in a location with (sub)tropical climate. Each investigated association was reported as one case and results were synthesized based upon perceived and objectively assessed environment characteristics as well as Western and non-Western countries. Study quality was evaluated using a tool designed for assessing studies on built environment and physical activity.
RESULTS: Eighty-four articles from 50 studies in 13 countries with a total of 2546 built environment-physical activity associations were included. Design (connectivity, walking/cycling infrastructure), desirability (aesthetics, safety), and destination accessibility were the built environment characteristics most frequently associated with physical activity across the domains active transport, recreational physical activity, total walking and cycling, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, particularly if multiple attributes were present at the same time. Very few studies assessed built environment attributes specifically relevant to physical activity in (sub)tropical climates. Most studies were conducted in Western countries, with results being largely comparable with non-Western countries. Findings were largely generalizable across gender and age groups. Results from natural experiments indicated that relocating to an activity-friendly neighborhood impacted sub-groups differently.
CONCLUSIONS: Built environment attributes, including destination accessibility, connectivity, walking and cycling infrastructure, safety, and aesthetics, are positively associated with physical activity in locations with (sub)tropical climate. However, few studies focus on built environment attributes specifically relevant in a hot climate, such as shade or indoor recreation options. Further, there is limited evidence from non-Western countries, where most of the urban population lives in (sub)tropical climates. Policy makers should focus on implementing activity-friendly environment attributes to create sustainable and climate-resilient cities.