Individuals differ in their responses to negative consequences. While some adjust quickly to avoid punishment, others persist in maladaptive behaviors despite adverse outcomes. Such differences in punishment sensitivity have been implicated in psychological disorders, including substance use, obsessive-compulsive, and mood disorders. The Pirates and Planets task (Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel et al., 2023) identified three punishment sensitivity profiles differing in punishment contingency awareness and responsiveness. However, the task's external validity and clinical relevance remain unclear. Here, we replicate and extend their findings using a within-subjects design with a larger sample (N = 188), a broader array of trait and psychopathology measures, and an additional task block to enhance profile interpretability. We replicated the three profiles: (1) "sensitive" individuals who adapt to avoid punishment; (2) "unaware" individuals who adapt only after explicit punishment contingency information; and (3) "compulsive" individuals who persist despite such information. Crucially, no significant associations emerged between these profiles and symptom measures (i.e., obsessive-compulsive behaviors, alcohol use, depression, anxiety), suggesting these patterns may reflect context-dependent punishment learning processes that do not directly correspond to self-reported clinical symptoms, at least in this non-clinical sample. Taken together, these findings indicate that, in its current implementation, the Pirates and Planets task is valuable for studying punishment learning mechanisms, but it may not yet be suitable for addressing clinically relevant individual differences or for translation to clinical populations. Establishing which task parameters reliably produce behavior that maps onto clinically relevant outcomes would be an essential next step for future research.
This dataset describes anthropogenic litter pollution, including plastic pollution, at nine sampling sites at lakes and the ocean in Nova Scotia in the fall of 2024. It comprises data from two different citizen science protocols. The first protocol ("Group A") assessed litter density per m² and litter type (paper, cigarettes, plastic, metal, glass, food leftover, other). A total of 675 m² were investigated using this protocol, and a total of 495 litter items classified. The second protocol ("Group B") assessed the litter item composition of individual items, based on 24 litter categories, including nine single-use plastics categories. In total 3032 litter items were collected and sorted into these categories, representing 114 kg of litter. In total, 20 sampling activities (Group A and B combined) were conducted at nine sampling sites. Potential sources of litter items were also evaluated, and each sampling site was described in detail, including coordinates, shape, slope and orientation of the shoreline and accessibility. The data were collected by 275 people from nine organizations, most of them citizen scientists. Collectively, they contributed 635 h of data collection effort, including litter collection, litter sorting and data annotation. Most of the citizen scientists were schoolchildren, aided in their research by their teachers and the coordinators of this project. The implementation of the project in Nova Scotia was part of the Plastic Pirates program (https://www.plastic-pirates.eu/), investigating litter pollution in different countries in cooperation with schoolchildren and teachers. This open access dataset, available on Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16949607) [1] under Creative Commons license CC BY 4.0, can be used to compare litter densities and litter composition across regions in Canada or worldwide, and is of value as a reference data point in time to assess litter pollution in temporal litter studies.
Species of the genus Orius, diminutive predatory insects that act as natural enemies of other arthropods, are frequently employed in agricultural pest management for controlling various pests, such as thrips, mites, aphids, whiteflies, etc. However, the scarcity of high-quality genomic resources for these predators hinders our comprehension of their population evolution and predation ecology. Consequently, we assembled and annotated a chromosomal-scale genome of Orius nagaii by collating PacBio and Illumina sequencing and Hi-C genomic analysis techniques. The final genome assembly size 152.62 Mb, with scaffold and contig N50 lengths of 11.53 and 2.39 Mb, respectively. It is organized into 12 pairs of autosomes and a pair of XY sex chromosomes. The quality assessment of the genomic data with BUSCO revealed a completeness of 98.5% (n = 1,367). Also, 11,917 protein-coding genes were discovered, with 94.28% of them having functional annotations. The high-quality genome of O. nagaii produced serves as a valuable resource for comprehending the interactions between predatory natural enemies and hosts, along with their evolutionary trajectories.
Bothrops atrox (Yellow Beard Lancehead Pitviper) is responsible for the majority of snakebite morbidity in the Amazon, yet the biochemical basis and clinical consequences of its ontogenetic venom variation remain incompletely resolved. We compared Colombian neonate and adult B. atrox venoms across plasma and fibrinogen clotting assays, thromboelastography, antivenom neutralisation, and clotting factor zymogen activation with defined cofactor conditions. Neonate venom clotting was faster on plasma, whereas adult venom showed stronger thrombin-like (pseudo-procoagulant) action on fibrinogen. All three regional antivenoms neutralised both age classes to varying degrees, with Butantan outperforming ICP and Antivipmyn-Tri. For all antivenoms, neutralisation was consistently better for adult venom. Factor-activation assays revealed activation of prothrombin and Factor VII by both age classes, with a stronger neonate signal. Prothrombin activation strictly required Factor Va as an obligate cofactor; neonate venom could generate useable FVa from FV in addition to using endogenous (thrombin-produced) FVa, while adult venom depended on endogenous FVa. Strikingly, we demonstrate Factor VII activation by B. atrox for the first time and show that FVa markedly potentiates this reaction, including FVa produced by venom cleavage of FV, with age-class differences in the efficiency of venom-produced FVa utilisation. Unlike prothrombin, the neonate venom was able to activate FVII in the absence of FVa, but at much lower levels. Metalloproteases being responsible for prothrombin activation was confirmed with the selective inhibitor prinomastat. These data resolve the mechanistic drivers of ontogenetic potency shifts and explain antivenom performance differences, with immediate implications for antivenom formulation and adjunctive inhibitor use.
To compare the success and safety of microcatheter-assisted 360° trabeculotomy (MCAT) with conventional probe trabeculotomy in a large, heterogeneous cohort of children with primary or secondary glaucoma. In this prospective, multicenter, observer-blinded, randomized controlled trial, 76 children (152 eyes) with bilateral primary or secondary childhood glaucoma aged ≤ 12 years will be included. Each child acts as own control using a paired-eye design: One eye is allocated to MCAT (experimental intervention), achieving a 360° trabeculotomy, the other eye to the probe trabeculotomy (control intervention) which enables a trabeculotomy over 90 to 120°. Each child receives both procedures (paired-eye design). The worse eye is treated first; the surgical method is randomized. Patients and observers are masked to the procedures. The patients are followed up for 24 months. The primary endpoint is complete success (IOP < 18 mmHg at 24 months without medication and revision surgery; with MCAT: successful probing of > 120° is also required for success) at 24 months of follow-up. The primary analysis is performed in the intention-to-treat population using McNemar test stratified by center. The PIRATE study is a multicenter randomized controlled study comparing MCAT with conventional probe trabeculotomy in a large and heterogeneous childhood glaucoma population. It will provide data on the success and safety of both techniques and clarify if MCAT is superior to probe trabeculotomy. German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS-ID: DRKS00034139. Registered on April 24, 2024. https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00034139 . https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=DRKS00034139 .
Physical conditions in grain storage environments influence trophic interactions between predators and their prey and can affect the effectiveness of biocontrol agents. The study aimed to assess the potential of Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), to manage Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) (Psocodea: Liposcelididae). Liposcelis decolor population suppression and X. flavipes progeny production were assessed at five predator-prey (P-P) ratios (0:240, 1:240, 2:240, 3:240, and 5:240), four temperatures (20, 24, 28, and 32 °C), and three relative humidities (RH) (63, 75, and 85%) over 40 days at 0:24 (L:D) photoperiod in the laboratory. Compared with the Control P-P ratio of 0:240 (no predators), prey suppression >97% was achieved across all predator release ratios. At 32 °C and 75% RH, which are the optimal conditions for L. decolor, 3985.13 ± 255.45 prey survived in the Control P-P ratio compared with 19.85 ± 2.47-115.73 ± 8.99 found for the four P-P ratios with the predator, representing prey reduction of 97.10-99.50%. Temperature influenced X. flavipes progeny production, which was greatest at 28 °C and a P-P ratio of 1:240. Suppression caused by X. flavipes demonstrates its potential as a biological control agent to manage psocid infestations in stored commodities.
AbstractNatural selection is widely considered responsible for the fit between organisms and their environment. Lizard limb length variation is a paradigmatic example: studies have shown that limb length differences tightly correlate with habitat use among species, while small differences in limb length between individuals can affect biomechanical function, fitness, and survival within populations. It has therefore been surprising for many field biologists to find otherwise-healthy wild lizards with damaged or missing limbs, appearing to challenge associated expectations of substantial fitness costs. We document limb loss (from a foot to an entire limb) in 58 lizard species, with all cases showing healed limbs and many lizards appearing robust and healthy. Data indicate that limb-deficient lizards typically comprise less than 1% of populations and often exhibit body condition, sprint speed performance, and survival comparable to limb-intact individuals. We discuss the implications of these findings for how evolutionary adaptation is studied and understood in natural populations and provide a perspective on conventional assumptions about the strength and ubiquity of selection pressures on seemingly critical traits. Is natural selection always as omnipresent as Darwin envisioned it to be?
Psocids are difficult to manage using grain protectants and phosphine hence research on non-chemical control methods. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) at managing Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) (Psocodea: Liposcelididae). The functional responses of adult♀ and nymphs of X. flavipes on a diet of nymphs, adult♂, and adult♀ of L. decolor were determined under laboratory conditions at 28 ± 1 °C, 63 ± 5% RH, and a 0:24 (L:D) photoperiod. Maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) of a logistic regression analysis showed that the functional responses of the life stages of X. flavipes on diets of three stages of L. decolor were Holling Type II. Estimates of the attack rate (a), handling time (Th), maximum predation (K) per day, and predation efficiency (η) per day for the two predator life stages against each prey life stage showed that the adult♀ X. flavipes predation rate was better compared with the nymphs. The adult♀ X. flavipes per capita consumption rate and searching efficiency were also higher than those of the nymphs. The data showed adults of L. decolor are more favorable for adult♀ X. flavipes whereas their nymphs prefer nymphs of L. decolor. Field evaluation of X. flavipes is required for their incorporation into psocid pest management.
Exercise and nutrition interventions are not part of routine care for those undergoing autologous stem cell transplant (autoSCT). We aimed to explore estimates of effect, safety and feasibility of multidisciplinary prehabilitation for improving physical capacity after autoSCT. This single-blinded, parallel, two-armed pilot randomized trial included adults receiving autoSCT. Participants were randomized to twice-weekly, supervised, tailored exercise and fortnightly telephone-based nutrition education, for up to 8-weeks prior to autoSCT (n = 11) or usual care (n = 11). Blinded assessments occurred at baseline (T0), pre-transplant (T1), and 4-weeks post-transplant (T2). The primary outcome was physical capacity (6-min walk test). Secondary measures included recruitment rate, adverse events, exercise adherence, physical status, nutritional status, health-related quality of life, and health service outcomes. Positive estimates of effect for walking capacity in favour of the experimental group were demonstrated at T2 (MD + 141 m, 95% CI 24 to 257 m). There was high recruitment (81%) and adherence and no major adverse events. At T2 there were large estimates of effect favoring the experimental group for higher bodyweight, and less dyspnea and gastrointenstinal symptoms. There were no between-group differences in other outcomes. Prehabilitation is safe, feasible and may improve walking capacity after autoSCT. Findings support a future fully-scaled trial of prehabilitation for autoSCT. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000496910. Registered April 20, 2020.
The elderly are particularly vulnerable to morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2. Approximately 20% of the elderly showed no antibodies 3-5 months post-second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As probiotics have been shown to increase influenza-specific antibody levels post-influenza vaccination, we aim to reduce the percentage of participants without antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (anti-S1-RBD) at 6 months post-vaccination. Our study design is a double-blind randomised controlled trial, using intention-to-treat analysis. Eligible participants are a purposive sample of 688 adults aged 65-89 years, in Quebec, Canada, not diagnosed with COVID-19 in the 3 months prior to recruitment and who wish to receive a government-recommended mRNA booster (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) vaccine. The intervention consists of one capsule/day of a probiotic dietary supplement of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Lacticaseibacillus casei 6×109 CFU/capsule or a placebo, for 15 days pre-booster and post-booster vaccine. All participants provide dried blood spot samples at three timepoints (inclusion, 3 and 6 months post-vaccination) and a stool sample for microbiome analysis. A subgroup of 100 participants living near Sherbrooke, Quebec, is expected to volunteer for two onsite blood-test visits (at inclusion and 6 months post-vaccination). The primary outcome is the percentage of participants without anti-S1-RBD antibodies at 6 months post-vaccination. Secondary outcomes include longitudinal analysis of anti-S1-RBD and anti-N antibodies at three timepoints. In the subgroup, serum levels of neutralising antibodies will be determined at inclusion and 6 months post-vaccination. Probiotic and vaccine side effects are monitored. At the end of the study, we expect to identify the adjuvant effect of probiotic on vaccine-induced immune response. The study was approved by Research Ethics Board of the Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de l'Estrie- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS) and the CHU de Québec-Université Laval # MP-31-2022-4598 as well as Health Canada. All participants will provide informed consent. Results will be disseminated to the scientific community and to all networks related in this research. NCT05195151.
Expertise in toxicology is essential for acute care providers, as intoxicated patients frequently present to Emergency Departments. These patients can be challenging for care providers because they often present with uncertain substance exposure and unknown dose and timing of these exposures. The Dutch Society of Emergency Physicians has developed an mnemonic to support treating physicians in a structured approach for the management of (undifferentiated) intoxicated patients. The PIRATE mnemonic was developed, which includes the following aspects and sequence of care for the intoxicated patient: primary survey, investigation & identification, risk assessment, ADME (comprising pharmacokinetic therapeutic targets: absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination), therapy and evaluation. The toxicology section of the Dutch Society of Emergency Physicians developed the PIRATE mnemonic to provide a structured approach in the management of patients presenting with acute intoxications to Emergency Departments. It summarizes the essential steps and priorities required in the care of intoxicated patients. Further, it provides a common strategy for all specialties involved in the care of the acutely intoxicated patient, contributing to developing greater competence in poisoning management.
Risk assessment before interventions in elderly patients becomes more and more vital due to an increasing number of elderly patients requiring surgery. Existing risk scores are often not tailored to marginalized groups such as patients aged 80 years or older. We aimed to develop an easy-to-use and readily applicable risk assessment tool that implements pre-interventional predictors of 30-day mortality in elderly patients (≥80 years) undergoing interventions under anesthesia. Using Cox regression analysis, we compared different sets of predictors by taking into account their ease of availability and by evaluating predictive accuracy. Coefficient estimates were utilized to set up a scoring system that was internally validated. Model building and evaluation were based on data from the Peri-Interventional Outcome Study in the Elderly (POSE), which was conducted as a European multicenter, observational prospective cohort study. Our risk assessment tool, named PIRATE, contains three predictors assessable at admission (urgency, severity and living conditions). Discriminatory power, as measured by the concordance index, was 0.75. The estimated prediction error, as measured by the Brier score, was 0.036 (covariate-free reference model: 0.043). PIRATE is an easy-to-use risk assessment tool that helps stratifying elderly patients undergoing interventions with anesthesia at increased risk of mortality. PIRATE is readily available and applies to a wide variety of settings. In particular, it covers patients needing elective or emergency surgery and undergoing in-hospital or day-case surgery. Also, it applies to all types of interventions, from minor to major. It may serve as a basis for multidisciplinary and informed shared decision-making.
Pirate Perches, Aphredoderus, are a widespread lowland freshwater fish native to the Eastern half of the United States. Aphredoderus was thought to contain a single species divided into an Eastern and Western subspecies on either side of the Appalachian Mountains with a widespread intergrade zone through much of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic drainages. We use morphology and genetic data from specimens spanning the entire range of the genus to determine species limits within Aphredoderus. We find evidence of five species, four of which exhibit widespread sympatry in the Southeastern United States. We elevate A. sayanus sayanus and A. sayanus gibbosus to species, redescribe A. mesotrema, supplement previous descriptions, and describe two new species, A. retrodorsalis, and A. ornatus.
Autologous stem cell transplant is a common procedure for people with haematological malignancies. While effective at improving survival, autologous stem cell transplant recipients may have a lengthy hospital admission and experience debilitating side-effects such as fatigue, pain and deconditioning that may prolong recovery. Prehabilitation comprising exercise and nutrition intervention before stem cell transplant aims to optimise physical capacity before the procedure to enhance functional recovery after transplant. However, few studies have evaluated prehabilitation in this setting. We aim to explore preliminary efficacy of improving physical capacity of prehabilitation for people undergoing autologous stem cell transplant. The PIRATE study is a single-blinded, parallel two-armed pilot randomised trial of multidisciplinary prehabilitation delivered prior to autologous stem cell transplantation. Twenty-two patients with haematological malignancy waitlisted for transplant will be recruited from a tertiary haematology unit. The intervention will include up to 8 weeks of twice-weekly, supervised tailored exercise and fortnightly nutrition education delivered via phone, in the lead up to autologous stem cell transplant. Blinded assessments will be completed at week 13, approximately 4 weeks after transplant and health service measures collected at week 25 approximately 12 weeks after transplant. The primary outcome is to assess changes in physical capacity using the 6-minute walk test. Secondary measures are time to engraftment, C-reactive protein, physical activity (accelerometer), grip strength, health-related quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30 and HDC29 supplement), self-efficacy and recording of adverse events. Health service data including hospital length of stay, hospital readmissions, emergency department presentations and urgent symptom clinic presentation at will also be recorded. This trial will inform design of a future definitive randomised controlled trial and implementation of prehabilitation for people receiving autologous stem cell transplant by providing data on efficacy and safety. The PIRATE Trial has been approved by the Eastern Health Human Research Ethics Committee (E20/003/61055) and is funded by the Eastern Health Foundation. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000496910. Registered April 20, 2020.
Two new species of Mimetus Hentz, 1832 are described from India: Mimetus parvulus Sankaran, Sudhin & Sen, 2024 n. sp., and M. spinatus Sudhin, Sankaran & Sen, 2024 n. sp.. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of both species are provided, and their current distribution is mapped. Based on familial and generic similarities, we transfer the misplaced M. tikaderi Gajbe, 1992 to the Liocranidae genus Agroeca Westring, 1861.
As the rates of age-related macular denegation exponentially increase, new innovation is required to address the challenges faced by our ageing population. The aim of the Palmerston North Interventional Rapid Avastin Treat and Extend (PIRATE) study is to establish the safety and efficacy of rapid treatment extension of bevacizumab (Avastin) in patients with low-risk neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The PIRATE study is a monocentric, non-blinded, open-label randomised control trial. Participants over the age of 50 years with low-risk nAMD characteristics will be recruited in a prospective manner and randomised into treatment and control groups. Rapid treatment extension by 4 weeks will be applied in the treatment group, with the standard 2-week treatment extension occurring among controls. Participants will enter the trial after initial treatment induction consisting of three bevacizumab injections, 1 month apart. The primary outcome of best-corrected visual acuity will be assessed along with predetermined secondary outcomes at a study duration of 12 months (initial) and 24 months (total). ACTRN12622001246774p.
Asian citrus psyllids Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) (ACP) and huanglongbing (HLB) continue to pose critical threats to the US citrus industry. Augmentative biocontrol is a possible alternative to insecticides, especially for organic citrus production. While considerable effort has been spent on identifying natural enemies of ACP immatures, their efficacy against eggs concealed in unopened shoots remains understudied. We evaluated 4 commercially available predators for their predation on ACP eggs: minute pirate bug Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), green lacewing Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), mealybug destroyer Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae). Predator efficiency was quantified on egg-infested shoots in laboratory assays using (24-48 h) and whole-plant cages (2-4 d). All predators except A. swirskii significantly reduced egg numbers on shoots. Lacewings, mealybug destroyers, and minute pirate bugs achieved 94%, 76%, and 68% suppression, respectively, in the laboratory. In whole-plant cage conditions, lacewings and mealybug destroyers provided 97% and 93% egg suppression, respectively, while O. insidiosus reduced egg density by 73%. Functional response modeling revealed high consumption capacity in C. montrouzieri and C. rufilabris, each exceeding 100 eggs per exposure period, while O. insidiosus averaged 65 eggs. Together, these findings indicate that targeting ACP eggs with lacewings or mealybug destroyers may substantially enhance sustainable psyllid management and support long-term HLB mitigation in citrus groves.
Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is crucial for guiding timely antibiotic therapy. However, the conventional AST requires several days to issue a report. Although digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) can reduce AST turnaround time by determining bacterial susceptibility after short antibiotic exposure, the process remains time-consuming. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) offers greater efficiency since it runs at room temperature and avoids amplicon denaturing or primer annealing. Nevertheless, adapting RPA to a digital format has been challenging because amplification begins prematurely before compartmentalization, inevitably leading to overestimation. Here, we proposed a photo-initiated droplet digital RPA (ddRPA) method that eliminates pre-amplification. We modified three bases within RPA primers with photocleavable groups to efficiently block RPA, and ddRPA starts only after irradiation. Due to the high efficacy of RPA in droplets, quantification is completed within only 8 min. Based on the photo-controlled strategy, we developed an ultra-fast AST platform (PIRATE) for bloodstream infections (BSI) pathogens. Using Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcusfaecalis against quinolones as model systems, PIRATE demonstrates 100 % concordance with standard AST results across 33 clinical isolates and 8 blood samples while reducing the turnaround time from 3 days to under 6 h. This approach shows significant potential for guiding precise antibiotic prescription.
With an estimated 106 million global cases annually, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo) poses a significant public health problem. Ngo demonstrates a remarkable capacity to overcome nutritional immunity through the deployment of specialized transporters that pirate metals such as zinc from human proteins such as calprotectin (hCP). We report the cryo-EM structure of Ngo TdfH in complex with a heterotetramer of hCP. An extensive binding interface is mediated almost entirely by the S100A9 subunits of hCP. Mutagenesis studies of residues in the large binding interface reveal minimal effects from single-site mutations, whereas larger truncations disrupt binding and function. These results support a mechanistic model based on the large interaction interface overcoming a steric clash between α-helix III of S100A9 and loops 5 and 9 of TdfH, which leads to the distortion of the proximal His6 site, followed by zinc release, and import through the barrel domain.