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Human Lyme borreliosis (LB) represents a multisystem disorder that can progress in stages. The causative agents are transmitted by hard ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex that have been infected with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Today, LB is considered the most important human tick-borne illness in the Northern Hemisphere. The causative agent was identified and successfully isolated in 1982 and, shortly thereafter, antibiotic treatment was found to be safe and efficacious. Since then, various in vitro studies have been conducted in order to improve our knowledge of the activity of antimicrobial agents against B. burgdorferi s. l. The full spectrum of in vitro antibiotic susceptibility has still not been defined for some of the more recently developed compounds. Moreover, our current understanding of the in vitro interactions between B. burgdorferi s. l. and antimicrobial agents, and their possible mechanisms of resistance remains very limited and is largely based on in vitro susceptibility experiments on only a few isolates of Borrelia . Even less is known about the possible mechanisms of the in vitro persistence of spirochetes exposed to antimicrobial agents in the presence of human and animal cell lines. Only a relatively small number of laboratory studies and cell culture experiments have been conducted. This review summarizes what is and what is not known about the in vitro susceptibility of B. burgdorferi s. l. It aims to shed light on the known unknowns that continue to fuel current debates on possible treatment resistance and mechanisms of persistence of Lyme disease spirochetes in the presence of antimicrobial agents.

Objectives: Seroprevalence studies of SARS-CoV-2 have shown that there is a high number of undiagnosed missing cases. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in people living with HIV (PLWH) is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a prospective cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among PLWH without known diagnosis of COVID-19 in the south-west of Germany., Methods: Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies based on two assays was performed in PLWH who visited the outpatient HIV centre of two hospitals from April to June 2020. Additionally, patients had to answer questionnaires about possible COVID-19-related symptoms and predefined risk factors. Moreover, we tested 50 non-HIV-infected patients receiving post- or pre-exposure (PEP/PrEP) HIV prophylaxis., Results: In all, 594 (488 male, 106 female) PLWH (median age 51 years) and 50 PEP/PrEP-users were included in the study. The estimated seroprevalence of the PLWH cohort was 1.85% (11/594), with 11 positive tested cases in the cohort. Among all patients, only five had COVID-19-related symptoms. One PCR-positive patient did not show any antibody response in repeatedly carried out tests. None of the patients was hospitalized due to COVID-19. Three PrEP users were tested positive. Three patients had been previously diagnosed with SARS-COV-2 infection before inclusion. The used questionnaire did not help to detect SARS-CoV-2 positive patients., Conclusions: Despite the limitation of being only a snapshot in time because of the ongoing pandemic, to our knowledge this is the largest study so far on seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in PLWH in Germany. Our study suggests that the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in PLWH is comparable to those previously reported for parts of the general German population and that the questionnaire used here might not be the best tool to predict COVID-19 diagnosis., (© 2021 The Authors. HIV Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British HIV Association.)

Background: A multi-dimensional model can be a useful tool for estimating the general impact of disease on the different sectors of the healthcare system. We chose the sexually transmitted disease syphilis for our model due to the good quality of reported data in Germany., Methods: The model included gender- and age-stratified incident cases of syphilis (in- and outpatients) provided by a German statutory health insurance company, as well as seroprevalence data on syphilis in first-time blood donors. Age standardized rates were calculated based on the standard German population. The test quality was assessed by extrapolating the number of false-positive and false-negative results based on data from Europe-wide external quality assessment (EQA) schemes. The model analysis was validated with the reported cases and diagnosis-related group (DRG)-statistics from 2010 to 2012. The annual direct and indirect economic burden was estimated based on the outcomes of our model., Results: The standardized results were slightly higher than the results reported between 2010 and 2012. This could be due to an underassessment of cases in Germany or due to limitations of the dataset. The number of estimated inpatients was predicted with an accuracy of 89.8 %. Results from EQA schemes indicated an average sensitivity of 92.8 % and an average specificity of 99.9 % for the recommended sequential testing for syphilis. Based on our model, we estimated a total average minimal annual burden of €20,292,110 for syphilis on the German healthcare system between 2010 and 2012., Conclusions: The linking of claims data, results from EQA schemes, and blood donor surveillance can be a useful tool for assessing the burden of disease on the healthcare system. It can help raise awareness in populations potentially at risk for infectious diseases, demonstrate the need to educate potential risk groups, and may help with predictive cost calculations and planning., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Šmit, Wojtalewicz, Vierbaum, Nourbakhsh, Schellenberg, Hunfeld and Lohr.)

The ongoing Libyan conflict constantly causes victims among the military and civilian population. Cross-border transfer of patients represents a high risk of introducing multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), for example, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and carbapenem-resistant gram-negative organisms (CROs), into the country of destination. This study assessed the MDRO status in Libyan war casualties (n = 67) admitted to Northwest Medical Centre in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, from August 2016 till January 2017. Identified multidrug-resistant nonfermenters and Enterobacteriaceae were subjected to molecular detection of β-lactamases and further mechanisms of resistance. All isolates were typed by enzymatic macrorestriction and subsequent pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. MDROs were found in 40 (60%) patients, including 25 (37%) positive for at least one CRO and 11 (16%) patients with MRSA. A total of 37 isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, and Serratia marcescens produced carbapenemases: NDM (n = 17), OXA-48 (n = 15), and OXA-23 (n = 9) in addition to other β-lactamases (with bla CTX-M-group-1 being most frequent) and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes (qnrB, aac(6')Ib-cr). Bacterial strain typing revealed the presence of various clones. This high MDRO rate in Libyan war casualties demands awareness, appropriate screening, and containment measures for medical institutions involved in medical care to avoid patient-to-patient transmission.

This review is directed at physicians and laboratory personnel in private practice and clinics who treat and diagnose Lyme borreliosis (LB) in patients as part of their daily work. A major objective of this paper is to bring together background information on Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and basic clinical knowledge of LB, which is one of the most frequently reported vector-borne diseases in the Northern Hemisphere. The goal is to provide practical guidance for clinicians and for laboratory physicians, and scientists for a better understanding of current achievements and ongoing obstacles in the laboratory diagnosis of LB, an infectious disease that still remains one of the diagnostic chameleons of modern clinical medicine. Moreover, in bringing together current scientific information from guidelines, reviews, and original papers, this review provides recommendations for selecting the appropriate tests in relation to the patient's stage of disease to achieve effective, stage-related application of current direct and indirect laboratory methods for the detection of B. burgdorferi s.l. Additionally, the review aims to discuss the current state of the art concerning the diagnostic potential and limitations of the assays and test methods currently in use to optimize LB patient management and provide insight into the possible future prospects of this rapidly changing area of laboratory medicine.

This longitudinal study examined the role of oral proficiency, as measured with elicited narratives using a wordless picture book, Frog Where are You? (Meyer, 1969/1994), on English reading comprehension with a total of 102 English Language Learners (ELLs), including both Spanish and Cantonese speakers. Narrative samples were collected in the winter of first grade and reading skills were assessed on the same children one year later in second grade. Children were enrolled in either bilingual programs or mainstream programs. Multiple regression results show it was not the quantity and variety of words used in the narratives that predicted English reading comprehension one year later. Instead, the ability to produce a coherent oral narrative, in either the home language or English, explained a small variance in English reading comprehension for both English learner groups. These findings highlight the importance of examining narrative skills, especially as measured by narrative structure. Implications for parents and educators are discussed.

Animal acoustic communication often takes the form of complex sequences, made up of multiple distinct acoustic units. Apart from the well-known example of birdsong, other animals such as insects, amphibians, and mammals (including bats, rodents, primates, and cetaceans) also generate complex acoustic sequences. Occasionally, such as with birdsong, the adaptive role of these sequences seems clear (e.g. mate attraction and territorial defence). More often however, researchers have only begun to characterise - let alone understand - the significance and meaning of acoustic sequences. Hypotheses abound, but there is little agreement as to how sequences should be defined and analysed. Our review aims to outline suitable methods for testing these hypotheses, and to describe the major limitations to our current and near-future knowledge on questions of acoustic sequences. This review and prospectus is the result of a collaborative effort between 43 scientists from the fields of animal behaviour, ecology and evolution, signal processing, machine learning, quantitative linguistics, and information theory, who gathered for a 2013 workshop entitled, 'Analysing vocal sequences in animals'. Our goal is to present not just a review of the state of the art, but to propose a methodological framework that summarises what we suggest are the best practices for research in this field, across taxa and across disciplines. We also provide a tutorial-style introduction to some of the most promising algorithmic approaches for analysing sequences. We divide our review into three sections: identifying the distinct units of an acoustic sequence, describing the different ways that information can be contained within a sequence, and analysing the structure of that sequence. Each of these sections is further subdivided to address the key questions and approaches in that area. We propose a uniform, systematic, and comprehensive approach to studying sequences, with the goal of clarifying research terms used in different fields, and facilitating collaboration and comparative studies. Allowing greater interdisciplinary collaboration will facilitate the investigation of many important questions in the evolution of communication and sociality., (© 2014 Cambridge Philosophical Society.)

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening disease that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Its long-term prognosis strongly depends on a timely and optimized antibiotic treatment. Therefore, identification of the causative pathogen is crucial and currently based on blood cultures followed by characterization and susceptibility testing of the isolate. However, antibiotic treatment starting prior to blood sampling or IE caused by fastidious or intracellular microorganisms may cause negative culture results. Here we investigate the additional diagnostic value of broad-range PCR in combination with direct sequencing on resected heart tissue or swabs in patients with tissue or swab culture-negative IE in a routine clinical setting. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of broad-range PCR from diagnostic material in our patients were 33.3%, 76.9%, 90.9%, and 14.3%, respectively. We identified a total of 20 patients (21.5%) with tissue or culture-negative IE who profited by the additional application of broad-range PCR. We conclude that broad-range PCR on resected heart tissue or swabs is an important complementary diagnostic approach. It should be seen as an indispensable new tool for both the therapeutic and diagnostic management of culture-negative IE and we thus propose its possible inclusion in Duke's diagnostic classification scheme.

To date, relatively little is known about the economic and medical impact of Lyme borreliosis (LB) on European health care systems, especially for the inpatient sector. This retrospective analysis is based on data provided for the years 2007-2011 by a German statutory health insurance company (DAK-Gesundheit) covering approximately 6 million insured. Total cost was calculated for a 1-year period both from the third-party payers and from the societal perspective, respectively. In our cohort the incident diagnosis of LB was coded for 2163 inpatient cases during the years 2008-2011. The median inpatient time was 9 days resulting in a median direct medical cost per hospital stay of 3917€ for adolescents and 2843€ for adults. Based on extrapolation of our findings to the German population, we would expect an average hospital admission of 5200 adults and 2300 adolescents (<18 years) for LB treatment incurring direct medical costs of more than 23 million Euro annually. The annual indirect costs due to loss of productivity would add up to more than 7 million Euro as assessed by the human capital method. Cases tended to accumulate between June and September with remarkable changes in disease manifestations in the course of the year documented in the coded secondary diagnoses. Also specific differences in the disease pattern of adolescents and adults became obvious. Age-specific incidence showed male predominance and a bimodal distribution. Incidence was highest in children aged between 3 and 17 (highest mean incidence of 29 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 6-9 year olds) with a second peak in 60-79 year old individuals. During the study period the nationwide inpatient incidence was 9/100,000 with marked regional variability. In summary, our study is one of the first European investigations on hospital care for LB inpatients and identifies LB as a possibly underestimated socioeconomic factor for health care in Germany., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Latest major contributions in the field of sepsis diagnostics result from advances in PCR technologies permitting new standards in speed and quality, given the fact that a timely diagnosis is the decisive factor to the survival of patients with bloodstream infections.Multiplex real-time PCR is a quantitative method for simultaneous amplification and detection of different targeted DNA molecules within hours. Nevertheless, various studies have shown a number of technical shortcomings as well as a high heterogeneity in sensitivity.The present method allows the standardized and rapid detection and identification of 25 common bacteria and fungi responsible for bloodstream infections from whole blood samples by using LightCycler(®) SeptiFast (LC-SF) test, based on real-time PCR.

Background: To evaluate the outcome of different therapeutic pathways to manage infrainguinal prosthetic graft infections., Methods: In this study a total of 66 patients treated between 1993 and 2009 (48 males and 18 females) were included. Subgroups were formed according to the following options of surgical management: excision of the grafts with or without arterial reconstruction (including prosthetic grafts and vein grafts), primary amputation, and surgical debridement with negative wound pressure therapy. Additionally, mortality, amputation rate, re-infection rate, and microbiological findings were analyzed., Results: Mean age was 65.64±11.33 y and follow up was 22.21±36.85 mo. Thirty-day survival rate was 89.5%±4.1%, overall limb salvage rate was 82.5%±5.1%. In the group with primary amputation, one patient (20%) died; however, in the group of surgical debridement with negative wound pressure therapy, mortality was nil. In the group with graft excision, seven patients died (14.3%); no difference between the study groups was found (p=0.058). Amputation rate was 10% (n=5), 0% and 20.4% (n=10), respectively, with a higher rate in the primary amputation group (p<0.001). Reinfection rate was 0%, 8.3% (n=1) and 14.2% (n=7) respectively; p=0.822. Also, no difference was found regarding bypass level or revascularization graft material., Conclusion: Mortality and amputation rate is still high after infrainguinal prosthetic graft infection. Our strategy to preserve the graft whenever possible showed no difference compared with more aggressive strategies.

Background: Modern medical care increasingly requires coordinated teamwork and communication between healthcare professionals of different disciplines. Unfortunately, healthcare professional students are rarely afforded the opportunity to learn effective methods of interprofessional (IP) communication and teamwork strategies during their education. The question of how to best incorporate IP interactions in the curricula of the schools of health professions remains unanswered., Objective: We aim to solve the lack of IP education in the pharmacy curricula through the use of high fidelity simulation (HFS) to allow teams of medical, pharmacy, nursing, physician assistant, and social work students to work together in a controlled environment to solve cases of complex medical and social issues., Methods: Once weekly for a 4-week time period, students worked together to complete complex simulation scenarios in small IP teams consisting of pharmacy, medical, nursing, social work, and physician assistant students. Student perception of the use of HFS was evaluated by a survey given at the conclusion of the HFS sessions. Team communication was evaluated through the use of Communication and Teamwork Skills (CATS) Assessment by 2 independent evaluators external to the project., Results: The CATS scores improved from the HFS sessions 1 to 2 (p = 0.01), 2 to 3 (p = 0.035), and overall from 1 to 4 (p = 0.001). The inter-rater reliability between evaluators was high (0.85, 95% CI 0.71, 0.99). Students perceived the HFS improved: their ability to communicate with other professionals (median =4); confidence in patient care in an IP team (median=4). It also stimulated student interest in IP work (median=4.5), and was an efficient use of student time (median=4.5)., Conclusions: The use of HFS improved student teamwork and communication and was an accepted teaching modality. This method of exposing students of the health sciences to IP care should be incorporated throughout the curricula.

Auditory sensitivity in three species of woodpeckers was estimated using the auditory brainstem response (ABR), a measure of the summed electrical activity of auditory neurons. For all species, the ABR waveform showed at least two, and sometimes three prominent peaks occurring within 10 ms of stimulus onset. Also ABR peak amplitude increased and latency decreased as a function of increasing sound pressure levels. Results showed no significant differences in overall auditory abilities between the three species of woodpeckers. The average ABR audiogram showed that woodpeckers have lowest thresholds between 1.5 and 5.7 kHz. The shape of the average woodpecker ABR audiogram was similar to the shape of the ABR-measured audiograms of other small birds at most frequencies, but at the highest frequency data suggest that woodpecker thresholds may be lower than those of domesticated birds, while similar to those of wild birds.

The nematode Capillaria aerophila (Trichuroidea, Trichuridae) affects the respiratory system of cats and other animals and occasionally of human beings. Infected cats may show bronchovesicular sounds, inflammation, sneezing, wheezing and, chronic cough and, sometimes, bronchopneumonia and respiratory failure. The present study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the antiparasitic spot-on formulation containing imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 1 % (Advocate®, Bayer Animal Health) in the treatment of natural feline infection with the lungworm C. aerophila. The efficacy of Advocate® administered once was tested on days 7 ± 1 and 11 ± 1 following treatment at day 0 and compared to faecal egg counts on days -6 ± 1 and -2 ± 1. Overall, 36 cats treated either with Advocate® (treatment group, n = 17 cats) or left untreated (control group, n = 19 cats) were included in the study. Geometric means of faecal egg counts values in eggs per gram of faeces were 124.03 prior to treatment and 0.26 posttreatment in treatment group, while 107.03 and 123.94 pre- and posttreatment in the untreated cats. Post-baseline egg counts showed a 99.79 % reduction in Advocate®-treated animals in comparison with cats which were left untreated. Also, treated cats showed no adverse events. This trial demonstrated that Advocate® spot-on formulation is safe and effective in the treatment of feline lung capillariosis caused by C. aerophila.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the antiparasitic spot-on formulation containing imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 1% (Advocate, Bayer) in the treatment of natural feline infection with the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda, Strongylida). The efficacy of Advocate administered once was tested in comparison to a control oral formulation containing fenbendazole 18.75% (Panacur Intervet) administered over three consecutive days based on larvae per gramme of faeces (LPG), measured on days 28 +/- 2 following treatment and compared to counts on days -6 to -2. In total 24 cats treated either with Advocate (n = 12) or with Panacur (n = 12) were included. Mean LPG postbaseline (days 28 +/- 2) were low in both treatment groups, i.e., 0 LPG for Advocate and 1.3 LPG for Panacur. Reduction of post-baseline larval counts showed Advocate (100% reduction) to be superior in efficacy compared to the control product (99.29% reduction). No treated animals showed adverse events. This trial demonstrated that both Advocate spot-on formulation and Panacur oral paste are safe and effective in the treatment of aelurostrongylosis in cats. Future practical perspectives in feline medicine and the major advantages of the spot-on product compared to the oral paste are discussed.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the antiparasitic spot-on formulation containing emodepside 2.1%/praziquantel 8.6% (Profender, Bayer) in the treatment of natural feline infection with the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda, Strongylida). Efficacy of Profender given once at the licensed dose was tested in comparison to a control oral formulation containing fenbendazole 18.75% (Panacur, Intervet) given over three consecutive days at the licensed dose. Efficacy assessment was based on larvae per gramme of faeces (LPG) counts, measured on days 28 +/- 2 following treatment and compared to counts on days -6 to -2. In total 24 cats treated either with Profender (n = 12) or with Panacur (n = 12) were included in the assessment of efficacy and safety. Mean LPG post-baseline counts (days 28 +/- 2) were 1.3 LPG for both Profender and Panacur, demonstrating similar efficacy of 99.38% for Profender and 99.29% for the control product. No treated animals showed adverse events. This trial demonstrated that both Profender spot-on formulation and oral paste Panacur are safe and effective in the treatment of aelurotrongylosis in cats. Future practical perspectives in feline medicine and the major advantages of the spot-on product compared to the oral paste are discussed.

Acoustic frequency (pitch) cues are known to be important in the recognition of conspecific song in a number of songbird species. Mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli) and black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) are sympatric over parts of their ranges and their species-typical songs share many features. I examined the acoustic characteristics of song of these two congeners in a region of sympatry in southern Alberta, Canada. As reported for other populations in allopatry, black-capped chickadees emphasized relative frequency cues in song production. In particular, variation in the ratios between note frequencies was significantly less than variation in the note frequencies themselves. In contrast, songs of mountain chickadees did not have constant frequency ratios and contained an introductory acoustic element absent in black-capped chickadee song. Both species may rely on song note frequency or the presence of this introductory acoustic element when differentiating between conspecific song and heterospecific song. Song measures for chickadees in sympatry were similar to measures in allopatry, providing little evidence for character displacement in song production.

Thresholds for discriminating changes in the temporal fine structure of call-like, harmonic sounds were measured in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Birds could detect changes in periods as short as 1.225 ms at near 100% accuracy even when spectral and envelope cues were identical, as in time-reversed stimuli. Humans performed poorly on such stimuli, paralleling results from previous studies. Bird thresholds were in the range of those reported in neurophysiological studies of the songbird high vocal center (HVC) to temporally modified conspecific songs. Taken together, these results show that birds can hear differences in temporal fine structure in their natural vocalizations that go beyond human capabilities, but whether these abilities have communicative relevance remains to be seen., (((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).)

The auditory brainstem response (ABR), a measure of neural synchrony, was used to estimate auditory sensitivity in the eastern screech owl (Megascops asio). The typical screech owl ABR waveform showed two to three prominent peaks occurring within 5 ms of stimulus onset. As sound pressure levels increased, the ABR peak amplitude increased and latency decreased. With an increasing stimulus presentation rate, ABR peak amplitude decreased and latency increased. Generally, changes in the ABR waveform to stimulus intensity and repetition rate are consistent with the pattern found in several avian families. The ABR audiogram shows that screech owls hear best between 1.5 and 6.4 kHz with the most acute sensitivity between 4-5.7 kHz. The shape of the average screech owl ABR audiogram is similar to the shape of the behaviorally measured audiogram of the barn owl, except at the highest frequencies. Our data also show differences in overall auditory sensitivity between the color morphs of screech owls.

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) has emerged as a significant nosocomial pathogen in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). We wished to test the hypothesis that the use of selective digestive tract decontamination (SDD) in the SICU affects the frequency of VRE isolation. A retrospective review of hospital records and the SICU database was performed using patients admitted to the SICU service for three or more days from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1999 at our large tertiary-care teaching hospital. During this time use of SDD in selected patient populations decreased due to physician preference. Information gathered included length of SICU stay, presence of VRE infection or colonization, and use and duration of SDD protocol, vancomycin, and ceftazidime. There were 110 newly diagnosed VRE cases in the SICU during this time period. During the same time period 54 patients received SDD. Eight patients who received SDD had positive VRE cultures and seven had the initial positive culture after receiving SDD. Overall, 9.1% of eligible SICU patients received SDD, 18.5% of patients in the SICU for over 3 days had VRE, 7.3% of VRE patients received SDD, and 13.0% of the SICU patients who received SDD subsequently developed VRE. SDD use was not associated with VRE in univariate analysis. Logistic regression analysis showed higher odds ratios for SDD use in combination with vancomycin than for vancomycin use alone (OR=4.3 vs. 10.9). Odds ratios were over three times higher for SDD plus vancomycin plus ceftazidime use when compared to vancomycin plus ceftazidime use alone (OR=70.5 vs. 19.8). We conclude that administration of SDD alone did not correlate with increased VRE isolation, but that SDD use in conjunction with vancomycin and ceftazidime was associated with VRE isolation.

Budgerigars were trained to discriminate complex sounds with two different types of spectral profiles from flat-spectrum, wideband noise. In one case, complex sounds with a sinusoidal ripple in (log) amplitude across (log) frequency bandwidth were generated by combining 201 logarithmically spaced tones covering the frequency region from 500 Hz to 10 kHz. A second type of rippled stimulus was generated by delaying broadband noise and adding it to the original noise in an iterative fashion. In each case, thresholds for modulation depth (i.e., peak-to-valley in dB) were measured at several different ripple frequencies (i.e., cycles/octave for logarithmic profiles) or different repetition pitches (i.e., delay for ripple noises). Budgerigars were similar to humans in detecting ripple at low spatial frequencies, but were considerably more sensitive than humans in detecting ripples in log ripple spectra at high spatial frequencies. Budgerigars were also similar to humans in detecting linear ripple in broadband noise over a wide range of repetition pitches. Taken together, these data show that the avian auditory system is at least as good, if not better, than the human auditory system at detecting spectral ripples in noise despite gross anatomical differences in both the peripheral and central auditory nervous systems.

The treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) has received little empirical attention despite evidence that BDD is a debilitating mental health problem. This open case series provides data on a new cognitive-behavioral treatment for BDD. Participants diagnosed with BDD were treated in small groups that met for 12 weekly 90-minute sessions. Patients improved significantly over the course of treatment, with reductions in both BDD and depression symptoms. This finding adds to a nascent literature documenting the potential efficacy of short-term cognitive-behavior therapy for patients suffering from BDD.

Thresholds for detecting alterations in the timbre and harmonicity of complex harmonic signals were measured in zebra finches, budgerigars, and humans. The stimuli used in this experiment were designed to have particular salience for zebra finches by modeling them after natural zebra finch calls. All 3 species showed similar abilities for detecting an amplitude decrement in a single component of a harmonic complex. However, zebra finches and budgerigars were extraordinarily sensitive to the mistunings of single harmonics and exhibited significantly lower thresholds compared with humans at 2 different fundamental frequencies, 570 Hz and 285 Hz. Randomizing relative phases of components in a harmonic stimulus resulted in a significant increase in threshold for detecting mistunings in zebra finches but not in humans. Decreasing the duration of mistuned harmonic stimuli resulted in higher thresholds for both birds and humans. The overall superiority of birds in discriminating inharmonicity suggests that birds and mammals may use different strategies in processing these complex harmonic sounds.

In the present experiments it was tested whether omega-agatoxin-IVA, a peptide blocking P-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, inhibits the evoked release of newly synthesized [3H]acetylcholine from the rat phrenic nerve. Release of [3H]acetylcholine was evoked by electrical stimulation of the isolated phrenic nerve (100 or 750 pulses at 5 Hz). omega-Agatoxin-IVA inhibited evoked [3H]acetylcholine release in a concentration-related manner; inhibition started at a concentration of 30 nM with complete block occurring at 500 nM. In conclusion, the present experiments demonstrate that omega-agatoxin-IVA-sensitive P-type Ca2+ channels are critically involved in the regulation of stimulus-induced transmitter release at mammalian motor endplates.

Songbird reproductive success can decline from consuming mercury-contaminated aquatic insects, but assessments of hydrologic conditions influencing songbird mercury exposure are lacking. We monitored breast feather total mercury (THg) concentrations and reproductive success in the U.S. federally listed endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (CSSS: Ammospiza maritima mirabilis) over three breeding seasons in the Florida Everglades. We used model comparison to explore the influence of annual hydrologic variation on adult CSSS THg concentrations, and tested mercury effects on individual reproductive success (individuals' mate status, apparent nest success, and total productivity) that were scaled to estimates on population productivity using a demographic model. We identified four hydrologic models that explained annual variation in adult THg concentrations, with the top model showing a negative association between THg concentrations and drought length of the previous breeding season and a positive association between THg concentrations and dry-season water recession rate (model adjusted R 2  = 0.82). Adult male mating probability declined by 63% across the range of THg concentrations observed. We found no mercury effect on CSSS nest success or total productivity. However, demographic modeling suggested the reduced mating could produce a 60% decrease in population productivity compared to a scenario with no THg impact. Our results suggest that CSSS mercury exposure is influenced by local hydrologic conditions that can increase early breeding failure (lack of breeding initiation) and potentially limit population productivity. This study is the first to describe CSSS mercury exposure and its potential reproductive costs at the individual and population levels., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standards. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: All animal handling and sampling methods were approved by the U.S. Geological Survey (federal bird banding permit #23166), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (native endangered species recovery permit #TE075916), and Everglades National Park (EVER-2016-SCI-0025, EVER-2017-SCI-0028, and EVER-2018-SCI-0024)., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Advances in high-throughput omics technologies have enabled system-wide characterization of biological samples across multiple molecular levels, such as the genome, transcriptome, and proteome. However, as sample sizes rapidly increase in large-scale multi-omics studies, sample mix-ups have become a prevalent issue, compromising data integrity and leading to erroneous conclusions. The interconnected nature of multi-omics data presents an opportunity to identify and correct these errors. This review examines the potential sources of sample mix-ups and evaluates the methodologies and tools developed for detecting and correcting these errors, with an emphasis on approaches applicable to proteomics data. We categorize existing tools into three main groups: expression/protein quantitative trait loci-based, genotype concordance-based, and gene/protein expression correlation-based approaches. Notably, only a handful of tools currently utilize the proteogenomics approach for correcting sample mix-ups at the proteomics level. Integrating the strengths of current tools across diverse data types could enable the development of more versatile and comprehensive solutions. In conclusion, verifying sample identity is a critical first step to reduce bias and increase precision in subsequent analyses for large-scale multi-omics studies. By leveraging these tools for identifying and correcting sample mix-ups, researchers can significantly improve the reliability and reproducibility of biomedical research., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Birdsong has been the subject of broad research from a variety of sub-disciplines and has taught us much about the evolution, function, and mechanisms driving animal communication and cognition. Typically, birdsong refers to the specialized vocalizations produced by oscines. Historically, much of the research on birdsong was conducted in north temperate regions (specifically in Europe and North America) leading to multiple biases. Due to these historic biases these vocalizations are generally considered to be highly sexually dimorphic, heavily shaped by sexual selection and essential for courtship and territoriality. Song is also typically defined as a learned trait shaped by cultural evolution. Together, this framework focuses research specifically on males, particularly during the north temperate breeding season - reflecting and thereby reinforcing this framework. The physiological underpinnings of song often emphasize the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (associated with breeding changes) and the song control system (underlying vocal learning). Over the years there has been great debate over which features of song are essential to the definition of birdsong, which features apply broadly to contexts outside males in the north temperate region, and over the importance of having a definition at all. Importantly, the definitions we use can both guide and limit the progress of research. Here, we describe the history of these definitions, and how these definitions have directed and restricted research to focus on male song in sexually selected contexts. Additionally, we highlight the gaps in our scientific knowledge, especially with respect to the function and physiological mechanisms underlying song in females and in winter, as well as in non-seasonally breeding species. Furthermore, we highlight the problems with using complexity and learning as dichotomous variables to categorize songs and calls. Across species, no one characteristic of song - sexual dimorphism, seasonality, complexity, sexual selection, learning - consistently delineates song from other songbird vocal communication. We provide recommendations for next steps to build an inclusive information framework that will allow researchers to explore nuances in animal communication and promote comparative research. Specifically, we recommend that researchers should operationalize the axis of variation most relevant to their study/species by identifying their specific question and the variable(s) of focus (e.g. seasonality). Researchers should also identify the axis (axes) of variation (e.g. degree of control by testosterone) most relevant to their study and use language consistent with the question and axis (axes) of variation (e.g. control by testosterone in the seasonal vocal production of birds)., (© 2021 Cambridge Philosophical Society.)

Objectives: The key objective of this study was to assess the validity of a commercially available in-house Lymphocyte Transformation Test (LTT) as a diagnostic parameter and indicator of disease activity/therapeutic efficacy in the context of Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB)., Methods: A prospective dual-centre study was conducted from 05/14 - 01/18. With respect to Borrelia-LTT a comparison was made between patients suffering from confirmed acute LNB and patients being affected by inflammatory neurologic diseases, defining the control group: Bell's palsy, viral meningitis, herpes zoster, Guillain-Barré-Syndrome and Encephalomyelitis disseminate. Furthermore, we investigated the LTT within the LNB group at the time of admission and again 12 weeks (+/- one week) later - after appropriate antibiotic treatment., Results: Cases included 15 patients with LNB and 58 participants in the control group. With regard to Borrelia-LTT we calculated a low sensitivity of 40% and a moderate specificity of 91% for LNB. Additionally, LTT-levels three months after adequate antibiotic therapy did not correlate with the therapeutic response of LNB patients., Conclusions: The present study shows that LTT is neither appropriate for LNB detection nor suitable as a follow-up marker., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethical approval Regarding ethical questions, advice was obtained from the Bavarian institutional review board according to § 15 professional code of Bavarians’ physicians. The design, procedure and objectives of the study were outlined and submitted to the Bavarian Institutional Review Board in March 2014. No objections were raised by written confirmation in April 2014. Consent to participate Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

--Weights and mean nuclear surfaces of external epithelial bodies were examined in 53 clinically intact young fattening bulls, 49 clinically intact dairy cows, 55 young fattening bulls slaughtered on account of emergency mainly for osteolamacia and rickets, and 50 cows that had died of various diseases. --Absolute parenchymal levels were found to increase along with growing age. --In young fattening bulls, epithelial bodies lost weight and nuclear surface along with severity of pathological bone changes. --Epithelial bodies in cows and young fattening bulls feeding primarily on silage were more active than those of animals feeding to a larger extent on meadow hay or kept grazing. --No signs of increased activity of epithelial bodies were recordable from animals with osteomalacia or those close to parturition. --All results so far derived from the above studies seem to suggest that, with the present regime of cattle feeding, calcium deficit or phosphate excess are not involved in the development of skeletal diseases. The findings so far obtained in the context of epithelial bodies have confirmed the contrary to the effect that calcium excess and phosphate deficit have remained to be the major causes of skeletal diseases.

This article is a short review of newer findings concerning the physiological and biochemical bases of the heart's tolerance to ischemia. The following themes are discussed. I. Energy-pool, energy-demand, and efficiency of anaerobic metabolism, the essential determinants of reanimation time and the heart's tolerance to ischemia. II. Experimental results of ischemic heart arrest and the heart arrest induced by a sodium-poor calcium-free, procaine-containing cardioplegic solution, developed by the author. III. Equivalents of function, metabolism and structure during the anaerobic period of the myocardium. IV. The myocardium's capability to recover in dependence on the metabolic state of ischemia and summary of the most important points of gaining a long time of tolerated ischemia. V. Survey and prospects.