PeerJ

Dams can significantly alter natural riverine systems, but their impact on movement across rivers for most terrestrial vertebrates is poorly known. The completion of Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge dams in Arizona and Utah (southwestern United States) profoundly changed the Colorado and Green Rivers and have altered habitat for many species. The common side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) offers an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of riverine impoundments on migration and gene flow in terrestrial biodiversity. To assess these effects, we collected tissue samples from 241 Uta stansburiana above and below Glen Canyon Dam and on both sides of the Colorado river at three separate study areas. We used eight microsatellite loci to estimate genetic exchange in the context of genetic diversity and structure. One study area below Flaming Gorge Dam and above Glen Canyon Dam has annual periods of warmer water temperatures and lower flows that are closer to pre-dam conditions, whereas two study areas below Glen Canyon Dam have cold water temperatures year-round, and less pronounced seasonal low flow episodes. We predicted that warmer water temperatures above Glen Canyon Dam would promote greater genetic exchange among populations than below the dam. However, we found evidence for low levels of genetic exchange between sites both above and below Glen Canyon Dam, and a moderate amount of exchange at a site below this dam where lizards could conceivably move from one side to the other. Our results imply that 1) the changes in water temperature and hydrology in dam-altered rivers are a barrier for this species even when the distance from the dam is great; and 2) genetic exchange may be dependent on river morphology. These results are relevant to other small vertebrates, particularly ectotherms, that occupy habitat proximal to a dammed river and has implications for the conservation management of impounded river systems.

Justification: Accidental lab-acquired infections (LAIs) with potential pandemic pathogens (PPPs) in high-biosafety research facilities risk causing a pandemic. Routine testing of lab workers for LAIs coupled with isolation of infected workers could reduce the risk, but the impact of such an intervention may depend on pathogens' epidemiological characteristics. Objective: This study aims to understand how the epidemiological characteristics of PPPs moderate the efficacy of a routine testing and isolation intervention in preventing larger outbreaks after an LAI. Methods: We employed a discrete-time stochastic network infectious disease model to run 625,000 epidemic simulations encompassing 625 unique combinations of five parameters of interest: test frequency, pathogen transmissibility, the self-isolation rate for symptomatic cases, the percentage of cases that are asymptomatic, and the percentage of infectious time that is spent in the pre-symptomatic state among those who show symptoms. To summarize the Monte Carlo simulations, we paired visual analysis with logistic regression for formal hypothesis testing, with an emphasis on the interaction terms that capture the moderating effect of epidemiological parameters on the impact of test frequency. Main Results: There were four main findings. First, the relative reductions in risk of outbreak that were caused by increased test frequency were inversely correlated with pathogen transmissibility. Second, the effect of test frequency was magnified at higher asymptomatic shares when the symptomatic self-isolation rate was high, but minimally when the self-isolation rate is low. Third, the direction of how the symptomatic self-isolation rate moderated the effect of increased test frequency depended on the asymptomatic share. Fourth, as the pre-symptomatic share of infectious time increased, the effect of test frequency on the probability of an outbreak was strongly magnified largely independent of symptomatic self-isolation rates. Conclusions: Routine testing and isolation could significantly mitigate the risk of catastrophic PPP escapes, with the intervention's success varying based on pathogen characteristics. High shares of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission notably increased the relative risk reductions achieved by the intervention. These findings suggest prioritizing testing interventions for pathogens with high asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission and highlight the symptomatic self-isolation rate as a policy intervention target.

The role of passive muscle mechanical properties in explosive performance is important to understand to maximize training and performance in strength sports. The objective of this study was to create and test a Structural Equation Model (SEM) to analyze the interrelations between muscle mechanical properties and neuromuscular performance in competitive weightlifters. The MyotonPRO was used to measure muscle stiffness, muscle tone, muscle elasticity, relaxation time and creep of four major muscles: Quadriceps Femoris, Hamstrings, Trapezius and Biceps Brachii, on thirty elite male weightlifters. This involved performance metrics of the rate of force development (RFD), countermovement jump (CMJ) and time to contraction threshold (TCT). AMOS was used to analyze the direct and indirect relationships between variables through SEM analysis. These findings indicated that muscle stiffness and relaxation time were significant predictors of explosive performance measures (p < 0.05) but there were weak or no relationships between tone, elasticity and creep. The model proposed had good fit indices (CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.049) indicating its structural soundness. These results present the significance of muscle stiffness and relaxation time as important predictors of neuromuscular performance. The proposed model suggests an effective structure of monitoring athletes, their performance optimization, and individual training design in strength-based sports.

Increasing human activities along the US west coast are of concern for populations of cetaceans and particularly for a number of large whale species that are recovering from overexploitation during the era of commercial whaling. New rapid monitoring tools, such as satellite imagery analysis powered by recent advances in artificial intelligence, have potential to provide additional broad-scale and near real-time capacities for survey and monitoring. This paper investigates and demonstrates the feasibility of automatic detection of gray whales in sub-meter satellite imagery off the coast of California, USA. Observations and statistical analysis of regional imagery allowed not only an assessment of their detectability but also the development of robust signal processing and machine learning-based solutions for automated detection. To that end, a regional dataset of 221 gray whales was created using signal processing to inform a deep-learning-based detection framework, and 20 different large neural network architectures for feature extraction followed by a support vector machine algorithm for classification were evaluated for their detection performance. Neural network backbones included 19 convolutional neural networks and 1 transformer network. The best architecture generally achieved satisfying performance with an average balanced accuracy reaching up to 99.90%. It is also demonstrated that panchromatic imagery, in spite of the lesser amount of information provided, can be used to perform detection with a relatively high accuracy of 87.05%, allowing wider spatial and temporal coverage. Large-scale deployment of the best performing models over a broad range of regional satellite imagery resulted in the detection of 3353 gray whales, as well as opportunistic detections of humpback, blue and fin whales, in and going from December 28th 2009 to March 26th 2023. It also provided meaningful data points concerning the migration routes of gray whales within the Channel Islands and Southern California Bight. The large number of high-confidence detections indicates the capacity for a large-scale monitoring approach to support state and federal conservation policies such as gear mitigation, vessel speed reduction programs, or shipping lane redefinition that could also be expanded to other areas and for other species.

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) combined with the programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor sintilimab versus NAC alone in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Materials and Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we collected clinical data from 61 patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who received neoadjuvant therapy at The First Hospital of Lanzhou University between July 2024 and July 2025. These patients were divided into two groups: the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) plus sintilimab group (n=27) and the NAC-alone group (n=34). The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), safety, and changes in tumor markers. Results The combination therapy group showed significantly higher ORR (85.2% vs. 58.8%) and pCR rates (59.3% vs. 32.4%) compared to the NAC alone group (both P<0.05). Post-treatment Ki-67 levels were also significantly lower in the combination group (P<0.05). The overall incidence of adverse events was comparable between groups (P>0.05), although leukopenia was more frequent with sintilimab (P<0.05). Conclusion In the neoadjuvant setting for TNBC, the addition of sintilimab to NAC significantly improves ORR and pCR rates, effectively reduces the tumor proliferation index Ki-67, and does not significantly increase the overall burden of adverse events. The combination regimen shows a manageable safety profile and demonstrates positive clinical value. Keywords Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Immunotherapy, Sintilimab, Combination neoadjuvant chemotherapy, Efficacy, Real-World data.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play essential roles in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression in organisms. In the process of synthesizing mature miRNAs from miRNA precursors, the miRNA precursors are cleaved via Dicer at their loop structure, after which the miRNA precursors become mature and regulate transcription. However, the consequences of altering the loop sequence are not fully understood. The silkworm Bombyx mori is a lepidopteran insect with many genetic strains. We identified a mutant of the miRNA miR-3260 whose the part of the loop structure was lacking in a silkworm strain with translucent larval skin. Here, we aimed to analyze the role of wild-type miR-3260 and the influence of the mutation of the loop structure in B. mori. First, we identified the genomic region responsible for the translucent larval skin phenotype and determined that the mutated miR-3260 nucleotide sequences. Then, we predicted the binding partners of wild-type miR-3260 using the RNA hybrid tool and found two juvenile hormone (JH)-related genes as targets of wild-type miR-3260. Next, we assessed the relationships between miR-3260 and JH and found that miR-3260 was highly expressed in the Corpora allata and its expression responded to JH treatment. Meanwhile, miR-3260 mimic and inhibitor did not induce the typical phenotypes associated with JH in B. mori. Then, we compared the dicing products from wild-type and mutant miR-3260 precursors and observed that neither form underwent Dicer-mediated cleavage when the loop structure was altered. These results suggest that loop mutations in the miR-3260 precursor may not influence dicing activity, consistent with the lack of observable phenotypic effects.

Marine biodiversity documentation from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) remains neglected despite the region having diversity of marine coastal habitats. The regions intertidal is one such habitat where species documentation remained heavily deficient due to lack of assessments and general apathy towards the habitat. This study addresses the issue of data deficiency of one of the largest taxa, Gastropoda through a decade long citizen science project, Marine Life of Mumbai. There exist large gaps in taxonomic research that have led to inconsistencies in species identification and inadequate ecosystem representation. This study addresses these issues by focusing on one of the largest taxa, the Molluscan class Gastropoda within the MMR. We present the spatial distribution of gastropod assemblages from 28 rocky, sandy and muddy intertidal sites within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, on west coast of India. A total of 163 species were recorded from 2164 observations of marine gastropods. Among these, 29 species, 34 genera and one family Limapontiidae are new records for the region. Additionally, this study reports rediscoveries of 7 species from their type locality, with 5 species of Heterobranchs recorded after 78 years: one species from Neogastropoda, Lataxiena bombayana, after 131 years and one from Siphonariida, Siphonaria bassiensis after 31 years, from their type locality. These species are herein illustrated with detailed morphological descriptions and their local distribution on 28 sites in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Through this study we elucidate that the citizen science efforts and the subsequent taxonomic analysis provide an effective and low-cost method for filling data gaps from large, understudied geographical areas.

Background and aimTrauma healing with low-intensity ultrasound is effective for different types of injuries affecting both soft tissues and bones. The work aimed to disclose the healing potential of a new type of ultrasound, ultra-wideband low-intensity mechanical waves (UMUS), and to compare its effects with those of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) in a model of trauma. Material and methodsThe work was performed on 2-to 3-month-old male Wistar rats. The model of tail amputation was created, and a transducer emitting UMUS (1-7 MHz, 0.22 mW/cm2) was applied daily for 10 days to the surface of the trauma site in animals that were timely immobilized. LIPUS (1.5 mHz, 30.0 mW/cm2) was used in a separate group of animals. Sham-stimulated rats were used as a control. The intensity of collagen expression in the subdermal tissue was assessed in van Gieson-stained sections, whereas in the UMUS group, expression of CD31, CD34, VEGF, and Ki67 was analyzed. ResultsStarting on the 20th day after trauma, UMUS-treated animals demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in the surface area of the traumatic zone compared to the control, whereas LIPUS-treated rats showed this difference on the 30th day of observation. Starting from the 30th day, a significantly greater reduction in the surface of trauma was observed in UMUS, with complete closure achieved in 6 out of 9 rats (P=0.019 vs control), whereas in LIPUS-treated animals, a similar result was observed in 2 out of 8 rats (P>0.05). In UMUS-treated rats, heightened expression of collagen in animals with LIPUS exceeded control data by 7.84% (P=0.034), while the expression in rats with UMUS exceeded data in LIPUS-treated rats by 14.71% (P=0.013). Increased expression of CD31, CD34, VEGF, and Ki67 was observed in UMUS-treated rats. ConclusionsUMUS treatment accelerated healing and reduced wound size, and increased the expression of collagen, CD31, VEGF, CD34, and Ki67, supporting angiogenesis and collagen formation. Effects are more pronounced compared to LIPUS treatment. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=176 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/717366v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (75K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b82f66org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@12ffd81org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ac385aorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1a7da17_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

BackgroundThe most prevalent kind of oral cancer is oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which has a poor prognosis because of delayed detection and a lack of molecular indicators. MethodsTranscriptomic data from TCGA were analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes between OSCC and normal samples. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to determine biological pathways. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using STRING and visualized in Cytoscape to identify hub genes. ResultsA total of 5732 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 2459 upregulated and 3273 downregulated genes. Network analysis revealed several highly connected hub genes such as CDK1, CCNB1, TOP2A, BUB1, and MMP9. Functional enrichment indicated significant involvement of cell cycle regulation and cancer-associated pathways. ConclusionThis integrative analysis identified key regulatory hub genes that may be involved in OSCC progression. These genes may serve as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for future studies.

This study was aimed at characterizing the physicochemical analysis of stingless bees honey (SBH) in the Wonchi district, Southwest Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. In this study, a total of 30 stingless bees honey samples were collected from Damu Dagele, Fite Wato, and Warabu Messe sites from underground soils through an excavation of natural nests. Physicochemical characterization of properties and proximate analysis of the honey were performed. The result showed a total mean of 20.12{+/-}1.14% moisture content, 8.62{+/-}2.73 meq./kg free acidity, 1.8{+/-}0.52 mS/cm electrical conductivity, 3.39{+/-}0.32 pH, 40.52{+/-}6.61 mg/kg HMF, 0.83{+/-}0.33% ash, 0.56{+/-}0.25% protein, 0.56{+/-}0.24% fat, and 0.59{+/-}0.23% WISC for physicochemical properties of stingless bees honey. Among sugar profiles of SBH, fructose constituted the highest proportion at 18.87 g per 100 g (53.87%), while sucrose exhibited the lowest concentration at 5 g per 100 g (14.33%). The result showed that the highest constituted mean of mineral composition was observed with potassium (K) of 16.64{+/-}0.257 mg/kg, while magnesium (Mg) showed the lowest concentration of 3.48{+/-}0.17 mg/kg. A substantial correlation was observed between K and Mg, with a correlation coefficient of 0.72 and 0.72, and similarly between K and Calcium (Ca); the correlation was highly significant, exhibiting a correlation coefficient of 0.65. Furthermore, the correlation between fatty and other physicochemical and proximate analyses showed very insignificant correlations. In general, this study showed that the SBH produced in the current study area has good physicochemical properties and moisture and contains high-quality honey, which may help its traditional medicinal uses. The findings of the study further suggests the potentiality of the area for quality honey, and to easily locate priority areas for stingless bee conservation, further detailed studies of other stingless species honey medicinal values are recommended.

The north coast of mainland Portugal supports a strong dolphin presence and extensive fishing activity, increasing the likelihood of interactions, such as bycatch. This study provides an initial assessment of potential conflict areas, using automatic identification system (AIS) data from Global Fishing Watch. To this end, sighting data from the ATLANTIDA project (2021-2024) on the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) were used to describe spatiotemporal patterns of occurrence and encounter rates, and to predict their association with fishing effort to identify and map areas of potential overlap. A generalised additive model (GAM) was then applied, integrating environmental, spatial, temporal, and fisheries-related variables to identify the main predictors of species occurrence. Common dolphins were frequently observed during the summer, with an average encounter rate of 3.662 sightings/km. This high encounter rate may be associated with factors such as sea surface temperature, diet, and purse seine fishing activity. The maps showed a spatial overlap between fishing grounds and areas of common dolphin occurrence. Fishing effort was nearly identical between locations with sightings (2.00 h/km{superscript 2}) and those without (1.62 h/km{superscript 2}), suggesting that dolphins are not actively avoiding fishing areas but may instead frequent them due to shared habitat preferences. The best-fitted GAM indicated that encounters were related to year, latitude, fishing effort, depth, sea surface temperature, and season. There was an increase in occurrence over the years and a decrease with increasing fishing effort and sea surface temperature, possibly linked to changes in prey availability, although broad confidence intervals warrant cautious interpretation. Despite some limitations encountered in this study, we believe our findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between dolphin occurrence, environmental conditions, and fishing activities in the area, establishing an important baseline for future conservation and fisheries management efforts.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment option for Parkinson disease (PD). However, the effect of DBS on the arterial pressure (AP) remains unexplored. We aimed to develop an artificial baroreflex system for treating orthostatic hypotension (OH) due to central baroreflex failure in patients with PD. To achieve this, we developed an appropriate algorithm after estimating the dynamic responses of the AP to DBS using a white noise system identification method. Methods: We randomly performed DBS while measuring the AP tonometrically in 3 trials involving 3 patients with PD treated with DBS. We calculated the frequency response of the AP to the DBS using a fast Fourier transform algorithm. Finally, the feedback correction factors were determined via numerical simulation. Results: The frequency responses of the systolic AP to random DBS were identifiable in all 3 trials, and the steady state gain was 8.24 mmHg/STM. Based on these results, the proportional correction factor was set to 0.12, and the integral correction factor was set to 0.018. The computer simulation revealed that the system could quickly and effectively attenuate a sudden AP drop induced by external disturbances such as head-up tilting. Conclusion: An artificial baroreflex system with DBS may be a novel therapeutic approach for OH caused by central baroreflex failure.

Widow spiders of the genus Latrodectus are important animals for biomedical, pest and conservation research. Here, we present the assembled genomes of two closely related Latrodectus species: the Australian L. hasselti and the New Zealand endemic L. katipo. The genome of L. katipo consists of 13 scaffolds likely corresponding to chromosomes (90% of the total length) and 1267 short scaffolds (10%). It has a total length of 1.5 Gbp and BUSCO of 94.9%. The genome of L. hasselti consists of 379 scaffolds and has a total length of 1.7 Gbp and a BUSCO score of 95.4%. The repeat content is very similar in both genomes with a total proportion of 37.2% for L. katipo and 39.9% for L. hasselti. Genome annotation predicted 12706 and 15111 genes for L. katipo and L. hasselti respectively. An ortholog analysis shows large overlap between orthogroups suggesting either duplication events in L. hasselti or loss of genes in L. katipo.

Venom is an important functional trait that helps predatory animals capture prey. Centipede predatory venoms are complex cocktails of multiple proteins, such as neurotoxins (scoloptoxins), cytotoxins, {beta}-pore-forming toxins, and enzymes. We examined venom phenotypes in two closely related and co-occurring centipede species, Scolopendra morsitans (n=28) and S. hardwickei (n=11), in peninsular India to determine whether their venoms are similar or dissimilar. An integrated proteo-transcriptomic approach was used to characterise the venom phenotypes of the two species across multiple individuals in peninsular India. We used species occurrence records and species distribution models to assess the distributional overlap among these species within the peninsular Indian region. The species showed significant overlap in their current and projected geographical ranges, corresponding with their co-occurrence. We characterised the venom profiles of both species and found that the venoms were cocktails of enzymes, {beta}-pore-forming toxins, and neurotoxins comprising 110 and 84 proteins in S. morsitans and S. hardwickei, respectively. However, the venom composition of both species differed significantly in toxin abundance and species-specific protein repertoires. This indicates trait divergence in venom phenotypes, suggesting that distinct venom compositions may facilitate coexistence among ecologically similar predatory centipedes. The observed variation in venom phenotypes among co-distributed species opens up important avenues for future research into their ecological roles and functional significance. In this study, we provided a detailed account of venom composition across multiple individuals from the species geographic range and highlighted the importance of investigating the role of venom as a trait that could influence species interactions and shape communities in these diverse tropical forests.

Background: Lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) is associated with poor prognosis in patients with rectal cancer and may influence the indication for lateral lymph node dissection. Accurate preoperative identification of LLNM remains challenging. This study aimed to develop and internally validate a clinicoradiological model for preoperative prediction of LLNM in rectal cancer. Methods A retrospective cohort of 64 patients undergoing lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) for rectal cancer was analysed; 21 (32.8%) had pathological lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM). A prespecified preoperative clinicoradiological model was fitted using penalised logistic regression with L2 regularisation (ridge), incorporating MRI-measured lateral lymph node short-axis diameter (LLN-SAD), dichotomised clinical T stage (T3-4 vs T1-2), dichotomised clinical N stage (N+ vs N0), and log(CA19-9+1). Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration analysis, and bootstrap internal validation. Results The model showed good discrimination (AUC 0.914), with an optimism-corrected AUC of 0.887 on bootstrap validation. Calibration remained acceptable after optimism correction (calibration intercept -0.127; slope 1.045). Decision curve analysis suggested net benefit across clinically relevant threshold probabilities, particularly between 0.10 and 0.30. The model was implemented as a web-based calculator to facilitate clinical use. Conclusion This clinicoradiological model showed good discrimination, acceptable calibration, and potential clinical utility for preoperative assessment of LLNM risk in rectal cancer. It may assist individualized risk stratification and treatment planning, although external validation is required before routine clinical implementation.

If youve ever complained about a species name thats a mouthful--say, the soldier fly Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides or the myxobacterium Myxococcus llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochensis--youre in very good company. But could the readability of binomial scientific names cause more than complaints? Could it influence how much species are studied and talked about? We examined a random sample of 3,019 species names spanning 29 phyla/divisions. We tested whether name length and reading difficulty are associated with species representation in the scientific literature (measured via literature mentions) and their visibility to the public (measured via Wikipedia pageviews). Both species name traits showed significant negative relationships with literature mentions and Wikipedia reads. Increasing name length from 10 to 30 characters is associated with a 66% decrease in expected mentions and a 65% decrease in Wikipedia reads, while shifting from the most to the least readable name in the dataset corresponds to 53% and 76% decreases. These patterns are consistent with something familiar: the fickleness of human attention, responding to features of the world that are far from rational. While creativity in naming is a cherished part of taxonomy, a touch of orthographic restraint may ultimately benefit both science and the species themselves--especially among understudied uncharismatic taxa.

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), encoded by PTHLH, has been implicated in tumor progression through its involvement in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and tumor cell migration. Previous experimental studies suggest that PTHrP may promote these processes in colorectal cancer (CRC), partly through the modulation of factors such as secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA). These events play a key role in the acquisition of an aggressive phenotype in our experimental models. In this study, we performed an integrative in silico analysis of multiple transcriptomic datasets to investigate the potential role of PTHLH in CRC. Differential expression analysis identified a set of consistently dysregulated genes across independent datasets. Functional enrichment and network analyses revealed that PTHLH expression is associated with biological processes related to extracellular matrix remodeling, EMT, and angiogenesis. Correlation analyses showed a positive association between PTHLH and SPARC expression, while network-based approaches suggested a potential functional connection with VEGFA. To assess the clinical relevance of these findings, survival analysis was performed using publicly available datasets. High expression levels of PTHLH, SPARC, and VEGFA were significantly associated with reduced overall survival in patients. Notably, a combined gene signature based on these three factors demonstrated a stronger prognostic effect than individual genes, indicating enhanced predictive value. These findings suggest that PTHrP is associated with molecular pathways involved in tumor progression and, together with SPARC and VEGF, may contribute to a coordinated regulatory axis with prognostic relevance in CRC, warranting further experimental validation.

Mediterranean Basin, one of the most important hot spots for reptiles, is also expected to experience significant impacts with climate change, posing a severe risk for the herpetofauna of the region. This study uses the snake-eyed lizard Ophisops elegans as a model organism to investigate the potential impacts of past and future climate change on reptile distributions in the region. An ecological niche model (ENM) was developed with the Maxent algorithm, with location points from GBIF and bioclimatic variables from the CHELSA dataset, then projected onto past LGM ([~]21 kya) and future (2071-2100 SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5) scenarios. Results show that the present-day distribution of O. elegans is primarily driven by temperature seasonality and precipitation, indicating a preference for coastal Mediterranean climates with dry summers. The LGM projection suggests a fragmented and contracted range, confined to coastal refugia around the Mediterranean and Caspian Seas. Future projections for 2071-2100 show consistent and alarming contraction of suitable habitats under both SSP scenarios. In conclusion these findings indicate that O. elegans is vulnerable to significant habitat loss under projected climate change. This severe impact on a wide-spread species implies that the herpetofauna of the Mediterranean Basin may face a significant threat in future.

Objectives: To determine the impact of discharge home on physical activity and sedentary behaviour following orthopaedic trauma. Design: Observational study. Setting: Acute hospital. Participants: Between October 2022 and January 2024, 31 adult orthopaedic trauma patients were recruited during hospital admission. Participants had either an isolated hip fracture or multi-trauma (i.e., a lower limb fracture, with an upper limb and/or spinal fracture). Interventions: Participants wore two activity monitors (activPAL3 and ActiGraphGT3x) during the final days of an acute hospital admission and the first five days at home. An interrupted time series analysis evaluated changes physical activity variables during the hospital to home transition. Participants were analysed individually using mixed-effects linear regression allowing the intercept to vary by participant. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome was daily steps; secondary outcomes included sedentary time and other activity measures. Results: Daily steps (mean +- SD) were higher at home (4552.4 +- 2639.5) compared to hospital (2597.8 +- 1450.8). Modelled results indicated a 27% increase in daily steps following hospital discharge (exp(beta946;): 1.27, 95% CI: 1.01,1.59, p=0.039) and a sustained improvement at home. No significant differences were observed between hip fracture and multi-trauma participants. Conclusion: Participants recovering from orthopaedic trauma showed a significant increase in daily step count upon discharge home from hospital, highlighting the positive impact of the home environment on activity levels. Further research is warranted to assess the effectiveness of interventions to improve activity levels in hospital (e.g., early intensive therapy) and at home (e.g., immediate home-based physiotherapy) in individuals following orthopaedic trauma.

Background: A previous meta-analysis by Singh-Ospina et al. (2017) suggested that Gender affirming hormone treatment (GAHT) does not change transgender mens bone mineral density (BMD) at any clinically relevant site; emerging studies and advances in synthesis methods necessitate an updated evaluation. The primary aim was to update the bone measures of Singh-Ospina et al. (2017), with the secondary aim to expand measures to how GAHT affects musculoskeletal health. Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted using studies published in English up to 31 July 2024, identified through three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, SportDiscus), and final cross-referencing in summer 2025. Primary outcomes were longitudinal changes in femoral neck (FN), lumbar spine (LS), and total hip (TH) bone mineral density (BMD). Secondary outcomes included body composition and muscle strength. Standardised effect sizes (Hedges g) were pooled using the inverse heterogeneity (IVhet) model. Results: GAHT (4 years) was not associated with significant longitudinal changes in FN, LS, or TH BMD. In contrast, substantial anabolic effects were observed, including increases in BMI (g = 0.13), body mass (g = 0.18), fat-free mass (g = 0.59), and muscle strength (g = 0.86). Heterogeneity was high for muscle strength, FN and TH BMD, limiting confidence in pooled estimates. Conversely, changes in LS BMD, BMI, body mass and fat-free mass demonstrated low heterogeneity and greater consistency across studies. Conclusion: Masculinising GAHT does not negatively affect clinically relevant BMD sites while reliably increasing lean mass and muscle strength; however, the evidence base remains methodologically weak and highly variable, particularly for FN and TH. The need for continued clinical monitoring of bone health and muscle function, alongside high-quality longitudinal research incorporating advanced imaging modalities such as HR pQCT is emphasised. Strengthening the evidence base will be essential for clarifying long-term skeletal trajectories as transgender men age. PROSPERO registration: CRD42024573102