Article
Veterinary Sciences
Edward M. Addison, Margo Pybus
Summary: This study found a large number of subadult or adult Dirofilaria ursi in American black bears, with fewer worms in younger bears. The distribution of worms in different body sites and their proportions varied over time. The presence of microfilaremia in peripheral blood showed a periodic pattern, synchronized with the feeding cycle of the vector. Postmortem examination revealed the highest density of microfilariae in the blood of the lungs.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Flavio Augusto da Silva Coelho, Stephanie Gill, Crystal M. Tomlin, Marilena Papavassiliou, Sean D. Farley, Joseph A. Cook, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, George K. Sage, Timothy H. Heaton, Sandra L. Talbot, Charlotte Lindqvist
Summary: During the Late Pleistocene, there were ice sheets covering parts of North America. However, it is unclear whether ice-free refugia existed in the Alexander Archipelago along the SE Alaska coast during the last glacial maximum (LGM). Genetic analyses of black and brown bears in SE Alaska show that there were two subclades of black bears, one preglacial and one postglacial, that diverged over 100,000 years ago. Ancient brown bears are closely related to modern brown bears in the archipelago, suggesting colonization after the LGM. These findings suggest that there were no refugia in SE Alaska during the LGM, but vegetation quickly expanded after deglaciation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ludovick Brown, Maikel Rosabal, Christian Dussault, Jon M. Arnemo, Boris Fuchs, Andreas Zedrosser, Fanie Pelletier
Summary: This study investigated the long-term lead (Pb) exposure in American black bears in areas with higher big game harvest densities in Quebec, Canada. The results showed that female black bears had higher tooth Pb concentrations in these areas, and older bears had higher tooth Pb concentrations compared to younger ones. The study suggests that hunters may drive mammalian scavengers into an evolutionary trap due to increased Pb exposure from bullet fragments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nalleli E. Lara-Diaz, Heli Coronel-Arellano, Christian A. Delfin-Alfonso, Maria Eugenia Espinosa-Flores, Juan L. Pena-Mondragon, Carlos A. Lopez-Gonzalez
Summary: The study assessed and validated long-distance corridors for black bears in the southern distribution by using resistance models, occurrence records, and radio-telemetry data. It identified connectivity core areas and important corridors through Natural Protected Areas, emphasizing the need for monitoring dispersal individuals to understand the plasticity of organisms and the barriers they face.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mikkel Winther Pedersen, Bianca De Sanctis, Nedda F. Saremi, Martin Sikora, Emily E. Puckett, Zhenquan Gu, Katherine L. Moon, Joshua D. Kapp, Lasse Vinner, Zaruhi Vardanyan, Ciprian F. Ardelean, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales, James A. Cahill, Peter D. Heintzman, Grant Zazula, Ross D. E. MacPhee, Beth Shapiro, Richard Durbin, Eske Willerslev
Summary: Analysis of ancient eDNA has revolutionized our ability to describe biological communities and allows for genomic-scale DNA sequences of closely related species from environmental samples, bringing ancient eDNA into the era of population genomics and phylogenetics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matteo Cleary, Omkar Joshi, W. Sue Fairbanks
Summary: The study found that human tolerance of black bears in North America is influenced by various psychological factors, including perceived risks and benefits, as well as trust in state wildlife management agencies. Residents of metropolitan areas have more positive attitudes and trust the management agencies more compared to rural residents, who have lower trust levels and higher risk perceptions.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emily E. Puckett, Isis S. Davis, Dawn C. Harper, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Gopal Battu, Jerrold L. Belant, Dean E. Beyer, Colin Carpenter, Anthony P. Crupi, Maria Davidson, Christopher S. DePerno, Nicholas Forman, Nicholas L. Fowler, David L. Garshelis, Nicholas Gould, Kerry Gunther, Mark Haroldson, Shosuke Ito, David Kocka, Carl Lackey, Ryan Leahy, Caitlin Lee-Roney, Tania Lewis, Ashley Lutto, Kelly McGowan, Colleen Olfenbuttel, Mike Orlando, Alexander Platt, Matthew D. Pollard, Megan Ramaker, Heather Reich, Jaime L. Sajecki, Stephanie K. Sell, Jennifer Strules, Seth Thompson, Frank van Manen, Craig Whitman, Ryan Williamson, Frederic Winslow, Christopher B. Kaelin, Michael S. Marks, Gregory S. Barsh
Summary: Color variation in large mammals is not well understood, unlike in small mammals. The American black bear exhibits color variation, including a cinnamon morph similar to the brown bear. A single major locus in the TYRP1 gene was identified to affect hair color, and a specific missense alteration was found to decrease pigment production.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anna Goropashnaya, Oivind Toien, Thiruvarangan Ramaraj, Anitha Sundararajan, Faye D. Schilkey, Brian M. Barnes, Seth W. Donahue, Vadim B. Fedorov
Summary: Physical inactivity leads to bone loss in most mammalian species, but hibernating bears show no bone loss during winter immobility. Gene expression analysis in hibernating bears revealed down-regulation of genes related to bone resorption, osteoclast differentiation, and apoptosis, while no significant changes were detected in genes related to bone formation and osteoblast signaling. There was also a significant induction of genes involved in aerobic energy production in hibernating bears, likely regulated by the AMPK/PGC1 alpha pathway.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shailesh Kumar Samal, Ole Frobert, Jonas Kindberg, Peter Stenvinkel, Johan Frostegard
Summary: The study found that brown bears have significantly increased levels of anti-PC during hibernation, especially IgA anti-PC was remarkably high, while anti-MDA titers decreased, which may represent natural immunization with microorganisms during a vulnerable period.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Kristin A. Clothier, Katherine D. Watson, Asli Mete, Federico Giannitti, Mark Anderson, Brandon Munk, Stella McMillin, Deana L. Clifford, Jaime Rudd, Nicholas Shirkey, Dan Famini, Leslie Woods
Summary: Eight juvenile black bears from different geographic regions in California were found to have severe dermatophytosis, along with mite, tick, and bacterial infections on the skin. The underlying cause of this rare disease in the bears remains unknown and requires further investigation.
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Kristin N. Engebretsen, Jon P. Beckmann, Carl W. Lackey, Alyson Andreasen, Cody Schroeder, Pat Jackson, Julie K. Young
Summary: Conservation efforts have led to population increases and range expansions for some apex predators, impacting trophic cascades and foraging behavior. The recolonization of black bears in the Great Basin has influenced cougar foraging behavior, with higher bear densities reducing feeding bout durations and altering prey selection. Such interactions highlight the importance of studying the impacts of sympatric apex predators and dominant scavengers on shared resources in dynamic multipredator/scavenger systems.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Matteo Cleary, Omkar Joshi, W. Sue Fairbanks
Summary: The study revealed that cognitive factors, risk perception, and individual attitudes all influence human acceptance of black bears. Factors such as higher education levels, valuing local wildlife, and supporting conservation behaviors contribute to increasing acceptance of black bears.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Elliot J. Lustig, Sara Bales Lyda, David M. Leslie, Barney Luttbeg, W. Sue Fairbanks
Summary: Research has shown that American black bears have recolonized the Ozark region in Oklahoma, displaying a preference for riparian forests and moist oak forests while avoiding indicators of human activity. This suggests that the expansion of black bear range may be limited by anthropogenic disturbance in the region.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
J. M. Bauder, D. Ruid, N. M. Roberts, B. Kohn, M. L. Allen
Summary: The study found that increasing translocation distance can reduce both harvest and non-harvest mortality rates without negatively impacting survival. The lower survival rate of nuisance bears suggests that biologists should focus on reducing human-wildlife conflicts and mitigating risks associated with nuisance behavior.
ANIMAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Roger A. Powell, Susan A. Mansfield, Lynn L. Rogers
Summary: Interactions between humans and bears often result in conflict. This study compared behaviors of black bears in two populations, including habituation and food supplementation. The results showed that habituated and supplemented bears exhibited different behaviors, such as longer activity bouts and less sinuous movements. However, due to the limited sample size, further testing is needed to confirm the effects of habituation and feeding on bear behaviors.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Taniawati Supali, Yenny Djuardi, Adriani Lomiga, Sovie Nur Linda, Elisa Iskandar, Charles W. Goss, John Philip Miller, Gary J. Weil, Peter U. Fischer
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2019)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Samuel Wanji, Mathias Eyong Esum, Abdel Jelil Njouendou, Amuam Andrew Mbeng, Patrick W. Chounna Ndongmo, Raphael Awah Abong, Jerome Fru, Fanny F. Fombad, Gordon Takop Nchanji, Glory Ngongeh, Narcisse V. Ngandjui, Peter Ivo Enyong, Helen Storey, Kurt C. Curtis, Kerstin Fischer, Joseph R. Fauver, Daphne Lew, Charles W. Goss, Peter U. Fischer
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Young-Jun Choi, Santiago Fontenla, Peter U. Fischer, Thanh Hoa Le, Alicia Costabile, David Blair, Paul J. Brindley, Jose F. Tort, Miguel M. Cabada, Makedonka Mitreva
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Britt J. Andersen, Bruce A. Rosa, Jonah Kupritz, Aboulaye Meite, Traye Serge, Marla I. Hertz, Kurt Curtis, Christopher L. King, Makedonka Mitreva, Peter U. Fischer, Gary J. Weil
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joseph R. Fauver, John Martin, Gary J. Weil, Makedonka Mitreva, Peter U. Fischer
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Matthew Chung, Laura E. Teigen, Silvia Libro, Robin E. Bromley, Dustin Olley, Nikhil Kumar, Lisa Sadzewicz, Luke J. Tallon, Anup Mahurkar, Jeremy M. Foster, Michelle L. Michalski, Julie C. Dunning Hotopp
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeremy M. Foster, Alexandra Grote, John Mattick, Alan Tracey, Yu-Chih Tsai, Matthew Chung, James A. Cotton, Tyson A. Clark, Adam Geber, Nancy Holroyd, Jonas Korlach, Yichao Li, Silvia Libro, Sara Lustigman, Michelle L. Michalski, Michael Paulini, Matthew B. Rogers, Laura Teigen, Alan Twaddle, Lonnie Welch, Matthew Berriman, Julie C. Dunning Hotopp, Elodie Ghedin
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Biology
Bruce A. Rosa, Young-Jun Choi, Samantha N. McNulty, Hyeim Jung, John Martin, Takeshi Agatsuma, Hiromu Sugiyama, Thanh Hoa Le, Pham Ngoc Doanh, Wanchai Maleewong, David Blair, Paul J. Brindley, Peter U. Fischer, Makedonka Mitreva
Article
Infectious Diseases
Agodio Loukouri, Aboulaye Meite, Benjamin G. Koudou, Charles W. Goss, Daphne Lew, Gary J. Weil, Eliezer K. N'Goran, Peter U. Fischer
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Parasitology
Kurt C. Curtis, Kerstin Fischer, Young-Jun Choi, Makedonka Mitreva, Gary J. Weil, Peter U. Fischer
Summary: Paragonimiasis is a common foodborne infection that affects a large population in Asia. This study identified five promising antigens for the serodiagnosis of human paragonimiasis, with cysteine protease and myoglobin showing the highest sensitivity and specificity. Egg yolk ferritin appeared to be a specific marker for patients with adult fluke infections.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Alison Krentel, Nandha Basker, Madsen Beau de Rochars, Joshua Bogus, Daniel Dilliott, Abdel N. Direny, Christine Dubray, Peter U. Fischer, Adriani Lomi Ga, Charles W. Goss, Myra Hardy, Cade Howard, Purushothaman Jambulingam, Christopher L. King, Moses Laman, Jean Frantz Lemoine, Shruti Mallya, Leanne J. Robinson, Josaia Samuela, Ken B. Schechtman, Andrew C. Steer, Taniawati Supali, Livingstone Tavul, Gary J. Weil
Summary: The study assessed the acceptability of ivermectin, DEC, and albendazole (IDA) compared to the standard treatment of DEC and albendazole (DA) for lymphatic filariasis elimination in Fiji, Haiti, India, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Results showed that there was no difference in acceptability between the two treatment regimens, with country variation being the most significant factor. Professionalism in treatment delivery was highlighted as an important aspect of acceptability in all countries.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Obiora A. Eneanya, Benjamin G. Koudou, Meite Aboulaye, Aba Ange Elvis, Yeo Souleymane, Marie-Madeleine Kouakou, Gary J. Weil, Peter U. Fischer
Summary: Cote d'Ivoire has made significant progress in reducing onchocerciasis infection through various interventions from 1975 to the present. By utilizing machine learning algorithms, the study was able to predict areas at risk for infection and identify infection hotspots. These results provide valuable information for future interventions to eliminate onchocerciasis in Cote d'Ivoire.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jonah Kupritz, John Martin, Kerstin Fischer, Kurt C. Curtis, Joseph R. Fauver, Yuefang Huang, Young-Jun Choi, Wandy L. Beatty, Makedonka Mitreva, Peter U. Fischer
Summary: This study provides the first detailed description and genomic characterization of phage WO from North America in a widely distributed cricket species. The phage WO isolated from southern ground crickets showed high prevalence rates and genomic sequences similar to other phage WO strains found in different arthropod species. Transmission electron microscopy examination of cricket ovaries revealed a high density of phage particles within Wolbachia cells.
Article
Microbiology
Liana Beld, Hyeim Jung, Christina A. Bulman, Bruce A. Rosa, Peter U. Fischer, James W. Janetka, Sara Lustigman, Judy A. Sakanari, Makedonka Mitreva
Summary: Current treatments for lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis are not effective in killing the adult parasitic nematodes. Researchers have found that certain HIV antiretroviral drugs, specifically aspartyl protease inhibitors, show potential in killing adult filarial nematodes. Nelfinavir had the best potency in killing the nematodes, followed by ritonavir and lopinavir. These findings suggest that these drugs could be explored as potential treatments for parasitic nematode infections.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Bruce A. Rosa, Kurt Curtis, Petra Erdmann Gilmore, John Martin, Qiang Zhang, Robert Sprung, Gary J. Weil, R. Reid Townsend, Peter U. Fischer, Makedonka Mitreva
Summary: In this study, a direct proteomic approach was used to identify O. volvulus proteins in plasma samples, resulting in the discovery of 19 potential biomarker candidates, including a major antigen/OVOC11613. These findings will contribute to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic methods for O. volvulus infections.
MOLECULAR & CELLULAR PROTEOMICS
(2023)
