Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cleopatra Petrohilos, Amanda Patchett, Carolyn J. Hogg, Katherine Belov, Emma Peel
Summary: The Tasmanian devil is endangered due to the spread of a contagious cancer called Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). In this study, seven recently characterized Tasmanian devil cathelicidins were tested for their potential role in cancer regulation. The results showed that four cathelicidins were toxic to DFTD cells and caused cellular stress, while the most toxic peptide also suppressed important signaling pathways associated with cancer proliferation. Additionally, three cathelicidins induced inflammatory pathways in DFTD cells, potentially recruiting immune cells. These findings suggest that devil cathelicidins have potential anti-cancer and inflammatory functions that warrant further exploration as potential treatment leads.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Fatih Veysel Nurcin, Niyazi Senturk, Elbrus Imanov, Sam Thalmann, Karen Fagg
Summary: This study aims to develop a computer vision system to assist in monitoring the spread of Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). The proposed system uses image segmentation, feature extraction, and classification to differentiate healthy devils from those with DFTD. The algorithm achieved 92.4% classification accuracy, providing a helpful tool for field workers and allowing for more frequent analysis of devils.
Article
Immunology
Barbara Poniedzialek, Ewelina Hallmann, Dominika Sikora, Karol Szymanski, Katarzyna Kondratiuk, Jakub Zurawski, Piotr Rzymski, Lidia Brydak
Summary: Evidence suggests that vaccination against seasonal influenza can enhance innate immune responses to COVID-19 and reduce disease severity. This study aimed to compare humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2 in non-hospitalized, COVID-19 unvaccinated patients and mild COVID-19 convalescent patients who were and were not vaccinated against influenza. The results showed that influenza-vaccinated patients had higher levels of antibodies against nucleocapsid and receptor binding domain compared to non-vaccinated patients.
Article
Fisheries
Candida Wong, Jocelyn M. Darby, Peter R. Murphy, Terry L. Pinfold, Patrick R. Lennard, Gregory M. Woods, A. Bruce Lyons, Andrew S. Flies
Summary: The study showed that Tasmanian devil's CTLA4 and CD28 can capture CD80 and CD86, opening up possibilities for the translation of checkpoint immunotherapies to evolutionarily divergent species. These findings suggest the potential for immune checkpoint therapies to be applied across different species.
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Rowan Durrant, Rodrigo Hamede, Konstans Wells, Miguel Lurgi
Summary: Metapopulation structure is crucial for wildlife population persistence and disease dynamics. The interaction between host dispersal, disease transmission rate, and within-population mixing plays a synergistic role in disease spread and population declines. Population isolation may reduce disease prevalence but can also lead to declines in size and genetic diversity, emphasizing the importance of considering metapopulation structure in disease control strategies.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ahab N. Kayigwe, Jocelyn M. Darby, A. Bruce Lyons, Amanda L. Patchett, Leszek Lisowski, Guei-Sheung Liu, Andrew S. Flies
Summary: The devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) has caused a decline in the wild Tasmanian devil population, but a human adenovirus has the potential to serve as a vaccine platform for devils and other marsupials.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katherine A. Farquharson, Elspeth A. McLennan, Yuanyuan Cheng, Lauren Alexander, Samantha Fox, Andrew Lee, Katherine Belov, Carolyn J. Hogg
Summary: Conservation breeding programs aim to maintain wild genetic diversity, but rarely assess functional diversity. This study compares both genome-wide and functional diversity of Tasmanian devils within the insurance metapopulation and across their range. The results show that the insurance metapopulation is representative of current wild genetic diversity.
Article
Ecology
Ruth Pye, Jocelyn Darby, Andrew S. Flies, Samantha Fox, Scott Carver, Jodie Elmer, Kate Swift, Carolyn Hogg, David Pemberton, Gregory Woods, A. Bruce Lyons
Summary: Although the DFTD vaccination did not provide protection, signs of immune activation were observed in vaccinated devils, with the presence of anti-DFTD antibodies and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes post-vaccination. This suggests that the devil immune system can be primed to recognize DFTD cells, but additional immune manipulation may be necessary for complete protection or induction of tumour regressions.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Christopher P. Kozakiewicz, Alexandra K. Fraik, Austin H. Patton, Manuel Ruiz-Aravena, David G. Hamilton, Rodrigo Hamede, Hamish McCallum, Paul A. Hohenlohe, Mark J. Margres, Menna E. Jones, Andrew Storfer
Summary: Transcriptomics studies play a crucial role in oncology and infectious disease fields, helping to identify the molecular basis of phenotypic variations. Tasmanian devils, affected by DFTD, show different levels of survival, with host response heterogeneity likely playing a key role, but the fundamental processes underlying this variation remain unclear.
Article
Cell Biology
Maria P. Ikonomopoulou, Yaiza Lopez-Mancheno, Marta G. Novelle, Maite Martinez-Una, Lahiru Gangoda, Martin Pal, Luis Filipe Costa-Machado, Pablo Jose Fernandez-Marcos, Grant A. Ramm, Manuel Alejandro Fernandez-Rojo
Summary: This study demonstrates that cholesterol homeostasis and carbohydrate energy metabolism play a key role in sustaining the proliferation of Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) cells. By intervening against these processes with atorvastatin, a feasible biochemical treatment against DFTD is possible, which may assist in the conservation of the Tasmanian devil population.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chrissie E. B. Ong, Yuanyuan Cheng, Hannah V. Siddle, A. Bruce Lyons, Gregory M. Woods, Andrew S. Flies
Summary: MHC-I and MHC-II molecules play critical roles in antigen presentation and T cell immunity. Two transmissible devil facial tumours (DFT1 and DFT2) exploit the MHC-I pathway to overcome immune and allogeneic barriers. This study reveals that overexpression of NLRC5 regulates the MHC-I pathway and raises interest in the expression of MHC-II in tumor cells. This finding has important implications for immunotherapy and cancer vaccine research.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
D. G. Roy, K. Geoffroy, M. Marguerie, S. T. Khan, N. T. Martin, J. Kmiecik, D. Bobbala, A. S. Aitken, C. T. de Souza, K. B. Stephenson, B. D. Lichty, R. C. Auer, D. F. Stojdl, J. C. Bell, M-C Bourgeois-Daigneault
Summary: Vaccination with oncolytic viruses co-administered with tumour antigenic peptides is as efficient as antigen-engineered oncolytic viruses, providing a potential alternative for personalized anti-cancer vaccines targeting patient-specific mutations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Olivia Bell, Menna E. Jones, Calum X. Cunningham, Manuel Ruiz-Aravena, David G. Hamilton, Sebastien Comte, Rodrigo K. Hamede, Stuart Bearhop, Robbie A. McDonald
Summary: Devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) is a transmissible cancer that has led to severe population declines in Tasmanian devils. Through stable isotope analysis, it was found that infected devils tend to maintain their isotopic niche despite the disease, unless ecological conditions facilitate a shift in diets and feeding behaviors.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jernej Pusnik, Werner O. Monzon-Posadas, Jasmin Zorn, Kathrin Peters, Maximilian Baum, Hannah Proksch, Celina Beta Schlueter, Galit Alter, Tanja Menting, Hendrik Streeck
Summary: According to the research data, receiving two doses of mRNA vaccine along with a booster dose, recovering from a breakthrough infection, or both, provides better B cell immunity. Individuals who received three doses of the vaccine and experienced breakthrough infections with the omicron variant showed a particularly strong B cell response. Additional antigen exposure did not significantly affect the T cell response after two doses of the vaccine. Individuals with hybrid immunity exhibited better correlated adaptive immune responses.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Tianchen Zhao, Takamitsu Nishi-Uchi, Fumiya Omata, Morihito Takita, Moe Kawashima, Yoshitaka Nishikawa, Chika Yamamoto, Yurie Kobashi, Takeshi Kawamura, Kenji Shibuya, Junichiro Kazama, Ryuzaburo Shineha, Masaharu Tsubokura
Summary: The immune response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in dialysis patients is moderate compared with healthy adults. This study compared the antibody levels in dialysis patients and a control group, and found significantly reduced antibody levels in dialysis patients. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor the immune response and COVID-19 infection in dialysis patients after vaccination.
Article
Fisheries
Richard S. Taylor, Roberto Carvalheiro, Amanda L. Patchett, Klara L. Verbyla, Jeremy Carson, James W. Wynne, Brad S. Evans, Curtis E. Lind, Harry King
Summary: This study found that resistance to yersiniosis is a heritable trait and that two consecutive year classes of salmon were highly correlated in terms of disease resistance. Genomic prediction was more accurate than traditional pedigree-based selective breeding, with an improvement of 9-14%. GWAS analysis confirmed that resistance to yersiniosis is a polygenic trait with no major QTL. Candidate genes identified suggest altered host interactions, inflammatory responses, and clearance of Y. ruckeri infection.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Vicky Wilkinson, Shane A. Richards, Christina Naesborg-Nielsen, Scott Carver
Summary: Interventions against infectious diseases in wildlife are necessary but problematic. However, drugs can combat various pathogens while aligning with positive ethical, epidemiological, evolutionary, and socio-economic outcomes. The authors discuss how to overcome these problems and provide a framework to objectively compare the suitability of different intervention methods.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Benjamin Magondu, Alexander B. Lee, Andrew Schulz, Gabriel Cervantes Buchelli, Michelle Meng, Candice Kaminski, Patricia J. Yang, Scott Carver, David L. Hu
Summary: This combined experimental and theoretical study reveals the relationship between animal health, diet, and fecal shape. It is found that when the water content in feces drops below 0.65, the shape transitions from cylindrical to pellet. Mathematical models show that pellet feces length is negatively correlated with water flux. These findings can be valuable for physicians and veterinarians in assessing intestinal health.
Article
Ecology
E. M. Ringwaldt, B. W. Brook, J. C. Buettel, C. X. Cunningham, C. Fuller, R. Gardiner, R. Hamer, M. Jones, A. M. Martin, S. Carver
Summary: This study investigates the dynamics and drivers of landscape-scale wildlife disease using the case of sarcoptic mange in bare-nosed wombats in Tasmania, Australia. The research finds that the Tasmanian landscape is almost universally suitable for wombats, except in areas with high mean annual precipitation. However, the clinical signs of sarcoptic mange are widespread but heterogeneously distributed. The disease is most likely to occur in areas with high host habitat suitability, low annual precipitation, near freshwater sources, and minimal topographic roughness.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Leah G. G. Burgess, Shane A. A. Richards, Michael M. M. Driessen, Vicky Wilkinson, Rahil J. J. Amin, Scott Carver
Summary: The occurrence of sarcoptic mange in bare-nosed wombats is influenced by environmental factors, with wombats more likely to be affected in areas with minimal vegetation and low-lying pans. Wombat density and active burrow density do not significantly impact the prevalence of the disease.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Zachary M. Lewin, Francisca Astorga, Luis E. Escobar, Scott Carver
Summary: Most pathogens infect multiple host species, but the variation in individual-level impacts of infection remains poorly understood. Using the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei as a model, this study assessed individual-level variation in pathogen impacts across different host species. The study compiled impacts from 77 host species, generated a standardized metric to compare impacts, and identified the most impacted host species.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Virology
Jeffrey Kim, Elisa S. Behzadi, Mary Nehring, Scott Carver, Shannon R. Cowan, Megan K. Conry, Jennifer E. Rawlinson, Sue VandeWoude, Craig A. Miller
Summary: This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics and clinical outcomes of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in FIV-infected cats. The results showed that cART improved blood dyscrasias in FIV-infected cats and restored the immune system, but did not significantly reduce viremia. This study provides important insights into novel cART formulations in FIV-infected cats.
Article
Parasitology
Kotaro Takano, Lachlan de Hayr, Scott Carver, Robert J. Harvey, Kate E. Mounsey
Summary: Sarcoptes scabiei is a microscopic burrowing mite that causes sarcoptic mange in various mammalian species. In Australia, sarcoptic mange is a problem in native and introduced wildlife species, with severe cases observed in wombats and emerging issues in koalas and quendas. Effective treatment of sarcoptic mange in wild populations is challenging due to safety concerns, efficacy, and the potential emergence of acaricide resistance. This review critically evaluates the use of acaricides in treating sarcoptic mange in Australian wildlife, including their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, and current reports of drug resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Carolyn J. Hogg, Luke Silver, Elspeth A. McLennan, Katherine Belov
Summary: Genome sequencing is a powerful tool for managing threatened species, and the Koala Genome Survey was developed to address the lack of genomic diversity studies in koala populations. The survey has released 430 koala genomes to accelerate conservation research.
Article
Business
Buddhini Ginigaddara, Srinath Perera, Yingbin Feng, Payam Rahnamayiezekavat, Russell Thomson
Summary: This study presents prediction models for offsite construction (OSC) skills and outlines the model development process. The models aim to predict skills using a comparable measure, manhours/m(2). The study also reveals complex, non-linear relationships between OSC types and skill utilization.
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Kaniz Jannat, Kingsley Emwinyore Agho, Sarker Masud Parvez, Mahbubur Rahman, Russell Thomson, Mohammed Badrul Amin, Dafna Merom
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effects of yogurt supplementation and nutrition education on the linear growth of infants at risk of stunting. A three-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted, with one group receiving nutrition education for mothers, another receiving nutrition education and a daily yogurt supplement for the infants, and a control group. The results showed no statistically significant differences in linear growth between the groups, but the yogurt group showed slightly better results in terms of dietary diversity. Further research with larger samples and longer follow-ups is recommended.
Article
Ecology
Wiebke Knoblauch, Scott Carver, Michael M. Driessen, Rosemary Gales, Shane A. Richards
Summary: Wildlife managers often struggle to obtain population estimates for geographically widespread species, but spotlight surveys can provide valuable abundance data. In this study, 19 years of spotlight surveys were used to estimate the population abundance of two bare-nosed wombat subspecies. The results showed an increase in population size for both subspecies. Importance rating: 8/10.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucile Leveque, Rahil J. Amin, Jessie Buettel, Scott Carver, Barry Brook
Summary: This study examines the factors influencing the distribution of the Tasmanian native hen and predicts its future distribution changes under climate change. The results show that 37% of Tasmania is currently suitable for the native hens, with low summer precipitation, low elevation, human-modified vegetation, and urban areas being key factors. Urban areas can also serve as "oases" in unsuitable regions, supporting high breeding activity. Under climate change predictions, the native hens are expected to lose only 5% of their occupied range by 2055. Overall, the species is resilient to climate change and benefits from anthropogenic landscape modifications, making it a rare example of a flightless rail adapting to human activity.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Murraya R. Lane, Arianne Lowe, Jelena Vukcevic, Robert G. Clark, George Madani, Damien P. Higgins, Luke Silver, Katherine Belov, Carolyn J. Hogg, Karen J. Marsh
Summary: This study evaluated the health parameters of rehabilitated koalas and resident koalas in burnt and unburnt habitats. The results showed that the body condition of rehabilitated koalas improved significantly over time and was similar to that of resident koalas at 12-16 months. The prevalence of Chlamydia pecorum was also similar between groups and timepoints, indicating that wildfire and rehabilitation did not worsen the disease in this population. Although there were some variations in serum biochemistry and haematology parameters, most of them were within normal reference ranges. The findings suggest that koalas were generally healthy at the time of release and when recaptured nine months later. The landscapes in the Monaro region with a mosaic of burn severity can support koalas, and returning rehabilitated koalas to burnt habitats 4-6 months post-fire does not compromise their health.
Article
Biology
Scott Carver, Zachary M. Lewin, Leah G. Burgess, Vicky Wilkinson, Jason Whitehead, Michael M. Driessen
Summary: This study investigated the decline of a bare-nosed wombat population in central Tasmania due to a sarcoptic mange outbreak. The population declined by 80% over a 7-year period and experienced a range contraction of 55%. The high apparent prevalence of mange did not depend on declining host abundance, and wombat populations may be at risk of decline when apparent prevalence exceeds 25%.
