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[bacterial vaginosis and spontaneous preterm birth].to determine if bacterial vaginosis is a marker for risk of spontaneous preterm delivery and if its detection and treatment can reduce this risk.201627793493
birds and anthropogenic noise: are urban songs adaptive?in cities with intense low-frequency traffic noise, birds have been observed to sing louder and at a higher pitch. several studies argue that higher song pitch is an adaptation to reduce masking from noise, and it has even been suggested that the song divergence between urban and nonurban songs might lead to reproductive isolation. here we present models of signal transmission to compare the benefits of raised song amplitude and song pitch in terms of sound transmission. we chose two bird specie ...201020712517
abrupt switch to migratory night flight in a wild migratory songbird.every year, billions of wild diurnal songbirds migrate at night. to do so, they shift their daily rhythm from diurnality to nocturnality. in captivity this is observed as a gradual transition of daytime activity developing into nocturnal activity, but how wild birds prepare their daily rhythms for migration remains largely unknown. using an automated radio-telemetry system, we compared activity patterns of free-living migrant and resident european blackbirds (turdus merula) in a partially migrat ...201627666200
association between bacterial vaginosis and partner concurrency: a longitudinal study.the study aimed to test if there was an association between prevalent bacterial vaginosis (bv) and women reporting that their partner had other partners at the same time (partner concurrency). this association has not been assessed in a longitudinal cohort.201627645157
revised taxonomic status of eidophasia zukowskyi amsel, 1938 (lepidoptera, plutellidae) with first description of its male and female genitalia.we revise the taxonomic status of eidophasia zukowskyi amsel, 1938, and we provide the first descriptions of the genitalia of both sexes. a diagnostic summary is given with illustrations for a similar congener, eidophasia syenitella (herrich-schäffer, [1854]).201627615964
[polyhexamethylene biguanid hydrochloride (biguanelle) therapy of bacterial vaginosis].the aim of our study was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of local therapy with polyhexamethylene biguanid hydrochloride (biguanelle) in women with anaerobic vaginal infection.201627509662
avian malaria in new zealand.avian malaria parasites of the genus plasmodium have the ability to cause morbidity and mortality in naïve hosts, and their impact on the native biodiversity is potentially serious. over the last decade, avian malaria has aroused increasing interest as an emerging disease in new zealand with some endemic avian species, such as the endangered mohua (mohua ochrocephala), thought to be particularly susceptible. to date, avian malaria parasites have been found in 35 different bird species in new zea ...201424313228
new replacement name kuznetsoviella (ostracoda): a correction.recently it was found (doweld 2016) that the generic name aenigma kuznetsova (1957: 68; type species a. jucunda kuznetsova, by original designation) of fossil ostracoda from the lower cretaceous (barremian) of tegchaj, north-eastern azerbaijan, former ussr (transcaucasia), is already preoccupied by a marine gastropod molluscan generic name aenigma newman (1836: 499), which is in active current use in zoology (coleoptera: carabidae), along with a few other known homonyms, aenigma amsel (1956: 288 ...201627470720
kuznetsovia, a new generic replacement name for aenigma kuznetsova, 1957 (ostracoda) non newman, 1836 (coleoptera).the generic name aenigma was proposed by kuznetsova (1957: 68; type species a. jucunda kuznetsova, by original designation) for a new fossil ostracod genus from the lower cretaceous (barremian) of tegchaj, north-eastern azerbaijan, former ussr (transcaucasia). however, this name is already preoccupied by a marine gastropod molluscan generic name aenigma newman (1836: 499), which is in active current use in zoology (coleoptera: carabidae). besides this earliest generic name, a few homonyms were a ...201627395148
diversity and seasonal patterns of ticks parasitizing wild birds in western portugal.the diversity and abundance of questing ticks and ticks parasitizing birds was assessed during 1 year in two recreational forests in western portugal, a suburban forest and an enclosed game area. the aim of this study was to assess the distribution and seasonality of tick species and to understand the role of bird species as hosts for ticks. ixodes ricinus was the most abundant questing tick collected in the enclosed game area, whereas in the suburban forest, only three ticks were collected by b ...201222669280
a preliminary investigation on ticks (acari: ixodidae) infesting birds in kızılırmak delta, turkey.ticks are mandatory blood-feeding ectoparasites of mammals, birds, reptiles, and even amphibians. turkey has a rich bird fauna and is located on the main migration route for many birds. however, information on ticks infesting birds is very limited. in the present study, we aimed to determine ticks infesting birds in kızılırmak delta, turkey. in 2014 autumn bird migration season, a total of 7,452 birds belonging to 79 species, 52 genera, 35 families, and 14 orders were examined for tick infestati ...201626487249
prevalence and distribution of gardnerella vaginalis subgroups in women with and without bacterial vaginosis.bacterial vaginosis (bv) is one of the leading causes of vaginal complaints among women of childbearing age. the role of gardnerella vaginalis remains controversial due to its presence in healthy and bv-type vaginal microflora. the phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity of g. vaginalis suggested the existence of strain variants linked with different health conditions. we sought to analyze prevalence and distribution of g. vaginalis subgroups (clades) in bv-positive (n = 29), partial bv (n = 27), ...201728583109
effects of metronidazole combined probiotics over metronidazole alone for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.to evaluate the curative effect of metronidazole combined probiotics over metronidazole alone in the treatment of bv.201728386675
animal tracking meets migration genomics: transcriptomic analysis of a partially migratory bird species.seasonal migration is a widespread phenomenon, which is found in many different lineages of animals. this spectacular behaviour allows animals to avoid seasonally adverse environmental conditions to exploit more favourable habitats. migration has been intensively studied in birds, which display astonishing variation in migration strategies, thus providing a powerful system for studying the ecological and evolutionary processes that shape migratory behaviour. despite intensive research, the genet ...201728316119
oxidative challenges of avian migration: a comparative field study on a partial migrant.most avian migrants alternate flight bouts, characterized by high metabolic rates, with stopovers, periods of fuel replenishment through hyperphagia. high-energy metabolism and excessive calorie intake shift the balance between damaging prooxidants and antioxidants toward the former. hence, migration likely affects the oxidative balance of birds. migratory flight indeed appears to cause oxidative damage; however, whether migration affects the oxidative state of birds at stopover is unclear. ther ...201728277962
relationships between egg-recognition and egg-ejection in a grasp-ejector species.brood parasitism frequently leads to a total loss of host fitness, which selects for the evolution of defensive traits in host species. experimental studies have demonstrated that recognition and rejection of the parasite egg is the most common and efficient defence used by host species. egg-recognition experiments have advanced our knowledge of the evolutionary and coevolutionary implications of egg recognition and rejection. however, our understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying bot ...201728170402
could a factor that does not affect egg recognition influence the decision of rejection?rejection of the parasitic egg is the most important defence of hosts against brood parasites. however, this response is variable among and within species, and egg discrimination is not always followed by egg rejection. low risk of parasitism and high risk of rejection costs may lead to the acceptance of the parasitic egg even if it has been previously recognized. the main aim of this paper is to answer a relevant question: can a single egg trait provoke the acceptance of an experimental egg pre ...201526295481
characterisation of isospora lusitanensis n. sp. (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) from the eurasian blackbird turdus merula linnaeus (passeriformes: turdidae) in mainland portugal.a new coccidian species (protozoa: apicomplexa: eimeriidae) is described from a specimen of the eurasian blackbird turdus merula linnaeus held for rehabilitation and reintroduction into the wild in a centre for research and recovery of wild animals in quinta de marim, olhão, portugal. isospora lusitanensis n. sp. has subspherical to ovoidal oöcysts, measuring on average 26.4 × 23.4 μm, with smooth, bi-layered wall c.1.1 μm thick. micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent, but a polar granule is p ...201526358076
identification of culturable vaginal lactobacillus species among reproductive age women in mysore, india.a healthy vaginal environment is predominated by certain lactobacillus species, which lead to the prevention of infections of the reproductive tract. this study examined the characteristics of cultivable lactobacillus species in both healthy women and women with bacterial vaginosis (bv). between november 2011 and september 2013, 139 women attending a women's clinic in mysore, india, were evaluated for bv in a cross-sectional study. bv was diagnosed using amsel's criteria: homogeneous vaginal dis ...201525873579
multi-state, multi-stage modeling of nest-success suggests interaction between weather and land-use.many factors may affect daily nest survival. we present a novel multi-state, multi-stage model to estimate daily survival for each nest stage, daily hatching probability and probability that a failed nest died during a specific stage when stage of failure is unknown. the model does not require that hatching date be known. we used data from a large citizen science dataset to demonstrate the application of this approach, exploring the impact of laying dates, weather conditions, conserved soil mois ...201728052398
a novel secure transfixing blood vessel occluder: comparison with the hemoclip in the porcine model.secure vessel occlusion is critical to the success of all surgical and interventional procedures. the purpose of this study was to compare in vivo the use of the amsel vessel occluder (avo), a novel occlusion clip device for secure blood vessel closure, with one of the many commercially available hemoclips, the ligaclip, in the porcine model.201728032562
correlates of bacterial vaginosis over long-term follow-up: impact of hiv infection.correlates of bacterial vaginosis (bv) are poorly understood, especially in hiv infection. in a cohort study, hiv-seropositive and comparison seronegative women were assessed every 6 months during 1994-2015. bv was considered present when three of four amsel criteria were met. behavioral characteristics were assessed using structured interviews. multivariable logistic regression used generalized estimating equation models to determine factors associated with bv. cumulative incidence of bv over t ...201727841674
recent records of scythridids from the islands of socotra and maldives in the indian ocean, with descriptions of two new species (lepidoptera: gelechioidea, scythrididae).records of five species embracing 211 specimens of the family scythrididae from the islands of socotra and maldives in the indian ocean are presented. the material was collected during four trips in 2008-2010 on socotra, and in december 2011 on the maldives. two new species are described: scythris digitibasella nupponen & saldaitis sp. nov. from socotra and s. atollicola nupponen, saldaitis & fischer sp. nov. from the maldives. catascythris kebirella amsel, 1935 and scythris paralogella bengtsso ...201326176138
social cues are unlikely to be the single cause for early reproduction in urban european blackbirds (turdus merula).despite urban ecology being an established field of research, there is still surprisingly little information about the relative contribution of specific environmental factors driving the observed changes in the behavior and physiology of city dwellers. one of the most reported effects of urbanization is the advanced phenology observed in birds. many factors have been suggested to underline such effect, including warmer microclimate, anthropogenic food supply and light pollution. since social sti ...201525619949
the influence of bacterial vaginosis on gestational week of the completion of delivery and biochemical markers of inflammation in the serum.preterm delivery is one of the most common complications in pregnancy, and it is the major cause (75-80%) of all neonatal deaths. bacterial vaginosis predisposes to an increased risk of preterm delivery, premature rupture of membrane and miscarriage. in this syndrome normal vaginal lactobacilli, which produce protective h2o2, are reduced and replaced with anaerobic, gram-negative bacteria and others. the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of bacterial vaginosis on the week of delive ...201425518272
[tinidazole versus cefazolin in antibiotic prophylaxis of vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy].to compare the efficacy of tinidazole and cephazolin on the febrile and infectious morbidity of post vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy antibiotic prophylaxis.200819148431
does urban life change blood oxidative status in birds?cities may expose wild animals to new types of selection pressures, potentially leading to differentiation among urban and rural populations. one cellular mechanism likely important in determining the viability of vertebrate populations is resistance to oxidative stress, as tissue degradation resulting from oxidative stress may decrease reproductive performance and survival. we hypothesized that city-thriving eurasian blackbirds (turdus merula) would be more resistant to oxidative stress when ex ...201424948638
loss of migration and urbanization in birds: a case study of the blackbird (turdus merula).many organisms have invaded urban habitats, although the underlying factors initially promoting urbanization remain poorly understood. partial migration may facilitate urbanization because such populations benefit from surplus food in urban environments during winter, and hence enjoy reduced fitness costs of migratory deaths. we tested this hypothesis in the european blackbird turdus merula, which has been urbanized since the 19th century, by compiling information on timing of urbanization, migr ...201424794076
eggshell colour does not predict measures of maternal investment in eggs of turdus thrushes.the striking diversity of avian eggshell colour has long fascinated biologists. recently, it has been proposed that the blue-green colour of some eggs may function as a post-mating sexually selected signal of female phenotypic quality to their mates to induce higher allocation of paternal care. it has been suggested that maternally deposited yolk carotenoids may be the specific aspect of reproductive quality that the female is signalling via eggshell colour. we use the known properties of the th ...200818401571
high-dose vaginal maintenance metronidazole for recurrent bacterial vaginosis: a pilot study.the purpose of this study was to explore the benefit of high-dose intravaginal metronidazole as a maintenance therapy in reducing recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis (bv). eighteen women with a history of recurrent bv and symptomatic bv were treated with metronidazole 750 mg suppository intravaginally daily for 7 days. those in remission by amsel criteria received metronidazole 750 mg twice weekly for 3 months with further follow-up for 3 months. high-dose metronidazole intravaginally was as ...201424722380
bioecology of pistachio twig borer moth kermania pistaciella amsel, in rafsanjan and isfahan-iran.pistachio woodborer, kermania pistaciella amsel. (lep.: oinophylidae) is one of the most important pests of pistachio in iran. some of morphological characters and its biology were studied in two orchards in rafsanjan. for this study, 80 pistachio branches were selected and visited once a week. the larval emergence was recorded and cocoon formation was located. seasonal occurrence of adults were recorded based on marked cocoons on branches, caged cocoons and the number of captured males in cylin ...200617385525
vaginal cytokines do not differ between postmenopausal women with and without symptoms of vulvovaginal irritation.the aim of this exploratory pilot study was to determine if there are differences in vaginal cytokine levels between postmenopausal women with and without vulvovaginal irritative symptoms (itching, burning, or pain).201424398407
comparison between the efficacy of metronidazole vaginal gel and berberis vulgaris (berberis vulgaris) combined with metronidazole gel alone in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.bacterial vaginosis is one of the most prevalent complications among reproductive-aged women. antibacterial and antifungal effects of berberis vulgaris have been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo.201627757195
[phoresy and hyperparasitism in ornithomya (diptera, hippoboscidae) in the federal republic of germany].243 louse-flies of the genus ornithomya were examined for mites and mallophaga. 12 out of 71 o. fringillina and 4 out of 153 o. avicularia were infested by microlichus avus. myialges uncus were found on 5 o. avicularia. one o. avicularia was infested by myialges pari. mallophaga were found on 8 o. avicularia. the following species were identified: allobruelia abluda, a. amsel, turdinirmus merulensis, trichodectes sp., brueelia sp.19892729647
dietary flavonoids advance timing of moult but do not affect redox status of juvenile blackbirds (turdus merula).flavonoids are the most abundant plant polyphenols, widely occurring in fruits and berries, and show a strong antioxidant activity in vitro studies of avian species feeding on berries suggest that dietary flavonoids have health-promoting effects and may enhance the expression of melanin-based plumage traits. these effects are probably mediated by the antioxidant activity of flavonoids. however, the effect of dietary flavonoids on oxidative status has never been investigated in any bird species. ...201627473434
use of a real-time pcr to explore the intensity of plasmodium spp. infections in native, endemic and introduced new zealand birds.avian malaria, caused by plasmodium spp., is an emerging disease in new zealand (nz). to detect plasmodium spp. infection and quantify parasite load in nz birds, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr) (qpcr) protocol was used and compared with a nested pcr (npcr) assay. a total of 202 blood samples from 14 bird species with known npcr results were tested. the qpcr prevalences for introduced, native and endemic species groups were 70, 11 and 21%, respectively, with a sensitivity and specific ...201728691648
propagation of bird acoustic signals: comparative study of starling and blackbird distress calls.previous works have demonstrated that the information supported by a bird distress call is encoded both by the energy distribution among harmonics and the temporal evolution of the frequency modulation. in the present study, using these parameters, we compared long-range information transfer in a dense vegetation environment between the starling sturnus vulgaris and the blackbird. turdus merula distress calls. it appears that excess attenuation of high frequencies (higher than 4 khz) after a lon ...19979499938
bacterial vaginosis among african american women who have sex with women.bacterial vaginosis (bv) is a frequent cause of vaginal discharge that may be more common among women reporting sex with women (wsw). the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of bv and predictors of infection among a sample of african american wsw.201323949590
characterization of 38 microsatellite loci in the european blackbird, turdus merula (turdidae, aves).we characterized 38 microsatellite loci in the european blackbird, turdus merula. thirty-seven loci were identified by testing 242 loci that had been originally isolated in other avian species. one additional locus was isolated from a european blackbird genomic library. all loci were characterized in 20-29 blackbirds from a population in the czech republic and displayed between two and 16 alleles, with observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.04 to 1.00. thirty-seven loci could be assigned a chrom ...200921564948
clocks for the city: circadian differences between forest and city songbirds.to keep pace with progressing urbanization organisms must cope with extensive habitat change. anthropogenic light and noise have modified differences between day and night, and may thereby interfere with circadian clocks. urbanized species, such as birds, are known to advance their activity to early morning and night hours. we hypothesized that such modified activity patterns are reflected by properties of the endogenous circadian clock. using automatic radio-telemetry, we tested this idea by co ...201323740778
[illumina sequencing 16s rrna tagging reveals diverse vaginal microbiomes associated with bacterial vaginosis].to analyze and compare vaginal microbiomes in healthy women at child-bearing ages and patients with bacterial vaginosis (bv).201323688985
corticosterone levels in relation to trace element contamination along an urbanization gradient in the common blackbird (turdus merula).in a rapidly urbanizing world, trace element pollution may represent a threat to human health and wildlife, and it is therefore crucial to assess both exposition levels and associated effects of trace element contamination on urban vertebrates. in this study, we investigated the impact of urbanization on trace element contamination and stress physiology in a wild bird species, the common blackbird (turdus merula), along an urbanization gradient (from rural to moderately urbanized areas). specifi ...201627213675
inter-specific and intra-specific variability in fruit color preference in two species of turdus.one of the main hypotheses proposed to explain the evolution of fruit color deals with a preference of avian frugivores for specific colors, mainly black and red, which are the most common fruit colors in many of the studied habitats. i analyzed fruit color preferences by wild birds belonging to 2 species of the highly frugivorous genus turdus (eurasian blackbird turdus merula linnaeus, 1758 and redwing turdus iliacus linnaeus, 1758) by means of captivity experiments with artificial fruits. desp ...201121910844
outbreak and cocirculation of three different usutu virus strains in eastern germany.usutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus accounting for large-scale deaths in resident bird populations. in this study, we show the introduction of usuv to eastern germany resulting in massive death of birds, particularly blackbirds (turdus merula). we found that three diverse usuv lineages ("europe 3," "africa 2," and "africa 3-like") circulated simultaneously. moreover, we detected usuv in culex pipiens in a region where no dead birds were reported, strengthening the need for mosquito ...201728816628
seasonal and urban effects on the endocrinology of a wild passerine.in order to maximize their fitness, organisms in seasonal environments rely on external cues to optimally time their life-history stages. one of the most important zeitgeber to time reproduction is the photoperiod, but further environmental cues are assessed to fine-tune reproduction due to year-to-year variation in environmental conditions. however, in urbanized environments, the pervasive artificial light at night has altered the natural signal of light and darkness. accordingly, artificial li ...201527069618
secnidazole treatment of bacterial vaginosis: a randomized controlled trial.to evaluate secnidazole as a single oral dose treatment for bacterial vaginosis in a phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.201728697102
a multi-omic systems-based approach reveals metabolic markers of bacterial vaginosis and insight into the disease.bacterial vaginosis (bv) is the most common vaginal disorder of reproductive-age women. yet the cause of bv has not been established. to uncover key determinants of bv, we employed a multi-omic, systems-biology approach, including both deep 16s rrna gene-based sequencing and metabolomics of lavage samples from 36 women. these women varied demographically, behaviorally, and in terms of health status and symptoms.201323405259
redescription of eidophasia syenitella (herrich-schaffer, [1854]) (lepidoptera, plutellidae).the holarctic genus eidophasia stephens, 1842 belongs to plutellidae (kyrki 1984, 1990; dugdale et al. 1999). the genus currently includes 12 species (sohn & baraniak in press) which are heterogeneous in morphologies. in fact, there have been no convincing synapomorphies proposed for eidophasia. eidophasia syenitella (herrich-schäffer, [1854]) is one of the european congeners. herrich-schäffer (1853-1855) associated e. syenitella with e. messingiella (fisher von röslerstamm, 1840), based two sup ...201526701502
complete mitochondrial genome sequence of eurasian blackbird, turdus merula (aves: turdidae).the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequence of eurasian blackbird, turdus merula was determined by shotgun sequencing. the total length of mitogenome is 16 730 bp, and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 trna genes, 2 ribosome rna genes and 1 control region (d-loop). all the protein-coding genes in t. merula were distributed on the h-strand, except for the nd6 subunit gene and eight trna genes which were encoded on the l-strand. the gene order and contents in the t. merula mitogenom ...201626680446
[the comparative analysis of information value of main clinical criteria used to diagnose of bacterial vaginosis].the bacterial vaginosis is one of the most frequent causes of women visiting gynecologist. the diagnostics of bacterial vaginosis is predominantly based on amsel criteria (1983). nowadays, the objectivity of these criteria is disputed more often. the analysis of excretion of mucous membranes of posterolateral fornix of vagina was applied to 640 women with clinical diagnosis bacterial vaginosis. the application of light microscopy to mounts of excretion confirmed in laboratory way the diagnosis o ...201526470439
bacterial vaginosis among women with tubal factor infertility in nigeria.to determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis among women with tubal factor infertility.201526341172
baseline corticosterone levels are higher in migrating than sedentary common blackbirds in autumn, but not in spring.corticosterone at baseline levels is thought to be mainly involved in the regulation of uptake, storage and release of energy, processes central to avian migration. consequently, corticosterone levels are thought to be upregulated during migration, but the temporal pattern of its secretion during migration is not well defined. for example, although it appears that corticosterone levels decrease from flight to stopover, it is unknown if levels at stopover are still elevated and it is largely uncl ...201526163918
does light pollution alter daylength? a test using light loggers on free-ranging european blackbirds (turdus merula).artificial light at night is one of the most apparent environmental changes accompanying anthropogenic habitat change. the global increase in light pollution poses new challenges to wild species, but we still have limited understanding of the temporal and spatial pattern of exposure to light at night. in particular, it has been suggested by several studies that animals exposed to light pollution, such as songbirds, perceive a longer daylength compared with conspecifics living in natural darker a ...201525780232
now you see it, now you don't: flushing hosts prior to experimentation can predict their responses to brood parasitism.brood parasitic birds lay their eggs in other birds' nests, leaving hosts to raise their offspring. to understand parasite-host coevolutionary arms races, many studies have examined host responses to experimentally introduced eggs. however, attending parents often need to be flushed from their nests to add experimental eggs. if these birds witness parasitism events, they may recognize and reject foreign eggs more readily than parents who did not. we found that, after being flushed, female blackb ...201525762433
repeated stressors in adulthood increase the rate of biological ageing.individuals of the same age can differ substantially in the degree to which they have accumulated tissue damage, akin to bodily wear and tear, from past experiences. this accumulated tissue damage reflects the individual's biological age and may better predict physiological and behavioural performance than the individual's chronological age. however, at present it remains unclear how to reliably assess biological age in individual wild vertebrates.201525705242
point-of-care (poc) diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (bv) using vgtest™ ion mobility spectrometry (ims) in a routine ambulatory care gynecology clinic.a new ce-marked portable desktop ion mobility spectrometer (vgtest) was used for detection of malodorous biogenic amines indicative of bacterial vaginosis (bv). this study aimed to assess the performance of this testing method for the first time in a routine ambulatory care clinic and to determine the relative levels of biogenic amines in vaginal fluid of bv.201525638448
who moved my eggs? an experimental test of the egg arrangement hypothesis for the rejection of brood parasitic eggs.avian brood parasitism is an exceptional reproductive strategy whereby parasites reduce their own costs associated with parental care and impose them on the host parents. consequently, host species have evolved multiple defensive mechanisms to combat parasitism. the vast majority of research attention to date has examined host defenses to recognize and reject parasitic eggs. the recently proposed "egg arrangement hypothesis" suggests that hosts may not focus solely on individual eggs' features, ...201525194716
exotic birds increase generalization and compensate for native bird decline in plant-frugivore assemblages.exotic species are thought to alter the structure of natural communities and disrupt ecosystem functioning through invasion. nevertheless, exotic species may also provide ecological insurance when they contribute to maintain ecosystem functions after the decline of native species following anthropogenic disturbance. here, this hypothesis is tested with the assemblage of frugivorous birds and fleshy-fruited plants of new zealand, which has suffered strong historical declines in native birds while ...201424749667
adaptive latitudinal variation in common blackbird turdus merula nest characteristics.nest construction is taxonomically widespread, yet our understanding of adaptive intraspecific variation in nest design remains poor. nest characteristics are expected to vary adaptively in response to predictable variation in spring temperatures over large spatial scales, yet such variation in nest design remains largely overlooked, particularly amongst open-cup-nesting birds. here, we systematically examined the effects of latitudinal variation in spring temperatures and precipitation on the m ...201424683466
long-term effects of chronic light pollution on seasonal functions of european blackbirds (turdus merula).light pollution is known to affect important biological functions of wild animals, including daily and annual cycles. however, knowledge about long-term effects of chronic exposure to artificial light at night is still very limited. here we present data on reproductive physiology, molt and locomotor activity during two-year cycles of european blackbirds (turdus merula) exposed to either dark nights or 0.3 lux at night. as expected, control birds kept under dark nights exhibited two regular testi ...201324376865
partitioning of cd and pb in the blood of european blackbirds (turdus merula) from a smelter contaminated site and use for biomonitoring.blood composition is commonly measured to assess exposure to and effects of metals on birds. in most of passerine species, only small volumes of blood may be sampled safely (<500 μl), which limit the measure of several markers of health status and chemical residues. here, we documented the partitioning of cd and pb in the blood of european blackbirds turdus merula in order to propose usable relationships between whole blood concentrations (for which toxicological benchmarks exist) and those meas ...201222401744
longitudinal analysis of vaginal microbiome dynamics in women with recurrent bacterial vaginosis: recognition of the conversion process.bacterial vaginosis (bv) affects ∼ 30% of women of reproductive age, has a high rate of recurrence, and is associated with miscarriage, preterm birth, and increased risk of acquiring other sexually transmitted infections, including hiv-1. little is known of the daily changes in the vaginal bacterial composition as it progresses from treatment to recurrence, or whether any of these might be useful in its prediction or an understanding of its causes. we used phylogenetic branch-inclusive quantitat ...201324376552
individual-based measurements of light intensity provide new insights into the effects of artificial light at night on daily rhythms of urban-dwelling songbirds.the growing interest in the effects of light pollution on daily and seasonal cycles of animals has led to a boost of research in recent years. in birds, it has been hypothesized that artificial light at night can affect daily aspects of behaviour, but one caveat is the lack of knowledge about the light intensity that wild animals, such as birds, are exposed to during the night. organisms have naturally evolved daily rhythms to adapt to the 24-h cycle of day and night, thus, it is important to in ...201424102250
diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in cases of abnormal vaginal discharge: comparison of clinical and microbiological criteria.bacterial vaginosis is a polymicrobial syndrome involving replacement of normal vaginal hydrogen peroxide producing lactobacilli by a variety of mycoplasmas and gram-negative rods. bacterial vaginosis has been conventionally diagnosed using amsel criteria (a clinical method) or nugent's score (a laboratory method with higher reproducibility). this study was undertaken to compare the diagnostic ability of the amsel criteria with that of nugent's score among patients presenting with abnormal vagin ...201121628811
urban-like night illumination reduces melatonin release in european blackbirds (turdus merula): implications of city life for biological time-keeping of songbirds.artificial light-at-night is known to affect a broad array of behaviours and physiological processes. in urbanized bird species, light-at-night advances important biological rhythms such as daily cycles of activity/rest and timing of reproduction, but our knowledge of the underlying physiological mechanisms is limited. given its role as chronobiological signal, melatonin is a strong candidate for mediating the effects of light-at-night.201324090446
urban behavioural adaptation.a large and growing proportion of the world is impacted directly by human activities; among the most extreme of these is the spread of urban environments. environmental change associated with urbanization represents a potentially potent source of selection. while urban environments generally have lowered biodiversity, some clades seem to thrive in urban settings. for example, many members of the bird family turdidae, known as the ‘truethrushes’ and the blackbird turdus merula (fig. 1) in particu ...201323967452
sleepless in town--drivers of the temporal shift in dawn song in urban european blackbirds.organisms living in urban environments are exposed to different environmental conditions compared to their rural conspecifics. especially anthropogenic noise and artificial night light are closely linked to urbanization and pose new challenges to urban species. songbirds are particularly affected by these factors, because they rely on the spread of acoustic information and adjust their behaviour to the rhythm of night and day, e.g. time their dawn song according to changing light intensities. ou ...201323940759
urbanization and its effects on personality traits: a result of microevolution or phenotypic plasticity?human-altered environmental conditions affect many species at the global scale. an extreme form of anthropogenic alteration is the existence and rapid increase of urban areas. a key question, then, is how species cope with urbanization. it has been suggested that rural and urban conspecifics show differences in behaviour and personality. however, (i) a generalization of this phenomenon has never been made; and (ii) it is still unclear whether differences in personality traits between rural and u ...201323681984
[characteristics of microecological disturbances during endometritis].to study the state of vaginal microbiocenosis in women with endometritis and to assess association between microecological disturbances and characteristic of clinical course of the disease.200919715212
boric acid addition to suppressive antimicrobial therapy for recurrent bacterial vaginosis.recurrent bacterial vaginosis (rbv) is extremely common and a source of frustration to patient and practitioners alike. in the absence of curative therapy, practitioners resort to retreating each individual episode. it has been suggested that vaginal biofilm in bv facilitates persistence of bacterial pathogens. accordingly, topical boric acid (ba) aimed at biofilm removal was added to nitroimidazole induction and maintenance therapy creating a triple phase regimen to reduce symptomatic recurrenc ...200919704395
estimating and visualizing fitness surfaces using mark-recapture data.understanding how selection operates on a set of phenotypic traits is central to evolutionary biology. often, it requires estimating survival (or other fitness-related life-history traits) which can be difficult to obtain for natural populations because individuals cannot be exhaustively followed. to cope with this issue of imperfect detection, we advocate the use of mark-recapture data and we provide a general framework for both the estimation of linear and nonlinear selection gradients and the ...200919656185
[the role of oral probiotic for bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. a pilot study].the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a dietary supplementation with oral probiotic, and the treatment with vaginal clindamycin in pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis.201323598785
candidate gene polymorphisms for behavioural adaptations during urbanization in blackbirds.successful urban colonization by formerly rural species represents an ideal situation in which to study adaptation to novel environments. we address this issue using candidate genes for behavioural traits that are expected to play a role in such colonization events. we identified and genotyped 16 polymorphisms in candidate genes for circadian rhythms, harm avoidance and migratory and exploratory behaviour in 12 paired urban and rural populations of the blackbird turdus merula across the western ...201323495914
egg arrangement in avian clutches covaries with the rejection of foreign eggs.in birds, the colour, maculation, shape, and size of their eggs play critical roles in discrimination of foreign eggs in the clutch. so far, however, no study has examined the role of egg arrangement within a clutch on host rejection responses. we predicted that individual females which maintain consistent egg arrangements within their clutch would be better able to detect and reject foreign eggs than females without a consistent egg arrangement (i.e. whose eggs change positions more often acros ...201323443406
circadian variation in shedding of the oocysts of isospora turdi (apicomplexa) in blackbirds (turdusmerula): an adaptative trait against desiccation and ultraviolet radiation.many parasite species spend part of their life cycle in the external environment waiting for a new host. emergence of parasites often occurs once a day, which may help to minimise mortality in an inhospitable environment and increase transition rates. many intestinal parasites in birds are released in faeces only in the late afternoon. however, the adaptative significance of this pattern is unclear. one hypothesis is that a particular time of emergence may prevent parasite desiccation and theref ...200919100268
artificial light at night advances avian reproductive physiology.artificial light at night is a rapidly increasing phenomenon and it is presumed to have global implications. light at night has been associated with health problems in humans as a consequence of altered biological rhythms. effects on wild animals have been less investigated, but light at night has often been assumed to affect seasonal cycles of urban dwellers. using light loggers attached to free-living european blackbirds (turdus merula), we first measured light intensity at night which forest ...201323407836
migratory common blackbirds have lower innate immune function during autumn migration than resident conspecifics.animals need a well-functioning immune system to protect themselves against pathogens. the immune system, however, is costly and resource trade-offs with other demands exist. for migratory animals several (not mutually exclusive) hypotheses exist. first, migrants reduce immune function to be able to allocate resources to migration. second, migrants boost immune function to cope with more and/or novel pathogens encountered during migration. third, migrants reallocate resources within the immune s ...201627029839
bird song and anthropogenic noise: vocal constraints may explain why birds sing higher-frequency songs in cities.when animals live in cities, they have to adjust their behaviour and life histories to novel environments. noise pollution puts a severe constraint on vocal communication by interfering with the detection of acoustic signals. recent studies show that city birds sing higher-frequency songs than their conspecifics in non-urban habitats. this has been interpreted as an adaptation to counteract masking by traffic noise. however, this notion is debated, for the observed frequency shifts seem to be le ...201323303546
the flight apparatus of migratory and sedentary individuals of a partially migratory songbird species.variations in the geometry of the external flight apparatus of birds are beneficial for different behaviors. long-distance flight is less costly with more pointed wings and shorter tails; however these traits decrease maneuverability at low speeds. selection has led to interspecific differences in these and other flight apparatuses in relation to migration distance. if these principles are general, how are the external flight apparatus within a partially migratory bird species shaped in which in ...201223284817
a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of rifaximin for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.to compare efficacy and tolerability between different regimens of rifaximin vaginal tablets and a placebo for treatment of bacterial vaginosis.201323273888
shared but overlooked: 30 species of holarctic microlepidoptera revealed by dna barcodes and morphology.this study reports 30 species of lepidoptera previously known from either the palearctic or the nearctic that are newly recorded as holarctic. for 28 of these species, their intercontinental distributions were initially detected through dna barcode analysis and subsequently confirmed by morphological examination; two palearctic species were first detected in north america through morphology and then barcoded. when possible, the origin and status of each species (introduced, overlooked holarctic ...201325113597
increased sedentariness in european blackbirds following urbanization: a consequence of local adaptation?urbanization changes local environmental conditions and may lead to altered selection regimes for life history traits of organisms thriving in cities. previous studies have reported changes in breeding phenology and even trends toward increased sedentariness in migratory bird species colonizing urban areas. however, does the change in migratory propensity simply represent a phenotypic adjustment to local urban environment, or is it genetically based and hence the result of local adaptation? to t ...200717536705
recurrence of bacterial vaginosis is significantly associated with posttreatment sexual activities and hormonal contraceptive use.bacterial vaginosis (bv) recurrence posttreatment is common. our aim was to determine if behaviors were associated with bv recurrence in women in a randomized controlled trial (rct).201323243173
the effect of urbanization on helminth communities in the eurasian blackbird (turdus merula l.) from the eastern part of the czech republic.in the present study we investigated two ecologically distinct populations of t. merula for the presence of helminths. we wished to determine whether urban populations of blackbirds had reduced helminth fauna compared to birds from forest habitats. birds were caught in two ecologically distinct sites located in the eastern part of the czech republic. a total of 320 birds were examined. the first site was located in prerov where the birds were obtained from a typical urban population, and the sec ...201423232073
toll-like receptor gene variants associated with bacterial vaginosis among hiv-1 infected adolescents.bacterial vaginosis (bv) is a common vaginal disorder in women of reproductive age, especially among women with hiv-1 infection. several bacterial products including lipopolysaccharides (lps), lipoteichoic acids (lta), and peptidoglycans (pgn) are stimulatory ligands for toll-like receptors (tlrs), and recent evidence indicates the important role of variation in tlr genes for permitting overgrowth of gram negative and bv-type flora. we assessed whether genetic polymorphisms in five tlr genes (tl ...201223021866
high recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis over the course of 12 months after oral metronidazole therapy and factors associated with recurrence.we wished to determine recurrences of bacterial vaginosis (bv) after treatment over the course of 12 months and to establish factors associated with recurrence.200616652274
influence of landscape composition and diversity on contaminant flux in terrestrial food webs: a case study of trace metal transfer to european blackbirds turdus merula.although understanding the influence of the spatial arrangement of habitats and interacting communities on the processes of pollutant flux and impacts is critical for exposure and risk assessment, to date few studies have been devoted to this emergent topic. we tested the hypothesis that landscape composition and diversity affect the transfer of trace metals to vertebrates. bioaccumulation of cd and pb in blood and feathers of european blackbirds turdus merula (n=138) was studied over a smelter- ...201222750173
development of modified diagnostic criteria for bacterial vaginosis at peripheral health centres in developing countries.bacterial vaginosis (bv) is the commonest cause of abnormal vaginal discharge in women of child-bearing age and is associated with increased susceptibility to hiv-aids and sexually transmitted diseases. in obstetrics, bv has been implicated in causing various complications. in clinical practice, bv is diagnosed using amsel criteria and nugent scoring. using modified amsel criteria, we determined that the fulfilling of any two instead of three criteria can be diagnostic of bv.201222610702
[factors of risk of bacterial vaginosis].to recognise factors in the host that might condition the appearance of the bacterial vaginosis (bv) syndrome, whether gynae-obstetrical factors, habits of sexual conduct, hygiene, or other factors.200415511357
differences in the timing of reproduction between urban and forest european blackbirds (turdus merula): result of phenotypic flexibility or genetic differences?species which have settled in urban environments are exposed to different conditions from their wild conspecifics. a previous comparative study of an urban and a forest-living european blackbird population had revealed a three weeks earlier onset of gonadal growth in urban individuals. these physiological adjustments are either the result of genetic differences that have evolved during the urbanization process, or of phenotypic flexibility resulting from the bird's exposure to the different envi ...200415451688
autochthonous and migratory birds as a dispersion source for ixodes ricinus in southern italy.the present study was carried out in a protected wooded area, which is part of the parco regionale gallipoli cognato piccole dolomiti lucane, one of the most important ecological reserves in southern italy. from april 2010 to april 2011, 212 birds, comprising 22 species from 12 families, were captured and examined for ticks. a total of 75 (35.4 %) birds were found infested by ticks, with 451 ticks being collected. all ticks were identified as ixodes ricinus, of which 241 (53.4 %) were larvae and ...201222610454
diagnosing vaginal infections through measurement of biogenic amines by ion mobility spectrometry.to compare diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis according to the amsel criteria with measurement by ion mobility spectrometry (ims) of the biogenic amines that are present in vaginal discharge fluid.201222520996
evaluation of a novel diagnostic test for bacterial vaginosis: 'the electronic nose'.the objectives were, first, to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the osmetech microbial analyser (oma) for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (bv) and, secondly, to determine the factors that interfere with the performance of the test. women presenting to a genitourinary medicine clinic underwent routine screening for genital infections. additional swabs were tested on the oma, and by nugent scoring. the optimum method for sampling was determined on the first 372 samples. bv was dia ...200312662390
[is the papanicolaou smear useful as aid for diagnosing some sexually transmitted infections?].we undertook this study to assess the validity of cytologic diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections like: bacterial vaginosis (bv), tricomoniasis and candidiasis using the papanicolaou (pap) smear.200111262330
[evaluation of nugent and amsel criteria for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis].bacterial vaginosis (bv) is a common disease in reproductive-age women and is associated to important gynecologic and obstetric complications.200011050838
[evaluation of microscopy methods for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis].the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis has always been controversial. during many years, the laboratory diagnosis of this syndrome was based on the criteria of amsel et al (1983). this includes many factors, such us aqueous vaginal discharge, positive koh test and the presence of clue-cells in a wet mount or gram stain. lately, a new diagnostic method only based on laboratory findings was performed by nugent et al (1991), which has the advantage of being more objective and rapid. it is also easy t ...200611026143
[chewing lice species (phthiraptera: ischnocera) found on blackbirds (turdus merula): new records from turkey].this study was conducted to detect the chewing lice species on the blackbirds shot (turdus merula) in yeşilyurt village, çanakkale201222450917
when the alternative would have been better: counterfactual reasoning and the emergence of regret.counterfactual reasoning about how events could have turned out better is associated with the feeling of regret. however, developmental studies show a discrepancy between the onset of counterfactual reasoning (at 3 years) and the feeling of regret (at 6 years). in four experiments we explored possible reasons. experiment 1 (3- to 6-year-old children) and experiment 2 (adult control) show that even when regret is assessed more directly than in previous studies (e.g., amsel & smalley, 2000) only a ...201221973057
comparative efficacy of probiotic yoghurt and clindamycin in treatment of bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women: a randomized clinical trial.this study was performed to determine the comparative efficacy of probiotic yoghurt and clindamycin in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women in the third trimester.201221854132
vaginitis.bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and vulvovaginal candidiasis are the most common infectious causes of vaginitis. bacterial vaginosis occurs when the normal lactobacilli of the vagina are replaced by mostly anaerobic bacteria. diagnosis is commonly made using the amsel criteria, which include vaginal ph greater than 4.5, positive whiff test, milky discharge, and the presence of clue cells on microscopic examination of vaginal fluid. oral and topical clindamycin and metronidazole are equally ...201121524046
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