Search Results (30)

A series (n = 22) of glasses from the site Kapucinski vrt (garden of the Capuchin monastery, 5th–17th c. CE) in Koper (Capodistria), a port town in the northern Adriatic, was measured using a combined PIXE and PIGE method. Koper has been continuously populated since the late Roman period, with a rich medieval history, thus offering an opportunity to study Early Medieval glass. Stemmed goblet fragments, in the original publication dated between the 6th–9th centuries CE, and several other vessel types (beakers and flasks or bottles and lamps) were selected for analysis. The measurements were expected to show the trends in glass production and consumption from Late Antiquity until the Middle Ages, notably the transition between natron to plant ash glass and the supply of fresh glass. Among the set of 22 glass vessel fragments, both natron and plant ash glass were identified. For finer classification, we relied on a newly developed method of Euclidean distances with respect to major concentrations. Natron glass of the types Foy 2.1 (9 examples), Magby (2 examples), and Levantine I (Apollonia; 2 examples) was found. Two glasses remain undetermined but testify to an Egyptian origin. Most natron glasses show signs of recycling. Among the three unrecycled glasses (about 20% of the whole set), there are two examples of Levantine glass and a Magby glass lamp; this may indicate a modest supply of fresh glass during the period. Plant ash glass may be attributed to the Early or High Middle Ages, exploiting the purified alkalis of the Levantine coasts (known as alume catino in later Venetian glassmaking), and the admixture of impurities in the siliceous sands suggests the circulation and consumption of glass that was produced and traded in the eastern Mediterranean since the 10th century CE. Full article

During foraging decisions, animals often make irrational choices. The selective-value effect refers to the lack of preference for an option consisting of one highly preferred item plus one less preferred item compared to a single highly preferred item. A similar bias is the less-is-better effect, in which individuals prefer a single highly preferred item rather than an option that includes both a highly preferred item and a less preferred one. Here, we investigated the occurrence of these decisional biases in twelve tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) by exploring, for the first time in this genus, both the role of the relative value of the highly vs. less preferred food and the length of the intertrial interval. Overall, capuchins made rational choices by preferring the mixed option over the single one. However, on an individual level, some capuchins exhibited the selective-value effect. Mirroring previous findings in apes, both the relative value of the highly vs. less preferred food and the length of the intertrial interval modulated capuchins’ preference for the mixed option. This study provides further insight into the factors influencing violations of rationality in primate food choices, suggesting that these decisions might reflect cognitive adaptations for optimizing sensory feedback and nutrient intake rather than being irrational. Full article

The intraspecies and interspecies Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) between the closely related Cebidae species, capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus, Sapajus apella), and the tamarins (Saguinus mystax, Leontocebus fuscicollis) was performed to analyze their genomes. In particular, this approach determines balanced and unbalanced repetitive DNA sequence distribution and reveals dynamics during evolution. Capuchin monkeys are considered the most ancestral group with conserved syntenies compared to the hypothetical ancestral New World monkeys’ karyotype. Also, more derived karyotypes of phylogenetically distant species from the Saguinus and Leontocebus genera are analyzed here. The distribution of repetitive sequences has been traditionally studied through classical staining methods of cytogenetics. It has been hypothesized that repeats are species-specific and their conservation across closely related species are also common; their role in the genome has been extensively studied even though its role in speciation is not well studied and understood. The CGH shows bright signals with balanced and imbalanced DNA involving different genome regions: such as predominantly repetitive DNA at centromeric positions, and interstitial distribution with extended blocks. Cross-species CGH demonstrated the origin of some heterochromatic regions and identified apomorphic heterochromatin expansion events. The uncovered distribution of repetitive sequences is analyzed from an evolutionary perspective to elucidate the genomic dynamics of the repetitive sequences at the level of chromosomal organization. Full article

Greenhouse gas emissions have become a significant concern for many countries due to their effect on the global economy and environment. This work discusses a standalone hybrid renewable generation system (HRGS) for use in isolated areas with different load demand profiles. Three load profiles were studied in this work: educational, residential, and demand-side management (DSM)-based residential load profiles. To investigate the economic and environmental aspects, a proposed modified capuchin search algorithm (MCapSA) was implemented, and the obtained results were compared with those of different conventional optimal procedures, such as the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and HOMER. The Levy flight distribution method, which is based on random movement, enhances the capuchin algorithm’s search capabilities. The cost of energy (CoE), electric source deficit (ESD), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and renewable factor (RF) indicators were all optimized and estimated to emphasize the robustness of the proposed optimization technique. The results reveal that the shift in the residential load profile based on individual-household DSM-scale techniques leads to significant sharing of renewable sources and a reduction in the utilization of diesel generators, consequently diminishing GHG emissions. The proposed MCapSA achieved optimal values of economic and environmental aspects that are equal to or less than those achieved through PSO. From the overall results of the three scenarios, the modified algorithm gives the best solution in terms of GHG, COE, and ESD compared to other existing algorithms. The usage of MCapSA resulted in decreases in COE and GHG in three types of loads. The robustness and effectiveness of MCapSA are demonstrated by the fact that the DSM-based optimal configuration of the renewable energy sources produces the lowest CoE and GHG emissions of 0.106 USD/kWh and 137.2 kg, respectively. Full article

In captive environments, mammals are frequently exposed to various parasitic protozoa and other vector-borne pathogens that can impact both animal health and public health. Monitoring these pathogens is essential for animal welfare and zoonotic disease control. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of parasitic protozoa and other vector-borne pathogens in captive mammals through molecular detection methods at the Belo Horizonte Zoo, Brazil. Between November 2021 and March 2023, whole blood samples were collected from 40 mammals. Molecular analyses identified piroplasms, Leishmania spp., granulocytic/platelet Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., monocytic Ehrlichia spp., Bartonella spp. and hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. with a 72.5% positivity rate. Piroplasms were found in 22.5% (two Pantanal cats, two gorillas, one white rhinoceros, one spider monkey, one jaguar, one tufted capuchin and one hippo) and Leishmania spp. in 12.9% (four maned wolves). Granulocytic/platelet Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp. were found in 12.5% of the samples (one gorilla and four maned wolves), Ehrlichia canis in 2.5% of the animals (one maned wolf), Bartonella spp. in 42.5% (six howler monkeys, two maned wolves, one gorilla, one white rhino, one southern tamandua, one common woolly monkey, one tufted capuchin, one brown brocket deer, one agouti, one cougar and one hippo), hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in 17.5% (one gorilla, one maned wolf, one white rhino, one howler monkey, two common woolly monkeys and one European fallow deer). Five Artiodactyla members tested negative for A. marginale. Coinfections occurred in 34.5% of the positive samples. Sequencing revealed that Theileria spp. and Cytauxzoon spp. are closely related to Theileria bicornis and Cytauxzoon felis; Ehrlichia canis and Bartonella spp. are closely related to B. clarridgeiae and B. henselae; and hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. are closely related to Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum. Our results showed a high occurrence of vector-borne pathogens in captive animals, including zoonotic species, which may pose a risk to animal and human public health. Full article

Background/Objectives: The research addresses algorithmic bias in deep learning models for cardiovascular risk prediction, focusing on fairness across demographic and socioeconomic groups to mitigate health disparities. It integrates fairness-aware algorithms, susceptible carrier-infected-recovered (SCIR) models, and interpretability frameworks to combine fairness with actionable AI insights supported by robust segmentation and classification metrics. Methods: The research utilised quantitative 3D/4D heart magnetic resonance imaging and tabular datasets from the Cardiac Atlas Project’s (CAP) open challenges to explore AI-driven methodologies for mitigating algorithmic bias in cardiac imaging. The SCIR model, known for its robustness, was adapted with the Capuchin algorithm, adversarial debiasing, Fairlearn, and post-processing with equalised odds. The robustness of the SCIR model was further demonstrated in the fairness evaluation metrics, which included demographic parity, equal opportunity difference ($0.037$), equalised odds difference ($0.026$), disparate impact ($1.081$), and Theil Index ($0.249$). For interpretability, YOLOv5, Mask R-CNN, and ResNet18 were implemented with LIME and SHAP. Bias mitigation improved disparate impact ($0.80$ to $0.95$), reduced equal opportunity difference ($0.20$ to $0.05$), and decreased false favourable rates for males ($0.0059$ to $0.0033$) and females ($0.0096$ to $0.0064$) through balanced probability adjustment. Results: The SCIR model outperformed the SIR model (recovery rate: $1.38$ vs $0.83$) with a $-10\%$ transmission bias impact. Parameters ($\beta =0.5$, $\delta =0.2$, $\gamma =0.15$) reduced susceptible counts to $2.53\times {10}^{-12}$ and increased recovered counts to $9.98$ by $t=50$. YOLOv5 achieved high Intersection over Union (IoU) scores ($94.8\%$, $93.7\%$, $80.6\%$ for normal, severe, and abnormal cases). Mask R-CNN showed $82.5\%$ peak confidence, while ResNet demonstrated a $10.4\%$ accuracy drop under noise. Performance metrics (IoU: $0.91$–$0.96$, Dice: $0.941$–$0.980$, Kappa: $0.95$) highlighted strong predictive accuracy and reliability. Conclusions: The findings validate the effectiveness of fairness-aware algorithms in addressing cardiovascular predictive model biases. The integration of fairness and explainable AI not only promotes equitable diagnostic precision but also significantly reduces diagnostic disparities across vulnerable populations. This reduction in disparities is a key outcome of the research, enhancing clinical trust in AI-driven systems. The promising results of this study pave the way for future work that will explore scalability in real-world clinical settings and address limitations such as computational complexity in large-scale data processing. Full article

Mixed-species groups have been recorded in various primates, including tufted capuchin and squirrel monkeys. Measures of their ‘groupness’ are typically based on factors such as group stability, social interactions, proximity, or behavioural coordination. Social network analysis has become a useful tool for quantifying relationships among group-living individuals. Here, we apply social network analysis to two captive mixed-species groups of tufted capuchins and squirrel monkeys housed at the Living Links to Human Evolution Research Centre, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo, UK. We conducted 183 h of focal observations (three hours per individual, excluding co-observations) and calculated association rates using a simple index ratio. Permutation t-tests were used to assess differences in the overall mixed-species network and network metrics according to species. While the two species exhibited some level of association, they formed separate clusters in the mixed-species networks; however, the East group had more balanced group sizes and showed some signs of closer inter-specific social ties compared to the West group. Our data indicate that, in captivity at least, while these groups co-exist in a small, shared space, they do not form cohesive mixed-species groups. We suggest caution in the assumption of mixed-species groups based on shared space only. Full article

With the online wildlife trade and the demand for viral videos increasing, the trade in primates on TikTok is becoming more prevalent. Despite wildlife trading being banned on most social media platforms, the trade in primates persists. TikTok’s policies ban the sale of live animals, and specific terms related to wildlife trading are banned; however, these search-term bans are easy to get around, and sellers are still prolific on the site. This study documented primates for sale on TikTok using the search term “for sale monkey” over a four-month period (from mid-July to mid-November 2023) with the aim of determining how widespread primate trade is on TikTok, the legality of advertisements, and which countries advertise the most primates for sale. In total, 43 individual advertisements were identified, spanning six different genera of primates and five different countries. Spider monkeys, rhesus macaques, and common marmosets were found to be the most commonly advertised species on TikTok. All the spider monkeys were advertised from the USA, while the majority of the marmosets were advertised from the UK, and all of the rhesus macaques were advertised from Pakistan. The USA was the only country identified in this study that advertised a range of species, and the only species found in this study that was not advertised in the USA was the mona monkey. In total, 44% of all species recorded were classified as either Endangered or Critically Endangered, and it was found that Endangered species were more frequently sold illegally than non-Endangered species. The findings of this study underline a need for stricter primate legislation and wildlife law enforcement, especially if the UN’s sustainable development goals are to be achieved by 2030. They also show a need for TikTok to broaden their restrictions on wildlife trading on their app. Full article

For patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea and sleep-related breathing disorders, snoring is quite common, and it greatly interferes with the quality of life for them and for the people surrounding them. For diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea, snoring is used as a screening parameter, so the exact detection and classification of snoring sounds are quite important. Therefore, automated and very high precision snoring analysis and classification algorithms are required. In this work, initially the features are extracted from six different domains, such as time domain, frequency domain, Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) domain, sparse domain, eigen value domain, and cepstral domain. The extracted features are then selected using three efficient feature selection techniques, such as Golden Eagle Optimization (GEO), Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA), and Refined SSA. The selected features are finally classified with the help of eight traditional machine learning classifiers and two proposed classifiers, such as the Firefly Algorithm-Weighted Extreme Learning Machine hybrid with Adaboost model (FA-WELM-Adaboost) and the Capuchin Search Algorithm-Weighted Extreme Learning Machine hybrid with Adaboost model (CSA-WELM-Adaboost). The analysis is performed on the MPSSC Interspeech dataset, and the best results are obtained when the DWT features with the refined SSA feature selection technique and FA-WELM-Adaboost hybrid classifier are utilized, reporting an Unweighted Average Recall (UAR) of 74.23%. The second-best results are obtained when DWT features are selected with the GEO feature selection technique and a CSA-WELM-Adaboost hybrid classifier is utilized, reporting an UAR of 73.86%. Full article

This study investigated the supercritical CO₂ extraction of oils from capuchin (Tropaeolum majus) seeds (4.34% moisture content) and leaves (5.26% moisture content) and analyzed the effects of varying temperature and pressure conditions. The extraction yields were 3% for the seeds and 2% for the leaves. The seed extracts were rich in oleic, linoleic, and palmitic fatty acids, whereas the leaf extracts contained a high concentration of octacosanol (73.37%). Kinetic analysis revealed distinct mass transfer mechanisms during extraction, and the Sovová model effectively described the extraction kinetics, showing good agreement with experimental data (ADD% < 4%). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated the impact of temperature and pressure on the yields, with temperature being the most influential factor. The experimental conditions ranged from 22 to 28 MPa and from 313.15 to 333.15 K. This study contributes to the understanding of capuchin oil extraction and its potential applications in various fields, owing to the presence of bioactive compounds. Full article

Fungi have always posed an unquestionable threat to heritage collections worldwide. Now, in a future of climate change, biological risk factors may have to be considered even more than before. Models and simulations to assess possible impacts a changing outdoor climate will have on indoor environments and, in turn, on biodeterioration are still underdeveloped and require a more substantial data basis. This study aimed at filling some of these knowledge gaps through a broad-based approach combining microclimatic and microbiological monitoring in four historic libraries in Austria with an uncontrolled indoor climate: Altenburg Abbey, Melk Abbey, Klosterneuburg Monastery and the Capuchin Monastery in Vienna. Data were generated from thermohygrometric sensors, cultivation-dependent air- and surface sampling and further surface dust sampling for cultivation-independent analyses. Results gave insights on the status quo of microbiological loads in the libraries and outdoor–indoor relationships. Influences of the geographic location and room-use on corresponding indoor fungal profiles were identified. Lower fungal diversities were found at the most rural site with the strongest climatic fluctuations and extreme values than in the most urban, sheltered library with a very stable climate. Further, the humidity-stabilizing potential of large collections of hygroscopic materials, such as books, was also examined. Implications for a sustainable approach to prevent future biodeterioration are discussed, supporting the long-term preservation of these valuable historic collections. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Clostridium perfringens in stool samples and swabs collected from wild mammals in the Amazon biome. Sixty-five faecal and swab samples were collected in situ and ex situ from 16 species and three genera of wild mammals, some of which were in good health and some of which had diarrhoea. After pre-enrichment, the samples were plated on selective agar for C. perfringens. Characteristic colonies were subjected to multiplex PCR for the detection of genes encoding the main C. perfringens toxins (alpha, beta, epsilon, and iota toxin and enterotoxin). Among the 65 samples, 40 (61.5%) were positive for the gene encoding the alpha toxin and were classified as type A, 36 of which were asymptomatic animals and four were diarrheal. No other toxinotypes were found. The findings of this study suggest that C. perfringens type A is commonly found in mammal species of the Amazon biome. This seems to be the first study to identify C. perfringens type A in species such as B. variegatus (common ground sloth), C. didactylus (two-toed sloth), P. flavus (Jupará), T. tetradactyla (anteater), S. collinsi (squirrel monkey), S. niger (black marmoset), and S. apella (Guyana capuchin) and in the genus Didelphis sp. (opossum). Full article

Human-to-animal transmission events of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) have been reported in both domestic and wild species worldwide. Despite the high rates of contagion and mortality during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Diseases 2019) pandemic in Peru, no instances of natural virus infection have been documented in wild animals, particularly in the Amazonian regions where human–wildlife interactions are prevalent. In this study, we conducted a surveillance investigation using viral RNA sequencing of fecal samples collected from 76 captive and semi-captive non-human primates (NHPs) in the Loreto, Ucayali, and Madre de Dios regions between August 2022 and February 2023. We detected a segment of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of SARS-CoV-2 by metagenomic sequencing in a pooled fecal sample from captive white-fronted capuchins (Cebus unicolor) at a rescue center in Bello Horizonte, Ucayali. Phylogenetic analysis further confirmed that the retrieved partial sequence of the RdRp gene matched the SARS-CoV-2 genome. This study represents the first documented instance of molecular SARS-CoV-2 detection in NHPs in the Peruvian Amazon, underscoring the adverse impact of anthropic activities on the human–NHP interface and emphasizing the importance of ongoing surveillance for early detection and prediction of future emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in animals. Full article

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are mammalian steroid hormones involved in a variety of physiological processes, including metabolism, the immune response, and cardiovascular functions. Due to their link to the physiological stress response, GC measurement is a valuable tool for conservation and welfare assessment in animal populations. GC levels can be measured from different matrices, such as urine and feces. Moreover, especially in captive settings, measuring GCs from saliva samples proved particularly useful as those samples can be collected non-invasively and easily from trained animals. Salivary GC levels can be measured using a variety of analytical methods, such as enzyme immunoassays. However, it is crucial to validate the analytical method for each specific application and species when using a new matrix. Using high-pressure liquid chromatography and a cortisol enzyme immunoassay, we show that the main glucocorticoids secreted in the saliva of squirrel monkeys and brown capuchin monkeys are cortisol and cortisone. Our biological validation found the expected salivary cortisol level to decline throughout the day. Our findings support the reliability of salivary cortisol measurements and their potential to be used as a valid tool in research and welfare assessment for these non-human primates. Full article

Robust capuchin monkeys, Sapajus genus, are among the most phenotypically diverse and widespread groups of primates in South America, with one of the most confusing and often shifting taxonomies. We used a ddRADseq approach to generate genome-wide SNP markers for 171 individuals from all putative extant species of Sapajus to access their evolutionary history. Using maximum likelihood, multispecies coalescent phylogenetic inference, and a Bayes Factor method to test for alternative hypotheses of species delimitation, we inferred the phylogenetic history of the Sapajus radiation, evaluating the number of discrete species supported. Our results support the recognition of three species from the Atlantic Forest south of the São Francisco River, with these species being the first splits in the robust capuchin radiation. Our results were congruent in recovering the Pantanal and Amazonian Sapajus as structured into three monophyletic clades, though new morphological assessments are necessary, as the Amazonian clades do not agree with previous morphology-based taxonomic distributions. Phylogenetic reconstructions for Sapajus occurring in the Cerrado, Caatinga, and northeastern Atlantic Forest were less congruent with morphology-based phylogenetic reconstructions, as the bearded capuchin was recovered as a paraphyletic clade, with samples from the Caatinga biome being either a monophyletic clade or nested with the blond capuchin monkey. Full article