One-sided ejaculation of sperm bundles in the echidna

We report for the first time an unusual ejaculatory mechanism in the short-beaked echidna in which each side of the bilaterally symmetrical, rosettelike glans penis is used alternately, with the other being shut down. This is unparalleled in mammals but is reminiscent of the use of hemipenes in squamate reptiles, providing further reproductive evidence of a sauropsidian lineage in the Monotremata. Further, we describe the occurrence of motile sperm bundles in ejaculated echidna semen and provide scanning electron micrographs of their morphology. Sperm bundling appears to confer increased sperm motility, which may provide the potential for sperm competition between males.

Do intravitreal Ranibizumab injections for wet age-related macular degeneration affect the vitreomacular interface?

Presentation Abstract - Purpose:Serial intravitreal ranibizumab injections are the main treatment for wet age- related macular degeneration (AMD), and patients are monitored by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Our objective in conducting this study is to determine whether serial intravitreal injections of ranibizumab in eyes with wet AMD alter the vitreo-macular interface (VMI) Methods - Using a Topcon Spectral Domain OCT, we performed a prospective, observational study of 87 eyes of 82 consecutive patients undergoing treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab for wet AMD, with each patient followed up for a minimum of 6 months. The mean number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections was 4.28, range 3-6. Using macular OCT scans, the area of VMI was closely examined, for vitreo-macular adhesion (VMA), defined as perifoveal posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) with posterior vitreous attached to fovea. Any OCT separation of posterior vitreous face was observed and measured, every month for 6 months. Results - There was no change in the OCT appearance or measurement of VM interface in 80 eyes (92%). VM adhesion, defined on OCT as when the posterior hyaloid line is attached to inner foveal surface and dettached perifoveally, was identified in 7 out of 87 treated eyes (8%) .Of these 7 eyes, 1 eye developed complete PVD following three injections, 1 eye developed partial PVD and the remaining 5 eyes had no significant change in VM adhesion. Conclusions - To our knowledge this is the first study that has examined the VM interface following serial ranibizumab injections for wet AMD. This small pilot study suggests that most cases undergoing ranibizumab therapy suffer no disturbance to VM interface.

Efficacy and safety of second-generation antipsychotic long-acting injections (SGA LAIs) in maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder:protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Bipolar disorder requires long-term treatment but non-adherence is a common problem. Antipsychotic long-acting injections (LAIs) have been suggested to improve adherence but none are licensed in the UK for bipolar. However, the use of second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) LAIs in bipolar is not uncommon albeit there is a lack of systematic review in this area. This study aims to systematically review safety and efficacy of SGA LAIs in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The protocol is based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and will include only randomised controlled trials comparing SGA LAIs in bipolar. PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), PsychINFO, LiLACS, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov will be searched, with no language restriction, from 2000 to January 2016 as first SGA LAIs came to the market after 2000. Manufacturers of SGA LAIs will also be contacted. Primary efficacy outcome is relapse rate or delayed time to relapse or reduction in hospitalisation and primary safety outcomes are drop-out rates, all-cause discontinuation and discontinuation due to adverse events. Qualitative reporting of evidence will be based on 21 items listed on standards for reporting qualitative research (SRQR) focusing on study quality (assessed using the Jadad score, allocation concealment and data analysis), risk of bias and effect size. Publication bias will be assessed using funnel plots. If sufficient data are available meta-analysis will be performed with primary effect size as relative risk presented with 95% CI. Sensitivity analysis, conditional on number of studies and sample size, will be carried out on manic versus depressive symptoms and monotherapy versus adjunctive therapy.

Coevolutionary Feedbacks between Female Mating Interval and Male Allocation to Competing Sperm Traits Can Drive Evolution of Costly Polyandry

Acknowledgments We thank A. B. Duthie, S. Losdat, and M. E. Wolak for useful discussions and comments and the European Research Council for funding. We also thank the two reviewers, whose suggestions greatly improved the manuscript.