Biology subjects

Coats, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Coats, J..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Dispersal Behaviour and Movement Patterns of Pheasants from Woodland Release Pens.

The large-scale release of ring-necked pheasants, Phasianus colchicus, for recreational shooting in the UK raises concerns about ecological impacts, particularly on sensitive ecological sites. Current assumptions suggest dispersal is typically <500m from release pens, yet empirical evidence is limited. This study tracked 110 GPS-tagged pheasants from 11 woodland release pens across nine shooting estates, monitoring movements through pre-shooting, shooting and post-shooting phases. Most birds (73%) travelled a maximum distance beyond 500m during at least one of the three phases, with mean maximum distances of 863m, 1,493m and 1,307m per phase. During at least one phase, 26% of the 110 tagged birds spent most of their time (>50%) beyond 500m and 16% beyond 1,000m from their release pens. Early post-release movements were concentrated near pens, but ranging behaviour expanded during subsequent phases, with the percentages of birds spending >50% of their time beyond 500m and 1,000m, respectively: pre-shooting 6%, 2%; shooting 24%, 16%; post-shooting 13%, 9%. Accounting for mortality, the percentages of surviving birds spending >50% of their time beyond 500m and 1,000m increased: pre-shooting (n=110) 6%, 2%; shooting (n=71) 37%, 25%; post-shooting (n=27) 52%, 37%. Dispersal was greater with earlier release dates, higher pen and estate stocking densities and lower vegetative habitat quality in pens. Movements were directional rather than uniform, with most cohorts concentrating activity within a limited directional arc specific to the release site. Conservation site incursions occurred in 28 (25%) tagged birds, particularly where pens were closest to site boundaries; although 10 (36%) tagged birds encroached on conservation sites 872-2,319m from their release pen. These findings show that dispersal of released pheasants is further, more directed, and persistent than currently assumed.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

Interferon Beta Drives Therapy Resistance in a Patient Derived Model of High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

Cancer cell-autonomous type 1 interferon (IFN-1) production and signaling is frequently activated in response to DNA damage and has been associated with the development of therapy resistance in several cancer types. However, its cell-autonomous role in driving resistance in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), a disease defined by near-universal exposure to genotoxic therapy as frontline treatment, remains unclear. Specifically, whether IFN-1 functions in HGSOC as only a response to genotoxic stress or can independently act in driving resistance phenotypes has not been studied. Utilizing a syngeneic patient-derived model of cisplatin-sensitive (SE) and -resistant (CR) HGSOC, we demonstrate that chronic cisplatin exposure is associated with enrichment of IFN-1 signaling and the interferon-related DNA damage resistance signature (IRDS). Acute cisplatin treatment elicited dynamic, temporal IFN-1 signaling and responses in both sensitive and resistant cells, indicating a conserved stress response in resistant cells. Chronic, low-level exposure to exogenous IFN{beta}, in the absence of a DNA-damaging agent, was sufficient to phenocopy several features of chronic cisplatin driven resistance, including reduced therapeutic sensitivity, cell cycle arrest, and decreased proliferation. Notably, IFN{beta} driven resistance occurred without sustained IRDS or canonical interferon stimulated gene (ISG) induction, revealing alternative mechanisms for IFN-1 mediated therapy resistance. Together, these findings identify IFN{beta} as a functional driver of the development of resistance-associated phenotypes and highlight cell-autonomous IFN-1 signaling as a potential biomarker for resistance and a therapeutic target in platinum-resistant disease.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Semi-field evaluations of three botanically derived repellents against the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)

Three compounds derived from botanicals sources, ethyl perillyl carbonate, geranyl isovalerate, and citronellyl cyclobutane carboxylate, were tested for repellent activity against Ixodes scapularis Say in a semi-field trial. Tick drags were treated with the compounds or with N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) at high (0.25mg/cm2) or low (0.15mg/cm2) concentrations. Negative controls included untreated drags and drags treated with acetone, the carrier for all repellents. Freshly treated drags (within 20 minutes) were used to collect I. scapularis ticks at a county park in Wisconsin. To assess effectiveness, we measured tick encounter rates, detachment rate, and time to detachment. None of the repellent treatments resulted in significantly fewer encounters compared to both control treatments. However, the percentage of ticks that detached within 3 min was significantly higher on drags treated with repellents compared to controls. DEET was the most effective, repelling 69.7 - 87% of ticks by 3 min, but the effectiveness of the three test compounds was still high, ranging from 42% to 87% of ticks detaching by 3 min. For time to detachment, there were no significant differences between DEET and the three test compounds. We conclude that these botanically-derived repellents were effective against I. scapularis in a semi-field trial and could be viable alternatives to DEET.

zoology↗