Publications

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herbivory and competition of tibetan steppe vegetation in winter pasture: effects of livestock exclosure and plateau pika reduction.rangeland degradation has been identified as a serious concern in alpine regions of western china on the qinghai-tibetan plateau (qtp). numerous government-sponsored programs have been initiated, including many that feature long-term grazing prohibitions and some that call for eliminating pastoralism altogether. as well, government programs have long favored eliminating plateau pikas (ochotona curzoniae), assumed to contribute to degraded conditions. however, vegetation on the qtp evolved in the ...201526208005
d-amino acid inhibits biofilm but not new bone formation in an ovine model.infectious complications of musculoskeletal trauma are an important factor contributing to patient morbidity. biofilm-dispersive bone grafts augmented with d-amino acids (d-aas) prevent biofilm formation in vitro and in vivo, but the effects of d-aas on osteocompatibility and new bone formation have not been investigated.201526201421
measurement of free glucocorticoids: quantifying corticosteroid-binding globulin binding affinity and its variation within and among mammalian species.plasma glucocorticoids (gcs) are commonly used as measures of stress in wildlife. a great deal of evidence indicates that only free gc (gc not bound by the specific binding protein, corticosteroid-binding globulin, cbg) leaves the circulation and exerts biological effects on gc-sensitive tissues. free hormone concentrations are difficult to measure directly, so researchers estimate free gc using two measures: the binding affinity and the binding capacity in plasma. we provide an inexpensive satu ...201527293705
a significance test for inferring affiliation networks from spatio-temporal data.scientists have long been interested in studying social structures within groups of gregarious animals. however, obtaining evidence about interactions between members of a group is difficult. recent technologies, such as global positioning system technology, have made it possible to obtain a vast wealth of animal movement data, but inferring the underlying (latent) social structure of the group from such data remains an important open problem. while intuitively appealing measures of social inter ...201526192280
a study on use of animals as traditional medicine by sukuma tribe of busega district in north-western tanzania.faunal resources have played an extensive range of roles in human life from the initial days of recorded history. in addition to their importance, animals have been acknowledged in religion, art, music and literature and several other different cultural manifestations of mankind. human beings are acquainted with use of animals for foodstuff, cloth, medicine, etc. since ancient times. huge work has been carried out on ethnobotany and traditional medicine. animal and their products are also holdin ...201525947365
timing of cardiomyocyte growth, maturation, and attrition in perinatal sheep.studies in altricial rodents attribute dramatic changes in perinatal cardiomyocyte growth, maturation, and attrition to stimuli associated with birth. our purpose was to determine whether birth is a critical trigger controlling perinatal cardiomyocyte growth, maturation and attrition in a precocial large mammal, sheep (ovis aries). hearts from 0-61 d postnatal lambs were dissected or enzymatically dissociated. cardiomyocytes were measured by micromorphometry, cell cycle activity assessed by immu ...201526139099
mitogenomic meta-analysis identifies two phases of migration in the history of eastern eurasian sheep.despite much attention, history of sheep (ovis aries) evolution, including its dating, demographic trajectory and geographic spread, remains controversial. to address these questions, we generated 45 complete and 875 partial mitogenomic sequences, and performed a meta-analysis of these and published ovine mitochondrial dna sequences (n = 3,229) across eurasia. we inferred that o. orientalis and o. musimon share the most recent female ancestor with o. aries at approximately 0.790 ma (95% ci: 0.63 ...201526085518
inhibition of haemonchus contortus larval development by fungal lectins.lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are involved in fundamental intra- and extracellular biological processes. they occur ubiquitously in nature and are especially abundant in plants and fungi. it has been well established that certain higher fungi produce lectins in their fruiting bodies and/or sclerotia as a part of their natural resistance against free-living fungivorous nematodes and other pests. despite relatively high diversity of the glycan structures in nature, many of the gly ...201526283415
explanatory judgment, moral offense and value-free science.a popular view in philosophy of science contends that scientific reasoning is objective to the extent that the appraisal of scientific hypotheses is not influenced by moral, political, economic, or social values, but only by the available evidence. a large body of results in the psychology of motivated-reasoning has put pressure on the empirical adequacy of this view. the present study extends this body of results by providing direct evidence that the moral offensiveness of a scientific hypothes ...201527917248
identification of a novel mirna from the ovine ovary by a combinatorial approach of bioinformatics and experiments.micrornas (mirnas) are a class of short endogenous, single-stranded, non-coding small rna molecules, about 19-25 nucleotides in length that regulate gene expression at the translation level and influence many physiological process, such apoptosis, metabolism, signal transduction, and occurrence and development of diseases. in this study, we constructed a library from the ovine luteal phase ovary by using next-generation sequencing technology (solexa high-throughput sequencing technique) and iden ...201526268666
combining gwas and rna-seq approaches for detection of the causal mutation for hereditary junctional epidermolysis bullosa in sheep.in this study, we demonstrate the use of a genome-wide association mapping together with rna-seq in a reduced number of samples, as an efficient approach to detect the causal mutation for a mendelian disease. junctional epidermolysis bullosa is a recessive genodermatosis that manifests with neonatal mechanical fragility of the skin, blistering confined to the lamina lucida of the basement membrane and severe alteration of the hemidesmosomal junctions. in spanish churra sheep, junctional epidermo ...201525955497
offspring size at weaning affects survival to recruitment and reproductive performance of primiparous gray seals.offspring size affects survival and subsequent reproduction in many organisms. however, studies of offspring size in large mammals are often limited to effects on juveniles because of the difficulty of following individuals to maturity. we used data from a long-term study of individually marked gray seals (halichoerus grypus; fabricius, 1791) to test the hypothesis that larger offspring have higher survival to recruitment and are larger and more successful primiparous mothers than smaller offspr ...201525897381
the dilution effect and the importance of selecting the right internal control genes for rt-qpcr: a paradigmatic approach in fetal sheep.the key to understanding changes in gene expression levels using reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (rt-qpcr) relies on the ability to rationalize the technique using internal control genes (icgs). however, the use of icgs has become increasingly problematic given that any genes, including housekeeping genes, thought to be stable across different tissue types, ages and treatment protocols, can be regulated at transcriptomic level. our interest in prenatal gluc ...201525881111
polyol specificity of recombinant arabidopsis thaliana sorbitol dehydrogenase studied by enzyme kinetics and in silico modeling.polyols are enzymatically-produced plant compounds which can act as compatible solutes during periods of abiotic stress. nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(+)-dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase (sdh, e. c. 1.1.1.14) from arabidopsis thaliana l. sorbitol dehydrogenase (atsdh) is capable of oxidizing several polyols including sorbitol, ribitol, and xylitol. in the present study, enzymatic assays using recombinant atsdh demonstrated a higher specificity constant for xylitol compared to sorbitol and ri ...201525755662
exploring differentially expressed genes and natural antisense transcripts in sheep (ovis aries) skin with different wool fiber diameters by digital gene expression profiling.wool fiber diameter (wfd) is the most important economic trait of wool. however, the genes specifically controlling wfd remain elusive. in this study, the expression profiles of skin from two groups of gansu alpine merino sheep with different wfd (a super-fine wool group [fd = 18.0 ± 0.5 μm, n=3] and a fine wool group [fd=23.0 ± 0.5 μm, n=3]) were analyzed using next-generation sequencing-based digital gene expression profiling. a total of 40 significant differentially expressed genes (degs) wer ...201526076016
a stereotaxic, population-averaged t1w ovine brain atlas including cerebral morphology and tissue volumes.standard stereotaxic reference systems play a key role in human brain studies. stereotaxic coordinate systems have also been developed for experimental animals including non-human primates, dogs, and rodents. however, they are lacking for other species being relevant in experimental neuroscience including sheep. here, we present a spatial, unbiased ovine brain template with tissue probability maps (tpm) that offer a detailed stereotaxic reference frame for anatomical features and localization of ...201526089780
effects of grazing and precipitation on herbage biomass, herbage nutritive value, and yak performance in an alpine meadow on the qinghai-tibetan plateau.the qinghai-tibetan plateau is a very large land unit and an important terrestrial ecosystem within the eurasian continent. because of the harsh climate associated with the high altitude, alpine meadows on the plateau are susceptible to degradation from overgrazing. for this region, and for other alpine meadow pastures internationally, there is a need to define the sustainable stocking rate, to develop sound policy pertaining to future land use. here we report biomass and liveweight gain per ani ...201526039322
convergent capture of retroviral superantigens by mammalian herpesviruses.horizontal gene transfer from retroviruses to mammals is well documented and extensive, but is rare between unrelated viruses with distinct genome types. three herpesviruses encode a gene with similarity to a retroviral superantigen gene (sag) of the unrelated mouse mammary tumour virus (mmtv). we uncover ancient retroviral sags in over 20 mammals to reconstruct their shared history with herpesviral sags, revealing that the acquisition is a convergent evolutionary event. a retrovirus circulating ...201526400439
collective movement in the tibetan macaques (macaca thibetana): early joiners write the rule of the game.collective behavior has recently attracted a great deal of interest in both natural and social sciences. while the role of leadership has been closely scrutinized, the rules used by joiners in collective decision making have received far less attention. two main hypotheses have been proposed concerning these rules: mimetism and quorum. mimetism predicts that individuals are increasingly likely to join collective behavior as the number of participants increases. it can be further divided into sel ...201525992882
sheep (ovis aries) t cell receptor alpha (tra) and delta (trd) genes and genomic organization of the tra/trd locus.in mammals, t cells develop along two discrete pathways characterized by expression of either the αβ or the γδ t cell receptors. human and mouse display a low peripheral blood γδ t cell percentage ("γδ low species") while sheep, bovine and pig accounts for a high proportion of γδ t lymphocytes ("γδ high species"). while the t cell receptor alpha (tra) and delta (trd) genes and the genomic organization of the tra/trd locus has been determined in human and mouse, this information is still poorly k ...201526383271
complete mitochondrial genome sequences of chinese indigenous sheep with different tail types and an analysis of phylogenetic evolution in domestic sheep.china has a long history of sheep (ovis aries [o. aries]) breeding and an abundance of sheep genetic resources. knowledge of the complete o. aries mitogenome should facilitate the study of the evolutionary history of the species. therefore, the complete mitogenome of o. aries was sequenced and annotated. in order to characterize the mitogenomes of 3 chinese sheep breeds (altay sheep [al], shandong large-tailed sheep [sd], and small-tailed hulun buir sheep [shl]), 19 sets of primers were employed ...201526954183
opportunities for the application of advanced remotely-sensed data in ecological studies of terrestrial animal movement.animal movement patterns in space and time are a central aspect of animal ecology. remotely-sensed environmental indices can play a key role in understanding movement patterns by providing contiguous, relatively fine-scale data that link animal movements to their environment. still, implementation of newly available remotely-sensed data is often delayed in studies of animal movement, calling for a better flow of information to researchers less familiar with remotely-sensed data applications. her ...201525941571
roles of small rnas in the effects of nutrition on apoptosis and spermatogenesis in the adult testis.we tested whether reductions in spermatozoal quality induced by under-nutrition are associated with increased germ cell apoptosis and disrupted spermatogenesis, and whether these effects are mediated by small rnas. groups of 8 male sheep were fed for a 10% increase or 10% decrease in body mass over 65 days. underfeeding increased the number of apoptotic germ cells (p < 0.05) and increased the expression of apoptosis-related genes (p < 0.05) in testicular tissue. we identified 44 mirnas and 35 pu ...201525996545
a 90-day toxicology study of meat from genetically modified sheep overexpressing tlr4 in sprague-dawley rats.genetic modification offers alternative strategies to traditional animal breeding. however, the food safety of genetically modified (gm) animals has attracted increasing levels of concern. in this study, we produced gm sheep overexpressing tlr4, and the transgene-positive offsprings (f1) were confirmed using the polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and southern blot. the expression of tlr4 was 2.5-fold compared with that of the wild-type (wt) sheep samples. during the 90-day safety study, sprague-daw ...201525874566
common features in diverse insect clocks.this review describes common features among diverse biological clocks in insects, including circadian, circatidal, circalunar/circasemilunar, and circannual clocks. these clocks control various behaviors, physiological functions, and developmental events, enabling adaptation to periodic environmental changes. circadian clocks also function in time-compensation for celestial navigation and in the measurement of day or night length for photoperiodism. phase response curves for such clocks reported ...201526605055
data for in-depth characterisation of the lamb meat proteome from longissimus lumborum.this data article provides supplementary data related to the research article titled "in-depth characterisation of the lamb meat proteome from longissimus lumborum" by yu et al. [1]. this research article reports the proteome catalogue of the 48 h post-mortem lamb longissimus lumborum. a list of 388 ovine-specific proteins were identified and characterised after separating the samples into sarcoplasmic, myofibrillar and insoluble fractions, followed by an in-depth shotgun proteomic evaluation an ...201526217735
evidence and implications of higher-order scaling in the environmental variation of animal population growth.environmental stochasticity is an important concept in population dynamics, providing a quantitative model of the extrinsic fluctuations driving population abundances. it is typically formulated as a stochastic perturbation to the maximum reproductive rate, leading to a population variance that scales quadratically with abundance. however, environmental fluctuations may also drive changes in the strength of density dependence. very few studies have examined the consequences of this alternative m ...201525730852
ovine hsp90aa1 gene promoter: functional study and epigenetic modifications.when environmental temperatures exceed a certain threshold, the upregulation of the ovine hsp90aa1 gene is produced to cope with cellular injuries caused by heat stress. it has been previously pointed out that several polymorphisms located at the promoter region of this gene seem to be the main responsible for the differences in the heat stress response observed among alternative genotypes in terms of gene expression rate. the present study, focused on the functional study of those candidate pol ...201526253285
quantitative genetics of the aging of reproductive traits in the houbara bustard.do all traits within an organism age for the same reason? evolutionary theories of aging share a common assumption: the strength of natural selection declines with age. a corollary is that additive genetic variance should increase with age. however, not all senescent traits display such increases suggesting that other mechanisms may be at play. using longitudinal data collected from more than 5400 houbara bustards (chlamydotis undulata) with an exhaustive recorded pedigree, we investigated the g ...201526218735
towards the identification of the loci of adaptive evolution.1. establishing the genetic and molecular basis underlying adaptive traits is one of the major goals of evolutionary geneticists in order to understand the connection between genotype and phenotype and elucidate the mechanisms of evolutionary change. despite considerable effort to address this question, there remain relatively few systems in which the genes shaping adaptations have been identified. 2. here, we review the experimental tools that have been applied to document the molecular basis u ...201525937885
definition of sampling units begets conclusions in ecology: the case of habitats for plant communities.in ecology, expert knowledge on habitat characteristics is often used to define sampling units such as study sites. ecologists are especially prone to such approaches when prior sampling frames are not accessible. here we ask to what extent can different approaches to the definition of sampling units influence the conclusions that are drawn from an ecological study? we do this by comparing a formal versus a subjective definition of sampling units within a study design which is based on well-arti ...201525780767
differential gene expression in ovaries of qira black sheep and hetian sheep using rna-seq technique.the qira black sheep and the hetian sheep are two local breeds in the northwest of china, which are characterized by high-fecundity and low-fecundity breed respectively. the elucidation of mrna expression profiles in the ovaries among different sheep breeds representing fecundity extremes will helpful for identification and utilization of major prolificacy genes in sheep. in the present study, we performed rna-seq technology to compare the difference in ovarian mrna expression profiles between q ...201525790350
genome-wide analysis reveals population structure and selection in chinese indigenous sheep breeds.traditionally, chinese indigenous sheep were classified geographically and morphologically into three groups: mongolian, kazakh and tibetan. herein, we aimed to evaluate the population structure and genome selection among 140 individuals from ten representative chinese indigenous sheep breeds: ujimqin, hu, tong, large-tailed han and lop breed (mongolian group); duolang and kazakh (kazakh group); and diqing, plateau-type tibetan, and valley-type tibetan breed (tibetan group).201525888314
molecular characterization of echinococcus granulosus sensu lato from farm animals in egypt.little is known on the diversity and public health significance of echinococcus species in livestock in egypt. in this study, 37 individual hydatid cysts were collected from dromedary camels (n=28), sheep (n=7) and buffalos (n=2). dna was extracted from protoscoleces/germinal layer of individual cysts and amplified by pcr targeting nuclear (actin ii) and mitochondrial (cox1 and nad1) genes. direct sequencing of amplicons indicated the presence of echinococcus canadenesis (g6 genotype) in 26 of 2 ...201525760944
selective brain cooling reduces water turnover in dehydrated sheep.in artiodactyls, arterial blood destined for the brain can be cooled through counter-current heat exchange within the cavernous sinus via a process called selective brain cooling. we test the hypothesis that selective brain cooling, which results in lowered hypothalamic temperature, contributes to water conservation in sheep. nine dorper sheep, instrumented to provide measurements of carotid blood and brain temperature, were dosed with deuterium oxide (d2o), exposed to heat for 8 days (40 ◦c for ...201525675092
effects of maternal dexamethasone treatment early in pregnancy on glucocorticoid receptors in the ovine placenta.the effects of endogenous cortisol on binucleate cells (bncs), which promote fetal growth, may be mediated by glucocorticoid receptors (grs), and exposure to dexamethasone (dex) in early pregnancy stages of placental development might modify this response. in this article, we have investigated the expression of gr as a determinant of these responses. pregnant ewes carrying singleton fetuses (n = 119) were randomized to control (2 ml saline/ewe) or dex-treated groups (intramuscular injections of ...201425332218
mycoplasma ovipneumoniae--a primary cause of severe pneumonia epizootics in the norwegian muskox (ovibos moschatus) population.the norwegian muskox (ovibos moschatus) population lives on the high mountain plateau of dovre and originates from animals introduced from greenland. in the late summers of 2006 and 2012, severe outbreaks of pneumonia with mortality rates of 25-30% occurred. during the 2012 epidemic high quality samples from culled sick animals were obtained for microbiological and pathological examinations. high throughput sequencing (pyrosequencing) of pneumonic lung tissue revealed high concentrations of myco ...201425198695
cloning and tissue distribution of novel splice variants of the ovine ghrelin gene.the ghrelin axis is involved in the regulation of metabolism, energy balance, and the immune, cardiovascular and reproductive systems. the manipulation of this axis has potential for improving economically valuable traits in production animals, and polymorphisms in the ghrelin (ghrl) and ghrelin receptor (ghsr) genes have been associated with growth and carcass traits. here we investigate the structure and expression of the ghrelin gene (ghrl) in sheep, ovis aries.201425350131
evolutionary origin and diversification of epidermal barrier proteins in amniotes.the evolution of amniotes has involved major molecular innovations in the epidermis. in particular, distinct structural proteins that undergo covalent cross-linking during cornification of keratinocytes facilitate the formation of mechanically resilient superficial cell layers and help to limit water loss to the environment. special modes of cornification generate amniote-specific skin appendages such as claws, feathers, and hair. in mammals, many protein substrates of cornification are encoded ...201425169930
long-term dynamics of bluetongue virus in wild ruminants: relationship with outbreaks in livestock in spain, 2006-2011.wild and domestic ruminants are susceptible to bluetongue virus (btv) infection. three btv serotypes (btv-4, btv-1 and btv-8) have been detected in spain in the last decade. even though control strategies have been applied to livestock, btv circulation has been frequently detected in wild ruminant populations in spain. the aim of the present study is to assess the role for wild ruminants in maintaining btv after the vaccination programs in livestock in mainland spain. a total of 931 out 1,914 (4 ...201424940879
mutations in ovis aries tmem154 are associated with lower small ruminant lentivirus proviral concentration in one sheep flock.small ruminant lentivirus (srlv), also called ovine progressive pneumonia virus or maedi-visna, is present in 24% of us sheep. like human immunodeficiency virus, srlv is a macrophage-tropic lentivirus that causes lifelong infection. the production impacts from srlv are due to a range of disease symptoms, including pneumonia, arthritis, mastitis, body condition wasting and encephalitis. there is no cure and no effective vaccine for preventing srlv infection. however, breed differences in prevalen ...201424934128
exercise-induced bone formation is poorly linked to local strain magnitude in the sheep tibia.functional interpretations of limb bone structure frequently assume that diaphyses adjust their shape by adding bone primarily across the plane in which they are habitually loaded in order to minimize loading-induced strains. here, to test this hypothesis, we characterize the in vivo strain environment of the sheep tibial midshaft during treadmill exercise and examine whether this activity promotes bone formation disproportionately in the direction of loading in diaphyseal regions that experienc ...201424897411
on the value of seasonal mammals for identifying mechanisms underlying the control of food intake and body weight.this article is part of a special issue "energy balance". seasonal cycles of adiposity and body weight reflecting changes in both food intake and energy expenditure are the norm in mammals that have evolved in temperate and polar habitats. innate circannual rhythmicity and direct responses to the annual change in photoperiod combine to ensure that behavior and energy metabolism are regulated in anticipation of altered energetic demands such as the energetically costly processes of hibernation, m ...201424681216
behavioral responses of wolves to roads: scale-dependent ambivalence.throughout their recent recovery in several industrialized countries, large carnivores have had to cope with a changed landscape dominated by human infrastructure. population growth depends on the ability of individuals to adapt to these changes by making use of new habitat features and at the same time to avoid increased risks of mortality associated with human infrastructure. we analyzed the summer movements of 19 gps-collared resident wolves (canis lupus l.) from 14 territories in scandinavia ...201425419085
unexpected maturation of pi3k and mapk-erk signaling in fetal ovine cardiomyocytes.in the first two-thirds of gestation, ovine fetal cardiomyocytes undergo mitosis to increase cardiac mass and accommodate fetal growth. thereafter, some myocytes continue to proliferate while others mature and terminally differentiate into binucleated cells. at term (145 days gestational age; dga) about 60% of cardiomyocytes become binucleated and exit the cell cycle under hormonal control. rising thyroid hormone (t3) levels near term (135 dga) inhibit proliferation and stimulate maturation. how ...201425128174
transcriptome analysis of cns immediately before and after the detection of prp(sc) in ssbp/1 sheep scrapie.sheep scrapie is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (tse), progressive and fatal neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (cns) linked to the accumulation of misfolded prion protein, prp(sc). new zealand cheviot sheep, homozygous for the vrq genotype of the prnp gene are most susceptible with an incubation period of 193 days with ssbp/1 scrapie. however, the earliest time point that prp(sc) can be detected in the cns is 125 days (d125). the aim of this study was to quantif ...201425183238
fundamental population-productivity relationships can be modified through density-dependent feedbacks of life-history evolution.the evolution of life histories over contemporary time scales will almost certainly affect population demography. one important pathway for such eco-evolutionary interactions is the density-dependent regulation of population dynamics. here, we investigate how fisheries-induced evolution (fie) might alter density-dependent population-productivity relationships. to this end, we simulate the eco-evolutionary dynamics of an atlantic cod (gadus morhua) population under fishing, followed by a period o ...201425558282
immune profile predicts survival and reflects senescence in a small, long-lived mammal, the greater sac-winged bat (saccopteryx bilineata).the immune system imposes costs that may have to be traded against investment of resources in other costly life-history traits. yet, it is unknown if a trade-off between immunity and longevity occurs in free-ranging mammals. here, we tested if age and survival, two aspects associated with longevity, are linked to immune parameters in an 8 g bat species. using a combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal data, we assessed whether total white blood cell (wbc) counts, bacterial killing ability ...201425254988
interacting effects of age, density, and weather on survival and current reproduction for a large mammal.individual-based study of natural populations allows for accurate and precise estimation of fitness components and the extent to which they might vary with ecological conditions. by tracking the fates of all 701 horses known to have lived on sable island, canada, from 2009 to 2013 (where there is no predation, human interference, or interspecific competition for food), we present a detailed analysis of structured population dynamics with focus on interacting effects of intraspecific competition ...201425614799
fluke abundance versus host age for an invasive trematode (dicrocoelium dendriticum) of sympatric elk and beef cattle in southeastern alberta, canada.epidemiological parameters such as transmission rate, rate of parasite-induced host mortality, and rate of development of host defenses can be assessed indirectly by characterizing the manner in which parasite burdens change with host age. for parasites that are host generalists, estimates of these important parameters may be host-species dependent. in a cross-sectional study, we determined age-abundance profiles of infection in samples of sympatric free-ranging elk and domestic cattle infected ...201425426422
an integrative omics strategy to assess the germ cell secretome and to decipher sertoli-germ cell crosstalk in the mammalian testis.mammalian spermatogenesis, which takes place in complex testicular structures called seminiferous tubules, is a highly specialized process controlled by the integration of juxtacrine, paracrine and endocrine information. within the seminiferous tubules, the germ cells and sertoli cells are surrounded by testicular fluid (tf), which probably contains most of the secreted proteins involved in crosstalk between these cells. it has already been established that germ cells can modulate somatic sertol ...201425111155
natural selection on individual variation in tolerance of gastrointestinal nematode infection.hosts may mitigate the impact of parasites by two broad strategies: resistance, which limits parasite burden, and tolerance, which limits the fitness or health cost of increasing parasite burden. the degree and causes of variation in both resistance and tolerance are expected to influence host-parasite evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics and inform disease management, yet very little empirical work has addressed tolerance in wild vertebrates. here, we applied random regression models to lo ...201425072883
fitness consequences of environmental conditions at different life stages in a long-lived vertebrate.the predictive adaptive response (par) hypothesis proposes that animals adjust their physiology and developmental trajectory during early life in anticipation of their future environments. accordingly, when environmental conditions in early life match environmental conditions during adulthood, individual fitness should be greater. here, we test this hypothesis in a long-lived mammal, the roe deer, using data from two contrasting populations, intensively monitored for more than 35 years. in the h ...201424789898
a review of the direct and indirect effects of neonicotinoids and fipronil on vertebrate wildlife.concerns over the role of pesticides affecting vertebrate wildlife populations have recently focussed on systemic products which exert broad-spectrum toxicity. given that the neonicotinoids have become the fastest-growing class of insecticides globally, we review here 150 studies of their direct (toxic) and indirect (e.g. food chain) effects on vertebrate wildlife--mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles. we focus on two neonicotinoids, imidacloprid and clothianidin, and a third insecticid ...201424938819
age-related remodeling of small arteries is accompanied by increased sphingomyelinase activity and accumulation of long-chain ceramides.the structure and function of large arteries alters with age leading to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. age-related large artery remodeling and arteriosclerosis is associated with increased collagen deposition, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. bioactive sphingolipids are known to regulate these processes, and are also involved in aging and cellular senescence. however, less is known about age-associated alterations in small artery morphology and function or whether changes in ...201424872355
maternal food restriction during lactation affects body weightand sexual behavior of male offspring in meadow voles (microtus pennsylvanicus).little is known about the occurrence of individual variation in sexual behavior and how maternal nutrition can affect this variation. we tested the hypothesis that male offspring of female meadow voles, microtus pennsylvanicus, that were 30% food restricted (fr) during days 1-7 of lactation (fr 1-7), days 8-14 of lactation (fr 8-14), or late days 15-21 of lactation (fr 15-21) lactation show persistent, negative effects on their sexual behavior as adults relative to male offspring of females that ...201427087714
detecting cryptic indirect genetic effects.indirect genetic effects (iges) occur when genes expressed in one individual alter the phenotype of an interacting partner. iges can dramatically affect the expression and evolution of social traits. however, the interacting phenotype(s) through which they are transmitted are often unknown, or cryptic, and their detection would enhance our ability to accurately predict evolutionary change. to illustrate this challenge and possible solutions to it, we assayed male leg-tapping behavior using inbre ...201424627971
application of selection mapping to identify genomic regions associated with dairy production in sheep.in europe, especially in mediterranean areas, the sheep has been traditionally exploited as a dual purpose species, with income from both meat and milk. modernization of husbandry methods and the establishment of breeding schemes focused on milk production have led to the development of "dairy breeds." this study investigated selective sweeps specifically related to dairy production in sheep by searching for regions commonly identified in different european dairy breeds. with this aim, genotypes ...201424788864
airborne biogenic particles in the snow of the cities of the russian far east as potential allergic compounds.this paper presents an analysis of airborne biogenic particles (1 mkm-1 mm) found in the snow in several cities of the russian far east during 2010-2013. the most common was vegetational terraneous detritus (fragments of tree and grass leaves) followed by animal hair, small insects and their fragments, microorganisms of aeroplankton, and equivocal biological garbage. specific components were found in samples from locations close to bodies of water such as fragments of algae and mollusc shells an ...201425140327
mineralocorticoid effects in the late gestation ovine fetal lung.this study was designed to determine the effects of corticosteroids at mr in the late-gestation fetal lung. since both the mineralocorticoid receptor (mr) and the glucocorticoid receptor (gr) are expressed at relatively high levels in the fetal lung, endogenous corticosteroids may act at mr as well as gr in the preterm fetal lung. the gr agonist, betamethasone, the mr agonist, aldosterone, or both were infused intravenously for 48 h in ovine fetuses of approximately 130 days gestation. effects o ...201425347852
in vivo interactions between cobalt or ferric compounds and the pools of sulphide in the blood during and after h2s poisoning.hydrogen sulphide (h2s), a chemical hazard in oil and gas production, has recently become a dreadful method of suicide, posing specific risks and challenges for the first responders. currently, there is no proven effective treatment against h2s poisoning and its severe neurological, respiratory or cardiac after-effects. we have recently described that h2s is present in various compartments, or pools, in the body during sulphide exposure, which have different levels of toxicity. the general goals ...201425015662
genome-wide association study for wool production traits in a chinese merino sheep population.genome-wide association studies (gwas) provide a powerful approach for identifying quantitative trait loci without prior knowledge of location or function. to identify loci associated with wool production traits, we performed a genome-wide association study on a total of 765 chinese merino sheep (junken type) genotyped with 50 k single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps). in the present study, five wool production traits were examined: fiber diameter, fiber diameter coefficient of variation, finenes ...201425268383
fit-for-purpose curated database application in mass spectrometry-based targeted protein identification and validation.mass spectrometry (ms) is a very sensitive and specific method for protein identification, biomarker discovery, and biomarker validation. protein identification is commonly carried out by comparing ms data with public databases. however, with the development of high throughput and accurate genomic sequencing technology, public databases are being overwhelmed with new entries from different species every day. the application of these databases can also be problematic due to factors such as size, ...201425011440
host and viral determinants of mx2 antiretroviral activity.myxovirus resistance 2 (mx2/mxb) has recently been uncovered as an effector of the anti-hiv-1 activity of type i interferons (ifns) that inhibits hiv-1 at an early stage postinfection, after reverse transcription but prior to proviral integration into host dna. the mechanistic details of mx2 antiviral activity are not yet understood, but a few substitutions in the hiv-1 capsid have been shown to confer resistance to mx2. through a combination of in vitro evolution and unbiased mutagenesis, we fu ...201424760893
phenology and cover of plant growth forms predict herbivore habitat selection in a high latitude ecosystem.the spatial and temporal distribution of forage quality is among the most central factors affecting herbivore habitat selection. yet, for high latitude areas, forage quantity has been found to be more important than quality. studies on large ungulate foraging patterns are faced with methodological challenges in both assessing animal movements at the scale of forage distribution, and in assessing forage quality with relevant metrics. here we use first-passage time analyses to assess how reindeer ...201424972188
prenatal influence of an androgen agonist and antagonist on the differentiation of the ovine sexually dimorphic nucleus in male and female lamb fetuses.the ovine sexually dimorphic nucleus (osdn) is 2 times larger in rams than in ewes. sexual differentiation of the osdn is produced by testosterone exposure during the critical period occurring between gestational day (gd)60 and gd90 (term, 147 d). we tested the hypothesis that testosterone acts through the androgen receptor to control development of the male-typical osdn. in experiment 1, pregnant ewes received injections of vehicle, androgen receptor antagonist flutamide, or nonaromatizable and ...201425216387
identification of qtls for behavioral reactivity to social separation and humans in sheep using the ovinesnp50 beadchip.current trends in sheep farming practices rely on animals with a greater level of behavioral autonomy than before, a phenotype that actively contributes to the sustainability of animal production. social reactivity and reactivity to humans are relevant behavioral traits in sheep, known for their strong gregariousness and weak tolerance to handling, which have previously been reported with moderate to high heritabilities. to identify loci underlying such behaviors, we performed a genome study in ...201425204347
estimating quantitative genetic parameters in wild populations: a comparison of pedigree and genomic approaches.the estimation of quantitative genetic parameters in wild populations is generally limited by the accuracy and completeness of the available pedigree information. using relatedness at genomewide markers can potentially remove this limitation and lead to less biased and more precise estimates. we estimated heritability, maternal genetic effects and genetic correlations for body size traits in an unmanaged long-term study population of soay sheep on st kilda using three increasingly complete and a ...201424917482
splitting or lumping? a conservation dilemma exemplified by the critically endangered dama gazelle (nanger dama).managers of threatened species often face the dilemma of whether to keep populations separate to conserve local adaptations and minimize the risk of outbreeding, or whether to manage populations jointly to reduce loss of genetic diversity and minimise inbreeding. in this study we examine genetic relatedness and diversity in three of the five last remaining wild populations of dama gazelle and a number of captive populations, using mtdna control region and cytochrome b data. despite the sampled p ...201424956104
do pre- and post-copulatory sexually selected traits covary in large herbivores?in most species, males compete to gain both matings (via pre-copulatory competition) and fertilizations (via post-copulatory competition) to maximize their reproductive success. however, the quantity of resources devoted to sexual traits is finite, and so males are predicted to balance their investment between pre- and post-copulatory expenditure depending on the expected pay-offs that should vary according to mating tactics. in artiodactyla species, males can invest in weapons such as horns or ...201424716470
red foxes (vulpes vulpes) and wild dogs (dingoes (canis lupus dingo) and dingo/domestic dog hybrids), as sylvatic hosts for australian taenia hydatigena and taenia ovis.foxes (n = 499), shot during vertebrate pest control programs, were collected in various sites in the australian capital territory (act), new south wales (nsw) and western australia (wa). wild dogs (dingoes (canis lupus dingo) and their hybrids with domestic dogs) (n = 52) captured also as part of vertebrate pest control programs were collected from several sites in the act and nsw. the intestine from each fox and wild dog was collected, and all taenia tapeworms identified morphologically were c ...201425161904
multivariate immune defences and fitness in the wild: complex but ecologically important associations among plasma antibodies, health and survival.despite our rapidly advancing mechanistic understanding of vertebrate immunity under controlled laboratory conditions, the links between immunity, infection and fitness under natural conditions remain poorly understood. antibodies are central to acquired immune responses, and antibody levels circulating in vivo reflect a composite of constitutive and induced functional variants of diverse specificities (e.g. binding antigens from prevalent parasites, self tissues or novel non-self sources). here ...201424500168
variance in male lifetime reproductive success and estimation of the degree of polygyny in a primate.the degree of polygyny is predicted to influence the strength of direct male-male competition, leading to a high variance in male lifetime reproductive success and to reproduction limited to the prime period of adulthood. here, we explore the variance in male lifetime reproductive success and reproductive time in an anthropoid primate forming multimale-multifemale groups. males of this species form dominance hierarchies, which are expected to skew reproduction toward few high-ranking males. at t ...201425024637
experimental manipulation reveals few subclinical impacts of a parasite community in juvenile kangaroos.large mammalian herbivores are commonly infected with gastrointestinal helminths. in many host species, these helminths cause clinical disease and may trigger conspicuous mortality events. however, they may also have subclinical impacts, reducing fitness as well as causing complex changes to host growth patterns and body condition. theoretically, juveniles should experience significantly greater costs from parasites, being immunologically naive and undergoing a significant growth phase. the aims ...201425161906
very low levels of direct additive genetic variance in fitness and fitness components in a red squirrel population.a trait must genetically correlate with fitness in order to evolve in response to natural selection, but theory suggests that strong directional selection should erode additive genetic variance in fitness and limit future evolutionary potential. balancing selection has been proposed as a mechanism that could maintain genetic variance if fitness components trade off with one another and has been invoked to account for empirical observations of higher levels of additive genetic variance in fitness ...201424963372
spatial climate patterns explain negligible variation in strength of compensatory density feedbacks in birds and mammals.the use of long-term population data to separate the demographic role of climate from density-modified demographic processes has become a major topic of ecological investigation over the last two decades. although the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that determine the strength of density feedbacks are now well understood, the degree to which climate gradients shape those processes across taxa and broad spatial scales remains unclear. intuitively, harsh or highly variable environmental con ...201424618822
evolutionary conservation and modulation of a juvenile growth-regulating genetic program.body size varies enormously among mammalian species. in small mammals, body growth is typically suppressed rapidly, within weeks, whereas in large mammals, growth is suppressed slowly, over years, allowing for a greater adult size. we recently reported evidence that body growth suppression in rodents is caused in part by a juvenile genetic program that occurs in multiple tissues simultaneously and involves the downregulation of a large set of growth-promoting genes. we hypothesized that this gen ...201424776848
safety and immunogenicity of a mycoplasma ovipneumoniae bacterin for domestic sheep (ovis aries).mortality from epizootic pneumonia is hindering re-establishment of bighorn sheep populations in western north america. mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, a primary agent of this disease, is frequently carried asymptomatically by the domestic sheep and goats that constitute the reservoir of this agent for transmission to bighorn sheep. our long-term objective is to reduce the risk of m. ovipneumoniae infection of bighorn sheep; one approach to this objective is to control the pathogen in its reservoir ho ...201424752006
snps for parentage testing and traceability in globally diverse breeds of sheep.dna-based parentage determination accelerates genetic improvement in sheep by increasing pedigree accuracy. single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) markers can be used for determining parentage and to provide unique molecular identifiers for tracing sheep products to their source. however, the utility of a particular "parentage snp" varies by breed depending on its minor allele frequency (maf) and its sequence context. our aims were to identify parentage snps with exceptional qualities for use in g ...201424740156
exploiting parallels between livestock and wildlife: predicting the impact of climate change on gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants.global change, including climate, policy, land use and other associated environmental changes, is likely to have a major impact on parasitic disease in wildlife, altering the spatio-temporal patterns of transmission, with wide-ranging implications for wildlife, domestic animals, humans and ecosystem health. predicting the potential impact of climate change on parasites infecting wildlife will become increasingly important in the management of species of conservation concern and control of diseas ...201425197625
genetic diversity and differentiation of juniperus thurifera in spain and morocco as determined by ssr.juniperus thurifera l. is an important tree endemic to the western mediterranean basin that it is able to grow in semi-arid climates. it nowadays exhibits a disjunct distribution pattern, occurring in north africa, spain, france and the italian alps. the strait of gibraltar has acted as an efficient barrier against gene flow between african and european populations, which are considered different subspecies by some authors. we aimed at describing the intraspecific genetic diversity of j. thurife ...201424533164
weight lifting can facilitate appreciative comprehension for museum exhibits.appreciation of exhibits in a museum can be equated to a virtual experience of lives in the contexts originally surrounding the exhibits. here we focus on the importance of weight information, and hence tested whether experiencing a weight during museum exhibit appreciation affects the beholders' satisfaction and recognition memory for the exhibits. an experiment was performed at a museum exhibiting skeletal preparations of animals. we used nine preparations and prepared four weight stimuli as w ...201424782807
space availability in confined sheep during pregnancy, effects in movement patterns and use of space.space availability is essential to grant the welfare of animals. to determine the effect of space availability on movement and space use in pregnant ewes (ovis aries), 54 individuals were studied during the last 11 weeks of gestation. three treatments were tested (1, 2, and 3 m2/ewe; 6 ewes/group). ewes' positions were collected for 15 minutes using continuous scan samplings two days/week. total and net distance, net/total distance ratio, maximum and minimum step length, movement activity, angul ...201424733027
gene expression profiling of mesenteric lymph nodes from sheep with natural scrapie.prion diseases are characterized by the accumulation of the pathogenic prpsc protein, mainly in the brain and the lymphoreticular system. although prions multiply/accumulate in the lymph nodes without any detectable pathology, transcriptional changes in this tissue may reflect biological processes that contribute to the molecular pathogenesis of prion diseases. little is known about the molecular processes that occur in the lymphoreticular system in early and late stages of prion disease. we per ...201424450868
belowground legacies of pinus contorta invasion and removal result in multiple mechanisms of invasional meltdown.plant invasions can change soil biota and nutrients in ways that drive subsequent plant communities, particularly when co-invading with belowground mutualists such as ectomycorrhizal fungi. these effects can persist following removal of the invasive plant and, combined with effects of removal per se, influence subsequent plant communities and ecosystem functioning. we used field observations and a soil bioassay with multiple plant species to determine the belowground effects and post-removal leg ...201425228312
the bitter barricading of prostaglandin biosynthesis pathway: understanding the molecular mechanism of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition by amarogentin, a secoiridoid glycoside from swertia chirayita.swertia chirayita, a medicinal herb inhabiting the challenging terrains and high altitudes of the himalayas, is a rich source of essential phytochemical isolates. amarogentin, a bitter secoiridoid glycoside from s. chirayita, shows varied activity in several patho-physiological conditions, predominantly in leishmaniasis and carcinogenesis. experimental analysis has revealed that amarogentin downregulates the cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) activity and helps to curtail skin carcinogenesis in mouse mode ...201424603686
risk-sensitive reproductive allocation: fitness consequences of body mass losses in two contrasting environments.for long-lived organisms, the fitness value of survival is greater than that of current reproduction. asymmetric fitness rewards suggest that organisms inhabiting unpredictable environments should adopt a risk-sensitive life history, predicting that it is adaptive to allocate resources to increase their own body reserves at the expense of reproduction. we tested this using data from reindeer populations inhabiting contrasting environments and using winter body mass development as a proxy for the ...201424772280
modulation of innate immune responses by influenza-specific ovine polyclonal antibodies used for prophylaxis.in the event of a novel influenza a virus pandemic, prophylaxis mediated by antibodies provides an adjunct control option to vaccines and antivirals. this strategy is particularly pertinent to unvaccinated populations at risk during the lag time to produce and distribute an effective vaccine. therefore, development of effective prophylactic therapies is of high importance. although previous approaches have used systemic delivery of monoclonal antibodies or convalescent sera, available supply is ...201424586955
ecological correlates of group-size variation in a resource-defense ungulate, the sedentary guanaco.for large herbivores, predation-risk, habitat structure and population density are often reported as major determinants of group size variation within and between species. however, whether the underlying causes of these relationships imply an ecological adaptation or are the result of a purely mechanistic process in which fusion and fragmentation events only depend on the rate of group meeting, is still under debate. the aim of this study was to model guanaco family and bachelor group sizes in c ...201424586503
rapid life-history diversification of an introduced fish species across a localized thermal gradient.climatic variations are known to engender life-history diversification of species and populations at large spatial scales. however, the extent to which microgeographic variations in climate (e.g., those occurring within a single large ecosystem) can also drive life-history divergence is generally poorly documented. we exploited a spatial gradient in water temperatures at three sites across a large montane lake in southwest china (lake erhai) to examine the extent to which life histories of a sho ...201424505366
cell death in the central division of the medial preoptic nucleus of male and female lamb fetuses.the medial preoptic area of the adult sheep contains an ovine sexually dimorphic nucleus (osdn) that is larger and has more neurons in males than in females. in the lamb fetus, the nascent osdn occupies the central division of the medial preoptic nucleus (mpnc) and consists of a cluster of cells that is organized by the action of testosterone during gestational days 60-90 of a 147 day term pregnancy. the current study sought to determine whether programmed cell death contributes to the emergence ...201424491631
pastoralism in northern peru during pre-hispanic times: insights from the mochica period (100-800 ad) based on stable isotopic analysis of domestic camelids.llama (lama glama) and alpaca (vicugna pacos) are the only large domesticated animals indigenous to the americas. pastoralism occupies a fundamental economic, social and religious role in andean life. today, camelid livestock are confined to the ecozone of the puna (above 3,500 masl), while their presence on the pacific coast during pre-hispanic times is attested by archaeological skeletal remains. this study aims to document herding practices on the northern peruvian coast during the early inte ...201424498136
what shall i do now? state-dependent variations of life-history traits with aging in wandering albatrosses.allocation decisions depend on an organism's condition which can change with age. two opposite changes in life-history traits are predicted in the presence of senescence: either an increase in breeding performance in late age associated with terminal investment or a decrease due to either life-history trade-offs between current breeding and future survival or decreased efficiency at old age. age variation in several life-history traits has been detected in a number of species, and demographic pe ...201424634731
optimal management of the critically ill: anaesthesia, monitoring, data capture, and point-of-care technological practices in ovine models of critical care.animal models of critical illness are vital in biomedical research. they provide possibilities for the investigation of pathophysiological processes that may not otherwise be possible in humans. in order to be clinically applicable, the model should simulate the critical care situation realistically, including anaesthesia, monitoring, sampling, utilising appropriate personnel skill mix, and therapeutic interventions. there are limited data documenting the constitution of ideal technologically ad ...201424783206
mhc-drb1/dqb1 gene polymorphism and its association with resistance/susceptibility to cystic echinococcosis in chinese merino sheep.the aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between polymorphism of the mhc-drb1/dqb1 gene and its resistance to cystic echinococcosis (c.e), as well as to screen out the molecular genetic marker of antiechinococcosis in chinese merino sheep. the mhcii-drb1/dqb1 exon 2 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) from dna samples of healthy and hydatidosis sheep. pcr products were characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (rflp) technique. five restriction enzymes ( ...201424782918
building integral projection models: a user's guide.in order to understand how changes in individual performance (growth, survival or reproduction) influence population dynamics and evolution, ecologists are increasingly using parameterized mathematical models. for continuously structured populations, where some continuous measure of individual state influences growth, survival or reproduction, integral projection models (ipms) are commonly used. we provide a detailed description of the steps involved in constructing an ipm, explaining how to: (i ...201424219157
effective gene prediction by high resolution frequency estimator based on least-norm solution technique.linear algebraic concept of subspace plays a significant role in the recent techniques of spectrum estimation. in this article, the authors have utilized the noise subspace concept for finding hidden periodicities in dna sequence. with the vast growth of genomic sequences, the demand to identify accurately the protein-coding regions in dna is increasingly rising. several techniques of dna feature extraction which involves various cross fields have come up in the recent past, among which applicat ...201424386895
global positioning system data-loggers: a tool to quantify fine-scale movement of domestic animals to evaluate potential for zoonotic transmission to an endangered wildlife population.domesticated animals are an important source of pathogens to endangered wildlife populations, especially when anthropogenic activities increase their overlap with humans and wildlife. recent work in tanzania reports the introduction of cryptosporidium into wild chimpanzee populations and the increased risk of ape mortality associated with sivcpz-cryptosporidium co-infection. here we describe the application of novel gps technology to track the mobility of domesticated animals (27 goats, 2 sheep ...201425365070
exclusion performance in dwarf goats (capra aegagrus hircus) and sheep (ovis orientalis aries).using a comparative approach, we investigated the ability of dwarf goats and sheep to use direct and indirect information about the location of a food reward in an object-choice task. subjects had to choose between two cups with only one covering a reward. before making a choice, subjects received information about the baited (direct information) or non-baited cup (indirect information). both goats and sheep were able to use direct information (presence of food) in the object choice task. after ...201424695781
molecular characterization of gastrothylax crumenifer (platyhelminthes: gastrothylacidae) from goats in the western part of india by lsu of nuclear ribosomal dna.the rumen parasite, gastrothylax crumenifer (platyhelminthes: gastrothylacidae), is a highly pathogenic trematode parasite of goat (capra hircus). it sucks blood that causes acute disease like anemia, and severe economic losses occur due to morbidity and mortality of the ruminant infected by these worms. the study of these rumen paramphistomes, their infection, and public health importance remains unclear in india especially in the western part of state uttar pradesh (u.p.), meerut, india, where ...201425548426
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