| does affective information influence domestic dogs' (canis lupus familiaris) point-following behavior? | several studies have examined dogs' (canis lupus familiaris) comprehension and use of human communicative cues. relatively few studies have, however, examined the effects of human affective behavior (i.e., facial and vocal expressions) on dogs' exploratory and point-following behavior. in two experiments, we examined dogs' frequency of following an adult's pointing gesture in locating a hidden reward or treat when it occurred silently, or when it was paired with a positive or negative facial and ... | 2016 | 26515451 |
| scale dependence of female ungulate reproductive success in relation to nutritional condition, resource selection and multi-predator avoidance. | female ungulate reproductive success is dependent on the survival of their young, and affected by maternal resource selection, predator avoidance, and nutritional condition. however, potential hierarchical effects of these factors on reproductive success are largely unknown, especially in multi-predator landscapes. we expanded on previous research of neonatal white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) daily survival within home ranges to assess if resource use, integrated risk of 4 mammalian pre ... | 2015 | 26473968 |
| evaluating the effectiveness of natura 2000 network for wolf conservation: a case-study in greece. | the wolf (canis lupus) is used as a case study to rate natura 2000 sites in greece based on preferred wolf habitat characteristics and test whether the network is suitable for their conservation. road density, agricultural area, site area, connectivity, food availability (i.e., presence of natural prey), and elevation in 237 sites are combined in a logistic regression model. the occurrence of the wolf's natural prey was the most prevalent factor determining wolf presence, followed by agricultura ... | 2016 | 26411554 |
| canine gastrointestinal physiology: breeds variations that can influence drug absorption. | although all dogs belong to canis lupus familiaris, the physiological diversity resulting from selective breeding can lead to wide interbreed variability in drug pharmacokinetics (pk) or in oral drug product performance. it is important to understand this diversity in order to predict the impact of drug product formulation attributes on in vivo dissolution and absorption characteristics across the canine population when the dog represents the targeted patient population. based upon published inf ... | 2015 | 26409436 |
| the influence of relationships on neophobia and exploration in wolves and dogs. | exploration is important for animals to be able to gather information about features of their environment that may directly or indirectly influence survival and reproduction. closely related to exploration is neophobia, which may reduce exposure to danger, but also constrain explorative behaviour. here we investigated the effects of social relationships on neophobia and exploration in wolves, canis lupus, and dogs, canis familiaris. eleven pack-living wolves reared by human foster parents and 13 ... | 2015 | 26405301 |
| when dogs look back: inhibition of independent problem-solving behaviour in domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris) compared with wolves (canis lupus). | domestic dogs have been recognized for their social sensitivity and aptitude in human-guided tasks. for example, prior studies have demonstrated that dogs look to humans when confronted with an unsolvable task; an action often interpreted as soliciting necessary help. conversely, wolves persist on such tasks. while dogs' 'looking back' behaviour has been used as an example of socio-cognitive advancement, an alternative explanation is that pet dogs show less persistence on independent tasks more ... | 2015 | 26382070 |
| visualizing sound: counting wolves by using a spectral view of the chorus howling. | monitoring large carnivores is a central issue in conservation biology. the wolf (canis lupus) is the most studied large carnivore in the world. after a massive decline and several local extinctions, mostly due to direct persecutions, wolves are now recolonizing many areas of their historical natural range. one of the main monitoring techniques is the howling survey, which is based on the wolves' tendency to use vocalisations to mark territory ownership in response to howls of unknown individual ... | 2015 | 26379755 |
| genetic subdivision and candidate genes under selection in north american grey wolves. | previous genetic studies of the highly mobile grey wolf (canis lupus) found population structure that coincides with habitat and phenotype differences. we hypothesized that these ecologically distinct populations (ecotypes) should exhibit signatures of selection in genes related to morphology, coat colour and metabolism. to test these predictions, we quantified population structure related to habitat using a genotyping array to assess variation in 42 036 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in ... | 2016 | 26333947 |
| do dogs (canis lupus familiaris) prefer family? | kin recognition requires the ability to discriminate between one's own genetic relatives and non-relatives. there are two mechanisms that aid in kin discrimination: phenotype matching and familiarity. dogs may be a good model for assessing these mechanisms as dogs are a promiscuous social species with a keen sense of smell. domestic dogs of both sexes were presented with two scents (close kin, distant-kin) and preference was assessed through three measures (latency to approach, number of visits, ... | 2015 | 26277060 |
| a method to assess relative preference for training and environmental enrichment in captive wolves (canis lupus and canis lupus arctos). | it is currently debated as to whether or not positive reinforcement training is enriching to captive animals. although both husbandry training and environmental enrichment (ee) have been found to benefit animal welfare in captivity, to date, no systematic investigation has compared an animal's preference for performing a trained behavior to engaging freely with a stimuli provided as ee. in the current paper, we used four captive wolves to (1) test the efficacy of a paired-stimulus preference ass ... | 2015 | 26274933 |
| complete mitochondrial genome database and standardized classification system for canis lupus familiaris. | to contribute to the complete mitogenome database of the species canis lupus familiaris and shed more light on its origin, we have sequenced mitochondrial genomes of 120 modern dogs from worldwide populations. together with all the previously published mitogenome sequences of acceptable quality, we have reconstructed a global phylogenetic tree of 555 c. l. familiaris mitogenomes and standardized haplogroup nomenclature. the phylogenetic tree presented here and available online at http://clf.mtdn ... | 2015 | 26218982 |
| planar covariation of hindlimb and forelimb elevation angles during terrestrial and aquatic locomotion of dogs. | the rich repertoire of locomotor behaviors in quadrupedal animals requires flexible inter-limb and inter-segmental coordination. here we studied the kinematic coordination of different gaits (walk, trot, gallop, and swim) of six dogs (canis lupus familiaris) and, in particular, the planar covariation of limb segment elevation angles. the results showed significant variations in the relative duration of rearward limb movement, amplitude of angular motion, and inter-limb coordination, with gait pa ... | 2015 | 26218076 |
| coexistence of two different genotypes of sarcoptes scabiei derived from companion dogs and wild raccoon dogs in gifu, japan: the genetic evidence for transmission between domestic and wild canids. | sarcoptes scabiei is the causal agent of sarcoptic mange in domestic/companion dogs (canis lupus familiaris) and raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides). although there have been successful cases of experimental transmission of s. scabiei from mangy wild canidae hosts to healthy dogs, and suspected cases of transmission between raccoon dogs and companion dogs, no clear-cut evidence has been obtained. in the present study, the genetic relationships between sarcoptes mites from raccoon dogs and co ... | 2015 | 26165631 |
| rad sequencing and genomic simulations resolve hybrid origins within north american canis. | top predators are disappearing worldwide, significantly changing ecosystems that depend on top-down regulation. conflict with humans remains the primary roadblock for large carnivore conservation, but for the eastern wolf (canis lycaon), disagreement over its evolutionary origins presents a significant barrier to conservation in canada and has impeded protection for grey wolves (canis lupus) in the usa. here, we use 127,235 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) identified from restriction-site ... | 2015 | 26156129 |
| what's inside your cat's head? a review of cat (felis silvestris catus) cognition research past, present and future. | the domestic cat (felis silvestris catus) has shared an intertwined existence with humans for thousands of years, living on our city streets and in our homes. yet, little scientific research has focused on the cognition of the domestic cat, especially in comparison with human's other companion, the domestic dog (canis lupus familiaris). this review surveys the current status of several areas of cat cognition research including perception, object permanence, memory, physical causality, quantity a ... | 2015 | 26154131 |
| identification of non-host semiochemicals for the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (acari: ixodidae), from tick-resistant beagles, canis lupus familiaris. | studies have shown that the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, when fed on the beagle breed of dog, canis lupus familiaris, development negatively affected in comparison with tick development after feeding on the english cocker spaniel breed. thus leading to the suggestion that beagle dogs are be tick-resistant dogs. behavioural studies have demonstrated that more ticks are attracted by extracts from cocker spaniels than from beagles and that the odour of beagles is a repellent ... | 2015 | 26103925 |
| performance of pugs, german shepherds, and greyhounds (canis lupus familiaris) on an odor-discrimination task. | public opinion and the scientific literature alike reflect a widespread assumption that there are differences in behavior between dog breeds. direct empirical behavioral assessments of such differences, however, are rare and have produced mixed results. one area where breed differences are often assumed is olfaction, where german shepherds, hounds, and labradors are commonly used for odor-detection work, whereas toy breeds and brachycephalic dogs, such as pugs, are not. choice of breed for scent ... | 2015 | 26010195 |
| organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in wild terrestrial mammals from croatia: interspecies comparison of residue levels and compositions. | in this pilot study, we investigated levels of organochlorine pesticides (ocps) and polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) in the adipose tissues of two free-ranging terrestrial carnivores from croatia sampled in 2010 and 2011: the brown bear (ursus arctos; n=32) and the grey wolf (canis lupus; n=29). concentrations of ∑ocps and σpcbs ranged from 0.45 to 4.09 ng g(-1) lipid mass (lm) and from 0.93 to 8.52 ng g(-1) lm in brown bear, and from 1.18 to 5.67 ng g(-1) lm and 2.68 to 48.9 ng g(-1) lm in grey ... | 2015 | 26002287 |
| a comprehensive review of swarm optimization algorithms. | many swarm optimization algorithms have been introduced since the early 60's, evolutionary programming to the most recent, grey wolf optimization. all of these algorithms have demonstrated their potential to solve many optimization problems. this paper provides an in-depth survey of well-known optimization algorithms. selected algorithms are briefly explained and compared with each other comprehensively through experiments conducted using thirty well-known benchmark functions. their advantages a ... | 2015 | 25992655 |
| in silico discovery of a nearly complete mitochondrial genome numt in the dog (canis lupus familiaris) nuclear genome. | through bacterial cloning, a non-specific product co-amplified in a previous whole mitochondrial genome study of canis lupus familiaris was identified as part of a numt on chromosome 29 of the dog. even though further analysis confirmed the fidelity of the mitochondrial genome sequencing results, it still highlighted the risk of numt contamination. a computer-based search of the dog's nuclear genome for segments homologous to the mtdna sequence revealed the extent of this risk. over 150 numts of ... | 2015 | 25991039 |
| social living mitigates the costs of a chronic illness in a cooperative carnivore. | infection risk is assumed to increase with social group size, and thus be a cost of group living. we assess infection risk and costs with respect to group size using data from an epidemic of sarcoptic mange (sarcoptes scabiei) among grey wolves (canis lupus). we demonstrate that group size does not predict infection risk and that individual costs of infection, in terms of reduced survival, can be entirely offset by having sufficient numbers of pack-mates. infected individuals experience increase ... | 2015 | 25983011 |
| genetic distinctiveness of alexander archipelago wolves (canis lupus ligoni). | | 2015 | 25964444 |
| what is the animal doing? tools for exploring behavioural structure in animal movements. | movement data provide a window - often our only window - into the cognitive, social and biological processes that underlie the behavioural ecology of animals in the wild. robust methods for identifying and interpreting distinct modes of movement behaviour are of great importance, but complicated by the fact that movement data are complex, multivariate and dependent. many different approaches to exploratory analysis of movement have been developed to answer similar questions, and practitioners ar ... | 2016 | 25907267 |
| being a victim or an aggressor: different functions of triadic post-conflict interactions in wolves (canis lupus lupus). | animals adopt different behavioral strategies to cope with the conflict of interests coming from the competition over limited resources. starting from the study on chimpanzees, post-conflict third-party affiliation (the affiliative contact provided by a third-party toward the victim--vta--or the aggressor--ata) was investigated mainly in primates. later, this post-conflict mechanism has been demonstrated also in other mammals, such as wallabies, horses, dolphins, domestic dogs, and wolves. here, ... | 2015 | 25894742 |
| incomplete meiotic sex chromosome inactivation in the domestic dog. | in mammalian meiotic prophase, homologous chromosome recognition is aided by formation and repair of programmed dna double-strand breaks (dsbs). subsequently, stable associations form through homologous chromosome synapsis. in male mouse meiosis, the largely heterologous x and y chromosomes synapse only in their short pseudoautosomal regions (pars), and dsbs persist along the unsynapsed non-homologous arms of these sex chromosomes. asynapsis of these arms and the persistent dsbs then trigger tra ... | 2015 | 25884295 |
| mitochondrial dna haplogroup phylogeny of the dog: proposal for a cladistic nomenclature. | canis lupus familiaris mitochondrial dna analysis has increased in recent years, not only for the purpose of deciphering dog domestication but also for forensic genetic studies or breed characterization. the resultant accumulation of data has increased the need for a normalized and phylogenetic-based nomenclature like those provided for human maternal lineages. although a standardized classification has been proposed, haplotype names within clades have been assigned gradually without considering ... | 2015 | 25869968 |
| experimentally derived δ¹³c and δ¹⁵n discrimination factors for gray wolves and the impact of prior information in bayesian mixing models. | stable isotope analysis of diet has become a common tool in conservation research. however, the multiple sources of uncertainty inherent in this analysis framework involve consequences that have not been thoroughly addressed. uncertainty arises from the choice of trophic discrimination factors, and for bayesian stable isotope mixing models (simms), the specification of prior information; the combined effect of these aspects has not been explicitly tested. we used a captive feeding study of gray ... | 2015 | 25803664 |
| domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris) and forensic practice. | | 2016 | 25784541 |
| cross-fostering in gray wolves (canis lupus lupus). | cross-fostering in canids, with captive-bred pups introduced into endangered wild populations, might aid conservation efforts by increasing genetic diversity and lowering the risk of inbreeding depression. the gray wolf (canis lupus lupus) population in scandinavia suffers from severe inbreeding due to a narrow genetic base and geographical isolation. this study aimed at evaluating the method to cross-foster wolf pups from zoo-born to zoo-born litters. the following was assessed: female initial ... | 2015 | 25773058 |
| trophic cascades from wolves to grizzly bears or changing abundance of bears and alternate foods? | this is a forum article commenting on: ripple, w. j., beschta, r. l., fortin, j. k., & robbins, c. t. (2014) trophic cascades from wolves to grizzly bears in yellowstone. journal of animal ecology, 83, 223-233. comparisons ripple et al. (2014) used to demonstrate increased fruit availability and consumption by grizzly bears post-wolf reintroduction are flawed and tenuous at best. importantly, a more parsimonious (than trophic cascades) hypothesis, not sufficiently considered by ripple et al., ex ... | 2015 | 25732302 |
| tracking the evolutionary origins of dog-human cooperation: the "canine cooperation hypothesis". | at present, beyond the fact that dogs can be easier socialized with humans than wolves, we know little about the motivational and cognitive effects of domestication. despite this, it has been suggested that during domestication dogs have become socially more tolerant and attentive than wolves. these two characteristics are crucial for cooperation, and it has been argued that these changes allowed dogs to successfully live and work with humans. however, these domestication hypotheses have been pu ... | 2014 | 25642203 |
| assessment of protein synthesis in highly aerobic canine species at the onset and during exercise training. | canis lupus familiaris, the domesticated dog, is capable of extreme endurance performance. the ability to perform sustained aerobic exercise is dependent on a well-developed mitochondrial reticulum. in this study we examined the cumulative muscle protein and dna synthesis in groups of athletic dogs at the onset of an exercise training program and following a strenuous exercise training program. we hypothesized that both at the onset and during an exercise training program there would be greater ... | 2015 | 25614602 |
| rapid declines of large mammal populations after the collapse of the soviet union. | anecdotal evidence suggests that socioeconomic shocks strongly affect wildlife populations, but quantitative evidence is sparse. the collapse of socialism in russia in 1991 caused a major socioeconomic shock, including a sharp increase in poverty. we analyzed population trends of 8 large mammals in russia from 1981 to 2010 (i.e., before and after the collapse). we hypothesized that the collapse would first cause population declines, primarily due to overexploitation, and then population increase ... | 2015 | 25581070 |
| total protein concentration and diagnostic test results for gray wolf (canis lupus) serum using nobuto filter paper strips. | nobuto filter paper strips are widely used for storing blood-serum samples, but the recovery of proteins from these strips following rehydration is unknown. poor recovery of proteins could reduce the concentration of antibodies and antigens and reduce the sensitivity of diagnostic assays. we compared the protein concentration, and its association with test sensitivity, of eluted nobuto strip samples with paired sera. we collected and froze serum from five gray wolves (canis lupus) for 8 mo. when ... | 2015 | 25574804 |
| a kinetic model of whole-body glucose metabolism with reference to the domestic dog (canis lupus familiaris). | a new two-pool model to describe glucose kinetics in the steady state is presented. the pools are plasma glucose, q 1, and tissue glucose, q 2 (both µmol). the flows (all µmol/min) into the plasma pool (pool 1) are absorbed glucose entry from dietary sources, labelled glucose infusion, and hepatic glucose production. there is one flow out of pool 1, glucose uptake by the tissues. inflows to the tissues pool (pool 2) are from plasma and glycogenolysis. outflows from pool 2 are to plasma, glucose ... | 2015 | 27347515 |
| algorithm-supported visual error correction (avec) of heart rate measurements in dogs, canis lupus familiaris. | dog heart rate (hr) is characterized by a respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and therefore makes an automatic algorithm for error correction of hr measurements hard to apply. here, we present a new method of error correction for hr data collected with the polar system, including (1) visual inspection of the data, (2) a standardized way to decide with the aid of an algorithm whether or not a value is an outlier (i.e., "error"), and (3) the subsequent removal of this error from the data set. we applied ... | 2015 | 25540125 |
| dna analysis of ancient dogs of the americas: identifying possible founding haplotypes and reconstructing population histories. | as dogs have traveled with humans to every continent, they can potentially serve as an excellent proxy when studying human migration history. past genetic studies into the origins of native american dogs have used portions of the hypervariable region (hvr) of mitochondrial dna (mtdna) to indicate that prior to european contact the dogs of native americans originated in eurasia. in this study, we summarize past dna studies of both humans and dogs to discuss their population histories in the ameri ... | 2015 | 25532803 |
| molecular detection of the blood meal source of sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) in a transmission area of american cutaneous leishmaniasis, paraná state, brazil. | the feeding behavior of sand flies provides valuable information about the vector/host interactions and elucidates the epidemiological patterns of american cutaneous leishmaniasis (acl) transmission. the aim of this study was to identify the blood meal sources of sand flies in endemic areas of leishmaniasis in paraná state through polymerase chain reaction (pcr) amplification of a prepronociceptin (pnoc) gene fragment and its subsequent dna sequencing. moreover, molecular assays were conducted t ... | 2015 | 25530542 |
| recovery of large carnivores in europe's modern human-dominated landscapes. | the conservation of large carnivores is a formidable challenge for biodiversity conservation. using a data set on the past and current status of brown bears (ursus arctos), eurasian lynx (lynx lynx), gray wolves (canis lupus), and wolverines (gulo gulo) in european countries, we show that roughly one-third of mainland europe hosts at least one large carnivore species, with stable or increasing abundance in most cases in 21st-century records. the reasons for this overall conservation success incl ... | 2014 | 25525247 |
| top-predator control-induced trophic cascades: an alternative hypothesis to the conclusion of colman et al. | colman et al. (2014 proc. r. soc. b 281, 20133094. (doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.3094)) recently argued that observed positive relationships between dingoes and small mammals were a result of top-down processes whereby lethal dingo control reduced dingoes and increased mesopredators and herbivores, which then suppressed small mammals. here, i show that the prerequisite negative effects of dingo control on dingoes were not shown, and that the same positive relationships observed may simply represent wel ... | 2015 | 25473006 |
| assessment of attachment behaviour to human caregivers in wolf pups (canis lupus lupus). | previous research suggested that 16-week old dog pups, but not wolf pups, show attachment behaviour to a human caregiver. attachment to a caregiver in dog pups has been demonstrated by differential responding to a caregiver compared to a stranger in the ainsworth strange situation test. we show here that 3-7 week old wolf pups also show attachment-like behaviour to a human caregiver as measured by preferential proximity seeking, preferential contact, and preferential greeting to a human caregive ... | 2015 | 25447510 |
| single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) variation of wolves (canis lupus) in southeast alaska and comparison with wolves, dogs, and coyotes in north america. | there is considerable interest in the genetics of wolves (canis lupus) because of their close relationship to domestic dogs (c. familiaris) and the need for informed conservation and management. this includes wolf populations in southeast alaska for which we determined genotypes of 305 wolves at 173662 single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) loci. after removal of invariant and linked snp, 123801 snp were used to quantify genetic differentiation of wolves in southeast alaska and wolves, coyotes (c. ... | 2015 | 25429025 |
| restricted evaluation of trichodectes canis (phthiraptera: trichodectidae) detection methods in alaska gray wolves. | trichodectes canis (phthiraptera: trichodectidae) was first documented on alaska (usa) gray wolves (canis lupus) on the kenai peninsula in 1981. in subsequent years, numerous wolves exhibited visually apparent, moderate to severe infestations. currently, the alaska department of fish and game utilizes visual inspection, histopathology, and potassium hydroxide (koh) hide digestion for t. canis detection. our objective was to determine optimal sampling locations for t. canis detection. wolf hides ... | 2014 | 25426419 |
| a meta-analysis of studies on attitudes toward bears and wolves across europe 1976-2012. | the ranges of wolves (canis lupus) and bears (ursus arctos) across europe have expanded recently, and it is important to assess public attitudes toward this expansion because responses toward these species vary widely. general attitudes toward an object are good predictors of broad behavioral patterns; thus, attitudes toward wolves and bears can be used as indicators to assess the social foundation for future conservation efforts. however, most attitude surveys toward bears and wolves are limite ... | 2015 | 25412113 |
| genome-wide identification and analysis of basic helix-loop-helix domains in dog, canis lupus familiaris. | the basic helix-loop-helix (bhlh) domain is a highly conserved amino acid motif that defines a group of dna-binding transcription factors. bhlh proteins play essential regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes in animal, plant, and fungus. the domestic dog, canis lupus familiaris, is a good model organism for genetic, physiological, and behavioral studies. in this study, we identified 115 putative bhlh genes in the dog genome. based on a phylogenetic analysis, 51, 26, 14, 4, 12, and ... | 2015 | 25403511 |
| involvement of two genetic lineages of sarcoptes scabiei mites in a local mange epizootic of wild mammals in japan. | similar to wild mammals on the continents, mange caused by the mange mite, sarcoptes scabiei (acari: sarcoptidae) is spreading in wild mammals in most of japan. we collected crusted or alopetic skin from 120 raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus), three raccoons (procyon lotor), six japanese badgers (meles anakuma), one japanese marten (martes melampus), one stray dog (canis lupus familiaris), four wild boars (sus scrofa leucomystax), and one japanese serow (capricornis crispus), mai ... | 2015 | 25397999 |
| is there a clinical benefit with a smooth compensator design compared with a plunged compensator design for passive scattered protons? | in proton therapy, passive scattered proton plans use compensators to conform the dose to the distal surface of the planning volume. these devices are custom made from acrylic or wax for each treatment field using either a plunge-drilled or smooth-milled compensator design. the purpose of this study was to investigate if there is a clinical benefit of generating passive scattered proton radiation treatment plans with the smooth compensator design. we generated 4 plans with different techniques u ... | 2015 | 25263491 |
| lrp13 is a novel vertebrate lipoprotein receptor that binds vitellogenins in teleost fishes. | transcripts encoding a novel member of the lipoprotein receptor superfamily, termed ldl receptor-related protein (lrp)13, were sequenced from striped bass (morone saxatilis) and white perch (morone americana) ovaries. receptor proteins were purified from perch ovary membranes by protein-affinity chromatography employing an immobilized mixture of vitellogenins aa and ab. rt-pcr revealed lrp13 to be predominantly expressed in striped bass ovary, and in situ hybridization detected lrp13 transcripts ... | 2014 | 25217480 |
| shut up and pet me! domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris) prefer petting to vocal praise in concurrent and single-alternative choice procedures. | the nature of the interactions that maintain the social behavior of dogs toward humans and which interactions dogs prefer have not been thoroughly investigated. we focused here on dogs' preference for petting and vocal praise, and the influence that familiarity (owner vs. stranger) has on that preference. we first used concurrent choice to evaluate dogs' preference for petting or vocal praise and measured the initial choice, the time spent with each alternative, and the number of within-session ... | 2015 | 25173617 |
| reconstructing the colonization history of lost wolf lineages by the analysis of the mitochondrial genome. | the grey wolves (canis lupus) originally inhabited major parts of the northern hemisphere, but many local populations became extinct. two lineages of wolves in japan, namely, japanese or honshu (c. l. hodophilax) and ezo or hokkaido (c. l. hattai) wolves, rapidly went extinct between 100 and 120years ago. here we analyse the complete mitochondrial genome sequences from ancient specimens and reconstruct the colonization history of the two extinct subspecies. we show a unique status of japanese wo ... | 2014 | 25132126 |
| hypoxia adaptations in the grey wolf (canis lupus chanco) from qinghai-tibet plateau. | the tibetan grey wolf (canis lupus chanco) occupies habitats on the qinghai-tibet plateau, a high altitude (>3000 m) environment where low oxygen tension exerts unique selection pressure on individuals to adapt to hypoxic conditions. to identify genes involved in hypoxia adaptation, we generated complete genome sequences of nine chinese wolves from high and low altitude populations at an average coverage of 25× coverage. we found that, beginning about 55,000 years ago, the highland tibetan grey ... | 2014 | 25078401 |
| a single-nucleotide polymorphism-based approach for rapid and cost-effective genetic wolf monitoring in europe based on noninvasively collected samples. | noninvasive genetics based on microsatellite markers has become an indispensable tool for wildlife monitoring and conservation research over the past decades. however, microsatellites have several drawbacks, such as the lack of standardisation between laboratories and high error rates. here, we propose an alternative single-nucleotide polymorphism (snp)-based marker system for noninvasively collected samples, which promises to solve these problems. using nanofluidic snp genotyping technology (fl ... | 2015 | 25042673 |
| impacts of breeder loss on social structure, reproduction and population growth in a social canid. | the importance of individuals to the dynamics of populations may depend on reproductive status, especially for species with complex social structure. loss of reproductive individuals in socially complex species could disproportionately affect population dynamics by destabilizing social structure and reducing population growth. alternatively, compensatory mechanisms such as rapid replacement of breeders may result in little disruption. the impact of breeder loss on the population dynamics of soci ... | 2015 | 25041127 |
| multiscale factors affecting human attitudes toward snow leopards and wolves. | the threat posed by large carnivores to livestock and humans makes peaceful coexistence between them difficult. effective implementation of conservation laws and policies depends on the attitudes of local residents toward the target species. there are many known correlates of human attitudes toward carnivores, but they have only been assessed at the scale of the individual. because human societies are organized hierarchically, attitudes are presumably influenced by different factors at different ... | 2014 | 25039397 |
| ecosystem scale declines in elk recruitment and population growth with wolf colonization: a before-after-control-impact approach. | the reintroduction of wolves (canis lupus) to yellowstone provided the unusual opportunity for a quasi-experimental test of the effects of wolf predation on their primary prey (elk--cervus elaphus) in a system where top-down, bottom-up, and abiotic forces on prey population dynamics were closely and consistently monitored before and after reintroduction. here, we examined data from 33 years for 12 elk population segments spread across southwestern montana and northwestern wyoming in a large scal ... | 2014 | 25028933 |
| single-layer centrifugation separates spermatozoa from diploid cells in epididymal samples from gray wolves, canis lupus (l.). | sperm samples may be used for assisted reproductive technologies (e.g., farmed or endangered species) or as a source of haploid dna or sperm-specific rna. when ejaculated spermatozoa are not available or are very difficult to obtain, as is the case for most wild endangered species, the epididymides of dead animals (e.g., animals that have been found dead, shot by hunters or poachers, or that that require euthanasia in zoological collections) can be used as a source of sperm. such epididymal sper ... | 2014 | 25028195 |
| seasonal trends in intrapack aggression of captive wolves (canis lupus) and wolf-dog crosses: implications for management in mixed-subspecies exhibits. | mixed-species exhibits are becoming increasingly common in the captive management of a wide range of species. systematic evaluations of enclosures consisting of multiple subspecies, however, are relatively infrequent. the aim of this study was to measure seasonal trends in aggressive behaviors within a captive pack of wolves and wolf-dog crosses in a sanctuary setting. the frequency of intrapack social behaviors occurring within scan-sampling intervals was recorded for wolves and wolf-dog crosse ... | 2015 | 24940635 |
| a comparison of facial color pattern and gazing behavior in canid species suggests gaze communication in gray wolves (canis lupus). | as facial color pattern around the eyes has been suggested to serve various adaptive functions related to the gaze signal, we compared the patterns among 25 canid species, focusing on the gaze signal, to estimate the function of facial color pattern in these species. the facial color patterns of the studied species could be categorized into the following three types based on contrast indices relating to the gaze signal: a-type (both pupil position in the eye outline and eye position in the face ... | 2014 | 24918751 |
| how does a carnivore guild utilise a substantial but unpredictable anthropogenic food source? scavenging on hunter-shot ungulate carcasses by wild dogs/dingoes, red foxes and feral cats in south-eastern australia revealed by camera traps. | there is much interest in understanding how anthropogenic food resources subsidise carnivore populations. carcasses of hunter-shot ungulates are a potentially substantial food source for mammalian carnivores. the sambar deer (rusa unicolor) is a large (≥ 150 kg) exotic ungulate that can be hunted throughout the year in south-eastern australia, and hunters are not required to remove or bury carcasses. we investigated how wild dogs/dingoes and their hybrids (canis lupus familiaris/dingo), red foxe ... | 2014 | 24918425 |
| population genetic structure of gray wolves (canis lupus) in a marine archipelago suggests island-mainland differentiation consistent with dietary niche. | emerging evidence suggests that ecological heterogeneity across space can influence the genetic structure of populations, including that of long-distance dispersers such as large carnivores. on the central coast of british columbia, canada, wolf (canis lupus l., 1758) dietary niche and parasite prevalence data indicate strong ecological divergence between marine-oriented wolves inhabiting islands and individuals on the coastal mainland that interact primarily with terrestrial prey. local holders ... | 2014 | 24915756 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome of the border collie dog. | border collie dog is one of the famous breed of dog. in the present work we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of border collie dog for the first time. the total length of the mitogenome was 16,730 bp with the base composition of 31.6% for a, 28.7% for t, 25.5% for c, and 14.2% for g and an a-t (60.3%)-rich feature was detected. it harbored 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal rna genes, 22 transfer rna genes and one non-coding control region (d-loop region). the arrangement of ... | 2016 | 24905136 |
| old diseases for new nightmares: distemper strikes back in italy. | this article analyses the distemper outbreak that affected the population of apennine wolves (canis lupus) in italy during 2013. distemper, as rabies, is a well-known viral infectious disease that concerns the canine population worldwide and represents a threat for wild species too. implementation of vaccination and legislation for compulsory vaccination strategies should be achieved in areas with endangered wild species. | 2014 | 24817331 |
| polonium-210 and caesium-137 in lynx (lynx lynx), wolverine (gulo gulo) and wolves (canis lupus). | wolves, lynx and wolverines are on the top of the food-chain in northern scandinavia and finland. (210)po and (137)cs have been analysed in samples of liver, kidney and muscle from 28 wolves from sweden. in addition blood samples were taken from 27 wolves. in 9 of the wolves, samples of muscle, liver and blood were analysed for (210)po. samples of liver and muscle were collected from 16 lynx and 16 wolverines from norway. the liver samples were analysed for (210)po and (137)cs. only (137)cs anal ... | 2014 | 24811891 |
| specialization for aggression in sexually dimorphic skeletal morphology in grey wolves (canis lupus). | aggressive behaviour is important in the life history of many animals. in grey wolves (canis lupus), territory defence through direct competition with conspecifics is severe and often lethal. thus, performance in aggressive encounters may be under strong selection. additionally, grey wolves frequently kill large dangerous prey species. because both sexes actively participate in aggressive activities and prey capture, wolves are expected to exhibit a low level of musculoskeletal sexual dimorphism ... | 2014 | 24810384 |
| density-dependent intraspecific aggression regulates survival in northern yellowstone wolves (canis lupus). | understanding the population dynamics of top-predators is essential to assess their impact on ecosystems and to guide their management. key to this understanding is identifying the mechanisms regulating vital rates. determining the influence of density on survival is necessary to understand the extent to which human-caused mortality is compensatory or additive. in wolves (canis lupus), empirical evidence for density-dependent survival is lacking. dispersal is considered the principal way in whic ... | 2014 | 24749694 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome of the simao chinese indigenous dog. | in this study, the whole mtdna genome of simao chinese indigenous dog was amplified and sequenced. our data showed that the whole mtdna genome of simao chinese indigenous dog includes 16,730 base pairs (bps). the simao chinese indigenous dog mitochondrial genome included structural organization and base composition of the rrnas, trnas and protein-coding genes, as well as characteristics of trnas. | 2016 | 24724904 |
| consequences of a refuge for the predator-prey dynamics of a wolf-elk system in banff national park, alberta, canada. | refugia can affect predator-prey dynamics via movements between refuge and non-refuge areas. we examine the influence of a refuge on population dynamics in a large mammal predator-prey system. wolves (canis lupus) have recolonized much of their former range in north america, and as a result, ungulate prey have exploited refugia to reduce predation risk with unknown impacts on wolf-prey dynamics. we examined the influence of a refuge on elk (cervus elaphus) and wolf population dynamics in banff n ... | 2014 | 24670632 |
| the relationship between wolverine and larger predators, lynx and wolf, in a historical ecosystem context. | apex predators play an important role in shaping ecosystem structure. they may suppress smaller predators (mesopredators) but also subsidize scavengers via carrion provisioning. however, the importance of these interactions can change with ecosystem context. the wolverine (gulo gulo) is a cold-adapted carnivore and facultative scavenger. it has a circumboreal distribution, where it could be either suppressed or subsidized by larger predators. in scandinavia, the wolverine might interact with two ... | 2014 | 24652527 |
| most domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris) prefer food to petting: population, context, and schedule effects in concurrent choice. | previous research has indicated both petting (mcintire & colley, 1967) and food (feuerbacher & wynne, 2012) have reinforcing effects on dog behavior and support social behavior towards humans (food: elliot & king, 1960; social interaction: brodbeck, 1954). which type of interaction dogs prefer and which might produce the most social behavior from a dog has not been investigated. in the current study, we assessed how dogs allocated their responding in a concurrent choice between food and petting. ... | 2014 | 24643871 |
| gene flow between wolf and shepherd dog populations in georgia (caucasus). | we studied the distribution of the mitochondrial dna haplotypes and microsatellite genotypes at 8 loci in 102 gray wolves, 57 livestock guarding dogs, and 9 mongrel dogs from georgia (caucasus). most of the studied dogs had mitochondrial haplotypes clustered with presumably east asian dog lineages, and most of the studied wolves had the haplotypes clustered with european wolves, but 20% of wolves and 37% of dogs shared the same mitochondrial haplotypes. bayesian inference with structure software ... | 2014 | 24622972 |
| general assessment of copy number variation in normal and tumor tissues of the domestic dog (canis lupus familiaris). | in recent years, characterization of a copy number variation (cnv) of the genomic dna has provided evidence for the relationship of this type of genetic variation with the occurrence of a broad spectrum of diseases, including cancer lesions. copy number variants (cnvs) also occur in the genomes of healthy individuals as a result of abnormal recombination processes in germ cells and have a hereditary character contributing to the natural genetic diversity. recent image analysis methods and advanc ... | 2014 | 24573641 |
| population variation revealed high-altitude adaptation of tibetan mastiffs. | with the assistance of their human companions, dogs have dispersed into new environments during the expansion of human civilization. tibetan mastiff (tm), a native of the tibetan plateau, was derived from the domesticated chinese native dog and, like tibetans, has adapted to the extreme environment of high altitude. here, we genotyped genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) from 32 tms and compared them with snps from 20 chinese native dogs and 14 gray wolves (canis lupus). we identif ... | 2014 | 24520091 |
| fundamental characteristics of the expressed immunoglobulin vh and vl repertoire in different canine breeds in comparison with those of humans and mice. | complementarity determining regions (cdr) are responsible for binding antigen and provide substantial diversity to the antibody repertoire, with vh cdr3 of the immunoglobulin variable heavy (vh) domain playing a dominant role. in this study, we examined 1200 unique canine vh and 500 unique variable light (vl) sequences of large and small canine breeds derived from peripheral b cells. unlike the human and murine repertoire, the canine repertoire is heavily dominated by the canis lupus familiaris ... | 2014 | 24509215 |
| human-resource subsidies alter the dietary preferences of a mammalian top predator. | resource subsidies to opportunistic predators may alter natural predator-prey relationships and, in turn, have implications for how these predators affect co-occurring prey. to explore this idea, we compared the prey available to and eaten by a top canid predator, the australian dingo (canis lupus dingo), in areas with and without human-provided food. overall, small mammals formed the majority of dingo prey, followed by reptiles and then invertebrates. where human-provided food resources were av ... | 2014 | 24488213 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome of belgium malinois (canis; canidae). | in this study, the complete nucleotide sequence of belgium malinois mitochondrial genome was determined for the first time. sequence analysis showed that the genome structure was in accordance with other dogs. it contained 22 trna genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes, 13 protein-coding genes and 1 control region (d-loop region). the base composition was a (31.7%), g (14.1%), c (25.5%) and t (28.7%), so the percentage of a and t (60.4%) was higher than that of g and c. the complete mitochondrial genome s ... | 2016 | 24450724 |
| clinical and diagnostic imaging findings in an italian wolf (canis lupus italicus) with discospondylitis. | an adult male italian wolf (canis lupus italicus) was presented with an abnormal gait. neurologic examination showed thoracic kyphosis, paraparesis, decreased proprioception in the pelvic limbs, and normal spinal reflexes. neurologic symptoms suggested a thoracolumbar spinal cord lesion. pathologic findings included leukocytosis. spinal radiographs revealed ventral spondylosis of t4/t5/t6, a poorly defined intervertebral disc space, and mild lysis of the vertebral margins. multiple metallic fore ... | 2013 | 24450075 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome of a purebred tibetan mastiff (canis lupus familiaris breed tibetan mastiff) from lijiang, china, and comparison of genome-wide sequence variations. | in this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the tibetan mastiff was reported. the total length of the mitogenome is 16,729 bp. it contains the typical structure, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer rna genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes and 1 control region is in line with other canine animals. we further identified genome-wide variations among different canine mitochondrial genomes and indicated that the d-loop region harbors the most sequence variation, which will provide ... | 2016 | 24438301 |
| complete mitochondrial genome of a german shepherd (canis lupus familiaris breed german shepherd) provides insights into genome-wide sequence variations. | in this work, we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a german shepherd. the total length of the mitogenome was 16,727 bp. it contained the typical structure of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes, 22 transfer rna genes and a non-coding control region (d-loop region). the arrangement of these genes was the same as that found in other dogs. all the protein initial codons were atg, except for nd2, nd3 and nd5 starting with ata. sequence comparison indicates that d-loop r ... | 2016 | 24438283 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome of the chinese indigenous dog. | in this study, the complete nucleotide sequence of chinese indigenous dog mitochondrial genome was determined for the first time. sequence analysis showed that the genome structure was in accordance with other dogs. it contained 22 trna genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes, 13 protein-coding genes and 1 control region (d-loop region). the base composition was a (31.6%), g (14.2%), c (25.5%) and t (28.7%), so the percentage of a and t (60.3%) was higher than that of g and c. the complete mitochondrial ge ... | 2016 | 24438253 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the tibetan wolf (canis lupus laniger). | in this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of the tibetan wolf (canis lupus laniger) was sequenced using blood samples obtained from a wild female tibetan wolf captured from lhasa in tibet, china. qinghai-tibet plateau, with an average elevation above 3500 m, is the highest plateau in the world. sequence analysis showed that its structure is in accordance with other canidae species, but gtg is used as the start codon in nd4l gene which is different from many canide animals. | 2016 | 24438245 |
| applying clinically proven human techniques for contraception and fertility to endangered species and zoo animals: a review. | reversible contraception that does not alter natural behavior is a critical need for managing zoo populations. in addition to reversible contraception, other fertility techniques perfected in humans may be useful, such as in vitro fertilization (ivf) or oocyte and embryo banking for endangered species like amphibians and mexican wolves (canis lupus baileyi). furthermore, the genetics of human fertility can give a better understanding of fertility in more exotic species. collaborations were estab ... | 2013 | 24437091 |
| accounting for individual behavioural variation in studies of habitat selection. | a caribou wearing an animal-borne video camera (a) and animal-borne video footage taken from systems deployed on mule deer (odocoileus hemionus) in north-central washington state, usa (b-d). when paired with tracking technology, animal-borne video can reveal detailed information about behaviour and environmental features at each location: (b) feeding, (c) vigilant in the open, (d) vigilant in cover, (e) resting in the open. accordingly, animal-borne video systems should allow for analyses of hab ... | 2014 | 24428597 |
| radiographic analysis of vocal tract length and its relation to overall body size in two canid species. | body size is an important determinant of resource and mate competition in many species. competition is often mediated by conspicuous vocal displays, which may help to intimidate rivals and attract mates by providing honest cues to signaler size. fitch proposed that vocal tract resonances (or formants) should provide particularly good, or honest, acoustic cues to signaler size because they are determined by the length of the vocal tract, which in turn, is hypothesized to scale reliably with overa ... | 2013 | 24363497 |
| genetic recombination is targeted towards gene promoter regions in dogs. | the identification of the h3k4 trimethylase, prdm9, as the gene responsible for recombination hotspot localization has provided considerable insight into the mechanisms by which recombination is initiated in mammals. however, uniquely amongst mammals, canids appear to lack a functional version of prdm9 and may therefore provide a model for understanding recombination that occurs in the absence of prdm9, and thus how prdm9 functions to shape the recombination landscape. we have constructed a fine ... | 2013 | 24348265 |
| in vitro hepatic microsomal metabolism of meloxicam in koalas (phascolarctos cinereus), brushtail possums (trichosurus vulpecula), ringtail possums (pseudocheirus peregrinus), rats (rattus norvegicus) and dogs (canis lupus familiaris). | quantitative and qualitative aspects of in vitro metabolism of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam, mediated via hepatic microsomes of specialized foliage (eucalyptus) eating marsupials (koalas and ringtail possums), a generalized foliage eating marsupial (brushtail possum), rats, and dogs, are described. using a substrate depletion method, intrinsic hepatic clearance (in vitro clint) was determined. significantly, rates of oxidative transformation of meloxicam, likely mediated vi ... | 2014 | 24345479 |
| effect of training and familiarity on responsiveness to human cues in domestic dogs (canis familiaris). | domestic dogs (canis familiaris) seem to possess an evolved competency to follow human-given cues, often out-performing their wild progenitor the wolf (canis lupus) on cue-following tasks. however, domestication may not be solely responsible for the socio-cognitive skills of dogs, with ontogenetic experience also playing a role. this research evaluated the effects of intensive training on cue-following behaviour using an unreinforced object-choice paradigm. the responses of dogs that were traine ... | 2014 | 24318516 |
| innate threat-sensitive foraging: black-tailed deer remain more fearful of wolf than of the less dangerous black bear even after 100 years of wolf absence. | anti-predator behaviors often entail foraging costs, and thus prey response to predator cues should be adjusted to the level of risk (threat-sensitive foraging). simultaneously dangerous predators (with high hunting success) should engender the evolution of innate predator recognition and appropriate anti-predator behaviors that are effective even upon the first encounter with the predator. the above leads to the prediction that prey might respond more strongly to cues of dangerous predators tha ... | 2014 | 24288079 |
| north-south differentiation and a region of high diversity in european wolves (canis lupus). | european wolves (canis lupus) show population genetic structure in the absence of geographic barriers, and across relatively short distances for this highly mobile species. additional information on the location of and divergence between population clusters is required, particularly because wolves are currently recolonizing parts of europe. we evaluated genetic structure in 177 wolves from 11 countries using over 67k single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) loci. the results supported previous findi ... | 2013 | 24146871 |
| analysis of mitochondrial dna hvr1 haplotype of pure-bred domestic dogs in japan. | to develop dna markers for forensic analysis, we examined the hypervariable region 1 (hvr1) sequences of 447 pure-bred domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris) that had been bred and raised in japan. hvr1 is a 660-bp stretch of mitochondrial (mt) dna. among the 447 hvr1 sequences examined, we identified 58 haplotypes from 47 single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) and two insertion-deletion (indel) polymorphisms. the haplotype diversity inferred from inter-breed analysis (n=154, 88 breeds) was 0.92 ... | 2013 | 24120304 |
| developing metapopulation connectivity criteria from genetic and habitat data to recover the endangered mexican wolf. | restoring connectivity between fragmented populations is an important tool for alleviating genetic threats to endangered species. yet recovery plans typically lack quantitative criteria for ensuring such population connectivity. we demonstrate how models that integrate habitat, genetic, and demographic data can be used to develop connectivity criteria for the endangered mexican wolf (canis lupus baileyi), which is currently being restored to the wild from a captive population descended from 7 fo ... | 2014 | 24112074 |
| spatial genetic analyses reveal cryptic population structure and migration patterns in a continuously harvested grey wolf (canis lupus) population in north-eastern europe. | spatial genetics is a relatively new field in wildlife and conservation biology that is becoming an essential tool for unravelling the complexities of animal population processes, and for designing effective strategies for conservation and management. conceptual and methodological developments in this field are therefore critical. here we present two novel methodological approaches that further the analytical possibilities of structure and dresd. using these approaches we analyse structure and m ... | 2013 | 24069446 |
| mercury in gray wolves (canis lupus) in alaska: increased exposure through consumption of marine prey. | mercury (hg) bioaccumulates in the tissues of organisms and biomagnifies within food-webs. gray wolves (canis lupus) in alaska primarily acquire hg through diet; therefore, comparing the extent of hg exposure in wolves, in conjunction with stable isotopes, from interior and coastal regions of alaska offers important insight into their feeding ecology. liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle samples from 162 gray wolves were analyzed for total mercury (thg) concentrations and stable isotopic signature ... | 2014 | 24056451 |
| the short-term effects of a routine poisoning campaign on the movements and detectability of a social top-predator. | top-predators can be important components of resilient ecosystems, but they are still controlled in many places to mitigate a variety of economic, environmental and/or social impacts. lethal control is often achieved through the broad-scale application of poisoned baits. understanding the direct and indirect effects of such lethal control on subsequent movements and behaviour of survivors is an important pre-requisite for interpreting the efficacy and ecological outcomes of top-predator control. ... | 2014 | 24043505 |
| alterations of c-myc, nkx3.1, and e-cadherin expression in canine prostate carcinogenesis. | the dog (canis lupus familiaris) is the only other species besides humans that develop spontaneous prostatic carcinomas (pca) at a high frequency. the canine model is primarily utilized for the study of the pca molecular mechanisms and provides a natural animal model for the study of potential therapies. in humans, the pca frequently exhibits mutations in the c-myc and a reduced expression of the e-cadherin and nkx3.1 proteins. this study's objective was to evaluate the nkx3.1, c-myc, and e-cadh ... | 2013 | 24030851 |
| complete mitochondrial genome of canis lupus campestris. | in this study, blood sample was obtained from a female mongolian wolf (canis lupus campestris) captured from mongolia and its complete mitochondrial genome was sequenced for the first time. | 2015 | 23984823 |
| animal migration amid shifting patterns of phenology and predation: lessons from a yellowstone elk herd. | migration is a striking behavioral strategy by which many animals enhance resource acquisition while reducing predation risk. historically, the demographic benefits of such movements made migration common, but in many taxa the phenomenon is considered globally threatened. here we describe a long-term decline in the productivity of elk (cervus elaphus) that migrate through intact wilderness areas to protected summer ranges inside yellowstone national park, usa. we attribute this decline to a long ... | 2013 | 23923485 |
| characterization and allelic variation of the transporters associated with antigen processing (tap) genes in the domestic dog (canis lupus familiaris). | the function of the transporters associated with antigen processing (tap) complex is to shuttle antigenic peptides from the cytosol to the endoplasmic reticulum to load mhc class i molecules for cd8(+) t-cell immunosurveillance. here we report the promoter and coding regions of the canine tap1 and tap2 genes, which encode the homologous subunits forming the tap heterodimer. by sampling genetically divergent breeds, polymorphisms in both genes were identified, although there were few amino acid d ... | 2013 | 23892057 |
| mhc variability in an isolated wolf population in italy. | small, isolated populations may experience increased extinction risk due to reduced genetic variability at important functional genes, thus decreasing the population's adaptive potential. the major histocompatibility complex (mhc), a key immunological gene cluster, usually shows high variability maintained by positive or balancing selection in response to challenges by pathogens. here we investigated for the first time, the variability of 3 mhc class ii genes (drb1, dqa1, and dqb1) in 94 samples ... | 2013 | 23885092 |
| noninvasive heavy metal pollution assessment by means of iberian wolf (canis lupus signatus) hair from galicia (nw spain): a comparison with invasive samples. | the current study represents the first investigation of the suitability of wolf hair as indicator tissue for metal exposure and accumulation within nw spanish ecosystems. dead animals, which were not specifically killed for these purposes, were necropsied, and further toxicological analyses were performed in order to establish the heavy metal content (pb, cd, and zn) in liver, kidney, and hair, by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. two different factors, gender an ... | 2013 | 23877576 |
| what the inbred scandinavian wolf population tells us about the nature of conservation. | the genetic aspects of population health are critical, but frequently difficult to assess. of concern has been the genetic constitution of scandinavian wolves (canis lupus), which represent an important case in conservation. we examined the incidence of different congenital anomalies for 171 scandinavian wolves, including the immigrant founder female, born during a 32-year period between 1978 and 2010. the incidence of anomalies rose from 13% to 40% throughout the 32-year study period. our abili ... | 2013 | 23805301 |