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organization of cholinergic, putative catecholaminergic and serotonergic nuclei in the diencephalon, midbrain and pons of sub-adult male giraffes.the current study describes the nuclear organization and neuronal morphology of the cholinergic, putative catecholaminergic and serotonergic systems within the diencephalon, midbrain and pons of the giraffe using immunohistochemistry for choline acetyltransferase, tyrosine hydroxylase and serotonin. the giraffe has a unique phenotype (the long neck), a large brain (over 500 g) and is a non-domesticated animal, while previous studies examining the brains of other artiodactyls have all been undert ...201019808092
how name descriptiveness impacts proper name learning in young and older adults.to elucidate the impact of name descriptiveness and aging on learning new names, 26 young and 26 healthy older participants learned visibly-descriptive (e.g., lengthy for a giraffe), psychologically-descriptive (e.g., classy), and non-descriptive (e.g., sam) proper names for previously-unknown cartoon characters. more visibly-descriptive names were learned than psychologically- or non-descriptive names, which did not differ from each other. there was also a differential benefit for older adults ...201020349368
improved care and growth outcomes by using hybrid humidified incubators in very preterm infants.to identify changes in temperature, fluid and electrolyte management, growth, and short-term outcome in extremely low birth weight (elbw) infants nursed in humidified hybrid incubators (hi group) compared with a cohort of patients cared for in nonhumidified conventional incubators (ci group).201020026493
the sound of operation and the acoustic attenuation of the ohmeda medical giraffe omnibed™.the neonatal intensive care unit (nicu) is an environment that provides premature and fragile infants with health provisions needed to make a complete recovery. premature infants are often born before their auditory systems have had an opportunity to fully mature. research has shown that the ambient acoustic environment in the nicu exceeds the maximum noise level recommended by the american academy of pediatrics, even after measures have been taken to decrease noise levels. the purpose of this s ...201021173485
cognitive flexibility in drawings of bilingual children.a. karmiloff-smith's (1990) task of drawing a nonexistent object is considered to be a measure of cognitive flexibility. the notion of earlier emergence of cognitive flexibility in bilingual children motivated the current researchers to request 4- and 5-year-old english-hebrew and arabic-hebrew bilingual children and their monolingual peers to draw a flower and a house that do not exist (n=80). bilinguals exhibited a significantly higher rate of interrepresentational flexibility in their drawing ...201020840226
predicting the buoyancy, equilibrium and potential swimming ability of giraffes by computational analysis.giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis) are often stated to be unable to swim, and while few observations supporting this have ever been offered, we sought to test the hypothesis that giraffes exhibited a body shape or density unsuited for locomotion in water. we assessed the floating capability of giraffes by simulating their buoyancy with a three-dimensional mathematical/computational model. a similar model of a horse (equus caballus) was used as a control, and its floating behaviour replicates the ...201020385144
forensic species identification of elephant (elephantidae) and giraffe (giraffidae) tail hair using light microscopy.here we present methods for distinguishing tail hairs of african elephants (loxodonta africana), asian elephants (elephas maximus), and giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis) from forensic contexts. such hairs are commonly used to manufacture jewelry artifacts that are often sold illegally in the international wildlife trade. tail hairs from these three species are easily confused macroscopically, and morphological methods for distinguishing african and asian tail hairs have not been published. we us ...201020549391
complete genomic sequence of a border disease virus isolated from pyrenean chamois.this report describes the full-length genome sequence of the pestivirus strain h2121 which was recently isolated from pyrenean chamois and typed as border disease virus (bdv) genotype 4. comparison with full-length genomic sequences of the approved pestivirus species bovine viral diarrhea virus-1 (bvdv-1), bvdv-2, bdv, and classical swine fever virus, the tentative species represented by strain giraffe-1, as well as the atypical pestivirus strain th/04_khonkaen confirmed that the chamois pestivi ...201020638945
variations in the thickness and composition of the skin of the giraffe.this study examined the skin of two 1- to 2-year-old male giraffes and one adult male, determining skin thickness and histological structure with reference to it functioning as a component of the features required for the maintenance of blood pressure, dermal armor, or thermoregulation. it has been argued that a tight skin surrounding the extremities of the giraffe aids in the movement of fluid against gravity, hence preventing pooling of blood and tissue fluid (edema), but the skin has also bee ...201020648574
mapping of tyrosine hydroxylase in the alpaca (lama pacos) brainstem and colocalization with cgrp.the distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (th) in the brainstem of alpaca (lama pacos) has been analysed using immunohistochemical methods. the following catecholaminergic cell nuclei have been detected: a1, c1, a2, c2 and area postrema in the medulla oblongata; a5, a6d, a7sc and a7d in the pons; as have several mesencephalic groups: a8, a9l, a9m, a9v, a9pc, a10, a10c, a10d and a10dc. this nuclear parcellation differs from that found in rodents, but agrees with the results reported in other membe ...201021050884
cryptosporidium muris in a reticulated giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis reticulata).cryptosporidium spp. infection in captive exotic mammals was investigated using staining and molecular biological methods. a total of 323 fecal samples from 100 mammalian species (62 artiodactyla, 33 rodentia, 3 perissodactyla, and 2 paenungultata) in 4 zoological gardens in the czech republic was examined. only in a reticulated giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) sample was cryptosporidium sp. infection detected. the partial small subunit rrna sequence obtained from the isolate was iden ...201019685941
uncovering mental representations with markov chain monte carlo.a key challenge for cognitive psychology is the investigation of mental representations, such as object categories, subjective probabilities, choice utilities, and memory traces. in many cases, these representations can be expressed as a non-negative function defined over a set of objects. we present a behavioral method for estimating these functions. our approach uses people as components of a markov chain monte carlo (mcmc) algorithm, a sophisticated sampling method originally developed in sta ...201019703686
embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a rothschild's giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi).abstract: a 3-yr-old male rothschild's giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) presented for acute swelling caudomedial to the left parietal horn. following initial diagnostics and supportive treatment, the mass was surgically resected and intralesional chemotherapy was administered. despite treatment, the giraffe's condition worsened and euthanasia was performed. gross necropsy revealed neoplastic invasion and destruction of underlying parietal bone, adjacent horn base, and sinuses, and me ...201021370656
changes in serum calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium levels in captive ruminants affected by diet manipulation.a combination of low serum calcium (ca), high serum phosphorus (p), and low serum magnesium (mg) has been observed in individual captive ruminants, primarily affecting kudu (tragelaphus strepsiceros), eland (taurotragus oryx), nyala (tragelaphus angasii), bongo (tragelaphus eurycerus), and giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis). these mineral abnormalities have been associated with chronic laminitis, acute tetany, seizures, and death. underlying rumen disease secondary to feeding highly fermentable ca ...201020945636
from fetus to adult--an allometric analysis of the giraffe vertebral column.as mammalian cervical vertebral count is almost always limited to seven, the vertebral column of the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) provides an interesting study on scaling and adaptation to shape in light of these constraints. we have defined and described the growth rates of the lengths, widths, and heights of the vertebrae from fetal through neonatal life to maturity. we found that the disproportionate elongation of the cervical vertebrae is not a fetal process but occurs after birth, and t ...201020700891
postmortem evaluation of left flank laparoscopic access in an adult female giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis).there are still few reports of laparoscopy in megavertebrates. the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) is the tallest land mammal, and the largest ruminant species. an 18-year-old multiparous female hybrid giraffe, weighing 650 kg, was euthanized for chronic health problems, and left flank laparoscopy was performed less than 30 minutes after death. safe primary access was achieved under visualisation using an optical bladed trocar (visiport plus, tyco healthcare uk ltd) without prior abdominal insu ...201020445792
molecular characterization of blastocystis isolates from zoo animals and their animal-keepers.blastocystis is an enteric protist and one of the most frequently reported parasitic infections in humans and a variety of animal hosts. it has also been reported in numerous parasite surveys of animals in zoological gardens and in particular in non-human primate species. pcr-based methods capable of the direct detection of blastocystis in faeces were used to detect blastocystis from various hosts, including non-human primates, australian native fauna, elephants and giraffes, as well as their ke ...201020089360
large herbivores facilitate savanna tree establishment via diverse and indirect pathways.1. savanna ecosystems are defined largely by tree-grass mixtures, and tree establishment is a key driver of community structure and ecosystem function in these systems. the factors controlling savanna tree establishment are understudied, but likely involve some combination of seed, microsite and predator/fire limitation. in african savannas, suppression and killing of adult trees by large mammals like elephants (loxodonta africana blumenbach, 1797) and giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis linnaeus, ...201020039982
blocking of pseudomonas aeruginosa and chromobacterium violaceum lectins by diverse mammalian milks.pseudomonas aeruginosa and chromobacterium violaceum morbid and mortal infections are initiated by bacterial adherence to host-cell receptors via their adhesins, including lectins (which also contribute to bacterial biofilm formation). pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a galactophilic lectin, pa-il (leca), and a fucophilic (lewis-specific) lectin, pa-iil (lecb), and c. violaceum produces a fucophilic (h-specific) lectin, cv-iil. the antibiotic resistance of these bacteria prompted the search for g ...201020105519
the role of african buffalos (syncerus caffer) in the maintenance of foot-and-mouth disease in uganda.to study the role of african buffalos (syncerus caffer) in the maintenance of foot-and-mouth disease in uganda, serum samples were collected from 207 african buffalos, 21 impalas (aepyceros melampus), 1 giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis), 1 common eland (taurotragus oryx), 7 hartebeests (alcelaphus buselaphus) and 5 waterbucks (kobus ellipsiprymnus) from four major national parks in uganda between 2005 and 2008. serum samples were screened to detect antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease virus ...201021143994
the pleural curtain of the camel (camelus dromedarius).the visceral pleura of the camel (camelus dromedarius) possesses a fibrous curtain of pleural threads or extensions along its basal margins, which extends into the pleural cavity of the costophrenic recesses. these threads are lined by mesothelium and have a core or stroma, which is largely collagenous. small threads are avascular and nearly acellular. in larger proximal threads, blood vessels in the stroma are often arranged in a branching network, with irregular endothelia surrounded by severa ...201020652936
comparisons of salmonella conjugation and virulence gene hyperexpression mediated by rumen protozoa from domestic and exotic ruminants.recent studies have identified a phenomenon in which ciliated protozoa engulf salmonella and the intra-protozoal environment hyperactivates virulence gene expression and provides a venue for conjugal transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids. the former observation is relegated to salmonella bearing the sgi1 multiresistance integron while the latter phenomenon appears to be a more generalized event for recipient salmonella. our previous studies have assessed virulence gene hyperexpression only ...201121481550
species characterization in the genus pestivirus according to palindromic nucleotide substitutions in the 5'-untranslated region.the palindromic nucleotide substitutions (pns) at the three variable loci (v1, v2 and v3) in the 5'-untranslated region (utr) of the pestivirus genome have been considered for taxonomical segregation of the species, through the evaluation of 534 strains. on the basis of qualitative and quantitative secondary structure characteristics, species have been identified within the genus, determining genetic distances between species isolates, clarifying borderline and multirelated sequences, and charac ...201121514324
minimizing predation risk in a landscape of multiple predators: effects on the spatial distribution of african ungulates.studies that focus on single predator-prey interactions can be inadequate for understanding antipredator responses in multi-predator systems. yet there is still a general lack of information about the strategies of prey to minimize predation risk from multiple predators at the landscape level. here we examined the distribution of seven african ungulate species in the fenced karongwe game reserve (kgr), south africa, as a function of predation risk from all large carnivore species (lion, leopard, ...201121618919
teasing apart tangrams: testing hippocampal pattern separation with a collaborative referencing paradigm.the hippocampus and the medial temporal lobe cortex [medial temporal lobe cortices (mtlc)] both contribute to long-term memory. although their contributions are thought to be dissociable, the nature of the representations that each region supports remains unclear. the complementary learning systems (cls) modeling approach suggests that hippocampus represents overlapping information in a sparser and therefore more separated fashion than mtlc. we tested this prediction using a collaborative refere ...201121830250
Common functional correlates of head-strike behavior in the pachycephalosaur Stegoceras validum (Ornithischia, Dinosauria) and combative artiodactyls.Pachycephalosaurs were bipedal herbivorous dinosaurs with bony domes on their heads, suggestive of head-butting as seen in bighorn sheep and musk oxen. Previous biomechanical studies indicate potential for pachycephalosaur head-butting, but bone histology appears to contradict the behavior in young and old individuals. Comparing pachycephalosaurs with fighting artiodactyls tests for common correlates of head-butting in their cranial structure and mechanics.201121738658
a long life among ruminants: giraffids and other special cases.in order to investigate differences in the relative maximum longevity and other life history parameter between ruminant species, we collated data on mean body mass, maximum longevity, gestation period and newborn mass in wild ruminant and camelid species. among ruminants, giraffids (giraffe giraffa camelopardalis and okapi okapia johnstoni) have particularly high longevities, long gestation periods, and low intrauterine growth rates. a particularly high absolute and relative longevity is also ac ...201122045457
survey of brucellosis at the wildlife-livestock interface on the zimbabwean side of the great limpopo transfrontier conservation area.a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis in communal cattle and wildlife at a wildlife-livestock interface in the southeast lowveld of zimbabwe, part of the great limpopo transfrontier conservation area. rbt and c-elisa were used in serial for detection of antibodies against brucella spp. between july 2007 and october 2009, a total of 1,158 cattle were tested and the overall seroprevalence of brucellosis was 9.9%. a total of 97 wild animals (afr ...201121643664
lung volumes in giraffes, giraffa camelopardalis.we have measured lung mass and trachea dimensions in 46 giraffes of both genders ranging in body mass from 147 kg to 1441 kg, calculated static and dynamic lung volumes, and developed allometric equations that relate changes in them to growth. we found that relative lung mass is 0.6±0.2% of body mass which is significantly less than it is in other mammals (1.1±0.1%). total lung volume is significantly smaller (46.2±5.9 ml kg⁻¹) than in similar sized mammals (75.0±2.1 ml kg⁻¹). the lung volume:bo ...201120837156
surgical resolution of an avulsion fracture of the peroneus tertius origin in a giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis reticulata).a 4-mo-old, 185-kg male giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) was presented due to stifle effusion and lameness of 3-wk duration. radiographs revealed a fracture of the extensor fossa of the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur at the origin of the peroneus tertius. under anesthesia, dysfunction of the reciprocal apparatus was documented by flexing the stifle while the tarsus remained extended. an avulsion fracture of the origin of the peroneus tertius and extensor digitorum longus muscle ...201122946420
a comparative assessment of the size of the frontal air sinus in the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis).the current study examines the frontal air sinus of the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) cranium with the aim of evaluating previously offered hypotheses as to why they have such an atypically voluminous frontal sinus relative to other artiodactyls. to date, no quantification of the frontal sinus in the adult or developing giraffe has been undertaken or compared to other artiodactyl species. crania from eight species of adult artiodactyls, and giraffes varying in age from newborn to adult, were ...201121542141
The opportunistic Sarcoptes scabiei: A new episode from giraffe in the drought-suffering Kenya.The ubiquitous Sarcoptes mite is unexplainable emerging and re-emerging parasite, threatening biodiversity and human health. When a new outbreak occurs, it is not clear if it is a genuine emergence resulting from a new incidence or apparent emergence resulting from increased detection. In this paper we report, for the first time to our knowledge, an outbreak of sarcoptic mange in giraffes in the wild. Three decaying carcasses and five free-ranging subadult reticulated giraffes were observed to h ...201122137348
detection and characterisation of papillomavirus in skin lesions of giraffe and sable antelope in south africa.papillomavirus was detected electron microscopically in cutaneous fibropapillomas of a giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) and a sable antelope (hippotragus niger). the virus particles measured 45 nm in diameter. histopathologically, the lesions showed histopathological features similar to those of equine sarcoid as well as positive immunoperoxidase-staining of tissue sections for papillomavirus antigen. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) detected bovine papillomavirus (bpv) dna. bovine papillomavirus ...201122135920
tracking the feeding patterns of tsetse flies (glossina genus) by analysis of bloodmeals using mitochondrial cytochromes genes.tsetse flies are notoriously difficult to observe in nature, particularly when populations densities are low. it is therefore difficult to observe them on their hosts in nature; hence their vertebrate species can very often only be determined indirectly by analysis of their gut contents. this knowledge is a critical component of the information on which control tactics can be developed. the objective of this study was to determine the sources of tsetse bloodmeals, hence investigate their feeding ...201121386971
pathology and immunohistochemistry of papillomavirus-associated cutaneous lesions in cape mountain zebra, giraffe, sable antelope and african buffalo in south africa.skin lesions associated with papillomaviruses have been reported in many animal species and man. bovine papillomavirus (bvp) affects mainly the epidermis, but also the dermis in several species including bovine, the best-known example being equine sarcoid, which is associated with bvp types 1 and 2. this publication describes and illustrates the macroscopic and histological appearance of bpv-associated papillomatous, fibropapillomatous or sarcoid-like lesions in cape mountain zebra (equus zebra ...201122135923
insights into biomedicine from animal adaptations.evolution represents a natural experimental process for testing animal design features. driven by environmental pressures, animals have evolved adaptations which can give valuable insights into human biomedical conditions. the giraffe by virtue of its extremely long neck has a mean arterial pressure much higher than other mammals. however, the giraffe does not develop vascular damage or heart failure despite its high mean arterial pressure. the giraffe's cardiovascular physiology challenges a nu ...201123733697
experimental infection of giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) with sat-1 and sat-2 foot-and-mouth disease virus.the potential role of giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) in the epidemiology and spread of foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) sat types was investigated by experimental infection and detection of virus in excretions using virus isolation on primary pig kidney cell cultures. in two experiments separated by a period of 24 months, groups of four animals were needle infected with a sat-1 or sat-2 virus, respectively and two in-contact controls were kept with each group. viraemia was detected 3-9 days post-i ...201126353052
are we prepared for emerging and re-emerging diseases? experience and lessons from epidemics that occurred in tanzania during the last five decades.this paper reviews preparedness for containing and controlling emerging and re-emerging diseases drawing lessons from disease events that occurred in animal and human populations in the last five decades (1961-2011). a comprehensive analysis based on retrieval and analysis of grey and published literature as well as reported cases was carried out to document type and trend of occurrence of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in different parts of tanzania. overall, the majority of disea ...201126591993
serum chemistry comparisons between captive and free-ranging giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis).serum chemistry analyses were compared between captive and free-ranging giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis) in an attempt to better understand some of the medical issues seen with captive giraffes. illnesses, including peracute mortality, energy malnutrition, pancreatic disease, urolithiasis, hoof disease, and severe intestinal parasitism, may be related to zoo nutrition and management issues. serum samples were collected from 20 captive giraffes at 10 united states institutions. thirteen of the c ...201122946367
consistency of captive giraffe behavior under two different management regimes.long-term animal behavior studies are sometimes conducted at a single site, leading to questions about whether effects are limited to animals in the same environment. our ability to make general conclusions about behavior is improved when we can identify behaviors that are consistent across a range of environments. to extend veasey and colleagues' ([1996b] anim welf 5:139-153) study, i compared not only activity budgets but also social behavior of an all-female group of giraffe at the maryland z ...201120717898
how long to air sample? practical considerations for short-term air sampling.transportable (e.g., "giraffe") air samplers can be used for both short-term "grab-sampling" situations involving a few minutes to several hours, as well as for long-term retrospective air sampling situations that typically last a week. it is the short-term coverage situation which begs the question: "how long a sampling time is adequate?" the basis for the answer (which depends mainly on the selected volumetric sampling rate and the counter sensitivity, as well as the concentration level to be ...201121709490
spinal cord injury during recovery from anaesthesia in a giraffe. 201121672949
sonographic patterns of benign thyroid nodules: verification at our institution.the objective of our study was to apply the sonographic criteria for the diagnosis of benign thyroid nodules described by bonavita et al. to our patient referral population.201121427342
pressure profile and morphology of the arteries along the giraffe limb.giraffes are the tallest animals on earth and the effects of gravity on their cardiovascular system have puzzled physiologists for centuries. the authors measured arterial and venous pressure in the foreleg of anesthetized giraffes, suspended in upright standing position, and determined the ratio between tunica media and lumen areas along the length of the femoral/tibial arteries in the hindleg. volume fraction of elastin, density of vasa vasorum and innervations was estimated by stereology. imm ...201121207038
intraocular metastasis of testicular natural killer t-cell lymphoma with diffuse retinal pigment epithelium changes.the purpose of this study was to report the first confirmed case of testicular natural killer t-cell lymphoma with bilateral intraocular metastasis.201125389681
hypertensive cardiovascular and renal disease and target organ damage: lessons from animal models.this brief review discusses some aspects of hypertensive damage to the kidneys and cardiovascular system. a comparison of renal and cardiac manifestations of hypertensive disease between results of clinical and experimental studies was made, with a major focus on the possible role of salt and the renin-angiotensin system (ras) in inducing target organ damage. thus, some degree of renal impairment is often present in patients with essential hypertension, varying from microalbuminuria to end-stage ...201122258536
from humans to giraffes: the evolution of hypertension and hormones. 201122145129
growth and development of the ovary and small follicle pool from mid fetal life to pre-puberty in the african elephant (loxodonta africana).follicle numbers and developing ovarian morphology, particularly with reference to the presence of interstitial tissue, are intimately linked within the ovary of the african elephant during the period spanning mid-gestation to puberty. these have not been previously quantified in any studies. the collection of 7 sets of elephant fetal ovaries between 11.2 and 20.2 months of gestation, and 29 pairs of prepubertal calf ovaries between 2 months and 9 years of age during routine management off-takes ...201222824067
understanding selection for long necks in different taxa.there has been recent discussion about the evolutionary pressures underlying the long necks of extant giraffes and extinct sauropod dinosaurs. here we summarise these debates and place them in a wider taxonomic context. we consider the evolution of long necks across a wide range of (both living and extinct) taxa and ask whether there has been a common selective factor or whether each case has a separate explanation. we conclude that in most cases long necks can be explained in terms of foraging ...201222171805
misconceived causal explanations for emergent processes.studies exploring how students learn and understand science processes such as diffusion and natural selection typically find that students provide misconceived explanations of how the patterns of such processes arise (such as why giraffes' necks get longer over generations, or how ink dropped into water appears to "flow"). instead of explaining the patterns of these processes as emerging from the collective interactions of all the agents (e.g., both the water and the ink molecules), students oft ...201222050726
early primate evolution in afro-arabia.the peculiar mammalian fauna that inhabited afro-arabia during the paleogene first came to the attention of the scientific community in the early part of the twentieth century, when andrews1 and schlosser2 published their landmark descriptions of fossil mammals from the fayum depression in northern egypt. their studies revealed a highly endemic assemblage of land mammals that included the first known paleogene records of hyraxes, proboscideans, and anthropoid primates, but which lacked ancestors ...201223280921
nonprobative photographs (or words) inflate truthiness.when people evaluate claims, they often rely on what comedian stephen colbert calls "truthiness," or subjective feelings of truth. in four experiments, we examined the impact of nonprobative information on truthiness. in experiments 1a and 1b, people saw familiar and unfamiliar celebrity names and, for each, quickly responded "true" or "false" to the (between-subjects) claim "this famous person is alive" or "this famous person is dead." within subjects, some of the names appeared with a photo of ...201222869334
neonatal incubators: a toxic sound environment for the preterm infant?*.high sound pressure levels may be harmful to the maturing newborn. current guidelines suggest that the sound pressure levels within a neonatal intensive care unit should not exceed 45 db(a). it is likely that environmental noise as well as the noise generated by the incubator fan and respiratory equipment may contribute to the total sound pressure levels. knowledge of the contribution of each component and source is important to develop effective strategies to reduce noise within the incubator.201222791088
trypanosome diversity in wildlife species from the serengeti and luangwa valley ecosystems.the importance of wildlife as reservoirs of african trypanosomes pathogenic to man and livestock is well recognised. while new species of trypanosomes and their variants have been identified in tsetse populations, our knowledge of trypanosome species that are circulating in wildlife populations and their genetic diversity is limited.201223094115
behavioural inventory of the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis).numerous factors like continuous habitat reduction or fragmentation for free-ranging giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis) as well as e.g. suboptimal housing conditions for animals in captivity might lead to behavioural alterations as part of the overall adaptation process to the changing living conditions. in order to facilitate current and future studies on giraffe behaviour, a comprehensive ethogram was compiled based on existing literature, as well as observations on giraffes in the wild (hwange ...201223173954
subependymal glioneuronal hamartoma in the mesencephalic aqueduct of a giraffe.a 1-day-old male giraffe calf (giraffa camelopardalis) was submitted for necropsy examination after sustaining postnatal head trauma from the cow. in addition to the expected findings of severe cerebral edema and epidural and subarachnoid hemorrhage, there also was present an incidental finding of a subependymal glioneuronal aqueductal hamartoma. reports of this type of congenital lesion are rare in the human literature, and the lesion has not, to the authors' knowledge, previously been reported ...201223082530
comparative molecular cytogenetics in cetartiodactyla.cetartiodactyla comprises artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) and cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises). artiodactyla is a large taxon represented by about 200 living species ranked in 10 families. cetacea are classified into 13 families with almost 80 species. many publications concerning karyotypic relationships in cetartiodactyla have been published in previous decades. formerly, the karyotypes of closely related species were compared by chromosome banding. introduction of molecular cytogen ...201222627059
buffalo, bush meat, and the zoonotic threat of brucellosis in botswana.brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance infecting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. little is known about the epidemiology and persistence of brucellosis in wildlife in southern africa, particularly in botswana.201222412932
construction of chimeric bovine viral diarrhea viruses containing glycoprotein e rns of heterologous pestiviruses and evaluation of the chimeras as potential marker vaccines against bvdv.bovine viral diarrhea virus (bvdv) infections are enzootic in the cattle population and continue to cause significant economic losses to the beef and dairy industries worldwide. extent of the damages has stimulated increasing interest in control programs directed at eradicating bvdv infections. use of a bvdv marker vaccine would facilitate eradication efforts as a negatively marked vaccine would enable differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals (diva). we describe here the construction ...201222521286
[foot-and-mouth disease and its differential diagnoses].foot-and-mouth disease (fmd) is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals, which leads to the formation of vesicles, erosions und ulcerations in the mouth and hairless parts of the skin, in particular on the feet. due to its dramatic economic consequences, fmd is considered to be one of the most important diseases of animals. there is a permanent risk of introduction of the virus into europe due to travel and illegal importation of agricultural products. cloven-hoofed animals (c ...201222911230
volvulus of the ileum in a reticulated giraffe. 20123505974
whole genome sequence analyses of three african bovine rotaviruses reveal that they emerged through multiple reassortment events between rotaviruses from different mammalian species.animal-to-human interspecies transmission is one of the evolutionary mechanisms driving rotavirus strain diversity in humans. although quite a few studies emanating from africa revealed evidence of bovine-to-human rotavirus interspecies transmission, whole genome data of african bovine rotavirus strains are not yet available. to gain insight into the complete genome constellation of african bovine rotaviruses, the full genomes of three bovine rotavirus strains were extracted from stool samples c ...201222541163
complete genome sequence of equine herpesvirus type 9.equine herpesvirus type 9 (ehv-9), which we isolated from a case of epizootic encephalitis in a herd of thomson's gazelles (gazella thomsoni) in 1993, has been known to cause fatal encephalitis in thomson's gazelle, giraffe, and polar bear in natural infections. our previous report indicated that ehv-9 was similar to the equine pathogen equine herpesvirus type 1 (ehv-1), which mainly causes abortion, respiratory infection, and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy. we determined the genome sequ ...201223166237
organization and number of orexinergic neurons in the hypothalamus of two species of cetartiodactyla: a comparison of giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) and harbour porpoise (phocoena phocoena).the present study describes the organization of the orexinergic (hypocretinergic) neurons in the hypothalamus of the giraffe and harbour porpoise--two members of the mammalian order cetartiodactyla which is comprised of the even-toed ungulates and the cetaceans as they share a monophyletic ancestry. diencephalons from two sub-adult male giraffes and two adult male harbour porpoises were coronally sectioned and immunohistochemically stained for orexin-a. the staining revealed that the orexinergic ...201222683547
influence of diet transition on serum calcium and phosphorus and fatty acids in zoo giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis).in response to new recommendations for feeding giraffe in zoos, giraffe (n = 6) were transitioned from a typical hoofstock diet to diets containing reduced starch, protein, ca and p and added n3 fatty acids. this diet was fed as a 50:50 mix with alfalfa and grass hay. over the next 4 years, serum ca, p, and fatty acids were measured every 6 months (summer and winter). serum ca was not affected by season (p = 0.67) or by diet (p = 0.12). serum p was not affected season (p = 0.14), but was reduced ...201320954252
androgen changes and flexible rutting behaviour in male giraffes.the social organization of giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis) imposes a high-cost reproductive strategy on bulls, which adopt a 'roving male' tactic. our observations on wild giraffes confirm that bulls indeed have unsynchronized rut-like periods, not unlike another tropical megaherbivore, the elephant, but on a much shorter timescale. we found profound changes in male sexual and social activities at the scale of about two weeks. this so far undescribed rutting behaviour is closely correlated wit ...201323925833
genotypic variations in field isolates of theileria species infecting giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi and giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) in kenya.recently, mortalities among giraffes, attributed to infection with unique species of piroplasms were reported in south africa. although haemoparasites are known to occur in giraffes of kenya, the prevalence, genetic diversity and pathogenicity of these parasites have not been investigated. in this study, blood samples from 13 giraffes in kenya were investigated microscopically and genomic dna extracted. pcr amplicons of the hyper-variable region 4 (v4) of theileria spp. small subunit ribosomal r ...201323792245
morphology of the lingual papillae in the giraffe.we examined the dorsal lingual surfaces of an adult giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) by scanning electron microscopy. the filiform papillae on the lingual apex consisted of slender and thick conical papillae. the connective tissue core of the filiform papilla was flower-bud-like in shape. the filiform papillae on the lingual body consisted of large conical papillae and the fungiform papillae were round in shape. the connective tissue core of the fungiform papilla was rose-like in shape. the fili ...201323614981
scene from above: retinal ganglion cell topography and spatial resolving power in the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis).the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) is a browser that uses its extensible tongue to selectively collect leaves during foraging. as the tallest extant terrestrial mammal, its elevated head height provides panoramic surveillance of the environment. these aspects of the giraffe's ecology and phenotype suggest that vision is of prime importance. using nissl-stained retinal wholemounts and stereological methods, we quantitatively assessed the retinal specializations in the ganglion cell layer of the ...201323595815
successful management of acute-onset torticollis in a giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis reticulata).a 2-yr-old male reticulated giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) presented with severe midcervical segmental torticollis upon arrival as an incoming shipment. despite initial medical management, the giraffe developed marked neck sensitivity, focal muscle spasms, and decreased cervical range of motion. using operant conditioning to assist patient positioning and tolerance to cervical manipulation, a series of manually applied chiropractic treatments were applied to the affected cervical ve ...201323505724
a new species of rhipicephalus (acari: ixodidae), a parasite of giraffes in kenya.a new tick species belonging to the genus rhipicephalus koch, 1844 (acari: ixodidae), namely, rhipicephalus walkerae n. sp., is described. the male and female of this species are similar to those of several species in the rhipicephalus appendiculatus group but can be distinguished from them by the very dense pattern of medium-sized punctations covering the conscutum and scutum, long and narrow dorsal prolongation of the spiracular plate, and relatively short dorsal cornua; in addition, the male ...201323926765
numerical taxonomy of the genus pestivirus: new software for genotyping based on the palindromic nucleotide substitutions method.the genus pestivirus from the family flaviviridae is represented by four established species; bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 (bvdv-1); bovine viral diarrhea virus 2 (bvdv-2); border disease virus (bdv); and classical swine fever virus (csfv); as well a tentative species from a giraffe. the palindromic nucleotide substitutions (pns) in the 5' untranslated region (utr) of pestivirus rna has been described as a new, simple and practical method for genotyping. new software is described, also named pn ...201323684846
ovarian and placental morphology and endocrine functions in the pregnant giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis).gross, histological and immunocytochemical examinations carried out on maternal and fetal reproductive tissues from two pregnant giraffes at an estimated 8 and 13.5 months of gestation (term=15 months) revealed a typically ruminant macrocotyledonary placenta with binucleate trophoblast cells scattered sparsely in the placentome where they stained intensely with a prolactin antiserum. binucleate cells were present in greater numbers in the intercotyledonary allantochorion where they did not stain ...201323550169
molecular cytogenetic insights to the phylogenetic affinities of the giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) and pronghorn (antilocapra americana).five families are traditionally recognized within higher ruminants (pecora): bovidae, moschidae, cervidae, giraffidae and antilocapridae. the phylogenetic relationships of antilocapridae and giraffidae within pecora are, however, uncertain. while numerous fusions (mostly robertsonian) have accumulated in the giraffe's karyotype (giraffa camelopardalis, giraffidae, 2n = 30), that of the pronghorn (antilocapra americana, antilocapridae, 2n = 58) is very similar to the hypothesised pecoran ancestra ...201323896647
effects of wildlife and cattle on tick abundance in central kenya.in african savannas, large mammals, both wild and domestic, support an abundant and diverse population of tick ectoparasites. because of the density of ticks and the many pathogens that they vector, cattle in east africa are often treated with acaricides. while acaricides are known to be effective at reducing tick burdens on cattle, their effects on the overall abundance and community composition of ticks in savanna ecosystems are less well understood. it is also not known how well tick populati ...201324147412
impact of two types of complete pelleted, wild ungulate feeds and two pelleted feed to hay ratios on the development of urolithogenic compounds in meat goats as a model for giraffes.urolith formation has been documented in giraffes and goats. as research in giraffes poses logistical challenges, 16 buck goats were used as a model. the impact of two commercially available, pelleted feeds used for giraffes, adf-16 and wild herbivore (wh), as well as the impact of alfalfa hay and pellet proportions (20% hay:80% pellets, 80p or 80% hay:20% pellet, 20p) on the formation of urolithogenic precursors in goat urine was accomplished in a 2 × 2 factorial balance study. complete diets c ...201322497558
co-infection with anaplasma platys, bartonella henselae and candidatus mycoplasma haematoparvum in a veterinarian.during a two year period, a 27-year-old female veterinarian experienced migraine headaches, seizures, including status epilepticus, and other neurological and neurocognitive abnormalities. prior to and during her illness, she had been actively involved in hospital-based work treating domestic animals, primarily cats and dogs, in grenada and ireland and anatomical research requiring the dissection of wild animals (including lions, giraffe, rabbits, mongoose, and other animals), mostly in south af ...201323587235
where is the game? wild meat products authentication in south africa: a case study.wild animals' meat is extensively consumed in south africa, being obtained either from ranching, farming or hunting. to test the authenticity of the commercial labels of meat products in the local market, we obtained dna sequence information from 146 samples (14 beef and 132 game labels) for barcoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit i and partial cytochrome b and mitochondrial fragments. the reliability of species assignments were evaluated using blast searches in genbank, maximum likelihood phylog ...201323452350
exaggerated trait allometry, compensation and trade-offs in the new zealand giraffe weevil (lasiorhynchus barbicornis).sexual selection has driven the evolution of exaggerated traits among diverse animal taxa. the production of exaggerated traits can come at a cost to other traits through trade-offs when resources allocated to trait development are limited. alternatively some traits can be selected for in parallel to support or compensate for the cost of bearing the exaggerated trait. male giraffe weevils (lasiorhynchus barbicornis) display an extremely elongated rostrum used as a weapon during contests for mate ...201324312425
a selective deficit in imageable concepts: a window to the organization of the conceptual system.nissim, a 64 years old hebrew-speaking man who sustained an ischemic infarct in the left occipital lobe, exhibited an intriguing pattern. he could hold a deep and fluent conversation about abstract and complex issues, such as the social risks in unemployment, but failed to retrieve imageable words such as ball, spoon, carrot, or giraffe. a detailed study of the words he could and could not retrieve, in tasks of picture naming, tactile naming, and naming to definition, indicated that whereas he w ...201323785321
why sauropods had long necks; and why giraffes have short necks.the necks of the sauropod dinosaurs reached 15 m in length: six times longer than that of the world record giraffe and five times longer than those of all other terrestrial animals. several anatomical features enabled this extreme elongation, including: absolutely large body size and quadrupedal stance providing a stable platform for a long neck; a small, light head that did not orally process food; cervical vertebrae that were both numerous and individually elongate; an efficient air-sac-based ...201323638372
sensorimotor responsiveness and resolution in the giraffe.the ability of an animal to detect and respond to changes in the environment is crucial to its survival. however, two elements of sensorimotor control - the time required to respond to a stimulus (responsiveness) and the precision of stimulus detection and response production (resolution) - are inherently limited by a competition for space in peripheral nerves and muscles. these limitations only become more acute as animal size increases. in this paper, we investigated whether the physiology of ...201323447665
multi-scale clustering by building a robust and self correcting ultrametric topology on data points.the advent of high-throughput technologies and the concurrent advances in information sciences have led to an explosion in size and complexity of the data sets collected in biological sciences. the biggest challenge today is to assimilate this wealth of information into a conceptual framework that will help us decipher biological functions. a large and complex collection of data, usually called a data cloud, naturally embeds multi-scale characteristics and features, generically termed geometry. ...201323424653
left ventricular morphology of the giraffe heart examined by stereological methods.the giraffe heart has a relative mass similar to other mammals, but generates twice the blood pressure to overcome the gravitational challenge of perfusing the cerebral circulation. to provide insight as to how the giraffe left ventricle (lv) is structurally adapted to tackle such a high afterload, we performed a quantitative structural study of the lv myocardium in young and adult giraffe hearts. tissue samples were collected from young and adult giraffe lv. design-based stereology was used to ...201323420662
the effect of intervertebral cartilage on neutral posture and range of motion in the necks of sauropod dinosaurs.the necks of sauropod dinosaurs were a key factor in their evolution. the habitual posture and range of motion of these necks has been controversial, and computer-aided studies have argued for an obligatory sub-horizontal pose. however, such studies are compromised by their failure to take into account the important role of intervertebral cartilage. this cartilage takes very different forms in different animals. mammals and crocodilians have intervertebral discs, while birds have synovial joints ...201324205163
regional differences in seasonal timing of rainfall discriminate between genetically distinct east african giraffe taxa.masai (giraffa tippelskirchi), reticulated (g. reticulata) and rothschild's (g. camelopardalis) giraffe lineages in east africa are morphologically and genetically distinct, yet in kenya their ranges abut. this raises the question of how divergence is maintained among populations of a large mammal capable of long-distance travel, and which readily hybridize in zoos. here we test four hypotheses concerning the maintenance of the phylogeographic boundaries among the three taxa: 1) isolation-by-dis ...201324194870
protection against high intravascular pressure in giraffe legs.the high blood pressure in giraffe leg arteries renders giraffes vulnerable to edema. we investigated in 11 giraffes whether large and small arteries in the legs and the tight fascia protect leg capillaries. ultrasound imaging of foreleg arteries in anesthetized giraffes and ex vivo examination revealed abrupt thickening of the arterial wall and a reduction of its internal diameter just below the elbow. at and distal to this narrowing, the artery constricted spontaneously and in response to nore ...201324005251
piecewise disassembly of a large-herbivore community across a rainfall gradient: the uhuru experiment.large mammalian herbivores (lmh) strongly influence plant communities, and these effects can propagate indirectly throughout food webs. most existing large-scale manipulations of lmh presence/absence consist of a single exclusion treatment, and few are replicated across environmental gradients. thus, important questions remain about the functional roles of different lmh, and how these roles depend on abiotic context. in september 2008, we constructed a series of 1-ha herbivore-exclusion plots ac ...201323405122
enough is enough: the effects of symbiotic ant abundance on herbivory, growth, and reproduction in an african acacia.understanding how cooperative interactions evolve and persist remains a central challenge in biology. many mutualisms are thought to be maintained by "partner fidelity feedback," in which each partner bases their investment on the benefits they receive. yet, we know little about how benefits change as mutualists vary their investment, which is critical to understanding the balance between mutualism and antagonism in any given partnership. using an obligate ant-plant mutualism, we manipulated the ...201323687894
seasonal diet and prey preference of the african lion in a waterhole-driven semi-arid savanna.large carnivores inhabiting ecosystems with heterogeneously distributed environmental resources with strong seasonal variations frequently employ opportunistic foraging strategies, often typified by seasonal switches in diet. in semi-arid ecosystems, herbivore distribution is generally more homogeneous in the wet season, when surface water is abundant, than in the dry season when only permanent sources remain. here, we investigate the seasonal contribution of the different herbivore species, pre ...201323405121
biomechanics of the giraffe larynx and trachea.despite possession of a well developed larynx and a gregarious nature, the giraffe is able to utter only low moans or bleats. morphological and histological examination, together with measurements of trachea and subglottic area, on three fresh larynges (giraffa camelopardalis) has made it possible to explain the lack of vocal power. factors such as thoracic expiratory flow rate, length of trachea and recurrent laryngeal nerves, together with morphological details of vocal folds, and intrinsic la ...20137395497
influence of aesthetic appreciation of wildlife species on attitudes towards their conservation in kenyan agropastoralist communities.the influence of human aesthetic appreciation of animal species on public attitudes towards their conservation and related decision-making has been studied in industrialized countries but remains underexplored in developing countries. working in three agropastoralist communities around amboseli national park, southern kenya, we investigated the relative strength of human aesthetic appreciation on local attitudes towards the conservation of wildlife species. using semi-structured interviewing and ...201424551176
morphogenesis of pestiviruses: new insights from ultrastructural studies of strain giraffe-1.knowledge on the morphogenesis of pestiviruses is limited due to low virus production in infected cells. in order to localize virion morphogenesis and replication sites of pestiviruses and to examine intracellular virion transport, a cell culture model was established to facilitate ultrastructural studies. based on results of virus growth kinetic analysis and quantification of viral rna, pestivirus strain giraffe-1 turned out to be a suitable candidate for studies on virion generation and export ...201424352462
sperm preservation by freeze-drying for the conservation of wild animals.sperm preservation is a useful technique for the maintenance of biological resources in experimental and domestic animals, and in wild animals. a new preservation method has been developed that enables sperm to be stored for a long time in a refrigerator at 4 °c. sperm are freeze-dried in a solution containing 10 mm tris and 1 mm edta. using this method, liquid nitrogen is not required for the storage and transportation of sperm. we demonstrate that chimpanzee, giraffe, jaguar, weasel and the lo ...201425409172
comparative neuronal morphology of the cerebellar cortex in afrotherians, carnivores, cetartiodactyls, and primates.although the basic morphological characteristics of neurons in the cerebellar cortex have been documented in several species, virtually nothing is known about the quantitative morphological characteristics of these neurons across different taxa. to that end, the present study investigated cerebellar neuronal morphology among eight different, large-brained mammalian species comprising a broad phylogenetic range: afrotherians (african elephant, florida manatee), carnivores (siberian tiger, clouded ...201424795574
mixed-host aggregations and helminth parasite sharing in an east african wildlife-livestock system.parasitic infections transmitted between livestock and wildlife pose a significant risk to wildlife conservation efforts and constrain livestock productivity in tropical regions of the world. gastrointestinal helminths are among the most ubiquitous parasites, and many parasites within this taxon can readily infect a wide range of host species. factors shaping bidirectional transmission of parasites in wildlife-livestock systems are understudied. in this study, we investigate the prevalence and d ...201425086496
weapon allometry varies with latitude in the new zealand giraffe weevil.animal body size commonly shows a relationship with latitude to the degree that this phenomenon is one of the few 'rules' discussed in evolutionary ecology: bergmann's rule. although exaggerated secondary sexual traits frequently exhibit interesting relationships with body size (allometries) and are expected to evolve rapidly in response to environmental variation, the way in which allometry might interact with latitude has not been addressed. we present data showing latitudinal variation in bod ...201425303121
all giraffes have female-specific properties: influence of grammatical gender on deductive reasoning about sex-specific properties in german speakers.grammatical gender is independent of biological sex for the majority of animal names (e.g., any giraffe, be it male or female, is grammatically treated as feminine). however, there is apparent semantic motivation for grammatical gender classes, especially in mapping human terms to gender. this research investigated whether this motivation affects deductive inference in native german speakers. we compared german with japanese speakers (a language without grammatical gender) when making inferences ...201423957504
testing the embodied account of object naming: a concurrent motor task affects naming artifacts and animals.embodied theories of object representation propose that the same neural networks are involved in encoding and retrieving object knowledge. in the present study, we investigated whether motor programs play a causal role in the retrieval of object names. participants performed an object-naming task while squeezing a sponge with either their right or left hand. the objects were artifacts (e.g. hammer) or animals (e.g. giraffe) and were presented in an orientation that favored a grasp or not. we hyp ...201424291119
stroop-like interference in the real animal size test and the pictorial animal size test in 5- to 12-year-old children and young adults.this study examined prepotent response inhibition among 653 5- to 12-year-old children and young adults divided into five age groups: forty-six 5- to 6-year-olds, one hundred fifty-eight 7- to 8-year-olds, one hundred ninety-six 9- to 10-year-olds, one hundred eighty-three 11- to 12-year-olds, and 70 young adults (19- to 22-year-olds). two paper-and-pencil versions of stroop-like tasks were administered: the real animal size test and the pictorial animal size test. in these tests, participants a ...201424716870
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