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Human–Wildlife Interactions

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In The News, Jason Matthews, Joe N. Caudell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

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Impact Of Sagebrush Nutrients And Monoterpenes On Greater Sage-Grouse Vital Rates, Brian R. Wing, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) depend on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) to complete its annual life cycle. The winter diet for sage-grouse consists almost entirely of sagebrush leaves, and individual birds may gain weight while foraging on sagebrush. Previous studies have reported higher crude protein and lower monoterpene concentrations in the sagebrush species selected as winter forage by sagegrouse. However, no studies have attempted to link female sage-grouse vital rates (i.e., nest initiation and success, egg fertility, clutch size, and adult survival) to crude protein or monoterpene concentrations of sagebrush plants browsed during pre-nesting periods. From March …

Declining Populations Of Greater Sage-Grouse: Where And Why, Michael R. Conover, Anthony J. Roberts

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Scientists have been predicting the extinction of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) since 1916, and sage-grouse populations have declined relentlessly during the last century despite attempts to reverse the decline. In this review paper, we examined the scientific literature to evaluate hypotheses about why sage-grouse populations have declined. There is little support for the hypotheses that the decline is due to overhunting, parasites, food shortages, or collisions with power lines or fences. West Nile Virus (WNV) reduced sagegrouse up to 25% when the virus first reached the West during 2002, but sage-grouse have developed resistance to the virus since …

Economic Utility For The Anthropogenic Spread Of Wild Hogs, Joe N. Caudell, Emily Dowell, Katelyn Welch

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild hogs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive, exotic species that has spread through much of the United States through anthropogenic means. Many states have laws and regulations with the intent of preventing the illegal importation, introduction, and establishment of wild swine populations. However, in many cases, these laws have been ineffectual at stopping the anthropogenic spread of wild swine. To assess the risk for moving wild hogs, we examined various wild hog-related laws throughout the United States and assessed the potential reward for their illegal movement of releasing hogs for hunting purposes. We found that fines ranged from …

Grizzly Bear Space Use, Survival, And Persistence In Relation To Human Habitation And Access, Bogdan Cristescu, Gordon B. Stenhouse, Bernie Goski, Mark S. Boyce

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Previous studies showed that the likelihood of a bear becoming a nuisance and thus being removed from a population (i.e., relocated or killed) depends on numerous factors such as natural food supply, sex, age, and reproductive status. Distances from a bear’s home range and activity centers to conflict zones such as towns, roads, and trails used by humans also affect the incidence of nuisance behavior and have been documented for grizzly/brown bears (Ursus arctos) in North America and Europe. But those studies did not quantify the relative influences by various factors on distance from conflict zones, or the …

The Challenge Of Analyzing The Results Of Next-Generation Sequencing In Children., Isabelle Thiffault, John Lantos

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

In recent years, next-generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized approaches to genetic studies. Whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing allows diagnoses in many patients who have complex phenotypes and unusual clinical presentations. As genomic and exomic testing expands in both the research and clinical settings, pediatricians will need to understand the technology of next-generation sequencing and the complexity of interpreting genomic variants relevant to patient phenotypic features. This article briefly explains the technology by which genomes are sequenced and discusses some of the complexity related to interpreting genomic variants. We conclude with some thoughts on the clinical applications of such testing.

In Silico Genome-Wide Identification And Analysis Of Microsatellite Repeats In The Largest Rna Virus Family (Closteroviridae), Biju George, Binu George, Mayur Awasthi, Ram Nageena Singh

Turkish Journal of Biology

Microsatellites are known to exhibit ubiquitous presence across all kingdoms of life, including viruses. Members of the family Closteroviridae are the largest RNA viruses and severely affect different agricultural crops worldwide, including1397645907citrus, grapevine, and vegetables. Here we identified and systematically analyzed the nature and distribution of both simple and complex microsatellites present in the complete genome of 36 species belonging to Closteroviridae. Our results showed, in all analyzed genomes, that neither genome size nor GC content had any influence on number, relative abundance, or relative density of microsatellites. For each genome, dinucleotide repeats were found to be highly predominant and …

Comparative And Phylogenetic Analysis Of Zinc Transporter Genes/Proteins In Plants, Recep Vatansever, İbrahi̇m İlker Özyi̇ği̇t, Ertuğrul Fi̇li̇z

Turkish Journal of Biology

Zinc is an important catalytic element for more than 300 enzymes and plays a structural role in the stabilization of many proteins. Protein domain analysis showed that identified Zn transporter proteins belong to the ZIP protein family (PF02535). Zn transporter sequences were found to have similar molecular weights (33.1-51.4 kDa) and amino acid lengths (306-478 amino acids) with 5.31-8.92 pI values. Subcellular localization of Zn transporters was predicted as the plasma membrane. They had 6-9 putative transmembrane domains with a variable region between TM-3 and TM-4, which could contain a potential histidine-rich metal-binding domain. Moreover, alignment analysis showed that the …

Long-Term Drainage Reduces Co2 Uptake And Increases Co2 Emission On A Siberian Floodplain Due To Shifts In Vegetation Community And Soil Thermal Characteristics, Min Jung Kwon, Martin Heimann, Olaf Kolle, Kristina Luus, Edward A. G. Schuur, Nikita Zimov, Sergey A. Zimov, Mathias Göckede

Articles

Abstract. With increasing air temperatures and changing precipitation patterns forecast for the Arctic over the coming decades, the thawing of ice-rich permafrost is expected to increasingly alter hydrological conditions by creating mosaics of wetter and drier areas. The objective of this study is to investigate how 10 years of lowered water table depths of wet floodplain ecosystems would affect CO2 fluxes measured using a closed chamber system, focusing on the role of long-term changes in soil thermal characteristics and vegetation community structure. Drainage diminishes the heat capacity and thermal conductivity of organic soil, leading to warmer soil temperatures in shallow …

Views Of Fathers In Ireland On The Experience And Challenges Of Having A Breast-Feeding Partner, Annemarie Bennett, Daniel Mccartney, John Kearney

Articles

Objective this study investigated the relationship between fathers and breast feeding in Ireland.

Design and method a cross-sectional semi-quantitative questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions was posted to 1398 men with an Irish partner who had given birth 4–7 months previously. Fathers who specified that their partner breast fed their last or only child were questioned about their: influence on the breast feeding decision; ability to assist with breast feeding challenges; preferred type of information on breast feeding; perceived advantages and disadvantages to breast feeding; and views on breastfeeding in public. Data from closed-ended questions on breast feeding were presented …

Insights Into The Molecular Antiviral Mechanism Of Pokeweed Protein From Phytolacca Americana, Valentina R. Aitbakieva, Artem V. Domashevskiy

Publications and Research

Agriculture is an indispensable part of every person’s life, ensuring that nutritious and inexpensive food is readily available. As any other organisms, plants are subject to numerous parasitic infections. Biological evolution has allowed plants to produce a variety of toxic compounds to deal with their pathogens. American pokeweed plant (Phytolacca americana) manufactures pokeweed antiviral protein, a ribosome inactivating protein that disrupts protein synthesis and lowers infectivity of many plant and animal viruses. The intricate mechanism of PAP antiviral activity entails a delicate coordination and interplay of several factors, allowing the plant to battle its invaders. Here, we examine the molecular …

Effect Of Mobile Phone Text Messages Reminders On Uptake Of Routine Immunization Among Children In Pakistan- Study Protocol For A Randomized Clinical Trial, Abdul Momin Kazi, Murtaza Ali, Khurram Zubair, Hussain Kalimuddin, Syed Asad Ali

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: Routine Immunization (RI) is considered one of the best public health interventions to decrease child morbidity and mortality. The RI coverage in Pakistan is still well below the desired level, leading to continued polio transmission, large measles outbreaks and thousands of deaths from vaccine-preventable illnesses. Different innovative and cost effective strategies are required to look into for enhancement in vaccination uptake and coverage. We plan to test the effectiveness of reminders to parents/caregivers on cell phones through short messaging system (SMS) in improving vaccine uptake and on-time routine immunization for children in Pakistan.
Methods and Analysis: A parallel-randomized controlled …

Collegiate Coaches’ Knowledge Of The Female Athlete Triad In Relation To Their Characteristics, Jillian E. Frideres, Sue G. Mottinger, Jose M. Palao

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine what coaches of female athletes know about the female athlete triad. The sample involved 472 NCAA Division I coaches of female athletes. The variables studied were coaches’ knowledge and confidence about the triad and coaches’ characteristics (coach’s gender, age, type of coach, degree held, years of experience in coaching females, continuing education participation specific to the triad and/or triad components, and sport coached). Coaches’ knowledge of the female athlete triad is higher for coaches who have received triad education. No differences regarding knowledge of the female athlete triad were found by gender, …

Effects Of Water Regimes On Inulin Content And Inulin Yield Of Jerusalem Artichoke Genotypes With Different Levels Of Drought Tolerance, Cholada Aduldecha, Wanwipa Kaewpradit, Nimitr Vorasoot, Darunee Puangbut, Sanun Jogloy, Aran Patanothai

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Drought is a recurring problem of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) production under rainfed conditions. A better understanding of the responses of Jerusalem artichoke genotypes to drought can lead to the improvement of inulin content and inulin yield in Jerusalem artichoke and its production planning. The objective of this study was to compare the responses of five Jerusalem artichoke genotypes (JA60, JA125, JA5, JA89, and HEL65) to three water regimes (100% available water (AW; field capacity), 50% AW, and 25% AW) for inulin content and inulin yield. The experimental results showed that water regimes and Jerusalem artichoke genotypes were significantly …

Effect Of Different Irradiation Sources And Doses On Haploid Embryoinduction In Altinbas (Cucumis Melo L. Var. Inodorus) Melons, Bariş Dal, Nebahat Sari, İlknur Solmaz

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In vivo induction of parthenogenesis using an irradiated pollen technique provides successful results in melon and accelerates breeding by shortening the time for obtaining 100% homozygous lines. Gamma rays (cobalt-60) are usually used for the pollen irradiation, although it is difficult to find a suitable source for irradiation. Haploid technology is widely used in melon breeding programs, so there is a need to find alternative sources for pollen irradiation. This study was performed to compare the efficiency of different irradiation sources to induce haploid embryos. One dose of cobalt-60 (300 Gy), two different doses (200 Gy and 300 Gy) of …

Genetic Variation Within The Purple Carrot Population Grown In Ereğli District In Turkey, Ahmet İpek, Önder Türkmen, Sali̇ Fi̇dan, Meryem İpek, Harun Karci

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Although the majority of carrots grown in Turkey and around the world are orange, the production of anthocyanin-containing purple carrots has recently increased in Turkey due to the extraction of anthocyanin from these carrots for use as a natural food colorant. Purple carrot production for this purpose is concentrated in Ereğli District in Konya Province, and open-pollinated local purple carrot cultivars or landraces have been used for this production. Genetic variation within the local purple carrot populations in this region is of interest to plant breeders worldwide for the development of new purple carrot cultivars. Therefore, in this study, genetic …

Genetic Analyses Of Turkish Watermelons Based On Srap Markers, Meti̇n Yağcioğlu, Osman Gülşen, İlknur Solmaz, Hali̇t Yeti̇şi̇r, Nebahat Sari

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Genetic studies of watermelons [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] sampled from Turkey, the second leading producer, may provide valuable information for breeding and research programs. The objectives of this study were to estimate the level of genetic diversity, population structure, and optimum genome sampling size among the Turkish and several introduced watermelons. From the collection, 256 watermelon lines representing all watermelon-growing areas of Turkey along with two accessions of a related genus (Praecitrullus fistulosus (Stocks) Pangalo) and a few popular cultivars were genotyped using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Twenty-seven primers generated 210 molecular markers for genetic analyses. The …

Effects Of Predator Satiation On Seed Predation In New Roadside Prairie Plantings, Jessica Riebkes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Restoration efforts in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem are inhibited by high seed cost and as little as 10% emergence of planted, pure live seed. This study examined the portion of loss due to seed predation and sought to reduce this predation in new roadside prairie plantings. Studies document the occurrence of predation in several plant communities and across all plant families, but little is known about how to reduce the impact of seed predators, especially in a restoration setting. On three sites where native prairie seed was recently drilled, we attempted to satiate seed predators by broadcasting a supplemental food …

Fatty Acid Composition, Oxidative Stability, And Antioxidant Properties Of Some Hungarian And Other Persian Walnut Cultivars, Geza Bujdoso, Éva Kónya, Mária Berki, Magdolna Nagy-Gasztonyi, Krisztina Bartha-Szügyi, Balázs Marton, Ferenc Izsépi, Nóra Adányi

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Ten different Persian walnut cultivars were examined for their compositional data, including eight Hungarian and two introduced varieties. Oil content and fatty acid composition were determined, as well as oxidative stability (indicated by induction time). Antioxidative capacity, total polyphenol measurements, and individual phenolic compounds were also determined. Not only dry samples but fresh and stored samples were included in this study. Large differences were found among the varieties within these parameters, for example in oxidative stability, which contributes to antioxidative capacity. In conclusion, the nutritional value of Hungarian walnut cultivars was the same or even higher than those of foreign …

Analysis Of Risk Factors In The Management Of Foot-And-Mouth Disease In Turkey, Berri̇n Şentürk, Cengi̇z Yalçin, Aytaç Akçay

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to perform a risk analysis of the management of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemics in Turkey. The relationship between disease outbreaks and risk was analyzed by evaluating 11 disease risk factors related to the input, processing, production, movement, and marketing infrastructure aspects of the animal production chain. A progressive (hierarchical) clustering analysis method was employed to group the quantitative data obtained for each of the risk variables. The total risk scores were grouped in a dendrogram. There was a strong positive relationship (72%) between risk variables and total outbreak numbers (P < 0.01). Results showed the districts in which the FMD risk is high and indicate where the appropriate measures should be taken to eradicate or at least minimize outbreaks.

Lactose-Rich Milk Replacer Modifies The Proteome Of Bloodplasma In 2-Week-Old Calves, Alicja Dratwa Chalupnik, Malgorzata Ozgo, Agnieszka Herosimczyk, Adam Lepczynski, Katarzyna Michalek

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of the study was to create a specific pattern of protein expression changes in the plasma of 2-week-old calves treated with excessive lactose doses. Identification of proteins, the expression of which changes during the short-term administration of lactose, may help to exclude or confirm the causes of diarrhea observed in newborn calves. The present study utilized 2-D electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and identified 6 blood plasma proteins, the expression of which changed under the influence of lactose added to the milk replacer. The pattern of expression of blood plasma proteins, including decreased expression of fibrinogen and …

In Ovo Feeding With Ss-Hydroxy Ss-Methylbutyrate And Broilerperformance, Intestinal Health, And Immunity Status, Ömer Hakan Muğlali, Mustafa Salman, Ayhan Gacar, Fi̇li̇z Akdağ, Mustafa Yavuz Gülbahar, Alper Çi̇ftçi̇, Ertan Emek Onuk, Fi̇li̇z Karadaş, Hüseyi̇n Eseceli̇

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The effects of in ovo administration of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on broiler performance, intestinal health, and immunity were investigated. At day 18 of incubation, fertile eggs were divided into negative (no injection) and positive (physiologic serum injection) controls and three HMB treatment groups. HMB solution was injected at 0.1% (Group 1), 0.2% (Group 2), and 0.3% (Group 3) concentrations. There were no significant differences between the groups for live weight gain, feed conversion rate, and hot carcass, breast meat, liver, and heart weight. However, the gizzard weight in Group 1 was significantly higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). Although the intestinal villi lengths in the treatment Groups 1 and 3 on day 20 were greater than those in the control groups (P < 0.01), at the end of the experiment there were no significant differences among the groups. For antibody levels, the differences between groups on days 4 and 42 were highly significant (P < 0.01), and the antibody levels in Group 2 were higher than those in the other groups. Separately, growth performance and antibody levels were positively correlated with the length of villi in Group 2 (HMB 0.2%).

Progesterone Concentration In Milk And Blood Serum And Reproductiveefficiency Of Cows After Ovsynch Treatment, Dejan Vukovic, Aleksandar Bozic, Renata Relic, Blagoje Stancic, Dragan Gvozdic, Denis Kucevic

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of hormonal synchronization of ovulation on progesterone concentrations in milk and blood serum and on reproductive performance. Sixty Holstein-Friesian cows averaging 8000 L over 305 days of lactation were divided into 2 groups of 30 animals. One-factor ANOVA and a t-test of progesterone concentrations in venous serum and milk revealed that the lowest concentrations of progesterone in milk (Ovsynch 5.8 ± 1.0 ng/mL; control 4.5 ± 0.6 ng/mL) and blood serum (Ovsynch 1.3 ± 0.9 ng/mL; control 1.4 ± 0.5 ng/mL) in both groups were found on the day of estrus or …

Comparison Of Hematological Parameters Of Brucella-Seronegative Naturallyinfected Cattle With Bvdv, Bhv-1, And Bhv-4, Muhammet Eren Aslan, Ahmet Kürşat Azkur, Emel Biyikli, Serkal Gazyağci, İbrahi̇m Sözdutmaz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Abortion, neonatal deaths, and infertility cause important production losses in the livestock industry. Many viral infections are responsible for changes in hematological values of animals. This study aimed to find whether there is any difference in blood parameters of cattle that are naturally infected with BVDV, BHV-1, and BHV-4 and Brucella-seronegative. For this purpose, 401 whole-blood samples collected from cattle were analyzed by ELISA and PCR/RT-PCR to detect specific antibodies and antigens for BVDV, BHV-1, and BHV-4. Hematological analysis and results were compared between naturally infected BVDV, BHV-1, and BHV-4 groups and a control group. Results showed a statistically significant …

Subarachnoid Transplantation Of Autologous Neurogenically Induced Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells For The Treatment Of Fibrocartilaginous Embolic Myelopathy In Two Dogs, Pinar Can, Ömer Beşalti, Eylül Akpinar, Zeynep Aktaş, Ayşe Eser Elçi̇n, Yaşar Murat Elçi̇n

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of autologous neurogenically induced bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (NIBM-MSCs) in two dogs suspected to have fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCEM). Both dogs were paraplegic without deep pain perception (DPP) and tentatively diagnosed by MRI. Autologous NIBM-MSCs (5 × 106) were transplanted into the lumbar subarachnoid space two times with a 21-day interval for each patient. Based on a 21-month follow-up of the treated animals, the transplantation of NIBM-MSCs seems to be promising in subjects with FCEM lacking DPP.

Canine Brucellosis In Turkey From An Environmental Perspective, Uçkun Sai̇t Uçan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that affects not only livestock with economical losses but also human beings by causing serious health problems worldwide. Canine brucellosis has largely been overlooked in the world. In Turkey, brucellosis has also been one of the major concerns for decades. Canine brucellosis in this country has been reviewed and discussed from an environmental perspective in this review. As a part of prevention measures, one of the urgent practices that should be applied is to expand the routine examinations to include serological testing for all animals on arrival to kennels and then to decide the fate …

Isolation Of Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells, Asuman Özen, İrem Gül Sancak, Ahmet Ceylan, Özge Özgenç

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Mesenchymal stem cells are being used increasingly in cell-based therapies. Adipose tissue is an important source of mesenchymal stem cells and is also routinely used in research on lipid metabolism and obesity. Their high expansion potential and the ease of isolation make these cells an attractive cell source for regenerative therapies. The objective of this review is to give detailed information about the isolation, expansion, and clinical use of these cells in veterinary medicine.

Polymorphism Of Exon 2 Of Dio2 Gene And Its Association Withseasonal Reproduction In Sheep, Jianning He, Dongwei Huang, Ran Di, Jinxin Wang, Mingxing Chu, Qiuyue Liu, Wenping Hu, Xiangyu Wang, Zhangyuan Pan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DIO2 was studied as a candidate gene for reproduction in sheep. Three pairs of primers were designed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of exon 2 of DIO2 in nonseasonal and seasonal reproduction breeds. The polymorphisms were detected using SeqMan II and analyzed by PCR-RFLP. The sheep DIO2 gene was cloned and its mutations were detected in five sheep breeds whose reproductive seasonality and litter sizes were different. Association analyses were performed to reveal the relationships between SNPs and reproductive seasonality as well as litter size in sheep. The results showed that a 1041-bp DNA fragment of the sheep DIO2 …

Characterization Of Porcine Adiponectin Gene (Adipoq) Polymorphismsand Their Association With Litter Size, Xiaodong Zhang, Ning Zhou, Jie Zhou, Ning Wang, Xiang Qin, Hui Dong, Yueyun Ding, Zongjun Yin

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Litter size is one of the most important economic traits for pig production as it is directly related to production efficiency. To evaluate the effects of the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) gene on porcine litter size, we investigated ADIPOQ polymorphisms in three breeds, Wannan Black pigs, Berkshire pigs, and BW pigs (crossbred pigs produced from mating male Berkshire pigs and female Wannan Black pigs), using the PCR-SSCP method. Three SNPs (c. 178G > A, c. 1165A > G, and c. 1138G > A) were identified. In Wannan Black pigs, association analysis indicated that the c. 178G > A SNP genotype was significantly associated with an effect …