San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Recent submissions
Now showing items 21-40 of 942
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Identification of differences in human and great ape phytanic acid metabolism that could influence gene expression profiles and physiological functionsIt has been proposed that anatomical differences in human and great ape guts arose in response to species-specific diets and energy demands. To investigate functional genomic consequences of these differences, we compared their physiological levels of phytanic acid, a branched chain fatty acid that can be derived from the microbial degradation of chlorophyll in ruminant guts. Humans who accumulate large stores of phytanic acid commonly develop cerebellar ataxia, peripheral polyneuropathy, and retinitis pigmentosa in addition to other medical conditions. Furthermore, phytanic acid is an activator of the PPAR-alpha transcription factor that influences the expression of genes relevant to lipid metabolism.
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Elephants, ivory, and trade...Tanzania and Zambia (1 5, 1 6) are exploit- ing this restricted moratorium in their peti- tions. Approval requires demonstration that their elephant populations are secure, law enforcement is effective, and sales will not be detrimental to elephants....
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Female giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) chirps advertise the caller's fertile phaseAlthough female mammal vocal behaviour is known to advertise fertility, to date, no non-human mammal study has shown that the acoustic structure of female calls varies significantly around their fertile period. Here, we used a combination of hormone measurements and acoustic analyses to determine whether female giant panda chirps have the potential to signal the caller's precise oestrous stage (fertile versus pre-fertile)….
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Semi-quantitative tests of cyanide in foods and excreta of three Hapalemur species in MadagascarThree sympatric Hapalemur species (H. g. griseus, H. aureus, and H. (Prolemur) simus) in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar are known to eat bamboo food parts that contain cyanide…. In this study, we tested for the presence/absence of cyanide in bamboo lemur foods and excreta to (1) document patterns of cyanide consumption among species with respect to diet, (2) identify routes of elimination of cyanide from the gastrointestinal tract, and (3) determine whether cyanide is absorbed from the diet….
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The sequence and de novo assembly of the giant panda genome...Here, using only Illumina Genome Analyser sequencing technology, we have generated and assembled a draft genome sequence for the giant panda with an assembled N50 contig size (defined in Table 1) reaching 40 kilobases (kb), and an N50 scaffold size of 1.3 megabases (Mb). This represents the first, to our knowledge, fully sequenced genome of the family Ursidae and the second of the order Carnivora....
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Inter-unit contests within a provisioned troop of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in the Qinling Mountains, China... In this study, we studied inter‐unit contests in a provisioned troop of Sichuan snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana). We spent 368 hr in contact with 9 one‐male units sharing the same home range, during which we recorded 148 inter‐unit contests at a provisioning site. Inter‐unit contests always started as inter‐individual contests....
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Funding should come to those who wait... If long-term research is to flourish, we must build a reward system for studies characterized by deferred gratification. A sea change in these values must precede attempts to address funding....
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Cross-cultural consensus for waist–hip ratio and women's attractivenessIn women of reproductive age, a gynoid body fat distribution as measured by the size of waist–hip ratio (WHR) is a reliable indicator of their sex hormone profile, greater success in pregnancy and less risk for major diseases. According to evolutionary mate selection theory, such indicators of health and fertility should be judged as attractive….
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Wildlife-microbiome interactions and disease: Exploring opportunities for disease mitigation across ecological scales… we will examine how the microbiome influences gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic dysregulation, reproduction, and disease susceptibility in captive wildlife. Investigation of wildlife, and specifically captive wildlife, affords a unique opportunity to gain understanding of the broad diversity of the associated microbiota and learn from nature’s molecular and microbial responses to disease. Studies like these could lead to the discovery of new interventions, ranging from dietary changes to the use of microbes or their natural products as treatment…
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Sex-specific epigenetic profile of inner cell mass of mice conceived in vivo or by IVF…Animal studies indicate that IVF offspring display metabolic alterations, including hypertension, glucose intolerance and cardiac hypertrophy, often in a sexual dimorphic fashion. The detailed nature of epigenetic changes following in-vitro culture is, however, unknown. This study was performed to evaluate the epigenetic (using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq)) and transcriptomic changes (using RNA-seq) occurring in the inner cell mass (ICM) of male or female mouse embryos generated in vivo or by IVF....
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Assessing California's Relocation Guidelines for Burrowing Owls Impacted by Renewable Energy Development.Once common and widespread throughout the western United States and Canada, the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) population has declined to the point where the species is now designated as a Species of Special Concern in California. Their presence in development areas, including renewable energy facilities, necessitates an effective strategy for protecting them. This study is the first of its kind to test both passive and active relocation techniques with burrowing owls and evaluate their relative effectiveness with and without the addition of conspecific cues (such as acoustic playback of owl calls and imitation whitewash to attract the owls)....
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Scent-marking behavior by female sloth bears during estrus… Important aspects of sloth bear biology and ecology, such as reproductive physiology and behavior, are largely unknown. Increased scent-marking by anogenital rubbing during breeding season has been recorded in other bear species. We studied the genital rubbing behavior of 37 captive female sloth bears (2–18 yr of age) at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, India, for 4 breeding seasons over a period of 3.5 years (1 Jun 2015 to 31 Dec 2018)….
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Urgent action needed: The forgotten forests of the Lavasoa-Ambatotsirongorongo Mountains, southeast MadagascarWhen we think of important areas of biodiversity within Madagascar, we tend to focus on the more well-known na-tional parks and special reserves. The truth is, however, that there are many small fragments scattered across this island that hold a significant wealth of biodiversity that are in criti-cal need of attention and immediate conservation actions. One such system is a group of six small forest fragments within the Lavasoa-Ambatotsirongorongo mountains in the extreme southeast of Madagascar. From east to west, these include Ambatotsirongorongo, Bemanasa, and Grand Lava-soa (Fig. 1). This last fragment is further divided into four fragments that are all in relatively close proximity....
