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Selected AbstractsSubstantial regional differences in human herpesvirus 8 seroprevalence in sub-Saharan Africa: Insights on the origin of the "Kaposi's sarcoma belt",,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 10 2010Sheila C. Dollard Abstract Equatorial Africa has among the highest incidences of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in the world, thus earning the name "KS Belt." This was the case even before the HIV epidemic. To date, there is no clear evidence that HHV-8 seroprevalence is higher in this region but interpretation of the available literature is tempered by differences in serologic assays used across studies. We examined representatively sampled ambulatory adults in Uganda, which is in the "KS Belt," and in Zimbabwe and South Africa which are outside the Belt, for HHV-8 antibodies. All serologic assays were uniformly performed in the same reference laboratory by the same personnel. In the base-case serologic algorithm, seropositivity was defined by reactivity in an immunofluorescence assay or in 2 enzyme immunoassays. A total of 2,375 participants were examined. In Uganda, HHV-8 seroprevalence was high early in adulthood (35.5% by age 21) without significant change thereafter. In contrast, HHV-8 seroprevalence early in adulthood was lower in Zimbabwe and South Africa (13.7 and 10.8%, respectively) but increased with age. After age adjustment, Ugandans had 3.24-fold greater odds of being HHV-8 infected than South Africans (p < 0.001) and 2.22-fold greater odds than Zimbabweans (p < 0.001). Inferences were unchanged using all other serologic algorithms evaluated. In conclusion, HHV-8 infection is substantially more common in Uganda than in Zimbabwe and South Africa. These findings help to explain the high KS incidence in the "KS Belt" and underscore the importance of a uniform approach to HHV-8 antibody testing. [source] Pre-dispersal predation of Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) seedJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2005ALOIS HONEK Summary 1Pre-dispersal predation of seeds of Asteraceae has been studied in species where ripening seed is present on plants for long periods but rarely in those where seed maturation is ephemeral and density of consumers is therefore unlikely to keep pace with changes in seed availability. 2We therefore followed predation of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) seeds by the larvae of Glocianus punctiger and Olibrus bicolor and predicted that both abundance of seed consumers and seed damage will be indirectly proportional to inflorescence availability, and that overall seed damage will be less than in species with longer lived inflorescences. 3We counted the number of dandelion capitula m,2, number of larvae capitulum,1 and percentage of damaged seeds at 10 sites, where the flowering time and densities of dandelions differed. The counts were made in 2002 and 2003, at half-weekly (April,May) or weekly (June,August) intervals. 4Abundance of both species of consumer varied among dandelion patches, and with change in availability of dandelion capitula. Numbers of larvae capitulum,1 were high early and late, when few capitula were available, but decreased at the time of peak flowering when there were many capitula. Production of ready-to-pupate larvae m,2 of a species at a site was similar in successive years, but values for O. bicolor and G. punctiger were not correlated. 5Seed damage paralleled the abundance of consumer larvae, with early and late flowers suffering most. A linear relationship correcting for lost seeds, predicted 30% damage when there were five larvae capitulum,1, below levels reported for species of Asteraceae with persistent inflorescences. 6The intensity of pre-dispersal seed predation is directly proportional to the abundance of seed consumer species and indirectly proportional to the availability of maturing capitula. Consequently, in species with ephemeral, synchronized flowering, where seed is available for only a short time, the majority of plants lose only a small proportion to predators. Although those flowering earlier or later than the peak will suffer a much higher risk, the low overall level of damage is unlikely to influence population biology. [source] Fire and vegetation history on Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands, and long-term environmental change in southern California,JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010R. Scott Anderson Abstract The long-term history of vegetation and fire was investigated at two locations , Soledad Pond (275,m; from ca. 12 000,cal. a BP) and Abalone Rocks Marsh (0,m; from ca. 7000,cal. a BP) , on Santa Rosa Island, situated off the coast of southern California. A coastal conifer forest covered highlands of Santa Rosa during the last glacial, but by ca. 11 800,cal. a BP Pinus stands, coastal sage scrub and grassland replaced the forest as the climate warmed. The early Holocene became increasingly drier, particularly after ca. 9150,cal. a BP, as the pond dried frequently, and coastal sage scrub covered the nearby hillslopes. By ca. 6900,cal. a BP grasslands recovered at both sites. Pollen of wetland plants became prominent at Soledad Pond after ca. 4500,cal. a BP, and at Abalone Rocks Marsh after ca. 3465,cal. a BP. Diatoms suggest freshening of the Abalone Rocks Marsh somewhat later, probably by additional runoff from the highlands. Introduction of non-native species by ranchers occurred subsequent to AD 1850. Charcoal influx is high early in the record, but declines during the early Holocene when minimal biomass suggests extended drought. A general increase occurs after ca. 7000,cal. a BP, and especially after ca. 4500,cal. a BP. The Holocene pattern closely resembles population levels constructed from the archaeological record, and suggests a potential influence by humans on the fire regime of the islands, particularly during the late Holocene. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Limited male dispersal in a social spider with extreme inbreedingBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009YAEL LUBIN Cooperatively breeding animals commonly avoid incestuous mating through pre-mating dispersal. However, a few group-living organisms, including the social spiders, have low pre-mating dispersal, intra-colony mating, and inbreeding. This results in limited gene flow among colonies and sub-structured populations. The social spiders also exhibit female-biased sex ratios because survival benefits to large colonies favour high group productivity, which selects against 1 : 1 sex ratios. Although propagule dispersal of mated females may occasionally bring about limited gene flow, little is known about the role of male dispersal. We assessed the extent of male movement between colonies in natural populations both experimentally and by studying colony sex ratios over the mating season. We show that males frequently move to neighbouring colonies, whereas only 4% of incipient nests were visited by dispersing males. Neighbouring colonies are genetically similar and movement within colony clusters does not contribute to gene flow. Post-mating sex ratio bias was high early in the mating season due to protandry, and also in colonies at the end of the season, suggesting that males remain in the colony when mated females have dispersed. Thus, male dispersal is unlikely to facilitate gene flow between different matrilineages. This is consistent with models of non-Fisherian group-level selection for the maintenance of female biased sex ratios, which predict the elimination of male dispersal. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 2009, 97, 227,234. [source] Mid-term outcome of endovascular revascularization for chronic mesenteric ischaemia,BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 2 2010N. V. Dias Background: This study aimed to assess mid-term outcome after endovascular revascularization of chronic occlusive mesenteric ischaemia (CMI) and to identify possible predictors of mortality. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing primary elective stenting for CMI between 1995 and 2007 were registered prospectively in a database. Patients with acute ischaemia were excluded. Retrospective case-note review and data analysis were performed. Results: Forty-three patients (10 men) were treated for stable (n = 30) or exacerbated (n = 13) CMI. Their median (interquartile range (i.q.r.)) age was 70 (60,79) years. Revascularization was successful in 47 of 49 vessels. The superior mesenteric artery (SMA), either alone (n = 34) or in combination with the coeliac trunk (n = 6), was the predominant target vessel. No patient died within 30 days. Median follow-up was 43 (i.q.r. 25,63) months and the estimated (s.e.) 3-year overall survival rate was 76(7) per cent. Two patients died from distal SMA occlusive disease and intestinal infarction after 6 and 18 months respectively. Previous stroke (P = 0·016), male sex (P = 0·057) and age (P = 0·066) were associated with mid-term mortality on univariable, but not multivariable analysis. Reintervention was needed in 14 patients, achieving a 3-year cumulative rate of freedom from recurrent symptoms of 88(5) per cent. Conclusion: Endovascular treatment provided high early and mid-term survival rates in this series of patients with CMI, with low complication rates. Copyright © 2009 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||