Camera-traps are a cost-effective method for surveying terrestrial squamates: A comparison with artificial refuges and pitfall traps.

Introduction: Fundamental data on the distributions, diversity, and threat status of terrestrial snakes and lizards (hereafter squamates) is limited. This is due to the cryptic nature of species in this faunal group, and to limitations in the effectiveness of the survey methods used to detect these species. Camera-traps are a useful tool for detecting numerous vertebrate species, yet their use for detecting squamates has been limited.

Elucidating Patterns in the Occurrence of Threatened Ground-Dwelling Marsupials Using Camera-Traps.

Establishing trends in endangered fauna against management efforts is a key but often challenging enterprise. Camera-traps offer a new and literal window into monitoring many different mammalian species. Getting it right demands seeking baseline information about how often target species interact with these devices, prior to setting a long-term monitoring strategy.

MicroRNA-31 Targets Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin in Mucosal Infiltrated CD4+ T Cells: A Role in Achieving Mucosal Healing in Ulcerative Colitis?

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by disruption of the mucosal intestinal barrier. MicroRNAs, single-stranded noncoding RNAs of approximately 22nt, are dysregulated in UC. MicroRNAs targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine involved in T-cell maturation and polarization, may be involved in regulating UC inflammation and mucosal healing.

Improving outpatient services: the Southampton IBD virtual clinic.

The follow-up of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients is challenging due to the relapsing remitting nature of the diseases, the wide spectrum of severity and complexity as well as the need for monitoring of long-term complications and drug treatments. Conventional outpatient follow-up lacks flexibility for patients and there are competing pressures for clinic time. Alternative follow-up pathways include telephone clinics, self-management programmes or discharging patients.

Nitrogen content, amino acid composition and digestibility of fungi from a nutritional perspective in animal mycophagy.

Fungi comprise a major part of the diet of many animals. Even so, the nutritional value of fungi has been much debated, with some arguing that fungi are nutritionally poor. However, the chemical composition of fungi and of the biology of the animals that eat them are not well understood, particularly in reference to amino acid (AA) composition of fungi and digestibility of fungal protein.

Improving outpatient services: the Southampton IBD virtual clinic.

The follow-up of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients is challenging due to the relapsing remitting nature of the diseases, the wide spectrum of severity and complexity as well as the need for monitoring of long-term complications and drug treatments. Conventional outpatient follow-up lacks flexibility for patients and there are competing pressures for clinic time. Alternative follow-up pathways include telephone clinics, self-management programmes or discharging patients.

What is the educational value of ward rounds? A learner and teacher perspective.

Ward rounds (WRs) have been a valuable resource in medical education for both learners and teachers since first recorded in 1660. Previous studies have shown that over 50% of junior doctor learning occurs on WRs. However, postgraduate medical education in the UK has changed significantly over recent years with the adoption of the foundation programme and the application of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD).

Diversity and habitat relationships of hypogeous fungi. III. Factors influencing the occurrence of fire-adapted species.

Among the huge array of hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungi so far documented from Australia, six genera and more than 30 species occur within the family Mesophelliaceae, all of which show various adaptations for surviving in fire-prone landscapes. These mostly endemic fungi are critical to postfire reestablishment of regenerating vegetation, and their fruit-bodies provide essential food resources for diverse ground-dwelling fauna. We developed habitat models for five common representatives of the Mesophelliaceae based on repeat collections of their fruit-bodies from 136 study plots situated along a series of environmental gradients across the south-eastern mainland of Australia.

Gastrointestinal emergencies.

Gastrointestinal Emergencies describes itself as "the definitive reference guide for the management of gastrointestinal emergencies and endoscopic complications", The book covers the huge topic of acute gastroenterology in a succinct and easy to read format. At just over 200 pages it covers a lot more than what you might expect and makes for easy and enjoyable reading.

Ocurrence of ectomycorrhizal, hypogeous fungi in plantations of exotic tree species in central Argentina.

Eleven hypogeous, ectomycorrhizal species of Basidiomycota, including two new species, and one of the Zygomycota were collected in exotic tree plantations in C6rdoba Province, Argentina. Descomyces fusisporus sp. nov.

Prescribed burning in a Eucalyptus woodland suppresses fruiting of hypogeous fungi, an important food source for mammals.

Fruit bodies of hypogeous fungi are an important food source for many small mammals and are consumed by larger mammals as well. A controversial hypothesis that prescribed burning increases fruiting of certain hypogeous fungi based on observations in Tasmania was tested in the Australian Capital Territory to determine if it applied in a quite different habitat. Ten pairs of plots, burnt and nonburnt, were established at each of two sites prescribe-burnt in May 1999.

The octreotide test dose is not a reliable predictor of the subsequent response to somatostatin analogue therapy in patients with acromegaly.

In many centres, a test dose (TD) of octreotide is administered before commencing somatostatin analogue therapy (SAT), although the merits of this procedure are uncertain. We have analysed the value of the GH response to a TD in predicting the efficacy of subsequent SAT in 47 patients with acromegaly (25 male, median age 51 years, range 20-82). The primary goal of SAT was a mean GH of < 5 mU/l.