Effects of heat stress and a low energy diet on blood parameters and liver hsp70 and iNOS gene expressions in local chickens.

Two experiments were conducted to compare effects of heat stress and its combination with low dietary energy on blood indices, liver hsp70 and iNOS gene expressions in three Tanzanian local chicken ecotypes. In experiment one, five weeks old Kuchi (K), Ching'wekwe (C) and Morogoro medium (M) were randomly allocated to separate pens in a 3 × 2 factorial design in two adjacent rooms with controlled temperature. The study had three replicates consisting of 39 chickens per room, 13 per ecotype per pen making a total of 234 chickens.

Spatial ecology of male hippopotamus in a changing watershed.

The obligate dependency of the common hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius, on water makes them particularly vulnerable to hydrological disturbances. Despite the threats facing this at-risk species, there is a lack of information regarding H. amphibius spatial ecology.

Effects of the hippopotamus on the chemistry and ecology of a changing watershed.

Cross-boundary transfers of nutrients can profoundly shape the ecology of recipient systems. The common hippopotamus, , is a significant vector of such subsidies from terrestrial to river ecosystems. We compared river pools with high and low densities of to determine how subsidies shape the chemistry and ecology of aquatic communities.

Quantifying past and present connectivity illuminates a rapidly changing landscape for the African elephant.

There is widespread concern about impacts of land-use change on connectivity among animal and plant populations, but those impacts are difficult to quantify. Moreover, lack of knowledge regarding ecosystems before fragmentation may obscure appropriate conservation targets. We use occurrence and population genetic data to contrast connectivity for a long-lived mega-herbivore over historical and contemporary time frames.

Media, health workers, and policy makers' relationship and their impact on antimalarial policy adoption: a population genetics perspective.

Drug resistance negatively impacts malaria treatments, making treatment policy revision unavoidable. So far, studies relating sociopolitical and technical issues on policy change with malaria parasite genetic change are lacking. We have quantified the effect of malaria treatment policy on drug pressure and the influence of the media, policy makers, and health worker relationship on parasite population genetic change in Kilombro/Ulanga district.

Combating the illegal trade in African elephant ivory with DNA forensics.

International wildlife crime is burgeoning in this climate of global trade. We contend that the most effective way to contain this illegal trade is to determine where the wildlife is being removed. This allows authorities to direct law enforcement to poaching hot spots, potentially stops trade before the wildlife is actually killed, prevents countries from denying their poaching problems at home, and thwarts trade before it enters into an increasingly complex web of international criminal activity.

Using DNA to track the origin of the largest ivory seizure since the 1989 trade ban.

The illegal ivory trade recently intensified to the highest levels ever reported. Policing this trafficking has been hampered by the inability to reliably determine geographic origin of contraband ivory. Ivory can be smuggled across multiple international borders and along numerous trade routes, making poaching hotspots and potential trade routes difficult to identify.

Drug resistance to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine in Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Mlimba, Tanzania.

Background: Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) has been and is currently used for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in many African countries. Nevertheless, the response of parasites to SP treatment has shown significant variation between individuals.

Methods: The genes for dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) were used as markers, to investigate parasite resistance to SP in 141 children aged less than 5 years.

Assigning African elephant DNA to geographic region of origin: applications to the ivory trade.

Resurgence of illicit trade in African elephant ivory is placing the elephant at renewed risk. Regulation of this trade could be vastly improved by the ability to verify the geographic origin of tusks. We address this need by developing a combined genetic and statistical method to determine the origin of poached ivory.