Publications by authors named "M A Kirkland"
Understanding the distribution of breeding populations of migratory animals in the non-breeding period (migratory connectivity) is important for understanding their response to environmental change. High connectivity (low non-breeding population dispersion) may lower resilience to climate change and increase vulnerability to habitat loss within their range. Very high levels of connectivity are reportedly rare, but this conclusion may be limited by methodology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBurmese pythons (Python bivittatus) have demonstrated prolific spread and low detectability within their invasive range in Florida, USA. Consequently, programs exist which incentivize contractors to remove pythons. While surveying, contractors collect data on search effort and python captures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhagocytic clearance of apoptotic cancer cells (efferocytosis) by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) contributes in a substantial manner to the establishment of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This puts in context our observation that the female steroid hormone 17β-estradiol (E2) facilitates tumor immune resistance through cancer cell extrinsic Estrogen Receptor (ERalpha;) signaling in TAMs. Notable was the finding that E2 induces the expression of CX3CR1 in TAMs to enable efferocytosis of apoptotic cancer cells which results in the suppression of type I interferon (IFN) signaling.
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- Chelonians, like turtles, are crucial for nutrition and income in tropical rainforests, but urban trade threatens their wild populations, especially in the Northern Peruvian Amazon.
- A study conducted over 526 days in Iquitos revealed a significant decline in urban chelonian trade (down 161.6%) from 2006 to 2018, with turtles being the most traded species.
- The rising trade of river turtle eggs indicates a shift in sales priorities, which could enhance the conservation of adult turtles while potentially reducing the detrimental effects of meat sales on their populations.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to investigate how people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) integrate sensory and motor functions, particularly looking at short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI), in those experiencing manual dexterity issues compared to healthy controls.
- 22 individuals with MS and self-reported dexterity problems were tested alongside 10 age- and sex-matched controls, using clinical tests and transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess SAI.
- Results indicated that those with MS had slower performance in dexterity tests and weaker pinch strength in their dominant hand, and greater disruptions in SAI were linked to these weaknesses, suggesting potential issues with cortical activity that could inform disease management strategies.