A New Species of Giant Sengi or Elephant-Shrew (Genus \u3cem\u3eRhynchocyon\u3c/em\u3e) Highlights the Exceptional Biodiversity of the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania

A new species of sengi, or elephant-shrew, is described. It was discovered in the northern Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania in 2005. Sengis (Order Macroscelidea, super-cohort Afrotheria) include four genera and 15 species of mammals that are endemic to Africa. This discovery is a significant contribution to the systematics of this small order. Based on 49 camera trap images, 40 sightings and five voucher specimens, the new sengi is diurnal and distinguished from the other three species of Rhynchocyon by a grizzled grey face, pale yellow to cream chest and chin, orange-rufous sides, maroon back and jet-black lower rump and thighs. The body weight of the new species is about 700 g, which is 25–50% greater than any other giant sengi. The new Rhynchocyon is only known from two populations that cover about 300 km2 of montane forest. It has an estimated density of 50–80 individuals km−2. This discovery has important implications for the conservation of the high biodiversity that is found in the forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains

The antipredator behaviour of Thomson's gazelles

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Tumor-infiltrating merkel cell polyomavirus-specific T cells are diverse and associated with improved patient survival

Tumor-infiltrating CD8(+) T cells are associated with improved survival of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an aggressive skin cancer causally linked to Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). However, CD8(+) T-cell infiltration is robust in only 4% to 18% of MCC tumors. We characterized the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire restricted to one prominent epitope of MCPyV (KLLEIAPNC, "KLL") and assessed whether TCR diversity, tumor infiltration, or T-cell avidity correlated with clinical outcome. HLA-A*02:01/KLL tetramer(+) CD8(+) T cells from MCC patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were isolated via flow cytometry. TCR{beta} (TRB) sequencing was performed on tetramer(+) cells from PBMCs or TILs (n = 14) and matched tumors (n = 12). Functional avidity of T-cell clones was determined by IFN{gamma} production. We identified KLL tetramer(+) T cells in 14% of PBMC and 21% of TIL from MCC patients. TRB repertoires were strikingly diverse (397 unique TRBs were identified from 12 patients) and mostly private (only one TCRb clonotype shared between two patients). An increased fraction of KLL-specific TIL (>1.9%) was associated with significantly increased MCC-specific survival P = 0.0009). T-cell cloning from four patients identified 42 distinct KLL-specific TCRa/b pairs. T-cell clones from patients with improved MCC-specific outcomes were more avid (P < 0.05) and recognized an HLA-appropriate MCC cell line. T cells specific for a single MCPyV epitope display marked TCR diversity within and between patients. Intratumoral infiltration by MCPyV-specific T cells was associated with significantly improved MCC-specific survival, suggesting that augmenting the number or avidity of virus-specific T cells may have therapeutic benefit