Causes and Impacts of Conflict on Biodiversity Management at the Buffer Zone of Old Oyo National Park, Oyo State, Nigeria

The study assessed causes and impacts of conflicts on biodiversitymanagement in Old Oyo National Park (OONP), Nigeria. Ten villages out ofabout 41 villages sited within 10km radius around OONP were randomlyselected for wildlife assessment. A total of 100 questionnaire wereadministered to the villagers while 40 questionnaire were administered toPark Staff. Oral interview was also conducted. Secondary data was collectedfrom relevant records and documents on the park. Data collected weresubjected to inferential and descriptive statistics. Result shows that amongother demographic factors tested against the causes of conflict in the park,education status and occupation show significant differences (

New evidence for a massive black hole at the centre of the quiescent galaxy M32

Massive black holes are thought to reside at the centres of many galaxies, where they power quasars and active galactic nuclei. But most galaxies are quiescent, indicating that any central massive black hole present will be starved of fuel and therefore detectable only through its gravitational influence on the motions of the surrounding stars. M32 is a nearby, quiescent elliptical galaxy in which the presence of a black hole has been suspected; however, the limited resolution of the observational data and the restricted classes of models used to interpret this data have made it difficult to rule out alternative explanations, such as models with an anisotropic stellar velocity distribution and no dark mass or models with a central concentration of dark objects (for example, stellar remnants or brown dwarfs). Here we present high-resolution optical HST spectra of M32, which show that the stellar velocities near the centre of this galaxy exceed those inferred from previous ground-based observations. We use a range of general dynamical models to determine a central dark mass concentration of (3.4 +/- 1.6) x 10^6 solar masses, contained within a region only 0.3 pc across. This leaves a massive black hole as the most plausible explanation of the data, thereby strengthening the view that such black holes exist even in quiescent galaxies.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX, 3 figures; mpeg animation of the stellar motions in M32 available at http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/Anim.htm

Detection of heat shock protein 70 in choroidal neovascular membranes secondary to age related macular degeneration

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Heat shock proteins are acute phase proteins that are upregulated in inflammation or following thermal stress. We analyzed the presence of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp 70) in choroidal neovascular (CNV) membranes secondary to AMD after treatment with verteporphin photodynamic therapy (PDT) or transpupillary thermo therapy (TTT) to determine whether treatment correlated with the presence of Hsp70.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>CNV membranes were removed by pars plana vitrectomy (ppV) and subretinal extraction. The membranes were analysed by light microscopy and the presence of Hsp 70 was examined using histochemistry. HeLa Cells served as controls.</p> <p>Of the 14 membranes analysed 11 were Hsp70 positive and 3 negative. In the no pre-treatment group of 8 membranes 6 were Hsp70 positive and 2 negative; in the PTD group all 4 membranes were positive and in the TTT group 1 membrane was positive and 1 membrane was negative for Hsp70.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Hsp70 is present in the most CNV membranes secondary to AMD. Pre-treatment of the membrane with PTD or TTT does not appear to influence the expression of Hsp70.</p

Interaction Between Convection and Pulsation

This article reviews our current understanding of modelling convection dynamics in stars. Several semi-analytical time-dependent convection models have been proposed for pulsating one-dimensional stellar structures with different formulations for how the convective turbulent velocity field couples with the global stellar oscillations. In this review we put emphasis on two, widely used, time-dependent convection formulations for estimating pulsation properties in one-dimensional stellar models. Applications to pulsating stars are presented with results for oscillation properties, such as the effects of convection dynamics on the oscillation frequencies, or the stability of pulsation modes, in classical pulsators and in stars supporting solar-type oscillations.Comment: Invited review article for Living Reviews in Solar Physics. 88 pages, 14 figure

Emergent quantum confinement at topological insulator surfaces

Bismuth-chalchogenides are model examples of three-dimensional topological insulators. Their ideal bulk-truncated surface hosts a single spin-helical surface state, which is the simplest possible surface electronic structure allowed by their non-trivial $\mathbb{Z}_2$ topology. They are therefore widely regarded ideal templates to realize the predicted exotic phenomena and applications of this topological surface state. However, real surfaces of such compounds, even if kept in ultra-high vacuum, rapidly develop a much more complex electronic structure whose origin and properties have proved controversial. Here, we demonstrate that a conceptually simple model, implementing a semiconductor-like band bending in a parameter-free tight-binding supercell calculation, can quantitatively explain the entire measured hierarchy of electronic states. In combination with circular dichroism in angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) experiments, we further uncover a rich three-dimensional spin texture of this surface electronic system, resulting from the non-trivial topology of the bulk band structure. Moreover, our study reveals how the full surface-bulk connectivity in topological insulators is modified by quantum confinement.Comment: 9 pages, including supplementary information, 4+4 figures. A high resolution version is available at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~pdk6/pub_files/TI_quant_conf_high_res.pd

Immunomodulation of inflammatory leukocyte markers during intravenous immunoglobulin treatment associated with clinical efficacy in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

© 2016 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Objective: The objective of the study was to profile leukocyte markers modulated during intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment, and to identify markers and immune pathways associated with clinical efficacy of IVIg for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) with potential for monitoring treatment efficacy. Methods: Response to IVIg treatment in newly diagnosed IVIg-naïve and established IVIg-experienced patients was assessed by changes in expression of inflammatory leukocyte markers by flow cytometry. The adjusted INCAT disability and Medical Research Council sum scores defined clinical response. Results: Intravenous immunoglobulin modulated immunopathogenic pathways associated with inflammatory disease in CIDP. Leukocyte markers of clinical efficacy included reduced CD185 + follicular helper T cells, increased regulatory markers (CD23 and CD72) on B cells, and reduction in the circulating inflammatory CD16 + myeloid dendritic cell (mDC) population and concomitant increase in CD62L and CD195 defining a less inflammatory lymphoid homing mDC phenotype. A decline in inflammatory CD16 + dendritic cells was associated with clinical improvement or stability, and correlated with magnitude of improvement in neurological assessment scores, but did not predict relapse. IVIg also induced a nonspecific improvement in regulatory and reduced inflammatory markers not associated with clinical response. Conclusions: Clinically effective IVIg modulated inflammatory and regulatory pathways associated with ongoing control or resolution of CIDP disease. Some of these markers have potential for monitoring outcome

Desarrollo de marcadores moleculares para la identificación de especies de Eucalyptus

One of the main problems faced in several eucalypt breeding programs is the difficulty to identify the species and hybrids. This study aimed to find molecular markers associated with five species of Eucalyptus (E. saligna, E. tereticornis, E. urophylla, E. grandis and E. brassiana), by AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism)&nbsp; markers and BSA (Bulk Segregant Analysis), for their use in breeding programs in Brazil. In 33 primer combinations, a total of 868 polymorphic fragments was obtained, which represent a 91.65% of polymorphism. The best combinations that show potential markers for species identification were the primers M + GGT / E + ACC, which was linked to 70% of E. urophylla individuals. However, primer combination composed of M+GGA/E+ACC identified 60% of individuals in the E. saligna species; combination by the primers M+GTC/E+AAC, confirmed two marks, one in 60% and the other in 50% of E. grandis individuals in the identification test. The treatment composed by the primers M+GGC/E+AAA, was confirmed in only 30% of E. brassiana individuals, being the same for the combination M+GGC/E+ACC primers, identifying 30% of E. tereticornis individuals. The AFLP analysis and BSA provide a quick tool for the identification of cultivars in Eucalyptus and can also be used to assist forest breeding programs.Uno de los principales problemas que enfrentan los programas de mejoramiento genético en eucaliptos es la dificultad para identificar las especies e híbridos. El objetivo de este estudio fue encontrar marcadores moleculares asociados a cinco especies de Eucalyptus (E. saligna, E. tereticornis, E. urophylla, E. grandis and E. brassiana), mediante marcadores AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) y BSA (Bulk Segregant Analysis), para su uso en programas de mejoramiento genético en Brasil. En 33 combinaciones de cebadores, se obtuvo un total de 868 fragmentos polimórficos, que representan un 91,65% del polimorfismo. Las mejores combinaciones que muestran potenciales marcadores para la identificación de especies, fueron encontradas en los cebadores M+GGT/E+ACC, que estuvo un 70% de los individuos asociados a la especie E. urophylla. Sin embargo, la combinación de cebadores compuesta de M+GGA/E+ACC identificó el 60% de individuos en la especie E. saligna; la combinación de los cebadores M+GTC/E +AAC, confirmó dos marcas, una en 60% y la otra en 50% para la identificación de individuos de la especie E. grandis. El tratamiento compuesto por los cebadores M+GGC/E+AAA, confirmó un 30% de los individuos perteneciente a la especie E. brassiana, siendo igual para la combinación de cebadores M+GGC/E+ACC, identificando el 30% de los individuos de la especie E. tereticornis. El análisis AFLP en asocio a BSA proporcionan una herramienta rápida para la identificación de cultivares en Eucalyptus, a la vez de que puede ser usados en los programas de mejoramiento genético forestal

The quest for the solar g modes

Solar gravity modes (or g modes) -- oscillations of the solar interior for which buoyancy acts as the restoring force -- have the potential to provide unprecedented inference on the structure and dynamics of the solar core, inference that is not possible with the well observed acoustic modes (or p modes). The high amplitude of the g-mode eigenfunctions in the core and the evanesence of the modes in the convection zone make the modes particularly sensitive to the physical and dynamical conditions in the core. Owing to the existence of the convection zone, the g modes have very low amplitudes at photospheric levels, which makes the modes extremely hard to detect. In this paper, we review the current state of play regarding attempts to detect g modes. We review the theory of g modes, including theoretical estimation of the g-mode frequencies, amplitudes and damping rates. Then we go on to discuss the techniques that have been used to try to detect g modes. We review results in the literature, and finish by looking to the future, and the potential advances that can be made -- from both data and data-analysis perspectives -- to give unambiguous detections of individual g modes. The review ends by concluding that, at the time of writing, there is indeed a consensus amongst the authors that there is currently no undisputed detection of solar g modes.Comment: 71 pages, 18 figures, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics Revie