Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a fatal disease syndrome responsible for mortality in domestic and wild ruminant species. MCF is caused by gammaherpesviruses – the ovine herpesvirus type 2 causing sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever (SA-MCF) and alcelaphine herpesvirus type 1 known as wildebeest-associated MCF (WA-MCF). The present study described the cultural peculiarities of MCF vir...

ANAPLASMOSIS was probably introduced into the United States by the Spaniards at the same time that splenic or cattle tick fever entered this country (IS),^ The disease, which is not transmissible to man, chiefly affects cattle, although the antelope, black wildebeest, blesbok, buffalo, camel, deer, duiker, elk, goat, and sheep are reported to be susceptible. Mature cattle are more subject to in...

The fossil record provides tangible, historical evidence for the mode and operation of evolution across deep time. Striking patterns of convergence are some of the strongest examples of these operations, whereby, over time, similar environmental and/or behavioral pressures precipitate similarity in form and function between disparately related taxa. Here we present fossil evidence for an unexpe...

Tree cover is a fundamental structural characteristic and driver of ecosystem processes in terrestrial ecosystems, and trees are a major global carbon (C) sink. Fire and herbivores have been hypothesized to play dominant roles in regulating trees in African savannas, but the evidence for this is conflicting. Moving up a trophic scale, the factors that regulate fire occurrence and herbivores, su...

The gammaherpesvirus alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1) causes malignant catarrhal fever in susceptible ungulates but infects its natural host, wildebeest, without obvious clinical signs. In tissue culture, AlHV-1 is initially predominantly cell associated and virulent but on extended culture becomes cell-free and attenuated. We wanted to determine what changes in protein composition had taken ...

Mixed mammal species groups are common in East African savannah ecosystems. Yet, it is largely unknown if co-occurrences of large mammals result from random processes or social preferences and if interspecific associations are consistent across ecosystems and seasons. Because species may exchange important information and services, understanding patterns and drivers of heterospecific interactio...

White blood cells (WBCs) must be evaluated to determine how well the human immune system performs. Abnormal WBC counts may indicate malignancy, tuberculosis, severe anemia, cancer, and other serious diseases. To get an early diagnosis check if WBCs are abnormal or normal, one needs examine numbers shape of WBCs. address this problem, computer-aided procedures have been developed because hematol...