Reconstructing species trees by incorporating information from many independent gene trees reduces the confounding influence of stochastic lineage sorting. Such analyses are particularly important for taxa that share polymorphisms due to incomplete lineage sorting or introgressive hybridization. We investigated phylogenetic relationships among 14 closely related taxa from the mallard (Anas spp....

Eighty five patients referred because of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) were followed up for six years. Every two years they were screened for signs and symptoms of connective tissue disease (CTD) according to a protocol, and serum was stored. Initially, 30 patients had primary RP, 16 had one symptom of CTD ('possible CTD'), 18 had two or more symptoms ('probable CTD'), and 21 had definite CTD (14 o...

Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs) may be induced in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy with TNF inhibitors (TNFi), etanercept, infliximab or adalimumab. In the present study, 11 patients who were TNFi drug naive were started on TNFi at a time of high disease activity. Of these, all cases were positive for rheumatoid factor and 9 cases tested ...

This study characterized seasonal changes in circulating LH and testosterone and in semen production and quality in the Northern pintail duck. Plasma LH and testosterone were measured in blood samples collected weekly throughout the year from eight males exposed to natural fluctuations in day length and temperature. Semen quality was evaluated weekly in these same males from April-June, the mon...

To identify areas on the landscape that may contribute to a robust network of conservation areas, we modeled the probabilities of occurrence of several en route migratory shorebirds and wintering waterfowl in the southern Great Plains of North America, including responses to changing climate. We predominantly used data from the eBird citizen-science project to model probabilities of occurrence ...

We link spatially explicit climate change predictions to a dynamic metapopulation model. Predictions of species' responses to climate change, incorporating metapopulation dynamics and elements of dispersal, allow us to explore the range margin dynamics for two lagomorphs of conservation concern. Although the lagomorphs have very different distribution patterns, shifts at the edge of the range w...

Genetic variations were detected in duck growth hormone (GH) gene promoters at 8 positions in the genome of ducks from 3 regions (Mandalay, Khayan, and Sittwe) in Myanmar. Different frequencies were detected in the 3 regions. Higher frequencies were detected at positions, 244, 294, 586, and 665 of the GH promoter from both Mandalay and Khayan than in the ducks from Sittwe. The duck populations ...

Brief Background Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis extractum 200CK HPUS) is a patented homeopathic preparation manufactured by a French-based company (Boiron Laboratories) that is marketed and widely used for the treatment and prevention of influenza symptoms. !e product is made from the heart and liver of wild duck and undergoes several dilutions (one part in 100; 200 times in a row [i.e., 200C...

Adult male domestic ducks were treated in autumn for 14 consecutive days with either (i) long-acting ACTH (20 IU/day), (ii) corticosterone (25 mg/day), (iii) dexamethasone (0.25 mg/day) or (iv) a control solution. Blood samples were obtained from all birds after 1, 3, 7 and 14 injections of hormones; on each of these occasions, a sample was obtained 3 times during the day. The 3 hormonal treatm...