The purpose of this article is to describe a technique to simplify tooth preparation and facilitate subsequent insertion GDC-0068 chemical structure of a complete-arch-fixed interim prosthesis using vacuum-formed templates. “
“This article describes a simple method of fabricating a stable and retentive record base to ensure an accurate registration of the maxillomandibular relationship. A postpalatal seal is established along the posterior end of the record base on the definitive cast using a silicone

bite registration material to create a border seal along with the lip/cheek draping actions and to evaluate adequacy of the post dam. “
“This study aimed to quantify the costs of complete denture fabrication by a simplified method compared with a conventional protocol. A sample of edentulous patients needing conventional

maxillary and mandibular complete dentures was randomly divided into group S, which received dentures fabricated by a simplified method, and group C, which received conventionally fabricated dentures. We calculated direct and indirect costs for each participant including unscheduled procedures. This study assessed 19 and 20 participants allocated into groups S and C, respectively, and comparisons between groups were conducted by the Mann-Whitney and Student’s t-test (α = 0.05). Complete denture fabrication demanded median time periods of 173.2 and 284.5 minutes from the operator for groups S and C respectively, and 46.6 and 61.7 minutes from the dental assistant Selleck SCH727965 (significant differences, p < 0.05). There was no difference between groups regarding postinsertion adjustments. Group S showed lower values for costs with materials and time spent by patients than group C during the fabrication stage, but not during adjustments. The median direct cost of complete denture treatment was 34.9% lower for the simplified method. It can check be concluded that the simplified method is less costly for patients and the health system when compared with a conventional protocol for the rehabilitation of edentulous patients.

“
“Purpose: The aim of this 3D finite element analysis (FEA) was to assess stress distribution and levels in endodontically treated teeth restored with two dowel-and-core systems with differing root canal configurations. Materials and Methods: Four 3D finite element models of a laser-digitalized maxillary central incisor embedded in alveolar bone were created. Internal morphology data and mechanical properties of the materials were obtained from the literature. Models included a (1) sound tooth (control) versus an endodontically treated maxillary central incisor with a crown ferrule preparation with two restorative approaches of a ceramic crown over a (2) gold alloy dowel-and-core or (3) glass-fiber dowels with composite cores (4) the latter with a flared root canal.

Results:  In total, 1238 residents were recruited for this study. The monthly frequencies of heartburn, epigastric acidic discomfort, and acid regurgitation were 4.4%, 3.7%, and 2.9%, respectively. The GERD prevalence was 25% in the community. The multivariate analysis showed

that female sex and age of 40–49 years and 50–59 years were independent risk factors related to the development of GERD, with odd ratios of 1.71, 3.65, and 2.41, respectively (95% confidence intervals: 1.26–2.34, 1.62–8.21, and 1.11–2.54, respectively). Conclusions:  GERD has become a common disorder in the general population in Taiwan. Female sex and age of 40–49 years and 50–59 years are risk factors for the development

Pexidartinib datasheet of GERD within a community. “
“Background and Aims:  The aim of this study was to assess the effects of gastric electrical stimulation (GES) on symptoms and gastric emptying in patients with gastroparesis, and the effects of GES on the three selleck inhibitor subgroups of gastroparesis. Methods:  A literature search of clinical trials using high-frequency GES to treat patients with gastroparesis from January 1995 to January 2011 was performed. Data on the total symptom severity score (TSS), nausea severity score, vomiting severity score, and gastric emptying were extracted and analyzed. The statistic effect index was weighted mean differences. Results:  Ten studies (n = 601) were included in this study. In the comparison to baseline,

there was significant improvement of symptoms and gastric emptying (P < 0.00001). It was noted that GES significantly improved both TSS (P < 0.00001) and gastric retention at 2 h (P = 0.003) and 4 h (P < 0.0001) in patients with diabetic gastroparesis Vildagliptin (DG), while gastric retention at 2 h (P = 0.18) in idiopathic gastroparesis (IG) patients, and gastric retention at 4 h (P = 0.23) in postsurgical gastroparesis (PSG) patients, did not reach significance. Conclusions:  Based on this meta-analysis, the substantial and significant improvement of symptoms and gastric emptying, and the good safety we observed, indicate that high-frequency GES is an effective and safe method for treating refractory gastroparesis. DG patients seem the most responsive to GES, both subjectively and objectively, while the IG and PSG subgroups are less responsive and need further research. Gastroparesis is a chronic disorder of gastric motility, defined as delayed gastric emptying of a solid meal in the absence of mechanical obstruction,1 characteristic symptoms of which include nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, early satiety, fullness, anorexia, and/or weight loss.2 Medical management of gastroparesis is mainly achieved by prokinetic agents, such as metoclopramide,3,4 erythromycin,5–7 domperidone,8,9 cisapride,10–12 and TJ-43.

We also similarly tested for differences in the ability of darts to obtain a tissue sample among the three dart types. In autumn

2010, we darted polar bears on the Alaska coast during two sampling efforts (Fig. 1): September (9 d); and October (9 d). We used PD darts to sample 30 polar bears (Fig. 3a) and PC darts to sample 18 polar bears (Fig. 3b). Two PD darts only collected hair. Three (10%) of the bears that we sampled using PD darts were darted twice because the first dart broke on impact with the bear, and one (3%) of the bears we sampled using PD darts was darted twice because the first dart failed to collect a sample. Except for missed shots, we successfully recovered all fired darts. GS-1101 in vivo Excluding the two darts that only collected hair that could not be genotyped, tissue samples (n = 46) were 100% effective in genotyping and sex determination of individuals. Genetic analysis revealed that none of the bears were sampled more than once in the same sampling effort whether darted Erlotinib mouse with a PD or PC dart (neither type had a marking mechanism). Darting times averaged 6.8 min per bear (95% CI: 5.9–7.6 min, n = 48). In spring 2011, we darted polar bears on the sea-ice (20 d, Fig. 1). We used PC marking darts to sample and mark

41 bears (Fig. 1). These darts generally collected a small piece of skin and adipose tissue, as well as hair (Fig. 3b). Except for missed shots, we successfully recovered all fired darts. We re-darted three bears (7%) because the first dart failed to collect a sample. These samples were 100% effective in identifying sex and individual genetic identity. Genetic results indicated that we sampled one bear on two occasions. Darting times averaged 6.5 min per bear (95% CI: 5.4–7.6 min, n = 41). In autumn 2011, we darted polar bears on the Alaska coast during two sampling efforts (Fig. 1): August (6 d) and September (6 d). We used PX marking darts to sample and mark 35 bears (11 in the water and 24 on land, Fig. 3c) and PC marking darts to sample and mark

35 bears (all on land). Nine of the PX and five of the PC darts only collected a hair sample. Nine (26%) of the bears we sampled using PX darts were darted twice because the first dart failed to collect a sample. We were unable to recover three PX darts from the water because rough seas made it difficult to recover and/or GNA12 spot the dart. Excluding darts that only collected hair, samples (n = 56) were 98% effective in genotyping individuals and identifying sex. Three of the 14 samples that only collected hair were sufficient enough to genotype 12 microsatellite loci. Genetic results indicated that two bears were sampled on two occasions and one bear was sampled on three occasions during the August sampling period, while one bear was sampled on two occasions during the September sampling period. Darting times averaged 4.2 min per bear (95% CI: 3.6–4.8 min, n = 70). We successfully quantified fatty acid profiles from all darts that collected adipose tissue (n = 45, Table 2).

We observed that 25% of the male ATX/IRS-1 mice developed HCC with a long latency of 15 months; single ATX and IRS-1 transgenic mice were tumor-free. The liver was examined for histologic changes and liver tissue and tumor lysates

were prepared for mRNA and protein expression by qRT-PCR and multiplex ELISAs respectively. Expression and phosphorylation of multiple signaling molecules were analyzed in the insulin/IGF-1/IRS-1/Ras/Raf/MAPK/Erk, and PI3K/Akt/GSK3, Wnt/β-catenin, and Notch signaling cascades. These are highly conserved signaling pathways that interact and crosstalk with each other, and found active in the majority of human HCC tumors. Results: In the ATX/IRS-1 liver, early activation of the insulin/IGF pathway as evidenced by increased phosphorylation of IgF-1 R and Erk was followed by activation of the Wnt/β-catenin and Notch Sotrastaurin mw pathways in the form

of Wnt-3, FZD-7, CCND-1, TBX-3, Notch-1, JAG-1, and Hes-1 overexpression. In the ATX/IRS-1 -derived HCC tumors, upregulation of these pathways was further accompanied by highly expressed levels of IGF-2, Wnt-3, FZD-7, cyclin D-1, and Hes-1. Conclusions: These studies demonstrate that the insulin/IGF-1, Wnt/β-catenin, and Notch signaling cascades are activated in ATX/IRS double-transgenic murine model. This was the result of the synergistic action between the HBx and IRS-1 overexpression which linked these interacting signaling pathways. The timing of pathway activation to the relationship of histopathologic changes

in the liver from normal to dysplas-tic selleckchem hepatocytes to HCC medroxyprogesterone strongly supports the hypothesis that upregulation of the insulin/IGF-1 pathway alone results primarily in accelerated hepatocyte proliferation, but the synergistic upregulation of all three signaling pathways is necessary and sufficient to initiate HCC tumor formation. Disclosures: The following people have nothing to disclose: Waihong Chung, Suzanne M. de la Monte, Miran Kim, Jack R. Wands Background: Interleukin 12 (IL-12) as one of the most potent Th1-cytokines has been used to improve dendritic cells (DC)-based immunotherapy of cancer. However, this approach failed to achieve clinical response in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, an improved immunotherapy with DC engineered to express IL-12 was studied in murine subcutaneous HCC. Methods: Tumor-lysate pulsed DC were transduced with IL-1 2-encoding adenoviruses or cultivated with recombinant (r)IL-12. DC were injected intratumorally (i.t.), sub-cutaneously or intravenously at different stages of tumor-development. In a further step, immunotherapy with DC was combined with a daily oral treatment of sorafenib (30mg/kg body weight). The tumor environment was characterized using flow cytometry, Elisa and immunohistochemistry regarding t-cell recruitment and cytokine expression.

Using COI-5P barcoding for the red algae, several species of the Kallymeniaceae were uncovered, many of which represented

well-established historical taxa, but others were undescribed species. In the present study, we employed single (COI-5P, LSU rDNA, and rbcL) and combined multigene analyses to elucidate the evolutionary relationships of our Bermuda and Indo-Pacific collections as closely allied to Meredithia among the included kallymeniacean genera (Figs. 1 and 2). Many of the unknown species associated with Meredithia are in a clade with the closely related Psaromenia causing us to reassess the distinctiveness of the latter. We can now introduce seven additional species, six from the southern hemisphere, into the previously monotypic genus Meredithia of the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. All collections were made using SCUBA, Selleckchem Ridaforolimus and site locations were taken using a Garmin™ eTrex H (Olathe, KS, USA). Specimens were pressed fresh onto herbarium paper or photographed live with fragments or entire individuals dried on silica gel, and when possible,

fragments preserved in 4%–5% Formalin in seawater for anatomical study. Wet specimens for squash mounts were soaked for 1–2 h in a 5% solution of 5 N KOH, then rinsed in distilled water for 1 h. Sections were made with an American Optical freezing microtome model 880 (San Diego, CA, USA). Sections and

squashes were mounted in 30% corn syrup with acidified 1% aniline blue in a ratio of 20:1 with a few drops of Formalin as a medium preservative. Amylase Herbarium Gefitinib specimens were scanned on an HP 309a Photosmart Premium scanner (Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA, USA), and photomicrographs were taken using Zeiss Axioskop 40 microscope (Oberkochen, Germany) equipped with a model 11.2 Spot InSight 2 digital camera (Diagnostic Instruments, Sterling Heights, MI, USA). The digital images were composed in Adobe Photoshop™CS3 v. 10.0.1 (Adobe Systems, San Jose, CA, USA). Voucher specimens of M. crenata are deposited in GALW, KIRI, MICH, NY, the Bermuda Natural History Museum (BAMZ), UNB, US and CWS’s personal herbarium, and those for the Australian species in UNB. Herbarium abbreviations follow the online Index Herbariorum (http://sweetgum.nybg.org/ih/) and standard author initials are from Brummitt and Powell (1992). Specimens used in molecular analyses are recorded in Table 1. After collection, specimens were silica-dried and total DNA extraction followed Saunders and McDevit (2012). The COI-5P region of the mitochondrial genome was first amplified to assign specimens to genetic species groups (Saunders and McDevit 2012) with the actual primer pair used to amplify this region for each sample recorded in the online GenBank database (GenBank numbers in Table 1).

He was treated for ITP using prednisolone, the unexpected sudden interruption of which caused severe deterioration of eosinophilic cholangitis Hormones antagonist and acute cholecystitis. Cholecystectomy and choledochojejunostomy were performed, and the addition of treatment by prednisolone resulted in a good clinical course. This is the first report on eosinophilic cholangitis coexisting with ITP. “
“Esophageal and gastric manifestations in systemic and cutaneous diseases

vary a great deal. Some patients have debilitating symptoms, while others may be minimal symptoms with impaired physiologic function. Some patients may be asymptomatic but at risk for developing cancer. In this chapter, the esophageal and gastric manifestations of the connective tissue, endocrine, inflammatory, neuromuscular, and cutaneous diseases are reviewed. “
“Recent genome-wide association studies showed that four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DP (rs3077and rs9277535) and HLA-DQ (rs2856718 and rs7453920) were associated with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Japanese populations. More than 75% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients are attributable to persistent Selleck Dasatinib infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV), especially in China. We genotyped these four SNPs in 1,300 HBV-positive HCC patients, 1,344 persistent HBV carriers, and 1,344 persons with HBV natural clearance from Southeast China to further test the associations

of HLA-DP/DQ variants and with risk of both HBV

clearance and HCC development. Logistic regression analyses showed that HLA-DQ rs2856718 significantly decreased host HCC risk, whereas three SNPs were associated Low-density-lipoprotein receptor kinase with HBV clearance (HLA-DP rs9277535 as well as HLA-DQ rs7453920 and rs2856718). In addition, HLA-DP rs3077 showed an approaching significant effect on susceptibility to HBV persistent infection and HCC development when considering multiple testing adjustments. Taken together, we report, for the first time, that genetic variants in the HLA-DP and HLA-DQ loci may be marker SNPs for risk of both HBV clearance and HCC development. (HEPATOLOGY 2011) Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with a particularly high prevalence in East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, whereas China alone accounts for more than 50% of all cases.1 Among the major risk factors for HCC, chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is of particular interest for its coherent distribution with the HCC prevalence. It is estimated that 75%-85% of HCC patients are attributable to persistent infection of HBV, especially in developing countries.1 Persistent HBV infection or HBV clearance is influenced by complex factors of viral infection, host age, environmental factors, and genetic makeup, with most studies that identified susceptibility loci at the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II region at 6p21.2-6 Recently, Koichi et al.

P. muricatum shows a morphological response to increased ocean acidification in the temperate Northeast Pacific. Comparing historical (1981–1997) and modern (2012) samples from the field, crust thickness near buy Ibrutinib the growing edge was approximately half as thick in modern samples compared with historical samples, while crust calcite density showed no significant

change between the two sample groups. Morphological changes at the growing edge have important consequences for mediating competitive interactions within this guild of algae, and may affect the role of crustose coralline algal beds as hosts to infaunal communities and facilitators of recruitment in many invertebrate and macroalgal species. “
“Global climate change is having profound impacts on polar ice with changes in the duration and extent of both land-fast ice and drift ice, which is part of the polar ice pack. Sea ice is a distinct habitat and the morphologically identifiable sympagic find more community living within sea ice can be readily distinguished from pelagic species. Sympagic metazoa and diatoms have been studied extensively since they can be identified

using microscopy techniques. However, non-diatom eukaryotic cells living in ice have received much less attention despite taxa such as the dinoflagellate Polarella and the cercozoan Cryothecomonas being isolated from sea ice. Other small flagellates have also been reported, suggesting complex microbial food webs. Since smaller flagellates are fragile, often poorly preserved, and are difficult for non-experts to identify, we applied high throughput tag acetylcholine sequencing of the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene to investigate the eukaryotic microbiome within the ice. The sea ice communities were diverse (190 taxa) and included many heterotrophic and mixotrophic species. Dinoflagellates (43 taxa), diatoms (29 taxa) and cercozoans (12 taxa) accounted for ~80% of the sequences. The sympagic communities living within drift ice and land-fast ice harbored taxonomically distinct

communities and we highlight specific taxa of dinoflagellates and diatoms that may be indicators of land-fast and drift ice. “
“The photosynthetic efficiency and photoprotective capacity of the sea-ice diatom, Fragilariopsis cylindrus (Grunow) W. Krieg., grown in a matrix of nitrogen repletion and depletion at two different temperatures (−1°C and +6°C) was investigated. Temperature showed no significant effect on photosynthetic efficiency or photoprotection in F. cylindrus. Cultures under nitrogen depletion showed enhanced photoprotective capacity with an increase in nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) when compared with nitrogen-replete cultures. This phenomenon was achieved at no apparent cost to the photosynthetic efficiency of PSII (FV/FM). Nitrogen depletion yielded a partially reduced electron transport chain in which maximum fluorescence (FM) could only be obtained by adding 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU).

By contrast,

uptake of TBI by the liver was 40% lower in Dmt1liv/liv mice, compared with Dmt1flox/flox mice (Fig. 4B), revealing that hepatocyte DMT1 is partially required for hepatic uptake of iron from plasma transferrin. The effect was specific for the liver because TBI uptake was unaffected in kidneys, pancreas, or hearts of Dmt1liv/liv mice. To determine whether lower hepatic TBI uptake by Dmt1liv/liv mice represents a delay in clearance of plasma TBI, which may resolve at a later time, we measured the percentage of 59Fe in plasma 2 and 24 hours after injection. By 2 hours, the percentage of 59Fe in plasma did not differ between Dmt1flox/flox and Dmt1liv/liv mice (P = 0.11) (Fig. 4C), and by 24 hours, very little 59Fe was detectable in plasma. These data indicate Selleckchem Galunisertib that lower hepatic TBI uptake by Dmt1liv/liv mice does not represent a delay in clearance of plasma TBI. The percentage of 59Fe in the blood and spleen also did

not differ at either time point, suggesting that iron uptake into developing erythroid cells was unaffected in Dmt1liv/liv mice. Although lower hepatic TBI uptake in Dmt1liv/liv mice appears to directly result from inactivation of Dmt1, it is possible that it results from a secondary effect on other proteins implicated in TBI uptake. It is equally possible that the lack of an effect of hepatic Dmt1 inactivation on NTBI uptake is the result of compensatory responses in other proteins involved in NTBI uptake. MG-132 datasheet Therefore, we measured levels Demeclocycline of TfR1, TfR2, and ZIP14, which may also participate in TBI/NTBI uptake.[28, 29] Western blotting analysis revealed that levels of these proteins did not differ between Dmt1flox/flox and Dmt1liv/liv mice (Fig. 5A-C). To determine whether hepatocyte DMT1 is required to maintain iron status during iron deficiency, we compared iron status parameters of

Dmt1flox/flox and Dmt1liv/liv mice that were fed iron-deficient diets. After 3 weeks, mice became iron deficient, as compared to control (Dmt1flox/flox) mice fed a standard diet (Fig. 6A-D). However, no differences were observed between iron-deficient Dmt1flox/flox and Dmt1liv/liv mice. TBI uptake by livers of Dmt1flox/flox mice was higher in iron-deficient animals, compared to controls (36% versus 30%, respectively; P < 0.05) (Fig. 6E). By contrast, TBI uptake by livers of Dmt1liv/liv mice was not higher in iron-deficient animals, compared to controls, suggesting that DMT1 is required for enhanced TBI uptake into an iron-deficient liver. Confocal immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy was used to localize DMT1 in the liver. Human liver was used instead of mouse liver because IF staining of mouse tissue was too weak to allow for reliable localization. In hepatocytes, DMT1 displayed intracellular punctate staining with little, if any, staining of plasma membrane (Supporting Fig.

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM), phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), glutaMAX-I, and goat, horse, MK-2206 solubility dmso and fetal calf sera were purchased from Invitrogen (Carlsbad, CA). 4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) was from Molecular Probes (Invitrogen). EGCG was from Calbiochem (Merck Chemicals, Darmstadt, Germany), except when a set of green tea catechins, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin (EC), (−)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG), (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC), and EGCG, was used, which was purchased from Extrasynthèse (Lyon, France).

Stocks were resuspended in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at 0.5 M. Other chemicals were from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO). Mouse anti-E1 A4, 16 rat anti-E2 3/11, 17 mouse anti–yellow fever virus (YFV) envelope protein 2D12 (ATCC CRL-1689),

and mouse anti–bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) NS3 Osc-23 18 monoclonal antibodies Selleck Acalabrutinib (mAbs) were produced in vitro. Cyanin 3 (Cy3)-conjugated goat antimouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) was from Jackson Immunoresearch (West Grove, PA). Huh-7, 19 HEK 293T (ATCC number CRL-11268), Vero (ATCC CCL-81), and Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK; ATCC number CCL-22) cells were grown in DMEM, supplemented with glutaMAX-I and either 10% fetal calf serum (Huh-7, HEK

293T, and Vero) or 10% horse serum (MDBK). We used a modified Japanese fulminant hepatitis (JFH)1 virus containing titer-enhancing mutations, 20 in which the A4 epitope of HCV glycoprotein E1 of genotype 1a was reconstituted. 21 The JFH1-Luc plasmid, containing a Renilla Luciferase reporter gene, the JFH1-ΔE1/E2-Luc or JFH1-ΔE1/E2 clonidine plasmids, which contain an in-frame deletion in the E1/E2 region, and the JFH1/GND-Luc replication mutant, have been described previously. 21, 22 Infections were scored by measuring luciferase activity in cell lysates, using a Renilla luciferase assay system from Promega (Madison, WI), or by measuring infectivity by indirect immunofluorescence (IF) with anti-E1 mAb. For quantitative binding experiments, purified virus was obtained by the precipitation of HCV grown in cell culture (HCVcc)-infected Huh-7 cell supernatants with 8% polyethylene glycol 6000. Pelleted virus was then loaded onto a continuous 10%-40% iodixanol gradient.

Our results showed that rats only managed to prey on intact eggs when these were small (canary) and that they had great difficulty preying on medium-sized (hen) and even small (quail)-sized intact eggs, find more regardless of the rat’ body

mass, gender and habitat. Conversely, rats preyed extensively on previously damaged eggs of all sizes. Our findings suggest that preying on intact bird eggs without specific learning skills, such as rolling an egg to break it, may be challenging for the black rats. Moreover, our findings strongly indicate that bird susceptibility to egg predation by rats varies with island contexts and may depend on a combination of multiple additive and synergic factors. Experiments that allow for testing the multiple evolutionary and ecological factors explaining between-island or between-population variation in rodent impacts are needed to promote a better overview of the processes involved in bird population declines. “
“Many tropical ecosystems support exceptional levels of amphibian diversity, but in contrast to their temperate counterparts, BVD-523 purchase many aspects of their biology are little studied and poorly

understood. Demographic studies give valuable insights into the age structure and life histories of amphibian populations, thus they are of high importance in making accurate and precise conservation assessments in the light of current global Acyl CoA dehydrogenase amphibian declines. We analysed age structure and growth in a population

of the viviparous caecilian Geotrypetes seraphini, a caecilian amphibian from Mount Cameroon, Central Africa, by using skeletochronology. We detected lines of arrested growth (LAG) in mid-body vertebrae and interpreted them as indicators of a seasonal growth pattern. We expect that LAG are materialized at a rate of one per year. In our sample male reach sexual maturity at an early age (age class 0+), whereas females mature later (age class 1+). Maximum longevity in our sample was estimated at 4+ years. Body size (total length) was significantly smaller in males than in females. Our study shows that skeletochronology is a highly suitable method to determine caecilian growth and age. Caecilian amphibians show a high diversity of reproductive modes including unusual brood care and parental investment strategies. In order to deepen our understanding of their ecology and evolution, many more demographic studies on other species and lineages are needed. “
“Factors that affect group sizes in large ungulates are generally poorly understood for species from remote regions. Understanding grouping patterns is important for effective species management, but is lacking for the endangered Mongolian saiga (Saiga tatarica mongolica). We studied seasonal changes in the group size and social structure of saigas in relation to environmental and anthropogenic factors in western Mongolia during 2009–2012.