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Jan M, Stronen AV, Boljte B, Černe R, Huber Đ, Iosif R, Kljun F, Konec M, Kos I, Krofel M, Kusak J, Luštrik R, Majić Skrbinšek A, Promberger-Füerpass B, Potočnik H, Rigg R, Trontelj P, Skrbinšek T. Wolf genetic diversity compared across Europe using the yardstick method. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13727. [PMID: 37608038 PMCID: PMC10444868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40834-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrating data across studies with traditional microsatellite genetic markers requires careful calibration and represents an obstacle for investigation of wide-ranging species where populations require transboundary management. We used the "yardstick" method to compare results published across Europe since 2002 and new wolf (Canis lupus) genetic profiles from the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe and the Dinaric Mountains in Southeastern Europe, with the latter as our reference population. We compared each population with Dinaric wolves, considering only shared markers (range 4-17). For each population, we calculated standard genetic diversity indices plus calibrated heterozygosity (Hec) and allelic richness (Ac). Hec and Ac in Dinaric (0.704 and 9.394) and Carpathian wolves (0.695 and 7.023) were comparable to those observed in other large and mid-sized European populations, but smaller than those of northeastern Europe. Major discrepancies in marker choices among some studies made comparisons more difficult. However, the yardstick method, including the new measures of Hec and Ac, provided a direct comparison of genetic diversity values among wolf populations and an intuitive interpretation of the results. The yardstick method thus permitted the integration of diverse sources of publicly available microsatellite data for spatiotemporal genetic monitoring of evolutionary potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Jan
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Astrid Vik Stronen
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Barbara Boljte
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rok Černe
- Slovenia Forest Service, Večna pot 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Đuro Huber
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Vjekoslava Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ruben Iosif
- Foundation Conservation Carpathia, 27 Calea Feldioarei, 500471, Brașov, Romania
| | - Franc Kljun
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marjeta Konec
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Kos
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Krofel
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Josip Kusak
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Vjekoslava Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Roman Luštrik
- Genialis Inc, Vojkova cesta 63, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Hubert Potočnik
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robin Rigg
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Slovak Wildlife Society, Belanská 574/6, P.O. Box 72, Liptovský Hrádok, 033 01, Slovakia
| | - Peter Trontelj
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Skrbinšek
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- DivjaLabs d.o.o., Aljaževa ulica 35a, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Pichon M, Carter DJ, Howard-Merrill L, Sono R, Gimunta V, Rutenge O, Thiaw Y, Stoebenau K, Perrin N, Buller AM. A mixed-methods, exploratory, quasi-experimental evaluation of a radio drama intervention to prevent age-disparate transactional sex in Tanzania. Front Reprod Health 2022; 4:1000853. [PMID: 36531443 PMCID: PMC9755860 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2022.1000853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Age-disparate transactional sex (ADTS) is associated with HIV, unintended pregnancy, school dropout and violence, yet few interventions have successfully prevented it, and none have set ADTS prevention as their primary outcome. This exploratory evaluation aimed to assess indications of change after exposure to the Learning Initiative on Norms, Exploitation and Abuse (LINEA) intervention, a mass-media, gender-transformative social norms intervention aimed at preventing ADTS in Tanzania. METHODS In a condensed implementation 331 participants were instructed to listen to the LINEA radio drama over seven weeks, and 60 were randomly allocated to household discussion sessions about content. In-depth interviews (n = 81) from girls aged 12-16 years, and women and men caregivers were collected at baseline (September 2021), midline (November) and endline (December 2021). Surveys were conducted (n = 120) at baseline and endline using the Norms and Attitudes on ADTS Scale (NAATSS) and the Gender Roles and Male Provision Expectations (GRMPE) scale. Interviews were thematically analyzed using a framework approach. Age-stratified linear regression models adjusted for baseline scores were used to measure association between the intervention and endline scale scores. RESULTS Longitudinal data were available from 59 qualitative (73%) and 95 quantitative participants (79%). Qualitative evidence revealed the drama facilitated family conversations about adolescent challenges, allowing caregivers to advise daughters. Some girls gained confidence to refuse men's gifts, learning that accepting them could necessitate sexual reciprocation. Some caregivers felt increased responsibility for supporting girls in the community to avoid ADTS. Blame for ADTS shifted for some from girls to men, suggesting increased understanding of inequitable power dynamics and reductions in victim blaming. Marginal quantitative evidence revealed that highly exposed girls had improved gender equitable beliefs on the GRMPE (β = -6.26; 95% CI: -12.94, 0.42). Moderately exposed men had increased gender inequitable norms on the NAATSS subscale (β = 0.42 95% CI: 0.05, 0.79), but there was no effect in highly exposed men. CONCLUSIONS Given the small sample results should be interpreted cautiously. Our initial findings indicate high engagement with the LINEA intervention shows promise in shifting knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes, beliefs and social norms driving ADTS in Shinyanga, Tanzania, supporting a robust impact evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie Pichon
- Gender Violence & Health Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel J Carter
- Gender Violence & Health Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lottie Howard-Merrill
- Department of Education, Practice and Society, Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Revocatus Sono
- Adolescent Girls and Young Women Department, Amani Girls Home, Mwanza, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Veronicah Gimunta
- Adolescent Girls and Young Women Department, Amani Girls Home, Mwanza, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Oscar Rutenge
- Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service, Shinyanga Unit, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Yandé Thiaw
- Gender Violence & Health Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kirsten Stoebenau
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Nancy Perrin
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ana Maria Buller
- Gender Violence & Health Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Choto ET, Mduluza T, Chimbari MJ. Interleukin-13 rs1800925/-1112C/T promoter single nucleotide polymorphism variant linked to anti-schistosomiasis in adult males in Murehwa District, Zimbabwe. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252220. [PMID: 34048465 PMCID: PMC8162643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic schistosomiasis is predominantly induced through up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-13. IL-13 may contribute to the disease outcomes by increasing eosinophil infiltration thereby promoting fibrosis. IL-13 may act as an immunosuppressive inflammatory cytokine that may promote carcinogenesis and also may offer protection against schistosomiasis thereby reducing risk of schistosome infections. Our study evaluated the frequency of the IL-13 rs1800925/-1112 C/ T promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among schistosomiasis infected individuals and assessed the association of the variants on IL-13 cytokine levels. We also investigated IL-13 rs1800925 polymorphisms on prostate-specific antigen levels as an indicator for risk of prostate cancer development. Methodology The study was cross-sectional and included 50 schistosomiasis infected and 316 uninfected male participants residing in Murehwa District, Zimbabwe. IL-13 rs1800925 SNPs were genotyped by allele amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction. Concentrations of serum prostate-specific antigens and plasma IL-13 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Frequencies of the genotypes CC, CT and TT, were 20%, 58% and 22% in schistosomiasis infected, and 18.3%, 62.1% and 19.6% in uninfected participants with no statistical differences. There were significantly (p<0.05) higher IL-13 cytokine levels among both infected and uninfected participants with the genotypes CC and CT; median 92.25 pg/mL and 106.5 pg/mL, respectively, compared to TT variant individuals; 44.78 pg/mL. Within the schistosomiasis uninfected group, CC and CT variants had significantly (p<0.05) higher IL-13 levels; median 135.0 pg/mL and 113.6 pg/mL, respectively compared to TT variant individuals; 47.15 pg/mL. Within the schistosomiasis infected group, CC, CT and TT variant individuals had insignificant differences of IL-13 level. Using logistic regression, no association was observed between prostate-specific antigen levels, IL-13 cytokine levels and IL-13 rs1800925 variants (p>0.05). Conclusion IL-13 rs1800925 C variant individuals had the highest IL-13 cytokine levels among the schistosomiasis uninfected suggesting that they may be protective against Schistosoma infections. There was no association between IL-13 concentrations or IL-13 rs1800925 variants and risk of prostate cancer indicating that IL-13 levels and IL-13 rs10800925 may not be utilised as biomarker for risk of prostate cancer in schistosome infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia T. Choto
- School of Public Health Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Takafira Mduluza
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Moses J. Chimbari
- School of Public Health Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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