martin hall - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by martin hall

Research paper thumbnail of No Gain, No Pain: Ethics and the Genomic Revolution

The mapping of the human genome and scientific discoveries regarding genetic contribu - tions to ... more The mapping of the human genome and scientific discoveries regarding genetic contribu - tions to disease hold great promise for the prevention and treatment of an array of conditions. Social workers and other professionals must keep abreast of these developments and the ethi - cal dimensions of such progress. Familiar ethical provisions such as confidentiality, informed consent, self-determination, and social

Research paper thumbnail of Trapping the flies that cause myiasis: their responses to host-stimuli

Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Sep 1, 1995

A critical phase in the life cycle of the fly species that cause myiasis is host location by the ... more A critical phase in the life cycle of the fly species that cause myiasis is host location by the adult females, whether by direct location of and contact with the host, or by indirect location through the selection of sites frequented by hosts. The stimuli to which these flies respond in host location, principally visual and olfactory, are discussed here in the context of their use to enhance the performance of trapping systems used in research, monitoring and control. The three major families of flies encountered in myiasis can be divided into two groups for comparison of host-location strategies: (1) Oestridae; and (2) Calliphoridae and Sacrophagidae. The former are all obligate parasites, the latter include obligate and primary facultative parasites. In the Oestridae, the majority of Cuterebrinae deposit their eggs at sites likely to be visited by the host, whereas the majority of Oestrinae, Hypodermatinae and Gasterophilinae deposit their eggs or larvae directly onto the host. It is presumed that most host location is, like that of haematophagous insects, by response to olfactory and visual cues released by healthy hosts, but the subject is very under-researched. In the Calliphoridae and Sacrophagidae, most species that cause myiasis deposit their eggs or larvae directly onto the host at some predisposing site, such as those caused by wounding, necrosis and/or bacterial contamination. Healthy hosts are much less attractive, even for obligate species such as Wohlfahrtia magnifica, which can invade undamaged tissues. The last decade has seen a renewed interest in the potential for using traps in control of myiasis, leading to significant advances in trap and bait efficiency. However, there is great potential for further research and development, particularly on the general responses of Oestridae to hosts and in the precise identification of the olfactory cues for Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae.

Research paper thumbnail of Community engagement in South African higher education

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to bring together perspectives on community engagement i... more Abstract: The objective of this paper is to bring together perspectives on community engagement in South African Higher Education in order to assist the National Research Foundation (NRF) in drawing up a programme for funding research in this area, to inform ...

Research paper thumbnail of Pots and politics: Ceramic interpretations in Southern Africa

World Archaeology, 1984

... Pietermaritzburg: Natal Museum. Maggs, T. 1980. The Iron Age sequence south of the Vaal and P... more ... Pietermaritzburg: Natal Museum. Maggs, T. 1980. The Iron Age sequence south of the Vaal and Pongola rivers: some historical implications. Journ. ... World Archaeology 3(2): 178-96. AbstractHall, Martin Pots and Politics: ceramic interpretations in southern Africa ...

Research paper thumbnail of High and low in the townscapes of Dutch South America and South Africa: the dialectics of material culture

Social Dynamics, Dec 1, 1991

... summed it up: men who were "like wild boars", stealing, drinking and whoring "... more ... summed it up: men who were "like wild boars", stealing, drinking and whoring "so shamelessly that it seems to be no disgrace with them ... Back street architecture was too conspicu-ous to serve the purposes of a hidden transcript and, in many cases, the buildings were built and ...

Research paper thumbnail of Estimating the age of Calliphora vicina eggs (Diptera: Calliphoridae): determination of embryonic morphological landmarks and preservation of egg samples

International journal of legal medicine, Jan 11, 2016

Blow fly eggs may sometimes be the only entomological evidence recovered in a forensic case, espe... more Blow fly eggs may sometimes be the only entomological evidence recovered in a forensic case, especially in cooler weather when hatching might take several days: hence, a method for estimating their age is greatly needed. However, developmental data on blow fly eggs are mainly limited to records of the time to larval hatching. The current paper describes the morphological changes occurring during embryogenesis of the blow fly Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy and their timing in relation to temperature, in order to determine those characters which can be used for simple egg age estimation using light microscopy. At 7.3 and 25 °C, 15 easily visualised morphological landmarks were determined in C. vicina living embryos, allowing for their age estimation with a resolution of 10-20 % of total egg developmental time. The observed age intervals were compared to the embryonic stages described for the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, which are used as reference data in multiple de...

Research paper thumbnail of A computer simulation paradigm for self-injurious behaviour

The aim of the present research was to model the inadvertent social reinforcement processes which... more The aim of the present research was to model the inadvertent social reinforcement processes which are sometimes responsible for the development and maintenance of severe problem behaviour. An interactive computer program was designed to simulate a child with self-injurious behaviour, both graphically and in real time. Participants were instructed to ‘teach’ the simulated child a matching-to-sample task. This could be

Research paper thumbnail of Origins of Wohlfahrtia magnifica in Italy based on the identification of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene haplotypes

Parasitology research, Jan 10, 2015

To identify the geographical origins of larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) ... more To identify the geographical origins of larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) causing myiasis of sheep in Italy, comparative DNA sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was performed, based on gene fragments amplified by PCR from genomic DNA isolated from individual specimens. DNA extractions of 19 larvae from Lazio, Molise, Puglia, and Sicilia generated 17 readable sequences homologous to 2 haplotypes, either CB_magn01 or CB_magn02; DNA extracts from 4 adult flies from Calabria (reared from larvae) produced 4 readable sequences belonging to the haplotype CB_magn01. The two haplotypes found represent both the East and West phylogenetic lineages of W. magnifica, which is consistent with the species' arrival from central/southeast Europe (East lineage) and/or from southwest Europe/northwest Africa (West lineage). This is the first report of the sympatric occurrence of the two lineages, which could have resulted from natural or human-assisted dis...

Research paper thumbnail of Cooperation and Conflict

Research paper thumbnail of Thinking Like an Ocean Ecological Lessons from Marine Bycatch

Conservation in Practice, 2002

Research paper thumbnail of Aedes aegypti ferritin heavy chain homologue: feeding of iron or blood influences message levels, lengths and subunit abundance

Journal of insect science (Online), 2002

Secreted ferritin in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, has several subunits that are the products of a... more Secreted ferritin in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, has several subunits that are the products of at least two genes, one encoding a homologue of the vertebrate heavy chain (HCH) and the other the light chain homologue (LCH). Here we report the developmental and organ specific pattern of expression of the ferritin HCH messages and of both subunit types in control sugar-fed mosquitoes, in those exposed to high levels of dietary iron, and after blood feeding. When Northern blots were probed with a HCH cDNA, two bands were observed, representing at least two messages of different sizes that result from the choice of two different polyadenylation sites. Either raising mosquito larvae in an iron-enriched medium, or blood feeding adult female mosquitoes resulted in a marked increase in the HCH message level, particularly of the shorter message. Changes in the amount and length of messages and amount of ferritin subunits were studied over the life span of the mosquito and in different organs...

Research paper thumbnail of Sexuality and Materiality

Intimate Encounters and Sexual Effects, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Inhibitory Deficits, Delay Aversion and Preschool AD/HD: Implications for the Dual Pathway Model

Neural Plasticity, 2004

The dual pathway model proposes the existence of separate and neurobiologicaily distinct cognitiv... more The dual pathway model proposes the existence of separate and neurobiologicaily distinct cognitive (inhibitory and more general executive dysfunction) and motivational (delay aversion) developmental routes to AD/HD. The study reported in this paper explores the relation between inhibitory deficits and delay aversion and their association with AD/HD in a group of three-year-old children. Children identified as having a pre-school equivalent of AD/HD (N=I9) and controls (N=I9), matched for gender and IQ, completed a battery of inhibition and delay tasks. Correlational and factor analysis supported a dissociation between inhibitory deficits (go-no-go, set shifting) and delay aversion (choice delay) with delay of gratification cross-loading. Children with AD/HD displayed more inhibitory deficits and were more delay averse than controls. The data support the value of the distinction between motivational and cognitive pathways to AD/HD. Furthermore, the data suggest that such a distinction is apparent relatively early on during development.

Research paper thumbnail of Improved method for screening mitochondrial cytochrome b markers to identify regional populations of the Old World screwworm fly and other myiasis agents

Acta Tropica, 2014

A new protocol was developed to overcome obstacles to the high-throughput sequence analysis of th... more A new protocol was developed to overcome obstacles to the high-throughput sequence analysis of the 716-717 nucleotides at the carboxyl terminal of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b (cyt b) of the myiasis flies Chrysomya bezziana and Wohlfahrtia magnifica. For both of these obligate parasites, cyt b haplotypes provide diagnostic markers for phylogeographic populations, markers that identify the origins of emerging populations causing economically important myiasis in livestock and, in the case of C. bezziana (Old World screwworm fly), could help select reproductively-compatible populations for use in the Sterile insect technique as part of area wide integrated pest management. High sequence quality is important for unambiguously detecting the few mutations that are diagnostic for regional cyt b haplotypes and their lineages. A key innovation is the design of a new forward primer for the specific PCR amplification and high-quality sequencing of cyt b. The improved protocol will facilitate the use of this established comparative cyt b sequence analysis, not only by teams lacking the resources for whole genome sequencing (WGS) but also by those requiring reference sequences for developing comparative mitogenomics based on WGS.

Research paper thumbnail of Environmental and phylogeographical determinants of the distribution of the Old World screwworm fly in Indonesia

Acta Tropica, 2014

The Old World screwworm (OWS) fly, Chrysomya bezziana, is an obligate parasite of livestock, and ... more The Old World screwworm (OWS) fly, Chrysomya bezziana, is an obligate parasite of livestock, and the myiasis caused by its larval infestations is economically important in Indonesia. The current spatial distribution of such a pest depends on two main factors: the current environmental conditions in which it can survive; and, its ability to occupy those environments by dispersal, which can be inferred from phylogeography and population genetics. These indicate that all OWS flies in Indonesia have mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) haplotypes of the Asian lineage, and the regional separation of its four sub-lineages is the result of infrequent long-distance dispersal. We report the first investigation to associate regional cyt b sub-lineages of the OWS fly with environmental variables. Principal Components Analysis was used to demonstrate that these sub-lineages are associated with very similar macro-climates throughout Indonesia. Then, a species distribution model for the OWS fly in Indonesia was obtained by using the Maxent program. This indicated that elevation captured information not given by other environmental variables, and cattle density provided the most useful information by itself. The results of our study provide some important leads for future research, which will require better, stratified sampling.

Research paper thumbnail of Working with Fishers to Reduce By-catches

Reviews: Methods and Technologies in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2007

Fifty years ago, when the oceans' stocks of fish were though... more Fifty years ago, when the oceans' stocks of fish were thought to be inexhaustible, there were no so-called 'by-catches'. Marine scientists studying fisheries were mostly limited to the monitoring of landings, and they developed the methods used in fisheries science from this perspective. Discards and by-catches were not part of the equation. By-catches in the context of this chapter mean dead discards; and because discarding happens at sea, land-based monitors could not see this component of the fishing process. What were the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Quantifying trends in site location with multidimensional scaling

World Archaeology, 1982

In this paper, I consider some of the problems of quantifying locational trends in archaeology. A... more In this paper, I consider some of the problems of quantifying locational trends in archaeology. A review of the methods available reveals that techniques may either be limited to situations where a considerable knowledge of the nature of the site, or a full set of sites across a research area, may be required. Such data are not common in archaeology, where sites are often damaged by post‐depositional decay or only partially sampled by fieldwork. Because of these problems, I suggest that cluster analysis can be used to identify and measure trends in locational attributes. For this, multidimensional scaling is an ideal technique, since it does not require metric information as input and produces configurations that are easy to interpret visually. By describing the use of multidimensional scaling in the study of the location of early farming settlements in Zululand, I have been able to demonstrate some of the advantages of this approach, and to suggest some ways in which the method may be improved for future application.

Research paper thumbnail of Wound myiasis of sheep in Hungary

Veterinary Parasitology, 1997

In Hungary, 4388 sheep in six flocks were surveyed in June-August of 1992-1995 to gather basic da... more In Hungary, 4388 sheep in six flocks were surveyed in June-August of 1992-1995 to gather basic data on wound myiasis, its incidence, the predominant fly species involved and the clinical manifestations of infestation. The pathogenesis and economic significance of wound myiasis, as well as the interrelation of breed and sex with infestation levels, were evaluated.

Research paper thumbnail of Traumatic myiasis of geese in Hungary

Veterinary Parasitology, 2001

Five geese flocks were surveyed to gather data on the prevalence and clinical manifestation of tr... more Five geese flocks were surveyed to gather data on the prevalence and clinical manifestation of traumatic myiasis and the fly species involved. Myiasis was recorded in all the flocks and the total number of infested geese was 26 (ca. 0.1% of the total numbers). The first cases were observed at the end of May, the last ones in August. Most birds (16/26) were infested in August. Each affected goose had only one lesion, which was located more frequently on the wings (14/26) than on any other body. In seven geese, Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was the only myiasis-causing species. In these cases the detransformed mean number of larvae per wound was 18.1 (range 5-40). Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) was found to be solely responsible for the lesions of 12 birds, with detransformed mean of 94.0 (range 2-893) larvae per goose. The larvae of this species appeared to be generally less invasive than those of W. magnifica, but in three cases they were also deeply embedded in the wounds. In seven geese larvae of both fly species developed together in and around the wounds. With the exception of one lesion, there were more larvae of W. magnifica (detransformed mean of 21.8 with a range of 1-55) than that of L. sericata (detransformed mean of 11.2 with a range of 2-61) in these mixed infections. Predisposing conditions for development of traumatic myiasis in geese included plucking of feathers, other injuries and bacterial infections (e.g. inflammation of the phallus).

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of cypermethrin and doramectin for controlling wohlfahrtiosis in Crete

Veterinary Parasitology, 2003

The fleshfly, Wohlfahrtia magnifica, became an animal health problem in Crete, Greece, during 199... more The fleshfly, Wohlfahrtia magnifica, became an animal health problem in Crete, Greece, during 1999, causing outbreaks of wohlfahrtiosis throughout the main livestock producing regions of the island. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of commercially available drugs in order to design control strategies against wohlfahrtiosis. The test substances were cypermethrin and doramectin sc. The test animals were randomly divided between three groups (30 in each): one treated with cypermethrin pour-on, one treated with doramectin and one untreated controls. The trial lasted 45 days and the animals were inspected daily for natural infestations by W. magnifica. The first infestations were recorded on the 5th, 13th and the 23rd day in the control, cypermethrin and doramectin groups, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the survival curves for doramectin and the control group up to day 40, but not at the end of the study.

Research paper thumbnail of No Gain, No Pain: Ethics and the Genomic Revolution

The mapping of the human genome and scientific discoveries regarding genetic contribu - tions to ... more The mapping of the human genome and scientific discoveries regarding genetic contribu - tions to disease hold great promise for the prevention and treatment of an array of conditions. Social workers and other professionals must keep abreast of these developments and the ethi - cal dimensions of such progress. Familiar ethical provisions such as confidentiality, informed consent, self-determination, and social

Research paper thumbnail of Trapping the flies that cause myiasis: their responses to host-stimuli

Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Sep 1, 1995

A critical phase in the life cycle of the fly species that cause myiasis is host location by the ... more A critical phase in the life cycle of the fly species that cause myiasis is host location by the adult females, whether by direct location of and contact with the host, or by indirect location through the selection of sites frequented by hosts. The stimuli to which these flies respond in host location, principally visual and olfactory, are discussed here in the context of their use to enhance the performance of trapping systems used in research, monitoring and control. The three major families of flies encountered in myiasis can be divided into two groups for comparison of host-location strategies: (1) Oestridae; and (2) Calliphoridae and Sacrophagidae. The former are all obligate parasites, the latter include obligate and primary facultative parasites. In the Oestridae, the majority of Cuterebrinae deposit their eggs at sites likely to be visited by the host, whereas the majority of Oestrinae, Hypodermatinae and Gasterophilinae deposit their eggs or larvae directly onto the host. It is presumed that most host location is, like that of haematophagous insects, by response to olfactory and visual cues released by healthy hosts, but the subject is very under-researched. In the Calliphoridae and Sacrophagidae, most species that cause myiasis deposit their eggs or larvae directly onto the host at some predisposing site, such as those caused by wounding, necrosis and/or bacterial contamination. Healthy hosts are much less attractive, even for obligate species such as Wohlfahrtia magnifica, which can invade undamaged tissues. The last decade has seen a renewed interest in the potential for using traps in control of myiasis, leading to significant advances in trap and bait efficiency. However, there is great potential for further research and development, particularly on the general responses of Oestridae to hosts and in the precise identification of the olfactory cues for Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae.

Research paper thumbnail of Community engagement in South African higher education

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to bring together perspectives on community engagement i... more Abstract: The objective of this paper is to bring together perspectives on community engagement in South African Higher Education in order to assist the National Research Foundation (NRF) in drawing up a programme for funding research in this area, to inform ...

Research paper thumbnail of Pots and politics: Ceramic interpretations in Southern Africa

World Archaeology, 1984

... Pietermaritzburg: Natal Museum. Maggs, T. 1980. The Iron Age sequence south of the Vaal and P... more ... Pietermaritzburg: Natal Museum. Maggs, T. 1980. The Iron Age sequence south of the Vaal and Pongola rivers: some historical implications. Journ. ... World Archaeology 3(2): 178-96. AbstractHall, Martin Pots and Politics: ceramic interpretations in southern Africa ...

Research paper thumbnail of High and low in the townscapes of Dutch South America and South Africa: the dialectics of material culture

Social Dynamics, Dec 1, 1991

... summed it up: men who were "like wild boars", stealing, drinking and whoring "... more ... summed it up: men who were "like wild boars", stealing, drinking and whoring "so shamelessly that it seems to be no disgrace with them ... Back street architecture was too conspicu-ous to serve the purposes of a hidden transcript and, in many cases, the buildings were built and ...

Research paper thumbnail of Estimating the age of Calliphora vicina eggs (Diptera: Calliphoridae): determination of embryonic morphological landmarks and preservation of egg samples

International journal of legal medicine, Jan 11, 2016

Blow fly eggs may sometimes be the only entomological evidence recovered in a forensic case, espe... more Blow fly eggs may sometimes be the only entomological evidence recovered in a forensic case, especially in cooler weather when hatching might take several days: hence, a method for estimating their age is greatly needed. However, developmental data on blow fly eggs are mainly limited to records of the time to larval hatching. The current paper describes the morphological changes occurring during embryogenesis of the blow fly Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy and their timing in relation to temperature, in order to determine those characters which can be used for simple egg age estimation using light microscopy. At 7.3 and 25 °C, 15 easily visualised morphological landmarks were determined in C. vicina living embryos, allowing for their age estimation with a resolution of 10-20 % of total egg developmental time. The observed age intervals were compared to the embryonic stages described for the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, which are used as reference data in multiple de...

Research paper thumbnail of A computer simulation paradigm for self-injurious behaviour

The aim of the present research was to model the inadvertent social reinforcement processes which... more The aim of the present research was to model the inadvertent social reinforcement processes which are sometimes responsible for the development and maintenance of severe problem behaviour. An interactive computer program was designed to simulate a child with self-injurious behaviour, both graphically and in real time. Participants were instructed to ‘teach’ the simulated child a matching-to-sample task. This could be

Research paper thumbnail of Origins of Wohlfahrtia magnifica in Italy based on the identification of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene haplotypes

Parasitology research, Jan 10, 2015

To identify the geographical origins of larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) ... more To identify the geographical origins of larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) causing myiasis of sheep in Italy, comparative DNA sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was performed, based on gene fragments amplified by PCR from genomic DNA isolated from individual specimens. DNA extractions of 19 larvae from Lazio, Molise, Puglia, and Sicilia generated 17 readable sequences homologous to 2 haplotypes, either CB_magn01 or CB_magn02; DNA extracts from 4 adult flies from Calabria (reared from larvae) produced 4 readable sequences belonging to the haplotype CB_magn01. The two haplotypes found represent both the East and West phylogenetic lineages of W. magnifica, which is consistent with the species' arrival from central/southeast Europe (East lineage) and/or from southwest Europe/northwest Africa (West lineage). This is the first report of the sympatric occurrence of the two lineages, which could have resulted from natural or human-assisted dis...

Research paper thumbnail of Cooperation and Conflict

Research paper thumbnail of Thinking Like an Ocean Ecological Lessons from Marine Bycatch

Conservation in Practice, 2002

Research paper thumbnail of Aedes aegypti ferritin heavy chain homologue: feeding of iron or blood influences message levels, lengths and subunit abundance

Journal of insect science (Online), 2002

Secreted ferritin in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, has several subunits that are the products of a... more Secreted ferritin in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, has several subunits that are the products of at least two genes, one encoding a homologue of the vertebrate heavy chain (HCH) and the other the light chain homologue (LCH). Here we report the developmental and organ specific pattern of expression of the ferritin HCH messages and of both subunit types in control sugar-fed mosquitoes, in those exposed to high levels of dietary iron, and after blood feeding. When Northern blots were probed with a HCH cDNA, two bands were observed, representing at least two messages of different sizes that result from the choice of two different polyadenylation sites. Either raising mosquito larvae in an iron-enriched medium, or blood feeding adult female mosquitoes resulted in a marked increase in the HCH message level, particularly of the shorter message. Changes in the amount and length of messages and amount of ferritin subunits were studied over the life span of the mosquito and in different organs...

Research paper thumbnail of Sexuality and Materiality

Intimate Encounters and Sexual Effects, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Inhibitory Deficits, Delay Aversion and Preschool AD/HD: Implications for the Dual Pathway Model

Neural Plasticity, 2004

The dual pathway model proposes the existence of separate and neurobiologicaily distinct cognitiv... more The dual pathway model proposes the existence of separate and neurobiologicaily distinct cognitive (inhibitory and more general executive dysfunction) and motivational (delay aversion) developmental routes to AD/HD. The study reported in this paper explores the relation between inhibitory deficits and delay aversion and their association with AD/HD in a group of three-year-old children. Children identified as having a pre-school equivalent of AD/HD (N=I9) and controls (N=I9), matched for gender and IQ, completed a battery of inhibition and delay tasks. Correlational and factor analysis supported a dissociation between inhibitory deficits (go-no-go, set shifting) and delay aversion (choice delay) with delay of gratification cross-loading. Children with AD/HD displayed more inhibitory deficits and were more delay averse than controls. The data support the value of the distinction between motivational and cognitive pathways to AD/HD. Furthermore, the data suggest that such a distinction is apparent relatively early on during development.

Research paper thumbnail of Improved method for screening mitochondrial cytochrome b markers to identify regional populations of the Old World screwworm fly and other myiasis agents

Acta Tropica, 2014

A new protocol was developed to overcome obstacles to the high-throughput sequence analysis of th... more A new protocol was developed to overcome obstacles to the high-throughput sequence analysis of the 716-717 nucleotides at the carboxyl terminal of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b (cyt b) of the myiasis flies Chrysomya bezziana and Wohlfahrtia magnifica. For both of these obligate parasites, cyt b haplotypes provide diagnostic markers for phylogeographic populations, markers that identify the origins of emerging populations causing economically important myiasis in livestock and, in the case of C. bezziana (Old World screwworm fly), could help select reproductively-compatible populations for use in the Sterile insect technique as part of area wide integrated pest management. High sequence quality is important for unambiguously detecting the few mutations that are diagnostic for regional cyt b haplotypes and their lineages. A key innovation is the design of a new forward primer for the specific PCR amplification and high-quality sequencing of cyt b. The improved protocol will facilitate the use of this established comparative cyt b sequence analysis, not only by teams lacking the resources for whole genome sequencing (WGS) but also by those requiring reference sequences for developing comparative mitogenomics based on WGS.

Research paper thumbnail of Environmental and phylogeographical determinants of the distribution of the Old World screwworm fly in Indonesia

Acta Tropica, 2014

The Old World screwworm (OWS) fly, Chrysomya bezziana, is an obligate parasite of livestock, and ... more The Old World screwworm (OWS) fly, Chrysomya bezziana, is an obligate parasite of livestock, and the myiasis caused by its larval infestations is economically important in Indonesia. The current spatial distribution of such a pest depends on two main factors: the current environmental conditions in which it can survive; and, its ability to occupy those environments by dispersal, which can be inferred from phylogeography and population genetics. These indicate that all OWS flies in Indonesia have mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) haplotypes of the Asian lineage, and the regional separation of its four sub-lineages is the result of infrequent long-distance dispersal. We report the first investigation to associate regional cyt b sub-lineages of the OWS fly with environmental variables. Principal Components Analysis was used to demonstrate that these sub-lineages are associated with very similar macro-climates throughout Indonesia. Then, a species distribution model for the OWS fly in Indonesia was obtained by using the Maxent program. This indicated that elevation captured information not given by other environmental variables, and cattle density provided the most useful information by itself. The results of our study provide some important leads for future research, which will require better, stratified sampling.

Research paper thumbnail of Working with Fishers to Reduce By-catches

Reviews: Methods and Technologies in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2007

Fifty years ago, when the oceans' stocks of fish were though... more Fifty years ago, when the oceans' stocks of fish were thought to be inexhaustible, there were no so-called 'by-catches'. Marine scientists studying fisheries were mostly limited to the monitoring of landings, and they developed the methods used in fisheries science from this perspective. Discards and by-catches were not part of the equation. By-catches in the context of this chapter mean dead discards; and because discarding happens at sea, land-based monitors could not see this component of the fishing process. What were the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Quantifying trends in site location with multidimensional scaling

World Archaeology, 1982

In this paper, I consider some of the problems of quantifying locational trends in archaeology. A... more In this paper, I consider some of the problems of quantifying locational trends in archaeology. A review of the methods available reveals that techniques may either be limited to situations where a considerable knowledge of the nature of the site, or a full set of sites across a research area, may be required. Such data are not common in archaeology, where sites are often damaged by post‐depositional decay or only partially sampled by fieldwork. Because of these problems, I suggest that cluster analysis can be used to identify and measure trends in locational attributes. For this, multidimensional scaling is an ideal technique, since it does not require metric information as input and produces configurations that are easy to interpret visually. By describing the use of multidimensional scaling in the study of the location of early farming settlements in Zululand, I have been able to demonstrate some of the advantages of this approach, and to suggest some ways in which the method may be improved for future application.

Research paper thumbnail of Wound myiasis of sheep in Hungary

Veterinary Parasitology, 1997

In Hungary, 4388 sheep in six flocks were surveyed in June-August of 1992-1995 to gather basic da... more In Hungary, 4388 sheep in six flocks were surveyed in June-August of 1992-1995 to gather basic data on wound myiasis, its incidence, the predominant fly species involved and the clinical manifestations of infestation. The pathogenesis and economic significance of wound myiasis, as well as the interrelation of breed and sex with infestation levels, were evaluated.

Research paper thumbnail of Traumatic myiasis of geese in Hungary

Veterinary Parasitology, 2001

Five geese flocks were surveyed to gather data on the prevalence and clinical manifestation of tr... more Five geese flocks were surveyed to gather data on the prevalence and clinical manifestation of traumatic myiasis and the fly species involved. Myiasis was recorded in all the flocks and the total number of infested geese was 26 (ca. 0.1% of the total numbers). The first cases were observed at the end of May, the last ones in August. Most birds (16/26) were infested in August. Each affected goose had only one lesion, which was located more frequently on the wings (14/26) than on any other body. In seven geese, Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) was the only myiasis-causing species. In these cases the detransformed mean number of larvae per wound was 18.1 (range 5-40). Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) was found to be solely responsible for the lesions of 12 birds, with detransformed mean of 94.0 (range 2-893) larvae per goose. The larvae of this species appeared to be generally less invasive than those of W. magnifica, but in three cases they were also deeply embedded in the wounds. In seven geese larvae of both fly species developed together in and around the wounds. With the exception of one lesion, there were more larvae of W. magnifica (detransformed mean of 21.8 with a range of 1-55) than that of L. sericata (detransformed mean of 11.2 with a range of 2-61) in these mixed infections. Predisposing conditions for development of traumatic myiasis in geese included plucking of feathers, other injuries and bacterial infections (e.g. inflammation of the phallus).

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of cypermethrin and doramectin for controlling wohlfahrtiosis in Crete

Veterinary Parasitology, 2003

The fleshfly, Wohlfahrtia magnifica, became an animal health problem in Crete, Greece, during 199... more The fleshfly, Wohlfahrtia magnifica, became an animal health problem in Crete, Greece, during 1999, causing outbreaks of wohlfahrtiosis throughout the main livestock producing regions of the island. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of commercially available drugs in order to design control strategies against wohlfahrtiosis. The test substances were cypermethrin and doramectin sc. The test animals were randomly divided between three groups (30 in each): one treated with cypermethrin pour-on, one treated with doramectin and one untreated controls. The trial lasted 45 days and the animals were inspected daily for natural infestations by W. magnifica. The first infestations were recorded on the 5th, 13th and the 23rd day in the control, cypermethrin and doramectin groups, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the survival curves for doramectin and the control group up to day 40, but not at the end of the study.