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Wild Scottish sheep could help explain differences in immunity
Princeton University ^ | October 28, 2010 | Kitta MacPherson

Posted on 10/28/2010 5:32:18 PM PDT by decimon

Strong immunity may play a key role in determining long life, but may do so at the expense of reduced fertility, a Princeton University study has concluded. An 11-year study of a population of wild sheep located on a remote island off the coast of Scotland that gauged the animals' susceptibility to infection may give new insight into why some people get sicker than others when exposed to the same illness.

The answer to this medical puzzle may lie in deep-rooted differences in how animals survive and reproduce in the wild, according to the study, which was led by Princeton ecologist Andrea Graham and published in the Oct. 29 issue of Science. The research revealed that the sheep population over time has maintained a balance of those with weaker and stronger levels of immunity and fertility.

(Excerpt) Read more at princeton.edu ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; hirta; lambs; scotland; sheep; soay; stkildaarchipelago
Cute lamb pic.


Photo by Arpat Ozgul/University of Edinburgh

1 posted on 10/28/2010 5:32:20 PM PDT by decimon
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To: neverdem; DvdMom; grey_whiskers; Ladysmith; SunkenCiv

Do or die ping.


2 posted on 10/28/2010 5:33:41 PM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon

“Reminds me of the movie “The Edge of the World” which was set on Hirta tho actually filmed on another almost identical Scottish Island.

The thing which fascinated me is the remote island had supported human habitation for at least 2000 years then they finally gave up and moved to the mainland in the 1930s or maybe 1920s.


3 posted on 10/28/2010 5:47:59 PM PDT by yarddog
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To: decimon

It’s my pre-Nov 2nd jitters...when I read the title of this thread I pictured a sheep in a white lab coat standing upright in front of a chalkboard with genetic heritage diagrams written on it...explaining the differences in immunity...with the eyes rolling wildly....just tryin’ to help....I’ll go now.....shall I shut the door behind me? Ok....will do.


4 posted on 10/28/2010 5:51:02 PM PDT by ransomnote
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To: ransomnote
It’s my pre-Nov 2nd jitters...

Well, the Scotch whiskey didn't help. ;-)

5 posted on 10/28/2010 5:55:19 PM PDT by decimon
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To: yarddog
The thing which fascinated me is the remote island had supported human habitation for at least 2000 years then they finally gave up and moved to the mainland in the 1930s or maybe 1920s.

I'll guess they moved because by that time the mainland folk were living much more modern lifestyles.

6 posted on 10/28/2010 5:57:44 PM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon

Yes, I think that is what happened. When they left the island, there were less than 30 people left and no students in the school which probably means the only ones still there were older.

The younger ones had probably already moved. I remember reading that after Culloden, the English sent a boat to St. Kilda thinking Prince Charles might be hiding out there.

The islanders didn’t know who the Prince was, they also didn’t know who King George was.


7 posted on 10/28/2010 6:31:34 PM PDT by yarddog
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To: yarddog
The islanders didn’t know who the Prince was, they also didn’t know who King George was.

Ignorance really can be bliss. ;-) But that had to be the sort of rough life most of us would prefer to escape.

8 posted on 10/28/2010 6:41:43 PM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon; blam; sionnsar

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Baaah.

I pasture ping message to me without even looking.

;')

Thanks decimon.

The sheer brilliance of making this a GGG topic remains to be seen.

Wool have to wait to see if there's mutton to complain about.

Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
 

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9 posted on 10/28/2010 7:23:30 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)
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To: SunkenCiv
But have ya herd this ping? Paradise Lost -- And Found (Jerusalem - irrigated gardens). I discovered, all on my own, that Rachel = ewe. And that Rachel had a little lamb. I offer much to graze upon today.
10 posted on 10/28/2010 7:31:52 PM PDT by decimon
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To: decimon
Wild Scottish sheep could help explain differences in immunity

I did not know sheep could talk, much less explain things.

11 posted on 10/28/2010 7:35:03 PM PDT by 6SJ7 (atlasShruggedInd = TRUE)
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To: 6SJ7
I did not know sheep could talk...

So now you're worried? ;-)

12 posted on 10/28/2010 7:42:46 PM PDT by decimon
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To: ConorMacNessa; brushcop; DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis; Old Sarge; rdl6989; waterhill; P8riot; ...
Thanks to SunkenCiv for the Scotland ping!
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Pipes and Drums of FreeRepublic ping!

This is an ultra-low-volume ping list (typically weeks to months between pings, for matters related to Highland bagpipes and Scotland).
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this list.

Going to the Games? Organize a Clan FReeper get-together!

13 posted on 10/28/2010 7:59:52 PM PDT by sionnsar (IranAzadi|5yst3m 0wn3d-it's N0t Y0ur5:SONY|TV--it's NOT news you can trust)
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To: decimon

Quick, build a fire. Grilled lamb. Yum. =)


14 posted on 10/28/2010 8:05:24 PM PDT by Redcitizen
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To: decimon

Mutton!


15 posted on 10/28/2010 8:09:59 PM PDT by rdl6989 (January 20, 2013- The end of an error.)
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16 posted on 10/28/2010 8:21:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)
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To: decimon

It bleats some of the topics on FR tonight.


17 posted on 10/28/2010 8:44:43 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)
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To: yarddog

The people of St Kilda’s depended on eggs from sea birds to supplement their diets and had done for so many years that they had pre-hensile toes from centuries of climbing the cliffs raiding bird nests...feet that looked more like a second set of hands. I seem to vaguely recall that after St. Kilda’s population was relocated, that the island was used by the government for chemical experiments, and I don’t think it is permitted to visit the island any longer.


18 posted on 10/28/2010 8:49:04 PM PDT by kiltie65
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