Hasil untuk "Zoology"

Dimar Sari Wahyuni, Komang Gede Wiryawan, Roni Ridwan et al.

Background and Aim: Enteric methane emissions from ruminants contribute significantly to greenhouse gas production, prompting research into sustainable feed additives. Macroalgae, rich in bioactive compounds, show promise in modulating rumen fermentation, improving digestibility, and reducing methane output. Indonesia’s diverse native macroalgae remain largely unexplored for these purposes, necessitating comparative evaluation to identify promising species for ruminant nutrition. This study aimed to conduct the first comparative in vitro evaluation of rumen fermentation patterns, digestibility characteristics, gas production kinetics, and enteric methane emissions using 14 native Indonesian macroalgae species, including brown (Sargassum sp., Padina sp., Turbinaria ornata), green (Boergesenia forbesii, Caulerpa racemosa, Ulva lactuca), and red (Palmaria palmata, Gelidium sp., Halymenia durvillei, Gracilaria verrucosa, Eucheuma cottonii, Gracilaria gigas, Eucheuma spinosum, Gracilaria coronopifolia) algae, to identify candidates for sustainable ruminant feed additives. Materials and Methods: Macroalgae samples were collected from various Indonesian locations, dried, and analyzed for chemical composition (dry matter, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract). In vitro fermentation was performed using a completely randomized design with five replicates per species. Samples (0.5 g) were incubated at 39°C for 72 h in buffered rumen fluid from fistulated Ongole crossbreed cattle. Parameters measured included total gas production, methane emissions (estimated via volatile fatty acid [VFA] profiles), ammonia, total and partial VFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, iso-butyrate, iso-valerate), acetate-to-propionate ratio, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), partitioning factor, microbial protein synthesis, and gas production kinetics. Data were analyzed using a one way analysis of variance with significance at p < 0.05 or p < 0.01, followed by post-hoc tests. Results: Chemical composition varied widely; red algae like Palmaria palmata had high crude protein (22.39 % dry matter), while brown algae like Padina sp. were ash-rich (74.39 % dry matter). Total gas production was highest in B. forbesii (54.75 mL; p < 0.01) and lowest in T. ornata (10.94 mL). Methane emissions and methane per incubated dry matter were lowest in Sargassum sp. (1.87 mM and 3.75 mM/g dry matter; p < 0.01), with Sargassum sp. and C. racemosa reducing methane by 71.86 %. Ammonia levels were similar across species (p > 0.05). Total VFA and propionate were highest in H. durvillei and B. forbesii (p < 0.01), with reduced acetate-to-propionate ratios. IVDMD and IVOMD were highest in H. durvillei (81.72 % and 69.53 %; p < 0.01). Gas kinetics showed B. forbesii with the highest asymptote (201.97 mL; p < 0.01) but slowest rate (0.01 mL/h). Positive correlations existed between crude protein and VFA/ammonia, while crude fiber inversely correlated with gas production and digestibility. Conclusion: H. durvillei emerged as optimal for enhancing rumen fermentation and digestibility, while Sargassum sp. excelled in methane mitigation. These species hold promise as natural additives for reducing environmental impacts in ruminant production, warranting in vivo validation for optimal inclusion rates and long-term effects.

Yameng Qiao, Wenzheng Liu, Fanzhen Wang et al.

Individual recognition of Hu sheep is a core requirement for precision livestock management, significantly improving breeding efficiency and fine management. However, traditional machine vision methods face challenges such as high annotation time costs, the inability to quickly annotate new sheep, and the need for manual intervention and retraining. To address these issues, this study proposes a solution that integrates automatic annotation and transfer learning, developing a sheep face recognition algorithm that adapts to complex farming environments and can quickly learn the characteristics of new Hu sheep individuals. First, through multi-view video collection and data augmentation, a dataset consisting of 82 Hu sheep and a total of 6055 images was created. Additionally, a sheep face detection and automatic annotation algorithm was designed, reducing the annotation time per image to 0.014 min compared to traditional manual annotation. Next, the YOLOv10n-CF-Lite model is proposed, which improved the recognition precision of Hu sheep faces to 92.3%, and the mAP@0.5 to 96.2%. To enhance the model’s adaptability and generalization ability for new sheep, transfer learning was applied to transfer the YOLOv10n-CF-Lite model trained on the source domain (82 Hu sheep) to the target domain (10 new Hu sheep). The recognition precision in the target domain increased from 91.2% to 94.9%, and the mAP@0.5 improved from 96.3% to 97%. Additionally, the model’s convergence speed was improved, reducing the number of training epochs required for fitting from 43 to 14. In summary, the Hu sheep face recognition algorithm proposed in this study improves annotation efficiency, recognition precision, and convergence speed through automatic annotation and transfer learning. It can quickly adapt to the characteristics of new sheep individuals, providing an efficient and reliable technical solution for the intelligent management of livestock.

E. Pietrykowska-Tudruj, B. Staniec, I. Wojda et al.

A thorough knowledge of the larval stages of a model organism such as the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella is essential for researchers in various fields in the biological, pharmaceutical, medical and agricultural sciences. This is particularly important for the correct identification of the different larval stages: this will ensure reproducibility of results when individuals of a given stage are used in experiments. Knowledge of their morphology also has potential value in phylogenetic analyses. To address the urgent need for such knowledge, the development of G. mellonella larvae was tracked from the first to the eighth stage. This paper provides (i) a detailed description of the morphology, including the chaetotaxy, of the hitherto completely unknown first-stage (L1) larvae, with particular emphasis on adhesive structures, including those described for lepidopterans for the first time; (ii) a supplement to Smith’s (1965) description of the morphology of the last stage (L8); (iii) a list of macroscopic and ultrastructural features of morphological structures that undergo changes during larval development from the first stage to the eighth; and (iv) a pictorial, user-friendly key to all the larval instars (from L1 to L8) which has been developed based on metric and qualitative diagnostic characters, chiefly the head capsule width, the colour of the pronotum and the presence of an ecdysial line on it, the body shape and the presence of club-shaped setae, the arrangement of crochets on the prolegs, and the colour of the dorsal sclerites.

Rachel Malkani, Sharmini Paramasivam, Sarah Wolfensohn

Behavioural disorders in dogs are common and have severe welfare consequences for dogs. This study aimed to assess the factors that are significant and predictive of behaviour problems in dogs using the animal welfare assessment grid (AWAG) to further understand what factors influence their welfare. 177 AWAG assessments were undertaken across 129 dogs that clinicians deemed to have a behavioural disorder. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to assess the difference in scores between dogs with behaviour disorders and a cohort of healthy dogs (<i>n</i> = 117). This analysis showed that all physical factors besides body condition, all procedural factors besides procedure pain, and all psychological, and environmental factors were significantly different between healthy dogs and dogs with behaviour disorders. Spearman rank correlation coefficient (RS) revealed several significant strong positive correlations including the procedural impact on the dog’s daily routine with aggression towards unfamiliar people and procedure pain, as well as other correlations between the dog’s behaviour during assessment with the frequency at which they encounter fears and anxieties, clinical assessment and procedure pain, and reaction to stressors and social interactions. These findings highlight the interdependent nature of the various influences of welfare. Logistic regression analysis identified that aggression towards the caregiver, fears and anxieties frequency, and choice, control, and predictability were all significant predictors of behaviour disorders. The findings have important implications for veterinary, behaviour, and animal welfare professionals as any changes across these factors may indicate poor welfare linked to emotional disorders in dogs.

Gatiyatullin Ildar, Bazekin George, Dolinin Ilgiz

The paper presents a clinical and morphological justification for the use of glycyrrhizic acid in poultry farming. It was found that the use of glycyrrhizic acid in broiler chickens enhances the histological picture of the thymus with a pronounced image and differentiation of the cortical layer. Increased mitotic activity of thymocytes and improved blood supply to the organ were determined. Revealed, Fabricius’s bag of broiler chickens, which were given glycyrrhizic acid, has a fairly high level of functional dynamics. Installed, the thickness of the cortical layer of the thymus lobule in broiler chickens in the control group was 1.2 times lower than after the use of glycyrrhizic acid in broiler chickens in the experimental group, and the cerebral layer was 1.8 times less than in the experimental group. It was revealed that glycyrrhizic acid has a beneficial effect on the body of birds.

Kojima Yohei, Matsumoto Yuta, Goran Daniel et al.

Bernhard A. Huber, Guanliang Meng, Jiří Král et al.

The southern South American genus Guaranita includes tiny spiders (body length ~1 mm) that lead reclusive lives under ground-objects and run rapidly when disturbed. As a result, they have been poorly collected and studied. Here we report on a recent collection of Guaranita spiders from Argentina, describing one new species (G. auadae Huber sp. nov.) and the previously unknown female of G. dobby Torres et al., 2016. In addition, we provide CO1 barcodes for all (now five) known species, first SEM data, and first chromosome data for the genus. The diploid number of Guaranita goloboffi Huber, 2000 (2n♂ = 11) is among the lowest in araneomorph spiders with monocentric chromosome structure.

Annisa Alifia, Sri Mulyati, Wurlina Wurlina et al.

This study aims to determine the effect of the administration of white guava (Psidium guajava L.) fruit juice on spermatozoa plasma membrane integrity (PMI), morphological abnormality, viability, and motility of lead acetate induced rats (Rattus norvegicus). Twenty-five male rats were divided into five groups: NC (negative control) group, rats were administered with distilled water twice daily at four-hour intervals; T0 (positive control) group, rats were administered daily with lead acetate 50 mg/kg bw and distilled water four hours later; T1, T2, and T3 groups, rats were administered daily with lead acetate 50 mg/kg bw and 0.5 mL of 25, 50, and 100% white guava fruit juice four hours later. The treatment of the rats was conducted for 14 days, and on day 15, all rats were sacrificed to assess the spermatozoa quality. Data was analyzed using ANOVA followed by Duncan's multiple range test at a confidence level of 95%. The results showed that exposure to lead acetate (T0) caused lower spermatozoa PMI, viability, and motility as well as higher spermatozoa morphological abnormalities (p <0.05) compared to those of the T0 group. Administration of white guava fruit juice starting at a dose of 25% (T1) resulted in higher spermatozoa motility, viability, and PMI as well as lower spermatozoa morphological abnormalities (p <0.05) compared to rats in the T0 group. It could be concluded that white guava fruit juice maintained the spermatozoa quality of lead acetate induced rats.

Lars Möckel, Karen Meusemann, Bernhard Misof et al.

The Entomophthoromycotina, a subphylum close to the root of terrestrial fungi with a bias toward insects as their primary hosts, has been notoriously difficult to categorize taxonomically for decades. Here, we reassess the phylogeny of this group based on conserved genes encoding ribosomal RNA and RNA polymerase II subunits, confirming their general monophyly, but challenging previously assumed taxonomic relationships within and between particular clades. Furthermore, for the prominent, partially human-pathogenic taxon <i>Conidiobolus</i>, a new type species <i>C. coronatus</i> is proposed in order to compensate for the unclear, presumably lost previous type species <i>C. utriculosus</i> Brefeld 1884. We also performed an exhaustive survey of the broad host spectrum of the Entomophthoromycotina, which is not restricted to insects alone, and investigated potential patterns of co-evolution across their megadiverse host range. Our results suggest multiple independent origins of parasitism within this subphylum and no apparent co-evolutionary events with any particular host lineage. However, Pterygota (i.e., winged insects) clearly constitute the most dominantly parasitized superordinate host group. This appears to be in accordance with an increased dispersal capacity mediated by the radiation of the Pterygota during insect evolution, which has likely greatly facilitated the spread, infection opportunities, and evolutionary divergence of the Entomophthoromycotina as well.

Pierangelo Freschi, Simonetta Fascetti, Francesco Riga et al.

The present study was aimed to deepen the knowledge on diet and on feeding preferences of the Italian roe deer. The research was carried on in the Castelporziano Presidential Estate, a protected area of Latium coast. Quadrat method was used to assess plant frequency, whereas diet composition was determined by fecal micro-histological analysis. A total of 143 plant species were identified in the site and 109 of them were found in the feces of the <i>Capreolus capreolus italicus</i>. All over the year, most of the <i>taxa</i> were ingested in low percentages (≤5%) and the most utilized plant species were <i>Quercus suber</i>, <i>Prunus spinosa</i>, <i>Rubia peregrina</i>, and <i>Crateaegus monogyna</i>. Fagaceae and Rosaceae plant families represented the bulk of the diet and were positively selected. In addition, a positive selection on Fabaceae and Oleaceae families was found in wet season but not in dry one. In both periods the Italian roe deer showed a positive selection for deciduous woody plants and evergreen woody plants, instead avoided wild forbs and wild graminoids. Our results confirmed that this subspecies behaved as a generalist highly selective feeder.

Swapnil Gorakh Waghmare, Azadeh Mohagheghi Samarin, Roman Franěk et al.

Fish egg quality can be markedly influenced by the oocyte age after ovulation. In this study, we examined the duration of oocyte ageing in the zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) and whether prolonged ageing is associated with the incidence of ploidy anomalies in the resulting embryos. Oocytes were incubated in vitro for 6 h post-stripping (HPS) at 26 °C and fertilized at 2-h intervals. Meanwhile, for eggs fertilized immediately after stripping, the fertilization, embryo survival, and hatching rates started at ~80%; these rates decreased to 39%, 24%, and 16%, respectively, for oocytes that had been stored for 4 h (<i>p</i> ˂ 0.05), and there was an almost complete loss of egg viability at 6 HPS. Furthermore, almost 90% of the embryos derived from 6-h aged oocytes died prior to hatching, and all larvae originating from 4- and 6-h aged oocytes showed malformations. The proportion of ploidy abnormal embryos was significantly greater at 4 HPS (18.5%) than at either 0 or 2 HPS (4.7% and 8.8%, respectively). The results revealed that zebrafish oocytes retained their fertilization potential for up to 2 h after stripping at 26 °C and indicated the contribution of post-ovulatory oocyte ageing in the occurrence of ploidy anomalies in the resulting embryos.

Vasin Vasily, Burunov Alexey, Vasina Natalia et al.

The paper shows the research results related to the development of methods to increase the yield of spring wheat using Megamix liquid mineral fertilizers in the presowing treatment of seeds, treatment of crops on vegetation when introducing mineral fertilizers in seedbed preparation in the forest-steppe conditions of the Middle Volga region. The studies were carried out on the experimental field of Samara State University in 2017-2020. During the three-factor field experiment, dry matter accumulation and photosynthetic activity were evaluated with the analysis of photosynthetic potential and net productivity of photosynthesis. It was established that the best indicators are formed on versions with the treatment of seeding material with Megamix Seeds or Megamix Profi agents with subsequent double treatment on vegetation with Megamix Profi in the amount of 0.5l/ha (in the tillering phase) + Megamix Nitrogen in the amount of 0.5l/ha (in the flag leaf phase) against the background of N32P32K32 fertilizer application. The application of Megamix agents in the system of seed treatment + treatment of crops with Megamix stimulating agents provides the maximum accumulation of dry matter in the version of Megamix Seeds treatment and the treatment of crops with a mixture of Megamix Profi + Megamix Nitrogen – 591.9 g/m on soft crops and 622.6 g/m2 – durum wheat against the background of N32P32K32 application. The maximum photosynthetic potential of 0.968…1.091 million m2/ha per day is formed in these versions, and, consequently, the maximum yields with values of 3.73 t/ha on soft wheat crops and 3.44 t/ha on durum wheat crops. It was found that the use of liquid mineral fertilizers on all versions of the experiment reliably increases the yield of spring wheat.

Qiu‐Lin Wang, Ting‐Ting Li, Chang‐Le Fang et al.

Abstract This study aimed to explore the possible target and mechanism of the wheel treadmill (WTM) test for motor function recovery of spinal cord injury (SCI). Rats were divided into sham, control and WTM groups to establish an SCI mode. Rats in the WTM group were trained on the WTM test, and Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan (BBB) scores were determined. The samples were collected, and mRNA sequencing was conducted to determine the changes in gene expression. The coexpressed genes were screened to construct a protein–protein interaction (PPI), followed by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and Gene Ontology function enrichment analysis, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) volcano map and hub gene expression heat map were constructed using R language. The BBB scores in the control and WTM groups increased with time, with the WTM group scoring higher than the control group. The results of rat spinal cord tissue sequencing showed that a total of 1679 DEGs were screened in the sham and control groups; 928 DEGs and 731 overlapping genes were screened in the WTM and control groups. The key genes were identified by PPI analysis. One hundred and thirty‐three genes were found to be overlapping by combined analysis of spinal cord sequencing data and BBB scores of rats at Week 7. The top 10 DEGs from high to low were Tyrobp, Rac2, Cd68, C1qb, Aif1, Cd74, Spi1, Fcer1g, RT1‐DA, and Ccl4. The terms with the highest enrichment scores were microglia‐mediated positive regulation of cytotoxicity and major histocompatibility complex class II protein complexes. Treatment with the WTM test promotes recovery of motor function after SCI in rats by modulating intercellular communication and immune function.

S. K. Monckton, S. Johal, L. Packer

We evaluated the quality of information about taxonomic identifications in 710 papers published in seven zoological journals in 2017. We found that only 10.7% of papers cited identification methods, 29.2% made available specimen-level material for later verification, and 6.9% indicated taxon concepts applied to studied animals. Only 4.0% provided details about all three practices, while almost two-thirds provided none. Invertebrate papers were more likely than vertebrate papers to provide identification methods and deposit vouchers, but taxon concepts were rarely provided, and none of the three practices were common in any category. In short, our data suggest that most zoological research is irreplicable. To address this problem, journals should require submitted manuscripts to meet the following guidelines: (1) methods used to identify studied taxa must be stated; (2) literature supporting these identifications must be cited; (3) taxon concept(s) applied to species-level taxa must be indicated; (4) specimen-level material should be available for later examination. We argue that research which falls short of these guidelines is not replicable. We provide recommendations for how authors can better document how studied animals are identified and permit others to verify their identifications, which is necessary for transparent, replicable, and ultimately scientific zoological research.

Monday Tola, Olumide Ajibola, Emmanuel Taiwo Idowu et al.

Abstract Objective Nigeria bears 25% of global malaria burden despite concerted efforts towards its control and elimination. The emergence of drug resistance to first line drugs, artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), indicates an urgent need for continuous molecular surveillance of drug resistance especially in high burden countries where drug interventions are heavily relied on. This study describes mutations in Plasmodium falciparum genes associated with drug resistance in malaria; Pfk13, Pfmdr1, PfATPase6 and Pfcrt in isolates obtained from 83 symptomatic malaria patients collected in August 2014, aged 1–61 years old from South-west Nigeria. Results Two Pfmdr1, N86 and Y184 variants were present at a prevalence of 56% and 13.25% of isolates respectively. There was one synonymous (S679S) and two non-synonymous (M699V, S769M) mutations in the PATPase6 gene, while Pfcrt genotype (CVIET), had a prevalence of 45%. The Pfk13 C580Y mutant allele was suspected by allelic discrimination in two samples with mixed genotypes although this could not be validated with independent isolation or additional methods. Our findings call for robust molecular surveillance of antimalarial drug resistance markers in west Africa especially with increased use of antimalarial drugs as prophylaxis for Covid-19.

Daniel Medina, Roberto Ibáñez, Karen R. Lips et al.

Eastern Panamá is within the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot and supports an understudied amphibian fauna. Here we characterize the amphibian diversity across an elevational gradient in one of the least studied mountain ranges in eastern Panamá, Serranía de Majé. A total of 38 species were found, which represent 17% of all species reported for Panamá. Based on expected richness function and individual-based rarefaction curves, it is estimated that this is an underestimate and that at least 44 amphibian species occur in this area. Members of all three amphibian orders were encountered, represented by ten families and 22 genera, including five species endemic to Central America. Estimated species richness decreased with elevation, and the mid-elevation site supported both lowland and highland species. Our study provides a baseline for understanding the distribution pattern of amphibians in Panamá, for conservation efforts, and for determining disease-induced changes in amphibian communities.

Aoudou Yaouba, Emilienne Ketsia Nnomo, Abel Second Ze Medjap et al.

Abstract Background In spite of the fact that tomato fruits do not only serve as food but as medicine, nutrient supplement, flavouring ingredient, detoxificant and human system cleanser, the household consumption is on a constant increase worldwide. The microbial deterioration of tomato fruits causes reduction in market value and nutritional quality and at times renders the fruits unfit for consumption. This study was carried out to determine the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial effects of Chromolaena odorata leaves extracts on some Erwinia isolates, agent of post-harvest decay of tomato fruits. Results The results showed that the in vitro test of aqueous and ethanol extracts more significantly inhibited the growth of the two Erwinia isolates to the respective concentrations of 3 and 9 mg/ml with inhibition zones attaining 30 mm. The in vivo test revealed that these extracts have efficiency against bacterial isolates growth on the Cobra variety with 100% inhibition of EJD16 isolate for the ethanol extract. Conservative effect assessment revealed that the two extracts showed best preserved fruits of Cobra variety more than those of Rio Grande variety with a low rate of tomato fruit rot. Conclusion Based on the results obtained, the ethanol extract was more effective than the aqueous extract and completely inhibited the growth of EJD16 isolate on tomato fruits. Ethanolic extract of C. odorata could be recommended to extend the life span of tomato fruits.

Wojtacka Joanna, Wysok Beata, Lipiński Zbigniew et al.

A total of 102 honey samples collected from small apiaries (≤ 20 hives) in Poland were analysed for the presence of Clostridium botulinum spores. The samples were prepared using the dilution centrifugation method and cultured in parallel in cooked meat medium (CMM) and tripticase peptone glucose yeast (TPGY) enrichment broths. Identification of toxin types A, B, and E of Clostridium botulinum strains was performed with the use of the multiplex PCR method. Positive samples were also subjected to quantitative analysis with the use of Clostridium botulinum Isolation Agar Base (CBAB). The prevalence analysis showed 22 (21.6%) samples contaminated with C. botulinum spores. The major serotype detected was botulin neurotoxin type A – 16 (72.7%) whereas type B was found in 3 (13.6%) honey samples and type E also only in 3 (13.6%) honey samples. Dual-toxin-producing strains were noted. The average quantity of spores in PCR - C. botulinum positive samples was 190 in 1 gram of honey.

Robert M. Brucker, Seth R. Bordenstein

Blending disciplines can be transformative in science, yet interdisciplinary mergers should not escape healthy skepticism. Indeed, the history of biology shows us that debates about the relative importance of nuclear genetics vs. microbial symbiosis in eukaryotic biology are among the most engaging. Today's technology may help resolve this century old debate as it illuminates the interwoven genomics and functions of symbionts with their host genome. Thus, we can now assert that all subdisciplines of zoology require microbiology. Although controversial to some, the evidence from studies of host-associated microbial communities indicates that metazoans are hologenomes - interconnected compositions of animal and microbes.

J. G.