Hasil untuk "Zoology"

Robson Silva e Silva, Fábio Olmos, Edison Barbieri

Abstract Seabirds across all the seas and oceans of the planet interact with human activities and, as a result, approximately 30% of all species are in decline and threatened with extinction. The knowledge of the composition of seabird communities in both breeding and non-breeding ranges is necessary to guide appropriate conservation measures according to its status. Fisheries, oil and natural gas exploration, offshore wind farms, among other activities, require regulation and legal frameworks to protect seabirds and other organisms in this environment. The state of São Paulo already hosts numerous such activities within its territorial waters and has its own environmental protection legislation (including a list of threatened fauna species), requiring impacts on threatened species are evaluated. The present study compiles all available information on seabirds in São Paulo and update its species list based on data obtained from literature reviews, museum specimens, band recovery records, and citizen-science platforms. São Paulo has a total of 68 recorded seabird species, including the recently recognized Oceanites chilensis and the sole Brazilian records of Pterodroma externa and Pachyptila turtur. Most (50 species) are migratory, with 14 species from the Northern Hemisphere and 36 from the Southern Hemisphere. Only 18 species are resident in Brazil, of which six breed along the São Paulo coast. Among the recorded species, 24 (35%) are listed as threatened with extinction by the IUCN, MMA and/or SMA lists. Notably, three (50%) of the six resident breeding species in São Paulo are threatened. Most of the new records came from beached birds, particularly through the Beach Monitoring Program (PMP). Unfortunately, this program forwards few of the collected specimens, including rare and unprecedented records for São Paulo’s avifauna, to scientific collections. Based on the available studies on São Paulo’s seabirds, even basic data on breeding biology, home range, and diet of even the commonest coastal, and resident species is virtually nonexistent. Similarly, knowledge regarding trends in population and occupancy of breeding sites is scarce, with only outdated data available from studies carried between 1997 and 2005. Further studies and monitoring programs on the breeding areas of these resident species are necessary to fill these knowledge gaps and provide updated scientific information to support effective conservation measures.

Siddiqa Qasim, Tariq Mahmood, Bushra Allah Rakha et al.

Dapeng Li, Fuwei Li, Wei Liu et al.

Controlling low ambient temperatures and ammonia levels is critical for effective environmental management in poultry houses during winter, as both represent persistent stressors affecting bird health and productivity. However, evidence regarding their combined long-term effects on the physiological responses of laying hens remains limited. In this study, 576 eighteen-week-old Hy-Line Brown hens were randomly assigned to six treatments (8 replicates with 12 birds per replicate each treatment) and housed in environmentally controlled chambers for 20 weeks: T1 (8 °C, ≤5 ppm ammonia), T2 (8 °C, 20 ppm ammonia), T3 (8 °C, 45 ppm ammonia), T4 (20 °C, ≤5 ppm ammonia; control), T5 (20 °C, 20 ppm ammonia), and T6 (20 °C, 45 ppm ammonia). Plasma samples were collected at 22, 26, 30, 34, and 38 weeks to evaluate physiological stress biomarkers (corticosterone, CORT; total antioxidant capacity, T-AOC), immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, and IgA), and reproductive hormones (luteinizing hormone, LH; follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH; estradiol, E2). At 38 weeks, hypothalamus, pituitary, and spleen tissues were collected to assess the relative mRNA expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), FSH, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10). Results showed that both cold and ammonia stress reduced antioxidant capacity, disrupted immune homeostasis, and altered reproductive hormone profiles. Cold exposure induced acute immunoendocrine alterations with partial physiological adaptation over time, whereas ammonia exerted progressive and cumulative damage, including elevated immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) and downregulation of GnRH and FSH expression. Combined exposure significantly upregulated TNF-α and IL-1β expression, suggesting a synergistic inflammatory response. These results highlight complex, parameter-specific interactions between cold and ammonia stressors, emphasizing the need for targeted environmental strategies. Stage-specific interventions—thermal regulation in early laying and ammonia control in later phases—are recommended to safeguard hen health and optimize productivity under winter conditions.

Arajush Payra, Chintan Bhatt

In the present communication we report Vigna stipulacea (Lam). Kuntze as a larval host plant of Euchrysops cnejus (Fabricius, 1798) and Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. as a larval host plant of Rapala manea schistacea (Moore, 1879) for the first time from the coastal areas of Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India. The study also report new record of Vigna stipulacea for the state West Bengal.

G. S. Faria, L. Carlos, S. C. Vasconcelos-Filho et al.

Abstract Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne has leaves with adaxial and abaxial epidermis covered by a very thick cuticle, in addition to anatomical structures involved in reducing the amount of herbicide absorbed by plants. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that H. stigonocarpa is potentially resistant to the herbicide glyphosate, exposing the plants to different doses (0, 96, 240, 480, and 960 g a.e ha-1). We carried out assessments of the symptoms, anatomy, growth and physiology of the plants and found that exposure to glyphosate negatively affected the height and number of leaves of the plants. Leaf fall resulted in a reduction in the photosynthetic capacity of plants, which responded by investing in stem diameter. Despite this, no visual symptoms of glyphosate toxicity were observed at the concentrations evaluated and histochemical tests did not detect signs of oxidative stress in the leaves, nor starch accumulation, indicating that carbohydrate translocation was not impaired. These results confirm our hypothesis of tolerance of H. stigonocarpa to glyphosate. Furthermore, plants exposed to the lowest doses of glyphosate (96 and 240 g ha-1) showed good growth, photosynthesis, transpiration and photochemical potential responses, indicating a hormetic effect in this application range.

Choriyev Otabek, Dilmurodov Nasriddin, Babanazarov Eshmakhamad et al.

The characteristics of changes in the morphometric dimensions of the skin of horses belonging to the “Karabayir” breed at various physiological stages of postnatal ontogenesis were studied. It was found that the thickness of the skin of various anatomical points of the horse’s body increases rapidly in the 2-3 age stages of postnatal ontogenesis, and in old horses, this indicator decreases, the thickness of the skin of the legs increases in the distal direction in connection with the morphofunctional properties, and the skin elasticity decreases. In connection with the effect of mechanical friction on the skin, it is noted that it is thin in the inner part of the thigh, and the thickest in the soft heel of the hoof, as well as somewhat thick in the lower part of the body of horses, and the thinnest in the ventral part of the head, neck, withers and abdomen. Also, it was found that the dermis of the skin in young horses, the subcutaneous layer (subcutis) thickens in middle-aged horses, and the dermis and subcutaneous layer thins and the skin elasticity decreases in old horses.

Nguyen Dinh-Hung, Samuel Mwakisha Mwamburi, Ha Thanh Dong et al.

This study aims to genomically elucidate six isolates of rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria (RGM) derived from Siamese fighting fish (<i>Betta splendens</i>). These isolates had previously undergone phenotypic and biochemical characterization, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and in vivo virulence assessment. Initial DNA barcoding using the 16S rRNA sequence assigned these six isolates to five different species, namely <i>Mycobacterium chelonae</i> (BN1983), <i>M. cosmeticum</i> (BN1984 and N041), <i>M. farcinogenes</i> (SNSK5), <i>M. mucogenicum</i> (BN1956), and <i>M. senegalense</i> (BN1985). However, the identification relied solely on the highest percent identity of the 16S rRNA gene, raising concerns about the taxonomic ambiguity of these species. Comprehensive whole genome sequencing (WGS) and extended genomic comparisons using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), average nucleotide identity (ANI), and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) led to the reclassification of BN1985 and SNSK5 as <i>M. conceptionense</i> while confirming BN1983 as <i>M. chelonae</i> and BN1984 and N041 as <i>M. cosmeticum</i>. Notably, the analysis of the BN1956 isolate revealed a potential new species that is proposed here as <i>M. mucogenicum</i> subsp. <i>phocaicum</i> sp. nov. Common genes encoding “mycobacterial” virulence proteins, such as PE and PPE family proteins, MCE, and YrbE proteins, were detected in all six isolates. Two species, namely <i>M. chelonae</i> and <i>M. cosmeticum</i>, appear to have horizontally acquired T6SS-II (<i>clpB</i>), catalase (<i>katA</i>), GroEL (<i>groel</i>), and capsule (<i>rmlb</i>) from distantly related environmental bacteria such as <i>Klebsiella</i> sp., <i>Neisseria</i> sp., <i>Clostridium</i> sp., and <i>Streptococcus</i> sp. This study provides the first draft genome sequence of RGM isolates currently circulating in <i>B. splendens</i> and underscores the necessity of WGS for the identification and classification of mycobacterial species.

Pooja Singh, R. C. Tiwari, Rakesh Bhutiani et al.

According to the world Summit of sustainable Development, the major reason for lack of safe water is either scarcity of water or contamination of water sources. Therefore this study eye on developing nations, seeks to find sustainable, yet economically and socially practical solution to the problems associated with polluted water. To fulfil the objectives of the present study, two medicinal value plants Dhav (Anogeissuslatifolia wall.) and Aragvadha (Cassia fistula Linn.) were selected and absorbents were prepared from the bark of both the plants. Then the reactors were prepared using the different compositions of sand, gravel, absorbents of Dhavand Aragvadha and cotton.In this way four filter reactors were prepared. The feeding rate of raw water is maintained at 0.5 litre per hour. The results revealed that Dhav plant absorbent was found more effective thanAragvadha. All reactors shows different efficiencies for different parameters suggesting that reactors should be prepared based on need or targeted parameters. Over all reactor 4 shows better efficiency for all the parameters. The main exclusivity of the present reactor is low cost with no electricity demand. The prepared reactors are environment friendly and easily implementable but further study is required to prove it on large scale.

S. Salvadori, F. Deidda, L. Carugati et al.

AbstractLobsters are ubiquitous, economically important decapod crustaceans with apparently conflicting evolutionary relationships. Here, we describe the chromosomal location of the major (45S rDNA) and minor (5S rDNA) ribosomal gene families in four species of Astacidea and five of Achelata, using two-color FISH. The major ribosomal family is located in 4–16 sites per diploid chromosome set, with Nephrops norvegicus (Nephropidae) showing the highest number described so far in Decapoda. The 5S rDNA is located in two sites in eight species; only in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii the 5S FISH signals were detected in four sites together with additional weaker signals. Furthermore, in N. norvegicus the minor ribosomal genes are syntenic with one major ribosomal cluster. Moreover, we located by two-color FISH the pentanucleotide (TTAGG)n telomeric repeat in the Nephropidae studied, showing the occurrence of a colocalization with 45S ribosomal sequences in Homarus gammarus. The comparison of chromosomal locations of repetitive sequences in Mediterranean, Atlantic, and South African lobster species as well as in marine and freshwater ones provides information on chromosomal evolution and cytotaxonomy of Decapoda.

Виталий Геннадьевич Безбородов

Впервые приводится аннотированный список пластинчатоусых жуков фауны республики Бурятия. Выявлено 133 вида из 45 родов 17 подсемейств и пяти семейств надсемейства Scarabaeoidea. Приводится новый род для фауны республики — Caccobius C. G. Thomson, 1859. Новыми видами для фауны являются: Aphodius (Acrossus) bimaculatus (Laxmann, 1770), A. (A.) luridus (Fabricius, 1775), A. (Bodilopsis) rufus (Moll, 1782), A. (Chilothorax) distinctus (Muller, 1776), A. (Ch.) jacobsoni W. Koshantschikov, 1911, A. (Melinopterus) pubescens Sturm, 1800, A. (Nialus) varians Duftschmid, 1805, A. (Phalacronothus) biguttatus Germar, 1824, A. (Ph.) quadrimaculatus (Linnaeus, 1760), A. (Plagiogonus) arenarius (A. G. Olivier, 1789), A. (Pseudacrossus) caspius Ménétriés, 1832, A. (P.) tenebricosus A. Schmidt, 1916, A. (Pubinus) tomentosus (O. F. Muller, 1776), A. (Rhodaphodius) foetens (Fabricius, 1787), Caccobius (Caccobius) brevis C. O. Waterhouse, 1875, Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) vitulus (Fabricius, 1777), Amphimallon altaicum (Mannerheim, 1825), Lasiopsis canina (Zubkov, 1829), Maladera renardi (Ballion, 1871), Omaloplia nigromarginata (Herbst, 1786), Serica brunnea (Linnaeus, 1758), Anisoplia (Anisoplia) agricola (Poda von Neuhaus, 1761), Gnorimus subopacus Motschulsky, 1860. В списке рассматриваются изученный материал, общее и локальное распространение, а также трофика и фенология видов.

Fahad Alharthi, Rizwan Wahab, Salim Manoharadas et al.

In order to establish the effective application of materials in a particular area, it is important to first investigate the physical and chemical properties, such as the crystallinity, structure, and the optical and surface properties. The objective of the present study is to fabricate thermally stable pyrochlore oxides, namely, lanthanum zirconate (La₂Zr₂O₇, LZ) and Ni-doped lanthanum zirconate (La₂Zr_1.5Ni_0.5O₇, LZN) by the solid-state and sol-gel methods. The effects of the preparation and substitution of Zr⁴⁺ by Ni²⁺ for the resulting nanocrystalline samples were characterized in terms of structure, purity, porosity, the thermal and optical properties, and photoluminescence by different techniques: XRD, FT-IR, BET, EDS, TG-DTG, UV-Vis-DRS, and PL. The XRD results confirm that the pyrochlores prepared via the sol-gel method (LZ-sg and LZN-sg) had a cubic unit-cell lattice, whereas the solid-state method (LZ-s and LZN-s) had impurities of the oxides. The XRD patterns, LZ-sg and LZN-sg, were further treated with the Rietveld technique. The textural measurements reveal that LZ-sg had a higher BET surface area compared to LZN-sg. In addition, the substitution of Zr⁴⁺ by the Ni²⁺ ion provides rational evidence for the improvement in the oxygen mobility, as well as the optical and photoluminescence properties through the lowering of the optical band energy and the electron–hole pairs.

G. Consales, L. Marsili

Cartilaginous fish include sharks, rays, skates, sawfish, and chimaeras. Their habitat ranges from shallow coastal waters to deep ocean floors, estuarine areas as well as rivers and inland waters. Overfishing is considered to be the main threat to their existence, but there are many more stressors that these species face. Pollution is an issue that concerns aquatic organisms at every level, and Chondrichthyans are no exception. Here, we looked at their IUCN Red List assessment, and noticed a lack of information regarding anthropogenic contamination for these species. Out of 1124 cartilaginous fish species assessed, only 17 Selachimorpha and 32 Batoidea species were considered to be facing a “pollution threat”; in most cases, the threat was assigned not from direct ecotoxicological studies of the specimens, but because the species inhabited areas likely to be contaminated. An update on the conservation status of these species is urgently needed. Further, there is a fundamental need to study the effects of contaminants on Chondrichthyans as they play a key role in aquatic ecosystems.

Kihae Ra, Hyun Ju Oh, Geon A Kim et al.

Advanced maternal age (AMA) has become prevalent globally. With aging, weakened antioxidant defense causes loss of normal function in the ovary and uterus due to oxidative stress. Here, we aimed to improve embryo development in AMA mice by intravenous injection (IV) of human adipose stem cell conditioned medium (ASC-CM) at various frequencies and intervals as an antioxidant intervention. Four- and six-month-old female ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice were randomly divided into groups IV treated with human ASC-CM under different conditions, and in vitro and in vivo embryo development were evaluated. Consequently, compared to the control group, blastocyst formation rate of parthenotes was significantly promoted in 4-month-old mice and the mean number of implanted fetuses after natural mating was significantly increased by approximately two-fold in 6-month-old mice. Through gene analysis, the anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative effects of human ASC-CMs were confirmed in the ovaries and uterus of pregnant mice at both ages. In particular, ovarian expression of <i>gpx1</i> and catalase drastically increased in 6-month-old mice. Furthermore, the levels of <i>gpx1</i> and catalase were further increased, with a high frequency of injection regardless of age. Thus, we demonstrated for the first time the anti-oxidative effect of human ASC-CM administration against ovarian aging and the optimal injection condition.

Timofeeva Svetlana Nikolaevna, Kadikov Ilnur Ravilevich, Korchemkin Andrey Aleksandrovich et al.

Due to high athropogenic loads on the environment, issues surrounding public health and safety in consumable products are being raised with ever-increasing frequency. One toxic metal, whose consumption results in irreparable harm to the health of animals and human is cadmium. To antagonize such toxic effects to human health, magnesium and zinc are considered being essential elements and their combination effects warrant further studies. To this end, we developed a Wistar rat model to look at the combinatorial effects of cadmium with magnesium and zinc consumption on the accumulation of iron and zinc ions in kidney and liver tissues. Our findings suggested that exposure to cadmium ions reduced zinc ion levels in the liver and kidneys, reduced iron ions in the liver (but were increased in the kidneys), decreased magnesium ions in the kidneys but increased their levels within the liver. Moreover, while the consumption of magnesium and zinc ions individually, partially reduced the effects caused by cadmium consumption alone, the simultaneous consumption of zinc and magnesium ions proved to be significantly more effective.

Salvatore Pelligra, Lisa Guardone, Francesca Riggio et al.

<i>Pearsonema</i> spp. nematodes infect the urinary bladder of domestic and wild carnivores. The red fox is considered a reservoir of <i>Pearsonema plica</i>, while the prevalence of <i>Pearsonema</i> spp. in domestic carnivores is still poorly known. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of <i>Pearsonema</i> spp. infection in privately owned cats (26) and dogs (83) from central and northern Italy alongside occurrence in red foxes (42) from central Italy. In positive dogs and cats, associated clinical signs were also evaluated. Urine samples were first examined under a stereomicroscope; then, they were centrifuged and microscopically examined after a flotation test. As for foxes, the urinary bladders were opened and urine was collected and processed as above, while collected nematodes were identified at the species level. Among examined animals, 2/26 cats (7.7%), 1/83 dogs (1.2%), and 38/42 foxes (90.5%) scored positive. Recurrent cystitis, pollakiuria, and hematuria were the main clinical signs in symptomatic dogs and cats. This is the first study on <i>Pearsonema</i> spp. infection in domestic carnivores examining a large number of privately owned pet animals. Obtained results confirm the role of the red fox as a reservoir for <i>P. plica</i> and suggest a possible high occurrence of <i>Pearsonema</i> spp. infection in domestic cats of central Italy.

Serena Tumino, Marco Tolone, Alessio Parco et al.

Contagious agalactia (CA), an infectious disease of small ruminants, caused by <i>Mycoplasma agalactiae</i>, is responsible for severe losses to dairy sheep production with substantial socioeconomic impacts on small-scale farmers. The diagnosis of CA is still problematic, time-consuming and requires well-equipped labs for confirmation of outbreaks. Therefore, rapid, accurate and cost-effective diagnostic tests are urgently needed. This work aims to validate a novel Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) test, based on the <i>p40</i> target gene, for the detection of <i>M. agalactiae</i> in dairy sheep in order to confirm its potential practical use as a rapid and cheap field test. The LAMP system proposed in this study consists of a portable device composed of real-time fluorometer with the automatic interpretation of results displayed in a tablet. A total of 110 milk samples (90 positives and 20 negatives) were analysed to optimise the analysis procedure and to investigate the efficacy and robustness of the LAMP method. All samples were analysed using LAMP and conventional real-time PCR to compare the diagnostic sensitivity of the methods. The sensitivity of the LAMP was 10-fold higher than that of real-time PCR, with a detection limit up to 10³ CFU/ml. The LAMP assay was able to detect <i>M. agalactiae</i> in 81 of 90 (90%, 95%CI 0.84&#8722;0.96) positive milk samples compared to 69 (77%, 95%CI 0.59&#8722;0.95) positive samples detected by real-time PCR; no positive signal occurred for any of the negative milk samples in either test. Therefore, the LAMP assay was found to be more sensitive than real-time PCR, low-cost, easy to perform, fast and not affected by contamination, indicating its potential as an effective diagnostic tool in the field level for the diagnosis of CA.

Marcelo Borges Rocha, Paulo Cesar de Paiva

Five species of Scolelepis have been reported for the Brazilian coast. This study raises this number, with two new records: S. acuta Treadwell, 1914, originally from Eastern Pacific, and Scolelepis andradei Delgado-Blas, Díaz & Liñero-Arana, 2009, from the Caribbean Sea. Furthermore, two species were found to have an expanded geographic range along the Brazilian coast: Scolelepis lighti Delgado-Blas, 2006 and Scolelepis goodbodyi Jones, 1962.