Sangram B. Gavade, Geeta Devi Leishangthem, Nittin Dev Singh
Abstract Background Acute lung injury underlies most of the lung diseases and can further develop to pulmonary fibrosis which caused high mortality and currently with no effective treatment regime. P-coumaric acid is a phenolic acid derived from a variety of vegetables and fruits and have anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. And its effect on acute pulmonary lung is not explored. Thus, the study investigated the protective action of p-coumaric acid on bleomycin-induced acute lung injury in mice. Methods Five groups with each having 6 Albino mice (SHAM, BLM, BLM/PCA/50, BLM/PCA/100 and BLM/MEF/100) were included in the study and treated with a single intra-tracheal instillation of bleomycin. p-coumaric acid (PCA) @ 50 mg/kg bw and 100 mg/kg bw and Metformin @100 mg/kg (as control drug) were administered for 7 days intraperitoneally after bleomycin instillation. Results In this study, administration of p-coumaric acid significantly attenuated oxidative stress and inflammation through reduced inflammatory cells infiltration and cytokines production (IL-6 and TNF-α) and decreased early fibrosis as manifested by decreased level of hydroxyproline, IL-13 and TGF-β along with decrease expression of vimentin and alpha-smooth actin. The p-coumaric acid@100 mg/kg showed the most significant therapeutic effect. Conclusions Thus, p-coumaric acid could improve the bleomycin induced acute lung injury through attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation, early fibrosis and EMT.
Troglodontobdella nom. nov. is herein proposed as a replacement name for the salifid leech genus Troglobdella Liu and Nakano in Liu, Li, Wu, Lin, Li, Nakano, and Liu, 2025, because the latter genus-group name is preoccupied by the acariform genus Troglobdella Oudemans, 1937.
This paper presents the results of an analysis of stranding events of the Mediterranean monk seal <i>Monachus monachus</i> over a decade. The analysis involved categorization according to the cause of stranding and seasonality, the identification of hotspot stranding areas and an assessment of possible correlations between stranding events and environmental/climatic patterns using time series analysis. Moreover, Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) were applied to explore the effects of the size of small-scale fishing grounds, the number of species sightings, and the occurrence of reproduction sites on “human-related” strandings. Finally, special focus was put on the central part of the eastern Ionian Sea for the assessment of stranding hotspot areas by means of the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach, based on different kinds of spatial information such as anthropogenic pressures and the location of breeding sites and feeding grounds. Time series analysis results revealed that oscillation indices, during the first half of the year, and sea surface temperature (SST) in the Mediterranean from October to December were positively correlated with monk seal stranding events. GAMs underlined that areas combining extended small-scale fishery grounds and a higher number of sightings were more likely to cause more strandings. Regarding spatial analyses, the central Aegean Sea was highlighted as a hotspot for “human-related strandings”, while the MCDA approach emphasized that the southern coasts of Cephalonia and the gulf between Lefkada and mainland Greece were susceptible to subadult strandings.
Enrico Panichi, Sara Sassaroli, Giorgio Maria Ciccarese
et al.
An 8-month-old male American Staffordshire terrier was referred for a no-weightbearing lameness of the right pelvic limb, hyperthermia, lethargy and inappetence. Two months before, endocarditis was diagnosed and treated in another veterinary hospital. Orthopedic, radiographic and tomographic examinations revealed a bone sequestrum of 4 × 1.4 cm and active periosteal reaction of the caudo-lateral cortical in the metaphysis and the distal third of the right femoral diaphysis, medullary osteolysis and interruption of the cranio-medial cortical profile, with involvement of the femoral trochlea leading to a secondary medial patella luxation. Hematogenous osteomyelitis was the suspected diagnosis. Once skeletally mature, after 4 months from surgical debridement and aggressive antibiotic therapy against Klebsiella oxytoca revealed by a bacteriological exam, the patient underwent prosthetic surgery for the application of a custom-made patellar groove replacement (PGR) to fill the bone defect and restore the femoral trochlea surface. Despite the serious injury that afflicted the right pelvic limb, the surgery had satisfactory outcomes until the last 18-month postoperative follow up.
Assara hoeneella Roesler, 1965 (Lepidoprtera: Pyralidae, Phycitinae), found in Primorsky Krai near the village of Chuguevka, is reported for the fauna of Russia for the first time. In terms of the general character of the pattern, the species under consideration is close to the transpalearctic Assara terebrella (Zincken, 1818) and the East Asian Assara funerella (Ragonot, 1901). Apart from Russia, Assara hoeneella is also found in Japan and China. The given morphological characteristics of the species, illustrations of the appearance and genitalia of a female allow us to reliably identify the reported species. Data on the systematic position and distribution of the species are discussed briefly.
El ocelote (Leopardus pardalis) es uno de los 11 felinos presentes en Argentina, y ha sido categorizado como “Vulnerable” (VU), reportando una disminución en sus poblaciones del 25% en la ecorregión Yungas. En este trabajo estimamos la abundancia relativa, densidad, y patrones de actividad del ocelote (Leopardus pardalis) y caracterizamos al ensamble de mamíferos mediano-grandes a lo largo de un gradiente altitudinal (500 a 1400 m s.n.m.) de las Yungas de Tucumán, dentro de en un área protegida privada de 3000 hectáreas. Establecimos 10 sitios de muestreo separados entre sí por 500 a 900 m. En cada sitio ubicamos dos cámaras-trampa enfrentadas para identificar individuos de ocelote a través de marcas distintivas. El esfuerzo de muestreo fue de 1408 días-trampa y registramos 11 especies de mamíferos mediano-grandes (nueve especies nativas y dos exóticas: el perro doméstico y la liebre). La densidad estimada de ocelotes fue de 15,2 ind/100 km2, un valor similar a los obtenidos en la Selva Paranaense de Misiones (17,6 ind/100 km2), el cual requiere un esfuerzo más exhaustivo de muestreo para corroborarse. Este estudio brinda una primera aproximación sobre el estado poblacional del ocelote, y un importante aporte a la línea de base de la Reserva San Pablo.
Matthew S. Bird, David T. Bilton, Musa C. Mlambo
et al.
Southern Afrotemperate Forest is concentrated in the southern Cape region of South Africa and whilst it is relatively well known botanically, the fauna, specifically the aquatic invertebrate fauna, is poorly documented. The majority of remaining intact forest habitat is contained within the Garden Route National Park (GRNP), which straddles the provincial boundary between the Western and Eastern Cape. This study undertakes a survey of the water beetle fauna inhabiting the GRNP. The aquatic ecosystems within temperate forests of the region are poorly researched from an ecological and biodiversity perspective, despite being known to harbour endemic invertebrate elements. We collected water beetles and in situ physico-chemical data from a total of 31 waterbodies across the park over two seasons (summer and late winter) in 2017. The waterbodies sampled were mostly small freshwater perennial streams and isolated forest ponds. A total of 61 beetle taxa was recorded (29 Adephaga, 32 Polyphaga) from these waterbodies. The water beetle fauna of these forests appears to be diverse and contains many species endemic to the fynbos-dominated Cape Floristic Region, but very few of the species appear to be forest specialists. This is in contrast to the fynbos heathland habitat of the region, which harbours a high number of water beetle species endemic to this habitat, often with Gondwanan affinity. Our study is the first to document the water beetles of Afrotemperate Forests in the southern Cape region and provides an important baseline for future work on such habitats in the region and in other parts of southern Africa.
Vinod Kumar, Shyamalima Buragohain, Parag Jyoti Deka
et al.
The pygmy hog (<i>Porcula salvania</i>), until recently was classified as a critically endangered suid facing the threat of extinction due to habitat degradation. Efforts are being made to protect the pygmy hog from extinction and breed them in captivity under the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP). However, very little information is available on the reproductive physiology of pygmy hogs. Therefore, the present study aims to standardize enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for monitoring pregnancy and reproductive status using progesterone and testosterone metabolites. A total of 785 fecal samples were collected from five females and two males over a period of one year from the PHCP Research and Breeding Centre, Guwahati, Assam. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed the presence of immunoreactive progesterone and testosterone metabolites in feces. Mating was observed in all five females, and four of them gave birth successfully. We were able to detect pregnancy using fecal progesterone metabolites. The mean gestation period, based on mating and parturition, was estimated to be 153.25 days from the four females studied. The breeding center recorded 172 births between 1996 and 2000 and found strong seasonal patterns in the birth rate, with most of the births occurring between May and June. In the males, fecal testosterone metabolites were significantly higher in the breeding season than in the non-breeding season. This is the first study on the subject and will help with future breeding programs in other captive breeding centers and with reproductive monitoring of reintroduced populations.
The paper analyzes the regional statistical characteristics of analytical and morphometric properties of agro-gray soils formed in one-factor conditions of the Privyatskaya band of the Pre-Kama region of the Republic of Tatarstan. The sampling of analytical data was carried out in accordance with the systematic group and non-eroded soil analogues. The upper part of the soil profile of the studied soil has a low humus content, medium acid reaction, the profile distribution of the sum of absorbed bases is almost uniform and is in the range of 22.6 to 26.8 mmol /100 g of soil. Generalization of the accumulated analytical and morphological information is a zero cycle of monitoring of arable soils and can serve as a reference for comparison to identify changes in the properties and morphological structure of arable soils in the region. In conditions of intensive agriculture, statistical parameters make it possible to purposefully manage soil fertility in the studied region.
Abstract Background Birds, across their annual cycle, progress through sequences of life-history stages such as reproduction and molt. The mechanisms that control annual avian itineraries involve endocrine responses triggered by seasonal environmental factors, including changes in resource availability and/or photoperiod. However, at equatorial latitudes birds are exposed to different degrees of seasonality, and the mechanisms underlying phenology of birds near the equator remain less explored. We studied the silver-beaked tanager, an endemic Amazonian songbird, from an equatorial lowland population. Remarkably, in this species, song behavior has been shown to be seasonally aligned to minimal changes in day length near the equator. Here, we aimed to further explore the phenology of silver-beaked tanagers by assessing shifts of food sources utilization as potential ultimate factors. We measured triple isotopic tracers of carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N) and sulphur (δ34S) in blood and feathers of birds throughout a whole year. In addition, we assessed the degree of seasonality in the molting activity, in relation to circulating levels of corticosterone, as well as to testosterone as a proxy of the reproductive condition of males. Results There was important seasonal variation of δ34S values in relation to rainfall patterns and changes in estuarine water composition. Despite the seasonal rainfall, we found no substantial variation in the foraging ecology of birds over seasons. This was accompanied by uniform levels of corticosterone throughout the year, probably associated with the absence of drastic seasonal resource shortages. Even so, silver-beaked tanagers showed a marked seasonal molting schedule, which was related to variation in the circulating levels of both corticosterone and testosterone. Conclusions These findings suggest that foraging niche is not life history stage-dependent in silver-beaked tanagers, and highlight rainfall as an important environmental cue for bird phenology. Our stable isotope results encourage further studies addressing the influence of estuarine water dynamics on bird timing. In addition, the results suggest a primary role of steroid hormones in regulating seasonal life history stages under the absence of a marked photoperiod. Contrary to what might be expected for a tropical songbird, our physiological data in silver-beaked tanagers do not support reproduction-molt overlapping.
Clara Morghana Pereira Silva, Gabriel Lucas Martins de Souza, Daniel de Freitas Brasil
et al.
A flora da Caatinga é uma fonte insubstituível de recursos para a entomofauna presente neste bioma, sendo o mofumbo (Combretum leprosum Mart.) uma das espécies vegetais mais presentes. Este trabalho, portanto, teve como objetivo identificar espécies de abelhas que visitam o mofumbo e seus respectivos comportamentos de pastejo. O estudo foi realizado em maio de 2016, no município de Alexandria, Rio Grande do Norte. Os dados foram coletados no decorrer de oito dias não consecutivos entre os horários das 7h10min às 17h20min, nos dez primeiros minutos de cada hora, observando-se a frequência e o tipo de recurso floral coletado. Os resultados mostraram que a abelha Apis mellifera foi o único visitante floral do C. leprosum, apresentando comportamento forrageiro de néctar ou pólen durante todos os horários observados, evidenciando assim que o mofumbo é uma importante espécie fornecedora de alimentares para abelhas Apis mellifera no semiárido brasileiro.
With the rapid growth of industrialization, water pollution has increased tremendously. The inadequate wastewater management seriously affects the environment; phytoremediation provides a low cost alternative for the waste management. Most of the waste water discharged into water bodies, disturbs the ecological balance and deteriorates the water quality. Phytoremediation provides the low cost eco-friendly method for the wastewater treatment. These are frequently in use by the large scale organisations for the treatment of the wastewater of choice. These artificial wastewater treatment systems consisting of macrophytes are dependent upon various processes like microbial, biological, physical and chemical process for the treatment of the effluent. For the current study free floating aquatic macrophytes Lemna sp. and Eichorniasp. were used to treat the effluents from dairy factory, the biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand of dairy effluent were reduced significantly after treatment with phytoremediation experiments.
The objetive of this study was to evaluate the effect of bypass fat in productive and reproductive parameters in bovine females indicates crosses in the Fundación livestock farm; of the parish Guasdualito Venezuela, Apure state, making a modification to Crestar® protocol. The fat by pass was provided by 52 days, to cows with an average of 3 was provided7 years of age, with no health problems and body condition from 2.75 to 3.5 (scale 1-5). The animals were inseminated into two groups and found that the average final body condition in the Gyr and crossbred cows improved; there is a positive correlation strong between the intensity and duration of heat and that the presence of the calves contributes to find animals with jealousy of short duration and low intensity.
The relationship between species diversity and overall community assemblage was identified in two differentzones in Ayubia National Park (Rawalpindi, NE-Pakistan) which is recognized as protected area. CanonicalCorrespondence Analysis (CCA) was used to find correlation of environmental variables with speciesabundance/richness. Results showed that in Zone 1 species were rather scattered due to the less availability oforganic matter and soil moisture as they occupy the less dense forest cover. Whereas Zone 2 showed theopposite trends. Finally the overall zones showed that maximum number of quadrats included Zone 2 speciesdue to a great forest cover with excess amount of organic matter and soil moisture. The study highlighted theimportance of dynamic nature and composition of vegetation and stressed the need of conservation of nativeflora for future generations.