We investigated whether microalgae or linseed supply during the early postpartum period affects ovarian restimulation and supports the first postpartum ovulation in lactating anovulatory goats. Thirty-eight An-glo-Nubian-crossbred adult goats were allocated into three groups, one with a control diet ( = 12), fed a total mixed ration (TMR) comprising chopped elephant grass and concentrate; an algal diet ( = 13), fed TMR + green microalgae (1% dry matter); and a linseed diet ( = 13), TMR + linseed (12% dry matter). Supplements were furnished from the second to fifth week (time of weaning).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClimate change is affecting population growth rates of ectothermic pests with potentially dire consequences for agriculture and global food security. However, current projection models of pest impact typically overlook the potential for rapid genetic adaptation, making current forecasts uncertain. Here, we predict how climate change adaptation in life-history traits of insect pests affects their growth rates and impact on agricultural yields by unifying thermodynamics with classic theory on resource acquisition and allocation trade-offs between foraging, reproduction, and maintenance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhosphodiesterase 2 A (PDE2A) function is stimulated by cGMP to catabolize cAMP. However, neurological and neurochemical effects of PDE2A deficiency are poorly understood. To address this gap, we studied behavioral characteristics and cerebral morpho-chemical changes of adult male heterozygous C57BL/6-PDE2A+/- (HET), and wild type C57BL/6-PDE2A+/+ (WT) mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActinomycetota are unrivalled producers of bioactive natural products, with strains living in association with macroalgae representing a prolific-yet largely unexplored-source of specialised chemicals. In this work, we have investigated the bioactive potential of Actinomycetota from macroalgae through culture-dependent and -independent approaches. A bioprospecting pipeline was applied to a collection of 380 actinobacterial strains, recovered from two macroalgae species collected in the Portuguese northern shore-Codium tomentosum and Chondrus crispus-in order to explore their ability to produce antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and lipid-reducing compounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights globally. However, little is known about the experiences of people with disabilities accessing SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this community-engaged qualitative study, we examined COVID-related impacts on access to SRH services for people with disabilities.
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