How many animal-pollinated angiosperms are nectar-producing?

The diversity of plant-pollinator interactions is grounded in floral resources, with nectar considered one of the main floral rewards plants produce for pollinators. However, a global evaluation of the number of animal-pollinated nectar-producing angiosperms and their distribution world-wide remains elusive. We compiled a thorough database encompassing 7621 plant species from 322 families to estimate the number and proportion of nectar-producing angiosperms reliant on animal pollination.

Imprints of indirect interactions on a resource-mediated ant-plant network across different levels of network organization.

Indirect interactions are pivotal in the evolution of interacting species and the assembly of populations and communities. Nevertheless, despite recently being investigated in plant-animal mutualism at the community level, indirect interactions have not been studied in resource-mediated mutualisms involving plant individuals that share different animal species as partners within a population (i.e.

Influence of Transportation on Stress Response and Cellular Oxidative Stress Markers in Juvenile Meagre ().

In aquaculture, the transportation of live fish is a crucial but stress-inducing practice, necessitating a thorough understanding of its impact on fish welfare. This study aimed to assess the physiological stress response of meagre () juveniles during a 24 h commercial transport by quantifying muscle cortisol levels using a specific radioimmunoassay. Additionally, an immunohistochemical approach was used to detect and localize the cellular distribution of oxidative-stress-related biomarkers within various tissues and organs.

Effect of the dietary supplementation with extracts of chestnut wood and grape pomace on performance and jejunum response in female and male broiler chickens at different ages.

Background: Recently, interest in the use of herbs and phytogenic compounds has grown because of their potential role in the production and health of livestock animals. Among these compounds, several tannins have been tested in poultry, but those from chestnut wood and grape-industry byproducts have attracted remarkable interest. Thus, the present study aimed to gain further insights into the mechanisms involved in the response to the dietary supplementation with extracts of chestnut wood or grape pomace.

Organic residues from agricultural and forest companies in Brazil as useful substrates for cultivation of the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus.

We investigated whether highly available organic residues in Brazil can be used as substrates for the production of the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, instead of the conventional cultivation using the eucalyptus sawdust substrate. We assessed the mushroom yield on 13 substrates, of which 12 were formulated with different concentrations of organic residues and one with pure eucalyptus sawdust, and verified whether the raw material used in the substrate formula and the concentration of such alternative residues influenced their biological efficiencies. Substrates containing eucalyptus bark resulted in higher mushroom yield than those containing eucalyptus sawdust, which generally resulted in similar mushroom yield to the remaining formulas.

Productive Results, Oxidative Stress and Contaminant Markers in European Sea Bass: Conventional vs. Organic Feeding.

In the present study European sea bass () subjected to two different diets (organic vs. conventional) were evaluated in terms of growing performances, oxidative stress, and contaminant markers. Growing performances were evaluated using biometric measures and condition factor (K), whereas insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I and IGF-II) levels were assessed trough Real-Time PCR analysis.

Effect of dietary supplementation with yeast cell wall extracts on performance and gut response in broiler chickens.

Background: The dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall extracts (YCW) has been found to reduce pathogenic bacteria load, promote immunoglobulin production, prevent diseases by pro-inflammatory responses, and alter gut microbiota composition. This study evaluated growth and slaughter results, health, gut morphology, immune status and gut transcriptome of 576 male chickens fed two diets, i.e.

Safety assessment of antibiotic administration by magnetic nanoparticles in in vitro zebrafish liver and intestine cultures.

Different in vitro models have been suggested to replace in vivo studies. In vitro studies are of great interest and give the opportunity to analyze cellular responses in a closed system with stable experimental conditions and to avoid direct animal exposure and distress during the experiments. These methods are useful to test drugs and chemicals toxicity in order to better understand their environmental impact.

Effect of feed restriction timing on live performance, breast myopathy occurrence, and muscle fiber degeneration in 2 broiler chicken genetic lines.

During recent years, research on meat quality in poultry has aimed to evaluate the presence and consequences of breast myopathies as well as the factors which can affect their occurrence by modifying the growth rate. A total of 900 broiler chickens were reared until slaughter (48 D) to evaluate the effect of 2 genetic lines (A vs. B) and feeding plans (ad libitum [AL], early restricted [ER], from 13 to 23 D of age, and late restricted [LR], from 27 to 37 D of age; restriction rate: 80%) on performance, meat quality, and breast muscle myopathies.

Self-assembly of chlorin-e6 on γ-FeO nanoparticles: Application for larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti.

Aedes aegypti mosquitos are widespread vectors of several diseases and their control is of primary importance for biological and environmental reasons, and novel safe insecticides are highly desirable. An eco-friendly photosensitizing magnetic nanocarrier with larvicidal effects on Aedes aegypti was proposed. The innovative core-shell hybrid nanomaterial was synthesized by combining peculiar magnetic nanoparticles (called Surface Active Maghemite Nanoparticles - SAMNs, the core) and chlorin-e6 as photosensitizer (constituting the shell) via self-assembly in water.

Mapping of the Early Intrauterine Morphogenesis in the Alpaca (Vicugna pacos): External Features and Development of the Cephalic Vesicle in Comparison with the Progressive Carnegie Scale.

In this study, we characterized the morphological aspects of the early development of the head of the alpaca (Vicugna pacos) and identified the main structures of the central nervous system during the first trimester of pregnancy. The topography and the cytoarchitecture of the fetal brain regions were described by histological analysis of the brain sections. We performed this analysis on alpaca embryos and fetuses presumably aged 20, 30, 45, and 90 days.

Vascularization of the trachea in the bottlenose dolphin: comparison with bovine and evidence for evolutionary adaptations to diving.

The rigid structure of the mammalian trachea is functional to maintain constant patency and airflow during breathing, but no gas exchange takes place through its walls. The structure of the organ in dolphins shows increased rigidity of the tracheal cartilaginous rings and the presence of vascular lacunae in the submucosa. However, no actual comparison was ever made between the size and capacity of the vascular lacunae of the dolphin trachea and the potentially homologous structures of terrestrial mammals.

The Brain of the Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis): Surface Configuration, Encephalization Quotient, and Analysis of the Existing Literature.

The anatomy of the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis Linnaeus, 1758) has been poorly studied, except for the circulatory system. In particular, only a handful of studies have concerned the brain of this species since the first description in 1839. Accordingly, only a very few articles discussing encephalization mentioned the giraffe or used it in their calculations.

Aging and Veterinary Care of Cats, Dogs, and Horses through the Records of Three University Veterinary Hospitals.

The present article examines over 63,000 medical records belonging to the Veterinary Hospitals of the Universities of Bologna, Torino, and Padova, all in Northern Italy, and relative to dogs (approximately 50,000), cats (approximately 12,000), and companion horses (slightly less than 1,000). The animals of the three species were divided into age classes and categorized per sex into males, females, and neutered individuals. The mean age at visit and the effects of age classes and category (analyzed ANOVA) are presented and discussed.

Effect of age on the occurrence of muscle fiber degeneration associated with myopathies in broiler chickens submitted to feed restriction.

To evaluate muscle fiber degeneration (MFD) associated with white striping and wooden breast, pectoralis major of 192 broilers differing for genotype (standard vs. high breast yield), gender, and feeding regime (ad libitum vs. restricted rate 80% from 13 to 21 d of age) were sampled at 14, 21, 28, 35, and 46 d of age for histological analyses by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining to evaluate tissue morphology, Masson's trichrome to identify collagen presence, and Oil red and Nile blue for lipid presence.

The Brain of the Domestic Bos taurus: Weight, Encephalization and Cerebellar Quotients, and Comparison with Other Domestic and Wild Cetartiodactyla.

The domestic bovine Bos taurus is raised worldwide for meat and milk production, or even for field work. However the functional anatomy of its central nervous system has received limited attention and most of the reported data in textbooks and reviews are derived from single specimens or relatively old literature. Here we report information on the brain of Bos taurus obtained by sampling 158 individuals, 150 of which at local abattoirs and 8 in the dissecting room, these latter subsequently formalin-fixed.

The claustrum of the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (Montagu 1821).

The mammalian claustrum is involved in processing sensory information from the environment. The claustrum is reciprocally connected to the visual cortex and these projections, at least in carnivores, display a clear retinotopic distribution. The visual cortex of dolphins occupies a position strikingly different from that of land mammals.

The brain of the horse: weight and cephalization quotients.

The horse is a common domestic animal whose anatomy has been studied since the XVI century. However, a modern neuroanatomy of this species does not exist and most of the data utilized in textbooks and reviews derive from single specimens or relatively old literature. Here, we report information on the brain of Equus caballus obtained by sampling 131 horses, including brain weight (as a whole and subdivided into its constituents), encephalization quotient (EQ), and cerebellar quotient (CQ), and comparisons with what is known about other relevant species.

Immunofluorescence evidence of melanotrophs in the pituitary of four odontocete species. An immunohistochemical study and a critical review of the literature.

Cetaceans share peculiar features of their pituitary glands, with a complete separation of pars distalis and pars nervosa by a dural septum and the absence of an intermediate lobe and cleft. In most mammals the pars intermedia is the main source of circulating α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), derived from a large precursor called proopiomelanocortin (POMC), which also generates adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the adenohypophysis. The lack of an intermediate lobe in cetaceans led us to investigate whether their glands are able to produce α-MSH, and if this hormone is secreted by a distinct population of melanotrophs or by corticotrophs in the pars distalis.

Estradiol effects on intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis in bovine brain-derived endothelial cells.

Estrogens diversely affect various physiological processes by genomic or non-genomic mechanisms, in both excitable and non-excitable cells. Additional to the trophic effects of estrogens promoting cell growth and differentiation, recent experimental evidence highlights their involvement in the regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis. The effects of estrogens on excitable cells are well documented.

Evidence of melatonin secretion in cetaceans: plasma concentration and extrapineal HIOMT-like presence in the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus.

The pineal gland is generally believed to be absent in cetaceans, although few and subsequently unconfirmed reports described the organ in some species. The recent description of a complete and photographed pineal body in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) prompted us to examine a series of 29 brains of the same species, but no gland was found. We then decided to investigate if the main product of the gland, melatonin, was nevertheless produced and present in the plasma of this species.

Primary cultures of astrocytes from fetal bovine brain.

We describe here a method to obtain primary cell cultures from the cerebral cortex and the hypothalamus of bovine fetuses. We report how tissue origin, developmental stages, and culture medium conditions influence cell differentiation and the prevalence of glial cells vs. neurons.