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This research was conducted at the experimental farm "Andil" of the State University of the South of Manabí, Cantón Jipijapa, Manabí, Ecuador, with the aim of evaluating the ethological behavior of the apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of Cobb 500 chickens in individual cages. 36 male chickens were used which were distributed in four treatments with different inclusion levels of sacha Inchi cake (SIC): T1 = control, without SIC, T2 = 10% SIC, T3 = 20% SIC and T4 = 30% SIC. A Completely Randomized Design (DCA) was used for the statistical analysis, where each treatment had 12 repetitions, locating one animal per experimental unit. The results determined that chickens had a good response in quickly adapting to the cages, in addition to not reporting mortality and accepting food. The apparent ileal digestibility of DM did not show a difference between the treatments, while the N differed between the control group and the inclusion of T4 with 30% (SIC), which was higher for the latter (85.20 vs 90.23%). The results allow to conclude that the ethological behavior of the animals is not affected and good indices of ileal digestibility of DM and N are obtained when adding SIC in the diet of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Supernumerary teeth are common developmental anomalies of dentition. However, the factors and mechanisms driving their formation remain largely unknown. Here, we report that conditional knockout of Fst, encoding an antagonist for the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway, in both oral epithelium and mesenchyme of mice (FstCKO) led to supernumerary upper incisor teeth, arising from the lingual dental epithelium of the native teeth and preceded by an enlarged and split lingual cervical loop. Fst-deficiency greatly activated TGF-β signaling in developing maxillary incisor teeth, associated with increased epithelium cell proliferation. Moreover, FstCKO teeth exhibited increased expression of Tbx1, Sp6, and Sox2, which were identified as direct targets of TGF-β/SMAD2 signaling. Finally, we show that upregulation of Tbx1 in response to Fst-deficiency was largely responsible for the formation of extra teeth in FstCKO mice. Taken together, our investigation indicates a novel role for Fst in controlling murine tooth number by restricting TGF-β signaling.

The objectives of this research were to assess the productive and reproductive performances, and crossbred Jersey farmers preferences traits in Angolelana Tera district, Amhara region, Ethiopia. A total of 158 smallholders holding Jersey crossbreed recruited from seven Kebeles were interviewed face to face using a semi structured questionnaire. Index for traits preferences and one-way analysis of variance for reproductive and productive performances differences of dairy cattle breeds were employed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Milk yield, growth and traction in Holstein-Friesian crossbred, while milk fat, fertility and growth in Jersey crossbred, and disease’s resistant ability, traction power and adaptation to local climates in indigenous breed were the most valued traits by farmers in the study district. The overall mean of the most reproductive and productive performance parameters of Jersey crossbred namely age at first calving (30.56 months), lactation length (241.32 days), calving interval (441.79 days), number of services per conception (1.55) and longevity (16.53 years) were significantly better than its counterpart Holstein-Friesian crossbreed with the corresponding values of 32.91 months, 227.28 days, 447.59 days, 1.86 and 15.03 years, respectively. However, no significant variations were observed between the two crossbreeds of Holstein-Friesian and Jersey on age at first service and days open in the present study. Generally, indigenous breeds significantly lower productive and reproductive performances than crossbred cattle. In conclusion, although some parameters are antagonistic with the standards recommended for modern dairy farming, Jersey crossbreed performed well in the district. These indicates that the project looks targeted on the right breed in the right place with necessary training approaches on caring of crossbred Jersey breed and milk processing. Therefore, the wide use of Jersey crossbreed must be promoted in the district together with necessary improved management packages.

Context: Dietary supplementation with trace mineral chromium (Cr) has been shown to enhance the physiological responses of broilers subjected to heat stress (HS), modulate gene expression, and improve performance. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of chromium–methionine (CrMet) supplementation on growth performance, body temperatures, lymphoid organ weights, hormones, blood parameters, and the expression of heat-shock protein-70 (HSP-70) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) genes in broilers under HS conditions (33°C for 12 h/day). Methods: In the first experiment, 336 22-day-old male broilers were randomly distributed into four blocks with six treatments (0, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40, 0.80, and 1.20 mg/kg CrMet) and eight replicates with seven birds per cage. These broilers were subjected to HS from 22 to 43 days of age. In the second experiment, 24 male broilers, in total, at 43 days of age, previously exposed to HS, were randomly distributed to the same six treatments from the first experiment, with four replicates. Breast samples were collected for the analysis of HSP-70 and IGF-1 expression. Results: A quadratic effect (P < 0.05) was observed on bodyweight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The supplementation of 0.71 and 0.68 mg/kg improved BWG and FCR, respectively. At 28 days of age, cloacal and mean body temperatures, corticosterone, and thyroid hormones were quadratically affected (P < 0.05), while at 43 days of age, a linear effect (P < 0.05) was observed on haemoglobin concentration. There was a reduction (P < 0.05) in the expression of HSP-70 and an increase in IGF-1 (P < 0.05) in the breast tissue of broilers supplemented with CrMet. Conclusions: The supplementation with 0.71 mg/kg and 0.68 mg/kg of CrMet improved BWG and FCR, respectively. Additionally, the supplementation with 0.80 mg/kg improved hormones, reduced HSP-70 and increased the expression of IGF-1 in broilers during HS. Implications: These findings suggest that CrMet can be included in the diet of broiler chickens subjected to HS to enhance physiological responses and performance. In the challenging world of broiler farming, the use of organic trace minerals sheds light on ways to improve the performance of heat-stressed chickens. Chromium–methionine (CrMet) supplementation has significant impacts promoting growth, regulating hormones, and altering genetic activity in broilers exposed to heat stress. CrMet supplementation supports animal health and nutrition for a more robust broiler production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Milk fat is an important indicator for evaluating the quality of cow’s milk. In this study, we used bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of KLF4 in the regulation of milk fat synthesis. The results showed that KLF4 was more highly expressed in mammary tissues of high-fat cows compared with low-fat cows. KLF4 positively regulated the expression of genes related to milk fat synthesis in BMECs, increasing intracellular triglycerides content, and KLF4 promoted milk fat synthesis by activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, the results of animal experiments also confirmed that knockdown of KLF4 inhibited milk fat synthesis. In addition, yeast one-hybrid assays and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays confirmed that KLF4 directly targets and binds to the fatty acid synthase (FASN) promoter region to promote FASN transcription. These results demonstrate that KLF4 is a key transcription factor for milk fat synthesis in BMECs.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by out-of-frame mutations in the DMD gene resulting in the absence of a functional dystrophin protein, leading to a devastating and progressive lethal muscle-wasting disease. Little is known about cellular heterogeneity as disease severity increases. Advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) enabled us to explore skeletal muscle-resident cell populations in healthy, dystrophic, and severely dystrophic mouse models. We found increased frequencies of activated fibroblasts, fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells, and pro-inflammatory macrophages in dystrophic gastrocnemius muscles and an upregulation of extracellular matrix genes on endothelial cells in dystrophic and severely dystrophic muscles. We observed a pronounced risk of clotting, especially in the severely dystrophic mice with increased expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in endothelial cells, indicating endothelial cell impairment as disease severity increases. This work extends our understanding of the severe nature of DMD which should be considered when developing single or combinatorial approaches for DMD.

Because of ectothermy and the high permeability of their skin, the thermal biology and water balance of anuran amphibians are highly influenced by variations in environmental temperature and water availability. Seasonal variation in these climatic variables are often followed by concurrent adjustments in frogs' thermal biology and water balance. We investigated seasonal variation in the thermal biology and water balance of snouted treefrogs, Scinax fuscovarius (Anura, Hylidae), a midsize nocturnal treefrog with continuous activity throughout the year. We measured body temperature when active in the field (Tfield), thermal preference (Tpref) in a thermal gradient in the laboratory, and the minimum and maximum critical temperatures (CTmin and CTmax, respectively). Regarding water balance, we measured rates of evaporative water loss (EWL) and the skin resistance (Rs) to evaporation at three temperatures (15, 25, and 35°C), dehydration tolerance, and rates of water uptake (WU), both at 25°C. Measurements were carried out in the middle of the hot and wet spring–summer and the cold and dry autumn–winter. We found that Tfield, Tpref, dehydration tolerance, and WU were higher in the hot–wet compared to the cold–dry season. Evaporative water loss rates increased with experimental temperature but did not vary seasonally. There was no seasonal variation in thermal tolerance for either CTmax or CTmin. Our data show that S. fuscovarius experience seasonal adjustments in some parameters of their thermal biology and water balance, but not in others. This variation may reflect different levels of plasticity among the sampled variables and quite likely functional compromises between body temperature regulation and water balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Converging studies showed interstitial fluid (ISF) adjacent to blood vessels flows in adventitia along vasculature into heart and lungs. We aim to reveal circulatory pathways and regulatory mechanism of such adventitial ISF flow in rat model. By MRI, real-time fluorescent imaging, micro-CT, and histological analysis, ISF was found to flow in adventitial matrix surrounded by fascia and along systemic vessels into heart, then flow into lungs via pulmonary arteries and back to heart via pulmonary veins, which was neither perivascular tissues nor blood or lymphatic vessels. Under physiological conditions, speckle-like adventitial ISF flow rate was positively correlated with heart rate, increased when holding breath, became pulsative during heavy breathing. During cardiac or respiratory cycle, each dilation or contraction of heart or lungs can generate to-and-fro adventitial ISF flow along femoral veins. Discovered regulatory mechanisms of adventitial ISF flow along vasculature by heart and lungs will revolutionize understanding of cardiovascular system.

When performing animal experimentation in Pediatric Urology studies, it is important to be aware of physiological differences between species and to understand when relevant disease models are available. Diseased animal models may be more relevant in many cases, rather than performing studies in healthy and normally developed animals. For example, they may be more appropriate for the study of congenital malformations, to investigate the secondary effects of prenatal urinary obstruction, to study the effect of prenatal exposure to endogenous or exogenous factors which may lead to disease, or in testing bioengineered structures. In this short educational article, we aim to describe some disease models that have been used to simulate human pathologies and how, if properly designed, these studies can lead to important new knowledge for human translation. In addition, we also highlight the importance of formulating a research question(s) before deciding on the animal experimental model and species to choose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a ubiquitous pollutant worldwide. Exposure can induce immediate behavioral and physiological changes in animals, sometimes leading to severe health consequences. Nevertheless, many organisms persist in light-polluted environments and may have mechanisms of habituating, reducing responses to repeated exposure over time, but this has yet to be tested experimentally. Here, we tested whether zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) can habituate to dim (0.3 lux) ALAN, measuring behavior, physiology (oxidative stress and telomere attrition), and gene expression in a repeated measures design, over 6 months. We present evidence of tolerance to chronic exposure, persistent behavioral responses lasting 8 weeks post-exposure, and attenuation of responses to re-exposure. Oxidative stress decreased under chronic ALAN. Changes in the blood transcriptome revealed unique responses to past exposure and re-exposure. Results demonstrate organismal resilience to chronic stressors and shed light on the capacity of birds to persist in an increasingly light-polluted world.

Summary: Zebrafish regenerate their fins which involves a component of cell plasticity. It is currently unclear how regenerate cells divide labor to allow for appropriate growth and patterning. Here, we studied lineage relationships of fluorescence-activated cell sorting-enriched epidermal, bone-forming (osteoblast), and (non-osteoblast) blastemal fin regenerate cells by single-cell RNA sequencing, lineage tracing, targeted osteoblast ablation, and electron microscopy. Most osteoblasts in the outgrowing regenerate derive from osterix+ osteoblasts, while mmp9+ cells reside at segment joints. Distal blastema cells contribute to distal osteoblast progenitors, suggesting compartmentalization of the regenerating appendage. Ablation of osterix+ osteoblasts impairs segment joint and bone matrix formation and decreases regenerate length which is partially compensated for by distal regenerate cells. Our study characterizes expression patterns and lineage relationships of rare fin regenerate cell populations, indicates inherent detection and compensation of impaired regeneration, suggests variable dependence on growth factor signaling, and demonstrates zonation of the elongating fin regenerate.

Summary: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) induces intermittent hypoxia (IH), an independent risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). While the molecular links between IH and NAFLD progression are unclear, immune cell-driven inflammation plays a crucial role in NAFLD pathogenesis. Using lean mice exposed to long-term IH and a cohort of lean OSA patients (n = 71), we conducted comprehensive hepatic transcriptomics, lipidomics, and targeted serum proteomics. Significantly, we demonstrated that long-term IH alone can induce NASH molecular signatures found in human steatohepatitis transcriptomic data. Biomarkers (PPARs, NRFs, arachidonic acid, IL16, IL20, IFNB, TNF-α) associated with early hepatic and systemic inflammation were identified. This molecular link between IH, sleep apnea, and steatohepatitis merits further exploration in clinical trials, advocating for integrating sleep apnea diagnosis in liver disease phenotyping. Our unique signatures offer potential diagnostic and treatment response markers, highlighting therapeutic targets in the comorbidity of NAFLD and OSA.

Summary: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with both extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and intracellular tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). We characterized the behavioral, metabolic and lipidomic phenotype of the 5xFADxTg30 mouse model which contains overexpression of both Aβ and tau. Our results independently reproduce several phenotypic traits described previously for this model, while providing additional characterization. This model develops many aspects associated with AD including frailty, decreased survival, initiation of aspects of cognitive decline and alterations to specific lipid classes and molecular lipid species in the plasma and brain. Notably, some sex-specific differences exist in this model and motor impairment with aging in this model does compromise the utility of the model for some movement-based behavioral assessments of cognitive function. These findings provide a reference for individuals interested in using this model to understand the pathology associated with elevated Aβ and tau or for testing potential therapeutics for the treatment of AD.

Summary: We found major seasonal changes of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in muscular phospholipids (PL) in a large non-hibernating mammal, the red deer (Cervus elaphus). Dietary supply of essential linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) had no, or only weak influence, respectively. We further found correlations of PL PUFA concentrations with the activity of key metabolic enzymes, independent of higher winter expression. Activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca++-ATPase increased with SR PL concentrations of n-6 PUFA, and of cytochrome c oxidase and citrate synthase, indicators of ATP-production, with concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid in mitochondrial PL. All detected cyclic molecular changes were controlled by photoperiod and are likely of general relevance for mammals living in seasonal environments, including humans. During winter, these changes at the molecular level presumably compensate for Arrhenius effects in the colder peripheral body parts and thus enable a thrifty life at lower body temperature.

Simple Summary: Safeguarding animal welfare in research is crucial for ethical and legislative compliance as well as the integrity of scientific data. It is, therefore, essential that researchers working with animals across all fields of life sciences have an understanding of how to assess animal welfare, including their behaviour, health, and physiology. This study looked into the education of ecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation managers in Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand and found that very few universities offered specific courses on animal welfare, and these courses were often optional rather than required. These results highlight the need for universities to provide more formal and mandatory education on animal welfare to better prepare future researchers studying and managing wildlife. By improving education in this area, we can ensure that researchers have the necessary knowledge and skills to work with wildlife in a responsible and compassionate way. Animal welfare is a subject of increasing scientific and ethical concern in today's society, crucial for the well-being of animals used in research and the integrity of scientific data. Equipping researchers in the life science disciplines with a science-based knowledge of animal welfare, behaviour, physiology, and health is, therefore, essential. Nevertheless, previous studies evaluating animal welfare education focused on veterinary, laboratory, or farm animal science. Consequently, the aim of this study was, for the very first time, to map the prevalence of animal welfare courses in the university education of ecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation managers in Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. A comprehensive assessment of 1548 universities was conducted, resulting in the identification of 596 relevant programs at the bachelor's and master's levels. Analysis of the curricula revealed that only 1% of the programs offered a formal course on animal welfare, while 65% provided courses on animal behaviour, 59% on animal physiology, and 34% on animal health. However, the majority of these courses were listed as electives rather than mandatory components of the programs. These results underscore the need for universities to incorporate more formal and obligatory education in animal welfare in order to better prepare future ecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation managers for the challenges of working with wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The fish plasma model (FPM) facilitated the environmental risk assessment of human drugs by using existing data on human therapeutic plasma concentrations (HTPCs) and predicted fish plasma concentrations (FPCs). However, studies on carbamazepine (CMZ) with both the mode of action (MOA) based biological effects at molecular level (such as neurotransmitter and gene level) and measured FPCs are lacking. Bioconcentration of CMZ in adult zebrafish demonstrated that the FPM underestimated the bioconcentration factors (BCFs) in plasma at environmental CMZ exposure concentrations (1–100 μg/L). CMZ significantly increased Glu and GABA, decreased ACh and AChE as well as inhibited the transcription levels of gabra1, grin1b, grin2b, gad1b, and abat when the actual FPCs were in the ranges of 1/1000 HTPC to HTPC. It is the first read-across study of CMZ integrating MOA-based biological effects at molecular level and FPCs. This study facilitates model performance against a range of different drug classes.

Higher education in the 21st Century must equip students with various skills, including creative thinking skills. This study was intended to investigate the effect of Brain-Based Learning-Reading, Mind Mapping, and Sharing (BBLRMS) on the creative thinking skills of pre-service Biology teachers at Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah in Palembang, Indonesia. A non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design was employed in this study. The study participants were all students enrolled in the Animal Physiology course in the odd semester of 2021/2022. The sample was chosen at random. Seventy-five students were assigned into an experimental group, a positive control group, and a negative control group. The experimental class was instructed using the BBLRMS model, the positive control class was instructed using the Brain-Based Learning (BBL) model, and the negative control class was instructed using the conventional learning model. An essay test was used to obtain research data on the participants' creative thinking skills. The test answers of participants were graded using a rubric and then analyzed using ANCOVA. The analysis revealed that (1) there were disparities in the creative thinking skills of students whose learning was facilitated by the BBLRMS, BBL, and conventional models; (2) the creative thinking skills of students taught by BBLRMS were superior to those taught by BBL and conventional models. Based on the findings of this study, it can be stated the BBLRMS model can enhance the creative thinking skills of pre-service Biology teachers at Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah in Palembang, Indonesia. The BBLRMS model can also be used as an alternative learning model that helps improve the quality of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although drawing inspiration from live animals to develop processes, technologies, or materials is not a new approach, there is rising interest toward biomimicry for implementing new ideas. This review presents the mechanisms and strategies of mechanical pretreatment developed by animals to enhance the digestion of their food. There is ample data in the literature describing animal digestive systems; however, very few compilations encompass all clades with a main focus on mechanical pretreatment. The objective is to improve, through a bioinspired approach, the design of anaerobic digestion processes that are comparable but less efficient than animal digestion. To assess the variety and diversity of strategies that animals have developed during their evolution to adapt and optimize this pretreatment step, the following items were identified, classified, and related: (i) types of mechanical pretreatments, (ii) organs used, (iii) body location of mechanical pretreatment organs, and (iv) substrates, according to their accessibility. Animals are found to have converged toward several solutions to mechanically process their food. The type of organ is associated with the phylogeny while the type of pretreatment is rather associated with the type of food protection. Grinding is the most commonly used pretreatment, covering the widest range of substrates and ensured by the largest number of organs. Finally, animal pretreatment strategies and industrial grinders are compared and discussed in order to identify potential technological improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Beige adipocytes are inducible thermogenic adipocytes used for anti-obesity treatment. Beige adipocytes rapidly lose their thermogenic capacity once external cues are removed. However, long-term administration of stimulants, such as PPARγ and β-adrenergic receptor agonists, is unsuitable due to various side effects. Here, we reported that PPARα pharmacological activation was the preferred target for maintaining induced beige adipocytes. Pemafibrate used in clinical practice for dyslipidemia was developed as a selective PPARα modulator (SPPARMα). Pemafibrate administration regulated the thermogenic capacity of induced beige adipocytes, repressed body weight gain, and ameliorated impaired glucose tolerance in diet-induced obese mouse models. The transcriptome analysis revealed that the E-twenty-six transcription factor ELK1 acted as a cofactor of PPARα. ELK1 was mobilized to the Ucp1 transcription regulatory region with PPARα and modulated its expression by pemafibrate. These results suggest that selective activation of PPARα by pemafibrate is advantageous to maintain the function of beige adipocytes.

Summary: Human and mouse genetics have delivered numerous diabetogenic loci, but it is mainly through the use of animal models that the pathophysiological basis for their contribution to diabetes has been investigated. More than 20 years ago, we serendipidously identified a mouse strain that could serve as a model of obesity-prone type 2 diabetes, the BTBR (Black and Tan Brachyury) mouse (BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J, 2018) carrying the Lepob mutation. We went on to discover that the BTBR-Lepob mouse is an excellent model of diabetic nephropathy and is now widely used by nephrologists in academia and the pharmaceutical industry. In this review, we describe the motivation for developing this animal model, the many genes identified and the insights about diabetes and diabetes complications derived from >100 studies conducted in this remarkable animal model.

Revealing the mechanisms underlying the reversible physiology of hibernation could have applications to both human and animal health as hibernation is often associated with disease-like states. The present study uses RNA-sequencing to reveal the tissue and seasonal transcriptional changes occurring in grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis). Comparing hibernation to other seasons, bear adipose has a greater number of differentially expressed genes than liver and skeletal muscle. During hyperphagia, adipose has more than 900 differentially expressed genes compared to active season. Hibernation is characterized by reduced expression of genes associated with insulin signaling, muscle protein degradation, and urea production, and increased expression within muscle protein anabolic pathways. Across all three tissues we find a subset of shared differentially expressed genes, some of which are uncharacterized, that together may reflect a common regulatory mechanism. The identified gene families could be useful for developing novel therapeutics to treat human and animal diseases.

Summary: The zebrafish is a unique model to understand hematopoietic niches as hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells are maintained in the kidney. However, little is known about which cell types in the kidney play a role in hematopoietic niches. Here, we demonstrate that the sinusoidal endothelium is an essential and conserved niche component in the zebrafish kidney. Histological analysis revealed that runx1:mCherry+ hematopoietic cells were predominantly detected in the dorsolateral region of the kidney where sinusoids are highly developed. Loss of Junctional adhesion molecule 1a (Jam1a), which is expressed in both sinusoidal endothelial cells and hematopoietic cells, resulted in a remarkable reduction in sinusoids and a defect in hematopoietic niches. We found that Jam1a regulates jagged-1a expression in vascular endothelial cells to form a sinusoidal structure in the kidney. Collectively, these data suggest that sinusoids are formed by Jam1a via endothelial Notch signaling to provide hematopoietic niches in the zebrafish kidney.

Summary: Olfactory stimuli from food influence energy balance, preparing the body for digestion when food is consumed. Social chemosensory cues predict subsequent energetic changes required for social interactions and could be an additional sensory input influencing energy balance. We show that exposure to female chemostimuli increases metabolic rate in male mice and reduces body weight and adipose tissue expansion when mice are fed a high-fat diet. These responses are linked to detection of female chemostimuli via G-protein Gαo-expressing vomeronasal sensory neurons. Males with Gαo deleted in the olfactory system are fertile but do not show changes in body weight when paired with females and show severely blunted changes in energy expenditure when exposed to female bedding. These results establish that metabolic and reproductive responses to females can be partly uncoupled in male mice and that detection of female chemostimuli is a central regulator of energy metabolism and lipid storage.

Summary: Perception of sensory stimuli can be modulated by changes in internal state to drive contextually appropriate behavior. For example, dehydration is a threat to terrestrial animals, especially to Drosophila melanogaster due to their large surface area to volume ratio, particularly under the energy demands of flight. While hydrated D. melanogaster avoid water cues, while walking, dehydration leads to water-seeking behavior. We show that in tethered flight, hydrated flies ignore a water stimulus, whereas dehydrated flies track a water plume. Antennal occlusions eliminate odor and water plume tracking, whereas inactivation of moist sensing neurons in the antennae disrupts water tracking only upon starvation and dehydration. Elimination of the olfactory coreceptor eradicates odor tracking while leaving water-seeking behavior intact in dehydrated flies. Our results suggest that while similar hygrosensory receptors may be used for walking and in-flight hygrotaxis, the temporal dynamics of modulating the perception of water vary with behavioral state.

Summary: The dive response allows marine mammals to perform prolonged breath-hold dives to access rich marine prey resources. Via dynamic adjustments of peripheral vasoconstriction and bradycardia, oxygen consumption can be tailored to breath-hold duration, depth, exercise, and even expectations during dives. By investigating the heart rate of a trained harbor porpoise during a two-alternative forced choice task, where the animal is either acoustically masked or blindfolded, we test the hypothesis that sensory deprivation will lead to a stronger dive response to conserve oxygen when facing a more uncertain and smaller sensory umwelt. We show that the porpoise halves its diving heart rate (from 55 to 25 bpm) when blindfolded but presents no change in heart rate during masking of its echolocation. Therefore, visual stimuli may matter more to echolocating toothed whales than previously assumed, and sensory deprivation can be a major driver of the dive response, possibly as an anti-predator measure.

Animal welfare is a subject of increasing scientific and ethical concern in today’s society, crucial for the well-being of animals used in research and the integrity of scientific data. Equipping researchers in the life science disciplines with a science-based knowledge of animal welfare, behaviour, physiology, and health is, therefore, essential. Nevertheless, previous studies evaluating animal welfare education focused on veterinary, laboratory, or farm animal science. Consequently, the aim of this study was, for the very first time, to map the prevalence of animal welfare courses in the university education of ecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation managers in Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. A comprehensive assessment of 1548 universities was conducted, resulting in the identification of 596 relevant programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Analysis of the curricula revealed that only 1% of the programs offered a formal course on animal welfare, while 65% provided courses on animal behaviour, 59% on animal physiology, and 34% on animal health. However, the majority of these courses were listed as electives rather than mandatory components of the programs. These results underscore the need for universities to incorporate more formal and obligatory education in animal welfare in order to better prepare future ecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation managers for the challenges of working with wildlife.

Summary: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has the ability to burn calories as heat. Utilizing BAT thermogenesis is thus an attractive way to combat obesity. However, the transcriptional network resulting in the lipid synthesis to oxidation shift during thermogenesis is not completely understood. Here, we report the regulation of two master regulators of adipogenesis, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), during acute cold stress in BAT. We found PPARγ dissociates from DNA in a fifth of its binding sites and these include Cebpa enhancers, leading to decreased C/EBPα expression. This dissociation requires PPARγ binding to activating ligands and is thus modulated by diet. Meanwhile, PPARα also detaches from DNA, and co-activator PGC1α associates with ERRα as part of a transcriptional network regulating lipid metabolism. Subsequent global replacement of C/EBPα by C/EBPβ and its associated transcriptional machinery is required for upregulation of structural lipid synthesis despite general upregulation of fatty acid oxidation.

Summary: Oxygen-dependent preservation has been proposed to protect liver grafts from ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), but its underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we proposed an oxygen-carrying sequential preservation (OCSP) method that combined oxygenated static cold storage (SCS) and normothermic mechanical perfusion. We demonstrated that OCSP, especially with high oxygen partial pressure level (500–650mmHg) during the oxygenated SCS phase, was associated with decreased IRI of liver grafts and improved rat survival after transplantation. A negative correlation between autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress response (ERSR) was found under OCSP and functional studies indicated OCSP suppressed ERSR-mediated cell apoptosis through autophagy activation. Further data showed that OCSP-induced autophagy activation and ERSR inhibition were oxygen-dependent. Finally, activated NFE2L2-HMOX1 signaling was found to induce autophagy under OCSP. Together, our findings indicate oxygen-dependent autophagy mitigates liver graft’s IRI by ERSR suppression and modulates NFE2L2-HMOX1 signaling under OCSP, providing a theoretical basis for liver preservation using a composite-sequential mode.

The incorporation of conservation physiology into environmental management, particularly ecological restoration, is underutilized, despite the capacity of such approaches to discern how populations respond to the challenges of unpredictable and potentially inhospitable environments. We explore several examples where detailed mechanistic understanding of the physiological constraints of keystone and foundational species, ecological service providers such as insect pollinators, and species of conservation concern has been used to optimize the return of these species to landscapes following the cessation of mineral extraction. Using such data can optimize the rapid return of functioning ecosystems during restoration or increase the conservation value of restoration by returning insurance populations of threatened species. Integrating this level of mechanistic understanding with fine‐resolution spatial data in the form of biophysical modeling can help plan recovery and identify targets that can subsequently be used in assessing restoration success, particularly in situations that require substantial investment over long periods, such as post‐mining restoration. There is growing recognition of the valuable insights offered by conservation physiology to broader practice and policy development, and there have been substantial technical developments in conservation physiology leading up to and into the twenty‐first century as a result. The global challenge facing restoration ecology has, however, also grown in that time. Rapidly and efficiently meeting ambitious global restoration objectives will require a targeted approach, and we suggest that the application of physiological data will be most strategic for rare species, keystone species, and ecosystem service providers more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonreproducibility in scientific investigations has been explained by inadequately reporting methodology, honest error, and even misconduct. We hypothesized that, within the field of animal physiology, the most parsimonious explanation for nonreproducibility is inadequate reporting of key methodological details. We further hypothesized that implementation of relatively recently released reporting guidelines has positively impacted journal article quality, as measured by completeness of the methodology descriptions. We analyzed 84 research articles published in five primarily organismal animal physiology journals in 2008-2010 (generally before current guidelines) and 2018-2020. Compliance for reporting 34 variables referring to biology, experiments, and data collection was assessed. Reporting compliance was just ~61% in 2008-2010, rising only slightly to 67.5% for 2018-2020. Only 21% of the reported variables showed significant differences across the period from 2008-2020. We conclude that, despite attempts by societies and journals to promote greater reporting compliance, such efforts have so far been relatively unsuccessful in the field of animal physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by out-of-frame mutations in the DMD gene resulting in the absence of a functional dystrophin protein, leading to a devastating and progressive lethal muscle-wasting disease. Little is known about cellular heterogeneity as disease severity increases. Advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) enabled us to explore skeletal muscle-resident cell populations in healthy, dystrophic, and severely dystrophic mouse models. We found increased frequencies of activated fibroblasts, fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells, and pro-inflammatory macrophages in dystrophic gastrocnemius muscles and an upregulation of extracellular matrix genes on endothelial cells in dystrophic and severely dystrophic muscles. We observed a pronounced risk of clotting, especially in the severely dystrophic mice with increased expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in endothelial cells, indicating endothelial cell impairment as disease severity increases. This work extends our understanding of the severe nature of DMD which should be considered when developing single or combinatorial approaches for DMD.

Summary: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common abnormal heart rhythm, is a major cause for stroke. Aging is a significant risk factor for AF; however, specific ionic pathways that can elucidate how aging leads to AF remain elusive. We used young and old wild-type and PKC epsilon- (PKCϵ) knockout mice, whole animal, and cellular electrophysiology, as well as whole heart, and cellular imaging to investigate how aging leads to the aberrant functioning of a potassium current, and consequently to AF facilitation. Our experiments showed that knocking out PKCϵ abrogates the effects of aging on AF by preventing the development of a constitutively active acetylcholine sensitive inward rectifier potassium current (IKACh). Moreover, blocking this abnormal current in the old heart reduces AF inducibility. Our studies demonstrate that in the aging heart, IKACh is constitutively active in a PKCϵ-dependent manner, contributing to the perpetuation of AF.

Summary: Mutations in ERCC2/XPD helicase, an important component of the TFIIH complex, cause distinct human genetic disorders which exhibit various pathological features. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying many symptoms remain elusive. Here, we have shown that Ercc2/Xpd deficiency in zebrafish resulted in hypoplastic digestive organs with normal bud initiation but later failed to grow. The proliferation of intestinal endothelial cells was impaired in ercc2/xpd mutants, and mitochondrial abnormalities, autophagy, and inflammation were highly induced. Further studies revealed that these abnormalities were associated with the perturbation of rRNA synthesis and nucleolar stress in a p53-independent manner. As TFIIH has only been implicated in RNA polymerase I-dependent transcription in vitro, our results provide the first evidence for the connection between Ercc2/Xpd and rRNA synthesis in an animal model that recapitulates certain key characteristics of ERCC2/XPD-related human genetic disorders, and will greatly advance our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of these diseases.

Summary: Delaying aging while prolonging health and lifespan is a major goal in aging research. One promising strategy is to focus on reducing negative interventions such as pollution and their accelerating effect on age-related degeneration and disease. Here, we used the short-lived model organism C. elegans to analyze whether two candidate pollutants corrupt general aging pathways. We show that the emergent pollutant silica nanoparticles (NPs) and the classic xenobiotic inorganic mercury reduce lifespan and cause a premature protein aggregation phenotype. Comparative mass spectrometry revealed that increased insolubility of proteins with important functions in proteostasis is a shared phenotype of intrinsic- and pollution-induced aging supporting the hypothesis that proteostasis is a central resilience pathway controlling lifespan and aging. The presented data demonstrate that pollutants corrupt intrinsic aging pathways. Reducing pollution is, therefore, an important step to increasing healthy aging and prolonging life expectancies on a population level in humans and animals.

Summary: Quantifying stress and energetic responses in animals are major challenges, as existing methods lack temporal resolution and elevate animal stress. We propose “wake respirometry,” a new method of quantifying fine-scale changes in CO2 production in unrestrained animals, using a nondispersive infrared CO2 sensor positioned downwind of the animal, i.e., in its wake. We parameterize the dispersion of CO2 in wakes using known CO2 flow rates and wind speeds. Tests with three bird species in a wind tunnel demonstrated that the system can resolve breath-by-breath changes in CO2 concentration, with clear exhalation signatures increasing in period and integral with body size. Changes in physiological state were detectable following handling, flight, and exposure to a perceived threat. We discuss the potential of wake respirometry to quantify stress and respiratory patterns in wild animals and provide suggestions for estimating behavior-specific metabolic rates via full integration of CO2 production across the wake.

Summary: The complex and inaccessible space radiation environment poses an unresolved risk to astronaut cardiovascular health during long-term space exploration missions. To model this risk, healthy male c57BL/6 mice aged six months (corresponding to an astronaut of 34 years) were exposed to simplified galactic cosmic ray (GCR5-ion; 5-ion sim) irradiation at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratories (BNL). Multi-modal cardiovascular functional assessments performed longitudinally and terminally revealed significant impairment in cardiac function in mice exposed to GCR5-ion compared to unirradiated controls, gamma irradiation, or single mono-energetic ions (56Fe or 16O). GCR5-ion-treated mice exhibited increased arterial elastance likely mediated by disruption of elastin fibers. This study suggests that a single exposure to GCR5-ion is associated with deterioration in cardiac structure and function that becomes apparent long after exposure, likely associated with increased morbidity and mortality. These findings represent important health considerations when preparing for successful space exploration.

Summary: Nocturnal insects likely have evolved distinct physiological adaptations to enhance sensitivity for tasks, such as catching moving prey, where the signal-noise ratio of visual information is typically low. Using electroretinogram recordings, we measured the impulse response and the flicker fusion frequency (FFF) in six congeneric species of Myrmecia ants with different diurnal rhythms. The FFF, which measures the ability of an eye to respond to a flickering light, is significantly lower in nocturnal ants (∼125 Hz) compared to diurnal ants (∼189 Hz). However, the nocturnal ants have faster eyes at very low light intensities than the diurnal species. During the day, nocturnal ants had slower impulse responses than their diurnal counterparts. However, at night, both latency and duration significantly shortened in nocturnal species. The characteristics of the impulse responses varied substantially across all six species and did not correlate well with the measured flicker fusion frequency.

Summary: MYCT1 has been shown to function as a tumor suppressor in various tumors, but its role in metabolism has never been reported. Here, we showed that global inactivation of Myct1 in mice led to progressive accumulation of glycogen in the liver, which was accompanied by aberrant changes in intermediates of the glycogen metabolic pathway. Mechanistically, MYCT1 appeared to promote translation efficiency of PGM1, UGP2 and GSK3A in hepatic cells in a RACK1-dependent manner. Consequently, upregulation of the three enzymes enhanced the glycogen shunt. Our data reveal a critical role of MYCT1 as a switch for the glycogen shunt in tumor cells.

The current development level in IT contributes to the introduction of computer technology and other technologies in the learning process at various levels of education. Informatization of education is a process that provides the education sector with methodology and practice for the development and optimal use of modern information and communication technologies focused on implementing the psychological and pedagogical goals of education and training. Education institutions face the challenge of preparing a new generation of teachers to use the new learning tools in teaching practices effectively. Information technologies allow the university teacher to prepare and conduct practical classes and lectures and control activities effectively and at a new level. This article highlights the experience of organizing the educational process in a distance format using information computer technologies. It analyzes the work of the most common online distance learning platforms, with the help of which the educational process takes place at the State University of Biotechnology. The authors investigated the possibilities of the electronic learning platform MOODLE (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) for students of the Veterinary medicine and biotechnology faculties. An analysis of the advantages of the MOODLE distance learning platform and ways to eliminate its shortcomings was carried out, the main of which, according to the authors, is the need to adapt the teaching of one of the essential fundamental disciplines to the video format and provide the combination of visualization of the classroom performance of laboratory and practical work with the possibility of independent, remote work if available access to the Internet. It is claimed that the MOODLE platform can use a wide range of video files, but this is not enough for a perfect study of the discipline "Animal Physiology". Due to the limitation of specific technical characteristics of the MOODLE platform, the authors introduced files from YouTube video hosting into the educational process, which required creating their content. In the article, the authors presented their views on the creation of a single virtual, informational environment that combines all available technological functions of the system of professional training of future doctors of veterinary medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Dairy cows with autumn-calving season in low-input pastoral systems are subjected to challenging conditions as their early lactation falls in autumn and winter when shortages in pasture availability and harsh weather conditions often occur. Aims: We aimed to assess the associations between breed (Holstein Friesian (HF) vs Normande (NR)) and stage of lactation on productive and metabolic responses over lactation in a low-input pastoral dairy system. Methods: Twenty-seven HF (n = 14) and NR (n = 13) cows were studied. Milk yield was measured fortnightly, and milk composition, milk solid yield, liveweight (LW), body condition score (BCS) and blood plasma energy metabolites were assessed monthly. Key results: The greater milk for HF versus NR cows (e.g. 17.4 vs 12.1 ± 1.0 kg/day of milk; P < 0.001) were associated with a lower LW (510 vs 540 ± 10 kg; P = 0.021) and BCS (1.84 vs 2.37 ± 0.10; P = 0.001) at nadir for HF than NR cows. Blood plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were high for longer in HF versus NR cows (18 vs 8 WRC). Plasma glucose was greater (P = 0.002) and insulin was lower (P = 0.021) for HF versus NR cows at 3 WRC. During mid-lactation, glucose (22 WRC, P = 0.021) and insulin (26 to 34 WRC, P ≤ 0.041) were lower for HF vs. NR cows. Conclusions: Because of their lower milk yields, NR cows had a shorter period of body reserves mobilisation, which was associated with an earlier decrease of plasma concentrations of NEFA and greater insulin concentrations at 3 WRC, and then again during mid-lactation when LW and BCS were also greater for NR cows. Implications: In constraining pastoral environments, NR cows would redirect fewer nutrients for milk synthesis, leading to lower depletion of body reserves, which could be associated with a better ability to cope with winter challenging conditions. Although HF cows had a greater depletion of body reserves, there was no increase in the incidence of health problems for these cows. The demand for dairy products from low-input pastoral systems is increasing. However, in autumn and winter, cows lose body condition due to low pasture availability and harsh weather. We compared Normande versus Holstein Friesian cows' performance to determine the suitability of these breeds to these conditions. Normande cows had a shorter period of body reserves mobilisation and a greater recovery of insulin sensitivity during early lactation. Compared with Holstein Friesian cows, Normande cows can avoid large body reserves mobilisation, likely because of their lower milk yield potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to develop a research-based reference book and applied it through the problem-based learning (PBL) using reference books in learning activities. The method for the reference book used the ADDIE development models. The reference book's effectiveness test results were conducted using a purposive sampling technique, with a total sample of 55 students and analyzed by t-test. The research results showed that the reference books of the development results were validated by media experts and material experts. The integration of the development of reference books in learning activities has an impact on increasing student understanding as demonstrated through the pre-test and post-test scores that differ significantly with t-value> t-table (4.149> 2.045) at p

Summary: The neuropeptide F (NPF) and its short version (sNPF) mediate food- and stress-related responses in solitary insects. In the honeybee, a social insect where food collection and defensive responses are socially regulated, only sNPF has an identified receptor. Here we increased artificially sNPF levels in honeybee foragers and studied the consequences of this manipulation in various forms of appetitive and aversive responsiveness. Increasing sNPF in partially fed bees turned them into the equivalent of starved animals, enhancing both their food consumption and responsiveness to appetitive gustatory and olfactory stimuli. Neural activity in the olfactory circuits of fed animals was reduced and could be rescued by sNPF treatment to the level of starved bees. In contrast, sNPF had no effect on responsiveness to nociceptive stimuli. Our results thus identify sNPF as a key modulator of hunger and food-related responses in bees, which are at the core of their foraging activities.

Summary: Life history theory predicts a trade-off between the quantity and quality of offspring. Short interbirth intervals—the time between successive births—may increase the quantity of offspring but harm offspring quality. In contrast, long interbirth intervals may bolster offspring quality while reducing overall reproductive output. Further research is needed to determine whether this relationship holds among primates, which have intensive parental investment. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we examined the effects of interbirth intervals (short, normal, or long) on infant survivorship using a large demographic dataset (n = 15,852) of captive callitrichine monkeys (marmosets, tamarins, and lion tamarins). In seven of the nine species studied, infants born after short interbirth intervals had significantly higher risks of mortality than infants born after longer interbirth intervals. These results suggest that reproduction in callitrichine primates may be limited by physiologic constraints, such that short birth spacing drives higher infant mortality.

Context: One of the most important problems of pedagogical work in higher education is the process of professional skills training, which is part of professional education, in which scientific information should be applied in a creative manner to provide solutions to the problems of society. Aim: To contribute to the development of professional skills through subject Animal Anatomophysiology. Methods: Theoretical and empirical research methods were used, which demonstrated the insufficient development of professional skills in subject Animal Anatomophysiology, in students of the Agricultural Education Degree. Results: A methodological guide that allows students to systematize professional skills through subject Animal Anatomophysiology is provided. Conclusions: This methodological guide is a way to develop professional skills through subject Animal Anatomophysiology in students of the Agricultural Education Degree, based on the implementation of concrete actions in a flexible manner, and using several different levels of complexity.

Summary: Low temperatures can cause severe growth inhibition and mortality in fish. Previous studies about the cold resistance of fish mainly focused on the role of unsaturated fatty acids, rather than saturated fatty acids (SFAs). In this study, the role of very-long-chain SFA synthetized by fatty acyl elongase 1 gene (elovl1) in cold resistance was explored. Both an aggravated liver oxidative stress and a mitochondrial metabolism disorder were observed in elovl1a–/– and elovl1b–/– zebrafish with cold stress. In vitro studies confirmed that high levels of C20:0 and C22:0 obviously increased the hepatocyte oxidative stress and activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (Erk1/2) pathway to further induce apoptosis and inflammation. We further demonstrated that C24:0 could promote mitochondrial β-oxidation to improve the cold resistance of zebrafish. Overall, our results define a positive role of C24:0 fatty acids synthetized by elovl1 in the cold resistance of fish.