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For species of management concern, accurate estimates of inbreeding and associated consequences on reproduction are crucial for predicting their future viability. However, few studies have partitioned this aspect of genetic viability with respect to reproduction in a group-living social mammal. We investigated the contributions of foundation stock lineages, putative fitness consequences of inbreeding, and genetic diversity of the breeding versus nonreproductive segment of the Yellowstone National Park gray wolf population. Our dataset spans 25 years and seven generations since reintroduction, encompassing 152 nuclear families and 329 litters. We found more than 87% of the pedigree foundation genomes persisted and report influxes of allelic diversity from two translocated wolves from a divergent source in Montana. As expected for group-living species, mean kinship significantly increased over time but with minimal loss of observed heterozygosity. Strikingly, the reproductive portion of the population carried a significantly lower genome-wide inbreeding coefficients, autozygosity, and more rapid decay for linkage disequilibrium relative to the nonbreeding population. Breeding wolves had significantly longer lifespans and lower inbreeding coefficients than nonbreeding wolves. Our model revealed that the number of litters was negatively significantly associated with heterozygosity (R  = −0.11). Our findings highlight genetic contributions to fitness, and the importance of the reproductively active individuals in a population to counteract loss of genetic variation in a wild, free-ranging social carnivore. It is crucial for managers to mitigate factors that significantly reduce effective population size and genetic connectivity, which supports the dispersion of genetic variation that aids in rapid evolutionary responses to environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background At present, individualized interventions can be given to patients with a clear etiology of pregnancy loss to improve the subsequent pregnancy outcomes, but the current reproductive status of the patient cannot be changed. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between female reproductive status and subsequence pregnancy outcome in patients with prior pregnancy loss (PL). Methods A prospective, dynamic population cohort study was carried out at the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University. From September 2019 to February 2022, a total of 1955 women with at least one previous PL were enrolled. Maternal reproductive status and subsequent reproductive outcomes were recorded through an electronic medical record system and follow-up. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between reproductive status and the risk of subsequent reproductive outcomes. Results Among all patients, the rates of subsequent infertility, early PL, late PL, and live birth were 20.82%, 24.33%, 1.69% and 50.77% respectively. In logistic regression, we found that age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04–1.13) and previous cesarean delivery history (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.27–4.76) were risk factors for subsequent infertility in patients with PL. Age (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.10), age at first pregnancy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.10), BMI (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.11), previous PL numbers (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04–1.57) and without pre-pregnancy intervention (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.35–2.24) were risk factors for non-live birth. Age (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.09), age at first pregnancy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.09), BMI (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02–1.11), previous PL numbers (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02–1.31) and without pre-pregnancy intervention (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.65–2.84) were risk factors for PL. Conclusions The reproductive status of people with PL is strongly correlated with the outcome of subsequent pregnancies. Active pre-pregnancy intervention can improve the subsequent pregnancy outcome. Trial registration This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with the registration number of ChiCTR2000039414 (27/10/2020).

Background: It is well known that cognitive function is associated with gender differences. However, the effect of sex differences on the relationship between lipids fractions and cognitive function in older adults has been contentious. Methods: 2,170 participants from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1999-2002 and 2011-2014) were included. Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were measured. Cognitive function was assessed using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Multiple linear regression models and restricted cubic spline curve fitting were used. Results: Overall, low HDL-C levels were negatively associated with DSST scores in every group. The levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C were not significantly associated with DSST scores, not only in the total population but also in the males. In the females, after adjustment for potential confounding factors, high TC levels were negatively related to DSST scores (OR = −3.590, 95% CI: – 6.343 to – 0.837), and high TG levels were found positively associated with DSST scores (OR = 2.323, 95% CI: 0.159–4.488). Conclusion: Low plasma HDL is associated with cognitive dysfunction in older adults. In older women, high TC levels are positively associated with cognitive decline while high TG levels may protect cognitive function.

Background: At present, individualized interventions can be given to patients with a clear etiology of pregnancy loss to improve the subsequent pregnancy outcomes, but the current reproductive status of the patient cannot be changed. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between female reproductive status and subsequence pregnancy outcome in patients with prior pregnancy loss (PL). Methods: A prospective, dynamic population cohort study was carried out at the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University. From September 2019 to February 2022, a total of 1955 women with at least one previous PL were enrolled. Maternal reproductive status and subsequent reproductive outcomes were recorded through an electronic medical record system and follow-up. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between reproductive status and the risk of subsequent reproductive outcomes. Results: Among all patients, the rates of subsequent infertility, early PL, late PL, and live birth were 20.82%, 24.33%, 1.69% and 50.77% respectively. In logistic regression, we found that age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04–1.13) and previous cesarean delivery history (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.27–4.76) were risk factors for subsequent infertility in patients with PL. Age (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.10), age at first pregnancy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.10), BMI (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.11), previous PL numbers (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04–1.57) and without pre-pregnancy intervention (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.35–2.24) were risk factors for non-live birth. Age (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.09), age at first pregnancy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.09), BMI (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02–1.11), previous PL numbers (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02–1.31) and without pre-pregnancy intervention (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.65–2.84) were risk factors for PL. Conclusions: The reproductive status of people with PL is strongly correlated with the outcome of subsequent pregnancies. Active pre-pregnancy intervention can improve the subsequent pregnancy outcome. Trial registration: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with the registration number of ChiCTR2000039414 (27/10/2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portunus sanguinolentus (Herbst, 1783) is an important commercial crab with a wide distribution along the Indian coast. In Kerala it is landed mainly in trawls, and ranks first in the landings in most years, recording about 50% of the crab landings of the state during 2012-2019, with the exception of 2014. Females dominate the fishery and their sizes range between 55 and 170 mm carapace width (CW), with 90-110 mm being dominant in the landings. Berried females are recorded throughout the year, without any regular dominance in a particular month, although during March-May good percentages of these are observed in overall landings. Newly spawned eggs are bright yellow/orange in colour, with an average size of 270 μ m, and by the time of hatching the colour changes to dark grey, and it takes 8-10 days to hatch to the first zoea stage. Fecundity in numbers of eggs varied between 80 960 and 2 357 004 with an average of 512 914 for females of different size groups from 81 to 170 mm CW. Captive studies showed that the species is capable of multiple spawnings, with a maximum of three in an intermoult cycle. Size at maturity (LM50) in females was estimated at 86.5 mm CW and in males at 80.1 mm CW. All the females were mature above 120 mm CW and mature females below 70 mm CW were not recorded in the landed crabs. The smallest size of the mature and berried females recorded in the landings was 71 mm CW/22 g and 80 mm CW/32 g, respectively. In the landings, males comprised sizes between 51-170 mm carapace width (CW) with 91-105 mm forming the major size group contributing to the fishery. In males, 100% maturity was observed in crabs above the size of 95 mm CW, whereas sizes below 60 mm CW were immature. The smallest size of the mature male crab recorded in the landings was 60 mm CW/16 g. Minimum Legal Size (MLS) was implemented in the state in 2016 and for P. sanguinolentus. MLS is fixed at 70 mm CW and it has been proven that this helps in the sustainable utilization of the resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palomena prasina, the green shield bug (GSB), is widely distributed in the Eurosiberian region. In the Southwest of France, it is considered as a serious pest of hazelnuts, its feeding punctures lead to blank hazelnuts and kernel necrosis, causing heavy losses in commercial orchards. To date, no Integrated Pest Management strategy is available to control P. prasina. Control strategies often focus on the pests' spring–summer ecology, when they are in the field or in the vicinity of crops. However, the abundance of pest populations in crops is also related to their autumn‐winter ecology. The present work focussed on the autumn‐winter ecology of P. prasina to identify new opportunities for this pest suppression. We investigate (i) where P. prasina overwinters, (ii) if it aggregates in its overwintering sites and (iii) if it mates while overwintering. Samples were collected over a 2‐year period in different ecosystems (forests, hedges, orchards), in human‐made structures and habitats (litter, bushes/trees, dead trees). The reproductive status of GBS individuals was monitored in winter, and in spring when they emerged from overwintering sites. Our results show that 97% P. prasina adults overwinter in the leaf litter of orchards and natural ecosystems and that 70% overwinter individually. The abundance of GSB in those sites is negatively correlated with litter temperature and positively correlated with humidity levels. Furthermore, adults only mate after leaving their overwintering site. Finally, unexpectedly, there was an important number of overwintering adults hosting endoparasitoids (32%). The fact that GSB overwinters alone in the leaf litter means controlling its populations by destroying the overwintering sites is not a solution. All the same, our results point out some promising lines of research for developing methods to control P. prasina. First, the emergence traps, in particular the cone traps, proved efficient for collecting emerging adults and could be considered for monitoring. Moreover, our observations suggest the existence of long‐range mating signals that could be exploited for trapping. Last but not least, the important number of overwintering parasitised adults is a potential biocontrol avenue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) is an alien invasive species as well as a commercially exploited animal. The sterile-male-release technique (SMRT) using infertile but sexually active males has been an effective candidate measure to control this invasive crayfish. Additionally, the limited supply of juveniles due to females' spawning seasonality hinders the further development of the P. clarkii aquaculture industry. Information on its reproductive biology, such mating strategies and factors affecting offspring production, is crucial for developing an effective SMRT and aquaculture systems for P. clarkii. We review the reproductive biology of this species in terms of 1) sexual dimorphism and reproductive status, 2) sex recognition, mating, and mate preferences, and 3) egg production, embryonic development, and hatching. Intra- and intersexual dimorphisms of chelae are evident in P. clarkii , and a reproductive morphotype (form I) with larger chelae and a non-reproductive morphotype (form II) with smaller chelae are detected in both females and males, allowing us to easily determine the reproductive status of both sexes. The crayfish exhibits mutual mate choice (i.e. preference for larger mates), and small-sized males reproductive potential is low. Female fitness (i.e. number of offspring) generally depends on their body size. Female brood care appears to promote early embryo development before the egg-nauplius stage. Further study is required to identify the maternal factors affecting early embryonic development, which may improve measures for controlling invasive populations and enhancing aquaculture productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fecal cortisol has been suggested an indicator of preceding physiological stress, while the secretory IgA acts as the first defense against pathogens, viruses and bacteria in animals. Fresh fecal samples of adult Taihangshan macaques (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis) were collected during mating and nonmating periods, respectively, to understand the influences of mating status on physiological condition of wild macaques, through variation in fecal cortisol and IgA levels. The results showed that. (1) mean concentration of fecal cortisol in mating period (AM: 1751.12 ± 199.16 ng/g; AF: 1366.38 ± 117.85 ng/g) were significant higher than that in non-mating period (AM: 705.97 ± 82.86 ng/g; AF: 699.51 ± 56.06 ng/g). (2) there was significant difference in fecal IgA levels between mating and non-mating periods in AF, but not in AM. (3) there were obvious negative correlations between fecal cortisol and IgA levels both in AM (P = 0.04) and AF (P = 0.01) in mating period, but not in non-mating period (AM: P = 0.19; AF: P = 0.21). We concluded that mating-related stress influences not only stress hormone level but also immunological response of adult Taihangshan macaques, and that the stress-linked immunosuppression hypothesis was supported in mating period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dog behavior has been studied using diverse methods, including owner-completed questionnaires, records from veterinary clinics that evaluate behavioral problems, and test batteries such as those used by some animal shelters. Measures of prevalence for multiple behavioral issues and analyses of whether dog demographic characteristics are associated with problematic behaviors are commonly reported in studies using questionnaires and clinical records; however, these measures are infrequently reported for all tests and subtests in studies using data from shelter behavioral evaluations. In this study, we determined prevalence of both concerning and dangerous behaviors on 12 tests and subtests of a canine behavioral evaluation by analyzing data collected by the behavioral staff at a NY shelter (n = 1,104 dogs tested between 2014 and 2019). We also examined whether behavior on four tests and subtests with prevalence over 10% (two Sociability subtests, Handling test, and Dog-to-dog meeting subtest) was associated with likelihood of being returned to the shelter post-adoption, and whether dog demographic characteristics (age, sex, reproductive status, and body size) were associated with behaviors on tests and subtests. Of all dogs tested, prevalence measures of dangerous behaviors were always less than 5%. Our measures of prevalence (concerning and dangerous behaviors combined) for food guarding (15.5%), stranger-directed aggression (6.5%), and dog-directed aggression (16.7%) were generally similar to those reported for dogs in other shelters and in homes. For the four tests/subtests examined here, displaying concerning or dangerous behavior was not significantly associated with return to the shelter, and positive predictive values (PPV) were low, which implies that many positive tests will be false positives. We also found few significant associations between demographic characteristics and behavior on tests and subtests and PPV were low. Other factors, such as previous experiences with people and dogs, as well as underlying physiological and neurobiological processes, may be more important influences on a dog's behavior during a shelter behavioral evaluation than general demographic characteristics. Total number of tests and subtests out of a possible 12 on which dogs were assessed as showing concerning or dangerous behaviors ranged from zero to 7 per dog (median, 0; mean, 0.82). In summary, poor predictive abilities characterized associations between performance on certain tests/subtests of the behavioral evaluation and return to the shelter and between demographic characteristics and behavior on test/subtests. Our data may contribute to the ongoing debate about the usefulness of canine behavioral evaluations in shelters. • Several approaches have been used to study behavior of dogs in homes and shelters. • We analyzed characteristics, behavioral evaluations, and returns of shelter dogs. • Prevalence measures of dangerous behaviors were always less than 5%. • Concerning/dangerous behavior on four tests/subtests was not associated with returns. • Our data may contribute to the debate about using shelter behavioral evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the knowledge of rabbit milk can help in breeding practice to solve issues considering the health and growth of rabbit kits. The goal of the study was to perform a broad physicochemical analysis of rabbit milk and examine the effect of the reproductive status of the females on daily milk yield and milk attributes. The study was conducted on a commercial rabbit farm and included three consecutive lactations of Hycole does. It has been observed that the daily milk production increased from the 2nd till the 14th day of lactation when does produced almost 300 g of milk daily. The day of lactation caused a significant variation in the content of total solids, solids-not-fat, total protein, casein, lactose, C18: 2, C18: 3, Somatic Cell Count, and pH. The percentage of fat globules categorised according to their diameter changed with the ongoing lactation as well, and the diameter increased from 5 to 7 µm. The percentage of small milk fat globules decreased with lactation day, causing a possible decrease in the digestions rates of milk. Pregnancy had a negative impact on milk production, kits growth performance, and the content of total protein, solids-not-fat, and lactose in milk. Therefore, we can speculate about the negative impact of overlapping lactations and pregnancies on rabbit kits, as their growth is dependent on milk production and composition.

Sociality is not common among parasitoid hymenopterans, but members of the ectoparasitoid genus Sclerodermus (in the aculeate family Bethylidae) may form multi‐foundress groups, producing and tending a single brood (of combined parentage) on a large host until offspring maturity. While individual foundresses can benefit more from reproducing within groups rather than alone, recent studies have indicated that there are conflicts of interest between co‐foundresses at the time of host suppression and during brood production, some of which may be mediated by intrinsic or acquired dominance. Evidence for overtly agonistic interactions has, however, been lacking.Here, we report that resident Sclerodermus guani Xiao et Wu females that have suppressed a host, can either accept introduced intruder females as co‐foundresses without aggression or repel, and even kill, intruders by biting and stinging them.Residents were more likely to exhibit aggression when they had commenced oviposition, when more days had passed since oviposition, when they were larger than the intruder, when the intruder was a non‐sibling, or when they were the sole resident rather than being in a group of two residents.We conclude that cooperatively brooding in Sclerodermus can be conditional on the evolutionary interests of foundresses with temporal priority on a host and their ability to repel potential co‐foundresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dog behavior has been studied using diverse methods, including owner-completed questionnaires, records from veterinary clinics that evaluate behavioral problems, and test batteries such as those used by some animal shelters. Measures of prevalence for multiple behavioral issues and analyses of whether dog demographic characteristics predict problematic behaviors are commonly reported in studies using questionnaires and clinical records; however, these measures are infrequently reported for all tests and subtests in studies using data from shelter behavioral evaluations. In this study, we determined prevalence of both concerning and dangerous behaviors on 14 tests and subtests of a canine behavioral evaluation by analyzing data collected by the behavioral staff at a NY shelter. Canine evaluations were conducted a few days after intake (n = 1,104 dogs tested between 2014 and 2019). Our study sample represents all dogs admitted to the shelter except those quickly reclaimed by owners and those euthanized at the request of their owners; rarer exceptions included very undersocialized dogs and dogs assessed at intake as unsafe to make available for adoption. We also examined whether dog demographic characteristics (age, sex, reproductive status, and body size) predicted behaviors on tests and subtests and whether total number of tests/subtests with concerning or dangerous behaviors predicted likelihood of being returned to the shelter postadoption. Of all dogs tested, prevalence measures of dangerous behaviors were always less than 5%. Prevalence of concerning behaviors during the evaluations were usually higher, with the highest being 36% for one of the Sociability subtests, indicating that about one-third of dogs tested ignored rather than interacted with the evaluator. Our measures of prevalence for food guarding (15.5%), stranger-directed aggression (6.5%), and dog-directed aggression (16.7%) were generally similar to those reported for dogs in other shelters and in homes. Of the demographic characteristics examined, age class most consistently predicted assessment of concerning or dangerous behaviors on several tests and subtests, with these behaviors typically being most common in seniors, followed by adults, and then juveniles. Finally, we found that for each additional test or subtest on which a dog showed concerning or dangerous behaviors, the odds of being returned to the shelter increased by a factor of 1.22. Our findings may aid shelters in identifying dogs, such as older individuals and those assessed as showing problematic behaviors on several tests and subtests of an evaluation, that would benefit from behavioral plans and special adoption efforts to help them enter and remain in adoptive homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Measurement of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) by radioimmunoassay or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been commonly used for early pregnancy diagnosis in ruminants. However, an accurately pregnancy detection depends on test antibody, breed and number of embryos. Only few studies have conducted to detect or predict animals at risk of late embrionic mortality (LEM) and to use hormonal interventions for embryo losses reducing, but this area is still open in sheep. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) administration on Day 4 after artificial insemination on the pregnancy-associated glycoproteins in dairy sheep with different reproductive status in relation to pregnancy and late embrionic mortality detection. Materials, Methods & Results: Sixty-five East Friesian sheep were divided in 2 groups - I (Control group, n = 35) and II (GnRH group, n = 30) and sublected to estrus synchronization and artificial insemination (AI). Group I was not treated and Group II received 50 µg GnRH on Day 4 after AI. PAGs in blood serum were measured by Alertys Ruminant Pregnancy test on Days 4, 12, 20, 25 and 35 after AI and ultrasound pregnancy test was conducted on Days 20, 25, 35 and 60. Reproductive status (non-pregnant, pregnant and animals with LEM) was determined by ultrasound and the results between different groups were compared. The PAGs mean values according to reproductive status and Day after AI were analysed. Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the PAGs test for pregnancy diagnosis on Day 35 were calculated. On Day 20 after AI the pregnat sheep (83.3%) in group I tended to be higher than those (77.1%) in group II with decrease of 25.7% and 20% for the same groups on Day 25. On day 25 LEM was recorded in 33.3% and 24% in group I and II, respectively. The ultrasound exams on Day 60 confirmed the results from Day 25 after AI. A total value of non-pegnant, pregnant animals and LEM was 20%, 56.9% and 28.8%, respectively. The mean values of PAGs in animals with the same reproductive status in group I and II no differed statistically between Days 4 and 35 after AI. On Day 25 the PAGs values in LEM groups (0.126 ± 0.072 and 0.179 ± 0.029) were higher than those (0.062 ± 0.038 and 0.083 ± 0.023) in the non-pregnant groups, but no significan difference was deternined. On Day 35 after AI the mean values of PAGs (0.414 ± 0.125 and 0.421 ± 0.121) for the pregnant groups were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those (0.078 ± 0.053 and 0.093 ± 0.034) for the non-pregnant groups. The values of PAGs in LEM groups on Day 25 (0.099 ± 0.062 and 0.113 ± 0.058) were decreased and close to the mean values in non-pregnant sheep. A significant effect of the day after AI on the PAGs values was evidenced in pregnant animals only (control r = 0.97 and GnRH r = 0.98; P < 0.05). The PAGs started to rise rapidly between Days 25 and 35 after AI. On Day 35 the accuracy (98%), the sensitivity (97.3%) and the specificity (100%) of the PAG test for pregnancy diagnosis were similar to the values (100%) for ultrasound method. Discussion: The gonadotropin treatment on Day 4 after AI tended to improve the reproductive performance in the sheep, but no significant effect of GnRH on the PAGs values in the animals with different reproductive status was found. The PAGs profiles in non-pregnant and LEM sheep were close and distinguishing between non-pregnant and LEM ewes on Day 35 was impossible. The PAGs values in pregnant sheep showed significantly (P < 0.05) increase between Days 25 and 35 after AI with higher mean values in pregnant than non-pregnant groups on Day 35 (P < 0.05). Alertys Ruminant Pregnancy test was a reliable for pregnancy detection in sheep on Day 35 after artificial insemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex and reproductive status of the host have a major impact on the immune response against infection. Our aim was to understand their impact on host tolerance or resistance in the systemic Mycobacterium marinum infection of Drosophila melanogaster. We measured host survival and bacillary load at time of death, as well as expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of immune genes (diptericin and drosomycin). We also assessed the impact of metabolic and hormonal regulation in the protection against infection by measuring expression of upd3, impl2 and ecR. Our data showed increased resistance in actively mating flies and in mated females, while reducing their tolerance to infection. Data suggests that Toll and immune deficiency (Imd) pathways determine tolerance and resistance, respectively, while higher basal levels of ecR favours the stimulation of the Imd pathway. A dual role has been found for upd3 expression, linked to increased/decreased mycobacterial load at the beginning and later in infection, respectively. Finally, impl2 expression has been related to increased resistance in non-actively mating males. These results allow further assessment on the differences between sexes and highlights the role of the reproductive status in D. melanogaster to face infections, demonstrating their importance to determine resistance and tolerance against M. marinum infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolverines (Gulo gulo) populations are under threat by increased human activities. A better understanding of their reproductive physiology would benefit research and monitoring of this species. The use of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to measure fecal progesterone metabolites (FPM) is a powerful tool to understand wildlife reproductive physiology, and a non-invasive method for use in both zoo and wild populations. The main objective of this study was to determine reproductive status in female wolverines using FPM levels, first by monitoring of longitudinal changes in FPM in zoo housed females in breeding situations and second to compare those values to FPM measured in feces obtained from wild females observed in the field during reproductively active periods (Dec–Apr). Female reproductive physiology was assessed by measuring FPM in three zoo housed wolverines to determine species-specific levels arising from ovulation encompassing embryonic diapause and ovarian reactivation (resumption of ovarian luteal activity after diapause) during pregnancy or pseudopregnancy, which in turn enabled verification of reproductive status in 15 wild wolverines, monitored over three years. In the zoo females, FPM levels were sustained at basal levels if ovulation and/or breeding did not occur. After ovulation, both pregnancy or pseudopregnancy exhibited a bi-phasic pattern of FPM increases, with a 4.9-fold increase above baseline during embryonic diapause and a further 4.4-fold increase after ovarian reactivation. FPM levels during pregnancy and pseudopregnancy were indistinguishable, thus increases in FPM levels are only a confirmation of ovulation, and not diagnostic for pregnancy. In wild females, assessment of FPM levels in samples collected from December to February was able to predict a potentially pregnant/reproductively active female with levels above 8200 ng/g dried feces, or non-reproductive (nonovulatory) female during that period with levels below 1700 ng/g. Wild wolverine FPM levels indicative of pregnancy aligned with field observations of denning and/or lactation. FPM levels from samples collected from March and April were inconclusive as levels could be attributed to females being either postpartum or non-reproductive at that time. Timing of ovarian reactivation, and subsequent elevation of FPM, varied among individuals suggesting caution is warranted when assessing only one fecal sample per female. Understanding all factors that may impact reproductive success is essential for effective species conservation, particularly for species with low reproductive rates, like the wolverine. This study has demonstrated the potentially useful incorporation of non-invasive fecal hormone analysis for investigation of physiological parameters and reproductive status in wild wolverine females.

Neuroecology theory predicts relative investment in brain regions will vary to match differences in behavior. Social insect castes provide exceptional opportunities to test for adaptive brain investment because castes differ in behavior and in cognitive demands. Caste development in dampwood termites (genus Zootermopsis) is complex, providing multiple caste comparisons for testing neuroecological predictions: Zootermopsis termites can remain in a worker-like sterile nymphal caste, develop into sterile defensive soldiers, or follow three distinct pathways to reproductive status (wingless neotenic reproductives, reproductive soldiers, and winged primary reproductives [Queens/Kings]). We measured differences in the relative sizes of key brain neuropils among Zootermopsis termite castes to test which caste-specific behavioral and cognitive demands (reproduction versus worker behavior) best predicted patterns of brain investment. We focused on the Antennal Lobes (centers of chemosensory processing) and the Mushroom Bodies (centers of learning, memory, and sensory integration). There was no evidence that reproductive status was associated with increased investment in either the Antennal Lobes or the Mushroom Bodies. Instead, several caste comparisons supported the hypothesis that labor/task performance was a positive predictor of brain region investment: nymphs (workers) had the greatest relative investment in both Antennal Lobes and Mushroom Bodies, compared to developmentally preceding stages (immature instars I–III) and later castes (soldiers and reproductives). These findings suggest that task performance demands were the main drivers of caste-specific adaptive brain investment in Zootermopsis, and that reproductive status entailed relatively few cognitive challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionBiological sample collection from wild and farms animals is often associated with difficulties related to the handling and restraint procedures, and most of the time it could induce stress, altering the welfare and physiological homeostasis. The analysis of fecal T3 metabolites (FTMs) allows to test samples collected in a non-invasive manner, providing several information about the animal's physiological conditions and the effects related to environmental and nutritional variations. This procedure has found wide application in wild species, but less in domestic ones.MethodsThe aim of this work was to validate the use of an immuno-enzymatic competitive ELISA kit, designed for T3 quantification in human blood serum samples, for the assessment of FTMs in the sheep. For the analytical validation, precision, recovery and parallelism were evaluated; for biological validation the variations of FTMs in relation to age, sex and the physiological status of the animal were determined.ResultsAfter a verification of the precision (RSD % < 15%), mean recovery (75%) and parallelism (CV% < 10%), the kit was used to measure FTMs in cyclic, pregnant, and early lactating ewes as well as in rams and ewe lambs. The results showed that FTMs concentrations in pregnant ewes were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in cyclic and early lactation ones. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in FTMs levels between ewes and rams, while in lambs FTMs levels were higher than in adults (p < 0.001).ConclusionIn conclusion the present study demonstrates that FTMs can be reliably and accurately determined in sheep feces, using an ELISA kit formulated for human serum T3 assay. The application of this method in the livestock sector could allow to improve our knowledge about the response of animals to different physiological and environmental conditions, and thus assess their welfare.

Cueva San Francisco (CSF) in Chiapas, Mexico, is considered a winter refuge for long-distance migratory bats of the species Tadarida brasiliensis. The size and composition of the colony varies seasonally likely due to local, dispersal, or migratory movements, which could result in variation in the wing morphology of the colony of T. brasiliensis. Wing morphological variation of males and females was estimated based on the length of the forearm and third and fifth fingers of the wing of adult bats, and variation in body mass of males of T. brasiliensis of the CSF. The specific objectives were: (i) to estimate if the wing morphology of the colony of T. brasiliensis varies seasonally (spring, summer, autumn, and winter); (ii) to determine if the wing morphology of the colony is related to sex, and (iii) to evaluate if the body mass of males varies seasonally. Monthly captures were conducted from March 2018 to November 2019, and the wings of 1580 adult individuals and body mass of 716 males were measured. Seasonal morphological variation and differences in wings between sexes were observed. Likewise, seasonal variation in body mass was recorded in males. The possible association of the morphological variation of wings and the type of movement that individuals can perform more frequently, and the variation of body mass of males with food availability and their reproductive status is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background Fecal S100/calgranulin (S100A12 and calprotectin) concentrations are useful markers of gastrointestinal inflammation in dogs. In people, fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations are affected by age, obesity, diet and other lifestyle factors. Knowledge about the effects of such factors on fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations in dogs is currently scarce. Objective To evaluate the association between several factors and fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations in a large cohort of healthy adult dogs. Methods Single‐spot fecal samples from 181 healthy pet dogs and data derived from a standard questionnaire served to evaluate the effect of age, sex, reproductive status, body weight and body condition, breed type and size, vaccination, endoparasite treatment, diet, environment and travel history on fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations and the fecal calgranulin ratio (fCalR). Results Univariate analysis showed a significant association of reproductive status (in female dogs) and breed size with fecal S100A12, fecal calprotectin and fCalR. Breed type was linked to fecal S100A12 concentrations and fCalR; recent vaccination (particularly with a vaccine against canine parvovirus) to fCalR. In multivariate models, breed size was linked to fecal S100A12 and calprotectin concentrations, and recent vaccination affected S100A12 concentrations. Conclusions Breed size, recent vaccination and reproductive status in female dogs can affect fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations, and these biomarkers should be interpreted in light of those confounding factors. The utility of reference intervals for fecal canine S100/calgranulin concentrations might be improved through stratification by sex/reproductive status and breed size. Fecal canine S100/calgranulin concentrations are not confounded by age, body condition, deworming, diet, environment or travel history.

Here, we represent the first review of the bat fauna of the large territory of Central Ukraine (to the west from Dnieper River). The review is based on results of the original survey in 1999–2021 and data from all available sources (publications, museum collections). Fauna of the region includes 24 bat species: Eptesicus, 2 species; Barbastella, 1; Myotis, 10; Nyctalus, 3; Pipistrellus, 4; Plecotus, 2; Vespertilio, 1; Rhinolophus, 1. For each species there is a short description of its distribution (illustrated by a map), used roosts, seasonality of presence and reproductive status within the study area. The bat fauna composition is analysed by three distinguished subregions, from north to south: of mixed forests, the forest-steppe, and the Dniester river. The estimation of prevalence and comparative abundance of the species in the region is given. The general review of bat roosts, by their types (under- and overground), seasonality of usage, and sheltered species is presented. The paper is supplemented with the extensive array of original, earlier unpublished, primary data on bat records in the region.

Abstract Body condition in mammals fluctuates depending on energy intake and expenditure. For brown bears (Ursus arctos), high‐protein foods facilitate efficient mass gain, while lipids and carbohydrates play important roles in adjusting dietary protein content to optimal levels to maximize energy intake. On the Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan, brown bears have seasonal access to high‐lipid pine nuts and high‐protein salmon. To assess seasonal and annual fluctuation in the body condition of adult female brown bears in relation to diet and reproductive status, we conducted a longitudinal study in a special wildlife protection area on the Shiretoko Peninsula during 2012–2018. First, analyses of 2,079 bear scats revealed that pine nuts accounted for 39.8% of energy intake in August and salmon accounted for 46.1% in September and that their consumption by bears varied annually. Second, we calculated the ratio of torso height to torso length as an index of body condition from 1,226 photographs of 12 adult females. Results indicated that body condition continued to decline until late August and started to increase in September when salmon consumption increased. In addition, body condition began to recover earlier in years when consumption of both pine nuts and salmon was high. Furthermore, females with offspring had poorer body condition than solitary females, in particular in late August in years with low salmon consumption. Our findings suggest that coastal and subalpine foods, which are unique to the Shiretoko Peninsula, determine the summer body condition of female brown bears, as well as their survival and reproductive success.

Here, we represent the first review of the bat fauna of the large territory of Central Ukraine (to the west from Dnipro River). The review is based on results of the original survey in 1999-2021 and data from all available sources (publications, museum collections). Fauna of the region includes 24 bat species: Eptesicus, 2 species; Barbastella, 1; Myotis, 10; Nyctalus, 3; Pipistrellus, 4; Plecotus, 2; Vespertilio, 1; Rhinolophus, 1. For each species there is a short description of its distribution (illustrated by a map), used roosts, seasonality of presence and reproductive status within the study area. The bat fauna composition is analysed by three distinguished subregions, from north to south: of mixed forests, the forest-steppe, and the Dniester River. The estimation of prevalence and comparative abundance of the species in the region is given. The general review of bat roosts, by their types (under- and overground), seasonality of usage, and sheltered species is presented. The paper is supplemented with the extensive array of original, earlier unpublished, primary data on bat records in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Therya is the property of Asociacion Mexicana de Mastozoologia, A. C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The results of a study of the reproductive system of male beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), in particular, an analysis of the content of serum testosterone in blood serum samples during the growth and development of animals, are presented. This study was conducted on male whales kept in semi-free conditions of an open-air marine enclosure complex in the Barents Sea. A total of nine belugas were examined, and 50 samples were analyzed. Blood sampling was carried out from the ventral or dorsal vein of the caudal fin. The testosterone content in the samples was determined by the method of heterogeneous enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A comparative assessment of the concentration of this steroid hormone in young and mature animals showed a positive linear correlation between the level of testosterone secretion and the age of the animal. Studies have shown that the sexual maturity of male beluga whales occurs by the age of 8–10, when serum testosterone levels of 15 nmol/L or higher are reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean is considered one of the richest biodiversity regions in Europe, and bats contribute to this species richness. Within the last two decades, certain bat species traditionally considered as representatives of the Mediterranean have spread northwards and colonized areas outside this region. In our study, we focused on ecological requirements of one of these bat species, the Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii). We used radio-telemetry and diet analysis to describe habitat use, home-range size and diet composition of reproductive females of Savi's pipistrelle in the traditional core of its distribution range in the Mediterranean region. Our results indicate that Savi's pipistrelle is able to fly long distances and utilize a wide range of habitats within its home-range, with affinities for particular habitats depending on its reproductive status. In particular, pregnant females favoured rocky pastures and forest areas, followed by meadows and riparian habitat, whereas the affinity for riparian habitat increased in lactating females, followed closely by meadows, forest and rocky pastures. The larger affinity for riparian habitats during lactation might indicate its importance for successful rearing of young, which could be influenced in the future by increasing droughts and water shortage in the Mediterranean region. Nevertheless, based on our radio-telemetry and diet analysis the species shows a high degree of flexibility, as an opportunistic forager that flies across large areas on a nightly basis, which may be a good predisposition for colonizing new areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract According to ecological theory, two species cannot occupy the same niche. Using nitrogen isotope analyses (δ15N) of amino acids, we tested the extent to which two sympatric deposit‐feeding amphipods, Monoporeia affinis and Pontoporeia femorata, partition their trophic resources. We found that trophic position (TP) and resynthesis index (∑V; a proxy for degradation status of ingested material prior to assimilation by the consumer) differ between species. The surface‐feeding M. affinis had higher TP and intermediate ∑V, both pointing to a large contribution of metazoans in its diet. P. femorata, which feeds in the subsurface layers, had lower TP and a bimodal distribution of the ∑V values, supporting previous experimental evidence of a larger feeding niche. We also evaluated whether TP and ∑V values have consequences for amphipod fecundity and embryo viability and found that embryo viability in M. affinis was negatively linked to TP. Our results indicate that the amino acid‐δ15N data paired with information about reproductive status are useful for detecting differences in the trophic ecology of sympatric amphipods.

Copyright of Journal of Animal & Poultry Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Fecal S100/calgranulin (S100A12 and calprotectin) concentrations are useful markers of gastrointestinal inflammation in dogs. In people, fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations are affected by age, obesity, diet and other lifestyle factors. Knowledge about the effects of such factors on fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations in dogs is currently scarce. Objective: To evaluate the association between several factors and fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations in a large cohort of healthy adult dogs. Methods: Single‐spot fecal samples from 181 healthy pet dogs and data derived from a standard questionnaire served to evaluate the effect of age, sex, reproductive status, body weight and body condition, breed type and size, vaccination, endoparasite treatment, diet, environment and travel history on fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations and the fecal calgranulin ratio (fCalR). Results: Univariate analysis showed a significant association of reproductive status (in female dogs) and breed size with fecal S100A12, fecal calprotectin and fCalR. Breed type was linked to fecal S100A12 concentrations and fCalR; recent vaccination (particularly with a vaccine against canine parvovirus) to fCalR. In multivariate models, breed size was linked to fecal S100A12 and calprotectin concentrations, and recent vaccination affected S100A12 concentrations. Conclusions: Breed size, recent vaccination and reproductive status in female dogs can affect fecal S100/calgranulin concentrations, and these biomarkers should be interpreted in light of those confounding factors. The utility of reference intervals for fecal canine S100/calgranulin concentrations might be improved through stratification by sex/reproductive status and breed size. Fecal canine S100/calgranulin concentrations are not confounded by age, body condition, deworming, diet, environment or travel history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Once cornered by a predator, prey can try to intimidate the assailant or repel it, with irritating sprays for example. If seized, they may scratch, bite or struggle to cause the predator to release its grip. At the other extreme, they can adopt passive behaviours such as death feigning (DF, i.e. thanatosis). DF is observed widely across the animal kingdom; it usually involves a combination of displays such as immobility, supination, leg‐folding, mouth opening and release of nauseating secretions. When displaying DF, individuals are highly vulnerable and effectively bet on the attitude of the predator; this risky choice is presumably under positive selection. We explored how propensity for DF varies among and within populations of dice snakes (Natrix tessellata). We also considered the influence of sex, body size, reproductive status, colour morph and presence of injuries (N = 2760 snakes; five populations). DF propensity differed among populations, possibly due to variation in local predation pressures. Larger snakes displayed DF more frequently and carried more signs of probable past predation attempts (scars and recent injuries). We found no sex effect on antipredator behaviour. Gravid females used DF less frequently compared with non‐gravid females. Differential expression of DF across populations, body sizes and reproductive status suggests that this complex behaviour was selected to respond to environmental and intrinsic factors. Future studies should explore which elements affect duration, intensity and success of DF in defence against various predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The study was conducted in order to develop alternative methods for rabbit insemination that do not involve the use of hormones to induce ovulation. It has been observed. • Nulliparous does exhibited higher ovulation frequencies when stimulated with the cannula compared to multiparous does. • Cannula stimulation resulted in better delivery rates in receptive nulliparous does than in multiparous does. • Ovulation rates and litter sizes at birth were similar, irrespective of the stimulation method. • Multiparous does showed a limited response to mechanical stimulation, indicating the need for further refinements. In order to explore a less stressful and hormone-independent insemination method in rabbits, we aimed to evaluate the influence of a new insemination cannula on reproductive performance. Two assays were conducted. In the first, 136 nulliparous and multiparous females were treated with 12.5 IU of eCG to improve their receptivity and divided into four stimulation groups (aGnRH Control, Extender, Seminal and Sperm) to test ovulation frequency and rate. The control group received 1 µg of buserelin acetate intramuscularly to induce ovulation. The other groups used a 3D printed cannula to introduce 0.5 ml of extender, undiluted seminal plasma or resuspended sperm into the vagina. After six days, laparoscopy was performed to assess ovulation frequency and rate. Results showed that nulliparous does exhibited higher ovulation frequencies compared to multiparous does, regardless of the stimulation group. In the second assay, reproductive performance (delivery rate and litter size at birth) of 109 females treated with 12.5 IU of eCG to improve their receptivity was studied after insemination with a seminal dose using the 3D printed cannula. Forty-nine of them were induced to ovulate with buserelin acetate as a control. The results confirmed previous findings, as cannula stimulation allowed better delivery rates in receptive nulliparous than multiparous does. Differential response to multiparous does to the physical stimulus of the cannula could be supported by the histological changes and loss of contractile response that occur after multiple births. Litter sizes at birth were similar between experimental groups. In conclusion, the 3D designed cannula showed promising results in nulliparous does in ovulating frequency, and further refinement is needed to enhance its effectiveness, particularly in multiparous rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Understanding animal movement facilitates better management and conservation. The link between movement and physiology holds clues to the basic drivers of animal behaviours. In bears, heart rate increases with the metabolic rate during the active phase. Their movement and heart rate change at seasonal and daily scales, and can also depend on environmental factors. Their behaviour is, therefore, flexible in activity patterns with high individual variations. The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between heart rate and distance travelled, and test whether this relationship was influenced by environmental (e.g., time of year and time of day) and biological (e.g., reproductive status, sex, body mass and age of the bears) factors. We analysed data of distance travelled and heart rate of 15 GPS-collared brown bears, both males and females, equipped with cardiac loggers in the south of Sweden in 2014–2017. Results Heart rate increased with distances travelled exceeding 50 m in an hour, but this correlation depended on the day-of-year with higher heart rate in August than in May. Bears accompanied by cubs had lower heart rate than solitary bears especially in May. When movement was minimum (

Body condition in mammals fluctuates depending on energy intake and expenditure. For brown bears (Ursus arctos), high‐protein foods facilitate efficient mass gain, while lipids and carbohydrates play important roles in adjusting dietary protein content to optimal levels to maximize energy intake. On the Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan, brown bears have seasonal access to high‐lipid pine nuts and high‐protein salmon. To assess seasonal and annual fluctuation in the body condition of adult female brown bears in relation to diet and reproductive status, we conducted a longitudinal study in a special wildlife protection area on the Shiretoko Peninsula during 2012–2018. First, analyses of 2,079 bear scats revealed that pine nuts accounted for 39.8% of energy intake in August and salmon accounted for 46.1% in September and that their consumption by bears varied annually. Second, we calculated the ratio of torso height to torso length as an index of body condition from 1,226 photographs of 12 adult females. Results indicated that body condition continued to decline until late August and started to increase in September when salmon consumption increased. In addition, body condition began to recover earlier in years when consumption of both pine nuts and salmon was high. Furthermore, females with offspring had poorer body condition than solitary females, in particular in late August in years with low salmon consumption. Our findings suggest that coastal and subalpine foods, which are unique to the Shiretoko Peninsula, determine the summer body condition of female brown bears, as well as their survival and reproductive success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the ecological impacts of invasive species is impeded by context-dependencies that can mediate the strength of trophic interactions. Reproductive status is a pervasive context across trophic and taxonomic groups, yet has mostly been neglected in studies of invader impact. The present study examines the influence of the reproductive cycle on predatory impacts of a known damaging invasive freshwater crustacean, Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda), using a comparative functional response approach. Across females that were non-ovigerous, or had immature- or mature-stage embryonic broods, all G. pulex exhibited potentially prey destabilising Type II functional responses towards chironomid larvae. Attack rates were highest by immature embryonic brood stages, and significantly lower by mature embryonic brood stages. Conversely, handling times were consistently lower, and hence maximum feeding rates higher, where broods were present as compared to absent. These predatory patterns may reflect changing resource demands for progeny development across the reproductive cycle, the influence of brood bulk, female moult stage and/or motivational aspects of feeding, such as avoidance of filial cannibalism. Accordingly, many aspects of reproduction may alter the intensity of predatory impacts by invasive species. Future studies considering invader impacts should consider the influence of sex and reproductive status to more holistically quantify and predict population-level invader impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To determine the prevalence of antibodies against Neospora caninum (PSA) in beef and dual-purpose cattle from the Central and Southern Gulf of Mexico regions, as well as to evaluate its association with the reproductive status (RS) of the cow (pregnant, not pregnant). Materials and methods. Blood samples were taken from 422 cows. Antibodies were detected with a commercial ELISA kit. PSA was analyzed with a logistic regression model that included state, township nested within state, and ranch nested within township. Results. The states of Tabasco, Puebla and Veracruz had similar PSA (p>0.05). The mean PSA for the three states was 24.0%. The PSA varied from 7.8 to 43.3% across townships. In Puebla, the PSA in cattle from San José Acateno township was more than two-fold greater than that in cattle from Hueytamalco and Nauzontla townships (p<0.05). In Tabasco, Cunduacán, Huimanguillo and Ranchería El Puente townships showed similar (p>0.05) PSA. In Veracruz, cows from Cotaxtla and Medellín de Bravo townships presented higher (p<0.05) PSA than those from San Rafael township. The RS of seropositive females was similar (p>0.05) to that of seronegative females. Conclusions. The three states had similar PSA. All the herds had antibodies against N. caninum, suggesting that this parasite is amply distributed in the three states. In addition, great variation existed among herds and among townships; finally, the presence of N. caninum antibodies was not associated with the RS of the cow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To determine the prevalence of antibodies against Neospora caninum (PSA) in beef and dual-purpose cattle from the Central and Southern Gulf of Mexico regions, as well as to evaluate its association with the reproductive status (RS) of the cow (pregnant, not pregnant). Materials and methods. Blood samples were taken from 422 cows. Antibodies were detected with a commercial ELISA kit. PSA was analyzed with a logistic regression model that included state, township nested within state, and ranch nested within township. Results. The states of Tabasco, Puebla and Veracruz had similar PSA (p>0.05). The mean PSA for the three states was 24.0%. The PSA varied from 7.8 to 43.3% across townships. In Puebla, the PSA in cattle from San José Acateno township was more than two-fold greater than that in cattle from Hueytamalco and Nauzontla townships (p0.05) PSA. In Veracruz, cows from Cotaxtla and Medellín de Bravo townships presented higher (p0.05) to that of seronegative females. Conclusions. The three states had similar PSA. All the herds had antibodies against N. caninum, suggesting that this parasite is amply distributed in the three states. In addition, great variation existed among herds and among townships; finally, the presence of N. caninum antibodies was not associated with the RS of the cow.

Mules (Equus mulus) are interspecific hybrids derived from crossing horse (Equus caballus) mares with jackasses (Equus asinus). In Italy, the production of mules is very important for the special environmental areas, where they are used as working animals, instead of the forbidden agricultural machines. Although many horse mares carry mule pregnancy successfully at term, low fertility of mares used for producing mules was reported, but limited data about reproductive efficiency in mares carrying mule pregnancy, especially when age and reproductive status are concerned, are available. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the effect of age and of reproductive status on some reproductive indices of horse mares carrying mule pregnancy, in the final purpose to better clarify factors affecting reproductive performances in the valuable production of mules as working animals under special environmental areas in Italy.The study, performed on 96 draft mares inseminated with Martina Franca donkey semen, showed a satisfactory 89.6% 14 days PO pregnancy rate, lower pregnancy losses (19.8%) than those previously reported for mule pregnancies, leading to satisfactory foaling rates (71.9%), similar to those reported for intraspecific horse pregnancies. A clear, significant detrimental effect of mare's age on pregnancy losses, foaling rate, and on number of estrous cycles needed to achieve pregnancy, was found. Reproductive status also affected the reproductive indices, with significantly higher pregnancy losses and lower foaling rate in barren mares, reopening the question about the possible lower reproduction efficiency in horse mares carrying mule pregnancy. The present study results, although mostly descriptive, add useful information about some factors affecting reproductive performances in the valuable production of mules as working animals under special environmental areas in Italy.

Abstract Background Women who experience menopause are at higher cardiometabolic risk and often display adverse changes in metabolic biomarkers compared with pre-menopausal women. It remains elusive whether the changes in cardiometabolic biomarkers during the menopausal transition are due to ovarian aging or chronological aging. Well-conducted longitudinal studies are required to determine this. The aim of this study was to explore the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of reproductive status, defined according to the 2012 Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop criteria, with 74 metabolic biomarkers, and establish whether any associations are independent of age-related changes. Methods We determined cross-sectional associations of reproductive status with metabolic profiling in 3,312 UK midlife women. In a subgroup of 1,492 women who had repeat assessments after 2.5 years, we assessed how the change in reproductive status was associated with the changes in metabolic biomarkers. Metabolic profiles were measured by high-throughput quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics. In longitudinal analyses, we compared the change in metabolic biomarkers for each reproductive-status category change to that of the reference of being pre-menopausal at both time points. As all women aged by a similar amount during follow-up, these analyses contribute to distinguishing age-related changes from those related to change in reproductive status. Results Consistent cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of menopause with a wide range of metabolic biomarkers were observed, suggesting the transition to menopause induces multiple metabolic changes independent of chronological aging. The metabolic changes included increased concentrations of very small very low-density lipoproteins, intermediate-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), remnant, and LDL cholesterol, and reduced LDL particle size, all toward an atherogenic lipoprotein profile. Increased inflammation was suggested via an inflammatory biomarker, glycoprotein acetyls, but not via C-reactive protein. Also, levels of glutamine and albumin increased during the transition. Most of these metabolic changes seen at the time of becoming post-menopausal remained or became slightly stronger during the post-menopausal years. Conclusions The transition to post-menopause has effects on multiple circulating metabolic biomarkers, over and above the underlying age trajectory. The adverse changes in multiple apolipoprotein-B-containing lipoprotein subclasses and increased inflammation may underlie women’s increased cardiometabolic risk in their post-menopausal years.

According to ecological theory, two species cannot occupy the same niche. Using nitrogen isotope analyses (δ15N) of amino acids, we tested the extent to which two sympatric deposit‐feeding amphipods, Monoporeia affinis and Pontoporeia femorata, partition their trophic resources. We found that trophic position (TP) and resynthesis index (∑V; a proxy for degradation status of ingested material prior to assimilation by the consumer) differ between species. The surface‐feeding M. affinis had higher TP and intermediate ∑V, both pointing to a large contribution of metazoans in its diet. P. femorata, which feeds in the subsurface layers, had lower TP and a bimodal distribution of the ∑V values, supporting previous experimental evidence of a larger feeding niche. We also evaluated whether TP and ∑V values have consequences for amphipod fecundity and embryo viability and found that embryo viability in M. affinis was negatively linked to TP. Our results indicate that the amino acid‐δ15N data paired with information about reproductive status are useful for detecting differences in the trophic ecology of sympatric amphipods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To determine the haematological parameters according to the reproductive status of Peruvian Paso horses in the Province of Lambayeque. Materials and methods. The research was conducted on 60 clinically healthy adult horses (> 4 years), without previous drug treatment. Four groups of 15 horses were formed: gelding, entire male, empty mare and pregnant mare. First, a general clinical examination was performed to confirm their good health. Blood was drawn from the jugular vein of all the horses. The samples were processed by haematological analysis and the parameters of the red series (haemoglobin, haematocrit, red blood cells, mean corpuscular volume [MCV], mean corpuscular haemoglobin [MCH] and the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration [MCHC] were determined. Likewise, the white series (leukocytes, neutrophils segmented and stacked, basophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils) and the thrombocytic series were processed and the unit range determined. Manual methods, mathematical formulas and the Drabkin method were used in the clinical pathology laboratory. The Kruskal Wallis Statistical test was applied and consequently the mean, standard deviation and ranges of variables were obtained. Results. No significant statistical differences were found in the white, red and thrombocytic series according to sex or reproductive status, except the number of basophils was higher in the entire males. Conclusions. The haematological parameters according to the reproductive status of the Peruvian Step horse are within the normal ranges (as per the literature pertaining to this area). However, the number of lymphocytes was much lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) populations have been recovering throughout North America for the past several decades, and long-term monitoring efforts have been useful for understanding the ecological and anthropogenic drivers that influence population trajectories. We analyzed data on Bald Eagles in Kansas over 30 breeding seasons (1989–2018) to describe population growth, habitat selection, temporal trends in productivity, and predictors of nesting attempts. The breeding Bald Eagle population in Kansas recovered from a single documented nesting pair in 1989 to 137 documented nesting pairs in 2018. Habitat in and around large artificial reservoirs was important for early colonizing nesting pairs. However, as the population grew, nesting territories along river shorelines made up a majority of the total. Birds nesting in territories near rivers and large artificial reservoirs, newer territories, and territories closer to electrical lines were significantly more likely to have a nesting attempt compared to those in other territories. Capture-mark-resighting efforts allowed us to track productivity, recruitment, and site fidelity for a portion of the breeding population in Kansas (272 banded individuals). Growth of the breeding Bald Eagle population in Kansas has shown little sign of slowing in the first three decades following recolonization. Continued annual increases in the number of new nesting territories indicate that the availability of suitable habitat does not appear to be limiting population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how animals select their mates requires knowing the factors that shape mate preferences. Recent theoretical and empirical considerations suggest that female mating status can influence the degree to which a female engages in mate choice, with virgin females predicted to be less choosy than mated females. In this study, we investigated mate choice in both virgin and mated females in the pygmy halfbeak Dermogenys collettei. Halfbeaks are small, live-bearing, internally fertilizing freshwater fish that live in mixed-sex groups where females have ample opportunity to engage in mate choice. Using a dichotomous choice assay, we quantified and contrasted in virgin and mated females mate preferences for differences in male body size, beak size, and area of yellow and red coloration. We also examined how mating status influenced the amount of time a female associated with the first male encountered and the relative amount of time a female associated with each male. We demonstrate that mate preferences of female halfbeaks are driven primarily by the size of red coloration present on males. Females showed contrasting preferences based on mating status, with virgin females preferentially associating with drab males whereas mated females preferentially associate with males possessing large areas of red. Contrary to expectations, female mating status did not influence how females associate with the first males encountered or how females biased their association time among males. Although the precise drivers of these effects need further studying, our finding highlights a possible explanation for how variation in male ornamentation can be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to develop and validate a tool integrating a disposable fluorescence-based lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) coupled with a portable imaging device for estimating circulating plasma concentrations of progesterone (P4). First, we developed and optimized a competitive LFIA test strip to measure P4 in bovine plasma. The LFIA design included a sample pad, a conjugate pad that stores R-phycoerythrin-anti-P4 conjugates, a glass-fiber spacer pad, a nitrocellulose membrane with printed test and control lines, and a cellulose-fiber absorbent pad. To perform a test, 20 µL of plasma and 50 µL of running buffer were added on the sample pad. After 3 min, 45 µL of running buffer was added to initiate sample flow. After allowing 15 min to stabilize the colorimetric signal, strips were introduced in an LFIA portable reader wirelessly linked to a laptop to determine P4 concentration based on test-to-control-line signal (T/C ratio). In a series of experiments (n = 6), the ability of the LFIA to differentiate plasma samples with ≥1 or <1 ng/mL of P4 was evaluated. For each experiment, a calibration curve was constructed using plasma with known concentrations of P4 (0.1 to 3.7 ng/mL; n = 5). The resulting linear equation was then used to determine a T/C ratio cutoff to differentiate samples with ≥1 or <1 ng/mL of P4. In addition, to evaluate the ability of the platform to assign samples to P4 concentration groups without a calibration curve for individual batches, we performed a receiver operating characteristic analysis to identify a single cutoff value for T/C ratio that could potentially be used for all batches. Overall, calibration curves showed a linear relationship between T/C ratio and P4 levels (mean coefficient of determination = 0.74; range 0.42 to 0.99). Next, plasma samples from lactating dairy cows (n = 58) were tested in triplicate to determine the ability of the LFIA system to differentiate plasma samples with ≥1 or <1 ng/mL of P4 using a RIA for P4 as reference test. Overall, the LFIA assay correctly classified 90% of the samples, with 97% sensitivity, 83% specificity, 85% positive predictive value, and 96% negative predictive value. Agreement between the tests was substantial (kappa = 0.79; 95% confidence interval 0.64 to 0.95). When using a single cutoff value for T/C ratio selected by receiver operating characteristic analysis, sensitivity and specificity to determine CL presence were 97 (95% confidence interval 82 to 99) and 79% (95% confidence interval 60 to 92), respectively. These data suggest that the developed portable LFIA system can accurately differentiate plasma samples with ≥1 or <1 ng/mL of P4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien species pose a serious threat to native biodiversity and the ecosystem structure through predation or competition, and this threat is especially severe in China. Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) were introduced to mainland China to meet demands for food, traditional Chinese medicine, and the pet trade. However, there has been a lack of field surveys to assess the population, behavior and ecological impacts of introduced red-eared sliders in urban aquatic ecosystems in northern China. We conducted such research in 33 urban parks in Beijing from April to November 2016. The alien sliders were recorded on 514 occasions at 19 parks, and 45 individuals were captured from 4 parks to evaluate their diet composition and reproductive status. The observations showed that red-eared sliders accounted for 95% of the recorded turtles in the parks. The male to female ratio was 1.0:3.5, and the ratio of adults to juveniles was 1.0:3.1. According to stomach content analysis, the sliders fed mainly on animals: the dominant prey were Gastropoda, Osteichthyes, Crustacea, Hexapoda, Bivalvia, Reptilia and Aves in descending order. The high frequency (83%) of follicles and oviduct development in adult females suggested a strong reproductive capacity, which was further supported by one case of early female maturity. Bacteriological examinations demonstrated that the carrying rate of Salmonella bacteria was up to 17.6%. This study demonstrated that red-eared sliders have successfully colonized the waters of urban parks in Beijing and potentially threaten native aquatic biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study assessed the influence of sex, size and reproductive status on the meat yield (soft tissues proportion) of the purple dye murex (Bolinus brandaris) from the Ria Formosa lagoon (southern Portugal). During one year of monthly sampling (October 2008 - September 2009), average meat yield of B. brandaris was 40.5±6.1% (range: 25.8-56.1% wet weight), with no significant differences between sexes. Relationships established between specimen size and soft parts weight indicated that both shell length and total weight are excellent indicators of meat yield. Significant differences in meat yield between size classes further reinforced the trend of increasing meat yield during ontogeny. Meat yield exhibited significant monthly variation and a similar temporal trend in both sexes, which were directly related to the reproductive status. Meat yield of B. brandaris was compared with that of other muricid species and the marked influence of the reproductive status on meat yield prompted a comparative assessment of the spawning season and peak of three sympatric muricids (B. brandaris, Hexaplex trunculus and Stramonita haemastoma). Overall, these findings have implications at diverse levels, including the management, regulation and inspection of this fishing/harvesting activity and the commercialization and consumption of this seafood product.

The increasing human presence in the Arctic shelf seas, with the expansion of oil and gas industries and maritime shipping, poses a risk for Arctic marine organisms such as the key species polar cod (Boreogadus saida). The impact of dietary crude oil on growth and metabolism of polar cod was investigated in the early spring (March–April) when individuals are expected to be in a vulnerable physiological state with poor energy stores. Adult polar cod were exposed dietarily to three doses of Kobbe crude oil during an eight weeks period and followed by two weeks of depuration. Significant dose-responses in exposure biomarkers (hepatic ethoxyresorufine-O-deethylase [EROD] activity and 1-OH phenanthrene metabolites in bile) indicated that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were bioavailable. Condition indices (i.e. Fulton's condition factor, hepatosomatic index), growth, whole body respiration, and total lipid content in the liver were monitored over the course of the experiment. The majority of females were immature, while a few had spawned during the season and showed low hepatic lipid content during the experiment. In contrast, males were all, except for one immature individual, in a post-spawning stage and had larger hepatic energy stores than females. Most specimens, independent of sex, showed a loss in weight, that was exacerbated by exposure to crude oil and low hepatic liver lipids. Furthermore, females exposed to crude oil showed a significant elevation of oxygen consumption compared to controls, although not dose-dependent. This study highlights the importance of the energy status of individuals for their response to a crude oil exposure. • Low dietary crude oil induced exposure biomarkers dose-dependently. • Post-spawning females had lower hepatic energy reserves than males in the same reproductive stage. • Polar cod showed a dose-dependent loss in weight with oil exposure, that was exacerbated by low hepatic liver lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]