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Common carp, Cyprinus carpio, prefer branchial ionoregulation at high feeding rates and kidney ionoregulation when food supply is limited: additional effects of cortisol and exercise

Liew HJ, Pelle A, Chiarella D, Faggio C, Tang CH, Blust R, et al.

Fish Physiol Biochem, 2020 Feb;46(1):451-469.
PMID: 31773438 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-019-00736-0

This study aims to examine ionoregulatory parameters during exercise and cortisol elevation in common carp fed different food rations. Fish subjected to two different feeding regimes (0.5 or 3.0% body mass (BM) daily) received no implant or an intraperitoneal cortisol implant (250 mg/kg BM) or sham, and were monitored over a 168-h post-implant (PI) period under resting, low aerobic swimming or exhaustive swimming conditions. Plasma osmolality was maintained at relatively stable levels without much influence of feeding, swimming or cortisol, especially in low feeding groups. Nevertheless, a transient hyponatremia was observed in all low feeding fish implanted with cortisol. The hyponatremia was more pronounced in fish swum to exhaustion but even in this group, Na+ levels returned to control levels as cortisol levels recovered (168 h-PI). Cortisol-implanted fish also had lower plasma Cl- levels, and this loss of plasma Cl- was more prominent in fish fed a high ration during exhaustive swimming (recovered at 168 h-PI). Cortisol stimulated branchial NKA and H+ ATPase activities, especially in high ration fish. In contrast, low ration fish upregulated kidney NKA and H+ ATPase activities when experiencing elevated levels of cortisol. In conclusion, low feeding fish experience an ionoregulatory disturbance in response to cortisol implantation especially when swum to exhaustion in contrast to high feeding fish.

Matched MeSH terms: Carps/physiology*; Hydrocortisone/physiology*; Swimming/physiology
High potassium-induced epileptiform bursting in rat hippocampal slices

El-Sabban F, Reid KH, Edmonds HL

JUMMEC, 1997;2:95-98.

Matched MeSH terms: Physiology
Influence of different substrate moistures on wood consumption and movement patterns of Microcerotermes crassus and Coptotermes gestroi (Blattodea: Termitidae, Rhinotermitidae)

Wong N, Lee CY

J Econ Entomol, 2010 Apr;103(2):437-42.
PMID: 20429460

Moisture is an important physical factor for the survival of termites. The effects of different moisture levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%) of a sand substrate on the behavior of laboratory groups of Microcerotermes crassus Snyder and Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattodea: Termitidae: Rhinotermitidae) were evaluated. Moisture content of sand affected wood consumption and influenced termite distribution across a moisture gradient for M. crassus. Changing the moisture parameters affected the location preference of C. gestroi, but the effect on wood consumption was not significant. Nonetheless, M. crassus and C. gestroi showed a similar distribution pattern of association with particular moisture levels.

Matched MeSH terms: Feeding Behavior/physiology*; Motor Activity/physiology*; Isoptera/physiology*
Thermal death kinetics of Mediterranean, Malaysian, melon, and oriental fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) eggs and third instars

Armstrong JW, Tang J, Wang S

J Econ Entomol, 2009 Apr;102(2):522-32.
PMID: 19449631

The late-aged egg and third-instar life stages of laboratory-reared Malaysian fruit fly, Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel); Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann); melon fly, B. cucurbitae Coquillett; and oriental fruit fly, B. dorsalis (Hendel), (Diptera: Tephritidae); and the third instars of wild Mediterranean fruit fly were exposed to thermal treatments. A heating block system was used to determine the thermal death kinetics of the four fruit fly species. Treatments consisted of heating the fruit fly life stages to 44, 46, 48, and 50 degrees C and holding for different times ranging from 0 to 120 min depending on the thermal mortality response and time required to obtain 100% mortality for each species and life stage. The 0.5-order kinetic model had the best fit to the survival ratio for all the treatment temperatures and was used to predict lethal times. The thermal death time (TDT) curves showed a tolerance order of Mediterranean fruit fly eggs < or = third instars at 44, 46, and 50 degrees C, third instars < or = eggs at 48 degrees C, and wild third instars < the laboratory-reared third instars. Comparison between Mediterranean fruit fly third instar thermotolerance from Hawaii and Israel showed that Israel Mediterranean fruit fly was more thermotolerant. A comparison of minimum treatment times at a given temperature required to obtain 100% mortality of laboratory-reared Malaysian, Mediterranean (Hawaii and Israel strains), melon, Mexican, and oriental fruit fly eggs or third instars and wild Mediterranean fruit fly (Hawaii strain) eggs or third instars showed that oriental fruit fly was the most thermotolerant among the third instars, and the difference in heat tolerance between third instars and eggs was negligible at 50 degrees C.

Matched MeSH terms: Larva/physiology; Ovum/physiology*; Tephritidae/physiology*
Fulltext Rattan spines as deterrence? A spinescence study on different species of rattans

Liu K, Mansor A, Ruppert N, Fadzly N

Plant Signal Behav, 2020 10 02;15(10):1795393.
PMID: 32693670 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2020.1795393

Rattan spines are most often regarded as an identification trait and perhaps as a physical protection structure. In this study, we study the spinescence traits from five different species rattan: Daemonorops lewisiana, Daemonorops geniculata, Calamus castaneus, Plectomia griffithii, and Korthalsia scortechinii. We tested length, width, angle, strength, spine density, cross-section surface, spine color, and leaf trichomes (only for D. lewisiana, C. castaneus and D. geniculata). We also tested whether the spines were capable of deterring small climbing mammals (for Plectomia griffithii and Calamus castaneus) by using a choice selection experiment. Due to a variety of spine traits, we could not categorize whether any species is more or less spinescent than the others. We suggest that spines have a much more significant role than merely as a physical defense and work together with other rattan characteristics. This is also evidenced by our choice selection experiment, in which the spines on a single stem donot deter small climbing mammals. However, this is a work in progress, and we have outlined several alternative methods to be used in future work.

Matched MeSH terms: Plant Leaves/physiology; Plant Stems/physiology; Calamus/physiology
Fulltext Factors influencing phagocytosis of malaria parasites: the story so far

Chua CLL, Ng IMJ, Yap BJM, Teo A

Malar J, 2021 Jul 16;20(1):319.
PMID: 34271941 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03849-1

There are seven known species of Plasmodium spp. that can infect humans. The human host can mount a complex network of immunological responses to fight infection and one of these immune functions is phagocytosis. Effective and timely phagocytosis of parasites, accompanied by the activation of a regulated inflammatory response, is beneficial for parasite clearance. Functional studies have identified specific opsonins, particularly antibodies and distinct phagocyte sub-populations that are associated with clinical protection against malaria. In addition, cellular and molecular studies have enhanced the understanding of the immunological pathways and outcomes following phagocytosis of malaria parasites. In this review, an integrated view of the factors that can affect phagocytosis of infected erythrocytes and parasite components, the immunological consequences and their association with clinical protection against Plasmodium spp. infection is provided. Several red blood cell disorders and co-infections, and drugs that can influence phagocytic capability during malaria are also discussed. It is hoped that an enhanced understanding of this immunological process can benefit the design of new therapeutics and vaccines to combat this infectious disease.

Matched MeSH terms: Anopheles/physiology*; Erythrocytes/physiology*; Plasmodium falciparum/physiology*
Fulltext Human blood type influences the host-seeking behavior and fecundity of the Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi

Khan SA, Kassim NFA, Webb CE, Aqueel MA, Ahmad S, Malik S, et al.

Sci Rep, 2021 12 21;11(1):24298.
PMID: 34934127 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03765-z

The nutritional requirements of mosquitoes include both sugar (generally derived from the nectar of flowers) and blood (humans or animals). Mosquitoes express different degrees of preferences towards hosts depending on behavioral, ecological, and physiological factors. These preferences have implications for mosquito-borne disease risk. The present study is directed to reveal the effect of the human blood groups on the fecundity and fertility of the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. In laboratory tests, mosquitoes were fed on ABO blood groups via artificial membrane feeders, and the level of attraction against different blood groups was tested by the electroantennogram and wind tunnel bioassay under control conditions. Results indicate that the female mosquitoes had a strong preference towards the blood group B, while in the case of females fed on O blood group had the highest digestibility rate. Overall, the human blood type had a significant impact on the fecundity and fertility of female An. stephensi. The highest numbers of eggs are laid, in the case of blood group B, (mean (± SD)) 216.3 (8.81) followed by the AB, 104.06 (7.67), and O, 98.01 (7.04). In the case of blood group B, females attain the highest fertility of about 92.1 (9.98). This study provides novel insight into the ABO blood type host choice of the mosquitoes that are still partially unknown and suggests encouraging personal protection for relevant individuals within communities at risk, which is a useful tool for preventing malaria where the An. stephensi is present as a dominant vector.

Matched MeSH terms: Anopheles/physiology*; Feeding Behavior/physiology*; Mosquito Vectors/physiology*
First Life Table of Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Diptera: Muscidae) From Palearctic Region for Analyzing the Effect on Its Dispersal Ability

Ivorra T, García-Martínez B, Martínez-Sánchez A

J Med Entomol, 2021 11 09;58(6):2247-2254.
PMID: 34279664 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab129

To better understand the population dynamics and dispersal ability of insect species, it is often helpful to derive a life table containing fundamental demographic data. The aim of this study was to determine a life table for the predatory necrophagous species Synthesiomyia nudiseta (van der Wulp, 1883) on a pig liver diet and under controlled laboratory conditions (29.5 ± 2. 5°C, RH 50 ± 15%, and a photoperiod of 12:12). This species has medical and veterinary importance and its distribution extends in tropical and subtropical areas and now it has been established in the southwestern of Europe. The mean adult longevity was 36. 18 ± 2. 06 d and the net reproduction rate, R, was 27.65 offspring/female, the mean generation time, T, was 22. 09 d, the finite rate of increase, λ, was 1. 16 d-1, and the intrinsic rate of increase, r, was 0. 15 d-1. These results indicate that S. nudiseta cannot be considered an r-strategist as the most common synanthropic necrophagous blowflies due to its predatory behavior; however, its invasive and colonist abilities are discussed. This is the first life table study of this species from Palearctic region to analyze the effect of its dispersal ability.

Matched MeSH terms: Larva/physiology; Muscidae/physiology*; Pupa/physiology
Comparison of condition index in the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis between Sebatu and Pasir Panjang, Peninsular Malaysia

Al-Barwani SM, Arshad A, Amin SMN, Rahman A

J Environ Biol, 2016 07;37(4 Spec No):705-8.
PMID: 28779729

The condition index (which relates to the tissue dry weight to shell volume) of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis was investigated at Sebatu in Melaka and Pasir Panjang in Negri Sembilan from September 2003 to February 2004. Monthly samples of P. viridis were collected from culturing rafts at both sites. Variations in the average monthly condition index (CI) of P. viridis ranged from 21.06 to 26.72 g cm(-3) and 15.18 to 19.41 g cm(-3) in Sebatu and Pasir Panjang, respectively. Salinity values were lowest in November between 27.93 to 28.10 ppt in Sebatu and Pasir Panjang, respectively. Salinity then started increasing gradually until it reached 33.26 ppt in Sebatu and 31.23 ppt in Pasir Panjang in the month of February. Chlorophylla in Pasir Panjang showed higher fluctuation, ranging from 2.93 to 14.39 mg/L, while in Sebatu the fluctuations were lower and ranged between 7.70 and 9.37 mg l(-1). Rapid decline in CI values were recorded during January in Sebatu and February in Pasir Panjang. However, this rapid declining state of CI in P. viridis was an indication of its spawning period, when their gametes were released in the water column. These findings would help in the development of captive breeding techniques and mass seed production in aquaculture.

Matched MeSH terms: Body Composition/physiology*; Perna/physiology*; Animal Distribution/physiology*
Study of target and non-target interplay in spatial attention task

Sweeti, Joshi D, Panigrahi BK, Anand S, Santhosh J

J Med Eng Technol, 2018 Feb;42(2):113-120.
PMID: 29448856 DOI: 10.1080/03091902.2018.1433244

Selective visual attention is the ability to selectively pay attention to the targets while inhibiting the distractors. This paper aims to study the targets and non-targets interplay in spatial attention task while subject attends to the target object present in one visual hemifield and ignores the distractor present in another visual hemifield. This paper performs the averaged evoked response potential (ERP) analysis and time-frequency analysis. ERP analysis agrees to the left hemisphere superiority over late potentials for the targets present in right visual hemifield. Time-frequency analysis performed suggests two parameters i.e. event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) and inter-trial coherence (ITC). These parameters show the same properties for the target present in either of the visual hemifields but show the difference while comparing the activity corresponding to the targets and non-targets. In this way, this study helps to visualise the difference between targets present in the left and right visual hemifields and, also the targets and non-targets present in the left and right visual hemifields. These results could be utilised to monitor subjects' performance in brain-computer interface (BCI) and neurorehabilitation.

Matched MeSH terms: Evoked Potentials/physiology*; Reaction Time/physiology; Visual Perception/physiology
Fulltext Interaction between nitric oxide and renal α1-adrenoreceptors mediated vasoconstriction in rats with left ventricular hypertrophyin Wistar Kyoto rats

Ahmad A, Sattar MA, Azam M, Khan SA, Bhatt O, Johns EJ

PLoS One, 2018;13(2):e0189386.
PMID: 29447158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189386

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is associated with decreased responsiveness of renal α1-adrenoreceptors subtypes to adrenergic agonists. Nitric oxide donors are known to have antihypertrophic effects however their impact on responsiveness of renal α1-adrenoreceptors subtypes is unknown. This study investigated the impact of nitric oxide (NO) and its potential interaction with the responsiveness of renal α1-adrenoreceptors subtypes to adrenergic stimulation in rats with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). This study also explored the impact of NO donor on CSE expression in normal and LVH kidney. LVH was induced using isoprenaline and caffeine in drinking water for 2 weeks while NO donor (L-arginine, 1.25g/Lin drinking water) was given for 5 weeks. Intrarenal noradrenaline, phenylephrine and methoxamine responses were determined in the absence and presence of selective α1-adrenoceptor antagonists, 5- methylurapidil (5-MeU), chloroethylclonidine (CeC) and BMY 7378. Renal cortical endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA was upregulated 7 fold while that of cystathione γ lyase was unaltered in the NO treated LVH rats (LVH-NO) group compared to LVH group. The responsiveness of renal α1A, α1B and α1D-adrenoceptors in the low dose and high dose phases of 5-MeU, CEC and BMY7378 to adrenergic agonists was increased along with cGMP in the kidney of LVH-NO group. These findings suggest that exogenous NO precursor up-regulated the renal eNOS/NO/cGMP pathway in LVH rats and resulted in augmented α1A, α1B and α1D adrenoreceptors responsiveness to the adrenergic agonists. There is a positive interaction between H2S and NO production in normal animals but this interaction appears absent in LVH animals.

Matched MeSH terms: Nitric Oxide/physiology*; Vasoconstriction/physiology*; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1/physiology*
Cross-Sensory Correspondences: Heaviness is Dark and Low-Pitched

Walker P, Scallon G, Francis B

Perception, 2017 Jul;46(7):772-792.
PMID: 28622755 DOI: 10.1177/0301006616684369

Everyday language reveals how stimuli encoded in one sensory feature domain can possess qualities normally associated with a different domain (e.g., higher pitch sounds are bright, light in weight, sharp, and thin). Such cross-sensory associations appear to reflect crosstalk among aligned (corresponding) feature dimensions, including brightness, heaviness, and sharpness. Evidence for heaviness being one such dimension is very limited, with heaviness appearing primarily as a verbal associate of other feature contrasts (e.g., darker objects and lower pitch sounds are heavier than their opposites). Given the presumed bidirectionality of the crosstalk between corresponding dimensions, heaviness should itself induce the cross-sensory associations observed elsewhere, including with brightness and pitch. Taking care to dissociate effects arising from the size and mass of an object, this is confirmed. When hidden objects varying independently in size and mass are lifted, objects that feel heavier are judged to be darker and to make lower pitch sounds than objects feeling less heavy. These judgements track the changes in perceived heaviness induced by the size-weight illusion. The potential involvement of language, natural scene statistics, and Bayesian processes in correspondences, and the effects they induce, is considered.

Matched MeSH terms: Color Perception/physiology*; Pitch Perception/physiology*; Weight Perception/physiology*
The largest Lyapunov exponent of gait in young and elderly individuals: A systematic review

Mehdizadeh S

Gait Posture, 2018 Feb;60:241-250.
PMID: 29304432 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2017.12.016

The largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) is an accepted method to quantify gait stability in young and old adults. However, a range of LyE values has been reported in the literature for healthy young and elderly adults in normal walking. Therefore, it has been impractical to use the LyE as a clinical measure of gait stability. The aims of this systematic review were to summarize different methodological approaches of quantifying LyE, as well as to classify LyE values of different body segments and joints in young and elderly individuals during normal walking. The Pubmed, Ovid Medline, Scopus and ISI Web of Knowledge databases were searched using keywords related to gait, stability, variability, and LyE. Only English language articles using the Lyapunov exponent to quantify the stability of healthy normal young and old subjects walking on a level surface were considered. 102 papers were included for full-text review and data extraction. Data associated with the walking surface, data recording method, sampling rate, walking speed, body segments and joints, number of strides/steps, variable type, filtering, time-normalizing, state space dimension, time delay, LyE algorithm, and the LyE values were extracted. The disparity in implementation and calculation of the LyE was from, (i) experiment design, (ii) data pre-processing, and (iii) LyE calculation method. For practical implementation of LyE as a measure of gait stability in clinical settings, a standard and universally accepted approach of calculating LyE is required. Therefore, future studies should look for a standard and generalized procedure to apply and calculate LyE.

Matched MeSH terms: Gait/physiology*; Proprioception/physiology*; Walking/physiology*
Deficiency in Sperm-Egg Protein Interaction as a Major Cause of Fertilization Failure

Sabetian S, Shamsir MS

J. Membr. Biol., 2017 04;250(2):133-144.
PMID: 28280854 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-017-9954-1

Complete elucidation of fertilization process at molecular level is one of the unresolved challenges in sexual reproduction studies, and understanding the molecular mechanism is crucial in overcoming difficulties in infertility and unsuccessful in vitro fertilization. Sperm-oocyte interaction is one of the most remarkable events in fertilization process, and deficiency in protein-protein interactions which mediate this interaction is a major cause of unexplained infertility. Due to detection of how the various defects of sperm-oocyte interaction can affect fertilization failure, different experimental methods have been applied. This review summarizes the current understanding of sperm-egg interaction mechanism during fertilization and also accumulates the different types of sperm-egg interaction abnormalities and their association with infertility. Several detection approaches regarding sperm-egg protein interactions and the associated defects are reviewed in this paper.

Matched MeSH terms: Oocytes/physiology; Ovum/physiology*; Spermatozoa/physiology*
Investigation to predict patellar tendon reflex using motion analysis technique

Tham LK, Osman NA, Lim KS, Pingguan-Murphy B, Abas WA, Zain NM

Med Eng Phys, 2011 May;33(4):407-10.
PMID: 21146440 DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2010.11.002

The investigation of patellar tendon reflex involves development of a reflex hammer holder, kinematic data collection and analysis of patellar reflex responses using motion analysis techniques. The main aim of this research is to explore alternative means of assessing reflexes as a part of routine clinical diagnosis. The motion analysis system was applied to provide quantitative data which is a more objective measure of the patellar tendon reflex. Kinematic data was collected from 28 males and 22 females whilst subjected to a knee jerk test. Further analysis of kinematic data was performed to predict relationships which might affect the patellar tendon reflex. All subjects were seated on a high stool with their legs hanging freely within the capture volume of the motion analysis system. Knee jerk tests were applied to all subjects, on both sides of the leg, by eliciting hypo, hyper, and normal reflexes. An additional reinforcement technique called the Jendrassik manoeuvre was also performed under the same conditions to elicit a normal patellar tendon reflex. The comparison of reflex response between genders showed that female subjects generally had a greater response compared to males. However, the difference in reflex response between the left leg and the right leg was not significant. Tapping strength to elicit a hyper-reflex produced greater knee-jerk compared to the normal clinical tapping strength. All results were in agreement with clinical findings and results found by some early researchers.

Matched MeSH terms: Movement/physiology*; Reflex/physiology*; Patellar Ligament/physiology*
Fulltext Coitus and orgasm at term: effect on spontaneous labour and pregnancy outcome

Tan PC, Yow CM, Omar SZ

Singapore Med J, 2009 Nov;50(11):1062-7.
PMID: 19960160

INTRODUCTION: Coitus and orgasm in late pregnancy are believed to facilitate the onset of labour. We aim to evaluate the relationship at term of reported coitus and orgasm with spontaneous labour.
METHODS: Women at term scheduled for non-urgent labour induction were asked to keep a coitus and orgasm diary. These women were recruited for a randomised trial on the effect of coitus to promote spontaneous labour. For this analysis, the women were categorised into coitally-active and abstinent groups according to their coital diary. Spontaneous labour prior to the date of scheduled labour induction was the primary outcome. Labour, delivery and neonatal outcome were also evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to control for significant variables.
RESULTS: On univariate analysis, the inverse association of coitus with spontaneous labour was borderline (odds ratio [OR] 0.6; 95 percent confidence interval [CI] 0.3-1.0; p-value is 0.052). Orgasm was not associated with spontaneous labour (p-value is 0.33). After adjustment, coitus (adjusted OR 0.4; 95 percent CI 0.2-0.8; p-value is 0.009) displayed a significant inverse association with spontaneous labour. Coitus and orgasm were not associated with any other adverse pregnancy outcome.
CONCLUSION: Women who reported coitus were less likely to go into spontaneous labour prior to their scheduled labour induction. Reported coitus and orgasm were not associated with adverse pregnancy outcome.

Matched MeSH terms: Coitus/physiology*; Labor, Obstetric/physiology; Labor Onset/physiology*
Comparison of recovery of sheep, goats, and calves from reversible electrical head-only and head-to-body stunning for halal meat production

Beausoleil NJ, Farouk MM, Webster J, Johnson CB, Dowling S, Sazili AQ, et al.

N Z Vet J, 2024 Sep;72(5):288-299.
PMID: 38946044 DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2024.2367532

AIMS: To compare the recovery of lambs, goats, and calves from head-only (HO) or high-frequency head-to-body stunning and evaluate the complementary use of behaviour and electroencephalography (EEG) to assess return to consciousness after electrical stunning in these species.
METHODS: Six-month-old lambs, adult goats and calves (< 7 days old) were subjected to reversible head-only stunning (50 Hz, 1 A, 2 seconds) or reversible high-frequency head-to-body stunning (RHTB: HO followed by 2,000 Hz, 2 A, 4-second stun to body). Following stunning, behavioural recovery was assessed in 21 lambs, 22 goats, and 20 calves. Latencies to first perform behaviours (end of convulsions, head lift, attempt to right, successful righting, attempt to stand, successful standing) after stunning were scored from video recordings. Recovery of electrical brain activity indicative of consciousness was assessed using EEG in a separate cohort of minimally-anaesthetised lambs, goats and calves (n = 20 per species). EEG traces collected before and after stunning were classified as normal, epileptiform, isoelectric, or transitional activity. Following stunning, the duration of epileptiform and isoelectric activity combined (states of brain activity incompatible with conscious awareness) was calculated, as was latency to return of normal (pre-stun) EEG.
RESULTS: The RHTB stun was reversible in all three species, although one sheep failed to recover and was euthanised. Both methods caused tonic and clonic convulsions in all species. Behavioural recovery of sheep and calves was similar for both methods while goats took longer to recover from RHTB than HO stunning. There was no evidence of differences between methods in the duration of EEG incompatible with consciousness or the latency to recovery of normal EEG.
CONCLUSIONS: Head-to-body stunning as applied here produced a reversible electrical stun in lambs, adult goats and young calves, although the benefits in terms of meat quality and operator safety are uncertain. Goats took longer to recover behaviourally from head-to-body stunning, possibly due to disrupted motor function, but there was no indication that post-stun unconsciousness lasted longer than following head-only stunning in any species. The normal behaviour for the animals' developmental age should be considered when deciding on behavioural indicators of recovery. The minimal anaesthesia model provided excellent quality EEG data that was valuable for interpretation of the behavioural responses.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For the purposes of pre-slaughter stunning of sheep, goats and young calves, recovery appears comparable between the two methods, with all but 1/63 animals in the behaviour study recovering normal function.

Matched MeSH terms: Behavior, Animal/physiology; Cattle/physiology; Sheep/physiology
Sailfish generate foraging opportunities for seabirds in multi-species predator aggregations

Licht M, Burns AL, Pacher K, Krause S, Bartashevich P, Romanczuk P, et al.

Biol Lett, 2024 Jul;20(7):20240177.
PMID: 38982849 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0177

While various marine predators form associations, the most commonly studied are those between subsurface predators and seabirds, with gulls, shearwaters or terns frequently co-occurring with dolphins, billfish or tuna. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain poorly understood. Three hypotheses have been proposed to explain the prevalence of these associations: (1) subsurface predators herd prey to the surface and make prey accessible to birds, (2) subsurface predators damage prey close to the surface and thereby provide food scraps to birds, and (3) attacks of underwater predators lower the cohesion of prey groups and thereby their collective defences making the prey easier to be captured by birds. Using drone footage, we investigated the interaction between Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and terns (Onychoprion sp.) preying on schooling fish off the eastern coast of the Malaysian peninsula. Through spatio-temporal analysis of the hunting behaviour of the two predatory species and direct measures of prey cohesion we showed that terns attacked when school cohesion was low, and that this decrease in cohesion was frequently caused by sailfish attacks. Therefore, we propose that sailfish created a by-product benefit for the bird species, lending support to the hypothesis that lowering cohesion can facilitate associations between subsurface predators and seabirds.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds/physiology; Fishes/physiology; Charadriiformes/physiology
Fulltext Riparian vegetation structure and the hunting behavior of adult estuarine crocodiles

Evans LJ, Davies AB, Goossens B, Asner GP

PLoS One, 2017;12(10):e0184804.
PMID: 29020111 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184804

Riparian ecosystems are amongst the most biodiverse tropical habitats. They are important, and essential, ecological corridors, linking remnant forest fragments. In this study, we hypothesised that crocodile's actively select nocturnal resting locations based on increased macaque predation potential. We examined the importance of riparian vegetation structure in the maintenance of crocodile hunting behaviours. Using airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and GPS telemetry on animal movement, we identified the repeated use of nocturnal resting sites by adult estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) throughout the fragmented Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary in Sabah, Malaysia. Crocodile resting locations were found to resemble, in terms of habitat characteristics, the sleeping sites of long-tailed macaque; positioned in an attempt to avoid predation by terrestrial predators. We found individual crocodiles were actively selecting overhanging vegetation and that the protrusion of trees from the tree line was key to site selection by crocodiles, as well as influencing both the presence and group size of sleeping macaques. Although these findings are correlational, they have broad management implications, with the suggestion that riparian corridor maintenance and quality can have implications beyond that of terrestrial fauna. We further place our findings in the context of the wider ecosystem and the maintenance of trophic interactions, and discuss how future habitat management has the potential to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

Matched MeSH terms: Aging/physiology*; Alligators and Crocodiles/physiology*; Predatory Behavior/physiology*
Fulltext An integration of phenotypic and transcriptomic data analysis reveals yield-related hub genes in Jatropha curcas inflorescence

Govender N, Senan S, Sage EE, Mohamed-Hussein ZA, Mackeen MM, Wickneswari R

PLoS One, 2018;13(9):e0203441.
PMID: 30240391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203441

Jatropha curcas is an oil-rich seed crop with huge potentials for bioenergy production. The inflorescence carries a number of processes that are likely to affect the overall yield potentials; floral development, male-to-female flower ratio, floral abscission and fruit set. In this study, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis which integrates the transcriptome, physical and simple sugar data of J. curcas inflorescence was performed and nine modules were identified by means of hierarchical clustering. Among them, four modules (green4, antiquewhite2, brown2 and lightskyblue4) showed significant correlation to yield factors at p≤0.01. The four modules are categorized into two clusters; cluster 1 of green4 and antiquewhite2 modules correspond to number of flowers/inflorescence, total seed weight/plant, number of seeds/plant, and number of fruits/plant, whereas cluster 2 of brown2 and lightskyblue4 modules correspond to glucose and fructose. Descriptive characterizations of cluster 1 show putative involvement in gibberellin signaling and responses, whereas cluster 2 may have been involved in sugar signaling, signal transductions and regulation of flowerings. Our findings present a list of hub genes for J. curcas yield improvement and reproductive biology enhancement strategies.

Matched MeSH terms: Signal Transduction/physiology*; Genes, Plant/physiology*; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/physiology*

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