Search Results (1,977)

Indigenous goat populations are valuable genetic resources for livestock production in arid and semi-arid environments, yet many remain insufficiently characterized at the phenotypic and genomic levels. This study investigated phenotypic variation and genome-wide associations in two local Ardi goat lines in Bahrain: Ardi Bahraini and Ardi Mu’atar, the latter being distinguished by a characteristic facial marking pattern. A total of 280 goats were phenotypically characterized for qualitative traits and body measurements, and 76 animals were genotyped using the Illumina Caprine 60K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) BeadChip. After quality control, 49,716 autosomal SNPs were retained for genome-wide association analysis. Phenotypic analysis showed that the two lines differed significantly in body weight, body length, hip height, face width, tail length, ear width, and tail circumference, while discriminant analysis identified tail length, ear width, tail circumference, and facial patterns differentiating the lines. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed partial genomic clustering of the two lines, and genome-wide significant and suggestive SNPs based on Bonferroni and false discovery rate (FDR) thresholds on chromosomes 6, 13, 14, and 29. The strongest association was observed for rs268277393 on chromosome 13, located near DOK5 (Docking Protein 5) and TRNAC-GCA (transfer RNA cysteine, anticodon GCA), and was associated with the Ardi Mu’atar facial pattern. Additional candidate regions were located near genes with possible roles in pigmentation, development, or morphological variation. These findings provide preliminary genomic evidence supporting the phenotypic distinctiveness of Ardi Mu’atar goats and identify candidate markers that may contribute to future conservation and breeding programs. Further validation in larger populations and functional studies will be required to confirm the biological role of these candidate regions. Full article

Although extensively studied in humans, data on the middle cranial fossa foramina remain limited in dogs, despite their different skull morphology and high relevance to veterinary neurology, surgery and oncology. In this retrospective anatomic study, we aimed to fill this gap by presenting the morphometric data of these foramina in domestic dogs of different breeds, ages, body weights, and skull sizes. The study used CBCT images of 40 dogs. Dogs were divided into three groups (small, medium, and large), regardless of sex, body weight, and breed, using neurocranium length. Then, morphological and morphometric analyses of the foramina were performed. The neurocranium length of each group differed significantly from the others (p < 0.001). In each group, the orbital fissure and round and oval foramina were bilaterally located rostrally to caudally and were of similar size (p > 0.05). While the orbital fissure was a canal in 80% of dogs, in dogs with medium and large skull sizes (17.5%), the spinous foramen showed variation, becoming both a foramen and a canal. The opening sizes increased along with the skull size (p < 0.001); the widest opening was the orbital fissure, and the narrowest opening (except for the spinous foramen) was the oval foramen. The findings may guide skull base surgeries, regional anesthesia, and the diagnosis of cranial nerve dysfunctions. Furthermore, a classification based on neurocranial length is anticipated to provide more objective craniometric measurements in animals with diverse head types and body weights. Full article

As livestock production continues to consolidate into fewer but larger operations, odor complaints from neighboring communities have become a major challenge to industry growth, making the establishment of appropriate odor setback distances essential. This paper reiterates the development procedure of odor footprint tools for setback determination based on AERMOD, a regulatory air dispersion model, using North Dakota as an example. Specifically, we developed North Dakota Odor Footprint Tool (NDOFT), an Excel-based calculator designed to estimate odor setback distances between animal production facilities and surrounding communities. The tool utilizes county-specific meteorological data to predict odor concentrations at various distances and directions relative to an established annoyance threshold of 75 OU m⁻³. Setback distances are determined based on the percentage of time during which modeled odor concentrations remain below this threshold, corresponding to annoyance-free frequencies ranging from 91% to 99%. Facility characteristics, including livestock types, source areas, and odor control measures, are incorporated to enable scenario-based assessments. The influence of complex terrain on setback determination was also evaluated, revealing that no simple correction factors adequately capture terrain effects for valleys and hilltops. Overall, the use of county-specific meteorological inputs substantially improves the accuracy of predicted setback distances compared with area-representative approaches, providing an updated and more robust framework for odor setback planning and environmental evaluation. This work is expected to guide future efforts in developing and refining odor setback tools. Full article

Background: Interest in advanced wound dressings for clinical applications is increasing, with biopolymer-based formulations emerging as an effective strategy for wound management. Objectives: This study aimed to develop and characterize sponge-like biopolymeric matrices for the topical delivery of indomethacin as a model anti-inflammatory drug. Methods: Matrices were prepared by combining collagen and methylcellulose (MC) gels in varying ratios, followed by lyophilization. Physicochemical characterization included FT-IR, SEM, contact angle, and water absorption analysis. Biological evaluation involved enzymatic degradation, while biopharmaceutical and pharmacological assessments included in vitro drug release and in vivo testing in Wistar rats with experimentally induced burns. Results: FT-IR analysis confirmed that collagen’s triple-helical structure was preserved in the presence of MC and indomethacin for the samples with maximum 25% methylcellulose. SEM analysis revealed a microporous network with integrated cellulose fibers, where pore size decreased with higher MC content. Compressive strength measurements demonstrated enhanced mechanical resistance with increasing MC content, indicating improved structural stability of the matrices. Moreover, increased MC content led to higher contact angle values but maintained hydrophilicity, while formulations with up to 25% MC exhibited good absorption capacity and structural integrity. Enzymatic degradation studies confirmed that matrices with at least 75% collagen content maintained their structural integrity over time, favoring prolonged application and sustained drug delivery. In vitro drug release followed a biphasic profile, supporting rapid initial anti-inflammatory action followed by gradual release of the drug. In vivo animal studies demonstrated accelerated wound healing in treated rats for all tested matrices. Conclusions: Overall, the developed indomethacin-loaded biopolymeric matrices showed promising structural, functional, and therapeutic properties for effective wound treatment. Full article

Melamine, characterized by its high nitrogen content, has been illegally added to food and feed to falsely increase apparent protein levels. However, melamine and its metabolites pose serious risks to human and animal health, including kidney stones, renal failure, and even death, as well as potential carcinogenic effects. Therefore, accurate detection of trace melamine is of great importance and urgency. Electrochemical sensors based on nanomaterials have been widely used for melamine detection due to their high sensitivity, good selectivity, rapid response, and simple operation. In this work, a composite nanosheet-structured electrode was fabricated, and a dense layer of gold nanoparticles was modified on its surface to enhance electrochemical performance. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements indicated that this electrode exhibited highly sensitive electrochemical properties. In addition, differential pulse voltammetry was employed for melamine detection, and the results showed a wide linear range of 20–500 nM with an LOD of 4.7 nM. The proposed electrode enabled the detection of melamine in milk samples, exhibiting good anti-interference ability and long-term stability. Full article

Efficient grazing management is critical for optimising animal growth and carcass quality in dairy beef systems; however, the combined effects of turnout date to spring pasture and post-grazing sward height have not been well quantified. This study evaluated the effects of spring turnout date (early vs. late) and post-grazing sward height (3.5 vs. 5.5 cm) on steer performance, intake, and carcass attributes, over three production cycles in a dairy calf-to-beef system. A total of 188 dairy and dairy × beef steers (initial body weight approximately 250–285 kg) were used across three experiments, conducted in a pasture-based calf-to-beef system. Animals grazed for ~200 days followed by ~100 days of indoor finishing. Early turnout improved average daily gain during early- and mid-season (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001), but differences had disappeared by housing, with no effect on carcass traits (p > 0.05). Grazing swards to 5.5 cm increased average daily gain at pasture (p < 0.01) and housing weight in the three experiments (p < 0.01). Animals grazed to 3.5 cm at pasture subsequently had a higher indoor finishing average daily gain (p < 0.05). Grazing to a stubble height of 5.5 cm improved (p < 0.001) daily gain at pasture but reduced finishing daily gain (p < 0.001). Carcass weight per day of age and were unaffected by either factor (p > 0.05), and no significant turnout × post-grazing sward height interactions were detected for any measured variables (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that maintaining a higher post-grazing sward height provides improved animal performance, while early turnout offers short-term gains, supporting grazing strategies that prioritise sward height management for sustained performance. Full article

Accurate body-weight measurement is important for precision pig farming, but conventional weighing methods are labor-intensive and may disturb normal animal activity. Although three-dimensional sensing systems can provide reliable geometric information, their deployment cost limits large-scale application in commercial farms. This study proposes a non-contact pig weight estimation framework based on standard RGB images. The framework combines SAM 2 foreground extraction with a transformer-based dorsal segmentation network to obtain stable body contours under complex farm conditions. Cross-covariance attention and local patch interaction modules are introduced to preserve both global body structure and local boundary details during segmentation. A hybrid loss function combining focal loss and label-distribution-aware margin loss is further adopted to address foreground-background imbalance. After segmentation, 17 morphometric features are extracted from the dorsal region and used for weight prediction with XGBoost regression. Experiments were conducted on the public PIGRGB-Weight dataset containing 12,476 RGB images from 124 pigs. The proposed method achieved a mean absolute error of 2.983 kg and an $R^2$ value of 0.9891. Compared with a DeepLabV3+-based baseline under the same regression protocol, the proposed framework reduced the prediction error by 24.1%. The results indicate that improving dorsal segmentation quality can substantially enhance the stability of morphometric feature extraction from low-cost RGB images. Full article

Sorghum halepense is widely recognised as one of the most aggressive invasive perennial grasses affecting agricultural ecosystems worldwide. This systematic review synthesises existing scientific evidence on the ecological invasion dynamics, origin, distribution patterns, impacts on both biodiversity and livestock, and management strategies. A systematic literature review approach was employed to identify and evaluate peer-reviewed and grey literature. Relevant studies were retrieved from major scientific databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate, using predefined search terms related to S. halepense, invasion, impact on native plants and livestock, and possible control measures. Articles were screened based on relevance, methodological quality, and thematic alignment with the objectives of the review. The results showed that Johnsongrass is making a gradual invasion in South Africa through seed production and rhizome systems. Sorghum halepense alters native species composition, subsequently reduces biodiversity, and outcompetes native species. Although it may provide forage under certain conditions, its accumulation of cyanogenic compounds and nitrates poses serious poisoning risks to herbivores. Management strategies such as mechanical, burning, and chemical methods vary in terms of effectiveness. Some of these measures are influenced by the genetic make-up of the plant, costs associated with each control measure and other environmental factors. This review highlights the need for integrated management approaches that balance invasive weed control with sustainable forage production. This review emphasises the importance of adopting integrated management strategies that effectively control both seed production and underground stems. Future research should prioritise climate-responsive management approaches, improved understanding of invasion ecology, and the development of cost-effective control measures. Bringing together policy makers and specialists in weed science, natural conservation science, and animal health will be essential for reaching consensus on the actions required to curb the expansion and reduce the economic losses associated with the abundance of Sorghum halepense in our ecosystems. Full article

Texture shapes how we perceive and like food, yet clear links between mechanical measurements and sensory perception of texture remain elusive. Here we combine sensory data from a blind tasting involving 101 participants with mechanical texture profile analysis across six burgers to identify the textural features that drive consumer perception and liking. We compare five burgers—generated via artificial intelligence—with animal-based, plant-based, mushroom-based, and hybrid animal-mushroom patties, and the classical Big Mac^®. Three main findings emerge: First, animal-based burgers occupy a distinctive and coherent sensory–mechanical region associated with attributes such as firm, fatty, and holds together. Second, mushroom- and plant-based burgers deviate from this region in protein-dependent ways: mushroom-based burgers are associated with springy and gummy textures, while plant-based burgers are associated with dry, brittle, and crumbly textures. Hybrid animal–mushroom burgers, however, maintain sensory profiles comparable to fully animal-based burgers. Third, resilience emerges as the strongest mechanical correlate of perceived meatiness and sensory texture, while stiffness and hardness show no statistically significant association with consumer perception. Texture independently predicts overall liking alongside flavor: increasing texture liking by one point increases overall liking by 0.28. Among all sensory attributes, meatiness is the dominant predictor of texture liking. These findings suggest that resilience may be a promising target for texture engineering and establish texture as a critical design objective for sustainable alternative proteins. Full article

Intermittent fasting (IF) has emerged as a popular dietary intervention with potential metabolic and endocrine benefits. However, its effects on sexual function and reproductive health remain incompletely understood. This comprehensive review synthesizes current evidence from human clinical trials and animal studies examining the impact of various IF protocols—including time-restricted eating (TRE), alternate-day fasting (ADF), and Ramadan fasting—on male and female sexual function, reproductive hormones, and fertility outcomes. In males, limited human data suggest preserved erectile function but reduced sexual desire during Ramadan fasting, with neutral effects on testosterone in obese adults undergoing TRE. Animal studies demonstrate context-dependent effects, with IF protecting against high-fat diet-induced reproductive dysfunction while potentially impairing spermatogenesis under prolonged energy restriction. In females, IF shows promise for improving hyperandrogenism and menstrual regularity in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), mediated by enhanced insulin sensitivity and reduced free androgen index. However, direct measurements of female sexual function domains (libido, arousal, lubrication, orgasm) are largely absent from the literature. Mechanistic pathways involve modulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis, insulin–adipokine signaling, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and oxidative stress pathways. Evidence quality is limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneous protocols, short follow-up periods, and predominance of animal data. While IF may offer reproductive benefits in metabolically compromised populations, particularly women with PCOS, caution is warranted in young, lean, or energy-deficient individuals. Future research should employ standardized IF protocols, validated sexual function instruments, and long-term fertility endpoints to establish evidence-based clinical recommendations. Full article

Background: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has a high prevalence of 30–40% in China and Asia, with a complex pathogenesis and no specific therapeutic drugs. Phytochemicals have become a research hotspot for MAFLD prevention, and ginsenosides, the core active components of Panax ginseng, show great potential in anti-MAFLD research. This review aims to comprehensively clarify the key mechanisms and targets of ginsenosides in preventing and treating MAFLD, to provide a theoretical basis for their application in metabolic diseases, and to promote the development of natural phytochemical resources. Method: The literature review method was adopted to sort out the regulatory effects and molecular targets of ginsenosides in multiple pathological processes of MAFLD from published studies. Results: Ginsenosides regulated MAFLD through multi-pathway and multi-target effects: antioxidant regulation occurred via Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Silent information regulator 1/6 (SIRT1/6) pathways, and anti-inflammatory regulation was achieved by inhibiting the Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Additionally, the measures adopted improved insulin resistance and lipid metabolism disorder, suppressed hepatocyte apoptosis/pyroptosis, repaired autophagy, alleviated hepatocyte senescence, and reshaped gut microbiota to restore gut–liver axis homeostasis. Conclusions: Ginsenosides have good potential for MAFLD prevention and treatment, but there is a prominent lack of human clinical evidence as most existing studies are only based on in vitro cell and in vivo animal models, and the synergistic mechanisms among different ginsenoside components remain unclear. Future research needs multi-omics analysis, formulation optimization, and large-sample clinical trials, and ginsenosides have broad application prospects in MAFLD intervention. Full article

Effective reprocessing of surgical instruments is essential to prevent healthcare-associated infections in the field of veterinary medicine. However, chemical disinfectants are frequently used as alternatives to sterilization in small animal clinics, particularly in resource-limited settings. This preliminary exploratory study evaluated routine chemical disinfection practices and residual bacterial contamination of surgical instruments in veterinary clinics in Veracruz, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted in ten small animal veterinary clinics. Samples were collected from the surgical instruments and operative surfaces immediately after routine chemical disinfection. Bacterial isolation was performed using conventional culture methods, and microbial identification was performed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Descriptive analysis and Fisher’s exact test were used to explore the association between disinfectant category and bacterial contamination. Bacterial growth was detected in 19 of the 60 samples (31.6%). The identified microorganisms included Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Burkholderia species. Most clinics relied on low-level disinfectants, particularly benzalkonium chloride (BAC). Residual contamination was more commonly observed in clinics reporting the use of low-level disinfectants, particularly benzalkonium chloride-based products. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the exploratory observational design and limited sample size. These results suggest that routine chemical disinfection, particularly when low-level disinfectants are used, may not always achieve complete microbial elimination under real-world clinical conditions. Improved infection prevention and instrument reprocessing practices are required in veterinary clinical settings. From a One Health perspective, strengthening infection control measures in veterinary clinics may help reduce microbial circulation among animals, veterinary personnel, and the environment. Full article

Traditional rectal temperature measurement in pigs induces stress in animals, imposes a heavy labor burden on staff, and increases the risk of cross-infection. This study proposes a non-invasive deep learning approach to predict porcine rectal temperature by combining infrared thermal images of thermal windows with environmental parameters. A multimodal dataset is constructed by synchronously collecting thermal images, environmental parameters, and actual rectal temperatures. Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Mask R-CNN), You Only Look Once version 8 small (YOLOv8s), and YOLOv11s are employed to automatically detect or segment thermal window regions, from which the maximum temperature of each region is extracted. To enhance model generalization under varying environmental conditions, a two-stage hybrid regression framework is established. In this framework, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) extracts spatial features from thermal images, a fully connected network (FCNN) encodes regional surface temperatures and environmental parameters, and a Transformer module captures cross-modal dependencies to generate a preliminary prediction. Subsequently, a Random Forest (RF) regressor is applied for residual correction and final output optimization. Comparative experiments on single-region, dual-region, and triple-region combinations demonstrate that the “eye + vulva” dual-region scheme yields the optimal performance, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.1796 °C and a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.8212. The prediction error of this scheme is reduced by 42.3% compared with the best-performing unimodal model. The proposed method provides a fast, accurate, and stress-free solution for porcine body temperature monitoring, thereby supporting the development of intelligent health management in livestock farming. Full article

Repeated blood collection in long-term studies in rodents is challenging and may compromise animal welfare. Rabbits represent a robust alternative model for longitudinal studies due to their larger blood volume and ease of repeated sampling. However, standardized assays to assess rabbit immune function remain scarce. This study presents standardized and optimized flow cytometry–based protocols for evaluating oxidative burst, phagocytosis, and lymphocyte proliferation in rabbits. Oxidative burst and phagocytic activity were analyzed in heparinized whole blood using DCFH and fluorescently labeled Staphylococcus aureus. Lymphocyte proliferation was assessed in CFSE-labeled PBMC stimulated with ConA. Flow cytometric analysis enabled simultaneous quantification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, phagocytic uptake, and CFSE dilution modeling. Following stimulation with S. aureus, rabbit heterophils exhibited ROS production in a median of 90.4% (IQR: 84.8–92.9%) of gated cells, with a median phagocytic uptake of 23.6% (IQR: 13.4–27.2%). PMA-stimulated cells showed near-complete oxidative burst (median 99.1%, IQR: 98.7–99.5%), confirming their functional similarity to mammalian neutrophils. Lymphocytes exhibited measurable proliferative responses to ConA, validating PBMC-based assays for adaptive immune assessment. These standardized methods offer a framework for investigating innate and adaptive immune functions in rabbits, contributing to immunotoxicological and safety evaluation studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Magnesium (Mg) is essential for neuronal maturation, yet its role in human cortical development remains poorly defined. Here, we investigated the effects of physiological (1 mM) and elevated (5 mM) concentrations of MgSO₄ and magnesium pidolate (MgPid) on human brain organoids co-cultured with an in vitro blood–brain barrier (BBB) model. Methods: Human brain organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells were co-cultured with an in vitro BBB system and treated for 4 days with either MgSO₄ or MgPid at physiological and elevated concentrations. Cortical organization was assessed by transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence analysis. Western blotting for neurotransmitter receptors and Mg transporters, quantification of intraorganoid Mg²⁺ levels, ELISA-based measurement of GABA and dopamine, and analysis of glutamate were performed. Results: High Mg exposure enhanced cortical stratification and neuronal organization, as shown by the localization of CTIP2 in the outermost layer and TBR2 in the inner layer, together with ultrastructural features consistent with advanced differentiation. Elevated Mg increased intraorganoid Mg²⁺ levels without altering Mg transporter abundance and selectively modulated neurotransmitter receptor expression: NMDA-R levels were reduced by MgPid, whereas GABA_A-R and GABA_B-R were upregulated, particularly in response to MgPid. Levels of glutamate, GABA, and dopamine remained unchanged. Conclusions: These findings identify Mg, especially in the form of MgPid, as a modulator of cortical architecture and inhibitory–excitatory receptor balance in human organoids, supporting its potential relevance for neurodevelopmental regulation and Mg-based therapeutic strategies. These results also support organoids as human-relevant, animal-free tools for neuroscience and neuropharmacological research. Full article