-
PloS One 2023Growing concerns over health and welfare impacts from extreme phenotypes in dogs have created an urgent need for reliable demographic information on the national breed...
INTRODUCTION
Growing concerns over health and welfare impacts from extreme phenotypes in dogs have created an urgent need for reliable demographic information on the national breed structures of dogs.
METHODS
This study included all dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2019 at practices participating in VetCompass. Demographic data on these dogs were analysed to report on the frequency of common breeds and also to report on conformation, bodyweight, sex and neuter associations with these breeds.
RESULTS
The study included 2,237,105 dogs under UK veterinary care in 2019. Overall, 69.4% (n = 1,551,462) were classified as purebred, 6.7% (149,308) as designer-crossbred and 24.0% (536,335) as nondesigner-crossbred. Across 800 unique breed names, the most frequent breeds at any age were nondesigner-crossbred (n = 536,335, 24.0%), Labrador Retriever (154,222, 6.9%) and Jack Russell Terrier (101,294, 4.5%). Among 229,624 (10.3%) dogs aged under one year, the most frequent breeds were nondesigner-crossbred (n = 45,995, 20.0%), French Bulldog (16,036, 7.0%) and Cockapoo (14,321, 6.2%). Overall, based on breed characteristics, 17.6% (395,739) were classified as brachycephalic, 43.1% (969,403) as mesaticephalic and 8.3% (186,320) as dolichocephalic. Of 1,551,336 dogs that were classifiable based on breed, 52.6% (815,673) were chondrodystrophic. Of 1,462,925 dogs that were classifiable, there were 54.6% (n = 798,426) short haired, 32.6% (476,883) medium haired and 12.8% (186,934) long haired. Of 1,547,653 dogs that were classifiable for ear carriage, 24.5% (n = 379,581) were erect, 28.1% (434,273) were semi-erect, 19.7% (305,475) were v-shaped drop and 27.7% (428,324) were pendulous. Overall, there was a 1.09:1.00 ratio of male (n = 1,163,512; 52.2%) to female dogs (n = 1,067,552; 47.8%).
CONCLUSIONS
Health and welfare issues linked to popular breeds with extreme phenotypes suggest that there is much work to do to help owners to make more welfare-friendly decisions when choosing which type of dog to own.
Topics: Dogs; Male; Animals; Female; Dog Diseases; Craniosynostoses; Phenotype; United Kingdom; Demography
PubMed: 37494312
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288081 -
A lever action hypothesis for pendulous hummingbird flowers: experimental evidence from a columbine.Annals of Botany Jan 2020Pendulous flowers (due to a flexible pedicel) are a common, convergent trait of hummingbird-pollinated flowers. However, the role of flexible pedicels remains uncertain...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Pendulous flowers (due to a flexible pedicel) are a common, convergent trait of hummingbird-pollinated flowers. However, the role of flexible pedicels remains uncertain despite several functional hypotheses. Here we present and test the 'lever action hypothesis': flexible pedicels allow pendulous flowers to move upwards from all sides, pushing the stigma and anthers against the underside of the feeding hummingbird regardless of which nectary is being visited.
METHODS
To test whether this lever action increased pollination success, we wired emasculated flowers of serpentine columbine, Aquilegia eximia, to prevent levering and compared pollination success of immobilized flowers with emasculated unwired and wire controls.
KEY RESULTS
Seed set was significantly lower in wire-immobilized flowers than unwired control and wire control flowers. Video analysis of visits to wire-immobilized and unwired flowers demonstrated that birds contacted the stigmas and anthers of immobilized flowers less often than those of flowers with flexible pedicels.
CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that flexible pedicels permit the levering of reproductive structures onto a hovering bird. Hummingbirds, as uniquely large, hovering pollinators, differ from flies or bees which are too small to cause levering of flowers while hovering. Thus, flexible pedicels may be an adaptation to hummingbird pollination, in particular due to hummingbird size. We further speculate that this mechanism is effective only in radially symmetric flowers; in contrast, zygomorphic hummingbird-pollinated flowers are usually more or less horizontally oriented rather than having pendulous flowers and flexible pedicels.
Topics: Animals; Aquilegia; Bees; Birds; Flowers; Pollination; Reproduction
PubMed: 31402377
DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz134 -
PhytoKeys 2022A new species from Gangwon-do, South Korea, is described and illustrated, based on its morphology and distribution. is different from , another similar species in...
A new species from Gangwon-do, South Korea, is described and illustrated, based on its morphology and distribution. is different from , another similar species in South Korea, in some ways: possesses a serrate leaf margin with flat tooth tip, while possesses a crenate leaf margin with erect tooth tip; it has an erect inflorescence, while has a pendulous inflorescence; it has a smaller flower which is 2-2.6 cm long, while has a flower of 2.3-3.2 cm; the flower is white or pinkish-white with yellowish and purplish spots, while has a white lower sepal and pinkish-white lateral united petals with yellowish spots; the distal part of the lower sepal is mostly not coiled or rarely 1-coiled, while that of is never coiled; the spur tip is expanded, round and slightly biparted, while that of is expanded, ellipsoidal and clearly biparted. A taxonomic description, a holotype and photos of morphological characteristics of the new species are provided. A table which includes the morphological comparison and a geographical distribution map are presented as well.
PubMed: 36760723
DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.211.90236 -
Poultry Science May 2024The chicken comb is an essential secondary sexual characteristic to measure sexual maturity and is closely related to reproductive performance. Pendulous comb (PC) and...
The chicken comb is an essential secondary sexual characteristic to measure sexual maturity and is closely related to reproductive performance. Pendulous comb (PC) and upright comb (UC) are 2 common comb phenotypes in hens, which have been highly associated with egg production performance. However, the reasons for the formation of PC remain undetermined. In this study, we first characterized the PC and UC chicken at start (at 175 d age), peak (at 217 d age), and postlaying (at 300 d age) and found that PC and UC could transform for each other. Furthermore, we suggested that PC chicken demonstrated better egg production performance than UC chicken, especially characterizing comb type in the start-laying period. Moreover, we performed histological evaluation of PC and UC tissue, which suggested that the low density of collagen fibers and acid mucopolysaccharides might lead to the formation of PC. To further explore the possible reasons for PC formation, we performed an untargeted metabolomic analysis of serum between PC and UC chicken in the start, peak, and postlaying periods. The enrichment analysis of period-unique differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) between PC and UC showed that the different metabolic pathways and nutritional levels might contribute to the formation of PC in the different laying periods. Our research provided critical insights into the phenotypic diversity of chicken comb, establishing a foundation for early selection of chicken egg production performance.
PubMed: 38820880
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103867 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023The error coefficients of the pendulous integrating gyroscopic accelerometer (PIGA) mainly include the bias, scale factor, and nonlinear error. Previous works have fully...
The error coefficients of the pendulous integrating gyroscopic accelerometer (PIGA) mainly include the bias, scale factor, and nonlinear error. Previous works have fully studied and suppressed the bias and scale factor of PIGAs. At present, the nonlinear error is the most critical factor restricting the measurement accuracy of PIGAs. To address this barrier, a study on the analysis and suppression of the nonlinear error of PIGAs at the instrument level was carried out. Firstly, the error model of a PIGA is established by kinematics and dynamics analyses. Then, nonlinear error is analyzed based on the established model. Finally, a suppression method for the nonlinear error is proposed based on the analysis results. The nonlinear error analysis found that (1) the nonlinear error includes a quadratic term error caused by unequal inertia and the inertia product, cross-coupling error is caused by lateral accelerations, and error is caused by unequal stiffness; (2) unequal inertia and the inertia product were the most critical factors resulting in nonlinear error. Based on the results in the nonlinear error analysis, the suppression method for error focuses on unequal inertia and the inertia product. The proposed method of analysis and suppression was validated experimentally as the quadratic term coefficient was reduced by an order of magnitude from 1.9 × 10/ to 1.91 × 10/.
PubMed: 36772260
DOI: 10.3390/s23031221 -
The Journal of Veterinary Medical... Jul 2021A 12-year-old, 3.5-kg, intact female dog was presented with polyuria, polydipsia, and a pendulous abdomen. Laboratory examinations showed elevated hepatobiliary enzyme...
A 12-year-old, 3.5-kg, intact female dog was presented with polyuria, polydipsia, and a pendulous abdomen. Laboratory examinations showed elevated hepatobiliary enzyme levels and neutrophilic leukocytosis. The adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test confirmed hyperadrenocorticism (HAC). Trilostane therapy managed the clinical condition and cortisol concentration. However, lymphocytosis and nonregenerative anemia developed after HAC remission. Bone marrow aspiration analysis revealed a lymphoproliferative disorder with a clonal T-cell population. Accordingly, the patient was diagnosed with T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and concurrent HAC. Thereafter, chemotherapy was initiated, which improved the lymphocytosis. However, euthanasia was performed because of worsening quality of life at 45 weeks after the first presentation. These results suggested that CLL could be masked by excessive endogenous cortisol and discovered after HAC remission.
Topics: Adrenocortical Hyperfunction; Animals; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion; Pregnancy; Quality of Life
PubMed: 34039785
DOI: 10.1292/jvms.21-0018 -
PhytoKeys 2021A new species of L. from northern Peru is described, illustrated, and compared with related species. This new species belongs to the Laxicaule Group and shares...
A new species of L. from northern Peru is described, illustrated, and compared with related species. This new species belongs to the Laxicaule Group and shares morphological characteristics with D.E. Benn & Christenson but differs in the shape and length of the dorsal sepal; the shape of the petals and the lip, ribs position of the lip, shape of the vesicle formed between the ovary and the column as well as the section of the stem.
PubMed: 34776732
DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.184.70844 -
Surgical Endoscopy Dec 2021The morphology of the major papilla affects the difficulty of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), but no associations with adverse events have...
BACKGROUND
The morphology of the major papilla affects the difficulty of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), but no associations with adverse events have previously been established. We aimed to assess whether papillary morphology predicts ERCP adverse events.
METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed of a prospective registry of patients undergoing ERCP for biliary indications. The primary outcome was post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP), with secondary outcomes including other adverse events and procedural outcomes such as inadvertent pancreatic duct cannulation, cannulation time, and attempts. Papillae were classified as normal (Type I), small or flat (Type II), bulging (Type IIIa), pendulous (Type IIIb), creased (Type IV), or peri-diverticular (Type D). Outcomes were ascertained prospectively at 30 days from index procedures.
RESULTS
A total of 637 patients with native papillae were included. Compared to Type I papillae, Type II and Type IIIb papillae were associated with PEP, with adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of 7.28 (95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.84-28.74) and 4.25 (95% CI 1.26-14.32), respectively. Type II and IIIb papillae were associated with significantly longer cannulation times by 5.37 (95% CI 2.39-8.35) and 4.01 (95% CI 1.72-6.30) minutes, respectively. Type IIIb papillae were associated with lower deep cannulation success (AOR 0.17, 95% CI 0.06-0.48).
CONCLUSION
Papillary morphology is an important factor influencing both ERCP success and outcomes. Understanding this is key for managing intraprocedural approaches and minimizing adverse events.
PROSPECTIVE REGISTRY REGISTRATION
Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT04259580.
Topics: Ampulla of Vater; Catheterization; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic
PubMed: 33146812
DOI: 10.1007/s00464-020-08136-9 -
Biodiversity Data Journal 2023Citizen science is a research approach that involves collaboration between professional scientists and non-professional volunteers. The utilisation of recent online...
BACKGROUND
Citizen science is a research approach that involves collaboration between professional scientists and non-professional volunteers. The utilisation of recent online citizen-science platforms (e.g. social networking services) has greatly revolutionised the accessibility of biodiversity data by providing opportunities for connecting professional and citizen scientists worldwide. Fujie, Shimizu & Maeto, 2021 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) has been recorded from the Oriental Islands of Japan and known to be a gregarious endoparasitoid of two macro-sized sphingid moths of , (Drury) and Butler. It constructs characteristic star-shaped communal cocoons, suspended by a long cable. Although has been reported only from the Oriental Islands of Japan, the authors recognise its occurrence and ecological data from Taiwan and the Palaearctic Island of Japan through posts on online citizen-science groups about Taiwanese Insects on Facebook and an article on a Japanese citizen-scientist's website.
NEW INFORMATION
Through collaboration between professional and citizen scientists via social media (Facebook groups) and websites, the following new biodiversity and ecological data associated with are provided: is recorded for the first time from Taiwan and the Palaearctic Region (Yakushima Is., Japan). (Butler, 1875), (Linnaeus, 1758) and (Walker, 1856) (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae) are recorded for the first time as hosts of and two of which ( and ) represent the first genus-level host records for . sp. (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), indeterminate species of Pteromalidae and Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera), are recognised as hyperparasitoid wasps of . (Fabricius, 1787) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) is reported as a predator of pendulous communal cocoons of . The nature of suspended large-sized communal cocoons of and the importance and limitations of digital occurrence data and online citizen science are briefly discussed.
PubMed: 38327304
DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e103436 -
Asian Journal of Andrology Oct 2023
PubMed: 37856195
DOI: 10.4103/aja202354