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Frontiers in Physiology 2024Eye movement is one of the cues used in human-machine interface technologies for predicting the intention of users. The developing application in eye movement event...
Eye movement is one of the cues used in human-machine interface technologies for predicting the intention of users. The developing application in eye movement event detection is the creation of assistive technologies for paralyzed patients. However, developing an effective classifier is one of the main issues in eye movement event detection. In this paper, bidirectional long short-term memory (BILSTM) is proposed along with hyperparameter tuning for achieving effective eye movement event classification. The Lévy flight and interactive crossover-based reptile search algorithm (LICRSA) is used for optimizing the hyperparameters of BILSTM. The issues related to overfitting are avoided by using fuzzy data augmentation (FDA), and a deep neural network, namely, VGG-19, is used for extracting features from eye movements. Therefore, the optimization of hyperparameters using LICRSA enhances the classification of eye movement events using BILSTM. The proposed BILSTM-LICRSA is evaluated by using accuracy, precision, sensitivity, F1-score, area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve measure, and area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) measure for four datasets, namely, Lund2013, collected dataset, GazeBaseR, and UTMultiView. The gazeNet, human manual classification (HMC), and multi-source information-embedded approach (MSIEA) are used for comparison with the BILSTM-LICRSA. The F1-score of BILSTM-LICRSA for the GazeBaseR dataset is 98.99%, which is higher than that of the MSIEA.
PubMed: 38812881
DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1366910 -
Open Veterinary Journal Apr 2024The developmental biology of is described, based on the phenotype. This species is important for the flora because they are excellent seed disseminators. In addition,...
BACKGROUND
The developmental biology of is described, based on the phenotype. This species is important for the flora because they are excellent seed disseminators. In addition, basic embryological information is not yet fully clarified, and this research provides unprecedented information on the chelonian embryology of the Amazonian fauna.
AIM
The present study aims to identify the embryology of in captivity during different periods.
METHODS
Females were monitored throughout the reproductive cycle, by video monitoring, to identify nests and the presence of newly laid eggs. At regular weekly intervals, embryo samples were collected fixed in a 4% paraformol solution and preserved in 70% alcohol. For the embryonic characterization, we used a stereomicroscope and the scanning electron microscopy method.
RESULTS
We describe 15 embryonic stages for a 15-week (105-day) incubation process. Only at 42 days (6th week) was the morphological characterization of a chelonian observed and at the 12th week (Stage XII), the phenotypic characterization of the species .
CONCLUSION
In view of the evidence, we found that these phases are similar to the other turtles, with structural variations in the appearance and disappearance of structures due to the specific characteristics of the species.
Topics: Animals; Turtles; Female; Embryonic Development; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
PubMed: 38808293
DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i4.3 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Annual variations in animal's physiological functions are an essential strategy to deal with seasonal challenges which also vary according to the time of year....
Annual variations in animal's physiological functions are an essential strategy to deal with seasonal challenges which also vary according to the time of year. Information regarding annual adaptations in the immune-competence to cope with seasonal stressors in reptiles is scarce. The present research plan was designed to analyze the presence of circannual immune rhythms in defense responses of the leucocytes in an ophidian, Natrix piscator. Peripheral blood leucocytes were obtained, counted, and superoxide anion production, neutrophil phagocytosis, and nitrite release were tested to assess the innate immune functions. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were separated by centrifugation (utilizing density gradient) and the cell proliferation was measured. The Cosinor rhythmometry disclosed the presence of significant annual rhythms in the number of leucocytes, superoxide anion production, nitric oxide production, and proliferation of stimulated lymphocytes. The authors found that respiratory burst activity and proliferative responses of lymphocytes were crucial immune responses that showed the annual rhythm. It was summarized that the immune function of the N. piscator is a labile attribute that makes the animal competent to cope with the seasonal stressor by adjustment in the potency of response.
Topics: Animals; Leukocytes; Superoxides; Seasons; Phagocytosis; Nitric Oxide; Cell Proliferation; Respiratory Burst; Lymphocytes; Immunity, Innate
PubMed: 38802537
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63033-8 -
Biodiversity Data Journal 2024In the European Mediterranean Region, palm trees are a common element in cities and semi-urban landscapes and have become important habitat structures for local fauna....
In the European Mediterranean Region, palm trees are a common element in cities and semi-urban landscapes and have become important habitat structures for local fauna. This study aimed to monitor the invertebrate and vertebrate fauna occurring on and associated with ornamental palms of the genus , over the course of one year. Five study sites were used in southern Spain, with varying levels of management. Several complementary methods were applied monthly in order to assess the vertebrates and invertebrates associated with the full seasonal cycle of palms, including flowering and fruiting. The study resulted in the identification of 216 invertebrate families from seven different classes and 89 vertebrate species, consisting of 62 bird, 20 mammal (including bats), six reptile and one amphibian species associated with palms. It thus highlights that palms provide a habitat for many species and individuals over the course of one year.
PubMed: 38799769
DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e123144 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024Species of are spirurid nematodes that have expanded their geographic distribution worldwide. They infect a variety of mammalian definitive hosts with few reports of...
Species of are spirurid nematodes that have expanded their geographic distribution worldwide. They infect a variety of mammalian definitive hosts with few reports of potential paratenic infections in amphibian and reptile hosts. In this study, we report sp. larvae identified in free-ranging, invasive Cuban treefrogs (), from central Florida, United States. Encysted larvae were recovered from the skeletal muscle and/or the coelomic cavity of three frogs; molecular characterization of the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase I genes of the parasites matched reported sequences of (Tubangui, 1931). This is a parasite native to Southeastern Asia and to the best of the authors' knowledge, it is the first report of the species in the New World. The recovery of invasive from invasive Cuban treefrogs in North America highlights the growing concern regarding the potential impact non-native parasites and invasive species may have on native wildlife populations.
PubMed: 38799723
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1353975 -
Cretaceous Research Mar 2024Upper Cretaceous coastal marine deposits are widespread in the Southern Urals with a number of marine vertebrates previously reported from this region. However, previous...
Upper Cretaceous coastal marine deposits are widespread in the Southern Urals with a number of marine vertebrates previously reported from this region. However, previous studies on the vertebrate faunas in this region often lack detailed taxonomic descriptions and illustrations, rendering comparisons to other faunal assemblages difficult. A new diverse vertebrate assemblage comprising cartilaginous and bony fishes, as well as marine reptiles, is described here from the Orenburg region near Akkermanovka (Southern Urals, Russia). Thirty five taxa are identified, including three holocephalans ( sp., , Chimaeroid indet.), two hybodontiform sharks ( sp., cf. sp.), 17 neoselachians ( cf. sp., sp., ex gr. . cf. ), a holostean (Lepisosteidae indet.), nine teleosts ( sp., Saurodontidae indet., cf. sp., Pachyrhizodontidae indet., . cf. . spp., Alepisauroidei indet.), two plesiosaurs (Polycotylidae indet., Plesiosauria indet.), and one mosasaurid (Tylosaurinae indet.). Based on the faunal assemblage, a Santonian-?early Campanian age is proposed. Lamniform sharks are the best represented group in terms of taxic diversity and relative abundance, probably reflecting the peak in diversity this group experienced following the Cenomanian radiation in the Late Cretaceous. The faunal assemblage of Akkermanovka exhibits significant taxonomic overlaps with assemblages reported from Asia and North America, but not from Southern Hemisphere continents, indicating east-west dispersal of several marine taxa during the Late Cretaceous.
PubMed: 38799703
DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105779 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024, a bacterium widely distributed in the natural environment, causes multiple diseases in various animals. Exploring the mechanism of the host defense against can help...
Integrated time-series biochemical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses reveal key metabolites and signaling pathways in the liver of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle () against infection.
INTRODUCTION
, a bacterium widely distributed in the natural environment, causes multiple diseases in various animals. Exploring the mechanism of the host defense against can help develop efficient strategies against infection.
METHODS
Herein, we investigated the temporal influence of A. hydrophila on the Chinese soft-shelled turtle, an economically important species, at the biochemical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic levels. Plasma parameters were detected with the test kits. Transcriptome and metabolome were respectively applied to screen the differentially expressed genes and metabolites.
RESULTS
The contents or activities of these plasma parameters were significantly increased at 24 hpi and declined at 96 hpi, indicating that 24 and 96 hpi were two important time points during infection. Totals of 3121 and 274 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the transcriptome while 74 and 91 differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) from the metabolome were detected at 24 and 96 hpi. The top DEGs at 24 hpi included and while and were the most abundant at 96 hpi. The predominant DAMs included O-phospho-L-serine, γ-Aminobutyric acid, orotate, L-tyrosine, and L-tryptophan at 24 hpi, as well as L-glutamic acid, L-arginine, glutathione, glutathione disulfide, and citric acid at 96 hpi.
DISCUSSION
The combined analysis of DEGs and DAMs revealed that tryptophan metabolism, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, as well as starch and sucrose metabolism, were the most important signaling pathways at the early infective stage while tyrosine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, as well as alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism were the most crucial pathways at the later stage. In general, our results indicated that the Chinese soft-shelled turtle displays stage-specific physiological responses to resist infection.
Topics: Animals; Turtles; Aeromonas hydrophila; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Signal Transduction; Metabolomics; Liver; Metabolome; Transcriptome; Gene Expression Profiling
PubMed: 38799475
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1376860 -
Communications Biology May 2024The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) is an endangered marsupial native to Australia. Since the extirpation of its mainland populations in the 20th century, wild...
The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) is an endangered marsupial native to Australia. Since the extirpation of its mainland populations in the 20th century, wild eastern quolls have been restricted to two islands at the southern end of their historical range. Eastern quolls are the subject of captive breeding programs and attempts have been made to re-establish a population in mainland Australia. However, few resources currently exist to guide the genetic management of this species. Here, we generated a reference genome for the eastern quoll with gene annotations supported by multi-tissue transcriptomes. Our assembly is among the most complete marsupial genomes currently available. Using this assembly, we infer the species' demographic history, identifying potential evidence of a long-term decline beginning in the late Pleistocene. Finally, we identify a deletion at the ASIP locus that likely underpins pelage color differences between the eastern quoll and the closely related Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii).
Topics: Animals; Endangered Species; Marsupialia; Genome; Australia; Pigmentation; Biological Evolution; Transcriptome
PubMed: 38796620
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06251-0 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The process of image fusion is the process of enriching an image and improving the image's quality, so as to facilitate the subsequent image processing and analysis....
The process of image fusion is the process of enriching an image and improving the image's quality, so as to facilitate the subsequent image processing and analysis. With the increasing importance of image fusion technology, the fusion of infrared and visible images has received extensive attention. In today's deep learning environment, deep learning is widely used in the field of image fusion. However, in some applications, it is not possible to obtain a large amount of training data. Because some special organs of snakes can receive and process infrared information and visible information, the fusion method of infrared and visible light to simulate the visual mechanism of snakes came into being. Therefore, this paper takes into account the perspective of visual bionics to achieve image fusion; such methods do not need to obtain a significant amount of training data. However, most of the fusion methods for simulating snakes face the problem of unclear details, so this paper combines this method with a pulse coupled neural network (PCNN). By studying two receptive field models of retinal nerve cells, six dual-mode cell imaging mechanisms of rattlesnakes and their mathematical models and the PCNN model, an improved fusion method of infrared and visible images was proposed. For the proposed fusion method, eleven groups of source images were used, and three non-reference image quality evaluation indexes were compared with seven other fusion methods. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm proposed in this paper is better overall than the comparison method for the three evaluation indexes.
Topics: Animals; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Neural Networks, Computer; Snakes; Algorithms; Deep Learning; Infrared Rays
PubMed: 38793931
DOI: 10.3390/s24103077 -
Viruses Apr 2024(FV3) in the genus of the family causes mass mortality in both anurans and urodeles worldwide; however, the phylogenetic origin of FV3-like ranaviruses is not well...
(FV3) in the genus of the family causes mass mortality in both anurans and urodeles worldwide; however, the phylogenetic origin of FV3-like ranaviruses is not well established. In Asia, three FV3-like ranaviruses have been reported in farmed populations of amphibians and reptiles. Here, we report the first case of endemic FV3-like ranavirus infections in the Korean clawed salamander , caught in wild mountain streams in the Republic of Korea (ROK), through whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Two isolated FV3-like ranaviruses ( ranavirus, OKRV1 and 2) showed high similarity with the virus (RGV, 91.5%) and ranavirus (RNRV, 92.2%) but relatively low similarity with the soft-shelled turtle iridovirus (STIV, 84.2%) in open reading frame (ORF) comparisons. OKRV1 and 2 formed a monophyletic clade with previously known Asian FV3-like ranaviruses, a sister group of the New World FV3-like ranavirus clade. Our results suggest that OKRV1 and 2 are FV3-like ranaviruses endemic to the ROK, and RGV and RNRV might also be endemic strains in China, unlike previous speculation. Our data have great implications for the study of the phylogeny and spreading routes of FV3-like ranaviruses and suggest the need for additional detection and analysis of FV3-like ranaviruses in wild populations in Asian countries.
Topics: Animals; Ranavirus; Phylogeny; Urodela; Republic of Korea; DNA Virus Infections; Genome, Viral; Open Reading Frames; Whole Genome Sequencing
PubMed: 38793557
DOI: 10.3390/v16050675