Whether the endocrine pancreas exhibits structural features to couple with dietary patterns is not fully explored. Considering the lack of data comparing endocrine pancreas and islet cell distribution among different bat species in the same study, we considered this an opportunity to explore the topic, including five species within three different predominant diets. For this, we applied morphometric techniques to compare the islets of frugivorous Artibeus lituratus and Carollia perspicillata, insectivorous Molossus molossus and Myotis nigricans, and nectarivorous Glossophaga soricina bats. Data for islet size, cellularity, and mass were equivalent between frugivorous A. lituratus and nectarivorous G. soricina, which differed from insectivorous bats. The frugivorous C. perspicillata bat exhibited morphometric islet values between A. lituratus and the insectivorous species. A. lituratus and G. soricina but not C. perspicillata bats had higher islet mass than insectivorous species due to larger size, instead of a higher number of islets per area. Insectivorous bats, on the other hand, had a higher proportion of α-cells per islet. These differences in the endocrine pancreas across species with different eating habits indicate the occurrence of species-specific adjustments along the years of evolution, with the demand for α-cells higher in bats with higher protein intake.

Anoxia in the mammalian brain leads to hyper-excitability and cell death; however, this cascade of events does not occur in the anoxia-tolerant brain of the western painted turtle, Chrysemys picta belli. The painted turtle has become an important anoxia-tolerant model to study brain, heart, and liver function in the absence of oxygen, but being anoxia-tolerant likely means that decapitation alone is not a suitable method of euthanasia. Many anesthetics have long-term effects on ion channels and are not appropriate for same day experimentation. Using whole-cell electrophysiological techniques, we examine the effects of the anesthetic, Alfaxalone, on pyramidal cell action potential amplitude, threshold, rise and decay time, width, frequency, whole cell conductance, and evoked GABAA receptors currents to determine if any of these characteristics are altered with the use of Alfaxalone for animal sedation. We find that Alfaxalone has no long-term impact on action potential parameters or whole-cell conductance. When acutely applied to naïve tissue, Alfaxalone did lengthen GABAA receptor current decay rates by 1.5-fold. Following whole-animal sedation with Alfaxalone, evoked whole cell GABAA receptor current decay rates displayed an increasing trend with 1 and 2 hours after brain sheet preparation, but showed no significant change after a 3-hour washout period. Therefore, we conclude that Alfaxalone is a suitable anesthetic for same day use in electrophysiological studies in western painted turtle brain tissue.

Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins with specific affinity to glycoconjugates expressed in various tissues. Lectins are of substantial utility as research, histochemical, and diagnostic tools in mammalian systems. Reactivity of 12 commonly used plant-based lectins was studied in zebrafish liver. Four lectins, tomato lectin (TL), wheat germ agglutinin, concanavalin A, and Jacalin showed strong reactivity to hepatic parenchymal structures. Importantly, TL reacted to glycoconjugates within segments of the larval and adult intrahepatic biliary network, from canaliculi to bile ducts. We provide evidence that lectins can serve as important histochemical tools to investigate the structural and functional characteristics of the zebrafish liver.

Both genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to individual variation in the immune response to vaccination. Understanding how genetic background influences variation in both magnitude and persistence of vaccine-induced immunity is vital for improving vaccine development and identifying possible causes of vaccine failure. Dogs provide a relevant biomedical model for investigating mammalian vaccine genetics; canine breed structure and long linkage disequilibrium simplify genetic studies in this species compared to humans. The objective of this study was to estimate the heritability of the antibody response to vaccination against viral and bacterial pathogens, and to identify genes driving variation of the immune response to vaccination in Beagles. Sixty puppies were immunized following a standard vaccination schedule with an attenuated combination vaccine containing antigens for canine adenovirus type 2, canine distemper virus, canine parainfluenza virus, canine parvovirus, and four strains of Leptospira bacteria. Serum antibody measurements for each viral and bacterial component were measured at multiple time points. Heritability estimations and GWAS were conducted using SNP genotypes at 279,902 markers together with serum antibody titer phenotypes. The heritability estimates were: (1) to Leptospira antigens, ranging from 0.178 to 0.628; and (2) to viral antigens, ranging from 0.199 to 0.588. There was not a significant difference between overall heritability of vaccine-induced immune response to Leptospira antigens compared to viral antigens. Genetic architecture indicates that SNPs of low to high effect contribute to immune response to vaccination. GWAS identified two genetic markers associated with vaccine-induced immune response phenotypes. Collectively, these findings indicate that genetic regulation of the immune response to vaccination is antigen-specific and influenced by multiple genes of small effect.

The PhiC31 integration system allows for targeted and efficient transgene integration and expression by recognizing pseudo attP sites in mammalian cells and integrating the exogenous genes into the open chromatin regions of active chromatin. In order to investigate the regulatory patterns of efficient gene expression in the open chromatin region of PhiC31 integration, this study utilized Ubiquitous Chromatin Opening Element (UCOE) and activating RNA (saRNA) to modulate the chromatin structure in the promoter region of the PhiC31 integration vector. The study analysed the effects of DNA methylation and nucleosome occupancy changes in the integrated promoter on gene expression levels. The results showed that for the OCT4 promoter with moderate CG density, DNA methylation had a smaller impact on expression compared to changes in nucleosome positioning near the transcription start site, which was crucial for enhancing downstream gene expression. On the other hand, for the SOX2 promoter with high CG density, increased methylation in the CpG island upstream of the transcription start site played a key role in affecting high expression, but the positioning and clustering of nucleosomes also had an important influence. In conclusion, analysing the DNA methylation patterns, nucleosome positioning, and quantity distribution of different promoters can determine whether the PhiC31 integration site possesses the potential to further enhance expression or overcome transgene silencing effects by utilizing chromatin regulatory elements.

In mammals, glycated serum albumin (gSA) contributes to the pathogenesis of many metabolic diseases by activating the receptors (RAGE) for advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Many aspects of the gSA-RAGE interaction remain unknown. The purpose of the present paper was to study the interaction of glycated human albumin (gHSA) with RAGE using molecular modeling methods. Ten models of gHSA modified with different lysine residues to carboxymethyl-lysines were prepared. Complexes of gHSA-RAGE were obtained by the macromolecular docking method with subsequent molecular dynamics simulation (MD). According to the MD, the RAGE complexes with gHSA glycated at Lys233, Lys64, Lys525, Lys262 and Lys378 are the strongest. Three-dimensional models of the RAGE dimers with gHSA were proposed. Additional computational experiments showed that the binding of fatty acids (FAs) to HSA does not affect the ability of Lys525 (the most reactive lysine) to be glycated. In contrast, modification of Lys525 reduces the affinity of albumin for FA. The interspecies differences in the molecular structure of albumin that may affect the mechanism of the gSA-RAGE interaction were discussed. The obtained results will help us to learn more about the molecular basis for the involvement of serum albumin in the AGE/RAGE axis and improve the methodology for studying cellular signaling pathways involving RAGE.

As human activity accelerates the global crisis facing wildlife populations, private land conservation provides an example of wildlife management challenges in social-ecological systems. This study reports on the research phase of \'WildTracker\' - a co-created citizen science project, involving 160 landholders across three Tasmanian regions. This was a transdisciplinary collaboration between an environmental organisation, university researchers, and local landholders. Focusing on mammal and bird species, the project integrated diverse data types and technologies: social surveys, quantitative ecology, motion sensor cameras, acoustic recorders, and advanced machine-learning analytics. An iterative analytical methodology encompassed Pearson and point-biserial correlation for interrelationships, Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) for clustering, and Random Forest machine learning for variable importance and prediction. Taken together, these analyses revealed complex relationships between wildlife populations and a suite of ecological, socio-economic, and land management variables. Both site-scale habitat characteristics and landscape-scale vegetation patterns were useful predictors of mammal and bird activity, but these relationships were different for mammals and birds. Four focal mammal species showed variation in their response to ecological and land management drivers. Unexpectedly, threatened species, such as the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus), favoured locations where habitat was substantially modified by human activities. The research provides actionable insights for landowners, and highlights the importance of \'messy,\' ecologically heterogeneous, mixed agricultural landscapes for wildlife conservation. The identification of thresholds in habitat fragmentation reinforced the importance of collaboration across private landscapes. Participatory research models such as WildTracker can complement efforts to address the wicked problem of wildlife conservation in the Anthropocene.

This study explores the application of GIS technologies in analyzing and visualizing spatial structures of especially dangerous infections (EPI) in Kazakhstan. International collaborations have facilitated projects studying the focal patterns of diseases, improving data analysis and visualization. Extensive electronic databases resulting from field research on EPI foci have elevated the study\'s depth. The dynamics of natural foci, influenced by intraspecific structures of infection carriers, are impacted by industrial and agricultural developments, urban expansions, and climate change. The study notes changes in the enzootic territory, affecting mammal migration and consequently altering natural focus boundaries. Industrial activities, rotational methods, and habitat changes contribute to the increased epidemic potential in enzootic areas. Despite anthropogenic and climatic influences, the prevalence of plague remains high in Kazakhstan, with a trend towards expanding enzootic territories. Unified electronic databases on plague, tularemia, anthrax, and other zoonoses, developed for GIS analysis, enable mapping and visualization of natural foci. Electronic maps aid in determining enzootic territory boundaries, assessing infectious disease activity, and planning preventive measures based on risk assessment. ESRI\'s ArcGIS Desktop 10.8 with Arc Toolbox modules facilitated data processing in the geoinformation environment. Data includes epidemiological examination results, species composition of carriers, and laboratory test outcomes, enhancing comprehensive analysis and decision-making for anti-epidemic measures. The study in Kazakhstan identifies and details six natural and twenty autonomous plague foci, categorizing them by main carriers and observing an expansion of natural hotspots. The enzootic territory is classified into four geographic zones, further divided into 105 landscape-epidemiological regions. Laboratory studies inform electronic maps for analyzing plague\'s dynamic situation. Anthrax prevalence, primarily in chernozem and chestnut soils, is assessed, revealing 1,778 unaffected settlements and spatially clustered points. An epidemiological index aids in zoning for anthrax trouble. Tularemia\'s landscape occurrence is classified into four types, with spatial analysis revealing clusters and potential epidemic danger in specific regions. Geographic information technologies highlight high-risk areas, justifying preventive measures for dangerous infections. The results obtained serve as a scientific justification for the priority of preventive measures within the boundaries of administrative territories characterized by a high degree of potential epidemic danger and objectively indicate the prospects for the introduction of GIS technologies into the practice of epidemiological surveillance of particularly dangerous infections.

Distinguishing familiar from novel stimuli is critical in many animals\' activities, and procedures based on this ability are among the most exploited in translational research in rodents. However, recognition learning and the underlying brain substrates remain unclear outside a few mammalian species. Here, we investigated one-trial recognition learning for olfactory stimuli in a teleost fish using a behavioural and molecular approach. With our behavioural analysis, we found that zebrafish can learn to recognise a novel odour after a single encounter and then, discriminate between this odour and a different one provided that the molecular structure of the cues is relatively differentiated. Subsequently, by expression analysis of immediate early genes in the main brain areas, we found that the telencephalon was activated when zebrafish encountered a familiar odour, whereas the hypothalamus and the optic tectum were activated in response to the novel odour. Overall, this study provided evidence of single-trial spontaneous learning of novel odours in a teleost fish and the presence of multiple neural substrates involved in the process. These findings are promising for the development of zebrafish models to investigate cognitive functions.

Mammals have 6 highly conserved actin isoforms with nonredundant biological functions. The molecular basis of isoform specificity, however, remains elusive due to a lack of tools. Here, we describe the development of IntAct, an internal tagging strategy to study actin isoforms in fixed and living cells. We identified a residue pair in β-actin that permits tag integration and used knock-in cell lines to demonstrate that IntAct β-actin expression and filament incorporation is indistinguishable from wild type. Furthermore, IntAct β-actin remains associated with common actin-binding proteins (ABPs) and can be targeted in living cells. We demonstrate the usability of IntAct for actin isoform investigations by showing that actin isoform-specific distribution is maintained in human cells. Lastly, we observed a variant-dependent incorporation of tagged actin variants into yeast actin patches, cables, and cytokinetic rings demonstrating cross species applicability. Together, our data indicate that IntAct is a versatile tool to study actin isoform localization, dynamics, and molecular interactions.