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This study investigated intraocular pressure (IOP) in Dutch belted rabbits using two different tonometers, rebound tonometry (TonoVet Plus; TVP) and a Tonopen (Tono-Pen AVIA Vet; TPA). Post-pubescent male Dutch belted rabbits aged 36 weeks (n = 10 animals) were used in the study. IOP measurements were conducted every 2 weeks for 22 weeks using TVP and TPA on both eyes of each rabbit. The average IOP measurements were compared by the paired Student’s t-test. Pairwise Pearson’s correlation coefficients and Bland–Altman statistics were used. The overall mean IOP measured with TPA was significantly higher than that with TVP (23.5 ± 4.9 vs. 21.8 ± 2.4 mmHg for the right eyes; P  = 0.045, and 23.0 ± 4.7 vs. 21.5 ± 2.4 mmHg for the left eyes; P  = 0.047). Both tonometers tended to show increased IOP readings with age, and positive correlations between IOP and age were observed with both TPA (r = 0.95, P  < 0.001 for right eyes; r = 0.95, P  < 0.001 for left eyes) and TVP (r = 0.91, P  < 0.001 for right eyes; r = 0.64, P = 0.024 for left eyes). The average bias calculated by subtracting TPA from TVP was − 1.60 (95% confidence intervals − 1.927, − 1.281) mmHg. IOP in post-pubescent Dutch belted rabbits tended to increase with age throughout the 22 week study.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is important to a man's well-being and health, since it not only affects the individual but also causes strain on a couple's lifestyle and relationship. There are multiple non-invasive treatments that exist for ED including lifestyle changes, oral medications (phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors), vacuum-assisted erectile devices, and intraurethral suppositories. While lifestyle changes and oral medications are typically first-line treatments for ED, more-invasive treatments including intracavernosal injections and surgically implanted prosthetic devices may be required for the management of complex cases. Additionally, novel therapies are currently being developed, and future treatment options may include shock-wave therapy, external prosthetic devices, and injection of stem cells or platelet-rich plasma. The current manuscript seeks to highlight advances in management and may eventually alter the treatment paradigm to allow more-inclusive care pathways.

Background Fomitopsis pinicola is one of the most common fungi found in temperate zone of Europe, widely distributed spread in Asia and North America. Fungus has a wide range of therapeutic activity: antitumor, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antifungal, hepatoprotective, hemostatic action. A number of studies have confirmed the significant antioxidant activity of F. pinicola fruiting bodies. However, the controlled cultivation conditions that influence fungal growth and metabolite production of F. pinicola , particularly the mycelial growth and biosynthesis of metabolites in its culture broth, as well as the antioxidant activity of its mycelium, remain poorly understood. Results This study investigated the impact of cultivation conditions on F. pinicola mycelium growth, phenols synthesis and antioxidant activity. Difference in the biosynthetic activity of F. pinicola under tested cultivation conditions was established. A highest value of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•) inhibition (78.2 ± 0.9%) was found for a mycelium cultivated at 30 ºC, while cultivation at a lower temperature (20 ºC) was suitable for biomass growth (8.5 ± 0.3 g/L) and total phenolic content (TPC) 11.0 ± 0.6 mg GAE/g. Carbon and nitrogen sources in a cultivation broth significantly influenced the studied characteristics. Xylose supported the highest DPPH• inhibition (89.91 ± 0.5%) and TPC (16.55 ± 0.4 mg GAE/g), while galactose yielded the best biomass (4.0 ± 0.3 g/L). Peptone was the most effective nitrogen source for obtaining the mycelium with high potential of DPPH• radical inactivation (90.42 ± 0.5%) and TPC (17.41 ± 0.5 mg GAE/g), while the maximum biomass yield (7.8 ± 0.6 g/L) was found with yeast extract in cultivation medium. F. pinicola demonstrated the ability to grow and produce bioactive metabolites across a wide pH range from 2.5 to 7.5. Shaking cultivation resulted in the highest TPC (21.44 ± 0.10 mg GAE/g), though the same level of antioxidant activity (93%) was achieved under both shaking and static cultivation on the 7th and 28th days, respectively. Conclusion Controlling cultivation parameters makes it possible to regulate the metabolic and biochemical processes of F. pinicola , facilitating the balance needed to obtain optimal biomass, phenols and antioxidant activity. The findings show the potential to increase phenol production by 2.25 and 2.23 times under shaking and static conditions, respectively, while maintaining a high level of activity.

Belted pig breeds have unique, distinguishing phenotypic characteristics. This review summarises the current knowledge on pig breeds displaying a belted coat pattern. Belts of different widths and positions around the animal’s trunk characterise specific pig breeds from all around the world. All the breeds included in the present paper have been searched through the FAO domestic animal diversity information system (DAD-IS), Every country was checked to identify all breeds described as having black or red piebald coat pattern variations. Advances in genomic technologies have made it possible to identify the specific genes and genetic markers associated with the belted phenotype and explore the genetic relationships between different local breeds. Thus, the origin, history, and production traits of these breeds, together with all the genomic information related to the mechanism of skin pigmentation, are discussed. By increasing our understanding of these breeds, we can appreciate the richness of our biological and cultural heritage and work to preserve the biodiversity of the world’s animals.

The red-belted clearwing moth Synanthedon myophaeformis is a deleterious pest of apple orchards, wherein the larvae bore tree bark, resulting in reduced fitness and ultimately death. The main control strategies of this pest still rely on the use of pesticides, while alternative agronomic methods for its control coexist, with the application of the main pheromone (Z,Z)-3,13-octadecadien-1-yl acetate. Until now, the molecular bases of the chemosensory systems of the red-belted clearwing moth have been less explored. With the aim to identify novel ligands that may interfere with the behaviour of S. myophaeformis, in this study, we have isolated and functionally characterised some key odorant receptors (ORs) of this moth by selecting paralogues from two main subgroups of the Lepidopteran pheromone receptor (PR) clade: the OR3 subgroup (OR3.1 to OR3.4) and the OR22 subgroup (OR22.1 to OR22.4). We generated transgenic D. melanogaster expressing SmyoORs in ab3A neurons, which we approached by single sensillum recording (SSR). Among these ORs, we deorphanized SmyoOR3.4 to ligands that we have previously identified for orthologues of the codling moth Cydia pomonella, including the pear ester ethyl-(E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate, its methyl ester analogue methyl-(E,Z)-2,4-decadienote, and the unsaturated aldehyde (Z)-6-undecenal. With this approach, we also identified a wide pattern of activation of SmyoOR22.4 to several apple-emitted ligands. Despite the fact that combining SSR with gas chromatography (GC-SSR) did not unveil the activation of the SmyoORs to compounds present in the headspace from apples, GC-SSR unveiled the enhancement of the SmyoOR3.4 spiking at nanogram doses of both pear ester, methyl ester, and (Z)-6-undecenal. For the first time, this study deorphanized ORs from the red-belted clearwing moth and identified ligands as possible semiochemicals to add to the ongoing strategies for the control of this pest.

A case of predation by a Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) on adult Long-toed Salamanders (Ambystoma macrodactylum) and a Northern Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora) is reported. This general note provides a description of the predation events with photographs of the amphibians being devoured. Additional photographs showing scars in long-toed salamanders are presented and considered in review of types of predatory attacks and defensive strategies. A literature review was completed to identify reported cases of predation on these two amphibian species. We discuss what is known about their anti-predator defensive strategies and what species are involved in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics at play. Traits exhibited by these amphibians are discussed as anti-predator adaptations that include warning colorations, defensive postures, tail dropping, crypsis, and glandular skin secretions that can be adhesive, unpalatable, or toxic. A potentially significant role of avian predators is considered in light of the evidence presented.

Because Belted Kingfishers (Megaceryle alcyon) eat a diet comprised primarily of fish they are a useful indicator species for aquatic contaminants such as mercury. Monitoring efforts generally compare nesting success or tissue contaminant concentrations from contaminated sites with reference sites. In contrast, this study examined subtler potential effects of mercury accumulation by quantifying plumage coloration (structural and melanin based) of nesting adult Belted Kingfishers and relating it to individual mercury concentrations. Mercury exposure was associated with increased brightness of plumage color consistent with the hypothesis that mercury slows the production of melanin. Clear sex differences in the chroma and hue of blue body feathers identified during this study suggest that Belted Kingfishers possesses cryptic dimorphism beyond the rufous “belt,” and thus mercury-induced alterations in blue plumage could reduce fitness.

The largest cause of accidental death and placental abruption in pregnancy is automobile collisions. Lives can be saved by correct use of the three-point seatbelt during pregnancy. Human interaction is essential for correct use of seatbelts. The objective of this study is to investigate pregnant women’s use of correct shoulder section together with correct lap section as advised by obstetricians and highway experts and to identify the most common seatbelt misuse during pregnancy. An international web survey was conducted in five languages for this study. 1931 pregnant women reported their use of seatbelts and how they position the shoulder and lap sections of their seatbelts. Special attention was paid to distinguish between ‘partly correct’ and ‘correct’ seatbelt positioning. The questionnaire responses are used to determine the magnitude of every combination of the correct and incorrect shoulder and lap section of the seatbelt positioning during pregnancy. Results show that seatbelt usage in pregnancy is generally high in the world. However, the correct use of the entire seatbelt is very low, at only 4.3% of all respondents. 40.8% of the respondents use the shoulder portion of the belt correctly, whilst a 13.2% use the lap section correctly. The most common misuse is ‘across abdomen’ or ‘not using the seatbelt at all’, and both pose danger to pregnant women and their fetuses. Correct use of three point seatbelts is a challenge during pregnancy. We recommend that the media, medical community, and automotive industry provide targeted information about correct seatbelt use during pregnancy and accident databases include ‘correct seatbelt use’ information in crash statistics.

Two algorithms based upon a tree-cotree decomposition, called in this paper spanning tree technique (STT) and generalized spanning tree technique (GSTT), have been shown to be useful in computational electromagnetics. The aim of this paper is to give a rigorous description of the GSTT in terms of homplogy and cohomology theories, together with an analysis of its termination. In particular, the authors aim to show, by concrete counterexamples, that various problems related with both STT and GSTT algorithms exist. The counterexamples clearly demonstrate that the failure of STT and GSTT is not an exceptional event, but something that routinely occurs in practical applications.

We observed a pair of Belted Kingfishers (Megaceryle alcyon) as they initiated burrow excavation in a bank along Rattlesnake Creek near Missoula, Montana in April 2010. During 180 min of observation on the first three mornings (17–19 Apr) of burrow excavation we observed the kingfishers fly rapidly at the bank from perched or hovering distances of 1–3 m and strike the bank bill-first 176 times, forming a pit in the vertical bank about body-deep after 60 hrs of work. Both sexes performed aerial ramming, at roughly the same rate. On the fourth morning we saw no ramming during 40 min of observation while excavation continued, but the site was abandoned later in the day. Aerial ramming at the start of burrow excavation appeared necessary because (1) the bank was vertical to overhanging without exposed roots, providing no opportunity for the birds to perch at the excavation site when beginning to dig, and (2) the birds seemed unable to strike the substrate with sufficient force to promote excavation while perched on the bank or hovering at the burrow entrance until several days into excavation, perhaps due to the presence of imbedded gravel and cobble in the soil. At least 13 species of kingfishers in the subfamilies Alcedininae and Daceloninae are reported to aerial ram into potential burrow sites (banks, termitaria, trees). Ours appears to be the first report of aerial ramming by the Belted Kingfisher and a member of the subfamily Cerylinae.