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Topic Review
Coffee-Hemileia vastatrix Interactions
Coffee belongs to the genus Coffea of the family Rubiaceae and consists of over 100 species. The two main cultivated species, Coffea arabica L. (Arabica) and C. canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner (Robusta) accounted in 2020, on average, for about 60% and 40% of the world’s coffee production, respectively. Coffee leaf rust (CLR), caused by the biotrophic fungus Hemileia vastatrix, is the most important disease affecting Arabica coffee growing worldwide, leading to significant yield losses if no control measures are applied. A deep understanding of the complex mechanisms involved in coffee-H. vastatrix interactions, such as the pathogen variability and the mechanisms governing plant resistance and susceptibility, is required to breed efficiently for durable resistance and design new approaches for crop protection.
  • 625
  • 18 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Pale Fox
The Pale Fox (Vulpes pallida) is a small canid species native to the deserts and semi-arid regions of North Africa. Recognized by its distinctive pale fur and large ears, the Pale Fox is adapted to the harsh conditions of its arid habitat, where it plays a crucial role as a predator and scavenger. Despite its elusive nature, the Pale Fox serves as an important indicator of ecosystem health in its arid environment and is a subject of interest for conservation efforts aimed at protecting desert biodiversity.
  • 624
  • 08 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Composition of Fungal Communities in Donkey Cecum-Colon Ecosystem
The donkey hindgut is a microbial-rich ecosystem in which caecum and colon fungi play an important role in dietary fiber degradation. In addition, the fibrolytic enzymes produced by hindgut microorganisms are key to the ability of equines to hydrolysis plant fiber. In the entry, the fibrolytic enzyme activities within donkey caecum and colon were firstly measured by spectrophotometry. The dorsal colon presented a higher fibrolytic enzyme activity in comparison with caecum. The fungal community composition along donkey caecum and colon was determined by sequencing an internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) using Illumina MiSeq. The predominant fungi at phylum level were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Neocallimastigomycota. The Aspergillus, Wallemia, Phanerochaete, Fusarium, and Penicillium were detected as the dominant genera, but their metabolic and functional significance in donkey cecum-colon ecosystem need further investigation. In terms of the anaerobic fungi Neocallimastigomycota, its abundance was greater in donkey colon than in caecum. The relative abundance of enzymes related to plant cell wall breakdown were also predicted by PICRUSt, and they were also greater in donkey colon than in caecum. The entry provided new information about fibrolytic enzyme profiles and fungal communities in donkey hindgut. The findings could therefore contribute to the further understanding of the fungal taxa and their dietary fiber degradation mechanisms in donkey hindgut ecosystem.
  • 623
  • 25 Feb 2022
Topic Review
North American River Otter
The North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) is a charismatic and highly adaptable semi-aquatic mammal native to freshwater habitats across North America. Recognizable for its sleek, streamlined body, webbed feet, and playful behavior, this otter species is well-suited to its aquatic lifestyle. As a top predator in freshwater ecosystems, the North American River Otter plays a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of aquatic food webs.
  • 623
  • 08 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Stallion Husbandry
The stress of isolation from the individual husbandry of stallions can result in behavioral problems, aggression, and diseases of the respiratory, nutritional, and musculoskeletal systems. Several examples from practice show that the keeping of stallions in groups is possible in principle. It only poses a risk for injuries if the necessary requirements for this type of husbandry are not taken into account. If the size and design of the exercise area/pasture, the group constellations, and the characters of the stallions are considered, keeping stallions in groups represents the most species-appropriate form of husbandry for them. This takes into account animal welfare aspects and complies best with the requirements of modern horse husbandry. However, the integration of the stallion into an existing group should only be carried out by qualified, experienced horse owners, who must proceed professionally and step by step. Consequently, stress, disadvantages, and the potential for injury can be reduced to a minimum or, ideally, avoided altogether, and the wellbeing and mental and physical health can be supported in the best possible way.
  • 622
  • 27 May 2021
Topic Review
Effects of Dietary Tributyrin on Yellow-Feathered Broilers
Various antibiotic products in poultry production are gradually being banned around the world due to the adverse problems including the antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance. Tributyrin was a potential alternative to antibiotics. The results of the present study indicated that tributyrin could improve the growth performance by modulating blood biochemical indices and the cecal microflora composition of yellow-feathered broilers. To the best of our knowledge, few studies investigated the effects of tributyrin on intestinal microbiota and its relationship with growth performance in broilers. This will provide a scientific basis for the application of tributyrin in animal husbandry in this post-antibiotic era.
  • 622
  • 17 Dec 2021
Topic Review
NF-κB and Poultry
Redox biology is a very quickly developing area of modern biological sciences, and roles of redox homeostasis in health and disease have recently received tremendous attention. There are a range of redox pairs in the cells/tissues responsible for redox homeostasis maintenance/regulation. Transcription factor Nrf2 was shown to be a master regulator of antioxidant defenses via activation of various vitagenes and other protective molecules to maintain redox homeostasis in cells/tissues. It was shown that Nrf2 is closely related to another transcription factor, namely, NF-κB, responsible for control of inflammation. The regulatory roles of NF-κB in poultry are still poorly understood, but accumulating information clearly indicates that, similar to mammals, NF-κB is a main regulator of many important processes, including inflammation in avian species.
  • 621
  • 10 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Acanthamoeba Keratitis in Animals
When presented with an animal exhibiting signs of keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), such as impaired vision, mucoid discharges, redness, swelling, and corneal oedema, most veterinarians would think of bacteria, viruses, or fungi as the potential causative agent(s). Evidence has arisen in recent years of a possible connection between the protozoan Acanthamoeba and keratitis in animals. Acanthamoeba infection is underdiagnosed, but potentially common, in animals.
  • 621
  • 11 May 2021
Topic Review
Periosteum-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
The periosteum, with its outer fibrous and inner cambium layer, lies in a dynamic environment with a niche of pluripotent stem cells for their reparative needs. The inner cambium layer is rich in mesenchymal progenitors, osteogenic progenitors, osteoblasts, and fibroblasts in a scant collagen matrix environment. Their role in union and remodeling of fracture is well known.  From a therapeutic standpoint, the periosteum as a source of tissue engineering has gained much attraction. 
  • 621
  • 13 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Bat-eared Fox
The Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a unique canid species found in the arid savannas and grasslands of Africa. Renowned for its large ears, which resemble those of a bat, this fox species has adapted to a specialized diet consisting primarily of insects, particularly termites. Despite its small size, the Bat-eared Fox plays a significant role in ecosystem dynamics by controlling insect populations and contributing to soil health through its foraging activities.
  • 620
  • 08 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Reproductive Potential in Primula veris L. (Primulaceae)
Primula veris (Primulaceae) is a valuable medicinal plant. P. veris is a Euro-Siberian Temperate element distributed throughout most of temperate Europe and Western Asia. As with most species of the genus Primula, it is entomophilous with a great affinity between its flowers. Insect pollinators belong to Hymenoptera (mainly bumblebees and bees), Lepidoptera and Diptera.
  • 619
  • 10 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Dietary Application of Opuntia in Animal Nutrition
The cactus Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., commonly called prickly pear or cactus pear, is a tropical and subtropical plant belonging to the dicotyledonous angiosperm Cactaceae family, which comprises about 1500 species of cactus. Cactaceae have adaptive characteristics that ensure their development progress under drought conditions. The research provides information on the nutritive value of Opuntia in animal fodder production, its effects on animal performance, and the quality of the animal-derived products. 
  • 619
  • 11 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Genomic Selection for Wheat Quality
Selection for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain quality is often costly and time-consuming since it requires extensive phenotyping in the last phases of development of new lines and cultivars. The development of high-throughput genotyping in the last decade enabled reliable and rapid predictions of breeding values based only on marker information. Genomic selection (GS) is a method that enables the prediction of breeding values of individuals by simultaneously incorporating all available marker information into a model. The success of GS depends on the obtained prediction accuracy, which is influenced by various molecular, genetic, and phenotypic factors, as well as the factors of the selected statistical model.
  • 619
  • 27 Apr 2021
Topic Review
PRRS Immune Control Strategies
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) affects farmed pigs worldwide and still causes heavy direct and indirect losses. The syndrome emerged in the late 1980s, in USA, and later on in Europe, and it eventually became enzootic in most countries among farmed pigs. Late-term reproductive failure in sows with transplacental transmission of the virus, preweaning mortality of piglets, respiratory distress, anorexia, and possible cutaneous hyperemia in weaners and growers are common clinical signs of PRRS.
  • 619
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Farm-level in Pig Production
Specialist systematically mapped the scientific literature on the sustainability of pig production at farm-level. Sustainability was considered holistically, i.e. economic, environmental, and social dimensions, each consisting of a broad range of different aspects that may contradict or reinforce each other. Literature published between January 2000 and March 2020 with a geographical focus on Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand was included. We found that papers analysing environmental sustainability were more frequent than papers analysing economic or social sustainability. However, there are many different aspects within each dimension of sustainability, hampering comparisons between studies. These interrelations are not well understood and that possible trade-offs or synergies between different aspects of sustainability dimensions remain unidentified. This systematic mapping of the current literature on farm-level sustainability in pig production can support a more informed discussion on knowledge gaps and help prioritise future research at farm-level to enhance sustainability in pig production.
  • 618
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Nocturnal Bees as Crop Pollinators
Bees are typically diurnal but around 1% of described species have nocturnal activity. Nocturnal bees are still poorly studied due to bias towards studying diurnal insects. However, knowledge concerning their biology and role as crop pollinators has increased. We review the literature on nocturnal bees’ traits and their host plants, and assess the crop pollination effectiveness of this neglected group. Nocturnal bees have visual adaptations to cope with low light intensities, and floral scents are a key sensory cue used to find their host flowers. Nocturnal bees generally show high flower constancy, the ability to vibrate flowers, and high transfer rates of pollen grains to stigmas. The flowers visited by nocturnal bees range from small radial and zygomorphic flowers to large brush blossoms; moreover, they visit plants with different flowering strategies. Nocturnal bees are effective pollinators of regional fruit crops in Brazil, such as cambuci (Campomanesia phaea), guaraná (Paullinia cupana), cajá (Spondias mombin), and in North America of cultivated pumpkins (Cucurbita species). However, they most likely are pollinators of several other crops. Strategies to host high numbers of nocturnal bees around cropping areas should be taken, such as preserving adjacent native forests, restricting soil management, providing food resources beyond crop flowers, and avoiding light pollution.
  • 618
  • 29 Jul 2021
Topic Review
One Health, Food-Borne Zoonoses and EU Green Policies
Zoonotic agents are pathogens with an unrestricted host spectrum. In nature, their survival occurs in reservoir animal species, which generally do not present clinical symptoms and, therefore, are difficult to identify. Promiscuity between farmed animals and wildlife increases the risk of transmission of pathogens and their consequent adaptation to new host species, including human beings. Therefore, promiscuity increases the risk of emergence of new zoonoses. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), zoonoses represent 60% of human infectious diseases and 75% of the emerging ones; 80% of pathogens of animal origin have strong potential as bioterrorism agents. Deforestation and destruction of natural areas produce promiscuity, pushing wild species to invade new areas and to arrive in anthropic environments. In high-income countries, domesticated animals are as much a potential reservoir of high-risk zoonoses as the wildlife animals in equatorial rainforests or wet markets.
  • 618
  • 22 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Saline Soil-Based Crop Cultivations by Applying Halophyte-Associated Bacteria
Using the biological approach of halotolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria (HT-PGPB) as bio-inoculants provides a promising crop enhancement strategy. HT-PGPB has been proven capable of forming a symbiotic relationship with the host plant by instilling induced salinity tolerance (IST) and multiple plant growth-promoting traits (PGP). 
  • 618
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Glutamine synthetase (GS) of wheat
Glutamine synthetase isoforms of wheat play distinct roles in nitrogen assimilation for their different kinetic properties, tissue locations, and response to nitrogen regimes.
  • 616
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Antimicrobials and Food-Related Stresses
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation uses physical energy, and it is a non-thermal and non-chemical technology used by the food industry for liquid and solid surface decontamination, to control foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, as well as viruses and protozoa. UV radiations at short wavelengths, in the range of from 220 to 280 nm, result in physical damage to the nucleic acids and inhibit bacterial replication by induction of the formation of cyclobutene pyrimidine dimers, which blocks DNA replication and transcription, leading to cell death . However, the repair mechanism of UV damage, especially by photoreactivation, is a major disadvantage of UV disinfection .
  • 615
  • 10 Jun 2021
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