The Brain of the Domestic Bos taurus: Weight, Encephalization and Cerebellar Quotients, and Comparison with Other Domestic and Wild Cetartiodactyla

The domestic bovine Bos taurus is raised worldwide for meat and milk production, or even for field work. However the functional anatomy of its central nervous system has received limited attention and most of the reported data in textbooks and reviews are derived from single specimens or relatively old literature. Here we report information on the brain of Bos taurus obtained by sampling 158 individuals, 150 of which at local abattoirs and 8 in the dissecting room, these latter subsequently formalin-fixed. Using body weight and fresh brain weight we calculated the Encephalization Quotient (EQ), and Cerebellar Quotient (CQ). Formalin-fixed brains sampled in the necropsy room were used to calculate the absolute and relative weight of the major components of the brain. The data that we obtained indicate that the domestic bovine Bos taurus possesses a large, convoluted brain, with a slightly lower weight than expected for an animal of its mass. Comparisons with other terrestrial and marine members of the order Cetartiodactyla suggested close similarity with other species with the same feeding adaptations, and with representative baleen whales. On the other hand differences with fish-hunting toothed whales suggest separate evolutionary pathways in brain evolution. Comparison with the other large domestic herbivore Equus caballus (belonging to the order Perissodactyla) indicates that Bos taurus underwent heavier selection of bodily traits, which is also possibly reflected in a comparatively lower EQ than in the horse. The data analyzed suggest that the brain of domestic bovine is potentially interesting for comparative neuroscience studies and may represents an alternative model to investigate neurodegeneration processes

Mediterranean Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) Threatened by Dolphin MorbilliVirus

During 2011-2013, dolphin morbillivirus was molecularly identified in 4 stranded fin whales from the Mediterranean Sea. Nucleoprotein, phosphoprotein, and hemagglutinin gene sequences of the identified strain were highly homologous with those of a morbillivirus that caused a 2006-2007 epidemic in the Mediterranean. Dolphin morbillivirus represents a serious threat for fin whales

Notes on the brain and encephalization quotient of two sperm whales with a synthesis of the literature and indications of a new method of extraction

The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus, Linnaeus 1758) possesses the largest brain that ever existed. Relatively few authors have dealt with it and the available descriptions are heterogeneous, with only few data about brain weight or gross anatomy. In fact the central nervous system of large cetaceans is quite difficult to obtain, given the huge body size and the low frequency of strandings of recently dead individuals. Furthermore, since the skull of the sperm whale underwent an extreme transformation for the accommodation of the spermaceti organ, the cranial cavity is surrounded by thick layers of bone and thus difficult to reach under field conditions. We recently had the chance to extract the brain from two stranded sperm whales whose bodies were in good condition. In the present note we describe the main macroscopic characteristics of the sperm whale brain, including its weight and Encephalization Quotient, review the available literature, and describe a possible new approach to the removal and preservation of the organ under field conditions

The Brain of the Domestic Bos taurus: Weight, Encephalization and Cerebellar Quotients, and Comparison with Other Domestic and Wild Cetartiodactyla

The domestic bovine Bos taurus is raised worldwide for meat and milk production, or even for field work. However the functional anatomy of its central nervous system has received limited attention and most of the reported data in textbooks and reviews are derived from single specimens or relatively old literature. Here we report information on the brain of Bos taurus obtained by sampling 158 individuals, 150 of which at local abattoirs and 8 in the dissecting room, these latter subsequently formalin-fixed. Using body weight and fresh brain weight we calculated the Encephalization Quotient (EQ), and Cerebellar Quotient (CQ). Formalin-fixed brains sampled in the necropsy room were used to calculate the absolute and relative weight of the major components of the brain. The data that we obtained indicate that the domestic bovine Bos taurus possesses a large, convoluted brain, with a slightly lower weight than expected for an animal of its mass. Comparisons with other terrestrial and marine members of the order Cetartiodactyla suggested close similarity with other species with the same feeding adaptations, and with representative baleen whales. On the other hand differences with fish-hunting toothed whales suggest separate evolutionary pathways in brain evolution. Comparison with the other large domestic herbivore Equus caballus (belonging to the order Perissodactyla) indicates that Bos taurus underwent heavier selection of bodily traits, which is also possibly reflected in a comparatively lower EQ than in the horse. The data analyzed suggest that the brain of domestic bovine is potentially interesting for comparative neuroscience studies and may represents an alternative model to investigate neurodegeneration processes

The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to sample the blow microbiome of small cetaceans

Recent studies describe the use of UAVs in collecting blow samples from large whales to analyze the microbial and viral community in exhaled air. Unfortunately, attempts to collect blow from small cetaceans have not been successful due to their swimming and diving behavior. In order to overcome these limitations, in this study we investigated the application of a specific sampling tool attached to a UAV to analyze the blow from small cetaceans and their respiratory microbiome. Preliminary trials to set up the sampling tool were conducted on a group of 6 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care, housed at Acquario di Genova, with approximately 1 meter distance between the blowing animal and the tool to obtain suitable samples. The same sampling kit, suspended via a 2 meter rope assembled on a waterproof UAV, flying 3 meters above the animals, was used to sample the blows of 5 wild bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Ambracia (Greece) and a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy), to investigate whether this experimental assembly also works for large whale sampling. In order to distinguish between blow-associated microbes and seawater microbes, we pooled 5 seawater samples from the same area where blow samples\u2019 collection were carried out. The the respiratory microbiota was assessed by using the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene via Illumina Amplicon Sequencing. The pooled water samples contained more bacterial taxa than the blow samples of both wild animals and the sequenced dolphin maintained under human care. The composition of the bacterial community differed between the water samples and between the blow samples of wild cetaceans and that under human care, but these differences may have been mediated by different microbial communities between seawater and aquarium water. The sperm whale\u2019s respiratory microbiome was more similar to the results obtained from wild bottlenose dolphins. Although the number of samples used in this study was limited and sampling and analyses were impaired by several limitations, the results are rather encouraging, as shown by the evident microbial differences between seawater and blow samples, confirmed also by the meta-analysis carried out comparing our results with those obtained in previous studies. Collecting exhaled air from small cetaceans using drones is a challenging process, both logistically and technically. The success in obtaining samples from small cetacean blow in this study in comparison to previous studies is likely due to the distance the sampling kit is suspended from the drone, which reduced the likelihood that the turbulence of the drone propeller interfered with successfully sampling blow, suggested as a factor leading to poor success in previous studies

Towards the Identification of a Suitable Commercial Diet for Carpione (Salmo carpio, Linnaeus 1758): A Multidisciplinary Study on Fish Performances, Animal Welfare and Quality Traits

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Carpione (Salmo carpio, Linnaeus 1758) is an endangered precious endemism of Lake Garda (Northern Italy), the largest Italian lake. To date, several bottlenecks about its culture remain unsolved, including the identification of a proper growth-out diet. In the present study, four different grossly isolipidic, isoproteic, and isoenergetic diets containing ingredients from different origins were used for S. carpio culture. Specifically, a diet largely based on marine ingredients, and currently used for carpione farming, was used as control. Three other diets were formulated in order to include relevant percentages of vegetable ingredients or processed animal proteins (at two different inclusion levels). After a three-month feeding trial, fish zootechnical performances, welfare, and flesh quality were evaluated through a multidisciplinary approach, including histology, gene expression, chemical analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This study provided the first insights on carpione physiological responses to different commercial dietary formulations. ABSTRACT: Carpione (Salmo carpio, Linnaeus 1758) is an endangered precious endemism of Lake Garda (Northern Italy), the largest Italian lake. To date, several bottlenecks about its culture remain unsolved, including the identification of a proper growth-out diet. The aim of the present study was to test four different grossly isolipidic, isoproteic, and isoenergetic diets in which the main ingredients had a different origin. Specifically, a diet currently used by local farmers for carpione culture, largely based on marine ingredients, was used as control (CTRL), while the other three diets were formulated by partially replacing marine ingredients with plant ones (VEG) or with different percentages of processed animal proteins (PAP1 and PAP2). The feeding trial was run in triplicate, over a three-month period. No significant differences in growth performance among the experimental groups were observed. However, remarkable histological alterations and inflammatory markers upregulation were observed in VEG group, while PAP inclusion played a role in attenuating inflammation and improving nutrient uptake. Fillet analyses highlighted significant differences in marketable traits and flesh fatty acid composition among the experimental groups, including the reduction of polyunsaturated fatty acids related to PAPs inclusion. In conclusion, PAPs used in the present study promoted S. carpio gut health and absorption capacity, while further studies are required to maintain proper quality traits of the final product

Multidisciplinary studies on a sick-leader syndrome-associated mass stranding of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) along the Adriatic coast of Italy

Mass strandings of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are rare in the Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, in 2014 a pod of 7 specimens stranded alive along the Italian coast of the Central Adriatic Sea: 3 individuals died on the beach after a few hours due to internal damages induced by prolonged recumbency; the remaining 4 whales were refloated after great efforts. All the dead animals were genetically related females; one was pregnant. All the animals were infected by dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) and the pregnant whale was also affected by a severe nephropathy due to a large kidney stone. Other analyses ruled out other possible relevant factors related to weather conditions or human activities. The results of multidisciplinary post-mortem analyses revealed that the 7 sperm whales entered the Adriatic Sea encountering adverse weather conditions and then kept heading northward following the pregnant but sick leader of the pod, thereby reaching the stranding site. DMV infection most likely played a crucial role in impairing the health condition and orientation abilities of the whales. They did not steer back towards deeper waters, but eventually stranded along the Central Adriatic Sea coastline, a real trap for sperm whales

Searching for Non-Sense: Identification of Pacemaker Non-Sense and Non-Capture Failures using Machine Learning Techniques

Abnormal or unexpected function of pacemakers due to mechanical failure of the implantation, electrical failures of the battery and electrodes, or physiological failures to respond to the stimulus may cause harm to a patient. A novel Bayesian decision tree algorithm is proposed to detect two types of pacemaker failures, non-sense and non-capture, without a priori knowledge of pacemaker type, model, or programming. A variety of pacemaker devices and modes were studied, including devices with single and dual chamber pacing; single and dual chamber sensing; and fixed rate and rate adaptive pacing. 12-lead ECG signals were acquired from 34 pacemaker patients at rest. These signals were annotated by a team of experts. A 10-fold cross-validation was performed on the data set to test the algorithm. Out-of-sample sensitivity and specificity of 87.8% and 98.7%, respectively, were achieved. This work shows that non-sense and non-captures pacemaker failures can be detected with high sensitivity and specificity without prior knowledge of the pacemaker type, model or programming, making this algorithm clinically relevant in emergency room environments where such pacemaker information may be unavailable

Mammary carcinoma with ocular metastasis in a mare

Mammary neoplasias in mares are considered a rare event, usually documented via case reports [1,2,3] or in small case series [4], with a carcinoma prevalence rate of 0,11% [3]. An endo-ocular mass from a 24 years old nonpregnant sella italiano mare was conservatively removed and istologically and immunohistochemically diagnosed as a neuroepithelial benign tumor (adenoma of the ciliary body). A second eye mass was then surgically excised with a second histological outcome consistent with a solid carcinoma with squamous differentiation. Due to poor clinical conditions, the animal was euthanized and sent to the necropsy service of the Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science. Necropsy findings showed a primary solid firm mass with a diameter of 15 cm, involving the right mammary gland, with a yellow-whitish cut surface with a central portion of necrosis. One to 6 cm in size, similar nodular masses were found in several tissues and organs including skin, lungs, lymph nodes at different sites, heart, liver, pancreas, parotid gland, intestinal wall (rectum and colon), adrenal glands, muscles and brain. Samples for histological and immunohistochemical examination were collected and routinely processed from all the grossly affected tissues. H&E sections from the primary mass showed multifocal necrosis and a primary neoplastic population of closely packed malignant epithelial cells organized in solid sheets, with foci of squamous differentiation and occasional tubule formation, admixed in abundant fibrovascular stroma and associated with a second population of benign myoepithelial cells. The latter were not detectable in most of the metastases analyzed. Selected sections of the primary tumors and metastases were then immunohistochemically stained for panCK, CK14, CK5-6, CK8-18, vimentin, p63 and calponin (avidin-biotin complex method with a BenchMark automatic immunostainer). As positive control, a dog mammary gland comprehensive of healthy skin and mammary gland was used. The antibody-panel showed: i) strong or mild positive staining in both the primary tumor and metastases for panCK (showing epithelial differentiation) and CK5-6 and CK14, consistent with a proliferation either of basal epithelial cells or myoepithelial cells; ii) occasional positivity for vimentin and p63, and positivity only in the metastases for calponin, consistent with a mild and focal myoepithelial proliferation; iii) inconsistent results for CK8-18, consistent with a low or insignificant proliferation of the luminal epithelium. The findings are compatible with an infiltrative solid carcinoma associated with hyperplasia of the myoepithelial cells. Our findings suggest that the second endo-ocular mass clinically detected was not a relapse of the adenoma of the ciliary body, but a metastasis of the undiagnosed mammary tumor. Despite the reported tendency to metastasize to multiple organs [1,2,4], this is (at the best of our knowledge) the first confirmed ocular metastasis of a mammary carcinoma in a mare

Correction: The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to sample the blow microbiome of small cetaceans.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235537.]