The Paraguayan hairy dwarf porcupine ( Coendou spinosus , Cuvier, 1823) is a rodent species (Rodentia, Erethizontidae) widely distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. However, little is known about their viral diversity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate, using high-throughput sequencing (HTS), the virome of the feces of seven healthy adult free-living porcupines from Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Total viral nu...

Gonatobotryum is an anamorphic fungus reported mainly as a saprophyte, parasite, or endophyte. The genus has traditionally been identified based on morphological features, with its phylogenetic placement remaining uncertain due to the lack of molecular data. During the analysis of fungi obtained from mangrove sediments in Brazil, nine isolates were morphologically identified as Gonatobotryum and subsequently analysed using the...

Inactivated microorganisms may reduce mycotoxins’ bioavailability, although in vivo evidence is limited especially in farm animals. This pilot study evaluated whether a fermented milk (FM) containing heat-inactivated biomasses of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 1% ( w/w ) mitigated the toxic effects of dietary aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs) in weaned piglets. Twenty-four male crossbred pigle...

This study evaluated the effects of providing 3–15 kg of a soluble and biodegradable biopolymer-based enrichment material (blend of biodegradable polymers and natural fibers) to prepartum sows housed in farrowing crates. Fifteen sows were blocked by body weight and backfat thickness and assigned to three treatments: no enrichment material (CONT), 3 kg of enrichment material (BN3), or 15 kg of enrichment material with added nut...

Obesity and endocrine disruptors (EDs) promote endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, a mechanism associated with cardiovascular diseases. Among EDs, BPS is widely used in consumer products. Whether BPS promotes cardiac ER stress, either alone or combined with a high-fat diet, remains unclear. Male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to a standard chow diet (SC—15 kJ/g), SC+BPS (SCB), high-fat diet (HF—21 kJ/g), or HF+BPS (HFB), receiving...

Knowledge of species distributions is essential for informing policies on nature conservation and restoration. However, updating them on a regular basis and doing so in a harmonized manner at the international level is difficult. The European Bird Census Council integrated national monitoring data covering 5 years to update farmland bird distributions and assessed how they changed. We used these data on 50 farmland bird specie...

Periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS) involves repetitive, involuntary limb movements and is central to diagnosing periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). Although distinct, PLMS frequently co-occurs with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and shares common pathophysiological factors, including deficiencies in brain dopamine, blood iron, and possibly cobalamin. Our aim was to investigate associations between blood concentrations of...

Purpose Passive heating has emerged as a potential non‑exercise method to support muscle strength and mass, but its application is limited by inconsistent protocols and unclear dosage and safety guidelines. This study used a Delphi methodology to establish expert consensus on key parameters for passive heating interventions targeting neuromuscular and muscle morphology outcomes. Methods An international panel of academic exper...

Purpose Remote sensing is a valuable tool for creating site-specific maps to reduce the environmental impact of excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization and for predicting crop yield and quality in harvest planning and food security. The aim of this study was the application of remote sensing to improve N management and harvest assessment in bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Methods A wheat field experiment with four N levels a...