Head Width Research Articles

Treat, follow-up, or discharge? An aid in sonographic decisions for the borderline centered neonatal/infantile hips.

To investigate whether linear measurements or ratios on the Graf's "standard plane" ultrasound images of the neonatal/infantile hip, can support the clinically important differentiation between type I and type II hips. A total of 60 Graf type II hips and 124 randomly selected Graf type I hips, matched to the gestational age at delivery, birth weight, delivery mode, and age at the time of the examination, were identified through our hip screening service, during a period of two years. The images were diagnostically suitable, following anatomical identification and usability check, according to Graf. Anatomical landmarks including the lower limb of the os ilium, the bony rim, the silhouette of the os ilium, the labrum and the femoral head's borders, were used to determine the measurements and ratios which quantified their inter-relationships. The indices which differed significantly between type I and type II hips included: (a) the width of the "bony roof" (cut-off value 5.91 mm, sensitivity: 75%, specificity: 70%), (b) the ratio of the width of the "bony roof" to the femoral head's width (cut-off value 0.40, sensitivity 83%, specificity 71%), and (c) the ratio of the cartilaginous acetabular roof's width (including the labrum), to the width of the femoral head (cut-off value 0.450, sensitivity 82%, specificity 67%). Newly introduced measurements and calculated ratios on "standard plane" ultrasound images can be used as additional indices in the differentiation between Graf's types of "centered hips", thus increasing the diagnostic certainty of the examiner in borderline cases and limiting unnecessary re-examinations or treatment.

ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOLDEN RATIO AND THE FACIAL PARAMETER THROUGH CBCT IN SEVENTH CYCLE STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF DENTISTRY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CUENCA, PERIOD SEPTEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024.

The clinical skill necessary to modify dentofacial structure through orthodontic procedures, maxillofacial surgery or plastic surgery involves having a deep understanding of facial harmony. This encompasses the evaluation of facial aesthetics, proportions and symmetry to achieve optimal results.To analyze the relationship between the elements of the golden ratio with the facial parameter using CBCT and lateral cephalic of the seventh cycle “A” students of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Cuenca. The group of participants in the study was made up of students of the seventh cycle Orthodontics course at the University of Cuenca, which includes 34 people between the ages of 20 and 30 years, belonging to both sexes, with and without orthodontic treatment. with class I malocclusion complete dentition. The facial type of each patient was analyzed in relation to the presence or absence of the divine proportion (1.618) between head height and width. bizygomatic. Additionally, a data collection matrix was developed to evaluate craniofacial anthropometric measurements. It was observed that 0% are brachyfacial, 0% are mesofacial and 100% are dolichofacial. Furthermore, the vertical relationship and harmonic profile component of the golden ratio was present in a higher percentage (66.66%) in dolichofacial individuals when compared to the other facial types.The morphological facial type that had the most predominance in our study was the dolichofacial with absence of brachyfacials and mesofacials, in the students there was more golden ratio in the vertical relationship and harmonic profile regardless of the sex of the students.

Morphological Variations and Path Coefficient Analysis of Zoometric Traits of Local Chickens in Tolon District of Northern Ghana

The knowledge of morphometric measurements is paramount in domestic chicken production and marketing practices hence this research was undertaken to determine the morphological characteristics of domestic chicken in the Tolon District of Ghana. Birds reared under the traditional scavenging system, were randomly selected in four (Nyankpala, Tolon, Woribogu and Dondo) communities. Live body weight (BW) and thirteen morphometric traits namely, body length (BDL), chest circumference (CC), thigh circumference (TC), drumstick length (DL), shank length (SL), wing length (WGL), neck length (NL), head width (HDW), hip width (HPW), comb length (CL), head length (HDL), wattle length (WAL) and beak length (BKL) were measured. The data was subjected to general linear model, correlation and path coefficient analyses. The results revealed that, domestic chickens were generally smaller in sizes. The average values recorded were 0.99kg, 18.98cm, 20.60cm, 7.78cm, 11.78cm, 8.05cm, 16.17cm, 12.15cm, 2.34cm, 7.57cm, 3.39cm, 2.28cm, 1.70cm and 2.60cm for BW, BDL, CC, TC, DL, SL, WGL, NL, HDW, HPW, CL, HDL, WAL and BKL respectively. Location of birds significantly (P< 0.05) affected morphometric traits (BDL, CC, TC, SL, WGL, NL, HDW, CL, HPW, and WAL) of birds. Similarly, sex of birds had significant (P<0.05) effects on BDL, DL, SL, WGL, NL, HDW, CL, HDL, WAL and BKL whereas age had no significant (P>0.05) influence on any morphometric traits. The presence of crest affected (P<0.05) the variations in DL, SL, WAL and BKL. Also, presence of spur affected the variations (P<0.05) in BW, DL, NL, CL, HDL, WAL and BKL whiles comb type had no significant (P>0.05) effects on any morphometric trait. Correlation coefficients were generally low, with the highest (0.513) recorded between TC and CC. The highest direct path coefficient was obtained from CC (0.237), followed by BDL (0.156) and WAL (0.153). The findings of this work will be useful in characterization studies and breeding program for local domestic chickens.

Development of carrageenan-immobilized lytic coliphage vB_Eco2571-YU1 hydrogel for topical delivery of bacteriophages in wound dressing applications

Bacteriophages are employed as cost-effective and efficient antibacterial agents to counter the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and other host bacteria in phage therapy. The increasing incidence of skin wounds is a significant concern in clinical practice, especially considering the limitations of antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, the lack of an effective delivery system that preserves the stability of bacteriophages hampers their clinical implementation. In recent years, there has been a growing amount of research on bacteriophage applications in veterinary and biomedical sciences. In our study, lytic coliphage vB_Eco2571-YU1 was isolated against pathogenic Escherichia coli host bacteria, and hydrogel wound dressing materials were fabricated with marine polysaccharide carrageenan (carr-vB_Eco2571-YU1) for their antibacterial activity. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) morphology identified it as a Myoviridae coliphage with an icosahedral head length and width of approximately 60 and 56.8 nm, respectively, and a tail length of 119.7 nm. The one-step growth curve of coliphage revealed a latent period of 10 min, a rise period of 15 min, and a burst size of 120 virions per cell. The bacteriolytic activity of unimmobilized coliphages was observed within 2 h; however, strain-specific phage resistance was acquired after 9 h. In contrast, carr-vB_Eco2571-YU1 showed a sharp decline in the growth of bacteria in the log phase after 2 h and did not allow for the acquisition of phage resistance by the E. coli strain. The stability of coliphage under different pH, temperature, osmolarity, detergents, and organic solvents was evaluated. We also studied the long-term storage of carr-vB_Eco2571-YU1 hydrogels at 4 °C and found that the titer value decreased during a time-dependent period of 28 days. These hydrogels were also found to be hemocompatible using a hemolysis assay. The addition of plasticizer (0.6 % (w/v)) to the carrageenan (2 % (w/v)) to prepare carr-vB_Eco2571-YU1 hydrogels showed a decrease in compressive strength with enhanced elasticity. This phage therapy using polymeric immobilization of bacteriophages is a promising next-generation wound dressing biomaterial alternative to conventional wound and skin care management.

A new species of Amolops (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from Guizhou Province, China.

The Torrent frogs of the genus Amolops are widely distributed in Nepal and northern India eastwards to southern China and southwards to Malaysia. The genus currently contains 84 species. Previous studies indicated underestimated species diversity in the genus. In the context, a new species occurring from the mountains in the northwestern Guizhou Province, China is found and described based on morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analyses, Amolopsdafangensissp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA and COI genes supported the new species as an independent lineage. The uncorrected genetic distances between the 16S rRNA and COI genes in the new species and its closest congener were 0.7% and 2.6%, respectively, which are higher than or at the same level as those among many pairs of congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body size moderate (SVL 43.2-46.8 mm in males); head length larger than head width slightly; tympanum distinct, oval; vocal sacs absent; vomerine teeth present; dorsolateral folds weak formed by series of glands; nuptial pads present on the base of finger I; heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level far beyond the tip of the snout when leg stretched forward.

On the representation and methodology for wide and short range head pose estimation

Head pose estimation (HPE) is a problem of interest in computer vision to improve the performance of face processing tasks in semi-frontal or profile settings. Recent applications require the analysis of faces in the full 360° rotation range. Traditional approaches to solve the semi-frontal and profile cases are not directly amenable for the full rotation case. In this paper we analyze the methodology for short- and wide-range HPE and discuss which representations and metrics are adequate for each case. We show that the popular Euler angles representation is a good choice for short-range HPE, but not at extreme rotations. However, the Euler angles’ gimbal lock problem prevents them from being used as a valid metric in any setting. We also revisit the current cross-data set evaluation methodology and note that the lack of alignment between the reference systems of the training and test data sets negatively biases the results of all articles in the literature. We introduce a procedure to quantify this misalignment and a new methodology for cross-data set HPE that establishes new, more accurate, SOTA for the 300W-LP/Biwi benchmark. We also propose a generalization of the geodesic angular distance metric that enables the construction of a loss that controls the contribution of each training sample to the optimization of the model. Finally, we introduce a wide range HPE benchmark based on the CMU Panoptic data set. code:https://github.com/pcr-upm/opal23_headpose

Türkiye's indigenous genetic resource: Muradiye Kelebek pigeon

The current study was carried out to determine the morphological characteristics of the Muradiye kelebek pigeon, which has been reared for many years by breeders in the Muradiye region. The ages of pigeons were classified into two groups: 12-24 months (age group I) and 25-36 months (age group II). The male pigeons had a significantly higher trunk length (P<0.001), head width (P<0.05), beak length (P<0.001), beak depth (P<0.05), thoracic perimeter (P<0.001), and tarsus diameter (P<0.001) compared to the female pigeons. The body weight (P<0.001), chest width (P<0.05), and thoracic perimeter (P<0.01) values of age group II were higher than those of age group I. It was determined that most of the pigeons were grayish blue-eyed (69.90%) and non-crested (76.72%). It was determined that the head structure of the Muradiye kelebek pigeon was similar to the Edremit kelebek, Muradiye donek, Bursa oynarı, Thrace roller, and Alabadem pigeon genotypes. The spotted plumage color of the Muradiye butterfly pigeon and the other three genotypes (jackal plumage in the Thrace roller, speckled plumage in the Edremit kelebek pigeon, and red/black galaca in the Muradiye donek pigeon) may be a common trait. Since these genotypes share some phenotypic characteristics, the phylogenetic relationships between the Muradiye butterfly pigeon and the other five pigeon genotypes (Edremit kelebek, Muradiye donek, Alabadem, Bursa oynarı, and Thrace roller) should be determined by molecular studies.

Length-mass allometries of the larvae of aquatic dipterans: differences between taxa, morphological traits, and methods.

Body mass underpins many ecological processes at the level of individuals, populations, and communities. Often estimated in arthropods from linear morphological traits such as body length or head width, these relationships can vary even between closely related taxa. Length-mass relationships of mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae are poorly known despite the importance of this family to disease and aquatic ecology. To fill this gap, we measured ontogenetic changes in linear traits (body length, head width, and thorax width) and dry and wet masses and estimated length- and width-mass relationships in larvae of 3 culicid species inhabiting different niches: the tropical Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894), the temperate Culex pipiens (Linnaeus, 1758), and the snowmelt Ochlerotatus punctor (Kirby, 1837). We compared our results with published length-mass allometries of other aquatic dipteran larvae. We showed that thorax width and body length, but not head width, reliably predicted body mass for our 3 species. The length-mass allometry slopes in aquatic dipterans varied considerably between and within families but were independent of phylogeny, specimen handling, preservation techniques, and data fitting methods. Slope estimates became less precise with decreasing sample size and size range. To obtain reliable estimates of the allometric slopes, we have thus recommended using data on all larval stages for intraspecific allometries and a wide range of species for interspecific allometries. We also cautioned against the indiscriminate use of length-mass allometries obtained for other taxa or collected at lower taxonomic resolutions, e.g., when using length-mass relationships to estimate biomass production at a given site.

Morphology and morphometry of sperm in Kurdish stallions, a local breed from western Iran.

The present work was designed for a thorough investigation into the sperm morphology and morphometry of Kurdish stallions. The semen samples were collected from 10 Kurdish stallions. Three preparations from each ejaculate were stained with eosin-nigrosin (EN), Diff-Quik (DQ) and Rose Bengal (RB). The area, perimeter, length and width of the sperm head as well as tail length and total sperm length were measured. The parameters ellipticity, elongation, roughness and regularity were calculated. The morphology of sperm was also investigated under scanning and transmission electron microscopes. DQ and RB provided more clarified images for examining sperm structures compared to the EN method. The head length, head width, area and perimeter in EN were significantly higher than those in DQ and RB (p ≤ .05). Furthermore, the difference in head width, head area and head perimeter between DQ and RB was not significant (p ≥ .05). The tail length and total sperm length in all methods were close together (p ≥ .05). The highest percentage of normal sperm was seen in DQ and RB methods (82.55 ± 2.88 and 88.31 ± 5.19) respectively. The highest values for ellipticity, elongation and regularity were found in RB, whereas the highest value for roughness was measured in EN. Tail defects including coiled tails, and folded midpieces were the most frequent. Scanning electron microscope revealed two types of head shapes: heads with round anterior border, and heads with flat anterior border. The results indicated that despite the routine use of EN for morphological assessment of stallion sperm, RB and DQ can be considered for more clarified details of sperm structure including acrosome and midpiece. Furthermore, the Kurdish stallion sperm has morphometric traits in the normal range established for stallions; yet, some traits were larger than those reported for other breeds. It seems that the sperm of the Kurdish stallion has a longer head and tail in comparison with other horse breeds.

Anthropometric investigation of cephalic parameters for stature estimation: Through regression analysis.

Stature or body height is one of the most important and useful anthropometric parameters which determines the physical identity of an individual. Cranium encompasses hard tissue components with approximately immortal behavior, reason being cranial measurements were selected for the present study for estimation of stature. This investigation aimed to assess the stature of unknown using cephalometric parameters by creating equations through regression analysis. We selected 361 dental students for the present research; among them, 210 were females and 151 were males in the age range of 21-32 years. Stature and cephalic parameters, i.e., fronto-occipital circumference, head length, and head breadth were measured for each contributor following standard methods and techniques. Cephalic Index was calculated by using the formula: Cephalic Index (CI) = (Head width/Head length) ×100. Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient of stature with cephalic parameters was calculated, and regression analysis was done to generate the formulae for stature estimation. Results indicated that all cephalic measurements have strong correlation with stature, and among them, circumference of head was found to be the most reliable predictor. Stature of unknown or deceased can be identified using cephalic parameters as an auxiliary practice.

Sperm collection and characteristics analysis of the critically endangered Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla).

The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is a critically endangered species. However, there is a paucity of research on the male reproductive gamete biology of this species. The present study was the first to systematically analyse the sperm characterization of the Chinese pangolin, including semen collection, sperm morphometry and ultrastructure. The semen of five male Chinese pangolins was successfully collected using the electroejaculation method. CASA (computer-assisted sperm analysis) was used to assess semen quality and take images for sperm morphometric analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for sperm ultrastructure observation. The results showed that the semen of the Chinese pangolin was yellow to pale yellow in colour, viscous, with a fishy odour, and a slightly alkaline pH of between 7.7 and 7.9. The head defects were the main sperm defects; there were 13 kinds of head defects counted in this study. The total sperm length, head length, head width and tail length were 67.62 ± 0.21μm, 10.47 ± 0.06μm, 1.33 ± 0.006μm and 57.16 ± 0.20μm, respectively. SEM observed that the spermatozoa had a rod-shaped head with a distinct apical ridge, which was different from most mammals and similar to that in avians and reptiles. Interestingly, TEM found that the acrosome membrane of the Chinese pangolin had a double membrane structure rather than a multiple bi-lamellar membrane structure as reported by the previous study. Collectively, this study contributes to the development of artificial breeding efforts and assisted reproductive techniques for the Chinese pangolin, as well as providing technical support for research on germplasm conservation of this species.

Comparison of Special Stains for Analysing the Morphology of Sperm: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: In India, male infertility constitutes 40% of infertility cases in males, which has become a serious problem in developing countries. Numerous studies and advanced techniques have been identified in assessing sperm morphology. The detection of sperm morphology is a simple and widely accepted method for determining sperm viability. It assists in selecting appropriate treatments for male infertility in assisted reproductive techniques. Infertility issues can arise in healthy males due to altered sperm morphology. Aim: To analyse the morphology of sperm using basic histopathology stains such as Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Giemsa (G), Eosin-Nigrosin (EN), and Papanicolaou (Pap) stains. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to June 2022 at the Department of Clinical Pathology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Thirty semen samples were collected from healthy males and stained with H&E, Giemsa, Eosin-Nigrosin, and Papanicolaou stains. The results were observed and tabulated based on sperm shape, size, and motility using Kruger’s strict morphology method. A comparison was made to identify the fastest and most cost-effective method among the four stains. Descriptive statistics were used for the comparison. Results: Among the 30 semen samples, H&E and Papanicolaou stain methods were found to be rapid and cost-effective for analysing sperm morphology compared to the other stains (p-value <0.001). The findings included cases of Normozoospermia (18), Oligozoospermia (9), Necrozoospermia (1), and Teratozoospermia (2). In the Papanicolaou stained samples, the mean sperm head length (μm) was 8.92a±0.5, head width (μm) was 4.48a±0.33, head perimeter (μm) was 27.69a±1.85, head area (μm²) was 33.96a±3.74, tail length (μm) was 44.31a±2.02, sperm length (μm) was 53.24a±2.18, with no cytoplasmic droplets greater than half the size of the head and two vacuoles observed. Papanicolaou stain was the least expensive stain (9.50rs) compared to the other stains used for assessing sperm morphology. Conclusion: Papanicolaou stain is a simple and cost-effective method for analysing sperm morphology compared to other special stains. However, EN Stain is used to detect the morphology of live sperm. Sperm morphology assessment is necessary to monitor the causes of male infertility and determine appropriate treatment modalities.

Brain size scaling through development in the whitelined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) shows mass and cell number comparable to flies, bees, and wasps

Factors regulating larval growth and determinants of adult body size are described for several holometabolous insects, but less is known about brain size scaling through development. Here we use the isotropic fractionation (“brain soup”) method to estimate the number of brain cells and cell density for the whitelined sphinx moth (Lepidoptera: Hyles lineata) from the first instar through the adult stage. We measure mass and brain cell number and find that, during the larval stages, body mass shows an exponential relationship with head width, while the total number of brain cells increases asymptotically. Larval brain cell number increases by a factor of ten from nearly 8000 in the first instar to over 80,000 in the fifth instar. Brain cell number increases by another factor of 10 during metamorphosis, with the adult brain containing more than 900,000 cells. This is similar to increases during development in the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens). The adult brain falls slightly below the brain-to-body allometry for wasps and bees but is comparable in the number of cells per unit brain mass, indicating a general conservation of brain cell density across these divergent lineages.

Poxyaibamberus Andersen & Dantas, gen. nov. (Diptera, Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae) from Brazil.

Poxyaibamberus Andersen & Dantas, gen. nov. is erected based on the males of two species, P.jamanximensis Andersen & Dantas, sp. nov. from Jamanxim National Park, Pará State, Brazil, and P.ubajarensis Andersen & Dantas, sp. nov. from Ubajara National Park, Ceará State, Brazil. Both species have a comparatively short and wide head, with large eyes and short, five-segmented palps; a strong subapical seta on the ultimate flagellomere; scalpellate acrostichals; no setae on the wing veins except for one seta on the brachiolum; a long costal extension; and a large triangular anal point and a very long heel on the gonostylus. The systematic position of the new genus is briefly discussed.

Larval development of Argia joergenseni (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) at two different latitudes in Argentina

Our aim was to investigate the larval development of Argia joergenseni Ris in three streams located at different latitudes and ecoregions (Yungas and Chaco) in Argentina. We measured the head width and the metathoracic wing sheath length, and classified larvae into five size classes. Our results showed different patterns of larval growth between the three study sites. At the Yungas sites (latitude 26º S), larvae exhibited a high proportion of small individuals throughout the year, suggesting a multivoltine life cycle. In contrast, larvae in the Chaco region (latitude 32º S) showed marked seasonality in growth. The findings indicate a negative correlation between voltinism and latitude in A. joergenseni. The species exhibited an almost continuous flight season in the Yungas, while at the southern limit of its distribution (Chaco), the flight season was limited to the warmest months. This study provides important information on the larval ecology of A. joergenseni, contributing to a better understanding of the dynamics of damselfly communities and facilitating the development of effective conservation measures.

Novel T-Shaped Gate Structure of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on Si for RF Application

Due to the high electron saturation velocity and breakdown electric field, GaN-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been widely used in high frequency and power application, such as telecommunication, satellite communication, and radar system [1]. Since first demonstration of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs in 1993 [2], the RF performance of these device has continuously improved by the progress on epitaxy and device scaling technology [3].The current gain cut-off frequency (fT) and the maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) from the small-signal equivalent circuit of the HEMT are derived by the following equations [4].From these equations, it can be concluded that in order to achieve high frequency operation, HEMTs should be designed with a T-shaped gate structure that simultaneously achieves low gate resistance (Rg) and low parasitic capacitance (Cgs and Cgd). However, there are complex fabrication processes to form the T-shaped gate. Typically, the T-shaped gate structure is implemented through electron beam lithography process using a tri-layer resist such as PMMA/PMGI/PMMA, which requires multiple exposures or developments. Multiple exposures can cause overlay errors that can significantly affect the T-shaped gate with smaller gate lengths [5]. Also, it is difficult to obtain an undercut structure that enables a good lift-off and guarantees a high yield due to the need for precise dose control. In addition, since the T-shaped gate has an unstable structure in which a narrow foot supports the weight of a wide head, the gate may collapse during a subsequent process.In this work, we fabricated a novel T-shaped gate using the negative e-beam resist HSQ, which offers a simple T-shaped gate fabrication process. The HSQ that was exposed to e-beam is located underneath the gate head and on both sides of the gate foot in our novel T-shaped gate design, providing a robust structure. The HSQ-assisted gate HEMTs exhibit comparable DC/RF performance compared to conventional T-shaped gate HEMTs. Acknowledgement This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MIST) (No. NRF-2021M3C13097672).

The effects of stocking density on growth, morphological development, behavior, and welfare parameters in pheasants (Phasianus colchicus).

In pheasants, which are generally raised in large flocks, stocking density is important for their growth and development, normal behavior and welfare. But there is still a lack of information on the optimum stocking density for game birds. This research was conducted on a total of 200 pheasants to examine the effects of low (5 pheasant/m2) and high (10 pheasant/m2) stocking density rearing practices on body weight, morphological development, behavioral characteristics and welfare parameters such as foot-pad dermatitis and plumage quality. When we look at the study results, it was determined that the density of stocking did not make a difference in the first 13 weeks of age, but pheasants reared at low density at the ages of 14-16 weeks reached higher body weight. In terms of body weight at 14, 15, and 16 weeks, the low stocking density group had an average of approximately 41, 71, and 94 g higher than the high stocking density group, respectively (p<0.05). It had been found that low density provides better morphological development. The low group was found to be significantly higher than the high group in terms of ornithological size, wingspan, back length, tail length, head length and head width, 5.9 cm, 2 cm, 1.3 cm, 7.6 cm, 1.7 mm and 1 mm, respectively (p<0.05). Since the animals in the low group had more individual space, they had the opportunity to perch and therefore exhibit more passive behavior. On the other hand, pheasants in the low group exhibited higher levels of aggressive behavior (p<0.05). More foraging behavior was observed in the higher group and the low-density group consumed more feed in the 14th week (p<0.05). But no significant differences were detected between groups in terms of feed consumption in other weeks (p>0.05). A 1.12 point higher score was calculated in the low group compared to the high group, especially in terms of tail feather quality, and as a result, pheasants reared in low stocking density had better plumage quality (p<0.05). It had been determined that as the stocking density decreases in the rearing of pheasants, they exhibit easier flight and roosting behaviors and therefore they were less affected by feather pecking behavior and had better feather quality. In addition, it had been determined that pheasants grow and develop better in this group, which had more rest opportunities. In conclusion, rearing at low stocking density is recommended for better fattening performance and better welfare conditions.

Normal sperm head morphometric reference values in fertile Asian males.

Sperm head morphology is crucial for male factor infertility diagnosis and assessment of male reproductive potential. Several criteria are available to analyze sperm head morphology, but they are limited by poor methodology comparability and population applicability. This study aimed to explore comprehensive and new normal morphometric reference values for spermatozoa heads in fertile Asian males. An automated sperm morphology analysis system captured 23 152 stained spermatozoa from confirmed fertile males. Of these samples, 1856 sperm head images were annotated by three experienced laboratory technicians as "normal". We employed 14 novel morphometric features to describe sperm head size (head length, head width, length/width ratio, and girth), shape (ellipse intersection over union, girth intersection over union, short-axis symmetry, and long-axis symmetry), area (head, acrosome, postacrosomal areas, and acrosome area ratio), and degrees of acrosome and nuclear uniformity. This straight-forward method for the morphometric analysis of sperm by accurate visual measurements is clinically applicable. The measured parameters present valuable information to establish morphometric reference intervals for normal sperm heads in fertile Asian males. The presented detailed measurement data will be valuable for interlaboratory comparisons and technician training. In vitro fertilization and andrology laboratory technicians can use these parameters to perform objective morphology evaluation when assessing male fertilization potential.

The prevalence and risk factors of dental disease found in 100 miniature horses

IntroductionDental disease is a common condition affecting horses. Its prevalence and characteristics among most of the common breeds of horses and donkeys have been investigated and described in the literature, but information about the prevalence and etiology of dental disease of miniature horses is sparse.MethodsTo determine the prevalence and characteristics of dental disease of miniature horses, we performed oral and dental radiographic examinations on 100 miniature horses. The findings of these examinations were analyzed to determine the prevalence of dental disease and its correlation to age, sex, weight, body condition score, height at the withers, head length and head width. Older horses had a higher prevalence of dental disease, diastemata and crown elongations.ResultsThe most common dental diseases detected in this population were crown elongation, oral mucosal ulceration, diastemata, class 1 malocclusion and hypodontia. Horses with a high body condition score had an increased likelihood of having a class 1 malocclusion. Horses with wider heads had a higher prevalence of dental disease and class 1 malocclusions.ConclusionFrequent oral examinations, starting at an early age, should be prioritized as a part of miniature horse preventive health care to decrease morbidity and slow progression of dental disease.

Experience-Dependent Plasticity in Nucleus Laminaris of the Barn Owl.

Interaural time differences (ITDs) are a major cue for sound localization and change with increasing head size. Since the barn owl's head width more than doubles in the month after hatching, we hypothesized that the development of their ITD detection circuit might be modified by experience. To test this, we raised owls with unilateral ear inserts that delayed and attenuated the acoustic signal, and then measured the ITD representation in the brainstem nucleus laminaris (NL) when they were adults. The ITD circuit is composed of delay line inputs to coincidence detectors, and we predicted that plastic changes would lead to shorter delays in the axons from the manipulated ear, and complementary shifts in ITD representation on the two sides. In owls that received ear inserts starting around P14, the maps of ITD shifted in the predicted direction, but only on the ipsilateral side, and only in those tonotopic regions that had not experienced auditory stimulation prior to insertion. The contralateral map did not change. Thus, experience-dependent plasticity of the ITD circuit occurs in NL, and our data suggest that ipsilateral and contralateral delays are independently regulated. As a result, altered auditory input during development leads to long-lasting changes in the representation of ITD.Significance Statement The early life of barn owls is marked by increasing sensitivity to sound, and by increasing ITDs. Their prolonged post-hatch development allowed us to examine the role of altered auditory experience in the development of ITD detection circuits. We raised owls with a unilateral ear insert and found that their maps of ITD were altered by experience, but only in those tonotopic regions ipsilateral to the occluded ear that had not experienced auditory stimulation prior to insertion. This experience-induced plasticity allows the sound localization circuits to be customized to individual characteristics, such as the size of the head, and potentially to compensate for imbalanced hearing sensitivities between the left and right ears.