Issues

Summary: This Review describes how information on circulating nutrient levels in fish is integrated in the hypothalamus to regulate feed intake.

Summary: A novel family of remarkably stable snail proteins shows clade-specific patterns in both structural stability and function, suggesting a potential trade-off linked to phylogenetic position and the invasiveness of snails.

Summary: Analysis of the regulatory mechanisms controlling haemolymph circulation during resting periods in Rhodnius prolixus shows that dorsal vessel and digestive muscle contraction modulator factors include myogenic and peptidic signals, but also reflex responses associated with Piezo proteins.

Summary: After temperature change, squamates modulate systemic compliance of large arteries to maintain blood pressure, while peripheral conductance of pulmonary circulation is the primary factor modulating the final cardiac shunt, challenging previous understanding of shunt control.

Highlighted Article: Rainbow trout take advantage of flow refuges when vortex diameter exceeds fish total length by 1.5 times.

Summary: To avoid oxidative damage, fruit fly sperm should produce energy by glycolysis once in the female sperm store; however, we show that sperm employ the alternative energy metabolic pathway of oxidative phosphorylation.

Summary: Kestrels use a wide range of individual and coupled kinematics to maintain steady wind-hovering flights. This paper investigates the importance of these motions in this type of flight.

Highlighted Article: Diving ducks have a greater capacity for supporting aerobic metabolism while diving owing to greater mitochondrial abundance in the leg muscles, especially adjacent to the cell membrane and nearest to capillaries.

Summary: Bird embryos modify hormones received from the mother in the egg and thereby affect their own development.

Summary: Guinea fowl lateral gastrocnemius muscles do not operate at optimal lengths during force development in vivo, but muscle fascicle velocities are consistent with optimizing power during work production, and economy of force at higher loads.

Summary: The skeletal muscle properties of male and female cheetahs are predominantly fast twitch orientated and lacks oxidative capacity due to low mitochondrial enzyme activities compared to humans.

Summary: Investigation of Gekko gecko alarm calls revealed distinct call types, during which the larynx is being pulled back by muscles innervated by motoneurons located in the hindbrain.

Summary: Experimental manipulation of a social signal in breeding tree swallows reveals epigenetic changes to DNA methylation in one gene in the HPA axis.

Highlighted Article: Turkey vultures respond to variation in air density across their geographic range by modifying their flight speed, thus maintaining similar glide angles without increasing energetic output or local morphological adaptation.