Functional proteomic analysis of crossbred (Holstein Friesian × Sahiwal) bull spermatozoa

Male infertility is one of the prime concerns of dairy cattle production. The study was designed to find out differentially expressed proteins in categorized crossbred (Holstein Friesian × Sahiwal) bull semen to serve as potential biomarkers for male infertility. Frozen crossbred bull semen with satisfactory phenotypic records were defined as “good” and “poor” based on their fertility rates. A total of 1,547 proteins were detected in bull spermatozoa using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC‐MS/MS) analysis. Results revealed that 558 (36.1%) and 653 (42.2%) proteins were expressed to good and poor quality bull spermatozoa, respectively. A total of 336 proteins (21.7%) were reported to be unique for both good and poor quality bull semen, and among the common proteins, 224 (66.7%) and 112 (33.3%) were up‐ and downregulated in good and poor quality categorized bull semen, respectively. Gene Ontology analysis of global proteomes identified different signalling pathways, and most of them were related to cellular motility, immune systems as well as cellular metabolisms. The distinctive presence of some of the proteins may provide an insight into the molecular mechanistic role played by these proteins in crossbred bull infertility.     

Endocrine profiles of periparturient mares and their foals

The aim of this study was to characterize concentrations of leptin, IGF-I, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood serum of mares pre-and postpartum, in the milk serum of mares postpartum, and in the blood serum of their foals. Nine pregnant Quarter Horse mares and their offspring were used in this study. Once weekly between 1000 and 1200 h for 2 wk before their predicted parturition date, mares were weighed, assigned a BCS, and blood was sampled via jugular venipuncture. Within 2 h of parturition and before the foals nursed (d 0), blood samples were obtained from the mares and foals, and a milk sample was collected from the mares. Blood from the foals and blood and milk from the mares were collected again at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 12, 19, 26, 33, and 61 d postpartum. Mares and foals also were weighed and assigned a BCS on d 0, 5, 12, 19, 26, 33, and 61. Additionally, on d 5, 33, and 61, ultrasound images of fat depth and area of the LM immediately cranial to and parallel with the last rib on the left side of the foals were measured to characterize changes in fat depth and LM area over time. There were no changes in mare blood concentrations TSH (P = 0.15), nor were there any changes in foal blood concentrations of leptin (P = 0.54) or TSH (P = 0.10) during the trial period. Mare blood concentrations of IGF-I tended to change over time (P = 0.07), whereas leptin changed over time (P < 0.001), initially decreasing and then remaining relatively stable after d 5. Foal blood concentrations of IGF-I increased initially, peaked at d 19, and stabilized thereafter (P < 0.001). Milk concentrations of leptin and TSH were greatest on d 0 and decreased over time (P < 0.007), reaching nadir concentrations at d 61. Milk concentrations of IGF-I also changed over time (P = 0.02), being greatest on d 0 and undetectable by d 12. There was no difference in BCS (P = 0.94) in mares over time, but there was a difference between pre- and postpartum BW (P < 0.001) due to foaling. However, no differences were detected in pre- (P = 0.70) or postpartum BW (P = 0.76) of mares over time. Mean ultrasonic fat depth and LM area increased (P < 0.04) as the foals aged, as did BCS and BW (P < 0.001). Recognizing changes in metabolic hormones surrounding the time of parturition in the mare and foal provides a basis for further determination of the role, if any, these hormones play in the milk, as well as in the neonate.     

Are Pharmacological Interventions Between Conception and Birth Effective in Improving Reproductive Outcomes in North American Swine?

The objective of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of using pharmacological compounds on reproductive outcomes, particularly litter size, in North American swine. While the opportunity to improve reproduction in North American pigs exists, numerous hurdles need to be overcome in order to achieve measureable results. In the swine industry, the majority of piglet losses are incurred during pregnancy and around farrowing. Over the last 20 years, a reduction in losses has been achieved through genetic selection and nutritional management; however, these topics are the focus of other reviews. This review will evaluate attempts to improve litter size by reducing losses at various stages of the reproductive process, from the time of conception to the time of farrowing, using pharmacological compounds. Generally, these compounds are used to either alter physiological processes related to fertilization, embryonic attachment or uterine capacity, etc., or to facilitate management aspects of the breeding females such as inducing parturition. Although some of the pharmacological agents reviewed here show some positive effects on improving reproductive parameters, the inconsistent results and associated risks usually outweigh the benefits gained. Thus, at the present time, the use of pharmacological agents to enhance reproduction in North American swine may only be recommended for herds with low fertility and presents an avenue of research that could be further explored.     

Smallholder Teak and Agrarian Change in Northern Laos

Smallholder teak (Tectona grandis) plantations have become increasingly prominent in the landscape of Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR. While the global market for teak-wood is attractive, investment has been driven by a range of factors, including changes to land legislation, land-use planning, taxation incentives, and government and non-government programs and promotions. The establishment of teak stands provides a labour-saving land use for households, potentially freeing up household resources for other farm and non-farm opportunities. However, the degree to which households can participate in the industry varies within and between villages. This paper reviews some of the underlying incentives for the expansion of teak plantations, examines the livelihood activities of both teak and non-teak producers in five case study villages in Luang Prabang, and explores the differential outcomes emerging from the expansion of smallholder teak production. The survey revealed that teak planting has been more extensive among households with a longer history of settlement, where the household head is older and better educated, where household members have off-farm sources of income, and where the household has access to paddy land and is thus more likely to be self-sufficient in rice. Households that depend on shifting cultivation for their livelihoods, without access to alternative productive land or income sources, will continue to have difficulty planting teak or holding on to the land they do manage to plant. The paper concludes that the establishment and improvement of teak plantations, like other apparently technical interventions aimed at providing a ‘pathway out of poverty’, need to be seen in the context of wider processes of agrarian change and differentiation to appreciate the resultant impacts on livelihood trajectories.     

Stakeholder position paper: economist's perspectives on antibiotic use in animals

Economics seeks to understand and explain the allocation of resources within society and to suggest appropriate policy to achieve goals such as optimal efficiency. Relating antimicrobial use and antibiotic resistance is a complex task and requires very clear and careful analyses of many relationships. To address these relationships, antibiotic use data must be linked with other basic data. Ideally, a complex relational database needs to be developed. These must include data on: antimicrobial usage, farm-level animal productivity, basic disease, basic farm management, consumer response, and antimicrobial resistance at multiple levels (farm, during process, on a variety of both animal, vegetable and grain-derived food products, from humans, from other animal species, and from the environment) among other data. Such a complex relational database can help with the attribution and risk assessment process. Also these linked data are needed in order to develop the economic production models and other economic models, as well as control for confounding so that there is both adequate and appropriate statistical control. Antimicrobial usage data may become economically important for reasons unrelated to animal productivity and animal health. With expanding global trade of animals and animal products, there have been changes in restrictions and regulations associated with the movement of products. Future trade opportunities may be linked to antimicrobial usage. The European Union banned the use of antimicrobials for growth-promoting purposes based on perceived risk and on public opinion. Monitoring antimicrobial use, disease occurrence, and resistance patterns following changes in usage that are a result of either policy changes or response to new information will help in the understanding of the complex relationships in microbial and disease ecology. There is a lot of evidence substantiating the productivity and profitability gains to producers from the use of antimicrobials. There is also evidence for the potential gains to consumers, both from an economic perspective as well as from a health perspective. Economists can help identify the implications of these relationships both at a micro- and macro-economic level; both relative to producer and to consumer welfare. We are at a pivotal time in history with sufficient analytical expertise and tools to address this complex issue from a scientific perspective. Linking various agencies so there can be coordination of data collection and data sharing is needed to successfully address this topic.     

Tumor slices as a model to evaluate doxorubicin in vitro treatment and expression of trios of genes PRSS11, MTSS1, CLPTM1 and PRSS11, MTSS1, SMYD2 in canine mammary gland cancer

Background

In women with breast cancer submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy based in doxorubicin, tumor expression of groups of three genes (PRSS11, MTSS1, CLPTM1 and PRSS11, MTSS1, SMYD2) have classified them as responsive or resistant. We have investigated whether expression of these trios of genes could predict mammary carcinoma response in dogs and whether tumor slices, which maintain epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, could be used to evaluate drug response in vitro.

Methods

Tumors from 38 dogs were sliced and cultured with or without doxorubicin 1 μM for 24 h. Tumor cells were counted by two observers to establish a percentage variation in cell number, between slices. Based on these results, a reduction in cell number between treated and control samples ≥ 21.7%, arbitrarily classified samples, as drug responsive. Tumor expression of PRSS11, MTSS1, CLPTM1 and SMYD2, was evaluated by real time PCR. Relative expression results were then transformed to their natural logarithm values, which were spatially disposed according to the expression of trios of genes, comprising PRSS11, MTSS1, CLPTM1 and PRSS11, MTSS1, SMYD2. Fisher linear discrimination test was used to generate a separation plane between responsive and non-responsive tumors.

Results

Culture of tumor slices for 24 h was feasible. Nine samples were considered responsive and 29 non-responsive to doxorubicin, considering the pre-established cut-off value of cell number reduction ≥ 21.7%, between doxorubicin treated and control samples. Relative gene expression was evaluated and tumor samples were then spatially distributed according to the expression of the trios of genes: PRSS11, MTSS1, CLPTM1 and PRSS11, MTSS1, SMYD2. A separation plane was generated. However, no clear separation between responsive and non-responsive samples could be observed.

Conclusion

Three-dimensional distribution of samples according to the expression of the trios of genes PRSS11, MTSS1, CLPTM1 and PRSS11, MTSS1, SMYD2 could not predict doxorubicin in vitro responsiveness. Short term culture of mammary gland cancer slices may be an interesting model to evaluate chemotherapy activity.     

Effect of tree species on methane and ammonium oxidation capacity in forest soils

High and low affinity methane oxidation potentials were measured for soils under five fully replicated land-use treatments over an entire calendar year. Simultaneous measurements of soil nitrification potential in replicate soil samples were also made. Both high and low affinity CH₄ oxidation were significantly reduced in the nitrate-rich soils under alder, compared to the other four vegetation treatments (oak, Norway spruce, Scots pine and grass). However, the effect of land-use was less for high affinity methanotrophy than for low affinity CH₄ oxidation. Nitrification rates were highest in alder soils, with the greatest potential for oxidation occurring in the top 5 cm of the soil. No significant relationship between potential nitrification rate and low affinity CH₄ oxidation was seen. However, a significant negative relationship between nitrification and high affinity CH₄ oxidation was identified. We found vegetation type to be a key determinant of soil-mediated CH₄ and oxidation, but found no evidence for significant CH₄ oxidation by nitrifying bacteria.     

A study on feeding hazelnut kernel oil meal as a protein source for broiler chickens

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of substituting different levels of hazelnut kernel oil meal (HKM) for soybean meal (SBM) in diets for broiler. A total of 450 one-day-old female Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated randomly to three treatment groups of 150 birds each in a randomized design. Each treatment group consisted of five replicates each of 30 chicks. All diets (in mash form) were formulated to meet nutrient concentrations recommended for broilers. The experiment lasted for six weeks. In the experiment, an SBM control (SBM) diet was compared to two HKM diets, replacing 50 (50HKM) and 100% (HKM) of SBM protein, respectively. Body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of broilers were adversely affected ( P  < 0.05) by the HKM diets at 42 days of age. Broilers fed 50HKM and HKM had growth performances similar ( P  > 0.05). The carcass yield and abdominal fat pads of birds fed diets with SBM were higher ( P  < 0.05) than those of chicks fed the 50HKM and HKM diets. The edible inner organ weight of chicks fed diets with HKM was the heaviest ( P  < 0.05). It is concluded that SBM cannot be replaced even up to 50% with HKM in commercial broiler diet.     

Impact of Buserelin Acetate or hCG Administration on the Day of First Artificial Insemination on Subsequent Luteal Profile and Conception Rate in Murrah Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

This study was designed to investigate the impact of buserelin acetate (BA) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration on the day of first artificial insemination (AI) on subsequent luteal profile (diameter of corpus luteum (CL) and plasma progesterone) and conception rate in Murrah buffalo. The present experiment was carried out at two locations in 117 buffalo that were oestrus‐synchronized using cloprostenol (500 μg) administered (i.m.) 11 days apart followed by AI during standing oestrus. Based on treatment (i.m.) at the time of AI, buffalo were randomly categorized (n = 39 in each group) into control (isotonic saline solution, 5 ml), dAI‐BA (buserelin acetate, 20 μg) and dAI‐hCG (hCG, 3000 IU) group. Out of these, 14 buffalo of each group were subjected to ovarian ultrasonography on the day of oestrus to monitor the preovulatory follicle and on days 5, 12, 16 and 21 post‐ovulation to monitor CL diameter. On the day of each sonography, jugular vein blood samples were collected for the estimation of progesterone concentrations. All the buffalo (n = 117) were confirmed for pregnancy on day 40 post‐ovulation. The conception rate was better (p < 0.05) in dAI‐BA (51.3%) and dAI‐hCG (66.7%) groups as compared to their control counterparts (30.8%). Furthermore, the buffalo of dAI‐hCG group had improved (p < 0.05) luteal profile, whereas the buffalo of dAI‐BA group failed (p > 0.05) to exhibit stimulatory impact of treatment on luteal profile when compared to control group. In brief, buserelin acetate or hCG treatment on the day of first AI leads to an increase in conception rate; however, an appreciable impact on post‐ovulation luteal profile was observed only in hCG‐treated Murrah buffalo.