Effects of omega-7 palmitoleic acids on skeletal muscle differentiation in a hyperglycemic condition

Maternal obesity and diabetes are known to be involved in fetal myogenesis, but the later stages of myogenesis are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the influence of a hyperglycemic environment on L6 skeletal myoblast differentiation and the function of omega-7 palmitoleic acids. Exposure to a high concentration of glucose (25 mM) in high-glucose culture medium (HG) increased the expression of myogenic genes (MyoD, Myogenin, MRF4, Myhc2x, and Myhc2a) and the synthesis of myosin. HG also activated the PI3K/AKT pathway revealed muscle cell differentiation. Furthermore, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an inflammatory cytokine (Tnfaip3; tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3), which are crucial for the growth and differentiation of skeletal muscle, were increased by HG. Palmitoleic acids suppressed the expression levels of myogenic regulatory genes and increased the expression level of a cell proliferation-related gene (Pax3). Trans-palmitoleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (TPA and EPA) increased the phosphorylation level of MAPK/ERK1/2 and downregulated ROS generation and Tnfaip3 expression. In contrast, cis-palmitoleic acid inactivated MAPK/ERK1/2, leading to increased ROS generation. In conclusion, a hyperglycemic environment mediated by HG induced excessive muscle differentiation. Palmitoleic acids inhibited myoblast differentiation by downregulating muscle-specific genes. Moreover, trans-palmitoleic acids may have beneficial antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory effects in cells.     

Adjusted method of penis fixation during boar semi-automatic semen collection aiming to reduce bacterial contamination

Semen collection has an essential role in the initial bacterial load in boar ejaculates and extended semen. The study aimed to explore the efficacy of an adjusted penis fixation in a semi-automatic collection system on reducing bacterial contamination of ejaculates in two-boar studs with different scenarios. Historically, stud A had low levels of bacterial load in raw semen, while stud B had a high level of contamination. A total of 56 mature boars had their semen collected using two methods of penis fixation: (a) Traditional: The penis was fixed directly with the artificial cervix and transferred to the adjustable clamp; (b) Adjusted: The fixation was performed with one gloved-hand, and after exteriorization, the penis was gripped using the artificial cervix with the other gloved-hand and transferred to the adjustable clamp. The bacterial load (p = .0045) and the occurrence of ejaculates >231 CFU/ml (p = .0101) were reduced in the Adjusted compared to the Traditional method. Bacterial load was reduced when using the Adjusted method in stud B (p = .0011), which showed a greater occurrence of critical factors for bacterial contamination (p ≤ .0034). The Adjusted method reduced the occurrence of ejaculates >231 CFU/ml when the preputial ostium was dirty (p = .016) and the duration of semen collection was >7 min (p = .022) compared to the Traditional method. In conclusion, the Adjusted penis fixation was efficient in reducing bacterial load of ejaculates, mainly in boar stud B, which had high contamination challenges.     

Stress responses in neonatal meat and layer Nagoya chicks

We reported that meat chicks have either a greater capability to acclimatize to novel environments, or a blunted hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal response to novel environments compared with layer chicks in a commercial base. The present study compared the differences in behavior and plasma corticosterone concentrations under isolation‐induced stress between neonatal meat and layer Nagoya chicks which had been separated from the same population. Both types of neonatal chicks reared in groups were individually separated and their spontaneous activity and distress‐induced vocalizations were monitored for 10 min. The responses of the two types were remarkably different, with the meat chicks being less active than the layer chicks. Distress‐induced vocalizations were fewer in the meat than in the layer chicks. The meat chicks spent more time in a sleeping posture during isolation‐induced stress. Plasma corticosterone concentrations measured at the end of the test tended to be higher in the layer chicks than in meat ones, but not significantly. In conclusion, the selection of Nagoya chickens for meat and layer may have trends similar to those observed in commercial chickens in relation to stress susceptibility.     

Effect of air‐drying on phosphorus fractions in clay soil

Despite the publication of a number of papers dealing with the effect of drying on the soil labile P pool, less attention has been paid to the possible drying‐evoked changes in the more stable P pools. We applied Hedley's sequential fractionation procedure that aims at quantifying soil P reserves according to their decreasing plant availability to examine the effects of drying on soil P fractions in clayey soil samples of different cultivation history. To further investigate the contribution of organic matter disruption to the solubility of soil P, the P extracted in each fractionation step was divided into two size classes by filtering the suspension through a 0.2 μm membrane filter. There were no air‐drying‐induced changes in the total amount of P extracted in each fractionation step. However, air‐drying changed the distribution of water‐extractable P in size fractions; increase in the small‐sized P took place at the expense of large‐sized P. Air‐drying increased also small‐sized molybdate‐unreactive P (MUP) in the NaOH fraction giving evidence that drying‐induced alterations take place also in less labile P forms. The results revealed that air‐drying alters the extractability and distribution of P in various pools rather than the total amount of extracted P and that a large proportion of H₂O‐ and NaOH‐extractable large‐sized MUP may remain undetected if only filtered samples are analyzed.     

Use of two in vitro methods for the detection of anthelmintic resistant nematode parasites on Slovak sheep farms

A survey of the prevalence of anthelmintic resistant nematode populations was conducted on 32 sheep farms in the Slovak Republic. In vitro egg hatch test and larval development tests were used for the detection of resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics and they were compared with in vivo faecal egg count reduction tests. There was agreement in the declaration of resistance between the faecal egg count reduction test and both in vitro tests. The presence of resistant populations was determined on two farms using egg hatch test. In both farms, the LD(50) values were higher than 0.1 microg TBZ/ml, indicating resistance. By using LD(99) values it might be possible to reveal relatively small proportion of resistant larvae in the population. The prevalence of benzimidazole resistance has not change on Slovak sheep farms during last decade.     

Comparing floristic composition in treefall gaps of certified, conventionally managed and natural forests of northern Honduras

? Forest certification sets requirements for minimizing the impacts of logging on the natural structure and floristic composition of forests.

? We assessed the impact of certification by comparing the floristic composition of 52 taxa of trees and shrubs in the treefall gaps of certified, conventionally managed and protected forests in northern Honduras.

? The highest abundance of light-benefiting taxa was found in certified forests, whereas conventionally managed forests were floristically more similar to natural forests. The environmental conditions measured in certified gaps were not favourable for a natural forest floristic composition.

? Past logging may have altered the species composition in certified forests relatively more than in conventionally managed forests. This implies that the need for restoration operations should be considered in certification requirements, along with landscape-level planning to enhance post-logging recovery.

     

Difference in ultraweak photon emissions between sulfonylurea-resistant and sulfonylurea-susceptible biotypes of Scirpus juncoides following the application of a sulfonylurea herbicide

We examined the ultraweak photon emissions from a paddy weed, Scirpus juncoides , to assess the availability of photon emissions for the identification of weed biotypes resistant to sulfonylurea herbicides. The emission intensity from the plant organs increased when treated with a sulfonylurea herbicide in a concentration-dependent manner. The increment in emissions was higher in the sulfonylurea-resistant biotypes than in the sulfonylurea-susceptible biotypes. The difference between the biotypes was greater in the culms than in the roots and remained so through the vegetative growth stage to the flowering stage. This difference was independent of the seed source or mutations in the acetolactate synthase genes of the resistant biotypes. These results suggest that the determination of ultraweak photon emissions can be a useful method for identifying the sulfonylurea-resistant biotypes of S. juncoides.     

Release of Carbon in Different Molecule Size Fractions from Decomposing Boreal Mor and Peat as Affected by Enchytraeid Worms

Terrestrial export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to watercourses has increased in boreal zone. Effect of decomposing material and soil food webs on the release rate and quality of DOC are poorly known. We quantified carbon (C) release in CO₂, and DOC in different molecular weights from the most common organic soils in boreal zone; and explored the effect of soil type and enchytraeid worms on the release rates. Two types of mor and four types of peat were incubated in laboratory with and without enchytraeid worms for 154 days at +?15 °C. Carbon was mostly released as CO₂; DOC contributed to 2–9% of C release. The share of DOC was higher in peat than in mor. The release rate of CO₂ was three times higher in mor than in highly decomposed peat. Enchytraeids enhanced the release of CO₂ by 31–43% and of DOC by 46–77% in mor. High molecular weight fraction dominated the DOC release. Upscaling the laboratory results into catchment level allowed us to conclude that peatlands are the main source of DOC, low molecular weight DOC originates close to watercourse, and that enchytraeids substantially influence DOC leaching to watercourse and ultimately to aquatic CO₂ emissions.     

Involvement of circadian clock in crowing of red jungle fowls (Gallus gallus)

The rhythmic locomotor behavior of flies and mice provides a phenotype for the identification of clock genes, and the underlying molecular mechanism is well studied. However, interestingly, when examining locomotor rhythm in the wild, several key laboratory‐based assumptions on circadian behavior are not supported in natural conditions. The rooster crowing ‘cock‐a‐doodle‐doo’ is a symbol of the break of dawn in many countries. Previously, we used domestic inbred roosters and showed that the timing of roosters' crowing is regulated by the circadian clock under laboratory conditions. However, it is still unknown whether the regulation of crowing by circadian clock is observed under natural conditions. Therefore, here we used red jungle fowls and first confirmed that similar crowing rhythms with domesticated chickens are observed in red jungle fowls under the laboratory conditions. Red jungle fowls show predawn crowing before light onset under 12:12 light : dim light conditions and the free‐running rhythm of crowing under total dim light conditions. We next examined the crowing rhythms under semi‐wild conditions. Although the crowing of red jungle fowls changed seasonally under semi‐wild conditions, predawn crowing was observed before sunrise in all seasons. This evidence suggests that seasonally changed crowing of red jungle fowls is under the control of a circadian clock.