Effects of dichlorvos on lipid peroxidation in mice on subacute and subchronic periods

In this study, the effects of dichlorvos to lipid peroxidation were investigated at subacute and subchronic periods. Dichlorvos was given with drinking water to Swiss Albino male mice in three dosage levels as 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg b.w. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by determining the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma, determining the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in erythrocytes. The analysis of these enzymes was done in blood samples collected from mice on the days 15 and 45. The results showed that MDA levels increased in dichlorvos treated groups. Actually MDA levels in control and dichlorvos treated groups were determined (as nmol/ml) 10.49, 13.83, 14.30, and 14.50, respectively, at subacute period; 7.77, 8.15, 10.88, and 12.33, respectively, at subchronic period. Catalase activity in erythrocytes decreased at subacute and subchronic periods in dichlorvos treated groups. At subacute period CAT activities were determined (as k/mg Hb) in control and dichlorvos treated groups, 563.45, 532.11, 524.76, and 497.08, respectively; 660.53, 588.84, 525.85, and 512.01, respectively, at subchronic period. When subacute and subchronic periods were compared with each other; it was shown that SOD and CAT activities increased at subchronic period.     

Effects of exogenous somatotropin during early gestation on maternal performance, fetal growth, and compositional traits in pigs

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of maternal treatment with porcine somatotropin (pST) during early gestation on embryonic survival, fetal development, and internal environment for fetal growth. Sixty-two crossbred gilts received daily injections of either 3 mL of a placebo (control, n = 31) or 6 mg of pST (n = 31) from d 10 to 27 of gestation. Representative gilts were slaughtered on d 28, 37, and 62 of gestation. The remaining gilts were allowed to farrow. It was found that embryonic survival was not influenced by pST treatment (P > 0.10). However, pST affected the growth and composition of the maternal (endometrium) and fetal (chorion) parts of the placenta. Thus, endometrial RNA concentration tended to be increased by pST at d 37 (P = 0.15), and it was increased at d 62 (P < 0.05) of gestation, which is indicative of increased capacity for protein synthesis. At birth, placental chorion weight (P < 0.10) and contents of DM and protein (P < 0.05) were increased due to pST treatment, but no effects were detectable up to d 62 of gestation. Maternal pST treatment was effective at increasing nutrient supply to the embryo as suggested from elevated glucose concentrations in amniotic and allantoic fluids (P < 0.05) at d 28 of gestation. With regard to prenatal growth, embryonic DNA concentration was slightly elevated at d 28 (P < 0.10), but pST did not induce any changes in average embryonic, fetal, or neonatal weights. However, within litters, the birth weights of piglets in the 25% lowest weight group (LW) were increased by pST treatment vs control LW pigs (1,241+/-55 vs 1,099+/-59 g, P < 0.10). Thirty-eight neonates from 15 litters divided among the three weight groups were examined for body composition. The weight of the intestinal tract was increased above average after maternal pST treatment (P < 0.01). Additionally, the amounts of tissues such as bone (P = 0.12) and s.c. fat (P = 0.06), and of protein, fat (P = 0.10), and ash (P < 0.05) were increased, whereas the relative body composition remained unchanged by pST (P > 0.10). On average, muscle protein concentration was elevated due to pST (P < 0.01), and, in LW piglets, plasma IGF-I concentration was increased (P < 0.10). The results suggest that maternal somatotropin is a critical factor in early pregnancy capable of influencing placental nutrient transfer and placental growth. It thereby selectively improves the growth conditions for the smaller littermates.     

Muscle fibre traits as additional selection criteria for muscle growth and meat quality in pigs – results of a simulated selection

To estimate the direct and correlated responses in meatiness and meat quality, simulated selection was applied using one‐trait selection and index selection including muscle fibre traits. In a total of 2024 pigs of German Landrace, Large White, Leicoma, and Schwerfurter breeds, carcass composition, meat quality, and fibre characteristics of the M. longissimus lumborum were analysed and genetic parameters were calculated by using REML variance component estimation. Coefficients of heritability ranged from low to moderate (growth traits: h² = 0.22–0.32; meat quality traits: h² = 0.17–0.27; muscle fibre traits: h² = 0.12–0.20). The total fibre number and the frequency of white fibres correlated positively with live weight (r_g = 0.44 and 0.44, respectively) and with loin muscle area (r_g = 0.38 and 0.19, respectively) while the relationships to pH value and drip loss were not as close (r_g = ?0.29–0.19). Selection indices were constructed from live weight and muscle area, from pH value and drip loss, and from muscle structure traits. As expected, simulated selection for live weight or loin muscle area lead to direct positive effects but these were associated with negative effects on meat quality traits (selection intensities: SI = 0.1; 0.5). Using selection for an index from loin area and muscle structure (loin muscle area + total fibre number – frequency of white fibres – frequency of giant fibres) the adverse effect on meat quality was minimized (responses in pH value: ?0.05; ?0.01) or was changed towards desired direction (responses in drip loss: ?0.65%; ?0.26%). The results show that fibre characteristics of pig muscle can be used as selection criteria for simultaneous improvement of carcass composition and meat quality in pigs by including indices developed from performance and fibre traits.     

Chemical and Nutritional Characteristics of Holothuria tubulosa (Gmelin, 1788); A Seasonally Comparative Study

Sea cucumbers belonging to the Holothuroidea class are a group of worm-like and soft-bodied echinoderms that live in nearly all marine environments. Mediterranean Holothuria tubulosa is an economic sea cucumber species found in Turkish seas. This study aimed to present the first report of detailed amino acid profile and investigate the biochemical and nutritional characteristics of H. tubulosa seasonally collected from one of the densest natural beds, located at Çanakkale Strait (Southern Coast of Marmara Sea), Turkey. According to our results, the highest protein, lipid, and ash contents (%) were found to be 10.2, 1.9, and 5.1, respectively. The highest percentages of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were 42.9, 28.3, and 37.8, respectively. Total amino acids (mg/g crude protein) ranged between 867.2 and 974.0 among all seasons. All essential amino acids were found in body wall tissues and ranged between 7.1 and 5.9. Mineral composition was found to be desirable at the recommended and threshold levels. In general, the proximate composition of H. tubulosa was directly affected by seasons (p < .05); however, amino acid, fatty acid, and mineral compositions were found to be similar among all seasons, except summer (p > .05).     

Epiphytotics of chickpea Ascochyta blight in Turkey as influenced by climatic factors

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Chickpea Ascochyta blight caused by Didymella rabiei is one of the most important fungal diseases affecting yield and seed quality negatively in Turkey....     

Comparing mRNA levels of genes encoding leptin,leptin receptor,and lipoprotein lipase between dairy and beef cattle

Body weight and fat mass vary distinctly between German Holstein (dairy cattle) and Charolais (beef cattle). The aim of this study was to determine whether the expression of the obese (Ob) gene and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene in fat tissues and expression of the long isoform leptin receptor (Ob-Rb) gene in the hypothalamus were different between these two cattle breeds. Body weight and the area of longissimus muscle cross-section of German Holstein were lower (P<0.001), while body fat content, as well as the omental and perirenal fat mass were higher (P<0.001), compared to Charolais. Plasma insulin and leptin levels between two cattle breeds were determined by radioimmunoassay. Compared to Charolais, plasma insulin concentrations were significantly higher (P<0.01), and plasma leptin levels were tended to be higher (P<0.1) in German Holstein. Ob mRNA levels in subcutaneous and perirenal fat depots, but not in the omental fat depot, were significantly higher (P<0.05) in German Holstein than in Charolais. LPL mRNA expression in the perirenal fat depot of German Holstein was greater in abundance than that of Charolais. No significantly different LPL mRNA levels were found in subcutaneous and omental fat depots, and Ob-Rb mRNA levels in the hypothalamus between these two cattle breeds (P<0.05). Both Ob and LPL expression was greater in perirenal and omental fat depots than in the subcutaneous fat depot (P<0.05). Data indicated that in bovine the Ob and LPL gene expression levels in perirenal fats are an important index that is associated with body fat content, while Ob-Rb in hypothalamus is not.     

Growth- and breed-related changes of muscle bundle structure in cattle

The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in muscle fiber bundles of cattle of different breeds during growth. Different numbers of muscle fibers are surrounded by connective tissue to form bundles macroscopically visible as meat fibers or meat grain, a common meat quality trait. To determine the influence of breed and age on morphological characteristics of muscle fiber bundles, 4 cattle breeds with different growth impetus and muscularity were reared and slaughtered under experimental conditions. German Angus, a typical beef cattle; Galloway, a smaller beef type; Holstein Friesian, a dairy type; and double-muscled Belgian Blue, an extreme type for muscle growth, were used. Between 5 and 15 bulls of each breed were slaughtered at 2, 4, 6, 12, or 24 mo of age, and slices of semitendinosus muscle were removed. Muscle structure characteristics were determined by computerized image analysis. During growth, the muscle cross-sectional area enlarged (P < 0.001) about 5-fold in double-muscled Belgian Blue bulls and about 4-fold in the other breeds. This was a result of the enlargement (P < 0.001) of primary bundles and muscle fibers. The bundle size was similar (P > or = 0.15) in bulls of German Angus and Galloway in all age groups and was doubled (P < 0.001) in double-muscled Belgian Blue animals from 4 mo of age on. The Holstein Friesian bulls had the smallest (P < 0.001) muscle fiber bundles at 24 mo of age. The number of muscle fibers per bundle and the number of bundles per muscle remained nearly constant (P > 0.05) during growth. This supports the existing view that the structure of the muscle is already fixed in prenatal life. The double-muscled Belgian Blue bulls showed a more than 2.5-fold greater (P < 0.001) number of muscle fibers per primary bundle compared with the other breeds investigated. The larger muscle fiber bundles led to a smaller amount of connective tissue per muscle area in double-muscled cattle. The coarser grain of meat in double-muscled Belgian Blue bulls and in older animals was not related to greater shear force values.     

Exogenous somatotropin alters IGF axis in porcine endometrium and placenta

The aim of this study was to examine whether exogenous somatotropin (ST) can alter the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis in the porcine epitheliochorial placenta. Crossbred gilts were injected either 6 mg of recombinant porcine ST or vehicle from days 10 to 27 after artificial insemination (term day 116). Control and ST-treated gilts were euthanized on day 28 (8 control/5 treated), day 37 (4 control/6 treated), and day 62 (4 control/6 treated) of gestation. Endometrium and placental tissue samples were collected and subjected to mRNA analyses. In control gilts, somatotropin receptor (STR) and IGF-I mRNA abundance in the endometrium decreased with gestation. Conversely, the amounts of IGF-II mRNA and of IGF binding protein (BP)-2 and -3 mRNA, which were analyzed in endometrium and placental chorion, increased with gestation. The endometrium contained less IGF-II mRNA but more IGFBP-2 and-3 mRNA than the placental chorion. In response to pST treatment, the amounts of endometrial STR and IGF-I mRNA were lower at days 28 and 37, but higher at day 62 of gestation. The content of IGF-II mRNA was higher in the endometrium of pST-treated than control gilts on day 37. The amount of IGFBP-2 mRNA was increased on day 37 in endometrium and placenta of pST-treated gilts, whereas no changes in IGFBP-3 mRNA were observed. The IGF-II/IGFBP-2 ratio was higher in the placenta in response to pST on day 28 of gestation. Results show that pST treatment of pregnant gilts during early gestation alters IGF axis in maternal and fetal placental tissues and suggest pST may exert an effect on fetal growth by altering the relative amount of IGFBPs and IGFs at the fetal-maternal interface.