• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.969-976
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• 2009

Use of oocytes from prepubertal animals for in vitro embryo production holds potential application for reducing generation intervals and increasing genetic progress through embryo transfer. The objective of these studies was to compare the effect of three sperm pretreatments (prior to in vitro fertilization) and seven embryo culture protocols on fertilization rate and (or) subsequent development of in vitro fertilized embryos derived from oocytes harvested from ovaries of 1-6 month old prepubertal Boer goats in China. Cleavage rates were highest for embryos fertilized with heparin-treated versus calcium ionophore- or caffeine-treated sperm. Similar rates of blastocyst development were observed using heparin- and ionophore-treated sperm, which were higher than obtained with caffeine-treated sperm. No differences in cleavage or blastocyst rates were observed following embryo culture in basal medias (synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF), Charles Rosenkrans 1 (CR1) or tissue culture medium-199 (TCM-199)) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Cumulus or oviductal cell co-culture did not enhance cleavage or blastocyst rates relative to culture in SOF+10% FBS. Replacement of FBS in SOF medium with 0.3% BSA increased cleavage rates, but did not increase rates of blastocyst development. Sequential culture in SOF+0.3% BSA followed by SOF+10% FBS increased blastocyst yield versus continuous culture in SOF+10% FBS and tended to increase blastocyst yield versus continuous culture in SOF+0.3% BSA. These results demonstrate a pronounced effects of sperm pretreatments and in vitro embryo culture systems on rates of blastocyst development and provide a potential protocol (sperm pretreatment with heparin and sequential embryo culture in SOF+0.3% BSA followed by SOF+10% FBS) for generation of the significant numbers of in vitro produced blastocysts from oocytes of prepubertal Boer goats necessary for application of embryo transfer in rural regions of China for distribution of Boer goat genetics.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.7.1-7.7
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• 2015

Objectives The widely promising applications of graphene nanomaterials raise considerable concerns regarding their environmental and human health risk assessment. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the toxicity profiling of graphene family nanano-materials (GFNs) in alternative in vitro and in vivo toxicity testing models. Methods The GFNs used in this study are graphene nanoplatelets ([GNPs]-pristine, carboxylate [COOH] and amide [$NH_2$]) and graphene oxides (single layer [SLGO] and few layers [FLGO]). The human bronchial epithelial cells (Beas2B cells) as in vitro system and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as in vivo system were used to profile the toxicity response of GFNs. Cytotoxicity assays, colony formation assay for cellular toxicity and reproduction potentiality in C. elegans were used as end points to evaluate the GFNs' toxicity. Results In general, GNPs exhibited higher toxicity than GOs in Beas2B cells, and among the GNPs the order of toxicity was pristine > $NH_2$ > COOH. Although the order of toxicity of the GNPs was maintained in C. elegans reproductive toxicity, but GOs were found to be more toxic in the worms than GNPs. In both systems, SLGO exhibited profoundly greater dose dependency than FLGO. The possible reason of their differential toxicity lay in their distinctive physicochemical characteristics and agglomeration behavior in the exposure media. Conclusions The present study revealed that the toxicity of GFNs is dependent on the graphene nanomaterial's physical forms, surface functionalizations, number of layers, dose, time of exposure and obviously, on the alternative model systems used for toxicity assessment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.1453-1457
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• 2002

The experiment was conducted to find out the effect of 4 feeding systems on growth, feed intake, eating behavior, lactation performance, gestation period, post-partum heat period, conception rate and parasitic infestation of Black Bengal goat. Twenty four does of approximately 1 year of age were randomly selected for 4 treatment (feeding systems) groups having 6 replications in each. Treatments were stall feeding ($T_1$), tethering ($T_2$), restricted grazing ($T_3$) and grazing ($T_4$). $T_1$ group was housed continuously and adequate amounts of natural grass were supplied for ad libitum feeding. $T_2$ group was tethered for grazing natural grass from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. being moved at one hour intervals. Goats of $T_3$ group were allowed grazing from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. $T_4$ group was grazed from 8 a. m. to 4 p.m. Concentrate supplement was given at the rate of 150 g per day per goat for all of the treatment groups. Duration of experiment was 219 days. Daily live weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) higher in case of stall fed goats than that of others. DM intake also significantly (p<0.05) differed among the treatment groups and was 3.40 3.95, 3.76 and 4.05 per cent of their live weight for stall feeding, tethering, restricted grazing and grazing groups, respectively. Rate of rumination was significantly (p<0.05) higher in case of tethering group of goats than that of others. Birth weight of kids, milk yield, lactation period and post-partum heat period were significantly higher in case of stall fed goats than others. Tethering group showed significantly (p<0.05) higher litter size than others. Infestation rate of Fasciola was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the grazing group. In conclusion, it may be stated that among these feeding groups overall performance of stall fed goats was more satisfactory, and that the tethering group showed better performance than the others.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.147-162
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• 2015

Objectives: The objective of this review was to summarize the primary role of three representative endocrine axes in aquatic vertebrates and discuss the effects on endocrine systems and their interactions in teleost fish after exposure to environmental contaminants. Methods: We summarized individual traits and mechanisms for hormonal and transcriptional interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG), hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT), and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes in fish. We also provided a brief discussion on the effects of nonylphenol-induced toxicity on endocrine systems and their interactions in fish as a demonstration of holistic explanation. Results: Currently-available data showed that thyroid dysfunction is associated with reproductive toxicity due to changes in steroidogenic gene expressions and sex hormone levels as well as gonad glands in fish. As an example, we demonstrated that exposure to nonylphenol could induce estrogenicity in male fish by decreasing thyroid hormones, which contributes to increased aromatase expression. Although the mechanisms are complicated and involved in multiple ways, a number of studies have shown that sex steroids influence the HPT axis or the HPA axis in fish, indicating bi-directional crosstalk. Critically missing is information on the primary target or toxicity mechanisms of environmental contaminants among the three endocrine axes, so further studies are needed to explore those possibilities. Conclusions: This review highlights the interactions between the HPG, HPT, and HPA axes in fish in order to better understand how these endocrine systems could interact with each other in situations of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.370-379
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• 2022

Human pregnancy is a delicate and complex process where multiorgan interactions between two independent systems, the mother, and her fetus, maintain pregnancy. Intercellular interactions that can define homeostasis at the various cellular level between the two systems allow uninterrupted fetal growth and development until delivery. Interactions are needed for tissue remodeling during pregnancy at both fetal and maternal tissue layers. One of the mechanisms that help tissue remodeling is via cellular transitions where epithelial cells undergo a cyclic transition from epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) and back from mesenchymal to epithelial (MET). Two major pregnancy-associated tissue systems that use EMT, and MET are the fetal membrane (amniochorion) amnion epithelial layer and cervical epithelial cells and will be reviewed here. EMT is often associated with localized inflammation, and it is a well-balanced process to facilitate tissue remodeling. Cyclic transition processes are important because a terminal state or the static state of EMT can cause accumulation of proinflammatory mesenchymal cells in the matrix regions of these tissues and increase localized inflammation that can cause tissue damage. Interactions that determine homeostasis are often controlled by both endocrine and paracrine mediators. Pregnancy maintenance hormone progesterone and its receptors are critical for maintaining the balance between EMT and MET. Increased intrauterine oxidative stress at term can force a static (terminal) EMT and increase inflammation that are physiologic processes that destabilize homeostasis that maintain pregnancy to promote labor and delivery of the fetus. However, conditions that can produce an untimely increase in EMT and inflammation can be pathologic. These tissue damages are often associated with adverse pregnancy complications such as preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (pPROM) and spontaneous preterm birth (PTB). Therefore, an understanding of the biomolecular processes that maintain cyclic EMT-MET is critical to reducing the risk of pPROM and PTB. Extracellular vesicles (exosomes of 40-160 nm) that can carry various cargo are involved in cellular transitions as paracrine mediators. Exosomes can carry a variety of biomolecules as cargo. Studies specifically using exosomes from cells undergone EMT can carry a pro-inflammatory cargo and in a paracrine fashion can modify the neighboring tissue environment to cause enhancement of uterine inflammation.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.515-520
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• 1997

Male accessory glands and ejaculatory duct of Drosophila melanogaster are reproductive organs which synthesize secretory seminal proteins. Several products of these organs involved in egg laying, receptivity, and sperm stability or storage were isolated from their lumens. Despite their secretory process play an important role, exocytosis pathway in these organs is not well known. In the present study, we characterized secretory protein profiles and determined their secretory mechanisms. Eight accessory gland secretory proteins and two ejaculatory duct secretory proteins were detected in their lumens. All these proteins were constitutively synthesized in these organs and secreted to their lumens. Secretion of newly synthesized proteins initiated at about 1 h after synthesis, and reached the peak at 4 h after synthesis. It seems that secretion of the proteins may occur via constitutive exocytosis pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.372-377
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• 2007

The orphan nuclear receptor, SF-1, plays a pivotal role in the development and differentiation of the endocrine and reproductive systems, and also regulates the transcription of a host of genes, including those encoding several steroidogenic enzymes and gonadotropins. We found that a previously unidentified repressor, EID-1, is an SF-1-interacting protein that inhibits the transactivation of SF-1. A transient transfection assay revealed that EID-1 inhibits SF-1, but not LRH-1, $ERR{\gamma}$, or mCAR. Using the yeast two hybrid and GST pull-down assays, we determined that EID-1 interacted strongly with SF-1. In addition, it colocalized with SF-1 in mammalian cells and interacted specifically with the AF-2 domain of SF-1, competing with SRC-1 to inhibit SF-1 transactivation. EID-1 is expressed in the mouse testis, and its expression decreases during testis development. The results of the present study suggest that EID-1 can act as a repressor, regulating the function of SF-1.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.299-305
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• 2007

The endocrine disrupting chemical, di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer used in polyvinyl chloride products ubiquitous in our daily lives. DEHP has potentially adverse effects on the liver, kidney, lung, heart, reproductive organs and endocrine systems. Many toxicological data on the DEHP toxicity have been stated, but complete protein profiles have not yet been reported. In this study, DEHP-induced oxidative DNA damage in rat lymphocyte was evaluated by Comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis) for the first time. Moreover, DEHP-induced protein profile alterations were examined in rat liver by using toxicoproteomic tools. 34 protein spots in the liver were identified to be significantly deregulated by DEHP on the 2-dimensional gel. Among them, 20 spots were up-regulated and 14 spots down-regulated by DEHP.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2014

Pig chronic wasting disease, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), have made a continuous economic damage in pig farms. Airborne spread of livestock viruses are an important spread factor which is difficult to analyze due to invisible airflow and limitation of measurement. The objective of this study is to analyze airborne disease spread between buildings in the experimental pig farm by means of field experiment and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The field experiments were conducted to capture airborne virus using air sampler and teflon filter along multi points in the experimental pig farm. The samples were tested in terms of virus detection resulting in positive reaction for PRRS and PCV-2 viruses, which can be a firm evidence of airborne virus spread. The CFD simulation model was developed by considering complex topography, wind conditions, building arrangement, and ventilation systems and was used to analyze airborne virus spread according to different wind conditions. The CFD computed result showed a possibility of airborne virus spread via livestock aerosol from infected pig house to neighboring pig houses according to wind directions. The CFD simulation technique is expected to provide significant data for estimating and making a counterplan against airborne disease spread.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2009

For the study of the reproductive mechanism associated with the process of vitellogenesis, oocyte development and vitellogenesis during oogenesis in female Boleophthalmus pectinirostris were investigated by electron microscopic observations. The ovary consists of a pair of saccular structures with many ovarian lobules. In the early vitellogenic oocyte, the Golgi complex plays an important role leading to the formation of yolk vesicles containing carbohydrate yolks. At this time many pinocytotic vesicles containing yolk precursors are observed in the cytoplasm near the region of initial formation of the zona radiata. In the late vitellogenic oocytes, the multivesicular bodies, which are formed by modified mitochondria, are involved in the formation of the primary yolk granules. Precursors of yolk granules and multivesicular bodies develop to primary yolk globules with participation of pinocytotic vesicles. After primary yolk globules mix with each other, they develop into secondary and tertiary yolk globules. Based on these findings, vitellogenesis of B. pectinirostris occurs by way of the processes of endogenous autosynthesis and exogenous heterosynthesis. The process of autosynthesis involves the combined activity of the Golgi complex, mitochondria, and multivesicular bodies. However, the process of heterosynthesis involves pinocytotic incorporation of extraovarian precursors into the zona radiata of vitellogenic oocytes by way of the thecal cell layers and granulosa cells.