Background C16:0 and cis-9 C18:1 may have different effects on animal growth and health due to unique metabolism in vivo.This study was investigated to explore the different effects of altering the ratio of C16:0 and ...Background C16:0 and cis-9 C18:1 may have different effects on animal growth and health due to unique metabolism in vivo.This study was investigated to explore the different effects of altering the ratio of C16:0 and cis-9 C18:1 in fat supplements on growth performance,lipid metabolism,intestinal barrier,cecal microbiota,and inflammation in fattening bulls.Thirty finishing Angus bulls(626±69 kg,21±0.5 months)were divided into 3 treatments according to the randomized block design:(1)control diet without additional fat(CON),(2)CON+2.5%palmitic acid calcium salt(PA,90%C16:0),and(3)CON+2.5%mixed fatty acid calcium salt(MA,60%C16:0+30%cis-9 C18:1).The experiment lasted for 104 d,after which all the bulls were slaughtered and sampled for analysis.Results MA tended to reduce 0–52 d dry matter intake compared to PA(DMI,P=0.052).Compared with CON and MA,PA significantly increased 0–52 d average daily gain(ADG,P=0.027).PA tended to improve the 0–52 d feed conversion rate compared with CON(FCR,P=0.088).Both PA and MA had no significant effect on 52–104 days of DMI,ADG and FCR(P>0.05).PA tended to improve plasma triglycerides compared with MA(P=0.077),significantly increased plasma cholesterol(P=0.002)and tended to improve subcutaneous adipose weight(P=0.066)when compared with CON and MA.Both PA and MA increased visceral adipose weight compared with CON(P=0.021).Only PA increased the colonization of Rikenellaceae,Ruminococcus and Proteobacteria in the cecum,and MA increased Akkermansia abundance(P<0.05).Compared with CON,both PA and MA down-regulated the m RNA expression of Claudin-1 in the jejunum(P<0.001),increased plasma diamine oxidase(DAO,P<0.001)and lipopolysaccharide(LPS,P=0.045).Compared with CON and MA,PA down-regulated the ZO-1 in the jejunum(P<0.001)and increased plasma LPS-binding protein(LBP,P<0.001).Compared with CON,only PA down-regulated the Occludin in the jejunum(P=0.013).Compared with CON,PA and MA significantly up-regulated the expression of TLR-4 and NF-κB in the visceral adipose(P<0.001)and increased plasma IL-6(P<0.001).Compared with CON,only PA up-regulated the TNF-αin the visceral adipose(P=0.01).Compared with CON and MA,PA up-regulated IL-6 in the visceral adipose(P<0.001),increased plasma TNF-α(P<0.001),and reduced the Ig G content in plasma(P=0.035).Compared with CON,PA and MA increased C16:0 in subcutaneous fat and longissimus dorsi muscle(P<0.05),while more C16:0 was also deposited by extension and desaturation into C18:0 and cis-9 C18:1.However,neither PA nor MA affected the content of cis-9 C18:1 in longissimus dorsi muscle compared with CON(P>0.05).Conclusions MA containing 30%cis-9 C18:1 reduced the risk of high C16:0 dietary fat induced subcutaneous fat obesity,adipose tissue and systemic low-grade inflammation by accelerating fatty acid oxidative utilization,improving colonization of Akkermansia,reducing intestinal barrier damage,and down-regulating NF-κB activation.展开更多
The purpose of this study is to compare the results of chemical analysis of two types of activated from the pyrolysis of bull horn and that of cow. Six samples were used to measure pH, carbon, calcium and to determine...The purpose of this study is to compare the results of chemical analysis of two types of activated from the pyrolysis of bull horn and that of cow. Six samples were used to measure pH, carbon, calcium and to determine adsorbent power. The pH was measured at a temperature of 20˚C using an “ANION 7010 ionomer” pH meter, the carbon (C) content was analyzed using a “EURO EA 3000” analyzer. and the electronic balance: “Sartorius CP-2P”, calcium (Ca) was analyzed using a DFS-8 spectrograph. For the adsorbency test, the 0.15% methylene blue R solution was used. At the end of this study, we found that the activated carbon from the bull horn demonstrated a carbon content that is higher than that of the cow horn (20.79% against 15.63%), activated carbon of cow horn is richer in calcium than that of bull horn (16.27% against 3.69%) and then the pH. The cow horn is higher than that of the bull horn (7.43 versus 6.5). For the adsorbent power, the sample (75% bull horn and 25% cow horn) was recorded with the greatest adsorbent power. Thus, from this study, it can be recommended as an activated carbon antidote to be used for poisonings treatment.展开更多
Background Many countries have already banned the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry,making it extremely difficult to maintain animal health in livestock breeding.In the livestock industry,there is an urgent need ...Background Many countries have already banned the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry,making it extremely difficult to maintain animal health in livestock breeding.In the livestock industry,there is an urgent need to develop alternatives to antibiotics which will not lead to drug resistance on prolonged use.In this study,eighteen castrated bulls were randomly divided into two groups.The control group(CK)was fed the basal diet,while the antimicrobial peptide group(AP)was fed the basal diet supplemented with 8 g of antimicrobial peptides in the basal diet for the experimental period of 270 d.They were then slaughtered to measure production performance,and the ruminal contents were isolated for metagenomic and metabolome sequencing analysis.Result The results showed that antimicrobial peptides could improve the daily weight,carcass weight,and net meat weight of the experimental animals.Additionally,the rumen papillae diameter and the micropapillary density in the AP were significantly greater than those in the CK.Furthermore,the determination of digestive enzymes and fermentation parameters showed that the contents of protease,xylanase,andβ-glucoside in the AP were greater than those in the CK.However,lipase content in the CK was greater than that in the AP.Moreover,the content of acetate,propionate,butyrate,and valerate was found to be greater in AP than those in CK.The metagenomic analysis annotated 1993 differential microorganisms at the species level.The KEGG enrichment of these microorganisms revealed that the enrichment of drug resistance-related pathways was dramatically decreased in the AP,whereas the enrichment of immune-related pathways was significantly increased.There was also a significant reduction in the types of viruses in the AP.187 probiotics with significant differences were found,135 of which were higher in AP than in CK.It was also found that the antimicrobial mechanism of the antimicrobial peptides was quite specific.Seven low-abundance microorganisms(Acinetobactersp.Ac1271,Aequorivita soesokkakensis,Bacillus lacisalsi,Haloferax larsenii,Lysinibacillussp.3DF0063,Parabacteroidessp.217,Streptomycessp.So13.3)were found to regulate growth performance of the bull negatively.Metabolome analysis identified 45 differentially differential metabolites that significantly different between the CK and the AP groups.Seven upregulated metabolites(4-pyridoxic acid,Ala-Phe,3-ureidopropionate,hippuric acid,terephthalic acid,L-alanine,uridine 5-monophosphate)improve the growth performance of the experimental animals.To detect the interactions between the rumen microbiome and metabolism,we associated the rumen microbiome with the metabolome and found that negative regulation between the above 7 microorganisms and 7 metabolites.Conclusions This study shows that antimicrobial peptides can improve the growth performance of animals while resisting viruses and harmful bacteria and are expected to become healthy alternatives to antibiotics.We demonstrated a new antimicrobial peptides pharmacological model.We demonstrated low-abundance microorganisms may play a role by regulating the content of metabolites.展开更多
The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of draught work on carcass characteristics, meat yield potential, and distribution along primal cuts in Hararghe highland bulls fed on net energy requirement bas...The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of draught work on carcass characteristics, meat yield potential, and distribution along primal cuts in Hararghe highland bulls fed on net energy requirement basis. Twelve bulls were sorted into three groups of four animals each and assigned to three treatment hours: control (0), 4, or 6, using a complete randomized design (CRD). The results of the study show that there are no significant differences (p > 0.05) in slaughter weight, hot carcass weight (HCW), chilling loss, total edible and non-edible offal, fat thickness (FT), deboned meat yield (kg), meat to bone ratio, muscle distribution, and proportion of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH%) among the treatment groups. However, the hot carcass-based dressing percentage was significantly lowered (p < 0.05) in bulls that work 4 or 6 hours a day. Meat yield was strongly correlated with HCW (r = 0.74) and FT (r = 0.73). Therefore, the number of hours the bull spent on draught work did not negatively impact meat yield or quality. Consequently, the research suggests that utilizing Hararghe highland bulls for draught service, four or six hours a day is viable for dual advantages: crop cultivation and marketable carcass.展开更多
[Objective]This study aimed to investigate the effects of Mycoplasma wenyoni on blood and semen quality of breeding bul s. [Method] Ten 10 healthy breeding bul s of Luxi cattle were randomly divided into two groups. B...[Objective]This study aimed to investigate the effects of Mycoplasma wenyoni on blood and semen quality of breeding bul s. [Method] Ten 10 healthy breeding bul s of Luxi cattle were randomly divided into two groups. Breeding bul s in experimental group were injected intravenously with M. wenyoni on Day 0 and Day 28. Effects of Mycoplasma wenyoni on breeding bul s were evaluated compre-hensively based on clinical symptoms, blood smears, blood physiological and bio-chemical properties, semen quality and scrotal changes. [Result] In addition to indi-vidual indices, the experimental group exhibited basical y normal clinical examination results without significant abnormal blood and semen quality. [Conclusion] This study suggests that M. wenyoni has low virulence and pathogenicity to breeding bul s af-ter artificial infection, leading to no significant changes in blood and semen quality.展开更多
Background: Semen evaluation is used to estimate the testicular function. In bulls, the spermatozoa present in the ejaculate are the result of a process that begun more than 2 mo earlier, bequeathing a delayed depicti...Background: Semen evaluation is used to estimate the testicular function. In bulls, the spermatozoa present in the ejaculate are the result of a process that begun more than 2 mo earlier, bequeathing a delayed depiction of the actual function of the testis. Since testis vascularization might be critical for the gonad function, selected pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters were assessed in this study, for instance the peak systolic velocity, the end diastolic velocity and the resistive index of the testicular artery along the spermatic cord, the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery both in healthy adult and young bulls.Correlations between these parameters and characteristics of semen that was collected numerous times, before and after the Doppler ultrasound examination.Results: The peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity measured in the testicular artery along the spermatic cord(supratesticular artery – SA) were variable among the bulls and within individual bulls, likely due to the convoluted course of the vessel. The resistive index was found highly repeatable in the same bull. A reduction in the resistive index was found between the supratesticular artery and the marginal portion of the testicular artery(P < 0.01), and between the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery(P < 0.05). No differences were recorded for the pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters in young bulls compared with adults. A significant correlation was found between the resistive index of the marginal portion of the testicular artery and total sperm in the ejaculate(r = 0.516, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.462, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.375, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.389, P < 0.05). Similarly, the resistive index of the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery were found correlated with the total sperm number in the ejaculate(r = 0.568, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.523, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.418, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.341, P < 0.05).Conclusions: The data presented in this study suggest that the resistive index, measured at the marginal portion of the testicular artery, could be an easy-to-perform parameter to evaluate the spermatogenesis quality in young bulls and normal adults.展开更多
This study evaluated the effects of palm fat powder(PFP) and coated folic acid(CFA) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, hepatic lipid content and...This study evaluated the effects of palm fat powder(PFP) and coated folic acid(CFA) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, hepatic lipid content and gene expression in dairy bulls. Forty-eight Chinese Holstein bulls((362±12.4) days of age and(483±27.1) kg of body weight(BW)) were assigned to four groups in a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangements. Supplemental PFP(0 or 30 g PFP kg-1 dietary dry matter(DM)) and CFA(0 or 120 mg FA d-1 as CFA) were mixed into the top one-third of a total mixed ration. The study included a 20-day adaptation period and followed by a 90-day collection period. The lower(P<0.01) feed conversion ratio with PFP or CFA addition resulted from the constant DM intake and the higher(P<0.05) average daily gain. The higher(P<0.05) ruminal p H, ether extract digestibility, microbial α-amylase activity, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens copy, and expression of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor α(PPARα) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1(CPT1), and lower ruminal total volatile fatty acids(VFA) concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, neutral detergent fibre(NDF) digestibility, copies of total protozoa and Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1(SREBP1) and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase α(ACACA) were observed for PFP addition. Supplementation with CFA increased(P<0.05) ruminal total VFA concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein and NDF, activity of cellobiase, pectinase and α-amylase, copies of selected microbial except for total protozoa, as well as expression of PPARα, but decreased(P<0.05) ruminal p H, and expression of SREBP1 and ACACA. The PFP×CFA interaction(P<0.05) was observed for ammonia N, hepatic TG content, and m RNA expression of CPT1 and FAS. There had no significant difference in hepatic TG content when CFA was supplemented in the diet without PFP addition, the lower(P=0.001) hepatic TG content was observed when CFA was supplemented in the diet with PFP addition. The higher(P<0.05) m RNA expression of CPT1, and the lower(P<0.05) m RNA expression of FAS and ammonia N concentration were observed when CFA was supplemented in diet either without or with PFP addition. The results indicated that supplementation of CFA in PFP diet was more effective on increasing hepatic CPT1 expression, and decreasing ammonia N, hepatic TG content and FAS expression than in diet without PFP. Supplementation with PFP or CFA improved growth performance of dairy bulls by promoting nutrient utilization, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, and hepatic gene expression.展开更多
To investigate the security of semen biologically, 15 bull semen samples were collected (of which 5 exhibited clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease) and identified by RT-PCR and virus isolation. The results indicat...To investigate the security of semen biologically, 15 bull semen samples were collected (of which 5 exhibited clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease) and identified by RT-PCR and virus isolation. The results indicated that the semen of the infected bulls were contaminated by Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), but FMDV was not detected in semen samples from those bulls not showing clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This is the first report of the presence of FMDV in bull semen due to natural infection in China. The analysis of the partial sequence of the VP1 gene showed that the virus strain isolated from semen has 97.9% identity with the virus isolated from vesicular liquid of infected bulls showing typical signs of FMD and belonged to the same gene sub-group.展开更多
F-box and WD-40 domain protein 11(FBXW11)is an important component of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase enzyme that plays a key role in the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of spermatogenesis.In our previous research,the mRNA exp...F-box and WD-40 domain protein 11(FBXW11)is an important component of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase enzyme that plays a key role in the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of spermatogenesis.In our previous research,the mRNA expression of FBXW11 in bull sperm with high motility is significantly higher than that with low motility.In the present study,the protein expression levels of FBXW11 in bull testicular tissues with low-performance sperm quality groups were significantly higher than those in normal performance groups.The immunohistochemistry result demonstrated that FBXW11 protein was located in the periphery of Leydig cells and seminiferous tubules.Three splice variants of the FBXW11 gene,namely,FBXW11-tv1,FBXW11-tv2,and FBXW11-tv3,were identified in testicular tissues.The splicing patterns of the three variants are exon skipping.The transcript FBXW11-tv2 expressions were the highest in each sample.The low-performance groups displayed higher FBXW11-tv1 and FBXW11-tv2 transcript expressions than the normal performance groups.Two CpG islands were located within the 5’UTR and exon 1-2 region of the FBXW11 gene.Bisulfite sequencing PCR results demonstrated that the methylation levels of 11 methylation sites in the CpG island 2 from−99 to−43 in the normal performance groups were significantly lower than those in the low-performance groups.Pearson correlation analysis suggested that the CpG island 2 methylation level was negatively correlated with sperm motility and the transcript FBXW11-tv2 expression level.Our data revealed that alternative splicing and DNA methylation jointly regulated FBXW11 gene expression and were correlated with sperm quality traits during spermatogenesis in Holsteins.展开更多
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular adenomas are rare tumors that can occur in patients with glycogen storage disease type I.CASE SUMMARY We herein report two cases of histologically proven hepatocellular adenomas in patients w...BACKGROUND Hepatocellular adenomas are rare tumors that can occur in patients with glycogen storage disease type I.CASE SUMMARY We herein report two cases of histologically proven hepatocellular adenomas in patients with glycogen storage disease type I.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)was performed after bolus injection of gadoxetate disodium,a liver-specific gadolinium-based MRI contrast agent.In the present cases,some of the hepatocellular adenomas showed unexpectedly a“bull’s eye”appearance on T2-weighted and post-contrast images,which was not previously described as imaging findings of hepatocellular adenomas in glycogen storage disease.A bull’s eye appearance on T2-weighted images can be encountered in both benign(i.e.,abscess)or malignant(i.e.,epithelioid hemangioendothelioma,cholangiocarcinoma,and metastases)hepatic lesions.CONCLUSION We present two cases of hepatocellular adenomas in patients with glycogen storage disease type 1,in which gadoxetate disodium-MRI showed atypical imaging findings for hepatocellular adenomas.At present there is no systematic study evaluating MRI findings of hepatocellular adenomas in patients with glycogen storage disease,further studies are needed to specifically investigate this issue.展开更多
Apple bull’s eye rot is caused by pathogenic Neofabraea species including N. malicorticis, N. perennans and N. alba. Fruits carrying this fungal quarantine disease are prohibited from entering China. The host plants ...Apple bull’s eye rot is caused by pathogenic Neofabraea species including N. malicorticis, N. perennans and N. alba. Fruits carrying this fungal quarantine disease are prohibited from entering China. The host plants for the pathogens include several Rosaceae fruits including apple and pear. Disease symptoms and pathogen morphology are often insufficient to determine the identity of the pathogen, particularly at the species level. In the current study, we analyzed the inter-species sequence variations in the β-tublin gene, and designed specific primers to allow PCR amplification of 554 bp fragments from pathogenic Neofabraea species. The PCR products were recovered and sequenced, and Blast search was conducted using the DNA sequences in the Genbank database. The results indicated precise PCR amplification of the target sequences from the host pathogen, which allowed unambiguous identification of the species.展开更多
Osteopontin (OPN) is a protein found at higher concentrations in the seminal plasma of bulls with above average fertility. Polymorphisms have been reported within the OPN gene promoter that can affect production of th...Osteopontin (OPN) is a protein found at higher concentrations in the seminal plasma of bulls with above average fertility. Polymorphisms have been reported within the OPN gene promoter that can affect production of this protein and thus, affect fertility. Therefore, Angus (n = 5) and Angus x Gelbvieh (Balancer, n = 14) and Angus x Brahman (n = 15) bulls were evaluated for presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the Bos taurus OPN gene (GenBank: AY878328.1) promoter region, and their possible effects on bull semen quality as evaluated by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Semen was collected by electroejaculation 6 to 9 times from each bull, and each semen collection was evaluated by CASA for motile, progressive and rapid sperm within 5 mins of ejaculation. The bulls were genotyped for reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the OPN gene through amplification of two 700 base pair (bp) DNA fragments and sequencing of the resulting PCR products. Seven SNP sites were identified, at bp 3379, 3490, 3492, 5075, 5205, 5209, and 5263 of the OPN gene. The SNP identified at bp 5205, 5209 and 5263 had not been previously reported. Individual SNP sites were evaluated as the main effect on CASA sperm motility variables in a SAS MIXED model for repeated measures. A thymine to guanine substitution at bp 3379 was associated with increased (P ≤ 0.02) percentage of motile, progressive and rapid sperm in Angus x Brahman bulls, and tended (P ≤ 0.10) to increase the same sperm motility parameters in Angus, and Angus x Gelbvieh bulls. The percentages of motile, progressive and rapid sperm were similar (P ≥ 0.05) among genotypes for the other 6 SNP identified. These results suggest that identification and genotyping of polymorphisms within the promoter region of the bovine OPN gene may be useful for selecting bulls with improved sperm motility parameters.展开更多
Aimed at the disadvantages of secondary damage to oil layers caused by the conventional bull-heading water control technique, a thermo-sensitive temporary plugging agent for water control was synthesized by water solu...Aimed at the disadvantages of secondary damage to oil layers caused by the conventional bull-heading water control technique, a thermo-sensitive temporary plugging agent for water control was synthesized by water solution polymerization and applied in the field with a new secondary temporary plugging technique. The optimization and performance evaluation of thermo-sensitive temporary plugging agent were carried out through laboratory experiments. The optimized formula is as follows:(6%-8%) acrylamide +(0.08%-0.12%) ammonium persulfate +(1.5%-2.0%) sepiolite +(0.5%-0.8%) polyethylene glycol diacrylate. The thermo-sensitive temporary plugging agent is suitable for formation temperatures of 70-90 ?C, it has high temporary plugging strength(5-40 k Pa), controllable degradation time(1-15 d), the apparent viscosity after degradation of less than 100 m Pa?S and the permeability recovery value of simulated cores of more than 95%. Based on the research results, secondary temporary plugging technique was used in a horizontal well in the Jidong Oilfield. After treatment, the well saw a drop of water cut to 27%, and now it has a water cut of 67%, its daily increased oil production was 4.8 t, and the cumulative oil increment was 750 t, demonstrating that the technique worked well in controlling water production and increasing oil production.展开更多
Aim： To determine the androgenic effects of Basella alba and Hibiscus macranthus extracts in the rat and the bull, and to develop a novel in vitro test system using Leydig cells from bull testes. Methods： The effect...Aim： To determine the androgenic effects of Basella alba and Hibiscus macranthus extracts in the rat and the bull, and to develop a novel in vitro test system using Leydig cells from bull testes. Methods： The effect of methanol extracts from both plants on testosterone production in isolated Leydig cells from the rat and the bull was analyzed using ^125I-radioimmunoassay （^125I-RIA）. Rat Leydig cells were obtained by common methods, whereas a novel technique was used to purify Leydig cells from bull testes. Results： Bull testes from the slaughter house were a cheap source of pure Leydig cells. In culture, these cells produced testosterone for 5-6 days, which can be stimulated by human chorionic gonadotrophin （hCG）. Basella alba extracts significantly enhanced testosterone production in bull and rat Leydig cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Hibiscus macranthus showed no androgenic effect but was shown to inhibit testosterone production at higher concentrations. Conclusion： Leydig cells purified from bull testes can be used as an alternative tool in experimental animal research. Certain fractions of Basella alba extract demonstrated androgenic potential whereas Hibiscus macranthus extracts did not.展开更多
An extender has been developed with low-density lipoproteins （LDLs） that eliminates the microbial risks associated with the use of whole egg yolk. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of substitutin...An extender has been developed with low-density lipoproteins （LDLs） that eliminates the microbial risks associated with the use of whole egg yolk. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of substituting egg yolk with LDLs for use as an extender in sperm preservation at 4 ℃, as well as on spermatozoa motility, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, at two different concentrations （80×10^6 and 240× 10^6 sperm per ml） for 8 days and to evaluate glycerol toxicity in both extenders. A total of 12 ejaculates were collected from three bulls. Spermatozoa motility was examined using computer-assisted semen analysis. Plasma membrane integrity was determined using the hypo-osmotic swelling test and acrosome integrity with the fluorescein isothiocyanate-Pisum sativum agglutinin test. The semen was subsequently divided into four aliquots and diluted with Tris-egg yolk-glycerol （TEG）, Tris-egg yolk without glycerol （TE）, LDL with glycerol （LDL＋） and LDL without glycerol （LDL-）, at 80×10^6 and 240 ×10^6sperm per ml. This study showed that the LDL＋ and LDL- extenders were more effective at preserving spermatozoa motility, plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity than TEG and TE （P〈0.05） during 8 days of incubation. After 3 days of incubation, a toxicity of glycerol was observed in TEG, whereas no significant difference was observed between LDL＋ and LDL-. We can therefore conclude that the LDL extender can be used to refrigerate semen at 4 ~C instead of TEG and TE at 80×10^6and 240×10^6 sperm per ml for elite bulls. This finding can be used to define a policy for the storage of high-quality bull semen.展开更多
Background:Genetic selection in cattle has been directed to increase milk production.This,coupled to the fact that the vast majority of bovine artificial inseminations(AI)are performed using cryopreserved sperm,have l...Background:Genetic selection in cattle has been directed to increase milk production.This,coupled to the fact that the vast majority of bovine artificial inseminations(AI)are performed using cryopreserved sperm,have led to a reduction of fertility rates over the years.Thus,seeking sensitive and specific sperm biomarkers able to predict fertility rates is of vital importance to improve cattle reproductive efficiency.In humans,sperm chromatin condensation evaluated through chromomycin A3(CMA3)has recently been purported to be a powerful biomarker for sperm functional status and male infertility.The objectives of the present study were:a)to set up a flow cytometry method for simultaneously evaluating chromatin condensation and sperm viability,and b)to test whether this parameter could be used as a predictor of in vivo fertility in bulls.The study included pools of three independent cryopreserved ejaculates per bull from 25 Holstein males.Reproductive outcomes of each sire were determined by non-return rates,which were used to classify bulls into two groups(highly fertile and subfertile).Results:Chromatin condensation status of bovine sperm was evaluated through the combination of CMA3 and Yo-Pro-1 staining and flow cytometry.Sperm quality parameters(morphology,viability,total and progressive motility)were also assessed.Pearson correlation coefficients and ROC curves were calculated to assess their capacity to predict in vivo fertility.Sperm morphology,viability and total motility presented an area under the ROC curve(AUC)of 0.54,0.64 and 0.68,respectively(P>0.05),and thus were not able to discriminate between fertile and subfertile individuals.Alternatively,while the percentage of progressively motile sperm showed a significant predictive value,with an AUC of 0.73(P=0.05),CMA3/Yo-Pro-1 staining even depicted superior results for the prediction of in vivo fertility in bulls.Specifically,the percentage of viable sperm with poor chromatin condensation showed better accuracy and precision to predict in vivo fertility,with an AUC of 0.78(P=0.02).Conclusions:Chromatin condensation evaluated through CMA3/Yo-Pro-1 and flow cytometry is defined here as a more powerful tool than conventional sperm parameters to predict bull in vivo fertility,with a potential ability to maximising the efficiency of dairy breeding industry.展开更多
[Object]This study aimed to examine the effects of 3,7-dimethyl-1-（5-oxo-hexyl）-xanthine（pentoxifylline,PF）on the motility,mitochondrial activity,acrosome integrity and fertilization rate of spermatozoa in both fr...[Object]This study aimed to examine the effects of 3,7-dimethyl-1-（5-oxo-hexyl）-xanthine（pentoxifylline,PF）on the motility,mitochondrial activity,acrosome integrity and fertilization rate of spermatozoa in both fresh and frozen-thawed bull semen.[Method]Fresh and frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa were exposed to 5 mmol/L PF with untreated samples as controls.[Result]Fresh spermatozoa showed reduced（P〈0.05）motility after 2 h incubation with PF whereas,surprisingly,frozen-thawed samples exhibited increased sperm motility（P〈0.05）after 2 h incubation with PF and they also showed enhanced longevity compared to controls.Mitochondrial activity in both fresh and frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa increased（P〈0.05）during 4 h incubation with PF whereas acrosome integrity remained unchanged in both types of semen.However,treatment with 5 mmol/L PF did not influence the in vitro fertilization efficiency of fresh spermatozoa but improved significantly（P〈0.05）that of frozen-thawed spermatozoa.[Conclusion]These results indicate that PF can improve sperm quality of frozenthawed bull semen,and may improve pregnancy rates in bovine artificial insemination programmes employing frozen semen.展开更多
Objective:To evaluate the effect of adding different values of polymyxin B (PMB) to bull semen on various motility parameters of post-thawed semen such as total motility, progressive motility and velocity parameters u...Objective:To evaluate the effect of adding different values of polymyxin B (PMB) to bull semen on various motility parameters of post-thawed semen such as total motility, progressive motility and velocity parameters using kinetic parameters of sperm by Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis.Methods: Gram negative bacteria release lipopolysaccharide, which induces the apoptotic pathway. Antibiotics are added to semen in order to prevent bacterial contaminations in bovine semen. These antibiotics kill the bacteria especially gram negative bacteria. Therefore, their endotoxins are released during bacteriolysis and bind to the head region and midpiece of sperm. PMB is a bactericidal antibiotic against multidrug resistant gram-negative bacteria and is able to neutralize the toxic effects of the released endotoxin. This study was performed on 3-year old Taleshi bulls. Results:The results showed both positive and negative significant effects of PMB on semen quality. Total motility and progressive motility were significantly increased (P<0.0001) by 100 μg per mL of PMB (55.2% and 48.8% respectively) against the control groups (43.5% and 37.7%, respectively). Moreover, they were significantly decreased (P<0.0001) by 1000 μg per mL of PMB (35.2% and 28.8% respectively) against the control groups (43.5% and 37.7% respectively) in above-mentioned parameters. In Computer Assisted Semen Analyzer, parameter VAP was significantly decreased (P<0.04) in 1000 μg (69.6 μm/s) against the control group (78.7 μm/s). Finally, using PMB in processing cryopreserved bull semen is advised, but before using it, the rate of endotoxins must be measured.Conclusions: We advise using PMB after measuring endotoxin concentration;In vitro,in vivoand in field fertilization, adding other sperm evaluation factors such as acrosomal integrity, DNA integrity, mitochondrial function to PMB treated semen.展开更多
Data consisting of test performance records of 725 bulls was analysed to evaluate trends for growth and feed efficiency, and to determine environmental factors that influence growth of range performance tested bulls i...Data consisting of test performance records of 725 bulls was analysed to evaluate trends for growth and feed efficiency, and to determine environmental factors that influence growth of range performance tested bulls in the arid sweet bushveld of South Africa. Performance data were subjected to regression procedures to estimate parameters of the slope (β) and intercept (α) for average daily gain (ADG) and Kleiber ratio (KR). Mixed procedures were applied to test for sources of variation in ADG and KR. There was an increase of 3.481 g/day/year and 0.528 g/day/ year in ADG for Nguni and Bonsmara bulls, respectively. The ADG trends’ respective feed efficiency as reflected by KR was 0.093 and 0.059. Herd of origin and test-year were the sources of variation for ADG while the variation in KR was due to the herd of origin, test-year, start-age and start-weight. Results indicated a steady increase in ADG and KR for range performance tested bulls in the arid sweet bushveld.展开更多
The objective of the study was to determine the level of Bruising and Dark Firm Dry on Arsi, Boran and Harar cattle breeds in Ethiopia. A total of 39 beef bulls from three different breeds (14 Boran, 14 Harar, and 11 ...The objective of the study was to determine the level of Bruising and Dark Firm Dry on Arsi, Boran and Harar cattle breeds in Ethiopia. A total of 39 beef bulls from three different breeds (14 Boran, 14 Harar, and 11 Arsi cattle breeds) were used in this study. Based on the present finding, from 39 slaughtered beef bulls 66.7% was bruised and 30.77% produced DFD meat. Harar breed had the highest (39.1%) overall level of bruising while Boran and Arsi had the lowest level. However, Harar breed had the lowest level of DFD (14.29%). Age groups 3 - 6 and 6 - 9 years had the highest level of a bruise (29.70% and 28.10%, respectively) compared to age groups 2 - 3 years. The mean number of bruises per carcass was 1.96 ± 0.25 while the bruise score per carcass was 3.58 ± 0.68. A linear bruise was the most observed (33.33%) shape of a bruise. It was concluded that the level of bruising and DFD was higher compared to some other abattoir studies in other countries which indicated the possible presence of poor handling practice of cattle from farm to abattoir gates. To minimize the incidence of DFD and bruising, it was recommended that proper handling of cattle during loading, transport, unloading, at lairriage and during slaughter need to be practiced.展开更多
基金financially supported by the earmarked fund for CARS36,the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province(YQ2023C011)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFD2000701)the Key Research and Development Program of Heilongjiang Province(GZ20230028)。
文摘Background C16:0 and cis-9 C18:1 may have different effects on animal growth and health due to unique metabolism in vivo.This study was investigated to explore the different effects of altering the ratio of C16:0 and cis-9 C18:1 in fat supplements on growth performance,lipid metabolism,intestinal barrier,cecal microbiota,and inflammation in fattening bulls.Thirty finishing Angus bulls(626±69 kg,21±0.5 months)were divided into 3 treatments according to the randomized block design:(1)control diet without additional fat(CON),(2)CON+2.5%palmitic acid calcium salt(PA,90%C16:0),and(3)CON+2.5%mixed fatty acid calcium salt(MA,60%C16:0+30%cis-9 C18:1).The experiment lasted for 104 d,after which all the bulls were slaughtered and sampled for analysis.Results MA tended to reduce 0–52 d dry matter intake compared to PA(DMI,P=0.052).Compared with CON and MA,PA significantly increased 0–52 d average daily gain(ADG,P=0.027).PA tended to improve the 0–52 d feed conversion rate compared with CON(FCR,P=0.088).Both PA and MA had no significant effect on 52–104 days of DMI,ADG and FCR(P>0.05).PA tended to improve plasma triglycerides compared with MA(P=0.077),significantly increased plasma cholesterol(P=0.002)and tended to improve subcutaneous adipose weight(P=0.066)when compared with CON and MA.Both PA and MA increased visceral adipose weight compared with CON(P=0.021).Only PA increased the colonization of Rikenellaceae,Ruminococcus and Proteobacteria in the cecum,and MA increased Akkermansia abundance(P<0.05).Compared with CON,both PA and MA down-regulated the m RNA expression of Claudin-1 in the jejunum(P<0.001),increased plasma diamine oxidase(DAO,P<0.001)and lipopolysaccharide(LPS,P=0.045).Compared with CON and MA,PA down-regulated the ZO-1 in the jejunum(P<0.001)and increased plasma LPS-binding protein(LBP,P<0.001).Compared with CON,only PA down-regulated the Occludin in the jejunum(P=0.013).Compared with CON,PA and MA significantly up-regulated the expression of TLR-4 and NF-κB in the visceral adipose(P<0.001)and increased plasma IL-6(P<0.001).Compared with CON,only PA up-regulated the TNF-αin the visceral adipose(P=0.01).Compared with CON and MA,PA up-regulated IL-6 in the visceral adipose(P<0.001),increased plasma TNF-α(P<0.001),and reduced the Ig G content in plasma(P=0.035).Compared with CON,PA and MA increased C16:0 in subcutaneous fat and longissimus dorsi muscle(P<0.05),while more C16:0 was also deposited by extension and desaturation into C18:0 and cis-9 C18:1.However,neither PA nor MA affected the content of cis-9 C18:1 in longissimus dorsi muscle compared with CON(P>0.05).Conclusions MA containing 30%cis-9 C18:1 reduced the risk of high C16:0 dietary fat induced subcutaneous fat obesity,adipose tissue and systemic low-grade inflammation by accelerating fatty acid oxidative utilization,improving colonization of Akkermansia,reducing intestinal barrier damage,and down-regulating NF-κB activation.
文摘The purpose of this study is to compare the results of chemical analysis of two types of activated from the pyrolysis of bull horn and that of cow. Six samples were used to measure pH, carbon, calcium and to determine adsorbent power. The pH was measured at a temperature of 20˚C using an “ANION 7010 ionomer” pH meter, the carbon (C) content was analyzed using a “EURO EA 3000” analyzer. and the electronic balance: “Sartorius CP-2P”, calcium (Ca) was analyzed using a DFS-8 spectrograph. For the adsorbency test, the 0.15% methylene blue R solution was used. At the end of this study, we found that the activated carbon from the bull horn demonstrated a carbon content that is higher than that of the cow horn (20.79% against 15.63%), activated carbon of cow horn is richer in calcium than that of bull horn (16.27% against 3.69%) and then the pH. The cow horn is higher than that of the bull horn (7.43 versus 6.5). For the adsorbent power, the sample (75% bull horn and 25% cow horn) was recorded with the greatest adsorbent power. Thus, from this study, it can be recommended as an activated carbon antidote to be used for poisonings treatment.
基金financially supported by Research and application of corn straw forage and beef cattle high-efficiency and quality production technology (Provincial Education Science and Technology Innovation Project) (GSSYLXM-02)the Gansu beef cattle quality fattening project (GSAXMLZ-2021-01)+1 种基金the Application of Pingliang Red Bull Planting and Breeding Combined with High-efficiency Circular Production System Construction Technology Application (2020C-08)the local funding (GSSLCSX-2020-1)。
文摘Background Many countries have already banned the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry,making it extremely difficult to maintain animal health in livestock breeding.In the livestock industry,there is an urgent need to develop alternatives to antibiotics which will not lead to drug resistance on prolonged use.In this study,eighteen castrated bulls were randomly divided into two groups.The control group(CK)was fed the basal diet,while the antimicrobial peptide group(AP)was fed the basal diet supplemented with 8 g of antimicrobial peptides in the basal diet for the experimental period of 270 d.They were then slaughtered to measure production performance,and the ruminal contents were isolated for metagenomic and metabolome sequencing analysis.Result The results showed that antimicrobial peptides could improve the daily weight,carcass weight,and net meat weight of the experimental animals.Additionally,the rumen papillae diameter and the micropapillary density in the AP were significantly greater than those in the CK.Furthermore,the determination of digestive enzymes and fermentation parameters showed that the contents of protease,xylanase,andβ-glucoside in the AP were greater than those in the CK.However,lipase content in the CK was greater than that in the AP.Moreover,the content of acetate,propionate,butyrate,and valerate was found to be greater in AP than those in CK.The metagenomic analysis annotated 1993 differential microorganisms at the species level.The KEGG enrichment of these microorganisms revealed that the enrichment of drug resistance-related pathways was dramatically decreased in the AP,whereas the enrichment of immune-related pathways was significantly increased.There was also a significant reduction in the types of viruses in the AP.187 probiotics with significant differences were found,135 of which were higher in AP than in CK.It was also found that the antimicrobial mechanism of the antimicrobial peptides was quite specific.Seven low-abundance microorganisms(Acinetobactersp.Ac1271,Aequorivita soesokkakensis,Bacillus lacisalsi,Haloferax larsenii,Lysinibacillussp.3DF0063,Parabacteroidessp.217,Streptomycessp.So13.3)were found to regulate growth performance of the bull negatively.Metabolome analysis identified 45 differentially differential metabolites that significantly different between the CK and the AP groups.Seven upregulated metabolites(4-pyridoxic acid,Ala-Phe,3-ureidopropionate,hippuric acid,terephthalic acid,L-alanine,uridine 5-monophosphate)improve the growth performance of the experimental animals.To detect the interactions between the rumen microbiome and metabolism,we associated the rumen microbiome with the metabolome and found that negative regulation between the above 7 microorganisms and 7 metabolites.Conclusions This study shows that antimicrobial peptides can improve the growth performance of animals while resisting viruses and harmful bacteria and are expected to become healthy alternatives to antibiotics.We demonstrated a new antimicrobial peptides pharmacological model.We demonstrated low-abundance microorganisms may play a role by regulating the content of metabolites.
文摘The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of draught work on carcass characteristics, meat yield potential, and distribution along primal cuts in Hararghe highland bulls fed on net energy requirement basis. Twelve bulls were sorted into three groups of four animals each and assigned to three treatment hours: control (0), 4, or 6, using a complete randomized design (CRD). The results of the study show that there are no significant differences (p > 0.05) in slaughter weight, hot carcass weight (HCW), chilling loss, total edible and non-edible offal, fat thickness (FT), deboned meat yield (kg), meat to bone ratio, muscle distribution, and proportion of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH%) among the treatment groups. However, the hot carcass-based dressing percentage was significantly lowered (p < 0.05) in bulls that work 4 or 6 hours a day. Meat yield was strongly correlated with HCW (r = 0.74) and FT (r = 0.73). Therefore, the number of hours the bull spent on draught work did not negatively impact meat yield or quality. Consequently, the research suggests that utilizing Hararghe highland bulls for draught service, four or six hours a day is viable for dual advantages: crop cultivation and marketable carcass.
基金Supported by Spark Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2012GA6200025)Science and Technology Development Project of Shijiazhuang City(08150132A-3)Project of Qinghuangdao Municipal Science and Technology Bureau(200901A070)~~
文摘[Objective]This study aimed to investigate the effects of Mycoplasma wenyoni on blood and semen quality of breeding bul s. [Method] Ten 10 healthy breeding bul s of Luxi cattle were randomly divided into two groups. Breeding bul s in experimental group were injected intravenously with M. wenyoni on Day 0 and Day 28. Effects of Mycoplasma wenyoni on breeding bul s were evaluated compre-hensively based on clinical symptoms, blood smears, blood physiological and bio-chemical properties, semen quality and scrotal changes. [Result] In addition to indi-vidual indices, the experimental group exhibited basical y normal clinical examination results without significant abnormal blood and semen quality. [Conclusion] This study suggests that M. wenyoni has low virulence and pathogenicity to breeding bul s af-ter artificial infection, leading to no significant changes in blood and semen quality.
基金the Provincial Breeders Federation of Trento for their support
文摘Background: Semen evaluation is used to estimate the testicular function. In bulls, the spermatozoa present in the ejaculate are the result of a process that begun more than 2 mo earlier, bequeathing a delayed depiction of the actual function of the testis. Since testis vascularization might be critical for the gonad function, selected pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters were assessed in this study, for instance the peak systolic velocity, the end diastolic velocity and the resistive index of the testicular artery along the spermatic cord, the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery both in healthy adult and young bulls.Correlations between these parameters and characteristics of semen that was collected numerous times, before and after the Doppler ultrasound examination.Results: The peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity measured in the testicular artery along the spermatic cord(supratesticular artery – SA) were variable among the bulls and within individual bulls, likely due to the convoluted course of the vessel. The resistive index was found highly repeatable in the same bull. A reduction in the resistive index was found between the supratesticular artery and the marginal portion of the testicular artery(P < 0.01), and between the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery(P < 0.05). No differences were recorded for the pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters in young bulls compared with adults. A significant correlation was found between the resistive index of the marginal portion of the testicular artery and total sperm in the ejaculate(r = 0.516, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.462, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.375, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.389, P < 0.05). Similarly, the resistive index of the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery were found correlated with the total sperm number in the ejaculate(r = 0.568, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.523, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.418, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.341, P < 0.05).Conclusions: The data presented in this study suggest that the resistive index, measured at the marginal portion of the testicular artery, could be an easy-to-perform parameter to evaluate the spermatogenesis quality in young bulls and normal adults.
基金supported by a grant from the Natural Science Funding Projects of Shanxi Province,China(201801D121241)the Animal Husbandry Dominant Key Discipline Construction Project in“1331 Project”of Shanxi Province,China。
文摘This study evaluated the effects of palm fat powder(PFP) and coated folic acid(CFA) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, hepatic lipid content and gene expression in dairy bulls. Forty-eight Chinese Holstein bulls((362±12.4) days of age and(483±27.1) kg of body weight(BW)) were assigned to four groups in a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangements. Supplemental PFP(0 or 30 g PFP kg-1 dietary dry matter(DM)) and CFA(0 or 120 mg FA d-1 as CFA) were mixed into the top one-third of a total mixed ration. The study included a 20-day adaptation period and followed by a 90-day collection period. The lower(P<0.01) feed conversion ratio with PFP or CFA addition resulted from the constant DM intake and the higher(P<0.05) average daily gain. The higher(P<0.05) ruminal p H, ether extract digestibility, microbial α-amylase activity, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens copy, and expression of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor α(PPARα) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1(CPT1), and lower ruminal total volatile fatty acids(VFA) concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, neutral detergent fibre(NDF) digestibility, copies of total protozoa and Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1(SREBP1) and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase α(ACACA) were observed for PFP addition. Supplementation with CFA increased(P<0.05) ruminal total VFA concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein and NDF, activity of cellobiase, pectinase and α-amylase, copies of selected microbial except for total protozoa, as well as expression of PPARα, but decreased(P<0.05) ruminal p H, and expression of SREBP1 and ACACA. The PFP×CFA interaction(P<0.05) was observed for ammonia N, hepatic TG content, and m RNA expression of CPT1 and FAS. There had no significant difference in hepatic TG content when CFA was supplemented in the diet without PFP addition, the lower(P=0.001) hepatic TG content was observed when CFA was supplemented in the diet with PFP addition. The higher(P<0.05) m RNA expression of CPT1, and the lower(P<0.05) m RNA expression of FAS and ammonia N concentration were observed when CFA was supplemented in diet either without or with PFP addition. The results indicated that supplementation of CFA in PFP diet was more effective on increasing hepatic CPT1 expression, and decreasing ammonia N, hepatic TG content and FAS expression than in diet without PFP. Supplementation with PFP or CFA improved growth performance of dairy bulls by promoting nutrient utilization, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, and hepatic gene expression.
基金State Science and Technology Support Program (2006DAD06A03)Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China 863 (2006AA10A204).
文摘To investigate the security of semen biologically, 15 bull semen samples were collected (of which 5 exhibited clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease) and identified by RT-PCR and virus isolation. The results indicated that the semen of the infected bulls were contaminated by Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), but FMDV was not detected in semen samples from those bulls not showing clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This is the first report of the presence of FMDV in bull semen due to natural infection in China. The analysis of the partial sequence of the VP1 gene showed that the virus strain isolated from semen has 97.9% identity with the virus isolated from vesicular liquid of infected bulls showing typical signs of FMD and belonged to the same gene sub-group.
基金supported by the Major Project of National Transgene in China(2018ZX08007001-002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31671286,31672397,31771374)+2 种基金Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China(JQ201709)the Program of National Cow Industrial Technology System of China(CARS-37)the Shandong Provincial Key Research and Development Program of China(2017GNC10120).
文摘F-box and WD-40 domain protein 11(FBXW11)is an important component of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase enzyme that plays a key role in the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of spermatogenesis.In our previous research,the mRNA expression of FBXW11 in bull sperm with high motility is significantly higher than that with low motility.In the present study,the protein expression levels of FBXW11 in bull testicular tissues with low-performance sperm quality groups were significantly higher than those in normal performance groups.The immunohistochemistry result demonstrated that FBXW11 protein was located in the periphery of Leydig cells and seminiferous tubules.Three splice variants of the FBXW11 gene,namely,FBXW11-tv1,FBXW11-tv2,and FBXW11-tv3,were identified in testicular tissues.The splicing patterns of the three variants are exon skipping.The transcript FBXW11-tv2 expressions were the highest in each sample.The low-performance groups displayed higher FBXW11-tv1 and FBXW11-tv2 transcript expressions than the normal performance groups.Two CpG islands were located within the 5’UTR and exon 1-2 region of the FBXW11 gene.Bisulfite sequencing PCR results demonstrated that the methylation levels of 11 methylation sites in the CpG island 2 from−99 to−43 in the normal performance groups were significantly lower than those in the low-performance groups.Pearson correlation analysis suggested that the CpG island 2 methylation level was negatively correlated with sperm motility and the transcript FBXW11-tv2 expression level.Our data revealed that alternative splicing and DNA methylation jointly regulated FBXW11 gene expression and were correlated with sperm quality traits during spermatogenesis in Holsteins.
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatocellular adenomas are rare tumors that can occur in patients with glycogen storage disease type I.CASE SUMMARY We herein report two cases of histologically proven hepatocellular adenomas in patients with glycogen storage disease type I.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)was performed after bolus injection of gadoxetate disodium,a liver-specific gadolinium-based MRI contrast agent.In the present cases,some of the hepatocellular adenomas showed unexpectedly a“bull’s eye”appearance on T2-weighted and post-contrast images,which was not previously described as imaging findings of hepatocellular adenomas in glycogen storage disease.A bull’s eye appearance on T2-weighted images can be encountered in both benign(i.e.,abscess)or malignant(i.e.,epithelioid hemangioendothelioma,cholangiocarcinoma,and metastases)hepatic lesions.CONCLUSION We present two cases of hepatocellular adenomas in patients with glycogen storage disease type 1,in which gadoxetate disodium-MRI showed atypical imaging findings for hepatocellular adenomas.At present there is no systematic study evaluating MRI findings of hepatocellular adenomas in patients with glycogen storage disease,further studies are needed to specifically investigate this issue.
文摘Apple bull’s eye rot is caused by pathogenic Neofabraea species including N. malicorticis, N. perennans and N. alba. Fruits carrying this fungal quarantine disease are prohibited from entering China. The host plants for the pathogens include several Rosaceae fruits including apple and pear. Disease symptoms and pathogen morphology are often insufficient to determine the identity of the pathogen, particularly at the species level. In the current study, we analyzed the inter-species sequence variations in the β-tublin gene, and designed specific primers to allow PCR amplification of 554 bp fragments from pathogenic Neofabraea species. The PCR products were recovered and sequenced, and Blast search was conducted using the DNA sequences in the Genbank database. The results indicated precise PCR amplification of the target sequences from the host pathogen, which allowed unambiguous identification of the species.
文摘Osteopontin (OPN) is a protein found at higher concentrations in the seminal plasma of bulls with above average fertility. Polymorphisms have been reported within the OPN gene promoter that can affect production of this protein and thus, affect fertility. Therefore, Angus (n = 5) and Angus x Gelbvieh (Balancer, n = 14) and Angus x Brahman (n = 15) bulls were evaluated for presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the Bos taurus OPN gene (GenBank: AY878328.1) promoter region, and their possible effects on bull semen quality as evaluated by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Semen was collected by electroejaculation 6 to 9 times from each bull, and each semen collection was evaluated by CASA for motile, progressive and rapid sperm within 5 mins of ejaculation. The bulls were genotyped for reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the OPN gene through amplification of two 700 base pair (bp) DNA fragments and sequencing of the resulting PCR products. Seven SNP sites were identified, at bp 3379, 3490, 3492, 5075, 5205, 5209, and 5263 of the OPN gene. The SNP identified at bp 5205, 5209 and 5263 had not been previously reported. Individual SNP sites were evaluated as the main effect on CASA sperm motility variables in a SAS MIXED model for repeated measures. A thymine to guanine substitution at bp 3379 was associated with increased (P ≤ 0.02) percentage of motile, progressive and rapid sperm in Angus x Brahman bulls, and tended (P ≤ 0.10) to increase the same sperm motility parameters in Angus, and Angus x Gelbvieh bulls. The percentages of motile, progressive and rapid sperm were similar (P ≥ 0.05) among genotypes for the other 6 SNP identified. These results suggest that identification and genotyping of polymorphisms within the promoter region of the bovine OPN gene may be useful for selecting bulls with improved sperm motility parameters.
基金Supported by the National Key Special Science and Technology Project(2016ZX05015-002)PetroChina Key Special Science and Technology Project(2016E-0104)
文摘Aimed at the disadvantages of secondary damage to oil layers caused by the conventional bull-heading water control technique, a thermo-sensitive temporary plugging agent for water control was synthesized by water solution polymerization and applied in the field with a new secondary temporary plugging technique. The optimization and performance evaluation of thermo-sensitive temporary plugging agent were carried out through laboratory experiments. The optimized formula is as follows:(6%-8%) acrylamide +(0.08%-0.12%) ammonium persulfate +(1.5%-2.0%) sepiolite +(0.5%-0.8%) polyethylene glycol diacrylate. The thermo-sensitive temporary plugging agent is suitable for formation temperatures of 70-90 ?C, it has high temporary plugging strength(5-40 k Pa), controllable degradation time(1-15 d), the apparent viscosity after degradation of less than 100 m Pa?S and the permeability recovery value of simulated cores of more than 95%. Based on the research results, secondary temporary plugging technique was used in a horizontal well in the Jidong Oilfield. After treatment, the well saw a drop of water cut to 27%, and now it has a water cut of 67%, its daily increased oil production was 4.8 t, and the cumulative oil increment was 750 t, demonstrating that the technique worked well in controlling water production and increasing oil production.
文摘Aim： To determine the androgenic effects of Basella alba and Hibiscus macranthus extracts in the rat and the bull, and to develop a novel in vitro test system using Leydig cells from bull testes. Methods： The effect of methanol extracts from both plants on testosterone production in isolated Leydig cells from the rat and the bull was analyzed using ^125I-radioimmunoassay （^125I-RIA）. Rat Leydig cells were obtained by common methods, whereas a novel technique was used to purify Leydig cells from bull testes. Results： Bull testes from the slaughter house were a cheap source of pure Leydig cells. In culture, these cells produced testosterone for 5-6 days, which can be stimulated by human chorionic gonadotrophin （hCG）. Basella alba extracts significantly enhanced testosterone production in bull and rat Leydig cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Hibiscus macranthus showed no androgenic effect but was shown to inhibit testosterone production at higher concentrations. Conclusion： Leydig cells purified from bull testes can be used as an alternative tool in experimental animal research. Certain fractions of Basella alba extract demonstrated androgenic potential whereas Hibiscus macranthus extracts did not.
文摘An extender has been developed with low-density lipoproteins （LDLs） that eliminates the microbial risks associated with the use of whole egg yolk. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of substituting egg yolk with LDLs for use as an extender in sperm preservation at 4 ℃, as well as on spermatozoa motility, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, at two different concentrations （80×10^6 and 240× 10^6 sperm per ml） for 8 days and to evaluate glycerol toxicity in both extenders. A total of 12 ejaculates were collected from three bulls. Spermatozoa motility was examined using computer-assisted semen analysis. Plasma membrane integrity was determined using the hypo-osmotic swelling test and acrosome integrity with the fluorescein isothiocyanate-Pisum sativum agglutinin test. The semen was subsequently divided into four aliquots and diluted with Tris-egg yolk-glycerol （TEG）, Tris-egg yolk without glycerol （TE）, LDL with glycerol （LDL＋） and LDL without glycerol （LDL-）, at 80×10^6 and 240 ×10^6sperm per ml. This study showed that the LDL＋ and LDL- extenders were more effective at preserving spermatozoa motility, plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity than TEG and TE （P〈0.05） during 8 days of incubation. After 3 days of incubation, a toxicity of glycerol was observed in TEG, whereas no significant difference was observed between LDL＋ and LDL-. We can therefore conclude that the LDL extender can be used to refrigerate semen at 4 ~C instead of TEG and TE at 80×10^6and 240×10^6 sperm per ml for elite bulls. This finding can be used to define a policy for the storage of high-quality bull semen.
基金the support from the Ministry of ScienceInnovation and Universities,Spain (AGL2017–88329-R and FPU18/00666)+1 种基金Regional Government of Catalonia,Spain (2017-SGR-1229)University of Girona (Postdoc-Ud G2020)。
文摘Background:Genetic selection in cattle has been directed to increase milk production.This,coupled to the fact that the vast majority of bovine artificial inseminations(AI)are performed using cryopreserved sperm,have led to a reduction of fertility rates over the years.Thus,seeking sensitive and specific sperm biomarkers able to predict fertility rates is of vital importance to improve cattle reproductive efficiency.In humans,sperm chromatin condensation evaluated through chromomycin A3(CMA3)has recently been purported to be a powerful biomarker for sperm functional status and male infertility.The objectives of the present study were:a)to set up a flow cytometry method for simultaneously evaluating chromatin condensation and sperm viability,and b)to test whether this parameter could be used as a predictor of in vivo fertility in bulls.The study included pools of three independent cryopreserved ejaculates per bull from 25 Holstein males.Reproductive outcomes of each sire were determined by non-return rates,which were used to classify bulls into two groups(highly fertile and subfertile).Results:Chromatin condensation status of bovine sperm was evaluated through the combination of CMA3 and Yo-Pro-1 staining and flow cytometry.Sperm quality parameters(morphology,viability,total and progressive motility)were also assessed.Pearson correlation coefficients and ROC curves were calculated to assess their capacity to predict in vivo fertility.Sperm morphology,viability and total motility presented an area under the ROC curve(AUC)of 0.54,0.64 and 0.68,respectively(P>0.05),and thus were not able to discriminate between fertile and subfertile individuals.Alternatively,while the percentage of progressively motile sperm showed a significant predictive value,with an AUC of 0.73(P=0.05),CMA3/Yo-Pro-1 staining even depicted superior results for the prediction of in vivo fertility in bulls.Specifically,the percentage of viable sperm with poor chromatin condensation showed better accuracy and precision to predict in vivo fertility,with an AUC of 0.78(P=0.02).Conclusions:Chromatin condensation evaluated through CMA3/Yo-Pro-1 and flow cytometry is defined here as a more powerful tool than conventional sperm parameters to predict bull in vivo fertility,with a potential ability to maximising the efficiency of dairy breeding industry.
基金Supported by NMKJ Project of Production and Industrial Application of Sexed Semen in Domestic Animals(No.20111701)
文摘[Object]This study aimed to examine the effects of 3,7-dimethyl-1-（5-oxo-hexyl）-xanthine（pentoxifylline,PF）on the motility,mitochondrial activity,acrosome integrity and fertilization rate of spermatozoa in both fresh and frozen-thawed bull semen.[Method]Fresh and frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa were exposed to 5 mmol/L PF with untreated samples as controls.[Result]Fresh spermatozoa showed reduced（P〈0.05）motility after 2 h incubation with PF whereas,surprisingly,frozen-thawed samples exhibited increased sperm motility（P〈0.05）after 2 h incubation with PF and they also showed enhanced longevity compared to controls.Mitochondrial activity in both fresh and frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa increased（P〈0.05）during 4 h incubation with PF whereas acrosome integrity remained unchanged in both types of semen.However,treatment with 5 mmol/L PF did not influence the in vitro fertilization efficiency of fresh spermatozoa but improved significantly（P〈0.05）that of frozen-thawed spermatozoa.[Conclusion]These results indicate that PF can improve sperm quality of frozenthawed bull semen,and may improve pregnancy rates in bovine artificial insemination programmes employing frozen semen.
文摘Objective:To evaluate the effect of adding different values of polymyxin B (PMB) to bull semen on various motility parameters of post-thawed semen such as total motility, progressive motility and velocity parameters using kinetic parameters of sperm by Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis.Methods: Gram negative bacteria release lipopolysaccharide, which induces the apoptotic pathway. Antibiotics are added to semen in order to prevent bacterial contaminations in bovine semen. These antibiotics kill the bacteria especially gram negative bacteria. Therefore, their endotoxins are released during bacteriolysis and bind to the head region and midpiece of sperm. PMB is a bactericidal antibiotic against multidrug resistant gram-negative bacteria and is able to neutralize the toxic effects of the released endotoxin. This study was performed on 3-year old Taleshi bulls. Results:The results showed both positive and negative significant effects of PMB on semen quality. Total motility and progressive motility were significantly increased (P<0.0001) by 100 μg per mL of PMB (55.2% and 48.8% respectively) against the control groups (43.5% and 37.7%, respectively). Moreover, they were significantly decreased (P<0.0001) by 1000 μg per mL of PMB (35.2% and 28.8% respectively) against the control groups (43.5% and 37.7% respectively) in above-mentioned parameters. In Computer Assisted Semen Analyzer, parameter VAP was significantly decreased (P<0.04) in 1000 μg (69.6 μm/s) against the control group (78.7 μm/s). Finally, using PMB in processing cryopreserved bull semen is advised, but before using it, the rate of endotoxins must be measured.Conclusions: We advise using PMB after measuring endotoxin concentration;In vitro,in vivoand in field fertilization, adding other sperm evaluation factors such as acrosomal integrity, DNA integrity, mitochondrial function to PMB treated semen.
文摘Data consisting of test performance records of 725 bulls was analysed to evaluate trends for growth and feed efficiency, and to determine environmental factors that influence growth of range performance tested bulls in the arid sweet bushveld of South Africa. Performance data were subjected to regression procedures to estimate parameters of the slope (β) and intercept (α) for average daily gain (ADG) and Kleiber ratio (KR). Mixed procedures were applied to test for sources of variation in ADG and KR. There was an increase of 3.481 g/day/year and 0.528 g/day/ year in ADG for Nguni and Bonsmara bulls, respectively. The ADG trends’ respective feed efficiency as reflected by KR was 0.093 and 0.059. Herd of origin and test-year were the sources of variation for ADG while the variation in KR was due to the herd of origin, test-year, start-age and start-weight. Results indicated a steady increase in ADG and KR for range performance tested bulls in the arid sweet bushveld.
文摘The objective of the study was to determine the level of Bruising and Dark Firm Dry on Arsi, Boran and Harar cattle breeds in Ethiopia. A total of 39 beef bulls from three different breeds (14 Boran, 14 Harar, and 11 Arsi cattle breeds) were used in this study. Based on the present finding, from 39 slaughtered beef bulls 66.7% was bruised and 30.77% produced DFD meat. Harar breed had the highest (39.1%) overall level of bruising while Boran and Arsi had the lowest level. However, Harar breed had the lowest level of DFD (14.29%). Age groups 3 - 6 and 6 - 9 years had the highest level of a bruise (29.70% and 28.10%, respectively) compared to age groups 2 - 3 years. The mean number of bruises per carcass was 1.96 ± 0.25 while the bruise score per carcass was 3.58 ± 0.68. A linear bruise was the most observed (33.33%) shape of a bruise. It was concluded that the level of bruising and DFD was higher compared to some other abattoir studies in other countries which indicated the possible presence of poor handling practice of cattle from farm to abattoir gates. To minimize the incidence of DFD and bruising, it was recommended that proper handling of cattle during loading, transport, unloading, at lairriage and during slaughter need to be practiced.
