Macromolecules Influence Cellular Competence and Expression Level of IGFs Genes in Bovine Oocytes In Vitro

Simple Summary The macromolecule content of culture media can affect the maturation competence of oocytes, which influences the subsequent in vitro development of embryos. This study was designed to determine the effects of macromolecules on cellular competence and the transcript level of insulin-like growth factors (IGF1, IGF2) and their receptors in bovine oocytes. The current study showed that bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fetal calf serum (FCS) improved nuclear maturation and protein biosynthesis (especially FCS). Polyvinyl alcohol did not support the antioxidant defense mechanism due to decreased glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity. The expression of the IGF1 gene could not be detected in all experimental groups, but BSA and FCS increased the transcript level of the IGF2 gene. Moreover, oocyte maturation with BSA increased the transcript level of the IGF1R gene, whereas the transcript level of the IGF2R gene was similar among macromolecule supplementation groups. The BSA and FCS could improve in vitro bovine oocyte development due to supporting cellular characteristics. In vitro maturation (IVM) of mammalian oocytes, which influences subsequent in vitro development of embryos, is affected by the macromolecule content in culture media for the success of oocyte maturation competence, in which the cytoplasmic and nuclear reprogramming events occur. The insulin-like growth factor family (IGFs) promotes the maturation of bovine oocytes and the expansion of cumulus cells and also inhibits apoptosis. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the effects of macromolecules (bovine serum albumin, BSA; fetal calf serum, FCS; and polyvinyl alcohol, PVA) on in vitro nuclear maturation, total cellular protein, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme activity, and the gene expression level of IGF1, IGF2, and their receptor in bovine oocytes. Oocytes obtained from bovine ovaries were cultured in bicarbonate-buffered medium 199 supplemented with 4 mg/mL BSA, 10% FCS, 1 mg/mL PVA, and without macromolecule supplement (control) during 22 h in the air with a humidified atmosphere and 5% CO2 at 38.5 degrees C temperature. Supplementation of BSA and FCS increased (chi(2) = 9.84; p < 0.05) the percentages of oocytes that reached metaphase II compared to the control and PVA. The amount of protein per ml of cell extracts of oocytes matured in FCS supplemented culture media was higher (p < 0.05) than the oocytes in the PVA and control. The levels of GPx enzyme activity in cell extracts isolated from oocytes in each experimental group did not change over time, but the GPx enzyme activity in oocytes matured in PVA-supplemented culture media was lower (p < 0.05) than in oocytes in the other experimental groups. Transcript for the IGF1 gene was not detected in all experimental groups, but the supplementation of BSA and FCS significantly elevated the transcript level of the IGF2 gene. In addition, the maturation of oocytes with BSA-supplemented media increased the transcript level of the IGF1R gene, whereas the transcript level of the IGF2R gene was similar among macromolecule supplementation groups. The current study concluded that BSA and FCS could improve in vitro bovine oocyte development due to supporting nuclear maturation and increasing the total cellular protein content, GPx enzyme, and transcript activity

Placental Characteristics Classification of Various Native Turkish Sheep Breeds

Simple Summary The aim of this study was to classify placental characteristics of Akkaraman, Morkaraman, Karayaka, Awassi, Malya, and Bafra native sheep breeds using the hierarchical clustering method. As a result, six breeds were separated into three clusters: the first cluster consisted of Bafra, Karayaka, and Awassi breeds; the second consisted of Akkaraman and Malya breeds; and the third cluster included only the Morkaraman breed. The aim of this study was to classify placental characteristics of Akkaraman, Morkaraman, Karayaka, Awassi, Malya, and Bafra sheep breeds using the hierarchical clustering method. In total, 240 individual data records were used as experimental material. Placental characteristics such as total cotyledon surface area, small and large cotyledon length, small cotyledon depth, etc. were used as explanatory variables to classify the breeds' characteristics. Hierarchical clustering was used with the nearest neighbour method with Euclidean distance in order to classify the sheep breeds' variations. As a result, six breeds were separated into three clusters: the first cluster consisted of Bafra, Karayaka, and Awassi breeds; the second consisted of Akkaraman and Malya breeds; and the third cluster included only the Morkaraman breed. Bafra and Karayaka were pointed as the nearest breeds, with a similarity of 98.7% in terms of placental characteristics. The similarity rate of the Akkaraman and Malya breeds was at a level of 97.5%, whereas it was 96.8% for Bafra, Karayaka, and Awassi breeds. The similarity of Akkaraman, Karayaka, Awassi, Malya, and Bafra sheep breeds was estimated as 95.7%. The overall similarity was found to be at a level of 93.2% among sheep breeds. The outcomes of the study might be useful as a selection tool for reproductivity and can be used to select the breed to be reared

Evaluation of patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease: Preliminary results from the Turk-UIP study

OBJECTIVE: Differential diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is important among fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILD). This study aimed to evaluate the rate of IPF in patients with fibrotic ILD and to determine the clinical-laboratory features of patients with and without IPF that would provide the differential diagnosis of IPF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included the patients with the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern or possible UIP pattern on thorax high-resolution computed tomography, and/or UIP pattern, probable UIP or possible UIP pattern at lung biopsy according to the 2011 ATS/ERSARS/ALAT guidelines. Demographics and clinical and radiological data of the patients were recorded. All data recorded by researchers was evaluated by radiology and the clinical decision board. RESULTS: A total of 336 patients (253 men, 83 women, age 65.8 +/- 9.0 years) were evaluated. Of the patients with sufficient data for diag-nosis (n=300), the diagnosis was IPF in 121 (40.3%), unclassified idiopathic interstitial pneumonia in 50 (16.7%), combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) in 40 (13.3%), and lung involvement of connective tissue disease (CTD) in 16 (5.3%). When 29 patients with definite IPF features were added to the patients with CPFE, the total number of IPF patients reached 150 (50%). Rate of male sex (p<0.001), smoking history (p<0.001), and the presence of clubbing (p=0.001) were significantly high in patients with IPE None of the women <50 years and none of the men <50 years of age without a smoking history were diagnosed with IPE Presence of at least 1 of the symptoms suggestive of CTD, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and antinuclear antibody (FANA) positivity rates were significantly higher in the non-IPF group (p<0.001, p=0.029, p=0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: The rate of IPF among patients with fibrotic ILD was 50%. In the differential diagnosis of IPF, sex, smoking habits, and the presence of clubbing are important. The presence of symptoms related to CTD, ESR elevation, and EANA positivity reduce the likelihood of IPF

Structural Features of Dairy Farmers In the Erzincan: The Example of Çayırlı District

Bu çalışma ile Erzincan iline bağlı Çayırlı ilçesinin sığırcılık işletmelerinin genel yapısı ve problemleri ortaya koyulmaya çalışılmıştır. Bölgede Esmer %45,4 ile Sarı Alaca %47,8 ile hakim kültür ırkı olarak yetiştirilmekteyken, Siyah Alaca daha az tercih edilmektedir. İşletme başına düşen ortalama hayvan sayısı 10,6±2,3 olarak tespit edilmiştir. İşletmelerin %85,7'si doğum sonrası buzağıların göbek temizliğini yapmaktadır. İşletmelerin %75,2'si suni tohumlama yaptırmaktadır. İşletmelerde en çok görülen hastalıklar %50 ile şap, %26 ile brusella, %8,5 ile mastitis, olarak bulunmuştur. İşletmelerin %64'ü sağdıkları sütü kendileri değerlendirmektedir. İşletmelerin %81'i elle sağım yaparken diğer işletmeler seyyar sağım makinesi kullanmaktadır.It has tried to put Çayırlı district of Erzincan that overall structure of the cattle farmers and the problems with this study. In the region while 45,4% Brown Swiss and 47,8% Simmental are breeding, Holstein Friesian less are preferred. The average number of animals per farm has been identified as 10,6 ± 2.3. Farmers of 85,7% is cleaning the navels of calves after birth, while farmers 75.2% are make artificial insemination. The most common diseases in farmers are 50% foot and mouth diseas, 26% of brucellosis, mastitis 8.5%. 64% of farmers are evaluating their milk themselves. Farmers are milking by hand with 81% while the other of farmers are using mobile milking machine

Effects of Weaning Ages on the Growth, Feed Conversion Efficiency and Some Behavioral Traits of Brown Swiss x Eastern Anatolian Red F1 Calves

The purpose of this research was to investigate the possibility of the reducing weaning age of Brown Swiss x Eastern Anatolian Red F1 crossbred calves reared in North East Region of Anatolia. A total of 26 calves were housed in individual hutches and weaned at 2 (early weaning) or 3 (late weaning) months of age. While weaning weight of the calves in different weaning age treatment groups was significantly (P&lt;0.01) different in favor of calves weaned lately, 6 months weight was not significantly affected by ages of weaning. Average 6 months weight of the male calves was significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher than that of female calves. The effects of weaning ages on the weight gain in both post-weaning and overall periods of the trial were not significant. Total milk dry matter intake (DMI) of the late weaned calves were significantly (P&lt;0.01) greater than that of early weaned calves. However, starter DMI of the calves weaned 2 months of age was higher (P&lt;0.05) than that of late weaned calves, but dry hay and total feed DMI were not affected by the weaning ages. Sex of the calves also did not result in significant effects on the milk, dry hay, starters and total feed DMI. Feed conversion efficiency in a period between birth and 6 months of age were not significantly affected by weaning ages. The weaning age and sex of calves did not significantly affect the gains in body measurements. Percentage of time spent for lying, standing, eating and drinking water behaviors were not also significantly affected by both weaning ages and sex of calves. The results of this study suggested that the crossbred calves could be weaned successfully at 2 months of age without having adverse effect on their growth, feed conversion efficiency and behavioral traits