Effect of photoperiod on sexual activity of boar

The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of photoperiod on sexual activity of three breeds of boars: Swedish Landrace (n=34), Large White (n=38), and Duroc (n=32). Boar sexual activity was analysed based on the libido index and intensity of ejaculation. The libido index was calculated as the ratio between the duration of ejaculation and time of preparation until ejaculation. The intensity of ejaculation was the volume of ejaculate (mL) secreted in the unit of time (min). The effect of photoperiod was analysed as the effect of duration of daylight ( lt 12 h and >12 h) within photoperiod intervals (increasing and decreasing). Impact assessment was carried out by applying the General Linear Model procedure. Libido and intensity of ejaculation varied under the impact of photoperiod and the breed of boars. With the increase in age, the boar libido weakened, while the volume of ejaculate and intensity of ejaculation increased. Boars manifested better libido when the daylight lasted longer than 12 h in both photoperiod intervals. Different from libido, the volume of ejaculate and intensity of ejaculation were highest when the daylight was shorter than 12 h, but only in the decreasing photoperiod interval. Swedish Landrace boars manifested best libido, while in the production of sperm the Duroc boars were inferior compared with Swedish Landrace and Large White. The phenotypic relationship among libido, ejaculate volume, and ejaculation intensity ranges from very low to high; however, the coefficients were positive, which indicates the possibility of simultaneous improvement of these traits

Lipidomic analysis of plasma samples from women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder affecting between 5 and 18 % of females of reproductive age and can be diagnosed based on a combination of clinical, ultrasound and biochemical features, none of which on its own is diagnostic. A lipidomic approach using liquid chromatography coupled with accurate mass high-resolution mass-spectrometry (LCHRMS) was used to investigate if there were any differences in plasma lipidomic profiles in women with PCOS compared with control women at different stages of menstrual cycle. Plasma samples from 40 women with PCOS and 40 controls aged between 18 and 40 years were analysed in combination with multivariate statistical analyses. Multivariate data analysis (LASSO regression and OPLSDA) of the sample lipidomics datasets showed a weak prediction model for PCOS versus control samples from the follicular and mid-cycle phases of the menstrual cycle, but a stronger model (specificity 85 % and sensitivity 95 %) for PCOS versus the luteal phase menstrual cycle controls. The PCOS vs luteal phase model showed increased levels of plasma triglycerides and sphingomyelins and decreased levels of lysophosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines in PCOS women compared with controls. Lipid biomarkers of PCOS were tentatively identified which may be useful in distinguishing PCOS from controls especially when performed during the menstrual cycle luteal phase

Polycystic ovary syndrome

The document attached has been archived with permission from the editor of the Medical Journal of Australia. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 5-20% of women of reproductive age worldwide. The condition is characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM) - with excessive androgen production by the ovaries being a key feature of PCOS. Metabolic dysfunction characterized by insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia is evident in the vast majority of affected individuals. PCOS increases the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes and other pregnancy-related complications, venous thromboembolism, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events and endometrial cancer. PCOS is a diagnosis of exclusion, based primarily on the presence of hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction and PCOM. Treatment should be tailored to the complaints and needs of the patient and involves targeting metabolic abnormalities through lifestyle changes, medication and potentially surgery for the prevention and management of excess weight, androgen suppression and/or blockade, endometrial protection, reproductive therapy and the detection and treatment of psychological features. This Primer summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the epidemiology, mechanisms and pathophysiology, diagnosis, screening and prevention, management and future investigational directions of the disorder.Robert J Norman, Ruijin Wu and Marcin T Stankiewic

Analysis of the atmospheric precipitation deficiencies in the selected ground vegetables cultivation in the region of Bydgoszcz

Vegetables are considered to be plants with high water requirements. A greater susceptibility to water deficit occurs in the periods of intensive growth and yield formation. At that time even a slight reduction in water supply can deteriorate yielding, thus those periods are referred to as critical periods in terms of water supply. The aim of this paper has been to analyse the pattern of precipitation deficits for the ground cultivation of cucumber, tomato, beans and peas in the Bydgoszcz region in the thirty-year period 1981-2010. The basic of analysis were results of standard meteorological measurements from the Research Station of the Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology ‚Mochełek’, University of Technology and Life Sciences. Values of optimal precipitation for medium soils were calculated according to Klatt. Atmospheric precipitation deficits in subsequent month of selected vegetables cultivation were calculated by diminish between the real and optimal precipitation. The trends of deficiency of precipitation in the examined period were estimated too. Very frequent occurrence of the atmospheric precipitation deficits during the entire cultivation period of selected vegetables, and especially in critical periods was demonstrated. Slight decreasing tendency of precipitation deficits in a vegetation periods was indicated, however in a critical periods in terms of water supply, the trend line remains at a practically constant level. The results obtained indicate the necessity of the irrigation in the cultivation of peas, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes

Effect of storage conditions on selected characteristics of eggs derived from green-legged partridge hens

Celem pracy było porównanie wybranych cech jaj pochodzących od kur rasy Zielononóżka kuropatwiana w zależności od czasu i temperatury ich przechowywania. Materiałem doświadczalnym były jaja uzyskane od 50-tygodniowych kur tej rasy. Badania przeprowadzono na próbie 60 jaj, podzielonych losowo na trzy grupy doświadczalne. Grupę pierwszą oceniano jako jaja świeże, drugą grupę stanowiły jaja przechowywane w chłodziarce w temperaturze 6 °C przez 20 dni, a trzecią grupę jaja przechowywane przez 20 dni w temperaturze 24 °C. Oceniano jaja w całości, a następnie po ich wybiciu na szklaną płytkę. Przechowywanie jaj przez 20 dni w temperaturze 24 °C znacznie zintensyfikowało procesy ich starzenia się. Zwiększone parowanie wody z treści jaj w tej temperaturze wpłynęło na zwiększenie wysokości komory powietrznej, istotne zmniejszenie masy jaj (z 32,55 do 27,93 g), zmniejszenie zawartości białka ogólnego (z 32,55 do 27,93 g) oraz obniżenie jednostek Hougha (JH) białka i wzrost zasadowości białka. Zaobserwowano istotnie większą (p ≤ 0,05) masę żółtka w jajach przechowywanych przez 20 dni w temperaturze 24 °C w porównaniu z masą żółtka jaj przechowywanych w temperaturze 6 °C, co było spowodowane przenikaniem wody z białka. Jednocześnie zaobserwowano istotne (p ≤ 0,01) zwiększenie indeksu żółtka oraz nieznaczny wzrost wartości pH – z 6,01 do 6,62. Temperatura 24 °C i wydłużony czas przechowywania jaj wywarły niekorzystny wpływ na dynamikę zmian zachodzących w ocenianych jajach, co przyczyniło się do utraty ich świeżości.The objective of the research study was to compare some selected characteristics of eggs derived from hens of the Green-legged Partridge species depending on the time and temperature of storage. The experimental material comprised the eggs derived from 50 weeks old hens of this species. A sample of 60 eggs were analyzed; the eggs were divided randomly into three experimental groups. The eggs in the first group were assessed as fresh eggs, the eggs in the second group were stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 6 °C for 20 days, and the eggs in the third group were stored at a temperature of 24 °C for 20 days. At first, the whole eggs were assessed; next, the eggs were spilled onto a glass plate and, then, assessed. The storing of eggs for 20 days at a temperature of 24 °C significantly intensified the processes of their ageing. An increased evaporation of water from the eggs caused the height of air cell to increase, the weight of eggs to significantly decrease (from 32.55 to 27.93 g), the content of total white to decrease (from 32.55 to 27.93 g), the IH of white to drop, and the alkalinity of white to grow. Significantly (p ≤ 0.05) greater yolk weight was observed in the eggs stored for 20 days at 24 °C than in the eggs stored at 6 °C, which was due to penetration of water from the albumen. At the same time, it was reported a significant increase (p ≤ 0,01) in the yolk index and a slight increase in the value of pH from 6.01 to 6.62. The temperature of 24 °C and the extended time of storing the eggs negatively affected the dynamics of changes occurring in the eggs assessed and this fact caused that the eggs lost their freshness