Impairment of Nrf2 signaling in the hippocampus of P301S tauopathy mice model aligns with the cognitive impairment and the associated neuroinflammation.

Mice transgenic for human P301S tau protein exhibit many characteristics of the human tauopathies, including the formation of abundant hyperphoshorylated tau filaments, the associated neuroinflammation and disease phenotype. However, the exact underpinning mechanisms are still not fully addressed that hinder our understanding of the tauopathy diseases and the development of possible therapeutic targets.Methods: In the current study, hippocampus from three disease time points (2, 4 and 6 months) of P301S mice were further characterized in comparison to the age and sex matched control wild type mice (WT) that do not express the transgene. Different spectrum of hippocampal dependent cognitive tests, biochemical and pathological analysis were conducted to understand the disease progression and the associated changes in each stage. Results: Cognitive impairment was manifested as early as 2 months age, prior to the identification of tau aggregation and phosphorylation by immunostaining. P301S mice manifested an increased pro-inflammatory related changes at mRNA transcription level (IL-1b and IL17A) with the progression of the disease and when compared to the WT mice of the same age. Among the identified genes in the current study, the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) genes expression that is considered as the master regulator of an endogenous inducible defense system was significantly impaired in P301S mice by 4 and 6 months when compared to healthy WT controls. A data that was also supported by the immunostaining of the serial brain sections including the both brain stem and hippocampus. The current result is suggesting that the downregulation of Nrf2 gene and the impaired Nrf2 dependent anti-inflammatory mechanisms in P301S mice brain is possibly contributing -among other factors- in the neuroinflammation and tauopathy, and that modulation of Nrf2 signaling impairments can be further investigated as a promising potential therapeutic target for tauopathy.

Uterotubal junction of the bovine (Bos taurus) versus the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius): Histology and histomorphometry.

This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the uterotubal junction in two distinct mammalian species, the bovine (Bos taurus) and the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius), focusing on histological and histomorphometric parameters. Uterotubal junction (UTJ) was dissected from 8 cows and 12 camels with dominant follicles, and processed for H&E staining for histology, and histomorphometry examination. The results showed that the camel uterotubal junction papillae (UTJP) existed only in camels and was completely absent in cattle. Histologically, the cow UTJ appears with a star-shaped lumen, and the mucosa is lined by a simple columnar epithelium with ciliated and non-ciliated cells. Superficial (SG) and deep glands (DG) were abundant in the submucosa. Camel UTJP is a conical structure, it has a pale yellowish colour, 0.5 ± 0.2 cm height, and 0.3 ± 0.1 cm width, and it has a distinct sphincter at the tip towards the uterine lumen. In the camel UTJP, the lumen is wider, and the mucosa showed large multiple folds lined with ciliated and non-ciliated cells in a pseudostratified columnar epithelium. The submucosa showed no mucosal glands. Lumen area, lumen epithelial height, luminal epithelial density, the thickness of the muscular layer, number of folds, fold height, epithelial height, fold area and epithelial perimeter were higher in camel UTJP (p < .001) than cow UTJ, while the total endosalpinx area and glandular epithelial density were lower in camel UTJP (p < .001) than in cow UTJ. In conclusion, this study elucidates potential variations in the uterotubal junction between bovines and dromedary camels, providing valuable insights into their reproductive adaptations. The epithelial lining, absence of glands and the thick layer of tunica muscularis might indicate that camel UTJP could play a mechanical role in selecting spermatozoa and assisting the hatching of blastocysts during their passage into the uterus.

An improved Differential evolution with Sailfish optimizer (DESFO) for handling feature selection problem.

As a preprocessing for machine learning and data mining, Feature Selection plays an important role. Feature selection aims to streamline high-dimensional data by eliminating irrelevant and redundant features, which reduces the potential curse of dimensionality of a given large dataset. When working with datasets containing many features, algorithms that aim to identify the most valuable features to improve dataset accuracy may encounter difficulties because of local optima. Many studies have been conducted to solve this problem. One of the solutions is to use meta-heuristic techniques. This paper presents a combination of the Differential evolution and the sailfish optimizer algorithms (DESFO) to tackle the feature selection problem. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, a comparison between Differential Evolution, sailfish optimizer, and nine other modern algorithms, including different optimization algorithms, is presented. The evaluation used Random forest and key nearest neighbors as quality measures. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is a superior algorithm compared to others. It significantly impacts high classification accuracy, achieving 85.7% with the Random Forest classifier and 100% with the Key Nearest Neighbors classifier across 14 multi-scale benchmarks. According to fitness values, it gained 71% with the Random forest and 85.7% with the Key Nearest Neighbors classifiers.

The protective effects of some herbs on mitigating HFD-induced obesity via enhancing biochemical indicators and fertility in female rats.

The potential of plant-based diets and drugs to prevent and control obesity has been attributed to the presence of several biologically active phytochemicals. The study aimed to assess herb consumption's impact on alleviating the risks and hazards associated with obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and the promotion of fertility. Eighty rats were allocated into four distinct groups. Group 1 (G1) was provided with a basal diet and acted as the control group. Group 2 (G2) was provided with an HFD. Group 3 (G3) was provided with HFD supplemented with chia seeds and Hibiscus sabdariffa L. The fourth group of subjects was provided with HFD supplemented with Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) and Coriandrum sativum L. (coriander). The feeding session was sustained for 10 weeks, and the biochemical parameters were evaluated. The administration of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) and Coriandrum sativum L. (coriander) (G4) resulted in a more significant reduction in all biochemical parameters compared to G3, which received a diet consisting of chia seeds and Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Additionally, the average number of embryonic lobes and the average number of offspring after birth were found to be considerably more significant in the normal control group (G1) and group (G4) compared to the HFD group (G2) and group (G3) (P < 0.01). Group 4 (G4) was administered a diet enriched with Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) and Coriandrum sativum L. (coriander), which demonstrated superior outcomes in many biochemical indicators and the promotion of fertility in obese female rats.

Improving the quality properties of soybean oil by using rice bran oil.

This study aims to study the effect of substituting soybean oil (SO) with rice bran oil (RBO) at different levels (25%, 50%, and 75%) on the physical and chemical properties, fatty acid composition, and oxidative stability of SO, also, study the effect of storing SO, RBO, and their blend oils at ambient temperature for a period of 12 months on the content of free fatty acids (% FFA), peroxide value (PV), and thiobarbituric acid (TBA). RBO demonstrated good quality, as evidenced by its initial low values of % FFA, PV, and TBA. Furthermore, RBO was found to be an excellent source of γ-oryzanol, whereas the other oils lacked this compound. Consequently, increasing the proportion of RBO in SO resulted in the least degradation, while pure SO exhibited the highest degree of degradation. Moreover, the blend oils demonstrated an inhibitory effect against oxidation, allowing for a prolonged storage period without the use of industrial antioxidants. Throughout the entire storage period, the % FFA and PV of all tested blend oil samples remained within the limits recommended for human consumption. TBA exhibited a similar trend to PV. However, an incremental increase in TBA values was observed as the storage period of the oils extended. In SO, TBA levels increased from 0.533 mg malonaldehyde/kg oil at the beginning to 1.446 mg malonaldehyde/kg oil after 12 months of storage. In RBO, TBA levels increased from 0.336 mg malonaldehyde/kg oil at the beginning to 0.882 mg malonaldehyde/kg oil after 12 months of storage.

Aplasia Cutis Congenita of the Scalp with Bone Defect and Exposed Sagittal Sinus in Trisomy 13 Newborn - a Case Report.

Background: Aplasia cutis congenita is a heterogeneous disorders group with a rare reported incident of 0.5 to 1 in 10,000 births. ACC can be associated with physical defects or syndrome that may help in diagnosis, prognosis and further evaluation of the patient. Trisomy 13 is one of the most common fetal life limiting diagnosis which is associated with ACC of membranous type scalp. Objective: In this article, we report cases of aplasia cutis congenita of the scalp with dura and bone defect and exposed sagittal sinus in newborn diagnosed to have trisomy 13. It emphasizes the importance of ACC associated syndrome which is having high mortality prior to surgical intervention. Case presentation: The patient was born at 35 weeks of gestation. Her physical examination revealed a newborn girl with dysmorphic facial features including widely separated eyes, downward slanting of the palpebral fissure, microphthalmia, retrognathia, and low seat ears. She had area of loss of scalp skin and skull bone with seen brain tissue and sagittal sinus were exposed that was measure 6 by 5 cm in size. Additionally, she had a clenched fist and overlapping fingers and rocker bottom feet. Laboratory investigations include basic labs and the TORCH screen was negative. On the 9th day of life, a chromosomal analysis showed a female karyotype with three copies of chromosome number 13 in all 20 metaphase cells counts. Conclusion: The patient was managed conservatively. However, a multidisciplinary team agreed on do not resuscitate with no further surgical intervention as survival rate of trisomy 13 is poor.

Economics of treatment with GnRH agonist 7-14 days after artificial insemination in repeat breeder lactating dairy cows.

This study looked at the effectiveness and financial benefits of treating repeat breeder (RB) dairy cows with the GnRH agonist gonadorelin 7-14 days after artificial insemination (AI). A total of 188 healthy dairy cows (2.4 ± 1.3 lactations) with an average milk yield of 42.1 ± 6.8 kg milk/day, at 179 ± 38.4 days in milk with 3.8 ± 1 AIs were divided into two groups, experimental (E group, n = 98) and control (C group, n = 90). The GnRH agonist gonadorelin was given 7-14 days after AI to the E group to evaluate the embryo survival in RB cows. The control group did not receive any treatment. Recorded pregnancy rates and cumulative pregnancy rates were superior in the E group (49% and 64.3%) compared with the C group (37.8% and 55.5%). The interaction between therapy and RB had a significant impact on the pregnancy rate and accessory corpus luteum (CL), according to a binary logistic regression study. The UW-DairyRepro$ decision support tool utilized in this experiment demonstrated that by implementing this approach, the net present value can be increased by US dollars (US$)30.2/RB cow/year. Thus, the single therapy with GnRH agonist gonadorelin between 7 and 14 days after AI enhanced the potential for a second CL in repeat-breeder pregnant cows, presumably favouring embryo survival.

Case report: Aplasia cutis congenita of the scalp with bone defect and an exposed sagittal sinus in a trisomy 13 newborn.

Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a heterogeneous disorder with a rarely reported incidence of 0.5-1 in 10,000 births. ACC can be associated with physical defects or syndromes that may help in the diagnosis, prognosis, and further evaluation of the patient. Trisomy 13 is one of the most common fetal life-limiting diagnoses associated with ACC of membranous-type scalp. The patient was born at 35 weeks of gestation via a cesarean section due to fetal distress. Upon admission to our hospital, her pertinent physical examination revealed a newborn girl with dysmorphic facial features, including widely separated eyes, downward slanting of the palpebral fissure, microphthalmia, retrognathia, and low-set ears. She had an area of loss of scalp skin and skull bone with seen brain tissue and an exposed sagittal sinus that was 6 by 5 cm in size. She had a clenched fist, overlapping fingers, and rocker bottom feet. Precordium auscultation revealed medium-pitched high-grade continuous murmur heard best at the pulmonary position with a harsh machinelike quality that often radiated to the left clavicle. Laboratory investigations include basic labs, and the TORCH screen was negative. On the 9th day of life, a chromosomal analysis showed a female karyotype with three copies of chromosome number 13 (trisomy 13) in all 20 metaphase cell counts. The patient was managed with a moist gauze dressing, topical antibiotic ointment, and povidone-iodine. However, a multidisciplinary team agreed on a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order with no further surgical intervention as the survival rate of trisomy 13 is poor. In this article, we report a case of aplasia cutis congenita of the scalp with dura and bone defect and an exposed sagittal sinus in a newborn diagnosed with trisomy 13. It emphasizes the importance of ACC-associated syndrome, which has high mortality prior to surgical intervention.

Lyophilized equine platelet-rich plasma (L-GFequina) antagonize the Reproductive toxicity and oxidative stress Induced by Cyclophosphamide in female rats.

BACKGROUND: The antineoplastic agent Cyclophosphamide (CP) induces reproductive toxicity. New strategies for protecting ovarian tissue damage in women with chemotherapy-induced reproductive toxicity are essential. This study was designed to evaluate the possible protective effect of combined treatment with L-GFequina on CP-induced reproductive toxicity in the mature female rat. METHODOLOGY: Forty mature female rats were assigned into four groups: First group, control: rats were intraperitoneally injected (IP) with 200 µl sterile saline solution on days 1 and 10; Group 2 (CP): were IP injected with 75 mg/kg on days 1 and 10 to induce POI); Group 3 (CP + L-GFequina): as in group 2 + IP injected with 200 µl rehydrated L-GFequina half-hour after CP injection on day 1 and 10); Group 4 (L-GFequina): rats were IP injected with 200 µl L-GFequina on day 1 and 10). Blood samples were collected for a complete blood picture and determinations of nitric oxide and malondialdehyde. Animals were sacrificed on Day-21, and genitalia was dissected, weighed, and fixed in 10% formalin for histopathological and morphometric evaluation. RESULTS: On day 21 of the experiment, body weight, ovarian parameters (Ovarian weight, uterine weight, the number of ovarian follicles, and corpora lutea (CL) were determined, and histopathological changes, blood profile, as well as antioxidant activity assessment, were performed. CP significantly suppresses ovarian and uterine functions and increased MAD, NO levels, RBCs, hemoglobin, WBCs, and platelet count compared to the control group ( P < 0.05). While, in CP + L-GFequina group, gross, histomorphometry parameters, blood, and biochemical markers were similar to that in the control. IP injection of L-GFequina alone significantly (P < 0.05) increased body weight, and ovarian and uterine morphometry compared with the control. CONCLUSION: co-administration of L-GFequina with CP might protect the reproductive organs in rats through its high antioxidant capacity.

Intraovarian Injection of Reconstituted Lyophilized Growth-Promoting Factor Extracted from Horse Blood Platelets (L-GFequina) Increases Oocytes Recovery and In Vitro Embryo Production in Holstein Cows.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of intraovarian injections of a reconstituted lyophilized growth-promoting factor extracted from horse blood platelets (L-GFequina) on the number of ovarian follicles, the recovery of cumulus−oocyte complexes (COCs), and embryo development to the blastocyst stage in Holstein cows. Thus, 12 Holstein cows were assigned to three protocols. According to the number of punctured follicles in protocol 1, ovum pick-up (OPU) was conducted on days 6 and 14 of the cycle (day 0 = estrus). In protocol 2, every large follicle (more than 7 mm) was removed, and 1 mL of L-GFequina was intraovarian injected (day 0). Two days later, equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) was administered, and OPU sessions were conducted on days 6, 10, and 14. The same ovarian stimulation procedure as that in protocol 2 was performed in protocol 3, except that equine L-GFequina was not supplied. OPU was carried out on days 6 and 10 of the cycle. The results indicate that the intraovarian injection of L-GFequina significantly (p < 0.05) increased the number of OPU sessions per cycle, the recovery of cumulus−oocyte complexes (COCs), and the production of blastocysts. In conclusion, an intraovarian injection of L-GFequina can improves OPU-IVEP results in Holstein cows.

Age-related changes in testicular morphometry and function in Egyptian donkeys.

This study aimed to assess the effects of age on testicular morphometry and function in donkeys. Testes and epididymides of 57 donkeys were harvested immediately after slaughtering. The donkeys were grouped: young (1-4 years old, n = 13); adult (5-15 years old, n = 25) and aged (>15 years old, n = 19). Each testis and epididymis were weighed separately. Testicular volume was calculated. Epididymal sperm was harvested by retrograde flushing method, and sperm parameters were evaluated. The testicular parenchyma was immunolabelled for BAX and COX2. Adult and aged donkeys had greater testicular weight and volume than young (p < .05). Epididymal sperm concentration, motility and viability were greater (p < .05) in adults and aged (931.8 ± 39.3 and 858.2 ± 33.2 × 106 /ml) than in young animals (316.3 ± 72.8 × 106 /ml). Aged donkeys had a higher percentage of morphological sperm defects than the other categories (p < .05). Histological examination revealed the presence of age-related degenerative changes in testicular tissue of donkeys. Aged donkeys had higher COX2 protein expression than adult and young donkeys. BAX protein was overly expressed in adults than aged or young animals. In conclusion, advancement of age affects the testicular morphometry and function in donkeys.

Progress towards elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030 in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2019.

The WHO Global Health Sector Strategy and hepatitis regional action plan for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) proposed strategic directions for countries to progress towards the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030. In 2019, we reviewed progress to gain a picture of current pressures and identify priority actions for member states to reach this goal. We collected data from country, regional, and global reports published in 2015-19, questionnaires completed by countries, and convened a regional consultation with programme managers and partners. We analysed these data along three thematic areas: governance and finance, strategic information, and service delivery. 15 of the 22 EMR countries completed the review. Of these, 10 (67%) had a national strategy and six (40%) allocated funds to it. 11 (73%) countries had testing and treatment guidelines in line with WHO recommendations. Ten (67%) countries had burden and coverage estimates, four (27%) reported on the cascade of care for hepatitis C virus (HCV), three (20%) reported on the cascade of care for hepatitis B (HBV), and three (20%) had mortality estimates. By 2019, the regional hepatitis B vaccination coverage among infants was 82% for the third dose and 33% for the timely birth dose. For harm reduction, 27 syringes were distributed per injecting drug user per year. Between 2015 and 2019, HCV diagnosis increased from 18% to 33% and treatment for hepatitis C increased from 12% to 26%. Within the same time period, diagnosis of HBV diagnosis increased from 2% to 14% and treatment initiation increased from less than 1% to 2%. EMR countries made progress in governance, policy development, coverage of the third dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, and testing and treatment for HCV infection. However, birth dose vaccination, injection safety, harm reduction, and testing and treatment are limited by insufficient financing. Core interventions need to be included within national universal health coverage packages as an initial move towards elimination.

Platelet-rich plasma in animal reproductive medicine: Prospective and applications.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is the fraction of the plasma enriched with a platelet level above baseline, and it plays an essential role in tissue regeneration. The attention to PRP as unconventional therapy has increased during the past two decades. In animals, applications of PRP showed various degrees of success in a wide range of medical applications, from musculoskeletal injuries to ovarian insufficiency. Therapeutic applications with PRP in farm animals are still scarce, but the promising results offered by several studies are expected to trigger more interest in its application by both veterinarians and farmers. In this review, we highlight some efforts made in the field of animal reproduction regarding the use of PRP to potentiate the ovarian hypofunction, treat endometritis, improve the follicular development, oocyte competence and uterine environment for embryo implantation as well as restore testicular and erectile function in male, and as a treatment for mastitis.

Acceptability and feasibility of HIV self-testing among transgender people in Larkana, Pakistan: Results from a pilot project.

BACKGROUND: HIV self-testing (HIVST) is an innovative HIV testing approach that effectively reaches those who do not otherwise test, including key populations (KPs). Despite potential benefits, HIVST is not currently implemented in Pakistan. The high risk of HIV among transgender (TGs) persons is among the highest risk group for HIV in Pakistan, yet knowledge of HIV status remains low in this key population group. We conducted a pilot project to assess the acceptability and feasibility of distributing HIVST to TGs in Larkana. METHODS: Eligible participants were 18 years or above and self-identified as transgender ("hijra"). One oral fluid HIVST kit per person was distributed free of cost in the community by trained transgender peer outreach workers (ORW). Participants could request a demonstration of the HIVST procedure before performing self-testing which was provided by the trained ORW. Demographic characteristics of participants were collected. The ORW followed up with phone calls two days later to record if HIVST kits were used, the results, and whether assistance was required. RESULTS: Between November 2020 and February 2021, 150 HIVST kits were distributed to eligible TGs. The average age of participants was 25.5 years (standard deviation: 7.0). Over a third (52, 34.7%) had no formal education, while (16, 10.6%) had attended at least five years of schooling. Over one-third (58, 38.6%) of participants were first-time testers. One hundred and thirty-nine (92.7%) participants reported their results within two days. For the remaining 11 participants, ORWs had to contact them. All participants reported using HIVST kits within three days. A majority (141, 94%) used the kit in their homes, and the remaining nine (6%) used it at the community-based organization's office. Overall, a small proportion (11, 7.3%) of participants requested a demonstration of the test procedure before performing HIVST. Four (2.7%) participants who had performed unsupervised self-tests reported reactive HIVST results; all were linked to treatment within five working days once their HIV result was confirmed. The majority (136, 90.6%) of participants felt that self-testing was easy to perform independently, and 143 (95%) reported that they would recommend HIVST to their peers. CONCLUSION: HIVST is acceptable among TGs and identified by first-time testers as undiagnosed infections. Peer-led distribution appears to be a feasible approach for implementation in this setting. HIVST should be considered for routine implementation and scale up to reduce testing gaps among Pakistan's key population, particularly TGs.

Seizure following general anesthesia for cystoscopy and urethral dilatation: A case report.

Seizure and anesthesia is a topic necessitating more studies to understand its mechanism. Some anesthetic agents triggers seizures, while others can control it. We are here reporting a case of apparently healthy young adult patient who underwent diagnostic cystoscopy and urethral dilatation under general anesthesia and who developed seizure immediately after admission to the postanaesthetic care unit.

Surgical Correction of Popliteal Pterygium with Serial Splinting: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Popliteal pterygium syndrome is an extremely rare congenital disorder, with only a few cases reported in the literature. It consists of facial, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal anomalies. A very striking characteristic of this syndrome is the popliteal pterygium contracture, which is considered the most challenging malformation to be corrected. Hence, we report a case of popliteal pterygium contracture in a 30-month-old female child with no family history of popliteal pterygium syndrome. The child was treated successfully with satisfactory results, by combining surgical intervention with postoperative serial splinting. We discuss here the tips and tricks of the surgical approach we performed, which was followed by serial splinting and physiotherapy. In addition, a literature-based review was performed providing a summary of all relevant reported cases.

Effect of body condition score on the testicular biometrical measures, semen characteristics and testosterone level in jackass.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) on testicle and epididymis biometrics, semen characteristics and testosterone level in Egyptian Jack. This study was conducted on 50 mature Jacks divided according to their body condition score into four groups: Poor (G1), moderate (G2), good (G3) and fat (G4). The complete testis was collected immediately after execution in the Giza Zoo abattoir; then, the epididymis was carefully dissected at the testicular junction. Biometrical measures including length, weight and volume were determined for the right and left testis and epididymis. Also, epididymal sperm was collected from all examined animas and evaluated for sperm concentration, progressive motility, viability and sperm abnormalities. Serum samples were collected for determination of total testosterone level. Results showed that the body condition score of the examined animal affects their biometrical measure of testicles and epididymis. There is a significant decrease (p < .05) in biometrical measures for the testicles and epididymis, sperm concentration, motility, viability and testosterone level in poor BCS animals (G1). The highest values were recorded in Good BCS (G3) Jacks. Conclusion: Jacks with good BCS (G3) should be selected for breeding activity in donkey.

Effect of oxygen tension and antioxidants on the developmental competence of buffalo oocytes cultured in vitro.

AIM: Oxidative stress (OS) is one of the major disruptors of oocyte developmental competence, which appears due to the imbalance between the production and neutralization of reactive oxygen species (ROS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In Experiment 1, buffalo oocytes were in vitro matured, fertilized, and cultured at 38.5°C under 5% CO2 + 20% O2 in standard CO2 incubator (OS) or under 5% O2 + 5% CO2 + 90% N2 (Multi-gas incubator, low O2). In Experiment 2, buffalo cumulus oocytes complexes (COCs) were matured in Basic maturation medium (BMM) composed of TCM199+ 10% FCS+ 10 µg/ml FSH+ 50 µg/ml gentamicin (control group) or in BMM supplemented with 50 µM ascorbic acid (ascorbic acid group) or 3.0 mM glutathione (glutathione group) or 10-5 M melatonin (melatonin group) and cultured at 38.5°C under 20% O2 for 24 h. Matured buffalo oocytes in control, ascorbic acid, or melatonin groups were fertilized and zygotes were cultured for 8 days under the same conditions. RESULTS: In both experiments, maturation, cleavage, and blastocyst rates were recorded. Results showed that culture of buffalo oocytes under low O2 (5% O2) significantly increased maturation, cleavage, and blastocyst rates (p<0.05). Meanwhile, under 20% O2, addition of 10-5 M melatonin or 50 µM ascorbic acid to in vitro maturation (IVM) medium significantly improved cumulus cell expansion, nuclear maturation rates of buffalo oocytes (p<0.05), and increased cleavage and blastocyst rates (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: About 5% O2 is the optimum condition for in vitro production of buffalo embryos, and addition of 10-5 M melatonin to IVM medium for oocytes cultured under 20% O2 could alleviate the adverse effect of high oxygen tension and increased embryo yield.

Effect of oregano essential oil supplementation on performance, biochemical, hematological parameters and intestinal histomorphometry of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica).

This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of two levels of dietary oregano essential oil (OEO) on growth performances, biochemical, hematological parameters, and intestinal histomorphology in Japanese quail. A total number of 99 quail chicks were divided into three groups (33 quails per group): Control, OEO 150 mg kg-1, and OEO 300 mg kg-1 treated groups for 42 days. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed intake, weight gain, and edible organ weight were recorded. Biochemical and hematological parameters were determined. Histomorphological examination of hepatic and intestinal tissues was performed. FCR was significantly improved and feed intake was significantly decreased in OEO 150 mg kg-1 group compared to control. No detectable changes were observed in the lipid profile. Meanwhile, total protein, albumin, globulin, and H/L ratio were significantly increased in OEO 300 mg kg-1 at day 21. Uric acid and creatinine were significantly increased in the OEO 300 mg kg-1 group at day 42. A significant increase was observed in the whole thickness of the small intestine in the OEO 150 mg kg-1 group besides a significant increase in villi length, width, and crypt depth. Vacuolar and fatty degeneration of the hepatocytes along with Kupffer cell hypertrophy was observed in OEO 300 mg kg-1 group. It was concluded that OEO 150 mg kg-1 improved the quail's performance, intestinal histomorphometry as well as hematological parameters with no negative impacts on biochemical parameters.