Effect of preovulatory follicle maturity on pregnancy establishment in cattle: the role of oocyte competence and the maternal environment

Reproductive technologies to synchronize estrus and ovulation in cattle have enhanced the ability to practically utilize artificial insemination to increase both genetic merit and reproductive management of beef and dairy herds. The ability to successfully synchronize a follicular wave and ovulation, in heifers and cows, has improved substantially in recent years. Consequently, pregnancy rates to a single fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) can approximate that of insemination following spontaneous estrus. Despite these advances, a subset of heifers and cows often has a physiologically immature dominant follicle at the time of GnRH-induced ovulation. These animals will exhibit reduced pregnancy rates and decreased embryonic survival if a pregnancy happens to become established. The physiological mechanisms underlying the preceding decreased fertility have been a focus of our laboratories and may include an effect of the follicular microenvironment on both oocyte competence and the maternal environment. Oocytes must have adequate opportunity to complete cytoplasmic and molecular maturation during the final stages of oocyte maturation that occur within the preovulatory follicle. Follicular status, during the proestrus period, must be such that adequate circulating concentrations of estradiol are present before FTAI to increase oviductal transport of gametes and enhance both the luteinizing capacity of granulosa cells and progesterone receptor population in the post-ovulatory uterus. Following ovulation, the follicles transformation to a functional corpus luteum to secrete adequate amounts of progesterone is essential for the establishment of pregnancy. The physiological status of the preovulatory follicle, prior to FTAI, greatly affects the concepts discussed above and has an important impact on pregnancy establishment and maintenance in cattle.(AU)

Markers of pregnancy: how early can we detect pregnancies in cattle usingpregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) and microRNAs?

Pregnancy detection has evolved over the last few decades and the importance of early pregnancy detection is critical to minimize the amount of time a cow spends not pregnant. Embryonic mortality (EM) is generally considered to be the primary factor limiting pregnancy rates in cattle and occurs early (

Effect of preovulatory follicle maturity on pregnancy establishment in cattle: the role of oocyte competence and the maternal environment

Reproductive technologies to synchronize estrus and ovulation in cattle have enhanced the ability to practically utilize artificial insemination to increase both genetic merit and reproductive management of beef and dairy herds. The ability to successfully synchronize a follicular wave and ovulation, in heifers and cows, has improved substantially in recent years. Consequently, pregnancy rates to a single fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) can approximate that of insemination following spontaneous estrus. Despite these advances, a subset of heifers and cows often has a physiologically immature dominant follicle at the time of GnRH-induced ovulation. These animals will exhibit reduced pregnancy rates and decreased embryonic survival if a pregnancy happens to become established. The physiological mechanisms underlying the preceding decreased fertility have been a focus of our laboratories and may include an effect of the follicular microenvironment on both oocyte competence and the maternal environment. Oocytes must have adequate opportunity to complete cytoplasmic and molecular maturation during the final stages of oocyte maturation that occur within the preovulatory follicle. Follicular status, during the proestrus period, must be such that adequate circulating concentrations of estradiol are present before FTAI to increase oviductal transport of gametes and enhance both the luteinizing capacity of granulosa cells and progesterone receptor population in the post-ovulatory uterus. Following ovulation, the follicle’s transformation to a functional corpus luteum to secrete adequate amounts of progesterone is essential for the establishment of pregnancy. The physiological status of the preovulatory follicle, prior to FTAI, greatly affects the concepts discussed above and has an important impact on pregnancy establishment and maintenance in cattle.

Testing models of diversification in mice in the Abrothrix olivaceus/xanthorhinus complex in Chile and Argentina.

Samples of the forest-dwelling mouse Abrothrix olivaceus and the steppe-dwelling A. xanthorhinus across a transect between 45 and 47 degrees S in southern Chile were analysed using the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) sequence, substantially adding to the data presented previously for these taxa from Argentina and Chile. The level of variation in the cyt b sequence throughout the entire olivaceus/xanthorhinus complex is comparable to that seen within a single species in many South American sigmodontine rodents, consistent with a previous conclusion that both taxa are sub-species of A. olivaceus. Haplotypes of xanthorhinus have not yet achieved reciprocal monophyly relative to those of olivaceus. We evaluate competing hypotheses for the morphological divergence of xanthorhinus and olivaceus by allopatry in Pleistocene refuges versus postglacial diversification across ecological gradients. Two contrasting patterns are predicted for plots of the distribution of pairwise genetic differences, depending on whether the taxa diverged in allopatric refuges or through selection across a gradient. Examples of both modes of diversification are found in this complex.

Phylogenetic relationships and geographic structure in pocket gophers in the genus Thomomys.

Phylogenetic relationships among pocket gophers were examined based on the complete sequence for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1140 base pairs). The tribe Geomyini (Geomys, Orthogeomys, Cratogeomys, and Pappogeomys) was well differentiated from the tribe Thomomyini (Thomomys), using the heteromyid genera Dipodomys and Perognathus as the out-group. Within the genus Thomomys, the species in the subgenus Thomomys (T. talpoides, T. monticola, and T. mazama) differed from those in the subgenus Megascapheus (T. bottae, T. townsendii, and T. umbrinus) by an average of 19.3% uncorrected sequence divergence. Extensive sampling within one species, T. bottae, revealed strongly differentiated geographic units, with a maximum difference among localities of 15.7%. The geographic units within T. bottae coincided with geographic regions based on allozyme data in some areas, but not at all boundaries. The geographic units within currently recognized species in the bottae group (subgenus Megascapheus) were not grouped together with a high level of confidence. The pattern suggests a rapid radiation of the bottae group, followed by geographic subdivision.

Phylogenetic evidence of mitochondrial DNA introgression among pocket gophers in New Mexico (family Geomyidae).

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in the cytochrome b gene was determined for two divergent taxa of pocket gophers, Thomomys bottae actuosus and T. b. ruidosae. These two taxa hybridize in a narrow contact zone, but introgression of nuclear markers such as allozymes or chromosomes does not extend much beyond the hybrid zone (Patton et al. 1979). We found that despite their distinctness, the two subspecies shared very similar mtDNA haplotypes. By a comparison of phylogenetic histories derived from nuclear markers (allozymes) and from mtDNA haplotypes sampled in different populations of T. bottae from New Mexico, we show that apparent similarity is due to an introgression of T. b. ruidosae mtDNA into T. b. actuosus nuclear background. Evidence of introgression is not limited to the present-day contact zone between these two taxa, but extends at least 75 km away from it. The actuosus haplotype coexists along with the ruidosae mtDNA in the Gallinas Mts., which are inhabited by otherwise pure T. b. actuosus, while further north only typical actuosus haplotypes were detected. Of several potential mechanisms which could lead to such a geographical pattern of variation, we argue that a combination of range shifts due to climatic fluctuations, and genetic drift are most likely. Horizontal gene transfers due to hybridization are historical events which seem rather common among pocket gophers. Although they can be identified with careful phylogenetic study using independent data sets, the potential for misinterpreting a gene tree as an organismal tree is great in this and other groups of animals.

Differential regulation of interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-1 beta mRNA expression in human monocytes: evidence for protein kinase C-dependent and -independent pathways.

The expression of mRNA coding for IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta was examined in human peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) to determine if the two genes are under the same mechanisms of transcriptional control and whether or not they can be regulated independently. In response to E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), PBM express approximately 10-fold more IL-1 beta-specific mRNA than IL-1 alpha. However, treatment of these cells with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) resulted in the expression of IL-1 beta mRNA. Likewise, treatment of PBM with phorbol dibutyrate (PdBu), phorbol diacetate (PDA), or mezerein, which, similar to PMA, were able to induce the translocation of protein kinase C (PKc) to the monocyte plasma membrane, resulted in predominantly IL-1 beta mRNA expression. The inactive tumor promoter 4 alpha-phorbol didecanoate (4 alpha-PDD) did not cause the translocation of PKc or induce the expression of either form of IL-1 mRNA. Following 18 h pretreatment with PMA to downregulate PKc activity, LPS was capable of inducing the expression of both forms of IL-1 mRNA, demonstrating that at least part of the response of PBM to LPS is PKc independent. These results suggest that the activation of PKc alone is sufficient to induce a high level expression of IL-1 beta but not IL-1 alpha mRNA. Furthermore, the possibility exists that another, as yet unknown, signal transduction mechanism is involved in inducing the expression of both IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta mRNA in response to LPS.

Variation in mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence in natural populations of South American akodontine rodents (Muridae: Sigmodontinae).

A 401-bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was sequenced from polymerase chain reaction-amplified products for 20 natural populations representing 12 species of South American akodontine rodents (Muridae). Variation among these taxa increased with their hierarchical position, from comparisons within local populations to those among different genera. Two individuals from the same local population differed by less than 1% sequence divergence. Sequence divergence among geographic samples within a species was 0.25%-8%, while that among species was 3%-21%. Comparisons of the akodontine sequences with that for the house mouse show 21%-25% sequence difference. A parsimony-based phylogenetic analysis of the data supports the placement of the taxon Microxus within Akodon (sensu stricto), of Bolomys just outside the Akodon cluster, and of Chroeomys as a separate genus quite distinct from the other members of this group. This phylogenetic hypothesis is identical to that determined from electrophoretic data but is quite divergent from the present taxonomy of the group.

Nutrition and public health in the Dominican Republic.

A nutrition survey was carried out in a mountainous region southwest of Santiago, Dominican Republic, to determine the extent of malnutrition in the area and to obtain information regarding food beliefs and practices needed to design a viable nutrition program. A stratified cluster sampling technique was used to interview 295 mothers of preschool children and examine 448 of their children under five years of age. The incidence of moderate and severe malnutrition was less than expected. Only 12.3% of the children were less than or equal to 75% of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reference standard for weight/age; however, 6.5% were greater than 110% of the standard. Children from large, poor families were most vulnerable to growth retardation. Definite meal patterns were identified that included varied sources of cereal products and animal and mixed vegetable proteins. Milk and sausage consumption had a significant positive association with all three growth parameters. Suggestions were made for further research and program development.