SUMMARYAccording to current reports, broiler breeder eggs have a high fertility rate at the beginning of production, but a quick decline occurs in fertility after 40 to 45 weeks. In actuality, female ...broiler breeders require more frequent breeding to maintain high fertility, whereas males of the same age are less interested in breeding and the hatchability of eggs starts to decline with age. Due to these circumstances, proper care and management are essential for aged breeder flocks to maintain good reproductive performance and production. In order to address the issue of declining fertility in older flocks, spiking application has just begun to be included in the maintenance and management methods of many breeders worldwide. To encourage the flock’s mating activity, this strategy entails replacing some of the existing male breeders with young or older breeders. With young or old roosters, the spiking exchange can be used in single or double forms. The objective of this review is to provide in-depth information about spiking, which has a variety of forms, and to compile the results of relevant research.
The aim of this study was to compare egg production performance and welfare traits of laying hens kept in conventional cage (CC), enriched cage (EC), and free range (FR). Lohmann Brown laying hens (n ...= 480 with 160 per housing type) were studied across a production cycle from placement at 17 wk until depopulation at 66 wk. The hens were randomly allocated into cages or pens of housing system groups; within each system there were four replicates with 40 hens in each pen or cage. The hen day egg production (P = 0.037), feed intake (FI) (P < 0.001), egg mass (EM) (P < 0.001), and dirty egg ratio of hens were higher in the FR system but similar in the CC and EC systems. The highest mortality ratio was found in EC system hens (P = 0.020). The best feather score was found in FR system hens (P < 0.001). The worse body wound score was found in EC system hens (P = 0.038). On the other hand, the worse bumble foot and footpad lesions were found in FR system hens (P < 0.001). The highest tibia breaking strength was found in FR system hens compared with in CC and EC system hens (P < 0.001). The highest Heterophil/Lymphocyte (H/L) ratio was found in CC system hens (P = 0.006) but the blood phosphorus (P) level was higher in FR system hens (P = 0.013). The tonic immobility, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and Ca values of hens were found to be similar in all systems (P > 0.05). The hens in the FR system had additional space for optimum comfort and better feather and bone traits, but the dirty egg ratio, feed consumption, and foot lesions were higher than in CC and EC systems.
Animals inheriting the slick hair gene have a short, sleek, and sometimes glossy coat. The objective of the present study was to determine whether slick-haired Holstein cows regulate body temperature ...more effectively than wild-type Holstein cows when exposed to an acute increase in heat stress. Lactating slick cows (n=10) and wild-type cows (n=10) were placed for 10h in an indoor environment with a solid roof, fans, and evaporative cooling or in an outdoor environment with shade cloth and no fans or evaporative cooling. Cows were exposed to both environments in a single reversal design. Vaginal temperature, respiration rate, surface temperature, and sweating rate were measured at 1200, 1500, 1800, and 2100h (replicate 1) or 1200 and 1500h (replicate 2), and blood samples were collected for plasma cortisol concentration. Cows in the outdoor environment had higher vaginal and surface temperatures, respiration rates, and sweating rates than cows in the indoor environment. In both environments, slick-haired cows had lower vaginal temperatures (indoor: 39.0 vs. 39.4°C; outdoor 39.6 vs. 40.2°C; SEM=0.07) and respiration rate (indoor: 67 vs. 79 breaths/min; outdoor 97 vs. 107 breaths/min; SEM=5.5) than wild-type cows and greater sweating rates in unclipped areas of skin (indoor: 57 vs. 43g.h−1/m2; outdoor 82 vs. 61g.h−1/m2; SEM=8). Clipping the hair at the site of sweating measurement eliminated the difference between slick-haired and wild-type cows. Results indicate that slick-haired Holstein cows can regulate body temperature more effectively than wild-type cows during heat stress. One reason slick-haired animals are better able to regulate body temperature is increased sweating rate.
The trace element selenium (Se) is essential for the maintenance of spermatogenesis and fertility. A growing volume of evidence shows that Se is necessary for testosterone synthesis, and Se can ...stimulate Leydig cell proliferation. However, Se can also act as a metalloestrogen, which can mimic estrogen and activate the estrogen receptors. This study aimed to investigate Se effect on estrogen signaling and the epigenetic status of Leydig cells. Mouse Leydig cells (MA-10) were cultured in a medium supplemented with different Se concentrations (4, 8 µM) for 24 h. Next, cells were assessed for morphological and molecular (qRT PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence) analyses. Immunofluorescence revealed strong immunosignal for 5-methylcytosine in both control and treated cells, with a stronger signal in the 8 μM treated group. qRT-PCR confirmed an increased expression of methyltransferase 3 beta (Dnmt3b) in 8 μM cells. Analysis of the expression of γH2AX (a marker for double-stranded DNA breaks) revealed an increase in the DNA breaks in cells exposed to 8 μM Se. Selenium exposure did not affect the expression of canonical estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), however, an increase in membrane estrogen receptor G-protein coupled (GPER) protein expression was observed.To sum up, in a high concentration (8 μM) Se affects GPER expression (non-genomic estrogen signaling) in Leydig cells possibly via acting on receptor protein and/or its binding. This causes DNA breaks and induces changes in Leydig cell methylation status, especially in de novo methylation which is mediated by Dnmt3b.
•Administration of 8 µM of sodium selenite has negative effect on mouse Leydig cells.•Leydig cells methylation status change due to higher expression of Dnmt3a.•Selenium affects expression of GPER, mediating non genomic estrogen signaling.•Excessive selenium administration causes DNA breaks.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of irrigants on bond strength of adhesive systems. Materials and Methods: Superficial dentin surfaces of 60 extracted molars were ...divided into 15 groups, according to irrigants and adhesives. In the control groups, surfaces were irrigated with distilled water. In experimental groups, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) + NaOCl, chlorhexidine (CHX), and NaOCl + sodium ascorbate were used as irrigants. Resin composites were then built up using Single Bond, Clearfil SE Bond, and Xeno 3 as adhesives. The microtensile bond strength of groups was determined. Data were statistically analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), one-way ANOVA, and the Bonferroni test. Results: NaOCl reduced bond strength of Single Bond and Clearfil SE Bond (P < 0.01). For all adhesive systems, EDTA + NaOCl-treated groups exhibited lower bond strength than control groups (P < 0.01). CHX decreased bond strength of Single Bond (P < 0.01). Application of sodium ascorbate improved compromised bond strength to NaOCl-treated dentin (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Different irrigants had several effects on bonding of different adhesives. Sodium ascorbate after NaOCl could restore compromised bond strengths.
To determine barriers to preventing venous thromboembolism in total knee and hip arthroplasty patients by surgical nurses.
This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach. The semi-structured ...interview questionnaire included two questions focused on nursing care practices for VTE prevention and barriers faced during VTE prophylaxis in total knee and hip arthroplasty patients. Study data were collected from 10 surgical nurses through semi-structured interviews in July 2021.
After analyzing the data, two main themes, five categories, and fourteen subcategories were developed. The main themes included "Nursing care" and "Barriers." Two categories were reflected in terms of nursing care: general care and mechanical prophylaxis. Regarding barriers, the analysis of the interview reflected three main categories: "lack of professional competence", "work conditions challenges", and "resistance from patients".
Educational institutions must play a critical role in preparing surgical nurses by establishing clinical nurse specialist programs and post-graduate diplomas programs that sufficiently prepare nurses for clinical settings.
Environmental pollutants with endocrine-disrupting effect are of global importance due to their contribution to the aethiologies of variety of complex diseases. These lipophilic pollutants are ...persistent in the environment and able to bioaccummulate in nontarget organisms. BPA, DEHP and PCB118 (dioxin-like PCB) are associated with endocrine disruption effects, while information on their effects on aquatic invertebrates are limited. In the current study, the effects of these compounds, which are ubiqutous and present at low concentrations in the environment, are studied in the primary hepatopancreas, muscle, gill, intestine and gonadal cultures of narrow-clawed crayfish (
Astacus leptodactylus
Eschscholtz, 1823), a widely distributed freshwater crayfish in Turkey with high economic importance. IC50 values following MTT assay ranged 0.27–12.61 nM; when compared with other tissues, the gonads were more affected with lower IC50 values. PCB118 induced higher cytotoxicity, while DEHP was the least toxic compound. This is the first study on the primary culture of
A. leptodactylus¸
and the toxic effects of these compounds in this organism providing mechanistic insights on the responses and detoxification capacity of the organs. This study provides basis to unravel the mechanism of action of the tested EDCs in crayfish and improvement of cell culture conditions for ecotoxicity and screening assays.
A close relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and difficult intubation has been suggested. We hypothesized that the STOP-Bang questionnaire, a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea ...(OSA), can predict difficult intubation.
In this prospective cohort study, 200 adult surgical patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia were studied to evaluate the usefulness of the STOP-Bang questionnaire for predicting difficult intubation. STOP-Bang questionnaire results, Mallampati score and tonsil size, as well as demographic data, were recorded preoperatively. Cormack & Lehane grading and difficulty of intubation (Cormack & Lehane grade III or IV, need of an intubation aid, or need of three or more intubation attempts) were also evaluated.
Eighty-three out of 200 patients had a high risk of OSA based on the STOP-Bang questionnaire. The occurrence of difficult intubation was higher in the patients at a high risk of OSA (i.e., a STOP-Bang score of ≥ 3) than in the patients at a low risk (13.3% vs. 2.6%) (p = 0.004). Higher age, greater weight, higher body mass index, greater neck circumference, male gender, presence of comorbidities, lower preoperative SpO2, longer extubation times, higher Mallampati score, higher Cormack & Lehane grading, tonsil size and difficult intubation were significantly correlated with a high risk of OSA (p < 0.001). Fourteen out of 200 patients had difficulty in intubation. A STOP-Bang score of ≥ 3 was seen more frequently in the difficult intubation patients (78.6% vs. 38.7%) (p = 0.009). Greater weight, greater neck circumference, greater Mallampati score, a STOP-Bang score ≥ 3 and male gender were significantly correlated with difficult intubation (p < 0.05).
A STOP-Bang score of ≥ 3 was a predictor for difficult intubation.
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