This study aimed to analyze the sperm quality of Colossoma macropomum, during the reproductive period. A total of 23 males of C. macropomum in the breeding season were used. Male gametes were ...collected after the hormone induction protocol using volumetric syringes for quantitative and qualitative analyses throughout the reproductive season, the fish were captured every 15 days. The following parameters were evaluated: volume, motility rate, motility time, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, fertilization rate, and hatching rate. There was no effect of period within season for semen volume, motility time and sperm concentration. For motility rate a quadratic effect was observed between collection periods. As for sperm morphology, there were differences (p < 0.05) in the probability of occurrences of normal spermatozoa, primary and secondary abnormalities as a function of collection period. For the fertilization rate a quadratic effect was verified and the hatching rate declined linearly throughout the reproductive period. Changes in the qualitative parameters of C. macropomum semen during the reproductive period were observed. In terms of the sperm quality of C. macropomum, the aging process of the spermatozoa is evident and consequently interferes in the fertilization and hatching rates, being more accentuated in the last month of the reproductive season.
•There is a change in semen quality in Colossoma macropomum during the reproductive period.•Aging of sperm during the reproductive season interferes with hatching rates and consequently fingerling production.•Primary and secondary anomalies are seen in semen of C. macropomum.•Fluctuations in semen quality are directly related to weather fluctuations during the breeding season.
Accurate crop growth and radiation use efficiency (RUE) measurements under optimal growth conditions are required to predict grain yield near the genetic growth potential and estimate climate change ...effects on crop production. Research was conducted to quantify RUE of maize during the whole growth period, vegetative period (VP, phenological development stage DVS < 1.0), and reproductive period (RP, DVS ≥ 1.0) under the optimal growth condition in Northeast China. Maize was grown in three population density treatments (9.0, 7.5, and 6.0 plants m−2, referred to HD, MD, and LD respectively) over three growing seasons (2017–2019). The maximum Leaf Area Index (LAI) was observed after the anthesis period (DVS = 1.2), ranged from to 4.9 to 6.9, and then gradually decreases. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) intercepted by the canopy of maize was approximate 10% during the early stage of the vegetative period (DVS < 0.3). Then greatest differences occurred during the late vegetative period (DVS = 0.3 to 0.8). When DVS > 1.0, there is no significant difference between the three population density conditions. Estimates of RUE were obtained based on the intercepted PAR (IPAR) and absorbed PAR (APAR). RUE value was 3.97 g MJ−1 APAR or 3.73 g MJ−1 IPAR in the whole growth period, and did not vary among density treatments. Moreover, maximum RUE occurred during VP (4.11 g MJ−1 APAR) and declined during RP (3.95 g MJ−1 APAR). Therefore, we recommend that maize models that rely on RUE for aboveground biomass accumulation should be using a value of 3.97 g MJ−1 APAR for predicting optimum maize grain yield in Northeast China, especially for the potential yield.
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•RUE was 3.97 g MJ−1 APAR or 3.73 g MJ−1 IPAR during the whole growth period.•Maximum RUE occurred in vegetative period and declined in reproductive period.•RUE value, 3.97 g MJ−1, should be used in the maize simulation model for predicting potential yield.
Aim:
to study the clinical and diagnostic manifestations of hyperandrogenism (HA) in women with subclinical thyrotoxicosis.
Materials and methods.
Sixty three hyperthyroid women with clinical ...manifestations of HA were examined. Of these, 17 patients (27.0 %) were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and HA. The control group included 20 practically healthy women of the similar age (20–44 years old) with no signs of HA or other hormonal disorders. All women under observation (patients with thyrotoxicosis and HA syndrome and women from the control group) underwent a thorough clinical examination and were assessed for their hormonal status using biochemical assays. The levels of follicle-stimulating (FSH), luteinizing (LH), thyroid-stimulating (TSH) hormones, prolactin, estradiol (E2), estrone, and total testosterone (Ttotal) were measured as well as the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone- sulfate (DHEA-S), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), free triiodothyronine (T3free), free thyroxin (T4free), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), androstenedione, and antimullerian hormone.
Results.
Patients with hyperthyroidism and HA had significantly (р < 0.05) higher (than normal) levels of FSH, LH, LH/FSH, estrone, 17-OHP, Ttotal, androstenedione, DHEA-S, T3free , and T4free, as well as lower levels (р < 0,05) of TSH (0,390 ± 0,003 mU/ml), E2 (49.86 ± 4.00 pg/ml), and SHBG (49.65 ± 1.20 nmol/L). A course of pathogenetic therapy that included anti-hyperthyroidism treatment (tyrosol 5–10 mg/day for 3 months) followed by anti-HA treatment (combined oral contraceptives) resulted in significant (р < 0,05) reduction in LH, the LH/FSH ratio, estrone, 17-OHP, T3free, T4free, androstenedione (2.64 ± 0.008 ng/ml), DHEA-S (2.15 ± 0.14 pg/ml), Ttotal (1.32 ± 0.10 ng/ml) and in significant (р < 0,05) increase in E2 (69.46 ± 2.58 pg/ml), SHBG (59.59 ± 2.8 nmol/L), and TSH (1,79 ± 0,16 mU/ml).
Conclusion.
Combined pathogenetic therapy reduces the clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism and HA syndrome, and restores the menstrual and reproductive functions of women.
Abstract
Before the introduction of genetically modified insect-tolerant maize (Zea mays L.) in 1997, most of the production of this staple in Argentina was concentrated in humid and sub-humid ...temperate regions. Early spring sowings minimized the risk of water deficit around flowering and yield reduction due to pests. Use of genetically modified maize allowed optimization of sowing dates to synchronize critical periods for kernel set determination with the times of the year when water deficits are less likely, reducing large interannual variations in grain yield. This change in sowing date did not start until 2009, after the occurrence of two successive dry phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation phenomenon. The area of land cropped to maize in Argentina has expanded dramatically since then, particularly beyond the humid areas. Currently, maize is sown in an almost 50%/50% distribution between early and late sowings, including double cropping. Changes in agronomic practices such as sowing date and production area can lead to changes in the timing and intensity of water deficits along the maize growth cycle. This review provides an overview of new patterns of water deficit across humid, sub-humid, and semi-arid mid-latitude environments of Argentina, and their effects on grain yield and yield components.
There are conflicting results regarding endogenous estrogen exposure and risk of incident nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). In addition, evidence on impact of hormone ...replacement therapy (HRT) on risk of NTM-PD is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of endogenous estrogen exposure and HRT on risk of NTM-PD in postmenopausal women.
This population-based cohort study comprised 1 400 095 postmenopausal women without previous NTM-PD who participated in the 2009 national health screening exam in South Korea. The cohort was followed until the date of incident NTM-PD, death, or December 2018. We evaluated whether lifetime endogenous estrogen exposure and HRT were associated with incident NTM-PD. Endogenous estrogen exposure was evaluated using age at menarche and menopause and reproductive period (duration between age at menarche and age at menopause).
During a median of 8.4 (interquartile range, 8.2-8.7) years of follow-up, 0.1% of participants (1818/1 400 095) developed NTM-PD, with an incidence rate of 0.15/1000 person-years. Multivariable Cox regression analyses showed no significant relationship between endogenous estrogen exposure (age at menarche, age at menopause, and reproductive period) and risk of NTM-PD. In contrast, duration of HRT showed a significant dose-response relationship with incident NTM-PD even after adjustment for demographics and reproductive factors (adjusted hazard ratio 95% CI: 1.30 1.12-1.51 in HRT for <2 years; 1.28 1.03-1.59 in 2-5 years; and 1.65 1.33-2.05 in ≥5 years).
While there was no significant association with endogenous estrogen exposure, HRT was monotonically associated with increased risk of NTM-PD in postmenopausal women.
The aim.
To assess the general condition, laboratory parameters, quality of life of women of post-reproductive age after asymptomatic COVID-19 and 12 months after moderate COVID-19.
Material ...and methods.
We examined 47 women (45–69 years old), divided into 3 groups: those who did not have COVID-19, not vaccinated (group 1 – control; n = 15); women 12 months after moderate COVID-19, accompanied by pneumonia (group 2; n = 19); women with IgG in their blood who deny any symptoms of COVID-19 (group 3; n = 13).
Results and discussion.
An assessment of the general condition of women in post-reproductive age was carried out. In women 12 months after COVID-19 we found a lower level of total bilirubin compared to the group with asymptomatic COVID-19 (p = 0.004). An increase in thrombin time was determined in the groups of patients with symptomatic (p = 0.014) and asymptomatic (p = 0.025) COVID-19 course compared with the control group. Patients with asymptomatic COVID-19 course had a higher level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with the control group (p = 0.016) and the group 2 (p = 0.006). Compared with the control group, the group 2 had lower scores for general health (p = 0.006), vital activity (p = 0.013), general physical well-being (p = 0.039), physical functioning (p = 0.046); and the group 3 had higher scores in role functioning due to physical condition (p = 0.049). When comparing groups 2 and 3, lower scores in the group of women who recovered from the moderate COVID-19 were found in physical functioning (p = 0.002), pain intensity (p = 0.034), role functioning due to physical condition (p = 0.049), general health (p = 0.003), vital activity (p = 0.018), general physical well-being (p = 0.001).
Conclusion.
12 months after moderate COVID-19, there is a pronounced deterioration in physical and emotional health; and in asymptomatic patients, better protective functions of an organism can be assumed.
Understanding the soil-water dynamics and maize evapotranspiration (ETc) under variable rate irrigation (VRI) and variable rate fertigation (VRF) management with respect to soil spatial variability ...constitutes the basis for developing effective variable rate water and nitrogen management strategies. This long-term research was designed to quantify and compare the soil-water dynamics, including available water (AW), and ETc during vegetative and reproductive growth periods of VRI, fixed rate irrigation (FRI) and no-irrigation (NI) under fixed rate fertigation (FRF), VRF and pre-plant (PP) nitrogen management in three different soil types Crete silt loam (S1); Hastings silty clay loam (S2) and Hastings silt loam (S3) with different topography in the same field under the same environmental and management conditions. The research was conducted in the Irmak Research Laboratory in south central Nebraska, U.S.A., in 2015, 2016 and 2017 maize (Zea mays L.) growing seasons under a variable-rate linear move sprinkler irrigation system. No effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer on AW was observed in the vegetative period. Overall, greater AW was observed in S3 as compared with S1 and S2 due to lower elevation. Maize ETc during the vegetative period was significantly (P < 0.05) impacted by soil type in all three years and by nitrogen treatment in two of the three years. The vegetative ETc in S1 was 27 and 19 mm greater than S2 and S3, respectively, for the pooled 2015, 2016 and 2017 data. During the reproductive period, both ETc and AW were impacted by nitrogen and irrigation treatments, but differently in different soil types and years. Average reproductive ETc for FRI and VRI in 2015, 2016 and 2017 was 175 and 178 mm; 294 and 241 mm; 258 and 206 mm, respectively. Averaged across three years, ETc under FRI was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than in VRI; however, in 2015, no significant difference (P > 0.05) in ETc between FRI and VRI was observed in any soil type. Similarly, in 2017, no significant difference in reproductive ETc was observed between VRI and FRI in S1. During reproductive period, averaged across years, soil types and irrigation treatments, the PP nitrogen treatment had greater ETc and lower AW than VRF and FRF. The results indicate that vegetative period ETc was primarily affected by soil type, weather conditions (evaporative demand and soil wetting) and nitrogen fertilizer application timing. The findings of this research showed that soil-water dynamics is a strong function of not only management practices (irrigation and nitrogen treatments), but also soil type, topography and soil physical properties, which all need to be taken into account for effective management of VRI and FRI under VRF, FRF or PP nitrogen management in different soil types. This research quantified the impact of these management practices on soil-water dynamics and ETc which can be used as a guidance.
•Impact of VRI, FRI and NI with VRF, FRF and PP N on SW dynamics were investigated in 3 soils.•Trends and magnitudes in soil-water dynamics were impacted by soil textural properties.•Irrigation and nitrogen management strategies impacted soil-water dynamics.•Fluctuations in SW were greater in VRI than FRI due to shorter irrigation frequency.•Under VRI and FRI irrigation, greatest SW depletion was in PP N, followed by VRF and FRF.
To avoid crop failure because of climate change, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cultivars adaptable to early planting are required in western Japan. Because current Japanese cultivars may not be ...adaptable, genetic resources with high early-planting adaptability, and their genetic information must be developed. In the present study, summer type (ST) soybeans developed for early planting were used as plant materials. We examined their phenological characteristics and short reproductive period as an indicator of early planting adaptability and performed genetic studies. Biparental quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of a representative ST cultivar revealed a principal QTL for the reproductive period duration on chromosome 11. The results of resequencing analysis suggested that circadian clock-related Tof11 (soybean orthologue of PRR3) is a candidate QTL. Additionally, all 25 early planting-adaptable germplasms evaluated in this study possessed mutant alleles in Tof11, whereas 15 conventional cultivars only had wild-type alleles. These results suggest that mutant alleles in Tof11 are important genetic factors in the high adaptability to early planting of these soybeans, and thus, these alleles were acquired and accumulated in the ST soybean population.
Introduction
Little information on rural older women in northern China has been reported, apart from three studies in southern and eastern China in the past decade. This study aims to evaluate the ...relationships between reproductive factors and the risk of cognitive impairment, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, in Chinese women with natural menopause.
Methods
The cross-sectional study was conducted in 112 community primary healthcare centers in rural northern China between April 2019 and January 2020. A total of 4,275 women aged ≥65 years who had natural menopause were included. Reproductive factors as well as the reproductive period (= age at menopause − age at menarche) were recorded. The relationships between reproductive factors and cognitive impairment were evaluated by correlation and logistic regression analysis.
Results
Overall, 28.6% and 11.4% of women were diagnosed with MCI or dementia, respectively. In natural menopause women, the age at menopause (adjusted
r
= 0.070,
p
< 0.001), reproductive period (adjusted
r
= 0.053,
p
= 0.001), and number of pregnancies (adjusted
r
= −0.042,
p
= 0.007) and parities (adjusted
r
= −0.068,
p
< 0.001) were correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (Chinese version) scores, and with similar findings concerning MCI and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Greater age at menopause and a long reproductive period significantly decreased the risk of MCI and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and more parities significantly increased the risks of MCI (odds ratio (OR) = 1.111, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.039–1.187,
p
= 0.002), dementia (OR = 1.162, 95% CI: 1.061–1.271,
p
= 0.001), particular AD (OR = 1.131, 95% CI: 1.010–1.266,
p
= 0.032), DLB (OR = 1.238, 95% CI: 1.003–1.528,
p
= 0.047), and vascular dementia (VaD) (OR = 1.288, 95% CI: 1.080–1.536,
p
= 0.005).
Conclusions
The prevalence rates of MCI and dementia were 28.6% and 11.4% in older women. Greater age at menarche, young age at menopause, shorter reproductive period, and larger numbers of pregnancies/parities were correlated with poor cognition and significantly increased the risks of MCI and dementia, particularly AD, DLB, and VaD.
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