Objective: The present study evaluated the preservation of ram semen at 0°C using soybean lecithin with a Tris-fructose extender.Methods: Semen was collected by artificial vagina ejaculation from six rams with proven fertility. High quality ejaculates were diluted by soybean lecithin (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.25%) using Tris-fructose extender and control (Tris-fructose egg yolk extender), respectively. The ejaculates were diluted to a concentration of 5×10<sup>8</sup> sperm/mL, followed by cooling to 0°C in 90 min and maintaining the temperature for 12 days. The diluted semen samples were examined and recorded for sperm progressive motility, acrosome integrity at 0, 24, 72, 144, 216, 288 h, respectively. Two hundred and twenty-three ewes were inseminated for 216 h with optimal soybean lecithin concentrated semen or control via trans-cervical insemination.Results: The results showed that there were no differences in sperm progressive motility at 0, 24, 72, and 144 h (p>0.05). After 216 h, the sperm progressive motility in the control group and 0.5% concentration groups was significantly higher when compared to 0.25% concentration (p<0.05). The 0.5% concentration group demonstrated the highest survival rate and had no difference with the control group (p>0.05). At 216 h, the sperm progressive motility of all groups was still above 50%. The acrosome integrity of all groups was decreased with prolongation of storage time, but there was no difference at each time point (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in the lambing rate and pregnancy rate between the 0.5% concentration group and the control group (p>0.05).Conclusion: These results suggest that ram sperm is capable of fertilization after preservation at 0°C with 0.5% of soybean lecithin in Tris-based extender substituted for egg yolk and produce normal offspring after insemination.
RIG-1 signalling is responsible for the detection of cytoplasmic viral RNA molecules. DEXH(Asp-Glu-X-His) box polypeptide 58 (encoded by DHX58) is a negative regulator of the RIG-1 signalling pathway. In human, the DHX58 gene can be upregulated and can inhibit the RIG-1 signalling pathway during viral infection. In this study, porcine DHX58 gene expression patterns were studied. According to our results, the porcine DHX58 gene was upregulated not only by the stimulation of Poly I:C but also by the stimulation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). One polymorphism (g.4919G>C), detected in the ninth intron,was significantly associated with some blood parameters including the red cell distribution width of 1-day-old pigs and white blood cell counts, lymphocyte absolute counts, and platelet distribution width of 17-day-old pigs (P < 0.05). Moreover, the individuals with the genotype GG have a significantly higher mean white blood cell count than individuals with genotype CC or GC (P < 0.05). Our study indicates that DHX58 is an important gene that is associated with the immune response in swine.
Metal transporters, including divalent metal-ion transporter-1 (DMT1), Zrt-/Irt-like protein 8 and 14 (ZIP8 and ZIP14), and ferroportin-1 (FPN1), reportedly participate in cellular cadmium (Cd) uptake, but those in farm animals remain unclarified. This study aimed to examine the growth, plasma biochemical indices, Cd accumulation, and expression of metal transporter genes in the liver, kidney, and muscle of goats exposed to rice paddies contaminated with different levels of Cd. Twenty-four goats were randomly assigned across three dietary treatments: 0.23, 0.63, and 1.07 mg of Cd/kg of dry matter (DM) for 60 days. The results showed that dietary Cd exposure increased (p < 0.05) both Cd accumulation and the mRNA expressions of metal transporter genes (DMT1, ZIP, and FPN1) in the liver and kidney but not in the muscle, suggesting dietary Cd exhibited different deposition rates between goat liver, kidney, and muscle. These outcomes suggest that high levels of dietary Cd stimulated the expression of metal transporter genes and thereby enhanced the uptake and accumulation of Cd in the goat liver and kidney. As such, higher Cd concentrations in the liver and kidney observed with Cd diets could be partly explained by upregulation of metal transport genes expression.
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