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mutation p.g83r in the transthyretin gene is associated with hereditary vitreous amyloidosis in han chinese families.hereditary vitreous amyloidosis (hva) is a genetic ophthalmological disorder. the purpose of this study was to investigate whether a mutation in the transthyretin (ttr) gene is associated with hva in han chinese families.201323901247
comparison of rotator cuff muscle architecture between humans and other selected vertebrate species.in this study, we compare rotator cuff muscle architecture of typically used animal models with that of humans and quantify the scaling relationships of these muscles across mammals. the four muscles that correspond to the human rotator cuff - supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor - of 10 commonly studied animals were excised and subjected to a series of comparative measurements. when body mass among animals was regressed against physiological cross-sectional area, muscle m ...201324072803
adaptive evolution of bat dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (dpp4): implications for the origin and emergence of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus.the newly emerged middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) that first appeared in saudi arabia during the summer of 2012 has to date (20th september 2013) caused 58 human deaths. mers-cov utilizes the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (dpp4) host cell receptor, and analysis of the long-term interaction between virus and receptor provides key information on the evolutionary events that lead to the viral emergence.201324107353
domestication process of the goat revealed by an analysis of the nearly complete mitochondrial protein-encoding genes.goats (capra hircus) are one of the oldest domesticated species, and they are kept all over the world as an essential resource for meat, milk, and fiber. although recent archeological and molecular biological studies suggested that they originated in west asia, their domestication processes such as the timing of population expansion and the dynamics of their selection pressures are little known. with the aim of addressing these issues, the nearly complete mitochondrial protein-encoding genes wer ...201323936295
characterisation and in silico analysis of interleukin-4 cdna of nilgai (boselaphus tragocamelus) and indian buffalo (bubalus bubalis).interleukin-4 (il-4) produced from th2 cells modulates both innate and adaptive immune responses. it is a common belief that wild animals possess better immunity against diseases than domestic and laboratory animals; however, the immune system of wild animals is not fully explored yet. therefore, a comparative study was designed to explore the wildlife immunity through characterisation of il-4 cdna of nilgai, a wild ruminant, and indian buffalo, a domestic ruminant. total rna was extracted from ...201324348167
effects of remedial sport hunting on cougar complaints and livestock depredations.remedial sport hunting of predators is often used to reduce predator populations and associated complaints and livestock depredations. we assessed the effects of remedial sport hunting on reducing cougar complaints and livestock depredations in washington from 2005 to 2010 (6 years). the number of complaints, livestock depredations, cougars harvested, estimated cougar populations, human population and livestock populations were calculated for all 39 counties and 136 gmus (game management units) ...201324260291
identification and expression profiles of il-8 in bighead carp (aristichthys nobilis) in response to microcystin-lr.microcystin-lr (mclr) is a widespread cyanotoxin and has immunotoxicity to animals, including fish. chemokines are considered to play important roles in inflammatory response induced by mclr. in this study, we cloned the full-length cdna of interleukin-8 (il-8) from bighead carp (aristichthys nobilis) for the first time. the full-length il-8 cdna was 552 bp and contained a 297-bp open-reading frame that encoded for a 98-amino acid protein. the deduced il-8 protein had a typical aspartic acid (d) ...201323797979
long-term monitoring of microsporidia, cryptosporidium and giardia infections in western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) at different stages of habituation in dzanga sangha protected areas, central african republic.infectious diseases pose one of the greatest threats to endangered species, and a risk of gastrointestinal parasite transmission from humans to wildlife has always been considered as a major concern of tourism. increased anthropogenic impact on primate populations may result in general changes in communities of their parasites, and also in a direct exchange of parasites between humans and primates.201323951255
captured retroviral envelope syncytin gene associated with the unique placental structure of higher ruminants.syncytins are envelope genes of retroviral origin that have been co-opted for a role in placentation and likely contribute to the remarkable diversity of placental structures. independent capture events have been identified in primates, rodents, lagomorphs, and carnivores, where they are involved in the formation of a syncytium layer at the fetomaternal interface via trophoblast cell-cell fusion. we searched for similar genes within the suborder ruminantia where the placenta lacks an extended sy ...201323401540
the prey pathway: a regional history of cattle (bos taurus) and pig (sus scrofa) domestication in the northern jordan valley, israel.the faunal assemblage from the 9(th)-8(th) millennium bp site at sha'ar hagolan, israel, is used to study human interaction with wild suids and cattle in a time period just before the appearance of domesticated animals of these species in the jordan valley. our results, based on demographic and osteometric data, indicate that full domestication of both cattle and suids occurred at the site during the 8(th) millennium. importantly, domestication was preceded in both taxa by demographic and metric ...201323405240
mapping whole genome shotgun sequence and variant calling in mammalian species without their reference genomes.genomics research in mammals has produced reference genome sequences that are essential for identifying variation associated with disease.  high quality reference genome sequences are now available for humans, model species, and economically important agricultural animals.  comparisons between these species have provided unique insights into mammalian gene function.  however, the number of species with reference genomes is small compared to those needed for studying molecular evolutionary relati ...201325075278
molecular investigation and phylogeny of anaplasma spp. in mediterranean ruminants reveal the presence of neutrophil-tropic strains closely related to a. platys.few data are available on the prevalence and molecular typing of species belonging to the genus anaplasma in mediterranean ruminants. in this study, pcr analysis and sequencing of both 16s rrna and groel genes were combined to investigate the presence, prevalence, and molecular traits of anaplasma spp. in ruminants sampled on the island of sardinia, chosen as a subtropical representative area. the results demonstrate a high prevalence of anaplasma spp. in ruminants, with animals infected by at l ...201324162569
antenatal maternal long-term hypoxia: acclimatization responses with altered gene expression in ovine fetal carotid arteries.in humans and other species, long-term hypoxia (lth) during pregnancy can lead to intrauterine growth restriction with reduced body/brain weight, dysregulation of cerebral blood flow (cbf), and other problems. to identify the signal transduction pathways and critical molecules, which may be involved in acclimatization to high altitude lth, we conducted microarray with advanced bioinformatic analysis on carotid arteries (ca) from the normoxic near-term ovine fetus at sea-level and those acclimati ...201324367503
climate change and mammals: evolutionary versus plastic responses.phenotypic plasticity and microevolution are the two primary means by which organisms respond adaptively to local conditions. while these mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, their relative magnitudes will influence both the rate of, and ability to sustain, phenotypic responses to climate change. we review accounts of recent phenotypic changes in wild mammal populations with the purpose of critically evaluating the following: (i) whether climate change has been identified as the causal mechani ...201324454546
grazers: biocatalysts of terrestrial silica cycling.silica is well known for its role as inducible defence mechanism countering herbivore attack, mainly through precipitation of opaline, biogenic silica (bsi) bodies (phytoliths) in plant epidermal tissues. even though grazing strongly interacts with other element cycles, its impact on terrestrial silica cycling has never been thoroughly considered. here, bsi content of ingested grass, hay and faeces of large herbivores was quantified by performing multiple chemical extraction procedures for bsi, ...201324107532
evolutionary history of bovine endogenous retroviruses in the bovidae family.endogenous retroviruses (ervs) are genomic elements of retroviral origin that are present in the genomes of almost all vertebrates. in cattle, more than 13,000 elements related to ervs have been detected, and based on the pol gene, 24 families or groups of bovine ervs have been described. however, information about ervs in other bovids and the presence of families of related bovine ervs in different species of the bovidae family is scarce.201324256121
identification of novel transcripts and noncoding rnas in bovine skin by deep next generation sequencing.deep rna sequencing (rnaseq) has opened a new horizon for understanding global gene expression. the functional annotation of non-model mammalian genomes including bovines is still poor compared to that of human and mouse. this particularly applies to tissues without direct significance for milk and meat production, like skin, in spite of its multifunctional relevance for the individual. thus, applying an rnaseq approach, we performed a whole transcriptome analysis of pigmented and nonpigmented b ...201324225384
a drosophila melanogaster model of diastolic dysfunction and cardiomyopathy based on impaired troponin-t function.regulation of striated muscle contraction is achieved by ca2+ -dependent steric modulation of myosin cross-bridge cycling on actin by the thin filament troponin-tropomyosin complex. alterations in the complex can induce contractile dysregulation and disease. for example, mutations between or near residues 112 to 136 of cardiac troponin-t, the crucial tnt1 (n-terminal domain of troponin-t)-tropomyosin-binding region, cause cardiomyopathy. the drosophila upheld(101) glu/lys amino acid substitution ...201324221941
signatures of selection identify loci associated with milk yield in sheep.identification of genomic regions that have been targets of selection for phenotypic traits is one of the most challenging areas of research in animal genetics, particularly in livestock where few annotated genes are available. in this study a genome-wide scan using the illumina snp50k beadchip was performed in the attempt to identify genomic regions associated with milk productivity in sheep. the ovine genomic regions encoding putative candidate genes were compared with the corresponding areas ...201324004915
kuru: a journey back in time from papua new guinea to the neanderthals' extinction.kuru, the first human transmissible spongiform encephalopathy was transmitted to chimpanzees by d. carleton gajdusek (1923-2008). in this review, i briefly summarize the history of this seminal discovery along its epidemiology, clinical picture, neuropathology and molecular genetics. the discovery of kuru opened new windows into the realms of human medicine and was instrumental in the later transmission of creutzfeldt-jakob disease and gerstmann-sträussler-scheinker disease as well as the releva ...201325437203
intraguild relationships between sympatric predators exposed to lethal control: predator manipulation experiments.terrestrial top-predators are expected to regulate and stabilise food webs through their consumptive and non-consumptive effects on sympatric mesopredators and prey. the lethal control of top-predators has therefore been predicted to inhibit top-predator function, generate the release of mesopredators and indirectly harm native fauna through trophic cascade effects. understanding the outcomes of lethal control on interactions within terrestrial predator guilds is important for zoologists, conser ...201323842144
screening and analysis of poakirin1 and two related genes in response to immunological stimulants in the japanese flounder (paralichthys olivaceus).a member of the nf-κb signaling pathway, poakirin1, was cloned from a full-length cdna library of japanese flounder (paralichthys olivaceus). the full-length cdna comprises a 5'utr of 202 bp, an open reading frame of 564 bp encoding a 187-amino-acid polypeptide and a 521-bp 3'utr with a poly (a) tail. the putative protein has a predicted molecular mass of 21 kda and an isoelectric point (pi) of 9.22. amino acid sequence alignments showed that poakirin1 was 99% identical to the scophthalmus maxim ...201323651673
variations in the regulatory region of alpha s1-casein milk protein gene among tropically adapted indian native (bos indicus) cattle.regulatory region of milk protein alpha s1-casein (αs1-cn) gene was sequenced, characterized, and analyzed to detect variations among 13 indian cattle (bos indicus) breeds. comparative analysis of 1,587 bp region comprising promoter (1,418 bp), exon-i (53 bp), and partial intron-i (116 bp) revealed 35 nucleotide substitutions (32 within promoter region, 1 in exon-i, and 2 in partial intron-i region) and 4 indels. within promoter, 15 variations at positions -1399 (a > g), -1288 (g > a), -1259 (t  ...201325937984
forensic dna barcoding and bio-response studies of animal horn products used in traditional medicine.animal horns (ahs) have been applied to traditional medicine for more than thousands of years, of which clinical effects have been confirmed by the history. but now parts of ahs have been listed in the items of wildlife conservation, which limits the use for traditional medicine. the contradiction between the development of traditional medicine and the protection of wild resources has already become the common concern of zoophilists, traditional medical professionals, economists, sociologists. w ...201323409064
a lympho-follicular microenvironment is required for pathological prion protein deposition in chronically inflamed tissues from scrapie-affected sheep.in sheep scrapie, pathological prion protein (prp(sc)) deposition occurs in the lymphoreticular and central nervous systems. we investigated prp(sc) distribution in scrapie-affected sheep showing simultaneous evidence of chronic lymphofollicular, lymphoproliferative/non-lymphofollicular, and/or granulomatous inflammations in their mammary gland, lung, and ileum. to do this, prp(sc) detection was carried out via immunohistochemistry and western blotting techniques, as well as through inflammatory ...201323658779
a genome-wide scan study identifies a single nucleotide substitution in asip associated with white versus non-white coat-colour variation in sheep (ovis aries).in sheep, coat colour (and pattern) is one of the important traits of great biological, economic and social importance. however, the genetics of sheep coat colour has not yet been fully clarified. we conducted a genome-wide association study of sheep coat colours by genotyping 47 303 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in the finnsheep population in finland. we identified 35 snps associated with all the coat colours studied, which cover genomic regions encompassing three known pigmentation ge ...201324022497
characterization of liaoning cashmere goat transcriptome: sequencing, de novo assembly, functional annotation and comparative analysis.liaoning cashmere goat is a famous goat breed for cashmere wool. in order to increase the transcriptome data and accelerate genetic improvement for this breed, we performed de novo transcriptome sequencing to generate the first expressed sequence tag dataset for the liaoning cashmere goat, using next-generation sequencing technology.201324130835
fematrin-1 is involved in fetomaternal cell-to-cell fusion in bovinae placenta and has contributed to diversity of ruminant placentation.during placentation, mammals employ different strategies for nourishing and supporting fetuses. members of the bovidae family, consisting of cloven-hoofed ruminants, utilize multiple maternal attachment points on the placenta, known as cotyledons, and hybrid cells, named trinucleate cells or syncytial plaques, made up of a fusion of fetal trophoblasts and maternal endometrial cells to provide essential hormones and maintain long gestation periods. these hybrid cells are unique to the bovidae, as ...201323864631
interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer: advancements and problems.embryologists working with livestock species were the pioneers in the field of reprogramming by somatic cell nuclear transfer (scnt). without the "dolly experiment," the field of cellular reprogramming would have been slow and induced plutipotent cells (ipscs) would not have been conceived. the major drive of the work in mammalian cloning was the interest of the breeding industry to propagate superior genotypes. soon it was realized that the properties of oocytes could be used also to clone enda ...201324033141
toll like receptor 9 (tlr9) polymorphism g520r in sheep is associated with seropositivity for small ruminant lentivirus.infectious diseases of sheep are of major economic importance causing direct and indirect losses. among the major sheep infectious agents are small ruminant lentivirus, chlamydophila abortus and mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infections, mainly due to their worldwide distribution and economic impact that they cause. based on the differential susceptibility to infectious diseases between and within breeds and on the recent findings regarding the putative involvement of tlr9 in diseas ...201323691111
sheep associated malignant catarrhal fever: an emerging disease of bovids in india.malignant catarrhal fever (mcf) is a fatal lymphoproliferative disease affecting bovids, cervids and other ruminant species caused by viruses belonging to subfamily gammaherpesvirinae, genus macavirus. among the 10 mcf viruses known to cause the disease, alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (alhv-1) and ovine herpesvirus 2 (ovhv-2) are the two most widely prevalent causative organisms. the alhv-1 naturally infects wildebeest and causes wildebeest associated mcf (wa-mcf) in cattle in regions of african sub- ...201324426294
effective population size, genetic variation, and their relevance for conservation: the bighorn sheep in tiburon island and comparisons with managed artiodactyls.the amount of genetic diversity in a finite biological population mostly depends on the interactions among evolutionary forces and the effective population size (n(e)) as well as the time since population establishment. because the n(e) estimation helps to explore population demographic history, and allows one to predict the behavior of genetic diversity through time, n(e) is a key parameter for the genetic management of small and isolated populations. here, we explored an n(e)-based approach us ...201324147115
micrornas and the mammary gland: a new understanding of gene expression.micrornas (mirnas) have been identified in cells as well as in exosomes in biological fluids such as milk. in mammary gland, most of the mirnas studied have functions related to immunity and show alterations in their pattern of expression during lactation. in mastitis, the inflammatory response caused by streptococcus uberis alters the expression of mirnas that may regulate the innate immune system. these small rnas are stable at room temperature and are resistant to repeated freeze/thaw cycles, ...201324385846
simultaneous amplicon sequencing to explore co-occurrence patterns of bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic microorganisms in rumen microbial communities.ruminants rely on a complex rumen microbial community to convert dietary plant material to energy-yielding products. here we developed a method to simultaneously analyze the community's bacterial and archaeal 16s rrna genes, ciliate 18s rrna genes and anaerobic fungal internal transcribed spacer 1 genes using 12 dna samples derived from 11 different rumen samples from three host species (ovis aries, bos taurus, cervus elephas) and multiplex 454 titanium pyrosequencing. we show that the mixing ra ...201323408926
new lepidium (brassicaceae) from new zealand.a revision of the new zealand endemic lepidium oleraceum and allied species is presented. sixteen species are recognised, 10 of these are new. the new species are segregated on the basis of morphological characters supported by molecular data obtained from three dna markers (two rdna and one cpdna). one species, lepidium castellanum sp. nov., is endemic to the kermadec islands where it is sympatric with lepidium oleraceum. the north island of new zealand supports four species, with two of them, ...201323794938
effect of dna extraction methods and sampling techniques on the apparent structure of cow and sheep rumen microbial communities.molecular microbial ecology techniques are widely used to study the composition of the rumen microbiota and to increase understanding of the roles they play. therefore, sampling and dna extraction methods that result in adequate yields of microbial dna that also accurately represents the microbial community are crucial. fifteen different methods were used to extract dna from cow and sheep rumen samples. the dna yield and quality, and its suitability for downstream pcr amplifications varied consi ...201324040342
production and release of antimicrobial and immune defense proteins by mammary epithelial cells following streptococcus uberis infection of sheep.investigating the innate immune response mediators released in milk has manifold implications, spanning from elucidation of the role played by mammary epithelial cells (mecs) in fighting microbial infections to the discovery of novel diagnostic markers for monitoring udder health in dairy animals. here, we investigated the mammary gland response following a two-step experimental infection of lactating sheep with the mastitis-associated bacterium streptococcus uberis. the establishment of infecti ...201323774600
computational prediction of the localization of micrornas within their pre-mirna.micrornas (mirnas) are short rna species derived from hairpin-forming mirna precursors (pre-mirna) and acting as key posttranscriptional regulators. most computational tools labeled as mirna predictors are in fact pre-mirna predictors and provide no information about the putative mirna location within the pre-mirna. sequence and structural features that determine the location of the mirna, and the extent to which these properties vary from species to species, are poorly understood. we have devel ...201323748953
metagenomic detection of viruses in aerosol samples from workers in animal slaughterhouses.published studies have shown that workers in animal slaughterhouses are at a higher risk of lung cancers as compared to the general population. no specific causal agents have been identified, and exposures to several chemicals have been examined and found to be unrelated. evidence suggests a biological aetiology as the risk is highest for workers who are exposed to live animals or to biological material containing animal faeces, urine or blood. to investigate possible biological exposures in ani ...201323967289
demographic patterns of a widespread long-lived tree are associated with rainfall and disturbances along rainfall gradients in se australia.predicting species distributions with changing climate has often relied on climatic variables, but increasingly there is recognition that disturbance regimes should also be included in distribution models. we examined how changes in rainfall and disturbances along climatic gradients determined demographic patterns in a widespread and long-lived tree species, callitris glaucophylla in se australia. we examined recruitment since 1950 in relation to annual (200-600 mm) and seasonal (summer, uniform ...201323919160
a quantitative trait locus analysis of personality in wild bighorn sheep.personality, the presence of persistent behav105ioral differences among individuals over time or contexts, potentially has important ecological and evolutionary consequences. however, a lack of knowledge about its genetic architecture limits our ability to understand its origin, evolution, and maintenance. here, we report on a genome-wide quantitative trait locus (qtl) analysis for two personality traits, docility and boldness, in free-living female bighorn sheep from ram mountain, alberta, cana ...201323531519
density of wild prey modulates lynx kill rates on free-ranging domestic sheep.understanding the factors shaping the dynamics of carnivore-livestock conflicts is vital to facilitate large carnivore conservation in multi-use landscapes. we investigated how the density of their main wild prey, roe deer capreolus capreolus, modulates individual eurasian lynx lynx lynx kill rates on free-ranging domestic sheep ovis aries across a range of sheep and roe deer densities. lynx kill rates on free-ranging domestic sheep were collected in south-eastern norway from 1995 to 2011 along ...201324278123
a strategy for trade monitoring and substitution of the organs of threatened animals.the use of threatened animals as a source of traditional medicines is accelerating the extinction of such species and imposes great challenges to animal conservation. in this study, we propose a feasible strategy for the conservation of threatened medicinal animals that combines trade monitoring and the search for substitutes. first, dna barcoding provides a powerful technique for monitoring the trade of animal species, which helps in restricting the excessive use and illegal trade of such speci ...201324173429
exploring the abomasal lymph node transcriptome for genes associated with resistance to the sheep nematode teladorsagia circumcincta.this study exploited blackface lambs that varied in their resistance to the abomasal nematode parasite, teladorsagia circumcincta. infection of these lambs over 3 months identified susceptible (high adult worm count, high faecal egg count and low iga antibody) and resistant animals that had excluded all parasites. previous work had shown that susceptibility and resistance is dependent on the differential immune response to the parasite, which occurs within the abomasal (gastric) lymph node (aln) ...201323927007
bovine papillomavirus type 13 dna in equine sarcoids.equine sarcoids are locally aggressive fibroblastic neoplasms considered to be the most common skin tumors of horses worldwide. bovine papillomavirus types 1 and 2 have typically been associated with sarcoids in equids. investigations aiming to identify papillomavirus strains, aside from bovine papillomaviruses 1 and 2, which might be associated with sarcoid lesions, have been lacking. the aim of this article is to report the identification of a third bovine papillomavirus type, bovine papilloma ...201323637294
host species barriers to jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus replication and carcinogenesis.understanding the factors governing host species barriers to virus transmission has added significantly to our appreciation of virus pathogenesis. jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (jsrv) is the causative agent of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (opa), a transmissible lung cancer of sheep that has rarely been found in goats. in this study, in order to further clarify the pathogenesis of opa, we investigated whether goats are resistant to jsrv replication and carcinogenesis. we found that jsrv induces l ...201323903827
igf-1-induced enhancement of prnp expression depends on the negative regulation of transcription factor foxo3a.the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (prp(c)) into its β-sheet-rich scrapie isoform (prp(sc)) causes fatal prion diseases, which are also called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (tses). recent studies suggest that the expression of prp(c) by the prnp gene is crucial for the development of tses. therefore, the identification of the exogenous and endogenous stimulating factors that regulate prnp expression would help to understand the pathogenesis of tses. here, we ...201323967259
characterization of ovine nectin-4, a novel peste des petits ruminants virus receptor.small ruminants infected with peste des petits ruminants virus exhibit lesions typical of epithelial infection and necrosis. however, the only established host receptor for this virus is the immune cell marker signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (slam). we have confirmed that the ovine nectin-4 protein, when overexpressed in epithelial cells, permits efficient replication of pprv. furthermore, this gene was predominantly expressed in epithelial tissues and encoded by multiple haplotypes in ...201323388720
reference genes selection for quantitative real-time pcr using rankaggreg method in different tissues of capra hircus.identification of reference genes with stable levels of gene expression is an important prerequisite for obtaining reliable results in analysis of gene expression data using quantitative real time pcr (rt-qpcr). since the underlying assumption of reference genes is that expressed at the exact same level in all sample types, in this study, we evaluated the expression stability of nine most commonly used endogenous controls (gapdh, actb, 18s rrna, rps18, hsp-90, alas, hmbs, acac, and b2m) in four ...201324358246
hint2, the mitochondrial nucleoside 5'-phosphoramidate hydrolase; properties of the homogeneous protein from sheep (ovis aries) liver.adenosine 5'-phosphoramidate (nh2-pa) is a rare natural nucleotide and its biochemistry and biological functions are poorly recognized. all organisms have proteins that may be involved in the catabolism of nh2-pa. they are members of the hit protein family and catalyze hydrolytic splitting of nh2-pa to 5'-amp and ammonia. at least five hit proteins have been identified in mammals; however, the enzymatic and molecular properties of only fhit and hint1 have been comprehensively studied. our study ...201323772423
identification of optimal concentrations and incubation times for the study of in vitro effects of pb in ram spermatozoa.in vitro effects of lead (pb) on ram (ovis aries) spermatozoa were studied to establish a threshold level that affects sperm function. spermatozoa were incubated between 15 and 180 min with pb concentrations ranging from 0 to 5,000 ng/ml. sperm motility, acrosome integrity, membrane functionality and sperm viability were all negatively affected by pb and incubation time. acrosome integrity was linearly affected by pb levels at an incubation time of 30 min, and 50 ng/ml was the lowest pb level pr ...201323754694
sequence polymorphisms at the growth hormone gh1/gh2-n and gh2-z gene copies and their relationship with dairy traits in domestic sheep (ovis aries).the purpose was to analyze the growth hormone gh1/gh2-n and gh2-z gene copies and to assess their possible association with milk traits in sarda sheep. two hundred multiparous lactating ewes were monitored. the two gene copies were amplified separately and each was used as template for a nested pcr, to investigate single strand conformation polymorphism (sscp) of the 5'utr, exon-1, exon-5 and 3'utr dna regions. sscp analysis revealed marked differences in the number of polymorphic patterns betwe ...201323653010
prenatal development of the fetal thoracic sympathetic trunk in sheep (ovis aries).this study aims at clarifying the detailed morphological and topographical changes of the thoracic part of the sympathetic trunk of sheep during fetal development. bilateral micro-dissection of the thoracic sympathetic trunk was performed on 40 sheep fetuses aged 6-20 weeks (18 males and 22 females) under a stereomicroscope. the cervicothoracic ganglion (ctg) was observed on 75/80 sides (93.7%) and was composed of the caudal cervical and the first thoracic ganglia on 45/80 sides (56.2%), and of ...201323639816
the complete mitochondrial genome sequence analysis of tibetan argali (ovis ammon hodgsoni): implications of tibetan argali and gansu argali as the same subspecies.the genus ovis (bovidae, artiodactyla) includes six species, i.e. ovis ammon, ovis aries, ovis canadensis, ovis dalli, ovis nivicola and ovis vignei. based on morphology, geographical location, habitat, etc., the species o. ammon is divided into nine subspecies. the near threatened tibetan argali is distributed across the tibetan plateau and its peripheral mountains, and believed to be one of the o. ammon subspecies (o. a. hodgsoni). however, considering its morphological features and distributi ...201323542075
the artiodactyl calcaneus as a potential 'control bone' cautions against simple interpretations of trabecular bone adaptation in the anthropoid femoral neck.for over a century, the arched trabecular patterns of the human proximal femur have been considered to resemble tension and compression stress trajectories produced by stereotypical bending loads. this reflects conventional modeling of the human femoral neck-head region as a short cantilevered beam. although this conception is the foundation of many biomechanical, clinical, paleontological, and comparative morphological studies of trabecular bone in various species, attempts have not been made t ...201323481347
further molecular characterisation of the ovt73 transgenic sheep model of huntington's disease identifies cortical aggregates.huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, typically with clinical manifestations in adult years, caused by an expanded polyglutamine-coding repeat in htt. there are no treatments that delay or prevent the onset or progression of this devastating disease.201325062676
cortisol production in sheep is influenced by the functional expression of two cytochrome p450 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (cyp17) isoforms.in commercial production systems, the full expression of the genetic potential of an animal is limited by its intrinsic and extrinsic environment. it is therefore necessary to include robustness as a breeding goal because robustness is defined as the ability of an animal to express a high production potential in a wide variety of environmental conditions. the ability of mammals to produce sufficient cortisol on stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis is vital in its adaptati ...201323243163
association of soybean-based extenders with field fertility of stored ram (ovis aries) semen: a randomized double-blind parallel group design.two consecutive randomized double-blind field fertility experiments were conducted over a 4-month period and aimed at evaluating the association of two commercial soybean lecithin-based extenders (andromed [minitub, tiefenbach, germany] and bioxcell [imv technologies, l'aigle, france]) with pregnancy rates of chilled-stored (cs) and frozen-thawed (ft) ram semen. semen samples with more than 2 × 10(9) sperm per ml and 70% progressive motile spermatozoa were collected via an artificial vagina from ...201323219519
preparation and characterization of solid lipid nanoparticle-based nasal spray of budesonide.the present research work was aimed at developing solid lipid nanoparticle (sln)-based formulation of budesonide (bds) for nasal delivery. melt emulsification method was chosen for fabrication of bds-sln using ultrasound dispersion and hot high-pressure homogenization techniques. the compritol888 ato was chosen as the lipid component for sln formulation due to highest solubility for bds. different surfactants were screened and it was found that combination of tween 80 and plurol oleique has show ...201325788348
genome-wide association studies for growth and meat production traits in sheep.growth and meat production traits are significant economic traits in sheep. the aim of the study is to identify candidate genes affecting growth and meat production traits at genome level with high throughput single nucleotide polymorphisms (snp) genotyping technologies.201323825544
effects of melatonin on superovulation and transgenic embryo transplantation in small-tailed han sheep (ovis aries).in this study, the effects of melatonin on superovulation and the transfer of transgenic embryos were investigated in small-tailed han sheep.201323803865
mitochondrial dna diversity of modern, ancient and wild sheep(ovis gmelinii anatolica) from turkey: new insights on the evolutionary history of sheep.in the present study, to contribute to the understanding of the evolutionary history of sheep, the mitochondrial (mt) dna polymorphisms occurring in modern turkish native domestic (n = 628), modern wild (ovis gmelinii anatolica) (n = 30) and ancient domestic sheep from oylum höyük in kilis (n = 33) were examined comparatively with the accumulated data in the literature. the lengths (75 bp/76 bp) of the second and subsequent repeat units of the mtdna control region (cr) sequences differentiated t ...201324349158
effects of seasonal changes and shearing on thermoregulation, blood constituents and semen characteristics of desert rams (ovis aries).this experiment was designed to study the effects of shearing in different seasons (winter vs. summer) on thermoregulation, blood parameters and semen characteristics of desert rams. eight intact healthy rams were randomly assigned into two groups (n = 4). the control group was kept unshorn (un) with intact pelage, the mean length of hair left was approximately 1.5 cm and the treated group was shorn (sh). rectal temperature (tr) and respiration rate (rr) measurements were carried out twice daily ...201324517003
mitochondrial dna and y-chromosome diversity in east adriatic sheep.variation in mitochondrial dna (mtdna) and y-chromosome haplotypes was analysed in nine domestic sheep breeds (159 rams) and 21 mouflon (ovis musimon) sampled in the east adriatic. mitochondrial dna analyses revealed a high frequency of type b haplotypes, predominantly in european breeds, and a very low frequency of type a haplotypes, which are more frequent in some asian breeds. mitochondrial haplotype hmt-3 was the most frequent (26.4%), and 37.1%, 20.8% and 7.6% of rams had haplotypes one, tw ...201322762153
cytogenetic elaboration of a novel reciprocal translocation in sheep.reciprocal translocations represent one of the most common structural chromosomal rearrangements observed in both humans and domestic animals. in these translocations, the balanced forms are most frequent but may remain undetected because the carriers show a normal phenotype. for this reason, routine cytogenetic analysis of domestic animals should necessarily rely on banded karyotypes. in fact, during a screening analysis, carried out on phenotypically normal young sheep (ovis aries, oar, 2n = 5 ...201323328281
human cystic echinococcosis: epidemiologic, zoonotic, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.this review represents an updated scenario on the transmission cycle, epidemiology, clinical features and pathogenicity, diagnosis and treatment, and prevention and control measures of a cestode parasite echincoccus granulosus (e. granulosus) infection causing cystic echinococcosis (ce) in humans. human ce is a serious life-threatening neglected zoonotic disease that occurs in both developing and developed countries, and is recognized as a major public health problem. the life cycle of e. granul ...201222449514
effect of diet and absence of protozoa on the rumen microbial community and on the representativeness of bacterial fractions used in the determination of microbial protein synthesis.accurate estimates of microbial synthesis in the rumen are vital to optimize ruminant nutrition. liquid- (lab) and solid-associated bacterial fractions (sab) harvested from the rumen are generally considered as microbial references when microbial yield is calculated; however, factors that determine their composition are not completely understood. the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diet and absence or presence of rumen protozoa on the rumen microbial community. it was hypothesize ...201222665645
mrt letter: human bloodstains on antique aboriginal weapons: a guiding low-vacuum sem study of erythrocytes in experimental samples on ethnographically documented biological raw materials.the aboriginal use of reed and bone as raw materials for knives and daggers, respectively, has been well-documented ethnographically in some geographical areas of melanesia. because of the significant role that these weapons played in inter- and intra-ethnic aggression, they can potentially have retained smears from the contact with human blood. to carry out a guiding low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (sem) study of specific interest to ethnography, the outsides of a fragment of stalk of g ...201222648991
models to capture the potential for disease transmission in domestic sheep flocks.successful control of livestock diseases requires an understanding of how they spread amongst animals and between premises. mathematical models can offer important insight into the dynamics of disease, especially when built upon experimental and/or field data. here the dynamics of a range of epidemiological models are explored in order to determine which models perform best in capturing real-world heterogeneities at sufficient resolution. individual based network models are considered together w ...201222341734
the novel 172 sheep (ovis aries) micrornas and their targets.micrornas (mirnas) are small, non-coding and regulatory rnas about ≈22 nucleotides in length. the comparative genomics approach due to their conserved nature is a good source for the novel mirnas discovery. in this study, total 172 novel mirnas from 140 precursor sequences belonging to 114 families were identified in sheep (ovis aries), the most important livestock animal. all the mirna families (oar-mir-95, 129, 130, 186, 214, 219, 223, 324, 339, 423, 450, 499, 544, 562, 568, 584, 669, 671, 763 ...201222302387
are responses of herbivores to environmental variability spatially consistent in alpine ecosystems?animal responses to global climate variation might be spatially inconsistent. this may arise from spatial variation in factors limiting populations' growth or from differences in the links between global climate patterns and ecologically relevant local climate variation. for example, the north atlantic oscillation (nao) has a spatially consistent relation to temperature, but inconsistent spatial relation to snow depth in scandinavia. furthermore, there are multiple mechanistic ways by which clim ...201228741831
the prediction of adaptive evolution: empirical application of the secondary theorem of selection and comparison to the breeder's equation.adaptive evolution occurs when fitness covaries with genetic merit for a trait (or traits). the breeder's equation (be), in both its univariate and multivariate forms, allows us to predict this process by combining estimates of selection on phenotype with estimates of genetic (co)variation. however, predictions are only valid if all factors causal for trait-fitness covariance are measured. although this requirement will rarely (if ever) be met in practice, it can be avoided by applying robertson ...201222834740
cardiac adaptive mechanisms of tibetan antelope (pantholops hodgsonii) at high altitudes.to identify cardiac mechanisms that contribute to adaptation to high altitudes in tibetan antelope (pantholops hodgsonii).201222620694
reference intervals for mineral concentrations in whole blood and serum of bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis) in california.whole blood and serum mineral concentrations were measured in diverse bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis) metapopulations in california, and 90% reference intervals were determined. while there were some statistical differences between median concentrations among the different metapopulations, detected values were generally in good agreement with concentrations reported for other bighorn sheep populations and with reference ranges widely accepted for domestic sheep (ovis aries). although median whol ...201222529120
aprosencephaly with otocephaly in a lamb (ovis aries).aprosencephaly is a rare condition in veterinary and human medicine characterized by the complete absence of telencephalon and diencephalon. some cases are accompanied by a facial dysmorphism designated as otocephaly. a stillborn lamb had splanchnocranial anomalies that were classified by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and pathologic examination as aprosencephaly and otocephaly. the brain included parts of the cerebellum and brainstem but no telencephalon, diencephalon, or mese ...201222431914
evaluation of columbia, usmarc-composite, suffolk, and texel rams as terminal sires in an extensive rangeland production system: iii. prefabrication carcass traits and organ weights.to evaluate terminal-sire breeds, harvest bw, prefabrication carcass measurements, and organ weights were evaluated over 3 yr for 518 crossbred wether lambs (ovis aries). lambs were produced by single-sire matings of 22 columbia, 22 usmarc-composite (composite), 21 suffolk, and 17 texel rams to adult rambouillet ewes. lambs were raised to weaning under an extensive western rangeland production system and finished in a feedlot on a high-energy finishing diet. wethers were randomly assigned to be ...201222408088
a degree-day model of sheep grazing influence on alfalfa weevil and crop characteristics.domestic sheep (ovis spp.) grazing is emerging as an integrated pest management tactic for alfalfa weevil, hypera postica (gyllenhal), management and a degree-day model is needed as a decision and support tool. in response to this need, grazing exclosures with unique degree-days and stocking rates were established at weekly intervals in a central montana alfalfa field during 2008 and 2009. analyses indicate that increased stocking rates and grazing degree-days were associated with decreased crop ...201222420261
evaluation of columbia, usmarc-composite, suffolk, and texel rams as terminal sires in an extensive rangeland production system: ii. postweaning growth and ultrasonic measures of composition for lambs fed a high-energy feedlot diet.over 3 yr, postweaning growth patterns and changes in ultrasonic measurements of fat depth (fd) and lm area were assessed for 1,049 crossbred ewe and wether lambs (ovis aries) produced by mating adult rambouillet ewes to 1 of 22 columbia, 22 usmarc-composite (composite), 21 suffolk, or 17 texel rams and raised to weaning under extensive western rangeland conditions. after weaning, lambs were transitioned to a high-energy finishing diet in a feedlot, weighed weekly for 13 to 16 wk, and scanned us ...201222408090
snp variation in adrb3 gene reflects the breed difference of sheep populations.the β3-adrenergic receptor (adrb3), a g-protein coupled receptor, plays a major role in energy metabolism and regulation of lipolysis and homeostasis. we detect the single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) variation in full-length sequence of ovine adrb3 gene in 12 domestic sheep populations within four types by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism and sequencing to reveal the breed difference. twenty-two snps, 12 of which in the exon 1 and ten in the intron, were detect ...201222711302
effects of overfeeding naturally-mated adolescent ewes on maternal, fetal, and postnatal lamb growth.the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of overfeeding naturally-mated adolescent ewes (ovis aries) on maternal, fetal, and postnatal lamb growth, hormone concentrations, and lamb carcass characteristics. two experiments were conducted in which singleton-bearing adolescent ewes were fed a diet containing 2.72 mcal/kg me at a rate which met nrc gestational age requirements (mn; n = 10 in exp. 1, n = 7 in exp. 2) or were fed the same diet ad libitum (15% refusal rate) throughout ge ...201222665677
ghrelin promotion of oocyte maturation via erk1/2 pathway in ovis aries.ghrelin has recently garnered increasing attention in biomolecular studies. ghrelin's growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (ghs--r) is a pleiotropic modulator of diverse biological functions, including energy homeostasis and reproduction. this study sought to understand the ways in which ghrelin impacts erk1/2 and p90rsk during the ovis aries oocyte maturation process. we applied different concentrations of ghrelin and of ghrelin receptor inhibitor (d--lys3--ghrp--6) to ovis aries oocyte ...201223217439
induction of low-nutritious food intake by subsequent nutrient supplementation in sheep (ovis aries).acceptance of and preference for a particular food depends not only on its intrinsic (e.g. nutritional) properties but also on expected or recent food experiences. an instance of this type of phenomenon has been called induction effect, which consists of an increased intake of a type of food when it precedes a hedonically preferred food in a sequence familiar to the animal, relative to controls that have access only to the less-preferred food. the purpose of our study was to assess intake induct ...201223217234
components of the accuracy of genomic prediction in a multi-breed sheep population.in genome-wide association studies, failure to remove variation due to population structure results in spurious associations. in contrast, for predictions of future phenotypes or estimated breeding values from dense snp data, exploiting population structure arising from relatedness can actually increase the accuracy of prediction in some cases, for example, when the selection candidates are offspring of the reference population where the prediction equation was derived. in populations with large ...201223038744
water quality effects of herded stream crossings by domestic sheep bands.livestock impacts on total suspended solids (tss) and pathogen (e.g., ) levels in rangeland streams are a serious concern worldwide. herded stream crossings by domestic sheep () are periodic, necessary managerial events on high-elevation rangelands, but their impacts on stream water quality are largely unknown. we evaluated the effects of herded, one-way crossings by sheep bands (about 2000 individuals) on tss and concentration and load responses in downstream waters. crossing trials were conduc ...201223099950
molecular characterization and functional analysis of sheep thyroid transcription factor-1.thyroid transcription factor-1 (ttf-1), a member of the nkx2 family of homeodomain-containing proteins, is involved in binding to and in activating the promoters of several important genes in the thyroid, lungs, and brain, and in regulating expression of these tissue-specific genes. we investigated potential roles of sheep (ovis aries) ttf-1 in regulating cell fate and organ morphogenesis and in controlling puberty and reproductive capability of females. we amplified and cloned the sheep ttf-1 f ...201222782632
global patterns and drivers of avian extinctions at the species and subspecies level.birds have long fascinated scientists and travellers, so their distribution and abundance through time have been better documented than those of other organisms. many bird species are known to have gone extinct, but information on subspecies extinctions has never been synthesised comprehensively. we reviewed the timing, spatial patterns, trends and causes of avian extinctions on a global scale, identifying 279 ultrataxa (141 monotypic species and 138 subspecies of polytypic species) that have go ...201223056586
knowledge of mange among masai pastoralists in kenya.pastoralists in low-income countries usually live in close proximity to their animals and thus represent an important repository of information about livestock disease. since wild and domestic animals often mix freely whilst grazing, pastoralists are also able to observe first-hand the diseases that are present in wildlife and as such are key informants in disease outbreaks in sylvatic animals. we report here the findings of the first study of the knowledge and role of masai pastoralists in mang ...201222912858
mother goats do not forget their kids' calls.parent-offspring recognition is crucial for offspring survival. at long distances, this recognition is mainly based on vocalizations. because of maturation-related changes to the structure of vocalizations, parents have to learn successive call versions produced by their offspring throughout ontogeny in order to maintain recognition. however, because of the difficulties involved in following the same individuals over years, it is not clear how long this vocal memory persists. here, we investigat ...201222719031
a dig into the past mitochondrial diversity of corsican goats reveals the influence of secular herding practices.the goat (capra hircus) is one of the earliest domesticated species ca. 10,500 years ago in the middle-east where its wild ancestor, the bezoar (capra aegagrus), still occurs. during the neolithic dispersal, the domestic goat was then introduced in europe, including the main mediterranean islands. islands are interesting models as they maintain traces of ancient colonization, historical exchanges or of peculiar systems of husbandry. here, we compare the mitochondrial genetic diversity of both me ...201222299033
detection and characterization of natural and inducible lectins in human serum.this study was performed to detect and characterise the possible occurrence of natural and inducible lectins in human serum by hemagglutination method, wherein, the serum was treated using exogenous elicitors, namely, proteases and detergents. natural and inducible lectins were detected and characterised in human serum. untreated serum agglutinated buffalo and rabbit rbc, while serum treated with pronase, trypsin, α-chymotrypsin or sds for the very first time, agglutinated hen/hen and sheep rbc ...201224371577
no evidence for transmission of antibiotic-resistant escherichia coli strains from humans to wild western lowland gorillas in lopé national park, gabon.the intensification of human activities within the habitats of wild animals is increasing the risk of interspecies disease transmission. this risk is particularly important for great apes, given their close phylogenetic relationship with humans. areas of high human density or intense research and ecotourism activities expose apes to a high risk of disease spillover from humans. is this risk lower in areas of low human density? we determined the prevalence of escherichia coli antibiotic-resistant ...201222492436
socio-economic stakes and perceptions of wetland management in an arid region: a case study from chott merouane, algeria.the objective of our study was to identify how actors from the main socio-economic sectors perceive their interactions and impacts on a sensitive wetland in an arid climate, specifically the salt pans of chott merouane in algeria. the results revealed that there are three main economic stakes including agriculture, livestock production and salt mining, each activity providing a great benefit for local and national populations. the local population perceived that the current activities are conduc ...201222544635
the potential roles of a laminin receptor in adhesion and apoptosis of cells of the marine bivalve meretrix meretrix.the laminin receptors (lrs) play important roles in cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix, certain cell-cell adhesions, and the activation of many intracellular signaling pathways. studies of lrs have primarily focused on mammals, while few studies of lrs in marine invertebrates have been reported. the functions of lrs in marine bivalve species are still unclear.201223056594
gastrointestinal parasitic infection in diverse species of domestic ruminants inhabiting tribal rural areas of southern rajasthan, india.a total of 415 adult domesticated ruminants, 130 cattle (bos taurus), 108 buffaloes (bubalus bubalis), 94 goats (capra hircus) and 83 sheep (ovis aries) inhabiting tribal rural areas of southern rajasthan, india were investigated for evidence of gastrointestinal protozoan and helminthic infections. in southern rajasthan humid ecosystem is predominant and has number of perennial freshwater bodies. fresh faecal samples of these animals were examined microscopically by direct wet smear with saline ...201224431582
targeting and import mechanism of coiled-coil helix coiled-coil helix domain-containing protein 3 (chchd3) into the mitochondrial intermembrane space.coiled-coil helix coiled-coil helix domain-containing protein 3 (chchd3) is a mitochondrial inner membrane (im) protein facing toward the intermembrane space (ims). in the ims, chchd3 complexes with multiple proteins at the crista junctions and contact sites and plays a key role in maintaining crista integrity. chchd3 is myristoylated at the n terminus and has a chch domain with twin cx(9)c motifs at its c terminus. the chch domain proteins are traditionally imported and trapped in the ims by us ...201223019327
identification of novel and differentially expressed micrornas of dairy goat mammary gland tissues using solexa sequencing and bioinformatics.micrornas are small, noncoding rna molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play an important role in various biological processes. although most micrornas expression profiles studies have been performed in humans or rodents, relatively limited knowledge also exists in other mammalian species. the identification of the full repertoire of micrornas expressed in the lactating mammary gland of capra hircus would significantly increase our understanding of the ph ...201223166677
study of human allergic milk whey protein from different mammalian species using computational method.nowadays, safety and quality assessment of food used for human consumption have to consider by its possible contribution to the maintenance or improvement of the consumer's health. milk is an important food with many nutrients. cow milk is an important source of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals for the growing child as well as adults. but, numerous cow milk proteins have been implicated in allergic responses and most of these have been shown to contain multiple allergic epitopes. the prese ...201223275703
dynein light chain 1 (lc8) association enhances microtubule stability and promotes microtubule bundling.dynein light chain 1 (lc8) has been shown to pull down tubulin subunits, suggesting that it interacts with microtubules.201223038268
inferring the phylogeny of bovidae using mitochondrial dna sequences: resolving power of individual genes relative to complete genomes.molecular techniques that assess biodiversity through the analysis of a small segment of mitochondrial genome have been getting wide attention for inferring the mammalian diversity. due to their highly conserved nature, specific mitochondrial genes offer a promising tool for phylogenetic analysis. however, there is no established criteria for selecting the typical mitochondrial dna (mtdna) segments to achieve a greater resolving power. we therefore chose the family bovidae as a model and compare ...201222399841
an updated nomenclature for keratin-associated proteins (kaps).most protein in hair and wool is of two broad types: keratin intermediate filament-forming proteins (commonly known as keratins) and keratin-associated proteins (kaps). keratin nomenclature was reviewed in 2006, but the kap nomenclature has not been revised since 1993. recently there has been an increase in the number of kap genes (krtaps) identified in humans and other species, and increasingly reports of variation in these genes. we therefore propose that an updated naming system is needed to ...201222298953
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