Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Parental Instincts: The Neurological And Biological Factors Associated With Parenthood, Jared Reeder

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The following project involves a systematic review of the scientific literature on neural and biological changes of mothers and fathers in parenthood. Until very recently, little scientific research was devoted to studying how bearing children affects a man or woman’s long-term biology. Over the last twenty years, studies of neuroplastic changes in new mothers show specific neural mechanisms responsible for altering the behaviors of mothers during and after pregnancy. These changes in neuroplasticity alter behavior in such a way that led to mothers requiring less sleep and being more prone to hearing the cries of their children. In addition to …

Research Note: Association Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Of Akt3 With Egg Production Traits In White Muscovy Ducks (Cairina Moschata)., Semiu Folaniyi Bello, Haiping Xu, Kan Li, Lijin Guo, Siyu Zhang, Ridwan Olawale Ahmed, Endashaw Jebessa Bekele, Ming Zheng, Mingjian Xian, Bahareldin Ali Abdalla, Adeniyi Charles Adeola, Adeyinka Abiola Adetula, Raman Akinyanju Lawal, Weijian Zhu, Dexiang Zhang, Xiquan Zhang, Congliang Ji, Qinghua Nie

Faculty Research 2022

Prior studies on transcriptomes of hypothalamus and ovary revealed that AKT3 is one of the candidate genes that might affect egg production in White Muscovy ducks. The role of AKT3 in the uterus during reproductive processes cannot be overemphasized. However, functional role of this gene in the tissues and on egg production traits of Muscovy ducks remains unknown. To identify the relationship between AKT3 and egg production traits in ducks, relative expression profile was first examined prior to identifying the variants within AKT3 that may underscore egg production traits [age at first egg (AFE), number of eggs at 300 d …

Seasonal Testicular Histology And Acystic Lobular Spermatogenesis In The Western Lesser Siren, Siren Intermedia Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the seasonal testicular histology and acystic lobular spermatogenesis in the Western Lesser Siren, Siren intermedia nettingi, from periodic sampling of this salamander over a span of 21 yr (1994-2015) in northeastern Arkansas. My results include the following general findings: 1) the largest testicular lobules occurred primarily in January-February during spermiogenesis and spermatozoa maturation; 2) lobular regression and spermatogenic cell recrudescence were underway by late March; 3) proliferation of secondary spermatogonia in lobules was prominent in May; 4) transformation of secondary spermatogonia into primary spermatocytes occurred by mid-July, and these cells became larger in diameter through increased nuclear …

Editorial: Vitamin D Deficiency And Sufficiency In Reproduction And Bone Metabolism, Rehana Rehman, Faiza Alam, Mukhtiar Baig, Aysha Habib Khan, Naseer Ahmed

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Carrier Screening For Women Undergoing Elective Oocyte Cryopreservation (Eoc): A Look At Practice Among Reproductive Endocrinologists At An Academic Fertility Clinic, Melissa Manuelli

Human Genetics Theses

Elective oocyte cryopreservation (EOC) is a process involving freezing and banking oocytes with the intention to be used in the future for pregnancy. Cryopreserving oocytes allows women to enhance their reproductive autonomy by reducing the effects of age-relatedfertility decline. Similarly, expanded carrier screening (ECS) completed prior to conception allows women to consider their full range of reproductive options including in-vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), use of donor gametes, and prenatal testing and diagnosis. In this retrospective chart review, we examine carrier screening practices for 106 EOC patients, and an age-matched control group of 106 IVF patients who …

Surgical Sterilization Impacts On Behavior Of Coyote Pairs, Tyler Leary, Jeffrey T. Schultz, Julie K. Young

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes (Canis latrans) involved in depredation of livestock, an act frequently resulting in human-wildlife conflict, often do so out of necessity for provisioning pups. Surgical sterilization methods such as vasectomy that preserve gonadal hormones have been successful in reducing depredation by free-ranging coyotes while allowing individuals to maintain territoriality and mate fidelity. However, use of these methods remain costly and ineffective for wide-scale use. Given the alternative proposal of using chemical sterilization techniques, we investigated whether the use of hormone-altering sterilization methods impacted behavior of captive coyote pairs (i.e., male-female pair bonds). Our objective was to evaluate behavior …

Measuring Adrenal And Reproductive Hormones In Hair From Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus), Marilize Van Der Walt, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, Patricia A. Terletzky, Todd C. Atwood, Eric M. Gese, Susannah S. French

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) use sea ice to access marine mammal prey. In Alaska’s Southern Beaufort Sea, the declining availability of sea ice habitat in summer and fall has reduced opportunities for polar bears to routinely hunt on the ice for seals, their primary prey. This reduced access to prey may result in physiological stress with subsequent potential consequences to reproductive function (physiological changes that accompany reproduction), which can be measured via reproductive hormones. Hormone concentrations in hair can be used as a minimally invasive alternative to serum concentrations, which must come from animal captures. Hair samples also …

Reproductive Trade-Offs In The Colorado Checkered Whiptail Lizard (Aspidoscelis Neotesselatus): An Examination Of The Relationship Between Clutch And Follicle Size, Hannah E. Caracalas, S. S. French, S. B. Hudson, B. M. Kluever, A. C. Webb, D. Eifler, A. J. Lehmicke, Lise M. Aubry

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Life history theory predicts that there should be an inverse relationship between offspring size and number, because individuals cannot simultaneously maximize both when resources are limited. Although extensively studied in avian species, the occurrence and determinants of reproductive tradeoffs in oviparous reptiles are far less understood, particularly in parthenogenetic species. We studied this trade-off in the Colorado Checkered Whiptail, Aspidoscelis neotesselatus, a female-only parthenogenetic lizard. Using data previously collected in 2018 and 2019, we tested for clutch and egg size trade-offs and determined whether this relationship could be influenced by female size and aspects of physiological condition. Physiological condition …

Some Histological Reveals On Reproduction Of One Of The Lessepsian Species, Nemipterus Randalli In Antalya (Turkey), Mehmet Rüştü Özen

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this study, the reproduction of Nemipterus randalli, one of the lessepsian fish catch from the Gulf of Antalya, Turkey was interpreted histologically. Regarding the fish used in this study (N = 1715), it is noteworthy to mention that male individuals are larger than females. The first sexual maturity in males was determined 17 cm TL and 60 g in BW, whereas 13 cm TL and 25 g BW in females. Females reached sexual maturity at age I+ and males at the age of II+. Seven different stages (O1-O7) were identified in oocyte maturation in the ovaries. The spawning time …

Aluminum Reproductive Toxicity: A Summary And Interpretation Of Scientific Reports, Robert A. Yokel

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Publications addressing aluminum (Al)-induced reproductive toxicity were reviewed. Key details were compiled in summary tables. Approximate systemic Al exposure, a measure of bioavailability, was calculated for each exposure, based on the Al percentage in the dosed Al species, Al bioavailability, and absorption time course reports for the exposure route. This was limited to laboratory animal studies because no controlled-exposure human studies were found. Intended Al exposure was compared to unintended dietary Al exposure. The considerable and variable Al content of laboratory animal diets creates uncertainty about reproductive function in the absence of Al. Aluminum-induced reproductive toxicity in female mice and …

Multi-Generational Effects Of ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure On Gene Expression In Liver Tissue, Kayla Lovitt

Honors Theses

Cannabis is the most commonly used, cultivated, and trafficked illicit drug worldwide. Increased availability and acceptance of cannabis and cannabinoid-containing products provide the necessity for understanding how these substances influence aging. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to concentrations of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (0.08, 0.4, 2 µM) during embryonic-larval development, the effects on aging were measured 30 months later and in the offspring of the exposed fish (F1 generation. We observed results indicating a biphasic and hormetic effect. Treatment with the lowest concentration of THC significantly increased egg production, while higher concentrations resulted in impaired …

Practical Problems And Moral Discourses: An Ethnography Of Breastfeeding, Tara Ann Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations

Universal and bioactive, breastfeeding is a burgeoning biocultural topic because it incorporates biological and social determinants of human behavior. The topic has amassed media attention framed as part of a bigger imagining of motherhood as an idealized state directed at the female body’s performance. This paper questions media and public policy’s role in the dissemination of culture and the symbolic value of breastmilk. This study examines breastfeeding discourses through the lens of an American, mostly white, Midwestern middle-class social structure. Using participant observation data of two postpartum support groups and semi-structured interviews with six primiparous mothers, my data suggests that …

Associations Among Beef Cattle Genotypes, Neospora Caninum Infection, And Reproductive Performance, Ryan James Page

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reproductive performance is crucial for sustained financial success in the beef cattle industry. This dissertation includes a population study that quantified the incidence of Neospora caninum infections in the central region of the United States and tested its relationship with reproductive performance in beef cattle. Trial one of that study concluded that 6.9% of open, replacement heifers (n = 1306) tested seropositive. The second trial in that project found that 9.6% of the breeding age females (n = 500) tested were seropositive for Neospora caninum; and that state in which the cattle lived and age impacted (P < 0.05) infection rate. Breed composition, number of farm dogs on the ranch, and use of total mixed rations were not associated (P > 0.1) with seropositive …

Competing Reproductive And Physiological Investments In An All‑Female Lizard, The Colorado Checkered Whiptail, Lise M. Aubry, Spencer B. Hudson, Bryan M. Kluever, Alison C. Webb, Susannah S. French

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Organisms in the wild have to allocate limited resources towards competing functions such as reproduction, growth, and self-maintenance. These competing investments create significant changes in physiological activity, and we still know little about the relationship between physiological activity and reproductive investment in natura. We investigated trade-offs between physiological activity and reproductive investment in the parthenogenetic Colorado checkered whiptail, Aspidoscelis neotesselata, across three different sites at the US Army Fort Carson Military Installation near Colorado Springs, CO, through-out the reproductive season in 2018 and 2019. We measured clutch size and reproductive activity and quantified plasma corticosterone (CORT), reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), …

The Use Of Doppler Ultrasound As A Potential Fertility Predictor In Male Goats, Diego Luiz Dos Santos Ribeiro, Larissa Sarmento Santos, Itamara Gomes França, Hellyda Gomes Pereira, Joaquim De Sousa Lima, Bento Douglas Brito Miranda, Alcina Vieira Carvalho Neta, Jose Ribamar S Torres Junior

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of the current study is to correlate Doppler flowmetry with andrological features in male goats belonging to different age and fertility groups. Thirty native crossbreed bucks bred in Northeastern Brazil were subjected to B-mode, spectral and color Doppler ultrasound, as well as to andrological examinations. Color Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate blood flow in the pampiniform plexus and testicular parenchyma. Semen was collected through the electroejaculation method in order to have its physical and morphological features evaluated. The animals were grouped based on age (young, mature, and old) and fertility level (high and low) before analysis. Data …

Assessment Of Indiana Bat Reproductive Condition, Recapture Trends, And Temperatures Of Artificial Roosts In Kentucky, Michaela L. Rogers

Online Theses and Dissertations

Recovery of bat species impacted by white-nose syndrome (WNS) will necessarily require population growth. I assessed reproductive capability of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) in Kentucky, where WNS was first detected in hibernacula in April 2011. Due to loss of fat reserves associated with WNS infection, coupled with the energetic expenditures associated with pregnancy, I hypothesized mass of reproductively-active females captured during the maternity season would decrease across my data collection period (2017-2019). Further, I predicted that reproductive rates in the study population would be lower than historic rates for Kentucky. Mist net surveys around artificial maternity roosts at …

In Vitro Exposure To Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (Dehp) Stimulates Spontaneous Felineuterine Contractions, Ruhi̇ Kabakçi, Hasan Ceyhun Macun, Ebru Yildirim, İbrahi̇m Mert Polat, Taha Burak Eli̇foğlu

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used as a plasticizer in various products such as PVC-derived plastics, toys, packaging materials, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. This study aimed to investigate the effect of DEHP on spontaneous contractions of the feline uterus in vitro. Tubal 1-cm uterine samples prepared from 10, 9, and 12 uteri obtained from adult cats in estrus (n = 5), diestrus (n = 5), and interestrus (n = 5), respectively, after ovariohysterectomy were suspended in an isolated organ bath in aerated Krebs solution at 39 ± 1 °C, and an initial 1 g tension was given. After 1 h equilibration …

Imatinib Mesylate Effects On Zebrafish Reproductive Success: Gonadal Development, Gamete Quality, Fertility, Embryo-Larvae Viability And Development, And Related Genes, Nader Ahmadi, Seyed-Mohammadreza Samaee, Robert A. Yokel, Aliasghar Tehrani

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Imatinib (IM) is a tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitor (TKI) used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia. Clinical case reports and a few laboratory mammal studies provide inconclusive evidence about its deleterious effects on reproduction. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the potential of zebrafish to characterize IM-induced effects on reproduction and clarify IM effects on reproductive success. To this end, we exposed adult zebrafish to four concentrations of IM for 30 days followed by a 30-day depuration period. IM exposure caused a concentration-dependent, irreversible, suppression of folliculogenesis, reversible decrease in sperm density and motility, decreased fecundity and fertility, …

Improving Techniques To Study Equine Cervical Mucociliary Clearance, Melissa A. Hawkes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial uterine infections inflict major losses on the equine breeding industry. These infections usually arise from bacteria introduced at breeding. Micro-currents propelled by ciliated cells between the folds of the uterus and cervix have been proposed as a means by which contaminants are expelled. Previous data have shown possible ciliary micro-currents propelling carbon particles, occasionally rotating, through cervical folds. However, adherence to the epithelium may have interfered with movement of carbon in these studies. Therefore, we tested potentially non-adherent substances to reveal ciliary micro-currents on the equine cervix under high magnification video-endoscopy. We hypothesized that polyethylene green microspheres 1 - …

Follicular Dynamics In Insulin Resistant Mares, Julio Cesar Prado

Masters Theses

Obesity and insulin resistance have been linked to prolonged interovulatory period, aberrations in the estrous cycle, and continuous reproductive activity during the non-breeding season. EMS has been determined to influence the intrafollicular environment of mare ovaries. In humans, insulin resistance has been linked to polycystic ovaries as part of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). A study was conducted to determine 1) the impact of insulin resistance on follicle growth and size at ovulation, and 2) whether predicted ovulatory follicles respond to hCG administration in Insulin-resistant (IR) mares. Mares were selected for the study based on insulin sensitivity and separated into an …

Life History Tradeoffs And The Costs Of Reproduction In Arizona Bark Scorpions (Centruroides Sculpturatus), Michael Marie Webber

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tradeoffs in life history evolution result from conflicts in the time and energy that can be simultaneously invested in activities such as growth, reproduction, and survival. Reproduction is an energetically costly activity for organisms, and is known to elicit alterations in the daily activity patterns of individuals. I investigated reproductive tradeoffs in the Arizona Bark Scorpion,Centruroides sculpturatus. To better understand the nature of tradeoffs in this species, I examined the influence of reproductive state on the predatory efficiency and thermal preference of reproductive females. Further, I examined the influence of reproductive activities (i.e. gestation) on the ability of reproductive females …

In Vivo Embryo Production In Some Native Goat Breeds In Turkey, Ali̇ Reha Ağaoğlu, Kübra Karakaş, Mustafa Kaymaz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the repeated administration of superovulatory protocol and surgical procedure in in vivo embryo production, as well as to determine the differences in the responses to superovulatory treatment among several Turkish native goat breeds (Angora, Kilis, Honamli, Hair, and Norduz). A superovulatory treatment procedure was repeated 3 times in this study. The estrus cycles were synchronized and superovulatory response was induced with porcine follicle-stimulating hormone during the natural breeding season. Natural mating was performed following CIDR removal. Embryo recovery was performed surgically on day 6, after the first mating. According …

Stress And Reproductive Hormones In Grizzly Bears Reflect Nutritional Benefits And Social Consequences Of A Salmon Foraging Niche, Heather M. Bryan, Chris T. Darimont, Paul C. Paquet, Katherine E. Wynne-Edwards, Judit E. G. Smits

Physiology Collection

Physiological indicators of social and nutritional stress can provide insight into the responses of species to changes in food availability. In coastal British Columbia, Canada, grizzly bears evolved with spawning salmon as an abundant but spatially and temporally constrained food source. Recent and dramatic declines in salmon might have negative consequences on bear health and ultimately fitness. To examine broadly the chronic endocrine effects of a salmon niche, we compared cortisol, progesterone, and testosterone levels in hair from salmon-eating bears from coastal BC (n = 75) with the levels in a reference population from interior BC lacking access to salmon …

General Reproductive Properties In Pigs, İrfan Tur

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Pig breeding is usually undertaken for fat and meat production, but different sectors (cosmetics industry, pharmaceutical industry, medical sector, etc.) can also use pigs for alternate purposes. Pork is evaluated based on the status of an amended law regarding butchers' meat in Turkey. There have been 25 pig farms registered in Turkey since 7 July 2006 in the framework of compliance with the European Union. On average, a sow has 2.3 farrowings per year, producing 9.5 to 12.5 piglets per litter. It is important that high proportions of selected replacement gilts reach puberty at an early age in order to …

The Effect Of Selenized Yeast Supplementation On Some Performance Parameters In Sheep, Bogumila Pilarczyk, Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak, Zbigniew Dobrzanski, Malgorzata Szewczuk, Tomasz Stankiewicz, Dariusz Gaczarzewicz, Wlodzimierz Lachowski

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of serum selenium in coarse-haired Pomeranian sheep and to evaluate the effect of the oral supplementation of selenized yeast on selected performance parameters in such sheep. The sheep were divided into 2 groups, with 53 ewes forming the experimental group and 34 ewes forming the control group. The concentration of serum selenium in all 87 sheep from the 2 groups was analyzed. The sheep in the experimental group received selenized yeast for the 3 days before and 3 days after mating (1 g preparation/animal daily, with 1 g of preparation …

The Reproductive Ecology Of Plethodontid Salamanders In The South Carolina Inner Coastal Plain, Heather Rena Oswald

Theses and Dissertations

Nest- site selection is a critical process in the life history of amphibians, directly influencing offspring survival and parental fitness. When and where an amphibian chooses to nest is strongly influenced by a range of environmental cues. We monitored plethodontid salamander breeding behavior in seepage wetlands in the South Carolina inner Coastal Plain. Seepage wetlands are ideal for monitoring semiaquatic salamander breeding, because they provide habitat for both larval and adult salamanders while having relatively predictable, constant water temperatures and presence year round. We observed the breeding phenology of three sympatric salamanders (Eurycea cirrigera, Desmognathus auriculatus, and Pseudotriton ruber) in …

Evaluation Of The Possibility Of Using Oligosaccharide-Free Pea In Japanese Quail Nutrition, Danuta Szczerbinska, Zofia Tarasewicz, Piotr Gulewicz, Danuta Majewska, Marek Ligocki

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this paper, evaluation of the effect of processed pea seeds (free of raffinose family oligosaccharides) on the performance traits and the results of reproduction in Japanese quails is presented. A flock of 72 quails was divided into 3 groups consisting of equal numbers of birds (18 females and 6 males). Birds were kept in cages in an environmentally controlled room with a lighting cycle of 17 h of light and 7 h of dark, and they were fed 1 of 3 different diets. Whereas diet 1 served as the control, diet 2 was supplemented with 5% and diet 3 …

Associations Between Ghr And Igf-1 Gene Polymorphisms, And Reproductive Traits In Wenchang Chickens, Hui Fang Li, Wen Qi Zhu, Kuan Wei Chen, Xu Wu, Qing Ping Tang, Yu Shi Gao

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Alleles of physiological candidate genes for reproductive traits, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and growth hormone receptor (GHR) were assessed to determine their associations with total egg production (NE), average days of continual egg-laying (ADCE), and number of double yolk eggs (DYE) in Wenchang chickens (Chinese indigenous breed). PCR-RFLP was used for genotype identification. The frequency of restriction enzyme C1/C2 alleles in the population was 0.53 (C1) and 0.47 (C2) for IGF-1. For GHR-intron 2 it was 0.06 and 0.94 for (A1) and (A2), respectively, while for GHR-intron 5 it was 0.20 (B1) and 0.80 (B2). Four significant associations were found …

Sheep Updates 2007 - Part 4, Dean Thomas, Dominique Blache, Dean Revell, Hayley Norman, Phil Vercoe, Zoey Durmic, Serina Digby, Di Mayberry, Megan Chadwick, Martin Sillence, David Masters, R. Silberstein, F. Byrne, P. G. H. Nichols, J. Young, L. Aitkins, M. G. Wilmot, A. J. Rintoul, T. Lambert, D. R. Mcclements, P. Raper, P. Ward, C. Walton, T. York, David Pethick, David Hopkins, Malcolm Mcphee, D. B. Savage, J. V. Nolan, I. R. Godwin, A. Aoetpah, T. Nguyen, N. Baillie, C. Lawler, Ken Geenty, John Smith, Darryl Smith, Tim Dyall, Grant Uphill, John Young, Michael Paton, John Dorrian

Sheep Updates

This session covers eight papers from different authors:

GRAZING

1. The impact of high dietary salt and its implications for the management of livestock grazing saline land, Dean Thomas, Dominique Blache, Dean Revell, Hayley Norman, Phil Vercoe, Zoey Durmic, Serina Digby, Di Mayberry, Megan Chadwick, Martin Sillence and David Masters, CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, WA.

2. Sustainable Grazing on Saline Lands - outcomes from the WA1 research project, H.C. Norman^1,2, D.G. Masters^1,2, R. Silberstein^1,2, F. Byrne^2,3, P.G.H. Nichols …

Some Biological Characteristics Of The Tub Gurnard, Chelidonichthys Lucernus (Linnaeus, 1758) In The Sea Of Marmara, Lütfi̇ye Eryilmaz, Nuretti̇n Meri̇ç

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The biology of the tub gurnard, Chelidonichthys lucernus (Linnaeus, 1758), has been studied on data collected between November 1996 and November 1997 from the Sea of Marmara. Totally, 224 tub gurnards were sampled. The age, growth, length-weight relationship, condition factor, male to female ratio, first sexual maturity age, length and reproduction period were examined. The age composition of samples ranged between 1 and 6 years. Total length ranged between 12.3 and 41.5 cm, while weight varied from 15 to 617 g. The total length-weight relationship was estimated as W=0.0092L^{3.019}. The parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth equation were: L_{\infity} = …