Project description:Primiparous sows were randomly allocated to two treatments and were separated from piglets 8h daily from Day 21 of lactation companied with daily boar exposure for oestrus detection until weaning (Day 28). Gene expression of Day 9 embryos were compared between control sows (FE; sows artificially inseminated when in heat during lactation ) and Skip-a-Heat sows (SE; sows in heat during lactation and artificially inseminated on the following oestrus cycle).
Project description:Primiparous sows were randomly allocated to two treatments and were separated from piglets 8h daily from Day 21 of lactation companied with daily boar exposure for oestrus detection until weaning (Day 28). Gene expression of Day 9 embryos were compared between control sows (FE; sows artificially inseminated when in heat during lactation ) and Skip-a-Heat sows (SE; sows in heat during lactation and artificially inseminated on the following oestrus cycle). Stimulating lactational oestrus then two mating strategies were applied to primiparous sows; 1)FE; sows were in heat during lactation and received artificial insemination) and Skip-a-Heat sows (SE; sows were in heat during lactation and received artificial insemination at fallowing oestrus cycle).
Project description:The aim of the overall study was to investigate the development of immune competence in artificially reared dairy calves and in two breeds of naturally suckled beef calves over the first 168h of life. Dairy calves were fed 5% total body weight of colostrum, with beef calves monitored to ensure natural ingestion of colostrum. Blood samples were taken from all calves at 24h 48h 72h and 168h, and analysed for alterations to immunes genes.
Project description:The critical sequence of molecular, neurotransmission and synaptic disruptions that underpin the emergence of psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia remain to be established with progress only likely using animal models that capture key features of such disorders. Gene expression was assessed in social control and isolation reared rats at 4 increasing postnatal ages to relate gene expression dysregulation to behavioural and endophenotype emergence. We prepared cDNA from brain tissue samples of the medial prefrontal cortex from socially reared Wistar rats (Soc) and matching isolation reared cohorts (Iso) at postnatal day (P) 30, 40, 60 and 80.
Project description:The critical sequence of molecular, neurotransmission and synaptic disruptions that underpin the emergence of psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia remain to be established with progress only likely using animal models that capture key features of such disorders. Gene expression was assessed in social control and isolation reared rats at 4 increasing postnatal ages to relate gene expression dysregulation to behavioural and endophenotype emergence.
Project description:Fecal samples collected on day 5 from randomly selected colitic SD rats were analyzed for gut microbiota by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The orally administered Dex-P-laden NPA2 coacervate (Dex-P/NPA2) significantly restores the diversity of gut microbiota compared with colitic SD rats in the Dex-P/PBS group and the untreated colitic rats (Control).
Project description:Purpose: Aerobic capacity is a strong predictor of cardiovascular mortality. To determine the relationship between inborn aerobic capacity and soleus gene expression we examined genome-wide gene expression in soleus muscle of rats artificially selected for high and low running capacity (HCR and LCR, respectively) over 16 generations. The artificial selection of LCR caused accumulation of risk factors of cardiovascular disease similar to the metabolic syndrome seen in man, whereas HCR had markedly better cardiac function. We also studied alterations in gene expression in response to exercise training in the two groups, since accumulating evidence indicates that exercise has profound beneficial effects on the metabolic syndrome. Methods: Soleus gene expression of both sedentary and exercise trained HCR and LCR was characterized by microarray- and gene ontology analysis. Results: Although HCR and LCR had an inborn 347% difference in running capacity, only three genes were found differentially expressed in the soleus muscle between the two groups. Up-regulation of the mitochondrial enzyme leucyl-transferRNA synthetase (LARS2) was found in the sedentary LCR. Increased expression of LARS2 has been associated with a mitochondrial DNA mutation linked to maternally inherited diabetes and mitochondrial dysfunction. In line with our findings, a growing body of evidence suggests that LCR have compromised mitochondrial function. After exercise training, 58 genes were altered in the soleus muscle of HCR, in contrast to only one in the LCR group. This suggests that animals born with different levels of fitness respond different to the same type of exercise training. Adaptations to exercise in HCR seemed to be associated with increased lipid metabolism and fatty acid elongation in the mitochondria. Also, genes associated with the peroxisomes, seemed to be central in the adaptation to exercise. Conclusion: The results indicate that (i) LCR might have mitochondrial dysfunction, which may be a contributing factor of the low inborn aerobic capacity, (ii) animals born with different levels of fitness respond different to the same exercise program. Keywords: aerobic capacity, metabolic syndrome, soleus muscle, gene expression, metabolism
