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Reproduction, especially impregnation, is a critical aspect of dairy cow management that directly influences herd milk productivity. We conducted a noninvasive hair mineral assay to compare the mineral profiles of two dairy cow groups: reproducible and repeat breeder, by investigating the levels of 11 essential minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cr, Se, and P) and 6 toxic elements (Hg, Pb, Cd, Al, As, and Ni) in both groups. We also conducted principal component and correlation matrix analyses to compare hair mineral patterns between the groups. Compared to their reproducible counterparts, repeat breeder cows had lower levels of Na, K, and Se. However, Fe, Cd, Al, and As levels were higher in repeat breeders than in their reproducible counterparts. The correlation matrix showed notable correlation patterns for each group. Ca, K, and Na levels were positively correlated in reproducible cows, whereas repeat breeder cows showed positive correlations only between Ca and K levels. Se showed positive correlations with Zn only in the reproducible cow group. Negative correlations were not found in the reproducible group, whereas the repeat breeder group exhibited 7 negative correlations. Despite the limitations of hair mineral analysis, this study provided useful insights into the reproductive potential of dairy cows. These findings aid in easing the prediction of repeat breeder occurrences in herds and are expected to facilitate timely mineral supplementation and other interventions to improve overall herd reproduction in dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research contributes to the development of migration theories by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by UK-resident migrants from North Korea in maintaining transnational family ties. Particularly, it reflects critically on the role played by 'place' as a regulatory apparatus in shaping the migrants' experiences of family relationships in a transnational social space. The findings are drawn from thematic analysis of data from life history interviews with 14 North Korean defectors. In the light of the prevalence of back-and-forth stepwise migration for the defectors and their families across multiple nation states, I propose the concept of 'traversing' to describe the strenuous transnational familial experiences and complex mobility trajectories of North Korean escapees, which goes beyond a linear journey from the sending to the host place. While existing migration research has capitalized on the host place in selectively enabling and stratifying migrants' access to transnational family rights, I argue that, instead of assuming forced migrants have free access to their home countries, it is important to consider the interplay between multiple places in understanding the challenges for vulnerable migrants to access essential family rights and maintain transnational family relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the longevity effects of hispidol, a 6,4′‐dihydroxyaurone, using the Caenorhabditis elegans model system. Our lifespan assay data revealed that hispidol could prolong the lifespan of wild‐type worms under normal culture condition. Moreover, hispidol increased the survival rate of the worms against a heat stress condition through up‐regulated expressions of HSP‐16.2. Similarly, hispidol protected worms from paraquat‐induced oxidative stress. We also found that the hispidol elevated the activities of antioxidant enzymes, thereby attenuating the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. These results suggest that the enhancement of lifespan and stress resistance by the hispidol treatment might be attributed to its strong in vivo antioxidant capacity and regulation of stress proteins. Further tests on the aging‐related factors revealed that hispidol could regulate the speed of pharyngeal pumping, indicating the association of dietary restriction with the hispidol‐mediated longevity. However, there were no significant alterations in the body length of the worms between the groups. We then investigated the effects of hispidol on body movement and lipofuscin accumulation in aged worms. Interestingly, these healthspan parameters were strongly improved by the hispidol treatment. Our genetic studies showed no significant change in the lifespan of the daf‐16 null mutants by hispidol supplementation. In addition, enhanced nuclear translocation of DAF‐16 was observed in the hispidol‐fed DAF‐16::GFP fused transgenic mutants, suggesting the requirement of DAF‐16/FOXO activation for the longevity effect of hispidol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oriental tobacco budworm, H elicoverpa assulta, is a specialist herbivore feeding on a few plants of the Solanaceae family including tobacco. Larval performance and adult oviposition of H . assulta were investigated in a non-host plant, P haseolus vulgaris (Fabaceae) in comparison with two solanaceous host plants, N icotiana tabacum and D atura stramonium. Larvae provided with the P . vulgaris leaf died off at day 15, whereas 50% and 40% of larval populations fed on the leaves of N. tabacum and D. stramonium, respectively, survived at day 15. Larval growth upon feeding showed significant difference between the non-host plant ( P . vulgaris) and the host plants ( N . tabacum and D . stramonium), but it was not significantly different between the two host plants. In the no-choice experiment of oviposition, gravid females laid more eggs in N . tabacum and D . stramonium than in P . vulgaris. When the most likely acceptable host plant, N . tabacum, and the non-host plant, P . vulgaris, were subjected to the choice experiment of oviposition, H . assulta females preferred to lay eggs in N . tabacum, where eggs were continuously laid during the whole experiment period. However, eggs in P . vulgaris were hardly detected throughout the period. This study showed that the non-host plant, P . vulgaris, had a negative influence on the larval performance and adult oviposition of H . assulta, implying neonate stage is critical for larval survivorship, and ovipositional preference by the female is highly specialized to host plants. Further investigation is required to identify non-host factors, which could be applied to the development of alternative pest management strategy against H . assulta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holstein is known to provide higher milk yields than most other cattle breeds, and the dominant position of Holstein today is the result of various selection pressures. Holstein cattle have undergone intensive selection for milk production in recent decades, which has left genome-wide footprints of domestication. To further characterize the bovine genome, we performed whole-genome resequencing analysis of 10 Holstein and 11 Hanwoo cattle to identify regions containing genes as outliers in Holstein, including CSN1S1, CSN2, CSN3, and KIT whose products are likely involved in the yield and proteins of milk and their distinctive black-and-white markings. In addition, genes indicative of positive selection were associated with cardiovascular disease, which is related to simultaneous propagation of genetic defects, also known as inbreeding depression in Holstein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plasminogen activators (PAs) play a pivotal role in a variety of uterine physiologies, such as endometrial function, trophoblast invasion, and implantation process, but its alteration in expression or activity during cryopreservation of primary uterine cells has received little attention. In this study, we investigated whether PA expression and activity were modulated in first passage primary porcine uterus endometrial epithelium cells (PUEECs) treated with or without a freezing–thawing procedure. Western blotting and zymographic analysis showed that uPA expression and activity increased significantly in frozen–thawed PUEECs in a passage-dependent manner as compared to freshly prepared control cells. Moreover, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased by freezing–thawing and longer culturing, and were more prominent in frozen–thawed PUEECs than in control cells. However, the increase in both uPA expression and activity was greatly reduced or alleviated by treatment with either ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor PD98059. These results suggest that ROS/ERK-mediated uPA activation may be an important factor in cryo-damage of primary uterine cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]