Reproductive End Research Articles

Lifetime Induced Abortions and Live Births: A 40-Year Historical Cohort Study

ObjectivesLittle is known about whether induced abortions are associated with the final lifetime number of live births (life births). The objective of this study was to examine the association between the number of life births with the number of abortions a female has had in her lifetime. MethodsIn a national cohort design, we followed all Danish females from ages 15 to 44 years through the period 1977–2017 for induced abortions and live births. For each lifetime number of induced abortions, the average number of life births was assessed, and rates with 95% CI were calculated. ResultsThe study included 409 497 females who completed 222 482 induced abortions and 831 742 live births. Of 265 573 (64.9%) females who did not have any induced abortion, the average number of life births was 2.09 (95% CI 2.08–2.10). For females with 1 (23.4%), 2 (7.4%), 3 (2.6%), 4 (1.0%), and ≥5 (0.7%) induced abortions during their reproductive lifespan, the average number of life births was 1.88 (1.87–1.89), 1.99 (1.98–2.00), 2.09 (2.06–2.11), 2.13 (2.09–2.15), and 2.25 (2.21–2.29), respectively. The increase in number of life births in females with 1 to females with 5+ induced abortions was 4.7% for each additional induced abortion. ConclusionWe found the number of induced abortions during a woman’s reproductive lifespan to be positively correlated to the number of live births. This association is likely explained by a high fecundity in females with multiple pregnancies including induced abortions and suggests that even several induced abortions do not compromise a woman’s general reproductive end points.

Flow cytometry study of DNA transformation dynamics in ВНК-21/SUSP/ARRIAH cell culture during rabies virus reproduction

The study examines the DNA transformation dynamics of ВНК-21/SUSP/ARRIAH subline cells during rabies virus reproduction. Cells infected with the virus and control intact cells were cultivated under similar conditions. The identification of dependence of the virus infectivity on reproduction time revealed that the virus infectivity titre increased from (3.2 ± 0.2) lg CCID50/cm3 at the time of inoculation to (7.63 ± 0.3) lg CCID50/cm3 after 48 hours of reproduction, with the most intensive increase having been observed within the first 24 hours. The cell concentration changed from 0.5 to 1.9 million/cm3, i.e. increased by a factor of 3.8. After 24 hours, the cell growth rate slowed down. Findings from the examination of cell cycle phases during rabies virus reproduction in the host cell allowed for the estimation of duration and predominance of G1, S, G2 + M phases at different stages of cultivation. The dynamics of changes in the apoptotic cell population in the control and test samples was similar within 36 hours of cultivation. After the said period, the proportion of apoptotic infected cells was 28–42% higher than that of apoptotic control cells. After 9 hours, the proportion of cells undergoing G1 phase increased by 11.7% in the test samples, whereas it decreased by 16.6% in the control samples. Subsequently, the number of G1 phase cells in the control and test samples changed in the same way: a 40% decrease was observed after 15–18 hours, it was followed by a 45–46% growth jump, then again a 39–40% decrease and an increase were observed. After 33 hours of reproduction and till the end of cultivation, the proportion of infected cells undergoing G1 phase was significantly higher (by 12–21%) as compared with control cells. The percentage of S phase cells in the test and control samples was the same during the first day of the virus reproduction, with sharp jump-like 3.4- and 2.4-fold increases having been observed after 15 and 24 hours, respectively. After 24 hours, the infected and control cells began to demonstrate differences, which gradually increased from 8 to 137% by the end of reproduction. After 30 hours of reproduction, the proportion of test sample cells undergoing G2 + M phase began to decrease by 17–28% as compared with the control cells. The cell switch-over to the synthesis of complete rabies virus particles occurred after 24 hours of reproduction. This is indicated by changes in the host cell cycle phases, as well as by the slowing down of ВНК-21/SUSP/ARRIAH cell population growth.

Social egg freezing and reproductive rights justification: A perspective from China.

Divergences and controversies are inevitable in the discussion of freedoms and rights, especially in the matter of reproduction. The Chinese first social egg freezing lawsuit raises the question: is the freedom to freeze eggs for social reasons justified because it is an instance of reproductive rights? This paper accepts social egg freezing as desirable reproductive freedom, but following Harel's approach and considering two theories of rights, the choice and interest theories of rights, we argue that social egg freezing is not a reproductive right because one cannot justify a right or an instance of rights via merely describing the function of those instances that have been justified as right, that is, the choice theory lacks justifying normativity. Since reserving fertility and a suspension from reproduction do not serve reproductive ends per se, the sufficient reason for demanding social egg freezing as a right should be found in other ends rather than in right-to-reproduce, that is, the interest theory denies the demand as a right-to-reproduce. Permitting it on any grounds without guaranteeing adequate and accessible resources, especially in light of cross-border reproductive care, raises serious questions about reproductive equality and violates the idea of reproductive rights. Therefore, any ground for social egg freezing should be weighed against whether more pressing reproductive needs, specifically those that are justified as rights, have been met. It would be social progress to shoulder these burdens for the vulnerable and then allow social egg freezing-if right-to-reproduce were not the only privilege of the few.

The Relationship of Self-Concept with The Level of Anxiety in Mothers during Menopause in The Ciceri District Health Center

Menopause is a period when female reproduction ends due to a reduction in the hormones estrogen and progesterone which is marked by the cessation of menstruation. During menopause, physical and psychological changes occur which cause changes in self-image (body image). This change creates stress in itself for menopausal mothers. If the mother cannot adapt, this stressful condition will cause anxiety. This descriptive correlation research aims to identify the self-image of mothers during menopause, the level of anxiety of mothers during menopause, and the relationship between self-image and the level of anxiety of mothers during menopause. The respondents were 32 menopausal mothers who live in Ciceri Village. The data collection process was carried out by filling out a questionnaire using the interview method. The correlation test used is Pearson's product moment r. The results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between self-image and maternal anxiety levels during menopause (r = 0.39; p = 0.02) with the interpretation of a moderate relationship. From the results of this study it can be concluded that there is a significant relationship between self-image and the level of anxiety of mothers during menopause. Therefore, special attention is needed for menopausal mothers, not only on physical problems, but also psychological problems. Health education is needed for menopausal mothers, and so that mothers can accept gracefully that menopause is a natural process that all women will go through, adapting to all conditions that occur during menopause, so that anxiety can be avoided

Environmentally relevant exposure to tetrabromobisphenol A induces reproductive toxicity via regulating glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase and sperm activation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a ubiquitous brominated flame-retardant environmental pollutant, has been reported to cause reproductive toxicity by chronic exposure. However, the acute reproductive risk and mechanisms of TBBPA toxicity to individuals, especially at environmentally relevant levels, remains a topic of debate. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans was used to investigate the reproductive toxicity of acute exposure to TBBPA at environmentally relevant doses. The reproductive end points (embryonic lethality ratio and brood size), oxidative stress, sperm activation, and molecular docking were evaluated. Results showed that, after 24 h of TBBPA treatment, even at the lowest concentration (1 μg/L), the embryonic lethality ratio of C. elegans increased significantly, from 1.63 % to 3.03 %. Furthermore, TBBPA induced oxidative stress with significantly increased expression of sod-3 in C. elegans, which further raised the level of reproductive toxicity through inhibiting the activation of sperm in nematodes. In addition, molecular docking suggested TBBPA might compete for the glucose-6-phosphate-binding site of glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase, resulting in oxidative stress generation. Accordingly, our findings indicate that even acute exposure to environmental concentrations of TBBPA may induce reproductive toxicity through reducing sperm activation in nematodes.

A Mini Review on effects of Microwave on Seed Germination

Seeds are more resistant and contain more nutrition for the developing embryo as compared to spores. A seed is an embryonic plant encased in a defensive external covering. It develops at the end of sexual reproduction in Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Fundamentally, each seed contains an embryonic plant, endosperm to nourish the embryo, and an outer seed coat to protect the embryo from unfavourable environmental conditions. EMFr is a non-ionizing and non-thermal radiation. It is classified as Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) (30-300 Hz), Voice Frequency (VF) (300-3000 Hz), Very Low Frequency (VLF) (3-30 KHz), Medium Frequency (MF) (0.3-3 MHz), High Frequency (HF) (3-30 MHz), Very High Frequency (VHF) (3-300 MHz), Ultra High Frequency (UHF) (300-3000 MHz), Super High Frequency (SHF) (3-30 GHz), Extremely High Frequency (EHF) (30-300 GHz) SHF and EHF are microwaves. As some studies suggested an improvement in seed germination after EMFr exposure, it can be exploited in agriculture as well as in horticulture. We can use EMFr on recalcitrant seeds also to improve their storage behaviour.

A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STRUCTURED TEACHING PROGRAM ON KNOWLEDGE REGARDING PREMENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS AND ITS MANAGEMENT AMONG WOMEN RESIDING IN SELECTED URBAN AND RURAL AREA OF JAIPUR RAJASTHAN

INTRODUCTION: Menopause officially marks the end of female reproduction. Although this life stage is well known, there are actually different stages within menopause that are important to recognize and understand. Menopause itself officially occurs when you stop menstruating. Premenopausal on the other hand, means “around menopause.” It’s also known as the menopause transitional phase and is called such because it happens before menopause. Although they’re both part of the same overall life transition, menopause and Premenopausal have different symptoms and treatment options. AIM OF THE STUDY: Assess knowledge regarding premenopausal symptoms and its management among women residing in urban & rural areas. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test study was used in order to evaluate effectiveness of structured teaching programme (the Independent variable) on knowledge regarding Premenopausal symptom (the dependent variable) among women residing in urban & rural areas of selected by non-probability purposive sampling technique in PHC vatika Sanganer Jaipur. Each participant was informed about the study and that they could withdraw at any time and a written consent was also obtained. RESULT: The finding study showed that after introducing the SIM, 40 (66.66%) women s had good knowledge regarding premenopausal symptoms and its management of women. CONCLUSION: The finding of this study showed that after introducing the structured teaching programme regarding premenopausal symptoms and its management was effective to enhance the knowledge of women. KEY WORDS: Knowledge, management, premenopausal symptoms.

A Preliminary Study of Apomictic Characteristics of ‘Mianli’ (Pyrus sinkiangensis Yü)

This study investigated the ploidy of ‘Mianli’ with flow cytometry and the traditional chromosome squash technique. Its pollination biology and the occurrence and formation of embryo sacs before and after flowering were observed in paraffin sections to characterize its embryo sacs. The intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) marker technique was used to test the uniformity of progeny of ‘Mianli’ treatments. The chromosome number of ‘Mianli’ is 2n = 2x = 34. The ploidy results were consistent with those identified by flow cytometry. ‘Mianli’ is male-sterile, and the anatropous ovule has double integuments. ‘Mianli’ can bear fruit normally and produce fertile seeds under the treatments of emasculation with bagging or no emasculation with bagging, but the seed yield is very low and significantly lower than that under artificial pollination or natural pollination. The developmental process of embryo sacs under natural pollination showed that most megasporocytes develop into mature sexual embryo sacs through meiosis and a few megasporocytes degenerate. Some sexual embryo sacs continue to develop into embryos after fertilization, and some sexual embryo sacs are aborted. In addition, new aposporous initial cells are generated irregularly at each stage from the emergence of megasporocyte to the end of sexual reproduction or abortion. The observation of the development of embryo sacs under emasculation with bagging showed that after pollination is blocked, mature sexual embryo sacs degenerate, and aposporous mononucleate embryo sacs appear around the degenerated sexual embryo sacs or in the peripheral tissues. Then, the process of proembryonic masses developing into spherical embryo was observed. A genetic uniformity analysis of progeny of ‘Mianli’ using ISSR was performed. The results showed that the progeny population under emasculation with bagging has high consistency at the molecular level, with some plants having full consistency with the female parent’s banding pattern, demonstrating consistency with the maternal genetic characteristics. The progeny under artificial pollination or natural pollination do not have the same banding pattern as the female parent. Because there is no pseudogamy, all of the progeny are true hybrids. In summary, it seems that ‘Mianli’ only has sexual reproduction in the presence of pollen, and only a few ovules are stimulated to undergo apomixis after pollination is blocked.

The origin of menopause

The origin of menopause is mysterious and difficult to explain in terms of evolutionary theory. Menopause is described in humans and in four cetacean species. Natural selection cannot act on a trait that appears after the end of reproduction; therefore, it cannot be formed by the classical selection mechanism. All the proposed theories of the onset of menopause, adaptive and non-adaptive, can explain the benefits of menopause, but are completely untenable from the point of view of the theory of evolution and do not answer the main question - how did it arise. We propose a hypothesis based on the assertion that menopause is a byproduct of the rapid increase in the size of the cerebral cortex during the formation of Homo sapiens. Genes associated with the development of congenital microcephaly, which are responsible for the development of the cerebral cortex, were identified, and clear traces of natural selection were found in them, and a powerful evolutionary process continues up to the present. Most products of these genes are associated with the process of formation of the cell division spindle, both in the process of mitosis and meiosis. We hypothesize that the rapid evolutionary process that led to the growth of the cerebral cortex in humans, as a side effect, led to the formation of a high frequency of aneuploidy in oocytes. A similar process has also led to the formation of menopause in cetaceans.

Energy allocation trade-offs between life-history traits in the Mediterranean sardine: an ecophysiological approach

Since 2008, there has been a major decrease in the numbers of old and large sardines in the Gulf of Lions, which has had a major effect on regional fisheries. A bottom-up process involving a shift in diet towards smaller planktonic prey has been suggested as the main driver of this development. Yet, the reproductive capacities of the sardines have not changed, suggesting potential modifications in energy allocation trade-offs. Whether this could also affect maintenance, in particular at the end of the winter reproductive period, and explain the lower adult survival and the disappearance of older individuals remains unclear. We therefore experimentally investigated the consequences of seasonal food availability (summer vs. winter) on life-history traits and energy allocation trade-offs at the individual and population levels. Our results indicate that food resources during summer had a major effect on energy reserves and growth, limiting the maximum size and body condition reached at the end of reproduction. In addition, food restrictions during growth and/or reproduction periods led to physiological costs mediated by increased oxidative damage. Mediterranean sardines did not show any ability for compensatory growth and did not appear to be capital breeders. Instead, they displayed individual differences in coping with physiological constraints and displayed various life-history strategies regardless of food availability. We highlighted 3 main individual energy allocation strategies: (1) preferential allocation to body condition or (2) to growth, or (3) simultaneous allocation to reproduction and growth. These issues are key, as climate change is expected to favour smaller phytoplankton, which might amplify the deterioration in the condition of pelagic fish.

​Study of the Zootechnical Performance of Tilapia cabrae and Oreochromis schwebischi in a Controlled Environment: The Case of the Mbolet Fish Farm in Lambaréné, Gabon

Background: The study of the zootechnical performance of Tilapia cabrae and Oreochromis schwebischi was carried out at the Mbolet fish farm in Lambaréné in Gabon in order to evaluate the growth and reproductive performance of these two species. Methods: For this purpose, 226 fish (113 of T. cabrae with an average weight of 30.55±9.5 g and 113 O. schwebischi with an average weight of 20.64±10.5 g), were distributed in four 6 m2 tanks with two replicates per species for the growing phase which lasted 60 days. For the reproductive phase, 42 selected mature fish, including 6 males and 36 females of each species, were placed in six 2 m2 ponds with three replicates per species for 78 days. Result: The survival rate, the number of reproductions per species and the absolute, relative and system productivities were determined. It was found that the average weight gain, daily individual growth and specific growth rate were significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in T. cabrae, 48.1±5.51 g, 0.8±0.092 g/day and 1.57±0.066% g/day respectively, than in O. schwebischi, 27.11±9.23 g, 0.45±0.15 g/day and 1.38±0.051% g/day respectively. At the end of reproduction, the absolute productivity of T. cabrae (234.75±24.71 larvae/female/egg-laying) was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) than that of O. schwebichi (104.68±46.64 larvae/female/laying). System productivity was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in O. schwebichi (11.34±2.29 larvae/m2/day) compared to that of T. cabrae (4.12±1.73 larvae/m2/day). Thus, on a fish farm, the use of these species may be possible.

QTL mapping of winter dormancy and associated traits in two switchgrass pseudo-F1 populations: lowland x lowland and lowland x upland

BackgroundSwitchgrass (Panicum virgatum) undergoes winter dormancy by sensing photoperiod and temperature changes. It transitions to winter dormancy in early fall following at the end of reproduction and exits dormancy in the spring. The duration of the growing season affects the accumulation of biomass and yield. In this study, we conducted QTL mapping of winter dormancy measured by fall regrowth height (FRH) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), spring emergence (SE), and flowering date (FD) in two bi-parental pseudo-F1 populations derived from crosses between the lowland AP13 with the lowland B6 (AB) with 285 progenies, and the lowland B6 with the upland VS16 (BV) with 227 progenies.ResultsWe identified 18 QTLs for FRH, 18 QTLs for NDVI, 21 QTLs for SE, and 30 QTLs for FD. The percent variance explained by these QTLs ranged between 4.21–23.27% for FRH, 4.47–24.06% for NDVI, 4.35–32.77% for SE, and 4.61–29.74% for FD. A higher number of QTL was discovered in the BV population, suggesting more variants in the lowland x upland population contributing to the expression of seasonal dormancy underlying traits. We identified 9 regions of colocalized QTL with possible pleiotropic gene action. The positive correlation between FRH or NDVI with dry biomass weight suggests that winter dormancy duration could affect switchgrass biomass yield. The medium to high heritability levels of FRH (0.55–0.64 H2) and NDVI (0.30–0.61 H2) implies the possibility of using the traits for indirect selection for biomass yield.ConclusionMarkers found within the significant QTL interval can serve as genomic resources for breeding non-dormant and semi-dormant switchgrass cultivars for the southern regions, where growers can benefit from the longer production season.

Growth and reproduction of Donax trunculus from the Gulf of Annaba (Northeast Algeria) in relation to environmental conditions.

This study was aimed to evaluate the physiological reproductive end points (sex ratio, gametogenic cycle) and biological indices (condition index, length-weight relationship) in D. trunculus collected monthly over the year 2016, from two sites of the Gulf of Annaba (Northeast Algeria): El Battah (relatively unpolluted site) and Sidi Salem (polluted site). The results showed that gametogenesis takes place from December to August in both sites, with an autumnal resting phase. Also, the spawning occurred between March and August with two major spawning phases: April and August in El Battah vs May and August in Sidi Salem. The condition index showed a significant decrease in Sidi Salem site and positive correlation with gonad index. Moreover, the sites exert a significant effect on the allometric relationship and no significant effect on sex ratio. The observed reproductive events are discussed with the changes in the biological indices and the levels of pollution in the studied sites.

Can we detect response differences among dominant rodent species to climate and acorn crop in a Central European forest environment?

Acorn crops and rodent populations [bank vole (Myodes glareolus), yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), and wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)] were monitored for 11 years (2002–2012) in mature oak commercial forests in South Moravia (the Czech Republic). Large acorn crops, marking so-called seed years, were recorded in 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Acorn crops were repeated with period of 3–4 years. The abundance of all three species correlated positively with size of the acorn crop in the previous year. However, significant relationship between the size of the crop and grow of the population was found only in Apodemus flavicollis. Probably because of its food specialty, this species was most affected by acorn crops. Acorn crops had an effect on the breeding season of all monitored rodent species. In autumn of the seed years, the breeding period was prolonged in both Apodemus species; on the contrary, the crop had no major impact on bank voles. The higher the crop, the earlier A. flavicollis began to reproduce in the spring and the sooner it reached its peak and end of reproduction in a given year. The beginning, peak, and end of reproduction were significantly later in bank vole than in Apodemus spp. Lower North Atlantic Oscillation index (i.e. higher temperatures in the vegetation season and lower during winter, “NAO” hereinafter) was more suitable for Apodemus flavicollis. Higher values of the wNAO (winter NAO index) had a positive impact on Apodemus spp. while bank voles were not affected by this.

Introduction: Adoption Interruptus

Queer theory has been brought to bear on adoption studies (e.g., queer parenting or gay and lesbian adoption rights, transracial and transnational adoption), but adoption studies has not meaningfully directed its attention toward sexuality per se. This paper introduces the idea that adoption is a fruitful lens through which to expand understandings of sexual regulation, sexual identities, or sexual intensities, pleasures, and intimacies. It also suggests that analyses of the interplay between meanings of adoption and sexuality are an opportunity to rethink both. It enlivens critical thought surrounding heteronormativity by leveraging adoption as a version of existence that is fundamentally at odds with heterosexuality as a reproductive end.

Embryonic cadmium exposure of male rats alters reproductive functions at adulthood, but without overt alterations in developmental and behavioral outcomes and metabolism

The effects of exposure of pregnant rats to cadmium (Cd) on the developmental and behavioral outcomes, reproductive functions, and metabolism of their male progeny were evaluated. Rats (Wistar) were injected intraperitoneally with either 0.5 or 5.0 µg Cd/kg body weight from day 12 to day 19 of pregnancy. The male offspring were evaluated for their developmental outcomes and behavioral changes. All developmental and behavioral parameters assessed were comparable among the different groups. All male pups were allowed to develop until 100 days of age and evaluated for reproductive end points. The results revealed that although the body weights and relative weights of liver, brain, kidney, testis, and epididymis were not altered, reproductive parameters, including daily sperm production, epididymal sperm numbers, and concentrations of motile, viable, and hypo-osmotic tail-swelled sperm declined significantly in rats exposed to 0.5 and 5.0 µg Cd during embryonic development. In addition, plasma testosterone levels and activity levels of testicular steroidogenic enzymes also decreased in these rats. In the fertility study, although each male in the 0.5, 5.0 µg, and control groups produced a copulatory plug and impregnated a female, the mean number of implantations and live fetuses was reduced significantly in females mated with rats exposed to 0.5 and 5.0 µg Cd during the prenatal period. The general metabolism of the animals exposed to Cd during embryonic development was comparable with the controls as evidenced by no significant changes in the activity levels of succinate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransaminase, and alanine aminotransaminases in the liver, kidney, and testis. The results thus suggest that maternal Cd exposure during embryonic development markedly affected the spermatogenesis, steroidogenesis, and fertility potential, but without alterations in the development, behavior, and metabolism.

Ecologic-histophysiological overview of the involvement of the hypothalamo-hypophysial neurosecretory system in fish reproduction

The participation of the hypothalamo-hypophysial neurosecretory system (HHNS) in fish reproduction was shown by histomorphological and electronic microscopical studies with the use of quantitative morphometry. The activation of HHNS at the beginning of spawning and the following decrease of its functional activity was revealed in all studied one-time spawning fish species independently of the spawning season (based on spring-, autumn- and winter-spawning genera: Acipenser, Oncorhynchus, and Lota respectively). The diphasic reaction of HHNS corresponding to stages of “an alarm and resistance to stress”, is considered to be the reflection of its participation in protective-adaptive reactions of an organism to a physiological stress. In monocyclic species, right after spawning, there becomes the blockade of neurohormone releasing function from neurohypophysis corresponding to supernatural inhibition of system at disstress. At the beginning of spawning nonapeptide neurohormones (NpNh) of HHNS initiate spawning behavior and the appearance of “mating attire” by exposure to the central nervous system, pituitary gland and complex visceral organs. Then they promote ovulation and spermiation by stimulating the contraction of the smooth muscles of gonad. By the end of reproduction, they participate in the implementation of the body’s adaptations, aimed at overcoming physiological stress-spawning. Maintaining the body’s metabolic equilibrium is ensured by the pronounced anti-gonadotropic NpNh effect by inhibiting the gonadoliberin secretion and stimulating at the same time its antagonist – adrenocorticotropin secretion, as well as their direct effect on endocrine and generative gonad’s functions. This effect is crucial for the normalization of the physiological body state after spawning, as it allows to radically affect the nature of metabolic processes, by “switching” them from generative to plastic metabolism. A constructive working scheme of neuroendocrine regulation fish reproduction – its initiation (stimulating neurohormonal effect) and completion (inhibitory effect) by the self-regulation principle is presented. The important HHNS functional role in the integration of fish reproduction and the intended mechanisms for its participation in spawning migrations are discussed.

2891 Designing the GI Cloud

INTRODUCTION: Gastroenterology is a field of medicine that has its roots deeply embedded in the technological revolution of the 21st century. It emerges as a specialty dominated by ever-evolving imaging and diagnostic modalities that have surpassed archaic means of diagnosing and treating various GI disorders. This article highlights advancement in Cloud computing technology that has the potential to change the way healthcare professionals in GI work in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Cloud based technology for storing, retrieving and manipulating patient specific data is set to transcend from being used in government or corporate organizations to outpatient and inpatient GI services. METHODS: A comprehensive review of cloud computing and its application to facilitate a cohesive method of functioning that ties one end of the expanding patient database and procedural reporting to the other end of effective reproduction and recall of this data. RESULTS: An emerging challenge in the field of GI today is the need to accommodate an enlarging patient database, while concurrently balancing a myriad of quality determining factors, such as information security, privacy, reliability and interoperability of data. Considering this, Cloud based technology emerges as the single most vied advancement to address this issue. The Cloud environment refers to the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer. Cloud computing can transform the way information technology is consumed and managed, resulting in improved cost efficiencies, accelerated innovation and the ability to scale applications on demand. CONCLUSION: Groundbreaking advancements always stem from the absolute need to bring about a change in the existing methodology. There is a void emerging from the disparity between increasing volume of patient specific data and a concomitant lack of infrastructure to handle the same. There is also an increasing need to introduce automated features that facilitate patient specific data storage, search, retrieval and processing. Hence, the quest to pursue cloud based technology as the mainstay of data handling and processing in GI. In a dynamic field like GI, brand new concepts are crucial to challenge those that already exist and alternative techniques and modalities are vital. Therefore, Cloud computing offers an efficient solution to several data processing problems and issues encountered in GI.

Stage of goose embryo development at oviposition depending on genotype, flock age, and period of laying

Embryo development and chick quality are influenced by parental genotype, age, nutrition, environment, and flock management. The aim of study was to determine if genotype, age of goose or eggs laid near the onset of egg production vs. eggs laid near the end of reproduction influence the stage of embryo at oviposition. Three experiments were undertaken. To compare genotypes (Experiment 1) 150 eggs were collected from 3-year-old commercial line White Koluda (WK) geese and from two breeds involved in a genetic resources conservation program, Zatorska (Za) and Bilgoraj (Bi). Age comparison (Experiment 2) was conducted with 200 eggs collected from 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old WK geese. To compare laying periods (Experiment 3), 150 WK eggs were collected at the first week of March and 100 at the second half of June. Eggs were stored for 72 h at 16°C, staged using Eyal-Giladi and Kochav (EGK, Roman numerals) and Hamburger and Hamilton (HH, Arabic numerals) procedures. Experiment 1: Individual breed differences were evident with Stage X EGK embryos comprising 42.4, 33.3, and 38.7% in the eggs examined from the WK, Bi, and Za, respectively. For all breeds combined, 38.8% of the embryos were in Stage X, but in the next order in WK there was stage XI (18.2%), while in geese from the genetic reserve it was stage XIII (Bi - 33.3; Za - 29.0%). Experiment 2: In eggs of 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old WK geese, the majority of embryos (38.7, 32.4 and 42.2%, respectively) were in Stage X. In contrast, in 4-year-old geese the embryos were in Stage XI (36.1%). Experiment 3: In eggs collected in March and in June most of embryos were in Stage X (33.7% and 43.6%, respectively). In addition, more developmentally advanced stages (XI-XIII) were similar in both periods. However, embryos in Stage 2 HH were only observed in eggs collected at the end of laying season. Interestingly, earlier stages (VI-IX) were observed exclusively in the eggs collected in March.

Calorie Restriction Modulates Reproductive Development and Energy Balance in Pre-Pubertal Male Rats.

The objective was to determine effects of feed restriction and refeeding on reproductive development and energy balance in pre-pubertal male rats. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 32, 24 days old, ~65 g), were randomly allocated into four treatments (n = 8/treatment): (1) Control (CON, ad libitum feed; (2) Mild Restriction (MR, rats fed 75% of CON consumption); (3) Profound Restriction (PR, 50% of CON consumption); or (4) Refeeding (RF, 50% restriction for 14 days, and then ad libitum for 7 days). Feed restriction delayed reproductive development and decreased energy balance and tissue accretion, with degree of reproductive and metabolic dysfunctions related to restriction severity. In RF rats, refeeding largely restored testis weight, sperm production (per gram and total), plasma IGF-1, leptin and insulin concentrations and energy expenditure, although body composition did not completely recover. On Day 50, more CON and RF rats than PR rats were pubertal (5/6, 4/5 and 1/6, respectively; plasma testosterone >1 ng/mL) with the MR group (4/6) not different. Our hypothesis was supported: nutrient restriction of pre-pubertal rats delayed reproductive development, induced negative energy balance and decreased metabolic hormone concentrations (commensurate with restriction), whereas short-term refeeding after profound restriction largely restored reproductive end points and plasma hormone concentrations, but not body composition.