Search Results (141)

A formalism for the systematic construction of integrable non-autonomous deformations of soliton hierarchies is presented. The theory is formulated as an initial value problem (IVP) for an associated Frobenius integrability condition on a Lie algebra. It is shown that this IVP has a formal solution, and within the framework of two particular subalgebras of the hereditary Lie algebra, the explicit forms of this formal solution are derived. Finally, this formalism is applied to the Korteveg-de Vries, dispersive water waves and Ablowitz–Kaup–Newell–Segur soliton hierarchies. The zero-curvature representations and Hamiltonian structures of the considered non-autonomous soliton hierarchies are also provided. Full article

Oocyte maturation represents a fundamental biological process in bovine reproduction, establishing the physiological basis for fertilization and early embryonic development while critically determining the propagation of improved varieties and breeding efficiency. The roles of MQC in reproduction have gained substantial scientific attention. The proper maturation of oocytes fundamentally depends on adequate mitochondrial functionality. However, the intrinsic regulatory mechanisms governing MQC during bovine oocyte maturation remain incompletely characterized. Here, we discuss the most recent progress on the molecular mechanisms and roles of mitochondrial fission/fusion, biogenesis, and mitophagy in MQC. Building upon the mechanistic foundations of MQC in bovine oocyte maturation, this review identifies key mitochondrial-targeted supplements with potential applications in enhancing oocyte quality. Furthermore, we evaluate epigenetic influences on mitochondrial regulatory networks through mitochondrial–nuclear communication. Finally, we discuss the challenges in elucidating mitochondrial quality control mechanisms during oocyte maturation and propose corresponding strategies to address these obstacles. Integrating mechanistic insights, this review proposes strategies to enhance in vitro culture systems and identify oocyte quality markers, providing valuable insights for optimizing in vitro production (IVP) of bovine embryos and enhancing reproductive efficiency. Full article

Assisted reproductive technologies are vital in cattle breeding to improve genetic selection and productivity. While early-life differences between artificially inseminated (AI) and in vitro-produced (IVP) cattle have been studied, long-term physiological, haematological, and biochemical effects remain unclear. This observational study assessed AI and IVP cattle from 1.5 to 5 years of age to determine if early differences persist. IVP cattle were produced after the transfer of the embryo produced by supplementing (RF-IVP group) or not supplementing (C-IVP) the embryo culture with oviductal and uterine fluids. Physical evaluations showed body mass index increased until 3.5 years, while temperature and respiratory rate declined with age, with no significant differences between AI and IVP groups. Haematological analysis revealed age-related changes, including decreased red and white blood cell counts and increased mean corpuscular volume and haemoglobin. AI cattle had higher white blood cell counts than IVP groups. Sex significantly influenced many haematological variables. Biochemical analysis showed age-related increases in total protein, creatinine, and urea, and decreases in glucose and alkaline phosphatase. AI cattle had lower cholesterol and creatinine than IVP groups. Despite group differences, all values remained within normal ranges. Sex affected albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides, and creatine kinase. This study provides the first long-term haematological and biochemical reference values for cattle from different reproductive methods, showing that age is the main influencing factor and supporting IVP cattle as a viable alternative to AI in breeding programs. Full article

This research presents innovative modified explicit block methods with fifth-order algebraic accuracy to address initial value problems (IVPs). The derivation of the methods employs fitting coefficients that eliminate phase lag and amplification error, as well as their derivatives. A thorough stability analysis of the new approach is conducted. Comparative assessments with existing methods highlight the superior effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. Numerical tests verify that this technique significantly surpasses conventional methods for solving IVPs, particularly those exhibiting oscillatory solutions. Full article

This study evaluated the post-thaw motility and in vitro fertility of ejaculated and epididymal semen from Pantaneiro bulls and characterized cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in fresh seminal plasma. Semen from five bulls was collected via electroejaculation or post-mortem epididymal extraction. Fresh semen parameters and cfDNA concentrations were assessed before cryopreservation. Post-thaw sperm kinetics were evaluated using CASA at 0 and 6 h of incubation, and in vitro embryo development was analyzed following IVF. Data were assessed using ANOVA and logistic regression. Ejaculate samples exhibited more morphological defects than epididymal samples (15.8% vs. 1.8%, p ≤ 0.05). Post-thaw, epididymal semen showed higher total (87.2% vs. 32.4%) and progressive (67.1% vs. 14.4%) motility at 0 h (p ≤ 0.05), and higher motility at 6 h (38.9% vs. 11.0%, p ≤ 0.05). In vitro fertility did not differ significantly between ejaculated (n = 525 oocytes) and epididymal (n = 500 oocytes) semen groups in terms of cleavage (49.6% vs. 44.2%) and blastocyst formation on D7 (26.1% vs. 22.2%, p > 0.05). cfDNA concentration in fresh semen ranged from 11.4 to 50.9 ng/µL. These findings indicate that epididymal sperm from Pantaneiro bulls retain high post-thaw motility and fertility. Additionally, cfDNA characterization in seminal plasma contributes to indigenous cattle preservation and advances in male fertility research. Full article

Intimate partner violence (IPV) continues to be a serious public health issue, particularly in Ghana. It is crucial to create evidence-based, preventative measures to stop IVP. This study empirically investigated the factors related to married women’s perceptions of male IPV against women. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Goal 5.2) advocate for the elimination of male violence against women by governments, hence this study contributes to monitoring the progress being made. This study employed cross-sectional secondary data from Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in 2018 with a sample of 14,237 women aged 15–49. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions, and the results were presented as odds ratios (ORs) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. Women’s justification of male IPV against women was correlated with socio-demographic factors such as education level, marital status, age of the woman, area of residence (rural or urban), ethnic background, and economic disadvantage (wealth status). Higher educated women (OR 0.248 [95% CI 0.185–0.332, p < 0.001]) were less likely to justify male IPV against women than women with no/less formal education. Women who were in the richest quintile (OR 0.766 [95% CI 0.634–0.926, p = 0.006]) were less likely than those in the poorest/lowest quintile to rationalize/justify intimate partner violence. In terms of ethnicity of the household head, the Ga/Dangme (OR 0.86 [95% CI 0.714–1.036, p = 0.112]) had lower odds of justifying male IPV against women compared to the Akan. The government, through the Ministry of Gender and Child Protection and women’s advocacy groups, should devise strategies, programs, and policies to empower women through formal education and economically through job training and employment support for women and victims to help them achieve financial independence and reduce negative attitudes toward women and the prevalence of male IPV against women. Full article

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) continues to be a major threat to the global swine industry, causing significant economic losses. To address this, we developed a scalable recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-based strategy for the delivery of soluble viral receptors (SVRs) to treat and potentially eliminate PRRSV infections. This strategy involves fusing the virus-binding domains of two key cellular receptors, sialoadhesin (Sn4D) and CD163 (SRCR5-9), with an Fc fragment. We then used an insect cell–baculovirus expression vector system to produce the rAAV-SRCR59-Fc/Sn4D-Fc vector. Through a series of optimizations, we determined the best conditions for rAAV production, including a baculovirus co-infection ratio of 0.5:1.0, an initial insect cell density of 2.0 × 10⁶ cells/mL, a fetal bovine serum concentration of 2%, and a culture temperature of 30 °C. Under these optimized conditions, we achieved a high titer of rAAV-SRCR59-Fc/Sn4D-Fc in a 2 L bioreactor, reaching 5.4 ± 0.9 × 10⁹ infectious viral particles (IVPs)/mL. Notably, in vitro neutralization assays using a Transwell co-culture system demonstrated a 4.3 log reduction in viral titers across genetically diverse PRRSV-2 strains, including VR2332, JXA1, JS07, and SH1705. Collectively, this study provides a robust platform for large-scale rAAV production and highlights the potential of SVR-based gene therapy to address the antigenic diversity of PRRSV-2. Full article

Nonlinear mixed integro-differential equations (NM-IDEs) of the third kind present a complex challenge during solving initial value problems (IVPs), particularly after converting them from standard forms. In this work, we address the existence and uniqueness of a type of NM-IDEs employing Picard’s method. Additionally, we estimate the solution using the homotopy analysis method (HAM) and analyze the convergence of the approach. To demonstrate the credibility of the theoretical results, various applications are given, and the numerical results are displayed in a group of figures and tables to highlight that solving IVPs by first converting them to NM-IDEs and using the HAM is a computationally efficient approach. Full article

This paper introduces a novel Runge–Kutta (RK) pair of orders $8\left(6\right)$ designed specifically for solving linear inhomogeneous initial value problems (IVPs) with constant coefficients. The proposed method requires only 11 stages per iteration, a significant improvement over conventional RK pairs of orders $8\left(7\right)$, which typically demand 13 stages. The reduction in stages is achieved by leveraging a smaller set of order conditions tailored to linear inhomogeneous problems, where traditional simplification techniques are not applicable. To address the complexity of deriving such methods, the authors employ the Differential Evolution algorithm, a global optimization technique, to solve the resulting system of equations. The new RK pair, named NEW8(6)Lin, is tested on several benchmark problems, including scalar, linear inhomogeneous, and larger systems, demonstrating a superior performance in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency. The method’s high phase-lag accuracy and efficiency make it particularly suitable for problems requiring high precision over extended intervals. The coefficients of the method are provided with high precision, enabling direct implementation in computational environments like Mathematica. The results highlight the method’s potential as a robust tool for solving linear inhomogeneous IVPs, offering a balance between computational cost and accuracy. This work contributes to the ongoing development of specialized numerical methods for differential equations, particularly in scenarios where traditional approaches struggle with efficiency or stability. Full article

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a small bioactive phospholipid which plays an important role during embryonic development and promotes developmental potential of in-vitro-produced (IVP) embryos in several species, including sheep and pigs. In bovines, LPA accelerates IVP blastocyst formation through the Hippo/YAP pathway. However, other LPA effects and its potential receptors during bovine embryo development are less clear. In this study, we used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the presence of LPA in bovine oviductal fluid and determine cell apoptosis in embryos after LPA stimulation by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We further evaluated potential receptors of LPA through molecular docking, RNA-seq data analysis and quantitative RT-PCR. LPA was found to be present in oviductal fluid. An increase in total cell number and a decrease in apoptosis levels were detected in day 7 blastocysts after LPA treatment. Among eight LPA receptors (LPARs), GPR87 and LPAR2 showed the highest affinity with LPA and their transcripts were expressed in embryos after the 16-cell stage in RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis. However, only the expression of LPAR2 was significantly increased in day 6 blastocysts after LPA stimulation, indicating its potential role in LPA-mediated signaling pathways. Our data highlight the positive effects of LPA on embryos and enrich information of related signaling mediators of LPA during embryonic development. Full article

Background: Chronic visceral hypersensitivity is associated with an overstressed pain response to noxious stimuli (hyperalgesia). Microbiota are active modulators of host biology and are implicated in the etiology of visceral hypersensitivity. Objectives: we studied the association between the circulating mRNA transcriptome, the intensity of induced visceral pain (IVP), and variation in the oral microbiome among participants with and without baseline visceral hypersensitivity. Methods: Transcriptomic profiles and microbial abundance were correlated with IVP intensity. Host mRNA and microbes associated with IVP were explored, linking variation in the microbiome to host RNA biology. Results: 259 OTUs were found to be associated with IVP through correlation to differential expression of 471 genes in molecular pathways related to inflammation and neural mechanisms, including Rho and PI3K/AKT pathways. The bacterial families Lachnospiraceae, Prevotellaceae, and Veillonellaceae showed the highest degree of association. Oral microbial profiles with reduced diversity were characteristic of participants with visceral hypersensitivity. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the oral microbiome may be involved in systemic immune and inflammatory effects and play a role in nervous system and stem cell pathways. The interactions between visceral hypersensitivity, differentially expressed molecular pathways, and microbiota described here provide a framework for further work exploring the relationship between host and microbiome. Full article

This work explored whether supplementing recombinant human interleukin-6 (IL6), interleukin-11 (IL11), or leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) improves IVP bovine embryo development, morphology, and cryosurvivability. Embryos were treated from day 5 to 8 post-fertilization with either the carrier only (control) or 100 ng/mL of IL6, IL11, or LIF. Blastocyst formation and stage were determined on day 7 and 8. A subset of day 8 blastocysts was processed for immunofluorescence to count trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers and another subset was slow frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen until thawing. No differences in the blastocyst rate or blastocyst stage of development were detected. Increases in ICM cell numbers were observed for IL6 and LIF but not the IL11 treatment. None of the cytokine treatments applied before freezing affected post-thaw survival, TE or ICM cell number, or cell death 24 h after thawing. In conclusion, supplementing IL6 and LIF improves ICM cell numbers in non-frozen blastocysts, but there was no evidence that any of these cytokine treatments contain cryoprotective properties in bovine embryos. Full article

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are routinely used in livestock to generate animals of high genetic value. Despite representing an outstanding accomplishment, recent studies suggest differences in health, fertility, and gestational length of in vitro-produced compared to in vivo-derived animals. Currently, there are no data available on the long-term effects of ART on growth and development. This observational study aimed to understand the relationship between growth and growth-influencing hormones in a herd of cattle derived from artificial insemination (AI) or from in vitro-produced embryos either with BSA (C-IVP) or with reproductive fluids (RF-IVP) as a protein source in culture. Cortisol was associated positively with weight in AI and negatively with body length in males. Thyroxine decreased with age, and it was positively associated with thoracic circumference in RF-IVP. Insulin-like growth factor-1 was greater in RF-IVP than in C-IVP, and it was positively associated with body length and withers height. Growth hormone was greater in females than in males and RF-IVP compared to AI and C-IVP. In conclusion, we present here the first datasets on growth parameters and growth-influencing hormones in cattle from birth to 4 years of age without observing major evidence of differences depending on the embryo origin. Full article

Human sapovirus (HuSaV) is a significant cause of gastroenteritis. This study aims to analyze the evolutionary dynamics of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and capsid (VP1) genes of the HuSaV GI.1 and GI.2 genotypes between 1976 and 2020. Using bioinformatics tools such as the Bayesian phylogenetics software BEAST 2 package (v.2.7.6), we constructed time-scale evolutionary trees based on the gene sequences. Most of the recent common ancestors (MRCAs) of the RdRp region and VP1 gene in the present HuSaV GI.1 diverged around 1930 and 1933, respectively. The trees of the HuSaV GI.1 RdRp region and VP1 gene were divided into two clusters. Further, the MRCAs of the RdRp region and VP1 gene in HuSaV GI.2 diverged in 1960 and 1943, respectively. The evolutionary rates were higher for VP1 gene in HuSaV GI.1 than that in HuSaV GI.2, furthermore, were higher in GI.1 Cluster B than GI.1 Cluster A. In addition, a steep increase was observed in the time-scaled genome population size of the HuSaV GI.1 Cluster B. These results indicate that the HuSaV GI.1 Cluster B may be evolving more actively than other genotypes. The conformational B-cell epitopes were predicted with a higher probability in RdRp for GI.1 and in VP1 for GI.2, respectively. These results suggest that the RdRp region and VP1 gene in HuSaV GI.1 and GI.2 evolved uniquely. These findings suggest unique evolutionary patterns in the RdRp region and VP1 gene of HuSaV GI.1 and GI.2, emphasizing the need for a ‘One Health’ approach to better understand and combat this pathogen. Full article

Increasing global demand for animal proteins warrants improved productivity by genetic selection of superior cattle and faster dissemination of genetics. Availability of more progeny for genomic selection should maximize chances of identifying animals with desirable traits and increase selection pressure. OPU and IVP of embryos using these oocytes will substantially increase calves produced compared to conventional embryo transfer (ET). The OPU-IVP technology not only supports genetic improvement but also contributes to reducing environmental impacts of livestock production systems by improving efficiency and optimizing resources, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. However, there are several factors influencing the success of OPU-IVP. This review is focused on these factors and the impacts of in vitro culture conditions on the lipid content of embryos and potential role of L-carnitine, a lipolytic agent, on developmental competence of IVP embryos. The documented effects of L-carnitine and current knowledge regarding regulation of the Hippo signaling pathway suggest that supplementation of embryo culture media with L-carnitine will increase post-thaw survival of IVP embryos and their subsequent developmental competence by regulating lipid metabolism, production of reactive oxygen species, and Hippo signaling. Therefore, this review highlights current advancements in the field of OPU-IVP and potential areas for refining culture conditions to yield developmentally competent embryos that survive cryopreservation procedures. Full article