scholarly journals Avian eggshell coloration predicts shell-matrix protoporphyrin content

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.F. Thompson ◽  
Kara E Hodges ◽  
Nathan T Mortimer ◽  
Alysia D. Vrailas-Mortimer ◽  
S.K. Sakaluk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
House Wrens ◽  
Oxidative Balance ◽  
Egg Formation ◽  
Female Quality ◽  
Shell Matrix ◽  
Blue Channel ◽  
Strong Positive Relationship ◽  
Eggshell Pigmentation ◽  
Eggshell Matrix

Abstract: Avian eggshell pigmentation may provide information about a female’s physiological condition, in particular her state of oxidative balance. Previously we found that female house wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809) with lighter, less-maculated, and redder ground-colored shells were older and produced heavier offspring than females laying darker, browner eggs. The strong pro-oxidant protoporphyrin is responsible for this species’ eggshell pigmentation, so differences in pigmentary coloration may be related to eggshell protoporphyrin content and reflect female oxidative balance and condition during egg-formation. Therefore, we tested the assumption that egg-surface coloration is related to the amount of protoporphyrin in the shell matrix. We analyzed digital photographs of eggs to determine maculation coverage as a measure of the overall ground coloration of the egg and its red-, green-, and blue-channel pixel values. Pigments were then extracted from these same eggs and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. There was a strong, positive relationship between eggshell redness and protoporphyrin content of eggshells, but no relationship between percent maculation and protoporphyrin content. Thus, when older, larger females deposit more protoporphyrin in their eggshells, this may reflect a tolerance for high levels of circulating protoporphyrin or an effective mechanism for off-loading protoporphyrin into the eggshell matrix. Keywords: Eggs, Female quality, HPLC, Eggshell pigmentation, Eggshell speckles

scholarly journals Connecting the dots: avian eggshell pigmentation, female condition and paternal provisioning effort

2020 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara E Hodges ◽  
Nathan T Mortimer ◽  
Alysia D Vrailas-Mortimer ◽  
Scott K Sakaluk ◽  
Charles F Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Population ◽  
Honest Signal ◽  
Female Fitness ◽  
House Wrens ◽  
Nestling Provisioning ◽  
Female Quality ◽  
Eggshell Pigmentation ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Connecting The Dots ◽  
Cross Fostering

Abstract Differences in avian eggshell pigmentation could be an honest signal of female quality that males use to inform their nestling provisioning effort. We investigated whether among-individual variation in protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation in house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) reflects female fitness-associated traits and whether males use that information. Females laying lighter clutches were older and larger than females laying darker clutches. Nestlings hatching from lighter clutches had greater size-corrected mass on post-hatch day 11, a measure that strongly predicts survival and recruitment to the breeding population. To test whether male provisioning effort responds to clutch pigmentation, we used a reciprocal clutch cross-fostering design, swapping dark with light clutches and light with dark; in controls, we swapped light with light clutches and dark with dark. Shortly before hatching, clutches were returned to their original nest to avoid confounding effects of nestling quality on male provisioning. Contrary to the sexual selection hypothesis, clutch pigmentation had no effect on male provisioning. Males were probably able to observe eggshell pigmentation and thus had information about female quality, but they did not use this information to modulate their nestling provisioning. This may be because of constraints on species-specific reproductive opportunities, or because variation in eggshell protoporphyrin serves other functions.

Intra-clutch variation in avian eggshell pigmentation covaries with female quality

2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (4) ◽  
pp. 1057-1065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greet De Coster ◽  
Liesbeth De Neve ◽  
Luc Lens
Keyword(s):  
Female Quality ◽  
Eggshell Pigmentation

Characterization of the Complex Matrix of the Mytilus Edulis Shell and the Implications for Biomimetic Ceramics

1991 ◽  
Vol 255 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Keith ◽  
S. A. Stockwell ◽  
D. H. Ball ◽  
W. S. Muller ◽  
D. L. Kaplan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mytilus Edulis ◽  
Calcium Binding ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Blue Mussel ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Shell Matrix ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Shell Proteins

AbstractThe macromolecular matrix present in the composite shell of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, accounts for less than 1% of the shell by weight but is theorized to play a significant role in controlling the growth, morphology, and orientation of the CaCO3 that makes up the shell. The presence of several proteins in this matrix, only some of which have affinity for calcium, suggests a hierarchical structural model for the shell. Proteins were isolated under denaturing, reducing conditions and separated by centrifugation, gel electrophoresis, and high performance liquid chromatography. The major matrix proteins, both soluble and insoluble, were evaluated for amino acid composition, calcium binding, and glycosylation. Some N-terminal sequence data was collected. Non-proteinaceous components of the matrix were also analyzed. Comparison of the mussel shell matrix with the protein matrix of other molluscan systems suggests that this complexity is not unique to the mussel and may provide a key to the understanding of more generic biomineralization processes necessary for such applications as biomimetic ceramics.

scholarly journals Extracellular Matrix Molecules of the Eggshell as Related to Eggshell Quality

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Pines ◽  
Arieh Bar ◽  
David A. Carrino ◽  
Arnold I. Caplan ◽  
James A. Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Dermatan Sulfate ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Immunogold Labeling ◽  
Secretory Cells ◽  
Secretory Vesicles ◽  
Shell Matrix ◽  
Dermatan Sulfate Proteoglycan ◽  
Tubular Gland ◽  
Eggshell Matrix

The extracellular matrix of the mineralizing eggshell contains molecules hypothesized to be regulators biomineralization. To study eggshell matrix molecules, a bank of monoclonal antibodies was generated that bound demineralized eggshell matrix or localized to oviduct epithelium. Immunofluorescence staining revealed several staining patterns for antibodies that recognized secretory cells: staining for a majority of columnar lining cells, staining for a minor sub-set of columnar lining cells, intensified staining within epithelial crypts, and staining of the entire tubular gland. Western blotting with the antibody Epi2 on eggshell matrix showed binding to molecules with the apparent molecular weight of eggshell matrix dermatan sulfate proteoglycan (eggshell DSPG) (Carrino, et al., 1997). Immunoblots of cyanogen bromide-cleaved eggshell DSPG revealed broad band of reactivity that shifted to 25 kDa after chondroitinase digestion; indicating that the Epi2 binding site is located on a fragment which contains dermatan sulfate side chains. Immunogold labeling showed that Epi2 binds to secretory vesicles within the non-ciliated cells of the columnar epithelium, while the antibodies Tg1 and Tg2 bind to secretory vesicles of tubular gland cells. Immunogold labeling of demineralized shell matrix showed binding of Epi2, Tg1, and Tg2 to the matrix of the palisades layer, and showed little reactivity to other regions of the shell matrix. Quantification of the immunogold particles within the eggshell matrix revealed that antibodies Epi2 and Tg1 bind all calcified regions equally while antibody Tg2 has a greater affinity for the baseplate region of the calcium reserve assembly.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Omija (Schisandra chinensis) Extract and Its Effects on the Bovine Sperm Vitality and Oxidative Profile during In Vitro Storage

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Eva Tvrdá ◽  
Jaroslav Michalko ◽  
Július Árvay ◽  
Nenad L. Vukovic ◽  
Eva Ivanišová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Herbal Remedy ◽  
Antibacterial Properties ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
Mitochondrial Activity ◽  
Schisandra Chinensis ◽  
Antioxidant Power ◽  
Oxidative Balance ◽  
Bovine Sperm

Schisandra chinensis is a woody vine native to China, Korea, and Russia, which has been used as a traditional herbal remedy to treat male infertility. As very little information is available concerning its effects on ejaculated spermatozoa, the aim of this study was to investigate the chemical, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of the S. chinensis berry (Omija) extract followed by an assessment of its in vitro effects on bovine sperm function and oxidative balance. Phytochemical components of the Omija extract were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids was assessed by spectrophotometric protocols. Antioxidant characteristics of the Omija extract were determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and molybdenum-reducing antioxidant power (MRAP) assays. The disc diffusion method and determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration were applied to study the antibacterial properties of Schisandra. Thirty semen samples were exposed to different concentrations of Omija (1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 75 µg/mL) for 0, 2, and 24 h. Sperm motility, mitochondrial activity, and superoxide and reactive oxygen species production, as well as total antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage to proteins and lipids were determined. Our data reveal that the Omija extract, particularly at a concentration range within 5–50 µg/mL, exhibited dose-dependent motion-promoting and metabolism-enhancing properties, accompanied by significant antioxidant effects. We may conclude that the biomolecules present in the Omija extract such as schisandrins and phenolic molecules offer protection to critical sperm structures against oxidative insults and/or possible bacterial contamination, leading to a higher preservation of mammalian sperm viability and functional activity.

scholarly journals Immunolocalization of avian β-defensins in the hen oviduct and their changes in the uterus during eggshell formation

Reproduction ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 138 (6) ◽  
pp. 971-978 ◽  
Author(s):  
A M Abdel Mageed ◽  
N Isobe ◽  
Y Yoshimura
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Western Blot ◽  
Host Defense ◽  
Outer Layer ◽  
Blot Analysis ◽  
Western Blot Analysis ◽  
Eggshell Membrane ◽  
White Leghorn ◽  
Egg Formation ◽  
Eggshell Matrix

The aim of this study was to examine whether avian β-defensin proteins (avβDs) exist in the oviduct, and whether those in the uterus are secreted to the eggshell membrane and eggshell. The oviducts of White Leghorn hens at different times of egg formation, eggshell membrane, and eggshell were used. The presence of immunoreactive (ir) avβD-3, -11, and -12 was examined by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Two or three types of avβDs were identified in the mucosal surface epithelial cells in each oviductal segment. The density of ir-avβD-3 and -12 in the uterus was decreased after the egg entered this segment. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of ir-avβD-3, -11, and -12 in the uterus. In the eggshell membrane, only ir-avβD-3 was detected on the surface of fibers at the outer layer of the membrane. The ir-avβD-3, -11, and -12 were identified in the eggshell matrix by western blot. These results suggest that the surface epithelial cells are the major sites where avβDs proteins exist, and the avβDs secreted by the uterus cells are likely to be incorporated in the eggshell membrane and eggshell. These avβDs may play roles in the innate host defense of the oviduct and egg surface.

scholarly journals Impact of Work-From-Home Human Resource Practices on the Performance of Online Teaching Faculty During Coronavirus Disease 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huda Irshad ◽  
Khawaja Muhammad Umar ◽  
Mahmood Rehmani ◽  
Munnawar Naz Khokhar ◽  
Naveed Anwar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Performance Appraisal ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Hr Practices ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Strong Positive Relationship ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of work-from-home (WFH) human resource (HR) practices on the performance of faculty under the drastic circumstances of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The population of the study included faculty members of the higher education institutions in Sialkot, Pakistan. The study filled the gap of scarce literature on the impact of various HR practices by HR officials while working from home during lockdown observed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Based on reinforcement theory, this article proves that there is a significant relationship between HR practices (including training, performance appraisal, career planning, employee participation, job definition, compensation, and selection) and faculty performance. It also proves that there is a strong positive relationship between the two variables. The findings of this study provide a blueprint to improve HR practices for high performance by faculty in the higher education sector during WFH settings.

The Effect of Exogenous Fluoride on the Calcium PUMP, Ciliary Activity, and Shell Formation of the Fingernail Clam, Musculium Transversum

1982 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 58-59
Author(s):  
Anthony Paparo ◽  
Judy A. Murphy ◽  
Robert Dean
Keyword(s):  
Mississippi River ◽  
Calcium Pump ◽  
Bottom Fauna ◽  
Ciliary Activity ◽  
Shell Formation ◽  
Middle Reach ◽  
Shell Matrix ◽  
Fingernail Clams ◽  
Ca Carbonate

In the mid-1950's, fingernail clams virtually disappeared from a 100-mile section of the IL River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, due to unknown causes. A survey of the bottom fauna of the IL River in 1979, revealed that the clams were still absent from the middle reach of the River, where they had been abundant prior to the die-off in the 1950's. Some factor(s) in the River currently prevent the clams from recolonizing areas where they were formerly abundant. Recently, clams exposed to fluoride developed abnormal grooves in the shell matrix. Fluorides are known to be protoplasmic poisons removing essential body calcium by precipitation. Since the shell consists primarily of Ca carbonate, this investigation examines the possible role of fluoride on shell formation and the poisoning of the Ca pump which can directly inhibit lateral ciliary activity on the gill.

A High Performance Energy Analyzer for Use in Electron Scanning Microscopy

1969 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 14-15
Author(s):  
A. V. Crewe ◽  
M. Isaacson ◽  
D. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Vertical Plane ◽  
Median Plane ◽  
Electron Gun ◽  
Uniform Field ◽  
Loss Mechanism ◽  
Electron Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Sector Type ◽  
Double Focusing ◽  
Electron Energy Loss

A double focusing magnetic spectrometer has been constructed for use with a field emission electron gun scanning microscope in order to study the electron energy loss mechanism in thin specimens. It is of the uniform field sector type with curved pole pieces. The shape of the pole pieces is determined by requiring that all particles be focused to a point at the image slit (point 1). The resultant shape gives perfect focusing in the median plane (Fig. 1) and first order focusing in the vertical plane (Fig. 2).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document