Background : Acreage of rain-shelter plastic greenhouse to prevent anthrax is being gradually increased according to growing importance of safe Boxthorn production. But When Boxthorn is grown in the hot season in rain-shelter plastic greenhouse, quantity of Boxthorn decreases. therefore the research was carried out to investigate Fertilization mode. Methods and Results : Chungwoon was very strong self-incompatibility. Chengyangjaerae, Chengyang18 and CBP11542-206 was self-compatibility. Artificial fertilization rate was slightly higher in roof and side vents than in side vents of rain-shelter plastic greenhouse in hot season. Pollen sterility due to high temperature is not critical because artificial fertilization rate was high in side vents of rain-shelter plastic greenhouse in hot season. Airborne fertilization rate was significantly lower in all varieties. Open fertilization rate was higher in roof and side vents than in side vents of rain-shelter plastic greenhouse Conclusion : Roof and side vents was good in compared to side vents in rain-shelter plastic greenhouse of Boxthorn because of high Airborne and open fertilization rate. Self-compatibility varieties were better than self-incompatibility varieties in rain- shelter plastic greenhouse because of high open fertilization rate.

Cryopreservation allows for the advances of the reproductive technique and livestock industry. However, cryopreservation inevitably causes various types of stress, such as cold shock, osmotic stress, and ice crystal formation, thereby reducing fertility. Although cryoprotectant agent (CPA) is added to protect spermatozoa from freezing damage during cryopreservation, it has intrinsic toxicity that can affect components of the sperm membrane. Moreover, the addition of CPA induces osmotic stress and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, resulting in disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, alteration of membrane permeability, and damage of sperm surface proteins. To identify the effects of CPA to spermatozoa, we analyzed the sperm movement, capacitation status, and viability using computer-assisted sperm analysis and Hoechst 33258/chlortetracycline fluorescence staining. Moreover, we performed two-dimensional electrophoresis to find protein markers related CPA addition in cryo processes. CPA addition reduced sperm motility (%), viability (%), and non-capacitated spermatozoa, whereas acrosome-reacted spermatozoa increased significantly (p<0.05). Following addition of CPA, a total of ten proteins were altered their expression (eight increased, two decreased) (>3 fold, p<0.05). Among these, four differentially expressed proteins were related to several canonical pathways, such as the ephrinR-actin, ROS metabolism, actin cytoskeleton assembly, actin cytoskeleton regulation, and respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation pathway (p<0.05). The present study suggests that CPA significantly alters the functions and proteome content of spermatozoa. Additionally, we anticipated that the differentially expressed proteins might consider as biomarker of CPA-induced stress.

Prognosis and diagnosis of male fertility is a most important for animal breeding system and human reproduction. Conventional semen analysis generally provides information on the quantitative parameters of spermatozoa, but yields no information concerning its functional competence. Thus, new methods for diagnosis and prognosis of male fertility will need to be developed to ensure more accurate assessments. Proteomics have used to find candidate biomarkers for male fertility, but the relationship between the proteome and fertility was not fully understood. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive proteomic approach to investigate small and large litter size boar spermatozoa and identify proteins related to negative male fertility. In present study, 20 proteins showed differential expression levels in small and large litter size groups. Nineteen of these proteins were abundantly expressed in the small litter group. Interestingly, only one protein was highly expressed in the large litter size spermatozoa. We then identified signaling pathways associated with the differentially expressed protein markers. Glutathione S-transferase Mu3 and glutathione peroxidase 4 were related to the glutathione metabolic pathway and arginine vasopressin receptor 2 was linked to vasopressin R2/STAT. Taken together, our results suggest that identified negative fertility-related biomarkers may be used as negative biomarkers for the detection of inferior male fertility such as sub-fertility or infertility.

Although the toxicological impacts of the xenoestrogen bisphenol-A (BPA) have been studied extensively, but its mechanism of action is poorly understood. Eventually, no standard method exists for evaluating the possible health hazard of BPA. Considering mice spermatozoa as a potential in vitro model, here we demonstrated the effects of BPA exposure (0.0001, 0.01, 1, and 100 μM for 6 h) on spermatozoa and the related mechanisms of action. Our results demonstrated that high concentrations of BPA negatively affect sperm motility, viability, intracellular ATP, and mitochondrial functions by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and protein kinase-A pathways. The same doses were also employed to identify the differential expressed proteins of exposure and screen their functional affiliation to diseases using sperm proteomics and informatics, respectively. Our results demonstrated that a high concentration of BPA (100 μM) induced differential expression (> 2-fold) of 24 proteins in spermatozoa (16 down- and 9 up-regulated), that are putatively involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the mechanisms of BPA action in spermatozoa and to identify the possible biomarkers of exposure. Moreover, we anticipated that current strategy might apply for the hazard assessment of other toxicological agents.

As an endocrine disruptor, bisphenol-A (BPA) causes several functional and behavioral abnormalities related to reproduction. The current study was design to evaluate the effect of perinatal exposure of female mice to BPA on sperm function of adult F(1) offspring. Pregnant female mice F(0) were gavaged with three different concentration of BPA, such as 50 μg/kg/day (tolerable daily intake value by the European Food Safety Authority), 5 mg/kg/day (no-observed-adverse-effect level; NOAEL), and 50 mg/kg/day (lowest-observed-adverse-effect level; LOAEL) and corn oil (7 mg/kg/day; vehicle control). The functional parameters of F(1) spermatozoa were studied both before and after capacitation, whereas the fertility assessment was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo assay using unexposed females. Our results showed that spermatozoa hyperactivated motility, capacitation, intracellular ATP, Ca2+, and ROS levels after capacitation were significantly affected using NOAEL and LOAEL concentration of BPA. However, the sperm motility was only affected by LOAEL dose after capacitation. All of the tested parameters were potentially unaffected by BPA before capacitation, except intracellular ATP that decreased by all concentrations. Although both NOAEL and LOAEL concentration were effectively reduced the rate of fertilization and embryonic development in vitro, however the average litter size was only affected by LOAEL dose. Our finding suggested that perinatal exposure of 50 μg/kg/day did not produce significant effects; however both NOAEL and LOAEL affects overall sperm function after capacitation, leading to impairments in the fertility of F(1) male offspring.

MLO is a unique gene family which is identified in plant and carries out abiotic and biotic stress responses in various plants. The understanding on the roles and functional diversity of this family is quite limited in rice, a model crop plant. Rice genome has 12 potential MLO family members. To do systematic functional assignment of MLO family in rice, we performed phylogenomic analysis of integrating meta-expression data based on public sources of microarray data or RT-PCR data into the phylogenic tree. As a result, we identified 12 MLO genes carrying various tissue-preferred expression patterns such as leaf, root, pollen, and ubiquitous expression, suggesting functional diversity in terms of anatomy or development. RT-PCR analysis confirmed, integrated transcriptome data were used to estimate the functional redundancy or specificity among MLO family: MLO12 showed mature pollen preferred expression; MLO4, root tip; MLO10, overall root except root tip; MLO8, leaf; MLO2 and MLO9 showed redundant expression in overall tissues except root. Also, abiotic stress meta-expression data and RT-PCR performance suggested the functional association of 5 MLO and 6 MLO genes with heat and cold stress, respectively. Our analysis will provide basic information to study diverse developmental or physiological phenomena mediated by MLO family in rice, a major model crop plant.

For understanding the genetic diversity and genetic relationship between cultivated and weedy types, we evaluated genetic variation of 80 accessions of rice (O. Sativa). This included 42 cultivated accessions and 38 weedy accessions with the help of AFLP and CACTA-TD. A total of 542 loci were analyzed (255 for AFLP and 287 for CACTA-TD) of which AFLP markers exhibited 75% of polymorphism and transposon based CACTA-TD markers exhibited 93% of polymorphism. The average genetic diversity value for all 80 accessions, using AFLP markers was 0.226 (Cultivated – 0.210; Weedy 0.241) and based on CACTA-TD markers was 0.281 (Cultivated – 0.294; Weedy 0.269). A UPGMA phylogenetic tree revealed three major groups for both the marker system. The average polymorphic content value obtained with AFLP and CACTA-TD markers were 0.21 and 0.232, Effective multiplex ratio (AFLP – 47.50; CACTA-TD – 66.75), Marker Index (AFLP – 9.94; CACTA-TD – 21.13) and Resolving power (AFLP – 19.53; CACTA-TD – 34.62) indicated that the CACTA-TD markers were relatively efficient than AFLP markers.

Clubroot is a devastating disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae and results in severe losses of yield and quality in Brassica crops including Brassica oleracea. Therefore, it is important to identify resistance gene for CR disease and apply it to breeding of Brassica crops. In this study, we applied genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technique to construct high resolution genetic map and mapping of clubroot resistance (CR) genes. A total of 18,187 GBS markers were identified between two parent lines resistant and susceptible to the disease, of which 4,103 markers were genotyped in all 78 F2 plants generated from crossing of both parent lines. The markers were clustered into nine linkage groups spanning 879.9 cM, generating high resolution genetic map enough to refine reported reference genome of cabbage. In addition, through QTL analysis using 78 F2:3 progenies and mapping based on the genetic map, two and single major QTLs were identified for resistance of race 2 and race 9 of P. brassicae, respectively. These QTLs did not show collinearity with CR loci found in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) but roughly overlapped with CR loci identified in cabbage for resistance to race 4. Taken together, genetic map and QTLs obtained in this study will provide valuable information to improve reference genome and clubroot resistance in cabbage.

In this study, the time-area curve for an elliptical shaped basin was analytically derived. The assumptions introduced to derive the time-area curve are as follows. First, an infinite number of raindrops reach the impervious surface of the elliptical shaped basin evenly in space. Second, the vertical axis of the ellipse is assumed to be the channel of the elliptical shaped basin. Third, the direction of the surface runoff is always perpendicular to the channel flow. Fourth, the flow velocity remains the same in any location within each channel and land surface, the ratio of their flow velocity is consistent everywhere within the basin. As a result, the time-area curve for the basin can be derived with the equivalent ellipse of the basin along with the proper characteristic velocity within each channel and land surface. Furthermore, by multiplying the flow velocity with this time-area curve, one can derive the inflow to the linear reservoir, of which the outflow becomes the Clark IUH.

Purpose - This paper objectively analyzes the effects of globalization on Zimbabwe’s business and economic development using the Business in Context (BIC) model. Research design, data, and methodology - We employed a qualitative research methodology, following an exploratory secondary research design in this paper. Results - The findings reveal that businesses in Zimbabwe have benefited from globalization as it has drawn investments from international companies in the country. In addition, the business sector is benefiting from the economies of scale realized from the investments made by companies in Africa, East Asia, Europe, and America. However, we also discover that globalization has resulted in the proliferation of cheap sub-standard goods and services from East Asia, and has increased competition between indigenous companies and foreign-owned multinationals. Conclusion - Our findings suggest that globalization has both positive and negative effects on business and economic development in Africa in general, and Zimbabwe in particular. However, we note that the advantages, to a certain extent, outweigh the disadvantages. What, then, could be the way forward for Zimbabwe, in the face of globalization? As a solution, this paper recommends the development of a policy on global associations by the Zimbabwean government, to enhance business and economic development.