Infestation of ovine skin with the ectoparasitic mite Psoroptes ovis results in the development of a rapid cutaneous inflammatory response, leading to the crusted skin lesions characteristic of sheep scab. To facilitate the identification of novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets, a better understanding of the host-parasite relationship in sheep scab is essential. Although our knowledge of th...

AIM To determine local tissue electrical resistance differences generated during a screw pass from the pedicle to another tissue rather than determining all individual electrical tissue resistance values. MATERIAL AND METHODS We attempted to measure electrical resistance values of regional tissues in addition to fluoroscopic imaging during application of fixation via a transpedicular screw. W...

Viral lung infections increase susceptibility to subsequent bacterial infection. We questioned whether local lung administration of recombinant adenoviral vectors in the sheep would alter the susceptibility of the lung to subsequent challenge with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We further questioned whether local lung expression of elafin, a locally produced alarm anti-LPS/anti-bacterial m...

this study estimated the magnitude of sexual dimorphism in a relict sheep from catalunya (ne spain), called fardasca,using geometric morphometric techniques. for these analyses, a total of 18 skull specimens (2 adult males and 16 females) were studied. our results suggest that the breed is not cranially dimorphic, so sex determination using landmarks described here as criteria is likely to yiel...

Background Ghezel sheep are highly prolific and one of the local sheep breeds in Iran and Turkey. Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF9) gene has been found to be essential for growth and differentiation of early ovarian follicles. Novel mutations in GDF9 have been associated with increased ovulation rates and high litter sizes in heterozygous carriers. Therefore, fecundity gene for GDF9 (FecGH...

Ovulation rate (OR) and litter size (LS) were recorded in local hair sheep of Martinique and in local x Lacaune-viande crossbreeds, in order to assess prenatal losses. Local hair sheep LS and OR were 1.91 and 2.41, respectively. Prenatal losses increased with OR, from 0.22 (OR = 2) up to 1.50 (OR > 3). The ewes (69.7%) with LS = 1 had actually lost at least one ovum, against 25.9% of the ewes w...

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor and produces marked pressor responses when given systemically. Studies in sheep have demonstrated that during pregnancy the uterine vasculature is refractory to exogenously administered ET-1. We hypothesize that this pregnancy-dependent refractoriness is due to an upregulation of local uterine metabolism of ET-1 and/or ET(B) receptors and/or downr...

Pastoralists on the Tibetan alpine rangeland suffered great economic loss in cold season, due to serious live-weight loss of domestic livestock under traditional grazing management. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary types (crude protein levels) on feed intakes, growth performance and economic returns of local Tibetan sheep and yaks during cold season. Twenty-four yearling Tibet...

BACKGROUND Articular cartilage has poor intrinsic capacity for regeneration because of its avascularity and very slow cellular turnover. Defects deriving from trauma or joint disease tend to be repaired with fibrocartilage rather than hyaline cartilage. Consequent degenerative processes are related to the width and depth of the defect. Since mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) deriving from patients ...

In order to estimate economic values of productive traits (meat, milk and wool) in Taleshi native sheep breed of Iran, records from economic parameters and performance of local Taleshi flocks were used. The economic values of traits were used to select the maximum profit estimation also to study the sensitivity rate of the model the effects of 20 percent increase / decrease in the price of milk...