Academic literature on the topic 'Brandt’s voles'

Food quality can affect many physiological characteristics in small mammals. Reproduction is a highly energy-demanding period especially for the females to produce and feed their offspring. We hypothesized that energy intake was constrained at different levels in nonreproductive and reproductive females and thus they adopted diverse energy strategies in response to diet changes. Here, we tested the effects of low fiber diet (3.5% vs. 12.4%) on energy intake and thermogenesis in nonreproductive and reproductive Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii (Radde, 1861)), a herbivorous species. We found that the voles decreased food intake while keeping a stable digestible energy intake (DEI) in response to the low fiber diet, but DEI was increased in reproductive voles at peak lactation. Uncoupling protein 1 content in brown adipose tissue decreased in nonreproductive voles, but was stable in reproductive voles on the low fiber diet. Litter mass on day 18 of age tended to increase in the low fiber group compared with that in the control group. Our findings demonstrate that the voles have a target intake to maintain energy balance when diet composition changes and energy intake may be constrained at a high level for the reproductive voles to improve their offspring’s fitness.

Abstract Previous studies showed that the kidney has its own molecular circadian clock expression regulation that maintains the homeostasis of physiological processes. However, limited information is available on the molecular mechanisms of the kidney circadian rhythm in subterranean rodents. Here, we report circadian gene expression in the kidney of subterranean Mandarin voles and the related aboveground Brandt’s voles, reared under 12L:12D (LD) or dark (DD) conditions, respectively. The results showed that the rhythmic genes were represented in Brandt’s voles in higher numbers under LD than DD conditions, but the number of rhythmic genes in Mandarin voles was similar between the two treatment conditions. The gene expression levels at different timepoints all showed reduced results under DD conditions compared with those in the LD cycle in Brandt’s voles, whereas the expression levels of the tested genes at certain Zeitgeber timepoints showed higher results than in the LD cycle in Mandarin voles. The gene expression peak showed chaotic resetting under DD conditions in both voles. We thus suggest that Mandarin and Brandt’s voles have different molecular circadian clock expression adjustment patterns in the kidney as an adaptation to different living environments. Mandarin voles seem to be more adapted to the dark environment, while Brandt’s voles are more dependent on external light conditions.

Tannins are polyphenols that are present in various plants, and potentially contain antioxidant properties that promote reproduction in animals. This study investigated how tannic acid (TA) affects the reproductive parameters of male Brandt’s voles, Lasiopodomys brandtii (Radde, 1861). Specifically, the anti-oxidative level of serum, autophagy in the testis, and reproductive physiology were assessed in males treated with TA from the pubertal stage. Compared to the control, low dose TA enhanced relative testis and epididymis weight and sperm concentration in the epididymis, and significantly increased the level of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). mRNA levels of autophagy related genes LC3 and Beclin1 decreased significantly with low dose TA compared to the control. However, compared to the control, high dose TA sharply reduced the levels of serum SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, serum testosterone (T), and mRNA level in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) in the testis. Both sperm abnormality and mortality increased with high dose TA compared to the control and low dose TA. Collectively, this study demonstrated that TA treatment during puberty had a dose-dependent effect on the reproductive responses of male Brandt’s voles. TA might mediate autophagy in the testis, through both indirect and direct processes. TA mainly affected the reproductive function of male Brandt’s voles by regulating anti-oxidative levels. This study advances our understanding of the mechanisms by which tannins influence reproduction in herbivores.

A full-length cDNA encoding Brandt’s vole (Microtus brandti) zona pellucida glycoprotein subunit 3 (vZP3) was isolated using rapid amplification of cDNA ends–polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). The cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1254 nucleotides encoding a polypeptide of 418 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of vZP3 revealed high overall homology with hamster (82.1%), mouse (81.3%) and rat (80.6%). A synthetic vZP3 peptide corresponding to amino acid residues 328–343 was conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH-vZP3328–343) and used to immunise female Brandt’s voles in order to test the efficacy of this peptide as a contraceptive antigen. High IgG antibody levels to the vZP3328–343 peptide were present in the sera of female voles immunised with KLH-vZP3328–343 and these also cross-reacted to the zona pellucida in ovaries of Brandt’s vole. The fertility of the KLH-vZP3328–343-immunised voles was reduced by 50% compared with controls without evidence of significant ovarian pathology.

Skeletal muscle-based nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) plays an important role in the regulation and maintenance of body temperature in birds and large mammals, which do not contain brown adipose tissue (BAT). However, the relative contribution of muscle-based NST to thermoregulation is not clearly elucidated in wild small mammals, which have evolved an obligate thermogenic organ of BAT. In this study, we investigated whether muscle would become an important site of NST when BAT function is conditionally minimized in Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). We surgically removed interscapular BAT (iBAT, which constitutes 52%~56% of total BAT) and exposed the voles to prolonged cold (4 °C) for 28 days. The iBAT-ablated voles were able to maintain the same levels of NST and body temperature (~37.9 °C) during the entire period of cold acclimation as sham voles. The expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and its transcriptional regulators at both protein and mRNA levels in the iBAT of cold-acclimated voles was higher than that in the warm group. However, no difference was observed in the protein or mRNA levels of these thermogenesis-related markers except for PGC-1α in other sites of BAT (including infrascapular region, neck, and axilla) between warm and cold groups either in sham or iBAT-ablated voles. The iBAT-ablated voles showed higher UCP1 expression in white adipose tissue (WAT) than sham voles during cold acclimation. The expression of sarcolipin (SLN) and sarcoplasmic endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA) in skeletal muscles was higher in cold than in warm, but no alteration in phospholamban (PLB) and phosphorylated-PLB (P-PLB) was observed. Additionally, there was increased in iBAT-ablated voles compared to that in the sham group in cold. Moreover, these iBAT-ablated voles underwent extensive remodeling of mitochondria and genes of key components related with mitochondrial metabolism. These data collectively indicate that recruitment of skeletal muscle-based thermogenesis may compensate for BAT impairment and suggest a functional interaction between the two forms of thermogenic processes of iBAT and skeletal muscle in wild small mammals for coping cold stress.

Gallic acid (GA), a phenol that is present in various plants, potentially contains antioxidant properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GA on the reproduction of adolescent male Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii (Radde, 1861)). Antioxidant levels and apoptosis in the testis, as well as reproductive physiology, were evaluated in adolescent males treated with GA. The results showed that a low dose of GA enhanced relative epididymis mass and the sperm density in the epididymis, increased the mRNA levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in the testis, and reduced the percentages of abnormal and dead sperm. In addition, a low dose of GA significantly increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, and decreased the level of malondialdehyde in the testis, as well as the mRNA and protein levels of the apoptosis-related gene, caspase-3. However, a high dose of GA sharply reduced the mean diameter of the seminiferous tubules compared with a low dose. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that GA treatment during puberty affects the reproductive responses of male Brandt’s voles in a dose-dependent manner by regulating antioxidant levels and apoptosis.

Mifepristone and quinestrol are effective drugs for controlling rodent fertility, but their inhibitory effectiveness during premating, early pregnancy, and late pregnancy is unknown. In this study, six groups of eight female Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) were administered with mifepristone, quinestrol, or a control for three days during premating, early pregnancy, or late pregnancy. In the mifepristone-treated groups, the premating females bred, whereas the early and late pregnant females did not. The reproductive rate, litter size, average body mass at birth, and survival rate of pups did not significantly differ between the mifepristone-treated premating group and the control group. By contrast, quinestrol treatment completely inhibited fertility during the three reproductive phases. In addition, fertility was not completely restored in the second pairing. The reproductive rates were higher for mifepristone, both during early and late pregnancy, than for quinestrol, but both were lower than the control. Thus, mifepristone and quinestrol both inhibited the fertility of female Brandt’s voles at different reproductive periods. These results suggest that these two sterilants could be delivered during the reproductive season of the target pest animal.

Background Rodent pests can inflict devastating impacts on agriculture and the environment, leading to significant economic damage associated with their high species diversity, reproductive rates and adaptability. Fertility control methods could indirectly control rodent pest populations as well as limit ecological consequences and environmental concerns caused by lethal chemical poisons. Brandt’s voles, which are common rodent pests found in the grasslands of middle-eastern Inner Mongolia, eastern regions of Mongolia, and some regions of southern Russia, were assessed in the present study. Methods We evaluated the effects of a 2-mg/kg dose of levonorgestrel and quinestrol and a 1:1 mixture of the two (EP-1) on reproductive behavior as well as changes in the reproductive system, reproductive hormone levels, and toxicity in Brandt’s voles. Results Our results revealed that all three fertility control agents can cause reproductive inhibition at a dosage of 2 mg/kg. However, quinestrol caused a greater degree of toxicity, as determined by visible liver damage and reduced expression of the detoxifying molecule CYP1A2. Of the remaining two fertility control agents, EP-1 was superior to levonorgestrel in inhibiting the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone and causing reproductive inhibition. We believe that these findings could help promote the use of these fertility control agents and, in turn, reduce the use of chemical poisons and limit their detrimental ecological and environmental impacts.

Background Gut microbiota plays a key role in the survival and reproduction of wild animals which rely on microbiota to break down plant compounds for nutrients. As compared to laboratory animals, wild animals face much more threat of environmental changes (e.g. food shortages and risk of infection). Therefore, studying the gut microbiota of wild animals can help us better understand the mechanisms animals use to adapt to their environment. Methods We collected the feces of Brandt’s voles in the grassland, of three age groups (juvenile, adult and old), in both sexes. We studied the gut microbiota by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results The main members of gut microbiota in Brandt’s voles were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. As voles get older, the proportion of Firmicutes increased gradually, and the proportion of Bacteroides decreased gradually. The diversity of the microbiota of juveniles is lower, seems like there is still a lot of space for colonization, and there are large variations in the composition of the microbiome between individuals. In adulthood, the gut microbiota tends to be stable, and the diversity is highest. In adult, the abundances of Christensenellaceae and Peptococcus of female were significantly higher than male voles. Conclusions The gut microbiota of Brandt’s vole was influenced by sex and age, probably due to growth needs and hormone levels. Gut microbiota of wild animals were much influenced by their life-history reflected by their age and sex. Future studies will be directed to identify functions of these “wild microbiota” in regulating physiological or behavioral processes of wild animals in different life stage or sexes.

Bakgrund I samband med den teknologiska utvecklingen har begreppet interak=vitetblivit allt mer omdiskuterat, inte minst vid framställning av interak=vaberä<elser. Interak=v storytelling är e< rela=vt ny< forskningsområde somöppnat upp för e< ny< sä< a< driva marknadsföringskampanjer på.Däremot har ingen forskning påträffats gällande hur en interak=vmarknadsföringskampanj kan drivas och visualiseras på sociala medier medhjälp av omröstningsfunk=oner. Studien anses därav vara betydande förutvecklingen av e< ny< =llvägagångssä< för verksamheter a< interageramed sin målgrupp.SyJe SyJet med denna studie är a< kartlägga processen för hur företag kandriva och visualisera interak=va marknadsföringskampanjer, på socialamedier.Metod Studien lutar sig mot en design och skapande strategi där en kombina=onav olika metoder har används för insamling av relevant data. Metodernautgjordes av en kvalita=v li<eraturstudie, en visuell innehållsanalys, trewebbenkätundersökningar samt en prototypframställning. Metoderna harinsamlat data genom e< itera=vt förhållningssä<. Urvalet av den visuellainnehållsanalysen utgjordes av totalt 20 marknadsföringskampanjer medstorytelling som metod. Urvalet för webbenkätundersökningarna utgjordesav bekvämlighetsprincipen där urvalet bestod av 677 grafiska designers.Resultat Resultatet av studien visar a< det är möjligt a< skapa en interak=vkampanj med hjälp av =llgängliga omröstningsfunk=oner på socialamedier, där två =ll sex parallella handlingar möjliggörs via omröstningar.Vidare resulterade studien i en prototyp av en interak=v kampanj med tvåparallella handlingar.Slutsatser Studiens samlade resultatbild presenteras som en processkarta varsuppgiJ är a< guida företag a< visualisera och driva interak=vamarknadsföringskampanjer på sociala medier.
Background With the technological development, the concept of interac=vity hasbecome increasingly debated, not only in the produc=on of interac=vestories. Interac=ve storytelling is a rela=vely new area of research, whichhas opened a new way of running a marke=ng campaign. However, noresearch has been found regarding how an interac=ve marke=ngcampaign can be run and visualized, on social media. The study istherefore, considered significant for the development of a new approachfor businesses to interact with their target audience.Purpose The purpose of this study is to map out the process for how companiescan run and visualize interac=ve marke=ng campaigns, on social media.Method The study used design and crea=ve as a strategy, where the methods usedconsisted of a qualita=ve literature study, visual content analysis, threeweb surveys and prototyping. The methods have collected data throughan itera=ve approach. The selec=on of the visual content analysisconsisted of a total of 20 marke=ng campaigns with storytelling. Thesample for the web surveys consisted of the convenience sampling, wherethe sample consisted of 677 graphic designers.Results The result of the study indicates that it’s possible to create an interac=vecampaign using available poll func=ons on social media, where two to sixparallel ac=ons are made possible through vo=ng. Furthermore, the studyresulted in a prototype of an interac=ve campaign, with two parallelac=ons.Conclusions In conclusion the study resulted in the crea=on of a process map, with thepurpose of guiding companies to visualize and run interac=ve marke=ngcampaigns, on social media.

The debate between secularists and Islamic groups, a conspicuous feature of Turkish politics for decades, changed in the late 1990s when the political discourse of mainstream Islamic groups embraced secularism. The establishment elite advocate the existing French model of an ‘assertive secularism’, meaning that, in the public domain, the state supports only the ex- pression of a secular worldview, and formally excludes religion and religious symbols from that domain. The pro-Islamic conservatives, on the other hand, favour the American model of ‘passive secularism’, in which the state permits the expression of religion in the public do- main. In short, what Turkey has witnessed over the last decade is no longer a tussle between secularism and Islamism, but between two brands of secularism. Two actors have played crucial roles in this transformation: the Gülen movement and the Justice and Development (AK) Party. Recently the Gülen movement became an international actor and a defendant of passive secularism. Similarly, although the AK Party was originated from an Islamist Milli Görüş (National Outlook) movement, it is now a keen supporter of Turkey’s membership to the European Union and defends (passive) secularist, democratic regime. This paper analyses the transformation of these important social and political actors with regard to certain structural conditions, as well as the interactions between them.In April 2007, the international media covered Turkey for the protest meetings of more than a million people in three major cities, the military intervention to politics, and the abortive presidential election. According to several journalists and columnists, Turkey was experienc- ing another phase of the ongoing tension between the secularists and Islamists. Some major Turkish newspapers, such as Hürriyet, were asserting that the secularists finally achieved to bring together millions of opponents of the ruling Adalet ve Kalkınma (Justice and Development) (AK) Party. In addition to their dominance in military and judicial bureauc- racy, the secularists appeared to be maintaining the support of the majority of the people. The parliamentary elections that took place few months later, in July, revealed that the main- stream Turkish media’s presentation was misleading and the so-called secularists’ aspira- tions were unrealistic. The AK Party received 47 percent of the national votes, an unusual ratio for a multiparty system where there were 14 contesting parties. The main opposition, Cumhuriyet Halk (Republican People’s) Party (CHP), only received 21 percent of the votes, despite its alliance with the other leftist party. Both the national and international media’s misleading presentation of Turkish politics was not confined by the preferences of the vot- ers. Moreover, the media was primarily misleading with its use of the terms “Islamists” and “secularists.” What Turkey has witnessed for the last decade has not been a struggle between secularism and Islamism; but it has been a conflict between two types of secularism. As I elaborated else- where, the AK Party is not an Islamist party. It defends a particular understanding of secular- ism that differs from that of the CHP. Although several leaders of the AK Party historically belonged to an Islamist -Milli Görüş (National Outlook)- movement, they later experienced an ideational transformation and embraced a certain type of secularism that tolerates public visibility of religion. This transformation was not an isolated event, but part of a larger expe- rience that several other Islamic groups took part in. I argue that the AKP leaders’ interaction with the Gülen movement, in this regard, played an important role in the formation of the party’s new perspective toward secularism. In another article, I analyzed the transformation of the AK Party and Gülen movement with certain external (globalization process) and internal (the February 28 coup) conditions. In this essay, I will focus on the interaction between these two entities to explore their changing perspectives. I will first discuss the two different types of secularism that the Kemalists and conservatives defend in Turkey. Then, I will briefly summarize diverse discourses of the Milli Görüş and Gülen movements. Finally, I will examine the exchanges between the Gülen movement and the AK Party with regard to their rethinking of Islamism and secularism.