Background: Currently, a limited number of studies have been done on the vitrification of small ruminant oocytes, especially in sheep, where poor developmental rates are obtained following immature and mature oocyte vitrification. Poor ovine oocyte cryopreservation could attribute to the damage to enzymes which has role in metabolic pathways. Therefore, production of cytokines and growth factor...

Background: The use of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) combined with cysteamine during pre-in vitro maturation (IVM) can help establish an effective pre-IVM system. Aims: This study was designed to investigate the effects of CNP combined with cysteamine on meiotic maturation and developmental competence of bovine oocytes in vitro. Met...

Associations among internalizing, externalizing, and social competence were examined in a longitudinal cohort (N = 205) of 8- to 12-year-old children reassessed after 7, 10, and 20 years. Theoretically informed nested structural equation models tested interconnections among broad multi-informant constructs across four developmental periods. Follow-up analyses examined gender invariance, measure...

Pig embryos suffer severe sensitivity to hypothermic conditions, which limits their ability to withstand conventional cryopreservation. Research has focused on high lipid content of pig embryos and its role in hypothermic sensitivity, while little research has been conducted on structural damage. Documenting cytoskeletal disruption provides information on embryonic sensitivity and cellular resp...

The concept of emotional competence as a positive youth development construct is reviewed in this paper. Differences between emotional intelligence and emotional competence are discussed and an operational definition is adopted. Assessment methods of emotional competence with an emphasis on its quantitative nature are introduced. In the discussion of theories of emotional competence, the functi...

PURPOSE This study aimed to establish 1) whether a group difference exists in the motor competence of preschool children at risk for developmental delays with intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD; refers to difference between verbal intelligence quotient [VIQ] and performance intelligence quotient [PIQ]) and 2) whether an association exists between IQD and motor competence. METHODS Children...