Aarupcoates7241

Leptospirosis is a globally distributed disease associated with reproductive failures in livestock; however, its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Results from the present study indicate there is a presence of Leptospira sp. Lomeguatrib nmr in organs and fluids of fetuses from ewes slaughtered in the semiarid region of Brazil. Twenty-nine fetuses from 23 ewes determined to be Leptospira sp.-positive using PCR were sampled (14 and 15 in dry and rainy seasons, respectively). Fetal samples of blood, central nervous system (CNS), lung, liver, spleen, stomach contents, peritoneal fluid, kidney, bladder, urine and reproductive system were collected. Diagnostic methods included the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and bacterial isolation. Of the 29 fetuses, 24 (82.8 %) had at least one Leptospira sp.-positive organ or fluid, as determined using PCR, and of a total of 209 samples, 62 (29.7 %) contained leptospiral DNA. Of the 99 samples collected during the dry season, 42 (42.4 %) were positive, and of 110 samples collected during the rainy season, 20 (18.2 %) were positive (P = 0.0001). There was deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing of three samples of kidney, CNS and liver, and in all of these, there was 99.3 % similarity with Leptospira interrogans. Leptospires were present in cultures of pooled samples from fetuses with deformities. Results indicate there is vertical (maternal-to-fetus) transmission which would represent an alternative transmission route for the spread of Leptospira sp. in ewes, suggesting molecular detection is essential in the investigation of leptospirosis in fetuses to identify animals that have been infected with this bacterium.In mammals, interleukin 6 (IL-6) has an important function during ovulation, however, the functions of IL-6 in fish have not been elucidated. In the present study, there was quantification of de novo synthesis of ovarian IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) in control and hCG-treated fish and results were compared with those from an in vitro study where there was evaluation of the regulatory functions of gonadotropins and TNFα of IL-6 secretions. Relatively greater concentrations of ovarian IL-6 at the post-GVBD (post-germinal vesicle breakdown) stage indicates IL-6 modulates ovulatory processes. The hCG-induced increase in relative abundance of IL-6 (in vitro) mRNA transcript and secretion from the ovary were attenuated when there was administration of the inhibitor of TNFα secreting enzyme, TAPI-I, which indicates TNFα modulates IL-6 secretion. Treatments with IL-6 induced a marked increase in ovulation rate in vitro when there was induction of activating matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). Furthermore, treatment with IL-6 resulted in production of prostaglandin as indicated by the IL-6 induced increase in the abundance of ptgs2 mRNA transcript in the ovary of Anabas testudineus. Furthermore, results indicate the source of IL-6 in the ovary is the granulosa cells with secretion of IL-6 being induced by the additions of hCG and TNFα in the medium. There was also an IL-6-induced increase in abundance of receptors (IL-6 Rα and gp130) to which it binds indicating IL-6 autoregulates this population of receptors. Results from this study, for the first time, elucidate the reproductive functions of IL-6 in a teleost fish.Due to some biological characteristics of the brown-marbled grouper, there are challenges in aquaculture enterprises focused on production of this fish. With the aim of facilitating captive breeding in brown-marbled grouper, effects on gamete post-activation, post-stripping egg storage and sperm to egg ratio on fertilization success were investigated. Results indicated eggs were fertile for 4 min after placement in seawater, thereafter, there was a reduction in fertilization. Initial curvilinear velocity (VCL) and total motility of fresh sperm was 129.3 ± 3.7 μm/s and 92.9 ± 2.4 %, both of which decreased as time elapsed post-activation, however, there was no significant difference in fertilization until 6 min post-activation of sperm. Compared with fertilization and hatching rates in eggs used immediately after collection (95.0 ± 2.8 % and 90.1 ± 4.2 %), in vitro storage of eggs had no detectable effect on fertilized egg and hatching rates until 60 min post-stripping (92.0 ± 2.8 % and 89.9 ± 2.7 %), indicating that immediate use of brown-marbled grouper eggs for fertilization is not necessary in aquaculture hatcheries. With regard to optimizing the sperm to egg ratio, there was acceptable fertilization with ratios ranging from 103 to 107, whereas there was a marked decrease in fertilization rate when there were lesser sperm concentrations. When the combined results from this study are considered, there could be improvements of artificial fertilization efficiency in the brown-marbled grouper with utilization of these findings in aquaculture enterprises focused on production of this fish.Gonadectomies are the most commonly performed surgical procedures in dogs. The benefits and risks associated with gonadectomy in dogs have been broadly investigated. Due to concerns associated with ovariectomy, some pet-owners and veterinarians are considering surgical alternatives which terminate the capacity for reproduction without removal of the gonads to preserve functions of the gonadal hormones. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of complete resection of the glandular portion of the uterus with hysterectomy (HE). Using a prospective cadaveric and an ex-vivo design, uterine resection was performed cranially and caudally to the cervix, and at the proper ligament to simulate routine ovariohysterectomy and HE. Using microscopic evaluation procedures, there was identification of glandular tissue at the surgical margin of all samples resected cranially to the cervix and no glandular tissue in the samples resected caudally to the cervix. Half of the samples from the uterine horns contained glandular tissue. The results of the present study indicate ligation and transection of the uterus caudally to the cervix (as recommended for HE) allows for complete resection of glandular tissues, however, transection at the proper ligament may not. The clinical relevance of retention of para-ovarian uterine glandular tissue is unknown. Additional research is needed where there is investigation of the consequences and surgical technique for HE before there is widespread clinical use of this procedure.Objectives were to compare pregnancy percentages per embryo transfer (P/ET) in recipient beef cows following twice daily compared with split-time estrous detection and to determine associations of dominant follicle diameter, CL volume and progesterone concentrations. All cows (n = 695) were treated to synchronize time of estrus among cows using a CIDR + Select-Synch treatment regimen and randomly assigned to twice-daily or split-time estrous detection (CS-DEET or CS-SEET, respectively). Cows in the CS-DEET group were observed twice daily (eight times) for estrus until 96 h after the time of PGF2α administration, whereas cows in the CS-SEET group were observed twice (64 and 84 h after PGF2α). In 280 recipient cows, blood sampling (for progesterone) and ultrasonographic assessment of dominant follicle diameter were conducted 48 h after the time of PGF2α administration. At 7 d after estrus, the CL was imaged and there was transfer of a frozen-thawed embryo into cows with a CL ≥ 1.5 cm. There were positive correlations between follicle diameter and CL volume (rs = 0.827; P  0.1). Dominant follicle diameter, CL volume and progesterone concentrations were greater in pregnant compared with nonpregnant cows. In conclusion, percentage P/ET did not differ when there was twice daily and split-time estrous detection highlighting the value of this approach in beef enterprises.The aim of this study was to investigate fetal gastrointestinal motility (FGM) of dogs using ultrasonic imaging and its association with vaginal and rectal temperature, serum progesterone concentrations and fetal heart rate. Pregnant bitches were examined after day 54 of gestation and there were determinations of vaginal and rectal temperature and serum progesterone concentrations. The fetal abdomen was evaluated for 30 s using longitudinal and transversal assessments, and FGM was scored as 0 (no peristalsis) or 1 (evident peristalsis). Number of fetuses with a 1 or 0 score were determined for each bitch (number and the percentage of fetuses with FGM). A total of 135 FGM measurements were recorded. There was FGM in 0/3, 0/6, 1/6 (16.7 %), 3/20 (15 %), 5/18 (27.3 %), 18/28 (64.3 %), 12/17 (70.6 %), 14/22 (63.6 %), 6/9 (66.7 %), 4/6 (66.7 %) fetuses from day -9 until 0 preceding parturition, respectively. In the last 5 days before parturition, 63.3 % of fetuses had FGM. Vaginal and rectal temperature were strongly and positively correlated (P  less then  0.001). Vaginal temperature was positively correlated with progesterone concentrations and fetal heart rate (P  less then  0.01), and there was a small negative correlation with FGM (r = -0.331, P  less then  0.05). Due to ease of data collection, the assessment of FGM is a valuable procedure for evaluation of fetal maturity in dogs. Vaginal and rectal temperatures are reliable variables to be assessed during the last week of pregnancy for estimating the time of parturition.Boar sperm quality is less during the summer as a result of the different photoperiod or ambient temperatures as compared with the winter. The present study was conducted to elucidate possible variations in proteomic profiles of boar spermatozoa collected during the summer and winter. Effects of season on sperm viability, total motility, progressive motility, acrosome status, mitochondrial membrane potential and plasma membrane lipid organization were also analyzed. Only sperm viability and mitochondrial membrane potential were less during the summer (P  less then   0.05). Spermatozoa were processed and evaluated using the nano LC-MS/MS QTof procedures. A total of 1028 characterized proteins were identified in sperm collected during both seasons of the year (False Discovery Rate less then 0.01) and, among the total, 85 proteins differed in sperm collected in the winter and summer, with there being a lesser abundance of these proteins when there were ejaculate collections during the summer (q-value ≤ 0.05). The results from enrichment assessments for these protein networks utilizing UniProtKB procedures for determining reproductive processes indicates there were 23 proteins that were less abundant in the summer than winter. These proteins have essential functions in spermatogenesis, sperm motility, acrosome reaction and fertilization. These results are the first where there was ascertaining of proteomic differences in boar spermatozoa collected in the summer and winter. These results might help to explain the decreased sperm quality and prolificity when semen of boars is used for artificial insemination that is collected during the season of the year when ambient temperatures are relatively greater.The aim of the study was to determine the luteolytic dose of cloprostenol administered directly into the corpus luteum (CL; intra-luteal treatment, ILT) in dairy cattle. Cows of two control groups were treated with 500 μg of cloprostenol (Estrumate®) intramuscularly (IM-500) or via ILT with 0.2 mL of physiological solution (ILT-0). Cows of four experimental groups were treated by ILT with cloprostenol in doses 5, 25, 50 and 100 μg (ILT-5, -25, -50 and -100 groups). Progesterone concentrations (P4) and size of CL were evaluated to assess luteolysis at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 24 and 48 h or at 0, 24 and 48 h after ILT, respectively. Cows in the ILT-0 and -5 groups were unaffected by ILT. The P4 concentrations were less in cows of the IM-500, as well as ILT-25, -50 and -100 groups at 48 h subsequent to ILT. The size of the CL was less in cows of IM-500, as well as ILT-25, -50 and -100 groups at 48 h after ILT. There were P4 concentrations of about 1 ng/mL 48 h after ILT in cows of the IM-500, as well as ILT-50 and -100 groups.