| 1. |
- Awasthi, H., et al.
(författare)
-
Do Cytoplasmic Lipid Droplets Accumulate in Immature Oocytes from Over-Conditioned Repeat Breeder Dairy Heifers?
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Reproduction in domestic animals. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0936-6768 .- 1439-0531. ; 45:5, s. E194-E198
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One of the main sources of repeat breeding in dairy cattle, caused by fertilization failure or early embryonic death, is metabolic stress during lactation. Nutrition seems also to play a role when the condition is seen in heifers, where oocyte cytoplasmic maturation is impaired. To determine whether over conditioning affects oocyte morphology, immature oocytes were collected by ovum pick-up (OPU) twice weekly during 5 weeks from three over-conditioned repeat breeder dairy heifers (RBH) and two normal virgin heifers (VH, controls) of the Swedish Red breed, monitored by body weight and condition. Oocyte quality was assessed under stereomicroscope and further examined by transmission electron microscope for accumulation of cytoplasmic lipid deposits. After OPU, the RBH yielded more low quality oocytes (60% vs 52% for VH, p = 0.14). The relative occupancy of osmophilic lipid droplets in the cytoplasm was higher in oocytes of bad quality compared with good ones, especially in RBH (p = 0.08) but also in VH (p = 0.11). Moreover, the oocytes from over-conditioned RBH showed higher amounts of cytoplasmic lipid deposits both in good (p = 0.14) and, even more prominent, in bad quality oocytes (p = 0.06). Such accumulation of lipid droplets may imply increased sensitivity to oxidative stress, hinder cytoplasmic maturation and lead to subfertility, as accounted in over-conditioned repeat breeders of the Swedish Red breed.
|
|
| 2. |
- Balao da Silva, C M., et al.
(författare)
-
Sex sorting increases the permeability of the membrane of stallion spermatozoa
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Animal Reproduction Science. - : Elsevier Masson. - 0378-4320 .- 1873-2232. ; 138:3-4, s. 241-251
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- At present, the only repeatable means of selecting the sex of offspring is the Beltsville semen sorting technology using flow cytometry (FC). This technology has reached commercial status in the bovine industry and substantial advances have occurred recently in swine and ovine species. In the equine species, however, the technology is not as well developed. To better understand the changes induced in stallion spermatozoa during the sorting procedure, pooled sperm samples were sorted: sperm motility and kinematics were assessed using computer assisted sperm analysis, sperm membrane integrity was assessed using the YoPro-1 assay, while plasmalemmal stability and lipid architecture were assessed using Merocyanine 540/SYTOX green and Annexin-V, respectively. Lipid peroxidation was also investigated with the probe Bodipy(581/591)-C11. All assays were performed shortly after collection, after incubation and after sex sorting using FC. In order to characterize potential molecular mechanisms implicated in sperm damage, an apoptosis protein antibody dot plot array analysis was performed before and after sorting. While the percentage of total motile sperm remained unchanged, sex sorting reduced the percentages of progressive motile spermatozoa and of rapid spermatozoa as well as curvilinear velocity (VCL). Sperm membranes responded to sorting with an increase in the percentage of YoPro-1 positive cells, suggesting the sorted spermatozoa had a reduced energy status that was confirmed by measuring intracellular ATP content.
|
|
| 3. |
- Bodin, Hristina, et al.
(författare)
-
Hydraulic performance of small free water surface constructed wetlands treating sugar factory effluent in western Kenya
- 2012
-
Ingår i: HYDROLOGY RESEARCH. - : IWA PUBLISHING. - 1998-9563 .- 0029-1277 .- 2224-7955. ; 43:4, s. 476-488
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated, using a lithium salt tracer, how macrophyte species and hydraulic loading rate (HLR) of wastewater influenced hydraulics in constructed wetlands (CWs). Four pilot-scale CWs received 45 mm day(-1) of pre-treated sugar factory effluent and another four received 110 mm day(-1). Half the CWs were planted with Cyperus papyrus and half with Echinochloa pyramidalis. Results showed a significant negative connection between tracer mass recovery and wetland water leakages. Also, a significant negative relationship between active wetland water volume and macrophyte density was detected. Further, a significant effect of HLR on mass removal rates of NH4+-N was observed. However, no significant effect of either HLR or macrophyte species on wetland hydraulic parameters was found.
|
|
| 4. |
- Bodin, Hristina, et al.
(författare)
-
Influence of residence time analyses on estimates of wetland hydraulics and pollutant removal
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Journal of Hydrology. - : Elsevier. - 0022-1694 .- 1879-2707. ; 501, s. 1-12
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hydraulic tracer studies are frequently used to estimate wetland residence time distributions (RTDs) and ultimately pollutant removal. However, there is no consensus on how to analyse these data. We set out to (i) review the different methods used and (ii) use simulations to explore how the data analysis method influences the quantification of wetland hydraulics and pollutant removal. The results showed that the method influences the water dispersion (N) most strongly and the removal least strongly. The influence increased with decreasing effective volume ratio (e) and N, indicating a greater effect of the method in wetlands with low effective volume and high dispersion. The method of moments with RTD truncation at 3 times the theoretical residence time (t(n)) and tracer background concentration produced the most dissimilar parameters. The most similar parameters values were those for gamma modelling and the method of moments with RTD truncation at tracer background concentration. For correct removal estimates, e was more important than N. However, the results from the literature review and simulations indicated that previously published articles may contain overestimated e and underestimated N values as a result of frequent RTD truncations at 3t(n), when using the method of moments. As a result, the removal rates may also be overestimated by as much as 14% compared to other truncation methods or modelling. Thus, it is recommended that wetland hydraulic tracer studies should use the same method, specifically, RTD truncation. We conclude that the choice of tracer data analysis method can greatly influence the quantifications of wetland hydraulics and removal rate.
|
|
| 5. |
- Bolarin, A., et al.
(författare)
-
Use of frozen-thawed semen aggravates the summer-autumn infertility of artificially inseminated weaned sows in the Mediterranean region
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Journal of Animal Science. - : American Society of Animal Science. - 0021-8812 .- 1525-3163. ; 87:12, s. 3967-3975
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Improvement of farrowing rate (FR) and litter size (LS) of sows that are AI with frozen-thawed (FT) semen can hardly be reached without identification of the factors behind the high variability seen among trials. Three experiments using weaned (4-d wean-to-estrus interval) multiparous (parity 2 to 7) sows were conducted to evaluate the effect of period of the year on FR and LS of FT-inseminated sows in southern Spain. Sows were grouped into 2 periods of the year: winter-spring (November to April; WS) and summer-autumn (May to October; SA). Ovarian status was monitored by transrectal ultrasonography to record how long before or after ovulation AI was performed (pre-, peri-, or postovulatory AI) and to determine the onset of estrus-to-ovulation interval (EOI). Inseminations were performed using deep intrauterine AI with 1.5 x 109 FT sperm per dose. The first experiment was designed to determine the influence of the period of the year on FR and LS of FT semen. Sows (116 in WS and 100 in SA) were AI at 33 and 39 h after the onset of estrus. The period of the year influenced the FR and LS (P less than 0.01). Farrowing rate and LS were least in SA (P less than 0.05). This pattern of annual variation was similar to that shown by sows on the same farm currently undergoing AI with liquid semen (cervical AI at 12 and 36 h after the onset of estrus with 3 x 109 sperm per dose). However, the FR reduction in SA respect to WS was more substantial in sows artificially inseminated with FT (77.6 vs. 50%, P less than 0.001) than those artificially inseminated with liquid semen (83.9 vs. 71.8%, P less than 0.05). More pre- and less periovulatory AI were performed in SA sows than in WS sows (P = 0.05). Experiment 2 was designed to evaluate whether the period of the year influenced EOI. Ovarian status was transrectal ultrasonography scanned every 6 h after the onset of estrus until the end of ovulation (WS: 30; SA: 31 sows). There were more sows with long EOI (greater than48 h) in SA than in WS (P = 0.05). Experiment 3 aimed to improve the reduced FR and LS recorded in SA sows when using FT semen (Exp. 1) by inducing ovulation with eCG + hCG. A single AI with FT semen was performed 5 h before the expected ovulation (55 sows). As a control, spontaneously ovulating sows (n = 53) were FT-inseminated as in Exp. 1. Hormonal induction of ovulation did not improve FR and LS (P greater than 0.05). In the Spanish Mediterranean area, a longer EOI during SA negatively influenced the FR and LS of weaned sows after AI. This effect was particularly evident when FT semen was used. These findings were not ameliorated by hormonal induction of ovulation.
|
|
| 6. |
- Brandt, Y., et al.
(författare)
-
Effects of continuous elevated cortisol concentrations during oestrus on concentrations and patterns of progesterone, oestradiol and LH in the sow
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Animal Reproduction Science. - : Elsevier Masson. - 0378-4320 .- 1873-2232. ; 110:1-2, s. 172-185
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated the effect of continuous elevated cortisol concentrations during standing oestrus on time of ovulation and patterns Of progesterone. oestradiol and luteinising, hormone (LH) in sows. The elevation of cortisol concentrations was achieved through repeated intravenous injections of synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) every 2 It for approximately 48 h, from the onset of the second standing oestrus alter weaning. Treatment was terminated when ovulation was detected (monitored by transrectal ultrasonography every 4h) or when (lie sow had received a maximum of 24 injections. The close of ACTH (2.5 mu g/kg) was chosen to mimic the cortisol concentrations seen during mixing of unfamiliar SOWS. The sows (n = 14) Were surgically fitted with jugular vein catheters and randomly divided into a control (C group) where only NaCl solution were injected) or an ACTH group. Blood samples were collected every 2 h. In parallel with the blood sampling, saliva samples for cortisol analyses were taken from eight sows before onset of treatment and from four of the sows during treatment. There was no difference in time from onset of standing, oestrus to ovulation between the two groups. The interval between the peaks of oestradiol and LH to ovulation was prolonged in the ACTH group compared to the C group (p less than 0.05). with a tendency towards all earlier decline of oestradiol in the ACTH group. Cortisol and progesterone Concentrations were significantly elevated during treatment in the ACTH group (p less than 0.001). with cortisol peak concentrations occurring between 40 and 80 min after each ACTH injection. Cortisol concentrations in saliva and Plasma were highly correlated (p less than 0.001). In conclusion, elevated cortisol concentrations from the onset of standing oestrus increase progesterone concentrations and prolong the interval between oestradiol and LH peaks to ovulation, the latter possible due to an early decline in oestradiol concentrations and a change of the LH peak outline. the effect these hormonal changes have on reproductive performance need to be further investigated. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
|
|
| 7. |
- Brohede, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
-
Multifunctional implant coatings providing possibilities for fast antibiotics loading with subsequent slow release
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0957-4530 .- 1573-4838. ; 20:9, s. 1859-1867
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The possibility to fast-load biomimetic hydroxyapatite coatings on surgical implant with the antibiotics Amoxicillin, Gentamicin sulfate, Tobramycin and Cephalothin has been investigated in order to develop a multifunctional implant device offering sustained local anti-bacterial treatment and giving the surgeon the possibility to choose which antibiotics to incorporate in the implant at the site of surgery. Physical vapor deposition was used to coat titanium surfaces with an adhesion enhancing gradient layer of titanium oxide having an amorphous oxygen poor composition at the interface and a crystalline bioactive anatase TiO2 composition at the surface. Hydroxyapatite (HA) was biomimetically grown on the bioactive TiO2 to serve as a combined bone in-growth promoter and drug delivery vehicle. The coating was characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The antibiotics were loaded into the HA coatings via soaking and the subsequent release and antibacterial effect were analyzed using UV spectroscopy and examination of inhibition zones in a Staphylococcus aureus containing agar. It was found that a short drug loading time of 15 min ensured antibacterial effects after 24 h for all antibiotics under study. It was further found that the release processes of Cephalothin and Amoxicillin consisted of an initial rapid drug release that varied unpredictably in amount followed by a reproducible and sustained release process with a release rate independent of the drug loading times under study. Thus, implants that have been fast-loaded with drugs could be stored for ~10 min in a simulated body fluid after loading to ensure reproducibility in the subsequent release process. Calculated release rates and measurements of drug amounts remaining in the samples after 22 h of release indicated that a therapeutically relevant dose could be achieved close to the implant surface for about 2 days. Concluding, the present study provides an outline for the development of a fast-loading slow-release surgical implant kit where the implant and the drug are separated when delivered to the surgeon, thus constituting a flexible solution for the surgeon by offering the choice of quick addition of antibiotics to the implant coating based on the patient need.
|
|
| 8. |
- Brunberg, Emma, et al.
(författare)
-
Behavioural and Brain Gene Expression Profiling in Pigs during Tail Biting Outbreaks – Evidence of a Tail Biting Resistant Phenotype
- 2013
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 8:6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abnormal tail biting behaviour is a major welfare problem for pigs receiving the behaviour, as well as an indication of decreased welfare in the pigs performing it. However, not all pigs in a pen perform or receive tail biting behaviour and it has recently been shown that these ‘neutral’ pigs not only differ in their behaviour, but also in their gene expression compared to performers and receivers of tail biting in the same pen. To investigate whether this difference was linked to the cause or a consequence of them not being involved in the outbreak of tail biting, behaviour and brain gene expression was compared with ‘control’ pigs housed in pens with no tail biting. It was shown that the pigs housed in control pens performed a wider variety of pig-directed abnormal behaviour (belly nosing 0.95±1.59, tail in mouth 0.31±0.60 and ‘other‘ abnormal 1.53±4.26; mean±S.D) compared to the neutral pigs (belly nosing 0.30±0.62, tail in mouth 0.13±0.50 and “other“ abnormal 0.42±1.06). With Affymetrix gene expression arrays, 107 transcripts were identified as differently expressed (p<0.05) between these two categories of pigs. Several of these transcripts had already been shown to be differently expressed in the neutral pigs when they were compared to performers and receivers of tail biting in the same pen in an earlier study. Hence, the different expression of these genes cannot be a consequence of the neutral pigs not being involved in tail biting behaviour, but rather linked to the cause contributing to why they were not involved in tail biting interactions. These neutral pigs seem to have a genetic and behavioural profile that somehow contributes to them being resistant to performing or receiving pig-directed abnormal behaviour, such as tail biting, even when housed in an environment that elicits that behaviour in other pigs.
|
|
| 9. |
- Buranaamnuay, K., et al.
(författare)
-
Effects of Straw Volume and Equex-STM (R) on Boar Sperm Quality after Cryopreservation
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Reproduction in domestic animals. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0936-6768 .- 1439-0531. ; 44:1, s. 69-73
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present experiments were designed to study the effect of adding the detergent Equex-STM (R) to freezing extender, and of straw volume (0.25 ml vs 0.5 ml), on boar sperm quality after cryopreservation. Three ejaculates from each of four purebred boars (three Landrace and one Yorkshire) were collected and frozen with a lactose-egg yolk extender containing glycerol with or without 1.5% Equex-STM (R). The extended semen was loaded into either 0.25- or 0.5-ml straws. The straws were placed in liquid nitrogen (LN2) vapour approximately 3 cm above the level of LN2 for 20 min and then were plunged into LN2. Thawing was achieved in warm water at 50 degrees C for 12 s and then was incubated in a 38 degrees C water-bath for 30 min before evaluating sperm quality. Results showed that the individual motility, viability and acrosomal normal apical ridge (NAR) were improved (p less than 0.001) when Equex-STM (R) was added to the freezing extender. There was no difference (p = 0.48) in sperm motility between 0.25- and 0.5-ml straws when Equex-STM (R) was added. The percentages of viable and of NAR sperm in 0.5-ml straws were higher than those in 0.25-ml straws (p = 0.02, p = 0.0003 respectively). The percentages of membrane intact sperm evaluated using the short hypo-osmotic swelling test were not affected by straw volume or the adding of Equex-STM (R) (p greater than 0.05). The results of these investigations suggested that Equex-STM (R) exerts a beneficial effect on the quality of cryopreserved boar semen and this cryopreservation protocol was favourable for a 0.5-ml straw.
|
|
| 10. |
- Cuello, C., et al.
(författare)
-
Superfine open pulled straws vitrification of porcine blastocysts does not require pretreatment with cytochalasin B and/or centrifugation
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Reproduction, Fertility and Development. - : CSIRO Publishing. - 1031-3613 .- 1448-5990. ; 22:5, s. 808-817
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study investigated the in vitro development of and cytoskeletal disruption suffered by in vivo-derived porcine blastocysts subjected to superfine open pulled straws (SOPS) vitrification. Blastocysts were either untreated prior to SOPS vitrification or were subjected to one of the following three pretreatment protocols: (1) centrifugation (12 min, 13 000g); (2) 25 min equilibration with 7.5 mu g mL(-1) cytochalasin B; or (3) equilibration with cytochalasin B followed by centrifugation. After 24 h culture, fresh (n = 32) and vitrified-warmed (n = 188) blastocysts were evaluated by stereomicroscopy, with survival and hatching rates recorded. Some blastocysts were stained with 4,6-diamidino2- phenylindole and processed for cytoskeletal evaluation. Three cytoskeletal patterns were identified: Grade I, intact cytoskeleton; Grade II, gross maintenance of integrity, but with some clumps of actin within the cytoplasm; and Grade III, a highly disrupted cytoskeleton. There were no differences in the survival, hatching and cell death rats, total cell number or cytoskeletal integrity between the different vitrification groups. Cell death was greater for vitrified blastocysts than for fresh blastocysts (3.6 +/- 0.4% v. 0.4 +/- 0.7%, respectively; P less than 0.05) and the percentage of blastocysts with a Grade I cytoskeletal pattern was lower for vitrified compared with fresh blastocysts (60.8% v. 92%, respectively; P less than 0.05). The vitrified-warmed blastocysts that hatched during culture exhibited a Grade I cytoskeletal pattern. In conclusion, successful SOPS vitrification of porcine blastocysts does not require pretreatment with cytochalasin B and/or centrifugation.
|
|
