Evaluation of corpus luteum vascularization in recipient mares by using color Doppler ultrasound

Background: Embryo transfer is one of the most commonly used reproductive biotechnique. The success of embryotransfer is also affected by the synchrony of estrus and ovulation between donor and recipient animals. In horse reproduction, ultrasonography has been used, among other purposes, to diagnose early pregnancy. However, only the color Dopplerimaging mode makes it possible to evaluate the vascular architecture and the hemodynamic aspects of the vessels in severalorgans, especially the corpus luteum. The objective of this study was to evaluate, based on the color Doppler ultrasound,the corpus luteum vascularization and function from recipient mares at embryo transfer timing.Materials, Methods & Results: Mangalarga Machador mares from 5 to 10-year-old and a range of live weights of between350 to 450 kg were used for this experiment, kept in pasture-based on mombaça grass (Panicum maximum) and were givenad libitum access to water and mineral supplementation. The animals (n = 15) were gynecologically examined and uterineconsistency was evaluated by rectal palpation the same operator using an ultrasound system (SonoScape®) with a lineartransducer, and operating frequency ranging from 5 to 10 Mhz. The uterine tone was classified between grades 1 and 4 andsubjected to ovulation induction. The objective and subjective vascular perfusion of the corpus luteum was evaluated bycolor Doppler ultrasound on the day of embryo transfer and endometrium. The determination progesterone concentrationon the day of the embryo transfer was performed by direct chemiluminescence assay. The arcsine (√P/100) transformation was applied to the percentage data, and the results were expressed as mean (.) ± standard error of the mean (SEM).Further, the assumptions of normality and homoscedasticity were verified, respectively, based on the Shapiro-Wilk and...

Evaluation of corpus luteum vascularization in recipient mares by using color Doppler ultrasound

Background: Embryo transfer is one of the most commonly used reproductive biotechnique. The success of embryotransfer is also affected by the synchrony of estrus and ovulation between donor and recipient animals. In horse reproduction, ultrasonography has been used, among other purposes, to diagnose early pregnancy. However, only the color Dopplerimaging mode makes it possible to evaluate the vascular architecture and the hemodynamic aspects of the vessels in severalorgans, especially the corpus luteum. The objective of this study was to evaluate, based on the color Doppler ultrasound,the corpus luteum vascularization and function from recipient mares at embryo transfer timing.Materials, Methods & Results: Mangalarga Machador mares from 5 to 10-year-old and a range of live weights of between350 to 450 kg were used for this experiment, kept in pasture-based on mombaça grass (Panicum maximum) and were givenad libitum access to water and mineral supplementation. The animals (n = 15) were gynecologically examined and uterineconsistency was evaluated by rectal palpation the same operator using an ultrasound system (SonoScape®) with a lineartransducer, and operating frequency ranging from 5 to 10 Mhz. The uterine tone was classified between grades 1 and 4 andsubjected to ovulation induction. The objective and subjective vascular perfusion of the corpus luteum was evaluated bycolor Doppler ultrasound on the day of embryo transfer and endometrium. The determination progesterone concentrationon the day of the embryo transfer was performed by direct chemiluminescence assay. The arcsine (√P/100) transformation was applied to the percentage data, and the results were expressed as mean (.) ± standard error of the mean (SEM).Further, the assumptions of normality and homoscedasticity were verified, respectively, based on the Shapiro-Wilk and...(AU)

Effect of green tea extract (Camellia sinensis) on the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats submitted or not to testicular heat shock

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of green tea extract (GTE) on the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular heat shock (HS). For this, 48 animals were treated according to the experimental groups (G1: not exposed to HS and untreated; G2: exposed to HS and untreated; G3: not exposed to HS and treated with GTE; G4: exposed to HS and treated with GTE). Subgroups of rats were euthanized on days 15, 30, and 60 to recover the spermatozoa. The total motility (TM), vigor, spermatic morphology and concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity (ACi) were analyzed. The TM was higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4 on day 30, and higher in G4 on day 60. The overall means of TM and vigor were higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as TM on day 60. For the morphology, G2 and G4 were lower than G1 and G3 on day 15, and G4 was lower than G1 and G3 on day 30. Moreover, in G1 and G3 morphology was higher on days 15 and 30, and in G4 it was lower on day 30, with the overall means being higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as on days 15 and 60 compared to day 30. The overall mean of ACi, on day 30, was lower than on days 15 and 60 for all the groups. Therefore, HS is shown to be widely deleterious to the gametes, and the daily administration of 100 mg/kg green tea extract does not improve the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular HS, although it leads to better recovery of spermatic motility and morphology at 60 days.

Effect of green tea extract (Camellia sinensis) on the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats submitted or not to testicular heat shock

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of green tea extract (GTE) on the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular heat shock (HS). For this, 48 animals were treated according to the experimental groups (G1: not exposed to HS and untreated; G2: exposed to HS and untreated; G3: not exposed to HS and treated with GTE; G4: exposed to HS and treated with GTE). Subgroups of rats were euthanized on days 15, 30, and 60 to recover the spermatozoa. The total motility (TM), vigor, spermatic morphology and concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity (ACi) were analyzed. The TM was higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4 on day 30, and higher in G4 on day 60. The overall means of TM and vigor were higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as TM on day 60. For the morphology, G2 and G4 were lower than G1 and G3 on day 15, and G4 was lower than G1 and G3 on day 30. Moreover, in G1 and G3 morphology was higher on days 15 and 30, and in G4 it was lower on day 30, with the overall means being higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as on days 15 and 60 compared to day 30. The overall mean of ACi, on day 30, was lower than on days 15 and 60 for all the groups. Therefore, HS is shown to be widely deleterious to the gametes, and the daily administration of 100 mg/kg green tea extract does not improve the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular HS, although it leads to better recovery of spermatic motility and morphology at 60 days.(AU)

Functional assessment of diluent choice for semen cryopreservation from stallions with high and low freezability

Background: Fertility using horse frozen-thawed semen remains lower than in other livestock species. This fact suggeststhat horse semen hold intrinsic sensitivity to cryoinjury that must be investigated. Moreover, there is substantial evidenceof genetic factors upon horse cryopreservation outcome. Nonetheless, diluent and cryoprotectant choice for horse semencryopreservation are under intense research. Thus these factors could be explored to identify conditions that may increasesemen viability after thawing. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of diluents Botu-Crio®,Lactose-EDTA®, andINRA-82® on cryopreserved semen from stallions with high (HFA) and low freezability (LFA).Materials, Methods & Results: Frozen-thawed semen was evaluated for motility and membrane integrity using computerassisted semen analysis (CASA), and also inferred for sperm DNA fragmentation by sperm chromatin structure assay during the thermoresistance test (TRT). Comparisons for each parameter were done in a pair-wise fashion between HFA andLFA semen at one-hour intervals during the TRT (0 h - 4 h). Sperm motility in HFA, regardless of the diluent, was larger(P 0.05)at 0 h and 3 h. Sperm DNA fragmentation was lower (P < 0.05) in HFA semen at 0 h and 1 h.Discussion: Artificial insemination in horses using frozen-thawed semen is gaining wider acceptance under commercialsettings, although its current limited outreach due to low semen viability after thawing. Therefore, several efforts weremade toward ...

Functional assessment of diluent choice for semen cryopreservation from stallions with high and low freezability

Background: Fertility using horse frozen-thawed semen remains lower than in other livestock species. This fact suggeststhat horse semen hold intrinsic sensitivity to cryoinjury that must be investigated. Moreover, there is substantial evidenceof genetic factors upon horse cryopreservation outcome. Nonetheless, diluent and cryoprotectant choice for horse semencryopreservation are under intense research. Thus these factors could be explored to identify conditions that may increasesemen viability after thawing. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of diluents Botu-Crio®,Lactose-EDTA®, andINRA-82® on cryopreserved semen from stallions with high (HFA) and low freezability (LFA).Materials, Methods & Results: Frozen-thawed semen was evaluated for motility and membrane integrity using computerassisted semen analysis (CASA), and also inferred for sperm DNA fragmentation by sperm chromatin structure assay during the thermoresistance test (TRT). Comparisons for each parameter were done in a pair-wise fashion between HFA andLFA semen at one-hour intervals during the TRT (0 h - 4 h). Sperm motility in HFA, regardless of the diluent, was larger(P < 0.05) than LFA, both on 0h and 1h. In the 2h evaluation, sperm motility using Botu-Crio® and Lactose-EDTA® wasgreater (P < 0.05) for HFA. Analysis of sperm membrane integrity was similar between HFA and LFA semen (P > 0.05)at 0 h and 3 h. Sperm DNA fragmentation was lower (P < 0.05) in HFA semen at 0 h and 1 h.Discussion: Artificial insemination in horses using frozen-thawed semen is gaining wider acceptance under commercialsettings, although its current limited outreach due to low semen viability after thawing. Therefore, several efforts weremade toward ... (AU)