[A case of 63,X/64,XX mosaicism in a subfertile pony mare]. / Ein Fall von 63,X/64,XX Mosaizismus bei einer subfertilen Ponystute.

INTRODUCTION: The present case report describes a 6-year old subfertile pony mare, which became pregnant after the eleventh artificial insemination. The examination of the ovaries and the uterus did not reveal any abnormal clinical findings and the mare showed a regular oestrous cycle. Based on cytogenetic and molecular genetic analyses it became possible to elucidate the observed subfertility. The mosaic karyotype of the mare consisted of 63,X (20%) and 64,XX (80%) cells. A PCR analysis failed to amplify sequences from the equine SRY gene. The observed classic 63,X/64,XX mosaicism is a plausible explanation for the subfertility of the mare.

MouseMine: a new data warehouse for MGI.

MouseMine (www.mousemine.org) is a new data warehouse for accessing mouse data from Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI). Based on the InterMine software framework, MouseMine supports powerful query, reporting, and analysis capabilities, the ability to save and combine results from different queries, easy integration into larger workflows, and a comprehensive Web Services layer. Through MouseMine, users can access a significant portion of MGI data in new and useful ways. Importantly, MouseMine is also a member of a growing community of online data resources based on InterMine, including those established by other model organism databases. Adopting common interfaces and collaborating on data representation standards are critical to fostering cross-species data analysis. This paper presents a general introduction to MouseMine, presents examples of its use, and discusses the potential for further integration into the MGI interface.

The Mouse Tumor Biology Database (MTB): a central electronic resource for locating and integrating mouse tumor pathology data.

The Mouse Tumor Biology Database (MTB) is designed to provide an electronic data storage, search, and analysis system for information on mouse models of human cancer. The MTB includes data on tumor frequency and latency, strain, germ line, and somatic genetics, pathologic notations, and photomicrographs. The MTB collects data from the primary literature, other public databases, and direct submissions from the scientific community. The MTB is a community resource that provides integrated access to mouse tumor data from different scientific research areas and facilitates integration of molecular, genetic, and pathologic data. Current status of MTB, search capabilities, data types, and future enhancements are described in this article.

The IntAct molecular interaction database in 2010.

IntAct is an open-source, open data molecular interaction database and toolkit. Data is abstracted from the literature or from direct data depositions by expert curators following a deep annotation model providing a high level of detail. As of September 2009, IntAct contains over 200.000 curated binary interaction evidences. In response to the growing data volume and user requests, IntAct now provides a two-tiered view of the interaction data. The search interface allows the user to iteratively develop complex queries, exploiting the detailed annotation with hierarchical controlled vocabularies. Results are provided at any stage in a simplified, tabular view. Specialized views then allows 'zooming in' on the full annotation of interactions, interactors and their properties. IntAct source code and data are freely available at http://www.ebi.ac.uk/intact.

Penicillium poederi and P. tirolense, two new species of section Torulomyces.

Here we describe two new species of the genus Penicillium section Torulomyces with solitary phialides. Penicillium poederi sp. nov. was isolated from volcanic soils in Iceland. Penicillium tirolense sp. nov. was isolated from a sporocarp of Serpula lacrymans. Both species are characterised by slow growth rates and the production of a brown soluble pigment on CYA, conidiophores with solitary ampulliform phialides with smooth-walled stipes and warty, globose conidia and with connectives without visible rings. The spores of. P. poederi are 2.5 µm diam, while the spores of P. tirolense are 2.0 µm diam. In a multigene phylogeny based on the ITS, BenA, CaM and RPB2 gene regions P. tubakianum and P. wollemiicola are the closest relatives of P. poederi. This species differs from P. tubakianum and P. wollemiicola by its growth rates and by its pigmentation. The holotype of P. poederi is IB2017/0007, while SF014017 (CBS 147622) is a culture derived from the holotype. The closest relatives of P. tirolense are P. austricola and P. riverlandense. It differs from P. austricola by lower growth rates on all tested media and temperatures and by its larger spores. It differs from P. riverlandense by lower growth rates and the absence of growth at 37 °C. The holotype of P. tirolense is IBF2019/0162, while SF015108 (CBS 147625) is a culture derived from the holotype. Citation: Kirchmair M, Embacher J, Heimdörfer D, Walch G, Neuhauser S (2022). Penicillium poederi and Penicillium tirolense, two new species of section Torulomyces. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10: 91-101. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.03.

Effect of altrenogest-treatment of mares in late gestation on adrenocortical function, blood count and plasma electrolytes in their foals.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Mares with compromised pregnancies are often treated with altrenogest to prevent abortion. However, there is only limited information about effects on the foal when altrenogest treatment is continued during final maturation of the fetus. OBJECTIVES: To determine effects of altrenogest treatment during late gestation in mares on maturity, haematology changes, adrenocortical function and serum electrolytes in their newborn foals. METHODS: Six mares were treated with altrenogest (0.088 mg/kg bwt) once daily from Day 280 of pregnancy until foaling and 7 mares served as controls. RESULTS: Foals born to altrenogest-treated mares had a significantly lower neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio on the first day after birth than control foals (P<0.05). Basal plasma cortisol concentrations immediately after birth were higher in foals of altrenogest-treated mares than in control foals (P<0.05). Cortisol release in response to exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)--except for higher values 15 min after ACTH injection in foals of altrenogest-treated mares on Day 1--revealed no differences in adrenocortical function between the groups of foals. Plasma potassium concentration in foals from altrenogest-treated mares compared to control foals was significantly lower immediately after birth (P<0.05) and plasma ionised calcium concentration was significantly lower 3 h after birth (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Altrenogest treatment of pregnant mares prolonged labour had no major effects on adrenocortical function in foals. A reduced neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in these foals may suggest either immunomodulatory effects of altrenogest or dysmaturity of the foals.

Effects of altrenogest treatment of mares in late pregnancy on parturition and on neonatal viability of their foals.

In this study, effects of altrenogest treatment (0.088 mg/kg daily) given to mares during late gestation until parturition on the time and the process of foaling, neonatal adaptation and postnatal development were analysed. The number of animals was 6 in the treatment group and 7 in the control group. Gestational length tended to be shorter in mares given altrenogest. Birth weight of the foals and weight of the placenta did not differ between groups. The second stage of parturition was prolonged in the altrenogest-treated mares (p<0.05). Foals born to altrenogest-treated mares had a significantly lower respiratory rate than control foals during the first 30 minutes of life (p<0.05). At no time differences in heart rate and body temperature were found between groups. In foals of altrenogest treated mares, venous plasma pH was significantly higher than in control foals at 15 and 30 minutes after birth (p<0.05). Base excess in foals of altrenogest treated mares was significantly higher than in control foals at 45 minutes and up to 12 hours after birth (p<0.05). There were significantly more problems in the perinatal period (3/6) in foals born after altrenogest treatment to their dams than in control foals (0/7; p<0.05). In conclusion, treatment with altrenogest did not prevent parturition and its effectiveness to prevent abortion or preterm foalings in mares with disturbed pregnancies should be doubted. In addition, altrenogest treatment of mares affected adaptation of the foals to the extrauterine environment.

Dose-dependent effects of homologous seminal plasma on motility and kinematic characteristics of post-thaw stallion epididymal spermatozoa.

Preservation of epididymal spermatozoa is important to save genetic material of endangered species and breeds, or in case of unexpected injury, which will end the breeding career of valuable sires. Seminal plasma (SP) influences sperm quality in a dose-dependent manner and its addition to preserved semen immediately before insemination may be beneficial for sperm fertility. Increased plasma membrane stability of epididymal spermatozoa reduces freezing injury of cells, and the addition of SP after freezing and thawing might have activating and protecting effects on spermatozoa within the female genital tract. In this study, epididymal spermatozoa were harvested by retrograde flush of the epididymal cauda immediately after routine castration and frozen. Seminal plasma was collected from other six stallions. Homologous SP (SP from the same species, but from a different animal) was added to frozen-thawed epididymal spermatozoa at concentrations of 0, 5, 20, 50 and 80% SP. Addition of SP increased sperm motility and influenced kinematic values in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Motility improved at concentrations of 20 and 50% SP, but did not further increase at 80% SP. There was no difference in sperm motility among SP from six different donor stallions regardless of the concentrations of SP (p > 0.05). Total and progressive motility of ten frozen-thawed epididymal spermatozoa samples collected from different stallions after dilution with extender and 5, 20, 50 or 80% SP differed significantly (p < 0.05). In conclusion, addition of homologous SP to frozen-thawed stallion epididymal spermatozoa immediately improved motility in a dose-dependent manner regardless of semen quality of SP donor stallions. This might positively influence fertility when SP is added before insemination. Moreover, there seems to be a threshold level of SP concentration for optimal improvement of sperm motility.

Colour analysis of the equine endometrium: comparison of spectrophotometry and computer-assisted analysis of photographs within the L*a*b* colour space system.

The aims of this study were to compare two different methods of quantifying the colour of the luminal surface of the equine endometrium and to relate the results to histopathological evidence of inflammation and fibrosis. The mucosal surfaces of 17 equine uteri obtained from an abattoir were assessed using a spectrophotometer and by computer-assisted analysis of photographs. Values were converted into L(*)a(*)b(*) colour space. Although there was significant correlation between the two methods of quantification, variations in 'brightness', 'red' and 'yellow' values were noted. Within a given uterus, measurements using the spectrophotometer did not differ significantly. Using photographic analysis, brightness differed between horns, although no differences in chromaticity were found. Histopathological classification of changes within endometria corresponded to measured differences in colour. Extensive fibrosis was associated with increased brightness and decreased chromaticity using both methods. Inflammation correlated with reduced chromaticity, when measured by spectrophotometry, and with reduced brightness and yellow values, when assessed photographically. For this technique to gain wider acceptance as a diagnostic tool, e.g. for the endoscopic evaluation of uterine mucosae in vivo, standardised illumination techniques will be required so that colours can be compared and interpreted accurately.

CD 45/67 immunobead preparation of human semen activates granulocytes.

In human semen reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by spermatozoa or leukocytes can impair spermatozoa functions. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of CD 45- and/or CD 67 immunobead preparation on the chemiluminescence (CL) of seminal plasma free ejaculate cells (= original cell suspension), as well as of the spermatozoa and leukocyte fractions. The original cell suspensions of 68 infertile and 8 fertile men were incubated with CD 45 or CD 67 immunobeads. After separation in a magnetic field the luminol chemiluminescence of the original cell suspensions, the spermatozoa and the leukocyte fractions were recorded on a luminometer. Spermatozoa fractions did not contain any leukocytes as no increase in CL-counts occurred after addition of FMLP. The number of peroxidase-positive cells (per 10(7) spermatozoa) correlated with the CL of the original cell suspensions (r = 0.7; P < 0.0001) as well as the CL of the spermatozoa and the leukocyte fractions after CD 45 or CD 67-preparation (r = 0.64; P < 0.0001). The CL of the spermatozoa and of the leukocyte fractions after CD 45 immunobead incubation were significantly correlated (r = 0.091; P < 0.0001). According to these data contaminating leukocytes could be eliminated by immunobead preparation. However, incubation of original cell suspensions with CD 45 or CD 67 immunobeads stimulated leukocytes to release soluble products resulting in elevated CL signals both in the leukocyte and the spermatozoa fractions. These effects have to be taken into account when using immunobeads for the preparation of human semen.