Abstract The aim of this study was to compare embryo production efficiency in Flemish and Holstein donor females using ovum pick-up and in vitro fertilization (OPU-IVF) or in vivo production (superovulation; SOV) procedures. The study was conducted using a split-plot design, with eight Flemish and eight Holstein non-lactating cycling females. Females were subjected to ten weekly OPU/IVF sessions and/or two SOV/embryo collections sessions at a 63-day interval, for a total of 160 OPU-IVF and 32 SOV sessions. Mean numbers of follicles and corpora lutea, and cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) recovery rates were similar between breeds after the OPU and SOV sessions. However, Flemish donors yielded better quality grade II COCs (301, 41.9%) than Holstein females (609, and 202, 33.1%). Also, cleavage and blastocyst rates, and the total number and the mean number of viable embryos obtained after OPU-IVF were higher in Flemish (49.6% and 11.8%, and 63 and 11.8 per donor, respectively) than in Holstein (32.8% and 7.2%, and 34 and 7.2 per donor, respectively) females. Flemish females were also more efficient in yielding viable embryos after SOV (111, 7.3 per donor) than Holstein (48, 3.3 per donor) females. Overall, Flemish donor females had better responses to OPU-IVF or SOV procedures than Holstein counterparts. Irrespective of the breeds, SOV procedures were more efficient than OPU-IVF in yielding more viable embryos, under the conditions of this study. Both reproductive procedures were useful tools for the genetic conservation of the Flemish cattle breed in Southern Brazil.

Abstract Introduction The predictability of nasal tip projection and rotation after aesthetic surgery is a challenge. Tongue-in-groove (TIG) is an effective technique to control tip projection and rotation, but there may be a small loss of projection and rotation of the tip lobe due to lack of support between the anterior septal angle and the domus, since this region is sustained by medial crusts suture-linked and interdomus sutures. Objective To describe a new surgery technique in an attempt to correct the lack of support for the nasal tip after lowering the nasal dorsum. Methods The horn technique consists in preserving a square of cartilage during the removal of the nasal dorsum and septum excess in patients with long and projected nose. This piece will give greater support to the TIG technique and greater predictability of the rotation and projection of the nasal tip. Results Between 2016 and 2018, 50 patients with long and projected noses were submitted to the “horn technique” surgery. They were submitted to the TIG technique associated to the horn technique. A retrospective review of the preoperative and postoperative photographs (3 months to 1 year) of these patients treated with the horn technique were analyzed and showed better support of the nasal tip. Conclusion The horn technique provides greater support to the projection and rotation of rhinoplasties in patients with long and projected nose.

The goal of this work is to propose a new methodology to simulate turbulent thermal wall flows using the classical κ - ε model. The focus of this approach is based on the manner used to implement heat flux boundary conditions on the solid walls. In order to explain and to validate this new algorithm, several test cases are presented, testing a great range of flows in order to analyze the numerical response on different physical aspects of the fluid flow. The proposed approach uses simultaneously a thermal wall law, an analogy between fluid friction and heat transfer and an interpolating polynomial relation that is constructed with a data base generated on experimental research and numerical simulation. The algorithm used to execute the numerical simulations applies the classical κ - ε model with a consolidate Reynolds and Favre averaging process for the turbulent variables. The turbulent inner layer can be modeled by four distinct velocity wall laws and by one temperature wall law. Spacial discretization is done by P1 and P1/isoP2 finite elements and the temporal discretization is implemented using a semi-implicit sequential scheme of finite differences. The pressure-velocity coupling is numerically solved by a variation of Uzawa's algorithm. To filter the numerical noises, originated by the symmetric treatment of the convective fluxes, it is adopted a balance dissipation method. The remaining non-linearities, due to explicit calculations of boundary conditions by wall laws, are treated by a minimal residual method.

O objetivo deste experimento foi determinar o intervalo entre o início do estro induzido ou espontâneo e a ovulação em fêmeas bubalinas (Bubalus bubalis) com o auxílio da ultra-sonografia, o que permitirá a determinação de um horário mais apropriado para a I.A. pré-fixada. Nos meses de março a junho, outono no sul do Brasil (época reprodutiva dos bubalinos), 132 fêmeas adultas ciclando foram divididas em 3 grupos experimentais: Grupo A - 53 fêmeas foram tratadas com implante subcutâneo de Norgestomet ou espiral intravaginal contendo progesterona. Na retirada dos dispositivos, foi aplicado 250mg de cloprostenol pela via intra-submucosa vulvar (i.s.m.v.), Grupo B - 48 búfalas foram tratadas com dupla aplicação de 250mg de cloprostenol pela via i.s.m.v. com intervalo de 11 dias e Grupo C - 31 búfalas foram consideradas testemunhas, sem tratamento. Todas as búfalas foram inseminadas no momento da observação do maior diâmetro do folículo pré-ovulatório, detectado por ultra-sonografia, durante o estro. Após o diagnóstico de prenhez, constatou-se, nos três tratamentos, que houve diferença significativa entre as búfalas prenhes e vazias no período compreendido entre o início do estro até o momento da ovulação e no período entre a I.A.e a ovulação. Os índices de prenhez foram de 41,5%, 52,1% e 54,8% nos grupos A, B e C, respectivamente. A variação no intervalo estro-ovulação nas búfalas é uma barreira para a obtenção de taxas de prenhez por I.A. pré-fixada comparáveis à monta natural, tanto no estro induzido através de progesterona e prostaglandina F2 alfa como no estro espontâneo.

The aim of this experiment was to determine the interval between the beginning of the spontaneous or induced oestrus and the ovulation in females buffaloes using ultrasonography. This will be useful in the determination of the most proper moment for the pre-fixed artificial insemination. In the reproductive season, autumn in the South of Brazil (march-june), 132 clicling females were divided in 3 groups: Group A: 53 females were treated with auricular subcutaneous implant of norgestomet or intravaginal device of progesterone. In the moment that the devices were removed, 250mg of cloprostenol were applied for intravulvar submucosis (ivsm). Group B: 48 buffaloes females were treated twice with 250mg of cloprostenol for ivsm with interval of 11 days. Group C: 31 buffaloes females remained without any treatment (control group). All of them were inseminated in the moment that was observed the biggest diameter of pre-ovulatory follicle determinated by ultrasonography. In the 3 groups, there was significative difference between pregnant and non-pregnant females in the oestrus-ovulation interval and in the A.I.-ovulation interval. The pregnancy rates were 41.5%, 52.1% and 54.8% in the groups A, B amd C, respectively. The variation in the oestrus-ovulation in buffaloes is the major obstacle to achieve high pregnancy rates using pre-fixed artificial insemination in spontaneous and induced oestrus.

Os experimentos realizados tiveram como objetivo determinar a taxa de sobrevivência in vitro e in vivo de blastocistos Mus domesticus domesticus vitrificados em meio contendo 9,0M de etileno glicol e 0,3M de sacarose. As soluções testadas foram denominadas de I e IS, quando a adição do crioprotetor foi realizada em duas etapas, e II e IIS, quando a adição deste foi realizada em apenas uma etapa. Na solução de vitrificação I, foi realizada inicialmente uma desidratação prévia dos embriões por um período de 2 minutos em solução de 1,8M de EG em PBS + 6% de BSA e, logo após, eles foram transferidos, por um período de 30 segundos, para a solução composta por uma associação de 9,0M de EG em PBS + 6% de BSA, antes da imersão em nitrogênio líquido. Na solução de vitrificação IS, o procedimento foi idêntico ao da solução I, apenas com o acréscimo de 0,3M de sacarose às soluções crioprotetoras. Na solução de vitrificação II, os embriões foram expostos diretamente a uma solução composta por uma associação de 9,0M de EG em PBS + 6% de BSA, onde permaneciam por 30 segundos antes da imersão em nitrogênio líquido. Na solução de vitrificação IIS, o procedimento foi idêntico ao da solução II, apenas com a adição de 0,3M de sacarose à solução crioprotetora. No experimento I, foi determinada a taxa de sobrevivência de 299 blastocistos após a exposição às soluções crioprotetoras, não sendo observada diferença estatística entre os tratamentos e o grupo controle. O experimento II permitiu avaliar a sobrevivência embrionária in vitro (taxa de eclosão) após a vitrificação de 330 blastocistos, onde as soluções I e IS foram estatisticamente superiores às demais, apresentando taxas de eclosão de 49 e 40%, respectivamente. No experimento III, realizou-se a transferência de 141 blastocistos vitrificados, após a exposição às soluções I e IS, para fêmeas receptoras. Não houve diferenças estatísticas entre as taxas de sobrevivência embrionária determinadas aos 14 dias de prenhez, tanto para implantações (37 e 32%) quanto para fetos (27 e 27%), respectivamente. A presença de sacarose na solução de vitrificação não proporcionou uma maior sobrevivência de blastocistos Mus domesticus domesticus vitrificados em uma solução contendo 9,0M EG.

The aim of these experiments was to determine the in vitro and in vivo survivability of Mus domesticus domesticus blastocysts, following exposure and vitrification in modified PBS solution containing 9.0M of ethylene glycol (EG) and 0.3M of sucrose. The cryoprotectant solutions were denominated I (without sucrose) and IS (with sucrose) when the embryo exposure to the solutions has been done in two steps. First the embryos were exposed to a modified PBS solution with 1,8M EG + 6% BSA during 2 minutes, and after they were transferred to straws containing modified PBS plus 9.0M EG + 6% BSA and after 30 seconds immersed into liquid nitrogen. The others cryoprotectant solutions, denominated II (without sucrose) and IIS (with sucrose) the embryos were exposed directly to the 9.0M EG and after 30 seconds plunged into the liquid nitrogen. In the first experiment a survival rate of 299 blastocysts was observed following exposure to cryoprotectant solutions. There was no statistical diference among control and treatment groups. The experiment II allowed to evaluate the in vitro embryo survival, after vitrification of 330 blastocysts, the cryoprotectant solutions I and IS determinated statistically different (p<0.05) embryo survival rates, showing in vitro hatching rates of 49 and 40%, respectively. In experiment 3, 141 blastocysts were exposed to the cryoprotectant solutions I and IS, vitrified and then transferred into the recipients. The number of implantations and fetuses were observed after 14 days of gestation. There was no statistical difference (p>0.05) among the solutions I and IS in the number of implantations (37 and 32%) and fetuses (27 and 27%), respectively. The survival rate of Mus domesticus domesticus blastocysts did not improve with the addition of sucrose to the vitrification solution containing 9.0M of EG.

Investigou-se o efeito da secreção prostática autóloga na motilidade pós-descongelamento, na integridade de acrossomo e na adesão intercelular de espermatozóides criopreservados em diluidores com TRIS-gema de ovo e com TRIS-BSA. O experimento mostrou que a adição de secreção prostática promoveu um efeito benéfico sobre a manutenção da integridade dos acrossomos. Não foram observadas alterações com referência à motilidade e à exposição dos espermatozóides frente à secreção prostática, também não levou a uma redução significativa da adesão interespermática. No entanto, após 60 minutos de incubação a 37ºC, a presença da fração prostática parece ter favorecido a dissociação espermática dos ejaculados diluídos com TRIS-BSA 0,25% (60% das amostras). Ao final do período de observação, foram verificadas diferentes percentagens de sobrevivência espermática nas amostras diluídas com TRIS-gema de ovo (40% das amostras), com TRIS-BSA 0,25% (80% das amostras), com TRIS-BSA 0,50% (40% das amostras) e com TRIS-BSA 1,00% (50% das amostras).

Effects of homologous prostatic secretion on post-thaw motility, membrane integrity and agglutination of cryopreserved canine spermatozoa diluted in TRIS-egg-yolk and in TRIS-BSA semen extenders were investigated. The study demonstrates that the addition of prostatic secretion resulted in beneficial effect on the acrosome integrity of the spermatozoa. There weren’t changes regarding sperm motility rate, and exposure of spermatozoa to prostatic secretion didn’t lead to a significant reduction on sperm agglutination. However, after incubation for 60 minutes at 37ºC, the addition seemed showing better sperm dissociation in TRIS-BSA 0.25% (60% of the samples). At this time, sperm survival in extenders was observed at different rates: in TRIS-egg-yolk diluent (40% of the samples), in TRIS-BSA 0.25% diluent (80% of the samples), in TRIS-BSA 0.50% diluent (40% of the samples), and in TRIS-BSA 1.00% diluent (50% of the samples).

Este estudo apresenta resultados preliminares de títulos de anticorpos neutralizantes (AcN) obtidos em diferentes dias durante imunização anti-rábica humana empregando o esquema 2-1-1 (uma dose administrada em cada deltóide no dia 0, e uma dose nos dias 7 e 21), recomendado pela OMS para tratamento pós-exposição com vacinas de cultivo celular. Um esquema variante (dose dupla no dia zero e outra no dia 14) também foi testado; em ambos esquemas utilizamos a vacina produzida em cérebro de camundongos recém-nascidos. Obteve-se taxa de soroconversão total após 3 doses de vacina, e quase todos os pacientes (11 de 12) apresentaram títulos maiores que 1,0 UI/ml. Tanto os títulos de anticorpos neutralizantes como a taxa de soroconversão foram menores no grupo que recebeu apenas 3 doses, independentemente do dia da coleta de soro. Embora nossos resultados tenham sido inferiores àqueles encontrados com vacinas de cultivo celular, a média geométrica de AcN foi inteiramente satisfatória, sobrepondo o limite mínimo de 0,5 UI/ml recomendado pela OMS. O esquema 2-1-1 pode ser alternativa para tratamento pré-exposição: mais curto que o esquema clássico 3 + 1 (uma dose nos dias 0, 2, 4 e 30) e com apenas três idas ao médico, ao invés de quatro.

This study reports preliminary results of virus neutralizing antibody (VNA) titers obtained on different days in the course of human anti-rabies immunization with the 2-1-1 schedule (one dose is given in the right arm and one dose in the left arm at day 0, and one dose is apllied on days 7 and 21), recommended by WHO for post-exposure treatment with cell culture vaccines. A variant schedule (double dose on day zero and another on day 14) was also tested, both employing suckling mouse brain vaccine. A complete seroconversion rate was obtained after only 3 vaccine doses, and almost all patients (11 of 12) presented titers higher than 1.0 IU/ml. Both neutralizing response and seroconversion rates were lower in the group receiving only 3 doses, regardless of the sample collecting day. Although our results are lower than those found with cell culture vaccines, the geometry mean of VNA is fully satisfactory, overcoming the lower limit recommended by WHO of 0.5 IU/ml. The 2-1-1 schedule could be an alternative one for pre exposure immunization, shorter than the classical 3+1 regimen (one dose on days 0, 2, 4 and 30) with only three visits to the doctor, instead of four.