Cytotoxic effects of heavy metals on functional attributes of boar sperm: an in vitro study

Objective: Reproductive toxicology is a field that deals with the effects of heavy metals on various aspects of reproduction, including sperm count, motility, viability, spermatogenesis, follicular atresia, hormonal imbalance, and oocyte maturation, among others. The present study was carried out to examine the effects of heavy metals, viz., arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and fluoride (F), on boar sperm quality parameters in vitro.Materials and Methods: Forty (40) ejaculates from six (6) boars, averaging eight ejaculates per boar, were collected with the gloved hand technique using a dummy sow. Six (6) different concentrations were selected for the in vitro study: 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µM for As and Pb, and 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mM for F. The ejaculates were co-incubated with heavy metals at these different concentrations and assessed after different incubation periods (0, 0.5, and 1 h) for sperm functional attributes, viz., sperm progressive motility, viability and membrane integrity, and sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The combined effects of heavy metals on sperm functional attributes were also evaluated at different doses (5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μM/μM for As–Pb; 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μM/mM for As–F; and 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μM/mM for Pb–F).Results: The present study revealed a highly significant (p <0.001) decrease in sperm progressive motility, viable sperm, membrane integrity, and sperm MMP in samples treated with heavy metals under different incubation periods; furthermore, the longer the incubation time, the greater the toxicity. There was also a significant (p <0.05) decrease in sperm motility, membrane integrity, and MMP in the samples treated with combined heavy metals (As–Pb, As–F, and Pb–F), as compared to the control, after different incubation periods. A significant (p <0.05) reduction in sperm quality attributes was recorded even at the lowest concentrations in the case of heavy metal combinations.Conclusion: It can be concluded that As, Pb, and F are toxic to boar spermatozoa in vitro, causing reductions in sperm functional attributes in a dose- and time-dependent manner

Effect of glutathione on the quality of frozen buck semen

Ejaculates (30) collected twice weekly from five Beetal bucks were used to study the effect of addition of 0 (control), 4 mM, 6 mM and 8 mM glutathione on the quality of frozen Beetal buck semen by split sample technique. After removal of seminal plasma, the semen was primarily extended with Tris extender (1: 5) considering the volume of semen prior to removal of seminal plasma and then split into 4 parts and finally extended with equal volume of Tris extender that rose the extension rate to 1: 10. The mean percentage of sperm motility, live sperm, live intact acrosome, HOST-reacted sperm was significantly higher in Tris extender containing 4 mM glutathione than that containing 6 mM, 8 mM glutathione and control. The release of ALT and AST from post-thaw spermatozoa was also the lowest in semen containing 4mM concentration of glutathione. Based on post-thaw sperm motility, live sperm, live intact acrosome, HOST-reacted sperm, and ALT and AST release, addition of 4 mM glutathione in Tris extender was superior to 6 mM, 8 mM and 0 mM (control). It was concluded that glutathione at 4 mM could be used as an antioxidant in Tris for cryopreservation of Beetal buck semen which could provide a better environment in protecting the functional capacity of spermatozoa

Bovine reproductive immunoinfertility: pathogenesis and immunotherapy

Infertility is one of the primary factors for cattle reproduction in the present scenario. Reproduction-related immunoinfertility mainly involves immunization against the antigens related to reproductive hormones (LHRH, GnRH, Gonadal steroids, PGF2α and oxytocin), spermatozoa, seminal plasma and ovum. Anovulation, delayed ovulation, sperm immobilization, failure of fertilization, prolonged uterine involution, extended calving interval, prolonged post-partum estrus and reduced conception rate could be a result of immunoinfertility that occur due to the blockage of receptor site by antibodies formed against hormones, sperm and ovum. Immunoinfertility can be treated in the animal by giving sexual rest to females, by using various reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization, gamete intra fallopian tube transfer, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, sperm washing and by treating the animals with immunomodulators such as LPS, Oyster glycogen, etc. This review summarizes the different causes of bovine reproductive immunoinfertility and amelioration strategies to overcome it

Ecoacoustics and multispecies semiosis: naming, semantics, semiotic characteristics, and competencies

Biosemiotics to date has focused on the exchange of signals between organisms, in line with bioacoustics; consideration of the wider acoustic environment as a semiotic medium is under-developed. The nascent discipline of ecoacoustics, that investigates the role of environmental sound in ecological processes and dynamics, fills this gap. In this paper we introduce key ecoacoustic terminology and concepts in order to highlight the value of ecoacoustics as a discipline in which to conceptualise and study intra- and interspecies semiosis. We stress the inherently subjective nature of all sensory scapes (vivo-, land-, vibro- and soundscapes) and propose that they should always bear an organismic attribution. Key terms to describe the sources (geophony, biophony, anthropophony, technophony) and scales (sonotopes, soundtopes, sonotones) of soundscapes are described. We introduce epithets for soundscapes to point to the degree to which the global environment is implicated in semiosis (latent, sensed and interpreted soundscapes); terms for describing key ecological structures and processes (acoustic community, acoustic habitat, ecoacoustic events) and examples of ecoacoustic events (choruses and noise) are described. The acoustic eco-field is recognized as the semiotic model that enables soniferous species to intercept core resources like food, safety and roosting places. We note that whilst ecoacoustics to date has focused on the critical task of the development of metrics for application in conservation and biodiversity assessment, these can be enriched by advancing conceptual and theoretical foundations. Finally, the mutual value of integrating ecoacoustic and biosemiotics perspectives is considered

PENGARUH STRUKTUR ORGANISASI, KOORDINASI, DAN PENGAWASAN TERHADAP EFEKTIVITAS ORGANISASI PADA BPRS BANGUN DRAJAT WARGA

The aim of study was to test the influence of organizational structure, coordination, and supervision on the organizational effectiveness of BPRS Bangun Drajat Warga. The population in this study were all employess at BPRS Bangun Drajat Warga. The sample in this study were taken using the technique non-probability sampling with saturation sampling method. The primary data collection is by distributing questionnaires. This study using 34 questionnaires that were processed. The analytical tool used in this study is multiple linear regression analysis. The result of the research indicated that organizational structure, coordination, and supervision have positive on organizational effectiveness. The partial of organizational structure variables have not effect on organizational effectiveness with tcount 0,751. Variable of coordination have a positive effect on organizational effectiveness with tcount 5,057. Supervision variables have not effect on organizational effectiveness with tcount -0,702

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Not AvailableThe present study was carried out on 315 breedable sows of approximately 2–4 years of age irrespective of parity with good body condition in varying managemental conditions under subtropical rainfall areas of Meghalaya. These animals were fed on kitchen wastes with locally available green fodder. The animals those were non return after one month (range 28–34 days) post-breeding, were grouped as positive group (n=215), non-mated pigs as negative group (n=100) and distilled water as control group (n=100). Urine samples were collected in clean, sterilized plastic containers through manual method at farmer’s door during natural micturition in the morning and diluted at the ratio of 1:4 with distilled water for pregnancy diagnosis on the same day of collection. Wheat seed with average 85% of germination after 48 h at room temperature was selected for the entire study. In each sterile petri dish, 15 wheat seeds were taken on the blotting paper and 15 ml of diluted urine was added and covered with trays to avoid evaporation, and kept undisturbed for 48 h at room temperature. Test was conducted in triplicate for each animal. Control test was also carried out with the addition of distilled water only to the wheat seeds. The germination inhibition percentage and shoot length (cm) of germinated seeds in each petri dish was recorded and calculated at 48, 72 and 96 h after adding the sample. All data were analysed using two-way ANOVA by SPSS software and expressed as Mean±SE. The mean germination inhibition percentage of wheat seeds was significantly different between pregnant (75.66±3.48), non-pregnant (28.70±2.96) and control (19.48±2.69) groups. Shoot length (cm) was significantly less in pregnant group when compared to non pregnant and control groups, and also significantly different within the group at different time intervals. Mean germination inhibition percentage and reduced shoot length in positive group was indicative of pregnancy status. Hence, it can be concluded that seed germination inhibition is a useful technique to detect pregnancy in pigs as a simple, non-invasive and cost effective method, and must be popularized among the farmers, veterinary officers and paraveterinary workers for field level application.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe present piece of study was carried out on 315 breedable sows of approximately 2–4 years of age irrespective of parity with good body condition in varying managemental conditions under subtropical rainfall areas of Meghalaya. These animals were fed on kitchen wastes with locally available green fodder. The animals those were non return after one month (range 28–34 days) post-breeding, were grouped as positive group (n=215), non-mated pigs as negative group (n=100) and distilled water as control group (n=100). Urine samples were collected in clean, sterilized plastic containers through manual method at farmer’s door during natural micturition in the morning and diluted at the ratio of 1: 4 with distilled water for pregnancy diagnosis on the same day of collection. Wheat seed with average 85% of germination after 48 hrs at room temperature was selected for the entire study. In each sterile petri dish 15 wheat seeds were taken on the blotting paper and 15 ml of diluted urine was added and covered with trays to avoid evaporation and kept undisturbed for 48 hrs at room temperature. Test was conducted in triplicate for each animal. Control test was also carried out with the addition of distilled water only to the wheat seeds. The germination inhibition percentage and shoot length (cm) of germinated seeds in each petri dish was recorded and calculated at 48, 72 and 96 hrs after adding of the sample. All data were analysed using two-way ANOVA by SPSS software version 17 and expressed as Mean ± SE. The mean germination inhibition percentage of wheat seeds was significantly (P<0.05) differ between pregnant (75.66 ± 3.48), non pregnant (28.70 ± 2.96) and control (19.48 ± 2.69) groups. Shoot length (cm) was significantly less in pregnant when compared to non pregnant and control groups and also significantly differ within the group at different time intervals. Mean germination inhibition percentage and reduced shoot length in positive group was indicative of pregnancy status. Hence, it can be concluded that seed germination inhibition is a useful technique to detect pregnancy in pigs as a simple, non-invasive and cost effective method and must be popularize among the farmers, veterinary officers and para veterinary workers for field level applicationNot Availabl

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