Vitrification of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) oocytes with sucrose or trehalose for in vitro maturation and fertilization.

Objective: Evaluate the White-tailed Deer (WTD) in vitro embryo production (IVP) and oocytes vitrified with Trehalose (TH) or Sucrose (SC). Design/methodology/approach: Total vitrified oocytes were placed into two different groups: TH (n=60) and SC (n=61). Samples were selected and analyzed for viability evaluation TH (n=5) and SC (n=5), nuclear status (NS) TH (n=4) and SC (n=5), Germinal Vesicle (GV), Metaphase I, or not evaluable (NE) after warming. In vitro maturation (IVM) was conducted for 36 h in supplemented TCM-199 medium. Immediately afterwards, oocyte NS was evaluated (n=88) [(GV, MI=immature), (MII=mature)]. In vitro fertilization (IVF) was performed in supplemented TALP medium for 24 h using frozen WTD semen (3x106 sperm/mL), NS was classified [Fertilized (F), Not fertilized (NF), or NE]. Results: After warming, viability for the TH group (n=5) was 60% versus 40% for SC group (n=5), however, oocytes in both groups were immature (GV and MI stage). For IVM, NS evaluations of the TH group (n=38) revealed no maturation versus 2% in the SC group (n=50) (MII stage=matured). IVF evaluations for the TH group (n=10) revealed no fertilization compared to 20% in the SC group (n=5). A statistical difference (p>0.05) was not found between the TH and SC groups. Limitations on study/implications: White-tailed Deer in vitro embryo production is not well documented. Findings/conclusions: Future research with a larger number of WTD oocytes is needed for further evaluation of oocyte vitrification IVP techniques as a model for endangered cervids

Aquacultural Homoeopathy: A Focus on Marine Species

Homoeopathy is an alternative medical system proposed by Samuel Hahnemann in the eighteenth century. It uses highly diluted and agitated substances that derived from plants, minerals or animals, which have shown to be effective in human medicine, agronomy, veterinary, and as a novelty, in marine aquaculture. Aquacultural homoeopathy has developed rapidly in recent years, partially motivated by the misuse of powerful drugs (hormones, antibiotics, disinfectants) that when solving a problem generate undesirable side effects. In the last 10 years, scientific articles have been published on its application in freshwater fish native to Brazil, obtaining beneficial effects on growth, survival, hepatosomatic index, development of muscle fibres and lipid content in muscle. At Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR, Mexico: www.cibnor.mx), we have studied the effects of homoeopathy to improve the culture of economically important marine species of molluscs, fish and shrimp. In this chapter, we show a selection of different research with preliminary or advanced results, related to the use of homoeopathy and its impact on zootechnic, biochemical, genomic and transcriptomic parameters in marine molluscs, fish and crustaceans. The results obtained suggest that homoeopathy is an eco-friendly alternative applicable in aquaculture industry to improve various productive and health aspects

Efecto de medicamentos homeopáticos de uso humano en reproductores de ostión Americano Crassostrea virginica: Effect of homeopathic medicines in Crassostrea virginica broodstock

En laboratorio ostrícola comercial (Centro Ostrícola Tecnológico de Tabasco, COTET-México), se evaluó el efecto de medicamentos homeopáticos autorizados para uso humano por la Secretaría de Salud de México y productos homeopáticos diseñados por el CIBNOR (Patente en trámite), en adultos reproductores de ostión Americano Crassostrea virginica. La respuesta fisiológica se cuantificó mediante la frecuencia de estadios de desarrollo gonádico (%) en hembras y machos en un periodo de 30 días. En el diseño experimental se consideró una muestra inicial (T0), dos tratamientos homeopáticos [T1 (ViP-7C + ViA-7C), T2 (PhA- 7C + SiT-7C)] y un tratamiento control T3 (Agua Destilada). Al concluir el bioensayo (T30), los reproductores que recibieron tratamiento homeopático, fueron capaces de desovar y producir larvas viables