HIPOPLASIA TESTICULAR EM BOVINOS: CAUSAS E CONSEQUÊNCIAS

Testicular hypoplasia occurs in most domestic animals and is characterized by the absence or decreased development of the germinative epithelium of the seminiferous tubules. Although not all causes of testicular hypoplasia are elucidated, we can highlight the genetic, chromosomal and environmental causes. The manifestation of the most common classic gonadal hypoplasia is from congenital causes, determined by an autosomal recessive gene of incomplete penetrance. Although reports of frequency are scarce, this pathology is described in almost all bovine breeds. In herds with a high degree of inbreeding or intensive use of subfertile bulls, manifestations may occur in 5% to 15% of the animals. In cases of testicular hypoplasia, caused by recessive genes of incomplete penetrance, such genes can pass on to the following generations, causing subfertility in both males and females, being recommended the elimination of animals clinically suspected by testicular asymmetry or by low standard of scrotal circumference for age and weight. Bulls with unilateral or partial hypoplasia are azoospermic or oligospermic, however moderate conditions may not be associated with seminal quality problems, allowing asymptomatic bulls to spread undesirable genes to the next generations. The establishment of strict criteria for checking clinical and andrological aspects is essential for an early diagnosis and preliminary Bull’s selection. Genomic evaluation is a promising way to map and identify the main genetic markers associated with testicular hypoplasia expression genes and its use for bull’s selection.A hipoplasia testicular ocorre na maioria dos animais domésticos,sendo caracterizada pela ausência ou diminuição do desenvolvimento do epitélio germinativo dos túbulos seminíferos. Apesar de nem todas as causas da hipoplasia testicular estarem completamente elucidadas, pode-se destacar as gênicas, as cromossômicas e as ambientais. A manifestação mais comum da hipoplasia gonadal clássica é de origem congênita e de caráter hereditário, determinada por um gene autossômico recessivo de penetrância incompleta. Apesar dos relatos de frequência serem escassos, essa patologia é descrita em quase todas as raças bovinas. Em rebanhos com alto grau de consanguinidade ou com uso intensivo de reprodutores homozigotos recessivos para a patologia, podem ocorrer manifestações em 5 a 15% dos animais. Nos casos de hipoplasia testicular, causada por genes recessivos de penetrância incompleta, tais genes podem passar para as gerações seguintes, causando subfertilidade tanto em machos como em fêmeas, sendo recomendada a eliminação de animais clinicamente suspeitos por assimetria testicular ou por baixo padrão de circunferência escrotal para a idade e peso. Touros com hipoplasia unilateral ou parcial são animais azoospérmicos ou oligospérmicos, porém quadros moderados a leves podem não estar associados a problemas de qualidade seminal, possibilitando que touros assintomáticos transmitam genes indesejáveis às próximas gerações. O estabelecimento de critérios rígidos de verificação de aspectos clínico-andrológicos é imprescindível para um diagnóstico precoce e para a seleção preliminar de reprodutores bovinos. As avaliações genômicas são caminhos promissores para mapear e identificar os principais marcadores associados à expressão gênica da hipoplasia testicular, com sua possível aplicação para seleção de touros de elite

SEPARAÇÃO DE PROTEÍNAS DO PLASMA SEMINAL DE TOUROS NELORE POR CROMATOGRAFIA DE GEL FILTRAÇÃO E SUAS ASSOCIAÇÕES COM PARÂMETROS ANDROLÓGICOS

Chromatographic profile of seminal proteins from 16 young Nelore bulls, and their associations with andrologic parameters, semen freezing and induction acrossome reactions were evaluated. Total seminal plasma protein concentrations ranged from 3.18 to 52.7 mg/mL, average of 26.8±20.5 mg/mL. The seminal plasma protein profile by gel filtration showed eight different fractions. The highest protein peaks were those with molecular weight ranging from 640-240 kDa, 187-70 kDa to 12.4-4.7 kDa, and were present in more than 80% of the bulls. The peak with a variation between 54.7-20.4 kDa also presented a good protein proportion and frequency of occurrence among the bulls (81%). According to the literature, this is the peak with most interest in exploration of proteins associated with fertility and semen cryopreservation success. Sperm concentration was more associated with the highest molecular weight peak (between 187-70 kDa) and sperm motility and freezability were closer to protein groups with molecular weight less than 10 kDa. The result of induced acrosome reaction (RAI) showed no association with any protein groups. The separation of seminal plasma protein groups according to their molecular weight by superose gel 12 was an important tool for the initial analysis of the protein profile of Nellore bulls, and its use as an initial procedure for any scientific research aiming at explore the protein profile of seminal plasma of bulls.O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o perfil cromatográfico por gel filtração de proteínas do plasma seminal de 16 touros jovens da raça Nelore e suas associações com parâmetros andrológicos, congelação do sêmen e reação acrossômica induzida. As concentrações de proteínas totais no plasma seminal variaram de 3,18 a 52,7 mg/mL, com média de 26,820,5 mg/mL. O perfil por gel filtração das proteínas do plasma seminal apresentou oito diferentes frações. Os picos com maior quantidade de proteínas foram os picos com peso molecular variando entre 640-240 kDa, 187-70 kDa e 12,4-4,7 kDa, além de estarem presentes em mais de 80% dos touros avaliados. O pico com variação entre 54,7-20,4 kDa também apresentou boa proporção de proteínas e frequência de ocorrência entre os touros (81%), sendo segundo a literatura a faixa de maior interesse para exploração quanto a proteínas associadas a fertilidade e/ou sucesso na criopreservação do sêmen. A concentração espermática esteve mais associada ao pico de maior peso molecular (entre 187-70 kDa) e a motilidade e padrão de recuperação espermática encontraram-se mais próximos aos grupos de proteínas com peso molecular menor do que 10 kDa. Já o resultado de reação acrossômica induzida (RAI) não demostrou associação com nenhum grupo proteico. Conclui-se separação dos grupos de proteínas do plasma seminal em função do seu peso molecular através de gel de superose 12 foi uma importante ferramenta para análise inicial do perfil proteico de touros Nelore, sendo recomendado seu uso como procedimento inicial de quaisquer pesquisas científicas que visem explorar o perfil proteico do plasma seminal de touros

Morphophysiological and biochemical changes in Enterolobium contortisiliquum seedlings under abiotic stresses

ABSTRACT Among the main problems that compromise the development of forest species are water and salt stresses, especially in the early stages of development, when seedlings are more sensitive. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the morphophysiological and biochemical changes in Enterolobium contortisiliquum seedlings subjected to abiotic stresses. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks (RCB), composed of five treatments, with four replicates, and the experimental plot consisted of twenty plants. From the 31st day after sowing, when the seedlings reached approximately 15 cm in height, they began to receive the treatments, which consisted of different levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water (0.3; 2; 4; 6; 8 dS m-1) for salt stress and periods of water restriction (0; 4; 8; 12 and 16 days without irrigation) for water stress. The traits evaluated were: plant height, root length, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, total dry matter, Dickson quality index, height/shoot dry matter ratio, total soluble sugars, starch, total amino acids and proline. An increase in the electrical conductivity of irrigation water and days without irrigation compromised the development of E. contortisiliquum seedlings, which was intensified from 2 dS m-1 and four days without irrigation for salt and water stresses, respectively. The mechanism of survival of E. contortisiliquum to abiotic stresses involves reduction in the growth and quality of seedlings, with activation of biochemical defense mechanisms of the species

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), Far Detector Technical Design Report, Volume I Introduction to DUNE

International audienceThe preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay—these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. This TDR is intended to justify the technical choices for the far detector that flow down from the high-level physics goals through requirements at all levels of the Project. Volume I contains an executive summary that introduces the DUNE science program, the far detector and the strategy for its modular designs, and the organization and management of the Project. The remainder of Volume I provides more detail on the science program that drives the choice of detector technologies and on the technologies themselves. It also introduces the designs for the DUNE near detector and the DUNE computing model, for which DUNE is planning design reports. Volume II of this TDR describes DUNE's physics program in detail. Volume III describes the technical coordination required for the far detector design, construction, installation, and integration, and its organizational structure. Volume IV describes the single-phase far detector technology. A planned Volume V will describe the dual-phase technology

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), Far Detector Technical Design Report, Volume II: DUNE Physics

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay -- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our universe, its current state, and its eventual fate. DUNE is an international world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions as it searches for leptonic charge-parity symmetry violation, stands ready to capture supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector technical design report (TDR) describes the DUNE physics program and the technical designs of the single- and dual-phase DUNE liquid argon TPC far detector modules. Volume II of this TDR, DUNE Physics, describes the array of identified scientific opportunities and key goals. Crucially, we also report our best current understanding of the capability of DUNE to realize these goals, along with the detailed arguments and investigations on which this understanding is based. This TDR volume documents the scientific basis underlying the conception and design of the LBNF/DUNE experimental configurations. As a result, the description of DUNE's experimental capabilities constitutes the bulk of the document. Key linkages between requirements for successful execution of the physics program and primary specifications of the experimental configurations are drawn and summarized. This document also serves a wider purpose as a statement on the scientific potential of DUNE as a central component within a global program of frontier theoretical and experimental particle physics research. Thus, the presentation also aims to serve as a resource for the particle physics community at large

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Near Detector Conceptual Design Report

International audienceThe Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is an international, world-class experiment aimed at exploring fundamental questions about the universe that are at the forefront of astrophysics and particle physics research. DUNE will study questions pertaining to the preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of supernovae, the subtleties of neutrino interaction physics, and a number of beyond the Standard Model topics accessible in a powerful neutrino beam. A critical component of the DUNE physics program involves the study of changes in a powerful beam of neutrinos, i.e., neutrino oscillations, as the neutrinos propagate a long distance. The experiment consists of a near detector, sited close to the source of the beam, and a far detector, sited along the beam at a large distance. This document, the DUNE Near Detector Conceptual Design Report (CDR), describes the design of the DUNE near detector and the science program that drives the design and technology choices. The goals and requirements underlying the design, along with projected performance are given. It serves as a starting point for a more detailed design that will be described in future documents

DUNE Offline Computing Conceptual Design Report

International audienceThis document describes Offline Software and Computing for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) experiment, in particular, the conceptual design of the offline computing needed to accomplish its physics goals. Our emphasis in this document is the development of the computing infrastructure needed to acquire, catalog, reconstruct, simulate and analyze the data from the DUNE experiment and its prototypes. In this effort, we concentrate on developing the tools and systems thatfacilitate the development and deployment of advanced algorithms. Rather than prescribing particular algorithms, our goal is to provide resources that are flexible and accessible enough to support creative software solutions as HEP computing evolves and to provide computing that achieves the physics goals of the DUNE experiment