Ovarian synchronization and superstimulation in wood bison (Bison bison athabascae)

For this thesis our objectives were to establish an efficient method of ovarian synchronization and superstimulation in bison, and determine the effects of gonadotropin treatments on oocyte collection efficiency and quality in bison. In the first study we conducted two experiments to develop an efficient protocol for synchronization of follicular wave emergence during the anovulatory season. In Experiment 1, we compared the synchronizing effect of follicular ablation (n = 9) and treatment with 2 mg estradiol (E-) 17β in oil (n = 10), while in Experiment 2, we compared follicular ablation (n = 9) and treatment with 2 mg E-17β + 100 mg progesterone (P4; n = 10). Results showed that the degree of synchrony did not differ between ablation and hormone treatment groups in either Experiment, but follicular wave emergence was more synchronous in both treatment groups compared to the untreated control phase. The second study was conducted to develop an efficient method for ovarian superstimulation and oocyte collection during the anovulatory and ovulatory seasons. During the anovulatory season, one experiment was conducted in two replicates to compare the superstimulatory effect of 2500 IU of eCG (n = 10) given intramuscularly vs two doses of 200 mg of pFSH each (n = 10) given subcutaneously. Additionally, the effect of 25 mg of pLH given 24 hours prior oocyte collection on oocyte quality and collection rate was evaluated for each superstimulatory treatment. Results showed that treatment with pFSH induced a higher superstimulatory response and more cumulus oocyte complexes (COC) collected than did eCG during the anovulatory season. Furthermore, treatment with pLH increased the proportion of expanded COC that were collected with ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration. Two experiments were conducted during the ovulatory season, to develop an efficient protocol for superstimulation and oocyte collection. In Experiment 1, we compared the effect of two intramuscular doses of 200 mg of pFSH in saline (n = 11) vs two intramuscular doses of 200 mg of pFSH in a proprietary slow release formulation (SRF; n = 11). In Experiment 2, we compared the effect of a single dose of 2500 IU eCG intramuscularly vs two doses of 200 mg of pFSH administered subcutaneously. Results showed that a 2-dose regime of pFSH, diluted in either saline or a slow-release formulation induced a similar superstimulatory ovarian response in wood bison, while bison given a single-dose of 2500 IU eCG had a significantly lower ovarian response. In summary, synchronization of follicle wave emergence can be effectively accomplished in wood bison during the anovulatory season and follicular ablation, E-17β and E-17β + P4 treatments all shortened, and decreased the variability in the interval to follicular wave emergence. In addition, oocyte collection by transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration from superstimulated bison was feasible and practical. Finally, treatment with pFSH was more effective than eCG to induce ovarian superstimulation for ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration in wood bison during both the anovulatory and ovulatory seasons

SUPEROVULATION AND EMBRYO COLLECTION IN WOOD BISON (Bison bison athabascae): TOOLS TO PRODUCE DISEASE-FREE EMBRYOS

Reclamation of Canada’s threatened wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) herd is complicated by cattle diseases. As part of an overall goal to conserve bison genetics, five studies were conducted to develop or adapting present reproductive technologies to produce disease-free in vivo-derived wood bison embryos. In Chapter 4, the efficacy of pLH and hCG for inducing ovulation and whether the effect was related to the size of the dominant follicle at the time of treatment was examined in wood bison during the anovulatory season . Ovulation rate with hCG (94%) was nearly two times greater than with pLH (54%), and bison with a growing follicle of ≥10 mm had a greater ovulatory response than those of 8-9 mm. In Chapter 5, the efficacy of pLH and hCG after superstimulation with single or two doses (48 hours apart) of FSH diluted in 0.5% hyaluronan was determined in wood bison. A greater superovulatory ovarian response was found in cows treated with hCG vs. LH during the anovulatory and ovulatory seasons (6.6 vs. 2.8 and 6.3 vs. 3.8 corpora lutea respectively). In addition, dividing the dose of FSH two resulted in greater superovulatory response in wood bison. However, the number of corpora lutea was still lower than expected as compared to cattle using the same two dose method of superovulation (15 corpora lutea; Tribulo et al., 2012). Therefore, in Chapter 6, the effect of the addition of a low dose of eCG at the end of the superstimulation protocol on ovarian response and embryo quality was examined. Although the number of ova/embryos recovered was higher in this study when compared with previous reports in wood bison, no effect of eCG on the number of corpora lutea and embryo quality was found. In Chapters 5 and 6, the effect of exogenous progesterone on embryo quality in wood bison during the anovulatory season was evaluated. We found that progesterone did not improve the number of freezable embryos in either study. In Chapter 7, the effect of lengthening of FSH treatment protocol on superovulatory response and embryo quality during the ovulatory and anovulatory seasons was examined. There was no effect of lengthening the FSH treatment protocol on ovarian response and embryo quality during the anovulatory season. However, embryo quality and ovulation rate were increased by the lengthened treatment protocol during the ovulatory season. Additionally, more freezable embryos (Grades 1 and 2) were obtained during the ovulatory season (1.8 embryos) vs. the anovulatory season (0.3 embryos). Overall, results confirm that superovulation can be performed in wood bison throughout the year, but a higher number of freezable embryos were obtained during the ovulatory season. The final chapter (Chapter 8) focused in the production of disease-free embryos in wood bison. Following superovulation, in vivo-derived wood bison embryos were exposed in vitro to Brucella abortus biovar 1. After incubation, embryos were submitted to the 10-step washing procedures recommended by the IETS to remove the pathogen. When the washing medium contained antibiotics, 100% Brucella-free embryos were obtained. These findings validate the washing procedures for the production of Brucella-free embryos in wood bison

Problemática del derecho extranjero en casación

El procesalismo español se ocupa del acceso del derecho extranjero al recurso de casación en términos sumamente restrictivos, en cuanto parte de considerar la ley extranjera como hecho, excluido en principio del control casacional. El planteamiento del trabajo es decididamente abierto a la posibilidad de dicha fiscalización

Reaffirmation of the "litis contestatio" from a current perspective: (in memory of Professor Gómez Orbaneja)

Análisis de la institución romana de la litis contestatio desde una perspectiva actualizada, a partir de la cual se emprende el estudio del derecho litigioso como punto de referencia de la conexión entre derecho y proceso, cuestión muchas veces propuesta por la doctrina pero no siempre desarrollada científicamente.Analysis of the Roman institution of the litis contestatio from an updated perspective, from which there is tackled the study of the litigious right as point of reference of the connection between law and process, question often proposed by the doctrine but not always scientific developed

The accepted impersonality of the Facebook discourse: the most common status among youth

La Red social Facebook se ha convertido en una herramienta de comunicación entre millones de usuarios de todo el mundo. El presente estudio se realizó para conocer cuáles son las características del discurso de los estatus, elemento de la plataforma que se utiliza para dar a conocer cuál es el sentir o pensar del usuario en un determinado momento y esto determina cómo los demás usuarios lo percibirán. Se analizó el discurso del estatus de 281 perfiles de usuarios con una edad promedio de alrededor de 20 años. Las temáticas de expresión identificadas en los estatus manifiestan una impersonalidad al contener en su mayoría ideas relacionadas con temas ajenos a situaciones, sentimientos, e ideas personales o propias de los usuarios; los estatus en general contienen frases hechas o célebres, palabras aisladas, citas de libros, canciones, y películas. A pesar de la impersonalidad detectada, la mayoría de los usuarios recibieron manifestaciones de apoyo o empatía a sus estatus, se infiere que las interacciones y el discurso en esta Red social mantienen una frecuente interacción entre los usuarios, pero de manera superficial y en cierta forma muy poco personal.The social network Facebook has become a communication tool for millions of users worldwide, the present study was realized in order to know the characteristics of the discourse of the statuses, that element of this platform is used to present the users’ way of thinking at a given moment and this dictates how the other users will perceive each other, that this, along with the profile picture, those are the two main presentation elements. We analyzed the status discourse of 281 user profiles with an average age of 20 years. The different themes identified in these statuses manifest certain impersonality by containing in their majority ideas related with nonpersonal situations, feelings, and personal issues of the users; the statuses, in general, contain phrases, quotes, single words, book quotes, songs and movies. Despite the detected impersonality, most of the users received manifestations of support or empathy for their statuses,it is implied that the interaction and discourse in this social network maintains a frequent interaction between users, but superficially and in way, distant

Tribute to Santiago Sentís Melendo and reflections on the weight of evidence and the Roman «litis contestation» from an updated perspective

Se trata de recordar a Santiago Sentís Melendo, magistrado español exiliado en la República Argentina y profesor de derecho procesal en diversas universidades latinoamericanas, al tiempo que se toman en consideración dos cuestiones de interés para la disciplina teórica y la práctica del proceso, a saber, la apreciación de la prueba y la litis contestatio romana desde una perspectiva actualizada.It is a matter of recalling to Santiago Sentís Melendo, spanish judge exiled in the Republic of Argentina and professor of procedural law in diverse American latin american universities. Two different questions which are interesting for the theoretical discipline and the practice of the process are studied: the assessment of the evidence and the roman litis contestatio

Provisión de servicio de comercio electrónico con soporte a pasarela de pago para verificación del pago a través de terminal lMS

En los últimos años el uso de Internet y la realización de transacciones económicas a través de dicha red han crecido considerablemente. La utilización del comercio electrónico permite al usuario realizar las transacciones desde cualquier lugar, sin necesidad de desplazarse a la tienda en la que desea realizar la compra y ahorrar el dinero y el tiempo que requeriría dicho desplazamiento. Sin embargo, la utilización del comercio electrónico para la realización de compras por Internet no goza de un respaldo mayoritario debido a la desconfianza de los usuarios a proporcionar sus datos bancarios o la información de sus tarjetas de crédito a través de la red. En este proyecto, se han estudiado los diferentes métodos de pago electrónico existentes en la actualidad, y su posible mejora para la provisión de un servicio de pago electrónico fiable y seguro para los clientes. La futura convergencia entre redes de comunicación ha originado el planteamiento de un sistema de pago que permita al usuario realizar la compra a través de la Web pero validarla a través de un terminal IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem). Más concretamente, este proyecto ha tenido como objetivo el diseño de una aplicación convergente que permita interconectar la Web con las redes de próxima generación para proporcionar servicios de pago electrónico seguros con soporte para la verificación de las transacciones económicas a través de un terminal IMS. Para ello se hace uso de dos canales de comunicación diferentes (Internet y telefonía móvil), lo que dota de una gran robustez al sistema, ya que es complicado comprometer las dos redes simultáneamente. La necesidad de proteger la información privada de los usuarios hace que el sistema diseñado soporte gestión de identidad. Como consecuencia de ello, los usuarios del sistema pueden controlar la información de su perfil que deseen proporcionar a un determinado proveedor de servicio. Por otro lado, se ha tratado el problema de la gestión de credenciales por parte de los usuarios. Para ello, se ha proporcionado al sistema desarrollado de un mecanismo de identificación SSO (Single Sign-On), que evita al usuario tener que identificarse repetidamente en los diversos sitios Web a los que acceda. La solución planteada podría tener una gran proyección, ya que la telefonía móvil goza de una gran aceptación y su uso se encuentra mundialmente extendido. Debido a ello, es lógico pensar que los usuarios podrían encontrarse más confiados a enviar su información privada a través de su teléfono móvil que a través de Internet. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Financial transactions have increased in number in the last years. The use of electronic commerce allows users to make transactions from anywhere, without having to go to the store where they want to make the purchase thus, saving money and time. The lack of a comprehensive security infrastructure has delight in tormenting ecommerce. The use of electronic transactions in a daily basis is far from being a reality. Due to several security problems, customers are reluctant to hand out their private information, especially their financial information as credit cards. In this thesis, we have studied the different electronic payment methods currently available and feasible improvements towards a safer and reliable service for customers. The future convergence of communication networks has led to the approach of an authorized payment system by mobile phone that allows the user to purchase online but validate it through his IMS terminal. The system developed will use two different communication channels (Internet and mobile), making hard to compromise both networks simultaneously. The purpose of such development is to find a solution for making safe purchases over the Internet increasing so user confidence in electronic commerce. On the other hand, the need to protect private information from users, makes necessary the use of identity management in service providers, preventing users from handing out their credentials in different Web sites (implementing Single Sign-On) and giving them the opportunity to increase the control over their user profile managing the information provided to the service provider. The aim of this project is the provision of an electronic commerce service that utilizes a next-generation network for authorization purposes. Taking advantage of development opportunities they offer, and developing a module for authentication and verification of financial transactions through the network by using a mobile phone.Ingeniería de Telecomunicació