Carnitine partially improves oxidative stress, acrosome integrity, and reproductive competence in doxorubicin-treated rats

Doxorubicin has been largely used in anticancer therapy in adults, adolescents, and children. The efficacy of l-carnitine as an antioxidant substance has been confirmed both in humans and rats. Carnitine, present in testis and epididymis, is involved in sperm maturation. It is also effective in infertility treatment. As a continuation of a previous study, we evaluated whether some spermatic qualitative parameters, DNA integrity, chromatin structure, and fertility status, could be ameliorated by the carnitine treatment in adult rats, which were subsequently exposed to doxorubicin at pre-puberty. Pre-pubertal male rats were distributed into four groups: Sham ControlDoxorubicinl-carnitinel-carnitine+Doxorubicin (l-carnitine injected 1h before doxorubicin). At 100days of age, all groups were reassigned into two sets: One set was submitted to the evaluation of sperm motility, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity, sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA), and evaluation of the oxidative stress. The other set of rats was destined to the evaluation of reproductive competence. The percentage of spermatozoa with intact acrosome integrity was higher in the Carnitine+Doxorubicin group when compared with the Doxorubicin group. However, sperm motility and mitochondrial activity were not improved by carnitine pre-treatment. Both values of malondialdehyde and nitrite (indirect measurement of nitric oxide) concentrations were statistically higher in the only doxorubicin-treated group when compared to the Carnitine+Doxorubicin group. Fertility index and implantation rate were lower in Doxorubicin group, when compared to Carnitine+Doxorubicin group. Moreover, the percentage of spermatozoa with damaged DNA was higher in the Doxorubicin-treated group when compared to the Carnitine+Doxorubicin group. l-carnitine, when administered before doxorubicin, partially preserved the acrosome integrity, an important feature related to sperm fertilization ability that positively correlated with the reproductive competence and sperm DNA integrity at adulthood. In conclusion, l-carnitine attenuated the long-term alterations caused by doxorubicin in the germ cells and improved male reproductive capacity in adulthood.National Council for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES/Brazil)Fed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Lab Dev Biol, Dept Morphol & Genet, Botucatu St 740,Leitao da Cunha Bldg,2nd Floor, BR-04023900 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilFed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Lab Dev Biol, Dept Morphol & Genet, Botucatu St 740,Leitao da Cunha Bldg,2nd Floor, BR-04023900 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Herbage Accumulation, Nutritive Value and Persistence of Mulato II in Florida

Grasses in the Brachiaria genus are the most widely grown forages in tropical America, occupying over 80 Mha (Boddey et al. 2004). Mulato II is apomictic and a vigorous, semi-erect cultivar resulting from 3 generations of crosses including original crosses between ruzigrass and signal-grass (cv. Basilisk, apomictic tetrapliod). According to Peters et al. (2003), Mulato produced 25% more herbage mass than palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha) and koroni-viagrass (Brachiaria humidicola) under similar management practices. Although Mulato II shows promise as a forage in tropical regions, herbage accumulation and persistence in subtropical areas is unknown. This publication summarises results of the research with Mulato II conducted in Florida in the last 5 years

Evaluation of Limpograss (\u3cem\u3eHemarthria altissima\u3c/em\u3e) Breeding Lines under Different Grazing Managements

Limpograss (Hemarthria altissima (Poir.) Stapf et C.E. Hubb.) is a stoloniferous, warm-season perennial grass from South Africa. It is frequently used to extend the grazing season in poorly drained soils of subtropical regions (Quesenberry et al. 2004). The cold tolerance of limpograss allows it to grow at temperatures below which other commonly used warm-season grasses (e.g. bermudagrass) remain productive. Use of limpograss has helped to reduce forage shortfall during winter, therefore, reducing feeding costs. In the past 30 years, the area planted to limpograss in Florida, USA has grown faster than that of any other forage grass species. It is estimated that over 0.2 million ha are planted to limpograss (Quesenberry et al. 2004). Recent University of Florida research with limpograss has focused on developing new hybrids which incorporate the persistence of the most widely used cultivar ‘Floralta’ with the digestibility of ‘Bigalta’. Preliminary clipping and grazing trials evaluated 50 breeding lines and identified 5 lines (designated 1, 4F, 10, 32 and 34) with superior performance. With an overall program goal of identifying the best limpograsses for cultivar release, the specific objective of this experiment was to investigate the forage productivity and sward canopy characteristics of these 5 breeding lines, compared to Floralta, in response to different grazing management strategies

Structure and functioning of a mountain grazed grassland and their response after exclosure

Se estudió el efecto del pastoreo por ganado doméstico y de distintos tiempos de exclusión sobre la composición florística y la diversidad, y sobre la dinámica de la biomasa aérea, el contenido de nitrógeno y la productividad primaria de diferentes formas de vida, en un pastizal semi-natural de montaña de la provincia de Córdoba. El pastoreo promovió una mayor diversidad de especies, aunque la biomasa total y la productividad fueron máximas en el sitio con mayor tiempo de exclusión. El pastoreo promovió la abundancia de especies rastreras y graminoides. Las gramíneas en penacho sólo aparecen a partir de los 4 años de exclusión y representan más del 90% de la biomasa total en el sitio excluido del pastoreo por 15 años. No hubo diferencias significativas en la dinámica estacional de la biomasa en pie ni del nitrógeno de las diferentes formas de crecimiento en los diferentes sitios estudiados, pero las formas de crecimiento rastreras y graminoides prolongaron su estación de crecimiento bajo pastoreo, y se observó un mayor contenido de nitrógeno en las plantas pastoreadas. La productividad primaria neta aérea estuvo limitada a la primavera y el verano, entre los meses de octubre y marzo. La productividad disminuyó ligeramente luego de la exclusión del pastizal, pero aumentó significativamente a partir de los 4 años sin pastoreo.The effect of grazing and different times of exclosure on floristic composition, biomass, plant nitrogen concentration and aboveground net plant productivity were studied in a mountain grassland of Córdoba, Argentina. Plant diversity was maximum at the grazed site and no invasion of alien species was recorded at any site, but total standing biomass and aboveground net plant productivity were maximum at the site excluded from grazing for 15 years. Prostrate, graminoid and annual growth forms accounted for more than 90% of live biomass at the grazed site. Rosettes increased their biomass with grazing exclusion and tussock grasses were apparent only after 4 years of exclusion and accounted for 90% of total biomass after 15 years of exclosure. There was no site effect on seasonal dynamics of standing biomass and plant nitrogen content of different plant growth forms, but prostrates and graminoids showed a prolonged growth season under grazing, and plant nitrogen content was higher in grazed plants. Aboveground net plant productivity (ANPP) was limited to spring and summer, from October to March. Two years of exclusion from grazing slightly decreased ANPP, but significatively increased after 4 years without livestock grazing.Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales (FCAF

The Use of Sunn Hemp as Forage in Florida

Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) is a warm-season annual legume that has been widely used as cover crop; however, there is potential to use sunn hemp as forage in subtropical regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate management practices to improve the efficiency of using sunn hemp as a forage crop. The study was conducted in Ona, Florida, USA from 2016 to 2018 and tested the factorial arrangement of five sunn hemp genotypes (Crescent Sunn, Ubon, Blue Leaf, and AU Golden) and two harvest times (60 d after seeding or flowering) with four replicates. There was a cultivar × harvest period effect on HA, crude protein (CP), and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) concentrations. Herbage accumulation was greater at flowering than 60 d harvest for all cultivars; however, the magnitude of increase was greater for Blue Leaf and Crescent Sun than AU Golden and Ubon. AU Golden and Ubon flowered at 83 and 92 d after seeding, while Blue Leaf and Crescent Sun flowered or were harvested at 166 d after seeding. AU Golden and Crescent Sunn had the greatest CP at 60 d harvest, and Blue Leaf and Ubon had the least CP concentrations. AU Golden and Crescent Sun had the greatest IVDOM at 60-d harvest; however, AU Golden and Ubon had greater IVDOM than Blue Leaf and Crescent Sun at flowering. Sunn hemp may be a feasible warm-season annual legume to be used in forage systems in Florida and harvest 60 d after seeding would results in forage with greater nutritive value

Mapping and vegetation cover index from cáceres city, Mato Grosso State (MT), Brazil.

Analyzing the urban space related to its own growth allows to identify the identification of the dynamics of the natural elements and the way the intensified anthropic action shapes and at the same time degrades the landscape, which in the present study is the Pantanal biome. The objective of this study is to use high resolution images and vegetation cover indexes to analyze the urban expansion of Cáceres/MT, and to generate financial support for municipal planning and management. For the execution of this research, remote sensing images and a Geographic Information System (GIS) were used, as well as demographic census data. The urban expansion contributed to the removal of 19.62% of the vegetation and to the increase of 15.28% of anthropic use. The Caceres Vegetation Cover Index is high, with vegetation percentages above 30% occurring in 74.42% of the neighborhoods. From the date of the study on the Index of Vegetation Cover for Inhabitant (ICVH) decreased by 37.20%, remained at 32.55% and increased by 30.25%. It was concluded that an increase in the use of urban space contributed to the reduction of vegetation, as well as the decrease of the population associated to the vegetation of the neighborhoods influenced on the decrease of the ICVH.Especial - Geopantanal 2016. Na publicação: João Santos Vila da SILVA