Metagenomic characterization of the equine endometrial microbiome during anestrus.

The equine uterus is highly interrogated during estrus prior to breeding and establishing pregnancy. Many studies in mares have been performed during estrus under the influence of high estrogen concentrations, including the equine estrual microbiome. To date, it is unknown how the uterine microbiome of the mare is influenced by cyclicity; while, the equine vaginal microbiome is stable throughout the estrous cycle.

Characterization of the equine placental microbial population during nocardioform placentitis.

Nocardioform placentitis is a poorly understood disease of equine late gestation. The presence of nocardioform, filamentous branching gram-positive bacteria, has been linked to the disease, with Crossiella equi, Amycolatopsis spp., and Streptomyces spp.

Effect of Sampling Method on Detection of the Equine Uterine Microbiome during Estrus.

Bacterial endometritis is among the most common causes of subfertility in mares. It has a major economic impact on the equine breeding industry. The sensitivity of detecting uterine microbes using culture-based methods, irrespective of the sample collection method, double-guarded endometrial swab, endometrial biopsy, or uterine low-volume lavage (LVL), is low.

Transcriptome Signature of Immature and In Vitro-Matured Equine Cumulus-Oocytes Complex.

Maturation is a critical step in the development of an oocyte, and it is during this time that the oocyte advances to metaphase II (MII) of the meiotic cycle and acquires developmental competence to be fertilized and become an embryo. However, in vitro maturation (IVM) remains one of the limiting steps in the in vitro production of embryos (IVP), with a variable percentage of oocytes reaching the MII stage and unpredictable levels of developmental competence. Understanding the dynamics of oocyte maturation is essential for the optimization of IVM culture conditions and subsequent IVP outcomes.

Characterization of the equine placental microbial population in healthy pregnancies.

In spite of controversy, recent studies present evidence that a microbiome is present in the human placenta. However, there is limited information about a potential equine placental microbiome. In the present study, we characterized the microbial population in the equine placenta (chorioallantois) of healthy prepartum (280 days of gestation, n = 6) and postpartum (immediately after foaling, 351 days of gestation, n = 11) mares, using 16S rDNA sequencing (rDNA-seq).

Slow Cooling is Beneficial for Storage of Frozen-Thawed Equine Spermatozoa.

Cooled storage of semen after thawing can expand the use of frozen semen, providing the possibility of thawing and evaluating the semen at the storage site and subsequently shipping the semen. Our objectives were (1) to examine the motility and viability of frozen-thawed semen after cooled storage and (2) to compare two cooled-storage protocols for frozen-thawed semen. The samples (n = 31) were either placed immediately in a passive cooling box for 8 or 24 hours (CB) or placed in a refrigerator at 4°C for 30 minutes and then transferred to a passive cooling box (REF).

Characterization of sperm cell membrane charge and selection of high-quality sperm using microfluidics in stallions.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the only method for in vitro embryo production (IVP) in horses. Besides oocyte developmental competence, the outcome of IVP is also highly dependent on sperm quality. Therefore, it is not only essential to employ superior methods of selecting high quality sperm, but also to be able to characterize which quantifiable properties of sperm quality are most indicative of its fertility.

Prospective Evaluation of Molecular Assays for Diagnosis of Vaginitis.

Molecular tests to diagnose conditions involving the disruption of normal microbiota are difficult to optimize. Using Nugent-scored Gram stain (NS) as the reference standard, we evaluated the performance of 3 molecular assays for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and examined the impact of an incremental increase in bacterial targets. The BD Affirm assay includes a DNA probe for , the Hologic transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) analyte-specific reagent (ASR) assay adds a second sp.

Evaluation of Sensititre Broth Microdilution Plate for determining the susceptibility of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae to polymyxins.

Colistin and polymyxin B MICs were determined for 106 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) isolates using Sensititre Research Use Only GNX2F plates (Thermo Fisher) and compared to CLSI broth macrodilution (BMD) as the reference method. For colistin, EUCAST breakpoints were applied and testing of isolates with very major (VM) errors was repeated in duplicate by both methods to determine a majority result. Essential agreement (MIC ± one dilution) of GNX2F with the reference method was 97.

TNFalpha inhibits apoptotic cell clearance in the lung, exacerbating acute inflammation.

Efficient removal of apoptotic cells is essential for resolution of inflammation. Failure to clear dying cells can exacerbate lung injury and lead to persistent inflammation and autoimmunity. Here we show that TNFalpha blocks apoptotic cell clearance by alveolar macrophages and leads to proinflammatory responses in the lung.

Effect of psychological stress on female vocal quality. A multiparameter approach.

Psychological stress can influence vocal quality. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of stress on female vocal quality. In this experimental study 54 female voices were studied in a stress-inducing and a relaxed condition.

Pulsatile activity and hatching of in vitro produced cow blastocysts: effects of serum supplementation.

The effect of serum added to a modified SOF medium on pulsatile activity and hatching of in vitro produced cow blastocysts was investigated by time-lapse cinematography. Embryos were generated from abattoir material and cultured in mSOF without serum or with 10% FCS added at 42h pi. Addition of serum significantly increases pulsatile activity before zona rupture and reduces the time of hatching.

The lymphocytosis promoting action of pertussis toxin can be mimicked in vitro. Holotoxin but not the B subunit inhibits invasion of human T lymphoma cells through fibroblast monolayers.

Pertussis toxin is known to elicit lymphocytosis in whooping cough patients and experimental animals, by blocking the extravasation of lymphocytes and stimulating their release from lymphoid organs such as the thymus. The mechanisms responsible for these unique effects of PT are not fully understood. The effect of pertussis toxin (PT) on the invasive behavior of human CCRF-CEM T lymphoma cells has been investigated with the use of a monolayer invasion assay (MIA).

[Clinical application of intermediate spectrum analysis of the voice. Preliminary study].

Until now, the objective examination of the voice quality has remained confined to the laboratory. The coming out of the Brüel and Kjaer 2033 type high-resolution voice frequency analyzer led us now to realize a rapid recording and easy reading of the fundamental frequency and of the main harmonics. An objective document can thus be filed as a comparison before and after treatment.