Ram semen quality after supplementation with gelatin, agar or alginate prior to cooling storage.

Adding gelling agents to convert the liquid state of the semen extender to a solid state allows for an increased sperm life span. Gelatin and alginate have been used to study the effects of gelling agents on sperm quality. However, there are other gelling agents that have not been studied, such as agar.

embryo production from ewes at different physiological stages.

Background: The collection of ovaries from slaughterhouses is an important source of oocytes for embryo production. On the other hand, the physiological stage of slaughtered females varies and influences embryo production.

Objectives: The study examined the efficiency of embryos and demi-embryos from young, non-pregnant adult, and pregnant adult ewes from a local slaughterhouse.

[Usefullness of the StoneBreaker lithotripter for percutaneous nephrolithotomy].

Objective: Throughout the history, many devices have been used for breaking urinary tract stones. StoneBreaker (LMA Urology, Gland, Switzerland) is a second generation of intracorporeal lithotripter, pneumatic and portable, which adds several new advantages, like effectiveness in stone fragmentation and easy handling, very useful during percutaneous lithotripsy.

Methods/results: We report the case of a 40 year-old male patient, with a left kidney pyelic lithiasis, who was treated by percutaneous lithotripsy, under general anaesthesia, with StoneBreaker (LMA Urology, Gland, Switzerland) as lithotripter.

Lack of significant cross-reactivity between Leishmania serology and mycobacteriosis in patients infected with HIV-1.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the existence of cross-reactions between Leishmania serology and mycobacteriosis in patients infected with HIV-1. PATIENTS AND METHODS: HIV-positive individuals, with culture-proven episodes of tuberculosis or disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection, were identified from the data files of our microbiology laboratory. Patients were included if leishmania serology had been performed within a period of 2 months before and 1 month after the diagnosis of mycobacterial disease.