An Update on Male Canine Infertility.

Infertility in the dog is a common reason for presentation of stud dogs for assessment with veterinarians. This article aims to discuss and outline some of the tests that can be done to try to ascertain the underlying cause of abnormalities found in a semen assessment. Topics discussed are semen alkaline phosphatase measurement, retrograde ejaculation assessment, ultrasound of the male reproductive tract, semen culture, human chorionic gonadotropin response testing, dietary assessment for phytoestrogens, environmental impacts on spermatogenesis, testicular biopsy, supplements to improve semen quality and quantity, and when to expect an improvement in semen quality after starting treatment.

Protective cranial implant caps for macaques.

Background: Neuroscience studies with macaque monkeys may require cranial implants to stabilize the head or gain access to the brain for scientific purposes. Wound management that promotes healing after the cranial implant surgery in non-human primates can be difficult as it is not necessarily possible to cover the wound margins.

New Method: Here, we developed an easily modifiable head cap that protects the sutured skin margins after cranial implant surgery and contributes to wound healing.

Corticocortical and Thalamocortical Changes in Functional Connectivity and White Matter Structural Integrity after Reward-Guided Learning of Visuospatial Discriminations in Rhesus Monkeys.

The frontal cortex and temporal lobes together regulate complex learning and memory capabilities. Here, we collected resting-state functional and diffusion-weighted MRI data before and after male rhesus macaque monkeys received extensive training to learn novel visuospatial discriminations (reward-guided learning). We found functional connectivity changes in orbitofrontal, ventromedial prefrontal, inferotemporal, entorhinal, retrosplenial, and anterior cingulate cortices, the subicular complex, and the dorsal, medial thalamus.

Effective chair training methods for neuroscience research involving rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Background: Neuroscience research using macaques remains fundamental in our endeavours to understand how the human brain functions. Applying the refinement principle of the 3Rs is essential to optimise the monkeys' welfare and still produces high quality science.

New Method: Here we document refinements in our training methods for acclimation to transport devices (i.

Macaque parvocellular mediodorsal thalamus: dissociable contributions to learning and adaptive decision-making.

Distributed brain networks govern adaptive decision-making, new learning and rapid updating of information. However, the functional contribution of the rhesus macaque monkey parvocellular nucleus of the mediodorsal thalamus (MDpc) in these key higher cognitive processes remains unknown. This study investigated the impact of MDpc damage in cognition.

Current Review of Artificial Insemination in Dogs.

Artificial insemination is the collection of semen from the male and the subsequent insertion of the collected semen into the female. Artificial insemination may be requested for several reasons, including inability to achieve a mating or due to the use of fresh chilled or frozen semen. A good understanding of the cycle of the bitch is imperative for maximizing pregnancy rates, as poor timing of insemination is the most common cause of subfertility in the bitch.