Comparison of different statistical approaches to evaluate morphometric sperm subpopulations in men.

This study was designed to characterize morphometric sperm subpopulations in normozoospermic men by using different statistical methods and examining their suitability to classify correctly different sperm nuclear morphologies present in human ejaculates. Ejaculates from 21 normozoospermic men were collected for the study. After semen collection and analysis, samples were prepared for morphometric determination.

Three-dimensional architecture of the ovine oviductal mucosa.

The objective of this work was to establish for the first time a complete three-dimensional model of the ovine oviductal mucosa. The oviducts of 15 cyclic ewes were examined combining the direct examination of the mucosa, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histology, with the SEM observation of resin moulds of the oviductal lumen. Around the ostium abdominale, all longitudinal primary folds and wide secondary are seen to form cul-de-sacs, with their opening pointing in the ovarian direction were observed.

Dynamics of heat shock protein 70 concentrations in peripheral blood lymphocyte lysates during pregnancy in lactating Holstein-Friesian cows.

The aim of this study was to characterize the dynamics of the concentrations of heat shock protein 70 kDa (HSP70) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of lactating Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (Bos taurus) during pregnancy. The detection of pregnancy was carried out and blood samples collected on Days 40, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 210 of gestation from 46 cows (11 primiparous and 35 pluriparous, 34 seropositive and 12 seronegative to Neospora caninum). Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated by density gradient centrifugation.

Effects of cumulative stressful and acute variation episodes of farm climate conditions on late embryo/early fetal loss in high producing dairy cows.

The aim of this study was to determine possible relationships between farm climate conditions, recorded from day 0 to day 40 post-artificial insemination (AI), and late embryo/early fetal loss in high producing dairy cows. Pregnancy was diagnosed by rectal ultrasonography between 28 and 34 days post-AI. Fetal loss was registered when a further 80- to 86-day diagnosis proved negative.