Effects of a simple method for determining the time of insemination and different methods on artificial insemination in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

In this study, we examined the usefulness of a simpler and more feasible method for determining the optimal timing of artificial insemination and the conditions for its success in six female common bottlenose dolphins. Pregnancy was successfully achieved in five dolphins by performing intrauterine insemination, using chilled semen stored for less than 3 days or frozen semen within 24 hr of exhibiting a peak serum estradiol (E) level of 100 pg/mL or higher or on the day with a serum E level of approximately 100 pg/mL, measured with a simple measuring device. We concluded that the determining the optimal timing of intrauterine insemination by measuring serum E levels is a simpler and more useful method compared with the conventional approach.

Relaxin contributes to the elevation of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells in peripheral blood of pregnant canines.

Tolerance towards fetal alloantigens in the maternal immune system is essential for maintaining pregnancy. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are immature myeloid cells characterized by their ability to suppress immune activity and maintain maternal-fetal immune tolerance. However, the mechanisms underlying MDSC induction have not been elucidated.

Quality of cauda epididymal sperm immediately after collection and after freezing-thawing from Amur leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) and a local population of the subspecies Tsushima leopard cats.

In this study, cauda epididymal sperm were collected from Amur leopard cats with various causes of death as well as Tsushima leopard cats that underwent castration surgery, and sperm quality was compared with that in domestic cats. A sufficient number of sperm similar to those in domestic cats could be collected from the cauda epididymis of Amur leopard cats. However, in old leopard cats, no or very few cauda epididymal sperm were recovered, although there were no differences in sperm motility and sperm abnormality.

Effect of supplementation with the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 on semen quality and antioxidant status in dogs with poor semen quality: Three case studies.

Oxidative stress owing to an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), is a major contributor to male infertility. We investigated the effects of the reduced form of CoQ10 (ubiquinol) supplementation on semen quality in dogs with poor semen quality. Three dogs received 100 mg of ubiquinol orally once daily for 12 weeks.

Leydig cell tumor in an Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica).

A 14-year and 8-month-old intact male Amur tiger presented with an enlarged left testis, measuring 5.7 × 5.5 × 4.

Therapeutic effects of oral clomiphene citrate in 2 dogs with low plasma testosterone levels and poor semen quality.

Two dogs with low plasma testosterone (T) levels and poor semen quality were administered one tablet of 12.5 mg clomiphene citrate orally per day at 2-day intervals for 4 weeks. Plasma T levels, total sperm count, and sperm motility in both dogs temporarily increased between 3 and 6 weeks after the start of treatment.

Identification of the Histidine Residue in Vitamin D Receptor That Covalently Binds to Electrophilic Ligands.

We designed and synthesized vitamin D analogues with an electrophile as covalent modifiers for the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Novel vitamin D analogues 1-4 have an electrophilic enone group at the side chain for conjugate addition to His301 or His393 in the VDR. All compounds showed specific VDR-binding potency and agonistic activity.

MicroRNA expression profiling in canine prostate cancer.

Canine prostate cancer (cPCa) is an untreatable malignant neoplasm resulting in local tissue invasion and distant metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. The purpose of this study was to characterize the expression of miRs that are altered in cPCa tissue.

Intrauterine insemination with fresh semen in Amur leopard cat (Pionailurus bengalensis eutilura) during non-breeding season.

Equine and human chorionic gonadotropins were administered to two female Amur leopard cats to induce estrus and ovulation during non-breeding season. Fresh semen collected from male cats was surgically inseminated into the uterine horn of the females. In one animal, two fetal sacs without heartbeats were observed on abdominal ultrasonography 31 days after insemination, which indicated that embryo death had occurred.

Intrauterine embryo transfer with canine embryos cryopreserved by the slow freezing and the Cryotop method.

Canine embryos (8-cell to blastocyst stages) frozen-thawed using the slow-freezing method with glycerol (four recipients) or dimethyl sulfoxide (three recipients) as a cryoprotectant and vitrified-warmed using the Cryotop method (five recipients) were surgically transferred into the unilateral uterine horn of recipient bitches. As a result, the morphology of embryos frozen-thawed using the slow-freezing method was judged to be normal, but no conception occurred in any of the recipient bitches. Two of the five bitches that received transferred embryos (morula to early blastocyst stages) vitrified-warmed using the Cryotop method became pregnant and produced normal pups (1/9 embryos, 11.

A trial of semen collection by transrectal electroejaculation method from Amur leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus).

We collected semen from a male Amur leopard cat using the transrectal electroejaculation method and investigated the semen qualities for about four years. In addition, the influence of the season on the spermatogenic function of the Amur leopard cat was investigated with regard to the semen qualities, testicular volume and serum testosterone level. As a result, we could collect semen with good sperm qualities that would be useable for artificial insemination.

Therapeutic effects of vitamin E supplementation in 4 dogs with poor semen quality and low superoxide dismutase activity in seminal plasma.

Four dogs with poor semen quality, low seminal plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and low blood plasma testosterone (T) levels were orally administered one vitamin E tablet containing 50 mg α-tocopheryl acetate per dog daily for 4 weeks. The mean values of semen quality were temporarily improved after the start of vitamin E treatment and the values of 4, and 5 weeks after that were significantly different from those before the treatment (P<0.05-0.

Influence of different methods of collection from the canine epididymides on post-thaw caudal epididymal sperm quality.

Canine epididymal sperm was collected from the cauda epididymis using 2 different methods (flushing and mincing) to compare the qualities (the percentage of progressively motile, viable, morphologically abnormal, immature and intact acrosomes) before and after freezing and thawing. No significant difference was noted in the quality of the cauda epididymal sperm immediately after collection and after freezing-thawing between the collection methods, although the mean levels of sperm quality with the flushing method were slightly better than that of the mincing method. The flushing method is simple and free of blood contamination, although the vas deferens was too small to be perfused in only 1 dog, and our results suggest that the flushing method is preferable to the mincing method for collecting sperm from the canine cauda epididymis.

Time-dependent changes in cardiovascular function during copulatory behavior induced by the hand method in the male dog.

Purpose: Ejaculation in the male dog consists of three fractions. Observation of behavior and measurement of heart rate (HR), and plasma noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (Ad) concentrations were researched sequentially, and a fundamental examination of the features of sympathetic nerve activity during copulatory behavior induced by the hand method in the male dog was undertaken.

Methods: We investigated the breeding capability of male dogs.

Superoxide dismutase activity in the oviductal and uterine fluid of the bitch and the effects of the enzyme on viability, motility and hyperactivation of canine sperm in vitro.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in flushings from oviducts and uterine horns of 8 anestrous, 5 estrous and 7 diestrous bitches was measured. SOD activity in oviductal fluid in estrous bitches was significantly higher than that in anestrous and diestrous bitches (P<0.01).

Effects of storage temperature and semen extender on stored canine semen.

The objective of the present study was to determine an optimum temperature and extender for short-term transport of canine ejaculated semen. There was no significant difference in the qualities of semen diluted with two kinds of extender, egg yolk Tris-citrate fructose (EYT-FC) or glucose (EYT-GC) extender, between the 2, 8 or 12 and the 4°C control groups during storage for up to 48 hr, while the 16-24°C groups showed decreased sperm motility during storage for 48 hr. However, the 2°C group showed slightly lower sperm motility and slightly higher sperm abnormality than the 4°C group.

Changes in prostaglandin E2 levels in seminal plasma during ejaculation and the effect of exogenous prostaglandin E2 on semen volume in the dog.

In healthy male dogs, peripheral plasma testosterone (T), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and seminal plasma PGE2 levels were measured before, during and after ejaculation, and semen quality was examined after oral administration of PGE2. Plasma T and PGE2 levels did not change during these periods, but the seminal plasma PGE2 level of combined the first and second fractions was significantly higher than those at 0-5 and 5-10 min after the start of ejaculation of the third fraction. Semen volume but not quality increased after PGE2 administration.

Surgical bedside master console for neurosurgical robotic system.

Purpose: We are currently developing a neurosurgical robotic system that facilitates access to residual tumors and improves brain tumor removal surgical outcomes. The system combines conventional and robotic surgery allowing for a quick conversion between the procedures. This concept requires a new master console that can be positioned at the surgical bedside and be sterilized.

Therapeutic effect of frequent injections of GnRH analogue in a beagle with knobbed acrosome abnormality of sperm.

A Beagle dog (3 years old) that ejaculated high percentages (mean ± SE: 29.1 ± 1.2%) of sperm with a knobbed acrosome abnormality and a low number of sperm and that also had a low plasma testosterone (T) level was given 10 subcutaneous injections of 1 µg of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-A) at 3-day intervals.

Comparison of fertility on intrauterine insemination between cryopreserved ejaculated and cauda epididymal sperm in dogs.

The fertility was compared between ejaculated and cauda epididymal sperm sensitized with prostatic fluid in dog after freeze-thawing using the fertility of ova from the contralateral ovary after injection (2 × 10(8) sperm) into dog uterus on the unilateral ovariectomized side, on the basis of the presence or absence of conception. No significant difference was observed in sperm quality after freeze-thawing between the two groups and conception rates were equivalent and low. Therefore, to achieve a high fertility by intrauterine insemination of canine frozen-thawed ejaculated and cauda epididymal sperm, intrauterine insemination on both sides is recommended, rather than insemination with a lot of sperm of the uterine horn on one side.

Distribution of glycoproteins on feline testicular sperm, epididymal sperm and ejaculated sperm.

Glycoproteins (GPs) are known to be involved in the phenomenon of sperm maturation and capacitation. In the present study, we investigated the attachment of GPs on sperm cell membrane during the process of feline sperm maturation from testicular sperm to ejaculated sperm by using 8 FITC-labeled lectins. The results showed that 3 types of GPs were presented on testicular sperm and 7 on caput epididymal sperm.

Surgical intrauterine insemination with cat semen cryopreserved with Orvus ES paste or sodium lauryl sulfate.

The mean post-thaw sperm motilities of feline frozen semen prepared with 1% OEP or 3 g/ml SLS as a cryoprotective agent, in addition to 7% glycerin, were 35.0 ± 2.4 and 37.

The qualities of cryopreserved epididymal sperm collected from feline epididymides stored at low temperature.

We observed the influences of low-temperature storage of the feline epididymis on the epididymal semen qualities before and after cryopreservation to identify the optimal duration for low-temperature storage of the epididymis. After excision, the feline epididymis was stored at 4 degrees C for 0-72 hr and then subjected to epididymal sperm collection. When sperm from the refrigerated cauda epididymis were frozen and thawed, there was no significant difference in sperm motility between the 0- and 24-hr low-temperature storage groups, but sperm motility was significantly decreased in the 48-hr storage group.

Usefulness of addition of Orvus ES paste and sodium lauryl sulfate to frozen feline semen.

It has been shown that addition of the surfactant Orvus ES paste (OEP) and its main component sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) to boar or dog semen before freezing improves post-thaw sperm motility and protects acrosome caps. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of the addition of OEP (0, 1, 2 and 4%) or SLS (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 mg/ml) to cat ejaculates before freezing and their concentrations. Among the OEP addition groups, the 1% OEP group showed higher sperm motility than the other groups.