Artificial insemination in pigs: predicting male fertility

Efficient artificial insemination (AI) is essential for future challenges in the pig industry. Knowledge on the exact relation between semen quality characteristics and fertility can have a major impact on both the genetic merit of future animals and the efficiency of AI. Variation in fertility is caused not only by farm- or sow-related parameters but also by boar- and semen-related parameters. In pig AI there is no gold standard concerning semen quality assessment. Assessing semen quality characteristics objectively and relating them to large field fertility datasets leads to an efficient production of insemination doses, which results in an efficient dissemination/descent of the breeding program required genes. Overall, this contributes to the development of semen quality assessments, which improves the prediction of porcine male fertility. Knowing which semen characteristics, and to what extent, contribute to male fertility and makes the field fertility more predictable.     

Physio-Chemical Characteristics of Seminal Plasma and Development of Media and Methods for the Cryopreservation of European eel Sperm

The high sperm density, together with the short spermatozoa swimming time, makes European eel sperm manipulation and assessment for quality difficult. Two diluting media (K15 and K30) previously designed for Japanese eel sperm were tested. After 24 h, European eel sperm showed significant reduction in the percentage of motile spermatozoa after activation and different motility parameters (VAP, angular velocity; VCL, curvilinear velocity; VSL, straight line velocity; BCF, beating cross frequency), concluding that these media are not suitable to preserve the sperm of this species. After a hormonal treatment to induce spermiation, sperm volume, density and motility were recorded at weekly samplings. The variation of the osmolality (325–330 mOsm kg⁻¹), pH (8.4–8.6) and the ionic composition (concentration of Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺) of the seminal plasma were registered. Physio-chemical results were related with sperm quality throughout the treatment, to determine which must be the suitable characteristics of one extender for the sperm of this species, and to find the best conditions to obtain suitable cryopreservation media for European eel sperm. K⁺ concentration increased, while Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ concentrations showed a progressive reduction in correlation with the sperm quality improvement. Na⁺ showed a decreasing, but not significant tendency. P1 and P2 freezing media were designed considering the physio-chemical parameters as well as the ionic composition shown by the best quality sperm samples, and then compared with the previously described solutions, TNK and K30. Sperm quality was determined, checking the percentage of motile spermatozoa and motility parameters using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) software. Samples were frozen after dilution (1:5, 1:20, 1:100) in different freezing media supplemented with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). After thawing, samples frozen with low dilution ratio (1:5) in TNK and P1 media showed higher, although not significant, spermatozoa survival (35.5 ± 14.5 and 36.6 ± 6.7%). The addition of l-α-phosphatidylcholine to the media seems to have a positive effect, as reported in the Japanese eel.     

基于CASA模型的吉林西部植被净初级生产力及植被碳汇量估测

将MODIS数据,气象数据与植被数据相结合,利用CASA模型与土壤微生物呼吸模型,计算2001-2010年吉林西部的陆地植被净初级生产力(NPP)和土壤微生物呼吸RH,在此基础上估算了净生态系统生产力(NEP),分析NEP变化规律和原因,估测吉林西部植被碳汇量,结果表明:研究区NPP呈自西向东逐渐增加的趋势;碳源主要分布在通榆、镇赉和大安土地盐碱化比较严重的地区,其植被碳汇量为-160-0gC·m-2·a-1;前郭、扶余、松原、长岭以及白城和镇赉的两个水田灌区的NEP为150-300gC·m-2·a-1,起到碳汇的作用;10年间吉林西部NEP总体上呈波动上升趋势,2010年碳汇能力较2001年增加了47.10gC·m-2·a-1。     

Appraisal and standardization of curvilinear velocity (VCL) cut‐off values for CASA analysis of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) sperm

One of the basic steps in objective analysis of sperm motility is the subdivision of a motile sperm population into slow, medium and rapid categories based on their velocity. However, for CASA analysis of quail sperm, the velocity values for categorization of slow, medium and rapid sperm have not yet been standardized. To identify the cut‐off values of “velocity curvilinear” (VCL) for quail sperm categorization, we captured and analysed 22,300 tracks of quail sperm using SCA^®‐CASA. The median and mean VCL values were 85 and 97 μm/s. To define the VCL cut‐off values, we used two methods. In the first, we identified the upper (rapid sperm) and lower (slow sperm) cut‐off values using: (i) median VCL ± 25% or ± 50% or ± 75% of median VCL value; (ii) first and third quartile values of VCL data (i.e. 25% cut‐off setting); and (iii) 33% and 66% of VCL data. Among these settings, sperm categories and their corresponding motility characteristics recorded using the “25%” setting (i.e. slow ≤36 ≤ medium ≤154 ≤ rapid) were found the most realistic and coherent with male ranking by fertility. In the second method, we calculated heteroscedasticity in the total VCL data using PCA and the two‐step clustering method. With this approach, the mean of the high and low clusters was 165 and 51 μm/s, respectively. Together, the mean from two methods suggested that, for SCA^®‐CASA categorization of quail sperm, sperm should be classed as “rapid” at VCL ≥160 μm/s and “slow” at VCL ≤45 μm/s.     

计算机辅助分析冷冻前后褐牙鲆精子运动特征

观察了褐牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)精子在室温和低温下的活力与寿命,并应用计算机辅助精子分析系统(CASA)对超低温冷冻前后褐牙鲆精子的运动特征进行了分析,结果表明:褐牙鲆精子在室温(25℃)下,可存活4 d,在低温(4℃)下可存活7 d;鲜精的活力为(87. 74±5. 47)%,解冻后,精子的最高活性为(84. 00±3. 67)%;激活0. 5 min时,冻精与鲜精的运动精子占总精子数的百分率(MOT)无显著性差异(P>0. 05),但精子平均曲线运动速度(VCL)、平均直线运动速度(VSL)、平均路径运动速度(VAP)和精子运动路线的曲折程度(LIN)都有显著性差异(P <0. 05);激活4min和10min时,冻精与鲜精的MOT、VCL、VSL、VAP和LIN间都有显著性差异(P <0. 05)。鲜精激活0. 5 min后,直线运动、曲线运动、左右摆动和不运动的精子数目占总精子数的百分比分别为(24. 49±3. 87)%、(48. 53±4. 55)%、(24. 72±2. 86)%和(2. 27±1. 22)%;冻精激活0. 5min后,直线运动、曲线运动、左右摆动和不运动的精子数目占总精子数的百分比分别为(18. 58±1. 33)%、(35. 67±3. 00)%、(35. 24±2. 67)%和(10. 51±1. 33)%。随着激活时间的延长,褐牙鲆鲜精和冻精的运动状态均发生了改变,直线运动和曲线运动的精子数目逐渐减少,而不运动和左右摆动的精子数目逐渐增加。     

湖州市森林植被净初级生产力研究

基于30m分辨率的2018年Landsat数据、气象数据和森林资源年度监测小班数据等资料,考虑最大光能利用率在不同森林类型中的差异,采用CASA模型对浙江省湖州市的森林植被净初级生产力(NPP)进行估算,分析其空间分布特征,对估算结果进行精度检验,并与其他学者的NPP测算值进行结果对比。结果表明:(1)湖州市森林植被的NPP值约为7.49 t·hm^-2·a^-1;植被净初级生产力空间分布特征总体表现为随海拔增高而逐渐增大。(2)同一森林类型因地理生态环境差异而导致NPP的估算存在一定偏差。软阔类和灌木林植被面积占比过小,反演精度降低,估算偏差较其它森林类型偏大;各森林类型NPP估算结果与其他学者NPP测算值基本接近。因此,利用CASA模型对湖州市森林净初级生产力反演结果可靠,可为湖州市森林生态服务功能价值评估提供依据。     

Effects of the Addition of Autologous Seminal Plasma to Highly Concentrated Stallion Semen After 48 Hours of Cooled Storage

Insemination with chilled transported semen has become distinctly important in the horse-breeding industry. To ensure cell survival during cooled storage, semen is diluted with an appropriate extender and the concentration of seminal plasma (SP) is reduced. Nevertheless, SP plays an important immunomodulatory role in the female genital tract and supports sperm fertility. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of autologous SP after cooled storage to highly concentrated stallion semen. Therefore, SP was removed by simple centrifugation of extended semen, aspiration of the supernatant, and resuspension of the sperm pellet with semen extender. Motion characteristics were evaluated after cooled storage for 48 hours at concentrations of 333 × 10⁶ sperm/mL in comparison with stored samples at concentration of 25 × 10⁶ sperm/mL (control). The highly concentrated semen samples were diluted with an extender containing 0%, 5%, 20%, and 80% SP directly before motility analysis. Dilution of the cooled semen with a fresh semen extender without SP (0%) increased kinematic parameters (curvilinear velocity [VCL] 137.3 vs. 151.8; straight-line velocity [VSL] 49.0 vs. 57.5; average path velocity [VAP] 69.5 vs. 79.4 μm/second; amplitude of lateral head [ALH] 3.1 vs. 3.3 μm; beat cross frequency [BCF] 31.6 vs. 33.5 Hz; P < .05) but not total motility (51% vs. 43%) and progressive motility (46% vs. 36%) compared with controls. The addition of SP after storage for 48 hours decreased sperm total motility and progressive motility regardless of SP concentration: 5 (38% and 34%), 20 (37% and 33%), and 80% SP (27% and 22%; P < .05). In contrast, kinematic parameters were enhanced by extenders containing 5% and 20% SP (VCL: 148.0 and 155.6; VSL: 59.2 and 60.9; VAP: 78.7 and 81.9; BCF: 33.4 and 35.7; ALH: 3.4 and 3.4; P < .05). However, using an extender containing 80% SP was detrimental to kinematic parameters (VCL: 151.2; VSL: 52.2; VAP: 76.9; BCF: 34.8; P < .05) except for ALH, which increased (3.5; P < .05). In conclusion, cooled storage at concentrations of 333 × 10⁶ sperm/mL did not affect sperm motility. The addition of a fresh extender or an extender containing small concentrations of SP to highly concentrated ejaculated sperm increased kinematic values after storage; however, increasing concentrations of SP decreased sperm motility.     

Estimation of spatial and temporal changes in net primary production based on Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model in semi-arid rangelands of SemiromCounty,Iran

Net primary production (NPP) is an indicator of rangeland ecosystem function. This research assessed the potential of the Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model for estimating NPP and its spatial and temporal changes in semi-arid rangelands of Semirom County, Iran. Using CASA model, we estimated the NPP values based on monthly climate data and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) obtained from the MODIS sensor. Regression analysis was then applied to compare the estimated production data with observed production data. The spatial and temporal changes in NPP and light utilization efficiency (LUE) were investigated in different rangeland vegetation types. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) was also calculated at different time scales and the correlation of SPI with NPP changes was determined. The results indicated that the estimated NPP values varied from 0.00 to 74.48 g C/(m²?a). The observed and estimated NPP values had different correlations, depending on rangeland conditions and vegetation types. The highest and lowest correlations were respectively observed in Astragalus spp.-Agropyronspp. rangeland (R²=0.75) with good condition and Gundeliaspp.-Cousiniaspp. rangeland (R²=0.36) with poor and very poor conditions. The maximum and minimum LUE values were found in Astragalus spp.-Agropyronspp. rangeland (0.117 g C/MJ) with good condition and annual grasses-annual forbs rangeland (0.010 g C/MJ), respectively. According to the correlations between SPI and NPP changes, the effects of drought periods on NPP depended on vegetation types and rangeland conditions. Annual plants had the highest drought sensitivity while shrubs exhibited the lowest drought sensitivity. The positive effects of wet periods on NPP were less evident in degraded areas where the destructive effects of drought were more prominent. Therefore, determining vegetation types and rangeland conditions is essential in NPP estimation. The findings of this study confirmed the potential of the CASA for estimating rangeland production. Therefore, the model output maps can be used to evaluate, monitor and optimize rangeland management in semi-arid rangelands of Iran where MODIS NPP products are not available.     

基于CASA模型的陕西省植被净初级生产力时空分析

[目的]探明陕西省近年来植被净初级生产力(net primary productivity,NPP)的变化及评估植被的生长条件。[方法]基于CASA(Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach)模型估算陕西省2003—2012年逐月NPP,并分析其年际、年内的时空变化特征及趋势。[结果](1)陕西省2003—2012年植被NPP总体呈增长趋势(p0.01),年均增量为3.940 6g/(m~2·a)(以C含量计);年总NPP从2003年的84.44Tg(1Tg=1012g)增加到2012年的91.98Tg。(2)NPP年内变化明显,夏季NPP占年总量的比例最高,达到52.43%,7,8两月占比最高,分别为18.52%和18.41%。只有3和8月NPP增长趋势显著或极显著,其他月份NPP变化不显著。(3)不同植被NPP的年际变化比较平稳,除永久湿地外,其他植被类型的NPP呈增长趋势,耕地的NPP增长最快(p0.01),年均增量为5.89g/(m2·a)。(4)NPP整体呈南高北低、高低相间的分布特征,全省78.53%的区域NPP呈增长趋势,24.47%的区域增长显著或极显著;NPP降低显著/极显著的面积仅占2.27%,主要分布在陕西中部和西安周边地区。[结论]陕西植被生长条件总体在改善,但局部在恶化。