Retracted: Effect of Post‐Thaw Storage Time on Motility and Fertility of Cryopreserved Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso) Sperm

The aim of this study was to test the influence of post ‐ thaw storage time on the duration of sperm motility, percentage of motile sperm, and fertilization and hatching rates of fresh sperm and sperm stored for 0, 30 and 60 min at 4°C post‐thawing. After being frozen in liquid nitrogen and then thawed, the percentage of motile sperm and duration of motility were not affected by 30 min of storage at 4°C, whereas a significant decline in these parameters was observed after 60 min of storage. Similarly, fertilization and hatching rates were significantly affected within 60 min of storage at 4°C, and the fertility of frozen‐thawed sperm was significantly lower than that of fresh sperm. We conclude that cryopreserved sperm of beluga sturgeon could be stored for 30 min without the loss of sperm quality. This described procedure for beluga sturgeon cryopreservation is reliable and efficient and therefore can be recommended for hatchery practice after scaling up this technique.     

Hormonal influences on in vitro [35S]-sulfate uptake by gill arches from the goldfish (Carassius auratus L.)

A bioassay for insulin-like growth factor (IGF), based on the in vitro incorporation of [³⁵S]-sulfate into gill arch tissue was used to study the hormonal regulation of proteoglycan synthesis in the goldfish (Carassius auratus). [³⁵S]-sulfate incorporation into gill arch tissue was found to be time-dependent with maximal uptake occurring by 48h, suggesting that proteoglycan synthesis in this tissue was maintained for at least 48h in vitro. The addition of human recombinant IGF-I (IGF-I) to the incubation medium was found to significantly stimulate [³⁵S]-sulfate uptake into the gill arches, whereas bovine growth hormone (GH) was without effect. Porcine insulin was also stimulatory, but results indicate that the effects of porcine insulin and IGF-I may be mediated by a single receptor system. Finally, arches from hypophysectomized fish were significantly less responsive to IGF-I than were arches from sham-operated fish. Furthermore, administration of ovine GH in vivo appeared to increase subsequent responsiveness in vitro. Together, these results provide evidence that the growth-promoting actions of GH in the goldfish may be mediated, at least in part, by a peptide related in structure to mammalian IGF-I.     

Artificial Insemination of Gilts with 1.5 Billion Sperms Stored in Different Periods Associated with Different Pre-ovulatory Intervals

This study evaluated the reproductive performance of gilts inseminated at three intervals before ovulation (0-12, 13-23, 24-30 h) with sperm doses (SD) stored for 0-48 and 96-120 h. A total of 218 PIC Camborough 22 gilts were inseminated once with SD of 1.5 x 10(9) sperms. Pregnant gilts (n = 166) were slaughtered 30.8 +/- 3.7 days after artificial insemination. The number of corpora lutea (CL) and total embryos (TE) was counted. Pregnancy rates (PR) were analysed by chi-square test. TE and embryonic survival (ES), obtained as the ratio between viable embryos and CL, were analysed by GLM procedure (SAS) and mean values were compared by Tukey's test. Pregnancy rate was similar among artificial insemination-ovulation (AIOV) intervals when semen was stored for 0-48 h. However, the lowest PR was observed in the 24-30 h AIOV interval with storage time (ST) of 96-120 h (p < 0.05). There was a significant effect of the interaction between ST and AIOV (p < 0.05) on TE and ES variables. Total embryos and ES did not differ (p > 0.05) among AIOV intervals in ST of 0-48 h. However, gilts inseminated at 24-30 h AIOV interval with ST of 96-120 h showed a reduction of 6.7 embryos (p < 0.05) compared with gilts in the same interval inseminated with semen stored for 0-48 h. ES for the 24-30 h AIOV interval and ST of 96-120 h was lower than that observed in the other groups (p < 0.05).     

Airborne radiometric survey data and a DTM as covariates for regional scale mapping of soil organic carbon across Northern Ireland

Soil scientists require cost-effective methods to make accurate regional predictions of soil organic carbon (SOC) content. We assess the suitability of airborne radiometric data and digital elevation data as covariates to improve the precision of predictions of SOC from an intensive survey in Northern Ireland. Radiometric data (K band) and, to a lesser extent, altitude are shown to increase the precision of SOC predictions when they are included in linear mixed models of SOC variation. However the statistical distribution of SOC in Northern Ireland is bimodal and therefore unsuitable for geostatistical analysis unless the two peaks can be accounted for by the fixed effects in the linear mixed models. The upper peak in the distribution is due to areas of peat soils. This problem may be partly countered if soil maps are used to classify areas of Northern Ireland according to their expected SOC content and then different models are fitted to each of these classes. Here we divide the soil in Northern Ireland into three classes, namely mineral, organo-mineral and peat. This leads to a further increase in the precision of SOC predictions and the median square error is 2.2 %². However a substantial number of our observations appear to be mis-classified and therefore the mean squared error in the predictions is larger (30.6 %²) since it is dominated by large errors due to mis-classification. Further improvement in SOC prediction may therefore be possible if better delineation between areas of large SOC (peat) and small SOC (non-peat) could be achieved.     

When fear is near: threat imminence elicits prefrontal-periaqueductal gray shifts in humans

Humans, like other animals, alter their behavior depending on whether a threat is close or distant. We investigated spatial imminence of threat by developing an active avoidance paradigm in which volunteers were pursued through a maze by a virtual predator endowed with an ability to chase, capture, and inflict pain. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that as the virtual predator grew closer, brain activity shifted from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to the periaqueductal gray. This shift showed maximal expression when a high degree of pain was anticipated. Moreover, imminence-driven periaqueductal gray activity correlated with increased subjective degree of dread and decreased confidence of escape. Our findings cast light on the neural dynamics of threat anticipation and have implications for the neurobiology of human anxiety-related disorders.     

Improvement of Fertility in Artificially Inseminated Ewes Following Vaginal Treatment with Misoprostol Plus Terbutaline Sulphate

The effect of vaginal administration of misoprostol plus terbutaline sulphate 6 h prior to artificial insemination (AI) upon the site of AI (vaginal or cervical) and fertility was studied using a total of 87 estrous synchronized Serra da Estrela ewes (control n = 42 and treated n = 45). Artificial insemination was performed using refrigerated semen at 54–55 h after sponge removal. Lambing rate (fertility) and prolificacy were compared between control and treated ewes. The effect of the site of semen deposition on fertility was also evaluated. Prolificacy rate was not different between control (1.5) and treated (1.59) ewes. The proportion of cervical AI achieved in control (45.2%) and treated (37.8%) ewes was not significantly different. Overall, fertility was significantly lower in control than in treated ewes (42.9% vs 64.4%; p < 0.04). Fertility following vaginal AI was significantly lower for control for than treated ewes (30.4% vs 60.7%; p < 0.03) but the difference was smaller and not significant for cervical AI (control 57.9% vs 70.6%). It was concluded that vaginal administration of misoprostol plus terbutaline sulphate 6 h prior to artificial insemination did not affect the proportion of cervical inseminations but significantly improved the fertility of treated ewes. Although needing confirmation, it was hypothesized that drugs might have induced local secretory modifications leading to an increase of cervical ability to retain more viable spermatozoa for fertilization.