Sperm subpopulations influence the pregnancy rates in cattle

This study aimed to study the characteristics and subpopulations of spermatozoa from bulls with low and high reproductive performance based on pregnancy rates. Based on historical records of pregnancy rate from four farms, 24 bulls were selected. Two groups were established, with low pregnancy rates (n = 12; LOW), including bulls that presented pregnancy rates <52.27% (33.33% to 51.81%); and a group with high pregnancy rates (n = 12; HIGH), with pregnancy rates >52.27% (52.27% to 69.64%), after fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The thawed sperm straws were analysed to sperm kinetics, morphology, plasma membrane integrity and sperm subpopulations. The LOW group exhibited a higher proportion of static cells (p < .05). In contrast, the HIGH group showed greater percentages for membrane integrity and total and progressive motility, and cells with fast and medium velocity (p < .05). In the cluster procedures, four sperm subpopulations were established. The low-fertility bulls presented the highest percentage of subpopulation 2 (41.46%), characterized by slow and progressive spermatozoa. The high-fertility bulls exhibited the highest percentage of subpopulation 3 (37.17%), characterized by fast and nonlinear spermatozoa. Results from this study indicated that bulls with greater percentages of fast and nonlinear spermatozoa seem to have greater fertilization capacity and the subpopulations analysis can be considered a tool to identify ejaculates with high fertility.     

Sperm production and quality in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in relation to hormonal treatment

Aquaculture production relies on controlled management of gametogenesis, especially in species where assisted reproduction is needed for obtaining gametes in captivity. The present study used human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatments to induce and sustain spermatogenesis in European eel (Anguilla anguilla). The aim was to evaluate effects of strip-spawning timing (12 vs. 24 hr) after weekly administration of hCG and the necessity of a primer dose (in addition to weekly hormonal treatment) prior to strip spawning (primer vs. no-primer) on sperm quality parameters. Sperm parameters included milt production (weight), density and sperm kinematics at Week 9, 11 and 13 after onset of treatment. Spermiation commenced in 11.5% of males in Week 5 and by Week 9, and all males produced milt. Male weight, milt production, sperm density and spermatocrit did not differ among hormonal treatments during the experimental period. Overall, male weight decreased from 106.3 to 93.0 g, milt weight increased from 3.5 to 5.4 g, sperm density counts decreased from 11.7 × 10⁹ to 10.5 × 10⁹ cells/ml, and spermatocrit decreased from 46.5% to 40.5%. Furthermore, spermatocrit was positively related to haemocytometer counts (R² = .86, p < .001), providing a reliable indicator of sperm density. Differences in sperm kinematics were observed depending on strip-spawning timing after hormonal injection (12 vs. 24 hr) but with no consistent pattern. These sperm quality parameters also did not consistently differ between the no-primer and primer treatments. Considering that each male may be stripped 4–5 times over the 2–3 months spawning season, omitting the primer would reduce animal handling, material costs and labour intensity, while sustaining high-quality sperm production.     

基于遥感和CASA模型的西江流域NPP时空分布特征研究

基于EOS/MODIS遥感资料,采用CASA模型分析西江流域陆地植被净第一性生产力（NPP）的时空变化特征。结果表明:西江流域平均植被NPP为400～500 gC/（m²·a）,上游地区偏低,为200～300 gC/（m²·a）,中下游地区较高,平均500～600 gC/（m²·a）,部分地区可达到800 gC/（m²·a）以上;植被NPP季节变化显著,夏季最高,春、秋季节次之,冬季最低小;西江流域植被NPP的空间差异明显,在5-10月,上游地区植被NPP较低,中下游地区较高;在1-3月,上游地区尤其是南盘江流域的植被NPP较高,中下游地区尤其是中游地区明显较少。西江流域植被NPP的空间特征还表现在汛期空间差异大,枯水期空间差别小。     

1993-2015年中国草地净初级生产力格局及其与水热因子的关系

[目的]估算1993-2015年中国草地净初级生产力（net primary productivity,NPP）,分析其时空变化格局及与水热因子的关系,了解这一时期中国草地生态系统的生产力水平及其对水热因子变化的响应。[方法]基于长时间序列遥感数据,气象数据和植被类型数据,运用CASA模型（Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach）估算草地净初级生产力,利用一元线性回归、二阶偏相关分析以及GIS空间分析方法,探讨草地NPP的变化趋势以及与对水热因子的关系。[结果]①1993-2015年,中国草地NPP年均总量为7.595×10¹⁴ g （以C计）,单位面积NPP均值为296.76 g/m²/a。总体上,草地NPP呈现从东部到西部、从南部到北部逐渐减少的空间分布特征。②1993-2015年草地NPP总量以-1.415×10¹² g/a的线性速率（p>0.05）波动式下降。其中,1993-2010年草地NPP总量以-2.312×10¹² g/a的线性速率（p<0.05）显著降低,2011-2015年草地NPP总量以7.00×10¹¹ g/a的线性速率（p>0.05）波动式上升。1993-2015年,NPP呈减少态势的面积大于NPP呈增加态势的面积且40.40%的草地NPP呈现显著性变化。③年际变化上,除去2011年以来草地NPP的波动性变化,草地NPP与太阳总辐射和降水量的二阶偏相关性显著,与年平均气温没有表现出显著的相关关系。空间分布上,草地NPP与太阳辐射显著偏相关的面积 > 与降水显著偏相关的面积 > 与气温显著偏相关的面积。[结论]1993-2015年,中国草地NPP总体上呈现普遍降低、局部改善的变化特征。这种变化主要受到太阳总辐射和降水量的影响,受温度变化的影响较弱。     

基于Landsat和MODIS数据融合的农牧区NPP模拟

天山北坡是中国重要的农牧业发展基地,利用遥感数据准确获取植被净初级生产力(Net primary productivity,NPP)的时空信息,对于合理分配农牧业草地资源具有重要意义。由于受到天气影响及卫星传感器受到时间分辨率和空间分辨率的限制,获取既具有中空间分辨率、又具有高时间分辨率的遥感数据比较困难。本文基于中空间分辨率Landsat 8 OLI数据与高时间分辨率MODIS数据,采用遥感数据时空融合STARFM算法,获取中空间分辨率和高时间分辨率序列的遥感数据,以天山北坡中段区域为实验区,结合CASA模型,对区域内植被NPP进行模拟。结果表明,2016年内8个时期,融合后的NDVI数据与对应时刻的Landsat 8 OLI NDVI数据的相关系数不小于0.759,偏差在0.006 2～0.009 4之间,均方根误差在0.074～0.135之间;利用融合数据与CASA模型协同模拟的NPP具有良好的空间细节信息,NPP模拟值与野外实测值决定系数R~2为0.860 1,表明两者具有较好的相关性。本研究为多源遥感影像融合技术与光能利用率模型协同模拟NPP提供了新的思路。     

基于CASA模型的瓦屋山林场植被净初级生产力估算

在地理信息系统和遥感技术支持下,利用改进的CASA模型,并结合Landsat TM遥感影像、气象数据和林班数据,估算出瓦屋山林场2008—2009年的植被净初级生产力(PNPP),并通过实测植被生物量和生产力的关系,验证CASA模型在研究地区估算结果。结果表明:CASA模型估测植被PNPP与实测结果有较好的一致性,能够适用于瓦屋山林场植被净生产力估算;CASA模型估算结果主要植被类型年均PNPP区别明显,从高到低依次是:中国山杨、麻栎、板栗、马尾松、湿地松、灌木、杉木和池杉;瓦屋山林场植被PNPP季节变化显著,夏季贡献率最大,其次是春季和秋季,冬季最少,主要由于不同季节环境因素不同,其中又以太阳辐射最为重要。     

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。     

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模型的植被净初级生产力时空演变格局及其影响因素——以湖北省为例

为了揭示湖北省植被NPP的时空演变规律及驱动机制,基于CASA模型计算2000—2018年湖北省植被NPP,结合气象数据和土地利用数据,利用重心模型、相关性分析和贡献指数等方法分析植被NPP的时空变化及其影响因素。结果表明:(1)2000—2018年湖北省植被NPP年均值介于532.19～656.49 g C/(m²·a),整体呈波动上升趋势;(2)湖北省植被NPP在空间分布上表现为由西北向东南递减的趋势,植被NPP重心迁移轨迹呈M型,西北地区的增量和增速较大高于东南地区。(3)湖北省植被NPP与年均气温呈正相关的区域面积占全省总面积的54.49%,主要分布在荆门、荆州地区以及宜昌东南部地区; 年均NPP与年降水量呈正相关的面积高达87.65%,主要分布在随州、襄阳和孝感北部地区。(4)2000—2018年研究区域内NPP总量增加19.86×10^-2 Tg C,在土地利用变化引起的NPP损益中,主要由其他土地类型向林地、耕地和草地转换引起; 不同时期土地覆盖变化对NPP总量的贡献率有所差异,2000—2010年建设用地贡献率最高为53.81%,2010—2018年耕地贡献率最高为61.53%。     

Effect of different methods for the induction of spermiation on semen quality in European eel

Five hormonal treatments with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were tested for the induction of maturation and spermiation in male farmed eels. The main aim was to optimize previously used hormonal treatments to achieve shorter induction treatments, longer spermiation periods and/or higher sperm quality. Fish treated for just 3 weeks (treatment E) or until the onset of spermiation (treatment C) showed the worst results, while the treatment consisting of weekly administration of 1.5 IU hCG g^?1 fish (treatment A) induced the highest percentage of spermiating males, the highest number of sperm samples and sperm volumes and densities similar to the rest of the treatments (B: half hormone dosage, or D: biweekly administration). Evaluation of the sperm quality was performed by computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA), considering the percentage of total motile spermatozoa, the percentage of fast and medium‐velocity spermatozoa, as well as different motility parameters. Sperm samples from A‐D groups showed between 44% and 54% motile spermatozoa, and between 10% and 15% fast spermatozoa, while samples from E‐treated males showed 0% motile cells. No significant differences were found in the spermatozoa straight line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL) or the angular velocity (VAP), neither spermatozoa beating cross frequency (BCF) between A–D groups.