Testicular ultrastructure and morphology of the seminal pathway in Prochilodus scrofa

The seminiferous tubules of Prochilodus scrofa present a coiled morphological arrangement with intertubular anastomoses and unrestricted spermatogonial distribution. The structural pattern of the seminiferous tubules is cystic, with cysts formed by cytoplasmic prolongations of Sertoli cells. Inside the cysts are observed different types of germ cells. The seminiferous tubules open individually on the ventral surface of the main testicular duct present in each testis. Each main testicular duct prolongs as a spermatic duct, fusing with the spermatic duct of the opposite side to form the common spermatic duct which opens into the urogenital papilla. The mature sperm cysts break and extravasate their content into the lumen of the seminiferous tubules from which the seminal fluid and the spermatozoa penetrate the main testicular duct, the spermatic duct and the common spermatic duct for semen ejaculation.

Morphology of the female genital ducts of the blue land crab Cardisoma guanhumi (Crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinidae)

This is a histological and histochemical analysis of the terminal portion of the female reproductive system and genital ducts of the blue land crab (Cardisoma guanhumi). Animals were collected in the Jaguaribe estuary (Ceará, Brazil) and dissected. Genital duct fragments were fixed and submitted to different staining techniques. The female reproductive system consists of a pair of ovaries and a pair of genital ducts. In the mid-posterior portion of each lobe, the ovaries communicate with the genital ducts, which are subdivided into oviduct, spermatheca, vagina, and gonopore. Histologically, the spermatheca of C. guanhumi is composed of columnar secretory epithelium and is divided into a dorsal zone and a ventral zone, the latter covered internally by a cuticle layer. Both zones are enveloped by a thin layer of loose connective tissue. Histological cross sections revealed the vagina to be concave, a pattern considered phylogenetically more advanced than the simple, tubular form. Our findings suggest fertilization is internal, favoring sperm from the most recent copulation. © 2012 The Authors. Acta Zoologica © 2012 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Sperm characteristics as additional evidence of close relationship between Lebiasina and Piabucina (Characiformes: Lebiasinidae: Lebiasininae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Efficacy of sperm motility after processing and incubation to predict pregnancy after intrauterine insemination in normospermic individuals

Background: Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is widely used to treat infertility, and its adequate indication is important to obtain good pregnancy rates. To assess which couples could benefit from IUI, this study aimed to evaluate whether sperm motility using a discontinuous gradient of different densities and incubation in CO2 in normospermic individuals is able to predict pregnancy.Methods: A total of 175 couples underwent 175 IUI cycles. The inclusion criteria for women were as follows: 35 years old or younger (age range: from 27 to 35 years) with normal fallopian tubes; endometriosis grades I-II; unexplained infertility; nonhyperandrogenic ovulatory dysfunction. Men with normal seminal parameters were also included. All patients underwent ovarian stimulation with clomiphene citrate and human hMG or r-FSH. When one or (at most) three follicles measuring 18 to 20 mm were observed, hCG (5000 UI) or r-hCG (250 mcg) was administered and IUI performed 36-40 h after hCG. Sperm processing was performed using a discontinuous concentration gradient. A 20 microliters aliquot was incubated for 24 h at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2 following a total progressive motility analysis. The Mann-Whitney and Chi-square tests, as well as a ROC curve were used to determine the cutoff value for motility.Results: Of the 175 couples, 52 (in 52 IUI cycles) achieved clinical pregnancies (CP rate per cycle: 29.7%). The analysis of age, duration and causes of infertility did not indicate any statistical significance between pregnancy and no pregnancy groups, similar to the results for total sperm count and morphology analyses, excluding progressive motility (p < 0.0001). The comparison of progressive motility after processing and 24 h after incubation between these two groups indicated that progressive motility 24 h after incubation was higher in the pregnancy group. The analysis of the progressive motility of the pregnancy group after processing and 24 h after incubation has not shown any motility difference at 24 h after incubation; additionally, in couples who did not obtain pregnancy, there was a statistically significant decrease in progressive motility 24 h after incubation (p < 0.0001). The ROC curve analysis generated a cutoff value of 56.5% for progressive motility at 24 h after incubation and this cutoff value produced 96.1% sensitivity, 92.7% specificity, 84.7% positive predictive value and 98.3% negative predictive value.Conclusions: We concluded that the sperm motility of normospermic individuals 24 h after incubation at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2, with a cutoff value of 56.5%, is predictive of IUI success.

Sperm evolution in the family Alestidae with comparative data for the genus Chalceus (Ostariophysi: Characiformes)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Testis morphology and dichotomic spermatogenesis in the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (F.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Orientation and external morphology of burrows of the mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea: Brachyura: Ucididae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Artificial fertilization of oocytes and sperm activation in pacu: effects of the spermatozoa:oocyte ratio, water volume, and in natura semen preservation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effects of the spermatozoa: oocyte ratio, water volume and water temperature on artificial fertilization and sperm activation of cascudo-preto

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of water volume and water temperature on the sperm motility duration and the number of spermatozoa, and the water volume on the fertilization rates of oocytes of Rhinelepis aspera. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of semen dilutions (1.74×10-5, 1.74×10-4, 1.74×10-3, 1.74×10-2, 1.74×10-1 and 1.00 mL of sperm.mL-1 of water) and water temperature (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 ºC) on spermatozoa motility duration. In addition, the effects of insemination dose (7×10³, 7×10(4), 7×10(5), 7×10(6) and 7×10(7) spermatozoa.oocyte-1) and water volume (1.0, 30.0, 60.0, 90.0 and 120.0 mL water.2.0 mL-1 oocytes) on the artificial fertilization rates of oocytes were evaluated. The longest sperm motility duration were observed for the semen dilution of 1.74×10-5 mL semen.mL-1 water and in water at 5 ºC. The highest fertilization rates were obtained for insemination doses between 7.00×10³ and 1.23×10(7) spermatozoa. oocyte-1 and water volume of 28.11 mL water.2.0 mL-1 oocytes.

Morphology of the eggs and larvae of Cyphomyrmex transversus Emery (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) and a note on the relationship with its symbiotic fungus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The larval morphology and nest habits of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) rogenhoferi Kohl 1884 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

External Morphology of the Immatures of Polybia paulista (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

The immatures of Polybia paulista Ihering were described using light and scanning electron microscopy and the results are compared with previous descriptions within the same or related wasps. This study is based on 2 whole nests collected in the municipality of Rio Claro, São Paulo, in Brazil. We have detected the existence of 5 larval instars. The main morphological alterations over development occur in the relative size of structures, yet certain structures appear with subsequent instars and become more evident later in development: increasing density in the number of body spines and papillae; the appearance of body setae in fifth-instar larvae; opening of spiracles upon second-instar larvae; 2 body shapes in fifth-instar larvae; the appearance of a lateral tooth on the mandibles of fourth instar; presence of spines on the maxillae of fifth-instar larvae; altered shape of galea and palps upon third-instar larvae from a cluster of sensilla to a conical elevation; and the appearance of spines on postmentum upon fourth-instar larvae. This way, the present study presents a detailed description of the immatures of P. paulista, and we hope the presented information can be useful to morphological, taxonomic, and phylogenetic studies.

Pathogenicity, colony morphology and diversity of isolates of Guignardia citricarpa and G-mangiferae isolated from Citrus spp.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Chromatin and morphometry alterations of bovine sperm head after Percoll (TM) density gradient centrifugation

The aim of this work was to assess the morphometry and chromatin integrity of bovine sperm head after a three layers discontinuous Percoll (TM) density gradient centrifugation. Frozen semen doses were obtained from six bulls of different breeds, including three taurine and three Zebu animals. Three ejaculates per bull were evaluated. The semen doses were thawed and two smears were made from each sample before (control) and after the Percoll (TM) centrifugation (Percoll (TM) group). The smears were stained with toluidine blue and grayscale digital images were captured and processed in Scilab environment software. It was observed that chromatin heterogeneity was reduced (P<0.05) and chromatin decondensation was increased (P<0.05) after the Percollm treatment utilized. In addition, it was observed that sperm head length was higher (P<0.05) and the side symmetry was lower (P<0.05) in centrifuged sperm cells. When analyzed separately by subspecies, it was observed that the decrease (P<0.05) in chromatin heterogeneity and the increase (P<0.05) in chromatin decondensation occurred in Zebu sperm heads. In addition, the length and the width:length ratio of sperm heads was affected by Percoll (TM) centrifugation in Zebu semen. In conclusion, the three layers discontinuous Percoll (TM) centrifugation increased the chromatin decondensation and the morphometric alterations of frozen-thawed bovine semen. However, the real implication of these findings in fertility rates of centrifuged sperm must be investigated. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of chlorine added to drinking water during the preslaughter feed withdrawal on microbiology and morphology of the broiler gastrointestinal tract

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)