Bee bread, a naturally fermented bee product, could alleviate obesity-related disorders but its protective role against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ovarian dysfunction has not been studied yet. Thirty-eight Wister albino female rats were divided into control and HFD groups. The control group (n=7) received a normal diet for 14 weeks whereas HFD group was supplemented with 40% HFD for 10 weeks and then subdivided into 4 subgroups that received either HFD or HFD and S. officinalis (300 mg/kg) or HFD and bee bread (0.5 gm/kg) or normal diet for another 4 weeks. Histopathological examination of ovarian tissues was done. The estrus cycle, final body weight, lipid profile, fasting serum glucose, and reproductive hormone levels were investigated. mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in the blood and the ovarian cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1 (CYP17A1), cyclin D1(CCND1) and autophagy-related protein-5 (Atg5) were determined. Immunohistochemical assessment of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors gamma (PPARγ), and caspase-3 was done in all groups. Irregular estrous cycle altered folliculogenesis and reproductive hormones, dyslipidemia, and increased body weight were detected in HFD group. Also, upregulation of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6 and caspase -3 expressions, and downregulation of CCDN1, Atg5 and PPARγ were observed in HFD group. Bee bread, S. officinalis and to a lesser extent normal diet supplements bee bread improved ovarian dysfunction induced by HFD by inducing autophagy and steroidogenic genes and inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis.
 

Sperm rheotaxis is a sperm guidance mechanism that helps to guide and select high-quality sperm cells within the female reproductive tract. Semen is usually evaluated using either the traditional subjective method of evaluation or computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA). These methods provide information about sperm concentration, viability and motility parameters and ignoring sperm ability to travel inside the female reproductive tract. Our goal was to detect the individual variations between different sires through evaluation of post thawed frozen semen using sperm rheotaxis. We studied sperm rheotaxis and sperm kinematics inside microfluidic platforms together with subjective semen analysis (motility, viability, and sperm morphology) in post-thawed bull frozen semen in different sires. The results showed that the positive rheotaxis (PR) was higher in the postthawed frozen semen of some bulls (P<0.05) than in others. Our results also revealed that the bulls with the higher PR% have significantly higher straight-line velocity (VSL) and subjective analysis parameters (motility and viability) (P<0.05) than bull with the lower PR. Furthermore, PR was positively correlated with VSL (r = 0.67, P < 0.0001) and with subjective motility and viability (r =0.57, P = 0.007 and r = 0.49; P= 0.02, respectively). Thus, we concluded that sperm rheotaxis should be used as a new parameter in evaluation of post-thawed frozen semen quality in bull.
 

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of amino acid (histidine and L-Tyrosine) on in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF), cleavage (CR) rates, and in vitro embryonic cultivation (IVC; Morula and Blastocyst stage) in buffaloes. Within two hours of buffalo slaughter, the ovaries were collected and transported to the laboratory. Follicles with a diameter of 2 to 8 mm were aspirated to recover the cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs). Histidine (0.5, 1, and 3 mg/ml) or L-Tyrosine (1, 5, and 10 mg/ml) were added to the synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) and Ferticult media. The IVM, IVF, CR, and IVC (Morula and Blastocyst) rates were evaluated. The results showed that SOF maturation media containing histidine at 0.5 mg/ml significantly (P ≤ 0.01) improved the oocyte maturation when compared to control and other concentrations. The addition of histidine to FertiCult media at 0.5, 1, and 3 mg/ml did not improve the IVM, IVF, CR, or IVC percentages. However, the embryos in the control group were unable to grow into a morula or blastocyst in the SOF or Ferticult, while addition of L-Tyrosine to the SOF or Ferticult at various concentrations improved IVC (morula and blastocyst rates). There was a significant (P ≤ 0.01) increase in IVM when histidine was added to SOF medium at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml compared with L-Tyrosine. Also, there were significant (P ≤ 0.01) increases in IVC when L-Tyrosine was added to SOF medium at concentrations of 1 and 10 mg/ml compared with histidine. In conclusion, the supplementation of the SOF and FertiCult with the amino acids histidine and L-Tyrosine improve the maturation rate of oocytes and development of in vitro-produced buffalo embryos.

To predict the sex of the foetus, healthy pregnant dromedary camels (n = 24) were included. Blood samples were collected for measurements of progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, and cortisol as well as total proteins, albumin, glucose, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Statistical analysis revealed differences between pregnant camels and pregnant camels in terms of female or male foetuses depending on the actual sex of the born calf. The results revealed that testosterone and ALP concentrations were significantly (P < 0.001) greater in camels given to males than in those given to calves. There were strong positive correlations between male calf birth and testosterone and ALP concentrations (r = 0.864; P < 0.0001 and r = 0.637; P < 0.001, respectively). On the other hand, the cortisol, glucose and creatinine concentrations were significantly lower (P lower in camel calved males than in females). There were significant negative correlations between male calf birth and the cortisol, glucose and creatinine concentrations (r =—0.401; P = 0.052; r =—0.445; P = 0.029 and r =—0.400; P = 0.053, respectively). The concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, calcium/phosphorus ratio, magnesium, and albumin and the albumin/globulin ratio were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the two groups. In conclusion, testosterone could be used as a biomarker to determine the sex of foetuses in dromedary camels.

Peer Review reports

Semen cryopreservation is an important tool that has massively contributed to the progression of animal reproduction, especially in cattle. Nonetheless, a large part of the sperm population suffers from cryostress and loses fertility during the process. Although bovine semen cryopreservation is more advanced than any other species, there are still some missing links in the technology knowledge. The aim of the current study was to detect the effect of cryopreservation steps on sperm rheotaxis. Semen samples were collected from sex bulls and analyzed inside a microfluidic platform with CASA after each step of cryopreservation, including control, dilution with yolk citrate, cryoprotectant addition, and cooling or freezing. The results showed that positive rheotaxis % (PR) was not affected during cryopreservation. On the contrary, the sperm kinematics of the positive rheotactic sperm undergo significant changes, as velocity parameters (VCL, VSL, and VAP) were lower in both the cryoprotectant adding and cooling/freezing steps than in the control and yolk citrate dilution steps, while progression parameters (LIN and BCF) were higher in the cryoprotectant and cooling/freezing steps than in the control and yolk citrate dilution steps. Beside these results, an interesting phenomenon of sperm backward positive rheotaxis has been observed. The results of backward sperm rheotaxis samples revealed a significant decrease in PR%, while all sperm kinematics except BCF were significantly higher than normal rheotaxis samples. Based on these results, we conclude that positive rheotactic sperm cells are the elite of the sperm population; however, they still get some sublethal cryodamage, as shown by alterations in sperm kinematics. We also suggest that the sperm-positive rheotaxis mechanism is a mixture of an active and passive process rather than a passive physical one.

The current study was conducted to assess the effect of HFD (40%) on estrous cycle regularity and body weight in female rats. Fourteen female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (I) received the standard chow diet, and the HFD group (II) received the HFD (55% basal diet, 3% sesame oil, 25% beef tallow, 5% milk powder, 5% roasted peanuts, 5% egg, and 2% NaCl) daily for 10 successive weeks. Bodyweight was recorded every week from the beginning of the study to the end, where, at the 8^th week after dietary exposure, the assessment of the estrous cycle was performed daily for ten successive days using visual assessment and vaginal cytology procedures. The HFD group revealed a statistically higher proportion of rats with an irregular estrous cycle (p = 0.031) and a significantly increased diestrus index vs. the control group (p = 0.025). The HFD group revealed a nonsignificant decrease in the cycle frequency, a significant decrease in the total days of the proestrus stage (p ≤ 0.001), and a nonsignificant shortening in the estrus and metestrus stages vs. control. In contrast, the HFD group revealed a significantly longer diestrus stage than the control group (p = 0.025). Weight gain and body weight were significantly increased throughout the experiment in the HFD group when compared with the control group (p < 0.001). In conclusion, HFD results in increased body weight and increased estrous cycle irregularities, which may impair the female reproductive function.

The current study is designed to monitor how both the age and body weight of clinically healthy male goats would be related to testicular biometry, semen attributes, and biochemical profiles. Thirty male goats (Crossbreed) aged between 2.5 and 4 years with body weight 41.2±0.83 kg (mean±SEM) were included. The morphometry of the testes and scrota of all males were measured and blood plasma samples were harvested for further analysis. The results showed that there was a strong positive correlation between the body weight of the male goats and testicular measurements; while there was a negative correlation between the body weight and scrotal length measurement. Moreover, positive correlations were found between the body weight and most of the semen parameters except semen pH, a negative correlation was found. Strong positive correlations between the age of the male goats and most of the testicular measurements were recorded. The semen volume and sperm motility were positively correlated with the age, while the semen pH was negatively correlated. Moreover, semen volume, spermatozoa motility, viability and concentration were positively correlated to testicular and scrotal measurements. In contrast, semen pH and primary abnormalities of the spermatozoa were negatively correlated with testicular and scrotal measurements. The levels of testosterone and glucose, globin, and total protein were found to be negatively correlated with spermatozoa abnormalities. In conclusion, besides the clinical findings, the scrotal and testicular measurements and biochemical analysis could be a good mirror for monitoring breeding soundness evaluation and early diagnosis of subfertile male goats.

This study investigated the effect of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)
in the healing of the severed superficial digital flexor tendon in donkeys (SDFT). Twenty-seven
adult donkeys were used in the study. The animals were divided into three equal groups. The first
group (control group) in which the severed SDFT was sutured without the addition of any adjuvant.
In the second group, there was a suture of severed SDFT with the addition of 1 ml of 1 mM silver
nanoparticles (AgNPs group). The third group was subjected to the cutting of SDFT and then the
addition of PRF after its suture. Each group of animals was divided into three equal subgroups that
were examined after 1, 2, and 3 months. Each group of animals was clinically evaluated by assessing
lameness. Gross and microscopic examinations of the healed tendons were performed after 1, 2,
and 3 months of surgery. In comparison to the control group, the lameness degree decreased in the
PRF and AgNPs groups, particularly in the third month after surgery. Furthermore, the lameness
decreased significantly after the 3rd month relative to the 1st-month lameness in the AgNPs group.
Interestingly, it was found that the PRF and AgNPs enhanced cell alignment and collagen deposition
at the site of tendon injury, particularly among third-month subgroups. Therefore, it could be
concluded that the PRF and AgNPs are effective materials for enhancing SDFT healing in donkeys.