Theriogenology最新文献

{"title":"Pregnancy rate after treatment with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (tolfenamic acid) at the time of embryo transfer in recipient cows","authors":"S. Kmaid ,&nbsp;S. Albanell ,&nbsp;J.M. Saldaña ,&nbsp;R. Nuñez-Olivera ,&nbsp;P. Renaud ,&nbsp;A. Menchaca","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117623","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117623","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pregnancy rates following embryo transfer (ET) in cattle may be influenced by transient inflammatory responses triggered during the procedure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of tolfenamic acid (TA), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), on pregnancy rates in embryo-recipient females. A total of 1431 recipients (367 heifers and 1064 cows) were enrolled in 34 ET programs conducted on 24 commercial farms in Uruguay, using either <em>in vivo</em>–derived or <em>in vitro</em>–produced embryos, fresh or frozen. At the time of ET, recipients were randomly assigned to either a treatment group receiving a single dose of TA (2 mg/kg intramuscularly) or a control group receiving no treatment. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed between days 35 and 60 post-ET via transrectal ultrasonography. No significant difference was attained in overall pregnancy rates between TA-treated (53.7 %, 389/725) and untreated (49.7 %, 351/706) recipients (P = 0.13). However, in specific subgroups TA treatment increased pregnancy rates, reaching statistical significance in heifers (P = 0.04) and a tendency in animals with a body condition score below 3.0 (1–5 scale; P = 0.07) and recipients with smaller corpus luteum size (P = 0.09). Additionally, NSAID treatment improved pregnancy rates in recipients receiving <em>in vitro</em>–produced embryos at the morula stage (P = 0.05) but not at the early to expanded blastocyst stages (P = NS). In conclusion, we suggest that TA may provide reproductive benefits under specific ET situations, particularly in heifers and recipients with physiological or embryonic conditions commonly associated with reduced fertility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117623"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Studies on in vitro production of equine embryos by Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) using non-sorted, or sex-sorted, frozen/thawed stallion sperm: Effects on post-thaw sperm quality, cleavage and blastocyst rates, and characterization of cellular events during the first 24 hours post-fertilization via confocal microscopy","authors":"Luisa Ramírez-Agámez ,&nbsp;Camilo Hernández-Avilés ,&nbsp;Juan C. Samper ,&nbsp;Charles C. Love","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117624","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117624","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using frozen/thawed (F/T) stallion sperm is a common procedure in the equine breeding industry. Historically, sex-sorted (SS) F/T stallion sperm has yielded lower cleavage (&lt;30 %) and blastocyst rates (&lt;5 %) after ICSI when compared to non-sorted (NS) F/T sperm. Recently, a new technology for sperm sex-sorting (Genesis III) has been validated by a commercial company. In Experiment 1, the post-thaw quality between NS-F/T and SS-F/T stallion sperm produced with this technology was compared. The post-thaw sperm motility was higher in NS-F/T (41 %) than in SS-F/T (12 %) sperm (P &lt; 0.05), while sperm viability was similar between groups (54 % vs. 57 %, respectively). Conversely, the percentage of sperm with DNA with an increased susceptibility to denaturation, as determined by the Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA), was higher in the SS-F/T group (80 %) than in the NS-F/T group (5 %; P &lt; 0.05). In Experiment 2, higher cleavage (NS-F/T: 113/160 [71 %] vs. SS-F/T: 79/164 [48 %]) and blastocyst rates per injected oocytes (NS-F/T: 42/160 [26 %] vs. SS-F/T: 25/164 [15 %]) were observed in NS-F/T than in SS-F/T sperm (P &lt; 0.05). When comparing the blastocyst rate per cleaved embryos (NS-F/T: 42/133 [37 %] vs. SS-F/T: 23/79 [32 %]) differences were not observed between groups. Furthermore, the percentage of blastocysts developing at days 7 (33 vs. 26 %), 8 (19 vs. 35 %), 9 (38 vs. 22 %), or 10 (10 vs. 17 %) after ICSI, and the number of blastocysts/ICSI cycle was similar between groups (NS-F/T: 1.4 vs. SS-F/T 0.7 blastocysts/cycle). In Experiment 3, the sperm DNA decondensation, sperm aster formation, and pronuclei configuration during the first 24 h post-ICSI of <em>in vitro</em>-matured equine oocytes fertilized with NS-F/T or SS-F/T sperm was studied using laser confocal microscopy. Overall, 50–80 % of the oocytes fertilized with either NS-F/T or SS-F/T sperm yielded similar pronuclear formation within the first 8 h post-ICSI; pronuclear apposition or metaphase plate formation within 12–18 h post-ICSI; and had undergone the first mitotic division by 24 h post-ICSI. This study provides comparisons regarding post-thaw sperm quality, efficiency of blastocyst production by ICSI, and the characterization of cellular events occurring during the first 24 h post-ICSI, using either NS-F/T or SS-F/T sperm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117624"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144781055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Src family kinases contribute to MII arrest maintenance in aging porcine oocytes","authors":"Kateřina Kheilová ,&nbsp;Jaroslav Petr ,&nbsp;Dalibor Řehák ,&nbsp;Eva Chmelíková ,&nbsp;Markéta Sedmíková","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mature mammalian oocytes arrest meiosis in metaphase II (MII). If the oocyte is not fertilized, it can spontaneously break the MII arrest. Spontaneous activation and postovulatory aging hinder precisely timed and regulated embryonic development. To elucidate the role of Src family protein tyrosine kinases (SFKs) in porcine oocyte MII arrest, activation, and aging, we used a specific SFK inhibitor and immunolocalization. The 24h-prolonged oocyte culture in the presence of SFK inhibitor 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(<em>t</em>-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (PP2) increased (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) the proportion of spontaneously activated porcine oocytes compared to controls. Further culture with PP2 inhibitor led to an increase (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) in the parthenogenetic embryos and a decrease (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) in lytic oocytes. SFK inhibition did not affect (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05) the proportion of ionophore A23187-activated oocytes. SFKs were localized in the perichromosomal region, in the pronuclei, in the cytoplasm, and on the plasma membrane of oocytes and parthenogenetic embryos after 24, 48, and 72 h of prolonged <em>in vitro</em> culture. The greatest SFKs fluorescence was detected after a 24h-prolonged culture on the plasma membrane of MII oocytes. In embryos and fragmented oocytes, intense fluorescence was detected in the cleavage furrow region and on the membrane of apoptotic vesicles, respectively.</div><div>Our results reveal the involvement of SFKs in MII arrest maintenance, though they don't appear to modulate the early processes of ionophore-stimulated parthenogenetic activation. Changes in the distribution of SFKs during prolonged culture suggest their role in signaling cascades associated with actin filament cytoskeleton organization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117614"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144756802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection and prevalence of bovine viral diarrhea virus in ovarian follicular fluid: A potential risk for in vitro embryo production","authors":"Marisol Solange Yavorsky ,&nbsp;Natalia Sigrid Norero ,&nbsp;Maximiliano Joaquín Spetter ,&nbsp;Susana Beatriz Pereyra ,&nbsp;Andrea Elizabeth Verna ,&nbsp;Naiara Urrutia Luna ,&nbsp;Glenda Laura Ríos ,&nbsp;Erika Analía González Altamiranda","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117613","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117613","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) and anti-BVDV antibodies have been detected in ovarian follicular fluid of infected cows. The aim of this study was to assess both the frequency of BVDV detection and the prevalence of anti-BVDV antibodies in pooled follicular fluid obtained from slaughterhouse ovaries for <em>in vitro</em> embryo production. Additionally, we sought to determine whether specific antibodies present in these samples are able to neutralize different BVDV strains. BVDV RNA was detected by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), while viral viability was evaluated by using viral isolation (VI). Antibody titers against different BVDV strains (reference strain NADL-1a Vs145; field strain 13/558-1a; field strains 10/49-1b) were determined through viral neutralization (VN) assays. A total of 60 pooled follicular fluid samples from slaughterhouse ovaries were analyzed over a period of 19 months. Results showed that 45 % (27 out of 60) of the samples tested positive for BVDV RNA via RT-PCR and RT-qPCR, although no samples yielded viable virus through the VI technique. The seroprevalence of anti-BVDV antibodies was 98 % (59 out of 60), with antibody titers sufficient (1:136 and 1:268) to neutralize the field strains tested. These findings indicate a high prevalence of BVDV RNA and extensive seroprevalence of anti-BVDV antibodies in pooled follicular fluid samples. The high antibody levels may compromise the sensitivity of VI, likely due to a viral inhibitory effect. Such inhibition could also influence the dynamics of infection throughout the <em>in vitro</em> embryo production process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117613"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144763862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antioxidant effect of quercetin and gallic acid in domestic dog epididymal sperm cryopreservation","authors":"José Gustavo González-Pérez ,&nbsp;Aleida Núñez-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Andrés Quezada-Casasola ,&nbsp;Joaquín Rodrigo-García ,&nbsp;Diana Marcela Beristaín-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Pablo Luna-Nevárez ,&nbsp;José María Carrera-Chávez","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117615","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117615","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cryopreservation induces negative effects on spermatozoa due to oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of quercetin and gallic acid on sperm characteristics under the cryopreservation process of domestic dog epididymal semen. Samples were collected from sexually mature males by direct epididymal collection technique after orchiectomy and diluted with a commercial extender. Treatments included Control, DMSO (0.005 %), Ethanol (0.05 %), Q25 (quercetin 25 μM), GA45 (gallic acid 45 μM), and a combination of Q25 + GA45. Motility parameters were determined using a Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) system. Viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, acrosomal integrity, DNA fragmentation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were analyzed using flow cytometer. Variables were analyzed by ANOVA. Gross and progressive motility in Control and Q25 were similar, and higher than the rest of treatment groups (p &lt; 0.05). Conversely, ethanol showed the lowest mitochondrial membrane potential among all treatments, except for Q25 + GA45, which showed lower than Control and DMSO groups (p &lt; 0.05). For DNA fragmentation all treatments were similar (p &gt; 0.05). Ethanol showed a negative effect on viability and acrosomal integrity compared to Control (p &lt; 0.05). Regarding antioxidant capacity, all treatments showed lower ROS production when compared to Control (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of quercetin and gallic acid reduced ROS production but did not improve sperm parameters during cryopreservation of domestic dog epididymal semen. Furthermore, ethanol used as a solvent for gallic acid adversely affected these parameters, although antioxidants and their combination partially mitigated this negative effect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117615"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144773191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fetal renal ultrasonography in canine pregnancy: relationship with maternal and fetal metrics for assessing fetal maturity","authors":"Rodríguez Raquel,&nbsp;Miguel Batista,&nbsp;Alonso Sara,&nbsp;Iusupova Kseniia","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate estimation of gestational age is essential in canine obstetrics to optimize the timing of parturition and reduce neonatal risk. This study investigated the correlation between fetal kidney biometry and established gestational indicators in pregnant bitches. Fifty clinically healthy bitches underwent serial ultrasonographic evaluations between Days 40 and 63 of gestation. A total of 147 fetal kidney measurements were recorded, including longitudinal length, vertical width, and cortex-to-medulla (C/M) ratio. Biparietal diameter (BPD), maternal serum progesterone concentration, body weight, and litter size were also assessed. Fetal kidney area showed a strong positive correlation with gestational age (<em>r</em> = 0.64, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), BPD (r = 0.80, p &lt; 0.001), and maternal body weight (r = 0.43, p &lt; 0.001), and a moderate negative correlation with maternal progesterone levels (r = −0.47, p &lt; 0.001). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of fetal kidney area in discriminating between fetal categories defined by biparietal diameter (BPD). The analysis identified an optimal cut-off value of 6.78 cm², achieving a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 65.3 %. Linear regression revealed a predictive model between renal area and BPD (R² = 0.623; p &lt; 0.001). The C/M ratio did not significantly correlate with gestational age or maternal factors. These findings support fetal kidney area as a reliable ultrasonographic parameter for estimating gestational age in bitches, particularly in late pregnancy. Its application may complement traditional biometric markers and improve clinical decision-making regarding optimal timing of parturition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117612"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144773190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intrafollicular immature oocyte transfer (IFIOT) for IN VIVO maturation of vitrified bovine oocytes","authors":"José Eduardo Vieira Chaves ,&nbsp;Ana Caroline Chaves Vall Nicolás ,&nbsp;Nayara Ribeiro Kussano ,&nbsp;Laryssa Ketelyn Lima Pimenta ,&nbsp;Venâncio Augusto Oliveira Silva ,&nbsp;Alice Caroline Souza e Castro ,&nbsp;Ana Cristina Menezes Mendes Gomes ,&nbsp;Leonardo de França e Melo ,&nbsp;Margot Alves Nunes Dode ,&nbsp;José Felipe Warmling Sprícigo","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117608","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117608","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oocyte cryopreservation is fundamental for the advancement of reproductive biotechnologies, but its efficiency in cattle is limited. This study evaluated whether <em>in vivo</em> maturation through the intrafollicular immature oocyte transfer (IFIOT) can mitigate damage from vitrification. In a 2 × 2 design, fresh and vitrified oocytes were subjected to <em>in vitro</em> or <em>in vivo</em> maturation. Vitrified oocytes had lower metaphase II (MII) rates (P &lt; 0.05) compared to fresh. However, <em>in vivo</em> maturation of vitrified oocytes increased MII rates (69.4 % vs. 45.7 %; P &lt; 0.05) and reduced chromatin abnormalities (18.6 % vs. 33.7 %) compared to <em>in vitro</em> maturation. Electron microscopy revealed a higher incidence of vacuoles, damage, and disorganization of organelles in vitrified oocytes. The concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was lower (P &lt; 0.05) in vitrified and fresh oocytes matured <em>in vivo</em> compared to those <em>in vitro</em> matured. Vitrification impaired embryonic development, reducing cleavage rates on day 2 and blastocyst rates on days 6 and 7. Embryos from fresh oocytes matured <em>in vivo</em> exhibited larger diameters, higher cell numbers, and lower proportions of apoptotic cells. Iron-reducing antioxidant activity did not differ among groups in the <em>in vitro</em> maturation medium and follicular fluid. In conclusion, IFIOT in vitrified oocytes improved MII rates and reduced chromatin abnormalities but did not alter intraoocyte ROS levels nor improve embryonic development. In fresh oocytes, IFIOT was effective, reducing ROS and producing blastocysts with faster development and better quality. These findings suggest that IFIOT can partially mitigate nuclear damage caused by vitrification, but additional studies are needed to explore cytoplasmic protection strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117608"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blastocyst production by conventional in vitro fertilization (cIVF) in horses: Effects of sperm storage method, incubation timing of cool-stored semen before gamete co-incubation, and comparisons between cIVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)","authors":"Luisa Ramírez-Agámez,&nbsp;Jarred B. Crowley,&nbsp;Charles C. Love,&nbsp;Camilo Hernández-Avilés","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117611","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117611","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Currently, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) on &lt;em&gt;in vitro&lt;/em&gt;-matured equine oocytes obtained by transvaginal oocyte aspiration (TVA) is the method of choice for &lt;em&gt;in vitro&lt;/em&gt; production of equine blastocysts in a clinical setting. A protocol for conventional &lt;em&gt;in vitro&lt;/em&gt; fertilization (cIVF) using either &lt;em&gt;fresh&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;frozen/thawed&lt;/em&gt; stallion sperm incubated under capacitating conditions (Tyrode's Albumin Lactate Pyruvate medium + penicillamine, hypotaurine, epinephrine; FERT-PHE) has been recently reported. Several factors that may impact the clinical applicability of this cIVF protocol have yet to be studied. In Experiment 1, a comparison between &lt;em&gt;fresh&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;cool-stored&lt;/em&gt;, or &lt;em&gt;frozen/thawed&lt;/em&gt; sperm from a fertile stallion (OP) for cIVF was performed. Differences on cleavage rate (embryos with ≥8 blastomeres at day 5 of culture), blastocyst rate (blastocysts/cleaved embryos), and the number of blastocysts per mare TVA/cIVF cycle were not detected among &lt;em&gt;fresh&lt;/em&gt; (68 % [38/56]; 18 % [7/38]; 1), &lt;em&gt;cool-stored&lt;/em&gt; (61 % [34/56]; 21 % [7/34]; 1), and &lt;em&gt;frozen/thawed&lt;/em&gt; sperm (54 % [29/54]; 21 % [6/29]; 1), respectively (P &gt; 0.05). In Experiment 2, the effect of incubation time (22 vs. 10 h) that &lt;em&gt;cool-stored&lt;/em&gt; sperm were exposed to the FERT-PHE medium before gamete co-incubation was studied. Differences on cleavage rate (45 % [29/64] vs. 56 % [47/84]), blastocyst rate/cleaved embryos (28 % [8/29] vs. 19 % [9/47]), and number of blastocysts per mare TVA/cIVF cycle (1.1 vs. 1.3) were not detected between treatment groups (P &gt; 0.05). In Experiment 3, &lt;em&gt;frozen/thawed&lt;/em&gt; sperm from 2 fertile stallions (OP vs. HW) was processed to compare cIVF and ICSI cycles. Differences on cleavage rates were not detected between stallions in cIVF (OP: 41 % [16/39] vs. HW: 52 % [34/65]; P &gt; 0.05) or ICSI cycles (OP: 34 % [22/64] vs. HW: 53 % [19/36]; P &gt; 0.05); nor detected when the stallion values were combined: cIVF (48 % [50/104]) vs. ICSI (41 % [41/100]; P &gt; 0.05). Differences on blastocyst rate/cleaved embryos were not detected between stallions in cIVF (OP: 13 % [2/16] vs. HW: 26 % [9/34]) or ICSI cycles (OP: 45 % [10/22] vs. HW 42 % [8/19]; P &gt; 0.05); but when stallion values were combined, blastocyst rate/cleaved embryos was lower for cIVF (22 % [11/50]) than for ICSI (44 % [18/41]) cycles (P &lt; 0.05). The number of blastocysts per mare TVA cycle was lower for stallion OP in cIVF (0.4) than for stallion HW in ICSI (2; P &lt; 0.05), while similar for stallions OP and HW in cIVF cycles (1.5), and stallion OP in ICSI cycles (1.4; P &gt; 0.05). Six blastocysts from cIVF (n = 3) or ICSI (n = 3) cycles produced with frozen/thawed sperm from stallion HW were vitrified, warmed, and transferred into recipient mares. All mares were confirmed pregnant at days 14, 28, and 45 of gestation. In conclusion, in this study, the production of cIVF-derived blastocysts was similar for","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117611"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"L-epicatechin partially alleviates Ochratoxin A–induced oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress and improves developmental competence of porcine embryos during in vitro culture","authors":"Xu Wang ,&nbsp;Mingyu Li ,&nbsp;Nan Jiang ,&nbsp;Long Jin ,&nbsp;Chuang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117610","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117610","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium species, is commonly found in various food products and is known to cause oxidative stress. It also exhibits embryotoxic effects in several animals, including pigs. In porcine in vitro embryo production (IVP), Oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are key factors that impair embryo development and quality. This study evaluated the effects of L-epicatechin (L-E), a natural polyphenol, on embryonic development under OTA-induced stress in a porcine model. Supplementation with L-E significantly improved cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and increased glutathione (GSH) levels as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). In addition, L-E maintained mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced mitochondrial activity, and partially restored ATP production. ER stress-related markers, including sXBP1, GRP78, and CHOP, were downregulated in embryos treated with L-E. These results suggest that 1 mg/L of L-E partially mitigates OTA-induced cellular stress and promotes embryo viability by regulating oxidative balance, organelle function, and apoptosis. L-E may serve as a beneficial additive to improve culture conditions and developmental outcomes in porcine IVP systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117610"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tail chalk improved detection of true estrus alerts from an automated activity monitor system in a cohort study","authors":"J.C.S. Marques ,&nbsp;T.A. Burnett ,&nbsp;J. Denis-Robichaud ,&nbsp;A.M.L. Madureira ,&nbsp;W.A. Gomes ,&nbsp;A.M. Bega ,&nbsp;A. Moore ,&nbsp;R.S. Conceicao ,&nbsp;S. Moore ,&nbsp;Ronaldo L.A. Cerri","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117596","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to assess how two estrus detection tools, an automated activity monitor (AAM) and tail chalk (TC), were associated with true estrus events in lactating Holstein cows. Cows with days in milk ≥5 were monitored twice daily for estrus alerts, identified by the AAM and a TC score of 3 (&lt;50 % of chalk remaining). Transrectal ultrasonography was performed on the day of alert to confirm estrus (cows with a follicle ≥10 mm and corpus luteum ≤24 mm). For AAM‐identified events, peak activity and duration of estrus were measured. Mixed logistic and linear regression models were used to assess associations for dichotomous and continuous outcomes, respectively. A total of 1714 events were recorded, of which 1098 from 371 cows were considered in true estrus (AAM only: n = 629; TC only: n = 86; AAM + TC: n = 383). Cows with both AAM and TC alerts had higher odds of true estrus compared to those with only AAM alerts (OR = 4.24; 95 %CI = 3.05–5.87) or only TC alerts (OR = 17.70; 95 %CI = 11.90–26.34). Cows having AAM and TC alert had greater peak activity index (AAM only = 221.64 ± 7.07; AAM + TC = 323.89 ± 9.13) and longer duration of estrus (AAM only = 8.37 ± 0.27 h; AAM + TC = 13.17 ± 0.33 h) compared to cows with AAM alerts only. In conclusion, TC could be used as a marker of high-intensity estrus and, when combined with an AAM, improves identification of true estrus in dairy cows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"248 ","pages":"Article 117596"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144756801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}