The effect of addition of equine chorionic gonadotropin to a progesterone-based estrous synchronization protocol in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) under tropical conditions

Poor estrus expression and anestrus decrease the reproductive efficiency of buffaloes. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) to an estrous synchronization protocol and timed insemination could improve ovulation and pregnancy rates of anestrous buffalo cows under tropical conditions. The study population comprised 65 lactating Murrah buffalo cows which were assigned to CIDR (n = 33) or CIDR + eCG (n = 32) treatment groups. Cows in the CIDR group were fitted for 8 d with a controlled intravaginal drug release (CIDR) device containing 1.38 g progesterone, received GnRH (10 μg i.m.) on D 0, PGF_2α (750 μg i.m.) on D 7, and GnRH (10 μg i.m.) on D 9; whereas cows in the CIDR + eCG group received the same treatment plus eCG (500 IU, i.m.) at the time of PGF_2α treatment. All cows were inseminated 16-20 h after the second GnRH treatment. Blood samples were obtained 10 d before the start of synchronization treatment (Day -10) and at the onset of treatment (Day 0). Cows with plasma progesterone concentrations <1 ng/mL recorded in both samples (Low-Low levels of P4) were classified as non-cyclic cows. Similarly, when either one or both of the sample pair contained concentrations of serum progesterone ≥1 ng/mL (High-High, Low-High, or High-Low levels of P4), the buffaloes were classified as cyclic cows. Ovulation rate, defined as the number of buffaloes with at least one corpus luteum 10 days after insemination, was significantly higher (P = 0.018) in the CIDR + eCG (84.4%) cows than in the CIDR cows (57.6%). Pregnancy rate was numerically lower in CIDR (27.3%) than CIDR + eCG (40.6%) cows, though differences were not significant (P = 0.25). Pregnancy rates for CIDR + eCG cows were similar to that of cows inseminated after natural estrus (40.9%; 29/71). In the non-cyclic animals, higher ovulation rates (P = 0.026) were recorded for the CIDR + eCG (81%) than for the CIDR cows (47.4%). Our results indicate that the addition of eCG to a progesterone-based estrous synchronization regimen substantially improves the ovulation rate in non-cyclic buffaloes. When this treatment is followed by timed AI, pregnancy rates achieved in anestrous buffaloes, whether cyclic and non-cyclic, may approach the rates observed in cows inseminated at natural estrus.     

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorα (PPARα) agonists down-regulate α2-macroglobulin expression by a PPARα-dependent mechanism

Fibrates are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) ligands used to normalize lipid and glucose parameters and exert anti-inflammatory effects. The acute-phase response (APR) is an important inflammatory process. One of the most important acute-phase proteins in rats is α2-macroglobulin (A2Mg). Whereas normal adult rats present low serum levels, pregnant rats display high amounts. Therefore, we used pregnant rats to detect the effect of fenofibrate on hepatic A2Mg expression by RT-PCR and Northern blot. Virgin rats were used as controls. The expression of other APR genes, a known fibrate-responder gene, gamma-chain fibrinogen (γ-Fib), and one gene from the same family as A2Mg, complement component 3 (C3), were also measured in liver. In order to determine whether the fibrate-effects were mediated by PPARα, wild-type mice and PPARα-null mice were also used and treated with WY-14,643 (WY) or di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). Fenofibrate depressed A2Mg expression in virgin rats, but expression was decreased more sharply in pregnant rats. Expression of C3 and γ-Fib was diminished after treatment only in pregnant rats. On the other hand, WY, but not DEHP, reduced A2Mg and γ-Fib expression in the livers of wild-type mice, without any effect in PPARα-null mice. WY or DEHP did not affect C3 expression. Therefore, A2Mg expression is modified by PPARα agonists not only in pregnant rats under augmented APR protein synthesis, but also in virgin rats and mice under basal conditions. Interestingly, our results also identify A2Mg as a novel PPARα agonist-regulated gene.     

妊娠贫血对产科结局的影响

目的:了解妊娠中、晚期贫血的发生率及其对产科结局的影响。方法:对951例孕妇产前及产后血红蛋白(Hb)检测结果与产科结局的关系进行回顾性分析。Hb<100g/L的孕妇为贫血组,Hb≥100g/L的孕妇为正常对照组,分别对孕中期及孕晚期贫血与产科结局进行对照分析。结果:孕中期贫血导致孕晚期贫血、产后贫血、早产、过期妊娠、胎盘功能欠佳发生率增加(P<0.05)。孕晚期贫血导致产后贫血、早产、低体重儿的出生、胎盘早剥发生率增加(P<0.05),孕晚期贫血可增加妊高征、死胎、胎膜早破的发生率(P>0.05)。双胎妊娠增加妊娠贫血的发生率。结论:妊娠中、晚期贫血对产科结局有不良影响,应加强妊娠期贫血的防治,从妊娠中期常规补铁,降低妊娠期贫血的发生率,保障母婴健康。     

丙基硫氧嘧啶影响妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进孕妇甲状腺功能及妊娠结局的研究

目的:探讨丙基硫氧嘧啶(PTU)影响妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进(甲亢)孕妇甲状腺功能及妊娠结局的影响。方法:选择我院妇产科2010年3月至2013年1月收治的110例妊娠合并甲亢的患者作为观察对象,随机分为观察组58例,对照组52例。观察组予PTU每天300 mg口服,对照组确诊后未能定期检测甲状腺功能而自行停药,或拒绝PTU药物治疗。结果:观察组TT3、TT4、FT3、FT4、TSH水平均显著低于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(均P0.05);观察组早产或流产、剖宫产、妊娠高血压、心力衰竭、重度子痫明显低于对照组,而足月产明显高于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(均P0.05);观察组的围生儿发生胎儿窘迫、低体重儿、新生儿甲亢、转入NICU发生率均显著低于对照组,两组比较差异均具有统计学意义(均P0.05)。结论:规范的PTU治疗能很好地改善妊娠合并甲亢患者的孕期甲状腺功能,减低甲亢对孕妇及新生儿的危害,改善妊娠结局,且对新生儿畸形率无显著的影响,是一种相对安全和有效的治疗方法。     

乳杆菌活菌胶囊辅助治疗妊娠期外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病疗效观察

目的探讨乳杆菌活菌胶囊辅助治疗妊娠期外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病疗效观察。方法选取妊娠期外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病患者70例,采用随机数字表将纳入患者分为观察组35例和对照组35例。观察组患者予以乳杆菌活菌胶囊联合制菌素阴道栓治疗,对照组予以单纯的制菌素阴道栓治疗,均连用10d。两组患者停药2周后进行临床疗效观察,并比较治疗后随访3个月的复发率。结果治疗后停药2周,观察组患者的临床总有效率（91．43％）明显优于对照组（71．43％）（χ2=4．63,P〈0．05）;治疗后随访观察3个月,对照组复发11例（44．00％）,观察组复发5例（15．63％）,观察组患者复发率明显低于对照组（χ2=5．60,P〈0．05）。结论乳杆菌活菌胶囊辅助治疗妊娠期外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病疗效好,复发率低,对外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病具有治疗和预防复发的双重功效。     

聚焦超声消融治疗子宫小肌瘤的疗效评价

摘要 目的：探讨聚焦超声消融治疗无症状子宫小肌瘤的临床价值。方法：采用对照回顾性研究,将2011年03月至2018年03月在遂宁市中心医院妇科收治入院行聚焦超声消融治疗的无症状的子宫小肌瘤患者设置为治疗组,将同期未经任何治疗的门诊随访的无症状子宫小肌瘤患者设置为对照组,比较两组在6个月、12个月、18个月、24个月后子宫肌瘤的体积变化、是否出现临床症状及妊娠情况。结果：治疗组在聚焦超声消融治疗后6个月、12个月、18个月、24个月,随着时间的推移,子宫小肌瘤的体积较治疗前逐渐缩小,均未出现临床症状;对照组子宫小肌瘤的体积逐渐增大,并出现临床症状;治疗组和对照组24个月内的妊娠率分别为17.48%和8.42%,比较两组差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05)。聚焦超声消融治疗后无严重并发症发生。结论：对于孕龄期有生育要求的黏膜下或肌壁间的无症状子宫小肌瘤患者,可行聚焦超声消融手术缩小病灶,维持子宫腔的正常形态,避免或延迟临床症状的出现,提高妊娠率。     

Regional variation in adipogenesis and IGF regulatory proteins in the fetal baboon

Intrauterine growth rate is associated with body distribution in adulthood suggesting differential response of fetal fat depots to nutritional modifications. We hypothesize that there is regional differences in fetal adipogenesis, in part, due to depot-specific regulation of the availability of insulin growth factors. In near-term baboon fetuses (n = 3-5), the subcutaneous abdominal vs. omental preadipocytes had (1) more extensive lipid accumulation as assessed by BODIPY (lipid staining) to DAPI (nuclei) absorbance ratios (mean ± SEM; 0.51 ± 0.21, 0.35 ± 0.09, p < 0.05), (2) lower (p < 0.05) secretion of IGF-binding protein 4 (9.6 ± 1.2 vs. 17.4 ± 2.8 ng/ml) and its protease pregnancy associated plasma protein A (24.6 ± 1.9 vs. 39.1 ± 6.3 μIU/ml), (3) lower protein expression of IGF2 “clearance” receptor in cell lysate (0.28 ± 0.03 vs. 0.53 ± 0.02 OD U/mm², p < 0.05); all variables were intermediate in femoral preadipocytes. The regional variation of the adipogenesis and the IGF regulatory pathway set the stage for differential responsiveness of fat depots to external signals.     

Enhancement of maternal recognition of pregnancy with parthenogenetic embryos in bovine embryo transfer

This study was performed to elucidate the changes in IFNT messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in in vivo–fertilized and parthenogenetic bovine embryos and their interferon-τ (IFNT) secretion amounts during the elongation phase. We assessed the induction capability of maternal recognition of pregnancy by parthenogenetic embryos and attempted cotransfer of in vivo–fertilized and parthenogenetic embryos. The expression level of IFNT mRNA in in vivo–fertilized embryos peaked on Day 18 after estrus, and the highest amount of uterine IFNT was observed on Day 20. Transfer of 10 parthenogenetic embryos produced a detectable amount of uterine IFNT. Transfer of one or three parthenogenetic embryos inhibited luteolysis. An increase in ISG15 mRNA levels in peripheral granulocytes was induced by the transfer of three parthenogenetic embryos. Cotransfer of three parthenogenetic embryos significantly improved the pregnancy rate on Day 40 in code 3 in vivo–fertilized embryos compared with single transfer without parthenogenetic embryos (65% vs. 35%). However, the pregnancy rate on Day 90 (35%) in cotransfer of code 3 in vivo–fertilized embryos did not differ from that upon single transfer (29%), because the cotransfer group had a higher incidence of pregnancy loss than with single transfer (47% vs. 17%) after Day 40. Cotransfer did not affect the pregnancy rate of code 2 in vivo–fertilized embryos. The incidence of pregnancy loss was higher in cotransfer of code 2 in vivo–fertilized embryos than in single transfer (30% vs. 7%). In conclusion, parthenogenetic embryos in the elongation phase secreted IFNT, enabling induction of maternal recognition of pregnancy. The present study revealed that enhancement of the maternal recognition of pregnancy using parthenogenetic embryos promoted the viability of poor-quality embryos until Day 40 of gestation. However, the incidence of pregnancy loss increased after Day 40 in the cotransfer of parthenogenetic embryos. A technique for promoting the full-term survival of poor-quality embryos is needed.     

Effect of reproductive tract scoring on reproductive efficiency in beef heifers bred by timed insemination and natural service versus only natural service

The objective was to determine the effects of reproductive tract score (RTS) on reproductive performance in beef heifers bred by timed artificial insemination followed by natural service (AI-NS) or by natural service only (NSO). Angus cross beef heifers (n = 2660) in the AI-NS group were artificially inseminated at a fixed time (5- or 7-day CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release protocol) once, then exposed to bulls 2 weeks later (bull-to-heifer ratio = 1:40–1:50) for the reminder of the 85-day breeding season. Angus cross beef heifers (n = 1381) in NSO group were submitted to bulls (bull-to-heifer ratio = 1:20–1:25) for the entire 85-day breeding season. Heifers were reproductive tract scored from 1 (prepubertal) to 5 (cyclic) 4 weeks before, and were body condition scored (BCS) from 1 (emaciated) to 9 (obese) at the beginning of breeding season. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed 70 days after AI for AI-NS group and 2 months after the end of breeding season for both groups. Heifers in both groups were well managed and of similar age (14.9 ± 0.4 [AI-NS] and 14.7 ± 0.8 [NSO] months). Pregnancy rates (PRs) and number of days to become pregnant were calculated using PROC GLIMMIX and PROC LIFETEST procedures of SAS. Adjusting for BCS (P = 0.07), expressed estrus (P < 0.05), year (P < 0.05), and BCS by year interaction (P < 0.05), the AI-PR was greater for heifers in AI-NS group with higher RTS (P < 0.0001; 40.7%, 48.3%, 57.6%, and 64.6% for RTS of 2 or less, 3, 4, and 5, respectively). Controlling for BCS (P < 0.05), year (P < 0.05) and the breeding season pregnancy rates (BS-PRs) were greater for heifers in the AI-NS group with higher RTS (P < 0.01; 81.2%, 86.5%, 90.4%, and 95.2% for RTS of 2 or less, 3, 4, and 5, respectively). Similarly, adjusting for BCS, year (P < 0.05), the BS-PR was greater for heifers in NSO group with higher RTS (P < 0.01; 79.7%, 84.3%, 88.4%, and 90.2% for RTS of 2 or less, 3, 4, and 5, respectively). Heifers with higher RTS in both groups became pregnant earlier in the breeding season compared with heifers with lower RTS (log-rank statistics: P < 0.0001). Heifers in the AI-NS group become pregnant at a faster rate compared with those in the NSO group (P < 0.01). The BS-PR for heifers with RTS 5 was different between AI-NS and NSO groups (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the RTS influenced both the number of beef heifers that became pregnant during the breeding season and the time at which they become pregnant. Furthermore, irrespective of RTS, heifers bred by NSO required more time to become pregnant than their counterparts in herds that used timed AI. The application of RTS system is reliant on the use of synchronization protocol. The application of RTS for selection may plausibly remove precocious females with lower RTS. On the contrary, application of RTS would help select heifers that will become pregnant earlier in breeding season.     

妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌的感染对肠道菌群和妊娠结局的影响

目的探究妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌(group B Streptococcus,GBS)的感染对肠道菌群和妊娠结局的影响。方法选取2018年3月至2019年11月大连市中心医院孕检并分娩的妊娠妇女744人为对象,调查并统计B族链球菌的感染率;筛选有和没有B族链球菌感染妊娠妇女各47人,调查不良妊娠结局的发生率;选取信息匹配的妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌感染和未感染的妊娠妇女,采集粪便样本,提取菌群DNA,用16S rDNA方法分析菌群变化。结果744名妊娠妇女中B族链球菌检出49例,感染率为6.59%;B族链球菌感染组总的不良妊娠发生比例为76.6%,正常组发生比例为27.7%(χ^2=5.491,P<0.05)。B族链球菌感染组妊娠妇女胎膜早破(χ^2=16.177,P<0.01)、难产(χ^2=21.134,P<0.01)和羊水异常(χ^2=22.989,P<0.05)的发生率与未感染组比较显著增高。B族链球菌感染组妊娠妇女肠道菌群发生显著变化。结论妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌的感染可能引起肠道菌群紊乱,增加不良妊娠结局。