The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a diet supplementation with 500mg organic zinc (Zn) on sperm morphological characteristics (mass motility, individual motility, and sperm livability) as well as minor and major sperm defects in Nelore bulls during the dry season of 2010, the pluviometric precipitation during the experimental period which occurred from April to October, was 69mm from April to August. Thirty-six bulls were selected and divided into two groups of 18 bulls. They were fed the supplemented diet for 180 days. The animals in the first group (G1) were supplemented with an average of 48,89ppm/kg MS Zn, and the animals in the second group (G2) were supplemented with 115,09ppm/ kg DM Zn. Data was analyzed with Minitab 13.0. The results of the morphological characteristic of sperm G1 and G2 were higher at 180 days compared to Day zero, especially in vigor and mass motility, with only statistically significant difference in each group, not differentiating between groups. The organic zinc did not affect the morphological characteristic of sperm in Nellore bulls in the dry season. Key words: Bovine, zebu cattle, micro minerals, andrological, winter ResumoO objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a suplementação com 500 mg de zinco orgânico (Zn) sobre a característica morfológica dos espermatozóides e o libido em touros Nelore, características físicas (turbilhonamento, motilidade em massa e vigor) e defeitos espermáticos maiores e menores, no período seco de 2010, a precipitação pluviométrica durante o período experimental, que compreendeu de abril a outubro, foi de 69 mmm de abril a agosto. Trinta e seis touros foram selecionados e divididos em dois grupos de 18 animais, G1 controle e G2 suplementado durante 180 dias. Os dados foram analisados utilizando o Minitab 13.0. Os animais receberam uma média de 48,89 ppm/ kg MS de zinco no G1 e 115,09 ppm/ kg DM em G2. Os resultados da característica morfológica espermática de G1 e G2 foram superiores aos 180 dias em relação ao dia zero, especialmente em vigor e a motilidade em massa, somente com diferença estatisticamente significativa em cada grupo, não diferenciando entre os grupos.

Nitroxynil 34% is an anthelmintic of the family of phenolic substitutes that is used for treatment and control of Fasciola hepatica, but is very effective in controlling haemoncosis in sheep. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of nitroxynil administered to female Swiss albine mice during the period of organogenesis. A total of 40 mice (30 females and 10 males), randomized into three mated female groups were used: Gc, control animals that were not exposed to nitroxynil; G10, animals that received nitroxynil at the dosage of 10 mg / kg; and G40, where 40 mg / kg of nitroxynil was administered. All animals received the pre-determined dosage of nitroxynil 34%, via subcutaneous, on the 6th day of pregnancy, and were euthanized on day 21 of gestation. The fetuses and uterus were evaluated for gross abnormalities. The results have demonstrated that the administration of nitroxynil had no influence on the reproductive indices, post-implantation losses, and the number of implantation sites. However, histopathological evaluation of fetal brain revealed an increased in the occurrence of ventricular dilatation. These results suggest that the subcutaneous administration of nitroxynil 34% at the doses of 10 and 40mg/kg, in a single application, on the 6th day of pregnancy in female mice, resulted in alterations on the brain of mice and on the birth weight of the fetus. Key Words: anthelminthic drug; embryonic toxicity; phenolic substitutes; laboratory animals Effect of dilatation of the cerebral ventricles after the administration of nitroxynil in Swiss albine mice during organogenesis EFEITO DE DILATAÇÃO DOS VENTRÍCULOS CEREBRAIS APÓS A ADMINISTRAÇÃO DE NITROXINIL EM CAMUNDONGOS SWISS

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Offspring derived from artificial reproductive techniques are already known to present several postnatal undesirable phenotypes and clinical disorders. Despite its benefits, cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is extremely inefficient. The birth rate in cattle is around 5% of the transferred blastocysts, and ~50% of delivered calves die in the first 48 h. Neonatal respiratory distress is reported to be one of the main causes of such deaths. Veterinary intervention is often needed to promote or improve blood oxygenation, avoiding respiratory acidosis and improving carbon dioxide delivery from blood/lungs to the environment. This study aimed to evaluate a neonatal support therapy over the blood gas and acid-base balance on newborn calves derived from SCNT or AI. Four cloned and 3 AI-derived calves delivered by Caesarean section were used for the experiment. Postnatal therapeutic procedures were comprised 4 doses of 400 mg of intratracheal surfactant every 15 min, 25 mg of oral sildenafil every 8 h for 3 days, and 5 L min–1 intranasal oxygen. Blood collections were performed within 30 min (T0), at 12 (T12), 24 (T24) and 48 (T48) hours after delivery. Blood samples were collected from the caudal auricular artery with a butterfly and a blood gas syringe. Oxygen saturation (sO2), arterial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and carbon dioxide (PaCO2), pH, and bicarbonate (HCO3–) were evaluated with a portable blood gas analyzer (i-STAT, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Princeton, NJ, USA). Data obtained were submitted to ANOVA (Proc MIXED; SAS/STAT, version 9; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). There were significant differences between groups in blood pH (P = 0.0182) and between groups (P = 0.0281) and time of collection (P = 0.0303) in blood bicarbonate (HCO3–). The AI calves were born with normal pH (7.468 ± 0.033) and the cloned calves were born in acidosis (7.216 ± 0.166). These calves were stabilised in T48 (7.427 ± 0.017) using their own HCO3– that increased over time. Although there were no differences in sO2 (P = 0.4525), PaO2 (P = 0.3086), or PaCO2 (P = 0.2514), sO2 and PaO2 were numerically increased at the same time that PaCO2 decreased in both groups. In the cloned calves, the sO2, PaO2, and PaCO2 at T0 were 61.3 ± 28.6%, 39.8 ± 18.5 mmHg, and 65.8 ± 29.3 mmHg, respectively and reached 90.0 ± 3.4%, 57.7 ± 15.8 mmHg, and 42.0 ± 3.7 mmHg. In the AI calves, T0 blood gas analysis were 79.8 ± 19.4%, 56.1 ± 42.1 mmHg, and 39.1 ± 4.8 mmHg, and at T48 were 89.0 ± 2.6%, 82.3 ± 43.5 mmHg, and 43.0 ± 4.9 mmHg for sO2, PaO2, and PaCO2 respectively. The neonate support therapy improved calves' oxygenation and helped to eliminate the carbon dioxide from the blood. In our experience, the neonatal treatment was essential in supporting the lives of the cloned calves.Funding support was received from FAPESP 2011/19543–9.