Estrous synchronization and artificial insemination (ESAI) are reproductive technologies that cattlemen can use to improve the reproductive performance of their herds. Controlling the gender ratio of the calf-crop can also improve the opportunity for increased revenue and profit. Producers are able to shift and/or control the gender ratio of their calf crop by incorporating sex-sorted semen into their AI programs. However, decreased conception rates to AI have been previously observed when sex-sorted semen was used in comparison to conventional semen of the same sires. The objective of the first study was to determine if conception rates will differ in females inseminated with conventional semen or SexedULTRA™ sex-sorted semen when estrus is synchronized using an industry-standard, 7-d CO-Synch + Controlled Internal Drug Release (CIDR) protocol for fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The objective of the second study was to determine if conception rate to FTAI differs between SexedULTRA™ sex-sorted and conventional semen when yearling beef heifers are synchronized using a 14-d controlled internal drug release (CIDR) - PGF2α (PGF) protocol modified to optimize the control of ovulation and timing of insemination.

The New Zealand Dairy industry relies on artificial breeding to produce high genetic merit replacement stock. Proven bull semen is extended and preserved as either ambient temperature product or as frozen doses. High fertility is essential to maintain synchronicity of lactation with the spring surge of grass growth. To improve efficiency in the utilization of the very best bulls producers try to lower sperm dose rates without compromising fertility. Livestock Improvement Corporation's (LIC) Long Last Liquid ™ (LLL) is most commonly used during the peak season and is their most important product. However, shortfalls and specifically targeted matings are met with frozen semen. Lowering sperm dose rates in both liquid and frozen semen maximises the usage of elite sires increasing genetic gain, lowering overheads and garnering premium prices for the semen producer. A product for improving frozen semen technology was developed whereby a discrete quantity of pretreated semen was placed alongside a beneficial post-thawing redilution medium in a standard semen straw. This emulated a larger-scale process developed to freeze semen in times of low demand and redilution into the LLL form for use as an ambient temperature product. This rediluted product has been proved to enhance semen survival and to allow fertility to be maintained at sperm dose rates lower than the widely accepted standard for frozen semen. The physical packaging of the semen into the industry standard single dose straw in a configuration that separated incompatible components was novel. This configuration was essential to prevent damage to the sperm during the freezing process from low solubility components in the post-thaw redilution medium. Separation between the semen and diluent within the straw was achieved by the introduction of a gas partition or air bubble between the two liquids. A large-scale field trial showed that the new product could produce savings of up to 25% of the sperm needed for a semen dose to achieve equivalent fertility. Furthermore, the production cost per dose was lowered in comparison to the standard semen processing system used at LIC.

There is a dearth of research that explores the lives and experiences of trans-identified parents. The goal of this study was to explore the experiences of trans people who sought or accessed AHR services in Ontario between 2007 and 2010. Qualitative data that was collected from 7 qualitative interviews with 9 trans people and their partners was analyzed for the present analysis. Results from this study indicate that AHR providers do not possess sufficient knowledge about trans people, trans identities and trans lives to adequately address the needs of trans service users. Specific provider practices that trans people experienced as being unhelpful are illuminated and implications for improving clinical practices are discussed.

There is a dearth of research that explores the lives and experiences of trans-identified parents. The goal of this study was to explore the experiences of trans people who sought or accessed AHR services in Ontario between 2007 and 2010. Qualitative data that was collected from 7 qualitative interviews with 9 trans people and their partners was analyzed for the present analysis. Results from this study indicate that AHR providers do not possess sufficient knowledge about trans people, trans identities and trans lives to adequately address the needs of trans service users. Specific provider practices that trans people experienced as being unhelpful are illuminated and implications for improving clinical practices are discussed.

Artificial insemination (AI) with sex-sorted bottlenose dolphin spermatozoa provides female calves for obtaining more cohesive social groups and optimum genetic management of captive populations. However, distance of animals to the sorting facility represents a limit to the procedure. Although one bottlenose dolphin calf has been born using spermatozoa from frozen-thawed, sorted and recryopreserved spermatozoa, critical evaluation of the steps involved in this process is required to maximize its efficiency for future AIs and expansion of the technology to other species. Two experiments were designed to determine the efficiency of the sorting process and the quality of frozen-thawed bottlenose dolphin spermatozoa during sorting and recryopreservation. In experiment 1, the effect of two washing media (with and without 4 percent egg yolk, v/v) following density gradient centrifugation (DGC) on sperm recovery rate and in vitro characteristics of cryopreserved spermatozoa was examined. In experiment 2, cryopreserved semen was used to compare the effects of two recryopreservation methods (conventional straw freezing and directional freezing) on in vitro sperm characteristics of control (non-sorted) and sorted spermatozoa. Egg yolk supplementation of the washing medium in experiment 1 did not influence (P > 0.05) the sperm recovery rate, however, sperm motility parameters and viability were improved (P < 0.05). For Experiment 2, motility parameters and viability were influenced by stage of sex-sorting process, sperm type (non-sorted and sorted) and freezing method (P < 0.05). After recryopreservation, sorted spermatozoa frozen with the directional freezing method maintained higher (P < 0.05) motility parameters over the 24 h incubation period compared to spermatozoa frozen using straws. Quality of sperm DNA of nonsorted spermatozoa, as assessed by the SCSA, remained unchanged throughout the process. However, a possible interaction between Hoechst 33342 and acridine orange was observed in sorted samples. After recryopreservation, viability of sorted spermatozoa was higher (P < 0.05) than that of non-sorted spermatozoa across all time points. The percentages of viable spermatozoa determined by light (eosin-nigrosin) and fluorescence microscopy (propidium iodide) techniques were correlated (R^2=0.79, P < 0.001). Collective results indicate that bottlenose dolphin spermatozoa undergoing cryopreservation, sorting and recryopreservation are of adequate quality for use in AI.

This research aimed to explore the parenting experiences of lesbian women who chose to have children through artificial insemination. While this study aimed to explore the experience of being a lesbian parent in South Africa generally, its intent was to be primarily vigilant of the particular challenges that face lesbian parents having children (through sperm donation) within the broader context of heterosexuality in South Africa. Using the voice-centred relational method of analysis, two separate interviews with a lesbian parenting couple were analysed. The findings revealed a number of expected and some unexpected challenges that lesbian parents of sperm donor children reportedly contend with. The overall finding was that lesbian parenting is a significantly challenging experience. Whilst it can be argued that parenting for all individuals is fraught with difficulties, what this study highlights is that for lesbian parents, typical parenting difficulties are exacerbated by societal judgment and lack of support. It is hoped that this research will contribute to filing the vast gap in South African literature relating to lesbian parenting as well as provide the impetus for further research relating to this topic to be conducted within South Africa. This research also intends to provide an educational resource to potential lesbian mothers as well as to lesbian parents who may possibly seek solace in the awareness they are not alone in terms of the challenges which they may face. Last but certainly not least, it is hoped that the insights of this study may assist psychologists in improving their competency in working with same sex parent populations by cultivating knowledge, understanding, self reflection and empathy skills. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

The idea about human’s merit, his worth, unique and oneness comparing him with things or other living creatures – that’s the phylosophy of human dignity in bioethics and biolaw. The aspect of principle of human dignity in bioethics and biolaw is analyzed invoking characters of human and his free will. Solving bioethical and biolaw problems, concepts of the beginning and the end of the life help us to reveal the importance of human dignity principle. In Bioethics and biolaw the principle of human dignity is read as a position which requires recognition of personality and free self-determination. / -.

L'ús d'esperma criopreservada en la inseminació artificial (IA) d'espècies d'interès productiu permet un major control sanitari i la creació de bancs de germoplasma d'alt valor genètic, entre d'altres avantatges. En el mercat porcí la major part de les inseminacions són encara realitzades amb semen refrigerat degut a l'èxit de l'aplicació de diluents de llarga durada i també a causa de la sensibilitat de l'esperma porcina a la criopreservació. Malgrat que aquesta sensibilitat ve donada per característiques particulars de la fisiologia espermàtica en l'espècie, algunes ejaculacions mantenen els paràmetres de qualitat espermàtica després de la criopreservació (ejaculacions amb bona "congelabilitat", GFEs) enfront d'altres que no sobreviuen al procés (ejaculacions amb mala "congelabilitat", PFEs). El primer objectiu de l'estudi va ser comparar ambdós grups en termes de fertilitat in vivo. El segon objectiu va ser testar l'eficiència de la inseminació postcervical (post-CAI) amb l'esperma criopreservada. El tercer objectiu va ser buscar predictors de la congelabilitat de les ejaculacions, tant en les GFEs com en les PFEs i en tres passos del procés de criopreservació (a 17ºC, a 5ºC i a 240 min postdescongelació). Aquest objectiu es va dur a terme mitjançant l'avaluació de paràmetres convencionals de qualitat espermàtica i a través de l'estudi de la localització i la reactivitat sota el microscopi de tres proteïnes (GLUT3, HSP90AA1 i Cu/ZnSOD) relacionades amb la fisiologia espermàtica i amb possibles rols en la congelabilitat. El quart objectiu va ser quantificar l'expressió de les tres proteïnes per transferència western, tant en espermatozoides d'ejaculacions GFEs com en els d'ejaculacions PFEs i en els tres passos abans esmentats, per tal de determinar el seu potencial com a predictores de la congelabilitat. Pel primer i el segon objectiu, 86 truges van ser inseminades per post-CAI amb 26 ejaculacions de mascles Piétrain dividides en una porció refrigerada a 17ºC (tractament control) i una porció criopreservada, ambdues porcions classificades alhora com a GFEs o PFEs. Els resultats més rellevants van demostrar que les probabilitats d'embaràs eren dues vegades menors en inseminacions amb esperma criopreservada d'ejaculacions PFEs (P < 0.05) que en inseminacions amb esperma criopreservada d'ejaculacions GFEs, fet que indica que les ejaculacions amb percentatges elevats d'espermatozoides mòbils progressius i d'integritat de membrana (per sobre del 40% en les GFEs) són més favorables a provocar embarassos que no pas aquelles ejaculacions amb una pobra funció espermàtica in vitro (PFEs). Ni el nombre de truges que van donar a llum, ni la quantitat de garrins, ni el risc de reflux espermàtic van ser significativament diferents entre les inseminacions amb esperma criopreservada d'ejaculacions GFEs i les inseminacions control amb semen refrigerat, la qual cosa demostra la bona aplicabilitat de la inseminació post-CAI amb l'esperma criopreservada. Finalment, pel tercer i quart objectius van ser criopreservades 29 i 11 ejaculacions de mascles Piétrain, respectivament. Dos paràmetres cinètics espermàtics, la linealitat (LIN) i la rectitud (STR), van mostrar una hiperactivació de la mobilitat superior en les ejaculacions PFEs que en les GFEs després de 30 min a 5ºC durant la criopreservació. A més, la combinació d'ambdós paràmetres va donar una fiabilitat propera al 72% en la predicció de la congelabilitat de les ejaculacions porcines. Tot i que no va ser possible predir la congelabilitat mitjançant l'avaluació de les tres proteïnes al microscopi, els resultats de transferència western van revelar diferències en l'expressió de la HSP90AA1 en l'esperma a 17ºC, molt possiblement relacionades amb la millor supervivència a la criopreservació dels espermatozoides d'ejaculacions GFEs. Aquests resultats suggereixen que la promoció de la criopreservació d'esperma porcina per la seva aplicació en IA passa pel desenvolupament de tests per la predicció de la congelabilitat en semen refrigerat. / The use of frozen-thawed (FT) sperm in artificial insemination (AI) of species with productive interest allows higher sanitary control and the creation of high genetic value sperm banks, among other advantages. In the swine market, most inseminations are still performed with refrigerated semen (FS) because of the successful application of long-term extenders and the sensitivity of boar sperm to cryopreservation. Although this sensitivity is provided by particular features of the sperm physiology in boars, some boar ejaculates maintain the sperm quality parameters after freezing (good freezability ejaculates, GFEs) in front of others that do not survive the process (poor freezability ejaculates, PFEs). The first objective of the study was to compare both groups in terms of field fertility. The second objective was to test the efficiency of the post-cervical AI (post-CAI) with FT sperm. The third objective was to search for predictors of the ejaculate freezability by assessing, both in GFEs and in PFEs and in three steps during the cryopreservation procedure (17ºC, 5ºC and 240 min post-thaw), conventional sperm quality parameters and the location and reactivity, under the microscope, of three proteins related to the sperm physiology with potential roles in freezability (GLUT3, HSP90AA1 and Cu/ZnSOD). The fourth objective was to quantify, through western blotting, the expression of the three proteins, both in GFEs and in PFEs and in the three steps mentioned, to determine their potential as freezability predictors. For the first and second objectives, 86 sows were inseminated by post-CAI with 26 ejaculates from Piétrain boars divided into a 17ºC FS portion (control treatment) and a cryopreserved (FT) sperm portion, the two portions in turn classified into GFEs and PFEs. The most relevant outcomes were that the probabilities of pregnancy resulted two times lower after inseminations with FT-PFEs (P < 0.05) compared to FT-GFEs, which indicates that ejaculates with high post-thaw sperm progressive motility and membrane integrity (over 40% in GFEs) are more likely to result in pregnancies than those with poor in vitro sperm function (PFEs). Neither the number of farrowing sows and the litter size nor the risk of sperm backflow was significantly different in FT-GFEs from that achieved in FS control treatments, which showed the good applicability of post-CAI to boar FT sperm. For the third and fourth objectives, 29 and 11 Piétrain boar ejaculates, respectively, were cryopreserved. Two kinematic indices, the sperm linearity (LIN) and the sperm straightness (STR), revealed higher hyperactivated motility in PFEs than in GFEs when assessed after 30 min at 5ºC during cryopreservation, the combination of the two motility parameters showing around 72% confidence in the freezability prediction of ejaculates. Whereas it was not possible to predict the freezability of the boar ejaculates by assessing the three proteins under microscope, results from western blot showed differences in the HSP90AA1 expression in sperm at 17ºC that are most possibly related to the best cryosurvival of GFEs. This finding aims to promote the cryopreservation of boar sperm intended for use in AI through the development of tests for freezability prediction in FS.

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