Bioplastics are emerging as most promising materials to replace oil based thermoplastics particularly in packaging. Bioplastics can mitigate and address concerns about the negative role of plastics in the environment creating pollution and depleting resources hence bioplastics can enable an innovative approach toward addressing these issues. However, manufacturing of bioplastic is still costly and their mechanical and thermal properties require extensive development. Therefore there has been substantial interest to improve processing and properties of bioplastics to diminish the environmental impacts caused by continuous use of synthetic polymers of petroleum origin. In this research, Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) or PHBV and Polybutylene succinate (PBS) composites and blends were developed to improve the properties of PHBV as the matrix polymer and hence produce a novel formulation for product development. Three approaches were studied in this work:  The effect of talcum powder as a nucleating agent and reinforcing filler.  The effect of oligomer chain extenders on miscibility, crystallinity, thermal and thermomechanical, mechanical and morphological properties of PHBV/PBS blends.  The effect of acrylic core-shell impact modifier on crystallinity, thermal and thermomechanical, mechanical and morphological properties of PHBV were also evaluated. All the above scientific approaches have been studied. It was noticed that talc can change the sluggish crystallinity of PHBV. Talc enhances nucleation of PHBV in the composites which leads to a faster crystallization rate. The heat distortion temperature, crystallinity and the modulus of PHBV/talc composite were also increased. In the presence of the chain extender (CE) the miscibility conditions of PHBV/PBS blends were changed. The results were supported by calculation of the activation energies. The elongation at break and tensile strength of PHBV/PBS/Chain extender blends increased indicating miscibility change. The possible reaction mechanism between PHBV, PBS and CE are proposed and the results supported by using FTIR. Immiscibility results of the PHBV/PBS blends are supported by SEM images. Addition of the impact modifier to PHBV reduced the crystallization rate and prolonged crystallization time. It has been found that the shell of impact modifier (PMMA) is partially miscible with PHBV. The absorbed impact energy is improved by the impact modifier but the improvement was not as satisfactory as results noted for PLA. The SEM images showed the average fine dispersion of different sized particles inside the matrix.

Yes / Thermal degradation of polyamide 6 (PA6)/organoclay nanocomposites is a serious impediment to wider applications of these nanocomposites. In this study, a solution is proposed based on the well‐established use of chain extenders. As in PA6, thermal degradation, in the absence of moisture, produces broken polymer chains with amide end groups, a chain extender with anhydride functionalities, known to be strongly reactive with amide groups, was used to reconnect the chains. Experiments conducted using a laboratory twin‐screw extruder were first checked, through transmission electron microscopy observations, to have produced good organoclay intercalation and exfoliation into PA6. Following from this, samples with the chain extender added were produced and characterized. The data obtained were conclusive in the effectiveness of the chain extender: for the chain extended nanocomposites, there is an enhancement in the value of the complex viscosity by 7 times and in the storage modulus by 88 times, while the tensile modulus increased by 57% compared with the neat PA6. The nonchain extended nanocomposite achieved in comparison an enhancement of 2 times the value of the complex viscosity and 19 times the storage modulus while the tensile modulus increased by 53% compared to the neat PA6. These data provide conclusive proof on the rationale that anhydride functionalities should be sought when developing chain extenders for PA6 nanocomposites. / Government of Turkey

A great amount of sociolinguistic research in contact situations has centered on phonological and morphosyntactic variables, but studies of discourse-pragmatic features in contact situations are scarce and incipient. Discourse-pragmatic features are syntactically optional elements that are used to guide, structure, or express a stance towards discourse (Pichler, 2013, p. 4). These features are hallmarks of grammaticalization because of their decategorialization to fulfill pragmatic functions (Brinton, 2006; Traugott, 1995). Their analysis in language contact situations can shed light on contact-induced change, since they occur on the periphery of grammar and appear to constitute a part of grammar that is highly permeable (e.g. Brody, 1987; 1995; Dajko & Carmichael, 2014). Previous studies of discourse-pragmatic features in contact situations widely focus on a recipient language in which discourse-pragmatic features from a donor language are inserted or calqued (e.g. Lipski, 2005; Salmons, 1990; Torres, 2002), without considering the linguistic and social conditioning of these features in the donor language, which is crucial to assess the permeability of discourse. This dissertation assesses the permeability of discourse in the speech of eighteen Spanish-English bilinguals from Southern Arizona. In doing so, it analyzes the linguistic and social conditioning of three discourse-pragmatic features that are prominent in both languages. These discourse-pragmatic features include the discourse marker like in English and its equivalents como, como que, and like in Spanish, quotatives, and general extenders. It was expected that these discourse-pragmatic features would be highly permeable in the speech of these bilinguals; however, contact with English did not radically influence the use of any of these discourse-pragmatic features in the Spanish of these bilinguals. This dissertation contributes to our understanding of the permeability of discourse in bilingual speech. In addition, it explores how this knowledge can be applied in pedagogical contexts.

Determination of an extender protocol which will enhance the viability of frozenthawed bovine spermatozoa will allow producers to obtain higher conception rates due to the increased survival rate of the spermatozoa. Ejaculates of six Brangus bulls (age=18 months) were evaluated for spermatozoal motility, acrosomal integrity, and morphological characteristics (collectively called spermatozoal viability) in two experiments to test our hypotheses that (1) the treatment combination of a 4 hr cooling duration and a 2 hr equilibration with glycerol will result in optimum spermatozoal characteristics after freezing and thawing and (2) rank of three selected extenders relative to their effects on spermatozoal viability after freezing and thawing will be egg yolk-citrate (EC), egg yolk-tris (IMV), and skim milk (milk). In experiment 1, an ejaculate from each bull was partially extended and cooled to 4 ºC for either 2 or 4 hr and then allowed to equilibrate with the glycerolated extender for 2, 4, or 6 hr. Spermatozoal viability was assessed at 0, 3, 6, and 9 hr after thawing. In experiment 1, 4 hr of cooling resulted in a higher percentage of motile spermatozoa than did 2 hr of cooling. The 2 hr equilibration with glycerol yielded lower percentages of motile spermatozoa, acrosomal integrity, and morphologically normal spermatozoa than 4 and 6 hr equilibration durations with glycerol. In experiment 2, we observed a decrease in spermatozoal viability for all three extenders upon freezing and thawing. Viability of frozen-thawed spermatozoa extended in the milk was reduced for all incubation durations, and the IMV extender had a higher percentage of motile spermatozoa than the EC extender at 6 hr of incubation. A higher percentage of intact acrosomes was observed with the IMV extender; however, the EC extender had a higher percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa than the IMV extender. Our results indicate that at cooling duration of 4 hr and a 4 hr equilibration with glycerol provide the highest level of spermatozoal viability post-thaw of the treatments evaluated and that the IMV extender enhances the percentage of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome for frozenthawed spermatozoa over the EC and skim milk extenders.

<p>Denna rapport behandlar utveckling av en förenklad konstnärsportal. Tekniker som används är ASP.NET 3.5 med C# och för hantering av databas MS SQL Server 2005. Ett fokus område för detta arbete är AJAX och att skapa AJAX Extenders, dessa används för att skapa ett rikare användargränssnitt.</p> / <p>Frågeställningen som låg till grund för detta examensarbete var, hur skapar man en bra plattform för konst på Internet och hur visualiserar man konsten på ett bra sätt?</p><p>Teknikerna som användes under projektet var ASP.NET 3.5 med programmeringsspråket C#. För att sköta datalagring så användes Ms SQL Server 2005. Mycket av arbetet kretsade kring AJAX och att skapa egna AJAX Extenders framför allt för bildvisningen som var ett av målen i projektet.</p><p>ImageGallery är en egen utvecklad AJAX extender som fungerar som ett förenklat bildgalleri, den används för att visualisera konsten på ett interaktivt sätt.</p><p>Arbetet resulterade i en färdig applikation som fungerar som en förenklad konstnärsportal. En konstnär har möjligheten att publicera sina konstverk, besökarna kan sedan påverka visningen av konstverket på ett interaktivt sätt. Övriga funktioner som finns tillgängliga för besökaren är kommentering, röstning samt diverse filtreringsfunktioner. En administratör kan hantera nyheter, användare, kategorier samt tekniker.</p> / <p>The underlying question for this project was, how do you create a solid platform for art on the internet and how do you visualize the art in a good way?</p><p>The technology used during the project was ASP.NET 3.5 with the programming language C#. To handle the datastorage MsSql Server 2005 was choosen. Plenty of time and effort was spent around AJAX and the creation of own AJAX Extenders, mainly for the imageviewing part.</p><p>ImageGallery is a AJAX Extender that works like a simplyfied imagegallery, its used to visualize the artworks in a interactive way.</p><p>The project resulted in a ready to use application targeted for artists that want to publish their works online. Visitors can affect the imageviewing in a interactive way. Other functions that are available to them are the possiblity to comment, rate and filter artworks. The administrators for the website can handle news, users, categories and techniques.</p>

Denna rapport behandlar utveckling av en förenklad konstnärsportal. Tekniker som används är ASP.NET 3.5 med C# och för hantering av databas MS SQL Server 2005. Ett fokus område för detta arbete är AJAX och att skapa AJAX Extenders, dessa används för att skapa ett rikare användargränssnitt. / Frågeställningen som låg till grund för detta examensarbete var, hur skapar man en bra plattform för konst på Internet och hur visualiserar man konsten på ett bra sätt? Teknikerna som användes under projektet var ASP.NET 3.5 med programmeringsspråket C#. För att sköta datalagring så användes Ms SQL Server 2005. Mycket av arbetet kretsade kring AJAX och att skapa egna AJAX Extenders framför allt för bildvisningen som var ett av målen i projektet. ImageGallery är en egen utvecklad AJAX extender som fungerar som ett förenklat bildgalleri, den används för att visualisera konsten på ett interaktivt sätt. Arbetet resulterade i en färdig applikation som fungerar som en förenklad konstnärsportal. En konstnär har möjligheten att publicera sina konstverk, besökarna kan sedan påverka visningen av konstverket på ett interaktivt sätt. Övriga funktioner som finns tillgängliga för besökaren är kommentering, röstning samt diverse filtreringsfunktioner. En administratör kan hantera nyheter, användare, kategorier samt tekniker. / The underlying question for this project was, how do you create a solid platform for art on the internet and how do you visualize the art in a good way? The technology used during the project was ASP.NET 3.5 with the programming language C#. To handle the datastorage MsSql Server 2005 was choosen. Plenty of time and effort was spent around AJAX and the creation of own AJAX Extenders, mainly for the imageviewing part. ImageGallery is a AJAX Extender that works like a simplyfied imagegallery, its used to visualize the artworks in a interactive way. The project resulted in a ready to use application targeted for artists that want to publish their works online. Visitors can affect the imageviewing in a interactive way. Other functions that are available to them are the possiblity to comment, rate and filter artworks. The administrators for the website can handle news, users, categories and techniques.

Resumo: Efeitos deletérios dos radicais livres causam a lipoperoxidação da membrana plasmática dos gametas feminino e masculino e dos embriões cultivados in vitro, sendo responsável por perda da produção in vitro de embriões e redução da fertilidade in vivo. O estudo foi realizado com objetivo de investigar o efeito protetor do diluidor de sêmen contendo antioxidante submetido à criopreservação e avaliado por testes complementares (teste de termo resistência, hiposmótico e fluorescência), pela inseminação artificial e fertilização in vitro. Ejaculados de cinco touros foram agrupados nos seguintes tratamentos: 1 - Diluidor Tris - gema (controle - Dil C); 2 - Diluidor Tris -gema + Trolox 200mM (antioxidante-Dil T). Amostras com os diluidores com concentração final de 25 x 106 espermatozóides/ palheta foram envasadas em palhetas de 0,25 mL. Em uma fazenda localizada no Mato Grosso do Sul - MS, foram inseminadas 300 novilhas Nelore, e para cada touro realizou-se 60 inseminações artificiais (palhetas descongeladas em 35°C por 20 seg). Oócitos com citoplasma homogêneo e cumulus compacto de ovário de vacas de abatedouro foram selecionados e maturados em grupos de 25 por gota em 100μl de meio TCM 199 com SFB, FSH, hCG e estradiol, piruvato de sódio e amicacina, por 24 horas, sob óleo mineral, e foram cultivados com 5% CO2 e 95% umidade em ar, a 38,5ºC. Depois da maturação, os oócitos foram colocados em gotas com TALP contendo BSA, PHE e 10μg/ml de heparina com 1x 106 espermatozóides móveis por ml. Quatro palhetas (duas - DC e duas - DT) do mesmo touro e ejaculado foram descongeladas e cada palheta foi processada por um método de separação espermática para recuperação do sobrenadante: método de lavagem (duas centrifugações de 36xg por 5 min em 2ml de TL-sêmen) e gradiente de Percoll (45 e 90%, submetido a centrifugação a 500xg por 30 min)...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Deleterious effects of free radicals cause lipoperoxidation of the plasmatic membrane of female and male gametes and in vitro cultured embryos, being responsible for losses in in vitro production of embryos and reduction in in vivo fertility. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects of semen extender containing antioxidant submitted to cryopreservation and evaluated by artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and complementary tests (hyposmotic, fluorescence, and thermal resistance tests). Ejaculates from 5 bulls were treated with Tris egg yolk extender (control-CE) alone or supplemented with 200ml Trolox in the extender (antioxidant-AE). The samples with the extenders with a final concentration of 25 x 106 spermatozoa/ml were placed into 0.25 ml straws. Three hundred Nelore heifers from a cattle farm in Mato Grosso do Sul - MS, were separated into 5 groups of 60 animals. For artificial insemination, the straws were thawed at 35°C for 20 sec and the females in each group were inseminated with semen of the same bull, using 30 female for each semen extender treatment. For in vitro fertilization, oocytes with homogeneous cytoplasm and compact cumulus, collected from ovaries of slaughtered cows were selected and maturated in groups of 25 in droplets of 100μl TCM 199 medium with FCS, FSH, hCG and estradiol, sodium pyruvate and amicacin, for 24 hours, under mineral oil, in atmosphere of 5% CO2 and 95% humidity in air, at 38.5ºC. After maturation, the oocytes were placed in droplets with TALP containing BSA, PHE and 10μg/ml of heparin with 1x 106 motile spermatozoa/ml...(Complete abstract, click electronic access below) / Orientador: Paulo Henrique Franceschini / Coorientador: Antônio Cláudio Tedesco / Banca: Joaquim Mansano Garcia / Banca: César Roberto Esper / Banca: Sony Dimas Bicudo / Banca: José Domingos Guimarães / Doutor

Orientador: Marion Burkhardt de Koivisto / Banca: Paulo Henrique Franceschini / Banca: Sony Dimas Bicudo / Resumo: O processo de criopreservação afeta a capacidade funcional dos espermatozóides, diminuindo a fertilidade. Tendo conhecimento desses danos a diluição do sêmen é necessária antes de submetê-lo ao choque térmico. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o sêmen bovino congelado com dois diferentes diluidores. O ejaculado de quatro touros foi dividido em duas partes iguais, uma delas submetida ao diluidor Tris e gema de ovo (A) e a outra ao diluidor à base de lecitina de soja (Andromed®) (B). Após a diluição o sêmen foi congelado e armazenado em nitrogênio líquido de acordo com os padrões pré-estabelecidos da central de inseminação artificial. No experimento I, cinco palhetas do diluidor A e B de cada touro foram descongeladas e avaliadas quanto à motilidade (análise subjetiva e computadorizada), vigor, concentração, morfologia espermática e teste de termo-resistência lento (TTL), avaliação da integridade de membranas por meio da associação das sondas Iodeto de Propídio (PI), Isotiocionato de Fluoresceína - Pisum sativum (FITC-PSA) e Carbocianina Catiônica Lipofílica (JC-1) e avaliação funcional da membrana plasmática através do teste hiposmótico (HIPO). A avaliação da integridade da cromatina foi realizada pelo método de coloração com laranja de acridina (LA). No experimento II, o sêmen congelado com os diferentes diluidores foi utilizado na fecundação in vitro (FIV), sendo observada as taxas de clivagem e desenvolvimento embrionário in vitro. A análise estatística foi efetuada através dos testes de Análise de Variância (ANOVA), teste de Tukey e teste de Wilcoxon. Em relação aos resultados obtidos com os experimentos I e II não foi observado diferença estatística entre os diluidores testados, concluindo-se que o diluidor composto por lecitina... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Nowadays the embryo transfer is a biotechnology widely used, however not much is know about the best place to put embryos into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum (CL). In addition, not much is known about the morphological characteristics thorough the uterine horn and if it could improve or damage the uterine environment. The aims of this study were: to investigate the effect of the site of embryo placement (cranial, medial or caudal) into the uterine horn adjacent to the CL on pregnancy rates; to analyze the morphology from these tree portions of the both uterine horns adjacent and opposite to CL using histology and scanning electron microscopy; and establish the relation between pregnancy rates and morphofunctions characteristics to indicate the best place to transfer embryos. In this study 600 in vivo produced embryos (fresh and frozen-thawed) and 315 in vitro produced embryos were transferred to Holstein and crossbred recipients, in order. Nine crossbred heifers were slaughtered approximately seven days after estrus and the uterus were studied to analyze its morphology at the same time that the embryos have been transferred. The results showed that the site of embryo placement did not influence (P>0.05) the pregnancy rates in recipients receiving fresh embryos during summertime. During the winter, the pregnancy rates were greater (P<0.05) for fresh embryos transferred into the caudal portion of the uterus horn than cranial portion. For animals that received in vitro produced embryo, the site of embryo placement did not interfere (P>0.05) in the pregnancy rates. Morphophological characteristics observed by histology and scanning electron microscopy was similar in all parts of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the CL studied. However, the average number of blood vessels counted was lower in the contralateral uterine... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-02-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:06:42Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 borges_jc_dr_jabo.pdf: 527084 bytes, checksum: 74a9732f86335b470c5edaba6623feba (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Efeitos deletérios dos radicais livres causam a lipoperoxidação da membrana plasmática dos gametas feminino e masculino e dos embriões cultivados in vitro, sendo responsável por perda da produção in vitro de embriões e redução da fertilidade in vivo. O estudo foi realizado com objetivo de investigar o efeito protetor do diluidor de sêmen contendo antioxidante submetido à criopreservação e avaliado por testes complementares (teste de termo resistência, hiposmótico e fluorescência), pela inseminação artificial e fertilização in vitro. Ejaculados de cinco touros foram agrupados nos seguintes tratamentos: 1 – Diluidor Tris – gema (controle – Dil C); 2 – Diluidor Tris –gema + Trolox 200mM (antioxidante-Dil T). Amostras com os diluidores com concentração final de 25 x 106 espermatozóides/ palheta foram envasadas em palhetas de 0,25 mL. Em uma fazenda localizada no Mato Grosso do Sul – MS, foram inseminadas 300 novilhas Nelore, e para cada touro realizou-se 60 inseminações artificiais (palhetas descongeladas em 35°C por 20 seg). Oócitos com citoplasma homogêneo e cumulus compacto de ovário de vacas de abatedouro foram selecionados e maturados em grupos de 25 por gota em 100μl de meio TCM 199 com SFB, FSH, hCG e estradiol, piruvato de sódio e amicacina, por 24 horas, sob óleo mineral, e foram cultivados com 5% CO2 e 95% umidade em ar, a 38,5ºC. Depois da maturação, os oócitos foram colocados em gotas com TALP contendo BSA, PHE e 10μg/ml de heparina com 1x 106 espermatozóides móveis por ml. Quatro palhetas (duas – DC e duas – DT) do mesmo touro e ejaculado foram descongeladas e cada palheta foi processada por um método de separação espermática para recuperação do sobrenadante: método de lavagem (duas centrifugações de 36xg por 5 min em 2ml de TL-sêmen) e gradiente de Percoll (45 e 90%, submetido a centrifugação a 500xg por 30 min)... / Deleterious effects of free radicals cause lipoperoxidation of the plasmatic membrane of female and male gametes and in vitro cultured embryos, being responsible for losses in in vitro production of embryos and reduction in in vivo fertility. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects of semen extender containing antioxidant submitted to cryopreservation and evaluated by artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and complementary tests (hyposmotic, fluorescence, and thermal resistance tests). Ejaculates from 5 bulls were treated with Tris egg yolk extender (control-CE) alone or supplemented with 200ml Trolox in the extender (antioxidant-AE). The samples with the extenders with a final concentration of 25 x 106 spermatozoa/ml were placed into 0.25 ml straws. Three hundred Nelore heifers from a cattle farm in Mato Grosso do Sul - MS, were separated into 5 groups of 60 animals. For artificial insemination, the straws were thawed at 35°C for 20 sec and the females in each group were inseminated with semen of the same bull, using 30 female for each semen extender treatment. For in vitro fertilization, oocytes with homogeneous cytoplasm and compact cumulus, collected from ovaries of slaughtered cows were selected and maturated in groups of 25 in droplets of 100μl TCM 199 medium with FCS, FSH, hCG and estradiol, sodium pyruvate and amicacin, for 24 hours, under mineral oil, in atmosphere of 5% CO2 and 95% humidity in air, at 38.5ºC. After maturation, the oocytes were placed in droplets with TALP containing BSA, PHE and 10μg/ml of heparin with 1x 106 motile spermatozoa/ml...(Complete abstract, click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-07-23Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:58:53Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 prado_rb_me_jabo.pdf: 511369 bytes, checksum: 2d3f3a38c03cdc40b94b303e51f07eb6 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O processo de criopreservação afeta a capacidade funcional dos espermatozóides, diminuindo a fertilidade. Tendo conhecimento desses danos a diluição do sêmen é necessária antes de submetê-lo ao choque térmico. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o sêmen bovino congelado com dois diferentes diluidores. O ejaculado de quatro touros foi dividido em duas partes iguais, uma delas submetida ao diluidor Tris e gema de ovo (A) e a outra ao diluidor à base de lecitina de soja (Andromed®) (B). Após a diluição o sêmen foi congelado e armazenado em nitrogênio líquido de acordo com os padrões pré-estabelecidos da central de inseminação artificial. No experimento I, cinco palhetas do diluidor A e B de cada touro foram descongeladas e avaliadas quanto à motilidade (análise subjetiva e computadorizada), vigor, concentração, morfologia espermática e teste de termo-resistência lento (TTL), avaliação da integridade de membranas por meio da associação das sondas Iodeto de Propídio (PI), Isotiocionato de Fluoresceína - Pisum sativum (FITC-PSA) e Carbocianina Catiônica Lipofílica (JC-1) e avaliação funcional da membrana plasmática através do teste hiposmótico (HIPO). A avaliação da integridade da cromatina foi realizada pelo método de coloração com laranja de acridina (LA). No experimento II, o sêmen congelado com os diferentes diluidores foi utilizado na fecundação in vitro (FIV), sendo observada as taxas de clivagem e desenvolvimento embrionário in vitro. A análise estatística foi efetuada através dos testes de Análise de Variância (ANOVA), teste de Tukey e teste de Wilcoxon. Em relação aos resultados obtidos com os experimentos I e II não foi observado diferença estatística entre os diluidores testados, concluindo-se que o diluidor composto por lecitina... / Nowadays the embryo transfer is a biotechnology widely used, however not much is know about the best place to put embryos into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum (CL). In addition, not much is known about the morphological characteristics thorough the uterine horn and if it could improve or damage the uterine environment. The aims of this study were: to investigate the effect of the site of embryo placement (cranial, medial or caudal) into the uterine horn adjacent to the CL on pregnancy rates; to analyze the morphology from these tree portions of the both uterine horns adjacent and opposite to CL using histology and scanning electron microscopy; and establish the relation between pregnancy rates and morphofunctions characteristics to indicate the best place to transfer embryos. In this study 600 in vivo produced embryos (fresh and frozen-thawed) and 315 in vitro produced embryos were transferred to Holstein and crossbred recipients, in order. Nine crossbred heifers were slaughtered approximately seven days after estrus and the uterus were studied to analyze its morphology at the same time that the embryos have been transferred. The results showed that the site of embryo placement did not influence (P>0.05) the pregnancy rates in recipients receiving fresh embryos during summertime. During the winter, the pregnancy rates were greater (P<0.05) for fresh embryos transferred into the caudal portion of the uterus horn than cranial portion. For animals that received in vitro produced embryo, the site of embryo placement did not interfere (P>0.05) in the pregnancy rates. Morphophological characteristics observed by histology and scanning electron microscopy was similar in all parts of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the CL studied. However, the average number of blood vessels counted was lower in the contralateral uterine... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)