ABSTRACT
Research was conducted to characterize seminal traits and to develop a sperm cryopreservation method using directional freezing (DF) for the killer whale (Orcinus orca). Experiments evaluated effects of: (i) freezing rate (SLOW, MED, FAST) by diluent (BF5F, Biladyl®, EYC) in 0.5 mL straws; and (ii) freezing method (straw or DF) by glycerol (3, 6, or 9% final concentration, v:v) on in vitro sperm quality. Fresh ejaculates (n = 161) were (mean ± SD) 7.8 ± 7.4 mL at 740 × 10(6) sperm/mL with 92.2 ± 6.3% total motility (TM), 85.4 ± 6.9% progressive motility (PM), 89.6 ± 9.0% viability and 89.8 ± 9.2% acrosome integrity. Samples frozen using straws by the MED or SLOW method were improved (P < 0.05) over FAST across all diluents. At 3 h post thaw (PT), TM, PM, Rapid motility (RM), VAP, VCL, ALH and viability for 3% and 6% glycerol were improved (P < 0.05) over 9% glycerol. Directional freezing samples at 0 h and 3 h PT, at all glycerol concentrations, displayed higher (P < 0.001) TM, PM, RM, VAP, VSL, VCL and viability /intact acrosomes (PI/FITC-PNA) than straw. These data provided the first information on ejaculate characteristics and the development of a semen cryopreservation method using DF in the killer whale.
Subject(s)
Cryopreservation/veterinary , Semen Analysis/veterinary , Semen Preservation/veterinary , Whale, Killer , Acrosome/physiology , Animals , Cell Survival , Cryopreservation/instrumentation , Cryopreservation/methods , Male , Semen Analysis/methods , Semen Preservation/methods , Sperm MotilityABSTRACT
Rigid and compliant casts of a human aortic bifurcation were subjected to physiologically realistic pulsatile fluid flows. At a number of sites near the wall in the approximate median plane of the bifurcation of these models, fluid velocity was measured with a laser Doppler velocimeter, and wall motion (in the case of the compliant cast) was determined with a Reticon linescan camera. The velocity and wall motion data were combined to estimate the instantaneous shear rates at the cast wall. Analysis showed that at the outer walls the cast compliance reduced shear rates, while at the walls of the flow divider the shear rate was increased.
Subject(s)
Aorta/physiology , Models, Cardiovascular , Blood Flow Velocity , Compliance , Humans , Models, Anatomic , Stress, MechanicalABSTRACT
A noninvasive technique for measuring temperature in hot gases is evaluated as an alternative to conventional mechanical probing techniques. The technique uses a diode laser spectrometer to measure the line-center absorption coefficient ratio of two absorption lines that originate from different vibrational energy levels of the same absorbing species. The temperature is calculated without knowledge of the total pressure, absorber concentration, or optical path length. A previous study demonstrated temperature measurements at ~2000 K at atmospheric pressure. The results of this evaluation demonstrate that the technique is also applicable for temperatures as low as 400 K and at pressures well below 1 atm.
