The aims of the present study were to: (i) evaluate the ultrastructural differences in the zona pellucida (ZP) surface between immature and mature bovine oocytes, and (ii) describe a new objective technique to measure the pores in the outer ZP. Intact cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) obtained from a local abattoir were immediately fixed (immature group) or submitted to in vitro maturation (IVM) at 38.5 °C for 24 h in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air (mature group). Oocytes from both groups were morphologically evaluated via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the images were processed in the Fiji/ImageJ software using a new objective methodology through the Trainable Weka Segmentation plugin. The average number of pores in ZP was greater (p < 0.05) in the mature group than the immature group. However, the size and circularity of pores in ZP did not differ (p > 0.05) between groups. In conclusion, it has been shown that the number of pores highlighted the main ultrastructural change in the morphology of the ZP surface of bovine oocytes during the IVM process. We have described an objective method that can be used to evaluate ultrastructural modifications of the ZP surface during oocyte maturation and early embryo development.

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Renal cell carcinoma is the third most common urogenital neoplasia (1). The lung and bone tissues represent the most frequent metastatic sites of renal cell carcinoma (2). Metastases in the stomach are rare and have been essentially described during autopsies (3). In this paper, we present a case of large metastatic gastric tumor whose origin was a renal cell carcinoma treated years ago. Case reportA 56 year old woman was diagnosed with stage one renal adenocarcinoma 6 years ago. She was treated with right radical nephrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Three years later was diagnosed and treated of brain metastasis located in the frontal lobe, as well as in lung. A year ago, she came to our hospital for upper gastrointestinal bleeding. She presented acceptable general condition and nutritional, blood pressure 120/70 mmHg and normal cardio-respiratory auscultation. The abdomen was soft, non-tender, and no masses or organ enlargements. The analytical study revealed 6.3 g/dl hemoglobin. A thoracic abdominal TAC showed a large mass in the body and antrum stomach of 11 cm diameter without invasion adjacent structures. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a large neoplasm from body to gastric antrum with mamelonated aspect. The patient underwent subtotal gastrectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful. The pathology and immunohistochemical study showed metastasis of kidney carcinoma ( Fig. 1). DiscussionMetastatic gastric cancer is uncommon. The most frequent location sites of cancer cells are in the body and gastric fundus, and single tumors predominate against multiple. Although generally gastric metastases account for 0.2-0.7% of stomach tumors, the metastatic tumor from carcinoma renal cells is extremely rare (3) and is an event late. The gastric metastases from renal cell carcinoma are diagnosed years after the primary tumor (4). The histological diagnoses require immunohistochemical analysis for differential diagnostic. We studied AE1/AE3 and vimentin markers, and the most recent CD10 and renal cell carcinoma markers (RCC-Ma). CD10 is a cell surface enzyme expressed in several types of normal cells including the brush border of renal tubular epithelial cells. Positivity for this marker is seen in more than 90% of renal clear carcinomas (5). RCC-Ma is a monoclonal antibody against a normal renal proximal tubule antigen. RCCMa expression is relatively specific for primary clear cell in renal carcinoma (6). In our case, the markers confirmed the diagnosis of renal carcinoma. The classic vimentin and AE1/AE3 markers were strongly positive, while CD10 and RCC-Ma showed moderately and weakly positive staining, respectively. The treatment of gastric metastases is controversial. The patients have poor prognosis with frequent extragastric metastases, and the treatment is endoscopic therapy and arterial embolization (7,8). The absence of evidence for other metastases and the presence of large tumor did not support the consideration of therapeutic endoscopy. By contrast, subtotal gastrectomy allowed acceptable...

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The use of α-tocopherol during in vitro maturation (IVM) is an alternative to minimize the adverse effects of heat stress on oocyte competence. However, α-tocopherol is diluted in ethanol, which can induce oocyte parthenogenetic activation (PA). This study aimed to evaluate the role of ethanol concentration on PA and the effect of α-tocopherol supplementation during IVM on the developmental competence and the expression of key genes in blastocysts derived from summer-collected oocytes. All in vitro embryo production was conducted at 5% O2, 5% CO2 at 38.5 °C. Experiment 1: oocytes were cultured with or without 0.05% ethanol. As positive PA control matured oocytes were subjected to 3% or 7% ethanol for 7 min. Oocytes from all groups were placed in fertilization medium (22 h) and culture medium (9 days). Ethanol at 0.05% during IVM did not induce oocyte PA, however, 3% and 7% ethanol were effective parthenogenetic inductors. Experiment 2: oocytes were cultured in maturation medium supplemented with 0, 50, 100 and 200 μM α-tocopherol, diluted in 0.05% ethanol. After in vitro fertilization and embryo culture, we assessed blastocyst apoptotic index and the transcription of a panel of genes. The results showed that supplementation with 100 μM α-tocopherol reduced apoptotic index and increased the expression of SOD2. In conclusion, 100 μM α-tocopherol, diluted in 0.05% ethanol, can be used during IVM to embryonic quality.

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Silvopastoral systems (SPS) constitute a type of agroforestry system that integrates the forestry, forage and animal components in a balanced way, and allows diversified income and the environment and ecosystem to be preserved. They differ from conventional forest plantations because they integrate the tree component into livestock production at low densities, improving the services provided by pasture. The SPS timidly begin to settle in Uruguay along with the forest expansion of the 90s, regaining momentum in 2005 and consolidating in 2011. The greatest limitations for the dissemination and adoption of the SPS initially identified are being overcome, giving rise to the creation of teaching, research and extension platforms. The generation of knowledge in planned situations to exploit the synergies between the different components begins to consolidate and the first results allow Uruguay to be placed in a prominent point in the subject. The creation of strategic inter-institutional networks to design long-term experiments will allow a better understanding of the biotic and abiotic interactions of SPS and their positioning as sustainable livestock systems.