PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P T Cupps

Publications and source records attributed to P T Cupps.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Acid and alkaline phosphatase in bovine antral follicles.

Acid and alkaline phosphatases were measured in the follicular fluid of 766 individual follicles from 96 cows. Follicles were obtained by bilateral ovariectomy or at slaughter from animals at various stages of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. Mean follicle size varied with the physiological state of the cow (P less than .0001). Acid phosphatase activity (U/microliters) varied inversely with follicle size (P less than .001) but not with stage of the estrous cycle or gestation. Total acid phosphatase activity per follicle increased with follicle size (P less than .05). Neither acid phosphatase nor alkaline phosphatase concentration was associated with atresia. Alkaline phosphatase activity (U/microliters) was greater in the smallest follicles (less than 50 microliters) than in other size groups (P less than .0001). Alkaline phosphatase activity (U/microliters) was greater (P less than .05) during the preovulatory phase of the estrous cycle than during other phases. A high concentration of follicular fluid phosphatases cannot be used as a marker for atresia but is characteristic of healthy small antral follicles.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1984

Effects of linoleate and arachidonate deficiencies on reproduction and spermatogenesis in the cat.

The inability of the cat to convert significant quantities of linoleate [18:2(9,12)] to arachidonate [20:4(5,8,11,14]) in the liver makes the cat a useful model for studying the specific physiological roles of these two fatty acids. In these studies, cats were fed purified diets that were either deficient in essential fatty acids (EFAs) or that provided linoleate with or without arachidonate. Male cats that were fed the EFA-deficient diet for approximately 2 years exhibited extensive degeneration of the testes, and the fatty acid composition of testes changed in a manner consistent with EFA deficiency. Linoleate prevented testis degeneration. Levels of arachidonate, 22:4n6, and 22:5n6 were higher in testis phospholipids of cats supplied with linoleate than in the deficient cats, indicating that the testis of the cat has the capacity to desaturate and elongate linoleate. In contrast, female cats that were fed diets lacking arachidonate were unable to bear live kittens, whether linoleate was provided in the diet or not. Arachidonate, supplied by oral supplements of ethyl arachidonate or by animal fat in the diet, significantly improved reproduction. Thus, linoleate appears to meet the requirements for spermatogenesis in males, but dietary arachidonate is essential for adequate reproduction in female cats.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1983

Survival of bovine embryos stored at 4 degrees C.

These experiments were designed to test the efficacy of storing bovine embryos at 4 degrees C. Of particular interest were the age of embryo at which maximum post-storage survival could be achieved and longevity at 4 degrees C. A greater proportion of day 8 blastocysts developed in vitro at 37 degrees C following refrigeration for 48 hr than did embryos collected 2, 4 or 6 days after estrus (P<0.01). Survival of blastocysts stored at 4 degrees C for 48 hr was similar to that of nonstored blastocysts. In a subsequent experiment, day 8 blastocysts were recovered nonsurgically and assigned to one of the following treatments: (a) immediate transfer; (b) culture at 37 degrees C; or (c) storage at 4 degrees C for 1, 2, 3 or 5 days. Post-storage viability was assessed by either development in culture at 37 degrees C or embryo survival following nonsurgical transfer to synchronized recipients. In vitro survival of nonstored embryos and embryos stored 1 day did not differ. Survival decreased after storage for 2 days (P<0.10) or longer (P<0.05). Similar results were observed for survival after transfer, but embryo viability decreased even more rapidly with increasing duration of storage. In vitro survival was approximately 50% for blastocysts stored for 3 and 5 days, but few pregnancies resulted from transfer of embryos stored for these periods. In another experiment survival after transfer of blastocysts stored at 4 degrees C for up to 2 days was similar to that of nonstored blastocysts.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1982

Preliminary studies on bovine embryo survival following short-term storage at 4 degrees C.

A total of 113 non-surgically collected bovine embryos, 5-8 days of age, were stored for 48 hours at 4 degrees C in a modified phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS). Following storage, embryos were cultured for 8-12 hours at 37 degrees C, and those which were morphologically normal were transferred to synchronized recipients by several methods designed to achieve twin pregnancies. Embryos which were collected and transferred on the same day served as controls. Of 113 embryos stored, 47 (42%) appeared to be transferable after the brief culture period. There was a marked breed effect on viability after refrigeration, with Hereford embryos surviving significantly better than Angus embryos (71% vs. 12%, respectively, p < .001). Post-transfer embryo survival of stored and control embryos, based on actual calvings, was 34 and 48 percent, respectively, a difference which was not significant (p=0.3). A marked difference in pregnancy rate following non-surgical transfer by 2 different technicians was noted (50% vs. 21.7%, respectively).

Journal Article↗
PubMed1982

Induction of twins in different breeds of cattle.

Two experiments were conducted examining bilateral transfer of Hereford X Angus crossbred embryos to Angus, Hereford and Hereford x Angus crossbred recipients. In Exp. 1, both virgin heifers and parous cows were used as recipients, in Exp. 2, only virgin heifers were used. No differences in production of twins due to breed of recipient was observed. In Exp. 1, heifers had as high a twinning rate and proportion of pregnancies carried to term as cows. About 9% of the heifers in Exp. 2 experienced late gestation abortion (based on recipients pregnant at 42 d), a problem which was not observed among heifers in Exp. 1. No association between body weight at transfer and abortion was observed. Twin pregnancy was associated with a higher incidence of retained placentas (Exp. 1, P less than .05; Exp. 2, P less than .10), lower birth weight/calf (P less than .01 in both experiments) and shorter gestation period (P less than .01 in both experiments). Calf mortality at birth was similar among twins and singles and, in Exp. 2, a lower (P less than .02) incidence of dystocia was observed among heifers giving birth to twins than among those with single calves. The results of these experiments indicate that both beef heifers and beef cows of three common breed types are capable of maintaining twin pregnancies and successfully producing twins.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed1981

Length of gestation in ewes carrying lambs of two different breeds.

Length of gestation was studied in pregnancies established by intrabreed, interbreed, and mixed-breed embryo transfers of Finnish Landrace (Finn; mean gestation: 144.9 days) and Targhee (mean gestation: 150.4 days) embryos to Finn cross and Targhee recipients. At least one lamb of each breed comprised mixed-breed pregnancies. There was a significant effect of the breed of lamb (Finn, Targhee, or Finn and Targhee) on the length of gestation (P<.01), but not of breed of recipient. Mixed-breed pregnancies had a mean gestation period intermediate between those for pregnancies which contained only one breed of lamb. The mean gestation period for mixed-breed pregnancies was 2.10+/-.70 (x+/-S.E.) days longer than for pregnancies with only Finn lambs (P<.01) and 2.99+/-.73 days shorter than for pregnancies with only Targhee lambs (P<.001). The delay in parturition in mixed-breed pregnancies beyond the normal gestation period for Finn lambs occurred even in litters with a majority of Finn lambs. These results demonstrate an interaction between fetuses in the processes leading to parturition. Possible mechanisms by which the Targhee lamb delayed parturition in mixed-breed pregnancies are discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1981

Zinc deficiency in the cat.

Two experiments were conducted to produce Zn deficiency in, and to establish approximate Zn requirements of, the cat. In experiment 1, soy protein (SP)-based diets were fed for 8 months: diet 1, basal, without added Zn, 15 ppm; diet 2, basal, 15 ppm Zn plus 2% CaHPO4; and diet 3, basal with added Zn, 67 ppm. Gross Zn deficiency symptoms were not observed, although spermatogenesis in cats fed diets 1 and 2 was abnormal. There were no differences in food intake or growth rate between treatments. Mean plasma zinc levels (micrograms/100 ml) for cats fed diets 1, 2 and 3 were 55, 47 and 89, respectively. In experiment 2, the SP was washed with EDTA. Ten 8-week-old kittens were fed the following diets for 14 weeks: diet 4, SP without Zn, 0.7 ppm Zn; diet 5, containing 52 ppm Zn; or diet 6, an amino acid diet, 4.8 ppm Zn. Mean food intake (g/day) and weight gains (g/day) for cats fed diets 4, 5 and 6 were: 17.2, 0.4; 55.0, 19.5; and 31.5, 10.0, respectively. Mean plasma Zn levels (micrograms/100 ml) and liver Zn (ppm) for cats fed diet 4 had poor coats characterized by thinning and slow hair growth and scaliness of the skin and ulcerations of the buccal margins. The cat's requirement for zinc is probably between 15 ppm and 50 ppm.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗