In this experiment, 240 Cobb-500® broilers reared from1 to 49 days, and distributed according to a completely experimental randomized design with four treatments of four replicates each in order to evaluate the effect of the dietary inclusion of 0, 33, 66 or 100 g/kg of squash seed meal (SSM) (Cucurbita moschata) on the performance, carcass yield, serum lipid profile and sensory meat quality of broilers. Significant differences (p<0.05) were detected in performance, carcass weight, weight and breast yield, and leg weight. The best results were obtained with 33 and 66 g/kg as compared to the control diet and 100 g SSM /kg. Abdominal fat decreased with the inclusion of 66 and 100 g SSM / kg, but the sensory quality of breast and thighs was not affected by the inclusion of SSM. The serum levels of total cholesterol, very low density (VLDL) and low density (LDL) lipoproteins, triglycerides, glucose and atherogenic index decreased with the inclusion of 100 g/kg of SSM, except for high density lipoproteins (HDL), which increased. The inclusion of 0, 33, 66 and 100 g/kg of SSM in broiler diets, partially replacing soybean meal and vegetable oil, improved live performance and edible portions yield. In addition, abdominal fat and serum levels of harmful lipids were reduced, whereas serum levels of beneficial lipids increased. There was no effect on meat sensory quality.

OBJETIVO: avaliar o fuso meiótico e a distribuição cromossômica de oócitos maturados in vitro, obtidos de ciclos estimulados de mulheres inférteis com endometriose e fatores masculino e/ou tubário de infertilidade (Grupo Controle), comparando as taxas de maturação in vitro (MIV) entre os dois grupos avaliados. MÉTODOS: quatorze pacientes com endometriose e oito com fator tubário ou masculino, submetidas à estimulação ovariana para injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozóide, foram selecionadas, prospectiva e consecutivamente, e constituíram os Grupos de Estudo e Controle, respectivamente. Oócitos imaturos (46 e 22, respectivamente, dos Grupos Endometriose e Controle) foram submetidos à MIV. Oócitos que apresentaram a extrusão do primeiro corpúsculo polar foram fixados e corados para avaliação dos microtúbulos e cromatina por técnica de imunofluorescência. A análise estatística foi realizada utilizando o teste exato de Fisher, com significância estatística quando p<0,05. RESULTADOS: não se observou diferença significativa nas taxas de MIV entre os dois grupos avaliados (45,6 e 54,5%, respectivamente, nos Grupos Endometriose e Controle). A organização cromossômica e do fuso meiótico foi observada em 18 e 11 oócitos dos Grupos Endometriose e Controle, respectivamente. No Grupo Endometriose, oito oócitos (44,4%) se apresentavam como metáfase II (MII) normais, três (16,7%) MII anormais, cinco (27,8%) estavam em estágio de telófase I e dois (11,1%) sofreram ativação partenogenética. No Grupo Controle, cinco oócitos (45,4%) se apresentavam como MII normais, três (27,3%) MII anormais, um (9,1%) estava em estágio de telófase I e dois (18,2%) sofreram ativação partenogenética. Não se observou diferença significativa na porcentagem de anomalias meióticas entre os oócitos em MII dos dois grupos avaliados. CONCLUSÕES: os dados do presente estudo não demonstraram diferença significativa nas taxas de MIV e nas proporções de anomalias meióticas entre os oócitos MIV, provenientes de ciclos estimulados de pacientes com endometriose, quando comparados aos controles. Todavia, sugerem um retardo na conclusão da meiose I nos oócitos provenientes de portadoras de endometriose, pela maior proporção de oócitos em telófase I observada neste grupo.

PURPOSE: to evaluate the meiotic spindle and the chromosome distribution of in vitro mature oocytes from stimulated cycles of infertile women with endometriosis, and with male and/or tubal infertility factors (Control Group), comparing the rates of in vitro maturation (IVM) between the two groups evaluated. METHODS: fourteen patients with endometriosis and eight with male and/or tubal infertility factors, submitted to ovarian stimulation for intracytoplasmatic sperm injection have been prospectively and consecutively selected, and formed a Study and Control Group, respectively. Immature oocytes (46 and 22, respectively, from the Endometriosis and Control Groups) were submitted to IVM. Oocytes presenting extrusion of the first polar corpuscle were fixed and stained for microtubules and chromatin evaluation through immunofluorescence technique. Statistical analysis has been done by the Fisher's exact test, with statistical significance at p<0.05. RESULTS: there was no significant difference in the IVM rates between the two groups evaluated (45.6 and 54.5% for the Endometriosis and Control Groups, respectively). The chromosome and meiotic spindle organization was observed in 18 and 11 oocytes from the Endometriosis and Control Groups, respectively. In the Endometriosis Group, eight oocytes (44.4%) presented themselves as normal metaphase II (MII), three (16.7%) as abnormal MII, five (27.8%) were in telophase stage I and two (11.1%) underwent parthenogenetic activation. In the Control Group, five oocytes (45.4%) presented themselves as normal MII, three (27.3%) as abnormal MII, one (9.1%) was in telophase stage I and two (18.2%) underwent parthenogenetic activation. There was no significant difference in meiotic anomaly rate between the oocytes in MII from both groups. CONCLUSIONS: the present study data did not show significant differences in the IVM or in the meiotic anomalies rate between the IVM oocytes from stimulated cycles of patients with endometriosis, as compared with controls. Nevertheless, they have suggested a delay in the outcome of oocyte meiosis I from patients with endometriosis, shown by the higher proportion of oocytes in telophase I observed in this group.

OBJETIVO: avaliar o fuso meiótico e a distribuição cromossômica de oócitos maturados in vitro, obtidos de ciclos estimulados de mulheres inférteis com síndrome dos ovários policísticos (SOP) e fatores masculino e/ou tubário de infertilidade (Grupo Controle) e comparar as taxas de maturação in vitro (MIV) entre os dois grupos avaliados. MÉTODOS: cinco pacientes inférteis com SOP e oito pacientes controles, submetidas à estimulação ovariana para injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozóide, foram selecionadas prospectiva e consecutivamente, e constituíram os grupos de estudo e Controle, respectivamente. Oócitos imaturos captados após estimulação ovariana para a realização de injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozóide (21 e 29, respectivamente, nos Grupos SOP e Controle) foram submetidos à MIV. Apenas os oócitos que apresentaram a extrusão do primeiro corpúsculo polar após a MIV foram fixados e submetidos à imunocoloração e análise por microscopia de fluorescência para avaliação morfológica do fuso e da distribuição cromossômica. A análise estatística foi realizada utilizando o teste exato de Fisher, com significância estatística quando p<0,05. RESULTADOS: as taxas de MIV foram similares entre os dois grupos (47,6 e 44,8%, respectivamente, nos Grupos SOP e Controle). Seis dos dez oócitos (60%) analisados do grupo de estudo e quatro dos 12 oócitos (33,3%) analisados do Grupo Controle apresentaram anomalias meióticas, caracterizadas por anomalias do fuso e/ou distribuição cromossômica oocitária, sem diferença significativa entre os grupos. CONCLUSÕES: os dados do presente estudo não demonstraram diferença significativa nas taxas de MIV e nas proporções de anomalias meióticas entre os oócitos maturados in vitro, provenientes de ciclos estimulados de pacientes com SOP, quando comparados aos controles.

PURPOSE: to evaluate the meiotic spindle and the chromosome distribution of in vitro matured oocytes obtained from stimulated cycles of infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and with male factor and/or tubal infertility (Control Group) and compare in vitro maturation (IVM) rates between the groups analyzed. METHODS: five infertile patients with PCOS and eight controls, submitted to stimulated cycles for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, were selected prospectively and consecutively, and respectively assigned to the study group and the Control Group. Immature oocytes (21 and 29, respectively, from PCOS and Control Group) were submitted to IVM. After IVM, oocytes with first polar body extruded were fixed and submitted to immunostaining and fluorescence microscopy for morphological evaluation of the spindle and of chromosome distribution. Statistical analysis was performed by the Fisher test with significance, when p<0.05. RESULTS: IVM rates were similar between groups (47.6 e 44.8%, respectively, for PCOS and Control Group). Six of the ten oocytes (60%) from the study group and four of the 12 oocytes (33.3%) from the Control Group presented meiotic anomalies of the spindle and/or anomalous chromosome distribution, without statistical difference between groups. CONCLUSIONS: data from the present study did not demonstrate significant difference neither in IVM rates nor in the proportions of meiotic anomalies between in vitro matured oocytes obtained from stimulated cycles from PCOS patients and control ones.