Veterinary Research Forum

Abstract Selenium (Se) and gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique properties such as high absorption ability, low toxicity and minimal environmental persistence. These properties, combined with demonstrated anti-parasitic effects against certain parasites, suggest their potential as candidate for house fly control. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Se and AuNPs in controlling house flies. We investigated the insecticidal effect of Se and AuNPson Musca domestica using a dipping method. Several concentrations (20.00, 60.00, 100, 400, and 1,000 ppm) were prepared using deionized water. Fifteen larvae per concentration were tested, with each test repeated three times. The larvae were dipped in the NP solutions for 30, 60 and 90 sec in 10.00 mL of the tested concentrations. Distilled water was used for the control group. Larval mortality was recorded 24 hr post-treatment. No mortality was observed in house fly larvae 24 hr after exposure to different concentrations of Se and AuNPs, regardless of the incubation time. Thus, Se and AuNPs showed no insecticidal effect on house fly larvae. In conclusion, Se and AuNPs cannot be used to control house flies. Due to the issues associated with chemical control, it is crucial to search for alternative pesticides.

Abstract Currently, artificial oocyte activation has attracted wide attention in assisted reproduction due to extensive range of applications, particularly in somatic cell nuclear transfer and deriving pluripotent stem cell lines and it is the unique model to determine the role of paternal genome. Numbers of artificial activating agents have been used extensively to induce the oocytes activation; however, embryos developmental competency of artificially activated oocytes is still very low. In the present study, we determined the functional impact of strontium chloride supplementation with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in artificial oocytes activation and subsequent embryonic development. Oocytes were activated artificially in the culture medium containing 250 nM AuNPs with constant concentration of strontium chloride 10.00 mM. We found that adding 250 nM AuNPs with constant concentration of strontium chloride (10.00 mM for 3 hr) in culture medium improves the proportion of embryos reaching to the morula and blastocyst stages from 61.00% and 42.00% (controls) to 75.00% and 58.00% (250 nM AuNPs), respectively. In addition, foster mothers receiving AuNPs-treated embryos showed more implantation percentage and pregnancy rate relative to females received control embryos. Finally, embryos treated with 250 nM AuNPs concentration showed no toxic effect in term of blastocyst development. Collectively, our findings suggest the potential role of AuNPs in early embryonic development for mouse oocytes activated artificially and provide new insights in the field of animal biotechnology and assisted reproduction in humans.