Influence of liquid extender, preservation temperature and time on the sheep sperm quality.

In this study, we evaluated sheep sperm quality after using Tris-citrate-fructose-based extender with and without egg yolk, a Tris-citrate without fructose and with egg yolk and the commercial extender Biladyl®, preserving diluted semen at 15 and 23°C for different times (4, 24, 48 and 72 h). The results showed that the diluents with fructose and egg yolk gave the best results of seminal quality. Moreover, the production of ROS was higher for the temperature of 23°C compared to the temperature of 15°C (control).

On Males, Antioxidants and Infertility (MOXI): Certitudes, Uncertainties and Trends.

Male infertility (MI) involves various endogenous and exogenous facts. These include oxidative stress (OS), which is known to alter several physiological pathways and it is estimated to be present at high levels in up to 80% of infertile men. That is why since the late 20th century, the relationship between OS and MI has been widely studied.

Minimizing sperm oxidative stress using nanotechnology for breeding programs in rams.

Background: Artificial insemination (AI) is a routine breeding technology in animal reproduction. Nevertheless, the temperature-sensitive nature and short fertile lifespan of ram sperm samples hamper its use in AI. In this sense, nanotechnology is an interesting tool to improve sperm protection due to the development of nanomaterials for AI, which could be used as delivery vehicles.

Determination of Ram () Sperm DNA Damage Due to Oxidative Stress: 8-OHdG Immunodetection Assay vs. SCSA.

Conventional DNA analysis techniques can hardly detect DNA damage in ruminant spermatozoa due to high DNA compaction in these cells. Furthermore, these techniques cannot discriminate whether the damage is due to oxidative stress. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of two techniques for determining DNA damage in ovine sperm when the source of that damage is oxidative stress.

Vitamin E Lipid-Based Nanodevices as a Tool for Ovine Sperm Protection against Oxidative Stress: Impact on Sperm Motility.

The advent of nanotechnology in the field of animal reproduction has led to the development of safer and more efficient therapies. The use of nanotechnology allows us to avoid the detrimental effects of certain traditional antioxidants, such as Vitamin E. Its hydrophobic nature makes mandatory the use of organic solvents, which are toxic to sperm cells.

Radium-223 for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with asymptomatic bone metastases progressing on first-line abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide: A single-arm phase II trial.

Purpose: The paper aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ra in patients who progressed after first-line androgen deprivation therapy.

Patients And Methods: EXCAAPE (NCT03002220) was a multicentre, single-arm, open-label, non-controlled phase IIa trial in 52 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and asymptomatic bone metastases who have progressed on abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide, up to six doses of Ra (55 kBq/kg of body weight per month). The primary end-point was radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS).

Serum supplementation during in vitro fertilization of sheep oocytes influences blastocyst quality through the differential abundance of mRNA transcripts.

Incubation with estrous sheep serum (ESS) is required to induce in vitro capacitation of spermatozoa during in vitro fertilization of small ruminants. However, the effect of adding different serum concentrations in the fertilization media on the quality of resulting blastocysts has not yet been studied. Here, 298 sheep oocytes were co-incubated with capacitated spermatozoa with either 10% or 2% ESS.

Melatonin rescues the development and quality of oocytes and cumulus cells after prolonged ovary preservation: An ovine in vitro model.

The preservation of ovaries beyond 7 h dramatically decreases the developmental potential of oocytes to reach the blastocyst stage during in vitro embryo production. Here we investigated the protective effects of melatonin in the ovarian preservation solution after prolonged storage (7 h) in ovine as an animal model. Slaughterhouse adult sheep ovaries were preserved in saline solution for 2 h (Control) and 7 h (Control stress), and with melatonin for 7 h and at different concentrations (Melatonin 10, 10, 10, 10, and 10 M).

Freezing Protocol Optimization for Iberian Red Deer () Epididymal Sperm under Field Conditions.

Creating germplasm banks of wild species, such as the Iberian red Deer () can be challenging. One of the main difficulties is the obtention and cryopreservation of good-quality reproductive cells when the spermatozoa are obtained from epididymides after death. To avoid a loss of seminal quality during transport, developing alternative methods for cooling and freezing sperm samples under field conditions is necessary.

Vitamin E Delivery Systems Increase Resistance to Oxidative Stress in Red Deer Sperm Cells: Hydrogel and Nanoemulsion Carriers.

Oxidative stress has become a major concern in the field of spermatology, and one of the possible solutions to this acute problem would be the use of antioxidant protection; however, more studies are required in this field, as highly contradictory results regarding the addition of antioxidants have been obtained. Vitamin E is a powerful biological antioxidant, but its low stability and high hydrophobicity limit its application in spermatology, making the use of organic solvents necessary, which renders spermatozoa practically motionless. Keeping this in mind, we propose the use of hydrogels (HVEs) and nanoemulsions (NVEs), alone or in combination, as carriers for the controlled release of vitamin E, thus, improving its solubility and stability and preventing oxidative stress in sperm cells.

Impact of Cryopreservation on Motile Subpopulations and Tyrosine-Phosphorylated Regions of Ram Spermatozoa during Capacitating Conditions.

The heterogeneous nature of ejaculates highlights the relevance of studying the behavior of different sperm subpopulations. Changes in sperm motility and the increase in tyrosine phosphorylation are key events that usually occur during capacitation and can be modified by the cryopreservation process. However, the relationship between both events remains poorly defined throughout capacitation in the different sperm subpopulations.

First-line osimertinib in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer and with a coexisting low allelic fraction of Thr790Met.

Aim Of The Study: The AZENT (NCT02841579) study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of first-line osimertinib in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)mutation-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and with a coexisting low allelic fraction of Thr790Met.

Methods: In this multicentre, single-arm, open-label, phase IIa study, patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC harbouring centrally confirmedEGFR Thr790Met mutation received 80 mg osimertinib daily. The primary end-point was objective response rate (ORR).

Oocyte Morphometric Assessment and Gene Expression Profiling of Oocytes and Cumulus Cells as Biomarkers of Oocyte Competence in Sheep.

Oocyte quality is crucial for subsequent embryo development and so it is a major challenge in assisted reproductive technologies. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the morphometric parameters of oocytes (experiment 1) and the relative gene expression of oocytes and cumulus cells (CCs) (experiment 2) as biomarkers of oocyte quality after individually culturing them (one oocyte or embryo/drop). In experiment 1, individually matured oocytes were measured and classified into small, intermediate, and large oocytes after a cluster analysis, based on total diameter (with zona pellucida, ZP), oocyte diameter (without ZP), and ZP thickness.

cAMP Modulators before In Vitro Maturation Decrease DNA Damage and Boost Developmental Potential of Sheep Oocytes.

To date, the underlying mechanisms by which cAMP modulators act during in vitro maturation to improve oocyte developmental competence are poorly understood. Here, we sought to fill this knowledge gap by evaluating the use of phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) and adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin during a culture period of 2 h before in vitro maturation (pre-IVM) on the nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation features in essential organelles, cumulus cells activity, and in vitro developmental potential of sheep oocytes. Results showed that pre-IVM treatment significantly decreased ( < 0.

Prospective Exploratory Analysis of Angiogenic Biomarkers in Peripheral Blood in Advanced NSCLC Patients Treated With Bevacizumab Plus Chemotherapy: The ANGIOMET Study.

Finding angiogenic prognostic markers in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer is still an unmet medical need. We explored a set of genetic variants in the VEGF-pathway as potential biomarkers to predict clinical outcomes of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer treated with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab. We prospectively analyzed the relationship between VEGF-pathway components with both pathological and prognostic variables in response to chemotherapy plus bevacizumab in 168 patients with non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer.

Effect of Season and Social Environment on Semen Quality and Endocrine Profiles of Three Endangered Ungulates (, and ).

Knowledge of factors affecting semen quality could be of great importance for the collection and preservation of semen from threatened animals. To assess the effect of seasonality, sperm parameters and testosterone levels were examined throughout the year and compared with the distribution of conceptions. Cuvier's gazelle showed higher sperm quantity in April, coinciding with one peak of conceptions.

Mindfulness-based mobile app reduces anxiety and increases self-compassion in healthcare students: A randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the effect of a mindfulness-based mobile application versus an in-person mindfulness-based training program in terms of reducing anxiety and increasing empathy, self-compassion, and mindfulness in a population of healthcare students.

Methods: The authors conducted a single-blind, randomised controlled trial with three parallel groups. Participants were allocated to the mobile app, the in-person mindfulness-based program (IMBP), or a control group.

Cellular and Molecular Events that Occur in the Oocyte during Prolonged Ovarian Storage in Sheep.

For the past two decades, there has been a growing interest in the application of in vitro embryo production (IVP) in small ruminants such as sheep. To improve efficiency, a large number abattoir-derived ovaries must be used, and long distances from the laboratory are usually inevitable when adult animals are used. In that scenario, prolonged sheep ovary transportation may negatively affect oocyte developmental competence.

Unravelling how in vitro capacitation alters ram sperm chromatin before and after cryopreservation.

Background: Sperm chromatin structure provides valuable information for the prediction of male fertility and can be altered during different procedures. Previous studies have shown that sperm chromatin condensation decreased during in vitro capacitation. Moreover, cryopreservation can affect sperm DNA integrity and chromatin compaction.

Nanotechnology in reproduction: Vitamin E nanoemulsions for reducing oxidative stress in sperm cells.

Vitamin E is considered a powerful biological antioxidant; however, its characteristics such as high hydrophobicity and low stability limit its application. We propose to use nanotechnology as an innovative tool in spermatology, formulating nanoemulsions (NE) that accommodate vitamin E, protecting it from oxidation and promoting its release into the medium. The protective effect of the NE against oxidative stress was assessed in red deer epididymal sperm incubated at 37 °C.

Post-mortem recovery, in vitro maturation and fertilization of fallow deer (Dama dama, Linnaeus 1758) oocytes collected during reproductive and no reproductive season.

Habitat degradation leads to small and fragmented populations, lower genetic variability and fertility overtime. Assisted reproductive techniques represent important tools to cope with the dramatic loss of biodiversity. Fallow deer (Dama dama), beyond its high commercial value and wide distribution, may represent the most suitable model to study endangered cervids.

Beneficial Effects of Melatonin in the Ovarian Transport Medium on In Vitro Embryo Production of Iberian Red Deer ().

A major limiting factor for the development of in vitro embryo production (IVP) in wild species, such as Iberian red deer, compared to livestock animals is the poor availability and limited access to biological material. Thus, the use of post-mortem ovaries from slaughtered animals represent a source of oocytes for the large scale production of embryos needed for research and to improve the efficiency of IVP. However, these oocytes are not as developmentally competent as their in vivo counterparts.

Sperm Cryodamage in Ruminants: Understanding the Molecular Changes Induced by the Cryopreservation Process to Optimize Sperm Quality.

Sperm cryopreservation represents a powerful tool for livestock breeding. Several efforts have been made to improve the efficiency of sperm cryopreservation in different ruminant species. However, a significant amount of sperm still suffers considerable cryodamage, which may affect sperm quality and fertility.

Optimization of Sperm Cryopreservation Protocol for Peregrine Falcon ().

Sperm cryopreservation is a complex process that needs to be adapted to wild and domestic avian species to ensure proper efficiency. Because of its accessibility, the peregrine falcon may be used as a good model for studying other raptor species. To find the most optimal cryopreservation protocol for peregrine falcon ejaculates, sperm parameters such as motility, viability, DNA fragmentation, acrosome integrity, and mitochondrial activity were analyzed under different conditions by varying the freezing method (slow freezing in straws vs.