A Pilot Study of the Role of Semaphorin 4A (sema4A) and 3C (sema3C) in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC).

Bladder cancer is a very important issue in contemporary urology. The aim of this pilot study was to assess for the first time the clinical utility of semaphorin 3C (sema3C) and 4A (sema4A) in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The experiment involved 15 patients with NMIBC and 5 patients without malignancies as the control group.

The Role of Semaphorin 6D (Sema6D) in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer-A Preliminary Study on Human Plasma and Urine.

The incidence of bladder cancer worldwide in the last three decades has been increasing in both men and women. So far, there is no established non-invasive bladder cancer biomarker in daily clinical practice. Semaphorin 6D (sema6D) is a transmembrane protein that belongs to the class VI semaphorins.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of exosomes in the regulation of the mitochondrial membrane potential of frozen/thawed spermatozoa.

Numerous studies confirm the involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the regulation of physiological processes of mammalian sperm cells. It has been proven that they take part in the processes of capacitation, acrosonmal reaction, and anti-oxidation. Despite growing interest in the biomedical potential (including the search for new reproductive biomarkers) of EVs, the role of extracellular seminal vesicles in maintaining semen quality during cryopreservation has not yet been established.

Post-thaw quality of boar spermatozoa is affected by ejaculate fractions and extenders.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different extenders on the post-thaw (PT) quality of sperm originating from the sperm-rich fraction (SRF) and post-sperm-rich fraction (PSRF) of boar ejaculate. Motility and velocity parameters, analyzed using a computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) system, and membrane integrity parameters were markedly higher in frozen-thawed (FT) spermatozoa of the SRF in both the Belstville Thawing Solution (BTS) and Androhep Plus (AHP) extenders, irrespective of the post-thaw (PT) storage time. Furthermore, reduced cryo-survival was more marked in FT spermatozoa of the PSRF in both extenders following storage for 60 min.

Association between sperm morphology and sperm count of boar semen.

The number of spermatozoa in the ejaculate is important for its quality and that of the sperm contained in it. The number of ejaculated spermatozoa is also associated with sperm dimensions. The aim of this study was to assess the morphological structure of sperm and the frequency of morphological abnormalities in sperm on the ejaculation performance of boars, measured as the total number sperm per ejaculate.

Examination of the haematological profile of pregnant Polish Holstein-Friesian black-and-white cattle in the early stage.

Introduction: Cattle health and welfare are monitored the analysis of the haematological profile, and it shows cattle's ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, pregnancy and lactation; profile changes also indicate reproductive disorders. The literature lacks reports of the examination of the haematological profile in cows up to the 50 day of pregnancy (dop). Therefore, this research examined that in cows up to this pregnancy stage.

Disorder of Biological Quality and Autophagy Process in Bovine Oocytes Exposed to Heat Stress and the Effectiveness of In Vitro Fertilization.

The main problem in dairy herds is reproductive disorders, which are influenced by many factors, including temperature. Heat stress reduces the quality of oocytes and their maturation through the influence of, e.g.

Retinoic acid alters metalloproteinase action in red deer antler stem cells.

Metalloproteinases (MMP)s regulate developmental processes, control angiogenesis and wound healing, participate in the formation of immune receptors, and are expressed in stem cells. Retinoic acid (RA) is a potential modulator of these proteinases. The aim was to determine (1) MMPs' action in antler stem cells (ASCs) before and after differentiation into adipo-, osteo-, and chondrocytes and (2) the effect of RA on modifying MMP action in ASCs.

Identification and characterisation of mitochondrial proteins isolated from rabbit epididymal spermatozoa - a preliminary study.

This is the first study to identify 23 protein spots corresponding to 13 proteins in mitochondria isolated from rabbit epididymal spermatozoa. In the group of protein spots identified in stress-induced samples, the abundance of 20 protein spots increased, whereas the abundance of three protein spots (GSTM3, CUNH9orf172, ODF1) decreased relative to the control. The results of this study provide valuable inputs for future research into the molecular mechanisms implicated in pathological processes during oxidative stress (OS).

Endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) as a modulating factor of molecular biological clock in the hypothalamic structures involved in light transmission in pig and wild boar hybrid during long and short day season.

Mature males of a wild boar-pig crossbreed, during the long and short day season, were used for the study which demonstrates that the chemical light carrier CO regulates the expression of biological clock genes in the hypothalamus via humoral pathways. Autologous blood with experimentally elevated concentrations of endogenous CO (using lamps with white light-emitting diodes) was infused into the ophthalmic venous sinus via the right dorsal nasal vein. Molecular biology methods: qPCR and Western Blot were used to determine the expression of genes and biological clock proteins.

The Quality and Fertilizing Potential of Red Deer ( L.) Epididymal Spermatozoa Stored in a Liquid State.

The aim of this study was to assess the quality and fertilizing potential of red deer epididymal spermatozoa stored in a liquid state for up to 11 days (D11). In Experiment 1, sperm quality was determined. In Experiment 2, the efficiency of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination (AI) of stored sperm were evaluated.

The Usefulness of Sexual Behaviour Assessment at the Beginning of Service to Predict the Suitability of Boars for Artificial Insemination.

Parameters of sexual activity were determined in 49 young boars used for artificial insemination, four times at three-month intervals. The parameters included the time from entering the arena until mounting the phantom; the time from mounting the phantom until achieving erection; the time from achieving full erection until the start of ejaculation; duration of ejaculation; and the number of times the boar mounted the phantom. Characteristics of the ejaculates were also assessed.

Influence of Zinc and Manganese Nanoparticles on Selected Parameters of Turkey Spermatozoa Stored in a Liquid State at 4 °C.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of semen extender supplementation with 25 or 50 μM of zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) or manganese nanoparticles (MnNPs) on turkey spermatozoa preserved in a liquid state. Twenty turkey ejaculates were obtained from twenty healthy males. The collected semen was preserved at 4 °C for 48 h with or without NPs.

Effects of breed and ejaculate volume on sperm morphology and semen parameters of boars.

The aim of the study was to determine the relation between the semen quality, frequency of sperm defects, sperm dimensions and shape, and the ejaculate volume of Large White and Landrace boars. A total of 648 ejaculates collected from 31 Large White and 30 Landrace boars were divided into three groups according to the criterion of the ejaculate volume. In this study Landrace boars produced ejaculates with higher volume, sperm concentration, and total numbers of spermatozoa than Large White boars.

Isolation and identification of zinc ions and heparin binding proteins in yellow fraction of the red deer Cervus Elaphus L. semen.

During the rutting season, stag semen is accompanied by a sticky, dense secretion called yellow fraction (YF). There is little information about the role, biology, physiology, and most importantly, the composition of this fluid. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify zinc ions (ZnBPs) and heparin binding proteins (HBPs) from YF of the red deer (Cervus elaphus L.

Gene promoter polymorphisms in boar spermatozoa differing in freezability.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 5'-flanking regulatory regions of genes could affect their expression levels. This is a follow-up study aimed to identify polymorphic variants in the 5'-flanking regulatory regions of genes expressed in boar spermatozoa, and to predict the interactions of such variants with transcription factors (TFs) on the gene promoter activity, using bioinformatics. Five and six boars were classified as having good and poor semen freezability (GSF and PSF, respectively) according to post-thaw (PT) assessment of sperm motility and membrane integrity characteristics.

The Effectiveness of Pharmacological Synchronization of the Estrous Cycle in Hinds ( L.): A Pilot Field Trial.

The aim was to estimate the effective pharmacological method of the estrous cycle synchronization by checking the effects of synchronization by measurement of progesterone (P4) and 17-beta estradiol (E2) concentration by RIA and artificial insemination. The experiment was performed at the red deer farm in Rudzie (North-East Poland; 3 year's old). The herd (N = 14) was kept away from bulls and was divided in two groups of seven animals.

Viability longevity and quality of epididymal sperm stored in the liquid state of European red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus).

The aim of the study was to evaluate viability longevity and quality of liquid-stored epididymal sperm of European red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus). Sperm samples were recovered from epididymides of 15 mature stags. Samples were diluted to 100 × 10 sperm⁄mL in modified Salomon's extender and stored at 5 °C for 25 days.

Interactions of ostrich egg yolk lipoproteins with seminal plasma of fractionated ejaculates and their effects on post-thaw boar semen quality.

Electrophoretic methods were used to identify protein complexes formed between ostrich egg yolk lipoprotein fractions (LPFo) with seminal plasma (SP) of fractionated ejaculates, and to investigate the effect of these complexes on boar semen quality after cryopreservation. Chromatographic SP fractions (F1, F2 and F3), with or without LPFo solution, were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis. Comparative electrophoretic analyses of the SP revealed marked differences in the SDS-PAGE protein profiles among boars.

Proteome of cat semen obtained after urethral catheterization.

The binding of seminal plasma (SP) proteins by spermatozoa plays an important role in the regulation of sperm epididymal maturation, motility gaining in female reproductive tracts and sperm-egg interaction. The aim of the study was to analyze the SP and sperm extracts proteome of cat (Felis catus) semen. The seminal plasma and spermatozoa were obtained by urethra catheterization from 10 male cats.

Missense mutation within cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene is associated with selected parameters of the frozen-thawed sperm in Holstein-Friesian bulls.

In our previous Genome-wise Association Study we found that Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator gene (CFTR) is a candidate gene for sperm motility in fresh semen of Holstein-Friesian bulls. Since in cows thawed semen is commonly used for the artificial insemination (AI) we have decided to find out whether functional polymorphism within CFTR gene coding sequence is associated with selected parameters of thawed sperm, including their motility evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), the activity of three antioxidant enzymes: glutathione peroxidase (GPx) catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ATP content and integrity of sperm membranes. One hundred twenty Holstein Friesian bulls kept in uniform environmental conditions (one AI company) were included in the study.

Identification of proteoforms of albumin and kallikrein in stallion seminal plasma and their correlations with sperm motility.

The aim of this study was to identify the proteoforms of albumin and kallikrein in stallion seminal plasma (SP), and to determine their correlations with sperm motility parameters. The experimental material consisted of ejaculates from 8 stallions, which were collected during the breeding and non-breeding seasons (BS and NBS, respectively). SP proteins were identified by 2-D PAGE and mass spectrometry (MALDI TOT/TOF MS).

Relation between nitric oxide (NO) level in semen and certain properties of boar spermatozoa stored at 17°C.

The aim of this study was to measure the NO level in boar semen held in a liquid state and to determine its putative relation to spermatozoa motility, plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content. Generally, the percentage of spermatozoa which generated nitric oxide gradually increased, while NO level in the surrounding medium declined during the liquid preservation. NO generation in semen preserved in BTS was higher as compared to those in Androhep®Plus.

Influence of splicing mutation within the lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 gene (LPAR1) on semen quality in Holstein-Friesian bulls.

Effect of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in splicing site of the LPAR1 (lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1) gene on selected quality traits was investigated in frozen-thawed semen of Holstein-Friesian bulls. Splicing mutation A/G in the LPAR1 gene (rs43581860) was identified in 120 Holstein-Friesian bulls using PCR-RFLP technique (Hph I). Heterozygotes AG were the most frequent (37.