Učinak temperature razrjeđivanja dvaju različitih razrjeđivača na kvalitetu sperme nerasta

This study investigated the quality characteristics and the field fertility of boar semen after dilution with OptimIA, a common extender at 23 (n = 20, group A23) or at 30 °C (n = 20, group A30), and after dilution with OptimIA commercial extender at 23 °C (n = 20, group 23A) or with Androhep Plus, a membrane protective extender at 23 °C (n = 20, group 23B). Each sample of extended semen was stored (16-18 °C) and used for a double artificial insemination at 48 h and 72 h after its collection at the farm (n = 30 per group). The semen was assessed in the laboratory (kinetic parameters, morphology and DNA fragmentation) at collection (0 h) and at insemination hours (48 and 72 h). Most of the semen laboratory parameters deteriorated from 48 h to 72 h, regardless of dilution temperature or the use of the protective extender. However, in the special protective extender the percentages of rapid movement spermatozoa, VCL (curvilinear velocity), VAP (average path velocity) and WOB (wobble) did not differ between 48 h and 72 h. A lower farrowing rate was observed in the common extender group at 23 °C, and a lower number of live born piglets in the protective extender group compared to the other two groups. In conclusion, one step dilution of boar semen at 23 °C compared to dilution at 30 °C did not dramatically affect its in vitro quality characteristics after 72 h of storage, although field fertility was negatively influenced. Some of these negative effects can be compensated for by the use of a membrane protective extender.Istražena je kvaliteta i plodnost nerastove sperme u terenskim uvjetima nakon razrjeđivanja s dva različita razrjeđivača: OptimaIA – standardni razrjeđivač na 23 °C (oznaka skupine A23, n = 20) ili na 30 °C (oznaka skupine A30, n = 20) i OptimaIA - komercijalni razrjeđivač na 23 °C (oznaka skupine 23A, n = 20) ili sa zaštitnikom membrane Androhep Plus na 23 °C (oznaka skupine 23B, n = 20). Svaki uzorak razrijeđene sperme bio je pohranjen na 16-18 °C i korišten za dvokratno umjetno osjemenjivanje nakon 48 h i 72 h od prikupljanja na farmi (n = 30 po skupini). Sperma je u laboratoriju ocijenjena (pokazatelji pokretljivosti, morfologija i DNA fragmentacija) prilikom prikupljanja (0 h) i prilikom osjemenjivanja (48 h i 72 h). Većina pokazatelja je, bez obzira na temperature razrjeđivanja ili uporabu zaštitnog razrjeđivača, pokazala pogoršanje u laboratorijskim uvjetima od 48 h na 72 h. Ipak, kod posebnog zaštitnog razrjeđivača, razlike između 48 h i 72 h nisu utvrđene za postotak brzo pokretljivih spermija, valovitost gibanja, prosječnu brzinu i oscilirajuće pokretanje (treperenje). U usporedbi s ostalim dvjema skupinama, niža stopa oprasivosti opažena je kod primjene standardnog razrjeđivača na 23 °C, a niži broj živorođenih odojaka opažen je nakon primjene zaštitnog razrjeđivača. Zaključno, iako postoji negativni utjecaj na plodnost u terenskim uvjetima, nakon 72 sata pohranjivanja, jedan korak razrjeđivanja nerastove sperme na 23 °C, u usporedbi s 30 °C, ne utječe dramatično na njezinu kvalitetu in vitro. Neki od negativnih utjecaja mogu se nadomjestiti uporabom razrjeđivača koji štite membranu spermija

Double–blind control of the data manager doesn't have any impact on data entry reliability and should be considered as an avoidable cost

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Database systems have been developed to store data from large medical trials and survey studies. However, a reliable data storage system does not guarantee data entering reliability.</p> <p>We aimed to evaluate if double-blind control of the data manager might have any effect on data-reliability. Our secondary aim was to assess the influence of the inserting position in the insertion-sheet on data-entry accuracy and the effectiveness of electronic controls in identifying data-entering mistakes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional survey and single data-manager data entry.</p> <p>Data from PACMeR_02 survey, which had been conducted within a framework of the SESy-Europe project (PACMeR_01.4), were used as substrate for this study. We analyzed the electronic storage of 6446 medical charts. We structured data insertion in four sequential phases. After each phase, the data stored in the database were tested in order to detect unreliable entries through both computerized and manual random control. Control was provided in a double blind fashion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Double-blind control of the data manager didn't improve data entry reliability. Entries near the end of the insertion sheet were correlated with a larger number of mistakes. Data entry monitoring by electronic-control was statistically more effective than hand-searching of randomly selected medical records.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Double-blind control of the data manager should be considered an avoidable cost. Electronic-control for monitoring of data-entry reliability is suggested.</p

The successes and challenges of harmonising juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) datasets to create a large-scale JIA data resource

Background CLUSTER is a UK consortium focussed on precision medicine research in JIA/JIA-Uveitis. As part of this programme, a large-scale JIA data resource was created by harmonizing and pooling existing real-world studies. Here we present challenges and progress towards creation of this unique large JIA dataset. Methods Four real-world studies contributed data; two clinical datasets of JIA patients starting first-line methotrexate (MTX) or tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) were created. Variables were selected based on a previously developed core dataset, and encrypted NHS numbers were used to identify children contributing similar data across multiple studies. Results Of 7013 records (from 5435 individuals), 2882 (1304 individuals) represented the same child across studies. The final datasets contain 2899 (MTX) and 2401 (TNFi) unique patients; 1018 are in both datasets. Missingness ranged from 10 to 60% and was not improved through harmonisation. Conclusions Combining data across studies has achieved dataset sizes rarely seen in JIA, invaluable to progressing research. Losing variable specificity and missingness, and their impact on future analyses requires further consideration

Wind Farm Deployment in Uninhabited Islets: A Case Study the Region of the South Aegean (Greece)

The transition of nations to renewable energy sources is a fact, and the deployment of renewable energy (RE) projects has increased in the last decades. The deployment of energy projects in uninhabited islets (islands) provides a promising opportunity for low-carbon energy transition. Considering the importance of the spatial dimension of RE projects, in this research, we identified and ranked uninhabited islets (UIs) for wind farm deployment in the South Aegean Sea, Greece. The proposed methodology combines geographic information systems (GIS) and two multicriteria analysis methods (AHP and TOPSIS) using some restrictions found in Greek law as well as assessment criteria considering environmental, economic, and technical aspects. The appropriate UIs were then ranked under four different policy scenarios (baseline, equal criteria weights, a policy scenario oriented to technical/economic criteria, and a policy scenario focusing on environmental criteria). The results indicated the existence of three UIs for siting wind farms in the region of the South Aegean, with the same ranking of these UIs under different scenarios. The proposed methodology provides useful guidelines for selecting UIs as wind farm sites in Greece and could be applied in other countries worldwide

Wind Farm Deployment in Uninhabited Islets: A Case Study the Region of the South Aegean (Greece)

The transition of nations to renewable energy sources is a fact, and the deployment of renewable energy (RE) projects has increased in the last decades. The deployment of energy projects in uninhabited islets (islands) provides a promising opportunity for low-carbon energy transition. Considering the importance of the spatial dimension of RE projects, in this research, we identified and ranked uninhabited islets (UIs) for wind farm deployment in the South Aegean Sea, Greece. The proposed methodology combines geographic information systems (GIS) and two multicriteria analysis methods (AHP and TOPSIS) using some restrictions found in Greek law as well as assessment criteria considering environmental, economic, and technical aspects. The appropriate UIs were then ranked under four different policy scenarios (baseline, equal criteria weights, a policy scenario oriented to technical/economic criteria, and a policy scenario focusing on environmental criteria). The results indicated the existence of three UIs for siting wind farms in the region of the South Aegean, with the same ranking of these UIs under different scenarios. The proposed methodology provides useful guidelines for selecting UIs as wind farm sites in Greece and could be applied in other countries worldwide

Radiosensitization and Radioprotection by Curcumin in Glioblastoma and Other Cancers

Radiation therapy plays an important role in almost every cancer treatment. However, radiation toxicity to normal tissues, mainly due to the generation of reactive free radicals, has limited the efficacy of radiotherapy in clinical practice. Curcumin has been reported to possess significant antitumor properties. Although curcumin can sensitize cancer cells to irradiation, healthy cells are much less sensitive to this effect, and thus, curcumin is thought to be a potent, yet safe anti-cancer agent. In this review, a summary of the role of curcumin as both a radiosensitizer and radioprotector has been presented, based on the most recent data from the experimental and clinical evaluation of curcumin in different cancer cell lines, animal models, and human patients

The Role of Curcumin in Cancer: A Focus on the PI3K/Akt Pathway

Cancer is a life-threatening disease and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite significant advancements in therapeutic options, most available anti-cancer agents have limited efficacy. In this context, natural compounds with diverse chemical structures have been investigated for their multimodal anti-cancer properties. Curcumin is a polyphenol isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa and has been widely studied for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer effects. Curcumin acts on the regulation of different aspects of cancer development, including initiation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and progression. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway is a key target in cancer therapy, since it is implicated in initiation, proliferation, and cancer cell survival. Curcumin has been found to inhibit the PI3K/Akt pathway in tumor cells, primarily via the regulation of different key mediators, including growth factors, protein kinases, and cytokines. This review presents the therapeutic potential of curcumin in different malignancies, such as glioblastoma, prostate and breast cancer, and head and neck cancers, through the targeting of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Comparison and Evaluation of Different Radiotherapy Techniques Using Biodosimetry Based on Cytogenetics

While rapid technological advances in radiotherapy techniques have led to a more precise delivery of radiation dose and to a decreased risk of side effects, there is still a need to evaluate the efficacy of the new techniques estimating the biological dose and to investigate the radiobiological impact of the protracted radiotherapy treatment duration. The aim of this study is to compare, at a cytogenetic level, advanced radiotherapy techniques VMAT and IMRT with the conventional 3D-CRT, using biological dosimetry. A dicentric biodosimetry assay based on the frequency of dicentrics chromosomes scored in peripheral blood lymphocytes from prostate cancer patients and PC3 human prostate cancer cell line was used. For each patient blood sample and each subpopulation of the cultured cell line, three different irradiations were performed using the 3D-CRT, IMRT, and VMAT technique. The absorbed dose was estimated with the biodosimetry method based on the induced dicentric chromosomes. The results showed a statistically significant underestimation of the biological absorbed dose of ~6% for the IMRT and VMAT compared to 3D-CRT irradiations for peripheral blood lymphocytes, whereas IMRT and VMAT results were comparable without a statistically significant difference, although slightly lower values were observed for VMAT compared to IMRT irradiation. Similar results were obtained using the PC3 cell line. The observed biological dose underestimation could be associated with the relative decreased dose rate and increase irradiation time met in modulated techniques compared to the conventional 3D-CRT irradiations

Antitumor activity of 5-hydroxy-3′,4′,6,7-tetramethoxyflavone in glioblastoma cell lines and its antagonism with radiotherapy

5-Hydroxy-3′,4′,6,7-tetramethoxyflavone (TMF) is a plant-origin flavone known for its anti-cancer properties. In the present study, the cytotoxic effect of TMF was evaluated in the U87MG and T98G glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines. The effect of TMF on cell viability was assessed with trypan blue exclusion assay and crystal violet staining. In addition, flow cytometry was performed to examine its effect on the different phases of the cell cycle, and in vitro scratch wound assay assessed the migratory capacity of the treated cells. Furthermore, the effect of in vitro radiotherapy was also evaluated with a combination of TMF and radiation. In both cell lines, TMF treatment resulted in G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, reduced cell viability, and reduced cell migratory capacity. In contrast, there was an antagonistic property of TMF treatment with radiotherapy. These results demonstrated the antineoplastic effect of TMF in GBM cells in vitro, but the antagonistic effect with radiotherapy indicated that TMF should be further evaluated for its possible antitumor role post-radiotherapy