A preliminary study on the use of jenny colostrum to improve quality in extenders for freezing donkey semen

Sperm quality in donkeys (Equus asinus) after freezing thawing is still considered lower than that from other animals, including horses. The aim of this study was to test a new freezing extender supplemented with jenny colostrum on donkey sperm. After thawing, we evaluated sperm motility by means of computer-assisted analysis, viability by SYBR-14 and propidium iodide (PI), membrane functional integrity by HOS-test and acrosome integrity by isothiocyanate conjugated with peanut agglutinin (FITC-PNA) and PI. Ejaculates were collected from five fertile Donkeys. Sperm samples were pooled, diluted and cryopreserved into three experimental extender groups: BotuCrio®, lactose-extender supplemented with egg yolk (20%) and lactose-extender supplemented with jenny colostrum (20%). The results demonstrated that lactose-jenny colostrum samples displayed significantly higher values in almost all parameters evaluated (p < 0.05) compared with the other two extenders after thawing (BotuCrio® and lactose-egg yolk based extender, respectively) –Total Motility, Viability, HOS test, VCL, VSL and VAP. Acrosome status, LIN, STR and WOB despite showing lower values, none of them were statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the extender containing jenny colostrum can be successfully used for donkey semen crypreservation and could effectively improve donkey sperm qualities after freezing -thawing

Effect of Mare Colostrum in Extenders for Freezing Stallion Semen

This study aimed to evaluate the addition of mare colostrum in stallion freezing extenders to improve sperm quality. First, colostrum samples were collected from four mares after the foal''s birth and their composition was determined. Ejaculates were collected from nine fertile stallions. Sperm samples were pooled, diluted, and cryopreserved into three experimental extender groups: Lactose-based extender supplemented with mare colostrum (20%), lactose-based extender supplemented with egg yolk (20%), and BotuCrio. The quality of the post-thaw semen samples were evaluated assessing sperm motility by means of computer-assisted analysis, viability by SYBR-14 and propidium iodine (PI) stain, acrosome integrity by fluorescein isothiocyanate and peanut agglutinine (FITC-PNA) and PI stain, plasma membrane functionality by hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test, and DNA denaturation by acridine orange (AO) test. There were no significant differences in the percentages of total motility, acrosome integrity, and DNA fragmentation among the extenders after thawing. Kinematics parameters showed significantly higher values in BotuCrio than in lactose extenders (P < .05). BotuCrio and lactose colostrum extender yielded significantly better rates for HOS-test, linearity, straightness, and wobble than egg-yolk extender (P < .05). However, in relation to sperm viability, lactose egg yolk extender showed significantly better results in comparison to the others seminal experimental media (P < .05). In conclusion, the incorporation of mare colostrum into cryopreservation media protected the sperm against cold-shock; therefore, it may be a good cryoprotectant agent alternative in extenders for freezing stallion semen

Correlation of prostatic artery blood flow assessed by doppler ultrasonography with semen characteristics in beagle dogs

Pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasonography (PwD) is a method used to rapidly and noninvasively assess blood flow dynamics of the canine prostate. Modifications in gland vascularization can affect seminal plasma production and consequently sperm quality. The aim of this study was to determine the normal blood flow parameters of the prostate artery in beagle dogs and to analyze the correlations between vascular flow and semen quality characteristics. PwD was performed on five beagle dogs (5–6 years) measuring vascular features in four different locations of the prostatic artery (cranial, subcapsular, parenchymal and caudal); the measured features were peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI). Ejaculates were obtained using digital manipulation and semen quality was evaluated by determining macroscopic (total volume, sperm-rich fraction volume, color and pH) and microscopic (sperm motility, morphology, viability and acrosome integrity) characteristics. The values of PSV, PI and RI in cranial and caudal prostatic arteries were significantly higher than in subcapsular and parenchymal arteries (p < 0.05). Moreover. a positive correlation of PSV value in the cranial region of the prostatic artery with total ejaculate volume (p < 0.01, r = 0.612) and sperm concentration (p < 0.01, r = 0.587) was determined. PI index was negatively correlated with sperm concentration (p < 0.01, r = -0.709). In conclusion. the results suggest that the prostatic artery blood flow parameters can affect macroscopic semen quality characteristics in healthy dogs

miR-146a rs2431697 identifies myeloproliferative neoplasm patients with higher secondary myelofibrosis progression risk

Myelofibrosis (MF) occurs as part of the natural history of polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET), and remarkably shortens survival. Although JAK2V617F and CALR allele burden are the main transformation risk factors, inflammation plays a critical role by driving clonal expansion toward end-stage disease. NF-κB is a key mediator of inflammation-induced carcinogenesis. Here, we explored the involvement of miR-146a, a brake in NF-κB signaling, in MPN susceptibility and progression. rs2910164 and rs2431697, that affect miR-146a expression, were analyzed in 967 MPN (320 PV/333 ET/314 MF) patients and 600 controls. We found that rs2431697 TT genotype was associated with MF, particularly with post-PV/ET MF (HR = 1.5; p < 0.05). Among 232 PV/ET patients (follow-up time=8.5 years), 18 (7.8%) progressed to MF, being MF-free-survival shorter for rs2431697 TT than CC + CT patients (p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified TT genotype as independent predictor of MF progression. In addition, TT (vs. CC + CT) patients showed increased plasma inflammatory cytokines. Finally, miR-146a−/− mice showed significantly higher Stat3 activity with aging, parallel to the development of the MF-like phenotype. In conclusion, we demonstrated that rs2431697 TT genotype is an early predictor of MF progression independent of the JAK2V617F allele burden. Low levels of miR-146a contribute to the MF phenotype by increasing Stat3 signaling

Smart cities, data and right to privacy: a look from the Portuguese and Brazilian experience

With the advent of the New Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and the accelerated development of the urban centres, a new debate arises on how to use ICTs to enhance the development of cities and to make them smarter, in the way that theory has been pointing out as smart and human cities. In this sense, cities became big urban centres collecting data and the new possibilities arising out of it, such as the Big Data and other innovations such as the Internet of the Things (IOT) changed the scenario in terms of personal data. Thus being, this paper was oriented by this research question: how do public administrations deal with the treatment of personal data? For answering this question it was developed a framework whose primordial aim was to evaluate to what extent the Smart Cities projects adopt measures to ensure that the citizen has control on the data collected by the Administration (Digital Sovereignty). For the elaboration of this study it was used the method of monographic procedure, making essentially use of the research technique based on relevant literature review on Smart Cities, Governance and Data Protection. To the employment of these techniques it was added the case study, confronting theory with the practice undertaken by Operations Centre of Rio de Janeiro (OCR) and Integrated Management Centre of Porto (IMCP) concerning the governance of collected user's personal data. The preliminary results arising out of the application of an inquiry revealed that both OCR and IMCP do not present clear information on the treatment of the user's data neither in government portals nor as feedback, since they did not reply to the sent form. From this it may be inferred that the proposed maturity model appears as a valuable auxiliary tool for managers in the development of public policies for smart cities with a focus on data protection. Besides that it is also useful to fulfil academic gaps and, mainly, for the legal / normative production on the subject.Our thanks to the CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil (by CAPES under Grant n. BEX -1788/15-9), and also to the CIIDH-Interdisciplinary Research Center in Human Rights, and to the Algoritimi Centre, both at University of Minho (supported by COMPETE Program (operational program for competitiveness) within project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043, by National Funds through the FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) within the Projects UID/CEC/00319/2013)