Phantom limb pain is a chronic pain syndrome that is difficult to cope with.Despite neurostimulation treatment is indicated for refractory neuropathic pain,there is scant evidence from randomized controlled trials to ...Phantom limb pain is a chronic pain syndrome that is difficult to cope with.Despite neurostimulation treatment is indicated for refractory neuropathic pain,there is scant evidence from randomized controlled trials to recommend it as the treatment choice.Thus,a systematic review was performed to analyze the efficacy of central nervous system stimulation therapies as a strategy for pain management in patients with phantom limb pain.A literature search for studies conducted between 1970 and September 2020 was carried out using the MEDLINE and Embase databases.Principles of The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline were followed.There were a total of 10 full-text articles retrieved and included in this review.Deep brain stimulation,repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation,transcranial direct current stimulation,and motor cortex stimulation were the treatment strategies used in the selected clinical trials.Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation were effective therapies to reduce pain perception,as well as to relieve anxiety and depression symptoms in phantom limb pain patients.Conversely,invasive approaches were considered the last treatment option as evidence in deep brain stimulation and motor cortex stimulation suggests that the value of phantom limb pain treatment remains controversial.However,the findings on use of these treatment strategies in other forms of neuropathic pain suggest that these invasive approaches could be a potential option for phantom limb pain patients.展开更多
This work evaluates sperm head morphometric characteristics in adolescents from 12 to 18 years of age, and the effect of varicocele. Volunteers between 150 and 224 months of age （mean 191, n = 87）, who had reached o...This work evaluates sperm head morphometric characteristics in adolescents from 12 to 18 years of age, and the effect of varicocele. Volunteers between 150 and 224 months of age （mean 191, n = 87）, who had reached oigarche by 12 years old, were recruited in the area of Barranquilla, Colombia. Morphometric analysis of sperm heads was performed with principal component （PC） and discriminant analysis, Combining seminal fluid and sperm parameters provided five PCs： two related to sperm morphometry, one to sperm motility, and two to seminal fluid components. Discriminant analysis on the morphometric results of varicocele and nonvaricocele groups did not provide a useful classification matrix. Of the semen-related PCs, the most explanatory （40%） was related to sperm motility. Two PCs, including sperm head elongation and size, were sufficient to evaluate sperm morphometric characteristics. Most of the morphometric variables were correlated with age, with an increase in size and decrease in the elongation of the sperm head. For head size, the entire sperm population could be divided into two morphometric subpopulations, SP1 and SP2, which did not change during adolescence. In general, for varicocele individuals, SP1 had larger and more elongated sperm heads than SP2, which had smaller and more elongated heads than in nonvaricocele men. In summary, sperm head morphometry assessed by CASA-Morph and multivariate cluster analysis provides a better comprehension of the ejaculate structure and possibly sperm function. Morphometric analysis provides much more information than data obtained from conventional semen analysis.展开更多
In mammals, spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that can lead to a permanent loss of motor, sensory and autonomic functions below the site of injury. In the last years, the role of different neurotransmitt...In mammals, spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that can lead to a permanent loss of motor, sensory and autonomic functions below the site of injury. In the last years, the role of different neurotransmitter systems on regeneration and recovery from SCI has been deciphered. For example, studies in lampreys have shown that neurotransmitters play a key role in modulating the survival and regeneration of brainstem descending neurons after SCI (Romaus-Sanjurjo et al., 2018;Sobrido-Camean et al., 2018).展开更多
DNA fragmentation has been shown to be one of the causes of male infertility, particularly related to repeated abortions, and different methods have been developed to analyze it. In the present study, two commercial k...DNA fragmentation has been shown to be one of the causes of male infertility, particularly related to repeated abortions, and different methods have been developed to analyze it. In the present study, two commercial kits based on the SCD technique （Halosperm~ and SDFA） were evaluated by the use of the DNA fragmentation module of the ISAS vl CASA system. Seven semen samples from volunteers were analyzed. To compare the results between techniques, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used. Data were used for calculation of Principal Components （two PCs were obtained）, and subsequent subpopulations were identified using the Halo, Halo/Core Ratio, and PC data. Results from both kits were significantly different （P 〈 0.001）. In each case, four subpopulations were obtained, independently of the classification method used. The distribution of subpopulations differed depending on the kit used. From the PC data, a discriminant analysis matrix was obtained and a good a posterioriclassification was obtained （97.1% for Halosperm and 96.6% for SDFA）. The present results are the first approach on morphometric evaluation of DNA fragmentation from the SCD technique. This approach could be used for the future definition of a classification matrix surpassing the current subjective evaluation of this important sperm factor.展开更多
Sperm quality is evaluated for the calculation of sperm dosage in artificial reproductive programs. The most common parameter used is motility, but morphology has a higher potential as a predictor of genetic quality. ...Sperm quality is evaluated for the calculation of sperm dosage in artificial reproductive programs. The most common parameter used is motility, but morphology has a higher potential as a predictor of genetic quality. Morphometry calculations from CASA-Morph technology improve morphological evaluation and allow mathematical approaches to the problem. Semen from 28 Holstein bulls was collected by artificial vagina, and several ejaculates were studied. After general evaluation, samples were diluted, packaged in 0.25 ml straws, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Two straws per sample were thawed, and slides were processed and stained with Diff-Quik. Samples were analyzed by a CASA-Morph system for eight morphometric parameters. In addition to the ＂classical＂ statistical approach, based on variance analysis （revealing differences between animals, ejaculates, and straws）, principal component （PC） analysis showed that the variables were grouped into PC1, related to size, and PC2 to shape. Subpopulation structure analysis showed four groups, namely, big, small, short, and narrow from their dominant characteristics, representing 31.0%, 27.3%, 24.1%, and 17.7% of the total population, respectively. The distributions varied between animals and ejaculates, but between straws, there were no differences in only four animals. This modern approach of considering an ejaculate sperm population as divided into subpopulations reflecting quantifiable parameters generated by CASA-Morph systems technology opens a new view on sperm function. This is the first study applying this approach to evaluate different ejaculates and straws from the same individual. More work must be done to improve seminal dose calculations in assisted reproductive programs.展开更多
This study was designed to characterize morphometric sperm subpopulations in normozoospermic men by using different statistical methods and examining their suitability to classify correctly different sperm nuclear mor...This study was designed to characterize morphometric sperm subpopulations in normozoospermic men by using different statistical methods and examining their suitability to classify correctly different sperm nuclear morphologies present in human ejaculates. Ejaculates from 21 normozoospermic men were collected for the study. After semen collection and analysis, samples were prepared for morphometric determination. At least 200 spermatozoa per sample were assessed for sperm morphometry by computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis （CASA-Morph） using fluorescence. Clustering and discriminant procedures were performed to identify sperm subpopulations from the morphometric data obtained. Clustering procedures resulted in the classification of spermatozoa into three morphometric subpopulations （large-round 30.4%, small-round 46.6%, and large-elongated 22.9%）. In the second analysis, using discriminant methods, the classification was made independently of size and shape. Three morphological categories according to nuclear size （small 〈10.90 μm^2, intermediate 10.91-13.07 μm^2, and large 〉13.07 μm^2） and four categories were defined on 400 canonical cells （100 × 4） from 10 men according to sperm nuclear shape （oval, pyriform, round, and elongated）. Thereafter, the resulting classification functions were used to categorize 4200 spermatozoa from 21 men. Differences in the class distribution were observed among men from both clustering and discriminant procedures. It was concluded that the combination of CASA-Morph fluorescence-based technology with multivariate cluster or discriminant analyses provides new information on the description of different morphometric sperm subpopulations in normal individuals, and that important variations in the distribution of morphometric sperm subpopulations may exist between men, with possible functional implications.展开更多
The problems associated with the subjective assessment of human sperm morphology have been well aired in another Asian Journal of Andrology Special Issue1 that marked the publication of the 5th edition of the WHO Seme...The problems associated with the subjective assessment of human sperm morphology have been well aired in another Asian Journal of Andrology Special Issue1 that marked the publication of the 5th edition of the WHO Semen analysis manual, and contrary views have subsequently been presented） However, the vagaries of the eye-brain system in assessing whether a sperm head is large or small can be eliminated by objective assessment where definitive structures are defined by their dimensions. These can then be classified automatically into as many categories as the data permit, conventionally on the basis of preset upper and lower limits, but also by more comprehensive analysis as discussed here.展开更多
Earlyin his investigations, Leeuwenhoek （1670s）1 deduced that spermatozoawere alive and an integral part of semen, rather than artifacts or parasites. He eventually observed spermatozoa in the semen of men, dogs, ho...Earlyin his investigations, Leeuwenhoek （1670s）1 deduced that spermatozoawere alive and an integral part of semen, rather than artifacts or parasites. He eventually observed spermatozoa in the semen of men, dogs, horses, birds, fishes, amphibians, molluscs, and many insects, and concluded that they must be a universal feature of male reproduction.展开更多
Traumatic brain injury （TBI） is a mechanical injury to brain tissue that leads to an impairment of function and a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities; often, it is followed by diffuse axonal injury, which ca...Traumatic brain injury （TBI） is a mechanical injury to brain tissue that leads to an impairment of function and a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities; often, it is followed by diffuse axonal injury, which causes denaturation of the white matter and axon retraction, leaving patients with severe brain damage or even in a persistent vegetative state.展开更多
Dogs have been under strong artificial selection as a consequence of their relationship with man. Differences between breeds are evident that could be reflected in seminal characteristics. The present study was to eva...Dogs have been under strong artificial selection as a consequence of their relationship with man. Differences between breeds are evident that could be reflected in seminal characteristics. The present study was to evaluate differences in sperm head morphometry between seven well-defined breeds of dog： the British Bulldog, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Spanish Mastiff, Staffordshire Terrier, and Valencian Rat Hunting dog. Semen samples were obtained by masturbation and smears stained with Diff-Quik. Morphometric analysis （CASA-Morph） produced four size and four shape parameters. Length, Ellipticity, and Elongation showed higher differences between breeds. MANOVA revealed differences among all breeds. Considering the whole dataset, principal component analysis （PCA） showed that PC1 was related to head shape and PC2 to size. Procluster analysis showed the British Bulldog to be the most isolated breed, followed by the German Shepherd. The PCA breed by breed showed the Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, Spanish Mastiff, and Staffordshire Terrier to have PC1 related to shape and PC2 to size, whereas the British Bulldog, Valencia Rat Hunting dog, and German Shepherd had PC1 related to size and PC2 to shape. The dendrogram for cluster groupings and the distance between them showed the British Bulldog to be separated from the rest of the breeds. Future work on dog semen must take into account the large differences in the breeds＇ sperm characteristics. The results provide a base for future work on phylogenetic and evolutionary studies of dogs, based on their seminal characteristics.展开更多
Importance of dementia and Alzheimer's disease(AD): On Earth, there is a "country" that we call Dementia with around 50 million inhabitants and an estimated global economic cost of US $1 trillion(Wimo et...Importance of dementia and Alzheimer's disease(AD): On Earth, there is a "country" that we call Dementia with around 50 million inhabitants and an estimated global economic cost of US $1 trillion(Wimo et al., 2017).AD may contribute to 60–70% of cases, with other major forms of dementia being vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and a group of diseases that contribute to frontotemporal dementia.However, the boundaries between different forms of dementia are indistinct and mixed forms often co-exist, which are only confirmed after postmortem neuropathological studies(Fernandez-Vega et al., 2015).展开更多
Relevance of Alzheimer’s disease（AD）：AD is one of the greatest health-care challenges of the 21^st century.It is known to be the most common neurodegenerative disease and,in the United States,the sixth most common...Relevance of Alzheimer’s disease（AD）：AD is one of the greatest health-care challenges of the 21^st century.It is known to be the most common neurodegenerative disease and,in the United States,the sixth most common cause of death.展开更多
This work provides information on the blue fox ejaculated sperm quality needed for seminal dose calculations. Twenty semen samples, obtained by masturbation, were analyzed for kinematic and morphometric parameters by ...This work provides information on the blue fox ejaculated sperm quality needed for seminal dose calculations. Twenty semen samples, obtained by masturbation, were analyzed for kinematic and morphometric parameters by using CASA-Mot and CASA-Morph system and principal component （PC） analysis. For motility, eight kinematic parameters were evaluated, which were reduced to PC1, related to linear variables, and PC2, related to oscillatory movement. The whole population was divided into three independent subpopulations： SP1, fast cells with linear movement; SP2, slow cells and nonoscillatory motility; and SP3, medium speed cells and oscillatory movement. In almost all cases, the subpopulation distribution by animal was significantly different. Head morphology analysis generated four size and four shape parameters, which were reduced to PC 1, related to size, and PC2, related to shape of the cells. Three morphometric subpopulations existed. SPI： large oval cells; SP2： medium size elongated cells; and SP3. small and short cells. The subpopulation distribution differed between animals. Combining the kinematic and morphometric datasets produced PC1, related to morphometric parameters, and PC2, related to kinematics, which generated four sperm subpopulations - SPI.. high oscillatory motility, large and short heads; SP2; medium velocity with small and short heads; SP3. slow motion small and elongated cells; and SP4. high linear speed and large elongated cells. Subpopulation distribution was different in all animals. The establishment of sperm subpopulations from kinematic, morphometric, and combined variables not only improves the well-defined fox semen characteristics and offers a good conceptual basis for fertility and sperm preservation techniques in this species, but also opens the door to use this approach in other species, included humans.展开更多
Lampreys are one of the most ancient extant vertebrates and they have become an animal model of interest for the study of spontaneous axon regeneration after a traumatic central nervous system injury.Contrary to most ...Lampreys are one of the most ancient extant vertebrates and they have become an animal model of interest for the study of spontaneous axon regeneration after a traumatic central nervous system injury.Contrary to most mammals,lampreys recover locomotion after a complete spinal cord injury(SCI).展开更多
Polar science outreach is strongly needed, because besides promoting the utility of polar studies for society as a whole, it can generate public demand for new projects and expeditions. The dissemination of polar disc...Polar science outreach is strongly needed, because besides promoting the utility of polar studies for society as a whole, it can generate public demand for new projects and expeditions. The dissemination of polar discoveries should be reinforced in countries without polar territories and for which polar science might not be a priority. In this pilot study （N =182 participants） we have contrasted the opinions of polar scientists （French, Belgian, British, Canadian, Australian, German, Italian and Spanish researchers） with those of a potentially interested public （graduate students of pedagogy and biology）, in order to assess if the communication channels employed by polar researchers to make their results public align with those used by non-polar experts for learning about polar discoveries. The results revealed that scientific publications and presentations were considered a priority by the researchers, and these scientific communication channels were preferentially employed. Only a minority of researchers thought that non-scientific publications might be a good communication resource. In contrast, both groups of students, which considered polar research important but not a top priority, employed the Internet as their main channel for information about polar discoveries. Students assessed the use of polar discoveries as positive for educational purposes at both Primary and Secondary levels. The information presently received by students was perceived as being too generalist and the main suggestions to improve outreach in this field, in addition to the use of Internet, were more rapid dissemination of new discoveries.展开更多
Dear Editor,Reproductive problems affect 8%-12%of human populations worldwide;40%-50%of all infertility cases are due to the male,and up to 2%of men have suboptimal sperm quality.
1.Introduction Regular exercise induces changes in the overall diversity and in the relative abundance of certain gut microbiota phyla and families in humans1,2 and in animal models.3,4 This relationship has attracted...1.Introduction Regular exercise induces changes in the overall diversity and in the relative abundance of certain gut microbiota phyla and families in humans1,2 and in animal models.3,4 This relationship has attracted a great deal of interest because it is one of the mechanisms involved in the health benefits of regular exercise3 that could also influence performance.5 A recent publication by Scheiman et al.展开更多
This study was designed to determine the ability of computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis （CASA-Morph） with fluorescence to discriminate between spermatozoa carrying different sex chromosomes from the nuclear...This study was designed to determine the ability of computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis （CASA-Morph） with fluorescence to discriminate between spermatozoa carrying different sex chromosomes from the nuclear morphometrics generated and different statistical procedures in the bovine species. The study was divided into two experiments. The first was to study the morphometric differences between X- and Y-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa （SX and SY, respectively）. Spermatozoa from eight bulls were processed to assess simultaneously the sex chromosome by FISH and sperm morphometry by fluorescence-based CASA-Morph. SX cells were larger than SY cells on average （P 〈 0.001） although with important differences between bulls. A simultaneous evaluation of all the measured features by discriminant analysis revealed that nuclear area and average fluorescence intensity were the variables selected by stepwise discriminant function analysis as the best discriminators between SX and SY. In the second experiment, the sperm nuclear morphometric results from CASA-Morph in nonsexed （mixed SX and SY） and sexed （SX） semen samples from four bulls were compared. FISH allowed a successful classification of spermatozoa according to their sex chromosome content. X-sexed spermatozoa displayed a larger size and fluorescence intensity than nonsexed spermatozoa （P 〈 0.05）. We conclude that the CASA-Morph fluorescence-based method has the potential to find differences between X- and Y-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa in bovine species although more studies are needed to increase the precision of sex determination by this technique.展开更多
文摘Phantom limb pain is a chronic pain syndrome that is difficult to cope with.Despite neurostimulation treatment is indicated for refractory neuropathic pain,there is scant evidence from randomized controlled trials to recommend it as the treatment choice.Thus,a systematic review was performed to analyze the efficacy of central nervous system stimulation therapies as a strategy for pain management in patients with phantom limb pain.A literature search for studies conducted between 1970 and September 2020 was carried out using the MEDLINE and Embase databases.Principles of The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline were followed.There were a total of 10 full-text articles retrieved and included in this review.Deep brain stimulation,repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation,transcranial direct current stimulation,and motor cortex stimulation were the treatment strategies used in the selected clinical trials.Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation were effective therapies to reduce pain perception,as well as to relieve anxiety and depression symptoms in phantom limb pain patients.Conversely,invasive approaches were considered the last treatment option as evidence in deep brain stimulation and motor cortex stimulation suggests that the value of phantom limb pain treatment remains controversial.However,the findings on use of these treatment strategies in other forms of neuropathic pain suggest that these invasive approaches could be a potential option for phantom limb pain patients.
文摘This work evaluates sperm head morphometric characteristics in adolescents from 12 to 18 years of age, and the effect of varicocele. Volunteers between 150 and 224 months of age （mean 191, n = 87）, who had reached oigarche by 12 years old, were recruited in the area of Barranquilla, Colombia. Morphometric analysis of sperm heads was performed with principal component （PC） and discriminant analysis, Combining seminal fluid and sperm parameters provided five PCs： two related to sperm morphometry, one to sperm motility, and two to seminal fluid components. Discriminant analysis on the morphometric results of varicocele and nonvaricocele groups did not provide a useful classification matrix. Of the semen-related PCs, the most explanatory （40%） was related to sperm motility. Two PCs, including sperm head elongation and size, were sufficient to evaluate sperm morphometric characteristics. Most of the morphometric variables were correlated with age, with an increase in size and decrease in the elongation of the sperm head. For head size, the entire sperm population could be divided into two morphometric subpopulations, SP1 and SP2, which did not change during adolescence. In general, for varicocele individuals, SP1 had larger and more elongated sperm heads than SP2, which had smaller and more elongated heads than in nonvaricocele men. In summary, sperm head morphometry assessed by CASA-Morph and multivariate cluster analysis provides a better comprehension of the ejaculate structure and possibly sperm function. Morphometric analysis provides much more information than data obtained from conventional semen analysis.
基金supported by grants from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund 2007–2013(BFU2014-56300-P and BFU-2017-87079-P)a fellowship from EMBO(7010,to DRS)+3 种基金a grant from the Xunta de Galicia(2016-PG008,to ABI)a grant from the crowdfunding platform Precipita(FECYT Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness 2017-CP081)
文摘In mammals, spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that can lead to a permanent loss of motor, sensory and autonomic functions below the site of injury. In the last years, the role of different neurotransmitter systems on regeneration and recovery from SCI has been deciphered. For example, studies in lampreys have shown that neurotransmitters play a key role in modulating the survival and regeneration of brainstem descending neurons after SCI (Romaus-Sanjurjo et al., 2018;Sobrido-Camean et al., 2018).
文摘DNA fragmentation has been shown to be one of the causes of male infertility, particularly related to repeated abortions, and different methods have been developed to analyze it. In the present study, two commercial kits based on the SCD technique （Halosperm~ and SDFA） were evaluated by the use of the DNA fragmentation module of the ISAS vl CASA system. Seven semen samples from volunteers were analyzed. To compare the results between techniques, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used. Data were used for calculation of Principal Components （two PCs were obtained）, and subsequent subpopulations were identified using the Halo, Halo/Core Ratio, and PC data. Results from both kits were significantly different （P 〈 0.001）. In each case, four subpopulations were obtained, independently of the classification method used. The distribution of subpopulations differed depending on the kit used. From the PC data, a discriminant analysis matrix was obtained and a good a posterioriclassification was obtained （97.1% for Halosperm and 96.6% for SDFA）. The present results are the first approach on morphometric evaluation of DNA fragmentation from the SCD technique. This approach could be used for the future definition of a classification matrix surpassing the current subjective evaluation of this important sperm factor.
文摘Sperm quality is evaluated for the calculation of sperm dosage in artificial reproductive programs. The most common parameter used is motility, but morphology has a higher potential as a predictor of genetic quality. Morphometry calculations from CASA-Morph technology improve morphological evaluation and allow mathematical approaches to the problem. Semen from 28 Holstein bulls was collected by artificial vagina, and several ejaculates were studied. After general evaluation, samples were diluted, packaged in 0.25 ml straws, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Two straws per sample were thawed, and slides were processed and stained with Diff-Quik. Samples were analyzed by a CASA-Morph system for eight morphometric parameters. In addition to the ＂classical＂ statistical approach, based on variance analysis （revealing differences between animals, ejaculates, and straws）, principal component （PC） analysis showed that the variables were grouped into PC1, related to size, and PC2 to shape. Subpopulation structure analysis showed four groups, namely, big, small, short, and narrow from their dominant characteristics, representing 31.0%, 27.3%, 24.1%, and 17.7% of the total population, respectively. The distributions varied between animals and ejaculates, but between straws, there were no differences in only four animals. This modern approach of considering an ejaculate sperm population as divided into subpopulations reflecting quantifiable parameters generated by CASA-Morph systems technology opens a new view on sperm function. This is the first study applying this approach to evaluate different ejaculates and straws from the same individual. More work must be done to improve seminal dose calculations in assisted reproductive programs.
文摘This study was designed to characterize morphometric sperm subpopulations in normozoospermic men by using different statistical methods and examining their suitability to classify correctly different sperm nuclear morphologies present in human ejaculates. Ejaculates from 21 normozoospermic men were collected for the study. After semen collection and analysis, samples were prepared for morphometric determination. At least 200 spermatozoa per sample were assessed for sperm morphometry by computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis （CASA-Morph） using fluorescence. Clustering and discriminant procedures were performed to identify sperm subpopulations from the morphometric data obtained. Clustering procedures resulted in the classification of spermatozoa into three morphometric subpopulations （large-round 30.4%, small-round 46.6%, and large-elongated 22.9%）. In the second analysis, using discriminant methods, the classification was made independently of size and shape. Three morphological categories according to nuclear size （small 〈10.90 μm^2, intermediate 10.91-13.07 μm^2, and large 〉13.07 μm^2） and four categories were defined on 400 canonical cells （100 × 4） from 10 men according to sperm nuclear shape （oval, pyriform, round, and elongated）. Thereafter, the resulting classification functions were used to categorize 4200 spermatozoa from 21 men. Differences in the class distribution were observed among men from both clustering and discriminant procedures. It was concluded that the combination of CASA-Morph fluorescence-based technology with multivariate cluster or discriminant analyses provides new information on the description of different morphometric sperm subpopulations in normal individuals, and that important variations in the distribution of morphometric sperm subpopulations may exist between men, with possible functional implications.
文摘The problems associated with the subjective assessment of human sperm morphology have been well aired in another Asian Journal of Andrology Special Issue1 that marked the publication of the 5th edition of the WHO Semen analysis manual, and contrary views have subsequently been presented） However, the vagaries of the eye-brain system in assessing whether a sperm head is large or small can be eliminated by objective assessment where definitive structures are defined by their dimensions. These can then be classified automatically into as many categories as the data permit, conventionally on the basis of preset upper and lower limits, but also by more comprehensive analysis as discussed here.
文摘Earlyin his investigations, Leeuwenhoek （1670s）1 deduced that spermatozoawere alive and an integral part of semen, rather than artifacts or parasites. He eventually observed spermatozoa in the semen of men, dogs, horses, birds, fishes, amphibians, molluscs, and many insects, and concluded that they must be a universal feature of male reproduction.
基金supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivenessthe European Regional Development Fund 2007-2013(BFU2014-56300-P)+4 种基金the Xunta de Galicia(GPC2014/030)supported by a grant from the Xunta de Galicia(2016-PG008)a grant from the crowdfunding platform Precipita(FECYTSpanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivenessgrant number 2017-CP081)
文摘Traumatic brain injury （TBI） is a mechanical injury to brain tissue that leads to an impairment of function and a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities; often, it is followed by diffuse axonal injury, which causes denaturation of the white matter and axon retraction, leaving patients with severe brain damage or even in a persistent vegetative state.
文摘Dogs have been under strong artificial selection as a consequence of their relationship with man. Differences between breeds are evident that could be reflected in seminal characteristics. The present study was to evaluate differences in sperm head morphometry between seven well-defined breeds of dog： the British Bulldog, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Spanish Mastiff, Staffordshire Terrier, and Valencian Rat Hunting dog. Semen samples were obtained by masturbation and smears stained with Diff-Quik. Morphometric analysis （CASA-Morph） produced four size and four shape parameters. Length, Ellipticity, and Elongation showed higher differences between breeds. MANOVA revealed differences among all breeds. Considering the whole dataset, principal component analysis （PCA） showed that PC1 was related to head shape and PC2 to size. Procluster analysis showed the British Bulldog to be the most isolated breed, followed by the German Shepherd. The PCA breed by breed showed the Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, Spanish Mastiff, and Staffordshire Terrier to have PC1 related to shape and PC2 to size, whereas the British Bulldog, Valencia Rat Hunting dog, and German Shepherd had PC1 related to size and PC2 to shape. The dendrogram for cluster groupings and the distance between them showed the British Bulldog to be separated from the rest of the breeds. Future work on dog semen must take into account the large differences in the breeds＇ sperm characteristics. The results provide a base for future work on phylogenetic and evolutionary studies of dogs, based on their seminal characteristics.
文摘Importance of dementia and Alzheimer's disease(AD): On Earth, there is a "country" that we call Dementia with around 50 million inhabitants and an estimated global economic cost of US $1 trillion(Wimo et al., 2017).AD may contribute to 60–70% of cases, with other major forms of dementia being vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and a group of diseases that contribute to frontotemporal dementia.However, the boundaries between different forms of dementia are indistinct and mixed forms often co-exist, which are only confirmed after postmortem neuropathological studies(Fernandez-Vega et al., 2015).
文摘Relevance of Alzheimer’s disease（AD）：AD is one of the greatest health-care challenges of the 21^st century.It is known to be the most common neurodegenerative disease and,in the United States,the sixth most common cause of death.
文摘This work provides information on the blue fox ejaculated sperm quality needed for seminal dose calculations. Twenty semen samples, obtained by masturbation, were analyzed for kinematic and morphometric parameters by using CASA-Mot and CASA-Morph system and principal component （PC） analysis. For motility, eight kinematic parameters were evaluated, which were reduced to PC1, related to linear variables, and PC2, related to oscillatory movement. The whole population was divided into three independent subpopulations： SP1, fast cells with linear movement; SP2, slow cells and nonoscillatory motility; and SP3, medium speed cells and oscillatory movement. In almost all cases, the subpopulation distribution by animal was significantly different. Head morphology analysis generated four size and four shape parameters, which were reduced to PC 1, related to size, and PC2, related to shape of the cells. Three morphometric subpopulations existed. SPI： large oval cells; SP2： medium size elongated cells; and SP3. small and short cells. The subpopulation distribution differed between animals. Combining the kinematic and morphometric datasets produced PC1, related to morphometric parameters, and PC2, related to kinematics, which generated four sperm subpopulations - SPI.. high oscillatory motility, large and short heads; SP2; medium velocity with small and short heads; SP3. slow motion small and elongated cells; and SP4. high linear speed and large elongated cells. Subpopulation distribution was different in all animals. The establishment of sperm subpopulations from kinematic, morphometric, and combined variables not only improves the well-defined fox semen characteristics and offers a good conceptual basis for fertility and sperm preservation techniques in this species, but also opens the door to use this approach in other species, included humans.
文摘Lampreys are one of the most ancient extant vertebrates and they have become an animal model of interest for the study of spontaneous axon regeneration after a traumatic central nervous system injury.Contrary to most mammals,lampreys recover locomotion after a complete spinal cord injury(SCI).
基金supported by SALMEVOL (Salmonid Evolutionref.1041)
文摘Polar science outreach is strongly needed, because besides promoting the utility of polar studies for society as a whole, it can generate public demand for new projects and expeditions. The dissemination of polar discoveries should be reinforced in countries without polar territories and for which polar science might not be a priority. In this pilot study （N =182 participants） we have contrasted the opinions of polar scientists （French, Belgian, British, Canadian, Australian, German, Italian and Spanish researchers） with those of a potentially interested public （graduate students of pedagogy and biology）, in order to assess if the communication channels employed by polar researchers to make their results public align with those used by non-polar experts for learning about polar discoveries. The results revealed that scientific publications and presentations were considered a priority by the researchers, and these scientific communication channels were preferentially employed. Only a minority of researchers thought that non-scientific publications might be a good communication resource. In contrast, both groups of students, which considered polar research important but not a top priority, employed the Internet as their main channel for information about polar discoveries. Students assessed the use of polar discoveries as positive for educational purposes at both Primary and Secondary levels. The information presently received by students was perceived as being too generalist and the main suggestions to improve outreach in this field, in addition to the use of Internet, were more rapid dissemination of new discoveries.
基金A Valverde was funded by the CONICIT and MICITT,Costa RicaCC received funding from the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie project IMPRESS(Grant No.642893)。
文摘Dear Editor,Reproductive problems affect 8%-12%of human populations worldwide;40%-50%of all infertility cases are due to the male,and up to 2%of men have suboptimal sperm quality.
基金supported by Ministerio de Economíay Competitividad under Grant DEP2015-69980-P to BFGPrograma de Ayudas a Grupos de Investigación del Principado de Asturias to FLB(FC-GRUPIN-IDI/2018/000120)。
文摘1.Introduction Regular exercise induces changes in the overall diversity and in the relative abundance of certain gut microbiota phyla and families in humans1,2 and in animal models.3,4 This relationship has attracted a great deal of interest because it is one of the mechanisms involved in the health benefits of regular exercise3 that could also influence performance.5 A recent publication by Scheiman et al.
文摘This study was designed to determine the ability of computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis （CASA-Morph） with fluorescence to discriminate between spermatozoa carrying different sex chromosomes from the nuclear morphometrics generated and different statistical procedures in the bovine species. The study was divided into two experiments. The first was to study the morphometric differences between X- and Y-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa （SX and SY, respectively）. Spermatozoa from eight bulls were processed to assess simultaneously the sex chromosome by FISH and sperm morphometry by fluorescence-based CASA-Morph. SX cells were larger than SY cells on average （P 〈 0.001） although with important differences between bulls. A simultaneous evaluation of all the measured features by discriminant analysis revealed that nuclear area and average fluorescence intensity were the variables selected by stepwise discriminant function analysis as the best discriminators between SX and SY. In the second experiment, the sperm nuclear morphometric results from CASA-Morph in nonsexed （mixed SX and SY） and sexed （SX） semen samples from four bulls were compared. FISH allowed a successful classification of spermatozoa according to their sex chromosome content. X-sexed spermatozoa displayed a larger size and fluorescence intensity than nonsexed spermatozoa （P 〈 0.05）. We conclude that the CASA-Morph fluorescence-based method has the potential to find differences between X- and Y-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa in bovine species although more studies are needed to increase the precision of sex determination by this technique.
