Genome-wide association studies for sperm traits in Assaf sheep breed

Sperm quality traits routinely collected by artificial insemination (AI) center for rams progeny test are related with the capacity to produce sperm doses for AI and, in more or less grade, with males' fertility. Low-quality ejaculates are unuseful to perform AI sperm doses, which suppose high economic loses for the AI center. Moreover, sperm quality traits have low heritability values which make traditional genetic selection little efficient to its improvement. In this work, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted by using sperm quality traits data and 50 K Affymetrix custom chip genotypes of 429 rams of Assaf breed from OVIGEN AI centre. Furthermore, 47 of these rams were also genotyped with the Illumina HD Ovine BeadChip, and therefore HD genotypes were imputed for all rams with phenotype data. Previous to the GWAS, a linear regression model was fitted including sperm traits as dependent variables; the flock of origin, date of sperm collection, and jump number as fixed effects; rams age at collection in months as covariate; and ram permanent effect as random. Pseudo-phenotypes obtained from this model were used as input for GWAS. Associations at the chromosome-wise level (FDR 10%) of 76 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 4 chromosomes for ejaculate concentration (CON), 20 SNPs in 3 chromosomes for ejaculate volume (VOL), 32 SNPs in 1 chromosome for ejaculate number of spermatozoa (SPZ), and 23 SNPs for spermatozoa mass motility (MOT) in 17 chromosomes were found. Only SNPs associated with MOT overcame the genome-wide significance level. Some candidate genes for sperm traits variability were SLC9C1 (OAR1), TSN (OAR2), and FUT10 (OAR26) for MOT;. DOCK2, CPLANE1, SPEF2, and RAI14 (OAR16) for CON; SCAPER and PSMA4 (OAR18) for VOL; and PARM1 and LOC101110593 (OAR6) for SPZ. SNPs associated with sperm traits were not found to be correlated with milk production genetic variation; however, the high frequencies of some SNPs with negative effect over sperm traits found in animals at the top milk yield estimated breeding values (EBVs) ranking would allow to exert some selective presure to improve rams sperm performances. Effects and frequencies of some of the SNPs detected over sperm quality traits make these variants good candidates to be used in marker-assisted selection to improve sperm characteristics of Assaf rams and AI center efficiency to produce sperm doses.

Prospective multicentre study on barbed reposition pharyngoplasty standing alone or as a part of multilevel surgery for sleep apnoea

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to demonstrate in a prospective multicentre study that Barbed Reposition Pharyngoplasty (BRP) procedure is safe and effective in management of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Multicentre study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES

Values of postoperative apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), epworth sleepiness scale (ESS).

RESULTS

111 Barbed Reposition Pharyngoplasty procedures standing alone or as a part of multilevel surgery for OSAHS, performed between January and September 2016, were analysed in 15 different centres. The average hospitalisation period was 2.5 ± 0.5 days. The mean patient age was 46.3 ± 10.5 years. The average body mass index at the time of the procedure was 27.9 ± 3.2, and the majority of the patients were men (83%). The mean preoperative and postoperative apnoea/hypopnea index was 33.4 ± 19.5 and 13.5 ± 10.3, respectively (P < .001). The mean preoperative and postoperative ESS score was 10.2 ± 4.5 and 6.1 ± 3.6, respectively (P < .001). The mean preoperative and postoperative ODI were 29.6 ± 20.7 and 12.7 ± 10.8, respectively (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing BRP standing alone or as part of a multilevel approach for the treatment of OSAHS have a reasonable expectation for success with minimal morbidity.

Chiral nanostructure in polymers under different deposition conditions observed using atomic force microscopy of monolayers: poly(phenylacetylene)s as a case study

Dynamic poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) adopt helical structures with different elongation or helical senses depending on the types of pendants. Hence, a good knowledge of the parameters that define their structures becomes a key factor in the understanding of their properties and functions. Herein, the techniques used for the study of the secondary structure of PPAs using atomic-force microscopy (AFM) are presented, with special attention directed towards the methods used for the preparation of monolayers, and their consequences in the quality of the AFM images. Thus, monolayers formed by drop casting, spin coating followed by crystallization or annealing, Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer methods, onto highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) or mica, are described, together with the AFM images and the resulting helical structure obtained for different PPAs. Furthermore, some conclusions are drawn both on the adequacy of the different techniques for the formation of monolayers and on the solid supports utilized to elucidate the secondary structure of different PPAs.

Plasmonic control of extraordinary optical transmission in the infrared regime

We demonstrate that the spectral location of extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) resonances in metallic arrays of rectangular holes can be plasmonically tuned in the near and mid-infrared ranges. The experiments have been performed on patterned gold films. We focus on a subset of localized resonances occurring close to the cut-off wavelength of the holes, λ _c. Metals are usually regarded as perfect electric conductors in the infrared regime, with an EOT cut-off resonance found around λ _c = 2 L for rectangular holes (L being the long edge). For real metals, the penetration of the electromagnetic fields is simply seen as effectively enlarging L. However, by changing the hole short edge, we have found that λ _c varies due to the excitation of gap surface plasmon polaritons. Finite-element calculations confirm that in these high aspect ratio rectangles with short edges two important aspects have to be taken into account in order to explain the experiments: the finite conductivity of the metal and the excitation of gap-surface plasmons inside the nanoholes.

Helical sense selective domains and enantiomeric superhelices generated by Langmuir-Schaefer deposition of an axially racemic chiral helical polymer

The chiral polymer poly-(R)-1 behaves in solution, despite its chiral pendants, as a dynamic axially racemic (i.e., 1 : 1) mixture of left- and right-handed helices, but its deposition on graphite by a Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) technique leads to a helical sense-selective packing that forms separate enantiomeric domains of left- and right-handed helical chains observed by high resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM). The polymer structure within these domains is very uniform, seldom altered by the presence of reversals, grouped always in contiguous pairs maintaining a single helical sense along the polymer chain. The LS deposition technique has been shown to be crucial to obtain good quality monolayers from poly-(R)-1 and other poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs: poly-2, poly-3 and poly-4) with short pendants, where spin coating, drop casting and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) failed, and suggests that this technique could be the method of choice for the preparation of 2D monolayers for high resolution AFM studies of PPAs with short pendants. Key helical parameters (i.e., sense, pitch, packing angle) are easily measured in this way.

Thoracic splenosis as a differential diagnosis of juxtapleural nodules

Thoracic splenosis is rare and consists of ectopic implantation of splenic tissue into the chest after concomitant thoracic and abdominal trauma with diaphragm injury. It occurs in about 18% of cases of splenic ruptures. In almost all cases, diagnosis is given incidentally once patients are usually asymptomatic. Thoracic splenosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in all patients with history of trauma presenting with juxtapleural nodules in chest computed tomography. However, malignant conditions should be ruled out firstly. Biopsy is not essential for the diagnosis once nuclear medicine can confirm splenosis in patients with pertinent history of trauma and suggestive tomographic image. We present a typical case of thoracic splenosis whose diagnosis was made by nuclear medicine and no invasive procedures were required.

Characterization of Aspergillus flavus strains from Brazilian Brazil nuts and cashew by RAPD and ribosomal DNA analysis

AIMS

The aim of this study was to determine the genetic variability in Aspergillus flavus populations from Brazil nut and cashew and develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection method.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Chomatography analysis of 48 isolates identified 36 as aflatoxigenic (75%). One hundred and forty-one DNA bands were generated with 11 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers and analysed via unweighted pair group analysis, using arithmetic means (UPGMA). Isolates grouped according to host, with differentiation of those from A. occidentale also according to geographical origin. Aspergillus flavus-specific PCR primers ASPITSF2 and ASPITSR3 were designed from ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS 1 and 2), and an internal amplification control was developed, to prevent false negative results. Specificity to only A. flavus was confirmed against DNA from additional aspergilli and other fungi.

CONCLUSIONS

RAPD-based characterization differentiated isolates according to plant host. The PCR primer pair developed showed specificity to A. flavus, with a detection limit of 10 fg.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Genetic variability observed in A. flavus isolates from two Brazilian agroecosystems suggested reproductive isolation. The PCR detection method developed for A. flavus represents progress towards multiplex PCR detection of aflatoxigenic and nonaflatoxigenic strains in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point systems.

Ultrastructural characteristics of blood cells of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)

Ultrastructural characteristics of erythrocytes, heterophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and thrombocytes of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) were evaluated, using blood samples from 15 healthy juvenile animals. Except for the eosinophils, the rest of the white blood cells from loggerhead turtles had similar ultrastructural characteristics compared with blood cells from other sea turtle species. Eosinophils from loggerhead turtles were homogeneous in size, and no crystalline structures were observed within the granules. This paper provides an ultrastructural characterization of blood cells of loggerhead sea turtles, as a reference for future haematological studies of this species.

Morphological and functional characterization of beige mouse adrenomedullary secretory vesicles

We tested whether the giant secretory granules observed in the mast cells of the naturally occurring mutant beige mouse (BM) (C57BL/6N-bg) were also present in the adrenal chromaffin cells. The presence of large chromaffin granules (CG) would be a valuable tool for the study of exocytosis in neuronal tissues. Conversely, the observation of large vesicles within chromaffin cells that are different from CG could indicate that CG are of a different origin than granules of mast cells. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated the presence of large lysososmal-like vesicles in the BM, and also a discrete increase in the number of CG with diameters larger than 240 nm but not of giant CG. In addition, amperometric measurements of single-event exocytosis, using carbon fiber microelectrodes, showed no differences between the quantal size of secretory events from BM and wildtype or bovine chromaffin cells. Minor but significant differences were found between the kinetics of exocytosis in BM cells andwild-type mouse cells. We conclude that CG, but not the abnormal-sized vesicles found in BM chromaffin cells contribute to the catecholamine secretion and that abnormal secretory granules are not present in adrenergic cell lineage.

Determination of immuno-cross-reactivity between Cryptosporidium parvum and Eimeria spp

Immuno-cross-reactivity between Cryptosporidium parvum and Eimeria spp. was studied by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and Western blot procedure. Thirty-seven sera from asymptomatic (non-diarrheic) cattle, with known coprological (presence-absence of coccidia) and serological data respecting C. parvum, were tested by IFAT using Eimeria oocysts as antigen. Most sera (54%) displayed immunofluorescence around the surface of the Eimeria oocysts. Simultaneously, serum samples from rabbits naturally infected with Eimeria spp. (E. magna, E. intestinalis and E. residua), but free of C. parvum infection, were used to investigate the recognition of C. parvum oocyst antigens by the Western blot procedure. Fractions in the 11.5-94 kDa range, as well as others with molecular masses over 94 kDa, were recognized by sera from rabbits. Sera collected during patency period showed low or moderate reaction with antigenic fractions in the 11.5-25 kDa range. However, 29, 58 and 71 to 75 kDa proteic fractions were moderately or strongly recognized even after rabbits finished oocyst excretion.

Effect of a commercial disinfectant ('Virkon') on mouse experimental infection by Cryptosporidium parvum

Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts obtained from naturally-infected calves were exposed to 1-10% 'Virkon' for 10-360 min, then inoculated intragastrically into coccidium-free neonatal mice. Prevalence and intensity of infection were determined seven days later by examination of intestinal homogenates. Although we were unable to abolish infectivity for the mice, the intensity of infection was considerably reduced after long periods of exposure (up to > 90%, depending on disinfectant concentration), indicating that this product may have some value for disinfection when extended exposure is possible (e.g., soaking laboratory glassware).

Glucose metabolism in the testis of the normal and streptozotocin diabetic rat

In the present work, the metabolism of [U-14C]glucose was studied in the testicular tissue of normal and streptozotocin diabetic rats. The results show that diabetes alters 14CO2 production and 14C incorporation into lipids from [U-14C]glucose. No differences were found in the [14C]proteins and [14C]nucleic acids between experimental groups. Results are discussed in relation to an insulin deficiency and/or an alteration in the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-gonadal axis.

Effects of melatonin treatment and environmental lighting on the ultrastructural appearence, melatonin synthesis, norepinephrine turnover and microtubule protein content of the rat pineal gland

Melatonin administration or exposure of rats to darkness for two weeks induced comparable changes in pineal ultrastructure, compatible with a generalized organ's activation. These include an increased number of ribosomes, procentrioles and microtubules, prominent nucleoli and Golgi apparatus, and annulate lamellae. Melatonin treatment resulted in a dose-dependent increase of hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase and serotonin-N-acetyltransferase activities. In addition it increased by 85% the colchicine binding capacity of pineal homogenates, an estimation of the microtubule protein content of the gland. Pineal norepinephrine turnover was not affected by melatonin treatment. These data indicate that the pineal itself is a target organ for exogenously administered melatonin. Key words: Pineal gland, melatonin, norepinephrine, tubulin.

Melatonin effects on brain. Interaction with microtubule protein, inhibition of fast axoplasmic flow and induction of crystaloid and tubular formations in the hypothalamus

[3-H]Melatonin administered in vivo in the rat cisterna magna became associated with a vinblastine-precipitable protein. Melatonin treatment decreased microtubule protein content by 44% in the arcuate-median eminence region and by 19% in the remaining hypothalamic block, being without significant effect on the cerebral cortex. Superior cervical gangliectomy but not pinealectomy increased microtubule protein content of the rat hypothalamus. Norepinephrine brought about a significantly greater decrease in hypothalamic microtubule protein levels of ganglionectomized rats than in sham-operated or in ganglionectomized-pinealectomized animals. Melatonin treatment induced in most of the axons ending in the pericapillary zone of the rat median eminence crystaloid and tubular formations. Rapid axonal transport in retinal ganglion cells of rabbits was inhibited to the extent of 71.9 and 87.2% by previous exposure to 1.5 of 15 mu g of melatonin intravitreally; melatonin did not affect retinal protein synthesis in this experimental model. These results suggest that melatonin interacts significantly with microtubule or actin-like protein in brain.

Effects of environmental lighting, superior cervical ganglionectomy and adrenergic drugs on microtubule protein levels of the rat hypothalamus

Bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy or exposure of rats to light for 10 days resulted in comparable increases in microtubule protein content in the hypothalamus. Administration of norepinephrine, L-dopa or isoproterenol decreased hypothalamic tubulin levels to a greater extent in ganglionectomized rats. A prior injection of phentolamine prevented norepinphrine's effects in intact rats and decreased but did not abolish the effect of the catecholamine in ganglionectomized animals. Phentolamine impaired L-dopa activity in intact and denervated rats as did propranolol; beta-adrenergic blockage impaired the effect of norepinephrine in denervated rats and abolished that of isoproterenol. Phentolamine plus propranolol prevented norepinephrine's effects whereas it only impaired L-dopa activity on hypothalamic tubulin content. The prior administration of actinomycin D blocked the effects of norepinephrine, L-dopa or isoproterenol. Pinealectomy abolished the isoproterenol-induced decrease in microtubule protein content and impaired that following L-dopa. These data suggest that tubulin levels of the rat hypothalamus are controlled by adrenergic transmitter via alpha- and beta-receptors, the latter involving the pineal gland.

Effects of melatonin on neurotransmitter uptake and release by synaptosome-rich homogenates of the rat hypothalamus

Preincubation of synaptosome-rich homogenates of rat hypothalamus with melatonin resulted in significant decreases of norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and glutamate uptake. Melatonin inhibition was noncompetitive; apparent Km's of initial uptake processes were: (2.5 +/- 0.3) x 10(-7) M for norepinephrine, (2.6 +/- 0.3) x 10(-7) M for serotonin, (2.4 +/- 0.4) x 10(-7) M for dopamine and (1.0 +/- 0.3) x 10(-7) M for glutamate. Apparent Ki's for melatonin inhibition of transmitter uptake were: 0.64 +/- 0.14 mM (norepinephrine), 0.23 +/- mM (serotonin), 0.51 +/- 0.08 mM (dopamine) and 1.21 +/- 0.10 mM (glutamate). Transmitter release evoked by increasing [K+] in medium to 30 mM was augmented by melatonin in a dose-dependent manner. Maximal effects were observed on serotonin release. Accumulation of 3H-melatonin within synaptosome-rich homogenates did not exhibit differences between 0 and 37 degrees C, indicating that the uptake of the hormone was not an active process. These results suggest that exogenously-administered melatonin may affect neurotransmitter accumulation and release in the hypothalamus by modification of the transmitter uptake mechanism rather than by competition with the transmitter for its uptake pump.