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The decrease in foaling rates after artificial insemination with cooled semen warrants the search for new predictors of fertility. The objectives were to investigate levels of naturally occurring reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cooled, stored stallion semen doses for artificial insemination (AI), and their relationship with parameters of semen quality and with pregnancy rate. Semen was collected from warmblood stallions (n=15) and used to prepare commercial semen doses for AI. Sperm quality was evaluated after cooled transport to the laboratory overnight. The results were correlated with observed foaling and pregnancy rates. Hydroethidine and dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate were used as indicators for the ROS superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. Sperm morphology, motility, plasma membrane integrity and chromatin integrity were also evaluated. These variables were correlated with each other and with pregnancy rates. We found a high inter-individual variation in the ROS levels between stallions. The proportion of live, hydrogen peroxide-negative spermatozoa was correlated with progressive motility, whereas live hydrogen peroxide-negative spermatozoa and chromatin damage were negatively correlated, indicating that low levels of hydrogen peroxide were correlated with good chromatin integrity. The percentage of dead hydrogen peroxide-positive sperm was negatively related to the foaling rate. The negative relationships were stronger when combining results from both assays for ROS. These results for stored semen samples indicate that high individual variation exists for superoxide and hydrogen peroxide measurements, and that ROS status can influence sperm quality. Thus, ROS may be some of the factors influencing fertility. Moreover, combinations of ROS variables improved the correlation with fertility, indicating the usefulness of including these variables in a future model for prediction of the fertility of a semen sample. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of single layer centrifugation (SLC) using Androcoll-E-Large on donkey sperm quality parameters after 24 h of cool-storage. Ejaculates were collected from Andalusian donkeys and then cooled at 5°C. SLC was carried out after 24 h of cool-storage using Androcoll-E-Large. In the first experiment, all sperm parameters assessed (total and progressive sperm motility, viability, sperm morphology and sperm kinematics VCL, VSL, VAP, LIN, STR, WOB, ALH and BCF) were statistically compared between semen samples processed or not with Androcoll-E-Large. Significant differences (P<0.05) were found between SLC-selected and unselected semen samples for all parameters assessed, obtaining better results after SLC. In the second experiment, semen samples were classified in two groups according to their sperm progressive motility (PM) before SLC. Then, the increments obtained in semen quality parameters after SLC were compared between groups. No significant differences were found between groups, indicating that SLC improved the sperm quality parameters of entire set of semen samples processed with independence to their original PM. In conclusion, SLC with Androcoll-E-Large can be used in donkeys, increasing the sperm quality of cooled-stored donkey semen doses after 24 h of cool storage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate sperm characteristic of captive clouded leopards in Thailand and examine the structural and functional properties of sperm after selection with the single-layer centrifugation (SLC) method. Twenty-two ejaculates from 11 captive clouded leopards (four housed with access to a female in estrus, and seven housed singly) were collected and assessed for semen traits during 2013 to 2015. Twelve fresh ejaculates were chosen from seven males, and each was divided between two sperm preparation methods; (1) simple washing and (2) SLC. Cryopreservation was performed after semen preparation. Sperm qualities after selections including motility, progressive motility, sperm motility index, viability, acrosome integrity, DNA integrity, and morphology were evaluated in fresh, chilled, and frozen-thawed samples. In addition, sperm functionality after cryopreservation was tested by heterologous IVF using domestic cat oocytes. Sperm motility in the ejaculates was 52.5% to 91.3% (76.8 ± 2.0%, mean ± standard error). A high proportion of morphologically abnormal sperm (63.9 ± 2.0%) was observed, with the major abnormality being tightly coiled tail (13.5 ± 0.5%). An interesting observation was that males housed together with a female had a significantly higher proportion of sperm with intact acrosome (47.9 ± 3.4% and 38.4 ± 2.8%) and lower proportion of sperm with bent midpiece and droplet (7.1 ± 0.6% and 10.2 ± 0.5%) than the males living singly. The sperm motility index, intact acrosome, and sperm with normal tail in the fresh and chilled semen samples were improved by the SLC. In the postthawed semen, the SLC selected higher numbers of viable sperm (34.1 ± 2.2% and 27.9 ± 1.8%), sperm with intact acrosome (31.2 ± 2.1% and 24.3 ± 2.2%), and sperm with normal tail (34.2 ± 2.7% and 24.3 ± 2.7%) than simple washing. Also, the proportion of sperm with tightly coiled tail was lower in the SLC-processed than the simple washed samples (8.1 ± 3.1% and 13.5 ± 3.4%). The SLC-processed group had significantly higher penetration rate in heterologous IVF (29.4 ± 3.0%) than the simple washing group (15.8 ± 3.2%). In conclusion, ejaculates of clouded leopards living in Thailand demonstrated teratospermic characteristic similar to the previous reports from other continents. Single-layer centrifugation is a promising tool to select morphologically normal sperm of teratospermic donors. The successes of assisted reproductive technology could be enhanced by the improved quality of postthaw sperm in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Single layer centrifugation (SLC) is a useful technique to select porcine spermatozoa for further artificial insemination practices. The aim of this study was to determine possible side-effects related to capacitation due to the process. Semen viability, acrosome integrity and capacitation status were determined through fluorescent probes (SYBR14-PI, FITC-PSA, CTC staining) and Hsp70 immunolocalization and protein tyrosine phosphorylation (by western blotting and immunolocalization) in different groups: control, after SLC with Androcoll (AND), after SLC and washing (AND-Wash) and after SLC, washing and storage for 2h at 17°C with 2.5% of seminal plasma (AND-Wash-SP). Neither viability nor acrosome integrity were impaired by the different treatments; as far as CTC staining, we observed a significant increase (p <0.05) in the capacitation related pattern in AND and AND-Wash, while after exposure for 2h to seminal plasma (AND-Wash-SP group), the increase became less evident; the same trend was observed in Hsp70 immunolocalization for the EL pattern. Neither immunolocalization nor western blotting for tyrosine phosphorylated proteins had an increase in capacitated pattern or in phosphorylation status, except for a 25kDa band that increased in AND and AND-Wash groups and decreased in AND-Wash-SP group. SLC using Androcoll-P induces some capacitation-related changes in boar sperm membrane, as demonstrated by CTC staining and Hsp70 immunolocalization. For protein tyrosine phosphorylation, only a 25kDa protein showed some changes that should be investigated further. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

NHS Direct, the 24-hour telephone helpline providing information and advice about health problems, is available throughout England and Wales. It was envisaged as a nurse-led service presenting a new opportunity for the nursing profession. Free text comments from a postal survey of NHS Direct nurses revealed that a large proportion of nurses were happy with working in NHS Direct, and that it presented some nurses with the opportunity of a new and challenging role. However, a minority found the work monotonous and felt that NHS Direct is likely to face the challenge of staff retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the presentation "Project YEAH : Effectiveness of a Theory-based, Web-delivered Intervention for Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake" by Carolyn Eyer and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Examining Differences in Anthropometric Measures and Dietary Intake of Young Adults Attending College or Vocational Programs" by Jennifer Walsh and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "A Simple Convenience Store SHELF (Supportive Healthy Environment for Life-promoting Food) Audit" by Megan Mullin et al. is presented.

An abstract of the article "Designing a Nutrition Intervention to Profile Metabolomic, Microbiome and Vascular Health in Young Adults: FRUVEDomic Study" by Melissa Olfert et al. is presented.

An abstract of the presentation "Development of a Randomized Trial Guided by the Process of PRECEDE-PROCEED for the Prevention of Excessive Weight Gain in Communities of Young Adults" by Kendra K. Kattelmann and colleagues is presented.