Conveying campus sexual misconduct policy information to college and university students: Results from a 7-campus study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of different methods (ie, in-class policy reading; in-class policy reading and discussion; no reading or discussion) to deliver campus sexual misconduct policy information to students on 7 campuses. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,195 participants at 7 colleges and universities participated in the study from August to October 2014. Participants were randomly assigned at the class level and completed pretest and posttest surveys assessing knowledge of campus policy and resources and confidence to seek help for sexual assault. RESULTS: Students exposed to a larger dosage of material (in-class policy reading plus discussion) showed greater positive changes in attitudes and knowledge than students who did not receive information or were only read the policy. However, on some indices, students who were only read the policy showed positive outcomes compared with students receiving no intervention. CONCLUSION: Colleges and universities must use engaging methods to disseminate campus sexual misconduct policies to students.

The relationship of porcine sperm zona-binding ability to fertility.

Several laboratory assays have been designed to assess the fertility potential of a semen sample before insemination, but none have been consistent and accurate predictors of fertility. To determine whether zona-binding ability may be a useful fertility predictor, we validated and used an in vitro competitive assay to measure the ability of porcine sperm to bind to the zona pellucida. The zona-binding ability of sperm from 11 boars that exhibited a broad range in average litter size and farrowing rate was determined. Sperm from each boar were compared directly with sperm from eight other boars in a systematic, pairwise fashion. Sperm from two semen samples were labeled with fluorophores at concentrations that did not affect motility or zona-binding ability. An equal number of labeled sperm from each boar was coincubated with homologous oocytes. Least squares means from analysis of variance were used to rank boars based on zona-binding ability. The competitive assay was effective in establishing a ranking of the boars (R2 = 0.62). Furthermore, there was a correlation between zona-binding ability and fertility when estimated by average litter size (r = 0.64, P < 0.05) but not when estimated by farrowing rate (r = -0.28). The explanation for this difference was that litter size and farrowing rate were poorly correlated (r = 0.14). In conclusion, a competitive zona-binding assay distinguished boars that sired either small or large litters. Competitive zona-binding ability may be useful for identifying boars with reduced fertility that produce smaller litters following insemination.

The use of two fluorescent dyes to identify sperm in a competitive binding assay to oocytes.

The relationship of most sperm laboratory assays to male fertility is inconsistent. Assays that measure traits required to fertilize oocytes are expected to have the most predictive value. A new assay that measures the competitive ability of two sperm samples to bind to oocytes was developed. Two populations of sperm were labeled using a pair of lipophilic dyes. A concentration of 75 microM of the two dyes, DiQ (4-[4-(dihexadecylamino)styryl]-N-methylquinolinium iodide; an orange-red dye) and DiOC16 (3,3'-dihexadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate; a yellow-green dye), intensely stained 66 and 73% of sperm, respectively, without affecting sperm motility or oocyte-binding ability. Because sperm could be stained with fluorescent dyes, sperm from two semen samples were mixed together in a droplet, and oocytes were added to allow sperm to bind oocytes competitively. Oocyte-bound sperm from each sample were counted. Binding was specific; nonspecific sperm binding was estimated by sperm bound to two-cell mouse embryos and averaged one to three sperm per embryo. Staining with DiQ or DiOC16 did not affect oocyte-binding ability since more than 80% of the sperm bound were stained with either dye. Furthermore, if different ratios of DiQ- or DiOC16-stained sperm from the same ejaculate were prepared in droplets and oocytes were added, the percentage of sperm bound to the oocytes reflected the percentage of sperm in the droplet; there was no differential effect of either dye. This assay used fixed oocytes because sperm bound equally to fixed and fresh bovine oocytes. This competitive oocyte-binding assay allows one to make a series of pairwise comparisons between a group of males or to include an internal control sample in sperm-oocyte binding assays. This assay may allow more accurate prediction of the oocyte-binding ability of sperm.

Slow inward and outward currents of rat ventricular fibers under anoxia.

Voltage and current clamp experiments were performed on rat ventricular strips under anoxia. 1. Under the influence of anoxia the membrane depolarized by 5 to 10 mV and the action potential amplitude decreased by 15 mV. The plateau disappeared and the duration of the action potential was shortened. 2. The slow inward current was reduced by 50 to 80% and its reversal potential became more negative by about 31 mV. The conductance of the slow inward channel decreased by 26%. 3. The net outward current was slightly depressed.