Effect of temperature and time after collection on buck sperm quality.

BACKGROUND: Different parameters are assessed as part of the semen analysis but a standard protocol for evaluation of goat semen is still missing. The aim of this study was to analyse two different factors affecting buck sperm quality in the post-collection period prior to adding the extender. Here we examined the effects of two handling temperatures (20 °C, 37 °C) and various examination time points (3-30 min) after semen collection. RESULTS: Examination time point had a significant influence on raw sperm viability (p < 0.05), motility (p < 0.05) and on semen pH (p < 0.05). The two different handling temperatures had no significant effect on sperm viability (p > 0.05), motility (p > 0.05), with the exception of fast moving sperm (p = 0.04), or on semen pH (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Examination time point was identified as factor strongly influencing raw peacock buck semen after collection. Raw goat semen can tolerate room temperatures for at least 10 min without impacting overall semen quality. In order to obtain comparable results, semen samples should always be examined within 10 min after collection.

Preclinical evaluation of biomarkers for response monitoring to the MET inhibitor BAY-853474.

CONTEXT: The receptor tyrosine kinase MET contributes to a wide range of biological activities, including survival, proliferation, and metastasis, which play an important role in cancer progression. MET is frequently overexpressed or amplified in a range of malignancies. Therefore, MET is an attractive therapeutic target for treatment of cancer. BAY-853474 is a novel specific MET inhibitor highly effective in preclinical tumor models. OBJECTIVE: For response monitoring in clinical studies, soluble plasma biomarkers are the most convenient and least invasive choice. Therefore, we sought to identify such biomarkers in xenograft models. RESULTS: We show that BAY-853474 reduces the tumor burden in U87MG glioblastoma, NCI-H1993 nonsmall cell lung cancer, and HS746T gastric cancer xenograft models. We demonstrate that the dose dependence is reflected by inhibition of MET phosphorylation and that the soluble plasma biomarkers hepatocyte growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin-8 as well as the MET-ectodomain can be used to monitor the tumor size and response to treatment. Clinical samples, however, show only moderately elevated levels of these biomarker candidates in cancer patients even with MET amplification. We, therefore, established an immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocol to detect MET phosphorylation that is suitable to monitor the effect of BAY-853474 in tumor biopsies. CONCLUSION: IHC-based analysis of target phosphorylation in tumor biopsies is recommended in addition to testing plasma biomarkers for response monitoring.

Eight months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) decrease tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA) in men with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA) concentrations 8 months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. DESIGN: This study used prospective, observational clinical trial. PATIENTS: Sixty-six patients with newly diagnosed sleep apnea syndrome (12 women, 54 men), age 52.3 ± 9.8 (mean ± SD) with a body mass index of 29.7 ± 4.4 and an apnea-hypopnea index of 39.7 ± 26.8, were studied. INTERVENTION: CPAP was administered for a mean of 7.8 ± 1.3 months. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: TNFA concentrations using an ultrasensitive ELISA assay at baseline and follow-up. TNFA decreased in men with high (5.2 ± 1.7 h/night, -0.46 ± 1.1 ng/l, p = 0.001) and with low (2.5 ± 1.0 h/night -0.63 ± 0.77 ng/l, p = 0.001) adherence but not in women. Average number of hours of CPAP use correlated positively with delta TNFA (R (2) 0.08, p = 0.04) CONCLUSION: Long-term CPAP positively affects TNFA even in men with poor adherence to CPAP.

Urogenital Hypoplasia and X Chromosome Monosomy in a Draft Horse Filly.

A 5-month-old draft horse filly was presented with incontinence and severe perivulvar dermatitis, which developed during the previous 2 months. Left-sided ectopic ureter entering in the caudal vaginal lumen, signs of cervix hypoplasia, and urine accumulation in the uterus were found during initial vaginal endoscopy. Therefore, a left ureter-nephrectomy was conducted under general anesthesia. Additionally, a cytogenetic examination was performed, which showed a XO monosomy with a 63,X/64,XX mosaic. This is the first case report presenting a chromosome abnormality in a draft horse filly combined with a left-sided ectopic ureter. Cytogenetic evaluation is recommended in any female horse with developmental abnormalities of the cervix, uterus, ovaries, or with irregularities of estrus.

Tolcapone improves sleep in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD).

Efficacy of the long-acting catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-inhibitor, tolcapone on sleep quality was studied in 61 patients with advanced PD in a prospective open-label multicenter non-interventional trial. Main outcome measures were the PD sleep scale (PDSS). Further outcome measures were global clinical impression of change (GCI-C), daily off-time, activities of daily living (UPDRS part II), quality of life (EuroQoL-5D), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and adverse events reports. All efficiency and safety parameters were assessed 4 weeks after the switch to tolcapone and compared to baseline. The mean±S.D. daily dose of tolcapone was 294.2±36.9 mg/day at the final assessment. The mean PDSS scores significantly improved from 21.6±8.1 at baseline to 16.3±7.7 at final assessment (p<0.0001). Consistently, daytime sleepiness was significantly reduced as reflected by lower scores on the ESS (p=0.0057). Further efficacy parameters including GCI-C, daily off-time, activities of daily living, and quality of life were also significantly improved. Tolcapone was in general well tolerated and safe. This observational study provides first evidence that tolcapone improves sleep quality and reduces daytime sleepiness in patients suffering from advanced PD.

Sonographic assessment of urinary retention in multiple system atrophy and idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Sonography of the bladder was performed before and after voluntary voiding in 20 subjects with possible/probable multiple system atrophy (MSA), 20 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), and 20 healthy controls. Mean residual volume was 173 ml (SD, 194) in MSA and significantly increased compared to both PD (21 ml; SD, 49) and controls (13 ml; SD, 12). Incomplete voiding (>100 ml of residual volume) was found in 11 subjects with MSA but only in 1 patient with PD. Positive predictive value of increased residual volume for MSA was 91.6% in this study, whereas negative predictive value was only 67.8. Bladder sonography is an objective, simple, and safe tool that allows one to screen for urinary retention, which is highly suggestive but incompletely sensitive for MSA. Because sonography is easily accessible and rapidly performed, it is feasible for routine assessment of atypical Parkinsonism.