Effects of α-tocopherol and freezing rates on the quality and heterologous in vitro fertilization capacity of stallion sperm after cryopreservation.

The effects of supplementation of α-tocopherol and different freezing rates (FRs) on the ability of stallion sperm to fertilize bovine oocytes with intact zona pellucida were investigated, in an attempt to develop a model to assess cryopreserved sperm function. Semen was obtained from four purebred Lusitano stallions (n = 4). Each ejaculate was subjected to cryopreservation with a commercial extender (Ghent, Minitub Iberia, Spain), without any supplementation (control) or supplemented with 2-mM α-tocopherol. The semen was exposed to two different FRs between 5 °C and -15 °C: slow (5 °C/min) and moderate (10 °C/min). After thawing, the viability (SYBR®-14 and propidium iodide [PI]), mitochondrial membrane potential (JC-1, 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'tetraethylbenzimidazolyl carbocyanine iodine) and membrane lipid peroxidation (C11-BODIPY(581/591)) of each sample were determined by flow cytometry. Moreover, the heterologous IVF rate was measured to evaluate the fertilization capacity of postthaw semen in the four different treatments. For both extenders, the viability was higher for spermatozoa cooled slowly (39.40 ± 2.17 vs. 17.59 ± 2.25-control; 31.96 ± 2.19 vs. 11.46 ± 1.34-Tocopherol; P < 0.05). The α-tocopherol extender improved (P < 0.05) postthaw lipid peroxidation (10.28 ± 0.70 vs. 15.40 ± 0.95-slow FR; 10.14 ± 0.40 vs. 13.48 ± 0.34-moderate FR); however, it did not improve viability and mitochondrial membrane potential. Regarding the IVF rate, in the moderate FR, α-tocopherol supplementation reported a higher percentage of IVF (20.50 ± 2.11; P < 0.05), comparing with the control (14.00 ± 1.84). Regarding the slow FR, no significance differences were observed for percentage of IVF between the two extenders and the FRs. However, it seems that the α-tocopherol supplementation improved the IVF rate. In conclusion, this research reported that bovine oocytes intact zona pellucida can be used to evaluate the quality of postthaw stallion semen and α-tocopherol supplementation in the stallion freezing extender might exert a protective effect against oxidative damage during heterologous IVF.

The autoimmune tautology with a focus on antiphospholipid syndrome.

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are often diagnosed according to classification criteria; however, they share similar subphenotypes including signs and symptoms, non-specific autoantibodies and other immune changes, which are prone to taxonomic problems. Polyautoimmunity is defined as the presence of more than one AD in a single patient. The close relationship between antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and systemic lupus erythematosus has been studied throughout the years. However, APS may coexist with several other ADs confirming polyautoimmunity in this systemic disease. Herein, we summarized the common characteristics shared between APS and others ADs in light of the autoimmune tautology (that is, common mechanisms of autoimmune diseases).

Rectal administration of tenoxicam for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and arthrosis.

Seventy-nine patients with arthrosis (40) or rheumatoid arthritis (39) were included in an open, non-comparative multicentric study. All the patients were treated by rectal route with a suppository form of tenoxicam (20 mg/day) during 6 weeks (in the first 3 days the dose was increased to 40 mg). The drug was administered once daily at evening. Clinical evaluation was performed before treatment and thereafter every 2 weeks. In the patients with arthrosis the parameters evaluated for efficacy were: pain on movement, pain at rest, tenderness, spontaneous pain, pain after 1 day of normal activity, flexion, functional status, and time to walk 10 metres. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis the parameters were: articular index, duration of morning stiffness, functional status, spontaneous pain and pain when moving. Efficacy was considered excellent or good in 22 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and moderate or poor in 17. In the group of patients with arthrosis the results were excellent or good in 28 and moderate or poor in 12. Side effects occurred in five cases.

Transposicoes musculares com enxerto livre de pele na exposicao ossea da perna. / Muscular transpositions with free skin graft in bone exposition of the leg

Os autores realizaram uma revisao das transposicoes dos musculos gastrocnemicoporcao medial e/ou solear, no periodo de janeiro de 1976 a outubro de 1983, no Servico de Ortopedia e Traumatologia do Hospital Municipal Miguel Couto. Descrevem a tecnica empregada em 35 casos de exposicao ossea em regiao anterior da perna, em consequencia de fraturas expostas, osteomielites e necrose cutanea isquemica. Os resultados sao avaliados segundo a indicacao, eficacia e complicacoes