Tvarijonaviciute, Asta

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Tvarijonaviciute, Asta

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Tvarijonaviciute, Asta

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Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal

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Open Access
Seminal plasma anti-müllerian hormone: a potential AI-boar fertility biomarker?
(MDPI, 2020-04-10) Barranco Cascales, Isabel; Fernández Fuertes, Beatriz; Padilla, Lorena; Delgado-Bermúdez, Ariadna; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Yeste, Marc; Medicina y Cirugía Animal; Facultad de Veterinaria
The anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a Sertoli cell-secreted glycoprotein that is present in seminal plasma (SP), is considered as a marker of spermatogenesis in humans. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of this hormone in boar SP, together with its putative relationship with sperm quality, function, and in vivo fertility parameters in liquid-stored semen samples. The concentration of SP-AMH was assessed in 126 ejaculates from artificial insemination (AI)-boars (n = 92) while using a commercial Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) kit with monoclonal antibodies specific for Sus scrofa AMH (CEA228Po, Cloud-clone). Sperm quality (concentration, motility, viability, and acrosome damage) and functionality (membrane lipid disorder and intracellular H2O2 generation) were assessed in semen samples at 0 and 72 h of liquid-storage. In addition, fertility parameters from 3113 sows inseminated with the AI-boars were recorded in terms of farrowing rate, litter size, number of stillbirths per litter, and the duration of pregnancy over a 12-month period. The results revealed that the SP-AMH concentration varied widely among boar ejaculates, with no differences among breeds. Moreover, the SP-AMH concentration proved to be a good predictive biomarker for sperm concentration (p ˂ 0.05), but poor for other sperm quality, functionality, and in vivo fertility parameters of liquid-stored semen samples from AI-boars.
Open Access
Redox profiling of preovulatory follicular fluid in the donkey is species-specific, and contributes to modulate sperm function
(Nature Research, 2025-02-23) Catalán, Jaime; Padilla, Lorena; Maside, Carolina; Yánez-Ortiz, Iván; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Barranco Cascales, Isabel; Bonet, Sergi; Miró, Jordi; Yeste, Marc; Martínez Hernández, Jesús; Medicina y Cirugía Animal; Facultad de Veterinaria
The follicular fluid (FF) is crucial for providing oocytes with an ideal environment that promotes their development and maturation. Not only does this fluid supply nutrients and hormones, but also other components that protect both follicular cells and the oocyte itself from potential harmful factors, such as those inducing oxidative stress (OS). The FF has also been suggested to have beneficial effects on sperm when they reach the oviduct. The objectives of this study were to describe the presence and activity levels of redox biomarkers in the preovulatory follicular fluid (PFF), and to analyze the impact of PFF on the motility, viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels of donkey sperm. For this purpose, ten PFF samples obtained from Catalan jennies and nine ejaculates collected from Catalan donkeys were used. Redox biomarkers -including enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, and oxidative biomarkers- were analyzed in jennies' PFF. After collection, each semen sample was split into two aliquots of equal volume. The two aliquots were centrifuged to remove the seminal plasma; one pellet was resuspended in Tris Buffered Medium (TBM), and the other was resuspended in TBM supplemented with 20% PFF. Motility parameters (CASA) and other semen quality biomarkers (flow cytometry) were assessed after 0, 60 and 120 min of incubation at 38 °C. Exposure of donkey sperm to PFF reduced intracellular ROS levels and helped maintain sperm motility and viability. These findings suggest that, in the oviduct, the PFF components protect donkey sperm from oxidative stress. Furthermore, knowing better the composition of donkey PFF in terms of antioxidant biomarkers may be used to improve the formulation of media for oocyte maturation and fertilization in this and other species.
Open Access
Interdisciplinary collaboration between Veterinary and Communication students to promote communication skills: a qualitative pilot study
(Frontiers Media, 2020-11-24) Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Roca Marín, Delfina; Escribano Tortosa, Damián; Franco Martínez, Lorena; Bernal Gambín, Luis Jesús; Cerón Madrigal, José Joaquín; Rojo; Martínez Subiela, Silvia; Comunicación; Facultades de la UMU::Comunicación y Documentación
Interdisciplinary collaborations are increasingly gaining popularity, as are active in higher education and innovative learning strategies. However, relatively little research has been performed related to interdisciplinary learning methodologies in higher education. In the present work, a pilot activity between communication and veterinary students was performed, consisting in performance of mock interviews at a professional television studio. Besides some drawbacks such as low participation rates by veterinary students, the activity was associated with a number of benefits, including enhanced acquirement of communication skills, greater topic-related knowledge assimilation, and reinforced practical application of the theoretical concepts.
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Measurement of activity and concentration of paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) in seminal plasma and identification of PON-2 in the sperm of boar ejaculates
(Wiley, 2015-01) Barranco Cascales, Isabel; Roca Aleu, Jorge; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Rubér, Marie; Vicente Carrillo, Alejandro; Atikuzzaman, Mohammad; Cerón Madrigal, José Joaquín; Martínez Navarro, Emilio; Rodríguez Martínez, Heriberto; Martínez García, Emilio; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
This study revealed and characterised the presence of the antioxidant enzymes paraoxonase (PON) type 1 (PON-1, extracellular) and type 2 (PON-2, intracellular) in boar semen. To evaluate PON-1, an entire ejaculate from each of ten boars was collected and the seminal plasma was harvested after double centrifugation (1,500g for 10 min). Seminal plasma was analysed for concentration as well as enzymatic activity of PON-1 and total cholesterol levels. Seminal-plasma PON-1 concentration ranged from 0.961 to 1.670 ng/ml while its enzymatic activity ranged from 0.056 to 0.400 IU/ml, which represent individual variance. Seminal-plasma PON-1 concentration and enzymatic activity were negatively correlated (r = -0.763; P < 0.01). The activity of seminal-plasma PON-1 negatively correlated with ejaculate volume (r = -0.726, P < 0.05), but positively correlated with sperm concentration (r = 0.654, P < 0.05). Total seminal-plasma cholesterol concentration positively correlated with PON-1 activity (r = 0.773; P < 0.01), but negatively correlated with PON-1 concentration (r = -0.709; P < 0.05). The presence of intracellular PON-2 was determined via immunocytochemistry in spermatozoa derived from artificial insemination. PON-2 localised to the post-acrosomal area of the sperm head and principal piece of the tail in membrane-intact spermatozoa. In summary, PON is present in boar semen, with PON-1 at low levels in seminal plasma and PON-2 within the spermatozoa. Further studies are needed to characterise the relationship between antioxidant PONs with sperm and other seminal-plasma parameters.
Open Access
Children with obesity have poorer circadian health as assessed by a global circadian health score
(Springer, 2024-06-08) Rodríguez Martín, María; Martínez Lozano, Nuria; Santaclara Maneiro, Vicente; Gris Peñas, Antonio; Salmerón Martínez, Diego; Ríos, Rafael; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Garaulet Aza, Marta; Ciencias Sociosanitarias; Fisiología
Background Circadian health refers to individuals’ well-being and balance in terms of their circadian rhythm. It is infuenced by external cues. In adults, a close relationship between circadian-related alterations and obesity has been described. How ever, studies in children are scarce, and circadian health and its association with obesity have not been evaluated globally. We aimed to assess whether circadian health difered between children with and without obesity as determined by a global circadian score (GCS) in a school-age population. Methods Four hundred and thirty-two children (7–12 years) were recruited in Spain. Non-invasive tools were used to calcu late the GCS: (1) 7-day rhythm of wrist temperature (T), activity (A), position (P), an integrative variable that combines T, A, and P (TAP); (2) cortisol; and (3) 7-day food and sleep records. Body mass index, body fat percentage, waist circumference (WC), melatonin concentration, and cardiometabolic marker levels were determined. Results Circadian health, as assessed by the GCS, difered among children with obesity, overweight, and normal weight, with poorer circadian health among children with obesity. Children with obesity and abdominal obesity had 3.54 and 2.39 greater odds of having poor circadian health, respectively, than did those with normal weight or low WC. The percentage of rhythmicity, a marker of the robustness of the TAP rhythm, and the amplitude, both components of the GCS, decreased with increasing obesity. Diferent lifestyle behaviors were involved in the association between circadian health and obesity, particularly protein intake (P=0.024), physical activity level (P=0.076) and chronotype (P=0.029). Conclusions The GCS can capture the relationship between circadian health and obesity in school-age children. Protein intake, physical activity level, and chronotype were involved in this association. Early intervention based on improving circadian health may help to prevent childhood obesity.
Open Access
Seminal plasma antioxidants are related to sperm cryotolerance in the horse
(MDPI, 2022-06-28) Catalán, Jaime; Yánez Ortiz, Iván; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; González Aróstegui, Luis Guillermo; Peres Rubio, Camila; Barranco Cascales, Isabel; Yeste, Marc; Miró, Jordi; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, SOD; glutathione peroxidase, GPX; catalase, CAT; and paraoxonase type 1, PON1) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (measured in terms of: Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC; cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity, CUPRAC; and ferric-reducing ability of plasma, FRAP), as well as the oxidative stress index (OSI) in seminal plasma (SP) with the resilience of horse sperm to freeze-thawing. Twenty-one ejaculates (one per individual) were collected and split into two aliquots: the first was used to harvest the SP and assess the activity levels of antioxidants and the OSI, and the second one was cryopreserved. The following post-thaw sperm quality parameters were evaluated: sperm motility, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and plasma membrane lipid disorder. Based on post-thaw total motility (TM) and plasma membrane integrity (SYBR14+/PI−), ejaculates were hierarchically (p < 0.001) clustered into two groups of good (GFE) and poor (PFE) freezability. The SP activity levels of PON1, SOD, and TEAC were higher (p < 0.05) in GFE than in PFE, showing a positive relationship (p < 0.05) with some sperm motility parameters and with plasma membrane (PON1 and TEAC) and acrosome (SOD and TEAC) integrity. In contrast, OSI was higher (p < 0.05) in the SP of PFE than in that of GFE, and was negatively correlated (p < 0.05) to some sperm motility parameters and to plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, and positively (p < 0.05) to the percentage of viable sperm with high plasma membrane lipid disorder. In conclusion, enzymatic (PON1 and SOD) and non-enzymatic (TEAC) antioxidants of SP are related to horse sperm cryotolerance. In addition, our results suggest that PON1 could be one of the main antioxidant enzymes involved in the control of ROS in this species. Further investigation is needed to confirm the potential use of these SP-antioxidants and OSI to predict sperm cryotolerance in horses.
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Eﬀect of Estradiol and Progesterone on Metabolic Biomarkers in Healthy Bitches
(Wiley , 2013) Carrillo Sánchez, J. D.; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Cerón Madrigal, José Joaquín; Medicina y Cirugía Animal; Facultades de la UMU::Facultad de Veterinaria
El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la posible asociación entre los cambios hormonales que ocurren durante el estro y los biomarcadores relacionados con el metabolismo de la glucosa (glucosa e insulina), el metabolismo lipídico (perfil lipídico y BChE) y las adipocinas (adiponectina y grelina) en perras sanas. Con este propósito, se midieron estos analitos en suero de perras en dos momentos: antes (T1) y después (T2) del pico de LH, establecidos según las concentraciones de progesterona. Se observaron niveles aumentados de colesterol total (p < 0,01), colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de alta densidad (HDL-C) (p < 0,01), colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LDL-C) (p < 0,01), adiponectina (p < 0,01) y grelina (p < 0,05) en T2 en comparación con T1. No se observaron cambios estadísticamente significativos en la glucosa sérica, insulina, modelo de evaluación de la homeostasis para la sensibilidad a la insulina (HOMA), triglicéridos ni en la BChE. Cuando se analizaron conjuntamente los datos de T1 y T2, la adiponectina sérica mostró correlación positiva con la progesterona (r = 0,353; p = 0,022) y con HDL-C (r = 0,307; p = 0,048), y correlación negativa con la insulina (r = -0,429; p = 0,005), con HOMA (r = -0,446; p = 0,003) y con BChE (r = -0,522; p < 0,001). La grelina mostró correlación negativa con el estradiol (r = -0,701; p = 0,004). La BChE se correlacionó negativamente con el estradiol (r = -0,441; p = 0,018) y con la glucosa (r = -0,343; p = 0,028), y positivamente con la insulina (r = 0,460; p = 0,003) y con HOMA (r = 0,505; p < 0,001). En conclusión, tras el pico de LH se producen cambios en los biomarcadores metabólicos en perras, caracterizados por un aumento de los lípidos (colesterol total, colesterol HDL y colesterol LDL) sin cambios en la actividad de BChE, así como un incremento en las concentraciones de adiponectina y grelina, sin cambios significativos en la glucosa ni en la insulina.
Open Access
Evaluation of the effect of a live interview in journalism students on salivary stress biomarkers and conventional stress scales
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-02-09) Roca Marín, Delfina; Escribano Tortosa, Damián; Franco Martínez, Lorena; Contreras Aguilar, María Dolores; Bernal Gambín, Luis Jesús; Cerón Madrigal, José Joaquín; Rojo Villada, Pedro Antonio; Martínez Subiela, Silvia; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Comunicación; Facultades de la UMU::Comunicación y Documentación
A career in journalism can be very stressful, as journalists frequently have to deal with uncontrolled situations such as conducting live interviews. Therefore, training is essential during their career, both for the development of communication skills and for the improvement of the real and effective capacity to perform the tasks of their professional activity. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of stress in students before and after a practical training in a professional television set using subjective (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Likert scale) and objective (salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase) methods. The results indicate that a live interview produces stress in the students as revealed by increased concentrations of cortisol and alpha amylase in saliva. Furthermore, students with lower initial concentrations of these biomarkers obtained better grades in evaluation, suggesting that greater control of anticipatory stress could be associated with a better activity performance.
Open Access
Measurement of urea and creatinine in saliva of dogs: a pilot study
( BioMed Central , 2018-07-20) Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Pardo Marín, Luis; Tecles Vicente, Fernando; Carrillo Sánchez, J. D.; García Martínez, Juan Diego; Bernal Gambín, Luis Jesús; Pastor, Josep; Cerón Madrigal, José Joaquín; Martínez Subiela, Silvia; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
Background: Urea and creatinine in saliva have been reported to be possible markers of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in humans. The aim of this study was to assess if urea and creatinine could be measured in canine saliva, and to evaluate their possible changes in situations of CKD. Results: The spectrophotometric assays for urea and creatinine measurements in saliva of dogs showed intra- and inter-assay imprecision lower than 12% and coefficients of correlation close to 1 in linearity under dilution tests. Healthy dogs showed median salivary concentrations of urea of 39.6 mg/dL and creatinine of 0.30 mg/dL, whereas dogs with CKD showed median salivary urea of 270.1 mg/dL and creatinine of 1.86 mg/dL. Positive high correlations were found between saliva and serum activities of the two analytes (urea, r = 0.909; P < 0.001; creatinine, r = 0.819; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Urea and creatinine concentrations can be measured in canine saliva with commercially available spectrophotometric assays. Both analytes showed higher values in saliva of dogs with CKD compared with healthy dogs and their values were highly correlated with those in serum in our study conditions.
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Seminal plasma antioxidants are directly involved in boar sperm cryotolerance
(Elsevier, 2018-02) Li, Junwei; Barranco Cascales, Isabel; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Molina, Manuel F.; Martínez García, Emilio; Rodríguez Martínez, Heriberto; Parrilla Riera, Inmaculada; Roca Aleu, Jorge; Medicina y Cirugía Animal
Boar ejaculates are ejected in fractions with a specific composition in terms of sperm numbers and seminal plasma (SP), which is reflected in the varying sperm cryotolerance observed among different fractions. As boar sperm are particularly sensitive to oxidative stress, this study evaluated the role of SP antioxidants in the observed differences in sperm cryotolerance among ejaculate fractions. Ten ejaculates from five boars were manually collected in fractions: the first 10 mL of the sperm-rich fraction (SRF), the rest of the SRF and the post-SRF. Semen samples comprising the entire ejaculate (EE) were created by proportionally mixing the three fractions described above. Each of the 40 resulting semen samples was split into two aliquots: one was used for sperm cryopreservation following a standard protocol utilizing 0.5-mL straws, and the other was used to collect SP for antioxidant assessment. Frozen-thawed (FT) sperm from the SRF (the first 10 mL of the SRF and the rest of the SRF) and those from post-SRF were of the highest and worst quality, respectively, which was measured in terms of total and objective progressive motility and viability (P < 0.01). Viable FT sperm from the post-SRF generated more reactive oxygen species and experienced more lipid peroxidation than those from the SRF (both the first 10 mL and the rest of the SRF) (P < 0.01). The percentage of FT sperm exhibiting fragmented nuclear DNA did not differ among ejaculate fractions and the EE. Catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione peroxidase 5 (GPx-5) were lowest in SP from the first 10 mL of the SRF (P < 0.001), whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD) and paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) were highest in SP of the SRF (both the first 10 mL and the rest of the SRF) (P < 0.01). Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and the ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) were highest in SP from the first 10 mL of the SRF and lowest in the post-SRF (P < 0.001), whereas cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity was lowest (P < 0.05) in SP from the first 10 mL of the SRF. Regression analyses indicated that certain SP antioxidants had good predictive value for post-thaw recovery rates of total motility (R2 = 54.8%, P < 0.001; including SOD, TEAC and FRAP) and viability (R2 = 56.1%, P < 0.001; including SOD, PON-1, GPx-5 and TEAC). These results demonstrated that certain SP antioxidants are positively involved in boar sperm cryotolerance, minimizing the oxidative stress imposed by cryogenic handling.