Currently, considering cryopreservation of bull semen, there is no clear consensus over the comparability of cryoprotective efficacy of extenders with soybean lecithin and those based on egg yolk. The objective of this study was to prove the use of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) extracted from hen-egg yolk as an enhancing factor for soybean lecithin-based extenders. In total, 35 ejaculates of (seven bulls x five ejaculates per bull) were collected and cryopreserved at a commercial insemination centre. The effect of the LDL addition to the extenders AndroMed® and Bioxcell® was tested in a 6% (v/v) concentration on spermatozoa after thawing. Modified extender composition effects were assessed on sperm functional parameters motility, plasma membrane, mitochondrial membrane potential and acrosomal integrity after thawing by CASA, flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy, respectively. Based on kinematic parameters determined from CASA, k-means cluster analysis was used to classify individual spermatozoon into specific subpopulations (fast, medium fast and slow). A subpopulation of fast spermatozoa was increased in the presence of LDL in both selected extenders (P 0.05). The percentage of sperm with intact acrosome was improved when LDL was added to Bioxcell® extender (P less then 0.05). On the other hand, addition of LDL to AndroMed® extender improved mitochondrial intactness after thawing (P less then 0.05). In conclusion, our results showed that adding LDL to selected soybean lecithin-based extenders considerably ameliorated the functional parameters of spermatozoa after thawing and thus this lipoprotein could represent an improving agent for soybean lecithin-based extender for bull semen cryopreservation.Transvaginal follicular aspiration technique together with in vitro embryo production are the biotechnological alternatives currently available to support genetic improvement breeding programs in buffalo species. see more However, aspects related to animal management, lack of knowledge of the metabolic needs and biochemical peculiarities of gametes and embryos, as well as the reproductive physiology characteristics have hampered progress in the results. Despite the low availability of good quality oocytes collected after OPU in donors as a physiological characteristic of buffalo species, high rates of oocyte maturation, modest embryo cleavage, blastocyst production and pregnancy rates after transvaginal embryo transfer in recipients could be obtained in buffalo in vitro embryo production programs. The results of implementing an in vitro embryo production program in buffaloes in the northern region of Pará state, Brazil, and results published by other groups demonstrate the feasibility of implementing this biotechnology in the routine of breeding programs. Nevertheless, in order to achieve better and consistent results, it is necessary to deepen the knowledge on the peculiarities of reproductive biology in this specie. Selection of donor animals based on ovarian size and ovarian follicular reserve and on the rate of blastocyst production is presented as an effective alternative to increase the efficiency of the in vitro embryo production technique applied to the buffalo species.In Vitro Embryo Production (IVP) is widely used to improve the reproductive efficiency of livestock animals, however increasing the embryo development rates and pregnancy outcomes is still a challenge for some species. Thus, the lack of biological knowledge hinders developing specie-specific IVP protocols. Therefore, the contributions of RNA-seq to generate relevant biological knowledge and improve the efficiency of IVP in livestock animals are reviewed herein.Diabetes and non-coding RNAs are receiving increasing attention in contemporary medical research. The present study aimed to explore the role of the long non-coding RNA uc.48+ in the pathological changes of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by observing the effects of uc.48+ small interfering RNA (siRNA) on the abdominal cells of a mouse model of T2DM. Mice with T2DM (DM group) were established by feeding with a high-sugar and -fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injections of low-dose streptozotocin. An intraperitoneal injection of uc.48+ siRNA was administered to the diabetic mice, and the serum levels of cytokines together with other clinical parameters, namely blood pressure, heart rate, mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were examined. Following the collection and identification of abdominal cells from the mice, the mRNA levels of uc.48+, mRNA and protein levels of the P2X7 receptor, and phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 were evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR n T2DM via interaction with the P2X7 receptor.Hydrogel nanoparticles (also known as nanogels) have been utilized for a wide range of applications including analytics, sensors, drug delivery, immune engineering, and biotechnology. While these types of nanoparticles can be characterized using standard colloidal characterization techniques, degradation profiles typically must be inferred from those of bulk gels with the same formulation, typically by applying swelling ratios and rheological measurements that tend to severely underestimate nanoparticle degradation rates. Herein, we present an analysis of the degradation via ester hydrolysis of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA)-based hydrogel nanoparticles in water, varied pH conditions, and redox environments. We perform this characterization using thermogravimetric analysis and mass spectrometry to analyze rates of degradation and products released, respectively, and compare results to those for equivalent bulk gel formulations. Our findings show that PEGDA-based nanoparticles display significant mass loss over time accompanied by negligible changes in hydrodynamic diameter, indicating a bulk mode of degradation. Nanoparticle mass loss occurs at a much higher rate than for bulk gels under comparable incubation conditions, confirming that bulk gel degradation serves as a poor surrogate for nanoparticle degradation. We further demonstrate that the incorporation of other diacrylate-based co-monomers drastically accelerates nanoparticle degradation rates. Through formulation considerations of co-monomer content and weight percent of PEGDA, we demonstrate the ability to tune the degradation rates of PEGDA-based nanoparticles on a range of hours to weeks. These findings highlight critical design considerations for enhancing the tunability and utility of PEGDA hydrogel nanoparticles and introduce a rigorous framework for the characterization of nanogel degradation.