Background: This study aimed to select high-quality spermatozoa by fresh domestic feline semen using sperm separation by magnetic activation (MASS), compared to density gradient centrifugation (DGC), and to evaluate cell quality after selection. Methods: Semen was collected from ten domestic felines by pharmacological sampling using dexmedetomidine and ketamine followed by urethral catheterization. The following parameters were analyzed: motility (computer assisted semen analysis), concentration (Neubauer chamber), semen morphology (humid chamber), and supravital test (eosin/nigrosine staining). In DGC, 20 × 106 spermatozoa were used in a gradient of Percoll at 90% and 45%, centrifuged at 900 g for 5 min, and the pellet was diluted in HEPES buffer. In MASS, 10 × 106 spermatozoa were diluted in HEPES buffer, centrifuged at 300 g for 10 min. The pellet was then resuspended in HEPES buffer with nanoparticles bound to annexin V, incubated for 15 min, and then filtered in the magnetic separation column. Results: The total abnormalities in the fresh semen were 47.9 ± 4.47%, with DGC and MASS being effective in reducing sperm abnormalities by 15.4 ± 0.95% and 29.80 ± 4.90%, respectively. Conclusions: This nanotechnological method is efficient in producing high-quality semen samples for assisted reproduction.

This study were to perform for verifying the activation areas in the human's brain during mastication by using functional-MRI (f-MRI) device on the basis of hypothesis regarding anatomical-physiological parts of brain processing the information of motor and sensory function, and to perform further more for a providing basic provisional foundation about diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of abnormal occlusion as applying functional MRI. Generally healthy 10 volunteers who have a normal occlusion were selected. The half of members of volunteers was female. Age distributions were approximately alike. Before taking a f-MRI, sufficient practice was carried out as strict standards and made volunteers be not sensible to sweet taste of gum through chewing gum for 30 minutes before taking a f-MRI. Functional images for all volunteers were firstly obtained, and then anatomical images were next. The functional images consisted of echo-planar image volumes which were sensitive to BOLD (blood oxygenation level-dependent) contrast in axial orientation. The volume covered the whole brain with a 64×64 matrix and 42 slices. Images with 64 volumes were acquired under periodic mastication. The orofacial sensorimotor cortex was primary responsible cerebral part during mastication and insula. And also supplementary motor area and cerebellum in brain were intimately connected with mastication. Other numerous anatomical parts of brain were activated in each volunteer during mastication, but there was no statistical significance in this experiment. Differences according to gender and age were no significance in this study. The f-MRI device showed the accurate and detailed image in activation area of brain through valuable device. It suggested that f-MRI might be helpful to establish the basis of funtional standard occlusion depend on activation area of brain.