Scientific methods and patented technology
Concentration and Motility Analysis
QualiSperm uses proprietary semen analysis algorithms based on fundamentally new technologies rendering reproductive analysis at all levels of concentration. Our Trajectory algorithm and Image Correlation Analysis Method, combined with advanced Digital Sperm Washing, delivers fast and accurate results.
Image Recognition
Using a larger field, QualiSperm is able to determine more sperms per unit area than any other CASA software. Its advanced image recognition algorithm captures up to 1000 sperms per image within only 4 seconds and further increases accuracy by scanning as many individual fields as are needed to reach a statistically relevant number.
Trajectory Analysis
In addition to very precise concentration results Qualisperm automatically renders adequate percentages for any given motility class within the same Analysis process. Tracking each sperms velocity averaged path (VAP) QualiSperm delivers precise trajectory analysis assessing the overall sperm velocity as well as fractions of sperms within the four WHO defined speed classes.
Digital Sperm Washing
Our unique Digital Sperm Washing (DSW) algorithm significantly improves discrimination of non sperm objects within the captured images. This technology obliterates time consuming manual post processing and delivers precise results measuring concentration and motility.
Image Correlation Analysis
Our own Image Correlation Analysis (IMA) method combined with the mentioned trajectory analysis delivers outstanding results at any concentration since combining the two methods has a unique complementary advantage; While trajectory analysis is very accurate when sperm concentration is low our image correlation method delivers excellent results at high concentrations. Together these two methods guarantee constant high quality results.
Morphology
The sperm morphology module of QualiSperm is primarily based on mathematical morphology segmentation techniques. A dynamic local threshold operation transforms the grayscale microscope image into a binary matrix.
Several morphological shape-based filters are applied to identify various, specific sperm parts: head, acrosome, mid-piece and tail. The identified (segmented) sperm parts are then quantified in terms of purely geometric parameters such as length, width, area, angles, symmetry, perimeter and roughness.
Sperms are classified against the WHO and Kruger sperm normality criteria. For instance, a head shape is classified as tapered if the ratio between head length and head width is higher than its corresponding normality interval.
Publications
2023 - Sperm of more colourful males are better adapted to ovarian fluids in lake char (Salmonidae)
David Nusbaumer, Laura Garaud, Christian de Guttry, Laurie Ançay, Claus Wedekind
Molecular Biology 2023, vol. 32, number 19
2022- Point-of-care device for assessing male fertility in animals through measurement of sperm concentration and motility
Najdenovska, Elena; Dutoit, Fabien; Gomez Baisac, Loris; Karlova, Yulia; Karlov, Alexandre; Roux, Adrien et al
Poster at 25th Annual European Society for Domestic Animal Reproduction Conference - ESDAR 2022 (28.09-02.10.2022, Thessaloniki, Greece)
2022 - Topical reinforcement of the cervical mucus barrier to sperm
Ulrike Schimpf et al.
Sci. Transl. Med. 14, eabm2417 (2022)
2022 - Semen Modulates Cell Proliferation and Differentiation-Related Transcripts in the Pig Peri-Ovulatory Endometrium
Jaume Gardela, Mateo Ruiz-Conca, Dominic Wright , Manel López-Béjar, Cristina A. Martínez, Heriberto Rodríguez-Martínez and Manuel Álvarez-Rodríguez
Biology 2022, 11(4), 616
2022 - Sex-specific life history affected by stocking in juvenile brown trout
Palejowski Hugo, Bylemans Jonas, Ammann Victor, Marques da Cunha Lucas, Nusbaumer David, Castro Isabelle, Uppal Anshu, Mobley Kenyon Brice, Knörr Susanne, Wedekind Claus
2022/05/02. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10 p. 869925. Peer-reviewed.
2022 - Bicarbonate-Triggered In Vitro Capacitation of Boar Spermatozoa Conveys an Increased Relative Abundance of the Canonical Transient Receptor Potential Cation (TRPC) Channels 3, 4, 6 and 7 and of CatSper-γ Subunit mRNA Transcripts
Estíbaliz Lacalle, César Consuegra, Cristina A. Martínez, Manuel Hidalgo, Jesús Dorado, Felipe Martínez-Pastor, Manuel Álvarez-Rodríguez and Heriberto Rodríguez-Martínez
Animals 2022, 12(8), 1012
2021 - Sex-Specific Stress Tolerance in Embryos of Lake Char (Salvelinus umbla)
Nusbaumer David, Garaud Laura, Ançay Laurie, Wedekind Claus
2021/11/17. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9. Peer-reviewed.
2021 - Testing for population differences in evolutionary responses to pesticide pollution in brown trout (Salmo trutta)
Nusbaumer D., Marques da Cunha L., Wedekind C.
2021/02. Evolutionary applications, 14 (2) pp. 462-475. Peer-reviewed.
2021 - Male sexual signalling and expected effects of hatchery-induced sperm competition vary with water depth at which whitefish are caught
Perroud Giulia, Nusbaumer David, de Guttry Christian, Wedekind Claus
2021/01/30. Current Zoology, 67 (3) pp. 337-340.
2020 - The impact of long-term reduced access to cleaner fish on health indicators of resident client fish
Ros AFH, Nusbaumer D., Triki Z., Grutter A.S., Bshary R.
The Journal of experimental biology, 223 (Pt 24) pp. jeb231613. Peer-reviewed.
2020 – Chicken seminal fluid lacks CD9- and CD44-bearingextracellular vesicles
Alvarez-Rodriguez M, Ntzouni M, Wright D, et al.
Reprod Dom Anim. 2020; 55: 293–300
2019 – Assessment of Oligo-Chitosan Biocompatibility toward Human Spermatozoa
Schimpf U, Nachmann G, Trombotto S, Houska P, Yan H, Björndahl L, Crouzier T
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2019; 11:50, 46572-46584
2019 – A splice donor variant in CCDC189 is associated with asthenospermia in Nordic Red dairy cattle
Iso-Touru T, Wurmser C, Venhoranta H. et al
Iso-Touru T, BMGenomics 2019; 20:286
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