Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(n-3 PUFAs),particularly docosahexaenoic acid(22:6n-3,DHA),play crucial roles in the reproductive health of vertebrates,including humans.Nevertheless,the underlying mechanism related...Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(n-3 PUFAs),particularly docosahexaenoic acid(22:6n-3,DHA),play crucial roles in the reproductive health of vertebrates,including humans.Nevertheless,the underlying mechanism related to this phenomenon remains largely unknown.In this study,we employed two zebrafish genetic models,i.e.,elovl2^(-/-)mutant as an endogenous DHAdeficient model and fat1(omega-3 desaturase encoding gene)transgenic zebrafish as an endogenous DHA-rich model,to investigate the effects of DHA on oocyte maturation and quality.Results show that the elovl2^(-/-)mutants had much lower fecundity and poorer oocyte quality than the wild-type controls,while the fat1 zebrafish had higher fecundity and better oocyte quality than wildtype controls.DHA deficiency in elovl2^(-/-)embryos led to defects in egg activation,poor microtubule stability,and reduced pregnenolone levels.Further study revealed that DHA promoted pregnenolone synthesis by enhancing transcription of cyp11a1,which encodes the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme,thereby stabilizing microtubule assembly during oogenesis.In turn,the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis was enhanced by DHA.In conclusion,using two unique genetic models,our findings demonstrate that endogenously synthesized DHA promotes oocyte maturation and quality by promoting pregnenolone production via transcriptional regulation of cyp11a1.展开更多
BACKGROUND The exercise of limb function is the most economical and safe method to promote the maturation of arteriovenous fistula(AVF).However,due to the lack of a uni-fied exercise standard in China,many patients ha...BACKGROUND The exercise of limb function is the most economical and safe method to promote the maturation of arteriovenous fistula(AVF).However,due to the lack of a uni-fied exercise standard in China,many patients have insufficient awareness of the importance of AVF,leading to poor effectiveness of limb function exercise.The self-management education model can effectively promote patients to take pro-active health-related actions.This study focuses on the characteristics of patients during the peri-AVF period and conducts a phased limb function exercise under the guidance of the self-management education model to observe changes in fac-tors such as the maturity of AVF.AIM To assess the impact of stage-specific limb function exercises,directed by a self-management education model,on the maturation status of AVFs.METHODS This study is a randomized controlled trial involving 74 patients with forearm AVFs from the Nephrology Department of a tertiary hospital in Sichuan Province,China.Patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using a random number table method.The observation group underwent tailored stage-specific limb func-tion exercises,informed by a self-management education model which took into account the unique features of AVF at various stages,in conjunction with routine care.Conversely,the control group was given standard limb function exercises along with routine care.The assessment involves the maturity of AVFs post-intervention,post-operative complications,and the self-management level of the fistula in both groups patients.Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 23.0.Count data were represented by frequency and percentage and subjected to chi-square test comparisons.Measurement data adhering to a normal distribution were presented as mean±SD.The independent samples t-test was utilized for inter-group comparisons,while the paired t-test was used for intra-group comparisons.For measurement data not fitting a normal distribution,the median and interquartile range were presented and analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test.RESULTS At the 8-wk postoperative mark,the observation group demonstrated significantly higher scores in AVF symptom recognition,symptom prevention,and self-management compared to the control group(P<0.05).However,the variance in symptom management scores between the observation and control groups lacked statistical signi-ficance(P>0.05).At 4 wk after the operation,the observation group displayed a superior vessel diameter and depth from the skin of the drainage vessels in comparison to the control group(P<0.05).While the observation group did manifest elevated blood flow rates in the drainage vessels relative to the control group,this distinction was not statistically significant(P>0.05).By the 8-wk postoperative interval,the observation group outperformed the control group with notable enhancements in blood flow rates,vessel diameter,and depth from the skin of drainage vessels(P<0.01).Seven days following the procedure,the observation group manifested significantly diminished limb swelling and an overall reduced complication rate in contrast to the control group(P<0.05).The evaluation of infection,thrombosis,embolism,arterial aneurysm stenosis,and incision bleeding showed no notable differences between the two groups(P>0.05).By the 4-wk postoperative juncture,complications between the observation and control groups were statistically indistinguishable(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Stage-specific limb function exercises,under the guidance of a self-management education model,amplify the capacity of AVF patients to discern and prevent symptoms.Additionally,they expedite AVF maturation and miti-gate postoperative limb edema,underscoring their efficacy as a valuable method for the care and upkeep of AVF in hemodialysis patients.展开更多
Background:Heavy metal cadmium(Cd)is a widespread environmental contaminant with a potential toxicity that might negatively affect female reproduction and fertility.It has been reported that Cd exposure impaired the q...Background:Heavy metal cadmium(Cd)is a widespread environmental contaminant with a potential toxicity that might negatively affect female reproduction and fertility.It has been reported that Cd exposure impaired the quality of oocytes and led to a defective maturation and fertilization,through oxidative stress induction.Resveratrol(Res)is a natural polyphenol with strong antioxidant properties that exhibited protective role in preventing oocyte redox homeostasis disruption and quality decline.Here,we explored whether the addition of Res to in vitro maturation(IVM)medium might act as a protection against Cd-induced toxicity on ovine oocyte maturation and fertilization.Firstly,we evaluated the effect of supplementing IVM medium with two different Res concentrations(1and 2μmol/L)on nuclear maturation and fertilization of oocytes matured under CdCl2(2μmol/L)exposure.Therefore,the concentration of 1μmol/L Res was selected to analyse the effects of this compound on intracellular ROS levels,mitochondrial(mt)distribution and activity,chromatin configuration,cytoskeleton morphology,cortical granules(CGs)distribution and mRNA expression of genes associated with cellular response to oxidative stress(i.e.SIRT1,SOD 1,GPX1,GSR,CAT)in Cd-exposed in vitro matured oocytes.Results:We found that 1μmol/L Res restored the reduced oocyte meiotic competence induced by Cd exposure as well as,Res sustained oocyte ability to be normally fertilized and decreased polyspermic fertilization at both tested concentrations.Moreover,we demonstrated that 1μmol/L Res mitigated Cd-induced alterations of oocyte cytoplasmic maturation by reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation,preventing mt dysfunction,maintaining the correct meiotic spindle and cortical F-actin assembly and the normal cortical granule distribution as well as up-regulating SIRT1,SOD1 and GPX1 genes.Conclusions:Taken together,our findings highlighted the beneficial influence exerted by Res in preventing Cdinduced disturbance of nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation and subsequent fertilization in ovine oocytes.Res treatment may help to establish defence strategies counteracting Cd-induced toxicity on the female gamete.展开更多
The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a diploid perennial plant of the Arecaceae family. It is the most important plant cultivated for oil production. To ensure this production, certain optimal conditions are requ...The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a diploid perennial plant of the Arecaceae family. It is the most important plant cultivated for oil production. To ensure this production, certain optimal conditions are required: temperature, sunshine, rainfall, etc. The oil palm ensures its survival through the fruits borne on bunches located at the axis of the 17th to 20th leaves from the central stem. From pollination to the maturity of a bunch it takes about 4.5 to 6 months. Several events occur during this period: seed enlargement, weight increase, colour change, etc., but also important physiological changes: synthesis of some pigments (anthocyanin), increase in oil content correlated with the decrease in water content, etc. All of these constitute factors that can provide a better understanding of the biology of the seed. The aim of this work was to review some of the important parameters involved in the development and maturation of oil palm fruit bunches. These factors are classified into physiological, biochemical as well as environmental. The physiological parameters are color, appearance of embryo, seed weight and fruit detachment from bunches;Biochemical parameters include water content, oil content, carbohydrate, protein, mineral contents and lipase activity while temperature is the main environmental factor that affects fruit maturation. Thorough research has not yet been done at the different stages of maturation and ripening, thus a deep look into this may open up new avenues for research on early germinated oil palm seed production prior to seed dormancy.展开更多
In dialysis treatment, the radio-cephalic arteriovenous fistula (RCAVF) is a commonly used fistula, yet its low maturation rate remains a challenge. To enhance surgical outcomes, the relationship between stenosis-pron...In dialysis treatment, the radio-cephalic arteriovenous fistula (RCAVF) is a commonly used fistula, yet its low maturation rate remains a challenge. To enhance surgical outcomes, the relationship between stenosis-prone locations and RCAVF anastomosis angle is studied during maturation by developing two sets of RCAVF models for early (non-mature) and mature RCAVFs at five anastomosis angles. The impact of hemodynamics and wall shear stress (WSS) is examined to determine optimal anastomotic angles. Results indicate that acute angles produce more physiological WSS distributions and fewer disturbed regions, with early stenosis-prone regions located near the anastomosis that shift to the bending venous segment during remodeling. A pilot study comparing clinical and numerical results is conducted for validation.展开更多
p28, a 28kD protein from toad (Bufo bufo gargarizans) oocytes, was identified by using p13suc1-agaroseaffinity chromatography. Sequence homology analysis of the full-length cDNA of p28 (Gene Bank accessionnumber: AF 3...p28, a 28kD protein from toad (Bufo bufo gargarizans) oocytes, was identified by using p13suc1-agaroseaffinity chromatography. Sequence homology analysis of the full-length cDNA of p28 (Gene Bank accessionnumber: AF 314091) indicated that it encodes a protein containing 224 amino-acids with about 55% iden-tities and more than 70% positives to human, rat or mouse UCH-L1, and contains homological functionaldomains of UCH family. Anti-p28 monoclonal antibody, on injecting into the oocytes, could inhibit theprogesterone-induced resumption of meiotic division in a dose-dependent manner. The recombinant proteinp28 showed similar SDS/PAGE behaviors to the native one, and promoted ubiquitin ethyl ester hydrolysis,a classical catalytic reaction for ubiquitin carboxyl terminai hydrolases (UCHs). The results in this paperreveal that a novel protein, p28, exists in the toad oocytes, is a UCH L1 homolog, was engaged in theprocess of progesterone-induced oocyte maturation possibly through an involvement in protein turnover anddegradation.展开更多
Background: Resveratrol, an important phyto-antioxidant commonly found in grapes, mulberry, and other plants,has a variety of functions including anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. In the curren...Background: Resveratrol, an important phyto-antioxidant commonly found in grapes, mulberry, and other plants,has a variety of functions including anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. In the current study, we investigated the beneficial effects of resveratrol on in vitro porcine oocyte maturation under heat stress(HS). The effect of resveratrol, melatonin and their combination on alleviating HS was compared according to the maturation rate of oocytes and the development competence of embryos after parthenogenetic activation(PA).Results: Supplementation with resveratrol(2.0 μmol/L) not only improved the nuclear maturation but also raised the blastocyst rate of porcine embryos' PA from oocytes that underwent HS by increasing their glutathione(GSH)level, reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS) and up-regulating the expression of Sirtuin 1(SIRT1). It was also found that melatonin(10^(-7)mol/L) and the combination of resveratrol(2.0 μmol/L) plus melatonin(10^(-7)mol/L) exhibited more potent effects than resveratrol alone regarding their protective activities on oocyte maturation under HS.Conclusions: This study compared the efficiencies of resveratrol, melatonin and their combination for protecting porcine oocytes from heat stress. The mechanisms are attributed to the fact that each treatment may have different ability to regulate the synthesis of steroid hormones and the expression of mature related genes.展开更多
With embryogenic callus of Larix olgensisis, we investigated the effects of inositol, glutamine, casein hydrolysate, carbohydrate, abscisic acid and silver nitrate concentration on the maturation of the somatic embryo...With embryogenic callus of Larix olgensisis, we investigated the effects of inositol, glutamine, casein hydrolysate, carbohydrate, abscisic acid and silver nitrate concentration on the maturation of the somatic embryo.Three dominant factors emerged, and we developed a response surface model based on the Box-Behnken design.We defined the optimal conditions for the maturation of somatic embryos. The contents of abscisic acid, silver nitrate, sucrose and casein hydrolysis significantly affected the amount of maturing embryos, but inositol, maltose and glutamine had no effect. By establishing a response surface model with multiple factors, we predicted that the optimal number of L. olgensis somatic embryos was 204 ± 4 g^(-1) on basal medium, containing 18.28 mg L^(-1) abscisic acid,5.46 mg L^(-1) silver nitrate and 82.67 g L^(-1) sucrose. In the verification experiments, the addition of 20 mg L^(-1) abscisic acid, 5 mg L^(-1) silver nitrate and 80 g L^(-1) sucrose to BM yielded an average of 202.06 somatic embryos per gram. These results should guide large-scale breeding of L. olgensis.展开更多
The reconstruction of thermal history is an important component of basin evolution and hydrocarbon exploration.Based on vitrinite reflectance data,we integrate the paleo-temperature gradient and paleo-heat flow method...The reconstruction of thermal history is an important component of basin evolution and hydrocarbon exploration.Based on vitrinite reflectance data,we integrate the paleo-temperature gradient and paleo-heat flow methods to reconstruct the thermal history of Junggar Basin.Compared with present thermal state,the Junggar Basin experienced much a higher heat flow of ca.80–120 mW/m2 during the Carboniferous.This feature can be attributed to large-scale volcanic events and related thermal effects.The hydrocarbon maturation history of Carboniferous source rocks indicates that the temperature rapidly reached the threshold of hydrocarbon generation during the Late Carboniferous and has never achieved such a high level since then.This characteristic resulted in the early maturation of hydrocarbons in Carboniferous source rocks.Meanwhile,the results reveal that hydrocarbon maturities are different among various tectonic units in Junggar Basin.The kerogen either rapidly broke through the dry gas period so that cracking of gas occurred or remained in the oil maturation window forming oil reservoirs,which depended on the tectonic background and depositional environment.In this study,we present the thermal and hydrocarbon maturation history since the Carboniferous,which has important implications for further hydrocarbon exploration in Junggar Basin.展开更多
The changes in content of Ca2 + and CaM, Ca2 + -ATPase activity and active oxygen metabolism during strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv. Chunxing) fruits maturation and senescence were investigated in this study. T...The changes in content of Ca2 + and CaM, Ca2 + -ATPase activity and active oxygen metabolism during strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv. Chunxing) fruits maturation and senescence were investigated in this study. The results showed that the soluble Ca2 + content and SOD activity in fruits tended to decline and O2.-production rate to increase, the Ca2+ -ATPase activity peaked at first and then declined during fruits maturation and senescence. There were the highest CaM content at white stage in preharvest fruits and at marked senescence stage in postharvest ones. The above biochemical changes in fruits stored at low temperature (4℃) were slower than those stored at normal temperature(25℃ ). Thus, it indicated that the stimulation of calcium messenger system and accumulation of active oxygen free radical were closely related to fruits maturation and senescence.展开更多
Much recent researches have demonstrated that the quality of freshly-harvested wheat could be improved during postharvest maturation by determinating the rheological properties.However,this process is time-consuming a...Much recent researches have demonstrated that the quality of freshly-harvested wheat could be improved during postharvest maturation by determinating the rheological properties.However,this process is time-consuming and complex.This study aimed to provide a rapid and convenient method for predicting wheat quality during postharvest maturation by use of Gluto Peak device.Farinograph and Extensograph were used to determine the rheological properties of four wheat samples(WT1,WT2,WT3,WT4)stored under different conditions(WT1:15℃,50%RH;WT2:20℃65%RH;WT3:28℃75%RH;WT4:35℃85%RH)for a total of 10 weeks,and Gluto Peak test was used to determine the gluten aggregation properties of the four samples.Correlation analysis was also conducted between the rheological properties and the gluten aggregation properties.Results of rheological properties showed that all Extensographic properties(dough extensibility,resistance,maximum resistance and area)of the four samples increased along with the storage time,and the Farinographic properties(water absorption,dough development time,dough stability time,and farinograph quality number(FQN))had the same tendency,indicating that the rheological properties were improved considerably with storage time extending.The Gluto Peak curves revealed that Peak Maximum Time(PMT),Brabender Equivalents Maximum(BEM)and Energy to Maximum Torque(En MT)of wheat flour of the four samples varied greatly,particularly the PMT and En MT of the samples WT3 and WT4 increased remarkably.Results of correlation analysis showed that En MT had significant correlation with water absorption and area(P<0.05)for sample WT1,and also showed significant correlation with dough development time(P<0.05)for sample WT2.For sample WT3,PMT was significantly correlated with the dough development time,extensibility,area(P<0.05),and FQN(P<0.01);and En MT was in significant correction with water absorption(P<0.01),and dough stability time,FQN,extensibility,maximum resistance and area(P<0.05).For sample WT4,both PMT and En MT had significant correction with area(P<0.05).The study indicated that the Gluto Peak test is effective in quality prediction for the freshly-harvested wheat during postharvest maturation,making it possible to realize rapid wheat quality detection and evaluation in storage period.展开更多
Largehead hairtail(Trichiurus japonicus)is a commercially important fish species in China Seas,characterized by wide distribution,seasonal migration,spawning all year round.Under long-term high fishing pressure,the bi...Largehead hairtail(Trichiurus japonicus)is a commercially important fish species in China Seas,characterized by wide distribution,seasonal migration,spawning all year round.Under long-term high fishing pressure,the biological traits of largehead hair-tail have changed,such as miniaturization,smaller size-at-age and earlier age-at-maturation.To explore its current biological charac-ters,we analyzed age,growth and maturation of largehead hairtail in the East China Sea by analyzing the otolith microstructure and gonads.The results showed that largehead hairtail is mainly composed of 1 year and 2 years old individuals.The estimated von Ber-talanffy growth function(VBGF)showed significant differences between sexes,and asymptotic pre-anal length of male is longer than that of female.Two spawning seasons were observed in spring and autumn by monthly gonadosomatic index(GSI).Compared to historic survey data,the average pre-anal length at age decreased and size-at-maturation became smaller in the East China Sea.This study updates life history parameters of largehead hairtail,and provides a reference for the present status of largehead hairtail,which can contribute to largehead haritail stock assessment and sustainable utilization in the China Seas.展开更多
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can promote developmental competence in mammalian oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM),but the role of BDNF in oocyte maturation at cellular level is not still clear.In thi...Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can promote developmental competence in mammalian oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM),but the role of BDNF in oocyte maturation at cellular level is not still clear.In this study,mouse cumulus-enclosed oocytes subjected to IVM were fertilized and cultured to blastocyst stage.Meiotic spindle configuration and cortical granules distribution during oocyte maturation in vitro were assessed by using immunofluorescence and laser confocal microscopy.The results showed that BDNF contributed to the complete preimplantation development of mouse oocytes compared to the control oocytes (13.78% vs.5.92%;P<0.05).Further,BDNF did not accelerate nuclear maturation of IVM oocytes.For the BDNF-treated oocytes at meiosis Ⅰ,Meiotic spindle areas were significantly smaller and the number of cytoplasmic microtubule organizing centers was greater than that in the control,and the percentages of oocytes showed spindles positioned near the oolemma and a well-formed cortical granule-free domain were significantly higher than that of the control.These morphological characteristics of the BDNF-treated oocytes were much closer to the oocytes matured in vivo than those of the control oocytes.In conclusion,BDNF can promote the developmental competence of mouse IVM oocytes,by improving the meiotic spindle configuration and location and cortical granules distribution at meiosis Ⅰ.展开更多
Background:Recently,defects in mammalian oocytes maturation induced by environmental pollution results in the decreasing animal reproduction.Animal exposed to glyphosate is largely unavoidable because glyphosate is on...Background:Recently,defects in mammalian oocytes maturation induced by environmental pollution results in the decreasing animal reproduction.Animal exposed to glyphosate is largely unavoidable because glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicide worldwide due to its high-efficiency and broad-spectrum effects,which causes glyphosate an environmental contaminant found in soil,water and food.During the last few years,the growing and wider use of glyphosate has raised great concerns about its effects of reproductive toxicity.In this study,using porcine models,we investigated effects of glyphosate on organelle functions during oocyte meiosis.Results:The results showed glyphosate exposure disrupted porcine oocyte maturation.Expression levels of cumulus expansion-related genes were interfered,further indicating the meiotic defects.The damaging effects were mediated by destruction of mitochondrial distribution and functions,which induced ROS accumulation and oxidative stress,also indicated by the decreased mRNA expression of related antioxidant enzyme genes.We also found an interference of endoplasmic reticulum(ER)distribution,disturbance of Ca^(2+)homeostasis,as well as fluctuation of ER stress,showing with the reduced ER stress-related mRNA or protein expression,which could indicate the dysfunction of ER for protein processing and signal transduction in glyphosate-exposed oocytes.Moreover,glyphosate exposure induced the disruption of lysosome function for autophagy,showing with the decrease of LAMP2 expression and autophagy-related genes mRNA expression.Additionally,our data showed the distribution of Golgi apparatus and the functions of ribosome were disturbed after glyphosate exposure,which might affect protein synthesis and transport.Conclusions:Collectively,our study showed that exposed to glyphosate could affect animal reproduction by compromising the quality of oocytes through its wide toxic effects on organelle functions.展开更多
Objective:To assess the effect of L-carnitine supplementation during in vitro oocyte maturation and in vitro culture process of bovine oocytes.Methods:L-carnitine(3.8 mM)was added to maturation medium and the effect w...Objective:To assess the effect of L-carnitine supplementation during in vitro oocyte maturation and in vitro culture process of bovine oocytes.Methods:L-carnitine(3.8 mM)was added to maturation medium and the effect was assessed in the quality(Experiment 1)and in the cleavage and 4-cells stage(Experiment 2).Besides,the effect of L-carnitine addition on maturation medium(3.8 mM)and culture medium(1.5 mM)on embryo rate production was assessed.In Experiment 1,bovine oocytes from abattoir were randomly separated into two groups(the control group and L-carnitine group)forin vitro maturation.Matured oocytes were examined for cumulus cells expansion as an indicator of maturation,and the content of the mitochondrial activity,the presence of lipid droplets,the reduced glutathione,and the reactive oxygen species were measured by using specific fluorochromes.In Experiment 2,oocytes were matured as performed in Experiment 1,afterward fertilized and cultured until day 3,and cleavage rate and 4-cells stage rate were determinated.In Experiment 3,in vitro maturation and fertilization were done as performed in Experiment 2,but at day 3 of culture,each group of embryos was separated into two new groups,and L-carnitine(1.5 mM)was added in culture media until day 8.The cleavage and embryo development rate were determined on the basis with the oocytes put on maturation.Hatching rate was calculated from cleaved embryos.Results:The cumulus expansion rate at gradeⅢand mitochondrial activity were significantly higher in the L-carnitine group in comparison with the control group(P0.05).In addition,cleavage and the proportion of embryo development and hatching rate were similar for all groups(P>0.05).Conclusions:L-carnitine as a supplement in culture media improves the cumulus expansion and increases the mitochondrial activity during in vitro maturation process but has no apparent effect on the cleavage and development of bovine embryos.Further investigations of L-carnitine addition on in vitroculture are needed to test their effect on embryo quality.展开更多
Multiple myeloma(MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy, and is characterized by the clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells. Despite the recent improvement in patient outcome due to the use of novel ...Multiple myeloma(MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy, and is characterized by the clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells. Despite the recent improvement in patient outcome due to the use of novel therapeutic agents and stem cell transplantation, all patients eventually relapse due to clone evolution. B cell maturation antigen(BCMA) is highly expressed in and specific for MM cells, and has been implicated in the pathogenesis as well as treatment development for MM. In this review, we will summarize representative anti-BCMA immune therapeutic strategies, including BCMA-targeted vaccines, anti-BCMA antibodies and BCMA-targeted CAR cells. Combination of different immunotherapeutic strategies of targeting BCMA, multi-target immune therapeutic strategies, and adding immune modulatory agents to normalize anti-MM immune system in minimal residual disease(MRD) negative patients, will also be discussed.展开更多
Fetal bovine serum(FBS) is widely used in cell cultures due to its high stability and easy access. It was also used as a substitute for porcine follicular fluid(PFF) in previous studies. However, FBS components are un...Fetal bovine serum(FBS) is widely used in cell cultures due to its high stability and easy access. It was also used as a substitute for porcine follicular fluid(PFF) in previous studies. However, FBS components are unclear, and the presence of FBS in culture media may introduce a variation from batch to batch. This study aimed to establish an effective method to screen FBS in place of PFF in the culture media for porcine oocytes in vitro. We screened FBS from different sources by using porcine fetal fibroblast cells. The effects of six FBS samples on porcine fetal fibroblast cell growth were tested via frozen cell survival assay, cell clone formation assay, cell growth curve, and cell passage activity assay. The best serum that we called GFBS(heat-inactivated FBS, cat. no. 10500-64;Gibco) showed a similar effect on the maturation and development of porcine oocytes to that of PFF and can be used as a good substitute for PFF. These results suggested that the porcine fetal fibroblast cell culture test can be used as a valuable method to screen FBS for porcine oocyte maturation and embryonic development in vitro.展开更多
Aging is closely related to physiology and disease development in animals.Gut microbiota varies with lifecycle and exerts profound influences on the host.To investigate gut microbial alterations during growth and matu...Aging is closely related to physiology and disease development in animals.Gut microbiota varies with lifecycle and exerts profound influences on the host.To investigate gut microbial alterations during growth and maturation,41 female cynomolgus monkeys(Macaca fascicularis)ranging in age from 1 month to 15 years were divided into four groups(infant,young,adult,and middle-aged).展开更多
The aim of the study was to bring scientific evidence of the curative action of the stem bark aqueous extract of Schumanniophyton magnificum (ASMa) on the sexual maturation and fertility of the immature female Wistar ...The aim of the study was to bring scientific evidence of the curative action of the stem bark aqueous extract of Schumanniophyton magnificum (ASMa) on the sexual maturation and fertility of the immature female Wistar rat. Forty immature female rats were randomized and divided into 4 groups of ten animals each and orally treated with the ASMa at doses of 0 (distilled water), 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg /BW/day for 30 consecutive days. Body weight and food intake were recorded throughout the experimental period. The precocity of the puberty onset in treated animals was evaluated through the determination of their age at vaginal opening. At the end of the experimental period, 5 animals in each group were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for hormonal assay. Their ovaries and uteri were removed, blotted, weighted and prepared for biochemical analysis. The remaining rats (5 per group) were crossed with males of proven fertility. After laparotomy (ten days after mating) and delivery, fertility and gestational parameters were recorded. It was noticed that, body weight gain increased significantly at all doses although there was no significant difference in food intake. The sexual maturation of treated animal was reduced to 5 days when compared to control. This was associated with the simultaneous elevation of FSH and LH (p < 0.0001) at dose of 800 mg/kg and FSH alone (p mg/kg. However, the ovarian cholesterol significantly decreased (p < 0.0001) at all doses while the uterine protein significantly increased (p < 0.05;p mg/kg and 800 mg/kg. The animal treated at doses of 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg exhibited an early fertilization (2 - 3 days) when compared to the control one (9 - 14 days). The number of implantation site significantly increased (p < 0.05;p mg/kg and 800 mg/kg) after laparotomy as well as the number of alive fetuses after delivery and gestational rate (80% and 100%) respectively. These results provide the strong evidence on the induction of the onset puberty and gonadotropin synthesis, the improvement of the ovarian folliculogenesis and the fertility effect of ASMa in immature rats.展开更多
Introduction and Aims—The Growth stage of a patient can have considerable influence on diagnosis, treatment goals, timing and planning and the eventual outcome of orthodontic/orthopedic treatment. The purpose of this...Introduction and Aims—The Growth stage of a patient can have considerable influence on diagnosis, treatment goals, timing and planning and the eventual outcome of orthodontic/orthopedic treatment. The purpose of this study was to analyze associations between the cervical vertebrae maturation score (CVMS) and skeletal maturation index (SMI). The second objective was to determine the reproducibility of the measurements on lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist radiographs. Materials and Methods—Lateral cephalometric and left hand-wrist radiographs of 92 untreated subjects (44 females and 48 males) aged from 8 to 17 years were obtained from the files of the Columbia University, Division of Orthodontics and measured for growth stage using cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist methods. Results—A high correlation was revealed between the hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae measurements. The Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient was 0.925 and significant at the 0.01 level. The correlation between hand-wrist and age (0.665, p < 0.01) was slightly greater than that of the CVMS (0.611, p < 0.01). Intra rater reliability was high. When the three categorically modified methods of the Fishman’s 11 skeletal maturation stages in hand and wrist analysis were used to compare with CVMS, methods 2 and 3 were both statistically significantly different according to the Wilcoxon signed ranks test and the Sign test at a significance level of less than 0.05. However, for method 1, the tests showed probability scores of 0.028 and 0.151, respectively, showing no significant difference at the 0.01 level in the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, and no significant difference in the 0.01 and 0.05 level in the Signed Test. Conclusions—The Fishman’s hand and wrist skeletal maturation index and Bacetti’s cervical vertebrae maturation stages are both useful tools in evaluating growth stages. Fishman’s hand-wrist method is slightly more accurate.展开更多
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Precision Seed Design and Breeding,XDA24010108)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31972780&31721005)+1 种基金National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFA0801000)State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology(2019FBZ05)。
文摘Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(n-3 PUFAs),particularly docosahexaenoic acid(22:6n-3,DHA),play crucial roles in the reproductive health of vertebrates,including humans.Nevertheless,the underlying mechanism related to this phenomenon remains largely unknown.In this study,we employed two zebrafish genetic models,i.e.,elovl2^(-/-)mutant as an endogenous DHAdeficient model and fat1(omega-3 desaturase encoding gene)transgenic zebrafish as an endogenous DHA-rich model,to investigate the effects of DHA on oocyte maturation and quality.Results show that the elovl2^(-/-)mutants had much lower fecundity and poorer oocyte quality than the wild-type controls,while the fat1 zebrafish had higher fecundity and better oocyte quality than wildtype controls.DHA deficiency in elovl2^(-/-)embryos led to defects in egg activation,poor microtubule stability,and reduced pregnenolone levels.Further study revealed that DHA promoted pregnenolone synthesis by enhancing transcription of cyp11a1,which encodes the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme,thereby stabilizing microtubule assembly during oogenesis.In turn,the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis was enhanced by DHA.In conclusion,using two unique genetic models,our findings demonstrate that endogenously synthesized DHA promotes oocyte maturation and quality by promoting pregnenolone production via transcriptional regulation of cyp11a1.
基金Supported by The Research Project 2022 of The People's Hospital of Jianyang City,No.JY202208.
文摘BACKGROUND The exercise of limb function is the most economical and safe method to promote the maturation of arteriovenous fistula(AVF).However,due to the lack of a uni-fied exercise standard in China,many patients have insufficient awareness of the importance of AVF,leading to poor effectiveness of limb function exercise.The self-management education model can effectively promote patients to take pro-active health-related actions.This study focuses on the characteristics of patients during the peri-AVF period and conducts a phased limb function exercise under the guidance of the self-management education model to observe changes in fac-tors such as the maturity of AVF.AIM To assess the impact of stage-specific limb function exercises,directed by a self-management education model,on the maturation status of AVFs.METHODS This study is a randomized controlled trial involving 74 patients with forearm AVFs from the Nephrology Department of a tertiary hospital in Sichuan Province,China.Patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using a random number table method.The observation group underwent tailored stage-specific limb func-tion exercises,informed by a self-management education model which took into account the unique features of AVF at various stages,in conjunction with routine care.Conversely,the control group was given standard limb function exercises along with routine care.The assessment involves the maturity of AVFs post-intervention,post-operative complications,and the self-management level of the fistula in both groups patients.Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 23.0.Count data were represented by frequency and percentage and subjected to chi-square test comparisons.Measurement data adhering to a normal distribution were presented as mean±SD.The independent samples t-test was utilized for inter-group comparisons,while the paired t-test was used for intra-group comparisons.For measurement data not fitting a normal distribution,the median and interquartile range were presented and analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test.RESULTS At the 8-wk postoperative mark,the observation group demonstrated significantly higher scores in AVF symptom recognition,symptom prevention,and self-management compared to the control group(P<0.05).However,the variance in symptom management scores between the observation and control groups lacked statistical signi-ficance(P>0.05).At 4 wk after the operation,the observation group displayed a superior vessel diameter and depth from the skin of the drainage vessels in comparison to the control group(P<0.05).While the observation group did manifest elevated blood flow rates in the drainage vessels relative to the control group,this distinction was not statistically significant(P>0.05).By the 8-wk postoperative interval,the observation group outperformed the control group with notable enhancements in blood flow rates,vessel diameter,and depth from the skin of drainage vessels(P<0.01).Seven days following the procedure,the observation group manifested significantly diminished limb swelling and an overall reduced complication rate in contrast to the control group(P<0.05).The evaluation of infection,thrombosis,embolism,arterial aneurysm stenosis,and incision bleeding showed no notable differences between the two groups(P>0.05).By the 4-wk postoperative juncture,complications between the observation and control groups were statistically indistinguishable(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Stage-specific limb function exercises,under the guidance of a self-management education model,amplify the capacity of AVF patients to discern and prevent symptoms.Additionally,they expedite AVF maturation and miti-gate postoperative limb edema,underscoring their efficacy as a valuable method for the care and upkeep of AVF in hemodialysis patients.
基金funded by Fondazione Banco di Sardegna,FDS 2016(CUP J86C18000780005 and J86C18000810005)。
文摘Background:Heavy metal cadmium(Cd)is a widespread environmental contaminant with a potential toxicity that might negatively affect female reproduction and fertility.It has been reported that Cd exposure impaired the quality of oocytes and led to a defective maturation and fertilization,through oxidative stress induction.Resveratrol(Res)is a natural polyphenol with strong antioxidant properties that exhibited protective role in preventing oocyte redox homeostasis disruption and quality decline.Here,we explored whether the addition of Res to in vitro maturation(IVM)medium might act as a protection against Cd-induced toxicity on ovine oocyte maturation and fertilization.Firstly,we evaluated the effect of supplementing IVM medium with two different Res concentrations(1and 2μmol/L)on nuclear maturation and fertilization of oocytes matured under CdCl2(2μmol/L)exposure.Therefore,the concentration of 1μmol/L Res was selected to analyse the effects of this compound on intracellular ROS levels,mitochondrial(mt)distribution and activity,chromatin configuration,cytoskeleton morphology,cortical granules(CGs)distribution and mRNA expression of genes associated with cellular response to oxidative stress(i.e.SIRT1,SOD 1,GPX1,GSR,CAT)in Cd-exposed in vitro matured oocytes.Results:We found that 1μmol/L Res restored the reduced oocyte meiotic competence induced by Cd exposure as well as,Res sustained oocyte ability to be normally fertilized and decreased polyspermic fertilization at both tested concentrations.Moreover,we demonstrated that 1μmol/L Res mitigated Cd-induced alterations of oocyte cytoplasmic maturation by reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation,preventing mt dysfunction,maintaining the correct meiotic spindle and cortical F-actin assembly and the normal cortical granule distribution as well as up-regulating SIRT1,SOD1 and GPX1 genes.Conclusions:Taken together,our findings highlighted the beneficial influence exerted by Res in preventing Cdinduced disturbance of nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation and subsequent fertilization in ovine oocytes.Res treatment may help to establish defence strategies counteracting Cd-induced toxicity on the female gamete.
文摘The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a diploid perennial plant of the Arecaceae family. It is the most important plant cultivated for oil production. To ensure this production, certain optimal conditions are required: temperature, sunshine, rainfall, etc. The oil palm ensures its survival through the fruits borne on bunches located at the axis of the 17th to 20th leaves from the central stem. From pollination to the maturity of a bunch it takes about 4.5 to 6 months. Several events occur during this period: seed enlargement, weight increase, colour change, etc., but also important physiological changes: synthesis of some pigments (anthocyanin), increase in oil content correlated with the decrease in water content, etc. All of these constitute factors that can provide a better understanding of the biology of the seed. The aim of this work was to review some of the important parameters involved in the development and maturation of oil palm fruit bunches. These factors are classified into physiological, biochemical as well as environmental. The physiological parameters are color, appearance of embryo, seed weight and fruit detachment from bunches;Biochemical parameters include water content, oil content, carbohydrate, protein, mineral contents and lipase activity while temperature is the main environmental factor that affects fruit maturation. Thorough research has not yet been done at the different stages of maturation and ripening, thus a deep look into this may open up new avenues for research on early germinated oil palm seed production prior to seed dormancy.
文摘In dialysis treatment, the radio-cephalic arteriovenous fistula (RCAVF) is a commonly used fistula, yet its low maturation rate remains a challenge. To enhance surgical outcomes, the relationship between stenosis-prone locations and RCAVF anastomosis angle is studied during maturation by developing two sets of RCAVF models for early (non-mature) and mature RCAVFs at five anastomosis angles. The impact of hemodynamics and wall shear stress (WSS) is examined to determine optimal anastomotic angles. Results indicate that acute angles produce more physiological WSS distributions and fewer disturbed regions, with early stenosis-prone regions located near the anastomosis that shift to the bending venous segment during remodeling. A pilot study comparing clinical and numerical results is conducted for validation.
基金This work is supported by National Natural Sci-ence Fundation of China (Grant 39770370), and National Laboratory of Contraceptives and Devices Re-search affiliated with Shanghai lnstitute of Planned Parenthood Research.
文摘p28, a 28kD protein from toad (Bufo bufo gargarizans) oocytes, was identified by using p13suc1-agaroseaffinity chromatography. Sequence homology analysis of the full-length cDNA of p28 (Gene Bank accessionnumber: AF 314091) indicated that it encodes a protein containing 224 amino-acids with about 55% iden-tities and more than 70% positives to human, rat or mouse UCH-L1, and contains homological functionaldomains of UCH family. Anti-p28 monoclonal antibody, on injecting into the oocytes, could inhibit theprogesterone-induced resumption of meiotic division in a dose-dependent manner. The recombinant proteinp28 showed similar SDS/PAGE behaviors to the native one, and promoted ubiquitin ethyl ester hydrolysis,a classical catalytic reaction for ubiquitin carboxyl terminai hydrolases (UCHs). The results in this paperreveal that a novel protein, p28, exists in the toad oocytes, is a UCH L1 homolog, was engaged in theprocess of progesterone-induced oocyte maturation possibly through an involvement in protein turnover anddegradation.
基金supported by programs for the 973 National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB138505)the Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition (2004DA115184F1415)
文摘Background: Resveratrol, an important phyto-antioxidant commonly found in grapes, mulberry, and other plants,has a variety of functions including anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. In the current study, we investigated the beneficial effects of resveratrol on in vitro porcine oocyte maturation under heat stress(HS). The effect of resveratrol, melatonin and their combination on alleviating HS was compared according to the maturation rate of oocytes and the development competence of embryos after parthenogenetic activation(PA).Results: Supplementation with resveratrol(2.0 μmol/L) not only improved the nuclear maturation but also raised the blastocyst rate of porcine embryos' PA from oocytes that underwent HS by increasing their glutathione(GSH)level, reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS) and up-regulating the expression of Sirtuin 1(SIRT1). It was also found that melatonin(10^(-7)mol/L) and the combination of resveratrol(2.0 μmol/L) plus melatonin(10^(-7)mol/L) exhibited more potent effects than resveratrol alone regarding their protective activities on oocyte maturation under HS.Conclusions: This study compared the efficiencies of resveratrol, melatonin and their combination for protecting porcine oocytes from heat stress. The mechanisms are attributed to the fact that each treatment may have different ability to regulate the synthesis of steroid hormones and the expression of mature related genes.
基金supported by the National High-tech R&D Program(863 Program)of China(2013AA102704)
文摘With embryogenic callus of Larix olgensisis, we investigated the effects of inositol, glutamine, casein hydrolysate, carbohydrate, abscisic acid and silver nitrate concentration on the maturation of the somatic embryo.Three dominant factors emerged, and we developed a response surface model based on the Box-Behnken design.We defined the optimal conditions for the maturation of somatic embryos. The contents of abscisic acid, silver nitrate, sucrose and casein hydrolysis significantly affected the amount of maturing embryos, but inositol, maltose and glutamine had no effect. By establishing a response surface model with multiple factors, we predicted that the optimal number of L. olgensis somatic embryos was 204 ± 4 g^(-1) on basal medium, containing 18.28 mg L^(-1) abscisic acid,5.46 mg L^(-1) silver nitrate and 82.67 g L^(-1) sucrose. In the verification experiments, the addition of 20 mg L^(-1) abscisic acid, 5 mg L^(-1) silver nitrate and 80 g L^(-1) sucrose to BM yielded an average of 202.06 somatic embryos per gram. These results should guide large-scale breeding of L. olgensis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41502236 and 41877210)the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development(No.2017ZX05008-004).
文摘The reconstruction of thermal history is an important component of basin evolution and hydrocarbon exploration.Based on vitrinite reflectance data,we integrate the paleo-temperature gradient and paleo-heat flow methods to reconstruct the thermal history of Junggar Basin.Compared with present thermal state,the Junggar Basin experienced much a higher heat flow of ca.80–120 mW/m2 during the Carboniferous.This feature can be attributed to large-scale volcanic events and related thermal effects.The hydrocarbon maturation history of Carboniferous source rocks indicates that the temperature rapidly reached the threshold of hydrocarbon generation during the Late Carboniferous and has never achieved such a high level since then.This characteristic resulted in the early maturation of hydrocarbons in Carboniferous source rocks.Meanwhile,the results reveal that hydrocarbon maturities are different among various tectonic units in Junggar Basin.The kerogen either rapidly broke through the dry gas period so that cracking of gas occurred or remained in the oil maturation window forming oil reservoirs,which depended on the tectonic background and depositional environment.In this study,we present the thermal and hydrocarbon maturation history since the Carboniferous,which has important implications for further hydrocarbon exploration in Junggar Basin.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China ( No.30270933).
文摘The changes in content of Ca2 + and CaM, Ca2 + -ATPase activity and active oxygen metabolism during strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv. Chunxing) fruits maturation and senescence were investigated in this study. The results showed that the soluble Ca2 + content and SOD activity in fruits tended to decline and O2.-production rate to increase, the Ca2+ -ATPase activity peaked at first and then declined during fruits maturation and senescence. There were the highest CaM content at white stage in preharvest fruits and at marked senescence stage in postharvest ones. The above biochemical changes in fruits stored at low temperature (4℃) were slower than those stored at normal temperature(25℃ ). Thus, it indicated that the stimulation of calcium messenger system and accumulation of active oxygen free radical were closely related to fruits maturation and senescence.
基金financial support of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31771897)the Key Scientific Research Project of Universities in Henan Province(16A210018)the Focus on Fostering Basic Research Fund of the Henan University of Technology(2013JCYJ05)。
文摘Much recent researches have demonstrated that the quality of freshly-harvested wheat could be improved during postharvest maturation by determinating the rheological properties.However,this process is time-consuming and complex.This study aimed to provide a rapid and convenient method for predicting wheat quality during postharvest maturation by use of Gluto Peak device.Farinograph and Extensograph were used to determine the rheological properties of four wheat samples(WT1,WT2,WT3,WT4)stored under different conditions(WT1:15℃,50%RH;WT2:20℃65%RH;WT3:28℃75%RH;WT4:35℃85%RH)for a total of 10 weeks,and Gluto Peak test was used to determine the gluten aggregation properties of the four samples.Correlation analysis was also conducted between the rheological properties and the gluten aggregation properties.Results of rheological properties showed that all Extensographic properties(dough extensibility,resistance,maximum resistance and area)of the four samples increased along with the storage time,and the Farinographic properties(water absorption,dough development time,dough stability time,and farinograph quality number(FQN))had the same tendency,indicating that the rheological properties were improved considerably with storage time extending.The Gluto Peak curves revealed that Peak Maximum Time(PMT),Brabender Equivalents Maximum(BEM)and Energy to Maximum Torque(En MT)of wheat flour of the four samples varied greatly,particularly the PMT and En MT of the samples WT3 and WT4 increased remarkably.Results of correlation analysis showed that En MT had significant correlation with water absorption and area(P<0.05)for sample WT1,and also showed significant correlation with dough development time(P<0.05)for sample WT2.For sample WT3,PMT was significantly correlated with the dough development time,extensibility,area(P<0.05),and FQN(P<0.01);and En MT was in significant correction with water absorption(P<0.01),and dough stability time,FQN,extensibility,maximum resistance and area(P<0.05).For sample WT4,both PMT and En MT had significant correction with area(P<0.05).The study indicated that the Gluto Peak test is effective in quality prediction for the freshly-harvested wheat during postharvest maturation,making it possible to realize rapid wheat quality detection and evaluation in storage period.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2018YFD0900902)the Na-tional Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41861134037).
文摘Largehead hairtail(Trichiurus japonicus)is a commercially important fish species in China Seas,characterized by wide distribution,seasonal migration,spawning all year round.Under long-term high fishing pressure,the biological traits of largehead hair-tail have changed,such as miniaturization,smaller size-at-age and earlier age-at-maturation.To explore its current biological charac-ters,we analyzed age,growth and maturation of largehead hairtail in the East China Sea by analyzing the otolith microstructure and gonads.The results showed that largehead hairtail is mainly composed of 1 year and 2 years old individuals.The estimated von Ber-talanffy growth function(VBGF)showed significant differences between sexes,and asymptotic pre-anal length of male is longer than that of female.Two spawning seasons were observed in spring and autumn by monthly gonadosomatic index(GSI).Compared to historic survey data,the average pre-anal length at age decreased and size-at-maturation became smaller in the East China Sea.This study updates life history parameters of largehead hairtail,and provides a reference for the present status of largehead hairtail,which can contribute to largehead haritail stock assessment and sustainable utilization in the China Seas.
基金partially supported by a grant from the National"Ten Times Five Years"Key Technologies Research Development Program of China(No.2004BA720A33-01)
文摘Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can promote developmental competence in mammalian oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM),but the role of BDNF in oocyte maturation at cellular level is not still clear.In this study,mouse cumulus-enclosed oocytes subjected to IVM were fertilized and cultured to blastocyst stage.Meiotic spindle configuration and cortical granules distribution during oocyte maturation in vitro were assessed by using immunofluorescence and laser confocal microscopy.The results showed that BDNF contributed to the complete preimplantation development of mouse oocytes compared to the control oocytes (13.78% vs.5.92%;P<0.05).Further,BDNF did not accelerate nuclear maturation of IVM oocytes.For the BDNF-treated oocytes at meiosis Ⅰ,Meiotic spindle areas were significantly smaller and the number of cytoplasmic microtubule organizing centers was greater than that in the control,and the percentages of oocytes showed spindles positioned near the oolemma and a well-formed cortical granule-free domain were significantly higher than that of the control.These morphological characteristics of the BDNF-treated oocytes were much closer to the oocytes matured in vivo than those of the control oocytes.In conclusion,BDNF can promote the developmental competence of mouse IVM oocytes,by improving the meiotic spindle configuration and location and cortical granules distribution at meiosis Ⅰ.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(KYCXJC2022001,KYYZ202102)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170857).
文摘Background:Recently,defects in mammalian oocytes maturation induced by environmental pollution results in the decreasing animal reproduction.Animal exposed to glyphosate is largely unavoidable because glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicide worldwide due to its high-efficiency and broad-spectrum effects,which causes glyphosate an environmental contaminant found in soil,water and food.During the last few years,the growing and wider use of glyphosate has raised great concerns about its effects of reproductive toxicity.In this study,using porcine models,we investigated effects of glyphosate on organelle functions during oocyte meiosis.Results:The results showed glyphosate exposure disrupted porcine oocyte maturation.Expression levels of cumulus expansion-related genes were interfered,further indicating the meiotic defects.The damaging effects were mediated by destruction of mitochondrial distribution and functions,which induced ROS accumulation and oxidative stress,also indicated by the decreased mRNA expression of related antioxidant enzyme genes.We also found an interference of endoplasmic reticulum(ER)distribution,disturbance of Ca^(2+)homeostasis,as well as fluctuation of ER stress,showing with the reduced ER stress-related mRNA or protein expression,which could indicate the dysfunction of ER for protein processing and signal transduction in glyphosate-exposed oocytes.Moreover,glyphosate exposure induced the disruption of lysosome function for autophagy,showing with the decrease of LAMP2 expression and autophagy-related genes mRNA expression.Additionally,our data showed the distribution of Golgi apparatus and the functions of ribosome were disturbed after glyphosate exposure,which might affect protein synthesis and transport.Conclusions:Collectively,our study showed that exposed to glyphosate could affect animal reproduction by compromising the quality of oocytes through its wide toxic effects on organelle functions.
基金This study was funded by the Administrative Department of Science Technology and Innovation(COLCIENCIAS)(Grant No.727,2015).
文摘Objective:To assess the effect of L-carnitine supplementation during in vitro oocyte maturation and in vitro culture process of bovine oocytes.Methods:L-carnitine(3.8 mM)was added to maturation medium and the effect was assessed in the quality(Experiment 1)and in the cleavage and 4-cells stage(Experiment 2).Besides,the effect of L-carnitine addition on maturation medium(3.8 mM)and culture medium(1.5 mM)on embryo rate production was assessed.In Experiment 1,bovine oocytes from abattoir were randomly separated into two groups(the control group and L-carnitine group)forin vitro maturation.Matured oocytes were examined for cumulus cells expansion as an indicator of maturation,and the content of the mitochondrial activity,the presence of lipid droplets,the reduced glutathione,and the reactive oxygen species were measured by using specific fluorochromes.In Experiment 2,oocytes were matured as performed in Experiment 1,afterward fertilized and cultured until day 3,and cleavage rate and 4-cells stage rate were determinated.In Experiment 3,in vitro maturation and fertilization were done as performed in Experiment 2,but at day 3 of culture,each group of embryos was separated into two new groups,and L-carnitine(1.5 mM)was added in culture media until day 8.The cleavage and embryo development rate were determined on the basis with the oocytes put on maturation.Hatching rate was calculated from cleaved embryos.Results:The cumulus expansion rate at gradeⅢand mitochondrial activity were significantly higher in the L-carnitine group in comparison with the control group(P0.05).In addition,cleavage and the proportion of embryo development and hatching rate were similar for all groups(P>0.05).Conclusions:L-carnitine as a supplement in culture media improves the cumulus expansion and increases the mitochondrial activity during in vitro maturation process but has no apparent effect on the cleavage and development of bovine embryos.Further investigations of L-carnitine addition on in vitroculture are needed to test their effect on embryo quality.
文摘Multiple myeloma(MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy, and is characterized by the clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells. Despite the recent improvement in patient outcome due to the use of novel therapeutic agents and stem cell transplantation, all patients eventually relapse due to clone evolution. B cell maturation antigen(BCMA) is highly expressed in and specific for MM cells, and has been implicated in the pathogenesis as well as treatment development for MM. In this review, we will summarize representative anti-BCMA immune therapeutic strategies, including BCMA-targeted vaccines, anti-BCMA antibodies and BCMA-targeted CAR cells. Combination of different immunotherapeutic strategies of targeting BCMA, multi-target immune therapeutic strategies, and adding immune modulatory agents to normalize anti-MM immune system in minimal residual disease(MRD) negative patients, will also be discussed.
基金Chongqing Technology Innovation and Application Development Grant,Grant/Award Number:cstc2019jscx-msxm X0394Chongqing Special Fund for Performance Incentive Guide,Grant/Award Number:cqjxjl201709+1 种基金Earmarked Fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System,Grant/Award Number:CARS-36Chongqing Agriculture Development Grant,Grant/Award Number:17406
文摘Fetal bovine serum(FBS) is widely used in cell cultures due to its high stability and easy access. It was also used as a substitute for porcine follicular fluid(PFF) in previous studies. However, FBS components are unclear, and the presence of FBS in culture media may introduce a variation from batch to batch. This study aimed to establish an effective method to screen FBS in place of PFF in the culture media for porcine oocytes in vitro. We screened FBS from different sources by using porcine fetal fibroblast cells. The effects of six FBS samples on porcine fetal fibroblast cell growth were tested via frozen cell survival assay, cell clone formation assay, cell growth curve, and cell passage activity assay. The best serum that we called GFBS(heat-inactivated FBS, cat. no. 10500-64;Gibco) showed a similar effect on the maturation and development of porcine oocytes to that of PFF and can be used as a good substitute for PFF. These results suggested that the porcine fetal fibroblast cell culture test can be used as a valuable method to screen FBS for porcine oocyte maturation and embryonic development in vitro.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFC1003000)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31825018)+2 种基金Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB32060100)Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project(2018SHZDZX05)Shanghai Municipal Government Bureau of Science and Technology(18JC1410100)。
文摘Aging is closely related to physiology and disease development in animals.Gut microbiota varies with lifecycle and exerts profound influences on the host.To investigate gut microbial alterations during growth and maturation,41 female cynomolgus monkeys(Macaca fascicularis)ranging in age from 1 month to 15 years were divided into four groups(infant,young,adult,and middle-aged).
文摘The aim of the study was to bring scientific evidence of the curative action of the stem bark aqueous extract of Schumanniophyton magnificum (ASMa) on the sexual maturation and fertility of the immature female Wistar rat. Forty immature female rats were randomized and divided into 4 groups of ten animals each and orally treated with the ASMa at doses of 0 (distilled water), 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg /BW/day for 30 consecutive days. Body weight and food intake were recorded throughout the experimental period. The precocity of the puberty onset in treated animals was evaluated through the determination of their age at vaginal opening. At the end of the experimental period, 5 animals in each group were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for hormonal assay. Their ovaries and uteri were removed, blotted, weighted and prepared for biochemical analysis. The remaining rats (5 per group) were crossed with males of proven fertility. After laparotomy (ten days after mating) and delivery, fertility and gestational parameters were recorded. It was noticed that, body weight gain increased significantly at all doses although there was no significant difference in food intake. The sexual maturation of treated animal was reduced to 5 days when compared to control. This was associated with the simultaneous elevation of FSH and LH (p < 0.0001) at dose of 800 mg/kg and FSH alone (p mg/kg. However, the ovarian cholesterol significantly decreased (p < 0.0001) at all doses while the uterine protein significantly increased (p < 0.05;p mg/kg and 800 mg/kg. The animal treated at doses of 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg exhibited an early fertilization (2 - 3 days) when compared to the control one (9 - 14 days). The number of implantation site significantly increased (p < 0.05;p mg/kg and 800 mg/kg) after laparotomy as well as the number of alive fetuses after delivery and gestational rate (80% and 100%) respectively. These results provide the strong evidence on the induction of the onset puberty and gonadotropin synthesis, the improvement of the ovarian folliculogenesis and the fertility effect of ASMa in immature rats.
文摘Introduction and Aims—The Growth stage of a patient can have considerable influence on diagnosis, treatment goals, timing and planning and the eventual outcome of orthodontic/orthopedic treatment. The purpose of this study was to analyze associations between the cervical vertebrae maturation score (CVMS) and skeletal maturation index (SMI). The second objective was to determine the reproducibility of the measurements on lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist radiographs. Materials and Methods—Lateral cephalometric and left hand-wrist radiographs of 92 untreated subjects (44 females and 48 males) aged from 8 to 17 years were obtained from the files of the Columbia University, Division of Orthodontics and measured for growth stage using cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist methods. Results—A high correlation was revealed between the hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae measurements. The Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient was 0.925 and significant at the 0.01 level. The correlation between hand-wrist and age (0.665, p < 0.01) was slightly greater than that of the CVMS (0.611, p < 0.01). Intra rater reliability was high. When the three categorically modified methods of the Fishman’s 11 skeletal maturation stages in hand and wrist analysis were used to compare with CVMS, methods 2 and 3 were both statistically significantly different according to the Wilcoxon signed ranks test and the Sign test at a significance level of less than 0.05. However, for method 1, the tests showed probability scores of 0.028 and 0.151, respectively, showing no significant difference at the 0.01 level in the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, and no significant difference in the 0.01 and 0.05 level in the Signed Test. Conclusions—The Fishman’s hand and wrist skeletal maturation index and Bacetti’s cervical vertebrae maturation stages are both useful tools in evaluating growth stages. Fishman’s hand-wrist method is slightly more accurate.
