<em>In Vitro</em> Growth of Mouse Preantral Follicles Under Simulated Microgravity

14 day-old mouse ovarian tissue and preantral follicles isolated from same-aged mice were incubated in a simulated microgravity culture system. We ...

The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University

Wenzhou Medical University

To investigate the antiapoptosis effect of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) on human fetal ovarian tissue treated by cyclophosphamide (CTX).

Sphingosine-1-phosphate suppresses cyclophosphamide induced follicle apoptosis in human fetal ovarian xenografts in nude mice.

The selection of blastocyst warmed for transfer is based on pre-freeze morphology in vitrified-warmed single blastocyst transfer cycles. But, it is controversial which parameter of blastocyst morphology most closely related to the clinical outcomes.

Prediction of clinical pregnancy in vitrified-warmed single blastocyst transfer cycles by pre-freeze morphology.

The aim of this study was to establish a stable rat model of autogenous arteriovenous fistula (AVF) with chronic renal function insufficiency. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into an experimental group (n=20) and sham surgery group (n=20) and a 5/6 nephrectomy model was established in the rats. One week later, in the experimental group, the ipsilateral caroid artery was inserted into the external jugular vein by a cuff technique to establish a carotid arteriovenous fistula; in the sham group, the external jugular vein and carotid artery were dissociated. At 7 and 28 days following the establishment of the AVF, the renal functions of the two groups were measured. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and double collagen and elastin staining were conducted to evaluate the area of intimal hyperplasia in the external jugular vein, and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin in the vein was investigated by immunohistochemistry. The creatinine and urea nitrogen levels in the experimental group at each time-point were significantly higher than those in the sham surgery group (P<0.05). The intimal hyperplasia of the external jugular vein of the experimental group was increased significantly compared with that in the sham group at each time-point (P<0.05). The model, which is easy to establish and simple to master, provides a new and feasible experimental method for the study of intimal hyperplasia associated with autogenous AVF in chronic renal insufficiency, and is worthy of wider use.

Establishment of a rat autogenous arteriovenous fistula model following 5/6 nephrectomy.

Ischemia is the first mechanism that provokes the loss of follicles in ovarian grafts over the long term. In whole ovarian transplantation, it remains unknown, however, how changes in follicular development are influenced by short-term ischemia. Fresh whole ovarian orthotopic auto-transplantation was performed in rabbits with 45 min ischemia, and the impact of ischemia on follicular survival and development status was evaluated at different time-points (1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and 1 month). Assessment of follicular quantity and morphology was carried out via histologic analysis. Follicle proliferating status was evidenced by immunostaining with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the Hedgehog signaling pathway (Patched and Gli); was verified via TUNEL assay. Quantitative PCR was carried out to quantify the mRNA of target genes including PCNA, Patched, Gli, Caspase 3, Bax, and Bcl-2. Compared with its contralateral fresh controls, the morphology, proliferation and apoptosis of the follicles in the grafts showed no significant differences and most primordial follicles were quiescent. However, morphology and proliferation status were significantly decreased 1 week after grafting, in comparison with the longitudinal grafting time. Patched and Gli in the Hedgehog signaling pathway were activated in only the follicles of the grafts. Short-term ischemia slightly impacts follicular survival and development status in whole ovarian grafting. Receiving intervention in the first week post-transplantation might be helpful.

Developmental Status: Impact of Short-Term Ischemia on Follicular Survival of Whole Ovarian Transplantation in a Rabbit Model.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by abnormal proliferation of neoplastic plasma cells. Pleural effusion as an initial presentation of this disease is rare, as is true pleural myeloma. We herein present a case of solitary pleural myelomatous lesion in a 70-year-old male patient diagnosed by pleural biopsy via semi-rigid thoracoscopy followed by histopathological examination. Furthermore, a review of the related English literature identified 22 cases of pleural myeloma, only 3 of which were diagnosed by video-assisted thoracoscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a solitary pleural myelomatous lesion diagnosed by pleural biopsy via semi-rigid thoracoscopy. Patients with MM with pleural involvement, including the present case, appear to have a short survival despite aggressive treatment. Our patient received chemotherapy with bortezomib, epiadriamycin and dexamethasone; however, he deteriorated rapidly after one cycle of chemotherapy and succumbed to the disease 8 weeks after the initial presentation. According to our experience, semi-rigid thoracoscopy is an effective and safe method for obtaining a pleural specimen for histopathological evaluation.

Solitary pleural myeloma diagnosed by semi-rigid thoracoscopy: A case report and literature review.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the important risk factors contributing to postoperative airway complications. OSA alters the respiratory physiology and increases the sensitivity of muscle tone of the upper airway after surgery to residual anesthetic medication. In addition, the prevalence of OSA was reported to be much higher among surgical patients than the general population. Therefore, appropriate monitoring to detect early respiratory impairment in postoperative extubated patients with possible OSA is challenging. Based on the comprehensive clinical observation, several equipment have been used for monitoring the respiratory conditions of OSA patients after surgery, including the continuous pulse oximetry, capnography, photoplethysmography (PPG), and respiratory volume monitor (RVM). To date, there has been no consensus on the most suitable device as a recommended standard of care. In this review, we describe the advantages and disadvantages of some possible monitoring strategies under certain clinical conditions. According to the literature, the continuous pulse oximetry, with its high sensitivity, is still the most widely used device. It is also cost-effective and convenient to use but has low specificity and does not reflect ventilation. Capnography is the most widely used device for detection of hypoventilation, but it may not provide reliable data for extubated patients. Even normal capnography cannot exclude the existence of hypoxia. PPG shows the state of both ventilation and oxygenation, but its sensitivity needs further improvement. RVM provides real-time detection of hypoventilation, quantitative precise demonstration of respiratory rate, tidal volume, and MV for extubated patients, but no reflection of oxygenation. Altogether, the sole use of any of these devices is not ideal for monitoring of extubated patients with or at risk for OSA after surgery. However, we expect that the combined use of continuous pulse oximetry and RVM may be promising for these patients due to their complementary function, which need further study.

A Brief Review of Non-invasive Monitoring of Respiratory Condition for Extubated Patients with or at Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea after Surgery.

Previous studies have indicated that, in lung cancers, the gene rearrangement of ALK is mutually exclusive with mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. However, the coexistence of EML4-ALK fusions and EGFR mutations (double positive) has been occasionally reported, with frequencies ranging from 0-8%. Currently, no consensus standard therapy exists for tumors with double positive mutations. In the present case report, the case is described of a 53-year-old woman with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, harboring a concomitant EGFR mutation and ALK gene rearrangement, who was refractory to gefitinib administration but demonstrated a good response to crizotinib and pemetrexed chemotherapy. A review of the literature revealed a total of 65 cases, including our case, harboring double positive mutations, and of these cases, 39 (60.0%) patients had received an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EHGR-TKI), and 15 (23%) patients had received crizotinib treatment, the majority of whom had crizotinib selected for them as a second-line or third-line therapy. The disease control rate (DCR) of EGFR-TKI was 72.2%, with the progression-free survival (PFS) being 11.9 months, whereas the DCR of crizotinib was 93.3%, with the PFS being 10 months.

Responses to crizotinib and chemotherapy in patients with lung adenocarcinoma harboring a concomitant EGFR mutation and ALK gene rearrangement: A case report and review of the literature.

Inflammation plays an important role in the initiation and progression of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, evidence regarding the prognostic effect of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), a novel systemic inflammation marker, among patients with AKI is scarce. In this study, we investigated the value of the PLR in predicting the outcomes of critically ill patients with AKI.

Ying Zhou

Reproductive Medicine Center

The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University

In Vitro Growth of Mouse Preantral Follicles Under Simulated Microgravity

Ying Zhou

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Reproductive Medicine Center

The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University

In Vitro Growth of Mouse Preantral Follicles Under Simulated Microgravity

Reproductive Medicine Center