Search

Implantation of testis cell aggregates from various donors under the back skin of recipient mice results in de novo formation of testis tissue. We used this implantation model to study the putative in vivo effects of six different growth factors on testis cord development. Recipient mice (n = 7/group) were implanted with eight neonatal porcine testis cell aggregates that were first exposed to a designated growth factor: FGF2 at 1 µg/mL, FGF9 at 5 µg/mL, VEGF at 3.5 µg/mL, LIF at 5 µg/mL, SCF at 3.5 µg/mL, retinoic acid (RA) at 3.5 × 10−5 M, or no growth factors (control). The newly developed seminiferous cords (SC) were classified based on their morphology into regular, irregular, enlarged, or aberrant. Certain treatments enhanced implant weight (LIF), implant cross-sectional area (SCF) or the relative cross-sectional area covered by SC within implants (FGF2). RA promoted the formation of enlarged SC and FGF2 led to the highest ratio of regular SC and the lowest ratio of aberrant SC. Rete testis-like structures appeared earlier in implants treated with FGF2, FGF9, or LIF. These results show that even brief pre-implantation exposure of testis cells to these growth factors can have profound effects on morphogenesis of testis cords using this implantation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gonocytes in the neonatal testis have male germline stem cell properties and as such have important potential applications in fertility preservation and regenerative medicine. Such applications require further studies aimed at increasing gonocyte numbers and evaluating their pluripotency in vitro. The objective of the present study was to test the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on in vitro propagation, colony formation, and expression of pluripotency markers of neonatal porcine gonocytes. Testis cells from 1-week-old piglets were cultured in basic media (DMEM + 15% FBS), supplemented with various concentrations of bFGF, GDNF, and LIF, either individually or in combinations, in a stepwise experimental design. Gonocytes and/or their colonies were evaluated every 7 days and the gonocyte- (DBA) and pluripotency-specific markers (POU5F1, SSEA-1, E-cadherin, and NANOG) assessed on day 28. Greatest gonocyte numbers and largest colonies were found in media supplemented with 10 ng/mL bFGF and 10 ng/mL bFGF + 100 ng/mL GDNF + 1500 U/mL LIF, respectively. The resultant gonocytes and colonies expressed both germ cell- and pluripotency-specific markers. These results shed light on the growth hormone requirements of porcine gonocytes for in vitro proliferation and colony formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gonocytes in the neonatal testis have male germline stem cell potential. The objective of the present study was to examine the behavior and ultrastructure of gonocytes in culture. Neonatal porcine testis cells were cultured for 4 weeks and underwent live-cell imaging to explore real-time interactions among cultured cells. This included imaging every 1 h from day 0 to day 3, every 2 h from day 4 to day 7, and every 1 h for 24 h at days 14, 21, and 28. Samples also underwent scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, morphometric evaluations, immunofluorescence, and RT-PCR. Live-cell imaging revealed an active amoeboid-like movement of gonocytes, assisted by the formation of extensive cytoplasmic projections, which, using scanning electron microscopy, were categorized into spike-like filopodia, leaf-like lamellipodia, membrane ruffles, and cytoplasmic blebs. In the first week of culture, gonocytes formed loose attachments on top of a somatic cell monolayer and, in week 2, formed grape-like clusters, which, over time, grew in cell number. Starting at week 3 of culture, some of the gonocyte clusters transformed into large multinucleated embryoid body–like colonies (EBLCs) that expressed both gonocyte- and pluripotent-specific markers. The number and diameter of individual gonocytes, the number and density of organelles within gonocytes, as well as the number and diameter of the EBLCs increased over time (P < 0.05). In conclusion, cultured porcine gonocytes displayed extensive migratory behavior facilitated by their various cytoplasmic projections, propagated, and transformed into EBLCs that increased in size and complexity over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hypercholesterolemia is one of the most important modifiable risk factors of non-communicable diseases and data on their values in different societies and their trend of changes should be updated every couple of years. Many studies have focused on assessing the prevalence of high cholesterol. We must emphasise that most of these studies were cross-sectional and did not directly investigate the temporal trends of change for age, period and birth cohort (APC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of age, period and birth cohort on the prevalence of borderline to high cholesterol levels in Iranian adult population. Methods: The data were collected from 110,302 subjects between 25 and 69 years of age over the period of 1990–2011. Data from these subjects were collected by using five national cross-sectional surveys conducted in 1990–91, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. The APC effect on the prevalence of borderline and high cholesterol levels was assessed using the Intrinsic Estimator model. Results: The overall prevalence of borderline cholesterol level among male subjects was found to be lower than that of females (39.8% vs. 46.3%). Similarly, the prevalence of high cholesterol level in men was reported to be 13.1%, which was lower than the 18.0% calculated in women. The prevalence of borderline and high cholesterol levels increased with age in men between the ages of 45–49. Then it stayed quite steady and eventually declined. Then it stayed quite steady and eventually declined. The prevalence in women also increased with age, with its maximum rise after the ages of menopause and a slight decline at the ages of 65–69. As for the birth cohorts, the prevalence of borderline and high cholesterol levels followed a declining trend by going from earlier birth cohorts to the later ones. Conclusion: The present study provides evidence that age, period and birth cohort affect the prevalence of borderline and high cholesterol levels. Thus, these factors should be considered when developing and implementing care plans for people with hypercholesterolemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the importance of triglyceride glucose index (TyG) as an important tool to evaluate insulin resistance (IR) in patients with diabetes mellitus. Topics discussed are study done on beta-thalassemia major (βTM) patients, evaluations done on fasting plasma glucose (FPG), measuring of insulin level using human insulin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.

Background: Hemodynamic monitoring is an integral part of a cardiac catheterization procedure; however it is prone to many distortions, including damping and resonance [1]. Objectives: We sought to compare damping ratio, ascending aortic pressure waveform and invasive blood pressure between Manifold and ACIST CVi® devices in subjects undergoing cardiac catheterization. Methods: This prospective randomised, single-blind, cross-over study was conducted in 81 adults subjects (mean age 59.2 ± 12, 24% females) undergoing cardiac catheterization. The fast-flush test [2] was performed at the beginning of the procedure with both Manifold and ACIST. The square wave was analysed to calculate the damping coefficient. Data analyzed by JMP Pro (SAS for Windows, Version 13) p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: The mean damping ratio was 0.63 ± 0.11 (range 0.34–0.95) with Manifold vs. 0.94 ± 0.25 (range 0.53–2.1) with ACIST, mean difference 0.30, p < 0.0001. The pressures were significantly different between the two devices; systolic –2.85 (p < 0.05); diastolic –5.2 (p < 0.0001) and mean pressure 3.5 (p < 0.01), mmHg. The inter-device BP difference showed a wide scatter; systolic, –24 to +67; diastolic, –44 to +25 and mean pressure, –24 to +54 mmHg. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study comparing a manual haemdynamic monitoring system to an automated one commonly used in the cardiac cath lab. The Manifold meets the international recommendations for accurate haemodynamic monitoring, compared with an overdamped ACIST which also underestimated pressures in our study. Manifold may be the preferred device for haemodynamic monitoring, particularly patients haemodynamically unstable, with cardiomyopathies and valvular heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]