Search

The conventional follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) treatment for bovine superstimulation involves multiple intramuscular injections, which is stressful for animals and onerous. We herein investigated whether a single epidural injection of porcine FSH (pFSH) can induce superovulation and peripheral concentrations of pFSH and steroid hormones after the treatment in Holstein dry cows. We intramuscularly administered pFSH twice daily to three cows for 3 days (control) or a single epidural pFSH administration (epidural). Numbers of follicles (≥10 mm in diameter) at estrus and corpora lutea at luteal phase were counted by ultrasonography. Blood was sampled from 0 to 104 h after the first pFSH administration and plasma pFSH, progesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, and estradiol-17β concentrations were measured. Numbers of follicles (control: 18.3 ± 7.5, epidural: 15.7 ± 4.0; mean ± SD) and corpora lutea (control: 7.3 ± 4.2, epidural: 8.0 ± 2.6) were similar between both treatments. Plasma pFSH concentrations were higher in epidural than in control (p < 0.01). Although no significant differences were observed in progesterone, androstenedione, or estradiol-17β concentrations between the groups, testosterone concentrations were slightly lower with the epidural treatment than with the control treatment (p = 0.08). In conclusion, superovulation was induced by a single epidural injection of pFSH, which achieved higher pFSH level than the multiple injections in Holstein dry cows., (© 2022 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

The authors investigated the relationship between frame rates and subpopulation structure of bovine sperm divided by their motility analyzed by a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Kinematic parameters of bovine sperm incubated in Brackett & Oliphant medium with and without calcium ionophore for 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 min were evaluated by a CASA at 150 frames per second (fps) and analyzed structure of sperm motility subpopulation by cluster analysis. Then, we converted CASA data at 150 fps to 75, 50, and 30 fps and evaluated the structures of sperm motility subpopulation at different fps in each sperm by a discriminant analysis. As the results, the structure of sperm motility subpopulation was affected by frame rate. Sperm were divided into six clusters at 150, 75, and 50 fps; on the other hand, there were five clusters at 30 fps. Straight-line velocity was similar at all frame rates. However, as the frame rate became higher, curvilinear velocity and beat cross frequency of sperm head increased significantly, whereas lateral sperm head displacement decreased significantly. In conclusion, higher frame rate at 150 fps is recommended to capture the trajectory of sperm accurately by CASA in the present study., (© 2022 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

In this study, we examined the effects of superstimulation using follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) followed by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on buffalo embryo production by ultrasound-guided ovum pick-up (OPU) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Nine Murrah buffaloes were subjected to OPU-IVF without superstimulation (control). The morphologies of the oocytes collected were evaluated, and oocytes were then submitted to in vitro maturation (IVM). Two days after OPU, same nine buffaloes were treated with twice-daily injections of FSH for 3 days for superstimulation followed by a GnRH injection. Oocytes were collected by OPU 23-24 hr after the GnRH injection and submitted to IVM (the superstimulated group). The total number of follicles, number of follicles with a diameter > 8 mm, and number of oocytes surrounded by multi-layered cumulus cells were higher in the superstimulated group than in the control group (p ≤ 0.05). After IVF, the percentages of cleavage and development to blastocysts were higher in the superstimulated group than in the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, superstimulation improved the quality of oocytes and the embryo productivity of OPU-IVF in river buffaloes., (© 2019 The Authors. Animal Science Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) inhibits luteinization of granulosa cells during in vitro growth (IVG) culture of bovine oocytes; however, oocytes derived from a 12 day IVG were less competent for development than in vivo-grown oocytes. We herein investigated whether an extended IVG culture with BMP-4 improves oocyte growth and development to blastocysts after in vitro fertilization. Oocyte-granulosa cell complexes (OGCs) were cultured for 14 or 16 days with BMP-4 (10 ng/mL), while a 12 day culture with BMP-4 served as the in vitro control. OGC viability was maintained for the 16 day culture with BMP-4 (83.2%), but was significantly lower without BMP-4 (58.9%) than the control (83.0%). Prolong-cultured oocytes at 16 days had statistically greater diameter (114.6 μm) than the control (111.7 μm). IVG oocytes with BMP-4 for the 16 day culture had a similar nuclear maturation rate to the control (approximately 67%); however, blastocyst rates in BMP-4 treated oocytes of 14 (1.8%) and 16 day (0%) IVG were statistically lower than that of 12 day IVG (9.0%). In conclusion, BMP-4 maintained OGC viability and promoted oocyte growth in a prolonged culture, but impaired the developmental competence of oocytes. Prolonged culture may not be an appropriate strategy for enhancing the developmental competence of IVG oocytes., (© 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast is extremely rare and only 33 cases have been reported in the English literature. Herein, we report a case of myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast with focal rhabdoid features. The patient was a 67-year-old woman, who presented with a lump of the left breast that rapidly grew to 3 cm in diameter within 3 months. Lumpectomy revealed a solid and whitish colored tumor, which was composed mainly of elongated spindle-shaped cells with mild atypia, focal necrosis, and infiltrative margin. In a small area of the lesion, ovoid tumor cells exhibited eccentric nuclei with centrally located nucleoli and plump cytoplasm including round eosinophilic inclusions, resembling a rhabdoid tumor. Immunohistochemically, both types of tumor cells exhibited a myoepithelial phenotype. MIB-1 index was 30%. The cytoplasmic inclusion of the ovoid cells exhibited immunopositivity for both vimentin and cytokeratin. From these findings, this tumor was diagnosed as a myoepithelial carcinoma with focal rhabdoid features. Although rhabdoid features have been reported in some types of malignant and benign tumors, this is the first report of such features in myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast., (© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Six cases of monocytoid B-cell lymphoma (MBCL) developing in extranodal sites (thyroid, three; stomach, two; rectum, one) are described. Patients were all women aged 46 to 65 years (median, 53 years). Three patients with thyroid lymphoma presented with an increasing goiter, two with positive serum antithyroid antibodies, and one patient had chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLTH). The histologic type of surgically resected specimens was a diffuse proliferation of atypical lymphoid cells with monocytoid appearance, i.e., abundant pale cytoplasm with distinct cell border and small reniform nucleus. These cells were CD20+, 22+, 24-, 9- showing their B-cell origin. The monoclonal nature of the proliferating cells was confirmed by restricted expression of immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain and/or gene rearrangement study in three cases. Two cases of thyroid lymphoma in which the monoclonality could not be confirmed had histologic appearances characteristic of malignant lymphoma. All three patients with gastric or rectal lymphoma had reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) near the tumors. These findings showed presence of MBCL in the extranodal sites with invariable coexistence with lymphoid follicles formed by CLTH in thyroid or RLH in stomach and rectum.

A case of malignant lymphoma with a helper activity of neoplastic cells is reported. On admission, a significant number of plasma cells of polyclonal nature were seen in the peripheral blood, and polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia was seen. The biopsied lymph node showed poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma with marked proliferation of plasma cells. At the terminal stage, the patient became leukemic in contrast with the disappearance of plasma cells from the peripheral blood. Although the leukemic cells failed to form sheep erythrocyte rosettes, they were considered to be of T-cell origin morphologically. Cytochemically, they had a "dot"-like pattern of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase and acid phosphatase activity. Ultrastructurally, they had highly convoluted nuclei, and cytoplasmic clustered dense bodies. They showed marked helper activity on pokeweed mitogen-induced B-cell differentiation in vitro. This case may provide a novel view concerning the cause of hypergammaglobulinemia induced by lymphoproliferative disorders.

After a 3-month leukopenic phase, a patient developed hematologic pictures of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy had been given 10 months previously for a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of diffuse large cell type arising in the Waldeyer's ring. A computed tomographic scan demonstrated a high density mass in the left frontal cerebrum, which was enhanced uniformly by the contrast material. Cytocentrifuge examination of cerebrospinal fluid also showed an excess of promyelocytes. From these observations, the mass was considered to be an infiltration of leukemic cells. The intracerebral mass and meningeal involvement were resolved concomitantly with a hematologic remission of APL after intrathecal injection of cytosine arabinoside and systemic combination chemotherapy. This is a particular case of APL previously undescribed, representing an unusual presentation with intracerebral APL mass as well as a rare posttherapeutic APL following NHL.

Twenty-seven patients with stages I or II thyroid lymphomas were investigated immunologically. Approximately 60% of these patients had a goiter for longer than 1 year. Both the tests for serum antithyroid antibodies and histologic findings of the resected specimens showed that chronic lymphocytic (autoimmune) thyroiditis was usually present. The tumors were classified histologically as seven cases of follicular lymphomas and 20 cases of diffuse lymphomas. Immunocytologic study on suspended cells and immunohistologic study on frozen tissue sections showed that neoplastic cells in 22 of 27 cases expressed restricted immunoglobulin light chains. In remaining five cases, the neoplastic cells reacted with B-1, Leu-10, and/or Leu-14. These results indicate that thyroid lymphomas are exclusively B-cell-derived tumors.

Four cases of thyroid lymphomas are presented showing curious histologic difficult to distinguish from severe lymphocytic thyroiditis by routine histologic study alone. The age of the patients ranged from 39 to 63 years. Three female patients suffered from autoimmune (lymphocytic) thyroiditis for 2 to 20 years until the present illness. A male patient had no history of thyroiditis. Rapid growth of struma in these patients suggested an evolution of malignant lymphomas. Histologic study results showed that small atypical lymphoid cells with slightly irregular and indented nuclear contour surrounded randomly distributed secondary follicles as a wide mantle. Immunohistologic staining showed that these atypical small lymphoid cells expressed surface properties intermediate between mantle-zone lymphocytes and germinal center cells with a restricted expression of kappa chain in three cases. Stages of tumors were stage I in three cases and stage II in one case. The findings demonstrated were intermediate lymphocytic lymphomas of the thyroid.

A case of chronic leukemia is reported. Malignant cells had the morphology of lymphocytes and an affinity for skin. Cytochemically, they were peroxidase negative, and NaF-resistant alpha-naphthyl esterase positive. The peripheral mononuclear cells formed E-rosettes and reacted with Leu 1 and OKM1. They were unreactive with OKT3, OKT4, OKT6, OKT8, and OKIa1. The cells did not possess surface IG, C3b receptors, or IgG Fc receptors (EAIgG). They responded weakly to phytohemagglutinin, and did not respond to concanavalin A. The cells did not adhere to Petri dishes or phagocytose latex beads. It is concluded that it was a case of OKT3-, OKM1+, EAIgG- T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This suggests that OKT3 does not recognize all peripheral T-cells, and that OKM1 is not specific for the monocyte-myeloid lineage. These cells may be useful in the characterization of E+, OKM1+ subset of peripheral mononuclear cells.

Karyotypes from seven patients with thyroid lymphoma were studied before treatment. When the cytogenetic results were correlated with the clinical data, it became evident that there are two distinct groups of patients with thyroid lymphoma. In a group of patients with solely numerical abnormalities the disease is associated with a rather long duration from the onset of goiter to the time of operation for lymphoma, with abnormal thyroid function, and with positive tests for antithyroid autoantibodies. Two of four patients in this group showed trisomy 22; the remaining two showed a loss of a sex chromosome. The other group of patients with solely structural abnormalities is associated with a short duration from the onset of goiter to the time of operation, with normal thyroid function, and with the trend of negative tests for autoantibodies. Two of three patients in this group showed a 14q+ abnormality. These results indicate that there are two distinct type of thyroid lymphoma, chromosomal changes of which are implicated as pathogenetic factors in lymphomagenesis of different mechanisms.