Melatonin is a multifunctional molecule that mediates several circadian and seasonal processes in animal reproduction. Melatonin and its metabolites are antioxidants and free radical scavengers. We investigated the effects of melatonin on porcine oocyte maturation and embryo development. We then investigated the local expression of the melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) gene in cumulus cells, granulosa cells, and the oocytes with the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. We further evaluated the antioxidant effects [reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in cumulus-oocytes complexes] of melatonin supplementation during in vitro maturation (IVM). Compared with control, melatonin supplementation (10 ng/mL) during IVM resulted in a greater proportion of oocytes extruding the polar body (75.6% versus 84.6%). Significantly greater proportion of parthenogenetically activated oocytes developed to blastocysts when the in vitro medium was supplemented with melatonin; however, cleavage frequency and blastocyst cell number were not affected by the treatment. RT-PCR analysis revealed the expression of MT1 gene in cumulus and granulosa cells but not in oocytes. Melatonin-treated oocytes had significantly lower levels of ROS than did control (untreated) oocytes. We conclude that exogenous melatonin has beneficial effects on nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation during porcine IVM. Some of the observed effects may be mediated by receptor binding and while others may have been receptor independent, e.g., direct free radical scavenging.

The conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy through the use of fuel cells is an important step in the transition to a hydrogen-based economy. [1,2] Of the many types of fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), employing either oxygen ions or protons as charge carriers, provide an efficient, environmentally benign, and fuel-flexible power generation system that can be adapted for small power units (including mobile applications) and for large scale power plants. [3,4] However, SOFCs require high temperatures (800-1000°C), a condition that presents material degradation problems, [5,6] as well as other technological complications and economic obstacles. [7] Numerous attempts have been made to find alternative systems that can be operated at lower temperatures. [8,9] We report here unprecedented observations of power generation at temperatures as low as room temperature using dense bulk nanostructured yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and samaria-doped ceria (SDC) as electrolytes. This behavior is observed only when the material is nanostructured (grain size ∼ 15 nm). Open circuit electromotive force (emf) (up to 180 mV for YSZ and 400 mV for SDC) and closed circuit currents (∼ 6 nA for YSZ and 30 nA for SDC) were measured from water concentration cells, indicating proton conduction within the nanostructured oxides. These results show that with optimization, viable power generation using water concentration cells at room temperature is a possible goal. Low-temperature protonic conduction has been reported before for polymeric electrolytes and for structurally hydrated (i.e., hydrous) oxides. However, these materials have limitations that have largely restricted their further considerations for practical utilization. Polymeric electrolytes (e.g., Nafion) have limitations with respect to thermal stability, so that they are mostly limited to temperatures below 100°C. [10,11] In addition, polymeric systems require a catalyst whose optimal operation temperature is inconsistent with the thermal stability of the polymer. Another factor for these systems is the cost. In the case of hydrous oxides (e.g., SnO 2 · nH 2 O, ZrO 2 · nH 2 O, WO 3 · nH 2 O [11][12][13][14] ), the loss of structural water (at low temperatures, < 100°C) changes the protonic conductivity irreversibly, [12] with a concomitant degradation of mechanical properties. We were successful in making dense, bulk nanostructured YSZ (8 mol % yttria) and SDC (20 mol % samaria) with a grain size of ∼ 15 nm through the use of field-activated sintering of nanopowders.[15] We found ionic conductivity at low temperatures in structurally unhydrated YSZ only when the grain size of the material is in the nanoscale. [16] In the present work, we use these materials as electrolytes and demonstrate electrical power generation at room temperature using water concentration cells. We constructed concentration cells, using the nanostructured YSZ and SDC as electrolytes, as shown schematically in Figure 1. We measured the emf of both the YSZ and the SDC cells at room t...

In SCLC, sarcopenic male patients with high NLR have a poor prognosis and do not tolerate standard treatment. Intensive supportive care is needed in these patients.

PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PRA) using the novel region of the rpoB gene was developed for rapid and precise identification of mycobacteria to the species level. A total of 50 mycobacterial reference strains and 3 related bacterial strains were used to amplify the 360-bp region of rpoB, and the amplified DNAs were subsequently digested with restriction enzymes such as MspI and HaeIII. The results from this study clearly show that most of the mycobacterial species were easily differentiated at the species level by this PRA method. In addition, species with several subtypes, such as Mycobacterium gordonae, M. kansasii, M. celatum, andM. fortuitum, were also differentiated by this PRA method. Subsequently, an algorithm was constructed based on the results, and a blinded test was carried out with more than 260 clinical isolates that had been identified on the basis of conventional tests. Comparison of these two sets of results clearly indicates that this new PRA method based on the rpoB gene is more simple, more rapid, and more accurate than conventional procedures for differentiating mycobacterial species.