We investigated the relationship between oxidative stress and poor oocyte quality and whether the antioxidant melatonin improves oocyte quality. Follicular fluid was sampled at oocyte retrieval during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Intrafollicular concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in women with high rates of degenerate oocytes were significantly higher than those with low rates of degenerate oocytes. As there was a negative correlation between intrafollicular concentrations of 8-OHdG and melatonin, 18 patients undergoing IVF-ET were given melatonin (3 mg/day), vitamin E (600 mg/day) or both melatonin and vitamin E. Intrafollicular concentrations of 8-OHdG and hexanoyl-lysine adduct were significantly reduced by these antioxidant treatments. One hundred and fifteen patients who failed to become pregnant with a low fertilization rate (< or =50%) in the previous IVF-ET cycle were divided into two groups during the next IVF-ET procedure; 56 patients with melatonin treatment (3 mg/day) and 59 patients without melatonin treatment. The fertilization rate was improved by melatonin treatment compared to the previous IVF-ET cycle. However, the fertilization rate was not significantly changed without melatonin treatment. Oocytes recovered from preovulatory follicles in mice were incubated with H2O2 for 12 hr. The percentage of mature oocytes with a first polar body was significantly reduced by addition of H2O2 (300 microm). The inhibitory effect of H2O2 was significantly blocked by simultaneous addition of melatonin. In conclusion, oxidative stress causes toxic effects on oocyte maturation and melatonin protects oocytes from oxidative stress. Melatonin is likely to improve oocyte quality and fertilization rates.

The effects of concentration and distribution of defects controlled by quenching and doping of higher-valent cations on the ferroelectric properties of dense Bi4Ti3O12 ceramics were investigated. The remanent polarization (P r) of non-doped ceramics quenched from 800°C (above the Curie temperature) was twice as large as those of samples subjected to slow cooling to 25°C and quenched from 600°C (below the Curie temperature). These results imply that domain pinning by defects dominates the polarization properties. The incorporation of vanadium and tungsten into Ti site significantly reduced the influence of domain pinning, resulting in a very large 2P r of over 40 µC/cm2.

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The change in Ang expression is closely associated with angiogenesis, blood vessel stabilization, and blood vessel regression during the divergent phases of luteal formation, luteal regression, and luteal rescue by pregnancy.