Antrum formation and estradiol (E 2 ) secretion are specific features of oocyte and granulosa cell complexes (OGCs). This study investigates the effect of E 2 on the in vitro development of bovine OGCs derived from early antral follicles as well as on the expression of genes in granulosa cells (GCs). The supplementation of culture medium with either E 2 or androstenedione (A 4 ) improved the in vitro development of OGCs and the nuclear maturation of enclosed oocytes. When OGCs were cultured in medium containing A 4 , developmentally competent OGCs secreted more E 2 than OGCs that were not competent. In addition, fulvestrant inhibited the effect of both E 2 and A 4 on OGCs development. Comprehensive gene expression analysis using next-generation sequence technology was conducted for the following three types of GCs: i) GCs of OGCs cultured for 4 days with E 2 (1 mg/ml; E 2 (C)), ii) GCs of OGCs cultured for 4 days without E 2 (E 2 (K)) or iii) OGCs that formed clear antrum after 8 days of in vitro culture in medium containing E 2 (1 mg/ml; AF group). GCs of the E 2 (C) group had a similar gene expression profile to the profile reported previously for the in vivo development of large follicles. This genetic profile included factors implicated in the up-regulation of E 2 biosynthesis and down-regulation of cytoskeleton and extracellular matrices. In addition, a novel gene expression profile was found in the AF group. In conclusion, E 2 impacts the gene expression profile of GCs to support the in vitro development of OGCs.Reproduction (2013) 145 85-96

We evaluated two different intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) systems, Atlantis and Intrafocus, to verify their accuracy and reproducibility. In an in vivo study on 20 consecutive patients with coronary artery diseases, the minimum lumen diameter (MLD), vessel diameter, lumen area (LA), vessel area, plaque area, and area stenosis rate (% AS) were respectively measured. In an in vitro study, MLD and LA were measured in four metal tubes with different diameters. All of the measured values except for % AS by Atlantis were significantly larger than the values obtained with Intrafocus. Nonuniform rotational distortion (NURD) was estimated as 34% in Atlantis and 1% in Intrafocus. The measurements by Atlantis were larger than the true values while the measurements by Intrafocus were less than the true values in all four metal tubes. These findings suggest that we should clearly avoid the use of different IVUS systems in the same study.

During the development of oocytes from early antral follicles (EAFs) to antral follicles (AFs), the mitochondrial DNA copy number (Mt DNA number) increases, and granulosa cells markedly proliferate. This study examined the effect of supplementation of culture medium with estradiol-17β (E2) on the in vitro growth of oocytes, and increases in the Mt DNA number, and telomere length during the in vitro culture of oocytes derived from EAFs (0.4-0.7 mm in diameter). The E2 supplementation improved antrum formation and the ratio of oocytes reaching the metaphase II (MII) stage, and there was a significant difference in these values between addition E2 concentrations of 10 μg/ml and 0.1 μg/ml. When the oocytes were cultured in the medium containing 10 μg/ml E2, the Mt DNA number determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) significantly increased, and the ratio of the Mt DNA number at the end of culture to the Mt DNA number at the beginning of the culture was greatly different among cows, and could be predicted by the degree of the difference between the Mt DNA number of oocytes derived from EAFs and that of oocytes derived from AFs (3-6 mm in diameter). When oocytes were cultured for 16 days in a medium containing 10 μg/ml E2 or 0.1 μg/ml E2, the Mt DNA number of oocytes grown in vitro did not differ, but the telomere length of the granulosa cells was significantly greater in the 10 μg/ml E2 group than in the 0.1 μg/ml group. In conclusion, E2 supplementation in culture medium improved the growth of oocytes derived from EAFs, and a high E2 concentration increased the telomere length of the granulosa cells.

Purpose To assess the age-associated changes in oocytes and granulosa cells derived from early antral follicles (EAFs). Method Gene expression analysis of granulosa cells of the EAFs using a genome analyzer (Illumina) and in vitro culture of oocyte-granulosa cell complexes (OGCs) of EAFs (400-700 μm in diameter) collected from ovaries of aged (>120 months) and young (<50 months) cows.

Painful orthopedic symptoms in the sternal area, such as arthritis of the manubriosternal and sternoclavicular joint or Tietze's syndrome, were found in 14 of 132 cases of pustulosis palmaris et plantaris. The majority of the pustulosis palmaris et plantaris patients with orthopedic symptoms had skin eruptions not only on the palms and soles, but also on the backs of the hands and feet, the arms, the legs and the trunk. Such cases were usually accompanied by elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leucocytosis, changes in serum globulin, and also pyrexia at the time of exacerbation. The skin and orthopedic symptoms often worsened after acute exacerbation of the focal infection, and occasionally responded to tonsillectomy or chemotherapy with antibiotics, which is suggestive of the probable cause of the bacterid.