Although the ovary has a large store of germ cells, most of them do not reach mature stages. If a culture system could be developed from early growing follicles to mature oocytes, it would be useful for biological research as well as for reproductive medicine. This study was conducted to establish a multistep culture system from isolated early growing follicles to mature oocytes using a mouse model. Early growing follicles with diameters of 60-95 mm corresponding to primary and early secondary follicles were isolated from 6-day-old mice and classified into three groups by diameter. These follicles contained oocytes with diameters of w45 mm and one or a few layered granulosa cells on the basal lamina. Embedding in collagen gel was followed by first-step culture. After 9-day culture, the growing follicles were transferred onto collagen-coated membrane in the second step. At day 17 of the culture series, the oocyte-granulosa cell complexes were subjected to in vitro maturation. Around 90% of the oocytes in follicles surviving at day 17 resumed second meiosis (metaphase II oocytes: 49.0-58.7%), regardless of the size when the follicle culture started. To assess developmental competence to live birth, the eggs were used for IVF and implantation in pseudopregnant mice. We successfully obtained two live offspring that produced next generations after puberty. We thus conclude that the culture system reported here was able to induce the growth of small follicles and the resultant mature oocytes were able to develop into normal mice.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a precursor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis, a free radical scavenger and an inhibitor of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF). Because these functions might be beneficial in diabetic complications, in this study we examined whether NAC inhibits peripheral neuropathy. Motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) was significantly decreased in streptozotocin-induced-diabetic Wistar rats compared to control rats. Oral administration of NAC reduced the decline of MNCV in diabetic rats. Structural analysis of the sural nerve disclosed significant reduction of fibres undergoing myelin wrinkling and inhibition of myelinated fibre atrophy in NAC-treated diabetic rats. NAC treatment had no effect on blood glucose levels or on the nerve glucose, sorbitol and cAMP contents, whereas it corrected the decreased GSH levels in erythrocytes, the increased lipid peroxide levels in plasma and the increased lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF activity in sera of diabetic rats. Thus, NAC inhibited the development of functional and structural abnormalities of the peripheral nerve in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Highlights There has been no consensus on the optimal therapy for isolated superior mesenteric arterial dissection (ISMAD). ISMAD patients can be treated conservatively if there are no signs of an aneurysm, ulcer-like projection (ULP), and mesenteric ischemia. When an aneurysm or ULP sign exists, endovascular stenting was able to preserve superior mesenteric artery blood flow with improvement of the dissection.

Chemotherapy after 1st Ref can be offered and hospice enrollment during the terminal stages is encouraged for recurrent ovarian cancer patients.

The combined use of 3D-CT with ultrasonography is a power tool for the prenatal diagnosis of congenital skeletal dysplasias.