During embryo implantation, apoptosis is observed morphologically at the implantation site of endometrium. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate biochemical evidence of apoptosis and quantitative assessment of DNA fragmentation in uterine epithelial cells using a mouse implantation model, and to investigate the autocrine/paracrine regulation of apoptosis in uterine epithelial cells during blastocyst outgrowth. Blastocysts from day 4 pregnant mice were cultured on uterine epithelial cells for 96 h. Uterine epithelial cells dislodged by trophoblasts in endometrium-trophoblast unit demonstrated morphological features of apoptosis by Acridine Orange staining. Electrophoresis demonstrated DNA ladder and DNA fragmentation by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay markedly increased after 48 h period of incubation. Apoptosis increased in an exponential way in accordance with trophoblast outgrowth. In addition, DNA fragmentation was shown in the epithelial cells by adding embryo-conditioned medium (CM) and the effect of embryo CM on apoptosis was significantly inhibited by anti-transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta antibody. Delayed outgrowth was observed after 48 h of incubation in the blastocysts cultured with anti-TGF-beta antibody. These results suggest there is autocrine/paracrine regulation of apoptosis in uterine epithelial cells at mouse embryo implantation and that TGF-beta might play an important role in the occurrence of apoptosis in the endometrium-trophoblast unit.

Various strains of mice and rats were exposed to small doses of Schistosoma japonicum cercariae. At intervals, they were challenged with 200 to 230 cercariae per mouse and 500 to 520 cercariae per rat. Age-matched control animals received only the challenge infection from the same pool of cercariae. Recoveries of schistosomula from experimental and control groups were different on day 3 through day 5, with peak recovery on day 3 or 4 in four strains of mice examined (DBA/2, C57BL/6, C3H/He, and SWM) as well as in Fischer rats, indicating rapid migration of S. japonicum to the lung compared with that of S. mansoni. Significant reductions of recovery of schistosomula from lungs were demonstrated in DBA/2, C3H/He, SWM, and B10.S mice at week 3, but not in BALB/c, CBA, and C57BL/6 mice. Significant reductions were also demonstrated in Donryu, Wistar, Sprague-Dawley and Fischer rats at week 6. The degree of reduction depended on cercarial doses used for the initial exposure. Studies in DBA/2 mice revealed that the degree of reduction intensified biphasically, being greatest at week 5 and at week 12. The lowest recovery was demonstrated at week 6 in Fischer rats, when recovery of schistosomula tentatively increased in DBA/2 mice. A good correlation was found between recovery of schistosomula from lungs and recovery of adults by portal perfusion when DBA/2 and C57BL/6 mice, and Fischer rats were used for comparison. Thus, the present results provide basic information on the lung recovery of schistosomula of S. japonicum in suitable and unsuitable hosts.

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Introduction Congenital fibrinogen disorders (CFDs) are classified as afibrinogenemia or hypofibrinogenemia (Hypo), dysfibrinogenemia (Dys), or hypodysfibrinogenemia (Hypodys), according to functional and antigenic fibrinogen concentrations. However, in routine laboratory tests, plasma fibrinogen levels are mostly measured using the functional Clauss method and not as an antigenic level. Therefore, it is difficult to discriminate CFD from acquired hypofibrinogenemia (aHypo). To establish a screening method for CFD, we investigated the parameters of clot waveform analysis (CWA) from the Clauss method. Methods We compared fibrinogen concentrations determined using Clauss and prothrombin time (PT)‐derived methods for 67 aHypo and CFD cases (19 Dys, 4 Hypodys, and 1 Hypo determined using antigen levels and DNA sequence analysis) with a CS‐2400 instrument, and the CWA parameters, dH and Min1, were analyzed automatically with an on‐board algorithm. dH and Min1 are the maximum change in transmittance at the end of coagulation and the maximum velocity of transmittance change during coagulation, respectively. Results Clauss/PT‐derived ratios detected 18 cases of Dys and Hypodys but no Hypo cases, whereas Clauss/dH plus Clauss/Min1 ratios were calculated from fibrinogen concentration using the Clauss method and CWA parameters detected 21 cases of Dys and Hypodys and one Hypo case. Moreover, the Clauss/PT‐derived ratio and Clauss/dH plus Clauss/Min1 ratio detected 22 cases of Dys and Hypodys cases and one Hypo case. Conclusion This report demonstrates that CWA parameters of the Clauss method, Clauss/dH plus Clauss/Min1 ratio, screened Dys patients with a higher rate, whereas Clauss/PT‐derived ratios did not.