Ooplasm transfer and interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer: heteroplasmy, pattern of mitochondrial migration and effect on embryo development.

Although interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) has potential applications in the conservation of exotic species, an in vitro developmental block has been observed in embryos produced by this approach. It has been suggested that mitochondrial mismatch between donor cell and recipient oocyte could cause embryonic developmental arrest. A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the effect of mixed mitochondrial populations (heteroplasmy) on early development of iSCNT-derived cloned embryos.

Identification and role of carbohydrates on the surface of gametes in the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha.

The objective of this study is to identify surface carbohydrates on zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, eggs and sperm and to analyze their potential role in fertilization. The lectins WGA, Con A, LcH, LTA, SBA, PNA, and GSII were tested for affinity to both eggs and sperm. WGA, Con A, and LcH uniformly labeled eggs.

The national pandemic flu service, oseltamivir, and a case of pancreatitis.

The recent outbreak of the influenza virus H1N1 continues to pose a serious public health threat at a population wide level. In response to this, the UK National Health Service has made antiviral medication available to the general public in a unique way. Individuals can receive treatment without having to consult a medical practitioner, by simply answering a set of questions online or over the telephone.

Flow-cytometric analyses of viability biomarkers in pesticide-exposed sperm of three aquatic invertebrates.

Toxicity studies on sperm often use fertilization success as the end point. This type of assay can be affected by sperm density, egg quality, and sperm-egg compatibility. Testing sperm viability biomarkers with flow cytometry is a fast, high-throughput technique for seminal analysis.

Inhibition of DNA methyltransferase 1 expression in bovine fibroblast cells used for nuclear transfer.

The aberrant expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) in cloned embryos has been implicated as a possible factor in the improper donor genome reprogramming during nuclear transfer. DNMT1 is responsible for maintaining DNA methylation and the subsequent differentiation status of somatic cells. The presence of DNMT1 transcript in the donor cell may contribute to perpetuation of the highly methylated status of the somatic nuclei in cloned embryos.

Follicular thyroid carcinoma metastasis to the esophagus detected by 18FDG PET/CT.

We report an unusual case of an esophageal metastasis demonstrated on integrated 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning. A 55-year-old male with treated well-differentiated follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) had persistently raised thyroglobulin levels despite both negative whole-body CT scan and 131I scans. An initial 18FDG PET/CT scan showed moderate focal uptake in the esophagus, which was initially thought to be physiological.

Effect of epigenetic modifications of donor somatic cells on the subsequent chromatin remodeling of cloned bovine embryos.

Evidence indicates that failure of nuclear transfer (NT) embryos to develop normally can be attributed, at least partially, to the use of differentiated cells as the donor karyoplast. Blastocyst production and development to term of cloned embryos has been hypothesized to differ between population doublings of the same cell line as a consequence of changes in the levels of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and methylated DNA during in vitro culture. The objective of this study was to determine embryo production, developmental potential, and gene expression patterns of prehatched and posthatched embryos generated using donor cells with different levels of DNMT1 transcript.

Tailor treatment to the patient in thyrotoxicosis.

All the management options for thyrotoxicosis have advantages and disadvantages. It is important to have a full discussion with the patient to ensure that a treatment option is selected that is tailored to the individual.

Case report: PET/CT, a cautionary tale.

Background: The use of combined positron emission tomography/computerised tomography (PET/CT) scanners in oncology has been shown to improve the staging of tumours and the detection of relapses. However, mis-registration errors are increasingly recognised to be a common pitfall of PET/CT studies.

Case Presentation: We report a patient with a germ cell tumour of the testis, who underwent a PET/CT scan to detect the site of relapse with a view to surgical removal.

DNA methylation and histone acetylation patterns in cultured bovine fibroblasts for nuclear transfer.

Evidence indicates that failure of nuclear transfer (NT) embryos to develop normally can be attributed, at least partially, to the use of a differentiated cell nucleus as the donor karyoplast. It has been hypothesized that blastocyst production and development to term of cloned embryos may differ between population doublings (PDs) of the same cell line as a consequence of changes in DNA methylation and histone acetylation patterns during in vitro culture. The objective of this study was to determine gene expression patterns of the chromatin remodeling proteins DNA methyltransferase-1 (Dnmt1), methyl CpG binding protein-2 (MeCP2), and histone deacetyltransferse-1 (HDAC1), in addition, to measuring levels of DNA methylation and histone acetylation of bovine fibroblast cells at different PDs.

Proliferative characteristics and chromosomal stability of bovine donor cells for nuclear transfer.

Few studies have characterized donor cell lines in terms of proliferative capacity and chromosomal stability. Abnormal phosphorylation patterns of the histones during metaphase could lead to abnormal chromosome segregation and extensive chromosome loss during mitosis. Suboptimal culture conditions may lead to abnormal histone H3 phosphorylation patterns, ultimately inducing missegregation and loss of chromosomes.

Sperm incorporation and pronuclear development during fertilization in the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha.

The invasive zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha (D. polymorpha), is proving to be a valuable model for understanding general mechanisms of fertilization, particularly regarding sperm incorporation. In the present study, we tracked the various components of the fertilizing sperm of D.

Localization of gastrinomas by selective intra-arterial calcium injection in patients on proton pump inhibitor or H2 receptor antagonist therapy.

Preoperative localization is important for the successful treatment of gastrinomas. The aim of this study was to investigate whether selective intra-arterial calcium injection and hepatic venous sampling was able to localize gastrinomas in four patients who remained on proton pump inhibitor or H2 antagonist therapy. Calcium gluconate was injected directly into the arteries supplying the pancreas and liver after standard selective angiography.

Asthma is a risk factor for acute chest syndrome and cerebral vascular accidents in children with sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Asthma and sickle cell disease are common conditions that both may result in pulmonary complications. We hypothesized that children with sickle cell disease with concomitant asthma have an increased incidence of vaso-occlusive crises that are complicated by episodes of acute chest syndrome. METHODS: A 5-year retrospective chart analysis was performed investigating 48 children ages 3-18 years with asthma and sickle cell disease and 48 children with sickle cell disease alone.

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE EGG JELLY RELEASE IN PENAEUS AZTECUS.

Following contact with seawater, Penaeus aztecus ova undergo a massive release of extracortical jelly precursor material which is transformed into a layer of jelly-like material surrounding the ova. Release and dissipation of the precursors can be irreversibly inhibited by the protease inhibitors N-a-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone and soybean trypsin inhibitor, implicating trypsin-like proteases in the process. Treatment with the less-specific enzyme inhibitor phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride also irreversibly inhibits the release of the cortical material.