3-Methyl-4-nitrophenol Exposure Deteriorates Oocyte Maturation by Inducing Spindle Instability and Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (PNMC), a well-known constituent of diesel exhaust particles and degradation products of insecticide fenitrothion, is a widely distributed environmental contaminant. PNMC is toxic to the female reproductive system; however, how it affects meiosis progression in oocytes is unknown. In this study, in vitro maturation of mouse oocytes was applied to investigate the deleterious effects of PNMC.

TET Family Members Are Integral to Porcine Oocyte Maturation and Parthenogenetic Pre-Implantation Embryogenesis.

The ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzyme family, which includes TET1/2/3, participates in active DNA demethylation in the eukaryotic genome; moreover, TET1/2/3 are functionally redundant in mice embryos. However, the combined effect of TET1/2/3 triple-gene knockdown or knockout on the porcine oocytes or embryos is still unclear. In this study, using Bobcat339, a specific small-molecule inhibitor of the TET family, we explored the effects of TET enzymes on oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis in pigs.

Identification of miR-192 target genes in porcine endometrial epithelial cells based on miRNA pull-down.

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRNAs)-a class of small endogenous non-coding RNAs-are widely involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation of numerous physiological processes. High-throughput sequencing revealed that the miR-192 expression level appeared to be significantly higher in the blood exosomes of sows at early gestation than that in non-pregnant sows. Furthermore, miR-192 was hypothesized to have a regulatory role in embryo implantation; however, the target genes involved in exerting the regulatory function of miR-192 required further elucidation.

Pharmacological Agents That Prevent Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With General Anesthesia: A Network Meta-analysis.

Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is associated with prolonged hospital stays, increased mortality, and negative socioeconomic consequences. Dexmedetomidine, ketamine, dexamethasone, and lidocaine have previously been reported to be effective for preventing POCD.

Study Question: In this network meta-analysis, we apply direct and indirect comparisons to rank these pharmacological agents in terms of their effect on POCD, through which we seek to provide evidence for future clinical medication.

Propentofylline reduces mechanical allodynia and induces mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1: An experimental study in a rat model of acute incisional pain.

: Acute postoperative pain can lead to long hospital stays, dysfunction, and even chronic pain. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are important in pain signaling. The activity of MAPKs are negatively regulated by dual specificity phosphatases such as mitogen- activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1), which specifically dephosphorylates MAPK p38.

Clinicopathological and Prognostic Value of Ki-67 Expression in Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Ki-67 is an established marker of cell proliferation, and the Ki-67 index correlates with the clinical course of several cancer types, including bladder cancer (BC). However, the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of Ki-67 in bladder cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify this relationship.

Effects of Chlorella sp. on nutrient treatment in cultures with different carbon to nitrogen ratios.

Chlorella sp. is often used in the treatment of wastewater to produce lipids, a practice which could go beyond wastewater treatment and be used to generate green energy. Our objectives here are to explore how the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) affects the removal of carbon and nitrogen in a wastewater treatment system, while simultaneously generating biomass and lipids.

Improving the mechanical characteristics and restraining heavy metal evaporation from sintered municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash by wet milling.

The milling process has a verified stabilizing effect on the leaching of heavy metals into the environment from municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash. The aim of this current study is to further improve and confirm the effectiveness of the process by exploring its effects on the evaporation of heavy metals and on the mechanical characteristics of the sintered MSWI fly ash. The chemical composition of the MSWI fly ash is first altered by the addition of water treatment plant sludge (WTS) and cullet, and then processed to produce sintered specimens suitable for reuse as an aggregate.

Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis and clinical assessment of unipolar versus bipolar hemiarthroplasty for subcapital femur fracture: a randomized prospective study.

Background: Hemiarthroplasty is a well-established treatment for displaced subcapital fracture, but controversy exists about the optimal implant type. Bipolar hemiarthroplasty has proposed advantages over unipolar hemiarthroplasty in terms of better clinical results and decreased wear of acetabular cartilage.

Methods: This study is a randomized prospective study of 51 patients (52 hips) receiving either bipolar or unipolar hemiarthroplasty for displaced subcapital fractures.

Effect of the milling solution on lead stabilization in municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash during the milling processes.

The wet milling process had been found to effectively stabilize lead in fly ash. This study adopts this method and looks at the effect of different milling solutions to improve the efficiency of lead stabilization. Different milling solutions (water, phosphoric acid and ethanol) and different milling times (1, 24, 48 and 96 h) were selected as parameters.

Effects of wet ball milling on lead stabilization and particle size variation in municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash.

Water-extracted municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash was treated by a process of wet ball milling, using desalinated water as the milling solution. We investigated the influence of the milling process on the partitioning and leaching characteristics of lead (Pb) and the particle size distribution. The results show that 93.

Capsular-enhanced repair of the short external rotators after total hip arthroplasty.

Higher dislocation rates have been reported with the posterior approach to the hip. Empirical studies suggest that careful repair of the posterior structures significantly reduces this risk. However, studies examining the integrity of repair using plain radiographs and metallic markers have reported high failure rates.

Validation of a low-dose hybrid RSA and fluoroscopy technique: Determination of accuracy, bias and precision.

Analyzing skeletal kinematics with radiostereometric analysis (RSA) following corrective orthopedic surgery allows the quantitative comparison of different implant designs. The purpose of this study was to validate a technique for dynamically estimating the relative position and orientation of skeletal segments using RSA and single plane X-ray fluoroscopy. Two micrometer-based in vitro phantom models of the skeletal segments in the hip and knee joints were used.

In vivo wear and migration of highly cross-linked polyethylene cups a radiostereometry analysis study.

In 50 cemented hip arthroplasties, wear and migration of the polyethylene (PE) cups were measured with radiostereometric analysis for a period of 2 years. Twenty had a normal gamma-in-air-sterilized PE, another 20 had a PE sterilized with 30000 Gy followed by heat stabilization (Duration; Stryker Orthopaedics, Mahwah, NJ), and 10 had highly cross-linked PE cups irradiated with 100000 Gy (Crossfire; Stryker Orthopaedics). In the initial 2 months, head penetration (creep) was 63 microm on average for the 3 groups.