DOxy: A Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring System.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in water enables marine life. Measuring the prevalence of DO in a body of water is an important part of sustainability efforts because low oxygen levels are a primary indicator of contamination and distress in bodies of water. Therefore, aquariums and aquaculture of all types are in need of near real-time dissolved oxygen monitoring and spend a lot of money on purchasing and maintaining DO meters that are either expensive, inefficient, or manually operated-in which case they also need to ensure that manual readings are taken frequently which is time consuming.

Impact of bridge heterology on functional parameters of ELISA for 17α-methyltestosterone.

In this study, we have developed bridge heterologous ELISA for the detection of 17α- Methyltestosterone by incorporating aromatic spacers between 17α-Methyltestosterone-3-Carboxymethyloxime and Horseradish peroxidase label through N-hydroxysuccinimide mediated carbodiimide reaction method. The immunogen 17α-Methyltestosterone-3-Carboxymethyloxime-Bovine serum albumin used to generate the antibody was also prepared by the N-hydroxysuccinimide mediated carbodiimide reaction without using any spacer. We have studied the impact of bridge/aromatic spacers on functional parameters i.

Development and optimization of an in-house heterologous ELISA for detection of prednisolone drug in enzyme conjugates using spacers.

The introduction of spacers in coating steroid protein complexes and/or enzyme conjugates or immunogens is known to exert an influence on the sensitivity of steroid enzyme immunoassays. We investigated the impact of different homobifunctional spacers, ranging in atomic length from 3 to 10, on the sensitivity and specificity of prednisolone (PSL) enzyme immunoassays. In this study, four homo-bifunctional spacers, namely, carbohydrazide (CH), adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH), ethylene diamine (EDA), and urea (U), were incorporated between PSL and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for preparing the enzyme conjugate with an aim to improve the sensitivity of the assay without compromising assay specificity.

Prevalence of Cerebrovascular Accidents Among the US Population With Substance Use Disorders: A Nationwide Study.

Introduction Globally, stroke is one of the top ten causes of death. The incidence of stroke in patients aged 44 years and younger was noted to have risen over the past three decades. This rise in stroke diagnosis among young adults could be attributed to multiple reasons, including the rising prevalence of comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, substance use disorders (SUDs), etc.

Direct impact of gonadotropins on glucose uptake and storage in preovulatory granulosa cells: Implications in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is often associated with higher levels of LH, and arrested ovarian follicular growth. The direct impact of high LH on FSH mediated metabolic responses in PCOS patients is not clearly understood.

Method: In order to investigate the impact of FSH and LH on glucose metabolism in preovulatory granulosa cells (GCs), we used [UC]-2 deoxyglucose, D-[UC]-glucose or 2-NBD glucose to analyse glucose uptake and its incorporation into glycogen.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors: possible therapeutic drugs for female fertility regulation.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are group of enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis of cyclic adenosine 3', 5' monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine 3', 5' monophosphate (cGMP) levels in wide variety of cell types. These PDEs are detected in encircling granulosa cells or in oocyte with in follicular microenvironment and responsible for the decrease of cAMP and cGMP levels in mammalian oocytes. A transient decrease of cAMP level initiates downstream pathways to cause spontaneous meiotic resumption from diplotene arrest and induces oocyte maturation.

Homologous ELISA for measurement of medroxyprogesterone acetate in serum.

In order to develop ELISA for medroxyprogesterone acetate, medroxyprogesterone acetate-3-carboxymethyloxime (MPA-3-CMO) was coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) for immunogen preparation and to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for enzyme conjugate preparation by N-hydroxysuccinimide mediated carbodiimide reaction. The immunogen was used to raise the antiserum in New Zealand white rabbit. The immunoreactivity of MPA-3-CMO-BSA-antibody and MPA-3-CMO-HRP enzyme conjugate was checked by checkerboard assay.

Role of granulosa cell mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/1 in gonadotropin-mediated meiotic resumption from diplotene arrest of mammalian oocytes.

In mammals, preovulatory oocytes are encircled by several layers of granulosa cells (GCs) in follicular microenvironment. These follicular oocytes are arrested at diplotene arrest due to high level of cyclic nucleotides from encircling GCs. Pituitary gonadotropin acts at the level of encircling GCs and increases adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and activates mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/1 (MAPK3/1) signaling pathway.

Role of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase and Maturation Promoting Factor During the Achievement of Meiotic Competency in Mammalian Oocytes.

The oocyte quality remains as one of the major problems associated with poor in vitro fertilization (IVF) rate and assisted reproductive technology (ART) failure worldwide. The oocyte quality is dependent on its meiotic maturation that begins inside the follicular microenvironment and gets completed at the time of ovulation in most of the mammalian species. Follicular oocytes are arrested at diplotene stage of first meiotic prophase.

Nitric oxide signaling during meiotic cell cycle regulation in mammalian oocytes.

Nitric oxide (NO) acts as a major signal molecules and modulate physiology of mammalian oocytes. Ovarian follicles generate large amount of NO through nitric oxide synthase (NOS) pathway to maintain diplotene arrest in preovulatory oocytes. Removal of oocytes from follicular microenvironment or follicular rupture during ovulation disrupt the flow of NO from granulosa cells to the oocyte that results a transient decrease of oocyte cytoplasmic NO level.

Measuring fecal testosterone metabolites in spotted hyenas: Choosing the wrong assay may lead to erroneous results.

Enzyme-immunoassays (EIA) that detect fecal testosterone metabolites (fTM) are powerful tools to monitor gonadal activity non-invasively. However, a challenge with testosterone EIAs might be their potential for cross-reactivities with structurally similar glucocorticoid metabolites. Therefore, we aimed to verify the capability of four different testosterone EIAs to monitor fTM without reflecting changes in adrenocortical activity in spotted hyenas by analyzing fecal samples following testosterone and ACTH challenge tests.

Calcium Signaling During Meiotic Cell Cycle Regulation and Apoptosis in Mammalian Oocytes.

Calcium (Ca ) is one of the major signal molecules that regulate various aspects of cell functions including cell cycle progression, arrest, and apoptosis in wide variety of cells. This review summarizes current knowledge on the differential roles of Ca in meiotic cell cycle resumption, arrest, and apoptosis in mammalian oocytes. Release of Ca from internal stores and/or Ca influx from extracellular medium causes moderate increase of intracellular Ca ([Ca ]i) level and reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Impact of stress on oocyte quality and reproductive outcome.

Stress is an important factor that affects physical and mental status of a healthy person disturbing homeostasis of the body. Changes in the lifestyle are one of the major causes that lead to psychological stress. Psychological stress could impact the biology of female reproduction by targeting at the level of ovary, follicle and oocyte.

pH-Sensitive Biocompatible Nanoparticles of Paclitaxel-Conjugated Poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) for Anticancer Drug Delivery in Solid Tumors of Syngeneic Mice.

In the present study, we have synthesized poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride), a biocompatible copolymer that was further conjugated with paclitaxel (PTX) via ester linkage and self-assembled to form poly(styrene-co-maleic acid)-paclitaxel (PSMAC-PTX) nanoparticles (NPs). The in vitro release of PTX from PSMAC-PTX NPs showed a higher release at lower pH than at the physiological pH of 7.4, confirming its pH-dependent release.

FSH stimulates IRS-2 expression in human granulosa cells through cAMP/SP1, an inoperative FSH action in PCOS patients.

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) plays a central role in growth and differentiation of ovarian follicles. A plethora of information exists on molecular aspects of FSH responses but little is known about the mechanisms involved in its cross-talk with insulin/IGF-1 pathways implicated in the coordination of energy homeostasis in preovulatory granulosa cells (GCs). In this study, we hypothesized that FSH may regulate IRS-2 expression and thereby maintain the energy balance in GCs.

Apoptosis in mammalian oocytes: a review.

Apoptosis causes elimination of more than 99% of germ cells from cohort of ovary through follicular atresia. Less than 1% of germ cells, which are culminated in oocytes further undergo apoptosis during last phases of oogenesis and depletes ovarian reserve in most of the mammalian species including human. There are several players that induce apoptosis directly or indirectly in oocytes at various stages of meiotic cell cycle.

Neem (Azadirachta indica L.) leaf extract deteriorates oocyte quality by inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis in mammals.

Neem (Azadirachta indica L.) leaf has been widely used in ayurvedic system of medicine for fertility regulation for a long time. The molecular mechanism by which neem leaf regulates female fertility remains poorly understood.

Development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for estimation of urinary albumin.

Yearly estimation of urinary albumin is a prerequisite for predicting renal status in Diabetes Type II patients with negative dipstick results for overt proteinuria. A simple, sensitive, and cost-effective enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for urinary albumin has been developed using human serum albumin antiserum (HSA-antiserum), HSA-biotin, and streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase (SA-HRP) conjugates. To the antibody-coated wells, 100 μL of HSA standards followed by 1:100 diluted urine samples in duplicate were added and then 50 μL of HSA-biotin conjugates was added in all the wells.

An increase of granulosa cell apoptosis mediates aqueous neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extract-induced oocyte apoptosis in rat.

Objective: Neem plant (Azadirachta indica) has been extensively used in Ayurvedic system of medicine for female fertility regulation for a long time, but its mechanism of action remains poorly understood. Hence, the present study was aimed to determine whether an increase of granulosa cell apoptosis is associated with aqueous neem leaf extract (NLE)-induced oocyte apoptosis.

Materials And Methods: Sexually immature female rats of 20 days old were fed NLE (50 mg/day) for 10 days and then subjected to superovulation induction protocol.

Influence of different length spacers containing enzyme conjugate on functional parameters of progesterone ELISA.

In steroid enzyme immunoassay (EIA), there is an increase or decrease of labeled steroid recognition by antibody due to homologous and heterologous combinations of enzyme conjugate with immunogen that affects sensitivity of the assay. We have introduced three to 18 atomic length linkers between enzyme and steroid moieties and studied their effects on functional parameters such as sensitivity, ED(50), and specificity of progesterone enzyme immunoassays. Progesterone-3-carboxymethyloxime-bovine serum albumin (P-3-CMO-BSA) was used as an immunogen to raise the antiserum in New Zealand white rabbits.

Heterologous enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for measurement of testosterone in serum.

In steroid enzyme immunoassay (EIA), homologous and heterologous combinations of enzyme conjugate with immunogen influences labeled steroid recognition by antibodies that affect sensitivity of the assay. To develop testosterone enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), antibodies were generated against testosterone-3-carboxymethyloxime-bovine serum albumin (T-3-CMO-BSA), testosterone-11-hemisuccinate-bovine serum albumin (T-11-HS-BSA), testosterone-17-hemisuccinate-bovine serum albumin (T-17-HS-BSA), testosterone-17-glucuronide-bovine serum albumin (T-17-G-BSA), and testosterone-19-carboxymethylether-bovine serum albumin (T-19-CME-BSA). Testosterone horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme conjugate were prepared using carboxyl derivatives of 11-keto-testosterone (11-keto-T) and 1-dehydrotestosterone (1-Dehydro-T).

Influence of different length linker containing DHEA-7-cmo-enzyme conjugates on sensitivity and specificity of DHEA-3-hs-antibody.

The introduction of spacers in coating steroid antigen or enzyme conjugates or immunogen is known to exert an influence on the sensitivity of steroid enzyme immunoassays. We have introduced different homobifunctional spacers having varying atomic length (3 to 10) between enzyme and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) moiety and studied their effects on functional parameters such as sensitivity and specificity of DHEA enzyme immunoassays. DHEA-3-hemisuccinate-bovine serum albumin (DHEA-3-HS-BSA) was used as immunogen to raise the antiserum in New Zealand white rabbits.