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PubMed1989

Influence of extender, cryoperservative and seminal processing procedures on postthaw motility of canine spermatozoa frozen in straws.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate two extenders (egg-yolk Tris and egg-yolk lactose), varying concentrations of two cryopreservatives (glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide), and rates for cooling to 5 degrees C, cooling from 5 to -100 degrees C, and warming for canine spermatozoa packaged in 0.5-ml French straws. At optimal concentrations of glycerol, egg-yolk Tris extender was superior to egg-yolk lactose in preserving spermatozoal motility. Addition of dimethyl sulfoxide, alone or in combination with glycerol in either extender, was not beneficial to spermatozoal survival after thawing. Canine spermatozoa withstood a range of cooling and equilibration times with no detrimental effect on spermatozoal motility prior to freezing. However, there were differences in spermatozoal motility immediately after thawing; these differences were variable, resulting in a cooling time by equilibration time interaction. Spermatozoal motility after thawing was best preserved by freezing in egg-yolk Tris extender containing 2-4% glycerol, using a moderate rate of cooling from 5 to -100 degrees C (-5 degrees C/min from 5 to -15 degrees C, then -20 degrees C/min from -15 to -100 degrees C). Three of 12 bitches inseminated intravaginally with semen frozen using this protocol became pregnant.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1990

Studies on lactic dehydrogenase and sorbitol dehydrogenase release in relation to deep freezing of buffalo semen in certain extenders.

Forty seminal ejaculates from five mature buffalo bulls (n=8 from each bull), exhibiting more than 70% initial sperm motility, were frozen in the following three extenders: egg-yolk sodium citrate glycerol (EYCG); tris-egg yolk glycerol (TYG); and citric acid whey glycerol (CAWG). The extenders were evaluated for the release of intracellular enzymes, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SODH) from the spermatozoa during freezing (in fresh semen, after dilution and after equilibration) and post freezing (24 h and 7 d after freezing. It was found that the release of LDH and SODH enzymes was significantly lower in TYG than in EYCG and CAWG extenders. The most critical stage, at which the enzyme release was maximal, was between equilibration and 24 h post freezing in all three extenders.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pharmacokinetics of isosorbide-5-mononitrate after oral administration of an extended-release mononitrate formulation versus a standard dinitrate formulation.

The steady-state pharmacokinetic profile of isosorbide-5-mononitrate (5-ISMN) after oral administration of an extended-release tablet formulation of 5-ISMN 60 mg or 120 mg once a day was compared with that after administration of isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) 40 mg every 6 hours, in a randomized, open-label, three-way crossover trial in 24 healthy men. After oral administration of extended-release 5-ISMN 60 mg or 120 mg once daily, 5-ISMN was slowly absorbed, reaching mean peak plasma concentrations of 557 and 1151 ng/mL, respectively, in approximately 3 hours. Plasma concentrations of 5-ISMN were dose proportional between 60 mg and 120 mg. After oral administration of ISDN 40 mg every 6 hours, a mean peak plasma 5-ISMN concentration of 806 ng/mL was achieved in less than 2 hours (mean time to reach the maximum plasma concentration was 1.5 hours). The mean plasma apparent elimination half-life of 5-ISMN was 6.2 hours after extended-release 5-ISMN administration and 7.1 hours after ISDN. Although the maximum plasma concentration was higher and the minimum plasma concentration was lower after administration of extended-release 5-ISMN 120 mg once daily compared with ISDN 40 mg every 6 hours, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the "bioavailability" of 5-ISMN between these two treatments. The most commonly reported adverse events in these "nitrate-naive" subjects were headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting; these were dose related and their incidence decreased with repeated exposure.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1994

The development of enkephalin and substance P neurons in the basal ganglia: insights into neostriatal compartments and the extended amygdala.

To study the comparative development of the two major neuropeptide genes of the striatum, we used immunocytochemistry to detect immunoreactivity (ir) for substance P and synenkephalin (the N terminus of proenkephalin), and in situ hybridization to detect proenkephalin mRNA. Earliest detection of substance P-ir was in the anlage of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST, at E15) and in the rostral-lateral caudate-putamen (CPu), at E16. Substance P in the BST was immediately subjacent to the medial ganglionic eminence, while immunoreactivity in the CPu was associated with the lateral ganglionic eminence. Earliest detection of synenkephalin-ir or proenkephalin mRNA was in the caudal-lateral CPu and the adjacent central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce), at E16. Over the next several days, expression of each neuropeptide spread toward the region of first expression of the other neuropeptide. The first overlap of expression of the two neuropeptides was at E18, at the level of the septum. Despite correspondence of substance P-ir and proenkephalin mRNA in patches at P0, very little co-expression of the two neuropeptides was evident in individual neurons. We propose a model in which the CPu develops primarily from the lateral ganglionic eminence, and the extended amygdala develops primarily from the medial ganglionic eminence. Within each structure, two poles of neuropeptide gene expression are established initially: substance P-ir in the rostral CPu and in the rostral-medial pole of the extended amygdala (represented by the BST), and synenkephalin/proenkephalin in the caudal CPu and in the caudal-lateral pole of the extended amygdala (represented by the Ce). A stream of substance P-ir cells connects the two poles of the extended amygdala, in the sublenticular substantia innominata.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Quantitation of N-terminally extended tachykinins in cerebrospinal fluid from healthy subjects.

N-terminally extended substance P (SP) and neuropeptide K (NPK), an N-terminally extended form of neurokinin A (NKA), were determined in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from healthy human subjects by combined high performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay. The concentrations of the peptides were similar in fresh CSF and in CSF which had been kept frozen for up to 5 months. SP and NKA were not present in measurable amounts in neither fresh CSF nor in CSF that had been frozen. On the other hand, when synthetic SP and NKA were added to approx. 2 pM concentration to fresh CSF samples, both peptides were recovered to 85 and 98%, respectively. There were no significant concentration gradients of the peptides in the first 18 ml (three consecutive 6 ml fractions) of CSF (n = 10). In contrast, we confirmed previous findings, that there are gradients of the amine metabolites 5-HIAA (P < 0.01) and HVA (P < 0.001) (n = 5). The concentrations of extended SP (expressed in SP equivalents) and NPK in the first 6 ml of CSF were 1.5 +/- 0.7 pM and 14.2 +/- 6.4 pM (mean +/- S.D., n = 10), respectively. The present results thus show that the levels of N-terminally extended SP and NKA are stable in frozen CSF samples for up to 5 months. The virtual lack of SP and NKA in CSF does not seem to be due to losses during sample preparation or storage.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Complotypes, extended haplotypes, male segregation distortion, and disease markers.

From our studies in Caucasian families of HLA, complement, and glyoxalase alleles have developed the concepts of the complotype and the extended haplotype. complotypes are clusters of the four genes for complement proteins encoded within the MHC designated (in arbitrary order) by their BF, C2, C4A, and C4B alleles. They are inherited in families and occur in populations as functionally single genetic units and exhibit linkage disequilibrium with HLA-B and HLA-DR alleles which are complotype, rather than complement gene allele, specific. In Caucasians, there are 10-12 common sets of HLA-B, DR, complotype sets that show significant linkage disequilibrium. These haplotypes constitute 25-30% of all MHC haplotypes in Caucasians. Because there is evidence for relative fixity of alleles on these chromosomes to an unknown extent beyond the HLA-B-DR interval, they have been called extended MHC haplotypes. It appears likely that it is these extended haplotypes that provide most of the known linkage disequilibrium pairs previously reported for MHC alleles as well as many of the known MHC allele-disease associations. The most common extended haplotype [HLA-B8, DR3, SC01], when it carries GLO2, is increased in type I diabetes mellitus and probably a number of other diseases, including gluten-sensitive enteropathy and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. In the families with these disorders studied by us, this haplotype exhibits male segregation distortion, a feature displayed by t-mutants found in wild mouse populations. This feature constitutes an important selective advantage for the chromosome and may contribute to the accumulation of susceptibility mutations for a variety of diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Altered mitochondrial function and cholesterol synthesis influences protein synthesis in extended HepG2 spheroid cultures.

Cultures of hepatocytes and HepG2 cells provide useful in vitro models of liver specific function. In this study, we investigated metabolic and biosynthetic function in 3-D HepG2 spheroid cultures, in particular to characterise changes on prolonged culture. We show that HepG2 cells cultured in spheroids demonstrate a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential and respiration following 10 days of culture. This coincides with a modest reduction in glycolysis but an increase in glucose uptake where increased glycogen synthesis occurs at the expense of the intracellular ATP pool. Lowered biosynthesis coincides with and is linked to mitochondrial functional decline since low glucose-adapted spheroids, which exhibit extended mitochondrial function, have stable biosynthetic activity during extended culture although biosynthetic function is lower. This indicates that glucose is required for biosynthetic output but sustained mitochondrial function is required for the maintenance of biosynthetic function. Furthermore, we show that cholesterol synthesis is markedly increased in spheroids cf. monolayer culture and that inhibition of cholesterol synthesis by lovastatin extends mitochondrial and biosynthetic function. Therefore, increased cholesterol synthesis and/or its derivatives contributes to mitochondrial functional decline in extended HepG2 spheroid cultures.

Albumins↗

PubMed2005

Synthesis of biocompatible segmented polyurethanes from aliphatic diisocyanates and diurea diol chain extenders.

Many polyurethane elastomers display excellent mechanical properties and adequate biocompatibility. However, many medical-grade polyurethanes are prepared from aromatic diisocyanates and can degrade in vivo to carcinogenic aromatic diamines, although the question of whether the concentrations of these harmful degradation products attain physiologically relevant levels is currently unresolved and strongly debated. It is therefore desirable to synthesize new medical-grade polyurethanes from less toxic aliphatic diisocyanates. In this paper, biocompatible segmented polyurethane elastomers were synthesized from aliphatic diisocyanates (1,4-diisocyanatobutane (BDI) and lysine methyl ester diisocyanate (LDI)), novel diurea diol chain extenders based on tyrosine and tyramine, and a model poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) diol soft segment. The objectives were to design a hard segment similar in structure to that of MDI-based polyurethanes and also investigate the effects of systematic changes in structure on mechanical and biological properties. The non-branched, symmetric polyurethane prepared from BDI and a tyramine-based chain extender had the highest modulus at 37 degrees C. Introduction of symmetric short-chain branches (SCBs) incorporated in the tyrosine-based chain extender lowered the modulus by an order of magnitude. Polyurethanes prepared from LDI were soft polymers that had a still lower modulus due to the asymmetric SCBs that hindered hard segment packing. Polyurethanes prepared from tyramine and tyrosine chain extenders thermally degraded at temperatures ranging from 110 to 150 degrees C, which are lower than that reported previously for phenyl urethanes. All four polyurethanes supported the attachment, proliferation, and high viability of MG-63 human osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Therefore, the non-cytotoxic chemistry of these polyurethanes make them good candidates for further development as biomedical implants.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2006

Beyond parenting practices: extended kinship support and the academic adjustment of African-American and European-American teens.

This study examined adolescents' perceptions of parenting practices and extended kinship support in relation to academic adjustment for 104 African American and 60 European American 9th and 10th graders (14 and 15 year olds). For African-American teens, parental acceptance was associated with school values, teacher bonding, and work orientation. Higher levels of behavioral control and lower levels of psychological control were associated with a stronger work orientation. After accounting for the demographic variables and the three parenting practices, higher levels of extended kinship support related to stronger school values, higher teacher bonding, and a stronger work orientation. For European-American teens, parental acceptance related to academic adjustment, including stronger school values, higher teacher bonding, and a stronger work orientation. European-American adolescents with stronger extended kinship networks reported higher teacher bonding and a stronger work orientation. Results indicate the importance of extended kinship support for both African-American and European-American adolescents.

Achievement↗

PubMed2006

Glutamate and dopamine synaptic terminals in extended amygdala after 14-week chronic alcohol drinking in inbred alcohol-preferring rats.

Alcohol has been shown to affect glutamate (GLU) and dopamine (DA) release and their correlated receptors in the key reward center--extended amygdala--which includes the shell of nucleus accumbens (sNAc) and central nucleus of amygdala (cAmg). It is unclear to date whether there is an alteration in the number of presynaptic GLU/DA nerve terminals. In this study, we investigated the number of GLU and DA terminals in the extended amygdala of alcohol-preferring (P) rats that chronically drank ethanol. P rats have a propensity to drink ethanol to intoxication and develop an alcohol dependency. The P rats were divided into (1) Water group given ad libitum chow and water for 14 weeks; (2) Continuous alcohol group (C-Alc) given ad libitum chow and choice of 15 or 30% (v/v) ethanol or water for 14 weeks; and (3) Repeated deprivation (RD-Alc) group given the same choice of ethanol or water for 6 weeks, followed by a twice repeated cycle of 2 weeks without ethanol followed by 2 weeks with ethanol. Two subpopulations of GLU terminals were labeled by immunostaining for the vesicular GLU transporter 1 (vGLUT1) and vesicular GLU transporter 2 (vGLUT2). DA terminals were labeled by immunostaining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The GLU and DA immunostained (im) varicosities were quantified and analyzed using stereological methods. We found that chronic alcohol did not alter the number of TH-im terminals in the extended amygdala in either the C-Alc or RD-Alc drinking paradigms. Thus, the increases in extracellular levels of DA previously reported following chronic alcohol are likely due to a change in the efficiency of DA release rather than a change in the number of DA terminals. The number of vGLUT1-im terminals was also unchanged in the extended amygdala; however, the number of vGLUT2-im terminals, which represent the greater population of GLU terminals, was increased in the sNAc of the RD-Alc group compared to the Water group. Chronic alcohol is known to affect GLU release, and our findings indicate that repeated alcohol deprivation may preferentially increase GLU terminals in the sNAc bearing the vGLUT2, which are primarily afferents from the thalamus. Our results further indicate that repeated deprivation of alcohol can change the ratio of GLU to DA innervation in the sNAc, a key region of the reward circuitry.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2005

Influence of extended-release nicotinic acid on nonesterified fatty acid flux in the metabolic syndrome with atherogenic dyslipidemia.

Nicotinic acid has favorable effects on atherogenic dyslipidemia. However, in some patients who have diabetes, crystalline nicotinic acid decreases glycemic control; this effect could be due to a marked rebound of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) observed after nicotinic acid suppression of lipolysis in adipose tissue. Recent reports have indicated that small doses of extended-release nicotinic acid do not cause a substantial decrease in glucose levels. Therefore, in this study, we examined whether 2 g/day of extended-release nicotinic acid abolishes the NEFA rebound that is reported with crystalline nicotinic acid. Seventeen men who had the metabolic syndrome (8 did not have type 2 diabetes and 9 did) were treated for 4 months. At baseline and at 4 months, measurements were made of plasma glucose, insulin, and NEFA during an oral glucose tolerance test. At 3 months, effects of extended-release nicotinic acid on NEFA levels and flux rates were determined on 3 separate days at 3 separate intervals after the final dose of nicotinic acid (4, 9, and 28 hours). Values obtained at 28 hours were taken as baseline (i.e., no nicotinic acid remaining in the circulation). After 4 hours (percent baseline), NEFA levels were -30% without diabetes and -37% with diabetes, and flux rates were -21% without diabetes and -25% with diabetes; after 9 hours, NEFA levels were 43% without diabetes and 50% with diabetes, and flux rates were 38% without diabetes and 70% with diabetes. Extended-release nicotinic acid did not abolish NEFA rebound. Nonetheless, the rebound was much less than previously reported for crystalline nicotinic acid. Moreover, after 4 months of nicotinic acid therapy, levels of NEFA, glucose, and insulin during the oral glucose tolerance test were not significantly different from those before institution of nicotinic acid therapy, suggesting minimal changes in insulin sensitivity.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Extended pneumonectomy with partial resection of the left atrium, without cardiopulmonary bypass, for lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Extended pneumonectomy with partial resection of the left atrium for lung cancer is not frequently performed; therefore, its results remain controversial. The present study analyzed a single center's experience with this extended surgery, highlighting the surgery's technical aspects, postoperative outcomes, and oncologic results. METHODS: From November 1996 to December 2003, 15 patients underwent extended pneumonectomy with partial resection of the left atrium for lung cancer, without cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: Of the 15 patients (median age of 63 years, range 35 to 74 years), 11 were men (73%) and 4 were women. Six patients (40%) underwent preoperative invasive mediastinal staging. Nine patients (60%) underwent induction chemotherapy. Nine patients (60%) underwent right pneumonectomy. Pathologic analysis of the specimens identified 8 patients (53%) with N2 disease, 5 patients (33%) with N1 disease, and 2 patients with N0 disease. The T status was T4 in 10 patients, pT3 in 3 patients, and T0 in the remaining 2 patients. The were 10 squamous cell carcinomas (60%), 2 adenocarcinomas, 1 adenosquamous carcinoma, 1 mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and 1 atypical carcinoid tumor. The median intensive care unit and hospital stay were 1 day and 6.4 days, respectively. There were only two (15.3%) minor postoperative complications (atrial arrhythmias), which were successfully treated medically. There was no postoperative mortality. At completion of the study, 9 patients (60%) were still alive, with 8 showing no evidence of disease. The remaining 6 patients died because of systemic recurrences. The 3-year probability of survival was 39%. CONCLUSIONS: Extended pneumonectomy with partial resection of the left atrium for advanced lung cancer is a feasible procedure, with low postoperative morbidity and mortality. In fact, it can lead to excellent local control of the disease, if not to a permanent cure in select patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2006

Extended applications of thoracic aortic stent grafts.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic stent-grafts (TSG) show excellent early and mid-term results for localized diseases of the descending aorta. Extending TSG applications for arch pathologies or to other yet unproven indications remains to be established. We herein report our experience in 18 patients with extended applications of TSG. METHODS: Ten patients with inadequate proximal aortic neck length required coverage of at least one arch vessel with or without extra-anatomic bypass. One patient required an extra-anatomic visceral bypass to extend the distal aortic neck, 6 patients were treated with TSG for yet unproven indications, and 1 patient required an unusual vascular access. RESULTS: A mean of 2.4 +/- 1.0 stents per patient were inserted. Primary or secondary success rate was 100%. Hospital mortality occurred in one patient (5.5%). Mean follow-up was 24.1 +/- 13.7 months. Four endoleaks were diagnosed: two of type 1, one of type 2, and one that remains undetermined. Two patients died during follow-up; both deaths were linked to the presence of a type 1 endoleak. Actuarial survival at 3 years was 79.0%. Freedom from endoleak and stent-graft-related death at 3 years were, respectively, 71.0% and 83.7%. No stent-graft migration was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Early and mid-term results of extended applications of TSG are acceptable in well-selected high-risk patients. Endoleak at follow-up remains a concern and may impede long-term outcome of TSG in complex procedures.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Effect of extended exposure to grapefruit juice on cytochrome P450 3A activity in humans: comparison with ritonavir.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Acute ingestion of usual quantities of grapefruit juice produces inhibition of enteric cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A enzymes, causing pharmacokinetic interactions with a number of drugs. However, the effect of extended exposure to grapefruit juice on CYP3A activity is not established. METHODS: Triazolam, a CYP3A index compound, was administered to 3 cohorts of volunteers (n = 6-7 per group) on 4 occasions (trials 1-4), as follows: 1 day prior to cotreatment initiation, at the beginning and end of cotreatment, and 3 days after cotreatment discontinuation. The 3 cotreatments (daily administration for 10 consecutive days) were: 300 mL grapefruit juice, 400 mg ritonavir, or 300 mL water. RESULTS: Grapefruit juice cotreatment (trial 2) increased the triazolam area under the plasma concentration curve by 50% compared to the trial 1 control (15.1 +/- 7.6 ng/mL.h versus 10.0 +/- 3.5 ng/mL.h, P < .05), but the half-life was not changed. Effects of acute and extended exposure to grapefruit juice (trials 2 and 3) were similar, and produced augmentation in benzodiazepine agonist effects measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and electroencephalographic beta amplitude. Kinetic and dynamic effects reverted to baseline (trial 1) values at 3 days after grapefruit juice discontinuation (trial 4). Ritonavir caused a more than 20-fold increase in the triazolam area under the plasma concentration curve during trial 2 (553 +/- 422 ng/mL.h) and trial 3 (287 +/- 299 ng/mL.h) compared to the trial 1 control (13.3 +/- 16.3 ng/mL.h) (P < .05 for both comparisons); Digit Symbol Substitution Test and electroencephalographic pharmacodynamics increased in parallel. During trial 4, triazolam kinetics reverted close to trial 1 values, with no evidence of induction. Triazolam kinetics were not altered by water cotreatment. CONCLUSION: Acute and extended exposure to grapefruit juice produces quantitatively similar inhibition of enteric, but not hepatic, CYP3A. Recovery is complete within 3 days after grapefruit juice discontinuation. Ritonavir greatly inhibits both enteric and hepatic CYP3A. With extended exposure to ritonavir, inhibition is the predominant effect, and recovery to baseline is nearly complete 3 days after ritonavir discontinuation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Endometrial microstructure after long-term use of a 91-day extended-cycle oral contraceptive regimen.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect on the endometrial microstructure of an extended-cycle oral contraceptive (OC) regimen containing ethinyl estradiol (EE) and levonorgestrel (LNG). METHODOLOGY: Subjects received up to four cycles of a 91-day extended-cycle OC regimen (84 consecutive days of monophasic 30 microg EE/150 microg LNG followed by 7 days of placebo). Endometrial biopsies were performed prior to the initiation and at the completion of therapy. All endometrial samples were processed centrally and reviewed by three independent pathologists blinded to treatment groups. RESULTS: Endometrial biopsies were performed in 50 women. In general, samples taken after completion of therapy with no further hormonal exposure demonstrated rapid return to normal endometrial cycling. In contrast, the majority of subjects still on active extended hormonal OC therapy at the time of biopsy had inactive or atrophic endometrium. No intravascular blood clots were observed in any of the specimens. CONCLUSION: The endometrial findings observed in this cohort of women treated with a 91-day extended-cycle OC regimen for up to 1 year showed no significant pathology. Additionally, the endometrium reverted quickly to normal cyclic changes in those subjects who, after completing therapy, elected not to continue with hormonal contraception.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Cryopreservation of the endangered mahseer (Tor khudree) spermatozoa: I. Effect of extender composition, cryoprotectants, dilution ratio, and storage period on post-thaw viability.

Several in situ and ex situ conservation strategies have been suggested for the revival of stocks of Tor khudree (Sykes), a threatened species. Cryopreservation of spermatozoa is crucial for the conservation of stocks of endangered species so that sustainable production can be ensured. Among the different extenders, modified fish Ringer (E1) was found to be the best for cryopreservation of T. khudree spermatozoa. Extender E2 appeared the next best. Extenders based on chicken egg yolk and milk powder were found to be unsuitable for the cryopreservation of T. khudree spermatozoa. Among the cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide provided maximum protection to spermatozoa during freezing and thawing. Propylene glycol and methanol were found to be less effective. Of the four spermatozoa dilutions, 1:10, 1:15, and 1:20 showed better motility rates than 1:5. At the former dilution ratios, the motility rates which were more than 95% prior to freezing were reduced to 80-81 and 43-67%, 10 and 70 days after cryopreservation, respectively. The motility duration did not differ much with increasing storage period at all the dilution ratios. Motility rates generally decreased with an increase in frozen storage. When spermatozoa were thawed and stored at 25 degrees C for varying periods, motility percentage, and duration decreased gradually as the storage period increased; spermatozoa stored up to 40 min after thawing retained 55% motility and were motile up to 77s; these values declined further leading to the complete cessation of motility 70 min after storage. The importance of extender-cryoprotectant mixture, milt dilution, and storage period in developing a protocol for T. khudree spermatozoa cryopreservation is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Neuronal expression of p53 dominant-negative proteins in adult Drosophila melanogaster extends life span.

Hyperactivation of p53 leads to a reduction in tumor formation and an unexpected shortening of life span in two different model systems . The decreased life span occurs with signs of accelerated aging, such as osteoporosis, reduction in body weight, atrophy of organs, decreased stress resistance, and depletion of hematopoietic stem cells. These observations suggest a role for p53 in the determination of life span and the speculation that decreasing p53 activity may result in positive effects on some aging phenotypes . In this report, we show that expression of dominant-negative versions of Drosophila melanogaster p53 in adult neurons extends life span and increases genotoxic stress resistance in the fly. Consistent with this, a naturally occurring allele with decreased p53 activity has been associated with extended survival in humans . Expression of the dominant-negative Drosophila melanogaster p53 constructs does not further increase the extended life span of flies that are calorie restricted, suggesting that a decrease in p53 activity may mediate a component of the calorie-restriction life span-extending pathway in flies.

Animals↗

PubMed2007

A comparison of outcomes after robotic open extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the surgical approach on surgical and neurologic outcomes after extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the institutional extended thymectomies for myasthenia gravis within the last decade was performed. Patients of group A (open access by total median sternotomy; n=10; 1996-2002) and of group B (video assisted thoracoscopic surgery approach with the da Vinci robotic system; n=9; 2003-2006) did not differ with regard to gender distribution, age, body mass index, American Association of Anaesthetists score and Osserman classification of myasthenia gravis. Primary endpoints were surgical complications and the symptomatic/neurologic outcome of the extended thymectomy. Secondary endpoints were operating times and hospital stay. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 74+/-23 months in group A and 13+/-10 months in group B. Surgical complications occurred in 4 patients in group A (requiring 2 re-interventions) and in 1 patient in group B (p<0.05). The median dose of Pyridostigminbromid was reduced 3 and 6 months postoperatively in group A to 80% and 60% of the preoperative level and in group B to 66% and 60% of the preoperative level, respectively. Within the first postoperative year all patients of group B had an improvement of their disease whereas 2 patients of group A did not benefit from thymectomy or had a worsening of symptoms. Operating times were significantly shorter in group A (110 (42-152) min vs 154 (94-312) min, p<0.05), hospital stay was significantly shorter in group B (5 (4-15) vs 10 (10-23) days, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this small series favour the robotic approach for extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis in respect of both surgical and early neurologic outcome. However, prospective randomized trials are required to prove a general validity.

Female↗