scholarly journals Exploration of the Cytoplasmic Function of Abnormally Fertilized Embryos via Novel Pronuclear-Stage Cytoplasmic Transfer

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (16) ◽  
pp. 8765
Author(s):  
Ayako Fujimine-Sato ◽  
Takashi Kuno ◽  
Keiko Higashi ◽  
Atsushi Sugawara ◽  
Hiroaki Hiraga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Step Method ◽  
Developmental Potential ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Ivf Failure ◽  
Abnormal Fertilization ◽  
Epigenetic Events ◽  
Potential Alternative ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Pn Stage ◽  
Cytoplasmic Transfer

In regular IVF, a portion of oocytes exhibit abnormal numbers of pronuclei (PN) that is considered as abnormal fertilization, and they are routinely discarded. However, it is known that abnormal ploidy still does not completely abandon embryo development and implantation. To explore the potential of cytoplasm from those abnormally fertilized oocytes, we developed a novel technique for the transfer of large cytoplasm between pronuclear-stage mouse embryos, and assessed its impact. A large volume of cytoplast could be efficiently transferred in the PN stage using a novel two-step method of pronuclear-stage cytoplasmic transfer (PNCT). PNCT revealed the difference in the cytoplasmic function among abnormally fertilized embryos where the cytoplasm of 3PN was developmentally more competent than 1PN, and the supplementing of fresh 3PN cytoplasm restored the impaired developmental potential of postovulatory “aged” oocytes. PNCT-derived embryos harbored significantly higher mitochondrial DNA copies, ATP content, oxygen consumption rate, and total cells. The difference in cytoplasmic function between 3PN and 1PN mouse oocytes probably attributed to the proper activation via sperm and may impact subsequent epigenetic events. These results imply that PNCT may serve as a potential alternative treatment to whole egg donation for patients with age-related recurrent IVF failure.

scholarly journals Redox Index of Cys-Thiol Residues of Serum Apolipoprotein E and Its Diagnostic Potential

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuyoshi Yamauchi ◽  
Yasushi Kawakami
Keyword(s):  
Apolipoprotein E ◽  
Serum Triglyceride ◽  
Redox Status ◽  
Reduced Form ◽  
Band Shift ◽  
Redox Biology ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Diagnostic Potential ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Hba1c Levels

Abstract We explored the proper index for estimating the redox status of Cys-thiol of serum apolipoprotein E (apoE), named “redox-IDX-apoE,” which is necessary to understand the redox biology of age-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis. The fractions of reduced form (red-), reversible oxidized form (roxi-), and irreversibly oxidized form (oxi-) apoE were measured by a band-shift assay. Candidates of redox-IDX-apoE were determined by calculating the values of these fractions and total apoE concentration. The ratios of roxi-apoE to total-apoE (roxi/total), red-apoE to roxi-apoE (red/roxi), and [red-apoE + oxi-apoE] to roxi-apoE ([red + oxi]/roxi) were independent of age and sex. Roxi/total showed significant negative correlations with serum triglyceride (TG) and HbA1c levels, while red/roxi and [red + oxi]/roxi showed significant positive correlations with them. However, red/roxi and [red + oxi]/roxi in the patients with atherosclerosis were significantly lower than those in control subjects, although serum TG and HbA1c levels in the patients were significantly higher than those in controls. The redox status of serum apoE-Cys-thiol is closely involved in the metabolism of TG-rich lipoproteins and glucose and may vary depending on the difference in pathological conditions. The appropriate usage of these ratios could be helpful in the diagnosis and prognosis of age-related diseases.

scholarly journals A cross-sectional study on interference control: age affects reactive control but not proactive control

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfang Peng ◽  
Qin Zhu ◽  
Biye Wang ◽  
Jie Ren
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Efficiency Score ◽  
Interference Control ◽  
Reactive Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

Background Working memory updating (WMU), a controlled process to continuously adapt to the changing task demand and environment, is crucial for cognitive executive function. Although previous studies have shown that the elderly were more susceptible to cognitive interference than the youngsters, the picture of age-related deterioration of WMU is incomplete due to lack of study on people at their middle ages. Thus, the present study investigated the impact of age on the WMU among adults by a cross-sectional design to verify whether inefficiency interference control accounts for the aging of WMU. Methods In total, 112 healthy adults were recruited for this study; 28 old adults (21 female) ranging from 60 to 78 years of age; 28 middle-age adults (25 female) ranging from 45 to 59 years of age; 28 adults (11 female) ranging from 26 to 44 years of age; and 28 young adults (26 female) ranging from 18 to 25 years of age. Each participant completed a 1-back task. The inverse efficiency score was calculated in various sequences of three trials in a row to quantify the performance of WMU for adults of various ages. Results Inverse efficiency score of both young groups (young adult and adult) were significantly shorter than the old group in both Repeat-Alternate (RA, including □□○ and ○○□) and Alternate-Alternate (AA, including ○□○ and □○□) sequential patterns and they were additionally better than the middle-age group in AA sequential pattern. Conclusion With the increase of difficulty in the task, the difference in reactive interference control between young and middle age was gradually revealed, while the difference between young and old remained to apparent. The degradation of WMU aging may begin from middle-age and presents selective impairment in that only reactive interference control, but not proactive interference control, shows pronounced age-related decline. The preliminary results can inform future studies to further explore the whole lifespan trajectories of cognitive functions.

scholarly journals Ultrastructure changes and expression of NLRP3 inflammasome  in lens anterior capsule of patient with cataracts associated with uveitis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chu Zhang ◽  
Chong-Hui Ying ◽  
siqin Sun ◽  
yuechun Wen ◽  
Zicheng Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Ultrastructural Changes ◽  
Lens Epithelial Cells ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Anterior Capsule ◽  
Caspase 1 ◽  
Pyrin Domain ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Domain 3

Abstract ● AIM : T o investigate the expression of nod-like receptor pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) in lens anterior capsule of Uveitis associated with cataract and observe the ultrastructural changes of them . ● Methods: 17(22 eyes) cases of uveitis associated with cataract were selected a s experimental group and 1 0 (18 eyes) cases of age-related cataract were selected a s contro l group. The expressions of NLRP3, apoptosis-related speckle protein （ASC） and caspase-1 protein were tested by immunohistochemical and the ultrastructural changes of anterior capsul e was observed under electron microscope. ● Results: The expression of NLRP3 、 caspase-1 and ASC in the anterior capsu le of cataracts associated with uveitis was significantly higher than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant (p ＜ 0.05). The apoptotic changes of lens epithelial cells in uveitis associated with cataract were obvious, and the apoptotic changes of lens epithelial cells were mild in age-related cataract patients. ● Conclusion: Strongly postive expressed NLRP3 inflamma some and obvious apoptotic changes are founded in the lens epithelial cells of patients with uveitis associat ed with cataract, suggesting that NLRP3 inflamma some and the apoptosis of lens epithelial cells may play a role in the progress of uveitis associat ed with cataract.

Strain-specific differences in mouse oocytes and their contributions to epigenetic inheritance

Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (12) ◽  
pp. 3419-3426 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.E. Latham
Keyword(s):  
Strain Difference ◽  
Epigenetic Inheritance ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Female Progeny ◽  
Protective Function ◽  
F1 Hybrid ◽  
Developmental Potential ◽  
Protein Gel ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Strain Dependent

Previous experiments revealed a strain-dependent effect of egg cytoplasm on the developmental potential of androgenetic (two paternal genomes) mouse embryos. Eggs obtained from C57BL/6 mice supported androgenone development to the blastocyst stage at a much higher frequency than eggs from DBA/2 mice. Transient exposure of paternal pronuclei to DBA/2 egg cytoplasm also compromised development, indicating that the DBA/2 egg cytoplasm negatively affected the ability of paternal pronuclei to support blastocyst formation. An essential first step toward understanding the molecular mechanism by which egg modifier factors influence gene expression is to determine the number of loci that are responsible for the strain difference. To do this, (B6D2)F1 hybrid females were backcrossed to DBA/2 males and the eggs from individual female progeny assayed for their ability to support androgenetic development. Approximately one fourth of the backcross females produced eggs that failed to support androgenone development, indicating that two independently segregating genetic loci are most likely responsible for the difference between DBA/2 and C57BL/6 egg phenotypes. Comparison of DBA/2 and C57BL/6 oocytes by two-dimensional protein gel electrophoresis revealed at least 17 proteins that exhibited significant, reproducible, quantitative differences in rates of synthesis. All of these proteins were synthesized in (B6D2)F1 oocytes. These data, combined with the previous observation that the C57BL/6 egg phenotype is dominant, are consistent with a model in which a C57BL/6 allele at either locus provides a protective function, either by antagonizing the actions of the DBA/2 alleles or by providing, through partial or complete redundancy, a function not provided by the DBA/2 alleles.

Self-employment and earning inequality

2007 ◽  
pp. 106
Author(s):  
Jean-Marc Falter
Keyword(s):  
Work Experience ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Employment Sector ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wage Employment ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Income Dispersion ◽  
Two Sectors ◽  
Earning Inequality

The present study attempts to explain the difference in observed earning inequality between self-employment and wage-employment in Switzerland in 1992, 1995 and 2000. We use several measures of inequality in order both to determine the factors affecting income dispersion in the two groups and to identify the variables that drive the earning inequality differential. Thus, we make use of discrete decomposition techniques and of a regression-based method. The latter allows us to introduce a selection term in our decompositions which is of crucial importance in the case of self-employment. Our results indicate that education- and age-related variables, like work experience and tenure, are the most important factors explaining the inequality level in both groups. The importance of these factors seems, however, to be larger in the wage-employment sector. The reason may lie in the process of selection into selfemployment rather than in the differences in the returns to characteristics between the two sectors.

Beta-adrenergic modulation of Na-K pump activity in young and adult canine cardiac Purkinje fibers

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (2) ◽  
pp. H706-H712
Author(s):  
F. Charpentier ◽  
M. J. Legato ◽  
S. F. Steinberg ◽  
I. S. Cohen ◽  
M. R. Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Beta Adrenergic ◽  
Purkinje Fibers ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cardiac Purkinje Fibers ◽  
Adrenergic Modulation ◽  
Pump Activity ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Beta Adrenergic Agonist

We used standard microelectrode techniques to study the developmental changes and beta-adrenergic modulation of membrane potential and of Na-K pump activity in adult (> 1 yr of age) and neonatal (2-10 days) canine Purkinje fibers. Isoproterenol (10(-7) M) increased the rate of development and magnitude of pacing-induced hyperpolarization of adult fibers driven at a 1-s cycle length. This effect of isoproterenol was attenuated by treating dogs with pertussis toxin (PTX), (30 micrograms/kg). Other adult and neonatal fibers were superfused with a Tyrode solution containing Ba2+ 0.2 mM, Cs+ 2 mM, and 10(-6) M verapamil, thus leading to depolarization and cessation of spontaneous activity. The Na-K pump was studied by alternating solutions containing [K] at 0 mM (inhibiting the pump) and 4 mM (reactivating the pump). Although the kinetics of the Na-K pump appeared faster in neonatal fibers than in adult fibers, measurement of cell surface-to-volume ratio compensated for the difference. We therefore conclude that 1) the apparent age-related changes in Na-K pump activity in canine Purkinje fibers in fact reflect cell surface-to-volume ratio and, 2) the beta-adrenergic agonist-induced hyperpolarization in adults requires the presence of a PTX-sensitive G protein for its occurrence.

scholarly journals Improved relapse recovery in paediatric compared to adult multiple sclerosis

Brain ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (9) ◽  
pp. 2733-2741
Author(s):  
Tanuja Chitnis ◽  
Greg Aaen ◽  
Anita Belman ◽  
Leslie Benson ◽  
Mark Gorman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Functional System ◽  
Progressive Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Effect Of Age

Abstract Incomplete relapse recovery contributes to disability accrual and earlier onset of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. We sought to investigate the effect of age on relapse recovery. We identified patients with multiple sclerosis from two longitudinal prospective studies, with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score within 30 days after onset of an attack, and follow-up EDSS 6 months after attack. Adult patients with multiple sclerosis (n = 632) were identified from the Comprehensive Longitudinal Investigations in Multiple Sclerosis at Brigham study (CLIMB), and paediatric patients (n = 132) from the US Network of Paediatric Multiple Sclerosis Centers (NPMSC) registry. Change in EDSS was defined as the difference in EDSS between attack and follow-up. Change in EDSS at follow-up compared to baseline was significantly lower in children compared to adults (P = 0.001), as were several functional system scores. Stratification by decade at onset for change in EDSS versus age found for every 10 years of age, EDSS recovery is reduced by 0.15 points (P < 0.0001). A larger proportion of children versus adults demonstrated improvement in EDSS following an attack (P = 0.006). For every 10 years of age, odds of EDSS not improving increase by 1.33 times (P < 0.0001). Younger age is associated with improved recovery from relapses. Age-related mechanisms may provide novel therapeutic targets for disability accrual in multiple sclerosis.

scholarly journals Influence of volume dependency and timing of airway occlusions on the Hering-Breuer reflex in infants

1998 ◽  
Vol 85 (6) ◽  
pp. 2033-2039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia S. Rabbette ◽  
Janet Stocks
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Mechanics ◽  
Newborn Infants ◽  
Tidal Range ◽  
First Year ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Inspiratory Time ◽  
Tidal Breathing ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Difference ◽  
First Year Of Life

Both end-inspiratory (EIO) and end-expiratory (EEO) airway occlusions are used to calculate the strength of the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex (HBIR) in infants. However, the influence of the timing of such occlusions is unknown, as is the extent to which changes in volume within and above the tidal range affect this reflex. The purpose of this study was to compare both techniques and to evaluate the volume dependency of the HBIR in healthy, sleeping infants up to 1 yr of age. The strength of the HBIR was expressed as the ratio of expiratory or inspiratory time during EIO or EEO, respectively, to that recorded during spontaneous breathing, i.e., as the “inhibitory ratio” (IR). Paired measurements of the EIO and EEO in 26 naturally sleeping newborn and 15 lightly sedated infants at ∼1 yr showed no statistically significant differences in the IR according to technique: mean (95% CI) of the difference (EIO − EEO) being −0.02 (−0.17, 0.13) during the first week of life and 0.04 (−0.14, 0.22) at 1 yr. During tidal breathing, a volume threshold of ∼4 ml/kg was required to evoke the HBIR. Marked volume and age dependency were observed. In newborn infants, occlusions at ∼10 ml/kg during sighs always resulted in an IR > 4, whereas a similar response was only evoked at 25 ml/kg in older infants. Age-related changes in the volume threshold may reflect maturational changes in the control of breathing and respiratory mechanics throughout the first year of life.

Longitudinal force and stress of rat's esophagus: age-related changes.

1977 ◽  
Vol 232 (6) ◽  
pp. E580
Author(s):  
M P Zabinski ◽  
P Biancani
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Longitudinal Direction ◽  
Longitudinal Force ◽  
Active Stress ◽  
Length Relationship ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Old Rats ◽  
The Difference

Longitudinal force-length relationship of the rat esophagus was studied in vitro in three age groups: 1 mo, 3 mo, and 12 mo. The length of maximum force development (MFD) occurs at 1.4-1.5 times the in vivo length for all age groups. The active force developed at MFD increases markedly with age. The difference in the active forces in the 3-mo and 12-mo age groups is due to differences in cross section because the active stress of the esophagus in the longitudinal direction is approximately equal for the two age groups. The active stress in the 1-mo-old rats is lower than in the 3-mo-old rats, suggesting an increased contractility of the esophagus with age in this period of development.

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