Histologically Confirmed Recellularization is a Key Factor that Affects Meniscal Healing in Immature and Mature Meniscal Tears

Healing outcomes of meniscal repair are better in younger than in older. However, exact mechanisms underlying superior healing potential in younger remain unclear from a histological perspective. This study included 24 immature rabbits and 24 mature rabbits. Tears were created in the anterior horn of medial meniscus of right knee in each rabbit. Animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. We performed macroscopic and histological evaluations of post-meniscal repair specimens. Cells were counted within a region of interest to confirm cellularization at tear site in immature menisci. The width of cell death zone was measured to determine the region of cell death in mature menisci. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay. Vascularization was assessed by CD31 immunofluorescence. The glycosaminoglycans and the types 1 and 2 collagen content was evaluated by calculating average optical density of corresponding histological specimens. Cartilage degeneration was also evaluated. Healing outcomes following untreated meniscal tears were superior in immature group. Recellularization with meniscus-like cell morphology was observed at tear edge in immature menisci. Superior recellularization was observed at meniscal sites close to joint capsule than at sites distant from the capsule. Recellularization did not occur at tear site in mature group; however, we observed gradual enlargement of cell death zone. Apoptosis was presented at 1, 3, 6, 12 weeks in immature and mature menisci after untreated meniscal tears. Vascularization was investigated along the tear edges in immature menisci. Glycosaminoglycans and type 2 collagen deposition were negatively affected in immature menisci. We observed glycosaminoglycan degradation in mature menisci and cartilage degeneration, specifically in immature cartilage of the femoral condyle. In conclusion, compared with mature rabbits, immature rabbits showed more robust healing response after untreated meniscal tears. Vascularization contributed to the recellularization after meniscal tears in immature menisci. Meniscal injury fundamentally alters extracellular matrix deposition.

DETERMINATION OF THE FACTORS LIMITING COTTON FIBER QUALITY IN TURKEY

This study aims to determine the variation of fiber quality in cotton varieties produced in the Southeastern Anatolia Region and Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir provinces. 1090 fiber samples were obtained from 6 cotton varieties (Lima, Stoneville 468, Candia and Babylon for Sanliurfa, Lima, Stoneville 468, Lodos and Gloria for Diyarbakir) collected from ginning factories in Sanliurfa and Diyarbakir. Statistical analyzes were done with HVI device and obtained data were analyzed by using Excel and TOTEMSTAT programs. In the frequency distribution, cotton varieties of the region are in the medium and long fiber group in terms of fiber length. They were in the medium (only two samples), strong and very strong group in terms of fiber strength. They were generally in the medium and thick group in terms of fiber fineness (micronaire). In terms of fiber uniformity index, the majority of the fibers were in the middle group. In terms of short fiber index, most of the fibers were in the very low and low groups. The majority of the samples were in the high and medium group in terms of fiber elongation, in the mature and very mature group in terms of fiber maturity. In terms of spinning consistency index (SCI) 59,2% of the fibers were between 119,41 and 135,83; 31,3% of them, were between 135,83 and 152,24, 58,2% of the material has a reflectance value of 74 and above. All materials were in white and light-yellow groups in terms of yellowness. It has been observed that the majority of the fibers (66%) are in the low group in terms of trash count. The results obtained from the study of cotton produce of Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey has shown that good fiber quality and to meet the demand of textile industry.

Micro-premature infants in New Jersey show improved mortality and morbidity from 2000– 2018

BACKGROUND: Micro-premature newborns, gestational age (GA) < 25 weeks, have high rates of mortality and morbidity. Literature has shown improving outcomes for extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) GA < 29 weeks, but few studies have addressed outcomes of ELGANs < 25 weeks. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the trends in outcomes for ELGANs born in New Jersey, from 2000 to 2018 and to compare two subgroups: GA 23 to 25 weeks (E1) and GA 26 to 29 weeks (E2). METHODS: Thirteen NICUs in NJ submitted de-identified data. Outcomes for mortality and morbidity were calculated. RESULTS: Data from 12,707 infants represents the majority of ELGANs born in NJ from 2000 to 2018. There were 3,957 in the E1 group and 8,750 in the E2 group. Mortality decreased significantly in both groups; E1, 43.2% to 30.2% and E2, 7.6% to 4.5% over the 19 years. The decline in E1 was significantly greater than in E2. Most morbidities also showed significant improvement over time in both groups. Survival without morbidity increased from 14.5% to 30.7% in E1s and 47.2% to 69.9% in E2s. Similar findings held for 501– 750 and 751– 1000g birth weight strata. CONCLUSIONS: Significant declines in both mortality and morbidity have occurred in ELGANs over the last two decades. These rates of improvements for the more immature ELGANs of GA 230 to 256 weeks were greater than for the more mature group in several outcomes. While the rates of morbidity and mortality remain high, these results validate current efforts to support the micro-premature newborn.

Implication of Flow Cytometry-Based Maturity Score in Risk Stratification of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Adult Egyptians

Background Already for decades, controversy exists as to whether immunophenotyping has a prognostic significance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the impact of the immunophenotypic assessment of blast maturity is largely unknown. Objectives Studying the influence of the degree of immunophenotypic maturity, via the application of the flow-cytometric based maturity score, on the clinical outcome as well as the laboratory and clinical parameters of patients with AML. Methods This study was conducted on 40 newly diagnosed AML patients with the quantifications of the variable expressions of three early myeloid progenitor markers namely CD34, CD117 and TdT. After that, the estimation of the blast maturity was based on a previous score proposed in a study by Schneider et al. (2015). Results Out of forty patients enrolled, 8 patients (20%) were assigned to the mature group whereas 32 patients were assigned to the immature group. There was no statistically significant difference between both groups in terms of demographics, clinical and laboratory data, cytogenetic risk groups as well as treatment outcome determined by mortality and response to chemotherapy on day 28 and at 6 months. Mature group showed slightly higher median survival in comparison to the immature group. Conclusion There is no evident relationship between maturity score of the blast population of a patient and the clinical outcome despite mild prolongation of median survival of the mature group. Higher sample size is needed to confirm this observation.

Gene expression patterns of novel visual and non-visual opsin families in immature and mature Japanese eel males

This study was carried out to identify and estimate physiological function of a new type of opsin subfamily present in the retina and whole brain tissues of Japanese eel using RNA–Seq transcriptome method. A total of 18 opsin subfamilies were identified through RNA–seq. The visual opsin family included Rh2, SWS2, FWO, DSO, and Exo-Rhod. The non-visual opsin family included four types of melanopsin subfamily (Opn4x1, Opn4x2, Opn4m1, and Opn4m2), peropsin, two types of neuropsin subfamily (Opn5-like, Opn5), Opn3, three types of TMT opsin subfamily (TMT1, 2, 3), VA-opsin, and parapinopsin. In terms of changes in photoreceptor gene expression in the retina of sexually mature and immature male eels, DSO mRNA increased in the maturation group. Analysis of expression of opsin family gene in male eel brain before and after maturation revealed that DSO and SWS2 expression in terms of visual opsin mRNA increased in the sexually mature group. In terms of non-visual opsin mRNA, parapinopsin mRNA increased whereas that of TMT2 decreased in the fore-brain of the sexually mature group. The mRNA for parapinopsin increased in the mid-brain of the sexually mature group, whereas those of TMT1 and TMT3 increased in the hind-brain of the sexually mature group. DSO mRNA also increased in the retina after sexual maturation, and DSO and SWS2 mRNA increased in whole brain part, suggesting that DSO and SWS2 are closely related to sexual maturation.

A Comparison of Traditional and Geometric Morphometric Techniques for the Study of Basicranial Morphology in Horses: A Case Study of the Araucanian Horse from Colombia

Skull size and shape have been widely used to study domestic animal populations and breeds. Although several techniques have been proposed to quantify cranial form, few attempts have been made to compare the results obtained by different techniques. While linear morphometrics has traditionally been used in breed characterization, recent advances in geometric morphometrics have created new techniques for specifically quantifying shape and size. The objective of this study was to compare two morphometric methods for their ability to describe external morphology. For this purpose, 20 skull specimens of adult male Araucanian horses were examined. Two age categories were established (the “mature group”, M3 not fully erupted to moderately worn, n = 7; and the “senile group”, M3 totally erupted and highly worn, n = 13). Both methods showed that there were statistical differences between generations, but discrimination rates were different between methods with the geometric morphometric analysis obtaining a rate of 97.5%. Although linear morphometrics was found to be compatible with geometric morphometrics, the latter was better able to discriminate the two groups and it also provides more information on shape.

AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENT OF THE CONCEPT "THE VALUE OF OWN LIFE" (BASED ON THE RESULTS OF A PSYCHOLINGUISTIC EXPERIMENT)

Relevance of the research. A sense of the value of one's own life and the peculiarities of its experience not sufficiently studied in domestic psychology. Understanding how this feeling arises and strengthens is necessary for the development of new technologies for psychological counselling and assistance to people facing various life problems. The aim of the study is to analyze the universal and unique features of the verbal behavior of subjects of different ages and sex in relation to the phenomenon of the value of their own life. Research methods. The subjects participated in a free associative experiment - writing five words that come to mind in connection with the phrase "The value of one's own life." Sample - 232 subjects (87 men and 145 women). The group of late adolescence consisted of 65 subjects aged 16 to 21 years. There were 81 subjects in the group of young people (22-30 years old). The mature group (61 people) was in the age range from 31 to 59 years. In the group of late maturity - 25 subjects. Results. Variants of semantic systems were identified, which are verbalizing in associations and involved in determining the direction of experiencing a sense of value of their own life among men and women, early age, young, mature and advanced age. These options broadly correspond to the six main sources of the value of one's own life. Conclusions. The value of one's own life is the willingness to experience the struggle for survival. This is the ability to deploy "techniques of being" when the subject responds to certain challenges of life. The identified male associates in the associative experiment have an external orientation and accentuate the idea of space / time. Women's associates are connected with the inner world, connected with personal and psycho-regulatory qualities. The types of age-related dynamics of associates were identified: “transversal”, “increasing”, “decreasing”, “bulging”.

141 Total bilirubin rate of rise of in moderate preterm neonates: impact of gestational age

Background As compared to term neonates, those &lt; 35 weeks gestation (wks GA) are at greater risk for both acute and chronic bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE, CBE). Among these with postnatal total bilirubin rate of rise, (TB ROR) at age 0 to 72 hours has been observed because of either loss placental elimination system or increased postnatal production due to hemolysis. The ranges are known to vary &gt; 8.5 umol/L/h in neonates with Rh disease to &gt;3.4 umol/L/h at the 95th percentile track of the hour-specific nomogram. TB ROR in healthy term neonates is &lt;3.4 umol/L/h. Objectives To determine the GA ranges on TB ROR to explore predictive TB ROR in preterm neonates who are more vulnerable with each &lt;35 wks GA. Design/Methods A multi-site observational study to quantify TB ROR in preterm infants between 28 to 35 weeks. 1804 infants born between January 2013- March 2018 at 28–35 wks GA from three canadian perinatal centres were included and those with Rh disease were excluded. Analysis included infants &gt;27 weeks with at least one TB prior to the initiation of treatment for severe hyperbilirubinemia treatment. Feeding patterns, birth history and maternal health conditions were documented. Results The TB ROR were compared by two prematurity GA groups (28–31 weeks and 32–35 weeks) then per individual gestational age in four time periods in hours, 0–24, 24–48, 48–96, and 96 -120 in 1049 preterm infants using 3065 TB samples. Infants &lt;28 weeks GA were excluded since they represented a more diverse population. TB ROR by prematurity groups over all was higher in 32–35 weeks group at 0–12 hours (3.85 umol/L/h) and 25–36 hours (2.81umol/L/h) and decreased at 49–72 hours (0.24umol/L/h) time period as compared to the less mature group. Conclusion Though TB ROR were of similar patterns between prematurity groups (28–31 weeks and 32–35 weeks) it was at higher rate of rise between 13–36 hours and decreasing from 36–72 hours, with a plateau after 72 hours of age. There was a significant difference in the magnitude of TB ROR between prematurity groups at 0–24 hours. Additional research into the clinical care impact on the TB ROR should be conducted to study impact of production and elimination.

Ultrastructural Imaging Analysis of the Zona Pellucida Surface in Bovine Oocytes

The aims of the present study were to: (i) evaluate the ultrastructural differences in the zona pellucida (ZP) surface between immature and mature bovine oocytes, and (ii) describe a new objective technique to measure the pores in the outer ZP. Intact cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) obtained from a local abattoir were immediately fixed (immature group) or submitted to in vitro maturation (IVM) at 38.5 °C for 24 h in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air (mature group). Oocytes from both groups were morphologically evaluated via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the images were processed in the Fiji/ImageJ software using a new objective methodology through the Trainable Weka Segmentation plugin. The average number of pores in ZP was greater (p < 0.05) in the mature group than the immature group. However, the size and circularity of pores in ZP did not differ (p > 0.05) between groups. In conclusion, it has been shown that the number of pores highlighted the main ultrastructural change in the morphology of the ZP surface of bovine oocytes during the IVM process. We have described an objective method that can be used to evaluate ultrastructural modifications of the ZP surface during oocyte maturation and early embryo development.