Cryoprotectant role of exopolysaccharide ID1 in the vitrification/in-straw warming of in vitro-produced bovine embryos

Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICThe cold-adapted bacterium Pseudomonas sp. ID1 produces the extracellular exopolysaccharide ID1 (EPS ID1) with cryoprotective activity. This study was designed to optimize the vitrification/in-straw warming protocol of in vitro-produced (IVP) blastocysts by adding EPS ID1 to the vitrification media. Day 7-expanded blastocysts were vitrified/warmed using the VitTrans device after the addition of 0 or 100 μg/mL EPS ID1 to the vitrification media. Blastocysts vitrified by the Cryotop method and fresh non-vitrified blastocysts served as controls. Outcomes were assessed in the warmed embryos in terms of survival rates and mRNA relative abundances of BAX, BCL2, GPX1, and CDX2 genes. No differences in survival rates were observed at 3 h post-warming between vitrification treatments. At 24 h post-warming, the addition of EPS prior to vitrification with the VitTrans device produced similar survival rates to Cryotop-vitrified embryos and similar hatching rates to fresh non-vitrified or Cryotop-vitrified embryos. No differences emerged in BCL2 gene expression. Lower BAX (p <.05) and higher GPX1 (p <.05) and CDX2 (p <.1) gene expression were observed in expanded and/or hatched blastocysts derived from VitTrans-EPS-vitrified embryos when compared to those from the non-supplemented group. In conclusion, addition of EPS not only promoted blastocyst survival and hatching after VitTrans vitrification/warming but also modified the expression of genes associated with better embryo quality

Stability indicating RP-HPLC method for simultaneous determination of gatifloxacin and dexamethasone in binary combination

Abstract In this study, conditions were optimized for development of a simple RP-HPLC method for simultaneous analysis of gatifloxacin and dexamethasone in different matrices like pharmaceuticals, human serum and urine. Good separation of gatifloxacin and dexamethasone from the induced degradation products was accomplished using C8 as stationary phase; 0.02 M phosphate buffer (pH 3.0) and methanol (42:58 v/v) as mobile phase. The concentration was measured with DAD at 270 nm. Linearity was observed in the range of 0.000040-0.000280 mol/L for gatifloxacin (r2≥0.999) and 0.000013-0.000091 mol/L for dexamethasone (r2≥0.999). Both the analyte peaks were completely separated from the peaks of induced degradation products as indicated by the peak purity index (≥0.9999 for both analytes). The optimized method is recommended to be used for concurrent analysis of gatifloxacin and dexamethasone in different matrices

Alternative medicine and herbal remedies in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: A systematic review

Objectives: To systematically review and discuss the current evidence from placebo-controlled clinical trials that investigated the use of alternative medicines and herbal remedies in the management of erectile dysfunction (ED). Methods: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)- based systematic review using specific keyword combinations was conducted on the PubMed and Scopus databases. Randomised controlled trials investigating herbal medicine in at least one group and using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) as an outcome in patients primarily diagnosed with ED were included for review. Results: Following the literature search, screening and eligibility analysis, a total of 42 articles were included. The 42 articles were categorised as single herb extractions (n = 14), combination herbal formula (n = 5), combination of herbal formula and non-herbal nutraceuticals (n = 7), non-herbal nutraceuticals (n = 5), acupuncture and moxibustion (n = 2), diet and nutrition (n = 3), exercise (n = 5), and topical treatments (n = 1). Based on the results, Korean ginseng, Pygnogenol and Prelox, Tribulus terrestris, Lepidium meyenii, L-arginine, acupuncture and lifestyle interventions were the more predominantly investigated treatments interventions for ED. Conclusions: Panax ginseng, Pygnogenol, Prelox and Tribulus terrestris have promising evidence as herbal products, alongside L-arginine as a nutritional supplement, for ED based on IIEF outcomes, and warrant further clinical investigation. The mechanisms of action remain unclear, but each of these appears to in part increase nitric oxide synthesis. Importantly, improved diet and exercise should be considered, particularly in patients with obesity or diabetes mellitus

The European COPHES/DEMOCOPHES project: towards transnational comparability and reliability of human biomonitoring results.

&lt;p&gt;COPHES/DEMOCOPHES has its origins in the European Environment and Health Action Plan of 2004 to &quot;develop a coherent approach on human biomonitoring (HBM) in Europe&quot;. Within this twin-project it was targeted to collect specimens from 120 mother-child-pairs in each of the 17 participating European countries. These specimens were investigated for six biomarkers (mercury in hair; creatinine, cotinine, cadmium, phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A in urine). The results for mercury in hair are described in a separate paper. Each participating member state was requested to contract laboratories, for capacity building reasons ideally within its borders, carrying out the chemical analyses. To ensure comparability of analytical data a Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) was established which provided the participating laboratories with standard operating procedures (SOP) and with control material. This material was specially prepared from native, non-spiked, pooled urine samples and was tested for homogeneity and stability. Four external quality assessment exercises were carried out. Highly esteemed laboratories from all over the world served as reference laboratories. Web conferences after each external quality assessment exercise functioned as a new and effective tool to improve analytical performance, to build capacity and to educate less experienced laboratories. Of the 38 laboratories participating in the quality assurance exercises 14 laboratories qualified for cadmium, 14 for creatinine, 9 for cotinine, 7 for phthalate metabolites and 5 for bisphenol A in urine. In the last of the four external quality assessment exercises the laboratories that qualified for DEMOCOPHES performed the determinations in urine with relative standard deviations (low/high concentration) of 18.0/2.1% for cotinine, 14.8/5.1% for cadmium, 4.7/3.4% for creatinine. Relative standard deviations for the newly emerging biomarkers were higher, with values between 13.5 and 20.5% for bisphenol A and between 18.9 and 45.3% for the phthalate metabolites. Plausibility control of the HBM results of all participating countries disclosed analytical shortcomings in the determination of Cd when using certain ICP/MS methods. Results were corrected by reanalyzes. The COPHES/DEMOCOPHES project for the first time succeeded in performing a harmonized pan-European HBM project. All data raised have to be regarded as utmost reliable according to the highest international state of the art, since highly renowned laboratories functioned as reference laboratories. The procedure described here, that has shown its success, can be used as a blueprint for future transnational, multicentre HBM projects.&lt;/p&gt;</p