Deleterious effects in reproduction and developmental immunity elicited by pulmonary iron oxide nanoparticles

With the extensive application of iron oxide nanoparticles (FeNPs), attention about their potential risks to human health is also rapidly raising, particularly in sensitive subgroups such as pregnant women and babies. In this study, we a single instilled intratracheally FeNPs (1, 2, and 4 mg/kg) to the male and female parent mice, mated, then assessed reproductive toxicity according to the modified OECD TG 421. During the pre-mating period (14 days), two female parent mice died at 4 mg/kg dose, and the body weight gain dose-dependently decreased in male and female parent mice exposed to FeNPs. Additionally, iron accumulation and the enhanced expression of MHC class II molecules were observed in the ovary and the testis of parent mice exposed to the highest dose of FeNPs, and the total sex ratio (male/female) of the offspring mice increased in the groups exposed to FeNPs. Following, we a single instilled intratracheally to their offspring mice with the same doses and evaluated the immunotoxic response on day 28. The increased mortality and significant hematological- and biochemical- changes were observed in offspring mice exposed at 4 mg/kg dose, especially in female mice. More interestingly, balance of the immune response was shifted to a different direction in male and female offspring mice. Taken together, we conclude that the NOAEL for reproductive and developmental toxicity of FeNPs may be lower than 2 mg/kg, and that female mice may show more sensitive response to FeNPs exposure than male mice. Furthermore, we suggest that further studies are necessary to identify causes of both the alteration in sex ratio of offspring mice and different immune response in male and female offspring mice.

Successful management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy with laparoscopic cornual resection

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the feasibility of laparoscopic cornual resection for the treatment of heterotopic cornual pregnancy.Study designWomen who underwent laparoscopic cornual resection for heterotopic cornual pregnancy at our hospital between January 2003 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. We evaluated significant parameters such as operative complications and postoperative pregnancy outcomes of concomitant pregnancy.ResultsThirteen patients with heterotopic cornual pregnancy were included in the study. All were pregnant through assisted reproductive technology, and the diagnosis was made at a median of 6+6 weeks (range 5+4–10+0). They were successfully treated with laparoscopic cornual resection and admitted for a median of 4 days (range, 2–7) postoperatively. The median operative time was 65min (range, 35–145min) and estimated blood loss was 200mL (range, 10–3000mL). There was a spontaneous abortion at 7+6 gestational weeks in a patient who received bilateral cornual resection. Seven patients delivered babies at term and 3 at preterm. All 10 women delivered without any maternal or neonatal complications. Two were lost to follow-up.ConclusionsLaparoscopic cornual resection is a feasible primary approach for the management of heterotopic cornual pregnancy

Quantitative agreement of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions for domain-wall motion and spin-wave propagation

The magnetic exchange interaction is the one of the key factors governing the basic characteristics of magnetic systems. Unlike the symmetric nature of the Heisenberg exchange interaction, the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) generates an antisymmetric exchange interaction which offers challenging opportunities in spintronics with intriguing antisymmetric phenomena. The role of the DMI, however, is still being debated, largely because distinct strengths of DMI have been measured for different magnetic objects, particularly chiral magnetic domain walls (DWs) and non-reciprocal spin waves (SWs). In this paper, we show that, after careful data analysis, both the DWs and SWs experience the same strength of DMI. This was confirmed by spin-torque efficiency measurement for the DWs, and Brillouin light scattering measurement for the SWs. This observation, therefore, indicates the unique role of the DMI on the magnetic DW and SW dynamics and also guarantees the compatibility of several DMI-measurement schemes recently proposed.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure

increased Igfbp2 Levels By Placenta-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhance Glucose Metabolism in a Taa-injured Rat Model Via ampk Signaling Pathway

The insulin resistance caused by impaired glucose metabolism induces ovarian dysfunction due to the central importance of glucose as a source of energy. However, the research on glucose metabolism in the ovaries is still lacking. The objectives of this study were to analyze the effect of PD-MSCs on glucose metabolism through IGFBP2-AMPK signaling and to investigate the correlation between glucose metabolism and ovarian function. Thioacetamide (TAA) was used to construct a rat injury model. PD-MSCs were transplanted into the tail vein (2 × 1

Surface properties of atomically flat poly-crystalline SrTiO3

Comparison between single- and the poly-crystalline structures provides essential information on the role of long-range translational symmetry and grain boundaries. In particular, by comparing single- and poly-crystalline transition metal oxides (TMOs), one can study intriguing physical phenomena such as electronic and ionic conduction at the grain boundaries, phonon propagation, and various domain properties. In order to make an accurate comparison, however, both single- and poly-crystalline samples should have the same quality, e.g., stoichiometry, crystallinity, thickness, etc. Here, by studying the surface properties of atomically flat poly-crystalline SrTiO3 (STO), we propose an approach to simultaneously fabricate both single- and poly-crystalline epitaxial TMO thin films on STO substrates. In order to grow TMOs epitaxially with atomic precision, an atomically flat, single-terminated surface of the substrate is a prerequisite. We first examined (100), (110), and (111) oriented single-crystalline STO surfaces, which required different annealing conditions to achieve atomically flat surfaces, depending on the surface energy. A poly-crystalline STO surface was then prepared at the optimum condition for which all the domains with different crystallographic orientations could be successfully flattened. Based on our atomically flat poly-crystalline STO substrates, we envision expansion of the studies regarding theTMOdomains and grain boundaries.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

Normal Gallbladder Visualization during Post-Ablative Iodine-131 Scan of Thyroid Cancer

Whole body iodine-131 scan is a well-established imaging method for the detection of metastatic or residual tumor sites in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Many false-positive iodine-131 scan findings mimicking metastatic thyroid cancer have long been reported. The authors describe a false positive uptake in normal gallbladder on post-ablative iodine-131 scan in a patient with papillary thyroid cancer. This finding should be considered to be another possible false-positive finding on iodine-131 whole body scan

Comprehensive analysis of mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen-specific CD4+ T cell responses restricted by single HLA class II allotype in an individual

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is generally asymptomatic as latent tuberculosis, but it is still known as the world’s leading bacterial cause of death. The diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection relies on the evidence of cellular immunity to mycobacterial antigens. Since the association between HLA class II and tuberculosis infection has been reported in several population groups, a detailed study on the CD4+ T cell response to major tuberculosis antigens is needed. To elucidate which HLA class II allotypes in an individual are preferentially used in tuberculosis, CD4+ T cells specific to TB10.4, Ag85b, ESAT-6, and CFP-10 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens were analyzed comprehensively. A total of 33 healthy donors were analyzed by ex vivo and cultured ELISPOT using panels of artificial antigen-presenting cells expressing a single HLA class II allotype. The CD4+ T cell responses were increased by an average of 39-fold in cultured ELISPOT compared with ex vivo ELISPOT. In ex vivo and cultured ELISPOT, CD4+ T cell responses showed significantly higher by HLA-DR than those of HLA-DQ and HLA-DP locus. In cultured ELISPOT, 9 HLA-DR allotypes, 4 HLA-DQ allotypes, and 3 HLA-DP allotypes showed positive CD4+ T cell responses. Among ten donors with positive CD4+ T cell responses when tested for mixed Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens, seven donors were positive for only a single allotype, and three were positive for two allotypes in an individual. However, only one allotype was used for a single antigen-specific response when a single tuberculosis antigen was used individually. These results on the distribution of HLA class II allotypes showing high CD4+ T-cell responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens and the intra-individual allotype dominance will provide valuable information for understanding the immunobiology and immunogenetics of tuberculosis, which can contribute to the development of more effective vaccines