Immature Group Research Articles

Relationship between desmoplastic pattern and lymphocytes infiltration in pancreatic cancer.

317 Background: The proposed histologic desmoplastic reaction (DR) categorization and lymphocyte infiltration (LI) directly reflects tumor behavior in a modulating stromal environment and could provide valuable prognostic information for colorectal cancer patients, but the prognostic role of DR and LI has not been investigated in pancreatic cancer patients. Methods: A total of 87 pancreatic cancer patients who underwent potentially curative surgery for their tumors in our hospital (2008 to 2013) were included. DR was classified as mature, intermediate, or immature on the basis of the existence of keloid-like collagen and myxoid stroma-distinctive histologic products of extracellular matrix remodeling. LI was classified as Pattern I; circumferential lymphocytes zone without disruptions around tumor, Pattern II; lymphocytes zone with partial disruptions and thinning around tumor, Pattern III; focal lymphocytes foci around tumor at most invasive border without lymphocyte zone, and Pattern IV; no lymphocyte foci around tumor. Results: With regard to DR, 0, 23, and 64 patients were classified as mature, intermediate, and immature, respectively. Five-year overall survival rates (#%) were higher in immature group (p=0.0040) than those of intermediate group (#%). Multivariate analysis revealed that DR was an independent prognostic factor along with residual tumor (p=0.0300). With regard to LI, 0, 6, 70, and 11 patients were classified as Pattern I, Pattern II, Pattern III, and Pattern IV, respectively. There was no relationship between DR and LI. Conclusions: The DR categorization seemed to reflect tumor behavior and could provide valuable prognostic information for pancreatic cancer patients. We did not show any relationship between DR and LI in pancreatic cancer.

Trophic Level, Food Preference and Feeding Ecology of Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus. 1766), in Hormuzgun province Waters (Northern Persian Gulf and Oman Sea)

The aim of this study was to assess the ecological factors associated with feeding by Rachycentron canadum (cobia) in the waters of Hormuzgan Province, Iran. Specimens were collected seasonally from Sep. 2014–Sep. 2015 from the Ferdows-1 survey ship and from landing areas in the city of Bandar Abbas. A total of 577 cobia were collected (340 male, 237 female) (20–161 cm Total length). Our results provide the first estimates of trophic level (TL) (4.4 ± 0.76, mean ± SE), consumption per biomass (Q/B) (6.13), and aspect ratio of the caudal fin (ARc.f) (3.1) for R. canadum in the Hormuzgan Province. We also found that osteichthies made up more than 80 percent of the relative importance of particular prey (IRI %), indicating that R. canadum primarily preys on these species. The immature group tended to feed on shrimp, crabs, and mollusks, and predominance of shrimp, crabs, and mollusks was also observed among the stomach contents of cobia ranging from 20–40(c.m). Hierarchical clustering revealed that the frequencies of different types of prey could be used to divide the length classes into three groups. A compare means test comparing the immature and mature groups and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) comparing length classes revealed that the immature group and the 20-40 length class tended to feed on shrimp, crabs, and mollusks. Also, we found that males generally fed more than females in all seasons and that R.canadum had an average dietary intake. Our results suggest that the removal of top predators, such as cobia, could disturb the entire ecosystem because they play a fundamental role in maintaining a balance in the populations of their prey. Also, because diet is important for aquaculture, the findings of this study can be used to prepare a food formulation for cobia that resembles the native diet.

Is the Nutritional Value of Fish Fillet Related to Fish Maturation or Fish Age? Integrated Analysis of Transcriptomics and Metabolomics in Blunt Snout Bream (Megalobrama amblycephala)

Background/Aims: Fish is a protein-rich food and is increasingly favored by consumers. It has been well recognized that the flesh composition of fish is closely related to its maturation and growth stage, but few studies have explored these differences. Additionally, hormone residues in fish after artificial induction of reproduction also attract consumer concern. In this study, we attempt to address these concerns by using a combination of transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses to identify key regulated pathways, genes, and metabolites that may affect the flesh nutrition of one typical aquaculture species in China, blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Methods: The four groups of fish were used for transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses, including one-year-old immature (group I), two-year-old immature (group II), two-year-old mature (group III) and successfully spawned (group IV) female M. amblycephala after artificial induction of reproduction. Results: We identified a total of 1460 differential compounds and 1107 differentially expressed unigenes in muscle among the different groups. Differential metabolites related to fish age (group II vs group I, group III vs group I) were largely enriched in “Glycerophospholipid metabolism”, “Linoleic acid metabolism”, “α-Linolenic acid metabolism”, and “Biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids”. Between these two pairwise comparisons, metabolites that are beneficial to human health, such as docosapentaenoic acid, α-Linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid were found to be significantly decreased in two-year-old (group II, group III) compared with one-year-old (group I) M. amblycephala. Only one differential metabolite related to fish maturation, a triglyceride, was detected between groups III and II. Transcriptomics data showed that differently expressed genes (between group III vs group II, group III vs group I) related to maturation were highly enriched in “Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs)”, “Sphingolipid metabolism” and “Phagosome”. DEGs (between group II vs group I, group III vs group I) relating to fish age were enriched in the “cGMP-PKG signaling pathway”, “FoxO signaling pathway”, and “AMPK signaling pathway”. The gene-metabolite interaction network showed pivotal genes, including fumarate hydratase and GNPAT, which played a major role in the regulation of glycerphospholipid metabolism. The nutritional components were also measured, which verified the metabolomics results. Moreover, the metabolomics results showed that after 24 hours of artificial hormone injection, the drug was completely metabolized. Conclusion: Integrated analysis demonstrated that the nutrition value of fish fillet was much more related to fish age compared with maturation status in M. amblycephala females.

Disentangling the prognostic heterogeneity of stage III colorectal cancer through histologic stromal categorization

Growing evidence suggests the importance of stroma in determining cancer biology and recent studies have identified that genes closely associated with poor prognosis subtypes of colorectal cancer are expressed by the stroma rather than epithelial cancer cells. We aimed to clarify the prognostic value of the novel histologic classification of desmoplastic reaction in stage III colorectal cancer. A pathologic review was conducted for 466 stage III colorectal cancer patients in a single Japanese institution (1999-2006). Desmoplastic reaction was classified as mature, intermediate, or immature according to existence of hyalinized collagen bundles and myxoid stroma, both appear exclusively at the desmoplastic front. An additional 432 patients treated at four independent institutions (2007-2008) were examined as a second cohort to validate the results. According to desmoplastic reaction, 164, 133, and 169 patients were classified as mature, intermediate, and immature, respectively. Five-year relapse-free survival rates were highest in the mature group (86.0%), followed by the intermediate (73.7%) and immature (50.9%) groups. An adverse prognostic impact of desmoplastic reaction was invariably observed in stage IIIB, which contained 71% of stage III cases. Harrell's concordance index for relapse-free survival was greater in desmoplastic reaction (0.66) than any conventional tumor-associated prognostic factors including tumor node metastasis substage (0.62) and tumor grade (0.53). Similar results were observed in the second cohort, wherein desmoplastic reaction categorization was the most influential prognostic factor. Histologic desmoplastic reaction categorization could be a key to solve the issue of prognostic heterogeneity in stage III colorectal cancer, thereby enhancing the value of tumor node metastasis stage.

Reinforcement of Simulated Immature Permanent Teeth after Mineral Trioxide Aggregate Apexification

ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to compare the fracture resistance of simulated human immature teeth that have undergone mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) apexification and have been root-filled with fiber post, composite resin, MTA, or gutta-percha. MethodsFifty-six human permanent maxillary incisors were selected. Ten teeth received no treatment (intact teeth group). The root canals of 46 teeth were prepared to an internal diameter of 1.75 mm. Six teeth were used as simulated immature teeth group. The remaining teeth received MTA apexification and were divided into 4 groups: MTA, fiber post, composite resin, and gutta-percha groups. The root canals of each group were filled with each test material. All teeth were thermocycled and received cyclic loading before compression testing by an Instron universal testing machine. The load to fracture was recorded. Data were subjected to statistical analysis by using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey multiple comparison test. ResultsAll teeth fractured at the cervical area of the root. The mean load to fracture of the intact tooth, MTA, fiber post, composite resin, gutta-percha, and the simulated immature tooth groups was 1988 N, 1921 N, 1691 N, 1623 N, 1476 N, and 962 N, respectively. Statistically, load to fracture of the simulated immature tooth group was significantly lower than in the intact tooth, MTA, fiber post, and composite resin groups but was not significantly different from the gutta-percha group. ConclusionsWithin the limit of this study, after MTA apexification, intraradicular reinforcement with MTA, fiber post, or composite resin increased the fracture resistance of simulated immature teeth.

Desmoplastic Pattern at the Tumor Front Defines Poor-prognosis Subtypes of Colorectal Cancer

Although recent findings of cancer biology research indicate that prognostic power arises from genes expressed by stromal cells rather than epithelial cells, desmoplastic reaction (DR) has not been completely examined as a prognostic marker for colorectal cancer. A pathologic review of 821 stage II and III patients who underwent R0 resection for colorectal cancer at 4 independent institutions was conducted. DR was classified as mature, intermediate, or immature based on the existence of hyalinized keloid-like collagen and myxoid stroma at the extramural desmoplastic front. Totally, 325, 282, and 214 patients were classified as having mature, intermediate, and immature DR, respectively. DR significantly influenced the recurrence rate in the liver, lung, and peritoneum (P≤0.0001 to 0.01). Five-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rate was the highest in the mature group (85.7%), followed by the intermediate (77.3%) and immature (50.4%) groups. A significant adverse impact of immature stroma on RFS was observed in subset analyses of the 4 institutions. Multivariate analysis revealed that DR, along with T and N stages, is an independent prognostic factor. On the basis of Harrell's concordance index, the prognostic power of DR categorization (0.67) in stratifying RFS was greater than any other conventional prognostic factors, including TNM (0.64), N (0.62) and T stages (0.59), venous invasion (0.59), and tumor grade (0.54). Characterizing DR based on the histologic products of activated fibroblasts is valuable for evaluating prognostic outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting a greater prognostic power of histology of the fibrotic stroma than that of tumor factors.

Improved prediction of direction-dependent, acute axonal injury in piglets.

To guide development of safety equipment that reduces sports-related head injuries, we sought to enhance predictive relationships between head movement and acute axonal injury severity. The severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is influenced by the magnitude and direction of head kinematics. Previous studies have demonstrated correlation between rotational head kinematics and symptom severity in the adult. More recent studies have demonstrated brain injury age- and direction-dependence, relating head kinematics to white matter tract-oriented strains. We have recently developed and assessed novel rotational head kinematic parameters as predictors of white matter damage in the female immature piglet. We show that many previously published rotational kinematic injury predictor metrics poorly predict acute axonal pathology induced by rapid, non-impact head rotations and that inclusion of cerebral moments of inertia (MOI) in rotational head injury metrics refines prediction of diffuse axonal injury following rapid head rotations for two immature age groups. Rotational Work (RotWork) was the best significant predictor of traumatic axonal injury in both newborn and pre-adolescent piglets following head rotations in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. An improvement over current metrics, we find that RotWork, which incorporates head rotation rate, direction, and brain shape, significantly enhanced acute traumatic axonal injury prediction. For similar injury extent, the RotWork threshold is lower for the newborn piglet than the pre-adolescent.

Effects of long-term exposure to radiofrequency radiations emitted by mobile Jammers on reproduction parameters in rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of long-term exposure to radiofrequency radiations emitted from mobile jammers onrat's reproductive parameters. Methods: Eighty male rats were divided into neonatal group (n=20), immature group (n=30) and mature group (n=30). Neonatal rats were randomly divided into two subgroups. Immature and mature rats were randomly divided into three subgroups. Experimental rats were fixed in the restraining tube and were exposed to radiofrequency radiations emitted from mobile jammers at a distance of 100 cm, for 30 d (7 h/d). Sham group rats were also fixed in restraining tube but without radiations. The control group was allowed to move freely without being exposed to radiation. At the end of the experiment, weight of testes, sperm quality, histological testicular sections and serum testosterone levels were evaluated. Results: Long-term exposure to radiofrequency from mobile jammers could adversely affect neonatal rat fertility, but it did not have significant effects on male mature and immature rat's reproduction parameters. However, restraint stress induced by immobilizing them for a long-period could adversely affect male mature rat's reproductive parameters, but it had no significant effect on male immature rat's reproduction parameters. Conclusion: The effects of EMF exposure to be various based on the life stage.

The effect of excluding juveniles on apparent adult olive baboons (Papio anubis) social networks.

In recent years there has been much interest in investigating the social structure of group living animals using social network analysis. Many studies so far have focused on the social networks of adults, often excluding younger, immature group members. This potentially may lead to a biased view of group social structure as multiple recent studies have shown that younger group members can significantly contribute to group structure. As proof of the concept, we address this issue by investigating social network structure with and without juveniles in wild olive baboons (Papio anubis) at Gashaka Gumti National Park, Nigeria. Two social networks including all independently moving individuals (i.e., excluding dependent juveniles) were created based on aggressive and grooming behaviour. We used knockout simulations based on the random removal of individuals from the network in order to investigate to what extent the exclusion of juveniles affects the resulting network structure and our interpretation of age-sex specific social roles. We found that juvenile social patterns differed from those of adults and that the exclusion of juveniles from the network significantly altered the resulting overall network structure. Moreover, the removal of juveniles from the network affected individuals in specific age-sex classes differently: for example, including juveniles in the grooming network increased network centrality of adult females while decreasing centrality of adult males. These results suggest that excluding juveniles from the analysis may not only result in a distorted picture of the overall social structure but also may mask some of the social roles of individuals belonging to different age-sex classes.

Imidacloprid induces various toxicological effects related to the expression of 3β-HSD, NR5A1, and OGG1 genes in mature and immature rats

This study aimed to evaluate the adverse effects of the insecticide imidacloprid (IMI) on male spermatogenesis, steroidogenesis, and DNA damage in sexually mature and immature rats. Forty male rats (mature and immature) were equally divided into four groups: two mature and two immature groups. IMI groups of both ages were orally administered IMI in corn oil at a concentration of 1 mg/mL for kg BW/day, whereas their respective controls were orally administered corn oil only (1 mL/kg of body weight) daily for 65 days. On day 66, the rats were lightly anesthetized and then euthanized by cervical dislocation. Whole blood was collected for hemogram, serum for hormonal profile, semen for sperm profile, and testes for gene expression and histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations. The obtained results revealed that both sexually mature and immature rats orally exposed to IMI showed serious abnormalities in sperm morphology and concentrations, with an imbalance of sexual hormones. There were increases in the level of serum 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and in the percentage of comet (tailed) sperm DNA in the IMI-treated groups. The results exhibited the upregulation of a DNA damage tolerance gene (8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1) and downregulation of the activity of steroidogenic genes (nuclear receptor subfamily 5, group A, member 1 and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase). Immunohistochemical examination of the B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X apoptotic protein in testicular sections showed various degrees of apoptosis in the spermatogonial cells of the IMI-treated rats compared to the control groups. These damaging effects of IMI were more pronounced in the sexually mature rats than in the immature rats. In conclusion, despite using a low dose of IMI in the present study, there were noticeable harmful consequences on the reproductive system at different stages of sexual maturity in male rats.

Observations on the Maturation and Development of a Roman Snail (Helix Pomatia, Linnaeus, 1758) Population of Farmed Origin in Natural Plots

Abstract Observations were made concerning active species protection of the Roman snail. Samples were collected from three natural plots in which 3,000 marked hatchlings of farmed origin, aged 1+ (three individuals per m2), were placed in mid-May 2011. The hatchlings originated from breeding snails of the park, or ‘source’ plot. The other plots were a forest, or ‘inhabited’ plot, occupied by a foreign population and a cultivated ‘empty’ plot, which had been emptied of its natural population. By the end of June 2012, the introduced snails were aged 2+, when snails of this species reach maturity. During this period, as part of the analysis of collected samples, the snails in their final maturation period in this age group were divided into mature and immature groups. After thirteen months of observations, a greater density was observed for the farm-originated, naturalised population in the ‘empty’ plot than in the total populations for the other two plots. In the ‘empty’ plot the percentage of somatic and sexually mature farmed snails aged 2+ was significantly higher than in the same snail groups from the other two research plots. There were no statistically significant differences between the shell diameters of the mature farmed snails in all the research plots. The Roman snails of farmed origin considerably extended their territorial range, maintaining their high percentage share in the local natural populations.

How maturity influences annulus-endplate integration in the ovine intervertebral disc: a micro- and ultra-structural study.

The annulus-endplate anchorage system plays a vital role in structurally linking the compliant disc to its adjacent much more rigid vertebrae. Past literature has identified the endplate as a region of weakness, not just in the mature spine but also in the immature spine. The aim of this structural study was to investigate in detail the morphological changes associated with annulus-endplate integration through different stages of maturity. Ovine lumbar motion segments were collected from two immature age groups: (i) newborn and (ii) spring lamb (roughly 3months old); these were compared with a third group of previously analysed mature ewe samples (3-5years). Sections from the posterior region of each motion segment were obtained for microstructural analysis and imaged in their fully hydrated state via differential interference contrast (DIC) optical microscopy. Selected slices were further prepared and imaged via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyse fibril-level modes of integration. Despite significant changes in endplate morphology, the annular fibre bundles in all three age groups displayed a similar branching mechanism, with the main bundle splitting into several sub-bundles on entering the cartilaginous endplate. This morphology, previously described in the mature ovine disc, is thought to strengthen significantly annulus-endplate integration. Its prevalence from an age as young as birth emphasizes the critical role that it plays in the anchorage system. The structure of the branched sub-bundles and their integration with the surrounding matrix were found to vary with age due to changes in the cartilaginous and vertebral components of the endplate. Microscopically, the sub-bundles in both immature age groups appeared to fade into the surrounding tissue due to their fibril-level integration with the cartilaginous endplate tissue, this mechanism being particularly complex in the spring lamb disc. However, in the fully mature disc, the sub-bundles remained as separate entities throughout the full depth of their anchorage into the cartilaginous endplate. Cell morphology was also found to vary with maturity within the cartilaginous matrix and it is proposed that this relates to endplate development and ossification.

MicroRNA Profile of Granulosa Cells after Ovarian Stimulation Differs According to Maturity of Retrieved Oocytes.

Background: Recent animal studies demonstrated that regulating the microRNA (miRNA) in granulosa cells (GCs) modulates the meiotic competence of oocytes. However, the difference in expression profiles of miRNAs in human GCs according to the maturity of the oocyte still remains to be elucidated. Objective: This observational study investigated whether the miRNA profile of human GCs differs according to the maturity of the retrieved oocyte after controlled ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods: Ten women who underwent ovarian stimulation cycles with GnRH agonist long protocols were recruited. The follicular fluid (FF) from dominant follicles was individually aspirated at oocyte retrieval. Oocytes were divided into two groups according to oocyte maturity ("mature group" vs. "immature group"). GCs were collected from the FF and miRNA was analyzed using real-time PCR. Results: Mean number of MII oocytes in the mature group was 1.6 ± 0.9 with none in the immature group (p = 0.008). Mean number of MI oocytes was 5.6 ± 2.1 in the mature group and 1.0 ± 0.0 in the immature group (p = 0.008). The total number of retrieved oocytes was 8.8 ± 1.9 in the mature group and 2.0 ± 1.2 in the immature group (p = 0.008). The GCs of the mature group showed a significantly lower expression of hsa-let-7b compared to the GCs of the immature group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Taken together, the miRNA expression profiles of human GCs obtained from dominant follicles are associated with maturity of the adjacent oocyte and may be useful as a prognosticator of IVF outcome.

Changes of group construction accompanying with growth and maturity in blue-barred parrotfish (Scarus ghobban), and influences of the fishing targeting the immature group to the stock

Reproductive biology and growth characteristics of the Blue-barred Parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) were revealed for the purpose of the stock evaluation. Based on both of these findings and body size data in commercial catches accumulated during 19 years, age components in the catch and cohort size were estimated via virtual population analysis for the northern area of the Okinawa Islands population. The population was composed of two separate groups, one of which was a all female group whose members’ ovaries were immature year-round, and the other was a male and female mixed group, of which the majority of females were mature year-round. Fish were mainly up to 3 years of age in the all female group and older than 2 years in the sexually mixed group. Although the majority of females in the sexually mixed group matured year-round, a portion of the rest of the immature females showed evidence of prior maturation, suggesting that each female in the group experienced periods of spawning and resting repeatedly without a seasonal pattern.The fishery at the studied area has mostly targeted the all female group to be about 85% of total numbers; thus, the fishing pressure to mature females was revealed to be very small. However, the VPA highlighted that the most individuals up to 3 years of age belonging to the all female group died either by fishing or naturally. Thus, a few individuals attained sexual maturity in each cohort. Extremely high fishing pressure against the mature age groups shortly added during the study period, thereafter spawning stock biomass (SSB) and %SPR rapidly decreased, the latter to the level of about 20%, beyonding the biological reference point. Cohort sizes during the years 1994–2012 have fluctuated in magnitude twice, and those of latter half period, coincide to both SSB and %SPR decreases, were smaller than those of earlier half but were stable without any trend of decreases.

USCG phase-II 선박평형수 처리장치 성능 평가를 위한 자연 해수의 동물플랑크톤 대량 확보 및 생사판별

USCG Phase-II 규정에 근거한 형식승인 시험은 전체 시험수에서 자연상태 생물군집이 75% 이상을 차지해야만 하며, 이러한 기준을 충족하기 위해 장목만과 마산만에서 Bongo네트를 이용해서 자연 해수의 동물플랑크톤 군집을 채집하였다. 장목만과 마산만에서 1톤으로 생물을 농축하였을 경우, 동물플랑크톤의 현존량은 각각<TEX>$1.8{\times}10^7ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX>과 <TEX>$2.3{\times}10{\times}10^7ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX>으로 나타났고, 살아 있는 생물 비율은 장목만이 82.6%로 마산만의 80.1%보다 약간 높게 나타났다. 특히 두 해역에서 동계에 출현한 동물플랑크톤의 군집조성은 유사하였고, 요각류 Acartia 속의 성체과 미성숙체가 극우점하는 양상을 보였다. 500톤 규모로 희석된 Test water에서 ><TEX>$50{\mu}m$</TEX> 크기 생물의 총 개체수 밀도는 장목만과 마산만에서 유사하게 <TEX>$6.0{\times}10^4ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX>로 관찰되었으나, 생물의 사멸율은 장목만 시료보다 마산만에서 12% 높게 나타났다. 동일 방법으로 수행하였음에도 불구하고 마산만이 사멸률이 높은 이유는 우점하는 Acartia 속의 미성숙 개체가 장목만에서 관찰된 현존량보다 30% 높게 나타났고, 미성숙체는 인위적인 채집 및 이송과정에서 일정의 지속적인 스트레스를 받아 사멸하였을 가능성이 높다. 장목만에서 BWTS 처리 당일과 처리 5일 경과 후, BWTS처리군의 생물은 100% 사멸되어, 처리장비의 성능을 검증할 수 있었다. 결과적으로 동계와 같이 낮은 생물현존량이 존재할 경우, 주간 6-7시간 수행한 네트의 생물농축만으로는 USCG Phase II의 형식승인 기준인 500톤 탱크에 <TEX>$10{\times}10^4ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX> 이상으로 ><TEX>$50{\mu}m$</TEX> 자연생물 개체수를 만족시키는 것은 쉽지 않았고, 이를 보안하기 위해서는 선박을 추가하는 등의 현실적인 대안이 필요할 것으로 판단되었다. We investigated ><TEX>$50-{\mu}m$</TEX> marine planktonic organisms (mainly zooplankton) using a bongo net in Masan Bay and Jangmok Bay in order to harvest 75% of natural communities based on Phase-II approval regulations by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The concentrated volume (in 1 ton) and abundance of zooplankton were <TEX>$1.8{\times}10^7ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX> and <TEX>$2.3{\times}10^7ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX>, and their survival rates were 82.6% and 80.1%, respectively. The community structure in Jangmok Bay was similar to that in Masan Bay, and dominant species were adult and immature groups (stage IV) of genus Acartia. Harvested populations were inoculated in a 500-ton test tank. Although the population abundances were <TEX>$6.0{\times}10^4ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX> for both bay samples, the mortality rates were higher in the Masan Bay population (32%) than the Jangmok Bay population (20%). We considered the reason to be that there were 30% more immature individuals of Acartia from Masan Bay than from Jangmok Bay. The younger population may have been greatly stressed by the moving process and netting gear. After applying a Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) using a sample form Jangmok Bay, the mortality rates in the treatment groups were found to be 100% after 0 days and 5 days, implying that the BWTS worked well. During the winter season, the zooplankton concentration method alone did not easily satisfy the approval standards of USCG Phase II (> <TEX>$10{\times}10^4ind.ton^{-1}$</TEX> in the 500 ton tank). Increasing the netting frequency and additional fishing boats may be helpful in meeting the USCG Phase II biological criteria.

RNA sequencing to characterize transcriptional changes of sexual maturation and mating in the female oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis.

BackgroundFemale reproductive potential plays a significant role in the survival and stability of species, and sexual maturation and mating processes are crucial. However, our knowledge of the reproductive genes involved in sexual maturation and mating has been largely limited to model organisms. The oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis is a highly invasive agricultural pest, known to cause major economic losses; thus, it is of great value to understand the transcriptional changes involved in sexual maturation and mating processes as well as the related genes. Here, we used a high-throughput sequencing method to identify multiple genes potentially involved in sexual maturation and mating in female B. dorsalis.ResultsWe sequenced 39,999 unique genes with an average length of 883 bp. In total, 3264 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected between mature virgin and immature Bactrocera dorsalis libraries, whereas only 83 DEGs were identified between flies that had mated or were mature virgins. These DEGs were functionally annotated using the GO and KEGG pathway annotation tools. Results showed that the main GO terms associated with the DEGs from the mature virgin vs. immature groups were primarily assigned to the metabolic and developmental processes, which we focused on, whereas those from the mated vs. mature virgin group largely belonged to the response to stimulus and immune system processes. Additionally, we identified multiple DEGs during sexual maturation that are involved in reproduction, and expression pattern analysis revealed that the majority DEGs detected were highly enriched in those linked to the ovaries or fat bodies. Several mating responsive genes differentially expressed after mating were also identified, and all antimicrobial peptides detected were highly enriched in fat body and significantly up-regulated approximately 2- to 10-fold at 24 h after mating.ConclusionThis study supplied female reproductive genes involved in sexual maturation and the post-mating response in B. dorsalis, based on RNA-seq. Our data will facilitate molecular research related to reproduction and provide abundant target genes for effective control of this agricultural pest.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2532-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of Vitrification on Outcomes of In VivoMature, In Vitro-Mature and Immature Human Oocytes

Background/Aims: To observe the effects of vitrification on spindle, zona pellucida, embryonic aneuploidy and DNA injury in in vivo-maruted, in vitro-mature and immature human oocytes. Methods: Between January 2009 and February 2015, 223 immature oocytes from 450 infertile patients, and 31 in vivo-mature oocytes from 3 infertile couples were collected. Of the 223 immature oocytes, 113 were used for in vitro culture before vitrification. Some oocytes were randomly divided into in vivo-mature group (group A, n = 15), in vitro-mature group (group B, n = 88) and immature group (group C, n = 85), and then the oocytes with spindle in these three groups after freezing-thawing were selected to use for Polscope imaging, embryonic aneuploidy screening and embryo development evaluation. Other oocytes were randomly divided into group A (n = 16), group B (n = 25) and group C (n = 25) for detecting DNA injury. Results: After thawing, spindle occurrence rate, spindle Retardance value, and cleavage rate were significantly higher in groups A and B than in group C (all P < 0.05), but there were no statistical differences in fertility rate, high-quality embryo rate, blastulation rate and aneuploidy rate amongst the three groups (all P > 0.05). Zona pellucida density (ZPD) was significantly lower in group A than in groups B and C both before and after vitrification (all P < 0.05). ZPD was significantly higher after thawing than before vitrification (all P < 0.05), but zona pellucida thickness (ZPT) was not significantly changed in all the three groups (all P > 0.05). Rate of comet cells was significantly lower in group A than in groups B and C (all P < 0.01). Comet tail was significantly longer in group C than in groups B and A (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: In vivo- and in vitro-mature human oocytes are more suitable to vitrification than immature human oocytes. Spindle Retardance value has more predictive value for embryonic development potential than ZPD and ZPT.

The sense of body ownership in schizophrenia: research in the rubber hand illusion paradigm.

The aim of the research was to explore the susceptibility to disturbances in one's sense of body ownership induced in patients with schizophrenia. The research questions were: 1) Is Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) significantly more intense in a group of patients with schizophrenia than in a group of patients without a diagnosed mental illness? 2) Is there a correlation between disturbances in the sense of body ownership and the personality organization level, reflected in defense mechanisms? 3) Do the disturbances in the sense of body ownership correlate with the most common defense mechanisms? 64 people took part in the study, including 31 patients with diagnosed schizophrenia, according to ICD-10 (93.5% - paranoid type and 6.5% - disorganized type) and 33 people without mental illness diagnosis. The study was conducted in the RHI paradigm. Research tools used: Botvinick and Cohen's RHI Questionnaire and Bond's Defense Style Questionnaire. There were significant differences between the control group and the schizophrenic group: 1) in the intensity of RHI (F(1, 62) = 121.86; p < 0.001), as well as 2) on the neurotic (F(1, 62) = 28.21; p < 0.001) and immature (F(1, 62) = 36.71; p < 0.001) mechanisms' level. Patients witch schizophrenia activated immature mechanisms most intensively while in the control group the dominant mechanisms were from the mature and neurotic groups. Patients with schizophrenia experience disruptions in the sense of body ownership much more intensively compared to the control group. The intensity of RHI is related to the personality organization level and to the most common activation of mechanisms from immature group, especially schizoid fantasy and projection.

Longitudinal development of wideband reflectance tympanometry in normal and at-risk infants

PurposeThe goals of this study were to measure normal characteristics of ambient and tympanometric wideband acoustic reflectance, which was parameterized by absorbance and group delay, in newborns cared for in well-baby and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurseries, and to characterize the normal development of reflectance over the first year after birth in a group of infants with clinically normal hearing status followed longitudinally from birth to one year of age. MethodsInfants were recruited from a well-baby and NICU nursery, passed newborn otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests as well as follow-up diagnostic ABR and audiometry. They were tested longitudinally for up to one year using a wideband middle ear acoustic test battery consisting of tympanometry and ambient-pressure tests. Results were analyzed for ambient reflectance across frequency and tympanometric reflectance across frequency and pressure. ResultsWideband absorbance and group delay showed large effects of age in the first 6 months. Immature absorbance and group delay patterns were apparent in the low frequencies at birth and one month, but changed substantially to a more adult-like pattern by age 6 months for both ambient and tympanometric variables. Area and length of the ear canal estimated acoustically increased up to age 1 year. Effects of race (African American and others compared to Caucasian) were found in combination with age effects. Mean and confidence intervals are provided for use as a normative longitudinal database for newborns and infants up to one year of age, for both well-baby and NICU infants.

EFFECT OF IMMUNE CELLS ON THE BEHAVIORAL ACTIVITY LEVEL OF MICE (СВАхC57BI/6)F1 DURING ONTOGENESIS

The features of forming of the orientation and exploratory behavior level (OEB) was established on sexually immature animals – mice (CBAxC57/Bl)F1, which underwent triple transplantation of splenocytes from adult syngeneic animals with a certain level of OEB during ontogenesis. Obtained data testifies an increase the part of passive animals in recipients group receiving splenocytes from low-level in behavior donors and an increase the part of animals with average level of OEB in recipients group receiving cells from donors with high OEB level and immature control group. The associations of recipients behavioral activity level with structural and functional features of donor cells was revealed: a relative increase in the OEB level under splenocytes transfer from donors with activated monocyte-macrophage link of immune system and a supression of OEB – from donors with activated T-cells.