Ovary Wall Research Articles

Morpho-Anatomy of the Gynoecium and Fruit in Three Ornamental Members of Campanuloideae (Campanulaceae)

Abstract Gynoecium and fruit micromorphology and anatomy were studied using light microscopy in three species of Campanuloideae belonging to the tribes Cyanantheae ( Platycodon grandiflorus ), Wahlenbergieae ( Jasione montana ), and Campanuleae ( Adenophora liliifolia ) of the native and cultivated flora of Ukraine, to elucidate structural adaptations for fruit dehiscence. The studied species differed in flower/fruit orientation, carpel number, ovary insertion, and capsule-opening position, and the information provided a background for the discovery of common anatomical features influencing fruit dehiscence. In the studied species, the synascidiate and symplicate zones in the ovary and prominent placentae were found to be located near the mid-region of the ovary. The distinct innervation of the ovary wall and ovules was described. In P. grandiflorus , the septa and fruit wall contained a lignified parenchyma in a subepidermal position, while in J. montana and A. liliifolia , lignification was observed only in proximal portions of the septa, above the placenta ( J. montana ), or was noted as a narrow strand from the ovary base to the mid-region, called “axicorn” ( A. liliifolia ). In all the studied species, unlignified endocarpium was detected. The semi-inferior capsule of P. grandiflorus has been defined as a capsule of the Forsythia -type, with a sclerenchymatous layer in the inner zone of the mesocarpium. In J. montana and A. liliifolia , a new histogenetic type of capsule is described as Campanula -type, without lignified layers in the fruit wall and with lignified tissue in the septa, which enabled dehiscence. Our study proposed for the first time the classification of the capsules found in the studied species based on the development of openings in the superior or inferior regions of the fruits. The upright fruits of P. grandiflorus and J. montana reveal incomplete dorsiventral dehiscence in the superior region of the fruit, while dehiscence of pendent fruits of A. liliifolia is hippocrepiform-septifragal interlocular and occurs in the inferior region of the fruit at its base, as revealed previously in Campanula latifolia fruit.

Comparative Study of Ovule Development between Wild (Passiflora foetida L.) and Cultivated (P. edulis Sims) Species of Passiflora L. Provide Insights into Its Differential Developmental Patterns

The ovules inside the ovary of a plant are the precursors of seeds and they are important for the perpetuation of the plants. The genus Passiflora L., produce fruits with numerous seeds and they have economic and medicinal value. The edible portion of the Passiflora are the seeds surrounded by pulp. Being the edible parts of a fruit, it is important to investigate the early development of ovules in Passiflora that lead to the formation of seeds after pollination. Wild relatives of the domesticated crops are increasingly being investigated for possible genetic resources that can be used for crop improvement programs. The present study was designed to investigate the comparative ovule development between a wild (Passiflora foetida L.) and a cultivated (Passiflora edulis Sims) species of Passiflora with an aim that it may provide important information about the common and diverging regulatory mechanisms during ovule development between the wild and the cultivated species. We also investigated the pollen morphology between the wild and cultivated species using light and scanning electron microscopy. Our results show that wild type P. foetida ovule growth is faster when compared with that of cultivated P. edulis. Furthermore, wild species harbour ovules of large size (0.14 mm2) but less in number (6) as compared to cultivated ones which show smaller size (0.05 mm2) of ovules but relatively more in number (21). The differences in ovary wall thickness were also stark between the two species. The ovary wall thickness was 0.10 mm in the wild type whereas it was 0.74 mm in cultivated species. Notable differences were also observed in diameter where the wild type (2.45 mm) reported smaller diameter than cultivated species (3.25 mm). We observed little difference in the pollen morphology between the two species.

Structural diversity of fruits: conceptual reflexions and taxonomic implications / Diversidade estrutural de frutos: reflexões conceituais e implicações taxonômicas

Fruit either originates solely from the ovary or ovary and other floral parts and inflorescence. Besides the ovary itself, the pedicle, bracteoles, receptacle, hypanthium, sepals, petals and inflorescence axis are included in the fruit development. Analysis was made in embedded historesin/paraffin material and sectioned in microtome. In the fruit ontogeny the pericarp either may be non-multiplicative or multiplicative. In the first case, the ovary wall differentiates in pericarp without the installation of meristem. Adaxial, middle or abaxial meristems can be installed in the multiplicative pericarp fruits from the periclinal cell divisions that occur in both the epidermis and the ovary mesophyll. Separation tissue takes place in the carpel margins and midrib in dehiscent fruits or it can remain as residual tissue in indehiscent fruits. Fruit classification is complex, and it may show divergence in nomenclature among fruit specialists. Structural fruit ontogeny can be a useful tool for its classification. Fruit structure has been used as diagnostic character of species, genera and tribes of angiosperms. Hypothesis about fruit evolution indicates that apocarpic fruit with follicles can be a basic evolutionary condition, at least among the sensu lato dicots. The Araucaria angustifolia pine seed is considered here as a fruit with protocarps/spermatocarps.

<p><strong>A new species of <em>Peritassa</em> (Celastraceae) from Espírito Santo, Brazil</strong></p>

Peritassa formidolosa, the new species here described, differs from other species of Peritassa Miers by its unique combination of characters: anthers dehiscent by longitudinal slits, inconspicuous connectives, and campanuliform flowers. This new taxon is included into Peritassa because of these characteristics: anther dehiscence mode and short-tubular disc free from the ovary wall.

The Bdkrb2 gene family provides a novel view of viviparity adaptation in Sebastes schlegelii

BackgroundBlack rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) is a viviparous teleost. We proposed that the rockfish ovarian wall had a similar function to the uterus of mammals previously. In the present study, the well-developed vascular system was observed in the ovarian wall and the exterior surface of the egg membrane. In gestation, adaptation of the ovary vasculature to the rising needs of the embryos occurs through both vasodilation and neovascularization. Bdkrb2, encoding a receptor for bradykinin, plays a critical role in the control of vasodilatation by regulating nitric oxide production.ResultsEight Bdkrb2 genes were identified in the black rockfish genome. These genes were located on chromosome 14, which are arranged in a tandem array, forming a gene cluster spanning 50 kb. Protein structure prediction, phylogenetic analysis, and transcriptome analysis showed that eight Bdkrb2 genes evolved two kinds of protein structure and three types of tissue expression pattern. Overexpression of two Bdkrb2 genes in zebrafish indicated a role of them in blood vessel formation or remodeling, which is an important procedure for the viviparous rockfish getting prepared for fertilization and embryos implantation.ConclusionsOur study characterizes eight Bdrkb2 genes in the black rockfish, which may contribute to preparation for fertilization and embryo implantation. This research provides a novel view of viviparity adaptation and lays the groundwork for future research into vascular regulation of ovarian tissue in the breeding cycle in black rockfish.

Morphology, structure, and histochemistry of the inflorescences, fruit, and seed of the Ramón nut, Brosimum alicastrum Sw. subsp. alicastrum CC Berg (Moraceae)

Brosimum alicastrum Sw, known in Mexico as the Ramon nut, is a sustainable resource in the economy of Yucatan, Mexico; the pulp and seed are edible, and the latter is very nutritious when consumed whole or ground into corn or wheat flour to make tortillas and bread. Because the inflorescences are an essential source of Moraceae taxonomic traits, the histochemistry of the floral parts, fruit, and seed of B. alicastrum was studied to establish their structural characteristics and chemical nature. Different developmental stages of the structures were studied with anatomical and histochemical techniques and scanning electron microscopy. The species presented three achlamydeous floral morphs: (a) uniflorous, unisexual pistillate inflorescence, with the ovary embedded in the receptacle, and exposing a style with bifurcate stigma; (b) unisexual staminate inflorescence with flowers with one stamen, a straight and thick filament, a bilocular peltate anther, with fused theca and circumscissile dehiscence, characteristics that define it as Brosimum alicastrum Sw. subsp. alicastrum CC Berg; and (c) bisexual inflorescence with staminate flowers and a pistillate flower with an atrophied ovule. The fleshy and sweet pulp is derived from the receptacle containing glycoproteins and idioblasts. The endocarp, which derives from the ovary wall, has a coriaceous consistency, so the fruit is classified as a pome. Thick and unequal fleshy cotyledons with laticifers, proteinoplasts, amyloplasts, and idioblasts; endosperm is absent from the mature seed; a thin and lignified seed coat surrounds them. The nutritional characteristics of the fruit and seed were corroborated with positive reactions of histochemical techniques.

Metastatic Leiomyosarcoma in African Goose (Anser cygnoides)

Background: In birds, neoplasms are more frequently observed in Psittaciformes and Galliformes and rarely seen in Columbiformes and Anseriformes, with few reports of the occurrence of mesenchymal neoplasms such as leiomyosarcoma affecting birds. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe a case of metastatic leiomyosarcoma in an African goose (Anser cygnoides), analyzing the epidemiological, clinical and pathological aspects. Case: A 10-month-old male African goose, was referred to the Veterinary Hospital, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Patos, Paraiba, Brazil, whit ataxia, tremors of intention in the head, and nystagmus about one month ago, progressing to lateral decubitus. Due to the unfavorable prognosis, animal was euthanized. Samples of the organs of the coelomic cavity and central nervous system were collected for histologic examination. The samples were fixed in 10% buffered formalin. After fixation, the organs were embedded in paraffin, cut into 4-5 μm sections, and then stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Paraffin blocks with liver, kidney and encephalon fragments were selected and sent for immunohistochemical analysis. The primary antibodies used were: alpha-smooth muscle actin (monoclonal 1A4), anti-vimentin (monoclonal, V9), CD57 (monoclonal, NK1) and cytokeratin (monoclonal, AE1/AE3) and incubated for 18 h at 4Cº. As an amplification and detection system polymer and labeled by addition of the liquid diaminobenzidine+substratechromogen system and counterstained with Harris hematoxylin. Macroscopically were observed in the liver nodular multifocal areas yellowish, sometimes coalescing, firm, and elevated to the surface that at the cut deepened to the parenchyma. In the left kidney there was a similar tumor mass. In the left frontal lobe, there was nodular focal area, well circumscribed, yellowish and protruding. To cutting surface it compressed the parietal and temporal lobe and showed surface yellowish and smooth. Microscopically, the liver was diffusely infiltrated by mesenchymal neoplasia, expansive, infiltrative, poorly circumscribed and not encapsulated, constituted by spindle cells arranged in interlaced bundles. The cells were elongated with sparse cytoplasm, slightly eosinophilic and indistinct borders with rounded to elongated nuclei, with coarse chromatin and evident nucleoli. In fragments of kidney and brain, neoplastic infiltration similar to that described in the liver was observed. In immunohistochemistry, neoplastic cells were positive with antibodies anti-vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin.Discussion: The diagnosis of metastatic leiomyosarcoma in an African goose was based on epidemiological, clinical and pathological findings and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Reports of neoplasms in birds are relatively rare, however the occurrence of metastatic leiomyosarcoma affecting goose in the most varied locations has been described, from skin to organs of the coelomic cavity like kidney, ovary and intestinal wall. In this case, there is the unusual occurrence of dissemination in the liver, kidney and cerebral cortex, progressing to a neurological clinic condition. There are rare cases of metastatic leiomyosarcoma in geese African goose (Anser cygnoides). The main differential diagnoses include fibrosarcomas, neurofibrosarcomas and histiocytic sarcomas, which are similar macroscopically and histologically.Keywords: ornithopathology, mesenchymal neoplasms, anseriformes.Descritores: ornitopatologia, neoplasias mesenquimais, anseriformes.Título: Leiomiossarcoma metastáticoem ganso africano (Anser cygnoides)

МІКРОМОРФОЛОГІЯ ТА АНАТОМІЯ КВІТКИ LEUCOJUM AESTIVUM L. (AMARYLLIDACEAE J. ST.-HIL.)

In the gynoecium of L. aestivum there are synascidiate, hemisynascidiate, symplicate, and asymplicate vertical zones. The longest zone is the fertile hemisynascidiate zone and the shortest is the synascidiate zone in the ovary. It was discovered that in L. aestivum the peduncle consists of 12 vascular bundles, which are reorganized into two circles of bundles, the outer with massive leading bundles, departing as dorsal bundles of perianth, traces of perianth tepals and septal bundles of carpels and inner circle of bundles over the nests are divided into three groups of ventral carpel bundles are lined up on four, which are located in the center of the ovary and providing nutrition to the ovules. Dorsal carpels bundles are double. Above the locule, ventral bundles of the carpel, as well as the double septal bundles, merge with the dorsal bundles and form a dorsal vein. The outer tepals of the simple perianth have nine vascular traces, and the inner tepals of the perianth have eight vascular traces. Traces of stamens are single-bundle, formed from traces of perianth tepals. The ovary has features of the early stages of fruit morphogenesis and adaptation to disclosure, such as differentiation of mesocarp and endocarp cells, double dorsal bundles of carpels. Structural flower features related to pollen proposal as reward pollinators. Since ovary is a structural basis of the fruit, histological ovary wall differentiation reflects the features of the subsequent morphogenesis of the fruit.

To diagnostics of ectopic pregnancy in the early stages

Case 1. Married, 26 years old. Gave birth once. Complaint - bleeding that began a week after urgent menstruation and continued for 26 days. Until this time, menstruation was correct. For five weeks, a growing tumor is seen in the left lower abdomen. Partly with a pipette, partly with a sharp spoon, part of the contents was removed from the uterine cavity, showing the presence of loheocytes and decidual cells. The suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy was confirmed by gastrointestinal surgery, and the entire sac (funnel, fallopian tube, omentum, ovarian wall) was removed. Recovery.

Histological observation of the reproductive system in a viviparous teleost Xenotoca eiseni Rutter 1896 (Cyprinodontiformes: Goodeidae).

Xenotoca eiseni is a viviparous teleost belonging to the family Goodeidae. Here, we report histological observations of the reproductive organs in an adult male, an adult female, a pregnant female with intraovarian embryo and an extracted embryo of X.eiseni. High-resolution images of haematoxylin-eosin-stained sagittal sections revealed the detailed structure of gonads, gametes and reproductive components of the mother-embryo relationship. In the male, mature spermatozoa in the epididymis formed sperm packages. In the female, oogenesis proceeded asynchronously in the ovarian wall, and various stages of oocytes were observed in single ovary. In both sexes, genital openings were located between the anus and anal fin. Developing embryos were observed in an ovary of the pregnant female. Fine structures of components of the mother-to-embryo nutrient supply, ovarian septum and trophotaenia were observed in the pregnant ovary. An immature gonad prior to gamete formation was identified in the extracted embryo. With the aim of supporting the development and extension of studies on this viviparous teleost, we have shared our histological images as raw data in an open online archive, the 'NAGOYA repository (http://hdl.handle.net/2237/00032456)'. Our goal is a comprehensive understanding of the viviparous system in fish using both histological observation and molecular biology methods including genomics and proteomics.

Floral structure inThismia(Thismiaceae: Dioscoreales): new insights from anatomy, vasculature and development

AbstractThismia is characterized by an exceptionally complicated floral morphology that is currently not understood properly. In the taxonomic literature, descriptive rather than morphological terms are often applied to parts of the flower in Thismia, relating to the general appearance of the floral organs instead of their precise homologies. Precise understanding of the floral structure is complicated by the rarity of Thismia spp. and the paucity of appropriate material. Here we provide a comprehensive study of reproductive organs of three Thismia spp. (T. annamensis, T. javanica and T. mucronata) including the first investigation of inflorescence architecture and early floral development in Thismiaceae. We found a hitherto unknown diversity of the reproductive shoots in the genus, manifested in the number of floral prophylls (two or three, in contrast to a single prophyll in the vast majority of monocots) and in the branching plane resulting in two distinct inflorescence types, a drepanium and a bostryx. We report the non-acropetal sequence of initiation of floral whorls (with stamens being the last elements to initiate), never previously described in monocots, and the gynoecium composed of completely plicate carpels, also a rare feature for monocots. Floral vasculature is relatively uniform in Thismia, but significant interspecific differences are found in tepal innervation, including the number of tepal traces; some of these differences are not immediately related to the external tepal morphology. We argue that the annulus, which acts as a roof of the hypanthium, possesses an androecium nature and represents congenitally fused bases of stamen filaments. We describe the stamens as laminar structures, which are also shortly tubular in the distal part of the supraconnective with the adaxial tubular side forming a skirt-like appendage. Finally, the placentas, which are column-like when mature, are initially parietal, becoming secondarily similar to free-central placentas through schizogenous separation from the ovary wall.

Gynoecium structure and development in core Caryophyllales: a matter of proportions

AbstractThis review based on a morphological and developmental perspective reveals a striking diversity in shapes and evolutionary trends in the gynoecium of core Caryophyllales that have affected the number of carpels, the formation of septa and the number of ovules. Two major developmental shifts are responsible for the diversity in gynoecial forms and are linked to the proportional development of carpellary tissue (ovary wall) and the floral apex. (1) Meristic change is caused by an expansion or reduction of the diameter of the floral apex. An expansion leads to polygyny linked with the development of more numerous small carpels; a reduction of space leads to lower carpel numbers, eventually resulting in a single carpel. (2) Different ovary shapes can be recognized at a mid-developmental stage predicting the further development of ovaries. With an equal growth of the ovary wall and floral apex, young ovaries take the shape of a salt-shaker; with more extensive development of the floral apex and delay of the ovary wall, a club-shaped ovary is formed; with faster growth of the ovary wall linked with intercalary expansion and a delayed growth of the floral apex, a (half-) inferior cup-shaped ovary develops. The different growth forms are the results of heterochronic shifts and affect the development of septa and ovule numbers. A common trend in the order implies a weakening and break-up of septa during development, leading to residual apical and basal septa and the shift to free-central and basal placentation. The club-shaped ovary is linked with an almost complete loss of septa and a reduction of the ovule number to one. The salt-shaker shape leads to ovaries with a massive placental column and several ovules. The cup-shaped ovary leads to a shift of ovules away from the floral apex. Developmental flexibility is responsible for a disconnection of carpel wall growth from ovular tissue. Subtle shifts in proportional growth lead to a high diversification of ovaries in core Caryophyllales and the establishment of predictable developmental trends. These trends clearly represent apomorphic tendencies, affecting different families of core Caryophyllales in different degrees. The ancestral gynoecium was probably pentamerous and isomerous with the other floral whorls, with ovules clearly separated from the carpellary wall and inserted on axile placentas corresponding to the central axis of the flower.

<p><strong>×<em>Bacurio</em>, a new nothogenus for the hybrid ×<em>B. delphinatifolius</em> (<em>Baculellum articulatum</em> × <em>Curio rowleyanus</em>), with notes on the nomenclature of <em>Kleinia</em> ×<em>peregrina</em>, <em>Senecio peregrinus</em>, <em>S</em>. ×<em>peregrinus</em>, and <em>Curio</em> ×<em>peregrinus</em> (Asteraceae: Asteroideae: Senecioneae)</strong></p>

The genus Kleinia Miller (1754: page headed KI KL) (Asteraceae, subfam. Asteroideae, tr. Senecioneae) has been variously circumscribed over time, but in the past was often regarded as worthy of segregation from Senecio Linnaeus (1753: 866) based on, inter alia, the architecture of ovary wall crystals (Jeffrey 1986) and the prevalence of stem succulence (Halliday 1988: 1) and, to some degree, leaf succulence (see Cicuzza et al. 2017 for an overview). The recently described genus Curio Heath (1997: 136) accommodates mostly low-growing to medium-sized leaf succulents with rather dull-coloured capitula that generally lack ray florets.

Ovary cord micromorphology in the blood-sucking haemadipsid leech Haemadipsa japonica (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida: Hirudiniformes)

This is the first report that describes histological and ultrastructural details of ovary organization in haemadipsid leeches. In Haemadipsa japonica, the female reproductive system is organized similar to that of other haemadipsids. Each of the paired and oval ovaries of H. japonica is comprised of the ovary wall (ovisac), which encloses two elongated, thread-like ovarian units termed ovary cords. Ovary cords are comprised of germ-line cells and associated somatic cells. Each cord is polarized and contains germ-line cells in the consecutive developmental stages that are sequentially located along the long cord axis. There were three zones in each cord: the club-shaped apical part, the thread-like middle part, and the basal-most end, which contains degenerating germ cells. Outside of the reproductive period, the middle part of the cord in leeches is smooth, and no growing oocytes are visible; alternatively, in mature specimens, several growing oocytes protrude from the cord, and several huge vitellogenic oocytes that are completely detached from the cord occur within the ovisac. Ovary cord organization and functioning in H. japonica are very similar to the ‘Hirudo’ type cords that were found in several hirudiniform leeches. This conclusion supports the view that all hirudiniform leeches have conservative ovary cord organization and a similar pattern of oogenesis. Germ-line cyst composition, architecture, and functioning were also found to be evolutionarily conservative characteristics when compared with all previously examined Clitellata. In the germ-line cysts found in H. japonica each cell is connected to the central and anuclear cytoplasmic mass (cytophore) via one intercellular bridge, and, as oogenesis progresses, the fate of interconnected cell diversifies: some of them (oocytes) grow and complete oogenesis, but the majority become nurse cells and finally degenerate. Thus, oogenesis in H. japonica, similar to other clitellates, can be considered meroistic.

Ovarian Reserve after Laparoscopic Ovarian Cystectomy in Infertile Patients

Background: Ovarian reserve is the key target of infertility treatment; its accurate evaluation is extremely important for outcomes prediction of in-vitro fertilization [IVF]. Ovarian cysts act as a common gynecological site that occurred in 6.6% of patients between twenty-five and forty years old. When its surgical removal is indicated, stripping the ovarian cyst wall by laparoscopic approach is the technique of choice. Aim of the Work: The present study was designed to evaluate ovarian reserve after laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy by using basal Follicular Stimulating hormone [FSH], Anti-Mullerian hormone [AMH], and Antral follicle count [AFC] as a marker for evaluation. Patients and Methods: This was an observational study which was conducted on infertile patients after laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy from the Obstetrics and Gynecology department Al-Azhar University hospital [New Damietta] from October 2018 to last of November 2019. Results: AFC had been increased significantly post-cystectomy when compared to corresponding preoperative values [17.8±2.24 vs 5.57±3.16 respectively]. On the other side, both FSH and AMH significantly decreased after cystectomy when compared to preoperative values. These results are constant regardless of the type of the cyst, the surgical procedure, or its polarity. Conclusion: The FSH and AFC levels increased after laparoscopic cystectomy for benign ovarian cysts, indicating significant ovarian damage post operatively.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Maternal Acute Adnexal Torsion during Pregnancy: Single-Institution Clinical Performance Review.

Background: For acute adnexal torsion of pregnant women, appropriate treatment based on an accurate diagnosis is especially important for fertility preservation and timely treatment. The 2017 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion No. 723 announced its practice-changing guidelines to ensure that diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conducted during the first trimester and gadolinium exposure at any time during pregnancy are safe for fetal stability. Unfortunately, few studies have been performed to evaluate the usefulness of the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for acute adnexal torsion during pregnancy. Objective: We sought to determine the efficacy of diagnostic MRI modality using multiparameter for maternal adnexal torsion during pregnancy. Methods: From 1 January 2007 to 31 January 2019, 131 pregnant with MRI tests were reviewed. In this retrospective cohort study, 94 women were excluded due to conditions other than an adnexal mass, and 37 were identified through MRI analyses conducted before surgery for suspected adnexal torsion. The primary outcome was the diagnostic accuracy of sonography and MRI, and the secondary outcome was the usefulness of Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for predicting the severity of hemorrhagic infarction between the medulla and cortex of the torsed ovarian parenchyma. Results: Our study demonstrates that in the diagnosis of adnexal torsion during pregnancy, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value are 62.5%, 83.3%, 90.9%, and 45.5% for sonography and 100%, 77.8%, 90.5%, and 100% for MRI. MRI results in surgical-proven adnexal torsion patients revealed unilocular ovarian cysts (36.8% (7/19)), multilocular ovarian cysts (31.6% (6/19)), and near normal-appearing ovaries (31.6% (6/19)). Pathology in adnexal torsion revealed a corpus luteal ovarian cyst (63.2% (12/19)) and underlying adnexal pathology (46.8% (7/19)). Maternal adnexal torsion during pregnancy was more likely to occur in corpus luteal ovarian cysts than in underlying adnexal masses (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.428–10.738). MRI features for adnexal torsion were as follows: tubal wall thickness, 100% (19/19); ovarian stromal (medullary) edema, 100% (19/19); symmetrical or asymmetrical ovarian cystic wall, 100%(19/19); prominent follicles in the ovarian parenchyma periphery, 57.9% (11/19); periadenxal fat stranding, 84.2% (16/19); uterine deviation to the twisted side, 21.1% (4/19); and peritoneal fluid, 42.1% (8/19). The signal intensity of the ADC values of the ovarian medulla and cortex were compared between the cystectomy and detorsion (CD) and salpingo-oophorectomy (SO) groups. The ADC values of the CD and SO groups were 1.81 ± 0.09 × 10−3 mm2/s and 1.91 ± 0.18 × 10−3 mm2/s, respectively (P = 0.209), in the ovarian medulla and 1.37 ± 0.32 × 10−3 mm2/s and 0.96 ± 0.36 × 10−3 mm2/s, respectively (P = 0.022), in the ovarian cortex. The optimal cut-off value of ADC values for predictable total necrosis in the torsed ovarian cortex was ≤ 1.31 × 10−3 mm2/s (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.81; 95% CI 0.611–1.0; P = 0.028). Conclusion: Our data showed that maternal adnexal torsion during pregnancy occurred in most corpus luteal cystic ovary cases and some normal-appearing ovary during the 1st and 2nd trimesters of gestation. Therefore, this study is the first study to elaborate on the existence or usefulness of the diagnostic MRI for acute maternal adnexal torsion during pregnancy and to provide a predictive diagnosis of the severity of hemorrhagic infarction for deciding surgical radicality.

Efficacy of Vitamin D Combined with Metformin and Clomiphene in the Treatment of Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Combined with Infertility

We aimed to explore the clinical efficacy of vitamin D combined with metformin and clomiphene in the treatment of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome combined with infertility. Overall, 396 cases of polycystic ovarian syndrome combined with infertility in Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China were prospectively analyzed. Among them, 204 cases treated with vitamin D combined with metformin and clomiphene were set as the study group; 192 cases treated with only metformin and clomiphene were set as the control group. The ovarian volume and thickness of uterine wall before and after treatment were recorded. Levels of fasting insulin (FINS), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E2) before and after treatment were recorded. There was no difference in body weight, BMI, ovarian volume, thickness of ovarian wall, FINS, LH, T, FSH and E2 between the study group and the control group; there was no significant difference in FSH, E2 and the thickness of uterine wall between the two groups. After treatment, the BMI, FINS, LH, and T in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); the incidence rates of oligomenorrhea, facial acne and hairy symptoms in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); after treatment, the ovulation rate and pregnancy rate in 36 cycles in the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Our challenge could significantly improve clinical symptoms and endocrine conditions, and greatly enhance the ovulation rate and pregnancy rate.

Big data from small tissues: extraction of high-quality RNA for RNA-sequencing from different oilseed Brassica seed tissues during seed development

BackgroundObtaining high-quality RNA for gene expression analyses from different seed tissues is challenging due to the presence of various contaminants, such as polyphenols, polysaccharides and lipids which interfere with RNA extraction methods. At present, the available protocols for extracting RNA from seeds require high amounts of tissue and are mainly focused on extracting RNA from whole seeds. However, extracting RNA at the tissue level enables more detailed studies regarding tissue specific transcriptomes during seed development.ResultsSeeds from heart stage embryo to mature developmental stages of Brassica napus and B. oleracea were sampled for isolation of the embryo, endosperm and seed coat tissues. Ovules and ovary wall tissue were also collected from pre-fertilized buds. Subsequent to testing several RNA extraction methods, modifications applied to E.Z.N.A. Plant RNA and Picopure RNA Isolation kit extraction methods resulted in RNA with high yield and quality. Furthermore, the use of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone for seed coats and endosperm at green stages resulted in high-quality RNA. As a result of the introduced modifications to established RNA extraction methods, the RNA from all the above-mentioned tissues presented clear 28S and 18S bands and high RIN values, ranging from 7.0 to 10.0. The protocols reported in this study are not only suitable for different and challenging seed tissue types, but also enable the extraction of high-quality RNA using only 2 to 3 mg of starting tissue.ConclusionsHere, we present efficient, reproducible and reliable high-quality RNA extraction methods for diverse oilseed Brassica spp reproductive tissue types including pre-fertilization and developing seed tissues for diploid and polyploid species. The high-quality RNA obtained is suitable for RNA-Sequencing and subsequent gene expression analysis.

A cystectomic technique with low risk of rupture for women with benign ovarian cyst

The majority of patients with benign ovarian cysts undergo laparoscopic surgery using both cystectomy and stripping techniques. However, these techniques have difficulty correctly identifying cleavage planes and are prone to cyst rupture. We present a surgical cystectomy technique that correctly identifies the cleavage plane with a low risk of ovarian cyst rupture, even in patients with multicystic ovarian cysts. Cystectomy was performed using Maryland forceps with gentle open and close dissecting motions only. Both the surgeon and assistant handled the ovarian cortex and cyst wall, and soft traction between the cortex and cyst wall as far as the nearby dissection plane without grasping the cyst wall was essential. In patients with multicystic ovarian cysts, making a plane at the notch between cysts decreases the risk of cyst rupture. This technique allows the correct identification of the cleavage plane for dissection and avoids the risk of cyst rupture. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? The majority of patients with benign ovarian cysts undergo laparoscopic surgery using both cystectomy and stripping techniques. These techniques have difficulty correctly identifying cleavage planes and are prone to cyst rupture. What do the results of this study add? This technique allows the correct identification of the cleavage plane for dissection and avoids the risk of cyst rupture. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our technique might be useful for the preservation of the ovarian reserve because patients in this study had a low proportion of ovarian follicles in the surgical specimen.

Comparative floral morphology and anatomy of Thurniaceae, an early-diverging family in the cyperids (Poales, Monocotyledons)

Thurniaceae are positioned at the base of the cyperids, in Poales, as a sister group of Cyperaceae + Juncaceae. However, Rapateaceae + Mayacaceae have emerged related to these families in a recent phylogenetic study. Although Thurniaceae are morphologically similar to Juncaceae, studies are needed to evaluate characters with systematic value and that may help comprehend the reproductive biology in the family. In this regard, we investigate the floral morphology and anatomy of Prionium serratum and Thurnia sphaerocephala using standard techniques of scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. The flowers of both species are trimerous, pentacyclic, with diplostemonous androecium and tricarpellate syncarpous gynoecium. Nevertheless, dimerous flowers with an inconsistent number of stamens also occur in T. sphaerocephala. Most floral traits of Thurniaceae are shared with Juncaceae and indicate putative plesiomorphies in the cyperids. However, no consistent data corroborates a link between Rapateaceae and Mayacaceae and the cyperids. The perigonium of Thurniaceae has diagnostic characters for the family, but also for each one of the species studied. The androecium is similar in P. serratum and T. sphaerocephala. In the gynoecium, the number of ovules, the length of the ovary zones, and the occurrence of ovary wall intrusions distinguish P. serratum from T. sphaerocephala and may have a correlation in the cyperids. Furthermore, the type of inflorescence, the color of flowers, and the type of stigma suggest that P. serratum is wind-pollinated and that T. sphaerocephala is insect-pollinated.