Reliability and differentiation capability of dynamic and static kinematic measurements of rearfoot eversion in patellofemoral pain

Excessive rearfoot eversion is thought to be a risk factor for patellofemoral pain development, due to the kinesiological relationship with ascendant adaptations. Individuals with patellofemoral pain are often diagnosed through static clinical tests, in scientific studies and clinical practice. However, the adaptations seem to appear in dynamic conditions. Performing static vs. dynamic evaluations of widely used measures would add to the knowledge in this area. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the reliability and differentiation capability of three rearfoot eversion measures: rearfoot range of motion, static clinical test and static measurement using a three-dimensional system. A total of 29 individuals with patellofemoral pain and 25 control individuals (18-30 years) participated in this study. Each subject underwent three-dimensional motion analysis during stair climbing and static clinical tests. Intraclass correlation coefficient and standard error measurements were performed to verify the reliability of the variables and receiver operating characteristic curves to show the diagnostic accuracy of each variable. In addition, analyses of variance were performed to identify differences between groups. Rearfoot range of motion demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy (an area under the curve score of 0.72) than static measures and was able to differentiate the groups. Only the static clinical test presented poor and moderate reliability. Other variables presented high to very high values. Rearfoot range of motion was the variable that presented the best results in terms of reliability and differentiation capability. Static variables do not seem to be related to patellofemoral pain and have low accuracy values.

Osteoblast differentiation is enhanced by a nano-to-micro hybrid titanium surface created by Yb:YAG laser irradiation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The basement membrane and the sex establishment in the juvenile hermaphroditism during gonadal differentiation of the Gymnocorymbus ternetzi (Teleostei: Characiformes: Characidae)

Although there are several studies on morphogenesis in Teleostei, until now there is no research describing the role of the basement membrane in the establishment of the germinal epithelium during gonadal differentiation in Characiformes. In attempt to study these events that result in the formation of ovarian and testicular structures, gonads of Gymnocorymbus ternetzi were prepared for light microscopy. During gonadal development in G. ternetzi, all individuals first developed ovarian tissue. The undifferentiated gonad was formed by somatic cells (SC) and primordial germ cells (PGCs). After successive mitosis, the PGCs became oogonia, which entered into meiosis originating oocytes. An interstitial tissue developed. In half of the individuals, presumptive female, prefollicle cells synthesized a basement membrane around oocyte forming a follicle. Along the ventral region of the ovary, the tissue invaginated to form the ovigerous lamellae, bordered by the germinal epithelium. Stroma developed and the follicle complexes were formed. The gonadal aromatase was detected in interstitial cells in the early steps of the gonadal differentiation in both sexes. In another half of the individuals, presumptive male, there was no synthesis of basement membrane. The interstitium was invaded by numerous granulocytes. Pre-Leydig cells proliferated. Apoptotic oocytes were observed and afterward degenerated. Spermatogonia appeared near the degenerating oocytes and associated to SCs, forming testicular tubules. Germinal epithelium developed and the basement membrane was synthesized. Concomitantly, there was decrease of the gonadal aromatase and increase in the 3β-HSD enzyme expression. Thus, the testis was organized on an ovary previously developed, constituting an indirect gonochoristic differentiation.

Identification of the molecular sex-differentiation period in the siberian sturgeon

Sexual development prior to gonadal sex differentiation is regulated by various molecular mechanisms. In fish, a molecular sex-differentiation period has been identified in species for which sex can be ascertained prior to gonadal sex differentiation. The present study was designed to identify such a period in a species for which no genetic sex markers or monosex populations are available. Siberian sturgeons undergo a slow sex-differentiation process over several months, so gonad morphology and gene expression was tracked in fish from ages 3-27 months to identify the sex-differentiation period. The genes amh, sox9, and dmrt1 were selected as male gonad markers; cyp19a1a and foxl2a as female gonad markers; and cyp17a1 and ar as markers of steroid synthesis and steroid receptivity. Sex differentiation occurred at 8 months, and was preceded by a molecular sex-differentiation period at 3-4 months, at which time all of the genes except ar showed clear expression peaks. amh and sox9 expression seemed to be involved in male sexual development whereas dmrt1, a gene involved in testis development in metazoans, unexpectedly showed a pattern similar to those of the genes known to be involved in female gonadal sex differentiation (cyp19a1 and foxl2a). In conclusion, the timing of and gene candidates involved with molecular sex differentiation in the Siberian sturgeon were identified. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of lineage of oocyte donor on the yield and morphology of oocytes recovered by ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration in nellore cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of lineage of oocytes donors on the number and quality of oocytes obtained through ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration in Nellore breed cows derived from two lineages of bulls (Karvadi; K and Taj-Mahal; T). Both maternal (Km and Tm) and paternal (Kp and Tp) lineages, as well as their combinations were investigated. Oocyte aspirations were repeatedly performed with an aspiration interval of 15 days in 56 donor females. Recovered cumulus oocyte-complexes (COCs) were counted, morphologically examined and classified into seven categories (grades from I to VII) according to the number of layers of the cumulus oocyte and cytoplasm appearance. The mean number of oocytes retrieved from donors of lineage Tp-Tm was significantly higher (28.23±1.92, P<0.05) than those obtained from lineages Kp-Tm, Kp-Km, and Tp-Km (21.34±1.32, 21.28±1.73, and 16.72±1.31, respectively). There was no significant difference in the mean number of recovered oocytes between donors of lineages Kp-Km and Kp-Tm, whereas animals of lineage Tp-Km yielded the lowest number of oocytes. Higher mean number of grade III oocytes was recovered from donors of lineage Kp than lineage Tp (10.11±0.66 versus 8.79±0.58, respectively), with more grade III oocytes being obtained in both lineages as compared to the others. Paternal lineage did not influence the quality of recovered oocytes in any other category, but both Kp and Tp yielded a great mean number of oocytes graded as I, II, and III (3.14±0.21; 4.93±0.33, and 10.11±0.66 versus 3.19±0.21, 5.59±0.44, and 8.79±0.58, respectively) than those classified as IV, V, VI, and VII. However, when considering the data from the maternal lineage significantly more oocytes (P<0.05) of grade I, II and III were obtained from Taj-Mahal (11.67 ± 0.67, 5.9±0.42 and 3.64±0.25, respectively) than for lineage Karvadi, with similar results for oocytes of grades IV, V, VI, and VII. Similarly to the paternal lineage, the number of oocytes of grade III was superior (P<0.05) when compared to other categories for both lineages. In conclusion, we demonstrate here a direct influence of lineage of oocyte donor on the production and quality of oocytes obtained through ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration in Nellore cows.

The association between follicular size at time of spontaneous rupture and pregnancy rates in clomiphene citrate treated PCOS patients in coit cycles

Objective: To investigate the follicular size at spontaneous rupture on pregnancy rate in patientswith polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing clomiphene citrate (CC) ovulation.Design: Cross-sectional study.Patients and methods: One hundred and four women with ovulatory cycles after use of CCfollowed by ultrasound to determine the follicle size at the time of rupture, which wassubsequently correlated with the occurrence of pregnancy or not in coit cycles.Results: In the group of follicular rupture at a mean diameter25 mm (n¼54), pregnancy ratewas 35.1% and when follicular rupture occurred at a mean diameter425 mm (n¼50), it was34% (p40.05). When different diameters at follicular rupture were randomly correlated with thepregnancy rate, there was no significant difference.Conclusion: Our data suggest that the occurrence of pregnancy after ovulation induction withCC in women with PCOS is not associated with follicle size at the time of rupture.

Evaluation of clinical, ultrasonographic and hysteroscopic parameters in the differentiation of endometrial polyps and cancer of endometrium

Study Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound and office hysteroscopy in the differentiation between endometrial polyps and endometrial adenocarcinoma. Design: This is a prospective 100 women longitudinal study, 24 to 80 years, submitted to hysteroscopic polypectomy (n = 80) or surgery due to endometrial adenocarcinoma (n = 20), from january 2010 to December 2011. Clinical, ultrasonographic and hysteroscopic parameters were analyzed and compared with histopathologic find. Statistical analysis were performed utilizing the Tukey, Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn and Mann-Whitney test, with a confidence interval of 95% and p\0, 05 statiscally significant. Setting: Botucatu Medical School. Intervention: Prospective analysis of clinical, ultrasonographic and hysteroscopic parameters in patients with diagnosis suspected of endometrial polyps and adenocarcinoma of endometrium were performed. According to the diagnosis, hysteroscopic polypectomy or pan hysterectomy with lymph node sampling was realized. After the surgery and histopathological study, statistical analysis of parameters was performed and the results were compared between groups. It was Research Ethics Committee approved. Measurements and Main Results: There were no differences between age, BMI, menopause, TH use and associated diseases among groups. The main symptom of endometrial cancer was the postmenopausal bleeding, affecting 84,2% of women against 34,8% of polypectomy group. The majority of women with endometrial polyps were asymptomatic. Transvaginal ultrasonography showed no ability to differentiate cases of endometrial cancer compared with the cases of endometrial polyps, considering the presence of endometrial thickness and blood flow on color Doppler. Office hysteroscopy showed significant changes in 75% of the adenocarcinoma cases, especially the presence of diffuse hypervascularity with atypical vessels. Conclusion: Still remains an inability to establish clinical parameters and reliable ultrasound imaging to differentiate endometrial polyps and cancer of endometrium. Attention should be given to hysteroscopic exams presenting diffuse endometrial hypervascularization with architectural distortion of the vessels. The recommendation of our service remains the systematic removal of all endometrial polyps.

Glucose,cholesterol,total proteins and insulin-like growth factor typeI values in the follicular fluid of female river buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Twenty six Murrah female river buffaloes, between 45 and 70 d post-partum, empty, multiparae, with an average live weight of 675 ± 56 kg, and average body condition of 3.5 points, in a 1 to 5 scale, were used to determine the concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, total protein and insulin-like growth factor type I(IGF-I) in the follicular fluid. The fluid was collected from dominant follicles, with diameters between 8 and 12 mm, by in vivo follicular aspiration. The oestrous cycle stage was not taken into account. The wave of follicular development was synchronized six days prior to the collection. Biochemical analyses of glucose and cholesterol were performed by the enzymatic colorimetric method with the utilization of commercial kits of Glicose (GOD-PAP) and Cholesterol (CHOD-PAP) (Kovalent), respectively. For the determination of total protein, the commercial kit total Protein (Kovalent), method Biuret, was employed. Readings were carried out through absorption spectrophotometry with visible light. Through the radioimmunoanalysis (RIA) technique the concentration of IGF-I was obtained using commercial kits of IRMA IGF-I (IMMUNOTECH). Descriptive statistics was used, by applying the PROC MEANS procedure of the SAS (2009) statistical package. Glucose concentrations (4.0 ± 0.75 mmol/L) and IGF-I (340 ± 129.83 ng/mL) showed higher values in female river buffaloes and dairy cows regarding those reported in other studies. However, cholesterol levels (0.51 ± 0.12 mmol/L) and total proteins (58.4 ± 4.43 g/L) were lower. Results indicate that there is a relationship between the concentration of biochemical indicators, the nutritional aspects, the diameter of the aspired follicles and the productive period.

Neural differentiation from equine inner cell mass cells in vitro

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)