Use of excised ovaries for oocyte recovery by ultrasound guided follicular aspiration - Validation of an experimental model for research purposes in live mares ovum pick up.

Ovum pick-up (OPU) by transvaginal ultrasound guided follicle aspiration in mares is a common assisted reproductive technique used for oocyte recovery and in vitro production of horse embryos. There has been relatively little research into the factors influencing oocyte recovery in OPU from live mares. The objective of this study was to compare oocyte recovery and morphology of ultrasound-guided follicle puncture and aspiration in live mares and in postmortem excised ovaries, in order to validate an experimental model for research purposes of the efficiency of OPU in mares. Data from OPU performed in 12 mares from a commercial program (follicle numbers, oocyte recovery and oocyte morphology) were compared to that obtained from ultrasound-guided follicle puncture of 13 postmortem excised ovaries from slaughtered mares processed within 2 h of slaughter. In both groups, the OPU was performed by the same operator using the same equipment and OPU technique. The recovered oocytes per aspirated follicle was higher (P < 0.05) in the postmortem group (105/166, 63.2 %) than in live mares (138/261, 52.9 %). There was more (P < 0.05) expanded cumulus oocyte complexes in the postmortem than in the live mares (18 % vs. 2.9 %). Several oocytes (5 oocytes from 81 aspirated follicles) were found in the leaked fluid which overflowed during follicle flushing of postmortem ovaries. In conclusion, the higher recovery rate obtained in the excised ovaries and the finding of oocytes in the leaked fluid during OPU, suggests that there is still room for improvement in the in vivo OPU technique. Utilizing postmortem excised ovaries could offer an alternative for further research into factors affecting oocyte recovery and oocyte leakage during OPU procedures.

Lung regeneration: diverse cell types and the therapeutic potential.

Lung tissue has a certain regenerative ability and triggers repair procedures after injury. Under controllable conditions, lung tissue can restore normal structure and function. Disruptions in this process can lead to respiratory system failure and even death, causing substantial medical burden. The main types of respiratory diseases are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Multiple cells, such as lung epithelial cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells, are involved in regulating the repair process after lung injury. Although the mechanism that regulates the process of lung repair has not been fully elucidated, clinical trials targeting different cells and signaling pathways have achieved some therapeutic effects in different respiratory diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the cell type involved in the process of lung regeneration and repair, research models, and summarize molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of lung regeneration and fibrosis. Moreover, we discuss the current clinical trials of stem cell therapy and pharmacological strategies for COPD, IPF, and ARDS treatment. This review provides a reference for further research on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of lung regeneration, drug development, and clinical trials.

Success rate of current human-derived gastric cancer organoids establishment and influencing factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Human-derived gastric cancer organoids (GCOs) are widely used in gastric cancer research; however, the culture success rate is generally low. AIM: To explore the potential influencing factors, and the literature on successful culture rates of GCOs was reviewed using meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched for studies. Two trained researchers selected the studies and extracted data. STATA 17.0 software was used for meta-analysis of the incidence of each outcome event. The adjusted Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to detect publication bias. Subgroup analyses were conducted for sex, tissue source, histological classification, and the pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) cancer staging system. RESULTS: Eight studies with a pooled success rate of 66.6% were included. GCOs derived from women and men had success rates of 67% and 46.7%, respectively. GCOs from surgery or biopsy/endoscopic submucosal dissection showed success rates of 70.9% and 53.7%, respectively. GCOs of poorly-differentiated, moderately-differentiated and signet-ring cell cancer showed success rates of 64.6%, 31%, and 32.7%, respectively. GCOs with pTNM stages I-II and III-IV showed success rates of 38.3% and 65.2%, respectively. Y-27632 and non-Y-27632 use showed success rates of 58.2% and 70%, respectively. GCOs generated with collagenase were more successful than those constructed with Liberase TH and TrypLE (72.1% vs 71%, respectively). EDTA digestion showed a 50% lower success rate than other methods (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: GCO establishment rate is low and varies by sex, tissue source, histological type, and pTNM stage. Omitting Y-27632, and using Liberase TH, TrypLE, or collagenase yields greater success than EDTA.

Pig Sedation and Anesthesia for Medical Research.

In clinical veterinary practice, proper training and expertise in anesthesia administration and monitoring are essential. Pigs are suitable experimental animals for many surgical techniques because they are similar in size to humans and have a short reproductive cycle. This makes them ideal for research concerning organ transplantation, cardiovascular surgery, and other procedures that require a large animal model. Sedation and premedication should be administered at the lowest dose to be effective with predictable results and reduced adverse effects, to ensure the safety of both the animal and the team involved in the procedure, with a fast onset and optimizing the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The goal of induction is to achieve a safe and effective level of anesthesia that ensures patient safety and facilitates research. Most of the time, inhalation anesthesia with endotracheal intubation is the ideal choice for maintenance of anesthesia. The difficulties related to endotracheal intubation of pigs can be overcome by knowing the anatomical peculiarities. Effective analgesia tailored to the specific procedure, the pig's condition, and individual responses to medications should complete the maintenance and recovery protocols, reducing perioperative complications.

Research Models in Dentine Development and Regeneration.

Dentine is a major component of teeth and is responsible for many of their functions, such as mastication and neural sensation/transduction. Over the past decades, numerous studies have focused on dentine development and regeneration using a variety of research models, including in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro models. In vivo animal models play a crucial role in the exploration of biochemical factors that are involved in dentine development, whereas ex vivo and in vitro models contribute mainly to the identification of biophysical factors in dentine regeneration, of which mechanical force is most critical. In the present review, research models involved in studies related to dentine development and regeneration were screened from publications released in recent years and summarised comprehensively, particularly in vivo animal models including prokaryotic microinjection, Cre/LoxP, CRISPR/Cas9, ZFN and TALEN, and scaffold-based in vitro and ex vivo models. The latter were further divided by the interactive forces. Summarising these research models will not only benefit the development of future dentine-related studies but also provide hints regarding the evolution of novel dentine regeneration strategies.

Homeopatia: uma realidade evidente / Homeopathy: a patent reality

A homeopatia é uma descoberta nas ciências naturais com muitas facetas. Começou como um ramo das ciências da saúde, uma terapêutica utilizada nas grandes epidemias europeias, iniciadas no século XVII e que perduraram até o XIX. Com o tempo, outras disciplinas, como a física, a biologia, a físico-química, a eletrônica e a agronomia, passaram a se interessar na homeopatia. No presente artigo, são revisadas as etapas históricas do desenvolvimento das bases científicas da homeopatia, desde sua formulação na virada do século XVIII, assim como discutidas as perspectivas presentes e futuras.

Homeopathy is a multi-faceted discovery within the realm of natural science. It began as a branch of the health sciences, a therapeutic approach widely used in the major epidemic outbreaks that devastated Europe starting in the 17th century and persisting until the 1800s. Also other fields of knowledge, like physics, biology, physical chemistry, electronics and agronomy, began to take an interest in homeopathy over time. In the present study, the historical stages in the development of the scientific basis of homeopathy are reviewed, and its present and future perspectives are discussed.

La investigación en salud pública: una reflexión epistemológica desde las ciencias de la complejidad / Pesquisa em saúde pública: uma reflexão epistemológica desde las ciências da complexidade / Research on public health: an epistemological reflection from complex sciences

Desde la ciencias de la complejidad, el presente artículo de reflexión, se refiere en esta ocasión, a un problema central y otros derivados de él, relacionados con el proceso actual de investigación en salud pública: el de la construcción de modelos y otros adjuntos a este: i) los relativos a la explicación; ii) el referido al enunciado de los problemas de investigación y, iii) el de la visión del observador. Se defienden dos tesis: i) la insuficiencia de las ciencias para la investigación de la salud pública está dada por las limitaciones de los modelos de explicación reduccionistas y, ii) la posibilidad se encuentra en la aproximación a la salud pública como un sistema complejo adaptativo...

Arising from the complexity sciences, the present article of reflection, refers in this opportunity, to a central problem and other that derivate from it, related to the present process of public health research: that of the construction of models and other associated to it: i) those related to the explanation; ii) the one referring to the statement of the research problems and, iii) the vision of the observer. Two theses are defended: i) the insufficiency of sciences for the research of public health, is given by the limitations of reductionist models of explanation and, ii) the possibility is found in the approach to public health as an adaptive complex system.Key words author: decentralization, neoliberalism, equity, Mexico...

Desde as ciências da complexidade, o presente artigo de reflexão refere-se nesta ocasião, a um problema central e outros derivados, relacionados com o processo atual de pesquisa em saúde pública – a construção de modelos e outros anexos ao tema: a) os relativos à explicação; b) o referido ao anunciado dos problemas de pesquisa; e c) a visão do observador. Duas teses são defendidas: a insuficiência das ciências para a pesquisa de saúde pública esta dada pelas limitações dos modelos de explicação reducionistas; e a possibilidade encontra-se na aproximação à saúde pública como um sistema complexo adaptativo...