Effects of methylparaben on in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes.

Parabens (PBs) are compounds widely used in industry for food and personal care products as antimicrobials and preservatives. Their indiscriminate use has resulted in their detection in different ecosystems so that humans and other organisms are highly exposed. Methylparaben (MePB), compared with other PBs, is mostly detected in food, personal care and baby care products. PBs could be linked to the generation of hormonal disorders and fertility impairment since their recent classification as endocrine disruptors. The knowledge of the effects that MePB can exert is of great importance as, in terms of reproduction, information is limited. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of MePB on porcine oocyte viability and in vitro maturation (IVM), as well as to determine the lethal concentration at 50% (LC50 ) and the maturation inhibition concentration at 50% (MIC50 ). Oocytes were exposed to different MePB concentrations 0 (control), 50, 100, 500, 750 and 1000 µm during 44 h of IVM. Cytoplasmic alterations and reduced cumulus cell expansion were observed in oocytes exposed to MePB; however, viability was not affected. In addition, oocyte maturation decreased in a concentration-dependent manner after exposure to MePB. The estimated LC50 was 2028.38 µm, whereas MIC50 was 780.31 µm. To our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates that MePB altered porcine oocyte morphology, and caused a reduction in cumulus cell expansion, both of which resulted in decreased oocyte maturation. Therefore, MePB exposure may be one of the factors involved in fertility impairment in mammals, including that of humans.

Concordance in Discriminating Recordings of Different Lung Sounds Between Physiotherapists.

BACKGROUND: Auscultation is a fundamental part of the physical examination, but its utility has been questioned due to the low inter-rater concordance. We therefore sought to evaluate the concordance of the discrimination of lung sound recordings between experienced physiotherapists. METHODS: Lung sound recordings were selected and validated by an expert panel when Fleiss κ concordance was > 0.75. Eleven recordings were played for subject recognition using a portable computer in their workplace. Results were analyzed using Fleiss κ when looking for concordance between physiotherapists. Univariate regression was performed to determine if there was an association with clinical training, years of experience, academic accomplishment, or university affiliation. RESULTS: Sixty-nine physiotherapists with a median of 4 years of working experience (interquartile range 2-6 y) completed the study. There was moderate concordance (κ = 0.562; 95% CI 0.462-0.605) for overall lung sound recording discrimination. For continuous and noncontinuous lung sound recordings, discrimination concordance was substantial (κ = 0.63 and κ = 0.76, respectively). A bivariate analysis revealed that years of experience presented an inverse association with stridor recognition. CONCLUSIONS: Concordance between physiotherapists in discriminating recorded lung sounds was moderate. The ability to recognize stridor was inversely associated with years of work experience.