Expression of EGFr, LHr and GAJ5 was assessed by immunocytochemistry and real-time PCR. Proportion of metaphase II status of oocytes cultured in in vitro maturation (IVM) GS-9973 mw medium supplemented with 10 ng/ml
EGF for 72 h was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than 0 and 30 ng/ml EGF supplemented IVM medium (9.8% vs. 6.5% and 5.2%). In both cumulus cells and oocytes. EGFr protein was undetectable, LHr protein level of expression was low and a strong expression of GJA5 protein was observed. The relative abundance (RA) of EGFr transcript revealed low levels and the LHr expression decreased steadily with addition of EGF. However it did not vary among different concentrations of EGF supplementation. The RA of Screening Library in vitro GJA5 transcript exhibited lower level at 10 ng/ml EGF supplementation. In conclusion, the supplementation of 10 ng/ml EGF in IVM media exerted a positive influence on the progression of maturation to MII phase and the expression level of GJA5 at 72 h, but did not demonstrate any stimulatory role on the expression of EGFr and LHr during the maturation of the canine IVM oocytes. (C) 2010
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“The increased prevalence of obesity represents, currently, one of the major public health issues, due to its consequences on physical and psychological health status as well as on the psychosocial functioning. As defined by the World Health Organization, sexual health is “”a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality.”" The aim of the PFTα research buy present study was to explore the relationship between sexual life in obese subjects and quality of life, psychological status, and disability. Methods. 95 obese subjects were recruited from June 2012 to February 2013 and underwent physical examination and measures for the assessment of quality of life, sexual life, psychological status, and disability. Results. In obese subjects sexual life was related to gender, age, psychological status, disability, and quality of life. Conclusion. As obesity is a multifactorial disease, and is accompanied
by multiple comorbidities, it is difficult to identify a single causative factor responsible for the impairment of sexual life in obese subjects; thus, a thorough, multidimensional evaluation including sexual function assessment should be performed in obese people.”
“Electromechanical bending actuation of chitosan-blended cellulose (CBC) electroactive paper (EAPap) was studied using a theoretical model, followed by an experimental comparison. The bending displacement of the model was calculated based on an ion traveling phenomenon and multilayered cantilever beam. By comparing the bending model and experimental data, we found that the bending model could predict the electromechanical actuation behavior as well as redistribution of ions inside of CBC EAPap under different humidity levels and electric fields.