Magnetic resonance diffusion imaging of ovarian masses: a first experience with 12 cases

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the feasibility of using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurement for the differential diagnosis of malignancy in ovarian masses. Materials and methods: Twelve cases involving ovarian masses were imaged using spin echo diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Five cases involved malignant ovarian masses, on the basis of postoperative histologic examination, and the rest involved benign masses. The ovarian masses were imaged in vivo (10 cases) before surgery and ex vivo (8 cases) after surgical resection. Diffusion-weighted data were corrected for motion using the phase data from unweighted data in nine cases. Multifactorial analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effects of malignancy, location (in vivo versus ex vivo), and motion correction on the measurement of ADC intensity and texture. Results: Motion correction caused an undesirable spatial smoothing of the ADC maps and a significant interaction ( ) was found between location and motion correction. ADC value ( ) and texture ( ) differences were found between malignant and nonmalignant ovarian masses. Conclusion: Measurement of ADC intensity and texture has the potential to differentially diagnose malignancy in individual ovarian masses if the problem of image motion artifact can be eliminated through the use of faster imaging sequences.Acknowledgements. The cooperation of Dr. Vance Chow in the acquisition of the in vivo diffusion MRI data is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks to Ron Borowsky for discussions on the statistical data analysis. Data management, final data analysis, and figure preparation was completed by Jennifer Hadley. This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) and the Saskatchewan Health Services Utilization and Research Commission (HSURC).     

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Entry Proteins in Hyperandrogenemic Female Mice: Implications for Women with PCOS and COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, infects host cells using the angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as its receptor after priming by host proteases, including TMPRSS2. COVID-19 affects multiple organ systems, and male patients suffer increased severity and mortality. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive-age women and is characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology. PCOS is associated with obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities, both being risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 pathology. We hypothesize that elevated androgens in PCOS regulate SARS-CoV-2 entry proteins in multiple tissues increasing the risk for this population. Female mice were treated with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) for 90 days. Body composition was measured by EchoMRI. Fasting glucose was determined by an enzymatic method. mRNA and protein levels of ACE2, Tmprss2, Cathepsin L, Furin, Tmprss4, and Adam17 were quantified by RT-qPCR, Western-blot, or ELISA in tissues, serum, and urine. DHT treatment increased body weight, fat and lean mass, and fasting glucose. Ace2 mRNA was upregulated in the lung, cecum, heart, and kidney, while downregulated in the brain by DHT. ACE2 protein was upregulated by DHT in the small intestine, heart, and kidney. The SARS-CoV-2 priming proteases Tmprss2, Cathepsin L, and Furin mRNA were upregulated by DHT in the kidney. ACE2 sheddase Adam17 mRNA was upregulated by DHT in the kidney, which corresponded with increased urinary ACE2 in DHT treated mice. Our results highlight the potential for increased cardiac, renal, and gastrointestinal dysfunction in PCOS women with COVID-19.     

白菜型油菜和诸葛菜远缘杂交的子房培养及杂种鉴定

对白菜型油菜和诸葛菜正反属间杂交及杂交子房培养进行了研究。结果表明,以授粉后7d取子房进行离体培养其子房存活率和结籽率均较高。对于所使用的4种培养基,培养基A（MS＋2．0mg·L^-16-BA＋0．2mg·L^-1NAA＋500mg·L^-1水解酪蛋白＋0．5％活性炭）显示较好的效果,在杂交组合澧临白菜×诸葛菜中,其最高结籽率达2．56％。适宜的母本结合授粉后恰当的子房离体时间和合适的培养基成分有利于提高杂种的获得频率。通过子房培养,从杂交组合澧临白菜×诸葛菜获得的1株杂种植株,形态上显示出双亲的中间型。细胞学研究显示,该杂种小孢子和花粉发育呈现异常现象,花粉育性低。形态学和SSR分子鉴定表明,该杂种植株为真杂种。因此,通过有性杂交结合子房培养能够将诸葛菜的有益性状转入白菜型油菜中。     

大鼠动情周期子宫及卵巢内SLC26A3的表达

目的探讨溶质相关载体26A3(SLC26A3)在大鼠动情周期子宫及卵巢内的表达。方法根据阴道涂片检测结果,将12只雌性Wister大鼠分别在动情前期(P)、动情期(E)、动情后期(M)和动情间期(D)断头处死,取出卵巢及子宫,提取总RNA及总蛋白,用RT-PCR及Western blot方法检测卵巢及子宫内SLC26A3在动情周期中各时期的表达。结果子宫内SLC26A3在动情期mRNA的转录水平和蛋白的表达水平相对较高,卵巢内SLC26A3在动情前期和动情期mRNA的转录水平和蛋白的表达水平相对较高。结论动情周期中,SLC26A3在大鼠卵巢及子宫内呈规律性表达,其变化为受孕做好了充分准备。     

大鼠卵巢局部照射对骨代谢与淋巴细胞免疫功能的影响

雌激素维护骨代谢，并抑制淋巴细胞免疫功能，以５０ＧｙＸ射线局部照射大鼠卵巢，造成卵泡闭锁，雌二醇低五，并致尿，ＨＯＰ／ｃｒ和血ＡＬＰ升高，骨小梁数和面积减小，淋巴细胞增殖和分泌ＩＬ－２的活性增加。淋巴细胞分泌ＩＬ－２的活性与血Ｅ２水平呈显著负相关，２４ｈ尿Ｃａ量与淋巴细胞分泌ＩＬ－２的活性呈显著正相关。     

Novel Odd-Chain Fatty Acids with a Terminal Double Bond in Ovaries of the Limpet <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cellana toreuma</Emphasis>

Our previous study characterized highly diverse dienoic fatty acids (FA), in particular an uncommon non‐methylene‐interrupted (NMI) FA, in the ovaries of the Japanese limpet Cellana toreuma belonging to the archaeogastropods, but many minor chemically unidentified FA remain. In this study, among previously unidentified FA (less than 0.1% of total FA), four novel NMI FA with a terminal double bond [7,18‐nonadecadienoic (19:2Δ7,18), 11,18‐nonadecadienoic (19:2Δ11,18), 7,20‐heneicosadienoic (21:2Δ7,20), and 11,20‐heneicosadienoic (21:2Δ11,20) acids] were found, along with known 14‐pentadecenoic (15:1Δ14), 16‐heptadecenoic (17:1Δ16), and 9,18‐nonadecadienoic (19:2Δ9,18) acids, based on capillary GC–MS of their methyl esters, 3‐pyridylcarbinol derivatives, and argentation thin‐layer chromatography. From our findings, possible biosynthetic pathways for the novel FA are discussed.