Peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) has been known to act as an antioxidant enzyme whose main function is H(2)O(2) reduction in cells. We aimed to study the expression patterns of PRDX2 in mouse ovaries and explore the function of this protein in apoptosis of granulosa cells (GCs). We found that the expression of the PRDX2 protein in atretic follicle GCs was markedly higher than in healthy follicle GCs. In vitro, the transfection of siRNA targeting the Prdx2 gene inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of primary cultured GCs. Furthermore, suppression of PRDX2 resulted in the augmentation of endogenous H(2)O(2), and the ability to eliminate the exogenous H(2)O(2) was attenuated. The expression of PRDX2 and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFKB), whose activity was inhibited by binding to IKB, increased in GCs treated with various concentrations of H(2)O(2) for 30 min. However, no significant change in cytoplasmic IKB expression was observed. At 2 h after treatment with H(2)O(2), nuclear NFKB expression level was reduced, cytoplasmic IKB expression was increased, and PRDX2 expression was unchanged. Silencing of the Prdx2 gene caused early changes in NFKB and IKB expression in the primary cultured GCs compared to that in control cells. Taken together, these data suggest that PRDX2 plays an important role in inhibiting apoptosis in GCs and that PRDX2 actions may be related to the expression of NFKB and IKB.

Oxo-anion pollutants pose a serious threat to natural water systems. It is highly necessary to develop cationic porous materials capable of removing oxo-anion from sewage. However, they are relatively rarely reported compared with anionic and neutral materials. Herein, two cationic amorphous metal–organic cage-based solids containing cages of different sizes, namely, aMOC-1 and aMOC-2, were constructed and use for removing oxo-anions from water. Because the cages in these materials have large cavities (with about 3.5 and 4.5 nm in diameter for aMOC-1 and aMOC-2, respectively) and high positive charges (positive +24 for both), both aMOC-1 and aMOC-2 exhibit rapid kinetics in carcinogenic chromate (CrO4 2– and Cr2O7 2–) and ReO4 – (a surrogate anion of radioactive isotope TcO4 –) adsorption. The adsorption equilibrium can be reached within only a few minutes. The adsorption capacities of aMOC-1 for CrO4 2–, Cr2O7 2–, and ReO4 – are 157.4, 203.8, and 350 mg/g, respectively. Because aMOC-2 contains larger metal–organic cage, the corresponding adsorption capacities are 242.0, 407.0, and 583.9 mg/g, respectively. The capacity of aMOC-2 for Cr­(VI) oxo-anion adsorption ranks the highest among all related materials ever reported. In addition, the oxo-anions can be released rapidly within several minutes from the oxo-anion-loaded aMOCs in 2 M NaNO3 solution, which allows these materials to exhibit good reusability. Finally, the aMOCs have a potential application in the removal of Cr­(VI) from electroplating bath wastewater, in which the concentration changes from 10 to 0.17 ppm after treatment with aMOCs.

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Background Heterotopic pregnancy occurred after frozen embryo transfer with two D3 embryos, and the case had a history of bilateral salpingectomy due to salpingocyesis. An ectopic heterotopic pregnancy was implanted in the left psoas major muscle, which has not been previously reported. Case presentation A 33-year-old woman presented with left back pain after curettage due to foetal arrest in the uterus without vaginal bleeding and spotting, and painkillers relieved the pain initially. When the painkillers ceased to work, the patient returned to the hospital. The β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) level remained increased compared with the time of curettage, and a diagnosis of retroperitoneal abdominal pregnancy was suggested by ultrasonography and computerized tomography (CT) with the gestational sac implanted in the left psoas major muscle at the left hilum level. Laparotomy was performed to remove the ectopic pregnancy. During the operation, we carefully separated the adipose tissue between the space of the left kidney door and left psoas major muscle, peeled away the gestational sac that was approximately 50 mm × 40 mm with a 25-mm-long foetal bud, and gave a local injection of 10 mg of methotrexate in the psoas major muscle. Fifty days later, β-hCG decreased to normal levels. Conclusion It is necessary to pay more attention to the main complaints to exclude rare types of ectopic pregnancies of the pelvis and abdomen after embryo transfer.

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