The effect of oxygen toxicity on the development of mammalian embryos was assessed by the use of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a potent scavenger of superoxide radicals. Mouse pronuclear embryos recovered 17 h after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were cultured in medium BWW at 37 degrees C under an atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. Culture of mouse pronuclear embryos in the presence of Cu.Zn-SOD (500 micrograms/ml) significantly increased the blastulation rate (44.6%) when compared with the control culture system (4.2%). Essentially the same effects were observed in SOD containing either Mn or Fe in the catalytic center. Heat treatment of the SOD preparation, and the addition of anti-SOD antibodies to the culture medium, significantly reduced the attenuation of the two-cell block by SOD, indicating that this effect is SOD dependent. SOD activity was detected in rabbit oviduct fluid (3.675 +/- 3.084 mIU/mg protein) by electron spin resonance. These results suggest that active oxygen is involved in the two-cell block phenomenon in mouse embryos exposed to air and that SOD in the oviduct may play an important role in the protection of embryos from superoxide radicals.

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Abstract:This survey proposed a new methodology -iGAEZ (improved GAEZ), developed based on the GAEZ (Global Agro-Ecological Zones) model, capable of simulating crop yields on a global scale for wheat, potato, cassava, soybean, rice, sweet potato, maize, green beans. iGAEZ determines the optimum criteria of crop parameter of growth cycles to ensure best realistic crop yield combinations under comprehensive consideration of climate and crop condition. Global-scale crop yields were calculated using iGAEZ model for the period of 1990-1999. Through comparing simulated yields and FAO statistics, iGAEZ has demonstrated a very good ability to reproduce realistic crop yields on a global scale. We also predicted the impact of global warming on crop yields from the 1990s to 2090s by projecting five GCM outputs for AR4 under SRES A1B scenarios. According to the result, temperature rise will make many cultivated areas (eastern part of USA, India, eastern China, Africa) less productive. On the other hand, the regions with cold weather under current climate condition (Canada, northern Europe, northeastern China) become suitable for crop productivity under future climate scenario.

The 2004 Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake (Mj = 6.8) occurred on 23 October 2004 in the northeastern part of the Niigata-Kobe Tectonic Zone where large contraction rates were observed. The mainshock was followed by an anomalously intense aftershock activity that included nine Mj ≥ 5.5 aftershocks. We deployed three temporary online seismic stations in the aftershock area from 27 October, combined data from the temporary stations with those from permanent stations located around the aftershock area, and determined the hypocenters of the mainshock and aftershocks with a joint hypocenter determination (JHD) technique. The resulting aftershock distribution showed that major events such as the mainshock, the largest aftershock (Mj = 6.5), the aftershock on 27 October (Mj = 6.1), etc. occurred on different fault planes that were located nearly parallel or perpendicular to each other. This might be due to heterogeneous structure in the source region. The strain energy was considered to have been enough accumulated on the individual fault planes. These features are probably a cause of the anomalous intensity of the aftershock activity.

Calix[4]arene derivatives incorporating pi-coordinate substituents such as allyl, benzyl, and propargyl groups were designed as soft neutral carriers for silver ion sensors. Most of all, tert-butylcalix[4]arene tetra(allyl ether) is an excellent neutral carrier for plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)-membrane silver ion-selective electrodes. The ion sensors showed high silver ion selectivity over alkali metal ions and also good selectivity against other soft metal ions such as lead and mercury(II) ions. The electrode potential response was as rapid as that for neutral-carrier-type alkali metal ion electrodes due to the soft interaction between pi-coordinate substituents and silver ion, which was elucidated by 1H NMR spectroscopy.

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PurposeTo evaluate the pregnancy rate (PR) of unstimulated intrauterine insemination (IUI).MethodsThis was a retrospective study in a private fertility clinic. Between 2004 and 2013, a total of 4,045 women underwent 17,830 cycles of unstimulated IUI. The etiologies of subfertility in the couples were unexplained (51 %), male factor (36 %), coital problems (9.5 %), and cervical factor (3.5 %).ResultsThe PRs/cycle, between the 1st and 9th trials, in women <35, 35–37, 38–40, 41–42, and >42 years of age were 8.2, 7.3, 5.5, 3.6, and 0.9 %, respectively. In 10,076 cycles in which the male partner had a total motile sperm count ≥5 million, the PRs in the respective age groups were 9.9, 8.6, 6.1, 4.8, and 1.2 %. The largest-sized reported PRs for clomiphene citrate (CC)/IUI in the respective age groups were 11.5, 9.2, 7.3 4.3, and 1.0 % (4,199 cycles in total, Dovey et al., FertilSteril, 2008;90:2281–2286). There were no significant differences in PRs between unstimulated IUI and CC/IUI.ConclusionPR for unstimulated IUI was similar to the reported PR for CC/IUI. Although this was a retrospective study without a control group, to reduce multiple pregnancy rate, we believe that unstimulated IUI is a reasonable treatment.