Cultural adaptation, content, and protocol of a feasibility study of school-based "Let's learn about emotions" intervention for Finnish primary school children

Introduction

Emotional awareness and emotion regulation are crucial for cognitive and socio-emotional development in children. School-based interventions on socio-emotional skills have the potential to prevent these problems and promote well-being of children. The Japanese school-based program, Universal Unified Prevention Program for Diverse Disorders (Up2-D2), has shown preventive effects on mental health of children in Japan. The aims of this protocol paper are to describe the unique process of adapting the Up2-D2 from Eastern to Western context, and to present a feasibility study of the intervention, conducted in Finland.

Methods

The cultural adaptation process started with the linguistic translation of materials, followed by the modification of language to fit the Finnish context. While the Japanese ideology was saved, some content was adapted to fit Finnish school children. Further modifications were made based on feedback from pupils and teachers. The Finnish version of the program was named "Let's learn about emotions" and consisted of 12 sessions and targeted 8- to 12-year-old pupils. A teacher education plan was established to assist Finnish teachers with the intervention, including a workshop, teachers' manual, brief introductory videos, and online support sessions. A feasibility study involving 512 4th graders in the City of Hyvinkää, South of Finland, was conducted. It assessed emotional and behavioral problems, classroom climate, bullying, loneliness, perception of school environment, knowledge of emotional awareness, and program acceptability.

Discussion

The originality of this study underlies in the East-West adaptation of a cognitive behavioral therapy-based program. If promising feasibility findings are replicated in Finland, it could pave the way for further research on implementing such programs in diverse contexts and cultures, promoting coping skills, awareness, social skills and early prevention of child mental health problems.

Ethics

The ethical board of the University of Turku gave ethics approval for this research. The educational board of the City of Hyvinkää accepted this study.

Effects of Rice Wine Lees on Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Physically Active Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Rice wine lees (RWL), a Japanese traditional fermented product, is a rich source of one-carbon metabolism-related nutrients, which may have beneficial effects on cognitive function.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to examine the effect of the RWL on cognitive function in community-dwelling physically active older adults.

DESIGN

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study (clinical trial number: UMIN 000027158).

SETTING

Community-based intervention including assessments conducted at the University of Hyogo and a public liberal arts school in Himeji City, Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 35 community-dwelling older adults (68-80 years) who performed mild exercise before and during the trial were assigned to either the RWL (n=17) or the placebo group (n=18).

INTERVENTION

Daily consumption of 50 g RWL powder, which contained one-carbon metabolism-related nutrients, or the placebo powder (made from soy protein and dextrin) for 12 weeks. Both supplements included equivalent amounts of energy and protein.

MEASUREMENTS

Montreal Cognitive Assessment, computerized cognitive function test, and measurements of serum predictive biomarkers (transthyretin, apolipoprotein A1, and complement C3) were conducted at baseline and follow-up.

RESULTS

Visual selective attention and serum transthyretin significantly improved in the RWL group, whereas there was no significant change in the placebo group. No significant group difference was observed in the remaining cognitive performance tests.

CONCLUSIONS

RWL supplements seem to have a few effects on cognitive function in community-dwelling physically active older adults. However, the impact was limited; therefore, further studies with sufficient sample size are warranted to elucidate this issue.

Aneuploid rescue precedes X-chromosome inactivation and increases the incidence of its skewness by reducing the size of the embryonic progenitor cell pool

STUDY QUESTION

Do monosomy rescue (MR) and trisomy rescue (TR) in preimplantation human embryos affect other developmental processes, such as X-chromosome inactivation (XCI)?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Aneuploid rescue precedes XCI and increases the incidence of XCI skewness by reducing the size of the embryonic progenitor cell pools.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

More than half of preimplantation human embryos harbor aneuploid cells, some of which can be spontaneously corrected through MR or TR. XCI in females is an indispensable process, which is predicted to start at the early-blastocyst phase.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

We examined the frequency of XCI skewness in young females who carried full uniparental disomy (UPD) resulting from MR or TR/gamete complementation (GC). The results were statistically analyzed using a theoretical model in which XCI involves various numbers of embryonic progenitor cells.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

We studied 39 children and young adults ascertained by imprinting disorders. XCI ratios were determined by DNA methylation analysis of a polymorphic locus in the androgen receptor gene. We used Bayesian approach to assess the probability of the occurrence of extreme XCI skewness in the MR and TR/GC groups using a theoretical model of 1-12 cell pools.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

A total of 12 of 39 individuals (31%) showed skewed XCI. Extreme skewness was observed in 3 of 15 MR cases (20%) and 1 of 24 TR/GC cases (4.2%). Statistical analysis indicated that XCI in the MR group was likely to have occurred when the blastocyst contained three or four euploid embryonic progenitor cells. The estimated size of the embryonic progenitor cell pools was approximately one-third or one-fourth of the predicted size of normal embryos. The TR/GC group likely had a larger pool size at the onset of XCI, although the results remained inconclusive.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

This is an observational study and needs to be validated by experimental analyses.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

This study provides evidence that the onset of XCI is determined by an intrinsic clock, irrespectively of the number of embryonic progenitor cells. Our findings can also be applied to individuals without UPD or imprinting disorders. This study provides a clue to understand chromosomal and cellular dynamics in the first few days of human development, their effects on XCI skewing and the possible implications for the expression of X-linked diseases in females.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

This study was supported by the Grants-in-aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (17H06428) and for Scientific Research (B) (17H03616) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and grants from Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) (18ek0109266h0002 and 18ek0109278h0002), National Center for Child Health and Development and Takeda Science Foundation. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Not applicable.

The effectiveness of bismuth breast shielding with protocol optimization in CT Thorax examination

BACKGROUND

Numerous techniques had been proposed to reduce radiation exposure in computed tomography (CT) including the use of radiation shielding.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate efficacy of using a bismuth breast shield and optimized scanning parameter to reduce breast absorbed doses from CT thorax examination.

METHODS

Five protocols comprising the standard CT thorax clinical protocol (CP1) and four modified protocols (CP2 to CP5) were applied in anthropomorphic phantom scans. The phantom was configured as a female by placing a breast component on the chest. The breast component was divided into four quadrants, where 2 thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD-100) were inserted into each quadrant to measure the absorbed dose. The bismuth shield was placed over the breast component during CP4 and CP5 scans.

RESULTS

The pattern of absorbed doses in each breast and quadrant were approximately the same for all protocols, where the 4th quadrant > 3rd quadrant > 2nd quadrant > 1st quadrant. The mean absorbed dose value in CP3 was reduced to almost 34% of CP1's mean absorbed dose. It was reduced even lower to 15% of CP1's mean absorbed dose when the breast shield was used in CP5.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that CT radiation exposure on the breast could be reduced by using a bismuth shield and low tube potential protocol without compromising the image quality.

Efficacy of protocol-based pharmacotherapy management on anticoagulation with warfarin for patients with cardiovascular surgery

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Anticoagulation therapy with warfarin requires periodic monitoring of prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) and adequate dose adjustments based on the data to minimize the risk of bleeding and thromboembolic events. In our hospital, we have developed protocol-based pharmaceutical care, which we called protocol-based pharmacotherapy management (PBPM), for warfarin therapy. The protocol requires pharmacists to manage timing of blood sampling for measuring PT-INR and warfarin dosage determination based on an algorithm. This study evaluated the efficacy of PBPM in warfarin therapy by comparing to conventional pharmaceutical care.

METHODS

From October 2013 to June 2015, a total of 134 hospitalized patients who underwent cardiovascular surgeries received post-operative warfarin therapy. The early series of patients received warfarin therapy as the conventional care (control group, n=77), whereas the latter received warfarin therapy based on the PBPM (PBPM group, n=68). These patients formed the cohort of the present study and were retrospectively analysed.

RESULTS

The indications for warfarin included aortic valve replacement (n=56), mitral valve replacement (n=4), mitral valve plasty (n=22) and atrial fibrillation (n=29). There were no differences in patients' characteristics between both groups. The percentage time in therapeutic range in the first 10 days was significantly higher in the PBPM group (47.1%) than that in the control group (34.4%, P<.005). The average time to reach the steady state was significantly (P<.005) shorter in the PBPM group compared to the control group (7.3 vs 8.6 days).

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Warfarin therapy based on our novel PBPM was clinically safe and resulted in significantly better anticoagulation control compared to conventional care.

Catastrophic cellular events leading to complex chromosomal rearrangements in the germline

Although complex chromosomal rearrangements were thought to reflect the accumulation of DNA damage over time, recent studies have shown that such rearrangements frequently arise from 'all-at-once' catastrophic cellular events. These events, designated chromothripsis, chromoanasynthesis, and chromoanagenesis, were first documented in the cancer genome and subsequently observed in the germline. These events likely result from micronucleus-mediated chromosomal shattering and subsequent random reassembly of DNA fragments, although several other mechanisms have also been proposed. Typically, only one or a few chromosomes of paternal origin are affected per event. These events can produce intrachromosomal deletions, duplications, inversions, and translocations, as well as interchromosomal translocations. Germline complex rearrangements of autosomes often result in developmental delay and dysmorphic features, whereas X chromosomal rearrangements are usually associated with relatively mild clinical manifestations. The concept of these catastrophic events provides novel insights into the etiology of human genomic disorders. This review introduces the molecular characteristics and phenotypic outcomes of catastrophic cellular events in the germline.

Regulation of PLAP-1 Expression in Periodontal Ligament Cells

Periodontal-ligament-associated protein-1 ( PLAP-1) is preferentially expressed in the periodontal ligament (PDL) and encodes a novel small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan protein. PLAP-1 expression was induced during the course of cytodifferentiation of PDL cells into mineralized-tissue-forming cells in vitro, suggesting the possible involvement of PLAP-1 in the mineralization process of PDL cells. In this study, we hypothesized that PLAP-1 expression is regulated by mineralization-related cytokines in PDL cells. PLAP-1 expression was clearly down-regulated when the cytodifferentiation of PDL cells was reversibly inhibited by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). In contrast, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) enhanced PLAP-1 expression. Up-regulation of PLAP-1 expression by BMP-2 was confirmed at the protein level when PDL cells were immunostained with anti-PLAP-1 polyclonal antibody. These results revealed the cytokine-mediated regulatory mechanisms of PLAP-1 expression and suggested that PLAP-1 expression may be associated with the process of cytodifferentiation of PDL cells.

Liver-Regenerative Transplantation: Regrow and Reset

Liver transplantation, either a partial liver from a living or deceased donor or a whole liver from a deceased donor, is the only curative therapy for severe end-stage liver disease. Only one-third of those on the liver transplant waiting list will be transplanted, and the demand for livers is projected to increase 23% in the next 20 years. Consequently, organ availability is an absolute constraint on the number of liver transplants that can be performed. Regenerative therapies aim to enhance liver tissue repair and regeneration by any means available (cell repopulation, tissue engineering, biomaterials, proteins, small molecules, and genes). Recent experimental work suggests that liver repopulation and engineered liver tissue are best suited to the task if an unlimited availability of functional induced pluripotent stem (iPS)-derived liver cells can be achieved. The derivation of iPS cells by reprogramming cell fate has opened up new lines of investigation, for instance, the generation of iPS-derived xenogeneic organs or the possibility of simply inducing the liver to reprogram its own hepatocyte function after injury. We reviewed current knowledge about liver repopulation, generation of engineered livers and reprogramming of liver function. We also discussed the numerous barriers that have to be overcome for clinical implementation.

Risk assessment of medically assisted reproduction and advanced maternal ages in the development of Prader-Willi syndrome due to UPD(15)mat

Recent studies have suggested that disomic oocyte-mediated uniparental disomy 15 (UPD(15)mat) is increased in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) born after medically assisted reproduction (MAR). However, it remains unknown whether the increase is primarily due to MAR procedure itself or advanced maternal childbearing ages as a predisposing factor for the disomic oocyte production. To examine this matter, we studied 122 naturally conceived PWS patients (PWS-NC group) and 13 MAR-conceived patients (PWS-MAR group). The relative frequency of disomic oocyte-mediated UPD(15)mat was significantly higher in PWS-MAR group than in PWS-NC group (7/13 vs 20/122, p = 0.0045), and the maternal childbearing ages were significantly higher in PWS-MAR group than in PWS-NC group [median (range), 38 (26-45) vs 30 (19-42), p = 0.0015]. However, the logistic regression analysis revealed no significant association between the occurrence of disomic oocyte-mediated UPD(15)mat and MAR, after adjusting for childbearing age (p = 0.25). Consistent with this, while the frequency of assisted reproductive technology (ART)-conceived livebirths was higher in the PWS patients than in the Japanese general population (6.4% vs 1.1%, p = 0.00018), the distribution of childbearing ages was significantly skewed to the increased ages in the PWS patients (p < 2.2 × 10(-16) ). These results argue against a positive association of MAR procedure itself with the development of UPD(15)mat.

A silicon nanocrystal/polymer nanocomposite as a down-conversion layer in organic and hybrid solar cells

Silicon nanocrystal (Si-nc) down-conversion is demonstrated to enhance organic and hybrid organic/inorganic bulk heterojunction solar cells based on PTB7:[70]PCBM bulk heterojunction devices. Surfactant free surface-engineered Si-ncs can be integrated into the device architecture to be optically active and provide a means of effective down-conversion of blue photons (high energy photons below ∼450 nm) into red photons (above ∼680 nm) leading to 24% enhancement of the photocurrent under concentrated sunlight. We also demonstrate that the down-conversion effect under 1-sun is enhanced in the case of hybrid solar cells where engineered Si-ncs are also included in the active layer.

Abnormalities in chromosome 6q24 as a cause of early-onset, non-obese, non-autoimmune diabetes mellitus without history of neonatal diabetes

AIMS

Abnormalities in the imprinted locus on chromosome 6q24 are the most common causes of transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (6q24-related transient neonatal diabetes). 6q24-Related transient neonatal diabetes is characterized by the patient being small-for-gestational age, diabetes mellitus at birth, spontaneous remission within the first few months and frequent recurrence of diabetes after childhood. However, it is not clear whether individuals with 6q24 abnormalities invariably develop transient neonatal diabetes. This study explored the possibility that 6q24 abnormalities might cause early-onset, non-autoimmune diabetes without transient neonatal diabetes.

METHODS

The 6q24 imprinted locus was screened for abnormalities in 113 Japanese patients with early-onset, non-obese, non-autoimmune diabetes mellitus who tested negative for mutations in the common maturation-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) genes and without a history of transient neonatal diabetes. Positive patients were further analysed by combined loss of heterozygosity / comparative genomic hybridization analysis and by microsatellite analysis. Detailed clinical data were collected through the medical records of the treating hospitals.

RESULTS

Three patients with paternal uniparental isodisomy of chromosome 6q24 were identified. None presented with hyperglycaemia in the neonatal period. Characteristically, these patients were born small-for-gestational age, representing 27.2% of the 11 patients whose birth weight standard deviation score (SDS) for gestational age was below -2.0.

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormalities in the imprinted locus on chromosome 6q24 do not necessarily cause transient neonatal diabetes. Non-penetrant 6q24-related diabetes could be an underestimated cause of early-onset, non-autoimmune diabetes in patients who are not obese and born small-for-gestational age.

Assessment of four methodologies (microparticle enzyme immunoassay, chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay, affinity column-mediated immunoassay, and flow injection assay-tandem mass spectrometry) for measuring tacrolimus blood concentration in Japanese liver transplant recipients

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and subsequent dosage adjustment for individual patients in the treatment with tacrolimus are required after liver transplantation to prevent rejection and over-immunosuppression, which leads to severe infection and adverse reactions including nephrotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance among commercially available immunoassay methods, which were microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA), chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLIA), and affinity column-mediated immunoassay (ACMIA), compared with an assay using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, the flow injection assay (FIA-MS/MS) was also evaluated to determine whether it could be available as a new method of analysis in tacrolimus therapy. The blood tacrolimus concentrations in samples from liver transplant recipients (n = 102) were measured using MEIA, CLIA, ACMIA, and LC-MS/MS. Additional blood samples from liver transplant recipients (n = 54) were analyzed using both FIA-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS. Because the assay performance and characteristics of MEIA, CLIA, ACMIA, and FIA-MS/MS are relatively different, the measured data should be carefully considered depending on the methodology.

Molecular cloning and characterisation of the methionine sulphoxide reductase A (msrA) gene locus in Campylobacter lari organisms

The methionine sulphoxide reductase A (msrA) gene and its adjacent genetic loci from urease-negative (UN) Campylobacter lari RM2100 and urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (UPTC)CF89-12 strains appear to be composed of a msrA structure gene (507 base pairs [bp]) and another five-gene cluster (approximately 6300 bp) in the same strand and direction. A primer pair (F1/R4-msrA) for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was designed to generate a product of approximately 900 bp of the msrA gene, including its adjacent genetic loci for the thermophilic Campylobacter organisms and generate an amplicon with 16 C. lari isolates (n = 4 for UN C. lari; n = 12 for UPTC). Following direct nucleotide sequencing, sequence analysis and nucleotide sequence alignment analysis, the putative full-length msrA gene from the 16 C. lari isolates showed high nucleotide sequence similarities (91.8-100%) to each other and relatively low similarity (69.3-71.8%) to three reference C. jejuni and C. coli strains. In addition, the msrA gene was transcribed in both the UPTC CF89-12 and NCTC12893 cells using reverse transcription PCR. An immunoreactively positive signal was identified in the UPTC CF89-12 and NCTC12893 cells with anti-UPTC MsrA synthetic peptide antibodies.

A novel de novo point mutation of the OCT-binding site in the IGF2/H19-imprinting control region in a Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome patient

The IGF2/H19-imprinting control region (ICR1) functions as an insulator to methylation-sensitive binding of CTCF protein, and regulates imprinted expression of IGF2 and H19 in a parental origin-specific manner. ICR1 methylation defects cause abnormal expression of imprinted genes, leading to Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) or Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS). Not only ICR1 microdeletions involving the CTCF-binding site, but also point mutations and a small deletion of the OCT-binding site have been shown to trigger methylation defects in BWS. Here, mutational analysis of ICR1 in 11 BWS and 12 SRS patients with ICR1 methylation defects revealed a novel de novo point mutation of the OCT-binding site on the maternal allele in one BWS patient. In BWS, all reported mutations and the small deletion of the OCT-binding site, including our case, have occurred within repeat A2. These findings indicate that the OCT-binding site is important for maintaining an unmethylated status of maternal ICR1 in early embryogenesis.

Semiconducting quantum confined silicon-tin alloyed nanocrystals prepared by ns pulsed laser ablation in water

Here we demonstrate the material's synthetic feasibility for semiconducting alloyed silicon-tin nanocrystals (SiSn-NCs) with quantum confinement effects. An environmentally friendly synthesis is achieved by ns laser ablation of amorphous SiSn in water at ambient conditions. Plasmas generated in the liquid by laser pulses are characterized by spatial confinement with very high pressure (GPa), which allowed the growth of the SiSn-NCs via kinetic pathways. We further illustrate that surface engineering by a direct-current atmospheric pressure microplasma is capable of tailoring the SiSn-NCs surface properties without the need for lengthy surfactants, resulting in room temperature photoluminescence (PL); the PL peak wavelength is red-shifted by more than 250 nm with respect to the PL peak wavelengths observed for comparable elemental silicon nanocrystals.

Construction, expression and characterisation of recombinant molecules of the urease gene operon from a urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (UPTC) isolate

A recombinant molecule of the full-length urease gene operon was constructed in vitro from the Japanese urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (UPTC) CF89-12 isolate and expressed in Escherichia coli cells. Several large deletion recombinant variants of urease subunit genes were also constructed and expressed in E. coli cells. A positive urease reaction with the log-phase cultured E. coli JM109 cells in the NiCl2-containing medium transformed with pGEM-T vector carrying the recombinant molecule of the full-length operon was detected with isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactoside. Among the several deletion recombinant variants, each ureA-, ureB-, ureE-, ureF-, ureG- and ureH-large deficient, only ureE-large deletion variant (63% deficient) showed a positive urease reaction (approximately 15-fold). In addition, a ureE-complete deletion recombinant variant (100% deficient) constructed also showed a positive reaction of urease (approximately 18-fold). Recombinant urease subunits A and B were immunologically identified by Western blot analysis with anti-urease alpha (A) and beta (B) raised against Helicobacter pylori.

186 EFFECT OF POLYVINYLPYRROLIDONE SUPPLEMENTATION IN CULTURE MEDIUM ON THE GROWTH OF MOUSE OOCYTES

A high volume of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) supplementation in culture medium has a significant impact on the growth of bovine oocytes. The objective of the present study was to determine whether or not PVP affects oocyte growth in the mouse. Oocyte–granulosa cell complexes were isolated from 11- or 12-day-old mice (ICR) by mechanical isolation of follicles, followed by a collagenase treatment (0.1%; 10 min). Twenty complexes were placed on each insert fit in the 24-well culture plate and cultured for 10 days in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air at 37°C. The culture medium was a modified α-MEM supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum and 1 ng mL–1 FSH. The concentration of PVP (molecular weight of 360 000) was 0%, 1%, 2%, or 3% (w/v). During the first 2 days, only medium with 0% PVP was used. The oocytes recovered on Day 10 were subjected to in vitro maturation, IVF, and embryo culture. In 12 replications, the total numbers of oocytes cultured in medium with 0%, 1%, 2%, and 3% PVP were 235, 233, 233, and 231, respectively. In some additional experiments, oocytes were fixed on Day 10 and processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The oocytes in medium with 0% PVP became located within an enlarged dome-like structure. In medium with 2% PVP and 3% PVP, no such domes were formed, and the oocytes within several granulosa cell layers were exposed to medium; however, the cumulus cell mass specifically became larger than that in medium with 0% PVP. The viabilities of oocytes recovered from medium with 0%, 1%, 2%, and 3% PVP were 83%, 81%, 91%, and 93%, respectively. The survival rate was significantly higher in medium with 3% PVP than in medium with 0% PVP or 1% PVP (P < 0.05). The mean oocyte diameter increased from 59 µm (Day 0) to 72, 71, 71, and 72 µm in medium with 0, 1, 2, and 3% PVP, respectively, but they continued to be smaller than in vivo grown oocytes (81.0 µm; P < 0.01). When maturation was induced, cumulus cell mucification occurred irrespective of PVP concentration during the growth. No significant differences were found between the groups in the percentage of polar body extrusion (ranging from 78 to 88%). Developmental outcomes based on oocytes used for in vitro fertilization were the following: cleavage rates were 67, 78, 74, and 76%; and blastocyst rates were 37, 44, 47, and 36% of oocytes that had been grown in medium with 0, 1, 2, and 3% PVP, respectively. The numbers of oocytes included were 60, 59, 68, and 66, respectively. The TEM observation suggests that more intimate contacts were maintained between the oocyte and cumulus cells in medium with 2% PVP than in medium with 0% PVP. Taken together, PVP supplementation in medium has a considerable influence on the morphology of mouse oocyte–granulosa cell complexes and close contacts within the complexes in the long-term culture, as having been observed with bovine oocytes.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus in a 35-year-old woman: case report and review of the literature

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare sarcoma that characteristically occurs in children. The current treatment protocols are based on trials performed in patients under 21 years of age. Embryonal RMS in women over 20 years of age is rare, and studies on treatments and outcomes are limited. The authors here in report a case of a 35-year-old woman with ectocervical RMS who was treated with radical hysterectomy followed by chemotherapy. She is currently disease-free. Based on a literature review, the authors recommend a surgical approach in combination with chemotherapy for treatment of embryonal RMS in adult patients.