scholarly journals Game-Changing Approaches in Sperm Sex-Sorting: Microfluidics and Nanotechnology

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1182
Author(s):  
Andra-Sabina Neculai-Valeanu ◽  
Adina Mirela Ariton
Keyword(s):  
Human Population ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Food Resource ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Reproductive Management ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sufficient Food ◽  
Made In

The utilization of sex-sorted sperm for artificial insemination and in-vitro fertilization is considered a valuable tool for improving production efficiency and optimizing reproductive management in farm animals, subsequently ensuring sufficient food resource for the growing human population. Despite the fact that sperm sex-sorting is one of the most intense studied technologies and notable progress have been made in the past three decades to optimize it, the conception rates when using sex-sorted semen are still under expectations. Assisted reproduction programs may benefit from the use of emergent nano and microfluidic-based technologies. This article addresses the currently used methods for sperm sex-sorting, as well as the emerging ones, based on nanotechnology and microfluidics emphasizing on their practical and economic applicability.

Formation, translocation and resolution of Holliday junctions during homologous genetic recombination

1995 ◽  
Vol 347 (1319) ◽  
pp. 21-25 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Genetic Recombination ◽  
Holliday Junctions ◽  
The Novel ◽  
E Coli ◽  
The Past ◽  
Endonucleolytic Cleavage ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Made In

Over the past three or four years, great strides have been made in our understanding of the proteins involved in recombination and the mechanisms by which recombinant molecules are formed. This review summarizes our current understanding of the process by focusing on recent studies of proteins involved in the later steps of recombination in bacteria. In particular, biochemical investigation of the in vitro properties of the E. coli RuvA, RuvB and RuvC proteins have provided our first insight into the novel molecular mechanisms by which Holliday junctions are moved along DNA and then resolved by endonucleolytic cleavage.

A Baby at All Costs? Exploring the Use and Provision of Unproven Adjuvant Treatments in the Context of IVF

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgina L. Jones ◽  
Victoria Lang ◽  
Nicky Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Patient Survey ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
The Past ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
National Patient ◽  
Psychosocial Perspective

AbstractThe year 2018 marked 40 years since the birth of Louise Brown, the first baby born as a result of pioneering in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Since then, advances have seen a wide range of reproductive technologies emerge into clinical practice, including adjuvant treatments often referred to as IVF “add-ons.” However, these “optional extras” have faced growing criticism, especially when they have often come at additional financial cost to the patient and have little evidence supporting their efficacy to improve pregnancy or birth rates. Despite this, according to the latest national patient survey by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, three quarters of patients who had fertility treatment in the United Kingdom in the past two years had at least one type of treatment add-on highlighting the growing demand for these interventions. This article uses a psychosocial perspective to consider the motivations behind patient and clinician behavior along with the wider societal and economic factors that may be impacting upon the increase in the use of adjuvant treatments in fertility clinics more widely. It suggests the reasons fertility patients use unproven “optional extras” are complex, with interpersonal, psychological, and social factors intertwining to generate an increase in the use of IVF add-ons.

scholarly journals Hazard and risk assessment strategies for nanoparticle exposures: how far have we come in the past 10 years?

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 376 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B Warheit
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Ultrafine Particles ◽  
Time Course ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Particle Size Range ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
The Past ◽  
Safety Research ◽  
Made In

Nanotechnology is an emerging, cross-disciplinary technology designed to create and synthesize new materials at the nanoscale (generally defined as a particle size range of ≤10-9 meters) to generate innovative or altered material properties. The particle properties can be modified to promote different and more flexible applications, resulting in consumer benefits, particularly in medical, cosmetic, and industrial applications. As this applied science matures and flourishes, concerns have arisen regarding potential health effects of exposures to untested materials, as many newly developed products have not been adequately evaluated. Indeed, it is necessary to ensure that societal and commercial advantages are not outweighed by potential human health or environmental disadvantages. Therefore, a variety of international planning activities or research efforts have been proposed or implemented, particularly in the European Union and United States, with the expectation that significant advances will be made in understanding potential hazards related to exposures in the occupational and/or consumer environments. One of the first conclusions reached regarding hazardous effects of nanoparticles stemmed from the findings of early pulmonary toxicology studies, suggesting that lung exposures to ultrafine particles were more toxic than those to larger, fine-sized particles of similar chemistry. This review documents some of the conceptual planning efforts, implementation strategies/activities, and research accomplishments over the past 10 years or so. It also highlights (in this author’s opinion) some shortcomings in the research efforts and accomplishments over the same duration. In general, much progress has been made in developing and implementing environmental, health, and safety research-based protocols for addressing nanosafety issues. However, challenges remain in adequately investigating health effects given 1) many different nanomaterial types, 2) various potential routes of exposure, 3) nanomaterial characterization issues, 4) limitations in research methodologies, such as time-course and dose-response issues, and 5) inadequate in vitro methodologies for in vivo standardized, guideline toxicity testing.

Psychophatology Differences Between Pregnant Women who Conceived Naturally and Through Assisted Reproduction

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
M.I. Ramos-Fuentes ◽  
M.J. Cardoso-Moreno ◽  
F.J. Vaz-Leal ◽  
N. Fernandez-Sanchez ◽  
L. Rodriguez-Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Reproductive Technology ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Infant Attachment ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
The Past ◽  
Fertility Problems ◽  
Developed World ◽  
Hostility Scale

Objective:In the past few decades, new and more efficient techniques to help solve fertility problems have become widely available throughout the developed world. The aim of this study was to determine whether there were differences on psychopathology factors between women who had conceived after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and women who had conceived naturally.Methods:The sample was composed of 41 pregnant women of whom 28 women had conceived through assisted reproductive technology (IVF) and 13 had conceived naturally. Women were evaluated by week 20 of pregnancy at the Infanta Cristina University Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Service, in Badajoz. Women consented to complete the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R).Results:IVF women were characterized by higher scores on Anxiety Scale (t = 3.90; p = 0.045) and lower scores on Hostility Scale (t = 4.35; p = 0.041) than women who had conceived naturally. There were no differences in the others scales.Conclusions:IVF women appear to present a temperamental profile characterized by a tendency to anxiety. Further research is needed to firstly, confirm these preliminary findings, and secondly, to longitudinally explore its impact on pregnancy outcome and mother-infant attachment.

322 EFFECT OF SODIUM NITROPRUSSIDE ON BUFFALO SPERM CAPACITATION IN VITRO

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 276 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Boccia ◽  
L. Attanasio ◽  
A. De Rosa ◽  
G. Pellerano ◽  
R. Di Palo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Nitroprusside ◽  
Acrosome Reaction ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Sperm Capacitation ◽  
Promoting Effect ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
Frozen Semen

The overall in vitro embryo production efficiency in buffalo is hampered by the poor fertilization rate. It is known that the quality of the frozen semen may affect fertilization efficiency. However, it is not possible to rule out that the process of capacitation, required by spermatozoa to acquire the fertilizing ability, is impaired in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) system. Although several agents have been proven to induce sperm capacitation in vitro, heparin treatment is still the most efficient method in most of the domestic species. There is evidence that capacitation is part of an oxidative process and that nitric oxide (NO) acts as a capacitation inducer in human (Herrero et al. 1999 Biol. Reprod. 61, 575–581) and bovine (Rodriguez et al. 2005 Anim. Reprod. Sci. 85, 231–242) spermatozoa. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a well-known generator of NO in vitro, improves buffalo sperm capacitation in vitro. Frozen–thawed sperm from a bull previously tested for IVF were treated by swim-up in order to select only the motile population. Spermatozoa were incubated in the presence of 0.01 mM heparin (control group) for 1 h (n = 266), 2 h (n = 270), and 3 h (n = 306), and in the presence of 10 �M SNP for 1 h (n = 302), 2 h (n = 286), and 3 h (n = 260). The concentration of SNP was chosen on the basis of a preliminary dose-response trial (0.1 �M, 1 �M, and 10 �M). Following incubation with these agents, sperm were exposed for 15 min to 60 �g mL-1 of lysophosphatidylcholine, an agent known to induce acrosome reaction only on capacitated spermatozoa. Trypan blue was used first to differentiate live from dead spermatozoa and the dried smears were then fixed in 37% formaldehyde and stained with Giemsa for acrosome evaluation by microscopic examination. The proportion of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa in each group was used to assess the efficiency of capacitation under different incubation conditions. Differences between groups were analyzed by chi-squared test. No dead spermatozoa were found in all groups. Following 1-h sperm treatment with either heparin or SNP, the proportion of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa was similar (35.3% vs. 28.5%, respectively). However, extending the incubation time to 2 h, SNP significantly (P < 0.01) increased the incidence of acrosome reaction compared to heparin (60.1% vs. 44.1%, respectively). Analogously, when the sperm treatment was prolonged to 3 h, SNP gave a significantly (P < 0.01) higher percentage of acrosome reaction compared to the control (68.8% vs. 36.6%, respectively). In conclusion, sperm treatment with SNP for either 2 or 3 h significant improved the efficiency of buffalo sperm capacitation in vitro compared with heparin, that is, the capacitating agent currently used in the IVF system. The promoting effect of SNP indirectly indicates that NO acts as a capacitation inducer in buffalo spermatozoa. Finally, these results suggest the need to evaluate the effect of SNP on the fertilizing capability of buffalo spermatozoa in vitro.

scholarly journals Monochorionic Triplet Gestation after Single Blastocyst Transfer Using Donor Oocytes: Case Report and Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
G. Ferri ◽  
M. Musto ◽  
G. Colombo ◽  
V. M. Savasi
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Perinatal Morbidity ◽  
Triplet Pregnancy ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Monozygotic Twinning ◽  
Single Blastocyst Transfer ◽  
Donor Oocytes ◽  
Made In

We report a case of a 43-year-old patient with a monochorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy after IVF with donor oocytes. After failed IVF attempts, the patient chose to undergo treatment with donor oocytes. Her 22-year-old oocyte donor underwent standard controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. The retrieved oocytes were fertilized in vitro, and one embryo was transferred at the blastocyst stage. At 6 weeks and 5 days of gestation, an ultrasound revealed monochorionic triamniotic (MCTA) triplets. The risk of monozygotic twinning in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) is reported to be higher than that in natural conception, although the causes of the phenomenon have not yet been clarified. Efforts still must be made in order to prevent monozygotic multiple pregnancies, associated with much greater chances of obstetric and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

scholarly journals Molecular and Biomechanical Adaptations to Mechanical Stretch in Cultured Myotubes

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dapeng Ren ◽  
Jing Song ◽  
Ran Liu ◽  
Xuemin Zeng ◽  
Xiao Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Stretch ◽  
Biomechanical Properties ◽  
Structural Element ◽  
The Past ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Cultured Myotubes ◽  
Myotube Hypertrophy ◽  
And Oxidative Stress ◽  
Made In

Myotubes are mature muscle cells that form the basic structural element of skeletal muscle. When stretching skeletal muscles, myotubes are subjected to passive tension as well. This lead to alterations in myotube cytophysiology, which could be related with muscular biomechanics. During the past decades, much progresses have been made in exploring biomechanical properties of myotubes in vitro. In this review, we integrated the studies focusing on cultured myotubes being mechanically stretched, and classified these studies into several categories: amino acid and glucose uptake, protein turnover, myotube hypertrophy and atrophy, maturation, alignment, secretion of cytokines, cytoskeleton adaption, myotube damage, ion channel activation, and oxidative stress in myotubes. These biomechanical adaptions do not occur independently, but interconnect with each other as part of the systematic mechanoresponse of myotubes. The purpose of this review is to broaden our comprehensions of stretch-induced muscular alterations in cellular and molecular scales, and to point out future challenges and directions in investigating myotube biomechanical manifestations.

scholarly journals ENDOMETRIAL RECEPTIVITY AS THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF ART PROGRAMS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

2021 ◽  
pp. 17-26
Author(s):  
G.Zh. Anartaeva ◽  
A.M. Kurmanova ◽  
N.M. Mamedalieva ◽  
S.B. Baikoshkarova
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Pain Relief ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Endometrial Receptivity ◽  
Art Programs ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
The Past ◽  
Adequate Pain Relief ◽  
Vitamin Therapy

Relevance: To date, the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs in Kazakhstan is 38%. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the mechanisms of influence of various risk factors on endometrial receptivity in women in IVF programs. Materials and Methods: This review was based on a search conducted for domestic and foreign publications available in Russian and international search systems (PubMed, eLibrary) for the past 25 years. Results: Chronic endometritis is a verified cause of impaired receptivity. Many studies have proven the beneficial effect of complex empirical treatment using antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hormonal therapy with transdermal forms of estrogens and vitamin therapy on the outcome of IVF. Conclusion: The problem of recurrent implantation disorders in IVF programs is multifactorial. Women with unrealized reproductive function require rehabilitation after an unsuccessful fertilization attempt to prevent disorders of homeostasis and ensure adequate pain relief during transvaginal puncture of ovarian follicles. In addition to hormone therapy with transdermal forms of estradiol, complex rehabilitation measures shall include immunomodulatory therapy, psychotherapy, and vitamin therapy.

scholarly journals Preimplantation Genetic Testing: A Review of Past and Current

2021 ◽  
pp. 78-85
Author(s):  
Aisha Elaimi
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Testing ◽  
Reproductive Medicine ◽  
Reproductive Technology ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Genetic Defects ◽  
Preimplantation Genetic Testing ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
The Past ◽  
Genetic Technologies

The field of medical genetics has seen significant and incredible advances in technology for the past several decades. Genetic technologies, particularly in the reproductive medicine discipline, represent a fresh era in medicine that may develop significantly in the coming years. The purpose of Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) in the situation of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments with IVF (in vitro fertilization) or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is particularly controversial as it is done before implantation [1]. However, despite the successful application of PGT in the field of IVF in overcoming infertility and genetic defects, the techniques pose various limitations, and concerns that need to be addressed to enhance their success rate [2]. This review will introduce PGT and summarize the molecular techniques used in its application as well as highlight the future advances in the field.

scholarly journals Anthocyanins as Antidiabetic Agents—In Vitro and In Silico Approaches of Preventive and Therapeutic Effects

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (17) ◽  
pp. 3813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hélder Oliveira ◽  
Ana Fernandes ◽  
Natércia F. Brás ◽  
Nuno Mateus ◽  
Victor de Freitas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Silico ◽  
Functional Foods ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Metabolizing Enzymes ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Made In

Many efforts have been made in the past two decades into the search for novel natural and less-toxic anti-diabetic agents. Some clinical trials have assigned this ability to anthocyanins, although different factors like the food source, the amount ingested, the matrix effect and the time of consumption (before or after a meal) seem to result in contradictory conclusions. The possible mechanisms involved in these preventive or therapeutic effects will be discussed—giving emphasis to the latest in vitro and in silico approaches. Therapeutic strategies to counteract metabolic alterations related to hyperglycemia and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) may include: (a) Inhibition of carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes; (b) reduction of glucose transporters expression or activity; (c) inhibition of glycogenolysis and (d) modulation of gut microbiota by anthocyanin breakdown products. These strategies may be achieved through administration of individual anthocyanins or by functional foods containing complexes of anthocyanin:carbohydrate:protein.

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