Abstract Study question Do embryos that fully developed to blastocyst at day 4 have high aneuploidy rates as assessed by preimplantation genetic analysis? Summary answer Fully developed blastocysts ...at day 4 had a high euploidy rate. What is known already In ART, it is considered important to use good quality blastocysts to increase the pregnancy rate after embryo transfer. Some reports have demonstrated a high pregnancy rate for embryos that fully developed to blastocysts on day 4 after IVF (Ozgur et al., 2021). Furthermore, it has been reported that the speed of embryo development is related to the rate of chromosome aneuploidy (Taylor et al., 2014). There are though, limited reports on the euploidy rate of embryos developed to blastocysts at day 4. Study design, size, duration This retrospective study analyzed 763 embryos (from 184 PGT-A cases) that underwent TE biopsy on day 5 between January to December 2022 to determine their ploidy status. Participants/materials, setting, methods Embryos cultured in a time-lapse incubator were divided into two groups: those that developed to blastocyst (Gardner’s classification: ≥ expansion grade 3) at day 4 (96-100 h) (D4(+) group) and those that did not develop to full blastocyst at day 4 (D4(-) group) and the euploidy rates were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test to determine significant differences (P < 0.05). Main results and the role of chance The euploidy rate of the D4(+) group was 36.5% (80/219), which was significantly higher than the D4(-) group, 23.3% (127/544) (p < 0.01). Moreover, when considering the age of the female, for age ≤39 years, the rates were significantly higher in the D4(+) group (52.1% (61/117) and 35.4% (97/274) p < 0.01 respectively ). For age 40≥ years, it tended to be higher but was not significantly different in the D4(+) group vs D4(-) group (18.6% 19/102 and 11.1% 30/270 respectively). Even when limited to embryos that were graded as good quality blastocysts at day 5, the D4(+) group was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than the D4(-) group (55.0% (60/109) vs 36.1% (90/249)). Limitations, reasons for caution This was a retrospective study limited to day 5 embryos with biopsies taken after vitrification-warming. Wider implications of the findings These results demonstrate that embryos that had already developed to blastocyst at day 4 had a higher rate of euploidy compared to day 5 blastocysts. Thus, when performing PGT-A, biopsy of embryos that have already developed to blastocyst at day 4 are expected to be prioritised for transfer. Trial registration number not applicable
Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 (isolated from soil) produced a polyester consisting of 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3HB) and of medium-chain-length 3-hydroxyalkanoic acids (3HA) of C6, C8, C10 and C12, when sugars ...of glucose. fructose and mannose were fed as the sole carbon source. The polyester produced was a blend of homopolymer and copolymer, which could be fractionated with boiling acetone. The acetone-insoluble fraction of the polyester was a homopolymer of 3-hydroxybutyrate units poly (3HB), while the acetone-soluble fraction was a copolymer poly(3HB- co-3HA) containing both short- and medium-chain-length 3-hydroxyalkanoate units ranging from C4 to Cl2:44 mol% 3-hydroxybutyrate, 5 mol% 3-hydroxyhexanoate, 21 mol% 3-hydroxyoctanoate, 25 mol% 3-hydroxydecanoate, 2 mol% 3-hydroxydodecanoate and 3 mol% 3-hydroxy-5-cis-dodecenoate. The copolyester was shown to be a random copolymer of 3-hydroxybutyrate and medium-chain-length 3-hydroxyalkanoate units by analysis of the 13C-NMR spectrum. The poly(3HB) homopolymer and poly (3HB-co-3HA) copolymer were produced simultaneously within cells from glucose in the absence of any nitrogen source, which suggests that Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 has two types of polyhydroxyalkanoate syntheses with different substrate specificities.
Mutation of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) impairs B cell maturation and function and results in a clinical phenotype of X-linked agammaglobulinemia. Activation of Btk correlates with an increase in ...the phosphorylation of two regulatory Btk tyrosine residues. Y551 (site 1) within the Src homology type 1 (SH1) domain is transphosphorylated by the Src family tyrosine kinases. Y223 (site 2) is an autophosphorylation site within the Btk SH3 domain. Polyclonal, phosphopeptide-specific antibodies were developed to evaluate the phosphorylation of Btk sites 1 and 2. Crosslinking of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) or the mast cell Fcε receptor, or interleukin 5 receptor stimulation each induced rapid phosphorylation at Btk sites 1 and 2 in a tightly coupled manner. Btk molecules were singly and doubly tyrosine-phosphorylated. Phosphorylated Btk comprised only a small fraction (≤ 5%) of the total pool of Btk molecules in the BCR-activated B cells. Increased dosage of Lyn in B cells augmented BCR-induced phosphorylation at both sites. Kinetic analysis supports a sequential activation mechanism in which individual Btk molecules undergo serial transphosphorylation (site 1) then autophosphorylation (site 2), followed by successive dephosphorylation of site 1 then site 2. The phosphorylation of conserved tyrosine residues within structurally related Tec family kinases is likely to regulate their activation.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
It is well known that patients with head and neck cancer often have synchronous or metachronous squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. However, the prevalence of subsequent head and neck cancer in ...patients with early-stage esophageal cancer is still unknown. The aims of this study were to analyze the frequency of metachronous head and neck cancer after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for esophageal cancer and to investigate whether minute iodine-unstained areas, often associated with squamous cell carcinomas, would be an index for metachronous head and neck cancer.
99 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent EMR were studied. Based on the iodine-staining pattern at initial EMR, they were categorized into those with uniform (group U) and scattered (group S) types of background mucosa. Patients were monitored endoscopically and otolaryngologically (group U, median 46 months, range 12-83 months; group S, median 44 months, range 13-80 months).
In total, 5/99 patients (5.1 %) were found to have metachronous head and neck cancer during the follow-up, including 4/20 patients (20 %) in group S. In three cases laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer was found by endoscopic examination. The cumulative proportion of metachronous head and neck cancer-free subjects was significantly lower in group S than group U (P = 0.0007).
Among patients who undergo EMR for esophageal carcinoma, those with scattered-type iodine staining of the background mucosa have an increased risk of metachronous head and neck cancer, and should therefore be closely observed. Careful endoscopic observation led to early detection of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.
We have developed a new type of electroactive polymer actuator film that is made of composite materials consisting of carbon nanoparticles and binder polymers. The actuator film can operate in two ...modes of actuation, the charge accumulation mode, or the self-heating mode. The former operates in an electrolyte solution when the voltage is applied against a counter electrode due to the charge accumulated on the electric double layer formed at the surface of the carbon nanoparticles. The latter operates in air owing to the thermal expansion caused by Joule heating. The actuator film is easily fabricated using casting or printing methods.
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