Selecting appropriate indicators is essential to aggregate the information provided by climate model outputs into a manageable set of relevant metrics on which assessments of climate engineering (CE) ...can be based. From all the variables potentially available from climate models, indicators need to be selected that are able to inform scientists and society on the development of the Earth system under CE, as well as on possible impacts and side effects of various ways of deploying CE or not. However, the indicators used so far have been largely identical to those used in climate change assessments and do not visibly reflect the fact that indicators for assessing CE (and thus the metrics composed of these indicators) may be different from those used to assess global warming. Until now, there has been little dedicated effort to identifying specific indicators and metrics for assessing CE. We here propose that such an effort should be facilitated by a more decision‐oriented approach and an iterative procedure in close interaction between academia, decision makers, and stakeholders. Specifically, synergies and trade‐offs between social objectives reflected by individual indicators, as well as decision‐relevant uncertainties should be considered in the development of metrics, so that society can take informed decisions about climate policy measures under the impression of the options available, their likely effects and side effects, and the quality of the underlying knowledge base.
OBJECTIVE: To improve the maturation rate of murine and human germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes using human tubal epithelial cells (hTECs). DESIGN: Murine and human GV oocytes were randomized to human ...tubal fluid (HTF) media alone or cocultured with mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) or primary hTECs or immortalized hTECS (ihTECs) for various times. Rates of maturation to meiosis II (MII) were compared between groups. INTERVENTION(S): TECs were isolated from discarded salpingectomy specimens. One batch was immortalized with TERT and SV40 large T-antigen. GV oocytes (n = 710) were isolated from 8-week-old-mice at 40 hours after pregnant mare’s serum gonadotropin stimulation. Discarded human GV oocytes (n = 62) were obtained from intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle IVF center patients. Oocytes were cultured in HTF media alone or with MEFs, hTECs, or ihTECs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Maturation rates were assessed by standard morphological criteria and compared. RESULT(S): The maturation rate of murine GV oocytes to MII at 12 and 24 hours increased significantly in coculture with hTECS and ihTECS compared with MEF and HTF media alone. In addition, the development rate after IVF was significantly higher with hTECS and ihTECS than in MEF and HTF media alone. Maturation of human GV oocytes to MII at 24 and 48 hours was significantly higher in hTECS and ihTECS compared with HTF media alone. CONCLUSION(S): Coculture with either primary or immortalized TECs might improve oocyte quality and significantly raise in vitro maturation rates for GV oocytes.
Strong sustainability, according to the common definition, requires that different natural and economic capital stocks be maintained as physical quantities separately. Yet, in a world of uncertainty ...this cannot be guaranteed. To therefore define strong sustainability under uncertainty in an operational manner we propose to use the concept of viability.
Viability means that the different components and functions of a dynamic, stochastic system at any time remain in a domain where the future existence of these components and functions is guaranteed with sufficiently high probability. We develop a unifying and general ecological-economic concept of viability that encompasses the traditional ecological and economic notions of viability as special cases. It provides an operational criterion of strong sustainability under a mild form of uncertainty and for medium spatial and temporal scales. We illustrate this concept and demonstrate its usefulness by applying it to livestock grazing management in semi-arid rangelands.
Protecting life in a time of war Curchoe, Carol Lynn; Chang, T. Arthur; Trolice, Mark P. ...
Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics,
03/2022, Letnik:
39, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Despite centuries of lessons from history, war endures. Across Earth, during nearly every year from the beginning of the twentieth century to present day, over 30 wars have been fought resulting in ...187 million casualties, excluding the most recent conflict, which is the impetus for this essay (Timeline of 20th and 21st century wars). We are, sadly, a war-mongering people. The word “war” word infiltrates our vernacular, e.g., the war on poverty, on drugs, on cancer, on COVID, and, apropos, on terror. How did rational approaches to disagreement and conflict evade the world’s progress? Reproductive physicians and scientists are dedicated to safeguard lives and build families. Violence is antithetical to our mission as professionals, and moral integrity as humans. We are deeply concerned for, and stand in unity with, our Ukrainian colleagues—the embryologists, scientists, OBGYN and REI physicians, infertility patients, and all people under siege. Reproductive health services for Ukrainians (as with many other war-torn regions) have collapsed. Deeply disturbing reports have emerged that cite civilian hospitals (including maternity centers) being targeted. Liquid nitrogen supplies are scarce. Pregnant mothers and gestational carriers are at emergent risk of delivering in extremely harsh conditions, cold underground bunkers and refugee queues.
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION
Are lifestyle factors (smoking, BMI, alcohol use and oral contraceptive pill use) associated with the human ovarian reserve as determined by the total ovarian non-growing ...follicle number?
SUMMARY ANSWER
Light to moderate alcohol use was significantly associated with greater ovarian non-growing follicle (NGF) count, whereas other lifestyle factors were not significantly related.
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
A single previous investigation has suggested that smoking and alcohol use are associated with lower ovarian follicle density. However, this investigation utilized follicle density as the outcome of interest rather than the estimated total ovarian NGF count.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
This cross-sectional investigation included a convenience sample of premenopausal women from two different academic sites, the University of Washington (n = 37, from 1999–2004) and the University of Oklahoma (n = 73, from 2004–2013), undergoing incidental oophorectomy at the time of hysterectomy (total n = 110, age range 21–52 years).
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
Prior to undergoing oophorectomy, participants completed detailed questionnaires regarding lifestyle exposures. Following surgery, total ovarian NGF counts were determined with systematic random sampling rules and a validated fractionator/optical dissector technique. Associations between lifestyle factors and log-transformed ovarian follicle counts were determined using multivariable linear regression.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
After controlling for age, BMI, oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use, tobacco use and site of collection, cumulative alcohol use (measured in alcoholic drinks per day multiplied by years of drinking) was associated with ovarian NGF count. Women reporting light (>0 to <1 drink-years) and moderate (1–3 drink-years) alcohol use had greater NGF counts (β = 0.75, P = 0.04, and β = 1.00, P = 0.03; light and moderate use, respectively) as compared with non-users. Neither heavier alcohol use (>3 drink-years), BMI, OCP use, nor tobacco use were significantly associated with the ovarian NGF count. Similar patterns of association with moderate cumulative alcohol use were observed when evaluating associations with pre-antral follicles and total follicle counts.
LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION
All participants in this convenience sample had a benign indication for hysterectomy, and therefore may not be broadly representative of the population without such an indication. Additionally, lifestyle factors were self-reported, and the sample size of the present investigation limits our ability to detect associations of smaller magnitude.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
While our findings are in disagreement with a single investigation that utilized human follicle density as the outcome of interest, they are consistent with many studies investigating the relationship between lifestyle factors and the age of spontaneous menopause. Furthermore, they suggest a mechanism that does not involve accelerated follicular atresia to explain the association between smoking and an earlier age of menopause.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)
This investigation was funded by NIA R29-HD37360-04 (N.A.K.) and OCAST HR04-115 (K.R.H.) and by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Grant 1 U54GM104938 (J.D.P.). There is no conflict of interest.
To determine whether the use of GnRH antagonist in cycles converted from ovulation induction-IUI to IVF affects cycle outcome and pregnancy rates.
Retrospective cohort study.
Academic research ...institution.
One hundred eighty-two consecutive patients with ovulation induction-IUI to IVF conversions undergoing oocyte retrieval conducted at our institution from 2004 to 2006.
The relation between observation of fetal heartbeat and GnRH antagonist exposure was evaluated with use of multivariable logistic regression. The difference in intermediate cycle outcomes by antagonist exposure was estimated with use of linear regression.
Fetal cardiac activity on early ultrasound, intermediate cycle parameters.
For patients given treatment with a GnRH antagonist, the odds ratio for achieving pregnancy was 2.13 (95% confidence interval = 1.03-4.39) compared with untreated patients, independent of age and E(2) levels on day of hCG. Patients given antagonist had 1.6 more follicles and 2.1 more oocytes retrieved, 1.9 more mature oocytes, and 2.3 more fertilized oocytes, and the fertilization rate was 9.7% higher.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist use in ovulation induction-IUI to IVF conversions was associated with increased pregnancy rates and improved intermediate cycle parameters, controlled for age and E(2) levels on day of hCG. Addition of a GnRH antagonist should be considered in ovulation induction-IUI to IVF conversions.
In the past 2 years, Zika virus has emerged from obscurity onto the world stage—traversing and transcending clinical specialties, basic science disciplines, and public health efforts. The spread of ...Zika virus has serious implications for the specialty of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Our patients, practices, and labs—worldwide and specifically in the USA—have been impacted by this teratogenic, sexually transmitted, largely asymptomatic virus. While the World Health Organization’s Public Emergency of International Concern designation has lapsed as major epidemics have subsided and understanding of risks is in part clarified, the acute and long-term threat to pregnant patients is not over. The risk of wider spread in the USA is not insignificant, the subtler and long-ranging consequences beyond microcephaly are not fully known, large geographic areas of risk still contain naïve populations, and whether Zika will continue to be an intermittent risk in endemic areas is uncertain. Staying up to date with the burgeoning research on Zika virus is an important objective for the infertility specialist. Here, we review in detail the most relevant recent developments, discuss applicable guidelines, and propose strategies for contributing to a reduction in the risk and burden of Zika virus.
Low-pressure plasmas offer a unique possibility of confinement, control, and fine tailoring of particle properties. Hence, dusty plasmas have grown into a vast field, and new applications of ...plasma-processed dust particles are emerging.
During the deposition of thin amorphous films onto melamine formaldehyde (MF) microparticles in a C
plasma, the generation of nanosized carbon particles was also studied. The size distribution of those particles is quite uniform.
In another experiment, the stability of luminophore grains could be improved by coating with protective Al
films that are deposited by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process using a metal-organic precursor gas. Coating of SiO
microparticles with thin metal layers by magnetron sputtering is also described. Especially the interaction of the microsized grains confined in a radio frequency (rf) plasma with the dc magnetron discharge during deposition was investigated. The observations emphasize that the interaction between magnetron plasma and injected microdisperse powder particles can also be used as a diagnostic tool for the characterization of magnetron sputter sources.
Oxygen diffusion into metallic In/Sn films and crystallite growth of thin indium tin oxide (ITO) films were investigated by in situ high temperature grazing incidence X-ray diffractometry (HT-GIXRD) ...at temperatures ranging from 100 to 300 °C. The investigated films were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering from a metallic target at different oxygen flows and bias voltages. The deposition process influences not only the film properties but also the film reactions during the post-deposition annealing process.
The ITO formation is determined by two processes: the diffusion of oxygen into the metallic grains and a fast crystallization process. Kinetic parameters for both processes were derived. A model was developed which allows the determination of the diffusion coefficient
D from the time dependence of the integral intensity of the ITO X-ray reflection. Diffusion coefficients as well as the activation energies are influenced by the bias voltage but not by the oxygen flow.
According to the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami theory, the crystallization can be described as a two-dimensional process.
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