Array comparative genomic hybridization screening in IVF significantly reduces number of embryos available for cryopreservation

Objective During IVF, non-transferred embryos are usually selected for cryopreservation on the basis of morphological criteria. This investigation evaluated an application for array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) in assessment of surplus embryos prior to cryopreservation. Methods First-time IVF patients undergoing elective single embryo transfer and having at least one extra non-transferred embryo suitable for cryopreservation were offered enrollment in the study. Patients were randomized into two groups: Patients in group A (n=55) had embryos assessed first by morphology and then by aCGH, performed on cells obtained from trophectoderm biopsy on post-fertilization day 5. Only euploid embryos were designated for cryopreservation. Patients in group B (n=48) had embryos assessed by morphology alone, with only good morphology embryos considered suitable for cryopreservation. Results Among biopsied embryos in group A (n=425), euploidy was confirmed in 226 (53.1%). After fresh single embryo transfer, 64 (28.3%) surplus euploid embryos were cryopreserved for 51 patients (92.7%). In group B, 389 good morphology blastocysts were identified and a single top quality blastocyst was selected for fresh transfer. All group B patients (48/48) had at least one blastocyst remaining for cryopreservation. A total of 157 (40.4%) blastocysts were frozen in this group, a significantly larger proportion than was cryopreserved in group A (p=0.017, by chi-squared analysis). Conclusion While aCGH and subsequent frozen embryo transfer are currently used to screen embryos, this is the first investigation to quantify the impact of aCGH specifically on embryo cryopreservation. Incorporation of aCGH screening significantly reduced the total number of cryopreserved blastocysts compared to when suitability for freezing was determined by morphology only. IVF patients should be counseled that the benefits of aCGH screening will likely come at the cost of sharply limiting the number of surplus embryos available for cryopreservation

Selection of single blastocysts for fresh transfer via standard morphology assessment alone and with array CGH for good prognosis IVF patients: results from a randomized pilot study

Background Single embryo transfer (SET) remains underutilized as a strategy to reduce multiple gestation risk in IVF, and its overall lower pregnancy rate underscores the need for improved techniques to select one embryo for fresh transfer. This study explored use of comprehensive chromosomal screening by array CGH (aCGH) to provide this advantage and improve pregnancy rate from SET. Methods First-time IVF patients with a good prognosis (age <35, no prior miscarriage) and normal karyotype seeking elective SET were prospectively randomized into two groups: In Group A, embryos were selected on the basis of morphology and comprehensive chromosomal screening via aCGH (from d5 trophectoderm biopsy) while Group B embryos were assessed by morphology only. All patients had a single fresh blastocyst transferred on d6. Laboratory parameters and clinical pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups. Results For patients in Group A (n=55), 425 blastocysts were biopsied and analyzed via aCGH (7.7 blastocysts/patient). Aneuploidy was detected in 191/425 (44.9%) of blastocysts in this group. For patients in Group B (n=48), 389 blastocysts were microscopically examined (8.1 blastocysts/patient). Clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the morphology+aCGH group compared to the morphology-only group (70.9 and 45.8%, respectively; p=0.017); ongoing pregnancy rate for Groups A and B were 69.1 vs. 41.7%, respectively (p=0.009). There were no twin pregnancies. Conclusion Although aCGH followed by frozen embryo transfer has been used to screen at risk embryos (e.g., known parental chromosomal translocation or history of recurrent pregnancy loss), this is the first description of aCGH fully integrated with a clinical IVF program to select single blastocysts for fresh SET in good prognosis patients. The observed aneuploidy rate (44.9%) among biopsied blastocysts highlights the inherent imprecision of SET when conventional morphology is used alone. Embryos randomized to the aCGH group implanted with greater efficiency, resulted in clinical pregnancy more often, and yielded a lower miscarriage rate than those selected without aCGH. Additional studies are needed to verify our pilot data and confirm a role for on-site, rapid aCGH for IVF patients contemplating fresh SET

Courant-Dorfman algebras and their cohomology

We introduce a new type of algebra, the Courant-Dorfman algebra. These are to Courant algebroids what Lie-Rinehart algebras are to Lie algebroids, or Poisson algebras to Poisson manifolds. We work with arbitrary rings and modules, without any regularity, finiteness or non-degeneracy assumptions. To each Courant-Dorfman algebra (\R,\E) we associate a differential graded algebra \C(\E,\R) in a functorial way by means of explicit formulas. We describe two canonical filtrations on \C(\E,\R), and derive an analogue of the Cartan relations for derivations of \C(\E,\R); we classify central extensions of \E in terms of H^2(\E,\R) and study the canonical cocycle \Theta\in\C^3(\E,\R) whose class $[\Theta]$ obstructs re-scalings of the Courant-Dorfman structure. In the nondegenerate case, we also explicitly describe the Poisson bracket on \C(\E,\R); for Courant-Dorfman algebras associated to Courant algebroids over finite-dimensional smooth manifolds, we prove that the Poisson dg algebra \C(\E,\R) is isomorphic to the one constructed in \cite{Roy4-GrSymp} using graded manifolds.Comment: Corrected formulas for the brackets in Examples 2.27, 2.28 and 2.29. The corrections do not affect the exposition in any wa

Parity violation in nuclear systems

Parity violation in nuclear systems is reviewed. A few ingredients relevant to the description of the parity-violating nucleon-nucleon force in terms of meson exchanges are reminded. Effects in nuclear systems are then considered. They involve pp scattering, some complex nuclei and the deuteron system.Comment: 4 pages, to be published in the proceedings of the worksho

Parity-violating neutron spin rotation in hydrogen and deuterium

We calculate the (parity-violating) spin rotation angle of a polarized neutron beam through hydrogen and deuterium targets, using pionless effective field theory up to next-to-leading order. Our result is part of a program to obtain the five leading independent low-energy parameters that characterize hadronic parity-violation from few-body observables in one systematic and consistent framework. The two spin-rotation angles provide independent constraints on these parameters. Using naive dimensional analysis to estimate the typical size of the couplings, we expect the signal for standard target densities to be 10^-7 to 10^-6 rad/m for both hydrogen and deuterium targets. We find no indication that the nd observable is enhanced compared to the np one. All results are properly renormalized. An estimate of the numerical and systematic uncertainties of our calculations indicates excellent convergence. An appendix contains the relevant partial-wave projectors of the three-nucleon system.Comment: 44 pages, 17 figures; minor corrections; to be published in EPJ

Differential regulation of effector- and central-memory responses to Toxoplasma gondii infection by IL-12 revealed by tracking of Tgd057-specific CD8+ T cells

10.1371/journal.ppat.1000815PLoS Pathogens6

Disease survey of cereal crops in Saskatchewan in 2013

Non-Peer ReviewedCereal crops in Saskatchewan can suffer a number of diseases that reduce yield and quality. A disease survey was conducted in 2013 to identify pathogenic agents and assess disease severity on oat, canaryseed, barley and winter and spring wheat. Crown rust was detected at trace levels in four of 32 oat crops and the most common leaf spotting pathogens were Pyrenophora avenae and Stagnospora avenae, similar to previous years. On canaryseed, Septoria triseti was observed from plating of leaf samples and appeared to be highest in west-central SK and lowest in the north-east. Fusarium avenaceum was identified from plating of seeds in four of 26 crops, but only at low levels. In barley, only two crops were affected by stripe rust, but leaf spots symptoms observed on most crops, most commonly caused by Cochliobolus sativus and Pyrenophora teres; Septoria passerinii was identified in a few samples. Severe stripe rust infection was observed in seven of 89 winter wheat crops, but 60 crops were stripe rust-free. In winter wheat fusarium head blight was generally low in most regions of SK, except near Outlook, where severity was much higher. In spring wheat, stripe rust infection was observed in eight of 17 crops and was severe in one crop

Interaction of suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 with cavin-1 links SOCS3 function and cavin-1 stability

YesEffective suppression of JAK–STAT signalling by the inducible inhibitor “suppressor of cytokine signalling 3” (SOCS3) is essential for limiting signalling from cytokine receptors. Here we show that cavin-1, a component of caveolae, is a functionally significant SOCS3- interacting protein. Biochemical and confocal imaging demonstrate that SOCS3 localisation to the plasma membrane requires cavin-1. SOCS3 is also critical for cavin-1 stabilisation, such that deletion of SOCS3 reduces the expression of cavin-1 and caveolin-1 proteins, thereby reducing caveola abundance in endothelial cells. Moreover, the interaction of cavin-1 and SOCS3 is essential for SOCS3 function, as loss of cavin-1 enhances cytokine-stimulated STAT3 phosphorylation and abolishes SOCS3-dependent inhibition of IL-6 signalling by cyclic AMP. Together, these findings reveal a new functionally important mechanism linking SOCS3-mediated inhibition of cytokine signalling to localisation at the plasma membrane via interaction with and stabilisation of cavin-1.This work was supported by project grants to T.M.P. from the Chief Scientist Office (ETM/226), British Heart Foundation (PG12/1/ 29276, PG 14/32/30812), and a National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde Research Endowment Fund (2011REFCH08). P.F.P. was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant DK097708. J.J.L.W. was supported by a doctoral training studentship from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Programme in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Glasgow (BB/F016735/1). N.A. was supported by a Saudi Government PhD Scholarship. This work was also supported in part by equipment grants to T.M.P. from Diabetes UK (BDA 11/0004309) and Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK-EG2016A-3)

Comparative Study of full QCD Hadron Spectrum and Static Quark Potential with Improved Actions

We investigate effects of action improvement on the light hadron spectrum and the static quark potential in two-flavor QCD for $a^{-1} \approx 1$ GeV and $m_{PS}/m_V = 0.7-0.9$. We compare a renormalization group improved action with the plaquette action for gluons, and the SW-clover action with the Wilson action for quarks. We find a significant improvement in the hadron spectrum by improving the quark action, while the gluon improvement is crucial for a rotationally invariant static potential. We also explore the region of light quark masses corresponding to $m_{PS}/m_V \geq 0.4$ on a 2.7 fm lattice using the improved gauge and quark action. A flattening of the potential is not observed up to 2 fm.Comment: LaTeX, 35 pages, 22 eps figures, uses revtex and eps