Initiation of ovarian stimulation independent of the menstrual cycle (random-start) in an oocyte donation programme a large, single-center experience

Research Question Do live birth rates differ between recipients matched with donors using conventional ovarian stimulation versus those using random-start protocols? Design Retrospective analysis of 891 ovarian stimulations in egg donors (January-December 2018) and clinical outcomes in matched recipients (n=935). Donors commenced ovarian stimulation on day 1/3 of the menstrual cycle (n=223) or in the mid/late-follicular (n=388) or luteal phase (n=280) under a conventional antagonist protocol. Live birth rate of matched recipients was the main outcome. Results Duration of stimulation and total gonadotropins dose were comparable between conventional versus random-start groups. The number of collected eggs were also similar: 17.6±8.8 vs 17.2±8.5, p=0.6, respectively. Sub-group analysis showed an increased stimulation length (10.2±1.8 vs 9.8±1.7 vs 10.4±1.7, p<0.001) and gonadotropin consumption (2041.5±645.3 vs 2003.2±647.3 vs 2158.2±685.7 IU, p=0.01) in the luteal phase group vs the mid/late follicular and conventional groups; respectively. In matched recipients receiving fresh oocytes and undergoing fresh embryo transfer, the biochemical pregnancy (63.8% and 63.3%; p=0.9), clinical pregnancy (54.6% and 56.1%; p=0.8) and live birth rates (47.7% and 46.6%; p=0.7) per embryo-transfer were similar between conventional versus random groups. Similar results were obtained in recipients receiving vitrified eggs. Euploidy rate was also comparable. Conclusions There were no notable variations in clinical outcomes using oocytes obtained from random-start protocols and those proceeding from conventional ovarian stimulation in oocyte donation treatments. However, luteal-phase stimulation seems to require longer stimulation and higher FSH consumption. Our results indicate that random-start stimulation strategy does not impair the potential of the oocyte yield or clinical outcomes in oocyte donation cycles

Manuals de Consells de la ciutat de València (1400-1406)

Els Manuals de Consells són els llibres registre on es recollien les decisions de govern de la ciutat de València, els quals, com a model de memòria política i administrativa, s’adoptaren a les viles reials del regne. La col·lecció de la ciutat de València, una de les més completes i antigues de Europa, es conserva des de l’any 1306 i, amb poques interrupcions, continua al llarg de tota l’edat mitjana i gran part de la moderna. El conjunt baixmedieval està format per cinquanta volums plurianuals, ben gruixuts, que constitueixen una font d’informació inestimable per apropar-se a la història de la ciutat. En aquesta ocasió, s’edita el primer volum del segle XV, que abasta de 1400 a 1406, i de les dades que ens proporciona, a part dels noms de tots els que formaren part del Consell i de les magistratures ciutadanes, cal destacar especialment les relacions que mantingué la ciutat en qualitat de capital amb la resta de viles i senyories del regne, amb les prelatures de l’Església, amb la monarquia, la cort i els oficials reials, així com amb les autoritats i ciutats dels regnes veïns... Una informació molt heterogènia que permet reconstruir el paisatge geopolític de l’època.The Manuals of Councils are the record books in which the government decisions of the city of Valencia were compiled and which, as a model of political and administrative memory, were adopted in the royal towns of the kingdom. The collection of the city of Valencia, one of the oldest and most complete in Europe, has been preserved since 1306 and, with few interruptions, continues throughout the Middle Ages and most of the Modern period. The late medieval collection is made up of fifty very voluminous multi-annual volumes, which constitute an invaluable source of information for approaching the history of the city. On this occasion, the first volume of the 15th century is published, which covers the period from 1400 to 1406, and of the data it provides us with, apart from the names of all the people who formed part of the Council and of the city magistracies, we must especially highlight the relations that the city maintained as capital with the rest of the towns and manors of the kingdom, with the prelatures of the Church, with the monarchy, the court and the royal officials, as well as with the authorities and cities of the neighbouring kingdoms? This very heterogeneous information allows us to reconstruct the geopolitical landscape of the period

On the Q(M) depolarization metric

In this work, we have derived a depolarization metric, named Q(M) here, from the nine bilinear constraints between the 16 Mueller-Jones matrix elements, reported previously by several authors following different approaches. This metric Q(M) is sensitive to the internal nature of the depolarization Mueller matrix and does not depend on the incident Stokes vector. Q(M) provides explicit information about the inner 3 x 3 internal matrix. Four bounds are associated to Q(All) for a totally depolarizing, partially depolarizing, non-depolarizing diattenuating or partially depolarizing, and non-depolarizing non-diattenuating optical system, respectively. To our best knowledge, Q(All) is the unique depolarization metric that provides such information in one single number

Influence of the starting day of luteal phase stimulation on double stimulation cycles

BackgroundDouble ovarian stimulation is one of the most used strategies in poor-prognosis patients. There is a high heterogeneity between the studies regarding the execution of this stimulation protocol. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the day on which luteal phase stimulation begins after the first oocyte retrieval affects ovarian response in DuoStim cycles.MethodsThis observational and retrospective study included 541 DuoStim cycles between January 2018 and December 2021 in a private fertility clinic. Patients were assigned to 4 groups according to the timing of the onset of luteal phase stimulation after oocyte retrieval (0-2nd day, 3rd day, 4th day and 5th-6th day). The primary outcome was the number of oocytes retrieved in the luteal phase in each group.ResultsNo differences were found between groups in the number of oocytes collected (5.12 ± 3.56 vs. 5.39 ± 3.74 vs. 5.61 ± 3.94 vs. 5.89 ± 3.92; p=0,6), MII or number of follicles. An increase in the duration of stimulation was found when stimulation started on the 4th day (10.42 ± 2.31 vs. 10.68 ± 2.37 vs. 11.27 ± 2.40 vs. 10.65 ± 2.37 days, p=0,033). A lower number of fertilized oocytes was observed when stimulation began before the fourth day (3.36 ± 2.80 vs. 3.95 ± 2.53 vs. 4.03 ± 2.73 vs. 4.48 ± 3.11; p=0,036). The number of blastocysts was higher when the stimulation started 5-6 days after retrieval (1.82 ± 1.74 vs. 2.13 ± 1.61 vs. 2.33 ± 2.06 vs. 2.91 ± 2.39; p= 0,030).DiscussionThe number of oocytes retrieved does not differ depending on the day that stimulation begins. However, oocytes competence in terms of fertilized oocytes and blastulation, appears to be lower when the second stimulation starts before the fourth day after oocyte retrieval

Microconcrete with partial replacement of Portland cement by fly ash and hydrated lime addition

[EN] The reduction in Portland cement consumption means lower CO2 emissions. Partial replacement of Portland cement by pozzolans sucha as fly ash has its limitations due to the quantity of calcium hydroxide generated in the mix. In this work we have studied the contribution of the addition of hydrated lime to Portland cement + fly ash systems. We have also studied several levels of cement replacement, ranging from the 15% to 75%. The best mechanical results were obtained replacing 50% of Portland cement by the same amount of fly ash plus the addition of hydrated lime (20% respect to the amount of fly ash). In these systems, an acide-base self-neutralization of the matrix has occurred through a pozzolanic reaction of fly ash with portlandite liberated in the hydration of Portland cement and the added hydrated lime. It has been identified for these mixtures a significant amount of hydrated gehlenite, typical reaction product from rich-alumina pozzolans.Lorca, P.; Calabuig Pastor, R.; Benlloch Marco, J.; Soriano Martinez, L.; Paya Bernabeu, JJ. (2014). Microconcrete with partial replacement of Portland cement by fly ash and hydrated lime addition. Materials and Design. 64:535-541. doi:10.1016/jmatdes.2014.08.022S5355416

Effect of the Vitrification of Human Oocytes on the Binding Capacity and Acrosome Status of Human Sperm

Conocer los aspectos moleculares que acontecen en el proceso de unión de los espermatozoides humanos a la zona pelúcida (ZP) humana es uno de los grandes retos de la biología de la Reproducción. Por otra parte conocer si el proceso de fecundación puede verse afectado por la criopreservación de los gametos femeninos sigue siendo otra cuestión debatida en la literatura. En base a esto, el objetivo principal de este trabajo fue conocer si la vitrificación ovocitaria puede alterar la interacción de los espermatozoides con el glicocáliz de la ZP y demostrar si la ZP de estos ovocitos pierde la capacidad de inducir la reacción acrosómica en los espermatozoides. Según nuestros resultados el método de vitrificación ovocitaria cerrado (S3) no altera la capacidad de unión de los espermatozoides a la zona pelúcida, ni la capacidad de ésta para inducir la reacción acrosómica.To know the molecular aspects that occur in the process of human sperm binding to the human zona pellucida (ZP) is one of the great challenges of reproduction biology. Moreover knowing if the fertilization process may be affected by cryopreservation of female gametes is still another issue discussed in the literature. Based on this, the main objective of this study was to determine whether the oocyte vitrification may alter the interaction of sperm with the glycocalyx of ZP and show whether these oocytes lost the ability to induce the acrosome reaction in sperm. According to our results the oocyte closed vitrification method (S3) does not alter the ability of the sperm binding to the zona pellucida, and their ability to induce the acrosome reaction.Este trabajo fue subvencionado por el Vicerrectorado de Investigación de la Universidad de Alicante (VIGROB-137)

C14 y poblamiento en las comarcas centro-meridionales del País Valenciano (c. 7000-1500 cal BC).

Las comarcas centro-meridionales del País Valenciano y sus cuencas fluviales constituyen áreas con documentación excelente de la Prehistoria Reciente, gracias al interés continuado de la investigación desde el s. XIX hasta hoy. En este trabajo, presentamos un análisis combinado de series de fechas C14 junto con datos relativos al poblamiento, para comprender mejor la dinámica local desde el Mesolítico a la Edad de Bronce. Palabras clave: radiocarbono; poblamiento; sumatorios de probabilidad; Prehistoria Reciente

A Customizable Thermographic Imaging System for Medical Image Acquisition and Processing

A custom system has been developed for medical image acquisition and processing in both the visible and the infrared (IR) bands. Unlike some non-customizable commercial devices, this system can easily be adapted to different application scenarios by adding new peripherals and/or custom image processing algorithms. Portable, autonomous, and easy to use, it offers immediate results at the moment of examination and has a competitive cost. The system comprises a Single Board Computer (SBC) controlling a group of sensors and peripherals. The hardware implementation, described in detail in this paper, was adapted for two different application scenarios. First, the system was employed to differentiate between different kinds of vascular anomalies. The clinical results obtained are reported. The device was then redesigned to automatically detect people with high body temperatures in public environments. The system’s real-time image processing capabilities in both scenarios are demonstrated. Specific algorithms were implemented by the authors for each case study.Junta de Andalucía US-1264940, CEI-07Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad RTI2018-097088-B-C31Office of Naval Research (ONR) N00014-19-1-2156European Union 76586