Cytogenetic analysis of early pregnancy loss after assisted reproduction treatment using intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of numerical chromosomal abnormalities in the patients with early pregnancy loss (EPL) following in vitro fertilization, and evaluate the role of different confounders of the risk of chromosomal abnormality-related pregnancy loss.Material and methods: A retrospective chart review of all patients from our in vitro fertilization (IVF) center who conceived using assisted reproduction techniques between April 2017 and 2019, who experienced a subsequent early pregnancy loss, and whose abortus materials were successfully karyotyped were included.Results: Of the 243 patients experienced an early loss, the overall rate of chromosomal abnormality was 46.75%. The overall rate of aneuploidy in our patient group was 88.8% (64/72), whereas 6.94% (5/72) of the abnormal karyotypes were polyploid. The most common type of trisomy was Trisomy 16 (20.0%; 11/55) followed by Trisomy 15 (14.5%; 8/55). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that maternal age (< 35 years) and the total number of retrieved oocytes per cycle (≥ 5) were risk factors for a chromosomal abnormality (< 0.001; < 0.05, respectively). The adjusted OR of karyotypic abnormalities was 0.45 for the antagonist cycle type (p < 0.05), and 0.58 for frozen embryo transfer (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Karyotypic abnormality is one of the main reasons for pregnancy loss following an IVF procedure. Although the pregnancy rates increased as a result of novel technologies, the ratio of EPL is still high. The implementation of preimplantation genetic screening techniques might lower the incidence of EPL due to chromosomal abnormalities, thus decreasing the burden on the physicians and the patients

Portuguese propolis disturbs glycolytic metabolism of human colorectal cancer in vitro

Propolis is a resin collected by bees from plant buds and exudates, which is further processed through the activity of bee enzymes. Propolis has been shown to possess many biological and pharmacological properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunostimulant and antitumor activities. Due to this bioactivity profile, this resin can become an alternative, economic and safe source of natural bioactive compounds.Antitumor action has been reported in vitro and in vivo for propolis extracts or its isolated compounds; however, Portuguese propolis has been little explored. The aim of this work was to evaluate the in vitro antitumor activity of Portuguese propolis on the human colon carcinoma cell line HCT-15, assessing the effect of different fractions (hexane, chloroform and ethanol residual) of a propolis ethanol extract on cell viability, proliferation, metabolism and death. METHODS: Propolis from Angra do Heroísmo (Azores) was extracted with ethanol and sequentially fractionated in solvents with increasing polarity, n-hexane and chloroform. To assess cell viability, cell proliferation and cell death, Sulforhodamine B, BrDU incorporation assay and Anexin V/Propidium iodide were used, respectively. Glycolytic metabolism was estimated using specific kits. RESULTS: All propolis samples exhibited a cytotoxic effect against tumor cells, in a dose- and time-dependent way. Chloroform fraction, the most enriched in phenolic compounds, appears to be the most active, both in terms of inhibition of viability and cell death. Data also show that this cytotoxicity involves disturbance in tumor cell glycolytic metabolism, seen by a decrease in glucose consumption and lactate production. CONCLUSION: Our results show that Portuguese propolis from Angra do Heroísmo (Azores) can be a potential therapeutic agent against human colorectal cancer.We thank the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) for VMG fellowship (ref. SFRH/BI/33503/2008). The authors thank Mr. Antonio Marques from Frutercoop - Azores, who kindly collected and provided the propolis sample for the study

A Study of Technology Transfer in a Multinational Cooperative Joint Venture

This paper is a critical review of the article, A Study of Technology Transfer in a Multinational Cooperative Joint Venture, which was published in the IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Vol. 43, No. 1, February 1996

The Role of Communication in Concurrent Engineering

This paper focuses on the importance of communication in concurrent engineering and analyzes what kinds of problems are faced

Multi-Period Planning in the Final Quality Control Departmentat Ozkok Textile, Inc.

A mixed-integer programming model for planning over-time in the Final Quality Control Department at the T-shirt manufacturing facility of Ozkok Textile, Inc. has been developed containing 0-1 binary variables. This model partitions time into a number of periods. Therefore, it is a multiperiod planning model with the objective of minimizing final quality control cost for the next three periods. The model will enable management to plan for the upcoming season that is composed of three months by providing them with staffing level, quantity of each product type that will be final inspected in-house in regular and over-time and will be subcontracted to be inspected due to inadequate capacity in each period. Management can also create many different scenarios and see how the optimum solution will might lead to improvements in the Final Quality Control Department

Efficacy of the local endometrial injury in patients who had previous failed IVF-ICSI outcome

Background: The latest studies reported that local endometrial injury is a useful method to improve the success of IVF-ICSI outcome. Objective: To assess whether local endometrial injury occurred by Pipelle in the spontaneous cycle could improve implantation rate, cleavage rate, and pregnancy outcome in the subsequent IVF-ICSI cycle in patients who had recurrent IVF failure. Materials and Methods: An endometrial biopsy was performed on day 21st in 41 patients as intervention group in this retrospective cross-sectional study. The control group contained 42 women. Results: Implantation rate was 22.5% and 10.5% in intervention and control group, respectively and this difference was found to be statistically significant (p=001). Pregnancy rate was 43.9% in the intervention group and this parameter was significantly lower in control group (21.4%) (p=0.03). Conclusion: Local endometrial injury in the nontransfer cycle increases the implantation rate and pregnancy rate in the subsequent IVF-ICSI cycle in patients who had previous failed IVF-ICSI outcome

N-Benzylindole-2,3-dione(N-benzylisatin)

The title molecule, C15H11NO2, is non-planar, the dihedral angle between the isatin group and the phenyl ring being 87.08 (5)degrees. The crystal structure is stabilized by C-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonding interactions

1-isopropyl-3-(2-morpholinioethyl)benzimidazolium diiodide

The title compound, C16H25N3O2+.2I(-), was synthesized from 1-(2-morpholinoethyl)benzimidazole and isopropyl iodide in tetrahydrofuran. In the molecule, the benzimidazole ring is connected to the morpholine ring by an ethylene group. The crystal structure has been determined at 150 K and exhibits intermolecular C-H...I interactions

1-[2-(5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethyl]morpholinium chloride

The title compound, C13H17N4O+.Cl-, was synthesized from 1( 2-methoxyethyl)-5-nitrobenzimidazole and N-(2-chloroethyl) morpholine hydrochloride in dimethylformamide. The crystal structure has been determined at 100 K and exhibits an intramolecular N - H...Cl, and intermolecular C - H...Cl and C - H ... O interactions