Prospective assessment of Y-chromosome microdeletions and reproductive outcomes among infertile couples of Japanese and African origin

BACKGROUND: To compare the frequency of Y-chromosome microdeletions in Japanese and African azoospermic and oligozoospermic men and describe embryo characteristics and reproductive outcome following in vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHODS: Our study was performed prospectively at two centers, a private IVF clinic and a university hospital. Japanese and African (Tanzanian) men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and oligozoospermia (concentration < 5 × 10(6 )/ml) were evaluated for Y-chromosome microdeletions (n = 162). Of the 47 men with NOA, 26 were Japanese and 21 were Africans. Of the 115 men with oligozoospermia, 87 were Japanese and 28 were Africans. Reproductive outcomes of patients with Y-chromosome microdeletions were then compared with those of 19 IVF+ICSI cycles performed on couples with Y-chromosome intact males/tubal factor infertility which served as a control group. RESULTS: Seven azoospermic and oligozoospermic patients had Y-chromosome deletions; the total number of deletions in the AZFc region was five. There was only one deletion in the AZFa region and one complete deletion involving all three regions (AZFa, b, and c) within AZF. In our study population, microdeletion frequency among Japanese men was 6.2% (95% CI, 4.25% – 14.45%), whereas no deletions were identified in the African group (95% CI, 0.0% – 7.27%). The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant, however. Embryos derived from ICSI utilizing sperm with Y-chromosome microdeletion showed reduced rates of fertilization, blastocyst development, implantation, and pregnancy compared to the Y-chromosome intact group, although these observed differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The observed frequency of Y-chromosome microdeletion was 6.2% among Japanese azoospermic and oligozoospermic males; no microdeletions were identified among our African study patients. In this population of couples undergoing IVF+ICSI, there was no statistically significant difference in embryo characteristics or pregnancy outcome between patients with Y-chromosome microdeletion and those with an intact Y-chromosome

Immiscibility between carbonic fluids and granitic melts during crustal anatexis: A fluid and melt inclusion study in the enclaves of the Neogene Volcanic Province of SE Spain

In the restitic crustal enclaves in the Neogene volcanics of El Hoyazo and Mazarron (SE Spain), associations of fluid and silicate melt inclusions indicative of immiscibility are frequently observed in the Bt-poor, Crd-rich graphitic metapelites. These occurrences, extremely rare for anatectic crustal rocks, have been studied by microthermometry, micro-Raman spectroscopy and EMP analysis. Both at El Hoyazo and Mazarron the immiscible FI and MI are hosted in plagioclase and cordierite, with microstructures that suggest primary trapping. The FI hosted in cordierite are monophase, whereas they may contain crystals of calcite when hosted in plagioclase, indicating fluid-host reaction during cooling. Decrepitation microstructures have not been observed. The MI contain fresh glass of peraluminous, felsic rhyolitic composition, typical of anatectic S-type melts. In all samples the fluids are CO(2)-dominated (> 85 mol%), with minor amounts of N(2) and CH(4), and traces of CO and H(2). The nucleation of graphite, induced by the laser beam in some inclusions, demonstrates that the fluids are graphite-saturated. Large scatter in microthermometric behaviour of FI indicates significant density variations. Only in one sample from El Hoyazo are fluid densities compatible with the estimated P-T conditions of trapping (5-7 kbar, 850 +/- 50 degrees C), whereas in the remaining samples the extremely low densities, suggesting trapping pressures < 1 kbar, are in contrast with the microstructural indications of primary entrapment and little evidence of decrepitation. In addition, although some measured compositions are compatible with C-O-H-N fluid speciation at the estimated P-T conditions of anatexis, the lack of H(2)O in all FI is inconsistent with the slightly hydrated character of coexisting glasses. The possible mechanisms accounting for departure of densities and compositions of FI from expected values are discussed, and leakage of H(2)O suggested as the most plausible. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Development of a set of process and structure indicators for palliative care: the Europall project

Contains fulltext : 110866.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: By measuring the quality of the organisation of palliative care with process and structure quality indicators (QIs), patients, caregivers and policy makers are able to monitor to what extent recommendations are met, like those of the council of the WHO on palliative care and guidelines. This will support the implementation of public programmes, and will enable comparisons between organisations or countries. METHODS: As no European set of indicators for the organisation of palliative care existed, such a set of QIs was developed. An update of a previous systematic review was made and extended with more databases and grey literature.In two project meetings with practitioners and experts in palliative care the development process of a QI set was finalised and the QIs were categorized in a framework, covering the recommendations of the Council of Europe. RESULTS: The searches resulted in 151 structure and process indicators, which were discussed in steering group meetings. Of those QIs, 110 were eligible for the final framework. CONCLUSIONS: We developed the first set of QIs for the organisation of palliative care. This article is the first step in a multi step project to identify, validate and pilot QIs

Gender and racial diversity in commercial brands' advertising images on social media

Gender and racial diversity in the mediated images from the media shape our perception of different demographic groups. In this work, we investigate gender and racial diversity of 85,957 advertising images shared by the 73 top international brands on Instagram and Facebook. We hope that our analyses give guidelines on how to build a fully automated watchdog for gender and racial diversity in online advertisements.Comment: Proc. 11th International Conference on Social Informatics 2019 (SocInfo19