The Influence of Sample Volume Applied to the Makler Sperm Counting Chamber Upon the Measured Concentration of Latex Beads: A Multi-Centre Study

Objective: To undertake a multi-centre study to maximize the number of Makler chambers used. Methods: A total of 15 laboratories participated with 31 Makler chambers. A suspension of latex beads was prepared to a concentration of 20 millions per milliliter, and 0.5 mL aliquots distributed to each participating laboratory. They measured the concentration on their Makler chamber(s) used for routine semen analysis by adding 3, 4, 5, 7 and 10 μL volumes of bead suspension to the chamber. Results: There was no difference in within-chamber analysis of the bead concentration according to the volume of bead suspension applied within the range of 3–10 μL (F4,14=2.634, P=0.056). However, the between-chamber effects were significantly different (F30,124=4.937, P=0.000), and 24/31 (77.5%) chambers tested had an average bias\u3e10% compared to the target bead concentration. Conclusions: A volume of 3–10 μL added to Makler counting chambers does not influence the concentration measured of latex beads, but the between-chamber variability and positive bias seen would suggest that other sources of error are present which are yet to be identified

A mechanistic multi-centre, parallel group, randomised placebo controlled trial of Mesalazine for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D)

Introduction: Immune activation has been reported in the mucosa of irritable bowel syndrome patients with diarrhoea (IBS-D) and some small studies have suggested that Mesalazine may reduce symptoms. We performed a double blind, randomised placebo controlled trial of 2g Mesalazine twice daily versus placebo for 3 months in Rome III criteria IBS-D patients. Primary outcome was daily average stool frequency during weeks 11-12; secondary outcomes were abdominal pain, stool consistency, urgency and satisfactory relief of IBS symptoms. Methods: Participants were randomised after a 2-week baseline stool diary. All participants completed a 12-week stool diary and at the end of each week recorded the presence of “satisfactory relief of IBS symptoms”. Results: 136 patients with IBS-D (82 F, 54 M) were randomised, 10 patients withdrew from each group. Analysis by intention to treat showed the daily average stool frequency during weeks 11 and 12 were mean (SD), 2.8 (1.2) in Mesalazine and 2.7 (1.9) in placebo group with no significant group difference (95% confidence interval) 0.1 (-0.33,0.53); p=0.66. Mesalazine did not improve abdominal pain, stool consistency nor percentage with satisfactory relief compared to placebo during the last 2 weeks follow up. Conclusion: This study does not support any clinically meaningful benefit or harm of Mesalazine compared with placebo in unselected IBS with diarrhoea. More precise subtyping based on underlying disease mechanisms is needed to allow more effective targeting of treatment in IBS. (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01316718

OBO Foundry in 2021: Operationalizing Open Data Principles to Evaluate Ontologies

Biological ontologies are used to organize, curate, and interpret the vast quantities of data arising from biological experiments. While this works well when using a single ontology, integrating multiple ontologies can be problematic, as they are developed independently, which can lead to incompatibilities. The Open Biological and Biomedical Ontologies Foundry was created to address this by facilitating the development, harmonization, application, and sharing of ontologies, guided by a set of overarching principles. One challenge in reaching these goals was that the OBO principles were not originally encoded in a precise fashion, and interpretation was subjective. Here we show how we have addressed this by formally encoding the OBO principles as operational rules and implementing a suite of automated validation checks and a dashboard for objectively evaluating each ontology’s compliance with each principle. This entailed a substantial effort to curate metadata across all ontologies and to coordinate with individual stakeholders. We have applied these checks across the full OBO suite of ontologies, revealing areas where individual ontologies require changes to conform to our principles. Our work demonstrates how a sizable federated community can be organized and evaluated on objective criteria that help improve overall quality and interoperability, which is vital for the sustenance of the OBO project and towards the overall goals of making data FAIR. Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest

Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Divorce Adjustment: A Mixed Methods Study

This three-phase sequential explanatory mixed methods study investigated the role of cognitive emotion regulation in the divorce adjustment process. Sixty-four participants who had filed for divorce during the previous five years completed questionnaires measuring their use of nine cognitive emotion regulation strategies, their level of divorce adjustment and their emotional well-being. Following this four well adjusted and four poorly adjusted participants were interviewed about their experiences of emotion regulation in relation to their divorce. This enabled a comparison with the quantitative findings and helped to develop a greater understanding of the process of cognitive emotion regulation. The transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis and the combined results indicated that positive reappraisal, putting in perspective, constructive thought focus and objective attribution of responsibility were beneficial to divorce adjustment. By contrast, catastrophising, destructive thought focus and blame were found to be detrimental to the process. In addition the study found that female divorcees appeared to benefit from refocusing on planning, but male divorcees reported that planning was difficult until later in the adjustment process. An additional interpretative phenomenological analysis was then carried out on one transcript to better understand the role of blame hi divorce adjustment. The analysis indicated the participant's experience of selfblame as debilitating, and his subsequent move to other-blame, as being empowering and more comfortable. However the analysis highlighted underlying unresolved thoughts and feelings that seemed to be preventing the participant from moving forwards. This highlighted the clinical implications of encouraging divorcees to reevaluate their polarised thoughts to regain some perception of control over their future. This study indicated that the role of cognitive coping strategies varies with time and across gender, suggesting that future research could employ a mixedmethods longitudinal design, with a larger sample, to help to develop a greater understanding of the roles of the strategies, and the differences across gender, through the adjustment process. This design would also help to develop a greater understanding of the process of movement from detrimental to beneficial strategies and the role of gendered narratives about marriage on the adjustment process

Two case studies assessing the effect of oral contraceptive pills upon serum AMH concentrations: Results from an External Quality Assurance (EQA) scheme

Objective: To describe the effect of combined oral contraceptives (COC) on serum AMH level in 2 women. Methods: The COC was initially stopped after over 12 years use then restarted, with the serum being analysed by 6–8 laboratories in an EQA scheme using the same assay (Beckman Coulter Gen II). Results: In both women, the AMH rose significantly after cessation of the pill, and then dropped after resumption. Conclusions: In summary, AMH was affected by the combined oral contraceptive pill and further studies on the effect of oral contraceptives are warranted

The Place of In Vitro Maturation in PCO/PCOS

In vitro maturation (IVM) of human oocytes is an emerging treatment option for women with polycystic ovary/polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO/PCOS) in addition to the standard in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. There has been significant improvements in pregnancy rates with IVM over the last two decades. This article reviews the place of IVM for women with PCO/PCOS, placing an emphasis on the predictors of successful pregnancy, optimization of culture media, IVM protocols, pregnancy rates, and neonatal outcomes following IVM treatment

Railing for safety: Job demands, job control, and safety citzenship role definition.

This study investigated job demands and job control as predictors of safety citizenship role definition, that is, employees ’ role orientation toward improving workplace safety. Data from a survey of 334 trackside workers were framed in the context of R. A. Karasek’s (1979) job demands–control model. High job demands were negatively related to safety citizenship role definition, whereas high job control was positively related to this construct. Safety citizenship role definition of employees with high job control was buffered from the influence of high job demands, unlike that of employees with low job control, for whom high job demands were related to lower levels of the construct. Employees facing both high job demands and low job control were less likely than other employees to view improving safety as part of their role orientation