Monthly Archives: July 2017

Human Behavior

Gut Bacteria May Be Linked to Mood, Behavior in Healthy Humans – PsychCentral.com

Interactions between gut bacteria and the brain may play an important role in human health and behavior.

In a new study, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have discovered that microbiota in the gut interacts with brain regions associated with mood and behavior in healthy humans.The findings add to the growing body of evidence of a significant link between the gut and the brain.

Earlier studies have shown that microbiota, a community of microorganisms in the gut, can influence behavior and emotion. Rodent models have demonstrated the effects of gut microbiota on emotional and social behaviors, such as anxiety and depression, but there has been little scientific evidence in humans.

For the new study, the researchers wanted to identify brain and behavioral characteristics of healthy women clustered by gut microbiota profiles. A total of 40 women gave fecal samples for profiling, and magnetic resonance images were taken of their brains as they looked at images of individuals, activities, or other objects that evoked an emotional response.

The women were divided by their gut bacteria composition into two groups: 33 had more of a bacterium called Bacteroides; the remaining seven had more of the Prevotella bacteria.

Women in the Bacteroides group showed greater thickness of the gray matter in the frontal cortex and insula, brain regions involved with complex processing of information. These women also had larger volumes of the hippocampus, a region involved in memory processing.

In contrast, women in the Prevotella group displayed more connections between emotional, attentional and sensory brain regions and lower brain volumes in several regions, such as the hippocampus.

In this group, the womens hippocampus was less active as they looked at negative images. They also rated higher levels of negative feelings such as anxiety, distress and irritability after looking at photos with negative images than did the women in the Bacteroides group.

The new findings support the concept of brain-gut-microbiota interactions in healthy humans. Researchers still do not fully understand whether the bacteria in the gut influence the development of the brain and its activity when unpleasant emotional content is encountered, or if existing differences in the brain influence the type of bacteria that reside in the gut.

In either case, however, the findings could lead to important changes in how we perceive human emotions.

Source: University of California, Los Angeles Health Sciences

APA Reference Pedersen, T. (2017). Gut Bacteria May Be Linked to Mood, Behavior in Healthy Humans. Psych Central. Retrieved on July 5, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2017/07/05/gut-bacteria-may-be-linked-to-mood-behavior-in-healthy-humans/122846.html

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Gut Bacteria May Be Linked to Mood, Behavior in Healthy Humans - PsychCentral.com

Human Behavior

What moral code should your self-driving car follow? – Popular Science

Imagine you are driving down the street when two peopleone child and one adultstep onto the road. Hitting one of them is unavoidable. You have a terrible choice. What do you do?

Now imagine that the car is driverless. What happens then? Should the car decide?

Until now, no one believed that autonomous carsrobotic vehicles that operate without human control could make moral and ethical choices, an issue that has been central to the ongoing debate about their use. But German scientists now think otherwise. They believe eventually it may be possible to introduce elements of morality and ethics into self-driving cars.

To be sure, most human drivers will never face such an agonizing dilemma. Nevertheless, with many millions of cars on the road, these situations do occur occasionally, said Leon Stfeld, a researcher in the Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Osnabrck and lead author of a new study modeling ethics for self-driving cars. The paper, published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, was co-authored by Gordon Pipa, Peter Knig, and Richard Gast, all of the institute.

The concept of driverless cars has grown in popularity as a way to combat climate change, since these autonomous vehicles drive more efficiently than most humans. They avoid rapid acceleration and braking, two habits that waste fuel. Also, a fleet of self-driving cars could travel close together on the highway to cut down on drag, thereby saving fuel. Driverless cars will also encourage car-sharing, reducing the number of cars on the road and possibly making private car ownership unnecessary.

Improved safety is also an energy saver. [Driverless cars] are expected to cause fewer accidents, which means fewer cars need to be produced to replace the crashed ones, providing another energy savings, Stfeld said. The technology could help [fight climate change] in many ways.

The study suggests that cars can be programmed to model human moral behaviors involving choice, deciding which of multiple possible collisions would be the best option. Scientists placed human subjects into immersive virtual reality settings to study behavior in simulated traffic scenarios. They then used the data to design algorithms for driverless cars that could enable them to cope with potentially tragic predicaments on the road just as humans would.

Participants drove a car in a typical suburban neighborhood on a foggy day when they suddenly faced collision with an animal, humans or an inanimate object, such as a trash can, and had to decide what or whom to spare. For example, adult or child? Human or animal? Dog or other animal? In the study, children fared better than adults. The dog was the most valued animal, the others being a goat, deer and boar.

When it comes to humans versus animals, most people would certainly agree that the well-being of humans must be the first priority, Stfeld said. But from the perspective of the self-driving car, everything is probabilistic. Most situations arent as clear cut as should I kill the dog, or the human? It is more likely should I kill the dog with near certainty, or alternatively spare the dog but take a 5 percent chance of a minor injury to a human? Adhering to strict rules, such as always deciding in favor of the human, might just not feel right for many.

Other variables also come into play. For example, was the person at fault? Did the adult look for cars before stepping into the street? Did the child chase a ball into the street without stopping to think? Also, how many people are in harms way?

The German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure attempted to answer these questions in a recent report. It defined 20 ethical principles for self-driving cars, several of which stand at odds with the choices humans made in Stfelds experiment. For example, the ministrys report says that a child who runs onto the road is more to blameand less worthy of savingthan an adult standing on the footpath as a non-involved party. Moreover, it declares it unacceptable to take a potential victims age into account.

Most peopleat least in Europe and very likely also Northern American cultureswould save a child over an adult or elderly person, Stfeld said. We could debate whether or not we want cars to behave like humans, or whether we want them to comply to categorical rules such as the ones provided by the ethics committee report.

Peter Knig, a study co-author, believes their research creates more quandaries than it solves, as sometimes happens in science. Now that we know how to implement human ethical decisions into machines we, as a society, are still left with a double dilemma, he said. Firstly, we have to decide whether moral values should be included in guidelines for machine behavior and secondly, if they are, should machines should act just like humans?

The study doesnt seek to answer these questions, only to demonstrate that it is possible to model ethical and moral decision-making in driverless cars, using clues as to how humans would act. The authors are trying to lay the groundwork for additional studies and further debate.

It would be rather simple to implement, as technology certainly isnt the limiting factor here, Stfeld said. The question is how we as a society want the cars to handle this kind of situation, and how the laws should be written. What should be allowed and what shouldnt? In order to come to an informed opinion, its certainly very useful to know how humans actually do behave when theyre facing such a decision.

Marlene Cimons writes for Nexus Media, a syndicated newswire covering climate, energy, policy, art and culture.

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What moral code should your self-driving car follow? - Popular Science

Cell Biology

University faculty uncover how yeast cells react to stress, discover implications for humans – The Michigan Daily

University of Michigan researchers have found the first-ever early protection mechanism for cells under stress, reacting faster than the conventional gene expression pathways already known.

Using bakers yeast for the study allowed researchers to ask open-ended questions, since fundamental pathways in yeast have thus far been homologous to those in animal cells.Yeast is often used to study cellular biology for its simple structure.

Natsuko Jin,a researcher with the Life Sciences Institute and the first author of the study, explained the role of the newly-discovered mechanism in a press release, saying it was "like a first responder rushing to an alarm while the larger response team mobilizes."

The research findings, published in The Journal of Cell Biology, showed this first responder pathway helps yeast cells adapt to stress. In this study, specifically, cells under stress are those exposed to an environment of high salt concentration, called "high osmolarity." The key role player in this early protection pathway is the production of lipid PI3,5P2, which increases within five minutes of salt exposure.

The findings encompass eight years of research at the University Life Science Institute. Though it has been long-known in the field that PI3,5P2 spikes in response to stress,Jin pursued research of this realm because prior to this study, the physiological role of PI3,5P2 was unknown. Her mentors encouraged her to explore the lipid and its biological implications. Though the study used yeast, Jin said its findings could apply to many other species.

Since many of key players in this early protection pathway have been conserved through humans, other mammals, plants and yeasts, this indicates that this and other types of early protection pathways may exist more broadly and may respond to different types of cellular stress in many species, Jin said.

Researchers went on to test what would happen if Fab1p, an enzyme that synthesizes PI3,5P2, was removed. They found over 80 percent of the yeast was dead in the high salt environment without Fab1p. On the other hand, when researchers removed the slower response pathway, only 30 percent died, demonstrating just how critical the newly discovered-pathway is to cell preservation.

LSA junior Susan Wager, a cellular and molecular biology major, found the study to be fascinating. As pre-med student, Wager was intrigued by the possible implications these findings have on the cells of animals, including humans.

I would be interested to see if these findings can be replicated on more complex cells, Wager said. If there is a first responder mechanism in human cells, imagine all the cell damage that could be prevented. This is potentially revolutionary in science research.

Researchers found kinases Pho85p and corresponding cyclin Pho80p do not make signaling lipid PI3,5P2, regardless of if the environment was of normal or high osmolarity. Rather, the findings showed, in high osmolarity, Pho85p phosphorylates Fab1p, which then goes on to synthesize PI3,5P2. Hence, Fab1p proves to be a major role player in this first responder pathway.

A similar rapid-response process also happens in the cells of mammals, prior to the conventional, long term pathway responding to high salt cell stress. Life Sciences Prof. Lois Weisman, the studys third author, found this promising for more complex forms of life.

Even in our own bodies, where our cells are more protected because we have all these different kinds of physiological regulations, we also experience stress, Weisman said. It interests me that that all along I believed, just like everyone else, that there was this relatively long-term protection mechanism ... and what we found is that theres actually this early protection mechanism.

As for the future for the Weisman lab, researchers will look at neurons to see if there is a similar first responder pathway present, homologous to yeast cells.

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University faculty uncover how yeast cells react to stress, discover implications for humans - The Michigan Daily

Cell Biology

Germany and Poland launch research ‘twinning’ effort – Nature.com

Germany and Poland are to jointly fund top scientists to start research groups at Polish institutes, in a scheme that could provide a new blueprint for eastwest research collaboration in the European Union.

On 4 July, the two nations announced the Dioscuri programmenamed after the ancient Greek word for the mythological twin brothers Castor and Pollux which will provide ten scientists with up to 3 million (US$3.4 million) each over the next decade, to establish their own centres of excellence in Poland.

The programme aims to boost research excellence in the EUs less-developed science regions, and is overseen by Germanys prestigious Max Planck Society (MPS). If successful, it will be extended to nearby EU countries, says society president Martin Stratmann.

The society already has connections with the EUs largest Eastern European country: it operates two research groups with sites in Poland, but they are entirely Polish-funded. By contrast, the new centres will get half of their funding from Germany. Polands National Science Centre, a government research-funding agency in Krakow, will manage the centres, and the MPS will oversee an international committee to select the winning scientists. Calls for applications will go out in November.

The programme is modelled on the MPSs Minerva scheme, which has supported research in Israel along similar lines for more than 50 years, albeit with different historical roots. Minerva was designed to build bridges between the two countries after the Second World War.

The EU has already spent hundreds of millions of euros on twinning and teaming initiatives that fund centres of excellence at labs in poorer regions, formed in partnership with elite institutions in richer countries. But critics say these programmes are heavily bureaucratic, are influenced by political and geographical factors as well as research excellence, and focus on centres of technological innovation rather than on individual scientists. Why should a research programme focus on business and innovation when what we really need is a culture of excellence? says molecular biologist Maciej ylicz, president of the Foundation for Polish Science, a large research-funding agency in Warsaw.

Poland does participate in the EU programmes, but has not done particularly well. This year, for example, institutions in the country won just 3 out of 30 EU teaming grants whereas those in the Czech Republic received 6, and those in tiny Cyprus scored 9. (The European Parliament raised queries about Cypruss surprising performance, but research commissioner Carlos Moedas responded in June that the competition was impartial and fair, and put the discrepancy down to a relatively low number of applications overall.)

Stratmann says that the EU teaming initiatives encourage wise spending of the blocs funds on science, although they are not based on excellence alone. But the EU money has to fall on fertile ground, he saysand the Dioscuri initiative could help on that score.

Such lean and less-bureaucratic efforts that focus on individual researchers have the best chance of closing the EUs eastwest gap in science, says Tomasz Dietl, a semiconductor physicist at the Polish Academy of Sciences Institute of Physics in Warsaw. This is the right way to go to improve the quality of research here, he says.

Poland is a land of opportunity now, with an excellent national granting system, says Marcin Nowotny, a group leader at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw and one of a few scientists in Poland who have received grants from the European Research Council. But it needs more entry points and a Max Planck-stamped programme will help exactly this.

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Germany and Poland launch research 'twinning' effort - Nature.com

Biochemistry

MCI order on signing med reports causes stir- The New Indian Express – The New Indian Express

BENGALURU:A communication by the Medical Council of India saying that only those who have registered with MCI and state medical councils will be allowed to sign on medical reports has received opposition from the hospital sector. This recent decision by MCI will keep all pathologists and those with MSc or MD in biochemistry, microbiology, medical microbiology away from signing certificates, health and medical reports.

At present, MSc and PhD holders in medical microbiology, medical biochemistry, life sciences, applied biology, cutogenetics and biotechnology are allowed to sign medical test reports. But this new decision by MCI will restrict MSc and PhD holders to only teaching. A senior professor of a medical college in the city said, These are allied sciences and MCI cant restrict them to teaching. If MCI says only those registered with MCI can sign health and medical reports, then only MBBS doctors can sign. These pathology lab reports are system generated and they dont need an MBBS holder to sign them, said another senior pathologist.

Many in the sector have raised the issue with Union health minister J P Nadda on Twitter and some have even asked HRD minister Prakash Javadekar to remove MSc in biochemistry and microbiology courses from the purview of U GC.

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MCI order on signing med reports causes stir- The New Indian Express - The New Indian Express

Physiology

Welcome to University Of Botswana :: Job Opportunities … – University of Botswana

Last Date of Apply : 19.07.2017

Date of Posting : 04.07.2017

Faculty / Department : Faculty of Medicine

Job Detail:

TECHNICIAN (PHYSIOLOGICAL AND/OR MICROBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES) VACANCY NO. IRC 721

Duties: The successful applicant will be expected to work in Human Physiology and/or Microbiology laboratories under the tutelage of the physiology and/or microbiology teams, ensuring that laboratories are effectively managed, serviced and maintained. The successful candidate will be expected to (i) Manage the human physiology and microbiology laboratories and other sections under their area of responsibility (ii) manage and service laboratory equipment (iii) instruct users in the correct use of equipment (iv) maintain stocks of consumables (v) liaise with researchers, academic staff and chief technician on the procurement of equipment and materials (vi) maintain a safe working environment in the areas of responsibility (vii) mentor junior technical staff.

Requirements: Applicants must have (i) at least a Diploma or Degree in the relevant field and at least two years experience post qualification experience in a technical role in a human physiology/microbiology or related laboratory. They should demonstrate good technical, administrative and supervisory skills and familiarity with IT.

How to Apply:

Applicants should address the stated qualifications and provide any other information to assist the University to determine your suitability for the position. They should quote the vacancy number of the post applied for, provide current CVs (including telephone and telefax numbers, and e-mail), certified true copies of educational certificates and, names, addresses and contact details of three referees. Applicants should inform their referees to (i) quote the vacancy number (ii) position applied for, and (iii) submit their references directly to the address stated below before the stipulated closing date. Send your application to: The Human Resources Manager, Faculty of Medicine, Private Bag UB 00713 Gaborone, Botswana. Tel. (267) 355 2884 Fax (267) 355 4738. E-mail to kgomotso.maribe@mopipi.ub.bw or boikanyego.otumiseng@mopipi.ub.bw

Hand delivered applications should be submitted to Office No. UB Academic Hospital at 3rd Floor, Block F Office 4003 or 4004.

NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

CLOSING DATE: 19 JULY 2017

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Welcome to University Of Botswana :: Job Opportunities ... - University of Botswana

Embryology

Ferring Announces New Analysis of Rekovelle Data Relating to … – Business Wire (press release)

SAINT-PREX, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ferring Pharmaceuticals announced today a new analysis of Rekovelle (follitropin delta) data that showed cumulative live birth rates were similar between women receiving Rekovelle and conventional follitropin alfa treatment.1 In addition, Rekovelle data from a separate new analysis showed a favourable safety profile in women with high anti-Mllerian hormone (AMH) levels.2 These analyses of the ESTHER-1 and ESTHER-2 Phase III clinical trials3,4 were presented today at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Rekovelles individualised dosing regimen, based on a patients AMH level and body weight, provides clinicians with a consistent, evidence-based approach to personalising treatment for their patients, said Per Falk, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Ferring Pharmaceuticals. These new Rekovelle analyses add further evidence for a personalised approach to fertility treatment for patients.

A new analysis of the ESTHER-1 and ESTHER-2 trials showed that in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF), the cumulative live birth rate for fresh embryo transfers after three treatment cycles was 43.9% (292/665) with Rekovelle and 44.5% (294/661) with follitropin alfa.1 In addition, ongoing pregnancy rate was 45.1% (300/665) and 45.7% (302/661), respectively.1 The ESTHER trials3,4 were not powered for this analysis, so no confirmatory conclusions can be derived.

A separate new analysis of the ESTHER-1 trial was conducted to evaluate ongoing pregnancy rates, early ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and preventive interventions for early OHSS in women with different AMH levels.2 For women with high AMH 35 pmol/L (13% of the trial population) the incidence of early OHSS with Rekovelle was lower (4.7%, 4/86) compared with conventional follitropin alfa dosing (11.9%, 10/84). The number of patients requiring preventive interventions for early OHSS was also lower (4.7%, 4/86 and 23.8%, 20/84 respectively). In addition, patients maintained ongoing pregnancy rate.2 The ESTHER trials3,4 were not powered for this analysis, so no confirmatory conclusions can be derived.

- ENDS -

About Rekovelle(follitropin delta) Rekovelle is the first recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) derived from a human cell line (PER.C6 cell line).3,5,6,7 It has been developed for individualised dosing based on a patients body weight and serum AMH level, as determined by a companion diagnostic, the Elecsys AMH Plus immunoassay from Roche.3,8,9 Rekovelle is structurally and biochemically distinct from other existing recombinant FSH treatments.3,5,6,7

Rekovelle received Marketing Authorisation from the European Commission (EC) in December 2016.

About the ESTHER trials ESTHER-1 (Evidence-based Stimulation Trial with Human recombinant FSH in Europe and Rest of World) is a Phase 3, randomised, assessor-blind, controlled trial of 1326 patients in 11 countries undergoing their first ART cycle. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive treatment with individualised Rekovelle, a fixed daily dose based on serum anti-Mllerian hormone (AMH) levels and body weight, or conventional follitropin alfa dosing. The co-primary endpoints of ongoing pregnancy rates and ongoing implantation rates were met and results showed no difference between the two treatment arms. Results of the ESTHER-1 trial were published in the February 2017 issue of Fertility & Sterility.3

ESTHER-2 is a Phase 3, assessor-blind, controlled trial evaluating the immunogenicity of Rekovelle in a subset of ESTHER-1 patients undergoing repeated cycles of controlled ovarian stimulation for ART. Data demonstrated no increased immunogenicity risk with Rekovelle after exposure in repeated cycles.4

About AMH and OHSS AMH is a biomarker used to assess ovarian reserve and can help predict ovarian response.10 Women with high AMH levels are at an increased risk of developing OHSS, a potential complication of IVF treatment.11,12 Symptoms of early OHSS may include abdominal distension or discomfort, nausea and vomiting. In more severe cases OHSS can lead to large amounts of ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity), shortness of breath, blood clots, dehydration and potentially, death.11

The prevalence of OHSS in women undergoing IVF varies according to severity, with cases of OHSS experienced by 2033% (mild), 36% (moderate) and 0.12% (severe) of women.13 A recent report suggested that OHSS is an underreported side effect of ovarian stimulation and the real world incidence may be higher.14 In addition to the impact on patients, the treatment of OHSS is associated with significant costs to the healthcare system.15 In the UK for example, the cost of treating moderate and severe cases of OHSS is estimated to be over 7 million every year.15,16

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals Headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. A leader in reproductive and maternal health, Ferring has been developing treatments for mothers and babies for over 50 years. Today, over one third of the companys research and development investment goes towards finding innovative treatments to help mothers and babies, from conception to birth. The company also identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of urology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and orthopaedics. Ferring has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries and markets its products in 110 countries. For further information on Ferring or its products, visit http://www.ferring.com.

About the ElecsysAMH Plus immunoassay from Roche The Elecsys AMH Plus immunoassay from Roche has been shown to provide a precise, reliable and robust measurement of AMH levels.8,9,17,18,19,20 This fully automated Elecsys AMH Plus immunoassay, run on the cobase and Elecsys immunoassay analysers, determines AMH levels in 18 minutes, making it appropriate for routine clinical use. The Elecsys AMH Plus immunoassay is intended to be used for assessment of ovarian reserve, prediction of response to COS and establishment of the individual daily dose of Rekovelle in combination with body weight in COS for the development of multiple follicles in women undergoing an assisted reproductive technology programme.8,9,17,18,19,20

References

1 Havelock J, Bosch E, Sanchez F, et al. Cumulative ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates following repeated controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) cycles using individualised follitropin delta dosing compared to conventional follitropin alfa dosing [abstract] In: 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE); 2017; Geneva, Switzerland. Abstract no. 0-168

2 La Marca A, Nelson S, Gothberg M, et al. The impact of serum anti-Mllerian hormone (AMH) levels on clinical outcome of individualized follitropin delta dosing and conventional follitropin alfa dosing in controlled ovarian stimulation [abstract]. In: 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE); 2017; Geneva, Switzerland. Abstract no. 0-174

3 Nyboe Andersen A, Nelson SM, Fauser BC, et al. Individualised versus conventional ovarian stimulation for an in vitro fertilization: a multicenter, randomized, controlled assessor-blinded, phase 3 noninferiority trial. Fertil Steril. 2017: 107(2): 387-396

4 Buur Rasmussen A et al. Low immunogenicity potential of follitropin delta, a recombinant FSH preparation produced from a human cell line: Results from phase 3 trials (ESTHER-1 and ESTHER-2). Human Reproduction 2016; 31: 385

5 Rekovelle Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/33324 [Last accessed: June 2017]

6 Arce JC, Andersen AN, Fernndez-Snchez M, et al. Ovarian response to recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone: a randomized, antimullerian hormonestratified, doseresponse trial in women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Fertil Steril. 2014;102(6):16331640

7 Olsson H, Sandstrm R, Grundemar L. Different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) derived from a human cell line compared with rFSH from a non-human cell line. J Clin Pharmacol. 2014; 54(11):12991307

8 Deeks ED. Elecsys AMH assay: a review in anti-Mllerian hormone quantification and assessment of ovarian reserve. Mol Diagn Ther. 2015; 19: 245-249

9 Roche Diagnostics. Elecsys AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone): Method sheet. 2015. https://pim-eservices.roche.com. [Last accessed June 2017]

10 La Marca A, Sighinolfi G, Radi D, et al. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) as a predictive marker in assisted reproductive technology (ART). Hum Reprod Update. 2010; 16(2):113-130

11 OHSS Symptoms and Causes. Patient Care and Health Information. Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ovarian-hyperstimulation-syndrome-ohss/symptoms-causes/dxc-20263586 [Last accessed: June 2017]

12 Salmassi A, Mettler L, et al. Cut-Off Levels of Anti-Mullerian Hormone for the Prediction of Ovarian Response, In Vitro Fertilization Outcome and Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. Int J Fertil Steril. 2015; 9(2): 157-167

13 Delvigne A, Rozenberg S, et al. Epidemiology and prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): a review. Hum Reprod Update. 2002; 8(6): 559-577

14 Thomsen L, Humaidan P, et al. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in the 21st century: the role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist trigger and kisspeptin. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2015; 27(3): 210-214

15 Yates AP, Rustamov O, Roberts SA, et al. Anti-Mullerian hormone-tailored stimulation protocols improve outcomes whilst reducing adverse effects and costs of IVF. Hum Reprod. 2011; 26(9): 2353-2362

16 Fertility Treatment in 2014 Trends and Figures Report. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/HFEA_Fertility_treatment_Trends_and_figures_2014.pdf [Last accessed June 2017]

17 Gassner D, Jung R. First fully automated immunoassay for anti-Mllerian hormone. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2014;52(8):1143-1152

18 Anderson RA, Anckaert E, Bosch E, et al. Prospective study into the value of the automated Elecsys antimllerian hormone assay for the assessment of the ovarian growing follicle pool. Fertil Steril. 2015;103(4):107480.e4

19 Nelson SM, Pastuszek E, Kloss G, et al. Two new automated, compared with two enzyme-linked immunosorbent antimllerian hormone assays. Fertil Steril. 2015;104(4):1016-1021.e6

20 Hyldgaard J, Bor P, Ingerslev HJ, et al. Comparison of two different methods for measuring anti-mullerian hormone in a clinical series. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2015;13(1):107

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Ferring Announces New Analysis of Rekovelle Data Relating to ... - Business Wire (press release)

Embryology

IVF babies more likely to become overweight – TV3 Xpos – TV3.ie

4th Jul 17 | Fitness & Wellbeing

Infants who begin life in a lab will end up heavier than peers who were conceived naturally, experts claim.

Babies born through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment are more likely to be overweight, new research has discovered.

Experts from Maastricht University in the Netherlands claim that 'test tube' infants' genes are altered through the process and they weigh on average 1.5 pounds (700grams) more than babies conceived naturally by nine years old.

It's thought youngsters hold onto fat when not starting out in their mother's tummy, leading them to become heavier as time goes on.

To come to their conclusions, the researchers looked at 136 children born through IVF in the Netherlands. Focusing on youths aged nine-and-a-half and of average height, it was found that they came in at 1.5 pounds heavier than those of the same age and stature who didn't begin life in a laboratory.

The hormones in which women take in order to harvest their eggs could be the reason why the cells in the embryo change, causing the babies to store more fat.

"This is enough of a weight difference to be concerning, because overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults. We think IVF children may be predisposed to cardiovascular problems, including heart problems, in later life. They may be programmed wrongly by IVF to store food as fat throughout their lives," lead researcher Dr. Heleen Zandstra said.

Referring to the chemicals used during IVF, Dr. Zandstra noted it may mean infants are born smaller, but the weight issues will emerge later down the line.

"(The chemicals) might change the way the baby absorbs nutrients, or how the placenta passes them on," she added. "At an older age, this may cause a child born smaller to store more food as fat, because their body wants to make sure they get enough."

The study was presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Geneva.

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IVF babies more likely to become overweight - TV3 Xpos - TV3.ie

Embryology

Male partner’s age can affect IVF delivery success: Study – Independent Online

The study of almost 19 000 IFV treatment cycles showed a decline in the success rate with increasing male partner age.

"Our study found an independent effect of male age on the cumulative incidence of live birth," said investigator Laura Dodge from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, US.

The study, scheduled to be presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology meeting in Geneva on Tuesday, was an analysis of all IVF cycles performed at a large IVF centre in the Boston region between 2000 and 2014, a total of almost 19 000 cycles performed in 7753 couples.

The female partners in these cycles were stratified according to four age bands - under 30, 30-35 years, 35-40 years and 40-42.

Men were stratified into these same four age bands, with an additional band of 42 and over.

As expected, the cumulative live birth rate (measured from up to six cycles of treatment) was lowest in those couples where the female partner was in the 40-42 age band, and in this group the age of the male partner had no impact, demonstrating the dominant detrimental effect of female age.

However, within the other bands of female age, the cumulative incidence of live birth was significantly affected by male partner age and was found to decline as the man grew older.

For example, in couples with a female partner aged under 30, a male partner aged 40-42 was associated with a significantly lower cumulative birth rate (46 percent) than a male partner aged 30-35 (73 percent).

Similarly, in couples with a female partner aged 35-40 years live birth rates were higher with a younger than with an older male partner.

"Women aged 35-40 did significantly benefit from having a male partner who is under age 30, in that they see a nearly 30% relative improvement in cumulative incidence of live birth when compared to women whose partner is 30-35 - from 54 percent to 70 percent," Dodge said.

For women between ages 30 and 35, having a partner who is older than they are is associated with approximately 11 percent relative decreases in cumulative incidence of live birth when compared with having a male partner within their same age band, Dodge said.

In natural conceptions increasing male age is associated with a decreased incidence of pregnancy, increased time to pregnancy, and increased risk of miscarriage, Dodge noted.

The mechanisms, she added, are unclear but may include impaired semen parameters, increased DNA damage in sperm, and epigenetic alterations in sperm that affect fertilisation, implantation, or embryo development.

-IANS

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Male partner's age can affect IVF delivery success: Study - Independent Online

Genetics

Genetics causing arthritis possibly helped humans survive Ice Age – The Indian Express

By: IANS | New York | Published:July 4, 2017 10:51 pm Mutations in the gene called GDF5 resulted in shorter bones that led to a compact body structure while reducing the risk of bone fracture from falling. Thus, it also favoured early humans to better withstand frostbite. (Source: File photo)

A genetic change associated with shorter stature and increased risk of arthritis might have helped our ancestors survive the Ice Age, a study has showed. The findings showed that mutations in the gene called GDF5 resulted in shorter bones that led to a compact body structure while reducing the risk of bone fracture from falling. Thus, it also favoured early humans to better withstand frostbite as well as helped them migrate from Africa to colder northern climates between 50,000 and 100,000 years ago.

These advantages in dealing with chilly temperatures and icy surfaces may have outweighed the threat of osteoarthritis, which usually occurs after a prime reproductive age, the researchers said. The variant that decreases height is lowering the activity of GDF5 in the growth plates of the bone.

Interestingly, the region that harbours this variant is closely linked to other mutations that affect GDF5 activity in the joints, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis in the knee and hip, said Terence Capellini, Associate Professor at the Harvard University. For the study, published in the journal Nature, the team examined gene GDF5 first linked to skeletal growth in the early 1990s to learn more about how the DNA sequences surrounding GDF5 might affect the genes expression.

They identified a single nucleotide change that is highly prevalent in Europeans and Asians but rarely occurs in Africans. Introducing this nucleotide change into laboratory mice revealed that it decreased the activity of GDF5 in the growth plates of the long bones of foetal mice. The potential medical impact of the finding is very interesting because so many people are affected, said David Kingsley, Professor at the Stanford University.

This is an incredibly prevalent, and ancient, variant. Many people think of osteoarthritis as a kind of wear-and-tear disease, but theres clearly a genetic component at work here as well. Now weve shown that positive evolutionary selection has given rise to one of the most common height variants and arthritis risk factors known in human populations, Kingsley said.

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Genetics causing arthritis possibly helped humans survive Ice Age - The Indian Express