Oocyte euploidy, pronuclear zygote morphology and embryo chromosomal complement

BACKGROUND: Pronuclear morphology has been proposed as an indicator of embryo development and chromosomal complement. In this study, the morphology of pronuclear zygotes generated from euploid oocytes [diagnosed by first polar body (PB1) analysis] was evaluated and compared with the configurations observed in chromosomally normal embryos (diagnosed by blastomere analysis). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Group 1--238 patients underwent 273 assisted conception cycles in combination with the screening of aneuploidy on PB1 for the chromosomes 13, 15, 16, 18, 21 and 22. Only normal oocytes were inseminated. Group 2--218 patients underwent 318 assisted conception cycles with aneuploidy screening on day 3 embryos. In both groups, oocytes were checked for fertilization and pronuclear morphology at 16 h after insemination. RESULTS: Seventy-three percent of zygotes from Group 1 had the configurations with centralized and juxtaposed pronuclei, large-size aligned or scattered nucleoli and PB located in the longitudinal or perpendicular axis of pronuclei. In Group 2, these configurations corresponded to those with the highest proportion of chromosomally normal embryos. Accordingly, in both groups, these configurations had a higher implantation rate than all the others. CONCLUSIONS: These observations confirm that some patterns of pronuclear morphology are associated with a higher proportion of euploidy and implantation reaffirming the relevance of this scoring system for the prediction of zygote viability.     

Initiating Mechanism of the Anionic Polymerization of Methacrylates with t‐BuOK and the Synthesis of ABA Type Triblock Copolymers

Using potassium tert‐butoxide (t‐BuOK) as initiator, anionic polymerization and copolymerization of the methacrylate monomers are carried out in tetrahydrofuran at 0 °C or above. The polymers are characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H‐NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). There is a critical concentration of the active species in t‐BuOK, above which no matter how much more t‐BuOK is added, it has no initiation activity. Among the active species of t‐BuOK, the main part possesses large average vibration distance between anion–cation pairs, which can initiate all methacrylate monomers in this study. While another part of the active species possesses the small average vibration distance, which can only initiate the polymerization of methyl methacrylate at slow rate. It provides an supporting evidence for the “channel idea” proposed previously. Finally, poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(lauryl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA‐b‐PLMA‐b‐PMMA) three‐block copolymer is synthesized. This study paves the way for the synthesis of thermoplastic elastomers with full polar monomers and full saturated chains by anionic polymerization.     

Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid dietary recommendations are moderately efficient in optimizing their status in healthy middle-aged subjects with low fish consumption: a cross-over study

Several dietary recommendations have been made for marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake; however, the effectiveness of these fatty acids has not been thoroughly examined. The aim of this study was to investigate whether public-aimed dietary recommendations for long-chain n-3 PUFA from oily fish or fish oil supplements are efficient in optimizing their status in red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets of healthy middle-aged subjects with low customary fish consumption. In a randomized, cross-over trial conducted over an 8-week period and separated by a 6-month washout period, 33 participants received an oily fish (salmon), providing 274 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + 671 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day, or a commercial fish oil supplement, providing 396 mg EPA + 250 mg DHA per day. Blood samples were collected before and after each intervention period, and RBCs and platelets were used for analysis of fatty acids. After 8 weeks, there were significant increases in EPA and DHA content in RBCs and platelets with both salmon and fish oil capsules. The increase in EPA in both RBCs and platelets was higher with capsules, whereas the increase in DHA in both RBCs and platelets was higher with salmon. In spite of the quantitative and qualitative differences between n-3 fatty acid profiles in salmon and the fish oil supplement, the overall incorporation of these fatty acids into RBCs and platelets did not differ in our short-term study (P > .05). The sum of EPA + DHA significantly increased in both compartments following dietary recommendations for oily fish and fish oil supplements intake in middle-aged healthy subjects with low baseline long-chain n-3 PUFA status, although targeted values with optimal cardioprotective effect of more than 8% were not achieved.     

Intermediate Outcomes and Predictors of Efficacy in the Radiofrequency Ablation of 100 Pathologically Proven Renal Cell Carcinomas

PurposeTo determine oncologic outcomes and predictors of primary efficacy, including RENAL nephrometry scores (radius, exophytic/endophytic properties, nearness of tumor to collecting system or sinus, anterior/posterior, location relative to polar lines), after percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation of proven renal cell carcinoma (RCC).Materials and MethodsPatients who underwent percutaneous computed tomography– and ultrasound-guided RF ablation for histologically proven RCC from 2004 to 2011 were evaluated. Clinical data, pathologic findings, technical details, and outcomes were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of primary technique effectiveness and complications. Local tumor progression–free, metastasis-free, and overall survival were calculated. One hundred RCC lesions underwent 115 RF ablation sessions in 84 patients. Median follow-up was 24 months (mean, 27 mo; range, 1–106 mo).ResultsEfficacy of RF ablation was defined per International Working Group of Image-Guided Tumor Ablation criteria. Total, primary, and secondary technique effectiveness rates were 95% (95 of 100), 86% (86 of 100), and 9% (nine of 100), respectively. Primary efficacy was associated with size (P < .001), proximity to collecting system (P = .001), RENAL nephrometry score (P < .001), and number of ablation zones (P < .001). Complications occurred in 13% of patients, without procedure-related deaths. The median 2.1-year local progression–free, metastasis-free, disease-specific, and overall survival rates were 86%, 98.7%, 100%, and 97.6%, respectively.ConclusionsPercutaneous image-guided RF ablation for RCC provides excellent intermediate oncologic control. Location, size, proximity to the collecting system, low RENAL nephrometry score, and number of ablation zones predict primary efficacy.     

Relation between thallium-201/iodine 123-BMIPP subtraction and fluorine 18 deoxyglucose polar maps in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Clinical studies have shown discrepancies in the distribution of thallium-201 and iodine 123-beta-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Myocardial uptake of fluorine 18 deoxyglucose (FDG) is increased in the hypertrophic area in HCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined whether the distribution of a Tl-201/BMIPP subtraction polar map correlates with that of an FDG polar map. We normalized to maximum count each Tl-201 and BMIPP bull's-eye polar map of 6 volunteers and obtained a standard Tl-201/BMIPP subtraction polar map by subtracting a normalized BMIPP bull's-eye polar map from a normalized Tl-201 bull's-eye polar map. The Tl-201/BMIPP subtraction polar map was then applied to 8 patients with HCM (mean age 65+/-12 years) to evaluate the discrepancy between Tl-201 and BMIPP distribution. We compared the Tl-201/BMIPP subtraction polar map with an FDG polar map. In patients with HCM, the Tl-201/BMIPP subtraction polar map showed a focal uptake pattern in the hypertrophic area similar to that of the FDG polar map. By quantitative analysis, the severity score of the Tl-201/BMIPP subtraction polar map was significantly correlated with the percent dose uptake of the FDG polar map. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that this new quantitative method may be an alternative to FDG positron emission tomography for the routine evaluation of HCM.     

早期补救卵胞浆内单精子注射在常规受精失败周期中的应用

目的评估早期补救卵胞浆内单精子注射(r-ICSI)在常规体外受精(IVF)失败(低下)中的有效性。方法对59周期因全部受精失败或受精率低下进行早期r-ICSI受精(部分受精失败38周期,全部受精失败21周期)的不孕患者资料进行回顾性分析,统计其受精率、卵裂率、胚胎质量、妊娠率及种植率,与同期常规ICSI周期的数据进行比较。结果与同期299ICSI周期相比,早期r-ICSI组受精率、2PN率、胚胎率、优质胚胎率、临床妊娠率和胚胎种植率均无明显差异,3PN率r-ICSI组明显升高。结论对常规IVF失败(低下)患者进行早期-rICSI受精可以得到正常受精、胚胎发育及妊娠,为患者提供了更多的妊娠机会,可以考虑作为IVF实验室的常规操作。     

卵胞浆内单精子注射后多原核合子发生的相关研究进展

多原核合子是常规体外受精-胚胎移植过程中的正常现象,卵胞浆内单精子注射(ICSI)避免了多精子受精造成的多原核合子,但仍有可能出现多原核合子.ICSI后多原核合子出现主要是由于第二极体排出异常造成,卵母细胞质量、男方精液情况以及ICSI操作技术本身都是多原核合子形成的影响因素.该文针对ICSI后多原核合子的产生机制、影响因素、妊娠结局及相应处理措施进行综述.