Follicular GH and IGF1 Levels Are Associated With Oocyte Cohort Quality: A Pilot Study

IntroductionOocyte quality contributes to the development of an optimal embryo and thus a successful pregnancy. The objective of this study was to analyse the association between oocyte cohort quality and the follicular levels of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4) and antithyroid antibodies, as a function of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.Material and methodsWe conducted a prospective comparative pilot study from January 2013 to December 2017. 59 ICSI cycles constituted an abnormal oocyte cohort (n=34 cycles, in which more than 50% of oocytes presented at least one morphological abnormality) and a normal oocyte cohort (n=25 cycles, in which 50% or less of the oocytes presented at least one morphological abnormality). GH, IGF1, 25OHD, TSH, fT3, fT4 and antithyroid antibodies were measured in follicular fluid.ResultsThe fertilisation rate was lower in the abnormal oocyte cohort (65.5% vs. 80%, respectively, p=0.012). Oocytes’ proportion with at least one abnormality was 79.4% in the abnormal oocyte cohort and 29.0% in the normal oocyte cohort. The mean number of morphological abnormalities per oocyte was significantly higher in the abnormal oocyte cohort. The follicular levels of GH (4.98 vs. 2.75 mIU/L, respectively; p <0.01) and IGF1 (72.1 vs. 54.2 ng/mL, respectively; p=0.05) were higher in the normal oocyte cohort. There was no association with follicular levels of TSH, fT3, fT4, antithyroid antibodies, or 25OHD.ConclusionOocyte cohort quality appears to be associated with follicular levels of GH and IGF1.

CIRCUMVALLATE PLACENTA COMPLICATING TO PRETERM PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES: A CASE REPORT

Circumvallate placenta, a morphological abnormality of placenta can be defined as a thickened placenta with a raised margin in an annular shape and it is thought to be the result of a membranous fold of chorion and amnion. A 23-year-old primigravida mother was presented with grossly reduced liquor due to preterm premature rupture of membranes at 32 weeks of gestation. The preterm baby was delivered by emergency caesarean section (category-2 caesarean section). A thorough gross examination of the placenta was done and a thickened circumvallate placenta was noted with a firm white annular margin and normal umbilical cord insertion. Histopathological findings were consistent with the diagnosis of circumvallate placenta. Routine gross examination of placenta is of immense important for better understanding of pregnancy complications due to placental abnormalities like circumvallate placenta.

Morphological abnormality in thornback ray Raja clavata in the Irish Sea

A free-swimming thornback ray Raja clavata specimen demonstrating significant morphological abnormality is reported, captured by beam trawl in the Irish Sea off north Wales, UK. The anterior sections of both pectoral fins were separated from the head section for a length of approximately 140 mm extending from the rostrum tip to a point posterior of the spiracles, along with abnormal morphology of the gill slits. This phenomenon has been observed elsewhere but is the first documented example of this abnormality in the eastern Irish Sea, despite widespread targeting of the species across the region by commercial and recreational fishers. Possible causes and consequences of the observed abnormality are discussed.

Computed Tomography-Aortography Versus Color-Duplex Ultrasound for Surveillance of Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Background Color-duplex ultrasonography (DUS) could be an alternative to computed tomography-aortography (CTA) in the lifelong surveillance of patients after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), but there is currently no level 1 evidence. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of DUS as an alternative to CTA for the follow-up of post-EVAR patients. Methods Between December 16, 2010, and June 12, 2015, we conducted a prospective, blinded, diagnostic-accuracy study, in 15 French university hospitals where EVAR was commonly performed. Participants were followed up using both DUS and CTA in a mutually blinded setup until the end of the study or until any major aneurysm-related morphological abnormality requiring reintervention or an amendment to the follow-up policy was revealed by CTA. Database was locked on October 2, 2017. Our main outcome measures were sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive and negative likelihood ratios of DUS against reference standard CTA. CIs are binomial 95% CI. Results This study recruited prospectively 659 post-EVAR patients of whom 539 (82%) were eligible for further analysis. Following the baseline inclusion visit, 940 additional follow-up visits were performed in the 539 patients. Major aneurysm-related morphological abnormalities were revealed by CTA in 103 patients (17.2/100 person-years [95% CI, 13.9–20.5]). DUS accurately identified 40 patients where a major aneurysm-related morphological abnormality was present (sensitivity, 39% [95% CI, 29–48]) and 403 of 436 patients with negative CTA (specificity, 92% [95% CI, 90–95]). The negative predictive value and positive predictive value of DUS were 92% (95% CI, 90–95) and 39% (95% CI, 27–50), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 4.87 (95% CI, 2.9–9.6). DUS sensitivity reached 73% (95% CI, 51–96) in patients requiring an effective reintervention. Conclusions DUS had an overall low sensitivity in the follow-up of patients after EVAR, but its performance improved meaningfully when the subset of patients requiring effective reinterventions was considered. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT01230203.

PENGARUH PEMBERIAN EKSTRAK KULIT BAGIAN DALAM SEMANGKA (Citrullus lanatus) TERHADAP KEUTUHAN MEMBRAN PLASMA DAN ABNORMALITAS MORFOLOGI TIKUS JANTAN (Rattus norvegicus) SETELAH DIPAPAR SUHU PANAS

This study aims to determined the effect of watermelon’s inner rind extract (Citrullus lanatus) towards the integrity of the plasma membrane and morphological abnormalities of male Norway rats’s spermatozoa (Rattus norvegicus) after being exposed to hot temperature. The content of lycopene in the inner rind of watermelon serves an antioxidant counteracting free radicals. A total of 20 male Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) were used in this study with an average age of 2 months. The study was divided into five treatments and four replications, consisting of: K(-) as negative control given CMC Na 0.5% as much as 0.5 ml, P0 as positive control was exposed to 40° C for 1 hour and CMC Na 0.5% of 0.5 ml. P1, P2 and P3 are exposed to 40° C for 1 hour and inner rind extracts of watermelon with a multilevel dose of P1: 20mg/head/day, P2: 40mg/head/day, and P3: 80mg/head/day that each dose was dissolved in CMC Na 0.5% of 0.5 ml. The results showed that giving inner rind extract of watermelon to the rats increased the integrity of the plasma membrane and decreased morphological abnormalities of male rat’s spermatozoa (Rattus norvegicus). The result of increased the integrity of the plasma membrane and highest decreased morphological abnormality was shown by P3 group given a dose of 80 mg/head/day.