Meiotic spindle and zona pellucida characteristics as predictors of embryonic development: a preliminary study using PolScope imaging

This study assesses meiotic spindle and zona pellucida characteristics using the PolScope, and analyses their relationship to embryonic development potential. A total of 205 matured oocytes retrieved from 25 patients undergoing ovarian stimulation were imaged for meiotic spindle and zona pellucida characteristics using the PolScope. After intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the oocytes were cultured and assessed for progression to blastocysts. Meiotic spindles were visualized in 78.0% of oocytes. Significantly more oocytes with visible spindles fertilized and progressed to blastocysts compared with oocytes without visible spindles. Oocytes with spindle retardance of >3 nm showed a greater progression to blastocysts compared with those with a retardance of 2-3 nm or <2 nm. More blastocysts were obtained from oocytes with spindle lengths of >12 nm than from oocytes with spindle lengths 10-12 nm or <10 nm. A difference in progression to blastocyst was observed in oocytes with a zona inner layer retardance of >3 nm compared with oocytes with retardance of 2-3 nm or <2 nm. Oocytes with an inner layer zona of 10-12 nm thickness showed better progression compared with those with a thickness of 8-10 nm or <8 nm. Quantitative measurement of length and retardance of the meiotic spindle and zona pellucida has a positive predictive value in relation to embryonic development.

Assessment of uterine cavity by hysteroscopy in assisted reproduction programme and its influence on pregnancy outcome

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate if the diagnosis and treatment of uterine cavity abnormalities by hysteroscopy in patients undergoing IVF programme is of any value in improving clinical pregnancy outcome.

METHODS

520 patients participated in this prospective randomized study and were classified into two groups. Group I (n = 265) without office hysteroscopy. Group II (n = 255) had office hysteroscopy and was sub classified into Group II a and Group II b. Group II a (n = 160) had normal hysteroscopic findings whereas Group II b (n = 95) had abnormal office hysteroscopy findings, which were corrected at the same time.

RESULT

There was no difference in the mean number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, and number of embryos transferred among the patients in different groups. Statistically significant difference was observed in terms of clinical pregnancy rates between Group I and Group II a (26.2 and 44.44%, P < 0.05), and Group I and Group II b (26.2 and 39.55%, P < 0.05), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Patients with recurrent IVF embryo transfer failures after normal hysterosalpingography findings should also be reevaluated using hysteroscopy prior to further commencing IVF-embryo transfer cycles in order to enhance the clinical pregnancy rates.

Successful pregnancy with laparoscopic oocyte retrieval and in-vitro fertilisation in mullerian agenesis

A 28-year-old woman with mullerian agenesis presented with primary infertility and was considered for laparoscopic oocyte retrieval and in-vitro fertilisation. Her 27-year-old younger sister served as a gestational carrier. The patient underwent ovarian stimulation and 11 mature oocytes were retrieved by laparoscopy. After successful in-vitro fertilisation, two embryos were transferred to the gestational carrier. Two weeks after embryo transfer, the pregnancy was confirmed by serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels. Another two weeks later, an ongoing singleton pregnancy with foetal heartbeat was confirmed by transvaginal ultrasonography.

Antidiabetic activity of a polyherbal preparation (tincture of panchparna) in normal and diabetic rats

The present work was executed to evaluate the anti-diabetic potency of a polyherbal formulation, and its influence on derangement in the metabolism of glucose and cholesterol and changes in sodium levels in serum and urine in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats. Serum glucose and serum cholesterol levels were found to be increased in diabetic animals. Serum sodium and urinary sodium, hepatic glycogen levels are found to be decreased in diabetic state. Treatment with the polyherbal formulation (1.0 ml/kg body wt) for 30 days in diabetic animals has shown decrease in serum glucose and serum cholesterol levels in comparison to control animals, whereas in normal treated animals, the formulation does not effect the serum glucose and serum cholesterol levels. Serum sodium and urinary sodium levels were increased in both diabetic treated and the control animals. Hepatic glycogen levels were increased in diabetic treated animals, but there was no change in the control treated animals.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitopes fused to anthrax toxin induce protective antiviral immunity

We have investigated the use of the protective antigen (PA) and lethal factor (LF) components of anthrax toxin as a system for in vivo delivery of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes. During intoxication, PA directs the translocation of LF into the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. Here we demonstrate that antiviral immunity can be induced in BALB/c mice immunized with PA plus a fusion protein containing the N-terminal 255 amino acids of LF (LFn) and an epitope from the nucleoprotein (NP) of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. We also demonstrate that BALB/c mice immunized with a single LFn fusion protein containing NP and listeriolysin O protein epitopes in tandem mount a CTL response against both pathogens. Furthermore, we show that NP-specific CTL are primed in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice when the mice are immunized with a single fusion containing two epitopes, one presented by Ld and one presented by Db. The data presented here demonstrate the versatility of the anthrax toxin delivery system and indicate that this system may be used as a general approach to vaccinate outbred populations against a variety of pathogens.

Determination of Optical Constants of Solgel-Derived Inhomogeneous TiO(2) Thin Films by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry and Transmission Spectroscopy

Amorphous and nanocrystalline TiO(2) thin films coated on a vitreous silica substrate by a solgel dip coating method are investigated for optical properties by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) together with transmission spectroscopy. A method of analysis of SE data to determine the degree of inhomogeneity of TiO(2) films has also been presented. Instead of the refractive index, the volume fraction of void has been assumed to vary along the thickness of the films and an excellent agreement between the experimental and calculated data of SE below the fundamental band gap has been obtained. The transmission spectrum of these samples is inverted to obtain the extinction coefficient k spectrum in the wavelength range of 300-1600 nm by using the refractive indices and parameters of structure determined by SE. The nonzero extinction coefficient below the fundamental band-gap energy (3.2 eV) has been obtained for the nanocrystalline TiO(2) and shows the presence of optical scattering in the film.