Statins inhibit blastocyst formation by preventing geranylgeranylation

PubMed Central

Alarcon, Vernadeth B.; Marikawa, Yusuke

2016-01-01

STUDY HYPOTHESIS Statins, inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase of the mevalonate pathway and prescription drugs that treat hypercholesterolemia, compromise preimplantation mouse development via modulation of HIPPO signaling. STUDY FINDING HMG-CoA reductase activity is required for trophectoderm specification, namely blastocyst cavity formation and Yes-associated protein (YAP) nuclear localization, through the production of isoprenoid geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) and the action of geranylgeranyl transferase. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous studies have shown that treatment of mouse embryos with mevastatin prevents blastocyst formation, but how HMG-CoA reductase is involved in preimplantation development is unknown. HIPPO signaling regulates specification of the trophectoderm lineage of the mouse blastocyst by controlling the nuclear localization of YAP. In human cell lines, the mevalonate pathway regulates YAP to mediate self-renewal and survival through geranylgeranylation of RHO proteins. These studies suggest that in preimplantation development, statins may act through HIPPO pathway to interfere with trophectoderm specification and thereby inhibit blastocyst formation. STUDY DESIGN, SAMPLES/MATERIALS, METHODS Eight-cell stage (E2.5) mouse embryos were treated in hanging drop culture with chemical agents, namely statins (lovastatin, atorvastatin, cerivastatin and pravastatin), mevalonic acid (MVA), cholesterol, squalene, farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), geranylgeranyltransferase inhibitor GGTI-298, RHO inhibitor I, and squalene synthase inhibitor YM-53601, up to the late blastocyst stage (E4.5). Efficiency of blastocyst formation was assessed based on gross morphology and the measurement of the cavity size using an image analysis software. Effects on cell lineages and HIPPO signaling were analyzed using immunohistochemistry with confocal microscopy based on the expression patterns of the

[The specificity of blastocysts (Rhizopoda: Lobosea)].

PubMed

Belova, L M; Krylov, M V

1994-01-01

The analysis of specificity of blastocysts was based on the data on host association and on experimental data. In experiments we failed to infect the geese (Anser anser) with Blastocystis galli taken from the fowl (Gallus gallus) and also failed to infect the fowl with B. suis taken from the pigs (Sus scrofa domestica). Experimental data and field observations of blastocysts distribution among different groups of hosts point out that the same species of blastocysts can not parasitize in hosts belonging to different classes and orders. The examination of 89 fish specimens belonging to 14 species of Osteichthyes taken from the Neman delta did not discover any blastocysts.

Clinical outcomes after IVF or ICSI using human blastocysts derived from oocytes containing aggregates of smooth endoplasmic reticulum.

PubMed

Itoi, Fumiaki; Asano, Yukiko; Shimizu, Masashi; Nagai, Rika; Saitou, Kanako; Honnma, Hiroyuki; Murata, Yasutaka

2017-04-01

In this study the clinical and neo-natal outcomes after transfer of blastocysts derived from oocytes containing aggregates of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) were compared between IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Clinical and neo-natal outcomes of blastocysts in cycles with at least one SER metaphase II oocyte (SER + MII; SER + cycles) did not significantly differ between the two insemination methods. When SER + MII were cultured to day 5/6, fertilization, embryo cleavage and blastocyst rates were not significantly different between IVF and ICSI cycles. In vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles, the clinical pregnancy rates from SER + MII in IVF and ICSI did not significantly differ. In this study, 52 blastocysts (27 IVF and 25 ICSI) derived from SER + MII were transferred, yielding 15 newborns (5 IVF and 10 ICSI) and no malformations. Moreover, 300 blastocysts (175 IVF and 125 ICSI) derived from SER-MII were transferred, yielding 55 newborns (24 IVF and 31 ICSI cycles). Thus, blastocysts derived from SER + cycles exhibited an acceptable ongoing pregnancy rate after IVF (n = 125) or ICSI (n = 117) cycles. In conclusion, blastocysts from SER + MII in both IVF and ICSI cycles yield adequate ongoing pregnancy rates with neo-natal outcomes that do not differ from SER-MII. Copyright © 2017 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the clinical outcomes between fresh blastocyst and vitrified-thawed blastocyst transfer.

PubMed

Ku, Pei-Yun; Lee, Robert Kuo-Kuang; Lin, Shyr-Yeu; Lin, Ming-Huei; Hwu, Yuh-Ming

2012-12-01

To compare the clinical outcomes between fresh and vitrified-thawed day 5 blastocyst transfers. Retrospective case control study. Tertiary referral center. Patients 38 years of age or less who underwent IVF/ICSI cycles with fresh or frozen-thawed blastocysts transferred from June 1, 2009 to November 30, 2011 Vitrification and thawing of day 5 blastocysts using the Cryotop method. (Kitazato BioPharma Co., Ltd., Fuji city, Shizuoka, Japan) Clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, ongoing pregnancy rate, and multiple pregnancy rates. Of the 118 cycles in the fresh transfer group, 234 blastocysts were transferred. The clinical pregnancy rate was 66.1 % and implantation rate was 50.9 %. The ongoing pregnancy rate was 56.8 % and the rates for singleton and twin pregnancies were 53.7 % and 44.8 %. Of the 59 cycles in the vitrified-thawed group, 111 blastocysts were transferred. The clinical pregnancy rate was 59.3 % and implantation rate was 43.2 %. The ongoing pregnancy rate was 47.5 % and the rates for singleton and twin pregnancies were 60.7 % and 39.3 %. The clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and ongoing pregnancy rate did not differ significantly between the two groups. The implantation rates were not significantly different between the fresh and the vitrified-thawed groups. Thus, single embryo transfer may be considered in fresh cycles to decrease multiple pregnancy rates. The surplus embryos should be vitrified for the frozen embryo transfer to improve the cumulative pregnancy rate.

Blastocoele expansion degree predicts live birth after single blastocyst transfer for fresh and vitrified/warmed single blastocyst transfer cycles.

PubMed

Du, Qing-Yun; Wang, En-Yin; Huang, Yan; Guo, Xiao-Yi; Xiong, Yu-Jing; Yu, Yi-Ping; Yao, Gui-Dong; Shi, Sen-Lin; Sun, Ying-Pu

2016-04-01

To evaluate the independent effects of the degree of blastocoele expansion and re-expansion and the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) grades on predicting live birth after fresh and vitrified/warmed single blastocyst transfer. Retrospective study. Reproductive medical center. Women undergoing 844 fresh and 370 vitrified/warmed single blastocyst transfer cycles. None. Live-birth rate correlated with blastocyst morphology parameters by logistic regression analysis and Spearman correlations analysis. The degree of blastocoele expansion and re-expansion was the only blastocyst morphology parameter that exhibited a significant ability to predict live birth in both fresh and vitrified/warmed single blastocyst transfer cycles respectively by multivariate logistic regression and Spearman correlations analysis. Although the ICM grade was significantly related to live birth in fresh cycles according to the univariate model, its effect was not maintained in the multivariate logistic analysis. In vitrified/warmed cycles, neither ICM nor TE grade was correlated with live birth by logistic regression analysis. This study is the first to confirm that the degree of blastocoele expansion and re-expansion is a better predictor of live birth after both fresh and vitrified/warmed single blastocyst transfer cycles than ICM or TE grade. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Blastocyst transfer in human in vitro fertilization. A solution to the multiple pregnancy epidemic.

PubMed

Vidaeff, A C; Racowsky, C; Rayburn, W F

2000-07-01

Since the 1950s, the incidence of twin gestation has doubled and the incidence of triplets has increased approximately sevenfold in the United States. Of extreme concern is the fact that many of these multiple pregnancies are iatrogenic: 35% of twin gestations and 77% of higher-order pregnancies are the result of some form of infertility therapy. Anything that can be done to reduce the number of these multiple pregnancies would benefit our patients and society. Great hope is placed on emerging blastocyst technology, which has the potential of achieving higher pregnancy rates per embryo transfer while reducing the risk of multiple pregnancy. We present the evolution of the blastocyst transfer concept and the technical aspects involved. The article also outlines the experience with blastocyst culture and transfer at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and describes identifiers for application of blastocyst transfer. The number of eight-cell embryos on day 3 is an independent marker for the selection of patients who would benefit from transfer on day 5. With no eight-cell embryos on day 3, 0% and 33% pregnancies resulted from day 5 vs. day 3 transfers, suggesting that these cases would not benefit from day 5 transfer. When at least one eight-cell embryo is available, there is no difference in ongoing pregnancy rates between day 5 and day 3 transfers, but there is a significant decrease in multiple gestations with day 5 transfers.

Clinical outcomes following cryopreservation of blastocysts by vitrification or slow freezing: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Li, Z; Wang, Y A; Ledger, W; Edgar, D H; Sullivan, E A

2014-12-01

resulted in a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted relative risk (ARR): 1.47, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.39-1.55) and live delivery rate (ARR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.34-1.49). Compared with singletons born after transfer of fresh blastocysts, singletons born after transfer of vitrified blastocysts were at 14% less risk of being born preterm (ARR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.96), 33% less risk of being low birthweight (ARR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.58-0.78) and 40% less risk of being SGA (ARR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.53-0.68). A limitation of this population-based study is the lack of information available on clinic-specific cryopreservation protocols and processes for slow freezing-thaw and vitrification-warm of blastocysts and the potential impact on outcomes. This study presents population-based evidence on clinical efficacy and perinatal outcomes associated with transfer of fresh, slow frozen and vitrified blastocysts. Vitrified blastocyst transfer resulted in significantly higher clinical pregnancy and live delivery rates with similar perinatal outcomes compared with slow frozen blastocyst transfer. Comparably better perinatal outcomes were reported for singletons born after transfer of vitrified blastocysts than singletons born after transfer of fresh blastocysts. Elective vitrification could be considered as an alternative embryo transfer strategy to achieve better perinatal outcomes following Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) treatment. No specific funding was obtained. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Trophinin expression in the mouse uterus coincides with implantation and is hormonally regulated but not induced by implanting blastocysts.

PubMed

Suzuki, N; Nadano, D; Paria, B C; Kupriyanov, S; Sugihara, K; Fukuda, M N

2000-11-01

Trophinin mediates apical cell adhesion between two human cell lines, trophoblastic teratocarcinoma and endometrial adenocarcinoma. In humans, trophinin is specifically expressed in cells involved in implantation and early placentation. The present study was undertaken to establish trophinin expression by the mouse uterus. In the pregnant mouse uterus, trophinin transcripts are expressed during the time which coincides with the timing of blastocyst implantation. Trophinin is also expressed in the nonpregnant mouse uterus at estrus stage. Uteri from ovariectomized mice did not express trophinin, whereas strong expression was induced by estrogen but not by progesterone. Trophinin transcripts and protein were found in the pseudopregnant mouse uterus. No differences were detected in trophinin expression by the uteri in the pregnant, pseudopregnant, and pseudopregnant received blastocysts. In delayed implantation model, trophinin proteins were found in both luminal and glandular epithelium, whereas dormant blastocysts were negative for trophinin. Upon activation with estrogen, however, no significant changes were detected either in the blastocyst or in the uterus. These results indicate that ovarian hormones regulate trophinin expression by the mouse uterus, and that an implanting blastocyst has no effect on trophinin expression in the surrounding endometrial luminal epithelial cells.

Research on Blastocyst Implantation Essential Factors (BIEFs).

PubMed

Yoshinaga, Koji

2010-06-01

Blastocyst implantation is a process of interaction between embryo and the uterus. To understand this process, this review tries to summarize what blastocyst implantation essential factors (BIEFs) play what roles, as well as where in the uterus and at what stage of implantation process. Addition of more new data to this kind of compilation of information will help the development of diagnosis and treatment of infertility caused by implantation failure. The major, important cells of the endometrial cells that interact with invading blastocyst (trophoblast) are luminal epithelial cells, stromal cells (decidual cells) and resident immune cells. BIEFs regulate these cells to successfully maintain pregnancy.

Clinical outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst and cleavage-stage embryo transfers in ethnic Chinese ART patients

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objectives This study sought to evaluate the outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed cleavage-stage and blastocyst-stage embryo transfers in patients undergoing ART treatment within an ethnic Chinese population. Study design We compared the clinical results of embryo transfer on the 3rd (cleavage stage) or 5th (blastocyst stage) day after oocyte retrieval, including clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates and multiple pregnancy rates. Results Our data showed that blastocyst transfer on day 5 did not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate (41.07% vs 47.08%, p>0.05) and implantation rate (31.8% vs 31.2%, p>0.05) in patients under 35 years of age, in comparison with day 3 cleavage stage embryo transfer. In patients older than 35 years of age, the clinical pregnancy rate after blastocyst transfer was slightly decreased compared with cleavage stage embryo transfer (33.33% vs 42.31%, p>0.05). Unexpectedly, It was found that vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer resulted in significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (56.8%) and implantation rate (47%) compared with fresh blastocyst transfer in controlled stimulation cycles (41.07% and 31.8%, respectively). For patients under 35 years of age, the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate combining fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles were significantly higher compared to just cleavage-stage embryo transfer (70.1% versus 51.8%, p<0.05). However, the cumulative multiple pregnancy rates showed no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusions In an ethnic Chinese patient population, fresh blastocyst transfer does not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate. However, subsequent vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer in a non-controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycle dramatically improves clinical outcomes. Therefore, blastocyst culture in tandem with vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer is recommended as a favourable and promising protocol in human ART treatment, particularly for ethnic

Clinical outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst and cleavage-stage embryo transfers in ethnic Chinese ART patients.

PubMed

Tong, Guo Qing; Cao, Shan Ren; Wu, Xun; Zhang, Jun Qiang; Cui, Ji; Heng, Boon Chin; Ling, Xiu Feng

2012-10-05

This study sought to evaluate the outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed cleavage-stage and blastocyst-stage embryo transfers in patients undergoing ART treatment within an ethnic Chinese population. We compared the clinical results of embryo transfer on the 3rd (cleavage stage) or 5th (blastocyst stage) day after oocyte retrieval, including clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates and multiple pregnancy rates. Our data showed that blastocyst transfer on day 5 did not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate (41.07% vs 47.08%, p>0.05) and implantation rate (31.8% vs 31.2%, p>0.05) in patients under 35 years of age, in comparison with day 3 cleavage stage embryo transfer. In patients older than 35 years of age, the clinical pregnancy rate after blastocyst transfer was slightly decreased compared with cleavage stage embryo transfer (33.33% vs 42.31%, p>0.05). Unexpectedly, It was found that vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer resulted in significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (56.8%) and implantation rate (47%) compared with fresh blastocyst transfer in controlled stimulation cycles (41.07% and 31.8%, respectively). For patients under 35 years of age, the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate combining fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles were significantly higher compared to just cleavage-stage embryo transfer (70.1% versus 51.8%, p<0.05). However, the cumulative multiple pregnancy rates showed no significant difference between the two groups. In an ethnic Chinese patient population, fresh blastocyst transfer does not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate. However, subsequent vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer in a non-controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycle dramatically improves clinical outcomes. Therefore, blastocyst culture in tandem with vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer is recommended as a favourable and promising protocol in human ART treatment, particularly for ethnic Chinese patients.

The location of “8”-shaped hatching influences inner cell mass formation in mouse blastocysts

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Kazumasa; Goto, Mayumi; Anzai, Mibuki; Ono, Natsuki; Shirasawa, Hiromitsu; Sato, Wataru; Miura, Hiroshi; Sato, Naoki; Sato, Akira; Kumazawa, Yukiyo; Terada, Yukihiro

2017-01-01

The hatching of a blastocyst where the blastocyst portions on the inside and the outside of the zona pellucida feature a figure-of-eight shape is termed “8”-shaped hatching; this type of hatching has been reported to affect the proper presentation of the inner cell mass (ICM) in both human and mouse embryos. Here, our aim was to investigate the factors that affect ICM presentation during “8”-shaped hatching. We performed IVF by using B6D2F1 female mice and ICR male mice, and used the 104 captured blastocysts. Embryos were maintained in KSOM at 37°C in a 5% CO2, 5% O2, and 90% N2 environment, and their growth behavior was monitored individually and continuously using time-lapse cinematography. At 120 h after insemination, embryos were immunostained and examined under a confocal microscope. We used the hatching form to identify “8”-shaped hatching, and we classified the “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts into two groups, one in which the hatching site was near the ICM center, and the other in which the hatching site was far from the ICM center. We measured each group for ICM size and the number of Oct3/4-positive cells. Of the 95 hatching or hatched embryos, 74 were “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts, and in these embryos, the ICM was significantly wider when the hatching site was near the ICM than when the hatching site was far from the ICM (P = 0.0091). Moreover, in the “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts in which the ICM was included in the blastocyst portion outside the zona pellucida―the portion defined as the “outside blastocyst”―after the collapse of this outside blastocyst, the ICM adhered to the trophectoderm of the outside blastocyst, opposite the hatching site. Our results indicate that in “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts, the hatching site and the collapse of outside blastocyst affect ICM formation. Thus, the assessment of “8”-shaped hatching behaviors could yield indices for accurately evaluating embryo quality. PMID

Decreased Blastocyst Production in Mice Exposed to Increased Rack Noise

PubMed Central

Zamora, Bernadette M; Jiang, Meisheng; Wang, Ying; Chai, Minghua; Lawson, P Timothy; Lawson, Gregory W

2009-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the possible effect of rack type on the blastocyst yield of mouse embryo donors. The first phase of the study consisted of housing some mice (group A) in a ventilated rack and others (group B) in a static rack in the same room for 3 d, followed by euthanasia for blastocyst collection and corticosterone assay. Parametric tests were used to compare groups. The number of blastocysts per donor was lower in group A (5.0 ± 1.4 blastocysts) than group B (13.1 ± 3.7 blastocysts). Mean noise was higher in the ventilated rack (80.4 dBC) than in the static rack (69.2 dBC). Serum corticosterone concentrations did not differ between groups. For the second phase of the study, a third group of mice (group C) was housed in a static rack without a ventilated rack in the same room. The noise level for group C was even lower (45.18 ± 2.91 dBC), and the blastocyst count per donor (16.4 ± 2.4) was higher than that of group B. The mean noise levels of empty ventilated and static racks differed significantly between groups for 10 different sound frequencies. Plotting mean blastocyst production against mean rack noise revealed a negative linear relationship with good strength of correlation. These results support the earlier observation that decreased blastocyst count occurs following housing of bred C57BL/6 donor mice in ventilated cages. PMID:19807968

Xenogeneic chimera-Generated by blastocyst complementation-As a potential unlimited source of recipient-tailored organs.

PubMed

Oldani, Graziano; Peloso, Andrea; Lacotte, Stéphanie; Meier, Raphael; Toso, Christian

2017-07-01

Blastocyst complementation refers to the injection of cells into a blastocyst. The technology allows for the creation of chimeric animals, which have the potential to be used as an unlimited source of organ donors. Pluripotent stem cells could be generated from a patient in need of a transplantation and injected into a large animal blastocyst (potentially of a pig), leading to the creation of organ(s) allowing immunosuppression-free transplantation. Various chimera combinations have already been generated, but one of the most recent steps leads to the creation of human-pig chimeras, which could be studied at an embryo stage. Although still far from clinical reality, the potential application is almost unlimited. The present review illustrates the historical steps of intra- and interspecific blastocyst complementation in rodents and large animals, specifically looking at its potential for generation of organ grafts. We also speculate on how it could change transplant indications, on its economic impact, and on the linked ethical concerns. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Three-dimensional reconstruction of tetraploid↔diploid chimaeric mouse blastocysts

PubMed Central

EVERETT, CLARE A.; STARK, MARGARET H.; WEST, JOHN D.; DAVIDSON, DUNCAN; BALDOCK, RICHARD A.

2000-01-01

Studies of tetraploid↔diploid (4n↔2n) mouse chimaeras have demonstrated unequal contributions of 4n cells to different tissues of the midgestation conceptus. Such a pattern has also been reported in chimaeras as early as E3.5d, which show an enhanced contribution of 4n cells to the mural trophectoderm (Everett & West, 1996). In this study, sectioned 4n↔2n and 2n↔2n control chimaeric blastocysts were digitised and reconstructed in 3 dimensions (3-D). The 3-D images revealed only limited mixing of cells from the 2 contributing embryos of individual blastocysts in both chimaera groups. Consequently, the distribution pattern of the 2 cell types was dependent on the spatial relationship between the orientation of the blastocyst and the boundary between the 2 clusters of cells. The distribution patterns observed were not strikingly different for 4n↔2n and 2n↔2n chimaeras, each showing some transgenic positive cell contribution in all 3 identifiable developmental lineages. It was notable, however, that in all 4n↔2n blastocysts at least some 4n cells were located adjacent to the blastocyst cavity. Such a consistent pattern was not evident in 2n↔2n chimaeras. This study has demonstrated the value of 3-D reconstructions for the analysis of spatial relationships of 2 cell populations in chimaeric mouse blastocysts. PMID:10853956

Influence of cryopreservation on perinatal outcome after blastocyst- vs cleavage-stage embryo transfer: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Alviggi, C; Conforti, A; Carbone, I F; Borrelli, R; de Placido, G; Guerriero, S

2018-01-01

To compare the perinatal outcomes of singleton pregnancies resulting from blastocyst- vs cleavage-stage embryo transfer and to assess whether they differ between fresh and frozen embryo transfer cycles. A systematic review of the literature was carried out using the Scopus, MEDLINE and ISI Web of Science databases with no time restriction. We included only peer-reviewed articles involving humans, in which perinatal outcomes of singleton pregnancies after blastocyst-stage embryo transfer were compared with those after cleavage-stage embryo transfer. Primary outcomes were preterm birth before 37 weeks and low birth weight (< 2500 g). Secondary outcomes were very preterm birth before 32 weeks, very low birth weight (< 1500 g), small-for-gestational-age (SGA), large-for-gestational-age (LGA), perinatal mortality and congenital anomaly. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. Three subgroups were evaluated: fresh only, frozen only and fresh plus frozen embryo transfer cycles. From a total of 3928 articles identified, 14 were selected for qualitative/quantitative analysis. Significantly higher incidences of preterm birth < 37 weeks (11 studies, n = 106 629 participants; risk ratio (RR), 1.15 (95% CI, 1.05 - 1.25); P = 0.002) and very preterm birth < 32 weeks (seven studies, n = 103 742; RR, 1.16 (95% CI, 1.02-1.31); P = 0.03) were observed after blastocyst- than after cleavage-stage embryo transfer in fresh cycles. However, the risk of preterm and very preterm birth was similar after blastocyst- and cleavage-stage transfers in frozen and fresh plus frozen cycles. Overall effect size analysis revealed fewer SGA deliveries after blastocyst- compared with cleavage-stage transfer in fresh cycles but a similar number in frozen cycles. Conversely, more LGA deliveries were observed after blastocyst- compared with cleavage-stage transfer in frozen cycles (two studies, n = 39 044; RR, 1.18 (95% CI, 1

Transcriptomic difference in bovine blastocysts following vitrification and slow freezing at morula stage

PubMed Central

Gupta, Alisha; Singh, Jaswant; Dufort, Isabelle; Robert, Claude; Dias, Fernanda Caminha Faustino

2017-01-01

Cryopreservation is known for its marked deleterious effects on embryonic health. Bovine compact morulae were vitrified or slow-frozen, and post-warm morulae were cultured to the expanded blastocyst stage. Blastocysts developed from vitrified and slow-frozen morulae were subjected to microarray analysis and compared with blastocysts developed from unfrozen control morulae for differential gene expression. Morula to blastocyst conversion rate was higher (P < 0.05) in control (72%) and vitrified (77%) than in slow-frozen (34%) morulae. Total 20 genes were upregulated and 44 genes were downregulated in blastocysts developed from vitrified morulae (fold change ≥ ± 2, P < 0.05) in comparison with blastocysts developed from control morulae. In blastocysts developed from slow-frozen morulae, 102 genes were upregulated and 63 genes were downregulated (fold change ≥ ± 1.5, P < 0.05). Blastocysts developed from vitrified morulae exhibited significant changes in gene expression mainly involving embryo implantation (PTGS2, CALB1), lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species generation (HSD3B1, AKR1B1, APOA1) and cell differentiation (KRT19, CLDN23). However, blastocysts developed from slow-frozen morulae showed changes in the expression of genes related to cell signaling (SPP1), cell structure and differentiation (DCLK2, JAM2 and VIM), and lipid metabolism (PLA2R1 and SMPD3). In silico comparison between blastocysts developed form vitrified and slow-frozen morulae revealed similar changes in gene expression as between blastocysts developed from vitrified and control morulae. In conclusion, blastocysts developed form vitrified morulae demonstrated better post-warming survival than blastocysts developed from slow-frozen morulae but their gene expression related to lipid metabolism, steroidogenesis, cell differentiation and placentation changed significantly (≥ 2 fold). Slow freezing method killed more morulae than vitrification but those which survived up to

Activation of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) promotes blastocyst hatching in mice.

PubMed

Kang, Hee Jung; Hwang, Soo Jin; Yoon, Jung Ah; Jun, Jin Hyun; Lim, Hyunjung Jade; Yoon, Tae Ki; Song, Haengseok

2011-10-01

Prostaglandins participate in a variety of female reproductive processes, including ovulation, fertilization, embryo implantation and parturition. In particular, maternal prostacyclin (PGI(2)) is critical for embryo implantation and the action of PGI(2) is not mediated via its G-protein-coupled membrane receptor, IP, but its nuclear receptor, peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ). Recently, several studies have shown that PGI(2) enhances blastocyst development and/or hatching rate in vitro, and subsequently implantation and live birth rates in mice. However, the mechanism by which PGI(2) improves preimplantation embryo development in vitro remains unclear. Using molecular, pharmacologic and genetic approaches, we show that PGI(2)-induced PPARδ activation accelerates blastocyst hatching in mice. mRNAs for PPARδ, retinoid X receptor (heterodimeric partners of PPARδ) and PGI(2) synthase (PGIS) are temporally induced after zygotic gene activation, and their expression reaches maximum levels at the blastocyst stage, suggesting that functional complex of PPARδ can be formed in the blastocyst. Carbaprostacyclin (a stable analogue of PGI(2)) and GW501516 (a PPARδ selective agonist) significantly accelerated blastocyst hatching but did not increase total cell number of cultured blastocysts. Whereas U51605 (a PGIS inhibitor) interfered with blastocyst hatching, GW501516 restored U51605-induced retarded hatching. In contrast to the improvement of blastocyst hatching by PPARδ agonists, PPAR antagonists significantly inhibited blastocyst hatching. Furthermore, deletion of PPARδ at early stages of preimplantation mouse embryos caused delay of blastocyst hatching, but did not impair blastocyst development. Taken together, PGI(2)-induced PPARδ activation accelerates blastocyst hatching in mice.

Overexpression of OCT4A ortholog elevates endogenous XIST in porcine parthenogenic blastocysts.

PubMed

Hwang, Jae Yeon; Choi, Kwang-Hwan; Lee, Dong-Kyung; Kim, Seung-Hun; Kim, Eun Bae; Hyun, Sang-Hwan; Lee, Chang-Kyu

2015-01-01

X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an epigenetic process that equalizes expression of X-borne genes between male and female eutherians. This process is observed in early eutherian embryo development in a species-specific manner. Until recently, various pluripotent factors have been suggested to regulate the process of XCI by repressing XIST expression, which is the master inducer for XCI. Recent insights into the process and its regulation have been restricted in mouse species despite the evolutionary diversity of the process and molecular mechanism among the species. OCT4A is one of the represented pluripotent factors, the gate-keeper for maintaining pluripotency, and an XIST repressor. Therefore, in here, we examined the relation between OCT4A and X-linked genes in porcine preimplantation embryos. Three X-linked genes, XIST, LOC102165544, and RLIM, were selected in present study because their orthologues have been known to regulate XCI in mice. Expression levels of OCT4A were positively correlated with XIST and LOC102165544 in female blastocysts. Furthermore, overexpression of exogenous human OCT4A in cleaved parthenotes generated blastocysts with increased XIST expression levels. However, increased XIST expression was not observed when exogenous OCT4A was obtained from early blastocysts. These results suggest the possibility that OCT4A would be directly or indirectly involved in XIST expression in earlier stage porcine embryos rather than blastocysts.

Cytotoxic Effects of Dillapiole on Embryonic Development of Mouse Blastocysts in Vitro and in Vivo

PubMed Central

Chan, Wen-Hsiung

2014-01-01

We examined the cytotoxic effects of dillapiole, a phenylpropanoid with antileishmanial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and acaricidal activities, on the blastocyst stage of mouse embryos, subsequent embryonic attachment and outgrowth in vitro, and in vivo implantation via embryo transfer. Blastocysts treated with 2.5–10 μM dillapiole exhibited a significant increase in apoptosis and corresponding decrease in total cell number. Notably, the implantation success rates of blastocysts pretreated with dillapiole were lower than those of their control counterparts. Moreover, in vitro treatment with 2.5–10 μM dillapiole was associated with increased resorption of post-implantation embryos and decreased fetal weight. Our results collectively indicate that dillapiole induces apoptosis and retards early post-implantation development, both in vitro and in vivo. However, the extent to which this organic compound exerts teratogenic effects on early human development is not known at present. Further studies are required to establish effective protection strategies against the cytotoxic effects of dillapiole. PMID:24933639

Risk of ectopic pregnancy lowest with transfer of single frozen blastocyst.

PubMed

Li, Z; Sullivan, E A; Chapman, M; Farquhar, C; Wang, Y A

2015-09-01

with fresh blastocyst transfer, the likelihood of ectopic pregnancy was 30% higher for fresh cleavage stage embryo transfers (AOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.07-1.59) and was consistent across subfertility groups. Transfer of frozen blastocyst was associated with a significantly decreased risk of ectopic pregnancy (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.91) compared with transfer of fresh blastocyst. A limitation of this population-based study is the lack of information available on clinical- specific protocols and processes for embryo transfer (i.e. embryo quality, cryopreservation protocol, transfer techniques, etc.) and the potential impact on outcomes. The lowest risk of ectopic pregnancy was associated with the transfer of a single frozen blastocyst. This finding adds to the increasing evidence of better perinatal outcomes following frozen embryo transfers. The approach of freezing all embryos in the initiated fresh cycle and transfer of a single frozen blastocyst in the subsequent thaw cycle may improve the overall pregnancy and birth outcomes following ART treatment, in part by reducing the ectopic pregnancy rate. There is no funding for this study. Authors declared no competing interest related to this study. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rho-associated kinase activity is required for proper morphogenesis of the inner cell mass in the mouse blastocyst.

PubMed

Laeno, Arlene May A; Tamashiro, Dana Ann A; Alarcon, Vernadeth B

2013-11-01

The blastocyst consists of the outer layer of trophectoderm and pluripotent inner cell mass (ICM), the precursor of the placenta and fetus, respectively. During blastocyst expansion, the ICM adopts a compact, ovoidal shape, whose proper morphology is crucial for normal embryogenesis. Rho-associated kinase (ROCK), an effector of small GTPase RHO signaling, mediates the diverse cellular processes of morphogenesis, but its role in ICM morphogenesis is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that ROCK is required for cohesion of ICM cells and formation of segregated tissues called primitive endoderm (PrE) and epiblast (Epi) in the ICM of the mouse blastocyst. Blastocyst treatment with ROCK inhibitors Y-27632 and Fasudil caused widening or spreading of the ICM, and intermingling of PrE and Epi. Widening of ICM was independent of trophectoderm because isolated ICMs as well as colonies of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) also spread upon Y-27632 treatment. PrE, Epi, and trophectoderm cell numbers were similar between control and treated blastocysts, suggesting that ROCK inhibition affected ICM morphology but not lineage differentiation. Rock1 and Rock2 knockdown via RNA interference in mESC also induced spreading, supporting the conclusion that morphological defects caused by the pharmacological inhibitors were due to ROCK inactivation. When blastocysts were transferred into surrogates, implantation efficiencies were unaffected by ROCK inhibition, but treated blastocysts yielded greater fetal loss. These results show that proper ICM morphology is dependent on ROCK activity and is crucial for fetal development. Our studies have wider implication for improving efficiencies of human assisted reproductive technologies that diminish pregnancy loss and promote successful births.

Improved Murine Blastocyst Quality and Development in a Single Culture Medium Compared to Sequential Culture Media

PubMed Central

Hennings, Justin M.; Zimmer, Randall L.; Nabli, Henda; Davis, J. Wade; Sutovsky, Peter; Sutovsky, Miriam; Sharpe-Timms, Kathy L.

2015-01-01

Objective: Validate single versus sequential culture media for murine embryo development. Design: Prospective laboratory experiment. Setting: Assisted Reproduction Laboratory. Animals: Murine embryos. Interventions: Thawed murine zygotes cultured for 3 or 5 days (d3 or d5) in single or sequential embryo culture media developed for human in vitro fertilization. Main Outcome Measures: On d3, zygotes developing to the 8 cell (8C) stage or greater were quantified using 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and quality was assessed by morphological analysis. On d5, the number of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage was counted. DAPI was used to quantify total nuclei and inner cell mass nuclei. Localization of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L3 (UCHL3) was reference points for evaluating cell quality. Results: Comparing outcomes in single versus to sequential media, the odds of embryos developing to the 8C stage on d3 were 2.34 time greater (P = .06). On d5, more embryos reached the blastocyst stage (P = <.0001), hatched, and had significantly more trophoblast cells (P = .005) contributing to the increased total cell number. Also at d5, localization of distinct cytoplasmic UCHL1 and nuclear UCHL3 was found in high-quality hatching blastocysts. Localization of UCHL1 and UCHL3 was diffuse and inappropriately dispersed throughout the cytoplasm in low-quality nonhatching blastocysts. Conclusions: Single medium yields greater cell numbers, an increased growth rate, and more hatching of murine embryos. Cytoplasmic UCHL1 and nuclear UHCL3 localization patterns were indicative of embryo quality. Our conclusions are limited to murine embryos but one might speculate that single medium may also be more beneficial for human embryo culture. Human embryo studies are needed. PMID:26668049

Improved Murine Blastocyst Quality and Development in a Single Culture Medium Compared to Sequential Culture Media.

PubMed

Hennings, Justin M; Zimmer, Randall L; Nabli, Henda; Davis, J Wade; Sutovsky, Peter; Sutovsky, Miriam; Sharpe-Timms, Kathy L

2016-03-01

Validate single versus sequential culture media for murine embryo development. Prospective laboratory experiment. Assisted Reproduction Laboratory. Murine embryos. Thawed murine zygotes cultured for 3 or 5 days (d3 or d5) in single or sequential embryo culture media developed for human in vitro fertilization. On d3, zygotes developing to the 8 cell (8C) stage or greater were quantified using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and quality was assessed by morphological analysis. On d5, the number of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage was counted. DAPI was used to quantify total nuclei and inner cell mass nuclei. Localization of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L3 (UCHL3) was reference points for evaluating cell quality. Comparing outcomes in single versus to sequential media, the odds of embryos developing to the 8C stage on d3 were 2.34 time greater (P = .06). On d5, more embryos reached the blastocyst stage (P = <.0001), hatched, and had significantly more trophoblast cells (P = .005) contributing to the increased total cell number. Also at d5, localization of distinct cytoplasmic UCHL1 and nuclear UCHL3 was found in high-quality hatching blastocysts. Localization of UCHL1 and UCHL3 was diffuse and inappropriately dispersed throughout the cytoplasm in low-quality nonhatching blastocysts. Single medium yields greater cell numbers, an increased growth rate, and more hatching of murine embryos. Cytoplasmic UCHL1 and nuclear UHCL3 localization patterns were indicative of embryo quality. Our conclusions are limited to murine embryos but one might speculate that single medium may also be more beneficial for human embryo culture. Human embryo studies are needed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Targeted organ generation using Mixl1-inducible mouse pluripotent stem cells in blastocyst complementation.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Toshihiro; Kato-Itoh, Megumi; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu

2015-01-15

Generation of functional organs from patients' own cells is one of the ultimate goals of regenerative medicine. As a novel approach to creation of organs from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), we employed blastocyst complementation in organogenesis-disabled animals and successfully generated PSC-derived pancreas and kidneys. Blastocyst complementation, which exploits the capacity of PSCs to participate in forming chimeras, does not, however, exclude contribution of PSCs to the development of tissues-including neural cells or germ cells-other than those specifically targeted by disabling of organogenesis. This fact provokes ethical controversy if human PSCs are to be used. In this study, we demonstrated that forced expression of Mix-like protein 1 (encoded by Mixl1) can be used to guide contribution of mouse embryonic stem cells to endodermal organs after blastocyst injection. We then succeeded in applying this method to generate functional pancreas in pancreatogenesis-disabled Pdx1 knockout mice using a newly developed tetraploid-based organ-complementation method. These findings hold promise for targeted organ generation from patients' own PSCs in livestock animals.

Expanding Actin Rings Zipper the Mouse Embryo for Blastocyst Formation.

PubMed

Zenker, Jennifer; White, Melanie D; Gasnier, Maxime; Alvarez, Yanina D; Lim, Hui Yi Grace; Bissiere, Stephanie; Biro, Maté; Plachta, Nicolas

2018-04-19

Transformation from morula to blastocyst is a defining event of preimplantation embryo development. During this transition, the embryo must establish a paracellular permeability barrier to enable expansion of the blastocyst cavity. Here, using live imaging of mouse embryos, we reveal an actin-zippering mechanism driving this embryo sealing. Preceding blastocyst stage, a cortical F-actin ring assembles at the apical pole of the embryo's outer cells. The ring structure forms when cortical actin flows encounter a network of polar microtubules that exclude F-actin. Unlike stereotypical actin rings, the actin rings of the mouse embryo are not contractile, but instead, they expand to the cell-cell junctions. Here, they couple to the junctions by recruiting and stabilizing adherens and tight junction components. Coupling of the actin rings triggers localized myosin II accumulation, and it initiates a tension-dependent zippering mechanism along the junctions that is required to seal the embryo for blastocyst formation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Blastocyst-like structures generated solely from stem cells.

PubMed

Rivron, Nicolas C; Frias-Aldeguer, Javier; Vrij, Erik J; Boisset, Jean-Charles; Korving, Jeroen; Vivié, Judith; Truckenmüller, Roman K; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; van Blitterswijk, Clemens A; Geijsen, Niels

2018-05-01

The blastocyst (the early mammalian embryo) forms all embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues, including the placenta. It consists of a spherical thin-walled layer, known as the trophectoderm, that surrounds a fluid-filled cavity sheltering the embryonic cells 1 . From mouse blastocysts, it is possible to derive both trophoblast 2 and embryonic stem-cell lines 3 , which are in vitro analogues of the trophectoderm and embryonic compartments, respectively. Here we report that trophoblast and embryonic stem cells cooperate in vitro to form structures that morphologically and transcriptionally resemble embryonic day 3.5 blastocysts, termed blastoids. Like blastocysts, blastoids form from inductive signals that originate from the inner embryonic cells and drive the development of the outer trophectoderm. The nature and function of these signals have been largely unexplored. Genetically and physically uncoupling the embryonic and trophectoderm compartments, along with single-cell transcriptomics, reveals the extensive inventory of embryonic inductions. We specifically show that the embryonic cells maintain trophoblast proliferation and self-renewal, while fine-tuning trophoblast epithelial morphogenesis in part via a BMP4/Nodal-KLF6 axis. Although blastoids do not support the development of bona fide embryos, we demonstrate that embryonic inductions are crucial to form a trophectoderm state that robustly implants and triggers decidualization in utero. Thus, at this stage, the nascent embryo fuels trophectoderm development and implantation.

Genetic and environmental determinants of interferon-tau secretion by in vivo- and in vitro-derived bovine blastocysts.

PubMed

Kubisch, H M; Larson, M A; Ealy, A D; Murphy, C N; Roberts, R M

2001-04-30

Several experiments were conducted to assess the effects of genotype and various culture media on interferon-tau secretion by in vitro-derived bovine blastocysts and to compare these values with interferon released by blastocysts flushed from superovulated cows. In experiment 1, oocytes were inseminated with semen from three different bulls. While paternal genotype had no effect on cleavage rate, the size or hatching ability of blastocysts, it was a significant determinant of the embryo's ability to develop to the blastocyst stage and of subsequent interferon-tau secretion. In the second experiment, embryos were cultured in synthetic oviductal fluid containing either polyvinyl alcohol, bovine serum albumin or fetal bovine serum. While there was no effect of supplement on the percentage of embryos developing to the blastocyst stage, blastocysts which formed in medium with polyvinyl alcohol had significantly fewer cells, were older at blastocyst formation and produced significantly more interferon-tau. In the third experiment, embryos were cultured to the blastocyst stage in either TCM199 alone or in co-culture with buffalo rat liver, bovine oviductal or bovine uterine epithelial cells. Culture with oviductal or buffalo rat liver cells increased blastocyst cell number, although secretion of interferon-tau was not affected. In the final experiment, bovine blastocysts were flushed from superovulated cows on Day 7 following insemination. Overall, secretion of interferon-tau by in vivo-produced blastocysts did not differ from that of age-matched blastocysts produced in vitro.

Obstetrical and perinatal outcomes following blastocyst transfer compared to cleavage transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Martins, W P; Nastri, C O; Rienzi, L; van der Poel, S Z; Gracia, C R; Racowsky, C

2016-11-01

confidence in the estimates. Due to the overall low quality of available evidence, the clinical equipoise between cleavage stage and blastocyst transfer remains. More large well-conducted studies are needed to clarify the potential risks and benefits of blastocyst transfer. As this review was initiated to support global recommendations on best practice, and in light of the challenges in lower resource settings to offer extended culture to blastocyst stage, it is critical to take into consideration these obstetric and neonatal outcomes in order to ensure any recommendation will not result in the overburdening of existing maternal and child health care systems and services. No external funding was either sought or obtained for this study. The authors have no competing interests to declare. CRD42015023910. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Predictive value of serum HCG concentrations in pregnancies achieved after single fresh or vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer.

PubMed

Oron, Galia; Shavit, Tal; Esh-Broder, Efrat; Weon-Young, Son; Tulandi, Togas; Holzer, Hananel

2017-09-01

Possible differences between serum HCG levels in pregnancies achieved after transfer of a single fresh or a vitrified-warmed blastocyst were evaluated. Out of 1130 single blastocyst transfers resulting in positive HCG results, 789 were single fresh blastocyst transfers and 341 single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers. The initial serum HCG levels of 869 clinical intrauterine pregnancies were evaluated, 638 after the transfer of a single fresh blastocysts and 231 after the transfer of a single vitrified-warmed blastocysts. The HCG levels from cycles resulting in a clinical intrauterine pregnancy were significantly higher after the transfer of a single vitrified-warmed blastocyst (383 ± 230 IU/l) versus a fresh transfer (334 ± 192 IU/l; P = 0.01). Threshold values for predicting a clinical pregnancy for a fresh blastocyst were 111 IU/l and for a vitrified-warmed blastocyst 137 IU/l. Our study shows that the overall beta-HCG levels are comparable after the transfer of a fresh or vitrified-warmed blastocyst, suggesting that vitrification most probably does not affect the ability of the embryos to produce beta-HCG. This study further shows that when clinicians counsel patients, they should take into account that higher HCG levels are needed after a vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer to predict a clinical intrauterine pregnancy. Copyright © 2017 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estradiol production by preimplantation blastocysts and increased serum progesterone following estradiol treatment in llamas.

PubMed

Powell, Susan A; Smith, Bradford B; Timm, Karen I; Menino, Alfred R

2007-11-01

Estradiol is a potential candidate for the blastocyst signal responsible for maternal recognition of pregnancy in the llama (Lama glama). Two experiments were conducted to determine if the llama blastocyst produces estradiol during the presumed period of maternal recognition of pregnancy and if exogenous estradiol can extend the luteal phase. In Experiment 1, llamas were superovulated with eCG and mated 7 days later (Day 0=day of mating). Blastocysts were collected nonsurgically on Days 7, 9, or 11 or at necropsy on Days 13 and 15 post-mating and cultured for 48h. Conditioned medium was recovered, replaced with fresh medium at 24-h intervals, and assayed for estradiol-17beta. Estradiol production (pg/blastocyst) over the 48-h culture increased (P<0.05) by day of gestation where more estradiol (P<0.05) was produced by Day 11 compared to Day 7 blastocysts, Day 13 compared to Days 7-11 blastocysts, and Day 15 compared to Days 7-13 blastocysts. A dramatic increase was observed between Days 11 and 13 when estradiol production by Day 13 blastocysts increased (P<0.05) more than 50-fold. In Experiment 2, 30 females were induced to ovulate with hCG (Day 0=day of hCG injection). Starting on Day 7 and continuing through Day 15, animals received daily injections i.m. of 0 (n=11), 5 (n=7), or 10mg (n=12) estradiol benzoate (EB) dissolved in isopropylmyristate. Sera were collected immediately prior to each injection and on Days 16, 17, 18, 20, and 22 and analyzed for progesterone. Progesterone concentrations were greater (P<0.05) on Days 14, 15, 16, and 17 in llamas treated with 10mg EB compared to llamas treated with 0mg EB. These results demonstrate that llama blastocysts produce estradiol and exogenous estradiol can enhance and transiently extend luteal progesterone production. Estradiol produced by the preimplantation llama blastocyst may play a role in maternal recognition of pregnancy and early luteal support.

[Pregnancy and delivery with transfer of vitrified blastocysts following trophectoderm biopsy].

PubMed

Mátyás, Szabolcs; Varga, Tünde; Kovács, Péter; Kónya, Márton; Rajczy, Klára; Babenko, Éva; Szabó, Barbara; Kaali, G Steven; Szentirmay, Zoltán

2015-11-01

Application of preimplantation genetic diagnosis makes it possible to transfer only embryos unaffected by a certain genetic disorder. The authors have applied the combination of trophectoderm biopsy and vitrification in order to detect a monogenic disorder. Previously diagnosed type 1 neurofibromatosis of the woman was the indication for genetic examination. In vitro fertilisation and embryo culture was performed using sequential culture mediums. Seven blastocysts could be sampled on the fifth day and were vitrified subsequently. Two blastocysts turned out to be genetically normal based on the result of genetic examination using polimerase chain reaction. A healthy boy was delivered following the transfer of warmed blastocysts and an uneventful singleton pregnancy.

Glucose and pyruvate metabolism in preimplantation blastocysts from normal and diabetic rats.

PubMed

Dufrasnes, E; Vanderheyden, I; Robin, D; Delcourt, J; Pampfer, S; De Hertogh, R

1993-05-01

Glucose metabolism was analysed in day-5 rat blastocysts incubated in the presence of [5-3H]-, [6-14C]- or [U-14C]glucose. Glycolysis, quantified by 3H2O recovery rate, was the main pathway of glucose utilization by fresh (11.5 +/- 0.36 pmol per embryo h-1) or cultured (24 h) blastocysts (20.4 +/- 0.6 pmol per embryo h-1). Glucose consumption rate was almost saturated at a medium glucose concentration of 0.28 mmol l-1 (Km: 0.17 mmol l-1; Vmax: 23 pmol per embryo h-1). A further 10% increase in glucose utilization was obtained with a tenfold higher glucose concentration (3 mmol l-1). Phloretin completely abolished the rapid component of glucose utilization kinetics, suggesting the existence of a Na(+)-independent glucose transport system. Less than 1% of [6-14C]glucose consumed by cultured blastocysts was oxidized through the Krebs cycle. [1-14C]pyruvate, however, was oxidized at a rate of 2 pmol per embryo h-1 by fresh blastocysts. The pentose-phosphate pathway accounted for about 2% of glucose utilization. One to two per cent of the total glucose metabolized in 24 h was retained in macromolecules. Insulin had no effect on glucose uptake, utilization, incorporation and turnover, or on pyruvate oxidation. Blastocysts from diabetic mothers utilized glucose at a rate similar to that of normal blastocysts. These results show that glucose is actively taken up by rat blastocysts and utilized mainly through the Embden-Meyerhof pathway, which is rapidly saturated at low glucose concentrations. Retention of glucose-derived products in macromolecules, although relatively small, may modulate the effect of high glucose concentrations on embryo growth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Simple, efficient and successful vitrification of bovine blastocysts using electron microscope grids.

PubMed

Park, S P; Kim, E Y; Kim, D I; Park, N H; Won, Y S; Yoon, S H; Chung, K S; Lim, J H

1999-11-01

This study demonstrates that higher survival of vitrified-thawed bovine blastocysts can be obtained using electron microscope (EM) grids as embryo containers at freezing, rather than plastic straws. In-vitro produced day 7 bovine blastocysts after in-vitro fertilization (IVF) were vitrified on grids or in straws with EFS40 freezing solution and their survival after thawing was compared. Embryo survival was assessed as re-expanded and hatched rates at 24 and 48 h after thawing respectively. When the effects of exposure to vitrification solution and chilling injury from the freezing procedure were examined, embryo survival in the exposure group (24 h: 100, 48 h: 73.3%) was not different compared with that in the control group (100, 84.4%). After vitrification, the hatched rate of the EM grid group 48 h after thawing (67.8%) was significantly higher than that of the straw group (53.3%) (P < 0.05). Fast developing embryos (expanded blastocyst and early hatching blastocyst stage) showed better resistance to freezing than delayed ones (early blastocyst stage), irrespective of embryo containers (early: 24 h, 57.1 and 48 h, 24.4%; expanded: 84.7 and 60.6%; early hatching: 91.7 and 80.0%) (P < 0.001). When using expanded and early hatching blastocysts, embryo survival rates in the vitrification-EM grid group (67.8, 95.0% respectively) were significantly higher than that of the vitrification-straw group (53.0, 65.0%) at 48 h.

Blastocyst complementation generates exogenic pancreas in vivo in apancreatic cloned pigs.

PubMed

Matsunari, Hitomi; Nagashima, Hiroshi; Watanabe, Masahito; Umeyama, Kazuhiro; Nakano, Kazuaki; Nagaya, Masaki; Kobayashi, Toshihiro; Yamaguchi, Tomoyuki; Sumazaki, Ryo; Herzenberg, Leonard A; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu

2013-03-19

In the field of regenerative medicine, one of the ultimate goals is to generate functioning organs from pluripotent cells, such as ES cells or induced pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). We have recently generated functional pancreas and kidney from PSCs in pancreatogenesis- or nephrogenesis-disabled mice, providing proof of principle for organogenesis from PSCs in an embryo unable to form a specific organ. Key when applying the principles of in vivo generation to human organs is compensation for an empty developmental niche in large nonrodent mammals. Here, we show that the blastocyst complementation system can be applied in the pig using somatic cell cloning technology. Transgenic approaches permitted generation of porcine somatic cell cloned embryos with an apancreatic phenotype. Complementation of these embryos with allogenic blastomeres then created functioning pancreata in the vacant niches. These results clearly indicate that a missing organ can be generated from exogenous cells when functionally normal pluripotent cells chimerize a cloned dysorganogenetic embryo. The feasibility of blastocyst complementation using cloned porcine embryos allows experimentation toward the in vivo generation of functional organs from xenogenic PSCs in large animals.

Improving the quality of miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer blastocysts: aggregation of SCNT embryos at the four-cell stage.

PubMed

Terashita, Y; Sugimura, S; Kudo, Y; Amano, R; Hiradate, Y; Sato, E

2011-04-01

Miniature pigs share many similar characteristics such as anatomy, physiology and body size with humans and are expected to become important animal models for therapeutic cloning using embryonic stem cells (ESCs) derived by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). In the present study, we observed that miniature pig SCNT blastocysts possessed a lower total number of nuclei and a lower percentage of POU5F1-positive cells than those possessed by in vitro fertilized (IVF) blastocysts. To overcome these problems, we evaluated the applicability of aggregating miniature pig SCNT embryos at the four-cell stage. We showed that (i) aggregation of two or three miniature pig SCNT embryos at the four-cell stage improves the total number of nuclei and the percentage of POU5F1-positive cells in blastocysts, and (ii) IVF blastocysts with low cell numbers induced by the removal of two blastomeres at the four-cell stage did not exhibit a decrease in the percentage of POU5F1-positive cells. These results suggest that the aggregation of miniature pig SCNT embryos at the four-cell stage can be a useful technique for improving the quality of miniature pig SCNT blastocysts and indicating that improvement in the percentage of POU5F1-positive cells in aggregated SCNT embryos is not simply the consequence of increased cell numbers. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Effect of clinically-related factors on in vitro blastocyst development after equine ICSI.

PubMed

Choi, Young-Ho; Velez, Isabel C; Macías-García, Beatriz; Riera, Fernando L; Ballard, Catherine S; Hinrichs, Katrin

2016-04-15

Equine intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is being used clinically for foal production, but little information is available on factors affecting the efficiency of this procedure. We examined factors that may influence blastocyst development when ICSI is performed clinically, i.e., on oocytes recovered from live mares by transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration (TVA), using sperm from the stallion of the client's choice. In a clinical setting, there may be a delay from the time of TVA to isolation of oocytes from the aspirated fluid. In a preliminary study, oocytes from fluid held for 1.5 h at ambient temperature (26°C-33°C) yielded 32% blastocysts; however, in experiment 1, fluid held at 32 °C for 2 h after aspiration yielded 16% blastocysts versus 23% for aspirates processed immediately. Performing TVA/ICSI throughout the year would increase production from valuable mares, but efficiency during the nonbreeding season is unknown. In addition, to reduce the possibility of infection after TVA, administration of antibiotics to the mare before TVA is indicated; however, these could affect oocyte quality. In experiment 2, follicle numbers at the time of TVA were significantly higher in December to January than for the same mares during the breeding season. Oocyte recovery rates on TVA were 60% to 66% and the blastocyst rate was 18%. An equivalent blastocyst rate (18%) was achieved after administration of ampicillin and gentamicin to mares before TVA. In experiment 3, we verified that stallion differences exist in rates of cleavage after ICSI with motile sperm. In sperm from a low-performing stallion, density-gradient centrifugation followed by swim-up was associated with significantly higher rates of cleavage (45% vs. 18%) and blastocyst development (14% vs. 0%) than those for density gradient alone. In experiment 4, parthenogenetic activation with ionomycin and 6-dimethylaminopurine yielded 40% blastocysts. Frozen-thawed sperm that were immotile

Comparison of array comparative genomic hybridization and quantitative real-time PCR-based aneuploidy screening of blastocyst biopsies.

PubMed

Capalbo, Antonio; Treff, Nathan R; Cimadomo, Danilo; Tao, Xin; Upham, Kathleen; Ubaldi, Filippo Maria; Rienzi, Laura; Scott, Richard T

2015-07-01

Comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) methods are being extensively used to select chromosomally normal embryos in human assisted reproduction. Some concerns related to the stage of analysis and which aneuploidy screening method to use still remain. In this study, the reliability of blastocyst-stage aneuploidy screening and the diagnostic performance of the two mostly used CCS methods (quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and array comparative genome hybridization (aCGH)) has been assessed. aCGH aneuploid blastocysts were rebiopsied, blinded, and evaluated by qPCR. Discordant cases were subsequently rebiopsied, blinded, and evaluated by single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array-based CCS. Although 81.7% of embryos showed the same diagnosis when comparing aCGH and qPCR-based CCS, 18.3% (22/120) of embryos gave a discordant result for at least one chromosome. SNP array reanalysis showed that a discordance was reported in ten blastocysts for aCGH, mostly due to false positives, and in four cases for qPCR. The discordant aneuploidy call rate per chromosome was significantly higher for aCGH (5.7%) compared with qPCR (0.6%; P<0.01). To corroborate these findings, 39 embryos were simultaneously biopsied for aCGH and qPCR during blastocyst-stage aneuploidy screening cycles. 35 matched including all 21 euploid embryos. Blinded SNP analysis on rebiopsies of the four embryos matched qPCR. These findings demonstrate the high reliability of diagnosis performed at the blastocyst stage with the use of different CCS methods. However, the application of aCGH can be expected to result in a higher aneuploidy rate than other contemporary methods of CCS.

DNA methylation analysis on satellite I region in blastocysts obtained from somatic cell cloned cattle.

PubMed

Yamanaka, Ken-Ichi; Kaneda, Masahiro; Inaba, Yasushi; Saito, Koji; Kubota, Kaiyu; Sakatani, Miki; Sugimura, Satoshi; Imai, Kei; Watanabe, Shinya; Takahashi, Masashi

2011-08-01

Many observations have been made on cloned embryos and on adult clones by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), but it is still unclear whether the progeny of cloned animals is presenting normal epigenetic status. Here, in order to accumulate the information for evaluating the normality of cloned cattle, we analyzed the DNA methylation status on satellite I region in blastocysts obtained from cloned cattle. Embryos were produced by artificial insemination (AI) to non-cloned or cloned dams using semen from non-cloned or cloned sires. After 7 days of AI, embryos at blastocyst stage were collected by uterine flushing. The DNA methylation levels in embryos obtained by using semen and/or oocytes from cloned cattle were similar to those in in vivo embryos from non-cloned cattle. In contrast, the DNA methylation levels in SCNT embryos were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those in in vivo embryos from non-cloned and cloned cattle, approximately similar to those in somatic cells used as donor cells. Thus, this study provides useful information that epigenetic status may be normal in the progeny of cloned cattle, suggesting the normality of germline cells in cloned cattle. 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Effect of steroid treatment of endometrial cells on blastocyst development during co-culture.

PubMed

Goff, A K; Smith, L C

1998-04-01

The objective of this study was to determine if treatment of endometrial cells with progesterone or progesterone plus estradiol would improve the development of bovine embryos to the blastocyst stage during co-culture. After IVF, bovine embryos were cultured with oviduct epithelial cells for 3 d. In Experiment 1 the embryos were cultured with a) oviduct epithelial cells; b) endometrial epithelial cells (EEC); c) EEC with 10 ng/ml progesterone (EEC + P); or d) EEC with 10 ng/ml progesterone and 10 pg/ml estradiol (EEC + PE) for 6 d. In Experiment 2 the embryos were cultured with a) oviduct epithelial cells; b) endometrial stromal cells (ESC); c) ESC with 10 ng/ml progesterone (ESC + P); or d) ESC with 10 ng/ml progesterone and 10 pg/ml estradiol (ESC + PE) for 6 d. Results from Experiment 1 showed that endometrial epithelial cells supported development to the blastocyst stage as effectively as the oviduct cells; however, the size of the blastocysts was smaller for the endometrial cells. There was no effect of steroid hormone treatment on development to the blastocyst stage or on the size of the blastocysts. Results from Experiment 2 showed that stromal cells supported development to the blastocyst stage as effectively as oviduct cells. The hatching rate was lower when the embryos were co-cultured with stromal cells than oviduct epithelial cells; but there was no effect of steroid treatment. These data show that untreated endometrial epithelial cells are as effective as oviduct cells in maintaining embryo development to the blastocyst stage. However, embryo development was not improved by steroid treatment of the cells.

Pluripotency and lineages in the mammalian blastocyst: an evolutionary view.

PubMed

Cañon, Susana; Fernandez-Tresguerres, Beatriz; Manzanares, Miguel

2011-06-01

Early mammalian development is characterized by a highly specific stage, the blastocyst, by which embryonic and extraembryonic lineages have been determined, but pattern formation has not yet begun. The blastocyst is also of interest because cell precursors of the embryo proper retain for a certain time the capability to generate all the cell types of the adult animal. This embryonic pluripotency is established and maintained by a regulatory network under the control of a small set of transcription factors, comprising Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. This network is largely conserved in eutherian mammals, but there is scarce information about how it arose in vertebrates. We have analysed the conservation of gene regulatory networks controlling blastocyst lineages and pluripotency in the mouse by comparison with the chick. We found that few of elements of the network are novel to mammals; rather, most of them were present before the separation of the mammalian lineage from other amniotes, but acquired novel expression domains during early mammalian development. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that mammalian blastocyst regulatory networks evolved through rewiring of pre-existing components, involving the co-option and duplication of existing genes and the establishment of new regulatory interactions among them.

Blastocyst classification systems used in Latin America: is a consensus possible?

PubMed Central

Puga-Torres, Tatiana; Blum-Rojas, Xavier; Blum-Narváez, Medardo

2017-01-01

Objective To identify different blastocyst classification systems used by embryologists in Latin American countries and evaluate the possibility of establishing a consensus among these countries. Methods An E-mail survey was carried out through the Latin American Network of Assisted Reproduction (REDLARA) aimed at embryologists from assisted reproduction centers in Latin countries. Results Sixty surveys were collected from 12 Latin American countries, of which 66.7% had >10years of professional practice as embryologists. Seven different blastocyst classification systems were reported, of which 5 have previously been described in the literature. Conclusion Although the group of embryologists surveyed use different blastocyst classification systems, most in this group consider that the embryo score system should be unified in their countries as well as in the region. PMID:28837032

Automatized image processing of bovine blastocysts produced in vitro for quantitative variable determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocha, José Celso; Passalia, Felipe José; Matos, Felipe Delestro; Takahashi, Maria Beatriz; Maserati, Marc Peter, Jr.; Alves, Mayra Fernanda; de Almeida, Tamie Guibu; Cardoso, Bruna Lopes; Basso, Andrea Cristina; Nogueira, Marcelo Fábio Gouveia

2017-12-01

There is currently no objective, real-time and non-invasive method for evaluating the quality of mammalian embryos. In this study, we processed images of in vitro produced bovine blastocysts to obtain a deeper comprehension of the embryonic morphological aspects that are related to the standard evaluation of blastocysts. Information was extracted from 482 digital images of blastocysts. The resulting imaging data were individually evaluated by three experienced embryologists who graded their quality. To avoid evaluation bias, each image was related to the modal value of the evaluations. Automated image processing produced 36 quantitative variables for each image. The images, the modal and individual quality grades, and the variables extracted could potentially be used in the development of artificial intelligence techniques (e.g., evolutionary algorithms and artificial neural networks), multivariate modelling and the study of defined structures of the whole blastocyst.

FISH reanalysis of inner cell mass and trophectoderm samples of previously array-CGH screened blastocysts shows high accuracy of diagnosis and no major diagnostic impact of mosaicism at the blastocyst stage.

PubMed

Capalbo, Antonio; Wright, Graham; Elliott, Thomas; Ubaldi, Filippo Maria; Rienzi, Laura; Nagy, Zsolt Peter

2013-08-01

ICM. All ICM biopsy procedures displayed ICM cells in the recovered fraction with a mean number of ICM cells of 26.2 and a mean TE cell contamination rate of 2%. By FISH reanalysis of previously aCGH-screened blastocysts, a total of 66 aneuploidies were scored, 52 (78.8%) observed in all cells and 14 (21.2%) mosaic. Overall, mosaic chromosomal errors were observed only in 11 out of 70 blastocysts (15.7%) but only 2 cases were classified as mosaic diploid/aneuploid (2.9%). Sensitivity and specificity of aCGH on TE clinical biopsies were 98.0 and 100% per embryo and 95.2 and 99.8% per chromosome, respectively. Linear regression analysis performed on the 11 mosaic diploid/aneuploid chromosomal segregations showed a significant positive correlation between the distribution and the proportion of aneuploid cells across the four-blastocyst sections (P < 0.01). In addition, regression analysis revealed that both the grade and the distribution of mosaic abnormal cells were significantly correlated with the likelihood of being diagnosed by aCGH performed on clinical TE biopsies (P = 0.019 and P < 0.01, respectively). Fisher's exact test for the 66 aneuploidies recorded showed no preferential allocation of abnormal cells between ICM and TE (P = 0.33). The study is limited to non-transferable embryos, reanalyzed for only nine chromosomes and excludes segmental imbalance and uniparental disomy. The prevalence of aneuploidy in the study group is likely to be higher than in the general population of clinical PGD embryos. This study showed high accuracy of diagnosis achievable during blastocyst stage PGS cycles coupled with 24-chromosomes molecular karyotyping analysis. The new ICM isolation strategy developed may open new possibilities for basic research in embryology and for clinical grade derivation of human embryonic stem cells. No specific funding was sought or obtained for this study.

Blastocyst complementation generates exogenic pancreas in vivo in apancreatic cloned pigs

PubMed Central

Matsunari, Hitomi; Nagashima, Hiroshi; Watanabe, Masahito; Umeyama, Kazuhiro; Nakano, Kazuaki; Nagaya, Masaki; Kobayashi, Toshihiro; Yamaguchi, Tomoyuki; Sumazaki, Ryo; Herzenberg, Leonard A.; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu

2013-01-01

In the field of regenerative medicine, one of the ultimate goals is to generate functioning organs from pluripotent cells, such as ES cells or induced pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). We have recently generated functional pancreas and kidney from PSCs in pancreatogenesis- or nephrogenesis-disabled mice, providing proof of principle for organogenesis from PSCs in an embryo unable to form a specific organ. Key when applying the principles of in vivo generation to human organs is compensation for an empty developmental niche in large nonrodent mammals. Here, we show that the blastocyst complementation system can be applied in the pig using somatic cell cloning technology. Transgenic approaches permitted generation of porcine somatic cell cloned embryos with an apancreatic phenotype. Complementation of these embryos with allogenic blastomeres then created functioning pancreata in the vacant niches. These results clearly indicate that a missing organ can be generated from exogenous cells when functionally normal pluripotent cells chimerize a cloned dysorganogenetic embryo. The feasibility of blastocyst complementation using cloned porcine embryos allows experimentation toward the in vivo generation of functional organs from xenogenic PSCs in large animals. PMID:23431169

Delayed blastulation, multinucleation, and expansion grade are independently associated with live-birth rates in frozen blastocyst transfer cycles.

PubMed

Desai, Nina; Ploskonka, Stephanie; Goodman, Linnea; Attaran, Marjan; Goldberg, Jeffrey M; Austin, Cynthia; Falcone, Tommaso

2016-11-01

To identify blastocyst features independently predictive of successful pregnancy and live births with vitrified-warmed blastocysts. Retrospective study. Academic hospital. Women undergoing a cycle with transfer of blastocysts vitrified using the Rapid-i closed carrier (n = 358). None. Clinical pregnancy and live-birth rates analyzed using logistic regression analysis. A total of 669 vitrified-warmed blastocysts were assessed. The survival rate was 95%. A mean of 1.7 ± 0.5 embryos were transferred. The clinical pregnancy, live-birth, and implantation rates were 55%, 46%, and 43%, respectively. The odds of clinical pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] 3.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.88-5.12) and live birth (OR 2.93; 95% CI, 1.79-4.85) were three times higher with day-5 blastocysts versus slower-growing day-6 vitrified blastocysts, irrespective of patient age at cryopreservation. Blastocysts from multinucleated embryos were half as likely to result in a live birth (OR 0.46; 95% CI, 0.22-0.91). A four -fold increase in live birth was observed if an expanded blastocyst was available for transfer. The inner cell mass-trophectoderm score correlated to positive outcomes in the univariate analysis. The implantation rate was statistically significantly higher for day-5 versus day-6 vitrified blastocysts (50% vs. 29%, respectively). The blastocyst expansion grade after warming was predictive of successful outcomes independent of the inner cell mass or trophectoderm score. Delayed blastulation and multinucleation were independently associated with lower live-birth rates in frozen cycles. Implantation potential of the frozen blastocysts available should be included in the decision-making process regarding embryo number for transfer. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Female bovine blastocysts are more prone to apoptosis than male ones.

PubMed

Ghys, Emmanuelle; Dallemagne, Matthew; De Troy, Delphine; Sauvegarde, Caroline; Errachid, Abdelmounaim; Donnay, Isabelle

2016-03-01

Female and male embryos show differences in gene expression and metabolism from the onset of their genome. Those differences are affected by environmental factors. The objective of the study was to compare the apoptotic rates of in vitro-produced female and male bovine blastocysts cultured in different conditions. Day 7 blastocysts obtained after IVF with sex-sorted semen and culture in two synthetic oviductal fluid-based media (containing fetal calf serum [FCS] or BSA, insulin, transferrin, and selenium) were simultaneously evaluated for two markers of apoptosis after 3D reconstruction from confocal images: active caspase 3 by immunofluorescence and DNA fragmentation by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Higher levels of apoptotic cells were observed in female embryos whatever the culture condition but with a more pronounced difference in FCS medium. This result was confirmed using the unsexed semen of two bulls. The sex effect on apoptosis was detected in both the inner cell mass and the trophectoderm but was dependent on the embryonic size. In conclusion, this study reported that female bovine blastocysts are more prone to apoptosis than male ones but that culture in FCS exacerbates the differences in apoptosis between sexes, especially in small blastocysts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased lectin binding capacity of trophoblastic cells of late day 5 rat blastocysts.

PubMed Central

Stein, B A; Shaw, T J; Turner, V F; Murphy, C R

1994-01-01

The binding of lectins to the trophoblast of rat blastocysts has been studied using quantitative ultrastructural cytochemistry. Rat blastocysts from early, mid and late d 5 of gestation were stained using biotinylated lectins (Phytolacca americana [Phy am], fucose binding protein [FBP] and soybean agglutinin [SBA]) and a sensitive avidin-ferritin cytochemical method. Electron micrographs of ferritin particles along the membrane were processed to produce images for which grey scale levels could be established and the ferritin particles automatically counted. The ferritin:membrane ratio was then calculated. Increased binding with Phy am (which detects short chain oligosaccharides) was found after midday of d 5, i.e. after hatching. Binding of FBP and SBA did not alter during the period studied. The increased concentration of oligosaccharides on the blastocyst surface membrane after hatching may have important implications for blastocyst attachment to the endometrium. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 PMID:7649802

Lower blastocyst quality after conventional vs. Piezo ICSI in the horse reflects delayed sperm component remodeling and oocyte activation.

PubMed

Salgado, R M; Brom-de-Luna, J G; Resende, H L; Canesin, H S; Hinrichs, Katrin

2018-04-10

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differential effects of conventional and Piezo-driven ICSI on blastocyst development, and on sperm component remodeling and oocyte activation, in an equine model. In vitro-matured equine oocytes underwent conventional (Conv) or Piezo ICSI, the latter utilizing fluorocarbon ballast. Blastocyst development was compared between treatments to validate the model. Then, oocytes were fixed at 0, 6, or 18 h after injection, and stained for the sperm tail, acrosome, oocyte cortical granules, and chromatin. These parameters were compared between injection techniques and between sham-injected and sperm-injected oocytes among time periods. Blastocyst rates were 39 and 40%. The nucleus number was lower, and the nuclear fragmentation rate was higher, in blastocysts produced by Conv. Cortical granule loss started at 0H after both sperm and sham injection. The acrosome was present at 0H in both ICSI treatments, and persisted to 18H in significantly more Conv than Piezo oocytes (72 vs. 21%). Sperm head area was unchanged at 6H in Conv but significantly increased at this time in Piezo; correspondingly, at 6H significantly more Conv than Piezo oocytes remained at MII (80 vs. 9.5%). Sham injection did not induce significant meiotic resumption. These data show that Piezo ICSI is associated with more rapid sperm component remodeling and oocyte meiotic resumption after sperm injection than is conventional ICSI, and with higher embryo quality at the blastocyst stage. This suggests that there is value in exploring the Piezo technique, utilized with a non-toxic fluorocarbon ballast, for use in clinical human ICSI.

Molecular and cellular events during blastocyst implantation in the receptive uterus: clues from mouse models

PubMed Central

MATSUMOTO, Hiromichi

2017-01-01

The success of implantation is an interactive process between the blastocyst and the uterus. Synchronized development of embryos with uterine differentiation to a receptive state is necessary to complete pregnancy. The period of uterine receptivity for implantation is limited and referred to as the “implantation window”, which is regulated by ovarian steroid hormones. Implantation process is complicated due to the many signaling molecules in the hierarchical mechanisms with the embryo-uterine dialogue. The mouse is widely used in animal research, and is uniquely suited for reproductive studies, i.e., having a large litter size and brief estrous cycles. This review first describes why the mouse is the preferred model for implantation studies, focusing on uterine morphology and physiological traits, and then highlights the knowledge on uterine receptivity and the hormonal regulation of blastocyst implantation in mice. Our recent study revealed that selective proteolysis in the activated blastocyst is associated with the completion of blastocyst implantation after embryo transfer. Furthermore, in the context of blastocyst implantation in the mouse, this review discusses the window of uterine receptivity, hormonal regulation, uterine vascular permeability and angiogenesis, the delayed-implantation mouse model, morphogens, adhesion molecules, crosslinker proteins, extracellular matrix, and matricellular proteins. A better understanding of uterine and blastocyst biology during the peri-implantation period should facilitate further development of reproductive technology. PMID:28638003

Successful development of viable blastocysts from enhanced green fluorescent protein transgene-microinjected mouse embryos: comparison of culture media.

PubMed

Devgan, Vikram; Seshagiri, Polani B

2003-07-01

To improve efficiency of transgenesis, we compared M16 and CZB embryo culture media, supporting development to blastocysts of FVB/N mouse pronuclear-eggs, microinjected with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgene. When EGFP-injected-eggs were cultured (120 hr), blastocyst development was significantly (P < 0.03) higher in M16 medium (72.5 +/- 2.4%) than that in CZB (13.2 +/- 4.3%) or CZBG (CZB with 5.6 mM glucose at 48 hr culture) (62.1 +/- 3.7%) media. Blastocyst development of noninjected embryos was higher in M16 (92.0 +/- 2.6%) and CZBG (83.9 +/- 3.9%) media than in CZB (31.9 +/- 2.8%) medium (P < 0.0001). However, percentages of morulae at 72 hr were comparable in all treatments. Developed blastocysts were better in M16 than in CZB or CZBG media. Consistent with this, mean cell number per blastocyst, developed from injected embryos, was significantly (P < 0.002) higher in M16 medium (79.6), than those in CZB (31.3) or CZBG media (60.7); similar with noninjected embryos. Cell allocation to trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM), i.e., TE:ICM ratio, for injected blastocysts in M16 (3.0) was less than (P < 0.05) those in CZB (4.2) and CZBG (4.4) media; similar with noninjected blastocysts. Moreover, blastocysts, developed in M16 and CZBG media, hatched, attached, and exhibited trophoblast outgrowth; 18% of them showed EGFP-expression. Importantly, blastocysts from M16 medium produced live transgenic "green" pups (11%) following embryo transfer. Taken together, our results indicate that supplementation of glucose, at 48 hr of culture (CZBG), is required for morula to blastocyst transition; M16 medium, containing glucose from the beginning of culture, is superior to CZB or CZBG for supporting development of biologically viable blastocysts from EGFP-transgene-injected mouse embryos. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cell lineage allocation in equine blastocysts produced in vitro under varying glucose concentrations.

PubMed

Choi, Young-Ho; Ross, Pablo; Velez, Isabel C; Macías-García, B; Riera, Fernando L; Hinrichs, Katrin

2015-07-01

Equine embryos develop in vitro in the presence of high glucose concentrations, but little is known about their requirements for development. We evaluated the effect of glucose concentrations in medium on blastocyst development after ICSI. In experiment 1, there were no significant differences in rates of blastocyst formation among embryos cultured in our standard medium (DMEM/F-12), which contained >16 mM glucose, and those cultured in a minimal-glucose embryo culture medium (<1 mM; Global medium, GB), with either 0 added glucose for the first 5 days, then 20 mM (0-20) or 20 mM for the entire culture period (20-20). In experiment 2, there were no significant differences in the rates of blastocyst development (31-46%) for embryos cultured in four glucose treatments in GB (0-10, 0-20, 5-10, or 5-20). Blastocysts were evaluated by immunofluorescence for lineage-specific markers. All cells stained positively for POU5F1. An inner cluster of cells was identified that included presumptive primitive endoderm cells (GATA6-positive) and presumptive epiblast (EPI) cells. The 5-20 treatment resulted in a significantly lower number of presumptive EPI-lineage cells than the 0-20 treatment did. GATA6-positive cells appeared to be allocated to the primitive endoderm independent of the formation of an inner cell mass, as was previously hypothesized for equine embryos. These data demonstrate that equine blastocyst development is not dependent on high glucose concentrations during early culture; rather, environmental glucose may affect cell allocation. They also present the first analysis of cell lineage allocation in in vitro-fertilized equine blastocysts. These findings expand our understanding of the factors that affect embryo development in the horse. © 2015 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Control of interferon-tau secretion by in vitro-derived bovine blastocysts during extended culture and outgrowth formation.

PubMed

Kubisch, H M; Larson, M A; Kiesling, D O

2001-04-01

A series of experiments was conducted to examine the pattern of interferon-tau (IFN-tau) secretion by bovine blastocysts during extended culture in vitro. In the first experiment, blastocysts were cultured individually for three 48-hour periods. The day of blastocyst formation affected how much IFN-tau was produced during the first two culture periods, but not during the third period. The overall secretion of IFN-tau during the 6-day period increased significantly and well beyond what could be accounted for by the concomitant increase in cell numbers. In the second experiment, blastocysts were initially cultured in individual droplets for 48 hr, then plated into 48-well plates. Medium concentrations of IFN-tau were determined after 48 hr and again after 6 and 12 days of culture. Initial IFN-tau secretion did not affect the ability to form outgrowths or their final size, and initial differences in secretion between groups of blastocysts had disappeared by the second and third analyses. In the third experiment, blastocysts were cultured individually for 48 hr in droplets containing the medium that had been flushed through the uteri of non-pregnant sheep on days 10, 12, and 15 of the estrous cycle. Culture in the medium obtained from the Day 15 flush significantly increased the number of cells that blastocysts contained, as well as IFN-tau secretion.

A comparison of the survival and implantation rates of blastocysts that were vitrified on post-fertilization day five, six and seven.

PubMed

Berrin, Avci; Isıl, Kasapoglu; Baris, Ata; Goktan, Kuspinar; Seda, Saribal; Gurkan, Uncu

2018-05-03

The goal of this retrospective cohort study was to compare survival, implantation, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates between blastocysts that were vitrified on post-fertilization days 5, 6 and 7. Before vitrification, blastocysts were evaluated in terms of morphology and blastocyst expansion, inner cell mass and trophectoderm quality. They were thawed and transfered in a subsequent artificial cycle. Embryo implantation rates were 39%, 25% and 25% for blastocysts that were vitrified on days 5, 6, and 7, respectively (p = 0.006). Clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates were 19%, 12%, 13% (p = 0.100) and 9%, 7%, 12% (p = 0.99) for days 5, 6 and 7 blastocysts, respectively. Day 5 blastocysts had significantly higher full-collapsing score after assisted-hatching compared to days 6 and 7 blastocysts (p = 0.014). As blastocyst quality increased, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates increased in all groups and both parameters were statistically significantly higher on day 5 blastocysts than on days 6 or 7 (p = 0.001). It was clearly found that good quality blastocysts obtained on day 5 have higher implantation and clinical pregnancy rates than 6th and 7th day cryopreserved embryos. There were no statistically significant differences between the cryopreserved embryos on days 6 and 7 regarding the implantation, clinic and ongoing pregnancy rates.

Effect of potential oocyte transport protocols on blastocyst rates after intracytoplasmic sperm injection in the horse.

PubMed

Foss, R; Ortis, H; Hinrichs, K

2013-12-01

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is used to produce foals from otherwise infertile mares and from stallions with limited sperm stores, but requires expensive equipment and is technically demanding. Methods to transport oocytes to ICSI laboratories would allow collection of oocytes by the referring veterinarian and enable greater application of this technique. This study was conducted to evaluate protocols that could be used to transport immature and maturing oocytes for ICSI. In vitro experiment. Oocytes were recovered by transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration either from dominant follicles 24 h after deslorelin administration (dominant stimulated follicle [DSF]), or from subordinate (immature) follicles at the same time. To mimic transport, DSF oocytes were incubated overnight under differing conditions before ICSI; immature oocytes were placed in varying conditions overnight before in vitro maturation, followed by ICSI. The rate of blastocyst production was compared among treatments. Blastocysts were produced in all groups. Dominant stimulated follicle oocytes held in sealed tubes in pre-equilibrated control maturation medium maintained at 37°C yielded blastocyst development equal to that obtained for control incubated oocytes (70%). Dominant stimulated follicle oocytes held similarly in a warm passive device yielded poor blastocyst development (10%). Immature oocytes held for one or 2 nights in modified M199 medium, or for one night in commercial embryo holding solution, in air at room temperature, yielded 35-37% blastocyst development per injected oocyte. A commercially available medium can be used for shipping immature oocytes at room temperature with good resulting blastocyst rates. Better blastocyst rates per oocyte are obtained from DSF oocytes; however, these require maintenance at 37°C and as they are already maturing at the time of collection, are more sensitive to delays. This new, practical information supporting transport of

Demi-embryo production from hatching of zona-drilled bovine and rabbit blastocysts.

PubMed

Skrzyszowska, M; Smorag, Z; Katska, L

1997-09-01

It is known that the pregnancy rate resulting after transfer of bisected embryos is lower than after transfer of whole embryos. The main reason is the reduced cell number in the demi-embryo which is less than 1 2 of that in the intact embryo, since a number of blastomeres is damaged as a result of the procedure used in conventional embryo splitting. The aim of our experiment was to develop a non-invasive procedure which would limit cell losses during microsurgery. The experiment was carried out on bovine IVM-IVF embryos at middle, late and expanded blastocyst stage and rabbit embryos at late blastocyst stage cultured in vitro from in vivo produced zygotes. The zona pellucida of these embryos was drilled on the line between the inner cell mass and the trophoblast using a glass microneedle (blastocyst through the perforation and formation of an incomplete demi-embryo configuration, connected by a very thin cell bridge (figure eight in shape). To separate the parts of the embryo, the cell bridge was cut using a glass microneedle. During the separation only a few cells were damaged. As a result of the procedure 4 20 (20.0%), 48 144 (33.3%) and 3 40 (7.5%) middle, late and expanded blastocysts hatched according to the pattern described. The developed procedure could be considered as a non-invasive alternative to conventional embryo splitting.

Blastocyst Development in a Single Medium Compared to Sequential Media: A Prospective Study With Sibling Oocytes.

PubMed

Sfontouris, Ioannis A; Kolibianakis, Efstratios M; Lainas, George T; Petsas, George K; Tarlatzis, Basil C; Lainas, Trifon G

2017-09-01

The aim of the present study was to compare blastocyst formation rates after embryo culture in a single medium (Global) as compared to sequential media (ISM1/BlastAssist). In this prospective trial with sibling oocytes, 542 metaphase II (ΜΙΙ) oocytes from 31 women were randomly and equally divided to be fertilized and cultured to the blastocyst stage in either sequential media (ISM1/BlastAssist; n = 271 MII oocytes) or a single medium (Global; n = 271 MII oocytes). In both groups, embryos were cultured in an interrupted fashion with media changes on day 3. Embryo transfer was performed on day 5. Blastocyst formation rates on day 5 (61.7% ± 19.9% vs 37.0% ± 25.5%, P < .001) were significantly higher following culture in Global as compared to ISM1/BlastAssist, respectively. Fertilization rates, cleavage rates, and percentage of good quality embryos on day 3 were similar between Global and ISM1/BlastAssist, respectively. The percentages of good quality blastocysts (63.0% ± 24.8% vs 32.1% ± 37.2%, P < .001), blastocysts selected for transfer (27.8% ± 19.2% vs 11.1% ± 14.4%, P = .005), and utilization rates (62.5% ± 24.8% vs 39.0% ± 25.2%, P < .001) were significantly higher in Global as compared to ISM1/BlastAssist, respectively. In conclusion, culture in Global was associated with higher blastocyst formation rates compared to ISM1/BlastAssist, suggesting that the single medium may provide better support to the developing embryo.

Penetration of chemicals into the oocyte, uterine fluid, and preimplantation blastocyst

PubMed Central

Fabro, Sergio

1978-01-01

Chemicals, including commonly used drugs (e.g., penicillin, meprobamate, pyridium, and mercaptomerin) penetrate and persist for some time in the ovarian follicular fluid at concentrations approximately similar to that of the serum. Information as to the penetration of chemicals into the granulosa cells and into the oocyte is scanty, although there are some indications that these structures are also permeable to foreign chemicals. Similarly, caffeine, nicotine, thiopental, salicylic acid, antipyrine, barbital, and isoniazid enter the uterine secretion and penetrate the preimplantation blastocyst of mice, rats and rabbits. The pattern of distribution of compounds among ovarian follicular fluid, uterine luminal fluid, blastocyst and plasma varies from compound to compound and appears to be related to the molecular weight and degree of ionization of the compound and differs in pregnant and nonpregnant animals. Thus, nicotine and DDT accumulate in the uterine luminal fluid of pregnant but not in that of nonpregnant rabbits. The penetration of foreign chemicals into the oocyte, uterine luminal fluid, and preimplantation blastocyst may exert adverse effects on fertilization, implantation, and/or further development of the conceptus. The possible toxicological importance of this process to eutherian reproduction is discussed. PMID:17539150

Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) is involved in morula to blastocyst transformation in the mouse

PubMed Central

Wang, Hehai; Ding, Tianbing; Brown, Naoko; Yamamoto, Yasutoshi; Prince, Lawrence S.; Reese, Jeff; Paria, B. C.

2008-01-01

It is unknown whether or not tight junction formation plays any role in morula to blastocyst transformation that is associated with development of polarized trophoblast cells and fluid accumulation. Tight junctions are a hallmark of polarized epithelial cells and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) is a known key regulator of tight junction formation. Here we show that ZO-1 protein is first expressed during compaction of 8-cell embryos. This stage-specific appearance of ZO-1 suggests its participation in morula to blastocyst transition. Consistent with this idea, we demonstrate that ZO-1 siRNA delivery inside the blastomeres of zona-weakened embryos using electroporation not only knocks down ZO-1 gene and protein expressions, but also inhibits morula to blastocyst transformation in a concentration dependent manner. In addition, ZO-1 inactivation reduced the expression of Cdx2 and Oct-4, but not ZO-2 and F-actin. These results provide the first evidence that ZO-1 is involved in blastocyst formation from the morula by regulating accumulation of fluid and differentiation of nonpolar blastomeres to polar trophoblast cells. PMID:18423437

Reduced blastocyst formation in reduced culture volume.

PubMed

De Munck, N; Santos-Ribeiro, S; Mateizel, I; Verheyen, G

2015-09-01

The aim of this prospective sibling oocyte study was to evaluate whether reduced culture volume improves blastocyst formation. Twenty-three patients with extended embryo culture until day 5 were selected for the study. After injection, 345 sibling oocytes were individually cultured in either 25 or 7 μl droplets of Origio cleavage medium under oil. On day 3 of development, embryos were transferred to droplets with the corresponding volume of Origio blastocyst culture medium. Fertilization and embryo quality on day 3 and day 5/6 were evaluated. No statistically significant difference (p = 0.326) in fertilization rate was observed (81.3 versus 83.0 %). There was no significant difference in terms of the number of excellent and good-quality embryos obtained on day 3 between both groups (p = 0.655). Embryo culture in 25 μl droplets led to more embryos with a higher cell number when compared to 7 μl culture (p = 0.024). On day 3, 132 and 131 embryos were considered for further culture until day 5/6. Blastulation rates were significantly higher in the 25 μl group (75.0 versus 61.6 %; p = 0.017) and significantly more day 5 embryos with excellent and good quality were found in this group (54.5 versus 40.5 %; p = 0.026). Finally, the utilization rates expressed per mature oocyte (41.4 versus 29.8 %; p = 0.043), per fertilized oocyte (50.7 versus 36.6 %; p = 0.023), and per day 3 embryo undergoing extended culture to day 5/6 (54.5 versus 39.7 %; p = 0.019) were all significantly higher in the 25 μl group. Reduced culture volume (7 μl) negatively impacts early development by reducing the cell number on day 3 and both blastocyst formation and quality.

Chromosomal analysis of blastocyst derived from monopronucleated ICSI zygotes: approach by double trophectoderm biopsy.

PubMed

Mateo, Silvia; Vidal, Francesca; Coll, Lluc; Veiga, Anna; Boada, Montserrat

2017-09-01

This study aims to increase the knowledge about monopronucleated ICSI-derived blastocysts, analyzing trophectoderm biopsies by aCGH and FISH to evaluate their chromosome constitution. Fifteen monopronucleated ICSI-derived blastocysts were studied. Double trophectoderm biopsy was performed and analyzed by FISH and aCGH. The blastocysts were classified according to chromosome constitution. Disagreements between the two techniques were assessed. Results obtained after FISH and aCGH analyses showed the following: 20% (3/15) and 60% (9/15) diploid females, respectively; 26.7% (4/15) and 26.7% (4/15) diploid males, respectively; and 53.3% (8/15) and 13.3% (2/15) mosaics, respectively. No mosaic male embryos were found using FISH or aCGH. There were disagreements in 40% (6/15) of the cases due to the higher detection of mosaicism by FISH compared to aCGH. The combination of FISH and aCGH has been shown to be a suitable approach to increase the knowledge about monopronucleated ICSI-derived embryos. FISH analysis of blastocysts derived from monopronucleated ICSI zygotes enabled us to conclude that aCGH underestimates haploidy. Some diploid embryos diagnosed by aCGH are in fact mosaic. In cases where these embryos would be used for reproductive purposes, extra analysis of parental genome origin is recommended.

Expression of adhesion and extracellular matrix genes in human blastocysts upon attachment in a 2D co-culture system.

PubMed

Aberkane, A; Essahib, W; Spits, C; De Paepe, C; Sermon, K; Adriaenssens, T; Mackens, S; Tournaye, H; Brosens, J J; Van de, Velde H

2018-05-26

What are the changes in human embryos, in terms of morphology and gene expression, upon attachment to endometrial epithelial cells? Apposition and adhesion of human blastocysts to endometrial epithelial cells are predominantly initiated at the embryonic pole and these steps are associated with changes in expression of adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM) genes in the embryo. Both human and murine embryos have been co-cultured with Ishikawa cells, although embryonic gene expression associated with attachment has not yet been investigated in an in-vitro implantation model. Vitrified human blastocysts were warmed and co-cultured for up to 48 h with Ishikawa cells, a model cell line for receptive endometrial epithelium. Six-days post fertilisation (6dpf) human embryos were co-cultured with Ishikawa cells for 12 h, 24 h (7dpf) or 48 h (8dpf) and attachment rate and morphological development investigated. Expression of 84 adhesion and ECM genes was analysed by quantitative PCR. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to assess the expression of three informative genes at the protein level. Data are reported on 115 human embryos. Mann-Whitney U was used for statistical analysis between two groups, with P < 0.05 considered significant. The majority of embryos attached to Ishikawa cells at the level of the polar trophectoderm; 41% of co-cultured embryos were loosely attached after 12 h and 86% firmly attached after 24 h. Outgrowth of hCG-positive embryonic cells at 8dpf indicated differentiation of trophectoderm into invasive syncytiotrophoblast. Gene expression analysis was performed on loosely attached and unattached embryos co-cultured with Ishikawa cells for 12 h. In contrast to unattached embryos, loosely attached embryos expressed THBS1, TNC, COL12A1, CTNND2, ITGA3, ITGAV, and LAMA3 and had significantly higher CD44 and TIMP1 transcript levels (P = 0.014 and P = 0.029, respectively). LAMA3, THBS1 and TNC expression was validated at the protein

Development of pre-implantation porcine blastocysts cultured within alginate hydrogel systems either supplemented with secreted phosphoprotein 1 or conjugated with Arg-Gly-Asp Peptide.

PubMed

Laughlin, Taylor D; Miles, Jeremy R; Wright-Johnson, Elane C; Rempel, Lea A; Lents, Clay A; Pannier, Angela K

2017-11-01

Although deficiencies in porcine blastocyst elongation play a significant role in early embryonic mortality and establishment of within-litter developmental variation, the exact mechanisms of elongation are poorly understood. Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) is increased within the uterine milieu during early porcine pregnancy and contains an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide sequence that binds to cell surface integrins on the uterine endometrium and trophectoderm, promoting cell adhesion and migration. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the development of preimplantation porcine blastocysts encapsulated and cultured within alginate hydrogels either supplemented with SPP1 or conjugated with RGD. Blastocysts encapsulated within alginate hydrogels supplemented with SPP1 or conjugated with RGD had increased survival compared with non-encapsulated control blastocysts. In addition, the percentage of blastocysts encapsulated within RGD hydrogels that underwent morphological changes was greater than that of blastocysts encapsulated within standard alginate hydrogels or SPP1-supplemented hydrogels. Finally, only blastocysts encapsulated within RGD hydrogels had both increased expression of steroidogenic and immune responsiveness transcripts and increased 17β-oestradiol production, consistent with blastocysts undergoing elongation in vivo. These results illustrate the importance of the integrin-binding RGD peptide sequence for stimulating the initiation of blastocyst elongation.

Mitochondrial DNA variations in ova and blastocyst: implications in assisted reproduction.

PubMed

Shamsi, Monis Bilal; Govindaraj, Periyasamy; Chawla, Latika; Malhotra, Neena; Singh, Neeta; Mittal, Suneeta; Talwar, Pankaj; Thangaraj, Kumarasamy; Dada, Rima

2013-03-01

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of oocyte is critical for its function, embryo quality and development. Analysis of complete mtDNA of 49 oocytes and 18 blastocysts from 67 females opting for IVF revealed 437 nucleotide variations. 40.29% samples had either disease associated or non-synonymous novel or pathogenic mutation in evolutionarily conserved regions. Samples with disease associated mtDNA mutations had low fertilization rate and poor embryo quality, however no difference in implantation or clinical pregnancy rate was observed. Screening mtDNA from oocyte/blastocyst is a simple, clinically reliable method for diagnostic evaluation of female infertility and may reduce risk of mtDNA disease transmission. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

Derivation of cat embryonic stem-like cells from in vitro-produced blastocysts on homologous and heterologous feeder cells.

PubMed

Gómez, M C; Serrano, M A; Pope, C Earle; Jenkins, J A; Biancardi, M N; López, M; Dumas, C; Galiguis, J; Dresser, B L

2010-09-01

The domestic cat is a focal mammalian species that is used as a model for developing assisted reproductive technologies for preserving endangered cats and for studying human diseases. The generation of stable characterized cat embryonic stem cells (ESC) lines to use as donor nuclei may help to improve the efficiency of interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer for preserving endangered cats and allow the creation of knockout cell lines to generate knockout cats for studying function of specific genes related to human diseases. It will also enable the possibility of producing gametes in vitro from ESC of endangered cats. In the present study, we report the generation of cat embryonic stem-like (cESL) cells from blastocysts derived entirely in vitro. We generated 32 cESL cell lines from 331 in vitro derived blastocysts from which inner cell masses were isolated by immunosurgery or by a mechanical method. Inhibition of cat dermal fibroblast (CDF) proliferation after exposure to mitomycin-C was both dose and time dependent, where doses of 30 to 40 microg/mL for 5 h were most efficient. These dosages were higher than that required to inhibit cell proliferation of mouse fetal fibroblasts (MFF; 10 microg/mL for 2.5 h). Mitomycin-C did not significantly increase necrosis of cells from either species, and had an anti-proliferative effect at concentrations below cytotoxicity. A clear species-specific relationship between feeder layers and derivation of cESL cell lines was observed, where higher numbers of cESL cell lines were generated on homologous cat feeder layers (n = 26) than from those derived on heterologous mouse feeder layers (n = 6). Three cESL cell lines generated from immunosurgery and cultured on CDF maintained self-renewal and were morphologically undifferentiated for nine and twelve passages (69-102 days). These lines showed a tightly packed dome shaped morphology, exhibited alkaline phosphatase activity and immuno-expression of the pluripotent marker OCT-4

[Investigation of neural stem cell-derived donor contribution in the inner ear following blastocyst injection].

PubMed

Volkenstein, S; Brors, D; Hansen, S; Mlynski, R; Dinger, T C; Müller, A M; Dazert, S

2008-03-01

Utilising the enormous proliferation and multi-lineage differentiation potentials of somatic stem cells represents a possible therapeutical strategy for diseases of non-regenerative tissues like the inner ear. In the current study, the possibility of murine neural stem cells to contribute to the developing inner ear following blastocyst injection was investigated. Fetal brain-derived neural stem cells from the embryonic day 14 cortex of male mice were isolated and expanded for four weeks in neurobasal media supplemented with bFGF and EGF. Neural stem cells of male animals were harvested, injected into blastocysts and the blastocysts were transferred into pseudo-pregnant foster animals. Each blastocyst was injected with 5-15 microspheres growing from single cell suspension from neurospheres dissociated the day before. The resulting mice were investigated six months POST PARTUM for the presence of donor cells. Brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) was performed in six animals. To visualize donor cells Lac-Z staining was performed on sliced cochleas of two animals. In addition, the cochleas of four female animals were isolated and genomic DNA of the entire cochlea was analyzed for donor contribution by Y-chromosome-specific PCR. All animals had normal thresholds in brainstem evoked response audiometry. The male-specific PCR product indicating the presence of male donor cells were detected in the cochleas of three of the four female animals investigated. In two animals, male donor cells were detected unilateral, in one animal bilateral. The results suggest that descendants of neural stem cells are detectable in the inner ear after injection into blastocysts and possess the ability to integrate into the developing inner ear without obvious loss in hearing function.

Blastomere nucleation: Predictive factors and influence of blastomere with no apparent nuclei on blastocyst development and implantation.

PubMed

Setti, Amanda Souza; Figueira, Rita Cássia Sávio; Braga, Daniela Paes de Almeida Ferreira; Iaconelli, Assumpto; Borges, Edson

2018-06-01

To investigate whether embryos presenting blastomere(s) with no apparent nucleus (BNAN) on days 2 and 3 are more likely to fail to develop into blastocysts, hatch and implant. A total of 5705 zygotes obtained from 743 intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were analyzed. The presence and incidence of BNAN on days 2 and 3 of embryo development were recorded and then associated with ICSI outcomes. The occurrence of BNAN on day 2 of embryo development was determinant to the decreased odds of blastocyst formation (OR: 0.57, CI: 0.50-0.65), quality (OR: 0.56, CI: 0.43-0.73) and hatching status (OR: 0.66, CI: 0.50-0.87). The presence of BNAN on day 3 of embryo development was determinant to the decreased odds of blastocyst formation (OR: 0.67, CI: 0.58-0.78) and hatching status (OR: 0.61, CI: 0.45-0.83). The occurrence of BNAN on day 2 of embryo development was determinant to the decreased odds of blastocyst implantation (OR: 0.50, CI: 0.27-0.94). The presence of BNAN on day 2 or day 3 reduces development to blastocyst stage, hatching and implantation. Careful nuclear observation, taking into account the absence of blastomere nucleus, should be part of the strategies used for embryo selection.

Selection of appropriate isolation method based on morphology of blastocyst for efficient derivation of buffalo embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Kumar, R; Ahlawat, S P S; Sharma, M; Verma, O P; Sai Kumar, G; Taru Sharma, G

2014-03-01

The efficiency of embryonic stem cell (ESC) derivation from all species except for rodents and primates is very low. There are however, multiple interests in obtaining pluripotent cells from these animals with main expectations in the fields of transgenesis, cloning, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Researches are being carried out in laboratories throughout the world to increase the efficiency of ESC isolation for their downstream applications. Thus, the present study was undertaken to study the effect of different isolation methods based on the morphology of blastocyst for efficient derivation of buffalo ESCs. Embryos were produced in vitro through the procedures of maturation, fertilization and culture. Hatched blastocysts or isolated inner cell masses (ICMs) were seeded on mitomycin-C inactivated buffalo fetal fibroblast monolayer for the development of ESC colonies. The ESCs were analyzed for alkaline phosphatase activity, expression of pluripotency markers and karyotypic stability. Primary ESC colonies were obtained after 2-5 days of seeding hatched blastocysts or isolated ICMs on mitomycin-C inactivated feeder layer. Mechanically isolated ICMs attached and formed primary cell colonies more efficiently than ICMs isolated enzymatically. For derivation of ESCs from poorly defined ICMs intact hatched blastocyst culture was the most successful method. Results of this study implied that although ESCs can be obtained using all three methods used in this study, efficiency varies depending upon the morphology of blastocyst and isolation method used. So, appropriate isolation method must be selected depending on the quality of blastocyst for efficient derivation of ESCs.

Selection of Suitable Internal Control Genes for Accurate Normalization of Real-Time Quantitative PCR Data of Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Blastocysts Produced by SCNT and IVF.

PubMed

Sood, Tanushri Jerath; Lagah, Swati Viviyan; Sharma, Ankita; Singla, Suresh Kumar; Mukesh, Manishi; Chauhan, Manmohan Singh; Manik, Radheysham; Palta, Prabhat

2017-10-01

We evaluated the suitability of 10 candidate internal control genes (ICGs), belonging to different functional classes, namely ACTB, EEF1A1, GAPDH, HPRT1, HMBS, RPS15, RPS18, RPS23, SDHA, and UBC for normalizing the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) data of blastocyst-stage buffalo embryos produced by hand-made cloning and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Total RNA was isolated from three pools, each of cloned and IVF blastocysts (n = 50/pool) for cDNA synthesis. Two different statistical algorithms geNorm and NormFinder were used for evaluating the stability of these genes. Based on gene stability measure (M value) and pairwise variation (V value), calculated by geNorm analysis, the most stable ICGs were RPS15, HPRT1, and ACTB for cloned blastocysts, HMBS, UBC, and HPRT1 for IVF blastocysts and RPS15, GAPDH, and HPRT1 for both the embryo types analyzed together. RPS18 was the least stable gene for both cloned and IVF blastocysts. Following NormFinder analysis, the order of stability was RPS15 = HPRT1>GAPDH for cloned blastocysts, HMBS = UBC>RPS23 for IVF blastocysts, and HPRT1>GAPDH>RPS15 for cloned and IVF blastocysts together. These results suggest that despite overlapping of the three most stable ICGs between cloned and IVF blastocysts, the panel of ICGs selected for normalization of qPCR data of cloned and IVF blastocyst-stage embryos should be different.

Aseptic minimum volume vitrification technique for porcine parthenogenetically activated blastocyst.

PubMed

Lin, Lin; Yu, Yutao; Zhang, Xiuqing; Yang, Huanming; Bolund, Lars; Callesen, Henrik; Vajta, Gábor

2011-01-01

Minimum volume vitrification may provide extremely high cooling and warming rates if the sample and the surrounding medium contacts directly with the respective liquid nitrogen and warming medium. However, this direct contact may result in microbial contamination. In this work, an earlier aseptic technique was applied for minimum volume vitrification. After equilibration, samples were loaded on a plastic film, immersed rapidly into factory derived, filter-sterilized liquid nitrogen, and sealed into sterile, pre-cooled straws. At warming, the straw was cut, the filmstrip was immersed into a 39 degree C warming medium, and the sample was stepwise rehydrated. Cryosurvival rates of porcine blastocysts produced by parthenogenetical activation did not differ from control, vitrified blastocysts with Cryotop. This approach can be used for minimum volume vitrification methods and may be suitable to overcome the biological dangers and legal restrictions that hamper the application of open vitrification techniques.

Prepubertal goat oocytes from large follicles result in similar blastocyst production and embryo ploidy than those from adult goats.

PubMed

Romaguera, R; Moll, X; Morató, R; Roura, M; Palomo, M J; Catalá, M G; Jiménez-Macedo, A R; Hammami, S; Izquierdo, D; Mogas, T; Paramio, M T

2011-07-01

Developmental competence of oocytes from prepubertal females is lower than those from adult females. Oocyte development competence is positively related to follicular diameter. Most of the follicles of prepubertal goat ovaries are smaller than 3 mm. The aim of this study was to compare oocytes of two follicle sizes (< 3 mm and ≥ 3 mm) from prepubertal goats with oocytes from adult goats in relation to their in vitro production and quality of blastocysts. Oocytes from prepubertal goats were obtained from slaughterhouse ovaries and selected according to the follicle diameter whereas oocytes from adult goats were recovered in vivo by LOPU technique without prior selection of follicle size. COCs were IVM for 27 h, IVF at the conventional conditions with fresh semen and presumptive zygotes were cultured in SOF medium for 8 days. Blastocysts obtained were vitrified and after warming their blastocoele re-expansion and the ploidy by FISH technique were assessed. We found significant differences between blastocysts yield of oocytes recovered from follicles smaller than 3 mm of prepubertal goats compared to those from adult goats (5.45% vs 20. 83%, respectively) however, these differences disappear if oocytes were recovered form large follicles (18.07%). A total of 28 blastocysts were analysed and 96.43% showed mixoploidy. Age did not affect the number of embryos with abnormal ploidy or blastocyst re-expansion after warming. Furthermore, the percentage of diploid blastomeres per embryo was similar in the 3 groups studied, adult, prepubertal from follicles ≥ 3 mm and < 3 mm (68.6%, 80.8% and 73.6%, respectively). In conclusion, IVP of blastocysts coming from follicles larger than 3 mm of goats 45 days old were not different to the blastocysts produced from adult goats, both in terms of quantity and quality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Susceptibility of in vitro produced hatched bovine blastocysts to infection with bluetongue virus serotype 8.

PubMed

Vandaele, Leen; Wesselingh, Wendy; De Clercq, Kris; De Leeuw, Ilse; Favoreel, Herman; Van Soom, Ann; Nauwynck, Hans

2011-01-24

Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8), which caused an epidemic in ruminants in central Western Europe in 2006 and 2007, seems to differ from other bluetongue serotypes in that it can spread transplacentally and has been associated with an increased incidence of abortion and other reproductive problems. For these reasons, and also because BTV-8 is threatening to spread to other parts of the world, there is a need for more information on the consequences of infection during pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether hatched (i.e. zona pellucida-free) in vitro produced bovine blastocysts at 8-9 days post insemination are susceptible to BTV-8 and whether such infection induces cell death as indicated by apoptosis. Exposure of hatched in vitro produced bovine blastocysts for 1 h to a medium containing 10(3.8) or 10(4.9) TCID50 of the virus resulted in active viral replication in between 25 and 100% of the cells at 72 h post exposure. The infected blastocysts also showed growth arrest as evidenced by lower total cell numbers and a significant level of cellular apoptosis. We conclude from this in vitro study that some of the reproductive problems that are reported when cattle herds are infected with BTV-8 may be attributed to direct infection of blastocysts and other early-stage embryos in utero.

Blastocyst utilization rates after continuous culture in two commercial single-step media: a prospective randomized study with sibling oocytes.

PubMed

Sfontouris, Ioannis A; Kolibianakis, Efstratios M; Lainas, George T; Venetis, Christos A; Petsas, George K; Tarlatzis, Basil C; Lainas, Tryfon G

2017-10-01

The aim of this study is to determine whether blastocyst utilization rates are different after continuous culture in two different commercial single-step media. This is a paired randomized controlled trial with sibling oocytes conducted in infertility patients, aged ≤40 years with ≥10 oocytes retrieved assigned to blastocyst culture and transfer. Retrieved oocytes were randomly allocated to continuous culture in either Sage one-step medium (Origio) or Continuous Single Culture (CSC) medium (Irvine Scientific) without medium renewal up to day 5 post oocyte retrieval. Main outcome measure was the proportion of embryos suitable for clinical use (utilization rate). A total of 502 oocytes from 33 women were randomly allocated to continuous culture in either Sage one-step medium (n = 250) or CSC medium (n = 252). Fertilization was performed by either in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and embryo transfers were performed on day 5. Two patients had all blastocysts frozen due to the occurrence of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Fertilization and cleavage rates, as well as embryo quality on day 3, were similar in the two media. Blastocyst utilization rates (%, 95% CI) [55.4% (46.4-64.1) vs 54.7% (44.9-64.6), p = 0.717], blastocyst formation rates [53.6% (44.6-62.5) vs 51.9 (42.2-61.6), p = 0.755], and proportion of good quality blastocysts [36.8% (28.1-45.4) vs 36.1% (27.2-45.0), p = 0.850] were similar in Sage one-step and CSC media, respectively. Continuous culture of embryos in Sage one-step and CSC media is associated with similar blastocyst development and utilization rates. Both single-step media appear to provide adequate support during in vitro preimplantation embryo development. Whether these observations are also valid for other continuous single medium protocols remains to be determined. NCT02302638.

Analysis of embryo morphokinetics, multinucleation and cleavage anomalies using continuous time-lapse monitoring in blastocyst transfer cycles.

PubMed

Desai, Nina; Ploskonka, Stephanie; Goodman, Linnea R; Austin, Cynthia; Goldberg, Jeffrey; Falcone, Tommaso

2014-06-20

Time-lapse imaging combined with embryo morphokinetics may offer a non-invasive means for improving embryo selection. Data from clinics worldwide are necessary to compare and ultimately develop embryo classifications models using kinetic data. The primary objective of this study was to determine if there were kinetic differences between embryos with limited potential and those more often associated with in vitro blastocyst formation and/or implantation. We also wanted to compare putative kinetic markers for embryo selection as proposed by other laboratories to what we were observing in our own laboratory setting. Kinetic data and cycle outcomes were retrospectively analyzed in patients age 39 and younger with 7 or more zygotes cultured in the Embryoscope. Timing of specific events from the point of insemination were determined using time-lapse (TL) imaging. The following kinetic markers were assessed: time to syngamy (tPNf), t2, time to two cells (c), 3c (t3), 4c ( t4), 5c (t5), 8c (t8), morula (tMor), start of blastulation (tSB); tBL, blastocyst (tBL); expanded blastocyst (tEBL). Durations of the second (cc2) and third (cc3) cell cycles, the t5-t2 interval as well as time to complete synchronous divisions s1, s2 and s3 were calculated. Incidence and impact on development of nuclear and cleavage anomalies were also assessed. A total of 648 embryos transferred on day 5 were analyzed. The clinical pregnancy and implantation rate were 72% and 50%, respectively. Morphokinetic data showed that tPNf, t2,t4, t8, s1, s2,s3 and cc2 were significantly different in embryos forming blastocysts (ET or frozen) versus those with limited potential either failing to blastulate or else forming poor quality blastocysts ,ultimately discarded. Comparison of embryo kinetics in cycles with all embryos implanting (KID+) versus no implantation (KID-) suggested that markers of embryo competence to implant may be different from ability to form a blastocyst. The incidence of multinucleation

Analysis of embryo morphokinetics, multinucleation and cleavage anomalies using continuous time-lapse monitoring in blastocyst transfer cycles

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Time-lapse imaging combined with embryo morphokinetics may offer a non-invasive means for improving embryo selection. Data from clinics worldwide are necessary to compare and ultimately develop embryo classifications models using kinetic data. The primary objective of this study was to determine if there were kinetic differences between embryos with limited potential and those more often associated with in vitro blastocyst formation and/or implantation. We also wanted to compare putative kinetic markers for embryo selection as proposed by other laboratories to what we were observing in our own laboratory setting. Methods Kinetic data and cycle outcomes were retrospectively analyzed in patients age 39 and younger with 7 or more zygotes cultured in the Embryoscope. Timing of specific events from the point of insemination were determined using time-lapse (TL) imaging. The following kinetic markers were assessed: time to syngamy (tPNf), t2, time to two cells (c), 3c (t3), 4c ( t4), 5c (t5), 8c (t8), morula (tMor), start of blastulation (tSB); tBL, blastocyst (tBL); expanded blastocyst (tEBL). Durations of the second (cc2) and third (cc3) cell cycles, the t5-t2 interval as well as time to complete synchronous divisions s1, s2 and s3 were calculated. Incidence and impact on development of nuclear and cleavage anomalies were also assessed. Results A total of 648 embryos transferred on day 5 were analyzed. The clinical pregnancy and implantation rate were 72% and 50%, respectively. Morphokinetic data showed that tPNf, t2,t4, t8, s1, s2,s3 and cc2 were significantly different in embryos forming blastocysts (ET or frozen) versus those with limited potential either failing to blastulate or else forming poor quality blastocysts ,ultimately discarded. Comparison of embryo kinetics in cycles with all embryos implanting (KID+) versus no implantation (KID-) suggested that markers of embryo competence to implant may be different from ability to form a blastocyst. The

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ improves porcine blastocyst hatching via the regulation of fatty acid oxidation.

PubMed

Guo, Jing; Lu, Wen-Fa; Liang, Shuang; Choi, Jeong-Woo; Kim, Nam-Hyung; Cui, Xiang-Shun

2017-03-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (Pparδ) is a nuclear receptor that plays critical roles in lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, and cell growth and differentiation. Several recent studies have shown that Pparδ promotes blastocyst hatching in vitro. However, the mechanism by which it promotes preimplantation embryonic development in vitro remains unclear. In this study, oocytes and parthenotes were treated with a specific agonist of PPARδ, GW501516. The activation of PPARδ had no effect on oocyte maturation for 1 μM and 10 μM GW501516 compared with the control group. Additionally, the PPARδ agonist did not affect blastocyst formation (77.79 ± 3.59% [10 μM], 79.00 ± 5.53% [50 μM], and 79.64 ± 6.00% [100 μM] vs. 81.69 ± 2.61% [control]). However, the blastocyst hatching rate was significantly greater for parthenotes treated with 10 and 50 μM agonist, and did not differ between those treated with 100 μM agonist and the control group (61.80 ± 3.03% [10 μM], 65.10 ± 5.25% [50 μM], and 38.85 ± 7.45% [100 μM] vs. 41.77 ± 10.88% [0 μM]). Activation of PPARδ also increased blastocyst quality and cell number, as well as ATP production. There were no clear differences in mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrion copy number, or glucose consumption between the treatment and control groups. However, PPARδ activation enhanced lipid accumulation via Fabp3 and Fabp5. Fatty acid oxidation also increased in response to treatment with the agonist via the rate-limiting gene Cpt2. Reactive oxygen species were modified and REDOX maintenance-related gene expression increased significantly in GW501516-exposed blastocysts. In addition, the activation of PPARδ resulted in changes in miRNA content. After treatment with the PPARδ agonist, miR-99 increased and miR-32 decreased. These data showed that PPARδ has a positive impact on blastocyst hatching via the regulation of lipid metabolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier

Effect of estrous cow serum during bovine embryo culture on blastocyst development and cryotolerance after slow freezing or vitrification.

PubMed

Mucci, N; Aller, J; Kaiser, G G; Hozbor, F; Cabodevila, J; Alberio, R H

2006-05-01

The present study investigated the effect of estrous cow serum (ECS) during culture of bovine embryos on blastocyst development and survival after cryopreservation by slow freezing or vitrification. Embryos were derived from in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) of abbatoir-derived oocytes. At Day 3, embryos were cultured in three different media: Charles Ronsenkrans medium + amino acids (CR1aa; without bovine serum albumin (BSA)) + 5% estrous cow serum (CR1-ECS), CR1aa + 3 mg/mL BSA (CR1-BSA) or CR1aa + 5% ECS + 3 mg/mL BSA (CR1-ECS-BSA). At 7.5 d post-insemination (PI), blastocyst yield and quality were evaluated; blastocysts and expanded blastocysts from each media were cryopreserved by Open Pulled Straw (OPS) vitrification method or slow freezing (1.5 M ethylene glycol, EM). Total blastocyst yield did not differ among CR1-ECS, CR1-BSA and CR1-ECS-BSA (30.9, 33.1 and 32.9%, respectively, P < 0.05). Embryo survival (hatching rate) was higher in vitrified versus slow-frozen embryos (43% versus 12%, respectively, P < 0.01), and in embryos cultured in CR1-BSA (40.3%) compared with those cultured in serum-containing media (CR1-ECS, 21.5% and CR1-ECS-BSA, 19.8%; P < 0.01). (a) it was possible to produce in vitro bovine embryos in serum-free culture medium without affecting blastocyst yield and quality; (b) serum-free medium produced the best quality embryos (in terms of post-cryopreservation survival); and (c) vitrification yielded the highest post-cryopreservation survival rates, regardless of the presence of serum in the culture medium.

The behaviour of cow blastocyst in vitro: cinematographic and morphometric analysis.

PubMed Central

Massip, A; Mulnard, J; Vanderzwalmen, P; Hanzen, C; Ectors, F

1982-01-01

The behaviour of the cow blastocyst in vitro was studied by time-lapse cinematography and analysed by morphometry. Three types of behaviour were observed: continuous expansion followed by hatching; discontinuous expansion interrupted by few contractions and followed by hatching; discontinuous expansion interrupted by several rapid contractions without hatching. This demonstrated that the pulsatile activity of the blastocyst is not a necessary condition of hatching but also that only a moderate pulsatile activity is compatible with normal hatching. The time of hatching in vitro corresponded approximately with the time of zona loss in vivo (9-10 days). Rupture of the zona occurred at any point of the trophoblast layer. Hatching by herniation through a reduced opening of the zona was occasionally observed. The behavior of the embryos from a particular animal was very similar but differences were noted between embryos from different animals. Images Fig. 3 PMID:7076563

A caprine chimera produced by injection of embryonic germ cells into a blastocyst.

PubMed

Jia, W; Yang, W; Lei, A; Gao, Z; Yang, C; Hua, J; Huang, W; Ma, X; Wang, H; Dou, Z

2008-02-01

This report details a chimeric goat derived by injecting caprine embryonic germ (EG) cells into a host blastocyst. The EG cells, isolated from the primordial genital ridge of white Guanzhong goat fetuses (28-42 days of pregnancy), had alkaline phosphatase activity and several stem cell markers, including SSEA-1, c-kit, and Nanog. Ten to 20EG cells were microinjected into the blastocoelic cavity of a host blastocyst collected from a black goat following natural service. Twenty-nine injected blastocysts were transferred into nine white surrogate goats. One of the recipients maintained pregnancy to term and gave birth to three kids: one male, one female, and a dead, malformed fetus of undetermined gender; all three fetuses were black, but the female and the malformed fetus each had a large white spot on their head. Based on PCR and microsatellite DNA assay, the female and the malformed fetus were monozygotic twins and chimeras. Microsatellite assay on various tissues from the dead fetus (including skin, blood, liver, placenta, lung, heart, spleen, muscle, and brain), revealed that these tissues and organs were chimeric and contained cells derived from EG cells. In conclusion, caprine EG cells differentiated into all three germ layers in vivo.

Rat Blastocysts from Nuclear Injection and Time-Lagged Enucleation and Their Commitment to Embryonic Stem Cells.

PubMed

Hara, Hiromasa; Goto, Teppei; Takizawa, Akiko; Sanbo, Makoto; Jacob, Howard J; Kobayashi, Toshihiro; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu; Hochi, Shinichi; Hirabayashi, Masumi

2016-04-01

Pronucleus-like vesicle formation following premature chromosome condensation (PCC) of the donor cell nucleus is the key event for successful generation of cloned rodents by nuclear transplantation (NT). However in rat cloning, this change is difficult to induce in enucleated recipient oocytes because of their inability to maintain maturation-promoting factor levels. In this study, intact oocytes retrieved from nuclear-visualized H2B-tdTomato knock-in rats were injected with Venus-labeled cell nuclei. Because the incidence of PCC under MG-132 treatment significantly increased with the culture period (0%, 10.8%, 36.8%, and 87.5% at 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 h postinjection, respectively), the metaphase plate of the oocyte was removed 1-2 h after the nuclear injection. The NT-derived rat zygotes (n = 748) were activated with ionomycin/cycloheximide and transferred into temporal host mothers, resulting in the harvest of three blastocysts (0.4%) with Venus fluorescence. Two blastocysts were examined for their potential to commit to NT-derived embryonic stem cells (ntESCs). One ntESC line was established successfully and found to be competent in terms of karyotype, stem cell marker expression, and pluripotency. In conclusion, time-lagged enucleation of visualized oocyte nuclei allows the PCC incidence of donor nuclei and generation of NT blastocysts, and the blastocysts can commit to germline-competent ntESCs.

Vitamin C supplementation enhances compact morulae formation but reduces the hatching blastocyst rate of bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos.

PubMed

Li, Qian; Wang, Yong-Sheng; Wang, Li-Jun; Zhang, Hui; Li, Rui-Zhe; Cui, Chen-Chen; Li, Wen-Zhe; Zhang, Yong; Jin, Ya-Ping

2014-08-01

Vitamin C, an antioxidant that reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, is capable of significantly improving the developmental competence of porcine and mouse somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, both in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, the effects of vitamin C on the developmental competence of bovine SCNT embryos were investigated. The results indicated that vitamin C (40 μg/mL) positively affected the scavenging of intracellular ROS, cleavage rate at 24 h (76.67 vs. 68.26%, p<0.05), compact morulae formation (60.83 vs. 51.30%, p<0.05), and the blastomere apoptosis index (3.70 ± 1.41 vs. 4.43% ± 1.65, p<0.05) of bovine SCNT embryos. However, vitamin C supplementation did not significantly affect the blastocyst formation rate and proportion of inner cell mass over total cells per blastocyst on day 7. Moreover, vitamin C supplementation obviously impaired the total cell numbers per blastocyst (97.20 ± 11.35 vs. 88.57 ± 10.43, p<0.05) on day 7 and the hatching blastocysts formation rate on day 9 (26.51 vs. 50.65%, p<0.05) compared with that of the untreated group. Vitamin C supplementation preferentially improved the viability of bovine SCNT embryos prior to the blastocyst stage, but did not enhance the formation and quality of blastocysts in vitro. In conclusion, the effect of vitamin C on the development of bovine SCNT embryos is complex, and vitamin C is not a suitable antioxidant chemical for the in vitro culture of bovine SCNT embryos.

The loss of imprinted DNA methylation in mouse blastocysts is inflicted to a similar extent by in vitro follicle culture and ovulation induction.

PubMed

Saenz-de-Juano, M D; Billooye, K; Smitz, J; Anckaert, E

2016-06-01

Does in vitro follicle culture (IFC) have an effect on maintenance of imprinted DNA methylation in preimplantation mouse embryos? We report similar alterations in the methylation pattern of H19 imprinted maternally expressed transcript (H19), small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (Snrpn) and mesoderm specific transcript (Mest) imprinted genes in mouse blastocysts obtained after ovulation induction and IFC. Furthermore, we observed no differences in the gene expression of maternal effect proteins related with imprinting maintenance between superovulated in vivo grown or IFC oocytes. Assisted reproductive technology is associated with adverse post-natal outcomes such as increased risk of premature birth, altered birthweight, congenital anomalies and genomic imprinting syndromes in human and in animal models. Previous studies have shown that ovulation induction allowed normal imprinting establishment in mouse oocytes, but interfered with imprinting maintenance during preimplantation . Normal imprinting establishment was also observed in mouse oocytes derived from a standardized IFC from the early pre-antral follicle stage. The methylation profiles of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of three key imprinted genes (H19, Snrpn and Mest) were compared at hatched blastocyst stage between embryos obtained from IFC or superovulated oocytes, each subjected to IVF and preimplantation in vitro culture (IVC); in non-manipulated in vivo produced late blastocyst (control) and in in vivo produced 2-cell embryos that were in vitro cultured until the hatched blastocyst stage (to assess the effect of IVC). Two different mice strains (Mus musculus C57BL/6J X CBA/Ca and Mus musculus B6 (CAST7)) were used to discriminate between maternal and paternal alleles of imprinted genes. Additionally, a limiting-dilution bisulfite-sequencing technique was carried out on individual embryos in order to avoid amplification bias. To assess whether IFC and ovulation induction

Conditional deletion of Msx homeobox genes in the uterus inhibits blastocyst implantation by altering uterine receptivity.

PubMed

Daikoku, Takiko; Cha, Jeeyeon; Sun, Xiaofei; Tranguch, Susanne; Xie, Huirong; Fujita, Tomoko; Hirota, Yasushi; Lydon, John; DeMayo, Francesco; Maxson, Robert; Dey, Sudhansu K

2011-12-13

An effective bidirectional communication between an implantation-competent blastocyst and the receptive uterus is a prerequisite for mammalian reproduction. The blastocyst will implant only when this molecular cross-talk is established. Here we show that the muscle segment homeobox gene (Msh) family members Msx1 and Msx2, which are two highly conserved genes critical for epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during development, also play crucial roles in embryo implantation. Loss of Msx1/Msx2 expression correlates with altered uterine luminal epithelial cell polarity and affects E-cadherin/β-catenin complex formation through the control of Wnt5a expression. Application of Wnt5a in vitro compromised blastocyst invasion and trophoblast outgrowth on cultured uterine epithelial cells. The finding that Msx1/Msx2 genes are critical for conferring uterine receptivity and readiness to implantation could have clinical significance, because compromised uterine receptivity is a major cause of pregnancy failure in IVF programs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conditional deletion of MSX homeobox genes in the uterus inhibits blastocyst implantation by altering uterine receptivity

PubMed Central

Daikoku, Takiko; Cha, Jeeyeon; Sun, Xiaofei; Tranguch, Susanne; Xie, Huirong; Fujita, Tomoko; Hirota, Yasushi; Lydon, John; DeMayo, Francesco; Maxson, Robert; Dey, Sudhansu K.

2011-01-01

An effective bidirectional communication between an implantation-competent blastocyst and the receptive uterus is a prerequisite for mammalian reproduction. The blastocyst will implant only when this molecular cross-talk is established. Here we show that the muscle segment homeobox gene (Msh) family members Msx1 and Msx2, which are two highly conserved genes critical for epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during development, also play crucial roles in embryo implantation. Loss of Msx1/Msx2 expression correlates with altered uterine luminal epithelial cell polarity and affects E-cadherin/β-catenin complex formation through the control of Wnt5a expression. Application of Wnt5a in vitro compromised blastocyst invasion and trophoblast outgrowth on cultured uterine epithelial cells. The finding that Msx1/Msx2 genes are critical for conferring uterine receptivity and readiness to implantation could have clinical significance, because compromised uterine receptivity is a major cause of pregnancy failure in IVF programs. PMID:22100262

Cellular composition and viability of demi- and quarter-embryos made from bisected bovine morulae and blastocysts produced in vitro.

PubMed

Rho, G J; Johnson, W H; Betteridge, K J

1998-10-15

The cellular composition and viability of intact, IVP embryos were compared with those of demi- and quarter-embryos produced by bisection of IVP morulae and blastocysts. Embryos were produced by established techniques from oocytes harvested from slaughterhouse ovaries. In Experiment 1, morulae at Day 6 or blastocysts at Day 7 were bisected on an inverted microscope using a microsurgical steel blade. Demi-embryos were then cultured without a zona pellucida until Day 8, when they were morphologically assessed for quality (viability). A higher proportion of demi-embryos made from blastocysts than from morulae were classified as viable (381/420, 91% vs 164/267, 61%; P < 0.001). In Experiment 2, only Day 7 blastocysts were bisected, and some of the resulting demi-embryos were bisected a second time 24 h later to produce quarter-embryos. The remaining demi-embryos, the quarter-embryos, and control intact embryos were cultured until Day 9, at which time they were assessed for quality and subjected to immunosurgery and differential staining to count inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm cells. A higher proportion of demi-embryos than quarter-embryos was classified as viable (408/459, 89% vs 223/319, 70%, respectively; P < 0.001). Total cell numbers decreased with successive bisections, but the proportion of surviving cells found in the ICM was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the best quality demi- and quarter-embryos (35 and 32%, respectively) than in the controls (22%). Transfer of all 12 quarter-embryos derived from 3 blastocysts, in pairs, into 6 recipient heifers resulted in 2 pregnancies, each with a single viable fetus at 90 d of gestation. The fetuses originated from 2 different blastocysts. The results suggest that bisection of intact IVP embryos into demi-embryos and bisection of those into quarter-embryos can increase the number of transferable embryos by as much as 178 and 235%, respectively.

Trichostatin A (TSA) improves the development of rabbit-rabbit intraspecies cloned embryos, but not rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos.

PubMed

Shi, Li-Hong; Miao, Yi-Liang; Ouyang, Ying-Chun; Huang, Jun-Cheng; Lei, Zi-Li; Yang, Ji-Wen; Han, Zhi-Ming; Song, Xiang-Fen; Sun, Qing-Yuan; Chen, Da-Yuan

2008-03-01

The interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) technique for therapeutic cloning gives great promise for treatment of many human diseases. However, the incomplete nuclear reprogramming and the low blastocyst rate of iSCNT are still big problems. Herein, we observed the effect of TSA on the development of rabbit-rabbit intraspecies and rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos. After treatment with TSA for 6 hr during activation, we found that the blastocyst rate of rabbit-rabbit cloned embryos was more than two times higher than that of untreated embryos; however, the blastocyst rate of TSA-treated rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos decreased. We also found evident time-dependent histone deacetylation-reacetylation changes in rabbit-rabbit cloned embryos, but not in rabbit-human cloned embryos from fusion to 6 hr after activation. Our results suggest that TSA-treatment does not improve blastocyst development of rabbit-human iSCNT embryos and that abnormal histone deacetylation-reacetylation changes in iSCNT embryos may account for their poor blastocyst development. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Science and Human Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Leon N.

2015-01-01

Part I. Science and Society: 1. Science and human experience; 2. Does science undermine our values?; 3. Can science serve mankind?; 4. Modern science and contemporary discomfort: metaphor and reality; 5. Faith and science; 6. Art and science; 7. Fraud in science; 8. Why study science? The keys to the cathedral; 9. Is evolution a theory? A modest proposal; 10. The silence of the second; 11. Introduction to Copenhagen; 12. The unpaid debt; Part II. Thought and Consciousness: 13. Source and limits of human intellect; 14. Neural networks; 15. Thought and mental experience: the Turing test; 16. Mind as machine: will we rubbish human experience?; 17. Memory and memories: a physicist's approach to the brain; 18. On the problem of consciousness; Part III. On the Nature and Limits of Science: 19. What is a good theory?; 20. Shall we deconstruct science?; 21. Visible and invisible in physical theory; 22. Experience and order; 23. The language of physics; 24. The structure of space; 25. Superconductivity and other insoluble problems; 26. From gravity to light and consciousness: does science have limits?

Science and Human Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Leon N.

2014-12-01

Part I. Science and Society: 1. Science and human experience; 2. Does science undermine our values?; 3. Can science serve mankind?; 4. Modern science and contemporary discomfort: metaphor and reality; 5. Faith and science; 6. Art and science; 7. Fraud in science; 8. Why study science? The keys to the cathedral; 9. Is evolution a theory? A modest proposal; 10. The silence of the second; 11. Introduction to Copenhagen; 12. The unpaid debt; Part II. Thought and Consciousness: 13. Source and limits of human intellect; 14. Neural networks; 15. Thought and mental experience: the Turing test; 16. Mind as machine: will we rubbish human experience?; 17. Memory and memories: a physicist's approach to the brain; 18. On the problem of consciousness; Part III. On the Nature and Limits of Science: 19. What is a good theory?; 20. Shall we deconstruct science?; 21. Visible and invisible in physical theory; 22. Experience and order; 23. The language of physics; 24. The structure of space; 25. Superconductivity and other insoluble problems; 26. From gravity to light and consciousness: does science have limits?

Comparing blastocyst quality and live birth rates of intravaginal culture using INVOcell™ to traditional in vitro incubation in a randomized open-label prospective controlled trial.

PubMed

Doody, Kevin J; Broome, E Jason; Doody, Kathleen M

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study is to to compare the efficacy of intravaginal culture (IVC) of embryos in INVOcell™ (INVO Bioscience, MA, USA) to traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) incubators in a laboratory setting using a mild pre-determined stimulation regimen based solely on anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and body weight with minimal ultrasound monitoring. The primary endpoint examined was total quality blastocysts expressed as a percentage of total oocytes placed in incubation. Secondary endpoints included percentage of quality blastocysts transferred, pregnancy, and live birth rates. In this prospective randomized open-label controlled single-center study, 40 women aged <38 years of age with a body mass index (BMI) of <36 and an AMH of 1-3 ng/mL were randomized prior to trigger to receive either IVC or IVF. Controlled ovarian stimulation was administered with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) in a fixed gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist cycle based solely on AMH and body weight. A single ultrasound-monitoring visit was performed on the 10th day of stimulation. One or two embryos were transferred following 5 days of culture. IVF produced a greater percentage of total quality embryos as compared to IVC (50.6 vs. 30.7 %, p = 0.0007, respectively). There was no significant difference between in IVF and IVC in the percentage of quality blastocysts transferred (97.5 vs. 84.9 %, p = 0.09) or live birth rate (60 % IVF, 55 % IVC). IVF was shown to be superior to IVC in creating quality blastocysts. However, both IVF and IVC produced identical blastocysts for transfer resulting in similar live birth rates. IVC using INVOcell™ is effective and may broaden access to fertility care in selected patient populations by ameliorating the need for a traditional IVF laboratory setting. Further studies will help elucidate the potential physiological, psychological, geographic, and financial impact of IVC on the delivery of fertility care.

Monoclonal antibodies against trophectoderm-specific markers during mouse blastocyst formation.

PubMed Central

Brûlet, P; Babinet, C; Kemler, R; Jacob, F

1980-01-01

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis has allowed the detection of proteins characteristic of inner cell mass and trophectoderm in mouse blastocyst. Certain of the proteins characterizing trophectoderm copurify with intermediate filaments from trophectoderm and a trophoblastoma cell line. A monoclonal antibody prepared against proteins of these intermediate filaments labels a filament network in trophectoderm but not in inner cell mass cells. Images PMID:6933460

Development of a modified straw method for vitrification of in vitro-produced bovine blastocysts and various genes expression in between the methods.

PubMed

Ha, A-Na; Lee, Sang-Ryeul; Jeon, Jeong-Seon; Park, Han-Seul; Lee, Sang-Ho; Jin, Jong-In; Sessions, Benjamin R; Wang, Zhongde; White, Kenneth L; Kong, Il-Keun

2014-02-01

This study evaluated a modified plastic straw loading method for vitrification of in vitro-produced bovine blastocysts. A modified straw was used with a depressed area on its inner surface to which embryos attach. In vitro-produced blastocysts were randomly assigned into three groups: (i) blastocysts attached to the inner surface of a plastic straw (aV), (ii) blastocysts attached to the inner surface of a modified plastic straw (maV), and (iii) non-vitrified blastocysts (control). The recovery rates were not significantly different between aV and maV groups (95.8% vs. 94.3%). The post-thaw survival rate did not significantly differ between aV and maV groups (86.4% vs. 88.2%). The total cell numbers of blastocyst was higher in control than in aV and maV groups (142 ± 21.8 vs. 117 ± 29.7 and 120 ± 25.2; P < 0.05), but not significantly differ between aV and maV groups. The mRNA levels of pro-apoptosis related genes Bax and Caspase-3 were higher in aV and maV than in control (P < 0.05). By contrast, the mRNA levels of anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 and of antioxidant-related genes MnSOD and Prdx5 were lower in aV and maV than in control (P < 0.05). Confocal microscopy analysis of Golgi apparatus and mitochondria showed that the fluorescence intensity of Golgi apparatus and mitochondria was higher in control than in aV and maV groups. In conclusion, both aV and maV methods can be used to successfully vitrify IVP blastocysts, with maV method to be preferable because of its easiness in embryo loading. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modified natural cycle for embryo transfer using frozen-thawed blastocysts: A satisfactory option.

PubMed

Le, Quoc V; Abhari, Sina; Abuzeid, Omar M; DeAnna, Jennifer; Satti, Mohamed A; Abozaid, Tarek; Khan, Iqbal; Abuzeid, Mostafa I

2017-06-01

To describe pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed blastocysts cycles using modified natural cycle frozen embryo transfers (NC-FET) and down-regulated hormonally controlled frozen embryo transfers (HC-FET) protocols. This retrospective cohort study included all patients undergoing either modified NC-FET or down-regulated HC-FET using frozen-thawed day 5 embryos. Cycles with donor blastocysts were excluded. Four hundred twenty eight patients underwent a total of 493 FET cycles. Patients with regular menses and evidence of ovulation underwent modified NC-FET. These patients were given hCG 10,000 IU IM on the day of LH-surge. Vaginal progesterone (P4) was started two days later and blastocyst transfer was planned seven days after detecting the LH surge. Anovulatory patients and some ovulatory patients underwent down-regulated HC-FET. These patients were placed on medroxy-progesterone acetate (10mg) for 10days to bring on menses and were also given a half-dose of GnRH-agonist (GnRH-a) on the third day of medroxy-progesterone acetate. Exogenous estradiol was initiated on the third day of menses. Once serum E2 levels reached >500pg/mL and endometrial lining reached >8mm, intramuscular (IM) P4 in oil was administered. Blastocyst FET was planned 6days after initiating P4. The primary outcomes included clinical pregnancy and delivery rates. There were 197 patients in the modified NC-FET protocol and 181 in the down-regulated HC-FET protocol. Mean age (years), day-3 FSH levels (mIU/mL) and percentage of patients with male factor infertility were significantly higher and mean BMI (kg/m 2 ) was significantly lower in modified NC-FET compared to HC-FET, respectively. Analysis of the first cycle pregnancy outcomes revealed no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate (54.3% vs. 52.5%) and delivery rate (47.2% vs. 43.6%) between modified NC-FET and HC-FET. Logistic regression analysis showed age (OR=0.939, 95% CI 0.894-0.989, p=0.011), number of blastocysts transferred (OR

Time-lapse cinematography of dynamic changes occurring during in vitro development of human embryos.

PubMed

Mio, Yasuyuki; Maeda, Kazuo

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study was to clarify developmental changes of early human embryos by using time-lapse cinematography (TLC). For human ova, fertilization and cleavage, development of the blastocyst, and hatching, as well as consequent changes were repeatedly photographed at intervals of 5-6 days by using an inverse microscope under stabilized temperature and pH. Photographs were taken at 30 frames per second and the movies were studied. Cinematography has increased our understanding of the morphologic mechanisms of fertilization, development, and behavior of early human embryos, and has identified the increased risk of monozygotic twin pregnancy based on prolonged incubation in vitro to the blastocyst stage. Using TLC, we observed the fertilization of an ovum by a single spermatozoon, followed by early cleavages, formation of the morula, blastocyst hatching, changes in the embryonic plates, and the development of monozygotic twins from the incubated blastocysts.

Relationship between blastocoel cell-free DNA and day-5 blastocyst morphology.

PubMed

Rule, Kiersten; Chosed, Renee J; Arthur Chang, T; David Wininger, J; Roudebush, William E

2018-06-04

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) which is present in the blastocoel cavity of embryos is believed to result from physiological apoptosis during development. This study assessed cfDNA content and caspase-3 protease activity in day-5 IVF blastocysts to determine if there was a correlation with embryo morphology. Day-5 IVF blastocysts were scored according to the Gardner and Schoolcraft system (modified to generate a numerical value) and cfDNA was collected following laser-induced blastocoel collapsing prior to cryopreservation in 25 μL of media. cfDNA was quantified via fluorospectrometry and apoptotic activity was assessed via a caspase-3 protease assay using a fluorescent peptide substrate. Data were compared by linear regression. A total of 32 embryos were evaluated. There was a significant (p < 0.01) and positive correlation (cfDNA = 104.753 + (11.281 × score); R 2  = 0.200) between embryo score and cfDNA content. A significant (p < 0.05) and positive correlation (cfDNA = 115.9 + (0.05 × caspase-3); R 2 = 0.128) was observed between caspase-3 activity and cfDNA levels. There was no significant relationship between caspase-3 activity and embryo morphology score. This study provides further evidence that cfDNA is present in blastocoel fluid, can be quantified, and positively correlates with embryonic morphology. There is also evidence that at least a portion of the cfDNA present is from intracellular contents of embryonic cells that underwent apoptosis. Additional studies are warranted to determine other physiological sources of the cfDNA in blastocyst fluid and to determine the relationship with cfDNA content, embryo morphology, and chromosomal ploidy status plus implantation potential.

Hydroxypropyl cellulose as an option for supplementation of cryoprotectant solutions for embryo vitrification in human assisted reproductive technologies.

PubMed

Mori, Chiemi; Yabuuchi, Akiko; Ezoe, Kenji; Murata, Nana; Takayama, Yuko; Okimura, Tadashi; Uchiyama, Kazuo; Takakura, Kei; Abe, Hiroyuki; Wada, Keiko; Okuno, Takashi; Kobayashi, Tamotsu; Kato, Keiichi

2015-06-01

Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) was investigated as a replacement for serum substitute supplement (SSS) for use in cryoprotectant solutions for embryo vitrification. Mouse blastocysts from inbred (n = 1056), hybrid (n = 128) strains, and 121 vitrified blastocysts donated by infertile patients (n = 102) were used. Mouse and human blastocysts, with or without zona pellucida, were vitrified and warmed in either 1% or 5% HPC or in 5% or 20% SSS-supplemented media using the Cryotop (Kitazato BioPharma Co. Ltd, Fuji, Japan) method, and the survival and oxygen consumption rates were assessed. Viscosity of each vitrification solution was compared. Survival rates of mouse hybrid blastocysts and human zona pellucida-intact blastocysts were comparable among the groups. Mouse and human zona pellucida-free blastocysts, which normally exhibit poor cryoresistance, showed significantly higher survival rates in 5% HPC than 5% SSS (P < 0.05). The 5% HPC-supplemented vitrification solution showed a significantly higher viscosity (P < 0.05). The blastocysts were easily detached from the Cryotop strip during warming when HPC-supplemented vitrification solution was used. The oxygen consumption rates were similar between non-vitrified and 5% HPC groups. The results suggest possible use of HPC for supplementation of cryoprotectant solutions and provide useful information to improve vitrification protocols. Copyright © 2015 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of ovarian follicular dominance during stimulation for IVM impacts usable blastocyst yield.

PubMed

Romero, Sergio; Pella, Ricardo; Escudero, Francisco; Pérez, Ygor; García, Mario; Orihuela, Patricia

2018-03-01

To evaluate the influence of ovarian follicular dominance on the outcome of oocyte in-vitro maturation. This retrospective cohort study included 21 patients with polycystic ovaries or polycystic ovary syndrome (Rotterdam criteria, 2004) subjected to 24 invitro maturation (IVM) cycles between October 2015 and January 2017. Patients undergoing IVM received minimal gonadotropin stimulation starting on day 2 or 3 of the cycle; ovum pick-up typically occurred on days 6 to 8. No hCG-trigger shot was given. Following 30h of IVM, mature oocytes were inseminated by ICSI and the resulting embryos cultured up to the blastocyst stage. Ovarian follicular dominance was observed in nine of the 24 IVM cycles. Oocyte IVM yielded an overall maturation rate of 69.3±23.8%, and no difference was observed when the groups with or without a dominant follicle were assessed independently. The rates of fertilization and usable blastocysts per fertilized oocyte, mature oocyte (Metaphase II) or cumulus-oocyte-complex were nearly three times higher (28.7±22.5%) in the group without ovarian follicular dominance. No differences were found in the clinical pregnancy rates attained by the individuals with or without a dominant follicle after 21 vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles. Occurrence of ovarian follicular dominance during hormonal stimulation for in-vitro maturation negatively impacted embryological outcomes. Strategies devised to limit the appearance of ovarian follicular dominance must be further explored.

Occurrence of ovarian follicular dominance during stimulation for IVM impacts usable blastocyst yield

PubMed Central

Romero, Sergio; Pella, Ricardo; Escudero, Francisco; Pérez, Ygor; García, Mario; Orihuela, Patricia

2018-01-01

Objective To evaluate the influence of ovarian follicular dominance on the outcome of oocyte in-vitro maturation. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 21 patients with polycystic ovaries or polycystic ovary syndrome (Rotterdam criteria, 2004) subjected to 24 in-vitro maturation (IVM) cycles between October 2015 and January 2017. Patients undergoing IVM received minimal gonadotropin stimulation starting on day 2 or 3 of the cycle; ovum pick-up typically occurred on days 6 to 8. No hCG-trigger shot was given. Following 30h of IVM, mature oocytes were inseminated by ICSI and the resulting embryos cultured up to the blastocyst stage. Results Ovarian follicular dominance was observed in nine of the 24 IVM cycles. Oocyte IVM yielded an overall maturation rate of 69.3±23.8%, and no difference was observed when the groups with or without a dominant follicle were assessed independently. The rates of fertilization and usable blastocysts per fertilized oocyte, mature oocyte (Metaphase II) or cumulus-oocyte-complex were nearly three times higher (28.7±22.5%) in the group without ovarian follicular dominance. No differences were found in the clinical pregnancy rates attained by the individuals with or without a dominant follicle after 21 vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles. Conclusion Occurrence of ovarian follicular dominance during hormonal stimulation for in-vitro maturation negatively impacted embryological outcomes. Strategies devised to limit the appearance of ovarian follicular dominance must be further explored. PMID:29338139

Blastocyst development in single medium with or without renewal on day 3: a prospective cohort study on sibling donor oocytes in a time-lapse incubator.

PubMed

Costa-Borges, Nuno; Bellés, Marta; Meseguer, Marcos; Galliano, Daniela; Ballesteros, Agustin; Calderón, Gloria

2016-03-01

To evaluate the efficiency of using a continuous (one-step) protocol with a single medium for the culture of human embryos in a time-lapse incubator (TLI). Prospective cohort study on sibling donor oocytes. University-affiliated in vitro fertilization (IVF) center. Embryos from 59 patients. Culture in a TLI in a single medium with or without renewal of the medium on day-3. Embryo morphology and morphokinetic parameters, clinical pregnancy, take-home baby rate, and perinatal outcomes. The blastocyst rates (68.3 vs. 66.8%) and the proportion of good-quality blastocysts (transferred plus frozen) obtained with the two-step (80.0%) protocol were statistically significantly similar to those obtained in the one-step protocol (72.2%). Similarly, morphokinetic events from early cleavage until late blastocyst stages were statistically significantly equivalent between both groups. No differences were found either in clinical pregnancy rates when comparing pure transfers performed with embryos selected from the two-step (75.0%), one-step (70.0%, respectively), and mixed (57.1%) groups. A total of 55 out of 91 embryos transferred implanted successfully (60.4%), resulting in a total of 37 newborns with a comparable birth weight mean among groups. Our findings support the idea that in a TLI with a controlled air purification system, human embryos can be successfully cultured continuously from day 0 onward in single medium with no need to renew it on day-3. This strategy does not affect embryo morphokinetics or development to term and offers more stable culture conditions for embryos as well as practical advantages and reduced costs for the IVF laboratory. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

H2O2-induced mild stress in relation with in vitro ovine oocyte developmental competence: implications for blastocyst apoptosis and related genes expression.

PubMed

Nikdel, K; Aminafshar, M; Mohammadi-Sangcheshmeh, A; EmamJomeh-Kashan, N; Seyedjafari, E

2017-05-20

In this study, in vitro maturation was performed in presence of various concentrations (0, 10, 100, or 1000 µM) of H2O2. The intracellular glutathione (GSH) level, fertilization, cleavage, and blastocyst rates, total cell number, and apoptotic cell number and expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and p53 genes in blastocyst-stage embryos were studied. At 10 μM H2O2 concentration, a higher GSH level was detected in comparison to the other groups while oocytes exposed to 1000 μM H2O2 had the lowest GSH level. Treatment of oocytes with 1000 μM H2O2 decreased the rate of two pronuclei formation as compared with other groups. A higher rate of blastocyst formation was seen in 100 μM H2O2 group as compared with the control group. However, exogenous H2O2 in maturation medium did not affect total cell numbers and apoptotic cell ratio at the blastocyst stage. Moreover, mRNA transcript abundance of Bax, Bcl-2, and p53 genes was similar between blastocysts derived from H2O2-induced oocytes and control blastocysts. Treatment of oocytes with H2O2 at mild level during in vitro maturation had a positive effect on GSH level and this, in turn, may lead to improvement in preimplantation embryonic development.

Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns of bovine blastocysts derived from in vivo embryos subjected to in vitro culture before, during or after embryonic genome activation.

PubMed

Salilew-Wondim, Dessie; Saeed-Zidane, Mohammed; Hoelker, Michael; Gebremedhn, Samuel; Poirier, Mikhaël; Pandey, Hari Om; Tholen, Ernst; Neuhoff, Christiane; Held, Eva; Besenfelder, Urban; Havlicek, Vita; Rings, Franca; Fournier, Eric; Gagné, Dominic; Sirard, Marc-André; Robert, Claude; Gad, Ahmed; Schellander, Karl; Tesfaye, Dawit

2018-06-01

Aberrant DNA methylation patterns of genes required for development are common in in vitro produced embryos. In this regard, we previously identified altered DNA methylation patterns of in vivo developed blastocysts from embryos which spent different stages of development in vitro, indicating carryover effects of suboptimal culture conditions on epigenetic signatures of preimplantation embryos. However, epigenetic responses of in vivo originated embryos to suboptimal culture conditions are not fully understood. Therefore, here we investigated DNA methylation patterns of in vivo derived bovine embryos subjected to in vitro culture condition before, during or after major embryonic genome activation (EGA). For this, in vivo produced 2-, 8- and 16-cell stage embryos were cultured in vitro until the blastocyst stage and blastocysts were used for genome-wide DNA methylation analysis. The 2- and 8-cell flushed embryo groups showed lower blastocyst rates compared to the 16-cell flush group. This was further accompanied by increased numbers of differentially methylated genomic regions (DMRs) in blastocysts of the 2- and 8-cell flush groups compared to the complete in vivo control ones. Moreover, 1623 genomic loci including imprinted genes were hypermethylated in blastocyst of 2-, 8- and 16-cell flushed groups, indicating the presence of genomic regions which are sensitive to the in vitro culture at any stage of embryonic development. Furthermore, hypermethylated genomic loci outnumbered hypomethylated ones in blastocysts of 2- and 16-cell flushed embryo groups, but the opposite occurred in the 8-cell group. Moreover, DMRs which were unique to blastocysts of the 2-cell flushed group and inversely correlated with corresponding mRNA expression levels were involved in plasma membrane lactate transport, amino acid transport and phosphorus metabolic processes, whereas DMRs which were specific to the 8-cell group and inversely correlated with corresponding mRNA expression levels

Vitamin K2 improves developmental competency and cryo-tolerance of in vitro derived ovine blastocyst.

PubMed

Sefid, Fatemeh; Ostadhosseini, S; Hosseini, S M; Ghazvini Zadegan, F; Pezhman, M; Nasr Esfahani, Mohammad Hossein

2017-08-01

Vitamin K2 (VK2), acts as an electron carrier in mitochondria and thereby effects reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ATP production. This study evaluates role of VK2 on in vitro developmental competency and cryo-survival of pre-implantation ovine embryos. Initially the optimal and beneficial concentration of VK2 on compaction and blastocyst formation rates was defined (0.1 μM). Subsequently, it was shown that 0.1 μM VK2, at blastocyst stage, reduces H2O2 production, increase the expression of mitochondrial related gene and improved embryos quality. We further assessed presence VK2 supplementation before and/or after vitrification of in vitro derived blastocysts. Our results reveal that presence of VK2 before and after vitrification improves rates of blastocysts re-expansion (88.19± 3.37% vs 73.68± 1.86%, P < 0.05) and hatching (49.55± 4.37% vs 32.7± 3.32%) compared to control group. These observation were consistent with reduction in H2O2 production and improved in expression of mitochondrial related genes. However, VK2 before or after vitrification, not only had no positive effect on these two parameters, but also significantly reduced these parameters. Therefore, in concordance with pervious report in bovine, we show that VK2 supplementation post genomic activation (Day 3-7) improved developmental competency of ovine in vitro derived embryos. We also showed that presence of VK2 after vitrification improves the cryo-survival of ovine embryos. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dysfunction in gap junction intercellular communication induces aberrant behavior of the inner cell mass and frequent collapses of expanded blastocysts in mouse embryos.

PubMed

Togashi, Kazue; Kumagai, Jin; Sato, Emiko; Shirasawa, Hiromitsu; Shimoda, Yuki; Makino, Kenichi; Sato, Wataru; Kumazawa, Yukiyo; Omori, Yasufumi; Terada, Yukihiro

2015-06-01

We investigated the role of gap junctions (GJs) in embryological differentiation, and observed the morphological behavior of the inner cell mass (ICM) by time-lapse movie observation (TLM) with gap junction inhibitors (GJis). ICR mouse embryos were exposed to two types of GJis in CZB medium: oleamide (0 to 50 μM) and 1-heptanol (0 to 10 mM). We compared the rate of blastocyst formation at embryonic day 4.5 (E4.5) with E5.5. We also observed and evaluated the times from the second cleavage to each embryonic developing stage by TLM. We investigated embryonic distribution of DNA, Nanog protein, and Connexin 43 protein with immunofluorescent staining. In the comparison of E4.5 with E5.5, inhibition of gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) delayed embryonic blastocyst formation. The times from the second cleavage to blastocyst formation were significantly extended in the GJi-treated embryos (control vs with oleamide, 2224 ± 179 min vs 2354 ± 278 min, p = 0.013). Morphological differences were traced in control versus GJi-treated embryos until the hatching stage. Oleamide induced frequent severe collapses of expanded blastocysts (77.4 % versus 26.3 %, p = 0.0001) and aberrant ICM divisions connected to sticky strands (74.3 % versus 5.3 %, p = 0.0001). Immunofluorescent staining indicated Nanog-positive cells were distributed in each divided ICM. GJIC plays an important role in blastocyst formation, collapses of expanded blastocysts, and the ICM construction in mouse embryos.

Daily supplementation with ghrelin improves in vitro bovine blastocysts formation rate and alters gene expression related to embryo quality.

PubMed

Dovolou, Eleni; Periquesta, Eva; Messinis, Ioannis E; Tsiligianni, Theodora; Dafopoulos, Konstantinos; Gutierrez-Adan, Alfonso; Amiridis, Georgios S

2014-03-01

Ghrelin is a gastric peptide having regulatory role in the reproductive system functionality, acting mainly at central level. Because the expression of ghrelin system (ghrelin and its receptor) has been detected in the bovine ovary, the objectives of the present study were to investigate whether ghrelin can affect the developmental potential of in vitro-produced embryos, and to test their quality in terms of relative abundance of various genes related to metabolism, apoptosis and oxidation. In the first experiment, in vitro-produced zygotes were cultured in the absence (control [C]) and in the presence of three concentrations of acylated ghrelin (200 pg/mL [Ghr200], 800 pg/mL [Ghr800]; and 2000 pg/mL [Ghr2000]); blastocyst formation rates were examined on Days 7, 8, and 9. In the second experiment, only the 800 pg/mL dose of ghrelin was used. Zygotes were produced as in experiment 1 and 24 hours post insemination they were divided into 4 groups; in two groups (C; without ghrelin; Ghr800 with ghrelin), embryos were cultured without medium replacement; in the remaining two groups (Control N and GhrN), the culture medium was daily renewed. A pool of Day-7 blastocysts were snap frozen for relative mRNA abundance of various genes related to metabolism, oxidation, implantation, and apoptosis. In experiment 3, embryos were produced as in experiment 2, but in the absence of serum (semi-defined culture medium). In experiment 1, no differences were detected between C, Ghr200, and Ghr2000, although fewer blastocysts were produced in group Ghr800 compared with C. In experiment 2, the lowest blastocysts yield was found in Ghr800, whereas daily renewal of ghrelin (Ghr800N) resulted to increased blastocysts formation rate, which on Day 7 was the highest among groups (P < 0.05). In experiment 3, ghrelin significantly suppressed blastocysts yield. Significant differences were detected in various relative mRNA abundance, giving an overall final notion that embryos produced in the

Two-cell embryos are more sensitive than blastocysts to AMPK-dependent suppression of anabolism and stemness by commonly used fertility drugs, a diet supplement, and stress.

PubMed

Bolnick, Alan; Abdulhasan, Mohammed; Kilburn, Brian; Xie, Yufen; Howard, Mindie; Andresen, Paul; Shamir, Alexandra M; Dai, Jing; Puscheck, Elizabeth E; Secor, Eric; Rappolee, Daniel A

2017-12-01

This study tests whether metformin or diet supplement BR-DIM-induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) mediated effects on development are more pronounced in blastocysts or 2-cell mouse embryos. Culture mouse zygotes to two-cell embryos and test effects after 0.5-1 h AMPK agonists' (e.g., Met, BR-DIM) exposure on AMPK-dependent ACCser79P phosphorylation and/or Oct4 by immunofluorescence. Culture morulae to blastocysts and test for increased ACCser79P, decreased Oct4 and for AMPK dependence by coculture with AMPK inhibitor compound C (CC). Test whether Met or BR-DIM decrease growth rates of morulae cultured to blastocyst by counting cells. Aspirin, metformin, and hyperosmotic sorbitol increased pACC ser79P ~ 20-fold, and BR-DIM caused a ~ 30-fold increase over two-cell embryos cultured for 1 h in KSOMaa but only 3- to 6-fold increase in blastocysts. We previously showed that these stimuli decreased Oct4 40-85% in two-cell embryos that was ~ 60-90% reversible by coculture with AMPK inhibitor CC. However, Oct4 decreased only 30-50% in blastocysts, although reversibility of loss by CC was similar at both embryo stages. Met and BR-DIM previously caused a near-complete cell proliferation arrest in two-cell embryos and here Met caused lower CC-reversible growth decrease and AMPK-independent BR-DIM-induced blastocyst growth decrease. Inducing drug or diet supplements decreased anabolism, growth, and stemness have a greater impact on AMPK-dependent processes in two-cell embryos compared to blastocysts.

Splitting of IVP bovine blastocyst affects morphology and gene expression of resulting demi-embryos during in vitro culture and in vivo elongation.

PubMed

Velasquez, Alejandra E; Castro, Fidel O; Veraguas, Daniel; Cox, Jose F; Lara, Evelyn; Briones, Mario; Rodriguez-Alvarez, Lleretny

2016-02-01

Embryo splitting might be used to increase offspring yield and for molecular analysis of embryo competence. How splitting affects developmental potential of embryos is unknown. This research aimed to study the effect of bovine blastocyst splitting on morphological and gene expression homogeneity of demi-embryos and on embryo competence during elongation. Grade I bovine blastocyst produced in vitro were split into halves and distributed in nine groups (3 × 3 setting according to age and stage before splitting; age: days 7-9; stage: early, expanded and hatched blastocysts). Homogeneity and survival rate in vitro after splitting (12 h, days 10 and 13) and the effect of splitting on embryo development at elongation after embryo transfer (day 17) were assessed morphologically and by RT-qPCR. The genes analysed were OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, CDX2, TP1, TKDP1, EOMES, and BAX. Approximately 90% of split embryos had a well conserved defined inner cell mass (ICM), 70% of the halves had similar size with no differences in gene expression 12 h after splitting. Split embryos cultured further conserved normal and comparable morphology at day 10 of development; this situation changes at day 13 when embryo morphology and gene expression differed markedly among demi-embryos. Split and non-split blastocysts were transferred to recipient cows and were recovered at day 17. Fifty per cent of non-split embryos were larger than 100 mm (33% for split embryos). OCT4, SOX2, TP1 and EOMES levels were down-regulated in elongated embryos derived from split blastocysts. In conclusion, splitting day-8 blastocysts yields homogenous demi-embryos in terms of developmental capability and gene expression, but the initiation of the filamentous stage seems to be affected by the splitting.

Cryostorage duration does not affect pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a retrospective single-centre cohort study of vitrified-warmed blastocysts.

PubMed

Ueno, Satoshi; Uchiyama, Kazuo; Kuroda, Tomoko; Yabuuchi, Akiko; Ezoe, Kenji; Okimura, Tadashi; Okuno, Takashi; Kobayashi, Tamotsu; Kato, Keiichi

2018-06-01

A retrospective cohort study of 8736 autologous single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles was conducted in a single centre to investigate the effect of cryostorage on clinical and neonatal outcomes. Cryostorage duration was classified into three groups: (A) 0-2 months (n = 4702); (B) 2-13 months (n = 2853) and (C) 13-97 months (n = 1181). Blastocysts were vitrified using the Cryotop method. No significant differences were observed in live birth rates: (A) 37.3%; (B) 34.9%; (C) (35.2%). Gestational period was significantly shorter in group C: (A) 38.7 ± 1.8; (B) 38.6 ± 1.6; (C) 38.1 ± 1.7; P < 0.05. This was clinically unimportant as the average gestational age was more than 38 weeks. No significant differences between groups were observed in birth weight: (A) 3060 ± 455 g; (B) 3052 ± 449 g; (C) 2992 ± 445 g, or congenital malformation rates: (A) 2.2%; (B) 1.9%; (C) 1.8%. The limitation of this study was that maximum storage duration was 8 years; most blastocysts were in cryostorage for much shorter periods. Long-term storage of blastocysts that are vitrified using an open device vitrification system has no negative effect on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Copyright © 2018 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Embryotrophic factor-3 from human oviductal cells enhances proliferation, suppresses apoptosis and stimulates the expression of the beta1 subunit of sodium-potassium ATPase in mouse embryos.

PubMed

Xu, J S; Lee, Y L; Lee, K F; Kwok, K L; Lee, W M; Luk, J M; Yeung, W S B

2004-12-01

Embrytrophic factor-3 (ETF-3) from human oviductal cells enhanced the development of mouse preimplantation embryos. This report studied the embryotrophic mechanisms of the molecule. Mouse embryos were incubated with ETF-3 for 24 h at different stages of development. ETF-3 treatment between 96 and 120 h post-HCG increased the cell count of blastocysts, whilst treatment between 72 and 96 h post-HCG enhanced the expansion and hatching of the blastocysts. ETF-3 increased the cell number of the embryos by suppressing apoptosis and increasing proliferation as determined by TUNEL and bromodeoxyuridine uptake assays, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the in vivo developed and ETF-3-treated blastocysts had a significantly higher mRNA copy number of Na/K-ATPase-beta1, but not of hepsin, than that of blastocysts cultured in medium alone. The former gene was associated with cavitation of blastocysts while the latter was related to hatching of blastocyst. The beneficial effect of ETF-3 on blastocyst hatching was also seen when ETF-3-supplemented commercially available sequential culture medium for human embryo culture was used to culture mouse embryos. ETF-3 improves embryo development by enhancing proliferation, suppressing apoptosis and stimulating expression of genes related to blastocyst cavitation. Supplementating human embryo culture medium with ETF-3 may improve the success rate in clinical assisted reproduction.

Female age, serum antimüllerian hormone level, and number of oocytes affect the rate and number of euploid blastocysts in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

PubMed

La Marca, Antonio; Minasi, Maria Giulia; Sighinolfi, Giovanna; Greco, Pierfrancesco; Argento, Cindy; Grisendi, Valentina; Fiorentino, Francesco; Greco, Ermanno

2017-11-01

To study the relative role of female age and ovarian reserve, measured through serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) in determining the rate and number of euploid blastocysts in in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Retrospective analysis of cycles performed in 2014-2015. Tertiary referral IVF center. A total of 578 infertile couples undergoing IVF/ICSI and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) analysis. All embryos were cultured and biopsied at the blastocyst stage. The method involved whole-genome amplification followed by array comparative genome hybridization. Serum AMH was measured by means of the modified Beckman Coulter AMH Gen II assay. The rate and number of euploid blastocysts and their correlation with ovarian reserve and response to stimulation. The mean (±SD) age of patients was 37.6 ± 4.1 years, and the mean number of blastocysts per patient was 3.1 ± 2. The total number of blastocysts available to the analysis was 1,814, and 36% of them were euploid after PGS. Age and serum AMH were significantly and independently related to the rate of euploid blastocysts available for patients. As an effect of the cohort size, the number of mature oocytes positively affected the total number of euploid blastocysts per patient. A strong positive age-independent relationship between AMH level and the rate of euploid blastocysts was found. This confirms that the measurement of ovarian reserve by means of AMH has high relevance when counseling infertile patients. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hybrid embryos produced by transferring panda or cat somatic nuclei into rabbit MII oocytes can develop to blastocyst in vitro.

PubMed

Wen, Duan-Cheng; Bi, Chun-Ming; Xu, Ying; Yang, Cai-Xia; Zhu, Zi-Yu; Sun, Qing-Yuan; Chen, Da-Yuan

2005-08-01

The developmental potential of hybrid embryos produced by transferring panda or cat fibroblasts into nucleated rabbit oocytes was assessed. Both the panda-rabbit and the cat-rabbit hybrid embryos were able to form blastocysts in vitro. However, the rates of attaining the two-cell, four-cell, eight-cell, morula, or blastocyst stages for panda-rabbit hybrids were significantly greater than those of cat-rabbit hybrids (P<0.05). Transferring the rabbit fibroblasts into nucleated rabbit oocytes, 31.0% of the blastocyst rate was obtained, which was significantly higher than that of both the panda-rabbit and the cat-rabbit hybrid embryos (P<0.05). Whether or not the second polar body (PB2) was extruded from the one-cell hybrid embryos (both panda-rabbit and cat-rabbit hybrids) significantly affected their developmental capacity. Embryos without an extruded PB2 showed a higher capacity to develop into blastocysts (panda-rabbit: 19.2%; cat-rabbit: 4.3%), while embryos with extruded PB2 could only develop to the morula stage. The hybrid embryos formed pronucleus-like structures (PN) in 2-4 hr after activation, and the number of PN in one-cell embryos varied from one to five. Tracking of the nucleus in the egg after fusion revealed that the somatic nucleus could approach and aggregate with the oocyte nucleus spontaneously. Chromosome analysis of the panda-rabbit blastocysts showed that the karyotype of the hybrid embryos (2n=86) consisted of chromosomes from both the panda (2n=42) and the rabbit (2n=44). The results demonstrate that (1) it is possible to produce genetic hybrid embryos by interspecies nuclear transfer; (2) the developmental potential of the hybrid embryos is highly correlated to the donor nucleus species; and (3) the hybrid genome is able to support the complete preimplantation embryonic development of the hybrids. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Development of Monozygotic Twin Mouse Embryos from the Time of Blastomere Separation at the Two-Cell Stage to Blastocyst1

PubMed Central

Katayama, Mika; Ellersieck, Mark R.; Roberts, R. Michael

2010-01-01

The development of blastomeres separated from two-cell stage murine embryos has been compared. Blastomeres were removed from the zona pellucida (ZP) and cultured individually; the twin embryos were compared during their progression to blastocyst in terms of development rate, cell number, morphology, conformation at the four-cell stage, and CDX2 and POU5F1 (also known as OCT4) expression. In general, twin embryos, whether obtained from superovulated or normally bred dams, displayed comparable cell numbers as they advanced. They formed morulae and blastocysts more or less synchronously with each other and with control embryos, although possessing about half of the latter's cell number. Despite this apparent synchrony, the majority of twin blastocysts differed in terms of their relative complements of POU5F1+/CDX2− cells, which represent inner cell mass (ICM), and POU5F1+/CDX2+ cells, which identify trophectoderm (TE). Many, but not all, exhibited a disproportionately small ICM. By contrast, demiembryos retained within their ZP and created by randomly damaging one of the two blastomeres in two-cell stage embryos exhibited a more normal ratio of ICM to TE cells at blastocyst and significantly less variance in ICM cell number. One possible explanation is that ZP-free demiembryos only infrequently adopt the same conformation as their partners, including the favorable tetrahedral form, at the four-cell stage, suggesting that such embryos exhibit a high degree of plasticity with regard to the orientation of their first two cleavage planes and that a significant number likely deviate from paths that provide an optimal geometric progression to blastocyst. These data could explain the difficulty of creating monozygotic twins from two-cell stage embryos. PMID:20181620

Effect of holding technique and culture drop size in individual or group culture on blastocyst development after ICSI of equine oocytes with low meiotic competence.

PubMed

Choi, Y H; Love, L B; Varner, D D; Hinrichs, K

2007-11-01

The effect of medium-to-embryo ratio on blastocyst development of equine embryos from oocytes with compact cumuli was evaluated in the present experiment. In addition, two methods for holding oocytes before in vitro maturation were compared. In Experiment 1, oocytes cultured with roscovitine for 16-18h before maturation were fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and cultured individually in 2.5, 5, 10 or 50microl droplets. In Experiment 2, oocytes were either cultured with roscovitine or held in a modified M199 with 20% serum at room temperature (EH treatment) for 16-18h, then matured, fertilized and cultured in groups at 5microl medium per embryo. In Experiment 3, oocytes were held in the EH treatment, then were matured and fertilized. In Study 3.1, injected oocytes were cultured individually in drop sizes as for Experiment 1; in Study 3.2, groups of 2-7 oocytes were cultured in fixed drop sizes of 5 or 50microl. Blastocyst development rates of individually-cultured embryos were not significantly different among drop sizes in either Experiment 1 or 3 (15-29%). In Experiment 2, blastocyst rates were not significantly different between holding treatments (17-23%). In Experiment 3, for group-cultured oocytes, blastocyst development was not significantly different between 5 and 50microl drops (39 and 27%, respectively). In conclusion, compact-cumulus oocytes may be effectively held in the EH treatment before maturation, and single culture of equine embryos yields acceptable blastocyst development. The greatest blastocyst rate (39%) was obtained with group culture in a 5microl droplet.

Tripolar mitosis and partitioning of the genome arrests human preimplantation development in vitro.

PubMed

Ottolini, Christian S; Kitchen, John; Xanthopoulou, Leoni; Gordon, Tony; Summers, Michael C; Handyside, Alan H

2017-08-29

Following in vitro fertilisation (IVF), only about half of normally fertilised human embryos develop beyond cleavage and morula stages to form a blastocyst in vitro. Although many human embryos are aneuploid and genomically imbalanced, often as a result of meiotic errors inherited in the oocyte, these aneuploidies persist at the blastocyst stage and the reasons for the high incidence of developmental arrest remain unknown. Here we use genome-wide SNP genotyping and meiomapping of both polar bodies to identify maternal meiotic errors and karyomapping to fingerprint the parental chromosomes in single cells from disaggregated arrested embryos and excluded cells from blastocysts. Combined with time lapse imaging of development in culture, we demonstrate that tripolar mitoses in early cleavage cause chromosome dispersal to clones of cells with identical or closely related sub-diploid chromosome profiles resulting in intercellular partitioning of the genome. We hypothesise that following zygotic genome activation (ZGA), the combination of genomic imbalance and partial genome loss disrupts the normal pattern of embryonic gene expression blocking development at the morula-blastocyst transition. Failure to coordinate the cell cycle in early cleavage and regulate centrosome duplication is therefore a major cause of human preimplantation developmental arrest in vitro.

Selenium and vitamin E improve the in vitro maturation, fertilization and culture to blastocyst of porcine oocytes.

PubMed

Tareq, K M A; Akter, Quzi Sharmin; Khandoker, M A M Yahia; Tsujii, Hirotada

2012-01-01

Selenium (Se) and vitamin E (Vit-E), as integral parts of antioxidant systems, play important roles for sperm and embryos in vitro. In this study, the effects of Se and Vit-E on the maturation, in vitro fertilization and culture to blastocysts of porcine oocytes and accumulation of ammonia in the culture medium during different development stages were investigated. The maturation was performed in modified tissue culture medium (mTCM)-199 supplemented with 10% (v/v) porcine follicular fluid, the fertilization medium was modified Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate (mTALP), and the embryo culture medium was modified North Carolina State University (mNCSU)-23. Se in the form of sodium selenite (SS) and seleon-L-methionine (SeMet) and Vit-E at different concentrations were also used. The incorporation and oxidation of (14)C(U)-glucose were assessed with a liquid scintillation counter. In this study, SeMet and SeMet+Vit-E increased oocyte maturation, fertilization and incorporation and oxidation of (14)C(U)-glucose significantly (P<0.05) compared with the control and other treatments. In addition, embryo development, specifically in terms of the numbers of morulae and blastocysts, significantly increased (P<0.05) with SeMet and SeMet+Vit-E. In contrast, the accumulation of ammonia was reduced with SeMet and SeMet+Vit-E compared with other treatments. These findings indicate that SeMet and SeMet+Vit-E may play important roles in reducing the accumulation of ammonia and subsequently in increasing the rate of maturation of porcine oocytes and fertilization, as well as development of the blastocyst and utilization of glucose in in vitro maturation, fertilization and culture to blastocysts of porcine oocytes.

Duration of blastulation may be associated with ongoing pregnancy rate in single euploid blastocyst transfer cycles.

PubMed

Mumusoglu, Sezcan; Ozbek, Irem Y; Sokmensuer, Lale K; Polat, Mehtap; Bozdag, Gurkan; Papanikolaou, Evangelos; Yarali, Hakan

2017-12-01

Not all euploid embryos implant, necessitating additional tools to select viable blastocysts in preimplantation genetic screening cycles. In this retrospective cohort study, 129 consecutive patients who underwent 129 single euploid blastocyst transfers in cryopreserved embryo transfer cycles were included. All embryos were individually cultured in a time-lapse incubator from intracytoplasmic sperm injection up to trophoectoderm biopsy. Twenty-three time-lapse morphokinetic variables were tested among patients with (n = 68) or without (n = 61) ongoing pregnancy. All 23 time-lapse morphokinetic variables, apart from duration of blastulation (tB-tSB), were comparable between patients with or without ongoing pregnancy. Duration of blastulation was significantly shorter in patients with ongoing pregnancy (8.1 ± 3.2 versus 9.5 ± 3.4 h; P = 0.014); shorter duration of blastulation remained an independent predictor for ongoing pregnancy, when tested by logistic regression analysis (OR 0.81; 95% CI 0.70 to 0.93). One important limitation of this study, and a reason for caution, is the use of multiple comparisons, which can lead to differences at the 0.05 level simply by chance or random variation. Nonetheless, the study suggests that when more than one euploid blastocyst is available, priority might be given to those with a shorter duration of blastulation. Copyright © 2017 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the interferon-tau expression from primary trophectoderm outgrowths derived from IVP, NT, and parthenogenote bovine blastocysts.

PubMed

Talbot, Neil C; Powell, Anne M; Ocón, Olga M; Caperna, Thomas J; Camp, Mary; Garrett, Wesley M; Ealy, Alan D

2008-02-01

The expression of interferon-tau (IFN-tau) is essential for bovine embryo survival in the uterus. An evaluation of IFN-tau production from somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT)-embryo-derived primary trophectoderm cultures in comparison to trophectoderm cultured from parthenogenote (P) and in vitro matured, fertilized, and cultured (IVP) bovine embryos was performed. In Experiment 1, the success/failure ratio for primary trophectoderm colony formation was similar for IVP and NT blastocysts [IVP = 155/29 (84%); NT 104/25 (81%)], but was decreased (P = .05) for P blastocysts [54/43 (56%)]. Most trophectoderm colonies reached diameters of at least 1 cm within 3-4 weeks, and at this time, 72 hr conditioned cell culture medium was measured for IFN-tau concentration by antiviral activity assay. The amount of IFN-tau produced by IVP-outgrowths [4311 IU/mL (n = 155)] was greater (P < .05) than that from NT- [626 IU/mL (n = 104)] and P - [1595 IU/mL (n = 54)] derived trophectoderm. Differential expression of IFN-tau was confirmed by immunoblotting. In Experiment 2, colony formation was again similar for IVP and NT blastocysts [IVP = 70/5 (93%); NT 67/1 (99%)] and less (P < .05) for P blastocysts [65/27 (70%)]. Analysis of trophectoderm colony size after 23 days in culture showed a similar relationship with P-derived colonies being significantly smaller in comparison to IVP and NT colonies. A differential expression of IFN-tau was also observed again, but this time as measured over time in culture. Maximal IFN-tau production was found at day-14 of primary culture and diminished to a minimum by the 23rd day. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Increased cleavage and blastocyst rate in ewes treated with bovine somatotropin 5 days before the end of progestin-based estrous synchronization.

PubMed

Montero-Pardo, A; Hernández-Cerón, J; Rojas-Maya, S; Valencia, J; Rodríguez-Cortez, A; Gutiérrez, C G

2011-05-01

Treatment with bovine somatotropin (bST) during estrous synchronization increased fertility and prolificacy in sheep. In the present study, a single dose of bST 5 days before the end of progestin treatment improved cleavage and embryo development. Stage of estrous cycle was synchronized in ewes (n=32) with progestin and superovulation was induced by use of FSH. Five days before the end of progestin treatment, ewes were randomly assigned to two groups: bST group (n=16) received a depot injection of 125 mg of bST sc (Lactotropina, Elanco, México) and the control group (n=16) received saline solution. Estrous was detected with rams fitted with an apron every 2 h and estrous sheep were mated every 8 h whilst in estrous. Embryos were recovered on Day 7 post mating, assessed microscopically and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. Cell number in blastocysts was counted after Hoechst 33342 staining. Plasma concentrations of IGF-I, insulin and progesterone were determined in eight sheep per group from the day of bST treatment to the day of embryo recovery. Cleavage rate, percentage of transferable embryos (transferable embryos/cleaved) and percentage of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage (blastocyst/cleaved) were compared between groups by logistic regression. IGF-I, insulin and progesterone plasma concentrations were analyzed by ANOVA for repeated measurements and cell number by ANOVA. Cleavage rate was greater (P<0.01) in bST treatment group (86%) than in the control group (62%). Similarly, the proportion of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage (bST=68.7 vs control=42.5) and the number of cells per blastocyst (bST group 91.8±5.5 compared to control group 75±6) were greater (P<0.01) in the bST-treated sheep. Plasma concentrations of IGF-I and insulin were greater (P<0.01) in the bST-treated group. No changes were observed in progesterone concentrations (P=0.5). It is concluded that bST injection 5 days before progestin removal increases cleavage rate and the proportion of

The impact of food intake and social habits on embryo quality and the likelihood of blastocyst formation.

PubMed

Braga, Daniela Paes Almeida Ferreira; Halpern, Gabriela; Setti, Amanda S; Figueira, Rita Cássia S; Iaconelli, Assumpto; Borges, Edson

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of patients' lifestyle factors and eating habits on embryo development. A total of 2659 embryos recovered from 269 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles were included. The frequency of intake of food items and social habits were registered and its influences on embryo development evaluated. The consumption of cereals, vegetables and fruits positively influenced the embryo quality at the cleavage stage. The quality of the embryo at the cleavage stage was also negatively correlated with the consumption of alcoholic drinks and smoking habits. The consumption of fruits influenced the likelihood of blastocyst formation, which was also positively affected by the consumption of fish. Being on a weight-loss diet and consumption of red meat had a negative influence on the likelihood of blastocyst formation. The likelihood of blastocyst formation was also negatively influenced by the consumption of alcoholic drinks and by smoking habits. The consumption of red meat and body mass index had a negative effect on the implantation rate and the likelihood of pregnancy. In addition, being on a weight-loss diet had a negative influence on implantation rate. Our evidence suggests a possible relationship between environmental factors and ovary biology. Copyright © 2015 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A potential non-invasive approach to evaluating blastocyst quality using biodynamic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhe; Ehmke, Natalie; Machaty, Zoltan; Nolte, David

2018-02-01

Biodynamic imaging (BDI) is capable of capturing the intracellular dynamics of blastocysts within a relatively short time. Spectroscopic signatures of embryos in the 0.01 Hz - 1 Hz range display responses to external factors before morphology changes take place. Viability evaluation is consistent with results from other non-invasive methods. Biodynamic imaging is a potential tool for selecting high quality embryos in clinical IVF practices.

Rhein Induces Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Mouse Blastocysts and Has Immunotoxic Effects during Embryonic Development.

PubMed

Huang, Chien-Hsun; Chan, Wen-Hsiung

2017-09-20

Rhein, a glucoside chemical compound found in a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the roots of rhubarb, induces cell apoptosis and is considered to have high potential as an antitumor drug. Several previous studies showed that rhein can inhibit cell proliferation and trigger mitochondria-related or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-dependent apoptotic processes. However, the side effects of rhein on pre- and post-implantation embryonic development remain unclear. Here, we show that rhein has cytotoxic effects on blastocyst-stage mouse embryos and induces oxidative stress and immunotoxicity in mouse fetuses. Blastocysts incubated with 5-20 μM rhein showed significant cell apoptosis, as well as decreases in their inner cell mass cell numbers and total cell numbers. An in vitro development assay showed that rhein affected the developmental potentials of both pre- and post-implantation embryos. Incubation of blastocysts with 5-20 μM rhein was associated with increased resorption of post-implantation embryos and decreased fetal weight in an embryo transfer assay. Importantly, in an in vivo model, intravenous injection of dams with rhein (1, 3, and 5 mg/kg body weight/day) for four days resulted in apoptosis of blastocyst-stage embryos, early embryonic developmental injury, and decreased fetal weight. Intravenous injection of dams with 5 mg/kg body weight/day rhein significantly increased the total reactive oxygen species (ROS) content of fetuses and the transcription levels of antioxidant proteins in fetal livers. Additional work showed that rhein induced apoptosis through ROS generation, and that prevention of apoptotic processes effectively rescued the rhein-induced injury effects on embryonic development. Finally, the transcription levels of the innate-immunity related genes, CXCL1 , IL-1 β and IL-8 , were down-regulated in the fetuses of dams that received intravenous injections of rhein. These results collectively show that rhein has the potential to

Introduction: The Humanities and the Sciences.

PubMed

Bod, Rens; Kursell, Julia

2015-06-01

The humanities and the sciences have a strongly connected history, yet their histories continue to be written separately. Although the scope of the history of science has undergone a tremendous broadening during the past few decades, scholars of the history of the humanities and the history of science still seem to belong to two separate cultures that have endured through the past century. This Focus section explores what common ground would enable a study of the histories of the humanities and the sciences to investigate their shared epistemic objects, virtues, values, methods, and practices.

Arrested human embryos are more likely to have abnormal chromosomes than developing embryos from women of advanced maternal age.

PubMed

Qi, Shu-Tao; Liang, Li-Feng; Xian, Ye-Xing; Liu, Jian-Qiao; Wang, Weihua

2014-01-01

Aneuploidy is one of the major factors that result in low efficiency in human infertility treatment by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The development of DNA microarray technology allows for aneuploidy screening by analyzing all 23 pairs of chromosomes in human embryos. All chromosome screening for aneuploidy is more accurate than partial chromosome screening, as errors can occur in any chromosome. Currently, chromosome screening for aneuploidy is performed in developing embryos, mainly blastocysts. It has not been performed in arrested embryos and/or compared between developing embryos and arrested embryos from the same IVF cycle. The present study was designed to examine all chromosomes in blastocysts and arrested embryos from the same cycle in patients of advanced maternal ages. Embryos were produced by routine IVF procedures. A total of 90 embryos (45 blastocysts and 45 arrested embryos) from 17 patients were biopsied and analyzed by the Agilent DNA array platform. It was found that 50% of the embryos developed to blastocyst stage; however, only 15.6% of the embryos (both blastocyst and arrested) were euploid, and most (84.4%) of the embryos had chromosomal abnormalities. Further analysis indicated that 28.9% of blastocysts were euploid and 71.1% were aneuploid. By contrast, only one (2.2%) arrested embryo was euploid while others (97.8%) were aneuploid. The prevalence of multiple chromosomal abnormalities in the aneuploid embryos was also higher in the arrested embryos than in the blastocysts. These results indicate that high proportions of human embryos from patients of advanced maternal age are aneuploid, and the arrested embryos are more likely to have abnormal chromosomes than developing embryos.

Planar embryos have poor prognosis in terms of blastocyst formation and implantation.

PubMed

Ebner, T; Maurer, M; Shebl, O; Moser, M; Mayer, R B; Duba, H C; Tews, G

2012-09-01

Normally, day-2 embryos show a crosswise arrangement of four cells with three blastomeres lying side by side. Cleavage anomalies include embryos that are characterized by a particular planar constellation of four blastomeres with presumed incomplete cleavage. Since little is known on the developmental fate of such conceptuses, within a 10-month period all consecutive patients were screened for day-2 planar embryos. A total of 64/2070 embryos with suboptimal blastomere configuration were detected (3.1%). In conventional IVF, planar embryos were significantly less frequent (0.7%) as compared with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (2.8%; P<0.05) and cases of testicular sperm extraction (5.4%; P<0.01). Interestingly, embryos with a cleavage anomaly showed better morphology both on day 2 (P<0.005) and day 3 (P<0.001). In contrast, blastocyst formation (P<0.001) and blastocyst quality (P=NS) was higher in tetrahedral embryos. There was a significant increase in implantation rate if tetrahedral embryos could be transferred compared with when planar embryos had to be transferred (P<0.01). It may be postulated that, in planar embryos, the mitotic spindle might have been affected, e.g. sperm centrosome composition or function, which in turn might have led to the observed cleavage anomaly. Normally, day-2 embryos show a crosswise arrangement of four cells with three blastomeres lying side by side. Cleavage anomalies include more planar embryos that are characterized by a particular flat constellation of four blastomeres with presumed premature cleavage (like a tetrafoliate clover). Since little is known on the developmental fate of such embryos within a 10-month study period, all consecutive patients were screened for the presence of day-2 planar embryos (study group). A total of 64 (out of 2070) embryos with abnormal blastomere configuration were detected (3.1%). Interestingly, in conventional IVF (0.7%), the presence of planar embryos was significantly less frequent as

The low fertility of repeat-breeder cows during summer heat stress is related to a low oocyte competence to develop into blastocysts.

PubMed

Ferreira, R M; Ayres, H; Chiaratti, M R; Ferraz, M L; Araújo, A B; Rodrigues, C A; Watanabe, Y F; Vireque, A A; Joaquim, D C; Smith, L C; Meirelles, F V; Baruselli, P S

2011-05-01

It was hypothesized the lower fertility of repeat-breeder (RB) Holstein cows is associated with oocyte quality and this negative effect is enhanced during summer heat stress (HS). During the summer and the winter, heifers (H; n=36 and 34, respectively), peak-lactation (PL; n=37 and 32, respectively), and RB (n=36 and 31, respectively) Holstein cows were subjected to ovum retrieval to assess oocyte recovery, in vitro embryonic developmental rates, and blastocyst quality [terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells and total cell number]. The environmental temperature and humidity, respiration rate, and cutaneous and rectal temperatures were recorded in both seasons. The summer HS increased the respiration rate and the rectal temperature of PL and RB cows, and increased the cutaneous temperature and lowered the in vitro embryo production of Holstein cows and heifers. Although cleavage rate was similar among groups [H=51.7% ± 4.5 (n=375), PL=37.9% ± 5.1 (n=390), RB=41.9% ± 4.5 (n=666)], blastocyst rate was compromised by HS, especially in RB cows [H=30.3% ± 4.8 (n=244) vs. 23.3% ± 6.4 (n=150), PL=22.0% ± 4.7 (n=191) vs. 14.6% ± 7.6 (n=103), RB=22.5% ± 5.4 (n=413) vs. 7.9% ± 4.3 (n=177)]. Moreover, the fragmentation rate of RB blastocysts was enhanced during the summer, compared with winter [4.9% ± 0.7 (n=14) vs. 2.2% ± 0.2 (n=78)] and other groups [H=2.5% ± 0.7 (n=13), and PL=2.7% ± 0.6 (n=14)] suggesting that the association of RB fertility problems and summer HS may potentially impair oocyte quality. Our findings provide evidence of a greater sensitivity of RB oocytes to summer HS. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antimüllerian hormone as a predictor of good-quality supernumerary blastocyst cryopreservation among women with levels <1 ng/mL versus 1-4 ng/mL.

PubMed

Kavoussi, Shahryar K; Odenwald, Kate C; Boehnlein, Lynn M; Summers-Colquitt, Roxanne B; Pool, Thomas B; Swain, Jason E; Jones, Jeffrey M; Lindstrom, Mary J; Lebovic, Dan I

2015-09-01

To determine whether antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels predict the availability of good-quality supernumerary blastocysts for cryopreservation. Retrospective study. Two fertility centers. First fresh IVF cycles (n = 247) grouped as follows: 40 women <35 year old with AMH <1 ng/mL and 77 women with AMH 1-4 ng/mL; 62 women ≥35 year old with AMH <1 ng/mL, and 68 women with AMH 1-4 ng/mL. AMH level measured before IVF with ovarian stimulation protocols based on patient age and AMH level, including short gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, GnRH antagonist, or GnRH agonist microdose flare; supernumerary good-quality blastocysts cryopreserved on days 5 or 6 after retrieval. Supernumerary good-quality blastocysts for cryopreservation in relation to AMH levels. Among women <35 years of age, there was a statistically significant difference in the number of patients with supernumerary good-quality blastocysts for cryopreservation between the groups with AMH <1 ng/mL and AMH 1-4 ng/mL (30.0% vs. 58.4%) when adjusted for age. Among women ≥35 years of age, there was a statistically significant difference in the number of patients with supernumerary good-quality blastocyst cryopreservation between groups with AMH <1 ng/mL and AMH 1-4 ng/mL (16.1% vs. 42.6%), when adjusted for age. Low AMH levels are associated with a statistically significantly lower likelihood of blastocysts for cryopreservation as compared with higher AMH levels. This effect was seen among women both <35 and ≥35 years of age. Patient counseling should include realistic expectations for the probability of good-quality supernumerary blastocysts available for cryopreservation. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of male chimeric mice generated from microinjection of JM8.N4 embryonic stem cells into C57BL/6J and C57BL/6NTac blastocysts.

PubMed

Fielder, Thomas J; Yi, Charles S; Masumi, Juliet; Waymire, Katrina G; Chen, Hsiao-Wen; Wang, Shuling; Shi, Kai-Xuan; Wallace, Douglas C; MacGregor, Grant R

2012-12-01

To identify ways to improve the efficiency of generating chimeric mice via microinjection of blastocysts with ES cells, we compared production and performance of ES-cell derived chimeric mice using blastocysts from two closely related and commonly used sub-strains of C57BL/6. Chimeras were produced by injection of the same JM8.N4 (C57BL/6NTac) derived ES cell line into blastocysts of mixed sex from either C57BL/6J (B6J) or C57BL/6NTac (B6NTac) mice. Similar efficiency of production and sex-conversion of chimeric animals was observed with each strain of blastocyst. However, B6J chimeric males had fewer developmental abnormalities involving urogenital and reproductive tissues (1/12, 8%) compared with B6NTac chimeric males (7/9, 78%). The low sample size did not permit determination of statistical significance for many parameters. However, in each category analyzed the B6J-derived chimeric males performed as well, or better, than their B6NTac counterparts. Twelve of 14 (86%) B6J male chimeras were fertile compared with 6 of 11 (55%) B6NTac male chimeras. Ten of 12 (83%) B6J chimeric males sired more than 1 litter compared with only 3 of 6 (50%) B6NTac chimeras. B6J male chimeras produced more litters per productive mating (3.42 ± 1.73, n = 12) compared to B6NTac chimeras (2.17 ± 1.33, n = 6). Finally, a greater ratio of germline transmitting chimeric males was obtained using B6J blastocysts (9/14; 64%) compared with chimeras produced using B6NTac blastocysts (4/11; 36%). Use of B6J host blastocysts for microinjection of ES cells may offer improvements over blastocysts from B6NTac and possibly other sub-strains of C57BL/6 mice.

Effect of sperm entry on blastocyst development after in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection - mouse model.

PubMed

Piotrowska-Nitsche, Karolina; Chan, Anthony W S

2013-01-01

To investigate whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), influence the embryo's development and its quality using the mouse as a model. Assisted fertilization was performed using ICSI and IVF. Fluorescent beads were adhered to the fertilization cone or place of previous sperm injection in the natural mated (NM), IVF and ICSI embryos, respectively. Embryo examination was carried out at the two-cell and blastocyst stage to determine the position of fluorescent bead. Protein expression was detected by fluorescence immunocytochemical staining and confocal microscopic imaging of blastocysts. IVF and ICSI embryos developed at rates comparable to NM group. Embryos show similar expression patterns of two transcription factors, Oct4 and Cdx2. The most preferred place for spermatozoa attachment was the equatorial site of the egg, whether fertilization occurred in vitro or under natural conditions. We also link the sperm entry position (SEP) to embryo morphology and the number of cells at the blastocyst stage, with no influence of the method of fertilization. IVF and ICSI, do not compromise in vitro pre-implantation development. Additional data, related to sperm entry, could offer further criteria to predict embryos that will implant successfully. Based on embryo morphology, developmental rate and protein expression level of key transcription factors, our results support the view that ART techniques, such as IVF and ICSI, do not perturb embryonic development or quality.

Integrating science with humanities-loosing the fear of science

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pinto, W.L.; Raphalides, S.; Edwards, D.

1994-12-31

This presentation illustrates the approach and effectiveness of an interactive seminar program for K-12 non-science teachers (funded by the NJ Dept. of Higher Education) aimed at integrating the humanities and science, especially environmental sciences. Teachers become comfortable dealing with the commonality of science, literature, and human culture. In a collaborative format between seminar organizers and K-12 teachers, participants contribute their understanding of literature, history, politics, and culture to develop a new outlook on {open_quotes}environmental awareness{close_quotes} and on pollution`s impact on society. Prehistoric, medieval, 18th century, modern western cultures, Oriental, Native American, and tropical island cultures are explored to shed lightmore » upon today`s environmental attitudes. This provides a better understanding of the way science, within a cultural context, approaches environmental problems.« less

Selection of single blastocysts for fresh transfer via standard morphology assessment alone and with array CGH for good prognosis IVF patients: results from a randomized pilot study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Single embryo transfer (SET) remains underutilized as a strategy to reduce multiple gestation risk in IVF, and its overall lower pregnancy rate underscores the need for improved techniques to select one embryo for fresh transfer. This study explored use of comprehensive chromosomal screening by array CGH (aCGH) to provide this advantage and improve pregnancy rate from SET. Methods First-time IVF patients with a good prognosis (age <35, no prior miscarriage) and normal karyotype seeking elective SET were prospectively randomized into two groups: In Group A, embryos were selected on the basis of morphology and comprehensive chromosomal screening via aCGH (from d5 trophectoderm biopsy) while Group B embryos were assessed by morphology only. All patients had a single fresh blastocyst transferred on d6. Laboratory parameters and clinical pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups. Results For patients in Group A (n = 55), 425 blastocysts were biopsied and analyzed via aCGH (7.7 blastocysts/patient). Aneuploidy was detected in 191/425 (44.9%) of blastocysts in this group. For patients in Group B (n = 48), 389 blastocysts were microscopically examined (8.1 blastocysts/patient). Clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the morphology + aCGH group compared to the morphology-only group (70.9 and 45.8%, respectively; p = 0.017); ongoing pregnancy rate for Groups A and B were 69.1 vs. 41.7%, respectively (p = 0.009). There were no twin pregnancies. Conclusion Although aCGH followed by frozen embryo transfer has been used to screen at risk embryos (e.g., known parental chromosomal translocation or history of recurrent pregnancy loss), this is the first description of aCGH fully integrated with a clinical IVF program to select single blastocysts for fresh SET in good prognosis patients. The observed aneuploidy rate (44.9%) among biopsied blastocysts highlights the inherent imprecision of SET when conventional morphology is used

Human Exploration Science Office (KX) Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calhoun, Tracy A.

2014-01-01

The Human Exploration Science Office supports human spaceflight, conducts research, and develops technology in the areas of space orbital debris, hypervelocity impact technology, image science and analysis, remote sensing, imagery integration, and human and robotic exploration science. NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) resides in the Human Exploration Science Office. ODPO provides leadership in orbital debris research and the development of national and international space policy on orbital debris. The office is recognized internationally for its measurement and modeling of the debris environment. It takes the lead in developing technical consensus across U.S. agencies and other space agencies on debris mitigation measures to protect users of the orbital environment. The Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) project evaluates the risks to spacecraft posed by micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD). HVIT facilities at JSC and White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) use light gas guns, diagnostic tools, and high-speed imagery to quantify the response of spacecraft materials to MMOD impacts. Impact tests, with debris environment data provided by ODPO, are used by HVIT to predict risks to NASA and commercial spacecraft. HVIT directly serves NASA crew safety with MMOD risk assessments for each crewed mission and research into advanced shielding design for future missions. The Image Science and Analysis Group (ISAG) supports the International Space Station (ISS) and commercial spaceflight through the design of imagery acquisition schemes (ground- and vehicle-based) and imagery analyses for vehicle performance assessments and mission anomaly resolution. ISAG assists the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Program in the development of camera systems for the Orion spacecraft that will serve as data sources for flight test objectives that lead to crewed missions. The multi-center Imagery Integration Team is led by the Human Exploration Science Office and provides

Human Mars Surface Science Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bobskill, Marianne R.; Lupisella, Mark L.

2014-01-01

Human missions to the surface of Mars will have challenging science operations. This paper will explore some of those challenges, based on science operations considerations as part of more general operational concepts being developed by NASA's Human Spaceflight Architecture (HAT) Mars Destination Operations Team (DOT). The HAT Mars DOT has been developing comprehensive surface operations concepts with an initial emphasis on a multi-phased mission that includes a 500-day surface stay. This paper will address crew science activities, operational details and potential architectural and system implications in the areas of (a) traverse planning and execution, (b) sample acquisition and sample handling, (c) in-situ science analysis, and (d) planetary protection. Three cross-cutting themes will also be explored in this paper: (a) contamination control, (b) low-latency telerobotic science, and (c) crew autonomy. The present traverses under consideration are based on the report, Planning for the Scientific Exploration of Mars by Humans1, by the Mars Exploration Planning and Analysis Group (MEPAG) Human Exploration of Mars-Science Analysis Group (HEM-SAG). The traverses are ambitious and the role of science in those traverses is a key component that will be discussed in this paper. The process of obtaining, handling, and analyzing samples will be an important part of ensuring acceptable science return. Meeting planetary protection protocols will be a key challenge and this paper will explore operational strategies and system designs to meet the challenges of planetary protection, particularly with respect to the exploration of "special regions." A significant challenge for Mars surface science operations with crew is preserving science sample integrity in what will likely be an uncertain environment. Crewed mission surface assets -- such as habitats, spacesuits, and pressurized rovers -- could be a significant source of contamination due to venting, out-gassing and

Knock-in fibroblasts and transgenic blastocysts for expression of human FGF2 in the bovine β-casein gene locus using CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease-mediated homologous recombination.

PubMed

Jeong, Young-Hee; Kim, Yeong Ji; Kim, Eun Young; Kim, Se Eun; Kim, Jiwoo; Park, Min Jee; Lee, Hong-Gu; Park, Se Pill; Kang, Man-Jong

2016-06-01

Many transgenic domestic animals have been developed to produce therapeutic proteins in the mammary gland, and this approach is one of the most important methods for agricultural and biomedical applications. However, expression and secretion of a protein varies because transgenes are integrated at random sites in the genome. In addition, distal enhancers are very important for transcriptional gene regulation and tissue-specific gene expression. Development of a vector system regulated accurately in the genome is needed to improve production of therapeutic proteins. The objective of this study was to develop a knock-in system for expression of human fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) in the bovine β-casein gene locus. The F2A sequence was fused to the human FGF2 gene and inserted into exon 3 of the β-casein gene. We detected expression of human FGF2 mRNA in the HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells by RT-PCR and human FGF2 protein in the culture media using western blot analysis when the knock-in vector was introduced. We transfected the knock-in vector into bovine ear fibroblasts and produced knock-in fibroblasts using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. Moreover, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was more efficient than conventional methods. In addition, we produced knock-in blastocysts by somatic cell nuclear transfer using the knock-in fibroblasts. Our knock-in fibroblasts may help to create cloned embryos for development of transgenic dairy cattle expressing human FGF2 protein in the mammary gland via the expression system of the bovine β-casein gene.

HCG administration after endogenous LH rise negatively influences pregnancy rate in modified natural cycle for frozen-thawed euploid blastocyst transfer: a pilot study.

PubMed

Litwicka, Katarzyna; Mencacci, Cecilia; Arrivi, Cristiana; Varricchio, Maria Teresa; Caragia, Alina; Minasi, Maria Giulia; Greco, Ermanno

2018-03-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether in a modified natural cycle (modified-NC) for a frozen-thawed single euploid blastocyst transfer, a critical LH value, above which human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration should be avoided, may be defined. One hundred and sixty-seven patients underwent modified natural cycle in order to transfer a single frozen-thawed euploid blastocyst. All embryos were obtained by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and were biopsied at the blastocyst stage and analyzed by means of array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). Ovulation was induced using 10.000 IU hCG when the mean follicle diameter was at least of 17 mm, independently from LH values. The primary end points were the hCG-positive test and clinical pregnancy. The interim analysis showed that LH value ≥ 13 mIU/ml on the day of hCG injection may negatively influence the clinical results, suggesting that in this condition, it should be advisable waiting for spontaneous ovulation. Among patients who received hCG for ovulation induction, the hCG-positive test and clinical pregnancy rates in modified-NC were significantly lower in cycles with LH ≥ 13 mIU/ml in respect to those with LH < 13 mIU/ml (45.4 vs 73.3 and 36.4 vs 65.9%, in LH ≥ 13 and LH < 13 groups, respectively). In patients with LH value ≥ 13 mIU/ml, hCG administration led to significantly lower rates of hCG-positive test (45.4 vs 74.5% in hCG administration and spontaneous ovulation groups, respectively) and clinical pregnancy (36.4 vs 64.7% in hCG administration and spontaneous ovulation groups, respectively). The baseline patient characteristics were comparable in all groups. The findings of this study highlight that LH elevation ≥ 13 mIU/ml prior to hCG administration may negatively affect clinical pregnancy rates in modified-NC for single euploid blastocyst transfer. The LH determination should be routinely performed during follicular monitoring. In the

Blastocyst culture using single versus sequential media in clinical IVF: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Sfontouris, Ioannis A; Martins, Wellington P; Nastri, Carolina O; Viana, Iara G R; Navarro, Paula A; Raine-Fenning, Nick; van der Poel, Sheryl; Rienzi, Laura; Racowsky, Catherine

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to undertake a review of the available evidence comparing the use of a single medium versus sequential media for embryo culture to the blastocyst stage in clinical IVF. We searched the Cochrane Central, PubMed, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, Current Controlled Trials and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform to identify randomized controlled trials comparing single versus sequential media for blastocyst culture and ongoing pregnancy rate. Included studies randomized either oocytes/zygotes or women. Eligible oocyte/zygote studies were analyzed to assess the risk difference (RD) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) between the two media systems; eligible woman-based studies were analyzed to assess the risk ratio (RR) and 95 % CI for clinical pregnancy rate. No differences were observed between single and sequential media for either ongoing pregnancy per randomized woman (relative risk (RR) = 0.9, 95 % CI = 0.7 to 1.3, two studies including 246 women, I 2  = 0 %) or clinical pregnancy per randomized woman (RR = 1.0, 95 % CI = 0.7 to 1.4, one study including 100 women); or miscarriage per clinical pregnancy: RR = 1.3, 95 % CI = 0.4 to 4.3, two studies including 246 participants, I 2  = 0 %). Single media use was associated with an increase blastocyst formation per randomized oocyte/zygote (relative distribution (RD) = +0.06, 95 % CI = +0.01 to +0.12, ten studies including 7455 oocytes/zygotes, I 2  = 83 %) but not top/high blastocyst formation (RD = +0.05, 95 % CI = -0.01 to +0.11, five studies including 3879 oocytes/zygotes, I 2  = 93 %). The overall quality of the evidence was very low for all these four outcomes. Although using a single medium for extended culture has some practical advantages and blastocyst formation rates appear to be higher, there is insufficient evidence to recommend either sequential or single-step media as being superior for the culture of

In vitro fertilization outcomes after fresh and frozen blastocyst transfer in South Asian compared with Caucasian women.

PubMed

Shah, Meera Sridhar; Caballes, Marissa; Lathi, Ruth Bunker; Baker, Valerie Lynn; Westphal, Lynn Marie; Milki, Amin A

2016-06-01

To study pregnancy outcomes between South Asian and Caucasian women undergoing frozen blastocyst transfer cycles. Retrospective cohort study. Not applicable. Caucasian and South Asian patients undergoing frozen blastocyst transfer between January 2011 and December 2014. Not applicable. Live birth rate. A total of 196 Caucasian and 117 South Asian women were included in our study. Indians were on average 2.2 years younger than Caucasian women (34.9 vs. 37.1 years), and were more likely to be nulliparous (59% vs. 43%). All other baseline characteristics were similar. In women undergoing their first frozen ET cycle, implantation rate (49% vs. 47%), clinical pregnancy rate (PR; 54% vs. 49%), and live birth rate (43% vs. 43%) were similar between South Asians and Caucasians, respectively. In patients who underwent a prior fresh blastocyst transfer, the live birth rate was significantly lower in South Asian versus Caucasian women (21% vs. 37%). Our data demonstrate that IVF outcomes are better in frozen versus fresh cycles among South Asian women. The IVF clinics may wish to consider these findings when counseling South Asian patients about the timing of ET. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of lead on the male mouse as investigated by in vitro fertilization and blastocyst culture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johansson, L.; Sjoeblom, P.; Wide, M.

1987-02-01

Long-term exposure of male mice to inorganic lead (lead chloride, 1 g/liter) in the drinking water reduces their fertility. The cause of this reduction, expressed as a decrease in the number of mated females showing inplantations, was investigated, using an in vivo fertilization method. It was found that spermatozoa from lead-exposed males had a significantly lower ability to fertilize mouse eggs than those from unexposed males. Preimplantation embryos, isolated from uterine horns of mice mated with lead-exposed males. Preimplantation embryos, isolated from uterine horns of mice mated with lead-exposed males, were examined. No morphologically abnormal embryos were found. However, whenmore » cultured in vitro over the implantation period, blastocysts of the group mated with lead-exposed males showed an increased frequency of delayed hatching from the zona pellucida or an inability to hatch. Among blastocysts from this group a decreased frequency of inner cell mass development was also found.« less

The idea of human prehistory: the natural sciences, the human sciences, and the problem of human origins in Victorian Britain.

PubMed

Goodrum, Matthew R

2012-01-01

The idea of human prehistory was a provocative and profoundly influential new notion that took shape gradually during the nineteenth century. While archaeology played an important role in providing the evidence for this idea many other sciences such as geology, paleontology, ethnology, and physical anthropology all made critical contributions to discussions about human prehistory. Many works have explored the history of prehistoric archaeology but this paper examines the conceptual content of the idea of "human prehistory" as it developed in the British scientific community. Both the natural and the human sciences contributed to what was in fact a complex collection of individual elements that together constituted the prevailing idea of human prehistory, although there were other competing conceptions of human prehistory endorsed by various scientists and critics of the new view of early human history.

Crocetin improves the quality of in vitro-produced bovine embryos: Implications for blastocyst development, cryotolerance, and apoptosis.

PubMed

Zullo, G; De Canditiis, C; Pero, M E; Albero, G; Salzano, A; Neglia, G; Campanile, G; Gasparrini, B

2016-11-01

The aim of this work was to assess the effect of supplementation of bovine culture medium with the natural antioxidant crocetin on in vitro blastocyst development and quality. This was evaluated as cryotolerance, apoptosis index, and total cells number and allocation. Abattoir-derived oocytes were matured and fertilized in vitro according to standard procedure. Twenty hours after IVF, presumptive zygotes were cultured in synthetic oviduct fluid medium, supplemented with 0, 1, 2.5, and 5 μM crocetin (experiment 1) at 39 °C under humidified air with 5% CO2, 7% O2, and 88% N2. On Day 7, embryo yields were assessed and the blastocysts were vitrified by Cryotop method in 16.5% ethylene glycol, 16.5% DMSO, and 0.5 M sucrose. Finally, blastocysts produced on Day 8 in the absence (control) and presence of 1 μM crocetin were used for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling and differential staining to evaluate, respectively, the apoptotic rate and the allocation of cells into inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) lineages (experiment 2). Embryo development was higher in the 1 μM crocetin group compared to the control, both in terms of total embryo output (37.7 ± 4.2%, 52.9 ± 6.3%, 40.9 ± 7.6%, and 42.4 ± 8.7%, respectively, with 0, 1, 2.5, and 5 μM; P < 0.01) and grade 1 and 2 blastocysts (33.6 ± 4.9%, 46.1 ± 7.3%, 37.8 ± 7.9%, and 39.4 ± 7.9%, respectively, with 0, 1, 2.5, and 5 μM; P < 0.05). Moreover, the percentage of fast-developing embryos increased in 1 μM crocetin group compared to the control (23.4 ± 4.7%, 32.7 ± 6.6%, 27.2 ± 6.6%, and 30.1 ± 7.2%, respectively, with 0, 1, 2.5, and 5 μM; P < 0.05). In addition, the enrichment of culture medium with 1 μM crocetin improved embryo cryotolerance compared to the control, as indicated by higher hatching rates recorded after 48 hours postwarming culture (46.5% vs. 60.4%; P < 0.05). Furthermore, 1 μM crocetin decreased

Blastocyst production after intracytoplasmic sperm injection with semen from a stallion with testicular degeneration.

PubMed

Roels, K; Smits, K; Ververs, C; Govaere, J; D'Herde, K; Van Soom, A

2018-06-01

In horse breeding, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has gained interest to obtain offspring from subfertile individuals. This paper presents a case report of a stallion with severe testicular degeneration. Semen analysis showed very low motility and 83.5% of detached heads. Histology of a testicular biopsy showed severely decreased spermatogenesis, while transmission electron microscopy of the sperm cells revealed no significant abnormalities. A total of 39 oocytes were fertilized by ICSI with frozen-thawed spermatozoa of this stallion: 25 oocytes with intact spermatozoa and 24 with detached heads. When using intact sperm cells, 8 out of the 25 oocytes cleaved, and 1 developed to the blastocyst stage 9 days after ICSI. None of the oocytes injected with a detached sperm head cleaved. Studies on the paternal influence on ICSI outcome are limited in the horse and further research is needed to define which stallion factors may influence ICSI results. Here, we report the possibility to produce a blastocyst by ICSI of a stallion suffering from testicular degeneration with a poor spermiogram, as long as an intact sperm cell containing a centriole is selected. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A mathematical model of in vivo bovine blastocyst developmental to gestational Day 15.

PubMed

Shorten, P R; Donnison, M; McDonald, R M; Meier, S; Ledgard, A M; Berg, D

2018-06-20

Bovine embryo growth involves a complex interaction between the developing embryo and the growth-promoting potential of the uterine environment. We have previously established links between embryonic factors (embryo stage, embryo gene expression), maternal factors (progesterone, body condition score), and embryonic growth to 8 d after bulk transfer of Day 7 in vitro-produced blastocysts. In this study we recovered blastocysts on Days 7 and 15 after artificial insemination to test the hypothesis that in vivo and in vitro embryos follow a similar growth program. We conducted our study using 4 commercial farms and repeated our study over 2 yr (2014, 2015), with data available from 2 of the 4 farms in the second year. Morphological and gene expression measurements (196 candidate genes) of the Day 7 embryos were measured and the progesterone concentration of the cows were measured throughout the reproductive cycle as a reflection of the state of the uterine environment. These data were also used to assess the interaction between the uterine environment and the developing embryo and to examine how well Day 7 embryo stage can be predicted from the Day 7 gene expression profile. Progesterone was not a strong predictor of in vivo embryo growth to Day 15. This contrasts with a range of Day 7 embryo transfer studies which demonstrated that progesterone is a very good predictor of embryo growth to Day 15. Our analysis demonstrates that in vivo embryos are 3 times less sensitive to progesterone than in vitro-transferred embryos (up to Day 15). This highlights that caution must be applied when extrapolating the results of in vitro embryo transfer studies to the in vivo situation. The similar variance in measured and predicted (based on Day 15 length) Day 7 embryo stage indicate low stochastic perturbations for in vivo embryo growth (large stochastic growth effects would generate a significantly larger standard deviation in measured embryo length on Day 15). We also identified

Production of lion (Panthera leo) blastocysts after in vitro maturation of oocytes and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

PubMed

Fernandez-Gonzalez, Lorena; Hribal, Romy; Stagegaard, Julia; Zahmel, Jennifer; Jewgenow, Katarina

2015-04-01

Assisted reproductive techniques are becoming widely applied to the breeding of endangered species, but establishing reliable protocols for the production of embryos in vitro is challenging because of the scarcity of sample material. In our study, we applied an assisted reproductive technique protocol for IVM and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), developed in the domestic cat, to oocytes retrieved from ovaries of four 2-year-old lionesses (Panthera leo) eight hours postmortem. In total, 68 cumulus-oocyte complexes of good quality were randomly distributed and cultured for 32 to 34 hours in two different maturation culture media, consisting of Medium 199 with Earle's salts, 3 mg/mL BSA, 0.1 mg/mL cysteine, 1.4 mg/mL sodium pyruvate, 0.6 mg/mL sodium lactate, 0.15 mg/mL l-glutamine, and 0.055 mg/mL gentamicin. Hormonal supplementation of IVM_1 was 0.02 IU/mL FSH and 0.05 IU/mL LH; IVM_2 consisted of 1.64 IU/mL FSH, 1.06 IU/mL LH, and 1 μg/mL 17ß-estradiol. Differences in hormonal supplementation did not produce significant differences in oocyte maturation rates, which were 39.4% in IVM_1 and 34.3% in IVM_2. Matured oocytes were microinjected with homologous frozen-thawed spermatozoa, and subsequent cleavage rates were 30.8% and 58.3%, respectively. Half of the embryos derived from oocytes matured in IVM_1 developed into blastocysts, whereas only 28.6% of embryos from oocytes matured in IVM_2 reached the blastocyst stage. Morula stages were present from Day 6 onward, and blastocyst stages from Day 9 on, indicating a slower developmental speed in comparison with domestic cats. This is the first report of in vitro-produced blastocysts using ICSI in the lion, and the results report that IVM and ICSI can be successfully performed with cumulus-oocyte complexes retrieved from ovaries after eight hours of shipping, obtaining competent embryos in culture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Four simple rules that are sufficient to generate the mammalian blastocyst

PubMed Central

Nissen, Silas Boye; Perera, Marta; Gonzalez, Javier Martin; Morgani, Sophie M.; Jensen, Mogens H.; Sneppen, Kim; Brickman, Joshua M.

2017-01-01

Early mammalian development is both highly regulative and self-organizing. It involves the interplay of cell position, predetermined gene regulatory networks, and environmental interactions to generate the physical arrangement of the blastocyst with precise timing. However, this process occurs in the absence of maternal information and in the presence of transcriptional stochasticity. How does the preimplantation embryo ensure robust, reproducible development in this context? It utilizes a versatile toolbox that includes complex intracellular networks coupled to cell—cell communication, segregation by differential adhesion, and apoptosis. Here, we ask whether a minimal set of developmental rules based on this toolbox is sufficient for successful blastocyst development, and to what extent these rules can explain mutant and experimental phenotypes. We implemented experimentally reported mechanisms for polarity, cell—cell signaling, adhesion, and apoptosis as a set of developmental rules in an agent-based in silico model of physically interacting cells. We find that this model quantitatively reproduces specific mutant phenotypes and provides an explanation for the emergence of heterogeneity without requiring any initial transcriptional variation. It also suggests that a fixed time point for the cells’ competence of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/extracellular signal—regulated kinase (ERK) sets an embryonic clock that enables certain scaling phenomena, a concept that we evaluate quantitatively by manipulating embryos in vitro. Based on these observations, we conclude that the minimal set of rules enables the embryo to experiment with stochastic gene expression and could provide the robustness necessary for the evolutionary diversification of the preimplantation gene regulatory network. PMID:28700688

Selection of euploid blastocysts for cryopreservation with array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) results in increased implantation rates in subsequent frozen and thawed embryo transfer cycles

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In assisted reproductive treatments, embryos remaining after fresh embryo transfer are usually selected for cryopreservation based on traditional morphology assessment. Our previous report has demonstrated that array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) screening for IVF patients with good prognosis significantly improves clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates in fresh embryo transfer cycles. The current study further investigates the efficiency of applying aCGH in the selection of euploid embryos for cryopreservation as related to pregnancy and implantation outcomes in subsequent frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Methods First-time IVF patients with good prognosis undergoing fresh single embryo transfer and having at least one remaining blastocyst for cryopreservation were prospectively randomized into two groups: 1) Group A patients had embryos assessed by morphology first and then by aCGH screening of trophectoderm cells and 2) Group B patients had embryos evaluated by morphology alone. All patients had at least one blastocyst available for cryopreservation after fresh embryo transfer. There were 15 patients in Group A and 23 patients in Group B who failed to conceive after fresh embryo transfer and completed the FET cycles. Blastocyst survival and implantation rates were compared between the two groups. Results There were no significant differences in blastocyst survival rates between Group A and Group B (90.9% vs. 91.3%, respectively; p >0.05). However, a significantly higher implantation rate was observed in the morphology assessment plus aCGH screening group compared to the morphology assessment alone group (65.0% vs. 33.3%, respectively; p = 0.038). There was no miscarriage observed in Group A while a 16.7% miscarriage rate was recorded in Group B (0% vs. 16.7%, respectively; p >0.05). Conclusions While aCGH screening has been recently applied to select euploid blastocysts for fresh transfer in young, low-risk IVF patients, this is the

Human Ecology: An Approach to the Science Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bybee, Rodger W.; And Others

1981-01-01

Discusses the use of and recommends a new direction for laboratory work within the context of teaching human ecology for science and social science teachers and compares traditional and human ecological approaches to science laboratory work. (CS)

Embryonic stem-like cells from rabbit blastocysts cultured with melatonin could differentiate into three germ layers in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Wei, Ruxue; Zhao, Xueming; Hao, Haisheng; Du, Weihua; Zhu, Huabin

2016-11-01

The rabbit is considered an important model animal from which to obtain embryonic stem cells because of the utility of this animal in physiology and reproductive research. Here, we derived rabbit ES-like (rES-like) cells from blastocysts of superovulated Japanese white rabbits using culture medium containing 10 -7  M melatonin, 10 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor, and 1,000 IU/mL human leukemia inhibitory factor. This concentration of melatonin had the most significant positive effects on the proliferation inner cell mass-derived cells (improving rates from 19.97% to 34.57%) and the longevity of passaging rES-like cells. Melatonin also enhanced the expression of pluripotent genes-including alkaline phosphatase, Pou5f1, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc, Nanog, Line28a, and surface marker proteins-in fifth-passage rES-like cells. In vitro, these rES-like cells could spontaneously differentiate into some somatic cells, such as beating cardiomyocytes; formed embryoid bodies; expressed markers of the three germ layers after differentiation; and formed teratomas after injection into non-obese diabetic-severe combined immune deficient (NOD-SCID) mice. Thus, melatonin helped coax ES-like cells from rabbit blastocysts, which raises intriguing questions about the relationship between pluripotency and proliferation in rabbit embryonic stem cells. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 1003-1014, 2016 © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Blastocyst transfer does not improve cycle outcome as compared to D3 transfer in antagonist cycles with an elevated progesterone level on the day of hCG.

PubMed

Demirel, Cem; Aydoğdu, Serkan; Özdemir, Arzu İlknur; Keskin, Gülşah; Baştu, Ercan; Buyru, Faruk

2017-09-01

To evaluate the association between progesterone elevation on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration and clinical pregnancy rates of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles with the transfer of embryos at different developmental stages (day-3 versus day-5 ETs). This is a retrospective analysis of fresh IVF/ICSI; 194 cycles out of 2676 conducted in a single center. A total of 2676 cycles were analyzed, of which 386 had no progesterone measurements available. Two hundred eighteen cycles had progesterone elevation (p>1.5 ng/mL) giving an overall incidence of 9.5%. Twenty-four cycles were excluded from further analysis. Of the remaining 194 cycles, 151 had day-3 transfers and 43 had blastocyst transfers. There was no statistically significant difference in pregnancy and clinical pregnancy rates per transfer between the D3-ET and D5-ET groups (46% vs. 49%, and 39% vs. 35%, respectively). The results of this study suggest that blastocyst transfer does not improve cycle outcomes compared with D3 transfer in GnRH antagonist cycles with an elevated progesterone level on the day of hCG.

Medicine as combining natural and human science.

PubMed

Dreyfus, Hubert L

2011-08-01

Medicine is unique in being a combination of natural science and human science in which both are essential. Therefore, in order to make sense of medical practice, we need to begin by drawing a clear distinction between the natural and the human sciences. In this paper, I try to bring the old distinction between the Geistes and Naturwissenschaften up to date by defending the essential difference between a realist explanatory theoretical study of nature including the body in which the scientist discovers the causal properties of natural kinds and the interpretive understanding of human beings as embodied agents which, as Charles Taylor has convincingly argued, requires a hermeneutic account of self-interpreting human practices.

Humanism and science: a reaction.

PubMed

Wampold, Bruce E

2012-12-01

Authors in this section have noted that humanism is intrinsic to psychotherapy, although disagreements remain. One of the disagreements is about the role of science in humanism. In this reaction, I contend that humanism, as discussed in these articles, is a legitimate theory to be subjected to scientific scrutiny. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Basing Science Ethics on Respect for Human Dignity.

PubMed

Aközer, Mehmet; Aközer, Emel

2016-12-01

A "no ethics" principle has long been prevalent in science and has demotivated deliberation on scientific ethics. This paper argues the following: (1) An understanding of a scientific "ethos" based on actual "value preferences" and "value repugnances" prevalent in the scientific community permits and demands critical accounts of the "no ethics" principle in science. (2) The roots of this principle may be traced to a repugnance of human dignity, which was instilled at a historical breaking point in the interrelation between science and ethics. This breaking point involved granting science the exclusive mandate to pass judgment on the life worth living. (3) By contrast, respect for human dignity, in its Kantian definition as "the absolute inner worth of being human," should be adopted as the basis to ground science ethics. (4) The pathway from this foundation to the articulation of an ethical duty specific to scientific practice, i.e., respect for objective truth, is charted by Karl Popper's discussion of the ethical principles that form the basis of science. This also permits an integrated account of the "external" and "internal" ethical problems in science. (5) Principles of the respect for human dignity and the respect for objective truth are also safeguards of epistemic integrity. Plain defiance of human dignity by genetic determinism has compromised integrity of claims to knowledge in behavioral genetics and other behavioral sciences. Disregard of the ethical principles that form the basis of science threatens epistemic integrity.

Climate change studies and the human sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holm, Poul; Winiwarter, Verena

2017-09-01

Policy makers have made repeated calls for integration of human and natural sciences in the field of climate change. Serious multidisciplinary attempts began already in the 1950s. Progress has certainly been made in understanding the role of humans in the planetary system. New perspectives have clarified policy advice, and three insights are singled out in the paper: the critique of historicism, the distinction between benign and wicked problems, and the cultural critique of the 'myths of nature'. Nevertheless, analysis of the IPCC Assessment Reports indicates that integration is skewed towards a particular dimension of human sciences (economics) and major insights from cultural theory and historical analysis have not made it into climate science. A number of relevant disciplines are almost absent in the composition of authorship. Nevertheless, selective assumptions and arguments are made about e.g. historical findings in key documents. In conclusion, we suggest to seek remedies for the lack of historical scholarship in the IPCC reports. More effort at science-policy exchange is needed, and an Integrated Platform to channel humanities and social science expertise for climate change research might be one promising way.

Frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in natural cycle: feasibility in everyday clinical practice.

PubMed

Cardellicchio, Lucia; Reschini, Marco; Paffoni, Alessio; Guarneri, Cristina; Restelli, Liliana; Somigliana, Edgardo; Vegetti, Walter

2017-06-01

Transfer of frozen-thawed embryos in natural cycle is gaining consensus but evidence on this approach is scanty. The aim of this study is reporting on the feasibility of this type of policy in everyday clinical practice. We retrospectively selected all women undergoing the procedure between July 2013 and December 2014. During the study period, women were systematically scheduled for natural cycle if they referred regular menstrual cycles. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was conversely prescribed if the woman had irregular menstrual cycles or if the monitoring of the natural cycle failed. The analysis exclusively focussed on the first cycle per woman. Overall, 251 women were selected. HRT was initially chosen in 52 women, leaving 199 women suitable for the natural cycle. This procedure could be performed in 194 of these women (97%, 95% CI 95-99%). Two additional women initially allocated to HRT ultimately performed the blastocyst transfer with natural cycle. Overall, 196 were thus treated with natural cycle (78%, 95% CI 73-83%). The basal characteristics of the women who did and did not undergo natural cycles were similar with the exceptions of serum FSH (p < 0.001) and AMH (p = 0.03). The live birth rate did not also differ (34% versus 31%, p = 0.63). Characteristics of women treated with the natural cycle who did (n = 67) and did not (n = 129) achieve a live birth did not differ. Frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in natural cycle can be successfully performed in the vast majority of women.

The utility of human sciences in nursing inquiry.

PubMed

Pratt, Maria

2012-01-01

This paper targets novice nurse researchers to highlight how the perspectives of human sciences are useful in understanding people's experiences. There is a need to address the utility of human sciences or the humanistic philosophy that values the understanding of subjective experiences in nursing, given that the mainstream development of nursing knowledge is still influenced by the positivist and post-positivist research paradigms. Discussion papers on Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology, human sciences, and qualitative research were accessed through the databases Cinahl and Medline over the past 30 years. Seminal works on phenomenology were addressed in this paper. Using Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology as a commonly referenced human philosophy and methodology, this paper discusses how Heidegger's (1962) perspective may be used in nursing practice and research. Van Manen's (1990) descriptions of phenomenological science are discussed to address the perspective's value in nursing inquiry and to reveal the biases associated with this humanistic approach. The limitations of human sciences should not deter nurse researchers from using this type of nursing inquiry as it can provide an important framework in nursing research, practice and knowledge development. The author's perspective as a graduate student highlights the importance of human sciences in exploring the experiences of people vital in the delivery of nursing practice. However, researchers wishing to undertake humanistic inquiry should learn the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of their chosen humanistic approach.

Vitamin D deficiency and pregnancy rates in women undergoing single embryo, blastocyst stage, transfer (SET) for IVF/ICSI.

PubMed

Polyzos, Nikolaos P; Anckaert, Ellen; Guzman, Luis; Schiettecatte, Johan; Van Landuyt, Lisbet; Camus, Michel; Smitz, Johan; Tournaye, Herman

2014-09-01

patients undergoing Day 5 SET. Although vitamin D deficiency appears to compromise pregnancy rates in this population, no guidance can be provided regarding a potential relationship between vitamin D deficiency and ovarian reserve or response to ovarian stimulation. Vitamin D deficiency impairs pregnancy rates in women undergoing single blastocyst transfer. Future prospective confirmatory studies are needed to validate our results and examine the exact underlying mechanism by which vitamin D levels may impair pregnancy rates in infertile women undergoing IVF/ICSI. None declared. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Space human factors discipline science plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The purpose of this Discipline Science Plan is to provide a conceptual strategy for NASA's Life Sciences Division research and development activities in the comprehensive areas of behavior, performance, and human factors. This document summarizes the current status of the program, outlines available knowledge, establishes goals and objectives, defines critical questions in the subdiscipline areas, and identifies technological priorities. It covers the significant research areas critical to NASA's programmatic requirements for the Extended Duration Orbiter, Space Station Freedom, and Exploration mission science activities. These science activities include ground-based and flight; basic, applied and operational; and animal and human research and development. This document contains a general plan that will be used by both NASA Headquarters program offices and the field centers to review and plan basic, applied, and operational research and development activities, both intramural and extramural, in this area.

Binding of FGF2 to FGFR2 in an autocrine mode in trophectoderm cells is indispensable for mouse blastocyst formation through PKC-p38 pathway.

PubMed

Yang, Jing; Zhang, Dan; Yu, Ying; Zhang, Run-Ju; Hu, Xiao-Ling; Huang, He-Feng; Lu, Yong-Chao

2015-01-01

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF1, FGF2 and FGF4) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4) have been reported to be expressed in preimplantation embryos and be required for their development. However, the functions of these molecules in trophectoderm cells (TEs) that lead to the formation of the blastocyst as well as the underlying mechanism have not been elucidated. The present study has demonstrated for the first time that endogenous FGF2 secreted by TEs can regulate protein expression and distribution in TEs via the FGFR2-mediated activation of PKC and p38, which are important for the development of expanded blastocysts. This finding provides the first explanation for the long-observed phenomenon that only high concentrations of exogenous FGFs have effects on embryonic development, but in vivo the amount of endogenous FGFs are trace. Besides, the present results suggest that FGF2/FGFR2 may act in an autocrine fashion and activate the downstream PKC/p38 pathway in TEs during expanded blastocyst formation.

Human Science for Human Freedom? Piaget's Developmental Research and Foucault's Ethical Truth Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Guoping

2012-01-01

The construction of the modern subject and the pursuit of human freedom and autonomy, as well as the practice of human science has been pivotal in the development of modern education. But for Foucault, the subject is only the effect of discourses and power-knowledge arrangements, and modern human science is part of the very arrangement that has…

Derivation and characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines from poor quality embryos.

PubMed

Liu, Weiqiang; Yin, Yifei; Long, Xiaolin; Luo, Yumei; Jiang, Yonghua; Zhang, Wenhong; Du, Hongzi; Li, Shaoying; Zheng, Yuhong; Li, Qing; Chen, Xinjie; Liao, Baoping; Xiao, Guohong; Wang, Weihua; Sun, Xiaofang

2009-04-01

Poor quality embryos discarded from in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratories are good sources for deriving human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. In this study, 166 poor quality embryos donated from IVF centers on day 3 were cultured in a blastocyst medium for 2 days, and 32 early blastocysts were further cultured in a blastocyst optimum culture medium for additional 2 days so that the inner cell masses (ICMs) could be identified and isolated easily. The ICMs of 17 blastocysts were isolated by a mechanical method, while those of the other 15 blastocysts were isolated by immunosurgery. All isolated ICMs were inoculated onto a feeder layer for subcultivation. The rates of ICM attachment, primary ICM colony formation and the efficiency of hESC derivation were similar between the ICMs isolated by the two methods (P>0.05). As a result, four new hESC lines were established. Three cell lines had normal karyotypes and one had an unbalanced Robertsonian translocation. All cell lines showed normal hESC characteristics and had the differentiation ability. In conclusion, we established a stable and effective method for hESC isolation and culture, and it was confirmed that the mechanical isolation was an effective method to isolate ICMs from poor embryos. These results further indicate that hESC lines can be derived from poor quality embryos discarded by IVF laboratories.

Brain structures in the sciences and humanities.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Hikaru; Taki, Yasuyuki; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Nouchi, Rui; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nakagawa, Seishu; Miyauchi, Carlos Makoto; Iizuka, Kunio; Yokoyama, Ryoichi; Shinada, Takamitsu; Yamamoto, Yuki; Hanawa, Sugiko; Araki, Tsuyoshi; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Sassa, Yuko; Kawashima, Ryuta

2015-11-01

The areas of academic interest (sciences or humanities) and area of study have been known to be associated with a number of factors associated with autistic traits. However, despite the vast amount of literature on the psychological and physiological characteristics associated with faculty membership, brain structural characteristics associated with faculty membership have never been investigated directly. In this study, we used voxel-based morphometry to investigate differences in regional gray matter volume (rGMV)/regional white matter volume (rWMV) between science and humanities students to test our hypotheses that brain structures previously robustly shown to be altered in autistic subjects are related to differences in faculty membership. We examined 312 science students (225 males and 87 females) and 179 humanities students (105 males and 74 females). Whole-brain analyses of covariance revealed that after controlling for age, sex, and total intracranial volume, the science students had significantly larger rGMV in an anatomical cluster around the medial prefrontal cortex and the frontopolar area, whereas the humanities students had significantly larger rWMV in an anatomical cluster mainly concentrated around the right hippocampus. These anatomical structures have been linked to autism in previous studies and may mediate cognitive functions that characterize differences in faculty membership. The present results may support the ideas that autistic traits and characteristics of the science students compared with the humanities students share certain characteristics from neuroimaging perspectives. This study improves our understanding of differences in faculty membership which is the link among cognition, biological factors, disorders, and education (academia).

Science opportunities in the human exploration of moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pilcher, Carl B.; O'Handley, Douglas A.; Nash, Douglas B.

1989-01-01

Human exploration of the moon will open up science opportunities not only in lunar science, but also in astronomy and astrophysics, life science, solar and space physics, earth science, and even evolutionary biology. These opportunities may be categorized as those involving study of the moon itself, those in which the moon is used as a platform for investigations, and those conducted in transit between earth and the moon. This paper describes some of these opportunities, and calls on the science community to continue and expand its efforts to define the opportunities, and to work toward their inclusion in plans to return humans permanently to the moon.

In vitro development of donated frozen-thawed human embryos in a prototype static microfluidic device: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kieslinger, Dorit C; Hao, Zhenxia; Vergouw, Carlijn G; Kostelijk, Elisabeth H; Lambalk, Cornelis B; Le Gac, Séverine

2015-03-01

To compare the development of human embryos in microfluidic devices with culture in standard microdrop dishes, both under static conditions. Prospective randomized controlled trial. In vitro fertilization laboratory. One hundred eighteen donated frozen-thawed human day-4 embryos. Random allocation of embryos that fulfilled the inclusion criteria to single-embryo culture in a microfluidics device (n = 58) or standard microdrop dish (n = 60). Blastocyst formation rate and quality after 24, 28, 48, and 72 hours of culture. The percentage of frozen-thawed day-4 embryos that developed to the blastocyst stage did not differ significantly in the standard microdrop dishes and microfluidic devices after 28 hours of culture (53.3% vs. 58.6%) or at any of the other time points. The proportion of embryos that would have been suitable for embryo transfer was comparable after 28 hours of culture in the control dishes and microfluidic devices (90.0% vs. 93.1%). Furthermore, blastocyst quality was similar in the two study groups. This study shows that a microfluidic device can successfully support human blastocyst development in vitro under static culture conditions. Future studies need to clarify whether earlier stage embryos will benefit from the culture in microfluidic devices more than the tested day-4 embryos because many important steps in the development of human embryos already take place before day 4. Further improvements of the microfluidic device will include parallel culture of single embryos, application of medium refreshment, and built-in sensors. NTR3867. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Electroacupuncture Combined with Clomiphene Promotes Pregnancy and Blastocyst Implantation Possibly by Up-regulating Expression of Insulin Receptor and Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 Proteins in Endometrium in Rats with PCOS].

PubMed

Lai, Mao-Hua; Ma, Hong-Xia; Song, Xing-Hua

2016-10-25

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention combined with clomiphene critate (CC) on the blastocyst implantation and pregnancy rate and expression of insulin receptor (INSR) and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS 1) proteins in the endometrium in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of PCOS. One hundred and twenty-five female SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, PCOS model, medication (CC), EA and EA+CC groups ( n =25 in each group, 15 for checking blastocyst implantation, and 10 for Western blot). The PCOS model was established by subcutaneous injection of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and fed with high-fat diet. Rats of the normal control group were treated by subcutaneous injection of sesame oil and fed with the normal forage. EA stimulation was applied to "Zhongwan" (CV 12), "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and bilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25) for 30 min, 3 times a week, 5 weeks altogether. Rats of the CC and EA+CC groups were fed with CC (100 mg·kg -1 ·d -1 ) for 2 days after regular restriction (30 min, 3 times a week, 5 weeks altogether). The pregnancy was determined by vaginal smear tests and the number of blastocyst implantation determined by examination of the uterus after execution. The expression of INSR and IRS 1 proteins in the endometrium was detected by Western blot. The pregnancy rate and the number of blastocyst implantation were significantly lower in the model group than in the normal control group ( P <0.05), and remarkably increased after EA and EA+CC interventions ( P <0.05). The effects of EA+CC were obviously superior to those of simple EA and simple medication in raising the pregnancy rate and the number of blastocyst implantation ( P <0.05). No significant differences were found between the EA and CC groups in the pregnancy rate and the number of blastocyst implantation ( P >0.05). The relative expression levels of both INSR and IRS 1 proteins were markedly lower in

Genome editing reveals a role for OCT4 in human embryogenesis.

PubMed

Fogarty, Norah M E; McCarthy, Afshan; Snijders, Kirsten E; Powell, Benjamin E; Kubikova, Nada; Blakeley, Paul; Lea, Rebecca; Elder, Kay; Wamaitha, Sissy E; Kim, Daesik; Maciulyte, Valdone; Kleinjung, Jens; Kim, Jin-Soo; Wells, Dagan; Vallier, Ludovic; Bertero, Alessandro; Turner, James M A; Niakan, Kathy K

2017-10-05

Despite their fundamental biological and clinical importance, the molecular mechanisms that regulate the first cell fate decisions in the human embryo are not well understood. Here we use CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing to investigate the function of the pluripotency transcription factor OCT4 during human embryogenesis. We identified an efficient OCT4-targeting guide RNA using an inducible human embryonic stem cell-based system and microinjection of mouse zygotes. Using these refined methods, we efficiently and specifically targeted the gene encoding OCT4 (POU5F1) in diploid human zygotes and found that blastocyst development was compromised. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that, in POU5F1-null cells, gene expression was downregulated not only for extra-embryonic trophectoderm genes, such as CDX2, but also for regulators of the pluripotent epiblast, including NANOG. By contrast, Pou5f1-null mouse embryos maintained the expression of orthologous genes, and blastocyst development was established, but maintenance was compromised. We conclude that CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing is a powerful method for investigating gene function in the context of human development.

Can Science Explain the Human Mind? Intuitive Judgments About the Limits of Science.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Sara; Lombrozo, Tania

2018-01-01

Can science explain romantic love, morality, and religious belief? We documented intuitive beliefs about the limits of science in explaining the human mind. We considered both epistemic evaluations (concerning whether science could possibly fully explain a given psychological phenomenon) and nonepistemic judgments (concerning whether scientific explanations for a given phenomenon would generate discomfort), and we identified factors that characterize phenomena judged to fall beyond the scope of science. Across six studies, we found that participants were more likely to judge scientific explanations for psychological phenomena to be impossible and uncomfortable when, among other factors, they support first-person, introspective access (e.g., feeling empathetic as opposed to reaching for objects), contribute to making humans exceptional (e.g., appreciating music as opposed to forgetfulness), and involve conscious will (e.g., acting immorally as opposed to having headaches). These judgments about the scope of science have implications for science education, policy, and the public reception of psychological science.

The effect of air bubble position after blastocyst transfer on pregnancy rates in IVF cycles.

PubMed

Friedman, Brooke E; Lathi, Ruth B; Henne, Melinda B; Fisher, Stephanie L; Milki, Amin A

2011-03-01

To investigate the relationship between air bubble position after blastocyst transfer (BT) and pregnancy rates (PRs). Retrospective cohort study. University-based infertility center. Three hundred fifteen consecutive nondonor BTs by a single provider. Catheters were loaded with 25 μL of culture media, 20 μL of air, 25 μL of media containing the blastocysts, 20 μL of air, and a small amount of additional media. The distance from the air bubble to the fundus, as seen on abdominal ultrasound examination, was measured at the time of transfer. Air bubble location was categorized as <10 mm, 10-20 mm, and >20 mm from the fundus. Clinical pregnancy rate. After controlling for age, parity, FSH and frozen transfers, and accounting for repeated cycles per patient, the PRs for both the >20-mm (38.3%) and the 10-20-mm (42.0%) from the fundus group were significantly reduced compared with the group in which the bubble was <10 mm from the fundus (62.5%). This study is the first to suggest that BT closer to the fundus is associated with higher PR. Although no ectopic pregnancies occurred in the <10-mm group, this outcome should be monitored closely in larger studies. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of High Hydrostatic Pressure on Expression Profiles of In Vitro Produced Vitrified Bovine Blastocysts

PubMed Central

Jiang, Zongliang; Harrington, Patrick; Zhang, Ming; Marjani, Sadie L.; Park, Joonghoon; Kuo, Lynn; Pribenszky, Csaba; Tian, Xiuchun (Cindy)

2016-01-01

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) has been used to pre-condition embryos before essential, yet potentially detrimental procedures such as cryopreservation. However, the mechanisms for HHP are poorly understood. We treated bovine blastocysts with three different HHP (40, 60 and 80 MPa) in combination with three recovery periods (0, 1 h, 2 h post HHP). Re-expansion rates were significantly higher at 40 and 60 but lower at 80 MPa after vitrification-warming in the treated groups than controls. Microarray analysis revealed 399 differentially expressed transcripts, representing 254 unique genes, among different groups. Gene ontology analysis indicated that HHP at 40 and 60 MPa promoted embryo competence through down-regulation of genes in cell death and apoptosis, and up-regulation of genes in RNA processing, cellular growth and proliferation. In contrast, 80 MPa up-regulated genes in apoptosis, and down-regulated protein folding and cell cycle-related genes. Moreover, gene expression was also influenced by the length of the recovery time after HHP. The significantly over-represented categories were apoptosis and cell death in the 1 h group, and protein folding, response to unfolded protein and cell cycle in the 2 h group compared to 0 h. Taken together, HHP promotes competence of vitrified bovine blastocysts through modest transcriptional changes. PMID:26883277

Introduction: the human sciences and Cold War America.

PubMed

Isaac, Joel

2011-01-01

Studies of the history of the human sciences during the Cold War era have proliferated over the past decade--in JHBS and elsewhere. This special issue focuses on the connections between the behavioral sciences and the culture and politics of the Cold War in the United States. In the recent literature, there is a tendency to identify the Cold War human sciences with two main paradigms: that of psychocultural analysis, on the one hand, and of the systems sciences, on the other. The essays in the special issue both extend understanding of each of these interpretive frameworks and help us to grasp their interconnection. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The influence of female age on the cumulative live-birth rate of fresh cycles and subsequent frozen cycles using vitrified blastocysts in hyper-responders.

PubMed

Wu, Cheng-Hsuan; Lee, Tsung-Hsien; Chen, Hsiu-Hui; Chen, Chung-I; Huang, Chun-Chia; Lee, Maw-Sheng

2015-10-01

The aim of this research was to study the influence of female age on the cumulative live-birth rate of fresh and subsequent frozen cycles using vitrified blastocysts of the same cohort in hyper-responders. This was a retrospective study of 1137 infertile women undergoing their first in vitro fertilization treatment between 2006 and 2013. The main outcome measure was cumulative live births among the fresh and all vitrified blastocyst transfers combined after the same stimulation cycle. The results were also analyzed according to age (i.e., <35 years, 35-39 years, and ≥ 40 years). The mean number of retrieved oocytes was 19.9 ± 8.5 oocytes. The cumulative pregnancy rate was 89.2% and the cumulative live-birth rate was 73.3%. The cumulative live-birth rate declined from 73.9% for women younger than 35 years old to 67.3% for women 35-39 years old to 57.9% for women 40 years or older. Combined fresh and vitrified blastocyst transfer cycles can result in a high cumulative live-birth rate. The cumulative live-birth rates among older women are lower than the rates among younger women when autologous oocytes are used. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evaluation of foal production following intracytoplasmic sperm injection and blastocyst culture of oocytes from ovaries collected immediately before euthanasia or after death of mares under field conditions.

PubMed

Hinrichs, Katrin; Choi, Young-Ho; Norris, Jody D; Love, Linda B; Bedford-Guaus, Sylvia J; Hartman, David L; Velez, Isabel C

2012-10-15

To evaluate the efficiency of foal production following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and blastocyst culture of oocytes from mares that died or were euthanized under field conditions. Prospective case series. 16 mares (age, 3 to 19 years) that died or were euthanized for various causes. Ovaries were collected immediately before euthanasia (n = 10) or after death (6). Ovaries were transported to the laboratory for oocyte recovery (15 mares), or oocytes were recovered at a remote location and shipped to the laboratory (1). Oocytes underwent ICSI, and presumptive zygotes were cultured for 7 to 10 days. Blastocysts were shipped to embryo transfer facilities for transcervical transfer to recipient mares. Ovaries were processed 30 minutes to 12 hours (mean ± SD, 4.6 ± 3.3 hours) after mares' deaths. A mean of 14.1 ± 8.6 oocytes/mare were cultured, and 110 of 225 (49%) matured. Twenty-one blastocysts developed after ICSI and were transferred to recipient mares. Thirteen pregnancies were established; 10 healthy foals were produced from 6 donor mares. The number of blastocysts produced per mare and number of live foals produced per mare were significantly correlated with the number of oocytes recovered. Foals were produced from mares after death or euthanasia under field conditions. Proportions of foals born overall (10 foals/16 mares) and mares from which ≥ 1 foal was produced (6/16) were greater than those reported following recovery and oviductal transfer of oocytes to inseminated recipients after death of donor mares under field conditions.

Unsuccessful derivation of human embryonic stem cell lines from pairs of human blastomeres.

PubMed

Fong, Chui-Yee; Richards, Mark; Bongso, Ariff

2006-08-01

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) that differentiate into all three primordial germ layers have been established. Differentiation of these cells into desirable lineages offers hope for future transplantation therapies. Currently, hESC lines are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocysts, leading to destruction of the embryo, and thus the process is ethically controversial. Successful attempts at deriving hESC lines from blastomeres without destruction of the ensuing embryo have not been reported. One or two blastomeres are routinely biopsied from 8-cell embryos for preimplantation genetic diagnosis. In this study it was therefore attempted to derive hESC lines from paired blastomeres. Of 66 pairs of 8-cell stage blastomeres, four pairs produced two morula and two blastocyst-like structures. When plated on mitomycin-C-treated mouse embryonic fibroblasts, one morula and one blastocyst-like structure separately produced small colonies containing hESC-like cells with prominent nucleoli and high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios. When these colonies were detached and plated onto fresh feeders, there was no further colony formation or ensuing hESC lines. The results showed that it might not be possible to derive hESC lines directly from paired blastomeres. A minimum number of blastomeres in close contact with one another may be required to successfully generate an hESC line as blastomeres, like ICM and hESC cells, may be 'social' cells.

[Establishment of human embryonic stem cell lines and their therapeutic application].

PubMed

Suemori, Hirofumi

2004-03-01

Embryonic stem (ES) cell lines are pluripotent stem cell lines that can be propagated indefinitely in culture, retaining their potency to differentiate into every type of cell and tissue in the body. ES cell lines were first established from mouse blastocysts, and have been used for research in developmental biology. ES cells have been proven to be very valuable in the genetic modification of the mouse, especially in producing knockout mice. Since establishment of human ES cell lines was reported, their use in cell replacement therapies has been enthusiastically expected. There have been reports of the differentiation of several useful cell types from human ES cell lines, and clinical use of functional tissues and cells from human ES cells is anticipated. In Japan, there have also been many demands for the use of human ES cells in basic and pre-clinical research. We obtained governmental permission to establish human ES cell lines in April 2002 and started research using donated frozen embryos in January 2003. We successfully established three ES cell line from three blastocysts. These cell lines will be distributed at cost to researchers who have governmental permission to use human ES cells.

Effects of trehalose vitrification and artificial oocyte activation on the development competence of human immature oocytes.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhiguo; Wang, Tianjuan; Hao, Yan; Panhwar, Fazil; Chen, Zhongrong; Zou, Weiwei; Ji, Dongmei; Chen, Beili; Zhou, Ping; Zhao, Gang; Cao, Yunxia

2017-02-01

Sucrose and trehalose are conventional cryoprotectant additives for oocytes and embryos. Ethanol can artificially enhance activation of inseminated mature oocytes. This study aims to investigate whether artificial oocyte activation (AOA) with ethanol can promote the development competence of in vitro matured oocytes. A total of 810 human immature oocytes, obtained from 325 patients undergoing normal stimulated oocyte retrieval cycles, were in vitro maturated (IVM) either immediately after collection (Fresh group n = 291)) or after being vitrified as immature oocytes (Vitrified group n = 519). These groups were arbitrarily assigned. All fresh and vitrified oocytes which matured after a period of IVM then underwent intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Half an hour following ICSI, they were either activated by 7% ethanol (AOA group) or left untreated (Non-AOA group). Fertilization, cleavage rate, blastocyst quality and aneuploidy rate were then evaluated. High-quality blastocysts were only obtained in both the fresh and vitrified groups which had undergone AOA after ICSI. Trehalose vitrification slightly, but not significantly, increased the formation rates of high-quality embryos (21.7% VS 15.4%, P > 0.05) and blastocysts (15.7% VS 7.69%, P > 0.05)) when compared with sucrose vitrification. Aneuploidy was observed in 12 of 24 (50%) of the AOA derived high quality blastocysts. High-quality blastocysts only developed from fresh or vitrified immature oocytes if the ICSI was followed by AOA. This information may be important for human immature oocytes commonly retrieved in normal stimulation cycles and may be particularly important for certain patient groups, such as cancer patients. AOA with an appropriate concentration of ethanol can enhance the developmental competence of embryos. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kant and the development of the human and cultural sciences.

PubMed

Makkreel, Rudolf A

2008-12-01

Starting with Kant's doubts about psychology as a natural science capable of explaining human behavior, several alternative attempts to conceive of human life, culture and history are examined. Kant proposes an anthropology that will be a commonly useful human science rather than a universally valid natural science. This anthropology relates to philosophy as a mode of world-cognition. Special attention is given to how Kant's theory of right can help define our appropriate place in a communal world. The different ways in which Wilhelm Dilthey and Hermann Cohen respond to Kant's idea of legitimate appropriation are also considered. The various tasks that descriptive elucidation, explanation, reflective understanding, characterization and interpretation can perform for the human and cultural sciences are examined throughout the essay.

The Human Sciences Program and the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Jack L.

1982-01-01

Discusses the interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary nature of the BSCS Human Sciences Program and problems associated with the development, dissemination, and use of such curricula. Poses a series of questions related to these problems and discusses influences of single-issues pressure groups on science teaching. (JN)

Undergraduate Research in the Human Sciences: Three Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Nina; Mitstifer, Dorothy I.; Nelson Goff, Briana S.; Hymon-Parker, Shirley

2009-01-01

Undergraduate research in the sciences has been shown by numerous studies to enhance the educational experience. The Undergraduate Research Community (URC) founded in 2001 supports several initiatives that promote research in human sciences/family and consumer sciences including an online peer-reviewed journal specifically for undergraduate work,…

The Humanities, Science and Technology: Making Connections.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badra, Robert

In the summers of 1991 and 1992, 4-week faculty institutes were held at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), in Michigan. Funded by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the institutes sought to examine the ways in which the humanities, science, and technology have each advanced human understanding. During the 1991…

Science and the Humanities: Bridging the Gap.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lepkowski, Wil

1980-01-01

Traces the recent history of humanities-based science since the publication of C. P. Snow's "Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution." Discusses the establishment of science, technology, and society programs in universities. Presents viewpoints of leading scientists and humanists, including Ilya Prigogine, Carl Rubino, T. S. Kuhn, and…

Managing the Junior Science & Humanities Symposium: Management and Operation of the Pacific Region Junior Science & Humanities Symposium, 2001-2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This publication provides administrative, management, supervisory guidance, and other information necessary for successful conduct and support of grades 7-12 science symposia. Originally the text was developed as the operations manual for the Pacific Region Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (PJSHS). It contains information necessary to…

Human Biology, High School Science Course Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Edward P.; Prickitt, Ralph

A course in human biology was developed to increase course options for students of all abilities and interest levels who successfully completed 1 year of high school science. Major topic areas of the course include: general plan of the human body; causes, cures, and prevention of diseases; human body chemistry; structure and function of cells,…

Critical Issues in Empirical Human Science: The Contribution of Phenomenology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sexton-Hesse, Charlene A.

Issues that are central to science when the object of inquiry is the human being need clarification and analysis. These issues can be formulated as a question, such as, "How can researchers in adult and continuing education conduct research that is empirical human science; that is, how can they study human beings as persons with values, will,…

Human Behavior Modeling in Network Science

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

in Network Science bringing three distinct research areas together, communication networks, information networks, and social /cognitive networks. The...researchers. A critical part of the social /cognitive network effort is the modeling of human behavior. The modeling efforts range from organizational...behavior to social cognitive trust to explore and refine the theoretical and applied network relationships between and among the human

Blastocyst-Derived Stem Cell Populations under Stress: Impact of Nutrition and Metabolism on Stem Cell Potency Loss and Miscarriage.

PubMed

Yang, Yu; Bolnick, Alan; Shamir, Alexandra; Abdulhasan, Mohammed; Li, Quanwen; Parker, G C; Puscheck, Elizabeth E; Rappolee, D A

2017-08-01

Data from in vitro and in vivo models suggest that malnutrition and stress trigger adaptive responses, leading to small for gestational age (SGA) blastocysts with fewer cell numbers. These stress responses are initially adaptive, but become maladaptive with increasing stress exposures. The common stress responses of the blastocyst-derived stem cells, pluripotent embryonic and multipotent placental trophoblast stem cells (ESCs and TSCs), are decreased growth and potency, and increased, imbalanced and irreversible differentiation. SGA embryos may fail to produce sufficient antiluteolytic placental hormone to maintain corpus luteum progesterone secretion that provides nutrition at the implantation site. Myriad stress inputs for the stem cells in the embryo can occur in vitro during in vitro fertilization/assisted reproductive technology (IVF/ART) or in vivo. Paradoxically, stresses that diminish stem cell growth lead to a higher level of differentiation simultaneously which further decreases ESC or TSC numbers in an attempt to functionally compensate for fewer cells. In addition, prolonged or strong stress can cause irreversible differentiation. Resultant stem cell depletion is proposed as a cause of miscarriage via a "quiet" death of an ostensibly adaptive response of stem cells instead of a reactive, violent loss of stem cells or their differentiated progenies.

Production of cloned and transgenic embryos using buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryonic stem cell-like cells isolated from in vitro fertilized and cloned blastocysts.

PubMed

George, Aman; Sharma, Ruchi; Singh, Karn P; Panda, Sudeepta K; Singla, Suresh K; Palta, Prabhat; Manik, Radhaysham; Chauhan, Manmohan S

2011-06-01

Here, we report the isolation and characterization of embryonic stem (ES) cell-like cells from cloned blastocysts, generated using fibroblasts derived from an adult buffalo (BAF). These nuclear transfer embryonic stem cell-like cells (NT-ES) grew in well-defined and dome-shaped colonies. The expression pattern of pluripotency marker genes was similar in both NT-ES and in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryo-derived embryonic stem cell-like cells (F-ES). Upon spontaneous differentiation via embryoid body formation, cells of different morphology were observed, among which predominant were endodermal-like and epithelial-like cell types. The ES cell-like cells could be passaged only mechanically and did not form colonies when plated as single cell suspension at different concentrations. When F-ES cell-like, NT-ES cell-like, and BAF cells of same genotype were used for hand-made cloning (HMC), no significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed in cleavage and blastocyst rate. Following transfer of HMC embryos to synchronized recipients, pregnancies were established only with F-ES cell-like and BAF cell-derived embryos, and one live calf was born from F-ES cell-like cells. Further, when transfected NT-ES cell-like cells and BAF were used for HMC, no significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed between cleavage and blastocyst rate. In conclusion, here we report for the first time the derivation of ES cell-like cells from an adult buffalo, and its genetic modification. We also report the birth of a live cloned calf from buffalo ES cell-like cells.

Citrinin induces apoptosis via a mitochondria-dependent pathway and inhibition of survival signals in embryonic stem cells, and causes developmental injury in blastocysts

PubMed Central

Chan, Wen-Hsiung

2007-01-01

The mycotoxin CTN (citrinin), a natural contaminant in foodstuffs and animal feeds, has cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on various mammalian cells. CTN is known to cause cell injury, including apoptosis, but the precise regulatory mechanisms of CTN action, particularly in stem cells and embryos, are currently unclear. In the present paper, I report that CTN has cytotoxic effects on mouse embryonic stem cells and blastocysts, and is associated with defects in their subsequent development, both in vitro and in vivo. Experiments in embryonic stem cells (ESC-B5) showed that CTN induces apoptosis via ROS (reactive oxygen species) generation, increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, loss of MMP (mitochondrial membrane potential), induction of cytochrome c release, and activation of caspase 3. In this model, CTN triggers cell death via inactivation of the HSP90 [a 90 kDa isoform of the HSP (heat-shock protein) family proteins]/multichaperone complex and subsequent degradation of Ras and Raf-1, further inhibiting anti-apoptotic processes, such as the Ras→ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) signal transduction pathway. In addition, CTN causes early developmental injury in mouse ESCs and blastocysts in vitro. Lastly, using an in vivo mouse model, I show that consumption of drinking water containing 10 μM CTN results in blastocyst apoptosis and early embryonic developmental injury. Collectively, these findings show for the first time that CTN induces ROS and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic processes, inhibits Ras→ERK survival signalling via inactivation of the HSP90/multichaperone complex, and causes developmental injury in vivo. PMID:17331071

Information sciences and human factors overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holcomb, Lee B.

1988-01-01

An overview of program objectives of the Information Sciences and Human Factors Division of NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology is given in viewgraph form. Information is given on the organizational structure, goals, the research and technology base, telerobotics, systems autonomy in space operations, space sensors, humans in space, space communications, space data systems, transportation vehicle guidance and control, spacecraft control, and major program directions in space.

Higher Education and Employment: The Changing Relationship. The Case of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Expert Contribution: Norway. The Humanities, Social Sciences and Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eide, Kjell

This report, one of a series of country studies on higher education and employment, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, looks at the employment of social science and humanities graduates in Norway. The paper opens by briefly sketching some major interrelated developments in current society such as shifts in the economy, changes in…

Development of pre-implantation porcine blastocysts cultured within alginate hydrogel systems either supplemented with secreted phosphoprotein 1 or conjugated with Arg-Gly-Asp Peptide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although deficiencies in porcine blastocyst elongation play a significant role in early embryonic mortality and establishment of within-litter developmental variation, the exact mechanisms of elongation are poorly understood. Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) is increased within the uterine milieu du...

Initiative bridges gap among humanities, science, and society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frodeman, Robert

The environmental challenges we face today are inherently cross-disciplinary in nature. Addressing questions of global climate change, damaged mine lands, or the restoration of urban landscapes requires the integration of scientific information with ethical, historical, and cultural perspectives. But how can society better approach the challenge of usefully combining such values with the insights of science for effective decision-making?New Directions in the Earth Sciences and the Humanities focuses on this question. Launched in the spring of 2001 with a $15,000 grant from the Colorado School of Mines, New Directions consists of a series of projects based on the premise that the humanities represent a largely untapped resource for helping the Earth sciences relate more effectively to society.

Indiana Health Science Teachers: Their Human Genetics/Bioethics Educational Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrix, Jon R.; And Others

1982-01-01

Results from a human genetics/bioethics needs assessment questionnaire (N = 124 out of 300) mailed to Indiana health teachers are reported. Genetic topics and human genetic diseases/defects included in health science instruction are listed in two tables. Responses to 16 science/society statements (and statements themselves) are also reported. (SK)

The Science of Human Interaction and Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yano, Kazuo

2013-01-01

There is a missing link between our understanding of teaching as high-level social phenomenon and teaching as a physiological phenomenon of brain activity. We suggest that the science of human interaction is the missing link. Using over one-million days of human-behavior data, we have discovered that "collective activenes" (CA), which indicates…

NASA Information Sciences and Human Factors Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holcomb, Lee B.; Mciver, Duncan E.; Dibattista, John D.; Larsen, Ronald L.; Montemerlo, Melvin D.; Wallgren, Ken; Sokoloski, Marty; Wasicko, Dick

1985-01-01

This report contains FY 1984/85 descriptions and accomplishments in six sections: Computer Science and Automation, Controls and Guidance, Data Systems, Human Factors, Sensor Technology, and Communications.

Science fiction and the medical humanities.

PubMed

Miller, Gavin; McFarlane, Anna

2016-12-01

Research on science fiction within the medical humanities should articulate interpretative frameworks that do justice to medical themes within the genre. This means challenging modes of reading that encourage unduly narrow accounts of science fiction. Admittedly, science studies has moved away from reading science fiction as a variety of scientific popularisation and instead understands science fiction as an intervention in the technoscientific imaginary that calls for investment in particular scientific enterprises, including various biomedical technologies. However, this mode of reading neglects science fiction's critical relationship to the construction of 'the future' in the present: the ways in which science fiction proposes concrete alternatives to hegemonic narratives of medical progress and fosters critical self-awareness of the contingent activity which gives 'the future' substance in the here-and-now. Moreover, the future orientation of science fiction should not distract from the function of medical science fiction as 'cognitive estrangement': the technological innovations that dominate science-fiction narratives are less concrete predictions and more generic devices that explain in historical time the origins of a marvellous world bearing provocative correspondences to our own, everyday reality. The editorial concludes with a series of introductions to the articles comprising the special issue, covering the print edition and a special online-only section. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Computing in the Social Sciences and Humanities. [With CD-ROM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Orville Vernon, Ed.

This book-and-CD package provide a lively, hands-on introduction for teachers and scholars in the humanities and social sciences. New technology is changing the nature of research and teaching in the humanities and social sciences. From specialized online forums to Web-based teaching and distance learning, computers are being used to expand…

Antiestrogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of n-Hexane Fraction of Vitex negundo Linn Leaf Extract: A Probable Mechanism for Blastocyst Implantation Failure in Mus musculus.

PubMed

Jivrajani, Mehul; Ravat, Nirav; Anandjiwala, Sheetal; Nivsarkar, Manish

2014-01-01

The anti-implantation potential of different fractions of Vitex negundo Linn leaf extract was evaluated in female Swiss Albino mice. Animals from different groups were dosed orally either with 0.2% agar (vehicle) or with fractions of V. negundo leaf extract (n-hexane, chloroform, n-butanol, and remnant fractions) at 10:00 a.m., from day 1 to day 6 of pregnancy. The pregnant females from each group were sacrificed on different days of pregnancy (n = 6), and uterus was excised and used for estimation of lipid peroxidation and assay of superoxide dismutase activity as a marker for blastocyst implantation. Animals treated with n-hexane fraction showed altered level of superoxide anion radical and superoxide dismutase activity as compared to control animals. The probable mechanism by which this extract exhibits inhibition of blastocyst implantation is through the anti-inflammatory and antiestrogenic potential.

NASA Information Sciences and Human Factors Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holcomb, Lee; Hood, Ray; Montemerlo, Melvin; Jenkins, James; Smith, Paul; Dibattista, John; Depaula, Ramon; Hunter, Paul

1990-01-01

Fiscal year 1989 descriptions of technical accomplishments in seven sections are presented: automation and robotics; communications; computer sciences; controls and guidance; data systems; human factors; and sensor technology.

NASA information sciences and human factors program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holcomb, Lee; Hood, Ray; Montemerlo, Melvin; Jenkins, James; Smith, Paul; Dibattista, John; Depaula, Ramon; Hunter, Paul; Lavery, David

1991-01-01

The FY-90 descriptions of technical accomplishments are contained in seven sections: Automation and Robotics, Communications, Computer Sciences, Controls and Guidance, Data Systems, Human Factors, and Sensor Technology.

Charles Darwin and Evolution: Illustrating Human Aspects of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kampourakis, Kostas; McComas, William F.

2010-06-01

Recently, the nature of science (NOS) has become recognized as an important element within the K-12 science curriculum. Despite differences in the ultimate lists of recommended aspects, a consensus is emerging on what specific NOS elements should be the focus of science instruction and inform textbook writers and curriculum developers. In this article, we suggest a contextualized, explicit approach addressing one core NOS aspect: the human aspects of science that include the domains of creativity, social influences and subjectivity. To illustrate these ideas, we have focused on Charles Darwin, a scientist whose life, work and thought processes were particularly well recorded at the time and analyzed by scholars in the succeeding years. Historical facts are discussed and linked to core NOS ideas. Creativity is illustrated through the analogies between the struggle for existence in human societies and in nature, between artificial and natural selection, and between the division of labor in human societies and in nature. Social influences are represented by Darwin’s aversion of criticism of various kinds and by his response to the methodological requirements of the science of that time. Finally, subjectivity is discussed through Darwin’s development of a unique but incorrect source for the origin of variations within species.

Day 6 blastocyst is associated with increased birth weight in full-term singleton newborns after frozen-thawed transfer.

PubMed

Cai, Jiali; Liu, Lanlan; Xu, Yingpei; Liu, Zhenfang; Jiang, Xiaoming; Li, Ping; Sha, Aiguo; Ren, Jianzhi

2018-06-13

The purpose of the study is to compare the newborns weight in singleton term birth following transfer of thawed blastocysts-frozen on either day 5 or day 6 after in vitro fertilization. The retrospective study included 1444 frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT) cycles resulting in live singleton births between Jan 2013 and Dec 2016. The main outcomes measured were absolute birth weight, z-score adjusted for gestational age and gender, and incidence of large-for-gestational-age (LGA) newborns. Generalized linear model (GLM) and logistic regression were used in multivariate analyses. Both the absolute birth weight (3416.49 ± 404.74 vs 3349.22 ± 416.17) and the z-score (0.6 ± 0.93 vs 0.41 ± 0.93) were significantly higher on day 6 FBT in comparison with day 5 FBT. The incidence of LGA newborns was also increased on day 6 FBT (22.8 vs 14.7%, P = 0.006). Adjusted for maternal age, BMI, PCOS diagnosis, present of vanishing twin, and embryo quality, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for LGA on day 6 FBT comparing with day 5 FBT was 1.76 (1.18-2.64). Day 6 FBT is associated with increased birth weight and contributes to the incidence of LGA newborns in FBT.

NASA Information Sciences and Human Factors Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holcomb, Lee (Editor); Hood, Ray (Editor); Montemerlo, Melvin (Editor); Sokoloski, Martin M. (Editor); Jenkins, James P. (Editor); Smith, Paul H. (Editor); Dibattista, John D. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The FY 1987 descriptions of technical accomplishments are contained for seven areas: automation and robotics, communications systems, computer sciences, controls and guidance, data systems, human factors, and sensor technology.

NASA information sciences and human factors program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holcomb, Lee; Hood, Ray; Montemerlo, Melvin; Sokoloski, Martin; Jenkins, James; Smith, Paul; Dibattista, John

1989-01-01

The FY 1988 descriptions of technical accomplishments is presented in seven sections: Automation and Robotics, Communications Systems, Computer Sciences, Controls and Guidance, Data Systems, Human Factors, and Sensor Technology.

Holding immature equine oocytes in the absence of meiotic inhibitors: effect on germinal vesicle chromatin and blastocyst development after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

PubMed

Choi, Y H; Love, L B; Varner, D D; Hinrichs, K

2006-09-01

Holding immature oocytes before the onset of maturation simplifies oocyte transport and aids in scheduling later manipulations. We report here a method for holding equine oocytes in the absence of meiotic inhibitors. In Experiment 1, immature oocytes with expanded cumuli were cultured at 38.2 degrees C in medium containing cycloheximide, or were held at room-temperature in M199 with Hanks' salts, for 16-18 h before maturation. Control oocytes were matured immediately after recovery. Oocytes were fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and cultured for 4d. Embryo development was not different among treatments. In Experiment 2, oocytes were treated as in Experiment 1, but embryos were cultured for 7.5d. Blastocyst development was significantly lower in the cycloheximide-treated group than in controls (7% versus 30%) with the room-temperature group intermediate (16%). In Experiment 3, oocytes were cultured at 38.2 degrees C in medium containing roscovitine, or were held at room temperature in sealed glass vials in a mixture of 40% M199 with Earle's salts, 40% M199 with Hanks' salts, and 20% FBS (EH treatment) for 16-18 h, before maturation, sperm injection, and embryo culture for 7.5d. Blastocyst development of oocytes in the EH treatment was significantly higher than that for roscovitine-treated oocytes (34% versus 12%), but not significantly different from that for controls (25%). Oocytes in the EH treatment did not mature during holding (70% germinal vesicle stage after 18 h holding). Whereas culture with cycloheximide or roscovitine of equine oocytes with expanded cumuli reduced subsequent blastocyst formation, these oocytes could be held in a modified M199 at room temperature overnight without adverse affecting meiotic or developmental competence.

The science of human factors: separating fact from fiction

PubMed Central

Russ, Alissa L; Fairbanks, Rollin J; Karsh, Ben-Tzion; Militello, Laura G; Saleem, Jason J; Wears, Robert L

2013-01-01

Background Interest in human factors has increased across healthcare communities and institutions as the value of human centred design in healthcare becomes increasingly clear. However, as human factors is becoming more prominent, there is growing evidence of confusion about human factors science, both anecdotally and in scientific literature. Some of the misconceptions about human factors may inadvertently create missed opportunities for healthcare improvement. Methods The objective of this article is to describe the scientific discipline of human factors and provide common ground for partnerships between healthcare and human factors communities. Results The primary goal of human factors science is to promote efficiency, safety and effectiveness by improving the design of technologies, processes and work systems. As described in this article, human factors also provides insight on when training is likely (or unlikely) to be effective for improving patient safety. Finally, we outline human factors specialty areas that may be particularly relevant for improving healthcare delivery and provide examples to demonstrate their value. Conclusions The human factors concepts presented in this article may foster interdisciplinary collaborations to yield new, sustainable solutions for healthcare quality and patient safety. PMID:23592760

Neutral effect of body mass index on implantation rate after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer.

PubMed

Insogna, Iris G; Lee, Malinda S; Reimers, Rebecca M; Toth, Thomas L

2017-11-01

To examine the effects of body mass index (BMI) on implantation rate after uniform protocol frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in women with a homogenous uterine environment. Retrospective cohort study. Single IVF clinic at a large academic institution. Four hundred sixty-one infertile women treated at a large academic institution from January 2007 to January 2014. All women underwent standardized slow frozen-thawed blastocyst transfers with good-quality day 5-6 embryos, following an identical hormonal uterine preparation, with comparison groups divided according to BMI category: underweight (<18.5 kg/m 2 ), normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m 2 ), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m 2 ), and obese (≥30.0 kg/m 2 ). Implantation rate. There were no statistically significant differences identified when comparing implantation rates among the four BMI cohorts. The implantation rate was 38.2% in normal weight patients, 41.7% in underweight patients, 45.1% in overweight patients, and 34.7% in obese patients. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) demonstrated no association between the main outcome, implantation rate, and BMI. Compared with the normal weight patients, the adjusted OR of implantation was 1.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40-7.72) for underweight patients, 1.61 (95% CI, 0.97-2.68) for overweight patients, and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.49-1.72) for obese patients. Secondary outcomes, including rates of miscarriage, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth, were not significantly different between cohorts. While powered to detect a 16% difference between overweight and normal weight women, the study was underpowered to detect differences in the underweight and obese women, and no definitive conclusions can be drawn for these small cohorts. Patients with transfers that required the longest amount of time, greater than 200 seconds, had the highest average BMI of 27.5 kg/m 2 . Under highly controlled circumstances across 7 years of data from a single institution, using a

Complete method to obtain, culture, and transfer mouse blastocysts nonsurgically to study implantation and development.

PubMed

Moreno-Moya, Juan Manuel; Ramírez, Leslie; Vilella, Felipe; Martínez, Sebastián; Quiñonero, Alicia; Noguera, Inmaculada; Pellicer, Antonio; Simón, Carlos

2014-03-01

To illustrate an efficient, complete, step-by-step protocol for studying implantation in mice. Video presentation of an animal model for research in reproductive biology. Mouse (Mus musculus). A nonsurgical embryo transfer system very similar to that used for human embryo transfer. The protocols with recipient and donor mice are performed in parallel in the same week. For the donor mice: the first step is ovarian stimulation, followed by ovulation induction and mating; finally, the mice are sacrificed, and the embryos are collected and cultured. For recipient mice: first estrous synchrony is induced, followed by mating with a vasectomized male, visualization of the vaginal plug, and nonsurgical transfer of the embryos. Finally (optionally), the implantation sites can be visualized on day 7.5 of development. (All animal experiments were performed with the approval of the institutional review board.) Implantation is an essential step in human reproduction although, because of technical and ethics considerations, still relatively little is known about human implantation and early development. Conversely, mouse models are well established and can be used for preliminary experiments. However, there are various bottlenecks in the procedure for obtaining and transferring murine embryos, which makes experimentation with this model more difficult. These difficulties include pseudopregnancy, ovarian hyperstimulation, and embryo collection, culture, and transfer. We have proposed a complete, efficient method for obtaining, culturing, and transferring mouse blastocysts that can be easily applied in research. Potential applications include testing new media components that do not affect preimplantation but do affect implantation and early development. The embryo transfer method proposed here has been demonstrated to achieve embryo implantation easier and faster than, and in approximately similar rates as other traditional surgery methods. This workflow is the first set of

Patient-specific embryonic stem cells derived from human SCNT blastocysts.

PubMed

Hwang, Woo Suk; Roh, Sung Il; Lee, Byeong Chun; Kang, Sung Keun; Kwon, Dae Kee; Kim, Sue; Kim, Sun Jong; Park, Sun Woo; Kwon, Hee Sun; Lee, Chang Kyu; Lee, Jung Bok; Kim, Jin Mee; Ahn, Curie; Paek, Sun Ha; Chang, Sang Sik; Koo, Jung Jin; Yoon, Hyun Soo; Hwang, Jung Hye; Hwang, Youn Young; Park, Ye Soo; Oh, Sun Kyung; Kim, Hee Sun; Park, Jong Hyuk; Moon, Shin Yong; Schatten, Gerald

2005-06-17

Patient-specific, immune-matched human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are anticipated to be of great biomedical importance for studies of disease and development and to advance clinical deliberations regarding stem cell transplantation. Eleven hESC lines were established by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) of skin cells from patients with disease or injury into donated oocytes. These lines, nuclear transfer (NT)-hESCs, grown on human feeders from the same NT donor or from genetically unrelated individuals, were established at high rates, regardless of NT donor sex or age. NT-hESCs were pluripotent, chromosomally normal, and matched the NT patient's DNA. The major histocompatibility complex identity of each NT-hESC when compared to the patient's own showed immunological compatibility, which is important for eventual transplantation. With the generation of these NT-hESCs, evaluations of genetic and epigenetic stability can be made. Additional work remains to be done regarding the development of reliable directed differentiation and the elimination of remaining animal components. Before clinical use of these cells can occur, preclinical evidence is required to prove that transplantation of differentiated NT-hESCs can be safe, effective, and tolerated.

The Human Genome Project: big science transforms biology and medicine.

PubMed

Hood, Leroy; Rowen, Lee

2013-01-01

The Human Genome Project has transformed biology through its integrated big science approach to deciphering a reference human genome sequence along with the complete sequences of key model organisms. The project exemplifies the power, necessity and success of large, integrated, cross-disciplinary efforts - so-called 'big science' - directed towards complex major objectives. In this article, we discuss the ways in which this ambitious endeavor led to the development of novel technologies and analytical tools, and how it brought the expertise of engineers, computer scientists and mathematicians together with biologists. It established an open approach to data sharing and open-source software, thereby making the data resulting from the project accessible to all. The genome sequences of microbes, plants and animals have revolutionized many fields of science, including microbiology, virology, infectious disease and plant biology. Moreover, deeper knowledge of human sequence variation has begun to alter the practice of medicine. The Human Genome Project has inspired subsequent large-scale data acquisition initiatives such as the International HapMap Project, 1000 Genomes, and The Cancer Genome Atlas, as well as the recently announced Human Brain Project and the emerging Human Proteome Project.

Ekistics, the Science of Human Settlements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doxiadis, Constantinos A.

1970-01-01

Presents the science of ekistics for systematic analysis of historical, contemporary, and proposed human settlements varying from individual to Ecumenopolis size. Five principles are described as applicable to all cities and applied to growing urban developments. Isolation of Dimensions and Elimination of Alternatives (IDEA method) is proposed for…

Massage therapy improves in vitro fertilization outcome in patients undergoing blastocyst transfer in a cryo-cycle.

PubMed

Okhowat, Jasmin; Murtinger, Maximilian; Schuff, Maximilian; Wogatzky, Johannes; Spitzer, Dietmar; Vanderzwalmen, Pierre; Wirleitner, Barbara; Zech, Nicolas Herbert

2015-01-01

Massage therapy is increasingly used to relieve physical and mental discomfort and is suggested as a safe therapeutic modality, without any significant risks or any known side effects. Although a multitude of complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, are applied in reproductive medicine, no information is available with regard to the application of massage as an adjuvant therapy in assisted-reproduction techniques (ARTs). This study was intended to assess the effectiveness of a deep relaxation (andullation) therapy based on oscillating vibrations when used prior to embryo transfer (ET) in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cryo-cycles. The research team designed a retrospective, observational study. Participants willing to undergo the massage treatment were allocated to the intervention (andullation) group. The study was performed at the IVF Centers Prof. Zech-Bregenz in Bregenz, Austria. A total of 267 IVF patients, with a mean age of 36.3 y, participated in this single-center study. All patients receiving a transfer of vitrified and warmed blastocysts between January and December 2012 were included in the evaluation. Prior to ET, the andullation group received a standardized program of therapy-a 30-min, deep relaxation massage on an oscillating (vibrating) device, whereas the control group did not. To determine efficacy, the primary outcomes that the study measured were (1) pregnancy rates (PRs), by testing urine and obtaining a positive β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG); and (2) ongoing, pregnancies (oPR), by observation of fetal heartbeat and birth rates (BR) as well as miscarriage rates. The patients' medical histories and types of infertility as well as the quality of the embryo transfers (ETs) were evaluated. In patients using the massage therapy prior to ET, significantly higher PRs, oPRs, and BRs were observed compared with the control group-PR: 58.9% vs 41.7%, P<.05; oPR: 53.6% vs 33.2%, P<.01; and BR: 32.0% vs 20.3%, P<.05. No differences were

Workshop on Science and the Human Exploration of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, M. B. (Editor)

2001-01-01

The exploration of Mars will be a multi-decadal activity. Currently, a scientific program is underway, sponsored by NASA's Office of Space Science in the United States, in collaboration with international partners France, Italy, and the European Space Agency. Plans exist for the continuation of this robotic program through the first automated return of Martian samples in 2014. Mars is also a prime long-term objective for human exploration, and within NASA, efforts are being made to provide the best integration of the robotic program and future human exploration missions. From the perspective of human exploration missions, it is important to understand the scientific objectives of human missions, in order to design the appropriate systems, tools, and operational capabilities to maximize science on those missions. In addition, data from the robotic missions can provide critical environmental data - surface morphology, materials composition, evaluations of potential toxicity of surface materials, radiation, electrical and other physical properties of the Martian environment, and assessments of the probability that humans would encounter Martian life forms. Understanding of the data needs can lead to the definition of experiments that can be done in the near-term that will make the design of human missions more effective. This workshop was convened to begin a dialog between the scientific community that is central to the robotic exploration mission program and a set of experts in systems and technologies that are critical to human exploration missions. The charge to the workshop was to develop an understanding of the types of scientific exploration that would be best suited to the human exploration missions and the capabilities and limitations of human explorers in undertaking science on those missions.

Stem cells: science, policy, and ethics

PubMed Central

Fischbach, Gerald D.; Fischbach, Ruth L.

2004-01-01

Human embryonic stem cells offer the promise of a new regenerative medicine in which damaged adult cells can be replaced with new cells. Research is needed to determine the most viable stem cell lines and reliable ways to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into specific cell types (neurons, muscle cells, etc.). To create new cell lines, it is necessary to destroy preimplantation blastocysts. This has led to an intense debate that threatens to limit embryonic stem cell research. The profound ethical issues raised call for informed, dispassionate debate. PMID:15545983

Which experimental systems should we use for human microbiome science?

PubMed

Douglas, Angela E

2018-03-01

Microbiome science is revealing that the phenotype and health of animals, including humans, depend on the sustained function of their resident microorganisms. In this essay, I argue for thoughtful choice of model systems for human microbiome science. A greater variety of experimental systems, including wider use of invertebrate models, would benefit biomedical research, while systems ill-suited to experimental and genetic manipulation can be used to address very limited sets of scientific questions. Microbiome science benefits from the coordinated use of multiple systems, which is facilitated by networks of researchers with expertise in different experimental systems.

In vitro production and cryotolerance of prepubertal and adult goat blastocysts obtained from oocytes collected by laparoscopic oocyte-pick-up (LOPU) after FSH treatment.

PubMed

Leoni, Giovanni Giuseppe; Succu, Sara; Satta, Valentina; Paolo, Mereu; Bogliolo, Luisa; Bebbere, Daniela; Spezzigu, Antonio; Madeddu, Manuela; Berlinguer, Fiammetta; Ledda, Sergio; Naitana, Salvatore

2009-01-01

This study compares the developmental capacity and cryotolerance of embryos produced from oocytes of stimulated prepubertal and adult Sarda goats. Twelve prepubertal and 13 adult goats were each given 110 and 175 IU FSH, respectively, and cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected by laparoscopic oocyte-pick-up (LOPU). After in vitro maturation, fertilisation and culture (IVMFC), blastocysts were vitrified, warmed and blastocoel re-expansion and gene expression were evaluated. Prepubertal goats produced a higher COCs number than adults (mean +/- s.e.m., 89.67 +/- 5.74 and 26.69 +/- 3.66, respectively; P < 0.01). Lower developmental competence was demonstrated in the prepubertal oocytes as shown by a higher number of COCs discarded before IVM (21.1% and 14.7% for prepubertals and adults, respectively; P < 0.01) and IVF (23.4% v. 9.1%; P < 0.01) and by the lower cleavage (55.6% and 70.3%, respectively; P < 0.01) and blastocyst rates (24.2% and 33.9%, respectively; P < 0.05). Compared with the adult, prepubertal vitrified/warmed blastocysts showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower in vitro viability, as determined by the re-expansion rate (62.5% and 40.3%). No differences were observed in the time required for blastocoel re-expansion or in cyclin B1, E-cadherin, Na/K ATPase, HSP90beta and aquaporin 3 messenger RNA quantity. These results show that in vitro-produced embryos produced from prepubertal goat oocytes have a lower developmental rate and cryotolerance compared with their adult counterparts. However, we can assume that the quality of re-expanded embryos does not differ between the two groups.

Increasing of blastocyst rate and gene expression in co-culture of bovine embryos with adult adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Miranda, Moysés S; Nascimento, Hamilton S; Costa, Mayra P R; Costa, Nathália N; Brito, Karynne N L; Lopes, Cinthia T A; Santos, Simone S D; Cordeiro, Marcela S; Ohashi, Otávio M

2016-10-01

Despite advances in the composition of defined embryo culture media, co-culture with somatic cells is still used for bovine in vitro embryo production (IVEP) in many laboratories worldwide. Granulosa cells are most often used for this purpose, although recent work suggests that co-culture with stem cells of adult or embryonic origin or their derived biomaterials may improve mouse, cattle, and pig embryo development. In experiment 1, in vitro produced bovine embryos were co-cultured in the presence of two concentrations of bovine adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal cells (b-ATMSCs; 10 3 and 10 4 cells/mL), in b-ATMSC preconditioned medium (SOF-Cond), or SOF alone (control). In experiment 2, co-culture with 10 4 b-ATMSCs/mL was compared to the traditional granulosa cell co-culture system (Gran). In experiment 1, co-culture with 10 4 b-ATMSCs/mL improved blastocyst rates in comparison to conditioned and control media (p < 0.05). Despite that it did not show difference with 10 3 b-ATMSCs/mL (p = 0.051), group 10 4 b-ATMSCs/mL yielded higher results of blastocyst production. In experiment 2, when compared to group Gran, co-culture with 10 4 b-ATMSCs/mL improved not only blastocyst rates but also quality as assessed by increased total cell numbers and mRNA expression levels for POU5F1 and G6PDH (p < 0.05). Co-culture of bovine embryos with b-ATMSCs was more beneficial than the traditional co-culture system with granulosa cells. We speculate that the microenvironmental modulatory potential of MSCs, by means of soluble substances and exosome secretions, could be responsible for the positive effects observed. Further experiments must be done to evaluate if this beneficial effect in vitro also translates to an increase in offspring following embryo transfer. Moreover, this study provides an interesting platform to study the basic requirements during preimplantation embryo development, which, in turn, may aid the improvement of embryo culture protocols in bovine

Cryopreservation of human embryos by vitrification or slow freezing: which one is better?

PubMed

Kolibianakis, Efstratios M; Venetis, Christos A; Tarlatzis, Basil C

2009-06-01

To summarize the available evidence from randomized controlled trials comparing vitrification versus slow freezing for cryopreservation of human embryos. Vitrification, as compared with slow freezing, appears to be better in terms of postthawing survival rates both for cleavage-stage embryos [odds ratio (OR): 6.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-35.26, random effects model] and for blastocysts (OR: 4.09, 95% CI: 2.45-6.84, random effects model). Furthermore, postthawing blastocyst development of embryos cryopreserved in the cleavage stage is significantly higher with vitrification as compared with slow freezing (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.07-2.27, fixed effects model). No significant difference in clinical pregnancy rates per transfer could be detected between the two cryopreservation methods (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 0.98-2.79). Currently, vitrification does not appear to be associated with an increased probability of pregnancy. However, a significant advantage of vitrification over slow freezing in terms of postthawing survival rates is present for embryos cryopreserved both at the cleavage and at the blastocyst stages. The above conclusions are based on limited data, and thus further properly designed randomized controlled trials are needed.

Pregnancy and delivery after in vitro maturation of naked ICSI-GV oocytes with GH and transfer of a frozen thawed blastocyst: case report.

PubMed

Menezo, Yves J R; Nicollet, Bernard; Rollet, Jacques; Hazout, André

2006-01-01

To determine if GV oocytes, collected at the time of ICSI, can be matured in vitro and rescued for therapeutic treatment. A patient for whom all the collected oocytes at the GV stage after a classical COH protocol were matured in vitro with GH. All the naked oocytes were matured in a culture medium (ISM2) containing 15% patient serum +1.6 units of GH (Saizen) per millilitre. Oocytes were incubated overnight at 37 degrees C. The MII oocytes obtained were micro-injected. A fresh transfer was performed and a supernumerary blastocyst was frozen. The patient was pregnant and delivered a healthy girl after transfer of the frozen/thawed blastocyst. The baby girl is now 2 years old. In vitro maturation with GH allows rescuing naked GV oocytes collected at the time of ICSI. GH action does not pass through the cumulus cells. According to the possible lack of synchrony between the embryo and the uterus, we recommend to freeze the embryos obtained and to replace them in a controlled cycle.

Nuclear transfer to study the nuclear reprogramming of human stem cells.

PubMed

Saito, Shigeo; Sawai, Ken; Murayama, Yoshinobu; Fukuda, Keiichi; Yokoyama, Kazunari

2008-01-01

Research of stem cells will enable us to understand the development and function of tissues and organs in mammals. The ability to induce regeneration of new tissues from embryonic stem (ES) cells derived from cloned blastocysts via nuclear transfer can be expected in the not-too-distant future. The fact that there is no way except nuclear cloning for the return of differentiated cells to undifferentiated cells remains an interesting problem to be solved. We describe protocols for the production of cloned calves from bovine ES cells to study nuclear reprogramming ability of stem cells. The frequency of term pregnancies for blastocysts from ES cells is higher than those of early pregnancies and maintained pregnancies after nuclear transfer with bovine somatic cells. We also describe protocols for gene introduction into bovine ES cells in vitro, particularly the human leukocyte antigens (HLA). Bovine ES cells provide a powerful tool for the generation of transgenic clonal offspring. This technique, when perfected for humans, may be critical for neural stem cell transplantation.

Collaboration in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddow, Gaby; Xia, Jianhong; Willson, Michele

2017-01-01

This paper reports on the first large-scale quantitative investigation into collaboration, demonstrated in co-authorship, by Australian humanities, arts and social sciences (HASS) researchers. Web of Science data were extracted for Australian HASS publications, with a focus on the softer social sciences, over the period 2004-2013. The findings…

The Humanities and Sciences in Two-Year Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brawer, Florence B., Ed.

Based on research conducted by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges between 1975 and 1980, this monograph presents 11 articles on the role of humanities and sciences at two-year colleges. In the first three articles, Miriam Beckwith compares data on humanities faculty in Washington State with nationwide information; Joseph Marks…

Building Interfaces between the Humanities and Cognitive Sciences: The Case of Human Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benus, Stefan

2010-01-01

I argue that creating "interfaces" between the humanities and cognitive sciences would be intellectually stimulating for both groups. More specifically for the humanities: they might gain challenging and rewarding avenues of inquiry, attract more funding, and advance their position in the 21st-century universities and among the general public, if…

The Principal Forces of Oocyte Polarity Are Evolutionary Conserved but May Not Affect the Contribution of the First Two Blastomeres to the Blastocyst Development in Mammals

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Sayyed-Morteza; Moulavi, Fariba; Tanhaie-Vash, Nima; Asgari, Vajihe; Ghanaei, Hamid-Reza; Abedi-Dorche, Maryam; Jafarzadeh, Naser; Gourabi, Hossein; Shahverdi, Abdol-Hossein; Dizaj, Ahmad Vosough; Shirazi, Abolfazl; Nasr-Esfahani, Mohammad-Hossein

2016-01-01

Oocyte polarity and embryonic patterning are well-established features of development in lower species. Whether a similar form of pre-patterning exists in mammals is currently under hot debate in mice. This study investigated this issue for the first time in ovine as a large mammal model. Microsurgical trisection of unfertilized MII-oocytes revealed that cortical cytoplasm around spindle (S) contained significant amounts of total maternal mRNAs and proteins compared to matched cytoplast hemispheres that were located either near (NS) or far (FS) -to-spindle. RT-qPCR provided striking examples of maternal mRNA localized to subcellular substructures S (NPM2, GMNN, H19, PCAF, DNMT3A, DNMT1, and STELLA), NS (SOX2, NANOG, POU5F1, and TET1), and FS (GCN) of MII oocyte. Immunoblotting revealed that specific maternal proteins DNMT3A and NANOG were asymmetrically enriched in MII-spindle-half of the oocytes. Topological analysis of sperm entry point (SEP) revealed that sperm preferentially entered via the MII-spindle-half of the oocytes. Even though, the topological position of first cleavage plane with regard to SEP was quite stochastic. Spatial comparison of lipid content revealed symmetrical distribution of lipids between 2-cell blastomeres. Lineage tracing using Dil, a fluorescent dye, revealed that while the progeny of leading blastomere of 2-cell embryos contributed to more cells in the developed blastocysts compared to lagging counterpart, the contributions of leading and lagging blastomeres to the embryonic-abembryonic parts of the developed blastocysts were almost unbiased. And finally, separated sister blastomeres of 2-cell embryos had an overall similar probability to arrest at any stage before the blastocyst (2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, and morula) or to achieve the blastocyst stage. It was concluded that the localization of maternal mRNAs and proteins at the spindle are evolutionarily conserved between mammals unfertilized ovine oocyte could be considered polar with

Science Teachers' Drawings of What Is inside the Human Body

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Patricia G.; Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to report United States of America (USA) science teachers' understandings of the internal structures of the human body. The 71 science teachers who participated in this study attended a frog/pig, two-hour dissection workshop at the 2004 National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The…

The Astonishing Curriculum: Integrating Science and Humanities through Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tchudi, Stephen, Ed.

This book probes the possibilities of interdisciplinary learning and integrated curriculum through the structuring and expressive powers of language. The 15 essays in the book explore the issues of bridging the gap between the two cultures of science and humanities, demystifying science for learners, teaching students to construct and explain…

Cognitive neuroscience in forensic science: understanding and utilizing the human element

PubMed Central

Dror, Itiel E.

2015-01-01

The human element plays a critical role in forensic science. It is not limited only to issues relating to forensic decision-making, such as bias, but also relates to most aspects of forensic work (some of which even take place before a crime is ever committed or long after the verification of the forensic conclusion). In this paper, I explicate many aspects of forensic work that involve the human element and therefore show the relevance (and potential contribution) of cognitive neuroscience to forensic science. The 10 aspects covered in this paper are proactive forensic science, selection during recruitment, training, crime scene investigation, forensic decision-making, verification and conflict resolution, reporting, the role of the forensic examiner, presentation in court and judicial decisions. As the forensic community is taking on the challenges introduced by the realization that the human element is critical for forensic work, new opportunities emerge that allow for considerable improvement and enhancement of the forensic science endeavour. PMID:26101281

Selection of competent blastocysts for transfer by combining time-lapse monitoring and array CGH testing for patients undergoing preimplantation genetic screening: a prospective study with sibling oocytes

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Recent advances in time-lapse monitoring in IVF treatment have provided new morphokinetic markers for embryonic competence. However, there is still very limited information about the relationship between morphokinetic parameters, chromosomal compositions and implantation potential. Accordingly, this study aimed at investigating the effects of selecting competent blastocysts for transfer by combining time-lapse monitoring and array CGH testing on pregnancy and implantation outcomes for patients undergoing preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). Methods A total of 1163 metaphase II (MII) oocytes were retrieved from 138 PGS patients at a mean age of 36.6 ± 2.4 years. These sibling MII oocytes were then randomized into two groups after ICSI: 1) Group A, oocytes (n = 582) were cultured in the time-lapse system and 2) Group B, oocytes (n = 581) were cultured in the conventional incubator. For both groups, whole genomic amplification and array CGH testing were performed after trophectoderm biopsy on day 5. One to two euploid blastocysts within the most predictive morphokinetic parameters (Group A) or with the best morphological grade available (Group B) were selected for transfer to individual patients on day 6. Ongoing pregnancy and implantation rates were compared between the two groups. Results There were significant differences in clinical pregnancy rates between Group A and Group B (71.1% vs. 45.9%, respectively, p = 0.037). The observed implantation rate per embryo transfer significantly increased in Group A compared to Group B (66.2% vs. 42.4%, respectively, p = 0.011). Moreover, a significant increase in ongoing pregnancy rates was also observed in Group A compared to Group B (68.9% vs. 40.5%. respectively, p = 0.019). However, there was no significant difference in miscarriage rate between the time-lapse system and the conventional incubator (3.1% vs. 11.8%, respectively, p = 0.273). Conclusions This is the first prospective investigation using

Learning about the Human Genome. Part 2: Resources for Science Educators. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haury, David L.

This ERIC Digest identifies how the human genome project fits into the "National Science Education Standards" and lists Human Genome Project Web sites found on the World Wide Web. It is a resource companion to "Learning about the Human Genome. Part 1: Challenge to Science Educators" (Haury 2001). The Web resources and…

The science of human security: a response from political science.

PubMed

Roberts, David

2008-01-01

The concept of human security has developed in significance in the last decade to the point that its meaning and validity is hotly contested in the field of international relations, security, and development studies. A key consideration relates to its ambiguity at best and its amorphousness at worst. Medical scholarship proposes approaches that may render more meaningful the concept. However, collaboration and co-operation between political scientists and medical practitioners offers even greater potential to this vital programme. The latter offer the technical and methodological skills and approaches lacking in political science, whilst the former develop political frameworks to shift the causal focus towards human, institutional and structural agency in mass avoidable global civilian mortality.

Humanities and Social Sciences Books of Ten National Disciplinary Associations, 2000-2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiberley, Stephen E., Jr.

2016-01-01

Books are the most important medium of communication in the humanities, a major medium in the social sciences, and a central component of academic library collections. This study examined humanities and social sciences books that won prizes from ten leading United States disciplinary associations between 2000 and 2009. The study extends earlier…

Interdisciplinary education approach to the human science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szu, Harold; Zheng, Yufeng; Zhang, Nian

2012-06-01

We introduced human sciences as components, and integrated them together as an interdisciplinary endeavor over decades. This year, we built a website to maintain systematically the educational research service. We captured the human sciences in various components in the SPIE proceedings over the last decades, which included: (i) ears & eyes like adaptive wavelets, (ii) brain-like unsupervised learning independent component analysis (ICA); (iii) compressive sampling spatiotemporal sparse information processing, (iv) nanoengineering approach to sensing components, (v) systems biology measurements, and (vi) biomedical wellness applications. In order to serve the interdisciplinary community better, our system approach is based on that the former recipients invited the next recipients to deliver their review talks and panel discussions. Since only the former recipients of each component can lead the nomination committees and make the final selections, we also create a leadership award which may be nominated by any conference attendance, to be approved by the conference organization committee.

Expression of genes involved in early cell fate decisions in human embryos and their regulation by growth factors.

PubMed

Kimber, S J; Sneddon, S F; Bloor, D J; El-Bareg, A M; Hawkhead, J A; Metcalfe, A D; Houghton, F D; Leese, H J; Rutherford, A; Lieberman, B A; Brison, D R

2008-05-01

Little is understood about the regulation of gene expression in human preimplantation embryos. We set out to examine the expression in human preimplantation embryos of a number of genes known to be critical for early development of the murine embryo. The expression profile of these genes was analysed throughout preimplantation development and in response to growth factor (GF) stimulation. Developmental expression of a number of genes was similar to that seen in murine embryos (OCT3B/4, CDX2, NANOG). However, GATA6 is expressed throughout preimplantation development in the human. Embryos were cultured in IGF-I, leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) or heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF), all of which are known to stimulate the development of human embryos. Our data show that culture in HBEGF and LIF appears to facilitate human embryo expression of a number of genes: ERBB4 (LIF) and LIFR and DSC2 (HBEGF) while in the presence of HBEGF no blastocysts expressed EOMES and when cultured with LIF only two out of nine blastocysts expressed TBN. These data improve our knowledge of the similarities between human and murine embryos and the influence of GFs on human embryo gene expression. Results from this study will improve the understanding of cell fate decisions in early human embryos, which has important implications for both IVF treatment and the derivation of human embryonic stem cells.

Controversies on the beginning of human life - science and religions closer and closer.

PubMed

Kurjak, Asim

2017-04-01

One of the most controversial topics in modern bioethics, science, and philosophy is the beginning of individual human life. In the seemingly endless debate, strongly stimulated by recent technologic advances in human reproduction, a synthesis between scientific data and hypothesis, philosophical thought, and issues of humanities has become a necessity to deal with ethical, juridical, and social problems. Furthermore, in this field there is a temptation to ask science to choose between opinions and beliefs, which neutralize one another. The question of when human life begins requires the essential aid of different forms of knowledge. Here we become involved in the juncture between science and religion, which needs to be carefully explored.

Human pluripotent stem cells in modeling human disorders: the case of fragile X syndrome.

PubMed

Vershkov, Dan; Benvenisty, Nissim

2017-01-01

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) generated from affected blastocysts or from patient-derived somatic cells are an emerging platform for disease modeling and drug discovery. Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the leading cause of inherited intellectual disability, was one of the first disorders modeled in both embryonic stem cells and induced PCSs and can serve as an exemplary case for the utilization of human PSCs in the study of human diseases. Over the past decade, FXS-PSCs have been used to address the fundamental questions regarding the pathophysiology of FXS. In this review we summarize the methodologies for generation of FXS-PSCs, discuss their advantages and disadvantages compared with existing modeling systems and describe their utilization in the study of FXS pathogenesis and in the development of targeted treatment.

Cognitive neuroscience in forensic science: understanding and utilizing the human element.

PubMed

Dror, Itiel E

2015-08-05

The human element plays a critical role in forensic science. It is not limited only to issues relating to forensic decision-making, such as bias, but also relates to most aspects of forensic work (some of which even take place before a crime is ever committed or long after the verification of the forensic conclusion). In this paper, I explicate many aspects of forensic work that involve the human element and therefore show the relevance (and potential contribution) of cognitive neuroscience to forensic science. The 10 aspects covered in this paper are proactive forensic science, selection during recruitment, training, crime scene investigation, forensic decision-making, verification and conflict resolution, reporting, the role of the forensic examiner, presentation in court and judicial decisions. As the forensic community is taking on the challenges introduced by the realization that the human element is critical for forensic work, new opportunities emerge that allow for considerable improvement and enhancement of the forensic science endeavour. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

E-Book Use and Attitudes in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corlett-Rivera, Kelsey; Hackman, Timothy

2014-01-01

A survey of more than 1,300 faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the humanities and social sciences at the University of Maryland generated a wealth of data on use and opinions of e-books among those users. While the initial purpose of the survey was to gather data that would aid humanities and social sciences librarians in…

Light-based science and technologies and human civilization: an optical course for general education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaotong; Wang, Kaiwei; Yang, Qing; Si, Ke

2017-08-01

Starting from 2015, a general education course named "Light-based science and technologies and human civilization" has been offered in Zhejiang University. We try to give a humanism view angle to observe optics and optical engineering, and combine them with the relationship of human and the nature, the development of human society and human health. In this course we introduce different historical periods of light-based science and technologies, the great optical researchers, the typical research methods, advantages, academic discussions and the relationship with human civilization. The relevant cross-fields of learning and Nobel Prize winners are also included. This course provides the students with the typical examples about how academic revolution influences the world development, and also with humanism sight which exceeds the range of science and technologies themselves.

Integrating Sustainability Science with the Sciences of Human Well-being to Inform Design and Planning in an Urbanizing World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alberti, M.; Graumlich, L. J.; Frumkin, H.; Friedman, D.

2012-12-01

A sustainable human future requires both healthy ecosystems and communities in which people thrive, with opportunities for health, well-being, happiness, economic prosperity, and equity. To make progress towards this goal, two largely disparate communities of scholars and practitioners must come together: sustainability science needs to be integrated with the sciences of human health and well-being. The opportunity for such integration is particularly ripe for urbanizing regions which not only dominate energy and resource use but also increasingly represent the human habitat. We present a conceptual framework that integrates sustainability science with the sciences of human health and well-being to explicitly articulate testable hypotheses on the relationships between humans and their habitat. We are interested in human behaviors and metrics of health and well-being in relationship to the characteristics of the built environment at various scales from buildings to metro regions. Focusing on the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) as a testbed, we are building on our current empirical studies on urban sprawl and ecosystem function including biodiversity, air quality, hydrological, biogeochemical, and human health to develop formal hypotheses on how alternative urban design and development patterns may influence health outcomes and well-being. The PNW is an ideal setting for this work because of the connected metropolitan areas within a region characterized by a spectacular diversity of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and deeply held cultural and political aspirations towards sustainability. The framework also highlights opportunities for translation of knowledge to practice in the design and planning of built environments. For example, understanding these associations is critical to assessing tradeoffs in design and planning strategies and exploring potential synergies that optimize both sustainability and human well-being. In complex systems such as cities, managers

Morphology vs morphokinetics: a retrospective comparison of inter-observer and intra-observer agreement between embryologists on blastocysts with known implantation outcome.

PubMed

Adolfsson, Emma; Andershed, Anna Nowosad

2018-06-18

Our primary aim was to compare the morphology and morphokinetics on inter- and intra-observer agreement for blastocyst with known implantation outcome. Our secondary aim was to validate the morphokinetic parameters' ability to predict pregnancy using a previous published selection algorithm, and to compare this to standard morphology assessments. Two embryologists made independent blinded annotations on two occasions using time-lapse images and morphology evaluations using the Gardner Schoolcraft criteria of 99 blastocysts with known implantation outcome. Inter- and intra-observer agreement was calculated and compared using the two methods. The embryos were grouped based on their morphological score, and on their morphokinetic class using a previous published selection algorithm. The implantation rates for each group was calculated and compared. There was moderate agreement for morphology, with agreement on the same embryo score in 55 of 99 cases. The highest agreement rate was found for expansion grade, followed by trophectoderm and inner cell mass. Correlation with pregnancy was inconclusive. For morphokinetics, almost perfect agreement was found for early and late embryo development events, and strong agreement for day-2 and day-3 events. When applying the selection algorithm, the embryo distributions were uneven, and correlation to pregnancy was inconclusive. Time-lapse annotation is consistent and accurate, but our external validation of a previously published selection algorithm was unsuccessful.

Science, human nature, and a new paradigm for ethics education.

PubMed

Lampe, Marc

2012-09-01

For centuries, religion and philosophy have been the primary basis for efforts to guide humans to be more ethical. However, training in ethics and religion and imparting positive values and morality tests such as those emanating from the categorical imperative and the Golden Rule have not been enough to protect humankind from its bad behaviors. To improve ethics education educators must better understand aspects of human nature such as those that lead to "self-deception" and "personal bias." Through rationalizations, faulty reasoning and hidden bias, individuals trick themselves into believing there is little wrong with their own unethical behavior. The application of science to human nature offers the possibility of improving ethics education through better self-knowledge. The author recommends a new paradigm for ethics education in contemporary modern society. This includes the creation of a new field called "applied evolutionary neuro-ethics" which integrates science and social sciences to improve ethics education. The paradigm can merge traditional thinking about ethics from religious and philosophical perspectives with new ideas from applied evolutionary neuro-ethics.

Science versus (?) Art: Human Perception of Other Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, William K.

1998-09-01

At the time of the Renaissance, science and art were mixed together as a way to understand the human relation to the larger cosmos. Leonardo da Vinci exemplifies this approach. In modern times, the two have become separate, and even antagonistic, ``two cultures." Scientists have increasingly been satisfied to present quantitative measures of phenomena, without ever asking what the measures mean in human terms. Examples include the nature of the lunar surface, asteroid colors and brightness of the Io aurora, as will be discussed. However, in presenting the "big picture" to the public, and even to other working scientists, it is useful to revisit the Renaissance paradigm. Artists are increasingly working with scientists to translate the understanding of other worlds to the public, and this creates many opportunities for education projects in schools, and for careers in public outreach and science journalism.

Modeling human behavior in economics and social science.

PubMed

Dolfin, M; Leonida, L; Outada, N

2017-12-01

The complex interactions between human behaviors and social economic sciences is critically analyzed in this paper in view of possible applications of mathematical modeling as an attainable interdisciplinary approach to understand and simulate the aforementioned dynamics. The quest is developed along three steps: Firstly an overall analysis of social and economic sciences indicates the main requirements that a contribution of mathematical modeling should bring to these sciences; subsequently the focus moves to an overview of mathematical tools and to the selection of those which appear, according to the authors bias, appropriate to the modeling; finally, a survey of applications is presented looking ahead to research perspectives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

No Relationship between Embryo Morphology and Successful Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines

PubMed Central

Ström, Susanne; Rodriguez-Wallberg, Kenny; Holm, Frida; Bergström, Rosita; Eklund, Linda; Strömberg, Anne-Marie; Hovatta, Outi

2010-01-01

Background The large number (30) of permanent human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines and additional 29 which did not continue growing, in our laboratory at Karolinska Institutet have given us a possibility to analyse the relationship between embryo morphology and the success of derivation of hESC lines. The derivation method has been improved during the period 2002–2009, towards fewer xeno-components. Embryo quality is important as regards the likelihood of pregnancy, but there is little information regarding likelihood of stem cell derivation. Methods We evaluated the relationship of pronuclear zygote stage, the score based on embryo morphology and developmental rate at cleavage state, and the morphology of the blastocyst at the time of donation to stem cell research, to see how they correlated to successful establishment of new hESC lines. Results Derivation of hESC lines succeeded from poor quality and good quality embryos in the same extent. In several blastocysts, no real inner cell mass (ICM) was seen, but permanent well growing hESC lines could be established. One tripronuclear (3PN) zygote, which developed to blastocyst stage, gave origin to a karyotypically normal hESC line. Conclusion Even very poor quality embryos with few cells in the ICM can give origin to hESC lines. PMID:21217828

The Notions of Science as human capital: An empirical analysis of economic growth and science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritchard, Russell D.

This study was designed to determine the strength of the relationship between a nation's human capital in the form of the "Notions of Science" (NOS) and the growth rate of gross domestic product per capita for 43 countries during the years 1988 through 1998. This relationship was studied from two perspectives: first, the study sought to determine if there was a significant relationship between a country's NOS and its growth rate in gross domestic per capita; second, the study sought to determine if the NOS had a greater relationship with the growth rate of gross domestic product per capita than a more commonly used measure of human capital, amount of schooling. The NOS for the participating countries were proxied by the percentage of a country's science curriculum devoted to teaching the NOS. The science curricula used in this study were obtained from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's (IEA) Curriculum Frameworks for Mathematics and Science. These curricular frameworks were written as one part of the Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS). The NOS were extracted from the science curriculum frameworks through the construction of a content-by-cognitive-behavior-grid. The categories, or codes, for the NOS used in this grid were based on the work of Clarence Irving Lewis in Mind and the World Order. Holding several other explanatory variables constant, the NOS percentage for each country were regressed against each country's average growth rate of gross domestic product per capita for the period of 1988 through 1998. The results indicate that there was not a significant relationship between human capital, as proxied by the percentage of the curriculum devoted to the notions of science, and a country's economic growth rate. Because the regression coefficient for the NOS was not statistically significant, this study was not able to determine if the NOS had a stronger relationship with growth in GDP per capita than

Dynamic changes in leptin distribution in the progression from ovum to blastocyst of the pre-implantation mouse embryo

PubMed Central

Schulz, Laura C.; Roberts, R. Michael

2011-01-01

The hormone leptin, which is primarily produced by adipose tissue, is a critical permissive factor for multiple reproductive events in the mouse, including implantation. In the CD1 strain, maternally-derived leptin from the oocyte becomes differentially distributed among blastomeres of pre-implantation embryos to create a polarized pattern, a feature consistent with a model of development in which blastomeres are biased towards a particular fate as early as the 2-cell stage. Here, we have confirmed that embryonic leptin is of maternal origin and re-examined leptin distribution in two distinct strains in which embryos were derived after either normal ovulation or superovulation. A polarized pattern of leptin distribution was found in the majority of both CD1 and CF1 embryos (79.1 % and 76.9 %, respectively) collected following superovulation, but was reduced, particularly in CF1 embryos (29.8 %; p < 0.0001), after natural ovulation. The difference in leptin asymmetries in the CF1 strain arose between ovulation and the first cleavage division, and was not affected by removal of the zona pellucida. Presence or absence of leptin polarization was not linked to differences in ability of embryos to develop normally to blastocyst. In the early blastocyst, leptin was confined subcortically to trophectoderm but upon blastocoel expansion it was lost from cells. Throughout development leptin co-localized with LRP2, a multi-ligand transport protein, and its patterning resembled that noted for the maternal-effect proteins OOEP, NLRP5, and PADI6, suggesting that it is a component of the subcortical maternal complex with as yet unknown significance in pre-implantation development. PMID:21444625

Closing the Gap between Science and Humanities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Debbie; Myers, Mark

1994-01-01

Seniors often determine their college major based on academic strengths or interests in either the sciences or humanities. To judge the usefulness of rapid advances in our technological society, students need to gain a better understanding of all subjects. A program is described which is designed to help close the gap between those who study…

Review of Cold war social science: Knowledge production, liberal democracy, and human nature, and Working knowledge: Making the human sciences from Parsons to Kuhn.

PubMed

Erickson, Paul

2013-11-01

Reviews the books, Cold War Social Science: Knowledge Production, Liberal Democracy, and Human Nature by Mark Solovey and Hamilton Cravens (2012) and Working Knowledge: Making the Human Sciences From Parsons to Kuhn by Joel Isaac (see record 2012-13212-000). Taken together, these two important books make intriguing statements about the way to write the histories of fields like psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics in the Anglo American world during the 20th century. To date, histories of these fields have drawn on a number of fairly well-established punctuation marks to assist in periodization: the shift from interwar institutionalism in economics to postwar neoclassicism, with its physics-like emphasis on mathematical theory-building; the transition from the regnant prewar behaviorism through a postwar "cognitive revolution" in American psychology; and the move in fields like sociology and anthropology away from positivism and the pursuit of what has sometimes been called "grand theory" in the early postwar era toward a period defined by intellectual and political fragmentation, the reemergence of interpretive approaches and a reaction to the scientistic pretensions of the earlier period. These books, by contrast, provide perspectives orthogonal to such existing narrative frameworks by adopting cross-cutting lenses like the "Cold War" and the working practices of researchers in the social and behavioral sciences. As a result, they do much to indicate the value of casting a historiographical net beyond individual disciplines, or even beyond the "social sciences" or the "human sciences" sensu stricto, in the search for deeper patterns of historical development in these fields. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Human embryos secrete microRNAs into culture media--a potential biomarker for implantation.

PubMed

Rosenbluth, Evan M; Shelton, Dawne N; Wells, Lindsay M; Sparks, Amy E T; Van Voorhis, Bradley J

2014-05-01

To determine whether human blastocysts secrete microRNA (miRNAs) into culture media and whether these reflect embryonic ploidy status and can predict in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. Experimental study of human embryos and IVF culture media. Academic IVF program. 91 donated, cryopreserved embryos that developed into 28 tested blastocysts, from 13 couples who had previously completed IVF cycles. None. Relative miRNA expression in IVF culture media. Blastocysts were assessed by chromosomal comparative genomic hybridization analysis, and the culture media from 55 single-embryo transfer cycles was tested for miRNA expression using an array-based quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The expression of the identified miRNA was correlated with pregnancy outcomes. Ten miRNA were identified in the culture media; two were specific to spent media (miR-191 and miR-372), and one was only present in media before the embryos had been cultured (miR-645). MicroRNA-191 was more highly concentrated in media from aneuploid embryos, and miR-191, miR-372, and miR-645 were more highly concentrated in media from failed IVF/non-intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. Additionally, miRNA were found to be more highly concentrated in ICSI and day-5 media samples when compared with regularly inseminated and day-4 samples, respectively. MicroRNA can be detected in IVF culture media. Some of these miRNA are differentially expressed according to the fertilization method, chromosomal status, and pregnancy outcome, which makes them potential biomarkers for predicting IVF success. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Astrobiology and other Mars science: how can humans help (and from where)?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rummel, John; Conley, Catharine

2016-07-01

There are many advocates for the human exploration of Mars who wax poetical when discussing how good it is going to be, but there are only a few who may be willing to write requirements for how much direct human surface exploration on Mars needs to be possible before attempting it is worth the investment, or to compare modes of human exploration to see which one is most cost-efficient for the initial human missions to Mars (assuming that humans working in near-Mars space is a goal in and of itself. For example, the recent MEPAG Scientific Objectives for the Human Exploration of Mars Science Analysis Group (MEPAG HSO-SAG) [1] stated that "A defensible evaluation of surface science operations options and candidate scenarios cannot be done at this time - we recommend deferring this to a future team." Alternatively [e.g., 2], there are considerations of the science that can be done from the martian moon Phobos that do not require surface operations on Mars at all, except by robots controlled through low-latency telepresence. The promise of how to deliver better Mars science for the money (and risk) will be discussed in this paper, and some estimates made on how often a human has to step outside on Mars (and step back in) to accomplish more science than a telepresent rover. We will also look at what the estimates of contamination from on-site human explorers can mean to the search for possible indigenous life on Mars. Some [3] say that Mars is already "contaminated" by Earth organisms brought to Mars from Earth through impact-generated bolide exchanges, but (as noted in [4]) that statement suggests that they do not really hold a solid concept of what contamination is, and what it may mean to both our understanding of the pre-human past on Mars, as well as to the preservation of Mars resources for future human inhabitants. Refs. 1. Beaty et al., Candidate scientific objectives for the human exploration of Mars, and implications for the identification of Martian

The 'medical humanities' in health sciences education in South Africa.

PubMed

Reid, S

2014-02-01

A new masters-level course, 'Medicine and the Arts" will be offered in 2014 at the University of Cape Town, setting a precedent for interdisciplinary education in the field of medical humanities in South Africa. The humanities and social sciences have always been an implicit part of undergraduate and postgraduate education in the health sciences, but increasingly they are becoming an explicit and essential component of the curriculum, as the importance of graduate attributes and outcomes in the workplace is acknowledged. Traditionally, the medical humanities have included medical ethics, history, literature and anthropology. Less prominent in the literature has been the engagement with medicine of the disciplines of sociology, politics, philosophy, linguistics, education, and law, as well as the creative and expressive arts. The development of the medical humanities in education and research in South Africa is set to expand over the next few years, and it looks as if it will be an exciting inter-disciplinary journey.

"Scientific peep show": the human body in contemporary science museums.

PubMed

Canadelli, Elena

2011-01-01

The essay focuses on the discourse about the human body developed by contemporary science museums with educational and instructive purposes directed at the general public. These museums aim mostly at mediating concepts such as health and prevention. The current scenario is linked with two examples of past museums: the popular anatomical museums which emerged during the 19th century and the health museums thrived between 1910 and 1940. On the museological path about the human body self-care we went from the emotionally involving anatomical Venuses to the inexpressive Transparent Man, from anatomical specimens of ill organs and deformed subjects to the mechanical and electronic models of the healthy body. Today the body is made transparent by the new medical diagnostics and by the latest discoveries of endoscopy. The way museums and science centers presently display the human body involves computers, 3D animation, digital technologies, hands-on models of large size human parts.

Sinanthropus in Britain: human origins and international science, 1920-1939.

PubMed

Manias, Chris

2015-06-01

The Peking Man fossils discovered at Zhoukoudian in north-east China in the 1920s and 1930s were some of the most extensive palaeoanthropological finds of the twentieth century. This article examines their publicization and discussion in Britain, where they were engaged with by some of the world's leading authorities in human evolution, and a media and public highly interested in human-origins research. This international link - simultaneously promoted by scientists in China and in Britain itself - reflected wider debates on international networks; the role of science in the modern world; and changing definitions of race, progress and human nature. This article illustrates how human-origins research was an important means of binding these areas together and presenting scientific work as simultaneously authoritative and credible, but also evoking mystery and adventurousness. Examining this illustrates important features of contemporary views of both science and human development, showing not only the complexities of contemporary regard for the international and public dynamics of scientific research, but wider concerns over human nature, which oscillated between optimistic notions of unity and progress and pessimistic ones of essential differences and misdirected development.

The Human Genome Project: big science transforms biology and medicine

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The Human Genome Project has transformed biology through its integrated big science approach to deciphering a reference human genome sequence along with the complete sequences of key model organisms. The project exemplifies the power, necessity and success of large, integrated, cross-disciplinary efforts - so-called ‘big science’ - directed towards complex major objectives. In this article, we discuss the ways in which this ambitious endeavor led to the development of novel technologies and analytical tools, and how it brought the expertise of engineers, computer scientists and mathematicians together with biologists. It established an open approach to data sharing and open-source software, thereby making the data resulting from the project accessible to all. The genome sequences of microbes, plants and animals have revolutionized many fields of science, including microbiology, virology, infectious disease and plant biology. Moreover, deeper knowledge of human sequence variation has begun to alter the practice of medicine. The Human Genome Project has inspired subsequent large-scale data acquisition initiatives such as the International HapMap Project, 1000 Genomes, and The Cancer Genome Atlas, as well as the recently announced Human Brain Project and the emerging Human Proteome Project. PMID:24040834

Optimization of a vitrification protocol for hatched blastocysts from the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius).

PubMed

Herrid, M; Billah, M; Malo, C; Skidmore, J A

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to modify and optimize a vitrification protocol (open pulled straw) that was originally designed for human oocytes and embryos, to make it suitable for the cryopreservation of camel hatched blastocysts. The original open pulled straw protocol was a complex process with 15-minute exposure of oocytes/embryos in 7.5% ethylene glycol (EG) and 7.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) for equilibration, and cooling in 16% EG + 16% Me2SO + 1 M sucrose. Recognizing a need to better control the cryoprotectant (CPA) concentrations, while avoiding toxicity to the embryos, the effects on the survival rate and developmental potential of camel embryos in vitro were investigated using two different methods of loading the CPAs into the embryos (stepwise and semicontinuous increase in concentration), two different loading temperature/time (room temperature ∼24 °C/15 min and body 37 °C/3 min), and the replacement of Me2SO with EG alone or in combination with glycerol (Gly). A total of 145 in vivo-derived embryos were subjected to these processes, and after warming their morphological quality and integrity, and re-expansion was assessed after 0, 2, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours of culture. Exposure of embryos in a stepwise method was more beneficial to the survival of embryos than was the semicontinuous process, and loading of CPAs at 37 °C with a short exposure time (3 minutes) resulted in an outcome comparable to the original processing at room temperature with a longer exposure time (15 minutes). The replacement of the Me2SO + EG mixture with EG only or a combination of EG + Gly in the vitrification medium significantly improved the outcome of all these evaluation criteria (P < 0.05). The modified protocol of loading EG at 37 °C for 3 minutes has increased the embryo survival of the original protocol from 67% to 91% and the developmental rate from 57% to 83% at 5-day culture. These results were comparable to or better than those reported in human or other

Developing Library GIS Services for Humanities and Social Science: An Action Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kong, Ningning; Fosmire, Michael; Branch, Benjamin Dewayne

2017-01-01

In the academic libraries' efforts to support digital humanities and social science, GIS service plays an important role. However, there is no general service model existing about how libraries can develop GIS services to best engage with digital humanities and social science. In this study, we adopted the action research method to develop and…

Developing a Collaborative Agenda for Humanities and Social Scientific Research on Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare.

PubMed

Davies, Gail F; Greenhough, Beth J; Hobson-West, Pru; Kirk, Robert G W; Applebee, Ken; Bellingan, Laura C; Berdoy, Manuel; Buller, Henry; Cassaday, Helen J; Davies, Keith; Diefenbacher, Daniela; Druglitrø, Tone; Escobar, Maria Paula; Friese, Carrie; Herrmann, Kathrin; Hinterberger, Amy; Jarrett, Wendy J; Jayne, Kimberley; Johnson, Adam M; Johnson, Elizabeth R; Konold, Timm; Leach, Matthew C; Leonelli, Sabina; Lewis, David I; Lilley, Elliot J; Longridge, Emma R; McLeod, Carmen M; Miele, Mara; Nelson, Nicole C; Ormandy, Elisabeth H; Pallett, Helen; Poort, Lonneke; Pound, Pandora; Ramsden, Edmund; Roe, Emma; Scalway, Helen; Schrader, Astrid; Scotton, Chris J; Scudamore, Cheryl L; Smith, Jane A; Whitfield, Lucy; Wolfensohn, Sarah

2016-01-01

Improving laboratory animal science and welfare requires both new scientific research and insights from research in the humanities and social sciences. Whilst scientific research provides evidence to replace, reduce and refine procedures involving laboratory animals (the '3Rs'), work in the humanities and social sciences can help understand the social, economic and cultural processes that enhance or impede humane ways of knowing and working with laboratory animals. However, communication across these disciplinary perspectives is currently limited, and they design research programmes, generate results, engage users, and seek to influence policy in different ways. To facilitate dialogue and future research at this interface, we convened an interdisciplinary group of 45 life scientists, social scientists, humanities scholars, non-governmental organisations and policy-makers to generate a collaborative research agenda. This drew on methods employed by other agenda-setting exercises in science policy, using a collaborative and deliberative approach for the identification of research priorities. Participants were recruited from across the community, invited to submit research questions and vote on their priorities. They then met at an interactive workshop in the UK, discussed all 136 questions submitted, and collectively defined the 30 most important issues for the group. The output is a collaborative future agenda for research in the humanities and social sciences on laboratory animal science and welfare. The questions indicate a demand for new research in the humanities and social sciences to inform emerging discussions and priorities on the governance and practice of laboratory animal research, including on issues around: international harmonisation, openness and public engagement, 'cultures of care', harm-benefit analysis and the future of the 3Rs. The process outlined below underlines the value of interdisciplinary exchange for improving communication across

Developing a Collaborative Agenda for Humanities and Social Scientific Research on Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare

PubMed Central

Davies, Gail F.; Greenhough, Beth J; Hobson-West, Pru; Kirk, Robert G. W.; Applebee, Ken; Bellingan, Laura C.; Berdoy, Manuel; Buller, Henry; Cassaday, Helen J.; Davies, Keith; Diefenbacher, Daniela; Druglitrø, Tone; Escobar, Maria Paula; Friese, Carrie; Herrmann, Kathrin; Hinterberger, Amy; Jarrett, Wendy J.; Jayne, Kimberley; Johnson, Adam M.; Johnson, Elizabeth R.; Konold, Timm; Leach, Matthew C.; Leonelli, Sabina; Lewis, David I.; Lilley, Elliot J.; Longridge, Emma R.; McLeod, Carmen M.; Miele, Mara; Nelson, Nicole C.; Ormandy, Elisabeth H.; Pallett, Helen; Poort, Lonneke; Pound, Pandora; Ramsden, Edmund; Roe, Emma; Scalway, Helen; Schrader, Astrid; Scotton, Chris J.; Scudamore, Cheryl L.; Smith, Jane A.; Whitfield, Lucy; Wolfensohn, Sarah

2016-01-01

Improving laboratory animal science and welfare requires both new scientific research and insights from research in the humanities and social sciences. Whilst scientific research provides evidence to replace, reduce and refine procedures involving laboratory animals (the ‘3Rs’), work in the humanities and social sciences can help understand the social, economic and cultural processes that enhance or impede humane ways of knowing and working with laboratory animals. However, communication across these disciplinary perspectives is currently limited, and they design research programmes, generate results, engage users, and seek to influence policy in different ways. To facilitate dialogue and future research at this interface, we convened an interdisciplinary group of 45 life scientists, social scientists, humanities scholars, non-governmental organisations and policy-makers to generate a collaborative research agenda. This drew on methods employed by other agenda-setting exercises in science policy, using a collaborative and deliberative approach for the identification of research priorities. Participants were recruited from across the community, invited to submit research questions and vote on their priorities. They then met at an interactive workshop in the UK, discussed all 136 questions submitted, and collectively defined the 30 most important issues for the group. The output is a collaborative future agenda for research in the humanities and social sciences on laboratory animal science and welfare. The questions indicate a demand for new research in the humanities and social sciences to inform emerging discussions and priorities on the governance and practice of laboratory animal research, including on issues around: international harmonisation, openness and public engagement, ‘cultures of care’, harm-benefit analysis and the future of the 3Rs. The process outlined below underlines the value of interdisciplinary exchange for improving communication across

A Comparative Framework for Studying the Histories of the Humanities and Science.

PubMed

Bod, Rens

2015-06-01

While the humanities and the sciences have a closely connected history, there are no general histories that bring the two fields together on an equal footing. This paper argues that there is a level at which some humanistic and scientific disciplines can be brought under a common denominator and compared. This is at the level of underlying methods, especially at the level of formalisms and rule systems used by different disciplines. The essay formally compares linguistics and computer science by noting that the same grammar formalism was used in the 1950s for describing both human and. programming languages. Additionally, it examines the influence of philology on molecular biology, and vice versa, by recognizing that the tree-formalism and rule system used for text reconstruction was also employed in DNA genetics. It also shows that rule systems for source criticism in history are used in forensic science, evidence-based medicine, and jurisprudence. This paper thus opens up a new comparative approach within which the histories of the humanities and the sciences can be examined on a common level.

The "Discernment of a Human Face" in Research: A Reaction to Van Hesteren's Human Science and Counselling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Don

1986-01-01

Responds to Van Hesteren's advocacy of a "human science" orientation, using constructs and analytical methods from phenomenology to enhance methodology. Approves of a philosophy of science and of a self-perspective. Questions the need for complex terminology, Van Hesteren's definition of what constitutes research, quantification, and…

Caring science and the science of unitary human beings: a trans-theoretical discourse for nursing knowledge development.

PubMed

Watson, Jean; Smith, Marlaine C

2002-03-01

Two dominant discourses in contemporary nursing theory and knowledge development have evolved over the past few decades, in part by unitary science views and caring theories. Rogers' science of unitary human beings (SUHB) represents the unitary directions in nursing. Caring theories and related caring science (CS) scholarship represent the other. These two contemporary initiatives have generated two parallel, often controversial, seemingly separate and unrelated, trees of knowledge for nursing science. This paper explores the evolution of CS and its intersection with SUHB that have emerged in contemporary nursing literature. We present a case for integration, convergence, and creative synthesis of CS with SUHB. A trans-theoretical, trans-disciplinary context emerges, allowing nursing to sustain its caring ethic and ontology, within a unitary science. The authors critique and review the seminal, critical issues that have separated contemporary knowledge developments in CS and SUHB. Foundational issues of CS, and Watson's theory of transpersonal caring science (TCS), as a specific exemplar, are analysed, alongside parallel themes in SUHB. By examining hidden ethical-ontological and paradigmatic commonalities, trans-theoretical themes and connections are explored and revealed between TCS and SUHB. Through a creative synthesis of TCS and SUHB we explicate a distinct unitary view of human with a relational caring ontology and ethic that informs nursing as well as other sciences. The result: is a trans-theoretical, trans-disciplinary view for nursing knowledge development. Nursing's history has been to examine theoretical differences rather than commonalities. This trans-theoretical position moves nursing toward theoretical integration and creative synthesis, vs. separation, away from the 'Balkanization' of different theories. This initiative still maintains the integrity of different theories, while facilitating and inviting a new discourse for nursing science. The

Human Factors Science: Brief History and Applications to Healthcare.

PubMed

Parker, Sarah Henrickson

2015-12-01

This section will define the science of human factors, its origins, its impact on safety in other domains, and its impact and potential for impact on patient safety. Copyright © 2015 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping and Sequencing the Human Genome: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutter, Mary Ann G.; Drexler, Edward; McCullough, Laurence B.; McInerney, Joseph D.; Murray, Jeffrey C.; Rossiter, Belinda; Zola, John

The human genome project started in 1989 with the collaboration of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This document aims to develop an understanding among students of the human genome project and relevant issues. Topics include the science and technology of the human genome project, and the ethical and…

Lunar science strategy: Exploring the Moon with humans and machines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Donald A.; Hoffman, Stephen J.

1993-01-01

Important scientific questions that can be addressed from the lunar surface are reviewed for a number of scientific disciplines. A successful strategy for human exploration of the Moon is outlined. It consists of several elements: thorough preparation; a means of extending the human reach; measurement of the mobility of both human and robotic components; and flexible technologies so as to be able to take the most effective path as successive decision points occur. Part of thorough preparation involves concurrent development of a set of science goals and objectives as well as a supporting information base; neither can evolve independently of the other. This matched set will drive the definition of missions and technologies used to satisfy the requirements of various science disciplines. No single site on the Moon will satisfy all requirements. Thus, global accessibility is a goal of the current Lunar and Mars Exploration Program science strategy. Human mobility on the surface is limited to a few kilometers without the use of vehicles. Unpressurized crew carrying rovers could take explorers to distances tens of kilometers from an outpost; the distance is primarily limited by health and safety concerns. Pressurized rovers could extend the range to hundreds of kilometers, but size, mass, and costs limit such vehicles to missions beyond current planning horizons. The establishment of several outposts instead of one would provide opportunities for effective use of the unique capabilities of humans. Extending the human reach to global dimensions may be accomplished through teleoperation or telepresence. The most effective mix of these techniques is a decision that will evolve as experience is gained on the surface. Planning and technology must be flexible enough to allow a variety of options to be selected.

High-Rate Laser Communications for Human Exploration and Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, B. S.; Shih, T.; Khatri, F. I.; King, T.; Seas, A.

2018-02-01

Laser communication links has been successfully demonstrated on recent near-Earth and lunar missions. We present a status of this development work and its relevance to a future Deep Space Gateway supporting human exploration and science activities.

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium: Management and Operation, 2002-2003.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This document provides the administrative, management, and supervisory guidance necessary to successfully conduct and support grades 7-12 science symposia. It was developed as the operations manual for the Pacific Region Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (PJSHS) program for 2002-2003 which is an 10-month, precollege student research program…

Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. School Level Management Information Booklet for SY89-90.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dependents Schools (DOD), Washington, DC. Pacific Region.

Each year, beginning in the early spring, Department of Defense Dependent Schools, Pacific Region conducts a Junior Science and Humanities Symposium program. The information for putting together such a program is contained in this document. Students are invited to conduct original research in the sciences, mathematics, the humanities, and computer…

Eighteen-Year Cryopreservation Does Not Negatively Affect the Pluripotency of Human Embryos: Evidence from Embryonic Stem Cell Derivation

PubMed Central

Rungsiwiwut, Ruttachuk; Numchaisrika, Pranee; Ahnonkitpanit, Vichuda; Isarasena, Nipan; Virutamasen, Pramuan

2012-01-01

Abstract Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are considered to be a potential source for the therapy of human diseases, drug screening, and the study of developmental biology. In the present study, we successfully derived hES cell lines from blastocysts developed from frozen and fresh embryos. Seventeen- to eighteen-year-old frozen embryos were thawed, cultured to the blastocyst stage, and induced to form hES cells using human foreskin fibroblasts. The Chula2.hES cell line and the Chula4.hES and Chula5.hES cell lines were derived from blastocysts developed from frozen and fresh embryos, respectively. The cell lines expressed pluripotent markers, including alkaline phosphatase (AP), Oct3/4, stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-4, and tumor recognition antigen (TRA)-1-60 and TRA-1-81 as detected with immunocytochemistry. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results showed that the cell lines expressed pluripotent genes, including OCT3/4, SOX2, NANOG, UTF, LIN28, REX1, NODAL, and E-Cadherin. In addition, the telomerase activities of the cell lines were higher than in the fibroblast cells. Moreover, the cell lines differentiated into all three germ layers both in vitro and in vivo. The cell lines had distinct identities, as revealed with DNA fingerprinting, and maintained their normal karyotype after a long-term culture. This study is the first to report the successful derivation of hES cell lines in Thailand and that frozen embryos maintained their pluripotency similar to fresh embryos, as shown by the success of hES cell derivation, even after years of cryopreservation. Therefore, embryos from prolonged cryopreservation could be an alternative source for embryonic stem cell research. PMID:23514952

Number of blastocysts biopsied as a predictive indicator to obtain at least one normal/balanced embryo following preimplantation genetic diagnosis with single nucleotide polymorphism microarray in translocation cases.

PubMed

Wang, Yi-Zi; Ding, Chen-Hui; Wang, Jing; Zeng, Yan-Hong; Zhou, Wen; Li, Rong; Zhou, Can-Quan; Deng, Ming-Fen; Xu, Yan-Wen

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the minimum number of blastocysts for biopsy to increase the likelihood of obtaining at least one normal/balanced embryo in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for translocation carriers. This blinded retrospective study included 55 PGD cycles for Robertsonian translocation (RT) and 181 cycles for reciprocal translocation (rcp) to indicate when only one of the couples carried a translocation. Single-nucleotide polymorphism microarray after trophectoderm biopsy was performed. Reliable results were obtained for 355/379 (93.7 %) biopsied blastocysts in RT group and 986/1053 (93.6 %) in rcp group. Mean numbers of biopsied embryos per patient, normal/balanced embryos per patient, and mean normal/balanced embryo rate per patient were 7.4, 3.1, and 40.7 % in RT group and 8.0, 2.1, and 27.3 %, respectively, in rcp group. In a regression model, three factors significantly affected the number of genetically transferrable embryos: number of biopsied embryos (P = 0.001), basal FSH level (P = 0.040), and maternal age (P = 0.027). ROC analysis with a cutoff of 1.5 was calculated for the number of biopsied embryos required to obtain at least one normal/balanced embryo for RT carriers. For rcp carriers, the cutoff was 3.5. The clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was 44.2 and 42.6 % in RT and rcp groups (P = 0.836). The minimum numbers of blastocysts to obtain at least one normal/balanced embryo for RT and rcp were 2 and 4 under the conditions of female age < 37 years with a basal FSH level < 11.4 IU/L.

Newsletter on Science, Technology & Human Values, Number 22.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shelanski, Vivien B., Ed.

This publication contains many news items such as meeting and conference descriptions and dates, proposed and current legislative action, publication descriptions, and topical articles. The items all pertain to the impact on humanity of science and technology. In this issue, news items include NSF, NEH, and AAAS meeting and seminar notices,…

The Contribution of Equitation Science to Minimising Horse-Related Risks to Humans.

PubMed

Starling, Melissa; McLean, Andrew; McGreevy, Paul

2016-02-23

Equitation science is an evidence-based approach to horse training and riding that focuses on a thorough understanding of both equine ethology and learning theory. This combination leads to more effective horse training, but also plays a role in keeping horse riders and trainers safe around horses. Equitation science underpins ethical equitation, and recognises the limits of the horse's cognitive and physical abilities. Equitation is an ancient practice that has benefited from a rich tradition that sees it flourishing in contemporary sporting pursuits. Despite its history, horse-riding is an activity for which neither horses nor humans evolved, and it brings with it significant risks to the safety of both species. This review outlines the reasons horses may behave in ways that endanger humans and how training choices can exacerbate this. It then discusses the recently introduced 10 Principles of Equitation Science and explains how following these principles can minimise horse-related risk to humans and enhance horse welfare.

The Role of Human Factors/Ergonomics in the Science of Security: Decision Making and Action Selection in Cyberspace.

PubMed

Proctor, Robert W; Chen, Jing

2015-08-01

The overarching goal is to convey the concept of science of security and the contributions that a scientifically based, human factors approach can make to this interdisciplinary field. Rather than a piecemeal approach to solving cybersecurity problems as they arise, the U.S. government is mounting a systematic effort to develop an approach grounded in science. Because humans play a central role in security measures, research on security-related decisions and actions grounded in principles of human information-processing and decision-making is crucial to this interdisciplinary effort. We describe the science of security and the role that human factors can play in it, and use two examples of research in cybersecurity--detection of phishing attacks and selection of mobile applications--to illustrate the contribution of a scientific, human factors approach. In these research areas, we show that systematic information-processing analyses of the decisions that users make and the actions they take provide a basis for integrating the human component of security science. Human factors specialists should utilize their foundation in the science of applied information processing and decision making to contribute to the science of cybersecurity. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Conducting Science Symposia from A to W: Management and Operation of the Pacific Region Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This document provides administrative, management, supervisory guidance, and other information necessary to successfully conduct and support science symposia for grades 7-12. This text was originally developed by the Pacific Region Junior Science and Humanities Symposium program for participating schools and school districts in the Department of…

Human history and deep time in nineteenth-century British sciences: An introduction.

PubMed

Sera-Shriar, Efram

2015-06-01

The historicisation of humans was a major endeavour in nineteenth-century Britain, and one that led to wide-ranging debates involving a variety of disciplinary approaches, new and old. Within the context of science and medicine these discussions centred on the issues of human origins and evolution. Did the various races living throughout the world develop from a single location, or were their physical and social differences evidence for their separate genesis? Which disciplinary tradition offered the best method for tracing human development? Was it even possible to trace that development, or had too much time passed since the dawn of humans? Furthermore, who had the authority to speak about these matters? This special issue will examine these core questions and introduce some of the ways that researchers attempted to historicise humans within the context of nineteenth-century British sciences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human Research Program Science Management: Overview of Research and Development Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charles, John B.

2007-01-01

An overview of research and development activities of NASA's Human Research Science Management Program is presented. The topics include: 1) Human Research Program Goals; 2) Elements and Projects within HRP; 3) Development and Maintenance of Priorities; 4) Acquisition and Evaluation of Research and Technology Proposals; and 5) Annual Reviews

Caspase activity and expression of cell death genes during development of human preimplantation embryos.

PubMed

Spanos, S; Rice, S; Karagiannis, P; Taylor, D; Becker, D L; Winston, R M L; Hardy, K

2002-09-01

It has been observed that apoptosis occurs in human blastocysts. In other types of cell, the characteristic morphological changes seen in apoptotic cells are executed by caspases, which are regulated by the BCL-2 family of proteins. This study investigated whether these components of the apoptotic cascade are present throughout human preimplantation development. Developing and arrested two pronucleate embryos at all stages were incubated with a fluorescently tagged caspase inhibitor that binds only to active caspases, fixed, counterstained with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) to assess nuclear morphology and examined using confocal microscopy. Active caspases were detected only after compaction, at the morula and blastocyst stages, and were frequently associated with apoptotic nuclei. Occasional labelling was seen in arrested embryos. Expression of proapoptotic BAX and BAD and anti-apoptotic BCL-2 was examined in single embryos using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. BAX and BCL-2 mRNAs were expressed throughout development, whereas BAD mRNA was expressed mainly after compaction. Simultaneous expression of BAX and BCL-2 proteins within individual embryos was confirmed using immunohistochemistry. The onset of caspase activity and BAD expression after compaction correlates with the previously reported appearance of apoptotic nuclei. As in other types of cell, human embryos express common molecular components of the apoptotic cascade, although apoptosis appears to be suppressed before compaction and differentiation.

Inhibition of RHO-ROCK signaling enhances ICM and suppresses TE characteristics through activation of Hippo signaling in the mouse blastocyst

PubMed Central

Kono, Kanako; Tamashiro, Dana Ann A.; Alarcon, Vernadeth B.

2014-01-01

Specification of the trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) lineages in the mouse blastocyst correlates with cell position, as TE derives from outer cells whereas ICM from inner cells. Differences in position are reflected by cell polarization and Hippo signaling. Only in outer cells, the apical-basal cell polarity is established, and Hippo signaling is inhibited in such a manner that LATS1 and 2 (LATS1/2) kinases are prevented from phosphorylating YAP, a key transcriptional co-activator of the TE-specifying gene Cdx2. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate these events are not fully understood. Here, we showed that inhibition of RHO-ROCK signaling enhances ICM and suppresses TE characteristics through activation of Hippo signaling and disruption of apical-basal polarity. Embryos treated with ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 exhibited elevated expression of ICM marker NANOG and reduced expression of CDX2 at the blastocyst stage. Y-27632-treated embryos failed to accumulate YAP in the nucleus, although it was rescued by concomitant inhibition of LATS1/2. Segregation between apical and basal polarity regulators, namely PARD6B, PRKCZ, SCRIB, and LLGL1, was dampened by Y-27632 treatment, whereas some of the polarization events at the late 8-cell stage such as compaction and apical localization of p-ERM and tyrosinated tubulin occurred normally. Similar abnormalities of Hippo signaling and apical-basal polarization were also observed in embryos that were treated with RHO GTPases inhibitor. These results suggest that RHO-ROCK signaling plays an essential role in regulating Hippo signaling and cell polarization to enable proper specification of the ICM and TE lineages. PMID:24997360

Frontiers of Life Sciences: The Human Exploration of the Moon and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, Regina M.; Pellis, Neal R.

2005-01-01

The rapid development of the productive processes after World War II extended human settlements into new ecological niches. Advances in Life Sciences played a decisive role supporting the establishment of human presence in areas of the planet where human life could have not existed otherwise. The evolution of life support systems, and the fabrication of new materials and technologies has enabled humans to inhabit Polar Regions, ocean surfaces and depths; and to leave Earth and occupy Low Earth Orbit. By the end of the 20 th Century, stations in the Antarctic and Arctic, off shore oil platforms, submarines, and space stations had become the ultimate demonstration of human ability to engineer habitats at Earth extreme environments and outer space. As we enter the 21st Century, the next development of human settlements will occur through the exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The major risks of space exploration derive from long exposure of humans and other life systems to radiation, microgravity, isolation and confinement, dependence on artificial life support systems, and unknown effects (e.g., altered magnetic fields, ultrahigh vacuum on bacteria, fungi, etc.). Countermeasures will require a complete characterization of human and other biological systems adaptation processes. To sustain life in transit and on the surface of the Moon and Mars will require a balance of spacecraft, cargo, astronaut crews, and the use of in situ resources. Limitations on the number of crewmembers, payloads, and the barrenness of the terrain require a novel design for the capabilities needed in transit and at exploration outpost sites. The planned destinations have resources that may be accessed to produce materials, food, shelter, power, and to provide an environment compatible with successful occupation of longterm exploration sites. Once more, the advancements of Life Sciences will be essential for the design of interplanetary voyages and planetary surface operations. This

Higher Education and Employment: The Changing Relationship. The Case of the Humanities and Social Science. Country Study: Sweden.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Dan; And Others

This report, one of a series of country studies on higher education and employment, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, looks at employment for social science and humanities graduates in Sweden. Following an introduction in section 1, section 2 offers a short description of the evolution of humanities and social sciences in Swedish…

The Cultural Argument for Understanding Nature of Science. A Chance to Reflect on Similarities and Differences Between Science and Humanities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiners, Christiane S.; Bliersbach, Markus; Marniok, Karl

2017-07-01

Understanding Nature of Science (NOS) is a central component of scientific literacy, which is agreed upon internationally, and consequently has been a major educational goal for many years all over the globe. In order to justify the promotion of an adequate understanding of NOS, educators have developed several arguments, among them the cultural argument. But what is behind this argument? In order to answer this question, C. P. Snow's vision of two cultures was used as a starting point. In his famous Rede Lecture from 1959, he complained about a wide gap between the arts and humanities on the one hand and sciences on the other hand. While the representatives of the humanities refer to themselves as real intellectuals, the scientists felt rather ignored as a culture, despite the fact that their achievements had been so important for Western society. Thus, Snow argued that as these intellectual cultures were completely different from each other, a mutual understanding was impossible. The first European Regional IHPST Conference took up the cultural view on science again. Thus, the topic of the conference "Science as Culture in the European Context" encouraged us to look at the two cultures and to figure out possibilities to bridge the gap between them in chemistry teacher education. For this reason, we put together three studies—one theoretical and two independent research projects (one dealing with creativity in science, the other with scientific laws and theories) which contribute to our main research field (promoting an understanding of NOS)—in order to address the cultural argument for understanding science from an educational point of view. Among the consented tenets of what understanding NOS implies in an educational context, there are aspects which are associated mainly with the humanities, like the tentativeness of knowledge, creativity, and social tradition, whereas others seem to have a domain-specific meaning, like empirical evidence, theories and laws

Truth in Packaging: Teaching Controversial Topics to Undergraduates in the Human Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredericks, Marcel; Miller, Steven I.

1993-01-01

Argues that the behavioral or "human" sciences are fundamentally different in scope and intent from the natural sciences. Describes the use of controversial topics in undergraduate courses and provides a four-step process. Recommends using Karl Popper's falsification theory to help students think critically about issues. (CFR)

The (human) science of medical virtual learning environments.

PubMed

Stone, Robert J

2011-01-27

The uptake of virtual simulation technologies in both military and civilian surgical contexts has been both slow and patchy. The failure of the virtual reality community in the 1990s and early 2000s to deliver affordable and accessible training systems stems not only from an obsessive quest to develop the 'ultimate' in so-called 'immersive' hardware solutions, from head-mounted displays to large-scale projection theatres, but also from a comprehensive lack of attention to the needs of the end users. While many still perceive the science of simulation to be defined by technological advances, such as computing power, specialized graphics hardware, advanced interactive controllers, displays and so on, the true science underpinning simulation--the science that helps to guarantee the transfer of skills from the simulated to the real--is that of human factors, a well-established discipline that focuses on the abilities and limitations of the end user when designing interactive systems, as opposed to the more commercially explicit components of technology. Based on three surgical simulation case studies, the importance of a human factors approach to the design of appropriate simulation content and interactive hardware for medical simulation is illustrated. The studies demonstrate that it is unnecessary to pursue real-world fidelity in all instances in order to achieve psychological fidelity--the degree to which the simulated tasks reproduce and foster knowledge, skills and behaviours that can be reliably transferred to real-world training applications.

The (human) science of medical virtual learning environments

PubMed Central

Stone, Robert J.

2011-01-01

The uptake of virtual simulation technologies in both military and civilian surgical contexts has been both slow and patchy. The failure of the virtual reality community in the 1990s and early 2000s to deliver affordable and accessible training systems stems not only from an obsessive quest to develop the ‘ultimate’ in so-called ‘immersive’ hardware solutions, from head-mounted displays to large-scale projection theatres, but also from a comprehensive lack of attention to the needs of the end users. While many still perceive the science of simulation to be defined by technological advances, such as computing power, specialized graphics hardware, advanced interactive controllers, displays and so on, the true science underpinning simulation—the science that helps to guarantee the transfer of skills from the simulated to the real—is that of human factors, a well-established discipline that focuses on the abilities and limitations of the end user when designing interactive systems, as opposed to the more commercially explicit components of technology. Based on three surgical simulation case studies, the importance of a human factors approach to the design of appropriate simulation content and interactive hardware for medical simulation is illustrated. The studies demonstrate that it is unnecessary to pursue real-world fidelity in all instances in order to achieve psychological fidelity—the degree to which the simulated tasks reproduce and foster knowledge, skills and behaviours that can be reliably transferred to real-world training applications. PMID:21149363

Islamic perspectives on human cloning.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Mahmoud

2007-01-01

The present paper seeks to assess various views from Islamic jurists relating to human cloning, which is one of the controversial topics in the recent past. Taking Islamic jurisprudence principles, such as the rule of necessity for self preservation and respect for human beings, the rule of la darar wa la dirar ('the necessity to refrain from causing harm to oneself and others') and the rule of usr wa haraj, one may indicate that if human cloning could not be prohibited, as such, it could still be opposed because it gives way to various harmful consequences, which include family disorder, chaos in the clone's family relationships, physical and mental diseases for clones and suffering of egg donors and surrogate mothers. However with due attention to the fact that the reasons behind the prohibition of abortion only restrict the destruction of human embryos in their post-implantation stages, human cloning for biomedical research and exploitation of stem cells from cloned embryos at the blastocyst stage for therapeutic purposes would be acceptable.

'Nature and the Greeks' and 'Science and Humanism'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrödinger, Erwin

2014-11-01

Foreword; Part I. Nature and the Greeks: 1. The motives for returning to ancient thought; 2. The competition, reason v. senses; 3. The Pythagoreans; 4. The Ionian enlightenment; 5. The religion of Xenophanes, Heraclitus of Ephesus; 6. The atomists; 7. What are the special features?; Part II. Science and Humanism: 1. The spiritual bearing of science on life; 2. The practical achievements of science tending to obliterate its true import; 3. A radical change in our ideas of matter; 4. Form, not substance, the fundamental concept; 5. The nature of our 'models'; 6. Continuous descriptions and causality; 7. The intricacy of the continuum; 8. The makeshift of wave mechanics; 9. The alleged breakdown of the barrier between subject and object; 10. Atoms or quanta - the counter-spell of old standing, to escape the intricacy of the continuum; 11. Would physical indeterminacy give free will a chance?; 12. The bar to prediction, according to Niels Bohr; Literature.

In-vitro developmental potential of individual mouse blastomeres cultured with and without zona pellucida: future implications for human assisted reproduction.

PubMed

Illmensee, K; Kaskar, K; Zavos, P M

2006-08-01

This study was designed to compare the developmental potential of individual blastomeres derived from 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-cell mouse embryos cultured with and without zona pellucida (ZP). In the first series, one, three, five and seven blastomeres were biopsied from 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-cell embryos respectively, and inserted individually into empty ZP recipients, leaving the remaining blastomere within its original ZP. In the second series, the same protocol was used except that the biopsied blastomeres were cultured without ZP and compared with the remaining blastomere within its original ZP. For the first series, individual blastomeres derived from 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-cell embryos cultured with ZP showed blastocyst development of 82.4, 68.6, 44.4 and 23.1% respectively, with corresponding hatching rates of 70.6, 60.0, 25.9 and 7.7%. For the second series, individual blastomeres cultured without ZP progressed with blastocyst development of 73.3, 64.5, 35.7 and 22.7% respectively. Blastocyst multiplication was achieved most efficiently when using individual blastomeres from 4- and 6-cell embryos. This is the first report on comparative in-vitro propagation of single blastomeres derived from various cleavage stages in a mammalian species. Blastomere cloning with its multiple applications may be envisaged for human assisted reproductive technologies.

Interspecies Chimerism with Mammalian Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Wu, Jun; Platero-Luengo, Aida; Sakurai, Masahiro; Sugawara, Atsushi; Gil, Maria Antonia; Yamauchi, Takayoshi; Suzuki, Keiichiro; Bogliotti, Yanina Soledad; Cuello, Cristina; Morales Valencia, Mariana; Okumura, Daiji; Luo, Jingping; Vilariño, Marcela; Parrilla, Inmaculada; Soto, Delia Alba; Martinez, Cristina A; Hishida, Tomoaki; Sánchez-Bautista, Sonia; Martinez-Martinez, M Llanos; Wang, Huili; Nohalez, Alicia; Aizawa, Emi; Martinez-Redondo, Paloma; Ocampo, Alejandro; Reddy, Pradeep; Roca, Jordi; Maga, Elizabeth A; Esteban, Concepcion Rodriguez; Berggren, W Travis; Nuñez Delicado, Estrella; Lajara, Jeronimo; Guillen, Isabel; Guillen, Pedro; Campistol, Josep M; Martinez, Emilio A; Ross, Pablo Juan; Izpisua Belmonte, Juan Carlos

2017-01-26

Interspecies blastocyst complementation enables organ-specific enrichment of xenogenic pluripotent stem cell (PSC) derivatives. Here, we establish a versatile blastocyst complementation platform based on CRISPR-Cas9-mediated zygote genome editing and show enrichment of rat PSC-derivatives in several tissues of gene-edited organogenesis-disabled mice. Besides gaining insights into species evolution, embryogenesis, and human disease, interspecies blastocyst complementation might allow human organ generation in animals whose organ size, anatomy, and physiology are closer to humans. To date, however, whether human PSCs (hPSCs) can contribute to chimera formation in non-rodent species remains unknown. We systematically evaluate the chimeric competency of several types of hPSCs using a more diversified clade of mammals, the ungulates. We find that naïve hPSCs robustly engraft in both pig and cattle pre-implantation blastocysts but show limited contribution to post-implantation pig embryos. Instead, an intermediate hPSC type exhibits higher degree of chimerism and is able to generate differentiated progenies in post-implantation pig embryos. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Social Sciences and Humanities in Health in ABRASCO: the construction of social theory in health.

PubMed

Ianni, Aurea Maria Zöllner; Spadacio, Cristiane; Barboza, Renato; Alves, Olga Sofia Fabergé; Viana, Sabrina Daniela Lopes; Rocha, Ane Talita

2014-11-01

The development of recent social thinking in health in Brazil is associated with the establishment of the Public Health field and the Brazilian Association of Graduate Studies in Public Health (ABRASCO). The area of Social Sciences in Health was created together with the founding of ABRASCO. This article presents the main aspects related to the establishment and institutionalization of Social Sciences in Health in ABRASCO, based on interviews with its presidents and the coordinators of the Social Sciences Committees from 1995 to 2011. The interviews allowed capturing and analyzing the context in which this field was established and its relevance and history in Public Health as a whole, grouped in five analytical categories: (1) the development of Social Sciences and the Humanities in Health; (2) interdisciplinarity in Public Health; (3) the contribution of Social Sciences to Public Health; (4) Social Sciences in Health and the "traditional" Social Sciences; and (5) challenges for Social Sciences and the Humanities in Health.

Science and technology integration for increased human potential and societal outcomes.

PubMed

Roco, Mihail C

2004-05-01

Unifying science based on the material unity of nature at the nanoscale provides a new foundation for knowledge, innovation, and integration of technology. Revolutionary and synergistic advances at the interfaces between previously separated fields of science, engineering and areas of relevance are ready to create nano-bio-info-cogno (NBIC) transforming tools. Developments in systems approach, mathematics, and computation in conjunction with NBIC allow us to understand the natural world and scientific research as closely coupled, complex, hierarchical entities. At this unique moment of scientific and technical achievement, improvement of human performance at individual and group levels, as well as development of suitable revolutionary products, becomes possible and these are primary goals for converging new technologies. NBIC addresses long-term advances in key areas of human activity, including working, learning, aging, group interaction, organizations, and human evolution ((Roco and Bainbridge, 2003)). Fundamentally new tools, technologies, and products will be integrated into individual and social human architecture. This introductory chapter of the Annals outlines research and education trends, funding activities, and the potential of development of revolutionary products and services.

Effects of the histone deacetylase inhibitor 'Scriptaid' on the developmental competence of mouse embryos generated through round spermatid injection.

PubMed

Kong, Pengcheng; Yin, Mingru; Chen, Dongbao; Li, Shangang; Li, Yao; Xing, Fengying; Jiang, Manxi; Fang, Zhenfu; Lyu, Qifeng; Chen, Xuejin

2017-01-01

(38%) and further increased the birth rates of ROSI-derived embryos from 21% to 40% in vivo. Moreover, in ROSI-derived embryos, the expression of the Oct4, Nanog and Sox2 genes at the blastocyst stage was decreased, but the optimal Scriptaid treatment restored expression to a level similar to their ICSI counterparts. In addition, Scriptaid treatment moderately repaired the abnormal DNA methylation pattern in the imprinting control regions (ICRs) of H19 and Snrpn. N/A LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Because of the ethics regarding the use of human gametes for ROSI studies, the mouse model was used as an approach to explore the effects of Scriptaid on the developmental potential of ROSI-derived embryos. However, to determine whether these findings can be applied to humans, further investigation will be required. Scriptaid treatment provides a new means of improving the efficiency and safety of clinical human ROSI. The study was financially supported through grants from the National Key Research Program of China (No. 2016YFC1304800); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos: 81170756, 81571486); the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (Nos: 15140901700, 15ZR1424900) and the Programme for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Life and Microgravity Sciences Spacelab Mission: Human Research Pilot Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnaud, Sara B. (Editor); Walker, Karen R. (Editor); Hargens, Alan (Editor)

1996-01-01

The Life Sciences, Microgravity Science and Spacelab Mission contains a number of human experiments directed toward identifying the functional, metabolic and neurological characteristics of muscle weakness and atrophy during space flight. To ensure the successful completion of the flight experiments, a ground-based pilot study, designed to mimic the flight protocols as closely as possible, was carried out in the head-down tilt bed rest model. This report records the rationales, procedures, preliminary results and estimated value of the pilot study, the first of its kind, for 12 of the 13 planned experiments in human research. The bed rest study was conducted in the Human Research Facility at Ames Research Center from July 11 - August 28, 1995. Eight healthy male volunteers performed the experiments before, during and after 17 days bed rest. The immediate purposes of this simulation were to integrate the experiments, provide data in a large enough sample for publication of results, enable investigators to review individual experiments in the framework of a multi-disciplinary study and relay the experience of the pilot study to the mission specialists prior to launch.

An Engineering Student's Guide to the Humanities & Social Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Colleges, Washington, DC.

Undergraduate engineering students and their advisors are provided with a handbook to help improve the quality and coherence of the humanities and social sciences (H&SS) component of undergraduate engineering education (fostering more purposeful H&SS course selection). The first of this handbook's three sections has an engineering major…

Biology, politics, and the emerging science of human nature.

PubMed

Fowler, James H; Schreiber, Darren

2008-11-07

In the past 50 years, biologists have learned a tremendous amount about human brain function and its genetic basis. At the same time, political scientists have been intensively studying the effect of the social and institutional environment on mass political attitudes and behaviors. However, these separate fields of inquiry are subject to inherent limitations that may only be resolved through collaboration across disciplines. We describe recent advances and argue that biologists and political scientists must work together to advance a new science of human nature.

Science and Human Behavior at fifty.

PubMed Central

Pilgrim, Carol

2003-01-01

The golden anniversary of Science and Human Behavior is cause for celebration. Toward that end, the present paper is largely an historical consideration of the book, its inception and reception, both at the time of its publication and in subsequent years. The range and intensity of reactions to S&HB mark its impact and show it to be among Skinner's most important works, if not the most important. S&HB was written as an introductory psychology text--a vigorous use of the book in our teaching could do much to benefit the dissemination of behavior analysis. PMID:14964713

The science behind One Health: at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment.

PubMed

Murtaugh, Michael P; Steer, Clifford J; Sreevatsan, Srinand; Patterson, Ned; Kennedy, Shaun; Sriramarao, P

2017-05-01

Humans face a grand quality-of-life challenge as growing demands for resources for an ever-expanding population threaten the existence of wildlife populations, degrade land, and pollute air and water. Public investment and policy decisions that will shape future interactions of humans, animals, and the environment need scientific input to help find common ground for durable and sustainable success. The Second International Conference on One Medicine One Science brought together a broad range of scientists, trainees, regulatory authorities, and health experts from 34 countries to inform and discuss the human impacts of air quality; the complexities of water quality, access, and conflicts; the opportunities and uncertainties in precision medicine; and the role of science communication in health policy formulation. Workshops focused on the roles and development of physician-scientists and multidisciplinary teams in complex problem solving, Big Data tools for analysis and visualization, international policy development processes, and health models that benefit animals and humans. Key realizations were that local and regional health challenges at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment are variations of the same overarching conflicts and that international gatherings provide new opportunities for investigation and policy development that are broadly applicable. © 2017 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

Contrasts Between Science and Humanities Majors in Undergraduate Outcomes and Activities. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pace, C. Robert

This paper seeks evidence of a culture gulf, first voiced by C.P. Snow in 1959, between science and humanities as reflected in the understanding which undergraduate science and humanities majors have of the other field. The 1995 study evaluated responses of students at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and California's Humboldt State…

Learning Research as a Human Science: Old Wine in New Bottles?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penuel, William R.; O'Connor, Kevin

2010-01-01

Taken as a whole, this volume can be viewed as an argument for reframing learning research as a human science, one focused on interpreting learning situations and organizing for improving learning in ways that put human agency, values, and engagement with social practices at the center. Each chapter illuminates one or more elements of a human…

Integrating the Human Sciences to Evolve Effective Policies

PubMed Central

Biglan, Anthony; Cody, Christine

2012-01-01

This paper describes an evolutionary perspective on human development and wellbeing and contrasts it with the model of self-interest that is prominent in economics. The two approaches have considerably different implications for how human wellbeing might be improved. Research in psychology, prevention science, and neuroscience is converging on an evolutionary account of the importance of two contrasting suites of social behavior—prosociality vs. antisocial behaviors (crime, drug abuse, risky sexual behavior) and related problems such as depression. Prosociality of individuals and groups evolves in environments that minimize toxic biological and social conditions, promote and richly reinforce prosocial behavior and attitudes, limit opportunities for antisocial behavior, and nurture the pursuit of prosocial values. Conversely, antisocial behavior and related problems emerge in environments that are high in threat and conflict. Over the past 30 years, randomized trials have shown numerous family, school, and community interventions to prevent most problem behaviors and promote prosociality. Research has also shown that poverty and economic inequality are major risk factors for the development of problem behaviors. The paper describes policies that can reduce poverty and benefit youth development. Although it is clear that the canonical economic model of rational self-interest has made a significant contribution to the science of economics, the evidence reviewed here shows that it must be reconciled with an evolutionary perspective on human development and wellbeing if society is going to evolve public policies that advance the health and wellbeing of the entire population. PMID:23833332

Stem cells, embryos, and the environment: a context for both science and ethics.

PubMed

Towns, C R; Jones, D G

2004-08-01

Debate on the potential and uses of human stem cells tends to be conducted by two constituencies-ethicists and scientists. On many occasions there is little communication between the two, with the result that ethical debate is not informed as well as it might be by scientific insights. The aim of this paper is to highlight those scientific insights that may be of relevance for ethical debate. Environmental factors play a significant role in identifying stem cells and their various subtypes. Research related to the role of the microenvironment has led to emphasis upon "plasticity", which denotes the ability of one type of stem cell to undergo a transition to cells from other lineages. This could increase the value given to adult stem cells, in comparison with embryonic stem cell research. Any such conclusion should be treated with caution, however, since optimism of this order is not borne out by current research. The role of the environment is also important in distinguishing between the terms totipotency and pluripotency. We argue that blastocysts (early embryos) and embryonic stem cells are only totipotent if they can develop within an appropriate environment. In the absence of this, they are merely pluripotent. Hence, blastocysts in the laboratory are potentially totipotent, in contrast to their counterparts within the human body which are actually totipotent. This may have implications for ethical debate, suggesting as it does that arguments based on potential for life may be of limited relevance.

An International Workshop on Primary Science. Report on the Primary Science Workshop Held after the Conference in Science and Technology Education and Future Human Needs (Bangalore, India, August 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harlen, Wynne, Comp.

A conference on science and technology and future human needs was attended by over 300 science educators from 64 countries. Educators with particular interest in primary science and technology education extended their stay for an additional seminar. This report highlights the events of that seminar. Contents include: (1) recent and on-going work…

Double-edged sword of interdisciplinary knowledge flow from hard sciences to humanities and social sciences: Evidence from China.

PubMed

Liu, Meijun; Shi, Dongbo; Li, Jiang

2017-01-01

Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) increasingly absorb knowledge from Hard Sciences, i.e., Science, Technology, Agriculture and Medicine (STAM), as testified by a growing number of citations. However, whether citing more Hard Sciences brings more citations to HSS remains to be investigated. Based on China's HSS articles indexed by the Web of Science during 1998-2014, this paper estimated two-way fixed effects negative binomial models, with journal effects and year effects. Findings include: (1) An inverse U-shaped curve was observed between the percentage of STAM references to the HSS articles and the number of citations they received; (2) STAM contributed increasing knowledge to China's HSS, while Science and Technology knowledge contributed more citations to HSS articles. It is recommended that research policy should be adjusted to encourage HSS researchers to adequately integrate STAM knowledge when conducting interdisciplinary research, as over-cited STAM knowledge may jeopardize the readability of HSS articles.

Double-edged sword of interdisciplinary knowledge flow from hard sciences to humanities and social sciences: Evidence from China

PubMed Central

Liu, Meijun; Shi, Dongbo

2017-01-01

Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) increasingly absorb knowledge from Hard Sciences, i.e., Science, Technology, Agriculture and Medicine (STAM), as testified by a growing number of citations. However, whether citing more Hard Sciences brings more citations to HSS remains to be investigated. Based on China’s HSS articles indexed by the Web of Science during 1998–2014, this paper estimated two-way fixed effects negative binomial models, with journal effects and year effects. Findings include: (1) An inverse U-shaped curve was observed between the percentage of STAM references to the HSS articles and the number of citations they received; (2) STAM contributed increasing knowledge to China’s HSS, while Science and Technology knowledge contributed more citations to HSS articles. It is recommended that research policy should be adjusted to encourage HSS researchers to adequately integrate STAM knowledge when conducting interdisciplinary research, as over-cited STAM knowledge may jeopardize the readability of HSS articles. PMID:28934277

Analysis of compaction initiation in human embryos by using time-lapse cinematography.

PubMed

Iwata, Kyoko; Yumoto, Keitaro; Sugishima, Minako; Mizoguchi, Chizuru; Kai, Yoshiteru; Iba, Yumiko; Mio, Yasuyuki

2014-04-01

To analyze the initiation of compaction in human embryos in vitro by using time-lapse cinematography (TLC), with the goal of determining the precise timing of compaction and clarifying the morphological changes underlying the compaction process. One hundred and fifteen embryos donated by couples with no further need for embryo-transfer were used in this study. Donated embryos were thawed and processed, and then their morphological behavior during the initiation of compaction was dynamically observed via time-lapse cinematography (TLC) for 5 days. Although the initiation of compaction occurred throughout the period from the 4-cell to 16-cell stage, 99 (86.1 %) embryos initiated compaction at the 8-cell stage or later, with initiation at the 8-cell stage being most frequent (22.6 %). Of these 99 embryos, 49.5 % developed into good-quality blastocysts. In contrast, of the 16 (13.9 %) embryos that initiated compaction prior to the 8-cell stage, only 18.8 % developed into good-quality blastocysts. Embryos that initiated compaction before the 8-cell stage showed significantly higher numbers of multinucleated blastomeres, due to asynchronism in nuclear division at the third mitotic division resulting from cytokinetic failure. The initiation of compaction primarily occurs at the third mitotic division or later in human embryos. Embryos that initiate compaction before the 8-cell stage are usually associated with aberrant embryonic development (i.e., cytokinetic failure accompanied by karyokinesis).

The influence of early embryo traits on human embryonic stem cell derivation efficiency.

PubMed

O'Leary, Thomas; Heindryckx, Björn; Lierman, Sylvie; Van der Jeught, Margot; Menten, Björn; Deforce, Dieter; Cornelissen, Ria; de Sousa Lopes, Susana Chuva; De Sutter, Petra

2011-05-01

Despite its prognostic value in in vitro fertilization, early embryo morphology is not reported on in the derivation of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. Standard hESC derivation does rely on blastocyst development and its efficiency is highly correlated to inner cell mass (ICM) quality. Poor-quality embryos (PQEs) donated for hESC derivation may have a range of cleavage-stage abnormalities that are known to compromise further development. This study was implemented to determine whether specific PQEs traits influence the efficiency of good-quality ICMs to derive new hESC lines. We found that although the types of PQEs investigated were all able to make blastocysts with good-quality ICMs, the ICMs were unequal in their ability to derive hESCs. Good-quality ICMs from embryos with multiple poor-quality traits were unable to generate hESC lines, in contrast to good-quality ICMs from embryos with a single poor-quality trait. In addition, our data suggest a direct correlation between the number of ICM cells present in the blastocyst and its capacity to derive new hESC lines. This study is the first to demonstrate that ICM quality alone is an incomplete indicator of hESC derivation and that application of in vitro fertilization-based early embryo scoring can help predict hESC derivation efficiency. Experiments aiming to quantify, improve upon, or compare hESC derivation efficiency should thus take into consideration early embryo morphology scoring for the comparison of groups with equal developmental competence.

Learning about the Human Body. Superific Science Book IV. A Good Apple Science Activity Book for Grades 5-8+.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Lorraine

Designed to supplement a basic life science or biology program, this document provides teachers with experiential learning activities dealing with the human body. The learning activities vary in the length of time needed for their completion, and require a minimum of equipment and materials. The activities focus on: (1) the human skeleton; (2)…

Oocyte, embryo and blastocyst cryopreservation in ART: systematic review and meta-analysis comparing slow-freezing versus vitrification to produce evidence for the development of global guidance.

PubMed

Rienzi, Laura; Gracia, Clarisa; Maggiulli, Roberta; LaBarbera, Andrew R; Kaser, Daniel J; Ubaldi, Filippo M; Vanderpoel, Sheryl; Racowsky, Catherine

2017-03-01

Successful cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos is essential not only to maximize the safety and efficacy of ovarian stimulation cycles in an IVF treatment, but also to enable fertility preservation. Two cryopreservation methods are routinely used: slow-freezing or vitrification. Slow-freezing allows for freezing to occur at a sufficiently slow rate to permit adequate cellular dehydration while minimizing intracellular ice formation. Vitrification allows the solidification of the cell(s) and of the extracellular milieu into a glass-like state without the formation of ice. The objective of our study was to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical outcomes following slow-freezing/thawing versus vitrification/warming of oocytes and embryos and to inform the development of World Health Organization guidance on the most effective cryopreservation method. A Medline search was performed from 1966 to 1 August 2016 using the following search terms: (Oocyte(s) [tiab] OR (Pronuclear[tiab] OR Embryo[tiab] OR Blastocyst[tiab]) AND (vitrification[tiab] OR freezing[tiab] OR freeze[tiab]) AND (pregnancy[tiab] OR birth[tiab] OR clinical[tiab]). Queries were limited to those involving humans. RCTs and cohort studies that were published in full-length were considered eligible. Each reference was reviewed for relevance and only primary evidence and relevant articles from the bibliographies of included articles were considered. References were included if they reported cryosurvival rate, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live-birth rate (LBR) or delivery rate for slow-frozen or vitrified human oocytes or embryos. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to calculate relative risk ratios (RR) and 95% CI. One RCT study comparing slow-freezing versus vitrification of oocytes was included. Vitrification was associated with increased ongoing CPR per cycle (RR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.05-7.51; P = 0.039; 48 and 30 cycles, respectively, per transfer (RR = 1

Human-Nature Relationships in School Science: A Critical Discourse Analysis of a Middle-Grade Science Textbook

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Ajay; Buxton, Cory A.

2015-01-01

Science education has a central role to play in preparing a scientifically literate citizenry that is capable of understanding complex environmental challenges facing human societies and making well-informed and evidence-based decisions that help resolve these challenges. However, evidence suggests that most Americans are poorly equipped with the…

Kilowatt-Class Fission Power Systems for Science and Human Precursor Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Lee S.; Gibson, Marc Andrew; Poston, Dave

2013-01-01

Nuclear power provides an enabling capability for NASA missions that might otherwise be constrained by power availability, mission duration, or operational robustness. NASA and the Department of Energy (DOE) are developing fission power technology to serve a wide range of future space uses. Advantages include lower mass, longer life, and greater mission flexibility than competing power system options. Kilowatt-class fission systems, designated "Kilopower," were conceived to address the need for systems to fill the gap above the current 100-W-class radioisotope power systems being developed for science missions and below the typical 100-k We-class reactor power systems being developed for human exploration missions. This paper reviews the current fission technology project and examines some Kilopower concepts that could be used to support future science missions or human precursors.

Kilowatt-Class Fission Power Systems for Science and Human Precursor Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Lee; Gibson, Marc; Poston, Dave

2013-01-01

Nuclear power provides an enabling capability for NASA missions that might otherwise be constrained by power availability, mission duration, or operational robustness. NASA and the Department of Energy (DOE) are developing fission power technology to serve a wide range of future space uses. Advantages include lower mass, longer life, and greater mission flexibility than competing power system options. Kilowatt-class fission systems, designated "Kilopower," were conceived to address the need for systems to fill the gap above the current 100-Wclass radioisotope power systems being developed for science missions and below the typical 100-kWe-class reactor power systems being developed for human exploration missions. This paper reviews the current fission technology project and examines some Kilopower concepts that could be used to support future science missions or human precursors.

Increased risk of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies after blastocyst versus Day 3 embryo transfer: Canadian ART Register (CARTR) analysis.

PubMed

Dar, S; Librach, C L; Gunby, J; Bissonnette, F; Cowan, L

2013-04-01

Are the fetal outcomes of singleton pregnancies that result from cleavage stage embryo transfer (ET) different from the outcomes from Day 5/6 blastocyst stage ET? There was a significantly higher risk of preterm birth (<37 weeks) in singletons after extended embryo culture (Day 5/6) compared with cleavage stage (Day 3) transfer. Two recent studies, from Sweden and the USA, reported an increased risk of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies after Day 5/6 ET compared with Day 3 ET. The US study also showed increased early preterm births and the Swedish study showed increased fetal malformations in this group. A retrospective cohort study was performed. Data were collected from the Canadian ART Register database for all singleton births after fresh IVF/ICSI ET cycles (2001-2009). A total of 12 712 singleton births were included. Of these, 9506 resulted from a Day 3 ET and 3206 resulted from a blastocyst (Day 5/6) ET. Preterm birth rate <37 weeks (unadjusted by potential confounding factors) was higher with Day 5/6 versus Day 3 transfers (17.2 versus 14.1%, P < 0.001). Using logistic regression analysis to adjust for confounding factors, preterm birth rate <37 weeks was the only outcome significantly increased after Day 5/6 compared with Day 3 transfer (odds ratio 1.32, 95% confidence interval 1.17-1.49). The following confounding factors were adjusted for: year of treatment (2001-2009), maternal age (continuous), parity (0 versus ≥1 birth), diagnosis category, number of oocytes retrieved [≤20 versus >20 (high responder group)], insemination method (IVF versus ICSI), number of embryos transferred (1, 2 or ≥3) and the presence of a vanishing twin (≥1 fetal heart on the initial ultrasonographic examination). Post-natal follow-up studies will be required to determine if this difference we observed translates into adverse long-term effects on these offspring. The rate of early preterm births (<32 weeks) was higher in Day 5/6 versus Day 3, but the low number of

Human Error and the International Space Station: Challenges and Triumphs in Science Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Samantha S.; Simpson, Beau C.

2016-01-01

Any system with a human component is inherently risky. Studies in human factors and psychology have repeatedly shown that human operators will inevitably make errors, regardless of how well they are trained. Onboard the International Space Station (ISS) where crew time is arguably the most valuable resource, errors by the crew or ground operators can be costly to critical science objectives. Operations experts at the ISS Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC), located at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, have learned that from payload concept development through execution, there are countless opportunities to introduce errors that can potentially result in costly losses of crew time and science. To effectively address this challenge, we must approach the design, testing, and operation processes with two specific goals in mind. First, a systematic approach to error and human centered design methodology should be implemented to minimize opportunities for user error. Second, we must assume that human errors will be made and enable rapid identification and recoverability when they occur. While a systematic approach and human centered development process can go a long way toward eliminating error, the complete exclusion of operator error is not a reasonable expectation. The ISS environment in particular poses challenging conditions, especially for flight controllers and astronauts. Operating a scientific laboratory 250 miles above the Earth is a complicated and dangerous task with high stakes and a steep learning curve. While human error is a reality that may never be fully eliminated, smart implementation of carefully chosen tools and techniques can go a long way toward minimizing risk and increasing the efficiency of NASA's space science operations.

Can the science of communication inform the art of the medical humanities?

PubMed

Bleakley, Alan; Marshall, Robert

2013-02-01

There is increasing interest in establishing the medical humanities as core integrated provision in undergraduate medicine curricula, but sceptics point to the lack of evidence for their impact upon patient care. Further, the medical humanities culture has often failed to provide a convincing theoretical rationale for the inclusion of the arts and humanities in medical education. Poor communication with colleagues and patients is the main factor in creating the conditions for medical error; this is grounded in a historically determined refusal of democracy within medical work. The medical humanities may play a critical role in educating for democracy in medical culture generally, and in improving communication in medical students specifically, as both demand high levels of empathy. Studies in the science of communication can provide a valuable evidence base justifying the inclusion of the medical humanities in the core curriculum. A case is made for the potential of the medical humanities--as a form of 'adult play'--to educate for collaboration and tolerance of ambiguity or uncertainty, providing a key element of the longer-term democratising force necessary to change medical culture and promote safer practice. The arts and humanities can provide important contextual media through which the lessons learned from the science of communication in medicine can be translated and promoted as forms of medical education. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2013.

Human embryonic stem cell lines derived from single blastomeres of two 4-cell stage embryos

PubMed Central

Geens, Mieke; Mateizel, Ileana; Sermon, Karen; De Rycke, Martine; Spits, Claudia; Cauffman, Greet; Devroey, Paul; Tournaye, Herman; Liebaers, Inge; Van de Velde, Hilde

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND Recently, we demonstrated that single blastomeres of a 4-cell stage human embryo are able to develop into blastocysts with inner cell mass and trophectoderm. To further investigate potency at the 4-cell stage, we aimed to derive pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESC) from single blastomeres. METHODS Four 4-cell stage embryos were split on Day 2 of preimplantation development and the 16 blastomeres were individually cultured in sequential medium. On Day 3 or 4, the blastomere-derived embryos were plated on inactivated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). RESULTS Ten out of sixteen blastomere-derived morulae attached to the MEFs, and two produced an outgrowth. They were mechanically passaged onto fresh MEFs as described for blastocyst ICM-derived hESC, and shown to express the typical stemness markers by immunocytochemistry and/or RT–PCR. In vivo pluripotency was confirmed by the presence of all three germ layers in the teratoma obtained after injection in immunodeficient mice. The first hESC line displays a mosaic normal/abnormal 46, XX, dup(7)(q33qter), del(18)(q23qter) karyotype. The second hESC line displays a normal 46, XY karyotype. CONCLUSION We report the successful derivation and characterization of two hESC lines from single blastomeres of four split 4-cell stage human embryos. These two hESC lines were derived from distinct embryos, proving that at least one of the 4-cell stage blastomeres is pluripotent. PMID:19633307

People and the Arctic: A Prospectus for Research on the Human Dimensions of the Arctic System (HARC) for the National Science Foundation Arctic System Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arctic Research Consortium of the United States, Fairbanks, AK.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program was established in 1990 to develop scientific projections of anticipated impacts of the changing biosphere on humans and social systems. As part of this program, the National Science Foundation created the Arctic System Science Program (ARCSS). This document describes the ARCSS Human Dimensions of the Arctic…

The Science of Human Nature and the Human Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menhand, Lois

2005-01-01

In 1889, German biologist August Weissmann showed that mice whose tails are cut off do not produce short-tailed offspring. It was a step forward for science, but a step backward for civilization. Weissmann's discovery was good for science because, contrary to what many scientists had believed, acquired characteristics are not, of course,…

Caprine blastocyst formation following intracytoplasmic sperm injection and defined culture.

PubMed

Keskintepe, L; Morton, P C; Smith, S E; Tucker, M J; Simplicio, A A; Brackett, B G

1997-08-01

Experiments were undertaken to develop intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to produce caprine embryos out of the normal breeding season. Oocytes were obtained from 2-6 mm ovarian follicles at slaughter. Selected oocytes with two to four layers of cumulus cells were incubated in 1 ml of H-TCM199 supplemented with 10 micrograms each of oFSH and bLH (NHPP, NIDDK, NICHD, USDA) and 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS) in a thermos (38.5 degrees C) for 4.5 h during transportation. Then, oocytes were transferred into 75 microliters of freshly prepared maturation medium under paraffin oil and a mixture of 5% O2, 5% CO2 and 90% N2. Approximately 26 h after recovery oocytes were denuded by incubation with hyaluronidase (100 IU/ml) and pipetting and held at 38.5 degrees C for 90 min. Spermatozoa frozen in egg yolk extender were thawed in a 37 degrees C water bath for 15 s. Motile fractions were selected by swim-up, then incubated for 90 min in TALP with 10 micrograms heparin/ml. Each oocyte was positioned with its first polar body at 6 or 12 o'clock by a holding pipette. Sperm (1 microliter) were added to 10 microliters medium containing 10% polyvinylpyrrolidone. A sperm cell was aspirated into a pipette, and then injected head-first into the cytoplasm of an oocyte maintained in H-TCM199 + 20% FBS at 37 degrees C. Injected oocytes were transferred to HM and, after 90 min, cultured in 50 microliters of BSA-free synthetic oviduct fluid plus polyvinyl alcohol, citrate and non-essential amino acids. Results demonstrate that caprine blastocysts can be produced outside the breeding season by the use of frozen-thawed semen and injection of sperm cells with broken tails into ova followed by culture in defined medium.

Are Sciences Essential and Humanities Elective? Disentangling Competing Claims for Humanities' Research Public Value

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olmos-Peñuela, Julia; Benneworth, Paul; Castro-Martínez, Elena

2015-01-01

Recent policy discourse suggests that arts and humanities research is seen as being less useful to society than other disciplines, notably in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The paper explores how this assumption's construction has been built and whether it is based upon an unfair prejudice: we argue for a prima facie case…

[Human and Social Sciences in the training of the first nurses 'cariocas' and 'paulistanas'].

PubMed

Araújo, Aline Corrêa de; Sanna, Maria Cristina

2011-01-01

This historical and documental study aimed to describe and analyze the place that the Human and Social Sciences occupied in the first curriculum of the Anna Nery Nursing School (EEAN) and of the São Paulo Hospital Nursing School (EEHSP), identifying the similarities and differences between them. As a methodology, the curricula of these schools were analyzed by comparing them and seeking, between primary and secondary sources, information of the contribution of Human and Social Sciences in the training of pioneer nurses in modern nursing in Brazil. It was concluded that the humanities subjects occupied a secondary place in the studied curricula in comparison with the technical disciplines and the utilitarian aspect required by this profession at that time.

Derivation of novel human ground state naive pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Gafni, Ohad; Weinberger, Leehee; Mansour, Abed AlFatah; Manor, Yair S; Chomsky, Elad; Ben-Yosef, Dalit; Kalma, Yael; Viukov, Sergey; Maza, Itay; Zviran, Asaf; Rais, Yoach; Shipony, Zohar; Mukamel, Zohar; Krupalnik, Vladislav; Zerbib, Mirie; Geula, Shay; Caspi, Inbal; Schneir, Dan; Shwartz, Tamar; Gilad, Shlomit; Amann-Zalcenstein, Daniela; Benjamin, Sima; Amit, Ido; Tanay, Amos; Massarwa, Rada; Novershtern, Noa; Hanna, Jacob H

2013-12-12

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, and can be preserved in vitro in a naive inner-cell-mass-like configuration by providing exogenous stimulation with leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and small molecule inhibition of ERK1/ERK2 and GSK3β signalling (termed 2i/LIF conditions). Hallmarks of naive pluripotency include driving Oct4 (also known as Pou5f1) transcription by its distal enhancer, retaining a pre-inactivation X chromosome state, and global reduction in DNA methylation and in H3K27me3 repressive chromatin mark deposition on developmental regulatory gene promoters. Upon withdrawal of 2i/LIF, naive mouse ES cells can drift towards a primed pluripotent state resembling that of the post-implantation epiblast. Although human ES cells share several molecular features with naive mouse ES cells, they also share a variety of epigenetic properties with primed murine epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs). These include predominant use of the proximal enhancer element to maintain OCT4 expression, pronounced tendency for X chromosome inactivation in most female human ES cells, increase in DNA methylation and prominent deposition of H3K27me3 and bivalent domain acquisition on lineage regulatory genes. The feasibility of establishing human ground state naive pluripotency in vitro with equivalent molecular and functional features to those characterized in mouse ES cells remains to be defined. Here we establish defined conditions that facilitate the derivation of genetically unmodified human naive pluripotent stem cells from already established primed human ES cells, from somatic cells through induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell reprogramming or directly from blastocysts. The novel naive pluripotent cells validated herein retain molecular characteristics and functional properties that are highly similar to mouse naive ES cells, and distinct from conventional primed human pluripotent cells. This includes competence in the generation

Humanities and Science: A Necessary Unity for the Counseling Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guterman, Jeffrey T.; Martin, Clayton V.; Kopp, David M.

2012-01-01

This article is a reply to Hansen's (2012) call for the counseling profession to embrace a purely humanistic ideology for counseling. The authors suggest the relationship between humanities and science set forth by Hansen does not emphasize the both-and aspects of these ideologies. An integrative framework is considered for counseling.

Why Women Contribute Less to the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Helen S.

Women do not contribute to the arts, sciences, and humanities commensurate with their talents and potential nor in proportion to the opportunities available to them. This study investigated variables or combinations of variables which best predict lower achievement and career motivation in women: self-esteem, fear of success, vicarious achievement…

Basic Science Research and the Protection of Human Research Participants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiseman, Elisa

2001-03-01

Technological advances in basic biological research have been instrumental in recent biomedical discoveries, such as in the understanding and treatment of cancer, HIV/AIDS, and heart disease. However, many of these advances also raise several new ethical challenges. For example, genetic research may pose no physical risk beyond that of obtaining the initial blood sample, yet it can pose significant psychological and economic risks to research participants, such as stigmatization, discrimination in insurance and employment, invasion of privacy, or breach of confidentiality. These harms may occur even when investigators do not directly interact with the person whose DNA they are studying. Moreover, this type of basic research also raises broader questions, such as what is the definition of a human subject, and what kinds of expertise do Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) need to review the increasingly diverse types of research made possible by these advances in technology. The National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC), a presidentially appointed federal advisory committee, has addressed these and other ethical, scientific and policy issues that arise in basic science research involving human participants. Two of its six reports, in particular, have proposed recommendations in this regard. "Research Involving Human Biological Materials: Ethical and Policy Guidance" addresses the basic research use of human tissues, cells and DNA and the protection of human participants in this type of research. In "Ethical and Policy Issues in the Oversight of Human Research" NBAC proposes a definition of research involving human participants that would apply to all scientific disciplines, including physical, biological, and social sciences, as well as the humanities and related professions, such as business and law. Both of these reports make it clear that the protection of research participants is key to conducting ethically sound research. By ensuring that all participants in

Citizen-science, Geoethics and Human Niche

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohle, Martin

2017-04-01

researching know-how and deploying it, i.e. needs 'citizen geo-scientists' to maintain the human niche. (B) Regarding knowledge-based societies: The rapidly increasing human knowledge base accelerates the scientific-technical revolution. Its industrial-societal implementation confronts societies with numerous change processes. Their speed and scope is a risk as well as the mutual interferences of different change processes that often only get obvious within everyday societal doings. This vigour of change requires robust two-way linkages between research and technological development on one side and societal activities on the other side. Research and development undertaken in cooperation with citizen scientists would improve such linkages, e.g. through increased transparency of research and development or strengthening the sense of belonging of people for their environments. Citizen scientists are a resource, because they are complementary partner to the professional researcher. On one side citizen scientists provide experiences that are rooted in everyday practices and on the other side they facilitate uptake of new practices. Both features are needed in societies that face anthropogenic global change. Summarizing, geoethics affiliates geosciences and 'citizen science' in a particular relationship, i.e. 'citizen geo-science', which is beneficial for knowledge-based societies that are functioning under conditions of anthropogenic global change. [1] http://www.geoethics.org/ (accessed: 8th November 2016) Disclaimer: The views expressed engage the author only, not the employer.

Science strategy for human exploration of Mars.

PubMed

Stoker, C R; McKay, C P; Haberle, R M; Andersen, D T

1992-01-01

The scientific objectives of Mars exploration can be framed within the overarching theme of exploring Mars as another home for life, both for evidence of past or present life on Mars, and as a potential future home for human life. The two major areas of research within this theme are: 1) determining the relationship between planetary evolution, climate change, and life, and 2) determining the habitability of Mars. Within this framework, this paper discusses the exploration objectives for exobiology, climatology and atmospheric science, geology, and martian resource assessment. Human exploration will proceed in four major phases: 1) Precursor missions which will obtain environmental knowledge necessary for human exploration, 2) Emplacement phase which includes the first few human landings where crews will explore the local area of the landing site; 3) Consolidation phase missions where a permanent base will be constructed and crews will be capable of detailed exploration over regional scales; 4) Utilization phase, in which a continuously occupied permanent Mars base exists and humans will be capable of detailed global exploration of the martian surface. The phases of exploration differ primarily in the range and capabilities of human mobility. In the emplacement phase, an unpressurized rover, similar to the Apollo lunar rover, will be used and will have a range of a few tens of kilometers. In the Consolidation phase, mobility will be via a pressurized all-terrain vehicle capable of expeditions from the base site of several weeks duration. In the Utilization phase, humans will be capable of several months long expeditions to any point on the surface of Mars using a suborbital rocket equipped with habitat, lab, and return vehicle. Because of human mobility limitations, it is important to extend the range and duration of exploration in all phases by using teleoperated rover vehicles. Site selection for human missions to Mars must consider the multi-decade time frame of

Directory of Human Sciences Research Organizations and Professional Associations in South Africa. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Berg, Henda, Ed.; Prinsloo, Roelf, Ed.; Pienaar, Drienie, Ed.

This directory is intended to be a comprehensive reference source for identifying research organizations and institutions, and for promoting research cooperation and facilitating networking. This second edition provides a broad background to the development of the human sciences as well as an overview of existing and emerging science and…

Barcode tagging of human oocytes and embryos to prevent mix-ups in assisted reproduction technologies.

PubMed

Novo, Sergi; Nogués, Carme; Penon, Oriol; Barrios, Leonardo; Santaló, Josep; Gómez-Martínez, Rodrigo; Esteve, Jaume; Errachid, Abdelhamid; Plaza, José Antonio; Pérez-García, Lluïsa; Ibáñez, Elena

2014-01-01

-lapse monitoring. Injected oocytes were parthenogenetically activated using ionomycin and 6-dimethylaminopurine. Blastocyst development rates of tagged (27/58) and non-tagged embryos (24/51) were equivalent, and no significant differences in the timing of key morphokinetic parameters and the number of inner cell mass cells were detected between the two groups (tagged: 24.7 ± 2.5; non-tagged: 22.3 ± 1.9), indicating that preimplantation embryo potential and quality are not affected by the barcodes. Similarly, re-expansion rates of vitrified-warmed tagged (19/21) and non-tagged (16/19) blastocysts were similar. Global identification rates of 96.9 and 89.5% were obtained in fresh (mean barcode retention: 9.22 ± 0.13) and vitrified-warmed (mean barcode retention: 7.79 ± 0.35) tagged embryos, respectively, when simulating an automatic barcode reading process, though these rates were increased to 100% just by rotating the embryos during barcode reading. Only one of the oocytes lost one barcode during intracytoplasmic injection (100% identification rate) and all oocytes retained all the barcodes after parthenogenetic activation. Although the direct embryo tagging system developed is effective, it only allows the identification and traceability of oocytes destined for ICSI and embryos. Thus, the traceability of all reproductive samples (oocytes destined for IVF and sperm) is not yet ensured. The direct embryo tagging system developed here provides fertility clinics with a novel tool to reduce the risk of mix-ups in human ARTs. The system can also be useful in research studies that require the individual identification of oocytes or embryos and their individual tracking. This study was supported by the Sociedad Española de Fertilidad, the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (TEC2011-29140-C03) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (2009SGR-00282 and 2009SGR-00158). The authors do not have any competing interests.

Distancing Students From Nature: Science Camp and the Representation of the Human-Nature Relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrill, Laura Anne

This study investigated the curricular representations of the environment and the human-environment relationship at one residential school sponsored science camp. Data gathered included field notes from observational time at the camp, interviews with staff and classroom teachers, and documents from the site's website, guides, manuals, and curricular guides. These data were analyzed to understand how the camp represented the human-environment relationship and the "proper" human-environment relationship to its participants. Analysis indicated that the camp's official and enacted curriculum was shaped in response to two perceived problems, (1) students were perceived as having a disconnected relationship with the outdoors and lacking in outdoor experiences; and (2) staff members of the camp believed that time for science during the school day had diminished and that students were not receiving adequate science instruction at school. In response, the goal of the camp was to connect students to the outdoors through hands-on, sensory, experience based science and outdoor education experiences. However, key aspects of the camp experience and the formal and enacted curriculum unintentionally positioned students as separate from nature. The camp experience presented a vacation like understanding of the human-environment relationship as students became tourists of the outdoors. Despite the site's goal of connecting students to the outdoors, the science camp experience worked to distance students from the outdoors by unintentionally representing the outdoors as a place that existed away from home and students' everyday lives. Notably, nature became a place that existed in the past, separate from modernity. Students were tourists in an exotic location - nature. They received tours of the foreign outdoors, had fun, and returned home to their ordinary lives that were separate and distinct from the natural world.

The Support of the Sciences and Humanities in West Germany and the United States. German Studies Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana Univ., Bloomington. Inst. of German Studies.

The document contains the texts of three presentations from a conference on financial support of the sciences and humanities in West Germany and the United States. The first paper explains financial support of the sciences and the humanities in West Germany. Awards and uses of funds are primarily determined by the scholarly community, which also…

Changing human relationships with nature: making and remaking wilderness science

Treesearch

Jill M. Belsky

2000-01-01

The paper identifies and discusses two major themes in wilderness social science. First, that wilderness studies (and its advocates) have been limited by an ontological tension between those who mainly approach the relationship between humans and nature on the basis of material factors and constraints and those who approach it through an examination of shifting...

Noninvasive chromosome screening of human embryos by genome sequencing of embryo culture medium for in vitro fertilization.

PubMed

Xu, Juanjuan; Fang, Rui; Chen, Li; Chen, Daozhen; Xiao, Jian-Ping; Yang, Weimin; Wang, Honghua; Song, Xiaoqing; Ma, Ting; Bo, Shiping; Shi, Chong; Ren, Jun; Huang, Lei; Cai, Li-Yi; Yao, Bing; Xie, X Sunney; Lu, Sijia

2016-10-18

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is widely used to select in vitro-fertilized embryos free of chromosomal abnormalities and to improve the clinical outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF). A disadvantage of PGS is that it requires biopsy of the preimplantation human embryo, which can limit the clinical applicability of PGS due to the invasiveness and complexity of the process. Here, we present and validate a noninvasive chromosome screening (NICS) method based on sequencing the genomic DNA secreted into the culture medium from the human blastocyst. By using multiple annealing and looping-based amplification cycles (MALBAC) for whole-genome amplification (WGA), we performed next-generation sequencing (NGS) on the spent culture medium used to culture human blastocysts (n = 42) and obtained the ploidy information of all 24 chromosomes. We validated these results by comparing each with their corresponding whole donated embryo and obtained a high correlation for identification of chromosomal abnormalities (sensitivity, 0.882, and specificity, 0.840). With this validated NICS method, we performed chromosome screening on IVF embryos from seven couples with balanced translocation, azoospermia, or recurrent pregnancy loss. Six of them achieved successful clinical pregnancies, and five have already achieved healthy live births thus far. The NICS method avoids the need for embryo biopsy and therefore substantially increases the safety of its use. The method has the potential of much wider chromosome screening applicability in clinical IVF, due to its high accuracy and noninvasiveness.

Societal and ethical issues in human biomonitoring--a view from science studies.

PubMed

Bauer, Susanne

2008-06-05

Human biomonitoring (HBM) has rapidly gained importance. In some epidemiological studies, the measurement and use of biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility and disease have replaced traditional environmental indicators. While in HBM, ethical issues have mostly been addressed in terms of informed consent and confidentiality, this paper maps out a larger array of societal issues from an epistemological perspective, i.e. bringing into focus the conditions of how and what is known in environmental health science. In order to analyse the effects of HBM and the shift towards biomarker research in the assessment of environmental pollution in a broader societal context, selected analytical frameworks of science studies are introduced. To develop the epistemological perspective, concepts from "biomedical platform sociology" and the notion of "epistemic cultures" and "thought styles" are applied to the research infrastructures of HBM. Further, concepts of "biocitizenship" and "civic epistemologies" are drawn upon as analytical tools to discuss the visions and promises of HBM as well as related ethical problematisations. In human biomonitoring, two different epistemological cultures meet; these are environmental science with for instance pollution surveys and toxicological assessments on the one hand, and analytical epidemiology investigating the association between exposure and disease in probabilistic risk estimation on the other hand. The surveillance of exposure and dose via biomarkers as envisioned in HBM is shifting the site of exposure monitoring to the human body. Establishing an HBM platform faces not only the need to consider individual decision autonomy as an ethics issue, but also larger epistemological and societal questions, such as the mode of evidence demanded in science, policy and regulation. The shift of exposure monitoring towards the biosurveillance of human populations involves fundamental changes in the ways environment, health and disease are

Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6 Enhances Oocyte Reprogramming Potential and Subsequent Development of the Cloned Yak Embryos.

PubMed

Pan, Yangyang; He, Honghong; Cui, Yan; Baloch, Abdul Rasheed; Li, Qin; Fan, Jiangfeng; He, Junfeng; Yu, Sijiu

2015-12-01

This study investigated the effects of bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) supplementation in the medium during in vitro maturation (IVM) on the developmental potential of oocytes and in the subsequent development of cloned yak embryos. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were aspirated from the antral follicles of yak ovaries and cultured with different concentrations of recombinant human BMP6 in oocyte maturation medium. Following maturation, the metaphase II (MII) oocytes were used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), and these were cultured in vitro. The development of blastocysts and cell numbers were detected on day 8. The apoptosis and histone modifications of yak cloned blastocysts were evaluated by detecting the expression of relevant genes and proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, H3K9ac, H3K18ac, and H3K9me3) using relative quantitative RT-PCR or immunofluorescence. The presence of 100 ng/mL BMP6 significantly enhanced the oocyte maturation ratios (66.12 ± 2.04% vs. 73.11 ± 1.38%), cleavage rates (69.40 ± 1.03% vs. 78.16 ± 0.93%), and blastocyst formation rates (20.63 ± 1.32% vs. 28.16 ± 1.67%) of cloned yak embryos. The total blastocysts (85.24 ± 3.12 vs. 103.36 ± 5.28), inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers (19.59 ± 2.17 vs. 32.20 ± 2.61), and ratio of ICM to trophectoderm (TE) (22.93 ± 1.43% vs. 31.21 ± 1.62%) were also enhanced (p < 0.05). The ratio of the Bax to the Bcl-2 gene was lowest in the SCNT + BMP6 groups (p < 0.05). The H3K9ac and H3K18ac levels were increased in SCNT + BMP6 groups (p < 0.05), whereas the H3K9me3 level was decreased; the differences in blastocysts were not significant (p > 0.05). These study results demonstrate that addition of oocyte maturation medium with recombinant BMP6 enhances yak oocyte developmental potential and the subsequent developmental competence of SCNT embryos, and provides evidence that BMP6 is an important determinant of mammalian oocyte

Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6 Enhances Oocyte Reprogramming Potential and Subsequent Development of the Cloned Yak Embryos

PubMed Central

Pan, Yangyang; He, Honghong; Cui, Yan; Baloch, Abdul Rasheed; Li, Qin; Fan, Jiangfeng; He, Junfeng

2015-01-01

Abstract This study investigated the effects of bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) supplementation in the medium during in vitro maturation (IVM) on the developmental potential of oocytes and in the subsequent development of cloned yak embryos. Cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were aspirated from the antral follicles of yak ovaries and cultured with different concentrations of recombinant human BMP6 in oocyte maturation medium. Following maturation, the metaphase II (MII) oocytes were used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), and these were cultured in vitro. The development of blastocysts and cell numbers were detected on day 8. The apoptosis and histone modifications of yak cloned blastocysts were evaluated by detecting the expression of relevant genes and proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, H3K9ac, H3K18ac, and H3K9me3) using relative quantitative RT-PCR or immunofluorescence. The presence of 100 ng/mL BMP6 significantly enhanced the oocyte maturation ratios (66.12 ± 2.04% vs. 73.11 ± 1.38%), cleavage rates (69.40 ± 1.03% vs. 78.16 ± 0.93%), and blastocyst formation rates (20.63 ± 1.32% vs. 28.16 ± 1.67%) of cloned yak embryos. The total blastocysts (85.24 ± 3.12 vs. 103.36 ± 5.28), inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers (19.59 ± 2.17 vs. 32.20 ± 2.61), and ratio of ICM to trophectoderm (TE) (22.93 ± 1.43% vs. 31.21 ± 1.62%) were also enhanced (p < 0.05). The ratio of the Bax to the Bcl-2 gene was lowest in the SCNT + BMP6 groups (p < 0.05). The H3K9ac and H3K18ac levels were increased in SCNT + BMP6 groups (p < 0.05), whereas the H3K9me3 level was decreased; the differences in blastocysts were not significant (p > 0.05). These study results demonstrate that addition of oocyte maturation medium with recombinant BMP6 enhances yak oocyte developmental potential and the subsequent developmental competence of SCNT embryos, and provides evidence that BMP6 is an important determinant of mammalian

Psychology in the human sciences in France, 1920-1940: Ignace Meyerson's historical psychology.

PubMed

Parot, F

2000-05-01

Between World War I and World War II, psychology adopted a direction open to human sciences; I. Meyerson was the main organizer of this choice. Leading the Societe de Psychologie and the Journal de Psychologie Normale et Pathologique, he tried to construct an individual and collective psychology that reflected not only the scientific preoccupations of his masters and friends but also their political choices: They had been the founders of the Human Rights League at the end of the 19th century. Behind Durkheim and Seignobos, with Mauss, Levy-Bruhl, and Blondel, Meyerson answered the new historians' call for a unified science of "mentalities," a historical psychology of collective representations. Meyerson offered to sociologists, anthropologists, linguists, and historians several forums to debate in which psychology was the unifying science. But at the end of the World War II, his psychology was marginalized, and a postivistic and behavioristic way was preferred. Meyerson's historical psychology disappeared from academic psychology, but historians have preserved its legacy.

Effect of supplemented sericin on the development, cell number, cryosurvival and number of lipid droplets in cultured bovine embryos.

PubMed

Hosoe, Misa; Inaba, Yasushi; Hashiyada, Yutaka; Imai, Kei; Kajitani, Kenji; Hasegawa, Yuichi; Irie, Mamoru; Teramoto, Hidetoshi; Takahashi, Toru; Niimura, Sueo

2017-02-01

Sericin was investigated as an alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for bovine embryo culture. In vitro matured oocytes were developed using 0.05%, 0.1% or 0.15% sericin. The developmental rate, cryosurvival rate and blastulation time of these embryos were compared with those of embryos developed using 5% FBS. The number of lipid droplets was compared among the blastocysts developed using 5% FBS, using 0.05% sericin and in vivo. The rate of cleavage and blastocyst formation was similar among all groups. Blastulation occurred significantly earlier in the embryos developed using 5% FBS than in those developed using sericin at any concentration (P < 0.05). At 72 h after thawing, the cryosurvival rate of the blastocysts developed using 5% FBS and 0.05% sericin were significantly higher compared with those developed using 0.1% and 0.15% sericin (P < 0.05). The blastocysts developed using 0.05% sericin and in vivo produced a significantly fewer number of medium and large lipid droplets than those developed using 5% FBS. These results suggest that the blastocysts developed using 0.05% sericin show characteristics similar to those of the blastocysts developed in vivo and that the use of sericin as an alternative to FBS is feasible. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Reimagining Human Research Protections for 21st Century Science

PubMed Central

Bietz, Matthew; Bae, Deborah; Bigby, Barbara; Devereaux, Mary; Fowler, James; Waldo, Ann; Weibel, Nadir; Patrick, Kevin; Klemmer, Scott; Melichar, Lori

2016-01-01

Background Evolving research practices and new forms of research enabled by technological advances require a redesigned research oversight system that respects and protects human research participants. Objective Our objective was to generate creative ideas for redesigning our current human research oversight system. Methods A total of 11 researchers and institutional review board (IRB) professionals participated in a January 2015 design thinking workshop to develop ideas for redesigning the IRB system. Results Ideas in 5 major domains were generated. The areas of focus were (1) improving the consent form and process, (2) empowering researchers to protect their participants, (3) creating a system to learn from mistakes, (4) improving IRB efficiency, and (5) facilitating review of research that leverages technological advances. Conclusions We describe the impetus for and results of a design thinking workshop to reimagine a human research protections system that is responsive to 21st century science. PMID:28007687

The Bogus Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, C. C.

1981-01-01

Discusses three sorts of psychological science: Science 1, a natural science with conditional (causal) laws; Science 2, with probabilistic laws; and Science 3, a "human science" trying to capture the complexity of human experience and behavior. Argues that Science 2 and Science 3 should be treated as belief systems which people may find useful for…

A Model of Effective Teaching in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tahir, Khazima; Ikram, Hamid; Economos, Jennifer; Morote, Elsa-Sophia; Inserra, Albert

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how graduate students with undergraduate majors in arts, humanities, and social sciences perceived individualized consideration, Student-Professor Engagement in Learning (SPEL), intellectual stimulation, and student deep learning, and how these variables predict effective teaching. A sample of 251 graduate…

Science fiction and human enhancement: radical life-extension in the movie 'In Time' (2011).

PubMed

Roduit, Johann A R; Eichinger, Tobias; Glannon, Walter

2018-03-20

The ethics of human enhancement has been a hotly debated topic in the last 15 years. In this debate, some advocate examining science fiction stories to elucidate the ethical issues regarding the current phenomenon of human enhancement. Stories from science fiction seem well suited to analyze biomedical advances, providing some possible case studies. Of particular interest is the work of screenwriter Andrew Niccol (Gattaca, S1m0ne, In Time, and Good Kill), which often focuses on ethical questions raised by the use of new technologies. Examining the movie In Time (2011), the aim of this paper is to show how science fiction can contribute to the ethical debate of human enhancement. In Time provides an interesting case study to explore what could be some of the consequences of radical life-extension technologies. In this paper, we will show how arguments regarding radical life-extension portrayed in this particular movie differ from what is found in the scientific literature. We will see how In Time gives flesh to arguments defending or rejecting radical life-extension. It articulates feelings of unease, alienation and boredom associated with this possibility. Finally, this article will conclude that science fiction movies in general, and In Time in particular, are a valuable resource for a broad and comprehensive debate about our coming future.

Training trainers in health and human rights: implementing curriculum change in South African health sciences institutions.

PubMed

Ewert, Elena G; Baldwin-Ragaven, Laurel; London, Leslie

2011-07-25

The complicity of the South African health sector in apartheid and the international relevance of human rights as a professional obligation prompted moves to include human rights competencies in the curricula of health professionals in South Africa. A Train-the-Trainers course in Health and Human Rights was established in 1998 to equip faculty members from health sciences institutions nationwide with the necessary skills, attitudes and knowledge to teach human rights to their students. This study followed up participants to determine the extent of curriculum implementation, support needed as well as barriers encountered in integrating human rights into health sciences teaching and learning. A survey including both quantitative and qualitative components was distributed in 2007 to past course participants from 1998-2006 via telephone, fax and electronic communication. Out of 162 past participants, 46 (28%) completed the survey, the majority of whom were still employed in academic settings (67%). Twenty-two respondents (48%) implemented a total of 33 formal human rights courses into the curricula at their institutions. Respondents were nine times more likely (relative risk 9.26; 95% CI 5.14-16.66) to implement human rights education after completing the training. Seventy-two extracurricular activities were offered by 21 respondents, many of whom had successfully implemented formal curricula. Enabling factors for implementation included: prior teaching experience in human rights, general institutional support and the presence of allies - most commonly coworkers as well as deans. Frequently cited barriers to implementation included: budget restrictions, time constraints and perceived apathy of colleagues or students. Overall, respondents noted personal enrichment and optimism in teaching human rights. This Train-the-Trainer course provides the historical context, educational tools, and collective motivation to incorporate human rights educational initiatives at health

Training Trainers in health and human rights: Implementing curriculum change in South African health sciences institutions

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The complicity of the South African health sector in apartheid and the international relevance of human rights as a professional obligation prompted moves to include human rights competencies in the curricula of health professionals in South Africa. A Train-the-Trainers course in Health and Human Rights was established in 1998 to equip faculty members from health sciences institutions nationwide with the necessary skills, attitudes and knowledge to teach human rights to their students. This study followed up participants to determine the extent of curriculum implementation, support needed as well as barriers encountered in integrating human rights into health sciences teaching and learning. Methods A survey including both quantitative and qualitative components was distributed in 2007 to past course participants from 1998-2006 via telephone, fax and electronic communication. Results Out of 162 past participants, 46 (28%) completed the survey, the majority of whom were still employed in academic settings (67%). Twenty-two respondents (48%) implemented a total of 33 formal human rights courses into the curricula at their institutions. Respondents were nine times more likely (relative risk 9.26; 95% CI 5.14-16.66) to implement human rights education after completing the training. Seventy-two extracurricular activities were offered by 21 respondents, many of whom had successfully implemented formal curricula. Enabling factors for implementation included: prior teaching experience in human rights, general institutional support and the presence of allies - most commonly coworkers as well as deans. Frequently cited barriers to implementation included: budget restrictions, time constraints and perceived apathy of colleagues or students. Overall, respondents noted personal enrichment and optimism in teaching human rights. Conclusion This Train-the-Trainer course provides the historical context, educational tools, and collective motivation to incorporate human

Reporting on Strategic Considerations About the Role of Science in Initial Human Missions to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaty, David; Bass, Deborah; Thronson, Harley; Hays, Lindsay; Carberry, Chris; Cassady, Joe; Craig, Mark; Duggan, Matt; Drake, Bret; Stern, Jennifer; Zucker, Rick

2016-07-01

In December 2015, the "Third Community Workshop on Affording and Sustaining Human Mars Exploration" (AM III) was held, which was designed to provide community recommendations on the potential human exploration of Mars. To facilitate the workshop, we focused on two key questions: 1) From the dual and interrelated perspectives of affordability and sustainability, what are the strengths/challenges of Mars exploration scenarios?; and 2) From the perspective of prioritized scientific objectives for the martian system (the planet's surface or its moons), what are the most enabling capabilities of the different exploration architecture(s) and why? Group discussion over three days resulted in the following findings and observations: 1. NASA's incremental approach to deep-space exploration defines the so-called "Proving Ground," specifically in cis-lunar space, generally occurring in the 2020s and prior to human journeys to Mars. We concluded that there are capabilities directly related to, and on the critical path to, human exploration of Mars that could be developed in cis-lunar space. However, we also concluded that the Proving Ground should best be viewed as a campaign that occurs within a certain timeframe (including activities at Mars), rather than merely occurring at a specific location. 2. The workshop participants agreed that the most valuable purposes of sending humans to the martian system would be accomplished only by surface operations. We concluded that specific benefits, both technical and cost, of sending humans to the Mars system without landing on the martian surface should be assessed in depth. We discussed - although were unable to conclude - whether Mars orbit or Phobos/Deimos as a destination would make sufficient contributions towards humans landing on the martian surface or to answering high-priority science questions (as identified by the Decadal Survey) to justify their associated costs and possible risks. Further study on the value of an orbital

Fine structures of embryonic discs of in vivo post-hatching porcine blastocysts at the pre-primitive streak stage.

PubMed

Xia, P; Liu, Z; Qin, P

2011-04-01

To date, reports about the ultrastructure of porcine embryonic discs have not shown details of the primitive streak. The main objective of this study was to examine the ultrastructure of interior and exterior embryonic discs in porcine in vivo blastocysts with diameters of 1, 3 and 9 mm using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. For the first time, we revealed the ultrastructure of the unusual group of cells in the pre-primitive streak area of embryonic discs. The cells were 1-2 μm in diameter, had high electron density and contained abundant, free ribosomes and endoplasmic reticulum. These primitive streak cells could represent original embryonic stem cells or represent a stem cell niche. The results also showed three types of cells on the exterior surface of the embryonic discs. Moreover, our results provided morphological evidence of condensed nuclei in the smooth cells on the surface of the embryonic disc. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

ACADEMIC GENEALOGIES WITH RESPECT TO NARRATIVE IN HUMAN AND SOCIAL SCIENCES AND THEIR IMPLICATION FOR PUBLIC POLICIES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Satoshi; Hasegawa, Taiki; Nakano, Takeshi; Hatori, Tsuyoshi

In human and society science, narrative is regarded as an important issue to understand dynamic actions of human being and society. Therefore, narrative is also expected to be important for public policies that try to improve dynamic actions of human being and society. In th is study, we review academic genealogies with respect to narratives including western philosophy, hermeneutics, historical science, historical philosophy, literary criticism, clinical psychology and sociology, narrative psychology and folklore. Then we discuss how narrative can be pragmatically applied for public policies.

"This war for men's minds": the birth of a human science in Cold War America.

PubMed

Martin-Nielsen, Janet

2010-01-01

The past decade has seen an explosion of work on the history of the human sciences during the Cold War. This work, however, does not engage with one of the leading human sciences of the period: linguistics. This article begins to rectify this knowledge gap by investigating the influence of linguistics and its concept of study, language, on American public, political and intellectual life during the postwar and early Cold War years. I show that language emerged in three frameworks in this period: language as tool, language as weapon, and language as knowledge. As America stepped onto the international stage, language and linguistics were at the forefront: the military poured millions of dollars into machine translation, American diplomats were required to master scores of foreign languages, and schoolchildren were exposed to language-learning on a scale never before seen in the United States. Together, I argue, language and linguistics formed a critical part of the rise of American leadership in the new world order - one that provided communities as dispersed as the military, the diplomatic corps, scientists and language teachers with a powerful way of tackling the problems they faced. To date, linguistics has not been integrated into the broader framework of Cold War human sciences. In this article, I aim to bring both language, as concept, and linguistics, as discipline, into this framework. In doing so, I pave the way for future work on the history of linguistics as a human science.

Production of blastocysts following in vitro maturation and fertilization of dromedary camel oocytes vitrified at the germinal vesicle stage.

PubMed

Fathi, Mohamed; Moawad, Adel R; Badr, Magdy R

2018-01-01

Cryopreservation of oocytes would serve as an alternative to overcome the limited availability of dromedary camel oocytes and facilitate improvements in IVP techniques in this species. Our goal was to develop a protocol for the vitrification of camel oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage using different cryoprotectant combinations: 20% EG and 20% DMSO (VS1), 25% EG plus 25% DMSO (VS2) or 25% EG and 25% glycerol (VS3) and various cryo-carriers; straws or open pulled-straw (OPS) or solid surface vitrification (SSV); and Cryotop. Viable oocytes were cultured in vitro for 30 h. Matured oocytes were fertilized with epididymal spermatozoa and then cultured in vitro in modified KSOMaa medium for 7 days. Survival and nuclear maturation rates were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) in oocytes exposed to VS3 (44.8% and 34.0%, respectively) than those exposed to VS1 (68.2% and 48.0%, respectively) and VS2 (79.3% and 56.9%, respectively). Although recovery rates were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) in SSV and Cryotop vitrified oocytes (66.9% to 71.1%) than those vitrified by straws with VS1 or VS2 solutions (86.3% to 91.0%), survival rates were higher in the SSV and Cryotop groups (90.7% to 94.8%) than in the straw and OPS groups (68.2% to 86.5%). Among vitrified groups, maturation and fertilization rates were the highest in the Cryotop-VS2 group (51.8% and 39.2%, respectively). These values were comparable to those seen in the controls (59.2% and 44.6%, respectively). Cleavage (22.5% to 27.9%), morula (13.2% to 14.5%), and blastocyst (6.4% to 8.5%) rates were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in SSV and Cryotop groups than in straws. No significant differences were observed in these parameters between the Cryotop and control groups. We report for the first time that dromedary oocytes vitrified at the GV-stage have the ability to be matured, fertilized and subsequently develop in vitro to produce blastocysts at frequencies comparable to those obtained using fresh oocytes.

Ethical Concerns About Human Genetic Enhancement in the Malay Science Fiction Novels.

PubMed

Isa, Noor Munirah; Hj Safian Shuri, Muhammad Fakhruddin

2018-02-01

Advancements in science and technology have not only brought hope to humankind to produce disease-free offspring, but also offer possibilities to genetically enhance the next generation's traits and capacities. Human genetic enhancement, however, raises complex ethical questions, such as to what extent should it be allowed? It has been a great challenge for humankind to develop robust ethical guidelines for human genetic enhancement that address both public concerns and needs. We believe that research about public concerns is necessary prior to developing such guidelines, yet the issues have not been thoroughly investigated in many countries, including Malaysia. Since the novel often functions as a medium for the public to express their concerns, this paper explores ethical concerns about human genetic enhancement expressed in four Malay science fiction novels namely Klon, Leksikon Ledang, Transgenesis Bisikan Rimba and Transgenik Sifar. Religion has a strong influence on the worldview of the Malays therefore some concerns such as playing God are obviously religious. Association of the negative image of scientists as well as the private research companies with the research on human genetic enhancement reflects the authors' concerns about the main motivations for conducting such research and the extent to which such research will benefit society.

Chromosome microduplication in somatic cells decreases the genetic stability of human reprogrammed somatic cells and results in pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Yu, Yang; Chang, Liang; Zhao, Hongcui; Li, Rong; Fan, Yong; Qiao, Jie

2015-05-12

Human pluripotent stem cells, including cloned embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, offer a limitless cellular source for regenerative medicine. However, their derivation efficiency is limited, and a large proportion of cells are arrested during reprogramming. In the current study, we explored chromosome microdeletion/duplication in arrested and established reprogrammed cells. Our results show that aneuploidy induced by somatic cell nuclear transfer technology is a key factor in the developmental failure of cloned human embryos and primary colonies from implanted cloned blastocysts and that expression patterns of apoptosis-related genes are dynamically altered. Overall, ~20%-53% of arrested primary colonies in induced plurpotent stem cells displayed aneuploidy, and upregulation of P53 and Bax occurred in all arrested primary colonies. Interestingly, when somatic cells with pre-existing chromosomal mutations were used as donor cells, no cloned blastocysts were obtained, and additional chromosomal mutations were detected in the resulting iPS cells following long-term culture, which was not observed in the two iPS cell lines with normal karyotypes. In conclusion, aneuploidy induced by the reprogramming process restricts the derivation of pluripotent stem cells, and, more importantly, pre-existing chromosomal mutations enhance the risk of genome instability, which limits the clinical utility of these cells.

Relevance of Piagetian cross-cultural psychology to the humanities and social sciences.

PubMed

Oesterdiekhoff, Georg W

2013-01-01

Jean Piaget held views according to which there are parallels between ontogeny and the historical development of culture, sciences, and reason. His books are full of remarks and considerations about these parallels, with reference to many logical, physical, social, and moral phenomena.This article explains that Piagetian cross-cultural psychology has delivered the decisive data needed to extend the research interests of Piaget. These data provide a basis for reconstructing not only the history of sciences but also the history of religion, politics, morals, culture, philosophy, and social change and the emergence of industrial society. Thus, it is possible to develop Piagetian theory as a historical anthropology in order to provide a basis for the humanities and social sciences.

Designer human tissue: coming to a lab near you.

PubMed

Hay, David C; O'Farrelly, Cliona

2018-07-05

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) offer a scalable alternative to primary and transformed human tissue. PSCs include human embryonic stem cells, derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts unsuitable for human implantation; and induced PSCs, generated by the reprogramming of somatic cells. Both cell types display the ability to self-renew and retain pluripotency, promising an unlimited supply of human somatic cells for biomedical application. A distinct advantage of using PSCs is the ability to select for genetic background, promising personalized modelling of human biology 'in a dish' or immune-matched cell-based therapies for the clinic. This special issue will guide the reader through stem cell self-renewal, pluripotency and differentiation. The first articles focus on improving cell fidelity, understanding the innate immune system and the importance of materials chemistry, biofabrication and bioengineering. These are followed by articles that focus on industrial application, commercialization and label-free assessment of tissue formation. The special issue concludes with an article discussing human liver cell-based therapies past, present and future.This article is part of the theme issue 'Designer human tissue: coming to a lab near you'. © 2018 The Authors.

Features and News: The Importance of Discoveries in Animal Science to Human Welfare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BioScience, 1972

1972-01-01

Five short notes describe the contributions to human welfare of animal research in reproductive physiology; ruminant nutrition; meat science research; genetics and animal breeding; and recycling food by-products. (AL)

Computer science security research and human subjects: emerging considerations for research ethics boards.

PubMed

Buchanan, Elizabeth; Aycock, John; Dexter, Scott; Dittrich, David; Hvizdak, Erin

2011-06-01

This paper explores the growing concerns with computer science research, and in particular, computer security research and its relationship with the committees that review human subjects research. It offers cases that review boards are likely to confront, and provides a context for appropriate consideration of such research, as issues of bots, clouds, and worms enter the discourse of human subjects review.

In a Time of Change: Integrating the Arts and Humanities with Climate Change Science in Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leigh, M.; Golux, S.; Franzen, K.

2011-12-01

The arts and humanities have a powerful capacity to create lines of communication between the public, policy and scientific spheres. A growing network of visual and performing artists, writers and scientists has been actively working together since 2007 to integrate scientific and artistic perspectives on climate change in interior Alaska. These efforts have involved field workshops and collaborative creative processes culminating in public performances and a visual art exhibit. The most recent multimedia event was entitled In a Time of Change: Envisioning the Future, and challenged artists and scientists to consider future scenarios of climate change. This event included a public performance featuring original theatre, modern dance, Alaska Native Dance, poetry and music that was presented concurrently with an art exhibit featuring original works by 24 Alaskan visual artists. A related effort targeted K12 students, through an early college course entitled Climate Change and Creative Expression, which was offered to high school students at a predominantly Alaska Native charter school and integrated climate change science, creative writing, theatre and dance. Our program at Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site is just one of many successful efforts to integrate arts and humanities with science within and beyond the NSF LTER Program. The efforts of various LTER sites to engage the arts and humanities with science, the public and policymakers have successfully generated excitement, facilitated mutual understanding, and promoted meaningful dialogue on issues facing science and society. The future outlook for integration of arts and humanities with science appears promising, with increasing interest from artists, scientists and scientific funding agencies.

The impact of physiological oxygen during culture, and vitrification for cryopreservation, on the outcome of extended culture in human IVF.

PubMed

Gardner, David K

2016-02-01

Extended culture has facilitated the move to single blastocyst transfer, resulting in significant increases in implantation and live birth rate, while concomitantly reducing fetal loss during pregnancy. However, concerns have been raised regarding subsequent neo-natal outcomes following extended culture. Analysis of the literature reveals differences in outcomes according to geographical region and between individual clinics. A common factor amongst reports of potentially adverse outcomes following blastocyst transfer appears to be that atmospheric (~20%) oxygen was typically employed for embryo culture. Clinics and countries utilizing physiological concentrations of oxygen (~5%) have not reported adverse perinatal outcomes with blastocyst transfer. Atmospheric oxygen imposes significant negative effects upon the embryo's molecular and cellular physiology, and further it increases the sensitivity of the preimplantation embryo to other stressors in the laboratory. With the recent adoption of vitrification for blastocyst cryopreservation, cumulative pregnancy rates per cycle with extended culture will increase significantly. Consequently, rather than perceiving extended culture as a potentially negative procedure, it is concluded that neo-natal data need to be interpreted in light of the conditions used to culture and cryopreserve blastocysts, and that furthermore a policy of embryo culture using 20% oxygen can no longer be justified. Copyright © 2015 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Nuclear transfer of goat somatic cells transgenic for human lactoferrin].

PubMed

Li, Lan; Shen, Wei; Pan, Qing-Yu; Min, Ling-Jiang; Sun, Yu-Jiang; Fang, Yong-Wei; Deng, Ji-Xian; Pan, Qing-Jie

2006-12-01

Transgenic animal mammary gland bioreactors are being used to produce recombinant proteins with appropriate post-translational modifications, and nuclear transfer of transgenic somatic cells is a more powerful method to produce mammary gland bioreactor. Here we describe efficient gene transfer and nuclear transfer in goat somatic cells. Gene targeting vector pGBC2LF was constructed by cloning human lactoferrin (LF) gene cDNA into exon 2 of the milk goat beta-casein gene, and the endogenous start condon was replaced by that of human LF gene. Goat fetal fibroblasts were transfected with linearized pGBC2LF and 14 cell lines were positive according to PCR and Southern blot. The transgenic cells were used as donor cells of nuclear transfer, and some of reconstructed embryos could develop to blastocyst in vitro.

Morbid obesity and pregnancy outcomes after single blastocyst transfer: a retrospective, North American study.

PubMed

Russo, Miguel; Ates, Senem; Shaulov, Talya; Dahan, Michael H

2017-04-01

Maternal obesity has been shown to affect reproductive function and pregnancy outcomes following in vitro fertilization. More recently, studies have demonstrated lower live birth rates after single blastocyst transfer (SBT) in patients who are overweight or obese. However, the impact of morbid obesity on pregnancy outcomes after SBT has not been well elucidated. The present study aimed to determine whether morbid obesity has a detrimental impact on pregnancy outcomes after SBT in a North American population. A retrospective, cohort study including 520 nulliparous and multiparous women undergoing top-quality SBT between August 2010 and March 2014 at a University Health Centre in North America was conducted. Primary outcomes included: miscarriage rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate. Subjects were divided into different BMI categories (kg/m 2 ), including <20, 20-24.9, 25.0-29.9, 30-40, and 40 or more. The miscarriage rate per pregnancy for each group, respectively, was 36, 64, 59, 61, and 50% (p = 0.16); the clinical pregnancy (per patient) rate per group was 36, 52, 38, 26, and 10% (p = 0.009); and the live birth rate (per patient) per group was 35, 50, 38, 26 and 10% (p = 0.03). Morbid obesity is a strong and independent predictor of poor pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing top-quality SBT.

Write Now! Using Reflective Writing beyond the Humanities and Social Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannady, Rachel E.; Gallo, Kasia Z.

2016-01-01

Writing is an important teaching and learning tool that fosters active and critical thinking. There are multiple pressures for disciplines outside the humanities and social sciences to integrate writing in their courses. The shift from teaching solely discipline-specific skills to including writing in a meaningful way can be a daunting process. An…

English Engagement Markers: A Comparison of Humanities and Science Journal Articles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahragard, Rahman; Yazdanpanahi, Solmaz

2017-01-01

Engagement markers (hereafter, EMs) are crucial interpersonal devices to interact with readers through texts. However, little is known about the differences of EMs use in Humanities and Science journal research articles (hereafter, RAs), as well as the changes in markers use over the passage of time. The present study provides a quantitative and…

English Proficiency and Competency Background of Social Science and Humanities Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelayo, Jose Maria G., III; Kutschera, P. C.; Capili, Claire Ann P.

2014-01-01

The study focuses on the background of Social Science and Humanities students (specifically in the course General Psychology) on their English education and competence. This research aims to identify the common factors of these students in terms of their English Proficiency. The students will answer survey questions that will give us information…

Oocyte, embryo and blastocyst cryopreservation in ART: systematic review and meta-analysis comparing slow-freezing versus vitrification to produce evidence for the development of global guidance

PubMed Central

Rienzi, Laura; Gracia, Clarisa; Maggiulli, Roberta; LaBarbera, Andrew R.; Kaser, Daniel J.; Ubaldi, Filippo M.; Vanderpoel, Sheryl; Racowsky, Catherine

2017-01-01

Abstract BACKGROUND Successful cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos is essential not only to maximize the safety and efficacy of ovarian stimulation cycles in an IVF treatment, but also to enable fertility preservation. Two cryopreservation methods are routinely used: slow-freezing or vitrification. Slow-freezing allows for freezing to occur at a sufficiently slow rate to permit adequate cellular dehydration while minimizing intracellular ice formation. Vitrification allows the solidification of the cell(s) and of the extracellular milieu into a glass-like state without the formation of ice. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective of our study was to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical outcomes following slow-freezing/thawing versus vitrification/warming of oocytes and embryos and to inform the development of World Health Organization guidance on the most effective cryopreservation method. SEARCH METHODS A Medline search was performed from 1966 to 1 August 2016 using the following search terms: (Oocyte(s) [tiab] OR (Pronuclear[tiab] OR Embryo[tiab] OR Blastocyst[tiab]) AND (vitrification[tiab] OR freezing[tiab] OR freeze[tiab]) AND (pregnancy[tiab] OR birth[tiab] OR clinical[tiab]). Queries were limited to those involving humans. RCTs and cohort studies that were published in full-length were considered eligible. Each reference was reviewed for relevance and only primary evidence and relevant articles from the bibliographies of included articles were considered. References were included if they reported cryosurvival rate, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live-birth rate (LBR) or delivery rate for slow-frozen or vitrified human oocytes or embryos. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to calculate relative risk ratios (RR) and 95% CI. OUTCOMES One RCT study comparing slow-freezing versus vitrification of oocytes was included. Vitrification was associated with increased ongoing CPR per cycle (RR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.05–7

EPA Critical Path Science Plan Projects 19, 20 and 21: Human and Bovine Source Detection

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA Critical Path Science Plan Projects are: Project 19: develop novel bovine and human host-specific PCR assays and complete performance evaluation with other published methods. Project 20: Evaluate human-specific assays with water samples impacted with different lev...

Mind the Gap: Appropriate Evolutionary Perspectives toward the Integration of the Sciences and Humanities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heywood, Leslie L.; Garcia, Justin R.; Wilson, David Sloan

2010-01-01

Although Darwinism has gained a foothold in the social sciences, in the humanities, with a few exceptions, it is still largely rejected--not, as some would claim, because humanists are all radical poststructuralists who deny that material reality exists, but rather because, with notable exceptions, Darwinists who work within the humanities have…

A Method Based on Artificial Intelligence To Fully Automatize The Evaluation of Bovine Blastocyst Images.

PubMed

Rocha, José Celso; Passalia, Felipe José; Matos, Felipe Delestro; Takahashi, Maria Beatriz; Ciniciato, Diego de Souza; Maserati, Marc Peter; Alves, Mayra Fernanda; de Almeida, Tamie Guibu; Cardoso, Bruna Lopes; Basso, Andrea Cristina; Nogueira, Marcelo Fábio Gouveia

2017-08-09

Morphological analysis is the standard method of assessing embryo quality; however, its inherent subjectivity tends to generate discrepancies among evaluators. Using genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks (ANNs), we developed a new method for embryo analysis that is more robust and reliable than standard methods. Bovine blastocysts produced in vitro were classified as grade 1 (excellent or good), 2 (fair), or 3 (poor) by three experienced embryologists according to the International Embryo Technology Society (IETS) standard. The images (n = 482) were subjected to automatic feature extraction, and the results were used as input for a supervised learning process. One part of the dataset (15%) was used for a blind test posterior to the fitting, for which the system had an accuracy of 76.4%. Interestingly, when the same embryologists evaluated a sub-sample (10%) of the dataset, there was only 54.0% agreement with the standard (mode for grades). However, when using the ANN to assess this sub-sample, there was 87.5% agreement with the modal values obtained by the evaluators. The presented methodology is covered by National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) patents and is currently undergoing a commercial evaluation of its feasibility.

Societal and ethical issues in human biomonitoring – a view from science studies

PubMed Central

Bauer, Susanne

2008-01-01

Background Human biomonitoring (HBM) has rapidly gained importance. In some epidemiological studies, the measurement and use of biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility and disease have replaced traditional environmental indicators. While in HBM, ethical issues have mostly been addressed in terms of informed consent and confidentiality, this paper maps out a larger array of societal issues from an epistemological perspective, i.e. bringing into focus the conditions of how and what is known in environmental health science. Methods In order to analyse the effects of HBM and the shift towards biomarker research in the assessment of environmental pollution in a broader societal context, selected analytical frameworks of science studies are introduced. To develop the epistemological perspective, concepts from "biomedical platform sociology" and the notion of "epistemic cultures" and "thought styles" are applied to the research infrastructures of HBM. Further, concepts of "biocitizenship" and "civic epistemologies" are drawn upon as analytical tools to discuss the visions and promises of HBM as well as related ethical problematisations. Results In human biomonitoring, two different epistemological cultures meet; these are environmental science with for instance pollution surveys and toxicological assessments on the one hand, and analytical epidemiology investigating the association between exposure and disease in probabilistic risk estimation on the other hand. The surveillance of exposure and dose via biomarkers as envisioned in HBM is shifting the site of exposure monitoring to the human body. Establishing an HBM platform faces not only the need to consider individual decision autonomy as an ethics issue, but also larger epistemological and societal questions, such as the mode of evidence demanded in science, policy and regulation. Conclusion The shift of exposure monitoring towards the biosurveillance of human populations involves fundamental changes in the ways

Science and Human Behavior, dualism, and conceptual modification.

PubMed Central

Zuriff, G E

2003-01-01

Skinner's Science and Human Behavior is in part an attempt to solve psychology's problem with mind-body dualism by revising our everyday mentalistic conceptual scheme. In the case of descriptive mentalism (the use of mentalistic terms to describe behavior), Skinner offers behavioral "translations." In contrast, Skinner rejects explanatory mentalism (the use of mental concepts to explain behavior) and suggests how to replace it with a behaviorist explanatory framework. For experiential mentalism, Skinner presents a theory of verbal behavior that integrates the use of mentalistic language in first-person reports of phenomenal experience into a scientific framework. PMID:14964715

Science and Human Behavior, dualism, and conceptual modification.

PubMed

Zuriff, G E

2003-11-01

Skinner's Science and Human Behavior is in part an attempt to solve psychology's problem with mind-body dualism by revising our everyday mentalistic conceptual scheme. In the case of descriptive mentalism (the use of mentalistic terms to describe behavior), Skinner offers behavioral "translations." In contrast, Skinner rejects explanatory mentalism (the use of mental concepts to explain behavior) and suggests how to replace it with a behaviorist explanatory framework. For experiential mentalism, Skinner presents a theory of verbal behavior that integrates the use of mentalistic language in first-person reports of phenomenal experience into a scientific framework.

Human resources in science and engineering: Policy implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leggon, C.B.

1995-12-31

Recently, there has been much debate concerning the adequacy of the United States` (U.S.) human resources base to meet its future needs for science and engineering (S/E) talent. Science policy analysts - and scientists and engineers themselves - disagree about whether there will be any shortages of scientists and engineers, and if so, what they will mean for the U.S. Whether or not these shortages materialize, it is necessary for the U.S. to expand the pool from which it recruits its S/E talent. This paper addresses the question of how to increases the diversity of the S/E talent pool tomore » include those who are projected by the year 2000 to be the majority of entry-level workers in the U.S. workforce: women and racial/ethnic minorities. Market forces alone cannot increase the size and diversity of the U.S. S/E workforce. Policy intervention will continue to be required to increase the diversity of the S/E workforce.« less

Explore the Human-Based Teaching for the Professional Course of Materials Science and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Yiping; Chen, Li; Zhang, Yufeng

2008-01-01

As viewed from two sides such as teacher and student, in this article, we explore the human-based teaching reform for the college professional course of materials Science and Engineering, point out the qualities and conditions that professional teacher should possess in the process of human-based teaching reform of professional course and the…

Burning Down the Silos: Integrating new perspectives from the social sciences into human behavior in fire research.

PubMed

Kuligowski, Erica

2017-01-01

The traditional social science disciplines can provide many benefits to the field of human behavior in fire (HBiF). First, the social sciences delve further into insights only marginally examined by HBiF researchers, in turn, expanding the depth of HBiF research. In this paper, I present examples of studies from the fields of social psychology and sociology that would expand HBiF research into non-engineering or "unobservable" aspects of behavior during a fire event. Second, the social sciences can provide insight into new areas of research; in turn, expanding the scope of HBiF research. In this section, I introduce pre- and post-fire studies and explore potential research questions that fall outside of the response period of a fire, the phase upon which most focus is currently placed. Third, the social sciences elucidate the value of research methods available to study human behavior. Qualitative research methods are specifically highlighted. These three benefits will allow HBiF researchers to collect a wider range of data, further develop and expand current behavioral knowledge, and increase the impact of this research for both social and engineering applications. Finally, I end with a discussion on possible ways to better integrate the social sciences within human behavior in fire.

Science as religion: when science becomes (too) irrational.

PubMed

Muzur, Amir; Rinčić, Iva

2017-04-01

Science is expected to be objective: however, since practiced and produced by humans, it has to reflect human flows - prejudices, stubbornness, malice, and the tendency to be misused. No wonder an excellent scientist like John Eccles proclaimed science to be among the most personal activities he had known. By analysing a few examples from the history of science (in particular the intellectual development of Van Rensselaer Potter, the American onco-biochemist and bioethics pioneer), as well as the current trend of the evidence-based approach, the present paper will try to demonstrate that denying, distrusting, and opposing science for the sake of religion, as seen so many times in human history, has significant similarities to the overestimation of science we more often encounter in our times.

Human embryonic stem cell science and policy: The case of Iran☆

PubMed Central

Saniei, Mansooreh

2013-01-01

The paper is based on a large qualitative study of ethics, policy and regulation of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) science in Iran. This case study in five academic research centres used semi-structured interviews to examine in depth the views of stem cell scientists, embryologists and ethics committee members on hESC research policy in this Shia Muslim country. Although Iran's policy approach has been considered 'intermediate', what is described here seems to be a 'more flexible' policy on hESC science. This article describes three arguments to explain why Iran has shaped such a policy. These are: (1) a flexibility of the Shia tradition has allowed for hESC science; (2) permissive policy related to other fields of biomedicine, such as new assisted reproductive technologies, facilitated approval of hESC research; and (3) a lack of public debate of bioscience in Iran influences how its hESC research policy is perceived. Based on the empirical data, this paper then expands and refines the conceptual bioethical basis for the co-production of science, policy, and society in Iran. The notion of co-production implies that scientists, policy-makers, and sometimes other societal actors cooperate in the exchange, production, and application of knowledge to make science policy. PMID:24230960

The Junior Science & Humanities Symposium: Management and Operations, 2003-2004. Theme--Atmosphere--The Other Ocean.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This document reviews the Pacific Region Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (PJSHS) program for 2003-2004 which is a 10-month, precollege student research program held in Japan. The theme is AtmosphereThe Other Ocean. The program includes a one-week symposium of student delegates who have completed research projects in the sciences or have…

What Do the Prospective Science Teachers Know about the Human Eye?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Çigdem

2014-01-01

In this study, the views of the Prospective Science Teacher (PST)s about the human eye were examined. The following data collection tools were used: the Word Association Test (WAT), open ended questions, drawing technique, two tiered question item and an interview about concepts. The data of the study whose sample consisted of 34 PSTs were…

Origin and composition of cell-free DNA in spent medium from human embryo culture during preimplantation development.

PubMed

Vera-Rodriguez, M; Diez-Juan, A; Jimenez-Almazan, J; Martinez, S; Navarro, R; Peinado, V; Mercader, A; Meseguer, M; Blesa, D; Moreno, I; Valbuena, D; Rubio, C; Simon, C

2018-04-01

What is the origin and composition of cell-free DNA in human embryo spent culture media? Cell-free DNA from human embryo spent culture media represents a mix of maternal and embryonic DNA, and the mixture can be more complex for mosaic embryos. In 2016, ~300 000 human embryos were chromosomally and/or genetically analyzed using preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) or monogenic disorders (PGT-M) before transfer into the uterus. While progress in genetic techniques has enabled analysis of the full karyotype in a single cell with high sensitivity and specificity, these approaches still require an embryo biopsy. Thus, non-invasive techniques are sought as an alternative. This study was based on a total of 113 human embryos undergoing trophectoderm biopsy as part of PGT-A analysis. For each embryo, the spent culture media used between Day 3 and Day 5 of development were collected for cell-free DNA analysis. In addition to the 113 spent culture media samples, 28 media drops without embryo contact were cultured in parallel under the same conditions to use as controls. In total, 141 media samples were collected and divided into two groups: one for direct DNA quantification (53 spent culture media and 17 controls), the other for whole-genome amplification (60 spent culture media and 11 controls) and subsequent quantification. Some samples with amplified DNA (N = 56) were used for aneuploidy testing by next-generation sequencing; of those, 35 samples underwent single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sequencing to detect maternal contamination. Finally, from the 35 spent culture media analyzed by SNP sequencing, 12 whole blastocysts were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to determine the level of mosaicism in each embryo, as a possible origin for discordance between sample types. Trophectoderm biopsies and culture media samples (20 μl) underwent whole-genome amplification, then libraries were generated and sequenced for an aneuploidy

Cognitive neuroscience 2.0: building a cumulative science of human brain function

PubMed Central

Yarkoni, Tal; Poldrack, Russell A.; Van Essen, David C.; Wager, Tor D.

2010-01-01

Cognitive neuroscientists increasingly recognize that continued progress in understanding human brain function will require not only the acquisition of new data, but also the synthesis and integration of data across studies and laboratories. Here we review ongoing efforts to develop a more cumulative science of human brain function. We discuss the rationale for an increased focus on formal synthesis of the cognitive neuroscience literature, provide an overview of recently developed tools and platforms designed to facilitate the sharing and integration of neuroimaging data, and conclude with a discussion of several emerging developments that hold even greater promise in advancing the study of human brain function. PMID:20884276

The ergonomics/human factors approach to health sciences libraries.

PubMed Central

Bube, J L

1985-01-01

A review of the literature reveals scant information on the application of ergonomics to health sciences libraries. Ergonomics research has identified and validated many genuine health hazards in business offices and industrial settings. While appearing innocuous, the library environment is affected by these hazards. As sophisticated technology and machinery are introduced into libraries, the human factors must be considered. This paper examines the hazards of the library environment as identified through ergonomics research and makes recommendations for alleviating or eliminating these dangers. PMID:3161572

Reimagining Human Research Protections for 21st Century Science.

PubMed

Bloss, Cinnamon; Nebeker, Camille; Bietz, Matthew; Bae, Deborah; Bigby, Barbara; Devereaux, Mary; Fowler, James; Waldo, Ann; Weibel, Nadir; Patrick, Kevin; Klemmer, Scott; Melichar, Lori

2016-12-22

Evolving research practices and new forms of research enabled by technological advances require a redesigned research oversight system that respects and protects human research participants. Our objective was to generate creative ideas for redesigning our current human research oversight system. A total of 11 researchers and institutional review board (IRB) professionals participated in a January 2015 design thinking workshop to develop ideas for redesigning the IRB system. Ideas in 5 major domains were generated. The areas of focus were (1) improving the consent form and process, (2) empowering researchers to protect their participants, (3) creating a system to learn from mistakes, (4) improving IRB efficiency, and (5) facilitating review of research that leverages technological advances. We describe the impetus for and results of a design thinking workshop to reimagine a human research protections system that is responsive to 21st century science. ©Cinnamon Bloss, Camille Nebeker, Matthew Bietz, Deborah Bae, Barbara Bigby, Mary Devereaux, James Fowler, Ann Waldo, Nadir Weibel, Kevin Patrick, Scott Klemmer, Lori Melichar. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 22.12.2016.

Science and data science.

PubMed

Blei, David M; Smyth, Padhraic

2017-08-07

Data science has attracted a lot of attention, promising to turn vast amounts of data into useful predictions and insights. In this article, we ask why scientists should care about data science. To answer, we discuss data science from three perspectives: statistical, computational, and human. Although each of the three is a critical component of data science, we argue that the effective combination of all three components is the essence of what data science is about.

ART culture conditions change the probability of mouse embryo gestation through defined cellular and molecular responses.

PubMed

Schwarzer, Caroline; Esteves, Telma Cristina; Araúzo-Bravo, Marcos J; Le Gac, Séverine; Nordhoff, Verena; Schlatt, Stefan; Boiani, Michele

2012-09-01

Do different human ART culture protocols prepare embryos differently for post-implantation development? The type of ART culture protocol results in distinct cellular and molecular phenotypes in vitro at the blastocyst stage as well as subsequently during in vivo development. It has been reported that ART culture medium affects human development as measured by gestation rates and birthweights. However, due to individual variation across ART patients, it is not possible as yet to pinpoint a cause-effect relationship between choice of culture medium and developmental outcome. In a prospective study, 13 human ART culture protocols were compared two at a time against in vivo and in vitro controls. Superovulated mouse oocytes were fertilized in vivo using outbred and inbred mating schemes. Zygotes were cultured in medium or in the oviduct and scored for developmental parameters 96 h later. Blastocysts were either analyzed or transferred into fosters to measure implantation rates and fetal development. In total, 5735 fertilized mouse oocytes, 1732 blastocysts, 605 fetuses and 178 newborns were examined during the course of the study (December 2010-December 2011). Mice of the B6C3F1, C57Bl/6 and CD1 strains were used as oocyte donors, sperm donors and recipients for embryo transfer, respectively. In vivo fertilized B6C3F1 oocytes were allowed to cleave in 13 human ART culture protocols compared with mouse oviduct and optimized mouse medium (KSOM(aa)). Cell lineage composition of resultant blastocysts was analyzed by immunostaining and confocal microscopy (trophectoderm, Cdx2; primitive ectoderm, Nanog; primitive endoderm, Sox17), global gene expression by microarray analysis, and rates of development to midgestation and to term. Mouse zygotes show profound variation in blastocyst (49.9-91.9%) and fetal (15.7-62.0%) development rates across the 13 ART culture protocols tested (R(2)= 0.337). Two opposite protocols, human tubal fluid/multiblast (high fetal rate) and ISM1/ISM2

A Diversity of Divisions: Tracing the History of the Demarcation between the Sciences and the Humanities.

PubMed

Bouterse, Jeroen; Karstens, Bart

2015-06-01

Throughout history, divides between the sciences and the humanities have been drawn in many different ways. This essay shows that the notion of a divide became more urgent and pronounced in the second half of the nineteenth century. While this shift has several causes, the essay focuses on the rise of the social sciences, which is interpreted as posing a profound challenge to the established disciplines of the study of humankind. This is demonstrated by zooming in on linguistics, one of the key traditional disciplines of the humanities. Through the assumption of a correspondence between mental and linguistic categories, psychology became of central importance in the various conceptions of linguistics that emerged in the nineteenth century. Both linguistics and psychology were very much engaged in a process of discipline formation, and opinions about the proper directions of the fields varied considerably. Debates on these issues catalyzed the construction of more radical divisions between the sciences and the humanities. Both Wilhelm Dilthey's dichotomy between understanding and explanation and Wilhelm Windelband's dichotomy between nomothetic and idiographic sciences respond to these debates. While their constructions are often lumped together, the essay shows that they actually meant very different things and have to be treated accordingly.

Effect of different shipping temperatures (∼22 °C vs. ∼7 °C) and holding media on blastocyst development after overnight holding of immature equine cumulus-oocyte complexes.

PubMed

Diaw, Mouhamadou; Salgado, Renato M; Canesin, Heloísa S; Gridley, Nell; Hinrichs, Katrin

2018-04-15

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an important tool for equine embryo production in both clinical and research settings. In clinical ICSI programs, immature equine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) are often collected at the mare's location and shipped to the ICSI laboratory. To simplify shipment and aid scheduling of subsequent procedures, COCs can be held overnight at room temperature (∼22 °C) before placement into maturation culture, with no detrimental effect on meiotic or developmental competence. A recent study indicated that it might be possible to hold COCs overnight at cold (∼4 °C) temperatures. If so, this might allow longer holding periods that would ease shipping requirements. In this study, we compared oocyte maturation rates, as well as cleavage and blastocyst rates after ICSI, for COCs held at either room or cold temperatures overnight before the onset of in vitro maturation. In Exp. 1, COCs were shipped overnight in a commercial embryo holding medium, ViGRO (Vg), in insulated containers designed to hold at either room temperature (RT, ∼22 °C) or cold temperatures (Cold, ∼7 °C). Subsequent rates of in vitro maturation, cleavage and blastocyst formation were significantly higher in the RT treatment (39%, 90% and 41%, respectively) than in the Cold treatment (23%, 60% and 17%, respectively, P < .05). In Exp. 2, we compared Vg medium with a second commercial embryo holding medium, SYNGRO (Sy). There was no significant difference between Vg and Sy groups in any evaluated parameter within either RT or Cold treatments. Within each medium group and for both media combined, the rates of in vitro maturation, cleavage and blastocyst formation were significantly higher in the RT treatment (42%, 81% and 42%, respectively for the combined media) than in the Cold treatment (29%, 54% and 10%, respectively for the combined media, P < .05). We conclude that shipment of immature equine COCs at cold temperatures (∼7 °C) is

The application of the forensic sciences to human rights investigations.

PubMed

Kirschner, R H; Hannibal, K E

1994-01-01

Prior to the mid-1980's, human rights abuses were documented almost entirely through witness and victim testimony. In 1984-85, forensic scientists from the United States, working under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, exhumed skeletal remains of disappeared persons in Argentina. They provided physical evidence for the trial of members of the deposed military junta and trained an Argentine forensic anthropology team. It became apparent that medical and forensic verification of torture and extrajudicial executions could provide irrefutable evidence that such activities had, in fact, taken place. Requests for assistance came from human rights groups throughout the world, and led to the development of an international protocol for the investigation of government sponsored murders. The United States based Physicians for Human Rights has now conducted missions to nearly 30 countries. The recent documentation of mass graves in El Salvador, Guatemala, Iraqi Kurdistan and the former Yugoslavia demonstrates how forensic scientists expose such crimes to international scrutiny, and the necessity of scientific evidence when confronting human rights violations.

International Researcher Mobility and Knowledge Transfer in the Social Sciences and Humanities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coey, Chris

2018-01-01

This article explores knowledge outcomes of international researcher mobility in the social sciences and humanities. Looking in particular at international experiences of longer durations in the careers of European PhD graduates, it proposes a threefold analytical typology for understanding the links between the modes, durations, and outcomes of…

Saving Human Lives: What Complexity Science and Information Systems can Contribute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helbing, Dirk; Brockmann, Dirk; Chadefaux, Thomas; Donnay, Karsten; Blanke, Ulf; Woolley-Meza, Olivia; Moussaid, Mehdi; Johansson, Anders; Krause, Jens; Schutte, Sebastian; Perc, Matjaž

2015-02-01

We discuss models and data of crowd disasters, crime, terrorism, war and disease spreading to show that conventional recipes, such as deterrence strategies, are often not effective and sufficient to contain them. Many common approaches do not provide a good picture of the actual system behavior, because they neglect feedback loops, instabilities and cascade effects. The complex and often counter-intuitive behavior of social systems and their macro-level collective dynamics can be better understood by means of complexity science. We highlight that a suitable system design and management can help to stop undesirable cascade effects and to enable favorable kinds of self-organization in the system. In such a way, complexity science can help to save human lives.

Minerva: User-Centered Science Operations Software Capability for Future Human Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deans, Matthew; Marquez, Jessica J.; Cohen, Tamar; Miller, Matthew J.; Deliz, Ivonne; Hillenius, Steven; Hoffman, Jeffrey; Lee, Yeon Jin; Lees, David; Norheim, Johannes;

Saving Human Lives: What Complexity Science and Information Systems can Contribute.

PubMed

Helbing, Dirk; Brockmann, Dirk; Chadefaux, Thomas; Donnay, Karsten; Blanke, Ulf; Woolley-Meza, Olivia; Moussaid, Mehdi; Johansson, Anders; Krause, Jens; Schutte, Sebastian; Perc, Matjaž

We discuss models and data of crowd disasters, crime, terrorism, war and disease spreading to show that conventional recipes, such as deterrence strategies, are often not effective and sufficient to contain them. Many common approaches do not provide a good picture of the actual system behavior, because they neglect feedback loops, instabilities and cascade effects. The complex and often counter-intuitive behavior of social systems and their macro-level collective dynamics can be better understood by means of complexity science. We highlight that a suitable system design and management can help to stop undesirable cascade effects and to enable favorable kinds of self-organization in the system. In such a way, complexity science can help to save human lives.

Rho differentially regulates the Hippo pathway by modulating the interaction between Amot and Nf2 in the blastocyst.

PubMed

Shi, Xianle; Yin, Zixi; Ling, Bin; Wang, Lingling; Liu, Chang; Ruan, Xianhui; Zhang, Weiyu; Chen, Lingyi

2017-11-01

The Hippo pathway modulates the transcriptional activity of Yap to regulate the differentiation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectoderm (TE) in blastocysts. Yet how Hippo signaling is differentially regulated in ICM and TE cells is poorly understood. Through an inhibitor/activator screen, we have identified Rho as a negative regulator of Hippo in TE cells, and PKA as a positive regulator of Hippo in ICM cells. We further elucidated a novel mechanism by which Rho suppresses Hippo, distinct from the prevailing view that Rho inhibits Hippo signaling through modulating cytoskeleton remodeling and/or cell polarity. Active Rho prevents the phosphorylation of Amot Ser176, thus stabilizing the interaction between Amot and F-actin, and restricting the binding between Amot and Nf2. Moreover, Rho attenuates the interaction between Amot and Nf2 by binding to the coiled-coil domain of Amot. By blocking the association of Nf2 and Amot, Rho suppresses Hippo in TE cells. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

77 FR 52025 - Notification of a Public Teleconference of the Science Advisory Board; Exposure and Human Health...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

... Science Advisory Board; Exposure and Human Health Committee AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff... draft report concerning EPA's application of computational toxicology (CompTox) data in risk assessment...

Budget estimates, fiscal year 1995. Volume 1: Agency summary, human space flight, and science, aeronautics and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The NASA budget request has been restructured in FY 1995 into four appropriations: human space flight; science, aeronautics, and technology; mission support; and inspector general. The human space flight appropriations provides funding for NASA's human space flight activities. This includes the on-orbit infrastructure (space station and Spacelab), transportation capability (space shuttle program, including operations, program support, and performance and safety upgrades), and the Russian cooperation program, which includes the flight activities associated with the cooperative research flights to the Russian Mir space station. These activities are funded in the following budget line items: space station, Russian cooperation, space shuttle, and payload utilization and operations. The science, aeronautics, and technology appropriations provides funding for the research and development activities of NASA. This includes funds to extend our knowledge of the earth, its space environment, and the universe and to invest in new technologies, particularly in aeronautics, to ensure the future competitiveness of the nation. These objectives are achieved through the following elements: space science, life and microgravity sciences and applications, mission to planet earth, aeronautical research and technology, advanced concepts and technology, launch services, mission communication services, and academic programs.

Soil science. Soil and human security in the 21st century.

PubMed

Amundson, Ronald; Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw; Hopmans, Jan W; Olson, Carolyn; Sztein, A Ester; Sparks, Donald L

2015-05-08

Human security has and will continue to rely on Earth's diverse soil resources. Yet we have now exploited the planet's most productive soils. Soil erosion greatly exceeds rates of production in many agricultural regions. Nitrogen produced by fossil fuel and geological reservoirs of other fertilizers are headed toward possible scarcity, increased cost, and/or geopolitical conflict. Climate change is accelerating the microbial release of greenhouse gases from soil organic matter and will likely play a large role in our near-term climate future. In this Review, we highlight challenges facing Earth's soil resources in the coming century. The direct and indirect response of soils to past and future human activities will play a major role in human prosperity and survival. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Toward Improved Collections in Medical Humanities: Fiction in Academic Health Sciences Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dali, Keren; Dilevko, Juris

2006-01-01

Although fiction plays a prominent role in the interdisciplinary field of medical humanities (MH), it is physically and intellectually isolated from non-fiction in academic health sciences libraries. Using the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database (LAMD) as a tool for selection and subject analysis, we suggest a method of integrating fiction…

[Productivity and academic assessment in the Brazilian public health field: challenges for Human and Social Sciences research].

PubMed

Bosi, Maria Lúcia Magalhães

2012-12-01

This article analyzes some challenges for knowledge output in the human and social sciences in the public health field, under the current academic assessment model in Brazil. The article focuses on the qualitative research approach in human and social sciences, analyzing its status in comparison to the other traditions vying for hegemony in the public health field, conjugating the dialogue with the literature, especially the propositions pertaining to the social fields present in the work of Pierre Bourdieu, with elements concerning the field's dynamics, including some empirical data. Challenges identified in the article include hurdles to interdisciplinary dialogue and equity in the production of knowledge, based on recognition of the founding place of human and social sciences in the public health field. The article discusses strategies to reshape the current correlation of forces among centers of knowledge in public health, especially those capable of impacting the committees and agendas that define the accumulation of symbolic and economic capital in the field.

Is Vacation Apprenticeship of Undergraduate Life Science Students a Model for Human Capacity Development in the Life Sciences?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thelma Downs, Colleen

2010-03-01

A life sciences undergraduate apprenticeship initiative was run during the vacations at a South African university. In particular, the initiative aimed to increase the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Annually 12-18 undergraduate biology students were apprenticed to various institutions during the January and July vacations from 2005 to 2007. This was to develop their skills and interests in the biological sciences, particularly in biocontrol and entomology. Results suggest that this "grassroots" approach increased the number of Black and female students in the life sciences. In particular, it developed their knowledge of the discipline of science and of how it progresses. For most students it enthused and motivated them in the pursuit of their studies and in considering postgraduate research. Students benefited socially from the interactions with researchers and staff, and learnt the protocols of research institutions. Economically most students benefited as they had financial loans for their studies, and the additional monies assisted them in meeting some of the payments. It is proposed that this undergraduate apprenticeship be used as a model for human capacity development at an undergraduate level that can be adopted in the other sciences and universities. This provides an alternative to the current South African National Research Foundation model, a top-down approach, that is aimed at recruiting Black and female students at the postgraduate level.

Human embryonic stem cell science and policy: the case of Iran.

PubMed

Saniei, Mansooreh

2013-12-01

The paper is based on a large qualitative study of ethics, policy and regulation of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) science in Iran. This case study in five academic research centres used semi-structured interviews to examine in depth the views of stem cell scientists, embryologists and ethics committee members on hESC research policy in this Shia Muslim country. Although Iran's policy approach has been considered 'intermediate', what is described here seems to be a 'more flexible' policy on hESC science. This article describes three arguments to explain why Iran has shaped such a policy. These are: (1) a flexibility of the Shia tradition has allowed for hESC science; (2) permissive policy related to other fields of biomedicine, such as new assisted reproductive technologies, facilitated approval of hESC research; and (3) a lack of public debate of bioscience in Iran influences how its hESC research policy is perceived. Based on the empirical data, this paper then expands and refines the conceptual bioethical basis for the co-production of science, policy, and society in Iran. The notion of co-production implies that scientists, policy-makers, and sometimes other societal actors cooperate in the exchange, production, and application of knowledge to make science policy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Humberto R. Maturana and Francisco J. Varela on Science and the Humanities: The Poerksen Interviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Aesthetic Education, 2006

2006-01-01

This article deals with Bernhard Poerksen's interviews with Humberto R. Maturana and Francisco J. Varela on science and the humanities. In Poerksen's conversation with Maturana, they talk about the: (1) responsibility of the teacher; (2) listening to the listening; (3) perception and illusion; and (4) all human beings are equally intelligent. In…

Making the Implicit Explicit: The Grammar of Inferential Reasoning in the Humanities and Social Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luckett, Kathy

2016-01-01

This is a theoretical paper that addresses the challenge of educational access to the Humanities and Social Sciences. It plots a theoretical quest to develop an explicit pedagogy to give "disadvantaged" students in the Humanities ways of working successfully with texts. In doing so it draws on Bernstein, Moore and Maton's work to…

Panel discussion on: 'Will computational science be able to provide answers to important problems of human society?'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baiotti, Luca; Takabe, Hideaki

2013-08-01

The PDF contains the speech of journalist Atsuko Tsuji (Asahi Shimbun) with the title 'Requests and expectations for computational science' and the record of the following discussion on: 'Will computational science be able to provide answers to important problems of human society?'

The Search for Synthesis: Constraints on the Development of the Humanities in Liberal Science-based Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodlad, Sinclair

2000-01-01

Suggests that the perspectives developed by humanities as part of education in science, technology, and medicine can offer enrichment in ways that lead to both use and delight. Sketches some activities at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (ICSTM) in London concerned with liberal education and describes some of the…

Human endometrial cell coculture reduces the endocrine disruptor toxicity on mouse embryo development

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Backgrounds Previous studies suggested that endocrine disruptors (ED) are toxic on preimplantation embryos and inhibit development of embryos in vitro culture. However, information about the toxicity of endocrine disruptors on preimplantation development of embryo in human reproductive environment is lacking. Methods Bisphenol A (BPA) and Aroclor 1254 (polychlorinated biphenyls) were used as endocrine disruptors in this study. Mouse 2-cell embryos were cultured in medium alone or vehicle or co-cultured with human endometrial epithelial layers in increasing ED concentrations. Results At 72 hours the percentage of normal blastocyst were decreased by ED in a dose-dependent manner while the co-culture system significantly enhanced the rate and reduced the toxicity of endocrine disruptors on the embryonic development in vitro. Conclusions In conclusion, although EDs have the toxic effect on embryo development, the co-culture with human endometrial cell reduced the preimplantation embryo from it thereby making human reproductive environment protective to preimplantation embryo from the toxicity of endocrine disruptors. PMID:22546201

Human microbiome science: vision for the future, Bethesda, MD, July 24 to 26, 2013

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

A conference entitled ‘Human microbiome science: Vision for the future’ was organized in Bethesda, MD from July 24 to 26, 2013. The event brought together experts in the field of human microbiome research and aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the state of microbiome research, but more importantly to identify and discuss gaps, challenges and opportunities in this nascent field. This report summarizes the presentations but also describes what is needed for human microbiome research to move forward and deliver medical translational applications.

Science and Ecological Economics: Integrating of the Study of Humans and the Rest of Nature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costanza, Robert

2009-01-01

Ecological economics is a transdisciplinary field that seeks to integrate the study of humans and the rest of nature as the basis for the creation of a sustainable and desirable future. It seeks to dissolve the barriers between the traditional disciplines and achieve a true "consilience" of all the sciences and humanities. This consilient,…

Science as Story: "Communicating the Nature of Science through Historical Perspectives on Science"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wieder, Will

2006-01-01

Historical perspectives on science serve to humanize the sciences, increase student motivation, communicate academic content, and convey the nature of science. This paper briefly reviews pertinent literature regarding the history of science and narrates the author's experiences of incorporating historical perspectives in high school biology…

Transforming Self and Others through Research: Transpersonal Research Methods and Skills for the Human Sciences and Humanities. SUNY Series in Transpersonal and Humanistic Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Rosemarie; Braud, William

2011-01-01

Research approaches in the field of transpersonal psychology can be transformative for researchers, participants, and the audience of a project. This book offers these transformative approaches to those conducting research across the human sciences and the humanities. Rosemarie Anderson and William Braud first described such methods in…

The Effects of Teachers' Social and Human Capital on Urban Science Reform Initiatives: Considerations for Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, Susan A.; Yom, Jessica Koehler; Yang, Zhitong; Liu, Lei

2017-01-01

Background: Recent research investigating the conditions under which science teachers can successfully implement science education reforms suggests that focusing only on professional development to improve content knowledge and teaching skills--often referred to as human capital--may not be enough. Increasingly, possessing social capital, defined…

Science Education: The New Humanity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, John H.

1973-01-01

Summarizes science education trends, problems, and controversies at the elementary, secondary, and higher education levels beginning with the Physical Science Study Committee course, and discusses the present status concerning the application of the Fourth Revolution to the education system. (CC)

The Use of Ethical Frameworks for Implementing Science as a Human Endeavour in Year 10 Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yap, Siew Fong; Dawson, Vaille

2014-01-01

This research focuses on the use of ethical frameworks as a pedagogical model for socio-scientific education in implementing the "Science as a Human Endeavour" (SHE) strand of the Australian Curriculum: Science in a Year 10 biology class in a Christian college in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. Using a case study approach, a mixed…

Diploid, but not haploid, human embryonic stem cells can be derived from microsurgically repaired tripronuclear human zygotes

PubMed Central

Fan, Yong; Li, Rong; Huang, Jin; Yu, Yang; Qiao, Jie

2013-01-01

Human embryonic stem cells have shown tremendous potential in regenerative medicine, and the recent progress in haploid embryonic stem cells provides new insights for future applications of embryonic stem cells. Disruption of normal fertilized embryos remains controversial; thus, the development of a new source for human embryonic stem cells is important for their usefulness. Here, we investigated the feasibility of haploid and diploid embryo reconstruction and embryonic stem cell derivation using microsurgically repaired tripronuclear human zygotes. Diploid and haploid zygotes were successfully reconstructed, but a large proportion of them still had a tripolar spindle assembly. The reconstructed embryos developed to the blastocyst stage, although the loss of chromosomes was observed in these zygotes. Finally, triploid and diploid human embryonic stem cells were derived from tripronuclear and reconstructed zygotes (from which only one pronucleus was removed), but haploid human embryonic stem cells were not successfully derived from the reconstructed zygotes when two pronuclei were removed. Both triploid and diploid human embryonic stem cells showed the general characteristics of human embryonic stem cells. These results indicate that the lower embryo quality resulting from abnormal spindle assembly contributed to the failure of the haploid embryonic stem cell derivation. However, the successful derivation of diploid embryonic stem cells demonstrated that microsurgical tripronuclear zygotes are an alternative source of human embryonic stem cells. In the future, improving spindle assembly will facilitate the application of triploid zygotes to the field of haploid embryonic stem cells. PMID:23255130

Humanities Perspectives on Technology Program: Science, Technology & Society Program. Lehigh University, 1977-80.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutcliffe, Stephen H., Ed.

Newsletter issues pertaining to Lehigh University's Humanities Perspectives on Technology (HPT) Program, which was renamed the Science, Technology and Society Program, are presented. Additionally, a newsletter article excerpt entitled "Elements of Technology in a Liberal Education" is included. Two 1977 issues of "HRP News,"…

Preparing for Humans at Mars, MPPG Updates to Strategic Knowledge Gaps and Collaboration with Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, John; Wargo, Michael J.; Beaty, David

2013-01-01

The Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG) was an agency wide effort, chartered in March 2012 by the NASA Associate Administrator for Science, in collaboration with NASA's Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, the Chief Scientist, and the Chief Technologist. NASA tasked the MPPG to develop foundations for a program-level architecture for robotic exploration of Mars that is consistent with the President's challenge of sending humans to the Mars system in the decade of the 2030s and responsive to the primary scientific goals of the 2011 NRC Decadal Survey for Planetary Science. The Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) also sponsored a Precursor measurement Strategy Analysis Group (P-SAG) to revisit prior assessments of required precursor measurements for the human exploration of Mars. This paper will discuss the key results of the MPPG and P-SAG efforts to update and refine our understanding of the Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) required to successfully conduct human Mars missions.

Evolving Human Rights and the Science of Antiretroviral Medicine.

PubMed

Kavanagh, Matthew; Cohn, Jennifer; Mabote, Lynette; Meier, Benjamin Mason; Williams, Brian; Russell, Asia; Sikwese, Kenly; Baker, Brook

2015-06-11

Recent years have seen significant advances in the science of using antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) to fight HIV. Where not long ago ARVs were used late in disease to prevent sick people from dying, today people living with HIV can use ARVs to achieve viral suppression early in the course of disease. This article reviews the mounting new scientific evidence of major clinical and prevention ARV benefits. This has changed the logic of the AIDS response, eliminating competition between "treatment" and "prevention" and encouraging early initiation of treatment for individual and public health benefit. These breakthroughs have implications for the health-related human rights duties of States. With medical advance, the "highest attainable standard" of health has taken a leap, and with it the rights obligations of States. We argue that access to early treatment for all is now a core State obligation and restricting access to, or failing to provide accurate information about, it violates both individual and collective rights. In a context of real political and technical challenges, however, in this article we review the policy implications of evolving human rights obligations given the new science. National and international legal standards require action on budget, health and intellectual property policy, which we outline. Copyright 2015 Kavanagh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

[Digitizing Human and Social Sciences Journals. Recent History and Perspectives].

PubMed

Parisot, Thomas

2015-06-01

Recent years have seen the emergence and the gradual rise of French journals digital offers in the fields of human and social sciences. In this article, we will both reconsider the conditions of occurrence of these services and discuss the evolution of their environment. Through the example of several emerging initiatives in the field of scientific publishing, in a context marked by continuity but also rupture, we will try to glimpse the role journals could play in the new digital world being created.

The Humanities: A Selective Guide to Information Sources. Fifth Edition. Library and Information Science Text Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazek, Ron; Aversa, Elizabeth

This book provides a guide to humanities information sources for teachers and students in schools of library and information science, reference librarians, collection development officers in libraries, humanities scholars, and others who have information needs in the broad discipline. This fifth edition represents a more comprehensive and updated…

Enhancement, ethics and society: towards an empirical research agenda for the medical humanities and social sciences

PubMed Central

Hogle, Linda

2015-01-01

For some time now, bioethicists have paid close attention to issues associated with ‘enhancement’; specifically, the appropriate use and regulation of substances and artefacts understood by some to improve the functioning of human bodies beyond that associated with ‘normal’ function. Medical humanities scholars (aside from philosophers and lawyers) and social scientists have not been frequent participants in debates around enhancement, but could shine a bright light on the range of dilemmas and opportunities techniques of enhancement are purported to introduce. In this paper, we argue that empirical research into the notion and practice of enhancement is necessary and timely. Such work could fruitfully engage with—and further develop—existing conceptual repertoires within the medical humanities and social sciences in ways that would afford benefit to scholars in those disciplines. We maintain that empirical engagements could also provide important resources to bioethicists seeking to regulate new enhancements in ways that are sensitive to societal context and cultural difference. To this end, we outline an empirical agenda for the medical humanities and social sciences around enhancement, emphasising especially how science and technology studies could bring benefits to—and be benefitted by—research in this area. We also use the example of (pharmaceutical) cognitive enhancement to show how empirical studies of actual and likely enhancement practices can nuance resonant bioethical debates. PMID:26260624

Science and Human Behavior translated into Portuguese: Ciência e Comportamento Humano.

PubMed

Todorov, João Claudio

2003-11-01

Science and Human Behavior was translated to Portuguese as part of the effort to begin a psychology course at the University of Brasília 40 years ago; one of the many results of the first visit of Fred S. Keller to Brazil. The book has been used continuously in undergraduate courses in Brazil since 1967.

Designing an Exploratory Text Analysis Tool for Humanities and Social Sciences Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrikumar, Aditi

2013-01-01

This dissertation presents a new tool for exploratory text analysis that attempts to improve the experience of navigating and exploring text and its metadata. The design of the tool was motivated by the unmet need for text analysis tools in the humanities and social sciences. In these fields, it is common for scholars to have hundreds or thousands…

Problem-Based Learning of Social Sciences and Humanities by Fourth-Year Medical Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colby, Kathleen K.; And Others

1986-01-01

A required fourth-year course integrating the social sciences and humanities into the required clinical medical curriculum at Dartmouth Medical School is intended to prepare students to deal with the social and humanistic issues involved in medical practice, including law, ethics, economics, and social anthropology. (MSE)

The fine structure of human germ layers in vivo: clues to the early differentiation of embryonic stem cells in vitro.

PubMed

Sathananthan, Henry; Selvaraj, Kamala; Clark, Joan

2011-08-01

The fine structure of the three germ layers in human ectopic embryos (stage 7) have been documented by digital light and electron microscopy. The formation of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm and notochordal cells, and also the extraembryonic membranes, amnion and yolk sac, are imaged. The germ layers give rise to all the cells and tissues of the human body. Possible clues to the early differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESC) in vitro were obtained, since these events are more or less mimicked in cultures of ESC derived from the inner cell mass of human blastocysts. The findings are discussed with reference to previous studies on the fine structure of ESC using the same technique. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Humans in Space Art Program - Engaging the Mind, and the Heart, in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPhee, J. C.

2017-12-01

How can we do a better job communicating about space, science and technology, getting more people engaged, understanding the impact that future space exploration will have on their lives, and thinking about how they can contribute? Humans naturally express their visions and interests through various forms of artistic expression because art is inherently capable of expressing not only the "what and how" but also the "why" of ideas. Offering opportunities that integrate space, science and technology with art allows more people to learn about space, relay their visions of the future, and discuss why exploration and research are important. The Humans in Space Art Program, managed by the nonprofit SciArt Exchange, offers a science-integrated-with-art opportunity. Through international online competitions, we invite participants to share their visions of the future using visual, literary, musical and video art. We then use their artwork in multi-media displays and live performances online, locally worldwide, and in space to engage listeners and viewers. The Program has three projects, targeting different types of participants: the Youth Competition (ages 10-18), the Challenge (college and early career) and Celebrity Artist-Fed Engagement (CAFÉ: professional artists). To date, the Program has received 3400 artworks from over 52 countries and displayed the artwork in 110 multi-media events worldwide, on the International Space Station and bounced off the Moon. 100,000's have thus viewed artwork considering topics such as: why we explore; where and how we will go and when; and what we will do when we arrive. The Humans in Space Art Program is a flexible public engagement model applicable to multiple settings, including classrooms, art and entertainment events, and scientific conferences. It provides a system to accessibly inspire all ages about space, science and technology, making them hungry to learn more and to take a personal role.

GIS and paleoanthropology: incorporating new approaches from the geospatial sciences in the analysis of primate and human evolution.

PubMed

Anemone, R L; Conroy, G C; Emerson, C W

2011-01-01

The incorporation of research tools and analytical approaches from the geospatial sciences is a welcome trend for the study of primate and human evolution. The use of remote sensing (RS) imagery and geographic information systems (GIS) allows vertebrate paleontologists, paleoanthropologists, and functional morphologists to study fossil localities, landscapes, and individual specimens in new and innovative ways that recognize and analyze the spatial nature of much paleoanthropological data. Whether one is interested in locating and mapping fossiliferous rock units in the field, creating a searchable and georeferenced database to catalog fossil localities and specimens, or studying the functional morphology of fossil teeth, bones, or artifacts, the new geospatial sciences provide an essential element in modern paleoanthropological inquiry. In this article we review recent successful applications of RS and GIS within paleoanthropology and related fields and argue for the importance of these methods for the study of human evolution in the twenty first century. We argue that the time has come for inclusion of geospatial specialists in all interdisciplinary field research in paleoanthropology, and suggest some promising areas of development and application of the methods of geospatial science to the science of human evolution. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the secretome of cultured embryos: hyperglycosylated hCG and hCG-free beta subunit are potential markers for infertility management and treatment.

PubMed

Butler, Stephen A; Luttoo, Jameel; Freire, Maísa O T; Abban, Thomas K; Borrelli, Paola T A; Iles, Ray K

2013-09-01

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced by trophoblast cells throughout pregnancy, and gene expression studies have indicated that hCG-beta subunit (hCGβ) expression is active at the 2 blastomere stage. Here, we investigated the qualitative hCG output of developing embryos in culture and hCG isoforms expressed in the secretome as a novel sensitive method for detecting hCG. Culture media was collected from the culture plates of 118 embryos in culture (including controls and embryos at different stages of culture) from 16 patients undergoing routine fertility treatment. The hCGβ was detectable in media from 2 pronuclear (2PN) stage embryos through to the blastocyst stage. The hCGβ was absent in 1PN and arrested embryos as well as all media controls. Prior to hatching, hyperglycosylated hCG (hCGh) was observed selectively in 3PN embryos, but after hatching, along with hCG, became the dominant hCG molecule observed. We have reported at the 2PN stage the earliest evidence of hCGβ expression in embryos. There is a suggestion this may be indicative of quality in early embryos, and hCGh seen at the pronuclear stage may suggest triploid abnormality. The dominance of hCG, and hCGh expression, seen after blastocyst hatching may be indicative of potential implantation success. Thus, hCG isoforms have potential roles as biomarkers of embryo viability for embryo/blastocyst transfer.

Teaching the Human Dimension of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farland-Smith, Donna; McComas, William

2009-01-01

Teachers have the important responsibility of providing students with accurate and engaging science content while also helping them establish authentic views of scientists. Though there are numerous curriculum materials to assist in the teaching of science content, the authors have found that methods and materials to teach science as a human…

Whitehead Policy Symposium. The Human Genome Project: Science, law, and social change in the 21st century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, E.K.

2000-02-17

Advances in the biomedical sciences, especially in human genomics, will dramatically influence law, medicine, public health, and many other sectors of our society in the decades ahead. The public already senses the revolutionary nature of genomic knowledge. In the US and Europe, we have seen widespread discussions about genetic discrimination in health insurance; privacy issues raised by the proliferation of DNA data banks; the challenge of interpreting new DNA diagnostic tests; changing definitions of what it means to be healthy; and the science and ethics of cloning animals and human beings. The primary goal of the Whitehead/ASLME Policy Symposium wasmore » to provide a bridge between the research community and professionals, who were just beginning to grasp the potential impact of new genetic technologies on their fields. The ''Human Genome Project: Science, Law, and Social Change in the 21st Century'' initially was designed as a forum for 300-500 physicians, lawyers, consumers, ethicists, and scientists to explore the impact of new genetic technologies and prepare for the challenges ahead.« less

The novel use of modified pig zygotic medium for the efficient culture of the preimplantation mouse embryos.

PubMed

Amarnath, Dasari; Wakayama, Sayaka; Zhu, Jie; Moawad, Adel R; Wakayama, Teruhiko; Campbell, Keith H S

2011-12-01

A high potassium concentration in culture media is considered detrimental to in vitro culture of mouse embryos. Here we show that pig zygotic medium (PZM) containing a higher concentration of potassium, and modified to contain 0.2 mM glucose and 0.01 mM EDTA, supported efficient pre- and post-implantation development of mouse zygotes to blastocysts and live pups, respectively. At first, modified PZM (mPZM) was compared with other culture media such as M16, CZB and KSOM-AA for its ability to support development of in vivo mouse zygotes to the blastocyst stage. The proportions of zygotes reaching 2-cell (94-99%) and blastocyst (90-96%) stages in mPZM and other media were not different. However, hatching rates of blastocysts were different (P < 0.05); whereas more than 90% of the blastocysts were hatching in mPZM or KSOM-AA, only 60% of the blastocysts did in M16 or CZB media (P < 0.05). Next we compared post-implantation development of in vitro fertilized zygotes developed to blastocysts in mPZM and KSOM-AA. The proportion of blastocysts developing into live pups was not different between mPZM (49%) and KSOM-AA (44%). Finally, we evaluated whether mPZM could be also used as a fertilization medium. Modified PZM containing 5.56 mM of glucose and 0.4% BSA efficiently supported IVF of mouse gametes. The percent of zygotes cleaving to 2-cell (94-98%) and blastocysts (91-93%) stage was not different from zygotes fertilized in human tubal fluid medium. We concluded that modified pig zygotic medium containing a higher potassium concentration than any other commonly used mouse media supported not only culture of mouse embryos, but also efficient IVF of mouse gametes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Sciences and Humanities in the IPY 2007/08: An Integrating Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupnik, I.

2004-12-01

Our understanding of the human dimension of polar regions is immensely greater today than at the beginning of polar science. In the IPY 2007/2008, social sciences and humanities aspire to become fully engaged members of a new multidisciplinary effort. They are eager to address issues of partnership and public involvement, socio-economic development, governance, cultural viability and human rights of polar residents. These societal issues are among the top priorities of the IPY 2007/2008 mission to enhance the understanding of human-environmental interactions in the polar systems and to promote the value of polar science and global monitoring among the public at large. Other social issues-security, diplomacy, demography, health, education, communications-are also critical to polar research and to the scientific advance into the Arctic and Antarctica. The success of IPY 2007/08 requires the articulation of the common interest among scientists, polar peoples, economic actors, and sovereign nations, facing current global change. Experience from various regions present convincing evidence that lasting progress in the understanding and preservation of the environment can only be achieved if local populations are respected and involved. Research made at the "poles" is, thus, crucial for establishing models of equity and involvement, partnership and outreach. In this mission of the IPY 2007/2008 program social scientists and humanists are to make credible contributions. One of the key missions for social scientists under the IPY 2007/2008 program is to develop cooperative observation programs involving interested indigenous experts, subsistence users, and other polar residents. Through generations of life in the polar environment, polar people have developed long-standing knowledge and observation techniques in recording and interpreting a broad range of signals and phenomena in the polar systems. Efforts to integrate local experts into year-round circumpolar observing

Virtual Reality for Artificial Intelligence: human-centered simulation for social science.

PubMed

Cipresso, Pietro; Riva, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

There is a long last tradition in Artificial Intelligence as use of Robots endowing human peculiarities, from a cognitive and emotional point of view, and not only in shape. Today Artificial Intelligence is more oriented to several form of collective intelligence, also building robot simulators (hardware or software) to deeply understand collective behaviors in human beings and society as a whole. Modeling has also been crucial in the social sciences, to understand how complex systems can arise from simple rules. However, while engineers' simulations can be performed in the physical world using robots, for social scientist this is impossible. For decades, researchers tried to improve simulations by endowing artificial agents with simple and complex rules that emulated human behavior also by using artificial intelligence (AI). To include human beings and their real intelligence within artificial societies is now the big challenge. We present an hybrid (human-artificial) platform where experiments can be performed by simulated artificial worlds in the following manner: 1) agents' behaviors are regulated by the behaviors shown in Virtual Reality involving real human beings exposed to specific situations to simulate, and 2) technology transfers these rules into the artificial world. These form a closed-loop of real behaviors inserted into artificial agents, which can be used to study real society.

Mapping and sequencing the human genome: Science, ethics, and public policy. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McInerney, J.D.

1993-03-31

Development of Mapping and Sequencing the Human Genome: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy followed the standard process of curriculum development at the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS), the process is described. The production of this module was a collaborative effort between BSCS and the American Medical Association (AMA). Appendix A contains a copy of the module. Copies of reports sent to the Department of Energy (DOE) during the development process are contained in Appendix B; all reports should be on file at DOE. Appendix B also contains copies of status reports submitted to the BSCS Board of Directors.

Expression of microRNAs in bovine and human pre-implantation embryo culture media

PubMed Central

Kropp, Jenna; Salih, Sana M.; Khatib, Hasan

2014-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are short non-coding RNAs which act to regulate expression of genes driving numerous cellular processes. These RNAs are secreted within exosomes from cells into the extracellular environment where they may act as signaling molecules. In addition, they are relatively stable and are specifically expressed in association to certain cancers making them strong candidates as biological markers. Moreover, miRNAs have been detected in body fluids including urine, milk, saliva, semen, and blood plasma. However, it is unknown whether they are secreted by embryonic cells into the culture media. Given that miRNAs are expressed throughout embryonic cellular divisions and embryonic genome activation, we hypothesized that they are secreted from the embryo into the extracellular environment and may play a role in the developmental competence of bovine embryos. To test this hypothesis, bovine embryos were cultured individually from day 5 to day 8 of development in an in vitro fertilization system and gene expression of 5 miRNAs was analyzed in both embryos and culture media. Differential miRNA gene expression was observed between embryos that developed to the blastocyst stage and those that failed to develop from the morula to blastocyst stage, deemed degenerate embryos. MiR-25, miR-302c, miR-196a2, and miR-181a expression was found to be higher in degenerate embryos compared to blastocyst embryos. Interestingly, these miRNAs were also found to be expressed in the culture media of both bovine and human pre-implantation embryos. Overall, our results show for the first time that miRNAs are secreted from pre-implantation embryos into culture media and that miRNA expression may correlate with developmental competence of the embryo. Expression of miRNAs in in vitro culture media could allow for the development of biological markers for selection of better quality embryos and for subsequent successful pregnancy. PMID:24795753

International Engagement versus Local Commitment: Hong Kong Academics in the Humanities and Social Sciences Writing for Publication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yongyan; Flowerdew, John

2009-01-01

It has been recognized that English as the language of international scholarship represents a more complex picture in the humanities and social sciences (HSS) than in science and engineering, with multilingual scholars in the HSS often negotiating international engagement and local commitment by publishing both in English and their first language.…

Indexing Price Trends of French Academic Books in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Ronald E.

1994-01-01

Provides data on price trends for French academic books in the humanities and social sciences for the years 1986-90 based on information from the "Bulletin Critique du Livre Francais," a monthly book-reviewing journal. A method for developing a price index for this material is demonstrated. (Contains eight references.) (LRW)

The Challenge of Promoting Algorithmic Thinking of Both Sciences- and Humanities-Oriented Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katai, Z.

2015-01-01

The research results we present in this paper reveal that properly calibrated e-learning tools have potential to effectively promote the algorithmic thinking of both science-oriented and humanities-oriented students. After students had watched an illustration (by a folk dance choreography) and an animation of the studied sorting algorithm (bubble…

Learning about the Human Genome. Part 1: Challenge to Science Educators. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haury, David L.

This digest explains how to inform high school students and their parents about the human genome project (HGP) and how the information from this milestone finding will affect future biological and medical research and challenge science educators. The sections include: (1) "The Emerging Legacy of the HGP"; (2) "Transforming How…

Promoting positive human development and social justice: Integrating theory, research and application in contemporary developmental science.

PubMed

Lerner, Richard M

2015-06-01

The bold claim that developmental science can contribute to both enhancing positive development among diverse individuals across the life span and promoting social justice in their communities, nations and regions is supported by decades of theoretical, methodological and research contributions. To explain the basis of this claim, I describe the relational developmental systems (RDS) metamodel that frames contemporary developmental science, and I present an example of a programme of research within the adolescent portion of the life span that is associated with this metamodel and is pertinent to promoting positive human development. I then discuss methodological issues associated with using RDS-based models as frames for research and application. Finally, I explain how the theoretical and methodological ideas associated with RDS thinking may provide the scholarly tools needed by developmental scientists seeking to contribute to human thriving and to advance social justice in the Global South. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

The Human Factor in Innovation and Productivity Including an Analysis of Hearings on the Human Factor. Report by the Subcommittee on Science, Research and Technology, Transmitted to the Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-Seventh Congress, Second Session. Serial FF.