Apoptotic qPCR gene expression array analysis demonstrates proof-of-concept for rapid blastocoel fluid-conditioned media molecular prediction.

Purpose: Successful identification of transcriptomic biomarkers within human IVF embryos may enhance implantation prediction and provide insights not available through conventional embryo biopsy genomic analysis. We demonstrate proof-of-concept for a methodology to assess overall embryo gene expression using qPCR with blastocoel fluid-conditioned media by examining the comparative presence of apoptotic genes.

Methods: Blastocoel fluid-conditioned media were collected from 19 embryos (11 euploid) following trophectoderm biopsy of day-5 ICSI-IVF blastocysts.

The expression of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in human blastocoel fluid-conditioned media: a proof of concept study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), typically measured in maternal serum and a potential predictor of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes such as spontaneous miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, and stillbirth, is expressed in blastocoel fluid-conditioned media (BFCM) at the embryonic blastocyst stage.

Design: This is an in vitro study.

Methods: BFCM samples from trophectoderm-tested euploid blastocysts (n = 80) from in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) patients were analyzed for PAPP-A mRNA.

Racial disparities in frozen embryo transfer success.

Purpose: To compare pregnancy and birth outcomes after frozen embryo transfers (FETs) among White, Black, and Asian women and evaluate the effect of patient, protocol, and cycle characteristics on success.

Methods: A retrospective chart review identified women who underwent an autologous FET at an academic fertility center between January 2013 and March 2020.

Results: White, Black, and Asian women completed 1,181 (71.

Exclusivity of Cultural Practices Within Emerging Disease Outbreak Responses in Developing Nations Leads to Detrimental Outcomes.

A number of organizations provide aid and medical care to areas affected by emerging infectious disease outbreaks. This process oftentimes involves organizations traveling to developing areas and coordinating efforts on-site of the initial outbreak. Yet, the longevity and death toll of specific recent outbreaks and inability to effectively control them lead to unnecessary deaths and an unconstructive use of resources.

Comparative analysis of viral infection outcomes in human seminal fluid from prior viral epidemics and Sars-CoV-2 may offer trends for viral sexual transmissibility and long-term reproductive health implications.

Background: Viral detection in seminal fluid indicates their potential for both sexual transmission and impairment of reproductive health. Review of the mechanistic entry, sexual transmission and viral impacts for patients during major recent viral outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV), Ebola virus (EBOV), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV), and SARS-coronavirus 2 (CoV-2) (the virus which causes COVID-19) provides a framework to discuss this potential.

Aim: Comparative analysis of prior viral presence on seminal fluid against current (preliminary) findings for SARS-CoV-2 to predict biological implications of the novel coronavirus upon current sexual transmissibility, viral presence, and reproductive health.

Fluorescent-dependent comparative method for qPCR gene expression analysis in IVF clinical pre-implantation embryonic testing.

The use of quantitative PCR (qPCR) and other polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods in the field of human fertilization blastocoel fluid analysis can potentially be utilized for assisting clinicians in embryo selection based on specific gene expression patterns. Since typical Comparative cycle threshold ( ) analysis utilizes one threshold for runs per gene target and requires an inherent control group, this method is inadequate for analysis of small stochastic systems, such as embryonic-derived fluid. We mathematically demonstrate analytical modifications upon the Comparative qPCR workflow to incorporate a variable fluorescence threshold (utilizing only the parameters defined in the Comparative method), and subsequently demonstrate the typical workflow in which this modified method can successfully quantifiably analyze embryonic blastocoel fluid qPCR analysis.

Comparative genomics in infectious disease.

With more than one million bacterial genome sequences uploaded to public databases in the last 25 years, genomics has become a powerful tool for studying bacterial biology. Here, we review recent approaches that leverage large numbers of whole genome sequences to decipher the spread and pathogenesis of bacterial infectious diseases.

Embryo Biopsy Can Offer More Information Than Just Ploidy Status.

As a byproduct of increasing infertility cases, the use of medically assisted reproduction (MAR) has increased. As such, the need to gain information regarding the implantation potential of specific MAR preimplantation embryos prior to transfer has become increasingly critical. One potential source of this information is contained in the blastocoel fluid from day 5/6 embryos.