Publications by authors named "F C Horta"
A biomimetic sperm selection device for routine sperm selection.
Reprod Biomed Online
September 2024
Research Question: Can a biomimetic microfluidic sperm sorter isolate motile sperm while minimizing DNA damage in comparison with density gradient centrifugation (DGC)?
Design: This was a two-phase study of 61 men, consisting of a proof-of-concept study with 21 donated semen samples in a university research laboratory, followed by a diagnostic andrology study with 40 consenting patients who presented at a fertility clinic for semen diagnostics. Each sample was split to perform DGC and microfluidic sperm selection (one-step sperm selection with 15 min of incubation) side-by-side. Outcomes evaluated included concentration, progressive motility, and DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of raw semen, and sperm isolated using DGC and the microfluidic device.
Article Synopsis
- Developed an optofluidic device for high-resolution 3D imaging of NAD(P)H autofluorescence in live mouse embryos, demonstrating a proof-of-concept for safe metabolic imaging in early-stage embryos.
- Investigated the safety and impact of the imaging process on embryo development and viability, involving 115 embryos over a 67-hour culture, alongside control conditions and assessments of blastocyst quality.
- Used advanced microscopy techniques within a microfluidic system, utilizing UV-photolithography to integrate light-sheet fluorescence microscopy with on-chip micro-lenses to optimize the imaging of metabolic activity in early embryos.
Background: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) is a fertility preservation method that has been clinically applied for almost 30 years. Studies specifically evaluating patients presenting with non-malignant indications for OTC and their subsequent pregnancy rates are limited.
Objective: To summarise the evidence on the rates of successful pregnancy amongst women who have undergone OTC for non-malignant indications.
Study Question: What is the present performance of artificial intelligence (AI) decision support during embryo selection compared to the standard embryo selection by embryologists?
Summary Answer: AI consistently outperformed the clinical teams in all the studies focused on embryo morphology and clinical outcome prediction during embryo selection assessment.
What Is Known Already: The ART success rate is ∼30%, with a worrying trend of increasing female age correlating with considerably worse results. As such, there have been ongoing efforts to address this low success rate through the development of new technologies.