Revision of the Hylaea fasciaria (Linnaeus, 1758) species group in the western Palaearctic (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Ennominae).

The Palaearctic Hylaea fasciaria (Linnaeus, 1758) species group is revised (Lepidoptera: Geometridae, Ennominae). Four taxa are considered valid at species level: H. fasciaria (Linnaeus, 1758), H.

Ultrastructure of human mature oocytes after slow cooling cryopreservation with ethylene glycol.

The morphological characteristics of frozen-thawed human mature oocytes (n = 12) were studied by light and transmission electron microscopy following cryopreservation using a slow cooling protocol including increasing concentrations of ethylene glycol (0.5-1.5 mol/l) and sucrose 0.

Vaginal gel versus intramuscular progesterone for luteal phase supplementation: a prospective randomized trial.

The aim of this randomized study was to compare the efficacy of intramuscular progesterone (IMP) and progesterone in vaginal gel (VGP) at two different doses for luteal support in IVF. A total of 412 patients, aged between 28 and 37 years, were randomized into three groups. The day after oocyte retrieval each patient began supplementation with one of the following: IMP 50 mg daily (150 patients), VGP 90 mg once daily (143 patients), or VPG 90 mg twice daily (148 patients).

Permeability of human oocytes to ethylene glycol and their survival and spindle configurations after slow cooling cryopreservation.

Background: To develop novel cryopreservation methods, we estimated the permeability coefficients Lp (hydraulic conductivity) and P(EG) (cryoprotectant permeability) of mature human oocytes after exposure to ethylene glycol (EG) and tested the efficiency of a multi-step slow cooling protocol based on this cryoprotectant.

Methods: Oocytes were perfused with 1.5 mol/l EG for 10 min.

Clinical relevance of sperm DNA damage in assisted reproduction.

Many studies have shown how a 'paternal effect' can cause repeated assisted reproduction failures. In particular, with increasing experience of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), it became evident that spermatozoa from some patients repeatedly fail to form viable embryos, although they can fertilize the oocyte and trigger early preimplantation development. Many authors have shown how this paternal effect can be traced back to anomalies in sperm chromatin organization: the spermatozoa of subfertile men are characterized by numerical abnormalities in spermatozoal chromosome content, Y chromosome microdeletions, alterations in the epigenetic regulation of paternal genome and non-specific DNA strand breaks.

Differential sucrose concentration during dehydration (0.2 mol/l) and rehydration (0.3 mol/l) increases the implantation rate of frozen human oocytes.

Novel protocols have increased survival and fertilization rates of cryopreserved oocytes. Nevertheless, in most cases clinical experiences have been disappointing or contradictory. Human oocytes of 141 patients were cryopreserved using a modified slow-cooling protocol involving 1.

Ultrastructure of human mature oocytes after slow cooling cryopreservation using different sucrose concentrations.

Background: We studied the ultrastructural characteristics of human mature oocytes frozen/thawed (F/T) using different concentrations of sucrose. Fresh human mature oocytes were used as controls.

Methods: The oocytes (n = 48) were fixed in 1.

Sperm DNA fragmentation: paternal effect on early post-implantation embryo development in ART.

Background: The relationship between early embryo post-implantation development in couples undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) and sperm chromatin alterations has not been satisfactorily explained. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sperm DNA fragmentation in IVF/ICSI patients, sperm parameters (concentration, motility and morphology) and ART outcome, especially with regard to clinical pregnancy and pregnancy loss (spontaneous miscarriage or biochemical pregnancy).

Methods: DNA fragmentation was evaluated by TUNEL assay, performed on sperm suspensions after density gradient separation, in 132 men undergoing an ART cycle (82 IVF and 50 ICSI) and correlated with sperm parameters and ART outcome.

Cumulative pregnancy rates resulting from the use of fresh and frozen oocytes: 7 years' experience.

Storing supernumerary embryos and transferring them later fully utilizes the reproductive potential of retrieved oocytes, allowing a significant increase in the overall number of pregnancies achieved from a single cycle of ovarian stimulation treatment. As an alternative to embryo cryopreservation, preservation of unfertilized oocytes has been proposed to maximize clinical outcome. This paper presents data concerning the cumulative pregnancy rate after use of fresh and cryopreserved oocytes.

Implantation markers and endometriosis.

The receptive phase of the endometrium seems to occur in close association with the appearance of pinopodes and endometrial integrins that may be activated by the interleukin-1 system (IL-1). Embryo attachment is the result of adhesion protein expression, and the invasion of the embryo is governed by proteolytic enzymes. Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is produced by natural killer lymphocytes that interact with the invading trophoblast.

Live birth after IVF in a 46-year-old woman.

Pregnancies after IVF have been reported in women aged > or =44 years, but nobody older than 45 years at oocyte retrieval delivered. We report a case of birth of a healthy child after IVF in a 46-year-old infertile woman. Ovarian stimulation was performed with clomiphene citrate, 150 mg daily for 5 days.

Criteria to assess human oocyte quality after cryopreservation.

Oocyte cryopreservation certainly represents one of the most attractive developments in the field of assisted reproduction, with the aim of preserving female fertility and circumventing the ethical and legal drawbacks associated with embryo freezing. Despite the achievement of the first pregnancy from frozen oocytes dating back as early as 1987, since then fewer than 150 pregnancies have been reported. Over a long period of time, application of oocyte storage on a large scale has been prevented by various factors, namely poor post-thaw survival.

Clinical outcome of oocyte cryopreservation after slow cooling with a protocol utilizing a high sucrose concentration.

Background: Recently, interest in oocyte cryopreservation has steadily increased. Newly developed protocols have dramatically improved survival rates, removing perhaps the major hurdle that has prevented this approach from becoming a fully established form of treatment. However, the clinical efficiency of these protocols has not been exhaustively explored and therefore remains controversial.

Predictive factors for embryo implantation potential.

In spite of recent improvements in IVF, pregnancy rates have not increased significantly and one of the major problems remains the high multiple pregnancy rate. Better criteria are therefore necessary to establish the viability of a transferable embryo. Early prognosis of the developmental fate of the oocyte would help in selecting the best embryos to transfer, but non-invasive selection at the oocyte stage (extracytoplasmic and intracytoplasmic morphology) has proved to be of little prognostic value.

Meiotic spindle imaging in human oocytes frozen with a slow freezing procedure involving high sucrose concentration.

Background: One of the major concerns derived from the cryopreservation of meiotically mature oocytes is possible damage to the cytoskeletal apparatus, and in particular the meiotic spindle.

Methods: One hundred fresh oocytes showing the polar body I and high meiotic spindle birefringence (maximum retardance+/-1.5 mol/l SD = 2.

The patterns of uterine contractility in normal menstruating women: from physiology to pathology.

The nonpregnant uterus shows uterine activity throughout the menstrual cycle. This uterine activity was detected both by single strep tissue and by using intrauterine pressure recordings in vitro and in vivo. Today, ultrasound has made it possible to study this activity with a noninvasive approach and to assess uterine contractions (UCs) in real-time movements of the uterus.

Volume changes of mature human oocytes on exposure to cryoprotectant solutions used in slow cooling procedures.

Background: Despite the recent increase in pregnancies from cryopreserved human oocytes, success in terms of births per thawed oocyte is still poor. Modifications to cryopreservation protocols have not been based on measurement of the osmotic response of oocytes, and methodologies are often poorly described or protocols not strictly adhered to, inevitably resulting in variability.

Methods: Volume change of mature human oocytes was measured on exposure to cryoprotectant.

Pregnancies and births after oocyte cryopreservation.

Objective: To determine the potential of oocyte cryopreservation techniques.

Design: Retrospective data analysis.

Setting: A tertiary infertility center.

Mouse oocyte meiotic resumption and polar body extrusion in vitro are differentially influenced by FSH, epidermal growth factor and meiosis-activating sterol.

Background: In this study, we compared the relative ability of FSH (100 mIU/ml), epidermal growth factor (EGF) (10 ng/ml), and follicular-fluid meiosis-activating sterol (FF-MAS, 10 micromol/l) to induce meiotic resumption and polar body I (PBI) extrusion in mouse oocytes.

Methods: Cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEO) were co-incubated with meiosis-arresting agents, including 4 mmol/l hypoxanthine (Hx), 0.3 mmol/l dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP), and 8.

Half-dose depot triptorelin in pituitary suppression for multiple ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction technology: a randomized study.

Background: Pituitary suppression by depot GnRH agonist may be excessive for ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction technology. This study compares the efficacy of standard and half-dose depot triptorelin in a long protocol.

Methods: A total of 180 patients were randomized into two groups using sealed envelopes.

Perifollicular vascularity monitoring and scoring: a clinical tool for selecting the best oocyte.

The aim of our study was to assess relationship between perifollicular vascularity and outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. In our study, women who received embryos originating from oocytes developed in well vascularized follicles had a statistically higher pregnancy rate than women who received embryos chosen without considering follicles of origin.

GnRH analogs: depot versus short formulations.

Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) are widely used in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for assisted reproduction (ART). Two different formulations are now available: short formulations and depot formulation. Some authors have suggested that depot GnRH-a induce a too high pituitary suppression and have put forward protocols using reduced GnRH-a doses.

Oocyte cryopreservation: a biological perspective.

Oocyte cryopreservation would amount to a major breakthrough in reproductive medicine. Diverse strategies have been tested to minimise cooling-induced cell injury. Nevertheless, oocytes from various species have shown a particular sensitivity to freezing, due to their unique biological characteristics.