Euploid programmed frozen embryo transfer cycles are associated with a higher live birth rate when estradiol levels more closely mimic physiology.

Objective: To determine whether peak estradiol (E) levels above the usual physiologic range (300-500 pg/mL) will impact programmed frozen embryo transfer (FET) outcomes in an ideal study population of those using good-quality single euploid blastocysts.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University-based clinic.

Cavitation in a periodontal pocket by an ultrasonic dental scaler: A numerical investigation.

Periodontal pockets are spaces or holes surrounded by teeth under the gum line. These pockets can become filled with infection-causing bacteria resulting in tissue, bone, and tooth loss. Cavitation produced by the oscillating tip of dental ultrasonic scalers plays a significant role in routine periodontal therapy to clean these areas.

, a semi-automated segmentation and quantitation tool for cryo-soft-X-ray tomography.

Cryo-soft-X-ray tomography is being increasingly used in biological research to study the morphology of cellular compartments and how they change in response to different stimuli, such as viral infections. Segmentation of these compartments is limited by time-consuming manual tools or machine learning algorithms that require extensive time and effort to train. Here we describe , a new, easy-to-use, highly automated segmentation tool that enables accelerated segmentation of tomograms to delineate distinct cellular compartments.

Correlative cryo-imaging of the cellular universe with soft X-rays and laser light used to track F-actin structures in mammalian cells.

Imaging of actin filaments is crucial due to the integral role that they play in many cellular functions such as intracellular transport, membrane remodelling and cell motility. Visualizing actin filaments has so far relied on fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy/tomography. The former lacks the capacity to capture the overall local ultrastructure, while the latter requires rigorous sample preparation that can lead to potential artefacts, and only delivers relatively small volumes of imaging data at the thinnest areas of a cell.

Cryo-Structured Illumination Microscopic Data Collection from Cryogenically Preserved Cells.

Three-dimensional (3D) structured illumination microscopy (SIM) allows imaging of fluorescently labelled cellular structures at higher resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy. This super-resolution (SR) technique enables visualization of molecular processes in whole cells and has the potential to be used in conjunction with electron microscopy and X-ray tomography to correlate structural and functional information. A SIM microscope for cryogenically preserved samples (cryoSIM) has recently been commissioned at the correlative cryo-imaging beamline B24 at the UK synchrotron.

Protocol for image registration of correlative soft X-ray tomography and super-resolution structured illumination microscopy images.

Correlation of 3D images acquired on different microscopes can be a daunting prospect even for experienced users. This protocol describes steps for registration of images from soft X-ray absorption contrast imaging and super-resolution fluorescence imaging of hydrated biological materials at cryogenic temperatures. Although it is developed for data generated at synchrotron beamlines that offer the above combination of microscopies, it is applicable to all analogous imaging systems where the same area of a sample is examined using successive non-destructive imaging techniques.

Biofilm viability checker: An open-source tool for automated biofilm viability analysis from confocal microscopy images.

Quantifying biofilm formation on surfaces is challenging because traditional microbiological methods, such as total colony-forming units (CFUs), often rely on manual counting. These are laborious, resource intensive techniques, more susceptible to human error. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a high-resolution technique that allows 3D visualisation of biofilm architecture.

Access, barriers, and decisional regret in pursuit of fertility preservation among transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

Objective: To query transgender and gender-diverse individuals on their desire for fertility preservation, perceived barriers to access care, and decisional regret.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Not applicable.

Imaging and Quantification of the Area of Fast-Moving Microbubbles Using a High-Speed Camera and Image Analysis.

An experimental and image analysis technique is presented for imaging cavitation bubbles and calculating their area. The high-speed imaging experimental technique and image analysis protocol presented here can also be applied for imaging microscopic bubbles in other fields of research; therefore, it has a wide range of applications. We apply this to image cavitation around dental ultrasonic scalers.

High speed imaging of biofilm removal from a dental implant model using ultrasonic cavitation.

Objectives: Current instruments cannot clean in between dental implant threads and effectively remove biofilm from the rough implant surface without damaging it. Cavitation bubbles have the potential to disrupt biofilms. The aim of this study was to see how biofilms can be disrupted using non-contact cavitation from an ultrasonic scaler, imaged inside a restricted implant pocket model using high speed imaging.

Gynecologic and reproductive health in patients with pathogenic germline variants in DICER1.

Objective: Germline pathogenic variation in DICER1 underlies a tumor-predisposition disorder with increased risk for cervical embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and ovarian sex-cord stromal tumors, particularly Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors. The gynecologic and reproductive health of these females has not yet been described.

Methods: All female subjects recruited from November 2011 to July 2018 participating in an epidemiologic study of families with pathogenic DICER1 germline variation were included in this cross-sectional analysis.

Which Parameters Affect Biofilm Removal with Acoustic Cavitation? A Review.

Bacterial biofilms are a cause of contamination in a wide range of medical and biological areas. Ultrasound is a mechanical energy that can remove these biofilms using cavitation and acoustic streaming, which generate shear forces to disrupt biofilm from a surface. The aim of this narrative review is to investigate the literature on the mechanical removal of biofilm using acoustic cavitation to identify the different operating parameters affecting its removal using this method.

Effect of Zr Addition on the Corrosion of Ti in Acidic and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Containing Environments.

The effect of systematic Zr additions on the corrosion behavior of Ti was studied in both acidic and reactive oxygen species (ROS) containing environments, including macrophage cell culture, simulating inflammation associated with metallic implants. Electrochemical measurements on commercially pure (CP) Ti, Zr, and TiZr alloys showed that increasing Zr additions progressively enhanced Ti passivity in both acidic (HCl) and oxidative (HO) environments. However, a Ti50Zr alloy was found with increased pitting susceptibility.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with infertility.

To investigate perinatal outcomes in a cohort of fertile and infertile nulliparous women. Retrospective cohort study. Academic medical center.

Impact of fertility treatment on severe maternal morbidity.

Objective: To determine if fertility treatment is associated with increased risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) compared with spontaneous pregnancies.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

High Speed Imaging of Cavitation around Dental Ultrasonic Scaler Tips.

Cavitation occurs around dental ultrasonic scalers, which are used clinically for removing dental biofilm and calculus. However it is not known if this contributes to the cleaning process. Characterisation of the cavitation around ultrasonic scalers will assist in assessing its contribution and in developing new clinical devices for removing biofilm with cavitation.

Increased medial tibial slope in teenage pediatric population with open physes and anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Purpose: Variations in bony morphology have been associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk. The primary aim of this study was to compare the tibial slope in the teenage pediatric population with open physes, with and without ACL injury. The secondary aims were to compare the notch width index (NWI) and determine the influence of gender and age on tibial slope and NWI.