Empowering nurses and midwives: the evidence-base for the Nurses and Midwives Certification Programme of ESHRE†.

Study Question: How were the logbook and curriculum for the Nurses and Midwives Certification Programme of ESHRE developed?

Summary Answer: The logbook and corresponding curriculum for the ESHRE Nurses and Midwives Certification Programme were based on an extensive literature review, an international expert panel, and a survey of Belgian and Dutch nurses and midwives (N&M) working in reproductive medicine (RM).

What Is Known Already: ESHRE has been running a certification programme for N&M working in RM since 2015. To the best of our knowledge, clinical practice guidelines for nursing/midwifery care within RM are lacking as is consensus on role descriptors of N&M working in RM.

ESHRE certification of ART centres for good laboratory and clinical practice.

Study Question: Three years after the start of the ESHRE ART Centre Certification (ARTCC) programme, what is the current state of the system, in terms of the interest expressed in it and experiences during the assessment of ART services?

Summary Answer: As of 1 December 2021, 25 European ART centres have been involved in the various stages of certification and the most common recommendations from inspectors were the need for documented training, verification of competencies for all staff members, verification of laboratory and clinical performance indicators, implementation of a quality management system and avoidance of overusing ICSI and add-ons.

What Is Known Already: European Union (EU) legislation has included ART activities in the EU Tissue and Cells Directives (EUTCDs). Following inspections by national EUTCD authorities, many details regarding documentation, laboratory environment, handling of reproductive cells and tissues, traceability, coding and patient testing have become standardized.

Transmission of from Manure to Root Zones of Field-Grown Lettuce and Leek Plants.

Pathogenic strains are responsible for food-borne disease outbreaks upon consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits. The aim of this study was to establish the transmission route of strain 0611, as proxy for human pathogenic , via manure, soil and plant root zones to the above-soil plant compartments. The ecological behavior of the introduced strain was established by making use of a combination of cultivation-based and molecular targeted and untargeted approaches.

ESHRE Clinical Embryologist certification: the first 10 years.

Study Question: What has the ESHRE programme 'ESHRE Certification for Clinical Embryologists' achieved after 10 years?

Summary Answer: The post-exam analysis showed a pass rate of 60% for Clinical and 50% for Senior Clinical Embryologists and a high level of internal consistency of all exams, leading to a total of 773 certified Clinical and 493 Senior Clinical Embryologists over the decade.

What Is Known Already: In an ESHRE survey on the educational and professional status of Clinical Embryology in Europe, it was found that education of laboratory personnel working in the field of assisted reproduction is highly variable between countries. In 2008, ESHRE introduced a programme, curriculum and certification in the field of Clinical Embryology.

Automated Plasma Glycomics with Linkage-Specific Sialic Acid Esterification and Ultrahigh Resolution MS.

High-throughput mass spectrometry (MS) glycomics is an emerging field driven by technological advancements including sample preparation and data processing. Previously, we reported an automated protocol for the analysis of N-glycans released from plasma proteins that included sialic acid derivatization with linkage-specificity, namely, ethylation of α2,6-linked sialic acid residues and lactone formation of α2,3-linked sialic acids. In the current study, each step in this protocol was further optimized.

The educational and professional status of clinical embryology and clinical embryologists in Europe.

Study Question: What is the recognition of clinical embryology and the current status of clinical embryologists in European countries, regarding educational levels, responsibilities and workload, and need for a formal education in assisted reproductive technology (ART)?

Summary Answer: It is striking that the profession of clinical embryology, almost 40 years after the introduction of IVF, is still not officially recognized in most European countries.

What Is Known Already: Reproductive medicine has developed into a sophisticated multidisciplinary medical branch since the birth of Louise Brown 37 years ago. The European Board & College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (EBCOG) has recognized reproductive medicine as a subspeciality and has developed a subspeciality training for gynaecologists in collaboration with the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).

Rodent species as natural reservoirs of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in different habitats of Ixodes ricinus in The Netherlands.

Rodents are natural reservoirs for human pathogenic spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi complex [B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.

An alternative real-time PCR method for the detection of thermotolerant Bacillus sensu lato contaminants in naturally-contaminated gelatine.

Aims: Comparison of an internally-controlled real-time PCR assay with the current plate-based assay for the detection of Bacillus sensu lato contaminants in gelatine.

Methods And Results: A comprehensive TaqMan probe was designed allowing the real-time PCR assay to be fully inclusive for the gelatine-contaminating Bacillus s.l.

Diversity of Ixodes ricinus tick-associated bacterial communities from different forests.

Nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks (n=180) were collected from three different areas in the Netherlands to investigate the effect of forest composition on tick-associated microbial communities. Sampled habitats differed in thickness of leaf litter and humus layers and vegetation associations and were located near Amsterdam (Beech-Oak), Ede (Birch-Oak) and Veldhoven (Birch-Oak). Analysis of nine 16S rRNA gene clone libraries made from individual ticks showed nearest matches with presumed pathogens Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis and Rickettsia australis and arthropod endosymbionts Wolbachia pipientis and Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii.

A novel strategy for the isolation and identification of environmental Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria.

The purpose of this study was to develop a novel strategy for the isolation and identification of Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria from the home environment of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Water and soil samples were enriched in a broth containing 0.1% l-arabinose, 0.

Neuronal number, volume, and apoptosis of the left dentate gyrus of chronically stressed pigs correlate negatively with basal saliva cortisol levels.

Although the consequences of stress and hypercortisolemia for the rodent hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) are well known, little is known about other species. For pigs, tethered housing represents a well-established chronic stressor that shares many similarities with restraint paradigms, as evidenced by profound changes in behavior and autonomic and endocrine dysfunction, including flattened cortisol rhythms and hypercortisolemia--all conditions that may threaten hippocampal viability in rat. Here, we studied structural parameters of the porcine DG after 5 months of tethered housing in relation to basal saliva cortisol measured antemortem.

Accuracy of physical diagnostic tests for assessing ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament: a meta-analysis.

Objective: This systematic review summarizes the evidence on the accuracy of tests for assessing ACL ruptures of the knee.

Search Strategy: A computerized search of MEDLINE (1966-2003) and EMBASE (1980-2003) with additional reference tracking.

Selection Criteria: Articles included were written in English, French, German, or Dutch, and addressed the accuracy of at least 1 physical diagnostic test for ACL rupture, using arthrotomy, arthroscopy, or magnetic resonance imaging as the gold standard.

The accuracy of physical diagnostic tests for assessing meniscal lesions of the knee: a meta-analysis.

Objective: Our systematic review summarizes the evidence about the accuracy of those tests.

Search Strategy: We performed a literature search of MEDLINE (1966-1999) and EMBASE (1988-1999) with additional reference tracking.

Selection Criteria: Articles written in English, French, German, or Dutch, that addressed the accuracy of at least one physical diagnostic test for meniscus injury with arthrotomy, arthroscopy, or magnetic resonance imaging as the gold standard were included.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins modulate the glucocorticoid-dependent biological effects of IGF-II in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes.

The role of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) in regulation by IGF-II of glycogenesis and DNA synthesis was investigated in hepatocytes isolated from fetal rat livers at days 15 and 18 of gestation and grown in the presence or absence of cortisol. IGFBP-1 was clearly revealed by Western ligand blot and immunoblot analysis of IGFBPs secreted into conditioned media. Its production and cellular messenger RNA (mRNA) were positively regulated by cortisol and increased in older cells.

Gap junctional communication and regulation of the glycogenic response to insulin by cell density and glucocorticoids in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes.

Cell culture studies have revealed that metabolic functions of the adult hepatocyte are related to cell density. Development of the glycogenic response to insulin under glucocorticoid control was investigated in 15- and 18-day-old fetal rat hepatocytes plated at different cell densities. After culturing for 48 hours with glucocorticoids, the stimulatory effect of insulin on [14C]glucose incorporation into glycogen after 3 hours progressed from weak response (less than 1.

Time-dependent effects of insulin on lipid synthesis in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes: a comparison between lipogenesis and glycogenesis.

The lipogenic effect of insulin was studied in 18-day-old fetal rat hepatocytes after 2 to 3 days of culture in the presence of glucocorticoids when an acute stimulatory effect of insulin on glycogenesis was present. The rate of [1-14C]-acetate incorporation into lipids measured for 4 hours was much higher than with [U-14C]-glucose (30 v 3.8 nmol/h/mg protein).

Sequential insulin degradation in cultured fetal hepatocytes in relation to chloroquine-dependent events.

Insulin cellular degradation was studied in cultured 18-day-old fetal rat hepatocytes in the presence and absence of insulin degradation inhibitors that decrease the glycogenic response to insulin. After cell incubation with 3 nM [125I]A14 or -B26 insulin, hormone degradation products associated with cells or present in the medium were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Within cells, four components containing intact [125I]A14 insulin A-chain and part of the B-chain (A1-A4, according to increasing retention times) were found together with two [125I]B26 insulin B-chain COOH-terminal fragments (B1 and B2).

Role of beta-GP-derived Pi in mineralization via ecto-alkaline phosphatase in cultured fetal calvaria cells.

The permissive effect of beta-GP on mineralization in cultured rat fetal calvaria cells was investigated in relationship with phosphohydrolase activity of ecto-ALP at physiological pH range. Beta-GP present in the culture medium for 8 days exerted a stimulatory effect on 45Ca incorporation into matrix cell layers while the ecto-ALP activity level measured on intact cells with a saturating concentration of pNPP was similar for cells grown either in the presence or absence of beta-GP. In both types of cultures, beta-GP addition inhibited pNPP hydrolysis in a competitive and reversible manner and increased Pi concentration in the medium.

Role of Hsp70 synthesis in the fate of the insulin-receptor complex after heat shock in cultured fetal hepatocytes.

The influence of a mild heat shock on the fate of the insulin-receptor complex was studied in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes whose insulin glycogenic response is sensitive to heat [Zachayus and Plas (1995): J Cell Physiol 162:330-340]. After exposure from 15 min to 2 hr at 42.5 degrees C, the amount of (125)1-insulin associated with cells at 37 degrees C was progressively decreased (by 35% after 1 hr), while the release of (125)1-insulin degradation products into the medium was also inhibited (by 75%), more than expected from the decrease in insulin binding.

Ecto-alkaline phosphatase considered as levamisole-sensitive phosphohydrolase at physiological pH range during mineralization in cultured fetal calvaria cells.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity expressed on the external surface of cultured fetal rat calvaria cells and its relationship with mineral deposition were investigated under pH physiological conditions. After replacement of culture medium by assay buffer and addition of p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP), the rate of substrate hydrolysis catalyzed by whole cells remained constant for up to seven successive incubations of 10 min and was optimal over the pH range 7.6-8.

Delayed glucocorticoid-dependent development of the insulin response after heat shock in cultured fetal hepatocytes: correlation with a transient defect in glucocorticoid receptor binding property.

The effects of a mild heat shock were investigated on glucocorticoid-induced maturation of the insulin glycogenic response and on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in cultured 15-day-old fetal rat hepatocytes. In all experiments, cell heating at 42.5 degrees C from 30 to 90 min was applied at Day 1 of culture before exposure to glucocorticoids.

Regulation by insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins of IGF-II-stimulated glycogenesis in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes.

We previously showed that when added to fresh medium, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II stimulates glycogen synthesis in cultured 18-day-old fetal rat hepatocytes. In the present study, we investigated the influence of 24-h culture-conditioned medium on IGF-II- and insulin-induced glycogenesis. The stimulatory effect of IGF-II (2.

Effects of mild heat shock on glycogenesis and its regulation by insulin in cultured fetal hepatocytes.

The effects of a mild heat shock were investigated using cultured 15-day-old fetal rat hepatocytes in which an acute glucocorticoid-dependent glycogenic response to insulin was present. After exposure from 15 min to 2 h at 42.5 degrees C, cell surface [125I]insulin binding progressively decreased down to 60% of the value shown in cells kept at 37 degrees C, due toa decrease in the apparent number of insulin binding sites with little change in insulin receptor affinity.

Protein kinase C and insulin receptor beta-subunit serine phosphorylation in cultured foetal rat hepatocytes.

In digitonin-permeabilized cultured foetal hepatocytes, insulin receptor beta-subunit was highly phosphorylated on serine residues in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP and Ca2+, a process enhanced after short exposure to insulin with no detectable insulin receptor autophosphorylation. By contrast with this situation, experiments performed with isolated foetal insulin receptors revealed an insulin stimulation of both serine phosphorylation and tyrosine autophosphorylation. In permeabilized cells, insulin receptor beta-subunit phosphorylation was increased after a 2-min exposure to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) prior to applying the permeabilization/phosphorylation step, while it was inhibited by chronic treatment with PMA leading to protein kinase C (PKC) down modulation.

Insulin receptor beta-subunit serine phosphorylation in permeabilized cultured fetal rat hepatocytes.

Regulation of cellular protein phosphorylation by insulin was investigated after short exposure at 37 degrees C prior to applying the permeabilization/phosphorylation step in the presence of digitonin and [gamma-32P]ATP for 30 min at 4 degrees C. The results revealed major 32P incorporation into a limited number of membrane polypeptides exhibiting a molecular mass of 95, 58 and 51 kDa. Phosphorylation of 95 kDa protein was selectively inhibited with Ca(2+)-free EGTA-containing permeabilization/phosphorylation buffer and became predominant in the presence of Ca2+.