Is blood thicker than water? Perceptions on the role of stepparents in medical decisions among minors.

Alternative family configurations are becoming more prevalent, yet current legislative statutory does not support stepparents in medical decisions for their stepchildren. We investigate opinions of Belgian and Dutch adults regarding inclusion of stepparents in medical decision-making in minors. We make two observations.

Low feasibility of in vitro matured oocytes originating from cumulus complexes found during ovarian tissue preparation at the moment of gender confirmation surgery and during testosterone treatment for fertility preservation in transgender men.

Objective: To study the feasibility of in vitro maturation of ovarian tissue oocytes for fertility preservation in transgender men on testosterone treatment.

Design: Cross-sectional study SETTING: University hospital PATIENT(S): Eighty-three transgender men enrolled from November 2015 to January 2019 INTERVENTION(S): In vitro maturation of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) harvested at the time of gender confirmation surgery, and fertilization through intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Main Outcome Measure(s): In vitro maturation, fertilization, and blastulation rates; comparison of morphokinetics with vitrified-warmed oocytes; and analysis of the genetic profiles of embryos.

Passive slow freezing is an efficacious and cost-effective alternative to controlled slow freezing for ovarian tissue cryopreservation.

We aimed to assess the feasibility of passive slow freezing (PSF using Mr. Frosty container, Nalgene) as an alternative to controlled slow rate freezing (CSF using (Freezal™, Air liquide)) for human ovarian tissue (OT) cryopreservation. Validation studies needed were determined after assessing the risk associated (EuroGTP-II ART tool) and were conducted in 66 OT samples from 10 transgender men aged 23.

fragmentation of ovarian tissue activates primordial follicles through the Hippo pathway.

Study Question: What is the role of the Hippo and PI3K/Akt pathway in follicles during ovarian tissue culture in tissue derived from oncological patients and transgender men?

Summary Answer: Results highlight a Hippo pathway driven primordial follicle activation , predominantly from Day 0 to Day 4.

What Is Known Already: ovarian tissue culture aims at activating and maturing primordial follicles for fertility restoration in patients with a threatened ovarian reserve. Not all patients are eligible for ovarian cortex transplantation and therefore several groups are attempting to culture ovarian tissue .

Pathogenicity and immune response against porcine circovirus type 3 infection in caesarean-derived, colostrum-deprived pigs.

Recently, a novel PCV species (PCV3) has been detected in cases associated with sow mortality, lesions consistent with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome, reproductive failure and multisystemic inflammation. The pathogenesis and clinical significance of PCV3 is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the immunopathogenesis of PCV3 in CD/CD pigs.