Probiotics in transition: novel strategies.

Regulations regarding health claims made for probiotics demand their proven effectiveness and limit the array of microbial species regarded as safe for live consumption. Novel strategies such as moving to postbiotics and genetically modified probiotics may be necessary to increase the effectiveness of microbial products.

Elective single versus double embryo transfer: live birth outcome and patient acceptance in a prospective randomised trial.

The purpose of this study was to determine which strategy of embryo transfer has a better trade-off in live birth delivery rate versus multiple pregnancy considering patient acceptance: elective single embryo transfer (eSET) or elective double embryo transfer (eDET). In all, 199 women <38 years of age undergoing their first IVF treatment in a private centre were included in a prospective open-label randomised controlled trial. Patients were randomised into four groups: (1) eSET on Day 3; (2) eSET on Day 5; (3) eDET on Day 3; and (4) eDET on Day 5.

Clinical management of endometrial receptivity.

The endometrial window of implantation (WOI), the cycle days during which normal embryo implantation can occur, has generally been assumed to begin on cycle day 19 or 20 of an idealized 28 days cycle and last for 4 to 5 days. Noyes et al took the first steps in defining the WOI by establishing a set of morphological criteria to evaluate endometrial development and receptivity, but recent studies have invalidated their use in the routine evaluation of infertility. Based on greater than 10 years of extensive research, our group has developed a molecular diagnostic tool (the endometrial receptivity array [ERA] test) based on the specific transcriptomic signature that identifies the receptive endometrium in natural and artificial (hormonal replacement therapy) cycles.

New tools for embryo selection: comprehensive chromosome screening by array comparative genomic hybridization.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) using array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). The study included 1420 CCS cycles for recurrent miscarriage (n = 203); repetitive implantation failure (n = 188); severe male factor (n = 116); previous trisomic pregnancy (n = 33); and advanced maternal age (n = 880). CCS was performed in cycles with fresh oocytes and embryos (n = 774); mixed cycles with fresh and vitrified oocytes (n = 320); mixed cycles with fresh and vitrified day-2 embryos (n = 235); and mixed cycles with fresh and vitrified day-3 embryos (n = 91).

Inhibition of Delta-like 4 mediated signaling induces abortion in mice due to deregulation of decidual angiogenesis.

Objective: To explore whether the Dll4/Notch1 pathway plays a key role in regulating the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) driven decidual angiogenesis and related pregnancy through induction of a tip/stalk phenotype.

Methods: Progesterone-replaced ovariectomized pregnant mice received a single injection of YW152F (Dll4 blocking antibody, BAb) or placebo at embryonic day (E) 4.5.

High-affinity glucose transport in Aspergillus nidulans is mediated by the products of two related but differentially expressed genes.

Independent systems of high and low affinity effect glucose uptake in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Low-affinity uptake is known to be mediated by the product of the mstE gene. In the current work two genes, mstA and mstC, have been identified that encode high-affinity glucose transporter proteins.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Strain CECT 8145, Able To Improve Metabolic Syndrome In Vivo.

Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain CECT 8145 is able to reduce body fat content and improve metabolic syndrome biomarkers. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, which may provide insights into its safety status and functional role.

Health outcomes of children born after IVF/ICSI: a review of current expert opinion and literature.

The Sixth Evian Annual Reproduction (EVAR) Workshop Group Meeting was held to evaluate the impact of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection on the health of assisted-conception children. Epidemiologists, reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists and geneticists presented data from published literature and ongoing research on the incidence of genetic and epigenetic abnormalities and congenital malformations in assisted-conception versus naturally conceived children to reach a consensus on the reasons for potential differences in outcomes between these two groups. IVF-conceived children have lower birthweights and higher peripheral fat, blood pressure and fasting glucose concentrations than controls.

Germ cell differentiation from pluripotent cells.

Infertility is a medical condition with an increasing impact in Western societies with causes linked to toxins, genetics, and aging (primarily delay of motherhood). Within the different pathologies that can lead to infertility, poor quality or reduced quantity of gametes plays an important role. Gamete donation and therefore demand on donated sperm and eggs in fertility clinics is increasing.

The genomics of the human endometrium.

The endometrium is a complex tissue that lines the inside of the endometrial cavity. The gene expression of the different endometrial cell types is regulated by ovarian steroids and paracrine-secreted molecules from neighbouring cells. Due to this regulation, the endometrium goes through cyclic modifications which can be divided simply into the proliferative phase, the secretory phase and the menstrual phase.

The status of the species Beijerinckia fluminensis Dobereiner and Ruschel 1958. Request for an Opinion.

In a previous article [Oggerin M., Arahal, D. R.

Use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans as model organisms to study the effect of cocoa polyphenols in the resistance to oxidative stress.

Developing functional foods to improve the quality of life for elderly people has great economic and social impact. Searching for and validating ingredients with in vivo antioxidant effects is one of the key steps in developing this kind of food. Here we describe the combined use of simple biological models and transcriptomics to define the functional intracellular molecular targets of a polyphenol-enriched cocoa powder.