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Abstract Human embryo culture under 2–8% O2 is recommended by ESHRE revised guidelines for good practices in IVF labs. Nevertheless, notably due to the higher costs of embryo culture under hypoxia, some laboratories perform embryo culture under atmospheric O2 tension (around 20%). Furthermore, recent meta-analyses concluded with low evidence to a superiority of hypoxia on IVF/ICSI outcomes. Interestingly, a study on mice embryos suggested that oxidative stress (OS) might only have an adverse impact on embryos at cleavage stage. Hence, we aimed to demonstrate for the first time in human embryos that OS has a negative impact only at cleavage stage and that sequential culture conditions (5% O2 from Day 0 to Day 2/3, then «conventional» conditions at 20% O2 until blastocyst stage) might be a valuable option for human embryo culture. 773 IVF/ICSI cycles were included in this randomized clinical trial from January 2016 to April 2018. At Day 0 (D0), patients were randomized using a 1:2 allocation ratio between group A (20% O2; n = 265) and group B (5% O2; n = 508). Extended culture (EC) was performed when ≥ 5 Day 2-good-quality-embryos were available (n = 88 in group A (20% O2)). In subgroup B, 195 EC cycles were randomized again at Day 2 (using 1:1 ratio) into groups B’ (5% O2 until Day 6 (n = 101)) or C (switch to 20% O2 from Day 2 to Day 6 (n = 94). Fertilization rate, cleavage-stage quality Day 2-top-quality-embryo (D2-TQE), blastocyst quality (Day 5-top-quality-blastocyst (D5-TQB) and implantation rate (IR) were compared between groups A and B (= cleavage-stage analysis), or A(20% O2), B’(5% O2) and C(5%-to-20% O2). Overall, characteristics were similar between groups A and B. Significantly higher rates of early-cleaved embryos, top-quality and good-quality embryos on Day 2 were obtained in group B compared to group A (P

Abstract Background This systematic review was conducted to explain the association between dairy products and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in Middle Eastern and North African countries (MENA). Methods The database consulted were PubMed, Clinical Trials, and Cochrane to extract the relevant studies published till the 31stof December 2016, using inclusion and exclusion criteria according to Prisma Protocol. The characteristics of these studies comprised the consumption of all types of dairy products in relation to CRC risk. Results Seven studies were included in this review. For dairy products overall, no significant association was found. Regarding modern dairy products, included studies found controversial results with OR = 9.88 (95% CI: 3.80–24.65) and ORa = 0.14 (95% CI: 0.02–0.71). A positive association was reported between traditional dairy products and CRC risk, to OR = 18.66 (95% CI: 3.06–113.86) to OR = 24 (95% CI: 1.74–330.82) to ORa = 1.42 (95% CI: 0.62–3.25), ptrend = 0.03. Calcium was inversely associated with the CRC risk with ORa = 0.08 (95% CI: 0.04–0.17). Conclusion This is the first systematic review which illustrated the association between dairy consumption and CRC risk in MENA region. The results were inconsistent and not always homogeneous. Further specified studies may be warranted to address the questions about the association between CRC and dairy products in a specific context of MENA region.

A damage model is integrated into the explicit finite element framework to predict the damage evolution which occurrs under dynamic loading in the crash or stamping process. This damage model is based on the description of the growth, nucleation and coalescence of the microvoids. The microvoid growth is related to the plastic incompressibility equation. The microvoid nucleation is controlled by either the plastic strain or stress. The microvoid coalescence is described by a specific function. This damage process leads to the progressive loss of the structure stress carrying capacity. The ductile fracture occurs once it has vanished. The model is adapted to take the material behaviour anisotropy and damage anisotropy into account. The sensitivity of the damage evolution under dynamic loadings in the case of porous strain rate sensitive material is analysed using single tensile tests. Static and dynamic tensile tests of a notched specimen are performed. Influences of the strain rate and the shape of specimen on the failure mode and loss of the structure’s stress carrying capacity are shown.

A portion of RNA 3 of Citrus variegation virus (CVV), comprising part of the intergenic region and the coat protein (CP) gene from eight viral isolates, was amplified by RT-PCR and cloned. The clones were compared for intra and inter-isolate variations by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Some of the results were compared with sequence data previously obtained. The test discriminated between clones differing in as little as 3.2% of the nucleotides. Most isolates included several variants, in some cases with a predominant pattern, which, however, could no longer be recognised in new RT-PCR products obtained 13 months later. This procedure can therefore be used to identify and detect variations between CVV isolates. It is rapid, inexpensive and may reduce the amount of sequencing needed for comparing viral isolates.

Study Question: Does unilateral oophorectomy modify the relationship between serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels and antral follicle count (AFC)?Summary Answer: No altered 'per-ovary' and 'per-follicle' AMH production and antral follicle distribution was evident in unilaterally oophorectomized women compared to matched controls.What Is Known Already: The age of menopause onset is relatively unchanged in patients having undergone unilateral oophorectomy. Mechanisms that occur to preserve and maintain ovarian function in this context remain to be elucidated.Study Design, Size, Duration: Forty-one infertile women, with no polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and no endometriosis, aged 19-42 years old, having undergone unilateral oophorectomy (One Ovary group; average time since surgery: 23.8 ± 2.2 months) were retrospectively age-matched (±1 year) with 205 infertile women having two intact ovaries and similar clinical features (Control group).Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Serum AMH levels, 3-4 mm AFC, 5-12 mm AFC, and total AFC (3-12 mm) were assessed on cycle Day 3 in both groups. Hormonal and ultrasonographic measurements obtained from patients in the Control group (i.e. having two ovaries) were divided by two to be compared with measurements obtained from patients of the One Ovary group (i.e. having one single remaining ovary). To estimate per-follicle AMH production, we calculated the ratio between serum AMH levels over 3-4 mm AFC, 5-12 mm AFC, and total AFC (3-12 mm), and the strength of the correlation between serum AMH levels and total AFC. The main outcome measure was to assess Day 3 AMH/Day 3 AFC ratio and hormonal-follicular correlation.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: As expected, before correction, mean serum AMH levels (1.46 ± 0.2 vs 2.77 ± 0.1 ng/ml, P < 0.001) and total AFC (7.3 ± 0.6 vs 15.1 ± 0.4 follicles, P < 0.0001) were lower in the One Ovary group compared to the Control group, respectively. Yet, after correction, per-ovary AMH levels (1.46 ± 0.2 vs 1.39 ± 0.1 ng/ml) and total AFC (7.3 ± 0.6 vs 7.5 ± 0.2 follicles) values were comparable between the two groups. Consistently, per-follicle AMH levels (3-4 mm, 5-12 mm, and total) were not significantly different between the two groups (0.39 ± 0.05 vs 0.37 ± 0.02 ng/ml/follicle; 0.69 ± 0.12 vs 0.59 ± 0.05 ng/ml/follicle, and 0.23 ± 0.03 vs 0.19 ± 0.01 ng/ml/follicle; respectively). In addition, the prevalence of 3-4 mm follicles was comparable between the two groups (66.7% for One Ovary group vs 58.8% for Control group, respectively). Finally, the correlation between serum AMH levels and total AFC was similar for patients in the One Ovary group (r = 0.70; P < 0.0001) compared to those in the Control group (r = 0.68; P < 0.0001).Limitations/reasons For Caution: The retrospective character of the analysis might lead to potential bias.Wider Implications Of the Findings: The present investigation did not provide evidence of altered 'per-ovary' and 'per-follicle' AMH production and antral follicle distribution in unilaterally oophorectomized women compared to matched controls. Further studies are warranted to support the hypothesis that follicle-sparing mechanisms are clearly at stake in remaining ovaries after unilateral oophorectomy to explain their long-lasting function and timely menopausal onset.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): The authors have no funding or competing interests to declare.Trial Registration Number: N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The title compound, 3-(4-methoxy-benzylidene)-isothiochroman-4-one (C17H14O2S) was prepared from the reaction of isothiochroman-4-one with benzaldehyde in the presence of small amount of HCl. The structure of the synthesised compound was determined by IR, 1H NMR and X-ray crystallography. The structure was solved in monoclinic, space group P21/n with a = 3.9773 (7) Å, b = 10.918 (2) Å, c = 30.609 (6) Å, β = 90.615 (3)°, V = 1329.1 (4) Å3, Z = 4 and with R int = 0.047. The bicyclic ring of isothiochroman-4-one moiety does not adopt a planar geometry. The molecular conformation is stable via C10–H···O1 and C16–H···S1 intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions. These contacts involve molecules in an extended two-dimensional sheet to the bc plane. Graphical Abstract  3-(4-Methoxybenzylidene)isothiochroman-4-one (C17H14O2S) was prepared from the reaction of isothiochroman-4-one with benzaldehyde in the presence of small amount of HCl. The structure of the synthesized compound was determined by IR, 1H NMR and X-ray crystallography. The bicyclic ring of isothiochroman-4-one does not adopt a planar geometry. The molecular conformation is stable via intramolecular hydrogen-bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]