Towards a multidimensional scientific approach to improve clinical practices for infertility treatment / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common metabolic and endocrine disorder in women, leading to infertility. However, there is no general agreement concerning how to diagnose and treat PCOS. The Rotterdam consensus statement from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology/American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Chinese diagnostic criteria and consensus statement, and the clinical practice guideline from the Endocrine Society in the USA are widely recognized. Guidance has been provided for clinical practice based on a comparative analysis of the above three practice guidelines or consensus statements (Wang et al., 2018a). High body mass index (BMI) has no negative effect on the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Chinese patients with PCOS; however, the conclusion may be limited by the retrospective design and potential bias (Pan et al., 2018). Neonatal birth weight is positively affected by both maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (pre-BMI) and gestational weight gain (Du et al., 2017). Normal body weight is very important for conception. Women with PCOS are almost 3 times more likely to be obese than those without PCOS; however, no specific interventions are available to induce weight loss, and drugs are used to treat other symptoms of the syndrome or obesity in the general population. A network meta-analysis found that the amount of weight loss differed significantly according to the choice of drugs (in descending order): liraglutide, orlistat, and metformin. Liraglutide alone, liraglutide/metformin, and metformin alone significantly reduced waist circumference, but no change was found with orlistat, indicating liraglutide appears superior to the other drugs in reducing weight and waist circumference (Wang et al., 2018b). IVF, as a choice for more than 1 000 000 infertile couples each year, gives rise to the birth of over 3 000 000 babies worldwide.

Natureza humana criada em laboratório: biologização e genetização do parentesco nas novas tecnologias reprodutivas / Human nature created in the laboratory: the biologization and genetization of kinship in new reproductive technologies

As novas tecnologias reprodutivas, também chamadas de 'reprodução assistida', são procedimentos que permitem a procriação sem a relação sexual, sendo as técnicas mais conhecidas a inseminação artificial e a fertilização in vitro (bebê de proveta). O acesso às técnicas também levanta a discussão sobre a genetização dos laços de parentesco, em contraste com as práticas de adoção ou procedimentos como a doação de gametas (óvulos e espermatozóides) e embriões. Com base em pesquisa etnográfica com usuárias e profissionais envolvidos em reprodução assistida, e em bibliografia específica, este trabalho visa discutir que concepções de natureza humana estão implicadas na biologização e na genetização do parentesco nas novas tecnologias reprodutivas.

Relationships of some reproductive trails with milk production in Friesian cows

A total of 2528 lactation records of Friesian cows from two stations of Dallah Agricultural Investment and Animal Production Company were used to investigate the sources of variation of some reproductive traits and their relationship with milk production. The results obtained revealed that the maximum 305-day and total milk yield [5108.64 and 5497.96 kg, consequently] were obtained when the age at first calving was 36 months, while the minimum 305-day and total milk yield [4253.16 and 4760.64 kg, consequently] were obtained when age at first calving was less than 24 months. A highly significant effect of days open was found on both 305-day and total milk yield. In general, 305-day milk yield increased with increasing days open until maximum production of 4975.80 kg when the days open were 60 days. Moreover, an open period up to 90 days resulted in a higher rate of increase in milk yield compared with longer periods. Moreover, as the number of services per conception increased, the 305-day and total milk yield also increased. The preceding dry period had a highly significant effect on the following 305-day and total milk yield. Preceding dry periods of approximately 60 days were associated with the highest average milk production in the following lactation both for 305-day [5028.63 kg] and total milk yield [5246.11 kg]. In addition, the 305-day milk yield was also increased to reach its maximum [4902.00 kg] at a calving interval 11 up to 13 months. Calving intervals of less than 11 months resulted in minimum 305-day and total milk yield [4399.18 and 4411.17 kg, consequently]