Preconception nutraceutical food supplementation can prevent oxidative and epigenetic DNA alterations induced by ovarian stimulation for IVF and increases pregnancy rates.

BACKGROUND: It is hypothesized that oxidative and epigenetic alterations to DNA induced by ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be associated with an increased risk of diseases and cancer in the offspring and could possibly be attenuated by preconception food supplementation. METHODS: In a prospective randomised open-label trial, 62 patients were randomly assigned to either 30 days of preconception treatment with the nutraceutical Fertility woman ® duo (Nutriphyt, Beernem, Belgium) (group 1), this nutraceutical complemented with selenomethionine (group 2), or folic acid only (group 3). Biochemical and epigenetic effects and pregnancy rates were assessed. RESULTS: In all 3 groups the level of DNA oxidative damage, estimated by the concentration of 8-hydroxy- 2-deoxyguanosine over creatinine in early morning urine, and the concentration of homocysteine in the blood decreased after treatment. In group 2, the degree of methylation of the cancer-associated CpG2 dinucleotide of the human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT) promoter region, assessed by pyrosequence in follicular cells obtained at oocyte pick-up, was 18% lower than that of group 3. The pregnancy rate, including the transfer of fresh and frozen embryos, was significantly higher in group 2 (50%) than in group 3 (6%) with the result in group 1 being intermediate (30%). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that preconception food supplementation using a specific nutraceutical significantly reduces oxidative and epigenetic DNA changes to follicular cells of women treated by IVF, and may optimize gene expression in the oocytes, thus increasing the pregnancy rate per cycle of ovarian stimulation.

Structure changes and water filtration properties of electrospun polyamide nanofibre membranes.

Nanofibre membranes are studied extensively in water treatment. Inappropriate storage, however, could alter their performance, e.g. regarding water filtration. This shows the need for investigating this effect in more detail so as to offer a solution for long-term behaviour and stability. In this study, polyamide nanofibre membranes were treated under different conditions, simulating the diverse storage conditions and to simulate their use in water filtration systems. Under all these different settings, nanofibre properties (scanning electron microscope pictures, dimensional changes, tensile strength) and water filtration performance (clean water permeability (CWP), bacterial removal) were investigated. The results demonstrate that, as soon as the dimensional change of a membrane is >2%, the CWP, tensile strength and bacterial removal significantly decrease. These dimensional changes occurred when the membrane became dry after it had been in contact with water. As such, it is important to keep the membrane either in dry or in wet conditions to store its unique properties. When heat-treated, the membrane had a higher tensile strength and kept its morphology and characteristics better during storage.

Bartonella endocarditis mimicking adult Still's disease.

We describe the case of a 39-year-old Caucasian woman who was admitted to the University Hospital of Antwerp with a clinical picture suggestive of adult Still's disease. Even though a transoesophageal echocardiography showed endocarditis of the aortic valve, blood cultures remained negative. Additional serological testing revealed a positive result for Bartonella henselae. Histology of the supraclavicular lymph node showed a reactive lymph node with a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Bartonella henselae. Prednisolone treatment was started in a dosage of 10 mg per day and rifampicin 600 mg/d in combination with doxycyclin 200 mg/d was given for 6 months. During therapy the patient gradually improved and signs of endocarditis disappeared on echocardiography.