Effect of Autonomic Responses After Isometric Training at Different Intensities on Obese People.

BACKGROUND: Arterial hypertension is among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. The primary non-pharmacological management of arterial hypertension is isometric grip training, which has shown better results than pharmacological methods; however, it has not been thoroughly studied in large muscle groups. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the pressor response of isometric exercise training at different intensities, in large groups versus small muscle groups, in sedentary eutrophic and overweight people aged 20-29 years. METHODS: A sample of 93 people (57 people with excess weight and 36 people of normal weight) participated in isometric training for 5 days, subdivided into leg press vs. handgrip strength, with different intensities for each subgroup (30 and 50%, 1 RM). Before and after the 5 training days, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, BSBP-BDBP and PSBP-PDBP, were measured to evaluate the state of sympathetic activation at rest and pressor response. RESULTS: Changes with significant differences (p <0.05) in terms of pre-post training measurements in the eutrophic group were the BSBP-PSBP variables at 30% and 50% 1 RM for manual isometric grip strength. In the excess weight group, the only significant change was the PSBP variable in handgrip strength at 30% 1 RM. It should be noted that in all cases, blood pressure values reduced. CONCLUSION: Isometric strength exercises in large and small muscle groups show a tendency to reduce blood pressure values; however, the isometric handgrip force at 30% 1 RM shows statistically significant reductions in blood pressure values.

Diagnóstico genético preimplantacional: análisis de aneuploidías únicas / Preimplantational genetic diagnosis: single aneuploidies analysis

Introducción: De las causas más conocidas en cuanto a la falta del éxito en el embarazo con tratamientos de reproducción asistida son aquellas relacionadas a las aneuploidías cromosómicas presentes en los embriones. El diagnóstico genético preimplantacional (PGD) es una técnica empleada en reproducción asistida para detectar estas anomalías, seleccionando aquellos que sean cromosómicamente normales, para luego transferirlos al útero de la paciente. Los embriones con aneuploidías únicas podrían tener la capacidad de sobrevivir y lograr la implantación, y por lo tanto, sin diagnóstico previo, estas podrían pasar desapercibidas. Objetivos: Determinar la incidencia de aneuploidías únicas en embriones de buena calidad embrionaria en el día 3 de desarrollo hasta blastocisto. Diseño: Estadístico y experimental. Instituciones: Reprogenetics Latinoamérica y Centro de Reproducción asistida, de la Clínica Concebir. Material Biológico: Muestras de biopsia embrionaria. Metodología: Análisis comparativo de resultados a partir de la evaluación de cada muestra obtenida por biopsia en el día tercero y día quinto de desarrollo embrionario, realizando el PGD por hibridación in situ (FISH) y genómica comparada (aCGH), respectivamente. Resultados: El 62,9% de embriones que presentaron monosomías únicas al tercer día de desarrollo embrionario resultaron ser de 8 células. Pero cuando se evaluó por aCGH en día cinco, 42,3% resultó anormal, y de estos 37,5% perteneció al estadio de 8 células. El índice de monosomías únicas en blastocisto resultó ser 57,9% de un total de 84,2% de aneuploidías únicas. Conclusiones: Los embriones de 8 células en el tercer día de desarrollo embrionario son los más probables de llegar al estadio de blastocisto, así como presentar aneuploidías únicas.

Background: Known causes of unsuccessful pregnancy in couples undergoing assisted reproduction treatment include embryo aneuploidies. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a technique used in assisted reproduction in order to detect these abnormalities, select embryos chromosomally normal and subsequently transfer to the patients’ uterus. Embryos with single aneuploidies may have the ability to survive and achieve unnoticed implantation. Objectives: To determine incidence of single aneuploidies in good quality embryos in third day of development to blastocyst. Design: Statistical and experimental study. Setting: Reprogenetics Latin-America and Assisted Reproduction Center - Concebir. Biologic material: Samples of embryo biopsies. Methods: Comparative analysis of results from evaluation of each sample obtained by embryo biopsy on the third and fifth days of embryonic development, performing PGD by respectively in situ hybridization (FISH) and comparative genomics (aCGH). Results: On third day of embryonic development 62.9% of embryos with single monosomy had 8-cell morphology. Though when evaluated by aCGH in the blastocyst stage 42.3% were abnormal and 37.5% of these belonged to the 8-cell stage. Single monosomies index in the blastocyst stage was 57.9% in 84.2% of single aneuploidies. Conclusions: Eight-cell embryos on the third day of embryonic development are most likely to reach blastocyst stage and have single aneuploidies.

Evaluación del factor masculino en reproducción asistida: nuevas tecnologías / Male factor evaluation in assisted reproduction: new technologies

Los parámetros seminales analizados en un espermatograma (concentración, motilidad, morfología) no discriminan claramente a pacientes con problemas de fertilidad. Por esto se hace necesaria la búsqueda de nuevos marcadores que nos permitan correlacionar la causa de la infertilidad de factor masculino con la probabilidad de lograr un embarazo a término. En los últimos años muchas investigaciones se han enfocado en el área molecular, evaluando la fragmentación del ADN y las aneuploidías cromosómicas del espermatozoide, lo cual ha llevado a denominarlas infertilidad de factor masculino genómico. Es así como actualmente se está aplicando metodologías que permiten seleccionar espermatozoides con un menor grado de estas patologías, para ser utilizados en procedimientos de reproducción asistida (RA). Entre ellas tenemos la selección morfológica de espermatozoides por alta magnificación (IMSI), las columnas de anexina-V y la selección espermática por unión al ácido hialurónico. En esta revisión detallaremos la utilidad de las pruebas de fragmentación de ADN y FISH enespermatozoides, como las técnicas de selección espermática en técnicas de RA.

The seminal parameters analyzed in semen (concentration, motility, morphology) do not clearly discriminate patients with fertility problems. For this reason it is necessary to search for new markers that will allow us to correlate the cause of male factor infertility with the likelihood of achieving a pregnancy reaching term. In recent years much research has focused on the molecular area, assessing DNA fragmentation and sperm chromosome aneuploidy, which has led to the term ‘genomicmale factor infertility’. At present methodologies allow selection of sperm with less pathology for use in assisted reproduction procedures (ART) including morphological selection of spermatozoa by high magnification (IMSI), columns of annexin-V, and sperm selection by hyaluronic acid binding. This review will detail the usefulness of testing both DNA fragmentation and FISH in sperm as sperm selection techniques in assisted reproduction.

Extended culture up to the blastocyst stage: a strategy to avoid multiple pregnancies in assisted reproductive technologies.

The aim of this study was to review the experience and outcomes of assisted reproduction cycles with embryos grown up to day 5 of development, comparing different parameters according to the ages of the patients. We retrospectively studied 1,874 assisted reproduction cycles where embryo culture was extended up to the fifth or sixth day of development. All IVF and ICSI cycles were included, comparing, according to patient age, the following rates: blastocyst formation, pregnancy, implantation and abortion. As control, we analyzed cycles with donated oocytes from young donors (OD). The number of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage is similar in all groups of patients. Only the OD group was different in terms of blastocyst formation, pregnancy and implantation rates. Patients over 39 years of age had an abortion rate of 59.1 %, which is significantly higher than the other groups. Extended embryo culture up to the blastocyst stage can be implemented in programs of assisted reproduction in order to increase the pregnancy rate. The potential of blastocyst implantation is high, allowing us to transfer fewer embryos and reduce the probability of multiple pregnancies.

Extended culture up to the blastocyst stage: a strategy to avoid multiple pregnancies in assisted reproductive technologies

The aim of this study was to review the experience and outcomes of assisted reproduction cycles with embryos grown up to day 5 of development, comparing different parameters according to the ages of the patients. We retrospectively studied 1,874 assisted reproduction cycles where embryo culture was extended up to the fifth or sixth day of development. All IVF and ICSI cycles were included, comparing, according to patient age, the following rates: blastocyst formation, pregnancy, implantation and abortion. As control, we analyzed cycles with donated oocytes from young donors (OD). The number of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage is similar in all groups of patients. Only the OD group was different in terms of blastocyst formation, pregnancy and implantation rates. Patients over 39 years of age had an abortion rate of 59.1 percent, which is significantly higher than the other groups. Extended embryo culture up to the blastocyst stage can be implemented in programs of assisted reproduction in order to increase the pregnancy rate. The potential of blastocyst implantation is high, allowing us to transfer fewer embryos and reduce the probability of multiple pregnancies.

In vitro development and pregnancy outcomes for human embryos cultured in either a single medium or in a sequential media system.

OBJECTIVE: To compare a single medium, with medium renewal on day 3, with a sequential media system for development of human embryos to the blastocyst stage and subsequent pregnancy outcome. DESIGN: Prospectively randomized study using donor oocytes. SETTING: Private infertility clinic. PATIENT(S): Oocytes were collected from 47 donors (mean +/- SD age = 25.6 +/- 3.5 years) from March to October 2006 and used for 79 patients (40.6 +/- 5.4 years). The patients were prospectively randomized to have their embryos cultured in a single medium or in a sequential media system. INTERVENTION(S): The donor oocytes were fertilized with fresh patient partner sperm and the resultant zygotes cultured in either a single medium or a sequential media system from day 1 until the blastocyst stage. After endometrial preparation the embryos were transferred to the patients on day 5 or day 6. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): In vitro embryo developmental characteristics and pregnancy and implantation rates. RESULT(S): In vitro development rates on days 3, 4, and 5 and implantation rates were significantly greater for embryos cultured in the single medium than for those cultured in the sequential media system. CONCLUSION(S): A single medium was as good as or better than a sequential media system for human embryo culture from the zygote to blastocyst stage. The idea that a sequential media system is required for optimal development of the human embryo to the blastocyst stage is highly questionable.

Centrifugation of 2-cell mouse ova: cytoplasm stratification and recovery.

Two-cell mouse ova, which were centrifuged for l h at 70 000-90 000xg, showed a precise stratification of the cytoplasm and an elongation of the nucleus. The ova were fixed at different times and observed by light and electron microscopy using cytochemical methods and detergent extractions. Within 40 min after centrifugation the normal-looking morphology was recovered except for the persisting lipid caps at the centripetal poles of the blastomeres. Cleavage, compaction and blastulation were not prevented by centrifugation. Treatments with colcemid or cytochalasin D delayed but did not impair recovery. These results suggest that a resilient cytoskeletal structure may be involved in this kind of embryonic regulation.