Purpose To devise an uninvasive selection system for human embryos with high developmental potential after a single oocyte retrieval cycle by comparing the in vitro and in vivo effectiveness of first division synchrony against subsequent embryonic developmental stages. Methods The effects of using assisted reproductive technology on 948 embryos that were produced in 137 cycles were examined b...

Higher exposure to light at night, for example, owing to night shift work or decrease in sleep duration, may suppress melatonin production, which in turn may increase the reproductive hormone levels. High levels of steroid hormones, especially estrogens, may be associated with an increase of the breast cancer risk. This study investigated whether variation in the sleep duration during one entir...

xanthine oxidase plays crucial roles in the production of reactive oxygen species (ros), and uric acid in blood which may lead to gout, one of the oldest known forms of arthritis amongst humans. summer savory (satureja hortensis l.) a medicinal/spice exhibits antioxidant activity, but unknown effects on xanthine oxidase activity. here, for the first time, we examined the effects of s. hortensis...

Life-history theory predicts that selection will favor optimal levels of parental effort that balance benefits of current reproduction with costs to survival and future reproduction. The optimal level of effort depends on parental traits, offspring traits, and provisioning strategy. Additionally, how these factors influence effort may differ depending on the stage of reproduction. The relative ...

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of peritoneal fluid (PF) of patients with endometriosis on the cytoskeleton of metaphase II oocytes and correlate the results with the stage of endometriosis and the duration of infertility. DESIGN Prospective-controlled study. SETTING Center for reproductive medicine at a tertiary-care hospital. PATIENT(S) Women with endometriosis (n=23) and tubal ligation...

Semen cryopreservation is widely used in assisted reproductive technologies, but it reduces sperm quality dramatically. The aim of this study was to develop a model using basal semen quality to predict the outcome of postthaw semen parameters and improve the efficiency of cryopreservation in a human sperm bank. Basal semen parameters of 180 samples were evaluated in the first stage, and a multi...