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The effect of supplementing natural zeolite (NZ) on the laying characteristics and on the internal and external egg quality during laying period of Japanese quails was studied. The laying and average eggs per female were lower in control (C) and the Z1 experimental groups (1% NZ) compare with the Z2 experimental group (2% NZ). The significant effect of the NZ addition in comparison with the C was found in the eggshell weight and yolk index. The eggshell weight of C (1.10±0.01 g) was significantly lower than Z1 (1.18±0.01 g). The quails of Z2 had significantly lower egg weight than Z1. The average egg weight was significantly affected by diet (P≤0.05) and also by age of quails (P≤0.001). At the beginning of the laying, the weight of the eggs (age 1) was significantly lower (12.07±0.12 g at the beginning, 12.38±0.12 g in the middle and 13.38±0.12 g in the end) (P≤0.001). The albumen weight and Haugh unit were significantly influenced by the age of the females. The albumen weight increased with female age (from 6.88 to 8.10±0.09 g). The HU was significantly lower (89.52±0.30) at the age 1 than in age 2 (90.50±0.30) and age 3 (90.57±0.30) (P≤0.05). The yolk index was significantly affected by both diet and age of animals. The significant difference was between C and Z1 (P≤0.05). The highest yolk index was found in youngest female (P≤0.01). The egg quality was mainly affected by age of females. Diet affected investigated traits to a smaller extent.

To explore the relationship between the development of feeding behaviour and energy intake for captive giant pandas, food intake, feeding rate, and discrimination time were analysed for 26 pandas grouped by sex and age (cub, sub-adult, adult, and elderly). Feeding rates were significantly different between all age groups, except between elderly and adults. In addition, significant differences were found in discrimination time among the female age groups, and all male age groups except between the adults and sub-adults. Among adults in the same age groups, significant differences between the sexes existed in their feeding rate and discrimination time. Differences in discrimination time existed among elderly, adult and sub-adult females. This study of the dynamic characteristics of the feeding behaviour of captive pandas could provide a theoretical basis for feeding recommendations to improve the success of giant panda breeding programmes.

Long-term intake of water with high content of trihalomethanes (THMs) such as chloroform (CHCl3) is hazardous for human health. Some studies have shown that clinical effects of THMs in drinking water may be yet observed to doses lower to standard limit. In our study, we performed a meta-analysis to assess both the mean concentration of CHCl3 in Iranian drinking water and the relative health effects by long-term exposure to safe dose of CHCl3 in the male and female age groups and in female categories. We applied the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) for the evaluation of the noncarcinogenic risk of CHCl3. Meta-analysis (14 studies) showed that the average concentration of CHCl3 was 24 µg/l (95%CI:18.1–30.1 µg/l), I2 = 99.88, p non-pregnant and non-lactating females age 4–15 (0.071) > pregnant (0.071) > lactating (0.043). The THQ in the females was higher than males, non-significantly (p >.05). Except Mazandaran province, in other provinces both males and females, for all age groups, were not exposed to significant risks by non-carcinogenic exposure of CHCl3 in drinking water (THQ

Objectives Relative age effects exist across sports and cultures (Cobley, Baker, Wattie, & McKenna, 2009), though a recent, unusual trend is females born in the second quartile of the selection year are most over-represented on elite teams. The first purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the second-quartile phenomenon was the result of first-quartile female athletes registering to play male sport. Due to the nature of the collected data, a secondary purpose was to examine relative age effects across female age divisions. Design Cross-sectional, with multiple chi-square analyses. Method Players included 29,924 female ice hockey players (ages 7–17 years) from the Ontario Hockey Federation. Birthdates were converted into quartiles following the Hockey Canada selection year. Results Relative age effects (with the second quartile most over-represented) existed for the entire sample (χ 2 [3, 29923] = 401.95, p 2 [3, 24984] = 369.90, p 2 [3, 4938] = 37.88, p Conclusion It appears the second-quartile phenomenon cannot be explained by athletes’ choice to play male sport. Further, female relative age effects appear strongest at younger ages. The discussion includes integration of results with previous literature, along with plausible explanations.

Study question How common were children among infertile couples? Summary answer A total of 61.7% of infertile couples presenting for care subsequently had live born children 13.1 years after first being clinically assessed, with a mean of 1.7 children among those who had at least one. What is known already While the prognoses for infertile couples undertaking specific treatments have been well described, less is known about those not undergoing these treatments or the total number of children. This information is necessary for decision-making in many individual cases; not knowing this has been cited by patients and clinicians as impeding implementation of care. Study design, size, duration The sole provider of specialist fertility care for the two southern-most regions in New Zealand enroled 1386 infertile couples from 1998 to 2005 in a longitudinal study with follow-up on all births until the end of 2014. Couples were followed in care for a median of 1.1 years and median follow-up for births was 13.1 years. Participants/materials, setting, methods Clinic-collected data were linked to national maternity data to extend follow-up past the end of clinical contact. The primary outcome was the total number of live born children. Hurdle regression was used to investigate factors associated with resolving infertility and the total number of children. Main results and the role of chance Infertility was resolved with a live birth by 61.7% (95% CI 59.1-64.2%) of couples; just over half of all first births were treatment-dependent. Among couples who resolved their infertility, 55.6% (52.2-58.9%) had at least one additional child and the mean number of children was 1.7. While female age strongly influenced outcomes, one-third of women aged 40-41 years had a child, not significantly less than those in their late 30s. The lowest levels of resolution occurred in women aged ≥42 years, couples who were infertile for >4 years and women with a BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2. Moderate obesity did not affect outcomes. Limitations, reasons for caution The main limitation of this study was insufficient data to investigate male factor infertility outcomes. It is also possible that treatment-dependent resolution could be higher in more recent cohorts with the increased use of ART. Wider implications of the findings Outcomes in these couples are comparable to those seen in other studies in high-income countries despite the relatively low contribution of ART. The prognosis for most infertile couples is positive and suggests many will not require treatment. Further research is needed to inform best practice for women in their early forties or with moderate obesity, and to develop prediction models that are more relevant for the initial management of infertility. Study funding/competing interest(s) This study was co-funded by a University of Otago PhD Scholarship and the Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Otago. There were no competing interests to declare.

Measurement of uptake by using the image based bio-distribution of 99mTc-DMSA (Dimercapto succinic acid) and 99mTc-DTPA (Diethylene triaminepenta acetic acid) in Kidney, Spleen and Liver with frame to frame analysis has been evidenced as the simplified way than the existing computer program based methodology, like MIRD and others. In this study, 100 patients were included in each scan. For 99mTc-DTPA scan, the mean uptake percentage for Kidney was 84.06% and that for Spleen was 7.80% and for Liver was 8.13% in which 66 patients were male and 34 were female age ranging from 3 (three) months to 70 (seventy) years. On the other hand,99mTc-DMSA scan was executed for 60 (sixty) male and 40 (forty) female patients; the mean values of uptake percentage for Kidney, Spleen and Liver were 87.40%, 5.99% and6.60% respectively. It was manifested that the uptake percentages of radiopharmaceuticals were the highest in kidney for youngers whereas those values in other organs were lower than adults.Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 41, No. 1, 105-114, 2017

By constructing a gender wage gap evolution model, this paper examines the source and evolutionary process of gender wage inequality from a theoretical perspective. The purpose of this study is thoroughly investigating the factors affecting the gender wage inequality from the perspective of gender discrimination and variations in non-gender endowments. Based on the Chinese Household Income Project Survey Data, this study indicates that: (1) since companies continue to re-evaluate the gender endowment value of gender, the gender wage inequality exhibits an endogenous sustainability and self-reinforcing effect. (2) The gender wage gap of urban residents is derived mainly from the top tier of wages, while the gender wage gap of the migrant people is mainly determined from the bottom rung of wages. (3) Female age has a ‘U-curve’ impact on gender wage inequality from the standpoint of non-gender endowment differences, and the female age has an ‘inverted U-curve’ impact on gender wage inequality as a re...

This study was designed specifically to determine the normal acetabular orientation and femoral head covering, and whether these are affected by age or sex. Computed tomographic images of normal Japanese hip joints were used (males 60, females 60; mean age 48.3 years, range 15-79 years). Male and female age profiles were matched. The reconstructed 3-D pelvic images were aligned in the anatomical pelvic coordinate system. The acetabular orientation angles and femoral covering angles were measured in the sagittal, coronal, and horizontal planes. In the sagittal plane, the acetabular orientation angle was operative anteversion (O-av), and the femoral covering angles were the anterior and posterior center-edge angles (ACE and PCE). In the coronal plane, they were the Sharp angle (SA) and the lateral center-edge angle (LCE). In the horizontal plane, they were anatomical anteversion (A-av) and the anterior and posterior sector angles (ASA and PSA). The O-av, SA, and A-av were smaller in the male than the female acetabulum (P

Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of single embryo transfer followed by an additional frozen-thawed single embryo transfer, if more embryos are available, as compared to double embryo transfer in relation to female age. Study design We used a decision tree model to evaluate the costs from a healthcare provider perspective and the pregnancy rates of two embryo transfer policies: one fresh single embryo transfer followed by an additional frozen-thawed single embryo transfer, if more embryos are available (strategy I), and double embryo transfer (strategy II). The analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to evaluate the robustness of our model and to identify which model parameters had the strongest impact on the results. Results SET followed by an additional frozen-thawed single embryo transfer if available was dominant, less costly and more effective, over DET in women under 32 years. In women aged 32 or older DET was more effective than SET followed by an additional frozen-thawed single embryo transfer if available but also more costly. Conclusion SET followed by an additional frozen-thawed single embryo transfer should be the preferred strategy in women under 32 undergoing IVF. The choice for SET followed by an additional frozen-thawed single embryo transfer or DET in women aged 32 or older depends on individual patient preferences and on how much society is willing to pay for an extra child. There is a strong need for a randomized clinical trial comparing the cost and effects of SET followed by an additional frozen-thawed single embryo transfer and DET in the latter category of women.

The seasonal timing of reproduction is a major fitness factor in many organisms. Commonly, individual fitness declines with time in the breeding season. We investigated three suggested but rarely tested hypotheses for this seasonal fitness decline: (1) time per se (date hypothesis), (2) late breeders are of lower quality than early ones (individual quality hypothesis), and (3) late breeders are breeding at poorer territories than early ones (territory quality hypothesis). We used Bayesian variance component analyses to examine reproductive output (breeding success, number fledged, and number of recruits) from repeated observations of female northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) and individual territories from a 20-year population study. The major part of the observed seasonal decline in reproductive output seemed to be driven by date-related effects, whereas female age and territory type (i.e. known indicators of temporary quality) contributed to a smaller degree. Other, persistent effects linked to individual and territory identity did not show any clear patterns on the seasonal decline in reproductive output. To better disentangle the quality effects (persistent and temporary) of individual and territory from effects caused by the deterioration of the environment we suggest a protocol combining experimental manipulation of breeding time with a variance-covariance partitioning method used here. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The development of a flock of females that can produce eggs and maintain egg production rate without the presence of males is a prerogative for a viable artificial insemination protocol in ostriches. Over six consecutive breeding seasons (May-December, 2009-2014), we recorded the egg production performance of 40 single-penned (ART) South African Black ostrich females (2-9 years of age), and compared these records with the egg production of 162 pair-mated females of comparable age from the breeding flock (BP). ART females laid significantly fewer eggs than BP females (mean±SEM: 3.49±0.13 eggs per month vs. 4.64±0.09 eggs per month respectively; P

Development of Plutella xylostella was studied on cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and radish in protected field condition under nylon net cage for two consecutive years. Result revealed that P. xylostella preferred to lay maximum eggs on cauliflower followed by cabbage, broccoli and radish. Fecundity was more at beginning but declined gradually with advancing of female age. The highest unhatched eggs were recorded on radish and minimum on cauliflower. Larval mortality was least when P. xylostella reared on cauliflower and maximum on radish. Mortality survival ratio for immature stages was highest on radish and lowest on cauliflower. The immature stages of P. xylostella were over within 27.45 days on cauliflower and 30.62 days on radish. Thermal constants significantly differed among the host plants during both the years of study. Maximum degree-days 66.66 and 125.00 was required for development of P. xylostella on cauliflower and minimum 37.03 and 58.82 on radish during both the cropping seasons, respectively. However, P. xylostella required maximum degree days to complete the development of immature stages on broccoli 473.03 and 394.95 degree-days in both cropping years.

Studies of age-specific reproductive performance are fundamental to our understanding of population dynamics and the evolution of life-history strategies. In species with bi-parental care, reproductive ageing trajectories of either parent may be influenced by their partner's age, but this has rarely been investigated. We investigated within-individual age-specific performance (laying date and number of eggs laid) in wild female blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus and evaluated how the age and longevity of their male partner indirectly influenced the females' reproductive performance. Females showed clear age-dependence in both laying date and number of eggs laid. We found that female reproductive performance improved in early life, before showing a decline. Longer-lived females had an earlier laying date throughout their lives than shorter-lived females, but there was no difference in number of eggs laid between longer- and shorter-lived females. Within breeding pairs, the female's (age-specific) reproductive performance was not dependent on the age and longevity of the male partner. We conclude that the age and quality of the male partner may be of little importance for traits that are under direct female control. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Female crickets (Gryllidae) often rely on the quality of male acoustic signals when choosing a potential mate. This quality can be determined by the frequency and temporal structure of the calling song, and both these characteristics are known to change as males grow old. In addition, female choice is influenced by call amplitude, which is primarily a function of the distance between a singing male and the recipient female. In this study, we use a binary choice experimental design to test whether an old male, whose song appeared to be less attractive in terms of its frequency and temporal structure, may benefit from its increased amplitude. We demonstrate that increased amplitude does improve attractiveness of the calling song chirped by an older male. We also show that female preference for young males does not change with female age. These findings are discussed in light of possible behavioral strategies and spatial distribution of young and old males in the field.

Aims: This study is aimed at determining the prognostic factors influencing successful pregnancy following intrauterine insemination (IUI). Settings and design: Retrospective analysis. Materials and Methods: A total of 2123 cycles undergone by 871 couples during the period of 5 years (2011–2015) were retrospectively studied. Statistical Analysis Used: Each of the factors was compared with pregnancy outcome (PO) using statistical analysis with a confidence interval of 95% in SPSS software version 19. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis method were used to determine the significance of each factor with the PO. Results: Among the various factors included in our study population, male habits (P = 0.004), male occupational environment (P = 0.025), male age (P = 0.002), and female age (P = 0.001) were found to significantly influence the PO following IUI. Conclusion: Our results indicate that avoiding smoking and alcohol consuming prior and during the IUI treatment along with working in low-heat-generating environment might lead to better success following the treatment.

Antral follicle count (AFC) has been widely investigated for the prediction of clinical pregnancy or live birth. This study discussed the effects of AFC quartile levels on pregnancy outcomes combined with female age, female cause of infertility, and ovarian response undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. At present, many research about AFC mainly discuss its impact on clinical practice at different thresholds, or the analyses of AFC with respect to assisted reproductive technology outcomes under using different ovarian stimulation protocols. Factors that include ovarian sensitivity index, female age, and infertility cause are all independent predictors of live birth undergoing IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection, while few researchers discussed influence of female-related factors for clinical outcomes in different AFC fields. A total of 8269 infertile women who were stimulated with a long protocol with normal menstrual cycles were enrolled in the study, and patients were categorized into 4 groups based on AFC quartiles (1–8, 9–12, 13–17, and ≥18 antral follicles). The clinical pregnancy rates increased in the 4 AFC groups (28.25% vs 35.38% vs 37.38% vs 40.13%), and there was a negative association between age and the 4 AFC groups. In addition, female cause of infertility like polycystic ovary syndrome, Tubal factor, and other causes had great significance on clinical outcome, and ovarian response in medium (9–16 oocytes retrieved) had the highest clinical pregnancy rate at AFC quartiles of 1 to 8, 9 to 12, 13 to 17, and ≥18 antral follicles. This study concludes that the female-related parameters (female cause of infertility, female age, and ovarian response) combined with AFC can be useful to estimate the probability of clinical pregnancy.

Osteocalcin is one of the most abundant noncollagenous proteins in bone. Phenotypes of osteocalcin knock-out mice (OC−/−) may vary on different backgrounds and with sex. Previous studies using adult female (OC−/−) mice on a mixed genetic background (129/B6) showed osteocalcin inhibited bone formation leading to weaker bone in wild-type (OC+/+). Yet on a pure (B6) genetic background male mice revealed osteocalcin improved fracture resistance and OC−/− bones were more prone to fracture. Osteocalcin is decreased with age and in some diseases (diabetes) where bone weakness is observed. The effect of osteocalcin in adult female bone from mice on a pure B6 background is unknown. We investigated differences in bone mineral properties and bone strength in female adult (6 months) (OC+/+) and (OC−/−) mice on a pure C57BL/6J background using Fourier Transform Infrared Imaging (FTIRI), micro-computed tomography (uCT), biomechanical measurements, histomorphometry and serum turnover markers (P1NP, CTX). Similar to female age matched mice on the (129/C57) background we found B6 OC−/− mice had a higher bone formation rate, no change in bone resorption, more immature mineral, decreased crystallinity and increased trabecular bone as compared to OC+/+. In contrast, the OC−/− mice on a pure B6 background had a lower bone mineral density, lower mineral to matrix ratio resulting in reduced stiffness and weaker bone strength. Our results demonstrate some properties of the OC−/− phenotype are dependent on genetic background. This may suggest that reduced osteocalcin may contribute to fracture and weaker bone in some groups of elderly and adults with diseases where osteocalcin is low.

Research question The aim of this study was to investigate how female age affects the predictive effect of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) on clinical outcomes with assisted reproductive technology. Design A total of 2371 patients, comprising 2115 men with a normal DFI (≤30), 256 men with a high DFI (>30) and women of different ages, were recruited and investigated. All patients had normal chromosome karyotypes and were undergoing their first fresh IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Clinical outcomes were analysed according to the two DFI groups and female age ≤30 and >30 years. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with clinical outcome. Results The proportion of couples with at least one good-quality embryo in the DFI ≤30 group was higher than that in the DFI >30 group. When female age exceeded 30 years, clinical pregnancy rate and the proportion of couples with good-quality embryos in the DFI >30 group were lower compared with DFI ≤30; however, there were no differences in outcomes for female age ≤30 years according to DFI. When DFI >30, the cut-off value of female age was 30.5 for detecting clinical pregnancy; the sensitivity was 62.0%, and the specificity was 63.6%. Clinical pregnancy rate and proportion of couples with good-quality embryos were lower in the DFI >30 versus DFI ≤30 group with a female age above 30 years for IVF but not for ICSI. Conclusion Female age has a negative effect and should be considered in predicting the effects of sperm DNA fragmentation on pregnancy outcomes.

We conducted a study throughout a breeding season in a captive-bred population of Greater rheas (Rhea americana) to evaluate the association between egg viability and the female´s body weight and age. A total of 180 eggs laid by 15 females of three age classes (5 individuals per class) were collected, individually identified, and their morphometric traits, fertility and hatchability were registered. Egg fertility increased with female´s age but was unaffected by female weight. Hatching rate does not correlate with maternal attributes. The current paper contributes towards understanding the role of certain maternal attributes in egg viability. Our findings suggest that breeding Greater rheas in large flocks where free mating occurs, increases the expression of natural sexual behavior and enhances the productivity and welfare of the birds. Realizamos un estudio a lo largo de una temporada reproductiva en una población de Ñandú común (Rhea americana) en cautiverio, con el fin de evaluar la asociación entre la viabilidad del huevo y el peso corporal y la edad de la hembra. Se colectaron un total de 180 huevos depositados por 15 hembras de tres clases de edad (5 individuos por clase). Cada huevo se identificó y se registraron sus características morfométricas, su fertilidad y éxito de eclosión. La fertilidad de los huevos se incrementó con la edad de la hembra que lo produjo pero no fue afectado por el peso corporal de la misma. La tasa de eclosión no se correlacionó con los atributos maternos evaluados. El presente trabajo contribuye a comprender el rol de ciertos atributos maternos en la viabilidad del huevo. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que la cría de ñandúes en grandes grupos, donde el libre apareamiento es posible, aumentaría la expresión de un comportamiento sexual natural mejorando la productividad y el bienestar de las aves Fil: Lábaque, María Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecológica. Cátedra de Ecología; Argentina Fil: Martella, Monica Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecológica. Cátedra de Ecología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina Fil: Bazzano, Gisela del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina Fil: Navarro, Joaquin Luis. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecológica. Cátedra de Ecología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina

This article represents a viewpoint on the POSEIDON criteria by a group of clinicians and embryologists. Its primary objective is to contextualize the Poseidon criteria and their metric of success for the relevant Frontiers Research Topic "POSEIDON's Stratification of Low Prognosis Patients in ART: The WHY, the WHAT, and the HOW". "Low prognosis" relates with reduced oocyte number, which can be associated with low or sometimes a normal ovarian reserve and is aggravated by advanced female age. These aspects will ultimately affect the number of embryos generated and consequently, the cumulative live birth rate. The novel system relies on female age, ovarian reserve markers, ovarian sensitivity to exogenous gonadotropin, and the number of oocytes retrieved, which will both identify the patients with low prognosis and stratify such patients into one of four groups of women with "expected" or "unexpected" impaired ovarian response to exogenous gonadotropin stimulation. Furthermore, the POSEIDON group introduced a new measure of clinical success in ART, namely, the ability to retrieve the number of oocytes needed to obtain at least one euploid blastocyst for transfer in each patient. Using the POSEIDON criteria, the clinician can firstly identify and classify patients who have low prognosis in ART, and secondly, aim at designing an individualized treatment plan to maximize the chances of achieving the POSEIDON measure of success in each of the four low prognosis groups. The novel POSEIDON classification system is anticipated to improve counseling and management of low prognosis patients undergoing ART, with an expected positive effect on reproductive success and a reduction in the time to live birth.

PURPOSE It is controversial who should be recommended to undergo natural cycle IVF (NC-IVF). Therefore, objective prognostic criteria which are already known at the time of counselling were defined. METHODS A retrospective observational study was performed with 201 couples (age 34.7 ± 4.1) undergoing 311 NC-IVF treatments with 201 transfers, corresponding to a transfer rate of 65.3%. The first cycle resulting in a transfer of one embryo was further analysed. Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were analysed. RESULTS Pregnancy rate and live birth rates per first cycle were 21.9% and 13.2%, respectively. Groupwise comparison revealed the following clinical pregnancy/live birth rates per transfer cycle: duration of infertility 1-2 years 34.3/25.7%, 3-4 years 21.8/14.9% and > 4 years 9.1/4.5%. Women's age

Background: This article examines the impact of parental death in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood on male and female age at marriage in the Netherlands in the period 1850-1940. It follows an interdisciplinary approach as it considers explanations based on social and demographic history and evolutionary biology. Objective: We study the classical historical framework in more detail by controlling for the age at parental death. Moreover, we study if evolutionary or social-demographic explanations are better able to predict the impact of parental death on marriage behavior in a historical population. Methods: We apply event-history analysis to the Historical Sample of the Netherlands, which includes life courses of more than 24,000 individuals in marital age. Results: Losing a parent in early childhood delays transition to marriage for sons and has no significant effect on daughters. Parental death in adulthood, however, accelerates entry into marriage for children of farmers. Conclusions: Early parental death hindered a smooth transition to marriage but the inheritance of land in adulthood created marriage opportunities both for men and women. The results suggest that farming families employed fast marriage of adult children to restore the gender balance on the farm. Contribution: Marriage in the period 1850-1940 was strongly determined by regional, cultural, religious, and financial constraints. The proposed evolutionary explanations, and the one based on life history theory in particular, are therefore not able to predict the relationship between parental death and marriage behavior. Accordingly, we advise not to use the age at marriage as a proxy for reproductive and risky sexual behavior.

Introduction: The OPTIMIST trial revealed that for women starting in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment, no substantial differences exist in first cycle and cumulative live birth rates between an antral follicle count (AFC)-based individualized follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) dose and a standard dose. Female age and body weight have been suggested to cause heterogeneity in the effect of FSH dose individualization. The objective of the current study is to evaluate whether these patient characteristics modify the effect of AFC-based individualized FSH dosing in IVF/ICSI treatment.Material and methods: A secondary data-analysis of the OPTIMIST trial. Women initiating IVF/ICSI treatment were classified as predicted poor (AFC 0-7), suboptimal (AFC 8-10) or hyper responders (AFC >15), and randomly allocated to a standard FSH dose (150 IU/d) or an individualized FSH dose (450, 225 or 100 IU/d for predicted poor, suboptimal and hyper responders, respectively). In each predicted response category, logistic regression models with interaction terms were used to evaluate the presence of effect modification. The first cycle was analyzed, and the primary outcomes were first complete cycle live birth rate (including fresh plus frozen-thawed embryo transfers) and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) risks.Results: No effect modification was revealed in the predicted poor (n = 234) and suboptimal (n = 277) responders. In the predicted hyper responders (n = 521), the effect of the individualized FSH dose on the first cycle live birth rate was modified by female age (P = 0.02) and the effect on OHSS risks was modified by body weight (P = 0.02). A dose reduction from 150 to 100 IU/d generally decreased the OHSS risks in predicted hyper responders, but also reduced the chance of a live birth in young women, and had no beneficial impact on OHSS risks in women with a relatively low body weight.Conclusions: In women with a predicted hyper response undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment, female age and body weight seem to modify the effect of FSH dose individualization. Although a reduced FSH starting dose generally decreases the OHSS risks, it may also reduce the chance of a live birth, specifically for young women. Future studies could consider these findings when investigating the optimal approach to reduce OHSS risks while maintaining the probability of a live birth for predicted hyper responders in IVF/ICSI treatment.

Příspěvek je zaměřen na změny související s věkem s ohledem na motorické funkce a síly. Příspěvek stručně rekapituluje navrhovanou metodiku a měřící postupy. Jemná motorika byla měřena pomocí Purdue Pegboard Test a Grooved Pegboard Test. Pro celkovou zručnost rukou byl použit Complete Minnesota Dexterity Test. Síla stisku byla měřena Jamar dynamometrem a pro měření rozsahu pohybů byly využity klasické goniometry. Příspěvek dále popisuje předběžné výsledky dvou věkových skupin žen (25–29 a 60–73) a jejich porovnání. Jak bylo očekáváno, mladší skupina žen měla lepší výsledky při testování obratnosti, síly stisku a rozsahu pohybů v některých kloubech. Nicméně některé rozsahy pohybů však byly lepší u starších žen pravděpodobně díky cvičení. Určitá nepřesnost se mohla také vyskytnout v průběhu měření, čemuž bude v dalších měřeních zamezeno. Prezentované výsledky jsou zatím předběžné a slouží primárně k vyhodnocení navržené metodiky. Výzkum bude pokračovat a v budoucnu bude rozšířen i na další věkové skupiny a také na populaci mužů. The paper is focused on age related changes regarding motor abilities and forces. The paper briefly reviews proposed methodology and measuring procedures. The fine fingers dexterity was measured by Purdue Pegboard Test and Grooved Pegboard Test. For hand dexterity the Complete Minnesota Dexterity Test was used. Hand grip strength was evaluated by Jamar dynamometer and range of motions were measured by classic goniometers. Furthermore the paper presents preliminary results of two female age groups (25-29 and 60-73) and their comparison. As expected younger group of female performed better in dexterity testing, hand grips and some range of motions. However some ranges of motions were better in older female group probably due to exercise. Some inaccuracy also might occur during measurement which will be eliminated in the future. These are just preliminary results which served for evaluation of proposed methodology. The research will carry on and will be extended in the future to other age groups and also to male population.

In this study outcomes of arthroscopic management of tibial eminence fracture have been described. We conducted a study of 15 patients of ACL avulsion fractures especially Meyer and Mckeever type II and III treated arthroscopically by pull through sutures. Outcome measures were assessed through International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) form, Tenger Activity scale and Lysholm knee score. The study group consisted of 15 patients who met the inclusion criteria, of which 9 were male and 6 were female. The range of patient age consisted of 13-37 years and the average patient age was 20.6 years. The average male age was 22.11 years and the average female age was 18.33 years. The fracture classification showed 7 being type II while 8 were type III. Tegner Activity level at follow up ranged from 5-8 and the mean score was 6.4. On follow-up evaluation, the mean Lysholm score was 92.8 (ranging from 76-100). 6 patients who had inter-meniscal interposition was retracted or resected showed no difference in functional outcome. We found that displaced tibial eminence fractures could be successfully treated using arthroscopic pull through sutures, with most patients returning to their previous activity level. Complications were avoided by anatomic reduction of fracture fragments and early post-operative rehabilitation.

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is caused by dengue virus and transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito. There are several fish species known to be used as a biological predator of Aedes aegypti larvae, such as Betta splendens. The purpose of this study was to examine Betta splendens as a biological predator of Aedes aegypti larvae. The larvae used were in the fourth stage. The Betta splendens consisted of four replicate groups, 3 and 6 months male age group, and 3 and 6 months female age group. The effectiveness rate of predation was only counted based on the speed of eating of 25 larvae in the aquarium containing 3 liters of water. Statistical test was performed with Annova with the parameters fish body weight and time to prey. The longest mean of preying time was found in 3 months aged male fish group (mean body weight = 1.474 grams), with a mean time of prey = 153.80 seconds. The shortest mean preying time was found ini 6 months aged female fish group (mean body weight = 2.566 grams), with a mean time of prey = 142.41 seconds. In conclusion, female 6 month-aged fish with highest mean body weight is most effective againts Aedes aegypti larvae. The body weight can affect the speed of preying, but body weight is only one of some variables that affect the speed and effectiveness beside gender and age of Betta splendens.

Male and female age are important factors that can influence mating and remating behavior. Females can discriminate against or prefer older males, but there have been relatively fewer studies on how female and male age influence female remating. Here we showed in wild flies of the Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew), that when females were given a choice between males of different ages, younger females preferred to mate with younger males over older males, while older females were less selective. Also, when given a choice between males of different ages, older females had longer copulation durations than younger females. On the other hand, older males and females had lower mating success, compared with young and middle-aged flies under no choice conditions. However, middle-aged females mated faster compared to young females and young males mated faster compared to middle-aged males. Male age did not influence female remating, while female age strongly determined female remating, with no females remating when they were old. It is unclear if female receptivity mechanisms are switched off at older ages, or if females are reluctant to remate due to possible costs of mating. We discuss our results in terms of how male and female age can influence mating decisions. Fil: Abraham, Solana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiologicos; Argentina Fil: Contreras Navarro, Yair. Universidad Veracruzana. Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada; México Fil: Perez Staples, Diana Folger. Universidad Veracruzana. Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada; México

Dietary Restriction (DR) was used to determined the survival, longevity, adult weights and fecundity of adult reared blowfly Chrysomya chloropyga.Twenty males and 20 females each were put in cages and exposed to continuous feeding (control) and 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr dietary restrictions periods. The flies were fed on a mixture of ground rice and fish paste for an hour after every restriction periods. Sugar and water were provided. Developments of the ovaries under various treatments were determined by dissecting females at day 18 of exposure. Protein contents of whole male and female from each of the treatments were also determined DR reduced the life span of the adult blowfly C. chloropyga. Maximum longevity of control male and female flies was 59 and 67 days; 44 and 45 days for 24 hr and 38 and 33 days for 96 hr restrictions respectively. Adult male and female weights decreased with increase in exposure and with age. There were no developed ovaries in females exposed to restricted diets hence no egg laying and mean fecundity in control females was 106.8±9.12 eggs.Protein concentrations in male decreased with age from 5-30 days and with exposure to dietary restriction but no pattern with female age except with exposure to dietary restriction. Protein content with age or with exposure to restricted diets was higher in females than in males. In conclusion, the study showed that dietary restriction in C. chloropyga did not prolong the lifespan of the blowfly species. The non-production of eggs in females exposed to restricted diets is probably due to insufficiency of proteins from the diet used in this study. A diet of blood source is recommended for a similar study.

Various components of breeding success are predicted to be related to avian nest size because (1) some individuals are physically able to build larger nests than other individuals or (2) larger nests provide more protection in the absence of predation than smaller nests. The results of an 18-yr correlative nest-box study in Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) show that nest size is not closely related to components that reflect breeding performance, after controlling for other female characteristics (first-egg date, clutch size, and female age) assumed to influence breeding performance in long-term studies. Our results support those of most short-term field studies that have reported weak associations between nest size and breeding performance in cavity-nesting passerines. We suggest that the absence of an association between nest size and breeding performance can be explained by the fact that the vast majority of nest-box studies have used small nest chambers that imposed physical constraints on the...

The aim of this study was to (1) investigate the incidence of embryos derived from “unfertilized oocytes” i.e., oocytes not displaying pronuclei (0PN) at the time of the fertilization check and (2) determine the clinical pregnancy rates when transferring 0PN-derived embryos. In this retrospective study, 4424 IVF-ET cycles were reviewed. In total, 11.3 % (4966/43,949) 0PN-derived embryos were observed. It was found that female age, number of oocytes, and the top-quality embryo rate were significantly correlated with 0PN-derived embryo occurrence. The source of embryos transferred did not impact significantly on clinical pregnancy and live-birth rates. Of the 183 cycles included in this study where 275 0PN-derived embryos were transferred in total, only 0PN-derived embryos were available in 70 of those cycles. It was noteworthy that 13 healthy infants resulted from 0PN-derived embryos with an implantation rate of 17.0 %. These results indicate that the traditional method of excluding embryos because of those oocytes originally lacking any sign of a pronucleus at the fertilization check should be re-considered as transferring 0PN-derived embryos with subsequent expected developmental performance may be considered as an option for those patients where no other embryos are available.

The influence of female mating status on ovarian development of the ladybird, Propylea dissecta (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), was investigated under laboratory conditions. We assessed the extent to which ovariole development was affected by mating and for that we initially created a base line by observing age specific ovariole development. Results show that the number of follicles in each ovariole increased with the age of both virgin and mated females up to the age of 3 days, thereafter, no increase in number of follicles was recorded. Ovariole width also increased with age in both virgin and mated females up to 4 days, thereafter, no increase in ovariole width was recorded. The ovariole width of mated females was significantly greater than that of virgin females. Egg maturation and the egg load started to increase at the age of 8 days in virgin females. Thereafter, it increased with increase in female age. While in mated females, immature eggs were recorded in their ovarioles from the age of 1 to 2 days. In mated females, however, the increase in the number of mature eggs per ovariole and egg load started when they were 3 days old. Egg load continuously increased with increasing female age.

Digestibility of crude protein and energy is used to measure digestibility in poultry, digestible shows of feed substances absorbed by the body which will affect the productivity of quail. This experiment was conducted to study the effect of red dragon fruit liquid additif (Hylocereus polyrhizus), digestibility protein and metabolizable energy by quail female age 16-50 days. Experiment used 200 japanese quails females, 7 weeks age with average body weight of 13.61±0.49 g. The study was conducted in battery cages. The experiment used Completely Randomized Design with 4 treatments and 5 replications: T0 (control), T1 (Award liquid additives red dragon fruit twice a day), T2 (one a day) and T3 (two days). The dose of a liquid additive is 5 ml/quail. Observation of digestibility of crude protein (KcPK) and the energy carried by the method of total collection for 3 days, measurements using a bomb calorimeter gross energy and protein analysis using Kjeldahl method. Data were analyzed using a variety of test F at the level 5%, followed by Duncan's Multiple Range Test (UJBD) there is significant effect of the treatment each treatment was showed liquid additives red dragon fruit was not significant (P> 0.05) on crude protein digestibility and apparent metabolizable energy. The conclusion, the given of liquid additives red dragon fruit did not increase digestibility of crude protein and apparent metabolizable energy. Keywords : quail, red dragon fruit, digestibility of crude protein