Category Archives: Embryology

Embryology

The Stark Reality of Parents’ COVID Deaths Grandparents Step In – The Washington Informer

A newly published report reveals that 200,000 children have reportedly lost parents to COVID-19. And as young orphans attempt to cope with such tragic losses, many grandparents have assumed the role of primary caregivers.

The Covid Collaborative coalitionestimatedthat about 167,000 American children lost a parent or primary caregiver to the pandemic, with much higher rates among communities of color.

However,researchers at Imperial College Londonput the number of children who have lost one or both parents at nearly 200,000.

Generations United, a D.C.-based nonprofit whose goal is to improve the lives of children, youth and older adults, reported that before the pandemic, 2.6 million children already lived with their grandparents.

The group said when a parent dies many grandparents provide childcare, transportation and financial help.

If something happens to us, what happens to the children? wrote Cassandra Gentry, a grandmother raising two grandchildren.

Americas COVID-19 crisis has not ended but we have begun to count the staggering size of our loss, researchers at Covid Collaborative revealed in a report called Hidden Pain: Children Who Lost a Parent or Caregiver to Covid-19 and What the Nation Can Do for Them.

An outbreak beyond precedent has led to deaths on the scale of a global war. Moreover, these tragedies were experienced in the isolation of pandemic precautions and hospital wards, the researchers stated.

The group said hundreds of thousands have died simultaneously but largely apart.

Composed of a diverse and comprehensive team of leading experts in health, education and the economy, Covid Collaborative noted that some of the cruelest pain has come to a group with the least capacity to understand and cope with it.

More than 167,000 children roughly one in 450 of all children in the U.S. have lost at least one of their caretakers to COVID-19.

Statistics show that non-White children had the highest rates of caregiver loss.

Nationally, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic children lost caregivers at more than twice the rate 2.4 and 2.5 times, respectively, of white children.

American Indian or Alaska Native [AI/AN] children and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander children had the highest rate of caregiver loss, at nearly four times the rate of white children.

Researchers found that those differences are due to higher COVID-19 death rates and larger average household sizes with co-residing grandparents or others being more common among non-white populations.

These disparities are most concentrated in the youngest age cohort, the authors wrote.

Disparities also varied by state and territory.

The District of Columbia had the highest rates of Black and Hispanic caregiver loss relative to their white peers 11 and 18 times higher than the loss rates for white children, respectively.

States with larger American Indian populations had the highest hidden pain risk of COVID-19 caregiver loss for AI/AN children.

In Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah, the rate of caregiver loss for AI/AN children was more than 10 times that of white children.

Further, the researchers found that more than 70,000 children have been deprived of a parent with nearly the same number having lost a grandparent who lived in the home.

At the extreme end, more than 13,000 children have lost their only in-home caregiver.For them, COVID-19 has done more than hurt their lives; it has ended their world.

Especially early in development, a parent or family caregiver fills a childs entire sky providing most of their stability, confidence and care.The sudden, seemingly unexplainable caregivers departure leaves a void of affection and direction with which each child must struggle to fill.

Researchers said the traumatic loss had been associated with depression, addiction, lower academic achievement and higher dropout rates.

It represents lost potential for individuals and society.

My client is a 60-year-old grandmother who is taking care of three grandchildren two of them are her sons who lost his life to HIV/AIDS while their mother is serving a term in prison for drug trafficking, said Dr. Liz Jane, a physician who specializes in embryology, pharmacology, immunology, internal medicine and surgery.

Dr. Jane said her clients other child is the son of a daughter who left home.

Its been a tough life for the lady who at times depends on the well-wishers to help her with foodstuff, she said. COVID made everything worse when many of her helpers lost their jobs.

In its report, Covid 19 Orphanhood,Imperial College of London officials noted that orphanhood and caregiver deaths are a hidden pandemic resulting from COVID-19-associated deaths.

Accelerating equitable vaccine delivery is key to prevention, the reports authors stated.

Psychosocial and economic support can help families nurture children bereft of caregivers and help to ensure that institutionalization is avoided. These data show the need for an additional pillar of our response: prevent, detect, respond and care for children, they said.

Based on best evidence and practice, Covid Collaborative officials offered steps that policymakers, educators and leaders in the nonprofit and private sectors could take to help children who have lost a parent to COVID-19.

Their recommendations include:

The undertaking of a coordinated strategy to comprehensively identify children who have lost a parent or a caretaker guardian to COVID-19 through schools, community-based organizations, primary care settings and the use of municipal administrative records.

Researchers also said its crucial to create a COVID-19 Bereaved Childrens Fund and implement a public education campaign to encourage families, youth and children to seek help and connect them to resources in their communities and schools.

Additionally, they said the federal government should provide funding and technical assistance through the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand the grief-competence of schools, community-based organizations, faith-based institutions and other community leaders.

When a parent dies, the child is challenged in the short-term to cope with grief and the circumstances of the loss through bereavement, the reports authors concluded. The child must meet this challenge without the lost parent, who may have been a primary resource for structuring their experiences and co-regulating their emotions.Children and families are challenged to adapt in other ways to the parents absence in both the short and long terms. However, family functioning must be preserved so that childrens needs continue to be met across development.

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The Stark Reality of Parents' COVID Deaths Grandparents Step In - The Washington Informer

Embryology

IVF Add-Ons: Why You Should Be Cautious Of These Expensive Procedures – SheThePeople

While in-vitro fertilisation has significantly improved the chances of helping people with fertility problems start a family, its still only successful around 24% of the time. This is why some people trying to conceive via IVF may decide to look into so-called add-on treatments in the hopes of increasing their chances of having a baby.

There are a range of add-on procedures that may be offered to patients by both private and public health providers. But the problem with these procedures is that theres currently little evidence that they actually improve the chances of having a baby. Despite this, health providers, including the UKs NHS, continue to market these costly procedures to patients.

So if youve been considering an IVF add-on, its very important you understand exactly what they are, and why they may not increase your chances of conceiving.

Time-lapse imaging is a non-invasive technology. This involves growing the embryo in a specially designed incubator fitted with a camera. This camera takes pictures of each embryo at frequent intervals, allowing embryologists to select an embryo thats most likely to develop into a baby. This allows embryologists to choose suitable embryos with no additional harm to the embryo or patient.

During conventional IVF procedures, the embryo needs to be removed from the incubator and examined under a microscope. So the advantage of time-lapse imaging is that embryos can be left undisturbed in the incubator until embryo transfer.

Suggested Reading:Endometriosis Diagnosis And Treatment: We Need Advocacy, Awareness And Algorithms

Unfortunately, theres currently no evidence to suggest this technology will improve the chances of having a baby compared to conventional IVF methods.

PGT-A (aneuploidy screening after embryo biopsy) is an invasive procedure that involves taking several cells from an embryo and assessing the number of chromosomes. This analysis can be used to show if the embryo has a normal or abnormal set of chromosomes.

Traditionally, this treatment is offered to women who are older, typically over the age of 37, as theres a higher chance of chromosome abnormalities in her embryos. PGT-A is also offered to patients with a history of miscarriages or those with a family history of aneuploidy (having missing or extra chromosomes).

The advantage of PGT-A is that it allows people to have an embryo transferred thats genetically normal. Traditional methods of assessment, which would only view the embryo under a microscope prior to transfer, wont be able to detect this.

However, there are currently questions over the reliability of procedure. So while its more likely that an embryo with a normal set of chromosomes will be transferred, the procedure has not been shown to increase the chances of having a baby.

In order to become pregnant, the embryo needs to implant itself into the lining of the womb.

But to improve the chance of this happening in an IVF cycle, some clinics offer a procedure called endometrial scratching. Its thought that by scratching the endometrial lining with a small, sterile plastic tube, the body will help trigger repair mechanisms where it was scratched.

The hormones and proteins needed to repair the lining are said to improve the chances of the embryo implanting itself. The treatment is invasive and can cause discomfort for some patients. Its also unknown whether theres any risk to the embryo with this procedure.

Embryo scratching is typically only offered to women who have failed repeated implantation attempts. Theres currently no evidence showing it to be better than conventional IVF methods in helping women conceive.

Suggested Reading:Ultra-Processed Foods Are Trashing Our Health And The Planet

Embryo glue works by placing embryos in a culture dish with the liquid hyaluronan up to 30 minutes before an embryo transfer. Hyaluronan is abundant in our body and is similar to the fluid found between our joints. Its thought that doing this will improve the chances of the embryo implanting itself in the womb.

Researchers arent entirely sure how hyaluronan works, but many believe it helps embryos better stick to other cells during implantation. However, to date, no large studies have shown embryo glue to have a significant benefit on improving conception.

While these arent the only add-on treatments out there, its worth noting that no add-ons have been given a green light rating by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Green light ratings are only given to add-on procedures shown to be safe and effective at improving chances of conception beyond conventional IVF.

While fertility clinics can help people struggling to conceive, its important to understand add-ons largely have no benefit over traditional IVF techniques especially considering how costly these treatments can be. Often, a standard IVF cycle will offer the best chance of success on its own.

Matt Cotterill, Lecturer in Clinical Embryology, University of Leeds published this article first on The Conversation.

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IVF Add-Ons: Why You Should Be Cautious Of These Expensive Procedures - SheThePeople

Embryology

Attitude And Perception Of Medical Students Towards Histolog | AMEP – Dove Medical Press

Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, Ethiopia

Correspondence: Daniel Teshome, PO.BOX-1145, Tel +251919158464, Email [emailprotected]

Introduction: Students perceptions and feedback have a significant impact on academic progress.Objective: To assess the attitude and perception of medical students towards histology subject at Wollo University, Northern Ethiopia.Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was carried out in Wollo University from January, 2021 to February, 2021. A pre-tested and structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. All opinions were rated using a positive-point Likert scale, which ranges from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20.Results: A total of 184 students participated in this study, with a 100% response rate. Of the respondents, 84.24% of them were very much interested in histology subject. However, only 31 (16.85%) thought of histology as a career choice. The two major reason for not joining histology was less chance of promotion (65, 35.33%) and financial growth (41, 22.28%) followed by difficulty of the subject (23, 12.5%). Most of the respondents (155, 84.24%) agreed or strongly agreed that histology knowledge will help them a lot in their future clinical practice. Regarding different methods of teaching histology, our study reveals that there were 82.61% of participants who agreed with the proposed integration of histology and pathology. Moreover, system approach in teaching pathology with other disciplines was preferred by 70.1% and was comparable to several studies.Conclusion: Overall, the study findings indicate that medical students have a favorable attitude toward histology courses. But, they are unable to join the field due to the lower chance of promotion and financial growth. The curricular integration of histology and pathology in the first year needs to be continued, and much effort is needed to increase students affinity for microscopic anatomy. This evidence serves as an additional motive for the development of histology courses focusing on practical application of knowledge in a clinically oriented setting.

Histology is the science of microscopic structures of human tissues and organs.1 Since it is a pre-clinical medical subject, it is importantfor understanding the complexity of cell and tissue organization and function.2,3 Understanding the normal morphology and function of organs is important not only in the early years of medical school, but also serves as a foundation for pathology.4 Understanding disease mechanisms in terms of altered human body structure necessitate a thorough understanding of histology.5 Anatomy is a highly tough subject for the vast majority of students, and it is regarded as the most extensive subject of the first year of medical school.6 Gross anatomy education receives the majority of the overall number of hours allotted to anatomy instruction. Students are slower to recognize the importance of histology because gross anatomy is overemphasized, and their attitudes against histology form early in the course.7

Teaching histology as an image-intensive science is one of the most difficult tasks encountered by medical educators. Both traditional and nontraditional methods have been used8 and modalities such as peer teaching,9 audiovisual tools,10 and technological and traditional drawing approaches have been extensively studied and tested.11,12 Furthermore, virtual microscopy has proven to be advantageous in a variety of ways.13 Understanding histology is essential for every medical student when doing pathology at medical school.14,15

In many Ethiopian medical schools, innovative curriculums have been implemented, all of which have in one way or another achieved system-based curricula or curricula based on problem-based learning, In our medical school, the students taught the course histology during their first and second years of study. At our university, a systemic approach to teaching histology was used, with 4045 students in a single class and an adequate instructor lecturing in person. Both a laboratory-based and a theoretical method of teaching histology were applied.16

According to a study conducted in Pakistan on the clinical importance of histology, students do not recognize the importance of histology in clinical practice.17 Another study conducted by Pushpa et al, on the perception and attitudes of first-year medical students in India found that the majority of the students attitudes towards histology improved over the course of a year, from ambiguity to clarity, neglect to interest, and lastly, increased self-confidence.18 Furthermore, medical students have a favorable attitude toward histology, according to a survey done in Serbia on the relevance and attitudes toward histology courses.19

Many researches has been done to show how important gross anatomy is in clinical practice.2023 However; there have been few studies on the importance of histology in medical school. There have been no studies in Ethiopia to analyze medical students perceptions of the clinical importance of histology to date. Histology teachers will be able to design methods for excellence in academic and clinical competency based on an assessment of medical students attitudes toward histology. The purpose of this study is to determine how medical students feel about the clinical importance of histology. In order to construct effective learning strategies for teaching microscopic anatomy, it will be necessary to first identify student attitudes.

An institution-based cross-sectional study design was carried out from January 2021 February 2021 at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University which is a public university in Northern Ethiopia.

For data collection, a pre-tested and structured self-administered questionnaire was used. The questionnaire was adapted from previous research on the subject.1719,2426 A pre-test was conducted on 5% of the sample size to assess the substance and clarity of the questionnaire. During the 2021 academic calendar, all PC-II (Pre-clinical II or second-year medical students), C-I (Clinical year I or third-year medical students), C-II (Clinical year II or fourth-year medical students), and interns undergraduate medical students at Wollo Universitys College of Medicine and Health Sciences were participated in this study. A total of 184 questionnaires were given to the students after receiving their consent for participation in this study. The survey comprised of the questions on socio-demographic characteristics, students attitudes towards histology subjects, interest and career choices of the students, different methods of teaching histology, and their perceptions regarding the integration of histology and pathology in integrated courses. All opinions were rated using a positive point Likert scale, which ranges from strongly disagree to strongly agree. After completion of data collection, the data has been checked for errors and completeness to assure the quality of the data.

For this study, Epi-info version 7.1 was used to clean, code, and enter the data, which was then exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. All levels of opinion were evaluated. Descriptive statistics and Pearsons chi-square test were used.

A total of 184 students participated in this study, with a 100% response rate. More than one-third of the respondents (128, 69.57%) were within the age group of 2327. The majority of the respondents (151, 82.07%) were males. More than half of the participants (102, 55.98%) came from rural areas of the country. Nearly half of the respondents (88, 47.82%) were of Orthodox religion (57, 30.98%). Almost one-third of the participants (58, 31.52%) were from the Amhara ethnic group, followed by the Oromo (53, 28.8%). Among the respondents involved in this study, 49 (26.63%), 46 (25%), 48 (26.1%), and 41 (22.27%) were PC-II, C-I, C-II, and intern students, respectively (Table 1).

Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents

One hundred sixty-two (88.02%) of the respondents perceived that histology is important in medicine. More than three-fourths of them agreed that learning histology (155, 84.24%) and histology lab sessions (144, 78.26%) was interesting. Out of the 184 respondents, 121 (65.76%) of them found practical histology was more difficult than theory. Of the participants, only 76 (41.3%) of the respondents reported that their grades in practical histology exams were higher than theoretical exams. When compared to other disciplines, only 68 (36.96%) of the participants felt histology was easier than other basic medical science subjects. More than one-third of the respondents (72, 39.13%) perceived that practical histology needs more lab sessions and more effort was put forth by the instructor than what the student took. Most of the respondents (155, 84.24%) agreed or strongly agreed that histology knowledge will help them a lot in their future clinical practice. Regarding the knowledge retention of histology, 134 (72.83%) students responded that they remembered normal microscopic morphology well when they tried to identify microscopic disease morphology in the introductory pathology course (Table 2).

Table 2 Medical Student Attitudes Towards the Course Histology During Their Study Year

Of the respondents, one hundred fifty-five (84.24%) of them were very much interested in histology subjects. However, only 31 (16.85%) of the respondents thought of histology as a career choice. In addition, only 33 (17.93%) of the respondents will guide their juniors to join histology as a career. The two major reasons for not joining histology were less chance of promotion (65, 35.33%) and financial growth (41, 22.28%) followed by the difficulty of the subject (23, 12.5%). More than three-fourths of the respondents (145, 78.8%) agreed that the histology teachers encourage the students to join the field. Out of 184 study participants, more than half (121, 65.76%) of them perceived that an integrated curriculum increased their interest in the histology course (Table 3).

Table 3 Career Choice and Interest of Medical Students Towards Histology Subject

One hundred and fifty-two (82.61%) of the respondents preferred the integration of histology and pathology lectures and lab sessions into integrated courses starting from the first year instead of teaching each discipline alone. Besides, adding case discussion (PBL) combining histology and pathology was preferred by the majority of the respondents (125, 67.93%). The majority of the respondents (110, 59.78%) agreed that the microscope is more effective than showing images in teaching histology and that preparing tissue slides was the preferred teaching methodology, as indicated by the majority of the respondents (165, 89.67%). But, nearly half (85, 46.2%) of them agreed that it is more effective to draw microscopic images during teaching histology. In addition, most of the study participants (129, 70.1%) responded that the systemic approach is more effective in teaching histology than teaching each discipline alone. About half (83, 45.12%) of the study participants agreed or strongly agreed that examining a normal and abnormal example of the same tissue at the same time is better than observing alone. However, 76 (41.3%) of them perceived that histology lab material in the first year was not restricted to what needed to be compared with common pathologic conditions (Table 4).

Table 4 Participants Perceptions of Different Methods for Improving Histology Teaching

A variety of strategies were tried to improve students comprehension and knowledge retention. Students at our institution complete general histology courses by the end of the second semester of their second year. The courses major goal is to educate students on how to recognize and understand the structures of cells, tissues, and organs using light microscopy in connection to their function. This is a prerequisite for the succeeding years of education, when students will be exposed to abnormal organ structure and function. In addition, their capacity to integrate the knowledge gained in basic and clinical medical courses will be predicated on their ability to diagnose and treat diverse diseases properly and critically in their future medical practice.27

In our study, a large number of students found histology is important in medicine and were interested to learn. Besides, the majority of students thought that practical histology was more difficult than theory and gross morphology. This was higher than the number reported in a recent study from Serbia (79.2%).19 This discrepancy may be due to variations in the teaching methodology of histology instructors in two countries. In our study, the majority of students agreed that histology knowledge would be very useful to them in their future clinical practices, and they remembered practical histology well during the pathology introductory course, which helped them in practical pathology. This finding is in agreement with the study conducted in Serbia.19 However; these findings contradict a study conducted in central Jordan, which found that only 31.3% of respondents remembered practical histology well during the pathology introductory course.23 This difference may be due to variation in the organization of histology labs and integrated curricular differences between the two countries.

In the present study, 84.24% of medical students were interested in histology subjects. But, only 16.85% of them wish to join the field as a future career. Besides, the main reasons for not joining the basic medical science field were that there was less chance of promotion and less financial growth in these fields. This finding is in line with the study conducted in Ethiopia, China, Malaysia, and South Asia, which found that there is a limited opportunity in basic medical science, restricted to teaching, research, and diagnostic laboratories.28,29 In our study, nearly one-third of the medical students acknowledge the significance of the integration of histology with clinical discipline, which helps in a better understanding of respective subjects. However, 34.24% of those polled said the integrated curriculum had not increased their interest in basic medical sciences. This finding is in agreement with Teshome et al reports.28 Regarding different methods of teaching histology, our study reveals that there were 82.61% of participants who agreed or strongly agreed with the proposed integration of histology and pathology. Furthermore, a system approach to teaching pathology in conjunction with other disciplines was preferred by 70.1%, which was consistent with previous researches.24,30,31

An integrated curriculum in teaching laboratory medicine has been shown to be effective in medical students satisfaction and better understanding.32,33 The need to start the integration of histology and pathology in the first year is well highlighted by the ratio of students who were unsatisfied with practical histology in the first year (39.13%) and the significant proportion of students who were uncomfortable with co-presenting normal and abnormal examples at the same time in the second year pathology introduction (45.12%). Correlating normal histology of organs with the morphology of disease is a major learning outcome that boosts students knowledge and understanding.34 In addition, combining this integration with new teaching and learning methods such as virtual microscopy needs to be tested.35 However, our results showed that microscopy is still the preferred tool for 59.74% of students.

This cross-sectional study examined the attitudes and perceptions of medical students towards histology subjects at Wollo University, Ethiopia. Overall, the study findings indicate that medical students have a favorable attitude toward histology courses. But, they are unable to join the field due to the lower chance of promotion and financial growth. The curricular integration of histology and pathology in the first year needs to be continued, and much effort is needed to increase students affinity for microscopic anatomy. This evidence could be used as an additional motive for the development of histology courses, with special emphasis on the practical application of knowledge in a clinically-oriented setting.

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethical clearance was obtained from Wollo University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences. All study participants were informed about the purpose and confidentiality issues related to the study. Participation was voluntary and written informed consent was obtained from each participant. Finally, the data were collected and confidentiality of client information was maintained. Lastly, the author confirmed that this study was conducted in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki.

I acknowledge the contributions of all medical students of Wollo University who participated in the study.

The author declares that he has no conflict of interest in this work.

1. Mescher AL. Junqueiras Basic Histology: Text and Atlas. 13th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2013.

2. Hamilton PW, van Diest PJ, Williams R, Gallagher AG. Do we see what we think we see? The complexities of morphological assessment. J Pathol. 2009;218(3):285291. doi:10.1002/path.2527

3. Johnson S, Purkiss J, Holaday L, Selvig D, Hortsch M. Learning histologydental and medical students study strategies. Eur J Dent Educ. 2015;19(2):6573. doi:10.1111/eje.12104

4. Moxham BJ, Emmanouil-Nikoloussi E, Brenner E, et al. The attitudes of medical students in Europe toward the clinical importance of histology. Clin Anat. 2017;30(5):635643. doi:10.1002/ca.22889

5. Hussein I, Raad M, Safa R, Jurjus RA, Jurjus A. Once upon a microscopic slide: the story of histology. J Cytol Histol. 2015;6(6):15. doi:10.4172/2157-7099.1000377

6. Gupta S, Gupta AK, Verma M, Kaur H, Kaura Singh K. The attitudes and perceptions of medical students towards basic science subjects during their clinical years: a cross-sectional survey. Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2014;4(1):1619. doi:10.4103/2229-516X.125675

7. Cotter JR, Cohan CS. The timing, format and role of anatomical sciences in medical education. Med Sci Educ. 2010;20(3):276279.

8. Hightower JA, Boockfor FR, Blake CA, Millette CF. The standard medical microscopic anatomy course: histology circa 1998. Anat Rec. 1999;257(3):96101.

9. Beck A, Wood C, Helms R, Arvizo C, Cherry BM, Ziats NP. Peer assisted learning in introductory histopathology improves learner scores and delivers learner satisfaction. Med Sci Educ. 2016;26(1):8592. doi:10.1007/s40670-015-0207-6

10. Campos-Snchez A, Lpez-Nez JA, Scionti G, et al. Developing an audiovisual notebook as a self-learning tool in histology: perceptions of teachers and students. Anat Sci Educ. 2014;7(3):209218. doi:10.1002/ase.1386

11. Cogdell B, Torsney B, Stewart K, Smith RA. Technological and traditional drawing approaches encourage active engagement in histology classes for science undergraduates. Biosci Educ. 2012;19(1):115. doi:10.11120/beej.2012.19000003

12. Rafi A, Rauf A, Anwar MI. Significance of actually drawing microscopic images and its impact on students understanding of histology. J Dow Univ Health Sci Karachi. 2017;11(3):7781. doi:10.36570/jduhs.2017.3.540

13. Hortsch M. Using virtual microscopyadvancing anatomical education worldwide. FASEB J. 2017;31(1 Suppl.):89.1.

14. Malau-Aduli BS, Lee AY, Cooling N, Catchpole M, Jose M, Turner R. Retention of knowledge and perceived relevance of basic sciences in an integrated case-based learning (CBL) curriculum. B M C Med Educ. 2013;139:18.

15. Shaw PA, Friedman ES. Clinico-histologic conferences: histology and disease. Anat Sci Educ. 2012;5(1):5561. doi:10.1002/ase.1252

16. Abraham Y, Azaje A. The new innovative medical education system in Ethiopia: background and development. Ethiop J Health Dev. 2013;27(1):3640.

17. Waseem N, Rasheed A, Gill M, Asad A, Shamim MO, Waseem F. The attitudes of medical students towards clinical relevance of histology. PAFMJ. 2021;71(1):351356. doi:10.51253/pafmj.v71i1.3756

18. Pushpa and Suruchi Histology. Perception and attitude of first year MBBS students; 2017: 2.

19. Zaletel I, Mari G, Gazibara T, et al. Relevance and attitudes toward histology and embryology course through the eyes of freshmen and senior medical students: experience from Serbia. Ann Anat. 2016;1(208):217221. doi:10.1016/j.aanat.2016.07.002

20. Moxham BJ, Plaisant O. Perception of medical students towards the clinical relevance of anatomy. Clin Anat. 2007;20(5):560564. doi:10.1002/ca.20453

21. Olowo-Ofayoku A, Moxham BJ. Comparisons between the attitudes of medical and dental students toward the clinical importance of gross anatomy and physiology. Clin Anat. 2014;27(7):976987. doi:10.1002/ca.22417

22. Getu AA. Basic science courses in the eyes of medical students during their clinical study years at University of Gondar. Int J Biomed Adv Res. 2019;10(10):e5275.20.

23. Nayak S, Ramnarayan K, Somayaji N, Bairy KL. Teaching anatomy in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. Neuroanatomy. 2006;5:23.

24. Khader AA, Obeidat FN, Shahin NA, et al. Medical students perceptions of pathology and a proposed curricular integration with histology: a future vision of curricular change. Int J Morphol. 2020;38(1):3842.

25. Jayanthi A, Sarjna MV, Benjamin B. Students perception of teaching learning method in dissection and histology lab. IOSR J Dental Med Scie. 2014;13(11):2428. doi:10.9790/0853-131162428

26. Xu C, Li Y, Chen P, Pan M, Bu X. A survey on the attitudes of Chinese medical students towards current pathology education. BMC Med Educ. 2020;20(1):17. doi:10.1186/s12909-020-02167-5

27. Amin NF, Akter M, Kabir MH, Shamim KM. Medical undergraduates residual knowledge of structural, functional and clinical aspects of cell and histology at recall and understanding levels. Bangladesh j Anat. 2013;11(1):3443. doi:10.3329/bja.v11i1.20507

28. Teshome D, Tiruneh C, Berhanu L, Berihun G. Medical students attitude and perception towards basic medical science subjects at Wollo University, Northeast Ethiopia. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2021;12:431. doi:10.2147/AMEP.S309440

29. Kumar A, Mitra K, Nagarajan S, Poudel B. Factors influencing medical students choice of future specialization in medical sciences: a cross- sectional questionnaire survey from medical schools in China, Malaysia and regions of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. N Am J Med Sci. 2014;6(3):119125. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.128473

30. Shah AR, Shethwala ND, Parmar BH. Perception of undergraduate medical students towards the subject of pathology at one of the medical colleges of Gujarat, India. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2014;3(7):863865. doi:10.5455/ijmsph.2014.140420142

31. Emerald NM, Han TZ, Oo SS. Students perception on effectiveness of pathology teaching in Phase 1 medical program at UCSI University. Int J Med Sci Educ. 2016;3(3):264273.

32. Osman MT, Adnan A, Kutty MK, Al-Naggar RA. Evaluation of laboratory medicine teaching and learning by medical students in hybrid integrated curriculum. Data from public Malaysian University. J Basic Appl Sci Res. 2014;4:151157.

33. Osman MT, Kutty MK, Adnan A, et al. Perceptions of year one Malaysian medical students towards teaching and learning of general pathology in hybrid integrated curriculum. World Appl Sci J. 2013;23(7):977982.

34. Amin NF, Yesmin ZA, Akter M. Effective cell biology and histology teaching for medical undergraduates in Bangladesh: a review. Ann Int Med Dent Res. 2015;2(1):38.

35. Kumar RK, Freeman B, Velan GM, De Permentier PJ. Integrating histology and histopathology teaching in practical classes using virtual slides. Anat Rec B New Anat. 2006;289(4):128133. doi:10.1002/ar.b.20105

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Attitude And Perception Of Medical Students Towards Histolog | AMEP - Dove Medical Press

Embryology

Science in the Neighborhood Public Lecture Dr. Alexandria Forbes – Carnegie Institution for Science

Carnegie Embryology presents: A Science in the Neighborhood public lecture with Dr. Alexandria Forbes, President and CEO of clinical-stage gene therapy company MeiraGTx.

MeiraGTx is focused on developing curative treatments for patients living with serious diseases. Their research and development efforts are concentrated on three areas with distinct medical needs: Ocular, neurodegenerative, and salivary gland diseases. People who suffer from these conditions currently have zero-to-limited treatment options; however, gene therapy has high potential to provide meaningful clinical benefits.

Dr. Alexandria Forbes has served as President and CEO of MeiraGtx since March 2015. Before joining MeiraGTx, Dr. Forbes served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at Kadmon Holdings, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, and spent 12 years as a healthcare investor at Sivik Global Healthcare and at Meadowvale Asset Management.

Prior to entering the hedge fund and biopharmaceutical industries, Dr. Forbes was a Human Frontiers/Howard Hughes postdoc at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine and a research fellow in the Spradling Lab at Carnegie Embryology. She received her MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and her PhD in Molecular Genetics from Oxford University.

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Science in the Neighborhood Public Lecture Dr. Alexandria Forbes - Carnegie Institution for Science

Embryology

Scots mum’s heartbreak as UK law stops teen daughter moving to America to join her family – Daily Record

A Scots mum living in America has spoken of her heartbreak over a UK law stopping her teenage daughter from moving to the states to live with her.

Tracy Matthews, from Aberdeen, is the non-birth mother of two young Scottish girls by artificial insemination while in a same-sex relationship with the children's birth mother, Mandy Anderson.

Tracy, 57, relocated to Texas two years ago and now has permanent resident status with new wife Erica, with whom she also has two sons, Nash and Colt.

But she is separated from 15-year-old daughter Skye, who remains in Aberdeen with birth mum Mandy, because the teen was born before a law change in 2008 which allows both same sex parents to be registered on a child's birth certificate. is the child was born by assisted conception.

Skye was born in 2007, one year before the introduction of Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, which allows both parents to be registered.

Despite Skye being desperate to move to Texas to be with Tracy, the mum is unable to obtain a Visa for her daughter because she is not registered on her birth certificate.

Now Tracy has spoken of the 'crushing' separation from her daughter, as she fights for a change in UK law to allow her to be officially recognised as Skye's mum.

Speaking to the Record Tracy said: "I can't apply for a visa for Skye because I'm not on the birth certificate.

"If she was born just one year later this wouldn't be an issue at all.

"They changed the law to say that both parents could be recognised through artificial insemination from 2008 onwards - but why not my child - born just one year before then?

"If we can't change this then it will be crushing for us. Erica is American our boys grandparents live here. Syke wants to be here.

"But if we can't fix this, we will have to move back."

Mum-of-five Tracy, who also has a grown up biological daughter, Jay, still gets on well with ex-partner Mandy, who she was with for 13 years.

The couple's other daughter and Skye's sister, 21-year-old Megan, was the first child born through artificial insemination to a same-sex couple in Scotland.

Mandy told the Daily Record: "We still raise our kids together so Tracy is as much their mum as I am.

"The opportunities Skye can have in America are great - it is a different way of life.

"She wants to expand her horizons and it would be good for her to do that with her other parent.

"We are having to tell our daughter that while she should be able to do that, she can't, because of red tape."

Despite contacting lawyers and various organisations for the past two years, Tracy has been informed the only way for her to be registered on Skye and Megan's birth certificates is by changing UK law.

She said: "We have been fighting this now for two years. We wrote to various organisations who we thought could help, but no one can.

"But I will continue to challenge this for my daughter.

Gordon MP Richard Thomson has been helping the mum since 2020 but was informed by the UK government that they have no plans to change the current law.

He said: Tracy and her family have found themselves in the situation where the UK law as it stands prevents them from having their family recognised in law as they would wish it to be.

It is frustrating that the UK Government appears to have no plans to amend the law relating to the registration of same-sex mothers to allow registrations to be carried out retrospectively.

"Id urge the UK Government to reconsider, because while the numbers of people affected may be relatively small, both the practical and emotional impact on those who are affected such as Tracey and her family can be very significant indeed.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 makes provision on parenthood in cases involving assisted reproduction.

"The 2008 Act is a reserved matter for the UK Government and so any changes to it are for the UK Government and Parliament."

A UK government spokesperson said: "Section 2 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 covers the provisions around same-sex female parenthood for partners undertaking assisted conception in UK fertility clinics licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

"This legislation took effect from 1 April 2008, and has no retrospective effect.

"Unfortunately, Mrs Matthews is therefore not covered by the provisions of the Act and there is no legislative mechanism to include her on the childrens birth certificates.

"There are no current plans to review the 2008 or 1990 HFE Acts."

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Scots mum's heartbreak as UK law stops teen daughter moving to America to join her family - Daily Record

Embryology

In Vitro Fertilization Market Analysis by Production, Consumption and Competitive Analysis Till 2028 Mianeh – Mianeh

In Vitro Fertilization Market report is the perfect to create sustainable and profitable business strategies by using valuable and actionable market insights. Market research analysis and data lend a hand to businesses for the planning of strategies related to investment, revenue generation, production, product launches, costing, inventory, purchasing and marketing. Besides this, market drivers, market restraints, opportunities and challenges are evaluated under market overview which gives valuable insights to businesses for taking right moves. Thorough and transparent research studies conducted by a team work of experts in their own domain accomplish this global business document.

This business document delivers comprehensive analysis of the market structure along with the estimations of various segments and sub-segments of the market. This market report is sure to help in the journey to achieve business growth and success. The statistical and numerical data such as facts and figures are denoted very properly in the report by using charts, tables or graphs. Inputs from various industry experts, essential for the detailed market analysis, have been employed very carefully to generate this finest business document. Large scale report includes key information about the industry, market segmentation, important facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe.

The Global In Vitro Fertilization Market is expected to reach USD 847.8 billion by 2025, from USD 465.2 billion in 2017 growing at a CAGR of 10.0 % during the forecast period of 2018 to 2025. The upcoming market report contains data for the historic year 2016, the base year of calculation is 2017 and the forecast period is 2018 to 2025.

Download Free PDF Sample Copy of Report@ https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-in-vitro-fertilization-market

Global In Vitro Fertilization Market,By Product (Reagents, Equipment),Type of Cycle (Fresh Non-Donor IVF Cycles, Frozen Non-Donor IVF Cycles, Frozen Donor IVF Cycles, Fresh Donor IVF Cycles), End User (Hospitals & Research Laboratories, Cryobanks ),Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2025

Major Market Competitors/Players:Global In Vitro Fertilization Market

Some of the major players operating in global in- vitro fertilization market are Groupe Clinique Ambroise Par, amedes MVZ Cologne GmbH, AMP Center St Roch, AVA International Clinic Scanfert, Bangkok IVF center, Betamedics, Biofertility Center, Bloom Healthcare, Bourn Hall Fertility Center, , Cardone & Associates Reproductive Medicine & Infertility, The Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cloudnine Fertility, Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado, Cyprus IVF Centre, Dansk Fertilitetsklinik, EUVITRO S.L.U., , Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, Fertility First, IVF Centers Prof. Zech, Flinders Reproductive Medicine Pty Ltd, Genea Oxford Fertility Limited, IVF Spain, IVI Panama, KL Fertility & Gynaecology Centre, Lifesure Fertility and Gynaecology centre, Manipal Fertility, , Medfem Fertility Clinic, Monash IVF, OVA IVF Clinic Zurich, Procrea, RAPRUI S.r.l., SAFE FERTILITY CENTER, SANNO HOSPITAL, SIRM Fertility Clinics, Stork IVF Klinik, ARC-STER S.r.l., The Montreal Fertility Center, Thomson Medical Centre, TRIO Fertility, Virtus Health, VivaNeo, Die Kinderwunsch and among others.

Competitive Analysis:

The global In- Vitro Fertilization market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of In- Vitro Fertilization market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.

Market Definition:

In vitro fertilization is a procedure in which egg from women ovary are removed and after that the egg is fertilized with a sperm in a laboratory procedure, and then the fertilized egg is transfered into the women uterus. In vitro fertilization is used in the management of female infertility. In 2018, the Cooper Companies was announce that the Cooper Surgical acquired the assets of The Life Global Group and its affiliates which is a leading provider of invitrofertilization devices. In July 2018, Merck launched new product Geri Assess 2.0.This product is useful in automatic detection of embryo and blastocyst development, improving efficiency in assessment.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016, approximately 263,577 ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) cycle was performed in US. As per the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority in 2016, more than 68,000 IVF treatments were provided in U.K. In 2016 Birth rate from IVF has been increased to 85.0% in U.K. In 2016 around 20000 childrens were born by IVF. As per the published news IVF Success Rates For Fertility Clinics in the United States in 2016 and around 263,577 ART cycle was performed in U.S. Due to the increasing rate of infertility amongst the population, patients are opting the IVF Fertilization which is fuelling the growth of market.

Major Market Drivers and Restraints:

Market Segmentation:

The global In vitro fertilization market is segmented based on product, type of cycle, end user and geographical segments.

Based on product, the market is segmented into reagents, equipment.

Based on reagents, the market is further segmented into embryo culture media, cryopreservation media, sperm processing media, OVUM processing media.

Based on equipment, the market is further segmented into imaging systems, sperm separation systems, cabinets, OVUM aspiration pumps, incubators, micromanipulator systems, gas analysers, laser systems, accessories, cryo systems, anti-vibration tables, witness systems.

Based on type of cycle, the market is segmented into fresh non-donor IVF cycles, frozen non-donor IVF cycles, frozen donor IVF cycles, fresh donor IVF cycles.

Based on end user, the market is segmented into fertility clinics & surgical centers, hospitals & research laboratories, cryobanks.

Based on geography, the market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies namely North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and, Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and, Brazil among others

Key Developments in the Market:

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In Vitro Fertilization Market Analysis by Production, Consumption and Competitive Analysis Till 2028 Mianeh - Mianeh

Embryology

Embryology – Embryogenesis, Human Development and Stages …

Embryology is the study of embryo development. This includes the developmental process of a single-cell embryo to a baby. Embryology usually refers to the prenatal development of a foetus.

Embryology is an important research area to know about the impact of mutation and the progression of genetic disorders. An important aspect of embryology isstem cells research.

Embryogenesis is the process by which an embryo develops into a foetus. It begins when an ovum and sperm meet and fertilization occurs. The fertilization results in the formation of a zygote. The zygote divides mitotically multiple times without any significant growth and cellular differentiation, leading to the development of an embryo.

It is a highly precise and complex process, wherein a single cell differentiates and develops into a multicellular human being. A continuous process begins when an oocyte (ovum) is fertilized by a sperm to form a zygote which differentiates into a definitive organ system and thereafter into their early functional stage.

The mechanisms of Transformation include- cell-division, cell migration, growth, cell differentiation, apoptosis, cell rearrangement.

A better understanding of embryology helps us in preparing healthcare strategies :

Human gestation lasts an average of 266 days (38 weeks, 9 months) and is divided into 3-month intervals called trimesters.

1st trimester (1st 3 months: Week 1 12) pre embryonic and embryonic development stress, drugs and nutritional deficiencies are the most common symptoms during this stage. The morning sickness may be the natures way of avoiding harmful food products getting consumed by the mother, which can have a damaging effect on the embryo, such as cabbage, potatoes, coffee, overcooked meat, etc.

2nd trimester (2nd 3 months: Week 13 24) The foetal development starts and most of the organs get developed.

3rd trimester (3rd 3 months: Week 25 birth) In the third trimester, the baby continues to grow. The baby shows various movements like stretching, kicking, etc. During thirty weeks there is a huge development in babys sense organs, fingernails are visible, bones get hardened, formations of red blood cells (RBC) in the bone marrow and finally have shed all the lanugo.

For more detailed information on Embryology, Embryogenesis, and Human Development, visit BYJUS.

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Embryology - Embryogenesis, Human Development and Stages ...

Embryology

Frozen Embryos: Who Gets Them? Who Keeps Them? Who Destroys Them? And When? – American Council on Science and Health

The cryopreservation technology to freeze egg, sperm, and embryos was developed in the 1990s. Freezing the cells in liquid nitrogen cools them to -196C (-320 F), literally freezing or stopping all biological processes. Evidence suggests that the duration of storage does not affect survivability.The technique seemed a godsend for young folks about to undergo chemotherapy which might destroy their childbearing ability allowing them to preserve, untainted, their potentials for progeny. The medical indications for this technology have given way to social uses - wanna-be Moms who wanted to delay childbearing while pursuing careers were given the choice to do so. Now gamete selection is procurable remotely by catalog, and selected cryo-preserved egg or sperm can be shipped to waiting gestators miles and countries away

Initially, oocyte (egg) stimulating hormones were designed to produce as many eggs as possible. As many embryos failed during the thawing process or didnt survive implantation or gestation, backups were needed. Fertilization of multiple embryos became the objective.

According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the pregnancy success rate for egg freezing is around to 2 to 12 percent per frozen egg.

Dr. Alexix Heng Boon Chin

The unintended downside of this backup solution resulted in millions of unused fertilized eggs remaining suspended in deep freeze around the world while their donors debate their future fate. In Israel, about 300,000 unclaimed frozen embryos reside in cold storage, along with billions of sperm. In the US, as of 2017, a million embryos remained on ice. Maintenance costs range from $500 to $1000 a year.

But often, donors disappear, avoiding the decision to dispose of or donate their surplus gene products and the continued cost to maintain them. IVF facility managers want to clear their shelves of unused stock but fear liability claims from donors. This technology, like no other, has birthed so many issues involving responsibility for care, control, and disposal with no answers.

The problem is confounded when once-happily mated pairs dissolve before their potential progeny is activated. Who gets custody of the embryo? Can one donor unilaterally decide to donate it for research, adoption, or disposal if the other opposes the decision? Variations in international legal responses further complicate the problem a problem sure to be encountered more often as gamete selection increasingly transcends borders. Given that many countries outlaw IVF for single women, the market for international gamete transfer is ripe. [1]

And finally, perhaps the ultimate question: Should there be a legal limit on how long the material can be kept since Blastocysts, frozen (at the 8-16 cell stage ), [2] can survive for decades. Should a potential parent be allowed to suspend the animation of their potential progeny for a half-century or more- spawning the perverse vision of octogenarians raising the next generation? Such allowances will also enable deferring the decision-making for disposal or use for a half-century or more, allowing the backlog of unused embryos to mount.

This is one of the unintended consequences of IVF that doesnt get a lot of attention,

Barbara Collura, President, CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

Assisted reproductive methodologies, IVF and its counterparts remain mostly unregulated in the US, so a domestic legislative solution doesnt seem to be in the offing. Once noble suggestions offered to pre-parents- such as donating eggs for adoption - isnt very viable anymore either.; as IVF techniques advance, the call for adopted embryos has fallen. And as one tormented egg-donor agonized, even the research for which the material might be donated is usually limited to mundane issues such as maintaining quality control in IVF labs.

Even as the conundrum of excess embryos lying dormant continues to agonize so many, the UK, which does regulate all phases of IVF via the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA,) recently announced planned changes which include extending the shelf-life for embryos frozen for social purposes (i.e., delayed childbearing) to 55 years, giving it parity with embryos frozen for medical reasons.

This might become the ultimate graduation gift for children of families who could afford it.

Dr. Gillian Lockwood in theTelegraph,

Objections to these proposed changes were intense, including moral panics over 'macabre, nightmare scenarios' of 75-year-old women attempting motherhood for the first time, as reported in the UK Daily Mail. These claims were rejected by proponents, claiming that while there is no legal maximum age for IVF treatment in the UK, very few fertility clinics will treat a woman over 50 anyway. However, a reduced likelihood of a feared consequence doesnt mean that it wont happen. The new change was supposedly proffered to allow women to freeze their eggs should their current progeny prove infertile [3], allowing a prospective grandmother to continue her genetic lineage in the form of a frozen-egg bequest to infertile daughters, but nothing limits it to this use.

A debate rages even among proponents to target the procedure to women in their twenties, with biologically optimal eggs, who yield a higher quality of egg and might want a longer time to decide when or whether to use them. A woman in her late twenties might want another twenty years before deciding to become a mother so as not to derail her career. The present law doesnt allow her that freedom, so many consider the planned change a victory.

But is it?

Embryo disposition is a significant and frequently unresolved issue for couples with stored frozen embryos, complicated by their deeply personal conceptualizations of their embryos which contributes to their ambivalence, uncertainty, and difficulty in reaching a decision.

Dr. Robert Nachtigall, UC San Francisco.

The planned law will subject these new donors to the dilemmas of disposal. This agonizing quandary sure to confront any women utilizing the technique is entirely ignored. And then there are the financial considerations. A yearly maintenance fee of $1000 maintained for 55 years is surely not inconsequential could that money be put to better use? Does the entire scheme favor the wealthy? I wont even embark on a full discussion of the moral issues triggered: creating pre-persons -- just-in-case someone cant be a biological grandmother.

On a cost-basis (or use-non-use basis), is the new schema beneficial to society? Most studies suggest that only four to six percent of women who freeze their eggs for delayed childbearing use them, with half that number being successful- i.e., resulting in live births. For this minute slice of society, one wonders if we should be subjecting the remainder to such costs, expense, and emotional agony?

Surely, this is an example where technology has run away with our imagination. Just because we can do something- doesnt mean we should.

[1] As a result of a decrease in the decline in birth rates, an argument is currently raging in Singapore whether to lift the ban on social-egg freezing for women.

[2] At the 16 cell stage, usually day 5 or 6 after fertilization, freezing generally takes place, and the entity is called a blastocyst before maturing into a blastomere or morula (little mulberry). Pre-embryo is the term generally used to describe the fertilized egg or zygote during the first two weeks of its existence. After that, it officially becomes an embryo until its 8th week, when it is called a fetus.

[3] The new limit was proposed so that mothers of newborn girls with Turner Syndrome (a genetic condition causing very premature menopause) could store their eggs for their daughters to use much later.Dr. Gill Lockwood

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Frozen Embryos: Who Gets Them? Who Keeps Them? Who Destroys Them? And When? - American Council on Science and Health

Embryology

New muscle layer discovered on the human jaw – The Indian Express

Researchers from Switzerland have discovered a new layer of muscle on our jaw. The team described an additional, deeper layer in the masseter muscle, a prominent jaw muscle which is found in the rear part of the cheek and helps in chewing.

Their findings were published recently in the journal Annals of Anatomy. They recommend that the muscle be named Musculus masseter pars coronidea, which means the coronoid part of the masseter.

The team carried out a detailed anatomical study using computer tomographic scans. They analysed stained tissue sections from deceased individuals and MRI data from a living person.

Lead author Dr. Szilvia Mezey from the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel explained in an email to indianexpress.com: We have been looking to clarify the architecture of the masseter muscle not only from the point of view of an anatomist but also approached it from the angle of dentists specialised in orofacial pain. This new approach allowed us to locate and describe a part of the muscle that has been simply overlooked or not specified in enough detail by former authors.

When asked what the role of this muscle was, she added that it can at the moment only be deduced from its architecture. It is likely to be involved in retracting the lower jaw back towards the ear and stabilising the temporomandibular joint, for example, while chewing, she says. The team has planned to conduct a detailed analysis of the function of the muscle to validate the theory deduced from the architecture.

Most people think of human anatomy as science where everything has been fully described for decades. However, there are still many areas of the human body where more detailed descriptions are needed, especially in view of modern medical treatments allowing for more specific and focused interventions, adds Dr. Mezey.

So does this mean our textbooks need revisions? Anatomy textbooks are regularly revised with new editions following the results of the latest research in all areas of anatomy, not only on the macroscopic level but also including histology and embryology, she concludes.

See more here:
New muscle layer discovered on the human jaw - The Indian Express

Embryology

Demystifying IVF: Everything You Need To Know (Including Chances Of Success) – Momtastic

IVF can be overwhelming, and thats certainly true at first. When I started on my fertility treatment journey I didnt know the first thing about IVF. Basically all I knew was that it involved injecting myself with hormones, which is why when it became clear that I needed it all I did was cry and cry and cry out of fear! Of course its easy for me to say it wasnt as bad as I feared now that I have my son, but the truth is that while the needles may not have been as bad as I feared (and certainly not as bad as all the blood tests!), it was one of the toughest things Ive ever done in my life.

I wish I was better informed when I started about my chances of success (I was told Id be pregnant by the Jewish holidays the next month, meanwhile it took over three years for my successful pregnancy).

Given that fertility struggles affect so many of us I turned toClaire ONeill, who foundedFertilitySpace in 2020 with the aim of using fertility industry data to help women find the best fertility provider for their unique goals and make informed decisions while navigating the world of fertility treatment, to outline everything people on this journey need to know.

There are guidelines that the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends for women who are struggling to conceive for when to go in for testing with a reproductive endocrinologist, which is a fertility specialist.

Fertility declines with age, so how soon to seek out an opinion from a fertility doctor depends on how old you are and how long youve been unsuccessful in trying to get pregnant.

Fertility testing with a reproductive endocrinologist is recommended after:

Same-sex female couples, same-sex male couples, and single parents by choice who wish to have a biological child should reach out immediately to a reproductive endocrinologist at a fertility clinic so that they can begin the process of building their family.

It can take some time to find a sperm/egg donor or even longer to find a gestational surrogate, so the sooner you can get started on this process, the better.

The most well-known fertility treatment is IVF. Its certainly more invasive and more expensive than the other two options, but also comes with a much higher chance of pregnancy from just one treatment cycle.

In IVF, the main difference is where the sperm and egg will be when fertilization happens. In the timed intercourse and IUI, fertilization would occur within the body like normal but in IVF, multiple eggs will actually be retrieved from your ovaries and fertilized in a dish in the embryology lab.

The primary type of medications you take for an IVF cycle are called gonadotropins and will cause multiple follicles to begin developing in your ovaries. The goal of IVF is to try to recruit multiple follicles so that you can attempt to fertilize multiple eggs in one round.

Not every egg leads to a baby, some eggs dont fertilize and others dont end up developing into a viable embryo. Because of this, your doctor tries to maximize your chance of success from IVF by retrieving as many eggs as possible.

The process of IVF takes about 2-3 weeks. We created an IVF timeline on FertilitySpace so that you can see what the typical steps are as part of those few weeks.

You will begin taking fertility medications which are mostly in the form of injections subcutaneously into your belly or intramuscularly into your glute muscle. The number of days you need to take fertility medications varies based on how your ovaries respond but its typical to take them for about 10 days.

During this time youll be going in for regular monitoring appointments where your doctor is tracking the growth of your follicles. Once the lead follicle is large enough, its time to take the trigger shot. You usually take the trigger shot at night and your egg retrieval is scheduled about 36 hours later, so it will take place in the early morning.

On the day of your egg retrieval, either your partner will be scheduled to produce a semen sample or a frozen vial of donor/partner sperm will be thawed. The sample is processed by an andrologist to remove any sperm that arent moving and leave only the sperm that are motile.

Once your doctor has completed the egg retrieval, an embryologist counts the number of eggs you have. At this point the eggs can be fertilized with the sperm. There are actually two different ways to do this. One is by what we call standard insemination and the other is called ICSI, which stands for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

In standard insemination, the eggs and sperm are placed in a dish overnight so that the sperm can swim to an egg and fertilize it.

In ICSI, an embryologist actually selects a sperm and injects it into the egg in order to fertilize it. This is often done in cases where there is a male factor infertility or if women are using previously frozen eggs.

The embryologist then checks the next day to see how many eggs were fertilized. The eggs that have fertilized are incubated and watched for about 5 to 6 days to see how well they develop.

On Day 5 or 6 of embryo development, your doctor will work with the embryology team to choose which embryo has the best chance of resulting in a healthy baby. They do this by evaluating which had the best rate of development, the best morphological grade, and in cases where the embryos were genetically tested, they also choose based on which embryos have the correct number of chromosomes needed for life.

At this point, an embryo can be transferred back into your uterus and two weeks later, youll be able to take a pregnancy test to find out if youre pregnant. You also have the option of freezing embryos and doing a transfer in the future to try to get pregnant.

Hard to believe its all done in the space of about 3 weeks but theres often a lot of preparation that comes in advance and during treatment, it can feel a lot longer.

Your chance of getting pregnant from an IVF cycle depends on so many factors but a big one if your age. Some women will get pregnant from just one IVF cycle and even have a second child from an embryo she froze in the cycle as well, while others may need to undergo multiple IVF cycles in order to conceive. IVF is not a guarantee but it does help many couples have a baby.

The most recent national IVF data from the CDC reported that women less than 35 years old had a 52.7% success rate with IVF and declined steadily into a womans late 30s with women older than 40 having a 7.9% success rate when using their own eggs.

If women are unsuccessful with IVF due to an age-related decline in egg quality, they still have options. Many women circumvent this issue by using donor eggs which have a success rate of roughly 50% per transfer. Donor eggs are from much younger, healthy women and can allow women who are older with poor egg quality to successfully carry a pregnancy.

If youre interested in looking into what your chance of success with IVF might be, you can view IVF success rates for clinics in your area at FertilitySpace.

You can also read reviews from past patients and reach out to a clinic to schedule a consultation with one of their fertility doctors to see what your options are, discuss what treatment would make sense for you, and what your individual chance of conception looks like for each treatment option.

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Demystifying IVF: Everything You Need To Know (Including Chances Of Success) - Momtastic