New Point-of-Care Test For Male Fertility Potential

More than 70 million couples worldwide are affected by infertility, with male-factor infertility accounting for about half of the cases. Semen analysis is critical for determining male fertility potential, but conventional testing is costly and complex. Here, we demonstrate a paper-based microfluidic approach to quantify male fertility potential, simultaneously measuring 3 critical semen parameters in 10 min: live and motile sperm concentrations and sperm motility.

Detection limits of 8.46 and 15.18 million/mL were achieved for live and motile sperm concentrations, respectively. The live and motile sperm concentrations and motility values from our device correlated with those of the standard clinical approaches (R2 ≥ 0.84). In all cases, device provided 100% agreement in terms of clinical outcome. The device was also robust and could tolerate conditions of high absolute humidity (22.8 g/m3) up to 16 weeks when packaged with desiccant.

New device outperforms existing commercial paper-based assays by quantitatively measuring live and motile sperm concentrations and motility, in only 10 min. This approach is applicable to current clinical practices as well as self-diagnostic applications.

Read more:
Paper-Based Quantification of Male Fertility Potential

Sinton Lab web page 

Source: Clinical Chemistry



Source: Clinical Chemistry & Sinton Lab

New test reduces risk and increases accuracy in prenatal testing

Research into a simple, accurate and low risk blood test that can detect fetal blood group, sex, and genetic conditions in unborn babies has been published in the international scientific journal, Clinical Chemistry.

The test developed can be carried out on mothers at risk of X-linked genetic recessive diseases including haemophilia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy and mothers at risk of haemolytic disease of the new-born. It can use the blood that is taken from the mother when she has her first appointment with her GP or midwife at the early stages of pregnancy, negating the need for multiple appointments and making best use of resources.

Read more:
World first blood test reduces risk, increases accuracy in prenatal testing 

Sourse: TheScientist
Image credits: Dmitriy Melnikov / Fotolia

Uncertainty in Diagnostic Semen Analysis

Uncertainty in relation to laboratory testing simply means the existence of doubt or level of error associated with a particular measurement. In general, if the evidence relating any given semen parameter with pregnancy outcome is weaker or controversial then it is likely that: either the study design was not particularly robust or the testing method used to measure that particular semen parameter is subject to a higher level of uncertainty.

From published evidence we are reasonably certain that the number, motility and morphology of sperm are important for a either natural or assisted conception. The conflicting evidence surrounding parameters such as DNA fragmentation or antisperm antibodies suggests that the testing procedures to measure these are subject to a higher level of ‘uncertainty’.

Evidence demonstrating Uncertainty associated with semen analysis

• Changing clinical thresholds or reference ranges over the past 25 years (WHO, 1987, 1992, 1999, 2001).
• A litany of publications questioning the clinical value of semen analysis.
• Considerable variation in clinical practice in relation to treatment decision making based on sperm quality.
• EQA data (UKNEQAS and American Association of Bioanalysts National Proficiency testing, Keel et al 2000).
• Failure to establish consensus regarding the clinical significance or indeed the reference ranges for certain tests e.g. antisperm antibodies, DNA fragmentation (Barratt et al, 2010; Tomlinson et al, 2013).
• Lack of automation in semen analysis in comparison to other areas of pathology.

Read more:
Uncertainty in Diagnostic Semen Analysis: Part 1
Uncertainty in Diagnostic Semen Analysis: Part 2

Source: Embryo news
Image credits: Malpani Infertility Clinic

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Choosing the sex of an unborn baby - Ethical or not?

Choosing the sex of babies born via IVF is a realistic, but illegal, possibility. However, a leading medical ethicist argues there’s no justification for the ban
Scientific research has the power to transform society but “with great power comes great responsibility” and so much of this is regulated by law.  Advances in reproductive technology are one example of this paradigm and raise a host of ethical dilemmas. We have the science and the tools, but the actual process
is illegal in the UK under most circumstances. However, leading bioethicist, Professor Stephen Wilkinson has argued recently that this ban on choosing the sex of an unborn baby is not ethically justifiable.

Read more: 
“Is it a boy or a girl?” 

Source: Laboratory News
Image credits: Sospm.in

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HPV Found in Sperm

HPV has been found in the sperm of infected men. This can harm a man’s ability to have children. This is particularly true in those who have both HPV (human papillomavirus), which is the most common sexually transmitted viral disease (STD), and Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), which is the most common bacterial STD.
The German and Italian researchers who conducted the study wrote that, “A high incidence of HPV infection has been reported in sperm from sexually active men… and from infertile patients.” In addition, they wrote that sperm in HPV and Ct infected men did not move or “swim” like healthy sperm.

Read more:
Study: HPV Found in Sperm; polyDNA Recommends Gene-Eden-VIR Against the Latent HPV

Source: Digital Journal
Image credits: Nuffield health

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Stem cells: what happened to the radical breakthroughs?

Much was promised in the late 1990s, but the challenge of advances such as growing whole human organs has been difficult to deliver.
It's 1998 and science is taking big strides. The first cloned mammal, Dolly the Sheep, has just had her first lamb; the first robotically assisted heart surgery has been completed; Furbys have hit the shelves. In a bold announcement, biomedical engineer Professor Michael Sefton declared that within 10 years, scientists would have grown an entire heart, fit for transplant. "We're shooting big," he said. "Our vision is that we'll be able to pop out a damaged heart and replace it as easily as you would replace a carburettor in a car."

Read more:
Stem cells: what happened to the radical breakthroughs? ''

Source: The Guardian

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