Hotel Atlantis, Dubai

Germicidal UVC Lights Improve Clinical Pregnancy Rates for IVF Lab, New Study Finds

A seven and a half-year study conducted in the In Vitro Fertilization Cleanroom Laboratory of the Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network found that the use of ultraviolet C or "UVC" lights installed in the HVAC system had a clinically significant impact on clinical pregnancy rates (CPR). In presenting the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Kathryn C. Worrilow, Ph.D. reported that the + beta and CPR increased by an average of 17.8% and 18.2%, respectively, following 10 of the 13 change-outs of the Steril-Aire UVC Emitters(TM) over the test period.

Clinical success in an IVF lab is critically dependent upon the quality of the ambient air, which in turn, is directly dependent upon the HVAC system. The study led by Dr. Worrilow tracked three key components in the HVAC system -- particulate filters, gas phase filters and UVC lights -- and the timing of their replacement -- to determine whether these individual components affected markers of preimplantation embryogenesis and clinical pregnancy rates.

According to the findings, "There were no statistically significant differences...associated with the replacement of the particulate or gas phase filters in Testing Quarters 1-48. In contrast, immediately following 10 of the 13 UVC Emitter change-outs, the + beta hCG and clinical pregnancy rates increased 17.8% and 18.2%, respectively."

The study goes on to say: "UVC energy will destroy 90 -- 99% of airborne microbial contaminants. By targeting the DNA and RNA of microorganisms, UVC degrades and abates the proliferation of airborne and surface embryotoxic organics. Of equal significance to the developing embryo is the suggested impact of UVC irradiation on the degradation of VOCs. Our work has demonstrated that VOC levels as low as 2.2 ppb can be embryotoxic to the embryo cultured in vitro."

The authors conclude: "Although the use of UVC light represents a departure from the standard HVAC design used in many IVF laboratories, the current study suggests that the use of UVC germicidal technology in the HVAC system serving the IVF laboratory may play a critical role in providing optimal ambient air towards improved clinical outcomes. The current study demonstrated that a clinically significant relationship existed between the replacement of the UVC Emitters and the associated clinical pregnancy rates."

Robert Scheir, Ph.D., president of Steril-Aire, Inc., states: "This new data provides scientific evidence of the germicidal benefits of UVC technology. The potential benefits are far-reaching: not only for the potential to improve CPR in IVF clinics, but also for enhancing infection control in hospitals and healthcare environments, and for maintaining better ambient air in medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing clean rooms."

Scheir adds: "The study also confirms the importance of adequate UVC output and changeout frequency in achieving desired results. The study used high-output Steril-Aire UVC lamps with a changeout schedule of 6-9 months. In the 3 of 13 UVC replacement test quarters that did not result in improved clinical pregnancy rates, outside factors may have played a role in the outcomes. As long as the lamps were functioning properly and were changed on schedule, results were consistently positive. The message to anyone using UVC is that it is critical to select a device with adequate output and to replace the device consistently at required intervals to maintain that output. Otherwise, germicidal effectiveness will be diminished."

See Brigitte Nielsen After Full-Body Plastic Surgery

After undergoing full-body plastic surgery, Brigitte Nielsen debuts her new figure on last Tuesday's The Insider.

The Danish actress, 45, previously told Hello! magazine she underwent a facelift, liposuction and a breast lift last month after leaving rehab for alcoholism last year.

"I'd cleaned up on the inside and wanted to freshen up," she told Hello!. "I had it done in Germany because they try to stick to your natural look. In America, no disrespect to the plastic surgeons - everyone comes out looking the same."

She also opened up about her marriage to Sylvester Stallone, which she told The Insider was "more of a curiosity than love."

After being romantically linked to her VH-1 reality co-star Flavor Flav, Nielsen married her fifth husband, former Italian model Mattia Dessi, in 2006.

Nielsen -- who has four kids -- recently said she wants to try IVF in hopes of getting pregnant again.

France: Woman, 59, is oldest mother of triplets

A 59-year-old Frenchwoman has given birth by Caesarian section to two boys and a girl, who are in good health, the Paris hospital treating her said on Monday last.

"Everything went smoothly," said a spokesman at Cochin hospital where the triplets were born overnight Saturday.

The woman, of Vietnamese origin, is thought to have resorted to a private Vietnamese clinic willing to overlook the age limit for egg donation and in vitro fertilisation (IVF), set at 45 in Vietnam, according to press reports.

Egg donations are authorised in France but most fertility clinics here set a maximum age limit of 42 for would-be mothers.

But nothing prevents couples from seeking fertility treatment abroad and in 2001 a 62-year-old Frenchwoman gave birth to a child conceived through IVF, in the Riviera town of Frejus.

Earlier this year, an Indian woman said to be 70 years old gave birth to twins after receiving IVF treatment.

The baby girl weighed in at 2.42 kilograms (5.34 pounds) as did one brother, while the second boy weighed 2.32 kilograms.

The birth of triplets by a mother in her late 50s was unprecedented in France and possibly a world first.

But the news raised eyebrows among French health professionals concerned that science was pushing the limits of motherhood too far.

"Having children at that age is dangerous in terms of child development," said child psychiatrist Nicole Garret-Gloanec.

Women of child-bearing age are able to "draw the link between their own childhood and their baby," she said.

This case raises questions as to "how you can help a child grow, in educational terms and development," said Dominique Ratia-Armangol, president of the national association of early childhood psychologists.

She said a child born to an older woman can become confused about the role of grandmother and mother.

Garret-Gloanec suggested that the mother's late-in-life desire to have children was "a denial of ageing and of death."

"It's unhealthy, to project onto children your own anxieties about death," she said.

Ron Mueck's Amazing sculptures

Ron Mueck is a London-based photo-realist artist. Born in Melbourne,Australia, to parents who were toy makers, he labored on children's television shows for 15 years before working in special effects for such films as Labyrinth, a 1986 fantasy epic starring David Bowie.

Eventually Mueck concluded that photography pretty much destroys the physical presence of the original object, and so he turned to fine art and sculpture.

In the early 1990's, still in his advertising days, Mueck was commissioned to make something highly realistic, and was wondering what material would do the trick. Latex was the usual, but he wanted something harder, more precise. Luckily, he saw a little architectural decor on the wall of a boutique and inquired as to the nice, pink stuff's nature.

Fiberglass resin was the answer, and Mueck has made it his bronze and marble ever since.

Lavasa - The Kingdom of Zeus is Born

Zeus ( Greek: nominative: Ζεύς Zeús /zdeús/, genitive: Διός Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/) in Greek mythology is the king of the Gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the God of the sky and thunder. In addition to his Indo-European inheritance, the classical "cloud-gatherer" also derives certain iconographic traits from the cultures of the ancient Near East, such as the scepter. In Hindu mythology his counterpart was Indra with ever common weapon as thunderbolt.

Zeus, poetically referred to by the vocative Zeu pater ("O, father Zeus"), is a continuation of *Di̯ēus, the Proto-Indo-European god of the daytime sky, also called *Dyeus ph2tēr ("Sky Father"). The god is known under this name in Sanskrit (cf. Dyaus/Dyaus Pita), Latin (cf. Jupiter, from Iuppiter, deriving from the PIE vocative *dyeu-ph2tēr), deriving from the basic form *dyeu- ("to shine", and in its many derivatives, "sky, heaven, god"). To the Greeks and Romans, the God of the sky was also the supreme God. Zeus is the only deity in the Olympic pantheon whose name has such a transparent Indo-European etymology.
The war of the Titans & Gods in Greek Mythology lasted ten years, after which the gods divided the earth among themselves by drawing lots. Zeus took the sky, Poseidon the sea and Hades the underworld.

After my first visit to Lavasa, I just knew that this was the Indian connection to the Indo-European mythography. Look at the pictures. In free India, we have never seen a planned hill-abode with the best architecture & facilities that contemporary building industry has to offer today. Lavasa at 3000 feet above sea level is indeed the Kingdom of Zeus or Indra that was promised to Hindustan in comparative mythology. This is the Kingdom of Zeus in the skies- this is the place where Zeus-the cloud gatherer resides. This is the promised Kingdom in the skies.

The LavaBahn took pride in being the only blemish-less road in the region which was pot-hole-free, but this time around I counted 5 pot-holes on this road. Must inform the seniors who pride themselves on the LavaBahn! I took a walk on the first Dam and got some excellent aerial shots;) (see pictures). The lakes are overflowing & this is one of the best seasons to visit Lavasa.

The last weekend that I drove there in my new car (Incidentally, this car will have the distinction of being the first vehicle to be registered at a Lavasa address!), the workers were scrubbing the floating piers clean, in preparation for the post-monsoon relaunch of the water-sports. What I repeatedly wondered was why should the eco-friendly team allow the diesel motor-boats to run in the main lake? This is the lake that gives the potable water-supply to the township. In this lake, which is the smallest of the 22km dammed Warasgaon lake, the authorities should only allow paddle-boats or sail boats or rowing boats - no fuel driven boats should be allowed in the main lake touching the Portofino area. There is a huge second lake (see pictures) which I believe will be home to the pontoon boat imported from the USA. This lake should be the venue for all motorised crafts & aquatic-sports. I hope some-one sensible in the Tourism Vertical pays heed to these suggestions.

The Kingdom of Zeus is fast-shaping up and probably will be ready before the projected 2010 Monsoons. There are 2000 skilled engineers and workers besides the unskilled labourers today, working 12-14 hour shifts giving birth to a new township-the likes of which our country has never seen before. On 15th October 2008, the ITC Fortune Hotel is due to kick off its operations with 60 rooms. Shortly, before the end of this year, 500 serviced apartments will be ready. Presently, the Corporation is restricting the visitors cars to 100/day. I think there will have to be extended visitation restrictions till 2010 when the Kingdom will be thrown open to the public.

I am glad I was introduced to Lavasa in its gestational period and am seeing the baby grow in its womb! I'm sure, the delivery will be a moment to cherish. Rumors abound that PVR will set-up a 4 screen multiplex & a world-famous adventure sports company will be setting up shop here. Lavasa - The Kingdom of Zeus is Born!

Banta Singh in England

An anglicised sardar from Amritsar was visiting the UK for the first time, and got onto the tube at Knightsbridge.
Sitting across from him, was an upper-crust Englishman in a pinstriped suit, reading the Times.
Wanting to to strike up a conversation, the sardar leaned over and asked the Englishman, "Excuse me, sar, what is your name?"
Not very happy at this development, but not wanting to be rude, the Englishman said, "John Fanshawe. And what is your name, sir?"
The sardar replied, "Banta Singh."
The Englishman smiled politely and went back to his paper.
"And where are you from, Mr Fanshawe?" Banta Singh continued.
The Englishman looked up from his paper, "From Sussex , actually," he replied, "And what about you, Mr Singh?"
Wanting to show how anglicised he was, the sardar replied, "From Amritshire".
"Amritshire?" said the Englishman, puzzled, "You have me there, sir. You see, I've heard of Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Worcestershire, but I've never heard of Amritshire."
"Yes," said Banta Singh gravely, "That is where I am from."
"Could you tell me where exactly it is? What is the latitude and the longitude?"
It was now Banta Singh's turn to be puzzled.
"I don't know sir," he replied, "You see, in Amritshire we only have Makitude and Bhenkitude."