Folic acid improves a man's chance of becoming a father

US scientists have found a possible link between low dietary folate levels and abnormal sperm in men. The findings, from the University of California, Berkley, and the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory, provide further evidence that healthy diets aid fertility. Folate is a soluble B vitamin found naturally in foods such as citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables and pulses. The synthetic form, folic acid, can be taken in dietary supplements. The benefits for women of high folate levels are well established in preventing birth defects, but this is the first time a reproductive benefit for men has been shown. The normal
recommended daily allowance (RDA) of folate for humans is 200 micrograms, and 400 micrograms for women trying to conceive and during pregnancy. The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, looked at samples from 89 healthy, non-smoking men aged between 22 and 80, and information about their diet and supplementary intake. They found that men who ingested high levels of folate - between 722 and 1150 micrograms per day - had 20-30
per cent lower levels of abnormal sperm than men with low folate intake. The researchers were looking at forms of 'aneuploidy' in the sperm. Aneuploidy is an abnormal number of chromosomes in cells. If these abnormal sperm fertilise an egg, the resulting fetus can have the wrong number of chromosomes, something that can lead to chromosomal disorders such as Down's syndrome. Other risk factors also include miscarriage during pregnancy. The researchers targeted specific chromosomes - chromosomes 21, X and Y - as these are associated with the common types of aneuploidy in live births.
Brenda Eskenazi, professor of epidemiology and maternal and child health at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health, was the co-principal investigator of the study. She says: 'in previous studies, we and others have shown that paternal micronutrient intake may contribute to successful conceptions by improving the quality of the sperm. This study is the first to suggest that
paternal diet may play a role after conception in the development of healthy offspring'. The scientists warn that this is not conclusive evidence yet, and both men and women should take a serious look at their diet and lifestyle when trying to conceive. Smoking, drinking excessively and unbalanced diets are highly likely to affect fertility. In the US, folic acid has been added to breads, flour, cereals and other grain products since 1998 to ensure women get their RDA of folate. A
decision on whether folic acid should be added to bread and flour in the UK is due next year.

Couple suing over child selection "blunder''

An Australian couple has launched an action in the Supreme Court of Victoria against the health services involved in an embryo testing procedure, after the mother gave birth to a boy instead of a girl. The couple had undergone IVF and PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) at Melbourne IVF to enable doctors to select only female embryos to be re-implanted in an attempt to avoid haemophilia, an inherited disorder that only affects males. Instead,the mother gave birth to a baby boy, Jess, who doctors later confirmed is affected by the blood clotting condition. The couple are alleging that in no point during the pregnancy were they informed that the child was not a girl, and are now seeking compensation and
damages to pay for the child's care costs and other losses they will incur.
If the couple had been informed of the true sex of their child, they say they would have considered terminating the pregnancy. It is reported that the defendants will contest the action on the grounds that the couple did not make inquiries as to the sex of their child after ultra-sound scans and that the boy may have been conceived naturally.
Sex selection is permitted in Victoria only to reduce the risk of a serious genetic condition being passed to the child. The couple opted for the procedure to avoid passing on hameophilia, which also affects the boy's uncle. 'By choosing the IVF procedure, we hoped to never see a child suffer in this way again', the parents told reporters. 'At no stage did we want a
designer baby, we just wanted a healthy baby.''We love our little boy, but we are very sorry he has to go through so
much in his life', the couple said. 'We tried everything to avoid this situation, and now our boy has to go through all the pain and treatment in order to survive. We now face the fact that Jess will require treatment for the rest of his life'.
The action is being taken against Melbourne IVF, Ballarat Health Services, the couples' obstetrician and Bendigo Radiology. In documents lodged with the court, lawyers for Melbourne IVF say that a counsellor told the couple in 2003 that there was a risk of misdiagnosis with the PGD method. They also claim the couple signed consent forms, including one that stated 'If a pregnancy is achieved from biopsied embryos, we understand that further diagnostic tests are recommended to confirm the early embryo diagnosis'. No date has been set for the trial.

Artificial Muscle Heals Itself - Also Charges iPod

Researchers in California have created an artificial muscle that heals itself and generates electricity.The research, parts of which are already being used in Japan to generate electricity from ocean waves, could be used to make walking robots, develop better prosthetics, or even charge your iPod. "We've made an artificial muscle that, when you apply electricity to it, it expands" more than 200 percent, said Qibing Pei, a scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles and study author. "The motion and energy is a lot like human muscles."
Artificial muscles have been around for years but have essentially hamstrung themselves. Some artificial muscles get so big they tear, developing uneven film thickness and random particles that cause muscle failure. The researchers used flexible, ever-more ubiquitous carbon nanotubes as electrodes instead of other films, often metal-based, that fail after repeated use. If an area of the carbon nanotube fails, the region around it seals itself by becoming non-conductive and prevents the fault from spreading to other areas. "During long-term tests with the new device the actual material experiences a number of events but still worked," said Pei.
By "events" Pei actually means they stabbed the artificial muscle with pins. Any other artificial muscle would have failed, but their model kept operating. The self-healing muscle is also energy efficient. "It conserves about 70 percent of the energy you put into it," said Pei. As the material contracts after an expansion the rearranging of the carbon nanotubes generates a small electric current that can be captured and used to power another expansion or stored in a battery.
Scientists in Japan charge batteries from ocean waves using the same idea. Other scientists have speculated that the artificial muscle could be used to capture wind energy. "The way he's put these carbon nanotubes together is really quite innovative," said Kwang Kim, a material scientist at the University of Reno who was not involved in the research. "Some people want to use this to charge their batteries."

Fascinating Egypt

It was a great learning experience & a pleasure to be part of the invited International Faculty for the second Alexandria Forum for Women's Health & Development organized by the Suzanne Mubarak Regional Centre for Women's Health & Development (SMC) under the guidance of Prof Hassan Sallam assisted ably by Dr Samir Ashraf. This Center is situated in what was the royal quarter of ancient Alexandria where the famous Library, Museum & University once stood. Two thousand years ago, Alexandria possessed a famous medical school, where Herophilus, the father of Anatomy, was the first to perform systematic dissection of the human body and where Erasistratos was the first to use the term "pathology" to describe the diseased organs. it was in Alexandria during these days that Soranus, the famous gynecologist made the first drawing of the human uterus, and where famous physicians of the classical world, trained before practicing medicine on the various shores of the Mediterranean. Indeed, Galen himself, who came originally from Pergamon spent a few years in alexandria before traveling to Rome and becoming the personal physician of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus. Two thousand years later, the Center conceptualized by Suzanne Mubarak, the first lady of Egypt felicitated one of the two pioneers of modern day IVF - Professor Robert Edwards. It was a pleasure hearing him speak & getting nuggets of his personal life - which is a must read inspirational story for everyone.
Besides, the excellent academic program, the hosts went over-board in personally looking after all the invited speakers - they were given a private tour of the SMC & of Alexandria. We were all put up in the scenic hotel Helnan Palestine overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. I met my old friend Prof Osama Shawki at the meeting & at the end of a long and tiring day, he invited me with his group to one of the best seafood Restaurants in all of Egypt - The Seagull. Our group comprised of the illustrious gynecologist of the first-families in Egypt - Prof Sameh Zaki and his wife Dr Sanaa Asaad , their lovely daughter Noha, Prof Nabil Abdel Hakeem and his wife Dr Rawia Ezaat, Dr Omayma Edrees, Prof Osama Shawki & his lovely better half Gigi and Yehia and Youssef - their handsome sons.
This was an experience for me - I have eaten all across the globe in the best seafood restaurants & the Seagull could give a run for the money to the best of the rest! Fresh catch-of-the-day was chosen by the hosts & grilled to perfection. The seafood was served with traditional appetizers like Tahina, egyptian cheese paste, spicy Aubergine paste & fresh oven-baked Egyptian bread. The ambience in this restaurant (owned & run by an Egyptian man & his German wife) was something from the 1950's & 1960's. There were statues, paintings, handicraft pieces and tropical birds and animals forming part of the environment. i saw hens with plumes of their feet and paws (hybrids) and tiny cross-bred murses (mules crossed with horses) who were giving the tiny-tots rides in the verandah.
My friend Osama outdid the hospitality this time around & the entire group celebrated the meeting of old friends in the Paris of the East!

Holi- The Festival of Colors

I received this bulk-mail from Lucknow. I thought it embodied the spirit of India & Holi and wanted to share it with our blogeurs. I'm sure you will love the accompanying pictures including the Holi bonfire from the previous night!

"Dear Friends,

Phalgun has arrived with the promise of warm days and new life – Spring, the season of rejuvenation and rebirth. The earth discards its winter gloom and begins to blossom again under the fresh blue of the March skies. As if to mark this change, Holi flings colour into Indian landscape and invites the celebration of life.

The spirit of Holi is colour - rich and vibrant, flung into the air and smeared with laughter of friends and loved ones. It recalls the secret of life: a shifting panorama of sights, movements and feelings. Colours denote energy - the vivid, passionate pulse of life. Colour signifies the vitality that makes the human race unique in the universal scheme. Colours represent diversity that is so uniquely Indian!

I have heard from my mother that when they were children the colour for Holi was made at home, from the flowers of the 'tesu' tree also called 'the flame of the forest' or 'palash'. The flowers, bright red in colour were collected from the trees and spread out on mats, to dry in the sun. Once dried, they were then ground to a fine powder. This powder was then mixed with water to give a rich saffron-red colour. The mixture was considered good for health, probably because of the reddish glow it left behind on the skin.

‘Gujia’ is another Holi speciality to which we look forward to all the year. This unique delicacy, with a crispy cover and a sweet core of khoya, kaju, badam, pista, kesar and kish-mish invariably breaks through all our weight loss resolutions and leaves us wanting for just one more!

Here is wishing you all a very joyous Holi! Please do convey our love to the children in your family and vicinity and please do not even glance at the bathroom scale for the next seven days!

‘Phoolon ne khushboo ka jam bheja hai
Taaron ne aasman se salam bheja hai
Khushion aur rangon se bhari ho Holi
Dil se humne ye paigam bheja hai’

Regards,

Surajit Bhattacharya"

Sandwich Art