Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
OMG! Did Google Earth find Atlantis?
Is this Atlantis? Apparently not, according to those meanies at Google.
Google is officially denying widespread Internet rumors that its Google Earth software located the mythical sunken city of Atlantis off the coast of Africa. Either that, or Google is totally trying to hide something. Since I always appreciate a nice juicy conspiracy theory, I'm going to go with the latter.
From what it sounds like, a British aeronautical engineer was playing around with the new Google Earth 5.0, which includes undersea data, and noticed something funny off the coast of Africa, about 600 miles west of the Canary Islands, that resembled a pattern of a street grid. According to the United Kingdom's Press Association, the pattern of streets equated to an area the size of Wales.
In case you've had more important things to read about for the past few thousand years, Atlantis was a legendary island city first mentioned by Plato, allegedly a hard-core naval power located somewhere near North Africa that disappeared when it sank into the ocean. Guess global warming was a problem back then, too.
Anyway, most people think that Plato made it up, kind of like how those guys in Georgia made up the story about shooting Bigfoot, but others just won't stop believin'.
So this guy is trawling the ocean floor with Google Earth--ah, if only we had that kind of free time on our hands--and was quick to announce his discovery. It looks like The Telegraph reported the story first, adding that the exact coordinates are 31 15'15.53N, 24 15'30.53W.
Recently, Google's mapping products have revealed everything from a creepy dude walking around with a sniper rifle to what appear to be U.S. drones in Pakistan.
But when it comes to Atlantis, Google totally had to rain on everyone's parade. "It's true that many amazing discoveries have been made in Google Earth, including a pristine forest in Mozambique that is home to previously unknown species and the remains of an ancient Roman villa," a statement from Google read. "In this case, however, what users are seeing is an artifact of the data collection process. Bathymetric (or sea floor terrain) data is often collected from boats using sonar to take measurements of the sea floor. The lines reflect the path of the boat as it gathers the data."
I smell a cover-up!
In other news, that pendulum map on last week's "Lost" was totally awesome.
by Caroline McCarthy
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Medicine Class
At school little Johnny's class is learning about medicines. Sister Catherine, the teacher, asks the pupils what kind of medicines they know and what they are used for.
The first pupil said: 'Tylenol?'
'Very good! And what is it used for?'
'It is used for a headache.'
The second pupil said: 'Nytol.'
'Excellent!' said Sister Catherine. 'And what it is used for?'
'To help you sleep', replied the student.
Now it is Johnny's turn and he said: 'Viagra.'
'And what is it used for, Johnny?' asked the surprised Sister Catherine.
'It is used for diarrhea..'
'And who told you this, Johnny?'
'Nobody, but every evening my mother tells my father 'take a Viagra, and maybe that shit will get harder.''
Sister Catherine fainted.
The first pupil said: 'Tylenol?'
'Very good! And what is it used for?'
'It is used for a headache.'
The second pupil said: 'Nytol.'
'Excellent!' said Sister Catherine. 'And what it is used for?'
'To help you sleep', replied the student.
Now it is Johnny's turn and he said: 'Viagra.'
'And what is it used for, Johnny?' asked the surprised Sister Catherine.
'It is used for diarrhea..'
'And who told you this, Johnny?'
'Nobody, but every evening my mother tells my father 'take a Viagra, and maybe that shit will get harder.''
Sister Catherine fainted.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Bacteria in semen influences sperm quality
Investigators studied bacterial contamination in sperm samples of 1256 men at an infertility clinic. The presence of bacteria in semen samples is closely associated with sperm quality, their research shows.
The contamination of sperm samples by some bacteria species is also closely associated with infertility, report Elena Moretti, from the University of Siena, Italy, and colleagues.
Over an 8-year period, 1,256 male individuals were referred to an infertility clinic for semen analysis. The median duration of infertility was 3.75 years of unprotected intercourse without conception.
Spermiogram, semen culture, and sperm transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed, along with a culture test to identify common bacteria that colonize the male reproductive tract.
Overall, 33% of men had bacteria in their semen samples.
Within each bacteria species identified, fertile men had semen quality similar to that of uninfected controls. On the other hand, sperm quality was significantly decreased among infertile men.
"Bacteria in semen samples may influence the sperm quality, mainly by the induction of apoptosis and necrosis, which may in part be responsible for the observed reduction of sperm motility," suggest the researchers.
Source: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics 2008; Advance online publication
The contamination of sperm samples by some bacteria species is also closely associated with infertility, report Elena Moretti, from the University of Siena, Italy, and colleagues.
Over an 8-year period, 1,256 male individuals were referred to an infertility clinic for semen analysis. The median duration of infertility was 3.75 years of unprotected intercourse without conception.
Spermiogram, semen culture, and sperm transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed, along with a culture test to identify common bacteria that colonize the male reproductive tract.
Overall, 33% of men had bacteria in their semen samples.
Within each bacteria species identified, fertile men had semen quality similar to that of uninfected controls. On the other hand, sperm quality was significantly decreased among infertile men.
"Bacteria in semen samples may influence the sperm quality, mainly by the induction of apoptosis and necrosis, which may in part be responsible for the observed reduction of sperm motility," suggest the researchers.
Source: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics 2008; Advance online publication
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Blastocyst transfers in older women
A large retrospective study has yielded information on the optimal number of blastocyst stage embryos to transfer on day 5 or 6 in women aged 38 years or older.
Specialists in a Writing Group convened by the USA’s Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology conducted the study, based on data collected by the society between 2000 and 2004. The data related to a total of 5,569 day 5 and day 6 embryo transfers in women aged 38 or older who were undergoing their first assisted reproductive technology cycle. These 5,569 transfers led to 1,667 deliveries.
The researchers used both univariate and multivariate logistic regression to model the probability of delivery, twins, and higher-order multiples based on certain patient characteristics. These were age, the number of embryos transferred, the maximum follicular phase FSH level, the number of oocytes retrieved, cryopreservation of excess embryos, and the use of ICSI.
In their new paper in the current issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility, the researchers report the findings of their analyses. In women aged 38 or 39 years, there was an increase in delivery rates when two embryos were transferred, compared with when one embryo was transferred. Transferring more than two increased the rate of multiples but not delivery.
In women aged 40 years, transferring up to three embryos increased the delivery rate without increasing the multiple rate. In women aged 41 or 42 years, the delivery rate plateaued after the transfer of three embryos, but the twin rate continued to increase.
In the paper, the researchers draw their findings together in order to present the following recommendations on the suggested number of embryos to transfer on days 5 and 6 to minimize the risk of multiples in patients undergoing their first cycle:
Number of oocytes <10 and no cryopreservation:
Maternal age 38 years: 2 embryos.
39 years: 2.
40 years: 2-3.
41-42 years: 3.
43-44 years: 3.
Number of oocytes 10 or more, and/or use of cryopreservation:
Maternal age 38 years: 1-2 embryos.
39 years: 1-2.
40 years: 2.
41-42 years: 2-3.
43-44 years: 3.
Discussing their findings, the researchers note that these recommendations of course “do not represent strict guidelines” but do represent an analysis of outcomes from a large national US dataset. They write: “From this analysis, it appears that, in patients aged 38 to 39 years who are considered candidates for blastocyst transfer, delivery rates can be maximized while minimizing multiple pregnancy rates by transfer of no more than two blastocyst stage embryos.”
The researchers acknowledge that different laboratories can have significantly different stimulation protocols, indications for blastocyst stage transfer, and classifications of embryo morphology, and point out that these differences were not taken into account in the data analyzed and presented.
Source: Fertility and Sterility 2009;91:157-66
Specialists in a Writing Group convened by the USA’s Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology conducted the study, based on data collected by the society between 2000 and 2004. The data related to a total of 5,569 day 5 and day 6 embryo transfers in women aged 38 or older who were undergoing their first assisted reproductive technology cycle. These 5,569 transfers led to 1,667 deliveries.
The researchers used both univariate and multivariate logistic regression to model the probability of delivery, twins, and higher-order multiples based on certain patient characteristics. These were age, the number of embryos transferred, the maximum follicular phase FSH level, the number of oocytes retrieved, cryopreservation of excess embryos, and the use of ICSI.
In their new paper in the current issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility, the researchers report the findings of their analyses. In women aged 38 or 39 years, there was an increase in delivery rates when two embryos were transferred, compared with when one embryo was transferred. Transferring more than two increased the rate of multiples but not delivery.
In women aged 40 years, transferring up to three embryos increased the delivery rate without increasing the multiple rate. In women aged 41 or 42 years, the delivery rate plateaued after the transfer of three embryos, but the twin rate continued to increase.
In the paper, the researchers draw their findings together in order to present the following recommendations on the suggested number of embryos to transfer on days 5 and 6 to minimize the risk of multiples in patients undergoing their first cycle:
Number of oocytes <10 and no cryopreservation:
Maternal age 38 years: 2 embryos.
39 years: 2.
40 years: 2-3.
41-42 years: 3.
43-44 years: 3.
Number of oocytes 10 or more, and/or use of cryopreservation:
Maternal age 38 years: 1-2 embryos.
39 years: 1-2.
40 years: 2.
41-42 years: 2-3.
43-44 years: 3.
Discussing their findings, the researchers note that these recommendations of course “do not represent strict guidelines” but do represent an analysis of outcomes from a large national US dataset. They write: “From this analysis, it appears that, in patients aged 38 to 39 years who are considered candidates for blastocyst transfer, delivery rates can be maximized while minimizing multiple pregnancy rates by transfer of no more than two blastocyst stage embryos.”
The researchers acknowledge that different laboratories can have significantly different stimulation protocols, indications for blastocyst stage transfer, and classifications of embryo morphology, and point out that these differences were not taken into account in the data analyzed and presented.
Source: Fertility and Sterility 2009;91:157-66
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