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Audrey J. Gaskins, Sc.D.
Yu-Han Chiu, Paige L Williams, Matthew W Gillman, Audrey J Gaskins, Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Irene Souter, Thomas L Toth, Jennifer B Ford, Russ Hauser, and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Association Between Pesticide Residue Intake From Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables and Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women Undergoing Infertility Treatment With Assisted Reproductive Technology." JAMA Intern Med, 178, 1, Pp. 17-26.Abstract
Importance: Animal experiments suggest that ingestion of pesticide mixtures at environmentally relevant concentrations decreases the number of live-born offspring. Whether the same is true in humans is unknown. Objective: To examine the association of preconception intake of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables (FVs) with outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Design, Setting, and Participants: This analysis included 325 women who completed a diet assessment and subsequently underwent 541 ART cycles in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) prospective cohort study (2007-2016) at a fertility center at a teaching hospital. We categorized FVs as having high or low pesticide residues using a validated method based on surveillance data from the US Department of Agriculture. Cluster-weighted generalized estimating equations were used to analyze associations of high- and low-pesticide residue FV intake with ART outcomes. Main Outcomes and Measures: Adjusted probabilities of clinical pregnancy and live birth per treatment cycle. Results: In the 325 participants (mean [SD] age, 35.1 [4.0] y; body mass index, 24.1 [4.3]), mean (SD) intakes of high- and low-pesticide residue FVs were 1.7 (1.0) and 2.8 (1.6) servings/d, respectively. Greater intake of high-pesticide residue FVs was associated with a lower probability of clinical pregnancy and live birth. Compared with women in the lowest quartile of high-pesticide FV intake (<1.0 servings/d), women in the highest quartile (≥2.3 servings/d) had 18% (95% CI, 5%-30%) lower probability of clinical pregnancy and 26% (95% CI, 13%-37%) lower probability of live birth. Intake of low-pesticide residue FVs was not significantly related to ART outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: Higher consumption of high-pesticide residue FVs was associated with lower probabilities of pregnancy and live birth following infertility treatment with ART. These data suggest that dietary pesticide exposure within the range of typical human exposure may be associated with adverse reproductive consequences.
Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Jorge E Chavarro, and Audrey J Gaskins. 2018. "Caffeine, alcohol, smoking, and reproductive outcomes among couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatments." Fertil Steril, 110, 4, Pp. 587-592.Abstract
During the past decade, as the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has continued to increase worldwide, research investigating whether modifiable lifestyle factors, such as alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, may affect ART outcomes has grown. Despite the vast literature, there is still uncertainty regarding the effects of some of these exposures on ART outcomes. The objective of this review is to summarize the epidemiologic literature on intakes of caffeine and alcohol, smoking, and reproductive outcomes among women undergoing ART. Of the five epidemiologic studies on caffeine intake and ART outcomes, only one found a significant negative effect of caffeine intake on live birth following ART. There have been six epidemiologic studies exploring whether alcohol intake is associated with fertility outcomes among women undergoing ART. Three studies assessed current alcohol consumption and observed a negative effect on outcomes such as fertilization, embryo quality, and implantation. When alcohol intake in the year before treatment was assessed, no relationships were observed with clinical outcomes following ART. Finally, numerous epidemiologic studies and a handful of meta-analyses have confirmed that female current smokers have worse ART outcomes compared with nonsmokers. Although former smokers tend to have better ART outcomes than current smokers, very few individual studies have investigated the influence of smoking cessation on ART outcomes. Literature on male smoking, drinking, and caffeine habits in relation to ART outcomes is even sparser and inconsistent, making it difficult to draw strong conclusions on that topic. In summary, there is little evidence supporting a detrimental effect of moderate caffeine intake on ART outcomes. Current consumption of alcohol may have a negative effect on ART outcomes, but at present the evidence is limited. Women who currently smoke cigarettes have been consistently found to have poorer ART outcomes, including reduced live birth rates, but a quantification of the benefits of smoking cessation is lacking.
Audrey J Gaskins. 2018. "Deciphering the complex relationship between systemic inflammation and fecundity in eumenorrheic women." Fertil Steril, 109, 2, Pp. 240-241.
Audrey J Gaskins and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Diet and fertility: a review." Am J Obstet Gynecol, 218, 4, Pp. 379-389.Abstract
The literature on the relationship between diet and human fertility has greatly expanded over the last decade, resulting in the identification of a few clear patterns. Intake of supplemental folic acid, particularly at doses higher than those recommended for the prevention of neural tube defects, has been consistently related to lower frequency of infertility, lower risk of pregnancy loss, and greater success in infertility treatment. On the other hand and despite promising evidence from animal models, vitamin D does not appear to exert an important role in human fertility in the absence of deficiency. Antioxidant supplementation does not appear to offer any benefits to women undergoing infertility treatment, but it appears to be beneficial when it is the male partner who is supplemented. However, the available evidence does not allow discerning which specific antioxidants, or at which doses, are responsible for this benefit. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids appear to improve female fertility, although it remains unclear to what extent contamination of shared food sources, such as fish with high levels of environmental toxicants, can dampen this benefit. Lastly, adherence to healthy diets favoring seafood, poultry, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are related to better fertility in women and better semen quality in men. The cumulative evidence has also piled against popular hypotheses. Dairy and soy, once proposed as reproductive toxicants, have not been consistently related to poor fertility. In fact, soy and soy supplements appear to exert a beneficial effect among women undergoing infertility treatment. Similarly, because data from large, high-quality studies continue to accumulate, the evidence of a potentially deleterious effect of moderate alcohol and caffeine intake on the ability to become pregnant seems less solid than it once did. While a complete picture of the role of nutrition on fertility is far from complete, much progress has been made. The most salient gaps in the current evidence include jointly considering female and male diets and testing the most consistent findings in randomized trials.
Carmen Messerlian, Paige L Williams, Jennifer B Ford, Jorge E Chavarro, Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Ramace Dadd, Joseph M Braun, Audrey J Gaskins, John D Meeker, Tamarra James-Todd, Yu-Han Chiu, Feiby L Nassan, Irene Souter, John Petrozza, Myra Keller, Thomas L Toth, Antonia M Calafat, and Russ Hauser. 2018. "The Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study: A Prospective Preconception Cohort." Hum Reprod Open, 2018, 2.Abstract
Background: The Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study is an ongoing prospective preconception cohort designed to investigate the impact of environmental, nutritional, and lifestyle factors among both women and men on fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: The EARTH Study recruits women 18 to 45 years and men 18 to 55 years seeking fertility evaluation and treatment at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Fertility Center, Boston, USA. Women and men are eligible to join either independently or as a couple. Participants are followed from study entry throughout each fertility treatment cycle, once per trimester of pregnancy (for those achieving pregnancy), and up to labor and delivery, or until they discontinue treatment or withdraw from the study. The study collects biological samples, self-reported questionnaire data (including a food frequency questionnaire) and clinically abstracted information. Results: As of June 2017, the study cohort included 799 women and 487 men (447 couples; 40 men joined without female partners). Women were on average 34.7 years old at time of enrolment and predominantly Caucasian (81%), educated (49% have a graduate degree), and nulliparous (83%). Men were on average 36.6 years at baseline and mostly Caucasian (86%) and never-smokers (67%). Conclusions: The EARTH Study is one of the few cohorts designed to examine multiple potentially critical windows of vulnerability, including the paternal and maternal preconception windows and the periconception and prenatal windows in pregnancy. It is also one of the few human studies that has assessed potential interactions between environmental exposures and dietary factors.
Selma Gicevic, Audrey J Gaskins, Teresa T Fung, Bernard Rosner, Deirdre K Tobias, Sheila Isanaka, and Walter C Willett. 2018. "Evaluating pre-pregnancy dietary diversity vs. dietary quality scores as predictors of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy." PLoS One, 13, 4, Pp. e0195103.Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dietary diversity scores (DDS) are considered as metrics for monitoring the implementation of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, but they need to be rigorously evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To examine two DDS, the Food Groups Index (FGI), and the Minimum Dietary Diversity-Women (MDD-W), alongside two dietary quality scores, the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010) and the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS), with risks of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs). DESIGN: The analysis included 21,312 (GDM) and 19,917 (HDPs) singleton births reported in the Nurses' Health Study II cohort (1991-2001), among women without major chronic disease or GDM/HDPs. Scores were derived using prepregnancy diet collected by a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable models were utilized to calculate relative risks (RR) and confidence intervals (95%CIs). RESULTS: Incident GDM (n = 916) and HDPs (n = 1,421) were reported. The MDD-W and FGI were not associated with risk of GDM or HDPs, but the AHEI-2010 and PDQS were associated with a lower risk of GDM and marginally lower risk of HDP. The RR's of GDM comparing the highest vs. lowest quintiles were 1.00 (95%CI: 0.79, 1.27; p-trend = 0.82) for MDD-W, 0.96 (95%CI: 0.76, 1.22; p-trend = 0.88) for FGI, 0.63 (95%CI: 0.50, 0.81; p-trend <0.0001) for the AHEI-2010 and 0.68 (95%CI: 0.54, 0.86; p-trend = 0.003) for the PDQS. Similarly, the RR's of HDPs were 0.92 (95%CI: 0.75, 1.12, p-trend = 0.94) for MDD-W, 0.97 (95%CI: 0.79, 1.17; p-trend = 0.83) for FGI, 0.84 (95%CI: 0.70, 1.02; p-trend = 0.07) for AHEI-2010 and 0.89 (95%CI: 0.74, 1.09; p-trend = 0.07) for PDQS. CONCLUSIONS: MDD-W and FGI did not predict the risk of GDM and HDPs. These DDS should not be widely used as metrics for achieving dietary goals in their present form. The Prime Diet Quality Score warrants further testing as a promising measure of a sustainable and healthy diet on a global scale.
Audrey J Gaskins. 2018. "Importance of studying infertility from a life course perspective." Fertil Steril, 110, 4, Pp. 628.
Feiby L Nassan, Yu-Han Chiu, Jose C Vanegas, Audrey J Gaskins, Paige L Williams, Jennifer B Ford, Jill Attaman, Russ Hauser, and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Intake of protein-rich foods in relation to outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies." Am J Clin Nutr, 108, 5, Pp. 1104-1112.Abstract
Background: Some dietary factors have been linked to outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART), but the role of intake of meats and other protein-rich foods remains unclear. Objective: The aim of this manuscript was to study the relation between preconception intake of meat and other protein-rich foods and outcomes of infertility treatment with ART. Design: A total of 351 women enrolled in a prospective cohort at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center and underwent 598 ART cycles for infertility treatment. Meat intake was assessed with a validated food-frequency questionnaire, and ART outcomes were abstracted from electronic medical records. We estimated the associations between intake of protein-rich foods (meats, eggs, beans, nuts, and soy) and the outcome of live birth per initiated cycle using generalized linear mixed models. Results: The average total meat intake was 1.2 servings/d, with most coming from poultry (35%), fish (25%), processed meat (22%), and red meat (17%). Fish intake was positively related to the proportion of cycles resulting in live birth. The multivariable-adjusted probabilities of live birth for women in increasing quartiles of fish intake were 34.2% (95% CI: 26.5%, 42.9%), 38.4% (95% CI: 30.3%, 47.3%), 44.7% (95% CI: 36.3%, 53.4%), and 47.7% (95% CI: 38.3%, 57.3%), respectively (P-trend = 0.04). In the estimated substitution analyses, the ORs of live birth associated with increasing fish intake by 2 servings/wk were 1.54 (95% CI: 1.14, 2.07) when fish replaced any other meat, 1.50 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.98) when fish replaced any other protein-rich food, and 1.64 (95% CI: 1.14, 2.35) when fish replaced processed meat. Conclusions: Fish consumption is related to a higher probability of live birth following infertility treatment with ART. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00011713.
Audrey J Gaskins. 2018. "Moving the science forward on dietary patterns and male fertility." Fertil Steril, 109, 5, Pp. 783.
Audrey J Gaskins, Rajeshwari Sundaram, Germaine M Buck Louis, and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Predictors of Sexual Intercourse Frequency Among Couples Trying to Conceive." J Sex Med, 15, 4, Pp. 519-528.Abstract
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the predictors of sexual intercourse frequency (SIF) among couples trying to conceive despite the well-established link between SIF and fecundity. AIM: To evaluate men's and women's demographic, occupational, and lifestyle predictors of SIF among couples. METHODS: 469 Couples without a history of infertility participating in the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment Study (2005-2009) were followed up for ≤1 year while trying to conceive. At enrollment, both partners were interviewed about demographic, occupational, lifestyle, and psychological characteristics using standardized questionnaires. Multivariable generalized linear mixed models with Poisson distribution were used to estimate the adjusted percent difference in SIF across exposure categories. OUTCOMES: SIF was recorded in daily journals and summarized as average SIF/mo. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) SIF during follow-up was 6 (4-9) acts/mo. For every year increase in age for women and men, SIF decreased by -0.8% (95% CI -2.5 to 1.0%) and -1.7% (95% CI -3.1 to -0.3%). Women with high school education or less and those of non-white race had 34.4% and 16.0% higher SIF, respectively. A similar trend was seen for men's education and race. Only couples where both partners (but not just 1 partner) worked rotating shifts had -39.1% (95% CI -61.0 to -5.0%) lower SIF compared to couples where neither partner worked rotating shifts. Men's (but not women's) exercise was associated with 13.2% (95% CI 1.7-26.0%) higher SIF. Diagnosis of a mood or anxiety disorder in men (but not women) was associated with a 26.0% (95% CI -42.7 to -4.4%) lower SIF. Household income, smoking status, body mass index, night work, alcohol intake, and psychosocial stress were not associated with SIF. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: Even among couples trying to conceive, there was substantial variation in SIF. Both partners' age, education, race, and rotating shift work as well as men's exercise and mental health play an important role in determining SIF. CONCLUSIONS: As this was a secondary analysis of an existing study, we lacked information on many pertinent psychological and relationship quality variables and the hormonal status of participants, which could have affected SIF. The unique population-based couple design, however, captured both partners' demographics, occupational characteristics, and lifestyle behaviors in advance of their daily, prospective reporting of SIF, which was a major strength. Important predictors of SIF among couples attempting to conceive include men's exercise and mental health and both partners' age, education, race, and rotating shift work. Gaskins AJ, Sundaram R, Buck Louis GM, et al. Predictors of Sexual Intercourse Frequency Among Couples Trying to Conceive. J Sex Med 2018;15:519-528.
Audrey J Gaskins, Janet W Rich-Edwards, Paige L Williams, Thomas L Toth, Stacey A Missmer, and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Pre-pregnancy caffeine and caffeinated beverage intake and risk of spontaneous abortion." Eur J Nutr, 57, 1, Pp. 107-117.Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the relation between pre-pregnancy caffeine and caffeinated beverage intake and risk of spontaneous abortion (SAB). METHODS: Our prospective cohort study included 15,590 pregnancies from 11,072 women with no history of SAB in the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2009). Beverage intake was assessed every 4 years using a validated questionnaire. Pregnancies were self-reported with case pregnancies lost spontaneously at <20 weeks gestation. Multivariable log-binomial regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: There was a positive linear trend across categories of pre-pregnancy caffeine intake and risk of SAB such that women consuming >400 mg/day had 1.11 (95 % CI 0.98, 1.25) times the risk of SAB compared to women consuming <50 mg/day (p trend = 0.05). Total coffee intake had a positive, linear association with SAB. Compared to women with no pre-pregnancy coffee intake, women consuming ≥4 servings/day had a 20 % (6, 36 %) increased risk of SAB (p trend = 0.01). There was no difference in the association between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and risk of SAB. Pre-pregnancy intake of caffeinated tea, caffeinated soda, and decaffeinated soda had no association with SAB. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-pregnancy coffee consumption at levels ≥4 servings/day is associated with increased risk of SAB, particularly at weeks 8-19.
Audrey J Gaskins. 2018. "Recent advances in understanding the relationship between long- and short-term weight change and fertility." F1000Res, 7.Abstract
The impact of excess body weight on fertility is well recognized among both women attempting to conceive spontaneously and those attempting to conceive with medical assistance. Although many leading societies of reproductive medicine have proposed weight loss as a means to counteract the negative consequences of obesity on fertility, there is limited research on this topic. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the recent advances in the literature focused on how long- and short-term weight change affects fertility among women. Overall, despite initial hope that weight loss may be beneficial for fertility, two large well-conducted randomized controlled trials have consistently shown that short-term weight loss among overweight and obese women undergoing infertility treatment does not improve a woman's probability of live birth. The observational evidence among women attempting to conceive without medical assistance also suggests limited benefits of weight loss on fecundity or pregnancy loss. In contrast, substantial weight gain between consecutive pregnancies, in the year prior to pregnancy attempt, and throughout adulthood appears to be harmful for not only time to pregnancy but also pregnancy maintenance. Future research focused on efforts to prevent weight gain during adulthood is needed to better understand whether these types of interventions may have beneficial effects on fertility.
Feiby L Nassan, Jorge E Chavarro, Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Paige L Williams, Cigdem Tanrikut, Jennifer B Ford, Ramace Dadd, Melissa J Perry, Russ Hauser, and Audrey J Gaskins. 2018. "Residential distance to major roadways and semen quality, sperm DNA integrity, chromosomal disomy, and serum reproductive hormones among men attending a fertility clinic." Int J Hyg Environ Health, 221, 5, Pp. 830-837.Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We examined associations of residential distance to major roadways, as a proxy for traffic-related air pollution exposures, with sperm characteristics and male reproductive hormones. DESIGN: The cohort included 797 men recruited from Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center between 2000 and 2015 to participate in fertility research studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men reported their residential addresses at enrollment and provided 1-6 semen samples and a blood sample during follow-up. We estimated the Euclidean distance to major roadways (e.g. interstates and highways: limited access highways, multi-lane highways (not limited access), other numbered routes, and major roads) using information from the Massachusetts Department of Geographic Information Systems. Semen parameters (1238 semen samples), sperm DNA integrity (389 semen samples), chromosomal disomy (101 semen samples), and serum reproductive hormones (405 serum samples) were assessed following standard procedures. RESULTS: Men in this cohort were primarily Caucasian (86%), not current smokers (92%), with a college or higher education (88%), and had an average age of 36 years and BMI of 27.7 kg/m. The median (interquartile range) residential distance to a major roadway was 111 (37, 248) meters. Residential proximity to major roadways was not associated with semen parameters, sperm DNA integrity, chromosomal disomy, or serum reproductive hormone concentrations. The adjusted percent change (95% CI) in semen quality parameters associated with a 500 m increase in residential distance to a major roadway was -1.0% (-6.3, 4.5) for semen volume, 4.3% (-5.8, 15.7) for sperm concentration, 3.1% (-7.2, 14.5) for sperm count, 1.1% (-1.2, 3.4) for % total motile sperm, and 0.1% (-0.3, 0.5) for % morphologically normal sperm. Results were consistent when we modeled the semen parameters dichotomized according to WHO 2010 reference values. CONCLUSION: Residential distance to major roadways, as a proxy for traffic-related air pollution exposure, was not related to sperm characteristics or serum reproductive hormones among men attending a fertility clinic in Massachusetts.
Audrey J Gaskins, Jaime E Hart, Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Jorge E Chavarro, Francine Laden, Brent A Coull, Jennifer B Ford, Irene Souter, and Russ Hauser. 2018. "Residential proximity to major roadways and traffic in relation to outcomes of in vitro fertilization." Environ Int, 115, Pp. 239-246.Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emerging data from animal and human studies suggest that traffic-related air pollution adversely affects early pregnancy outcomes; however evidence is limited. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether residential proximity to major roadways and traffic, as proxies for traffic-related air pollution, are associated with in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. METHODS: This analysis included 423 women enrolled in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study, a prospective cohort study, who underwent 726 IVF cycles (2004-2017). Using geocoded residential addresses collected at study entry, we calculated the distance to nearest major roadway and the traffic density within a 100 m radius. IVF outcomes were abstracted from electronic medical records. We used multivariable generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the associations between residential proximity to major roadways and traffic density and IVF outcomes adjusting for maternal age, body mass index, race, education level, smoking status, and census tract median income. RESULTS: Closer residential proximity to major roadways was statistically significantly associated with lower probability of implantation and live birth following IVF. The adjusted percentage of IVF cycles resulting in live birth for women living ≥400 m from a major roadway was 46% (95% CI 36, 56%) compared to 33% (95% CI 26, 40%) for women living <50 m (p-for-comparison, 0.04). Of the intermediate outcomes, there were suggestive associations between living closer to major roadways and slightly higher estradiol trigger concentrations (p-trend = 0.16) and lower endometrial thickness (p-trend = 0.06). Near-residence traffic density was not associated with outcomes of IVF. CONCLUSION: Closer residential proximity to major roadways was related to reduced likelihood of live birth following IVF.
Audrey J Gaskins, Rajeshwari Sundaram, Germaine M Buck Louis, and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Seafood Intake, Sexual Activity, and Time to Pregnancy." J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 103, 7, Pp. 2680-2688.Abstract
Context: Marine long-chain omega-3 fatty acids have been positively related to markers of fecundity in both men and women. However, seafood, their primary food source, can also be a source of toxicants, which could counteract the reproductive benefits. Objective: To examine the relationship of male and female seafood intake with time to pregnancy (TTP). Design: Our prospective cohort study included 501 couples planning pregnancy, who participated in the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment study (2005 to 2009) and were followed up for ≤1 year or until pregnancy was detected. Seafood intake was collected daily during follow-up in journals. Setting: Couples residing in Michigan and Texas were recruited using population-based sampling frameworks. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was the TTP, determined using an in-home pregnancy test. A secondary outcome was sexual intercourse frequency (SIF) as recorded in the daily journals. Results: Couples with male and female partners who consumed eight or more seafood servings per cycle had 47% (95% CI, 7% to 103%) and 60% (95% CI, 15% to 122%) greater fecundity (shorter TTP) than couples with male and female partners who consumed one or fewer seafood servings per cycle. Couples with both partners consuming eight or more seafood servings per cycle had 61% (95% CI, 17% to 122%) greater fecundity than couples consuming less. Male and female partners with the highest seafood intake (eight or more servings per cycle) also had 22% greater SIF. Conclusions: Greater male and female seafood intake was associated with a higher SIF and fecundity among a large prospective cohort of couples attempting pregnancy.
Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Paige L Williams, Yu-Han Chiu, Audrey J Gaskins, Feiby L Nassan, Ramace Dadd, John Petrozza, Russ Hauser, and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Secular trends in semen parameters among men attending a fertility center between 2000 and 2017: Identifying potential predictors." Environ Int.Abstract
BACKGROUND: Multiple meta-analyses have shown sperm count declines in Western countries spanning eight decades. Secular trends in other parameters remain unclear, as are potential predictors of these trends. OBJECTIVE: To analyze secular trends in semen quality and to evaluate whether factors previously found to be related to semen quality were responsible for these patterns. METHODS: This is a prospective study including 936 men of couples seeking infertility treatment who provided 1618 semen samples at a single center (2000-2017). Self-reported demographic, nutritional and reproductive characteristics were collected using standardized questionnaires. Urinary concentrations of bisphenol A, parabens and phthalates were quantified by isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Semen samples were analyzed for volume, sperm concentration, count, motility and morphology following WHO guidelines. We estimated the differences in semen parameters over time by fitting generalized linear mixed models with random intercepts to account for repeated samples while adjusting for abstinence time. We also adjusted for demographic, nutritional and environmental factors to investigate these as potential predictors of time trends. RESULTS: Sperm concentration and count declined by 2.62% per year (95% CI -3.84, -1.38) and 3.12% per year (95% CI: -4.42, -1.80), corresponding to an overall decline of 37% and 42%, respectively, between 2000 and 2017. Decreasing trends were also observed for total motility (per year: -0.44 percentage units, 95% CI -0.71, -0.17) and morphologically normal sperm (per year: -0.069 percentage units, 95% CI -0.116, -0.023). These decreases reflected relative percentage declines of 15% and 16% over the 17 year study period, respectively. When reproductive factors were included in the model, the downward trends in sperm concentration and sperm count were attenuated by 29% and 26%, respectively, while the trends in motility and morphology were attenuated by 54% and 53%, respectively. Also, the downward trends in both sperm concentration and sperm morphology over time were attenuated by 19% when including the DEHP and non-DEHP metabolites, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Sperm concentration, total count, motility and morphology significantly declined between 2000 and 2017 among subfertile men. These negative trends were attenuated when considering simultaneous changes in reproductive characteristics and urinary phthalates during the course of the study.
Y-H Chiu, AE Karmon, AJ Gaskins, M Arvizu, PL Williams, I Souter, BR Rueda, R Hauser, and JE Chavarro. 2018. "Serum omega-3 fatty acids and treatment outcomes among women undergoing assisted reproduction." Hum Reprod, 33, 1, Pp. 156-165.Abstract
STUDY QUESTION: Are serum polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentrations, including omega-3 (ω3-PUFA) and omega-6 (ω6-PUFA), related to ART outcomes? SUMMARY ANSWER: Serum levels of long-chain ω3-PUFA were positively associated with probability of live birth among women undergoing ART. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Intake of ω3-PUFA improves oocyte and embryo quality in animal and human studies. However, a recent cohort study found no relation between circulating ω3-PUFA levels and pregnancy rates after ART. STUDY DESIGN SIZE, AND DURATION: This analysis included a random sample of 100 women from a prospective cohort study (EARTH) at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center who underwent 136 ART cycles within one year of blood collection. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Serum fatty acids (expressed as percentage of total fatty acids) were measured by gas chromatography in samples taken between Days 3 and 9 of a stimulated cycle. Primary outcomes included the probability of implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth per initiated cycle. Cluster-weighted generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to analyze the association of total and specific PUFAs with ART outcomes adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking status, physical activity, use of multivitamins and history of live birth. MAIN RESULTS AND ROLE OF CHANCE: The median [25th, 75th percentile] serum level of ω3-PUFA was 4.7% [3.8%, 5.8%] of total fatty acids. Higher levels of serum long-chain ω3-PUFA were associated with higher probability of clinical pregnancy and live birth. Specifically, after multivariable adjustment, the probability of clinical pregnancy and live birth increased by 8% (4%, 11%) and 8% (95% CI: 1%, 16%), respectively, for every 1% increase in serum long-chain ω3-PUFA levels. Intake of long-chain ω3-PUFA was also associated with a higher probability of life birth in these women, with RR of 2.37 (95% CI: 1.02, 5.51) when replacing 1% energy of long-chain ω3-PUFA for 1% energy of saturated fatty acids. Serum ω6-PUFA, ratios of ω6 and ω3-PUFA, and total PUFA were not associated with ART outcomes. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION: The generalizability of the findings to populations not undergoing infertility treatment may be limited. The use of a single measurement of serum fatty acids to characterize exposure may lead to potential misclassification during follow up. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Serum ω3-PUFA are considered biomarkers of dietary intake. The association of higher serum long chain ω3-PUFA levels with improved ART outcomes suggests that increased intake of these fats be may be beneficial for women undergoing infertility treatment with ART. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: NIH grants R01-ES009718 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, P30-DK046200 and T32-DK007703-16 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and L50-HD085359 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the Early Life Nutrition Fund from Danone Nutricia US. Dr Rueda is involved in a patent 9,295,662, methods for enhancing, improving, or increasing fertility or reproductive function (http://patents.com/us-9295662.html). This patent, however, does not lead to financial gain for Dr Rueda, or for Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr Rueda does not own any part of the company nor does he have any equity in any fertility related company. As Dr Rueda is not a physician, he does not evaluate patients or prescribe medications. All other coauthors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón, Audrey J Gaskins, Yu-Han Chiu, Carmen Messerlian, Paige L Williams, Jennifer B Ford, Irene Souter, Russ Hauser, and Jorge E Chavarro. 2018. "Type of underwear worn and markers of testicular function among men attending a fertility center." Hum Reprod, 33, 9, Pp. 1749-1756.Abstract
STUDY QUESTION: Is self-reported type of underwear worn associated with markers of testicular function among men at a fertility center? SUMMARY ANSWER: Men who reported most frequently wearing boxers had higher sperm concentration and total count, and lower FSH levels, compared to men who did not. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Elevated scrotal temperatures are known to adversely affect testicular function. However, the epidemiologic literature on type of underwear, as a proxy of scrotal temperature, and male testicular function is inconsistent. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This is a cross-sectional study including 656 male partners of couples seeking infertility treatment at a fertility center (2000-2017). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Self-reported information on type of underwear worn was collected from a take-home questionnaire. Semen samples were analyzed following World Health Organization guidelines. Enzyme immunoassays were used to assess reproductive hormone levels and neutral comet assays for sperm DNA damage. We fit linear regression models to evaluate the association between underwear type and testicular function, adjusting for covariates and accounting for multiple semen samples. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Men had a median (interquartile range) age of 35.5 (32.0, 39.3) years and BMI of 26.3 (24.4, 29.9) kg/m2. About half of the men (53%; n = 345) reported usually wearing boxers. Men who reported primarily wearing boxers had a 25% higher sperm concentration (95% CI = 7, 31%), 17% higher total count (95% CI = 0, 28%) and 14% lower serum FSH levels (95% CI = -27, -1%) than men who reported not primarily wearing boxers. Sperm concentration and total count were inversely related to serum FSH. Furthermore, the differences in sperm concentration and total count according to type of underwear were attenuated after adjustment for serum FSH. No associations with other measured reproductive outcomes were observed. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Our results may not be generalizable to men from the general population. Underwear use was self-reported in a questionnaire and there may be misclassification of the exposure. The cross-sectional design limits causal inference, and residual confounding is still possible owing to lack of information on other modifiable life styles that can also modify scrotal heat (e.g. type of trousers worn, textile fabric of the underwear). Blood sampling was not limited to the morning and, as a result, we may have missed associations with testosterone or other hormones with significant circadian variation despite statistical adjustment for time of blood draw. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Certain styles of male underwear may impair spermatogenesis and this may result in a compensatory increase in gonadotrophin secretion, as reflected by higher serum FSH levels among men who reported most frequently wearing tight underwear. Confirmation of these findings, and in particular the findings on FSH levels suggesting a compensatory mechanism, is warranted. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): The project was financed by Grants (R01ES022955, R01ES009718, P30ES000002, and K99ES026648) from the National Institutes of Health. None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to declare.
Ronit Machtinger, Audrey J Gaskins, Catherine Racowsky, Abdallah Mansur, Michal Adir, Andrea A Baccarelli, Antonia M Calafat, and Russ Hauser. 2018. "Urinary concentrations of biomarkers of phthalates and phthalate alternatives and IVF outcomes." Environ Int, 111, Pp. 23-31.Abstract
Phthalates are a class of chemicals found in a large variety of consumer products. Available experimental and limited human data show adverse effects of some phthalates on ovarian function, which has raised concerns regarding potential effects on fertility. The aim of the current study was to determine whether urinary concentrations of metabolites of phthalates and phthalate alternatives are associated with intermediate and clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. We enrolled 136 women undergoing IVF in a Tertiary University Affiliated Hospital. Participants provided one to two urine samples per cycle during ovarian stimulation and before oocyte retrieval. IVF outcomes were abstracted from medical records. Concentrations of 17 phthalate metabolites and two metabolites of the phthalate alternative di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) were measured. Multivariable Poisson regression models with log link were used to analyze associations between tertiles of specific gravity adjusted phthalate or DINCH metabolites and number of total oocytes, mature oocytes, fertilized oocytes, and top quality embryos. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the association between tertiles of specific gravity adjusted phthalate or DINCH metabolites and probability of live birth. Urinary concentrations of the sum of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate metabolites (∑DEHP) and the individual metabolites mono-2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate, mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate, and mono-2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl phthalate were negatively associated with the number of total oocytes, mature oocytes, fertilized oocytes, and top quality embryos. Of the low molecular weight phthalates, higher monoethyl phthalate and mono-n-butyl phthalate concentrations were associated with significantly fewer total, mature, and fertilized oocytes. None of the urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations were associated with a reduced probability implantation, clinical pregnancy or live birth. Metabolites of DINCH were not associated with intermediate or clinical IVF outcomes. Our results suggest that DEHP may impair early IVF outcomes, specifically oocyte parameters. Additional research is needed to elucidate the potential effect of DEHP on female fertility in the general population.
AJ Gaskins. 2018. "Weight change and pregnancy loss: what can be concluded?" BJOG, 125, 6, Pp. 685.
Type of underwear worn and markers of testicular function among men attending a fertility center
Caffeine, alcohol, smoking, and reproductive outcomes among couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatments
Importance of studying infertility from a life course perspective
Secular trends in semen parameters among men attending a fertility center between 2000 and 2017: Identifying potential predictors
Recent advances in understanding the relationship between long- and short-term weight change and fertility
Intake of protein-rich foods in relation to outcomes of infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies


text:
package org.eclipse.jetty.spdy;

import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
import java.nio.channels.ClosedChannelException;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
import java.util.concurrent.Future;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;

import org.eclipse.jetty.io.ByteBufferPool;
import org.eclipse.jetty.io.EndPoint;
import org.eclipse.jetty.io.MappedByteBufferPool;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.ByteBufferDataInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.DataInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.HeadersInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.PushInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.ReplyInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.RstInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.SPDY;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.Session;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.Settings;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.Stream;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.StreamFrameListener;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.StreamStatus;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.StringDataInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.api.SynInfo;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.frames.DataFrame;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.frames.SettingsFrame;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.frames.SynReplyFrame;
import org.eclipse.jetty.spdy.generator.Generator;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.Callback;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.Fields;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.FuturePromise;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.Promise;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.log.Log;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.log.Logger;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.thread.ScheduledExecutorScheduler;
import org.eclipse.jetty.util.thread.Scheduler;
import org.junit.After;
import org.junit.Assert;
import org.junit.Before;
import org.junit.Ignore;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
import org.mockito.Mock;
import org.mockito.invocation.InvocationOnMock;
import org.mockito.runners.MockitoJUnitRunner;
import org.mockito.stubbing.Answer;

import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.greaterThan;
import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.not;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertThat;
import static org.mockito.Matchers.any;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.doAnswer;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;

@RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
public class StandardSessionTest
{
    private static final Logger LOG = Log.getLogger(StandardSessionTest.class);
    private static final short VERSION = SPDY.V2;

    @Mock
    private Controller controller;

    @Mock
    private EndPoint endPoint;

    private ExecutorService threadPool;
    private StandardSession session;
    private Scheduler scheduler;
    private Fields headers;
    private final ByteBufferPool bufferPool = new MappedByteBufferPool();
    private final Generator generator = new Generator(bufferPool, new StandardCompressionFactory.StandardCompressor());

    @Before
    public void setUp() throws Exception
    {
        threadPool = Executors.newCachedThreadPool();
        scheduler = new ScheduledExecutorScheduler();
        scheduler.start();
        session = new StandardSession(VERSION, bufferPool, scheduler, controller, endPoint, null, 1, null,
                generator, new FlowControlStrategy.None());
        when(endPoint.getIdleTimeout()).thenReturn(30000L);
        headers = new Fields();
    }

    @After
    public void after() throws Exception
    {
        scheduler.stop();
        threadPool.shutdownNow();
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    private void setControllerWriteExpectation(final boolean fail)
    {
        doAnswer(new Answer()
        {
            public Object answer(InvocationOnMock invocation)
            {
                Object[] args = invocation.getArguments();
                Callback callback = (Callback)args[0];
                if (fail)
                    callback.failed(new ClosedChannelException());
                else
                    callback.succeeded();
                return null;
            }
        }).when(controller).write(any(Callback.class), any(ByteBuffer.class));
    }

    @Test
    public void testStreamIsRemovedFromSessionWhenReset() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        assertThatStreamIsInSession(stream);
        assertThat("stream is not reset", stream.isReset(), is(false));
        session.rst(new RstInfo(stream.getId(), StreamStatus.STREAM_ALREADY_CLOSED));
        assertThatStreamIsNotInSession(stream);
        assertThatStreamIsReset(stream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testStreamIsAddedAndRemovedFromSession() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        assertThatStreamIsInSession(stream);
        stream.updateCloseState(true, true);
        session.onControlFrame(new SynReplyFrame(VERSION, SynInfo.FLAG_CLOSE, stream.getId(), null));
        assertThatStreamIsClosed(stream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotInSession(stream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testStreamIsRemovedWhenHeadersWithCloseFlagAreSent() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        assertThatStreamIsInSession(stream);
        stream.updateCloseState(true, false);
        stream.headers(new HeadersInfo(headers, true));
        assertThatStreamIsClosed(stream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotInSession(stream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testStreamIsUnidirectional() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        assertThat("stream is not unidirectional", stream.isUnidirectional(), not(true));
        Stream pushStream = createPushStream(stream);
        assertThat("pushStream is unidirectional", pushStream.isUnidirectional(), is(true));
    }

    @Test
    public void testPushStreamCreation() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        Stream stream = createStream();
        IStream pushStream = createPushStream(stream);
        assertThat("Push stream must be associated to the first stream created", pushStream.getAssociatedStream().getId(), is(stream.getId()));
        assertThat("streamIds need to be monotonic", pushStream.getId(), greaterThan(stream.getId()));
    }

    @Test
    public void testPushStreamIsNotClosedWhenAssociatedStreamIsClosed() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        Stream pushStream = createPushStream(stream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotHalfClosed(stream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotClosed(stream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsHalfClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsNotClosed(pushStream);

        stream.updateCloseState(true, true);
        assertThatStreamIsHalfClosed(stream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotClosed(stream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsHalfClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsNotClosed(pushStream);

        session.onControlFrame(new SynReplyFrame(VERSION, SynInfo.FLAG_CLOSE, stream.getId(), null));
        assertThatStreamIsClosed(stream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsNotClosed(pushStream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testCreatePushStreamOnClosedStream() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        stream.updateCloseState(true, true);
        assertThatStreamIsHalfClosed(stream);
        stream.updateCloseState(true, false);
        assertThatStreamIsClosed(stream);
        createPushStreamAndMakeSureItFails(stream);
    }

    private void createPushStreamAndMakeSureItFails(IStream stream) throws InterruptedException
    {
        final CountDownLatch failedLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        PushInfo pushInfo = new PushInfo(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, headers, false);
        stream.push(pushInfo, new Promise.Adapter<Stream>()
        {
            @Override
            public void failed(Throwable x)
            {
                failedLatch.countDown();
            }
        });
        assertThat("pushStream creation failed", failedLatch.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS), is(true));
    }

    @Test
    public void testPushStreamIsAddedAndRemovedFromParentAndSessionWhenClosed() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        IStream pushStream = createPushStream(stream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsHalfClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsInSession(pushStream);
        assertThatStreamIsAssociatedWithPushStream(stream, pushStream);
        session.data(pushStream, new StringDataInfo("close", true), 5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new Callback.Adapter());
        assertThatPushStreamIsClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsNotInSession(pushStream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotAssociatedWithPushStream(stream, pushStream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testPushStreamIsRemovedWhenReset() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        IStream pushStream = (IStream)stream.push(new PushInfo(new Fields(), false));
        assertThatPushStreamIsInSession(pushStream);
        session.rst(new RstInfo(pushStream.getId(), StreamStatus.INVALID_STREAM));
        assertThatPushStreamIsNotInSession(pushStream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotAssociatedWithPushStream(stream, pushStream);
        assertThatStreamIsReset(pushStream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testPushStreamWithSynInfoClosedTrue() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        PushInfo pushInfo = new PushInfo(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, headers, true);
        IStream pushStream = (IStream)stream.push(pushInfo);
        assertThatPushStreamIsHalfClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotAssociatedWithPushStream(stream, pushStream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotInSession(pushStream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testPushStreamSendHeadersWithCloseFlagIsRemovedFromSessionAndDisassociateFromParent() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException,
            TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = createStream();
        PushInfo pushInfo = new PushInfo(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, headers, false);
        IStream pushStream = (IStream)stream.push(pushInfo);
        assertThatStreamIsAssociatedWithPushStream(stream, pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsInSession(pushStream);
        pushStream.headers(new HeadersInfo(headers, true));
        assertThatPushStreamIsNotInSession(pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsHalfClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatPushStreamIsClosed(pushStream);
        assertThatStreamIsNotAssociatedWithPushStream(stream, pushStream);
    }

    @Test
    public void testCreatedAndClosedListenersAreCalledForNewStream() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        final CountDownLatch createdListenerCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        final CountDownLatch closedListenerCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        session.addListener(new TestStreamListener(createdListenerCalledLatch, closedListenerCalledLatch));
        IStream stream = createStream();
        session.onControlFrame(new SynReplyFrame(VERSION, (byte)0, stream.getId(), new Fields()));
        session.onDataFrame(new DataFrame(stream.getId(), SynInfo.FLAG_CLOSE, 128), ByteBuffer.allocate(128));
        stream.data(new StringDataInfo("close", true));
        assertThat("onStreamCreated listener has been called", createdListenerCalledLatch.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS), is(true));
        assertThatOnStreamClosedListenerHasBeenCalled(closedListenerCalledLatch);
    }

    @Test
    public void testListenerIsCalledForResetStream() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        final CountDownLatch closedListenerCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        session.addListener(new TestStreamListener(null, closedListenerCalledLatch));
        IStream stream = createStream();
        session.rst(new RstInfo(stream.getId(), StreamStatus.CANCEL_STREAM));
        assertThatOnStreamClosedListenerHasBeenCalled(closedListenerCalledLatch);
    }

    @Test
    public void testCreatedAndClosedListenersAreCalledForNewPushStream() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        final CountDownLatch createdListenerCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(2);
        final CountDownLatch closedListenerCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        session.addListener(new TestStreamListener(createdListenerCalledLatch, closedListenerCalledLatch));
        IStream stream = createStream();
        IStream pushStream = createPushStream(stream);
        session.data(pushStream, new StringDataInfo("close", true), 5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new Callback.Adapter());
        assertThat("onStreamCreated listener has been called twice. Once for the stream and once for the pushStream",
                createdListenerCalledLatch.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS), is(true));
        assertThatOnStreamClosedListenerHasBeenCalled(closedListenerCalledLatch);
    }

    @Test
    public void testListenerIsCalledForResetPushStream() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        final CountDownLatch closedListenerCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        session.addListener(new TestStreamListener(null, closedListenerCalledLatch));
        IStream stream = createStream();
        IStream pushStream = createPushStream(stream);
        session.rst(new RstInfo(pushStream.getId(), StreamStatus.CANCEL_STREAM));
        assertThatOnStreamClosedListenerHasBeenCalled(closedListenerCalledLatch);
    }

    private class TestStreamListener extends Session.StreamListener.Adapter
    {
        private CountDownLatch createdListenerCalledLatch;
        private CountDownLatch closedListenerCalledLatch;

        public TestStreamListener(CountDownLatch createdListenerCalledLatch, CountDownLatch closedListenerCalledLatch)
        {
            this.createdListenerCalledLatch = createdListenerCalledLatch;
            this.closedListenerCalledLatch = closedListenerCalledLatch;
        }

        @Override
        public void onStreamCreated(Stream stream)
        {
            if (createdListenerCalledLatch != null)
                createdListenerCalledLatch.countDown();
            super.onStreamCreated(stream);
        }

        @Override
        public void onStreamClosed(Stream stream)
        {
            if (closedListenerCalledLatch != null)
                closedListenerCalledLatch.countDown();
            super.onStreamClosed(stream);
        }
    }

    @Test
    @Ignore("In V3 we need to rst the stream if we receive data on a remotely half closed stream.")
    public void receiveDataOnRemotelyHalfClosedStreamResetsStreamInV3() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        IStream stream = (IStream)session.syn(new SynInfo(new Fields(), false), new StreamFrameListener.Adapter());
        stream.updateCloseState(true, false);
        assertThat("stream is half closed from remote side", stream.isHalfClosed(), is(true));
        stream.process(new ByteBufferDataInfo(ByteBuffer.allocate(256), true));
    }

    @Test
    public void testReceiveDataOnRemotelyClosedStreamIsIgnored() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        final CountDownLatch onDataCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        Stream stream = session.syn(new SynInfo(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new Fields(), false, (byte)0),
                new StreamFrameListener.Adapter()
                {
                    @Override
                    public void onData(Stream stream, DataInfo dataInfo)
                    {
                        onDataCalledLatch.countDown();
                        super.onData(stream, dataInfo);
                    }
                });
        session.onControlFrame(new SynReplyFrame(VERSION, SynInfo.FLAG_CLOSE, stream.getId(), headers));
        session.onDataFrame(new DataFrame(stream.getId(), (byte)0, 0), ByteBuffer.allocate(128));
        assertThat("onData is never called", onDataCalledLatch.await(1, TimeUnit.SECONDS), not(true));
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    @Test
    public void testControllerWriteFails() throws Exception
    {
        final AtomicInteger writes = new AtomicInteger();
        final AtomicBoolean fail = new AtomicBoolean();
        Controller controller = new Controller()
        {
            @Override
            public void write(Callback callback, ByteBuffer... buffers)
            {
                writes.incrementAndGet();
                if (fail.get())
                    callback.failed(new ClosedChannelException());
                else
                    callback.succeeded();
            }

            @Override
            public void close(boolean onlyOutput)
            {

            }
        };
        ISession session = new StandardSession(VERSION, bufferPool, scheduler, controller, endPoint, null, 1, null, generator, null);
        IStream stream = new StandardStream(1, (byte)0, session, null, scheduler, null);
        stream.updateWindowSize(8192);

        // Send a reply to comply with the API usage
        stream.reply(new ReplyInfo(false), new Callback.Adapter());

        // Make the controller fail
        fail.set(true);
        final CountDownLatch failedCalledLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
        Callback.Adapter callback = new Callback.Adapter()
        {
            @Override
            public void failed(Throwable x)
            {
                failedCalledLatch.countDown();
            }
        };
        // Data frame should fail on controller.write()
        stream.data(new StringDataInfo(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, "data", false), callback);

        Assert.assertEquals(2, writes.get());
        Assert.assertTrue(failedCalledLatch.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
    }

    @Test
    public void testControlFramesAreStillSentForResetStreams() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        setControllerWriteExpectation(false);

        // This is necessary to keep the compression context of Headers valid
        IStream stream = createStream();
        session.rst(new RstInfo(stream.getId(), StreamStatus.INVALID_STREAM));
        stream.headers(new HeadersInfo(headers, true));

        verify(controller, times(3)).write(any(Callback.class), any(ByteBuffer.class));
    }

    @Test
    public void testMaxConcurrentStreams() throws InterruptedException
    {
        final CountDownLatch failedBecauseMaxConcurrentStreamsExceeded = new CountDownLatch(1);

        Settings settings = new Settings();
        settings.put(new Settings.Setting(Settings.ID.MAX_CONCURRENT_STREAMS, 0));
        SettingsFrame settingsFrame = new SettingsFrame(VERSION, (byte)0, settings);
        session.onControlFrame(settingsFrame);

        PushSynInfo pushSynInfo = new PushSynInfo(1, new PushInfo(new Fields(), false));
        session.syn(pushSynInfo, null, new Promise.Adapter<Stream>()
        {
            @Override
            public void failed(Throwable x)
            {
                failedBecauseMaxConcurrentStreamsExceeded.countDown();
            }
        });

        assertThat("Opening push stream failed because maxConcurrentStream is exceeded",
                failedBecauseMaxConcurrentStreamsExceeded.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS), is(true));
    }

    @Test
    public void testHeaderFramesAreSentInTheOrderTheyAreCreated() throws ExecutionException,
            TimeoutException, InterruptedException
    {
        testHeaderFramesAreSentInOrder((byte)0, (byte)0, (byte)0);
    }

    @Test
    public void testHeaderFramesAreSentInTheOrderTheyAreCreatedWithPrioritization() throws ExecutionException,
            TimeoutException, InterruptedException
    {
        testHeaderFramesAreSentInOrder((byte)0, (byte)1, (byte)2);
    }

    private void testHeaderFramesAreSentInOrder(final byte priority0, final byte priority1, final byte priority2) throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException
    {
        final StandardSession testLocalSession = new StandardSession(VERSION, bufferPool, scheduler,
                new ControllerMock(), endPoint, null, 1, null, generator, new FlowControlStrategy.None());
        HashSet<Future> tasks = new HashSet<>();

        int numberOfTasksToRun = 128;
        for (int i = 0; i < numberOfTasksToRun; i++)
        {
            tasks.add(threadPool.submit(new Runnable()
            {

                @Override
                public void run()
                {
                    synStream(priority0);
                    synStream(priority1);
                    synStream(priority2);
                }

                private void synStream(byte priority)
                {
                    SynInfo synInfo = new SynInfo(headers, false, priority);
                    testLocalSession.syn(synInfo, new StreamFrameListener.Adapter(), new FuturePromise<Stream>());
                }
            }));
        }

        for (Future task : tasks)
        {
            task.get();
        }

        threadPool.shutdown();
        threadPool.awaitTermination(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
    }

    private class ControllerMock implements Controller
    {
        long lastStreamId = 0;

        @Override
        public void write(Callback callback, ByteBuffer... buffers)
        {
            StandardSession.FrameBytes frameBytes = (StandardSession.FrameBytes)callback;

            int streamId = frameBytes.getStream().getId();
            if (LOG.isDebugEnabled())
                LOG.debug("last: {}, current: {}", lastStreamId, streamId);
            if (lastStreamId < streamId)
                lastStreamId = streamId;
            else
                throw new IllegalStateException("Last streamId: " + lastStreamId + " is not smaller than current StreamId: " +
                        streamId);
            frameBytes.succeeded();
        }

        @Override
        public void close(boolean onlyOutput)
        {
        }
    }

    private IStream createStream() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        SynInfo synInfo = new SynInfo(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, headers, false, (byte)0);
        return (IStream)session.syn(synInfo, new StreamFrameListener.Adapter());
    }

    private IStream createPushStream(Stream stream) throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException
    {
        PushInfo pushInfo = new PushInfo(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS, headers, false);
        return (IStream)stream.push(pushInfo);
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsClosed(IStream stream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is closed", stream.isClosed(), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsReset(IStream stream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is reset", stream.isReset(), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsNotInSession(IStream stream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is not in session", session.getStreams().contains(stream), not(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsInSession(IStream stream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is in session", session.getStreams().contains(stream), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsNotClosed(IStream stream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is not closed", stream.isClosed(), not(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsNotHalfClosed(IStream stream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is not halfClosed", stream.isHalfClosed(), not(true));
    }

    private void assertThatPushStreamIsNotClosed(Stream pushStream)
    {
        assertThat("pushStream is not closed", pushStream.isClosed(), not(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsHalfClosed(IStream stream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is halfClosed", stream.isHalfClosed(), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsNotAssociatedWithPushStream(IStream stream, IStream pushStream)
    {
        assertThat("pushStream is removed from parent", stream.getPushedStreams().contains(pushStream), not(true));
    }

    private void assertThatPushStreamIsNotInSession(Stream pushStream)
    {
        assertThat("pushStream is not in session", session.getStreams().contains(pushStream), not(true));
    }

    private void assertThatPushStreamIsInSession(Stream pushStream)
    {
        assertThat("pushStream is in session", session.getStreams().contains(pushStream), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatStreamIsAssociatedWithPushStream(IStream stream, Stream pushStream)
    {
        assertThat("stream is associated with pushStream", stream.getPushedStreams().contains(pushStream), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatPushStreamIsClosed(Stream pushStream)
    {
        assertThat("pushStream is closed", pushStream.isClosed(), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatPushStreamIsHalfClosed(Stream pushStream)
    {
        assertThat("pushStream is half closed ", pushStream.isHalfClosed(), is(true));
    }

    private void assertThatOnStreamClosedListenerHasBeenCalled(final CountDownLatch closedListenerCalledLatch) throws InterruptedException
    {
        assertThat("onStreamClosed listener has been called", closedListenerCalledLatch.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS), is(true));
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


BANNER ELK, NC (WBTV) - Heavy rain and gusty wind near tropical storm force spelled bad news for the fall colors in some spots of the North Carolina Mountains.
In Avery County, one side of Grandfather Mountain shows most trees with no leaves left. Those that are still around, for the most part, are green. October 15th is generally the peak time for color in the highest elevations but not this year.
Warm weather kept the leaves from turning and when heavy rain and high winds hit last week, many leaves that were left were blown off. Christa Poore, who owns a restaurant near Pineola, says it has affected all businesses in the High Country. Though a lot of people are still in the mountains who had vacations planned, the crowds would be much bigger, she says, if the colors would come out.
A cold snap is expected by the end of the week. The question is whether there are enough leaves left to make a difference. In Banner Elk, there are a lot of leaves but they are still green. Locals estimate they are a week and a half to two weeks behind their normal schedule.
Experts say if the leaves do not change soon, they will drop off anyway.
Steve started as a photographer at WBTV in 1975, leaving for CBS (New York) in 1980. He returned from New York a year later and in 1981, started the Morganton-based newsroom.


Jumping here Rule 2: Registration.
• A registry form must be filled out by anyone who plans to jump. This is done on site upon arrival.
• A registration fee to SBK Base must be paid on site. Those who have already paid, must show their registry card.
• Your logbook is needed to document your experience! This is mandatory. If you cannot document your jumps, we might deny you jumping with us.


text:
Ex membro del gruppo musicale J-pop Flame, Hisato Izaki ha debuttato nel 2004 nel film Devilman, ispirato all'omonimo manga, in cui interpreta il personaggio di Akira Fudo. In seguito ha anche recitato in Crows Zero (2007) e Crows Zero II (2009).

Izaki ha un fratello gemello, Yûsuke Izaki, anch'egli attore ed ex membro dei Flame.

Note

Collegamenti esterni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Official: 29 inmates killed in Venezuelan jail riot
Loop News Created : 25 May 2019 World News
A showdown between armed inmates and guards in an overcrowded cellblock of a Venezuelan jail Friday left at least 29 prisoners dead, an official said.
The clash started when inmates, many armed, refused to let authorities enter, fearing they would be robbed, said Humberto Prado of the Venezuelan Prison Observatory. He said there were reports of at least one explosion.
An official in the Attorney General's office who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak said at least 29 people were killed and 19 others injured.
Prado called on authorities who run Venezuela's prisons to stop the violent deaths, saying more than 130 inmates have died since 2017 in three separate riots across the country.
"We have this situation because those responsible are converting these cells into dungeons," Prado said in a video posted on Twitter. "Prisoners in Venezuela will continue to die unless something is done."
The prison is in the central state of Portuguesa, some 220 miles (350 kilometres) from the capital of Caracas. It's designed to hold 250, but bulges with 540 inmates, he said.
Last year, a prison riot in the city of Valencia left 68 inmates dead, many of whom were burned alive. At least 39 died two years ago inside a jail in the state of Amazonas, the prisoner rights group said.
Venezuela is in the throes of a historic political and social crisis marked by shortages of food and medicine that's driving millions to flee the country.
Critics say about 30 prisons spread across Venezuela are severely overcrowded, housing 57,000 inmates. They're often run by gangs that traffic drugs and weapons.
UN recognises Venezuelans fleeing homeland as refugees
Nonprofits turn to cryptocurrency to help needy Venezuelans
Without Venezuela's oil, Haiti struggles to keep lights on

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The director used his time onstage while accepting the Emmy Award for outstanding director Monday to his advantage – by proposing to his girlfriend!
Glenn Weiss decided to use his time onstage while accepting the Emmy Award for best director for a variety special Monday to his advantage – by proposing to his girlfriend on live TV.
"Mom always believed in finding the sunshine in things, and she adored my girlfriend Jan. Jan, you are the sunshine in my life. And mom was right, never let go of your sunshine," Weiss said. "You wonder why I don't like to call you my girlfriend? Because I want to call you my wife."
The crowd roared as Svendsen reacted in shock, happily nodding her head and making her way to the stage to join Weiss.
"This is the ring my dad put on my mom's finger 67 years ago. And to my sisters and brothers, I didn't swipe it, Dad knows I have it, OK?" Weiss continued. "Jan, I want to put this ring my mom wore on your finger in front of all these people and in front of my mom and your parents watching up above. Will you marry me?"
Svendsen nodded again before telling Weiss "I love you" and giving him a kiss.
"Thank you to the Academy! Thank you everybody," Weiss added before walking offstage with his new fiancee.
Backstage, Weiss told reporters the proposal was a "real magical moment" and that he had been walking the red carpet with the ring in his pocket.
"It was nerve-wracking," he said. "It's not a diamond ring. It's my mom's wedding ring. For me, it's more valuable than the Hope Diamond."
Svendsen said she had "no suspicions" about Weiss popping the question and that she's "beyond ecstatic."
The proposal took everyone by shock, too, including celebrities and other viewers who reacted to the spectacle on Twitter.
Writer and comedian Fortune Feimster was surprised with the turn in his speech.
"Maybe long haired Glen Weiss who directed the Oscars will liven this show up by breaking into song," she said. "Ok, nope, sad dead mom story. Wait...he just proposed!!!"
TV personality Billy Eichner also seemed to love the proposal.
"STRAIGHT PEOPLE WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!" he tweeted.
"Great moment at tonight's @TheEmmys," one user tweeted. "Congratulations to Glenn Weiss for winning as well for adding an incredibly romantic touch!!"
"OMG! Best speech ever!" another tweeted with the hashtag #SheSaidYes.
"Glenn Weiss just made #Emmys history, taking home the Emmy and a fiancé!" another tweeted.


BEHOLD! "The Soul" ISSUE 1... Message me for Pre-order Information!
Good cover! It has that classic montage promising what is to be found within it. The mix of characters are dramatically arranged and vary in a way that will hopefully draw the customer to want to find out what they are all about. The premise reads as both a challenging and exciting one. I wish you the best success with it!
Product is now avaialable at our official Website! jozucomics.com!


Semiconductor THz Crystals: ZnTe (Zinc Telluride) crystals with <110> orientation are used for THz generation by optical rectification process. Optical rectification is a difference frequency generation in media with large second order susceptibility. For femtosecond laser pulses which have large bandwidth the frequency components interact with each other and their difference produce bandwidth from 0 to several THz. Detection of the THz pulse occurs via free-space electro-optic detection in another <110> oriented ZnTe crystal. The THz pulse and the visible pulse are propagated collinearly through the ZnTe crystal. The THz pulse induces a birefringence in ZnTe crystal which is read out by a linearly polarized visible pulse. When both the visible pulse and the THz pulse are in the crystal at the same time, the visible polarization will be rotated by the THz pulse. Using a λ/4 waveplate and a beamsplitting polarizer together with a set of balanced photodiodes, it is possible to map THz pulse amplitude by monitoring the visible pulse polarization rotation after the ZnTe crystal at a variety of delay times with respect to the THz pulse. The ability to read out the full electric field, both amplitude and delay, is one of the attractive features of time-domain THz spectroscopy. ZnTe are also used for IR optical components substrates and vacuum deposition.
NOTE: ZnTe crystal contains micro bubbles and they are visible in projection of illuminated crystal. However this does not affect the THz generation. We do not accept complains on presence of bubbles in crystal.
GaSe (Gallium Selenide) crystals used for THz generation shows a large bandwidth of up to 41 THz. GaSe is a negative uniaxial layered semiconductor with a hexagonal structure of 62 m point group and a direct bandgap of 2,2 eV at 300 K. GaSe crystal features high damage threshold, large nonlinear optical coefficient (54 pm/V), suitable transparent range, and low absorption coefficient, which make it an alternative solution for broadband mid infrared electromagnetic waves generation. Due to broadband THz generation and detection using a sub-20 fs laser source, GaSe emitter-detector system performance is considered to achieve comparable or even better results than using thin ZnTe crystals. In order to achieve frequency selective THz wave generation and detection system, GaSe crystals of appropriate thickness should be used.
NOTE: because of material structure it is possible to cleave GaSe crystal along (001) plane only. Another disadvantage is softness and fragility of GaSe.


The Albert twisted English Bridle Leather Dog Lead is handmade to our own bespoke design, hand-stitched and finished to an exacting standard.
The Albert twisted Leather Dog Leash has the highest quality solid English brass trigger fastener for attaching to your Bone Idol Leather Dog Collar. English bridle leather has a beautiful quality to it whereby over time and with use it becomes more malleable and soft to the touch. A twist on our classic Mayfair Leather Dog Lead.


I've been making some version of this super frugal easy Beef Stroganoff freezer meal recipe for about 20 years now. On my last large family freezer cooking day, I made it with brown rice since my Instant Pot cooks rice so perfectly! This would also be amazing with ground sausage as the meat or half ground beef and half sausage. Oh, the possibilities!
This Beef Stroganoff Freezer Meal Recipe yields 4 9×13 baking pans.
Combine cook ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and cooked brown rice in a large container to mix gently.
Fill up to four 9×13 baking pans full of the Beef Stroganoff mixture.
Top each casserole with 2 cups of shredded Mozerella cheese.
Set the desired pans of Beef Stroganoff out in the refrigerator the evening before you'd like to serve them.


Pussycat was a Dutch country and pop group led by the three Kowalczyk sisters: Toni, Betty and Marianne. Other members of the band were Lou Willé (Toni's then-husband), Theo Wetzels, Theo Coumans, and John Theunissen.
Prior to forming the band, the three sisters were telephone operators in Limburg, whilst Theunissen, Wetzles and Coumans were in a group called Scum. Lou Willé played in a group called Ricky Rendall and His Centurions until he married Toni, and created the group Sweet Reaction that eventually became known as Pussycat.
In 1975 they scored a big European hit with the song "Mississippi". However they had to wait a further year for the single to make the British charts when it climbed to number one in the UK Singles Chart in October 1976. Penned by Werner Theunissen, who had been the sisters' guitar teacher, it is estimated that "Mississippi" sold over five million copies worldwide.
Pussycat was a Dutch country and pop group led by the three Kowalczyk sisters: Toni, Betty and Marianne. Other members of the band were Lou Willé (Toni's then-husband), Theo Wetzels, Theo Coumans, and John Theunissen. Their song "Mississippi" was a #1 hit in most European countries, including the UK, in 1975/76.


text:
You are here : Home - blog - Kate Moss: she never leaves this French treatment for less than 20 euros
Kate Moss: she never leaves this French treatment for less than 20 euros
Published on September 15, 2022 at 11:56 am
Kate Moss: she never leaves this French treatment for less than 20 euros – © OLIVIER BORDE / BESTIMAGE
For the magazine "Vogue", the top model unveiled her beauty essentials. On the program: very affordable French care.
1er last september, Kate Moss has unveiled her brand dedicated to well-being and beauty soberly baptized COSMOSS. On the program: a moisturizer, a cleanser, a CBD-infused oil or even a perfume. "Each product has been meticulously crafted with wellness in mind, using potent, natural substances. Each ritual opens the door to balance, restoration and love, each fragrance and infusion complement each other", she explained on her Instagram account. To promote her new project, the pretty blonde unveiled her beauty essentials to "Vogue" magazine. Among them, we obviously find products from his new label, accessories such as the gua-sha but also very popular and affordable French treatments.
Kate Moss bets on French skincare
Kate Moss would she be addicted to TikTok? Like many users, the former model loves French treatments. For several months, thehe brands made in France sold in pharmacies are on the rise on the social network. The one affectionately nicknamed the twig does not ignore this phenomenon. In his sights? La Roche Posay sunscreen available for less than 20 €. "It's new in my routine. My daughter tells me all the time: "Mom, you have to put on sunscreen". Now I know it's very important, "said the top. Another product that never leaves your handbag? Clarins energizing water (31 euros). This cult perfume, halfway between a skincare product and an eau toilette, is a beauty secret that is shared from mother to daughter at the Moss family. "My mother wore it. It's a must smell and it's very refreshing," she concluded. The rise of French care is only confirmed!


text:
Stone Field, True Arrow
Author: Kyoko Mori
B&N NOOK Google Play Kindle Kobo eBooks.com iBooks
Maya Ishida is no stranger to sorrow. Torn from her artist father in her native Japan, raised by her cold, ambitious mother in Minneapolis, she has finally put together a life with few disruptions:...
Maya Ishida is no stranger to sorrow. Torn from her artist father in her native Japan, raised by her cold, ambitious mother in Minneapolis, she has finally put together a life with few disruptions: a safe marriage and a quiet life weaving clothes in a country studio. The past is no more than a story she vaguely remembers; the present is a gray landscape of solitary pleasures and modest expectations.
After her father dies, Maya is pulled back into the memory of their parting. In his many stories of Orpheus and Eurydice and of the tennyo, a mythic Japanese figure, he had taught her that love means making the sacrifice of letting go. And so she had walked away from him without looking back.
Twenty-four years later, holding her father's last sketch, Maya knows she can avoid looking back no longer. She must question her placid marriage, her decision not to become an artist, and even the precarious peace she has made with her mother before she can be released--to feel passion, risk change, and fall in love.
Kyoko Mori's young adult novel, Shizuko's Daughter, was hailed in The New York Times Book Review as "a jewel...one of those rarities that shine out only a few times in a generation." In Stone Field, True Arrow, her first novel for adults, she sheds brilliant light on eternal questions about life and love.
"A novel by Kyoko Mori is an event. Laced with her beautiful writing, Stone Field, True Arrow is breathtaking." —Lorrie Moore, author of Birds of America


Forever Bamboo's commercial grade bamboo pole pack comes with 2 poles that measure 8 feet in length and 5 inches in diameter. Our Moso bamboo is naturally flexible, light weight, long lasting, and easy to work with. Bamboo poles can be used both indoors and outdoors to enhance your home, business, restaurant, hotel, and theme park.
8 foot poles are ideal for custom fences, furniture, decorative walls and doors, tiki bars, and tropical handicrafts. The soothing shades of beiges, tans, and yellows emphasize a place of relaxation and look great with any interior design theme. Our bamboo poles go through a series of quality tests before shipment to ensure customer satisfaction.
When used outdoors, we recommend coating your poles with Cabot's Australian Timber Oil in Honey Teak. The sealant will prevent premature weathering and color fade from climate and weather changes.


text:
Koen Fossey (born 30 June 1953) is a Belgian illustrator.

Career

He won the Prijs van de Vlaamse Provincies in 1983 for his picture book Het spoortje in het bos.

Fossey received the Prijs van de Kinder- en Jeugdjury voor het boek in Vlaanderen several times for illustrating various books written by Ed Franck: in 1986 for the book Spetters op de kermis,  in 1987 for Tenten in de wei, in 1989 for De witte muur and in 1990 for Wie wil Wubbe weg.

In 1989, he won the very first Boekenpauw award for illustrating the book Moet je echt weg, also written by Ed Franck.

Awards
 1983: Prijs van de Vlaamse Provincies, Het spoortje in het bos
 1986: Prijs van de Kinder- en Jeugdjury voor het boek in Vlaanderen, Spetters op de kermis
 1987: Prijs van de Kinder- en Jeugdjury voor het boek in Vlaanderen, Tenten in de wei
 1989: Prijs van de Kinder- en Jeugdjury voor het boek in Vlaanderen, De witte muur
 1989: Boekenpauw, Moet je echt weg
 1990: Prijs van de Kinder- en Jeugdjury voor het boek in Vlaanderen, Wie wil Wubbe weg?

References

External links
 Koen Fossey (in Dutch), Digital Library for Dutch Literature
 Koen Fossey (in Dutch), jeugdliteratuur.org

1953 births
Living people
Boekenpauw winners
Belgian children's book illustrators