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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Bollywood’s eternal ‘He-Man’ departs

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik creats a sand sculpture to pay tribute to veteran actor Dharmendra at Puri beach, Odisha, on Monday. Mumbai : One of the most beloved icons of Hindi cinema, actor-politician Dharam Kewal Krishan Deol - universally adored as the heart-throb Dharmendra - passed away on Sunday after a prolonged illness at his Mumbai residence, barely a fortnight before his 90th birthday.   He was 89. His entire family was by his side during his final moments, even as the news sent a...

Bollywood’s eternal ‘He-Man’ departs

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik creats a sand sculpture to pay tribute to veteran actor Dharmendra at Puri beach, Odisha, on Monday. Mumbai : One of the most beloved icons of Hindi cinema, actor-politician Dharam Kewal Krishan Deol - universally adored as the heart-throb Dharmendra - passed away on Sunday after a prolonged illness at his Mumbai residence, barely a fortnight before his 90th birthday.   He was 89. His entire family was by his side during his final moments, even as the news sent a wave of shock, grief, and nostalgia through Bollywood and the millions who grew up watching and admiring him.   Admitted to a private Mumbai hospital earlier this month, Dharmendra’s declining health had put the nation on edge.   His family had repeatedly appealed for calm as unfounded rumours of his passing circulated, underscoring the deep emotional connect he shared with audiences.   Renowned for his gentle charm, quiet dignity, and earthy Jat masculinity, Dharmendra’s screen presence spanned the transition from black-and-white cinema to widescreen colour spectacle.   For generations of film-goers, he was the epitome of the affable hero - handsome, courageous, and emotionally vulnerable. For a time, even his simple hairstyle became a national trend as fans proudly asked barbers for the “Dharmendra Cut.”   The late thespian Dilip Kumar once famously confessed a touch of envy at Dharmendra’s striking looks - a compliment that spoke volumes about his charisma, which could give even the most confident heroines wobbly knees.   Born on December 8, 1935, in Nasrali village near Sahnewal, Punjab, Dharmendra was mesmerised by cinema from an early age. He would excitedly cycle miles to watch the latest film releases in neighbouring towns.   His life changed in 1958 when he won Filmfare magazine’s national talent-search contest, rewarding him with his debut role in “Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere” (1960) alongside the legendary Balraj Sahni.   He is survived by his wives Prakash Kaur and Hema Malini, six children, and a large, grieving family, besides millions of teary-eyed fans.

AI in Sperm Sorting: An Unbiased Decision for A Better Outcome

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Artificial Intelligence or AI is revolutionising fertility treatments of the future. The inclusion of AI enhances the accuracy, efficiency, and objectivity of sperm selection, hence potentially improving fertility outcomes by leaps and bounds. Traditionally, sperm sorting through manual methods is subjective to judgments. Processes like centrifugation and swim-up methods are used to separate sperm based on motility and morphology. Although they are effective, they have their limitations, leading to human errors that affect the success rates of fertility treatment. For instance, studies have shown that traditional sperm sorting techniques can have variability in success rates, with reported live birth rates ranging between 15 per cent to 25 per cent per cycle depending on the method and quality of sperm. Hence the introduction of AI helps in maintaining consistency in evaluations of sperm, using the same data set for every sample which leads to better judgments.


Automation and Standardisation- Automation of sperm selection and also introduction of AI in the process have improved the results in ART. AI-assisted sperm selection improves the accuracy in choosing high-quality sperm for fertilisation purposes, and also, pregnancy and live birth rates might be improved. Technologies like Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection along with AI ensure the chances of pregnancies increase by about 10-20 per cent compared to the standard procedures. AI and Automation will decrease time taken to analyze sperm and increase opportunities to select better sperm with DNA integrity for better development and higher success rates in embryo selection. These processes ensure that the sperm selection process follows consistent criteria, reducing variability in outcomes caused by human error.


Analysing Complex Data for Better Outcomes- AI plays a crucial in improving IVF outcomes by analysing complex data and providing tailored recommendations. AI-driven tools and models such as those on SpOvum.ai point towards an opportunity to optimise ovarian stimulation decisions by assessing patient characteristics and follicle growth patterns. A study revealed that the use of AI in IVF improved egg yield and reduced medication costs. AI enables fertility specialists to make data-driven choices, improving overall IVF success rates and streamlining treatment processes.


Reducing Human Error- AI models can continuously learn and refine their performance by being trained on newer data. This adaptability ensures the technology remains unbiased and up-to-date with the latest scientific insights into sperm quality and fertility success rates. Studies have shown that AI-driven sperm sorting can decrease human-related errors by up to 25 per cent, improving sperm selection quality in terms of morphology and motility.


Reduction of Sperm Damage- The new AI-driven sperm sorting techniques also include microfluidic systems that are known to exhibit several advantages over the most commonly used conventional method, which is centrifugation. Traditional centrifugation methods, such as density gradient centrifugation, also cause severe oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation of the sperm because of the very high mechanical forces involved. The AI-infused microfluidic sorting minimises this damage significantly by involving gentler processes that mimic the natural pathway of sperm selection. The studies show that the process of microfluidic sorting decreases DNA fragmentation in sperm, which gives improved opportunities for success for IVF. For example, DNA fragmentation is 20 percent lower in sperm sorted using microfluidic processes than in traditional processing methods.


AI is bound to play an increasingly definitive role in fertility treatments, which will improve the outcomes for couples experiencing infertility.


(The author is a Co-Founder & CEO at SpOvum® Technologies. Views personal.)

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