Consecutive versus concomitant follicle-stimulating hormone and highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin: A milder response but better quality.

Objective: This study investigated the impact of two stimulation protocols using highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin (HP-hMG) on the endocrine profile, follicular fluid soluble Fas levels, and outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.

Methods: This prospective clinical trial included 100 normal-responder women undergoing ovarian stimulation for ICSI; 55 patients received concomitant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plus HP-hMG from the start of stimulation, while 45 patients received FSH followed by HP-hMG during mid/late follicular stimulation. The primary outcome was the number of top-quality embryos.

Case Report: Zika Virus Meningoencephalitis and Myelitis and Associated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings.

Zika virus (ZIKV) has a wide clinical spectrum of associated neurologic disease including microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome but, despite its known neurotropism, ZIKV meningoencephalitis and myelitis have been rare complications. We describe a case of ZIKV meningoencephalitis and probable myelitis and its associated magnetic resonance imaging findings that rapidly resolved during recovery in a previously healthy adult.

Nonrandom Associations of Graphemes with Colors in Arabic.

Numerous studies demonstrate people associate colors with letters and numbers in systematic ways. But most of these studies rely on speakers of English, or closely related languages. This makes it difficult to know how generalizable these findings are, or what factors might underlie these associations.

Role of uterine artery Doppler in the management of uterine leiomyoma by arterial embolization.

Objectives: To study Doppler changes in the uterine artery immediately following and 3 months after uterine artery embolization (UAE) and to test the feasibility of using uterine artery Doppler as a predictor of the predominant side of arterial supply to leiomyomas, amount of embolizing material needed and leiomyoma tumor volume at follow-up.

Methods: The study included 38 patients undergoing UAE for leiomyomas. Uterine artery Doppler was performed transabdominally before, within 6 hours after and 3 months after UAE to determine the peak systolic (PSV) and end-diastolic (EDV) velocities and resistance index (RI).

Defining poor responders in assisted reproduction.

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish an objective definition of "poor responders" for patients undergoing treatment with assisted reproduction.

Methods: A total of 782 infertile couples treated with assisted reproduction were studied by retrospective analysis of the data. Simple linear regression was performed between the number of oocytes retrieved and the clinical pregnancy rate.

The use of the modified hypo-osmotic swelling test for the selection of immotile testicular spermatozoa in patients treated with ICSI: a randomized controlled study.

Background: Various methods for the selection of viable sperm from among immotile testicular spermatozoa for use in ICSI have been described in non-randomized studies. We have conducted a randomized controlled study to compare the use of the modified hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test (50% culture medium + 50% Milli-Q grade water) with that of sperm selection on the basis of their morphology alone.

Methods: A total of 79 couples with immotile testicular spermatozoa treated with ICSI were randomly assigned into two groups.

Assisted hatching--a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: To conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on assisted hatching.

Methods: One hundred sixty-five studies were retrieved from the literature, but only 13 of them fitted our selection criteria. The meta-analysis was conducted using the RevMan software with the Peto-modified Mantel-Haenszel method.

Sperm velocity and morphology, female characteristics, and the hypo-osmotic swelling test as predictors of fertilization potential: experience from the IVF model.

Objective: To determine, among the following variables, the predictors of sperm fertilization potential of a given semen sample: sperm count, eight sperm velocity characteristics determined by computer-assisted semen analysis, the sperm morphology score determined by strict criteria, and the hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test, using the IVF model.

Design: Data from 58 couples attending the assisted conception unit for conventional IVF treatment were analyzed retrospectively by simple linear regression and multiple stepwise regression analysis, taking the fertilization rate as the dependent factor.

Results: The mean sperm velocity and the strict sperm morphology assessment were the only parameters showing significant correlation with the fertilization rate.

Impact of technical difficulties, choice of catheter, and the presence of blood on the success of embryo transfer--experience from a single provider.

Purpose: To investigate the impact of technical difficulties, choice of catheter, and the presence of blood during embryo transfer on the results of in vitro fertilization and ICSI.

Methods: A cohort of 784 consecutive cycles in 655 in vitro fertilization and ICSI patients were studied.

Results: Negotiating the cervix, using the volsellum, presence of blood on the catheter wall or on the cervix did not affect the results.

Ultrasound measurement of the uterocervical angle before embryo transfer: a prospective controlled study.

Background: The study aim was to determine whether moulding the embryo transfer catheter according to the uterocervical angle measured by ultrasound could improve pregnancy and implantation rates.

Methods: Patients were alternately allocated to one of two groups. In the ultrasound-guided group (n = 320), the catheter was moulded according to the uterocervical angle measured by abdominal ultrasound.

The use of a modified hypo-osmotic swelling test for the selection of viable ejaculated and testicular immotile spermatozoa in ICSI.

A modified hypo-osmotic solution was used to select viable ejaculated and testicular spermatozoa to perform intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in 27 treatment cycles from patients with total absence of sperm motility. The treatment cycles consisted of 15 cycles in which ejaculated spermatozoa were used and 12 cycles in which testicular spermatozoa were used. The hypo-osmotic solution consisted of 50% culture medium and 50% deionized water and was shown in previous in-vitro studies to be superior to the original solution used in the classical hypo-osmotic swelling test.

Predictors of treatment failure for ectopic pregnancy treated with single-dose methotrexate.

Objective: To determine variables that predict treatment failure after methotrexate (MTX) treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Canadian teaching hospital.