Neovagina in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome: Vaginoplasty Using Ileal Flap.

Introduction: Surgical treatment of patients with malformations of the female genital tract is a complex problem and there are different techniques described in the literature. The goal of all these techniques is the reconstruction of a neovagina that is anatomically similar to a vagina, with adequate length to facilitate sexual functioning and with the lowest risk of possible complications. The aim of this study is to describe the surgical technique for the reconstruction of a neovagina from an ileal segment without a vascular pedicle.

Nano-Confined Tin Oxide in Carbon Nanotube Electrodes via Electrostatic Spray Deposition for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The development of novel materials is essential for the next generation of electric vehicles and portable devices. Tin oxide (SnO), with its relatively high theoretical capacity, has been considered as a promising anode material for applications in energy storage devices. However, the SnO anode material suffers from poor conductivity and huge volume expansion during charge/discharge cycles.

Levator ani muscle avulsion in patients with pelvic floor dysfunction - Does it help in understanding pelvic organ prolapse?

Introduction: Levator ani muscle (LAM) lesions are an important factor in the development of female pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Objective: To determine the prevalence of LAM avulsion by transperineal ultrasound. The second outcome is to evaluate the association between complete avulsion and the type, degree, and number of POP compartments involved.

Management of pregnancy in case of multiple and giant uterine fibroids.

Uterine fibroids are common among women of reproductive age. During the pregnancy, the potential complications of fibroids, although rare, are of frequent clinical concern. Available studies describing management and obstetrical outcomes in pregnant women with giant fibroids are limited.

Electrostatic Spray Deposition-Based Manganese Oxide Films-From Pseudocapacitive Charge Storage Materials to Three-Dimensional Microelectrode Integrands.

In this study, porous manganese oxide (MnO) thin films were synthesized via electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) and evaluated as pseudocapacitive electrode materials in neutral aqueous media. Very interestingly, the gravimetric specific capacitance of the ESD-based electrodes underwent a marked enhancement upon electrochemical cycling, from 72 F∙g to 225 F∙g, with a concomitant improvement in kinetics and conductivity. The change in capacitance and resistivity is attributed to a partial electrochemical phase transformation from the spinel-type hausmannite Mn₃O₄ to the conducting layered birnessite MnO₂.

A retrospective analysis of the effectiveness of anterior pelvic organ prolapse repair with Prolift versus Elevate vaginal mesh.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of anterior pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair using Prolift (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ, USA) or Elevate (American Medical Systems, Minnetonka, MN, USA) vaginal mesh at 12 months of follow-up.

Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken using the records for the first 50 Prolift procedures in 2007-2009 and the first 50 Elevate procedures in 2013-2015 performed at a tertiary urogynecology unit in Lisbon, Portugal. Postoperative follow-up occurred at 3, 6, and 12 months.

King's Health Questionnaire to assess subjective outcomes after surgical treatment for urinary incontinence: can it be useful?

Introduction And Hypothesis: Midurethral slings (MUS) are the mainstay of treatment for stress urinary incontinence, but the definition of success varies widely amongst studies. The King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) was designed to evaluate the impact of urinary incontinence on the quality of life. We hypothesised that the KHQ could be useful for postoperative quantitative assessment of subjective outcomes.

Laparoscopic Vaginal-Assisted Hysterectomy With Complete Vaginectomy for Female-To-Male Genital Reassignment Surgery.

Study Objective: Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and vaginectomy for genital reassignment surgery is a complex procedure that is usually performed with a combined vaginal and abdominal approach. The aim of this study was to describe the feasibility of laparoscopic vaginectomy in sex reassignment surgery.

Methods: We reviewed the relevant medical history, intra/postoperative complications, and surgical results of all patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria and submitted to totally laparoscopic gender confirmation surgery in our department between January 2007 and March 2015.

Incontinence surgery in obese women: comparative analysis of short- and long-term outcomes with a transobturator sling.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Midurethral slings (MUS) are still discussed in complex incontinence situations, such as obesity, lacking sustained efficacy validation in this particular sub-population. We hypothesized that the outcomes of a transobturator MUS, such as TVT-O, do not differ according to body mass index (BMI) over a 4-year period.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 281 women who underwent TVT-O at our institution, between 2004 and 2012.

VEGF signaling on hematopoietic precursors restricts B-lymphoid commitment in vitro and in vivo.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signals on vascular and hematopoietic cells via its receptors, VEGFR-2 (KDR) and VEGFR-1 (FLT-1). Elevated levels of VEGF, such as during tumor growth or inflammation, have been suggested to suppress hematopoiesis; most studies refer to KDR as the main receptor involved in this inhibitory effect. In the present study, having detected expression of FLT-1 in B-lymphoid precursors, we exploited the possibility that VEGF signaling via FLT-1 might affect early B-cell commitment.

Detailed molecular characterization of cord blood-derived endothelial progenitors.

Objective: Given their involvement in pathological and physiological angiogenesis, there has been growing interest in understanding and manipulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) for therapeutic purposes. However, detailed molecular analysis of EPC before and during endothelial differentiation is lacking and is the subject of the present study.

Materials And Methods: We report a detailed microarray gene-expression profile of freshly isolated (day 0) human cord blood (CB)-derived EPC (CD133+KDR+ or CD34+KDR+), and at different time points during in vitro differentiation (early: day 13; late: day 27).

Maternal death related to misoprostol overdose.

Background: Misoprostol is an important drug in obstetrics and gynecology because of its uterotonic and cervical-ripening activities. The side effects are dose-related, usually transitory, and well tolerated. The toxic dosage in humans is unknown, and there is no specific antidote.