Lidocaine patches after cesarean sections: a randomized control trial.

Objectives: Lidocaine patches are a common topical analgesic therapy but have not been thoroughly investigated in the surgical or obstetric literature. We sought to investigate the impact of adding topical lidocaine patches to routine postcesarean pain management on patients' postcesarean pain scores and opioid use.

Study Design: This is a prospective randomized subject-blinded controlled trial of patients undergoing cesarean delivery at a single institution.

Medical Management of Endometriosis in Adolescent and Young Adult Women: A Review of 91 Cases of Biopsy-Confirmed Endometriosis.

Objectives: To characterise contemporary trends in the hormonal management of endometriosis in adolescent and young adult patients with biopsy-proven endometriosis.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of women aged 14-25 years who underwent laparoscopy for pelvic pain with biopsy-proven endometriosis between January 2011 and September 2020 at an academic tertiary hospital system. The final sample included 91 patients with biopsy-confirmed endometriosis.

Age-related changes in Folliculogenesis and potential modifiers to improve fertility outcomes - A narrative review.

Reproductive aging is characterized by a decline in oocyte quantity and quality, which is directly associated with a decline in reproductive potential, as well as poorer reproductive success and obstetrical outcomes. As women delay childbearing, understanding the mechanisms of ovarian aging and follicular depletion have become increasingly more relevant. Age-related meiotic errors in oocytes are well established.

Impact of sleep patterns upon female neuroendocrinology and reproductive outcomes: a comprehensive review.

Sleep is vital to human bodily function. Growing evidence indicates that sleep deprivation, disruption, dysrhythmia, and disorders are associated with impaired reproductive function and poor clinical outcomes in women. These associations are largely mediated by molecular-genetic and hormonal pathways, which are crucial for the complex and time sensitive processes of hormone synthesis/secretion, folliculogenesis, ovulation, fertilization, implantation, and menstruation.

Analysis of female demographics in the United States: life expectancy, education, employment, family building decisions, and fertility service utilization.

Purpose Of Review: To discuss changes in female demographic parameters in the US and associated increase in utilization of fertility services.

Recent Findings: Fractions of women earning bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees increased from 1970 to 2018 (32.6 vs 64.

Miscarriage determination in first trimester based on alpha-fetoprotein extracted from sanitary pads.

Objective: To determine if high alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level in vaginal blood collected on a sanitary pad can assist with detecting an active miscarriage.

Design: A prospective cohort study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Mitochondrial Stress Response Gene Is Not Required for Granulosa Cell Function.

Mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR) is a highly conserved mechanism, which is activated upon cellular or metabolic stress and aims to help cells maintain homeostasis. CLPP (caseinolytic peptidase P) plays a crucial factor for UPR; it promotes the degradation of unfolded mitochondrial proteins. Global germline deletion of in mice results in female infertility and accelerated follicular depletion.

A step towards the automation of intracytoplasmic sperm injection: real time confirmation of mouse and human oocyte penetration and viability by electrical resistance measurement.

Objective: To evaluate if oocyte penetration and viability can be confirmed by an electrical resistance increase. Automated (robotic) intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) requires confirmation of oolemma penetration before sperm injection. Visual assessment using image processing algorithms have been developed but remain unreliable.

Bed rest after an embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Bed rest for the variable duration is commonly recommended after an embryo transfer (ET) carried out during an in vitro fertilization (IVF). This is based on beliefs that supine position and the reduction of physical activity-to the minimum-might prevent the risk of embryo expulsion once is transferred to the uterus. Therefore, we have designed a meta-analysis based exclusively on evidence from published randomized controlled trials (RCTs), in the attempt to analyze the effectiveness of bed rest after an ET to improve the chance for success in vitro fertilization.

Mitofusin 1 is required for female fertility and to maintain ovarian follicular reserve.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that continually adapt their structure through fusion and fission in response to changes in their bioenergetic environment. Targeted deletion of mitochondrial fusion protein mitofusin1 (MFN1) in oocytes resulted in female infertility associated with failure to achieve oocyte maturation. Oocyte-granulosa cell communication was impaired, and cadherins and connexins were downregulated, resulting in follicle developmental arrest at the secondary follicle stage.

Translational activation of maternally derived mRNAs in oocytes and early embryos and the role of embryonic poly(A) binding protein (EPAB).

Transcription ceases upon stimulation of oocyte maturation and gene expression during oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early cleavage relies on translational activation of maternally derived mRNAs. Two key mechanisms that mediate translation of mRNAs in oocytes have been described in detail: cytoplasmic polyadenylation-dependent and -independent. Both of these mechanisms utilize specific protein complexes that interact with cis-acting sequences located on 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR), and both involve embryonic poly(A) binding protein (EPAB), the predominant poly(A) binding protein during early development.

Metabolic imaging with the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) accurately detects mitochondrial dysfunction in mouse oocytes.

Objective: To determine whether metabolic imaging with the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) identifies metabolic differences between normal oocytes and those with metabolic dysfunction.

Design: Experimental study.

Setting: Academic research laboratories.

Mitochondrial unfolded protein response gene Clpp is required to maintain ovarian follicular reserve during aging, for oocyte competence, and development of pre-implantation embryos.

Caseinolytic peptidase P mediates degradation of unfolded mitochondrial proteins and activates mitochondrial unfolded protein response (mtUPR) to maintain protein homeostasis. Clpp female mice generate a lower number of mature oocytes and two-cell embryos, and no blastocysts. Clpp oocytes have smaller mitochondria, with lower aspect ratio (length/width), and decreased expression of genes that promote fusion.

RANKL/RANK Pathway and Its Inhibitor RANK-Fc in Uterine Leiomyoma Growth.

Context: Uterine leiomyomas are the most common type of gynecologic tumor in women.

Objective: To determine the role of the cytokine receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-Β ligand (RANKL); its receptor, receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-Β (RANK); and the RANKL/RANK pathway inhibitor RANK-Fc in leiomyoma growth.

Design: Messenger RNA (mRNA) or protein levels of RANKL, RANK, and proliferation markers cyclin D1 and Ki67 were assessed in various leiomyoma tissues and cell populations.

Thyroid hormone levels in late preterm, early term and term infants: a study with healthy neonates revealing reference values and factors affecting thyroid hormones.

Background: Thyroid function tests in neonates have been challenging to interpret because their levels are affected by several neonatal and delivery-related factors. The aim of the study was to evaluate reference values of thyroxine (T4) and thyrotropin (TSH) levels in different gestational age groups and to demonstrate the affect of perinatal factors on thyroid hormones.

Methods: Medical records of 7616 neonates whose gestational age ranges between 34 and 42 weeks were analyzed retrospectively.

A Risk Assessment Comparison of Breast Cancer and Factors Affected to Risk Perception of Women in Turkey: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: The increase in breast cancer incidence has enhanced attention towards breast cancer risk. The aim of this study was to determine the risk of breast cancer and risk perception of women, factors that affect risk perception, and to determine differences between absolute risk and the perception of risk.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among 346 women whose score in the Gail Risk Model (GRM) was ≥ 1.

AMP-activated protein kinase and energy balance in breast cancer.

Cancer growth and metastasis depends on the availability of energy. Energy-sensing systems are critical in maintaining a balance between the energy supply and utilization of energy for tumor growth. A central regulator in this process is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).

XENON in medical area: emphasis on neuroprotection in hypoxia and anesthesia.

Xenon is a medical gas capable of establishing neuroprotection, inducing anesthesia as well as serving in modern laser technology and nuclear medicine as a contrast agent. In spite of its high cost, its lack of side effects, safe cardiovascular and organoprotective profile and effective neuroprotective role after hypoxic-ischemic injury (HI) favor its applications in clinics. Xenon performs its anesthetic and neuroprotective functions through binding to glycine site of glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor competitively and blocking it.