Effects of American Ginseng on Preimplantation Development and Pregnancy in Mice.

In North America, a high proportion of pregnant women use herbal medications including North American ginseng. This medicinal plant contains high amounts of triterpene saponins (ginsenosides), which are the main bioactive compounds. It is important to assess ginseng's impact on all reproductive functions to ensure the safety of pregnant women and fetuses.

High Frequency of Imprinted Methylation Errors in Human Preimplantation Embryos.

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) represent the best chance for infertile couples to conceive, although increased risks for morbidities exist, including imprinting disorders. This increased risk could arise from ARTs disrupting genomic imprints during gametogenesis or preimplantation. The few studies examining ART effects on genomic imprinting primarily assessed poor quality human embryos.

Ureteric injury during transvaginal ultrasound guided oocyte retrieval.

Background: Transvaginal ultrasound guided oocyte retrieval during in vitro fertilization is performed routinely around the world and has reduced the occurrence of intra-abdominal injury considerably over laparoscopic procedures. Despite this, injuries do occur.

Case: We report a case of a 37-year-old patient who underwent IVF and encountered a ureteric injury during oocyte retrieval, which was recognized early and treated with ureteral stents with full resolution.

Do multiple attempts at embryo transfer affect clinical pregnancy rates?

Objective: During an in vitro fertilization treatment cycle, having embryos retained in the catheter after embryo transfer is a relatively uncommon and frustrating event. The reported incidence of retained embryos varies between 1% and 8%. It can be difficult to explain this unwanted event to patients.

Effect of mood states and infertility stress on patients' attitudes toward embryo transfer and multiple pregnancy.

Objective: To examine whether mood state or infertility stress influences perceptions of risk, preferences for embryo transfer, or views on multiple pregnancy.

Design: Observational cohort study.

Setting: Hospital-based fertility clinic.

Evaluation of preparatory psychosocial counselling for medically assisted reproduction.

Background: This study evaluated couples' perceptions of preparatory psychosocial counselling prior to participation in medically assisted reproduction (MAR).

Methods: Eighty-three couples about to undergo IUI treatment were asked about their expectations regarding a subsequent single psychosocial counselling session and assessed in terms of their levels of infertility-specific stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Afterwards, participants rated their satisfaction with different elements of the session.

Changes in patient preferences in the disposal of cryopreserved embryos.

Background: The disposal of unused cryopreserved embryos can be a difficult decision for patients and the existence of unclaimed embryos raises ethical concerns for clinics. This study examined changes in patients' preferences for disposition of unused embryos and the relevance of a two-stage process for obtaining consent.

Methods: Patients who had not returned for cryopreserved embryos for over 5 years were contacted and asked to specify their current preferences for embryo disposition.

Successful management of an extensive intracranial sinus thrombosis in a patient undergoing IVF: case report and review of literature.

Objective: To report a successfully managed case of extensive intracranial sinus thrombosis that occurred during an IVF cycle, and to review the literature.

Design: Case report and review of literature.

Setting: University-affiliated teaching hospital.

Development and investigation of a free and informed choice process for embryo donation to stem cell research in Canada.

Objectives: To develop and investigate a consent process that satisfies the Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) Act and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Stem Cell Guidelines, furthers free and informed choice, and fosters embryo donation to human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research.

Methods: Consultations were undertaken with an hESC scientist, in vitro fertilization (IVF) team members, and the ethicist-author of the CIHR Guidelines to review the AHR Act, the CIHR Stem Cell Guidelines, the established consent process for embryo donation at University Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre, the characteristics of patients appropriate for contact, and strategies for sensitive recruitment. Invitation-to-participate packages were sent to patients.

Factors affecting patients' attitudes toward single- and multiple-embryo transfer.

Objective: To identify factors that influence patient decision making concerning embryo transfer.

Design: Prospective analysis.

Setting: In vitro fertilization unit at a tertiary-care, university-affiliated teaching hospital.

Sperm donation: implications of Canada's Assisted Human Reproduction Act 2004 for recipients, donors, health professionals, and institutions.

Background: On April 22, 2004, the Assisted Human Reproduction Act came into force, prohibiting the purchase of sperm or eggs from donors in Canada. In response to the concerns of medical professionals and some consumers that prohibiting payment would lead to a decline in the number of gamete donors, Health Canada commissioned research on altruistic donor recruitment and recruitment strategies.

Methods: Twenty-two studies of sperm donors were located and their findings reviewed.

Poor responders in assisted reproduction cycles.

Poor responders represent a challenging group of infertility patients who fail to respond to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation during the course of assisted reproduction treatment. Although poor response has been investigated since the eighties, many aspects of this condition are still controversial and no consensus has been reached on the management of these patients. The existing data cannot be easily compared due to the heterogeneity of the research design and methodology and the number of prospective randomized trials of sufficient sample size is limited.

Endometriosis related to infertility.

Endometriosis is a disease affecting the physical health and emotional well being of many women worldwide. General estimates indicate that at least 25% of all women in their 30s and 40s may be suffering from endometriosis and 30-50% of the affected women are also infertile. Medical therapy, surgery and assisted reproduction are the 3 main options available to women affected by this condition.

Medical management of a cervical pregnancy: a case report.

Background: Cervical pregnancy is a rare condition that can become life-threatening if heavy bleeding occurs.

Case: Grace (pseudonym) is a 32-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital at approximately 6 weeks' gestational age after several days of heavy bleeding. Ultrasonographic examination revealed the presence of cervical pregnancy.

Premenstrual syndrome.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects the quality of life of millions of women. The complexity and variety of clinical presentation together with the cyclic recurrence of affective and somatic symptoms increase the difficulty in understanding and treating the disease. The precise pathophysiology of PMS is still unknown, but it is increasingly believed that, in women with PMS, the sensitive equilibrium between sex-steroids and central neurotransmitters is altered.

Effects of progestins on progesterone synthesis in a stable porcine granulosa cell line: control of transcriptional activity of the cytochrome p450 side-chain cleavage gene.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of progestins on progesterone synthesis and expression of the cytochrome P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage gene (P450(scc)) in a stable porcine granulosa cell line, the JC-410. Cells were incubated for 48 h with the synthetic progestogen-levornorgestrel with or without RU486 (progesterone and glucocorticoid receptor antagonist) or RWJ26819 (progesterone agonist without affinity to glucocorticoid receptors). Both levonorgestrel and RU486 enhanced progesterone accumulation in a dose-dependent manner.

Association between mutations of the follicle-stimulating-hormone receptor and repeated twinning.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) has a role in folliculogenesis and spontaneous twinning. Using the candidate gene approach, we searched for mutations in the gene encoding the FSH receptor in a woman who had given birth to two sets of dizygotic twins without fertility treatment. We identified two linked mutations (Thr307Ala and Asn680Ser) that were closely associated with this phenotype.

Recurrent pregnancy loss associated with endometrial hyperechoic areas (endometrial calcifications): a case report and review of the literature.

Endometrial calcifications occur sporadically and are associated with infertility. Previous uterine trauma during instrumentation and/or uterine infection are likely involved in their pathogenesis. The association between endometrial calcifications and recurrent pregnancy loss has been very infrequently reported.

Future in vitro fertilization pregnancy potential of women with variably elevated day 3 follicle-stimulating hormone levels.

Objective: To determine the IVF-ET pregnancy potential of women with variably elevated day 3 FSH.

Design: Cohort evaluation of 1,868 consecutive IVF-ET cycles January 1991 to December 1994.

Setting: University hospital infertility unit.

Induced morphological changes in human small cell lung carcinoma cells.

Several theories suggest that lung carcinomas are not totally separate entities, but are derived from a common precursor, probably of endodermal origin. The histological classification of lung cancers is complex, with much overlap between groups broadly designated as small cell (SCLC), squamous cell, adenocarcinoma and all others simply termed non-small cell. It is shown here that in vitro exposure of classic, non-adherent SCLC lines to 10 microM 5' bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) results in a rapid cell-line dependent change to a morphology consistent with an adherent, non-small cell phenotype.

Human melanoma-associated antigen expression on human neuroblastoma cells: effects of differentiation inducers.

We have described two human melanoma-associated antigens (HMAA), recognized by the murine monoclonal antibodies LS62 and LS109. LS62 recognizes the neuroglandular antigen (NGA), which is overexpressed in neoplastic melanocytes as well as in several tissues of neuroectodermal origin. These antibodies were used to screen six neuroblastoma cell lines and one neuroepithelioma cell line.

Effects of retinoic acid and bromodeoxyuridine on human melanoma-associated antigen expression in small cell lung carcinoma cells.

The dispersed neuroendocrine system includes cells with different embryological derivations, sharing a common neuroendocrine (NE) program, as indicated by the expression of NE markers, some of which are shared antigenic determinants. We report here that the small cell lung carcinoma cells NCI-H69 express the two human melanoma-associated antigens (HMAA) NGA/LS62 an LS109. Incubation of NCI-H69 cells with maturational inducers, such as retinoic acid and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), upregulated the expression of both HMAA.

Melanocytic differentiation of human neuroblastoma: expression of a human melanosome-associated antigen.

Five human neuroblastoma cell lines were examined for expression of a human melanosome-associated antigen (HMSA). Only cell line SK-N-SH reacted with a monoclonal antibody, HMSA-2, shown to recognize melanosomal glycoproteins. To further characterize the melanocytic lineages of SK-N-SH, three morphologically distinct clones designated SK-N-SH-N (neuroblast type), SK-N-SH-F (fibroblast type), and SK-N-SH-EP (epithelial type) were established by colony formation cloning.

Inhibition of neuroglandular antigen (NGA) glycosylation by phorbol ester in human melanoma cells.

NGA is a human melanoma-associated antigen recognized by a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies developed in this laboratory. NGA consists of a 23.5 kDa core protein which is glycosylated in vivo to give a family of glycoproteins (30-60 kDa).