The Role of the Mediterranean Diet in Assisted Reproduction: A Literature Review.

The Mediterranean Diet, characterized by high consumption of plant-based foods, olive oil, moderate intake of fish and poultry, and low consumption of red meat and processed foods, has been suggested to improve assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. This narrative review aimed to summarize and synthesize the evidence from observational studies on the associations between preconception adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and ART outcomes. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant studies.

Postmenopausal women with higher TSH values within the normal range present improved handgrip strength: a pilot study.

Objective: To evaluate the possible association between thyroid function within the euthyroid range and musculoskeletal parameters as well as body composition in a sample of postmenopausal women.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 96 postmenopausal women with serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) within the normal laboratory reference range. Fasting venous blood samples were obtained for biochemical/hormonal assessment.

Screening for perinatal depression and stress: a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: There is currently a heightened need for perinatal medical services to timely recognize and accurately meet the psychological needs of pregnant women. Psychological disturbances a mother experiences during pregnancy, such as depression and anxiety, can be later associated with inadequate maternal capacity for antenatal care for herself and the baby, and may lead to subsequent mental health problems later in the mother's life. Routine prenatal assessment could significantly benefit from being proactively enriched with early prevention mental health screening tools to assess, appropriately manage vulnerable populations, and subsequently implement preventive actions.

Endothelial Function in Postmenopausal Women: The Possible Role of Heat Shock Protein 60 and Serum Androgens.

Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), a potentially homeostatic antigen, is involved in physiological and non-physiological conditions. Experimental data support the role of HSP60 in placental and mitochondrial steroidogenesis. Furthermore, HSP60 is translocated into the endothelial-cell plasma membrane and the extracellular space under stress conditions, promoting the atherosclerotic process.

Dextro-Transposition of Great Arteries and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: A Review of the Literature.

Background: Arterial switch operation (ASO) is the gold-standard surgical approach for dextro-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA). It is performed during the neonatal period and has almost diminished the previously high mortality rate (from 90% if left untreated to <0.5%).

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Tetralogy of Fallot: A Systematic Review.

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) represents between 7 and 10% of the total cases of congenital heart defects (CHD) and is estimated to be the most common cyanotic CHD, requiring medical or surgical intervention within the first year of life. Current advances in prenatal screening and fetal echocardiography led to increased rates of prenatal diagnosis of TOF. Furthermore, improvements in initial medical care, surgical repair, and long-term care are associated with excellent long-term survival until adulthood.

Heterotopic pregnancy after bilateral salpingectomy, IVF and multiple embryos transfer. A case report and systematic review of the literature.

Heterotopic pregnancy after bilateral salpingectomy is an extremely rare complication of in vitro fertilisation/embryo transfer cycles. We report a case of a ruptured abdominal pregnancy on the omentum which was the stimulus to conduct the first systematic review on this complication according to 'PRISMA' guidelines (PROSPERO R.No CRD42020134104).

Maternal Prenatal Stress, Thyroid Function and Neurodevelopment of the Offspring: A Mini Review of the Literature.

Fetal brain is extremely plastic and vulnerable to environmental influences that may have long-term impact on health and development of the offspring. Both the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) axes are involved in stress responses, whereas, their final effectors, the Glucocorticoids (GCs) and the Thyroid Hormones (TH s), mediate several fundamental processes involved in neurodevelopment. The effects of these hormones on brain development are found to be time and dose-dependent.

Liver Proteome Profile of Growth Restricted and Appropriately Grown Newborn Wistar Rats Associated With Maternal Undernutrition.

Background: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) has been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes and epigenetic modifications that impact gene expression leading to permanent changes of fetal metabolic pathways and thereby influence development of disease in childhood and adult life. In this study, we investigated the result of maternal food restriction on liver protein expression in Wistar male newborn pups.

Materials & Methods: Ten (n = 10) timed pregnant Wistar rats on their 14th day of gestation were randomly assigned to either control (n = 4) or food restricted group (n = 6).

Assessing the efficacy of a structured stress management program in reducing stress and climacteric symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured education program on lifestyle habits, which is also incorporating teaching on deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided visualization, in the control of various components of the climacteric symptomatology in peri- and postmenopausal women. Sixty-one women aged 40-65 years with varying climacteric and stress symptoms were included in this study. Women were randomly assigned to the intervention group (31) or the control group (30).

MTHFR Polymorphisms in Girls with Anorexia Nervosa: Implications on Body Weight.

The development of atypical vs typical anorexia nervosa (AN) might be explained by the genetic background. We assessed the link between the subtypes of AN and the genetic polymorphisms of the thrombotic panel and the methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. This cross-sectional pilot study recruited 48 girls with AN and 10 age-matched control girls with normal menstruation.

Association of menopausal symptoms with sociodemographic factors and personality traits.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the association of personality traits with the severity of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) in a predominantly Greek population.

Material And Methods: A questionnaire-based study of women from the Menopause Clinic of a University Hospital in Athens, Greece. Sociodemographic parameters were documented through a structured interview.

Abnormal fasting, post-load or combined glucose values on oral glucose tolerance test and pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate whether pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) present differences in the outcomes according to the findings on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), including fasting, post-load or combined abnormal blood glucose.

Materials: This was a prospective cohort study including 831 singleton pregnancies with GDM per the IADPSG criteria. According to their fasting blood glucose value on OGTT the women were categorized in three groups: (i) GDM women with fasting plasma glucose levels > 92 mg/dl and normal post-load values (T0 abnormal group), (ii) patients with abnormal values at 60' and/or 120' and normal fasting values (T-post group) and (iii) patients with combined fasting and post-load abnormal blood glucose values (T-comb).

Psychosomatic and vasomotor symptom changes during transition to menopause.

Menopause is the condition in which the gradual decline in ovarian function finally leads to the permanent cessation of menstruation. Oestrogen deficiency may cause early symptoms during the menopausal transition and late symptoms after menopause. Menopause is a normal period of life.

Predictors of incident hypertension in healthy non-diabetic postmenopausal women with normal renal function.

We aimed to investigate the incidence of hypertension and to identify potential risk factors in healthy, non-diabetic recently postmenopausal Greek women with normal renal function. This retrospective cohort study evaluated 141 recently postmenopausal women at baseline and annually thereafter (follow-up time: 1 to 8 years). Blood samples were obtained, and ultrasound evaluations were performed at baseline.

Gestational Diabetes and T-cell (Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg) Immune Profile.

Background/aim: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication, characterized by insulin resistance and low-grade systemic inflammation with a pro-inflammatory immune system response. Our objective was to study the peripheral Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg response in GDM compared to normal pregnancy.

Materials And Methods: Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg subsets was determined by flow cytometry based on staining for specific intracellular cytokines, as well as C-reactive protein (CRP) and total IgE circulating levels.

Intrauterine HPV transmission: a systematic review of the literature.

Purpose: To evaluate the percentage of intrauterine vertical human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission among HPV-positive mothers and the relative risk of intrauterine vertical HPV transmission between cesarean and vaginal delivery among HPV-positive women.

Methods: This systematic review was made according to the PRISMA statement. We searched PubMed and Scopus and the final articles were selected by two reviewers.

Endogenous sex hormones and memory performance in middle-aged Greek women with subjective memory complaints.

The changing hormonal milieu during the menopausal transition may contribute to the development of memory disorders. We aimed to assess the association of sex hormones with memory function in a sample of Greek middle-aged women. This pilot study included 44 women with subjective memory complaints.

Prediction of pre-eclampsia combining NGAL and other biochemical markers with Doppler in the first and/or second trimester of pregnancy. A pilot study.

Objective: To determine the performance of maternal characteristics, Doppler and a set of biochemical markers for pre-eclampsia (PE) screening at 11+0 to 13+6 and 20+1 to 25+6 weeks' gestation.

Study Design: Prospectively enrolled women at 11+0 to 13+6 and 20+1 to 25+6 weeks. Maternal characteristics, uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI), ductus venosus pulsatility index (DV-PI) and serum biomarkers including pregnancy associated plasma protein - A (PAPP-A), placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), s-Flt-1/PLGF ratio, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and MMP-9/NGAL complex were recorded.

Greek-origin royal jelly improves the lipid profile of postmenopausal women.

Aim: Menopause transition is associated with chronic conditions such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Concerns about the long-term safety of menopausal hormone therapy make alternative natural methods an appealing approach to management. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of royal jelly (RJ) on cardiovascular and bone turnover markers in clinically healthy postmenopausal women.