Predictive value of postwashed total progressively motile sperm count using CASA estimates in 6871 non-donor intrauterine insemination cycles.

Purpose: To determine whether postwashed total progressively motile sperm count (TPMSC) obtained by CASA estimates could predict positive pregnancy test result in non-donor IUI cycles.

Methods: Six thousand eight hundred and seventy one (6,871) IUI cycles with non-donor semen were retrospectively analyzed. Patient, cycle characteristics and prewashed and postwashed semen parameters were included in analysis.

Using the oocyte donation model to identify early trophoblast pregnenolone production.

Purpose: To investigate production of progesterone's precursor, pregnenolone, in the early oocyte donation pregnancy.

Methods: Pregnenolone and progesterone were measured on luteal days 21, 28, 35, 60 and 80. Progesterone was measured via the Immulite system, pregnenolone by liquid chromatography separation with tandem mass spectrometric detection.

The impact of bariatric surgery on obesity-related infertility and in vitro fertilization outcomes.

Obesity-related infertility is one of the most common problems of reproductive-age obese women who desire childbearing. The various types of bariatric surgeries have proved effective in controlling excessive weight gain, improving fertility, and preventing certain maternal and fetal complications in these women. This article summarizes the current evidence regarding the impact of bariatric surgery on obesity-related infertility and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes.

The extrapituitary effects of GnRH antagonists and their potential clinical implications: a narrated review.

Potential roles of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists on GnRH/GnRH receptor systems and their effects on the extrapituitary tissues are largely elusive. In this narrated review, we summarized the systemic effects of GnRH antagonists on ovary, endometrium, embryo implantation, placental development, fetal teratogenicity, reproductive tissue cancer cells, and heart while briefly reviewing the GnRH and GnRH receptor system. GnRH antagonists may have direct effects on ovarian granulosa cells.

Expression and activation of the membrane-cytoskeleton protein ezrin during the normal endometrial cycle.

Objective: To examine total ezrin expression (ezrin and phospho-ezrin) through the normal endometrial cycle and to correlate ezrin activation and localization with cytologic changes.

Design: Experimental laboratory study.

Setting: University medical centers.

Management of vulvovaginal atrophy-related sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women: an up-to-date review.

Objective: Menopause and its transition represent significant risk factors for the development of vulvovaginal atrophy-related sexual dysfunction. The objective of this study was to review the hormonal and nonhormonal therapies available for postmenopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy-related sexual dysfunction, focusing on practical recommendations through a literature review of the most relevant publications in this field.

Methods: This study is a literature review.

Biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists.

Purpose Of Review: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors are not only detected in the central nervous system but also in tissues such as ovary, endometrium, breast, gastrointestinal system, placenta and malignant tumors of ovary and breast. The direct role of GnRH-antagonists in ovarian function, implantation, cancer pathogenesis and treatment is under extensive investigation. This study reviews the biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology of GnRH-antagonists as well as GnRH types and their receptors.

Estradiol regulates expression of polysialated neural cell adhesion molecule by human vascular endothelial cells.

Rationale: The mechanism of atherogenesis includes leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells followed by migration into the subendothelial space. The polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecules (PSA-nCAMs) are a group of hydrophilic neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) isoforms that inhibit NCAM: NCAM association, thereby blocking cell: cell adhesion. During previous studies, we demonstrated that sialylation of specific NCAMs are upregulated at proestrus in the rat and that PSA-nCAM is expressed by the rat vascular endothelium.

Impact of developmental stage at cryopreservation and transfer on clinical outcome of frozen embryo cycles.

Although several early IVF successes were achieved after transferring fully formed blastocysts, the majority of embryos replaced worldwide over the past 30 years have been at the cleavage stage. The programme at this study centre has previously found that delaying an embryo transfer to day 5 can reduce the chance for a high-order multiple gestation without compromising the pregnancy rate because fewer embryos can be replaced. To evaluate the impact of transfer day and embryonic stage at cryopreservation on cycle outcome, 6069 fresh and 706 frozen transfers from 2000-2006 performed at this study centre were retrospectively analysed.

What can we learn from design faults in the Women's Health Initiative randomized clinical trial?

Design faults resulted in the inability of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) randomized clinical trial to test the level of cardioprotection conferred by timely hormone treatment of women seeking help for menopausal complaints. Adopting a design constructed around the avoidance of symptomatic subjects and recruitment of older subjects who were more likely to manifest cardiovascular events during the life of the WHI resulted in recruitment of older, sicker subjects than are normally treated for complaints around the time of menopause. The lack of cardioprotection in subjects that began treatment a decade or more after menopause diluted cardioprotection in subjects starting treatment close to the menopausal transition.

Estrogens regulate posttranslational modification of neural cell adhesion molecule during the estrogen-induced gonadotropin surge.

Estrogen-induced synaptic plasticity (EISP) in the periventricular area (PVA) of the hypothalamus is necessary for the preovulatory gonadotropin surge. Because in situ enzymatic desialization of hypothalamic polysialylated (PSA) neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) blocked EISP, we examined the presence and amount of NCAM isotopes, PSA-NCAM, and sialylation enzymes in microdissected mouse hypothalamus tissues from proestrous afternoon [peak of estrogens and nadir of arcuate nucleus (AN) synapses] and metestrous morning (nadir of estrogens and highest AN synapses). Immunohistochemistry confirmed immunoreactive (ir) PSA-NCAM staining in the perineural spaces of the PVA.

Peritoneal tuberculosis with elevated serum Ca-125 level mimicking advanced stage ovarian cancer: a case report.

Background: Tuberculosis is still a common problem in immigrant population with peritoneal tuberculosis as the most common presentation of extrapulmonary disease.

Case: A 36-year-old woman presented with abdominal distention, night sweats and weight loss. Physical examination and radiologic studies revealed ascites, omental caking and bilateral enlarged ovaries with an elevated serum Ca-125 of 353 U/mL.

Tenascin is highly expressed in endometriosis and its expression is upregulated by estrogen.

Objective: To investigate the localization of tenascin expression in the endometrium of women without endometriosis and in endometriotic implants, and to determine the in vitro regulation of tenascin by E(2) in these tissues.

Design: Experimental laboratory study.

Setting: University medical center.