Alterations in Regional Brain Microcirculation in Patients with Sepsis: A Prospective Study Using Contrast-Enhanced Brain Ultrasound.

Background: Alterations in regional brain microcirculation have not been well studied in patients with sepsis. Regional brain microcirculation can be studied using contrast-enhanced brain ultrasound (CEUS) with microbubble administration.

Methods: CEUS was used to assess alterations in regional brain microcirculation on 3 consecutive days in 58 patients with sepsis and within 24 h of intensive care unit admission in 10 aged-matched nonseptic postoperative patients.

Two-site evaluation of the Roche Elecsys Vitamin D total III assay.

Objectives: The high request for vitamin D testing in the last decades has led manufacturers to develop assays on automated immunoassay platforms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the new Elecsys Vitamin D total III assay for the measurement of total 25(OH)D.

Methods: A total of 844 serum samples collected in two clinical laboratories were used to evaluate the new Roche Elecsys Vitamin D total III assay.

Extensive monitoring of the natural menstrual cycle using the serum biomarkers estradiol, luteinizing hormone and progesterone.

Expected values for estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), and progesterone determined in serum allow accurate assessment of menstrual cycle phase. Automated immunoassays demonstrate variable degrees of bias, emphasizing the need to establish method-specific reference values. We therefore established method-specific reference intervals for the Elecsys® LH assay and new generation Elecsys Estradiol III and Progesterone III assays (cobas e 801 analyzer) in 85 apparently healthy women aged 22-37 (US)/18-37 (EU) years over one natural menstrual cycle.

Correction to: EStradiol and PRogesterone in In vitro ferTilization (ESPRIT): a multicenter study evaluating third‑ versus second‑generation estradiol and progesterone immunoassays.

The article "EStradiol and PRogesterone in In vitro ferTilization (ESPRIT): a multicenter study evaluating third‑ versus second‑generation estradiol and progesterone immunoassays.

EStradiol and PRogesterone in In vitro ferTilization (ESPRIT): a multicenter study evaluating third- versus second-generation estradiol and progesterone immunoassays.

Purpose: To assess estradiol (E) and progesterone levels during ovarian stimulation determined by third-generation (Gen III) and second-generation (Gen II) Elecsys immunoassays.

Methods: E and progesterone concentrations were measured using Elecsys Gen III and Gen II immunoassays, and progesterone concentrations on the day of ovulation triggering were determined by LC-MS/MS. This was a retrospective, non-interventional study conducted at European tertiary referral infertility clinics in women aged 18-45 years, with a body mass index 18-35 kg/m, regular menses, and both ovaries.

The effect of neurostimulation applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on post-stress adaptation as a function of depressive brooding.

Depressive brooding following a stressful event predicts negative affect and neuroendocrine responses related to psychological stress. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been associated with the top-down regulation of thoughts and emotions, and abnormal neural activity within this region has been associated with increased psychological stress and ruminative thinking. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the modulation of the DLPFC could have beneficial effects on ruminative thoughts and the endocrine response following a self-relevant stressor.

Serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone Is Significantly Altered by Downregulation With Daily Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist: A Prospective Cohort Study.

What is the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-agonist treatment on serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)? This prospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary university hospital comprised patients ( = 52) who self-administered daily triptorelin (0.1 mg/0.1 mL) subcutaneously for 14 days from menstrual cycle day 21 ± 3, between July 2015 and March 2016.

Hypotension and a positive fluid balance are associated with delirium in patients with shock.

The pathogenesis of delirium in critically ill patients is multifactorial. How hypotension and hypoxemia affect brain function and whether they can promote delirium remains unclear. A high cumulative positive fluid balance may also have a negative effect on brain function and promote delirium.

Serum reproductive hormone levels and ultrasound findings in female offspring after intracytoplasmic sperm injection: first results.

Objective: To compare reproductive hormone levels and antral follicle count in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)-conceived offspring and peers born after spontaneous conception.

Design: Single-center study of the reproductive health at the age of 18-22 years in the worldwide oldest cohort of female ICSI offspring.

Setting: University hospital.

The effect of serum vitamin D levels on ovarian reserve markers: a prospective cross-sectional study.

Study Question: Is there any association between serum 25-OH vitamin D levels and ovarian reserve markers in infertile women?

Summary Answer: Vitamin D is not associated with the ovarian reserve markers, anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC), in infertile women.

What Is Known Already: The mechanism underlying the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and reproduction is still unclear; however, evidence indicates a potential direct negative impact on ovarian function. This is mainly due to the fact that gonadal function may be altered by vitamin D deficiency, as observed by the expression of vitamin D receptor mRNA in human ovaries, mixed ovarian cell cultures and granulosa cell cultures.

Liver cirrhosis and thyroid function: Friend or foe?

Introduction: The liver plays a central role in thyroid hormone metabolism, transport, and clearance. A normal function of both the thyroid gland and the liver is therefore necessary to maintain normal thyroid hormone levels and action. Data regarding thyroid function in patients with liver cirrhosis are scarce and variable.

Performance evaluation of an automated electrochemiluminescent calcitonin (CT) immunoassay in diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the Elecsys® hCT electrochemiluminescence immunoassay on the immunoanalyser Cobas e411.

Design And Methods: Within-run, between-run imprecision, linearity, recovery after dilution, the high dose hook effect, as well as the stability of calcitonin were examined. A method comparison to an established immunoradiometric assay was executed in 135 routine plasma samples.

High prolactin levels are associated with more delirium in septic patients.

Purposes: We investigated whether high prolactin levels were associated with delirium in septic patients because neuropsychiatric disorders are frequently associated with hyperprolactinemia.

Materials And Methods: Prolactin levels were measured daily for 4 days in 101 patients with sepsis. Delirium was assessed using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale and the Confusion Assessment Method in the ICU.

Multicenter analytical performance evaluation of a fully automated anti-Müllerian hormone assay and reference interval determination.

Objectives: Anti-Müllenria hormone (AMH) is an established biomarker for assessing ovarian reserve and predicting response to controlled ovarian stimulation. Its routine clinical use is hampered by the variability and low-throughput of available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The presented study examined if a fully automated AMH electrochemiluminescence assay (ECLIA; Elecsys® AMH assay, Roche Diagnostics) was suitable for measuring AMH levels in healthy women and in those diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Vitamin D deficiency and pregnancy rates in women undergoing single embryo, blastocyst stage, transfer (SET) for IVF/ICSI.

Study Question: What is the influence of vitamin D deficiency on pregnancy rates among women undergoing IVF/ICSI and Day 5 (blastocyst stage) single embryo transfer (SET)?

Summary Answer: Vitamin D deficiency results in significantly lower pregnancy rates in women undergoing single blastocyst transfer.

What Is Known Already: Preliminary experiments have identified the presence of vitamin D receptors in the female reproductive system. However, results regarding the effect of vitamin D deficiency on clinical outcomes are conflicting.

Cortisol is an associated-risk factor of brain dysfunction in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Objectives: To investigate cortisol levels in brain dysfunction in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Methods: In 128 septic and sedated patients, we studied brain dysfunction including delirium and coma by the evaluation of Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS), the Confusion Method Assessment in the ICU (CAM-ICU) after sedation withdrawal and the measurement of serum S100B biomarker of brain injury. Serum cortisol and S100B were measured within 12 hours after ICU admission and daily over the next four days.

One left dorsolateral prefrontal cortical HF-rTMS session attenuates HPA-system sensitivity to critical feedback in healthy females.

Objective: Although left dorsolateral prefrontal cortical (DLPFC) repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is used to treat major depression, its underlying neurophysiological working mechanism remains to be determined. Prior research suggested that the clinical effects could be mediated by affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system, but experimental studies in healthy individuals did not yield clear results. However, in healthy individuals, the influence of HF-rTMS on the HPA-system may only be detected when it is challenged.

Gender-specific alterations in salivary cortisol levels in pubertal intracytoplasmic sperm injection offspring.

Background: There is accumulating evidence that in vitro conception in humans may be associated with adverse health outcomes later in life. It has been proposed that suboptimal early life conditions may 'program' key endocrine systems. A disturbance of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leading to alterations in cortisol secretion in the offspring may be such a mechanism.

Echocardiographic integrated backscatter for assessing reduction of aortic valve calcifications by R-568 in a rat model of chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and secondary hyper-parathyroidism are associated with calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). Innovative modalities for imaging CAVD are warranted. Our aim was to use echocardiographic calibrated integrated backscatter (cIB) to quantitatively determine the preventive effect of the calcimimetic R-568 on CAVD in a CKD rat model, and to compare the results with those of micro-computed tomography and histology.

Middle palaeolithic and neolithic occupations around Mundafan Palaeolake, Saudi Arabia: implications for climate change and human dispersals.

The Arabian Peninsula is a key region for understanding climate change and human occupation history in a marginal environment. The Mundafan palaeolake is situated in southern Saudi Arabia, in the Rub' al-Khali (the 'Empty Quarter'), the world's largest sand desert. Here we report the first discoveries of Middle Palaeolithic and Neolithic archaeological sites in association with the palaeolake.

Serum S100B protein could help to detect cerebral complications associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Background: To investigate if serum S100B protein levels could early detect cerebral complications under treatment extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Methods: Serum S100B levels were measured over 5 days in 32 patients with cardiogenic and septic shock, including 15 patients who treated by ECMO and 17 who did not. Cerebral complications included hemorrhage, stroke, encephalopathy with myoclonus, and brain death.