Detection of the subendometrial vascularization flow index by three-dimensional ultrasound may be useful for predicting the pregnancy rate for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

Objective: To obtain quantitative data on endometrial volume and subendometrial blood flow by three-dimensional ultrasound clue to endometrial receptivity.

Design: A prospective, nonrandomized clinical study.

Setting: One tertiary center for assisted reproduction.

Endogenous opioid peptides contribute to antinociceptive potency of intrathecal [Dmt1]DALDA.

[Dmt(1)]DALDA (H-Dmt-d-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH(2); Dmt = 2',6'-dimethyltyrosine) is a dermorphin analog that shows high affinity and selectivity for the mu opioid receptor. The intrathecal potency of [Dmt(1)]DALDA far exceeded its affinity at mu receptors and suggests that other mechanisms must be involved in its action in the spinal cord. The affinity and selectivity of [Dmt(1)]DALDA was determined using cell membranes expressing cloned human mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors.

Interleukin-1beta regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone messenger ribonucleic acid in cultured human endometrial stromal cells.

Objective: To investigate the role of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in regulating GnRH mRNA expression in cultured human endometrial stromal cells using a modified semiquantitative competitive reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Design: A controlled study.

Setting: Clinical and academic research setting in a university medical center.

Postlaparoscopic vulvar edema, a rare complication.

Two cases of unilateral labial edema occurred after laparoscopic presacral neurectomy and were associated with massive chylous ascites. One woman was cured by a second laparoscopy to repair the chylous leakage. In the other, vulvar edema subsided in 2 days and chyloperitoneum subsided spontaneously in 3 weeks.

Clinical evaluation of a new model of self-obtained method for the assessment of genital human papilloma virus infection in an underserved population.

Background: We designed a self-sampling method to collect exfoliated genital cells for human papilloma virus (HPV) detection. The aim was to assess whether it was suitable as an assistant tool for the early detection of cervical pre-cancer and cancer in a special category of the women who are not frequently screened for cervical cancer.

Methods: We compared the results of HPV detection that were self-obtained and physician-obtained cervical swabs from the same patient that were analyzed using hybrid capture II assay.

Minilaparoscopic cystectomy and appendectomy in late second trimester.

Background And Objectives: Laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy and appendectomy during the early second trimester have been widely reported. However, the use of both procedures in advanced gestation is rare. We propose a minilaparoscopic approach for performing these 2 procedures in a woman 24-weeks pregnant.

Resumption of meiosis-I tissue to enucleated preovulatory oocytes: a preliminary report.

Purpose: Ovarian tissue banking may be the best strategy to preserve female fertility. But optimal method to obtain viable mature oocytes remains challenging. In order to bypass the long in vitro oocyte growth period, we developed this study to test whether reconstruction of thawed primordial oocytes with enucleated preovulatory germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes could induce dictyate nuclei to undergo chromosomal condensation and meiotic maturation.

Laser-assisted hatching of embryos in women of advanced age after in vitro fertilization: a preliminary report.

Background: For infertile women aged over 37 years, failure of the zona pellucida to rupture is believed to be associated with a decreased implantation rate in in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). It has been suggested that assisted hatching of embryos will increase the pregnancy rate with IVF by means of mechanically facilitating the hatching process.

Methods: One hundred twenty cycles of IVF/ICSI in females aged over 37 years were analyzed.

Trocar-assisted sling suspension for stress urinary incontinence.

Study Objective: To introduce a new approach in trocar-assisted sling suspension (TASS) for genuine stress incontinence.

Design: Prospective, observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: University-affiliated hospital.

Comparison of laparoscopic and conventional surgery in the treatment of early cervical cancer.

Study Objective: To compare efficacy, results, and complications of laparoscopic-assisted radical hysterectomy (LARH) and pelvic lymphadenectomy with abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) and pelvic lymphadenectomy in management of early (stages 1a2, 1b) invasive cervical carcinoma.

Design: Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: University-affiliated hospital.

Use of the lambda sign in fetal reduction of dizygotic triplets after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

With the increased use of artificial reproductive technologies, there are ever greater numbers of multifetal pregnancies. The increased incidences of monozygotic twins and triplet gestations can be attributed to several factors. It is important to differentiate the chorionicity in the management of multifetal pregnancies because monochorionic gestations lead to an increased risk of prematurity, twin-to-twin transfusion, morbidity, and mortality.

Characterization of the supermirror hard-x-ray telescope for the InFOCmuS balloon experiment.

A hard-x-ray telescope is successfully produced for balloon observations by making use of depth-graded multilayers, or so-called supermirrors, with platinum-carbon (Pt/C) layer pairs. It consists of four quadrant units assembled in an optical configuration with a diameter of 40 cm and a focal length of 8 m. Each quadrant is made of 510 pieces of coaxially and confocally aligned supermirrors that significantly enhance the sensitivity in an energy range of 20-40 keV.

Tension-free vaginal tape versus laparoscopic bladder neck suspension for stress urinary incontinence.

Background: Owing to their various advantages, including shortened hospital stays, faster recoveries, and satisfactory outcomes, laparoscopic bladder neck suspension (LBNS) and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) have become 2 well-known minimally-invasive anti-incontinent procedures. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the outcomes of LBNS and TVT procedures for treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

Methods: From October 1997 to February 2000, 22 women with genuine stress incontinence underwent LBNS, and another 23 women underwent TVT.

A highly potent peptide analgesic that protects against ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial stunning.

We recently discovered an opioid peptide analgesic, 2',6'-dimethyltyrosine (Dmt)-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH(2) ([Dmt(1)]DALDA), that can protect against ischemia-induced myocardial stunning. In buffer-perfused hearts, 30-min global ischemia followed by reperfusion resulted in a significant increase in norepinephrine (NE) overflow immediately upon reperfusion and significant decline in contractile force (45%). Pretreatment with [Dmt(1)]DALDA before ischemia completely abolished myocardial stunning and significantly reduced NE overflow (68%).

Human chorionic gonadotropin-induced ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is associated with up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a life-threatening complication occurring in stimulated ovarian cycles, arises from treatment with gonadotropin for induction of follicular maturation in infertile women. Clinical characteristics of OHSS include ascites and pleural effusion induced by increased vascular permeability, where vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was suspected to be the culprit. To test whether the effects of human CG (hCG) on the pathogenesis of OHSS were mediated through the VEGF produced by luteinized granulosa cells, we measured estradiol, VEGF, IGF-II levels in serum, and follicular fluid and analyzed their mRNA expression in luteinized granulosa cells obtained from 101 women (58 with OHSS and 43 controls) who underwent in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Laparoscopic ultrasonography for uterovaginal canalization of a didelphic uterus with agenetic cervix.

Mullerian duct anomaly is often characterized by any of a number of disorders of the outflow tract and uterus. A 17-year-old woman suffered from cyclic lower abdominal pain for 3 years. Pelvic examination showed a small uterus with blind-ended vaginal canal about 3 cm in length.

Combined laparoscopic uterosacral and round ligament procedures for treatment of symptomatic uterine retroversion and mild uterine decensus.

Study Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a new modified technique to treat a symptomatic retrodisplaced uterus.

Design: Prospective clinical study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: Tertiary care university hospital.

Laparoscopic uterine artery ligation for treatment of symptomatic adenomyosis.

Study Objective: To investigate the effect of laparoscopic uterine artery ligation on symptomatic adenomyosis.

Design: Prospective pilot study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: Tertiary care major teaching hospital.

The concentration of inhibin B in follicular fluid: relation to oocyte maturation and embryo development.

Background: The objective of the present study was to investigate the correlation between inhibin B and estradiol levels in follicular fluid (FF) with the quality of subsequent embryo development from in-vitro fertilized oocytes aspirated from the same follicle.

Methods: A total of 156 infertile women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF and embryo transfer was recruited to the present study. Prospectively, 233 FF samples and matched mature oocytes were studied.

Profound spinal tolerance after repeated exposure to a highly selective mu-opioid peptide agonist: role of delta-opioid receptors.

Recent studies suggest that delta-opioid receptors play a role in the development of opioid tolerance and led us to hypothesize that highly selective mu-opioid agonists may produce less tolerance. H-2',6'-dimethyltyrosine-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH(2) ([Dmt(1)]DALDA) has extraordinary selectivity for mu-receptors (K(i)(delta)/K(i)(mu) > 14,000). Daily administration of [Dmt(1)]DALDA (5 times ED(50); s.

Effect of estrogen and 1alpha,25(OH)2- vitamin D3 on the activity and growth of human primary osteoblast-like cells in vitro.

Objective: To evaluate effects of 17beta-E(2) and 1alpha,25(OH)(2)-vitamin D(3) on human osteoblast-like (hOB) cells.

Design: Controlled, experimental study.

Setting: University hospital.

Site and mechanism of action of dynorphin A-(1-13) and N-methyl-D-aspartate on ACTH release in fetal sheep.

Dynorphin A (Dyn A) stimulates the release of ACTH in fetal sheep, a response that involves N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors but not the secretogogues corticotropin-releasing hormone or arginine vasopressin. We now find that neither Dyn A-(1-13) (0.5 mg/kg, i.

Fertility-preserving treatment in young patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Background: Hormone therapy alone for early-stage, low-grade endometrial carcinoma arising in young women has been reported occasionally in case reports or small series. However, a comprehensive guideline for selection, treatment, and follow-up is not available as yet.

Methods: In the current study, the authors' evaluated the outcome of a cohort of young women with clinically diagnosed endometrial adenocarcinoma Stage IA, Grade 1 who were selected for fertility-preserving treatment by stringent staging procedures and treated in a standard protocol using combinations of megestrol acetate, tamoxifen, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa).

Inadvertent superovulation and intrauterine insemination during pregnancy: a lesson from an ectopic gestation.

It is believed that follicular development and ovulation is suppressed during the early period of gestation in humans. In this report, we describe a patient who underwent ovarian hyperstimulation following a "presumed" menstrual bleeding. The case illustrates that the ovaries during early pregnancy seem to respond normally to exogenous gonadotrophin stimulation.