A critical analysis of the accuracy, reproducibility, and clinical utility of histologic endometrial dating in fertile women.

Objective: To refine or redefine the traditional histologic criteria used to date the secretory phase endometrium.

Design: Randomized, observational study.

Setting: Academic clinical research center.

Soy protein isolate with isoflavones does not prevent estradiol-induced endometrial hyperplasia in postmenopausal women: a pilot trial.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that soy protein isolate (SPI) with isoflavones opposes the proliferative effects of exogenous estradiol (E2) on the endometrium after menopause.

Design: Thirty-nine postmenopausal women were randomized to receive daily for 6 months either 0.5 mg E2 + placebo, 1.

Effect of stress on pregnancy outcome among women undergoing assisted reproduction procedures.

Background: This study was performed to examine the effect of stress on pregnancy outcome in women who underwent assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures.

Methods: In a controlled clinical study of healthy volunteers in an academic research environment, stress was measured subjectively by administering patient questionnaires and biochemically by examining urinary excretion of cortisol and 6-sulfatoxy-melatonin (6-SM), the primary metabolite of melatonin and a marker of peripheral stress response. A total of 42 women who underwent ART procedures during an 18-month period agreed to participate in the study and were enrolled consecutively.

Temporal and morphologic characteristics of pinopod expression across the secretory phase of the endometrial cycle in normally cycling women with proven fertility.

Objective: To assess the temporal and morphologic characteristics of pinopod expression on the surface of endometrium across the secretory phase, in LH-timed endometrial samples in normal, healthy women.

Design: Prospective, randomized study.

Setting: Academic teaching hospital.

Oil-soluble contrast during hysterosalpingography in women with proven tubal patency.

To determine if there are therapeutic advantages to oil-soluble contrast medium compared with water-soluble medium during hysterosalpingography.A randomized, controlled trial including 56 infertile patients undergoing hysterosalpingography was performed. After a hysterosalpingogram with water-soluble contrast demonstrated tubal patency, 30 patients were randomized to receive oil-soluble contrast medium (oil group) and 26 patients received no additional contrast medium (control group).

Effects of the route of estrogen administration and exercise on hormonal levels in postmenopausal women.

Objective: To examine the effects of exercise on serum estrogens, growth hormone, insulin, cortisol, lactate, and glucose levels in postmenopausal women receiving two routes of administration of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT).

Design: Prospective, randomized, crossover study.

Setting: The general clinical research center of an academic medical center.

Steroid receptor coactivator expression throughout the menstrual cycle in normal and abnormal endometrium.

The endometrium of reproductive aged women undergoes cyclic developmental changes in preparation for implantation in response to estrogen and progesterone. These steroids and their receptors are tightly regulated throughout the menstrual cycle, and their actions are facilitated by the presence of steroid receptor coactivators of the p160 family. In this study using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis, we characterize the expression patterns of three coactivators, steroid receptor coactivator-1, amplified in breast cancer-1 (AIB1), and transcriptional intermediary factor-2 in human endometrium obtained prospectively from normal fertile women throughout the menstrual cycle.

Seasonal shifts in the provisioning behavior of chinstrap penguins, Pygoscelis antarctica.

Whether parents are able to adapt food gathering to rising offspring demands, or if they are controlled largely by extrinsic factors, is important for understanding key limits on fitness. Over seven breeding seasons, we studied the provisioning behavior of chinstrap penguins, Pygoscelis antarctica, at Seal Island, Antarctica, during parents' transition to leave broods of one or two chicks unguarded. By measuring the frequency, duration, and diel timing of foraging trips and the quantity of prey brought to chicks, we examined the extent to which variation in parents' feeding behavior could be attributed to provisioning costs which increase with chick growth.

In vivo and in vitro evidence suggest that HB-EGF regulates endometrial expression of human decay-accelerating factor.

Human endometrium expresses the critical complement component C3 in a cyclic fashion, with the highest expression in the secretory phase. As activated complement can kill cells, self or foreign, the secretory endometrial epithelium protects itself by concomitant expression of complement-protective proteins. The objectives of our present study were to describe the spatial and temporal regulation of the complement-protective protein decay-accelerating factor (DAF) in human endometrium and to identify local regulators of its expression.

Effect of sex steroids on beta-endorphin levels at rest and during submaximal treadmill exercise in anovulatory and ovulatory runners.

Objective: To examine the interaction between circulating beta-endorphin levels and sex steroids during sustained submaximal exercise in runners who are either anovulatory and oligomenorrheic (AO) or ovulatory and eumenorrheic (EO).

Design: Controlled clinical study.

Setting: General clinical research center at an academic medical center.