Laparoscopy versus ultrasound guided puncture for oocyte retrieval

IVF/ET has during the last 5 years gone through a dramatic development and expansions. Since approx. 10% of the population in fertile ages has infertility problems in the Western world the demand for IVF units outside larger University hospitals with considerable resources has become urgent. To reduce costs a trend towards simplification without loss in quality has been an ambition for everyone involved. The exchange of laparoscopic techniques to simpler and cheaper sonographic methods is one step in that direction. The present review is a comparison between the various techniques for oocyte retrieval taking into consideration the principle qualitative aspects to avoid introducing a new technique which is inferior to the originally applied technique. In summary sonographic techniques seem to fullfill these quality requirements and will for such reasons in many IVF groups gradually replace laparoscopy.     

Colour homogeneity and visual perception of age,health and attractiveness of male facial skin

Background Visible facial skin condition in females is known to affect perception of age, health and attractiveness. Skin colour distribution in shape‐ and topography‐standardized female faces, driven by localized melanin and haemoglobin, can account for up to twenty years of apparent age perception. Although this is corroborated by an ability to discern female age even in isolated, non‐contextual skin images, a similar effect in the perception of male skin is yet to be demonstrated. Objectives To investigate the effect of skin colour homogeneity and chromophore distribution on the visual perception of age, health and attractiveness of male facial skin. Methods Cropped images from the cheeks of facial images of 160 Caucasian British men aged 10–70 years were blind‐rated for age, health and attractiveness by a total of 308 participants. In addition, the homogeneity of skin images and corresponding eumelanin/oxyhaemoglobin concentration maps were analysed objectively using Haralick’s image segmentation algorithm. Results Isolated skin images taken from the cheeks of younger males were judged as healthier and more attractive. Perception of age, health and attractiveness was strongly related to melanin and haemoglobin distribution, whereby more even distributions led to perception of younger age and greater health and attractiveness. The evenness of melanized features was a stronger cue for age perception, whereas haemoglobin distribution was associated more strongly with health and attractiveness perception. Conclusions Male skin colour homogeneity, driven by melanin and haemoglobin distribution, influences perception of age, health and attractiveness.     

Estimation of drug receptor occupancy when non-displaceable binding differs between brain regions – extending the simplified reference tissue model

AimThe simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) is used for estimation of receptor occupancy assuming that the non-displaceable binding in the reference region is identical to the brain regions of interest. The aim of this work was to extend the SRTM to also account for inter-regional differences in non-displaceable concentrations, and to investigate if this model allowed estimation of receptor occupancy using white matter as reference. It was also investigated if an apparent higher affinity in caudate compared with other brain regions, could be better explained by a difference in the extent of non-displaceable binding.MethodsThe analysis was based on a PET study in six healthy volunteers using the 5-HT_1B receptor radioligand [¹¹C]-AZ10419369. The radioligand was given intravenously as a tracer dose alone and following different oral doses of the 5-HT_1B receptor antagonist AZD3783. Non-linear mixed effects models were developed where differences between regions in non-specific concentrations were accounted for. The properties of the models were also evaluated by means of simulation studies.ResultsThe estimate (95% CI) of Ki_PL was 10.2 ng ml⁻¹ (5.4, 15) and 10.4 ng ml⁻¹ (8.1, 13.6) based on the extended SRTM with white matter as reference and based on the SRTM using cerebellum as reference, respectively. The estimate (95% CI) of Ki_PL for caudate relative to other brain regions was 55% (48, 62%).ConclusionsThe extended SRTM allows consideration of white matter as reference region when no suitable grey matter region exists. AZD3783 affinity appears to be higher in the caudate compared with other brain regions.     

Effect of gonadotrophins on progesterone secretion by cultured granulosa cells obtained from human preovulatory follicles

Granulosa cells were obtained from human preovulatory follicles in 31 women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer due to tubal infertility. Follicular maturation was stimulated and synchronized by treatment with Clomiphene or human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG), or both, plus human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Follicles were aspirated by ultrasound guided puncture approximately 34-36 h after the hCG injection. The granulosa cells were washed and suspended in modified medium 199 containing 10% foetal bovine serum and cultured as monolayers for 6-8 days in the absence and presence of hormones and reactants. Progesterone formation was analyzed by RIA. In general, the cells underwent morphological luteinization and secreted high amount of progesterone. Under basal conditions the secretion of progesterone was highest during the first 2 days in culture and then gradually declined. Progesterone secretion was stimulated by human LH, hCG and the adenylate cyclase stimulator forskolin, with a maximal effect between days 2-6. The beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol in preliminary experiments potentiated the stimulatory effect of hCG but had no own stimulatory effect. No clear differences in progesterone secretion or responsiveness to in vitro stimulation relating to the various in vivo stimulation protocols were found.     

Distribution of reversing factor in reticulocyte lysates during active protein synthesis and on inhibition by heme deprivation or double-stranded RNA.

We have recently shown a direct correlation between protein synthetic activity and the function of reversing factor (RF) as a catalyst of GDP-GTP exchange in whole reticulocyte lysates under normal conditions and on inhibition of protein synthesis by heme deficiency, double-stranded RNA, or oxidized glutathione. In this paper we report that RF is detectable as a nonribosomal complex with eukaryotic initiation factor 2 phosphorylated in its alpha subunit [eIF-2(alpha P)] in whole lysates inhibited by heme deprivation or by double-stranded RNA. The complex contains no unphosphorylated eIF-2 alpha, and the GDP present is freely dissociable. All nonribosomal eIF-2(alpha P) is complexed with RF in fully inhibited lysates; we have not detected free eIF-2(alpha P). RF in this [RF X eIF-2(alpha P)] complex is unavailable to catalyze the release of GDP from eIF-2-GDP. Dephosphorylation of eIF-2(alpha P) present in nonribosomal fractions releases active RF, which is able to carry out its normal guanine nucleotide exchange function.     

Reference values for IGF-I throughout childhood and adolescence: a model that accounts simultaneously for the effect of gender, age, and puberty.

We have constructed a reference model to facilitate comparison of serum IGF-I values among children, and thereby to improve the value of IGF-I measurements for diagnosis. The data set consists of serum values measured in 969 samples from 468 healthy children and adolescents (232 males, 236 females; ages, 1.1-18.3 yr). One sample per child was used for the model, each being selected so as to provide sufficient observations for each stage of puberty. The samples not selected were used to validate the reference data. The IGF-I values were log transformed, and multiple regression analysis was used in the model-building process. The best linear model, which converts serum IGF-I concentrations into SD scores and explains 66% of the variation in logIGF-I values, includes the variables of age, gender, and puberty, and takes the interactions among these variables into account. In prepubertal and early pubertal children, the relationship between age and logIGF-I was positive, with greater effect in girls older than 8 yr. In mid-puberty, logIGF-I values were higher in girls than in boys of the same age, up to 16 yr of age. Among boys, the most pronounced positive relationship between age and logIGF-I occurred in mid-puberty, whereas the relationship between age and logIGF-I among girls in mid-puberty is fairly constant. In late puberty, logIGF-I values were higher than earlier in puberty, and there was a negative relationship with age in both boys and girls. Instead of separate models for each combination of puberty and gender, estimating a single regression model permits simultaneous estimation of all explanatory variables and uses all observations in the data set, thereby making it easier to select those variables that have a significant effect on logIGF-I. Our model shows that IGF-I levels are related to age during each stage of puberty. The model also accounts for the fact that serum IGF-I concentrations during puberty are different for boys and girls.