No efficacy of annual gynaecological screening in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers; an observational follow-up study

BRCA1/2 mutation carriers are offered gynaecological screening with the intention to reduce mortality by detecting ovarian cancer at an early stage. We examined compliance and efficacy of gynaecological screening in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. In this multicentre, observational, follow-up study we examined medical record data of a consecutive series of 888 BRCA1/2 mutation carriers who started annual screening with transvaginal ultrasonography and serum CA125 between 1993 and 2005. The women were annually screened for 75% of their total period of follow-up. Compliance decreased with longer follow-up. Five of the 10 incident cancers were interval tumours, diagnosed in women with a normal screening result within 3-10 months before diagnosis. No difference in stage distribution between incident screen-detected and interval tumours was found. Eight of the 10 incident cancers were stage III/IV (80%). Cancers diagnosed in unscreened family members had a similar stage distribution (77% in stage III/IV). The observed number of cases detected during screening was not significantly higher than expected (Standardized Incidence Ratio (SIR): 1.5, 95% confidence interval: 0.7-2.8). For the subgroup that was fully compliant to annual screening, a similar SIR was found (1.6, 95% confidence interval: 0.5-3.6). Despite annual gynaecological screening, a high proportion of ovarian cancers in BRCA1/2 carriers are interval cancers and the large majority of all cancers are diagnosed in advanced stages. Therefore, it is unlikely that annual screening will reduce mortality from ovarian cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers

The Preclinical Natural History of Serous Ovarian Cancer: Defining the Target for Early Detection

Pat Brown and colleagues carry out a modeling study and define what properties a biomarker-based screening test would require in order to be clinically useful

The psychology of passion: A meta-analytical review of a decade of research on intrapersonal outcomes

It is just over a decade since Vallerand et al. (J Personal Soc Psychol 85:756–767, 2003) introduced the dualistic model of passion. In this study, we conduct a meta-analytical review of relationships between Vallerand et al’s two passions (viz. harmonious and obsessive), and intrapersonal outcomes, and test the moderating role of age, gender, domain, and culture. A systematic literature search yielded 94 studies, within which 27 criterion variables were reported. These criterion variables derived from four research areas within the intrapersonal sphere: (a) well-/ill-being, (b) motivation factors, (c) cognitive outcomes and, (d) behaviour and performance. From these areas we retrieved 1308 independent effect sizes and analysed them using random-effects models. Results showed harmonious passion positively corresponded with positive intrapersonal outcomes (e.g., positive affect, flow, performance). Obsessive passion, conversely, showed positive associations with positive and negative

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Not AvailableLow reproductive efficiency is the utmostcritical predicamentfaced by the modern livestock industry across the globe. Early embryonic loss is one of the major causesof poor reproductive efficiency resulting in delayed pregnancy, fewer calves born, reduced milk production, slower genetic progression,and substantial financial loss to the beef and/or dairy industry. The establishment of pregnancy results from the interaction between the embryo and the dam and is the culmination of a series of events initiated with development of the follicle and gametes. Among numerous internal and external factors,nutrition has the potentialto alter the microenvironmentof the oocyte and the embryo, making it more hostileto optimal fertilization and pre-implantation embryonic growth. Understanding the impact of nutritional stress on oocyte function, embryo development and reciprocal signaling networks between the embryo and uterus will lead to alleviation of the problems associated withearly embryonic mortality.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableIn-Vitro Maturation (IVM) and In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) are the potential methods for producing the early embryos in large numbers. Recently many producers have introduced IVF into their reproductive programs. Successful in vitro production of embryo depends upon the good oocyte maturation and correct sperm capacitation. Ovaries were collected from non-pregnant slaughtered sheep from a local slaughterhouse in normal saline. Ovaries having visible follicle and granular homogenous ooplasm were selected and cultured in maturation medium at 38.5º C, 5% CO2 and 95% humidity for 22-24 hr. The degree of cumulus cell expansion was determined after 22-24 hr of IVM and oocyte with expanded cumulus cell mass to at least 2 diameters away from the zona pellucida were considered as cumulus expanded. The matured oocytes were inseminated with 1 to 2 million spermatozoa/mL in Brackett and Oliphant medium and the embryos were then cultured in CO2 incubator at 38.5° C, 5% CO2 and 95% humidity and the cleavage was checked after 42-48 hr post insemination. The embryos were then further cultured for 6-7 days in order to produce a complete developmental series from the 2 cell to blastula stage of embryonic development. Our results showed that the percentage of maturation was 81.81±1.10, cleavage rate was 66.03±1.33, 8-16 cells was 43.44±0.62, Morula was 20.01±0.29, and Blastula was 8.59±0.56. The maturation rate was significantly (P<0.05) higher in May as compared to January, February, March and April. The percentage of 8-16 cell stage was also significantly higher in May as compared to those during February. It is concluded that the cleavage rate was good with Brackett and Oliphant fertilization media and TCM 199 as culture media in sheep with high blastula percentage during January.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableElevated temperature is one of the major factors responsible for reduced fertility in domestic ruminants including sheep. The aim of the study was to delineate the effect of heat shock on prostaglandins, ionic and metabolic contents of sheep endometrial epithelial cell in vitro. Endometrial epithelial cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium at 38.5 °C in CO2 incubator for 24hr (5% CO2 in air, 90-95% relative humidity; Control culture; n=6). Heat stressed cultures (n=6) were acclimated at 38.50C for 6 hr and then placed at 42.5 °C for 18 hr. In vitro heat stress (42.5 °C) significantly (P0.05) protein, phosphorus, urea, SOD, PGF2a levels in epithelial cells as compared to those exposed to 38.5 °C. It is concluded that heat shock altered prostaglandins, ionic and metabolic contents of endometrial epithelial cells in vitro.Not Availabl

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EFFECT OF OXYTOCIN ON PROSTAGLANDIN PRODUCTION IN BUFFALO

Not AvailableThe present study investigated the effect of various doses of oxytocin on in vitro PGF2α and PGE2 production and expression profiling of PGFS and PGES mRNA in buffalo CL. Buffalo ovaries with mid-luteal phase CL were collected from the abattoir and CL was separated from surrounding tissues, chopped, rinsed with HBSS medium supplemented with gentamicin and BSA and incubated at 37°C for 1 h in HBSS containing collagenase. The cell suspension following filtration was treated with increasing doses of oxytocin (1, 10, 102, 103 and 104 ng/ml) and cultured at 38.5ºC, 5% CO2 level for 24 h. The production of PGF2α and PGE2 were not significantly different among different treatment groups as compared to control. The expression of PGES and PGFS mRNAs were not significantly different among different treatment groups as compared to control. It can be concluded that oxytocin may not directly stimulate PGF2α and PGE2 production in mid-luteal stage buffalo corpus luteum.ICAR- NAS

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Not AvailableEarly embryonic mortality is one of the main sources of reproductive wastages and major constraints for full exploitation of the production potential of livestock. The survivality of embryo during early embryonic life is mostly dependent on the efficiency with which the maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) is established. Maternal recognition of pregnancy involves molecular dialogue between the trophoblast of conceptus and uterine endometrium. Embryonic development to the blastocyst stage and uterine differentiation to the receptive environment are crucial for successful establishment of the embryo-uterine cross-talk that leads to the initiation and progression of successful implantation. Unravelling the complex intricate molecular and cellular dialogues between the conceptus and uterine environment will facilitate development of strategies to augment early embryo survivality.Not Availabl