Beyond infertility: obstetrical and postpartum complications associated with endometriosis and adenomyosis

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Progesterone Resistance, Aromatase, and Inflammation: The Important Relationships Between Hormones and Inflammation

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Waterfront Analysis and Design:

Waterfront Analysis and Design Comparative Report of Beijing, Suzhou and Yinchuan systematically summarizes the research and planning cases. Conventional concepts and strategies concerning urban planning implemented in Beijing, Suzhou and Yinchuan have long been established, and the construction of many areas in these cities have been widely finished. Under such circumstances, based on analyses of the three cities and several typical cases of waterfront planning, this book breaks through the established conceptual constraints and delves into the commonalities and differences among the cases through systematic scientific approaches. On top of conducting the intensive research into urban waterfronts planning at levels of both basic theory and methodology, this book also presents specific practices of urban waterfront planning and design customized to the urban water system, as well as the layout and space of waterfront areas. By displaying how research findings can be applied into urban design, this book is of unique significance on value transmission. The book is broken down into four chapters, namely Comparison, Beijing, Suzhou and Yinchuan. Comparing and researching the water-city relations of the three cities. Chapter Comparison makes clear of the development characteristics of urban spatial structure based on changes of water systems in these cities with different geographical environments, and researches the patterns of urban spatial organization. Finally, the chapter summarizes the creating mode and focus of urban waterfronts under the effects of different natural environments, water networks and city landscapes. Chapter Beijing is compiled jointly by Harbin Institute of Technology and China Architecture Design and Research Group. Led by Professor Suning Xu, the study is structured as the combination of “research”, “judgment” and “design”. Studying the historical changes of water-city relation in Beijing and comparing the water-city relation of world typical capitals with that of prominent Chinese ancient capitals. This chapter sets the overall goal for Beijing’s waterfront development; The value system of the waterfront area is evaluated in 6 dimensions, including ecology, space, demand, history, economy and aesthetics, based on which the urban design strategy is crafted and verified with the design of typical nodes. Chapter Suzhou is put together by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Iuav University of Venice, Tianjin University, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou and China Architecture Design and Research Group. At the macro level, the joint research team analyzed the spatial structure of Suzhou urban area, selected important urban waterfronts based on the comprehensive considerations of urban functions, different water network structures, ecological protection and urban landscapes, and proposed practical urban design strategy and guidance at various grades and of different types; At the micro level, dedicated to the objectives of “properly clustered water networks, water conservation, living along the water, open and sharing, and reflection of historical culture”, the team offered key points for different urban waterfront designs. Chapter Yinchuan is collectively compiled by Delft University of Technology, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Ningxia University and China Architecture Design and Research Group. Adopting the RTD (research through design) method, in other words, further defining research questions through designing and exploring various possibilities and solutions, the joint research team attempted to identify comprehensive solutions at multiple levels: Yinchuan city as a whole, the urban areas where the waterfronts are located, and the waterfronts themselves; Jointly led by landscape architects and urban designers, the research of waterfront design in Yinchuan highlights the ecology-based analysis method and design strategy

Opportunities and Limits of Conventional IVF versus ICSI: It Is Time to Come off the Fence

Conventional IVF (c-IVF) is one of the most practiced assisted reproductive technology (ART) approaches used worldwide. However, in the last years, the number of c-IVF procedures has dropped dramatically in favor of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in cases of non-male-related infertility. In this review, we have outlined advantages and disadvantages associated with c-IVF, highlighting the essential steps governing its success, its limitations, the methodology differences among laboratories and the technical progress. In addition, we have debated recent insights into fundamental questions, including indications regarding maternal age, decreased ovarian reserve, endometriosis, autoimmunity, single oocyte retrieval-cases as well as preimplantation genetic testing cycles. The “overuse” of ICSI procedures in several clinical situations of ART has been critically discussed. These insights will provide a framework for a better understanding of opportunities associated with human c-IVF and for best practice guidelines applicability in the reproductive medicine field

Exploring the soil: Not a sentimental journey

editorial reviewe

Epigenetic clocks and female fertility timeline: A new approach to an old issue?

Worldwide increase in life expectancy has boosted research on aging. Overcoming the concept of chronological age, higher attention has been addressed to biological age, which reflects a person’s real health state, and which may be the resulting combination of both intrinsic and environmental factors. As epigenetics may exert a pivotal role in the biological aging, epigenetic clocks were developed. They are based on mathematical models aimed at identifying DNA methylation patterns that can define the biological age and that can be adopted for different clinical scopes (i.e., estimation of the risks of developing age-related disorders or predicting lifespan). Recently, epigenetic clocks have gained a peculiar attention in the fertility research field, in particular in the female counterpart. The insight into the possible relations between epigenetic aging and women’s infertility might glean additional information about certain conditions that are still not completely understood. Moreover, they could disclose significant implications for health promotion programs in infertile women. Of relevance here is that the impact of biological age and epigenetics may not be limited to fertility status but could translate into pregnancy issues. Indeed, epigenetic alterations of the mother may transfer into the offspring, and pregnancy itself as well as related complications could contribute to epigenetic modifications in both the mother and newborn. However, even if the growing interest has culminated in the conspicuous production of studies on these topics, a global overview and the availability of validated instruments for diagnosis is still missing. The present narrative review aims to explore the possible bonds between epigenetic aging and fertility timeline. In the “infertility” section, we will discuss the advances on epigenetic clocks focusing on the different tissues examined (endometrium, peripheral blood, ovaries). In the “pregnancy” section, we will discuss the results obtained from placenta, umbilical cord and peripheral blood. The possible role of epigenetic aging on infertility mechanisms and pregnancy outcomes represents a question that may configure epigenetic clock as a bond between two apparently opposite worlds: infertility and pregnancy

Oral Manifestations of Some Rare Diseases: A Narrative Review of the Radiological Findings in Orthopantomography

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Multicenter evaluation of blood-based biomarkers for the detection of endometriosis and adenomyosis: A prospective non-interventional study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate blood-based biomarkers to detect endometriosis and/or adenomyosis across nine European centers (June 2014-April 2018). METHODS This prospective, non-interventional study assessed the diagnostic accuracy of 54 blood-based biomarker immunoassays in samples from 919 women (aged 18-45 years) with suspicion of endometriosis and/or adenomyosis versus symptomatic controls. Endometriosis was stratified by revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine stage. Symptomatic controls were "pathologic symptomatic controls" or "pathology-free symptomatic controls". The main outcome measure was receiver operating characteristic-area under the curve (ROC-AUC) and Wilcoxon P values corrected for multiple testing (q values). RESULTS CA-125 performed best in "all endometriosis cases" versus "all symptomatic controls" (AUC 0.645, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.600-0.690, q < 0.001) and increased (P < 0.001) with disease stage. In "all endometriosis cases" versus "pathology-free symptomatic controls", S100-A12 performed best (AUC 0.692, 95% CI 0.614-0.769, q = 0.001) followed by CA-125 (AUC 0.649, 95% CI 0.569-0.729, q = 0.021). In "adenomyosis only cases" versus "symptomatic controls" or "pathology-free symptomatic controls", respectively, the top-performing biomarkers were sFRP-4 (AUC 0.615, 95% CI 0.551-0.678, q = 0.045) and S100-A12 (AUC 0.701, 95% CI 0.611-0.792, q = 0.004). CONCLUSION This study concluded that no biomarkers tested could diagnose or rule out endometriosis/adenomyosis with high certainty

Pain assessment in animal models: do we need further studies?

In the last two decades, animal models have become important tools in understanding and treating pain, and in predicting analgesic efficacy. Although rodent models retain a dominant role in the study of pain mechanisms, large animal models may predict human biology and pharmacology in certain pain conditions more accurately. Taking into consideration the anatomical and physiological characteristics common to man and pigs (median body size, digestive apparatus, number, size, distribution and communication of vessels in dermal skin, epidermal–dermal junctions, the immunoreactivity of peptide nerve fibers, distribution of nociceptive and non-nociceptive fiber classes, and changes in axonal excitability), swines seem to provide the most suitable animal model for pain assessment. Locomotor function, clinical signs, and measurements (respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, electromyography), behavior (bright/quiet, alert, responsive, depressed, unresponsive), plasma concentration of substance P and cortisol, vocalization, lameness, and axon reflex vasodilatation by laser Doppler imaging have been used to assess pain, but none of these evaluations have proved entirely satisfactory. It is necessary to identify new methods for evaluating pain in large animals (particularly pigs), because of their similarities to humans. This could lead to improved assessment of pain and improved analgesic treatment for both humans and laboratory animals

Prediction of morbidity and mortality after early cholecystectomy for acute calculous cholecystitis : results of the SPRi.MACC study

Peer reviewe