Assessment of endometrial and ovarian characteristics using three dimensional power Doppler ultrasound to predict response in frozen embryo transfer cycles

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To evaluate whether endometrial or ovarian parameters as measured using 3D power Doppler ultrasound would predict the outcome in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty women with no known gynecological pathology undergoing FET were recruited. The FET was carried out in the natural menstrual cycle 3-4 days after the first positive LH test result. Blood samples for hormonal analysis were collected, and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonographic examination was performed on the day of the FET and repeated with analysis of the total hCG one week later.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The demographic, clinical, and embryological characteristics were similar between the pregnant (15/30) and nonpregnant groups (15/30). There were no differences between the groups in endometrial/subendometrial thickness, volume, or vascularization index (VI). The endometrial triple-line pattern was more often present in the pregnant group on the day of the FET (93.3% vs. 40.0%, 95% CI 25.5-81.2%). No differences in the ovaries were observed on the day of the FET. At the second visit, the triple-line pattern was still more often present in those patients who had conceived (91.7% vs. 42.9%, 95% CI 18.5-79.1%), and their corpus luteum was more active as judged by the rise in 17-hydroxyprogesterone and estradiol levels. No differences were observed in the dominant ovarian vasculature.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>According to our results, measurement of power Doppler indices using 3D ultrasound on the day of the FET does not provide any additional information concerning the outcome of the cycle. The existence of the triple-line pattern on the day of the FET seems to be a prognostic sign of a prosperous outcome after FET. The dominant ovary in the pregnant group seems to be already activated one week after the FET.</p

Ultrasound characteristics of endometrial cancer as defined by the International Endometrial Tumor Analysis (IETA) consensus nomenclature - A prospective multicenter study

OBJECTIVES: To describe the sonographic features of endometrial cancer in relation to stage, grade, and histological type using the International Endometrial Tumor Analysis (IETA) terminology. METHODS: Prospective multicenter study on 1714 women with endometrial cancer undergoing a standardized transvaginal grayscale and Doppler ultrasound examination by an experienced ultrasound examiner using a high-end ultrasound system. Clinical and sonographic data were entered into a web-based protocol. We assessed how strongly sonographic characteristics, according to IETA, were associated to outcome at hysterectomy, i.e. tumor stage, grade, and histological type. RESULTS: After excluding 176 women (no or delayed hysterectomy, final diagnosis other than endometrial cancer, or incomplete data), 1538 women were included in our statistical analysis. Median age was 65 years (range 27-98), and median BMI 28.4 (range 16-67), 1378 (89.7%) women were postmenopausal, and 1296 (84.2%) reported abnormal vaginal bleeding. Grayscale and color Doppler features varied according to grade and stage. High-risk tumors (stage 1A, grade 3 or non-endometrioid or ≥ stage 1B) were less likely to have regular endometrial myometrial border (difference of -23%, 95% CI -27 to -18%), whilst they were larger (mean endometrial thickness; difference of +9 mm, 95% CI +8 to +11 mm), more frequently had non-uniform echogenicity (difference of +10%, 95% CI +5 to +15%), a multiple, multifocal vessel pattern (difference of +21%, 95% CI +16 to +26%), and a moderate or high color score (difference of +22%, 95% CI +18 to +27%), than low-risk tumors. CONCLUSION: Grayscale and color Doppler ultrasound features are associated with grade and stage, and differ between high and low risk endometrial cancer

External validation of the ovarian-adnexal reporting and data system (O-RADS) lexicon and the international ovarian tumor analysis 2-step strategy to stratify ovarian tumors into O-RADS risk groups.

IMPORTANCE: Correct diagnosis of ovarian cancer results in better prognosis. Adnexal lesions can be stratified into the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) risk of malignancy categories with either the O-RADS lexicon, proposed by the American College of Radiology, or the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) 2-step strategy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic performance of the O-RADS lexicon and the IOTA 2-step strategy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective external diagnostic validation study based on interim data of IOTA5, a prospective international multicenter cohort study, in 36 oncology referral centers or other types of centers. A total of 8519 consecutive adult patients presenting with an adnexal mass between January 1, 2012, and March 1, 2015, and treated either with surgery or conservatively were included in this diagnostic study. Twenty-five patients were excluded for withdrawal of consent, 2777 were excluded from 19 centers that did not meet predefined data quality criteria, and 812 were excluded because they were already in follow-up at recruitment. The analysis included 4905 patients with a newly detected adnexal mass in 17 centers that met predefined data quality criteria. Data were analyzed from January 31 to March 1, 2022. EXPOSURES: Stratification into O-RADS categories (malignancy risk <1%, 1% to <10%, 10% to <50%, and ≥50%). For the IOTA 2-step strategy, the stratification is based on the individual risk of malignancy calculated with the IOTA 2-step strategy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Observed prevalence of malignancy in each O-RADS risk category, as well as sensitivity and specificity. The reference standard was the status of the tumor at inclusion, determined by histology or clinical and ultrasonographic follow-up for 1 year. Multiple imputation was used for uncertain outcomes owing to inconclusive follow-up information. RESULTS: Median age of the 4905 patients was 48 years (IQR, 36-62 years). Data on race and ethnicity were not collected. A total of 3441 tumors (70%) were benign, 978 (20%) were malignant, and 486 (10%) had uncertain classification. Using the O-RADS lexicon resulted in 1.1% (24 of 2196) observed prevalence of malignancy in O-RADS 2, 4% (34 of 857) in O-RADS 3, 27% (246 of 904) in O-RADS 4, and 78% (732 of 939) in O-RADS 5; the corresponding results for the IOTA 2-step strategy were 0.9% (18 of 1984), 4% (58 of 1304), 30% (206 of 690), and 82% (756 of 927). At the 10% risk threshold (O-RADS 4-5), the O-RADS lexicon had 92% sensitivity (95% CI, 87%-96%) and 80% specificity (95% CI, 74%-85%), and the IOTA 2-step strategy had 91% sensitivity (95% CI, 84%-95%) and 85% specificity (95% CI, 80%-88%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this external diagnostic validation study suggest that both the O-RADS lexicon and the IOTA 2-step strategy can be used to stratify patients into risk groups. However, the observed malignancy rate in O-RADS 2 was not clearly below 1%

Reduction in the levels of CoQ biosynthetic proteins is related to an increase in lifespan without evidence of hepatic mitohormesis

Mitohormesis is an adaptive response induced by a mild mitochondrial stress that promotes longevity and metabolic health in different organisms. This mechanism has been proposed as the cause of the increase in the survival in Coq7+/− (Mclk1+/−) mice, which show hepatic reduction of COQ7, early mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. Our study shows that the lack of COQ9 in Coq9Q95X mice triggers the reduction of COQ7, COQ6 and COQ5, which results in an increase in life expectancy. However, our results reveal that the hepatic CoQ levels are not decreased and, therefore, neither mitochondrial dysfunction or increased oxidative stress are observed in liver of Coq9Q95X mice. These data point out the tissue specific differences in CoQ biosynthesis. Moreover, our results suggest that the effect of reduced levels of COQ7 on the increased survival in Coq9Q95X mice may be due to mitochondrial mechanisms in non-liver tissues or to other unknown mechanisms.This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Economía Competitividad, Spain, and the ERDF (Grant Number SAF2015-65786-R), from the Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía (grant number P10-CTS-6133) and from the University of Granada (grant reference “UNETE”, UCE-PP2017-06). AHG is a “FPU fellow” from the Ministerio de Educación Cultura y Deporte, Spain. MLS was a predoctoral fellow from the Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía. LCL was supported by the “Ramón y Cajal” National Programme, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain (RYC-2011-07643)

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Nomograms of Iranian fetal middle cerebral artery Doppler waveforms and uniformity of their pattern with other populations' nomograms

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Doppler flow velocity waveform analysis of fetal vessels is one of the main methods for evaluating fetus health before labor. Doppler waves of middle cerebral artery (MCA) can predict most of the at risk fetuses in high risk pregnancies. In this study, we tried to obtain normal values and their nomograms during pregnancy for Doppler flow velocity indices of MCA in 20 – 40 weeks of normal pregnancies in Iranian population and compare their pattern with other countries' nomograms.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During present descriptive cross-sectional study, 1037 normal pregnant women with 20^th–40^thweek gestational age were underwent MCA Doppler study. All cases were studied by gray scale ultrasonography initially and Doppler of MCA afterward. Resistive Index (RI), Pulsative Index (PI), Systolic/Diastolic ratio (S/D ratio), and Peak Systolic Velocity (PSV) values of MCA were determined for all of the subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Results of present study showed that RI, PI, S/D ratio values of MCA decreased with parabolic pattern and PSV value increased with simple pattern, as gestational age progressed. These changes were statistically significant (P = 0.000 for all of indices) and more characteristic during late weeks of pregnancy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Values of RI, PI and S/D ratio indices reduced toward the end of pregnancy, but PSV increased. Despite the trivial difference, nomograms of various Doppler indices in present study have similar pattern with other studies.</p