Search

The environmental research program of the United States military has set up blind tests for detection and discrimination of unexploded ordnance. One such test consists of measurements taken with the EM-63 sensor at Camp Sibert, AL. We review the performance on the test of a procedure that combines a field-potential (HAP) method to locate targets, the normalized surface magnetic source (NSMS) model to characterize them, and a support vector machine (SVM) to classify them. The HAP method infers location from the scattered magnetic field and its associated scalar potential, the latter reconstructed using equivalent sources. NSMS replaces the target with an enclosing spheroid of equivalent radial magnetization whose integral it uses as a discriminator. SVM generalizes from empirical evidence and can be adapted for multiclass discrimination using a voting system. Our method identifies all potentially dangerous targets correctly and has a false-alarm rate of about 5%.

Objective: To develop a consensus on histologic human ovarian follicle staging nomenclature, provide guidelines for follicle density calculation, and assess changes due to fixation to enhance communication among clinicians and ovarian biology researchers in order to gain a deeper understanding of human fertility., Methods: Beginning in March 2021, the Ovarian Nomenclature Workshop's Follicle Classification Working Subgroup was organized by the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)., Results: The Follicle Working Subgroup recommends consolidation and expansion of the current classification systems to include six stages of normal preantral follicles, five stages of normal antral follicles, as well as categories of corpus lutea, abnormal preantral follicles, abnormal antral follicles, and other distinct follicle types. The new preantral staging added intermediate stages (primordial, transitional primordial, primary, transitional primary, secondary, multilayer ovarian follicles). The antral follicle staging includes: early pre-selection, selection, dominance, and pre-ovulatory follicles. Abnormal preantral follicles include those with an abnormal oocyte (AMF-o), granulosa cells (AMF-g), or both (AMF-og). We suggest a uniform way of calculating mean follicle density in number of follicles/mm 2 ., Conclusion: To establish a consensus in ovarian follicle terminology, the Ovarian Follicle Working Subgroup of the NICHD Ovarian Nomenclature Workshop standardized Follicle Staging Nomenclature and Follicle Density Calculating Systems so consistent common language can be used among ovarian biology researchers and clinicians., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To report detailed, pooled multicenter experiences and outcomes after in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment among patients undergoing uterus transplantation (UTx) in the US., Design: Cohort study., Setting: Hospital., Patients: Patients undergoing UTxsfrom the three longest-running UTx clinical trials in the US., Intervention: In vitro fertilization treatment among patients undergoing UTx., Main Outcome Measures: Reproductive outcomes pretransplant and posttransplant ovarian stimulation., Results: Thirty-one uterus transplant recipients were included in this cohort (mean [±SD] age at transplant was 31 ± 4.7 years). Before transplant, recipients completed a mean of two oocyte retrievals (range 1-4), banking a mean of eight untested embryos (range 3-24) or six euploid embryos (range 2-10). Posttransplant retrieval cycles were required in 19% (n = 6/31) of recipients, for a total of 16 cycles (range 2-4 cycles per recipient). All posttransplant retrievals were performed vaginally without complications. Preimplantation genetic testing was used by 74% (n = 23/31) of subjects. Seventy-two autologous single embryo transfers (ETs) occurred in 23 patients who completed at least one ET. Two ETs followed a fresh IVF treatment cycle, and the remainder (n = 70) were frozen ETs. Endometrial preparation was more commonly performed with programmed protocols (n = 61) (exogenous administration of estrogen and progesterone) compared with natural cycle protocols (n = 9). The overall live birth rate (LBR) for this cohort was 35% (n = 25/72) per ET. Among those patients (n = 21) who had an ET leading to a live birth, a mean of 2.2 ETs were performed. The overall LBR after the first ET was 57% (n = 13/23) and rose to 74% (n = 17/23) after a second ET. There was no difference in rate of preeclampsia, live birth, neonatal birth, or placental weights among programmed vs. natural cycle frozen ETs. There were no differences in the LBR between living or deceased donor uteri (37% vs. 32%)., Conclusions: Posttransplant ovarian stimulation was required in 26% (n = 6/23) of recipients undergoing at least one ET, despite high rates of preimplantation genetic testing and pretransplant embryo cryopreservation. Posttransplant retrievals were performed transvaginally, without complications. Future reporting of IVF treatment experiences will be essential to optimizing reproductive outcomes after a uterus transplant., Clinical Trial Registration Numbers: NCT02656550 (Baylor University Medical Center); NCT03307356 (University of Pennsylvania); and NCT02573415 (Cleveland Clinic)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests J.R.W. has nothing to disclose. L.J. has nothing to disclose. T.F. has nothing to disclose. M.P. has nothing to disclose. G.T. has nothing to disclose. E.G.R. has nothing to disclose. K.E.O has nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Deformable medial modeling is an inverse skeletonization approach to representing anatomy in medical images, which can be used for statistical shape analysis and assessment of patient-specific anatomical features such as locally varying thickness. It involves deforming a pre-defined synthetic skeleton, or template, to anatomical structures of the same class. The lack of software for creating such skeletons has been a limitation to more widespread use of deformable medial modeling. Therefore, the objective of this work is to present an open-source user interface (UI) for the creation of synthetic skeletons for a range of medial modeling applications in medical imaging., Approach: A UI for interactive design of synthetic skeletons was implemented in 3D Slicer, an open-source medical image analysis application. The steps in synthetic skeleton design include importation and skeletonization of a 3D segmentation, followed by interactive 3D point placement and triangulation of the medial surface such that the desired branching configuration of the anatomical structure's medial axis is achieved. Synthetic skeleton design was evaluated in five clinical applications. Compatibility of the synthetic skeletons with open-source software for deformable medial modeling was tested, and representational accuracy of the deformed medial models was evaluated., Results: Three users designed synthetic skeletons of anatomies with various topologies: the placenta, aortic root wall, mitral valve, cardiac ventricles, and the uterus. The skeletons were compatible with skeleton-first and boundary-first software for deformable medial modeling. The fitted medial models achieved good representational accuracy with respect to the 3D segmentations from which the synthetic skeletons were generated., Conclusions: Synthetic skeleton design has been a practical challenge in leveraging deformable medial modeling for new clinical applications. This work demonstrates an open-source UI for user-friendly design of synthetic skeletons for anatomies with a wide range of topologies., (© 2024 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).)

Les Mills BODYPUMP TM is a resistance training group exercise class with a low load, high repetition format. Squat training in BODYPUMP TM has two key variables: depth and load. The study aim was to determine the effect of these parameters on the mean and peak EMG amplitude of vastus lateralis, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris and lateral gastrocnemius. Ten female BODYPUMP TM participants (age 41 ± 9 years, height 161.9 ± 3.8 cm, mass 67.7 ± 7.0 kg) performed 1 × 7 squats under four conditions, representing every combination of two depths (90° knee angle and 125° knee angle) and two loads (23% bodyweight and 38% bodyweight). The main effect of depth was significant for mean and peak activity of vastus lateralis and gluteus maximus, and peak activity of biceps femoris and lateral gastrocnemius. The main effect of load was significant for mean and peak activity of gluteus maximus and lateral gastrocnemius. There was no depth * load interaction. These data can be used to inform BODYPUMP TM programme design and amplify the training effect of participation in group exercise classes.

The ovaries are the female gonads that are crucial for reproduction, steroid production, and overall health. Historically, the ovary was broadly divided into regions defined as the cortex, medulla, and hilum. This current nomenclature lacks specificity and fails to consider the significant anatomic variations in the ovary. Recent technological advances in imaging modalities and high-resolution omic analyses have brought about the need for revision of the existing definitions, which will facilitate the integration of generated data and enable the characterization of organ subanatomy and function at the cellular level. The creation of these high-resolution multimodal maps of the ovary will enhance collaboration and communication among disciplines and between clinicians and researchers. Beginning in March 2021, the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development invited subject-matter experts to participate in a series of workshops and meetings to standardize ovarian nomenclature and define the organ's features. The goal was to develop a spatially defined and semantically consistent terminology of the ovary to support collaborative, team science-based endeavors aimed at generating reference atlases of the human ovary. The group recommended a standardized, 3-dimensional description of the ovary and an ontological approach to the subanatomy of the ovary and definition of follicles. This new greater precision in nomenclature and mapping will better reflect the ovary's heterogeneous composition and function, support the standardization of tissue collection, facilitate functional analyses, and enable clinical and research collaborations. The conceptualization process and outcomes of the effort, which spanned the better part of 2021 and early 2022, are introduced in this article. The institute and the workshop participants encourage researchers and clinicians to adopt the new systems in their everyday work to advance the overarching goal of improving human reproductive health., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Uterus transplantation (UTx) is an effective treatment option for uterine factor infertility. However, the need for immunosuppression and congenital renal anomalies that coexist with uterine agenesis in about 30% of women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome create a risk for renal dysfunction. We therefore examined renal function trajectory and related pregnancy complications in an international cohort of 18 UTx recipients from September 2016-February 2020 who had at least one live birth. All UTx recipients had a diminution in their renal function that was apparent starting at 30 days posttransplant and in half the reduction in eGFR was at least 20%; the decrease in eGFR persisted into the early post-partum period. Half met criteria for Stage 1 acute kidney injury (AKI) as defined by the AKI Network criteria during their pregnancy. Overall, 28% of UTx recipients developed pre-eclampsia. eGFR was lower at embryo transfer and throughout pregnancy among those who developed pre-eclampsia, reaching statistical significance at week 16 of pregnancy. This effect was independent of tacrolimus levels. Mean eGFR remained significantly lower in the first 1-3 months after delivery. In the subgroup who reached 12 months of postpartum follow up and had a graft hysterectomy (n = 4), there was no longer a statistical difference in eGFR (pretransplant 106.7 ml/m ± 17.7 vs. 12 mos postpartum 92.6 ml/m ± 21.7, p = .13) but the number was small. Further study is required to delineate long term renal risks for UTx recipients, improve patient selection, and make decisions regarding a second pregnancy., (© 2022 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

Uterus transplantation (UTx) provides a new pathway to parenthood for patients with absolute uterine factor infertility. The application of reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization, embryo cryopreservation, and frozen embryo transfers, for this unique population, is particularly nuanced and continually evolving. There are important pretransplant and posttransplant reproductive considerations for physicians and patients anticipating UTx. As with any rapidly evolving medical innovation, efforts to consolidate experiences and knowledge by centers offering UTx is paramount., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The skin microbiota is intimately coupled with cutaneous health and disease. Interactions between commensal microbiota and the multiple cell types involved in cutaneous wound healing regulate the immune response and promote barrier restoration. This dialog between host cells and the microbiome is dysregulated in chronic wounds. In this review, we first describe how advances in sequencing approaches and analysis have been used to study the chronic wound microbiota, and how these findings underscored the complexity of microbial communities and their association with clinical outcomes in patients with chronic wound disorders. We also discuss the mechanistic insights gathered from multiple animal models of polymicrobial wound infections. In addition to the well-described role of bacteria residing in polymicrobial biofilms, we also discuss the role of the intracellular bacterial niche in wound healing. We describe how, in contrast to pathogenic species capable of subverting skin immunity, commensals are essential for the regulation of the cutaneous immune system and provide protection from intracellular pathogens through modulation of the antimicrobial molecule, Perforin-2. Despite recent advances, more research is needed to shed light on host-microbiome crosstalk in both healing and nonhealing chronic wounds to appropriately guide therapeutic developments.

Thymus function depends on the epithelial compartment of the thymic stroma. Cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) regulate T cell lineage commitment and positive selection, while medullary (m) TECs impose central tolerance on the T cell repertoire. During thymus organogenesis, these functionally distinct sub-lineages are thought to arise from a common thymic epithelial progenitor cell (TEPC). However, the mechanisms controlling cTEC and mTEC production from the common TEPC are not understood. Here, we show that emergence of the earliest mTEC lineage-restricted progenitors requires active NOTCH signaling in progenitor TEC and that, once specified, further mTEC development is NOTCH independent. In addition, we demonstrate that persistent NOTCH activity favors maintenance of undifferentiated TEPCs at the expense of cTEC differentiation. Finally, we uncover a cross-regulatory relationship between NOTCH and FOXN1, a master regulator of TEC differentiation. These data establish NOTCH as a potent regulator of TEPC and mTEC fate during fetal thymus development, and are thus of high relevance to strategies aimed at generating/regenerating functional thymic tissue in vitro and in vivo ., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2020. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare rates of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) after using gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) alone and GnRHa in combination with low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, dual trigger) for final oocyte maturation in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH)., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic center. Study population included 108 women who received GnRHa trigger and 66 women who received dual trigger (GnRHa + low-dose [1000 IU] hCG trigger). The main outcome measure was OHSS. Secondary outcomes included total oocyte yield and oocyte maturity., Results: The incidence of early OHSS was significantly higher after dual trigger than GnRHa trigger (8.6 vs 0 %). Moreover, four of the six patients that developed OHSS developed severe OHSS. Logistic modeling revealed that the combination of age, BMI, baseline AFC, and E2 >4000 pg/mL was predictive of OHSS with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84 and was superior to each factor alone. Adjusted analyses revealed that dual trigger was associated with a higher number of total oocytes (adjusted OR 1.27; 95 % confidence interval, 1.18, 1.38) and percentage of mature oocytes (AOR 1.10; 95 % confidence interval, 1.03, 1.17) obtained compared to GnRHa trigger alone., Conclusions: Dual trigger for final oocyte maturation using GnRHa and low-dose hCG is associated with a significantly increased risk of severe OHSS compared to GnRH alone. However, dual trigger may be associated with a modest increase in oocyte yield, both in terms of number and maturity., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standards All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study, formal consent is not required.

Fenoldopam is a selective dopamine-1 receptor agonist that improves diuresis by increasing renal blood flow and perfusion and causing peripheral vasodilation. Fenoldopam has been shown to induce diuresis and be well-tolerated in healthy cats. It is used clinically in cats with oliguric kidney injury at doses extrapolated from human medicine and canine studies. The pharmacokinetics in healthy beagle dogs has been reported; however, pharmacokinetic data in cats are lacking. The goal of this study was to determine pharmacokinetic data for healthy, awake cats receiving an infusion of fenoldopam. Six healthy, awake, client-owned cats aged 2-6 years old received a 120-min constant rate infusion of fenoldopam at 0.8 μg/kg/min followed by a 20-min washout period. Ascorbate stabilized plasma samples were collected during and after the infusion for the measurement of fenoldopam concentration by HPLC with mass spectrometry detection. This study showed that the geometric mean of the volume of distribution, clearance, and half-life (198 mL/kg, 46 mL/kg/min, and 3.0 mins) is similar to pharmacokinetic parameters for humans. No adverse events were noted. Fenoldopam at a constant rate infusion of 0.8 μg/kg per min was well tolerated in healthy cats. Based on the results, further evaluation of fenoldopam in cats with kidney disease is recommended., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are critically required for T cell development, but the cellular mechanisms that maintain adult TECs are poorly understood. Here, we show that a previously unidentified subpopulation, EpCam(+)UEA1(-)Ly-51(+)PLET1(+)MHC class II(hi), which comprises <0.5% of adult TECs, contains bipotent TEC progenitors that can efficiently generate both cortical (c) TECs and medullary (m) TECs. No other adult TEC population tested in this study contains this activity. We demonstrate persistence of PLET1(+)Ly-51(+) TEC-derived cells for 9 months in vivo, suggesting the presence of thymic epithelial stem cells. Additionally, we identify cTEC-restricted short-term progenitor activity but fail to detect high efficiency mTEC-restricted progenitors in the adult thymus. Our data provide a phenotypically defined adult thymic epithelial progenitor/stem cell that is able to generate both cTECs and mTECs, opening avenues for improving thymus function in patients., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Thymus function requires extensive cross-talk between developing T-cells and the thymic epithelium, which consists of cortical and medullary TEC. The transcription factor FOXN1 is the master regulator of TEC differentiation and function, and declining Foxn1 expression with age results in stereotypical thymic involution. Understanding of the dynamics of Foxn1 expression is, however, limited by a lack of single cell resolution data. We have generated a novel reporter of Foxn1 expression, Foxn1G, to monitor changes in Foxn1 expression during embryogenesis and involution. Our data reveal that early differentiation and maturation of cortical and medullary TEC coincides with precise sub-lineage-specific regulation of Foxn1 expression levels. We further show that initiation of thymic involution is associated with reduced cTEC functionality, and proportional expansion of FOXN1-negative TEC in both cortical and medullary sub-lineages. Cortex-specific down-regulation of Foxn1 between 1 and 3 months of age may therefore be a key driver of the early stages of age-related thymic involution.

Background: Treatment with aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor is commonly used in patients with cardiovascular disorders. The overall effect of such treatment on all-cause mortality is unknown. In the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) Study, continuation of dual antiplatelet therapy beyond 12 months after coronary stenting was associated with an unexpected increase in non-cardiovascular death. In view of the potential public health importance of these findings, we aimed to assess the effect of extended duration dual antiplatelet therapy on mortality by doing a meta-analysis of all randomised, controlled trials of treatment duration in various cardiovascular disorders., Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) to identify randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of extended duration versus no or short duration dual antiplatelet therapy, published before Oct 1, 2014. We did a meta-analysis to pool results with a hierarchical Bayesian random-effects model. The primary outcomes were hazard ratios comparing rates of all-cause, cardiovascular, and non-cardiovascular death., Findings: Including the DAPT Study, we identified 14 eligible trials that randomly assigned 69,644 participants to different durations of dual antiplatelet therapy. Compared with aspirin alone or short duration dual antiplatelet therapy (≤6 months), continued treatment was not associated with a difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1·05, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0·96-1·19; p=0·33). Similarly, cardiovascular (1·01, 0·93-1·12; p=0·81) and non-cardiovascular mortality (1·04, 0·90-1·26; p=0·66) were no different with extended duration versus short duration dual antiplatelet therapy or aspirin alone., Interpretation: Extended duration dual antiplatelet therapy was not associated with a difference in the risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, or non-cardiovascular death compared with aspirin alone or short duration dual antiplatelet therapy., Funding: None., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The thymus is required for generation of a self-tolerant, self-restricted T-cell repertoire. The capacity to manipulate or replace thymus function therapeutically would be beneficial in a variety of clinical settings, including for improving recovery following bone marrow transplantation, restoring immune system function in the elderly and promoting tolerance to transplanted organs or cells. An attractive strategy would be transplantation of thymus organoids generated from cells produced in vitro, for instance from pluripotent stem cells. Here, we review recent progress toward this goal, focusing on advances in directing differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to thymic epithelial cells, a key cell type of the thymic stroma, and related direct reprogramming strategies.

Objective: To compare endocrine profiles and IVF outcomes after using GnRH agonists (GnRHa) to trigger final oocyte maturation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with other hyper-responders., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: Academic center., Patient(s): Forty women with PCOS and 74 hyper-responders without PCOS., Intervention(s): GnRHa trigger., Main Outcome Measure(s): Number of oocytes., Result(s): Serum E2, LH, and P levels on the day of GnRHa trigger and the day after trigger did not differ significantly between groups. There were no significant differences in total number of oocytes or percent mature oocytes obtained between groups after controlling for age, antral follicle count, and total days of stimulation. The overall rate of no retrieval of oocytes after trigger was low (2.6%). Fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live-birth rates were similar in the two groups. No patients developed ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)., Conclusion(s): The similar post-GnRHa trigger hormone profiles and mature oocyte yield support the routine use of GnRHa trigger to prevent OHSS in women with PCOS., (Copyright © 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Primary hepatocytes rapidly dedifferentiate when cultured in vitro. We have studied the mechanism of hepatocyte dedifferentiation by using two culture media: one that maintains hepatocytes in a differentiated state and another that allows dedifferentiation. We show that dedifferentiation involves partial transformation of hepatocytes into cells that resemble biliary epithelial cells. Lineage labeling and time-lapse filming confirm that the dedifferentiated cells are derived from hepatocytes and not from contaminating ductal or fibroblastic cells in the original culture. Furthermore, we establish that the conversion of hepatocytes to biliary-like cells is regulated by mutual antagonism of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) and SOX9, which have opposing effects on the expression of hepatocyte and ductal genes. Thus, hepatocyte dedifferentiation induces the biliary gene expression program by alleviating C/EBPα-mediated repression of Sox9. We propose that reciprocal antagonism of C/EBPα and SOX9 also operates in the formation of hepatocytes and biliary ducts from hepatoblasts during normal embryonic development. These data demonstrate that reprogramming of differentiated cells can be used to model the acquisition and maintenance of cell fate in vivo.

A central goal of regenerative medicine is to generate transplantable organs from cells derived or expanded in vitro. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the production of defined cell types in vitro, the creation of a fully intact organ has not been reported. The transcription factor forkhead box N1 (FOXN1) is critically required for development of thymic epithelial cells (TECs), a key cell type of the thymic stroma. Here, we show that enforced Foxn1 expression is sufficient to reprogramme fibroblasts into functional TECs, an unrelated cell type across a germ-layer boundary. These FOXN1-induced TECs (iTECs) supported efficient development of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in vitro. On transplantation, iTECs established a complete, fully organized and functional thymus, that contained all of the TEC subtypes required to support T-cell differentiation and populated the recipient immune system with T cells. iTECs thus demonstrate that cellular reprogramming approaches can be used to generate an entire organ, and open the possibility of widespread use of thymus transplantation to boost immune function in patients.

Objective: To determine whether IVF modifies the effect of fetal sex on growth., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: Tertiary care center and related facilities., Patient(s): Singleton live births without fetal/maternal comorbidities from fertile women who conceived without the use of assisted reproductive technologies and infertile women who conceived with IVF., Intervention(s): None., Main Outcome Measure(s): The primary outcome was birth weight (BW). Secondary outcomes were fetal crown-rump length (CRL) in the first trimester, biparietal diameter (BPD), and estimated fetal weight (EFW) in the second trimester., Result(s): There were no differences in baseline characteristics between women carrying male fetuses and those carrying female fetuses in either mode of conception. In unadjusted analyses, the male-female differentials in fetal BPD and BW were more pronounced in the IVF cohort than in the unassisted cohort. In multivariable regression analysis, male BPD exceeded female BPD by 0.12 cm, male EFW exceeded female EFW by 12 g, and male BW exceeded female BW by 172 g. IVF did not have a significant effect on BPD but was associated with a 52 g increase in EFW in the midgestation. IVF was associated with an 81-g reduction in BW. IVF did not modify the magnitude of size differences between the sexes in the midgestation or at birth., Conclusion(s): Comparable sex-dependent differential growth occurs in unassisted and IVF pregnancies., (Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine whether fetal size differences exist between matched fertile and infertile women and among women with infertility achieving pregnancy through various treatment modalities., Design: Retrospective cohort study with propensity score analysis., Setting: Tertiary care center and affiliated community hospitals., Patient(s): 1,246 fertile and 461 infertile healthy women with singleton livebirths over a 10-year period., Intervention(s): Infertile women conceiving without medical assistance, with ovulation induction, or with in vitro fertilization., Main Outcome Measure(s): Birthweight; secondary outcomes included crown-rump length, second-trimester estimated fetal weight, and incidence of low birth weight and preterm delivery., Result(s): Compared with matched fertile women, infertile women had smaller neonates at birth (3,375 ± 21 vs. 3,231 ± 21 g) and more low-birth-weight infants (relative risk = 1.68, 95% confidence interval, 1.06, 2.67). Neonates conceived via ovulation induction were the smallest among the infertility subgroups compared with the neonates of fertile women (3,092 ± 46 vs. 3,397 ± 44 g). First-trimester fetal size was smaller in infertile versus fertile women (crown-rump length 7.9 ± 0.1 vs. 8.5 ± 0.1 mm). Within the infertility subgroups, no differences in fetal or neonatal size were found., Conclusion(s): The inherent pathologic processes associated with infertility may have a larger impact on fetal growth than infertility therapies., (Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mature cystic teratomas (MCTs) are the most common ovarian neoplastic lesions found in adolescents. MCTs are usually asymptomatic and are often discovered incidentally on exam or imaging. The recurrence rate of MCTs following cystectomy is 3-4% and incidence of malignant transformation is estimated to be 0.17-2%. Given the accuracy with which MCTs can be diagnosed preoperatively studies suggest that these lesions can be treated surgically using laparoscopic techniques. The management of MCTs in the adolescent population poses unique challenges given the potential impact on sexual development and fertility., Case: A 17-year-old female was found to have bilateral adnexal masses consistent in appearance with MCTs on computed tomography after a motor vehicle accident. She underwent exploratory laparotomy with pathology confirming the presence of bilateral ovarian MCTs. Three years later she returned to the office with occasional abdominopelvic pain. Ultrasound revealed bilateral complex cysts suggestive of recurrent MCTs. She was expectantly managed with serial ultrasounds and after 24 months, slow but visible growth of the MCTs was confirmed. The patient is now 22 years old and asymptomatic. What is the most appropriate management?, Summary and Conclusion: The risks of expectant management in women like the one presented are small. This suggests that although the traditional treatment for MCTs is laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy, in children and adolescents with MCTs we should consider close follow-up without intervention to preserve ovarian function and future fertility.

We show that replication defective adenovirus can be used for localized overexpression of a chosen gene in Xenopus tadpoles. Xenopus contains two homologs of the Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor (xCAR1 and 2), both of which can confer sensitivity for adenovirus infection. xCAR1 mRNA is present from the late gastrula stage and xCAR2 throughout development, both being widely expressed in the embryo and tadpole. Consistent with the expression of the receptors, adenovirus will infect a wide range of Xenopus tissues cultured in vitro. It will also infect early embryos when injected into the blastocoel or archenteron cavities. Furthermore, adenovirus can be delivered by localized injection to tadpoles and will infect a patch of cells around the injection site. The expression of green fluorescent protein in infected cells persists for several weeks. This new gene delivery method complements the others that are already available. Developmental Dynamics 238:1412-1421, 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The origin of insulin-expressing beta-cells in the adult mammalian pancreas is controversial. During normal tissue turnover and following injury, beta-cells may be replaced by duplication of existing beta-cells.1 However, an alternative source of beta-cells has recently been proposed based on neogenesis from a Ngn3-positive population present in regenerating pancreatic ducts.2 The appearance of beta-cells from Ngn3-positive progenitors is reminiscent of normal pancreas development, and Ngn3-expressing cells isolated from regenerating pancreas can generate the full repertoire of endocrine phenotypes. The isolation and characterisation of the equivalent human progenitors may represent a significant step forward in the hunt for a cure for diabetes., ((c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The Proteome Division of Incyte Genomics has released new volumes to the BioKnowledge Library to add human, mouse and rat protein information to its rich collection of model organism Proteome Databases. The Human Proteome Survey Database (HumanPSD) compiles the fundamental properties of more than 25 000 characterized mammalian proteins. HumanPSD includes clear, concise and current protein descriptions (Title Lines), the protein sequence, calculated physical properties, precomputed BLAST alignments, controlled-vocabulary protein properties and Gene Ontology terms, and a list of published references. Each report also contains expression data, Pfam domain information and an associated Mouse Mutant Phenotype section describing behavioral, physiological and cellular phenotypes for over 1500 mouse mutant phenotypes. GPCR-PD contains more than 3200 Protein Reports from the three mammalian species for G protein-coupled receptors, their protein ligands, associated G-proteins and their downstream signaling proteins. In addition to the features described above, each GPCR-PD Protein Report displays annotations of experimental findings from over 10 000 publications. These databases provide important new volumes of Proteome's BioKnowledge Library (http://www.incyte.com), integrating protein information from model organisms with the human proteome.

The sequence of 5,839 nucleotides from the adenovirus 2 genome has been determined and includes the regions between coordinates 32-44% and 66-71%. These regions contain the coding sequences for the 52,55K polypeptide, polypeptide IIIa, penton base, and the N terminus of the 100K polypeptide. Several additional unidentified open reading frames are present, including examples which overlap identified reading frames on the complementary strand and on the same strand. In conjunction with previously published sequences and those described in the accompanying papers (Akusjärvi, G., Aleström, P., Pettersson, M., Lager, M., Jöurnvall, H., and Pettersson, U. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 13976-13979; Aleström, P., Akusjärvi, G., Lager, M., Yeh-kai, L., and Pettersson, U. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 13980-13985) a complete sequence of 35,937 nucleotide pairs can now be reconstructed for the adenovirus 2 genome.

The sequence of 15,441 nucleotides from the adenovirus-2 genome has been determined and includes the regions between coordinates 0-32% and 89-100%. These regions contain the early (E) transcription units E1A, E1B, E2B, and E4, the genes for polypeptides IVa2 and IX, the COOH terminus of fiber polypeptide, as well as the two virus-associated RNAs and the leader sequences for the major late mRNAs. Analysis of tryptic peptides from the terminal protein and its precursor (Smart, J. E., and Stillman, B. W. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 13499-13506) has allowed the gene for the precursor terminal protein to be positioned between coordinates 28.0 and 23.5 on the 1-strand. A minimum Mr = 74,500 is predicted. A second, longer open reading frame is also found on the 1-strand between coordinates 22.9 and 14.2 and predicts a polypeptide of at least Mr = 120,000. Many open reading frames longer than 10,000 exist within this sequence although less than half of them can be assigned to previously characterized polypeptides. As with other viral genomes, the available coding information is highly compressed. Intergenic distances are very short and examples are found of genes which overlap either on the same strand or the complementary strand.

An increase in phagocytosis of Escherichia coli O86, an organism containing blood group B substance, was seen in the presence of anti-B antibodies.