BACKGROUND Embryo transfer, a crucial step for achieving pregnancy after in vitro fertilization, is an operator-dependent technique but the number of procedures required for a trainee to reach proficiency is unknown. We set out to evaluate the learning curve (LC) of embryo transfer using a specifically designed statistical tool. METHODS The first embryo transfers performed by five trainees we...

We have previously shown that non-mammary and tumorigenic cells can respond to the signals of the mammary niche and alter their cell fate to that of mammary epithelial progenitor cells. Here we tested the hypothesis that paracrine signals from mammary epithelial cells expressing progesterone receptor (PR) are dispensable for redirection of testicular cells, and that re-directed wild-type testic...

Despite the various responses of human skin to female sex hormones, cellular and subcellular targets and the mechanisms of action of estrogen and progesterone in human skin are not well understood. The detection of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in the skin is of great importance to understand the effect of estrogen and progesterone. In primary cultures of human keratinoc...

BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown an increase in the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in younger patients. The hypothesis that tumors could be hormonally induced during pregnancy or in young female patients without the well-known risk factors alcohol or tobacco abuse seems to be plausible. MATERIAL AND METHODS Estrogen Receptor alpha (ERα) and Progesterone Receptor (PR) exp...

the microdose gnrh agonist (gnrh-a) flare protocol may have a particular value for previously poor responders in whom it has been observed to stimulate dramatic increases in serum fsh. the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of microdose gnrh-a in poor responders. this is a clinical trial with before and after design. this study was done in research and clinical center for infert...

There is considerable evidence for non-genomic transmission between generations of phenotypes induced by environmental exposures during development, although the mechanism is poorly understood. We investigated whether alterations in expression of the liver transcriptome induced in F1 offspring by feeding F0 dams a protein-restricted (PR) diet during pregnancy were passed with or without further...

Throughout most of pregnancy, uterine quiescence is maintained by increased progesterone receptor (PR) transcriptional activity, whereas spontaneous labor is initiated/facilitated by a concerted series of biochemical events that activate inflammatory pathways and have a negative impact on PR function. In this study, we uncovered a previously undescribed regulatory pathway whereby micro-RNAs (mi...

Objective: To evaluate the effect of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), a mucolytic drug with insulin sensitizing properties, as an adjuvant therapy in subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) resistant to clomiphene citrate (CC). Design: Placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial. Setting: University-based hospital and private infertility practice. Patient(s): One hundred fifty women diagno...

OBJECTIVE To compare the effect of letrozole with combined metformin and clomiphene citrate (CC) for ovulation induction in CC-resistant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN A randomized controlled trial. SETTING University teaching hospital and a private practice setting. PATIENT(S) Two hundred fifty anovulatory women (582 cycles) with CC-resistant PCOS. INTERVENTION(S) ...

purpose to verify whether active recovery (ar) applied after a kickboxing match resulted in better performance in anaerobic tests when compared to passive recovery (pr). methods eighteen kickboxers volunteered to participate on a kickboxing match preceded and followed by anaerobic tests: squat jump (sj), the counter movement jump (cmj) and the upper-body wingate test. blood lactate (bl), heart ...