1,721,059 research outputs found
Oxytocin and vasopressin [Oxitocina y vasopresina]
No full textOxitocin and vasopressin are substances of major relevance in the female endocrine and reproductive systems. They are involved in the control of several fundamental functions: luteolysis, myometrial contraction, labor and delivery of the fetus and placenta, post-partum uterine involution, milk ejection and infant lactation, blood pressure and kidney-dependent water balance regulation. Oxitocin and vasopressin were identified more than fifty years ago and are classically defined as neurohormones with, at least to some extent, overlapping actions. The recent developments of knowledge on oxytocin and vasopressin are changing our understanding of the roles played by these substances and even their actual nature. This is particularly true for oxytocin which at present must be considered no longer only a hormone; rather it is a much more complex substance with endocrine, paracrine and probably also autocrine properties. In this chapter, the contemporary roles and functions of oxytocin and vasopressin will be discussed with specific application to human pregnancy and parturition
Zika virus infection and pregnancy: what we do and do not know
No full textRecent data strongly suggest an association between the current outbreak of ZIKA virus (ZIKV) in many countries of Central and South America and a sharp increase in the detection of microcephaly and fetal malformations. The link with brain defect, which has been detected mainly in some areas of Brazil, is supported by the following evidence: (1) ZIKV transmission from infected pregnant women to their fetuses; (2) the potential of ZIKV to determine a specific congenital fetal syndrome characterized by abnormalities involving primarily the developing brain and eye. In particular, the risk of transmission and congenital disease appears to be restricted to mother's infection during the first trimester of pregnancy. Among brain defects, microcephaly, brain calcifications, and ventriculomegaly are the most frequent abnormalities of the central nervous system detected so far. However, relevant information on effect of maternal infection with ZIKV on the fetus is still limited. In this review, we focus our attention on current knowledge about ZIKV infection in pregnancy, discussing relevant issues and open problems which merit further investigation
What has to be pointed out in unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss research in the unsolved fields: Lessons from clinic. An Italian RPL Unit experience
No full textRecurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a controversial field both in research and clinical approaches. Despite the most recent guidelines (ESHRE 2017), an agreement in diagnostic work-up to apply in these patients, as well as in management and treatment, has not been reached, especially in unexplained RPL (uRPL). This is due to the lack of a strong evidence-based level in this field, since the discrepancies among the different RPL research groups, in terms of definition, etiological factors and management cannot lead to organize all the results in systematic reviews. Therefore, common shared cornerstones are required to homogenize research parameters, since the right interplay between clinical management and experimental approaches could lead to contribute in the development of stronger evidences. In this review, we highlight what has to be pointed out in RPL debated subfields and how the experimental approach is necessary to overhaul discrepancies in clinical management. The experience of our RPL Unit has been reported to show how research experience could contribute in modifying the clinical approach
The association of PTPN22 polymorphism with endometriosis: effect of genetic and clinical factors
No full textTo investigate the possible effect of clinical and genetic variables on the association between PTPN22 and endometriosis
CHROMOSOMAL-ABNORMALITIES IN FETUSES WITH ABSENT END-DIASTOLIC VELOCITY IN UMBILICAL ARTERY - ANALYSIS OF RISK-FACTORS FOR AN ABNORMAL KARYOTYPE
No full textGasless laparoscopic surgery during pregnancy: evaluation of its role and usefulness
Full text linkThe minimally invasive laparoscopic approach in the surgical treatment of diseases during pregnancy has become progressively more accepted and applied. In an attempt to overcome the potential adverse effects of pneumoperitoneum on the fetus, gasless laparoscopic surgery (GLS) has been developed. This article reviews the evidence available for the role and effectiveness of GLS in pregnancy. A computerized literature search was conducted on Medline, Science Citation Index, Current Contents, Embase, and PubMed databases for English language publications from the first report of GLS in pregnancy in 1995 to June 2012. Eleven case reports or retrospective series were identified. A total of 44 pregnant women underwent GLS for various surgical indications. In all cases, the procedures were carried out without complication, and the women were discharged from hospital with a continuing pregnancy. GLS in pregnancy has comparable outcomes to conventional CO2 laparoscopy, but it is associated with some advantages. Hypercarbia and increased intraperitoneal pressure due to CO2 insufflation are avoided. The use of high-pressure continuous suction may prevent the problems that are potentially associated with intra-abdominal smoke generated by electrosurgery, which can increase the risk of fetal exposure to elevated levels of toxic gases. Because this procedure may be performed under regional anesthesia, avoiding general anesthesia, there is a minimal transplacental passage of anesthetic drugs to the fetus. The surgeon must be expert in advanced laparoscopic procedures
Estrogen replacement therapy and asthma
No full textA growing body of clinical and experimental evidence indicates that female sex hormones, particularly estrogen, have significant effects on normal airway function as well as on respiratory disorders, such as asthma. These effects are very complex and are exerted at several levels, directly on airway reactivity or indirectly through regulation of the immune and inflammatory responses in the lung. They can have relevant clinical implications not only according to the phases of the reproductive life in women, but also in relation to the therapeutical administration of estrogen, as in the case of menopausal hormone therapy. Clinical evidence suggests that administration of estrogen to menopausal women is associated with increased rates of newly diagnosed asthma. Conversely, functional studies show that estrogen can improve objective indexes of respiratory functionality
Uterine myomectomy: Role of gasless laparoscopy in comparison with other minimally invasive approaches
No full textAbstract Introduction: The aim of this review was to assess the role of gasless laparoscopy (GLM) in comparison with two other minimally invasive approaches to myomectomy, CO(2) laparoscopy (LM) and minilaparotomy (MM), focusing on the most recent randomized or prospective controlled studies. Material and methods: A computerized search was made of the Medline, Science Citation Index, Current Contents, Embase, and PubMed databases for English language publications from the first reports of GLM, LM, and MM in 1995 to 2010. The fifteen most recent randomized or prospective controlled studies were selected and analyzed considering the operative and postoperative parameters. Results: One randomized controlled, one multicenter controlled, three prospective studies about GLM, four randomized controlled studies and one prospective study about LM, four randomized controlled trials and one prospective study about MM were reviewed and analyzed. Discussion: GLM offers some advantages eliminating the adverse effects and potential risks of CO(2) insufflation, particularly when large myomas have to be removed. The advantages of LM are the tamponade effect generated by the gas on the small vessels and the more precise myoma enucleation by using the endoscopic instruments, thus reducing intraoperative bleeding. MM can be a suitable option being associated with a lower overall level of surgical skill, even if it is desirable to have a standard universally accepted definition of "minilaparotomy" in order to correctly compare the results of the different studies. Lastly, the surgical outcomes of the three minimally invasive approaches to myomectomy are influenced by size, site, and number of the myomas, as well as by the skill and preference of the surgeon.All these criteria should be considered in the choice of the best minimally invasive approach to myomectomy
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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