ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ovarian stimulation outcome and success rates are equivalent between GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist regimens when all other variables are held constant. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. Infertile patients (n = 1,277) < 35 years of age, with normal ovarian reserve, undergoing their first in vitro fertilization cycle with a GnRH antagonist or agonist were included. Outcome variables were analyzed and compared between both groups. RESULTS: Of the total number of patients included, 21% (n = 268) underwent stimulation with a GnRH antagonist protocol and 79% (n = 1,009) with an agonist protocol. While the mean number of embryos transferred was similar between both groups, as well as the implantation rate for blastocyst embryo transfers, the implantation rate was noted to be slightly higher for the down-regulation group who underwent a Day 3 embryo transfer (p = 0.01). However, the overall clinical pregnancy, loss and high-order multiple pregnancy rates were constant in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although numerous variables were analyzed in our study, the differences noted did not have an impact on our final results as the clinical pregnancy rates were maintained in the antagonist group.
Subject(s)
Fertility Agents, Female/administration & dosage , Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/administration & dosage , Ovulation Induction/methods , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Drug Administration Schedule , Embryo Transfer/statistics & numerical data , Female , Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/agonists , Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/analogs & derivatives , Humans , Injections, Intramuscular , New York City , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Outcome , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Oocyte cryopreservation for fertility preservation, in both medical and elective situations, has significantly increased as freezing technology has improved. Slow freezing techniques demonstrated â¼ 50-80% survival of mature oocytes, however vitrification with â¼ 97% survival has become the preferred method for oocyte cryopreservation around the world. Our work investigated the effect of transporting cryopreserved oocytes to and from a long-term storage facility. Our findings demonstrate that extra caution should be practiced for vitrified oocytes, especially when handling and transferring between shipping and long-term cryopreservation storage containers.
Subject(s)
Cryopreservation , Nitrogen , Oocytes , Reproductive Techniques, Assisted , Specimen Handling , Transportation , Vitrification , Cell Survival , Female , Humans , Reproductive Techniques, Assisted/adverse effects , Specimen Handling/adverse effects , Time Factors , VolatilizationABSTRACT
IL-13 is known to affect many processes that contribute to an asthmatic phenotype, including inflammation, fibrosis, and mucus production. Members of the aquaporin (AQP) family of transmembrane water channels are targets of regulation in models of lung injury and inflammation. Therefore, we examined AQP mRNA and protein expression in allergen and IL-13-induced mouse models of asthma. Lungs from ovalbumin sensitized and ovalbumin challenged (OVA/OVA) and IL-13 treated mice showed airway thickening, increased mucus production, and pulmonary eosinophilia. Pulmonary function tests showed a significant increase in methacholine-induced airway hyperreactivity in OVA/OVA and IL-13-treated mice as compared with controls. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed differential regulation of AQPs in these two models. AQP1 and AQP4 mRNA expression was downregulated in the OVA/OVA model, but not in the IL-13 model. AQP5 mRNA was reduced in both models, whereas AQP3 was upregulated only in the IL-13 model. Western analysis showed that diminished expression of an apically localized aquaporin, (AQP5), and concomitant upregulation of a basolateral aquaporin (AQP3 or AQP4) are characteristic features of both inducible asthma models. These results demonstrate that aquaporins are common targets of gene expression in both allergen and IL-13 induced mouse models of asthma.