Donation of eggs in assisted reproduction and informed consent.

In Spain, there exists an increasing amount of advertising for the donation of eggs for assisted reproduction. This study attempts to assess: (1) scientific evidence available about adverse effects of egg donation; (2) characteristics of the information given in the informed consent to donors; and (3) the legality of this advertising. The main results are: (1) Many severe problems are associated with induction of ovulation, as ovarian hyperstimulation (reported frequencies from 5.9 to 15%), thromboembolism, hepatic failure and increased risk of ovarian, breast, endometrial and colon cancer. (2) Informed consent for egg donors is very incomplete, according to the Spanish law 41/2002 on Patient's Information. (3) Current advertising to promote egg donation does not respect, among others, law 14/2006 about Assisted Human Reproduction, as it includes reference to economic compensation or benefits but no information about the risks. Deontological and judicial disciplinary procedures should be initiated to protect donors' rights.

Chemical anatomy of the human paraventricular thalamic nucleus.

The paraventricular thalamic nucleus (Pa) lies in the most medial aspect of the thalamus and is considered one of the midline thalamic nuclei. In the present study, we carried out histochemical and immunohistochemical procedures in the Pa of normal individuals to visualize the pattern of distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), calbindin D-28k (CB), parvalbumin (PV), calretinin (CR), limbic system-associated membrane protein (LAMP), substance P (SP), and enkephalin (ENK). Other cytoarchitectural and myeloarchitectural techniques, such as Nissl and Gallyas, were also employed to delineate the boundaries of the Pa. The main findings of this study are: 1) AChE staining in the Pa was heterogeneously distributed along its anteroposterior and mediolateral axes; 2) the Pa harbored numerous CB- and CR-immunoreactive (ir) cells and neuropil, but this nucleus was largely devoid of PV; 3) the Pa was highly enriched in LAMP and this protein appeared uniformly distributed through its whole extent; and, 4) the SP and ENK immunoreactivities in the Pa revealed numerous highly varicose fibers scattered throughout this nucleus, but no stained cells. This morphological study demonstrates that the Pa is a heterogeneous chemical structure in humans. The functional significance of these results is discussed in the light of similar data gathered in several mammalian species.