Prolactin Relationship with Fertility and In Vitro Fertilization Outcomes-A Review of the Literature.

Hyperprolactinemia is a known cause of amenorrhea and infertility. However, there is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that prolactin is involved in multiple physiological aspects of normal reproduction. Thus, the present paper aims to review the current literature regarding the relationship between serum prolactin level and in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcome and the role of dopamine agonists treatment in IVF success. Moreover, the mechanisms by which prolactin may exert its role in fertility and infertility were summarized. Although not all studies agree, the available evidence suggests that higher prolactin levels in follicular fluid are associated with increased oocytes competence, but also with positive effects on corpus luteum formation and survival, endometrial receptivity, blastocyst implantation potential and survival of low-motile sperm. Transient hyperprolactinemia found in IVF cycles was reported in most of the studies not to be related to IVF outcome, although a few reports suggested that it may be associated with higher implantation and pregnancy rates, and better-cumulated pregnancy outcomes. Administration of dopamine agonists for hyperprolactinemia preceding IVF treatment does not seem to negatively impact the IVF results, while treatment of transient hyperprolactinemia during IVF might be beneficial in terms of fertilization rates and conception rates. Due to limited available evidence, future studies are necessary to clarify the optimal level of circulating prolactin in patients performing IVF and the role of dopamine agonist treatment.

The response to growth hormone treatment in a child with short stature, growth hormone deficiency and autosomal dominant cutis laxa type 3 - case report.

OBJECTIVES: The aetiology of short stature in cutis laxa (CL) syndromes is largely unknown. Herein, we report a case with autosomal dominant CL type 3 (ADCL3) with severe short stature and growth hormone (GH) deficiency. CASE PRESENTATION: A male patient with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of ADCL3 was referred for endocrinological evaluation of short stature at the age of 3.4 years. The examination revealed severe proportional short stature (-4.14 standard deviations (SD) score for height) in a patient born small for gestational age (birth weight 2080 g, -2.46 SD, birth length 41 cm, -4.22 SD). Assessment of GH reserve with two clonidine stimulation tests (0.15 mg/m2) with peak GH values of 8.07 ng/mL and 2.98 ng/mL, respectively, were indicative of GH deficiency. Also, the MRI examination revealed a small size pituitary. Thus, the treatment with somatropin was started. The height deficit significantly improved (from -4.14 SD to -1.48 SD) without side effects during the follow-up of 4.5 years. CONCLUSIONS: With this report, the GH deficiency as a possible cause of short stature in ADCL3 and the response to somatropin administration were reported for the first time in the literature.

Superconductivity of doped Ar@C60.

The synthesis of a mg amount of pure argon containing fullerene allowed the synthesis of the first endohedral superconductors with critical temperatures lower than expected, an indication of the strong influence of the argon atom on the C60 cage.

Electronic interactions in a new fullerene dimer: C(122)H(4), with two methylene bridges

The isolation of a new fullerene dimer, C(122)H(4), and its structural characterization by (13)C NMR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy and by UV/vis and IR spectroscopy are reported. The structure of this dimer consists of two fullerene cages, which are directly connected through two C-C bonds and two methylene bridges. Consequently, adjacent hexagonal faces of the two fullerene cages are arranged in a face to face manner. Molecular orbital calculations indicate that the proximity of the fullerene cages results in significant through space overlap in both the HOMO and LUMO. As a consequence of this overlap, the electrochemistry of the dimer shows electronic communication with stepwise reduction of each cage.

Evidence of a structural phase transition in superconducting SmFeAsO(1-x)F(x) from 19F NMR.

We report resistivity, magnetization and (19)F NMR results in a polycrystalline sample of SmFeAsO(0.86)F(0.14). The resistivity and magnetization data show a sharp drop at 48 K indicating a superconducting transition. The nuclear spin-lattice rate (1/T(1)) and spin-spin relaxation rate (1/T(2)) clearly show the existence of a structural phase transition near 163 K in the sample, which also undergoes a superconducting transition. This finding creates interest in exploring whether this is unique for Sm based systems or is also present in other rare-earth based 1111 superconductors.

Effects of Co doping on the transport properties and superconductivity in CeFe(1-x)Co(x)AsO.

A series of CeFe(1-x)Co(x)AsO oxyarsenide compounds with Co doping on iron sites (x = 0-0.2) have been synthesized by a solid state reaction method. The effects of Co doping on the electrical transport properties and superconductivity were analyzed with a special emphasis on the analysis of thermopower. Undoped CeFeAsO shows an electrical resistivity anomaly at about 150 K, which was ascribed to a spin-density-wave (SDW) instability. This anomaly is suppressed and a superconducting transition occurs at T(c) = 3.2 K in CeFe(0.95)Co(0.05)AsO, the maximum superconducting transition temperature (T(c)) of 12.5 K is observed in CeFe(0.90)Co(0.10)AsO, and the thermopower is increased by the Co doping. As has been previously suggested, the emergence of superconductivity seems to be closely linked to the thermopower, and there is a close correlation between T(c) and the thermopower, both showing a similar dome-like doping dependence.