Association of vitamin E with rapid thawing on goat semen.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin E associated with rapid thawing on cryopreserved goat semen. Two bucks were used and eight ejaculates per animal were collected using artificial vagina. Semen was diluted with the following treatments: BIOXCELL (control), BIOXCELL + Equex (sodium lauryl sulphate) and BIOXCELL + vitamin E 100 µM. Semen was packaged into 0.25 mL straws and cooled at 5°C for 1 hour. Freezing was performed in liquid nitrogen vapor (-155°C) during 15 minutes. Then, the straws were immersed in liquid nitrogen (-196°C). Straws were thawed at 38°C/60 seconds or at 60°C/7 seconds with immediate sperm analysis. Hypoosmotic swelling test was performed adding a 20 µL aliquot of thawed semen to 1 mL of hypoosmotic solution (100 mOsm · Kg(-1)) followed by incubation during 60 minutes in water bath (38°C). Vitamin E did not affect any studied parameters (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, defrosting rate of 60°C/7 seconds improved sperm membrane functional integrity (P < 0.05). Current knowledge about goat semen cryopreservation is not sufficient to ensure high post-thawing recovery rates; thus, this study brings important data about using antioxidants and different thawing rates on cryopreservation process.

Influence of corpus luteum and ovarian volume on the number and quality of bovine oocytes.

In order to evaluate whether ovarian volume, presence and diameter of the corpus luteum (CL) have effects on the number and quality of bovine recovered oocytes, 110 ovaries were obtained from the slaughterhouse. Cumulus oocytes complex were aspirated and evaluated under stereomicroscope. Oocytes were counted and classified according to their quality (Grades I, II, III and IV). Ovarian volume was weakly correlated to the number of good quality oocytes (P < 0.05). Ovaries with CL showed greater numbers of good quality oocytes than ovaries without CL (P < 0.05). Further, presence of CL and its diameter positively influenced the probability of recovering good quality oocytes (P < 0.05). In conclusion, ovarian volume is not a good parameter itself to predict important ovarian characteristics; moreover, analysis of CL, its presence and diameter, may be a good tool to improve efficiency on in vitro embryo production programs.

Contracepção em mulheres com condições clínicas especiais. Critérios médicos e elegibilidade / Contraception in women with special clinical conditions. Medical criteria and eligibility

O planejamento familiar é importante para a saúde física, mental e social das mulheres e de suas famílias. O planejamento de uma gravidez em mulheres portadoras de condições médicas especiais tem importância ainda maior, uma vez que a garantia de uma gestação saudável e de feto viável se torna extremamente dificultada. Infelizmente, algumas condições médicas inviabilizam o uso de métodos contraceptivos de forma segura. Apesar de inúmeros estudos terem demonstrado a segurança e efetividade do uso de contraceptivos hormonais em mulheres saudáveis, ainda não dispomos de dados completos no que se refere às mulheres portadoras de condições clínicas especiais. Esta revisão, baseada em evidências científicas e no American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Practice Bulletin, traz informações para auxiliar os médicos e as mulheres portadoras de condições clínicas especiais a fazer uma opção quanto à seleção do método contraceptivo. Esta revisão traz informações sobre novas tecnologias para planejamento familiar, incluindo contracepção hormonal oral, contraceptivo de emergência, contracepção injetável, anel vaginal, implantes subdérmico e transdérmico e dispositivo intrauterino.

Pregnancy planning is important for the physical, mental, and social health of women and families. For women with underlying medical disorders, pregnancy planning assumes even greater importance, because ensuring a healthy woman and healthy child becomes more challenging. Unfortunately, some medical conditions also complicate the ability to use reliable contraception safely. Although numerous studies have addressed the safety and effectiveness of hormonal contraceptive use in healthy women, data are far less complete for women with underlying medical problems or other special circumstances.Using the best available scientific evidence and based on the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Practice Bulletin, this review provides information to help clinicians and women with coexisting medical conditions to make decisions regardingthe selection and appropriateness of various hormonal contraceptives. The review includes recent advances in the development of oral contraception, emergency contraception, injectable contraception, vaginal rings, subdermal implants, transdermal contraception andintrauterine devices.

O uso da técnica de role-playing como sensibilização dos alunos de Medicina para o exame ginecológico / The use of role-playing as a sensitization technique for medical students during gynecological examination

Exames ginecológicos são especialmente sensíveis tanto para os estudantes inexperientes quanto para a mulher que está sendo examinada. O uso do role-playing ou troca de papéis tem sido cada vez mais reconhecido como forma de aprendizagem das habilidades de comunicação e tem se tornado particularmente importante. Com o intuito de analisar o impacto da troca de papéis nos acadêmicos de Medicina admitidos no módulo de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia do internato, foram realizadas simulações de exame ginecológico durante o ambulatório de ginecologia, com o consentimento dos alunos. A dinâmica foi incorporada e interpretada pelos participantes de modo pleno, demonstrando que as soluções para as questões abordadas podem ser encontradas no íntimo de cada aluno que passa por uma situação de inversão de papéis com sua paciente. Se for possível trazer a experiência do role-playing ou troca de papéis para o ensino médico e para a vida profissional, certamente nos colocaremos no lugar de cada paciente na hora do exame, o que fará da dinâmica realizada um instrumento para a humanização no ensino da ginecologia.

Gynecological examinations are especially sensitive, both for the inexperienced student and the patient. In order to analyze the impact of role-playing on medical students beginning their ob-gyn rotation in internship, simulated gynecological examinations were performed in the gynecology outpatient clinic, with the students' consent. The dynamic was fully incorporated and interpreted by the students, demonstrating that they had the inner capacity to find solutions to the issues that arose when they traded places with the patients. If it were possible to use role-playing in both medical education as a whole and future medical practice, we would certainly put ourselves in the patient's place when we perform an examination, thus making the technique a tool for humanizing the teaching of gynecology.