The impact of complementary therapies on psychosocial factors in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF): A systematic literature review.

AIM: This review evaluates the impact of complementary therapies on psychosocial factors in women undergoing IVF. BACKGROUND: According to the CDC, nearly 7% of married women in the United States face infertility. Approximately 1.5% of all infants born in the U.S. annually are conceived through assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as IVF. Women undergoing ART report distress, anxiety, and depression related to their treatment. Stress has been cited as the top reason why women terminate treatment. Complementary therapies, such as mind-body techniques, have been associated with decreasing stress and anxiety. METHODS: CINAHL and PubMED databases were searched for studies 1) published from January 2010 to 2017, 2) written in English, 3) that examined the effect of an complementary therapy on the psychological well-being of women undergoing, or about to be undergoing a cycle of IVF. RESULTS: The search revealed 11 studies published between 2010 and 2015 from a variety of countries. The most common research design was a randomized controlled trial (n=7). The psychosocial factor most frequently measured was anxiety (n=8). The forms of complementary therapy varied, with the most common being Hatha yoga, cognitive behavioral interventions, and mind-body therapies (n=2 each). CONCLUSIONS: Utilizing complementary therapies appears to be a positive way to decrease women's anxiety, depression, distress, and stress, and to increase fertility quality of life. This review informs providers that incorporating complementary therapies into the plan of care can lead to improved psychosocial health outcomes for women undergoing IVF.

Anti-Biofilm Activity of a Self-Aggregating Peptide against Streptococcus mutans.

Streptococcus mutans is the primary agent of dental cavities, in large part due to its ability to adhere to teeth and create a molecular scaffold of glucan polysaccharides on the tooth surface. Disrupting the architecture of S. mutans biofilms could help undermine the establishment of biofilm communities that cause cavities and tooth decay. Here we present a synthetic peptide P1, derived from a tick antifreeze protein, which significantly reduces S. mutans biofilm formation. Incubating cells with this peptide decreased biofilm biomass by approximately 75% in both a crystal violet microplate assay and an in vitro tooth model using saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs. Bacteria treated with peptide P1 formed irregular biofilms with disconnected aggregates of cells and exopolymeric matrix that readily detached from surfaces. Peptide P1 can bind directly to S. mutans cells but does not possess bactericidal activity. Anti-biofilm activity was correlated with peptide aggregation and ß-sheet formation in solution, and alternative synthetic peptides of different lengths or charge distribution did not inhibit biofilms. This anti-biofilm peptide interferes with S. mutans biofilm formation and architecture, and may have future applications in preventing bacterial buildup on teeth.