Background: Although a large number of studies have been conducted in relation to ovarian response and pregnancy after GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocols, most of them used single or combinations of a few predictive factors, and none included the stimulation protocol in the multivariable analysis. The present study was thus primarily designed to investigate the predictive value of the stimulation protocol and to analyze the possible relationships between stimulation protocols and treatment outcomes after adjusting for a large set of variables that potentially affect reproductive outcomes. Factors related to pregnancy achievement and predictive of the number of oocytes retrieved and high quality of the embryos obtained were also analyzed.

Preeclampsia (PE), a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, is a hypertensive disorder of unknown aetiology characterized by proteinuria, coagulation abnormalities and different systemic manifestations. Since there are no studies regarding the evaluation of oxidized LDL (oxLDL) in women with a history of PE, we focused on the evaluation of lipid profile and oxLDL plasma concentration several years after pregnancy to see if these women have any modifications in these parameters that may be linked to the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the future. Ninety women with a history of PE and 60 controls in a median interval of 6 years after pregnancy were recruited. Plasma oxLDL levels were measured using a two-site enzyme immunoassay. Concentration of cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HDLc) and LDL-cholesterol (LDLc) were measured by automated enzymatic assays. To evaluate apoA and apoB levels automated immunoturbidimetric assays were used. In the group of women with a history of PE, gestational age at delivery was significantly earlier in comparison with the control group, whereas birth weight was significantly lower and there were more caesarean sections. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher in women with a history of PE than in the control group. Significantly higher obesity anthropometric markers (BMI and waist-to-hip ratio) were found in women with a history of PE. As consistent with other authors' findings, blood pressure was higher in these women, but lipid profile did not seem to play a role in the increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

No abstract

New designs for Magnetic Resonance Imaging contrast agents are presented. Essentially, they all are host-guest inclusion complexes between y-cyclodextrins and polyazamacrocycles of gadolinium (III) ion. Substitutions have been made to the host to optimise the host-guest association. Molecular mechanics calculations have been performed, using the UFF force field for metals, to decide on the suitability of the substitutions, and to evaluate the host-guest energies of association. Interesting general conclusions have been obtained, concerning the improvement of Magnetic Resonance Imaging contrast agents; namely, a set of rational methodologies have been deduced to improve the association between the gadolinium (III) chelates and the cyclodextrins, and their efficiency is demonstrated with a large set of substituted complexes, opening new doors to increase the diagnostic capabilities of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.