Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from the breast is an exceedingly rare disease; even more rare is SCC arising from a breast implant capsule. So far, only five cases have been reported in the literature. We present the case of a 65-year-old woman with a remote history of breast augmentation using foam covered silicone implants performed in 1979. In 2010, she presented with progressive enlargement of her left breast with associated pain. Mammographic and sonographic evaluation demonstrated fluid surrounding the implant without evidence of abnormal masses. She subsequently underwent explantation of the silicone implant, capsulectomy, and revision augmentation with a saline implant. Final pathology demonstrated a fibrous pseudocapsule exhibiting squamous metaplasia giving rise to a well-differentiated SCC invading skeletal muscle. A thorough literature review was performed to identify studies with breast implant-derived SCC. Four studies, involving five patients were included. The mean age of reported patients at the time of diagnosis was 59.8 years old. The average time from initial breast augmentation to diagnosis of breast implant capsule SCC was 23.2 years. Two of the five patients eventually expired due to the disease process. Whether or not there is a true association between SCC and breast implants is unknown. Although it is currently deemed a rare finding, it's believed that chronic inflammation/irritation from the breast implant and transection of the epithelium-lined ducts play a major role in development of the disease process.

Blogging has become a hot ticket to fast and lasting notoriety. Or has it? With what seems like everyone starting a blog, it is easy to get pulled into the idea that once you start writing you can become successful in a matter of just a few posts. As a feminist activist, I set out to discover what it takes to become a successful blogger with a social media presence. I spent several months writing and working with Matter of Cause, an organization looking to create change online. My narrative reflects the triumphs and difficulties of online feminist activism. As I worked on writing blog posts that reflected my views on pop culture, feminism, and sex positivity, I faced the hard work and determination it takes to establish a successful online feminist brand through social media.

blastocysts is high, and suggested that channel processes are responsible for the high permeability. In this study, we examined the pathway for the movement of water and cryoprotectants in bovine oocytes and embryos at various developmental stages. Bovine oocytes and embryos were exposed to PB1 medium containing 0.44 M sucrose, 10% glycerol (Gly), 8.5% ethylene glycol (EG), 9.5% Me 2 SO or 10% propylene glycol (PG) at 15 and 25°C for 10 min, to calculate their permeabilities to water (L P ) and cryoprotectants (P S ) and the activation energy (E a ) for the permeabilities. The L P in the sucrose solution and P Gly and P EG of oocytes and 16-cell embryos were low and the E a for the permeabilities was high, whereas the L P and P S of morulae and blastocysts were high and the E a for the permeabilities was low. Thus, in oocytes and 16-cell embryos, water, Gly and EG must move across the plasma membrane predominantly via simple diffusion, whereas, in morulae and blastocysts, these molecules must move predominantly via channel processes. On the other hand, P S values for Me 2 SO and PG did not differ significantly among oocytes and embryos at various stages, and the E a for the permeabilities was high. Thus, Me 2 SO and PG would permeate oocytes and embryos predominantly by simple diffusion. Therefore, in bovine morulae and blastocysts, channel processes would be responsible for the high permeability to water and some cryoprotectants as in mouse embryos. (Conflicts of interest: None declared.

The responses to various stresses involved with cryopreservation protocols were investigated using non-human primate oocytes. Fluorescence microscopy was used to assess the status of the F-actin microfilament system of rhesus monkey oocytes after exposure to different concentrations of giycerol. The F-actin organization around the cortex and hi the transzonal processes was modified by exposure to 1.0 or 2.0 M giycerol at ambient temperature. These effects were reduced significantly when exposure to giycerol was combined with cooling to 0°C. Cynomolgus monkey oocytes were also subjected to hyperosmotic stress and observed for morphological changes. An irregular shrinkage phenomenon was observed with germinal vesicle or metaphase I but not metaphase II (Mil) oocytes. The irregular shrinkage became uniform and spherical when the oocytes were pretreated with ethyleneglycol-bis-(p"-aminoethyl ether)N,N,N',N' tetraacetic acid (EGTA) before exposure to hypertonic solution. Also, in-vitro-matured Mil oocytes from cynomolgus monkeys were used to determine crucial biophysical parameters for freezing primate oocytes. The permeability of oocyte plasma membrane to water, Lpg, and its activation energy, E^ were determined between 0 and -12°C in the absence of cryoprotective additives. The Lpg was found to be 3.8 X10" 14 m 3 N/s and the E Lp was 141.5 kj/mol. The pre-exponential kinetic and exponential thermodynamic parameters of intracellular ice formation were determined to be 8X10 8 m 2 /s and 2.2 X10 9 K 5 respectively. By combining models of water transport and intracellular ice formation, the cumulative fraction of oocytes with intracellular ice as a function of the cooling rate was also predicted, and it was shown to correlate reasonably with experimental observations.

Purpose Oocyte cryopreservation may avoid many complications of human embryo freezing and provide future fertility for women undergoing cancer therapy. The objective of this study was to explore the application of intraand extracellular sugars in combination with small amounts of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) to human oocyte cryopreservation as an alternative approach. Methods Discarded human oocytes that were obtained from IVF patients under informed consent and IRB approval, were cryopreserved by slow cooling to −196°C after being randomly distributed into three groups: (i) DMSO control without intra-and extracellular sugar; (ii) extracellular sugar (raffinose) + DMSO; and (iii) intra-and extracellular sugar (trehalose and raffinose, respectively) + DMSO. Subsequently, all cryopreserved oocytes were thawed rapidly, and their survival was assessed by morphological criteria after 24 h of culture. Results A total of 71 oocytes were evaluated in three groups with survival rates of 88.5% (23/26), 68.2% (15/22), and 52.2% (12/23) for intra-and extracellular sugar +DMSO, extracellular sugar+DMSO, and DMSO control groups, respectively. Conclusion These results support the use of intra-and extracellular sugars as an alternative approach for cryopreservation of human oocytes.

The chimpanzee is a primate species closely related to human. The response of chimpanzees to ovarian stimulation with human gonadotropins has not been as great as anticipated. Experiments were conducted here to compare ttie ovarian stimulatory responses and the numbers and quality of oocyes/lVF embryos following multiple injections of five chimpanzees with FSH and LH. Each of five chimpanzees was subjected to three cycles of gonadotropin superstimulatory treatments during 1993-1995. In the first two cycl es (experiment 1) each animal was given twice daily injections of 300 i.u hFSH (Metrodin, Serono Laboratories, Inc., Randolph, MA) for 7 days and 300 i.u. hMG (hLH/hFSH, Pergonal, Serono) for 7 days. In the last cycle (experiment 2) 'each animal received half the dose of gonadotropin stimulatory treatment, i.e., 150 i.u. of hFSH and 150 i.u. of hCG for 7 day each. On day 15 animals were injected with 5000 i.u. hCG (Profasi, Serono ) to induce meiotic maturation. Estradiol 17f3 (EJ hormone levels, perineal swelling (scored on a 13 point scale), and ultrasound were all used to assess and monitor follicular development. Oocytes were recovered after laparoscopic follicular aspirations.

We investigated the effects of antifreeze peptides (AFP) and insulin transferrin selenium (ITS) on the motility and membrane integrity of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) spermatozoa after chilling (0-5 degrees C) and thawing. The effects of three thawing procedures, in the presence or absence of AFP and ITS, on sperm motility and on the status of the plasma membrane and acrosome were also examined. During chilling, AFP and ITS seem mildly cytotoxic, as the progressive motility and velocity (curvilinear and straight line) declined significantly at AFP concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 microg/ml and at ITS concentrations of 1 and 10 microg/ml. However, at a concentration of 100 microg/ml, ITS was able to protect sperm during short-term hypothermic storage. Addition of AFP or ITS at 100 microg/ml to test egg yolk-glycerol extender during freezing significantly (P < 0.05) increased postthaw motility, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity. The mean (+/-SE) motility recovery ra...

Purpose Oocyte cryopreservation may avoid many complications of human embryo freezing and provide future fertility for women undergoing cancer therapy. The objective of this study was to explore the application of intra-and extracellular sugars in combination with small amounts of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) to human oocyte cryopres-ervation as an alternative approach. Methods Discarded human oocytes that were obtained from IVF patients under informed consent and IRB approval, were cryopreserved by slow cooling to −196°C after being randomly distributed into three groups: (i) DMSO control without intra-and extracellular sugar; (ii) extracellular sugar (raffinose) + DMSO; and (iii) intra-and extracellular sugar (trehalose and raffinose, respectively) + DMSO. Subsequently, all cryopreserved oocytes were thawed rapidly, and their survival was assessed by morphological criteria after 24 h of culture. Results A total of 71 oocytes were evaluated in three groups with survival rates of 88.5% (23/26), 68.2% (15/22), and 52.2% (12/23) for intra-and extracellular sugar +DMSO, extracellular sugar+DMSO, and DMSO control groups, respectively. Conclusion These results support the use of intra-and extracellular sugars as an alternative approach for cryopres-ervation of human oocytes.

The goal of this prospective survey study was to assess the knowledge and understanding of the risks of maternal obesity during pregnancy in patients visiting a prenatal Health Clinic at an academic, public medical center located in Macon, Georgia. Demographic information and questions about knowledge and perception of Body Mass Index (BMI) and maternal obesity risks were collected. Responses were scored between 0-100% and categorized to minimal, good and broad knowledge groups. The study population ranged in age from 18 to 69 years and 85.3% of the study participants were African American and 12.7% Caucasian. Most respondents have moderately good knowledge of maternal obesity risk. However, only 40.2% of women were aware of the term BMI, 48% knew goals of weight gain during pregnancy, and 51% were aware that obesity increases the risk of stillbirth. Obese patients were more aware of the risk for pregnancy complications compared to normal and overweight. But only 29.7% of them correctly identified themselves as obese, 53.1% classify themselves as overweight, 15.6% normal and 1.6% report being underweight. Maternal weight, educational status and daily exercise were consistently associated with good and broad knowledge of maternal risks. Overall, most women have limited knowledge of BMI, goals of weight gain during pregnancy and risks of maternal obesity on them and their unborn child. The perception of most overweight and obese women about their current weight was imprecise. Our findings underscore the need for healthcare providers to make pregnant women more aware of the increased risks associated with overweight and obesity.

intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation (2.1 % and 1.8 %, respectively). The assay was linear over the six ranges recommended by the manufacturer, and no strong bias was observed. AMH values ranged from 0.015 to 20.01ng/ml with the Labcorp and 0.011 to 25.40ng/ml with Access AMH. Values between fresh and frozen samples using Access AMH assay revealed no impact of sample freezing/ storage. The Access AMH and Labcorp ultrasensitive assay types were highly correlated (R 2 ¼0.97, Slope¼0.96), and no statistical differences were observed between the two methods. Inter-laboratory comparison results showed that the two systems were statistically identical (R 2 ¼ 0.998 and 0.997 for Access2 and UniCell DXI respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We have validated and now routinely measure serum AMH levels in-house using the Access automated assay. Regression analysis demonstrates high correlation across the measuring range between the results obtained on two different analyzers located in different geographical locations. The findings of our correlation studies demonstrate strong agreement between the results generated by the Access AMH and Labcorp ultrasensitive assay indicating that the two methods are interchangeable.