Pregnancy outcome in women with polycystic ovary syndrome comparing the effects of laparoscopic ovarian drilling and clomiphene citrate stimulation in women pre-treated with metformin: a retrospective study

Background  

Ovarian stimulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) increases the risk for perinatal complications. Ovulation induction by laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) might improve the overall pregnancy outcomes. The aim of our study was to assess the adverse events or effects on pregnancy of LOD and clomiphene citrate (CC) stimulation in patients who received metformin.     

Activity of neck-muscle motoneurones during eye cleaning behaviour in the cricket Gryllus campestris

The activity of neck-muscle motoneurones which control head movements during eye cleaning behaviour was recorded from motor nerves with chronically implanted electrodes in unrestrained crickets. We show that motoneurones of the dorso-ventral muscles displayed strong activity differences between both sides of the neck, with higher discharge frequencies either ipsi- or contralateral to the direction of the head movement. Motoneurones innervating dorsal-longitudinal muscles were equally active on both sides. A single excitatory motoneurone of one dorso-ventral muscle showed a discharge pattern unequivocally related to eye cleaning. Lesions of connectives revealed that this motoneurone is monitored by interneuronal pathways from the suboesophageal ganglion although the primary sensory axons eliciting eye cleaning, project into the prothoracic ganglion.     

ARTIFICIAL HYBRIDIZATION IN HAWAIIAN WIKSTROEMIA (THYMELAEACEAE)

Crosses were performed within and between 19 Hawaiian populations of the mostly dioecious woody shrub Wikstroemia. These populations are from a variety of habitats on the six major islands and are morphologically diverse. The populations are referrable to eight of the 12 species recognized by Peterson. Almost all hybrid combinations produced seeds, and seed-set was not significantly different among three categories of hybrids (within population, between populations on the same island, and between populations on different islands). F₁s from many of the crosses were vigorous and fertile, leading to the conclusion that these populations are not reproductively isolated from each other and the assumption that they are genetically very similar. Natural hybridization was difficult to detect because the species described by Peterson intergrade morphologically and ecologically. The crossability and interfertility of populations of Wikstroemia may be explained by one or more of the following hypotheses: 1) recency of colonization, 2) the founder effect, 3) lack of selection for barriers to interbreeding, and 4) gross morphological changes without associated large genetic changes.     

"Wunder" F-BAR domains: going from pits to vesicles

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is a key mechanism by which cells take up extracellular cargo. In this issue, Shimada et al. (2007) reveal the mode of action of the F-BAR domain, which deepens the initial membrane pit that forms during clathrin-mediated endocytosis.