Frozen vs. fresh cycles IVF outcomes: retrospective study from an Indonesian IVF centre

Objective To compare the live birth rates (LBR) and neonatal outcomes of frozen cycle in vitro fertilization (IVF) with fresh cycle IVF in the Indonesian population. Results This was retrospective study using secondary data of IVF patients at a private fertility centre. Study recruitment was between 3/8/2018 and 31/12/2019. Total sampling included all patients undergoing oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer within recruitment period. Patients undergoing fresh IVF cycles and frozen IVF cycles were compared. 351 patients were recruited: 68.1% (239/351) underwent fresh cycles and 31.9% (112/351) frozen cycles. AMH was significantly higher in frozen cycle group (p = 0.04). Ovulatory disorder was significantly higher in frozen cycle group (p = 0.001). Among patients aged ≤ 30, fresh cycle group had significantly higher LBR (p = 0.02). Among those with ovulatory disorder, LBR was significantly higher with frozen cycle. No significant LBR difference was noted with other infertility causes. When stratified according to pregnancy order, frozen cycle patients had significantly higher birth lengths (p = 0.03) but not length of gestation nor neonatal birthweights. There was no significant difference in the proportion of biochemical pregnancy resulting in LBR (p = 0.08). To conclude, frozen cycle provided higher LBR among patients with ovulatory disorder but fresh cycle was beneficial among patients aged ≤ 30.

Frozen vs. Fresh Cycles IVF Outcomes: Retrospective study from an Indonesian IVF centre

Objective to compare the live birth rates (LBR) and neonatal outcomes of frozen cycle in vitro fertilization (IVF) with fresh cycle IVF in the Indonesian population. Results This was retrospective study using secondary data of IVF patients at a private fertility centre. Study recruitment was between 3/8/2018−31/12/2019. Total sampling included all patients undergoing oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer within recruitment period. Patients undergoing fresh IVF cycles and frozen IVF cycles were compared. 351 patients were recruited: 68.1% (239/351) underwent fresh cycles and 31.9% (112/351) frozen cycles. AMH was significantly higher in frozen cycle group (p = 0.04). Ovulatory disorder was significantly higher in frozen cycle group (p = 0.001). Among patients aged ≤ 30, fresh cycle group had significantly higher LBR (p = 0.02). Among those with ovulatory disorder, LBR was significantly higher with frozen cycle. No significant LBR difference was noted with other infertility causes. When stratified according to pregnancy order, frozen cycle patients had significantly higher birth lengths (p = 0.03) but not length of gestation nor neonatal birthweights. There was no significant difference in the proportion of biochemical pregnancy resulting in LBR (p = 0.08).

Strategies for Successful Scallops Spat Collection on Artificial Collectors in the Taranto Gulf (Mediterranean Sea)

The high variability in natural recruitment of Pectinidae is a common feature of many marine invertebrates with a pelagic larval stage, but may negatively affect aquaculture activities. Detailed information on settlement patterns and spat availability is required to reduce costs and labor. In this regard, we attempted to establish the precise immersion time and the deployment dates for spat collectors in the Taranto Gulf (Mediterranean Sea, Italy). The first experiment was carried out from June to October 2013, deploying collectors every 15 days and retrieving them after 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks. Results from the first experiment allowed us to select 8 weeks as the best immersion time for spat collection. The second experiment was carried out from June 2013 to July 2014 when we deployed spat collectors every 15 days and recovered them after 8 weeks to detect the favorable periods to place the collectors in water to obtain the highest scallop spat harvest rate. Mimachlamys varia was the most abundant pectinid (greater than 90%), whose recruits were collected during most of the year studied, followed by Flexopecten glaber with the highest rates in July (87%) and Pecten jacobaeus, which never exceeded 17% of collected spat. M. varia had a long recruitment period (from October to early June), F. glaber showed a high number of spat during autumn months and from June to July while P. jacobaeus showed a restricted period of spawning. Our experiments provide useful insights into strategies for establishing scallop aquaculture in order to promote these mollusks as alternative candidates for aquaculture farming in the area.

Reproductive biology and recruitment of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix (Perciformes: Pomatomidae) in the southwestern Atlantic

The bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (Linneus 1766) is captured by industrial, artisanal, and recreational fisheries throughout its distribution range. The reproductive biology of P. saltatrix in the southwestern Atlantic was studied using 1,102 specimens captured by the Brazilian commercial fleet between March 2014 and December 2015. The recruitment period was identified from records of juveniles in experimental beach seine hauls carried out on sandy beaches in the external sector of Guanabara Bay for four years (2012–2015). Based on the reproductive indices and on the macro- and microscopic analyses of the gonads, spawning peaks were identified in autumn and spring. The size at first maturity was estimated at 35.5, 38.3, and 37.4 cm for females, males, and general, respectively. Ovary analyses and measurements of the oocyte diameters indicated that bluefish are multiple spawners with asynchronous oocyte development. The batch fecundity estimate was 202,752.5 eggs and ranged from 9,800.9 to 426,787.0 eggs. The species reproduces throughout the entire study area, but it is more active in the south of Arraial do Cabo. The young-of-the-year were recorded on shallow water in all seasons, with modal peaks in the summer months. The parameters estimated in this study expand and update information on this species, providing important data for the evaluation and fisheries management of the stock of P. saltatrix in the southwestern Atlantic.

Correction: Effectiveness of Polypill for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (PolyPars): Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial

This corrects the article "Effectiveness of polypill for prevention of cardiovascular disease (PolyPars): protocol of a randomized controlled trial" published on 2020: Volume 23, Issue 08, Pages 548–556. Correction to: Arch Iran Med. 2020;23(8):548–556. doi: 10.34172/aim.2020.58. In the original version of this article, the recruitment period was wrongly reported to last from December 2014 to December 2015 in abstract and methods sections of the article. This is corrected into "from December 2015 to December 2016" in the PDF and HTML versions of the article. Also the "PolyIran" is changed to "PolyPars" in the last paragraph of the discussion section in the PDF and HTML versions of the article.

Using social media to recruit study participants for a randomized trial for hypertension

Aims The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of social media as an approach to recruit hypertensive subjects. Methods and results In addition to conventional trial recruitment, Facebook ads were run. Over a 115-day recruitment period, Facebook reached 5.3 million people in 168 separate campaigns run in the proximity of 19 sites in the USA and 14 sites in Europe. A total of 182 839 participants (3.4%) clicked on the ad; of those 10 483 subjects (5.7%) completed a dedicated questionnaire. This resulted in 3632 potential candidates. A total of 285 potential candidates were recruited by various recruitment strategies in the specified time period, of which 184/285 (64.6%) came from Facebook. When comparing Facebook with a 7-day radio spot in the same time period, 48 radio spots were launched; resulting in nine inquiries with eventually five potential candidates and two consents. Conclusion Targeted social media was a successful and efficient strategy to recruit hypertensive subjects.

Self-managed medication abortion outcomes: results from a prospective pilot study

Background To evaluate the feasibility of conducting a prospective study to measure self-managed medication abortion outcomes, and to collect preliminary data on safety and effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion, we recruited callers to accompaniment groups (volunteer networks that provide counselling through the out-of-clinic medication abortion process by trained counselors over the phone or in-person). Methods In 2019, we enrolled callers to three abortion accompaniment groups in three countries into a prospective study on the safety and effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion with accompaniment support. Participants completed up to five interview-administered questionnaires from baseline through 6-weeks after taking the pills. Primary outcomes included: (1) the number of participants enrolled in a 30-day period, (2) the proportion that had a complete abortion; and (3) the proportion who experienced any warning signs of potential or actual complications. Results Over the 30-day recruitment period, we enrolled 227 participants (95% of those invited), and retained 204 participants (90%) for at least one study follow-up visit. At the 1-week follow-up, two participants (1%) reported a miscarriage prior to taking the pills, and 202 participants (89% of those enrolled and 99% of those who participated in the 1-week survey) had obtained and taken the medications. Three weeks after taking the medications, 192 (95%) participants reported feeling that their abortion was complete. Three (1.5%) received a surgical intervention, two (1%) received antibiotics, and five (3%) received other medications. Participants did not report any major adverse events. Conclusion These results establish the feasibility of conducting prospective studies of self-managed medication abortion in legally restrictive settings. Further, the high effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion with accompaniment support reported here is consistent with high levels of effectiveness reported in prior studies. Trial registration ISRCTN95769543.

Recruitment of adolescents with suicidal ideation in the emergency department: lessons from a randomized controlled pilot trial of a youth suicide prevention intervention

Background Emergency Departments (EDs) are a first point-of-contact for many youth with mental health and suicidality concerns and can serve as an effective recruitment source for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mental health interventions. However, recruitment in acute care settings is impeded by several challenges. This pilot RCT of a youth suicide prevention intervention recruited adolescents aged 12 to 17 years presenting to a pediatric hospital ED with suicide related behaviors. Methods Recruitment barriers were identified during the initial study recruitment period and included: the time of day of ED presentations, challenges inherent to study presentation, engagement and participation during an acute presentation, challenges approaching and enrolling acutely suicidal patients and families, ED environmental factors, and youth and parental concerns regarding the study. We calculated the average recruitment productivity for published trials of adolescent suicide prevention strategies which included the ED as a recruitment site in order to compare our recruitment productivity. Results In response to identified barriers, an enhanced ED-centered recruitment strategy was developed to address low recruitment rate, specifically (i) engaging a wider network of ED and outpatient psychiatry staff (ii) dissemination of study pamphlets across multiple areas of the ED and relevant outpatient clinics. Following implementation of the enhanced recruitment strategy, the pre-post recruitment productivity, a ratio of patients screened to patients randomized, was computed. A total of 120 patients were approached for participation, 89 (74.2%) were screened and 45 (37.5%) were consented for the study from March 2018 to April 2019. The screening to randomization ratio for the study period prior to the introduction of the enhanced recruitment strategies was 3:1, which decreased to 1.8:1 following the implementation of enhanced recruitment strategies. The ratio for the total recruitment period was 2.1:1. This was lower than the average ratio of 3.2:1 for published trials. Conclusions EDs are feasible sites for participant recruitment in RCTs examining new interventions for acute mental health problems, including suicidality. Engaging multi-disciplinary ED staff to support recruitment for such studies, proactively addressing anticipated concerns, and creating a robust recruitment pathway that includes approach at outpatient appointments can optimize recruitment. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03488602, retrospectively registered April 4, 2018.

Self-managed medication abortion outcomes: results from a prospective study

Background: To evaluate the feasibility of conducting a prospective study to measure self-managed medication abortion outcomes, and to collect preliminary data on safety and effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion, we recruited callers to accompaniment groups (volunteer networks that provide counselling through the out-of-clinic medication abortion process by trained counselors over the phone or in-person).Methods: In 2019, we enrolled callers to three abortion accompaniment groups in three countries into a prospective study on the safety and effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion with accompaniment support. Participants completed up to five interview-administered questionnaires from baseline through six-weeks after taking the pills. Primary outcomes included: (1) the number of participants enrolled in a 30-day period, (2) the proportion that had a complete abortion; and (3) the proportion who experienced any warning signs of potential or actual complications.Results: Over the 30-day recruitment period, we enrolled 227 participants (95% of those invited), and retained 204 participants (90%) for at least one study follow-up visit. At the one-week follow-up, two participants (1%) reported a miscarriage prior to taking the pills, and 202 participants (89% of those enrolled and 99% of those who participated in the one-week survey) had obtained and taken the medications. Three weeks after taking the medications, 192 (95%) participants reported feeling that their abortion was complete. Three (1.5%) received a surgical intervention, two (1%) received antibiotics, and five (3%) other medications. Participants did not report any major adverse events.Conclusion: These results establish the feasibility of conducting prospective studies of self-managed medication abortion in legally restrictive settings. Further, the high effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion with accompaniment support reported here is consistent with high levels of effectiveness reported in prior studies. Trial Registration: ISRCTN95769543

Self-managed medication abortion outcomes: results from a prospective pilot study

Background: To evaluate the feasibility of conducting a prospective study to measure self-managed medication abortion outcomes, and to collect preliminary data on safety and effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion, we recruited callers to accompaniment groups (volunteer networks that provide counselling through the out-of-clinic medication abortion process by trained counselors over the phone or in-person).Methods: In 2019, we enrolled callers to three abortion accompaniment groups in three countries into a prospective study on the safety and effectiveness of self-managed medication abortion with accompaniment support. Participants completed up to five interview-administered questionnaires from baseline through six-weeks after taking the pills. Primary outcomes included: (1) the proportion that had a complete abortion; and (2) the proportion who experienced any warning signs of potential or actual complications.Results: Over the 30-day recruitment period, we enrolled 227 participants. At the one-week follow-up, two participants (1%) reported a miscarriage prior to taking the pills, and 202 participants (89% of those enrolled and 99% of those who participated in the one-week survey) had obtained and taken the medications. Three weeks after taking the medications, 192 (95%) participants reported feeling that their abortion was complete, and 189 (94%) felt their abortion was complete and had not reported a surgical intervention. Three (1.5%) received a surgical intervention, two (1%) received antibiotics, and five (3%) other medications. Participants did not report any major adverse events.Conclusion: These results establish the feasibility of conducting prospective studies of self-managed medication abortion in legally restrictive settings. Further, these prospectively collected pilot data suggest that self-managed medication abortion with accompaniment support may be safe and effective. Trial Registration: ISRCTN95769543