Advances in Assisted Reproductive Technologies

1. Controversies in Induction of Ovulation.- Is There a Best Stimulation Protocol?.- Limitations in the Use of Combined Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Analog and Human Menopausal Gonadotropin for In Vitro Fertilization.- The Combined Pituitary Suppression/Ovarian Stimulation Therapy: Myths and Realities.- Past, Present and Future of Gonadotropins.- 2. Aspects of Ovarian Stimulation in Medically Assisted Reproduction.- Physiology of Follicle Development in Stimulated Cycles.- Safe Gonadotropins.- IVF: LH Surge vs HCG.- Experience with GnRH-Agonists in Ovarian Stimulation.- The Association of Ovarian Hyperstimulation and Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer.- 3. Ovarian Physiology.- Control of Follicular Growth during the Primate Menstrual Cycle.- Growth Factor Modulation of Gonadotropin Action on Porcine Granulosa Cells.- Follicular Rupture during Ovulation: Activation of Collagenolysis.- Involvement of Calcium in the Transduction of the Hormonal Signal for Induction of Oocyte Maturation.- Hydration as the Key Event in Mucification of the Rat Cumulus.- Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF?) and the Endogenous Prostaglandin Inhibitor (PGIn) in Bovine Follicles.- The Role of Tumor Necrosis Factor in Human Granulosa Cells and Early Embryo.- The Ovarian Renin-Angiotensin System and Compartmental Function in the Ovary.- The Physiology of Human Ovarian Prorenin-Angiotensin System.- 4. GnRH and GnRH Analogs: Basic Aspects.- Prolactin as a Possible Modulator of Gonadotropin Action on the Ovary.- Studies on Pharmacokinetics of LHRH Analogues after Different Modes of Administration.- Ovulation and Stress: Pathophysiology.- GnRH Peptides and Corpus Luteum Regulation.- GnRH Antagonists: New Developments for Indications in Reproductive Medicine.- 5. Alternate Assisted Reproduction.- IVF versus GIFT.- Patient Selection for Assisted Procreation.- Ultrasound-guided Catheterization of the Fallopian Tube for the Non-operative Transfer of Gametes and Embryos.- The Intratubal Transfer of Pronucleus and Early Embryonic Stage Embryos.- Tubal Embryo Transfer (TET) for the Treatment of Couples with Oligoasthenospermia.- The Present Perspectives of Direct Intraperitoneal Insemination.- Lessons Learned from IVC (Intra-vaginal Culture).- The Benefits of Tubal Transfer Procedures.- 6. IVF and Microsurgery in Cases if Mechanical Infertility.- Selection Criteria for Microsurgery, GIFT and IVF.- Tubo-tubal Anastomosis versus In Vitro Fertilization in the Management of Iatrogenic Infertility.- Ectopic Pregnancy and the Decision to Undergo IVF/ET.- 7. Clinical Aspects of IVF Treatments.- The Endocrinology of Stimulated Cycles and Influence on Outcome.- The Influence of Age, Uterine Length, Pre-post Egg Retrieval, Plasma Estradiol Drop, and the Number of Cleaved Embryos Transferred to the Uterus - on Outcome Following IVF/ET.- The Timing of Embryo Transfer and Implantation.- Oocyte Quality According to Protocols for Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation and Patients' Age.- Luteal Phase and Embryonic Development in GnRH-Agonist/hMG-Cycles for In Vitro Fertilization.- Follicular Phase Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Agonist and Human Gonadotropins: A Better Alternative for Ovulation Induction in In Vitro Fertilization.- Progesterone/Estradiol Ratios Predict Outcome in In Vitro Fertilization.- The Influence of Endometrial Preparation Protocols on Embryo Implantation in Human Cryopreservation Treatment.- The Replacement of Frozen-thawed Embryos: Natural or Artificial Cycles?.- Improvement of Ovarian Response to Induction of Superovulation with Combined Growth Hormone - Gonadotropin Treatment.- The Permissive Role of Growth Hormone in Ovulation Induction with Human Menopausal Gonadotropin.- Synchronization of Donor and Recipient Cycles in an Egg Donation Program: Fresh Versus Frozen/Thawed Embryo Transfers.- 8. Male Infertility.- Molecular Mechanisms of Mammalian Sperm-Zona Pellucida Interaction: Crosstalk Between Sperm and Egg.- Carbohydrated-mediated Sperm-Egg Interactions in Mammals.- The Function of Human Semen Coagulation and Liquefaction In Vivo.- The Role of IVF in Male Infertility.- IVF and Immunological Infertility.- Microsurgery, Andrology, and its Role in IVF.- New Possible Methods for Evaluation of Sperm Quality.- Ultramorphologic Characteristics of Human Sperm Cells.- Hemizona Assay: Assessment of Human Spermatozoa Dysfunction and its Correlation with In Vitro Fertilization Results.- 9. New Imaging Techniques and Reproduction.- to the Technology of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Infertility.- Doppler Ultrasound in Infertility.- Transvaginal Color Doppler in the Study of Uterine Perfusion.- Blood Flow Measurements in the Uterine and Ovarian Arteries in Patients Undergoing IVF/ET and in Early Pregnancy, Performed with a Transvaginal Doppler Duplex System.- Ultrasonographic Prediction of Ovarian Hyperstimulation (OHS) after IVF.- Ten Years Experience with Simplifications in IVF.- 10. Gamete and Embryo Cryopreservation.- Comparison of Cryoprotectants and Stages of Human Embryo.- Ultrarapid Freezing.- World Results of Human Embryo Cryopreservation.- Influence of the Cooling Gradient and the Choice of Used Cryoprotectant on the Cryopreservation Outcome of Human and Animal Eggs.- Basic Concepts and Future Trends in Sperm Cryopreservation.- 11. Gamete, Embryo Donation and Surrogacy.- Oocyte Donation - State of the Art 1989.- Synchronization in Ovum Donation.- In Vitro Fertilization-Surrogate Gestational Pregnancy.- Success Rate of Surrogate Gestational Pregnancies Using In Vitro Fertilization Donor Oocytes.- Compassionate Family Surrogacy by IVF.- Semen Donation and Sex Selection.- 12. Implantation.- Recent Progress in Blastocyst Implantation Research.- Purified Human Cytotrophoblasts: Surrogates for the Blastocyst in In Vitro Models of Implantation?.- A Role for Platelet Activation Factor in Embryo Implantation.- Regulation of Trophoblast Invasion: The Requirement for Proteinase Cascade.- The Implantation Window in Humans after Fresh or Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfers.- 13. Laboratory Techniques.- Non-Invasive Biochemical Methods for Assessing Human Embryo Quality.- Pregnancy Rate and Pregnancy Outcome Associated with Laboratory Evaluation of Spermatozoa, Oocytes, and Pre-embryos.- Assessment of Embryo Quality and Viability through Embryo-iderived Platelet Activating Factor.- Coculture of Human Zygotes on Fetal Bovine Reproductive Tract Cells.- Gametes- and Embryo-Oviduct Interactions.- Epithelial Cells from Human Fallopian Tube in Culture.- 14. Enhancement of Fertilization by Micromanipulation.- Cytoplasmic Control of the Transformation of Sperm Nucleus into Male Pronucleus.- Partial Zona Dissection for Enhancement of Sperm Passage through the Zona Pellucida.- The Microinjection Technique and the Role of the Acrosome Reaction in Microfertilization.- Microinsemination of Human Oocytes.- Sperm Injection into the Perivitelline Space of the Oocyte.- Results of In Vitro Fertilization of Human Oocytes after Zona Drilling.- Rapid Sexing of Preimplantation Mouse Embryos by Blastomere Biopsy and Enzymatic Amplification.- 15. Genetic Analysis of the Pre-Embryo.- Proliferation of Cells Derived from the Biopsy of Pre-implantation Embryos.- Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis: Approaches and Current Status.- The Feasibility of Preimplantation-Embryo Biopsy and Genetic Screening for Prenatal Diagnosis: Studies with Mice.- Genetics of Human Preimplantation Development: Implication in Embryo Viability Testing.- Nuclear Transfer.- MMTV/N-ras Transgenic Mice as a Model for Altered Capacitation Male Sterility and Tumorigenesis.- 16. Psychosocial Aspects of IVF and Alternate Assisted Reproduction.- Helping Patients End Treatment: The IVF Follow-mp Clinic as a Tool for Continuing Psychological Assessment.- Couples' Experiences with In Vitro Fertilization: APhenomenological Approach.- Perceived Psycho-Social Features of IVF Compared to Other Treatments for Fertility.- Psycho-Social Profile of IVF Patients.- 17. World Collaborative Results and Outcome of IVF Pregnancies.- European IVF Results for 1987(a) - Attempts and Pregnancy Outcome.- IVF Results in Eastern Europe.- IVF Results in North America.- Pregnancy Rates and Perinatal Outcome in Australia and New Zealand.- Survey of Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Asia and Africa Up to 31st January 1988.- 18. Ethics, Religion and Legal Issues.- Ethical, Religious and Legal Debate on IVF and Alternate Assisted Reproduction.- 19. Editor's Perspective.- Publish or Perish - An Editor's Perspective.