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Background This study aimed to determine whether donor oocyte versus autologous oocyte use is associated with adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes in singleton live births conceived using assisted reproductive technology. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of singleton live births conceived using assisted reproductive technology and delivered within a tertiary-care university health system between January 2014 and August 2019. Multiple gestations and cases with missing data were excluded. Adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared between live births conceived using donor versus autologous oocytes utilizing multivariate backwards-stepwise logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders. Data are presented as adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) with p  <.05 considered statistically significant. Results Among 1,015 singleton gestations, 97 (9.6%) were conceived using donor and 918 (90.4%) using autologous oocytes. Women using donor oocytes were older (42.5y vs. 35.4y, p  <.001), more likely to have pre-gestational diabetes (5.2% vs. 0.7%, p  =.001), more likely to utilize fresh embryo transfers, (29.9% vs. 18.9%, p  =.01) and less likely to utilize PGT-A (25.8% vs. 51.3%, p  <.001). A greater odds of a 5-minute APGAR score < 7 was noted among the donor oocyte group (4.1% vs. 0.9%, OR 4.64 [95% CI 1.30-14.45]). There were no other significant differences in maternal or neonatal outcomes between the two groups. Conclusions In singleton gestations conceived using assisted reproductive technology, donor oocyte use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes. This may be reassuring for patients hoping to achieve a live birth through use of donor oocytes.

Background It has been suggested that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may derive from either elevated oxidative stress or reduced antioxidant vitamin levels in the body; however, these relationships have been minimally studied in a large cohort of healthy women. Our objective was to estimate the association between serum concentrations of antioxidant vitamins (A, C, and E) and markers of oxidative stress (F2-isoprostane) with symptoms and severity of PMS. Methods The BioCycle study was a prospective cohort study following 259 healthy premenopausal women aged 18–44 years for up to 2 menstrual cycles. Frequency/severity of 20 PMS symptoms were assessed via questionnaires 4 times/cycle, and antioxidant vitamins and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured up to 8 times/cycle to correspond with specific cycle phases. Generalized linear models were used to estimate associations between mean antioxidant concentrations and oxidative stress biomarkers with PMS symptoms and severity; linear mixed models were used to evaluate associations with symptom severity scores within groups (e.g. depression, cravings, pain). Results Higher concentrations of serum antioxidant vitamins were largely not associated with prevalence or severity of PMS symptoms. Though a few associations were observed, only associations between mean γ-tocopherol and decreased odds of swelling of the hands/feet survived adjustment for multiple comparisons (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16, 0.65, per ug/dL). However, F2-isoprostanes were associated with prevalence and severity of several symptoms specifically related to depression and cravings (depression score β  =  0.07, 95% CI 0.02, 0.12, per 10 ug/dL; cravings score β = 0.16, 95% CI 0.10, 0.22, per 10 ug/dL), as well as with classification of PMS severity (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01, 1.14, per 10 pg/dL), with these associations surviving adjustment for false discovery rate. Conclusions F2-isoprostanes, but not antioxidant vitamins, were associated with select PMS symptoms, as well as symptom and severity categories. Specific symptom relationships merit further research.

Patient attire is paramount to a patient’s dignity and hospital experience. The traditional hospital gown is dehumanizing, anachronistic, and was designed for providers’ convenience. In this descriptive, prospective follow-up to our previous pilot study, we evaluated male and female medical and surgical patients and provider preference and experience with a novel patient gowning system, the Patient Access Linen System (PALS). This study was conducted in 2 hospitals within our health system. Our objective was to assess patient and provider satisfaction, experience, and preference using the PALS. A multiple-choice, free response survey was administered to patients and providers following the use of an item. A total of 315 patients and 249 staff in 2 hospitals completed surveys regarding their experience using or providing care to patients using the PALS. Patients and providers had consistently positive experiences with the PALS, including questions about comfort and function. The data demonstrate a clear preference for the PALS compared to the traditional hospital gown and give additional supporting evidence that the comfort of hospital clothing is of paramount importance to patients.

With more than 270 attendees from Brazil, Australia, the Netherlands, India, Malaysia and across North America, the third annual Ag Innovation Showcase last month, at the Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO, continued to build on the success of the first two events. Keynote speakers focused on significant challenges and opportunities that ag leaders are addressing across the globe -- alternative energy, food shortages, globalization of markets and climate. Greg Lucier, chairman/CEO of California-based Life Technologies, addressed how technologies the company has introduced for sequencing the human genome can also be used to study and advance agricultural biology. Alison Sunstrum, co-CEO of Growsafe Systems, was honored with Ag innovation Showcase's Green Lab Coat Award for excellence among emerging entrepreneurial companies.