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Nature Reviews. Disease Primers Aug 2016Ovarian cancer is not a single disease and can be subdivided into at least five different histological subtypes that have different identifiable risk factors, cells of... (Review)
Review
Ovarian cancer is not a single disease and can be subdivided into at least five different histological subtypes that have different identifiable risk factors, cells of origin, molecular compositions, clinical features and treatments. Ovarian cancer is a global problem, is typically diagnosed at a late stage and has no effective screening strategy. Standard treatments for newly diagnosed cancer consist of cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. In recurrent cancer, chemotherapy, anti-angiogenic agents and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors are used, and immunological therapies are currently being tested. High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is the most commonly diagnosed form of ovarian cancer and at diagnosis is typically very responsive to platinum-based chemotherapy. However, in addition to the other histologies, HGSCs frequently relapse and become increasingly resistant to chemotherapy. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms underlying platinum resistance and finding ways to overcome them are active areas of study in ovarian cancer. Substantial progress has been made in identifying genes that are associated with a high risk of ovarian cancer (such as BRCA1 and BRCA2), as well as a precursor lesion of HGSC called serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma, which holds promise for identifying individuals at high risk of developing the disease and for developing prevention strategies.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; BRCA2 Protein; CA-125 Antigen; Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; Humans; Mass Screening; Membrane Proteins; Ovarian Neoplasms; Ovariectomy; Parity; Platinum; Risk Factors; Sterilization, Tubal; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
PubMed: 27558151
DOI: 10.1038/nrdp.2016.61 -
Fertility and Sterility Nov 2016Although female contraceptives are very effective at preventing unintended pregnancy, some women can not use them because of health conditions or side-effects, leaving... (Review)
Review
Although female contraceptives are very effective at preventing unintended pregnancy, some women can not use them because of health conditions or side-effects, leaving some couples without effective contraceptive options. In addition, many men wish to take active responsibility for family planning. Thus, there is a great need for male contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancies, of which 80-90 million occur annually. At present, effective male contraceptive options are condoms and vasectomy, which are not ideal for all men. Therefore, efforts are under way to develop novel male contraceptives. This paper briefly reviews the advantages and disadvantages of condoms and vasectomies and then discusses the research directed toward development of novel methods of male contraception.
Topics: Condoms; Contraception; Contraceptive Agents, Male; Family Planning Services; Female; Fertility; Humans; Male; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Unplanned; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Vasectomy
PubMed: 27678037
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.08.036 -
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection... 2018The Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control launched its revised Guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization of Instruments in Health Care Facilities in February...
BACKGROUND
The Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control launched its revised Guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization of Instruments in Health Care Facilities in February 2017. This document describes the guidelines and recommendations for the reprocessing of instruments in healthcare setting. It aims to highlight practical recommendations in a concise format designed to assist healthcare facilities at Asia Pacific region in achieving high standards in sterilization and disinfection.
METHOD
The guidelines were revised by an appointed workgroup comprising experts in the Asia Pacific region, following reviews of previously published guidelines and recommendations relevant to each section.
RESULTS
It recommends the centralization of reprocessing, training of all staff with annual competency assessment, verification of cleaning, continual monitoring of reprocessing procedures to ensure their quality and a corporate strategy for dealing with single-use and single-patient use medical equipment/devices. Detailed recommendations are also given with respect to reprocessing of endoscopes. Close working with the Infection Prevention & Control department is also recommended where decisions related to reprocessing medical equipment/devices are to be made.
CONCLUSIONS
Sterilization facilities should aim for excellence in practices as this is part of patient safety. The guidelines that come with a checklist help service providers identify gaps for improvement to reach this goal.
Topics: Asia; Cross Infection; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Disinfection; Endoscopes; Equipment Contamination; Equipment Reuse; Equipment and Supplies; Health Facilities; Humans; Infection Control; Patient Safety; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Risk Factors; Sterilization, Reproductive; Surgical Instruments
PubMed: 29468053
DOI: 10.1186/s13756-018-0308-2 -
Fertility and Sterility Jun 2021Except for condom use, vasectomy is the only approved form of male contraception. The American Urological Association published guidelines on vasectomy in 2012, which... (Review)
Review
Except for condom use, vasectomy is the only approved form of male contraception. The American Urological Association published guidelines on vasectomy in 2012, which clearly outlined patient counseling, vasectomy techniques to maximize successful occlusion, and postvasectomy care. However, there are certainly areas of further improvement to be addressed. Vasectomy is severely underutilized compared with tubal ligation for sterilization, likely due to lack of patient awareness. Although the majority of vasectomies are performed in the office with local anesthesia, some patients are still routinely prescribed narcotics for postprocedural pain, despite the well-described opioid pandemic. Finally, although patients are counseled on the necessity of a postvasectomy semen analysis to confirm sterility prior to the discontinuation of alternative contraceptives, more than 50% of men do not complete this test. Therefore, alternative strategies must be pursued to improve patient compliance.
Topics: Clinical Decision-Making; Counseling; Fertility; Humans; Male; Men's Health; Patient Satisfaction; Patient Selection; Postoperative Complications; Semen Analysis; Treatment Outcome; Vasectomy
PubMed: 33879342
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.03.045 -
Annals of Biomedical Engineering Jul 2020The present state of reproductive and sexual health around the world reveals disparities in contraceptive use and effectiveness. Unintended pregnancy and sexually... (Review)
Review
The present state of reproductive and sexual health around the world reveals disparities in contraceptive use and effectiveness. Unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection transmission rates remain high even with current prevention methods. The 20th century saw a contraceptive revolution with biomedical innovation driving the success of new contraceptive technologies with central design concepts and materials. Current modalities can be broadly categorized according to their mode of function: reversible methods such as physical/chemical barriers or hormonal delivery devices via systemic (transdermal and subcutaneous) or localized (intrauterine and intravaginal) administration, and nonreversible sterilization procedures such as tubal ligation and vasectomy. Contraceptive biomaterials are at present dominated by well-characterized elastomers such as polydimethylsiloxane and ethylene vinyl acetate due to their favorable material properties and versatility. Contraceptives alter the normal function of cellular components in the reproductive systems to impair fertility. The purpose of this review is to highlight the bioengineering design of existing methods, explore novel adaptations, and address notable shortcomings in current contraceptive technologies.
Topics: Biocompatible Materials; Bioengineering; Contraception; Contraceptive Agents; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans
PubMed: 31701311
DOI: 10.1007/s10439-019-02402-1 -
Fertility and Sterility Jun 2022
Topics: Female; Humans; Sterilization; Sterilization, Reproductive; Sterilization, Tubal
PubMed: 35618360
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.04.022 -
Asian Journal of Andrology 2016Many controversial topics regarding Andrology in general, and male infertility more specifically have been discussed and debated for decades. Numerous manuscripts and...
Many controversial topics regarding Andrology in general, and male infertility more specifically have been discussed and debated for decades. Numerous manuscripts and entire journals have been dedicated to the dissemination of standardized information with multiple reviews covering similar topics. This massive amount of data leads to difficulty identifying pertinent clinical practice guidelines. Furthermore, detailed instructions on how to manage common clinical conditions tend to be diluted by copious amounts of text and superfluous information.
Topics: Androgens; Andrology; Chronic Pain; Fertility; Fertility Agents, Male; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Testicular Diseases; Testosterone; Varicocele; Vasovasostomy
PubMed: 27048783
DOI: 10.4103/1008-682X.179141 -
Medecine Sciences : M/S May 2022The latest statistics concerning contraceptive use in the world have been published in 2019 by the United Nations. Among the 1.9 billion of women of reproductive age...
The latest statistics concerning contraceptive use in the world have been published in 2019 by the United Nations. Among the 1.9 billion of women of reproductive age (15-49 years), 1.1 billion have a need for family planning. Among them, 190 millions are not using any contraception, although they wanted to avoid a pregnancy. There is a significant discrepancy among continents concerning the percentage of contraceptive use and the distribution of the different types of contraception. Female sterilization is the most widespread method of contraception since it represents 24% of all contraception methods used. Male condoms is used by 21% of couples. Thus, progress is still needed to disseminate effective, well tolerated and potentially reversible methods of contraception. Education of females, couples, medical and paramedical staff is one of the priority targets to improve contraception throughout the world.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Contraception; Contraceptive Agents; Family Planning Services; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Sterilization, Reproductive; Young Adult
PubMed: 35608469
DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2022058 -
ACS Applied Bio Materials Nov 2022Degradable and environmentally responsive polymers have been actively developed for drug delivery and regenerative medicine applications, yet inadequate consideration of... (Review)
Review
Degradable and environmentally responsive polymers have been actively developed for drug delivery and regenerative medicine applications, yet inadequate consideration of their compatibility with terminal sterilization presents notable barriers to clinical translation. This Review discusses industry-established terminal sterilization methods and aseptic processing and contrasts them with innovative approaches aimed at preserving the integrity of polymeric implants. Regulatory guidelines, fiscal considerations, and potential pitfalls are discussed to encourage early integration of sterility regulatory considerations in material designs.
Topics: Sterilization; Polymers; Prostheses and Implants; Sterilization, Reproductive
PubMed: 36318175
DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00793 -
Fertility and Sterility Jul 2020
Topics: Female; Humans; Salpingectomy; Sterilization, Tubal
PubMed: 32622416
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.04.035