Results The study group baseline investigations after DHEA treatment showed a statistically significant improvement compared to the control group. The outcomes of induction of ovulation in the study group showed a statistically better response than the control group. Conclusion DHEA may help many poor responders so better considered for poor responder patients. Trial registration number PACTR201911829230395.Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and value of measuring early placental echogenicity to predict fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Methods This is a single center, retrospective cohort study. Early ultrasound examination (6 + o to 8 + 6 weeks of gestation in singleton pregnancies) was used to measure placental dimensions and placental echogenicity. A ratio between placental echogenicity and myometrial echogenicity (PE/ME-ratio) was calculated for each patient. Study population was assigned to either the IUGR group or the control group based on clinical data. Results 184 eligible pregnancies were analysed. 49 patients were included in our study. Of those, 9 (18.37%) cases were affected by IUGR and 40 (81.63%) were controls. Measuring the placental echogenicity was feasible in all cases. IUGR neonates had a significant lower placental echogenicity (1.20 (± 0.24) vs. 1.64 (± 0.60), p = 0.033), but no significant differences in the other placental outcomes were observed. β-Sitosterol clinical trial Conclusion Our results showed that measuring placental echogenicity is feasible in the early first trimester and demonstrated a significantly lower placental echogenicity in fetuses with subsequent IUGR. Further prospective studies are needed to validate those results.Background Transthyretin (TTR) is considered to be associated with insulin resistance in humans. This study aimed to investigate TTR level in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and its association with glucose metabolism. Methods Fifty pregnant women with GDM and 47 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance matched for body mass index and age were enrolled in this study. Their blood samples were collected to detect TTR, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), and their association with glucose and lipid metabolism. Results Serum TTR levels in the GDM group were significantly higher than those in the control group (median, 93.44 [interquartile range, 73.81, 117.79] μg/ml vs. 80.83 [74.19, 89.38] μg/ml; P = 0.006). GDM subjects had a lower RBP4/TTR ratio than the control subjects (median, 517.57 [interquartile range, 348.38, 685.27] vs. 602.56 [460.28, 730.62]; P = 0.02). The serum TTR concentrations were positively associated with neonatal weight (r = 0.223, P = 0.028), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (r = 0.246, P = 0.015), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) (r = 0.363, P less then 0.001). In stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis, FBG (standardized beta = 0.27, P = 0.004) and neonatal weight (standardized beta = 0.345, P less then 0.001) were independent predictors of serum TTR concentrations. Additionally, FBG (standardized beta = – 0.306, P = 0.002) and triglyceride (TG) (beta = 0.219, P = 0.025) were independently associated with RBP4/TTR ratio. Conclusions Serum TTR concentrations were significantly higher in women with GDM than that in women without GDM, suggesting that elevated TTR level may play a role in the pathogenesis of GDM. Meanwhile, TTR was positively and independently associated with FBG and neonatal weight, while FBG and TG were independent predictors of RBP4/TTR ratio. Moreover, serum TTR levels and RBP4/TTR ratio were considered valuable markers of insulin resistance and GDM.Background The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on musculoskeletal tumor service by conducting an online survey of physicians. Methods The survey was conducted among the members of the ISOLS (International Society of Limb Salvage) and the EMSOS (European Musculo-Skeletal Oncology Society). The survey consisted of 20 questions (single, multiple-response, ranked) origin and surgical experience of the participant (four questions), potential disruption of healthcare (12 questions), and influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the particular physician (four questions). A matrix with four different response options was created for the particular surgical procedures). Results One hundred forty-nine physicians from five continents completed the survey. Of the respondents, 20.1% and 20.7% stated that surgery for life-threatening sarcomas were stopped or delayed, respectively. Even when the malignancy was expected to involve infiltration of a neurovascular bundle or fracture of a bone, still 13.8% and 14.7% of the respondents, respectively, stated that surgery was not performed. In cases of pending fractures of bone tumors, 37.5 to 46.2% of operations were canceled. Conclusion The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused a significant reduction in healthcare (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) for malignancies of the musculoskeletal system. Delaying or stopping these treatments is life-threatening or can cause severe morbidity, pain, and loss of function. Although the coronavirus disease causes severe medical complications, serious collateral damage including death due to delayed or untreated sarcomas should be avoided.Purpose The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 is the biggest challenge for national health systems for a century. While most medical resources are allocated to treat COVID-19 patients, fractures still need to be treated, as some patients with non-deferrable pathologies. The aim of this paper is to report the early experience of an integrated team of orthopaedic surgeons during this period. Material and methods This is a mono-geographic, observational, retrospective, descriptive study. We collected data from the beginning of the epidemic (1 March 2020), during the pandemic lockdown period (declared in the country on March 16, 2020) until the end of our study period on April 15, 2020. All the 140 patients presented to the Emergency Department of the hospital during this period with a diagnosis of fracture, or trauma (sprains, dislocations, wounds) were included in the cohort. In addition, 12 patients needing hospitalization for planning a non-deferrable elective surgical treatment were included. A group of patients from the two same hospitals and treated during the same period (1st March 2018 to April 15, 2018) but previously was used as control.