Is laparoscopy still the gold standard in infertility assessment? A comparison of fertiloscopy versus laparoscopy in infertility. Results of an international multicentre prospective trial: the 'FLY' (Fertiloscopy-LaparoscopY) study.

in Human Reproduction (2003), 18(4), 834-9

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective multicentre study was to compare the two endoscopic techniques of laparoscopy and fertiloscopy in routine evaluation of the pelvis in infertile women. METHODS: A ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective multicentre study was to compare the two endoscopic techniques of laparoscopy and fertiloscopy in routine evaluation of the pelvis in infertile women. METHODS: A total of 92 women was selected in 14 University Hospitals to undergo fertiloscopy followed by transabdominal laparoscopy by a team of two surgeons in each hospital. RESULTS: A high degree of concordance was observed between these two techniques, in that if fertiloscopy did not detect any abnormalities, this was also confirmed by laparoscopy. Discordance was observed in similar numbers of cases: eight after laparoscopy and nine after fertiloscopy. The diagnostic index for fertiloscopy and laparoscopy was calculated; sensitivity (86 and 87% respectively) and negative predictive value (64 and 67% respectively) were similar. The kappa index was also calculated for each of the six structures/regions (right/left tube; right/left ovary; peritoneum of pouch of Douglas; posterior uterus), and concordance (0.78 to 0.91) was considered almost complete. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm fertiloscopy as a minimally invasive safe procedure that may be considered as an alternative to diagnostic laparoscopy in the routine assessment of women without clinical or ultrasound evidence of pelvic disease. On the basis of the additional advantages of fertiloscopy, namely salpingoscopy or microsalpingoscopy, it is considered that fertiloscopy could replace laparoscopy as a routine procedure in such women. [less ▲]

Is migration a good substitute for education subsidies?

in Journal of Development Economics (2008), (86), 263-276

Assuming a given educational policy, the recent brain drain literature reveals that skilled migration can boost the average level <br />of schooling in developing countries. In this paper, we introduce ... [more ▼]

Assuming a given educational policy, the recent brain drain literature reveals that skilled migration can boost the average level <br />of schooling in developing countries. In this paper, we introduce educational subsidies determined by governments concerned by <br />the number of skilled workers remaining in the country. Our theoretical analysis shows that developing countries can benefit from <br />skilled emigration when educational subsidies entail high fiscal distortions. However when taxes are not too distortionary, it is <br />desirable to impede emigration and subsidize education. We then investigate the empirical relationship between educational <br />subsidies and migration prospects, obtaining a negative relationship for 105 countries. Based on this result, we revisit the country <br />specific effects of skilled migration upon human capital. We show that the endogeneity of public subsidies reduces the number of <br />winners and increases the magnitude of the losses. <br />© 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. [less ▲]

Is neon a viable solution to the solar model problem? Insights from nearby B-type stars

in Journal of Physics Conference Series (2008), 118

The recent downward revision of the solar CNO photospheric abundances now leads to severe inconsistencies between theoretical models for the Sun's internal structure and the results of helioseismology ... [more ▼]

The recent downward revision of the solar CNO photospheric abundances now leads to severe inconsistencies between theoretical models for the Sun's internal structure and the results of helioseismology. There have been claims that the solar Ne abundance may be underestimated and that an increase in this ill-defined quantity could alleviate (or even completely solve) this problem. To address the validity of this hypothesis, we present a fully homogeneous non-LTE abundance analysis of the optical Ne I/II lines in a sample of 18 nearby B-type stars. Our very preliminary results point towards a mean neon abundance slightly higher than the new solar value, but apparently insufficient by itself to restore the agreement between the solar models and the helioseismological constraints. [less ▲]

Het is nooit goed. Marginalia bij De pasvorm van de goede smaak van Marc Reynebeau

in Yang : Tijdschrift voor Literatuur en Kommunikatie (1995), 31(3-4), 111-121

This article criticizes the illusions of normative literary criticism, which hopes to determine 'once and for all' the true and objective value of literature.

Is Open Access just for articles in STM? Can OA books help Humanities? The Liège Experience

Scientific conference (2011, February 25)

Is parenteral nutrition guilty?

in Intensive Care Medicine (2003), 29(11), 1861-1864

Is planned vaginal delivery for breech presentation at term still an option? Results of an observational prospective survey in France and Belgium

in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2006), 194(4), 1002-1011

Objective: A large trial published in 2000 concluded that planned vaginal delivery of term breech births is associated with high neonatal risks. Because the obstetric practices in that study differed from ... [more ▼]

Objective: A large trial published in 2000 concluded that planned vaginal delivery of term breech births is associated with high neonatal risks. Because the obstetric practices in that study differed from those in Countries where planned vaginal delivery is still common, we conducted an observational prospective study to describe neonatal Outcome according to the planned mode of delivery for term breech births in 2 such countries. Study design: Observational prospective study with an intent-to-treat analysis to compare the groups for which cesarean and vaginal deliveries were planned. Associations between the outcome and planned mode of delivery were controlled for confounding by multivariate analysis. The main outcome measure was a variable that combined fetal and neonatal mortality and severe neonatal morbidity. The study Population consisted of 8105 pregnant women delivering singleton fetuses in breech presentation at term in 138 French and 36 Belgian maternity units. Results: Cesarean delivery was planned for 5579 women (68.8%) and vaginal delivery for 2526 (31.2%). Of the women with planned vaginal deliveries, 1796 delivered vaginally (71.0%). The rate of the combined neonatal outcome measure was low in the overall population (1.59%; 95%, Cl [1.33-1.89]) and in the planned vaginal delivery group (1.60%; 95% CI [1.14-2.17]). It did not differ significantly between the planned vaginal and cesarean delivery groups (unadjusted odds ratio 1.10, 95% CI [0.75-1.61]), even after controlling for confounding variables (adjusted odds ratio 1.40, 95% CI [0.89-2.23]). Conclusion: In places where planned vaginal delivery is a common practice and when strict criteria are met before and during labor, planned vaginal delivery of singleton fetuses in breech presentation at term remains a safe option that can be offered to women. (C) 2006 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. [less ▲]

Is political engangement rooted in familial or social participation?

Conference (2010, May)

Is secularism so good for women ?

Conference (2012, July)

The paper reverse the famous question of Susan Möller Okin "Is multiculturalism bad for women" and asks the question of the supposed "natural alliance" between secularism and democracy. It takes as an ... [more ▼]

The paper reverse the famous question of Susan Möller Okin "Is multiculturalism bad for women" and asks the question of the supposed "natural alliance" between secularism and democracy. It takes as an illustration the relation between secularist movement and women's claims in the history of Belgium from the Belgian revolution until now. It presents a first, sketchy description of the alliance, trying to show that three periods can be distinguished : until the end of the schoolwar, the relations between the secularist movement and women's claim are rather weak and the secularists tend to distrust women, they consider as allied of the clerics; during the period of 1960-2000, the alliance is stonger over the claim of "self-disposal of one's body'" ; then, from 2000 until now, there is a strong division between both secularist and feminist movements, and so there are two alliances : radical secularism and mainstream feminist movement are allied against islam while, radical feminist and tolerant secularism are allied against neo-colonialist position. [less ▲]

Is sexual motivational state linked to dopamine release in the medial preoptic area?

in Behavioral Neuroscience (2010)

The medial preoptic area (mPOA) is a key site for the dopaminergic enhancement of male sexual behavior. Dopamine release increases in the rat mPOA with mating, supporting the critical stimulatory role ... [more ▼]

The medial preoptic area (mPOA) is a key site for the dopaminergic enhancement of male sexual behavior. Dopamine release increases in the rat mPOA with mating, supporting the critical stimulatory role played by preoptic dopamine on male sexual behavior. However, it has been questioned whether dopamine is specifically related to the occurrence of male sexual behavior and not simply involved in general arousal. To address this question, we ask whether dopamine release in the mPOA is linked to the production of male sexual behavior in Japanese quail, a species that exhibits a much shorter temporal pattern of copulation than rats and does not have an intromittent organ, resulting in a very different topography of their sexual response. Extracellular samples from the mPOA of adult sexually experienced male quail were collected every six minutes before, during, and after exposure to a female using in vivo microdialysis and analyzed using HPLC-EC. Extracellular dopamine significantly increased in the presence of a female and returned to baseline after removal of the female. However, subjects who failed to copulate did not display this increased release. These findings indicate that it is not solely the presence of a female that drives dopamine release in males, but how a male responds to her. Further, in subjects that copulated, dopamine release did not change in samples collected during periods of no copulation. Together, these findings support the hypothesis that dopamine action in the mPOA is specifically linked to sexual motivation and not only copulatory behavior or physical arousal. [less ▲]