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Abdollahi S, Ackermann M, Ajello M, Albert A, Atwood WB, Baldini L, Barbiellini G, Bellazzini R, Bissaldi E, Bloom ED, Bonino R, Bottacini E, Brandt TJ, Bruel P, Buson S, Caragiulo M, Cavazzuti E, Chekhtman A, Ciprini S, Costanza F, Cuoco A, Cutini S, D'Ammando F, de Palma F, Desiante R, Digel SW, Di Lalla N, Di Mauro M, Di Venere L, Donaggio B, Drell PS, Favuzzi C, Focke WB, Fukazawa Y, Funk S, Fusco P, Gargano F, Gasparrini D, Giglietto N, Giordano F, Giroletti M, Green D, Guiriec S, Harding AK, Jogler T, Jóhannesson G, Kamae T, Kuss M, Larsson S, Latronico L, Li J, Longo F, Loparco F, Lubrano P, Magill JD, Malyshev D, Manfreda A, Mazziotta MN, Meehan M, Michelson PF, Mitthumsiri W, Mizuno T, Moiseev AA, Monzani ME, Morselli A, Negro M, Nuss E, Ohsugi T, Omodei N, Paneque D, Perkins JS, Pesce-Rollins M, Piron F, Pivato G, Principe G, Rainò S, Rando R, Razzano M, Reimer A, Reimer O, Sgrò C, Simone D, Siskind EJ, Spada F, Spandre G, Spinelli P, Strong AW, Tajima H, Thayer JB, Torres DF, Troja E, Vandenbroucke J, Zaharijas G, Zimmer S. Search for Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Anisotropies with Seven Years of Fermi Large Area Telescope Data. Phys Rev Lett 2017; 118:091103. [PMID: 28306280 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.118.091103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has collected the largest ever sample of high-energy cosmic-ray electron and positron events since the beginning of its operation. Potential anisotropies in the arrival directions of cosmic-ray electrons or positrons could be a signature of the presence of nearby sources. We use almost seven years of data with energies above 42 GeV processed with the Pass 8 reconstruction. The present data sample can probe dipole anisotropies down to a level of 10^{-3}. We take into account systematic effects that could mimic true anisotropies at this level. We present a detailed study of the event selection optimization of the cosmic-ray electrons and positrons to be used for anisotropy searches. Since no significant anisotropies have been detected on any angular scale, we present upper limits on the dipole anisotropy. The present constraints are among the strongest to date probing the presence of nearby young and middle-aged sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Abdollahi
- Department of Physical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - M Ackermann
- Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, D-15738 Zeuthen, Germany
| | - M Ajello
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Kinard Lab of Physics, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0978, USA
| | - A Albert
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - W B Atwood
- Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - L Baldini
- Dipartimento di Fisica "Enrico Fermi" dell'Università di Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - G Barbiellini
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - R Bellazzini
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - E Bissaldi
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - E D Bloom
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - R Bonino
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino, I-10125 Torino, Italy
| | - E Bottacini
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - T J Brandt
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - P Bruel
- Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, École polytechnique, CNRS/IN2P3, F-91128 Palaiseau, France
| | - S Buson
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - M Caragiulo
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - E Cavazzuti
- Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) Science Data Center, I-00133 Roma, Italy
| | - A Chekhtman
- College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA resident at Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375, USA
| | - S Ciprini
- Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) Science Data Center, I-00133 Roma, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - F Costanza
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - A Cuoco
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino, Italy
- Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology, (TTK), RWTH Aachen University, D-52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - S Cutini
- Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) Science Data Center, I-00133 Roma, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - F D'Ammando
- INAF Istituto di Radioastronomia, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Astronomia, Università di Bologna, I-40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - F de Palma
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Università Telematica Pegaso, Piazza Trieste e Trento, 48, I-80132 Napoli, Italy
| | - R Desiante
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino, Italy
- Università di Udine, I-33100 Udine, Italy
| | - S W Digel
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - N Di Lalla
- Dipartimento di Fisica "Enrico Fermi" dell'Università di Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - M Di Mauro
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - L Di Venere
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - B Donaggio
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - P S Drell
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - C Favuzzi
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - W B Focke
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Y Fukazawa
- Department of Physical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - S Funk
- Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - P Fusco
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - F Gargano
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - D Gasparrini
- Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) Science Data Center, I-00133 Roma, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - N Giglietto
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - F Giordano
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - M Giroletti
- INAF Istituto di Radioastronomia, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
| | - D Green
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
- Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - S Guiriec
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - A K Harding
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - T Jogler
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossplatz 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - G Jóhannesson
- Science Institute, University of Iceland, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - T Kamae
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - M Kuss
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - S Larsson
- Department of Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- The Oskar Klein Centre for Cosmoparticle Physics, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - L Latronico
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino, Italy
| | - J Li
- Institute of Space Sciences (IEEC-CSIC), Campus UAB, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Longo
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - F Loparco
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - P Lubrano
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - J D Magill
- Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - D Malyshev
- Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - A Manfreda
- Dipartimento di Fisica "Enrico Fermi" dell'Università di Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - M N Mazziotta
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - M Meehan
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - P F Michelson
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - W Mitthumsiri
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - T Mizuno
- Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - A A Moiseev
- Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST) and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - M E Monzani
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - A Morselli
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma "Tor Vergata", I-00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Negro
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino, I-10125 Torino, Italy
| | - E Nuss
- Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS/IN2P3, F-34095 Montpellier, France
| | - T Ohsugi
- Hiroshima Astrophysical Science Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - N Omodei
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - D Paneque
- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany
| | - J S Perkins
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - M Pesce-Rollins
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - F Piron
- Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS/IN2P3, F-34095 Montpellier, France
| | - G Pivato
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - G Principe
- Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - S Rainò
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - R Rando
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, I-35131 Padova, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia "G. Galilei", Università di Padova, I-35131 Padova, Italy
| | - M Razzano
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - A Reimer
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- Institut für Astro- und Teilchenphysik and Institut für Theoretische Physik, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - O Reimer
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- Institut für Astro- und Teilchenphysik and Institut für Theoretische Physik, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - C Sgrò
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - D Simone
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - E J Siskind
- NYCB Real-Time Computing Inc., Lattingtown, New York 11560-1025, USA
| | - F Spada
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - G Spandre
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - P Spinelli
- Dipartimento di Fisica "M. Merlin" dell'Università e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy
| | - A W Strong
- Max-Planck Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - H Tajima
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - J B Thayer
- W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - D F Torres
- Institute of Space Sciences (IEEC-CSIC), Campus UAB, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), E-08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Troja
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
- Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - J Vandenbroucke
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - G Zaharijas
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, and Università di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy
- Laboratory for Astroparticle Physics, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska 13, SI-5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenia
| | - S Zimmer
- Département de Physique Nucléaire et Corpuscolaire (DPNC), University of Geneva, CH-1211 Genéve 4, Switzerland
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Navali N, Gassemzadeh A, Farzadi L, Abdollahi S, Nouri M, Hamdi K, Mallah F, Jalilvand F. Intrauterine administration of hCG immediately after oocyte retrieval and the outcome of ICSI: a randomized controlled trial. Hum Reprod 2016; 31:2520-2526. [PMID: 27680029 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dew236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Does the intrauterine administration of hCG immediately after oocyte retrieval in antagonist cycles with ICSI and fresh embryo transfer (ET) influence the implantation rate or chemical and clinical pregnancy rates? SUMMARY ANSWER The intrauterine administration of hCG after oocyte retrieval increases the implantation rate and chemical and clinical pregnancy rates. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Over half of IVF/ICSI cycles fail due to implantation failure. Intrauterine administration of hCG, a few minutes before ET, increased the implantation and pregnancy rates in most but not in all studies. The effect of intrauterine administration of hCG, after oocyte retrieval, has not yet been studied. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The study was a parallel, triple-blind randomized clinical trial (RCT) performed from September 2015 to February 2016, in a university hospital. We recruited women undergoing antagonist ovarian stimulation, ICSI and ET. For an effect size of 0.2, power of 80% at a significance level of 0.05, we needed 150 participants. Accounting for a 7% dropout rate, a total of 160 women was considered appropriate. A computer-generated randomization list with a block size of 4, with 1:1 allocation was used. The treatment allocation was placed in a sealed, opaque, envelope and picked up consecutively. Immediately after oocyte retrieval, patients in the intervention and control groups were treated with intrauterine injection of hCG and saline, respectively. Participants underwent ET on Day 3. A beta-hCG test was done at 2 weeks. If positive, three transvaginal-ultrasonographies (TVSs) were done at 3, 4 and 10 weeks after ET. The participants were called up thereafter and questioned about the continuity of their pregnancy. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHOD Of 1990 women attending the infertility clinic of our university hospital, 508 were IVF/ICSI candidates during the study period, and 245 of the patients on an antagonist cycle met the criteria to be invited into our trial. Inclusion criteria were normal ovarian reserve, age ≤41, undergoing ICSI, and fresh ET and normal TSH and prolactin. Uncontrolled chronic disease, severe hydrosalpinx, severe endometriosis, morphologic embryo deficiencies, non-obstructive azospermia and high risk of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome were criteria for exclusion. After taking an informed consent, a total of 158 participants were recruited, of which 80 were randomly allocated to receive intrauterine 500 IU hCG in up to 0.5 ml normal saline and 78 to receive intrauterine 0.5 ml normal saline immediately after oocyte retrieval, during general anaesthesia. ICSI was performed conventionally. The 4-8 cell embryos were transferred on the third day after oocyte retrieval. Implantation rate, chemical and clinical pregnancy rates were analysed and compared between the two groups. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Patients' demographic and baseline characteristics were comparable. The clinical results showed statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the biochemical pregnancy rate (59.2 versus 31.3%; P = 0.001; odds ratio (OR) = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.26-2.82; risk difference (RD) = 27.8; 95% CI, 11.2-42.3), implantation rate (37 versus 17%; P = 0.012; OR = 2.29; 95% CI, 1.02-5.14; RD = 20.2; 95% CI, 5.4-33.8), clinical pregnancy rate (50.7 versus 16.4%; P < 0.001; OR = 3.08; 95% CI, 1.71-5.55; RD = 34.3; 95% CI, 18.7-47.6) and ongoing pregnancy rate (40.1 versus 13.4%; P = 0.001; OR = 3.04; 95% CI, 1.55-5.93; RD = 27.4; 95% CI, 12.7-40.6). The abortion and ectopic pregnancy rates were not statistically different between the two groups. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The insertion of an intrauterine insemination catheter and the injection of a small amount of saline into the uterine cavity (without hCG) may also have some impact on implantation. This effect could be studied by comparing this intervention with another study group without any intrauterine injection.There are no specific side effects mentioned in the literature for the intrauterine administration of hCG, neither were any observed in our study, but it is best to be cautious about probable side effects, because this type of intervention is relatively new and experimental, and deserves more studies before being entered into routine clinical practice. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Intrauterine administration of hCG immediately after oocyte pick up increases its effectiveness; however, further investigations are required before this procedure can be recommended for clinical practice. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This study was supported by the Women's Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. No external funds were used. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER IRCT201206165485N4. TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE 2 September 2015. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT'S ENROLMENT 2 September 2015.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Navali
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran .,Reproductive Medical Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
| | - A Gassemzadeh
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran.,Reproductive Medical Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
| | - L Farzadi
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran.,Reproductive Medical Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
| | - S Abdollahi
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran.,Reproductive Medical Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
| | - M Nouri
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran.,Reproductive Medical Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
| | - K Hamdi
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran.,Reproductive Medical Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
| | - F Mallah
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran.,Reproductive Medical Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
| | - F Jalilvand
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Alzahra University Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Artesh Road, Tabriz 5138665793, Iran
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