OBJECTIVE: Failure to collect oocytes at the time of oocyte pick-up is an unfavorable outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. In these cases, prompt intrauterine insemination (IUI) could be an option (rescue IUI), but this possibility has been poorly studied.
METHODS: Rescue IUI is routinely offered in our unit in women failing to retrieve oocytes, provided that they have at least one patent tube, normal male semen analysis, and the total number of developed follicles is ≤ 3. We therefore reviewed all oocyte retrievals performed from 2006 to 2022 in our unit to identify these cases. As a comparator, we referred to preplanned IUI performed during the same study period. The 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of proportions was calculated using a binomial distribution model.
RESULTS: Rescue IUI was performed in 96 out of 3531 oocyte retrievals (2.7%; 95% CI 2.2-3.3%). Six live births were obtained, corresponding to 6.2% (95% CI 2.3-13.1). All pregnancies were singletons.
CONCLUSIONS: Rescue IUI in women failing to retrieve oocytes is a possible option that may be considered in selected cases. The efficacy is low, but the procedure is simple, and without significant risks. Generalizability to a conventional IVF protocol setting is however limited.

An improved acoustic pick-up is presented to enhance the acoustic sensing sensitivity of the straight line-type Sagnac fiber optic acoustic sensing system. A hollow elastomer cylinder is introduced into the system, and the optical fiber is tightly wound around the cylinder to construct the pick-up. The theoretical analysis was finished, and it showed that the improved pick-up will bring in an extra phase change and let the phase difference increase almost an order. The extra phase change will enhance the sensing sensitivity correspondingly. The titanium alloy elastic cylinder was designed and manufactured. The experiment system was built, and a sinusoidal acoustic signal was used as the sound source. The tests were taken during 100-1500 Hz, and the experimental study showed that the sensitivity was more than 130 mV/Pa when the pick-up was used as the acoustic sensing element, and compared to the fiber only system, the sensitivity was enhanced more than 71.2%. The improved pick-up will be helpful in sound recognition and expand the application area of the Sagnac acoustic sensing system.

Fried battered foods are widely consumed worldwide. In this study, the influence of the replacement of native wheat flour by extruded flours (7.5 and 15%) subjected to different extrusion severities on chicken nuggets was assessed. Microstructure, pick-up, moisture and fat content, texture, colour, volatile profile, and consumer acceptability were evaluated. Extruded flour replacement resulted in batters with improved pick-up with increasing percentage and severity of extrusion treatment. Extruded flour also contributed to a moisture increase, while oil remained practically unchanged. Textural properties highlighted a higher crispness of batters made with high-severity treatment extruded flours. Volatile compounds analyses revealed lower amount of lipid oxidation (lower rancidity notes) and higher furfuryl alcohol content (pleasant aroma and darker crust) in fried batters containing extruded flour. Consumers testing showed that batters made with intermediate-severity treatment extruded flour presented the best acceptability. These results confirm that extruded flour inclusion improves the quality of deep-fried batters.

In the present study we observed whether infants show online adjustments to the mother\'s incipient action by looking at their sensitivity to changes as the pick-up unfolded. Twenty-three 3-month-old infants and their mothers were observed in the lab, where mothers were instructed (1) to pick-up their infants as they usually did (normal pick-up), and then (2) to delay the pick-up for 6 s after placing their hands on the infants\' waist (delayed pick-up). In both Normal and Delayed conditions infant\'s body tension, affective displays and gaze shifts were coded during three phases: Approach, Contact, and Lift. Additionally, a measure of infants\' head support in terms of head lag at the beginning and end of Lift was computed. Results showed that during normal pick-up infants tensed up their body during the Approach phase and increased their tension during contact, maintaining it through Lift; their head was also supported and in line with their body during Lift. When the pick-up was delayed, infants also tensed their body during Approach, yet this tension did not increase during the Contact phase and was significantly lower at Lift. Their head support was also lower in the Delayed condition and they shifted their gazes away from their mothers\' face more often than in the Normal condition. These results suggest that infants are sensitive to changes of the timing of the pick-up sequence, which in turn may have affected their contribution to the interaction.