Elective single blastocyst transfer can achieve acceptable clinical pregnancy and live birth rates compared with elective double cleavage-stage embryo transfer in fresh cycles.

Background: To evaluate the effect of elective single blastocyst transfer (eSBT) and elective double cleavage-stage embryo transfer (eDET) on clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in fresh cycles.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed a total of 2941 fresh transfer cycles, including 1548 eSBT cycles and 1393 eDET cycles. Clinical pregnancy, twin pregnancy and live birth rates of the two groups were compared.

Development and application of reverse transcriptase droplet digital PCR technology for sensitive detection of BVDV-1 and BTV in bovine semen.

Background: Bovine viral diarrhoea virus genotype 1 (BVDV-1) and bluetongue virus (BTV) are potent viral pathogens that may be transmitted through semen, resulting in the spread of diseases via artificial insemination. Thus, establishing an early detection method for BVDV-1 and BTV infection is important for the trading of semen. In this study, we developed two RT‒ddPCR methods to detect BVDV-1 and BTV, and each method was evaluated for repeatability, limit of detection and specificity.

Impact of endometrial thickness and its combined effect with maternal age on singleton adverse neonatal outcomes in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles.

Background: Thin endometrial thickness (EMT) and advanced age are both common risk factors for adverse neonatal outcomes (ANOs). However, studies evaluating the impact of EMT and combined effect of EMT and age on ANOs remain scarce with conflicts.

Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 7,715 singleton deliveries from frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles between 2017 and 2021.

The clinical application of affected-embryo-based SNP haplotype analysis for patients with de novo pathogenic mutations in PGT-M cycles.

Purpose: In preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene disorders (PGT-M) cycles, direct detection of the pathogenic mutation combined with indirect haplotype analysis are recommended to achieve accurate diagnosis. However, it poses a challenge to conduct haplotype analysis for patients carried de novo pathogenetic mutations or without no identified haplotype in families. Herein, the strategy of affected-embryo-based haplotype analysis was implemented in clinical practice to provide a convenient, economical and effective way for such patients.

The TLI system can help day-3 single cleavage embryo transfer to obtain comparative clinical outcomes to day-4 or day-5.

The aim was to explore whether the time-lapse imaging system can help day-3 single cleavage embryo transfer to obtain comparative clinical outcomes to day-4 or 5. The data of 1237 patients who underwent single embryo transfer from January 1, 2018, to September 30, 2020, in our reproductive medicine centre were retrospectively analysed. They were divided into the day-3 single cleavage-stage embryo transfer (SCT) group ( = 357), day-4 single morula transfer (SMT) group ( = 129) and day-5 single blastocyst transfer (SBT) group ( = 751) according to the different embryo transfer stage.

What sperm parameters effect blastocyst formation and quality during ICSI with severe male infertility.

Sperm-derived genetic material contributes half of the genome to the embryo, hence it's crucial to investigate which sperm parameter influences blastocyst formation in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles with severe male infertility. The retrospective study analyzed 296 ICSI cycles with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) and 99 ICSI cycles with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). Following the correlation analysis, data stratifications were performed in the OAT ICSI subgroup.

Oxidation Behavior of Pre-Strained Polycrystalline NiAl-Based Superalloy.

The harsh service environment of aeroengine hot-end components requires superalloys possessing excellent antioxidant properties. This study investigated the effect of pre-strain on the oxidation behavior of polycrystalline NiAl-based superalloys. The growth behaviors of oxidation products were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy.

The role of N-methyladenosine modification in acute and chronic kidney diseases.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a kind of RNA modification in which methylation occurs at the sixth N position in adenosine in RNA, which can occur in various RNAs such as mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs. This is one of the most prominent and frequent posttranscriptional modifications within organisms and has been shown to function dynamically and reversibly in a variety of ways, including splicing, export, attenuation and translation initiation efficiency to regulate RNA expression. There are three main enzymes associated with m6A modification: writers, readers and erasers.

Resolvin D1 promotes the resolution of inflammation in the ACLF rat model by increasing the proportion of Treg cells.

Objective: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) causes organ system failures in patients and increases the risk of mortality. One of the main predictors of ACLF development in patients is the severity of systemic inflammation. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of resolvin D1 (RvD1) on the rat model of ACLF.

Embryological characteristics and clinical outcomes of oocytes with different degrees of abnormal zona pellucida during assisted reproductive treatment.

Abnormalities in the zona pellucida (ZP) adversely affect oocyte maturation, embryo development and pregnancy outcomes. However, the assessment of severity is challenging. To evaluate the effects of different degrees of ZP abnormalities on embryo development and clinical outcomes, in total, 590 retrieval cycles were scored and divided into four categories (control, mild, moderate and severe) based on three parameters: perivitelline space, percentage of immature oocytes and percentage of oocytes with abnormal morphology.

A novel two-way rebalancing strategy for identifying carbonylation sites.

Background: As an irreversible post-translational modification, protein carbonylation is closely related to many diseases and aging. Protein carbonylation prediction for related patients is significant, which can help clinicians make appropriate therapeutic schemes. Because carbonylation sites can be used to indicate change or loss of protein function, integrating these protein carbonylation site data has been a promising method in prediction.

Effects of empowerment education on the self-management and self-efficacy of liver transplant patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Despite the increasing survival rates, liver transplant patients experience numerous postoperative complications and encounter significant challenges in long-term self-management. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of empowerment education in enhancing self-management skills and self-efficacy among liver transplant recipients.

Methods: A randomized, single-blind, single-center trial was conducted in China between August 2019 and September 2020, involving liver transplant recipients.

DNAJB7 is dispensable for male fertility in mice.

Background: DNAJBs are highly conserved proteins that are involved in various biological processes. Although several DNAJBs are highly expressed in the testis, the function of DNAJB7 in spermatogenesis and male fertility remains unclear.

Methods: To identify the role of DNAJB7 in the male reproduction process, Dnajb7-deficient mice were generated by the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing system.

The effect of the day 3 embryo cell number on the neonatal outcomes of day 5 single blastocyst transfer in frozen embryo transfer cycles.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the day 3 embryo cell number on the neonatal outcomes of day 5 single blastocyst transfer in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

Methods: This retrospective study analysed a total of 2315 delivery cycles of day 5 single blastocyst transfer in FET cycles, including 489, 761 and 1103 live-born infants segregated according to a day 3 embryo cell number of <8, 8 and >8 cells, respectively. The neonatal outcomes of the three groups were compared.

The influence of day 3 embryo cell number on the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of day 5 single blastocyst transfer from frozen embryo transfer cycles.

Background: To evaluate the influence of day 3 embryo cell number on the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of day 5 single blastocyst transfer in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

Methods: Our retrospective study included 3761 day 5 single blastocyst FET cycles between January 2015 and December 2019. These FET cycles were divided into three groups according to the day 3 embryo cell number: 939 cycles in the < 8-cell group, 1224 cycles in the 8-cell group and 1598 cycles in the > 8-cell group.

Elevated serum progesterone levels on the hCG trigger day have a negative impact on the live birth rate in the first fresh IVF-ET cycle.

To investigate whether there is a relationship between elevated serum progesterone (PROG) on the hCG trigger day and the live birth rate (LBR) in IVF/ICSI cycles, the retrospective analysis was carried out from the patients undergoing the first ART cycles throughout 2016. The PROG levels were measured on the hCG trigger day. The LBR, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), implantation rate (IR) and other parameter rate values were compared among the three different PROG elevations.

Circular RNA circFoxo3 Promotes Granulosa Cell Apoptosis Under Oxidative Stress Through Regulation of FOXO3 Protein.

Oxidative stress leads to ovarian functional decline by inducing granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis. Circular RNA circFoxo3 acts as a critical factor in regulating cell cycle and apoptosis, and cellular senescence in tumor cells. However, function of circFoxo3 is little understood in oxidative stress-induced injury of follicular GCs.

Development of a droplet digital PCR assay to detect bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 in bovine semen.

Background: Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) caused by bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) is one of the most important contagious diseases in bovine. This is one of the most common infectious disease of cattle. This has led to high economic losses in the cattle farming industry.

The anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamyl alcohol on sepsis-induced mice via the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Background: Sepsis is an excessive inflammatory response to an infection that fails to return to homeostasis. It occurs frequently in patients following a primary infection or injury and is one of the most common causes of mortality in hospitalized patients. However, there is currently no specific and effective therapy for the management of sepsis.

Blastocyst development rate influences singleton gestational age of similarly graded blastocysts after vitrified-warmed single embryo transfer cycles.

Research Question: Does the development rate of blastocysts influence neonatal outcomes after blastocyst transfer cycles when the morphological score of the transferred blastocysts is similar?

Design: A retrospective study involving singleton live births born to 1280 women undergoing single frozen blastocyst transfers (FBTs) between January 2016 and December 2018 at a tertiary care centre. Patients were grouped into day-5 or day-6 groups depending on the development rate of blastocysts. These were further grouped into four groups based on the blastocyst inner cell mass and trophectoderm scoring: excellent (AA); good (AB or BA); average (AC, CA or BB); and poor (BC or CB).

The clinical application of single-sperm-based single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotyping for PGT of patients with genetic diseases.

Research Question: Is there a simple and effective method for male patients with genetic disorders in families with no identified haplotype and with Robertsonian translocations to avoid the transfer of embryos carrying translocated chromosomes?

Design: Single spermatozoa were separated to identify by next-generation sequencing (NGS) those that were genetically abnormal, to establish a sperm-based single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotype. Blastocysts that developed to day 5 or 6 were then biopsied for whole genome amplification and screening for chromosomal aneuploidy. Normal embryos were selected by comparison with a single-sperm-based SNP haplotype and were transferred.

Application Value of a New Lung Ultrasound Scoring Method in Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment.

The study was aimed at exploring the clinical value of a 14-zone lung ultrasound scoring (LUS) method in treating neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) with pulmonary surfactant (PS) and determining the timing of mechanical ventilation (MV). In this study, 88 neonates with NRDS who received PS replacement therapy were selected. We applied a new 14-zone LUS method before and 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after PS treatment to explore the clinical value of assessing PS replacement therapy efficacy in NRDS.

Tetrahydropalmatine Alleviates Hyperlipidemia by Regulating Lipid Peroxidation, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, and Inflammasome Activation by Inhibiting the TLR4-NF-B Pathway.

Hyperlipidemia (HLP) is a lipid metabolism disorder that can induce a series of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and stroke, which seriously threaten human health. Tetrahydropalmatine (THP) is a component of the plant and has been shown to exert hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in HLP. However, whether THP regulates lipid peroxidation in hyperlipidemia, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inflammasome activation and even the underlying protective mechanism against HLP remain unclear.