Main text In BMC Medicine, a recent study utilizing gene expression data from endometriosis lesions demonstrates that ovarian endometrioma (OMA) subtype of endometriosis displays the most significant ...response to estrogen suppression treatment by directly affecting ESR2 3. To compare gene expression in endometrial samples, this study utilized genome-wide gene expression data from the University of Turku (Dataset A) and gene expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus GSE141549, as well as data collected from European ancestry patients attending clinics at the Royal Women’s Hospital or Melbourne in-vitro fertilization in Melbourne (Dataset B). Additionally, the gene expression profiles remain consistent regardless of the menstrual stage; however, they are able to distinguish between different lesion subtypes, with OMA being significantly different from both SUP and DIE. ...the gene expression profile is altered by estrogen suppression medication in OMA, but not in SUP or DIE.
CexZr1-xO2 catalysts with different Ce/Zr mole ratios were prepared by the sol-gel method and used for the direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from CO2 and methanol. Among a series of ...CexZr1-xO2 catalysts, Ce0.8Zr02O2 catalyst exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Characterization results demonstrated that doping Zr into CeO2 can lead to the formation of the Ce-O-Zr solid solution, which would strengthen the interaction between ZrO2 and CeO2. Ce0.8Zr02O2 catalyst possessed the highest concentration of oxygen vacancy sites, thus exhibiting the highest activity for the direct synthesis of DMC.
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•CeO2-ZrO2 solid solution catalyst was prepared by the sol-gel method.•Strong interaction between ZrO2 and CeO2 existed over CeO2-ZrO2 catalyst.•Ce0.8Zr02O2 exhibited the highest activity for DMC synthesis from CO2 and methanol.•Both the oxygen vacancy and particle size are important for the activity in DMC synthesis.
The transfer of fresh embryos is generally preferred over the transfer of frozen embryos for in vitro fertilization (IVF), but some evidence suggests that frozen-embryo transfer may improve the ...live-birth rate and lower the rates of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and pregnancy complications in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome.
In this multicenter trial, we randomly assigned 1508 infertile women with the polycystic ovary syndrome who were undergoing their first IVF cycle to undergo either fresh-embryo transfer or embryo cryopreservation followed by frozen-embryo transfer. After 3 days of embryo development, women underwent the transfer of up to two fresh or frozen embryos. The primary outcome was a live birth after the first embryo transfer.
Frozen-embryo transfer resulted in a higher frequency of live birth after the first transfer than did fresh-embryo transfer (49.3% vs. 42.0%), for a rate ratio of 1.17 (95% confidence interval CI, 1.05 to 1.31; P=0.004). Women who underwent frozen-embryo transfer also had a lower frequency of pregnancy loss (22.0% vs. 32.7%), for a rate ratio of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.83; P<0.001), and of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (1.3% vs. 7.1%), for a rate ratio of 0.19 (95% CI, 0.10 to 0.37; P<0.001), but a higher frequency of preeclampsia (4.4% vs. 1.4%), for a rate ratio of 3.12 (95% CI, 1.26 to 7.73; P=0.009). There were no significant between-group differences in rates of other pregnancy and neonatal complications. There were five neonatal deaths in the frozen-embryo group and none in the fresh-embryo group (P=0.06).
Among infertile women with the polycystic ovary syndrome, frozen-embryo transfer was associated with a higher rate of live birth, a lower risk of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, and a higher risk of preeclampsia after the first transfer than was fresh-embryo transfer. (Funded by the National Basic Research Program of China and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01841528.).
Preantral follicles are often used as models for cryopreservation and in vitro culture due to their easy availability. As a promising approach for mammalian fertility preservation, vitrification of ...preantral follicles requires high concentrations of highly toxic penetrating cryoprotective agents (up to 6 M). Here, we accomplish low-concentration-penetrating cryoprotective agent (1.5 M) vitrification of mouse preantral follicles encapsulated in hydrogel by nanowarming. We find that compared with conventional water bath warming, the viability of preantral follicles is increased by 33%. Moreover, the cavity formation rate of preantral follicles after in vitro culture is comparable to the control group without vitrification. Furthermore, the percentage of MII oocytes developed from the vitrified follicles, and the birth rate of offspring following in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer are also similar to the control group. Our results provide a step towards nontoxic vitrification by utilizing the synergistic cryoprotection effect of microencapsulation and nanowarming.
Sperm malformation is a direct factor for male infertility. Multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF), a severe form of asthenoteratozoospermia, are characterized by immotile ...spermatozoa with malformed and/or absent flagella in the ejaculate. Previous studies indicated genetic heterogeneity in MMAF. To further define genetic factors underlying MMAF, we performed whole-exome sequencing in a cohort of 90 Chinese MMAF-affected men. Two cases (2.2%) were identified as carrying bi-allelic missense DNAH8 variants, variants which were either absent or rare in the control human population and were predicted to be deleterious by multiple bioinformatic tools. Re-analysis of exome data from a second cohort of 167 MMAF-affected men from France, Iran, and North Africa permitted the identification of an additional male carrying a DNAH8 homozygous frameshift variant. DNAH8 encodes a dynein axonemal heavy-chain component that is expressed preferentially in the testis. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and electron microscopy analyses of the spermatozoa from men harboring bi-allelic DNAH8 variants showed a highly aberrant morphology and ultrastructure of the sperm flagella. Immunofluorescence assays performed on the spermatozoa from men harboring bi-allelic DNAH8 variants revealed the absent or markedly reduced staining of DNAH8 and its associated protein DNAH17. Dnah8-knockout male mice also presented typical MMAF phenotypes and sterility. Interestingly, intracytoplasmic sperm injections using the spermatozoa from Dnah8-knockout male mice resulted in good pregnancy outcomes. Collectively, our experimental observations from humans and mice demonstrate that DNAH8 is essential for sperm flagellar formation and that bi-allelic deleterious DNAH8 variants lead to male infertility with MMAF.
This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Physical Activity Social Support Scale (PASSS-C) and its measurement invariance across different gender groups ...in a Chinese college student sample.
A total of 1,689 Chinese college students participated in the study. We assessed the internal consistency of PASSS-C using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to test its five-factor model. Multi-group CFA was used to examine measurement equivalence between male and female groups. Convergent and criterion-related validity were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients.
The overall internal consistency of PASSS-C was good with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.952, and the subscales showed acceptable consistency. The CFA results supported the five-factor structure of PASSS-C in the college student sample, with values of CFI = 0.932, TLI = 0.917, RMSEA = 0.048, 90% CI 0.043 0.053, SRMR = 0.047. Scalar invariance was also supported across different gender groups, with ΔCFI = -0.003, ΔTLI = 0, ΔRMSEA = 0. PASSS-C demonstrated good convergent and criterion-related validity.
PASSS-C exhibits satisfactory psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the perceived level of social support for physical activity among college students.
Inherited mtDNA diseases transmit maternally and cause severe phenotypes. Currently, there is no effective therapy or genetic screens for these diseases; however, nuclear genome transfer between ...patients’ and healthy eggs to replace mutant mtDNAs holds promises. Considering that a polar body contains few mitochondria and shares the same genomic material as an oocyte, we perform polar body transfer to prevent the transmission of mtDNA variants. We compare the effects of different types of germline genome transfer, including spindle-chromosome transfer, pronuclear transfer, and first and second polar body transfer, in mice. Reconstructed embryos support normal fertilization and produce live offspring. Importantly, genetic analysis confirms that the F1 generation from polar body transfer possesses minimal donor mtDNA carryover compared to the F1 generation from other procedures. Moreover, the mtDNA genotype remains stable in F2 progeny after polar body transfer. Our preclinical model demonstrates polar body transfer has great potential to prevent inherited mtDNA diseases.
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•PB includes few mtDNA copies due to oocyte-biased mitochondrial inheritance•PB genome transfer efficiently replaces mtDNA genotype and produces live offspring•PB1 genome transfer yields undetectable carryover of donor mtDNA in two generations•MR including PB, pronuclear, and spindle transfer do not compromise development
Polar body genome transfer can effectively prevent the transmission of defective mitochondria DNA across generations, indicating the potential of this procedure to treat inherited mitochondrial diseases.
To analyze the relationship between placental abruption severity and maternal pregnancy outcome and to explore the predictive value of pre-delivery laboratory test results for the severity of ...placental abruption.
The clinical datas of 126 patients with placental abruption diagnosed and treated in our hospital over the past 4 years were retrospectively analyzed. The severity of placental abruption was divided into degrees I to III. The pre-delivery laboratory results of all patients and data on maternal and fetal delivery outcomes were collected.
The analysis of maternal outcomes showed that the volumes of antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum hemorrhage and the rates of utero-placental apoplexy, uterine compression sutures and vascular embolization significantly increased with increasing placental abruption severity. Fetal delivery data revealed that 1- and 5-min Apgar scores decreased significantly with increasing placental abruption severity. Pre-delivery laboratory findings suggest that the white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, prothrombin time (PT), prothrombin activity, prothrombin time - international standardization ratio (INR), D-dimer, fibrinogen (FIB), and fibrin degradation products (FDP) changed significantly with increasing placental abruption severity. Further analysis by Spearman and Pearson correlation found that the pre-delivery volume of antepartum hemorrhage, D-dimer, FDP and other indicators were correlated with placental abruption severity.
The harm of placental abruption to pregnant women and neonates increases with increasing abruption severity. Some laboratory test results can be predictors of placental abruption degree.
•Predictive value of pre-delivery laboratory test results.•Placental abruption severity prediction.•Correlation of placental abruption severity and pregnancy outcome.
To evaluate the predictive value of the symptoms of an intrauterine hematoma (IUH) for adverse pregnancy outcomes.
A literature review was performed with the search terms, including ...intrauterine/subchorionic/retroplacental/subplacental hematoma/hemorrhage/bleeding/collection/fluid, covering the period from January, 1981 to January, 2014. We just focused on the pregnancy outcomes associated with different symptoms of an IUH.
It is generally agreed that a retroplacental, posterior or subchorionic in the fundus of uterus, and/or persistent IUH is associated with adverse outcomes in the ongoing pregnancy. However, the prognosis value of both volume and gestational age at diagnosis of IUH still remains controversial. Some researchers argue that a large IUH is associated with an increased risk of adverse events during pregnancy while others refuted. It is believed by some that the earlier an IUH was detected, the higher the risk for adverse outcomes would be, while no or weak association were reported by other studies. The prognostic value of the simultaneous presence of vaginal bleeding on pregnancy outcome is also controversial.
Both the position relative to the placenta or uterus and duration of IUH have strong predictive value on the prognosis in the ongoing pregnancy. However, the prognostic values of the IUH volume, gestational age at diagnosis and the simultaneous presence of vaginal bleeding remain controversial up to now. Moreover, most of previous reports are small, uncontrolled studies with incomplete information. Prospective, large sample, cohorts studies which take all detailed symptoms of an IUH into consideration are needed when we evaluate its clinical significance in the prognosis of pregnancy.
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