First-line ovulation induction for polycystic ovary syndrome: an individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent cause of anovulatory infertility. In women with PCOS, effective ovulation induction serves as an important first-line treatment for anovulatory infertility. Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis is considered as the gold standard for evidence synthesis which provides accurate assessments of outcomes from primary randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and allows additional analyses for time-to-event outcomes.

AIB1 predicts tumor response to definitive chemoradiotherapy and prognosis in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Amplified in breast cancer 1 (AIB1) gene, has been reported to be associated with biological malignancy in several cancers. However, the molecular status of the AIB1 gene in cervical cancer and the clinicopathological/prognostic significance of AIB1 expression in chemoradiotherapy (CRT) sensitivity have not been determined. In our present study, we found that the high expression of AIB1 was frequent detected in specimens of cervical cancer patients, and this was significantly correlated with CRT response ( = 0.

Lower antimüllerian hormone is associated with lower oocyte yield but not live-birth rate among women with obesity.

Background: Antimüllerian hormone is produced by small antral follicles and reflects ovarian reserve. Obesity is associated with lower serum antimüllerian hormone, but it is unclear whether lower levels of antimüllerian hormone in women with obesity reflect lower ovarian reserve.

Objective: To determine whether lower antimüllerian hormone in women with obesity undergoing in vitro fertilization is associated with oocyte yield and live-birth rate.

Associations Between Anti-Mullerian Hormone and Cardiometabolic Health in Reproductive Age Women Are Explained by Body Mass Index.

Context: The relationship between reproductive and cardiometabolic aging is unclear. It is unknown if the relationship differs across different clinical populations.

Objective: To determine whether markers of ovarian reserve are associated with cardiometabolic risk in reproductive aged women with unexplained infertility (UI), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and regularly cycling women (OVA).

A survey of the relationship between functional genes and acetaldehyde production characteristics in Streptococcus thermophilus by multilocus sequence typing.

Streptococcus thermophilus is an important bacterium used in the production of fermented dairy products. Yogurt with good flavor is preferred by consumers; thus, variation in flavor-formation characteristics among isolates is attracting attention. Here, acetaldehyde production characteristics of 30 isolates were evaluated in parallel with genotyping and multilocus sequence typing of key functional genes involved in acetaldehyde production.

Subcellular distribution and chemical forms involved in manganese accumulation and detoxification for Xanthium strumarium L.

Xanthium strumarium L. is a candidate species for manganese (Mn)-phyto-remediation. To reveal the mechanism of this species adaptive to Mn stress, the growth, Mn subcellular distribution, chemical forms, as well as micro-structure and ultra-structure responses of the mining ecotype (ME) of X.

A Novel Bacteriophage Exclusion (BREX) System Encoded by the Gene in Lactobacillus casei Zhang.

The bacteriophage exclusion (BREX) system is a novel prokaryotic defense system against bacteriophages. To our knowledge, no study has systematically characterized the function of the BREX system in lactic acid bacteria. Zhang is a probiotic bacterium originating from koumiss.

Human chromatin remodeler cofactor, RNA interactor, eraser and writer sperm RNAs responding to obesity.

In the United States almost 33% of adults are considered obese (BMI > 30 kg/m). Both animal models and to a lesser extent human studies, have associated BMI, a measure of obesity, with alterations in sperm DNA methylation and RNAs. Sperm RNAs from the Assessment of Multiple Gestations from Ovarian Stimulation trial, were isolated and sequenced.

Comparative genomic analysis revealed great plasticity and environmental adaptation of the genomes of Enterococcus faecium.

Background: As an important nosocomial pathogen, Enterococcus faecium has received increasing attention in recent years. However, a large number of studies have focused on the hospital-associated isolates and ignored isolates originated from the natural environments.

Results: In this study, comparative genomic analysis was conducted on 161 isolates originated from human, animal, and naturally fermented dairy products.

Integrative study of subcellular distribution, chemical forms, and physiological responses for understanding manganese tolerance in the herb Macleaya cordata (papaveraceae).

Macleaya cordata is a perennial herb, a candidate phytoremediation plant with high biomass and manganese (Mn) tolerance. To study the mechanism underlying its Mn adaptability, Mn at various concentrations (0, 1000, 5000, 10000, 15000, and 20000 μM) were applied to M. cordata to investigate the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Mn, as well as the resulting physiological and biochemical changes by pot culture experiment under natural light in a greenhouse.

Experimental study on explosion characteristics of ethanol gasoline-air mixture and its mitigation using heptafluoropropane.

Ethanol gasoline is being widely used as a new environmentally friendly and energy-saving alternative energy, and the control/reduction of its fire/explosion risk has become an important aspect, not only for its production and storage, but also for its transport and application. This study aims to investigate the explosion characteristics of ethanol gasoline and its mitigation using heptafluoropropane in a restricted vessel. The flame propagation was visualized using a Phantom high-speed camera at 3000 fps, the explosion overpressure was measured using PCB pressure sensors, and the gas released from the vent was collected and analyzed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer.

A long life sodium-selenium cathode by encapsulating selenium into N-doped interconnected carbon aerogels.

Selenium cathodes have attracted a great deal of attention due to their much higher electronic conductivity compared to sulfur cathodes and similar volumetric capacity to them. However, selenium cathodes still suffer from rapid capacity fading because of low utilization of active materials, high volume changes and the shuttle effect of polyselenides. Herein, we prepared selenium-carbon aerogel composites as cathodes for sodium-selenium batteries by infiltrating selenium into the microporous structure of N-doped interconnected carbon aerogels (Se@NCAs).

Lactobacillus casei protects dextran sodium sulfate- or rapamycin-induced colonic inflammation in the mouse.

Purpose: Human colon inflammation is associated with changes in the diverse and abundant microorganisms in the gut. As important beneficial microbes, Lactobacillus contributes to the immune responses and intestinal integrity that may alleviate experimental colitis. However, the mechanisms underlying probiotic benefits have not been fully elucidated.

Metagenomic analysis revealed beneficial effects of probiotics in improving the composition and function of the gut microbiota in dogs with diarrhoea.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of probiotics on the composition and function of the gut microbiota in dogs with diarrhoea. Forty dogs with diarrhoea were randomly allocated to the treatment group or control group. Probiotics, containing Lactobacillus casei Zhang, Lactobacillus plantarum P-8, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp.

Probiotic V9 Regulates the Secretion of Sex Hormones in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Patients through the Gut-Brain Axis.

Although a few studies have investigated the intestinal microbiota of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the functional and metabolic mechanisms of the microbes associated with PCOS, as well as potential microbial biomarkers, have not yet been identified. To address this gap, we designed a two-phase experiment in which we performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing and monitored the metabolic parameters, gut-brain mediators, and sex hormones of PCOS patients. In the first stage, we identified an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota of the PCOS patients, observing that , , and were significantly more abundant in the control group, whereas and were enriched in the PCOS group.

Oral Administration of Compound Probiotics Improved Canine Feed Intake, Weight Gain, Immunity and Intestinal Microbiota.

Probiotics have been used successfully to promote human and animal health, but only limited studies have focused on using probiotics to improve the health of hosts of different age. Canine microbiome studies may be predictive of results in humans because of the high structural and functional similarity between dog and human microbiomes. A total of 90 dogs were divided into three groups based on dog age (elderly group, = 30; young group, = 24; and training group, = 36).

Association between testosterone, semen parameters, and live birth in men with unexplained infertility in an intrauterine insemination population.

Objective: To determine whether men with unexplained infertility and low total T (TT) have abnormal spermatogenesis and lower fecundity.

Design: Secondary analysis of the prospective, randomized, multicenter clinical trial, Assessment of Multiple Intrauterine Gestations from Ovarian Stimulation (AMIGOS).

Setting: Infertility clinics.

Common genetic variants have associations with human cortical brain regions and risk of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable mental disorder and is reported to be associated with measurements in cortical regions of the human brain. In this study, we considered genome-wide association studies to uncover genetic effects on cortical regions and prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia. Specifically, area, thickness, and volume of 66 cortical regions derived from magnetic resonance imaging scans of 1,445 children and adolescents from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort were studied.

Lower prevalence of non-cavity-distorting uterine fibroids in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome than in those with unexplained infertility.

Objective: To study whether there is a difference in the prevalence of non-cavity-distorting uterine fibroids between infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and those with unexplained infertility (UI).

Design: A secondary analysis of data from three randomized clinical trials.

Setting: Academic health centers.

Investigating the bacterial microbiota of traditional fermented dairy products using propidium monoazide with single-molecule real-time sequencing.

Traditional fermented dairy foods have been the major components of the Mongolian diet for millennia. In this study, we used propidium monoazide (PMA; binds to DNA of nonviable cells so that only viable cells are enumerated) and single-molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT) technology to investigate the total and viable bacterial compositions of 19 traditional fermented dairy foods, including koumiss from Inner Mongolia (KIM), koumiss from Mongolia (KM), and fermented cow milk from Mongolia (CM); sample groups treated with PMA were designated PKIM, PKM, and PCM. Full-length 16S rRNA sequencing identified 195 bacterial species in 121 genera and 13 phyla in PMA-treated and untreated samples.

Fertility Related Quality of Life, Gonadal Function and Erectile Dysfunction in Male Partners of Couples with Unexplained Infertility.

Purpose: We sought to determine whether lower fertility related quality of life or depression in men of couples with unexplained infertility is associated with low total testosterone levels, abnormal semen quality or erectile dysfunction.

Materials And Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of a large, multicenter, randomized controlled trial in couples with unexplained infertility. Male partners underwent baseline semen analysis with measurement of fasting total testosterone and gonadotropin.

Frozen versus fresh single blastocyst transfer in ovulatory women: a multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Elective single embryo transfer (eSET) has been increasingly advocated, but concerns about the lower pregnancy rate after reducing the number of embryos transferred have encouraged transfer of multiple embryos. Extended embryo culture combined with electively freezing all embryos and undertaking a deferred frozen embryo transfer might increase pregnancy rate after eSET. We aimed to establish whether elective frozen single blastocyst transfer improved singleton livebirth rate compared with fresh single blastocyst transfer.

Assessment of the microbial diversity of Chinese Tianshan tibicos by single molecule, real-time sequencing technology.

Chinese Tianshan tibico grains were collected from the rural area of Tianshan in Xinjiang province, China. Typical tibico grains are known to consist of polysaccharide matrix that embeds a variety of bacteria and yeasts. These grains are widely used in some rural regions to produce a beneficial sugary beverage that is slightly acidic and contains low level of alcohol.