The Presence of TGFβ3 in Human Ovarian Intrafollicular Fluid and Its Involvement in Thromboxane Generation in Follicular Granulosa Cells through a Canonical TGFβRI, Smad2/3 Signaling Pathway and COX-2 Induction.

Ovarian follicular fluid (FF) has a direct impact on oocyte quality, playing key roles in fertilization, implantation, and early embryo development. In our recent study, we found FF thromboxane (TX) to be a novel factor inversely correlated with oocyte maturation and identified thrombin, transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), TNF-α, and follicular granulosa cells (GCs) as possible contributors to FF TX production. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the role of TGFβ3 in regulating TX generation in human ovarian follicular GCs.

Factors associated with the efficacy of mature oocyte production after dual-trigger controlled ovarian stimulation using a GnRH antagonist protocol.

Background: The number of mature oocytes retrieved plays a significant role in determining embryo development and pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, studies investigating factors predictive of the efficacy of mature oocyte production (EMOP) after dual-trigger controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) are rare. This study aims to identify key predictors of EMOP during dual-trigger COS with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol for IVF.

Identification of potential angiogenic biomarkers in human follicular fluid for predicting oocyte maturity.

Background: Angiogenesis in folliculogenesis contributes to oocyte developmental competence in natural and fertilization (IVF) cycles. Therefore, the identification of key angiogenic factors in follicular fluid (FF) during folliculogenesis is clinically significant and important for fertilization. This study aims to identify the key angiogenic factors in FF for predicting oocyte maturity during fertilization.

Trophoblast coculture induces intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in uterine endometrial epithelial cells through TNF-α production: Implication of role of FSH and ICAM-1 during embryo implantation.

In humans, successful implantation requires a finely tuned synchrony between an appropriately developing embryo and the receptive endometrium, involving apposition, adhesion, and invasion. Therefore, this study was sought to establish a coculture cell model to investigate trophoblast-mediated blastocyst apposition and adhesion to endometrial epithelium events during embryo implantation. The direct contact and indirect noncontact coculture models were successfully established by using human BeWo trophoblasts and HEC-1A endometrial epithelial cells.

VEGF Concentration in a Preovulatory Leading Follicle Relates to Ovarian Reserve and Oocyte Maturation during Ovarian Stimulation with GnRH Antagonist Protocol in In Vitro Fertilization Cycle.

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in follicular vascularization, oxygenation, and consequently in oocyte maturation and embryo development. Unanswered questions remain regarding the relationship of intrafollicular VEGF level in preovulatory leading follicles to oocyte maturation and ovarian reserve during ovarian stimulation. We conducted this study to investigate the relationship of intrafollicular VEGF level in the fluid of single preovulatory leading follicles to ovarian reserve and oocyte maturation in patients receiving GnRH antagonist in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocol treatment.

TGFβ1 induces in-vitro and ex-vivo angiogenesis through VEGF production in human ovarian follicular fluid-derived granulosa cells during in-vitro fertilization cycle.

A growing body of evidence indicates that angiogenesis in folliculogenesis contributes to oocyte developmental competence in natural and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle of animals. Among the known angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has an important role involved in angiogenesis. However, its expression level and regulatory mechanism in ovarian follicular fluid (FF) in patients undergoing IVF with controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) remains to be explored.

Couldn't or wouldn't? The influence of privacy concerns and self-efficacy in privacy management on privacy protection.

Sampling 515 college students, this study investigates how privacy protection, including profile visibility, self-disclosure, and friending, are influenced by privacy concerns and efficacy regarding one's own ability to manage privacy settings, a factor that researchers have yet to give a great deal of attention to in the context of social networking sites (SNSs). The results of this study indicate an inconsistency in adopting strategies to protect privacy, a disconnect from limiting profile visibility and friending to self-disclosure. More specifically, privacy concerns lead SNS users to limit their profile visibility and discourage them from expanding their network.

Problematic use of social network sites: the interactive relationship between gratifications sought and privacy concerns.

Problematic Internet use has long been a matter of concern; however, few studies extend this line of research from general Internet use to the use of social network sites (SNSs), or explicate the problematic use of SNSs by understanding what factors may enhance or reduce users' compulsive behaviors and excessive form of use on SNSs. Building on literature that found a positive relationship between gratifications sought from the Internet and problematic Internet use, this study first explores the types of gratifications sought from SNSs and examines their relationship with problematic SNS use. It found that three types of gratifications-diversion, self-presentation, and relationship building-were positively related to problematic SNS use.