Optimizing single blastocyst selection: the role of day 3 embryo morphology in vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles.

Research Question: Can day 3 embryo morphology serve as an independent criterion for optimal single blastocyst selection?

Design: This retrospective, single-centre cohort study included 1517 single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer (SVBT) cycles conducted between October 2019 and July 2022. The live birth rate (LBR) and other clinical outcomes of SVBT cycles were evaluated, considering both good-quality and non-good-quality day 3 embryos. The associations of day 3 morphological characteristics, encompassing number of blastomeres and embryo grade, were assessed.

Case report: A healthy baby achieved after preimplantation genetic testing from an infertile woman with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome.

Background: Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC) is a rare autosomal dominant inheritable disease caused by Fumarate hydratase (FH) gene germline mutation. It is speculated that for HRLCC infertility women with multiple uterine leiomyomas, preimplantation genetic testing may help block transmission of mutated FH gene during pregnancy.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 26-year-old nulligravida with a history of early-onset uterine leiomyomatosis had a heterozygous nonsense mutation [NM_000143.

Wdr17 Regulates Cell Proliferation, Cell Cycle Progression and Apoptosis in Mouse Spermatocyte Cell Line.

We identified Wdr17 as a highly expressed gene in pachytene spermatocytes by transcriptomic analysis of mouse testis. Germ cell-deficient infertile mouse models had significantly reduced Wdr17 expression. We performed gene interference and overexpression in the mouse spermatocyte cell line GC-2spd(ts) and investigated how Wdr17 affects spermatocyte growth and development.

Effect of transvaginal Lactobacillus supplementation on reversing lower genital tract dysbiosis and improving perinatal outcomes in PCOS patients after IVF-FET: a study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background: Significant lower genital tract (LGT) dysbiosis and an associated lower rate of clinical pregnancy after in vitro fertilization-frozen embryo transfer (IVF-FET) among polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients have been previously reported by our group. We aimed to assess whether transvaginal Lactobacillus supplementation can reverse LGT dysbiosis and further improve perinatal outcomes in PCOS patients after IVF-FET.

Methods/design: This is a protocol for a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial in China.

Observation of the Curative Effect of the Dexamethasone Vitreous Cavity Implant for the Treatment of Irvine-Gass Syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of dexamethasone vitreous cavity implants (Ozurdex) for the treatment of macular edema (Irvine-Gass Syndrome) after cataract surgery.

Method: Eight patients (eight eyes) with Irvine-Gass syndrome were enrolled for vitreous injections with Ozurdex. The patients included six men (six eyes) and two women (two eyes) with a mean age of 67.

Reconsider policy allocation strategies: A review of environmental policy instruments and application of the CGE model.

How to choose environmental policy instruments within a clearly defined scope of the market mechanism and government intervention will profoundly affect the policy effectiveness. Through a systematic review of 111 representative literature, this paper traces the theoretical development of environmental policy instruments, empirical analyses based on the CGE (Computable General Equilibrium) model, and globally practical experience. We find that the reflections on environmental policy instruments have shifted from command-based to market-based, from trade-offs between quantity-based and price-based instruments within the scope of market-based instruments to combining both, and finally a reasonable allocation of both command-based and market-based instruments.

Cryo-EM structures of human hepatitis B and woodchuck hepatitis virus small spherical subviral particles.

The loss of detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is considered a functional cure in chronic hepatitis B. Naturally, HBsAg can be incorporated into the virion envelope or assembled into subviral particles (SVPs) with lipid from host cells. Until now, there has been no detailed structure of HBsAg, and the published SVP structures are controversial.

Efficacy of the Oral Administration of Maltodextrin Fructose Before Major Abdominal Surgery: A Prospective, Multicenter Clinical Study.

Background: To study the efficacy of the oral administration of maltodextrin and fructose before major abdominal surgery (MAS).

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, parallel-controlled, double-blind study included patients aged 45-70 years who underwent elective gastrectomy, colorectal resection, or duodenopancreatectomy. The intervention group (IG) was given 800 mL and 400 mL of a maltodextrin and fructose beverage at 10 h and 2 h before MAS, respectively, and the control group (CG) received water under the same experimental conditions.

Ovulation triggering with hCG alone, GnRH agonist alone or in combination? A randomized controlled trial in advanced-age women undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles.

Study Question: Is a dual ovulation trigger with a combination of GnRH agonist (GnRHa) and hCG superior to single hCG and/or single GnRHa trigger in improving treatment outcomes in advanced-age women (aged ≥ 35 years) undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment?

Summary Answer: Co-administration of GnRHa and hCG as a dual trigger increases the number of good-quality embryos but it is not associated with a higher number of oocytes retrieved, compared with single hCG or GnRHa trigger.

What Is Known Already: Many studies have demonstrated that a dual trigger has positive impact on oocyte maturation, retrieval rate and pregnancy rate without increasing the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in some groups of IVF patients, when compared with single hCG trigger. Few studies have however been conducted to compare a dual trigger with a single GnRHa trigger, and insufficient evidence exists to support which trigger can achieve the best outcomes in IVF patients aged ≥35 years.

Region-Specific Hepatitis B Virus Genome Exposure from Nucleocapsid Modulated by Capsid Linker Sequence and Inhibitor: Implications for Uncoating.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) contains a partially double-stranded, relaxed circular (RC) DNA genome synthesized within a nucleocapsid (NC) in the host cell cytoplasm. The release of RC DNA from the NC, in an ill-defined process called uncoating, to the nucleus is required for its conversion to the covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA, the viral episome serving as the transcriptional template for all viral RNAs necessary for replication and, thus, essential for establishing and sustaining viral infection. In efforts to better understand uncoating, we analyzed HBV core (HBc) mutants that show various levels of nuclear CCC DNA but little to no cytoplasmic RC DNA.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Image Segmentation under Edge Detection Intelligent Algorithm in Diagnosis of Surgical Wrist Joint Injuries.

Background: Wrist joint injury refers to the injury of the wrist joint caused by excessive stretching of the ligaments and joint capsules around the joint caused by indirect violence. The tissue structure of the wrist joint is complex, and the clinical diagnosis effect is poor.

Methods: The purpose of this study was to improve the diagnostic accuracy of wrist joint injuries and provide evidence for imaging analysis and automatic diagnosis of lesions in patients with wrist joint injuries.

Regulation of Hepatitis B Virus Virion Release and Envelopment Timing by Nucleocapsid and Envelope Interactions.

Interactions between the N-terminal (assembly) domain (NTD), the linker region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid protein, and the large (L) envelope protein are required for virion formation, which occurs via budding of cytoplasmic mature nucleocapsids (NCs) containing the relaxed circular (RC) DNA genome into an intracellular membrane compartment containing viral envelope proteins. L-capsid interactions also negatively regulate covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA formation, which occurs after RC DNA release from mature NCs and nuclear import. We have now found that L could increase RC DNA in cytoplasmic mature NCs that are destabilized due to mutations in the NTD or the linker, even in those that apparently fail to support secretion of complete virions extracellularly.

Regulation of Hepatitis B Virus Replication by Cyclin Docking Motifs in Core Protein.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid or core protein (HBc) consists of an N-terminal domain (NTD) and a C-terminal domain (CTD) connected by a short linker peptide. Dynamic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of HBc regulate its multiple functions in capsid assembly and viral replication. The cellular cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) plays a major role in HBc phosphorylation and, furthermore, is incorporated into the viral capsid, accounting for most of the "endogenous kinase" activity associated with the capsid.

Corrigendum: Comparative Analysis of Lower Genital Tract Microbiome Between PCOS and Healthy Women.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.

Multiple roles of PP2A binding motif in hepatitis B virus core linker and PP2A in regulating core phosphorylation state and viral replication.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid or core protein (HBc) contains an N-terminal domain (NTD) and a C-terminal domain (CTD) connected by a short linker peptide. HBc plays a critical role in virtually every step of viral replication, which is further modulated by dynamic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of its CTD. While several cellular kinases have been identified that mediate HBc CTD phosphorylation, there is little information on the cellular phosphatases that mediate CTD dephosphorylation.

Comparison of PGS2.0 versus conventional embryo morphology evaluation for patients with recurrent pregnancy loss: a study protocol for a multicentre randomised trial.

Introduction: Pregnancy loss (PL) is an adverse life event, and there is no proven effective treatment for recurrent PL (RPL). Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) can be performed to reduce the risks of PL; however, there is still no solid scientific evidence that PGS improves outcomes for couples experiencing RPL. Comprehensive chromosome screening (PGS2.

Comparative Analysis of Lower Genital Tract Microbiome Between PCOS and Healthy Women.

Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) often have a history of infertility and poor pregnancy outcome. The character of the lower genital tract (LGT) microbiome of these patients is still unknown. We collected both vaginal and cervical canal swabs from 47 PCOS patients (diagnosed by the Rotterdam Criteria) and 50 healthy reproductive-aged controls in this study.

Macroporous ion-imprinted chitosan foams for the selective biosorption of U(VI) from aqueous solution.

The radiological toxicity of uranium in nuclear industrial wastewater poses a long-term threat to environment, thus the effective separation of radionuclide from wastewater is very important for environmental safety. Herein, the macroporous ion-imprinted chitosan foams (ICFs) were synthesized by the combination of the facile freezing-drying and ion-imprinting techniques. Compared with non-imprinted chitosan foam, the ICFs showed much higher adsorption capacities (q = 248.

The mutual benefits from Sino-Africa trade: Evidence on emission transfer along the global supply chain.

The carbon-emission transfer between two representative developing economies - China and Africa - behind the international trade has aroused quite a few controversies, which have not been fully estimated and understood yet. In this paper, the Multiregional Input-Output (MRIO) method is applied to the participants of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) from the global perspective to reveal the roles both China and Africa have played in the global supply chain as either the original emitter or the final consumer, and to depict the evolution pattern of carbon transfer via Sino-Africa trade from the year 2000-2015. The findings are as follows: 1) China has played the role of net exporter of embodied carbon-emission in Sino-Africa trade, for the amount of emitted carbon China had born yet resulted by consumption in Africa well surpassed that vice versa.

Longitudinal trajectories of Alzheimer's ATN biomarkers in elderly persons without dementia.

Background: Models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology posit that amyloidosis [A] precedes and accelerates tau pathology [T] that leads to neurodegeneration [N]. Besides this A-T-N sequence, other biomarker sequences are possible. This current work investigates and compares the longitudinal trajectories of Alzheimer's ATN biomarker profiles in non-demented elderly adults from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort.

Role of Hepatitis B virus capsid phosphorylation in nucleocapsid disassembly and covalently closed circular DNA formation.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) delivers a partially double-stranded, relaxed circular (RC) DNA genome in complete virions to the host cell nucleus for conversion to the covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA, which establishes and sustains viral infection. An overlength pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) is then transcribed from CCC DNA and packaged into immature nucleocapsids (NCs) by the viral core (HBc) protein. pgRNA is reverse transcribed to produce RC DNA in mature NCs, which are then enveloped and secreted as complete virions, or delivered to the nucleus to replenish the nuclear CCC DNA pool.

Modifiable risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

Background: Carotid atherosclerosis is a major cause of stroke, but the conclusion about risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis is still controversial. The aim of our present meta-analysis and systematic review was to explore the modifiable risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis.

Methods: We searched PubMed from January 1962 to October 2018 to include longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.

Carbon emissions embodied in the global supply chain: Intermediate and final trade imbalances.

By differentiating intermediate trade from final trade, this paper combines typical statistics for the world economy in 2012 to explore the transfer of embodied carbon emissions via the global supply chain and the related trade imbalance. The emission transfer embodied in interregional trade is in magnitude around 40% of global direct carbon emissions. The global intermediate trade volume of embodied carbon emissions is estimated to be 2.

Risk factors for intracranial atherosclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) is a predictable and preventable condition, but existing evidence concerning its risk factors has not been quantitatively assessed. The aim of this meta-analysis is to identify the non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors for ICAS.

Methods: PubMed and EMBASE were searched (1995-May 15, 2018) for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies exploring risk factors for ICAS.