Effects of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy on embryo transfer outcomes in women of advanced reproductive age with no more than three retrieved oocytes.

Objective: To evaluate whether preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) benefits women of advanced reproductive age (≥38 years old) with a diminished ovarian reserve (not more than three retrieved oocytes).

Design: A retrospective analysis comparing two groups: (a) PGT-A group: women who chose PGT-A and subsequent single re-warmed embryo transfers and (b) non-PGT-A group: women who chose not to genetically test their embryos and underwent subsequent fresh or re-warmed embryo transfers of one to two embryos on days 3 or 5.

Subjects: Two hundred thirty patients underwent PGT-A therapy, with 49 of these individuals undergoing more than one PGT-A cycle.

Feasibility of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy on frozen-thawed embryos following conventional IVF insemination.

Objective: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is commonly employed in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) to minimize the risk of foreign sperm DNA contamination. Cryopreserved embryos from patients with recurrent miscarriage or repeated implantation failure, who have undergone conventional fertilization (IVF), can be thawed and biopsied for PGT. Therefore, we aimed to assess the accuracy and effectiveness of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) on frozen embryos using conventional IVF (c-IVF) insemination methods.

The impact of low oocyte maturity ratio on blastocyst euploidy rate: a matched retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To investigate the association between a low oocyte maturity ratio from in vitro fertilization cycle and blastocyst euploidy.

Methods: A total of 563 preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) cycles (PGT cycles with chromosomal structural rearrangements were excluded) were performed between January 2021 and November 2022 at our center (average oocyte maturity rate: 86.4% ± 14.

Establishment of linkage phase, using Oxford Nanopore Technologies, for preimplantation genetic testing of Coffin-Lowry syndrome with a mutation.

This study aimed to perform preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for a female Coffin-Lowry Syndrome (CLS) patient with a mutation (DNM) in RPS6KA3. It was challenging to establish the haplotype in this family because of the lack of information from affected family members. Hence, we explored a new and reliable strategy for the detection of the DNM in PGT, using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and the MARSALA platform.

Effects of reduced follicle-stimulating hormone dosage before human chorionic gonadotropin trigger on in vitro fertilization outcomes.

Objective: To determine whether a reduced dose of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) before human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger during ovarian stimulation can affect in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes.

Methods: This study included 347 patients with a normal ovarian response who received a reduced dose of FSH before hCG trigger for 2-3 days (Group A) and 671 patients who did not receive a reduced dose (Group B) from a university-affiliated IVF center between January 2021 and December 2022. The primary endpoint was estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P) levels on the day of hCG trigger, fresh embryo transfer cycles, laboratory outcomes, and clinical outcomes between the two groups.

Neutralizing Antibody Responses Among Residents and Staff of Long-Term Care Facilities in the State of New Jersey During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Expanding a previous study of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in 10 New Jersey long-term care facilities (LTCFs) during the first wave of the pandemic, this study characterized the neutralizing antibody (NAb) response to infection and vaccination among residents and staff. Sera from the original study were tested using the semi-quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent cPass neutralization-antibody detection assay. Almost all residents (97.

CD4 T cell depletion does not affect the level of viremia in chronically SHIV-infected Chinese cynomolgus monkeys.

Chronically SHIV-infected cynomolgus monkeys were used to determine the effects of the antibody-mediated acute CD4 T cell depletion on viral load as well as on the immunological factors associated with disease progression. Compared with the control animals, CD4 T cell-depleted animals with SHIV infection showed (i) little alteration in plasma viral load over the period of 22 weeks after the depletion; (ii) increased CD4 T cell proliferation and turnover of macrophages at the early phase of the depletion, but subsequent decline to the basal levels; and (iii) little impact on the expression of the inflammatory cytokines and CC chemokines associated with disease progression. These findings indicate that the antibody-mediated acute CD4 T cell depletion had minimal impact on plasma viral load and disease progression in chronically SHIV-infected cynomolgus monkeys.

Electronic Cigarettes Induce Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Trigger TLR9 (Toll-Like Receptor 9)-Mediated Atherosclerosis.

Objective: Electronic cigarette (e-cig) use has recently been implicated in promoting atherosclerosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanism of e-cig exposure accelerated atherosclerotic lesion development. Approach and Results: Eight-week-old ApoE mice fed normal laboratory diet were exposed to e-cig vapor (ECV) for 2 hours/day, 5 days/week for 16 weeks.

E-cigarette promotes breast carcinoma progression and lung metastasis: Macrophage-tumor cells crosstalk and the role of CCL5 and VCAM-1.

Young women represent a target of E-cigarette (E-cig) companies, raising concern for potential connections with breast cancer (BC) that have not yet been elucidated. We hypothesized that E-cig promotes BC development and lung metastasis possibly through BC-monocyte/tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) crosstalk via CCL5 and V-CAM-1 axes. We demonstrated that E-cig promoted the infiltration of circulating monocytes in mammary fat pad (MFP) model.

Heroin Abuse and/or HIV Infection Dysregulate Plasma Exosomal miRNAs.

Exosomes play an important role in cell-to-cell communication as they can transfer functional molecules such as microRNAs (miRNAs) from one cell to another, exerting biological and immunological functions. Here, we investigated the impact of HIV infection and/or heroin use on the expression of the miRNAs in plasma exosomes. We found that HIV infection or heroin use upregulated the majority (98%) of a panel of plasma exosomal miRNAs associated with immune regulation and inflammation.

TLR3 Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cell Line Suppresses HBV Replication in HepG2 Cells.

There is limited information about the role of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in the liver innate immunity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We thus examined whether hepatic stellate cell line (LX-2) can be immunologically activated and produce antiviral factors that inhibit HBV replication in HepG2 cells. We found that LX-2 cells expressed the functional Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), activation of which by PolyI:C resulted in the selective induction of interferon-β (IFN-β) and IFN-λs, the phosphorylation of IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and IRF7.

IFN-λ4 inhibits HIV infection of macrophages through signalling of IFN-λR1/IL-10R2 receptor complex.

The recently discovered IFN-λ4 has been found to have antiviral activity against several viruses. However, it's unknown whether IFN-λ4 can inhibit HIV infection. Here, we show that IFN-λ4 could suppress HIV infection of macrophages.

Alcohol-induced autophagy via upregulation of PIASy promotes HCV replication in human hepatoma cells.

Both alcohol and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection could induce cellular autophagy in liver cells, which is considered to be essential for productive HCV replication. However, whether alcohol-induced autophagy is involved in the pathogenesis of HCV infection is still poorly understood. Alcohol treatment could induce autophagy in Huh7 cells (a hepatoma cell line that supports HCV JFH-1 replication), evidenced by the increase of LC3B-II levels, the conversion of LC3B-I to LC3B-II, and the formation of GFP-LC3 puncta as well as the decrease of p62 level in alcohol-treated cells compared with control cells.

Yirui Capsules Alleviate Atherosclerosis by Improving the Lipid Profile and Reducing Inflammation in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main cause of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated Yirui (YR) capsules, whose ingredients are available in health food stores, against AS and the underlying mechanisms. Male apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks developed severe aortic lesions, but YR significantly decreased the plaque area in the total aorta and aortic root.

GalNAc-Specific Soybean Lectin Inhibits HIV Infection of Macrophages through Induction of Antiviral Factors.

Although it has been shown that some mannose-binding lectins (MBLs) exhibit significant activity against HIV infection, little is known about whether -acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-binding lectins have the ability to inhibit HIV infection. Here, we demonstrate that a soybean-derived lectin (SBL) with GalNAc-binding affinity could potently suppress HIV infection of macrophages in a dose-dependent fashion. Unlike the MBLs, which block HIV only through binding to the glycosylated envelope proteins (gp120 and gp41) of the virus, SBL inhibited HIV at multiple steps of the virus infection/replication cycle.

Soybean-derived Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) blocks HIV entry into macrophages.

Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) is a soybean-derived protease inhibitor that has anti-inflammation and anti-HIV effect. Here, we further investigated the anti-HIV action of BBI in macrophages, focusing on its effect on viral entry. We found that BBI could significantly block HIV entry into macrophages.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate enhances poly I:C-induced interferon-λ1 production and inhibits hepatitis C virus replication in hepatocytes.

Aim: To investigate the effect of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C)-triggered intracellular innate immunity against hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hepatocytes.

Methods: A cell culture model of HCV infection was generated by infecting a hepatoma cell line, Huh7, with HCV JFH-1 strain (JFH-1-Huh7). Poly I:C with a high molecular weight and EGCG were used to stimulate the JFH-1-Huh7 cells.

Epigallocatechin Gallate Inhibits Macaque SEVI-Mediated Enhancement of SIV or SHIV Infection.

Background: Human semen contains a factor that can enhance HIV infection up to 10-fold in cultures. This factor is termed semen-derived enhancer of virus infection (SEVI) and is composed of proteolytic fragments (PAP248-286) from prostatic acid phosphatase in semen. In this study, we examined whether macaque SEVI can facilitate simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) or chimeric simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection.

IFN-λ Inhibits Drug-Resistant HIV Infection of Macrophages.

Type III interferons (IFN-λs) have been demonstrated to inhibit a number of viruses, including HIV. Here, we further examined the anti-HIV effect of IFN-λs in macrophages. We found that IFN-λs synergistically enhanced anti-HIV activity of antiretrovirals [azidothymidine (AZT), efavirenz, indinavir, and enfuvirtide] in infected macrophages.

Suppression of autophagy by mycophenolic acid contributes to inhibition of HCV replication in human hepatoma cells.

Previous studies have shown that mycophenolic acid (MPA) has an anti-HCV activity. However, the mechanism of MPA-mediated inhibition of HCV replication remains to be determined. This study investigated whether MPA has an effect on autophagy, a cellular machinery required for HCV replication, thereby, inhibits HCV replication in Huh7 cells.

SIV Infection Facilitates Infection of Rhesus Macaques.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a common opportunistic infection and the leading cause of death for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Thus, it is necessary to understand the pathogenetic interactions between and HIV infection. In this study, we examined and/or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of Chinese rhesus macaques.

Downregulation of autophagy-related gene ATG5 and GABARAP expression by IFN-λ1 contributes to its anti-HCV activity in human hepatoma cells.

Type-III interferon (IFN-λ), the most recently discovered family of IFNs, shares common features with type I IFNs, but also has many distinctive activities. It is not clear that whether IFN-λ has additional antiviral mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the effects of IFN-λ on autophagy, a cellular process closely related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in human hepatoma Huh7 cells.

Soybean-derived Bowman-Birk Inhibitor (BBI) Inhibits HIV Replication in Macrophages.

The Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), a soybean-derived protease inhibitor, is known to have anti-inflammatory effect in both in vitro and in vivo systems. Macrophages play a key role in inflammation and immune activation, which is implicated in HIV disease progression. Here, we investigated the effect of BBI on HIV infection of peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages.