Interacting and joint effects of assisted reproductive technology and gestational diabetes mellitus on preterm birth and the mediating role of gestational diabetes mellitus: a cohort study using a propensity score.

Objective: To investigate whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) mediates the association between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and preterm birth (PTB), and to examine the interaction and joint effects of ART and GDM on PTB.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from 20,721 mothers with singleton live births at Sichuan Jinxin Xinan Women and Children's Hospital from January 2020 to December 2023. The exposures were ART and GDM, and the outcome was PTB.

The Safety and Efficacy of inactivated COVID-19 vaccination in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology: A prospective cohort study.

Background: The safety of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine on pregnancy outcomes in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology remains uncertain due to limited and speculative evidence. Existing studies primarily focus on the vaccination status of females, with scant information available regarding the vaccination status of male partners. Moreover, there is minimal research tracking live birth outcomes.

Impact of Omicron Variant Infection on Female Fertility and Laboratory Outcomes: A Self-Controlled Study.

Problem: Investigating the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on female fertility and laboratory outcomes in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment who were initially uninfected but later became infected.

Methods Of The Study: This self-controlled study included 197 patients who underwent repeated oocyte retrieval before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 2021 and April 2023, of which 117 used the same ovarian stimulation protocol within a consistent age range. We evaluated the ovarian reserve, ovarian response, and laboratory outcomes in patients before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Association of ambient air pollutant mixtures with IVF/ICSI-ET clinical pregnancy rates during critical exposure periods.

Study Question: Does exposure to a mixture of ambient air pollutants during specific exposure periods influence clinical pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF/ICSI-embryo transfer (ET) cycles?

Summary Answer: The specific exposure period from ET to the serum hCG test was identified as a critical exposure window as exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO) or a combination of air pollutants was associated with a decreased likelihood of clinical pregnancy.

What Is Known Already: Exposure to a single pollutant may impact pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing ART. However, in daily life, individuals often encounter mixed pollution, and limited research exists on the effects of mixed air pollutants and the specific exposure periods.

The construction of machine learning-based predictive models for high-quality embryo formation in poor ovarian response patients with progestin-primed ovarian stimulation.

Objective: To explore the optimal models for predicting the formation of high-quality embryos in Poor Ovarian Response (POR) Patients with Progestin-Primed Ovarian Stimulation (PPOS) using machine learning algorithms.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 4,216 POR cycles who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) / intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at Sichuan Jinxin Xinan Women and Children's Hospital from January 2015 to December 2021. Based on the presence of high-quality cleavage embryos 72 h post-fertilization, the samples were divided into the high-quality cleavage embryo group (N = 1950) and the non-high-quality cleavage embryo group (N = 2266).

Continuous dual-network alginate hydrogel fibers with superior mechanical and electrical performance for flexible multi-functional sensors.

Hydrogel fibers play a crucial role in the design and manufacturing of flexible electronic devices. However, continuous production of hydrogel fibers with high strength, toughness, and conductivity remains a significant challenge. In this study, ion-conductive sodium alginate/polyvinyl alcohol composite hydrogel fibers with an interlocked dual network structure were prepared through continuous wet spinning based on the pH-responsive dynamic borate ester bonds.

Age at menarche and risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in women undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the association between age at menarche (AAM) and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in fresh in vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Data were collected from a large obstetrics and gynaecology hospital in Sichuan, China.

The association of post-embryo transfer SARS-CoV-2 infection with early pregnancy outcomes in in vitro fertilization: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The influence of SARS-CoV-2 infection after embryo transfer on early pregnancy outcomes in in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer treatment remains inadequately understood. This knowledge gap endures despite an abundance of studies investigating the repercussions of preceding SARS-CoV-2 infection on early pregnancy outcomes in spontaneous pregnancies.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection within 10 weeks after embryo transfer and early pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment.

Young obese patients may benefit from GnRH-a long protocol contributing to higher implantation rate and live birth rate of fresh IVF-ET cycles.

Introduction: Obesity has detrimental influences on women reproductive health. There is little experience in optimizing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) protocols to treat Chinese obese patients who are undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) therapy.

Methods: The clinical outcome differences were retrospectively analyzed among obese patients who received gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a), GnRH antagonist (GnRH-ant), micro dose GnRH-a (mGnRH-a) and GnRH-a long protocol in IVF-ET cycle at Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Women's and Children's Health from January 2014 to December 2019.

Constructing triple-network cellulose nanofiber hydrogels with excellent strength, toughness and conductivity for real-time monitoring of human movements.

In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in developing composite hydrogels with superior mechanical and conductive properties. In this study, triple-network (TN) cellulose nanofiber hydrogels were prepared by using cellulose nanofiber as the first network, isotropic poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) as the second network, and polyvinyl alcohol as the third network via a cyclic freezing-thawing process. The strong (9.

Effect of serum progesterone on human chorionic gonadotropin trigger day / metaphase II oocyte ratio on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in women undergoing ICSI cycle.

Background: The serum progesterone on human chorionic gonadotropin trigger day / metaphase II oocyte (P/MII) ratio might be a more predictable indicator of pregnancy and neonatal outcomes as compare to P/estradiol (E2) or P alone. Hence, we conducted a larger population study to compare the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in the low and high P/MII ratio.

Methods: A retrospective, single-center, larger population cohort study between January 2015 and August 2021.

Effects of sequential cleavage and blastocyst embryo transfer on pregnancy outcomes in patients with poor ovarian response.

The management of patients with poor ovarian response (POR) remains a major challenge for fertility specialists in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of sequential transfer on pregnancy outcomes in patients with POR. A total of 3579 POR patients who underwent the first frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle were enrolled from January 2018 to April 2021.

Nomogram models to predict low fertilisation rate and total fertilisation failure in patients undergoing conventional IVF cycles.

Objectives: To establish visualised prediction models of low fertilisation rate (LFR) and total fertilisation failure (TFF) for patients in conventional in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycles.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Data from August 2017 to August 2021 were collected from the electronic records of a large obstetrics and gynaecology hospital in Sichuan, China.

An Individualized Recommendation for Controlled Ovary Stimulation Protocol in Women Who Received the GnRH Agonist Long-Acting Protocol or the GnRH Antagonist Protocol: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The GnRH agonist long-acting protocol and GnRH antagonist protocol are widely used in ovarian stimulation. Which protocol eliciting higher live birth rate for IVF/ICSI patients with different ages, different ovarian reserves and different body mass index (BMI) has not been studied. However, among these protocols, the one that elicits higher live birth in IVF/ICSI patients with different ages, ovarian reserves and body mass indexes (BMI) has not been identified.

Effect of artificial cycle with or without GnRH-a pretreatment on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in women with PCOS after frozen embryo transfer: a propensity score matching study.

Background: In frozen embryo transfer (FET), there is limited consensus on the best means of endometrial preparation in terms of the reproductive outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The present study aimed to compare the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes following artificial cycle FET (AC-FET) with or without gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) pretreatment among women with PCOS.

Methods: A total of 4503 FET cycles that satisfied the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study between 2015 and 2020.

Decreased SFRP5 correlated with excessive metabolic inflammation in polycystic ovary syndrome could be reversed by metformin: implication of its role in dysregulated metabolism.

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder of heterogeneous nature. Secreted frizzled-related protein (SFRP) 5 is an anti-inflammatory adipokine implicated in metabolic homeostasis. We aimed to confirm the correlation between SFRP5, metabolic inflammation and PCOS, investigate the predictive value of SFRP5 for PCOS and the involvement of SFRP5 in metformin treated PCOS.

Muscle-inspired double-network hydrogels with robust mechanical property, biocompatibility and ionic conductivity.

Inspired by muscle architectures, double network hydrogels with hierarchically aligned structures were fabricated, where cross-linked cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/chitosan hydrogel threads obtained by interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation spinning were collected in alignment as the first network, while isotropic poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (PAM-AA) served as the second network. After further cross-linking using Fe, the hydrogel showed an outstanding mechanical performance, owing to effective energy dissipation of the oriented asymmetric double networks. The average strength and elongation-at-break of PAM-AA/CNF/Fe hydrogel were 11 MPa and 480 % respectively, which the strength was comparative to that of biological tissues.

The effect of polytetrafluoroethylene particle size on the properties of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate)-based composites.

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites, including three types of PTFE powders, were prepared by melt blending using a HAAKE torque rheometer. Microcellular foams were successfully fabricated by batch foaming with supercritical fluids (scCO). The effects of PTFE powder type on crystallization, rheological properties and foaming behavior were studied.

Fibrous form-stable phase change materials with high thermal conductivity fabricated by interfacial polyelectrolyte complex spinning.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based composite phase change materials (PCMs) containing hydroxylated boron nitride (BN-OH), cellulose nanofiber (CNF), and chitosan (CS) were prepared by the method of interfacial polyelectrolyte complex spinning, based on in-situ ionic cross-linking between CNF and CS. The wrapping effect of cross-linked CNF/CS networks and the strong interfacial interactions contributed to superior shape-stability throughout the phase change process. Furthermore, the homogeneously dispersed BN-OHs was beneficial to the construction of the continuous thermal conductive paths, and the excellent interfacial interactions between BN-OH and the matrix would lower the heat loss caused by phonon scattering in the interface.

Hierarchical Assembly of Nanocellulose into Filaments by Flow-Assisted Alignment and Interfacial Complexation: Conquering the Conflicts between Strength and Toughness.

Filaments comprising solely cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have been fabricated by flow-assisted assembling, where the strength can be improved greatly with the sacrifice of toughness. Inspired by the architecture of natural nacre and plant cell wall, the combined technique of convergent microfluidic spinning and interfacial complexation between CNF and chitosan molecules was used to construct the filaments with hierarchical assembly of highly oriented CNFs locked by chitosan complexes, showing simultaneous enhancements of strength and toughness. In specific, the best performing filament exhibited a toughness of 88.

Recombinant adiponectin alleviates abortion in mice by regulating Th17/Treg imbalance via p38MAPK-STAT5 pathway.

Recurrent spontaneous abortion is associated with abnormal maternal tolerance to the semi-allogenic fetus, wherein the Th17/Treg axis plays a crucial role. Adiponectin (APN) is an adipocytokine that is shown to be a novel negative T-cell regulator and induce immune tolerance. The CBA/J × DBA/2 mating was used as an abortion-prone model to investigate whether the addition of recombinant adiponectin (rAPN) improves the pregnancy outcome.

Superior Impact Toughness and Excellent Storage Modulus of Poly(lactic acid) Foams Reinforced by Shish-Kebab Nanoporous Structure.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) foams, with the combination of shish-kebab and spherulite nanoporous structure in skin and core layer respectively, was prepared using a novel technique comprising loop oscillating push-pull molding (LOPPM) and supercritical carbon dioxide low-temperature foaming process (SC-COLTFP). The foams present superior impact toughness which is 6-fold higher than that of neat PLA, and no significant decrease was observed for the storage modulus. Moreover, SC-COLTFP at soaking temperature ranging from 110 to 150 °C were performed to determine the evolution of pore morphology.