Analysis on the distinguishing features of traditional Chinese therapeutics and related statistical issues.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the rarely existing ancient traditional medicines that hold systematic theories as well as preventative and therapeutic methods for diseases in practice. From the 1950s, such research methods as mathematics, statistics, and data mining (DM) have been gradually introduced to TCM studies, making it more scientific. Meanwhile, the distinct features of TCM theories and diagnostic-model have constantly challenged the methodology of statistics.

ER-α36, a novel variant of estrogen receptor α, is involved in EGFR-related carcinogenesis in endometrial cancer.

Objective: To explore the role of estrogen receptor-α36 (ER-α36) in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-related carcinogenesis in endometrial cancer.

Study Design: The expression of ER-α36, EGFR, and phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase was analyzed using immunohistochemistry in endometrial cancer samples. The cellular localization of ER-α36 and EGFR was determined using immunofluorescence in the endometrial cancer Hec1A cells.

Optimal timing of oocyte maturation and its relationship with the spindle assembly and developmental competence of in vitro matured human oocytes.

Objective: To develop and test a simple, feasible approach to improve spindle assembly and developmental competence of human in vitro matured oocytes by parthenogenetic activation in maturation medium.

Design: Prospective, randomized study.

Setting: University research laboratory-based assisted reproductive technology laboratory.

Effects of duration of cryo-storage of mouse oocytes on cryo-survival, fertilization and embryonic development following vitrification.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of cryo-storage duration in liquid nitrogen on oocyte cryo-survival, fertilization and embryonic development following vitrification and warming.

Methods: Mature mouse oocytes were vitrified with McGill Cryoleaf and stored in liquid nitrogen for a period of 8-10 days, 90-92 days and 180-182 days, respectively. After warming, the survived oocytes were inseminated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and cultured for 120 h.

Current opinion on use of luteinizing hormone supplementation in assisted reproduction therapy: an Asian perspective.

LH and FSH have complementary functions in ensuring optimal oocyte maturation and ovulation. In women undergoing assisted reproduction technology protocols with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues, LH and FSH concentrations are reduced. While FSH use in assisted reproduction technology is well established, there is no published consensus on the need for exogenous LH in Asian patients.

Elevated C-reactive protein and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) are inflammatory factors involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to analyse serum concentrations of CRP and MCP-1 in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and to test the effect of these factors on human THP-1 cells to determine the inflammatory state of these patients.

Study Design: Eighty-five women with PCOS and 65 healthy women with regular menstrual cycles, matched for age and body mass index (BMI), were included in the study.

A follow-up study of women with a history of severe preeclampsia: relationship between metabolic syndrome and preeclampsia.

Background: Women with a history of preeclampsia have twice the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and there is a graded relationship between the severity of preeclampsia and the risk of cardiac disease. Moreover, metabolic scores are associated with developing preeclampsia. However, since there are no diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome during pregnancy and pregnant women undergo metabolic changes, it is difficult to elucidate the relationship between preeclampsia and metabolic syndrome.

Association of TRB3 Q84R polymorphism with polycystic ovary syndrome in Chinese women.

Background: Tribbles 3 (TRB3) affects insulin signalling by inhibiting insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and subsequent activation. A single nucleotide polymorphism located in the second extron of the human TRB3 gene is thought to be associated with insulin resistance. The latter is a core abnormality in PCOS independent of obesity.

In vitro fertilization on a single-oocyte positioning system integrated with motile sperm selection and early embryo development.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) technology has been broadly applied to solve human infertility in recent years. However, the physical tools for IVF remain unchanged over several decades before microfluidic technology was introduced in this field. Here, we report a novel microdevice that integrates each step of IVF, including oocyte positioning, sperm screening, fertilization, medium replacement, and embryo culture.

MicroRNA array and microarray evaluation of endometrial receptivity in patients with high serum progesterone levels on the day of hCG administration.

Background: To determine the effect of higher progesterone (P) level on endometrial receptivity.

Methods: This was a prospective analysis conducted in the Reproductive Medical Center of Peking University Third Hospital. All patients received IVF treatment and canceled embryo transfer in the same cycle and were divided into group 1 (normal P; 7 patients) and group 2 (elevated P; 12 patients).

A unique exonic splicing mutation in the CYP17A1 gene as the cause for steroid 17{alpha}-hydroxylase deficiency.

Background: 17α-Hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (17OHD) caused by a mutation in the CYP17A1 gene is characterized by hypertension, hypokalemia, and abnormal development of the genitalia. The majority of CYP17A1 mutations are located in the coding sequence, and several intronic splicing site mutations have been reported.

Objective: A 2.

Is interleukin-18 associated with polycystic ovary syndrome?

Background: Recent research show that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may have an association with low-grade chronic inflammation, IL-18 is considered as a strong risk marker of inflammation.

Methods: To investigate serum IL-18 concentrations in PCOS patients and focus on its relationship between obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Sixty consecutive women with PCOS and thirty controls were recruited.

Gonadotrophin-induced paracrine regulation of human oocyte maturation by BDNF and GDNF secreted by granulosa cells.

Background: In mammalian ovaries, diverse paracrine factors have been identified to mediate or modulate LH-induced changes during ovulation. Due to the difficulty in obtaining non-stimulated granulosa cells during IVF, little is known about the LH-induced paracrine factors in the human ovary. Based on earlier studies using murine ovarian cells showing the paracrine roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in promoting oocyte maturation, we investigated the expression of these ligands in human granulosa cells and their regulation of human oocyte development.

Alteration of ERβ gene RsaI polymorphism may contribute to reduced fertilization rate and embryonic developmental competence.

This paper aims to determine the possible role of estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) gene RsaI polymorphism on sperm fertility and early embryonic development in humans. Three groups of Chinese men were recruited: in vitro fertilization (IVF) group, including 374 couples who underwent conventional IVF; intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) group, including 294 couples who underwent an ICSI procedure using ejaculated sperm; and azoospermic group, consisting of 197 couples who underwent ICSI using either testis or epididymis sperm. RsaI polymorphism in the ERβ gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique; fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were evaluated for each group.

The usefulness of transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy in infertile women with abnormal hysterosalpingogram results but with no obvious pelvic pathology.

Objective: To evaluate the value of transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy (THL) in infertile women with abnormal hysterosalpingogram results but with no history of previous pelvic surgery and with normal gynecological examination and vaginal sonography.

Study Design: This is a retrospective study. From January 2008 to October 2009, 51 infertile women were planned to undergo standard laparoscopy because of abnormal HSG.

Functional study on a novel missense mutation of the transcription factor FOXL2 causes blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES).

Blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is a rare autosomal dominant disease caused by FOXL2 gene mutations. However, only one missense mutation has been found in family with BPES type I. Here, we report a novel missense mutation in the forkhead domain of the FOXL2 gene (c.

[Study of HBV-DNA in ovarian granulosa cells of hepatitis B carriers].

Objective: To study the infection status of hepatitis B virus in ovarian granulosa cells of female hepatitis B carriers.

Methods: The follicular fluid of 6 female carriers of hepatitis B (HBsAg+, HBeAg+, HBcAb+) was used to extract granule cells and prepare smears. The samples were detected via in situ hybridization by digoxin-labeled HBV-DNA probe.

Association of polymorphisms of interleukin-18 gene promoter region with polycystic ovary syndrome in chinese population.

Background: Recent research shows that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may have an association with low-grade chronic inflammation, and that PCOS may induce an increase in serum interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels.

Methods: To investigate the polymorphisms of the IL-18 gene promoters with PCOS, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter of the IL-18 gene (at positions -607C/A and -137G/C) in 118 Chinese women with PCOS and 79 controls were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: No significant differences were found in the genotype distribution, allele frequency and haplotype frequency between the PCOS and control groups.

Role of endometrial blood flow assessment with color Doppler energy in predicting pregnancy outcome of IVF-ET cycles.

This is a prospective study of 182 women (38 yrs or younger) undergoing IVF-ET. Endometrial thickness, echo pattern and blood flow on transvaginal ultrasonography were recorded eight hours prior to hCG administration. The patients were divided into three groups: A (n = 10) with undetectable endometrial blood flow; B (n = 82) with sub-endometrial blood flow; C (n = 90) with both endometrial and sub-endometrial blood flow.

Integration of single oocyte trapping, in vitro fertilization and embryo culture in a microwell-structured microfluidic device.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) therapy is an important treatment for human infertility. However, the methods for clinical IVF have only changed slightly over decades: culture medium is held in oil-covered drops in Petri dishes and manipulation occurs by manual pipetting. Here we report a novel microwell-structured microfluidic device that integrates single oocyte trapping, fertilization and subsequent embryo culture.

Characteristics of abnormal menstrual cycle and polycystic ovary syndrome in community and hospital populations.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is considered to be the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. The involvement of an abnormal menstrual cycle in the etiology of PCOS remains unclear. We aimed to analyze the characteristics of abnormal menstrual cycles and their association with PCOS in community and hospital patient populations.

Cryo-survival, fertilization and early embryonic development of vitrified oocytes derived from mice of different reproductive age.

Purpose: to evaluate the effect of female reproductive age on oocyte cryo-survival, fertilization and the subsequent embryonic development following vitrification using the mouse model in order to address the question of how maternal reproductive age is related to fertility preservation.

Methods: oocytes were collected from mice of different reproductive age: (1) 8-10 weeks, (2) 16-20 weeks, (3) 32-36 weeks, and (4) 44-48 weeks. Following vitrification and warming, the oocytes in each group were assessed for cryo-survival, fertilization and embryonic development as well as for the quality of blastocysts.

Extra- and intra-ovarian factors in polycystic ovary syndrome: impact on oocyte maturation and embryo developmental competence.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic dysfunction and heterogeneous endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Although patients with PCOS are typically characterized by increased numbers of oocytes retrieved during IVF, they are often of poor quality, leading to lower fertilization, cleavage and implantation rates, and a higher miscarriage rate.

Methods: For this review, we searched the database MEDLINE (1950 to January 2010) and Google for all full texts and/or abstract articles published in English with content related to oocyte maturation and embryo developmental competence.