Identification of Differentially Expressed mRNAs and miRNAs and Related Regulatory Networks in Cumulus Oophorus Complexes Associated with Fertilization.

Cumulus oophorus complexes (COCs) are the first extracellular barriers that sperm must pass through to fuse with oocytes, which have an important role in oocyte maturation and fertilization. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of COCs involved in fertilization. In this study, COCs were collected and then randomly divided into a test group that interacted with sperm and a control group that did not interact with sperm.

Clinical and neonatal outcomes of using a modified micro cryotube for cryopreservation of small numbers of spermatozoa for TESA-ICSI cycles.

Cryopreservation of a small number of human spermatozoa is still a major challenge for embryologists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using a modified micro cryotube as freezing carrier for freezing small numbers of human spermatozoa collected by testicular sperm aspiration (TESA). We conducted a retrospective study to analyses the ICSI outcomes of using frozen-thawed few testicular spermatozoa in males with obstructive azoospermia (OA) from June 2017 to June 2021.

All-in-One Heptamethine Cyanine Amphiphiles for Dual Imaging-Guided Chemo-Photodynamic-Photothermal Therapy of Breast Cancer.

Developing a theranostic system that integrates multimodal imaging, synergistic therapeutic, and formulation entities is a promising strategy for efficient cancer treatment. However, the complexity and safety concerns of multiple functional entities hinder their clinical translation. Herein, versatile "all-in-one" heptamethine cyanine amphiphiles (PEG-Cy-Fs) with multiple favorable capabilities, including fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging ( F MRI), near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIR FLI), photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), polyethylene glycolation (PEGylation) and high biocompatibility, are developed for the convenient construction of theranostic platforms.

Synthesis of symmetrical secondary oligoethylene glycolated amines from diethanolamine.

Monodisperse oligoethylene glycols (M-OEGs)-containing symmetrical secondary amines are highly valuable synthetic intermediates in drug development and materials sciences. Scalable three-step synthesis of M-OEGs secondary amines with flexible M-OEGs and/or alkyl chains is described herein. Through reduction amination of diethanolamine, Williamson ether synthesis, and subsequent deprotection, a series of M-OEGs secondary amines with diverse and fine-tunable chemical structures were conveniently prepared.

Synergistic effects of oxidation, coagulation and adsorption in the integrated fenton-based process for wastewater treatment: A review.

Fenton process is the most popular for wastewater treatment among all available advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Numerous endeavors have been devoted to improving the oxidation efficiency of Fenton reaction in terms of promoting ·OH generation, accelerating iron redox cycle and extending applicable pH range. However, in addition to oxidation, coagulation and adsorption also simultaneously occur in the Fenton process, which play important role in the removal of pollutants.

Laser-assisted selection of immotile spermatozoa has no effect on obstetric and neonatal outcomes of TESA-ICSI pregnancies.

Background: Azoospermic patients have benefited from both epididymal and testicular spermatozoa intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment and lasers have been used to identify viable, immotile spermatozoa before the procedure. There are limited studies on the safety of laser-assisted selection of immotile spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of laser-assisted selection of immotile spermatozoa on the obstetric and neonatal outcomes after ICSI.

Does longer storage of blastocysts with equal grades in a cryopreserved state affect the perinatal outcomes?

Aim: Although mammalian embryos could be preserved in liquid nitrogen for thousands of years in theoretical models, the viability of cryopreserved blastocyst with varying grades remains to be speculated. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the longer storage time of blastocysts with equal grades could negatively affect the perinatal outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Single vitrified-warmed blastocyst was divided into four grades (AA, AB/BA, BB, BC/CB) according to the blastocyst score when freezing, and each grade of blastocyst was categorized into four storage duration categories: 28 days-1 year, 1-3 years, 3-5 years, and ≥5 years.

Tannic acid-Fe complex derivative-modified electrode with pH regulating function for environmental remediation by electro-Fenton process.

A heterogeneous electro-Fenton (hetero-EF) system can effectively broaden the applicable pH range, although the decreased electrogeneration efficiency of HO at elevated pH (especially neutral conditions) is unfavorable for the efficient removal of organic pollutants. Herein, a tannic acid-Fe complex derivative-modified carbon felt (TFD@CF) cathode was prepared for hetero-EF treatment of organic pollutants over a wide pH range. Interestingly, the as-prepared hetero-EF cathode could act as a pH regulator that acidified the solution over a wide pH range.

A point of confusion for embryologists in the identification of viable spermatozoa by the eosin-nigrosin test.

A viable spermatozoon is a prerequisite for fertilization in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Thus, it is crucial to select viable but immotile spermatozoa on the day of ICSI. We report conflicting results in the identification of viable but immotile spermatozoa between the eosin-nigrosin staining and the laser test, which resulted in confusion for embryologists during assisted reproductive technology (ART).

What triggers envy on Social Network Sites? A comparison between shared experiential and material purchases.

Social network users often see their online friends post about experiential purchases (such as traveling experiences) and material purchases (such as newly purchased gadgets). Three studies (total  = 798) were conducted to investigate which type of purchase triggers more envy on Social Network Sites (SNSs) and explored its underlying mechanism. We consistently found that experiential purchases triggered more envy than material purchases did.

Cumulus oophorus complexes favor physiologic selection of spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of cumulus oophorus complexes (COCs) in the physiologic selection of spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Design: A prospective sibling oocytes study.

Setting: Center of reproductive medicine.

A universal and enzyme-free immunoassay platform for biomarker detection based on gold nanoparticle enumeration with a dark-field microscope.

Developing an enzyme-free, non-amplification strategy for biomarker detection with universality and easy implementation is of central importance in clinical diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring. Herein, we report for the first time a universal and enzyme-free magnetic bead-based sandwich-format immunoassay platform for biomarker detection by combining secondary antibody functionalized AuNPs and automatic AuNP counting readout. For the prostate specific antigen (PSA), the detection limit is found to be 1 ng mL, and the spike recoveries (n = 3) with 10% fetal bovine serum are 113.

A new insight into male fertility preservation for patients with completely immotile spermatozoa.

Background: Sperm cryopreservation is the most effective method to preserve male fertility but this is normally used for motile spermatozoa. Thus, only motile spermatozoa are used for cryopreservation in most reproductive medicine centers worldwide. The immotile spermatozoa from some problematic patients are usually discarded, resulting in a missed opportunity of sterility cryopreservation for future assisted reproductive treatments.

Rapid and specific luminescence sensing of Cu(ii) ions with a porphyrinic metal-organic framework.

We herein present a porphyrinic metal-organic framework (MOF) as a highly sensitive fluorescent probe targeting Cu(ii) ions with a fast response. The well-isolated nature of porphyrin moieties within the framework greatly enable accessible recognition sites, which leads to an outstanding detection limit performance of 67 nM among MOF-based materials.

Influence of the insemination method on the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the insemination method on the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture performed between January 2011 and December 2014.

Results: There were 2,003 cycles of conventional fertilization (IVF) and 336 cycles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), including 25,652 and 4,164 embryos that underwent sequential blastocyst culture, respectively.

Constructing a Robust Fluorescent DNA-Stabilized Silver Nanocluster Probe Module by Attaching a Duplex Moiety.

Fluorescent DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-Ag NCs) have served as excellent luminescent probes and operation units in various applications. However, the fluorescence property of DNA-Ag NCs is very sensitive to elongation or modification of the DNA template, limiting the breadth of applications. In this work, we propose a strategy for constructing a robust fluorescent DNA-Ag NCs probe module by attaching a duplex moiety to the nanocluster-bearing sequence.

Self-disclosure on SNS: Do disclosure intimacy and narrativity influence interpersonal closeness and social attraction?

On social media, users can easily share their feelings, thoughts, and experiences with the public, including people who they have no previous interaction with. Such information, though often embedded in a stream of others' news, may influence recipients' perception toward the discloser. We used a special design that enables a quasi-experience of SNS browsing, and examined if browsing other's posts in a news stream can create a feeling of familiarity and (even) closeness toward the discloser.

Effect of different artificial shrinkage methods, when applied before blastocyst vitrification, on perinatal outcomes.

Background: In recent years, single blastocyst transfer combined with vitrification has been applied widely, which can maximize the cumulative pregnancy rate in per oocyte retrieval cycles and minimize the multiple pregnancy rate. Thus, the guarantee for these is the effectiveness of vitrified blastocyst. Studies has shown that AS of the blastocoel cavity prior to vitrification can reduce injuries, increase the thawed blastocyst survival rate and implantation rate.

Blastocoele re-expansion time in vitrified-warmed cycles is a strong predictor of clinical pregnancy outcome.

Aim: To assess the predictive value of blastocoele re-expansion time in clinical pregnancy outcome in vitrified-warmed cycles.

Methods: Data on 468 single vitrified-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles (in patients aged <38 years) carried out from January 2012 through December 2012, at the Reproductive Medicine Center, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, were analyzed. Vitrified-warmed blastocysts were divided into three groups according to blastocoele re-expansion time: group A, <1 h; group B, 1-2 h; and group C, >2 h, and the clinical pregnancy outcomes (i.

[Fluorescence Anisotropy and Applications Based on Functional Nucleic Acid Recognition].

Based on the difference of the depolarization of the emitted light before and after the interaction of molecules, fluorescence anisotropy, also known as fluorescence polarization, can be beneficial for the study of interactions and the detection of the targets. In 1950s, Gregorio Weber first studied the interactions between dansyl chloride and bovine serum albumin or ovalbumin with fluorescence anisotropy method, which paved the way for fluorescence anisotropy in biochemical applications. Since the early 1990s, functional nucleic acids (FNAs, including aptamers, and nucleic acid enzymes) were discovered and synthesized, which have been widely used in functional nucleic acid-based sensing.

Pre-Incubation of Auric Acid with DNA Is Unnecessary for the Formation of DNA-Templated Gold Nanoclusters.

The rationale for the preparation of DNA-templated gold nanoclusters (DNA-Au NCs) has not been well understood, thereby slowing down the advancement of the synthesis and applications of DNA-Au NCs. The interaction between metal ions and the DNA template seems to be the key factor for the successful preparation of DNA-templated metal nanoclusters. With the help of circular dichroism in this contribution, we put efforts into interrogating the necessity of pre-incubation of HAuCl4 with poly-adenine template in the formation of Au NCs by citrate reduction.

Nonamplification Sandwich Assay Platform for Sensitive Nucleic Acid Detection Based on AuNPs Enumeration with the Dark-Field Microscope.

A simple and efficient assay platform with high sensitivity, convenient implementation, and moderate cost in reagents and instrumentation is most appropriate for routine applications. On the basis of the gold nanoparticle (AuNP) enumeration signal readout mode established in our laboratory, we have developed a nonamplification sandwich assay for nucleic acid detection with the 3 fM limit of detection for a sequence related to Alzheimer's disease. This AuNP counting based method takes advantages of the distinctive and strong localized surface plasmon resonance light scattering with the dark-field microscope and magnetic separation.

The emotional responses of browsing Facebook: Happiness, envy, and the role of tie strength.

On Facebook, users are exposed to posts from both strong and weak ties. Even though several studies have examined the emotional consequences of using Facebook, less attention has been paid to the role of tie strength. This paper aims to explore the emotional outcomes of reading a post on Facebook and examine the role of tie strength in predicting happiness and envy.

[Successful pregnancy following laser-assisted selection of viable but immotile spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection: A report of 2 cases].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and clinical application value of selecting viable spermatozoa by noncontact diode laser.

Methods: We obtained immotile spermatozoa from 2 infertile men with obstructive azoospermia or severe asthenospermia and selected viable spermatozoa using a single laser shot at the sperm tail. Those that responded to the laser shot by a curling reaction of the tail were regarded as presumably viable and used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).