Pregnancy outcomes of fetal reduction in patients with intrauterine haematoma following double embryo transfer.

Research Question: Is there an association between intrauterine haematoma (IUH) and pregnancy outcomes in patients who undergo fetal reduction after double embryo transfer (DET), and if so, what is the relationship between IUH-related characteristics and pregnancy outcomes?

Design: Clinical information and pregnancy outcomes of women who underwent fetal reduction after DET were analysed. Patients with other systematic diseases, ectopic pregnancy or heterotopic pregnancy, monochorionic twin pregnancies and incomplete data were excluded. Stratification of IUH pregnancies was undertaken based on IUH-related characteristics.

Bisphenol a downregulates GLUT4 expression by activating aryl hydrocarbon receptor to exacerbate polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) levels are high in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The mechanism by which BPA induces abnormal glucose metabolism in PCOS patients is largely unknown.

Methods: Serum and urine samples were collected from women with and without PCOS (control) at the reproductive medicine center with informed consent.

Vanishing twin syndrome is associated with first-trimester intrauterine hematoma in twin pregnancies after fertilization.

Research Question: Is there an association between intrauterine hematoma (IUH), vanishing twin syndrome (VTS), and subsequent complications in twin pregnancies after fertilization (IVF)? What are the risk factors for these complications?

Design: Women who presented with two live gestational sacs following double embryo transfer were included. Patients with systematic diseases, artificial fetal reduction, and incomplete data were excluded. Further stratification of IUH pregnancies was performed according to IUH-related characteristics (i.

CVIS: Automated OCT-scan-based software application for the measurements of choroidal vascularity index and choroidal thickness.

Purpose: To develop an automated image recognition software for the objective quantification of choroidal vascularity index (CVI) and choroidal thickness (CT) at different choroidal locations on images obtained from enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT), and to validate its reliability and investigate the difference and correlation between measurements made by manual and software.

Methods: A total of 390 EDI-OCT scans, captured from 130 eligible emmetropic or myopic subjects, were categorized into four grades in terms of their accessibility to identify the choroidal-scleral interface (CSI) and were further assessed for CT and CVI at five locations (subfoveal, nasal, temporal, superior and inferior) by the newly developed Choroidal Vascularity Index Software (CVIS) and three ophthalmologists. Choroidal parameters acquired from CVIS were evaluated for its reliability and correlation with ocular factors, in comparison to manual measurements.

Visual functional defects in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a questionnaire based cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To determine the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on visual functions, identify different modifiers as risk or protective factors, and find out how these factors affect patients' visual symptoms and visual functions as a whole.

Methods: We performed an online survey among 1030 participants (400 patients, 630 non-patients). Demographic features and severity of disease were documented, while visual functions were evaluated using National Eye Institute Visual Functioning questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25).

Choroidal Morphologic and Vascular Features in Patients With Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization and Different Levels of Myopia Based on Image Binarization of Optical Coherence Tomography.

To characterize the choroidal morphologic and vascular features in different levels of myopes and patients with myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV). A total of 148 subjects were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, including 78 low-to-moderate myopes (LMM), 53 high myopes (HM), and 17 high myopic patients with mCNV. Ocular biometrics were measured using an optical low-coherence reflectometry device.

Ellipsoid Zone and External Limiting Membrane-Related Parameters on Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography and Their Relationships With Visual Prognosis After Successful Macular Hole Surgery.

To compare structural diameters of the ellipsoid zone (EZ) and external limiting membrane (ELM) bands on spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images between vision-improved (group A) and vision-unimproved (group B) patients, and investigate the connection between these parameters and visual prognosis. Forty-five eyes of 43 patients with idiopathic full-thickness macular hole closed after vitrectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and SD-OCT were conducted preoperatively and at 1 week, 1 month and 6 months postoperatively.

Changes of Lipoxin A4 and the Anti-inflammatory Role During Parturition.

Parturition is the physiological process of newborn birth; more and more evidences show that parturition is closely related to the occurrence and resolution of inflammation. However, the inflammatory media and the mechanism are not very clear during parturition. Here, we investigate the inflammatory event during human parturition and in mouse model.

Effects of vaginal microbiota and cervical cerclage on obstetric outcomes of twin pregnancies with cervical incompetence: a retrospective study.

Purpose: To determine the role of vaginal microbiota in the efficacy of cervical cerclage in obstetric outcomes of twin pregnancies.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 68 twin pregnant women diagnosed with cervical incompetence (CIC) and 68 twin pregnancies without CIC. The CIC group was further divided into two subgroups: cerclage group (n = 51) and non-cerclage group (n = 17), according to whether cervical cerclage was performed in the second trimester.

Association between uterine volume and pregnancy outcomes in adenomyosis patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

Research Question: What is the relationship between uterine volume before frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) and reproductive outcomes among adenomyosis patients?

Design: Clinical characteristics and outcomes of adenomyosis patients undergoing IVF and FET in a tertiary academic hospital were retrospectively analysed. Only first blastocyst transfer cycles were included. The main outcome measures included clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), miscarriage rate and live birth rate (LBR).

Mediating different-diameter Aβ nerve fibers using a biomimetic 3D TENS computational model.

Background: Significant progress has been made over the last 50 years in the design, development and testing of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in mediating different levels of tactile sensations. However, without knowing how best to stimulate the nerve fibers, the elicited sensation quality will always remain poor and unnatural.

New Method: A new biomimetic 3D TENS computational model is developed to quantify the neural activation mechanism with varied surface electrodes.

Metabolome and Transcriptome Analysis of Hexaploid Roots Reveals its Invasive Capacity Related to Polyploidy.

Polyploid plants are more often invasive species than their diploid counterparts. As the invasiveness of a species is often linked to its production of allelopathic compounds, we hypothesize that differences in invasive ability between cytotypes may be due to their different ability to synthesize allelopathic metabolites. We test this using two cytotypes of as the model and use integrated metabolome and transcriptome data to resolve the question.

Molecular basis underlying the successful invasion of hexaploid cytotypes of L.: Insights from integrated gene and miRNA expression profiling.

Dissecting complex connections between cytogenetic traits (ploidy levels) and plant invasiveness has emerged as a popular research subject in the field of invasion biology. Although recent work suggests that polyploids are more likely to be invasive than their corresponding diploids, the molecular basis underlying the successful invasion of polyploids remains largely unexplored. To this end, we adopted an RNA-seq and sRNA-seq approach to describe how polyploids mediate invasiveness differences in two contrasting cytotypes of L.

Anti-thrombosis Effects and Mechanisms by Xueshuantong Capsule Under Different Flow Conditions.

Xueshuantong capsule (XST) is a patented traditional Chinese medicine used for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis. The molecular mechanism of anti-thrombotic effect of XST was investigated through the cross-talk among the platelets/leukocytes, endothelial cells (ECs), and flow shear stress. The Bioflux 1000 system was used to generate two levels of shear stress conditions: 0.

[Anti-platelet adhesive effect and mechanisms of Xueshuantong capsules under flow conditions].

To investigate the anti-platelet adhesive effect and possible mechanisms of Xueshuantong capsule (XST) under flow conditions. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human platelets were employed as experimental materials, and TNF-α (20 μg•L⁻¹) was used to establish vascular endothelial cell injury models. In vivo flow conditions were simulated under controlled shear stress of 0.

[Anti-platelet aggregation bioassay based quality control for XST capsules].

A in vitro platelet aggregation bioassay was developed for the quality control of XST capsules. The in vitro anti-platelet aggregation effect in rats was observed to detect the bioactivity of XST capsules. Panax notoginseng saponins and Xuesaitong lyophilizedpowder for injection were taken as standard control substances to determine the potency.