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The association of bone turnover with the incidence and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is unclear. We aimed to evaluate serum levels of bone turnover markers in relation to NAFLD and nonalcoholic hepatic steatohepatitis (NASH). Two cohorts were involved in our study. For the first cohort, 370 participants without NAFLD were retrospectively recruited and followed up for incident NAFLD according to ultrasound. For the second cohort, 562 subjects who underwent liver biopsy were included and grouped into non-NAFLD, non-NASH or NASH according to the NASH Clinical Research Network system. The bone turnover markers osteocalcin, C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) and N-terminal propeptide of type-1 procollagen (P1NP) were measured. Baseline osteocalcin was significantly lower in subjects who developed NAFLD (13.93 [11.03;16.39] versus 18.24 [15.45;22.47] ng/ml, P < 0.001), with a median of 26.4 months of follow-up. Low levels of osteocalcin, but not CTX or P1NP, was an independent predictor of incident NAFLD (OR 0.755 [95%CI 0.668; 0.855] P < 0.001). Moreover, the osteocalcin level was negatively associated with the degree of liver steatosis. Furthermore, subjects with NASH had significantly lower osteocalcin than non-NASH and non-NAFLD group (13.28 [10.49;16.59] versus 14.91 [12.45;18.09] versus 18.21 [15.04;22.05] ng/ml, all P < 0.001). A low osteocalcin level was an independent risk factor for NASH (OR for highest versus lowest quartile: 0.282 [0.147;0.543] P < 0.001). Low level of osteocalcin, but not CTX or P1NP, was associated with NAFLD and NASH, indicating its potential role as an important endocrine regulator of hepatic energy metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the effect of subchorionic hematoma (SCH) on pregnancy outcomes in IVF/ICSI patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1097 pregnancies achieved byin vitrofertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) or frozen-thawed embryo transfers (FETs) between January 2013 and June 2013 at the IVF center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. The prevalence of SCH was 12.1% in this group (133/1097). We compared the pregnancy outcomes between the SCH group and non-SCH group, while the risk factors for SCH were also evaluated. Results: There was no significant difference between SCH group and non-SCH group with regard to patients’ age, spouse’s age, endometrial thickness, miscarriage rate (5.6% versus 6.2%,p > 0.05), second trimester fetus loss rate (5.6% versus 7.7%,p > 0.05) or live birth rate (89.5% versus 86.1%,p > 0.05). While the birth weight in singleton pregnancy in SCH group was significant lower (3207.8 ± 595.7 g versus 3349.2 ± 59.7 g,p= 0.03). SCH was more common in fresh embryo transfer patients than that in FET patients (16.6% versus 5.1%,p < 0.01), fresh embryo transfer was a high risk for SCH with OR 3.67, 95% CI: 2.28–5.90. Conclusion: We concluded that SCH was associated with lower birth weight in singleton pregnancy, but SCH did not increase pregnancy loss rate in IVF/ICSI patients, and fresh embryo transfer may contribute to SCH onset. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Study Question: Does the transplantation of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on soluble collagen scaffolds (collagen/ADSCs) have better therapeutic effect than transplantation of ADSCs alone, to treat premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) in a rat model induced by Tripterygium Glycosides (TG)?Summary Answer: The transplantation of collagen/ADSCs increased the short-term retention of ADSCs in ovaries and contributed to long-term restoration of ovarian function, as well as the fertility of rats with TG-induced ovarian damage.What Is Known Already: About 50% of young women in China, who have been treated with TG, have subsequently developed ovarian insufficiency. Rats exhibit similar symptoms to these patients when given an equivalent dose of TG. Transplantation of ADSCs improves ovarian function impaired by chemotherapy in rodent models.Study Design, Size, Duration: After the administration of TG, 54 POI model rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: phosphate buffered saline (PBS) ( ITALIC! n = 14), collagen ( ITALIC! n = 11), ADSCs ( ITALIC! n = 16) and collagen/ADSCs ( ITALIC! n = 13). Seventeen normal rats were assigned as control group. The retention of ADSCs in ovaries was confirmed immediately or at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days after transplantation ( ITALIC! n = 9). Four weeks after transplantation, ovarian function was evaluated from estrous cycle, estradiol level, the follicle number, granulosa cell proliferation and a fertility test.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: To establish the POI model, rats were administered 60 mg TG/kg/day intragastrically for 50 days. The estrous cycles were assessed by vaginal smear. The concentration of plasma estradiol in diestrus stage was measured using a radioimmunoassay kit. Disordered estrous cycles and low serum estradiol levels indicated the successful establishment of the POI model. Four types of suspensions (PBS, collagen, ADSCs and collagen/ADSCs) were transplanted directly into the core of the ovaries. The short-term retention of ADSCs in ovaries was evaluated by small-animal positron emission tomography images immediately after transplantation of (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) labeled ADSCs. The long-term retention of ADSCs in ovaries was observed by immunohistochemistry after transplantation of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled ADSCs. Serial sections of ovaries were prepared for histological analysis, follicle counting, and immunohistochemistry for Ki67 and Cleaved-Caspase-3. For the assessment of fertility, rats were mated with proven fertile male rats for 10 days.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: The (18)F-FDG signal decreased more slowly in ovaries injected with collagen/ADSCs than in ovaries with injected with ADSCs alone. Significantly more GFP-positive cells were observed in ovaries injected with collagen/GFP-ADSCs than in ovaries injected with GFP-ADSCs alone up to 14 days after the injection. However, in both groups very few GFP-positive cells were present at 4 weeks after transplantation. The collagen/ADSCs and ADSCs groups both showed better estrous cycle recovery than the PBS and collagen groups. The estradiol (E2) level in the collagen/ADSCs group was significantly increased compared with that of the PBS group ( ITALIC! P < 0.05). The number of antral follicles in the collagen/ADSCs group and the ADSCs group significantly increased compared with the PBS group ( ITALIC! P < 0.05). The granulosa cell proliferation in the collagen/ADSCs group was better than in the PBS group ( ITALIC! P < 0.01). The mating rates of the collagen/ADSCs group (88.9%) and the ADSCs group (90.9%) were higher than that of PBS group (60%, ITALIC! P < 0.05). The pregnancy rates of the collagen/ADSCs group (77.8%) and the ADSCs group (72.7%) were higher than the PBS group (50%, ITALIC! P < 0.05).Limitations, Reasons For Caution: We chose ADSCs for their accessibility, convenience and safety. We did not use other cells or materials for POI treatments to show that the collagen/ADSCs are the most promising materials.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Soluble collagen scaffolds may be useful in stem cells transplantation therapy for POI.Study Funding/competing Interests: This work is supported by grants from the 'Strategic Priority Research Program' of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA01030000); Maternal-Fetal Medicine from Jiangsu Province Health Department of China (XK2011027); Clinical Center of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Genetic Diseases, Nanjing Health Department of Jiangsu Province, China; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (20620140652). The authors declare no competing financial interests.Trial Registration Number: Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Different types of ultrathin multilayer composite membranes adsorbed on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates are fabricated by the layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly technique. The hydrogen gas barrier performances of these membranes are measured using a pressure permeation instrument. Polyethylenimines/graphene oxide (PEI/GO) are chosen as the optimal system; the multilayer film reduces the hydrogen transmission rate of the uncoated PET film from 1357 to 24 cm3/(m2 24 h 0.1 MPa). The membrane assembly process for the PEI/GO system is analyzed with UV-Visible spectroscopy, and the flat morphology of the ultrathin film is observed by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. Moreover, in order to fully characterize the PEI/GO multilayer film system, we investigate the effects of multiple variables on the hydrogen resistance performance. These include the molecular weight of PEI, concentrations of PEI and GO, number of bilayers, soaking time, and drying methods. The film thickness is found to increase linearly during the LBL assembly process. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41973. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) consisting of ethyl cellulose as continuous matrix and inorganic particle C60 as dispersed phase were prepared for propylene/propane separation. The impact of the C60 content on the separation properties of MMMs without and with ultraviolet cross-linking was investigated. The increment of decomposition temperature and single glass temperature of ethyl cellulose/C60 MMMs indicates a strong interfacial interaction between polymer and fullerenes. After UV irradiation, the gas permeability coefficient of propylene and ideal separation factor of propylene/propane decreased, and new features appeared in scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images, testifying the photopolymerization reaction of C60 at a depth near to the surface. C60 could be acted as a possible replaced carrier for the separation of olefin/paraffin using membrane separation technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration (NF) membrane is an excellent choice to solve water shortage based on the advantages of high flux and selective separation. However, the current NF membrane still causes a tremendous amount of energy consumption in the practical applications due to the limitation of flux. In this work, dextran nanoparticles (DNPs) with the cross-linked organic components, numerous hydrophilic groups and internal cavities were added into the aqueous phase solution, and novel NF membranes were fabricated by adjusting the concentration and particle size of DNPs to control the interfacial polymerization (IP) reaction. After modification, the decrease of membrane thickness and the increase of surface hydrophilicity improved the separation performance of NF membrane. The water flux of NF membrane with 0.5 wt% DNPs doping was up to 211.2 Lm−2h−1MPa−1, which was more than twice as high as the unmodified membrane with Na 2 SO 4 retention up to above 98%. It was also worth mentioning that the modified membrane indicated excellent monovalent/divalent ion selectivity and anti-fouling performance. This strategy of improving membrane performance by controlling the concentration and particle size of the aqueous phase additives with the advantages of simplicity and universality provides a certain impetus for the development of TFC membrane. • Dextran nanoparticles were successfully incorporated into the separation layer of NF membrane. • The water flux of the DNPs-modified NF membrane increased 2–3 times without sacrificing the Na 2 SO 4 retention. • The influence of the particle size and concentration of DNPs was discussed detailedly. • The anti-fouling performance and monovalent/divalent ion selectivity of the membrane improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION Does the downregulation of cell division cycle 42 (CDC42) protein in endometrial stroma lead to endometrial senescence in patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF), and what is the potential mechanism? SUMMARY ANSWER CDC42 deficiency causes endometrial stromal senescence and decidualization defects, impairing uterine receptivity of RIF patients, via activation of Wnt signaling pathway. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Uterine aging is unique due to the cyclic remodeling and decidualization of endometrial tissue. Several transcriptomic studies have reported increased senescence in the endometrium in young patients with RIF. Our previous transcriptomic sequencing study discovered that endometrium from women with RIF showed downregulation of CDC42, which is an essential molecule affected by various senescence-related diseases. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The endometrial samples of a total of 71 fertile control patients and 37 RIF patients were collected to verify the association between CDC42 expression and endometrial senescence of RIF patients. Primary endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs) were isolated from endometrial biopsies taken from patients without any endometrial complications and planning to undergo IVF, then subjected to adenovirus-mediated CDC42 knockdown and decidualization induction to explore the detailed mechanism by which CDC42 governs stromal senescence and decidualization. Wnt inhibitor XAV-939 was used to correct the endometrial senescence and decidualization defect. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Senescence was determined by cell cycle arrest markers (e.g. P16, P21, and P53), SASP molecules (e.g. IL6 and CXCL8), and SA-β-gal staining. Masson's staining and Sirius Red staining were used to detect the endometrial fibrosis. Decidualization was evaluated by the mRNA expression and protein secretion of PRL and IGFBP1, F-actin immunostaining, and the BeWo spheroids ' in vitro implantation' model. Methods used to assess cell function included adenovirus transduction, RNA-sequencing, bioinformatic analysis, western blotting, RT-qPCR, ELISA, and immunofluorescence. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Here, we observed remarkably increased levels of stromal senescence and fibrosis, along with stromal CDC42 deficiency, in the endometrium of patients with RIF (P  < 0.001). Knockdown of CDC42 effectively induced premature senescence in EnSCs, leading to aberrant accumulation of senescent EnSCs and collagen deposition during decidualization. CDC42 deficiency in EnSCs restrained the decidualization differentiation and receptivity to trophoblast cells. Transcriptomic analysis revealed Wnt signaling activation as a critical downstream alteration in CDC42-deficient EnSCs. Mechanistically, CDC42 interacted with AKT competitively to impede the binding of GSK3β to AKT. Knockdown of CDC42 increased AKT-mediated phosphorylation of GSK3β to inactivate the Axin-GSK3β destruction complex, leading to accumulation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Importantly, Wnt signaling inhibitors partially corrected the endometrial senescence caused by CDC42 deficiency, and improved both decidualization and trophoblast invasion. LARGE SCALE DATA RNA-seq data sets generated in this study have been deposited at the NCBI database with BioProject accession number PRJNA1102745. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The present study was based on in vitro cell cultures. Further studies involving CDC42-regulated endometrial senescence are needed in knockout mice model and human endometrial assembloids. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS In addition to uncovering endometrial senescence in RIF, our findings underscore the significance of CDC42 in modulating EnSC senescence to maintain the decidualization function, and suggest Wnt signaling inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents for alleviating endometrial senescence. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [82271698 (R.J.), 82030040 (H.S.), 82288102 (H.W.), and 82371680 (G.Y.)]; the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province [BK20231117 (R.J.)]; and the Medical Science and Technology Development Foundation of Nanjing Department of Health [YKK23097 (Y.Z.)]. The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel polyarylate NF membranes were prepared with oligomeric phenolic resin monomer. • NF membrane exhibited a high Na 2 SO 4 rejection rate and excellent chlorine-resistance. • The influence of preparation parameters on the NF membrane performance was investigated. Conventional water treatment polyamide nanofiltration (NF) membranes often suffer from the degradation of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in sewage or during the process of membrane cleaning and deteriorate the separation performance, which significantly increases the treatment cost. Herein, a novel polyacrylate composite NF membranes were prepared by interfacial polymerization using oligomeric phenolic resin (OPR) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) as aqueous and organic phase monomer respectively on the polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration supporting membranes. The fabrication parameters, including the pH of the aqueous solution, reaction time and the concentration of the monomer, on the performance of the composite NF membranes were optimized. A series of characterization indicated that the surface of the NF membranes was negatively charged, the molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) and the pore diameter of the polyacrylate membrane were 400 Da and 0.47 nm, respectively. At the optimized preparation conditions, the NF membrane exhibited high Na 2 SO 4 rejection of 98.2% and water flux of 2.42L·m−2·h−1·bar−1, which was superior to most of the polyacrylate NF membranes reported in recent years. Compared with the polyamide membrane, the prepared polyacrylate membrane demonstrated better chlorine-resistant property and still maintained 92.0% Na 2 SO 4 rejection after being treated with NaOCl solution. Moreover, the NF membrane preserved excellent long-term operation stability. The chlorine-resistant NF membrane constructed from OPR monomer has a broad application prospect in the field of high chlorine wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Special circular microporous polyarylate membrane was prepared by interfacial polymerization. • Three kinds of CD (α-, β- and γ-CD) presented different polycondensation reactivity. • The types and content of alkali in the aqueous solution affected the membrane structure and gas permeation properties. • β-CD/TMC polyacrylate membranes showed high CO 2 /N 2 separation performance. Microporous polymer membranes have received extensive attention in the membrane separation field based on the advantage of high gas permeance and low cost. However, there are a few reports of microporous polyacrylate membranes fabricated by interfacial polymerization (IP), and the formation mechanism and influence factor of the microporous structure is rarely illuminated. In this work, thin-film polyacrylate membrane with circular microporous morphology were prepared by IP method with cyclodextrin and acyl chloride as the aqueous and oil phase monomer respectively for effective gas separation. The effects of the aqueous and organic phase monomer structure and concentration, the concentration and type of alkali in the aqueous solution on the membrane morphology and gas separation performance were investigated in detail. As a result, the polyacrylate membrane fabricated by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) with optimal content of NaOH in the aqueous phase formed the special circular microporous structure by the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) characterization. The resulting membrane showed CO 2 permeance of 200 GPU with CO 2 /N 2 ideal separation selectivity of 10.53. This work provides an effective strategy to fabricate high performance polyacrylate membrane by regulating the monomer structure and the alkali concentration in the aqueous phenol solution with IP method, which would inspire the exploration of other phenolic monomer for the assembly of microporous polymer membranes for gas separation or seawater desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofiltration (NF) membrane is of great significance for desalination of light brine and purification of drinking water. Although the development of novel preparation methods and membrane materials has improved the separation performance, it is still a major challenge to promote NF membrane toward industrial production with simpler and more controllable process. Herein, the polyphenol intermediate layer was designed by 5,5′,6,6′-tetrahydroxy-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethyl-1,1′-spirobisindane (TTSBI) with twist structure and polyethyleneimine (PEI) co-deposition to increase the surface hydrophilicity and electropositivity of the polysulfone ultrafiltration substrate. Subsequently interfacial polymerization (IP) was carried out on the polyphenol intermediate layer to assemble a polyamide ultrathin selective layer using trimesoyl chloride and piperazine monomer. Through adjusting the co-deposition time of TTSB and PEI, a unique nano-pleated structure was successfully formed on the thin-film composite membrane surface. The water permeance of the membrane was determined as 23.7 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 with 99.4% Na 2 SO 4 rejection, which was almost triple fold of the flux of the controller membrane without the intermediate layer. Our results provide an efficient and convenient way to fabricate the advanced NF membrane with higher divalent/monovalent ion selectivity and water permeance simultaneously, which will provide advices for the gas separation and pervaporation membranes with the IP method. • Novel TTSBI-PEI interlayer-based polyamide membrane was fabricated by interfacial polymerization. • The nano-pleated structure on the selective layer improved the water flux without deterioration of Na 2 SO 4 rejection. • The novel nanofiltration membrane exhibited excellent long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel TFC membrane was designed for pervaporation dehydration. • Separation layer with descending crosslinking degree formed with LBL assembled IP. • Ten folds increase of separation factor was achieved with the TFC membrane. • TFC membranes showed high separation performance and good stability. Thin-film composite (TFC) pervaporation membranes is of widespread interest for the alcohol dehydration, since the thin selective layer allows a high permeation flux. However, how to obtain the desired flux and separation selectivity simultaneously is still the bottleneck of industrial application with pervaporation technology. In this study, a novel ultrathin multi-layer polyurea or polyamide pervaporation membrane was designed and assembled via layer-by-layer (LBL) interfacial polymerization (IP) method on the hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (HPAN) substrate membrane. During the LBL assembly process, the controllable crosslinking degree of the separation layer formed through changing the concentration of the oil phase monomer while remaining the concentration of the aqueous phase monomer constant based on the solution-diffusion mechanism of pervaporation separation process. The surface characterization revealed that the tris(2-aminoethyl) amine (TAEA) 1.5 -toluene 2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) 1-0.5-0 /HPAN composite membrane exhibited much rougher surface than that of the membranes with the same crosslinking degree. The optimized composite membrane exhibited a high separation factor of 844.6 with a desirable permeation flux of 1284.3 g·m−2·h−1 for the pervaporation dehydration 95 wt% ethanol aqueous solution at 80 °C, which was 10-fold increase of separation factor compared with the control membrane. Moreover, the excellent operation stability of the TFC membrane demonstrated the promising prospect for the alcohol dehydration separation. This preparation methodology has potential application in other membrane separation process on the basis of solution-diffusion mechanism, such as gas separation and reverse osmosis membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sub‐nanoporous membranes with ion selective transport functions are important for energy utilization, environmental remediation, and fundamental bioinspired engineering. Although mono/multivalent ions can be separated by monovalent ion selective membranes (MISMs), the current theory fails to inspire rapid advances in MISMs. Here, we apply transition state theory (TST) by regulating the enthalpy barrier (ΔH) and entropy barrier (ΔS) for designing next‐generation monovalent cation exchange membranes (MCEMs) with great improvement in ion selective separation. Using a molecule‐absorbed porous material as an interlayer to construct a denser selective layer can achieve a greater absolute value of ΔS for Li+ and Mg2+ transport, greater ΔH for Mg2+ transport and lower ΔH for Li+ transport. This recorded performance with a Li+/Mg2+ perm‐selectivity of 25.50 and a Li+ flux of 1.86 mol ⋅ m−2 ⋅ h−1 surpasses the contemporary "upper bound" plot for Li+/Mg2+ separations. Most importantly, our synthesized MCEM also demonstrates excellent operational stability during the selective electrodialysis (S‐ED) processes for realizing scalability in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major zygotic genome activation (ZGA) occurs at the late 2‐cell stage and involves the activation of thousands of genes, supporting early embryonic development. The reasons underlying the regulation of ZGA are not clear. Acetylation modifications of histone tails promote transcriptional activation, and the maternal deletion of H4K16ac leads to failure in ZGA. GATAD2B is one of the core subunits of the nucleosome remodelling and histone deacetylation (NuRD) complex. Our research has shown that GATAD2B exhibits specific nucleus localization and high protein expression from the late 2‐cell stage to the 8‐cell stage. This intriguing phenomenon prompted us to investigate the relationship between GATAD2B and the ZGA. We discovered a distinctive pattern of GATAD2B, starting from the late 2‐cell stage with nuclear localization. GATAD2B depletion resulted in defective embryonic development, including increased DNA damage at morula, decreased blastocyst formation rate, and abnormal differentiation of ICM/TE lineages. Consistent with the delay during the cleavage stage, the transcriptome analysis of the 2‐cell embryo revealed inhibition of the cell cycle G2/M phase transition pathway. Furthermore, the GATAD2B proteomic data provided clear evidence of a certain association between GATAD2B and molecules involved in the cell cycle pathway. As hypothesized, GATAD2B‐deficient 2‐cell embryos exhibited abnormalities in ZGA during the maternal‐to‐embryonic transition, with lower expression of the major ZGA marker MERVL. Overall, our results demonstrate that GATAD2B is essential for early embryonic development, in part through facilitating ZGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM) as one of potential next generation membrane materials for gas separation has attracted great interests due to its ultra-permeable characteristics. Herein, a novel bis(phenyl)fluorene-based PIMs (Cardo-PIM-1) based on 9,9-bis(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) fluorene (BDPF), 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile (TFTPN) and spirocyclic 5,5′,6,6′-tetrahydroxy-3,3′,3,3′-tetramethylspirobisindane (TTSBI) were prepared vis dibenzodioxane polymerization reaction, and then the functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) were incorporated into Cardo-PIM-1 to fabricate mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) with solution mixing method for CO 2 separation. The structure analysis indicated that the MWCNTs were cut into short ropes and the amino groups were incorporated into the nanotubes surface after treated with acid mixtures followed by ethylenediamine modification. FTIR spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurement confirmed the formation of Cardo-PIM-1 macromolecule. BET and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) analysis exhibited that Cardo-PIM-1 contained larger pore-size distribution and fractional free volume (FFV), and preferential CO 2 adsorption capacity over N 2 compared with that of PIM-1. This work investigated the structure of polymer as well as the effect of nanofillers in the gas separation performance. High CO 2 permeability of 2.9 × 104 Barrer with a desirable CO 2 /N 2 separation factor of 24.2 was achieved using the MMMs with 7.5 wt% f-MWCNTs loading, which were among the best performance for CO 2 separation. The Cardo-PIM-1/f-MWCNTs MMMs will provide a promising alternative in industrial flue gas separation and CO 2 capture process. • A novel bis(phenyl)fluorene-based PIMs (Cardo-PIM-1) with dibenzodioxin polymerization reaction was prepared. • Cardo-PIM-1/functionalized MWCNTs MMMs were fabricated by the solution mixing method. • Cardo-PIM-1 membrane exhibited excellent CO 2 /N 2 separation performance. • Functionalized MWCNTs in the MMMs further improved the CO 2 separation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is still uncertain whether surgical evacuation adversely affects subsequent embryo transfer. The present study aims to assess the influence of surgical evacuation on the pregnancy outcomes of subsequent embryo transfer cycle following first trimester miscarriage in an initial in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycle.Methods: A total of 645 patients who underwent their first trimester miscarriage in an initial IVF cycle between January 2013 and May 2016 in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were enrolled. Surgical evacuation was performed when the products of conception were retained more than 8 h after medical evacuation. Characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were compared between surgical evacuation patients and no surgical evacuation patients. The pregnancy outcomes following surgical evacuation were further compared between patients with ≥ 8 mm or < 8 mm endometrial thickness (EMT), and with the different EMT changes.Results: The EMT in the subsequent embryo transfer cycle of surgical evacuation group was much thinner when compared with that in the no surgical evacuation group (9.0 ± 1.6 mm vs. 9.4 ± 1.9 mm, P = 0.01). There was no significant difference in implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate or miscarriage rate between surgical evacuation group and no surgical evacuation group (P > 0.05). The live birth rate was higher in EMT ≥ 8 mm group when compared to < 8 mm group in surgical evacuation patients (43.0% vs. 17.4%, P < 0.05).Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the pregnancy outcomes of subsequent embryo transfer cycle between surgical evacuation patients and no surgical evacuation patients. Surgical evacuation led to the decrease of EMT, especially when the EMT < 8 mm was association with a lower live birth rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disruptions of angiogenesis can have a significant effect on the healing of uterine scars. Human endometrial perivascular cells (CD146+PDGFRβ+) function as stem cells in the endometrium. Cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61) plays an important role in vascular development. The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of the transplantation of human endometrial perivascular cells (En-PSCs) overexpressing CYR61 on structural and functional regeneration in rat models of partial full-thickness uterine excision. Methods: We first sorted human En-PSCs from endometrial single-cell suspensions by flow cytometry. Human En-PSCs expressing low or high levels of CYR61 were then generated via transfection with a CYR61-specific small interfering ribonucleic acid (si-CYR61) construct or overexpression plasmid. To establish a rat model of uterine injury, a subset of uterine wall was then resected from each uterine horn in experimental animals. Female rats were randomly assigned to five groups, including a sham-operated group and four repair groups that received either PBS loaded on a collagen scaffold (collagen/PBS), En-PSCs loaded on a collagen scaffold (collagen/En-PSCs), En-PSCs with low CYR61 expression loaded on a collagen scaffold (collagen/si-CYR61 En-PSCs), and En-PSCs overexpressing CYR61 loaded on a collagen scaffold (collagen/ov-CYR61 En-PSCs). These indicated constructs were sutured in the injured uterine area to replace the excised segment. On days 30 and 90 after transplantation, a subset of rats in each group was sacrificed, and uterine tissue was recovered and serially sectioned. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining were then performed. Finally, the remaining rats of each group were mated with fertile male rats on day 90 for a 2-week period. Results: Sorted En-PSCs expressed all recognized markers of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), including CD10, CD13, CD44, CD73, CD90, and CD105, and exhibited differentiation potential toward adipocytes, osteoblasts, and neuron-like cells. Compared with En-PSCs and En-PSCs with low CYR61 expression, En-PSCs with elevated CYR61 expression enhanced angiogenesis by in vitro co-culture assays. At day 90 after transplantation, blood vessel density in the collagen/ov-CYR61 En-PSCs group (11.667 ± 1.287) was greater than that in the collagen/En-PSCs group (7.167 ± 0.672) (P < 0.05) and the collagen/si-CYR61 En-PSCs group (3.750 ± 0.906) (P < 0.0001). Pregnancy rates differed among groups, from 40% in the collagen/PBS group to 80% in the collagen/En-PSCs group, 12.5% in the collagen/si-CYR61 En-PSCs group, and 80% in the collagen/ov-CYR61 En-PSCs group. In addition, four embryos were evident in the injured uterine horns of the collagen/ov-CYR61 En-PSCs group, while no embryos were identified in the injured uterine horns of the collagen/PBS group. Conclusions: The results showed that CYR61 plays an important role in angiogenesis. Collagen/ov-CYR61 En-PSCs promoted endometrial and myometrial regeneration and induced neovascular regeneration in injured rat uteri. The pregnancy rate of rats treated with transplantation of collagen/En-PSCs or collagen/ov-CYR61 En-PSCs was improved. Moreover, the number of embryos implantation on the injured area in uterus was increased after transplantation of collagen/ov-CYR61 En-PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) jeopardise uterine function in women, which is a great challenge in the clinic. Previous studies have shown that endometrial perivascular cells (En-PSCs) can improve the healing of scarred uteri and that hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) promotes angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to observe whether the combination of En-PSCs with HSYA could improve the blood supply and fertility in the rat uterus after full-thickness injury. Methods: En-PSCs were sorted by flow cytometry, and the effect of HSYA on the proliferation and angiogenesis of the En-PSCs was detected using CCK-8 and tube formation assays. Based on a previously reported rat IUA model, the rat uteri were sham-operated, spontaneously regenerated, or treated with collagen-loaded PBS, collagen-loaded HSYA, collagen-loaded En-PSCs, or collagen-loaded En-PSCs with HSYA, and then collected at both 30 and 90 days postsurgery. HE staining and Masson staining were used to evaluate uterine structure and collagen fibre deposition, and immunohistochemical staining for α-SMA and vWF was used to evaluate myometrial regeneration and neovascularization in each group. A fertility assay was performed to detect the recovery of pregnancy function in each group. RNA-seq was performed to determine the potential mechanism underlying En-PSCs/HSYA treatment. Immunofluorescence, tube formation assays, and Western blot were used to validate the molecular mechanism involved. Results: The transplantation of Collagen/En-PSCs/HSYA markedly promoted uterine repair in rats with full-thickness injury by reducing fibrosis, increasing endometrial thickness, regenerating myometrium, promoting angiogenesis, and facilitated live births. RNA sequencing results suggested that En-PSCs/HSYA activated the NRG1/ErbB4 signaling pathway. In vitro tube formation experiments revealed that the addition of an ErbB inhibitor diminished the tube formation ability of cocultured En-PSCs and HUVECs. Western blot results further showed that elevated levels of NRG1 and ErbB4 proteins were detected in the Collagen/En-PSCs/HSYA group compared to the Collagen/En-PSCs group. These collective results suggested that the beneficial effects of the transplantation of Collagen/En-PSCs/HSYA might be attributed to the modulation of the NRG1/ErbB4 signaling pathway. Conclusions: The combination of En-PSCs/HSYA facilitated morphological and functional repair in rats with full-thickness uterine injury and may promote endometrial angiogenesis by regulating the NRG1/ErbB4 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this research was to elucidate the association between the length of infertility and the outcomes of intrauterine insemination (IUI) in women of varying ages - a topic that has been the subject of investigation for numerous years, yet lacks a definitive consensus. Methods: A retrospective cohort investigation involving 5268 IUI cycles was undertaken at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from 2016 to 2022. Utilizing the smooth fitting curve along with threshold and saturation effect analysis, the correlation between infertility duration and IUI clinical pregnancy rates was discerned. Moreover, patients were bifurcated into two cohorts based on their respective infertility durations. A secondary examination was also performed employing propensity-score matching to mitigate the impact of confounding variables. Subsequent threshold and saturation effect analysis was carried out across various subgroups, segmented on the basis of age differentiation. Results: When the duration of infertility was more than 5 years, the clinical pregnancy rate decreased with the increase of infertility duration (aOR: 0.894, 95%CI: 0.817–0.991, p = 0.043). The multivariate regression analysis suggested that longer duration of infertility (≥ 5 years) was significantly correlated with the lower clinical pregnancy rate (aOR: 0.782, 95% CI: 0.643–0.950, p = 0.01). After the propensity-score matching, the clinical pregnancy rate of women with longer infertility duration were also higher. When the duration of infertility was more than 5 years, the clinical pregnancy rate of women younger than 35 years old decreased with the increase of infertility duration (aOR: 0.906, 95%CI: 0.800–0.998, p = 0.043). Conclusions: The clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate of IUI in young women (< 35 years old) who have been infertile for more than 5 years significantly decrease with the prolongation of infertility time. Therefore, for young women who have been infertile for more than 5 years, IUI may not be the best choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofiltration membrane was prepared via non-organic solvent method using natural product tannic acid. • Nanofiltration membrane prepared from nature-derived tannic acid and cyclohexane-1,4-diamine. • Formation mechanisms, i.e. Michael addition and Schiff base formation, were confirmed. • The membrane has 97% and 50.7% rejections for Na 2 SO 4 and NaCl and a water flux at 35 LMH. • Membrane cleaning showed stability in both alkaline and acidic pH. • Membrane showed fouling tendency due to high surface roughness. Conventional nanofiltration membrane fabrication generally includes the usage of toxic organic solvent that poses threats to the environment and public health. Herein, we explored preparing nanofiltration membrane through a non-organic solvent method utilizing the highly reactive natural product, tannic acid (TA), along with cyclohexane-1,4-diamine (CHD). Fabrication process was carried out through sequential immersion of a polyethersulfone (PES) support in two aqueous monomer phases. The absence of a solvent interface facilitated the diffusion and mixing of the two monomers, and the highly reactive quinone derivative of TA enabled the rapid film formation via Michael addition and Schiff base formation. Membrane performance was optimized through investigation of fabrication parameters. The TA-CHD membrane exhibited a negatively charged surface, with a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 600 Da. The membrane prepared at optimal conditions showed approximate 97% and 50.7% rejections towards Na 2 SO 4 and NaCl, with a water flux at approximate 35 L m−2 h−1 (10 bar). Fouling behaviour of the TA-CHD membrane was studied and a chemical cleaning test under two extreme pH was performed to demonstrate the chemical stability. The proposed non-organic solvent method here provides an eco-friendly way to utilize the potential of polyphenol natural products in water purification membrane preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of an interpretable artificial intelligence (AI) model for embryo selection in a prospective clinical trial? This single-centre prospective cohort study was carried out from October 2021 to March 2022. A total of 330 eligible patients were assigned to their preferred groups, with 250 patients undergoing a fresh single-blastocyst transfer cycle after the exclusion criteria had been applied. For the AI-assisted group (AAG), embryologists selected the embryos for transfer based on the ranking recommendations provided by an interpretable AI system, while with the manual group, embryologists used the Gardner grading system to make their decisions. The implantation rate was significantly higher in the AAG than the manual group (80.87% versus 68.15%, P = 0.022). No significant difference was found in terms of monozygotic twin rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate and ectopic pregnancy rate between the groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in terms of neonatal outcomes, including gestational weeks, premature birth rate, birth height, birthweight, sex ratio at birth and newborn malformation rate. The consensus rate between the AI and retrospective analysis by the embryologists was significantly higher for good-quality embryos (i.e. grade 4BB or higher) versus poor-quality embryos (i.e. less than 4BB) (84.71% versus 25%, P < 0.001). These prospective trial results suggest that the proposed AI system could effectively help embryologists to improve the implantation rate with single-blastocyst transfer compared with traditional manual evaluation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most complex endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age. Abnormal proliferation of granulosa cells (GCs) is an important cause of PCOS. This study aimed to explore the role of fatty acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) in granulosa cell (GC) proliferation in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Methods: The FABP5 gene, which is related to lipid metabolism, was identified through data analysis of the gene expression profiles of GSE138518 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The expression levels of FABP5 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR) and western blotting. Cell proliferation was evaluated with a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Western blotting was used to assess the expression of the proliferation marker PCNA, and immunofluorescence microscopy was used to detect Ki67 expression. Moreover, lipid droplet formation was detected with Nile red staining, and qRT‒PCR was used to analyze fatty acid storage-related gene expression. Results: We found that FABP5 was upregulated in ovarian GCs obtained from PCOS patients and PCOS mice. FABP5 knockdown suppressed lipid droplet formation and proliferation in a human granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN), whereas FABP5 overexpression significantly enhanced lipid droplet formation and KGN cell proliferation. Moreover, we determined that FABP5 knockdown inhibited PI3K-AKT signaling by suppressing AKT phosphorylation and that FABP5 overexpression activated PI3K-AKT signaling by facilitating AKT phosphorylation. Finally, we used the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002 and found that the facilitation of KGN cell proliferation and lipid droplet formation induced by FABP5 overexpression was inhibited. In contrast, the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway agonist SC79 significantly rescued the suppression of KGN cell proliferation and lipid droplet formation caused by FABP5 knockdown. Conclusions: FABP5 promotes active fatty acid synthesis and excessive proliferation of GCs by activating PI3K-AKT signaling, suggesting that abnormally high expression of FABP5 in GCs may be a novel biomarker or a research target for PCOS treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies suggested higher serum progesterone (P) levels were strongly associated with a lower clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). However, the effect of increased serum P levels on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration on clinical outcomes in short-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) downregulated IVF-ET cycles remains unclear.Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from January 2017 to December 2021, which included a total of 1664 patients receiving their first short-acting GnRHa IVF-ET cycles at our reproductive medicine centre of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. The smooth curve fitting and interaction analysis were employed to analyse the association between the CPR and the serum P levels with different embryo types (cleavage-stage embryo or blastocyst). In addition, total cycles were grouped according to different P levels on the trigger day of hCG administration for further analysis.Results: The CPR of patients with increased serum P level (higher than 1.5 ng/mL) on the hCG day did not decrease. A smoothing curve fitting showed that the CPR did not change obviously with the increase in serum P levels. Subgroup analysis of different types of embryos transferred showed that no correlation was observed between the CPR and serum P levels on the day of hCG administration in cleavage-stage embryo transfer cycles. However, the CPR of patients receiving blastocyst transfer showed a downward trend with the increase in serum P levels. At the same time, an interaction analysis also confirmed that the CPR of blastocyst transfer was more likely to be affected by elevated serum P levels on the hCG day.Conclusion: In the luteal phase short-acting GnRHa downregulated IVF-ET cycles, the elevated serum P levels on the hCG day did not affect the CPR of cleavage-stage embryo transfer but reduced the CPR of blastocyst transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With advanced maternal age, abnormalities during oocyte meiosis increase significantly. Aneuploidy is an important reason for the reduction in the quality of aged oocytes. However, the molecular mechanism of aneuploidy in aged oocytes is far from understood. Histone acetyltransferase 1 (HAT1) has been reported to be essential for mammalian development and genome stability, and involved in multiple organ aging. Whether HAT1 is involved in ovarian aging and the detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Methods: The level of HAT1 in aged mice ovaries was detected by immunohistochemical and immunoblotting. To explore the function of HAT1 in the process of mouse oocyte maturation, we used Anacardic Acid (AA) and small interfering RNAs (siRNA) to culture cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from ICR female mice in vitro and gathered statistics of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), the first polar body extrusion (PBE), meiotic defects, aneuploidy, 2-cell embryos formation, and blastocyst formation rate. Moreover, the human granulosa cell (GC)-like line KGN cells were used to investigate the mechanisms of HAT1 in this progress. Results: HAT1 was highly expressed in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) from young mice and the expression of HAT1 was significantly decreased in aged GCs. AA and siRNAs mediated inhibition of HAT1 in GCs decreased the PBE rate, and increased meiotic defects and aneuploidy in oocytes. Further studies showed that HAT1 could acetylate Forkhead box transcription factor O1 (FoxO1), leading to the translocation of FoxO1 into the nucleus. Resultantly, the translocation of acetylated FoxO1 increased the expression of amphiregulin (AREG) in GCs, which plays a significant role in oocyte meiosis. Conclusion: The present study suggests that decreased expression of HAT1 in GCs is a potential reason corresponding to oocyte age-related meiotic defects and provides a potential therapeutic target for clinical intervention to reduce aneuploid oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembled films of polyethyleneimine (PEI)/graphene oxide (GO) based on non-covalent force exhibit superior hydrogen barrier properties. Nevertheless, immersing the film in the self-assembly solution brings the problem of cross-contamination during the experiment. The deionized water rinsing step not only consumes time, but also increases the tediousness of membrane production and generates plenty of waste liquid. Herein, a PEI/GO hydrogen barrier film was prepared by ultrasonic atomization-assisted technology. Relying on stable and continuous spraying process and tiny droplets to achieve a unified and ordered surface of the film. The spray time, the dispersion concentration of GO, the pH of PEI solution, and the number of assembled layers were investigated in depth. The study shows that the hydrogen barrier film with excellent performance can be prepared by the atomization-assisted method. When the concentration of GO was 0.9 mg ml−1, the spray time of PEI and GO were 8 s and 20 s, the pH of PEI and GO were 10 and 4, respectively, the hydrogen transmission rate of 25-layer PEI/GO composite films was 21.343 cm3 m−2·day−1·0.1 MPa−1, which was 92.38% lower than that of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates film. Furthermore, this method has high raw material utilization and is easy to scale. • Determine a method for atomization-assisted layer-by-layer self-assembly. • This method saves time, eliminates cross contamination and cleaning waste liquid. • The hydrogen permeability of prepared film was 92.38% lower than that of base film. • The method has the advantages of high utilization of raw materials and easy to scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to identify the mechanism of Inhibin Subunit Beta B (INHBB), a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family involved in the regulation of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) decidualization in recurrent implantation failure (RIF). Methods: RNA-seq was conducted to identify the differentially expressed genes in the endometria from control and RIF patients. RT-qPCR, WB, and immunohistochemistry were performed to analyse the expression levels of INHBB in endometrium and decidualised HESCs. RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect changes in the decidual marker genes and cytoskeleton after knockdown INHBB. Then, RNA-seq was used to dig out the mechanism of INHBB regulating decidualization. The cAMP analogue (forskolin) and si-INHBB were used to investigate the involvement of INHBB in the cAMP signalling pathway. The correlation of INHBB and ADCY expression was analysed by Pearson's correlation analysis. Results: Our results showed significantly reduced expression of INHBB in endometrial stromal cells of women with RIF. In addition, INHBB was increased in the endometrium of the secretory phase and significantly induced in in-vitro decidualization of HESCs. Notably, with RNA-seq and siRNA-mediated knockdown approaches, we demonstrated that the INHBB-ADCY1-mediated cAMP signalling pathway regulates the reduction of decidualization. We found a positive association between the expression of INHBB and ADCY1 in endometria with RIF (R2 = 0.3785, P = 0.0005). Conclusions: The decline of INHBB in HESCs suppressed ADCY1-induced cAMP production and cAMP-mediated signalling, which attenuated decidualization in RIF patients, indicating that INHBB is an essential component in the decidualization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating hydrophilic nanoparticles into organic phase during interfacial polymerization (IP) to establish covalent bonds with organic phase monomers has proven to be a successful approach for fabricating high-performance thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. However, the effect of covalent bonds number on the membrane structure and properties remains uncertain. Herein, hydrochloric acid doped polyaniline (PANI-HCl) with a small amount of amine groups and inherent polyaniline (PANI-base) nanomaterials with a larger amount of amine groups were prepared as organic phase additives for preparing high-performance TFN RO membranes. The amine groups on the nanoparticles can bond covalently with the acyl chloride groups of trimethyl chloride (TMC), leading to the accumulation of TMCs at organic/aqueous interface and accelerates IP reaction rate, resulting in a thinner, denser polyamide layer with more leaf-like structures and free volume. The water permeance of the PANI-base-RO membrane was improved by 62.5 % from 0.8 to 1.3 Lm−2h−1bar−1, and the NaCl rejection was improved from 97.6 % to 99.4 % compared with the pristine membrane. Overall, this work highlights the beneficial impact of organic phase additives with more amine groups on enhancing the desalination performance of RO membranes, providing valuable insights for the structural design of additives and dispersing medium selection. • Thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes performance was improved by adding organic phase additives. • The organic phase additive can covalently react with trimesoyl chloride (TMC) to form pre-bonds. • TMCs were carried by pre-bonds to the oil-water interface promoting interfacial polymerization reactions. • The effect of the covalent bonds number on the structure and performance of TFN RO membranes was thoroughly investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A successful embryo implantation relies heavily on the receptivity of the endometrial epithelium, a process regulated by various molecular mechanisms. Evaluating endometrial receptivity in infertility patients undergoing assisted reproductive treatment, particularly those with adenomyosis related infertility, poses significant challenges due to limitations associated with conventional assessment methods. In this study, we collected residual endometrial epithelial cells from the tips of embryo transfer catheters in patients with adenomyosis related infertility. High throughput sequencing revealed a marked downregulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) in these cells. Functional assays demonstrated that PRMT5 interacts with and methylates homeobox A10 (HOXA10), a crucial transcription factor for endometrial receptivity and implantation. The methylation of HOXA10 at arginine 337 by PRMT5 enhances its stability and promotes the transcriptional activation of genes essential for endometrial differentiation and adhesion. The downregulation of PRMT5 led to decreased HOXA10 activity, resulting in impaired endometrial receptivity and subsequent implantation failure. These findings elucidate a critical pathway where PRMT5 downregulation negatively impacts HOXA10 function, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying implantation failure in adenomyosis related infertility. This study not only advances our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing endometrial receptivity but also identifies potential therapeutic targets for enhancing endometrial function in affected patients. [Display omitted] • Developed a novel catheter-derived endometrial cell sampling method during embryo transfer. • Discovered that PRMT5 is significantly downregulated in adenomyosis-related infertility. • Demonstrated that hormonal induction of PRMT5 enhances blastocyst-endometrial adhesion. • Revealed that PRMT5 stabilizes HOXA10 via R337 methylation, promoting endometrial receptivity. • Identified impaired PRMT5 and HOXA10 interaction as a key factor in adenomyosis-associated infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infertility is one of the most important and underappreciated reproductive health problems in developing countries. Currently, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer is the most effective treatment strategy for infertility. In a frozen-thawed cycle, single-blastocyst transfer can not only ensure relatively higher pregnancy and live birth rates but also effectively reduce the risk of maternal and neonatal complications. In frozen-thawed cycles, progesterone is initiated to promote the final phase of endometrial preparation prior to embryo transfer. However, the optimal duration of exposure to progesterone has remained inconclusive. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effects of different prolonged progesterone transformation times (P+6 and P+7) on the pregnancy outcomes of D6 single blastocyst transfer in a frozen-thawed cycle. Methods: This is a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial involving 900 patients with single blastocyst transfer in the frozen-thawed cycle, aged from 20 to 38 years, with less than three transfers, and with HRT-cycle single D6 blastocyst transfer in the current cycle. Participants will be randomly assigned (1:1) into two parallel groups: the transfer of day 6 blastocysts on the 7th day of progesterone supplementation and the transfer of day 6 blastocysts on the 6th day of progesterone supplementation. The primary outcome measure is the clinical pregnancy rate. Secondary outcome measures include the miscarriage rate and live birth rate. Discussion: This is the first randomized controlled trial to compare the transfer of day 6 blastocysts on the 6th and 7th day of progesterone supplementation. The results of this study will provide evidence for whether to prolong the duration of exposure to progesterone prior to embryo transfer. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT04938011. Registered on 19 June 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Dose an elevated serum progesterone (P) level on the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger day have a negative effect on clinical pregnancy outcomes for embryos transferred at different stages of development in long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles?Study Design: This was a noninterventional, retrospective, observational, single-centre cohort study. A total of 1951 patients received long-acting GnRHa for pituitary downregulation in IVF-ET cycles at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. The serum P levels on the day of hCG administration were measured, together with other cycle parameters, to explore the relationship between P levels and the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) of different embryos transferred.Results: When the serum P level on the hCG day was higher than 1.5 ng/mL, the CPR did not decrease significantly. There was no correlation between the CPR of cleavage-stage embryo transfer and the serum P level on the hCG day. In addition, the interaction analysis suggested that the CPR of patients undergoing blastocyst transfer decreased as serum P levels on the hCG day increased. Progesterone levels on the day of hCG administration were closely related to the CPR of blastocyst transfer rather than cleavage-stage embryo transfer.Conclusion: An increased serum P level on the day of hCG administration did not affect the CPR of cleavage-stage embryo transfer, but it reduced the CPR of blastocyst transfer cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Timely and moderate luteinizing hormone (LH) supplementation plays positive roles in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) cycles with long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) pituitary downregulation. However, the appropriate timing of LH supplementation remains unclear.Methods: We carried out a retrospective cohort study of 2226 cycles at our reproductive medicine centre from 2018 to 2020. We mainly conducted smooth curve fitting to analyse the relationship between the dominant follicle diameter when recombinant LH (rLH) was added and the clinical pregnancy outcomes (clinical pregnancy rate or early miscarriage rate). In addition, total cycles were divided into groups according to different LH levels after GnRHa and dominant follicle diameters for further analysis.Results: Smooth curve fitting showed that with the increase in the dominant follicle diameter when rLH was added, the clinical pregnancy rate gradually increased, and the early  miscarriage rate gradually decreased.Conclusions: In long-acting GnRHa downregulated IVF/ICSI-ET cycles, the appropriate timing of rLH supplementation has a beneficial impact on the clinical pregnancy outcome. Delaying rLH addition is conducive to the clinical pregnancy rate and reduces the risk of early miscarriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]