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Abstract Background For in vitro fertilization (IVF), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels in the trophectodermal (TE) cells of biopsied blastocysts have been suggested to be associated with the cells’ developmental potential. However, scholars have reached differing opinions regarding the use of mtDNA levels as a reliable biomarker for predicting IVF outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to assess the association of mitochondrial copy number measured by mitoscore associated with embryonic developmental characteristics and ploidy. Methods This retrospective study analyzed the developmental characteristics of embryos and mtDNA levels in biopsied trophectodermal cells. The analysis was carried out using time-lapse monitoring and next-generation sequencing from September 2021 to September 2022. Five hundred and fifteen blastocysts were biopsied from 88 patients undergoing IVF who met the inclusion criteria. Embryonic morphokinetics and morphology were evaluated at 118 h after insemination using all recorded images. Blastocysts with appropriate morphology on day 5 or 6 underwent TE biopsy and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). Statistical analysis involved generalized estimating equations, Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and Kruskal–Wallis test, with a significance level set at P

Abstract Background Several studies have demonstrated that iDAScore is more accurate in predicting pregnancy outcomes in cycles without preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) compared to KIDScore and the Gardner criteria. However, the effectiveness of iDAScore in cycles with PGT-A has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this study aims to assess the association between artificial intelligence (AI)-based iDAScore (version 1.0) and pregnancy outcomes in single-embryo transfer (SET) cycles with PGT-A. Methods This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Chung Sun Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. Patients undergoing SET cycles (n = 482) following PGT-A at a single reproductive center between January 2017 and June 2021. The blastocyst morphology and morphokinetics of all embryos were evaluated using a time-lapse system. The blastocysts were ranked based on the scores generated by iDAScore, which were defined as AI scores, or by KIDScore D5 (version 3.2) following the manufacturer’s protocols. A single blastocyst without aneuploidy was transferred after examining the embryonic ploidy status using a next-generation sequencing-based PGT-A platform. Logistic regression analysis with generalized estimating equations was conducted to assess whether AI scores are associated with the probability of live birth (LB) while considering confounding factors. Results Logistic regression analysis revealed that AI score was significantly associated with LB probability (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.037, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.632–2.542) when pulsatility index (PI) level and types of chromosomal abnormalities were controlled. Blastocysts were divided into quartiles in accordance with their AI score (group 1: 3.0–7.8; group 2: 7.9–8.6; group 3: 8.7–8.9; and group 4: 9.0–9.5). Group 1 had a lower LB rate (34.6% vs. 59.8–72.3%) and a higher rate of pregnancy loss (26% vs. 4.7–8.9%) compared with the other groups (p

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between hormone receptor levels and telomere length (TL) in infertile women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Materials and methods: This prospective cohort study recruited a total of 431 cumulus oocyte complex (COC) from 88 infertile women between July 2012 and June 2014. The participants were divided into three groups: young age (

Abstract Elective single-embryo transfers of euploid or low-level mosaic blastocysts were analyzed in this retrospective study to determine the correlations of live birth (LB) probability with embryonic developmental features of implanted day 5 (D5, n = 245) or day 6 (D6, n = 73) blastocysts using time-lapse (TL) monitoring. According to the logistic regression analyses (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.341, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.169–0.685, P

Objective: In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment has gradually adopted the practice of culturing embryos until the blastocyst stage on the D5 or D6 as the standard approach. PGT-A is commonly used in vitro fertilization (IVF). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of frozen embryo transfers (FETs) using single blastocyst transfers (SBTs) on the fifth (D5) or sixth (D6) day of development in cycles that underwent preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). Materials and methods: The patients who had at least one euploid or mosaic blastocyst of good quality determined by PGT-A results and received single embryo transfer (SET) cycles were included in the study. In this study, the live birth rate (LBR) and neonatal outcomes were compared after the transfer of single biopsied D5 and D6 blastocysts in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Results: A total of 527 frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FET) cycles (8449 biopsied embryos were analyzed). No significant difference in the implantation rate (IR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), and live birth rate (LBR) between the transfers of D5 and D6 blastocysts. Birth weight was the only perinatal outcome that showed a significant difference between the D5 and D6 groups. Conclusion: The study confirmed that the transfer of a single euploid or mosaic blastocyst, regardless of whether it was on the fifth (D5) or sixth (D6) day of development, can lead to promising clinical results.

Abstract This study evaluated whether the concentration of biphasic O2 (5–2%) promotes the formation of qualified blastocysts (QBs) and euploid blastocysts and the probability of cycles with transferable blastocysts. The paired experimental design included a total 90 patients (180 cycles) without euploid blastocysts in previous monophasic O2 (5%) cycles were enrolled for an additional cycle of biphasic O2 (5–2%). In the biphasic O2 (5–2%) group, the QB rate (35.8%, 225/628) was significantly higher than that in the monophasic O2 (5%) group (23.5%, 137/582; p

Testicular cancer (TC) is a rare malignancy worldwide and is the most common malignancy in males aged 15–44 years. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway mediates numerous essential cellular functions and has potentially important effects on tumorigenesis and cancer progression. The search for drugs to inhibit this pathway has identified a small molecule, PNU-74654, as an inhibitor of the β-catenin/TCF4 interaction. We evaluated the therapeutic role of PNU-74654 in two TC cell lines, NCCIT and NTERA2, by measuring cell viability, cell cycle transition and cell death. Potential pathways were evaluated by protein arrays and Western blots. PNU-74654 decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis of TC cells, with significant increases in the sub G1, Hoechst-stained, Annexin V-PI-positive rates. PNU-74654 treatment of both TC cell lines inhibited the TNFR1/IKB alpha/p65 pathway and the execution phase of apoptosis. Our findings demonstrate that PNU-74654 can induce apoptosis in TC cells through mechanisms involving the execution phase of apoptosis and inhibition of TNFR1/IKB alpha/p65 signaling. Therefore, small molecules such as PNU-74654 may identify potential new treatment strategies for TC.

Avoiding aneuploid embryo transfers has been shown to improve pregnancy outcomes in patients with implantation failure and pregnancy loss. This retrospective cohort study aims to analyze the correlation of time-lapse (TL)-based variables and numeric blastocyst morphological scores (TLBMSs) with different mosaic levels. In total, 918 biopsied blastocysts with time-lapse assessments at a uniform time-point were subjected to next-generation sequencing–based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy. In consideration of patient- and cycle-related confounding factors, all redefined blastocyst morphology components of low-grade blastocysts, that is, expansion levels (odds ratio [OR] = 0.388, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.217–0.695; OR = 0.328, 95% CI = 0.181–0.596; OR = 0.343, 95% CI = 0.179–0.657), inner cell mass grades (OR = 0.563, 95% CI = 0.333–0.962; OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.211–0.58; OR = 0.497, 95% CI = 0.274–0.9), and trophectoderm grades (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.178–0.473; OR = 0.242, 95% CI = 0.143–0.411; OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.162–0.554), were less correlated with mosaic levels ≤20%,

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) of blastocysts through array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) improves live birth rates (LBR) in IVF cycles for patients with high prevalence of aneuploidy. Materials and Methods: This study included 1389 blastocysts with aCGH results derived from 296 PGT-A cycles in IVF patients with advanced maternal age (AMA) (n = 87, group A), those with repeated implantation failure (RIF) (n = 82, group B), those with recurrent miscarriage (RM) (n = 82, group C), and oocyte donors (OD) (n = 45, young age, as a control group). Another 61 AMA patients without PGT-A procedures were used as a control group for group A. Vitrification was performed after blastocyst biopsy, and thawed euploid embryos were transferred in a nonstimulated cycle. Results: For the AMA group, a significant increase in LBRs was found in the PGT-A group compared with the non–PGT-A group (54.1% vs. 32.8%, p = 0.018). Consistent LBRs (54.1%, 51.6%, 55.9%, and 57.1%, respectively, in group A, B, C, and young age group) were obtained for all the indications. Conclusions: LBRs can be improved using PGT-A of blastocysts with aCGH in IVF cycles for patients with a high rate of aneuploidy, especially for patients with AMA. Keywords: Array comparative genomic hybridization, Blastocyst, Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy

Several studies have reported a poor implantation rate for assisted reproduction technology (ART) cycles with elevated progesterone (P4) at the end of the follicular phase. Whether all women with increased P4 on the human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) trigger day should undergo fresh or frozen embryo transfer (ET) remains to be explored. This study attempted to determine that the P4 level on 2 days before hCG administration and P4 ratio can serve as indicators for fresh ET in normal responders with an elevated P4 level of >1.5 ng/ml on the hCG administration day. This was a retrospective cohort study involving 337 ART cycles with fresh ET for normal responders. Serum P4 levels were measured 2 days prior to hCG day (P4 level I) and on the hCG administration day (P4 level II). The P4 ratio was calculated as follows: P4 ratio = P4 level II / P4 level I. The primary outcome is live birth rate of fresh ET cycles. The ROC curves established that the optimal P4 level I and P4 ratio for pregnancy in ART cycles with high P4 level II were 0.975 ng/ml and 1.62, respectively. Patients with a P4 level I of ≤0.975 ng/ml and P4 ratio of >1.62 were associated with a significantly higher implantation (30.8%, 61/198 vs. 10.3%, 19/184, p < 0.001) and live birth rates (51.6%, 33/64 vs. 15.0%, 9/60, p < 0.001) compared with those with a P4 level I of >0.975 ng/ml and P4 ratio of ≤1.62. A combination of P4 level I and P4 ratio cutoff values of 0.975 ng/ml and 1.62, respectively, had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 82.5% for pregnancy. In conclusion, fresh ET can be an option for women with an early P4 level I under 0.975 ng/ml and a P4 ratio higher than 1.62, especially for those normal responders with an elevated P4 level II >1.5 ng/ml on the hCG administration day. This approach may shorten the time to pregnancy and reduce the cost of ART cycles.

Objective: A number of publications have assessed the prevalence of hypertension in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with inconclusive results. Since in general populations the occurrence of hypertension is related to age and comorbidities, we investigated the incidence rate and hazard ratios (HRs) of hypertension between healthy subjects and young women with PCOS as well as comorbidities.Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study by using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. The cohort included women with the diagnosis of PCOS between 2000 and 2012. Those without PCOS were selected as the control group at a ratio of 4:1 by an age-matched systematic random-sampling method. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to determine the effects of PCOS on the risks of developing hypertension. Stratification analysis was performed to elucidate the interaction among PCOS and the comorbidities, which affect the incidence of hypertension.Results: The PCOS cohort consisted of 20,652 patients with PCOS and the comparison cohort consisted of 82,608 matched patients without PCOS. There was no difference in the distribution of age between the PCOS cohort and the comparison cohort (29.1 ± 6.8 vs. 29.0 ± 6.5, p = 0.32). The incidence rates of hypertension were 7.85 and 4.23 per 1,000 person-years in the PCOS and comparison groups, respectively. A statistically significant higher risk of hypertension was found in the PCOS cohort (adjusted HR = 1.62, 95% confidence interval = 1.48–1.76) than in the comparison cohort. After a joint analysis of comorbidities, the adjusted HR of hypertension was 9.44 (95% confidence interval = 7.27–12.24) for PCOS patients with comorbidities of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia compared with women with neither PCOS nor DM and hyperlipidemia.Conclusion: The risk of developing hypertension in young women with PCOS was higher than in controls in this cohort study. The comorbidities of DM and hyperlipidemia could interact with PCOS patients and further increase the risk of hypertension. An earlier screening for hypertension and comorbidities in patients with PCOS may be warranted, even in young women.

The percentage of peripheral CD56+CD16+ NK cells in the early follicular phase on days 2–3 of the menstrual cycle in repeated implantation failure (RIF) patients was used to evaluate the impact of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on ART cycles. A total 283 patients with RIF consisting of at least 3 ART failures and at least 2 high quality embryo transfers were recruited. A logistic regression analysis for the peripheral immunological profile was completed to predict implantation success and compare the implantation and pregnancy rates between groups with ≤10.6 and >10.6% of CD56+CD16+ NK cells in the early follicular phase. The logistic regression and receiving operating curve analyses showed that patients with ≤ 10.6% of peripheral CD56+CD16+ NK cells in the early follicular phase showed a lower pregnancy rate within the RIF group without IVIG. Patients with peripheral CD56+CD16+ NK cells ≤ 10.6% and without IVIG treatment showed significantly lower implantation and pregnancy rates (12.3 and 30.3%, respectively) when compared with the CD56+CD16+ NK cells >10.6% group (24.9 and 48.0%, respectively, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the patients with CD56+CD16+ NK cells ≤ 10.6% given IVIG starting before ET had significantly higher implantation, pregnancy, and live birth rates (27.5, 57.4, and 45.6%, respectively) when compared with the non-IVIG group (12.3, 30.3, and 22.7%, respectively, p < 0.05). Our results showed that a low percentage of peripheral CD56+CD16+ NK cells (≤10.6%) in the early follicular phase is a potential indicator of reduced pregnancy and implantation success rates in RIF patients, and IVIG treatment will likely benefit this patient subgroup.

Objective: To investigate the effects of growth hormone (GH) cotreatment in ovarian stimulation in infertile women of advanced age, poor responders, and patients with one or more previous IVF treatment failures. Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of 436 patients undergoing GH cotreatment in ovarian stimulation. The first arm included 134 infertile women of advanced age. The second arm included 236 patients with one or more IVF previous treatment failures, and the third arm included 66 younger poor responders. Main outcome measures were the number of oocytes and embryos, quality of embryos, and implantation and pregnancy rates. Results: In infertile women of advanced age, GH plus ovarian stimulation yielded no statistical differences in the numbers of oocytes and embryos, quality of embryo, and rates of implantation and pregnancy. In the second arm, the mature oocyte number (8.2 vs. 6.8), implantation rate (16.1% vs. 0%), and pregnancy rate (33.9% vs. 0%) in the GH cotreatment group differed significantly from those in the control group; the rate of good-quality embryos in the GH cotreatment group improved from 35.5% ± 31.1%–41.4% ± 30.6% in this arm. Similar results were observed in the third arm; in this arm, the clinical pregnancy rate was 30.3% in the GH cotreatment group and 6.1% in the control group. Conclusion: No significant differences were observed in infertile women of advanced age, which may be due to the low GH dose. The GH adjuvant therapy for patients with one or more previous IVF treatment failures and for poor responders significantly improved the oocyte and embryo numbers as well as implantation and pregnancy rates.

Objective: This study established a simple criterion for improving the pregnancy and delivery rates of Day 3 embryo transfer for in vitro fertilization (IVF) by assessing the early cleavage of two-cell stage embryos. Materials and Methods: In total, 258 cycle patients undergoing an IVF and Day 3 embryo transfer program were recruited. All cycles were divided into four groups containing viable Day 3 embryos and those (A) with distinct early cleavage (equal-sized blastomeres and ≤10% fragmentation: ECA grade); (B) with indistinct early cleavage (equal sized blastomeres, >2 blastomeres, or >10% fragmentation: ECB grade); (C) without early cleavage [no early cleavage (NEC grade)]; or (D) without early cleavage being assessed (control) at 25–27 after insemination. Results: The percentage of viable Day 3 embryos from ECA grade (75.1%, 507/675) was significantly higher than that from ECB grade (19.2%, 151/403) or NEC grade (27.1%, 127/469) embryos (p

The use of corifollitropin alfa (CA) in assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles is dependent on the antral follicle count and body weight of patients. The present study investigated the safety and efficacy of using 100μg of CA in predicted excessive responders based on serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level. The results of 381 ART cycles stimulated by CA versus daily recombinant follicle-stimulation hormone (rFSH) in patients with low ( 3.36 ng/mL; n = 48 vs. n = 72) serum AMH levels, were analyzed. Pregnancy and live birth rates did not significantly differ between CA and daily rFSH groups. In the patients with high AMH levels, serum progesterone (P4) levels on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection were significantly lower in the CA group than in the rFSH group (0.93 ± 0.55 vs. 1.16 ± 0.64 ng/mL). Furthermore, serum P4 levels on the day of hCG injection were negatively correlated with baseline AMH levels in the CA group, but not in the rFSH group, in the patients with high AMH levels. In conclusion, the use of 100 μg of CA in patients with high AMH levels is safe and effective and is associated with a lower P4 level on the day of hCG injection compared with the use of daily rFSH.

This retrospective analysis compared the efficiency of the gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist (GnRH-ant) protocol and the GnRH agonist long (GnRH-a) protocol for patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). A total of 1,233 patients with DOR (anti-Mullerian hormone 35 years). All patients with DOR underwent controlled ovarian stimulation and fresh embryo transfer (ET) on day 3. We recruited 283 GnRH-a and 54 GnRH-ant cycles for PG3, and 663 GnRH-a and 233 GnRH-ant cycles for PG4. In PG3, the GnRH-a protocol was associated with a lower ET cancellation rate (30/283 = 10.2% vs. 12/54 = 22.2%, p = 0.018) and a higher live birth rate (7/54 = 13.0% vs. 78/283 = 27.6%, p = 0.024) than the GnRH-ant protocol for the initiated cycles. Furthermore, the GnRH-a protocol was correlated with a higher implantation rate than the GnRH-ant protocol for ET cycles (146/577 = 25.3% vs. 11/103 = 10.7%, P = 0.027). No differences in the ET cancellation rate, live birth rate and implantation rate between GnRH-a and GnRH-ant groups were observed among PG4 patients. In conclusion, the GnRH-a protocol was more effective than the GnRH-ant protocol for young patients with DOR. The low ET cancellation rate and high implantation rate may be related to embryo quality or endometrial receptivity, which warrant further investigation.

Objective: The aim of this research was to study the influence of female age on the cumulative live-birth rate of fresh and subsequent frozen cycles using vitrified blastocysts of the same cohort in hyper-responders. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study of 1137 infertile women undergoing their first in vitro fertilization treatment between 2006 and 2013. The main outcome measure was cumulative live births among the fresh and all vitrified blastocyst transfers combined after the same stimulation cycle. The results were also analyzed according to age (i.e.,

Is the timing of vitrification after trophectoderm (TE) biopsy associated with successful implantation and pregnancy after the embryo transfer of blastocysts subjected to preimplantation genetic screening (PGS)? In this retrospective cohort study, 1329 blastocysts from 223 patients were subjected to TE biopsy for performing array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) tests. The PGS and frozen blastocyst transfer (FET) cycles were performed from December 2012 to May 2015. Only the good quality and expanded blastocysts on day 5 or 6 were selected for biopsy. After TE biopsy, the re-expansion grades relative to the original blastocoel were (1) collapsed blastocysts (CB), (2) 3/4 re-expansion but not full expansion (RE), and (3) full re-expansion or hatching (FE). All biopsied blastocysts were subjected to vitrification within 0.5-6 h after biopsy; the time intervals between TE biopsy and vitrification and the expansion grades at the time of vitrification were recorded. By combining two factors, namely the expansion grades and culture intervals between biopsy and vitrification, the patients were further divided into four groups, namely CB with a < 3 h culture interval (n = 34 cycles, Group I), RE and FE blastocysts with a < 3 h culture interval (n = 10 cycles, Group II); CB blastocysts with a ≥ 3 h culture interval (n = 6 cycles, Group III); and RE or FE blastocysts with a ≥ 3 h culture interval (n = 173 cycles, Group IV). The implantation (63.7%, 179/281) and clinical pregnancy (74.0%, 128/173) rates in Group IV were significantly higher than those in Group I (45.3%, 24/53; 50.0%, 17/34; P = 0.012 and 0.005, respectively). According to our findings, optimal vitrification timing > 3 hours to enable blastocysts to reach RE or FE provides improved implantation and pregnancy rates after FET.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03065114.

Objective: This study determined the correlation between the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in prepared culture media and the early development of human embryos. Materials and methods: This was an autocontrolled comparison study. A total of 159 patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment were recruited in this study. The pH values, osmolarity pressures, and ROS levels of 15 batches of two culture media were measured. Sibling oocytes or embryos from individual patients were randomly assigned to two culture groups with Quinn's Advantage Cleavage and Blastocyst media (QAC/QAB) or GIII series cleavage and blastocyst media (G1.3/G2.3). The difference between the two culture groups was analyzed using one-sample t test. Results: The QAC/QAB and G1.3/G2.3 media exhibited similar pH values and osmolarity pressures. However, the prepared QAC/QAB media were characterized to contain lower amounts of ROS than the G1.3/G2.3 media. Furthermore, the blastocysts that developed under the QAC/QAB media were morphologically superior to those that developed under the G1.3/G2.3 media. Conclusion: The elevated ROS levels in culture media were associated with poor development of blastocyst-stage embryos. Measurement of ROS levels may be a valuable process for medium selection or modification.

The presence of an activating mutation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is found in ~90% of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. Death domain-associated protein (DAXX), a nuclear protein, interacts with β-catenin in CRC cells. We investigated DAXX expression in 106 matched sample pairs of CRC and adjacent normal tissue by Western blotting. This study evaluated DAXX expression and its clinical implications in CRC. The results revealed that DAXX expression was significantly lower in the patients with the positive serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) screening results compared to the patients with negative CEA screening levels (p < 0.001). It has been reported that CD24 is a Wnt target in CRC cells. Here, we further revealed that DAXX expression was significantly correlated with CD24 expression (rho = 0.360, p < 0.001) in 106 patients. Consistent with this, in the CEA-positive subgroup, of which the carcinomas expressed DAXX at low levels, they were significantly correlated with CD24 expression (rho = 0.461, p < 0.005). Therefore, reduced DAXX expression is associated with reduced CD24 expression in CRC. Notably, in the Hct116 cells, DAXX knockdown using short-hairpin RNA against DAXX (shDAXX) not only caused significant cell proliferation, but also promoted metastasis. The DAXX-knockdown cells also demonstrated significantly decreased CD24 expression, however the intracellular localization of CD24 did not change. Thus, DAXX might be considered as a potential regulator of CD24 or β-catenin expression, which might be correlated with proliferative and metastatic potential of CRC.

Studies have revealed that people with hyperglycemia have a high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Hyperglycemia may be responsible for supplying energy to CRC cells. However, the potential molecular mechanism for this association remains unclear. Furthermore, microRNA-9 (miR-9) has a tumor-suppressive function in CRC. Aberrant reduced expression of miR-9 is involved in the development and progression of malignancy caused by a high glucose (HG) concentration. In this study, we used an HG concentration to activate miR-9 downregulation in CRC cells. Our results indicated that miR-9 decreased the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R)/Src signaling pathway and downstream cyclin B1 and N-cadherin but upregulated E-cadherin. The HG concentration not only promoted cell proliferation, increased the G1 population, and modulated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) protein expression and morphology but also promoted the cell migration and invasion ability of SW480 (low metastatic potential) and SW620 (high metastatic potential) cells. In addition, low glucose concentrations could reverse the effect of the HG concentration in SW480 and SW620 cells. In conclusion, our results provide new evidence for multiple signaling pathways being regulated through hyperglycemia in CRC. We propose that blood sugar control may serve as a potential strategy for the clinical management of CRC.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the usefulness of blastocyst scores and female age as embryo competence markers for embryo transfer in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Materials and Methods: A total of 352 IVF cycles were investigated. The relevance of blastocyst scores and female age to pregnancy outcome was assessed by logistic regression analysis. Results: We revealed that, for patients aged 38 years. For older patients, female age is a better indicator to determine the number of transferred blastocysts.

Many factors such as genetic, developmental and hormonal are involved in mammalian sex determination. The relative importance and the mutual interactions among those factors are obscure. Study of cytogenetic mosaicism involving sex chromosomes may help to further unravel the mysterious process. We report a fetus with a mosaic karyotype, 45,X/46,X,idic(Y)(qter-p11.3::p11.3-qter), with unambiguous male external genitalia and a defect in the interventricular septum of the heart. Genotype of this fetus was extensively studied by technologies including sequencing of SRY (sex-determining region on the Y chromosome) gene, G-banding, FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) and SKY (spectral karyotyping). A markedly higher percentage of Y-containing cells was observed in the gonads (55%) than in the amniotic fluid (17%) and placental villi (11%), which was considered to be the major reason why the fetus did not have ambiguous genitalia.

Objective: We report a patient with late onset of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) combined with pregnancy subsequent to in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles without embryo transfer, which is extremely rare. Case Report: This case of severe OHSS was in a 27-year-old woman who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), oocyte collection, and IVF. All embryos were cryopreserved to prevent possible OHSS due to an extremely high level of estradiol (6,357 pg/mL). No embryo was transferred in this cycle. However, she was admitted 7 days after oocyte retrieval because of massive ascites and enlarged ovaries. Pregnancy was diagnosed by serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (51 mIU/mL) 4 days later. Fetal heartbeat was demonstrated by ultrasound examination during follow-up. Conclusion: Prompt recognition of pregnancy and proper medical intervention should be given to patients with late-onset OHSS, even if no embryo was transferred in the fresh cycle. We suggest that more preventive procedures for OHSS may be necessary for patients undergoing COH and receiving no embryo transfer, such as oocyte donors and patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background/Aim: Cancers of the central nervous system (CNS) pose a significant burden, despite their relatively low incidence compared to other types of cancers. The mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) is a crucial indicator of long-term survival and healthcare system performance. Computed tomography (CT) plays a crucial role in the screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of brain tumors, enabling early intervention and treatment. This study aimed to explore the relationship between CT density, CNS cancer incidence, mortality, and MIR to investigate regional variations in CT utilization and their impact on CNS cancer mortality rates. Patients and Methods: Changes in MIR, referred to as dMIR, were calculated based on data from 2012 and 2018. CT density data for the year 2013 were retrieved from the Global Health Observatory data repository. The association between variables was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Results: Analysis of data from 107 countries revealed a positive association between CT density and both CNS cancer incidence and mortality. However, a trend was observed between CT density and MIR. These findings suggest that in countries with greater accessibility to CT imaging, CNS cancer cases may be detected earlier and lower mortality rates can be achieved. Conclusion: Our research contributes to the understanding of the impact of CT imaging on the management and outcomes of CNS cancers. It informs healthcare strategies and resource allocation to improve patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]