The clinical efficiency of transcriptome-based endometrial receptivity assessment (Tb-ERA) in Chinese patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF): A study protocol for a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: Today, approximately 10% of participants in assisted reproductive technology (ART) are defined as having recurrent implantation failure (RIF). Recent studies show that endometrial receptivity array can improve pregnancy and implantation rates by nearly 20% in women with RIF. However, these studies are limited, with little published data in the Chinese population. Recently, we have established a transcriptome-based endometrial receptivity assessment (Tb-ERA) method of predicting the endometrial window of implantation (WOI) using transcriptome-profiling data of different phases of the menstrual cycle from healthy fertile Chinese women by RNA-Seq. It is meaningful to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the clinical efficiency of Tb-ERA in Chinese patients with RIF. Methods: In this RCT, a total of 200 RIF patients will be recruited and randomized into 2 groups. Patients in the Tb-ERA group will undergo a Tb-ERA test, after which embryo transfer time will be adjusted according to Tb-ERA results and embryo transfer will be performed again in the next cycle. Patients in the control group will not receive any interventions until the next transfer cycle. We will perform statistical analysis on both groups at the primary endpoint (clinical-pregnancy rate) and at secondary endpoints (rate of WOI displacement, embryo implantation, biochemical pregnancy, early abortion, and ectopic pregnancy). Implications: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of our Tb-ERA test in Chinese RIF patients and to determine that whether Tb-ERA could improve the clinical-pregnancy rate in these RIF patients. Trial registration: NCT04497558, registered August 4, 2020.

Trends and socioeconomic factors in smoking and alcohol consumption among Chinese people: evidence from the 2008-2018 National Health Service Surveys in Jiangsu Province.

BACKGROUND: Smoking and excessive drinking are risk factors for many diseases. With the rapid economic development in China, it is important to identify trends in smoking and alcohol consumption and socioeconomic factors that contribute to these behaviors to ensure the health of the population. METHODS: we analyzed pooled cross-sectional data from the fourth, fifth, and sixth National Health Service Surveys conducted in Jiangsu Province in 2008, 2013, and 2018, respectively. The study population was those over 15 years old in three surveys. Trends in smoking and alcohol use were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and bivariate and multinomial logistic regression was used to identify contributing factors. RESULTS: Among total sample, smoking rate was 23.95%, in which the incidence of light, moderate and heavy smoking was 5.75, 4.63 and 13.56%, respectively; drinking rate was 23.29%, in which non-excessive drinking and excessive drinking were 19.80 and 3.49%, respectively, "smoking and drinking" rate was 13.41%. From 2008 to 2018, overall and light-to-moderate smoking rates first increased and then decreased while heavy smoking rate declined; alcohol consumption increased while excessive drinking increased before decreasing; and the incidence of "smoking and drinking" has been rising continuously. The trend of smoking and drinking rates in urban area was similar to rural area, however there was significant difference between urban and rural area. Socioeconomic factors, demographic, health-related and year variables were significant influencing factors of smoking and drinking. CONCLUSION: Our research can provide important evidences for tobacco and alcohol control in China and other similar developing countries. Preventive measures such as education and support services along with stricter regulations for tobacco and alcohol use are needed to improve public health in China.

[Particle Size Distribution, Seasonal Variation Characteristics and Human Exposure Assessment of Heavy Metals in Typical Settled Dust from Beijing].

Four types of dust from dormitories, offices, hotels and roads in Beijing were collected and fractionated into 9 fractions, respectively. Totally 36 samples were obtained and analyzed for heavy metals including Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cd and Ni. Particle size distributions of those heavy metals in these four types of dust were investigated and the influencing mechanisms were discussed. Distribution patterns of the same heavy metal in different types of dust showed various characteristics. Also different metals in the same type of dust represented different distribution patterns. Heavy metals in road dust tended to concentrate in finer particles. Two offices from the same building, located in Beijing, China, were selected to study the seasonality of heavy metals in dust. Dust sampling from Office A was conducted at weekly intervals between March 2012 and August 2012, while dust from Office B was sampled fortnightly from March 2012 to December 2012. Generally, levels of all heavy metals remained stable among different seasons, however, Cr and Pb represented more significant fluctuations than other four heavy metals. Based on the geo-accumulation index method, the pollution of Zn, Cu and Pb was more serious in the investigated samples, and dust from offices and hotels were moderately polluted by Zn. According to the risk assessment results, the carcinogenic health risks of the six heavy metals in the four types of dust were negligible.

Assessment of density gradient centrifugation (DGC) and sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) measurements in couples with male factor infertility undergoing ICSI.

PURPOSE: To investigate how effectively density gradient centrifugation (DGC) improves sperm nuclear integrity and to determine whether the sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test of sperm nuclear integrity in native or DGC-treated semen can predict the outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHODS: The DNA integrity of spermatozoa from 63 male factor infertility patients undergoing ICSI was analyzed by the SCD test before and after DGC. The predictive value of the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) for ART outcomes was assessed in a cohort of 45 patients who were undergoing fresh embryo transfer. For the analysis, they were divided into pregnant and non-pregnant groups and, independently, into high sperm DFI (DFI > 30%) and low sperm DFI (DFI ≤ 30%) groups. Both raw and DGC semen parameters were examined. RESULTS: In the asthenospermia and oligozoospermia groups, DGC decreased the sperm DFI from 31.5 ± 19.7 and 28.5 ± 10.3 to 19.2 ± 18.3 and 16.0 ± 12.8, respectively (P < 0.01). DGC decreased the sperm DFI in the severe oligozoospermia group from 41.4 ± 19.0 to 36.3 ± 20.6 (P > 0.01). The pregnant and non-pregnant groups did not differ in their fertilization rate and sperm DFI in native or DGC semen (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference between the high sperm DFI (DFI > 30%) and low sperm DFI (DFI ≤ 30 %) groups with regard to fertilization rate, implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy rate for both native and DGC semen (P > 0.05). The patients undergoing ICSI with a high sperm DFI had a higher pregnancy loss rate (defined as spontaneous miscarriage or biochemical pregnancy) compared with patients with a low sperm DFI in both the native and DGC semen groups. CONCLUSIONS: DGC highly significantly reduces sperm DNA fragmentation in the semen of ICSI patients, with the exception of those with severe oligozoospermia. The results of the SCD test of sperm DNA fragmentation in native or DGC semen do not correlate with the fertilization rate, implantation rate, or clinical pregnancy rate in patients undergoing ICSI.

Gaussia luciferase reporter assay for assessment of gene delivery systems in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an alternative method for assessment of gene delivery systems in vivo. METHODS: Mouse primary spleen lymphocytes were genetically modified in vitro by a retroviral vector harboring a Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) expression cassette. After implantation of these cells into recipient mice, the expression of Gluc was detected in whole blood or plasma collected. RESULTS: As little as 10 muL whole blood drawn from the recipient mice could guarantee prompt reading of Gluc activity with a luminometer. And the reading was found in good correlation with the number of genetically modified spleen lymphocytes implanted to the mice. CONCLUSIONS: Gluc may be useful as an in vivo reporter for gene therapy researches, and Gluc blood assay could provide an alternative method for assessment of gene delivery systems in vivo.

[Study on factors related to top 10 junk food consumption at 8 to 16 years of age, in Haidian District of Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To study the current situation of ten types of junk food consumption (assessed by World Health Organization) among children and adolescent as well as the contributing factors in Haidian District, Beijing so as to provide evidence for developing preventive and control measures and interventions. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the consumption of ten types of junk food practices in 1019 children and adolescent aged 8-16 years in Beijing Haidian District. RESULTS: One month prior to the study, 97.50% of the children and adolescent had eaten at least one type of junk food and 15.88% of them had eaten all types of them. Rates on having eaten deep fried food, pickled food, processed meat products, biscuits, coke or alike drinks, convenience/fast food, canned food, dried or preserved fruit, cold and sweet food, barbecue food etc. appeared to be 70.43%, 60.14%, 79.72%, 64.24%, 69.63%, 78.72%, 42.16%, 51.95%, 68.13%, 60.14% respectively. The rate on eaten more than once a day of these ten types were 26.95%, 36.88%, 34.84%, 32.97%, 27.40%, 28.18%, 37.91%, 26.15%, 37.39%, 22.10% respectively. The rates for "do not like" and "dislike" these ten types junk food were 10.96%, 27.42%, 7.08%, 12.11%, 6.56%, 6.59%, 17.80%, 13.59%, 3.42%, 5.19% respectively. Most of the children and adolescent ate junk food mainly during breakfast at home. Most of the surveyed children and adolescent did not have correct idea on nutrition of junk food. They received the information of junk food mainly from sources as advertisement on TV (67.95%), mother (9.02%), newspaper or magazines (6.71%). Many factors, such as individual factors (including physiological and psychological situations), social factors, family factors and the characteristics of food contributed to the eating junk food practices of children and adolescent. CONCLUSION: Eating junk food is a popular event among children and adolescent in Beijing Haidian District. Education strategies on nutrition should be developed and launched in order to help children develop their own healthy eating behaviors.

[Assessment of the BALB/c mice as a suitable animal model for the investigation of food allergy].

OBJECTIVE: This study was to develop a suitable model for the investigation for food allergy. METHODS: BALB/c mice were dosed by intraperitoneally with Ovalbumin, Beef serum albumin, Trypsin inhibitor and Potato acid phosphatase respectively (0.25ml 20mg/mnl) on day 0 and again on day 7. Control group was dosed with PBS. Sera form individual animals were analysed for specific IgE and Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests. Additionally, the level of histamine in plasma were detected. RESULTS: The high titres of specific IgE (1: 32) could be provoked in test groups compared with control group. In addition, the level of histamine in plasma of test groups was higher than that in the control group. But there was no statistical significance between group food allergen and group Potato acid phosphatase. CONCLUSION: Although allergic action of BALB/c mice could be provoked, the situation of the allergic action of BALB/c mice to the proteins was very different with the human being. The BALB/c mice could not be a suitable model for the investigation for food allergy.