The effect of luteinizing hormone changes in GnRH antagonist protocol on the outcome of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and embryo transfer.

BACKGROUD: To investigate the effect of Luteinizing hormone (LH) level changes on the outcomes of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and embryo transfer (ET) in gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) protocol. METHODS: A total of 721 patients undergoing GnRH-ant protocol COH for the first IVF/ICSI cycles were retrospectively analyzed. COH process were divided into 2 stages, before (stage 1) and after (stage 2) the GnRH-ant initiation, and each with 5 groups basing on LH levels: LH decreased more than 50% (groups A1, A2), decreased 25-50% (groups B1, B2), change less than 25% (groups C1, C2), increased 25-50% (groups D1, D2), and increased more than 50% (groups E1, E2). RESULTS: There were no significant differences among groups of stage1 regarding COH and ET outcomes. For stage 2, the more obvious the decrease of LH level, the more the number of oocytes retrieved, mature oocytes, fertilized oocytes, embryos cleavaged and the numbers of embryo available (P < 0.05), but without significant differences regarding ET outcomes. We also found the freeze-all rate in Group A2 was higher (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: LH level changes before GnRH-ant addition were not related to COH and ET outcomes. LH level changes after the addition of GnRH-ant were related to the outcome of COH, and no significant differences were found relating to ET outcomes.

Hematologic and spirometric characteristics of Tajik and Kyrgyz highlanders in the Pamir Mountains.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we measured the hematologic and spirometric parameters of native Tajik and Kyrgyz highlanders in the Pamir Mountains to investigate adaptations to high altitude stressors. METHODS: Hematological parameters including arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2 ), red blood cell (RBC) counts, and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration were measured on Sarikoli Tajik (n = 80; 3100 m), Wakhi Tajik (n = 48; 3500 m), and Kyrgyz (n = 64; 3250 m) in comparison to lowland Uyghurs (n = 50; 1300 m). Spirometric parameters including forced vital capacity (FVC), the first second of forced expiration (FEV1), and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% (FEF25-75) were measured. We also reported mountain sickness symptoms in these highlanders and conducted a multivariate regression analysis to analyze the association between these symptoms and the measured parameters. RESULTS: SaO2 of Sarikoli Tajik, Wakhi Tajik, and Kyrgyz (91%-93.5%) are significantly lower than lowland Uyghurs, yet are comparable to other native highlanders at a similar altitude. RBC counts and Hb concentrations of all three highland populations are significantly increased compared to Uyghurs. FVC is lower in Sarikoli Tajik, Wakhi Tajik, and Kyrgyz (male: 3.48-3.86 L, female: 2.47-2.78 L) compared to Uyghurs. Combined with normal FEV1, elevated FEV1/FVC ratio, and FEF25-75, the spirometric patterns of these highlanders indicate restrictive lung disease. A high prevalence of mountain sickness symptoms such as headache and nausea was found in all three highland populations, and are attributed to low FVC and aging by regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Tajik and Kyrgyz highlanders showed adaptation in SaO2 , RBC, and Hb level, but poor performance in spirometry, which causes mountain sickness.

Total triterpenoids from Ganoderma Lucidum suppresses prostate cancer cell growth by inducing growth arrest and apoptosis.

In this study, one immortalized human normal prostatic epithelial cell line (BPH) and four human prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, 22Rv1, PC-3, and DU-145) were treated with Ganoderma Lucidum triterpenoids (GLT) at different doses and for different time periods. Cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle were analyzed using flow cytometry and chemical assays. Gene expression and binding to DNA were assessed using real-time PCR and Western blotting. It was found that GLT dose-dependently inhibited prostate cancer cell growth through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. GLT-induced apoptosis was due to activation of Caspases-9 and -3 and turning on the downstream apoptotic events. GLT-induced cell cycle arrest (mainly G1 arrest) was due to up-regulation of p21 expression at the early time and down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and E2F1 expression at the late time. These findings demonstrate that GLT suppresses prostate cancer cell growth by inducing growth arrest and apoptosis, which might suggest that GLT or Ganoderma Lucidum could be used as a potential therapeutic drug for prostate cancer.