Correlation Analysis Between Ovarian Reserve and Thyroid Hormone Levels in Infertile Women of Reproductive Age.

Objective: To analyze the correlation between ovarian reserve and thyroid function in women with infertility. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the data of 496 infertility patients who visited the clinic between January 2019 and December 2020. According to the TSH level, it is grouped into <2.5 mIU/L, 2.5~4.0mIU/L and ≥4.0 mIU/L or according to the positive/negative thyroid autoimmune antibody. The relationship was assessed through the ovarian reserve, thyroid function, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in infertile patients. On the other hand, the patients are divided into groups according to age (≤29 years old, 30-34 years old and ≥35 years old), basic FSH (<10 IU/L and ≥10 IU/L), and AMH levels. The ovarian reserve was evaluated through the AMH and the antral follicle count (AFC). Results: The average age of the patients was 30.31 ± 4.50 years old, and the average AMH level was 5.13 ± 4.30 ng/mL. 3.63% (18/496) of patients had abnormal TSH levels (normal: 0.35-5.5 mIU/L), the positive rate of thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) was 14.52% (72/496), the positive rate of anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) was 16.94% (84/496), and the positive rate of TPOAb and TgAb was 10.48% (52/496). After grouping according to TSH level or thyroid autoimmune antibody positive/negative grouping, the analysis found that there was no statistical significance in age, AMH level and basic FSH level among the groups (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of TSH, FT3, and FT4 among different ages, AMH, and FSH levels (P>0.05). Conclusion: There is no significant correlation between ovarian reserve and thyroid function in infertile women.

The Analysis of Anxiety and Depression in Different Stages of in vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer in Couples in China.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the differences in anxiety and depression between infertile Chinese couples in diverse stages of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and their relationship with the IVF-ET outcomes. METHODS: From February 2016 to December 2018, a total of 247 couples that were undergoing IVF-ET were randomly selected for this study. On the day they started their treatment (T1), the day human chorionic gonadotropin was administered (T2), and 4 days after the embryo transfer (T3), self-designed questionnaires, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and the Self-Rating Depression Scale were completed to investigate anxiety and depression in different stages. RESULTS: Age had an effect on the anxiety and depression in women. Male infertility type and the cause of infertility had an effect on the anxiety and depression in men. The incidence of anxiety in women in the T1, T2, and T3 stages was 29.96%, 44.94%, and 17.81%, respectively. The anxiety scores of women were 46.14 ± 8.37, 50.83 ± 8.50, and 44.09 ± 8.17, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of men (p < 0.05). The anxiety score in stage T2 was the highest in women, and the depression score of women in stage T1 was the highest. The incidence of anxiety in men in the T1, T2, and T3 stages was 20.65%, 8.50%, and 6.07%, respectively. The incidence of anxiety was not significantly different in diverse stages (p > 0.05), and the same result was obtained for the incidence of depression. The anxiety and depression scores of the infertile couples in different stages were not related to the outcome of IVF-ET. CONCLUSION: The incidence of anxiety and depression in infertile couples in diverse stages of IVF-ET is different, especially in women, and the anxiety and depression of infertile couples in the process of IVF-ET may not be related to the outcome of assisted pregnancy.

The relationship between the hormone levels before transplantation and the outcomes of hormone replacement therapy frozen embryo transfer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between the outcomes of hormone replacement therapy frozen embryo transfer (HRT-FET) and serum estradiol and progesterone levels on the day of endometrial transformation and before transplantation. METHODS: Clinical data of patients who underwent 426 cycles of HRT-FET were retrospectively analyzed and were divided into group according to estradiol and progesterone levels. Differences in embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate were compared, and relationship between estradiol levels and outcome of transplantation was analyzed. RESULTS: During the 426 cycles, clinical pregnancy rate was 49.77% and embryo implantation rate was 27.20%. Differences in estradiol and progesterone levels on the day of endometrial transformation and before transplantation between pregnant and non-pregnant groups were not statistically significant. Furthermore, embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate among different levels of estradiol patients was not statistical different. On the day before transplantation, serum estradiol level decreased in 98.36% of patients. Differences in implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate among patients with different extents of decrease in estradiol and different progesterone levels the day before transplantation were statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The extent of decrease in serum estradiol and progesterone levels on the day before transplantation may be associated with outcome of HRT-FET.

Highly efficient release of lovastatin from poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles enhances bone repair in rats.

Lovastatin exhibits higher thermal stability and lower degradation rate than simvastatin. However, the amount of research studying a lovastatin delivery device has been far less than similar research on simvastatin. As a consequence, a high lovastatin release rate system has not been developed. We hypothesized that highly efficient release of lovastatin from poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles in a short-term release (7 days) could provide an effective delivery system for bone repair. This study optimized the emulsion (o/w) technique in the fabrication process for PLGA nanoparticles, thereby producing the first recorded case of a high release rate (97%) of lovastatin. We also calculated the calibration curve of lovastatin using a UV spectrometer. The results demonstrated that the ALPase activity in human osteoblasts could be significantly stimulated by lovastatin carried in PLGA nanoparticles, but was prominently decreased by free lovastatin with the concentration higher than 4 µg/ml. Animal studies showed that the amount of lovastatin contained in 1 mg PLGA was the optimum dosage. These results suggest the new lovastatin-releasing PLGA delivery device exhibits potential for clinical treatment of bony defects.

[Identification and clonogenicity of side-population cells in human decidua of first trimester pregnancy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the existence of side-population cells (SP cells) in human decidual tissues in early pregnancy, and its biological characteristics. METHODS: Decidual cells were obtained by enzymatic digestion from the decidual tissues of human early pregnancy. The cells then were stained with Hoechst33342 dye either alone or in combination with verapamil. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis was used to identify and isolate SP cells. The isolated cells were cultured in conditioned media culture to observe the proliferation and ability to form colony. RESULTS: Stem cells were found in the decidual tissues of early pregnancy with a percentage of 0.78% +/- 0.71% (0% - 3.20%). These cells further proliferated and formed colonies during long-time culture in vitro. No significant statistical difference was found in contents of SP cells among different gestational week (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: SP cells exist in human decidua that can further proliferate and have the clonogenicity in culture in vitro.

[Analysis of sulfur compounds in residue fluid catalytic cracking gasoline].

Sulfur compounds in residue fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) gasolines from Refinery of SINOPEC Beijing Yanshan Company and Refinery of Shijiazhuang were analyzed by gas chromatograph connected with flame photometric detector (FPD) and atomic emission detector (AED). Twelve and 26 kinds of sulfur compounds were detected by AED in RFCC gasolines from Yanshan and Shijiazhuang respectively. Only 0 and 19 kinds of sulfur compounds were found by FPD in these two gasolines respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that AED is more sensitive and selective to sulfur compounds than FPD. It also indicated that thiophenes were the major sulfur compounds in the RFCC gasoline. In addition, mercaptan, sulfoether and disulfide species were found.