Association of ambient PM2.5 and its components with in vitro fertilization outcomes: The modifying role of maternal dietary patterns.

Despite the associations of dietary patterns and air pollution with human reproductive health have been demonstrated, the interaction of maternal preconception diet and PM2.5 and its components exposure on in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment outcomes has not been investigated. A total of 2688 couples from an ongoing prospective cohort were included. Principle component analysis with varimax rotation was performed to determine dietary patterns. One-year and 85-day average PM2.5 and its components exposure levels before oocyte retrieval were estimated. Generalized linear regression models were conducted to assess the association of dietary patterns and PM2.5 and its components exposure with IVF outcomes. Interactive effects of dietary patterns on the association between PM2.5 and its components and IVF outcomes were evaluated by stratified analyses based on different dietary patterns. A positive association between the "Fruits-Vegetables-Dairy" pattern and normal fertilization (p-trend = 0.009), Day 3 available embryos (p-trend = 0.048), and top-quality embryos (p-trend = 0.041) was detected. Conversely, women with higher adherence to the "Puffed food-Bakery-Candy" pattern were less likely to achieve Day 3 available embryos (p-trend = 0.042) and top-quality embryos (p-trend = 0.030), clinical pregnancy (p-trend = 0.049), and live birth (p-trend = 0.020). Additionally, increased intake of animal organs and seafood improved the odds of live birth (p-trend = 0.048). Exposure to PM2.5, SO42-, organic matter (OM), and black carbon (BC) had adverse effects on embryo development and pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, our findings indicated that the effects of PM2.5 components exposure on normal fertilization and embryo quality were modified by the "Grains-Tubers-Legumes". Moreover, moderate intake of animal organs and seafood appeared to attenuate the effect of NO3- and NH4+ on the risk of early abortion. Our findings provide human evidence of the interaction between dietary patterns and PM2.5 exposure on IVF outcomes during preconception, implicating the potential for dietary interventions in infertile women to improve reproductive outcomes under conditions of unavoidable ambient air-pollutant exposure.

SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination and in vitro fertilization treatment: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of COVID-19 on reproductive health is controversial. The association between female SARS-CoV-2 infection and laboratory and pregnancy outcomes following subsequent in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between IVF treatment at different time intervals after SARS-CoV-2 infection and reproductive outcomes. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 920 IVF cycles post-SARS-CoV-2 infection was conducted. Modified Poisson regression and logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate oocyte- and embryo-related outcomes as well as clinical outcomes. Stratified analyses were also performed based on the vaccination status of the female participants. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 infection within three months was associated with reduced available [Adjusted RR (aRR): 0.96, 95 %CI: 0.91-1.00] and top-quality embryos (aRR: 0.90, 95 %CI: 0.83-0.98) in subsequent IVF treatment. Among patients failing to finish the three-dose vaccination, the interval between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cycle initiation of less than 90 days was associated with a lower number of oocytes retrieval (aRR: 8.81, 95 %CI: 8.24-9.41 vs aRR: 9.64, 95 %CI: 9.06-10.25), available embryos (aRR: 0.93, 95 %CI: 0.88-0.99), and top-quality embryos (aRR: 0.81, 95 %CI: 0.72-0.91) rather than among fully vaccinated women. Moreover, COVID-19 infection was not associated with biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, embryo implantation, and early abortion either in fresh embryo transfer (ET) or frozen ET. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that initiating IVF treatment within 90 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection might reduce the likelihood of obtaining available and top-quality embryos, especially among those who had not completed the three-dose vaccination. Nevertheless, female COVID-19 infection did not affect pregnancy or early abortion. Further rigorously designed studies are required to support these findings.

Effect of Paternal Body Mass Index on In Vitro Fertilization and Neonatal Outcomes among Oligozoospermia and Asthenospermia Patients.

PURPOSE: Male overweight and obesity could affect sperm quality and reproductive health. However, the impact of body mass index (BMI) on assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes in oligospermia and/or asthenospermia patients is yet lacking. This study aims to assess the impact of paternal BMI on ART and neonatal outcomes among oligozoospermia and/or asthenospermia patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 2,075 couples undergoing their first fresh embryo transfer between January 2015 and June 2022 were recruited. Following the World Health Organization's (WHO's) categories, couples were stratified into three cohorts based on paternal BMI: normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m²), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m²), and obese (≥30.0 kg/m²). Modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the associations of paternal BMI with fertilization, in vitro embryonic development, and pregnancy outcomes. Logistic regression models were performed to investigate the associations of paternal BMI with pregnancy loss and neonatal outcomes. Furthermore, stratified analyses were performed based on fertilization methods, male infertility cause, and maternal BMI. RESULTS: Higher paternal BMI is associated with a lower likelihood of achieving normal fertilized (p-trend=0.002), Day 3 transferable (p-trend=0.007), and high-quality embryos (p-trend=0.046) in IVF cycles, rather than in ICSI cycles. Paternal BMI of oligospermia or asthenospermia was negatively correlated with day 3 transferable (p-trend=0.013 and 0.030) and high-quality embryos (p-trend=0.024 and 0.027). Moreover, for neonatal outcomes, paternal BMI was positively associated with macrosomia (p-trend=0.019), large for gestational age (LGA) (p-trend=0.031), and very LGA (p-trend=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that higher paternal BMI was associated with fetal overgrowth, reduced fertilization, and embryonic development potential. Among males with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia, the impact of overweight and obesity on the choice of fertilization method and the long-term effects on their offspring need to be further investigated.

Exosomes derived from menstrual blood stromal cells ameliorated premature ovarian insufficiency and granulosa cell apoptosis by regulating SMAD3/AKT/MDM2/P53 pathway via delivery of thrombospondin-1.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is clinically irreversible and seriously damages female fertility. We previously demonstrated that menstrual blood stromal cells (MenSCs)-derived exosomes (EXOs) effectively improved ovarian functions in the POI rat model. In this study, we investigated whether TSP1 is the key component in EXOs to ameliorate ovarian functions and further explored the molecular mechanism of EXOs in improving granulosa cell (GCs) activities. Our results demonstrated that knockdown TSP1 significantly debilitated the therapeutic effect of EXOs on estrous cyclicity, ovarian morphology, follicle numbers and pregnancy outcomes in 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) induced POI rat model. In addition, EXOs treatment significantly promoted the activities and inhibited the apoptosis of VCD induced granulosa cells in vitro. Moreover, EXOs stimulation markedly activated the phosphorylation of SMAD3(Ser425) and AKT(Ser473), up-regulated the expressions of BCL2 and MDM2 as well as down-regulated the expressions of CASPASE3, CASPASE8, P53 and BAX. All these effects were supressed by SIS3, a inhibitor of TGF1/SMAD3. Our study revealed the key role of TSP1 in EXOs in improving POI pathology, restoring ovarian functions and GCs activities, andprovided a promising basis for EXOs in the treatment of ovarian dysfunction.

Experimental study on freeze-thaw damage characteristics of coal samples of different moisture contents in liquid nitrogen.

In this study, the surface crack-propagation law and pore damage characteristics of coal samples of different water contents after they undergo leaching in liquid nitrogen are investigated using a 4 K scientific-research camera, HC-U7 non-metal ultrasonic detector, nuclear magnetic resonance testing technology, and self-made multi-functional three axial fluid-solid coupling test system. Experimental investigations are conducted on coal samples of different water contents before and after they undergo liquid-nitrogen freezing and thawing in order to determine the propagation law of surface fissures, the development law of internal micro-fissures, the development process of internal pores, the change law of the pore-size distribution, and the law of coal-sample deformation and gas seepage during the stress process. The test results show that, with the increase in water content in the liquid-nitrogen leaching process, the frost heave force on the coal surface increases, and the greater the increase ratio of the coal porosity, the faster is the development of micro-cracks and pores. Under the action of liquid nitrogen, the number of micro-pores, meso-pores, and macro-pores in the coal sample increased, and with the formation of new cracks and the connection of the original cracks, liquid-nitrogen freezing and thawing can promote the development of the pore structure in the coal body. The permeability changes of coal samples of different water contents during unloading failure exhibit obvious stage characteristics. The above results demonstrate that the moisture content of coal has a significant effect on the development of surface cracks and pore-damage characteristics of coal after liquid-nitrogen freezing and thawing, and there is a positive correlation between the surface crack expansion and internal damage of the coal samples of different moisture contents leached in liquid nitrogen.

Recombinant Snail Sialic Acid Aldolase is Promiscuous towards Aliphatic Aldehydes.

Aldolases are enzymes that reversibly catalyze the cleavage of carbon-carbon bonds. Here we describe a recombinant sialic acid aldolase originating from the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata (sNPL), and compare its substrate spectrum with a sialic acid aldolase originating from chicken (chNPL). In contrast to vertebrate animals which can synthesize, degrade, and incorporate sialic acids on glycoconjugate ubiquitously, snails (as all mollusks) cannot synthesize sialic acids endogenously, and therefore the biological function and substrate scope of sNPL ought to differ significantly from vertebrate sialic aldolases such as chNPL. sNPL was active towards a series of sialic acid derivatives but was in contrast to chNPL unable to catalyze the cleavage of N-acetylneuraminic acid into N-acetylmannosamine and pyruvate. Interestingly, chNPL and sNPL showed contrasting C4(R)/(S) diastereoselectivity towards the substrates d-mannose and d-galactose in the presence of pyruvate. In addition, sNPL was able to synthesize a series of 4-hydroxy-2-oxoates using the corresponding aliphatic aldehyde substrates in the presence of pyruvate, which could be not achieved by chNPL.

Experimental study on the effect of high-temperature oxidation coal mechanical characteristics.

After long-term oxidation and energy storage, broken coal body borehole walls and drainage shaft walls may cause spontaneous combustion during gas extraction. The high-temperature thermal shock caused by the spontaneous combustion of coal incurs thermal damage on adjacent coal, which, in turn, causes changes in the mechanical properties of the coal. However, only a few studies have been conducted in this context, which has limited our understanding of the thermal damage characteristics of coal bodies in such situations. This study aimed to experimentally investigate the correlation between the crack evolution law and the mechanical properties of coal bodies at different temperatures (50-300°C) using heat-force loading considering Ping Mei No. 10 coal mine as the research object. The results suggest that the coal body experiences a large amount of visible damage, and becomes increasingly complex. At 50-300°C, some indexes (such as longitudinal wave velocity, Poisson's ratio, compressive strength, elastic modulus, impact energy index, and pre-peak strain) are positively correlated with temperature. In addition, the dynamic failure time and temperature show a negative correlation, and the overall change slope is small. The relationship between each index and temperature at 200-300°C is opposite to that at 50-200°C, and the overall change slope is larger. Moreover, when the oxidation temperature exceeds 200°C, the destruction of the coal body changes from elastic brittleness to ductility-plasticity. High-temperature oxidation incurs irreversible thermal damage of coal. Hence, it is necessary to focus on the changes in mechanical properties of coal after a spontaneous combustion process is extinguished.

Effect of Acupuncture on Ovary Morphology and Function in DHEA-Induced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Model Rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupuncture on ovary morphology and function in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) model rats. METHODS: A total of 40 adult female Wistar rats were randomly allocated to 4 groups by a random number table, including control, model, metformin and acupuncture groups, 10 rats in each group. PCOS rat model was developed by injecting with DHEA (6 mg/100 g body weight) in 0.2 mL of oil subcutaneously. Electrical stimulation (2 Hz, 3 mA) was applied to Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA1) and Qihai (CV 6) acupoints for 30 min daily in the acupuncture group, and metformin (200 mg/kg) was given to rats in the metformin group, both once per day for 21 consecutive days, and rats in the normal group was fed with normal saline and fed regularly. After 21 days of administration, the rat blood samples were collected for detecting the reproductive hormonal levels [luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), testosterone (T)] and inflammatory factors (visfatin, IL-6) analysis. Ovary tissue was used for histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, rats in the acupuncture and metformin groups were significantly lower in weight gain, FSH, LH and T levels, and E2 and P levels significantly increased (alll P<0.05). Meanwhile, LH and FSH levels were significantly decreased, and P, T and E2 levels significantly increased in the acupuncture group, compared with the metformin group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, IL-6 and visfatin levels were significantly decreased in the acupuncture and metformin groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in IL-6 and visfatin levels between the acupuncture and metformin groups (P>0.05). Ovarian diameter in the acupuncture and metformin groups were smaller than the model group (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in ovarian diameters between the acupuncture and metformin groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture might improve ovary morphology and its function in DHEA-induced PCOS model rats.

Linkage-based device for creep testing of coal rock.

The creep properties of coal rock have been extensively investigated under conventional uniaxial stress conditions, whereas few studies have considered its characteristics or the process of seepage under triaxial stress. This study proposes and verifies a linkage-based creep test device for coal rock to study its creep characteristics under triaxial stress. The deformation, pressure, and signals of acoustic emission under triaxial stress were measured by using a specially designed data measurement system. The experimental device uses the connecting rod loading mechanism for continuous constant pressure loading. Through theoretical calculations and finite element analysis, the authors show that the strength and stiffness of the device satisfy the requirements of a maximum load of 300 kN. A creep test was carried out to verify the operation of the proposed device and analyze the creep characteristics of sandstone under different confining pressures. The results show that the device can analyze the catastrophic characteristics of sandstone, and this proves its validity and reliability in terms of monitoring the continuous pressure or constant pressure of sandstone during creeping. The device provides a new method to study the creep properties of coal rock under different stresses and seepage conditions.

Controllable Assembly and Separation of Colloidal Nanoparticles through a One-Tube Synthesis Based on Density Gradient Centrifugation.

Self-assembly of gold nanoparticles into one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures with finite primary units was achieved by introducing a thin salt (NaCl) solution layer into density gradient before centrifugation. The electrostatic interactions between Au nanoparticles would be affected and cause 1D assembly upon passing through the salt layer. A negatively charged polymer such as poly(acrylic acid) was used as an encapsulation/stabilization layer to help the formation of 1D Au assemblies, which were subsequently sorted according to unit numbers at succeeding separation zones. A centrifugal field was introduced as the external field to overcome the random Brownian motion of NPs and benefit the assembly effect. Such a facile "one-tube synthesis" approach couples assembly and separation in one centrifuge tube by centrifuging once. The method can be tuned by changing the concentration of interference salt layer, encapsulation layer, and centrifugation rate. Furthermore, positively charged fluorescent polymers such as perylenediimide-poly(N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) could encapsulate the assemblies to give tunable fluorescence properties.