Ligand Mediation for Tunable and Oxide Suppressed Surface Gold-Decorated Liquid Metal Nanoparticles.

Gallium-based liquid metal systems hold vast potential in materials science. However, maximizing their possibilities is hindered by gallium's native oxide and interfacial functionalization. In this study, small-molecule ligands are adopted as surfactants to modify the surface of eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) nanoparticles and suppress oxidation. Different p-aniline derivatives are explored. Next, the reduction of chloroanric acid (HAuCl4 ) onto these p-aniline ligand modified EGaIn nanoparticles is investigated to produce gold-decorated EGaIn nanosystems. It is found that by altering the concentrations of HAuCl4 or the p-aniline ligand, the formation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on EGaIn can be manipulated. The reduction of interfacial oxidation and presence of AuNPs enhances electrical conductivity, plasmonic performance, wettability, stability, and photothermal performance of all the p-aniline derivative modified EGaIn. Of these, EGaIn nanoparticles covered with the ligand of p-aminobenzoic acid offer the most evenly distributed AuNPs decoration and perfect elimination of gallium oxides, resulting in the augmented electrical conductivity, and highest wettability suitable for patterning, enhanced aqueous stability, and favorable photothermal properties. The proof-of-concept application in photothermal therapy of cancer cells demonstrates significantly enhanced photothermal conversion performance along with good biocompatibility. Due to such unique characteristics, the developed gold-decorated EGaIn nanodroplets are expected to offer significant potential in precise medicine.

Immediate versus delayed frozen embryo transfer in women following a failed IVF-ET attempt: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The optimal time at which to perform a frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) following a failed in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) attempt remains elusive to most reproductive experts. Physicians often delay the introduction of FET due to concerns related to potential residual effects of ovarian hyperstimulation which may interfere with the regular menstrual cycle. Moreover, given that most of the published studies on the topic are retrospective and have inconsistent findings, it is crucial to develop evidence-based randomized control guides for clinical practice. Therefore, this well-designed randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted to determine whether it is necessary to delay FET for at least one menstrual cycle after the failure of fresh embryo transfer. METHODS: Infertile women eligible for IVF-ET were invited to participate in this multicenter, randomized, non-inferiority, parallel-group, unblinded, controlled trial at the academic fertility centers of four public hospitals in Chinese Mainland. Infertile women scheduled to receive their first FET cycle after a failed IVF-ET attempt were randomly assigned to either (a) the immediate FET group in which FET was performed in the first menstrual cycle following the failed IVF-ET cycle (n = 366) or (b) the delayed FET group in which FET was performed in the second or subsequent menstrual cycle following the failed IVF-ET cycle (n = 366). All FET cycles were performed during hormone replacement cycles for endometrial preparation. The primary outcome was the ongoing pregnancy, defined as a detectable fetal heart beat beyond twelve weeks of gestation. Secondary outcomes were other pregnancy-related outcomes, maternal and neonatal complications. Analysis was performed by both intention-to-treat and per-protocol principles. RESULTS: A total of 646 FETs were completed. The frequency of moderate to severe depression and high stress level prior to FET in delayed FET group were significantly higher than that in immediate FET group (10.6% vs 6.1%, p = 0.039; 30.3% vs 22.4%, p = 0.022, respectively). Immediate FET resulted in a higher frequency of clinical pregnancy than did delayed FET (41.7% vs 34.1%), for a relative risk (RR) of 1.23 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.50; p = 0.045). Women who underwent immediate FET also had a lower frequency of biochemical pregnancy loss (11.7% vs. 30.6%), with a RR of 0.28 (95% CI 0.23-0.63, p < 0.001), and a higher frequency of embryo implantation (25.2% vs. 20.2%), with a RR of 1.25 (95% CI 1.01-1.53; p = 0.038). Although the ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates did not differ significantly between the immediate FET and delayed FET groups (37.1% vs 30.3%, RR 1.22, 95% CI 0.99-1.52, p = 0.067; 36.5% vs 30.0%, RR 1.22, 95% CI 0.98-1.52, p = 0.079, respectively), a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders such as depression and stress levels revealed that the immediate FET group had a significantly higher ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates than the delayed FET group (odds ratio 0.68, 95% CI 0.47-0.99, p = 0.041; odds ratio 0.67, 95% CI 0.46-0.96, p = 0.031). The risks of maternal and neonatal complications were comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In women with a previous failed IVF-ET attempt, immediate FET resulted in higher ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates than delayed FET. These findings warrant caution in the indiscriminate application of a delayed FET strategy when apparent risk of high stress level is perceived. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000033313 .

A Comparison of the Efficacy of Immediate Versus Delayed Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer on the Ongoing Pregnancy Rate After a Failed IVF Attempt: Study Protocol for a Randomized, Non-Inferiority, Parallel-Group, Controlled Trial.

Introduction: In clinical practice, the ideal time at which to perform a Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer (FET) after a failed In-vitro Fertilization-embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) is still unclear to most practicing physicians. In addition, physicians often delay the introduction of FET due to concerns on the possible residual effects of ovarian hyperstimulation, which may interfere with the regular menstrual cycle. Moreover, given that most of the published studies on the topic are retrospective with contradictory findings, it is crucial to provide evidence-based randomized control guides for clinical practice. Methods/analysis: The study is a randomized, non-inferiority, parallel-group, controlled trial that will enroll a total of 732 women undergoing their first FET after a failed fresh embryo transfer (ET) cycle. The participants will then be randomized into two groups based on a computer-generated randomized list. The two groups include: (i) an immediate group were FET will be carried out during the first menstrual cycle after a failed fresh ET cycle and (ii) a delayed group where FET will be carried out during the second menstrual cycle after a failed fresh ET cycle. Primary outcomes will be defined as viable pregnancies with fetal heartbeats, diagnosed through pelvic ultrasonography after twelve weeks of gestation. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Assisted Reproductive Medicine at the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SDTCM/E-2020.2.01). In addition, written informed consent will be obtained from all the participants before the study. The results of this trial will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal. Discussion: Currently, there is no consensus with regard to the duration after which the effects of ovarian stimulation are observed after a failed fresh ET and the optimal time required to begin FET. Moreover, no randomized controlled trial exists that compares the ongoing pregnancy rates after immediate versus delayed FET following a failed fresh ET cycle. Therefore, it is important to conduct a well-designed randomized trial to determine whether it is necessary to delay FET for at least one menstrual cycle after the failure of fresh ET. Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR2000033313 (http://www.chictr.org.cn/enIndex.aspx).