The impact of sociocultural and psychological stress on the outcome of assisted reproductive technology in remarried families.

OBJECTIVE: In China, there is a unique type of second marriage (SM) family where the woman is remarried, and the man is experiencing his first marriage. Additionally, the woman is older than the man. Therefore, these families experience many challenges: psychological, emotional, and societal pressure. Such family is a typical sample for studying sociocultural and psychological stress influencing on outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART). This study aimed to investigate the impact of social psychological stress on the live birth outcomes AR. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort, second marriage (SM) families who visited the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University reproductive center between January 2012 to December 2022 were screened, and 561s marriage families (the SM group) with 5600 first marriage (FM) families (the FM group) were included undergoing their first ART cycles. The primary outcome of this study was the live birth rate (LBR). RESULTS: The live birth rate (LBR) of SM group (30.7%) is lower than that of the FM group (43.6%) (p < 0.01). After adjustment by logistic regression, the second marriage group (OR = 1.269, 95%CI 1.031-1.562, p = 0.025) were independent factors associated with the outcome of live birth. After propensity score matching (PSM), the live birth rate of SM group (28.7%) is lower than the FM group (35.9%) (0 = 0.011). CONCLUSION: The SM family experience higher levels of social and psychological pressure, which lead to lower level of LBR than FM family.

An alternative 3' splice site of PeuHKT1;3 improves the response to salt stress through enhancing affinity to K+ in Populus.

Alternative splicing (AS) serves as a crucial post-transcriptional regulator in plants that contributes to the resistance to salt stress. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. In this research, we identified an important AS transcript in Populus euphratica, PeuHKT1:3a, generated by alternative 3' splice site splicing mode that resulted in the removal of 252 bases at the 5' end of the first exon in PeuHKT1:3. Protein sequence comparison showed that the site of AS occurred in PeuHKT1:3 is located at a crucial Ser residue within the first pore-loop domain, which leads to inefficient K+ transport in HKT I-type transporters. Expressing PeuHKT1;3a in an axt3 mutant yeast strain can effectively compensate for the lack of intracellular K+, whereas the expression of PeuHKT1;3 cannot yield the effect. Furthermore, in transgenic Arabidopsis and poplar plants, it was observed that lines expressing PeuHKT1;3a exhibited greater salt tolerance compared to those expressing the PeuHKT1;3 strain. Analysis of ion content and flux demonstrated that the transgenic PeuHKT1;3a line exhibited significantly higher K+ content compared to the PeuHKT1;3 line, while there was no significant difference in Na+ content. In conclusion, our findings revealed that AS can give rise to novel variants of HKT I-type proteins in P. euphratica with modified K+ selectivity to keep a higher K+/Na+ ratio to enhanced salt tolerance.

Declined Live Birth Rate from in vitro Fertilization Fresh Cycles Performed During Chinese New Year Holiday Season.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday season on the outcomes of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) fresh embryo transfer cycles. Participants and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 4688 patients who received their first IVF fresh cycle attempt between January 2017 and October 2021. Of these, 4449 women underwent IVF during non-holiday seasons, while 239 women were treated during the CNY holiday season. The study included women who underwent IVF treatment during the specified time frame. The primary outcome was the live birth rate (LBR). Results: The study found that the LBR of IVF performed during the CNY holiday season was 32.22%, which is significantly lower than that of the non-holiday season (43.38%, p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the CNY holiday season (OR=0.62, 95% CI 0.47-0.82, p=0.001) was an independent factor associated with the live birth rate. Propensity score matching (PSM) data analysis showed that the LBR in the CNY holiday season group was 31.78% compared to 42.64% in the non-holiday season group (p=0.005). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) data also indicated that the CNY holiday season had a lower LBR than the non-holiday season (OR=0.64, 95% CI 0.47-0.87, p=0.005). Conclusion: IVF performed during the CNY holiday season results in a lower live birth rate, potentially indicating that certain lifestyle adjustments during this period, such as unhealthy dietary, tobacco and alcohol usage, sleep disruption, and emotional stress experienced could have some influence on the outcomes.

Live Birth Outcomes for PCOS Patients Under the Follicular-Phase Long-Acting GnRH Agonist Protocol or Antagonist Protocol - A Retrospective Chinese Cohort.

Objective: For patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET), there has been no consensus regarding which protocol is the most optimal for live birth rate in fresh cycles. We sought to evaluate depot gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist protocol versus GnRH antagonist protocol in IVF outcomes for PCOS patients in a single fertility center. Methods: In this retrospective cohort, PCOS patients who visited the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University reproductive center between February 2012 and December 2019 were screened, and 533 PCOS infertility patients were included undergoing their first IVF cycle, with 470 in the depot GnRH agonist group and 63 in the GnRH antagonist group. The primary of this study outcome was the fresh live birth rate (LBR). Results: PCOS women in the depot GnRH agonist group had a higher LBR (49.79%) than those in the GnRH antagonist group (34.92%, p = 0.027). The multivariable logistic regression also confirmed that women in the depot GnRH agonist group had a higher LBR than those in the GnRH antagonist group (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.05~3.18, p = 0.032). After propensity score matching (PSM), the LBR in the depot GnRH agonist group was higher (50.32%) than that of the GnRH antagonist group (35.48%), p = 0.033. The ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) rates were similar between the two groups, with 35 in the depot GnRH group and 6 in the GnRH antagonist group (p = 0.561). Conclusions: For PCOS patients in fresh embryo transfer cycles, the depot GnRH agonist protocol may lead to a higher LBR than the antagonist protocol with satisfied lower OHSS rates.

Diabetes influences the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes in SH-SY5Y cells and induces Aß deposition and cognitive dysfunction in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Diabetes has been regarded as an independent risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous study found that diabetes activated autophagy, but lysosome function was impaired. Autophagy-lysosome dysfunction may be involved in Aß deposition in diabetic cognitive impairment. In the present study, we used STZ-induced diabetic rats and SH-SY5Y cells to investigate whether diabetes inhibits autophagosome fusion with lysosomes. We found that in the in vivo study, STZ-induced diabetic rats exhibited cognitive dysfunction, and the lysosome function-related factors CTSL, CTSD, and Rab7 were decreased (P < 0.05). In an in vitro study, the mRFP-GFP-LC3 assay showed that the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes was partly blocked in SH-SY5Y cells. High glucose treatment downregulated the number of autophagolysosomes, downregulated CTSD, CTSL, and Rab7 expression (P < 0.05), and then influenced the function of ACP2 to partly block the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes to inhibit Aß clearance. These findings indicate that high glucose treatment affected lysosome function, interfered with the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes, and partly blocked autophagic flux to influence Aß clearance.

Coptisine mitigates diabetic nephropathy via repressing the NRLP3 inflammasome.

Diabetic nephropathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, threatening the health of millions of people. Herein, we explored a blood glucose independent function of coptisine on diabetic nephropathy. A diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg). Coptisine treatment (50 mg/kg/day) retarded body weight loss and reduced blood glucose. On the other hand, coptisine treatment also decreased kidney weight and the levels of urinary albumin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen, indicating an improvement of renal function. Treatment with coptisine also mitigated renal fibrosis, with alleviative collagen deposition. Likewise, in vitro study showed that coptisine treatment decreased apoptosis and fibrosis markers in HK-2 cells treated with high glucose. Furthermore, after coptisine treatment, the activation of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NRLP3) inflammasome was repressed, with decreased levels of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-18, indicating that the repression of NRLP3 inflammasome contributed to the effect of coptisine on diabetic nephropathy. In conclusion, this study revealed that coptisine mitigates diabetic nephropathy via repressing the NRLP3 inflammasome. It is indicated that coptisine may have the potential to be used in the diabetic nephropathy treatment.

Berberine protects against palmitate induced beta cell injury via promoting mitophagy.

BACKGROUND: Destruction of pancreatic beta cells is the most typical characteristic of diabetes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the effect of berberine (BBR), a bioactive isoquinoline derivative alkaloid, on beta cell injury. METHODS: Rodent pancreatic beta cell line INS-1 was treated with 0.5 mM palmitate (PA) for 24 h to establish an in vitro beta cell injury model. RESULTS: BBR at 5 µM promoted cell viability, inhibited cell apoptosis and enhanced insulin secretion in PA-induced INS-1 cells. BBR treatment also suppressed PA-induced oxidative stress in INS-1 cells, as evidenced by the decreased ROS production and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes. In addition, suppressed ATP production and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential were restored by BBR in PA-treated INS-1 cells. It was further determined that BBR affected the expressions of mitophagy-associated proteins, suggesting that BBR promoted mitophagy in PA-exposed INS-1 cells. Meanwhile, we found that BBR facilitated nuclear expression and DNA-binding activity of Nrf2, an antioxidative protein that can regulate mitophagy. Finally, a rescue experiment was performed and the results demonstrated that the effect of BBR on cell viability, apoptosis and mitochondrial function in PA-induced INS-1 cells were cancelled by PINK1 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: BBR protects islet ß cells from PA-induced injury, and this protective effect may be achieved by regulating mitophagy. The present study may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for ß cell injury in diabetes mellitus.

High-performance coded aperture gamma camera based on monolithic GAGG:Ce crystal.

A 50 × 50 × 10 mm3 monolithic gadolinium aluminum gallium garnet (Gd3Al2Ga3O12; GAGG):Ce crystal coupled to a 8 × 8 silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array was developed; it showed very good system uniformity and a high energy resolution of 7.4% at 662 keV. By using a convolutional neural network-based positioning algorithm and a fan-beam calibration method, the detector achieved a position resolution of ∼1.4 mm and a depth of interaction resolution of ∼2 mm. Based on this high-performance monolithic detector, we developed a coded aperture gamma camera. A 1-mCi Cs-137 source centered at a 2-m distance from the mask could be reconstructed with a signal-to-noise ratio of 6.5 in 1 s. Furthermore, the imaging ability of a low-energy Am-241 source and a low-activity Cs-137 source when the background-to-signal ratio was approximately 1:1 and a double low-activity source (Cs-137 and Na-22) was demonstrated. It is shown that the monolithic-crystal-based coded aperture gamma camera can achieve high performance and has a large potential for further improvement.

Coptisine ameliorates renal injury in diabetic rats through the activation of Nrf2 signaling pathway.

The present study has been designed and carried out to evaluate the potential of coptisine on diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes was induced in SD rats through one single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) method, and then diabetic rats were orally administered with 25 mg/kg/day coptisine or 50 mg/kg/day coptisine for 8 weeks. Severe impairment of renal function in rats with diabetes was observed as indicated by increased urine protein excretion, kidney hypertrophy index, serum creatinine level, and blood urea nitrogen level. Oxidative stress damage was observed as indicated by increased levels of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and decreased levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. However, these alterations in kidneys of rats with diabetes were alleviated by administration of coptisine. Furthermore, the expression levels of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its targeted antioxidative genes heme oxygenase 1 and NADPH quinone oxidoreductase 1 in the diabetic kidneys were significantly increased after coptisine treatment. These results suggested that coptisine ameliorated oxidative renal injury in diabetic rats, and the possible mechanisms for the renoprotective effects of coptisine may be related to activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Berberine protects against diabetic retinopathy by inhibiting cell apoptosis via deactivation of the NF­κB signaling pathway.

A number of studies have reported that diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the major cause of blindness. Berberine (BBR) is a bioactive constituent that displays effects on blood glucose; however, the mechanism underlying the role of BBR during the development of DR is not completely understood. In the present study, a rat model of DR was successfully established. The eye tissues were removed and subsequently assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the TUNEL assay. The catalase, malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, glutathione and superoxide dismutase contents of the eye tissues were measured. Müller cells were chosen for further in vitro experiments. Cell apoptosis was examined by Annexin V­FITC apoptosis detection and Hoechst staining, and the mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed by JC­1 mitochondrial membrane potential detection. BBR decreased ganglion cell layer, cell apoptosis, reduced diabetic­induced oxidative stress and deactivated the NF­κB signaling pathway in the rat model of DR. High glucose enhanced oxidative stress and induced mitochondria­dependent cell apoptosis in Müller cells by activating the NF­κB signaling pathway. BBR reversed the high glucose­induced effects by decreasing the phosphorylation of IκB, inhibiting NF­κB nuclear translocation and deactivating the NF­κB signaling pathway. The results suggested that BBR protected against DR by inhibiting oxidative stress and cell apoptosis via deactivation of the NF­κB signaling pathway; therefore, suggesting that BBR may serve as a promising therapeutic agent for DR.

Association between Normal Thyroid Hormones and Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

The relationship between normal thyroid function and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been a particular focus for concern. The present study determined the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in T2DM patients. A cross-sectional study (n = 633) was performed in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. Subjects were evaluated for anthropometric measurements, thyroid function, and diabetic retinopathy. Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationships between thyroid hormones and DR. Of 633 patients, 243 (38.4%) patients suffered from DR. The prevalence of DR showed a significantly decreasing trend across the quartiles based on free triiodothyronine (FT3) (FT3 quartile 1 group [FT3-Q1] <4.35 pmol/L, FT3 quartile 2 group [FT3-Q2] 4.35-4.70 pmol/L, FT3 quartile 3 group [FT3-Q3] 4.70-5.08 pmol/L, and FT3 quartile 4 group [FT3-Q4] ≥5.08 pmol/L) (56.7%, 42.5%, 33.1%, 23.8%, P < 0.001). In comparison with all participants categorized in FT3-Q1, the multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of DR in FT3-Q2, FT3-Q3, and FT3-Q4 were 0.587 (0.340-1.012), 0.458 (0.258-0.813), and 0.368 (0.201-0.673), (P = 0.055, P = 0.008, P = 0.001), respectively. FT3 levels within the normal range are negatively associated with DR in euthyroid patients with type 2 diabetes. Further studies should be aimed at clarifying the relationship between thyroid hormones and T2DM.

Analysis of the relationship between COMT polymorphisms and endometriosis susceptibility.

This study was aimed to explore the correlation between catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms and endometriosis susceptibility in Chinese Han population.This case-control study recruited 134 endometriosis patients and 139 healthy individuals. COMT gene rs4680, rs2020917, and rs4646312 polymorphisms in the subjects were genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Association between COMT polymorphisms and endometriosis susceptibility was evaluated by χ test and adjusted by Logistic regression. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to present the relative risk of endometriosis.A allele of rs4680 was distinctly correlated with increased susceptibility of endometriosis (OR = 1.450, 95% CI = 1.012-2.076). However, when adjusted by the confounding factors, these associations become not significant. We failed to find any significant association between rs2020917 and endometriosis risk in the crude results. The adjusted results suggested that rs2020917 TT genotype and T allele were distinctly correlated with enhanced endometriosis risk (TT vs CC: P = .038, OR = 2.894, 95% CI = 1.060-7.903; T vs C: P = .039, OR = 1.481, 95% CI = 1.021-2.149). Besides, rs4646312 C allele was significantly correlated with endometriosis risk both in the crude (P = .027, OR = 1.502, 95% CI = 1.047-2.154) and adjusted (P = .019, OR = 1.564, 95% CI = 1.078-2.269) results.COMT polymorphisms might predict the occurrence of endometriosis.

Association between Thyroid Hormone Levels and Diabetic Kidney Disease in Euthyroid Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

The association between normal thyroid function and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has gained increasing attention. The present study evaluated the relationship between normal thyroid hormone levels and DKD in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. A total of 862 type 2 diabetes patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. The subjects were evaluated for anthropometric measurements, thyroid function and DKD. Of 862 patients, 246 (28.5%) suffered from DKD, and the prevalence of DKD did not differ between men and women. The prevalence of DKD showed a significantly decreasing trend across the quartiles based on free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels (41.1%, 30.6%, 23.8%, and 18.9%, P < 0.001). In comparison with all participants categorized in the first FT3 quartile group (FT3-Q1) (<4.380), the adjusted odds ratio of DKD in the second FT3 quartile group (FT3-Q2), the third FT3 quartile group (FT3-Q3), and the fourth FT3 quartile group (FT3-Q4) were 0.655(95%CI: 0.406-1.057), 0.493(95%CI: 0.299-0.813), 0.406(0.237-0.697) (P < 0.05). Also, similar results were observed in men. Conversely, none of the FT3 groups was associated with DKD in women. The present study showed that FT3 within normal range was negatively correlated with DKD in T2DM patients.

The Research on the Relationship of RAGE, LRP-1, and Aß Accumulation in the Hippocampus, Prefrontal Lobe, and Amygdala of STZ-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been regarded as an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and diabetic patients and animals have shown cognitive dysfunction. More research has shown that the amyloid-ß (Aß), which is a hallmark of AD, was found deposited in the hippocampus of diabetic rats. This Aß accumulation is regulated by the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP-1). However, the expression of RAGE and LRP-1 in diabetic rats is not very clear. In the present study, we used streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats to investigate whether the expression of RAGE and LRP-1 is related to Aß1-42 deposition at the hippocampus, prefrontal lobe, and amygdala in DM. We found that diabetic rats had longer escape latency and less frequency of entrance into the target zone than that of the control group (P < 0.05) in the Morris water maze (MWM) test. The Aß1-42 expression in the hippocampus and prefrontal lobe significantly increased in the DM group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). RAGE increased (P < 0.05), while LRP-1 decreased (P < 0.05) in the hippocampus tissue and prefrontal lobe tissue of DM rats. The Aß1-42 deposition was correlated with RAGE positively (P < 0.05), but with LRP-1 negatively (P < 0.05). Further, the expression levels of Aß1-42, RAGE, and LRP-1 were not changed in the amygdala between the diabetic rats and the control group. These findings indicated that upregulating RAGE and/or downregulating LRP-1 at the hippocampus and the prefrontal lobe contributed to the Aß1-42 accumulation and then further promoted the cognitive impairment of diabetic rats.