Levothyroxine treatment in thyroid peroxidase antibody-positive women undergoing assisted reproduction technologies: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Infertile women positive for thyroid antibodies suffer from a poor pregnancy/delivery outcome, although conflicting data have been published. Our objective was to investigate if levothyroxine (LT4) exerts any effect on pregnancy and/or delivery rates in thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb)-positive (+) women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. METHODS: Patients undergoing treatment were screened for TPOAb, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4). A total of 72 (15%) out of the 484 euthyroid women selected were TPOAb (+). These 72 patients were randomly divided into two groups: group A (n = 36) underwent LT4 treatment, group B (n = 36) placebo. Group C consisted of 412 women (85%) who were TPOAb negative (-). All patients received controlled ovarian stimulation. The endpoints of treatment were pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate and delivery rate. RESULTS: No differences in pregnancy rate were observed between the three groups. Miscarriage rate was higher in TPOAb (+) in comparison to TPOAb (-) [relative risk: 2.01 (95% CI = 1.13-3.56), P = 0.028]. CONCLUSIONS: The pregnancy rate is not affected either by presence of TPOAb or treatment with LT4. However, TPOAb (+) women show a poorer delivery rate compared to TPOAb (-). LT4 treatment in TPOAb (+) does not affect the delivery rate.     

一种改良的抗氧化活性测定方法

活性氧自由基在生物体内参与生理，病理过程并起重大作用，在筛选和评价抗氧化药物时，越来越需要一种快速，简便，价廉而又可靠的抗氧化活性测定方法，本文发展了一种具备了上述优点新方法，ＳＯＤ（超氧化物歧化酶）及其模拟物的工作已有很多，很多文献报道了其活性一；Ｃｕ（Ⅱ）。本文着重研究了另一个金属辅基，Ｚｎ＾２＋并且发现了Ｚｎ＾２＋独特的，但为人们忽视了的；抗氧化活性加强作用。     

Protective actions of human recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor on MPTP-lesioned nigrostriatal dopamine neurons after intraventricular infusion

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, FGF-2) is a trophic factor for neurons and astrocytes and has recently been demonstrated in the vast majority of dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral midbrain of the rat. Potential neuroprotective actions of FGF-2 in the l-methyl-4-phenyl-l,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model have also been reported. The actions of the FGF-2 have now been further analyzed in a combined morphological and behavioural analysis in the MPTP model of the adult black mouse, using a continuous human recombinant FGF-2 (hrFGF-2) intraventricular (i.v.t.) administration in a heparin-containing (10 IU heparin/ml) mock cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) solution. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunocytochemistry in combination with computer assisted microdensitometry demonstrated a counteraction of the MPTP-induced disappearance of neostriatal TH-immunoreactive (ir) nerve terminals following the FGF-2 treatment. Unbiased estimates of the total number of nigral TH ir neurons, using stereological methods involving the optical disector (Olympus), showed that the MPTP-induced reduction in the number of nigral TH ir nerve cell bodies counterstained with cresyl violet (CV; by 56%) was partially counteracted by the FGF-2 treatment (by 26%). The behavioral analysis demonstrated an almost full recovery of the MPTP-induced reduction of the locomotor activity after FGF-2 treatment. This action was maintained also 1 week after cessation of treatment. The hrFGF-2 produced an astroglial reaction as determined in the lateral neostriatum and in the substantia nigra (SN) far from the site of the infusion, indicating that the growth factor may have reached these regions by diffusion to activate the astroglia. Immunocytochemistry revealed FGF-2 immunoreactivity (IR) in the nuclei of the astroglia cell population in the dorsomedial striatum and the microdensitometric and morphometric evaluation demonstrated an increase in the number, but not in the intensity, of these profiles on the cannulated side, suggesting the possibility that hrFGF-2 stimulates FGF-2 synthesis in astroglial cells with low endogenous FGF-2 IR. These results indicate that hrFGF-2, directly and/or indirectly via astroglia, upon i.v.t. infusion exerts trophic effects on the nigrostriatal DA system and may increase survival of nigrostriatal DA nerve cells exposed to the MPTP neurotoxin.     

Fluid Flow through Filtering Appendages of Insects

Many organisms use structures composed of arrays of cylindersto capture particulate food or molecules form the water or airaround them. The performance of such filters depends on thevelocity of fluid movement through them; hence, mathematicalmodels of flow through fibrous structures can provide insightsabout the functional morphology of biological filters. In thispaper, the authors address the case of feather-like biologicalfilters of finite width and assess several possible models forfluid motion through them by comparing model predictions withobservational data. Two examples of insect appendages are considered:the cephalic fans of black fly aquatic larvae that capture particulatefood and the antennae of adult male moths that catch sex-attractantmolecules released by female moths. The results suggest thatflow through such structures can be much slower than ambientcurrents, that the finest hairs in the structure are the morphologicalfeatures with the greatest effect on leakiness, and that thevelocity of movement (or of ambient flow), as well as the morphologyof such filters, can be critical in determining their performance.     

Copy number variation burden does not predict severity of neurodevelopmental phenotype in children with a sex chromosome trisomy

Sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) (XXX, XXY, and XYY karyotypes) are associated with an elevated risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. The range of severity of the phenotype is substantial. We considered whether this variable outcome was related to the presence of copy number variants (CNVs)—stretches of duplicated or deleted DNA. A sample of 125 children with an SCT were compared with 181 children of normal karyotype who had been given the same assessments. First, we compared the groups on measures of overall CNV burden: number of CNVs, total span of CNVs, and likely functional impact (probability of loss‐of‐function intolerance, pLI, summed over CNVs). Differences between groups were small relative to within‐group variance and not statistically significant on overall test. Next, we considered whether a measure of general neurodevelopmental impairment was predicted by pLI summed score, SCT versus comparison group, or the interaction between them. There was a substantial effect of SCT/comparison status but the pLI score was not predictive of outcomes in either group. We conclude that variable presence of CNVs is not a likely explanation for the wide phenotypic variation in children with SCTs. We discuss methodological challenges of testing whether CNVs are implicated in causing neurodevelopmental problems.     

内痔粘膜及血管上皮细胞VEGF/FGF2的表达与内痔分期的相关性分析

目的 通过观察人体内痔不同分期粘膜及血管内皮细胞生长因子（VEGF）及碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（FGF2）的表达，探讨内痔的发生及发展机制。 方法 收集南方医院肛肠科门诊手术切除的Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ期内痔标本134例（Ⅰ期42例，Ⅱ期45例，Ⅲ期47例），内痔周围正常肠壁组织40例作为对照，采用HE染色观察组织的病理学变化，采用免疫组织化学方法检测血管内皮细胞VEGF及FGF2的表达。 结果 正常组及Ⅰ期内痔黏膜层被覆上皮完整，未见扩张血管；Ⅱ期内痔黏膜层被覆上皮破坏，黏膜肌层破坏，黏膜层内见新生血管；Ⅲ期内痔黏膜层被覆上皮破坏，见血管管壁增厚迂曲，管腔扩张；与正常粘膜成纤维细胞相比VEGF在粘膜层成纤维细胞表达水平明显升高，并随分期增高而增高（F=883.961，P<0.01），FGF2也存在相同表达（F=656.013，P<0.01）；与正常组相比VEGF在血管内皮细胞表达水平明显升高，并随分期增高而增高（F=776.561，P<0.01），FGF2在血管内皮细胞的表达水平存在相同趋势（F=1066.458，P＜0.01）。 结论 VEGF及FGF2在内痔的形成过程中具有促进血管内皮细胞和粘膜下成纤维细胞增生的作用，同时可作为内痔发生发展的分子标志物。     

Early phylogenetic estimate of the effective reproduction number of SARS-CoV-2

To reconstruct the evolutionary dynamics of the 2019 novel-coronavirus recently causing an outbreak in Wuhan, China, 52 SARS-CoV-2 genomes available on 4 February 2020 at Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data were analyzed. The two models used to estimate the reproduction number (coalescent-based exponential growth and a birth-death skyline method) indicated an estimated mean evolutionary rate of 7.8 × 10⁻⁴ subs/site/year (range, 1.1 × 10⁻⁴-15 × 10⁻⁴) and a mean tMRCA of the tree root of 73 days. The estimated R value was 2.6 (range, 2.1-5.1), and increased from 0.8 to 2.4 in December 2019. The estimated mean doubling time of the epidemic was between 3.6 and 4.1 days. This study proves the usefulness of phylogeny in supporting the surveillance of emerging new infections even as the epidemic is growing.     

Impact of elective single embryo transfer on the twin pregnancy rate

BACKGROUND: It is unclear how the implementation of elective single embryo transfer in clinical practice would affect clinical pregnancy and delivery rates and multiple birth rates. METHODS: This retrospective study analysed 1871 IVF/ICSI cycles carried out from 1997 to 2001 in the IVF programme of a single university infertility clinic. RESULTS: The number of elective single embryo transfers increased from 11 to 56%. At the same time the clinical pregnancy rate was relatively stable; mean 34.0% (range 28-42). The number of embryos per embryo transfer decreased from 1.8 to 1.3. The multiple pregnancy and delivery rates dropped markedly from 25 to 7.5% and from 25 to 5% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: An elective single embryo transfer programme can be adopted in daily practice that decreases the twinning rate to <10% and does not affect the overall pregnancy rate.     

Effects of sildenafil (Viagra) administration on seminal parameters and post-ejaculatory refractory time in normal males

Sildenafil is a specific inhibitor of phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 5 and represents a powerful therapy for male erectile dysfunction (ED) of different aetiology. Recently, sildenafil has been shown to restore erections in temporary ED related to the need of semen collection for assisted reproductive techniques. In this study, we investigated whether sildenafil administration modifies seminal parameters and/or erectile function in normal healthy volunteers. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over two period investigation we enrolled 20 healthy male volunteers (mean +/- SE age 32 +/- 0.5 years). Subjects were not using any medication for the 3 month period prior to the study and were engaged in a stable relationship with proven fertility. The effects of sildenafil (100 mg) on seminal parameters and erectile function after audiovisual sexual stimulation were evaluated by semen analysis and by colour-Duplex ultrasound (the Resistive Index) respectively. In all subjects, sildenafil caused no changes in seminal and erection parameters when compared to placebo. Interestingly, sildenafil administration led to a marked reduction of the post-ejaculatory refractory time (10.8 +/- 0.9 min versus 2.6 +/- 0.7 min for placebo and sildenafil respectively; P < 0.0001). These results indicate that in normal subjects acute sildenafil treatment does not modify semen characteristics and has a positive influence over the resumption of erections following ejaculation in the presence of a continuous erotic stimulus.