The powder X-ray diffraction Fourier fingerprint pattern technique was used to develop a new quantitation method for the analysis of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide. And the high performance liquid chromatography method was used to evaluate the quantity of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide. The relationship of diffraction peak intensity and content of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide was investigated. The powder X-ray diffraction Fourier fingerprint pattern analysis technique can be used to evaluate the quantity of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide in the herb simultaneously.

Objective To investigate the effect of blastocyst quality on the strategy of single blastocyst transfer in frozen-thawed cycles. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in Reproductive Medicine Center, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on clinical data of single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles from January 2008 to December 2013. All cycles were divided into four groups (AA, AB/BA, BB, BC/CB) according to the blastocyst score, then the clinical outcomes were compared between groups. And on this basis, the clinical outcomes were further explored when the group of outcomes with single blastocyst transfer wasn′t ideal, which would diverted to transfer two blastocyst. Results In single frozen blastocyst transfer cycles, the clinical pregnancy rate of each group with the blastocyst scored AA, AB/BA, BB, BC/CB were 61.4%(470/765), 51.2%(330/645), 40.5%(407/1 005), 22.9%(60/262), live births rate in each group were 52.2%(399/765), 41.2%(266/645), 30.4%(306/1 005), 13.7%(36/262), and the abortion rate were 13.6%(64/470), 16.7%(55/330), 21.4%(87/407), 35.0%(21/60), separately. This showed that the clinical pregnancy rate and live births rate decreased significantly with the decline of blastocyst quality (P<0.01), but the abortion rate showed significant upward trend (P<0.01). When single blastocyst scored≥BB grade transferred, an acceptable clinical pregnancy rate (>40%) and live births rate (>30%) could be obtained, however, the clinical pregnancy rate of 22.9% and live births rate of 13.7%could only be acquired when blastocyst scored BC/CB only transferred one embryo, which significant lower than those of each group scored ≥BB grade (P<0.01). So, after that, the blastocyst scored BC/CB were further divided into two groups (single blastocyst transferred versus two blastocyst transferred) to investigate, then the result showed that the clinical pregnancy rate [22.9%versus 38.5%(67/174), P<0.01] and live births rate [13.7%versus 30.5%(16/67), P<0.01] were significantly increased in the group of two blastocyst transferred compared with the group of one blastocyst transferred, and the abortion rate was also significantly decreased from 35.0%to 17.9%(12/67;P<0.05). So when two blastocyst scored BC/CB were transferred, the clinical outcomes were similar to the group of one blastocyst scored BB transferred (P>0.05). Conclusions Of single blastocyst transfer in frozen-thawed cycles, the clinical pregnancy rate and liver births rate showed significant upward trend, but the abortion rate showed significant downward trend, with the decline of blastocyst quality. When the blastocyst scored ≥BB grade, the single blastocyst transfer could be considered to be performed.

OBJECTIVETo develop an identitication and quantitation method for Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae.

METHODThe powder X-ray Diffraction Fourier Fingerprint Pattern technique was used for this purpose. The high performance liquid chromatography method was used to evaluate the quantity of Tanshinone II A in 9 samples and 1 drug reference substance. The relationship of diffraction peak intensity and content of Tanshinone II A was investigated.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe powder X-ray diffraction Fourier Fingerprint Pattern analysis technique can be used to identify Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae and to evaluate the quantity of Tanshinone II A in the drug at the same time.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Phenanthrenes ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; X-Ray Diffraction ; methods

A viable spermatozoon is a prerequisite for fertilization in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Thus, it is crucial to select viable but immotile spermatozoa on the day of ICSI. We report conflicting results in the identification of viable but immotile spermatozoa between the eosin-nigrosin staining and the laser test, which resulted in confusion for embryologists during assisted reproductive technology (ART). Three patients’ semen samples that showed no motile spermatozoa are described in this report. To identify viable spermatozoa, we used both the eosin-nigrosin test and the laser test for each sample, and repeated the semen analysis twice in each patient. Viable but immotile spermatozoa selected by the laser test were used for ICSI. Viable spermatozoa were detected by both the eosin-nigrosin and laser tests in two patients (case 1, 95.00% vs. 24.21% and 92.68% vs. 22.22%; case 2, 41.18% vs. 23.48% and 39.81% vs. 22.52%), indicating consistent results between the two methods. In the third patient, the eosin-nigrosin test yielded viability rates of 20.75% and 19.14%, while the result of the laser test was 0%. Thus, testicular aspiration was performed to collect viable sperm from this patient. Normal fertilization was achieved after the injection of viable but immotile spermatozoa selected from these patients by the laser test, resulting in the birth of two healthy babies. Our study documents a case where the eosin-nigrosin test showed a limitation in identifying viable but immotile spermatozoa for ART, while the laser test may overcome this limitation. Larger samples may be required to corroborate the clinical value of the laser test.
Fertilization ; Humans ; Parturition ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa

OBJECTIVETo study chemical constituents from the roots of Saussurea lappa.

METHODChemical constituents were separated and purified by various techniques such as silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 and reversed phase RP-18 column chromatography. Their structures were identified on the basis of spectral data.

RESULTSeventeen compounds were separated and identified as ascleposide E(1), (+)-1-hydroxypinoresinol-4"-O-methyl ester-4'-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), (+)-1 -hydroxypinoresinol-4"-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(3), (+)-1-hydroxypinoresinol-1-O-P-D-glucopyranoside (4), phenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), n-butyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), ilicic alcohol (8), beta-cyclocostunolide (9), reynosin (10), 11beta, 13-dihydroreynosin (11), arbusculin A(12), 1beta-hydroxy-arbusculin A (13), santamarin (14), dehydrocostuslactone (15), 11beta, 13-dihydro-3-epizaluzanin C(16)and costunolide (17).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-2 were separated from this genus for the first time,and compounds 3,5-7 were separated from this plant for the first time.

Ethanol ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Lactones ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Saussurea ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes, Eudesmane ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the insemination method on the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture performed between January 2011 and December 2014. RESULTS: There were 2,003 cycles of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and 336 cycles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), including 25,652 and 4,164 embryos that underwent sequential blastocyst culture, respectively. No significant differences were found in the female patients' age, basal follicle-stimulating hormone level, basal luteinizing hormone level, body mass index, number of oocytes, maturity rate, fertilization rate, or good-quality embryo rate. However, the blastocyst formation rate and embryo utilization rate were significantly higher in the conventional IVF group than in the ICSI group (54.70% vs. 50.94% and 51.09% vs. 47.65%, respectively, p<0.05). The implantation/pregnancy rate (IVF, 50.93%; ICSI, 55.10%), miscarriage rate (IVF, 12.57%; ICSI, 16.29%), and live birth rate (IVF, 42.12%; ICSI, 44.08%) were similar (p>0.05). No cycles were canceled due to the formation of no usable blastocysts. CONCLUSION: Although the fertilization method had no effect on clinical outcomes, the blastocyst formation rate and embryo utilization rate in the ICSI group were significantly lower than those observed in the conventional IVF group. Therefore, more care should be taken when choosing to perform blastocyst culture in ICSI patients.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Blastocyst* ; Body Mass Index ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Humans ; Insemination* ; Live Birth ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Methods* ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic