OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of macrophages on embryo implantation by observing the distribution of macrophages in mouse uterine tissues during the peri-implantation period.

METHODSUterine tissues were collected from pregnant (n=30) and pseudopregnant mice (n=30) during the peri-implantation period. The distributions of macrophages, iNOS and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) were determined by immunohistochemistry and the correlations of macrophages with iNOS and LIF were analyzed.

RESULTSMacrophages were located mainly in the endometrium before D4.5 in the pregnant rats with D0.5 defined as the morning when a vaginal plug was observed. After D4.5, the macrophages was significantly reduced in number (P<0.05) in the endometrium and gradually migrated to the perimetrium. In the psudopregnant mice, macrophages were located mainly in the endometrium. Before D4.5, iNOS-positive cells were detected mainly in the endometrium and the myometrium in the pregnant rats and became significantly reduced on D4.5 (P<0.05); in the pseudopregnant mice, the positive cells were mostly detected in the endometrium. Significant differences were found in the distribution of the macrophages and LIF between the implantation and non-implantation sites (P=0.013). LIF was mostly located in the endometrium in the pregnant mice but scarcely detected in the pseudopregnant mice.

CONCLUSIONMacrophages are located mainly in the endometrium and the implantation site where iNOS and LIF are expressed, suggesting the important role of macrophages in the determination of implantation.

Animals ; Blood Cell Count ; Embryo Implantation ; Endometrium ; cytology ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukemia Inhibitory Factor ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; cytology ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Uterus ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of basal serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone (LH/FSH) ratio on the clinical outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed of 134 IVF cycles in patients with PCOS. The cycles were classified into 2 groups according to serum levels of LH and also into 2 groups according to LH/FSH ratio, namely group A1 (LH≤10 IU/L), group A2 (LH>10 IU/L), group B1 (LH/FSH ratio<2), and group B2 (LH/FSH ratio≥2). The clinical characteristics, embryological data and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the groups.

RESULTSPatients in group A2 showed significantly higher FSH, T level, and LH/FSH ratio with a greater number of oocytes retrieved than those in group A1, but the time for down-regulation, duration of stimulation, AFC, LH and LH/FSH on the first day of stimulation, embryological data and pregnancy outcomes did not differ significantly between the two groups. Compared with group B1, group B2 showed higher basal LH, E2 level on the day of HCG, more oocytes retrieved and lower dose of gonadotropins used, but the time for down-regulation, duration of stimulation, LH and LH/FSH on the first day of stimulation and pregnancy outcomes were comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONA high basal LH level or a high LH/FSH ratio does not produce obvious deleterious effect on the clinical outcomes of IVF-ET in women with PCOS who take oral contraceptives for pretreatment before long GnRH-agonist protocol.

Adult ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; methods ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; blood ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies

To investigate psychological characteristics in different clinical subgroups of insomniacs, and to provide the basis for the accurate simplification of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.
 Methods: A total of 212 insomniacs from November 2014 to June 2017 in Clinical Psychology Department or Sleep Department of 2 general hospitals in Hunan Province were included in convenient and classified into sleep onset insomnia (SOI), difficulty maintaining insomnia (DMI), early morning awakening insomnia (EMAI), and combined insomnia (CI) subgroups. Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test (FIRST), Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep Scale 16 version (DBAS-16), Sleep-Related Behavior Questionnaire (SRBQ), Pre-sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to investigate the psychological characteristics.
 Results: SOI and CI insomniacs had a higher frequency in use of sleep-related behavior than those with DMI; CI had a higher frequency in use of sleep-related behavior than those with EMAI (all P<0.05). Both SOI and CI insomniacs had a higher level of pre-sleep cognitive arousal than DMI and EMAI (all P<0.05). CI insomniacs noticed more consequences of insomnia and had more worries on insomnia than DMI, and CI insomniacs had more expectations of sleep than SOI (all P<0.05).
 Conclusion: Insomniacs with different clinical subgroups have different features of psychological characteristics. Both the insomnia subgroups and the psychological characteristics should be taken into account when we simplify cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) precisely.
Anxiety ; Arousal ; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ; Humans ; Sleep ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires