Objective To compare the clinical outcomes of the clomiphene citrate(CC)dual stimulation protocol and the luteal phase ovarian stimulation protocol after natural cycle oocytes retrieved in POSEIDON patients with low expected prognosis.Methods The clinical data from patients who underwent in vitro fertilization(IVF)or intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)at the Reproductive Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2016 to December 2023 were analyzed retrospectively.According to the POSEI-DON criteria,including POSEIDON group 3 and group 4,which were treated with the CC dual stimulation protocol(the CC group)and the luteal-phase ovarian stimulation protocol after the natural cycle oocytes retrieval(the natural cycle group).The basic data and clinical outcomes of the two ovulation protocols were analyzed,and the main observations included the number of oocytes retrieved,the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate and the cumulative live birth rate,and explored the impact of ovulation promotion regimens on clinical outcomes through binary logis-tic regression.Results On the whole,there was no significant difference in the total number of oocytes retrieved,cumulative clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate between the CC group and the natural cycle group(all P>0.05),And in POSEIDON group 4,the numbers of oocytes retrieved in the follicular phase of the CC group were higher than those in the natural cycle group,whereas the number of oocytes retrieved in the luteal phase of natural cycle group were higher,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).After logistic regression analysis,the ovulation stimulation protocols did not affect the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate of POSEI-DON 3 and 4 group(P>0.05).Conclusions For the POSEIDON patients with a low expected prognosis,the clinical effectiveness of the luteal phase ovarian stimulation protocol after natural cycle oocytes retrieved is not inferior to that of the CC dual stimulation protocol.In POSEIDON group 4,on the premise that the AMH levels of patients in the natural cycle group were lower than those in the CC group,who underwent natural cycle ovulation followed by luteal phase induction achieved similar clinical outcomes to those of the CC dual stimulation protocol group.Therefore,the luteal phase ovarian stimulation protocol after natural cycle oocytes retrieved should be more clinically recommended for POSEIDON group 4 patients.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors and perinatal outcomes associated with monozygotic twins (MZT) following elective single embryo transfer (eSET) via in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET). Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 12 079 patients who achieved pregnancy after undergoing IVF/ICSI-eSET at Reproductive Health Hospital of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between January 2015 and September 2023. Patients were stratified into two groups based on ultrasound findings 30 d post-transfer: singleton pregnancy group and MZT pregnancy group. Finally, 300 MZT and 1 500 single pregnancies, which were randomly matched according to 1∶5 were included by study period. General patients' characteristics, embryo-related factors, and perinatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. A multivariate logistic regression model was employed to identify risk factors for MZT after single embryo transfer, adjusting for potential confounding variables.Results:The incidence of twin pregnancy following single embryo transfer was 2.48% (300/12 079), which was higher than that of naturally conceived monozygotic twin pregnancy. No significant difference was found in baseline characteristics between the two groups (all P>0.05). The blastocyst transfer rate was higher in the MZT pregnancy group [93.3% (280/300)] than in the singleton pregnancy group [88.8% (1 332/1 500), P=0.022]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis also showed that blastocyst transfer was associated with an increased risk of MZT ( OR=0.552, P=0.016, 95% CI: 0.341-0.894). Analysis of blastocyst cycles showed that the risk of MZT was higher when transferring high-quality blastocysts [79.6% (223/280) vs. 67.8% (903/1 332), P<0.001], where as a trophectoderm (TE) grading of C [20.4% (57/280) vs. 32.2% (429/1 332), P<0.001] had a lower risk of MZT. After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of MZT was found to increase with the transfer of blastocysts with a B-grade inner cell mass (ICM) ( OR=0.601, P=0.001, 95% CI: 0.442-0.819) and A/B grade TE (grade A: OR=2.951, P<0.001, 95% CI: 1.980-4.399; grade B: OR=1.840, P<0.001, 95% CI: 1.315-2.576). The risk of complications during pregnancy [47.7% (143/300) vs. 19.3% (289/1 500), P<0.001], preterm labor [55.1% (140/254) vs. 7.4% (101/1 368), P<0.001], and the risk of stillbirth [3.7% (11/300) vs. 1.5% (22/1 500), P=0.016] were significantly higher in the MZT pregnancy group than in the singleton pregnancy group. Conclusion:Assisted reproductive technology may contribute to the risk of MZT. Transfer of blastocysts, particularly those with loose ICM arrangement and dense TE arrangement, appears to increase the risk of MZT in patients undergoing eSET.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors and perinatal outcomes associated with monozygotic twins (MZT) following elective single embryo transfer (eSET) via in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET). Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 12 079 patients who achieved pregnancy after undergoing IVF/ICSI-eSET at Reproductive Health Hospital of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between January 2015 and September 2023. Patients were stratified into two groups based on ultrasound findings 30 d post-transfer: singleton pregnancy group and MZT pregnancy group. Finally, 300 MZT and 1 500 single pregnancies, which were randomly matched according to 1∶5 were included by study period. General patients' characteristics, embryo-related factors, and perinatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. A multivariate logistic regression model was employed to identify risk factors for MZT after single embryo transfer, adjusting for potential confounding variables.Results:The incidence of twin pregnancy following single embryo transfer was 2.48% (300/12 079), which was higher than that of naturally conceived monozygotic twin pregnancy. No significant difference was found in baseline characteristics between the two groups (all P>0.05). The blastocyst transfer rate was higher in the MZT pregnancy group [93.3% (280/300)] than in the singleton pregnancy group [88.8% (1 332/1 500), P=0.022]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis also showed that blastocyst transfer was associated with an increased risk of MZT ( OR=0.552, P=0.016, 95% CI: 0.341-0.894). Analysis of blastocyst cycles showed that the risk of MZT was higher when transferring high-quality blastocysts [79.6% (223/280) vs. 67.8% (903/1 332), P<0.001], where as a trophectoderm (TE) grading of C [20.4% (57/280) vs. 32.2% (429/1 332), P<0.001] had a lower risk of MZT. After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of MZT was found to increase with the transfer of blastocysts with a B-grade inner cell mass (ICM) ( OR=0.601, P=0.001, 95% CI: 0.442-0.819) and A/B grade TE (grade A: OR=2.951, P<0.001, 95% CI: 1.980-4.399; grade B: OR=1.840, P<0.001, 95% CI: 1.315-2.576). The risk of complications during pregnancy [47.7% (143/300) vs. 19.3% (289/1 500), P<0.001], preterm labor [55.1% (140/254) vs. 7.4% (101/1 368), P<0.001], and the risk of stillbirth [3.7% (11/300) vs. 1.5% (22/1 500), P=0.016] were significantly higher in the MZT pregnancy group than in the singleton pregnancy group. Conclusion:Assisted reproductive technology may contribute to the risk of MZT. Transfer of blastocysts, particularly those with loose ICM arrangement and dense TE arrangement, appears to increase the risk of MZT in patients undergoing eSET.

Objective To compare the clinical outcomes of the clomiphene citrate(CC)dual stimulation protocol and the luteal phase ovarian stimulation protocol after natural cycle oocytes retrieved in POSEIDON patients with low expected prognosis.Methods The clinical data from patients who underwent in vitro fertilization(IVF)or intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)at the Reproductive Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2016 to December 2023 were analyzed retrospectively.According to the POSEI-DON criteria,including POSEIDON group 3 and group 4,which were treated with the CC dual stimulation protocol(the CC group)and the luteal-phase ovarian stimulation protocol after the natural cycle oocytes retrieval(the natural cycle group).The basic data and clinical outcomes of the two ovulation protocols were analyzed,and the main observations included the number of oocytes retrieved,the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate and the cumulative live birth rate,and explored the impact of ovulation promotion regimens on clinical outcomes through binary logis-tic regression.Results On the whole,there was no significant difference in the total number of oocytes retrieved,cumulative clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate between the CC group and the natural cycle group(all P>0.05),And in POSEIDON group 4,the numbers of oocytes retrieved in the follicular phase of the CC group were higher than those in the natural cycle group,whereas the number of oocytes retrieved in the luteal phase of natural cycle group were higher,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).After logistic regression analysis,the ovulation stimulation protocols did not affect the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate of POSEI-DON 3 and 4 group(P>0.05).Conclusions For the POSEIDON patients with a low expected prognosis,the clinical effectiveness of the luteal phase ovarian stimulation protocol after natural cycle oocytes retrieved is not inferior to that of the CC dual stimulation protocol.In POSEIDON group 4,on the premise that the AMH levels of patients in the natural cycle group were lower than those in the CC group,who underwent natural cycle ovulation followed by luteal phase induction achieved similar clinical outcomes to those of the CC dual stimulation protocol group.Therefore,the luteal phase ovarian stimulation protocol after natural cycle oocytes retrieved should be more clinically recommended for POSEIDON group 4 patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect of drospirenone and ethinylestradiol in the treatment of ovulation induction in patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).Methods:A randomized controlled clinical study analyzed the clinical data of 130 POI patients who underwent assisted reproductive treatment at the Department of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Seventh Medical Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Sixth Medical Center of Chinese people's Liberation Army General Hospital from December 2021 to November 2022. The subject-centered randomization method was used to conceal the allocation, and there was no blinding. The patients in experimental group was given drospirenone and ethinylestradiol as pretreatment, while control group was not treated. The main observation indicator of the follicle recovery growth rate and the secondary observation indicators of estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels before and after pretreatment, the number of eggs retrieved, the proportion of eggs retrieved, and other embryo laboratory-related indicators were compared between the two groups.Results:The recovery rate of follicular growth in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in control group, and the difference was statistically significant [50.77% (33/65) vs. 15.38% (10/65), P<0.001, rate difference =35.38%, 95% CI: 19.44%-48.98%]. The levels of FSH [17.70 (8.15, 27.00) U/L] decreased significantly and estradiol [24.00 (15.00, 90.47) ng/L] increased significantly in the experimental group after preconditioning with spironolone ethinylestradiol compared with those before preconditioning [30.30 (25.95, 48.05) U/L, P<0.001; 15.00 (15.00, 24.00) ng/L, P<0.001], the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion:The spironolone ethinylestradiol can effectively inhibit the level of FSH and increase the level of estradiol in patients with POI, and increase the probability of ovarian growth and development during ovulation induction therapy.

Objective:To investigate the effect of drospirenone and ethinylestradiol in the treatment of ovulation induction in patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).Methods:A randomized controlled clinical study analyzed the clinical data of 130 POI patients who underwent assisted reproductive treatment at the Department of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Seventh Medical Center and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Sixth Medical Center of Chinese people's Liberation Army General Hospital from December 2021 to November 2022. The subject-centered randomization method was used to conceal the allocation, and there was no blinding. The patients in experimental group was given drospirenone and ethinylestradiol as pretreatment, while control group was not treated. The main observation indicator of the follicle recovery growth rate and the secondary observation indicators of estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels before and after pretreatment, the number of eggs retrieved, the proportion of eggs retrieved, and other embryo laboratory-related indicators were compared between the two groups.Results:The recovery rate of follicular growth in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in control group, and the difference was statistically significant [50.77% (33/65) vs. 15.38% (10/65), P<0.001, rate difference =35.38%, 95% CI: 19.44%-48.98%]. The levels of FSH [17.70 (8.15, 27.00) U/L] decreased significantly and estradiol [24.00 (15.00, 90.47) ng/L] increased significantly in the experimental group after preconditioning with spironolone ethinylestradiol compared with those before preconditioning [30.30 (25.95, 48.05) U/L, P<0.001; 15.00 (15.00, 24.00) ng/L, P<0.001], the differences were statistically significant. Conclusion:The spironolone ethinylestradiol can effectively inhibit the level of FSH and increase the level of estradiol in patients with POI, and increase the probability of ovarian growth and development during ovulation induction therapy.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided modified anterior approach to sciatic nerve block ( SNB) for orthopedic surgery with general anesthesia. Methods Ninety American So-ciety of Anesthesiology physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱpatients of both sexes, aged 18-64 yr, weighing 19-28 kg∕m2 , scheduled for elective knee joint or distal orthopedic surgery, were divided into 3 groups ( n=30 each) using a random number table method: modified anterior approach ( the puncture needle was almost perpendicular to the ultrasound beam) group, anterior approach group and posterior approach group. SNB ( injecting 0. 5％ ropivacaine 20 ml) combined with femoral nerve block ( injecting 0. 5％ ropivacaine 15-20 ml) was performed under ultrasound guidance. Surgery was completed under combination of the laryngeal mask and combined intravenous-inhalational anesthesia. When the respiratory rate ≥20 beats∕min and∕or the increase in heart rate was more than 20％ of the baseline value, sufentanil 1μg∕time was intravenously injected. When visual analog scale ( VAS) score ≥4 within 24 h after surgery, celecoxib capsules 0. 2 g was taken orally for analgesia. The depth of sciatic nerve, needling depth, sharpness score of needle ima-ging under ultrasound, and operation time and duration of SNB were recorded. VAS scores at rest and dur-ing activity were recorded at 6, 8, 10, 12 and 24 h after surgery. The amount of sufentanil consumed dur-ing surgery and use of celecoxib capsules within 24 h after surgery were recorded. The development of ad-verse reactions such as hematoma at the puncture site, nausea and vomiting was also recorded after surgery. Results Compared with posterior approach group, the depth of sciatic nerve and needling depth were sig-nificantly increased, the operation time of SNB was prolonged, the duration of SNB was shortened, the in-traoperative consumption of sufentanil was increased, VAS scores at rest and during activity were increased at 10 h after surgery, and the sharpness score of needle imaging was increased in modified anterior approach and anterior approach groups (P<0. 05). Compared with anterior approach group, the sharpness score of needle imaging was significantly increased, and VAS scores during activity were decreased at 24 h after sur-gery in modified anterior approach group ( P<0. 05) . There was no significant difference in the requirement for celecoxib capsules within 24 h after surgery or occurrence of adverse reactions among the three groups ( P>0. 05) . Conclusion Although ultrasound-guided modified anterior approach to SNB provides compara-ble efficacy with anterior approach to SNB and is not as good as posterior approach to SNB when used for or-thopedic surgery with general anesthesia, modified anterior approach to SNB is easy to operate, with clear images under ultrasound.

AIM: To observe skeletal muscle damage of mdx mice after overload exercise, and protection to muscle damage induced by exercise due to myoblast transplantation (MTT). METHODS: Muscle samples of C 57 mice were minced and digested with trypsin, and myoblasts were cultured ex vivo , purified and detected by immunohistochemistry stains. The myoblasts were injected into muscle of left limb of mdx mice, whereas the right limb was injected with DMEM liquid as control. Mice were submitted to exercise for 3 days starting 1 month after MTT, and then Evans blue was injected intravenously through the tail vein. The muscle cryostat sections of mdx mice were made, and then detected the immunofluorescence of dystrophin. Under a fluorescence microscope, the number of fiber stained with Evans blue and dystrophin was counted, analyzed quantitatively with image software. RESULTS: Under a fluorescence microscope, only 10 37%?2 87% muscle fibers in the myoblast grafted muscles were stained with Evans blue. In contrast, 26 82%?14 85% muscle fibers in right control muscles were stained. Significant differences between these two groups were showed ( P