Associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk: a hospital-based case-control study.

: Macronutrients are the main part of the human diet and can affect multiple health outcomes. Nevertheless, associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk have not been reported to date. Thus, this study aimed to be the first to explore the associations between macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk using the novel multidimensional macronutrient quality index (MQI).

Predicting mitophagy-related genes and unveiling liver endothelial cell heterogeneity in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury (HIRI) is a major complication in liver transplants and surgeries, significantly affecting postoperative outcomes. The role of mitophagy, essential for removing dysfunctional mitochondria and maintaining cellular balance, remains unclear in HIRI.

Methods: To unravel the role of mitophagy-related genes (MRGs) in HIRI, we assembled a comprehensive dataset comprising 44 HIRI samples alongside 44 normal control samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for this analysis.

Engineering of methionine sulfoxide reductase A with simultaneously improved stability and activity for kinetic resolution of chiral sulfoxides.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) has emerged as promising biocatalysts in the enantioselective kinetic resolution of racemic (rac) sulfoxides. In this study, we engineered robust MsrA variants through directed evolution, demonstrating substantial improvements of thermostability. Mechanism analysis reveals that the enhanced thermostability results from the strengthening of intracellular interactions and increase in molecular compactness.

ROS-induced oxidative stress is a major contributor to sperm cryoinjury.

Study Question: What is the mechanism behind cryoinjury in human sperm, particularly concerning the interplay between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and autophagy, and how does it subsequently affect sperm fate?

Summary Answer: The freeze-thaw operation induces oxidative stress by generating abundant ROS, which impairs sperm motility and activates autophagy, ultimately guiding the sperm toward programmed cell death such as apoptosis and necrosis, as well as triggering premature capacitation.

What Is Known Already: Both ROS-induced oxidative stress and autophagy are thought to exert an influence on the quality of frozen-thawed sperm.

Study Design, Size, Duration: Overall, 84 semen specimens were collected from young healthy fertile males, with careful quality evaluation.

Network pharmacology and molecular docking elucidate potential mechanisms of Eucommia ulmoides in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Eucommia ulmoides (EU) and its diverse extracts have demonstrated antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI). However, the primary constituents of EU and their putative mechanisms remain elusive. This study aims to explore the potential mechanisms of EU in the prevention and treatment of HIRI by employing network pharmacology and molecular docking methodologies.

Association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and semen quality among men attending an infertility clinic: a cross-sectional study.

Study Question: Is dietary non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity related to semen quality?

Summary Answer: The only statistically significant association of semen quality parameters with dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) detected was an inverse association between DTAC and ejaculate volume.

What Is Known Already: Growing interest exists regarding the role of diet in influencing semen quality. While DTAC is linked to favorable health outcomes, its association with semen quality, especially among men attending infertility clinics, remains understudied.

Dietary fat and fatty acid consumptions and the odds of asthenozoospermia: a case-control study in China.

Study Question: Are dietary fat and fatty acid (FA) intakes related to the odds of asthenozoospermia?

Summary Answer: Plant-based fat consumption was associated with decreased asthenozoospermia odds, while the consumption of animal-based monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) was positively related to asthenozoospermia odds.

What Is Known Already: Dietary fat and FA are significant ingredients of a daily diet, which have been demonstrated to be correlated to the reproductive health of men. However, to date, evidence on fat and FA associations with the odds of asthenozoospermia is unclear.

Stressors in university life and anxiety symptoms among international students: a sequential mediation model.

Background: Anxiety is a common mental health problem among university students, and identification of its risk or associated factors and revelation of the underlying mechanism will be useful for making proper intervention strategies. The aim of our study is to test the sequential mediation of self-efficacy and perceived stress in the association between stressors in university life and anxiety symptoms.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted and a sample of 512 international students from a medical university of China completed the survey with measurements of stressors in university life, self-efficacy, perceived stress and anxiety symptoms.

Phytochemical consumption and the risk of teratozoospermia: findings from a hospital-based case-control study in China.

Study Question: Are dietary phytochemicals associated with the risk of teratozoospermia?

Summary Answer: Dietary intake of carotene, including total carotene, α-carotene, β-carotene as well as retinol equivalent, and lutein + zeaxanthin, were inversely correlated with the risk of teratozoospermia.

What Is Known Already: Phytochemicals are natural plant derived bioactive compounds, which have been reported to be potentially associated with male reproductive health. To date, no study has investigated the association between phytochemical intake and the risk of teratozoospermia.

Progress and prospects of polysaccharide-based nanocarriers for oral delivery of proteins/peptides.

The oral route has long been recognized as the most preferred route for drug delivery as it offers high patient compliance and requires minimal expertise. Unlike small molecule drugs, the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract and low permeability across the intestinal epithelium make oral delivery extremely ineffective for macromolecules. Accordingly, delivery systems that are rationally constructed with suitable materials to overcome barriers to oral delivery are exceptionally promising.

Comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms and the related factors among international medical students in China during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The two most prevalent mental health conditions are anxiety and depression and they often coexist (comorbidity) in an individual aggravating the person's psychological or medical conditions. College students suffered from anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to numerous studies. The lack of information on the comorbidity of anxiety and depression (CAD) among international medical students, however, makes it difficult to develop effective policies or strategies to support these students.

Dietary total antioxidant capacity and the risk of developing asthenozoospermia: a hospital-based case-control study in China.

Study Question: Is dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) associated with the odds of developing asthenozoospermia in Chinese men?

Summary Answer: There is no statistically significant association between DTAC indices and the odds of developing asthenozoospermia.

What Is Known Already: Both diet and oxidative stress may be related to sperm quality; however, few studies have investigated the association between DTAC and sperm quality.

Study Design, Size, Duration: This case-control study was conducted from June 2020 to December 2020.

Intake of ultra-processed foods and asthenozoospermia odds: A hospital-based case-control study.

Background: The intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has increased rapidly in recent years. Evidence has suggested that UPFs has adverse effects on several health outcomes. This study aimed to first evaluate the association between the intake of UPFs and asthenozoospermia odds.

Short total sleep duration and poor sleep quality might be associated with asthenozoospermia risk: A case-control study.

Sleep has been related to a variety of health outcomes. However, no association between sleep and asthenozoospermia has been reported. The aim of this study is to first investigate the relationship between sleep status and asthenozoospermia risk.

Enterotypes in asthenospermia patients with obesity.

The essence of enterotypes is stratifying the entire human gut microbiome, which modulates the association between diet and disease risk. A study was designed at the Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University and Jinghua Hospital of Shenyang. Prevotella and Bacteroides were analyzed in 407 samples of stool, including 178 men with enterotype B (61 normal, 117 overweight/obese) and 229 men with enterotype P (74 normal, 155 overweight/obese).

Activation of the JAK1/STAT1 signaling pathway is associated with peroxiredoxin 6 expression levels in human epididymis epithelial cells.

Introduction: Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) is widely expressed in mammalian tissues. Our previous study demonstrated that Prdx6 was expressed in human epididymis, present in human seminal fluid, and in spermatozoa. The protective role of Prdx6 in maintaining the viability and DNA integrity of human spermatozoa was also detected.

Associations between Meat and Vegetable Intake, Cooking Methods, and Asthenozoospermia: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in China.

The role of meat and vegetable intake in the development of asthenozoospermia has been controversial, and the role of cooking methods for meat and vegetables in the association has yet to be determined. The present study aimed to illuminate the relationship between the consumption and cooking methods of meat and vegetables and the risk of asthenozoospermia. In this hospital-based case-control study, we enrolled 552 patients with asthenozoospermia and 585 healthy controls.

Diet Quality Scores and Asthenoteratozoospermia Risk: Finding From a Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in China.

Objective: We aimed to examine associations of diet quality scores, including the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH), alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI) with asthenoteratozoospermia risk in China.

Methods: Among 254 cases and 633 controls in a hospital-based case-control study in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China, DASH, AHEI, and CHEI were calculated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Asthenotetrazoospermia was evaluated according to World Health Organization guidelines.

Resilience and Related Factors: A Comparison of Fathers and Mothers of Patients With Cleft Lip and/or Palate in China.

Resilience has become a hot spot in the field of positive psychology to study life-change events. However, there were little information on resilience among the fathers and mothers of patients with cleft lip and/or palate respectively. The present study aimed to explore and compare the level and potential influential factors associated with resilience among fathers/mothers of patients with cleft lip and/or palate in China.

Dairy Product Consumption and Oligo-Astheno-Teratozoospermia Risk: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in China.

Researches on the association of dairy products consumption with Oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (OAT) risk has been limited and controversial. Therefore, we aim to explore the aforementioned association among Chinese men. A hospital-based case-control study was conducted in men consisting of 106 cases of OAT and 581 controls.

Association of Covid-19 pandemic-related stress and depressive symptoms among international medical students.

Background: The outbreak of Covid-19 had negative impacts on the mental stress and induced psychological distress among university students worldwide. This study proposed a moderated mediation model, and hypothesized that the Covid-19 pandemic-related stress was positively related to depressive symptoms among international medical students.

Methods: An online survey on stress and depressive symptoms of international students was conducted in a medical university.

Relationships Between Cross-Cultural Adaption, Perceived Stress and Psychological Health Among International Undergraduate Students From a Medical University During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model.

International university students may be at greater risk for developing psychological problems due to the unique stressors in them, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of present study is to propose and test a moderated mediation model that would illuminate the underlying relationships of cross-cultural adaption, perceived stress and psychological health as well as the moderating effect of optimism and resilience among international medical undergraduates in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted via a web-based survey in November 2020.

[Extracellular vesicles: Their physiological functions related to sperm maturation, sperm motility and fertilization].

Extracellular vesicles are cell-to-cell communication tools that play important roles in sperm maturation, motility, and fertilization. Epididymosomes provide proteins, lipids, and genetic materials to sperm as the latter go through the epididymis, not only promoting sperm maturation, but also influencing sperm and offspring phenotypes at the epigenetic level. After ejaculation, prostasomes fuse with sperm, leading to changes in the composition of the sperm plasma membrane and the contents of sperm, which maintains the stability of the sperm plasma membrane and increases sperm motility as well.