A Novel Homozygous Missense ZP1 Variant Result in Human Female Empty Follicle Syndrome.

Empty follicle syndrome (EFS) is a disorder characterised by the unsuccessful retrieval of oocytes from matured follicles following ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Genetic factors significantly contribute to this pathology. To date, an increasing number of genetic mutations associated with GEFS have been documented, however, some cases still remain unexplained by these previously reported mutations.

Gastric granular cell tumor: A case report and literature review.

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are neoplasms of uncertain histopathological etiology and therefore there are no universally accepted treatment strategies. GCTs are characterized by abundant eosinophilic granules. Since they are predominantly located in the skin and subcutaneous tissues, gastric GCTs are exceedingly rare.

Colorectal cancer metastasis to the thyroid: A case report and review of the literature.

Metastatic thyroid cancer is rare. Here, the case of a patient with colon cancer that metastasized to the thyroid is described. The patient underwent radical rectal cancer surgery in August 2017 and received six cycles of chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and capecitabine postoperatively.

Individual variation in and lateral asymmetry of mouse epididymal draining lymph nodes.

Problem: Draining lymph nodes (LNs) are pivotal sites for maintaining tolerance to self-antigens as well as eliciting immune responses to exogenous antigens. The epididymis is a male reproductive organ with a unique local immune environment. Although mice are the most commonly used laboratory animals for immunology research, there are no detailed descriptions of the anatomical location and function of LNs that drain the epididymis.

Periurethral and Intravenous Injections of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Promote Local Tissue Recovery in a Rat Model of Stress Urinary Incontinence.

Objective: To compare the effects of periurethral and intravenous injection of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on voiding function and tissue recovery in a stress urinary incontinence (SUI) rat model.

Methods: Sixty-four postpartum rats were randomly allocated to a normal group and the SUI model was established in 48 rats by vagina balloon dilation and bilateral ovariectomy. The SUI rats were randomized into 3 groups and received urethral injection of PBS (SUI group), periurethral injection of ADSCs (PU group), and intravenous injection of ADSCs (IV group) in 10 days after the ovariectomy.

Electrochemical preparation of nano/micron structure transition metal-based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction.

Electrochemical water splitting is a promising technology for hydrogen production and sustainable energy conversion, but the existing electrolytic cells lack a sufficient number of robust and highly active anodic electrodes for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Electrochemical synthesis technology provides a feasible route for the preparation of independent OER electrodes with high utilization of active sites, fast mass transfer, and a simple preparation process. A comprehensive review of the electrochemical synthesis of nano/microstructure transition metal-based OER materials is provided.

Local continuous glial cell derived neurotrophic factor release using osmotic pump promotes parasympathetic nerve rehabilitation in an animal model of cavernous nerve injury induced erectile dysfunction.

Background: Nerve injury-related erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the types that respond poorly to conventional ED treatments. Our previous experiments have demonstrated the paracrine of various neurotrophic factors (NTFs) by stem cells or other treatment modalities as a potential mechanism in the recovery of nerve injury-related ED. Glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is one of the essential NTFs for the regeneration of nerve fibers, especially for parasympathetic nerves.

Comparative study of intracavernous pressure and cavernous pathology after bilateral cavernous nerve crushing and resection in rats.

This study aimed to compare the effects of bilateral cavernous nerve crushing (BCNC) and bilateral cavernous nerve resection (BCNR) on intracavernous pressure (ICP) and cavernous pathology in rats and to explore the optimal treatment time for the BCNC and BCNR models. Seventy-two male rats aged 12 weeks were randomly divided into three equal groups: Sham (both cavernous nerves exposed only), BCNC (BCN crushed for 2 min), and BCNR (5 mm of BCN resected). Erectile function was then measured at 1 week, 3 weeks, and 5 weeks after nerve injury, and penile tissues were harvested for histological and molecular analyses by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blot, and cytokine array.

Efficacy of dapoxetine treatment in Chinese patients with premature ejaculation and possible factors affecting efficacy in the real-world practice.

Background: The treatment effect of dapoxetine in real-world practice is not well established. This study was to investigate the factors influencing efficacy of dapoxetine for the treatment of Premature ejaculation (PE) in the real-world setting.

Methods: Altogether 154 patients were followed up between Jan 2015 and Dec 2015.

[CEP55 may be a potential therapeutic target for non-obstructive azoospermia with maturation arrest].

Objective: To explore the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated CEP55 gene silencing on the proliferation of mouse spermatogonia.

Methods: Six patients with azoospermia diagnosed to have maturation arrest (3 cases) or normal spermatogenesis (3 cases) based on testicular biopsy between January 1 and December 31, 2017 in our center were examined for differential proteins in the testicular tissue using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ), and CEP55 was found to differentially expressed between the two groups of patients. We constructed a CEP55 siRNA for transfection in mouse spermatogonia and examined the inhibitory effects on CEP55 expressions using Western blotting and qPCR.

Efficacy and safety of novel low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) in treating mild to moderate erectile dysfunction: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical study.

Background: In our previous study, a novel low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapeutic device has been shown to improve erectile function non-invasively in a diabetic-induced erectile dysfunction (ED) animal model.

Methods: In order to investigate the efficacy and safety of LIPUS in the clinical treatment of patients with ED, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-treated, controlled clinical study was conducted at five medical centers, and 120 patients with mild to moderate ED were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomized into a sham-treated control group (40 patients) or a LIPUS-treated group (80 patients).

Treatment with low-energy shock wave alleviates pain in an animal model of uroplakin 3A-induced autoimmune interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.

Purpose: To investigate whether treatment with low-energy shock wave (LESW) alleviates pain and bladder dysfunction in a mouse model of uroplakin 3A (UPK3A)-induced interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS).

Materials And Methods: Forty female BALB/c mice were divided into four groups (n=10/group): Sham, Sham+LESW, UPK3A, and UPK3A+LESW. At 6 weeks of age, mice were injected with an emulsion containing water and complete Freund's adjuvant with (UPK3A and UPK3A+LESW groups) or without (Sham and Sham+LESW groups) 200 µg of UPK3A.

The effects of microenergy acoustic pulses on an animal model of obesity-associated stress urinary incontinence. Part 1: Functional and histologic studies.

Aim: Obesity is a strong independent risk factor for urinary incontinence. Effective therapeutic approaches for obesity-associated stress urinary incontinence (OA-SUI) are lacking as the mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of our study is to explore the impacts of microenergy acoustic pulse (MAP) therapy on urethral and pelvic floor muscle structure and function in female lean and fatty rats.

[Causes of oocyte vitrification and its value in assisted reproductive technology].

Objective: To explore the causes of oocyte vitrification and its application in assisted reproduction.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 26 patients with 27 cycles of oocyte vitrification cryopreservation undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and embryo transfer between January, 2008 and October, 2018. The causes of oocyte vitrification and the outcomes of ICSI and clinical pregnancy were analyzed.

Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Influences the Myogenic Differentiation of Muscle Satellite Cells in a Stress Urinary Incontinence Rat Model.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) in a stress urinary incontinence (SUI) rat model and its influence on myogenic satellite cells.

Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats underwent vaginal distension and bilateral ovariectomy mimicking partum injury and menopause to construct SUI models, which were further randomized into 100 mW/cm LIPUS, 200 mW/cm LIPUS, 300 mW/cm LIPUS, and none-treatment control subgroups with 10 rats per subgroup. Ten rats served as mock operation control.

Icariside II ameliorates endothelial dysfunction by regulating the MAPK pathway via miR-126/SPRED1 in diabetic human cavernous endothelial cells.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate whether miR-126, a regulator of MAPK signaling via targeting sprouty-related EVH1 domain-containing protein 1 () mRNA, is involved in the process by which icariside II (ICA II) ameliorates endothelial dysfunction in human cavernous endothelial cells (hCECs) exposed to a diabetic-like environment.

Materials And Methods: Primary hCECs were isolated and divided into three groups, normal control, diabetes mellitus (DM), and DM treated with ICA II. The cell proliferation and migration abilities of the hCECs were examined.

Transgenic animal model for studying the mechanism of obesity-associated stress urinary incontinence.

Objective: To study and compare the function and structure of the urethral sphincter in female Zucker lean (ZL) and Zucker fatty (ZF) rats and to assess the viability of ZF fats as a model for female obesity-associated stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Materials And Methods: Two study arms were created: a ZL arm including 16-week-old female ZL rats (ZUC-Lepr 186; n = 12) and a ZF arm including 16-week-old female ZF rats (ZUC-Lepr 185; n = 12). I.

Low-energy Shock Wave Therapy Ameliorates Erectile Dysfunction in a Pelvic Neurovascular Injuries Rat Model.

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) caused by pelvic injuries is a common complication of civil and battlefield trauma with multiple neurovascular factors involved, and no effective therapeutic approach is available.

Aims: To test the effect and mechanisms of low-energy shock wave (LESW) therapy in a rat ED model induced by pelvic neurovascular injuries.

Methods: Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats injected with 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) at newborn were divided into 4 groups: sham surgery (Sham), pelvic neurovascular injury by bilateral cavernous nerve injury and internal pudendal bundle injury (PVNI), PVNI treated with LESW at low energy (Low), and PVNI treated with LESW at high energy (High).

Low-intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Improves Erectile Function in Streptozotocin-induced Type I Diabetic Rats.

Objective: To investigate the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) in a rat model of type I diabetes mellitus (DM) induced by streptozotocin (STZ).

Materials And Methods: Seventy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 2 cohorts: a normal control (NC) group and an STZ-induced DM group, which was further subdivided into DM, DM+LIPUS 100, DM+LIPUS 200, and DM+LIPUS 300 groups and a DM+LESWT (low-energy shock wave therapy) 300 positive control group. Animals in the LIPUS subgroups were treated at different energy levels (100, 200, and 300 mW/cm(2)) for 3 minutes, and animals in the LESWT group received 300 shocks at 0.

Icariside II ameliorates diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of icariside II (ICA II) on reversing diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetic rats.

Methods: Newborn male Sprague Dawley rats were labeled with thymidine analog 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) for tracking endogenous label retaining progenitor cells (LRCs). At age of 8 weeks, 48 rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (n=16), diabetes mellitus group (DM; n=16), and diabetes mellitus plus ICA II therapy group (DM+ICA II, n=16).

Novel therapeutic approach for neurogenic erectile dysfunction: effect of neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 1 monoclonal antibody.

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a major health issue in aged populations, and neurogenic ED is particularly difficult to treat. Novel therapeutic approaches are needed for treatment of neurogenic ED of peripheral origin.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of a neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 1 monoclonal antibody (TrkA-mAb) on erectile function and sexual behavior in a rat model of cavernous nerve injury (CNI).

Antioxidant icariside II combined with insulin restores erectile function in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic rats.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) worsens in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) despite good control of blood glucose level with insulin. Recent studies imply that diabetic vascular stresses (e.g.

Urethral musculature and innervation in the female rat.

Aims: The urethral sphincter and urethral muscle innervation are critically involved in maintaining continence, especially in the female. However, the urethral muscle type and distribution, as well as the urethral nerves are far from being well documented. Our aim was to clearly identify the distribution of urethral striated muscle, smooth muscle, and urethral nerves.