[The role of the ubiquitin proteasome system and PP2A in spermatogenesis].

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) plays an important role in cell degradation, and is involved in many biological processes such as cell cycle regulation, immune response, DNA damage repair, and signal transduction. It also acts a crucial part in spermatogenesis by selectively degrading proteins and regulating such processes as DNA repair and protamine histone replacement. PP2A, as an essential serine/threonine phosphatase, participates in a variety of life activities.

The Efficacy of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Children With Tourette Syndrome: A Preliminary Study.

Therapies for Tourette syndrome (TS) are insufficient, and novel therapies are needed. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been a potential therapy for several neurological diseases. Here, we report a preliminary study to investigate the effects of FMT on patients with TS.

[Biosafety in andrology laboratories during the outbreak of COVID-19].

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) broke out in December 2019 and has been rapidly escalating throughout the world. Clinical findings show that the patients with either symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19 can be a potential source of infection. Although respiratory droplets and close contact are considered to be the main routes of transmission, there is the possibility of aerosol transmission in a relatively closed environment.

Effects of Proton Pump Inhibitors on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used to lessen symptoms in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, the effects of PPI therapy on the gastrointestinal microbiota in GERD patients remain unclear. We examined the association between the PPI usage and the microbiota present in gastric mucosal and fecal samples from GERD patients and healthy controls (HCs) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

[Association of Ureaplasma urealyticum with the types of antisperm antibody in infertile men].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection in infertile men, its influence on routine semen parameters and the distribution of antisperm antibody (AsAb) and its types in infertile patients with UU infection.

Methods: We detected the positive rate of UU infection, semen parameters, and the distribution of AsAb and its types in 662 infertile men and 25 normal fertile male controls followed by comparison of the obtained data between the two groups of subjects.

Results: The positive rate of UU infection was significantly higher in the infertile men than in the normal controls (52.

[Sperm chromatin structure assay versus sperm chromatin dispersion test in detecting sperm DNA integrity and correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation with semen parameters].

Objective: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is widely used to predict male infertility and the methods of detecting SDF are varied. This study aimed to compare two methods of SDF detection and investigate the correlation between SDF and sperm quality.

Methods: Using sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCD), we detected SDF in 108 semen samples collected in the Center of Reproduction and Genetics of Suzhou Municipal Hospital.

Initial meconium microbiome in Chinese neonates delivered naturally or by cesarean section.

Previous studies have revealed significant differences in microbiome compositions between infants delivered via cesarean section (C-section) and natural vaginal birth. However, the importance of the delivery mode in the first days of life remains unclear. Importantly, this stage is minimally affected by infant feeding.

[Impact of Mycoplasma and Chlamydia infections on male reproduction].

Infertility can be attributed to reproductive tract infections (RTI), most commonly nongonococcal urethritis, mainly including Mycoplasma and Chlamydia infections, which may directly or indirectly damage spermatozoa and spermatogenic cells. In addition, a series of immune responses caused by such infections are also associated with male infertility. Methods for the clinical detection of these microbial infections are being constantly improved for more specific and precise control over the impact of Mycoplasma and Chlamydia infections on male fertility.

Reasons and risk factors for irregular-interval endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy in patients with esophageal variceal bleeding.

Objective: Endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy (EVS) is usually carried out at weekly intervals in patients with esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB). However, some patients receive sclerotherapy at irregular intervals. In this study we aimed to elucidate the reasons and risk factors for irregular-interval sclerotherapy in patients with EVB, and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of interrupted irregular intervals in these patients.

[Ultrastructural observation of morphologically abnormal sperm: Advances in studies and application].

Sperm ultrastructural abnormalities are often associated with sperm motility, the integrity of genetic material, and the fertilization potential. The investigation of sperm ultrastructural abnormalities is based on the evolution of microscopy techniques. In his paper, we review the improvement of the microscopy techniques and the ultrastructure of several specific morphological defects and he apoptotic spermatogenic cells in order to expound the significance of sperm ultrastructural observation in clinical practice.

[Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of The Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool].

Objective: To translate the English version of The Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) into Chinese, evaluate its reliability and validity, and analyze its feasibility in the diagnosis of premature ejaculation (PE).

Methods: Following the forward-backward translation procedure, we developed the Chinese version of PEDT, which was then revised by andrologists and bilingual linguists. We enrolled subjects with or without PE from 15 urological or andrological clinics in China and obtained the information about their demographic characteristics, PEDT scores, and intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT).

A duplication upstream of SOX9 was not positively correlated with the SRY‑negative 46,XX testicular disorder of sex development: A case report and literature review.

The 46,XX male disorder of sex development (DSD) is rarely observed in humans. Patients with DSD are all male with testicular tissue differentiation. The mechanism of sex determination and differentiation remains to be elucidated.

46,XX testicular disorder of sexual development with SRY-negative caused by some unidentified mechanisms: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: 46,XX testicular disorder of sex development is a rare genetic syndrome, characterized by a complete or partial mismatch between genetic sex and phenotypic sex, which results in infertility because of the absence of the azoospermia factor region in the long arm of Y chromosome.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 14-year-old male with microorchidism and mild bilateral gynecomastia who referred to our hospital because of abnormal gender characteristics. The patient was treated for congenital scrotal type hypospadias at the age of 4 years.

[Relationship of sperm morphology with the outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer].

Objective: To study the application value of normal sperm morphology on the outcomes of classic in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods: This study included 659 infertile couples admitted to our center for IVF-ET. Based on the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (MNS), we divided the patients into groups A (n = 112, MNS < 2%), B (n = 180, MNS > or = 2 - < 4%), C (n = 74, MNS > or = 4 - < 5%), and D (n = 293, MNS > or = 5%), and compared the rates of fertilization, normal fertilization, embryos obtained, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, implantation, and live birth among different groups.

[The value of histopathologic examination of testis tissue from testicular sperm aspiration].

Objective: To evaluate histopathologic examination of the testis tissue from testicular sperm aspiration (TESA).

Methods: We analyzed the results of inverted microscopy and histopathologic examination of 96 samples of testis tissue from TESA, and compared the accuracy of the two methods in detecting sperm in the testis tissue.

Results: Among the 11 cases in which sperm was found by inverted microscopy, 9 were confirmed by histopathologic examination, and among the 57 cases in which sperm was not detected by inverted microscopy, 11 (19.

C/EBPα inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma by reducing Notch3/Hes1/p27 cascades.

Background And Aims: CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α is one of the key transcription factors of the hepatocyte nuclear factors family, which plays a critical role in liver cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the role of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α in hepatocarcinogenesis remains to be defined.

Methods: A recombinant adenovirus carrying the C/EBPα gene was constructed to determine its effect on hepatocarcinogenesis in vitro and in vivo.

[Susceptibility to prostate cancer in Han Chinese: single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of 1 667 cases].

Objective: Prostate cancer (PCa) has the highest incidence among male malignancies in Western industrialized countries and, as a most common malignant disease in urology, its incidence has been increasing in recent years in Chinese men. This study was to investigate the risk loci associated with PCa susceptibility in Han Chinese by analyzing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP).

Methods: We collected peripheral blood samples from 1 667 PCa patients and 1 525 healthy men, and detected 40 loci associated with PCa susceptibility by analyzing SNPs using Sequenom technology.

[Analysis of GJB2 gene and mitochondrial DNA A1555G mutations in 16 families with non-syndromic hearing loss].

Objective: To screen for genetic mutations in families featuring non-syndromic hearing loss.

Methods: Sixteen families with non-syndromic hearing loss were interviewed to identify medical histories by a questionnaire. Audiological and neurological examinations were conducted for all families.

Meiotic pairing error in an infertile male bearing reciprocal deletion of chromosome 13.

A series of complex processes takes place during the first meiotic division, including pairing, synapsis, recombination, and segregation of homologous chromosomes. When any of these processes is altered, cellular checkpoints arrest the progression of meiosis and induce cell loss, causing a severe reduction in fertility, or even sterility. In this study, we report on a 29-year-old, healthy, but severe oligozoospermic male with a supernumerary, ring-neocentric 13q12.

Association between ubiquitin-specific protease USP26 polymorphism and male infertility in Chinese men.

Background: Increased sperm ubiquitin was inversely associated with sperm count and motility. Ubiquitin-specific protease 26 (USP26), which is an X-linked gene, has been studied as a potential infertility gene. There are conflicting reports on whether variations in USP26 are associated with spermatogenesis.

[Sex chromosomes and male infertility].

Male infertility is a worldwide problem, with a variety of causes including genetic factors. Sex chromosomes are particularly interesting, as males only have a single copy of both chromosomes. The Y chromosome is obviously an area of interest in the study of male-factor infertility because it contains many of the genes that are critical for spermatogenesis and the development of male gonads.