Altered microRNA expression profiles of human spermatozoa in normal fertile men of different ages.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are mediators of the aging process. The purpose of this work was to analyze the miRNA expression profiles of spermatozoa from men of different ages with normal fertility. Twenty-seven donors were divided into three groups by age (Group A, n = 8, age: 20-30 years; Group B, n = 10, age: 31-40 years; and Group C, n = 9, age: 41-55 years) for high-throughput sequencing analysis.

Extended least squares support vector machine with applications to fault diagnosis of aircraft engine.

Recently, a robust least squares support vector machine (R-LSSVM) was proposed, but its computational complexity is very high compared with the traditional least squares support vector machine (LSSVM). To reduce R-LSSVM's computational complexity, an improved version, i.e.

Parsimonious kernel extreme learning machine in primal via Cholesky factorization.

Recently, extreme learning machine (ELM) has become a popular topic in machine learning community. By replacing the so-called ELM feature mappings with the nonlinear mappings induced by kernel functions, two kernel ELMs, i.e.

BDNF interacts with endocannabinoids to regulate cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity in mouse midbrain dopamine neurons.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and endocannabinoids (eCBs) have been individually implicated in behavioral effects of cocaine. The present study examined how BDNF-eCB interaction regulates cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity in the ventral tegmental area and behavioral effects. We report that BDNF and selective tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (DHF) activated the TrkB receptor to facilitate two forms of eCB-mediated synaptic depression, depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI), and long-term depression (I-LTD) of IPSCs in ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons in mouse midbrain slices.

[CMTM2 antagonizes cyclophosphamide-induced reproductive toxicity and regulates StAR expression in a transgenic mouse model].

Objective: To observe the effects of CMTM2 on cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced reproductive toxicity and the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein in the transgenic mouse model.

Methods: Twenty CMTM2 transgenic mice were equally divided into a CMTM2 + CP and a CMTM2 + NS group, the former intraperitoneally injected with CP at 50 mg per kg per d, while the latter with the equivalent dose of normal saline, both for 7 days. Another 20 wild C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to a WT + CP and a WT + NS group, treated the same way above.

[Construction and analysis of gene expression profiles in the testes of patients with unilateral cryptorchidism using cDNA gene chips].

Objective: To analyze the differentially expressed genes in the testicular tissues of men with unilateral cryptorchidism using cDNA gene chips.

Methods: Probes were prepared with the mRNA extracted from the testes of 6 patients with unilateral cryptorchidism and 3 normal fertile men. Then the differential gene expression profiles of the two groups were detected with cDNA gene chips containing 45 034 genes.

Androgen replacement therapy improves psychological distress and health-related quality of life in late onset hypogonadism patients in Chinese population.

Background: Late onset hypogonadism negatively impacts on men's psychological well-being. This study was conducted to examine the interrelationship among symptoms of testosterone deficiency, psychological well-being, and quality of life.

Methods: Eligible subjects were randomized into active treatment and control groups, and were asked to complete the following questionnaires at baseline and month 6: aging male's symptoms (AMS) rating scale, hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), perceived stress scale (PSS) and the short form health survey-12 (SF-12).

A live birth of activated one-day-old unfertilized oocyte for a patient who experienced repeatedly near-total fertilization failure after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Total or near-total fertilization failure after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a rare event, but it occurs repeatedly because of sperm defects in activating oocyte. The case presents a successful pregnancy and live birth after calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187) activation on one-day-old unfertilized oocytes in a patient whose husband suffered oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, and who had experienced repeated near-total fertilization failure after ICSI. In the second ICSI cycle, only one oocyte was fertilized while nine were unfertilized.

Andrology in China: current status and 10 years' progress.

Andrology has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine. There are records of male sexual health, male sexual dysfunction and male infertility from over thousands of years ago. Modern andrology in China had a late start, with the Chinese Andrology Association founded in 1995.

Relationship between fecal lactoferrin and inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Lactoferrin as a glucoprotein that can reflect the activity of neutrophil leukocytes is a specific and sensitive indicator in the evaluation of intestinal inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fecal lactoferrin and intestinal inflammation by quantitative analysis and the effect of fecal lactoferrin in measuring the activity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).

Material And Methods: A total of 177 fresh stool samples were collected from 42 active UC, 17 inactive UC, 13 active CD, 5 inactive CD, 41 infectious bowel disease, 25 irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 34 healthy volunteers.

[Construction of an antisense RNA recombinant adenovirus vector of the human PDE5A1 gene promoter].

Objective: To construct an antisense RNA recombinant adenovirus vector of the human PDE5A1 promoter gene.

Methods: A cDNA fragment containing the human PDE5A1 promoter and the human PDE5A1-specific exon was determined according to the gene bank. The antisense RNA fragment was synthesized artificially and subcloned into the pENTR.

[Successful treatment of high-flow priapism by selective arteriographic embolization of the pudendal artery].

Objective: To evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of high-flow priapism (HFP).

Methods: Four cases of HFP following blunt trauma to the penis or perinea underwent diagnostic examination by colour-flow Doppler ultrasound and/or superselective pudendal arteriography, which revealed bilateral arteriocorporal fistula in 1 case and monolateral in the other 3. Penile detumescence was obtained in 2 cases by superselective bilateral/monolateral arteriographic embolization of the pudendal artery with absorbable gelatin

Results: The former 2 cases effected an immediate recovery of the sponge, while the other 2 cases received conservative treatment.