Recent studies have shown that shorter periods of ejaculatory abstinence may enhance certain sperm parameters, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these improvements are still unclear. This study explored whether reduced abstinence periods could improve semen quality, particularly for use in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). We analyzed semen samples from men with normal sperm counts ( n = 101) and those with low sperm motility or concentration ( n = 53) after 3-7 days of abstinence and then after 1-3 h of abstinence, obtained from the Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya (Changsha, China). Physiological and biochemical sperm parameters were evaluated, and the dynamics of transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived fragments (tRFs) were analyzed using deep RNA sequencing in five consecutive samples from men with normal sperm counts. Our results revealed significant improvement in sperm motility and a decrease in the DNA fragmentation index after the 1- to 3-h abstinence period. Additionally, we identified 245 differentially expressed tRFs, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was the most enriched. Further investigations showed significant changes in tRF-Lys-TTT and its target gene mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2 ( MAP2K2 ), which indicates a role of tRFs in improving sperm function. These findings provide new insights into how shorter abstinence periods influence sperm quality and suggest that tRFs may serve as biomarkers for male fertility. This research highlights the potential for optimizing ART protocols and improving reproductive outcomes through molecular approaches that target sperm function.
Male ; Humans ; Spermatozoa/metabolism* ; RNA, Transfer/genetics* ; Sperm Motility/genetics* ; Adult ; Semen Analysis ; Sexual Abstinence/physiology* ; Sperm Count ; DNA Fragmentation

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by impaired motility of cilia and flagella. Mutations in cilia- and flagella-associated protein 300 ( CFAP300 ) are associated with human PCD and male infertility; however, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. In a consanguineous Chinese family, we identified a homozygous CFAP300 loss-of-function variant (c.304delC) in a proband presenting with classical PCD symptoms and severe sperm abnormalities, including dynein arm deficiency and acrosomal malformation, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Histological analysis revealed multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella in CFAP300 -mutant individual, whereas immunofluorescence demonstrated markedly reduced CFAP300 expression in the spermatozoa of the proband. Furthermore, tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics showed that the CFAP300 mutation reduced key spermatogenesis proteins (e.g., sperm flagellar 2 [SPEF2], solute carrier family 25 member 31 [SLC25A31], and A-kinase anchoring protein 3 [AKAP3]) and mitochondrial ATP synthesis factors (e.g., SLC25A31, cation channel sperm-associated 3 [CATSPER3]). It also triggered abnormal increases in autophagy-related proteins and signaling mediator phosphorylation. These molecular alterations are likely to contribute to progressive deterioration of sperm ultrastructure and function. Notably, successful pregnancy was achieved via intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using the proband's sperm. Overall, this study expands the known CFAP300 mutational spectrum and offers novel mechanistic insights into its role in spermatogenesis.
Humans ; Male ; Infertility, Male/pathology* ; Acrosome/pathology* ; Sperm Tail/pathology* ; Pedigree ; Spermatozoa ; Adult ; Loss of Function Mutation ; Ciliary Motility Disorders/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Female

Objective To observe the value of automated fiber quantification(AFQ)for analyzing relationships of abnormal white matter microstructures and executive dysfunction in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).Methods Brain diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)and white matter structure AFQ analysis were prospectively performed on 83 children with ADHD(ADHD group)and 52 healthy children(healthy control[HC]group).The axial diffusivity(AD),radial diffusivity(RD),mean diffusivity(MD),and fractional anisotropy(FA)of complete fiber bundles and respective segments were obtained and compared between groups.Partial correlation analysis was conducted of fiber bundle diffusion parameters and the scores of Swanson Nolan and Pelham-Ⅳ(SNAP-Ⅳ)and behavior rating inventory of executive function(BRIEF)in ADHD group.Receiver operating characteristic curves were applied to assess the efficacy of each diffusion parameter for evaluating ADHD.Results AD and MD of right anterior thalamic radiation(ATR),and AD of right cingulum bundle(CB)in ADHD group were all higher than those in HC group(FWE corrected,all P＜0.000 7).Significant differences of AD of the 54-78 segments of right ATR,MD of the 13-24 and 53-77 segments of right ATR,AD of the 24-26,53-56 and 93-97 segments of right CB,as well as MD of the 72-85 segments of left inferior longitudinal fasciculus(ILF)were found between groups(FWE corrected,all P＜0.001).In ADHD group,AD of 54-78 segments of right ATR were negatively correlated with the attention deficit scores,while of 24-26 segments of right CB were negatively correlated with the emotional control scores.MD of right ATR and some segments,AD of right CB and some segments in ADHD group were positively correlated with the scores of task initiation,planning,organization,monitoring and metacognitive index(all P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of segmental fiber bundle diffusion parameter and intact fiber bundle diffusion parameter for evaluating ADHD was 0.881 and 0.808,respectively,the former was higher than the latter(Z=2.435,P＜0.05).Conclusion AFQ could be used to analyze relationships of abnormal white matter microstructures and executive dysfunction in ADHD,which could be effectively evaluated based on specific fiber bundle segments.

This paper reports a case of hepatoblastoma that is inclined to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. The patient, a 6-month-old male, was admitted to Dermatology Department of Children’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Beijing Children’s Hospital successively, because of a erythema on the neck for 6 months and a mass in the neck for 3 months. Abdominal ultrasonography and CT indicated the possibility of hepatic hemangioma, but further examination of alpha fetoprote and other indicators suggested hepatic malignant tumor. Therefore, surgery was performed to remove the liver mass, and postoperative pathology revealed hepatoblastoma. Postoperative chemotherapy was combined, and follow-up was conducted six months after the end of chemotherapy, with no recurrence of the disease. This article summarized the diagnosis and treatment process of this case and combined with literature review to provide experience for clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of relevant cases.

Objective To investigate the status of population dynamics and distribution changes of Aedes aegypti in Guangdong Province.Methods Continuous monitoring was conducted from May 2018 to July 2024 in Wushi Town and Qishui Town,Leizhou City,Zhanjiang City,Guangdong Province.Additionally,a survey of the distribution of Ae.aegypti along the Leizhou Peninsula coast was carried out.Results The density of Ae.aegypti in Zhanjiang showed a gradual decline from 2018 to 2024.The last detection of adult Ae.aegypti in Wushi Town was in September 2021,and the last larva was found in October 2023.No Ae.aegypti was detected in Qishui Town during surveys from 2021 to 2024.A survey of 18 coastal villages in the Leizhou Peninsula revealed no detections of Ae.aegypti.Conclusions This study provides a basis for understanding the distribution and population density fluctuations of Ae.aegypti,assessing its invasion risk,and scientifically conducting relevant prevention and control efforts.

The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has been increasing annually.Current primary treatment strategies involve dietary modifications and increased physical activity to allevi-ate symptoms,yet there is a notable lack of targeted pharmacological interventions.Members of the micro RNA-29(miR-29)family(miR-29a,miR-29b,miR-29c)are known to play a critical regulatory role in lipid metabolism within hepatocytes;however,the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.This study aims to identify the target genes and associated signaling pathways of the miR-29 family,thereby providing potential therapeutic targets for the development of NAFLD treatments.Firstly,the human liver cell line HepG2 was utilized as a model for adipogenic induction,and miR-29a/b/c-3p mimics were indi-vidually transfected.Through methods such as Oil Red O staining and triglyceride(TG)quantification,it was observed that the miR-29 family members significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in hepatocytes(P＜0.05).Subsequently,qRT-PCR and Western blot were utilized to detect the expression levels of ad-ipogenic marker genes(fatty acid synthase(FAS),acetyl coa carboxylase(ACACA),stearoyl-coen-zyme a desaturase 1(Scd 1))and autophagy marker genes(sequestosome 1(SQSTM1,also known as p62),autophagy related gene 5(Atg5)),and the results indicated that the members of the miR-29 fam-ily could significantly suppress the expression of FAS,ACACA,Scd1,and p62 genes in hepatocytes,while significantly enhancing the level of the Atg5 gene.Further investigations using signaling pathway activity analysis and dual luciferase reporter assays confirmed that the miR-29a/b/c could suppress the mTOR signaling pathway activity and directly interact with the ten-eleven translocation 2(TET2)gene.Finally,co-transfection experiments were performed to examine the potential synergistic effects among the miR-29-3p family members,and the results demonstrated that co-transfection of miR-29 family members more effectively inhibited lipid droplet accumulation in HepG2 cells and further suppressed the expression of the target gene TET2 compared to individual transfection.In summary,the miR-29 family members may reduce lipid accumulation in hepatocytes by inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway via the TET2 gene,and they exhibit a positive synergistic effect.

Objective To investigate the stability and reproducibility of the treatment fractions during the intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)for breast cancer and the effect of respiratory motion on the dose irradiation of breast cancer radiotherapy by comparing the results of breast cancer dosimetric verification based on fractionated images by an electronic portal imaging device(EPID).Methods A total of 28 IMRT patients admitted to some hospital from January to June 2023 were grouped according to the pathological results and effects of respiratory motion on the accuracy of radiotherapy during clinical treatment,including 14 cases in a breast group and 14 cases in a non-breast group with 8 ones of head and neck tumors,5 ones of esophageal cancer and 1 case of cervical cancer.All the patients underwent a scan with cone beam computed tomography(CBCT)before the first radiotherapy,and image registration was carried out with a positioning CT.An EPID was used to acquire transmission dose images of 10 fractions of radiotherapy,and γ analysis was performed using the RIT 113 QA software to compare the images of the subsequent 9 fractions with those of the first fraction,with the images of the first fraction of radiotherapy as the baseline values.Absolute maximum dose normalization was implemented under the condition of 10％dose assessment threshold,and the γ-pass rates under the 3 criteria of 2％/2 mm,3％/2 mm and 3％/3 mm were counted separately.The fraction dose verification results of the 28 patients were divided into 3 treatment phases of 2-4 times(T1),5-7 times(T2)and 8-10 times(T3)to analyze the stability of dose irradiation during the radiotherapy.SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results Under the condition of 10％dose assessment threshold,the breast and non-breast groups had the γ-pass rates being(95.80±2.65)％and(94.60±6.59)％under the 2％/2 mm criterion and(98.46±1.31)％and(97.50±3.30)％under the 3％/2 mm criterion respectively,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Under the assessment criteria of 2％/2 mm,3％/2 mm and 3％/3 mm,the breast group had the γ-pass rates of fractions of treatment significantly lower than those of the non-breast group(all P<0.05),while the γ-pass rates showed no significant differences at T1,T2 and T3 treatment phases(all P>0.05).Conclusion EPID fraction images contribute to evaluating IMRT accuracy effectively.IMRT has high stability and reproducibility during the treatment cycle,while respiration may result in dose deviation during the fraction radiotherapy for breast cancer,and optical surface tracking technology or active breathing control technology is suggested to be involved in to relieve dose deviation.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):54-58]

The pathogenesis of obesity-associated kidney disease (OAKD) involves many aspects,including the overactivation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system,insulin resistance,chronic inflammation,disorder of lipid metabolism and imbalance of gut microecology.Treatment strategies for OAKD focus on lifestyle adjustments,pharmacotherapy,bariatric surgery,and fecal microbiota transplantation.A deeper understanding of the hazards of OAKD and its pathogenesis will contribute to the development of personalized and precise strategies for prevention,diagnosis and treatment of OAKD in the future.
Humans ; Obesity/complications* ; Kidney Diseases/therapy* ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Insulin Resistance

Objective:To discuss the infection status and clinical outcomes in the patients with bullous pemphigoid(BP),and to analyze the risk factors for infection in hospitalized BP patients,as well as to construct and evaluate the risk prediction model.Methods:A total of 126 patients first diagnosed with BP were selected.According to the occurrence of infection,the patients were divided into infection group(52 cases)and non-infection group(74 cases).The infection status and outcomes of the patients in two groups were recorded;statistical analysis was performed on the general data,laboratory examination results,FRAIL scale scores for frailty screening,NRS2002 scores,and skin lesion severity of the patients in two groups;multivariate Logistic regression model was used to identify the risk factors for infection in the patients;the goodness-of-fit test was used to evaluate the model;receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of the model for infection.Results:Among the 126 hospitalized BP patients,52 cases had infection,with an infection rate of 41.27％.The mortality rate of the patients in infection group was higher than that in non-infection group(P＜0.05),and the remission rate of the patients in non-infection group was higher than that in infection group(P＜0.05).The FRAIL scale score for frailty screening,NRS2002 score,serum albumin level,prealbumin level,number of hospitalization,skin lesion severity,and time of hospital stay of the patients in infection group were significantly higher than those in non-infection group(P＜0.05).The multivariate Logistic regression analysis results derived the regression equation:Logistic(P)=-7.63+0.922× skin lesion severity+2.565×FRAIL scale score for frailty screening+1.214×NRS2002 score.The area under the curve of the Logistic regression model was 0.916.Conclusion:The FRAIL scale score for frailty screening,NRS2002 score,and skin lesion severity are the risk factors for infection in the hospitalized BP patients.The constructed infection risk prediction model based on these factors has good predictive value and may provide new ideas for the prevention and control of infection in the hospitalized BP patients.