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

Despite therapy with potent antiviral agents, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients remain at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While metabolites have been rediscovered as active drivers of biological processes including carcinogenesis, the specific metabolites modulating HCC risk in CHB patients are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that baseline plasma from CHB patients who later developed HCC during follow-up exhibits growth-promoting properties in a case-control design nested within a large-scale, prospective cohort. Metabolomics analysis reveals a reduction in long-chain acylcarnitines (LCACs) in the baseline plasma of patients with HCC development. LCACs preferentially inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro at a physiological concentration and prevent the occurrence of HCC in vivo without hepatorenal toxicity. Uptake and metabolism of circulating LCACs increase the intracellular level of acetyl coenzyme A, which upregulates histone H3 Lys14 acetylation at the promoter region of KLF6 gene and thereby activates KLF6/p21 pathway. Indeed, blocking LCAC metabolism attenuates the difference in KLF6/p21 expression induced by baseline plasma of HCC/non-HCC patients. The deficiency of circulating LCACs represents a driver of HCC in CHB patients with viral control. These insights provide a promising direction for developing therapeutic strategies to reduce HCC risk further in the antiviral era.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.

Objective To explore the mechanism of curcumin in enhancing gemcitabine sensitivity by regulating pancreatic cancer cells.Methods In order to verify the effect of curcumin on p53 and NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation in pancreatic cancer cell PANC1,the pancreatic cancer PANC1 cells were treated with 0,10,20,30 μmol/L curcumin to obtain the blank group,10 μmol/L curcumin group,20 μmol/L curcumin group and 30 μmol/L curcumin group.The intracellular distribution of NF-κB p65 was determined by immunofluo-rescence staining under fluorescence microscope.The expression level of p53 protein in cells was determined by Western blot.The expression level of p53 mRNA was determined by reverse transcription-real-time fluo-rescence quantitative PCR.The combined use of miRstar and JASPAR softwares predicted to seek microRNA (miRNA) potentially regulated by NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation.The double luciferase reporting assay was used to respectively verify the relationship between miRNA and p53.In order to verify whether curcumin in-fect the sensitivity of PANC1 cell through NF-κB p65/miR-266-5p/p53 axis,the gemcitabine group was ob-tained by 10 μmol/L gemcitabine treating cells,and the curcumin combined gemcitabine group was obtained by 20 μmol/L curcumin and 10 μmol/L gemcitabine treating cells.After the cells were treated with curcumin (20 μmol/L) and gemcitabine (10 μmol/L),oligonucleotides mimic NC and miR-26b-5p mimic were trans-fected into cells,and the mimic NC group and miR-26b-5p group were obtained.pcDNA3.1 no-load plasmid and pcDNA3.1-p53 overexpression plasmid were transfected into cells,respectively,and the pcDNA3.1 group and p53 group were obtained.The cell activity was detected by MTT assay.The cellular apoptosis level was determined by Annexin V/PI double staining.Results Compared with the blank group,the intracellular p53 mRNA and protein expression levels in the various curcumin treated groups (10,20,30 μmol/L curcumin groups) all were increased.Compared with the blank group,the expression level of NF-κB p65 in the nucleus of 20μmol/L curcumin group was decreased.The miRstar and JASPAR prediction software found 8 miRNA that may be regulated by NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation,in which 3 miRNA had potential to target p53 genes,especially miR-26b-5p effect was most significant.The double luciferase report experiment confirmed that miR-26b-5p did interact with p53.Compared with the mimic NC group,the expression levels of p53 mR-NA and protein in the mimic miR-26b-5p group were decreased.Compared with the gemcitabine group,the cell viability in the curcumin combined gemcitabine group was decreased and the apoptosis rate was increased.Compared with the mimic NC group,the cell activity in the mimic miR-26b-5p group was increased and the apoptosis level was decreased.Moreover compared with the pcDNA3.1 group,the cell activity in the pcDNA3.1-p53 group was decreased and the apoptosis level was increased.Conclusion Curcumin reduces the expression of miR-26b-5p gene by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 protein,and then increase the p53 gene and protein expression,and enhance the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine by the NF-κB p65/miR-26b-5p/p53 axis.

Sepsis is one of the common severe diseases caused by the dysregulated host response to infection， which seriously threatens the life and health of human beings all over the world. The incidence and mortality of the disease are extremely high， and it has always been an urgent problem to be solved in the field of acute and critical diseases. At present， anti-infection， fluid resuscitation， mechanical ventilation and other programs are most used in clinic to treat sepsis， but their poor prognosis and high cost and other issues remain to be resolved. Therefore， it is necessary to explore a new， efficient， safe and inexpensive drug and treatment model at this stage. The treatment of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is based on syndrome differentiation and holistic concept. It can effectively regulate the progression of sepsis， maintain the homeostasis of the body， and has fewer adverse reactions. It has achieved good clinical results. In recent years， a large number of studies have shown that TCM can reduce the inflammatory response by regulating the Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4） signaling pathway， thereby reducing the severity and mortality of sepsis patients. However， there is still a lack of systematic exposition of TCM regulating TLR4 signaling pathway in the treatment of sepsis. Therefore， this article summarizes the relationship between TLR4 signaling pathway and sepsis and the mechanism of TCM in the disease by searching and consulting relevant literature in recent years. It is found that some Chinese medicine monomers and active ingredients， Chinese medicine compounds and Chinese medicine preparations can effectively reduce systemic inflammatory response， repair organ damage and improve the prognosis of sepsis by inhibiting the activation of TLR4 signaling pathway. However， due to various limitations， some studies have directly focused on the differential expression and function of TLR4， ignoring the downstream molecular expression and phenotypic effects of TLR4. The alternative mechanism， relationship and specific molecular mechanism of the pathway are still unclear. There are problems such as unclear pharmacokinetics and unclear mechanism in the pro- and anti-inflammatory balance， which need to be further studied and explored in order to provide new ideas for the potential treatment and drug development for sepsis.

Objective To analyze the relationship of serum S100 calcium binding protein A4(S100A4)and pentraxin-3(PTX3)levels with left atrial appendage thrombosis in patients with NVAF.Methods A total of 120 elderly NVAF patients treated in our hospital from March 2020 to March 2023 were enrolled in this study.According to their echocardiograms,they were divided into a left atrial appendage thrombosis group(40 cases)and a non-thrombosis group(80 cases).Serum S100A4 and PTX3 levels were detected.Spearman correlation analysis was applied to ana-lyze the relationship between serum S100A4 and PTX3 levels and left atrial appendage thrombo-sis.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the factors affecting left atrial appendage thrombosis.Results The serum levels of S100A4 and PTX3 were higher in the thrombosis group than the non-thrombosis group(P＜0.01).The serum levels of S100A4 and PTX3 were positively correlated with left atrial appendage thrombosis(r=0.497,P=0.000;r=0.555,P=0.000).Heart failure,CHA2DS2-VASc score,B-type natriuretic peptide,uric acid,S100A4 and PTX3 were risk factors for left atrial appendage thrombosis in NVAF patients(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Combination of serum S100A4 and PTX3 in predicting left atrial appendage thrombosis formation in NVAF patients had an AUC value of of 0.949(95％CI:0.893-0.981).Conclusion Serum S100A4 and PTX3 levels are increased in NVAF patients,they are related to left atrial appendage thrombosis,and their serum levels have certain predictive value for left atrial appendage thrombosis.

Objective To explore the effectiveness of building block assembly games in the upper limb functional exercise of school-aged children with peripherally inserted central catheter catheterization.Methods Using convenience sampling,90 catheterized children who met the inclusion criteria in the pediatric ward of a tertiary hospital in Henan Province from November 2022 to April 2023 were selected as research subjects.They were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group,with 45 cases in each group.The experimental group participated in building block assembly games in addition to conventional ball-gripping exercises,while the control group engaged solely in conventional ball-gripping exercises.The compliance rates of upper limb exercises,time average peak flow rate of axillary vein of the catheterization side,and the incidence of catheter-related complications were compared between the 2 groups.Results During the study,2 cases in the experimental group and 3 in the control group dropped out,resulting in 43 cases in the experimental group and 42 in the control group.The compliance rate of upper limb exercises in the experimental group during hospitalization was 93.03％,significantly higher than 64.29％in the control group(P＜0.001).On the third day after catheterization,the time average peak flow rate of axillary vein of the catheterization side was(5.58±1.24)cm/s and(5.37±1.24)cm/s on the seventh day in the experimental group,compared to(3.87±1.06)cm/s and(3.56±0.81)cm/s,respectively,in the control group.These differences were statistically significant(P＜0.001).The incidence of catheter-related thrombosis in the experimental group was 4.65％,significantly lower than 21.43％in the control group(P=0.021).The rates of bleeding at the puncture site and catheter displacement in the experimental group were both 4.65％,compared to 7.14％and 4.76％,respectively,in the control group.These differences were not statistically significant(both P＞0.05).Conclusion Incorporating building block assembly games into routine ball-gripping exercises can improve the compliance of upper limb exercises in children with PICC placement,improve the blood flow velocity in the axillary vein of the catheterization upper limb,and reduce the incidence of catheter-related thrombosis,without increasing the risk of bleeding at the puncture site or catheter displacement.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and the risk factors of fungal sepsis in 25 neonatal intensive care units (NICU) among preterm infants in China, and to provide a basis for preventive strategies of fungal sepsis. Methods: This was a second-analysis of the data from the "reduction of infection in neonatal intensive care units using the evidence-based practice for improving quality" study. The current status of fungal sepsis of the 24 731 preterm infants with the gestational age of <34⁺⁰ weeks, who were admitted to 25 participating NICU within 7 days of birth between May 2015 and April 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. These preterm infants were divided into the fungal sepsis group and the without fungal sepsis group according to whether they developed fungal sepsis to analyze the incidences and the microbiology of fungal sepsis. Chi-square test was used to compare the incidences of fungal sepsis in preterm infants with different gestational ages and birth weights and in different NICU. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to study the outcomes of preterm infants with fungal sepsis, which were further compared with those of preterm infants without fungal sepsis. The 144 preterm infants in the fungal sepsis group were matched with 288 preterm infants in the non-fungal sepsis group by propensity score-matched method. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of fungal sepsis. Results: In all, 166 (0.7%) of the 24 731 preterm infants developed fungal sepsis, with the gestational age of (29.7±2.0) weeks and the birth weight of (1 300±293) g. The incidence of fungal sepsis increased with decreasing gestational age and birth weight (both P<0.001). The preterm infants with gestational age of <32 weeks accounted for 87.3% (145/166). The incidence of fungal sepsis was 1.0% (117/11 438) in very preterm infants and 2.0% (28/1 401) in extremely preterm infants, and was 1.3% (103/8 060) in very low birth weight infants and 1.7% (21/1 211) in extremely low birth weight infants, respectively. There was no fungal sepsis in 3 NICU, and the incidences in the other 22 NICU ranged from 0.7% (10/1 397) to 2.9% (21/724), with significant statistical difference (P<0.001). The pathogens were mainly Candida (150/166, 90.4%), including 59 cases of Candida albicans and 91 cases of non-Candida albicans, of which Candida parapsilosis was the most common (41 cases). Fungal sepsis was independently associated with increased risk of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (adjusted OR 1.52, 95%CI 1.04-2.22, P=0.030) and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (adjusted OR 2.55, 95%CI 1.12-5.80, P=0.025). Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure (adjusted OR=2.50, 95%CI 1.50-4.17, P<0.001), prolonged use of central line (adjusted OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.03-1.08, P<0.001) and previous total parenteral nutrition (TPN) duration (adjusted OR=1.04, 95%CI 1.02-1.06, P<0.001) were all independently associated with increasing risk of fungal sepsis. Conclusions: Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis are the main pathogens of fungal sepsis among preterm infants in Chinese NICU. Preterm infants with fungal sepsis are at increased risk of moderate to severe BPD and severe ROP. Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure, prolonged use of central line and prolonged duration of TPN will increase the risk of fungal sepsis. Ongoing initiatives are needed to reduce fungal sepsis based on these risk factors.
Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Sepsis/epidemiology* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology* ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology*