Cynomorium songaricum improves sperm count and motility and serum testosterone level and promotes proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia in oligoasthenospermia rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the effects of cynomorium songaricum (CS) decoction on the testis weight, serum testosterone level, and sperm parameters of rats with oligoasthenospermia (OAS), explore its action mechanism of improving the proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonial cells, and provide some experimental and theoretical evidence for the development of new Chinese drugs for OAS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups of equal number: blank control, model control, high-dose CS, medium-dose CS, and low-dose CS. OAS models were established by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide and, a month later, treated intragastrically with normal saline or CS at 2, 1, and 0.5 g per kg of the body weight per day, all for 4 weeks. Then, the testes of the animals were harvested to obtain the testicular weight, sperm concentration and motility, and the level of serum testosterone (T), detect the expressions of the transcription factor 1 (Oct4), Thy-1 cell surface antigen (Thy1), promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF), KIT proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase (C-kit) and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the testis tissue of the rats in the low-dose CS group by real-time PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The testis weights in the blank control, model control, high-dose CS, medium-dose CS, and low-dose CS groups were (1.52±0.06), (1.55±0.06), (1.43±0.30), (1.35±0.40) and (1.34±0.04) g, respectively, not significantly different in the blank and model controls from those in the CS groups (P>0.05). The visual field sperm count per 10 HP was significantly increased in the high-, medium-, and low-dose CS groups (202±20, 196±5 and 216±25) as compared with the blank and model controls (200±15 and 134±30) (P<0.05). The mRNA expressions of the Oct4, Thy1, PLZF and GDNF genes were remarkably higher in the low-dose CS group than in the controls (P<0.05), but that of the C-kit gene showed no significant difference from the latter (P>0.05). The visual field sperm motility per 10 HP was markedly increased in the blank control (［52.1±5.5］%), model control (［38.1±2.5］%), high-dose CS (［59.1±9.5］%), medium-dose CS (［58.7±9.5］%), and low-dose CS (［49.6±1.0］%) groups, and so was the level of serum testosterone (［190±87.5］, ［82.5±25.8］, ［229±75.6］, ［331±86.7］ and ［185±82.4］ mmol/L), both remarkably higher in the CS groups than in the model controls (P<0.05) but with no statistically significant difference between the CS groups and the blank controls (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CS can significantly improve sperm concentration, sperm motility and serum T level in OAS rats, probably by inducing the expression of GDNF in the rat Sertoli cells, promoting the proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonial cells, and enhancing spermatogenesis.</p>

Elective microscopic resection of dorsal penile nerves for primary premature ejaculation: a clinical observation / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of elective microscopic resection of dorsal penile nerves in the treatment of primary premature ejaculation (PPE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-eight PPE patients received elective microscopic resection of dorsal penile nerves, 5 branches in 9 cases, 6 in 17, 7 in 15, 8 in 14, 9 in 8, 10 in 6, 11 in 6, and 12 in 3. The patients were followed up for 12 months, and their intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) and sexual intercourse satisfaction scores were recorded before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the baseline, the IELT was significantly prolonged after surgery ([0.86 +/- 0.32] vs [6.65 +/- 3.9] min, P < 0.01), and the sexual intercourse satisfaction scores of the patients were dramatically increased (7.32 +/- 2.52 vs 12.32 +/- 3.76, P < 0.01), so were those of their sexual partners (4.46 +/- 1.36 vs 12.73 +/- 1.45, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Elective microscopic resection of dorsal penile nerves is safe and effective for the treatment of PPE.</p>

Study on the status and related socio-psychological factors of maternal depression among high-risk pregnancy women in Harbin city / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study aimed to investigate the depression status among high-risk pregnancy women, and to analyze its relevant social and psychological factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 42 high-risk pregnancy women and 40 normal pregnancy women in a teaching hospital in Harbin city were followed up at time points of 32 - 36 weeks pregnancy, one week before labor, one week postpartum, and six weeks postpartum, respectively. During follow-up, the basic situation, social psychosocial factors of pregnancy women were collected and the depression of pregnancy women was measured by self-designed questionnaire and self-rating depression scale. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was applied at timepoint of one week postpartum. Single factor analysis and the unconditional multivariate logistic regression were applied for analyzing the on the related social-psychosocial factors among high-risk pregnancy women.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The age of high-risk pregnancy women was (31.0±5.6), and the age of normal pregnancy women was (30.5±3.8) (t=0.169, P>0.05). The results showed that the depression rate in high-risk pregnancy women was 45.2% (19/42), which was 25.0% (10/40) in normal pregnancy women, the difference was significant (χ2=3.671, P=0.045). The depression rates at different time points were 30.9% (13/42), 42.9% (18/42), 23.8% (10/42), 26.2% (11/42) in high-risk pregnancy women respectively, and 25.0% (10/40), 15.0% (6/40), 20.0% (8/40), 17.5% (7/40) in the control group respectively, the difference of the depression rates among groups at one week before labor was significant (χ2=7.680, P<0.01), the difference among groups at 32-36 weeks pregnancy (χ2=0.133, P=0.80), at one week postpartum (χ2=0.174, P=0.79) and at six weeks postpartum (χ2=0.903, P=0.43) were not significant. At one week postpartum and six weeks postpartum periods, the EPDS depression rate were 12.5% (4/32), 30.4% (7/23) in case group respectively, 8.3% (3/36), 22.9% (8/35) in control group respectively, the difference were not significant (χ2=0.319, 0.416, P=0.573, 0.519). There were significantly associations between the depression mood of one week before labor and the depressive symptoms of six weeks postpartum in both groups (r=0.824, 0.677, both P values were <0.05). The risk factors for maternal depression among high-risk pregnancy women were not ready for production (OR=2.73, P<0.01) and fearing of childbirth safety (OR=2.89, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The depression date of high-risk pregnancy was high, especially at the time point one week before labor. Risk factors of maternal depression among high-risk pregnancy were "not ready for production" and "fear of childbirth safety".</p>

Research progress in the in vitro culture of testicular spermatogenic cells / 中华男科学杂志

The production of sperm is a very complicated and orderly process, which involves the proliferation and differentiation of cells. The in vitro culture of spermatogenic cells includes tissue culture and cell culture. This study focuses on the advances in the in vitro culture of spermatogenic cells, testicular tissue culture and their culture conditions, and sums up the advantages and disadvantages of various culture methods, in an attempt to find the best method for differentiating spermatogenic cells in vitro and make the culture of spermatogenic cells an important means of treating male infertility.

Correlation of testis/sperm specific thioredoxin-1, 2 and 3 with male reproduction / 中华男科学杂志

Sptrx-1, 2 and 3 are a series of thioredoxins specifically expressed in the testis/sperm. They play a significant role structurally and functionally in the process of spermiogenesis. The genesis and mutation of sptrx-1, 2 and 3 are correlated to male reproduction. Taking sptrx-1, 2 and 3 as the target of study and treatment will open up a new field in the clinical study of male reproduction.

The role of the signaling pathway of Akt/protein kinase B in the early stage of CAN rats / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective To investigate whether the signaling pathway of Akt/protein kinase B (PKB)is involved in the pathogenesis in the early stage of chronic allograft nephropathy(CAN). Methods The kidneys of Fisher(F344)rats were orthotopically transplanted into Lewis recipients. Animals were harvested respectively at 4th,8th,12th and 16th week after transplantation for renal function and histological examination.The expression of p-Akt and MMP-9 was detected by immuno- histochemical assay,and that expression of p-Akt mRNA by RT-PCR.Results At the 16th week after kidney transplantation,the levels of 24-h proteinuria and serum creatinine in transplant rats were higher significantly than those in LEW controls and F344 controls.The expression of p-Akt protein and mRNA was up-regulated,and there was a significantly negative correlation between the expression of p-Akt and the quantity of smooth muscular cells(SMCs)in arteriolar wall,the quality of tubuloin- terstitial infiltrated mononuclear cells and also MMP-9 level.Conclusion The up-regulation of p-Akt played an important role in the pathogenesis such as proliferation and migration of SMCs,infiltrated mononuclear cells in tubulointerstitial in CAN,and may be the signaling pathway leading to the up- regulation of MMP-9 expression in the early stage of CAN.