Clinical and socioeconomic factors associated with delayed orchidopexy in cryptorchid boys in China: a retrospective study of 2423 cases / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

We investigated the associations of clinical and socioeconomic factors with delayed orchidopexy for cryptorchidism in China. A retrospective study was conducted on cryptorchid boys who underwent orchidopexy at Children's Hospital at Chongqing Medical University in China from January 2012 to December 2017. Of 2423 patients, 410 (16.9%) received timely repair by 18 months of age, beyond which surgery was considered delayed. Univariate analysis suggested that the laterality of cryptorchidism (P = 0.001), comorbidities including inguinal hernia/scrotal hydrocele (P < 0.001) or urinary tract disease (P = 0.016), and whether patients lived in a poverty county (P < 0.001) could influence whether orchidopexy was timely or delayed. Logistic regression analysis suggested that the following factors were associated with delayed repair: unilateral rather than bilateral cryptorchidism (odds ratio [OR] = 1.752, P < 0.001), absence of inguinal hernia or hydrocele (OR = 2.027, P = 0.019), absence of urinary tract disease (OR = 3.712, P < 0.001), and living in a poverty county (OR = 2.005, P < 0.001). The duration of postoperative hospital stay and hospital costs increased with the patient's age at the time of surgery.

Effect of Di-(2-ethylhcxyl) phthalate exposure on blood-testis barrier integrity in rats / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate mechanism of di-(2-ethylhcxyl)phthalate (DEHP) exposure in causing blood-testis barrier (BTB) impairment in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two-months-old male SD rats were randomly divided into corn oil control group and DEHP (750 mg/kg) exposure group for daily intragastic treatment for 30 consecutive days. After the treatments the rats were examined for histomorphological changes of the testicle using HE staining and the expressions of the junction proteins N-cadherin β-catenin, occludin and connexin43 of the BTB using Western blot. In the in vitro study, the vitality and ROS generation level in Sertoli cells exposed to different concentrations of DEHP were examined with MTT and ROS assay kits, respectively, and Nrf2 and p-p38 expressions were detected with Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the rats with DEHP exposure showed structural damage of the seminiferous tubule and polarity loss of the spermatids. DEHP exposure caused significantly decreased expressions of occludin and connexin43 but increased expressions of N-cadherin and β-catenin in the testicle tissues of the rats (P<0.05). The vitality of Sertoli cells was obviously decreased and ROS level increased significantly after exposure of the cells to increasing concentrations of DEHP, which also resulted in significantly up-regulated Nrf2 and p-p38 expressions (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>DEHP exposure causes increased oxidative stress in the Sertoli cells of the testis, activates p38 MAPK signaling pathway, and results eventually in impaired spermatogenesis in rats.</p>

Long-term exposure to PM2.5 from automobile exhaust results in reproductive dysfunction in male rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of long-term exposure to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) from automobile exhaust on the reproductive function of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five male SD rats, weighing 80 - 94 g and aged 28 days, were randomly assigned to receive intra-tracheal administration of 0.9% normal saline (control group, n = 15), PM2. 5 at 2 μg per 100 g body weight per day (low-dose PM2.5 group, n = 15), and PM2.5 at 16 μg per 100 g body weight per day (high-dose PM2.5 group, n = 15), qd, for 60 successive days. After the last 24-hour exposure, 10 rats were taken from each group for copulation with normal female ones, while the others were sacrificed, their testes removed for sperm count and deformity, pathological examination, and determination of the Connexin43 expression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The conception rate was significantly decreased in the low- and high-dose PM2.5 groups as compared with that of the control (70% and 50% vs 100%), and so were the sperm count and quality. The rats in the PM2.5-exposed groups showed significantly disordered histological structure of the seminiferous tubules, reduced sperm count in the testicular lumen, some exfoliated secondary spermatocytes, downregulated Connexin43 expression in the testis, and damaged blood-testis barrier.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Long-term exposure to PM2.5 from automobile exhaust damages the reproductive function of male SD rats.</p>

Effect of propofol on apoptosis of PC12 cells under hypoxic condition and the mechanism / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanism by which propofol exposure causes PC12 cell apoptosis under hypoxic conditions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PC12 cells were exposed to room air, 35% oxygen, or 5% oxygen (hypoxia) for 24 h in the presence of either 10 µmol/L lipid emulsion or 10 µmol/L propofol. After the treatments, the cell apoptosis was measured by flow ceytometry, and the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In room air, PC12 cells treated with propofol showed increased apoptosis rate and ROS production as compared with the cells treated with the lipid emulsion; propofol treatment of the cells exposed to 35% oxygen showed obvious enhancement of the apoptosis rate, ROS production and SOD activity. Under the hypoxic condition, propofol treatment even further increased the apoptosis rate, ROS production and SOD activity. Lipid emulsion caused no such changes in cells exposed to room air, 35% oxygen or 5% oxygen.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Under hypoxic conditions, propofol can cause apoptosis in PC12 cells by inducing oxidative stress injury.</p>