Microbiology and immune mechanisms associated with male infertility.

Up to 50% of infertility is caused by the male side. Varicocele, orchitis, prostatitis, oligospermia, asthenospermia, and azoospermia are common causes of impaired male reproductive function and male infertility. In recent years, more and more studies have shown that microorganisms play an increasingly important role in the occurrence of these diseases. This review will discuss the microbiological changes associated with male infertility from the perspective of etiology, and how microorganisms affect the normal function of the male reproductive system through immune mechanisms. Linking male infertility with microbiome and immunomics can help us recognize the immune response under different disease states, providing more targeted immune target therapy for these diseases, and even the possibility of combined immunotherapy and microbial therapy for male infertility.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among Chinese college students following the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in college students 1 month after the lockdown of Wuhan to identify possible risk factors for PTSD symptoms in a cross-sectional study. Methods: Out of 10,502 who responded, 9,274 students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic were included in our study. PTSD symptoms was evaluated by the Impact of Event Scale-revised (IES-R). Anxiety/depression symptoms were evaluated by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Personality traits, coping style, and social support were assessed by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Logistic regression analysis was utilized to further explore risk factors for PTSD symptoms. Results: More than 1 month after the COVID-19 outbreak, 13.1% of college students developed PTSD symptoms, indicating that COVID-19 associated stressful experiences were connected with PTSD symptoms. After the COVID-19 outbreak, subjects with symptomatologic PTSD symptoms were more likely to experience strained relationships with their family, to have close contact with COVID-19 patients and to drop out of college. The logistic regression model demonstrated the association factors of PTSD symptoms. Neuroticism, psychoticism and an avoidant coping style were associated with increased risk for PTSD symptoms, while an active coping style was protective against PTSD symptoms during this pandemic. Conclusion: The results showed that PTSD symptoms was prevalent in Chinese college students 1 month after the COVID-19 outbreak. Effective psychological support work should be carried out accordingly.

Research on emergency management of global public health emergencies driven by digital technology: A bibliometric analysis.

Background: The frequent occurrence of major public health emergencies globally poses a threat to people's life, health, and safety, and the convergence development of digital technology is very effective and necessary to cope with the outbreak and transmission control of public epidemics such as COVID-19, which is essential to improve the emergency management capability of global public health emergencies. Methods: The published literatures in the Web of Science Core Collection database from 2003 to 2022 were utilized to analyze the contribution and collaboration of the authors, institutions, and countries, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and research frontier identification using the CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and COOC software. Results: The results are shown as follows: (1) Relevant research can be divided into growth and development period and rapid development period, and the total publications show exponential growth, among which the USA, China, and the United Kingdom are the most occupied countries, but the global authorship cooperation is not close; (2) clustering analysis of high-frequency keyword, all kinds of digital technologies are utilized, ranging from artificial intelligence (AI)-driven machine learning (ML) or deep learning (DL), and focused application big data analytics and blockchain technology enabled the internet of things (IoT) to identify, and diagnose major unexpected public diseases are hot spots for future research; (3) Research frontier identification indicates that data analysis in social media is a frontier issue that must continue to be focused on to advance digital and smart governance of public health events. Conclusion: This bibliometric study provides unique insights into the role of digital technologies in the emergency management of public health. It provides research guidance for smart emergency management of global public health emergencies.

COVID-19 in pediatric kidney transplantation: a follow-up report of the Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative.

BACKGROUND: We report follow-up data from an ongoing prospective cohort study of COVID-19 in pediatric kidney transplantation through the Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative (IROC). METHODS: Patient-level data from the IROC registry were combined with testing, indication, and outcomes data collected to describe the epidemiology of COVID testing, treatment, and clinical outcomes; determine the incidence of a positive COVID-19 test; describe rates of COVID-19 testing; and assess for clinical predictors of a positive COVID-19 test. RESULTS: From September 2020 to February 2021, 21 centers that care for 2690 patients submitted data from 648 COVID-19 tests on 465 patients. Most patients required supportive care only and were treated as outpatients, 16% experienced inpatient care, and 5% experienced intensive care. Allograft complications were rare, with acute kidney injury most common (7%). There was 1 case of respiratory failure and 1 death attributed to COVID-19. Twelve centers that care for 1730 patients submitted complete testing data on 351 patients. The incidence of COVID-19 among patients at these centers was 4%, whereas the incidence among tested patients was 19%. Risk factors to predict a positive COVID-19 test included age > 12 years, symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increase in testing and positive tests over this study period, the incidence of allograft loss or death related to COVID-19 remained extremely low, with allograft loss or death each occurring in < 1% of COVID-19-positive patients and in less than < 0.1% of all transplant patients within the IROC cohort. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

What did Chinese Social Workers Do at the Worst Moment? --A Research Based on Social Workers' Participation in the Fight against COVID-19 at Guangzhou.

The prevention and control of COVID-19 was the first time that Chinese professional social workers formally demonstrated their unique ability and role in public health emergencies. To explore the contribution of Chinese social workers in fighting against COVID-19, this study has surveyed the practical experience of 179 Chinese social workers who participated in public health emergencies for the first time. According to the findings of the investigation, the prevention and control from social workers were active and timely. As a professional group, social workers have played many roles in the pandemic which further helped form coupling effects with other professional departments and build a solid pandemic prevention network. In this process, social workers have retrieved their sociality by taking root in the grass-roots units to build social support networks, link resources and help the vulnerable groups. Meanwhile, social workers still worked based on the national conditions of China's statism and collectivism. They have taken on the roles of coadjutant and propagandist as well as embedded their work in the discourse system with Chinese characteristics when completing the work of policy propaganda, national and social mobilization, and ideological construction. Besides discussing the above content, this exploratory study also points out some difficulties in the aspects of policy support and the practice of China's social work in public health emergencies.

Experiences of China's social workers in interprofessional practice during the COVID-19 public health emergency

Purpose: Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, social workers have participated in fighting the virus in interprofessional teams. This exploratory study examined social workers' experiences in interprofessional practice during the early stage of combating COVID-19. Method: We used a purposive sampling strategy to recruit social workers. Ten semi-structured, in-depth interviews and thematic analyses were conducted. Results: Results indicate that social workers experienced ambiguous professional identities and role confusion in interprofessional teams;found communication to be key to interprofessional practice;and identified facilitators and barriers at the organizational level. Conclusion: The interprofessional practice in fighting COVID-19 has less mature or formal forms in China. Recommendations for promoting social workers' roles in interprofessional practice in China are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Clinical Characteristics and CT Imaging Features of COVID-19 on Admission: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a global health issue. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and CT imaging features of patients with COVID-19 on admission. METHODS: Consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were retrospectively recruited to this study from January 2020 to March 2020. According to the disease severity status on admission, patients were divided into two groups, the common group, and the severe group. RESULTS: Forty-four patients (F/M 20/24) who were COVID-19 positive were enrolled in this study. The most common onset symptom was fever (90.9%), followed by cough (43.2%). As for the laboratory tests, common findings included increased C reactive protein (47.7%) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (43.2%) and decreased lymphocyte (34.1%). The frequency of decreased lymphocyte count and increased lactate dehydrogenasewas higher in the severe group (n=14) than in the common group (n=30). About 86% of patients showed typical imaging findings of COVID-19 infection, including ground-glass opacity with ill-defined margins, air bronchogram, interlobular septal thickening, and consolidation. Lesions were mainly located in the peripheral and subpleural regions with diffused distribution and multiple lung lobes were found to be affected. CONCLUSION: Fever and cough were the most common onset symptoms of COVID-19. Increased C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were the most common laboratory findings. Typical signs of chest CT imaging of COVID-19 included ground-glass opacity with ill-defined margins, air bronchogram, interlobular septal thickening, and consolidation.

A bibliometric analysis of infectious diseases in patients with liver transplantation in the last decade.

BACKGROUND: A bibliometric analysis was performed to reveal the current status of investigations in infectious diseases in patients with liver transplantation (LT) and to prioritize future research needs. METHODS: The present study comprehensively retrieved publications relevant to infectious diseases in LT recipients published between 2010 and 2020. The search was conducted on the Web of Science (WoS) database. A bibliometric analysis was conducted through machine learning and visualization tools, including VOSviewer, Bibliographic Item Co-Occurrence Matrix Builder, and Graphical Clustering Toolkit. Research hotspots and trends in the field were assessed, while the contributions and collaborations of countries, institutions, and authors were documented. RESULTS: A total of 691 publications were analyzed. Research output sharply increased in 2015, with a fast drop afterward. "Liver transplantation" was the most frequent keyword, with strong links to "hepatitis C virus" and "infection". Study areas included risk factors of infectious diseases in LT recipients, pathogens causing post-transplantation infections, antibacterial therapy and prophylaxis for peritransplant infection complications, living donor LT, and pediatric LT. The efficacy and safety of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among liver transplant recipients has attracted recent research interest. Didier Samuel was the most productive author, while Xavier Forns was the top-cited author. Shanghai Jiao Tong University was the most productive contributor, and Gilead Sciences was the most cited organization. Moreover, the USA was the greatest contributor. Gastroenterology was the most cited journal, while Liver Transplantation was the most prolific journal. CONCLUSIONS: This bibliometric analysis will better understand the research status of infectious complications in LT recipients and forecast future research trends. Priority should be given to identifying risk factors for peritransplantation infections and effective treatments against infectious complications in the coming years.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 and Male Reproduction: Relationship, Explanations, and Clinical Remedies.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been an ongoing pandemic and worldwide public health emergency, having drawn a lot of attention around the world. The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is characterized by infecting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-expressing cells, including testis-specific cells, namely, Leydig, Sertoli, and spermatogenic cells, which are closely related to male reproduction. This leads to aberrant hyperactivation of the immune system generating damage to the infected organs. An impairment in testicular function through uncontrolled immune responses alerts more attention to male infertility. Meanwhile, the recent clinical data indicate that the infection of the human testis with SARS-CoV-2 may impair male germ cell development, leading to germ cell loss and higher immune cell infiltration. In this review, we investigated the evidence of male reproductive dysfunction associated with the infection with SARS-CoV-2 and its possible immunological explanations and clinical remedies.

COVID-19 in pediatric kidney transplantation: The Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative.

There are limited data on the impact of COVID-19 in children with a kidney transplant (KT). We conducted a prospective cohort study through the Improving Renal Outcomes Collaborative (IROC) to collect clinical outcome data about COVID-19 in pediatric KT patients. Twenty-two IROC centers that care for 2732 patients submitted testing and outcomes data for 281 patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR. Testing indications included symptoms and/or potential exposures to COVID-19 (N = 134, 47.7%) and/or testing per hospital policy (N = 154, 54.8%). Overall, 24 (8.5%) patients tested positive, of which 15 (63%) were symptomatic. Of the COVID-19-positive patients, 16 were managed as outpatients, six received non-ICU inpatient care and two were admitted to the ICU. There were no episodes of respiratory failure, allograft loss, or death associated with COVID-19. To estimate incidence, subanalysis was performed for 13 centers that care for 1686 patients that submitted all negative and positive COVID-19 results. Of the 229 tested patients at these 13 centers, 10 (5 asymptomatic) patients tested positive, yielding an overall incidence of 0.6% and an incidence among tested patients of 4.4%. Pediatric KT patients in the United States had a low estimated incidence of COVID-19 disease and excellent short-term outcomes.

Progresses in clinical studies on antiviral therapies for COVID-19-Experience and lessons in design of clinical trials.

Antiviral therapy with antiviral agents is a very important component of treatment for the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is important to clarify how to evaluate efficacy and safety of antiviral agents in treatment of COVID-19 during the pandemic of this disease. We need to answer the following questions: do we still need to use rigorously designed randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs)? Or, will it be enough if we use loosened criteria, observational studies or even retrospective case series and case reports? The answer is "No, we still need to use the strictly designed preferably blinded multicenter RCTs to evaluate the antiviral agents." In this article, we reviewed almost all the RCT reports on monotherapies and combined therapies with antiviral agents for COVID-19, and found that among the reports on monotherapies, only remdesivir, and among combined antiviral agents, only the combined regimen with interferon-ß1b, lopinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin were effective and safe based on evidences from RCTs. The results of five RCTs for chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine consistently showed that they were ineffective and unsafe in the treatment of COVID-19, especially at larger doses. Many aspects in the design of the clinical trials may be related to success or failure of a trial and the relevant factors need to be analyzed, discussed and emphasized from the specific requirements and considerations of antiviral therapies. We hope such discussions be of certain use in designing clinical trials for pediatric antiviral therapies.