With the intensification of climate change,spring low-temperature stress(SLTS)leads to floret degeneration and a decrease in grain number.This study investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying SLTS-induced fl...With the intensification of climate change,spring low-temperature stress(SLTS)leads to floret degeneration and a decrease in grain number.This study investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying SLTS-induced floret degeneration using two wheat varieties with contrasting cold sensitivity.SLTS caused yellowing and shrinkage of floret primordia,increasing floret degeneration and fertile floret abortion,ultimately reducing grains per spike by 12.2%-26.1%.SLTS disrupted nutrient supply,impairing dry matter accumulation in young spikes.At 0-15 d after low-temperature stress(DALTS),SLTS caused a brief increase in the sugar content of young spikes(0-3 DALTS),followed by a rapid decrease(6-15 DALTS),while the total nitrogen content keeps decreasing.SLTS altered key enzyme activities,enhancing sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase but suppressing nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SLTS perturbed starch and sucrose metabolism,carbon and nitrogen metabolism,and amino sugar pathways,altering soluble sugars,sucrose,fructose,and protein levels.SLTS disrupted carbon-nitrogen metabolic homeostasis,thereby reducing the number of fertile florets and ultimately leading to a decrease in grain number per spike.These findings enhance understanding of SLTS impacts on wheat floret development and provide insights for improving low-temperature tolerance and yield stability in wheat.展开更多
Objective:This study investigated the outcomes of microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy(MSV)on semen and hormonal parameters in cases with isolated sperm defects(oligozoospermia,asthenozoospermia,or teratozoosperm...Objective:This study investigated the outcomes of microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy(MSV)on semen and hormonal parameters in cases with isolated sperm defects(oligozoospermia,asthenozoospermia,or teratozoospermia).Methods:A retrospective review of charts of patients who underwent MSV for clinically palpable varicocele between January 1,2011 and January 1,2019 at Hamad Medical Corporation was undertaken.All patients diagnosed with isolated oligozoospermia,asthenozoospermia,or teratozoospermia in the preoperative semen analysis were included.Men with multiple sperm defects,genetic abnormalities,azoospermia,history of genitourinary infection,exposure to chemotherapy or radiotherapy,or prior use of peri-operative fertility treatment were excluded.Data extracted from the electronic medical records included(collected before MSV and up to 6 months postoperatively):demographics(age),clinical data(fertility-related medical history and surgical interventions),family history(consanguinity and infertility),physical examination findings from general and local genital exam(varicocele side and grade),laboratory data such as semen analysis,sperm DNA fragmentation tests,and hormone levels(follicle-stimulating hormone,luteinizing hormone,total testosterone,estradiol,and prolactin),and imaging(scrotal color Doppler ultrasound).Results:A total of 331 patients with isolated sperm defects were included.Postoperatively,83.3%of patients showed an improvement in sperm concentration with a median increase of 7 millions/mL.Postoperatively,76.7%of isolated asthenozoospermic patients showed an improvement in total motility and 66.0%had an improvement in progressive motility with median increases of 15.0%and 7.5%,respectively.Postoperatively,70.0%of the teratozoospermic patients showed an improvement in normal sperm morphology with a median increase of 6%.No changes were observed in other semen or hormone parameters that were examined.Conclusion:MSV is a valid and effective treatment modality for patients with isolated sperm defects that significantly corrects their respective semen abnormality and improves their chances of natural conception.展开更多
Sperm head morphology is crucial for male factor infertility diagnosis and assessment of male reproductive potential.Severalcriteria are available to analyze sperm head morphology,but they are limited by poor methodol...Sperm head morphology is crucial for male factor infertility diagnosis and assessment of male reproductive potential.Severalcriteria are available to analyze sperm head morphology,but they are limited by poor methodology comparability and populationapplicability.This study aimed to explore comprehensive and new normal morphometric reference values for spermatozoa heads infertile Asian males.An automated sperm morphology analysis system captured 23152 stained spermatozoa from confirmed fertilemales.Of these samples,1856 sperm head images were annotated by three experienced laboratory technicians as“normal”.Weemployed 14 novel morphometric features to describe sperm head size(head length,head width,length/width ratio,and girth),shape(ellipse intersection over union,girth intersection over union,short-axis symmetry,and long-axis symmetry),area(head,acrosome,postacrosomal areas,and acrosome area ratio),and degrees of acrosome and nuclear uniformity.This straight-forwardmethod for the morphometric analysis of sperm by accurate visual measurements is clinically applicable.The measured parameterspresent valuable information to establish morphometric reference intervals for normal sperm heads in fertile Asian males.Thepresented detailed measurement data will be valuable for interlaboratory comparisons and technician training.In vitro fertilizationand andrology laboratory technicians can use these parameters to perform objective morphology evaluation when assessing malefertilization potential.展开更多
The clinical applications of acrosin activity are limited.We analyzed 61578 male partners in infertile couples who visited the outpatient department of the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya(Changsha,C...The clinical applications of acrosin activity are limited.We analyzed 61578 male partners in infertile couples who visited the outpatient department of the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya(Changsha,China)between August 2014 and December 2019 to determine the reference ranges and thresholds for acrosin activity in infertile Chinese men;to determine whether correlations exist between acrosin activity and age,sperm concentration,sperm morphology,or sperm motility;and to evaluate whether acrosin activity could serve as an effective prognostic indicator for choosing between in vitro fertilization(IvF)and intracytoplasmic sperm injection(icsl)in the clinic.The cut-off value for the normal reference range of acrosin activity for male partners in infertile couples was 24.78μlU per 106 sperm.There was no significant association between acrosin activity and age,sperm concentration,semen volume,total sperm count,progressive motility,or total motile spermatozoa.A weak positive correlation was found between acrosin activity and normal sperm morphology.There was a statistically significant difference in abnormal acrosome morphology between the group with high acrosin activity(>24.78μlU per 106 sperm)and the group with low acrosin activity(<24.78μlU per 106 sperm).The group with a low IVF fertilization rate had a high index of abnormal acrosomal morphology at 21.2%,while the group with a high IVF fertilization rate had a low index of 0.2%.At an acrosin activity of<24.78μlU per 10 sperm,in one cycle of the same patient,the fertilization rate,normal fertilization rate,and good-quality embryo rate for Icsl were significantly higher than those for IVF.Therefore,the most promising application of acrosin activity could be in the selection of IcsI over IVF for infertile male patients with complete fertilization failure or a low fertilization rate.展开更多
377 isolates of Magnaporthe grisea were collected from 17 provinces in China and their geographic distribution of mating types and their fertility was tested with four standard isolates, KA3 and TH12 (Mat1.1) and Guy1...377 isolates of Magnaporthe grisea were collected from 17 provinces in China and their geographic distribution of mating types and their fertility was tested with four standard isolates, KA3 and TH12 (Mat1.1) and Guy11 and TH16 (Mat1.2) provided by CIRAD. 73 fertile isolates were tested with SCAR markers of 13 pairs of primers. Preliminary results showed that the geographic distribution of M.grisea existed among isolates collected from the same location as well as different locations and the genetic relationship between fertile isolates of the fungus in China. The existence of sexual reproduction of M .grisea was explored in the field as well.展开更多
The significance of the performance of conventional in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) using sibling oocytes from couples with subfertile male or unexplained infertility was evaluat...The significance of the performance of conventional in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) using sibling oocytes from couples with subfertile male or unexplained infertility was evaluated. A total of 410 sibling oocyte cumulus-corona complexes (OCCC) from 21 couples with subfertile male (group A) and 11 unexplained infertile couples (group B) were randomly divided, in order of retrieval, into two groups inseminated either by conventional IVF or by ICSI. The treatment outcomes and the influence of infertility factors on fertilization in each group were compared. The results showed that although the two pronuclear (2PN) fertilization rate per injected sibling oocytes was significantly higher after ICSI (group A: 68.2 %±28.8 %; group B: 66.2 %±24.9 %) than after conventional IVF (group A: 41.8 %±32.7 %; group B: 40.1 %±22.1 %), the other variables studied included: the fertilization rates of per allocated sibling oocytes IVF/ICSI, the fertilization rates of sibling oocytes IVF/ICSI after excluding failed IVF fertilization cycles, as well as the cleavage rates of normal fertilization were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Similarly, though the total fertilization failure rate in the IVF group (group A: 42.9 %; group B: 36.4 %) was significantly higher than in the ICSI group (group A: 4.8 %; group B: 0), we did not cancel cycles due to the normal fertilization of sibling oocytes. Embryo transfer was possible in all 32 couples. There were 10 clinical pregnancies in the two groups. We also discovered a possible association between some semen parameters and sperm functions of group A, and women age and duration of infertility of group B and fertilization. It is suggested that adoption of the split IVF/ICSI technology in the above cases may help eliminate fertilization failures. This is also a useful method to investigate the effect of single factor on the employment of assisted reproductive technology.展开更多
Phytogenic mounds(nebkhas)formed by shrubs are a common phenomenon in arid and semiarid areas.The formation of nebkhas is accompanied by the appearance of the fertile island effect.Quantitative evaluation of the shrub...Phytogenic mounds(nebkhas)formed by shrubs are a common phenomenon in arid and semiarid areas.The formation of nebkhas is accompanied by the appearance of the fertile island effect.Quantitative evaluation of the shrub sand compost island effect is a key link in preventing soil erosion and nutrient loss.This study took the typical shrub Tetraena mongolica in desert areas as the research object and quantified the sand-trapping capacity of the shrub.We revealed the influence of sediment texture and volumetric soil water content on fertile islands during the development of T.mongolica nebkhas.The results showed that(1)the single shrub intercepted large amounts of sediments due to the high density of branches of T.mongolica,forming nebkhas that were positively correlated with the shrub size.(2)The overall soil nutrient content below the shrub was greater than the soil nutrient content outside the shrub,forming a typical fertile island effect.The soil organic carbon(SOC),alkaline hydrolytic nitrogen(AHN),available phosphorus(AP),and available K(AK)content all increased gradually with increasing nebkha volume.Compared with the deep soil of nebkhas,the nutrient content of the surface soil was generally higher.(3)There was a positive correlation between the volumetric water content and nutrient content in nebkhas.(4)The semi-ellipsoid shape of T.mongolica enabled it to intercept large amounts of coarse-grained material.Fine sand(100–250μm)was the main particle size in the sediment aggregates inside the nebkhas.The fine sand content generally increased with increasing shrub size.Redundancy analysis(RDA)revealed that the fine sand content of the nebkha sediments had a strong positive correlation with the soil nutrient content.This paper provides an example for evaluating the fertile island effect during the deposition process of nebkhas in the desert transition zone.展开更多
Testosterone(T)plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis because extremely low levels of intratesticular T lead to correspondingly low serum levels of total T(tT),severe disorders of spermatogenesis,and male sterility.H...Testosterone(T)plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis because extremely low levels of intratesticular T lead to correspondingly low serum levels of total T(tT),severe disorders of spermatogenesis,and male sterility.However,there is little consensus on the lower limits of serum tT in proven fertile men undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatments in Chinese or other Asian populations.We aimed to establish the reference range of serum tT based on a population of 868 fertile Chinese men undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer(IVF/ICSI-ET)treatments.We defined a fertile man as having had a live baby with his partner as recorded in our IVF registration system.The lower limits of serum tT were established using a Siemens IMMULITE 2000 chemiluminescent system.The 1st,2.5th,and 5th percentiles and their 95%confidence intervals(CIs)were 3.6(95%CI:2.7–4.1)nmol l−1,4.3(95%CI:4.1–5.0)nmol l−1,and 5.6(95%CI:4.8–5.8)nmol l−1,respectively.Using the linear correlation of serum tT between the Siemens platform and a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry platform,the calculated lower limits of serum tT were also established for fertile Chinese men undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET treatments,which will benefit the clinical diagnosis and treatment of male infertility during such procedures.展开更多
The diameters of spermatic veins and blood reflux in sixty-two male patients with infertility caused by varicocele were assessed with Doppler ultrasound in this study. Scrotal thermograph, testes volume and semen anal...The diameters of spermatic veins and blood reflux in sixty-two male patients with infertility caused by varicocele were assessed with Doppler ultrasound in this study. Scrotal thermograph, testes volume and semen analysis were also applied to analysis of these patients. Among sixty-two patients, thirty-one received high ligation of internal spermatic vein. The results showed: 1. The diameter of spermatic veins was negatively correlated with fertility index and positively correlated with Doppler grading of blood reflux. 2. In operative patients, the effect of surgery was better in patients with blood reflux than in those without blood reflux. It was suggested the diameter of spermatic veins probably reflects the duration and serious degree of blood reflux in spermatic vein, and may be used for assessment of severity of male infertility in combination with semen analysis.展开更多
The left and right epididymial.fouids from 73 normal.fertile men were respectively collected by cannulating foe vas deferens dtring the operation of vaseclomy.The parameters of epididymal spermatozoa were analysed.The...The left and right epididymial.fouids from 73 normal.fertile men were respectively collected by cannulating foe vas deferens dtring the operation of vaseclomy.The parameters of epididymal spermatozoa were analysed.The results indicated that the sperm motility(%),normal sperm morphology,(%),sperm viability(%) and hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST)(%) wers within the normal range as compared with those in the ejaculated spermatozoa. However, the sperm concenlration in epididymis (6220.6± 5300.8 million per ml) was higher than that in semen.It is fo interesl foal the sperm concentration in the right epididymis was significantly than that in the left.It was also demonstrated that the percentage of abnormal Kremer's lest in the left epididymal spermatozoa was significantly higher than that in the right.The above phenomenon was discussed.There was no anti-sperm antibody on foe surface of spermatozoa from epididymis as determined by the sperm cervical mucus contact test(SCMC)and Immunobead test (IBT).These data will be usefull for foe research fo male reproductive physiology,male contraceptive and vasectomy.展开更多
The majority of off-type plants in in-dica hybrid rice were CMS and itsmaintainer lines.Discrimination ofmaintainer and CMS could only beconducted at heading stage.If main-tainer and CMS line could be distin-guished e...The majority of off-type plants in in-dica hybrid rice were CMS and itsmaintainer lines.Discrimination ofmaintainer and CMS could only beconducted at heading stage.If main-tainer and CMS line could be distin-guished earlier,it would be useful toavoid yield losses caused by usingcontaminated seeds.In this study,three pairs of A and B,Minghui 63,and Fand Fplants of Zhenshan97A/Minghui 63 were used to find展开更多
Nongken 58s is a type of photoperiod sensitivegenie male sterile rice which gives rice to malesterility when illuminated time is longer than13.75 h/d.The photoperiod sensitive stagesare from the differentiation of pri...Nongken 58s is a type of photoperiod sensitivegenie male sterile rice which gives rice to malesterility when illuminated time is longer than13.75 h/d.The photoperiod sensitive stagesare from the differentiation of primary branchprimordum(Ⅱ)in young ears to fullness ofcontents of the pollen(Ⅶ).The changes ofactivity and isoenzymes in cation peroxidase atph0toperiod sensitive stages and the relation-ship between this enzyme and feritility of rice展开更多
We assessed the concomitant impact of cigarette smoking and alcohol con sumption in men presenting for primary couple's infertility.Data from 189 in fertile men were an a lyzed.Semen analysis,serum hormones,and sp...We assessed the concomitant impact of cigarette smoking and alcohol con sumption in men presenting for primary couple's infertility.Data from 189 in fertile men were an a lyzed.Semen analysis,serum hormones,and sperm DNA fragmentation(SDF)were obtained.Smoking status was categorized as follows:current nonsmoker(-S),moderate smoker(+MS),and heavy smoker(+HS).Alcohol consumption was categorized as follows:abstainer(-D),moderate drinker(+MD),and heavy drinker(+HD).Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were applied.Among all the participants,132(69.8%),30(15.9%),and 27(14.3%)patients were-S,+MS,and+HS,respectively.In addition,67(35.4%),77(40.7%)and 45(23.8%)men were-D,+MD and+HD,respectively.Regarding concomitant habits,52(27.5%)patients were nonsmokers and abstainers(-S/-D:Group 1),91(48.1%)had at least one recreational habit(-S/+D or+S/-D:Group 2),and 46(24.3%)were both smokers and drinkers(+S/+D:Group 3).Sperm concentration and progressive motility were lower in+HS and+HD,compared with-S and-D(all P<0.05),respectively.Similarly,both parameters were significantly lower in Group 3 than Groups 1 and 2(all P<0.05).SDF values were higher in Group 3 than Groups 1 and 2(both P<0.05).In multivariate analysis,follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)levels and concomitant+S/+D status were independent predictors of impaired sperm concentration and progressive motility(all P<0.05).Heavy smoking and heavy drinking were associated with worse seminal parameters than moderate smoking/drinking and nonsmoking/abstaining.When concomitant,+S/+D status has an even greater detrimental effect on semen parameters.展开更多
Azoospermia, cryptozoospermia and necrospermia can markedly decrease the ability of males to achieve pregnancy in fertile females. However, patients with these severe conditions still have the option to be treated by ...Azoospermia, cryptozoospermia and necrospermia can markedly decrease the ability of males to achieve pregnancy in fertile females. However, patients with these severe conditions still have the option to be treated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） to become biological fathers. This study analyzed the fertilization ability and the developmental viabilities of the derived embryos after ICSI treatment of the sperm from these patients compared with in vitro fertilization （IVF） treatment of the proven-fertile donor sperm on sibling oocytes as a control. On the day of oocyte retrieval, the number of sperm suitable for ICSI collected from two ejaculates or testicular sperm extraction was lower than the oocytes, and therefore, excess sibling oocytes were treated by IVF with donor sperm. From 72 couples （73 cycles）, 1117 metaphase Ⅱ oocytes were divided into 512 for ICSI and 605 for IVF. Compared with the control, husbands＇ sperm produced a lower fertilization rate in nonobstructive azoospermia （65.4% vs 83.2%; P〈 0.001）, crytozoospermia （68.8% vs 75.5%; P〈 0.05） and necrospermia （65.0% vs 85.2%; P〈 0.05）. The zygotes derived in nonobstructive azoospermia had a lower cleavage rate （96.4% vs 99.4%; P 〈 0.05）, but the rate of resultant good-quality embryos was not different. Analysis of the rates of cleaved and good-quality embryos in crytozoospermia and necrospermia did not exhibit a significant difference from the control. In conclusion, although the sperm from severe male infertility reduced the fertilization ability, the derived embryos had potential developmental viabilities that might be predictive for the expected clinical outcomes.展开更多
Objective Prior pulmonary tuberculosis(PTB) on chest X-ray(CXR) was commonly found in infertile patients receiving examinations before in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET). It was unclear whether untreat...Objective Prior pulmonary tuberculosis(PTB) on chest X-ray(CXR) was commonly found in infertile patients receiving examinations before in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET). It was unclear whether untreated PTB would affect pregnancy outcomes after IVF-ET.Method We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 14,254 infertile patients who had received IVFET at Peking University Third Hospital in 2017. Prior PTB was defined as the presence of signs suggestive of old or inactive PTB on CXR, with or without a clinical TB history. Patients who had prior PTB on CXR but had not received a clinical diagnosis and anti-TB therapy were included for analysis. Live birth,clinical pregnancy, and miscarriage rates were compared between the untreated PTB and non-PTB groups.Results The untreated PTB group had significantly lower clinical pregnancy(31.7% vs. 38.1%) and live birth(23.8% vs. 30.6%) rates than the non-PTB group(both P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that untreated PTB was a risk factor for decreased live birth rate [odds ratio(OR), 0.80;95% confidence interval(CI), 0.66–0.98;P = 0.028] in all patients and for increased miscarriage(OR, 4.19;95% CI,1.69–10.39;P = 0.002) and decreased live birth(OR, 0.45;95% CI, 0.24–0.83;P = 0.011) rates in patients with unexplained infertility.Conclusions Untreated PTB was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes after IVF-ET, especially in patients with unexplained infertility, highlighting the clinical significance of PTB in this specific patient population.展开更多
This study aimed to explore the outcomes of progestin-primed ovarian stimulation protocol （PPOS） in aged infertile women who failed to get pregnant in the first IVF/ICSI-ET cycles with GnRH-a long protocol. A self-c...This study aimed to explore the outcomes of progestin-primed ovarian stimulation protocol （PPOS） in aged infertile women who failed to get pregnant in the first IVF/ICSI-ET cycles with GnRH-a long protocol. A self-controlled study was conducted to retrospectively investigate the clinical outcomes of 104 aged infertile patients who didn＇t get pregnant in the first IVF/ICSI-ET treatment by stimulating with GnRH-a long protocol （non-PPOS group）, and underwent PPOS protocol （PPOS group） in the second cycle between January 2016 and December 2016 in the Center for Reproductive Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. The primary outcomes included clinical pregnancy rate of frozen-thawed embryos transfer （FET） in PPOS group, and good-quality embryo rate in both groups. The secondary outcomes were fertilization rate, egg utilization rate and cycle cancellation rate. The results showed that there were no significant differences in basal follicle stimulating hormone （bFSH）, antral follicle count （AFC）, duration and total dosage of gonadotropin （Gn）, number of oocytes retrieved, intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） rate, fertilization rate, and cycle cancellation rate between the two groups （P〉0.05）. However, the oocyte utilization rate and good-quality embryo rate in PPOS group were significantly higher than those in non-PPOS group （P〈0.05）. By the end of April 2017, 62 FET cycles were conducted in PPOS group. The clinical pregnancy rate and embryo implantation rate were 22.58% and 12.70%, respectively. In conclusion, PPOS protocol may provide better clinical outcomes by improving the oocyte utilization rate and good-quality embryo rate for aged infertile patients who failed to get pregnant in the first IVF/ ICSI-ET cycles.展开更多
Lifestyle factors, such as weight and nutritional status may affect male fertility, including sperm fertilization ability. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the association between body mass in...Lifestyle factors, such as weight and nutritional status may affect male fertility, including sperm fertilization ability. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the association between body mass index （BMI） and sperm-zona pellucida binding ability assessed according to the zona binding （ZB） test, which has been described to be a relevant diagnostic tool for the prediction of in vitro fertilization （IVF） ability. Three hundred and six male patients from couples diagnosed with primary idiopathic or mild male factor infertility were included. Correlations between BMI and semen parameters according to ZB test indices were assessed, together with frequencies of positive and negative tests across the BMI categories. In this selected population, BMI was not related to conventional semen parameters or sperm quality assessed according to the ability of spermatozoa to bind to the zona pellucida. The previously described poor outcomes of IVF procedures in cases of male obesity could be due to other sperm defects, such as alterations of sperm capacitation or acrosome reaction. The link between male BMI and biological outcomes during IVF procedures, such as fertilization rates, should be further evaluated.展开更多
Aim:To evaluate the quantitative detection of human telomerase RNA(hTR)and human telomerase reverse tran-scriptase(hTERT)mRNA as diagnostic parameters in the workup of testicular tissue specimens from patients present...Aim:To evaluate the quantitative detection of human telomerase RNA(hTR)and human telomerase reverse tran-scriptase(hTERT)mRNA as diagnostic parameters in the workup of testicular tissue specimens from patients presentingwith non-obstructive azoospermia.Methods:hTR and hTERT mRNA expression were quantified in 38 cryopre-served testicular tissue specimens by fluorescence real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)in a LightCycler(r).This was paralleled by conventional histological workup in all tissue specimens and additionalsemithin sectioning preparation in cases with maturation arrest(n=12)and Sertoli-cell-only syndrome(n=12).Re-sults;The average normalized hTERT expression(N_(hTERT))was 131.9±48.0 copies(mean±SD)in tissue speci-mens with full spermatogenesis,N_(hTERT)=51.2±17.2 copies in those with maturation arrest and N_(hTERT)=2.7±2.4copies in those with Sertoli-cell-only syndrome(SCOS).The discriminant analysis showed that detection of N_(hTERT)(N_(hTR))had a predictive value of 86.8%(55.3%)for correct classification in one of the three histological subgroups.Conclusion;Our results demonstrate that quantitative detection of hTERT mRNA expression in testicular tissue en-ables a molecular-diagnostic classification of gametogenesis.Quantitative detection of hTERT in testicular biopsies isthus well suited for supplementing the histopathological evaluation.展开更多
基金funded by Scientific Research Projects of Colleges and Universities in Anhui Province,China(2023AH051016)Anhui Province New Era Education Provincial Quality Engineering Project(2023xscx044)+1 种基金Anhui Agricultural University,the First Batch of College Students"Science and Innovation Pilot"Cultivation Program Projectthe National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFD1901005)。
文摘With the intensification of climate change,spring low-temperature stress(SLTS)leads to floret degeneration and a decrease in grain number.This study investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying SLTS-induced floret degeneration using two wheat varieties with contrasting cold sensitivity.SLTS caused yellowing and shrinkage of floret primordia,increasing floret degeneration and fertile floret abortion,ultimately reducing grains per spike by 12.2%-26.1%.SLTS disrupted nutrient supply,impairing dry matter accumulation in young spikes.At 0-15 d after low-temperature stress(DALTS),SLTS caused a brief increase in the sugar content of young spikes(0-3 DALTS),followed by a rapid decrease(6-15 DALTS),while the total nitrogen content keeps decreasing.SLTS altered key enzyme activities,enhancing sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase but suppressing nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SLTS perturbed starch and sucrose metabolism,carbon and nitrogen metabolism,and amino sugar pathways,altering soluble sugars,sucrose,fructose,and protein levels.SLTS disrupted carbon-nitrogen metabolic homeostasis,thereby reducing the number of fertile florets and ultimately leading to a decrease in grain number per spike.These findings enhance understanding of SLTS impacts on wheat floret development and provide insights for improving low-temperature tolerance and yield stability in wheat.
文摘Objective:This study investigated the outcomes of microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy(MSV)on semen and hormonal parameters in cases with isolated sperm defects(oligozoospermia,asthenozoospermia,or teratozoospermia).Methods:A retrospective review of charts of patients who underwent MSV for clinically palpable varicocele between January 1,2011 and January 1,2019 at Hamad Medical Corporation was undertaken.All patients diagnosed with isolated oligozoospermia,asthenozoospermia,or teratozoospermia in the preoperative semen analysis were included.Men with multiple sperm defects,genetic abnormalities,azoospermia,history of genitourinary infection,exposure to chemotherapy or radiotherapy,or prior use of peri-operative fertility treatment were excluded.Data extracted from the electronic medical records included(collected before MSV and up to 6 months postoperatively):demographics(age),clinical data(fertility-related medical history and surgical interventions),family history(consanguinity and infertility),physical examination findings from general and local genital exam(varicocele side and grade),laboratory data such as semen analysis,sperm DNA fragmentation tests,and hormone levels(follicle-stimulating hormone,luteinizing hormone,total testosterone,estradiol,and prolactin),and imaging(scrotal color Doppler ultrasound).Results:A total of 331 patients with isolated sperm defects were included.Postoperatively,83.3%of patients showed an improvement in sperm concentration with a median increase of 7 millions/mL.Postoperatively,76.7%of isolated asthenozoospermic patients showed an improvement in total motility and 66.0%had an improvement in progressive motility with median increases of 15.0%and 7.5%,respectively.Postoperatively,70.0%of the teratozoospermic patients showed an improvement in normal sperm morphology with a median increase of 6%.No changes were observed in other semen or hormone parameters that were examined.Conclusion:MSV is a valid and effective treatment modality for patients with isolated sperm defects that significantly corrects their respective semen abnormality and improves their chances of natural conception.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81974226,No.32171264,and No.81974365)the Sichuan Science and Technology Program(No.2021YFS0026 and No.2022YFS0045).
文摘Sperm head morphology is crucial for male factor infertility diagnosis and assessment of male reproductive potential.Severalcriteria are available to analyze sperm head morphology,but they are limited by poor methodology comparability and populationapplicability.This study aimed to explore comprehensive and new normal morphometric reference values for spermatozoa heads infertile Asian males.An automated sperm morphology analysis system captured 23152 stained spermatozoa from confirmed fertilemales.Of these samples,1856 sperm head images were annotated by three experienced laboratory technicians as“normal”.Weemployed 14 novel morphometric features to describe sperm head size(head length,head width,length/width ratio,and girth),shape(ellipse intersection over union,girth intersection over union,short-axis symmetry,and long-axis symmetry),area(head,acrosome,postacrosomal areas,and acrosome area ratio),and degrees of acrosome and nuclear uniformity.This straight-forwardmethod for the morphometric analysis of sperm by accurate visual measurements is clinically applicable.The measured parameterspresent valuable information to establish morphometric reference intervals for normal sperm heads in fertile Asian males.Thepresented detailed measurement data will be valuable for interlaboratory comparisons and technician training.In vitro fertilizationand andrology laboratory technicians can use these parameters to perform objective morphology evaluation when assessing malefertilization potential.
基金This study was supported by the Hunan Province Municipal Natural Science Foundation(2022JJ30018)to WNLHunan Province Health Commission Science Foundation(B202301037899)to WNLResearch Grant of CITIC-Xiangya(YNXM-201904)to WNL.
文摘The clinical applications of acrosin activity are limited.We analyzed 61578 male partners in infertile couples who visited the outpatient department of the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya(Changsha,China)between August 2014 and December 2019 to determine the reference ranges and thresholds for acrosin activity in infertile Chinese men;to determine whether correlations exist between acrosin activity and age,sperm concentration,sperm morphology,or sperm motility;and to evaluate whether acrosin activity could serve as an effective prognostic indicator for choosing between in vitro fertilization(IvF)and intracytoplasmic sperm injection(icsl)in the clinic.The cut-off value for the normal reference range of acrosin activity for male partners in infertile couples was 24.78μlU per 106 sperm.There was no significant association between acrosin activity and age,sperm concentration,semen volume,total sperm count,progressive motility,or total motile spermatozoa.A weak positive correlation was found between acrosin activity and normal sperm morphology.There was a statistically significant difference in abnormal acrosome morphology between the group with high acrosin activity(>24.78μlU per 106 sperm)and the group with low acrosin activity(<24.78μlU per 106 sperm).The group with a low IVF fertilization rate had a high index of abnormal acrosomal morphology at 21.2%,while the group with a high IVF fertilization rate had a low index of 0.2%.At an acrosin activity of<24.78μlU per 10 sperm,in one cycle of the same patient,the fertilization rate,normal fertilization rate,and good-quality embryo rate for Icsl were significantly higher than those for IVF.Therefore,the most promising application of acrosin activity could be in the selection of IcsI over IVF for infertile male patients with complete fertilization failure or a low fertilization rate.
文摘377 isolates of Magnaporthe grisea were collected from 17 provinces in China and their geographic distribution of mating types and their fertility was tested with four standard isolates, KA3 and TH12 (Mat1.1) and Guy11 and TH16 (Mat1.2) provided by CIRAD. 73 fertile isolates were tested with SCAR markers of 13 pairs of primers. Preliminary results showed that the geographic distribution of M.grisea existed among isolates collected from the same location as well as different locations and the genetic relationship between fertile isolates of the fungus in China. The existence of sexual reproduction of M .grisea was explored in the field as well.
文摘The significance of the performance of conventional in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) using sibling oocytes from couples with subfertile male or unexplained infertility was evaluated. A total of 410 sibling oocyte cumulus-corona complexes (OCCC) from 21 couples with subfertile male (group A) and 11 unexplained infertile couples (group B) were randomly divided, in order of retrieval, into two groups inseminated either by conventional IVF or by ICSI. The treatment outcomes and the influence of infertility factors on fertilization in each group were compared. The results showed that although the two pronuclear (2PN) fertilization rate per injected sibling oocytes was significantly higher after ICSI (group A: 68.2 %±28.8 %; group B: 66.2 %±24.9 %) than after conventional IVF (group A: 41.8 %±32.7 %; group B: 40.1 %±22.1 %), the other variables studied included: the fertilization rates of per allocated sibling oocytes IVF/ICSI, the fertilization rates of sibling oocytes IVF/ICSI after excluding failed IVF fertilization cycles, as well as the cleavage rates of normal fertilization were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Similarly, though the total fertilization failure rate in the IVF group (group A: 42.9 %; group B: 36.4 %) was significantly higher than in the ICSI group (group A: 4.8 %; group B: 0), we did not cancel cycles due to the normal fertilization of sibling oocytes. Embryo transfer was possible in all 32 couples. There were 10 clinical pregnancies in the two groups. We also discovered a possible association between some semen parameters and sperm functions of group A, and women age and duration of infertility of group B and fertilization. It is suggested that adoption of the split IVF/ICSI technology in the above cases may help eliminate fertilization failures. This is also a useful method to investigate the effect of single factor on the employment of assisted reproductive technology.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41967009)the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Talent Development Fund(Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Human Resources and Social Security Office issued[2020]98)。
文摘Phytogenic mounds(nebkhas)formed by shrubs are a common phenomenon in arid and semiarid areas.The formation of nebkhas is accompanied by the appearance of the fertile island effect.Quantitative evaluation of the shrub sand compost island effect is a key link in preventing soil erosion and nutrient loss.This study took the typical shrub Tetraena mongolica in desert areas as the research object and quantified the sand-trapping capacity of the shrub.We revealed the influence of sediment texture and volumetric soil water content on fertile islands during the development of T.mongolica nebkhas.The results showed that(1)the single shrub intercepted large amounts of sediments due to the high density of branches of T.mongolica,forming nebkhas that were positively correlated with the shrub size.(2)The overall soil nutrient content below the shrub was greater than the soil nutrient content outside the shrub,forming a typical fertile island effect.The soil organic carbon(SOC),alkaline hydrolytic nitrogen(AHN),available phosphorus(AP),and available K(AK)content all increased gradually with increasing nebkha volume.Compared with the deep soil of nebkhas,the nutrient content of the surface soil was generally higher.(3)There was a positive correlation between the volumetric water content and nutrient content in nebkhas.(4)The semi-ellipsoid shape of T.mongolica enabled it to intercept large amounts of coarse-grained material.Fine sand(100–250μm)was the main particle size in the sediment aggregates inside the nebkhas.The fine sand content generally increased with increasing shrub size.Redundancy analysis(RDA)revealed that the fine sand content of the nebkha sediments had a strong positive correlation with the soil nutrient content.This paper provides an example for evaluating the fertile island effect during the deposition process of nebkhas in the desert transition zone.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFC1000201,No.2018YFC1002104,No.2018YFC1002106,and No.2016YFC1000302)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81300373,and No.81771650)+2 种基金the Capital Health Research and Development of Special Projects(No.2018-1-4091)the Program for Innovative Research Team of Yunnan,China(No.2017HC009)the Major National R&D Projects of China(No.2017ZX09304012-012).
文摘Testosterone(T)plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis because extremely low levels of intratesticular T lead to correspondingly low serum levels of total T(tT),severe disorders of spermatogenesis,and male sterility.However,there is little consensus on the lower limits of serum tT in proven fertile men undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatments in Chinese or other Asian populations.We aimed to establish the reference range of serum tT based on a population of 868 fertile Chinese men undergoing in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer(IVF/ICSI-ET)treatments.We defined a fertile man as having had a live baby with his partner as recorded in our IVF registration system.The lower limits of serum tT were established using a Siemens IMMULITE 2000 chemiluminescent system.The 1st,2.5th,and 5th percentiles and their 95%confidence intervals(CIs)were 3.6(95%CI:2.7–4.1)nmol l−1,4.3(95%CI:4.1–5.0)nmol l−1,and 5.6(95%CI:4.8–5.8)nmol l−1,respectively.Using the linear correlation of serum tT between the Siemens platform and a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry platform,the calculated lower limits of serum tT were also established for fertile Chinese men undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET treatments,which will benefit the clinical diagnosis and treatment of male infertility during such procedures.
文摘The diameters of spermatic veins and blood reflux in sixty-two male patients with infertility caused by varicocele were assessed with Doppler ultrasound in this study. Scrotal thermograph, testes volume and semen analysis were also applied to analysis of these patients. Among sixty-two patients, thirty-one received high ligation of internal spermatic vein. The results showed: 1. The diameter of spermatic veins was negatively correlated with fertility index and positively correlated with Doppler grading of blood reflux. 2. In operative patients, the effect of surgery was better in patients with blood reflux than in those without blood reflux. It was suggested the diameter of spermatic veins probably reflects the duration and serious degree of blood reflux in spermatic vein, and may be used for assessment of severity of male infertility in combination with semen analysis.
文摘The left and right epididymial.fouids from 73 normal.fertile men were respectively collected by cannulating foe vas deferens dtring the operation of vaseclomy.The parameters of epididymal spermatozoa were analysed.The results indicated that the sperm motility(%),normal sperm morphology,(%),sperm viability(%) and hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST)(%) wers within the normal range as compared with those in the ejaculated spermatozoa. However, the sperm concenlration in epididymis (6220.6± 5300.8 million per ml) was higher than that in semen.It is fo interesl foal the sperm concentration in the right epididymis was significantly than that in the left.It was also demonstrated that the percentage of abnormal Kremer's lest in the left epididymal spermatozoa was significantly higher than that in the right.The above phenomenon was discussed.There was no anti-sperm antibody on foe surface of spermatozoa from epididymis as determined by the sperm cervical mucus contact test(SCMC)and Immunobead test (IBT).These data will be usefull for foe research fo male reproductive physiology,male contraceptive and vasectomy.
文摘The majority of off-type plants in in-dica hybrid rice were CMS and itsmaintainer lines.Discrimination ofmaintainer and CMS could only beconducted at heading stage.If main-tainer and CMS line could be distin-guished earlier,it would be useful toavoid yield losses caused by usingcontaminated seeds.In this study,three pairs of A and B,Minghui 63,and Fand Fplants of Zhenshan97A/Minghui 63 were used to find
文摘Nongken 58s is a type of photoperiod sensitivegenie male sterile rice which gives rice to malesterility when illuminated time is longer than13.75 h/d.The photoperiod sensitive stagesare from the differentiation of primary branchprimordum(Ⅱ)in young ears to fullness ofcontents of the pollen(Ⅶ).The changes ofactivity and isoenzymes in cation peroxidase atph0toperiod sensitive stages and the relation-ship between this enzyme and feritility of rice
文摘We assessed the concomitant impact of cigarette smoking and alcohol con sumption in men presenting for primary couple's infertility.Data from 189 in fertile men were an a lyzed.Semen analysis,serum hormones,and sperm DNA fragmentation(SDF)were obtained.Smoking status was categorized as follows:current nonsmoker(-S),moderate smoker(+MS),and heavy smoker(+HS).Alcohol consumption was categorized as follows:abstainer(-D),moderate drinker(+MD),and heavy drinker(+HD).Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were applied.Among all the participants,132(69.8%),30(15.9%),and 27(14.3%)patients were-S,+MS,and+HS,respectively.In addition,67(35.4%),77(40.7%)and 45(23.8%)men were-D,+MD and+HD,respectively.Regarding concomitant habits,52(27.5%)patients were nonsmokers and abstainers(-S/-D:Group 1),91(48.1%)had at least one recreational habit(-S/+D or+S/-D:Group 2),and 46(24.3%)were both smokers and drinkers(+S/+D:Group 3).Sperm concentration and progressive motility were lower in+HS and+HD,compared with-S and-D(all P<0.05),respectively.Similarly,both parameters were significantly lower in Group 3 than Groups 1 and 2(all P<0.05).SDF values were higher in Group 3 than Groups 1 and 2(both P<0.05).In multivariate analysis,follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)levels and concomitant+S/+D status were independent predictors of impaired sperm concentration and progressive motility(all P<0.05).Heavy smoking and heavy drinking were associated with worse seminal parameters than moderate smoking/drinking and nonsmoking/abstaining.When concomitant,+S/+D status has an even greater detrimental effect on semen parameters.
基金The work was supported by grants from the Shanghai Committee of Science and Technology, China （Grant No. 09411964200）, the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China （973 Program, No. 2014CB943104） and the National Natural Science Foundation of China （81270744）.
文摘Azoospermia, cryptozoospermia and necrospermia can markedly decrease the ability of males to achieve pregnancy in fertile females. However, patients with these severe conditions still have the option to be treated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） to become biological fathers. This study analyzed the fertilization ability and the developmental viabilities of the derived embryos after ICSI treatment of the sperm from these patients compared with in vitro fertilization （IVF） treatment of the proven-fertile donor sperm on sibling oocytes as a control. On the day of oocyte retrieval, the number of sperm suitable for ICSI collected from two ejaculates or testicular sperm extraction was lower than the oocytes, and therefore, excess sibling oocytes were treated by IVF with donor sperm. From 72 couples （73 cycles）, 1117 metaphase Ⅱ oocytes were divided into 512 for ICSI and 605 for IVF. Compared with the control, husbands＇ sperm produced a lower fertilization rate in nonobstructive azoospermia （65.4% vs 83.2%; P〈 0.001）, crytozoospermia （68.8% vs 75.5%; P〈 0.05） and necrospermia （65.0% vs 85.2%; P〈 0.05）. The zygotes derived in nonobstructive azoospermia had a lower cleavage rate （96.4% vs 99.4%; P 〈 0.05）, but the rate of resultant good-quality embryos was not different. Analysis of the rates of cleaved and good-quality embryos in crytozoospermia and necrospermia did not exhibit a significant difference from the control. In conclusion, although the sperm from severe male infertility reduced the fertilization ability, the derived embryos had potential developmental viabilities that might be predictive for the expected clinical outcomes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation No. 81400041 and No. 81871212the National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth Fund Project No. 81400038cohort study project of the Peking University Third Hospital Y70545-04。
文摘Objective Prior pulmonary tuberculosis(PTB) on chest X-ray(CXR) was commonly found in infertile patients receiving examinations before in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET). It was unclear whether untreated PTB would affect pregnancy outcomes after IVF-ET.Method We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 14,254 infertile patients who had received IVFET at Peking University Third Hospital in 2017. Prior PTB was defined as the presence of signs suggestive of old or inactive PTB on CXR, with or without a clinical TB history. Patients who had prior PTB on CXR but had not received a clinical diagnosis and anti-TB therapy were included for analysis. Live birth,clinical pregnancy, and miscarriage rates were compared between the untreated PTB and non-PTB groups.Results The untreated PTB group had significantly lower clinical pregnancy(31.7% vs. 38.1%) and live birth(23.8% vs. 30.6%) rates than the non-PTB group(both P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that untreated PTB was a risk factor for decreased live birth rate [odds ratio(OR), 0.80;95% confidence interval(CI), 0.66–0.98;P = 0.028] in all patients and for increased miscarriage(OR, 4.19;95% CI,1.69–10.39;P = 0.002) and decreased live birth(OR, 0.45;95% CI, 0.24–0.83;P = 0.011) rates in patients with unexplained infertility.Conclusions Untreated PTB was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes after IVF-ET, especially in patients with unexplained infertility, highlighting the clinical significance of PTB in this specific patient population.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No.1471456）, and Guidance Foundation of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University （No. RMYD2018Z13）.
文摘This study aimed to explore the outcomes of progestin-primed ovarian stimulation protocol （PPOS） in aged infertile women who failed to get pregnant in the first IVF/ICSI-ET cycles with GnRH-a long protocol. A self-controlled study was conducted to retrospectively investigate the clinical outcomes of 104 aged infertile patients who didn＇t get pregnant in the first IVF/ICSI-ET treatment by stimulating with GnRH-a long protocol （non-PPOS group）, and underwent PPOS protocol （PPOS group） in the second cycle between January 2016 and December 2016 in the Center for Reproductive Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. The primary outcomes included clinical pregnancy rate of frozen-thawed embryos transfer （FET） in PPOS group, and good-quality embryo rate in both groups. The secondary outcomes were fertilization rate, egg utilization rate and cycle cancellation rate. The results showed that there were no significant differences in basal follicle stimulating hormone （bFSH）, antral follicle count （AFC）, duration and total dosage of gonadotropin （Gn）, number of oocytes retrieved, intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） rate, fertilization rate, and cycle cancellation rate between the two groups （P〉0.05）. However, the oocyte utilization rate and good-quality embryo rate in PPOS group were significantly higher than those in non-PPOS group （P〈0.05）. By the end of April 2017, 62 FET cycles were conducted in PPOS group. The clinical pregnancy rate and embryo implantation rate were 22.58% and 12.70%, respectively. In conclusion, PPOS protocol may provide better clinical outcomes by improving the oocyte utilization rate and good-quality embryo rate for aged infertile patients who failed to get pregnant in the first IVF/ ICSI-ET cycles.
文摘Lifestyle factors, such as weight and nutritional status may affect male fertility, including sperm fertilization ability. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the association between body mass index （BMI） and sperm-zona pellucida binding ability assessed according to the zona binding （ZB） test, which has been described to be a relevant diagnostic tool for the prediction of in vitro fertilization （IVF） ability. Three hundred and six male patients from couples diagnosed with primary idiopathic or mild male factor infertility were included. Correlations between BMI and semen parameters according to ZB test indices were assessed, together with frequencies of positive and negative tests across the BMI categories. In this selected population, BMI was not related to conventional semen parameters or sperm quality assessed according to the ability of spermatozoa to bind to the zona pellucida. The previously described poor outcomes of IVF procedures in cases of male obesity could be due to other sperm defects, such as alterations of sperm capacitation or acrosome reaction. The link between male BMI and biological outcomes during IVF procedures, such as fertilization rates, should be further evaluated.
文摘Aim:To evaluate the quantitative detection of human telomerase RNA(hTR)and human telomerase reverse tran-scriptase(hTERT)mRNA as diagnostic parameters in the workup of testicular tissue specimens from patients presentingwith non-obstructive azoospermia.Methods:hTR and hTERT mRNA expression were quantified in 38 cryopre-served testicular tissue specimens by fluorescence real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)in a LightCycler(r).This was paralleled by conventional histological workup in all tissue specimens and additionalsemithin sectioning preparation in cases with maturation arrest(n=12)and Sertoli-cell-only syndrome(n=12).Re-sults;The average normalized hTERT expression(N_(hTERT))was 131.9±48.0 copies(mean±SD)in tissue speci-mens with full spermatogenesis,N_(hTERT)=51.2±17.2 copies in those with maturation arrest and N_(hTERT)=2.7±2.4copies in those with Sertoli-cell-only syndrome(SCOS).The discriminant analysis showed that detection of N_(hTERT)(N_(hTR))had a predictive value of 86.8%(55.3%)for correct classification in one of the three histological subgroups.Conclusion;Our results demonstrate that quantitative detection of hTERT mRNA expression in testicular tissue en-ables a molecular-diagnostic classification of gametogenesis.Quantitative detection of hTERT in testicular biopsies isthus well suited for supplementing the histopathological evaluation.
