Scriptaid is a prospective agent for improving human asthenozoospermic sample quality and fertilization rate in vitro

Male infertility is a global issue caused by poor sperm quality,particularly motility.Enhancement of the sperm quality may improve the fertilization rate in assisted reproductive technology(ART)treatment.Scriptaid,with a novel human sperm motility-stimulating activity,has been investigated as a prospective agent for improving sperm quality and fertilization rate in ART.We evaluated the effects of Scriptaid on asthenozoospermic(AZS)semen,including its impact on motility stimulation and protective effects on cryopreservation and duration of motility,by computer-aided sperm analysis(CASA).Sperm quality improvement by Scriptaid was characterized by increased hyaluronan-binding activity,tyrosine phosphorylation,adenosine triphosphate(ATP)concentration,mitochondrial membrane potential,and an ameliorated AZS fertilization rate in clinical intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)experiments.Furthermore,our identification of active Scriptaid analogs and different metabolites induced by Scriptaid in spermatozoa lays a solid foundation for the future biomechanical exploration of sperm function.In summary,Scriptaid is a potential candidate for the treatment of male infertility in vitro as it improves sperm quality,prolongs sperm viability,and increases the fertilization rate.

Effect of advanced paternal age on reproductive outcomes in IVF cycles of non-male-factor infertility: a retrospective cohort study

Advanced paternal age has been overlooked,and its effect on fertility remains controversial.Previous studies have focused mainly on intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)cycles in men with oligozoospermia.However,few studies have reported on men with semen parameters within reference ranges.Therefore,we conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing the reproductive outcomes of couples with non-male-factor infertility undergoing in vitro fertilization(IVF)cycles.In total,381 cycles included were subgrouped according to paternal age(<35-year-old,35–39-year-old,or≥40-year-old),and maternal age was limited to under 35 years.Data on embryo quality and clinical outcomes were analyzed.The results showed that fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were not significantly different(all P>0.05).The pregnancy rate was not significantly different in the 35–39-year-old group(42.0%;P>0.05),but was significantly lower in the≥40-year-old group(26.1%;P<0.05)than that in the<35-year-old group(40.3%).Similarly,the implantation rate significantly decreased in the≥40-year-old group(18.8%)compared with that in the<35-year-old group(31.1%)and 35–39-year-old group(30.0%)(both P<0.05).The live birth rate(30.6%,21.7%,and 19.6%)was not significantly different across the paternal age subgroups(<35-year-old,35–39-year-old,and≥40-year-old,respectively;all P>0.05),but showed a declining trend.The miscarriage rate significantly increased in the 35–39-year-old group(44.8%)compared with that in the<35-year-old group(21.0%;P<0.05).No abnormality in newborn birth weight was found.The results indicated that paternal age over 40 years is a key risk factor that influences the assisted reproductive technology success rate even with good semen parameters,although it has no impact on embryo development.

Lung Cancer Treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine: History, Current Status, and Development

Objective:This article discusses the following aspects,including the history of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in the treatment of lung cancer,the breakthrough in the theory of TCM in treatment of lung cancer,clinical study of TCM in treating lung cancer,microscientific interpretation of TCM treatment for lung cancer and the prospect of TCM in treating lung cancer.Materials and Methods:In this paper,through a systematic search,combing traditional Chinese medicine prevention and treatment of lung cancer ancient books and modern literature.Results:A series of large sample and multi-centered clinical studies have proved that TCM comprehensive treatment significantly improves the clinical efficacy for lung cancer.“TCM treatment system for non-small cell lung cancer”based on staged and standardized integration of TCM and Western medicine has been well developed and popularized in practice.Furthermore,in virtue of the international cooperation platform established by the National Cancer Institute of the United States,the scientific connotation of TCM in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer is systematically and deeply studied,thereby promoting the research and development of new Chinese drugs for lung cancer.Conclusions:Nowadays,TCM has realized a landmark breakthrough in treating lung cancer,bringing benefits to all lung cancer patients.

Study of Combined Use of Clomiphene Citrate and Gonadotropins on the Infertile Patients with PCOS

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of combined use of clomiphene citrate （CC） and gonadotropins （Gn） on the infertile patients with PCOS. Methods A total of 367 infertile patients with PCOS were included in this retrospective study. Patients received CC from menstrual cycle day 3 until the day of triggering and human menopausal gonadotrophins （hMG） from menstrual cycle day 5 until the ovulation day. Gn duration and doses, serum LH and estradiol levels, transferable embryos, incidence of OHSS, frozen-thawed embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were compared among CC plus hMG, long and short protocols. Results Gn duration and doses, blood estrogen level transferable embryos and incidence of OHSS in the group of CC plus hMG were decreased significantly than those of long and short protocols. No differences were observed in the frozen-thawed embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy rates among three groups. Conclusion Mild stimulation of CC combined with hMG on infertile patients with high risk for OHSS is safe and efficient.