A randomized, controlled, multicenter contraceptive efficacy clinical trial of the intravas device, a nonocclusive surgical male sterilization

Because of unavoidable complications of vasectomy, this study was undertaken to assess the efficacy and safety of male sterilization with a nonobstructive intravas device （IVD） implanted into the vas lumen by a mini-surgical method compared with no-scalpel vasectomy （NSV）. IVDs were categorized into two types： IVD-B has a tail used for fixing to the vas deferens （fixed wing） whereas IVD-A does not. A multicenter prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in China. The study was comprised of 1459 male volunteers seeking vasectomy who were randomly assigned to the IVD-A （n = 487）, IVD-B （n = 485） or NSV （n = 487） groups and underwent operation. Follow-up included visits at the 3rd-6TM and 12~ postoperative months, The assessments of the subjects involved regular physical examinations （including general and andrological examinations） and semen analysis. The subjects＇ partners also underwent monitoring for pregnancy by monthly interviews regarding menstruation and if necessary, urine tests, There were no significant differences in pregnancy rates （0.65% for IVD-A, 0 for IVD-B and 0.21% for NSV） among the three groups （P 〉 0.05）. The cumulative rates of complications at the 12th postoperative month were zero, 0.9% and 1.7% in the three groups, respectively. In conclusion, IVD male sterilization exhibits a low risk of long-term adverse events and was found to be effective as a male sterilization method, similar to the NSV technique. IVD male sterilization is expected to be a novel contraceptive method.

Asymmetric Fluorinative Dearomatization of Tryptophol Derivatives by Chiral Anion Phase-Transfer Catalysis

An asymmetric fluorinative dearomatization reaction of tryptophol derivatives was developed via chiral anion phase-transfer catalysis. Vari- ous fluorinated furoindolines were obtained in moderate to excellent yields and enantioselectivity in the presence of Selectfluor. The preliminary mecha- nistic studies suggested the existence of an in situ formed tryptophol boronic ester plays a critical role in determining the enantioselectivity. This method features the facile introduction of a fluorine atom in a highly enantioselective manner and construction of two contiguous quaternary stereogenic cen- ters.

Is serum sex hormone-binding globulin a dominant risk factor for metabolic syndrome？

This multi-center, cross-sectional study investigated the association between serum testosterone （T） levels, serum sex hormone-binding globulin （SHBG） levels, and the risk of metabolic syndrome （MS） in 3332 adult Chinese men. The prevalence of MS was 34.7%, and men with MS had lower serum levels of total T （TT） and SHBG than those without MS （P 〈 0.001）. There was no significant difference in serum free T （FT） levels between subjects with and without MS （P = 0.627）. In logistic regression analysis, the association between MS and serum SHBG levels persisted after adjusting for age, body mass index （BMI）, smoking and drinking status, and serum TT （odds ratio [OR] 0.962, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.954-0.969, P 〈 0.01）. However, the association between serum TT level and the risk of MS was weak after adjusting for age, BMI, SHBG level, and smoking and drinking status （OR 0,981, 95% CI 0.960-1.007）. Our study reveals that both serum TT and SHBG levels, but not serum FT, are inversely associated with the prevalence of MS and that serum SHBG is an independent and dominant risk factor for MS.This multi-center, cross-sectional study investigated the association between serum testosterone （T） levels, serum sex hormone-binding globulin （SHBG） levels, and the risk of metabolic syndrome （MS） in 3332 adult Chinese men. The prevalence of MS was 34.7%, and men with MS had lower serum levels of total T （TT） and SHBG than those without MS （P 〈 0.001）. There was no significant difference in serum free T （FT） levels between subjects with and without MS （P = 0.627）. In logistic regression analysis, the association between MS and serum SHBG levels persisted after adjusting for age, body mass index （BMI）, smoking and drinking status, and serum TT （odds ratio [OR] 0.962, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.954-0.969, P〈 0.01）. However, the association between serum TT level and the risk of MS was weak after adjusting for age, BMI, SHBG level, and smoking and drinking status （OR 0,981, 95% CI 0.960-1.007）. Our study reveals that both serum TT and SHBG levels, but not serum FT, are inversely associated with the prevalence of MS and that serum SHBG is an independent and dominant risk factor for MS.

Catalytic asymmetric brominative dearomatization reaction of benzofurans

A catalytic asymmetric brominative dearomatization reaction of benzofuran derivatives was achieved by using hydroquinidine 1,4-phthalazinediyl diether [（DHQ）_2PHAL] as the catalyst and N-bromoacetamide（NBAc） as the brominating reagent. A series of brominated spiro[benzofuran-2,5＇-oxazoles] bearing two contiguous stereogenic centers were obtained in high yields（up to 99%） with excellent enantioselectivity（up to 97% ee）.

Modulation of innate immune response to viruses including SARS-CoV-2 by progesterone

Whether and how innate antiviral response is regulated by humoral metabolism remains enigmatic.We show that viral infection induces progesterone via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in mice.Progesterone induces downstream antiviral genes and promotes innate antiviral response in cells and mice,whereas knockout of the progesterone receptor PGR has opposite effects.Mechanistically,stimulation of PGR by progesterone activates the tyrosine kinase SRC,which phosphorylates the transcriptional factor IRF3 at Y107.