Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines on Sperm Quality: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has triggered a global public health crisis of unprecedented proportions. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is a highly effective strategy for preventing infections and severe COVID-19 outcomes. Although several studies have concluded that COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to affect fertility, concerns have arisen regarding adverse events, including the potential impact on fertility; these concerns are plagued by limited and inconsistent evidence. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to provide a recent assessment of the literature on the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on male sperm quality. The possible impact of COVID-19 vaccines on fertility potential was also examined to draw a clearer picture and to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 on male reproductive health. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched from their inception to October 2023. Eligible studies included articles reporting SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and human semen quality and fertility, as well as the impact of vaccination on assisted reproductive technology treatment outcomes. The quality of cohort studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and the quality of cross-sectional studies was assessed using the quality evaluation criteria recommended by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The systematic review followed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. RESULTS: The initial literature search yielded 4691 records by searching 5 peer-reviewed databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane). Finally, 24 relevant studies were selected for our study. There were evident research inequalities at the regional level, with the United States and Western European countries contributing 38% (9/24) of the studies, Middle Eastern countries contributing 38% (9/24), China accounting for 21% (5/24), and Africa and South America accounting for none. Nonetheless, the overall quality of the included studies was generally good. Our results demonstrated that serious side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are extremely rare, and men experience few problems with sperm parameters or reproductive potential after vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the studies published so far, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for male reproductive health. Obviously, vaccination is a wise option rather than experience serious adverse symptoms of viral infections. These instances of evidence may help reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination coverage, particularly among reproductive-age couples. As new controlled trials and prospective cohort studies with larger sample sizes emerge, the possibility of a negative effect of the COVID-19 vaccine on sperm quality must be further clarified.

Effect of Team Health Education on Radiodermatitis in Patients with Head and Neck Tumor Radiotherapy Under the Joint Committee International Standards.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of team health education on radiodermatitis in patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy. DATA SOURCES: A total of 118 patients undergoing radiotherapy at the Oncology Department of Qingdao Municipal Hospital under the Joint Committee International (JCI) accreditation standards of medical and health institutions were divided into two groups according to the order of the admission: the intervention group (n = 66) and the control group (n = 52). The patients in the control group were given routine nursing, while those in the intervention group received team health education based on the control group. The incidence and satisfaction of radiodermatitis were observed and compared between the groups, and the EORTC QLQ-C30 and General Quality of Life Inventory-74 were used to evaluate the patients' quality of life when after radiotherapy and when after 6 months post the radiotherapy, respectively. CONCLUSION: The incidence of radiodermatitis was 100% in both groups, and the difference in the grade of radiodermatitis and quality of life was significant (P < .05) between them. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Team health education under the JCI standards team can reduce the degree of skin injury due to radiodermatitis and improve the quality of life.

Prevention of hematogenous infection in peripheral venous catheterization with integrated medical assistance in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed at verifying the effect of specific management modalities aimed at reducing or preventing the incidence of infections in the blood flow in relation to the use of the central venous catheter (CRBSI = catheterrelated bloodstream infection) in patients undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: 36 patients (n = 36) with a peripherally inserted venous catheter (PICC) were enrolled in the integrated medical treatment group, while 128 patients with an internal central venous catheter were enrolled in the control group. The patients in the control group underwent routine nursing, while the patients in the treatment group underwent integrated surveillance control infection treatment by doctors and were compared between these two groups l incidence of complications, CRBSI. RESULTS: The incidence of complications of the CRBSI type was significantly lower in the whole treatment group than in the control group and the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the implementation of the infection control management modality within the integration of medical care for PICC chemotherapy patients in the Oncology Department can effectively reduce the incidence of infectious complications in the bloodstream, and improve the level of nursing care in peripheral venous catheterization (PICC) with improved patient satisfaction. KEY WORDS: Chemotherapy, Individualized management, Infection control management mode under medical care integration/Nursing, Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC).

Thioclava atlantica sp. nov., isolated from deep sea sediment of the Atlantic Ocean.

A taxonomic study was carried out on strain 13D2W-2(T), which was isolated from a sulphur-oxidizing bacterial consortium, enriched by the deep-sea sediment of the Atlantic Ocean. The isolate was observed to be Gram-negative, oxidase- and catalase-positive, short rod-shaped and motile by means of a flagellum. Growth was observed at salinities from 0.5 to 12 % and at temperatures from 4 to 41 °C, and the strain found to be able to reduce nitrate but not degrade gelatin. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain 13D2W-2(T) belongs to the genus Thioclava, with highest sequence similarity of 97.8 % to Thioclava dalianensis DLFJ1-1(T), followed by Thioclava pacifica TL 2(T) (97.7 %), while the sequence similarities to other members of the genus were all below 97.0 %. The digital DNA:DNA hybridization estimated values between strain 13D2W-2(T) and, respectively, T. dalianensis DLFJ1-1(T) and T. pacifica TL 2(T) were 22.6 ± 2.4 and 25.6 ± 2.4 %. The ANI values between strain 13D2W-2(T) and T. dalianensis DLFJ1-1(T) and T. pacifica TL 2(T) were 78.49 and 81.91 % respectively. The principal fatty acid identified was Summed Feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c/ω6c) (74.38 %). The isoprenoid quinone of strain 13D2W-2(T) was identified as Q10 (100 %). The major polar lipids of strain 13D2W-2(T) were found to be comprised of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, an aminophospholipid, a glycolipid and three unknown phospholipids. The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA was determined to be 65.3 mol%. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data show that strain 13D2W-2(T) represents a novel species of the genus Thioclava, for which the name Thioclava atlantica sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain 13D2W-2(T) ( = MCCC 1A02612(T) = LMG 27145(T)).

Indigenous oil-degrading bacteria in crude oil-contaminated seawater of the Yellow sea, China.

Indigenous oil-degrading bacteria play an important role in efficient remediation of polluted marine environments. In this study, we investigated the diversity and abundance of indigenous oil-degrading bacteria and functional genes in crude oil-contaminated seawater of the Dalian coast. The gene copy number bacterial 16S rRNA in total were determined to be about 10(10) copies L(-1) in contaminated seawater and 10(9) copies L(-1) in uncontaminated seawater. Bacteria of Alcanivorax, Marinobacter, Novosphingobium, Rhodococcus, and Pseudoalteromonas were found to be predominant oil-degrading bacteria in the polluted seawater in situ. In addition, bacteria belonging to Algoriphagus, Aestuariibacter, Celeribacter, Fabibacter, Zobellia, Tenacibaculum, Citreicella, Roseivirga, Winogradskyella, Thioclava, Polaribacter, and Pelagibaca were confirmed to be the first time as an oil-degrading bacterium. The indigenous functional enzymes, including AlkB or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases α (PAH-RHDα) coding genes from Gram-positive (GP) and Gram-negative bacteria (GN), were revealed and quite diverse. About 10(10) to 10(11) copies L(-1) for the expression of alkB genes were recovered and showed that the two-thirds of all the AlkB sequences were closely related to widely distributed Alcanivorax and Marinobacter isolates. About 10(9) copies L(-1) seawater for the expression of RHDαGN genes in contaminated seawater and showed that almost all RHDαGN sequences were closely related to an uncultured bacterium; however, RHDαGP genes represented only about 10(5) copies L(-1) seawater for the expression of genes in contaminated seawater, and the naphthalene dioxygenase sequences from Rhodococcus and Mycobacterium species were most abundant. Together, their data provide evidence that there exists an active aerobic microbial community indigenous to the coastal area of the Yellow sea that is capable of degrading petroleum hydrocarbons.

Thioclava dalianensis sp. nov., isolated from surface seawater.

A taxonomic study was carried out on strain DLFJ1-1(T), which was isolated from an oil-degrading bacterial consortium, enriched by the surface seawater from around the Dalian Peninsula. The isolate was Gram-reaction-negative, oxidase- and catalase-positive, short-rod-shaped and non-motile. Growth was observed at salinities from 0.5 to 15 % and at temperatures from 4 to 37 °C; the strain was unable to degrade gelatin or to reduce nitrate. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain DLFJ1-1(T) belonged to the genus Thioclava, with the highest sequence similarity (96.4 %) to Thioclava pacifica TL 2(T), while the similarities to other species examined were all below 95.0 %. The principal fatty acids were C19 : 0ω8c cyclo and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c/ω6c). The major quinone of strain DLFJ1-1(T) was Q10. The major polar lipids of strain DLFJ1-1(T) were phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA was 62.5 mol%. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data show that strain DLFJ1-1(T) represents a novel species of the genus Thioclava, for which the name Thioclava dalianensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain DLFJ1-1(T) ( = CGMCC 1.12325(T) = LMG 27290(T) = MCCC 1A03957(T)). An emended description of the genus Thioclava is also proposed.

[Correlation of recurrent pregnancy loss with sperm parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare standard sperm parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation in seminal ejaculates from men whose partners had a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and a control group of men who had recently established their fertility. METHODS: Semen samples from 85 patients with a history of RPL and 20 men with proven fertility were analyzed according to World Health Organization guidelines. Sperm DNA fragmentation was detected by sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCD). RESULTS: A significant difference (P< 0.05) was observed in sperm motility but not other parameters between the two groups. The mean number of sperm cells with fragmented DNA, represented as DNA fragmentation index, was significantly increased in the RPL group [(34.99± 14.62)%] compared with controls [(10.82± 4.80)%]. CONCLUSION: This study has indicated that sperm from men with a history of RPL have a higher incidence of DNA damage and poor motility compared with fertile males.

Relationship between varicocele and sperm DNA damage and the effect of varicocele repair: a meta-analysis.

Varicocele, a cause of male infertility, occurs in nearly 40% of infertile males. It has been postulated that varicoceles may cause sperm DNA damage. Sperm DNA integrity has been recognized as one of the important determinants of normal fertilization and embryo growth in natural and assisted conception. Eighty-three human studies were identified after an extensive literature search involving the role of varicoceles in sperm DNA damage. Of the 83 studies, 12 were selected that measured similar types of reactive sperm DNA damage. Seven studies determined the damage of sperm DNA in varicocele-associated patients and six studies evaluated the efficacy of varicocelectomy. One study was a duplicate because both outcomes were included. Data were analysed using RevMan software. The overall estimate showed that patients with varicoceles have significantly higher sperm DNA damage than controls, with a mean difference of 9.84% (95% CI 9.19 to 10.49; P<0.00001). A varicocelectomy can improve sperm DNA integrity, with a mean difference of -3.37% (95% CI -4.09 to -2.65; P<0.00001). In conclusion, there is increased sperm DNA damage in patients with varicoceles and varicocelectomy may be a possible treatment; however, more studies with appropriate controls are needed to confirm this finding. A varicocele is an important cause of male infertility and occurs in nearly 40% of infertile males. The recent understanding of the effect of varicoceles in male reproduction has led some researchers to postulate varicoceles as the possible cause of sperm DNA damage. Eighty-three human studies were identified after an extensive literature search involving the role of varicoceles in sperm DNA damage. Of the 83 studies, 12 were selected that measured similar types of reactive sperm DNA damage by a similar method. Seven studies determined the damage of sperm DNA in varicocele-associated patients and six studies evaluated the efficacy of varicocelectomy. One study was a duplicate because both outcomes were included. The data were then entered in the RevMan software for analysis. The overall estimate showed that patients with varicoceles have significantly higher sperm DNA damage than controls, with a mean difference of 9.84% (95% CI 9.19 to 10.49; P<0.00001). A varicocelectomy can improve sperm DNA integrity, with a mean difference of -3.37% (95% CI -4.09 to -2.65; P<0.00001). Based on the results, it can be concluded that there is increased sperm DNA damage in patients with varicoceles and that varicocelectomy may be a possible treatment; however, more studies with appropriate controls are needed to confirm this finding.