Research progress on ion channels and their molecular regulatory mechanisms in the human sperm flagellum.

The ion channels in sperm tail play an important role in triggering key physiological reactions, e.g., progressive motility, hyperactivation, required for successful fertilization. Among them, CatSper and KSper have been shown to be important ion channels for the transport of Ca2+ and K+ . Moreover, the voltage-gated proton channel Hv1, the sperm-specific sodium-hydrogen exchanger (sNHE), the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), members of the temperature-sensitive TRP channel family, and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) are also found in the flagellum. This review focuses on the latest advances in ion channels located at the flagellum, describes how they affect sperm physiological function, and summarizes some primary mutual regulation mechanism between ion channels, including PH, membrane potential, and cAMP. These ion channels may be promising targets for clinical application in infertility.

Prevalence of pituitary dysfunction after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pituitary dysfunction (PD) is a common complication after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The prevalence of PD varies widely at a global level and no recent meta-analysis is available. Therefore, the aim of our systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the updated estimates of worldwide prevalence of PD after aSAH. METHODS: Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed databases were used to comprehensively search the appropriate literature and a random-effects meta-analysis on the results of the available studies was performed. The heterogeneity in the prevalence estimates was evaluated by subgroup analysis in terms of types of PD, and acute and chronic phases of aSAH. The onset of PD within 6 months after aSAH was considered as acute, while that after 6 months was considered as chronic. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies with 1848 patients were included in this analysis. The pooled prevalence of PD in the acute phase was 49.6% (95% CI, 32.4-66.8%), and 30.4% (95% CI, 21.4-39.4%) in the chronic phase. Among the hormonal deficiencies, growth hormone dysfunction was the most prevalent in the acute phase, being 36.0% (95% CI, 21.0-51.0%), while hypoadrenalism was the most prevalent in the chronic phase, being 21.0% (95% CI, 12.0-29.0%). Among the six World Health Organization regions, the South-East Asia Region has the highest prevalence of PD in the acute phase (81.0%, 95%CI, 77.0-86.0%, P < 0.001), while the European Region had the highest prevalence of PD in the chronic phase (33.0%, 95%CI, 24.0-43.0%, P < 0.001). Moreover, single pituitary hormonal dysfunction occurred more frequently than the multiple one, regardless of acute or chronic phase. CONCLUSIONS: Almost half (49.6%) of the included patients with aSAH developed PD complication in the acute phase, while 30.4% of the patients developed them in the chronic phase. Although prevalence varies globally, the high healthcare burden, morbidity and mortality require greater awareness among clinicians.

Association Between Social Networking Site Use Intensity and Depression Among Chinese Pregnant Women: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite extensive debates about the mental health impacts of the use of social networking sites (SNSs), including WeChat, the association and mechanisms between social interaction of WeChat use intensity and antenatal depression are unclear. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test the mediating roles of upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat and rumination in the association between social interaction of WeChat use intensity and antenatal depression. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four hospitals with the self-reported measures of social interaction of WeChat use intensity, upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat, rumination, antenatal depression, and control variables. The mediation analysis was performed through Model 6 from the PROCESS macro 4.0 in SPSS 26. RESULTS: Results from 2661 participants showed that antenatal depression was unrelated to social interaction of WeChat use intensity (P=.54), but was significantly positively related to the attitude toward social interaction of WeChat (P=.01). The direct effect of attitude toward social interaction of WeChat use on antenatal depression was not statistically significant (ß=-.03, P=.05). The results supported an indirect relationship between attitude toward social interaction of WeChat use and antenatal depression via (1) upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat (indirect effect value=0.04, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.06); (2) rumination (indirect effect value=-0.02, 95% CI -0.04 to -0.01); and (3) upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat and rumination in sequence (indirect effect value=0.07, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the necessity of focusing on attitudes toward SNS use, and the importance of upward social comparison and rumination in understanding the effect of SNS use on antenatal depression.

Status and influencing factors of nursing and midwifery professionals' core competence- a cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to understand the current situation and multiple factors affecting the core competence specializing in the maternal, neonatal and under-five nursing in China. BACKGROUND: Highly skilled nurses and midwives are essential worldwide for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in low- and middle-income countries like China, due to the overwhelming COVID-19 crisis. METHOD: The 890 nurses and midwives from 12 hospitals were investigated in this cross-sectional study, with two questionnaires: the sociodemographic information and competency inventory for the registered nurses. RESULTS: The participants reported a mean total score of 193.78 (±42.19) out of 220 and lowest in critical thinking and research ability (3.01 ± 0.82). The professional title, level, marital status, relationship quality, highest qualification, experience in specialist nurse training, participation in scientific research projects and publishing papers were the influencing factors (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The respondents' core competence needs improvement, especially critical regarding thinking and research ability. In addition, marriage and good or excellent relationship quality are factors that can potentially improve competence. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Targeted interventions for higher core nursing competence need to be implemented, especially focusing on nurses' marital status and emotional support from partners.

Skin-to-skin contact to improve premature mothers' anxiety and stress state: A meta-analysis.

Premature mothers present more anxiety and stress after delivery, which may be caused by mother-infant separation while hospitalised. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC), a mitigating factor for mother-infant separation, can benefit infants and mothers in many ways, but few studies focused on its efficacy on maternal anxiety and stress states. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate the effect of SSC on anxiety and stress. Comprehensive research was conducted in nine databases. Meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of SSC, and subgroup analyses were performed to explain the sources of heterogeneity. Eight randomised controlled trials with 728 participants were included, and SSC significantly reduced the level of anxiety ([standardised mean difference, SMD] -0.72; 95% CI -1.08 to -0.35) and stress state ([SMD] -0.84; 95% CI -1.59 to -0.09). One subgroup analysis revealed that SSC can relieve anxiety if performing SSC no less than 1 h per day ([SMD] -0.94; 95% CI -1.34 to -0.53). Another subgroup analysis suggested that applying SSC repeatedly and lasting less than 1 week ([SMD] -1.49; 95% CI -2.31 to -0.66) or for 1 week to 2 weeks ([SMD] -1.04; 95% CI -1.29 to -0.79) can significantly reduce maternal anxiety level but no significance if lasting over 2 weeks ([SMD] -0.33; 95% CI -0.67 to 0.01). SSC can effectively improve anxiety and stress states among premature mothers after delivery, and not definitive finding presents that only SSC that was performed no less than 60 min could improve postpartum anxiety states, while SSC alone was not as effective when carried out over 2 weeks.

Uptake rate of interventions among women who screened positive for perinatal depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal depression is a global public health problem that seriously affects the health of perinatal women. This study evaluated the pooled uptake rate of interventions among women who screened positive for perinatal depression to provide a basis for clinical intervention. METHODS: We systematically searched four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) from the establishment of the database to May 1, 2023. All included studies were used to derive the pooled uptake rate. We also performed meta-regression and subgroup analysis to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity using STATA 17.0. RESULTS: Of 15024 retrieved articles, only 41 met the inclusion criteria. The overall uptake rate was 55 % (95 % CI 43-67 %). Meta-regression and subgroup analyses both showed that the uptake rate in high-income countries 57 % (95 % CI 50-65 %) was higher than that in low and middle-income countries 37 % (95 % CI 18-56 %). LIMITATIONS: First, only English publications were included. Therefore, articles in other languages were likely missed. Second, of the 41 studies included, there were only six randomized controlled trials, with limited quality of evidence. Third, we could not adequately explain the source of heterogeneity because there were too many mediating variables, although further subgroup and sensitivity analysis were performed. CONCLUSIONS: About a half of women did not receive interventions after screening positive, and the uptake rate of interventions in high-income countries was higher than that in low and middle-income countries.

Effect of eHealth interventions on perinatal depression: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal depression (PND) is a common mental health problem, and eHealth interventions may provide a strategy for alleviating PND. AIM: This meta-analysis aimed to determine the effect of eHealth interventions on PND. METHODS: Six databases were searched to retrieve published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of eHealth interventions on PND. A meta-analysis was performed on the data of these studies using a random effects model. RESULTS: A total of 21 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis, which revealed that eHealth interventions significantly reduced antenatal depression (WMD = -1.64, 95 % CI [-2.92, -0.35], P = .013), postpartum depression (SMD = -0.41, 95 % CI [-0.52, -0.29], P < .001), anxiety (SMD = -0.39, 95 % CI [-0.51, -0.28], P < .001), stress (WMD = -2.93, 95 % CI [-4.58, -1.27], P = .001), and improved self-efficacy (SMD = 0.42, 95 % CI [0.21, 0.63], P < .001) compared with the control group. However, eHealth interventions did not significantly improve social support (SMD = 0.27, 95 % CI [-0.01, 0.56], P = .058). For antenatal depression, significant subgroup differences were observed in the digital platform and material presentation format. In addition, for postpartum depression, significant subgroup differences were found in the type of therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis results suggest that eHealth interventions can relieve depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and improve self-efficacy in perinatal women. However, these interventions did not improve social support. Additional high-quality studies on eHealth interventions in PND are needed to validate these results.

Effect of psychological interventions on mental health, personal relationships and quality of life of women who have subjectively experienced traumatic childbirth.

BACKGROUND: No targeted review has assessed the effect of psychological interventions on the mental health, personal relationships, and the quality of life of women who have subjectively experienced traumatic childbirth. METHODS: Eight databases were searched from inception to January 2023. Study selection, data extraction, quality appraisal, and data analysis were conducted by two researchers independently. RESULTS: In total, eight studies were included. The results indicated that psychological interventions could effectively alleviate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, and anxiety in women who have subjectively experienced traumatic childbirth. The interventions were more effective in alleviating PTSD symptoms than depression or anxiety. The subgroup analysis results showed that the effect of multiple sessions might be better than that of a single session. There was insufficient evidence supporting the effect of psychological interventions to improve personal relationships and the quality of life. LIMITATIONS: Study limitations included the small number of studies included for meta-analysis, substantial heterogeneity, and the retrieval of only studies written in English or Chinese. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological intervention is a promising method for the mental health of women who have subjectively experienced traumatic childbirth, but more studies are needed to confirm the effects. More studies are also required to explore the impact of psychological interventions on personal relationships and the quality of life. Future studies should focus on comparing which specific type of psychological intervention is most effective. Additional investigations should include the potential adverse effects and long-term effects of psychological interventions and details, such as content, process, and timing.

Spontaneous behaviors during breast crawling and factors influencing self-locating mothers' breasts in newborns: A cross-sectional study.

Breast crawling in newborns to propel themselves to their mothers' breasts normally occurs upon skin-to-skin contact with mothers immediately after birth but is often missed by the neglect of hospital staff and insufficient evidence support. Hence, this study described the behavioral characteristics of 135 newborns from China during breast crawling and further explored the factors influencing newborns' self-locating mothers' breasts (measured by whether fail to experience the familiarization stage, initial time and duration of the familiarization stage) using multivariable analysis. The findings supported and extended previous studies that newborns could emerge in nine instinctive stages and corresponding spontaneous behaviors early in life. Moreover, abnormal fetal heart rate during labor appeared to interfere with newborns experiencing the familiarization stage (aOR = 9.27, 95% CI: 1.41 to 61.07, P = 0.021), while using synthetic oxytocin (ß = 5.94, 95% CI: 0.35 to 11.54, P = 0.037), using antibiotics (ß = 11.09, 95% CI: 4.11 to 18.07, P = 0.002), and newborns' gender (ß = -5.69, 95% CI: 11.26 to -0.12, P = 0.045) would alter the initial time of the familiarization stage. Finally, this study proposes evidence-based strategies to prevent abnormal fetal heart rates and improve medication use.

Identification of factors influencing core competence promotion among professional nurses and midwives: A qualitative study using the COM-B model.

AIM: To identify factors influencing a behaviour of improving core competencies among nurses and midwives in the Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital using the capability, opportunity, motivation and behaviour (COM-B) model. BACKGROUND: With the increasing number of women with pregnancy complications and the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses and midwives are being challenged and enhancing their core competencies is imperative to ensure high-quality care. To develop effective intervention strategies, it is essential to systematically explore what influences nurses and midwives to improve their core competencies. To this end, this study applied the COM-B model of behavioural change. DESIGN: Qualitative study using the COM-B model. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted in 2022 using face-to-face interviews, including 49 nurses and midwives. Topic guides for the interviews were developed based on the COM-B model. Transcribed verbatim interviews were analysed using deductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The COM-B model captures several factors. Capability factors included clinical knowledge and self-directed learning abilities. Opportunity factors included professional education covering necessary clinical skills, adequate clinical practice, personalised training, available time, insufficient clinical learning resources, absence of scientific research resources and support from leadership. Motivational factors were access to long-term work, incentive policies based on individuals' work values and responses to upward social comparison. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggested that prior to developing intervention strategies to enhance the core competencies of nurses and midwives, processing barriers to nurses' and midwives' capabilities, opportunities and motivation can facilitate the implementation of interventions.

Psychological birth trauma: A concept analysis.

Aim: To define and analyze the concept of psychological birth trauma. Design: The concept analysis method of Walker and Avant was used. Method: Eight databases (PubMed, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP Information Chinese Journal Service Platform, and Chinese BioMedicine Literature Database) were searched from inception to July 2022 for studies focused on psychological birth trauma. Results: Of the 5,372 studies identified, 44 ultimately met the inclusion criteria. The attributes identified were (1) women's subjective feelings, (2) intertwined painful emotional experiences, (3) originating in the birth process, and (4) lasting until postpartum. Antecedents were divided into two groups: pre-existing antecedents and birth-related antecedents. Consequences were identified as negative and positive. Conclusion: Psychological birth trauma is a more complex and comprehensive concept than previously thought, and should be regarded as a separate postpartum mental health problem. This study deepens the understanding of psychological birth trauma through a comprehensive concept analysis and also puts forward some suggestions for the prevention, identification, and intervention of psychological birth trauma, which provides a basis for assisting in the identification of psychological birth trauma and provides a reference for the development of rigorous assessment tools and the design of appropriate interventions in the future. Further research is needed to update and refine this concept.

Construction of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA Network for Exploring Underlying Mechanisms of Lubrication Disorder.

Lubrication disorder is a common health issue that manifests as insufficient sexual arousal at the beginning of sex. It often causes physical and psychological distress. However, there are few studies on lubrication disorder, and the complexity of circular RNA (circRNA) and the related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in lubrication disorder is still poorly known. Therefore, this study aims to build a regulatory circRNA-micro (mi)RNA-mRNA network and explore potential molecular markers of lubrication disorder. In the study, 12 subjects were recruited, including 6 in the lubrication disorder group and 6 in the normal control group. RNA sequencing was exploited to identify the expression profiles of circRNA, miRNA and mRNA between two groups, and then to construct the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks. The enrichment analyses of the differentially expressed (DE)-mRNAs were examined via Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Furthermore, the expression level and interactions among circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA were validated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and dual-luciferase reporter assays. In the results, 73 circRNAs, 287 miRNAs, and 354 target mRNAs were differentially expressed between two groups when taking | Log2 (fold change)| > 1 and P-value < 0.05 as criteria, and then the results of GSEA revealed that DE-mRNAs were linked with "vascular smooth muscle contraction," "aldosterone regulated sodium reabsorption," "calcium signaling pathway," etc. 19 target relationships among 5 circRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 7 mRNAs were found and constructed the ceRNA network. Among them, hsa-miR-212-5p and hsa-miR-874-3p were demonstrated to be related to the occurrence of lubrication disorder. Eventually, consistent with sequencing, RT-qPCR showed that hsa_circ_0026782 and ASB2 were upregulated while hsa-miR-874-3p was downregulated, and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed the interactions among them. In summary, the findings indicate that the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network is presented in lubrication disorder, and ulteriorly provide a deeper understanding of the specific regulatory mechanism of lubrication disorder from the perspective of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network.

miR-195-5p Regulates the Phenotype Switch of CCSM Cells by Targeting Smad7.

INTRODUCTION: Phenotype switch refers to the process in which smooth muscle cells change from contractile type to synthetic type and acquire the ability of proliferation. Phenotypic transformation involves many changes of cell function, such as collagen deposition and fibrosis, which affect the normal erectile function of penis. AIM: To investigate the role of miR-195-5p in regulating the Phenotype switch of the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM) cells. METHODS: A small mother against decapentaplegic 7(Smad7) virus vector and a miR-195-5p mimics or an si-Smad7 viral vector and a miR-195-5p inhibitor were transfected into CCSM cells. The cells were obtained by primary culture of rat corpus cavernosum smooth muscle tissue. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments, Western blotting, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, transwell experiments, MTT assays, and flow cytometry were used to detect miR-195-5p, Smad7, phenotype switch markers of CCSM cells and related protein expression, as well as changes in cell morphology, migration, proliferation and apoptosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: To study the regulation of miR-195-5p in CCSM cells by overexpression and silencing strategies. RESULTS: Overexpressed miR-195-5p promoted the transformation of CCSM cells from a contractile type to a synthetic type. Meanwhile, the migration ability and proliferation ability of CCSM cells increased, and the apoptosis rate decreased. The expression-silencing of miR-195-5p gave rise to the opposite effect. The results of the rescue experiment demonstrated that overexpressed Smad7 rescued the inhibitory of the switch of the CCSM cell phenotype from the contractile type to the synthesis type caused by overexpression of miR-195-5p alone. Moreover, the enhancement effect of the migration ability and proliferation ability of CCSM cells was also eliminated, and the apoptosis rate was increased. Silencing miR-195-5p and Smad7 at the same time resulted in the opposite effect. CONCLUSION: miR-195-5p may regulate the phenotype switch of CCSM cells by targeting Smad7. Zhang J, Zhang X, Zhang J, et al. miR-195-5p Regulates the Phenotype Switch of CCSM Cells by Targeting Smad7. Sex Med 2021;9:100349.

Overexpressing miR-122-5p Inhibits the Relaxation of Vaginal Smooth Muscle in Female Sexual Arousal Disorder by Targeting Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Receptor 1.

INTRODUCTION: Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is a common issue causing physical and psychological pain, but it has no standard diagnostic criteria or treatment. So its pathogenesis desiderates to be explored. AIM: To investigate the specific function of miR-122-5p in FSAD. METHODS: 18 subjects were grouped into FSAD and normal control groups according to the Chinese version of the Female Sexual Function Index, and the expression levels of miR-122-5p and vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1 (VIPR1) protein in their tissue were verified through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB) analysis. Then in vitro experiment, miR-122-5p was overexpressed or inhibited in rat vaginal smooth muscle cells (SMCs). The relaxation of rat vaginal SMCs was reflected by the cell morphology, intracellular free cytosolic calcium ion (Ca2+) levels, cell proliferation and apoptosis, together with the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentration and protein kinase A (PKA) activities. Additionally, the expression levels of relaxation-related proteins, including VIPR1, stimulatory G protein (Gs), adenylate cyclase (AC), and PKA, were detected based on WB analysis. Furthermore, a rescue experiment that simultaneously overexpressed or silenced miR-122-5p and VIPR1 was conducted, and all the indicators were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURE: The expression level of VIPR1 and downstream proteins, cell morphology, cell proliferation and apoptosis, and intracellular free Ca2+ levels were examined. RESULTS: We verified that women with FSAD had higher miR-122-5p and lower VIPR1 protein. Then overexpressing miR-122-5p decreased relaxation of rat vaginal SMCs, which was manifested as a contractile morphology of cells, an increased intracellular free Ca2+ concentration, and lower cAMP concentration and PKA activity. Moreover, by rescue experiments, we inferred that VIPR1 was the target of miR-122-5p and affected the relaxation function of vaginal SMCs. CONCLUSION: miR-122-5p regulates the relaxation of vaginal SMCs in FSAD by targeting VIPR1, ulteriorly providing an underlying diagnostic and therapeutic target for FSAD. Cong S, Gui T, Shi Q, et al. Overexpressing miR-122-5p Inhibits the Relaxation of Vaginal Smooth Muscle in Female Sexual Arousal Disorder by Targeting Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Receptor 1. Sex Med 2021;9:100390.

Transcriptome profiling of lncRNA and co-expression network in the vaginal epithelial tissue of women with lubrication disorders.

BACKGROUND: Vaginal lubrication is a crucial physiological response that occurs at the beginning of sexual arousal. However, research on lubrication disorders (LD) is still in its infancy, and the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in LD remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the function of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of vaginal LD. METHODS: The expression profiles of LD and normal control (NC) lncRNAs were examined using next-generation sequencing (NGS), and eight selected differentially expressed lncRNAs were verified by quantitative real-time PCR. We conducted GO annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses to determine the principal functions of significantly deregulated genes. LncRNA-mRNA co-expression and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed and the lncRNA transcription factors (TFs) were predicted. RESULTS: From the results, we identified 181,631 lncRNAs and 145,224 mRNAs in vaginal epithelial tissue. Subsequently, our preliminary judgment revealed a total of 499 up-regulated and 337 down-regulated lncRNAs in LD. The top three enriched GO items of the dysregulated lncRNAs included the following significant terms: "contractile fiber part," "actin filament-based process," and "contractile fiber". The most enriched pathways were "cell-extracellular matrix interactions," "muscle contraction," "cell-cell communication," and "cGMP-PKG signaling pathway". Our results also showed that the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was a powerful platform for predicting lncRNA functions. We determined the three hub genes, ADCY5, CXCL12, and NMU, using PPI network construction and analysis. A total of 231 TFs were predicted with RHOXF1, SNAI2, ZNF354C and TBX15 were suspected to be involved in the mechanism of LD. CONCLUSION: In this study, we constructed the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network, predicted the lncRNA TFs, and comprehensively analyzed lncRNA expression profiles in LD, providing a basis for future studies on LD clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Further research is also needed to fully determine lncRNA's role in LD development.