The representative result of heterogeneous in quantity of cfsRNA according to size of SMVs.

<p>SMVs suspensions from 6 healthy participants were filtered through 0.80, 0.45, 0.22 and 0.10 µm pores. The amount of mRNAs at each pore size was normalized to the unfiltered aliquot, respectively. Horizontal lines within the boxes denote the median. The boxes represent the interval between the 25th and 75th percentiles, and the whiskers represent the interval between the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles.</p

The effect of filtration and Triton X-100 on the amount of cfs-miRNAs.

<p>Seminal plasma was filtered through 0.45-, and 0.22-µm pores, or incubated with 1% (v/v) Triton X-100 at room temperature for 20 min. The amount of miRNAs was normalized to the unfiltered aliquot. Each column represents the mean of 5 independent samples. Error bars indicate the SD.</p

Most cfs-miRNAs remained in the supernatant and were dramatically degraded by intense protease K digestion.

<p>The amount of miRNAs in the supernatant (A) was normalized to the seminal plasma. Horizontal lines within the boxes denote the median (n = 6). The boxes and whiskers represent intervals between the 25th to 75th percentiles, and the 2.5th to 97.5th percentiles, respectively. For protease K digestion (B), at each time point, the supernatant incubated with 0.5% (w/v) protease K (circle dots) or not (square dots) was subjected to miRNA quantification. The amounts at time 0 were taken as 1.0.</p

Recurrent deletions of the X chromosome linked CNV64, CNV67, and CNV69 shows geographic differences across China and no association with idiopathic infertility in men

<div><p>A recent study found that three recurrent deletions of X chromosome linked copy number variations (CNVs), CNV64, CNV67 and CNV69 were associated with idiopathic male infertility in Spanish and Italian populations, especially CNV67 resembling the azoospermia factor deletions. That merits further investigations among different populations. This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of the three CNVs deletions and their associations with idiopathic male infertility in Chinese Han population. The present study included a large population of 1550 Chinese Han subjects recruited between 2014 and 2016. In total, 714 infertile participants were diagnosed as idiopathic infertility with different conditions (288 with non-obstructive azoospermia, 210 oligozoospermia and 216 asthenospermia) and 836 fertile participants (vasectomized men). The fertile participants were recruited from the representative areas: the north (Hebei and Shanxi), center (Hubei and Jiangsu), and south (Guangdong) of China. All patients were recruited from Hubei province. A multiplex PCR system was established to screen the deletion of the three CNVs, and deletion was confirmed by general PCR. Similar rates of these deletions were observed in infertile men and fertile participants (Hubei), and among the different conditions of infertility. Moreover, CNV64 and CNV67 map distribution geographically differed across China. The three CNVs in fertile groups of other regions were similar, except for Guangdong. No association between the three CNVs deletions and idiopathic male infertility was observed. CNV67 is rare in central China, albeit large sample size study for confirmation is warranted. It seems that the association between these CNVs deletions and idiopathic male infertility is ethnic dependent. There is still need to screen the CNVs deletions in other ethnicities. We suggested to consider the stratification patterns and geographic differences when prescribing CNVs deletions screening as a test in male infertility.</p></div

Geographic distribution of the three CNVs across China.

<p>Geographic distribution of the three CNVs across China.</p

Descriptions for attitudes toward reproductive health (individual items and percent correct).

<p>Descriptions for attitudes toward reproductive health (individual items and percent correct).</p

Distribution of dependent variables and individual reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, information sources, and health services among sexually active male students.

*<p>Data are number (%), mean±SD or median (IQR).</p>a<p>including contraceptive nonuse and 5 types of contraception with >1% usage which were oral female contraceptives, withdrawal, vaginal hormonal ring, rhythm method and emergency contraceptives.</p

Associations between individual reproductive health knowledge, attitude factors, health services, main information sources and condom use among sexually active male students.

<p>Note. OR odds ratio, SE standard error, MOR median odds ratio, PCV proportional change in variance.</p>a<p>Empty model adjusted for age, relationship status, spending per month, knowledge score and attitudes score.</p>b<p>Model 1 adjusted for provision of condoms, provision of reproductive health counseling, main information sources,</p>c<p>MOR quantifies cluster heterogeneity in terms of odds ratios.</p>d<p>PCV expresses the change in the cluster variance between the empty model and model.1, model 1 and model 2, respectively,</p>*<p><i>P</i><0.05,</p>**<p><i>P</i><0.01,</p>***<p><i>P</i><0.001.</p

Percent abnormal hormone concentrations by age among older men.

<p>Mean (diamond) and 95% confidence interval (line) of the percent abnormal hormone concentrations among men, by decade of age, based on cutoff values shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0164116#pone.0164116.t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>.</p

Mean, median and interquartile range of hormone concentrations among young adults (n = 227) and calculated cutoff values.

<p>Mean, median and interquartile range of hormone concentrations among young adults (n = 227) and calculated cutoff values.</p