RECENT TRENDS IN MALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS

This review critically evaluates the current trends of male reproductive health problems in relation to semen quality. Increasing trend in male reproductive disorders observed in recent years, are principally found to associate with lifestyle and environmental factors. Lifestyle-allied diseases could be controlled with modification in diet, living and working environment etc. This review outlines the changing trends in male reproductive health and highlights the alterations in semen quality, in scientific manner. Though scientific and public concern regarding the changes on male reproductive health has grown in past few decades but the demonstration of a geographical differences in sperm concentration, still appears to be controversial. The amplitude of the difference observed cannot only be explained by methodological or confounding factors, and must to some extent be attributed to ethnic, genetic or environmental factors. However, there are numerous reports indicating the chronologically declining sperm count and standard semen parameters in various population indicating the increasing trend of male reproductive health disorders

AN UPDATE ON COAGULATING GLAND RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN-PROSTAGLANDIN SYSTEM: A NEW HYPOTHESIS ON ITS RENIN FUNCTION

After proper description of reproductive functions of rodent anterior prostate, coagulating gland (CG), by Moore and Gallagher in 1930, numerous papers have been published on this gland and its function in male fertility. It has also been known that it has a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS). But, the actual function of this system is not very clear, and even now-a-days, this gland is getting ignored in reproductive physiology research. Thus, this review article attempts to unearth the reproductive functions of this gland, with a hypothetical mechanism of CG renin function. We have reviewed the available literature published on this gland and correlated the fragmented information to unveil its importance. We have proposed a hypothetical mechanism (aided by self-designed schemes) of CG renin function along with its functional and structural aspects in reproductive physiology. Despite being ignored in modern research, CG has a very significant function in rodent reproduction and breeding. It has also a very significant role in regulation of local homeostasis by renin-angiotensin-prostaglandin system.  Â

EXERCISE-ASSOCIATED SELF-EFFICACY AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES AND THEIR IMPACT ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE OF MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN OF KLANG VALLEY, MALAYSIA

  Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the impacts of self-efficacy and behavioral changes on exercise that may affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of middle-aged Malaysian women.Methods: A questionnaire-based data collection was performed from October 2013 to March 2014 in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. SPSS (v. 21.0) was used to analyze the data after recording body mass index, general health, physical health status, self-efficacy and self-awareness associated to HRQoL. Correlation between the parameters was calculated using Pearson's correlation coefficients, and the reliability test was conducted using Cronbach's alpha (α). Results are mentioned as significant when P values are found to be <0.05.Results: Findings of the study indicated, though women of Klang Valley suffer from few health problems, they prefer exercise to maintain their HRQoL. It has been observed that self-efficacy and behavioral changes for exercise related quality of life are affected by several factors, such as education, monthly income, marital status, and even ethnicity.Conclusions: This study portrays that women of Klang Valley, Malaysia, are inflicted with quite a good self-efficacy to exercise, which impacts their HRQoL.Â

Sociodemographic factors associated with semen quality among Malaysian men attending fertility clinic.

The worldwide declining trend in male fertility has been a steady concern since the past few decades. Male infertility reportedly accounts for half of the overall infertility cases in the world. Despite the evidences of reduced fertility rates in Malaysia in the recent years, there is lack of interventions regarding the reproductive parameters in Malaysian men. Complexity in determining the underlying causatives in most of the male subfertility and infertility cases limits the scope of management. The sociodemographic impacts upon overall health as well as on reproductive health of men are undeniable. The present study has analysed the data collected from patients' records in the Fertility Clinic, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), from the January 2009 until December 2018. A total of 300 male patients were included in the study and were categorised according to their seminal fluid analysis (SFA) records. The sociodemographic characteristics for each subject were analysed. The results presented significant correlations among essential sociodemographic factors, such as educational attainment, marital duration as well as the age of wife, with the levels of semen abnormalities in the subjects. The study thereby unleashes scope for further investigations focusing upon the demographic factors for better insights to ameliorate male reproductive health in the Malaysian population

Spring warming of the eastern Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal from buoy data

Observations from moored buoys during spring of 1998-2000 suggest that the warming of the mixed layer (~20 m deep) of the north Indian Ocean warm pool is a response to net surface heat flux Qnet (~100 W m-2) minus penetrative solar radiation Qpen (~45 W m-2). A residual cooling due to vertical mixing and advection is indirectly estimated to be about 25 W m-2. The rate of warming due to typical values of Qnet minus Qpen is not very sensitive to the depth of the mixed layer if it lies between 10 m and 30 m

Orexin and male reproduction

Orexins (or hypocretins) are hypothalamic neuropeptides with a multitude of physiological functions. They occur in two known forms, namely, orexin A and orexin B with a common precursor, preproorexin. The orexin receptors (orexin 1R and orexin 2R) belong to the Family of G-protein coupled receptors. The primary function of the orexin system, i.e. the orexins, their receptors and associated neuronal circuitries, perhaps is to increase spontaneous physical activity and food intake, thereby promoting an increase in energy expenditure. Reports suggest that orexins may be the key brain components to mediate the mechanism of obesity resistance. Recent research also has thrown lights upon a significant role of orexins, especially orexin A, in regulation of male reproductive functions owing to their receptor expressions in vital testicular cells, such as Leydig cells, Sertoli cells as well as spermatozoa at different developmental stages, even in the epididymis and penis. Moreover, orexins have been reported to greatly influence gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons and their secretions to regulate reproductive functions via modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Evidence thus implicates participation of orexins in steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, transportation and maturation of sperm as well as in the control of penile function. However, further research is required in this direction to elucidate the mechanisms by which orexins play a role in different testicular functions and effect of orexins on semen quality

Coenzyme Q10 Improves Sperm Parameters, Oxidative Stress Markers and Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Infertile Patients with Idiopathic Oligoasthenozoospermia.

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The impact of COVID-19 on the male reproductive tract and fertility: A systematic review

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), remains an ongoing public health challenge. Although males are affected slightly more than females, the impact of SARS-COV-2 on male reproductive system remains unclear. This systematic review aims to provide a concise update on the effects of COVID-19 on male reproductive health, including the presence of viral RNA in semen, and the impact on semen quality, testicular histology, testicular pain and male reproductive hormones. The global health is fronting an immediate as well as impending threat from the novel coronavirus (SARS- CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease (COVID-19), that inflicts more males than females. Evidence suggest that male reproductive system is susceptible to this viral infection. However, there are still several pertinent queries that remain to be fully explained regarding the mechanism in testicular SARS-CoV-2 dynamics and the exact mode of its actions. Thus, the present systematic review aims to provide a concise update on the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on male reproduction. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines searching the PubMed database. Eligibility for inclusion were original human studies evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on male repro- ductive health. Specific outcomes required for inclusion were at least one of the following: i) seminal detection of mRNA virus, or evaluation of ii) semen analysis, iii) testicular histology or ultrasonography, iv) testicular clinical symptoms and/or v) male reproductive hormones in COVID-19-positive patients. Results: Of 553 retrieved articles, 25 met the inclusion criteria. This included studies primarily investigating the presence of viral RNA in semen (n = 12), semen quality (n = 2), testicular histology (n = 5), testicular pain (n = 2) and male reproductive hormones (n= 4). Results show little evidence for the presence of viral RNA in semen, although COVID-19 seems to affect seminal parameters, induce orchitis, and cause hypogonadism. Mortality cases suggest severe histological disruption of testicular architecture, probably due to a systemic and local reproductive tract inflammatory response and oxidative stress-induced damage. Conclusions: Clinical evaluation of the male reproductive tract, seminal parameters and reproductive hormones is recommended in patients with current or a history of COVID-19,y treatment. Any long-term negative impact on male reproduction remains unexplored and an important future consideration

Evidence for decreasing sperm count in African population from 1965 to 2015

Purpose: This meta-analysis, following our previous reports those documented an overall 57% diminution in mean sperm concentration around the globe over past 35 years and 32.5% decline in past 50 years in European population, attempts to report the declining trend of sperm concentrations in African population between 1965 and 2015.Methods: In the course of retrieval of data following MOOSE guidelines and PRISMA checklist, we found a total of fourteen studies that have been conducted during that period on altering sperm concentration in the African male.Results: Following analysis of the data, a time-dependent decline of sperm concentration (r = -0.597, p = 0.02) and an overall 72.6% decrease in mean sperm concentration was noted in the past 50 years. The major matter of concern is the present mean concentration (20.38×106/ml) is very near to WHO cut-off value of 2010 of 15×106/ml. Several epidemic diseases, genital tract infection, pesticides and heavy metal toxicity, regular consumption of tobacco and alcohol are reported as predominant causative factors.Conclusion: This comprehensive, evidence-based meta-analysis and systematic review concisely presents the evidence of decreased sperm concentration in the African male over past 50 years with possible causative factors to serve the scientific research zone related to male reproductive health.Keywords: Semen quality, sperm concentration, sperm coun