A Systematic Review and Evidence-based Analysis of Ingredients in Popular Male Fertility Supplements

To study the level of evidence available for ingredients of popular over-the-counter male fertility supplements. The top 17 male fertility supplements in the United States were identified from the most popular online retailers: A1 Supplements, Amazon, Vitamin Shoppe, and Walmart. Individual ingredients were identified for each supplement. The PUBMED and Cochrane online databases were reviewed for randomized controlled trials studying the efficacy of each ingredient. Each ingredient was categorized based on availability of evidence using an adapted version of the scoring system by the American Heart Association. Scores were assigned to each categorical level of evidence for each ingredient and a composite score for each supplement was calculated. Ninety unique ingredients were identified. The 5 most commonly used ingredients were vitamin E, folic acid, zinc, vitamin C, and selenium whereas the 5 ingredients with most evidence were L-carnitine, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, CoQ10, and Zinc. In all, only 22% of ingredients used were found to have published evidence for improvement in semen parameters and only 17% of ingredients had data published showing a positive effect. Our evidence-based analysis demonstrated an average composite rating of 1.66 (on a scale to 5). Evolution 60 and Conception XR had the highest composite scores with 3.6 and 3.5, respectively. Many male fertility supplements claim to improve fertility; however, their products are rarely backed by evidence and their efficacy remains unproven. Few ingredients used in popular fertility supplements have positive evidence in randomized clinical trials and should therefore be used cautiously

Prevention of Corneal Myofibroblastic Differentiation In Vitro Using a Biomimetic ECM Hydrogel for Corneal Tissue Regeneration

Corneal scarring is one of the major causes of blindness, affecting millions worldwide. Despite recent advancements in surgical strategies, there is an unmet need for a clinically feasible material and methods to prevent scarring following corneal injury. In this study, we report the potential utility of a hydrogel derived from cadaveric animal corneas, using a decellularized corneal matrix hydrogel (abbreviated as dCMH), which is prepared by a simple method. This hydrogel is easily injectable, biocompatible, and has the ability to maintain good shape-retention properties at 37 °C, which make it suitable for in vivo applications. Furthermore, our gene expression studies and immunofluorescence studies indicate that dCMH maintains the morphology and function of keratocytes in vitro and prevents their transdifferentiation to myofibroblasts. From the above results, it is evident that dCMH maintains the keratocytes with the ability to regenerate the corneal defect without scar. We thus suggest a simple yet effective approach for corneal tissue decellularization and that dCMH can be a promising material for prophylaxis against blinding scar formation in an injured cornea

Video1_COVID-19 repellent cloth.MP4

In this research work, for the first time, we have developed and demonstrated a COVID-19 repellent coating on cotton cloth that not only repels the virus but also most of the human body fluids (superhemophobic). The coating was tested in the BSL3 lab. The controlled experiments revealed no significant increase in the log viral particles on coated fabric compared to the uncoated surface, evidence that the coated fabric resisted the SARS-CoV-2 inoculum. Further, the coated cloth exhibited excellent dust-free nature and stain resistance against body fluids (blood, urine, bovine serum, water, and saliva aerosol). It also shows sufficient robustness for repetitive usage. The fabrication process for the developed COVID-19 repellent cloth is simple and affordable and can be easily scaled up for mass production. Such coating could be applied on various surfaces, including daily clothes, masks, medical clothes, curtains, etc. The present finding could be a mammoth step towards controlling infection spread, including COVID-19.</p