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Wang B, Liu X, Xu H, Shang S, Yan D, Deng J, Li Y, Lan W, Tong D. The Clinical Investigation on Varicocele and Sperm Quality in the Tibet an Plateau of China: A Prospectively Planned Retrospective Cohort Study. Am J Mens Health 2024; 18:15579883241241060. [PMID: 38606758 PMCID: PMC11010762 DOI: 10.1177/15579883241241060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Varicoceles are a common cause of male infertility, affecting up to 35% of men undergoing fertility evaluations. This study aims to investigate the potential influence of altitude and residence time on the occurrence of varicoceles, as well as on sperm quality and sterility in plateau areas. A total of 168 patients with varicocele were enrolled in the study, and the study population was divided into groups based on their direct exposure to different high altitudes due to their living locations. The internal diameter in Quiet breath (Dr), internal diameter in Valsalva maneuver (Dv), reflux peak value, and reflux time are gradually increased accompanied with altitude elevation and residence time extension. The number of cases above 4,500 m also increased with the severity of varicocele, and the altitude of clinical types was higher than that of subclinical types of varicocele. Especially above 4,500 m, the Dv, Dr, reflux peak value, and reflux time all increased with the severity of varicocele. The severity of varicocele was positively correlated with the residence time in plateau area. Patients with residence time of more than 1 year had higher values of Dr, Dv, differentiation time, reflux peak value, and reflux time than those with residence time of less than 1 year. Compared to 3,650 m, patients with varicocele in 4,500 m also have worse semen quality. Both altitude and residence time are strongly positively related to the severity and incidence rate of varicocele in plateau areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- The 957th Hospital of the Army, High Altitude Medical Research Center Workstation of PLA, Ngari(Ali), P. R. China
| | - Xiaoxing Liu
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, Ali People’s Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region, Ngari(Ali), P. R. China
| | - Huan Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The General Hospital of Tibet Military Command Area, Lhasa, P. R. China
| | - Shu Shang
- Department of Urological Surgery, People’s Hospital of Kaiyang County, Guiyang, P. R. China
- Department of Urological Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Danfeng Yan
- The 957th Hospital of the Army, High Altitude Medical Research Center Workstation of PLA, Ngari(Ali), P. R. China
| | - Jie Deng
- Department of Urological Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Yanfeng Li
- Department of Urological Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Weihua Lan
- Department of Urological Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Dali Tong
- Department of Urological Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, P. R. China
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Zhou Q, Chen Y, Liu G, Qiao P, Tang C. A preliminary study of the salivary microbiota of young male subjects before, during, and after acute high-altitude exposure. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15537. [PMID: 37397022 PMCID: PMC10312199 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The microbial community structure in saliva differs at different altitudes. However, the impact of acute high-altitude exposure on the oral microbiota is unclear. This study explored the impact of acute high-altitude exposure on the salivary microbiome to establish a foundation for the future prevention of oral diseases. Methods. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from 12 male subjects at the following three time points: one day before entering high altitude (an altitude of 350 m, pre-altitude group), seven days after arrival at high altitude (an altitude of 4,500 m, altitude group) and seven days after returning to low altitude (an altitude of 350 m, post-altitude group). Thus, a total of 36 saliva samples were obtained. 16S rRNA V3-V4 region amplicon sequencing was used to analyze the diversity and structure of the salivary microbial communities, and a network analysis was employed to investigate the relationships among salivary microorganisms. The function of these microorganisms was predicted with a Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) analysis. Results In total, there were 756 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified, with 541, 613, and 615 OTUs identified in the pre-altitude, altitude, and post-altitude groups, respectively. Acute high-altitude exposure decreased the diversity of the salivary microbiome. Prior to acute high-altitude exposure, the microbiome mainly consisted of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Actinobacteria. After altitude exposure, the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Veillonella increased, and the relative abundance of Prevotella, Porphyromonas, and Alloprevotella decreased. The relationship among the salivary microorganisms was also affected by acute high-altitude exposure. The relative abundance of carbohydrate metabolism gene functions was upregulated, while the relative abundance of coenzyme and vitamin metabolism gene functions was downregulated. Conclusion Rapid high-altitude exposure decreased the biodiversity of the salivary microbiome, changing the community structure, symbiotic relationships among species, and abundance of functional genes. This suggests that the stress of acute high-altitude exposure influenced the stability of the salivary microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhou
- The fifth Clinical Medical College of Anhui Medical University, Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Stomatology, PLA Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhui Chen
- Department of Stomatology, PLA Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Guozhu Liu
- The 32183 Military Hospital of PLA, Baicheng, Jilin, China
| | - Pengyan Qiao
- Department of Stomatology, PLA Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Chuhua Tang
- The fifth Clinical Medical College of Anhui Medical University, Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Stomatology, PLA Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
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Yang M, Wu Y, Yang XB, Liu T, Zhang Y, Zhuo Y, Luo Y, Zhang N. Establishing a prediction model of severe acute mountain sickness using machine learning of support vector machine recursive feature elimination. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4633. [PMID: 36944699 PMCID: PMC10030784 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31797-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute mountain sickness (sAMS) can be life-threatening, but little is known about its genetic basis. The study was aimed to explore the genetic susceptibility of sAMS for the purpose of prediction, using microarray data from 112 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples of 21 subjects, who were exposed to very high altitude (5260 m), low barometric pressure (406 mmHg), and hypobaric hypoxia (VLH) at various timepoints. We found that exposure to VLH activated gene expression in leukocytes, resulting in an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio that interacted with other phenotypic risk factors at the genetic level. A total of 2286 underlying risk genes were input into the support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) system for machine learning, and a model with satisfactory predictive accuracy and clinical applicability was established for sAMS screening using ten featured genes with significant predictive power. Five featured genes (EPHB3, DIP2B, RHEBL1, GALNT13, and SLC8A2) were identified upstream of hypoxia- and/or inflammation-related pathways mediated by microRNAs as potential biomarkers for sAMS. The established prediction model of sAMS holds promise for clinical application as a genetic screening tool for sAMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Yang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rheumatology Center of Integrated Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China.
| | - Yang Wu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rheumatology Center of Integrated Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China
| | - Xing-Biao Yang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rheumatology Center of Integrated Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rheumatology Center of Integrated Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rheumatology Center of Integrated Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China
| | - Yue Zhuo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rheumatology Center of Integrated Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China
| | - Yong Luo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rheumatology Center of Integrated Medicine, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA, Chengdu, 610083, China
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Lackermair K, Schüttler D, Kellnar A, Schuhmann CG, Weckbach LT, Brunner S. Combined effect of acute altitude exposure and vigorous exercise on platelet activation. Physiol Res 2022; 71:171-175. [PMID: 35043652 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.934768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to high altitudes and exercise alters body's physiology and may cause acute cardiovascular events. Platelet activation is one of the key players in these events. Therefore, we investigated the effect of vigorous exercise at higher altitude (2650 m) on platelet aggregation and serum markers of platelet activation. 14 healthy subjects performed a step incremental ergometer test until exhaustion at the Environmental Research Station (UFS, 2650 m) at Zugspitze. Platelet aggregation and serum levels of endothelin-1, soluble p-selectin, platelet factor 4 and Chromogranin A were measured. Platelet activation was significantly enhanced after exercise at high altitude compared to measures immediately prior exercise. We detected significantly enhanced serum levels of endothelin-1 and soluble p-selectin whereas chromogranin A and platelet factor 4 remained unchanged. This effect might be due to increased endothelin-1 levels causing pulmonary vasoconstriction, rheological changes and direct platelet activation. This might be of clinical relevance, especially in patients with pre-existing diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Lackermair
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.
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Turton HA, Pickworth J, Paterson GG, Lawrie A, Baillie JK, Thompson AAR. Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude. Front Physiol 2022; 13:825819. [PMID: 35250627 PMCID: PMC8889065 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.825819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced oxygen tensions experienced at high altitudes are thought to predispose to thrombosis, yet there are few studies linking hypoxia, platelet activation, and thrombosis. Reports of platelet phenotypes in hypoxia are inconsistent, perhaps due to differing degrees of hypoxia experienced and the duration of exposure. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between soluble P-selectin, a marker of platelet activation, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) on exposure to hypoxia. We measured plasma concentrations of P-selectin and vWF in sixteen healthy volunteers before, during and after the APEX 2 expedition. APEX 2 consisted of a non-exertional ascent to 5,200 m, followed by 7 consecutive days at high altitude. We showed that high altitude significantly increased mean plasma P-selectin and vWF compared to pre-expedition levels. Both plasma marker levels returned to baseline post-expedition. We found a strong positive correlation between vWF and P-selectin, but no association between P-selectin and platelet count. Our results are consistent with previous work showing evidence of platelet activation at high altitude and demonstrate that the rise in P-selectin is not simply due to an increase in platelet count. As vWF and P-selectin could be derived from either platelets or endothelial cells, further work assessing more specific markers of endothelial activation is proposed to provide insight into the source of these potential pro-thrombotic biomarkers at altitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena A. Turton
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Josephine Pickworth
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon G. Paterson
- Apex (Altitude Physiology Expeditions, SC030345), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Allan Lawrie
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - J. Kenneth Baillie
- Apex (Altitude Physiology Expeditions, SC030345), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - A. A. Roger Thompson
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Apex (Altitude Physiology Expeditions, SC030345), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: A. A. Roger Thompson,
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