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Two new compounds (1 and 2), together with six known compounds (3-8), were obtained from the Cladosporium sp. JJM22, an endophytic fungus isolated from the stem bark of the mangrove plant Ceriops tagal collected in South China Sea. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were confirmed by the comparison of optical rotation and the CD data with those of known compounds. The inhibitory activities of the isolated compounds against six terrestrial pathogenic bacteria and human cervical carcinoma Hela cell line were evaluated. Compound 3 exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a rare anatomical defect of the pituitary gland falling under the spectrum of holoprosencephaly phenotypes. It is characterized by a deficiency in anterior pituitary hormones, such as growth hormone, gonadotropins, and thyroid hormones. Due to the syndrome's rarity and nonspecific manifestations, there is a lack of standardized treatment strategies. Consequently, early diagnosis through imaging and on-time intervention are crucial for improving patients' outcomes., Case Summary: A 30-year-old man presented with absent secondary sexual characteristics and azoospermia. Laboratory evaluation revealed a deficiency in gonadotropins, while thyroid function was mostly within normal ranges. Magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary gland showed pituitary stalk agenesis, hypoplasia of the anterior pituitary, and ectopic posterior pituitary, leading to the diagnosis of PSIS. Initially, the patient underwent 6 mo of gonadotropin therapy without significant changes in hormone levels and secondary sexual characteristics. Pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone therapy was then administered, resulting in the detection of sperm in the semen analysis within 3 mo. After 6 mo, routine semen tests showed normal semen quality. The couple faced challenges in conceiving due to abstinence and underwent three cycles of artificial insemination, which was unsuccessful. They also attempted in vitro fertilization, but unfortunately, the woman experienced a miscarriage 10 wk after the embryo transfer., Conclusion: Early detection, accurate diagnosis, and timely treatment are crucial in improving the quality of life and fertility of PSIS patients., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of L-carnitine (LC) on low sperm acrosin activity in infertile man., Methods: A total of 240 male infertility patients with low sperm acrosin activity were randomly assigned to an LC group (n = 180) and a control group (n = 60) to be treated with LC (1g, tid) and vitamin E (VE) capsules (100 mg, tid) respectively, both for 3 months. Based on the results of routine semen analysis, the patients in the experimental group were further divided into oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia and normozoospermia subgroups. Semen parameters and sperm acrosin activity were examined before and after treatment., Results: Totally, 220 of the patients completed the treatment and follow-up, 163 in the LC medication and 57 in the VE control group. Compared with the baseline, the percentage of progressively motile sperm (PMS) was significantly increased in the LC group after 3 months of treatment (［32.58 ± 1.13］% vs ［36.35 ± 1.26］%, P < 0.05), and so was sperm acrosin activity (［37.05±0.66］ vs ［58.61±1.93］ μIU/106 sperm, P < 0.01). Sperm concentration, PMS and sperm acrosin activity were also improved in the VE control group after treatment, but with no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). In comparison with pretreatment, remarkable increases were observed after LC medication in sperm concentration in the oligozoospermia subgroup (［11.27 ± 0.73］ vs ［21.82 ± 4.21］ ×10⁶/ml, P < 0.01) and PMS in the asthenozoospermia patients (［20.61 ± 0.85］% vs ［29.81 ± 1.88］%, P < 0.01). And sperm acrosin activity was even higher after treatment in the asthenozoospermia than in the oligozoospermia and normozoospermia subgroups (［60.85 ± 3.04］ vs ［56.32 ± 2.86］ and ［57.09 ± 6.31］ μIU/106 sperm, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: L-carnitine can effectively elevate sperm acrosin activity in male infertility patients, particularly in those with asthenozoospermia.