American Journal of Men's Health最新文献

There is growing consensus for upskilling the health care workforce on gender-responsive strategies to more effectively connect and respond to men during health care encounters. To inform health practitioner education, the primary aim of this study was to gain insights from a diverse sample of men in Australia on their experiences and expectations when engaging with health care practitioners. Thirty-two men (18-70 years, median 33) participated in eight online focus group discussions. A combined deductive and inductive thematic analysis was undertaken to reconcile their expectations with prior published approaches for practitioners to engage men in care and identify new themes. Participants desired a genuine relationship, signaled by upfront and informal communication, active listening, and enquiry. In structuring treatment, participants sought transparency and respect for autonomy. Regarding the therapeutic alliance, avoiding gender stereotyping and empathetic, sensitive, and holistic care were valued by men. These expectations for how practitioners engage with men in care were reflected in their advice for health practitioner student training and aligned with approaches published previously. Participant insights were synthesized into four outcomes, for men, of successful engagement: legitimize the relationship to build trust, create a safe space to facilitate disclosure, empower men, and assess and treat the whole man through a biopsychosocial lens. In conclusion, men seek authentic connection and a caring style that allows them to legitimize and forge an ongoing relationship with their practitioner. These outcomes of successful engagement are key to developing consumer-informed health practitioner education and competencies on gender-responsive health care for men.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Tai Chi Softball (TCSB) training on the physical health of older men, with a focus on improvements in muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and blood lipid profiles. A 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted, recruiting 140 men aged 55-65 years. Participants were randomly assigned to either a Tai Chi Softball group (TCSBG, N = 70) or a control group (CG, N = 70). The TCSBG engaged in TCSB training sessions 4 to 5 times per week, with each session lasting 70 to 90 min, while the CG maintained their usual daily routines without any additional interventions. Measurements were taken before and after the intervention and included waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), handgrip strength (HS), sit-and-reach (SAR), single-leg stance (SLS), vital capacity (VC), heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The results revealed that after 12 weeks of TCSB training, participants in the TCSBG showed significant improvements (p < .05) in HS, SAR, and SLS, indicating enhanced muscle strength, flexibility, and balance, respectively. The VC also increased significantly, while both SBP and DBP decreased notably (p < .05). Moreover, significant reductions were observed in TC, TG, and LDL-C levels p < .05). In conclusion, TCSB training demonstrated efficacy in improving muscle strength, flexibility, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness, and blood lipid profiles in older men. These findings suggest that TCSB training can mitigate age-related declines in physical function and reduce cardiovascular risk in older men.

The treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) remains a significant challenge. Mendelian randomization (MR) is being increasingly utilized to identify novel therapeutic targets. In this study, we carried out a genome-wide MR analysis on druggable targets with the aim of pinpointing latent therapeutic alternatives for ED. We collected data on the druggable genes and filtered out those associated with blood eQTLs, then performed two-sample MR and colocalization analyses using ED genome-wide association data to screen genes significantly linked to the condition. In addition, we carried out phenome-wide studies, enrichment analysis, protein network modeling, drug prediction, and molecular docking. We screened 3,953 druggable genes from the DGIdb and 4,463 from a review. Following data integration, 74 potential druggable genes were found to potentially regulate corpus cavernosum fibrosis. MR analysis of eQTL data uncovered five drug targets (TGFBR2, ABCC6, ABCB4, EGF, and SMAD3) significantly associated with ED risk. Colocalization analysis suggested a shared causal variant between ED susceptibility and TGFBR2, with a posterior probability (PPH4) exceeding 80%. Drug predictions utilizing DSigDB identified nolone phenylpropionate, sorafenib, and NVP-TAE684 as significantly associated with TGFBR2. Finally, molecular docking indicated strong binding affinities between these candidate drugs and the protein encoded by TGFBR2 (Vina score < -50). Through MR and colocalization analyses, the present study identified five potential drug targets for ED, with TGFBR2 showing remarkable relevance in blood. These findings offer valuable insights and potential leads for the development of more effective ED therapies, which may also contribute to cutting down the expenses involved in drug development.

In China, men are responsible for continuing the family line and the primary source of pressure for adult Chinese gay men comes from the expectations and demands of patrilineal nuclear families in general, parents in particular, and pressure to comply with social sexual orientation and identity norms and to perpetuate the family. Previous studies on the loneliness of LGBT individuals have paid less attention to the loneliness of gay men from a Chinese cultural perspective. This study investigated the relationship between anticipated stigma from family and loneliness among gay men. A sample of 408 gay men in China was recruited to investigate the associations between anticipated stigma from family, loneliness, guilt, and self-compassion using the 6-item University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, the Anticipated Stigma Questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Guilt Inventory, and the Chinese version of the Self-Compassion Scale. The results showed that gay men's anticipated stigma from family was positively associated with loneliness, guilt mediated the relationship between anticipated stigma from family and loneliness, and the isolation dimension of self-compassion moderated the relationship between anticipated stigma from family and guilt. The presence of high self-compassion mitigated the positive association between anticipated stigma from family and guilt.

Botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) injections into the bulbospongiosus muscle have emerged as a novel treatment for lifelong premature ejaculation (PE), though efficacy remains controversial. This study evaluates BoNT/A's efficacy and safety through a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and ISRCTN registry. We included randomized controlled trials, prospective, and retrospective studies, focusing on intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) and adverse events. Four studies (three meta-analyzed) involving 263 patients were analyzed. BoNT/A increased IELT by 37.87 s at 1 month (MD, 37.87; 95% CI, -2.86 to 78.59; p = .07; I² = 96%), 11.52 s at 3 months (MD, 11.52; 95% CI, -16.91 to 39.94; p = .43; I² = 95%), and 2.41 s at 6 months (MD, 2.41; 95% CI, -9.19 to 14.00; p = 0.68; I² = 77%). Short-term IELT improvement was observed but lacked statistical significance (p > .05), with high heterogeneity (I² = 96%). Long-term effects diminished, suggesting declining efficacy. Adverse events occurred in 10.9% of patients, primarily erectile dysfunction (n = 5), and urinary disorders (n = 5). While current evidence does not definitively support BoNT/A's efficacy, limited studies and methodological heterogeneity suggest that further research is warranted. Future studies should employ larger, multicenter designs, optimize injection methods, doses, and protocols, and identify suitable patient populations to validate BoNT/A's clinical benefits.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a significant global health concern, with its incidence and mortality rates projected to rise due to population aging. In this study, we utilized PCa transcriptome data from public databases and applied bioinformatics methods to identify three prognostic genes (CDC20, RAD51, and TTK) related to centrosome duplication in PCa. CDC20 is involved in cell cycle regulation, RAD51 in deoxyribonucleic acid double-strand break repair, and TTK in spindle assembly checkpoint function and cell proliferation. We constructed a risk model and a nomogram model, both demonstrating moderate to good predictive performance with area under the curve values ranging from 0.611 to 0.765 at different time points. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were enriched in 64 pathways, including the cell cycle pathway, which is dysregulated in cancer. Furthermore, we analyzed the immune microenvironment and identified 13 differential immune cells and 13 differential immune checkpoints between high- and low-risk groups, providing insights into potential immunotherapy targets for PCa. In conclusion, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of PCa pathogenesis and lays important theoretical and experimental foundations for developing new diagnostic markers and treatment strategies. Future research requires more clinical samples and continued monitoring of the mechanism of these genes in PCa.

Physical activity is associated with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The genetic causality of this association remains unclear. This study used the Mendelian randomization (MR) method to explore the potential causal relationship between physical activity and SUI risk using heavy do-it-yourself (DIY), light DIY, strenuous sports, walking for pleasure, and other exercises as proxies. We selected single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with physical activity from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Statistics of SUI come from the GWAS database. MR estimation was performed using the inverse variance weighting method, the MR-Egger method, and the weighted median method. Sensitivity analyses were performed using Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept, MR-pleiotropy residuals, outlier methods, leave-one-out analysis, and funnel plots. The results showed that there was a causal relationship between heavy DIY and SUI (OR = 0.9712, 95% confidence interval [0.951, 0.9918], p = .006), while no significant causal relationship was found between other physical activities and SUI. These findings were robust across multiple sensitivity analyses. This MR study demonstrates the causal relationship between heavy DIY and SUI, helping doctors and researchers better recommend preventive and treatment measures to patients, while also providing specific directions for improving their lifestyle in men and women suffering from SUI.

Fathers can experience psychological distress during the paternal perinatal period. The effects of paternal perinatal psychological distress (PPPD) are multileveled. Little research is available about PPPD in first-time fathers. The purpose of this review is to explore the literature on risk factors contributing to PPPD in first-time fathers. The Arksey & O'Malley framework was used to guide this scoping review. The Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework was used for answering the review question "What evidence is available about factors contributing to PPPD in first-time fathers?" Five databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and PubMed) were used to retrieve relevant, full-text, English references from January 01, 2020, to January 04, 2023. A data extraction tool was developed to identify risk factors assessed in the included studies. The Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) was used for analyzing the extracted data according to the four socio-ecological levels, i.e., individual, relationship, community, and societal. A total of 18 references reporting on 16 studies were included in the review. Fifty-six tools were used for assessing the risk factors contributing to PPPD in first-time fathers. Limited understanding was established about risk factors because tools lacked gender sensitivity. Risk factors aligned with 12 domains (e.g., psychological, relationship, social, and physical). Most domains corresponded with the individual level of SEM. Only two domains corresponded with the societal level of SEM. The literature indicates there are few studies about PPPD experienced by first-time fathers. This scoping review adds to the literature on the mental health care gaps for this population. Further research on measuring PPPD may improve individual and family functioning during the perinatal period.

Varicocele is characterized by the abnormal dilation of veins within the testicular pampiniform plexus, contributing to inflammation, pain, and infertility in males. The precise roles of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), and BCL-2-associated X-protein (BAX) in the pathology of varicocele still need to be clarified. This study sought to investigate the protein expression levels of VEGFR1, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, BCL-2, and BAX in varicose and healthy vessels from patients diagnosed with varicocele. Tissue samples were collected from 20 varicose veins and 20 healthy vessels from patients diagnosed with varicocele. Western blotting was utilized to quantify VEGFR1, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, BCL-2, and BAX protein levels. Analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in VEGFR3 protein expression within varicose veins compared to healthy vessels (p = .0473), while no significant differences were observed in the levels of VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 between the two groups. Concerning apoptotic signaling proteins, no significant differences were noted in the individual expression levels of BAX and BCL-2; however, the BAX/BCL-2 ratio was approximately 1.29 in varicose vessels. This ratio, exceeding 1.0, may suggest a pro-apoptotic shift in varicose veins and indicates a potential involvement of apoptosis in the pathology of varicocele. These findings suggest that VEGFR3 may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of varicocele and could contribute to vascular alterations associated with this condition. Furthermore, the elevated BAX/BCL-2 ratio implies a pro-apoptotic environment within varicose veins, thereby implicating apoptosis as a possible mechanism in the development of varicocele. Further exploration of VEGFR3-related signaling pathways and apoptotic markers may yield valuable insights for identifying therapeutic targets in managing varicocele.

Increasing suicide rates among Latino/x men in the United States, particularly in Massachusetts, underscore the critical need for culturally responsive suicide prevention interventions. This study applies Barrera and colleagues' best practices for culturally adapting behavioral health interventions to modify the MassMen website, a mental health resource for men. We conducted a community-engaged study using survey data and eight bilingual (English/Spanish) focus groups with Latino/x men (N = 31, ages 19-59). We applied the principles of grounded theory to analyze transcripts. Fifteen focus group participants completed post-year surveys evaluating cultural modifications. Participants revealed significant website limitations, including inadequate representation, poor Spanish translation, and cultural irrelevance. Key modifications included professionally translating the website, repositioning important information, and developing bilingual "Everyday Stories" videos featuring Latino/x men sharing mental health experiences. A follow-up survey demonstrated that 33.3% of participants revisited the website, and 46.7% referred others to it. Participants appreciated the new videos, reporting feeling "seen" and "not alone." We engaged in three of five cultural adaptation processes to culturally modify MassMen for Latino/x men: information gathering, preliminary design, and preliminary testing. Despite limitations such as convenience sampling, a small sample size, and a 54% survey response rate, the study successfully illustrated the importance of community involvement in modifying a behavioral health intervention. Future directions include conducting focus groups with veterans and high-risk workers, applying intersectionality analysis, and expanding bilingual marketing strategies. These results emphasize the need to build relationships with Latino/x communities to promote suicide prevention resources.