BACKGROUND:Hospital discharge reports (HDRs) support continuity of care; yet, their specialized terminology may hinder patient understanding and postdischarge self-management, particularly among individuals with limited health literacy (HL). OBJECTIVE:AIM-HEALTH (Artificial Intelligence-Mediated Discharge Document for Accessible Healthcare) aims to develop and evaluate a clinician-validated, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered supplementary discharge document (SDD) to support comprehension of HDR content, tailored to patients' HL levels. METHODS:This prospective, observational, noninterventional study will enroll 200 adults from the nephrology and cardiology units at Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Spedali Civili hospital. Following written informed consent, participants' HL will be assessed and combined with HDR structured data and an audio-recorded discharge interview to generate two outputs using locally deployed agentic AIs powered by an open-weight large language model: (1) an HL-tailored SDD for patient use and (2) a clinical informational performance report (CIPR) highlighting omissions and inconsistencies between the HDR and the discharge interview to support clinical safety. Clinicians will validate the SDD using a QUEST (quality, understanding, expression style, safety, and trust)-informed tool assessing accuracy, completeness, clarity, utility, and safety domains. All outputs will undergo clinical assessment; only suitable outputs will be retained, while corrections and unsuitable outputs will be used to iteratively refine the system. Patients will assess SDD perceived accessibility, comprehensibility, usefulness, and engagement. Data processing follows on-premise, Data Protection Impact Assessment-defined safeguards (data minimization, pseudonymization, and security or incident management). RESULTS:Expected results include (1) technical feasibility and workflow indicators (completion and SDD withholding rates); (2) clinician-rated accuracy, appropriateness, completeness, and safety of SDDs; (3) perceived utility of the clinical informational performance report for identifying omissions and inconsistencies between HDRs and discharge interviews; (4) patient-reported accessibility, comprehensibility, usefulness, and engagement at ~1-month follow-up; and (5) associations between SDD readability index scores and perceived comprehensibility. This study is approved by the local institutional review board (NP 6761-62, February 24, 2026). Data collection commenced on May 29, 2026. CONCLUSIONS:AIM-HEALTH is intended to generate preliminary feasibility, safety, and acceptability evidence on the integration of an AI-generated, HL-adapted SDD into routine workflows, particularly for patients with chronic conditions. The findings are intended to inform the design of future comparative studies addressing the potential role of such tools in postdischarge communication, under on-premise data protection and mandatory clinician validation. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID):PRR1-10.2196/95782.

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have enabled the fabrication of customizable, low-cost capacitive sensors for a wide range of applications, including robotics, automation, and bioelectronics. Although various AM techniques have been explored, structural inconsistencies often remain a challenge, limiting the performance and reproducibility of printed dielectric layers. Stereolithography (SLA), offers higher resolution and denser prints, yet the use of commercial photopolymer resins as dielectric materials remains underexplored. This study investigates two commercial SLA-compatible resins, a flexible medical-grade elastic resin and a dental-grade resin, as potential dielectric layers for capacitive force sensors. Both resins are biocompatible for short-term use or skin contact, making them suitable also for medical applications. The elastic 50A-V1 resin exhibited a Young’s modulus of E = 5.0 ± 0.2 MPa up to approximately 60% strain, whereas the Dental Clear V2 resin showed a significantly higher modulus of E = 1020 ± 80 MPa under the same conditions. Therefore, the elastic resin was subsequently chosen as the dielectric material to fabricate a proof-of-concept capacitive force sensor, which exhibited a final capacitance of 1.13 ± 0.03 pF within a force range of 10 to 400 N. The findings serve as a preliminary step towards the development of fully 3D-printed capacitive force sensors for integration into soft robotic and smart biomedical systems.

Additively manufactured composite architected discs offer a potential route for producing lightweight semi-finished blanks that can subsequently be shaped by conventional forming processes. However, the relationship between infill architecture, feature size, and deep-drawing formability remains poorly understood. This study investigates the deep-drawing response of material-extruded short-fibre-reinforced polymer composite discs by combining experimental tests and finite element simulations. Four infill strategies, namely perforated body, re-entrant, square and triangular, were first compared at drawing depths of 10 and 20 mm. The perforated body and re-entrant geometries were successfully formed at 10 mm, whereas only the perforated body withstood 20 mm without macroscopic failure. A second campaign focused on perforated discs with hole diameters of 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mm. All configurations were drawable at 10 mm, while the 2.5 mm case failed at 20 mm. Statistical analysis confirmed that hole diameter significantly affected both retained cup height and side-hole aspect ratio. At 20 mm, larger holes reduced local ovalization but increased elastic recovery, leading to lower retained cup height. FEM simulations were used as an interpretative first-order model. They supported the experimental trends by comparing deformation modes, tensile/compressive stress redistribution, forming energy and strain localization. The results show that the formability of architected composite blanks is governed not only by material volume or porosity but by the ability of the internal architecture to accommodate deformation through a suitable balance between local stiffness and geometric compliance. These findings provide design-oriented guidelines for the development of additively manufactured architected blanks intended for hybrid additive-forming manufacturing routes.

Engineering physiologically relevant neural models requires soft, biofunctional matrices that mimic the extracellular microenvironment. Neural stem cells (NSCs) and cerebral organoids (cORGs) are particularly demanding, as they need three-dimensional (3D) environments that support elongation and maturation. However, achieving process control and long-term compatibility in 3D bioprinting remains a current challenge. A low-viscosity bioink composed of Gelatine, Sodium Alginate, Carboxymethyl cellulose and Matrigel, with a final viscosity of approximately 116 mPa·s at 119 s⁻¹, was optimized for embedded extrusion bioprinting of NSCs and cORGs. Constructs were fabricated in a gelatin bath at a speed of 20 mm/s and a controlled pressure of 0.3 bar, and printability was evaluated using a numerical index. Structural stability, viability, and neural elongation were assessed under varying crosslinking conditions. The bioink enabled reproducible constructs with sustained stability. NSCs maintained high viability but showed limited neurite elongation, depending on crosslinking. Conversely, cORGs displayed morphological maturation and upregulation of neural markers including PAX6, FOXG1, DCX, and TTR, reflecting their spatial organization. The developed bioink ensures stable, reproducible neural constructs and reveals distinct responses of NSCs and cORGs to bioprinting. While NSC differentiation was constrained, cORGs benefited from the 3D environment. These results are a step forward towards the development of neural-specific in vitro models.

With the growing demand for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in automotive and electronic applications, lightweight and moldable polymer composites have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional metallic materials. This study investigates the EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of various PA6- and PC-based composites reinforced with carbon filler, and steel filler, with a particular focus on the effect of injection gate design (tunnel vs. direct). Experimental results show that direct gate configurations significantly enhance EMI SE -especially for steel filler- reinforced composites, which achieved values exceeding 100 dB. Statistical analysis via ANOVA and Pareto charts further emphasized the gate type and filler composition as dominant factors influencing shielding performance. These findings offer a scalable, cost-effective solution for EMI shielding, with several formulations meeting the 30 dB industrial threshold. The findings underscore the importance of injection gate design and material selection in tailoring composite behavior for EMI-sensitive applications.

Lattice metamaterials with adjustable auxetic behavior are characterized by periodic configurations of interconnecting struts and nodes, allowing for precise control over their macroscopic mechanical properties. Different lattice configurations were examined, two-unit cell variants with varying void fractions were assembled into crystalline-inspired designs, specifically simple cubic and body-centered cubic. Using vat photopolymerization, fabrication was carried out using a transparent biomedical elastomeric resin that was chosen for its exceptional ductility and strain tolerance. The curing, crosslinking and thermal mechanical stability of the resin were examined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry, before and after polymerization. In order to determine specific stiffness, specific yield strength, mechanical characterization involved quasi-static uniaxial compression testing. The effect of different aspects of the macroscopic structures was also observed, exploiting diverse possible applications. The combination of geometry and the behavior of the elastomeric material allowed the creation of lightweight structures that could support large reversible deformations that could be used in soft robotics and healthcare devices.

Flow-forming is a metalworking process that can be employed to produce lightweight, high-strength components by plastically deforming materials using circumferential and axial forces. This technique is employed in the automotive industry, particularly for wheel manufacturing, allowing a reduction of weight and an enhancement of the mechanical properties. The process has been extensively studied to investigate its influence on the final properties such as tensile strength, surface roughness, and fatigue resistance. However, challenges such as residual stress, defects, and micro-cracks remain crucial for optimizing final product quality. The study investigates the defects distribution after flow-forming of aluminium alloy (AlSi7Mg0.3) wheels. The process involves heating pre-formed wheels to a target temperature higher than 400 degrees C, followed by controlled plastic deformation using two rollers that reshape the material. Data on the process, such as spindle speed, material temperature, and machine downtimes, were collected from five flow-forming stations over a 23-week production period. Analysis of the data was conducted using the statistical methods ANOVA and DOE to correlate process variations with the occurrence of defects on products. Once the most impactful process parameters were identified, FEM methods were utilized to correlate the parameters with the temperature distribution in the parts and with the geometry achieved by the deformation. Furthermore, the numerical model of the process was utilized to investigate the effects of machine downtimes, defining a methodology to individuate and tackle the most relevant issues in flow-forming processes.

Organizational health literacy (OHL) is increasingly recognized as a fundamental aspect of high-quality healthcare delivery, focusing on organizations’ roles in enabling patients to access, understand, and use health information effectively. This systematic review synthesizes current research on OHL, focusing on its definitions, assessment tools, implemented practices, outcomes, and the factors influencing successful OHL integration within healthcare settings. Guided by PRISMA and following a predefined registered protocol (PROSPERO 2024:CRD42024537425), this systematic review analyzed studies from six key databases, using targeted keywords associated with OHL. Eligibility criteria isolated research on OHL tools, practices, and outcomes in healthcare settings. Independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and bias risk analysis. Systematic quality assessment and data extraction were performed to thoroughly evaluate OHL’s impact on healthcare. This systematic review identified 62 articles, published between 2010 and 2024, from 15 different countries. A notable share (30.6

The present work proposes an innovative approach for producing complex shaped parts by HydroForming (HF) based on the adoption of customizable and modular polymeric dies fabricated via 3D printing. The proposed approach was tested on a benchmark axisymmetric Aluminum (Al) alloy component (AA5754-H111, initial thickness: 0.5 mm) with undercuts. The HF process was conducted at room temperature; the commercial Finite Element (FE) code Abaqus/CAE was used to define the oil pressure profile and the load applied by the blankholder to successfully fill the die cavity. In addition, the FE model allowed to study the effect of the assembly configuration of the die’s polymeric subparts in terms of shape and thickness of the component. The proposed approach provides an innovative tool that combines flexibility, adaptability, and precision for the manufacturing of complex shaped parts by HF.

The printability assessment of high-aspect-ratio structures in additive manufacturing is critical for ensuring dimensional accuracy and functional properties. This study proposes a method to evaluate print quality by quantifying metrics, including accuracy, shape fidelity and line edge quality, using advanced imaging and predictive analysis. A printability index is developed to relate these metrics to process parameters, here applied to Aerosol Jet (R) Printing. By validating structures' quality and optimizing parameters, the index effectively improves process stability, reduces defects, and enhances structural precision. This approach provides a robust tool for process optimization, ensuring consistent results in complex high-aspect-ratio designs, further advancing printing scalability and reproducibility. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of CIRP. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

INTRODUCTION A decline in semen quality has been documented over recent decades, possibly linked to rising rates of obesity, unhealthy diets, and exposure to environmental toxins, although the exact causes remains a topic of debate [1]. Recreational physical activity (PA) has been associated with numerous heath benefits, including the prevention of chronic diseases and the promotion of overall well-being, and it is strongly recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and various Scientific Societies. Physical activity is hypothesized to have a positive effect on semen quality due to its favorable impact on metabolic and endocrine functions [2]. However, excessive physical activity may have the opposite effect, potentially leading to reduced semen quality and fertility. This may be due to impaired function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, increased oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation [3–5]. AIMS To investigate this topic and add evidence, we conducted a cohort study aimed to assess the relationship between PA intensity and semen quality – measured by sperm concentration, total and progressive motility, and proportion of normal morphology cells - in a population of healthy young men living in Brescia, North Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective study within the FAST randomized trial was conducted between April 2018 and June 2019 [6]. Semen quality parameters were assessed at the enrollment (baseline) and again after 4 and 8 months. Each semen sample was collected in a sterile container via masturbation after a period of sexual abstinence lasting at least 3 days and no more than 5 days. Samples were delivered to the laboratory within 30–40 minutes of collection, and a portion of each sample (<50 μl) was immediately processed for semen analysis (spermiogram). Additionally, a 20 ml blood sample was collected from each participant under fasting conditions. PA was assessed at baseline and after 4 and 8 months using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), which evaluates various types of activity - including walking, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity activities - and estimates the total energy expenditure expressed in Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks (METs). Due to the longitudinal nature of the data, a linear mixed model with robust variance estimation was used to assess the association between PA with sperm concentration. A generalized linear mixed model with a Poisson distribution was applied to evaluate total, progressive motility and normal morphology cell counts, using the total number of cells as an offset. Restricted spline regression models were fitted to model the potential nonlinear shape of the associations between total PA and semen parameters. RESULTS A total of 143 young healthy men (median age 20 years, IQR 19-21 years) participated in the study. The majority were engaged in moderate (45%) or high (43%) recreational PA, with a median expenditure of 1,960 (95% confidence interval, 1,055–3,182) Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks in min/wk. The main results are presented in Table 1. An increase in total sperm motility (IRR 1.11, 95% CI, 1.05-1.17) and normal morphology (IRR 1.18, 95% CI, 1.03-1.35) was observed among participants engaged in moderate PA. Conversely, an inverse association was observed for walking and vigorous-intensity PA. No association was observed between PA and sperm concentration. An inverse U-shape relationship was identified, with the highest values of total sperm motility and normal morphology occurring at intermediate levels of PA. No statistically significant trend was found for sperm concentration, although a U-shaped relationship association was suggested by the restricted cubic spline model. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are consistent with several studies previously conducted on healthy young men from the general population, as well as on male partners of infertile couples, which have shown that individuals engaging in moderate-to-high levels of physical activity tend to exhibit better semen quality compared to those with sedentary lifestyles or very high levels of activity. The results support current recommendations to engage in moderate physical activity to promote overall health, including improvement in semen quality [7]. Future research should investigate the mediating role of DNA methylation in the relationship between physical activity and semen quality.

Objective: To study the relationship between intensity of physical activity (PA) and semen quality in healthy young men. Design: A prospective cohort study with repeated measures for each subject. Patient(s): Healthy high school and university students who did not regularly smoke tobacco, drink alcohol, or take drugs or medicine, with normal body mass index and abdominal circumference. Exposure: The participants underwent urologic visit, fasting blood and semen sampling, and anthropometric measurements, and fi lled in the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, at enrollment and after 4 and 8 months. Duration and frequency of walking, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity activities in the last week were assessed, and a score was computed for total PA. Main Outcome Measure(s): Semen specimens were taken at each visit through masturbation, after 3-5 days of abstinence, and analyzed by an expert urologist. Sperm concentration, total and progressive motility, and proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology were measured. Linear and generalized linear mixed models with the Poisson family were fi tted to assess the relationships between PA variables and sperm parameters, after adjusting for season, time, and study arm. The shape of the relationship was modeled through restricted cubic spline regression. Result(s): A total of 143 male subjects, aged 18-23 years (median, 20 years), were enrolled. They had a median PA of 1,960 (95% confidence interval, 1,055-3,182) Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks in min/wk. Statistically significant differences were found for total, progressive motility, and percent of cell with normal morphology across categories of total PA; the highest medians of total (47%) and progressive motility (34%) and of the percentage of normal morphology cells (7%) were found for medium PA. Positive associations of sperm total motility and normal morphology with medium levels of PA, and negative associations with walking and vigorous-intensity activity emerged. Spline regression analysis confirmed these fi ndings, showing an inverse U-shape relationship, with the highest value of total motility and normal morphology for medium PA, and the lowest values for lower and higher activity. Conclusion(s): These fi ndings support the present recommendations to practice moderate PA for health improvement, including semen quality. (Fertil Steril (R) 2025;123:88-96. (c) 2024 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

Stereolithography offers a promising solution to produce bespoke structures as surgical guides, models, and implants. The high aspect ratio of the obtained samples combined with different and tailorable mechanical properties make this technique very suitable for 3D-printed medical solutions. However, the epoxy resins used for this technology are toxic and need to be cured and washed very carefully to be used in contact with biological tissues. Most of the time these materials are used for orthoses and external structures instead of implants or tissue engineering scaffolds. Nowadays, lattice structures are achieving specific attention due to the possibility of tailoring the mechanical properties with lightweight geometries that can be 3D printed with several materials. The drawback point is that all the biomedical resins are rigid and show a fragile, although with relatively high maximum stress values, behavior. Moreover, it is even more difficult to fabricate both a flexible and a transparent part, especially by lithography polymerization, and transparent materials are usually required for certain biomedical applications. In this paper, we wanted to obtain a lattice structure that can be suitable for silicon liners as part of knee external prostheses with a flexible biocompatible, and transparent resin.

Cerebral organoids (cORGs) obtained from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have become significant instruments for investigating human neurophysiology, with the possibility of simulating diseases and enhancing drug discovery. The current approaches require a strict process of manual inclusion in animal-derived matrix Matrigel® and are challenged by unpredictability, operators’ skill and expertise, elevated costs, and restricted scalability, impeding their extensive applicability and translational potential. In this study, we present a novel method to generate brain organoids that address these limitations. Our approach does not require a manual, operator-dependent embedding. Instead, it employs a chemically defined hydrogel in which the Matrigel® is diluted in a solution enriched with sodium alginate (SA) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and used as a bioink to print neural embryoid bodies (nEBs). Immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence, and gene expression analyses confirmed that SA-CMC-Matrigel® hydrogel can sustain the generation of iPSC-derived cortical cORGs as the conventional Matrigel®-based approach does. By day 40 of differentiation, hydrogel-based 3D-bioprinted cORGs showed heterogeneous and consistent masses, with a cytoarchitecture resembling an early-stage developmental fetal brain composed of neural progenitor cells PAX6+/Ki67+ organized into tubular structures, and densely packed cell somas with extensive neurites SYP+, suggestive of cortical tissue-like neuronal layer formation.

Infertility is becoming a global public health issue, with male fertility declining worldwide in recent decades. Although air pollution is suspected to affect sperm quality, evidence is still controversial. The objective is to assess the potential relationship between air pollution and male infertility in healthy Italian young men, with a multicenter prospective cohort study. A sample of 345 males was enrolled in 2018-2019 in three polluted areas in North, Central, and South Italy. Participants received repeated examinations of semen quality parameters including sperm concentration, total and progressive motility, volume, and normal morphology. PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and O3 concentrations were used for estimating air pollution exposure during the 0-90, 0-9, 10-14, and 70-90 days before each semen examination. Linear mixed-effects models with subject-specific random intercept were employed, considering several climatic and behavioral factors as potential confounders. A 1 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 during the 10-14 days interval was linked to a 1.3 % rise in sperm concentration and count (95 % Confidence Intervals [CIs]: 0.5 %-2.2 %, 0.4 %-2.2 %), with covariates held unchanged. Similarly, a 1 μg/m3 increase in PM10 during the same interval corresponded to 1.2 % and 1.1 % increases in sperm concentration and count, respectively (95 % CIs: 0.5 %-1.9 %, 0.3 %-2 %). Moreover, an increasing trend emerged in motility and normal morphology with increasing O3 exposure during the 0-90 and 70-90 days intervals. Due to the limited range of variability of outdoor air pollutants observed in this study, larger studies with a wider range of individual exposures are necessary to clarify air pollution's impact on male infertility.

This study investigates the performance of polymer tools in a dry deep drawing process applied to stainless steel and aluminum blanks. The tools were manufactured via material extrusion additive manufacturing using a polyamide matrix reinforced with short carbon fibers. Circular blanks with a diameter of 70 mm and thickness of 1 mm were formed into cups with a drawing depth of 15 mm. The experiments aimed to evaluate dimensional accuracy and tool wear after up to 50 forming cycles. A direct comparison between aluminum and stainless steel forming showed that aluminum cups maintain high accuracy and tool integrity over time, while stainless steel induces more tool deformation and geometric deviations. FEM simulations supported the experimental findings by reproducing the observed trends in cup geometry and tool displacement. The successful dry deep drawing of aluminum parts demonstrates the potential for lubricant-free processing, making the method more sustainable, faster, and cost-effective. These findings highlight the role of rapid tooling in promoting sustainability within small-batch deep drawing processes.

Introduction Hospitals play a potentially crucial role in public health, and social media can be powerful tools to reach their target audiences but are hospitals exploiting them to their full potential? Methods We retrieved the institutional webpages and the social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Telegram) of all Italian public hospitals located in regional capitals ( N = 194). From 1 March to 30 April 2022, we analysed these profiles, noting the number of followers and of posts published, the date of the last post, and the availability of a social media policy. We selected the most active 53 social media profiles (belonging to 33 hospital facilities) for a closer content analysis. Engagement was measured through numbers of reactions, comments and shares to posts published from 1 to 30 April 2022. Results About 36.6% of hospitals had a social media profile, and 18.3% had a social media policy. Most (87%) used Facebook as their main platform. They posted most frequently about hospital events and activities (48.3% of the socially active set). Overall, engagement was modest, as on average 0.62% of potential users reacted to a post. The same post often appeared without modifications across different platforms (82.3% of cases for Instagram, 37.8% for X (Twitter) compared to Facebook). Conclusions Italian public hospitals did not seem to have a clear social media policy nor strategy, and social media remained underused. Italian hospitals, therefore, appeared to be missing valuable opportunities to reach out to their patients and communities.

The presence of wireless and mobile technologies in developing countries, the availability of low-cost, miniaturized wireless sensors, as well as the cost-efficient services provided by new hardware infrastructures have enabled new healthcare services, or new levels of quality and cost-efficiency in established ones. One crucial aspect of Healthcare 4.0 is the concept of P4 in Medicine: predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory. This approach, based on a comprehensive understanding of each patient biology, opposite to clustering patients into treatment groups, is being applied to reduce global health budgets by minimizing unnecessary use of drugs and procedures. These innovations come from the broad set of ICTs, and among them, the pillars of HC4.0 for their importance: IoT, Cloud Computing, and Big Data. Health 4.0 is used to improve the efficiency of physicians by enabling them to optimize resources and data availability. The future of health management will become timesaving and personalized as new technologies will empower individuals to conduct their health monitoring by using cyber-physical systems. Thanks to IoT, Cloud and Fog, as well as Big Data, researchers are allowed to design novel solutions, which are able to efficiently and effectively renew consolidated healthcare practices. (c) 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)

This article investigates the application of polymer tools produced via fused filament fabrication technology and compares it with traditional steel tools in a deep drawing process of 1 mm steel sheets. Different tool setups—combining polymer/metal punches with polymer/metal forming dies—were tested to measure their performance in the production of AISI 304 cups as a function of cup circularity, drawing depth, and geometry accuracy. A FEM analysis was added to investigate the tool’s mechanical behaviour. Results identified different combinations of polymer and metal tools as a function of the above-described parameters; by comparing the data, no optimum solution could be found, but it was possible to identify different best options, depending on the user’s target.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants and endocrine disruptors that have been implicated in potential damage to human semen. However, the studies conducted so far provide contrasting results. Our study aimed to investigate the associations between PCB serum and semen levels and semen quality in high school and university students living in a highly PCB-polluted area of Italy. Subjects with a normal body mass index who did not make daily use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or medication were selected. All participants provided a fasting blood and a semen sample. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of 26 PCB congeners. The concentrations of PCB functional groups and total PCBs were also computed. A total of 143 subjects (median age 20, range 18–22 years) were enrolled. The median total PCB concentrations were 3.85 ng/mL (range 3.43–4.56 ng/mL) and 0.29 ng/mL (range 0.26–0.32 ng/mL) in serum and semen, respectively. The analysis of the associations between sperm PCB concentration and semen parameters showed (a) negative associations between some PCB congeners, functional groups and total PCBs and sperm total motility; (b) negative associations of total PCBs with sperm normal morphology; and (c) no association of PCBs with sperm concentration. Subjects at the highest quartile of semen total PCB concentration had 19% and 23% mean reductions in total motility and normal morphology, respectively, compared to those at the lowest quartile. The analysis of the associations of serum PCB levels with sperm parameters yielded null or mixed (some positive, other negative) results. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence of a negative effect of some PCB congeners and total PCBs in semen on sperm motility and normal morphology. However, the associations between the concentration of serum and semen PCB congeners and functional groups and sperm quality parameters were inconsistent.