Search results for "Endocrine System"
showing 10 items of 1530 documents
Male infertility and mitochondrial DNA
2004
The mitochondrial machinery plays a key role in the energy production and maintenance of spermatozoa motility. In this paper 200 idiopathic oligo-asthenozoospermic patients were classified on the basis of rapid progressive motility ("a") and sperm concentration. Mitochondrial enzymatic activity was studied and correlated to the viability of sperm cells. Mitochondrial DNA purified from both motile and non-motile sperm of the same individuals was amplificated using PCR. Results suggested that only motile sperm have organelles functional in oxygen consumption, unequivocally demonstrating that motility depends on the mitochondrial activity. Mitochondrial DNA of oligo-asthenozoospermic patients …
The effect of cancer on sperm DNA fragmentation as measured by the sperm chromatin dispersion test
2008
The percentage of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA from cancer patients before surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy treatments was compared with infertile male patients in an assisted reproduction program and with sperm donors of proven fertility. The percentages of DNA fragmentation were 34.3% in cancer patients, 30.9% in infertile men whose partners did not become pregnant, 28.8% in men who partners became pregnant, and 10.8% in fertile sperm donors. The DNA fragmentation of sperm donors was statistically significantly lower compared the other groups. No statistically significant differences were found in the levels of DNA fragmentation when comparing cancer types, including those of tes…
Elevated blood Hsp60, its structural similarities and cross-reactivity with thyroid molecules, and its presence on the plasma membrane of oncocytes p…
2014
The role Hsp60 might play in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases is under investigation, but little information exists pertaining to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). With the aim to fill this gap, in the present work, we directed our attention to Hsp60 participation in HT pathogenesis. We found Hsp60 levels increased in the blood of HT patients compared to controls. The chaperonin was immunolocalized in thyroid tissue specimens from patients with HT, both in thyrocytes and oncocytes (Hurthle cells) with higher levels compared to controls (goiter). In oncocytes, we found Hsp60 not only in the cytoplasm but also on the plasma membrane, as shown by double immunofluorescence performed on …
Sperm kinematic subpopulations of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)
2021
There has been very limited use of computer assisted semen analysis (CASA) to evaluate reptile sperm. The aim of this study was to examine sperm kinematic variables in American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) semen samples and to assess whether sperm subpopulations could be characterized. Eight ejaculates (two ejaculates/male) from four sexually mature captive crocodiles were obtained. An ISAS®v1 CASA-Mot system, with an image acquisition rate of 50 Hz, and ISAS®D4C20 counting chambers were used for sperm analyses. The percentages of motile and progressively motile spermatozoa did not differ among animals (P > 0.05) but there was a significant animal effect with regards to kinematic variables…
Extended analysis of a genome-wide association study in primary sclerosing cholangitis detects multiple novel risk loci
2012
Background & Aims: A limited number of genetic risk factors have been reported in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). To discover further genetic susceptibility factors for PSC, we followed up on,a second tier of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Methods: We analyzed 45 SNPs in 1221 PSC cases and 3508 controls. The association results from the replication analysis and the original GWAS (715 PSC cases and 2962 controls) were combined in a meta-analysis comprising 1936 PSC cases and 6470 controls. We performed an analysis of bile microbial community composition in 39 PSC patients by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: Seventeen SNPs representing 1…
1H NMR-based metabolomics studies of urine reveal differences between type 1 diabetic patients with high and low HbAc1 values
2012
Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate relation between level of HbAc1 and concentration of metabolites in urine of T1D patients. To test this hypothesis the 1 H NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance) target analysis of crucial urine metabolites combined with chemometric approach were applied. Urine samples were collected from 30 children and teenagers aged 4–19 with T1D and 12 healthy children, aged 9, as control group. Patients were divided into two groups according to their level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c): below (L-T1D) and above 6.5% (H-T1D). The multivariate data analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to explore data and generate the models for selected groups of patients. Two ta…
Computer assisted sperm morphometry in mammals: a review.
2014
Computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis (CASMA or ASMA) systems were developed to reduce the subjectivity of sperm morphology assessement. This review focuses on a complete description of the CASMA technique, including recent developments, factors of variation, results in the different species and possible applications. Techniques to study sperm morphometry include light microscopy, phase-contrast microscopy and, more recently, fluorescence microscopy. Most published studies on sperm morphometry have been centered on the whole sperm heads, although some of them also measured other parts of the sperm structure, such as the nucleus, acrosome, midpiece or flagellum. The independent study …
Microsurgical fenestration of perineural cysts to the thecal sac at the level of the distal dural sleeve
2011
Background Surgery for symptomatic sacral perineural cysts remains an issue of discussion. Assuming micro-communications between the cyst and thecal sac resulting in a valve mechanism and trapping of CSF as a pathomechanism, microsurgical fenestration from the cyst to the thecal sac was performed to achieve free CSF communication. Methods In 13 consecutive patients (10 female, 3 male), MRI revealed sacral perineural cysts and excluded other pathologies. Micro-communication between the thecal sac and the cysts was shown by delayed contrast filling of the cysts on postmyelographic CT. Surgical fenestration achieved free CSF communication between the thecal sac and cysts in all patients. The p…
Pseudodominant inheritance of goitrous congenital hypothyroidism caused by TPO mutations: molecular and in silico studies.
2007
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Most cases of goitrous congenital hypothyroidism (CH) from thyroid dyshormonogenesis 1) follow a recessive mode of inheritance and 2) are due to mutations in the thyroid peroxidase gene (TPO). We report the genetic mechanism underlying the apparently dominant inheritance of goitrous CH in a nonconsanguineous family of French Canadian origin. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Two brothers identified by newborn TSH screening had severe hypothyroidism and a goiter with increased (99m)Tc uptake. The mother was euthyroid, but the father and two paternal uncles had also been diagnosed with goitrous CH. After having excluded PAX8 gene mutations, we hypothesized that the und…
Comparison of different statistical approaches to evaluate morphometric sperm subpopulations in men.
2016
This study was designed to characterize morphometric sperm subpopulations in normozoospermic men by using different statistical methods and examining their suitability to classify correctly different sperm nuclear morphologies present in human ejaculates. Ejaculates from 21 normozoospermic men were collected for the study. After semen collection and analysis, samples were prepared for morphometric determination. At least 200 spermatozoa per sample were assessed for sperm morphometry by computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis (CASA-Morph) using fluorescence. Clustering and discriminant procedures were performed to identify sperm subpopulations from the morphometric data obtained. Cluste…