Effect of Men Infertility on Serum Creatine ‎Kinase Activity ‎

العقم هو عدم قدرة الرجال على التسبب في الحمل في الإناث الخصبة .اجريت هذه الد راسة على60  مريضاً من الذكور ممن يعانون من العقم مقارتة مع 60 من الاصحاء, تتراوح اعمارهم بين 20-56 سنة في وحدة علاج العقم في مستشفى الحلة للولادة والاطفال وفي مختبر الكيمياء الحيوية في كلية الصيدلة بجامعة بابل وللفترة من حزيران 2014 – كانون اول 2015. الغرض من هذه الدراسة هو للتحقيق في نشاط انزيم كرياتين كاينيز، ومستويات الكرياتين، الكرياتينين في السيرم و نتائح فحص السائل المنوي في الرجال  المشخصين بالعقم  مع تحديد معاناتهم من بعض الامراض المزمنه و كذلك المدخنين . بينت هذه الد راسة وجود اختلافات ذات دلالة إحصائية (P <0.05) في فعالية انزيم كرياتين كاينيز والكرياتين و نتائح فحص السائل المنوي في الاشخاص الذين يعانون من مرض السكري,والتدخين , وارتفاع ضغط الدم. بينت التنائج في هذه الد راسة لم يكن هناك فروق معنوية ملحوظة في الكرياتينين وشذوذ الحيوانات المنوية الشاذة٪ في مرضى السكري,والمدخنين , وارتفاع ضغط الدم مقارنة مع مجموعة السيطرةعند (. (P <0.05 هناك انخفاض في مستوى كرياتين كاينيز في مصل الدم في الاشخاص الذين يعانون من العقم و لم تكن هناك فروق معنوية ملحوظة في الكرياتينين وشذوذ الحيوانات المنوية الشاذة٪ من المدخنين مقارنة بمجموعة السيطرة (P> 0.05).و تم الحصول على نفس النتائج في مرضى السكري وارتفاع ضغط الدم عند المقارنة مع مجموعة السيطرة (P <0.05). وأظهرت نتائجنا أن مرضى السكري، وارتفاع ضغط الدم والتدخين يقلل المصل كرياتينين والمعلمات السائل المنوي في العقم عند الذكور. النشاط الإنزيمي من الكرياتنين كاينيز في المصل هو علامة البيوكيميائية في تحديد العقم وهذه علامة البيوكيميائية تمثل ميزة التشخيص الهامة مع المعلمات المنوية في المستقبل.mThe present study was carried out on 60 patientsm with male factor infertility comparedmwith 60 healthy controls, their ages ranged betweenn20-56 years in Maternity and Childhood Teaching Hilla Hospital and in a biochemistry laboratory of Pharmacy college of Babylon university,  between Junem2014 – Junuary 2015. The purpose of this study is to investigate CK activity, serum creatine,mcreatinine levels and semen parametersmin infertile men only ,infertile with DM, smoking ifertile,nand hypertention with infertile patients. The present resultsbshowed a statistically significant deferences (p<0.05) in creatine kinasehactivity, creatine and seminal characteristics while nonmsignificant in creatinine and in Abnormal sperm morphology % . There were statistically significant deferences betweenkthe biochemical and seminal parameters inodiabetes , hypertension and smoking patients and tomcontrol group at a p valuem(P<0.05). There were no observed significantkdifferences in creatinine and Abnormal sperm morphology % of smokerskcompared to control group (P>0.05). The same resultskwere obtained in diabetic and hypertensionkwhen compared tojcontrol group (P<0.05). Our resultsjindicated that thejdiabetes , hypertension and smoking reducelserum CK creatinine and semen parameters inkmale infertility . Enzymetic activity of CK inkserum is a biochemical marker in determining infertility and this biochemicalkmarker will represents an important diagnostic feature withmseminal parameters in the future

Diffuse lipomatosis of the thyroid gland

AbstractDiffuse thyroïd lipomatosis is an extremely rare histopathological condition characterized by diffuse fatty infiltration in thyroïd stroma. We report a case of 67year old female who presented a plunging goiter. She underwent a thyroïdectomy. Histopathologic study concluded to the diagnosis of diffuse thyroïd lipomatosis. No recurrence was observed

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Post-partum haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide. Early administration of tranexamic acid reduces deaths due to bleeding in trauma patients. We aimed to assess the effects of early administration of tranexamic acid on death, hysterectomy, and other relevant outcomes in women with post-partum haemorrhage. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we recruited women aged 16 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of post-partum haemorrhage after a vaginal birth or caesarean section from 193 hospitals in 21 countries. We randomly assigned women to receive either 1 g intravenous tranexamic acid or matching placebo in addition to usual care. If bleeding continued after 30 min, or stopped and restarted within 24 h of the first dose, a second dose of 1 g of tranexamic acid or placebo could be given. Patients were assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight numbered packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Participants, care givers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. We originally planned to enrol 15 000 women with a composite primary endpoint of death from all-causes or hysterectomy within 42 days of giving birth. However, during the trial it became apparent that the decision to conduct a hysterectomy was often made at the same time as randomisation. Although tranexamic acid could influence the risk of death in these cases, it could not affect the risk of hysterectomy. We therefore increased the sample size from 15 000 to 20 000 women in order to estimate the effect of tranexamic acid on the risk of death from post-partum haemorrhage. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ISRCTN76912190 (Dec 8, 2008); ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00872469; and PACTR201007000192283. Findings Between March, 2010, and April, 2016, 20 060 women were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive tranexamic acid (n=10 051) or placebo (n=10 009), of whom 10 036 and 9985, respectively, were included in the analysis. Death due to bleeding was significantly reduced in women given tranexamic acid (155 [1·5%] of 10 036 patients vs 191 [1·9%] of 9985 in the placebo group, risk ratio [RR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·65–1·00; p=0·045), especially in women given treatment within 3 h of giving birth (89 [1·2%] in the tranexamic acid group vs 127 [1·7%] in the placebo group, RR 0·69, 95% CI 0·52–0·91; p=0·008). All other causes of death did not differ significantly by group. Hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (358 [3·6%] patients in the tranexamic acid group vs 351 [3·5%] in the placebo group, RR 1·02, 95% CI 0·88–1·07; p=0·84). The composite primary endpoint of death from all causes or hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (534 [5·3%] deaths or hysterectomies in the tranexamic acid group vs 546 [5·5%] in the placebo group, RR 0·97, 95% CI 0·87-1·09; p=0·65). Adverse events (including thromboembolic events) did not differ significantly in the tranexamic acid versus placebo group. Interpretation Tranexamic acid reduces death due to bleeding in women with post-partum haemorrhage with no adverse effects. When used as a treatment for postpartum haemorrhage, tranexamic acid should be given as soon as possible after bleeding onset. Funding London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Pfizer, UK Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Cohort Profile: Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study was established to assess the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction, a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its risk factors in adults (≥40 years) from general populations across the world. The baseline study was conducted between 2003 and 2016, in 41 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Oceania, and collected high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry from 28 828 participants. The follow-up study was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in 18 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. At baseline, there were in these sites 12 502 participants with high-quality spirometry. A total of 6452 were followed up, with 5936 completing the study core questionnaire. Of these, 4044 also provided high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. On both occasions, the core questionnaire covered information on respiratory symptoms, doctor diagnoses, health care use, medication use and ealth status, as well as potential risk factors. Information on occupation, environmental exposures and diet was also collected

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

A first update on mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

peer reviewe

Role of pYap1 in Trophoblast Formation in the Laboratory Opossum

An embryo consists of initially unspecialized cells. As development progresses, cell groups differentiate and eventually acquire specific functions. In the marsupial embryo, the trophoblast is the first tissue to form. Using confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry, I am investigating the sequence of gene interactions that drive trophoblast formation in the model marsupial, Monodelphis domestica. The results will lead to a better understanding of the evolutionary relatedness between marsupial and non-marsupial mammals

Does family ownership reduce corporate tax avoidance? The moderating effect of audit quality

International audiencePurpose The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the effect of family ownership on corporate tax avoidance. It also investigates whether audit quality affects tax avoidance practices by family firms. Design/methodology/approach Based on a sample of 55 Tunisian listed companies from 2008 to 2013, the authors use GLS regression models estimated with robust standard errors, clustered at the firm level. Findings The results show that family ownership is positively associated with corporate tax avoidance practices, suggesting that families expropriate minority interests by extracting rents from tax-saving positions. These practices are less prominent after the 2011 Tunisian revolution, suggesting that the pressure from governments and non-governmental organizations against corruption and unethical behavior has increased after the revolution. However, the findings show that audit quality curbs the incentives of family firms to engage in aggressive tax positions, supporting the moderating effect of audit quality on the relation between family ownership and tax avoidance. Research limitations/implications These findings suggest that Tunisian family firms are likely to expropriate minority interests by extracting rents from tax-saving positions. However, in presence of high-quality audit, the relation turns negative, suggesting that external audit quality is an efficient corporate governance device that is likely to monitor family corporate decisions. Originality/value This paper extends previous research by investigating the moderating effect of external audit quality on the relation between tax avoidance and family ownership. It also examines tax avoidance by family firms in a unique setting: Tunisia, a transitioning economy subsequently to the 2011 revolution, where investors’ rights are weakly protected and the financial market is not well-developed as in more developed countries

Does family ownership reduce corporate tax avoidance? The moderating effect of audit quality

International audienc