RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRICE INDICES

The paper starts from the premise: why the statistical agencies do not select the quantitative vector of reference q out of the Lowe formula as being the monthly quantitative vector q0 that belongs to the transactions of the month 0

Technical Aspects and Clinical Limitations of Sperm DNA Fragmentation Testing in Male Infertility: A Global Survey, Current Guidelines, and Expert Recommendations

PURPOSE: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial

Controversy and Consensus on Indications for Sperm DNA Fragmentation Testing in Male Infertility: A Global Survey, Current Guidelines, and Expert Recommendations

Purpose: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing was recently added to the sixth edition of the World Health Organization laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. Many conditions and risk factors have been associated with elevated SDF; therefore, it is important to identify the population of infertile men who might benefit from this test. The purpose of this study was to investigate global practices related to indications for SDF testing, compare the relevant professional society guideline recommendations, and provide expert recommendations. Materials and Methods: Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to take part in a global online survey on SDF clinical practices. This was conducted following the CHERRIES checklist criteria. The responses were compared to professional society guideline recommendations related to SDF and the appropriate available evidence. Expert recommendations on indications for SDF testing were then formulated, and the Delphi method was used to reach consensus. Results: The survey was completed by 436 experts from 55 countries. Almost 75% of respondents test for SDF in all or some men with unexplained or idiopathic infertility, 39% order it routinely in the work-up of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), and 62.2% investigate SDF in smokers. While 47% of reproductive urologists test SDF to support the decision for varicocele repair surgery when conventional semen parameters are normal, significantly fewer general urologists (23%; p=0.008) do the same. Nearly 70% would assess SDF before assisted reproductive technologies (ART), either always or for certain conditions. Recurrent ART failure is a common indication for SDF testing. Very few society recommendations were found regarding SDF testing. Conclusions: This article presents the largest global survey on the indications for SDF testing in infertile men, and demonstrates diverse practices. Furthermore, it highlights the paucity of professional society guideline recommendations. Expert recommendations are proposed to help guide clinicians

Technical aspects and clinical limitations of sperm DNA fragmentation testing in male infertility: A global survey, current guidelines, and expert recommendations

Purpose Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice. Materials and Methods Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured. Results The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%). Conclusions This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial

Controversy and consensus on the management of elevated sperm DNA fragmentation in male infertility: A global survey, current guidelines, and expert recommendations

Purpose Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) has been associated with male infertility and poor outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART). The purpose of this study was to investigate global practices related to the management of elevated SDF in infertile men, summarize the relevant professional society recommendations, and provide expert recommendations for managing this condition. Materials and Methods An online global survey on clinical practices related to SDF was disseminated to reproductive clinicians, according to the CHERRIES checklist criteria. Management protocols for various conditions associated with SDF were captured and compared to the relevant recommendations in professional society guidelines and the appropriate available evidence. Expert recommendations and consensus on the management of infertile men with elevated SDF were then formulated and adapted using the Delphi method. Results A total of 436 experts from 55 different countries submitted responses. As an initial approach, 79.1% of reproductive experts recommend lifestyle modifications for infertile men with elevated SDF, and 76.9% prescribe empiric antioxidants. Regarding antioxidant duration, 39.3% recommend 4–6 months and 38.1% recommend 3 months. For men with unexplained or idiopathic infertility, and couples experiencing recurrent miscarriages associated with elevated SDF, most respondents refer to ART 6 months after failure of conservative and empiric medical management. Infertile men with clinical varicocele, normal conventional semen parameters, and elevated SDF are offered varicocele repair immediately after diagnosis by 31.4%, and after failure of antioxidants and conservative measures by 40.9%. Sperm selection techniques and testicular sperm extraction are also management options for couples undergoing ART. For most questions, heterogenous practices were demonstrated. Conclusions This paper presents the results of a large global survey on the management of infertile men with elevated SDF and reveals a lack of consensus among clinicians. Furthermore, it demonstrates the scarcity of professional society guidelines in this regard and attempts to highlight the relevant evidence. Expert recommendations are proposed to help guide clinicians

East-European stock exchanges in the context of financial crisis

For the capital market, the crisis means, first of all, the decrease of the financial instruments quotations and of the trading volumes. These had occurred in conjunction with the modified investor’s behaviour, which radically changes their investment options, withdrawing the money invested in the market in favour of investing in the banking deposits, art objects and precious metals

The moderating role of neuroticism on evaluative conditioning : evidence from ambiguous learning situations

Numerous studies have demonstrated a link between neuroticism and negative biases. Although some studies suggest that people with high neuroticism give more weight to negative information, others suggest that they respond more strongly to both positive and negative information. We investigated whether neuroticism is related to the evaluation of conditioned stimuli (CSs) in evaluative conditioning procedures that involve ambiguous learning conditions. We created ambiguous situations where CSs were paired with unconditioned stimuli (USs) consisting of both positive and negative pictures (Experiment 1) or paired alternatingly with positive and negative USs (Experiment 2). In addition to CSs consistently paired with positive and negative USs, we introduced neutral USs as a control condition. Our findings revealed that neurotic individuals negatively evaluated the CSs from ambiguous conditions relative to neutral conditions. In addition, participants with high neuroticism scores generally rated CSs more negatively. Theoretical and clinical implications of these results are discussed

The Moderating Role of Neuroticism on Evaluative Conditioning: Evidence from Ambiguous Learning Situations

The current project examines, through two independent experiments, whether the neuroticism trait moderates the evaluative conditioning effect in ambiguous conditions. Evaluative conditioning (EC) is an effect that consists of repeated presentations of a conditioned stimulus (CS) with a positive or negative unconditioned stimulus (US), resulting in a valence transfer from the US to the CS. To further investigate the interindividual differences of neuroticism on this effect, we introduced the ambiguous conditions that could help us to capture the natural tendency of highly neurotic people in transferring negative valence. Experiment 1 presented an experimental manipulation at the US level by using ambivalent USs (i.e., a positive picture and a negative picture merged into one image), whereas Experiment 2 provided a reinforcement manipulation by presenting two CSs with positive USs in half of the presentations and with negative USs in another half of presentations

TARGETING HIGH DOSE NIFEDIPINE-INDUCED HIPERTROPHY IN TISSUES WITH HYDROCORTISONE-LOADED NANOCARRIERS

We aim to study organ penetrability and anti-inflammatory effect of Hydrocortisone-loaded nanoparticles (HC-nano) after inducing hypertrophy with previous very-high dose medium-term Nifedipine administration. Materials and methods: Experiment was conducted in two phases on 60 adult, healthy Wistar rats, randomly divided initially in two groups (Phase 1), respecting 1:1 ratio between males and non-pregnant females, within each group. Group A1 (control) included 20 rats (10M/10F) and received no medication. Group B1 included 40 rats (20M/20F) and received oral Nifedipine 100 mg/kg body weight daily (approximately 100x therapeutic human dose), for 4 weeks. When Phase 1 ended, 8 rats did not survive in Group B1, and 40% (approximated to nearest integer) of rats of each sex, within each group were sacrificed, organs were harvested and analyzed microscopically. The rest of living rats entered Phase 2: Group A2 (control) remained with 12 rats (6M/6F) continuing with no medication; Group B2 counted 18 rats (10M/8F) that were given oral HC-nano 2 mg/kg body weight daily (therapeutic dose), for another 4 weeks. After Phase 2 completion, all animals were sacrificed, and tissues were microscopically analyzed. Results: Nifedipine induced statistically significant hypertrophy in the studied organs, with impressive results in gingiva (capillaries, p0.05). Recorded hypergrowth did not differ significantly between sexes in Group B1, regardless of the organ (p>0.05), but 3 times more females died within Phase 1, due to very-high dose Nifedipine toxicity. After Phase 2, hypertrophy reduction was statistically significant in Group B2 (Hydrocortisone) compared with Group B1 (Nifedipine), in gums, heart (muscle fiber diameter) and kidneys (p0.05). Conclusions: Very-high dose medium-term Nifedipine induces similar hypertrophic effects like chronic administration. Hydrocortisone-loaded nanoparticles have potent effects on several tissues in rats