The correlation between urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and sperm quality in infertile men and rotating shift workers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that modulates a wide range of neuroendocrine functions. However, excessive circulating serotonin levels may induce harmful effects in the male reproductive system. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the levels of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIIA), a major serotonin metabolite, correlate with different classical seminal parameters.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human ejaculates were obtained from 40 men attending infertility counselling and rotating shift workers by masturbation after 4-5 days of abstinence. Urinary 5- HIIA concentration was quantified by using a commercial ELISA kit. Forward motility was assessed by a computer-aided semen analysis (CASA) system. Sperm concentration was determined using the haemocytometer method. Sperm morphology was evaluated after Diff-Quik staining, while sperm vitality was estimated after Eosin-Nigrosin vital staining.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results show that urinary 5-HIIA levels obtained from a set of 20 volunteers negatively correlated with sperm concentration, forward motility, morphology normal range and sperm vitality. On the other hand, we checked the relationship between male infertility and urinary 5-HIIA levels in 20 night shift workers. Thus, urinary 5-HIIA levels obtained from 10 recently-proven fathers were significantly lower than those found in 10 infertile males. Additionally, samples from recent fathers exhibited higher sperm concentration, as well as better forward motility and normal morphology rate.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In the light of our findings, we concluded that high serotonin levels, indirectly measured as urinary 5-HIIA levels, appear to play a role as an infertility determinant in male subjects.</p

. Evaluation of the antioxidant and antiproliferative potential properties of phytocomplexes extracted from Mediterranean area fruits

Breast and cervical cancer represents the first and the second cause of death for women worldwide1,2. Therefore, new advanced chemotherapies applications are very urgently needed this cancer. High attention has been paid to natural compounds in fruits and vegetables with potential nutraceutical properties. In this regard, dietary polyphenols have been widely demonstrated to be able to not only reduce oxidative and inflammatory stress, but also decrease proliferation of cancer cells. However, the biological activity of various food plants has not yet been studied. This work aims to characterize the nutraceutical potential of four fruits such as, Malpighia emarginata (MEE), Arbutus unedo (AUE), Goji berries (LBE), Annona cherimola (ACE). For this reason, our study focused on the evaluation of antioxidant potential and antiproliferative activity of polyphenol extracts on cervical cancer (HeLa) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line

New and noteworthy species of the genus Epidendrum (Orchidaceae, Laeliinae) from the Área de Conservación Privada La Pampa del Burro, Amazonas, Peru

Fourteen species of the genus Epidendrum, recently collected in the Área de Conservación Privada La Pampa del Burro (ACPPB), five of them new to science (Epidendrum echinatiantherum sp. nov., E. imazaense sp. nov., E. parvireflexilobum sp. nov., E. rosulatum sp. nov., and E. ochrostachyum sp. nov.), are described and illustrated. The other species include a new record for Peru (E. acrobatesii) and four for the department of Amazonas (E. brachyblastum, E. forcipatum, E. mavrodactylon, and E. tridens). Epidendrum enantilobum is here considered a synonym of Epidendrum brachyblastum. The type locality of Epidendrum cryptorhachis, originally stated as Ecuador, Guayabamba, is corrected to indicate that it refers to the valley of Guayabamba, Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas, Peru. Our results show the need to continue conducting botanical exploration in the ACPPB as a baseline for subsequent studies, including a full inventory of the orchid diversity

Critical review of technologies for the on-site treatment of hospital wastewater: From conventional to combined advanced processes

In this work, a raw and low cost mineral, ilmenite (FeTiO3), has been tested for the first time as a photocatalyst paired with peroxymonosulfate (HSO5-; PMS) for the inactivation of Enterococcus faecalis as an alternative to conventional treatments to disinfect wastewater for reuse. The influence of some operational parameters such as reagent dosage, catalyst concentration, initial pH, or flow rate was also studied and optimized. After several tests, the scarce pure photoactivity under UV-A was remarked by ilmenite because of its high iron content, which favors photogenerated charge recombination. However, ilmenite activity was highly promoted when combined with low concentrations of PMS and UV-A light, reaching total inactivation of Enterococcus faecalis in 120 min. Quenching tests were performed using methanol, tert-butyl alcohol, furfuryl alcohol, and Cu(II) to assess the main reactive species involved in the disinfection process determining the critical role of both HO·and SO4·- radicals in the process. Finally, the influence of the water matrix was also evaluated by studying the effect of water hardness and the presence of nutrients on the system. Overall, the PMS/Ilmenite/UV-A system yielded promising results with a total removal of Enterococcus faecalis in 120 min. However, it also showed the need for further study and understanding of the disinfection mechanism to achieve the same level of performance in real wastewaterThe "Comunidad de Madrid" supported this research through REMTAVARES S2013/MAE-2716 and S2018/EMT-434

Reduced levels of intracellular calcium releasing in spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Asthenozoospermia is one of the most common findings present in infertile males characterized by reduced or absent sperm motility, but its aetiology remains unknown in most cases. In addition, calcium is one of the most important ions regulating sperm motility. In this study we have investigated the progesterone-evoked intracellular calcium signal in ejaculated spermatozoa from men with normospermia or asthenozoospermia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human ejaculates were obtained from healthy volunteers and asthenospermic men by masturbation after 4–5 days of abstinence. For determination of cytosolic free calcium concentration, spermatozoa were loaded with the fluorescent ratiometric calcium indicator Fura-2.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Treatment of spermatozoa from normospermic men with 20 micromolar progesterone plus 1 micromolar thapsigargin in a calcium free medium induced a typical transient increase in cytosolic free calcium concentration due to calcium release from internal stores. Similar results were obtained when spermatozoa were stimulated with progesterone alone. Subsequent addition of calcium to the external medium evoked a sustained elevation in cytosolic free calcium concentration indicative of capacitative calcium entry. However, when progesterone plus thapsigargin were administered to spermatozoa from patients with asthenozoospermia, calcium signal and subsequent calcium entry was much smaller compared to normospermic patients. As expected, pretreatment of normospermic spermatozoa with both the anti-progesterone receptor c262 antibody and with progesterone receptor antagonist RU-38486 decreased the calcium release induced by progesterone. Treatment of spermatozoa with cytochalasin D or jasplakinolide decreased the calcium entry evoked by depletion of internal calcium stores in normospermic patients, whereas these treatments proved to be ineffective at modifying the calcium entry in patients with asthenozoospermia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic patients present a reduced responsiveness to progesterone.</p

The ENIGMA-Epilepsy working group: Mapping disease from large data sets

Epilepsy is a common and serious neurological disorder, with many different constituent conditions characterized by their electro clinical, imaging, and genetic features. MRI has been fundamental in advancing our understanding of brain processes in the epilepsies. Smaller‐scale studies have identified many interesting imaging phenomena, with implications both for understanding pathophysiology and improving clinical care. Through the infrastructure and concepts now well‐established by the ENIGMA Consortium, ENIGMA‐Epilepsy was established to strengthen epilepsy neuroscience by greatly increasing sample sizes, leveraging ideas and methods established in other ENIGMA projects, and generating a body of collaborating scientists and clinicians to drive forward robust research. Here we review published, current, and future projects, that include structural MRI, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI), and that employ advanced methods including structural covariance, and event‐based modeling analysis. We explore age of onset‐ and duration‐related features, as well as phenomena‐specific work focusing on particular epilepsy syndromes or phenotypes, multimodal analyses focused on understanding the biology of disease progression, and deep learning approaches. We encourage groups who may be interested in participating to make contact to further grow and develop ENIGMA‐Epilepsy

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Oxidative Stress and Immunosenescence: Therapeutic Effects of Melatonin

Age-associated deterioration in the immune system, which is referred to as immunosenescence, contributes to an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, autoimmunity, and cancer in the elderly. A summary of major changes associated with aging in immune system is described in this paper. In general, immunosenescence is characterized by reduced levels of peripheral naïve T cells derived from thymus and the loss of immature B lineage cells in the bone marrow. As for macrophages and granulocytes, they show functional decline with advancing age as evidenced by their diminished phagocytic activity and impairment of superoxide generation. The indole melatonin is mainly secreted in the pineal gland although it has been also detected in many other tissues. As circulating melatonin decreases with age coinciding with the age-related decline of the immune system, much interest has been focused on melatonin’s immunomodulatory effect in recent years. Here, we underlie the antioxidant and immunoenhancing actions displayed by melatonin, thereby providing evidence for the potential application of this indoleamine as a “replacement therapy” to limit or reverse some of the effects of the changes that occur during immunosenescence

Role of melatonin on diabetes-related metabolic disorders

Melatonin is a circulating hormone that is mainly released from the pineal gland. It is best known as a regulator of seasonal and circadian rhythms, its levels being high during the night and low during the day. Interestingly, insulin levels are also adapted to day/night changes through melatonin-dependent synchronization. This regulation may be explained by the inhibiting action of melatonin on insulin release, which is transmitted through both the pertussis-toxin-sensitive membrane receptors MT1 and MT2 and the second messengers 3’,5’-cyclic adenosine monophosphate, 3’,5’-cyclic guanosine monophosphate and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. Melatonin may influence diabetes and associated metabolic disturbances not only by regulating insulin secretion, but also by providing protection against reactive oxygen species, since pancreatic β-cells are very susceptible to oxidative stress because they possess only low-antioxidative capacity. On the other hand, in several genetic association studies, single nucleotide polymorphysms of the human MT2 receptor have been described as being causally linked to an elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This suggests that these individuals may be more sensitive to the actions of melatonin, thereby leading to impaired insulin secretion. Therefore, blocking the melatonin-induced inhibition of insulin secretion may be a novel therapeutic avenue for type 2 diabetes

Editorial: Involvements of TRP Channels and Oxidative Stress in Pain

En este número del tema de investigación, 61 autores contribuyeron con 10 artículos (6 investigaciones originales y 4 revisiones) de diferentes países del mundo (España, Turquía, Chile, EE.UU., Australia, Japón, Alemania, Suiza y Hungría). Este enfoque multidisciplinario (Fisiología, Neurociencia, Gerociencia, Farmacología, Química, Medicina y Biofísica) le da al número especial una visión analítica completa, discutiendo la comprensión actual y ofreciendo nuevos datos experimentales sobre las implicaciones de los canales TRP y el estrés oxidativo en el dolor. Esperamos que esta compilación proporcione una base de conocimiento para futuros investigadores de esta prometedora área de investigación.In this research topic issue, 61 authors contributed 10 articles (6 original research and 4 reviews) fromdifferent countries in the world (Spain, Turkey, Chile, USA, Australia, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary). This multidisciplinary approach (Physiology, Neuroscience, Geroscience, Pharmacology, Chemistry, Medicine, and Biophysics) gives the special issue to a comprehensive analytical insight, discussing current understanding and offering new experimental data about the involvements of TRP channels and oxidative stress in pain. We hope this compilation provides a knowledge base for future researchers of this promising research area.peerReviewe