Biochemical Alterations in Semen of Varicocele Patients: A Review of the Literature

Oxidative stress is a mechanism underlying different kinds of infertility in human males. However, different results can be observed in relation to the method used for its evaluation. Varicocele patients show a number of biochemical abnormalities, including an altered distribution of coenzyme Q between seminal plasma and sperm cells and also an apparent defect in the utilization of antioxidants. Moreover, an influence of systemic hormones on seminal antioxidant system was observed too. Finally, the effects of surgical treatment on oxidativestress indexes and the possible usefulness of some medical therapies, like coenzyme Q supplementation, are discussed. In conclusion, published data show a role of oxidative stress in varicocele-related male infertility, but at present we do not know the precise molecular mechanisms underlying these phenomena

Corrigendum: Child and adolescent behavior inventory (CABI): A new instrument for epidemiological studies and pre-clinical evaluation

Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory (CABI): A New Instrument for Epidemiological Studies and Pre-Clinical Evaluation Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 2013, 9: 51-61 Correction: Few corrections have been provided and replaced online in 15th, 20th, 21st and 22nd rows of the Appendix

Coenzyme Q10 treatment in infertile men with idiopathic asthenozoospermia: a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of coenzyme Q(10) treatment in improving semen quality in men with idiopathic infertility. DESIGN: Placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial. SETTING: Andrology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy. PATIENT(S): Sixty infertile patients (27-39 years of age) with the following baseline sperm selection criteria: concentration >20 x 10(6)/mL, sperm forward motility 30%; 55 patients completed the study. INTERVENTION(S): Patients underwent double-blind therapy with coenzyme Q(10), 200 mg/day, or placebo; the study design was 1 month of run-in, 6 months of therapy or placebo, and 3 months of follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Variations in semen parameters used for patient selection and variations of coenzyme Q(10) and ubiquinol concentrations in seminal plasma and spermatozoa. RESULT(S): Coenzyme Q(10) and ubiquinol increased significantly in both seminal plasma and sperm cells after treatment, as well as spermatozoa motility. A weak linear dependence among the relative variations, baseline and after treatment, of seminal plasma or intracellular coenzyme Q(10) and ubiquinol levels and kinetic parameters was found in the treated group. Patients with a lower baseline value of motility and levels of coenzyme Q(10) had a statistically significant higher probability to be responders to the treatment. CONCLUSION(S): The exogenous administration of coenzyme Q(10) increases the level of the same and ubiquinol in semen and is effective in improving sperm kinetic features in patients affected by idiopathic asthenozoospermia

Reversible Logic Synthesis via Biconditional Binary Decision Diagrams

Reversible logic synthesis is an emerging research area to aid the circuit implementation for multiple nano-scale technologies with bounded fan-out. Due to the inherent com- plexity of this problem, several heuristics are proposed in the literature. Among those, reversible logic synthesis using decision diagrams offers an attractive solution due to its scalability and performance. In this paper, we exploit a novel, canonical, Bicon- ditional Binary Decision Diagram (BBDD) for reversible logic synthesis. Using BBDD, for multiple classes of Boolean functions, superior circuit performance is achievable due to its compact representation. We discuss theoretical and experimental studies in comparison with state-of-the-art reversible logic synthesis based on decision diagrams

An e-Health Psychoeducation Program for Managing the Mental Health of People with Bipolar Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Social rhythm dysregulation has been identified as a determining factor in bipolar disorder (BD) relapses. It directly impacts individuals' quality of life (QoL). This study aims to present preliminary data on the efficacy of an e-health psychoeducational intervention for BD for improving clinical outcomes. Methods: This study used an open-label, crossover, randomized controlled trial design. The inclusion criteria consisted of a BD diagnosis, affiliation with the Consultation Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Center at the University Hospital in Cagliari, Italy, age over 18, and the obtaining of informed consent. Anxiety and depressive symptoms, QoL, and social and biological rhythms were measured using standardized instruments validated in Italian. Results: A total of 36 individuals were included in the experimental group (EG) and 18 in the control group (CG). The final sample consisted of 25 in the EG and 14 in the CG. A statistically significant improvement in QoL was found in the EG post-treatment (p = 0.011). Significant correlations were found between QoL and the dysregulation of biorhythms in the EG at T0 (p = 0.0048) and T1 (p = 0.0014). Conclusions: This study shows that, during extreme distress, an e-health group psychoeducation intervention for people with BD could significantly improve the perception of QoL. The results must be confirmed by studies conducted with larger-sized samples

Coenzyme Q10 Ameliorates Ultraviolet B Irradiation Induced Cell Death Through Inhibition of Mitochondrial Intrinsic Cell Death Pathway

Ultraviolet B (UVB) induces cell death by increasing free radical production, activating apoptotic cell death pathways and depolarizing mitochondrial membrane potential. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an essential cofactor in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, serves as a potent antioxidant in the mitochondria. The aim of the present study is to establish whether CoQ10 is capable of protecting neuronal cells against UVB-induced damage. Murine hippocampal HT22 cells were treated with 0.01, 0.1 or 1 μM of CoQ10 3 or 24 h prior to the cells being exposed to UVB irradiation. The CoQ10 concentrations were maintained during irradiation and 24 h post-UVB. Cell viability was assessed by counting viable cells and MTT conversion assay. Superoxide production and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured using fluorescent probes. Levels of cleaved caspase-9, caspase-3, and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were detected using immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. The results showed that UVB irradiation decreased cell viability and such damaging effect was associated with increased superoxide production, mitochondrial depolarization, and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Treatment with CoQ10 at three different concentrations started 24 h before UVB exposure significantly increased the cell viability. The protective effect of CoQ10 was associated with reduction in superoxide production, normalization of mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibition of caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation. It is concluded that the neuroprotective effect of CoQ10 results from inhibiting oxidative stress and blocking caspase-3 dependent cell death pathway

Effect of Coenzyme Q10 and green tea on plasma and liver lipids, platelet aggregation, TBARS production and erythrocyte Na leak in simvastatin treated hypercholesterolmic rats

This study was conducted to investigate the hypocholesterolemic effect of simvastatin (30 mg/kg BW) and antioxidant effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, 15 mg/kg BW) or green tea (5%) on erythrocyte Na leak, platelet aggregation and TBARS production in hypercholesterolemic rats treated with statin. Food efficiency ratio (FER, ADG/ADFI) was decreased in statin group and increased in green tea group, and the difference between these two groups was significant (p<0.05). Plasma total cholesterol was somewhat increased in all groups with statin compared with control. Plasma triglyceride was decreased in statin group and increased in groups of CoQ10 and green tea, and the difference between groups of statin and green tea was significant (p<0.05). Liver total cholesterol was not different between the control and statin group, but was significantly decreased in the group with green tea compared with other groups (p<0.05). Liver triglyceride was decreased in groups of statin and green tea compared with the control, and the difference between groups of the control and green tea was significant (p<0.05). Platelet aggregation of both the initial slope and the maximum was not significantly different, but the group with green tea tended to be higher in initial slope and lower in the maximum. Intracellular Na of group with green tea was significantly higher than the control or statin group (p<0.05). Na leak in intact cells was significantly decreased in the statin group compared with the control (p<0.05). Na leak in AAPH treated cells was also significantly reduced in the statin group compared with groups of the control and CoQ10 (p<0.05). TBARS production in platelet rich plasma was significantly decreased in the groups with CoQ10 and green tea compared with the control and statin groups (p<0.05). TBARS of liver was significantly decreased in the group with green tea compared with the statin group (p<0.05). In the present study, even a high dose of statin did not show a cholesterol lowering effect, therefore depletion of CoQ10 following statin treatment in rats is not clear. More clinical studies are needed for therapeutic use of CoQ10 as an antioxidant in prevention of degenerative diseases independent of statin therapy