Evaluation of the potential association of SOHLH2 polymorphisms with non-obstructive azoospermia susceptibility in a large European population

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) or spermatogenic failure is a complex disease with an important genetic component that causes infertility in men. Known genetic factors associated with NOA include AZF microdeletions of the Y chromosome or karyotype abnormalities; however, most causes of NOA are idiopathic. During the last decade, a large list of associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and NOA have been reported. However, most of the genetic studies have been performed only in Asian populations. We aimed to evaluate whether the previously described association in Han Chinese between NOA and two SNPs of the SOHLH2 gene (involved in the spermatogenesis process) may also confer risk for NOA in a population of European ancestry. We genotyped a total of 551 NOA patients (218 from Portugal and 333 from Spain) and 1,050 fertile controls (226 from Portugal and 824 from Spain) for the genetic variants rs1328626 and rs6563386 using TaqMan assays. To test for association, we compared the allele and genotype frequencies between cases and controls using an additive model. A haplotype analysis and a meta-analysis using the inverse variance method with our data and those of the original Asian study were also performed. No statistically significant differences were observed in any of the analyses described above. Therefore, considering the high statistical power of our study, it is not likely that the two analysed SOHLH2 genetic variants are related with an increase susceptibility to NOA in the European population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determinación de PCBs en transformadores de distribución en Machala

Los bifelinos policlorados (PCBs), fueron descubiertos en 1881 en Alemania, por su alta resistencia al calor y variedad en aplicaciones industriales fueron utilizados en trasformadores. Se calcula que 1.5 millones de toneladas de PCBs fueron producidos desde 1929 hasta 1979 y comercializados en equipos eléctricos hasta 1986. De toda la fabricación se estima que 750.000 toneladas fueron liberadas al ambiente y el resto se encuentra en equipos eléctricos todavía en servicio, esto considerando que su vida útil es de 25 a 35 años de funcionamiento con un adecuado mantenimiento, por lo que aún no se puede llegar a determinar el contenido de PCBs, de estos equipos instalados en sistema eléctrico del Ecuador. El estudio caso tiene como objeto la identificación de los PCBs en transformadores de distribución, de la parroquia La Providencia, del Cantón Machala, mediante un análisis cualitativo por la método 9070 US EPA SW-846, (kit CLOR-N-OIL-50), además se utilizara un formulario para describir el tipo de transformador, ubicación geográfica y resultado de la pruebas. De los resultados obtenidos se observa que de las 121 pruebas de campo realizadas a los transformadores de distribución, el 10% de las mismas se encuentran contaminadas con PCBs, lo que corresponde a 12 equipos que contienes aceite dieléctrico contaminado. La propuesta es estructurar un plan de abandono, almacenamiento y disposición final de aceites, equipos, y desechos contaminados con PCBs, este debe de ser aplicado por la empresa eléctrica prestadora de servicio, CNEL EP Unidad de Negocios El Oro

Behaviour of human mesenchymal-periosteal cells grown in contact with different scaffolds used in dentistry

Bone regeneration is currently one of the most important challenges for regenerative medicine and it is considered an ideal clinical strategy in dentistry. Bone resorption of alveolar crest occurring after tooth extraction leads to several risks for future treatments, including dental implants. For this reason, alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) has become a key component of contemporary clinical dentistry. The main aim is to keep the shape and the size of the bone socket after tooth extraction allowing bone healing and installation of endosseous implants in a later time. For this reason, different types of organic (such as collagen) or inorganic biomaterials such as manufactured polymers (polyglycolic acid - PGA, polylactic acid - PLA, and polycaprolactone) are used in surgical techniques for dental defects. The goal of this study was to compare different scaffolds based on PLGA (Fisiograft®), PLGA + Hydroxyapatite (Alos®) and type-I Collagen (Sombrero®) in an in vitro model of tissue engineering. Human MSC cells derived from periosteum were cultured and characterized by FACS for the expression of mesenchymal antigens (CD90, CD105, CD29). Cells were successively seeded on scaffolds and, at different time points, adhesion and cell differentiation were analyzed by morphological and molecular biology analysis. Results showed the proliferation induction of Sombrero® material and the osteoconductive potential of PLGA+HA, as demonstrated by molecular biology analysis on osteogenic genes and proteins. Further studies will be focused on “combined” scaffolds, that matched the resorbable capability of PLGA-HA and the capacity of organic collagen to promote initial engraftment and cell proliferatio

Impact of hepatitis C virus clearance by direct-acting antiviral treatment on the incidence of major cardiovascular events: A prospective multicentre study

Background and aims: HCV is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events (CV). Whether HCV clearance by direct-acting antivirals (DAA) reduces incident CV disease is poorly understood. We investigate whether HCV eradication reduces CV events. Methods: In a prospective multicentre study, 2204 HCV patients (F0–F2:29.5%, F3–F4: 70.5%) were enrolled. Males were 48%, median age was 68 (59–74) years and BMI 25.9 (23.1–28); 24.7% were smokers, 18% had diabetes, 13.2% had cholesterol levels >200 mg/dl and 9.1% took statins, 44% had hypertension. During an overall median follow-up of 28 (24–39) months, incident CV events, such as ischemic heart disease (IHD) and ischemic cerebral stroke (ICS), were recorded. An overall of 2204 patients were evaluated as control group and 1668 patients after HCV elimination were followed as a case group. Factors associated with CV events were evaluated by uni- and multi-variate analyses. Results: Incident CV rates per 100 patient years in pre-treatment and untreated controls and treated cases were 1.12, 1.14 and 0.44 (p = 0.0001 vs. controls), respectively, and a decreased of relative risk (RR = 0.379; p = 0.0002) was observed. CV risk was 2.0–3.5 times lower then in controls (HR 3.671; 95%C.I.:1.871–7.201; p < 0.001). The calculated number of patients to be treated to get a benefit in a patient was 55.26. The annual incidence reduction of CV events was 0.68%. HCV clearance was independently associated with CV events reduction (OR, 4.716; 95% C.I.:1.832–12.138; p = 0.001). Conclusions: HCV clearance by DAA reduces CV events (IHD and ICS) with both clinical and socio-economic benefits

Reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection cleared by direct-acting antiviral therapy: A prospective study

Aim: To assess the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). incidence. Methods: A prospective multicentre case–control study was performed, which included 2426 patients with HCV, 42% of whom had liver fibrosis stage F0-F2 and 58% of whom had liver fibrosis stage F3-F4. The study population consisted of a control group including 1099 untreated patients and 1327 cases treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). T2DM incidence was assessed during a median (interquartile range) follow-up period of 30 (28–42) months. Risk factors for T2DM were assessed using a Cox regression model (relative risk [RR], hazard ratio [HR], Kaplan–Meier analysis). Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) and changes by repeated-measures ANOVA. Factors independently associated with T2DM were assessed by multivariate analysis. Results: The absolute incidence of T2DM for controls and cases was 28 and 7/1000 person-years, respectively (P = 0.001). In cases compared to controls, HCV clearance reduced the RR and HR of T2DM by 81% and 75% to 93%, respectively (P = 0.001). It was calculated that, for every 15 patients who obtained HCV clearance, one case of T2DM was saved. HCV clearance was associated with significant reductions in HOMA-insulin resistance and HOMA-β-cell function and an increase in HOMA-insulin sensitivity, as assessed in 384 patients before and after HCV clearance. At multivariate analysis, HCV clearance emerged as independently associated with a reduced T2DM risk. Conclusion: The results showed that HCV clearance by DAA treatment reduces T2DM incidence probably by restoring the HCV-induced alteration of glucose homeostasis mechanisms

Impact of hepatitis C virus clearance by direct-acting antiviral treatment on the incidence of major cardiovascular events : a prospective multicentre study

Background and aims: HCV is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events (CV). Whether HCV clearance by direct-acting antivirals (DAA) reduces incident CV disease is poorly understood. We investigate whether HCV eradication reduces CV events. Methods: In a prospective multicentre study, 2204 HCV patients (F0-F2:29.5%, F3-F4: 70.5%) were enrolled. Males were 48%, median age was 68 (59-74) years and BMI 25.9 (23.1-28); 24.7% were smokers, 18% had diabetes, 13.2% had cholesterol levels >200 mg/dl and 9.1% took statins, 44% had hypertension. During an overall median follow-up of 28 (24-39) months, incident CV events, such as ischemic heart disease (IHD) and ischemic cerebral stroke (ICS), were recorded. An overall of 2204 patients were evaluated as control group and 1668 patients after HCV elimination were followed as a case group. Factors associated with CV events were evaluated by uni- and multi-variate analyses. Results: Incident CV rates per 100 patient years in pre-treatment and untreated controls and treated cases were 1.12, 1.14 and 0.44 (p = 0.0001 vs. controls), respectively, and a decreased of relative risk (RR = 0.379; p = 0.0002) was observed. CV risk was 2.0-3.5 times lower then in controls (HR 3.671; 95%C.I.:1.871-7.201; p < 0.001). The calculated number of patients to be treated to get a benefit in a patient was 55.26. The annual incidence reduction of CV events was 0.68%. HCV clearance was independently associated with CV events reduction (OR, 4.716; 95% C.I.:1.832-12.138; p = 0.001). Conclusions: HCV clearance by DAA reduces CV events (IHD and ICS) with both clinical and socio-economic benefits

Reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection cleared by direct-acting antivirals therapy. A prospective study

HCV infection increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, it remains still unclear whether HCV clearance by direct-acting antivirals (DAA) reduces T2DM. Therefore, the effect of HCV eradication on T2DM incidence was assessed

Reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection cleared by direct‐acting antiviral therapy: A prospective study

HCV infection increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, it remains still unclear whether HCV clearance by direct-acting antivirals (DAA) reduces T2DM. Therefore, the effect of HCV eradication on T2DM incidence was assessed