VARICOCELE

484173

TREATMENT OF MALE-STERILITY

1325926

PROGNOSIS OF VARICOCELECTOMY IN THE TREATMENT OF INFERTILITY, BASED ON PRE-SURGERY CHARACTERISTICS

5545246

Effect of hemodialysis on visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and macular thickness in patients with chronic kidney disease

Elias Chelala,1,2,* Ali Dirani,1,2,* Ali Fadlallah,1,2 Elise Slim,1,2 Youssef Abdelmassih,1,2 Henry Fakhoury,3 Patrick Baz,1,2 Riad Bejjani1,2 1Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, 2Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital, Saint-Joseph University, 3Eye and Ear Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon *These two authors contributed equally to this work Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hemodialysis (HD) on visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), and central foveal thickness (CFT) in patients with chronic kidney disease.Materials and methods: Forty-nine eyes from 49 chronic kidney-disease patients were analyzed. Causes of chronic kidney disease included diabetes mellitus (n=9 patients), hypertensive nephrosclerosis (n=15 patients), and other causes (n=25 patients). All patients underwent HD in the Dialysis Unit of Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital. Best-corrected visual acuity, CFT, and IOP were evaluated before and after HD. CFT was measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and IOP was measured with Goldmann applanation tonometry.Results: Neither decimal best-corrected visual acuity (pre-HD 0.71±0.32, post-HD 0.72±0.31; P=0.877) nor CFT (pre-HD 251.39±39.29, post-HD 253.09±39.26; P=0.272) significantly changed after HD. However, mean IOP significantly decreased from 13.99±2.48 before HD to 12.65±2.41 mmHg after HD (P=0.001). IOP change was significantly correlated with serum albumin levels (P=0.008) and weight changes (P=0.047).Conclusion: HD can affect various ocular parameters. This is particularly true of IOP, which decreases significantly following HD. Keywords: chronic kidney disease, hemodialysis, visual acuity, central macular thickness, intraocular pressur

Differentiation of somatic hybrid cells (SHC), obtained by embryonic stem (ES) cells and splenocytes fusion, into germ cells (GC) in vitro.

Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Morphol & Genet Dept, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilClin Res Human Repord Roger Abdelmassih, Stem Cell Lab, São Paulo, BrazilCtr Res Human Repord Roger Abdelmassih, Stem Cell Lab, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Morphol & Genet Dept, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Human immature dental pulp stem cells` contribution to developing mouse embryos: production of human/mouse preterm chimaeras

In this study, we aimed at determining whether human immature dental pulp stem cells (hIDPSC) would be able to contribute to different cell types in mouse blastocysts without damaging them. Also, we analysed whether these blastocysts would progress further into embryogenesis when implanted to the uterus of foster mice, and develop human/mouse chimaera with retention of hIDPSC derivates and their differentiation. hIDPSC and mouse blastocysts were used in this study. Fluorescence staining of hIDPSC and injection into mouse blastocysts, was performed. Histology, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization and confocal microscopy were carried out. hIDPSC showed biological compatibility with the mouse host environment and could survive, proliferate and contribute to the inner cell mass as well as to the trophoblast cell layer after introduction into early mouse embryos (n = 28), which achieved the hatching stage following 24 and 48 h in culture. When transferred to foster mice (n = 5), these blastocysts with hIDPSC (n = 57) yielded embryos (n = 3) and foetuses (n = 6); demonstrating presence of human cells in various organs, such as brain, liver, intestine and hearts, of the human/mouse chimaeras. We verified whether hIDPSC would also be able to differentiate into specific cell types in the mouse environment. Contribution of hIDPSC in at least two types of tissues (muscles and epithelial), was confirmed. We showed that hIDPSC survived, proliferated and differentiated in mouse developing blastocysts and were capable of producing human/mouse chimaeras.Roger Abdelmassih Human Reproduction Clinic and Research CenterFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Sao Paulo, Brazi