The Effect Of Air Temperature On Quality Of Sperm In Diyarbakir: An Analysis Over Six Years

INTRODUCTION: There are many studies focusing on the effect of environmental conditions on human sperm quality. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the possible effects of environmental factors such as air temperature and humidity, sun exposure time and particulate matter 10 (PM10), on semen parameters in Diyarbakır. METHODS: In this study, semen analysis data obtained from 7318 men with suspected infertility were analyzed retrospectively. Since spermatogenesis takes more than two months, retrospective data were adjusted to assess environmental exposure three months before semen retrieval. Semen samples taken from the participants were examined in conformity with WHO criteria after liquefaction. RESULTS: The mean age was 30.67+- 7.21 years. The average air temperature was inversely related to sperm concentration, total sperm count, and total progressive motile sperm count (TPMSC). Sperm concentration, total sperm count, and TPMSC increased at low temperature (< 15oC) compared to high temperature (>15oC). TPMSC was higher in sun exposure for less than 8 hours than those exposed for more than 8 hours. Also, sperm concentration, and total sperm count, were higher when above relative humidity 50% than below 50% relative humidity. There was no significant difference between PM10 values (<40 μg/m3 and ˃40 μg/m3) and sperm parameters. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our results supported that environmental factors such as sun exposure, relative humidity and air temperature negatively affect sperm parameter

Effects of COVID-19 on sexual health in men with suspected infertility using semen analysis and serum hormone profile: A single-center experience

Aim: To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on sex hormone levels between men who have recovered from COVID-19 infection and men who have never been infected. Method: This study included 80 men who applied to the Infertility Clinic with a diagnosis of primary or secondary infertility. Semen analysis was performed twice, before COVID-19 and after the treatment of COVID-19 disease. In addition, Luteinizing hormone (LH), Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), and 17β- estradiol (E2) levels were compared between the men after COVID-19 disease and uninfected men. Results: There was a significant difference in progressive sperm motility and immobility before and after the COVID-19 disease. Progressive sperm motility was decreased after COVID-19 disease while immobility was increased after COVID-19. The serum T level was lower and the E2 level was higher in men after COVID-19 disease compared to uninfected men. Conclusions: COVID-19 may adversely affect gonadal functions by causing to more deterioration of the hormone levels and semen parameters in infertile males. Therefore, gonadal function evaluation, including semen and sex-related hormones examination, is required to follow up the male COVID-19 patients with a reproductive plan

Mutational Spectrum of the MEFV Gene in AA Amyloidosis Associated With Familial Mediterranean Fever

WOS: 000382833300002PubMed ID: 27225717Introduction. Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a recessively inherited disease which is characterized by recurrent episodic fever, abdominal pain, and polyserositis. It is caused by mutations in the MEFV gene, encoding the pyrin protein. The most important complication of FMF is secondary (AA) amyloidosis that leads to kidney failure. This study aimed to identify the frequency and distribution of MEFV mutations in Turkish patients with FMF-associated AA amyloidosis. Materials and Methods. A total of 57 patients with FMF-associated AA amyloidosis and 60 healthy controls were included in this study. We analyzed the MEFV gene for E148Q, M694V, M680I, and V726A mutations and R202Q variant by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. Results. The male-female ratio was 0.72. The mean age of the patients was 29.8 +/- 12.8 years. Among the patients, the rate of the MEFV mutations was found to be 77.2%. The most frequently observed genotype was homozygous M694V mutation, which was present in 17 patients (29.8%, P <.001), followed by compound heterozygous M680I/ M694V (14.3%, P =.01). The R202Q allele frequencies were significantly different between patients and control group (P =.02; odds ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.30 to 0.94). Conclusions. In this study, mutation analysis of MEFV gene confirmed that the most frequent mutation was homozygous M694V genotype. R202Q may be important in patients with FMF-associated AA amyloidosis. Thus, it is suggested that investigation of R202Q should be considered as a genetic test for Turkish FMF patients

PER3 VNTR variant and susceptibility to smoking status/substance use disorder in a Turkish population

Background: Substance use and smoking exert devastating impact on sleep, especially hindering the ease of falling asleep, compromising the sleep maintenance, and distorting the sleep cycles. PERIOD genes are believed to play a role in individual differences in sleep timing by influencing circadian. Objective: The aim of this study was to ascertain whether Per3 VNTR variant affects suspectibility of individuals to substance use disorder (SUD) and smoking status in a Turkish population. Methods: A total of 549 subjects, including 212 SUD patients, 160 smoker, and 177 healthy controls, matched by ethnicity, age, and gender, were recruited in a case-control study. Genotyping of Per3 variant was performed using PCR method. Results: When the SUD, smoker groups and controls were compared in terms of 5R/5R, 5R/4R, 4R/4R genotypes, no significant difference was observed. Besides, allele frequencies of Per3 VNTR were similar among the groups. Discussion: Our data indicate that Per3 VNTR variant is not associated with the risk of SUD and smoking status in our population

Relationship between major depressive disorder and ACE gene I/D polymorphism in a Turkish population

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex disease and a significant health problem that is prevalent across the world. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) has an important role in renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and converts inactive angiotensin I to a potent vasopressor and aldosterone-stimulating peptide angiotensin II. Levels of ACE in plasma vary according to the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of ACE gene. Objective The aim of the current study was to examine the influence ACE gene I/D variations on the risk of MDD. Methods In the present case-control study, we analyzed ACE I/D polymorphism in 346 MDD patients and 210 healthy subjects using polymerase chain reaction technique. Results Comparing the two groups, no significant difference was observed with regard to either genotype distributions or allele frequencies of the I/D polymorphism of ACE gene. Discussion Our findings suggest that the ACE I/D polymorphism is not associated with MDD in Turkish case-control study. Further studies are still needed

XRCC4 rs6869366 polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to both nicotine dependence and/or schizophrenia

Background: Oxidative stress induced DNA damage has been assumed to contribute to the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia (Sch). Smoking prevalence was more common in patients with Sch. The X-ray repair cross-complementation group 4 (XRCC4) gene plays an important role in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether XRCC4 rs6869366 polymorphism has a relationship both in nicotine dependence (ND) and Sch+ND risk. Methods: One hundred and four patients with Sch+ND, 133 subjects with ND only and 70 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. XRCC4 rs6869366 polymorphism was analyzed using PCR-RFLP assay. Results: The frequency of XRCC4 rs6869366 GG genotype was more common in the ND and Sch+ND group than controls (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). XRCC4 rs6869366 TT genotype was lower in both ND and Sch+ND group compared to controls (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Also, XRCC4 rs6869366 G allele was higher in Sch+ND group than controls (p = 0.001) while XRCC4 rs6869366 T allele was lower in ND group than healthy controls (p=0.001). XRCC4 rs6869366 GT genotype was lower in ND group than control group (p = 0.003). Discussion: These results suggested that the XRCC4 rs6869366 polymorphism G related genotype/allele was associated with susceptibility to both ND and Sch+ND in a Turkish population

Molecular basis of the triple negative breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and more than 1 million breast cancer cases are diagnosed each year all over the world. Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease in terms of its molecular structure, mutation type, metastase properties, clinical course and therapeutic response. Breast cancer is divided into subtypes based on expression properties of molecular markers as estrogen receptor, progestron receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Triple-negative breast cancer is characterized by the lack of tumors that estrogen receptor, progestron receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene expression. These type of tumors lead to agressive clinical course due to unresponsiveness to systemic endocrine therapy and poor prognosis. Triple negative breast cancer constitutes 10-20% of all breast cancers. It affects generally young and African-American women. Triple negative breast cancer have several subtypes based on the gene expression properties. The majority of them are basal-like breast cancers. In this review, current literature is revised and summarized with respect to the molecular basis of triple negative cancers. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2015; 24(2.000): 251-259

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) and eNOS Polymorphisms in multiple myeloma patients: a single center experience.

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) constitutes approximately 10% of hematological malignancies. Bisphosphonates have established themselves in solid organ metastasis and multiple myeloma lytic bone lesions by inhibiting osteoclast activation. Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) emerges as an important complication. Investigating host-based factors, and developing personal risk factors gain importance in the development mechanism of MRONJ. We aimed to reveal the different genotype polymorphisms, and clinical effects of eNOS in patients with a diagnosis of MRONJ in MM patients. Methods Medical records and blood samples were collected from 60 MRONJ patients with MM and 60 healthy controls. Inclusion criteria was having an exposed maxillofacial bone for more than eight weeks, a history of bisphosphonates, and no history of radiation therapy for the jaws. eNOS G894T and intron 4 VNTR were calculated by polymerase chain reaction and/or restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results eNOS G894T and VNTR genotypes and alleles were compared statistically with the healthy control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups. In comparison between G894T and clinical parameters, aphthous stomatitis was more common in TT genotype, while DMFT > 3 was more common in TG-GG genotype (p = 0.035, 0.023). Conclusions eNOS induces osteogenesis in bone metabolism, with its regulatory effects on bone remodeling and also NO induced angiogenesis takes place indirectly with its protective effect on endothelial functions. We see that these polymorphisms affecting the entire process of bone remodeling and angiogenesis, especially mucosal damage, which is the triggering factor of MRONJ pathology, have been revealed in the MM patient group. Considering the MRONJ initiating factors, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of our study results. It should be seen as an important step for new studies towards MRONJ and its treatment

Interleukin-1Ra rs2234663 and Interleukin-4 rs79071878 Polymorphisms in Familial Mediterranean Fever

WOS: 000372761300010PubMed ID: 26861613Objective: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessively inherited auto inflammatory disorder. MEFV gene, causing FMF, encodes pyrin that is associated with the interleukin-1 (IL-1) related inflammation cascade. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) polymorphisms with the risk of FMF in the Turkish population. Methods: This study included 160 patients with FMF (74 men, 86 women) and 120 healthy controls (50 men, 70 women), respectively. Genotyping of IL-1Ra rs2234663 polymorphism was evaluated by gel electrophoresis after polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The IL-4 rs79071878 polymorphism was determined by PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. The results of analyses were evaluated for statistical significance. Results: There was no significant difference in IL-1Ra genotype and allele distributions between FMF and the control groups (p > 0.05). However, a significant association was observed between FMF patients and control groups according to IL-4 genotype distribution (p = 0.016), but no association was found in the allelic frequency of IL-4 between FMF patients and the controls (p > 0.05, OR: 1.131, Cl 95%: 0.71-1.81). Conclusions: The IL-4 rs79071878 polymorphism, was associated whereas the IL-1Ra rs2234663 polymorphism was not associated with FMF risk in the Turkish population. Larger studies with different ethnicities are needed to determine the impact of IL-1Ra and IL-4 polymorphism on the risk of developing FMF. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved