Exploring patterns of recurrent melanoma in Northeast Scotland to inform the introduction a digital self-examination intervention

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Locally harvested foods support serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D sufficiency in an indigenous population of Western Alaska

Background: Low serum vitamin D is associated with higher latitude, age, body fat percentage and low intake of fatty fish. Little documentation of vitamin D concentrations is available for Alaska Native populations. Objective: This study was undertaken to investigate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations of the Yup'ik people of southwestern Alaska in relation to demographic and lifestyle variables, particularly with the use of locally harvested (local) foods. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: We estimated 25(OH)D, dietary vitamin D and calcium, percent of energy from local foods and demographic variables in 497 Yup'ik people (43% males) aged 14–92 residing in southwestern Alaska. Sampling was approximately equally divided between synthesizing and non-synthesizing seasons, although the preponderance of samples were drawn during months of increasing daylight. Results: Mean vitamin D intake was 15.1±20.2 µg/d, while local foods accounted for 22.9±17.1% of energy intake. The leading sources of vitamin D were local fish (90.1%) followed by market foods. Mean 25(OH)D concentration was 95.6±40.7 nmol/L. Participants in the upper 50th percentile of 25(OH)D concentration tended to be older, male, of lower body mass index, sampled during the synthesizing season, and among the upper 50th percentile of local food use. Conclusions: A shift away from locally harvested foods will likely increase the risk for serum 25(OH)D insufficiency in this population

Comparison of the effectiveness of medications containing a combination of zinc and arginine for treatment of male infertility

The study objective is to perform clinical laboratory evaluation of the effectiveness of Prostatilen® AC and Arginine-zinc in treatment of patients with sperm pathology and concomitant varicocele and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis.Materials and methods. The study included 60 patients between 23 and 46 years of age. The first group included 30 patients (15 patients with varicocele and 15 patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis) who received Prostatilen® AC. The second group included 30 patients (15 patients with varicocele and 15 patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis) who received Arginine-zinc. Therapy duration was 20 days. Standard clinical and laboratory examination, spermiologic examination as well as measurement of antisperm antibodies, DNA fragmentation, oxidative stress level, cryotest, electron microscopy examination of the ejaculate were performed.Results. Five (5) days after the end of therapy, percentage of progressive motile sperm increased by 62 % in the Prostatilen® AC patient group with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (р <0.001) compared to the baseline, and by only 10 % in the Arginine-zinc patient group. Administration of Prostatilen® AC lead to a more significant decrease of reactive oxygen intermediates in the ejaculate (р <0.001) and percentage of sperm with fragmented DNA (р <0.001) compared to administration of Arginine-zinc. The applied treatment schemes had no significant effect on the number of sperm with acrosomal hypoplasia. An anti-inflammatory effect of Prostatilen® AC was also identified (decreased number of leukocytes in sperm). During the study, 3 cases of adverse effects were registered: 1 after administration of Prostatilen® AC and 2 after administration of Arginine-zinc.Conclusion. Prostatilen® AC can be considered more effective and safer compared to Arginine-zinc for 20-day administration. In patients with sperm pathology, it more effectively improves sperm characteristics: increases sperm motility, sperm morphology, decreases DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress levels