Publications by authors named "Ajina Mounir"

The evaluation of sperm DNA integrity is recommended in the sixth edition of the 2021 World Health Organization guidelines. Oxidative stress has been identified as a crucial factor leading to genome decay, lipid peroxidation, and nucleoprotein oxidation. This double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aimed to assess the effect of oral antioxidant treatment (Fertilis), which contains L-carnitine and some micronutrients, in the improvement of conventional sperm parameters, sperm DNA integrity and in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) outcomes.

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The deleterious effects of chemical or non-chemical endocrine disruptors (EDs) on male fertility potential is well documented but still not fully elucidated. For example, the detection of industrial chemicals' metabolites in seminal plasma and follicular fluid can affect efficiency of the gametogenesis, the maturation and competency of gametes and has guided scientists to hypothesize that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may disrupt hormonal homoeostasis by leading to a wide range of hormonal control impairments. The effects of EDCs exposure on reproductive health are highly dependent on factors including the type of EDCs, the duration of exposure, individual susceptibility, and the presence of other co-factors.

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Emerging evidence has indicated the involvement of extrahypothalamic Kisspeptin and GnRHR in reproductive function. In this study, we evaluate if maternal exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) and/or a high-fat diet (HFD) has an impact on the expression of Kisspeptin and GnRHR in the reproductive organs of rats' offspring. A total of 16 pregnant rats are divided into four groups: a control group ( = 4), CPF group (4 rats exposed daily to 1/mg/kg/day), HFD group (4 rats randomly fed a 5.

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Multiple Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagella (MMAF) is a severe form of teratozoospermia associated with several sperm flagellar abnormalities. The study included 52 patients with MMAF syndrome and a control group of 25 fertile men. The impact of nuclear sperm quality on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) results was studied in 20 couples.

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Advanced age has been reported to negatively affect sperm parameters and spermatozoa DNA integrity. A decline in sperm criteria was also associated with altered epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation with a potential downstream impact on in vitro fertilization success and clinical outcomes. The aim of the present retrospective study was to clarify the association between advanced paternal age (APA) and sperm parameters, DNA integrity and DNA methylation profile.

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According to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, the quantities of pesticide used around the world have increased regularly since the 1990s. Given that pesticides may be classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, neurotoxic, or toxic for reproduction, some have endocrine-disrupting properties that might be associated with a decline in sperm parameters in general and sperm DNA integrity in particular. These days, a sperm analysis is not enough to determine the etiology of male infertility.

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Introduction: embryo implantation is a crucial step for assisted reproductive technology (ART) achievement. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is one of the main regulators of the implantation process. Studies focusing on the impact of intrauterine hCG infusion at the time of embryo transfer on clinical ART outcomes have shown controversial results, mainly at blastocyst stage.

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Article Synopsis
  • Childlessness poses significant emotional challenges for infertile couples, especially during assisted reproductive treatments (ART), with mixed findings regarding the impact of anxiety on outcomes.
  • A study involving 79 infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization in Tunisia categorized anxiety levels and assessed stress through blood cortisol levels, revealing that primary infertility was associated with higher stress.
  • The results indicated that severe anxiety negatively affected the implantation rate, while no significant difference was found in clinical pregnancy and live birth rates among different anxiety groups; psychological support is recommended to improve outcomes.
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  • A study examined whether magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) can effectively select sperm with lower DNA fragmentation and chromosomal abnormalities in men with high sperm DNA fragmentation rates.
  • Six males' cryopreserved sperm were analyzed, differentiating between nonapoptotic and apoptotic sperm populations using various labeling techniques.
  • Results indicated that the apoptotic sperm had higher rates of DNA fragmentation and chromosomal abnormalities, while the nonapoptotic sperm showed significant reductions in these issues, suggesting that MACS could be beneficial for improving sperm quality.
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Article Synopsis
  • The COVID-19 pandemic presents a challenge for Reproductive Medicine, which is typically considered a non-emergency activity, except for cases involving cancer-related fertility preservation.
  • Leading fertility organizations like ASRM and ESHRE advised halting new patient intakes and suggested continuing only existing IVF cycles with a preference for Freeze-all strategies.
  • Recent developments and new data have emerged, prompting a need to revise previously established recommendations in Tunisia, reflecting the changes in the situation.
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Despite advances in the field of male reproductive health, idiopathic male infertility, in which a man has altered semen characteristics without an identifiable cause and there is no female factor infertility, remains a challenging condition to diagnose and manage. Increasing evidence suggests that oxidative stress (OS) plays an independent role in the etiology of male infertility, with 30% to 80% of infertile men having elevated seminal reactive oxygen species levels. OS can negatively affect fertility a number of pathways, including interference with capacitation and possible damage to sperm membrane and DNA, which may impair the sperm's potential to fertilize an egg and develop into a healthy embryo.

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Various nuclear sperm alterations are reported in patients with syndromic teratozoospermia; however, this has not been clearly identified yet in total polymorphic teratozoospermia. The aim of this study was to analyse sperm aneuploidy, DNA integrity and chromatin packaging in 45 infertile patients with total polymorphic teratozoospermia, and to compare obtained results with those collected from 25 fertile men. For 14 patients, the impact of nuclear sperm abnormalities on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes was analysed.

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Objective To investigate the difference in the outcome of ICSI-ET cycles among respondents patients, taking into account the molecule inducer of controlled ovarian stimulation: HP-hMG ou rFSH. Patients and Methods A comparative retrospective study over 62 months including a total of 1005 infertile couples, divided into two groups: HP-HMG (n=125) and rFSH (n=880). Results - The average numbers of retrieved oocytes and matures oocytes were significantly higher in rFSH group rFSH (7,94 ± 2,49, HP-HMG vs 9,05 ± 3,40, rFSH, p=0.

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Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by the growth of a number of small cysts on the ovaries which leads to sex hormonal imbalance. Women who are affected by this syndrome suffer from irregular menstrual cycles, decline in their fertility, excessive hair growth, obesity, acne and most importantly cardiac function problems. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in tissue vascularization in general and in the pathogenesis of many diseases.

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The FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene was associated with different metabolic disorders in populations from different origins but with great difference between African and non-African populations. North-African populations combine many genetic backgrounds, among which African, Berber and Caucasian components, which makes North-Africans a good model for studying the genetic association of FTO. In the present investigation we explored the association of FTO gene with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in a population from Tunisia (n=278).

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Recent studies have suggested that calpain-10 (CAPN10) gene polymorphisms play a role in the susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible association between three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CAPN10 gene: UCSNP-43 (rs3792267), UCSNP-19 (rs3842570), and UCSNP-63 (rs5030952) and PCOS in Tunisian cases and control women. Study subjects included 127 women with PCOS (mean age 29.

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Purpose: To evaluate levels of sperm DNA fragmentation and enzymatic antioxidant status in seminal plasma of Tunisian fertile and infertile men in order to assess the effects of seminal oxidative stress on sperm DNA integrity and semen quality.

Methods: Semen samples from 100 infertile patients (40 oligoasthenoteratozoospermics, 31 teratozoospermics and 29 asthenozoospermics) and 50 fertile men (controls) were analyzed for DNA fragmentation by TUNEL assay and biochemical parameters. Seminal antioxidant activities (Superoxide dismutase, Glutathione peroxidase and Catalase) and malondialdehyde concentrations were measured spectrophotometrically.

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Background: Growing evidence indicates that oxidative stress can be a primary cause of male infertility. Non-enzymatic antioxidants play an important protective role against oxidative damages and lipid peroxidation. Human seminal plasma is a natural reservoir of antioxidants.

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Human seminal plasma is a natural reservoir of antioxidants that protect spermatozoa from oxidative damages. There is evidence in literature supports the fact that impairments in seminal antioxidant and lipid per-oxidation status play important roles in the physiopathology of male infertility. Our present study forms the first one which was carried out in Tunisia.

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Purpose: To evaluate the frequency of sperm nuclei disomy for chromosomes 8, X, and Y in patients with severe non-obstructive oligozoospermia and to assess possible correlations between sperm nuclei aneuploidy and semen parameters or a particular clinical phenotype.

Materials And Methods: The sperm aneuploidy rate for chromosomes X, Y, and 8 were assessed in 16 infertile men with severe non-obstructive oligozoospermia and 7 healthy men with normal semen parameters. The frequency of sperm aneuploidy was compared between several patients groups according to their clinical and biological factors.

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Background: Study of endometrial thickness is central to the monitoring of ovulation in in vitro fecondation (IVF). Actually, failures of in vitro fecundation are mainly due to implantation failure of embryo.

Aims: • To assess whether the endometrial thickness the day of the induction of ovulation influences or not the result of the IVF attempt.

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Aim: evaluation of our experience in assisted fertilization by ICSI with analysis of prognostic factors.

Methods: retrospective study of 199 cycles of ICSI during a 2 years and half period between September 2001 and February 2004. The procedure of ICSI included several stages: collection and preparation of the semen, stake in culture of oocytes, removing of cumulus cells and microinjection of oocytes, control of the fertilization and embryo transfer respectively 18 to 22 hours and 48 hours after the microinjection.

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Objective: The leaf extract of Cestrum parqui was examined for its effects on sperm motility in vitro.

Methods: Washed sperm were prepared by discontinuous buoyant density gradient centrifugation and incubated with varying concentrations of extract from C. parqui (40-250 microg/mL) at 37 degrees C and 5% CO(2).

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One hundred thirty-five in 1,000 (13.5%) Tunisian male infertile patients with nonobstructive spermatogenesis disorders were found to have chromosomal abnormalities.

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Objective: To determine the relationship between sperm DNA methylation level and sperm characteristics and pregnancy rates.

Design: Prospective study. Quantitation by image analysis of DNA methylation in sperm nucleus.

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