Publications by authors named "Balercia G"

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) represents a relatively rare cause of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), but its knowledge is crucial for the clinical andrologists, as it represents a condition that can be corrected with medical therapy in 3 quarters of cases. There are forms of congenital HH, whether or not associated with an absent sense of smell (anosmic HH or Kallmann syndrome, and normosmic HH, respectively), and forms of acquired HH. In congenital HH, complete absence of pubertal development is characteristic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Immune checkpoint inhibitors, like pembrolizumab used in melanoma treatment, can cause rare autoimmune reactions affecting endocrine glands, leading to conditions like hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.
  • - A 39-year-old man experienced a sequence of endocrine issues following his pembrolizumab treatment, including thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, and central adrenal insufficiency.
  • - This case highlights the need for careful monitoring of hormonal functions in patients undergoing immunotherapy due to the variability and unusual nature of these endocrine side effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that affects millions of patients worldwide and is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased risk of fractures. Notably, natural molecules can increase BMD and exert pro-osteogenic effects. Noteworthily, the nutraceutical BlastiMin Complex (Mivell, Italy, European Patent Application EP4205733A1) can induce differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in osteoblasts and can exert in vitro pro-osteogenic and anti-inflammatory effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Polyphenols are natural bioactives occurring in medicinal and aromatic plants and food and beverages of plant origin. Compared with conventional therapies, plant-derived phytochemicals are more affordable and accessible and have no toxic side effects. Thus, pharmaceutical research is increasingly inclined to discover and study new and innovative natural molecules for the treatment of several chronic human diseases, like type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and osteoporosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a prevalent and complex issue with varied treatment options and no definitive guidelines, leading to differing management practices internationally.
  • A comprehensive survey with 336 responses from specialists in 49 countries explored current medical and surgical strategies for NOA, analyzing results against existing guidelines and offering expert recommendations.
  • Key findings included diverse approaches to hormonal therapy, significant variation in sperm retrieval success rates, and differing protocols around varicocele repair and follicle-stimulating hormone cutoff levels for sperm retrieval.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Conducted from July to September 2022, a questionnaire gathered responses from 367 doctors in 49 countries, focusing on how they diagnose NOA through methods like hormone tests and genetic analyses.
  • * The survey identified that while many practices align with guidelines, significant differences in approaches were found, underscoring the need for standardized, evidence-based international guidelines for NOA evaluation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate profiles of personality evaluated by temperament and character dimensions (TCI) in 638 adult and older adult patients (CP) who had recently been diagnosed with breast, colon, lung, and other kinds of cancer (female and male subjects were assessed). Tests: Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Statistical analysis: cluster K-means analysis for personality traits.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Osteoporosis is a condition favored by the postmenopausal decline in estrogen levels and worsened by oxidative stress (OS). Polyphenols are natural compounds abundantly found in fruits and vegetables, and they exert antioxidant and hormonal effects that could be useful in osteoporosis prevention, as suggested by epidemiological studies showing a lower incidence of fractures in individuals consuming polyphenol-rich diets. The aim of our meta-analysis is to evaluate the effects of polyphenols on bone mineral density (BMD, primary endpoint) and bone turnover markers (BTMs, secondary endpoint) in postmenopausal women.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Night shift work is related to sleep disorders, disruption of circadian rhythm and low serum levels of vitamin D. It is known that all these conditions can adversely affect bone mass. The rate of bone turnover can be assessed through the measurement of molecules called bone turnover markers, including C-terminal telopeptide fragment of type I collagen (CTX) and procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (P1NP).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates global practices and challenges in using sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) assays, which can affect male reproductive potential, as outlined in the latest WHO manual.
  • A survey of 436 reproductive clinicians revealed that the most popular SDF assay is TUNEL, with a significant influence from availability on their choices.
  • Clinicians see the value of SDF testing in understanding infertility but face barriers like insufficient professional guidelines and a lack of accepted reference values for interpreting SDF results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The meta-analysis investigates the effects of varicocele repair on semen parameters in infertile males, combining data from diverse studies without language restrictions.
  • A total of 351 studies were analyzed, revealing significant improvements in several semen parameters post-repair, including semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and morphology, while sperm vitality showed no improvement.
  • This research is the largest of its kind and highlights the benefits of varicocele repair for male infertility, contributing valuable insights for clinical practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease characterized by a prolonged hyperglycemic condition caused by insulin resistance mechanisms in muscle and liver, reduced insulin production by pancreatic β cells, and a chronic inflammatory state with increased levels of the pro-inflammatory marker semaphorin 3E. Phytochemicals present in several foods have been used to complement oral hypoglycemic drugs for the management of T2DM. Notably, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of T2DM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Thyroid dysfunction in patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) remains an unresolved issue. Although low free thyroxine (FT4) levels within the normal range and normal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels have been reported, there is currently no data on nodular thyroid disease in this population. This study aims to evaluate the results of thyroid ultrasound (US) examinations in KS patients compared with healthy controls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates global practices for managing sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in infertile men, highlighting its impact on fertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART).
  • A survey collecting data from 436 reproductive experts across 55 countries revealed a common recommendation for lifestyle changes and antioxidants, with varying durations for treatment and differing management approaches for specific infertility cases.
  • The findings indicate a lack of uniformity in practices, emphasizing the need for standardized guidelines and expert consensus for treating men with elevated SDF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study explores global practices for sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing in infertile men, following its inclusion in the WHO laboratory manual.
  • A survey conducted among 436 infertility clinicians across 55 countries reveals varied testing practices, with many testing SDF in cases of unexplained infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and among smokers.
  • The findings highlight the need for clearer professional guidelines on SDF testing, given the diversity in current practices and the potential benefits for certain patient populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * The study specifically observed that two hours of exposure to ELF-MF at a frequency of 50 Hz and intensity of 1 mT resulted in measurable changes in human spermatozoa.
  • * Findings highlight potential risks associated with everyday exposure to ELF-MF from electronic devices and workplace environments, suggesting it may affect reproductive health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent conditions associated with premature morbidity and mortality worldwide. Capsiate, a nonpungent analogue of capsaicin, binds to TRP vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor, which is involved in adipogenesis, and could be effective as a weight-lowering agent.

Methods: Eighteen slightly overweight women were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study aimed to investigate personality traits associated with depression in breast cancer women (BCW).

Methods: Sample: 236 BCW recently diagnosed (early stages). Tests: SASB-Structural-Analysis of Social-Behavior; IPAT-CDQ-Depression Statistical analysis: cluster K-Means analysis to explore SASB personality-traits considering the 8 SASB clusters (Cl); CDQ scores dichotomized by 50th percentile cutoff (high/low); Pearson's chi square test to compare CDQ levels and SASB traits.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease that has rapidly spread worldwide, causing hundreds of thousand deaths. Normal placentation is characterized by many processes strictly regulated during pregnancy. If placentation is impaired, it can lead to gestational disorders, such as preeclampsia that is a multisystem disorder that occurs in 2-8% of pregnancies worldwide.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: So far, male genital tract color-Doppler ultrasound (MGT-CDUS) was not standardized. Recently, the European Academy of Andrology (EAA) published the results of a multicenter study assessing the CDUS characteristics of healthy-fertile men (HFM) to obtain normative parameters.

Objectives: To report the EAA US study (i) standard operating procedures (SOPs) for assessing MGT-CDUS, (ii) main MGT-CDUS normative parameters, and (iii) compare the EAA and previously published "normal" CDUS values.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The environment plays a key role in male infertility, changing the incidence in various populations, and pesticides are one of the most studied hazards. The use of the latter has never decreased, jeopardizing the safety of workers and the general population.

Objective: Our purpose was to summarize the results of studies discussing the association between pesticides and male fertility.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Varicocele is a common problem among infertile men. Varicocele repair (VR) is frequently performed to improve semen parameters and the chances of pregnancy. However, there is a lack of consensus about the diagnosis, indications for VR and its outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The European Academy of Andrology (EAA) initiated a study to establish standardized transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) parameters for the prostate and seminal vesicles in healthy-fertile men (HFM).
  • The study analyzed 188 men to determine normative ranges for prostate volume (PV) and seminal vesicle (SV) characteristics, noting associations with factors like age and smoking.
  • Key findings included mean PV of about 25 ml, significant correlations between SV volume and ejaculate characteristics, and the presence of prostate calcifications and inhomogeneity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a highly prevalent condition among adult males, affecting up to 41% of men in Europe. It is characterized by the association of obesity, hypertension, and atherogenic dyslipidemia, which lead to premature morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Male infertility is another common condition which accounts for about 50% of cases of couple infertility worldwide.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF