Evaluation of circANKLE2 & circL3MBTL4 -RNAs Expression in Fertile and Infertile Men.

There are many factors that affect male fertility such as chronic health problems, psychological factors, and illnesses. Male infertility can be caused abnormal sperm function, low sperm production or even blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm. The aim of the work is to determine the expression pattern of the circularANKLE2 and circularL3MBTL4 RNA in spermatozoa from fertile and infertile males, as well as the relationship between these circRNA transcripts and sperm quality.

The exceptional case of a large extra-uterine, so-called parasitic leiomyoma in a post-menopausal woman with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

A large tumour mass was detected in a 65-year-old patient during a routine gynaecological examination. This patient had been treated for over 10 years with levothyroxine for Hashimoto's thyroiditis and was also given transdermal oestrogen replacement therapy. Before the operation, detailed imaging by CT scan and MRI was performed.

Preconception nutraceutical food supplementation can prevent oxidative and epigenetic DNA alterations induced by ovarian stimulation for IVF and increases pregnancy rates.

Background: It is hypothesized that oxidative and epigenetic alterations to DNA induced by ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be associated with an increased risk of diseases and cancer in the offspring and could possibly be attenuated by preconception food supplementation.

Methods: In a prospective randomised open-label trial, 62 patients were randomly assigned to either 30 days of preconception treatment with the nutraceutical Fertility woman ® duo (Nutriphyt, Beernem, Belgium) (group 1), this nutraceutical complemented with selenomethionine (group 2), or folic acid only (group 3). Biochemical and epigenetic effects and pregnancy rates were assessed.

The possible role of NF-κB1 Rs28362491 polymorphism in male fertility of Egyptian population.

Male reproductive impairment is responsible for at least 50% of cases of couple infertility. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) has been functionally linked to germ cell apoptosis, which may affect human fertility. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the rs28362491 SNP of the NF-κB1 gene and infertility in Egyptian men.

Evaluation of cannabinoid receptors Type 1 and Type 2 mRNA expression in mature versus immature spermatozoa from fertile and infertile males.

The expression of the main cannabinoid receptors (CBR1 and CBR2) was investigated to evaluate the possible association with the sperm maturation from fertile and infertile individuals. One hundred subjects were classified into fertile (n = 50) and infertile groups (n = 50). Fresh semen samples were collected.

Replacing HMG/FSH by low-dose HCG to complete corifollitropin alfa stimulation reduces cost per clinical pregnancy: a randomized pragmatic trial.

Research Question: The cost of IVF treatment remains high, among other factors because of the medication needed for ovarian stimulation. This study investigated the effect of using low-dose human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) for the second phase of follicular maturation after corifollitropin alfa induction, to replace the more expensive, either recombinant or human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG), on the cost of ovarian stimulation.

Design: One hundred and five patients were randomly divided into two groups: patients in the HCG group (n = 50) received low-dose HCG from Day 7 until the diameter of at least three follicles reached 17 mm or more, while patients in the FSH group (n = 55) received conventional ovarian stimulation with highly purified HMG injections.

Can the biological mechanisms of ageing be corrected by food supplementation. The concept of health care over sick care.

"From care for the sick to care for health" implies that age-related diseases and discomforts, which impair the quality of life, should be prevented rather than treated. Healthy lifestyle and nutrition, and hormone supplementation - when needed - are of crucial importance. Food supplementation with nutraceuticals composed of vitamins, oligo-minerals, plant extracts and essential amino- and fatty acids should reduce age-related oxidative and epigenetic damage to DNA, and inhibit inflammatory and metabolic impairment.

Lowered Plasma Steady-State Levels of Progesterone Combined With Declining Progesterone Levels During the Luteal Phase Predict Peri-Menstrual Syndrome and Its Major Subdomains.

Background: It is unknown whether lowered steady state levels of sex hormones coupled with changes in those hormones during the menstrual cycle are associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Objective: To examine associations between levels of progesterone and oestradiol during the menstrual cycle and PMS considering different diagnostic criteria for PMS.

Methods: Forty-one women aged 18-45 years with a regular menstrual cycle completed the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) for all 28 consecutive days of the menstrual cycle.

News and views in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): The role of co-morbidity and novel treatments.

Though affecting many thousands of patients, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) should be considered an orphan disease, since the cause remains elusive and no treatment is available that can provide complete cure. There is reasonable insight into the pathogenesis of signs and symptoms, and treatments specifically directed to immunological, inflammatory and metabolic processes offer relief to an increasing number of patients. Particular attention is given to the importance of co-morbidity requiring appropriate therapy.

Relating the Diers formetric measurements with the subjective severity of acute and chronic low back pain.

Background Context: Nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is a common disorder with a high economic, social and psychological burden. Many systems have been developed for evaluating the severity of LBP, though these are mainly based on scoring questionnaires for the functional status of the patients. Objective quantifiable methods relating LBP with anthropometric factors are scarce.

External factors affecting fertility, and how to correct their impact.

Fertility of both men and women has been negatively influenced by external factors and life style in recent decennia. Mechanisms of hormone disruption, oxidative damage, and epigenetic DNA changes play a pivotal role in this process. In Belgium, strict regulations have been imposed to reduce the exposure to xeno-estrogens, which has resulted in a partial recovery of sperm quality.

Why do some ME/CFS patients benefit from treatment with sodium dichloroacetate, but others do not?

Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is an enigmatic disease the pathogenesis of which remains elusive. Pragmatic proof-of-principle of the hypothetical mechanisms causing the clinical symptoms has been delivered, but it is hard to explain why some patients do respond favourably to treatment with sodium dichloroacetate (DCA), which enhances the activity of the mitochondrial enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase, but other patients experience no benefit from this substance. In a prospective trial including 35 ME/CFS patients, logistic regression analysis with stepwise elimination has identified 6 pre-treatment characteristics allowing for the differentiation between responders (n = 13) and non-reponders (n = 22) with high accuracy (P < 0.

A mathematical model predicting the individual outcome of IVF through sperm-analysis: The role of the HaloSpermG2® DNA fragmentation test.

The present paper reports the results of a pragmatic prospective trial in a group of 38 random infertile couples in whom a battery of semen assays were performed before in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Sixteen couples (42.1%) attained ongoing pregnancy.

Treating patients suffering from myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) with sodium dichloroacetate: An open-label, proof-of-principle pilot trial.

Twenty-two consecutive patients suffering from refractory myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) were treated with an innovative nutriceutical containing sodium dichloroacetate in a proof-of-principle, pilot, open-label prospective cohort trial. Ten patients experienced significant improvement of their health condition with reduction to almost half of their score in the fatigue severity scale. In twelve patients treatment failed to exert any beneficial effect.

RCT to evaluate the influence of adjuvant medical treatment of peritoneal endometriosis on the outcome of IVF.

Study Question: Does a 3-month adjuvant hormonal treatment of mild peritoneal endometriosis after laparoscopic surgery influence the outcome of IVF stimulation in terms of number of mature oocytes obtained per cycle?

Summary Answer: Complementary medical treatment of mild peritoneal endometriosis does not influence the number of oocytes per treatment cycle.

What Is Known Already: Endometriosis is a disease known to be related to infertility. However, the influence of superficial endometriosis-and its treatment-is still a matter of debate.

The andrologist's contribution to a better life for ageing men: part 2.

The long-term intake of a judiciously composed nutriceutical containing low-dose vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and particular herbal preparations seems justified for older persons who take medication, or who consume an unbalanced diet, or who are exposed to environmental toxins. Recent reports suggest these nutriceuticals may delay age-related diseases and the occurrence of cancer, and reduce mortality in apparently healthy ageing men. Food supplementation with a nutriceutical that was formulated particularly for ageing men should result in an increase of at least one quality-adjusted life year and may lower the financial and social burden of disease in elderly people.

The andrologist's contribution to a better life for ageing men: part 1.

The present opinion paper, explores the possibility that optimal hormone treatment and judicious nutraceutical food supplement can help ageing men to gain quality-adjusted life years. Testosterone treatment of patients with late-onset hypogonadism is given via the transdermal route or by intramuscular injections. There is overwhelming evidence that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has many beneficial effects and increases longevity by approximately 2% per year.

Hormone replacement therapy and longevity.

To assess whether hormone replacement therapy influences longevity, an analysis was made of published life tables allowing for the calculation of the relative benefit of hormone replacement therapy on longevity in men with late onset hypogonadism and in post-menopausal women. It was found that testosterone replacement therapy of men suffering from late onset hypogonadism increased survival rate by 9-10% in 5 years, similar to that of eugonadal, non-LOH men with normal endogenous testosterone secretion. Oestrogen replacement therapy resulted in increased survival by 2.

The serum estradiol concentration is the main determinant of the estradiol concentration in normal breast tissue.

Background: The estrogen concentration has been determined in breast tissue, focusing largely on samples obtained from breast cancers. In this study, estradiol concentration was determined in normal breast tissue obtained from women undergoing esthetic, and oncoplastic surgery.

Methods: Normal breast tissue was obtained during 68 operations for esthetic or reconstructive indications in women with and without a history of breast cancer.

Hormones, herbal preparations and nutriceuticals for a better life after the menopause: part II.

Long-term estrogen replacement therapy with estrogen has benefits for many postmenopausal women. However, some women prefer non-steroidal substitution with herbal preparations. The effectivity against vasomotor symptoms has been evidenced for the extracts of pine bark, of linseed and of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), whereas there is controversy about the effectiveness of genistein-rich soy extract.

Hormones, herbal preparations and nutriceuticals for a better life after the menopause: part I.

In developed countries, women spend more than one-third of their life in the menopause and at least half of them experience vasomotor symptoms that impair their normal function and well-being. Long-term estrogen replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen can suppress typical menopausal symptoms and prevents osteoporosis. When estrogen-only HRT is started within 10 years after the menopause, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease is reduced, mortality is lower, and the risk of breast cancer is not significantly increased.

Herbal preparations for the menopause: beyond isoflavones and black cohosh.

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) such as isoflavones and black cohosh are commonly used to deal with menopausal symptoms, but benefit a limited proportion of women. The aim of this minireview is to summarize the evidence of the efficacy and safety of other herbal preparations. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) find that the extracts of Mediterranean pine bark (Pycnogenol(®)), linseed, and Lepididium meyenii (Maca) reduce vasomotor symptoms.

Comparing the effectiveness of infertility treatments by numbers needed to treat (NNT).

To compare the clinical efficiency of different modes of treatment of infertile couples and to estimate the possible benefit of nutraceutical food supplementation (NFS), the numbers needed to treat (NNT) was calculated in 4143 infertile couples based on controlled trials in recent literature and personal data. The NNT expresses the number of individuals who need to be treated to obtain one complementary pregnancy. In female infertility, the NNT of mild or moderate endometriosis was 8.

Canine hip dyslasia: the significance of the Norberg angle for healthy breeding.

Objectives: To assess the reproducibility of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) classification over time, and between assessors and to evaluate the benefit of computer-assisted measurement of the Norberg angle and of its percentile ranking by breed for the diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia, and for the selection of couples for breeding.

Methods: During the time period of 2006 to 2010, 5094 hip radiographs were evaluated according to the FCI rules, and 4400 have been submitted for statistical analysis. A system of computer-assisted image analysis (Digimizer(®) , MedCalc Software Ltd, Mariakerke, Belgium) was used to measure the Norberg angle.