Black Tea Increases Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Improves Flow Mediated Dilatation Counteracting Deleterious Effects from a Fat Load in Hypertensive Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study.

(1) Background: Endothelial dysfunction predicts cardiovascular events. Circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) maintain and repair the endothelium regulating its function. Tea flavonoids reduce cardiovascular risk.

Sperm forward motility is negatively affected by short-term exposure to altitude hypoxia.

Human exposure to altitude is a model to study the role of oxygen in different areas of physiology and pathophysiology. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a short exposure to hypoxia (5 days) combined with exercise, at altitude ranging from 900 m above sea level to 5895 m above sea level (Kilimanjaro Expedition) can modify seminal and reproductive hormonal parameter levels in human beings. During the ascent, blood oxygen saturation at 3.

Tadalafil treatment had a modest effect on endothelial cell damage and repair ability markers in men with erectile dysfunction and vascular risk.

The number of the circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) and colony forming units (CFUs) derived from cultured circulating mononuclear cells (MNCs) represents a laboratory surrogate for endothelial cell repair ability. The serum of men with erectile dysfunction (ED) and vascular risk factors (VRFs) showed an increased level of endothelial cell damage/dysfunction markers and reduced the numbers of CACs and CFUs derived from the cells of healthy men. We analyzed whether treating men with ED and VRFs with the selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor tadalafil improved the endothelial cell repair ability and reduced the levels of the serum markers of endothelial cell damage/dysfunction.

Serum from patients with erectile dysfunction inhibits circulating angiogenic cells from healthy men: relationship with cardiovascular risk, endothelial damage and circulating angiogenic modulators.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an early manifestation of arteriosclerosis associated with endothelial damage/dysfunction and to a blunted ability of cultured mononuclear circulating cells (MNCs) to differentiate circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), putatively involved in endothelial damage repair. Here we explored effects of human serum (HS) from patients with ED and cardiovascular risk factors (VRFs) but no clinical atherosclerosis, on cultured MNCs of healthy men to differentiate CACs and to form colonies. Effect of HS on number of CACS and of colony forming units (CFUs) was correlated with circulating markers of endothelial damage and with angiogenic modulators.

Activation of the immune system and sperm DNA fragmentation are associated with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia in men with couple subfertility.

Ejaculates from men without known causes for male subfertility and asymptomatic for genital tract inflammation showed infiltration of macrophages, and their activation state (HLA-DR(+)) was negatively correlated with semen parameters and positively correlated with sperm DNA damage. An activation of the immune system is thus detectable in idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia of unknown origin.

Physical exercise at high altitude is associated with a testicular dysfunction leading to reduced sperm concentration but healthy sperm quality.

Objective: To explore the effect of physical exercise at high altitudes (HA) on male reproductive system.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Andrology Clinic, University of L'Aquila, Italy.

Altered ultrastructure of mitochondrial membranes is strongly associated with unexplained asthenozoospermia.

Objective: To explore the contribution of an altered structure of sperm mitochondria to human asthenozoospermia.

Design: A retrospective study.

Setting: Andrology Clinic, University of L'Aquila.

Beta-chemokine receptor CCR5 in human spermatozoa and its relationship with seminal parameters.

Background: Chemokine receptor CCR5, the main HIV-1 coreceptor, is present in the human spermatozoa. This study aimed to investigate (i) whether the percentage of CCR5-positive spermatozoa varies under conditions associated with changes in the membrane architecture, such as capacitation and fixation/permeabilization procedures; (ii) whether there is any relationship between individual variability in sperm CCR5 expression and semen parameters.

Methods And Results: In cytometric analysis, the percentage of CCR5-positive unfixed spermatozoa varied from approximately 10 to approximately 60%, and it significantly decreased after 5 h capacitation.

Seminal macrophages in ejaculates from men with couple infertility.

Seminal macrophages are occasionally reported though their relevance in the evaluation of human ejaculate is unknown. Activated macrophages, engaging in sperm phagocytosis (spermiophages), might represent a marker of innate immunosystem activation. We investigated whether the presence of spermiophages in non-leukocytospermic ejaculates from men complaining for couple infertility is associated with altered sperm features.

Dynamics of the global tyrosine phosphorylation during capacitation and acquisition of the ability to fuse with oocytes in human spermatozoa.

Phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in cellular proteins represents a major event during sperm capacitaton, but its relationship with the acquisition of sperm-fertilizing ability is still unclear. In this study we explored the relationship between the kinetics of the global tyrosine phosphorylation, monitored with a flow cytometric assay, and the acquisition of the human sperm ability to fuse with oocytes, evaluated with the progesterone-enhanced hamster egg penetration test. Sperm tyrosine phosphorylation appeared to be an early event in the capacitation process, with a 3.

RANTES and human sperm fertilizing ability: effect on acrosome reaction and sperm/oocyte fusion.

Beta-chemokine, regulated on activation and normally T-cell expressed and presumably secreted (RANTES), is present in both the male and female genital tract fluids where its levels increase in diseases related to infertility, such as endometriosis and male genital tract infections. beta-Chemokine receptors (CCR3 and CCR5) are expressed on freshly ejaculated human sperm cells and a sperm chemoattractant effect for RANTES has been reported. No information exists on other possible roles of RANTES on sperm functions involved in the fertilization process.

Retinol binding protein 4, low birth weight-related insulin resistance and hormonal contraception.

It has been recently reported that increased serum levels of retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), a molecule secreted by adipocytes and liver, could be an early marker of insulin resistance (IR). We determined whether serum RBP4 was increased in low birth weight (LBW)-young women as a model of early-onset IR, through a historical prospective study. The study-population included 35 LBW and 35 born at term appropriate for gestational age (term AGA) young women.

Endobronchial ultrasound-driven biopsy in the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions.

Study Objectives: The aim of our study was to compare the diagnostic yield of two bronchoscopic procedures: endobronchial ultrasound-driven transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB) and transbronchial biopsy (TBB) in peripheral pulmonary lesions.

Design: Prospective, randomized, blinded study.

Setting: University Hospital of Rome, Italy.

Pulmonary involvement in tuberous sclerosis complex: presentation of a case.

A clinical case of a pulmonary involvement in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex is reported. This rare involvement (1%) is characterized by either interstitial disease or bullae; therefore, pneumothorax is likely to happen in lung parenchyma. Furthermore this complication induces a progressive serious respiratory failure until the death of the patient.

High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) assessment of beta 2-agonist induced bronchodilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

The evaluation of airway obstruction reversibility in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is currently performed by means of an indirect assessment of drug inducing variations in pulmonary function tests. Imaging techniques, especially high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), usually provide a complete evaluation of lung parenchyma (bronchial and vascular structures), but so far they have never been applied to visualize the effects on the bronchopulmonary tree of some pharmacologic stimuli (beta 2 adrenergic agonist), currently used in clinical practice to disclose the presence of airway reversibility. In order to assess the possible role of HRCT in this setting, five COPD patients have been subjected to a double functional radiologic evaluation before and after salbutamol-induced broncho-dilation, with a rigorous assessment of bronchial diameter changes by means of "bronchus-vessel" ratio, currently used for diagnosing bronchiectasis in COPD patients.