HCV and HBV genotypes: vital in the progression of HCV/ HBV co-infection.

Background: Viral hepatitis is the major contributor to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Studies indicated that the co-infection of hepatitis C and hepatitis B virus also prompts liver damage progression. Therefore, in the present study, the prevalence of HCV-HBV co-infection and the impact of HCV-HBV co-infection on the progression of liver damage was evaluated amongst the HCV-infected patients in Pakistan.

Innovative biopolymers composite based thin film for wound healing applications.

Efficient wound and burn healing is crucial for minimising complications, preventing infections, and enhancing overall well-being, necessitating the development of innovative strategies. This study aimed to formulate a novel thin film combining chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose, tannic acid, and beeswax for improved wound healing applications. Several formulations, incorporating chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose, tannic acid, and beeswax in various percentages, were utilized to deposit thin films via the solvent evaporation technique, Mechanical properties, morphology, antioxidant activity, antibacterial efficacy, and wound healing potential were evaluated.

Variations in Sperm DNA and Its Correlation to Pregnancy.

Abnormalities in sperm nuclei and chromatin can interfere with normal fertilization, embryonic development, implantation, and pregnancy. We aimed to study the impact of gene variants in sperm DNA on ICSI outcomes in couples undergoing ART treatment. One hundred and nineteen partners were divided into pregnant (G1) and non-pregnant (G2) groups.

Apigetrin ameliorates doxorubicin prompted testicular damage: biochemical, spermatological and histological based study.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective, commonly prescribed, potent anti-neoplastic drug that damages the testicular tissues and leads to infertility. Apigetrin (APG) is an important flavonoid that shows diverse biological activities. The present research was designed to evaluate the alleviative role of APG against DOX-induced testicular damages in rats.

Protective effect of didymin against 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats.

Purpose: 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is one of the most potent environmental toxicants, which causes oxidative stress and adversely affects the male reproductive system. The current study aimed to evaluate the ameliorative role of didymin (DDM) against TCDD-induced testicular toxicity.

Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four equal groups (n=12).

The Impact of Heavy Smoking on Male Infertility and Its Correlation with the Expression Levels of the and Genes.

Smoking has been linked to male infertility by affecting the sperm epigenome and genome. In this study, we aimed to determine possible changes in the transcript levels of (the phosphoglycerate mutase family member 5), (protein tyrosine phosphatase, N2-type receptor), and (tyrosine protein kinase receptor) in heavy smokers compared to non-smokers, and to investigate their association with the fundamental sperm parameters. In total, 118 sperm samples (63 heavy-smokers (G1) and 55 non-smokers (G2)) were included in this study.

Analysis of sperm chromatin packaging and reproductive biomarker to evaluate the consequence of advanced male age.

In this study, the semen parameters, sperm chromatin integrity, antioxidant enzyme levels, and reproductive hormone levels of subfertile male subjects from Pakistan were assessed in relation to their age. Data on the demographic characteristics of the 750 study participants, including their general health, body mass index (BMI), and reproductive status, were collected from subfertile men from Pakistan. Semen and blood were collected to determine standard semen parameters, sperm chromatin dispersion (Halosperm-SCD), sperm chromatin integrity using toluidine blue (TB) staining, sperm chromatin maturity using chromomycin A3 (CMA3+) staining, and reproductive hormone (FSH, LH, prolactin and testosterone levels).

Analyzing the Differential Impact of Semen Preparation Methods on the Outcomes of Assisted Reproductive Techniques.

Sperm separation plays a critical role in assisted reproductive technology. Based on migration, density gradient centrifugation and filtration, a properly selected sperm could help in increasing assisted reproductive outcomes in teratozoospermia (TZs). The current study aimed to assess the prognostic value of four sperm selection techniques: density gradient centrifugation (DGC), swim-up (SU), DGC-SU and DGC followed by magnetic-activated cell sorting (DGC-MACS).

Mechanistic insight into the protective effects of fisetin against arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats.

Arsenic is one of the most hazardous environmental contaminants, which adversely affects the dynamics of male reproductive system. Fisetin (FIS) is a bioactive flavonoid, which is known to exert strong antioxidative effects. Therefore, the current research was planned to evaluate the alleviative efficacy of FIS against arsenic-induced reproductive damages.

Impact of tobacco smoking in association with H2BFWT, PRM1 and PRM2 genes variants on male infertility.

Tobacco's genotoxic components can cause a wide range of gene defects in spermatozoa such as single- or double-strand DNA breaks, cross-links, DNA-adducts, higher frequencies of aneuploidy and chromosomal abnormalities. The aim in this study was to determine the correlation between sperm quality determined by standard parameters, sperm DNA maturity tested by Chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining, sperm DNA fragmentation tested by TUNEL assay and tobacco smoking in association with the single nucleotides polymorphisms (SNP) of three nuclear protein genes in spermatozoa (H2BFWT, PRM1 and PRM2). In this study, semen samples of 167 male patients were collected and divided into 54 non-smokers and 113 smokers.

A lack of a definite correlation between male sub-fertility and single nucleotide polymorphisms in sperm mitochondrial genes MT-CO3, MT-ATP6 and MT-ATP8.

Background: An inability of a man to conceive a potentially fertile woman after a year of unprotected intercourse is defined as male infertility. It is reported that 30-40% of males in their reproductive years have abnormalities in sperm production, either qualitatively or quantitatively, or both. However, genetic factors result in up to 15% of male infertility cases.

Iridoid glycoside Aucubin protects against nonylphenol-induced testicular damage in male rats via modulation of steroidogenic and apoptotic signaling.

Aucubin (AU) is one of the widespread compounds belonging to the group of iridoid glycosides, which possesses numerous beneficial properties. Nonylphenol (NP), is a synthetic environmental toxicant that has the potential to cause male infertility through excessive production of reactive oxygen species. In the current study, the remedial potential of Aucubin was assessed against NP-generated testicular damage in male rats.

The influence of paternal overweight on sperm chromatin integrity, fertilization rate and pregnancy outcome among males attending fertility clinic for IVF/ICSI treatment.

Background: Low and middle-income countries are facing a rapid increase in obesity and overweight burden, particularly in urban settings. Being overweight in men is associated with infertility and a higher risk to have a low sperm count or no sperm in their ejaculate. Despite potential limitations, this is one of few studies conducted to determine the potential risk of paternal overweight on sperm standard parameters, sperm chromatin integrity and assisted conception outcome including fertilization, embryo quality, cleavage rate, reduce blastocyst development, implantation, and cumulative live birth rate (CLBR).

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Mitochondrial Variations on Male Infertility.

According to current estimates, infertility affects one in four couples trying to conceive. Primary or secondary infertility can be due either to both partners or only to the man or the woman. Up to 15% of infertility cases in men can be attributed to genetic factors that can lead to irreversible partial or complete spermatogenic arrest.

Impact of heavy alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking on sperm DNA integrity.

The purposes of the presents study were to investigate the impact of alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking on semen parameters and sperm DNA quality, as well as to determine whether tobacco smoking, or alcohol consumption causes more deterioration of sperm quality. Two hundred and eleven semen samples of men were included in this study. Four groups were studied: heavy smokers (N = 48), heavy drinkers (N = 52), non-smokers (n = 70), and non-drinkers (n = 41).

Protamines and DNA integrity as a biomarkers of sperm quality and assisted conception outcome.

Present research aim was to identify functional tests in semen associated with DNA damage and chromatin maturity (protamination) which predict the outcome in assisted reproduction. Couples were grouped according to male partner semen parameters, into normozoospermia (NZs), severe male factor (SMF) and mild male factor (MMF). DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in spermatozoa was analysed by sperms chromatin dispersion (SCD), sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and acridine orange testing (AOT).

Association between the single nucleotide variants of the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene (MT-CYB) and the male infertility.

Background: Idiopathic male infertility can be attributed to genetic predispositions that affect sperm performance and function. Genetic alterations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been linked to certain types of male infertility and abnormal sperm function. Mutations in the mitochondrial cytochrome B (MT-CYB) gene might lead to some deficiencies in mitochondrial function.

Elevated seminal protein carbonyl concentration is correlated with asthenozoospermia and affects adversely the laboratory intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.

Elevated concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the semen can lead to oxidative protein damage as they react with the amino acids' side chains in the protein, leading to the generation of carbonyl groups. This study aimed to investigate the effect of protein carbonyl (PC) concentration on sperm motility and the laboratory intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. A total of 150 couples from the ICSI cycle were enrolled in this study and were divided into three groups (G) according to the PC concentration as following, G1 included samples with PC concentrations <0.

Lack of association between single polymorphic variants of the mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase 3, and 4L (MT-ND3 and MT-ND4L) and male infertility.

Male infertility is a multifactorial condition associated with different genetic abnormalities in at least 15%-30% of cases. The purpose of this study was to identify suspected correlations between infertility and polymorphisms in mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunits 3 and 4L (MT-ND3 and MT-ND4L) in subfertile male spermatozoa. Sanger sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA target genes was performed on 68 subfertile and 44 fertile males.

Association between FSHR and ESR1 gene variants and ovarian response to gonadotropin in Egyptian women undergoing ICSI treatment.

The unpredictable variability in patients' responses to gonadotropins represents one of the most intractable IVF treatment problems. Identifying the genetic variants associated with ovarian responses to gonadotropins is an important step towards developing individualised pharmacogenetics protocols for ovarian stimulation. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate correlations between FSHR rs6165, FSHR rs616, and ESR1 rs2234693 gene variants and the degree of ovarian response to gonadotropin in Egyptian women undergoing ICSI treatment.

Impact of Mitochondrial Genetic Variants in ND1, ND2, ND5, and ND6 Genes on Sperm Motility and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) Outcomes.

Sperm mitochondrial dysfunction causes the generation of an insufficient amount of energy needed for sperm motility. This will affect sperm fertilization capacity, and thus, most asthenozoospermic men usually require assisted reproductive techniques. The etiology of asthenozoospermia remains largely unknown.

Tobacco smoking and its impact on the expression level of sperm nuclear protein genes: H2BFWT, TNP1, TNP2, PRM1 and PRM2.

The aim of this current study was to investigate the influence of tobacco smoke on sperm quality determined by standard parameters, on sperm DNA maturity tested by chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining, on sperm DNA fragmentation tested by TUNEL assay and on the transcript level of sperm nuclear proteins H2BFWT, PRM1, PRM2, TNP1 and TNP2 genes quantified by RT-PCR. One hundred forty-one (141) sperm samples (43 nonsmokers (G.1) and 98 heavy smokers (G.