Paternal Age Matters: Association with Sperm Criteria's- Spermatozoa DNA Integrity and Methylation Profile.

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.

Effect of pesticide exposure on human sperm characteristics, genome integrity, and methylation profile analysis.

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.

[Electronic cigarettes and fertility: True or false friends?].

While electronic cigarettes have been on the rise in France for the past ten years, data on their prevalence, use patterns and safety have remained fragmented and controversial. Electronic cigarettes seem to not be a harmless product to use, because although they contain fewer harmful substances than traditional cigarettes, they still contain toxic products such as endocrine disruptors, which appear to have a negative impact on hormonal homeostasis, morphology and functioning of the animal reproductive system. Mostly presented as a harmless alternative to traditional cigarettes by industry lobbies, electronic cigarettes are often offered as an aid to smoking cessation in the same way as nicotinic substitutes.

In vitro maturation of oocytes from stimulated IVF-ICSI cycles using autologous cumulus cell co-culture: A preliminary study.

Purpose Of The Study: In stimulated IVF-ICSI cycles, follicles at different stages of maturation can be aspirated during oocyte pickup. Nowadays, only mature oocytes (metaphase 2 stage) are used and immature oocytes (germinal vesicle and metaphase 1 stages), which are judged unfit for fertilization, are non-used at day 0. In our IVF center, the rate of immature oocytes recovered is around 25%.

Follicular GH and IGF1 Levels Are Associated With Oocyte Cohort Quality: A Pilot Study.

Introduction: Oocyte quality contributes to the development of an optimal embryo and thus a successful pregnancy. The objective of this study was to analyse the association between oocyte cohort quality and the follicular levels of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4) and antithyroid antibodies, as a function of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.

Material And Methods: We conducted a prospective comparative pilot study from January 2013 to December 2017.

The impact of endocrine disruptor chemicals on oocyte/embryo and clinical outcomes in IVF.

The negative impact of endocrine-disrupting pesticides on human fertility is now a key issue in reproductive health. There are much fewer literature data about the impact of pesticide exposure on women than on men and very few studies of women participating in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme. In the present review, we found that (1) various pesticides with an endocrine-disrupting action are associated with poor oocyte maturation and competency, embryonic defects and poor IVF outcomes, and (2) some pesticide compounds are linked to specific causes of female infertility, such as premature ovarian insufficiency, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and endometriosis.

Linking researchers and policy-makers: some challenges and approaches.

In developing a proposal for the study of the effect of user fees on access to preventive care, a team, comprising researchers and policy-makers, initiated interaction with key policy implementers in the Jamaica's Ministry of Health to ensure that their perspectives were considered at the preliminary stage. There were many pressing events occupying the minds and energies of the implementers, but the team was able to capitalize on existing good relationships to capture attention. In the interviews that followed, agreement was reached on the necessity for the study, its focus and methodology.

Distinct time effects of vaccination on long-term proliferative and IFN-gamma-producing T cell memory to smallpox in humans.

Residual immunity to the smallpox virus raises key questions about the persistence of long-term immune memory in the absence of antigen, since vaccination ended in 1980. IFN-gamma-producing effector-memory and proliferative memory T cells were compared in 79 vaccinees 13-25 yr after their last immunization and in unvaccinated individuals. Only 20% of the vaccinees displayed both immediate IFN-gamma-producing effector-memory responses and proliferative memory responses at 6 d; 52.

Social and health determinants of well being and life satisfaction in Jamaica.

Background: Psychological well being and the degree of satisfaction with life are likely to affect a range of social behaviours and determine uptake of health and social services. It is important to identify the factors that inform these constructs.

Aims: We sought to identify the variables which best predicted psychological well being in the Caribbean country, Jamaica and also those associated with feelings of satisfaction with life.

Experiences and socialization of Jamaican men with multiple sex partners.

One of the goals of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) control programme in Jamaica is to encourage persons to have a single sex partner. Before this can be achieved in men, it is important to identify the demographic characteristics as well as the sexual attitudes and socialization of men who have multiple sex partners. A national survey was conducted on sexual decision-making in Jamaica in which a random sample of 3,001 persons was selected for study and of 2,580 (86%) interviewed 979 were men.

Correlates of first intercourse among women in Jamaica.

This study examines retrospective reports of factors anticipated to impact first intercourse in a random sample of 897 Jamaican women, and contributes to our understanding of the relationship between sexual risk, knowledge, and economic and demographic correlates of first intercourse. A relationship between initiation of intercourse prior to the age of consent (16 years) and factors occurring at or around the time of first intercourse was found. Early initiators were more likely to have had less early family stability and to have experienced menarche at a younger age than late initiators.

Characteristics of Jamaicans who smoke marijuana before sex and their risk status for sexually transmitted diseases.

Because of the high prevalence of marijuana smoking in Jamaica, it is important to know if this practice is associated with increased risk for STD infections. A national sample of 2 580 randomly selected Jamaicans, aged 15 to 49 years were administered a questionnaire to measure a number of health and behavioural variables. The results indicated that more persons who smoked marijuana before sex had a history of STD infections than non-marijuana smokers, the difference was significant among men (46% vs 26%, p < 0.

A soluble factor released by CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes from bone marrow transplanted patients inhibits cell-mediated cytolysis.

We report a new inhibitory activity of CD8+CD57+ peripheral blood lymphocytes from allo-bone marrow transplant patients. Positively selected CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes act as potent inhibitors of allospecific cytolytic T lymphocyte and lymphokine activated killer cell cytolytic activities. These suppressor cells are mature T cells expressing the CD2, 5, 7, CD3-TcR alpha beta complex, and lack natural killer cell markers as well as cytolytic function.