Additive effect of Bisphenol A and Pefluoro-sulphoctanoic acid exposure at subacute toxic levels, on a murine model of sertoli cell.

Purpose: Endocrine disruptors (EDs) interfere with the endocrine system leading to health consquences and reproductive derangements. Most EDs are environmental pollutants whose risk evaluation is hampered by the simultaneous exposure to a number of chemicals. Here we investigated the possible mechanistic involvement of Sertoli cells, the nurse cell population in the seminiferous tubule, in the reproductive toxicity of Bisphenol A (BPA) and perfluoro-octane sulphonate (PFOS), two acknowledged EDs, at recognized subacute toxic levels.

Extragonadal function of follicle-stimulating hormone: Evidence for a role in endothelial physiology and dysfunction.

Aims: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plays a fundamental role in reproduction stimulating ovarian folliculogenesis, Sertoli cells function and spermatogenesis. However, the recent identification of FSH receptor (FSHR) also in extra-gonadal tissues has suggested that FSH activity may not be limited only to fertility regulation, with conflicting results on the possible role of FSH in endothelial cells. The aim of this study was to investigate FSH role on endothelial function in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs).

Decreases in serum PFAS are associated with decreases in serum lipids: A longitudinal study on a highly exposed population.

Introduction: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used, ubiquitous and highly persistent man-made chemicals. Previous cross-sectional studies have consistently linked PFAS exposure to alterations in lipid profiles. However, longitudinal investigations are preferred to mitigate issues related to reverse causation and confounding.

Lipidomic Profile of Human Sperm Membrane Identifies a Clustering of Lipids Associated with Semen Quality and Function.

Reduced sperm motility and/or count are among the major causes of reduced fertility in men, and sperm membranes play an important role in the spermatogenesis and fertilization processes. However, the impact of sperm lipid composition on male fertility remains under-investigated. The aim of the present study was to perform a lipidomic analysis of human sperm membranes: we performed an untargeted analysis of membrane lipid composition in fertile (N = 33) and infertile subjects (N = 29).

Observational Cross-Sectional Study on Mediterranean Diet and Sperm Parameters.

Infertility, affecting 15 to 25% of couples in the most developed countries, is recognized by the World Health Organization as a public health issue at a global level. Different causes are acknowledged to reduce fertility in both sexes. In particular, about 40-50% of cases recognize a male factor.

In vitro binding analysis of legacy-linear and new generation-cyclic perfluoro-alkyl substances on sex hormone binding globulin and albumin, suggests low impact on serum hormone kinetics of testosterone.

In humans, serum testosterone (T) is largely bound to the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and human serum albumin (hSA), resulting in a 2-3 % of unbound or "free" active quote (FT). Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including perfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS), are recognized to interfere with the hormonal axes, but the possible impact on the FT quote has not been addressed so far. Here we investigated the possible competition of two acknowledged PFAS molecules on T binding to SHBG and hSA.

Non-Invasive Blood Pressure Sensing via Machine Learning.

In this paper, a machine learning (ML) approach to estimate blood pressure (BP) using photoplethysmography (PPG) is presented. The final aim of this paper was to develop ML methods for estimating blood pressure (BP) in a non-invasive way that is suitable in a telemedicine health-care monitoring context. The training of regression models useful for estimating systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was conducted using new extracted features from PPG signals processed using the Maximal Overlap Discrete Wavelet Transform (MODWT).

Legacy perfluoro-alkyl substances impair LDL-cholesterol uptake independently from PCSK9-function.

Perfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS) are pollutants, whose exposure was associated with altered levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in humans. Here we investigated this clinical outcome in two groups of young male adults residing in areas of respectively low and high environmental exposure to perfluoro-octanoic-acid (PFOA). From the Regional Authority data on pollution areas, 38 not-exposed and 59 exposed age-matched participants were evaluated for serum levels of total cholesterol (Total-Chol), LDL-Chol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-Chol), triglycerides (Tgl) and chromatography quantified PFOA.

Battery Testing and Discharge Model Validation for Electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).

Electrical engines are becoming more common than thermal ones. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in the characterization of batteries and in measuring their state of charge, as an overestimation would cause the vehicle to run out of energy and an underestimation means that the vehicle is running in suboptimal conditions. This is of paramount importance for flying vehicles, as their endurance decreases with the increase in weight.

Membrane Cholesterol Inhibits Progesterone-Mediated Sperm Function through the Possible Involvement of ABHD2.

Abhydrolase domain containing 2-acylglycerol lipase (ABHD2) was recently claimed as the membrane receptor of progesterone (P4) in sperm cells, mediating cell processes such as sperm chemotaxis and acrosome reaction. Here, we investigated the role of membrane cholesterol (Chol) on ABHD2-mediated human sperm chemotaxis. Human sperm cells were obtained from twelve normozoospemic healthy donors.

Seminal cadmium affects human sperm motility through stable binding to the cell membrane.

Environmental pollutants are claimed to be major factors involved in the progressive decline of the fertility rate worldwide. Exposure to the heavy metal Cadmium (Cd) has been associated with reproductive toxicity due to its ionic mimicry. However, the possible direct accumulation of Cd in human sperm cells has been poorly investigated.

Update on bioethical, medical and fertility issues in gender incongruence during transition age.

Purpose: Many issues still remain unresolved in the management of pubertal patients with gender incongruence (GI). The aim of this review is to discuss the main aspects of the treatment of these patients to provide a practical approach for clinicians.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search within PubMed was performed to provide updates of available evidence regarding the impact on bioethical, medical and fertility issues in gender incongruence during transition age.

Ketone Body β-Hydroxy-Butyrate Sustains Progressive Motility in Capacitated Human Spermatozoa: A Possible Role in Natural Fertility.

Calorie restriction is recognized as a useful nutritional approach to improve the endocrine derangements and low fertility profile associated with increased body weight. This is particularly the case for dietary regimens involving ketosis, resulting in increased serum levels of ketone bodies such as β-hydroxy-butyrate (β-HB). In addition to serum, β-HB is detected in several biofluids and β-HB levels in the follicular fluid are strictly correlated with the reproductive outcome in infertile females.

Medical emergencies in dental practice: A nationwide web-based survey of Italian dentists.

Objective: Dentists must be prepared to manage medical emergencies, which are arisen during dental practice together with the increase of age population and medically compromised patients. This study aims at assessing the occurrence of medical emergencies in a cohort of Italian dentists, to ascertain their level of confidence in the management of these conditions, also based on their educational training and type of medical graduation, and, finally, to know their educational needs, in order to plan appropriate institutional interventions for specific training.

Methods: A national-based cross-sectional study was carried out by means of an online survey sent to all dentists working in Italy.

Potentiometric Chloride Ion Biosensor for Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis and Management: Modeling and Design.

The ion-sensitive field-effect transistor is a well-established electronic device typically used for pH sensing. The usability of the device for detecting other biomarkers in easily accessible biologic fluids, with dynamic range and resolution compliant with high-impact medical applications, is still an open research topic. Here, we report on an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor that is able to detect the presence of chloride ions in sweat with a limit-of-detection of 0.

Photoplethysmography Signal Wavelet Enhancement and Novel Features Selection for Non-Invasive Cuff-Less Blood Pressure Monitoring.

In this paper, new features relevant to blood pressure (BP) estimation using photoplethysmography (PPG) are presented. A total of 195 features, including the proposed ones and those already known in the literature, have been calculated on a set composed of 50,000 pulses from 1080 different patients. Three feature selection methods, namely Correlation-based Feature Selection (CFS), RReliefF and Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (MRMR), have then been applied to identify the most significant features for BP estimation.

Cutaneous Melanoma and Hormones: Focus on Sex Differences and the Testis.

Cutaneous melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin cancer, remains one the most represented forms of cancer in the United States and European countries, representing, in Australia, the primary cause of cancer-related deaths. Recently, many studies have shown that sex disparities previously observed in most cancers are particularly accentuated in melanoma, where male sex is consistently associated with an increased risk of disease progression and a higher mortality rate. The causes of these sex differences rely on biological mechanisms related to sex hormones, immune homeostasis and oxidative processes.

Experimental evidence of a limited impact of new-generation perfluoroalkyl substance C6O4 on differentiating human dopaminergic neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent pollutants, raising concerns for human health. Legacy PFAS perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) accumulate in brains of people at high environmental exposure, especially in areas enriched with dopaminergic neurons (DN). exposure to 10 ng/mL PFOA for 24 h was also associated with an altered molecular and functional phenotype of DN differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).

Investigation of the Interaction between Human Serum Albumin and Branched Short-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Compounds.

The current trend dealing with the production of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) involves the shifting toward branched short-chain fluorinated compounds known as new-generation PFASs. A key aspect to be clarified, to address the adverse health effects associated with the exposure to PFASs, is their binding mode to human serum albumin (hSA), the most abundant protein in plasma. In this study, we investigated the interaction between hSA and two representative branched short-chain PFASs, namely, HPFO-DA and C6O4.

Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Legacy and New Generation Perfluoralkyl Substances (PFAS) on Thyroid Cells .

Background: Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are environment-persitent emerging endocrine disrupting chemicals raising health concerns worldwide. Exposure to PFAS has been associated with the imbalance of thyroid hormones. However, available studies addressing the cell mechanism underlying thyroid disrupting feature of legacy PFAS, such as perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoro-octane-sulfonic acid (PFOS), and the new generation substitutes, such as C6O4, are still lacking.

From Gut Microbiota through Low-Grade Inflammation to Obesity: Key Players and Potential Targets.

During the last decades, the gut microbiota has gained much interest in relation to human health. Mounting evidence has shown a strict association between gut microbiota and obesity and its related diseases. Inflammation has been appointed as the driving force behind this association.

RS 2247911 polymorphism of GPRC6A gene and serum undercarboxylated-osteocalcin are associated with testis function.

Purpose: Undercarboxylated-Osteocalcin (ucOCN), acting on its putative receptor GPRC6A, was shown to stimulate testosterone (T) production by Leydig cells in rodents, in parallel with the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG) mediated by luteinizing hormone (LH). The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association among serum ucOCN, rs2247911 polymorphism of GPRC6A gene and the endocrine/semen pattern in a cohort of infertile males, possibly identifying an involvement of the ucOCN-GPRC6A axis on testis function.

Methods: 190 males, including 74 oligozoospermic subjects, 58 azoosperminc patients and 58 normozoospermic controls, were prospectively recruited at the Orient Hospital for Infertility, Assisted Reproduction and Genetics in Syria (Study N.

Risk factors on testicular function in adolescents.

Purpose: Adolescence represents an important window for gonadal development. The aim of this review is to carry out a critical excursus of the most recent literature on endogenous and exogenous risk factors related to testicular function, focusing the research on adolescence period.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search within PubMed was performed to provide a summary of currently available evidence regarding the impact on adolescence of varicocele, cryptorchidism, cancer, diabetes, lifestyle factors, endocrine disruptors, obesity and sexually transmitted diseases.

Systematic Review and Critical Analysis on Dietary Supplements for Male Infertility: From a Blend of Ingredients to a Rationale Strategy.

Content: Dietary supplements (DS) for male infertility marketed in Italy were evaluated for composition, concentration of ingredients, and recommended daily dose. A systematic review of literature identified ingredients potentially effective on sperm parameters and their minimal effective daily dose (mED).

Objective: This study was conducted in order to critically evaluate the composition and efficacy of DS marketed in Italy.