The effect of vitamin E on sperm motility and viability in asthenoteratozoospermic men: In vitro study

Induction of oxidative stress during the sperm preparation process for assisted reproductive techniques (ART) in men can weaken sperm parameters. Vitamin E (VE) is considered a factor in boosting male fertility. This experimental study (in vitro) aimed to assess the impact of VE supplementation on sperm quality and lipid peroxidation during sperm sampling at different times. For this mention, semen samples were collected from 50 asthenoteratozoospermic men. Samples were divided into control and test groups for 2, 4 and 6 hr that the test group was incubated with VE (2 mM). In two groups, total motility, progressive motility and viability based on the WHO 2010 criteria were assessed. Moreover, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were evaluated in each group. In the control group, total and progressive motility and sperm viability were decreased significantly after 2 hr; however, MDA levels were increased significantly after 6 hr. Also, in the test group, sperm parameters were increased significantly after 2 hr, and MDA levels were decreased significantly after 6 hr compared to the control group. In outcome, in vitro VE supplementation may protect spermatozoa from the adverse effect of oxidative stress during sperm preparation via preservation antioxidant processes in normal condition.     

Hepatotoxic effects caused by simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene in New Zealand white rabbits: a biochemical and histopathological study

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate hepatotoxicity effects of noise and toluene, and in particular, to study hepatotoxicity effects of simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene by histopathological and biochemical experiments. To experiment hepatotoxicity effects of noise and toluene, 100 dB white noise and 1000 ppm toluene vapors were generated during two consecutive weeks in healthy male New Zealand White rabbits. Non-simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene increased liver enzymes and the serum levels of superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and total antioxidant capacity, and also decreased serum level of glutathione peroxidase. Alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase levels increased by simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene. Furthermore, catalase and alkaline phosphatase level decreased by simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene. The hematoxylin and eosin stain (H&E) experiments indicated significant swelling, lipidosis, eosinophilic cytoplasm, pyknosis, karyorrhexis, and disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane in the liver tissue due to exposure to noise, toluene and simultaneous exposure to them.

     

Novel Evolutionary Models and Periodic Charts in p- and q-Individual Chromosomes of Auxiliary Lymph Node and Buccal Cells

Signal copy number (SCN) and signal intensity (SI) of subtelomeres (ST) are investigated in auxiliary lymph node (ALN) and buccal (BUC) cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The extracted total cell of 38256 and 2309 was, respectively, analyzed from the benign ALN- and BUC-cells of an affected breast cancer patient. The Periodic model was based on ST behavior including normal-, down-, and upregulated clones with diverse SCN. The arm-p/q ratio based signature, as a subtelomeric array, reflects discordance and concordance of ST-behavior within individual chromosomes as a concept of “Individualization of Cells” rather than “Global Insight of Cells”. The Periodic charts could be considered as a reliable and refreshable platform through which the cellular evolution could be patterned and characterized. Signature of ST-profile in the BUC and ALN cells and the nature of diverse SCN and SI as quantitative and qualitative value led to modeling the real personalized perspective of cellular evolution. Protein expression of Ki67, Cyclin D1, and Cyclin E was assayed, as a complementary panel. These targets could be applied as the predictive and preventive markers for an early detection at BUC and ALN levels to plan the required managements in the breast cancer patients.     

Effects of supplemental thyme extract (Thymus vulgaris L.) on growth performance,intestinal microbial populations,and meat quality in Japanese quails

The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with thyme extract as growth promoter agent on growth performance, intestinal microbial populations, and thigh meat quality of Japanese quail. A total of one hundred eighty 1-day-old Japanese quails were randomly allocated to three treatments with four replicates per treatment and 15 quail chicks per pen. The dietary treatments consisted of basal control diet (CO) without any added compounds, virginiamycin (VM, 200 mg/kg), and thyme extract (TH, 100 mg/kg). Daily feed intake for each pen was recorded. The average body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) adjusted for mortality to 21 and 35 days of age were used to calculate the feed conversion ratio (FCR). At day 35, two birds per replicate were slaughtered for determination of intestinal weights and also for thigh meat quality. Supplementing VM significantly decreased the FCR of quails at day 35. The results showed that the count of lactobacillus bacteria increased in birds fed the TH diet compared to VM and CO treatments. Also, supplemental TH decreased the number of coliforms in the ileum compared to the CO diet. Japanese quails fed the TH diet had significantly lower 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) than the VM and CO treatments. Water holding capacity (WHC) was significantly increased in quails fed the TH diet. In conclusion, TH can increase the number of beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus bacteria) and decrease harmful ones (coliforms). Also, TH has good effects on thigh meat quality as indicated by the decrease in TBARS and the increase in WHC, but it has not affected the growth performance.     

Plasma dilution improves cognition and attenuates neuroinflammation in old mice

Our recent study has established that young blood factors are not causal, nor necessary, for the systemic rejuvenation of mammalian tissues. Instead, a procedure referred to as neutral blood exchange (NBE) that resets signaling milieu to a pro-regenerative state through dilution of old plasma, enhanced the health and repair of the muscle and liver, and promoted better hippocampal neurogenesis in 2-year-old mice (Mehdipour et al., Aging 12:8790–8819, 2020). Here we expand the rejuvenative phenotypes of NBE, focusing on the brain. Namely, our results demonstrate that old mice perform much better in novel object and novel texture (whisker discrimination) tests after a single NBE, which is accompanied by reduced neuroinflammation (less-activated CD68⁺ microglia). Evidence against attenuation/dilution of peripheral senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) as the main mechanism behind NBE was that the senolytic ABT 263 had limited effects on neuroinflammation and did not enhance hippocampal neurogenesis in the old mice. Interestingly, peripherally acting ABT 263 and NBE both diminished SA-βGal signal in the old brain, demonstrating that peripheral senescence propagates to the brain, but NBE was more robustly rejuvenative than ABT 263, suggesting that rejuvenation was not simply by reducing senescence. Explaining the mechanism of the positive effects of NBE on the brain, our comparative proteomics analysis demonstrated that dilution of old blood plasma yields an increase in the determinants of brain maintenance and repair in mice and in people. These findings confirm the paradigm of rejuvenation through dilution of age-elevated systemic factors and extrapolate it to brain health and function.

     

Back Muscle Function in Older Women With Age-Related Hyperkyphosis: A Comparative Study

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare static maximal back extensor muscle force, endurance, and characteristics of flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP) in older women with and without age-related hyperkyphosis.MethodsMaximum back extensor force and endurance measured in a sitting position with a designed load cell setup; appearance, onset, and offset angles of FRP; and extension relaxation ratio (ERR) during a dynamic flexion-extension task were compared between 24 older women with hyperkyphosis (thoracic kyphosis angle ≥50°), mean age 65 ± 4.4 years, and 24 older women without hyperkyphosis (thoracic kyphosis angle ?50°), mean age 63 ± 4.3 years. Variables of force, endurance, angles of FRP, and ERR were analyzed using an independent sample t test. A χ² test was used to identify differences between groups in FRP appearance.ResultsStatic back extensor force and endurance were significantly lower among those with versus those without hyperkyphosis (P ? .001). Although the 2 groups did not differ in FRP appearance and ERR in the superficial erector spinal muscles (P ? .05), FRP in the hyperkyphosis group started sooner and ended later than in the group without hyperkyphosis (P ? .05).ConclusionOur study indicates that women with age-related hyperkyphosis had decreased static maximal force and endurance of the back extensor muscles and prolonged myoelectrical silence of the superficial erector spinal muscles. Reduced endurance of the superficial erector spinal muscles may trigger early onset of FRP and prolonged relaxation of these muscles.     

Reinfection risk of novel coronavirus (COVID-19): A systematic ‎review of current evidence

BACKGROUNDThere is recently a concern regarding the reinfection and reactivation of previously reCoVered coronavirus disease 2019 (CoVID-19) patients.AIMTo summarize the recent findings and reports of CoVID-19 reinfection in patients previously reCoVered from the disease.METHODSThis study was a systematic review of current evidence conducted in August 2020. The authors studied the probable reinfection risk of novel coronavirus (CoVID-19). We performed a systematic search using the keywords in online databases. The investigation adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist to ensure the reliability and validity of this study and results.RESULTSWe reviewed 31 studies. Eight studies described reCoVered patients with reinfection. Only one study reported reinfected patients who died. In 26 studies, there was no information about the status of the patients. Several studies indicated that reinfection is not probable and that post-infection immunity is at least temporary and short.CONCLUSIONBased on our review, we concluded that a positive polymerase chain reaction retest could be due to several reasons and should not always be considered as reinfection or reactivation of the disease. Most relevant studies in positive retest patients have shown relative and probably temporary immunity after the reCoVery of the disease.     

Genetics of breast cancer bone metastasis: a sequential multistep pattern

Bone metastasis accounts for the vast majority of breast cancer (BC) metastases, and is related to a high rate of morbidity and mortality. A number of seminal studies have uncovered gene expression signatures involved in BC development and bone metastasis; each of them points at a distinct step of the ‘invasion-metastasis cascade’. In this review, we provide most recently discovered functions of sets of genes that are selected from widely accepted gene signatures that are implicate in BC progression and bone metastasis. We propose a possible sequential pattern of gene expression that may lead a benign primary breast tumor to get aggressiveness and progress toward bone metastasis. A panel of genes which primarily deal with features like DNA replication, survival, proliferation, then, angiogenesis, migration, and invasion has been identified. TGF-β, FGF, NFκB, WNT, PI3K, and JAK-STAT signaling pathways, as the key pathways involved in breast cancer development and metastasis, are evidently regulated by several genes in all three signatures. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition that is also an important mechanism in cancer stem cell generation and metastasis is evidently regulated by these genes. This review provides a comprehensive insight regarding breast cancer bone metastasis that may lead to a better understanding of the disease and take step toward better treatments.