Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) treatment monitoring is a matter of debate since CoQ distribution from plasma to blood cells and tissues is not fully understood. We aimed to analyze the CoQ levels in a wide set ...of human biological samples (plasma, blood mononuclear cells (BMCs), platelets, urinary cells, and skeletal muscle) from a group of 11 healthy male runners before and after CoQ supplementation. The CoQ content in the different samples was analyzed by HPLC coupled to electrochemical detection. No significant differences were observed in the CoQ levels measured in the BMCs, platelets, and urine after the one-month treatment period. Plasma CoQ (expressed in absolute values and values relative to total cholesterol) significantly increased after CoQ supplementation (p = 0.003 in both cases), and the increase in CoQ in muscle approached significance (p = 0.074). CoQ levels were increased in the plasma of all supplemented subjects, and muscle CoQ levels were increased in 8 out of 10 supplemented subjects. In conclusion, the analysis of CoQ in plasma samples seems to be the best surrogate biomarker for CoQ treatment monitoring. Moreover, oral CoQ administration was effective for increasing muscle CoQ concentrations in most subjects.
Purpose Some studies have shown that complementary biomarkers are needed in semen analysis to provide a more accurate diagnosis for couples with infertility problems. To our knowledge no study has ...been done to determine the relationships among nuclease activity in seminal plasma, semen parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation and male infertility. Materials and Methods A total of 94 semen samples were collected according to WHO 2010 semen analysis parameters. Samples were analyzed using the single radial enzyme diffusion method for nuclease activity in seminal plasma, and alkaline and neutral Comet assay for sperm DNA fragmentation. Samples were obtained from 11 fertile donors with proven fertility, 17 patients with normozoospermia in an infertile couple, and 16 patients with asthenozoospermia, 19 with teratozoospermia, 21 with asthenoteratozoospermia and 10 with azoospermia. Results Nuclease activity analyzed in seminal plasma was higher in patients than in controls. It correlated with sperm motility and morphology, and sperm DNA fragmentation measured by the alkaline Comet assay. No correlation with sperm DNA fragmentation was measured by the neutral Comet assay. ROC curves to determine male infertility revealed 0.658 sensitivity, 0.727 specificity and 0.705 cm2 AUC for the single radial enzyme diffusion method, 0.918, 1 and 0.994 cm2 for the alkaline Comet assay, and 0.917, 0.250 and 0.373 cm2 , respectively, for the neutral Comet assay. Conclusions Nuclease activity in seminal plasma corrected by sperm count is a good variable to predict male infertility. Results indicate that it could be a useful complementary parameter for male infertility diagnosis.
Background: The analysis of chromatin integrity has become an important determinant of sperm quality. In frozen-thawed bovine sperm, neither the sequence of post-thaw injury events nor the dynamics ...of different types of sperm DNA breaks are well understood. The aim of the present work was to describe such sperm degradation aftermath focusing on DNA damage dynamics, and to assess if this parameter can predict pregnancy rates in cattle. Results: A total of 75 cryopreserved ejaculates from 25 Holstein bulls were evaluated at two post-thawing periods (0-2 h and 2-4 h), analyzing global and double-stranded DNA damage through alkaline and neutral Comet assays, chromatin deprotamination and decondensation, sperm motility, viability, acrosomal status, and intracellular levels of total ROS, superoxides and calcium. Insemination of 59,605 females was conducted using sperm from the same bulls, thus obtaining the non-return to estrus rates after 90 d (NRR). Results showed an increased rate of double-stranded breaks in the first period (0-2 h: 1.29 ± 1.01％/h vs. 2-4 h: 0.13 ± 1.37％/h; P < 0.01), whereas the rate of sperm with moderate + high single-stranded breaks was higher in the second period (0-2 h: 3.52 ± 7.77 ％/h vs. 2-4h: 21.06 ± 11.69 ％/h; P < 0.0001). Regarding sperm physiology, viability decrease rate was different between the two periods (0-2 h:? 4.49 ± 1.79％/h vs. 2-4 h:? 2.50 ± 3.39％/h; P = 0.032), but the progressive motility decrease rate was constant throughout post-thawing incubation (0-2 h:? 4.70 ± 3.42％/h vs. 2-4 h:? 1.89 ± 2.97％/h; P > 0.05). Finally, whereas no correlations between bull fertility and any dynamic parameter were found, there were correlations between the NRR and the basal percentage of highly-damaged sperm assessed with the alkaline Comet (Rs = ? 0.563, P = 0.003), between NRR and basal progressive motility (Rs = 0.511, P = 0.009), and between NRR and sperm with high ROS at 4 h post-thaw (Rs = 0.564, P = 0.003). Conclusion: The statistically significant correlations found between intracellular ROS, sperm viability, sperm motility, DNA damage and chromatin deprotamination suggested a sequence of events all driven by oxidative stress, where viability and motility would be affected first and sperm chromatin would be altered at a later stage, thus suggest- ing that bovine sperm should be used for fertilization within 2 h post-thaw. Fertility correlations supported that the assessment of global DNA damage through the Comet assay may help predict bull fertility.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Infertile males with varicocele have the highest percentage of sperm cells with damaged DNA, compared to other infertile groups. Antioxidant treatment is known to enhance the integrity of sperm DNA; ...however, there are no data on the effects in varicocele patients. We thus investigated the potential benefits of antioxidant treatment specifically in grade I varicocele males. Twenty infertile patients with grade I varicocele were given multivitamins (1500 mg L-Carnitine, 60 mg vitamin C, 20 mg coenzyme Q10, 10 mg vitamin E, 200 μg vitamin B9, 1 μg vitamin B12, 10 mg zinc, 50 μg selenium) daily for three months. Semen parameters including total sperm count, concentration, progressive motility, vitality, and morphology were determined before and after treatment. In addition, sperm DNA fragmentation and the amount of highly degraded sperm cells were analyzed by Sperm Chromatin Dispersion. After treatment, patients showed an average relative reduction of 22.1% in sperm DNA fragmentation (p = 0.02) and had 31.3% fewer highly degraded sperm cells (p = 0.07). Total numbers of sperm cells were increased (p = 0.04), but other semen parameters were unaffected. These data suggest that sperm DNA integrity in grade I varicocele patients may be improved by oral antioxidant treatment.
Ecological aspects of 75 megabenthic bivalve species found on the south coast of Portugal (from Vila Real to Sagres) were studied based on the information provided by seasonal bivalve surveys from ...2000 to 2007 (8600 hauls, simultaneously using a razor shell dredge and a clam dredge). Of the 75 species identified, 36 occurred less than 30 times, and thus were considered rare in the area. The remaining 39 bivalves were analysed according to their occurrence, bathymetric distribution, geographic preferences, seasonal preferences, burying-depth, beach exposure and river mouth proximity. All species belonging to the Pharidae and Solenidae families (razor shells) and most Tellinidae were significantly more frequent in the razor shell dredge (indicating deeper burying in the sediment), whilst the families Cardiidae and Donacidae were significantly more frequent in the clam dredge (indicating that these species are probably closer to the sediment surface). As for the season, most bivalve species occurred similarly in both seasons (19 sp; 49%), but a large proportion were more abundant during the autumn surveys (17 sp., 44%), whereas only three species were commoner during the spring surveys. Most species belonging to the families Cardiidae and Mactridae were commoner in the autumn surveys. The spatial distribution differed between species and cluster analysis identified four communities with greater geographic affinity. Species belonging to the family Cardiidae were preferably found in the western part (WB) and the eastern part (S) of the study area, whereas the families Donacidae, Mactridae and Tellinidae occurred mainly in the central area (EB) and the eastern (S) coastal sectors. Overall, shallower species (modal depth at 3-6 m) showed greater occurrences and abundances than the deeper ones, and the depth pattern observed did not change between seasons. Donacidae and Mactridae (except Mactra glauca) were represented essentially by shallow species, whereas Cardiidae (except Acanthocardia tuberculata and Cerastoderma edule) included mostly species occurring in deeper waters. Bathymetric sequence of species distribution within some families was observed.
Background:Genetic selection in cattle has been directed to increase milk production. This, coupled to the fact that the vast majority of bovine artificial inseminations (AI) are performed using ...cryopreserved sperm, have led to a reduction of fertility rates over the years. Thus, seeking sensitive and specific sperm biomarkers able to predict fertility rates is of vital importance to improve cattle reproductive efficiency. In humans, sperm chromatin condensation evaluated through chromomycin A3 (CMA3) has recently been purported to be a powerful biomarker for sperm functional status and male infertility. The objectives of the present study were:a) to set up a flow cytometry method for simultaneously evaluating chromatin condensation and sperm viability, and b) to test whether this parameter could be used as a predictor of in vivo fertility in bulls. The study included pools of three independent cryopreserved ejaculates per bull from 25 Holstein males. Reproductive outcomes of each sire were determined by non-return rates, which were used to classify bulls into two groups (highly fertile and subfertile). Results:Chromatin condensation status of bovine sperm was evaluated through the combination of CMA3 and Yo-Pro-1 staining and flow cytometry. Sperm quality parameters (morphology, viability, total and progressive motility) were also assessed. Pearson correlation coefficients and ROC curves were calculated to assess their capacity to predict in vivo fertility. Sperm morphology, viability and total motility presented an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.54, 0.64 and 0.68, respectively (P>0.05), and thus were not able to discriminate between fertile and subfertile individuals. Alternatively, while the percentage of progressively motile sperm showed a significant predictive value, with an AUC of 0.73 (P=0.05), CMA3/Yo-Pro-1 staining even depicted superior results for the prediction of in vivo fertility in bulls. Specifically, the percentage of viable sperm with poor chromatin condensation showed better accuracy and precision to predict in vivo fertility, with an AUC of 0.78 (P=0.02). Conclusions:Chromatin condensation evaluated through CMA3/Yo-Pro-1 and flow cytometry is defined here as a more powerful tool than conventional sperm parameters to predict bull in vivo fertility, with a potential ability to maximising the efficiency of dairy breeding industry.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Coenzyme Q.sub.10 (CoQ) treatment monitoring is a matter of debate since CoQ distribution from plasma to blood cells and tissues is not fully understood. We aimed to analyze the CoQ levels in a wide ...set of human biological samples (plasma, blood mononuclear cells (BMCs), platelets, urinary cells, and skeletal muscle) from a group of 11 healthy male runners before and after CoQ supplementation. The CoQ content in the different samples was analyzed by HPLC coupled to electrochemical detection. No significant differences were observed in the CoQ levels measured in the BMCs, platelets, and urine after the one-month treatment period. Plasma CoQ (expressed in absolute values and values relative to total cholesterol) significantly increased after CoQ supplementation (p = 0.003 in both cases), and the increase in CoQ in muscle approached significance (p = 0.074). CoQ levels were increased in the plasma of all supplemented subjects, and muscle CoQ levels were increased in 8 out of 10 supplemented subjects. In conclusion, the analysis of CoQ in plasma samples seems to be the best surrogate biomarker for CoQ treatment monitoring. Moreover, oral CoQ administration was effective for increasing muscle CoQ concentrations in most subjects.
Varicocele is one of the most common causes of low semen quality, which is reflected in high percentages of sperm cells with fragmented DNA. While varicocelectomy is usually performed to ameliorate a ...patient’s fertility, its impact on sperm DNA integrity in the case of subclinical varicocele is poorly documented. In this study, multiple DNA fragmentation analyses (TUNEL, SCD, and SCSA) were performed on semen samples from sixty infertile patients with varicocele (15 clinical varicoceles, 19 clinical varicoceles after surgical treatment, 16 subclinical varicoceles, and 10 subclinical varicoceles after surgical treatment). TUNEL, SCD, and SCSA assays all showed substantial sperm DNA fragmentation levels that were comparable between subclinical and clinical varicocele patients. Importantly, varicocelectomy did improve sperm quality in patients with clinical varicocele; however, this was not the case in patients with subclinical varicocele. In summary, although infertile patients with clinical and subclinical varicocele have similar sperm DNA quality, varicocelectomy should only be advised for patients with clinical varicocele.
This paper addresses the problem of measuring the local economic impact of marine protected areas (MPAs). It relies on a broad socio-economic field survey covering 12 case studies in southern Europe, ...and focusing on two major uses of MPA ecosystem services: fishing and scuba-diving. The impact of these uses on the local economic system is expressed in terms of incomes and jobs, and the methodology relies on a distinction between users transforming ecosystem services into commodities, and users consuming ecosystem services for recreational purposes. Assessment results show a variety of situations, from MPAs where commercial fishing is the major economic stake, to MPAs where recreational activities have a dominant economic role. However, available information concerning the number of recreational users and visitors, on one side, and the number and characteristics of commercial fishing boats, on the other side, suggest that the second situation is more representative of the area under study than the former one. Due to the lack of baseline, the question of sorting out the “reserve effect” from the “site effect” is addressed with the help of survey results concerning perceptions and attitudes of users. As regards divers and diving operators, answers to the survey suggest that the reserve effect plays an important role in the attractiveness of the area. Results are not so clear in the case of fishers, an ambiguity reflecting the uncertainty of the spill-over effects expected from marine reserves on fishing grounds.
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