How is the semen quality of sexually active men following recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection?
Twenty-five percent of the men with recent SARS-Cov-2 ...infections and proven healing were oligo-crypto-azoospermic, despite the absence of virus RNA in semen.
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in human semen and its role in virus contagion and semen quality after recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still unclear. So far, studies evaluating semen quality and the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen of infected or proven recovered men are scarce and included a limited number of participants.
A prospective cross-sectional study on 43 sexually active men who were known to have recovered from SARS-CoV2 was performed. Four biological fluid samples, namely saliva, pre-ejaculation urine, semen, and post-ejaculation urine, were tested for the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Female partners were retested if any specimen was found to be SARS-CoV-2 positive. Routine semen analysis and quantification of semen leukocytes and interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels were performed.
Questionnaires including International Index of Erectile Function and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire Short Form were administered to all subjects. The occurrence of virus RNA was evaluated in all the biological fluids collected by RT-PCR. Semen parameters were evaluated according to the World Health Organization manual edition V. Semen IL-8 levels were evaluated by a two-step ELISA method.
After recovery from COVID-19, 25% of the men studied were oligo-crypto-azoospermic. Of the 11 men with semen impairment, 8 were azoospermic and 3 were oligospermic. A total of 33 patients (76.7%) showed pathological levels of IL-8 in semen. Oligo-crypto-azoospermia was significantly related to COVID-19 severity (P < 0.001). Three patients (7%) tested positive for at least one sample (one saliva; one pre-ejaculation urine; one semen and one post-ejaculation urine), so the next day new nasopharyngeal swabs were collected. The results from these three patients and their partners were all negative for SARS-CoV-2.
Although crypto-azoospermia was found in a high percentage of men who had recovered from COVID-19, clearly exceeding the percentage found in the general population, the previous semen quality of these men was unknown nor is it known whether a recovery of testicular function was occurring. The low number of enrolled patients may limit the statistical power of study.
SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in saliva, urine, and semen in a small percentage of men who recovered from COVID-19. One-quarter of men who recovered from COVID-19 demonstrated oligo-crypto-azoospermia indicating that an assessment of semen quality should be recommended for men of reproductive age who are affected by COVID-19.
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Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) based thin films were used as active layers in solid state resistive chemical sensors. NPs were synthesized by high temperature solution phase reaction. Sensing NP ...monolayers (ML) were deposited by Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) techniques onto chemoresistive transduction platforms. The sensing ML were UV treated to remove NP insulating capping. Sensors surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Systematic gas sensing tests in controlled atmosphere were carried out toward NO2, CO, and acetone at different concentrations and working temperatures of the sensing layers. The best sensing performance results were obtained for sensors with higher NPs coverage (10 ML), mainly for NO2 gas showing interesting selectivity toward nitrogen oxides. Electrical properties and conduction mechanisms are discussed.
In this paper, among all transduction methodologies reported in the field of solid state chemical sensors, the attention has been focused onto the optical sensing characterization by using surface ...plasmon resonance (SPR) technique and its evolution towards active plasmonics. Activation of the transducer by application of an oscillating magnetic field in a transversal configuration is demonstrated to improve the gas sensing performance of classical SPR sensors. To this purpose a new transducer, composed of metallic and magnetic materials and a proper sensing layer have been chosen. TiO2 sensing layers have been prepared by two different experimental routes and their optical and morphological features investigated and correlated with their sensing performances. A comparison between classical SPR technique and a new sensing probe based onto magneto-plasmonic effect in resonance condition has been reported. Improved gas sensing performance in terms of sensitivity has been demonstrated in the presence of different alcohol vapours concentration mixed in dry air.
The work reports on theoretical and nanoscale characterization of Au/Co/Au multilayers used as transducers in Magneto-optical Surface Plasmon Resonance (MOSPR) biosensors. Different aspects related ...to the optimization of transducers are discussed. In particular, optimized sensitivity is demonstrated to depend on the full multilayer total thickness, on the Co layer thickness and its position within the film, as well as on the discrepancy between the optical constants in very thin layers with respect to bulk values. Co layer thickness and position in the trilayer are optimized to provide the best compromise between magneto-optic (MO) activity and optical losses as well as to ensure large electromagnetic (EM) fields at the Au-dielectric interface. In this sense surface sensitivity can be maximized with respect to variations in the bulk properties of the measuring fluid and ensure higher performances with respect to traditional SPR biosensors. In parallel, a comprehensive study on the structural, morphological, chemical, magnetic and optical properties of layers composing the realized magneto-plasmonic (MP) transducers is reported by comparing the results of experimental and theoretical investigations. High resolution TEM (HR-TEM) images provided a deep insight on the interfaces morphologies thus revealing a significant discrepancy between modelled and real samples basically due to sizable roughness at each metal interface. As highlighted by hysteresis loop measurements, this parameter results having a critical role in tailoring the magnetic and consequently magneto-plasmonic properties of the trilayer transducers. As a proof of concept, a simple immunoassay relative to the study of an antibody-antigen interaction in liquid phase has been investigated.
To characterise the pattern and spectrum of involvement on muscle MRI in a large cohort of patients with sarcoglycanopathies, which are limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD2C-2F) caused by ...mutations in one of the four genes coding for muscle sarcoglycans.
Lower limb MRI scans of patients with LGMD2C-2F, ranging from severe childhood variants to milder adult-onset forms, were collected in 17 neuromuscular referral centres in Europe and USA. Muscle involvement was evaluated semiquantitatively on T1-weighted images according to a visual score, and the global pattern was assessed as well.
Scans from 69 patients were examined (38 LGMD2D, 18 LGMD2C, 12 LGMD2E and 1 LGMD2F). A common pattern of involvement was found in all the analysed scans irrespective of the mutated gene. The most and earliest affected muscles were the thigh adductors, glutei and posterior thigh groups, while lower leg muscles were relatively spared even in advanced disease. A proximodistal gradient of involvement of vasti muscles was a consistent finding in these patients, including the most severe ones.
Muscle involvement on MRI is consistent in patients with LGMD2C-F and can be helpful in distinguishing sarcoglycanopathies from other LGMDs or dystrophinopathies, which represent the most common differential diagnoses. Our data provide evidence about selective susceptibility or resistance to degeneration of specific muscles when one of the sarcoglycans is deficient, as well as preliminary information about progressive involvement of the different muscles over time.
Matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) is a new promising laser-based technique thought for polymer or biomaterial thin films deposition. In this work, the MAPLE technique has been used for ...the deposition of titania (TiO2) nanoparticle thin films to be used for gas sensor applications. For this purpose, an aqueous solution of TiO2 nanoparticles, synthesized by a novel chemical route, was frozen at the liquid nitrogen temperature and introduced in a vacuum chamber to be irradiated with a pulsed ArF excimer laser. The volatile solvent was pumped away while the TiO2 nanoparticles were deposited on Si and Al2O3 substrates. A uniform distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles with an average size of about 10nm was obtained, as demonstrated by high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM-FEG) inspection. We realized gas-sensing devices based on resistive transduction mechanism by using the TiO2 nanoparticles thin films deposited by the MAPLE technique onto suitable rough alumina substrates equipped with interdigitated electrical contacts (IDC) and heating elements. Electrical characterization measurements were carried out in controlled environment. The results of the gas-sensing tests towards low concentrations of ethanol and acetone vapors are reported. Typical gas sensor parameters (gas responses, response/recovery time, sensitivity, and low detection limit) towards ethanol were extracted and compared with to the corresponding parameters towards acetone.
The adsorption processes of oligonucleotides immobilised onto suitable photolithographic patterned gold substrates have been investigated in aqueous buffer solution by using a home made surface ...plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging equipment. A rapid self-assembled method for the construction of DNA chips to be used in SPR imaging experiments have been followed. The immobilised DNA molecules (probes) adopted in our SPR experiments anchored to a gold surface via thiol group were 5′thiol-modified containing a (CH
2)
15 tail. The hybridisation processes taking place with its complementary sequence have been observed and characterized by monitoring phenomena by a SPR imaging system. The two analysed oligonucleotides (probes and target) are of interest in plant gene biotechnological application and differing for the presence at the 5′-end of a poly T16 spacer. Dynamic investigation of smallest changes in SPR imaging pictures performed in liquid phase in the presence of DNA complementary probes have been performed. Quantitative information in terms of threshold of sensitivity has been extracted by using a specific images treatment.
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a genetic disorder caused by an abnormal expansion of GCN triplets within the
gene. Previous descriptions have focused on lower limb muscles in small ...cohorts of patients with OPMD, but larger imaging studies have not been performed. Previous imaging studies have been too small to be able to correlate imaging findings to genetic and clinical data.
We present cross-sectional, T1-weighted muscle MRI and CT-scan data from 168 patients with genetically confirmed OPMD. We have analysed the pattern of muscle involvement in the disease using hierarchical analysis and presented it as heatmaps. Results of the scans were correlated with genetic and clinical data.
Fatty replacement was identified in 96.7% of all symptomatic patients. The tongue, the
and the
were the most commonly affected muscles. Muscle pathology on MRI correlated positively with disease duration and functional impairment.
We have described a pattern that can be considered characteristic of OPMD. An early combination of fat replacement in the tongue,
and
can be helpful for differential diagnosis. The findings suggest the natural history of the disease from a radiological point of view. The information generated by this study is of high diagnostic value and important for clinical trial development.
The structural and optical gas sensing properties of thin nanostructured ZnO films are investigated by total attenuation surface plasmon resonance technique. Ten nanometers thick ZnO films have been ...prepared by sol–gel route and thermally treated at 150
°C and 400
°C. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction studies showed that the thermal treatment promotes the increase of grain size as the annealing temperature increases. The optical properties of both films are similar being the energy gap of the films annealed at 150
°C and 400
°C equal to 3.33
±
0.05
eV and 3.25
±
0.05
eV, respectively, both smaller than the energy gap of the bulk ZnO (3.37
eV). The surface plasmon resonance investigations show remarkable and reversible responses to different concentrations of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and hexane vapours in dry-air. In both films the responses to ethanol and isopropanol are similar and larger than the responses to hexane and methanol. The responses to all vapours are larger in the film annealed at 400
°C except for the methanol for which both films exhibit similar responses.
•We study SPR transducers able to measure lubricant degradation in real time.•Several simulations were performed to optimize the sensor transducers.•4 sensing devices have been realized, calibrated ...and tested.•Experimental results showed that SPR sensors can be used to observe oils degradation.
The present work focuses on the development of a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor transducer able to measure lubricant degradation in real time. Preliminary, several simulations were performed, by means of a commercial software (Film Wizard), in order to optimize for the specific application the sensor transducers in term of the proper choice and combination of metal layers material and thickness. In order to realize the sensing transducers, metal thin films were deposited onto SF10 glass slabs by e-beam evaporation. 4 sensing devices have been realized, calibrated and tested. They have been used to acquire the experimental reflectance curves of a new (0km) and partially used synthetic motor oil (5700km). Measurements proved that alteration of lubricants, which flow in the SPR sensing device, modifies the signal, which reaches the detector. Therefore, the system can be used to observe in real time oil degradation by the measurement of its optical properties, following the variation in surface plasmon resonance curves. Experimental results showed that all sensors provide good responses, variable within the range of 1%.
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