Molecular control of fertilizing potential of male gamete in azoospermia: a study of genes en coding RBM, DAZ and TSPY

Male factor infertility accounts for about half the cases of couple infertility. Testicular sperm extraction [TESE] with ICSI has now enabled the treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia. One might now therefore suggest that a proportionately greater risk of sex chromosome aneuploidy arise where TESE is used for patient with non-obstructive azoospermia. Three non-overlapping regions of microdeletions in Yq11 [AZFa, AZFb [RBM], and AZFc [DAZ]] have been identified that are probably responsible for azoospermia or oligozoospermia. In absence of detectable RBM protein, germ cells develop up to early meiotic stages but not beyond this, so that RBM is essential for progression through meiosis. Deletions in the AZFc region involving the DAZ gene were the most frequent finding and they were more often seen in severe hypospermatogenesis than in Sertoli cell-only syndrome. Another gene family TSPY [Testis-Specific protein, Y-encoded] is located on the short arm of the Y chromosome at Yp11.2. The aim was to study the genes encoding RBM, DAZ and TSPY in functional azoospermic males. Patient group: 50 infertile male patients with non-obstructive azoospermia [NOA]. The diagnosis of the cases was produced by histopathology. Control group include 10 normal fertile males and negative control 5 females. All patients are subjected to: semen analysis, hormonal assay FSH, LH, testosterone and prolactin and histopathological examination of testicular tissue. All groups are subjected to:- Extraction of genomic DNA from peripheral blood leucocyte and polymerase chain reaction to detect deletion in DAZ, RBM, and TSPY. Total deletion is [28%], DAZ deleted in [12%], RBM deleted in 4%, RBM+DAZ deleted in 8% and TSPY was deleted in 4% of patients. Microdeletion involving Ychromosome [DAZ, RBM, TSPY] is not rare among cases of non obstructive azoospermia [NOA]. All patients with NOA should undergo screening of Y chromosome by PCR specially those seeking assisted reproductive techniques. Also diagnosis of the deletion gives the cause of spermatogenic failure and no need for further therapy

Role of doppler ultrasound in diagnosis of ovarian cancer

To determine whether resistance index values obtained by color Doppler Ultrasound, Transvaginal ultrasound and the Tumor marker Tissue Polypeptide Antigen [TPA] contribute to the accuracy in diagnosis of ovarian malignancies in post - menopausal women with adnexial mass. Twenty post menopausal women with palpable adnexal mass admitted to Zagazig University Hospital were chosen where the following were done: 1. Transvaginal ultrasound. 2. Color Doppler ultrasound. 3. A blood Sample for tissue polypeptide antigen [TPA]. 4. Histopathology of the excised mass. Twenty postmenopausal women forming the study group the number of ovarian masses was 8 benign and 13 malignant with a percentage of 38.1% and 61.9% respectively [one case has bilateral mass]. Pathological confirmation was available for the 21 masses. Ascitis was present in 3 cases of malignant tumors, two patients had no detectable blood flow. Using morphologic criteria alone the sensitivity in detecting malignancy was 90% and specificity was 50% while using pulsed Doppler alone with a resistance index limit of 0.6 the sensitivity and specificity would be the same as transvaginal ultrasound. Adding TPA with both pulsed color Doppler and transvaginal ultrasound did not increase the diagnostic accuracy but help in follow up

Prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in Upper Egypt

The study included 90 patients, 38 of them with pneumonia, 24 patients with acute bronchitis, 24 patients with upper respiratory infection and 4 patients with bronchial asthma complicated by emphysema in addition to 21 apparently healthy controls. Isolation of M. pneumoniae was done by cultivation of different respiratory specimens onto mycoplasma agar media and selective biphasic media. Detection of both unspecifically and specifically produced antibodies to M. pn. was carried out for all sera by cold hemagglutination test [CHA] and complement fixation test [CF]. The results revealed that, M. pn. was prevalent in 15.6% of all cases studied and in 18.4% of cases of pneumonia. The highest age prevalence of M. pn. infection was 6-17 years old. Bacteriological isolation and identification of the organisms was successful only in 71.4% of seropositive patients. The selective biphasic media were found to be superior to mycoplasma agar media. The complement fixation had a sensitivity and specificity of 100%, while cold hemagglutination test had a sensitivity 64.3% and a specificity of 100%