How does seminal plasma fatty-acid binding protein-9 level change in infertile males?

In recent years, free fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) are implicated in spermatogenesis and sperm morphology. FABPs are members of the intracellular lipid-binding protein family; they exhibit tissue specific expression like the FABP9/PERF15 (Perforated15) male germ cell-specific fatty acid linkage-protein.The aim of the study was to assess the levels of seminal FABP-9 in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic men, and the possible relations between seminal FABP-9 levels and semen parameters.Research was carried out on 60 male volunteers who were admitted to Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine of Andrology Laboratory. Normozoospermic individuals (n = 30) were identified as Group 1, and Oligozoospermic individuals (n = 30) were identified as Group 2. The semen samples were collected in sterile plastic containers. Sperm parameters were assessed according to Kruger's criteria. Seminal plasma FABP-9 levels were analyzed by ELISA method. Outcomes were statistically evaluated at 0.05 significance level with SPSS (22.0). The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the performance of FABP-9 levels as compared to that of the concentration and motility data of the sperm. FABP-9 levels were significantly higher in normozoospermic individuals (3.41 ± 1.64 ng/mL) than in oligozoospermic individuals (1.99 ± 0.78 ng/mL). There were significant correlations between FABP-9 levels and sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, progressive motility, immobility, Total Progressive Motil Sperm Count (TPMSC), head anomaly, and teratozoospermia index.We suggest that FABP-9 level is an important biomarker, and low levels of semen FABP-9 may impact the fertility status based on the ROC findings.

The effects of estradiol on cardiac muscle electrophysiology in orchiectomized rat model: a new insight to side effects caused by castration.

OBJCTIVE: Although the testosterone has a protective effect on heart, patients having maximal androgen blockade due to prostate cancer resembles endothelial dysfunction and cardiac problems when compared to normal population. We aimed to test the effect of 17 beta estradiol on the orchiectomized male rat heart electrophysiology and ion channel expression levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 27 male rats with 4 groups (healthy, orchiectomized, orchiectomized+17 beta estradiol treated and orchiectomized+vehicle treated). Action potentials and contractions were recorded simultaneously, while expressions of the calcium and potassium ion channels were measured. RESULTS: Testosterone depletion for 4 weeks has caused a significant prolongation in the action potential durations and decrease in maximal contraction force as well as a deceleration. While this depletion suppressed expression of potassium channels, it increased the expression of calcium ion channels. Application of estradiol on the other hand, except for the calcium ion channel expression, had no positive effect on the tested parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone has a markedly important and protective effect on male cardiac muscle preparations while estrogen does not have any. It is predicted that testosterone has showed this effect by means of modulation of some key points of excitation-contraction pairing of cardiac muscle.

Impact of obstructive sleep apnoea on left ventricular mass and global function.

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) might be a cause of heart failure. The present study aimed to assess left ventricular mass and myocardial performance index (MPI) in OSAS patients. A total of 67 subjects without any cardiac or pulmonary disease, referred for evaluation of OSAS, had overnight polysomnography and echocardiography. According to apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), subjects were classified into three groups: mild OSAS (AHI: 5-14; n = 16), moderate OSAS (AHI: 15-29; n = 18), and severe OSAS (AHI: > or = 30; n = 33). Thickness of interventricular septum (IVS) and posterior wall (LVPW) were measured by M-mode, along with left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVM index (LVMI). Left ventricular MPI was calculated as (isovolumic contraction time+isovolumic relaxation time)/aortic ejection time by Döppler echocardiography. There were no differences in age or body mass index among the groups, but blood pressures were higher in severe OSAS compared with moderate and mild OSAS. In severe OSAS, thickness of IVS (11.2+/-1.1 mm), LVPW (11.4+/-0.9 mm), LVM (298.8+/-83.1 g) and LVMI (144.7+/-39.8 g x m(-2)) were higher than in moderate OSAS (10.9+/-1.3 mm; 10.8+/-0.9 mm; 287.3+/-74.6 g; 126.5+/-41.2 g x m(-2), respectively) and mild OSAS (9.9+/-0.9 mm; 9.8+/-0.8 mm; 225.6+/-84.3 g; 100.5+/-42.3 g x m(-2), respectively). In severe OSAS, MPI (0.64+/-0.14) was significantly higher than in mild OSAS (0.50+/-0.09), but not significantly higher than moderate OSAS (0.60+/-0.10). In conclusion, severe and moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients had higher left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index, and also left ventricular global dysfunction.

QT interval dispersion in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients without hypertension.

QT interval dispersion (QT(d)) reflects inhomogeneity of repolarisation. Delayed cardiac repolarisation leading to the prolongation of the QT interval is a well-characterised precursor of arrhythmias. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) can cause cardiovascular complications, such as arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and systemic and pulmonary hypertension. The aim of this study was to assess QT(d) in OSAS patients without hypertension. A total of 49 subjects without hypertension, diabetes mellitus, any cardiac or pulmonary diseases, or any hormonal, hepatic, renal or electrolyte disorders were referred for evaluation of OSAS. An overnight polysomnography and a standard 12-lead ECG were performed in each subject. According to the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), subjects were divided into control subjects (AHI <5, n = 20) and moderate-severe OSAS patients (AHI > or =15, n = 29). QT(d) (defined as the difference between the maximum and minimum QT interval) and QT-corrected interval dispersion (QT(cd)) were calculated using Bazzet's formula. In conclusion, the QT(cd) was significantly higher in OSAS patients (56.1+/-9.3 ms) than in controls (36.3+/-4.5 ms). A strong positive correlation was shown between QT(cd) and AHI. In addition, a significantly positive correlation was shown between QT(cd) and the desaturation index (DI). The AHI and DI were significantly related to QT(cd) as an independent variable using stepwise regression analysis. The QT-corrected interval dispersion is increased in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients without hypertension, and it may reflect obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome severity.

Relatively high coronary death and event rates in Turkish women. Relation to three major risk factors in five-year follow-up of cohort.

The study describes rates of coronary heart disease death and nonfatal coronary events over five years in a cohort of random sample population and relates them to levels of three major risk factors. It is based on a longitudinal follow-up of survey conducted initially in 1990 in all geographic regions of Turkey. Two-thirds of the original cohort aged 20 years or over 2259 adults comprising 1146 women was followed up by physical examination and an ECG recording at rest. New coronary events were defined to include myocardial infarction and stable angina with or without associated myocardial ischemia developed during the follow-up period. Overall annual death rate was nine per 1000 adults. Coronary deaths numbered 55 (of which 26 were women) representing 4.1 per year and were found high in women. New coronary events were registered in 37 men and 32 women (annual rates 7.2 and 5.8 per 1000, respectively). Among male participants aged initially 40 years or over, high systolic blood pressure (> or = 130 mmHg) at baseline significantly predicted coronary death (age-adjusted risk ratio (RR) 3.3) while high cholesterol concentrations (> or = 5.2 mmol l-1) predicted new coronary events alone (RR almost 2). In women systolic pressure again strongly predicted coronary death (age-adjusted RR 3.9), whereas abnormal cholesterol levels discriminated for coronary death and new coronary events (RR around 2.3 for each). High diastolic pressure (> or = 85 mmHg) was of predictive value for the combined outcome of coronary death and events in women (RR 1.9) but not in men. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression identified systolic blood pressure in men as significant independent predictor of coronary death, while total cholesterol concentration in both genders and systolic blood pressure in men were independent predictors of the combined outcome of coronary death or nonfatal coronary events. It was concluded that known major risk factors act in similar magnitudes commensurate with the specific risk increments also in populations with essentially low cholesterol levels. The relatively high coronary morbidity and mortality in Turkish women approaching that in men may be accounted for by an inherent greater risk burden.

Homozygous factor X deficiency associated with familial hypercholesterolemia, mitral valve prolapse, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The family investigated showed the presence of multiple genetic disorders among their members. The presumable defective genes were related to coagulation factor X, familial hypercholesterolemia, mitral valve prolapse, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The parents were offspring of two siblings, and their children comprised a nonidentical twin. While the proband demonstrated factor X deficiency, obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and primary hypercholesterolemia, her parents and her elder sister were considered heterozygous for factor X. In addition, her mother had elevated plasma cholesterol levels, and her father primary hypercholesterolemia as well as mitral valve prolapse. The twin sister, heterozygous for factor X deficiency, displayed mitral valve prolapse. The clustering of defective genes in this family was considered to represent 'coincidental' occurrences rather than being linked to each other.