Association between serum inhibin-B levels and coronary artery disease in aging males

Passive immunization against inhibin increases testicular blood flow in male goats

The present study investigated whether or not passive immunization against inhibin modulates testicular blood flow in goats. Male Shiba goats were injected with either 10 ml of inhibin antiserum (INH group; n = 5) or 10 ml of normal castrated goat serum (NGS group; n = 4). Concentrations of FSH, LH, testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2) in the plasma were measured by radioimmunoassay. Blood flow within the supratesticular (STA) and marginal testicular arteries (MTA) were measured by color pulsed-Doppler ultrasonography, and Doppler indices (resistive index; RI and pulsatility index; PI) were recorded. Results revealed significant increases in concentrations of FSH and E2 in the INH group compared to those in the NGS group (P < 0.05). Animals in the INH group had greater (P < 0.05) FSH concentrations than those in the NGS group in the period between 60 h and 144 h after treatment than at any other time. Estradiol concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) in the INH group than in the NGS group at 6 h (12.15 ± 2.09 pg/ml vs 5.49 ± 1.17 pg/mL), 12 h (8.27 ± 1.29 pg/mL vs 3.05 ± 0.38 pg/mL), and 36 h (9.35 ± 1.31 pg/mL vs 5.09 ± 0.46 pg/mL) after treatment than at any other time. Concentrations of LH and T did not significantly change between the two groups. Goats in the INH group had lesser (P < 0.05) RI of the STA than those in the NGS group and RI values were lesser at 24 h (0.37 ± 0.031 vs 0.49 ± 0.004) and 120 h (0.38 ± 0.028 vs 0.55 ± 0.048) after treatment than at any other time. Furthermore, values of RI and PI of the MTA were significantly lesser (P < 0.05) in the INH group compared to those in the control group at 48 h (RI of MTA: 0.21 ± 0.014 vs 0.37 ± 0.039; PI of MTA: 0.24 ± 0.016 vs 0.46 ± 0.058) after treatment than at any other time. In conclusion, passive immunization against inhibin has a stimulatory effect on testicular blood flow in goats by inducing decreases in the RI values of the STA and MTA.

Comprehensive assessment of coronary fractional flow reserve

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is considered nowadays as the gold standard for invasive assessment of physiologic stenosis significance and an indispensable tool for decision-making in coronary revascularization. Robust studies have shown that FFR is more effective in accurately identifying which lesions should be stented, and revascularization guided by FFR improves the outcome of coronary artery disease in patients. Therefore, FFR has been upgraded to a class A recommendation in current guidelines when the ischemic potential for specific target lesions is controversial. This article reviews the laboratory practice, functional evaluation of FFR as a gold standard and its emerging clinical application. In addition, novel noninvasive technologies of FFR measurement are discussed in depth.

Testicular morphology in spontaneously hypertensive rat model: oxidant status and stereological implications

Studies by researchers suggest that reductions in blood flow to the testis could play an important role in the pathogenesis of male infertility. As this oxygen-dependent organ functions in a state of near anoxia, such a decrease in blood flow may very likely have profound effects on the tissue morphology that ultimately would predispose to various forms of hypo-spermatogenesis with consequent compromise in reproductive capability. With varying opinions expressed by experts as to the actual culprit or potential pathway and/or effects of pathophysiology of testicular haemodynamics, it still remains debatable whether the observed degenerative changes in testicular tissue are the result of major or minor reductions in flow or the consequence of other vascular pathologies or even extraneous factors. Again, increasing age and male gender have been identified as the single independent risk factors for the occurrence of cardiovascular pathologies with sexual dimorphism highly debated. The investigation of these factors occurring under hypertensive states using the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) as an experimental model has attracted substantial attention in recent past. This review examines the relationships and potential morphologic changes in the testicular tissue under conditions of perturbations in blood flow as seen in the SHR with a view to the proper understanding of the role(s) of various factors that contributes to male subfertility. A suggestion to the use of stereological methods for quantitating various measurements in a highly active and dynamic structure like the testis with its arterial system has been added as this may facilitate a better understanding of the mechanisms implicated under hypertensive conditions.