Proteomic analysis of sperm proteins in infertile men with high levels of reactive oxygen species

Oxidative stress is a significant risk factor for male infertility. A pro-oxidant testicular environment may alter the expression profile of functional sperm proteins and result in poor sperm quality. Patients and donors were divided into ROS (-) and ROS (+) groups. Using computational studies, and data mining of available literature on spermatozoa, oxidative stress and proteomics, we identified three core regulatory proteins angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), heat-shock protein (Hsp70) family A member 2 (HSPA2) and ribosomal protein subunit 27A (RPS27A) and seven interlink proteins NOS2, SUMO2, UBL4A, FBXO25, MAP3K3, APP and UBC. HSPA2 was validated by Western Blot, while the localisation of ACE, RPS27A, MAP3K3 and APP was identified by immunocytochemistry. The obtained results showed that HSPA2 was 1.2 (ROS+) and 2.1 (ROS-) fold downregulated in spermatozoa from patients with high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ACE and APP were localised in the post-acrosomal region of spermatozoa, whereas RPS27A and MAP3K3 were localised either in the tail or sperm neck area. Our data show that these proteins may play a role in ROS-induced male infertility.

Performance and stability analysis of curcumin dye as a photo sensitizer used in nanostructured ZnO based DSSC

Environmental friendly natural dye curcumin extracted from low-cost Curcumina longa stem is used as a photo-sensitizer for the fabrication of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Nanostructured ZnO is fabricated on a transparent conducting glass (TCO), using a cost-effective chemical bath deposition technique. Scanning electron microscopic images show hexagonal patterned ZnO nano-towers decorated with several nanosteps. The average length of ZnO nano-tower is 5μm and diameter is 1.2μm. The UV-Vis spectroscopic study of the curcumin dye is used to understand the light absorption behavior as well as band gap energy of the extracted natural dye. The dye shows wider absorption band-groups over 350-470nm and 500-600nm with two peaks positioned at 425nm and 525nm. The optical band gap energy and energy band position of the dye is derived which supports its stability and high electron affinity that makes it suitable for light harvesting and effortless electron transfer from dye to the semiconductor or interface between them. FTIR spectrum of curcumin dye-sensitized ZnO-based DSSC shows the presence of anchoring groups and colouring constitutes. The I-V and P-V curves of the fabricated DSSC are measured under simulated light (100mW/cm²). The highest visible light to electric conversion efficiency of 0.266% (using ITO) and 0.33% (using FTO) is achieved from the curcumin dye-sensitized cell.

Effects of methylene blue in acute lung injury induced by blunt chest trauma

BACKGROUND

We studied whether methylene blue (MB) treatment blunts chest trauma-induced lung injury in rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats, 200-300g, were used. The rats were divided into five groups (n=8): control, early contusion (EC), early contusion + methylene blue (2 mg/kg, EC+MB), late contusion (LC), and late contusion + methylene blue (2 mg/kg, LC+MB).

RESULTS

Histopathological analysis showed increased hemorrhage, alveolar wall thickness, edema, and inflammatory cell infiltrates in the EC and LC rats, which decreased upon MB treatment. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that MB reduced activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the number of active terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells. A significant increase was observed in the malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in the EC group compared to the control group (p<0.05). In addition, a significant decrease was reported in the glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels (p<0.01), but no significant difference was observed in the catalase (CAT) levels among the groups. The MDA level was significantly higher in the LC group compared to the control group, whereas the GSH level was significantly lower compared to the control group. The NO level in the EC+MB group was significantly lower when compared to the NO level in the EC group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The present study provides evidence that MB might serve as a therapeutic treatment for blunt chest trauma.

Efficacy of combined metformin-clomiphene citrate in comparison with clomiphene citrate alone in infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

BACKGROUND

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women and is associated with the reproductive and metabolic disorders.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the ovulation and conception rates after the treatment with Clomiphene Citrate (CC) alone and in combination with metformin in infertile patients presented with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

MATERIAL & METHODS

This randomized controlled trial of independent cases and controls was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hera General Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, during 2008. The 42 subjects diagnosed as PCOS were divided into group A and B (21 subjects in each) for the management with CC + metformin and CC alone, respectively. Group A received 500mg of metformin continuously, three times a day from the first cycle, for 6 months or until the pregnancy was confirmed. In both groups, CC was started with a dose of 50 mg from day-2 until day-6 of the menstrual cycle. The dose of CC was increased to 100 mg in the second and 150 mg in the third cycle, and then 150 mg remained for the rest of three cycles. With ovulation, the dose of CC was unaltered in both groups. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 16.

RESULTS

More than 50% of the females in both groups had a body mass index of >25. Group A achieved a higher rate of regular cycles, ovulation success, and conception than group B (71.4% vs. 38.1%; p=0.03), (76.2% vs. 38.1%; p=0.021) and (66.6% vs. 28.6%, p=0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Management with metformin + CC increased the ovulation and conception rates.

An ontology for collaborative construction and analysis of cellular pathways

MOTIVATION

As the scientific curiosity in genome studies shifts toward identification of functions of the genomes in large scale, data produced about cellular processes at molecular level has been accumulating with an accelerating rate. In this regard, it is essential to be able to store, integrate, access and analyze this data effectively with the help of software tools. Clearly this requires a strong ontology that is intuitive, comprehensive and uncomplicated.

RESULTS

We define an ontology for an intuitive, comprehensive and uncomplicated representation of cellular events. The ontology presented here enables integration of fragmented or incomplete pathway information via collaboration, and supports manipulation of the stored data. In addition, it facilitates concurrent modifications to the data while maintaining its validity and consistency. Furthermore, novel structures for representation of multiple levels of abstraction for pathways and homologies is provided. Lastly, our ontology supports efficient querying of large amounts of data. We have also developed a software tool named pathway analysis tool for integration and knowledge acquisition (PATIKA) providing an integrated, multi-user environment for visualizing and manipulating network of cellular events. PATIKA implements the basics of our ontology.

Lemierre's syndrome

This is a case report of Lemierre's syndrome in a 17-year-old male patient. Lemierre's disease consists of suppurative thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (SIJVT) in the presence of oropharyngeal infection and can be complicated by septic pulmonary embolism. Other causes of SIJVT include deep neck infections and central venous catheterization. The disease usually results from Gram-negative anaerobic organisms such as Fusobacterium necrophorum.

Use of pleural fluid C-reactive protein in diagnosis of pleural effusions

The aims of the study were to assess whether C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker for discriminating between transudative and exudative and pleural effusions to evaluate whether it can be used to distinguish inflammatory pleural effusions from other types of effusion. Pleural fluid and serum CRP levels were obtained in 97 patients with pleural effusion, using an immunoturbidimetric method (Olympus AU-600 autoanalyser). We compared CRP levels between transudates and exudates, inflammatory effusions and other types of effusion. According to the criteria used, 16 patients were included in the transudate group and 81 patients in the exudate group. Pleural fluid CRP levels were significantly lower in the transudate group (P<0.04; 14.9 +/- 4.9 mg l(-1) and 35.5 +/- 4.9 mg l(-1) respectively). Also, the ratio of pleural fluid to serum was significantly lower in the transudate group (P<0.009; 0.8 +/- 0.5 mg l(-1) and 2.8 +/- 0.7 mg l(-1), respectively). In the exudate group, 35 patients had neoplastic effusions, 10 chronic non-specific pleurisy, 19 tuberculous pleurisy, 16 parapneumonic effusion and one Dressler Syndrome. When these sub-groups were compared, the parapneumonic effusion subgroup CRP levels (mean 89 +/- 16.3 mg l(-1)) were significantly higher than those in the other subgroups, other exudate of neoplastic effusion, tuberculous pleurisy and chronic non-specific effusion and the transudate group (P<0.0001; P<0.0001; P<0.0004 and P<0.0001, respectively). The ratio between pleural fluid and serum CRP was significantly higher in the parapneumonic effusion subgroup than in the neoplastic subgroup (P<0.0002; 6.6 +/- 2.7 mg l(-1) and 1 +/- 0.2 mg l(-1), respectively). Pleural fluid CRP levels > 30 mg l(-1) had a high sensitivity (93.7%) and specificity (76.5%) and a positive predictive value of 98.4%. In the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions, higher CRP levels may prove to be a rapid, practical and accurate method of differentiating parapneumonic effusions from other exudate types. Although the high level of CRP obtained in the exudate group may be due to the number of patients with parapneumonic effusion who were included, the pleural CRP level may also be helpful in discriminating between exudative and transudative pleural effusions.