Reproductive function and sperm parameters in men with sickle cell disease: a systematic review.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common hereditary diseases in the world. It leads to hemolytic anemia and painful vaso-occlusive crises that can damage target organs at the cardiopulmonary, cerebrovascular, and renal levels. SCD has also significant consequences on reproductive functions and fertility.

Reproductive functions and fertility preservation in men with sickle cell disease.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent hereditary disorder with significant morbidity, including potential impacts on male fertility. This study aims to evaluate the semen parameters in men with SCD and assess the outcomes of fertility preservation strategies.

Methods: This retrospective study included 121 men with SCD referred to the fertility Centre at Tenon University Hospital, Paris, between 2012 and 2023.

Pain after oocyte retrieval in women with endometriosis undergoing fertility preservation or IVF.

Research Question: Do women with endometriosis undergoing oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation experience the same level of pain as women undergoing oocyte retrieval for IVF?

Design: This retrospective cohort study included 796 cycles in women with endometriosis undergoing oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation (n = 401) or IVF (n = 395) between January 2020 and October 2022. Post-operative pain assessments were compared between the two groups using a numeric rating scale (NRS).

Results: Women in the fertility preservation group were younger (32.

[Artificial intelligence: to a better predictive strategy for testicular sperm extraction outcome in azoospermia].

Azoospermia, defined as the absence of sperm in the semen, is found in 10-15 % of infertile patients. Two-thirds of these cases are caused by impaired spermatogenesis, known as non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). In this context, surgical sperm extraction using testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is the best option and can be offered to patients as part of fertility preservation, or to benefit from in vitro fertilization.

Reliability of Gallon-Jug Shelf-Transfer Power Equations in Older Women.

Ly, A, Strand, KL, Courtney, KJ, Barry, SS, Liscano, JA, Trebotich, TL, Martin-Diala, C, Martin, E, and Signorile, JF. Reliability of gallon-jug shelf-transfer test power equations in older women. J Strength Cond Res 37(5): 1124-1130, 2023-This study examined the test-retest reliability of the gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST) test as a measure of upper-body functional power in older women.

Validity and Reliability of the Seated Medicine Ball Throw as a Measure of Upper Body Power in Older Women.

Strand, KL, Ly, AS, Barry, SS, Liscano, JA, Trebotich, TL, Martin-Diala, C, Martin, E, and Signorile, JF. Validity and reliability of the seated medicine ball throw as a measure of upper body power in older women. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 902-908, 2023-In women, aging is associated with diminishing upper body power, which may increase the risk of falls and fall-related injury; however, the validity and reliability of clinical tests to evaluate upper body power need to be confirmed.

Comparison of the current abattoir surveillance system for detection of paratuberculosis in Australian sheep with quantitative PCR tissue strategies using simulation modelling.

Abattoir surveillance for Johne's disease monitoring in Australia has provided valuable feedback to producers about their flock's disease status since its commencement in 1999. The current surveillance system relies on the identification of gross lesions in sheep carcases at an abattoir, followed by sampling and histopathology testing. This manual inspection system has not been adapted to meet the changing disease situation, as infection prevalence levels have declined over time due to vaccination.

Factors influencing the effectiveness of the Gudair vaccine for controlling Johne's disease in sheep flocks in Australia.

Ovine Johne's disease is a chronic debilitating disease of sheep caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Mptb) which results in diarrhoea, emaciation and mortalities in infected animals. Vaccination with Gudair® has been a key strategy for controlling the disease in Australia since its approval in 2002.

Simulation modelling to estimate the herd-sensitivity of various pool sizes to test beef herds for Johne's disease in Australia.

Johne's disease is a chronic intestinal disease affecting livestock. It leads to the shedding of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in the faeces, wasting and eventually death, with animal welfare, economic, and trade implications. The Johne's Beef Assurance Scheme, used in Australia to determine the risk of Johne's disease on beef properties and facilitate trade, is based on testing a subset of the herd with pooled faecal quantitative PCR.

Determining an optimal pool size for testing beef herds for Johne's disease in Australia.

Bovine Johne's disease (JD) is a chronic debilitating disease affecting cattle breeds worldwide. Pooled faecal samples are routinely tested by culture to detect Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Mptb) infection.

Maternal and Cord Blood Folate Concentrations Are Inversely Associated with Fetal DNA Hydroxymethylation, but Not DNA Methylation, in a Cohort of Pregnant Canadian Women.

Background: Aberrancies in fetal DNA methylation programming may modify disease susceptibility of the offspring. Maternal folate status has potential to alter fetal DNA methylation.

Objectives: We examined the association of maternal and cord blood concentrations of folate and unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA), vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, and choline with fetal DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation and assessed potential modifying effects of 38 fetal genetic variants in 22 genes.

Fetal one-carbon nutrient concentrations may be affected by gestational diabetes.

Both insufficiency and excess of one-carbon nutrients (folate, choline, vitamins B6 and B12) during pregnancy have been associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the precise nature of this association has not been clearly established. We hypothesized that GDM may affect one-carbon nutrients concentrations in the fetus, thus possibly participating in epigenetic programing of the offspring.

Knowledge of and Interest in the Copper Intrauterine Device Among Women Seeking Emergency Contraception.

Objective: Emergency contraception (EC) includes hormonal pills (levonorgestrel or ulipristal acetate) and the copper IUD (Cu-IUD). The Cu-IUD is more effective for EC than hormonal pills but remains underused, possibly because of lack of knowledge or interest. The objective of this study was to examine knowledge of and interest in the Cu-IUD for EC among Canadian women seeking EC.

Suboptimal maternal and cord plasma pyridoxal 5' phosphate concentrations are uncommon in a cohort of Canadian pregnant women and newborn infants.

Vitamin B is important in fetal development, but little is known of the vitamin B status of pregnant women and newborns in North America and potential modifying factors. This prospective study determined maternal and cord plasma concentrations of pyridoxal 5' phosphate (PLP; an indicator of vitamin B status) in a convenience sample of 368 Canadian pregnant women and their newborns. The association of maternal intake of vitamin B and fetal genetic variants with cord plasma PLP and homocysteine concentrations was also examined.

MT-PCR panel detection of canine parvovirus (CPV-2): Vaccine and wild-type CPV-2 can be difficult to differentiate in canine diagnostic fecal samples.

Canine parvovirus (CPV-2) remains an important cause of devastating enteritis in young dogs. It can be successfully prevented with live attenuated CPV-2 vaccines when given at the appropriate age and in the absence of maternal antibody interference. Rapid diagnosis of parvoviral enteritis in young dogs is essential to ensuring suitable barrier nursing protocols within veterinary hospitals.

Gluteus Medius and Minimus Muscle Structure, Strength, and Function in Healthy Adults: Brief Report.

This article describes gluteus medius and minimus muscle thickness and hip abductor strength and function in healthy adults and explores the relationships between muscle thickness and function. Gluteus medius and minimus muscle thickness (B-mode ultrasound), isometric hip abductor strength (Biodex dynamometer), and lower extremity function (timed Trendelenburg test, Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test [FTSST], and lateral step-down test) were measured in healthy adults using a cross-sectional study design. A total of 22 subjects were included: 10 men and 12 women, mean age 25.

Maternal folic acid supplementation modulates DNA methylation and gene expression in the rat offspring in a gestation period-dependent and organ-specific manner.

Maternal folic acid supplementation can alter DNA methylation and gene expression in the developing fetus, which may confer disease susceptibility later in life. We determined which gestation period and organ were most sensitive to the modifying effect of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy on DNA methylation and gene expression in the offspring. Pregnant rats were randomized to a control diet throughout pregnancy; folic acid supplementation at 2.

Low Serum Vitamin B-12 Concentrations Are Prevalent in a Cohort of Pregnant Canadian Women.

Background: Among Canadian women of reproductive age, 5% and 20% have serum vitamin B-12 concentrations indicative of deficiency (<148 pmol/L) and marginal status (148-220 pmol/L), respectively. Given the association between suboptimal vitamin B-12 and adverse pregnancy outcomes, an understanding of vitamin B-12 status during pregnancy, and factors that influence it, is required.

Objective: This prospective analysis from the PREFORM (PREnatal FOlic acid exposuRe on DNA Methylation in the newborn infant) study investigated 1) vitamin B-12 status in a cohort of Canadian pregnant women and their newborns, 2) the association of maternal dietary vitamin B-12 intake with maternal and cord blood concentrations of vitamin B-12 and its biomarkers, and 3) the association of fetal genetic polymorphisms with cord blood concentrations of vitamin B-12 and its biomarkers.

Maternal and postweaning folic acid supplementation interact to influence body weight, insulin resistance, and food intake regulatory gene expression in rat offspring in a sex-specific manner.

Maternal intake of multivitamins or folic acid above the basal dietary requirement alters the growth and metabolic trajectory of rat offspring. We hypothesized that a modest increase in the folic acid content of maternal diets would alter the offspring's metabolic phenotype, and that these effects could be corrected by matching the folic acid content of the offspring's diet with that of the maternal diet. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were placed on a control or a 2.

High concentrations of folate and unmetabolized folic acid in a cohort of pregnant Canadian women and umbilical cord blood.

Background: Mandatory fortification, prevalent supplement use, and public health guidelines recommending periconceptional supplementation have increased folic acid intakes in North American pregnant women. However, the effects of increased folic acid intakes during pregnancy on maternal and cord blood folate concentrations have not been well established.

Objectives: In this prospective study, we determined maternal and cord blood concentrations of folate and unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) in a cohort of pregnant Canadian women and their newborns and examined the effect of maternal intakes of folate and folic acid and fetal genetic variants in folate metabolism on folate status.