The Effect of SARS-Cov2 Infection on The Spermogram: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was always concern about damage to different organs of the body. In this study, we aimed to determine if coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could influence the sperm parameters in inpatient adult men with COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study during 2021, 22 patients with COVID-19 diagnosed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and clinical symptoms and history of admission and 19 volunteer healthy men as the control group participated. They were asked to provide semen samples at 2 and 6 months after hospital discharge and the same time for the control group. The following parameters were measured in all semen samples and beside the demographic data, they compared between the two groups: volume (mL), sperm concentration (106/mL), total motile sperm percentage, progressive percentage, normal morphology percentage, and DNA fragmentation index (DFI). RESULTS: The mean ± SD age of the participants in the COVID and control groups was 46.36 ± 9.94 and 45.84 ± 10.21 years, respectively (P=0.869). The mean ± SD body mass index (BMIs) of the participants in the COVID and control groups were 28.6 ± 5.460 and 29.6 ± 6.092, respectively (P=0.579). The mean ± SD number of children was 1.41 ± 1.054 in the COVID group and 1.47 ± 1.073 in the control group (P=0.847). All the sperm parameters were significantly impaired after 2 months in the COVID group in comparison with the control group (P<0.05). After 4 months from first sampling, all the parameters were improved significantly (except normal morphology) but had not yet reached the level of the control group. CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 affected semen parameters in patients admitted because of COVID-19, in the short term. It is expected that this will improve with time.

Evaluation of voice quality in primary hyperparathyroidism patients undergoing minimally invasive parathyroid surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Voice quality disorders remain a problem with classical surgical method which is expected to decrease with new minimally invasive methods. We aimed to examine whether there is an impairment in voice quality among our patients who have undergone open minimally invasive parathyroid surgery. METHODS: Forty-seven primer hyperparathyroidism patients included in the study. Their video laryngoscopic evaluations and voice analyses were done in pre-operative and post-operative 6th month, and changes in the voice quality were examined. RESULTS: Eighty-five (85.1%) of patients were female, with a mean age of 51.5 ± 9.4. According to the voice analysis in the preoperative-postoperative 6th months, F0 (%): 210.616-211.443, Jitt (%): 0.699-0.735, RAP (%): 0.420-0.444, Shim (%): 2.535-2.736, NHR (dB): 0.119-0.123, and VTI: 0.044-0.045, respectively. No significant differences were observed in any of the acoustic parameters between the pre- and post-operative periods. CONCLUSION: No deterioration in voice quality was observed in patients undergoing novel minimally invasive surgical technique. In this respect we think that this new method will be much more advantageous in terms of preserving the voice quality in eligible patients.

OBJECTIVO: Los trastornos de la calidad de la voz siguen siendo un problema con el método quirúrgico clásico y se espera que disminuyan con los nuevos métodos mínimamente invasivos. Nuestro objetivo fue examinar si existe un deterioro en la calidad de la voz entre nuestros pacientes que se han sometido a una cirugía abierta de paratiroides mínimamente invasiva. MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron en el estudio 47 pacientes con hiperparatiroidismo primario. Sus evaluaciones videolaringoscópicas y análisis de voz se realizaron en el sexto mes preoperatorio y posoperatorio, y se examinaron los cambios en la calidad de la voz. RESULTADOS: Ochenta y cinco (85,1%) de los pacientes eran mujeres, con una edad media de 51,5 ± 9,4. Según el análisis de voz en el sexto mes preoperatorio-posoperatorio, F0 (%): 210.616-211.443, Jitt (%): 0.699-0.735, RAP (%): 0.420-0.444, Shim (%): 2.535-2.736, NHR (dB): 0,119-0,123 y VTI: 0,044-0,045 respectivamente. No se observaron diferencias significativas en ninguno de los parámetros acústicos entre el pre y postoperatorio. CONCLUSIÓN: No se observó deterioro en la calidad de la voz en pacientes sometidos a una técnica quirúrgica mínimamente invasiva novedosa. Teniendo en cuenta que este método brindará la oportunidad de preservar la calidad de la voz en pacientes elegibles.

Characterization, source identification and risk associated with polyaromatic and chlorinated organic contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, PCBzs and OCPs) in the surface sediments of Hooghly estuary, India.

The spatial distribution, source identification and ecotoxicological impact of a group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs: dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorobenzenes (PCBzs)), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in surface sediment samples (0-5 cm, <63 µm grain size) along the ecologically stressed Hooghly River estuary, East India. The results demonstrated a wide range of concentrations (ng/g dry weight) with the following decreasing order: ∑16PAHs (3.3-630) > ∑6DDTs (0.14-18.6) > ∑7PCBs (0.28-7.7) > ∑2PCBzs (0.01-1.3) > ∑5HCH (0.10-0.6), with a dominance of p,p'-DDT and higher molecular weight PAHs. Selected diagnostic ratios indicated a mixture of both pyrolytic and petrogenic sources of PAHs, inputs of weathered DDT and their degradation in oxidizing environment, and a predominance of industrial input over the agricultural wastes. The cumulative impact of the pollutants (effective range medium quotient (ERMq): 0.01-0.16) reflected minimal to low ecotoxicological risk, with highest probability of toxic effects towards surrounding biota at Barrackpore (21%). ∑6DDTs exceeded the effect range low value resulting occasional adverse impact to the sediment dwelling organisms. Among the PAHs, the 4-ringed compounds accounted for 68% of the PAHs. Further, carcinogenic PAHs (BaA, Chry, BbF, BkF, BaP, DahP, Inp) possessed highest cancer risk (CR = 2.09 × 10-3) to the local population when exposed to the sediments from the studied area and ingestion was found to be the primary process of contamination. The study strongly recommends a systematic monitoring of POPs and PAHs, being the Hooghly River water used by local people for their livelihood.

Toxic polyacetylenes in the genus Bupleurum (Apiaceae) - Distribution, toxicity, molecular mechanism and analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The genus Bupleurum includes approximately 200 species that are widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, Eurasia and North Africa. Certain species of this genus have long been used as antiphlogistic, antipyretic and analgesic agents in traditional folk medicine. As described in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the roots of Bupleurum chinense DC. and B. scorzonerifolium Willd. are the herbal materials that compose Chaihu (Radix Bupleuri), a well-known TCM herb. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to provide up-to-date and comprehensive information regarding the distribution, toxicity, molecular mechanism and relatively new methods for the qualitative and quantitative determination of polyacetylenes in different Bupleurum species. METHOD: The information needed for this paper were sourced from publishing sites such as Elsevier, science Direct, PubMed; electronic search engines such as Scopus and Web of Science, Google scholar; other scientific database sites for chemicals such as ChemSpider, PubChem, SciFinder, and also from on line books. RESULTS: Polyacetylenes, which are widely distributed in genus Bupleurum of the Apiaceae family, have high toxicity. Among polyacetylenes, bupleurotoxin, acetylbupleurotoxin and oenanthotoxin have strong neurotoxicity. Through previous research, it was found that the toxicity of Bupleurum polyacetylenes manifested as epileptic seizures, with the target of toxicity being the brain. The neurotoxicity of polyacetylenes exhibits a relationship with the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor pathway, and polyacetylenes have been shown to inhibit GABA-induced currents (IGABA) in a competitive manner. CONCLUSIONS: The plants of genus Bupleurum have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. However, certain species of this genus are poisonous, and it was attributed to the high content of polyacetylenes. The present review indicates that certain polyacetylenes in the genus Bupleurum have highly neurotoxic effects. The major challenge with regard to toxic polyacetylenes is to test their neurotoxic effects in vivo as well as in further preclinical studies, which will require large amounts of purified polyacetylenes. More reference substances should be prepared, and sophisticated analytical technologies should be developed to comprehensively assess the quality of Radix Bupleuri herbs. These investigations will be helpful for further utilization of the plants of genus Bupleurum.