Metabolic signature associated with parameters of the complete blood count in apparently healthy individuals

Metabolomics studies now approach large sample sizes and the health characterization of the study population often include complete blood count (CBC) results. Upon careful interpretation the CBC aids diagnosis and provides insight into the health status of the patient within a clinical setting. Uncovering metabolic signatures associated with parameters of the CBC in apparently healthy individuals may facilitate interpretation of metabolomics studies in general and related to diseases. For this purpose 879 subjects from the population‐based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)‐TREND were included. Using metabolomics data resulting from mass‐spectrometry based measurements in plasma samples associations of specific CBC parameters with metabolites were determined by linear regression models. In total, 118 metabolites significantly associated with at least one of the CBC parameters. Strongest associations were observed with metabolites of heme degradation and energy production/consumption. Inverse association seen with mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin comprised metabolites potentially related to kidney function. The presently identified metabolic signatures are likely derived from the general function and formation/elimination of blood cells. The wealth of associated metabolites strongly argues to consider CBC in the interpretation of metabolomics studies, in particular if mutual effects on those parameters by the disease of interest are known.     

Hyaluronan bound mature sperm count (HB-MaSC) is a more informative indicator of fertility than conventional sperm parameters: Correlations with Body Mass Index (BMI)

The relationship between overweight and male fertility is well studied, still the correlation of obesity and decreased sperm quality is a subject to debate. The widely used conventional spermatological examinations alone seem to be inadequate to assess fertilization potential. Hyaluronan Binding Assay (HBA^®) is one of the available validated tests that allows the functional examination of sperm. Data of 72 male patients (mean age 33.9 (24–43) years) from infertile couples were analysed. Body Mass Index (BMI) determination, conventional semen analysis and HBA were performed. Additionally, a relatively new Hyaluronan Bound Matured Sperm Count (HB-MaSC) -index, first introduced by the authors in 2015, was calculated. This index reflects fertilization potential of sperm more precisely. With the increase of BMI, sperm count decreased significantly until about 25?kg/m², above 25?kg/m² no further decrease was observed, although sperm count remained permanently low. Greater body weight (in the 70–90?kg range) was observed to have a significant negative effect only on the progressive sperm motility. In addition to sperm concentration and motility, sperm fertilization potential is also negatively affected by obesity, but is irrespective of body weight, as evaluated using BMI + HB-MaSC linear regression analyses adjusted for age and weight. This correlation between male BMI and sperm fertilization potential – as opposed to the conventional correlations with sperm concentration or motility – appears to provide more helpful information in the identification of real capability for fertilization.     

The association between sociodemographic,hormonal, tubo-ovarian factors and bacterial count in Chlamydia and Mycoplasma infections with infertility

Aim: To determine if there is an association between the Chlamydia and Mycoplasma infections with socio-demographic and clinical factors, and also with infertility. Methods: We conducted a study on 100 infertile married women and 100 control group, and collected data on the socio-demographic, hormonal and tubo-ovarian factors. The results of the endocervical swabs were analyzed for Mycoplasma and Chlamydia infection, the bacterial counts were also determined. Results: The percentage positivity to infection was significantly more among the infertile group compared to the control group, and also significantly more among the age group <30 years old. The positivity for infection with Chlamydia and/or Mycoplasma was significantly correlated with age, history of irregular menstruation, and history of previous abortion. Further sub-analysis of the infertile group showed that positivity to Chlamydia and/or Mycoplasma infection was significantly correlated to hormonal factors, ovarian factors, irregular menstruation, and previous abortion. Regression analysis showed that hormonal, ovarian factors, and irregular menstruation were the most significant factors in the positivity to Chlamydia and Mycoplasma infection. Bacterial count was significantly correlated with age, history of irregular menstruation, and history of previous abortion. Conclusion: Infection to Chlamydia and Mycoplasma is associated to younger age (?30 years old), and occurs in the infertile women. There is an interplay between infection in younger women, irregular menstruation, hormonal, and tubo-ovarian factors with infertility. Bacterial count was significantly correlated with age, history of irregular menstruation, and history of previous abortion.     

A combined parasitological molecular approach for noninvasive characterization of parasitic nematode communities in wild hosts

Most hosts are concurrently or sequentially infected with multiple parasites; thus, fully understanding interactions between individual parasite species and their hosts depends on accurate characterization of the parasite community. For parasitic nematodes, noninvasive methods for obtaining quantitative, species‐specific infection data in wildlife are often unreliable. Consequently, characterization of gastrointestinal nematode communities of wild hosts has largely relied on lethal sampling to isolate and enumerate adult worms directly from the tissues of dead hosts. The necessity of lethal sampling severely restricts the host species that can be studied, the adequacy of sample sizes to assess diversity, the geographic scope of collections and the research questions that can be addressed. Focusing on gastrointestinal nematodes of wild African buffalo, we evaluated whether accurate characterization of nematode communities could be made using a noninvasive technique that combined conventional parasitological approaches with molecular barcoding. To establish the reliability of this new method, we compared estimates of gastrointestinal nematode abundance, prevalence, richness and community composition derived from lethal sampling with estimates derived from our noninvasive approach. Our noninvasive technique accurately estimated total and species‐specific worm abundances, as well as worm prevalence and community composition when compared to the lethal sampling method. Importantly, the rate of parasite species discovery was similar for both methods, and only a modest number of barcoded larvae (n = 10) were needed to capture key aspects of parasite community composition. Overall, this new noninvasive strategy offers numerous advantages over lethal sampling methods for studying nematode–host interactions in wildlife and can readily be applied to a range of study systems.     

自发性高血压大鼠肠系膜微静脉白细胞-内皮细胞相互作用和微淋巴管收缩特性的研究

目的:探讨自发性高血压大鼠(Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat,SHR)肠系膜微静脉白细胞-内皮细胞相互作用和微淋巴管收缩的特性。方法:取8周龄Wistar大鼠、8周龄SHR(SHR8W)和13周龄SHR(SHR13W),麻醉、固定并暴露肠系膜后,微循环显微镜下观察肠系膜微循环并录像;回放录像,计算微静脉白细胞滚动数和滚动的白细胞-内皮细胞接触时间(Rolling leukocyte-endothelial contact time,RLECT),用Vas Track自动测量系统对微淋巴管口径进行动态测量,并计算微淋巴管收缩特性指标。结果:SHR13W的白细胞滚动数显著低于Wistar;SHR8W和SHR13W的RLECT均显著低于Wistar,且SHR13W的RLECT显著低于SHR8W;进一步按照管径分级后,三组间白细胞滚动数在10~20μm管径级别下未见差异;各个管径级别下,SHR8W和SHR13W的RLECT均未见差异。SHR13W的淋巴管收缩分数显著低于Wistar和SHR8W;SHR8W及SHR13W的总收缩活性指数均显著低于Wistar;SHR13W的淋巴管动力指数显著低于Wistar。结论:SHR肠系膜微静脉白细胞滚动数及RLECT减少,其中白细胞滚动数在不同管径级别微静脉中的分布不均匀,而RLECT随SHR周龄降低,意味着SHR淋巴管收缩功能降低。