LH Ratio Research Articles

Ab. No. 107 Effects of Yogasana on Anthropometric Indices and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Symptoms in Women Undergoing Infertility Treatment: An Interventional Study

Introduction: Prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) varies from 6.5 to 19.9% worldwide. Major symptoms include hormonal imbalances, irregular periods, excess androgen levels, and ovarian cysts leading to infertility. Yogasana is an important factor in improving physical and mental symptoms, as well as hormonal and metabolic parameters, thereby addressing various diseases. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of Yogasana on BMI, FSH: LH ratio, and ultrasonography in patients with PCOS. Yogasana is a crucial component of physiotherapy treatment techniques that can target patients with PCOS. Methods: After screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 31 subjects were included using sequential sampling techniques. At the end of 3 months, only 12 patients completed the treatment. All patients received a total of 60 minutes of treatment protocol, five days per week, including: 10 minutes of warm-up, 40 minutes of Yogasana (sitting, prone, and supine poses), 10 minutes of meditation, Baseline criteria for age, BMI, duration of suffering from the disease, FSH:LH ratio, and ultrasonography were recorded. Results: All the patients were women with a mean age of 31 ± 4 years, diagnosed with PCOS by ultrasonography, suffering for a mean of 14 ± 5 years. The Shapiro-Wilk test indicated that the data were not normally distributed. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied to pre and post-treatment data of BMI, FSH:LH ratio, ultrasonography, showing significant improvement in all parameters (P < 0.05). Conclusion: PCOS is a chronic condition that cannot be cured; however, some symptoms can be improved through yogasana. Implications: Yogasana should be incorporated into the treatment of patients with PCOS to reinforce positive results.

Management of Hirsutism Associated With Obese PCOD - A Case Report

Hirsutism is a condition of abnormal growth of hair on any part of the body irrespective of gender. The reason for hirsutism might be genetic or unhealthy lifestyle which triggers the pathogenesis. Women with PCOD particularly associated with hirsutism, have an increased prevalence of reactive depression and minor psychological abnormalities. The overall quality of life is decreased in hirsute women. This case study helps to plan a treatment protocol for the patient with PCOD having irregular, delayed menses & obesity along with hirsutism. A 19 years old unmarried female patient came to OPD of Streeroga Evum Prasutitantra, with complaints of irregular, delayed menstruation, weight gain, facial hair growth with acne from last 1 year. Bilateral bulky ovaries with PCOD were founded in her USG. Her FSH:LH ratio was altered, and her serum testosterone level was raised. 3 months of treatment protocol was given to patient in which Nitya Virechana with Shamana Aushadhi (Kulatthadi Kashaya and Shatapushpa Churna). Her menses became regular after 3 months of treatment & 8 kg of weight was reduced. Her USG report revealed bilateral normal ovaries and volume became normal. She continued Shamana Aushadhi up to 6 months. Her acne was subsided, facial hair growth became scantier with complete stoppage of new hair growth. Her FSH:LH ratio became normal and serum testosterone as well as S. insulin level became normal. This case will give a new hope in the management of hirsutism associated with PCOD by ayurvedic protocol i. e. Nitya Virechana Karma along with Kulatthadi Kashaya and Shatapushpa Churna, also to explore the probable mode of action of these drugs which helped in menstrual regulation, hirsutism, acne and obesity. KEYWORDS: Hirsutism, PCOD, Irregular menses, Obesity, Kulatthadi Kashaya, Shatapushpa Churna, Nitya Virechana.

Herbal Remedies for Mitigating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Brief Review

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological, endocrine, and metabolic disorder of unknown etiology. It is a complex endocrine illness that is marked by reduced development of follicles, hyperandrogenemia, insulin resistivity, infertility, increased luteinizing hormone, obesity, and augmented cystic ovaries. Objective: This review aimed to assess the efficacy of herbal and bioactive components of medicinal plants for mitigating PCOS. Materials and Methods: To conduct this review, keywords like “herbal treatment”, “ayurvedic treatment”, “bioactive components of medicinal plants”, “polycystic ovary syndrome”, and “PCOS” were used to search for various articles in search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Elsevier from 1992 to 2023. Results: More than 28 relevant studies were found and were briefly described in this review. According to the evidence, medicinal plant extracts containing phytoestrogens and these herbal treatments in animal models of PCOS were used to decrease hyperandrogenism, restoration of abnormalities in serum sex steroid profile, ratio of LH: FSH, steroidogenic enzymes, cardiovascular parameters, insulin resistance, ovary weight, lipid profile, and estrous cycles. Conclusion: The results of this review revealed the variability and efficacy of phytoestrogen activity and herbal treatments associated with PCOS disorder which can be partly effective. These findings may represent an opportunity to investigate and discover new bioactive components of medicinal plants which may help future studies on the etiology, pathophysiology and treatment of PCOS disorder.

Measurement of ovarian reserve in infertile versus fertile women: A case control study in Edo State, Nigeria.

The reproductive potential in a woman is age related. Nevertheless, the female reproductive system undergoes ovarian follicular development, resulting in ovulation of matured ovum for fertilization. Consequently, female reproductive aging parallels the depletion of the store of follicles until menopause is attained. This is the essential reason for evaluating ovarian reserve in women of reproductive age for infertility screening. The objective of the present study is to compare the serum FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone levels in infertile women with fertile controls. The study was designed as a case control descriptive study conducted in Benin City Edo State, Nigeria. Data were obtained through Questionnaire interview, while ELISA technique was used in the hormone analysis. Seventy-one women participated, of which 42 of them were infertile; and 29 age-matched fertile women (as controls). Secondary infertility was higher (64.3%) with 35% of them married between 3 and 5 years. The infertile patients had a significantly higher BMI than the controls (p <0.001). There was a significant difference in the serum levels of FSH and LH of the infertile women compared to the controls (p-value =0.001 and <0.001) respectively. Similarly, day 3 and day 21 serum progesterone levels of controls were significantly higher than those of the infertile women (p-value = 0.001 and 0.001) respectively. Though mean serum estradiol levels were higher in controls than the infertile women it was however not statistically significant (P=0.191). Sexually transmitted infections / pelvic inflammatory disease was identified to be treated in 52% of the infertile women. In conclusion, measurement of serum FSH, LH, Estradiol, Days 3 and 21 Progesterone collectively or FSH / LH ratio could be useful as markers for the assessment of ovarian reserve in women with infertility.

An Updated Role of Anastrozole in Male Factor Infertility for Avoidance of Need for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): A Short Communication

Male factor infertility causes infertility in about 50% couples. Aromatase hampering agents, like anastrozole restricts the transformation of testosterone (T) to estradiol (E2), minimize negative hampering on pituitary accessibility, and escalate endogenous Gn generation. Aromatase hampering agents have been offered historically to patients with a T: E2 ratio &lt;10. Anastrozole, a more selective hampering agent in contrast to prior agents, has been illustrated to decrease serum E2 quantities and improvement of semen parameters in men with a low T: E2 ratio . Despite, escalated utilization of anastrozole for the treatment of infertile men with escalated peripheral estrogen, it is uncertain if a broader cohort may benefit also from therapy. For corroborating that Naelitz BD, et al. revealed in a multi institutional retrospective cohort study with regards to infertile men with the objective to evaluate the anticipative factors for World Health Organization -sperm concentration category (WHO-SCC)upgrade in case of male patients receiving anastrozole treatment. Their observations were that anastrozole Initiation was correlated with decreased serum estradiol (E2), escalated serum gonadotropin (Gn) quantities, and clinical improvement of semen paradigms in approximately 50% of infertile men. Baseline generation of sperms and greater T: LH ratios anticipated an upgrade of WHO-SCC. E2 quantities, E2: T ratio, and BMI revealed poor anticipative power in this cohort. Men with pretreatment azoospermia displayed poor response to anastrozole needing other treatment modalities. Non-azoospermic infertile men with a T-LH ratio ≥100 (in addition to a lesser degree those with a ratio &lt;100) might gain advantage from treatment with anastrozole and get counseled regarding the anticipated probability of a clinically significant enhancement in semen paradigm. This might expand the availability of different therapies to couples who present with male factor infertility also aid in a trial of lesser invasive / costly fertility treatments.

Analysis of clinical features and etiological diagnostic indices of reproductive age women with hyperandrogenism

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and the value of different diagnostic indices for etiology in reproductive age women with hyperandrogenism. Methods: The medical records of 96 reproductive age women with hyperandrogenism in the multi-disciplinary team of Peking University First Hospital from January 2020 to April 2021 were collected. The patients were divided into four groups based on final diagnosis: congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) (n=8), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (n=67), idiopathic hyperandrogenism (n=13) and other specific diseases (n=8), respectively. The indices related to androgens in different groups were compared, and then their efficiency for diagnosis of CAH and PCOS were analyzed with receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve). Results: A total of 96 patients with hyperandrogenism were recruited, with the age of 19-45 (29±6) years old. Overall, 4.2% (4/96) of the patients were with single clinical hyperandrogenism, 56.3% (54/96) were with single laboratory hyperandrogenaemia and 39.6% (38/96) were with both. The breakdown into laboratory hyperandrogenaemia subtypes was as follows: only T elevation 22.8% (21/92), only A2 elevation 7.6% (7/92), none DHEAS elevation, only FAI elevation 5.4% (5/92) and elevation of more than one of the androgen indices mentioned above accounted for 64.1% (59/92). In the reasons of consultation, simple irregular menstruation (36.0%, 32/89) or accompanied by clinical hyperandrogenism with or without infertility (36.0%, 32/89) were the most common. As for primary visiting departments, Obstetrics and Gynecology accounted for 53.2% (51/96), and then Endocrinology as 39.5% (38/96). The 17-OHP level of CAH, PCOS and idiopathic hyperandrogenism group was 20.0 (8.2, 33.1), 1.1 (0.8, 1.4), 0.9 (0.8, 1.3) ng/ml, respectively. The androstenedione level in these groups was 6.3 (4.6, 8.7), 3.8 (2.9, 4.8) and 3.2 (2.7, 3.7) ng/ml, respectively. The 17-OHP and androstenedione levels of CAH group were significantly higher than that in PCOS or idiopathic hyperandrogenism group (all P<0.05). The ratio of LH and FSH in these three groups was 0.8(0.5, 1.0), 1.3(0.6, 1.9) and 0.6(0.3, 0.7), respectively. The ratio of LH and FSH was significantly higher in PCOS than that in idiopathic hyperandrogenism group (P=0.024), but yet there was no significant difference compared with CAH group (P>0.05). The AUC of ROC curve of 17-OHP for CAH diagnosis was 0.94, followed by androstenedione 0.83, whereas LH/FSH for PCOS diagnosis was only 0.63. Conclusions: Among the reasons of consultation in reproductive age women who visited our multi-disciplinary team for female hyperandrogenism, simple irregular menstruation or accompanied by clinical hyperandrogenism with or without infertility are the most common. PCOS accounts for the majority of different androgen excess disorders. 17-OHP is the most valuable parameter for the diagnosis of CAH and secondly androstenedione.

Early life stress and autonomic response to acute mental stress in individuals with coronary heart disease.

Early life stress (ELS) has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We examined whether ELS was associated with autonomic function and stress reactivity among individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD). We included patients with stable CHD from two parallel studies, the Mental Stress Ischemia Prognosis Study (MIPS) and the Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress Study 2 (MIMS2), and assessed ELS using the Early Trauma Inventory-Self-Report-Short Form. Participants underwent a laboratory-based mental stress task while undergoing ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. We used multivariate linear regression models to estimate the associations between ELS and heart rate variability (HRV; low frequency [LF], high frequency [HF], and LF and HF [LH] ratio). The analytic sample included 405 MIPS and 284 MIMS2 participants. Most participants endorsed at least one experience of ELS (92.2%). Although we did not observe associations between ELS and HRV outcomes in the overall sample, ELS was associated with lower LH ratio HRV during recovery in the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) subgroup, ELS x PTSD interaction, p=.041. In the MIMS2 subgroup, ELS was associated with lower resting period LF HRV, =-0.16 ln ms2 ; 95% CI [-0.31, -0.02]. Exposure to physical trauma was associated with decreased HF HRV overall reactivity only among participants with high to moderate depressive symptoms, =-0.52 ln ms2 vs. =0.01 ln ms2 , p=.013. Overall, heterogeneous associations between ELS and HRV emerged, suggesting the need for additional research regarding longer-term ambulatory HRV.

Morphological characteristics and population structure of Marbled Eel (Anguilla marmorata) in Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam

ABSTRACT The Marbled Eel (Anguilla marmorata) has a widespread distribution with a complex migration life cycle There were 350 individuals of sizes from 120 to 1137 mm were analysed on characteristic morphology at 4 developing stages: juvenile, fingerling, pre-adulthood and adulthood. Morphological indicators: total length (TL), head length (HL), dorsal fin origin (PD), anal fin origin (PA), distance from dorsal to anal fin (AD), distance from pectoral fins to dorsal fin (PDH), body length (TR), eye diameter (E), tail length (T) and eye distance (IO), colour characteristics and 10 characters were standardized against the LT or LH ratios determine 95.664% of morphological differences between individuals in the study population based on principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis tools. Phylogenetic tree with five morphological clusters with distance > 2.0 built a high genetic diversity. The difference of clusters is related to the morphology at different stages. Cluster 1 corresponds to the morphological characteristics at the fingerling stage (TL = 260–552.0 mm); cluster 3 is the pre-adult stage (TL = 324.6–533.9); cluster 4 is the juvenile stage (TL = 120.0–255.0); and clusters 2 and 5 for pre-adult and adult at reproductive migration (TL > 400).

Prevalence of Hypothyroidism in PCOS in Jharkhand

Polycystic ovarian syndrome and thyroid disorders are common endocrine disorders in females worldwide. These two problems are having many common features but are with very different etiopathogenesis. The increase in ovarian volume and cystic changes in ovaries have been reported in primary hypothyroidism due to disturbed ratio of FSH and LH. It is also seen that thyroid disorders are more common in women with PCOS as compared to the normal population may be due to other associated factors like insulin resistance, increased androgen secretion and obesity. There might be some common factors in individuals predisposing to both disorders but till date not any common pathophysiology is established between these two. The increased ovarian volume and fertility improves by administration of thyroxin apart from that it helps to control obesity and to some extent obesity related disorders. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism during adolescence will be helpful to improve especially fertility and PCOS related clinical conditions. The thyroid function study was done in PCOS patients between 18 to 35 years of age residing in Jharkhand and the results were compared with age matched healthy women. Having no medical problem or on contraceptive steroids females. Serum fasting free t3,free t4 and TSH levels were estimated. PCOS was confirmed by USG. Results of present study shows the prevalence of hypothyroidism in PCOS patient in Jharkhand.

A Clinico-etiological Evaluation of Hirsutism Patients: A Case Series

Background: Hirsutism is a condition of excess hair growth in females in male-like distribution. It is seen in almost 5-10% of women. Women having hirsutism have a negative impact on quality of life.&#x0D; Aim: All patients were subjected to ultrasound imaging (Sonography) and hormonal evaluation to establish possible causative factors.&#x0D; Methods: A prospective and retrospective study of hirsutism patients, who were evaluated at Samarpan medical research organization, Modasa, Gujarat from 2016 to 2019.&#x0D; Results: In this case series age and clinical presentation were studied in five female patients diagnosed with hirsutism. The patients age ranged from 16 to 22 years with a mean of 19.60 years. All these patients showed localized hair growth on the upper lip, chin, and cheek on the face. Ultrasound study revealed that one of the five patients had a right bulky ovary and four patients showed both ovaries with multiple follicles. In hormonal evaluation, in one of the three patients the LH: FSH ratio was found to be more than 3. Three out of the five patients showed elevated levels of 17-OHP and serum testosterone. Two out of the three patients showed an elevated level of serum insulin. The level of DHEAS, serum prolactin, serum cortisol, and serum TSH were found to be in a normal range.&#x0D; Conclusion: Ultrasonographic (USG) study revealed a positive correlation between PCOS and Hirsutism patients. Hirsutism patients were found to have higher levels of 17-OHP, serum testosterone, serum insulin, and a higher ratio of LH: FSH, one or more at a time suggesting a strong correlation between elevated levels of these hormones and hirsutism. The present study could not establish any meaningful correlation between the level of DHEAS, serum prolactin, serum cortisol, and serum TSH.

MATERNAL PHYSIOLOGY AND BLASTOCYST MORPHOLOGICAL GRADE CORRELATE WITH AN INHERENT DIFFERENCE IN HUMAN PERI-IMPLANTATION DEVELOPMENTAL POTENTIAL

Our group has been using an extended embryo culture (EEC) system to culture human embryos for up to an additional 7 d to study peri-implantation over the past three years. Since similar EEC parameters were measured for these projects, we performed a retrospective analysis of 653 human embryos to determine what maternal factors correlate with peri-implantation developmental outcomes. Frozen day five or day six human blastocysts donated for research (WIRB study no. 1179872) were warmed, dezonated, and cultured in vitro up to EEC day seven following an established protocol (Deglincerti et al., Nature 2016). The trophectoderm outgrowth area, total cell number, epiblast cell number, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) production in spent media were measured during EEC. Patient information including maternal BMI, age, infertility diagnosis, FSH, LH, FSH: LH ratio, estradiol, and anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) levels on menstrual cycle day 3, and an antral follicle count (AFC) were used in our analysis. Additionally, blastocysts with the highest morphological grade that typically yield live birth rates above 65% (Good Quality) were compared with those of lower morphological grade that typically yield less than 55% live birth rate (Fair Quality), based on our historical data. We then used a spearman correlation coefficient to assess the strength of the association between the aforementioned maternal factors and extended culture parameters. A chi-squared analysis was used to compare binomial outcomes with categorical predictors. T tests or ANOVA’s were used for comparing two or multiple continuous variables from categorical predictors respectively. Several maternal physiological influences during oocyte development (age, BMI, and FSH: LH, AMH, AFC) were significantly correlated with extended culture outcomes (p<0.05). Embryos with high morphological grade had significantly increased outgrowth areas compared to those with low morphological grade (Good Quality: 0.17 ± 0.02; Fair Quality: 0.12 ± 0.02, p<0.05). Maternal age was correlated with hindered EEC measurements in both the non-donor fertility patients as well as in healthy donors. When comparing embryos with the highest morphological grade only, advanced maternal age (35+ years old) still contributed to decreased hCG production (p<0.05) and hindered epiblast formation compared to those from younger patients (<35 years old, p<0.01). In conclusion, we show that human EEC may be valuable in predicting post-transfer developmental potential. Additionally, maternal physiology during oocyte development including age, BMI, and FSH: LH, AFC, and AMH significantly correlates with the peri-implantation developmental potential of human embryos.

Pre- and Post-Natal Endotoxin Exposures: Effects on Leucocyte Ratios and Levels of IL-1β, TNF-, Gonadotropins and Corticosterone in Female Rats

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term effects of prenatal and postnatal endotoxin exposure on hematological parameters, blood cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β), gonadotropins and corticosterone levels in female rats. Material and Method: Pregnant rats were injected intraperitoneally sterile saline (SF) or endotoxin (LPS) on days 17-18 of pregnancy. Following birth, female pups were subdivided into two groups and injected either sterile saline (SF, n=17) or endotoxin (LPS, n=17) on postnatal day 60 and four experimental groups were formed (SF+SF, SF+LPS, LPS+SF and LPS+LPS). Blood samples were taken 4 hours after final injection. Plasma levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, corticosteron, LH, FSH and blood leucocyte ratios were evaluated.Results: Neutrophil % ratio was higher but lymphocyte % ratio was lower in SF+LPS, LPS+SF and LPS+LPS groups than SF+SF group. Corticosterone, LH and FSH levels were not different between the groups but TNF-α level of LPS+LPS groups was higher than SF+SF and LPS+SF groups. IL-1β level of SF+LPS group was higher than SF+SF and LPS+SF groups. Conclusion: The results suggest that prenatal and post-pubertal endotoxin exposure programs cytokine level neutrophil and lymphocyte percentages without affecting hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal and –gonadal axes.

Correlation Luteinizing Hormone (LH)/Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Ratio with Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)/ High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Ratio in Polycystic Ovarium Syndrome (PCOS) Patients

The aim of this study is to analyze the correlation between the ratio of LH and FSH levels with LDL andHDL cholesterol in PCOS patients. This study is an observational cross-sectional study. The population inthis study were women newly diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome who came to RSIA Ferina, RSIALombok 22, Elizabeth Clinic and RSIA Putri Surabaya and Clinical Pathology Laboratory of dr. SoetomoSurabaya. Examination of FSH, LH and LDL and HDL cholesterol levels on 27 specimens (stored frozenserum) using the ICT (Accurate Intan Madya®, VEDALAB) and enzymatic colorimetric (Dimension EXL®,Siemens) methods. Statistical analysis was performed using the Spearman and Pearson correlation test,with a significance level of p &lt;0.05. The results showed that there was a moderate positive correlationbetween FSH and LDL cholesterol (r = 0.491, p = 0.009). Phenotype D of PCOS (non-hyperandrogenictype) had a moderate negative correlation between the LH / FSH ratio and the LDL/HDL cholesterol levelratio (r = -0.487, p &lt;0.05). However, there was no relationship between the LH/FSH ratio and the ratioof LDL/HDL cholesterol levels in all SOPK patients in this study. This study showed that phenotype DPCOS patients (non-hyperandrogenic type) were less likely to have cardiovascular complications than otherphenotypic PCOS patients. Insulin resistance has a role in the risk of dyslipidemia in non-hyperandrogenicPCOS patients.

Association of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme gene polymorphism in Pakistani women with the atypical steroidogenesis in Polycystic ovarian syndrome: A case-control study.

BackgroundPolymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (ACE) is responsible for elevated ACE concentrations in plasma. High ACE levels induce insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, which are the main attributes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Therefore, it was hypothesized that I/D polymorphism plays a role in the pathogenesis of PCOS.ObjectiveA case-control study was designed to investigate the association of I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene with PCOS in Pakistani women of reproductive age.MethodsACE I/D polymorphism was assessed in 252 women of age group 16–40 years. For genotypic analysis, PCR amplification of genomic DNA was carried out. Statistical analysis was performed to interpret the results using SPSS software.ResultsOur study showed that PCOS women were more likely to have a high body mass index and waist circumferences. Most PCOS patients had menstrual irregularities 99.3%, hirsutism 75.2% and cysts in ovaries 66.6%, along with other hyperandrogenic conditions (P-value = 0.001). The genotypic and allelic frequencies were significantly different between patients and controls. There was a significant association of three genotypes with the ratio of LH: FSH among PCOS patients (P = 0.05). Anthropometric characters, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, and PCOS conditions showed no statistical significance with ACE polymorphism.ConclusionsACE I/D polymorphism was not found associated with clinical conditions of PCOS in women of reproductive age. However, it was associated with atypical steroidogenesis. So, it indicates that ACE I/D polymorphism aggravates the pathogenesis of PCOS.

Consistency of a Nonword Repetition Task to Discriminate Children with and without Developmental Language Disorder in Catalan-Spanish and European Portuguese Speaking Children.

Nonword repetition has been proposed as a diagnostic marker of developmental language disorder (DLD); however, the inconsistency in the ability of nonword repetition tasks (NRT) to identify children with DLD raises significant questions regarding its feasibility as a clinical tool. Research suggests that some of the inconsistency across NRT may be due to differences in the nature of the nonword stimuli. In this study, we compared children’s performance on NRT between two cohorts: the children in the Catalan–Spanish cohort (CS) were bilingual, and the children in the European Portuguese cohort (EP) were monolingual. NRT performance was assessed in both Spanish and Catalan for the bilingual children from Catalonia-Spain and in Portuguese for the monolingual children from Portugal. Results show that although the absolute performance differed across the two cohorts, with NRT performance being lower for the CS, in both Catalan and Spanish, as compared to the EP cohort in both, the cut-points for the likelihood ratios (LH) were similar across the three languages and mirror those previously reported in previous studies. However, the absolute LH ratio values for this study were higher than those reported in prior research due in part to differences in wordlikeness and frequency of the stimuli in the current study. Taken together, the findings from this study show that an NRT consisting of 3-, 4-, and 5-syllable nonwords, which varies in wordlikeness ratings, when presented in a random order accurately identifies and correctly differentiates children with DLD from TD controls the child is bilingual or monolingual.

GH-induced LH hyporesponsiveness as a potential mechanism for hypogonadism in male patients with acromegaly.

Male patients with acromegaly frequently have hypogonadism. However, whether excess GH affects gonadal function remains unclear. We retrospectively compared clinical features affecting total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT) levels between 112 male patients with acromegaly and 100 male patients with non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) without hyperprolactinemia. Median maximum tumor diameter (14.4 vs. 26.5 mm) and suprasellar extension rate (33 vs. 100%) were lower in acromegaly, but LH, FSH, TT, and FT were not significantly different. In acromegaly, TT was less than 300 ng/dL in 57%, and FT was below the age-specific reference range in 77%. TT and FT were negatively correlated with GH, IGF-1, and the tumor size, and positively correlated with LH. In NFPA, they were positively correlated with IGF-1, LH, FSH, ACTH, cortisol, and free T4, reflecting hypopituitarism. Multiple regression analysis showed that TT and FT had the strongest correlation with GH in acromegaly, and with LH in NFPA. Surgical remission was achieved in 87.5% of 56 follow-up patients with acromegaly. TT and FT increased in 80.4 and 87.5%, respectively, with a significant increase in LH. In acromegaly, the degree of postoperative increase in TT(FT) correlated with the fold increase of TT(FT)/LH ratio, a potential parameter of LH responsiveness, but not with fold increase of LH, whereas in NFPA it correlated with both. These results suggest that excessive GH is the most relevant factor for hypogonadism in male acromegaly, and may cause impaired LH responsiveness as well as the suppression of LH secretion.

Testicular steroid sulfatase overexpression is associated with Leydig cell dysfunction in primary spermatogenic failure.

Decreased testosterone (T) to LH ratio and increased 17β-estradiol (E2) serum concentrations represent a common finding among patients with severe spermatogenic failure, suggesting a concurrent Leydig cell steroidogenic dysfunction. Aromatase overexpression has been associated with increased serum and intratesticular E2 in these patients. However, it is unknown whether the sulfatase pathway contributes to the increased availability of active estrogens in patients with primary spermatogenic failure. To assess estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) and steroid sulfatase (STS) mRNA abundance in testicular tissue of patients with Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) and normal tissues, its association with serum and intratesticular hormone levels, and to explore the mRNA and protein testicular localization of both enzymes. Testicular tissues of 23 subjects with SCOS (cases) and 22 patients with obstructive azoospermia and normal spermatogenesis (controls) were obtained after biopsy. SULT1E1 and STS transcripts accumulation was quantified by RT-qPCR. For mRNA and protein localization, we performed RT-qPCR in Leydig cell clusters and seminiferous tubules isolated by laser-capture microdissection and immunofluorescence in testicular tissues. Serum and intratesticular hormones were measured by immunoradiometric assays. SULT1E1 mRNA accumulation was similar in both groups. The amount of STS mRNA was higher in cases (p=0.007) and inversely correlated with T/LH ratio (r=-0.402; p=0.02). Also, a near significant correlation was observed with intratesticular E2 (r=0.329, p=0.057), in agreement with higher intratesticular E2 in cases (p<0.001). Strong STS immunoreaction was localized in the wall of small blood vessels but not in Leydig cells. Both SULT1E1 and STS mRNA abundance was similar in Leydig cell clusters and the tubular compartment, except for lower SUTL1E1 mRNA in the seminiferous tubules of SCOS patients (p=0.001). Our results suggest that an unbalance of the STS/SULT1E1 pathway contributes to the testicular hyperestrogenic microenvironment in patients with primary spermatogenic failure and Leydig cell dysfunction.

Modeling crop growth and land surface energy fluxes in wheat–maize double cropping system in the North China Plain

The land surface characteristic influences climatic environments by controlling the land surface energy and water fluxes. Although large progresses have been made in coupling detailed crop models into land surface models, there is much room left for improved estimates of surface fluxes in double cropping system, such as the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–summer maize (Zea mays L.) system under intensive influences of climate change and human activities in the North China Plain (NCP). Here, we modeled the growth and surface fluxes in winter wheat–summer maize double cropping system in the NCP through modified SiBcrop model. The parameters related with the crop growth in winter wheat and maize sub-models were emphasized to better simulate the seasonal dynamics of phenology phase, leaf area index (LAI), and latent (LH) and sensible (SH) heat fluxes. Observational data for phenology, LAI, and energy fluxes were compiled from Yucheng and Guantao stations, to calibrate and validate the SiBcrop model. The results showed that the adjusted SiBcrop captured better the seasonal dynamics of phenology, LAI, LH, and SH, relative to the original code. The largest biases in model results were in SH when horizontal advection prevails and in LH when there is summer maize senescence. Sensitivity analysis illustrated that growth duration, emergence date, LH, SH, and Bowen ratio were quite sensitive to sowing date of wheat, and growth duration and emergence and harvest dates to sowing of maize. The calibrated SiBcrop also simulated the LH and SH well at Guantao station. The adjusted SiBcrop is capable of assessing the responses of surface biophysical processes to the changes of human management and climate change in the double cropping system in the NCP.

Circadian zinc feeding regime in laying hens related to laying performance, oxidation status, and interaction of zinc and calcium

This study investigated that circadian zinc (Zn) feeding regime affected laying performance, Zn and calcium (Ca) status, antioxidant capacity and gene expression of circadian clock, and Ca and Zn transporter in laying hens. In total, 162 of 21-wk Hyline Sophie laying hens were assigned randomly into 3 groups including CON group (Control Zn, basal diets supplemented 60 mg/kg Zn), HL group (high-low Zn, basal diets supplemented 120 mg/kg Zn—basal diets), and LH group (low-high Zn, basal diets—basal diets supplemented 120 mg/kg Zn), which were fed at 0,530 h and 1,530 h, respectively. Blood, tibia, duodenum, and eggshell gland samples were collected at 8 h intervals with starting at 0,000 h in 1 d after 10 wk of experiment. Compared with CON group: 1) Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of LH and HL group decreased significantly (P < 0.05); 2) in serum, total antioxidant capacity and CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) at 0,000 h increased significantly, as well as Ca and Zn concentration of tibia at 0,800 h in LH group (P < 0.05); 3) in duodenum, mRNA expression of calbindin-d28k (CaBP) and NCX1 at 1,600 h in HL group upregulated significantly, as well as Per2 and Per3 at 0,000 h, CLOCK, Cry2, Per2, and Per3 at 1,600 h (P < 0.05). But, Zn5 at 0,800 h in HL group downregulated significantly (P < 0.05). 4) In eggshell gland, the mRNA expression of CaBP at 0,000 h and Zn5 at 1,600 h in HL group downregulated significantly (P < 0.05). However, SOD at 1,600 h in HL group upregulated significantly, as well as Cry1 and Per3 at 0,800 h in HL group upregulated significantly (P < 0.05). In conclusion, circadian Zn feeding diet regime was beneficial to improvement of FCR. The regulation of laying hens' circadian rhythms affected Zn and Ca transporter and interrelationship between Ca and Zn metabolism, also altered antioxidant capacity in present study. Therefore, circadian Zn feeding regime can be considered as a new method to improve laying performance in laying hens.

Influence of KISS1 gene polymorphisms on the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome and its associated variables, in Saudi women

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex multifactorial disorder, affecting millions of women worldwide. The role of genetic polymorphisms of the KISS1 gene on the development of PCOS is still obscure. This study was designed to investigate the probable influence of KISS1 gene polymorphisms on PCOS and its associated variables: BMI, waist-hip ratio, kisspeptin, LH, FSH, and LH-FSH ratio.MethodsThe study comprised 104 PCOS women and 109 controls, with age ranging from 19 to 36 years. BMI, waist-hip ratio, and circulating levels of kisspeptin, LH, and FSH were measured. DNA was extracted, and genotyping of the KISS1 gene was carried out by nucleotide sequencing. The PCOS-associated variables were analyzed in different genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the KISS1 gene.ResultsThe values of waist-hip ratio (WHR), LH, and LH-FSH ratio were significantly higher in PCOS women than controls. BMI, kisspeptin, and FSH levels exhibited no significant difference between the groups. Six novel SNPs of KISS1 gene were identified. Three: rs372790354G > A, rs12998G > A, and rs35431622A > T were investigated. Among these SNPs, the genotype and allele frequencies of rs372790354 showed significant association with PCOS (GA: p = 0.018, AA: p = 0.022, mutant allele-A: p = 0.021) and the G allele was protective. The values of LH, kisspeptin, and WHR of PCOS women were significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by the AA genotype of rs372790354. The other two SNPs rs12998G > A and rs35431622A > T revealed no significant influence on PCOS and associated variables. Haplotypes were constructed, but there was no significant difference between the patients and controls.ConclusionIn conclusion, this is the first study, which reports a significant influence of KISS1 gene polymorphism (rs372790354G > A) on PCOS and its associated variables. However, more extensive research is necessary to confirm these findings.