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Biomedical subjects

H Rui

Publications and source records attributed to H Rui.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

The value of anamnestic information regarding previous genital infection in male fertility investigation.

The study was designed to assess the value of information from male subjects under fertility investigation, regarding previous genital infection, in clarifying the causes of depressed sperm quality. Information was gathered using a questionnaire which was sent to 312 men who had previously attended our laboratory for semen analysis. A previous sexual transmitted disease (STD) in the male partner did not significantly influence the sperm quality or the pregnancy rate. However, a previous STD in the female was generally associated with a lower pregnancy rate. Previous episodes with urethral discharge, dysuria, pain with ejaculation or suprapubic discomfort had little relevance for the subsequent sperm quality. The results indicate that, in general, information provided by men under fertility investigation, regarding previous genital infections or symptoms, is only of limited value in elucidating the cause of impaired sperm quality.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Prolactin receptor triggering. Evidence for rapid tyrosine kinase activation.

The mechanism of action of prolactin (PRL) has remained obscure despite the unveiling of the primary structure of PRL receptors. The present study demonstrates rapid PRL receptor-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of at least three cellular proteins, designated p120, p97, and p40, in a rat T-lymphoma (Nb2-11C) as revealed by antiphosphotyrosine immunoblotting. One of the phosphotyrosyl proteins, p120, co-purified with activated PRL receptor complexes obtained using either anti-ligand or anti-receptor antibodies. Furthermore, in vitro incubation of affinity-purified PRL receptor complexes from PRL-stimulated cells with ATP in the presence of a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, resulted in a 10-15-fold increase in the phosphotyrosine content of p120, as revealed by antiphosphotyrosine immunoblotting. Parallel experiments utilizing [gamma-32P]ATP confirmed a rapid and time-dependent incorporation of phosphate into p120 in the same affinity-purified PRL receptor complexes. These data provide strong evidence for the involvement of a tyrosine kinase in PRL signal transduction and suggest the presence of a tyrosine kinase within the activated PRL receptor complex.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1992

Lifestyles of men in barren couples and their relationships to sperm quality.

This study is based on a questionnaire which focused on the possible association between lifestyle factors and male fertility in a group of 252 men attending our laboratory in connection with a fertility investigation. Their answers were correlated to sperm quality. No association could be documented between sperm quality and smoking habits, coffee drinking, a moderate alcohol intake, exposure to heat (sauna, hot baths, type of underwear, sedentary activities) or physical activities in their leisure time. In contrast, the reported average ejaculation frequency was significantly positively correlated to the motility of the sperm (% progressive) but inversely related to the proportion of sperm with abnormal morphology and semen volume. This indicates that the lifestyle of the subject has little, if any, impact on semen quality, at least within the limits recorded in the present study.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1992

Short-term effects of treatment with simvastatin on testicular function in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia.

The effects of simvastatin 40 mg per day for 14 weeks on the pituitary-testis axis of 19 men with familial hypercholesterolaemia have been examined in a single-blind study. Simvastatin significantly reduced serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides by 45% and 30%, respectively, and significantly increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol by 15%. The alterations, which were stable 4 weeks after the start of treatment, were not associated with any significant change in sperm quality, the seminal plasma concentrations of various sex gland products (prostate-specific acid phosphatase, polyamines, citrate, fructose, alpha-glucosidase), or the serum concentrations of cortisol, testosterone, LH, FSH, or prolactin. It is concluded that a short-term reduction in circulating LDL-cholesterol has no marked effect on testicular function or sperm quality.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Study on the pathogenic factors of Kashin-Beck disease.

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a chronic osteoarthritic disease, endemic in parts of China. Its etiology is unknown. Selenium deficiency, high concentration of organic matter (mainly fulvic acid) in drinking water, and severe contamination of grain by fungi have been proposed environmental causes. Free radicals, possible mediators between the environmental factors and origin of KBD, have been studied in this work. Drinking water from KBD-affected areas contains a higher level of semiquinone radicals than that from disease-free areas. In animal experiments, fulvic acid (FA) accumulated in the skeletal system as semiquinone radicals. Contamination of grain by Fusarium oxysporum or Alternaria alternata significantly increased the content of semiquinone radicals. Furthermore, corn grown in endemic areas had a higher content of radicals than that from disease-free areas. The g factor values for these radicals from contaminated corn were about 2.0040, in the range of semiquinone radical. In monolayer culture of human embryonic chondrocytes, FA and aqueous extracts of grain contaminated by Fusarium injured the chondrocytes and enhanced lipid peroxidation. Selenite and superoxide dismutase (SOD) protected the cells from injury by these toxins and reduced lipid peroxide. Lower glutathione peroxidase activities and higher levels of lipid peroxidation were also found in the children living in KBD-affected regions. Thus, FA and the mycotoxin, which are seen as exogenous free-radical carriers, are important environmental factors in the pathogenesis of Kashin-Beck disease; and selenium, vitamin C, and vitamin E, which inhibit free-radical formation, are considered to be protective.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Infertility studies in men].

This study summarizes the results of a questionnaire sent to 312 men involved in a fertility investigation. The answers illustrate the psychological problems linked to the infertile state, and indicate that men are generally well orientated about the extent of the problem. In the majority of cases, the infertile couples first contacted a gynecologist rather than a general practioner or other specialist. In over one third of the cases, this contact occurred within the first 12 months of attempting to achieve a pregnancy. The study implies an increasing negative attitude to donor insemination, and approximately one fifth of the men had at some time consulted fringe medicine.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Prolactin activates protein kinase C and stimulates growth-related gene expression in rat liver.

We have examined the effect of prolactin (PRL) on growth-related gene expression, protein kinase C (PKC) activity and diacylglycerol (DAG) mass in rat liver. Hepatic levels of messenger (m)RNA for c-myc, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and beta-actin increased in a dose-dependent manner within 1 h after PRL administration. Prolactin also caused a transient elevation of liver DAG levels and particulate-associated PKC activity. The PRL-provoked increases in DAG mass and particulate PKC activity were coincident and maximal at 20 min and began declining toward control levels by 30 min. These results suggest a temporal relationship between PRL-stimulated DAG accumulation and PKC activation. Furthermore, the subsequent rapid induction of growth-related gene expression provides new information on the role of PRL as a hepatic mitogen.

Actins↗
PubMed1990

Male partners in infertile couples. Personal attitudes and contact with the Norwegian health service.

The present study summarizes the results of a questionnaire sent to 312 men involved in a fertility investigation. The answers illustrate the psychological problems linked to the infertile state, indicate that men are generally well orientated about the extent of the problem and imply an increasing negative attitude to donor insemination. In the majority of cases, the infertile couples first contacted a gynecologist rather than a general practitioner or other specialist. In over one third of the cases, this contact occurred within the first 12 months of attempting to procure a pregnancy. In most cases, the male partner was already involved in the fertility investigation at the start. Approximately one fifth had at some time consulted fringe medicine (e.g. homeopathy or acupuncture).

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Smoking and sperm quality in men undergoing fertility studies].

The sperm quality (sperm number, concentration, motility, morphology and vitality) of 350 men under fertility investigation were compared in relation to their smoking habits. No significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis test) in sperm quality could be demonstrated between non-smokers, moderate smokers (1-14 cigarettes/day) and heavy smokers (15-40 cigarettes/day). This was true when all the data were analyzed together and when analyzed separately for oligospermic/hypospermic men (1-39) or for men with reduced forward motility (less than 25% of sperm cells with progressive movement). The distribution of non-smokers, moderate and heavy smokers was the same in groups of men with normal sperm quality as in groups with reduced quality. The present study does not provide support for the contention that smoking has deleterious effects on sperm quality, at least when using conventional parameters.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Correlates of human sperm motility assessed by laser Doppler spectroscopy.

The sperm motility characteristics of 140 men (percentage motile and average velocity of all sperm in motion; percentage progressive and the average velocity of sperm swimming more than 15 microns/sec) were determined using a laser-Doppler technique and correlated with other aspects of sperm quality, including the concentration and the proportion of abnormal and dead sperm in the ejaculate. In addition, the influence of the length of the period of abstinence, the viscosity of seminal plasma and the volume of the ejaculate were also assessed. The four motility characteristics were all highly correlated with each other. The magnitude of all four parameters increased in an exponential fashion with increasing sperm number up to 400 x 10(6) per ejaculate. At higher numbers, no further improvement in motility was observed. Moreover, increasing sperm number was associated with a decline in the proportion of sperm exhibiting abnormalities in morphology but with an increase in viable sperm 30 min after ejaculation. The relative viscosity of the ejaculates had generally no influence on sperm motility. In contrast, certain of the sperm motility characteristics, including the average velocity, were significantly negatively correlated with the length of the abstinence period.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Stability of sperm characteristics in men with disturbances in sperm quality.

Sixty-one men referred to our laboratory for semen analysis, and subsequently judged to exhibit some form of sperm pathology, were asked to return for a second analysis, not less than 2 months after the first, in order to assess the stability of the pathological changes observed. In almost half of the cases, the referring physician had, on his own initiative, started hormone or antibiotic treatment. The sperm parameters studied included sperm count, sperm motility judged by laser-Doppler spectroscopy, and sperm morphology and viability. The motility characteristics included percentage motile, their average velocity, and percentage swimming in a progressive manner, and their progressive velocity. In untreated subjects, there was no significant difference between the first and second analysis in any of the sperm parameters measured. This was also true for both oligozoospermic individuals (less than 20 x 10(6) sperm/ml) and the group with higher sperm concentrations. All parameters were highly correlated on the two occasions. The average coefficients of variation of the paired observations were highest for sperm count (approximately 25%) and lowest for sperm velocities and the proportion of abnormal and viable cells in the ejaculate (1-9%). No major differences in the extent of variation could be detected between the low and high sperm density groups. In general, the unsystematic antibiotic and hormone regimens (clomiphene or androgen) used by the referring physicians had no discernable effect on any aspect of sperm quality, indicating the need for more controlled and standardized programmes of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Cigarette smoking and human sperm quality assessed by laser-Doppler spectroscopy and DNA flow cytometry.

The sperm qualities of 350 men under fertility investigation were compared in relation to their smoking habits. The sperm variables included number, motility, morphology and vitality. Sperm motility was assessed objectively by laser-Doppler spectroscopy. In a randomly selected group, sperm samples were subjected to flow cytometry to assess the levels of DNA condensation. No significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis' test) in any aspect of sperm quality including DNA distribution could be demonstrated between non-smokers, moderate smokers (1-14 cigarettes/day) and heavy smokers (15-40 cigarettes/day). This was true when the data were pooled and when oligozoospermic/hypozoospermic ejaculates (1-39 x 10(6)/ml) and asthenozoospermic ejaculates (less than 25% of sperm cells with progressive movement) were analysed separately. The distribution of non-smokers, moderate and heavy smokers was the same in groups of men with normal sperm quality as those with impaired quality. The present study does not provide support for the contention that smoking has deleterious effects on sperm quality, at least using conventional parameters.

DNA↗
PubMed1989

Polyamines and other accessory sex gland secretions in human seminal plasma 8 years after vasectomy.

In 56 males, vasectomized 8 years previously, and in 56 age-matched non-vasectomized controls, a number of secretory products of prostatic, seminal vesicular and epididymal/testicular origin were used to monitor post-operative changes in accessory sex gland function. Significant reductions were observed in seminal plasma volume (3.0 vs 4.9 ml, P less than 0.01), and the total ejaculate contents of zinc (5.1 vs 9.7 mumol, P less than 0.01), magnesium (10.6 vs 26.5 mumol, P less than 0.01), PAP (371 vs 1260 IU, P less than 0.005) and citric acid (76.7 vs 127.9 mumol, P less than 0.05), indicating a major impact on secretions of prostatic origin. Unaltered PGE-1 (54.3 vs 53.2 micrograms, P less than 0.95) and fructose (3.9 vs 4.5 mumol, P greater than 0.1) indicated no effects on the secretory function of the seminal vesicles. A marked reduction was demonstrated in the ejaculatory contents of the polyamines, spermidine (366 vs 650 nmol, P less than 0.005) and spermine (5435 vs 11 804 nmol, P less than 0.05) but not their acknowledged precursor, putrescine, which is also of prostatic origin.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1988

Hormonal control of prostate function.

The intention of this article is to provide an introduction to some of the recent concepts within the subject of hormonal regulation of the prostate gland.

Androgens↗