Introduction The N-terminal procollagen types III (PIIINP) play an important role in triggering the remodeling process. In fact, the relationship between PIIINP and atrial fibrillation (AF) in patient mitral valve diseases is unresolved. Objective This study aimed to assess relationships among serum PIIINP and atrial fibrillation remodeling in patients with mitral stenosis. Method One hundred and seventeen patients MS were screened for AF (51 without AF and 66 with AF) in the cardiology department of La Rabta Hospital. Plasma levels of PIIINP and TIMP-1-2 were measured by ELISA sandwich assay. Multiple linear regression analysis by the backward method was used. Results PIIINP (P=0.013), TIMP-1 (P=0.033) and TIMP-2 (P=0.049) were significantly lower in patients with AF compared to patients without AF. The serum levels of the following biomarkers protected the occurrence of AF according of ROC curves analysis: PIIINP (AUC=0.625; 95% CI: 0.509–0.742; P=0.039; cut-off =236.7pg/mL; sensitivity (Se) 60%, specificity (Sp) 66%) and TIMP-1 (AUC=0.631 (95% CI 0.514–0.748); P=0.033; cut-off=36.8ng/mL; Se 75%, Sp 60%). The correlation analysis showed that PIIINP significantly negatively correlated with end-diastolic volume (EDV) (r=−0,353; P=0.05) and with the mitral valve area (r=−0,338; P=0.048). TIMP-1 correlated positively Wilkins score (r=0,432; P=0.015) and PIIINP (r=0,229; P=0.021). In patients without AF, no correlation is found between these biomarkers and clinical parameters. Multiple linear regression analysis by the backward method was used for detection of significant biomarkers that influenced the occurrence of AF. In fact, the PIIINP (P=0.047) and TIMP1 (P=0.030) have a significant negative effect on occurrence of AF. Conclusion Our findings to suggest that significant decrease in plasma levels of PIIINP may be an indication of AF in patients with mitral stenosis.

Introduction Le psoriasis s’associe à un large éventail de comorbidités métaboliques, inflammatoires et cardiovasculaires. Sa sévérité, souvent évaluée par le score PASI, constitue un facteur déterminant du retentissement clinique. Cette étude vise en premier lieu d’évaluer l’impact du psoriasis sur la qualité de vie des patients et en second lieu d’analyser le lien entre ce retentissement, la sévérité de la maladie et la présence de comorbidités. Matériel et méthodes Une étude de cohorte prospective a été menée chez 258 patients psoriasiques, répartis selon la présence ou non d’un retentissement sur la qualité de vie (RQV). Après une période de suivi de cinq ans, les données cliniques, métaboliques et les scores de sévérité (PASI, SCA) ont été analysés. Résultats Le groupe avec RQV qui représente 62 % des patients psoriasiques présentait un pourcentage significativement plus élevés de diabète (31,6 % vs 2,7 %, p=0,040), d’hypertension (52,8 % vs 20 %, p=0,050), d’événements cardiovasculaires (82,8 % vs 33,3 %, p=0,049), de dyslipidémie (30,8 % vs 9,1 % p=0,060) et de syndrome métaboliques (47,4 % vs 25 %, p=0,07). Le score PASI était significativement plus élevé dans le groupe RQV (14,9 vs 3, p=0,014). Des corrélations positives statistiquement significatives ont été observées entre le RQV et l’âge (r=0,313, p=0,027), le PASI (r=0,504, p=0,010), le SCA (r=0,436, p=0,043). La relation avec RQV et la survenue des évènements cardiovasculaires selon l’analyse de régression de Cox montre une relation linéaire avec un HR=7,925 ; IC95 % (1,037–60,560). Discussion Les patients présentant un RQV avaient un score PASI significativement plus élevé. Ce groupe cumulait également davantage de comorbidités cardiométaboliques avec un HR élevé. La corrélation entre sévérité, comorbidités et qualité de vie peut souligner une interaction complexe et bidirectionnelle. Conclusion Le retentissement du psoriasis sur la qualité de vie est associé à une forme plus sévère de la maladie et à un profil métabolique défavorable. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité d’une approche multidisciplinaire dans la prise en charge des patients psoriasiques.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a disorder, characterized by clusters of cardiovascular risk factors such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, central obesity and hypertension. Patients with MS may have increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). We sought to determine the association of metabolic syndrome its components with MACE in patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD). Our study included 428 CAD patients who underwent elective coronary angiography at the Cardiology Department were included in the study. MS was defined according to National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Clinical cardiovascular outcomes during the period of the cohort were recorded. Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis assessed the relationship between MS and MACE. Among the 428 coronary patients, 310 had the MS. There was no significant difference in age (p = 0.553) and gender (p = 0.273), pharmacological treatment of hypertension (p = 0.360), diabetes (p = 0.060) and dyslipidimia (p = 0.141) between the two groups with and without MS. There were higher rates of MACEs (32.3% vs. 22%, p = 0.030) in the MS compared to the non-MS group. COX regression analysis revealed MS (HR = 1.493, 95%CI: 1.106–2.015, p = 0.009) was related with an increased risk of MACE. Of the metabolic syndrome components, only hyperlipidemia (HR = 1.968, 95% CI: 1.342–2.887, p = 0.001) was related to an increased risk of MACEs at 48 months. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed differences in MACEs between the MS and non-MS groups in patients (log rank p = 0.023). In coronary patients, MS presents a risk of MACE and among its components only hyperlipidemia is linked at highest risk in our cohort.

Mitral stenosis is characterized by extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix via the metalloproteinase Matrix (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs). In our study, we investigated effects of therapy with penicillin on MMPs and TIMPs and their role in mitral restenosis after percutaneous mitral commissurotomy. Plasma levels of MMP-2-3-9, TIMP-1-2, clinical findings, and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated in 41 patients treated with penicillin and 101 patients without penicillin. The patients were recruited in the cardiology department of La Rabta Hospital University. The biomarkers were measured by ELISA sandwich assay. Only the concentration of MMP-2 (137.9 ± 61.8 vs. 156.2 ± 60.7 ng/ml; P = 0.045) and TIMP-2 (101.3 ± 47.7 vs. 141.6 ± 74 ng/ml; P = 0.006) were significantly lower in patients treated with penicillin compared to patients without penicillin. The serum levels of the following biomarkers protected the occurrence of late mitral restenosis: MMP-2 (AUC = 0.620; 95% CI: 0.504–0.735; P = 0.045; cut-off = 150.56 ng/ml; sensitivity: 52.6%; specificity: 70.6%) and TIMP-2 (AUC = 0.658; 95% CI 0.559–0.758; P = 0.006; cut-off = 172.44 ng/ml; sensitivity: 35.7%; specificity: 94.6%). Indeed, in patients treated with penicillin, correlation analysis with echocardiographic parameters showed that MMP-2 (r = 0.365; P < 0.001) and TIMP-2 (r = 0.493; P = 0.012) were significantly correlated with the mitral valve area. Furthermore MMP-2 (r = 0.408; P = 0.02) and TIMP-2 (r = 0.300; P = 0.075) were positively correlated with restenose. In patients not on penicillin treatment have a negative correlation of MMP-2 with the mitral valve area (r = −0.254, P = 0.063) and TIMP-2 (r = −0.333, P = 0.011) with left ventricular ejection fraction. Treatment with penicillin lowers the level of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 leading to matrix remodeling of the mitral valve and protects against mitral stenosis. Furthermore, these findings suggest that a therapy targeting biomarkers of ECM remodeling might improve the long-term outcome of MS patients after PMC.

Abstract Study question What is the situation of bacterial semen infections in North African men between 2013 and 2022? Summary answer The proportion of positive-bacterial-semen-cultures of North-Afrian men was of 5.9%: Tunisian-patients positive rate was of 5.8%. Algerians of 7.9% and of Lybian was of 4.7%. What is known already Numerous bacteria can influence spermatogenesis process at different levels and disrupt spermatozoa development, maturation, and transport. Presence of pathogenic bacteria in the male-genital-system has been mainly associated with poor sperm function, leading to infertility. Bacterial semen infections such as infections by Chlamydia-trachomatis (CT), Mycoplasma-hominis (MH) and genitalium (MG), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and parvum (UP), Escherichia coli (EC), Enterococcus-faecalis (EF), Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and haemolyticus (SH), Helicobacter pylori, Streptococcus agalactiae, Gardnerella-vaginalis, Anaerococcus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are among the most common isolated bacteria, affecting semen quality and interfering with male fertility. (Wang et al., 2021; Farsimadan and Motamedifar, 2020). Study design, size, duration Retrospective study including 10.386 Sperm-culture-analyzes performed between January, 2013-December, 2022 of patients from North-Africa (Tunisians, Algerians and Libyans) aged between 19 and 73 years-old (y.o) (average-age: 43.2 y.o ± 7.16). Semen samples were divided in two main groups, Group-1: Bacterial-Semen-Infected-samples and Group-2: Semen without bacterial-infection. The investigation of the situation of North-African men’ semen-bacterial-infections was based on the types of bacteria analyzed, the years from 2013 to 2022 (year by year) and the nationalities of the patients. Participants/materials, setting, methods 10.386 North-African-patients composed of 79% of Tunisian-patients (n = 8201), 11% of Algerian-patients (n = 1142) and 10% of Libyan-patients(n = 1038) presented to the Laboratory for Semen-infection-diagnosis. Semen-samples were analyzed according to World-Health-Organization(WHO)-guidelines. Real-time-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) and biochemical-identification using Vitek2®ID-cards (BioMérieux) were used for bacterial-semen-infections’ detection such as with atypical-bacteria, aerobic/anaerobic bacteria. Statistical-analyzes were performed using SPSS22.0 for Windows-software. Kolmogorov–Smirnov-test for normality-analysis and comparisons by Student-t-test/Mann–Whitney-U-test, as appropriate. Pearson/Spearman’ tests for correlations were used as appropriate, P-value <0.05 was considered as significant. Main results and the role of chance A total of 10.386 semen cultures were performed with 613 positive-bacterial-semen-cultures, showing an annual variation rate of 0.7% from the first year to the last year of the study. The proportion of positive bacterial semen cultures was of 5.9% and was stable throughout the study period (4.8% to 7.3%) in except of 2018 (9.5%) and 2022 (12.5%). Leucocytes concentration which is positively correlated to bacterial-semen-infections in our study (r = 0.165; p < 0.001) have shown a significant increase in its average levels between 2019 and 2021 in comparison with the other years of the study. UU was the most present atypical bacteria in Goup-1 with 270 infected-samples, UP was the second with 134 infected-samples and then MH with 71 infected-samples and CT with 19 infected-samples and MG with 13 infected-samples. For aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in Group-1, EC was present with 17.3%, EF with 10.5%, SH with 5.7%, SA with 5.2% and NG with 2.2%. Positive semen cultures of Tunisian patients in our study presented a rate of 5.8%. Algerian positive bacterial semen cultures’ rate was of 7.9% and of Lybian patients was of 4.7%. Our study may represent an update on bacterial-semen-infections of North-African men over the past decade. Limitations, reasons for caution Our study is a retrospective-statistical-survey that included patients presenting to the laboratory for bacterial-semen-infection-diagnosis due to a pathology and/or inflammation of the genital tract or for a simple fertility-diagnosis. Meta-analysis studies in addition to more prospective-randomized-controlled-trials in collaboration with other Microbiology/Andrology laboratories are necessary to confirm or deny our results. Wider implications of the findings These results should interest epidemiologists, reproductive biology fundamentalists, urologists, microbiologists, gynecologists, and embryologists who want to improve the investigations on the semen bacterial infections in North-African men with or without fertility problems. Trial registration number Not applicable

Abstract Study question Does Spermocytogram parameters and Spermatozoa-DNA-Fragmentation (SDF) / Denaturation (SDD) levels are affected by atypical-bacterial semen infections in North-African men during the period between 2013-2022? Summary answer SDD presented positive-correlations with the presence of 3/5 atypical bacteria in the semen. Various Spermocytogram-parameters were also found to be negatively associated with atypical-bacterial-semen-infection. What is known already Atypical-Bacterial semen infections such as infections by Chlamydia-trachomatis (CT), Mycoplasma-hominis (MH) and genitalium (MG), Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and parvum (UP), were shown to be associated with poor sperm function (Prabha.et.al.,2009; Agarwal.et.al.,2012). In infections caused by CT, SDF was observed to be increased significantly and associated with male infertility (Karinen.et.al.,2004; Gallegos.et.al.,2008). In addition, MH and UU appeared to cause induction of nuclear decondensation and SDD, which damages sperm and has effects on sperm parameters. However, other studies failed to show any effect of MH, UU and CT on sperm parameters and SDD (Lee.et.al.,2013; Gdoura.et.al.,2008; Huang.et.al.,2015; Farsimadan and Motamedifar,2020). Study design, size, duration Retrospective study, including Sperm-culture-analyzes, Spermocytograms and SDF/SDD tests performed between January,2013 and December,2022 of 10.386 patients from North-Africa aged between 19 and 73 years-old (y.o) (average-age: 43.2 y.o ± 7.16). Patients were classified in 2 main groups according to the presence (Group-1: n = 613) or not (Group-2: n = 9773) of atypical-bacteria in the semen and 5 subgroups of monobacterial-infected-semen which were extracted from Group-1 as: CT (n = 14), MH (n = 61), MG (n = 10), UU (n = 147) and UP (n = 73) subgroups. Participants/materials, setting, methods 8201-Tunisian-patients(79%), 1142-Algerians(11%) and 1038-Libyans(10%) presented for semen-analyzes. Samples were analyzed according to World-Health-Organization (WHO) guidelines. Bacterial-semen-infection was detected by real-time-polymerase-chain-reaction(RT-PCR). Spermocytogram analyzes were performed according to WHO2010-recommendations using Sperm-class-analyzer-software (SCA5/6(CASA-system)) and SCA-scope (Microptic®). SDF analyzed with terminal-uridine-nucleotide-end-labeling(TUNEL)/sperm chromatin dispersion(SCD) techniques. SDD analyzed with the Aniline-Blue-staining-method. Statistical-analyzes were performed using SPSS22.0 for Windows-software. Kolmogorov–Smirnov-test for normality-analysis and comparisons by Student-t-test/Mann–Whitney U-test, as appropriate. Pearson/Spearman’ tests for correlations were used as appropriate, P-value<0.05 was considered as significant. Main results and the role of chance Sperm concentration was significantly lower in atypical-bacterial-semen-infected-group (Group-1) compared to controls (Group-2) with 11.39[0-311] vs 20.06[0-694]x106spz/mL, (p = 0.014); respectively, as well as progressive motility (14.6%[0%-64.47%] vs 21.89%[0%-81.35%], (p = 0.002); respectively) and typical morphology (5.34%[0%-18%] vs 9.29[0%-21%] (p < 0.001); respectively). However, Leucocytes concentration and SDD presented significant higher levels in Group-1 compared to Group-2 with 1.8[0.1-8.5] vs 0.5[0.1-2.45]x106 leucocytes/mL, (p < 0.001) and 21%[4%-60%] vs 15%[2%-75%], (p = 0.04); respectively. Similar significant differences were observed with 3/5 of the monobacterial-semen-infected-subgroups in comparison with Group-2 (MH, UU and UP-subgroups). No significant differences were observed in MG and CT-subgroups in except of SDD which presented significant higher levels in CT-subgroup in comparison with Group-2 (52%[4%-85%] vs 15%[2%-75%], (p = 0.002);respectively). Correlation-analyzes showed that SDD was positively correlated to MH (r = 0.069; p = 0.022) and UU (r = 0.084; p = 0.005) which is in accordance with the study of .Lee.et.al.(2013). Leucocytes concentration was also correlated positively to MH, CT, UU and UP (r = 0.047; p<0.001; r = 0.035; p=0.005; r = 0.074; p<0.001; r = 0.045; p=0.05; respectively). Sperm concentration, Progressive motility and Typical morphology presented Negative correlations with MH (r=-0.038; p=0.034; r=-0.048; p=0.05; r=-0.047; p=0.05; respectively), UU (r=-0.034;p=0.003; r=-0.04; p<0.001; r=-0.067; p=0.007; respectively) and UP (r=-0.072; p<0.001; r=-0.078; p=0.018; r=-0.057; p<0.05; respectively). Our results are in accordance with other studies such as of Prabha.et.al.(2009) and Agarwal. et al. (2012). However, SDF did not show any significant variation between our studied groups. Limitations, reasons for caution Our study is a retrospective-statistical survey that included patients presenting to the laboratory for fertility diagnosis or for a diagnosis due to a pathology and/or inflammation of the genital tract. Meta-analysis studies in addition to more prospective-randomized-controlled-trials in collaboration with IVF or other medical-analyzes-laboratories are necessary to confirm/refute our results. Wider implications of the findings These results should interest urologists, microbiologists, gynecologists, reproductive science fundamentalists, epidemiologists and embryologists who want to improve the investigations on the relationship between bacteria and semen parameters to the reasons of infertility, recurrent miscarriages and poor quality embryos in IVF. Trial registration number Not applicable

The association of metabolic syndrome (MS) with endothelial dysfunction could influence the synthesis and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which are a variety of endopeptidases, synthesized in several tissues. The present study was proposed to examine the matrix MMPs, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α) in patients non-obese and obese with or without MS. We also investigate the possible association of these circulating levels with cardiovascular risk factors. The study has included 262 patients subdividing according to body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome. MS was defined according to the NCEP–ATPIII report. Plasma MMP-1-2-9, TIMP-1-2, and TNF-α levels were determined using ELISA. In our study, the level of MMPs and TIMPs were higher in obese and MS patients. In obese patients, positive association were present between MMP-1 and body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.714, P = 0.071) and between TIMP-1 and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.691, P = 0.058). In MS patients, MMP-3 and TIMP-1 were positively associated with waist circumference (WC) (r = 0.502, P = 0.020; r = 0.698, P = 0.001; respectively). MMP-1 and TNF-α were positively correlated with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.632, P = 0.006; r = 0.471, P = 0.049; respectively). In patients obese with MS, MMP-1 and MMP-2 were positively associated with BMI (r = 0.196, P = 0.034; r = 0.138, P = 0.081; respectively). Positive correlation were present between MMP-1 with SBP (r = 0.131, P = 0.06) and DBP (r = 0.173, P = 0.027). Also, MMP-2 was positively associated with Triglycerides in MS patients (r = 0.479, P = 0.018) and in patients obese with MS (r = 0.209, P = 0.007). MMP-3 and fasting plasma glucose were positively correlated in MS patients (r = 0.632, P = 0.002). These findings suggest that MMPs may have a role in the increased cardiovascular risk of patients obese with or without MS.

Mitral stenosis (MS) is the most frequent disease among rheumatic valvular-pathologies. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their specific inhibitors (TIMPs) implication in MS is yet to be elucidated. We aim in our study to highlight MS matrix remodeling and to exhibit the implication of matrix and inflammatory marker MS and in its complication. Our study included 174 patients diagnosed with rheumatic MS (received mitral commissurotomy with a mitral surface less than 1.5 cm2). We also recruited 101 healthy controls. Levels of MMPs (MMP-2-3-9), TIMPs (TIMP-1-2) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by ELISA sandwich assay. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly higher in patients than controls and correlated positively with inflammatory markers.Matrix markers combined analysis revealed strong association with MS [AUC = 0.867 (95% CI 0.762–0.971); P < 0.001]. This combination showed a strong implication as for MMP-2. MMP-3 elevated level was associated to the calcification degree (≥ 5) and to auricular fibrillation (AF) presence. After further adjustment for age, gender and treatment (long acting penicillin), MMP-3 showed an independent association to the degree of calcification (≥ 5) [OR = 1.3 (95% CI 1.11–1.50); P < 0.001] compared to low calcified valvular patients (calcification < 5). MMP-3 showed also an independent association to AF when adjusted for the same risk factors. However, Il-6 was independently associated to restenosis in MS patients [OR = 1.4 (95% CI 1.04–1.95);P = 0.04] even after adjustment. Inflammation induces matrix remodeling towards extracellular matrix degradation and these phenomena trigger MS and its progression in calcification, AF and restenosis. These markers could be use as predictors of the disease progression.

What is the relationship between Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) levels and sperm analysis (Spermocytogramme) parameters results? SDF level of patients with pathological spermocytogramme presents negative correlations to total spermatozoa mobility, vitality and concentration, and positive correlation to sperm morphology defects. The relationship between SDF and Sperm analysis parameters and especially sperm morphology needs to be more studied since few studies over the last years were focused on this relationship. However, abnormalities in these two parameters are considered as the most important biological indicators of male infertility. The pathogenesis of Teratozoospermia (<4% morphologically normal sperm cells according to WHO 2010) is continuously increasing over the last decade according to several studies. In addition, SDF is also increasing over the years because of several factors such as pollution, stress and lifestyle changing. Retrospective study including 331 infertile patients undergoing SDF-index testing with Spermocytogramme from January 2013 – December 2018. Patients divided into two groups: 143 patients with normal-Spermocytogramme and 188 patients with pathological-Spermocytogramme. Each group includes patients with abnormal SDF levels (>30%). Statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS22.0 for Windows-software. Kolmogorov–Smirnov-test for normality analysis and comparisons by Student-t-test or Mann–Whitney U-test, as appropriate. Pearson/Spearman’ tests for correlations were used as appropriate, P-value<0.05 was considered as significant. 143 patients with normal Spermocytogramme (2.8% abnormal-SDF) vs 188 patients with pathological Spermocytogramme (10.6% abnormal-SDF). WHO–2010 instructions for sperm-analysis were used through Makler®-counting-chamber (Sefi-Medical Instrument Ltd) for sperm-concentration and motility-determination using Sperm-class-analyzer-software (CASA-system (Microptic®)) to detect sperm abnormalities. Normozoospermia was determined when sperm progressive-motility is ≥ 32%, sperm-concentration ≥15x106/mL, and sperm-morphology ≥4%. “Diff-Quick” staining-method for the coloration of the fixed-sperm-slides was used for Sperm-morphology analysis. GoldCyto Sperm®Kit (Goldcyto Biotech corp.) was used to analyze SDF. SDF is significantly higher in pathological spermocytogramme’ patients than in normal spermocytogramme’ patients (17.02 ± 11.88 vs 12.16 ± 9.58 respectively). In patients with pathological spermocytogramme, SDF is negatively correlated to Progressive sperm motility (r= –0.137; p = 0.042), Total sperm motility (r= –0.153; p = 0.036), vitality (r=–0.140; p = 0.048) and concentration (r=–0.195; p = 0.007). In the other hand, SDF presented positive correlation with teratozoospermia and especially with sperm midpiece defects (r = 0.171; p = 0.02). However, SDF did not present any correlation with age, testosterone levels and total ejaculated sperm volume. However the latter was positively correlated to spermatozoa midpiece and head defects (r = 0.156; p = 0.034; r = 0.203; p = 0.006, respectively). These results are in accordance with García-Ferreyra et al. (2014) who found that men with abnormal spermatozoa morphology showed high levels of DNA fragmentation, Sá et al. (2015) who confirmed that semen with lower concentration, motility and morphology have higher levels of SDF and showed that sperm head staining patterns are correlated with the degree of SDF. In addition, recently the study of Jakubik-Uljaszstudy et al. (2020) could confirms our results when it concluded that detailed sperm structural defects coexist with abnormal nuclear sperm DNA dispersion and that men with teratozoospermia may have a higher risk for sperm DNA damage. Our study is a retrospective statistical investigation that included patients attending to the laboratory for fertility diagnosis after a period of infertility. Meta-analyzes studies in addition to more prospective-randomized-controlled-trials with couples undergoing assisted-reproductive-treatments and in comparison with fertile men are needed to confirm the relationship between SDF and spermocytogramme defects. Wider implications of the findings: These results should interest andrologists, reproductive science fundamentalists and embryologists who want to improve the investigations on the origin of infertility especially when it comes from male side. Not applicable

Abstract Background Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) level disequilibrium in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) may be due to a specific genetic variation. The MMP-3 gene promoter contains an insertion/deletion polymorphism characterized by an array of 5 or 6 adenosine residues (5A/6A) at –1612 positions. Purpose The aim was to analyze whether the MMP-3 5A/6A gene promoter polymorphism is related to its level in HCM patients. Methods/Results In this study, we recruited 33 HCM patients and 35 non-HCM. The ELISA sandwich assay measured MMP-3 plasmatic level. The MMP-3 –1612 5A/6A polymorphism was genotyped by RFLP-PCR. The studied population was consistentin Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. There were 17% 5A/5A homozygotes, 65% 6A/6A homozygotes, and 17% 5A/6A heterozygotes. The HCM was related to the existence of the –1612 5A/6A polymorphism (p<0.05). Patients carrying the 5A allele had a higher MMP-3 level than those with the 6A allele (16.03±9.43 vs 8.68±5.89 ng/ml, respectively; p=0.01). Conclusion Our data shows that the –1612 5A/6A MMP-3 gene polymorphism is associated to the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and do influence the MMP-3 plasmatic circulating level. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

The tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are endogenous inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs/TIMPs balance is well known to play important roles in myocardial remodelling regulation. TIMPs biological role suggests that an up-regulation leads to extracellular matrix accumulation, whereas a down-regulation results in an increased matrix proteolysis. TIMPs are also able to influence cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and/or hypertrophic remodelling of the myocardium. We aimed to determine whether circulating tissue inhibitor of MMPs (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) could be a prognostic biomarker in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Twenty-one HCM patients and twenty-two age-matched non-HCM (aged: 46 ± 14), plasma level of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were assayed by ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay ) Sandwich-type. To assess the predictive accuracy of biomarkers we performed the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The 95% confidence interval (CI) has been also calculated for sensitivity and specificity. Levels of TIMP-1 were significantly higher in HCM patients than non-HCM (62.50 ± 57.44 vs. 28.73 ± 11.70 ng/ml; P = 0.017). There was no significant difference for circulating TIMP-2 level. Higher TIMP-1 levels correlated negatively with left ventricular mass ( r = − 0.566; P = 0.018) and intraventricular septum thickness ( r = −0.604; P = 0.008). ROC curve analysis showed that plasma TIMP-1 achieved a good predicting performance of HCM with an area under curve (AUC): 0.733, 95% CI: 0.573−0.893, P = 0.013. The predictive value of TIMP-1 was > 47.5 ng/ml with a good specificity of 93.75% and a quite modest sensitivity 40%. Our findings do suggest that TIMP-1 may be a useful prognostic biomarker that could discriminate hypertrophic cardiomyopathy presence.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of cardiometabolic factors predisposing to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to compare the different indexes, including the obesity index, the lipid accumulation product index (LAP), and the cardiometabolic index (CMI) to predict the MS. A total of 2708 individuals, aged 35 to 69 years were included came in a community based cross-sectional survey from in Great Tunis. Waist circumferences (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were determined. LAP and CMI were calculated. MS was defined using 3 different definitions: the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/American Heart Association (NHLBI/AHA), and International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The prevalence of MS is 30.4%, 38.2%, 35.2% from NCEP-ATP, IDF and AHA//NHLBI criteria respectively. CMI showed better area under the curve (AUC) for MS in three different criteria (AUC = 0.873 (NCEP-ATP), AUC = 0.850 (IDF), AUC = 0.858 (AHA//NHLBI)) than the others indexes: LAP, WHtR, WC, BMI and WHR. Even after adjustment of age, gender, current smoking, family history of cardiovascular diseases, educational status, CMI showed better area under the curve (AUC = 0.895 (NCEP-ATP), AUC = 0.879 (IDF) and AUC = 0.891 (AHA//NHLBI). Independent of age and gender, CMI is good predictor factor in the diagnosis of the MS.

Introduction Le psoriasis est une dermatose inflammatoire chronique dont la pathogenese implique les metalloproteinases matricielles (MMP). Notre objectif est de determiner la relation de la MMP-3 et la MMP-7 avec le psoriasis et leur association avec la severite de la maladie. Materiel et methodes Nous avons recrute 281 patients psoriasiques et 156 temoins sains. Les taux plasmatiques de la MMP-3 et la MMP-7 sont determines par la technique ELISA. La severite de l’inflammation est evaluee en fonction du degre de l’erytheme (faible, modere, severe, tres severe). La severite du psoriasis est evaluee par le score de la surface cutanee atteinte ou body surface area (BSA) et par le score Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). L’analyse de la courbe de ROC est utilisee pour determiner l’air sous la courbe (ASC), l’intervalle de confiance (IC95 %), la sensibilite (Se) et la specificite (Sp). Resultats Les taux plasmatiques de la MMP-3 et la MMP-7 sont significativement plus eleves chez les patients psoriasiques (p Discussion La MMP-3 et la MMP-7 sont des biomarqueurs predictifs de la maladie avec une bonne specificite et sont liees a la severite du psoriasis. Conclusion Ces deux biomarqueurs (MMP-3 et MMP-7) peuvent etre utilises dans le diagnostic et le pronostic de la maladie du psoriasis.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common genetic heart disease characterized by myocardial fibrosis. Several major cytokines are identified to contribute fibrotic responses. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) is one of the major profibrotic cytokines which is implicated in cardiac fibrosis. We sought to explore changes in TGF-ß levels between patients with HCM and non HCM and to test if his higher levels may be related to poor prognosis in HCM. A total of 31 patients with HCM and 39 non HCM were enrolled. enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum levels of TGF-ß, amino terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) and plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and tissue inhibitor (TIMP)-2. We used the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to find a cutoff value. The 95% confidence interval (CI) was also calculated for sensitivity and specificity. Serum TGF-ß levels were significantly higher in HCM patients than in non-HCM subjects (123.56 ± 72.58 versus 38.88 ± 21.10 pg/mL; P < 0.001). Plasma levels of TIMP-2 were lower (59.88 ± 31.18 versus 100.53 ± 57.49 ng/mL; P = 0.001). PIIINP was correlated positively with maximal wall thickness (r = 0.622; P < 0.001), intraventricular septum thickness (r = 0.481; P = 0.006) and left ventricular (LV) mass indexed (r = 0.777; P < 0.001). TGF-ß levels of > 57.86 pg/mL can predict adverse events with a specificity of 84% and a sensitivity of 86% [area under curve (AUC): 0.906, 95% CI: 0.825–0.988, P = 0.04]. The higher levels of TGF-ß in this present study suggest that TGF-ß could be a prognostic marker in HCM.