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Abandoned mining–metallurgical sites can significantly impact the environment and human health by accumulating heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems. The water in the sub-basin near an abandoned smelting facility in the city of La Oroya, Peru, is primarily used for pisciculture. The objective of this study was to assess the risk to human health from exposure to heavy metals via dietary intake of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the influence area of a smelting facility located in the central Andean region of Peru. The bioconcentration factor, biosediment accumulation factor, and consumption risks were evaluated using the Monte Carlo method. The results showed that the concentrations of elements (Zn > Pb > Cu > As) in rainbow trout muscle did not exceed the maximum limit (ML). However, the water significantly exceeded the ML for Pb in all sectors and As in the lower and middle parts of the river. The concentration of Pb in sediments also significantly exceeded the ML in the upper and lower parts of the river. Consequently, rainbow trout consumption in the study area presents risks to human health due to the bioaccumulation of heavy metals, with a 1.27% carcinogenic risk in samples from the lower part of the river.

Objetivo. Recolectar información sobre la presencia de parasitosis intestinales en roedores, con énfasis en parásitos de importancia médica en humanos. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio parasitológico para detectar la presencia de helmintos en roedores en zonas urbanas y rurales de cinco provincias del Ecuador entre el 2014 y 2017. Los roedores fueron capturados y transportados al Centro Referencia Nacional de Parasitología del Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública – Guayaquil, para su posterior análisis. Resultados. Se encontraron 125/211 (59.2%) ratas con endoparásitos, 13/20 (65%) R. rattus y 112/191 (58.6%) R. norvegicus. El nemátodo más prevalente fue Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (para ambas especies de roedores), y Heterakis spumosa, seguido por los cestodos: Hymenolepis diminuta, H. nana, Moniliformis moniliformis y Cysticercus fasciolaris. Conclusiones. La presencia de cuatro especies de cestodos zoonóticos en los roedores muestreados que viven cerca comunidades humanas, representan un riesgo potencial de infecciónpara los habitantes, especialmente en el caso de R. norvegicus (presento mayor diversidad de especies parasitarias).Por lo tanto, el control de la población de roedores en las áreas residenciales y las recomendaciones a la población local sobre el riesgo de transmisión de enfermedades a través de roedores parece ser totalmente necesario.

The main objective of the research was to evaluate the efficacy of mixtures of Trichoderma spp. and palm oil in the management of cocoa moniliasis. The experiment was carried out during 2016 in a 40-year-old polyclonal plantation, made up of clones EET-19, EET-95 and EET-103, sensitive to moniliasis. The treatments evaluated were: palm oil + Trichoderma koningiopsis and T. stromaticum (T1), palm oil + T. ovalisporum (T2), T. koningiopsis + T. stromaticum (T3), T. ovalisporum (T4), Hydroxide of Copper (T5) and a control treatment (T6). The main variables recorded were: the area under the disease progress curve (ABCPE), the control efficacy, the yield and the net economic benefit. The data were subjected to the analysis of variance and the comparison of means through the Tukey test, with a 5% probability of error. The treatments significantly influenced the evaluated variables. T1 and T2 showed the highest moniliasis control efficacy with 50.27 and 41.68 % respectively, in addition to having lower disease intensities over time (ABCPE) compared to control. Likewise, these treatments showed a greater increase in the yield of dry grains with 30.18 and 29.46 %, in their respective order; at the same time, they achieved the highest net economic benefits with 1094 and 1050 USD ha-1. The mixtures of Trichoderma spp. and palm oil were effective in managing the disease and increase the yield and economic benefit of cocoa.

Purpose: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice. Materials and Methods: Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured. Results: The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%). Conclusions: This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine has gained a lot of momentum in the last decades and has been applied to various fields of medicine. Advances in computer science, medical informatics, robotics, and the need for personalized medicine have facilitated the role of AI in modern healthcare. Similarly, as in other fields, AI applications, such as machine learning, artificial neural networks, and deep learning, have shown great potential in andrology and reproductive medicine. AI-based tools are poised to become valuable assets with abilities to support and aid in diagnosing and treating male infertility, and in improving the accuracy of patient care. These automated, AI-based predictions may offer consistency and efficiency in terms of time and cost in infertility research and clinical management. In andrology and reproductive medicine, AI has been used for objective sperm, oocyte, and embryo selection, prediction of surgical outcomes, cost-effective assessment, development of robotic surgery, and clinical decision-making systems. In the future, better integration and implementation of AI into medicine will undoubtedly lead to pioneering evidence-based breakthroughs and the reshaping of andrology and reproductive medicine.

Purpose: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a common, but complex problem, with multiple therapeutic options and a lack of clear guidelines. Hence, there is considerable controversy and marked variation in the management of NOA. This survey evaluates contemporary global practices related to medical and surgical management for patients with NOA., Materials and Methods: A 56-question online survey covering various aspects of the evaluation and management of NOA was sent to specialists around the globe. This paper analyzes the results of the second half of the survey dealing with the management of NOA. Results have been compared to current guidelines, and expert recommendations have been provided using a Delphi process., Results: Participants from 49 countries submitted 336 valid responses. Hormonal therapy for 3 to 6 months was suggested before surgical sperm retrieval (SSR) by 29.6% and 23.6% of participants for normogonadotropic hypogonadism and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism respectively. The SSR rate was reported as 50.0% by 26.0% to 50.0% of participants. Interestingly, 46.0% reported successful SSR in <10% of men with Klinefelter syndrome and 41.3% routinely recommended preimplantation genetic testing. Varicocele repair prior to SSR is recommended by 57.7%. Half of the respondents (57.4%) reported using ultrasound to identify the most vascularized areas in the testis for SSR. One-third proceed directly to microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE) in every case of NOA while others use a staged approach. After a failed conventional TESE, 23.8% wait for 3 months, while 33.1% wait for 6 months before proceeding to mTESE. The cut-off of follicle-stimulating hormone for positive SSR was reported to be 12-19 IU/mL by 22.5% of participants and 20-40 IU/mL by 27.8%, while 31.8% reported no upper limit., Conclusions: This is the largest survey to date on the real-world medical and surgical management of NOA by reproductive experts. It demonstrates a diverse practice pattern and highlights the need for evidence-based international consensus guidelines., Competing Interests: The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology.)