This study is the first in the field of psoriasis demonstrating a strong association between genetic markers and positive response to drug treatment. Validation of this result in larger studies, as well as analysis of other drug treatments, could provide the basis for individually tailored treatment, along with increased cost effectiveness and reduced unnecessary exposure to toxicity.

No abstract

Toxicants, such as herbicides, have been hypothesized to affect sperm parameters. The most common method of exposure to herbicides is through spraying or diet. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of direct exposure of sperm to 1 mg/L of the herbicide Roundup on sperm motility and mitochondrial integrity. Sperm samples from 66 healthy men who were seeking semen analysis were investigated after written informed consent was taken. Semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization guidelines (WHO, 2010). Mitochondrial integrity was assessed through mitochondrial staining using a mitochondria-specific dye, which is exclusively incorporated into functionally active mitochondria. A quantity of 1 mg/L of Roundup was found to exert a deleterious effect on sperm’s progressive motility, after 1 h of incubation (mean difference between treated and control samples = 11.2%) in comparison with the effect after three hours of incubation (mean difference = 6.33%, p < 0.05), while the relative incorporation of the mitochondrial dye in mitochondria of the mid-piece region of Roundup-treated spermatozoa was significantly reduced compared to relative controls at the first hour of incubation, indicating mitochondrial dysfunction by Roundup. Our results indicate that the direct exposure of semen samples to the active constituent of the herbicide Roundup at the relatively low concentration of 1 mg/L has adverse effects on sperm motility, and this may be related to the observed reduction in mitochondrial staining.

Previously published online as a RNA Biology E-publication:

In this study, bioinformatics were used to specifically design universal primers within 16S rRNA gene according to the following criteria: the priming sites needed to be sufficiently conserved to permit a reliable amplification (pooled samples) and the genetic marker needed to (a) be sufficiently variable to discriminate among most species and sufficiently conserved within than between species, (b) be short enough to allow also accurate amplification from processed samples (food) and non invasive approaches (fur, feathers, faeces etc) (c) convey sufficient information to assign samples to species and (d) be amplified under variable lab conditions and protocols. Furthermore, short sequences allow the accurate massive inter-and intra-species identification of point mutations by the SSCP technique. The size of the amplified segment ranged from 222 to 252 bp. Amplification and identification success was 100% with all kinds of tissue tested in both raw and processed samples in a wind range of species, mammals (n=27), fishes (n=32) birds (n=19), coleoptera (n=23), reptiles (n=5), crustaceans (n=5) and cephalopods (n=2), including almost all European mammal and avian game species. In addition, no intraspecific polymorphism was detected. Finally, gene fragments, homologous to those amplified by the primers used herein and retrieved from the GenBank for three animal sets [mammals (n=248), birds (n=231) and fishes (n=644)] showed a particular precise percentage of correct identifications. Therefore, this short segment of the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene could be a good candidate for a rapid, accurate, low-cost and easy-toapply and interpret method to identify mammal and avian game species by PCR amplification and sequencing that can be easily incorporated in integrated conservation and forensic programmes.