We assessed the concomitant impact of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption in men presenting for primary couple's infertility. Data from 189 infertile men were analyzed. Semen analysis, serum hormones, and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) were obtained. Smoking status was categorized as follows: current nonsmoker (-S), moderate smoker (+MS), and heavy smoker (+HS). Alcohol consumption was categorized as follows: abstainer (-D), moderate drinker (+MD), and heavy drinker (+HD). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were applied. Among all the participants, 132 (69.8%), 30 (15.9%), and 27 (14.3%) patients were -S, +MS, and +HS, respectively. In addition, 67 (35.4%), 77 (40.7%) and 45 (23.8%) men were -D, +MD and +HD, respectively. Regarding concomitant habits, 52 (27.5%) patients were nonsmokers and abstainers (-S/-D: Group 1), 91 (48.1%) had at least one recreational habit (-S/+D or +S/-D: Group 2), and 46 (24.3%) were both smokers and drinkers (+S/+D: Group 3). Sperm concentration and progressive motility were lower in +HS and +HD, compared with -S and -D (all P < 0.05), respectively. Similarly, both parameters were significantly lower in Group 3 than Groups 1 and 2 (all P < 0.05). SDF values were higher in Group 3 than Groups 1 and 2 (both P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and concomitant +S/+D status were independent predictors of impaired sperm concentration and progressive motility (all P < 0.05). Heavy smoking and heavy drinking were associated with worse seminal parameters than moderate smoking/drinking and nonsmoking/abstaining. When concomitant, +S/+D status has an even greater detrimental effect on semen parameters.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects* ; Alcoholism/complications* ; Cigarette Smoking/adverse effects* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/pathology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa/ultrastructure*

Alcoholism ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Humans ; Orexins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVES: To observe the changes of expression of α-synuclein （α-syn） and neuronal apoptosis in brain cortex of acute alcoholism rats and to explore the mechanism of the damage caused by ethanol to the neurons. METHODS: The model of acute alcoholism rat was established by 50% alcohol gavage. The α-syn and caspase-3 were detected by immunohistochemical staining and imaging analysis at 1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 12 h after acute alcoholism. The number of positive cell and mean of optical density were detected and the trend change was analyzed. The variance analysis and t-test were also performed. RESULTS: The number of α-syn positive cell and average optical density in brain cortex of acute alcoholism rat increased significantly and peaked at 6 hour with a following slight decrease at 12 h, but still higher than the groups at 1 h and 3 h. Within 12 hours after poisoning, the number of caspase-3 positive cell and average optical density in brain cortex of rats gradually increased. CONCLUSIONS The abnormal aggregation of α-syn caused by brain edema and hypoxia may participate the early stage of neuronal apoptosis in brain cortex after acute alcoholism.
Alcoholism/pathology* ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain Edema/pathology* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cerebral Cortex/pathology* ; Ethanol ; Hypoxia/pathology* ; Neurons/pathology* ; Rats ; alpha-Synuclein/metabolism*

No abstract available.
Aged ; Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System/etiology/*pathology ; Alcoholism/complications/*pathology ; Cerebellum/*pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spinocerebellar Degenerations/*etiology/*pathology

Up-to-date imaging modalities such as three-dimensional dynamic contrast-enhanced CT (3D CT) and MRI may contribute to detection of hypervascular nodules in the liver. Nevertheless, distinguishing a malignancy such as hepatocellular carcinoma from benign hypervascular hyperplastic nodules (HHN) based on the radiological findings is sometimes difficult. Multiple incidental liver masses were detected via abdominal ultrasonography (US) in a 65-year-old male patient. He had no history of alcohol intake and no remarkable past medical history or relevant family history, and his physical examination results and laboratory findings were normal. 3D CT and MRI showed numerous enhanced nodules with hypervascularity during the arterial phase. After US guided liver biopsy, the pathological diagnosis was HHN. To date, several cases of HHN have been reported in patients with chronic alcoholic liver disease or cirrhosis. Herein, we report on a case of HHN in a patient with no history of alcoholic liver disease or cirrhosis.
Abdomen/diagnostic imaging ; Aged ; Alcoholism/pathology ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Focal Nodular Hyperplasia/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Liver/diagnostic imaging/*pathology ; Liver Diseases/pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting the social competence of school-aged children according alcohol consumption by their parents. METHODS: The participants were 558 5th grade elementary school students. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from September 17 to October 2 2013, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi2-test, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Stepwise multiple regression analysis with the SPSS PC+ 21.0 program. RESULTS: Participants were classified into three groups according to alcohol use; Non-use parent group (52.7%), social use parent group (31.0%), and problem use parent group (16.3%). Participants whose parents were problem users had significantly lower scores on emotional awareness and expression (F=14.45, p<.001), social support (F=5.82, p=.003), and social competence (F=16.33, p<.001) compared to students in the other two groups. In school-aged children with parents who were alcohol abusers, the variables that predicted social competence was friend support (66.0%). CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the importance of focusing on the crucial role of peer support in the development of social competence in school-aged children of parents who abuse alcohol. Further, for these children, interventions aimed at improving social support and children's emotional awareness and expression may be most beneficial.
Alcohol Drinking/pathology ; Alcoholism/*pathology ; Child ; Emotions ; Female ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Male ; Parents/psychology ; Questionnaires ; *Social Skills ; Social Support ; Students/*psychology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between serum sex hormone levels, liver function, and pathogenic mechanisms related to cutaneous lesions involving the facial skin in male patients with liver cirrhosis.

METHODSFifty male cirrhotic patients with facial skin lesions, including spider angiomas, angiotelectasis and special type rash, (mean age: 48.1 +/- 12.2 years) were randomly selected for study and enrolled as the case group. Thirty cirrhotic male patients without facial skin lesions (mean age: 44.5 +/- 11.7 years) were enrolled as the control group. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2), progesterone (PRGE), and testosterone (T) were detected and compared between cases and controls by the t-test. All patients were sub-categorized according to severity of cirrhosis (Child-Pugh classification) and comparisons between cases and controls were carried out by single factor analysis of variance. Logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate whether the presence of skin lesions is related to changes in markers of liver impairment, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil), serum albumin (Alb), prothrombin time (PT-SEC), creatinine (CREA), platelet count (PLT), and alcoholism.

RESULTSIn the cases with spider veins, LH level was significantly elevated (t = 2.01) and T level was significantly decreased (t = -2.20) (both, P less than 0.05 vs. controls). In the cases with telangiectasia, the LH level (t = 3.76, E2 (t = 2.08) and E2/T ratio (t = 2.98) were significantly elevated and T level was significantly decreased (t = -3.77) (all, P less than 0.05 vs. controls). In the cases with special type rash, FSH level was significantly elevated (t = 2.03) and T level was significantly decreased (t = -2.01) (both, P less than 0.05 vs. controls). In the case group, E2 levels decreased as severity of liver damage increased, while in the control group, E2 levels increased as severity of liver damage increased; however, the difference in average E2 values of the two groups did not reach statistical significance (P more than 0.05). In both cases and controls, the T levels were decreased as the severity of liver damage increased (F = 3.70, P less than 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased incidence of facial skin lesions is associated with alcoholism (odds ratio (OR) = 4.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.45-13.7, P less than 0.05) and elevated serum levels of AST (OR = 11.87, 95% CI = 1.24-113.1, P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAlcoholism, impaired liver function, and perturbed levels of circulating sex hormones are associated with cirrhosis-related facial lesions and may play important roles in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lesions in patients with cirrhosis.

Adult ; Alcoholism ; physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Face ; pathology ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; pathology

Chronic diarrhea with a 35 kg weight loss (75 kg to 40 kg) occurred during 2 years in an alcoholic patient was diagnosed with Isospora belli infection in the Republic of Korea. The patient, a 70-year old Korean male, had been a heavy drinker for more than 30 years. He was admitted to the Seoul National University Hospital because of long-standing diarrhea and severe weight loss. He had an increased white blood cell (WBC) count with high peripheral blood eosinophilia (36.8-39.9%) and lowered protein and albumin levels but without any evidence of immunosuppression. A parasitic infection was suspected and fecal examination was repeated 3 times with negative results. Peroral endoscopy with mural biopsy was performed in the upper jejunum. The biopsy specimens revealed villous atrophy with loss of villi together with various life cycle stages of I. belli, including trophozoites, schizonts, merozoites, macrogamonts, and microgamonts. The patient was treated successfully with oral doses of trimethoprim 160-320 mg and sulfamethoxazole 800-1,600 mg daily for 4 weeks. A follow-up evaluation at 2.5 years later revealed marked improvement of body weight (68 kg), increased protein and albumin levels, and normal WBC count with low eosinophils (3.1%). This is the first clinical case of isoporiasis with demonstration of various parasitic stages in the Republic of Korea.
Aged ; Alcoholism/*complications ; Antiparasitic Agents/administration & dosage ; Diarrhea/drug therapy/*etiology/parasitology/*pathology ; Humans ; Isospora/*isolation & purification ; Isosporiasis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/parasitology/*pathology ; Male ; Republic of Korea ; Sulfamethoxazole/administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Trimethoprim/administration & dosage

OBJECTIVE: By observing the cerebral beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta-APP) expression in the chronic alcoholism rats with slight cerebral injury, to discuss the correlation of chronic alcoholism and death caused by traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage (TSAH). METHODS: Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into watering group, watering group with strike, alcoholism group and alcoholism group with strike. Among them, the alcohol was used for continuous 4 weeks in alcoholism groups and the concussion was made in groups with strike. In each group, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining of the cerebral tissues were done and the results were analyzed by the histopathologic image system. RESULTS: In watering group, there was no abnormal. In watering group with strike, mild neuronic congestion was found. In alcoholism group, vascular texture on cerebral surface was found. And the neurons arranged in disorder with dilated intercellular space. In alcoholism group with strike, diffuse congestion on cerebral surface was found. And there was TSAH with thick-layer patches around brainstem following irregular axonotmesis. The quantity of beta-APP IOD in alcoholism group was significantly higher in the frontal lobe, hippocampus, cerebellum, brainstem than those in watering group with strike and alcoholism group with strike. CONCLUSION The cerebral tissues with chronic alcoholism, due to the decreasing tolerance, could cause fatal TSAH and pathological changes in cerebral tissues of rats under slight cerebral injury.
Alcoholism/pathology* ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/metabolism* ; Animals ; Brain/pathology* ; Brain Concussion/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ethanol/adverse effects* ; Male ; Neurons/pathology* ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Traumatic/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the general features and the keypoints of forensic medical examination in tumbling injury cases. METHODS: Twenty-eight cases dying of tumbling injury were collected and the locations and features of injury were analyzed. RESULTS: The occiput of head was the common position for the tumbling injury cases. Force, disease and alcohol were the main reasons for tumbling injury. CONCLUSION The injury is mild outside and severe inside from tumbling injury cases. The craniocerebral contrecoup is the significant feature in tumbling injury cases.
Accidental Falls/mortality* ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alcoholism/blood* ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Contusions/pathology* ; Craniocerebral Trauma/pathology* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Scalp/pathology* ; Skull Fractures/pathology* ; Young Adult