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Objective: To explore the effect of physical exercise at high altitudes (HA) on male reproductive system., Design: Prospective study., Setting: Andrology Clinic, University of L'Aquila, Italy., Patient(s): Seven male mountaineers involved in an expedition at 5,900 m., Intervention(s): Semen analysis, sperm DNA fragmentation with flow cytometry, and reproductive hormone levels., Main Outcome Measure(s): Hormone levels were evaluated at sea level (SL) at baseline (SL-pre), after 22 days of exercise at HA (intermediate), and after 10 days upon reaching SL (SL-post). Sperm parameters, percentage of sperm with fragmented DNA, and body composition measures were evaluated at SL-pre and at SL-post., Result(s): A reduction of sperm concentration, of body mass index (BMI), of waist circumference, and of percentage of body fat was observed at SL-post compared with SL-pre values. Increased levels of FSH and PRL were observed at the intermediate point, and normalized at SL-post, whereas T was higher at SL-post compared with SL-pre levels., Conclusion(s): Physical exercise at HA is associated with a testicular dysfunction leading to a reduced sperm concentration probably through an altered spermiation. The improved body composition after physical exercise might explain the higher T levels observed after the expedition., (Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the prevalence and type of Yq microdeletions in 86 consecutive men that fathered 99 sons by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and to determine the incidence of vertical transmission and de novo deletions in these boys., Design: Prospective clinical observational study., Setting: Genetics laboratory associated with a university IVF unit., Patient(s): Eighty-six consecutive infertile men presenting to an IVF clinic and their 99 ICSI-conceived sons. Fifty of the 86 men (58%) had idiopathic seminiferous tubule failure (STF); the remainder had a variety of other clinical indications for ICSI., Intervention(s): Collection of peripheral and cord blood samples., Main Outcome Measure(s): The Yq genetic status of fathers who underwent ICSI and of their sons by the presence or absence of 22 Y-specific markers covering the four azoospermia factor (AZF) subregions., Result(s): Yq deletions of the AZFd/c region were detected in two (6.9%) of 29 azoo- or severely oligospermic men with STF. Identical deletions were found in their respective sons. No de novo deletions were detected in the remaining 97 sons conceived by men without deletions., Conclusion(s): The detection of Yq deletions only in men with severe STF is consistent with previous studies, with the AZFd/c region being most commonly affected. This study demonstrates the vertical transmission of these Yq deletions through the use of ICSI and supports the notion that, in most cases, Yq deletions will be inherited by male offspring. The absence of de novo Yq deletions in the male offspring indicates that these events are rare following ICSI in men with both STF and other common male factor indications.