In this study, 292 invasive (T1b to T4) gastric cancers with prolonged follow-up and carefully analyzed

histotype, inclusive of histotype-based grade, were investigated histochemically with a panel of 14 phenotypic markers known to be expressed in normal gut tissues and gastric cancer.

Three of seven intestinal type markers investigated showed a trend for improved prognosis, one of which, CDX2, was stage independent. Three among gastric and pancreatobiliary duct markers (MUC1, MUC6, and pepsinogen II), predicted more severe prognosis stage independently, as did a combination of eight potentially informative (p < 0.1 at univariable Cox analysis) markers. Cancers with predominantly check details intestinal phenotype had significantly better prognosis than those with predominantly gastric, mixed, or poorly

defined phenotypes; among the latter, those with high lymphocyte Selleck Pfizer Licensed Compound Library response, with favorable outcome, were separated from anaplastic cancers, with ominous prognosis. At multivariable analysis, CDX2 and the eight marker combination proved to be stage- and grade-independent predictors.

When individually considered, and with the exception of CDX2, the biomarkers investigated gave an appreciable, although moderate, contribution to the prognostic evaluation of gastric cancer. Combined analysis of all potentially informative markers gave more important information, highly additive to both stage and histotype-based grade.”
“We

introduce a novel PF-04929113 mouse approach for segmenting articulated spine shape models from medical images. A nonlinear low-dimensional manifold is created from a training set of mesh models to establish the patterns of global shape variations. Local appearance is captured from neighborhoods in the manifold once the overall representation converges. Inference with respect to the manifold and shape parameters is performed using a higher-order Markov random field (HOMRF). Singleton and pairwise potentials measure the support from the global data and shape coherence in manifold space respectively, while higher-order cliques encode geometrical modes of variation to segment each localized vertebra models. Generic feature functions learned from ground-truth data assigns costs to the higher-order terms. Optimization of the model parameters is achieved using efficient linear programming and duality. The resulting model is geometrically intuitive, captures the statistical distribution of the underlying manifold and respects image support. Clinical experiments demonstrated promising results in terms of spine segmentation. Quantitative comparison to expert identification yields an accuracy of 1.6 +/- 0.6 mm for CT imaging and of 2.0 +/- 0.8 mm for MR imaging, based on the localization of anatomical landmarks.”
“The human corpus luteum is a temporary endocrine gland that develops after ovulation from the ruptured follicle during the luteal phase.

Methods: A Markov model was used to estimate the value of total knee arthroplasty for patients with end-stage ostearthritis of the knee by comparing direct and indirect costs between surgical and nonsurgical treatment scenarios. Direct costs included all medical costs for surgical and nonsurgical selleck kinase inhibitor treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Indirect costs were related to lost wages due to an inability to work, lower earnings, or receipt of disability payments. Direct and indirect costs and quality-of-life measures were incorporated into the Markov model to estimate the impact of total knee

arthroplasty on costs over patients’ lifetimes and quality-adjusted life years. The assumptions used in the model were developed with use of claims and survey data as well as clinical expert opinion and the peer-reviewed literature.

Results: Compared with nonsurgical treatment, total knee arthroplasty increased lifetime direct costs by a mean of $20,635 (net present value in 2009 U.S. dollars). These costs were offset by societal savings of $39,565 from reduced indirect

costs, resulting in a lifetime societal net benefit from total knee arthroplasty of $18,930 per patient. Eighty-five percent of these savings originated from increased employment Galardin datasheet and earnings, with the remaining 15% from fewer missed workdays and lower disability payments.

Conclusions: The estimated lifetime societal savings from the more than 600,000 total knee arthroplasties performed in the U.S. in 2009 were estimated to be approximately $12 billion. These societal savings primarily accrued to patients and employers. The study demonstrates the importance of a societal perspective when considering the costs and benefits of total knee arthroplasty and policies that will affect access to this procedure.”
“This study seeks to determine if total vaginal length (TVL) or genital hiatus (GH) impact sexual activity and function.

Heterosexual women a parts per thousand

yenaEuro parts per thousand 40 years were recruited from urogynecology and gynecology offices. TVL and GH were assessed using the VX 770 Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification exam. Women completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and were dichotomized into either normal function (FSFI total > 26) or sexual dysfunction (FSFI a parts per thousand currency signaEuro parts per thousand 26).

Five hundred five women were enrolled; 333 (67%) reported sexual activity. While sexually active women had longer vaginas than women who were not active (9.1 cm +/- 1.2 versus 8.9 cm +/- 1.3, p = 0.04), significance was explained by age differences. GH measurements did not differ (3.2 cm +/- 1.1 versus 3.1 cm +/- 1.1, p = 0.58). In sexually active women, TVL was weakly correlated with FSFI total score, but GH was not. TVL and GH did not differ between women with normal FSFI scores and those with sexual dysfunction.

Vaginal size did not affect sexual activity or function.

2.1.91), which forms phenylalanine directly from arogenate. We compared sequences from select yeast species to those of Arabidopsis thaliana. The in silico analysis showed that plant ADTs and yeast PDTs share many common features allowing MCC950 cell line them to act as dehydratase/decarboxylases. However, plant and yeast sequences clearly group independently conferring distinct substrate specificities. Complementation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pha2 mutant, which lacks PDT activity and cannot grow in the absence of exogenous

Phe, was used to test the PDT activity of A. thaliana ADTs in vivo. Previous biochemical characterization showed that all six AtADTs had high catalytic activity with arogenate as a substrate, while AtADT1, AtADT2 and AtADT6

also had limited activity with prephenate. Consistent with these results, the complementation test showed AtADT2 readily recovered the pha2 phenotype after 6 days growth at 30 C, while AtADT1 required 13 days to show visible growth. By contrast, AtADT6 (lowest PDT activity) and AtADT3-5 (no PDT activity) were unable to recover the phenotype. These results suggest that only AtADT1 and AtADT2, but not the other four ADTs from Arabidopsis, have functional PDT activity in vivo, showing that there are two functional distinct groups. We hypothesize that plant ADTs have evolved to use the arogenate route for Phe synthesis while keeping some residual PDT activity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.”
“To compare the outcome of pregnancy PFTα between HIV positive pregnant women on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and HIV negative controls.

A Napabucasin purchase prospective matched case-control study.

HIV positive women were significantly more likely to have anaemia in pregnancy [p < 0.001, odds ratio (95% CI) 5.66 (3.0-10.5)], intrauterine growth restriction [p = 0.002, odds ratio (95%CI) 13.82 (1.8-106.7)], preterm labour [p = 0.03, odds ratio (95% CI) 2.89 (1.2-7.0)] and birth weight less than 2,500 g [p < 0.0001, odds ratio (95% CI)

5.43 (2.4-12.0)]. The 5-min apgar score less than 7, admission into neonatal unit, stillbirth and perinatal mortality were comparable between the two groups.

Anaemia in pregnancy, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm labour and birth weight less than 2,500 g are important complications among HIV positive pregnant women. This information is vital for strategic antenatal care planning to improve obstetric and perinatal outcome in these women.”
“Background: Over 1200 plant species are reported in ethnobotanical studies for the treatment of malaria and fevers, so it is important to prioritize plants for further development of anti-malarials.

Methods: The “”RITAM score”" was designed to combine information from systematic literature searches of published ethnobotanical studies and laboratory pharmacological studies of efficacy and safety, in order to prioritize plants for further research.

A previously healthy 4-month-old girl presented with a bleeding scalp hemangioma, a bulging fontanel, and anemia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed hydrocephalus along with multiple intracranial hemangiomas. These lesions compressed the jugular foramina, resulting in venous sinus thrombosis involving the right transverse sinus, the left sigmoid sinus, and the torcular herophili. The patient had no family history of phakomatoses

or other genetic abnormalities. A thrombophilia work-up result was unremarkable. The patient was treated with prednisolone (10 mg twice daily) and low molecular weight heparin (1 mg/kg/dose) twice daily. This treatment decreased the size of her cutaneous and intracranial hemangiomas and led to the resolution of her venous sinus thromboses and hydrocephalus. Innocuous scalp hemangioma in an infant may herald more concerning AZD6244 MAPK inhibitor intracranial pathology, which can be treated effectively if diagnosed with appropriate imaging studies.”
“A stress-biased magnetoelectric sensor with a built-in permanent magnet has been fabricated using piezoelectric

lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate single crystal and magnetostrictive Terfenol-D alloy. The resonance characteristics and magnetoelectric performance of the sensor have been LDN-193189 chemical structure evaluated under different stress-biased conditions. The resonance of the sensor shifts to higher frequency with increasing preloading stress. Due to the piezoelectric and magnetostrictive enhancements under preload, the device exhibits a giant magnetoelectric voltage coefficient of 0.22 V/Oe at a preloading stress of 2.5 MPa. This compact device has the potential to be used as a standalonesensor without requiring external power input. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3536636]“
“Purpose: To determine the feasibility of T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the

noninvasive quantification of renal learn more inflammation by using superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles targeted to tissue-bound C3 activation fragments in a mouse model of lupus nephritis.

Materials and Methods: All animal procedures were approved by the University of Colorado-Denver animal care and use committee. SPIO nanoparticles were encapsulated by using amine-functionalized phospholipids. A recombinant protein containing the C3d-binding region of complement receptor type 2 (CR2) was then conjugated to the surface of the SPIO nanoparticle. Five MRL/lpr mice (a model of lupus nephritis) and six C57BL/6 wild-type mice were assessed with T2-weighted MR imaging at baseline and after SPIO injection. The same five MRL/lpr mice and three C57BL/6 mice also underwent MR imaging after injection of CR2-targeted SPIO.

009) was significantly associated with MA. There was no association between prevalent CVD and MA, but patients with MA had twofold increased odds of having the MetS. MA is relatively common in RA patients and is independently associated with the presence of HT. Given the association of MA with MetS, future prospective studies are needed to establish the

use of MA as a screening tool for RA patients at increased CVD risk.”
“Lung cancer is a global health burden and is among the most common and deadly of all malignancies worldwide. Early Apoptosis inhibitor detection of resectable and potentially curable disease may reduce the overall death rate from lung cancer. However, at the present time, screening for lung cancer is not recommended by most clinical societies and health care agencies in the United States. This Emricasan concentration article discusses the history of, and rationale for, lung cancer screening, addresses optimization of screening protocols, and describes our current approach

for the evaluation of small pulmonary nodules referred for surgical management.”
“Class III peroxidases are present as large multigene families in all land plants. This large number of genes together with the diversity of processes catalyzed by peroxidases suggests possible functional specialization of each isoform. However, assigning a precise role for each individual peroxidase gene has continued to be a major bottleneck. Here we investigated the enzyme activity and translational profile of class III peroxidases during stem development of sugarcane as a first step in the estimation of physiological functions of individual isoenzymes. Internodes at three different developmental stages (young, developing and mature) were divided into pith (inner tissue) and rind (outer tissue) fractions. The rind of mature internodes presented the highest enzymatic activity and thus could be considered the ideal tissue for the discovery of peroxidase gene function. selleck products In

addition, activity staining of 2DE gels revealed different isoperoxidase profiles and protein expression regulation among different tissue fractions. In-gel tryptic digestion of excised spots followed by peptide sequencing by LC-MS/MS positively matched uncharacterized peroxidases in the sugarcane database SUCEST. Multiple spots matching the same peroxidase gene were found, which reflects the generation of more than one isoform from a particular gene by post-translational modifications. The identified sugarcane peroxidases appear to be monocot-specific sequences with no clear ortholog in dicot model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. (C) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.”
“This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of Clitoria ternatea Linn. leaves and flowers extract on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The effect of aqueous extract of C.

Wistar rats were fed ad libitum with either standard chow throughout pregnancy (25% protein, 57% carbohydrate, n = 6) or an isocaloric, low protein, high carbohydrate diet (LPHC, 8% protein, 81% carbohydrate)

for different periods of pregnancy (early, 0-10 days, n = 6; late, 10-20 days, n = 7; throughout, 0-20 days, n = 6) before tissue collection at day 20. The LPHC diet had no effect on fetal or placental. weights, or on fetal Tariquidar inhibitor hepatic activities of G6Pase and PEPCK in the early LPHC group. In contrast, fetuses of dams fed the LPHC diet in late or throughout pregnancy had lower body and placental weights, and higher hepatic G6Pase and PEPCK activities than controls. Maternal hepatic G6Pase activity was elevated in ail LPHC groups, while maternal PEPCK activity was only increased significantly

in the late LPHC group.

Conclusions: Feeding a LPHC diet, particularly during late pregnancy, therefore, up-regulates fetal and maternal. hepatic glucogenic capacity. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Background: The global molecular changes in cardiac tissue during congestive heart failure (CHF) have not been fully examined. Transcriptome analysis with the use of next-generation sequencers is a useful tool for elucidating the pathogenesis of CHF. Although there are some advantages in a dog CHF model, transcriptome analyses in dogs are CCI-779 limited by the relative lack of genomic information.

Methods and Results: The transcriptome analysis of hearts from dogs with CHF

was conducted with the use of a genome analyzer and the Casava software. The mRNA sequence reads showed alignments with similar to 800 of 1,019 genes from the dog reference database. On the other hand, the reads aligned with similar to 15,000 of the 21,407 genes in the hg19 human reference database. The correlation of expressed genes was extremely high (r = 0.93; P < .0001) between the dog and human databases. A pathway analysis using the hg19 reference revealed increased expression of p53 pathway related (P < 10(-10)) and inflammatory interleukin related (P < 10(-10)) genes in the CHF selleck compound model.

Conclusions: The use of the human genome as a reference in global transcriptome analyses of dogs is a useful approach for investigating diseases such as CHF. Such an approach would also be useful for analyzing disease models in other experimental animals. (J Cardiac Fail 2012;18:872-878)”
“Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements have been made at X-band and room temperature on monoclinic HfO2 and ZrO2 powders from several suppliers. They reveal the presence of eight main paramagnetic centers H1, H2, H3, H4, and Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z4. H1 and Z1 are analogous as H4 and Z4 and H2 and Z2 are similar as H3 and Z3.

J Appl Polym Sci 121: 2794-2803, 2011″
“Background:

It is unclear whether plant stanols lower serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations and cholesterol-standardized fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations dose-dependently when consumption MK-0518 concentration exceeds the recommended daily intakes of 2.0-3.0 g.

Objective: The objective was to study the relation between plant stanols provided as plant stanol esters on changes in serum concentrations of LDL cholesterol and fat-soluble antioxidants.

Design: Healthy subjects (n = 93) with slightly elevated serum total cholesterol concentrations (5.0-8.0 mmol/L) received, after a 3-wk run-in period, control products (n = 22) or products (margarine and soy-based yogurt) providing 3 g (n = 24), 6 g (n = 22), or 9 g (n = 25) plant stanols provided as fatty acid esters for 4 wk.

Results: Serum LDL cholesterol decreased dose-dependently. Compared with control, decreases in the 3-g group were 0.32 mmol/L (7.4%; P = 0.005 after adjustment for multiple comparisons). An intake of 6 g plant stanols

caused an additional decrease of 0.18 mmol/L (4.5%; P = 0.100 compared with the 3-g group). In the 9-g group, a further decrease of 0.22 mmol/L (5.4%) was observed (P = 0.048 compared with the 6-g group). Serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations were lowered by 17.4% in the 9-g group compared with the control Ro-3306 group. No effects on cholesterol-standardized beta-carotene concentrations SC79 were observed. Even the change of -0.01 mu mol/mmol cholesterol (or 29.2%; P = 0.341) in the 3-g group compared with the control group was not statistically significant because of the large variation in response. Serum HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations, cholesterol-standardized alpha-tocopherol and lutein concentrations, and plasma markers reflecting liver and renal function were not affected.

Conclusions: Daily consumption of plant stanols up to 9 g reduces serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations linearly up to 17.4%. For cholesterol-standardized fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations, such a relation could not be ascertained. Am J Clin Nutr 2010; 92: 24-33.”
“The chemical

oxidation of alternating branched polyarylamines leads to the formation of radical cations, the presence of which was manifested by the appearance of new bands in the UV-visible-near infrared spectra. Spins of radical cations can be magnetically coupled. The nutation pulsed-EPR technique was used to determine the multiplicity of spin systems for different oxidant: polymer unit ratios. It was found that spins of polymers oxidized to a radical cation in each conjugated amine segment interact magnetically to form dominant quartet state (S-3/2). Magnetization measurements confirmed the ferromagnetic interaction of spins, returning an exchange integral J- +0.75 meV. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.

RESULTS: The DSAEK group comprised 32 eyes (28 patients) and the control group, 32 eyes. The mean anterior K, posterior K, and true net power were 42.53 diopters (D) +/- 1.52 (SD), -6.80 +/- 0.55 D, and 40.55 +/- 1.79 D, respectively, in the DSAEK group and 43.60 +/- NU7441 1.62 D, -6.20 +/- 0.31 D, and 42.49 +/- 1.57 D,

respectively, in the control group. The posterior radius of curvature, anterior and posterior K values, and true net power were statistically significantly lower in DSAEK eyes than in control eyes (P<.01). The equivalent K readings were significantly lower in all zones in DSAEK eyes than in control eyes (P<.01). The mean CCT was significantly higher in DSAEK eyes than in control eyes (628 +/- 46 mu m versus 553 +/- 35 mu m) (P<.01).

CONCLUSION: The true net power of the cornea decreased significantly

after DSAEK, mainly because of an increase in posterior curvature.”
“The magnetocapacitance and magnetoresistance of Gd3Ba2Mn2Cu2O12 (Gd-3222) has been measured in the temperature range of 2-300 K. The capacitance increases with increasing temperature from 2-300 K, and exhibits a steplike feature at similar to 95 K (for 1 kHz). On increasing the probe frequency this step gets broaden and shifts to higher temperature similar to 150 K (for 75 kHz). The observation of frequency dependence in capacitance and dielectric loss (tan delta) exhibits Maxwell-Wagner type relaxor behavior in this compound. Magnetocapacitance was observed on the application of magnetic field. No observable magnetoresistance could be observed in this compound, indicating that the magnetoelectric coupling observed from AICAR supplier the dielectric constant measurement with and without magnetic field, is of CYT387 solubility dmso capacitive origin. The results of magnetocapacitance and magnetoresistance of the Gd-3222 compound are presented in the light of current interest in exploring manganite systems for multiferroic

properties. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3540691]“
“This study aims to investigate the role of Abscisic acid (ABA) in water potential and turgor variations as well as growth recovery during the first phase of a rapid water stress induced by PEG6000. Two wheat varieties (Triticum durum L.), MBB (more tolerant) and OZ (less productive under drought), were grown in aerated nutrient solutions. Leaf elongation kinetics of the growing leaf 3 was estimated using LVDT. Water potential was measured using a pressure chamber; osmotic potential was estimated from expressed sap of elongation zone, turgor pressure of the same zone of leaf three was estimated directly by pressure probe. Growth rapidly ceased for a period of about one hour after the addition of PEG, gradual recovery was then observed for about 2 h. A significant difference was found in the % recovery of Leaf Elongation Rate (LER) and ABA between the two varieties, leading to better water status in MBB compared to OZ.

05). The No-Effect group evidenced increased selleck inhibitor inter-correlations of bodily pain with social functioning, mental health, and general health (p < 0.05).

Patients who report clinically significant change in leg and back pain post-surgery using VAS pain scores are also distinguished by increased importance of bodily pain and physical functioning, and decreased importance of role physical. Bodily pain is primarily reflective of physical item response post-surgery among Improved patients, but reflects physical, social, and emotional item response among No-Effect patients. These changes in values may reflect a “”moving goal post”" in outcome assessment that complicates the interpretation of mean

differences over time on standard spine outcome measures.”
“This study assesses the effects of simulated birth trauma, vaginal and cesarean delivery on glycosaminoglycans in LY3039478 purchase the connective tissue of female rat urethra.

One hundred and ten female rats

were divided into six groups: A-control, B-vaginal trauma, C-cesarean delivery, D-cesarean delivery followed by vaginal trauma, E-vaginal delivery, and F-female rats on the 20th day of gestation. In each group, half of the animals were sacrificed 4 days after the procedures and half were sacrificed 12 weeks later. Glycosaminoglycans were extracted by proteolysis and analyzed using densitometry after agarose gel electrophoresis.

The examination at 4 days showed larger amounts of glycosaminoglycans in pregnant female rats compared to other groups. The examination at 12 weeks showed larger amounts of glycosaminoglycans in the cesarean delivery group followed by simulated birth trauma.

There is a change in sulfated glycosaminoglycans in female rat urethra during pregnancy and simulated birth trauma.”
“We report on the magnetic and structural properties of IrMn/CoFe exchange bias systems deposited onto a dual seed layer of NiCr(X)/Ru(5 nm), with X=2, 6, and 20 nm. Samples

with the structure NiCr (Xnm)/IrMn (7 nm)/CoFe JQ-EZ-05 order (3 nm)/Ta (10 nm) with X=2, 6, and 20 nm were prepared by dc sputtering for magnetic characterization. A second set of samples with structure NiCr (Xnm)/IrMn (10 nm) with X=2, 6, and 20 nm were deposited onto TEM grids for structural characterization by TEM. A method of manipulating of the TEM grid to allow a qualitative analysis of the in-plane texture of the samples is described and used to analyze the microstructure of these samples. The microstructure and particularly the texture are correlated with the anisotropy constant (K(AF)) of the antiferromagnet (AF) layer, with an optimum NiCr seed layer of 6 nm to give a maximum value of K(AF) of 1.2×10(7) ergs/cc. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3340513]“
“Objective. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and survivin have been shown to exert oncogenic effects in various human neoplasms.

Adult studies suggest obesity is a risk

factor for chronic daily headache and increased migraine frequency and severity. Pediatric studies have suggested a relationship between obesity, increasing headache frequency, and disability. The authors retrospectively evaluated 925 children from their Pediatric Headache Clinic between July 2004 and July 2008, assessing headache frequency, medication overuse, and body mass index compared to population-based norms. The pediatric headache group as a whole had a greater percentage of overweight than the general population. This was also true with the subgroup of patients with chronic tension-type headache, although the numbers were small. Data did not show increased incidence of overweight in children with medication find more overuse or chronic migraine. This contrasts with adult data, which have suggested a closer link between chronic migraine and obesity and have not supported a link with chronic tension-type headache.”
“Highly c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering under varying processing pressure (20-50 mT) in a reactive gas mixture of argon and oxygen were

studied for biosensing application. The as-deposited ZnO thin films were in a state of compressive stress having defects related to interstitial Zn and antisite oxygen. Glucose oxidase has been chosen as the model enzyme in the present study and was immobilized on the surface of ZnO thin films deposited on indium tin oxide coated Corning Glass substrate. The studies reveal a correlation between the biosensing characteristic and the presence of defects in the ZnO films. The ZnO films deposited under high selleck products pressure (50 mT) are found to

be more sensitive for biosensing application due to availability of more surface area for effective immobilization of biomolecules and exhibits a suitable microenvironment with good electron transfer characteristic. The obtained results highlight the importance of desired microstate besides availability of AZD9291 research buy suitable native defects in the ZnO thin film for exhibiting enhanced biosensing response. (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3633212]“
“This paper aims to determine the possible role of estrogen receptor-beta (ER beta) gene RsaI polymorphism on sperm fertility and early embryonic development in humans. Three groups of Chinese men were recruited: in vitro fertilization (IVF) group, including 374 couples who underwent conventional IVF; intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) group, including 294 couples who underwent an ICSI procedure using ejaculated sperm; and azoospermic group, consisting of 197 couples who underwent ICSI using either testis or epididymis sperm. RsaI polymorphism in the ER beta gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique; fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were evaluated for each group.