Testicular cancer (TC) risk factors remain largely unknown, except for personal history of cryptorchidism and familial history of TC. We conducted a hospital-based case-control study on familial, environmental and occupational conditions in which we compared 229 cases and 800 controls. TC was correlated with cryptorchidism (OR = 3.02; CI: 1.90-4.79), a history of cryptorchidism in relatives (OR = 2.85; CI: 1.70-4.79), and TC (OR = 9.58; CI: 4.01-22.88], prostate cancer (OR = 1.80; CI: 1.08-3.02) and breast cancer (OR = 1.77; CI: 1.20-2.60) in relatives. Living in a rural area or having regular gardening activity (growing fruit or vegetables) was associated with an increased risk of TC (OR = 1.63; CI: 1.16-2.29; OR = 1.84; CI: 1.23-2.75). Regarding occupation, we found a relationship with employment in metal trimming (OR = 1.96; CI: 1.00-3.86), chemical manufacture (OR = 1.88; CI: 1.14-3.10), industrial production of glue (OR = 2.21; CI: 1.15-4.25), and welding (OR = 2.84; CI: 1.51-5.35). In a multivariate model, only a history of cryptorchidism in the men, cryptorchidism in relatives, TC, and breast cancer remained significant. Our findings contribute further evidence to a pattern of TC risk factors, which include the significant weight of personal reproductive history and also of testicular and breast cancer in relatives. By including in a multivariate model variables linked to environmental and occupational exposure and related to familial cancer history, neither living in a rural area nor any occupational exposure appeared to be a potential environmental TC risk factor.

The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a relation between male exposure to pesticides and the amount of time needed to conceive (time to pregnancy) for farmers and agricultural workers in France and Denmark. The authors used retrospective studies to compare the time to pregnancy of couples in which the man was exposed to pesticides during the year before the birth of their youngest child with that of couples in which the man was not exposed. In 1995 and 1996, the authors studied 362 French rural workers (142 exposed to pesticides and 220 not exposed), 449 Danish farmers (326 conventional farmers exposed to pesticides and 123 nonexposed organic farmers), and 121 Danish greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides. The fecundability ratio for exposure to pesticides (Cox model, before and after adjustment for confounding factors) did not differ from 1 in any of the three populations. In France, the adjusted fecundability ratio was 1.17 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89-1.55) for exposed and nonexposed agricultural workers. In Denmark, it was 1.09 (95% CI 0.82-1.43) for exposed and nonexposed farmers and 0.83 (95% CI 0.69-1.18) for greenhouse workers and nonexposed farmers. Thus, this study found no relation between fertility (time to pregnancy) and male exposure to pesticides.

The injection of E. Coli into the tail of the epididymis in the rat caused epididymitis. In 20% of the cases, the inflammation is spread through the lymphatic system to the testis. The germinal cells are destroyed in 50% of the cases by the second day, and are not reestablished for several months. Signs of testicular inflammation are not found. The destruction seems to be caused by E. Coli toxins, as shown by injections of killed bacteria.

This study aims at determining the amounts of cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, and nonesterified fatty acids in man's seminal liquid and determining their possible variations linked with the ways of taking and congealing samples. It concludes the determinations of lipids in human seminal liquid are reproducible; the way of taking samples has no real influence; however, it seems best to centrifuge sperm immediately after liquefaction to avoid use of triglycerides and NEFA by the spermatozoa.

No abstract