Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction

Pages 176-179

Authors: P.F. Wong, M.P.L. Cheung, O WS, F. Tang

Objective To study the effect of inter medin(IMD) on smooth muscle of rat seminal vesicles including the specific receptors and the signal pathways involved. Methods The contraction of the seminal vesicle in response to norepinephrine (NE) and ADM2/IMD was studied by the organ bath method. The effects of antagonists for calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), adrenomedullin (ADM) and IMD receptors, and inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, [L-NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester, L-NAME) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), KT5720] were also investigated. The first overshoot, amplitude, frequency and basal tone were measured. Results There is no significant effect of IMD on the initial overshoot, frequency and the basal tone in the seminal vesicle contraction. Only the amplitude of the contraction induced by NE was inhibited by IMD. The IMD inhibitory actions on amplitude were completely blocked by hADM22-52 and L-NAME, but not by hCGRP8-37 or KT5720. Furthermore, the action was diminished by IMD17-47. Conclusion The results demonstrated that the inhibitory action of IMD on NE-induced seminal vesicle contraction was mediated via the ADM receptor(s) and the nitric oxide production pathway, partially by the IMD receptor, but not by the CGRP receptor and the cAMP-PKA pathway.

Pages 184-191

Authors: Amal M. Abo El-Maaty, Gamal A. El Sisy, Mona H. Shaker, Omima H. Ezzo

Objective To study the effect of age and body fat on leptin levels and semen parameters of Arab horse. Methods Fifteen fertile Arab stallions of different ages belonging to Police Academy were divided into three equal groups according to their age. Old horses are those of >18 yeas (18–27), Mid-age horses ≥13 to 18 years (13–18), Young horses are those of <12 years (7–11). Semen was evaluated three times for each stallion. Blood and seminal plasma were assayed for measuring leptin, testosterone and estradiol. Subcutaneous rump fat thickness was measured using ultrasound for estimating body fat percent and fat mass percent. Results All body fat parameters were significantly high in Young stallions and decreased with increasing age. As age increased, testosterone levels increases but leptin levels decreased. Age was inversely correlated with fat %, fat mass and leptin. All fat parameters had direct correlation with leptin in semen and serum but an inverse one with serum testosterone. Serum leptin directly correlated with sperm cell concentration in Mid-age stallions and inversely correlated with percent of live sperm in Old stallions. Semen leptin correlated directly with both percent of live sperm and percent of abnormal sperm in Old stallions. Conclusion This study proved that aging in stallions is related to a drop in fertility, a decrease in body fat and in turn leptin. Arab stallions of age 7 to 18 years could be used in the breeding efficiently.

Pages 200-203

Authors: Omid Aminian, Seyed Ali Akbar Sharifian, Nazanin Izadi, Khosro Sadeghniiat, Anahita Rashedi

Objective To evaluate the effect of maternal employment on birth weight and gestational age. Methods In this project, 1 272 pregnant women were recruited from whom referred to Tehran hospitals during 1 year via randomized sampling. Data were gathered through history taking and medical records. In this study, 564 employed women were classified as exposure group and 708 housekeepers were as the control group. Chi square test, t-test, One-way ANOVA and logistic regression were used to analyze data. Results In this study, mean mother age was 25.01 years and mean birth weight was (2 884±684) g. The mean birth weight in housekeepers was significantly higher (2 991±457 g) than employees (2 726±476 g) (P=0.002). The infants' mean birth weights in farmer were the lowest and in office workers (2 831±526 g) was the highest (P<0.01). Gestational age less than 37 weeks was more common among employees. The mean birth weight decreased when the working hours increased (P<0.01). In those mothers who were working less than 3 months there were a higher mean birth weight (P<0.01). Also the mean birth weight decreased due to the hours of standing during a day. Conclusion Women employment during pregnancy has an important role in low birth weight and preterm labor compared to those who do not work.

Pages 210-217

Authors: G. Kadirve, Satish Kumar, S.K. Ghosh, P. Perumal

Objective To investigate the activity of antioxidative enzymes in fresh and frozen thawed spermatozoa in relation to lipid peroxidation and semen quality in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bulls. Methods Forty two semen ejaculates from seven buffalo bulls were collected by artificial vagina method and were used for the study. Sperm motility, livability, plasma membrane and acrosomal integrity, buffalo cervical mucous penetration test were assessed in fresh and frozen thawed semen. Intracellular antioxidative enzymatic activity such as super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were estimated in fresh and frozen thawed semen. Results A significant (P<0.01) reduction in activity of antioxidative enzymes (SOD by 47.7%, GSHPx by 62.7% and GSH by 58.6%) in frozen thawed spermatozoa as compared to fresh spermatozoa was found. Although the catalase activity was varied from 0 to 3.8 IU/109 sperm in fresh semen, but after freezing and thawing this activity was not detectable. These enzyme activities had a strong positive association with sperm motility, membrane integrity and distance traveled by vanguard spermatozoa in buffalo cervical mucus and negative correlation with LPO and ROS. However, no significant correlation with acrosomal integrity was found. Conclusion It was concluded that loss of activity of intracellular antioxidative enzymes was evident after freezing and thawing and there was a strong association between the antioxidative enzyme activities, ROS, lipid peroxidation and sperm function in buffalo semen.

Pages 224-230

Authors: K.H. El-Shahat, N.F. Khaled, F.I. El-Far

Objective To study the effect of somatotropin administration on growth and puberty attainment of Rahmani ewes -lamb. Methods Twelve Rahmani ewes–lamb of 6–7 months of age and average body weight (24.75 ± 0.16) kg were randomly allotted into two equal groups. The first group served as control and the second group was somatotropin-treated. The ewe-lambs were weighed at the start and at the end of the experiment. In addition, the body condition score, withers height and heart girth were determined at the end of the study. Blood samples were collected weekly till the end of experiment (Twelve weeks). Sera samples were assayed for progesterone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and urea. Results It indicated that the somatotropin-treated group attained puberty 2.5 weeks (18 days) earlier than control one. Somatotropin-treated Rahmani ewe lambs had higher body weight, and body condition score than those of the control one. A similar tendency was observed in average daily gain, withers height and heart girth. Somatotropin administration had a beneficial effect on blood born metabolites as indicated by increased serum glucose, total lipids, cholesterol, IGF-1 and decreased urea of Rahmani ewes-lamb as compared to control one. Conclusion Somatotropin administration enhanced puberty in Rahmani ewe lambs. This is due to increased provision of trophic signals (represented by increased Serum IGF-1 secretions) and/or blood-borne metabolites (glucose, cholesterol and lipid).

Pages 238-240

Authors: Pierre-Marie Tebeu, Eric Brice Touka, Yvette Mawamba, Calvin Tiyou, Joseph Nelson Fomulu, Charles Henry Rochat

Objective To investigate the pattern of Non-obstetrical genital fistula (NOGF) in Cameroonian context. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional analytic study, with two groups of patients, including those treated for non-obstetrical fistula as subject, and their obstetrical counterparts as the control. Data were retrieved from the obstetric fistula database of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the University Teaching Hospital of Yaoundé Cameroon for patients operated from January, 1, 2009 to December 31, 2012. Results NOGF represented 19.78% of genital fistula. Uro-genital fistula (UGF) represented 72.20% while non-obstetrical genito-digestive fistula (GDF) represented 27.80% of NOGF. The main cause of UGF was hysterectomy (46.15%) while the main cause of genito-digestive fistula was vaginal infections (40.00%). Most patients had never been operated before their arrival in the YUTH (84.60% for UGF and 60.00% for GDF). We had one failure at first surgical attempt. Conclusion UGF fistula is the main type of NOGF in Cameroonian context, with hysterectomy being the leading cause. Proper knowledge on NOGF will enable better strategies to fight against genital fistula.

241-248

Authors: Kousalya Loganathan, V. Narmatha Bai

Objective To develop a method for high frequency plantlets regeneration protocol for Enicostema axillare (Lam.) Raynal ssp. littoralis (Blume) Raynal (E. axillare) without intermediate callus phase and to determine the content and correlation of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity of both the plants derived from nature and nodal culture by DPPH assay. Methods The nodal explants were cultured on MS basal medium fortified with different concentration of various growth regulators such as BAP, KIN, TDZ and 2iP (0.5–2 mg/L) individually and in combinations with or without GA3 for shoot bud induction and multiplication. Total phenol and flavonoid content was determined in both plants from nature and nodal culture and antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH assay. Results The highest number of multiple shoot (108.00±3.55 shoots/explants) was obtained on MS medium supplemented with BAP (2 mg/L) in combination with KIN (0.5 mg/L) and GA3 (2 mg/L). Rooting was optimized on half-strength MS medium supplemented with IAA (0.5 mg/L). The rooted plantlets were transferred to paper cups containing vermiculite and hardening was successfully attained with 75% survival. Among the four extract of methanol and water extract from both the plantlet from nature and nodal culture, the concentration of flavonoid was found to be higher in methanol extract of the plants from nature (146.57±1.68 mg rutin/g extract) and phenol content was higher in the water extract of plant from nature (52.53±1.67 mg GAE/g extract). The radical scavenging activity of four extracts. Methanol extract of plant grown in nature showed the highest radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 87.10 μg/mL) was investigated by DPPH test. Conclusion The present study not only enables reinforcement of wild plant populations using ex situ growth of individuals, but it also helps for high scale production of plantlets. A high correlation between antioxidant capacities and their total phenolic contents indicated that flavonoid compounds were a major contributor of antioxidant activity of both plants grown from nature and nodal culture. Citing articles (1) Open Access Open Access Article A case of bilateral primary fallopian tube carcinomaOriginal Research Article Pages 249-252