Amifostine reduces the seminiferous epithelium damage in doxorubicin-treated prepubertal rats without improving the fertility status

Background: Amifostine is an efficient cytoprotector against toxicity caused by some chemotherapeutic drugs. Doxorubicin, a potent anticancer anthracycline, is known to produce spermatogenic damage even in low doses. Although some studies have suggested that amifostine does not confer protection to doxorubicin-induced testicular damage, schedules and age of treatment have different approach depending on the protocol. Thus, we proposed to investigate the potential cytoprotective action of amifostine against the damage provoked by doxorubicin to prepubertal rat testes (30-day-old) by assessing some macro and microscopic morphometric parameters 15, 30 and 60 days after the treatment; for fertility evaluation, quantitative analyses of sperm parameters and reproductive competence in the adult phase were also carried out.Methods: Thirty-day-old male rats were distributed into four groups: Doxorubicin (5 mg/kg), Amifostine (400 mg/kg), Amifostine/Doxorubicin (amifostine 15 minutes before doxorubicin) and Sham Control (0.9% saline solution). Standard One Way Anova parametric and Anova on Ranks non-parametric tests were applied according to the behavior of the obtained data; significant differences were considered when p < 0.05.Results: The rats killed 30 and 60 days after doxorubicin treatment showed diminution of seminiferous epithelium height and reduction on the frequency of tubular sections containing at least one type of differentiated spermatogonia; reduction of sperm concentration and motility and an increase of sperm anomalous forms where observed in doxorubicin-treated animals. All these parameters were improved in the Amifostine/Doxorubicin group only when compared to Doxorubicin group. Such reduction, however, still remained below the values obtained from the Sham Control group. Nevertheless, the reproductive competence of doxorubicin-treated rats was not improved by amifostine pre-administration.Conclusions: These results suggest that amifostine promotes a significant reduction of the doxorubicin long-term side effects on the seminiferous epithelium of prepubertal rats, which is reflected in the epidydimal fluid parameters in the adult phase. However, fertility status results suggest that such protection may not be effective against sperm DNA content damage. Further investigation of sperm DNA integrity must be carried out using amifostine and doxorubicin-treated experimental models. © 2010 Vendramini et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Effects of Ageratum Conyzoides on Semen Characteristics and Sperm Morphology in Rats Exposed to Sodium Arsenite

Arsenite is a major environmental toxicant that is well known to cause reproductive injury. The sperm protective potential of Ageratum conyzoides Linn in arsenic-treated rats was carried out in this study taking advantage of the antioxidant constituents and its androgenic activities. Twenty-four male albino rats aged 16 weeks, weighing 225 to 228g were used. They were grouped into 4(A-Da) with each group containing 6 rats. Group A was orally treated with 100mg/kg ethanol leaf extract of Ageratum conyzoides L., daily for 14 days, group B (single oral dose of sodium arsenite 2.5 mg/kg body weight), C (Ageratum conyzoides extract daily for 14 days and sodium arsenite (SA) given on the 14th day) and group D (Propylene glycol as negative control). It was observed that group B had a more lower (p<0.05) percentage motility (26.7±6.67%) when compared across the groups while group A had a significantly higher (p<0.05) mean value (63.3±3.33%). The sperm motility of rats in group D was significantly higher (p<0.05) than groups B and C. This implies that A. conyzoides extract had no adverse effect on the sperm motility of the rats and also ameliorates the adverse effect of arsenite on sperm motility. The mean value obtained for sperm liveability, semen volume and Sperm concentration followed a similar pattern although, the differences were not significant (p>0.05) for semen volume and the Sperm concentration of rats across the groups. The total sperm abnormality obtained across the groups ranges between 10.44 and 14.27% with group B treated with sodium arsenite (SA) having the highest value when compared with groups A and D, although, the differences were not significant (P>0.05). The study concluded that ethanol leaf extract of Ageratum conyzoides has no negative effect on sperm motility, liveability characteristics and morphology and also protected spermatozoa against arsenic reproductive toxicity in wistar strain albino rats..

The effect of Physiological NaCl Dilution levels and Storage Duration to Sperm Motility and Abnormality in Muscovy Duck

The aim of this research are to know the effects of physiological NaCl dilution levels and storage duration on sperm motility and abnormality of  Muscovy duck. Materials which used in this research were semen that collected of 1  - 1,5 years of four Muscovy duck. Semen were treated by physiological NaCl dilution levels nol , three, six and nine and storage duration ( t0 = 0 minute t1 =45minutes and t2=90 minute). Replication was three tapping periode . The method of this research was laboratory experimental with Randomized Complete Blok Design (RBD) in Split Plot Design (SPD)  pattern ,as main plot is Physiological NaCl dilation levels and as sub plot is storage duration. Result of the experiment showed that physiological NaCl dilution levels was very significantly influences on sperm motility (p<0,01) and significantly influences and sperm abnormality (p<0,05) . The storage duration was very significantly influences and sperm motility and abnormality (p<0,01) .Orthogonal duration polynomial assayed showed that the effect of physiological NaCl dilution levels to sperm motility  had a linier regression line with the a equation as Y =69.94 - 2.65 X,  r=0,49 R2=0.24 with Y presented to sperm motility and X represented to physiological NaCl dilution levels  sperm and effect of storage duration to sperm motility had a linier regression line with the equation as Y =74.24-0.35 X, r =0.73 R2=0.53 with Y represented to sperm motility and X represented to storage duration . The effect of physiological NaCl dilution levels to sperm abnormality had a linier regression line with the equation as Y =5.61+0.34X, r=0.52 R2=0.27 with Y represented to sperm to abnormality and X represented to regression line with the equation as Y =6.74+0.01X, r=0.24R2=0.060 with Y represented to sperm abnormality and X represented to storage duration. It is can be concluded that a higher physiological NaCl dilation levels and storage duration caused sperm to motility decreased and sperm abnormality increased. (Animal Production 3(2): 45-52 (2001)Key Word: sperm Muscovy duck.

The Effect of Level Testosteron e Addition in Diluents and Level Dilution on Speed Movement and Abnormality of Kedu Chicken Sperm

The research entitled “The Effect of Level Testosterone Addition in Diluents and Level Dilution on Speed Movement and Abnormality of Kedu Chicken Sperm” was conducted in Laboratory of Physiology and Reproduction, Faculty of Animal Science, UNSOED, started at August 15th to September 15th , 2001. The aims of  this research were to obtain influences of level testosterone and dilution on speed movement and secondary abnormality kedu chicken sperm and obtain interaction between the treatments. The tapped sperm from nine kedu chickens were used in this research. This Experiment was performed 4 x 3 Factorials with Randomized  Completely Block Design (RCBD) as the basic design. The treatment combinations were level testosterone 0, 300, 600 and 900 μg (t0, t1, t2 and t3) and level of dilution 4, 6 and 8 time (in a row p1, p2 and p3). The tapping period was replicated four times as a group (replicated) with two days interval. The result of this research showed that the interaction between level of testosterone addition and level of dilution gave a non-significant effect to speed movement sperm but significant to abnormality of kedu chicken sperm. The group gave a significant influence (P<0.05) to speed movement sperm and non significant to sperm abnormality. The interaction of level testosterone addition and level dilution of kedu chicken semen (T x P) has a quadratic regression to sperm abnormality with regression comparison is Y = 24.418 – 0.014 X +1.187E – 05 X², with peak point is (543.76: 20.23) of correlation coefficient (r) 0.55 and determination coefficient (R²) as 30.34%. The addition of 600 μg testosterone level with 6 level dilutions was the best to defend sperm abnormality. (Animal Production 4(2): 60-70 (2002) Key Words : Spermatozoa, Kedu Chicken, Testosterone, Dilution, Speed Movement and Abnormality

Ureaplasma parvum and ureaplasma urealyticum detected in semen after washing prior to assisted reproductive technology procedures

Objective: This study investigated: (i) the prevalence of ureaplasmas in semen and washed semen and (ii) the effect of ureaplasmas on semen andrology parameters. Design: Prospective study. Setting: IVF unit -private hospital, Brisbane, Australia. Patient(s): Three hundred and forty three men participating in an assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment cycle. Intervention(s): Semen and washed semen tested by culture, PCR assays and indirect immunofluorescent antibody assays. Statistical differences were determined by a t-test, Wilcoxon or Pearson’s Chi- square test where appropriate. Main Outcome Measure(s): The prevalence of ureaplasmas in semen and washed semen and the effect of these microorganisms on semen andrology parameters. Result(s): Ureaplasmas were detected in 73/343 (22%) semen samples and 29/343 (8.5%) washed semen samples. Ureaplasmas adherent to the surface of spermatozoa were demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescent antibody testing. U. parvum serovar 6 (36.6%) and U. urealyticum (30%) were the most prevalent isolates in washed semen. A comparison of the semen andrology parameters of washed semen ureaplasma positive and negative groups demonstrated a lower proportion of non-motile sperm in the washed semen ureaplasma positive group. Conclusion(s): Ureaplasmas are not always removed from semen by a standard ART washing procedure and can remain adherent to the surface of spermatozoa.

Isolation of bovine herpesvirus type 5 from the semen of a healthy bull in Australia.

Artificial insemination is widely used in the cattle industry and a major challenge is to ensure that semen is free of infectious agents. A healthy donor bull was tested for freedom from infectious agents. A bovine herpesvirus was isolated in testis cells and identified as bovine herpesvirus type 5 (BoHV-5) by polymerase chain reaction and by direct amplicon sequencing. The amplicon sequence shared 100% similarity with the published sequence of BoHV-5. This is the first report in Australia of BoHV-5 in semen. The implications of this finding are discussed.

A discourse of ‘abnormality’: Exploring discussions of people living in Australia with a deafness or hearing loss

Adopting a social constructionist framework, the authors conducted a synthetic discourse analysis to explore how people living in Australia with deafness construct their experience of deafness. An online forum facilitated access and communication between the lead author and 24 widely dispersed and linguistically diverse forum contributors. The authors discuss the productive and restrictive effects of the emergent discourse of deafness as abnormal and the rhetorical strategies mobilized in people’s accounts: fitting in, acceptance as permission to be different, and the need to prove normality. Using these strategies was productive in that the forum respondents were enabled to reposition deafness as a positive, socially valued identity position. However, the need to manage deafness was reproduced as an individual concern, disallowing any exploration of how deafness could be reconstructed as socially valued. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the deafness as abnormal discourse.

Comparación de índices productivos y reproductivos de monta natural e inseminación artificial con semen congelado en cerdos

El presente trabajo de tesis se realizó en la granja experimental porcina MAGFOR-Misión China de la república de Taiwán, ubicada en Cofradía. El estudio consistió en la evaluación de los parámetros reproductivos en grupos de cerdas obtenidos por inseminación artificial y grupos obtenidos a través de la monta natural, también se aborda el tema de la consanguinidad y sus consecuencias como un factor negativo en la fijación de caracteres indeseables, esto sucede en las poblaciones en las que existe una alta homocigosis debido al origen común del material genético (padres emparentados). Las variables evaluadas en el presente trabajo fueron: tamaño de la camada al nacimiento, peso promedio de los lechones al nacimiento, peso promedio de los lechones al destete e intervalo parto parto. para el análisis estadístico se elaboraron tablas de contingencias por cada una de las variables con base en los promedios. Para la variable tamaño de la camada al nacimiento se obtuvo para el tratamiento inseminación artificial un promedio de 9.16 lechones y para la monta natural un promedio de 9.89 lechones al contrastar las medias de los dos tratamientos se obtuvo un valor de t de 0.88 que comparado con el valor tabulado al 5% resulto no significativo al observar el comportamiento de las diferentes razas ,la yorkshire obtuvo los mayores promedios en inseminación el caso especifico de esta habían muy pocos ejemplares 6 . Se trabajo en condiciones normales de producción lo cual pudo influir en estos resultados debido al tamaiio de la muestra en esta raza. Los resultados para la variable peso promedio de los lechones al nacimiento, arrojaron un promedio de 1.76 Kg. para las camadas obtenidas por inseminación artificial y 1.67kg para las obtenidas por el método de monta natural en las observaciones de los promedios por razas, se obtuvo el mayor peso a favor de la raza Landrace con 1.99 Kg. seguido de la raza duroc con 1.85 Kg. en el tratamiento de inseminación artificial, y para la monta natural el menor peso lo obtuvo la raza duroc con 1.44 Kg. y elmayor peso fue también la raza Landrace. la raza Yorkshire mostró un comportamiento similar tanto en inseminacion artificial, como en monta natural. Para la variable peso promedio de los lechones al destete, se obtuvo un peso promedio de 7.39 Kg. para los lechones obtenidos por el método de inseminacion artificial y un peso promedio de 6.71 Kg. en el caso de lechones obtenidos por monta natural al evaluar las razas, la raza Landrace obtuvo el mayor peso al destete con 8.01 Kg. como era de esperar al obtener los mayores promedios en peso al nacimiento esto fue para las camadas obtenidas por inseminacion artificial. en el caso. de los lechones obtenidos mediante la monta natural el mayor peso correspondió a la raza Hampshire pudiendo haber influido el numero de lechones, ya que esta fue la que presento el menor numero la raza Yorkshire tuvo en este caso un comportamiento similar en los dos tratamientos. Para la variable intervalo parto-parto, en el caso de las cerdas servidas por el método de inseminacion artificial presentaron un IPP de 5.52 meses o sea 167 días y las cerdas servidas por monta natural obtuvieron un IPP de5.01 meses o 152 días. En la prueba de hipótesis tanto como el contraste de varianza, los resultados fueron significativos y una diferencia de 15 días vacíos en una hembra eleva los costos de producción de una manera considerable por esta razón un IPP como el de la inseminación artificial solo se justifica en la granja experimental porcina en un numero especifico de cerdas elite y como apoyo al mejoramiento genético del hato porcino de esta así como del hato nacional.

Establecimiento de técnica de extracción de semen en gallos criollos e inseminación artificial en gallinas criollas en Nejapa - Managua

La inseminación artificial es una técnica que fue desarrollada en la década de los años treinta utilizando el método descrito por Buno\VS y Quinn (1937), consistía en practicarle masajes abdominales y en la cloaca tanto al ave macho como a la hembra Este trabajo de investigación que tiene por título: Establecimiento de técnicas de extracción de semen en gallos criollos e inseminación artificial en gallinas criollas, fue investigado con los tines de realizar la técnica inseminación artificial en gallinas criollas que no se utiliza en nuestro país, y también comprobar que esta tiene resultado positivo. En la investigación se trabajo con 10 gallinas y 2 gallos en donde se divide dos tratamientos: 1er tratamiento monta natural que se utilizaron 5 gallinas y un gallo, 2do tratamiento Inseminación artificial que se utilizaron 5 gallinas y un gallo Los cuales fueron seleccionados con Jónne parámetros establecidos En el tratamiento en la monta natural las gallinas estaban en manejo tradicional y la alimenticio ad-libitum y copulacion natural de gallo. Mientras que en 2do tratamiento para el gallo de la inseminación se le realizo un adiestramiento durante 6 meses para lograr la obtención de semen puro posteriormente inseminar a las gallinas destinadas para el 2do tratamiento. En los resultados de la variable de incubación de cada tratamiento se valoró la diferencia de los tratamiento empleados, mostrando que en el tratamiento 1 por la monta natural (T1 M.N) fue de margen inferior de 75%, donde para el tratamiento 2 de inseminación artificial (T2 LA) un margen de superioridad reflejado en 83% Se encontró un Chi­ cuadrado de 1.7562 no significativo al5% con 1 grado de libertad,-- (filas-uno)*(columnas-1) -­ entendiéndose que las diferencias observadas en el porcentaje de huevos nacidos de cada grupo de tratamiento, así como el porcentaje de huevos no nacidos de cada grupo de tratamiento están en el rango posible de diferencias atribuibles a la casualidad propias de unidades experimentales biológicas empleando un nivel de significación del 5 % También se rellejo el porcentaje de huevos incubables fue para(T1 M.N) 35% y ("12 LA) 31%, para mortalidad embrionaria se determino un 32%(T1 M.N)y el 20% para elpara(T2I.A). En elcomportamiento reproductivo se constato que para (T1 M.N) un margen de 28- 15 huevos y para (T2 LA) un margen de 24- 13 huevos. Concluyendo que la técnica de inseminación attiticial se puede realizar, y puede ser beneficiosa, pero a niveles industriales o en aves de razas debido a que los costos son significativamente costosos no siendo viable para los pequeños productores de gallinas de patio