Curative effect of the Egyptian marine Erugosquilla massavensis extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress in rat liver and erythrocytes.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present work was to investigate the effect of marine crustacean extract (MCE) from marine mantis shrimp Erugosquilla massavensis and silymarin on oxidative stress induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rat liver and erythrocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male rats were randomly divided into 3 main groups, (1) control group which administered olive oil orally for 2 days, followed by distilled water for 7 consecutive days, (2) MCE group in which rats administered orally MCE, 250 mg/kg body weight for 9 consecutive days and (3) CCl4-treated group in which rats given CCl4 orally (2.5 ml/kg body weight) for 2 days. This group then subdivided into 5 subgroups. All subgroups treated orally for 7 consecutive days with distilled water (subgroup I), silymarin, 150 mg/kg body weight (subgroup II) and MCE at three tested doses 50, 100 and 250 mg/kg body weight (subgroups III, IV and V). RESULTS: The MCE and silymarin produced significant hepatoprotective effect by decreasing the activity of serum aminotransferases (ASAT and ALAT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and increasing the serum total protein, glutathione reduced (GSH) levels and the activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT). The MCE and silymarin also showed the same antioxidant effect on erythrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study, suggested that, the MCE could protect the liver and erythrocytes injuries perhaps, by its antioxidative effect, hence eliminating the deleterious effect of toxic metabolites from CCl4.

Effect of marginal or severe dietary zinc deficiency on testicular development and functions of the rat.

The effects of marginal (MZD) and severe (SZD) zinc-deficient diets on testicular function and development were studied in rats maintained on dietary treatment for 6 weeks after weaning. SZD produced variable degrees of histological changes as compared with pair-fed controls, including a significant decrease in the diameter of seminiferous tubules (p < .05) with variable degree of maturation arrest in different stages of spermatogenesis. No significant histological changes were obtained in testes of MZD rats. MZD rats-exhibited significant decreases in serum levels of testosterone (62.6%, p < .001) and progesterone (18.2%, p < .05) with no changes in that of FSH or LH. SZD rats showed marked decreases in serum levels of testosterone (17.8-fold, p < .001) and progesterone (28.8%, p < .001), whereas FSH showed an increase (34.4%, p < .05) as compared with respective controls. In vitro acute stimulation by hCG on testicular tissue preparation obtained from MZD rats resulted in much less androgen production (sum of androstenedione, testosterone, and androstanediol) (72.4%, p < .001) as compared with controls. Testicular androgen contents (sum of androstenedione, testosterone, and androstanediol) decreased significantly in MZD and SZD rats, with the latter showing the greatest decrease. SZD rats were asospermic, whereas MZD rats exhibited marked decrease in sperm counts (by 22.9%, p < .05) as compared with respective controls. The results reflect a direct action of zinc deficiency on testicular steroidogenesis and strongly support the idea that hypogonadism of zinc deficiency results mainly from changes in testicular steroidogenesis or indirectly from Leydig cell failure.

Sexually transmitted diseases in domestic expatriate workers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

This study was conducted to determine the sexually transmitted diseases in domestic expatriate workers (DEWs) screened for pre-employment in the general clinics of a teaching hospital. The study included 1648 domestic expatriate workers who were reviewed by a general practitioner, and who underwent serological tests for treponemal infections and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Screening for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was also done routinely as part of the requirement of the pre-employment screening. The relative frequencies for syphilis and HIV were 23.8% and 19% respectively. HIV was detected more frequently in DEWs from Africa, and syphilis in DEWs from Indonesia and the Philippines, whereas HGsAg was more frequently detected in DEWs from the African subcontinent, and was significant among males (2.8%), compared to females (1.0%), where P7lt;0.05. These findings indicate that pre-employment screening is a viable means of identifying major STDs (venereal syphilis, HIV) and communicable diseases such as hepatitis B in the DEWs. It is recommended that stringent measures be adopted to prevent fraudulent reporting from laboratories and health care providers locally, and from the home country of the DEW.

Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis of Saudian reptiles. 6. The sperm head differentiation in Agama adramitana.

In addition to the common features of spermiogenesis in Reptilia, new structures are seen in Agama adramitana that have not been described in previous studies. Two acrosomal granules are observed in the acrosomal vesicle. The posterior acrosomal granule differentiates as an anterior electron-dense material in the acrosome, and the anterior one forms a posterior translucent component of the acrosome. Also, the subacrosomal granule spreads in the subacrosomal space as a subacrosomal nuclear cap.

Zona-free hamster egg-sperm penetration assay: I. Testing of human semen fertilizability.

The zona-free hamster egg penetration test was performed on semen samples from 21 fertile donors, 57 infertile patients with normal semen parameters, and 63 infertile patients with subnormal spermiogram, as well as on 19 frozen semen samples. In the donor group 100% of the samples gave a positive range of penetration (PRP) of 20-96% with a mean penetration rate (MPR) of 53%, while 84% of the frozen samples showed a PRP of 18-44% and an MPR of 31%. Although 74% of the samples from infertile patients with normal spermiograms gave a PRP of 11-92% and an MPR of 34%, only 46% of the semen samples from the infertile patients with subnormal spermiogram showed a PRP of 21-100% but an MRP of 43%.

Zona-free hamster egg-sperm penetration assay: II. Correlative study with routine semen analysis.

This work studied the effect of variations in the different parameters of routine semen analysis on the penetration rate of the spermatozoa into the zona-free hamster eggs, using semen samples from 21 fertile donors, 57 infertile patients with normal spermiograms, 63 infertile patients with subnormal spermiograms, and 19 frozen semen samples. The results of the hamster test do not correlate with the percentage of motile spermatozoa, the percentage of live spermatozoa, or the percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology in the semen samples. A positive correlation was found between the results of the hamster test and three other parameters of the semen analysis: the sperm concentration, the progressive type of motility, and a pH range of 7.2-7.7, but these positive correlations were statistically insignificant.