High mRNA expression of GABA receptors in human sperm with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and teratozoospermia and its association with sperm parameters and intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes

Objective

This study investigated the mRNA expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the sperm of oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) and teratozoospermic (TER) men compared to normozoospermic (NOR) men, as well as the relationships between GABA receptor expression and sperm parameters, fertilization rate, and embryo quality.

Methods

The mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm was examined using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction in three groups of patients: NOR (n=32), OAT (n=22), and TER (n=45). The fertilization rate and embryo quality were assessed in 35 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI; 10 NOR, 10 OAT, and 15 TER men).

Results

OAT men had significantly higher mRNA expression of GABA A-α1 and GABA B-R2 receptors in sperm than NOR men; however, the difference between TER and NOR men was not significant. High levels of these receptors were significantly correlated with low sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, as well as the rate of good-quality embryos (GQEs) at the cleavage stage after ICSI. Patients whose female partners had a >50% GQE rate at the cleavage stage had significantly lower levels of GABA A-α1 receptor expression than those whose partners had a ≤50% GQE rate.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that mRNA levels of GABA receptors in human sperm are correlated with poor sperm quality and associated with embryo development after ICSI treatment. The GABA A-α1 receptor in sperm has a stronger relationship with embryo quality at the cleavage stage than the GABA B-R2 receptor.

Neuroprotective effect of Asparagus racemosus root extract via the enhancement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and estrogen receptor in ovariectomized rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Asparagus racemosus (AR) is well known as an Ayurvedic rasayana which used traditionally by Ayurvedic practitioners for nervous disorders and prevent aging. In our previous study it was found that ethanol AR root extract can improve learning and memory impairment, induced by an ovariectomy, but the extract's mechanisms as a neuroprotective property are still unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to examine the effects and mechanisms of ethanol AR root extract on the alteration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adult female Wistar rats were divided into five groups, 4 groups underwent ovariectomy, and one group was designed to be the sham control group. Two groups were gavaged with propylene glycol for sham, and a second group similarly prepared for OVX. Two further groups of OVX rats were gavaged once daily, one group with 100 mg/kg b.w. of ethanol AR root extract and the second group with 1000 mg/kg b.w. of ethanol AR root extract. The fifth group was gavaged once daily with 0.1 mg/kg b.w. of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE). BDNF, ERα and ERβ expression were evaluated by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

The western blot analysis revealed that the OVX rats showed a significant decrease in BDNF and a down-regulation of ERα and ERβ in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. It was also demonstrated that EE and AR root extract increased BDNF, ERα and ERβ in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of ovariectomized rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, the enhancement of BDNF and ERs up-regulation may be involved in the neuroprotective effects of ethanol AR root extract in ovariectomized rat.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices about the Pap smear among medical workers in Naresuan University Hospital, Thailand

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer, very common in females of the developing world, has a long premalignant period. Primary and secondary prevention can reduce the incidence. The Pap smear is the main screening modality in Thailand but the coverage is rather poor.

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of medical workers in Naresuan university hospital who met the WHO guidelines for screening.

METHODS

A questionnaire covering general characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and practices about cervical cancer screening was administered and the data obtained were analyzed with SPSS version 16.

RESULTS

The majority of the 78 included participants were nurses with an education mostly more than diploma level. Knowledge about the importance of the Pap smear, early detection and the treatment of early stage cervical cancer was adequate (90.9 % and 81.6%, respectively) but awarness of cervical cancer risk factors was quite low. The most frequent reasons for avoiding Pap smear screening were fear of vaginal examination (27.6%), embarrassment (26.3%), lack of any symptoms (22.4%) and being busy (17%).

CONCLUSION

The Pap smear is appropriate for detection of premalignant lesions of cervical cancer in Thailand but the coverage is still low. Although this study was performed with medical workers, their compliance with screening recommendations was still low. If we can improve the knowledge and attitudes about Pap smear cervical cancer screening in such experts, they should be able to readily provide appropriate and accurate information to the population to motivate the general population to join screening programs.

Septo-optic dysplasia associated with abnormal pubertal development

Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is a congenital anomaly, that is characterized by a triad of optic nerve hypoplasia, structural brain defects, and hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction. This condition is very rare and it has never been reported in a Thai population. In the present report, the authors described two SOD cases that presented with primary amenorrhea and abnormal pubertal development. Clinical features. Possible etiology of this condition was reviewed

Blastocyst development of 4-cell mouse embryos after laser destruction of one blastomere with or without its microsurgical removal

AIM

To study the rate of blastocyst formation in 4-cell mouse embryos after laser destruction of one blastomere, with or without microsurgical removal of the destroyed blastomere.

METHODS

Mouse embryos were randomly allocated to two control and two experimented groups. Control embryos were either non-manipulated (117 embryos) or underwent laser ablation of zona only (114 embryos). Experimented embryos had laser destruction of zona and the adjacent blastomeres. Destroyed blastomeres were either left in situ (115 embryos) or were microsurgically removed (107 embryos). They were cultured in sequential media for 72 h and were assessed for cleavage/morula arrest and blastocyst formation rates.

RESULTS

Embryos arrested at cleavage/morula stages were higher when destroyed blastomeres remained in situ (30.4%) than when they were immediately removed (15.0%, P < 0.05). Blastocysts in the group with immediate removal of the destroyed blastomeres (85%) were significantly higher than when destroyed blastomeres were left in situ (69.6%, P < 0.05). Blastocyst formation in the repaired embryos was significantly lower than the non-manipulated (91.5%) and the manipulated controls (94.8%, P < 0.05). Hatching blastocysts were highest in control embryos with zonal ablation (72.8%). Proportions of hatching/hatched blastocysts in embryos, with or without removal of destroyed blastomeres, were not significantly different (39.3% and 33.9%, respectively). The percentage of embryonic loss during an attempt at microsurgical repair was 6.1%.

CONCLUSION

Microsurgical removal of destroyed blastomere was effective in restoring blastocyst development. It could reduce the rate of cleavage/morula arrest.

Hearing impairment in Thais due to sport shooting: a preliminary report

Ninety one sportshooters from several sportshooting clubs ranging in age from 20-49 and 85 control subjects were carefully examined for hearing ability. The male and female ratio was 10.37:1. It was found that 9.34 per cent of the subjects were suffering from hearing impairment at the level of 3,000-8,000 Hertz. At most frequencies the mean decibel between the groups of shooters (1-5 years, 5-10 years, more than 10 years) was significantly different, with the right ear being significantly more impaired than the left ear (alpha = 0.1). At all frequencies the mean decibel level for the control group was significantly different from that for the sportshooters (alpha = 0.1). In conclusion, it is the responsibility of the National Environmental Board on Noise Pollution, the Royal College of Otolaryngologists of Thailand and other related organizations should be much more aggressive in educating sportshooters with regard to protecting their ears against acoustic trauma.

Endemic cretinism in Thailand: a multidisciplinary survey

Endemic cretinism has been classified into neurological and myxedematous types. Profound mental deficiency, deaf-mutism and cerebral diplegia are predominantly found in the former. The latter have been described as less mentally retarded but with severe growth retardation and myxedematous features. The pathogenesis of different clinical types of endemic cretinism is still unclear. Recently, a unifying hypothesis suggested that iodine deficiency, severe enough to cause maternal and fetal hypothyroxinemia, results in neurological defects in all cretins. We conducted the present study in northern Thailand to determine the validity of this hypothesis in another geographical area. The study consisted of a multidisciplinary survey on 112 endemic cretins aged 2-66 years in Nan. They were categorized clinically into three types of endemic cretins, neurological (n = 57), myxedematous (n = 19) and mixed form (n = 36). The subjects were generally short and the majority had severe mental retardation (mean intellectual quotient (I.Q.) 30.8 +/- 8.8), psychomotor defect and profound sensorineural hearing loss. The I.Q. score and proportion of cretins with sensorineural hearing loss and psychomotor defect were similar among the three types of cretins. The most frequent neurological abnormalities were spasticity, hyper-reflexia, the presence of primitive reflexes and gait disturbance. These abnormalities were distributed equally among the three types of endemic cretins. Delayed skeletal maturation and abnormal epiphysis were also present in all types of cretins. However, myxedematous cretins were shorter (P < 0.01), having more myxedematous features (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) and less sexual maturation (P < 0.05). Thyroid volume was lower in cretins with hypothyroidism (P < 0.01). In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that neurological features are present in all types of cretins, and are the consequence of maternal and fetal hypothyroxinemia due to severe iodine deficiency. The clinical manifestations of the cretins were subsequently modified by the length and severity of postnatal iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism.

Tonal confusions in Thai patients with sensorineural hearing loss

In a tone language, every syllable or word may have a distinctive pitch pattern as part of its phonemic composition. This study examined the extent and nature of impairment in the perception of phonemic tones by hearing-impaired listeners in Thai, a tone language that has five phonemic tones. Seventy-six subjects were assigned to four listener groups: normal-hearing (n = 21), mild-hearing-loss (n = 21), moderate-hearing-loss (n = 26), and severe-hearing-loss (n = 8). Five Thai words differing only in tone were presented for identification in both natural speech and synthetic speech versions. Results from the phonemic identification tests indicated that tonal identification is affected by the presence of sensorineural hearing loss. In particular, the number and often the type of tonal confusions made by Thai hearing-impaired listeners varied with the extent of hearing loss for both natural and synthetic speech versions. In contrast to previous findings on the patterns of consonant and vowel confusions in hearing-impaired listeners, the patterns of tonal confusions in hearing-impaired listeners can be related to the degree of hearing loss.