No abstract

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study we investigated whether high-dose oral treatment with vitamins C and E for 56 days was able to improve semen parameters of infertile men. Ejaculate parameters included semen volume, sperm concentration and motility, and sperm count and viability. Thirty-one patients without genital infection but with asthenozoospermia (< 50% motile spermatozoa) and normal or only moderately reduced sperm concentration (> 7 x 10(6) spermatozoa/ml) (according to WHO criteria) were examined. To investigate the influence of the epididymal storage period on semen parameters, the patients were asked to deliver two semen samples with abstinence times of 2 and 7 days both before and at the end of vitamin treatment. After randomization, the patients received either 1000 mg vitamin C and 800 mg vitamin E (n = 15) or identical placebo capsules (n = 16). No changes in semen parameters were observed during treatment, and no pregnancies were initiated during the treatment period. Combined high-dose antioxidative treatment with vitamins C and E did not improve conventional semen parameters or the 24-h sperm survival rate. Prolonged abstinence time increased ejaculate volume (P < 0.05), sperm count (P < 0.05), sperm concentration (P < 0.05) and the total number of motile spermatozoa (P < 0.05).

In ruminants the stimulation of papillar growth by butyric acid is well described but effects on mitosis and apoptosis are not known. To clarify the effect of short chain fatty acids three groups of three calves received a basic ration of 100 g hay per day for 6 weeks and additionally milk replacer. From these, two groups were fed with increasing amounts of the salts of either propionic acid (53 to 390 g) or butyric acid up to (54 to 326 g). The control group instead received an additional isocaloric amount of milk replacer. Mitosis was characterized by Ki67 immunoreactivity, apoptosis by a modified TUNEL assay and by electron microscopy. The feeding regimes led to significant differences of papillar length, increasing from 1.0 mm (controls) to 2.2 mm (propionic acid) and 4 mm (butyric acid). This enlargement was partly explained by an increased mitotic rate for the two fatty acid groups. The difference between the fatty acid groups was mainly explained by different apoptotic rates which were only one third for butyric acid compared to propionic acid (P < 0.001). In conclusion, butyric acid is a specific inhibitor of ruminal apoptosis in vivo.

Under the clinical impression that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may demonstrate signs compatible with hypogonadism, we investigated whether oral glucocorticoid therapy is associated with testosterone deficiency. Thirty six men with COPD of whom 16 were receiving oral glucocorticoid medication (mean+/-SEM dose 9.4+/-1.1 mg prednisolone) were investigated in a cross-sectional cohort study. Patients with or without oral glucocorticoid therapy were not different in terms of age, smoking history and additional therapy. Vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, airway resistance, intrathoracic gas volume and blood gases at rest were not different between the groups. However, patients receiving glucocorticoids had a shorter 6 min walking distance (mean+/-SEM 205+/-27 versus 288+/-26 m; p=0.02) compared to patients without oral steroid therapy. Serum levels of testosterone (mean+/-SEM 13.7+/-0.9) were below normal (<12 nM) in 15 of 36 patients. Serum testosterone did not correlate with any other evaluated parameter. Serum levels of free testosterone (free T) (mean+/-SEM 172.3+/-7.8 pM) were decreased in 25 of the 36 patients, including all patients receiving glucocorticoid treatment. In the 16 patients taking glucocorticoids free T was correlated (p=0.016) with the current glucocorticoid dosage (r=-0.504; p=0.007) and the body mass index (r=0.241; p=0.037). All other parameters examined revealed no significant correlations in multiple regression analysis. Glucocorticoid treatment appears to aggravate hypogonadism and a therapeutic study using testosterone in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease receiving glucocorticoid medication appears warranted.

Das Ziel dieser Studie war, die Wirkung der aktiven Immunisierung gegen das Gonadotropin Releasing Hormon (GnRH) bei männlichen Schweinen zu untersuchen und mit der chirurgischen Kastration zu vergleichen. Ferkel wurden randomisiert und in zwei Gruppen unterteilt: 263 Tiere für die chirurgische Kastration (SC) und 270 für die Immunokastration (IC). Der chirurgische Eingriff wurde in den ersten 14 Lebenstagen durchgeführt und die Impfung mit Improvac®, CSL, Australia, zweimal im Abstand von 4 bis 5 Wochen; die zweite Impfung (Booster) erfolgte 4 bis 7 Wochen vor dem geplanten Schlachttermin. Bei der Schlachtung wurde das Hodengewicht gewogen und Fettproben für die Bestimmung von Androstenon gesammelt. Zusätzlich wurde Androstenon auch olfaktorisch nach Erhitzung der Speicheldrüsen im Mikrowellenofen getestet. Weiter wurden die Tageszuwachsrate und Fleischqualität aller Tiere bestimmt. Die durchschnittliche Androstenon-Konzentration im Rückenfett beider Gruppen (SC und IC) wies keine signifikanten Unterschiede auf (0.042 (0.041; 0.044) µg/g vs. 0.058 (0.044; 0.071) µg/g; Durchschnitt (95 % Konfidenzinterval). Das Hodengewicht von immunisierten Ebern war signifikant (P<0.001) kleiner (230.8 (218.23; 243.52) g) als bei normalen Ebern gleichen Alters (761.8 (722.77; 801.01) g). In dieser Studie konnte bewiesen werden, dass die Androstenon Produktion in allen geimpften Tieren deutlich gehemmt war und alle Schlachtkörper konsumtauglich waren. Der durchschnittliche Tageszuwachs war zwischen SC (0.817 (0.804; 0.830) kg) und IC (0.827 (0.814; 0.840) kg) nicht signifikant verschieden, obwohl letztere Gruppe eine bessere Zuwachsrate zeigte. Der Magerfleischanteil war bei IC (54.50 (54.26; 54.73) %) im Vergleich zu SC (53.76 (53.53; 54.00) %) signifikant (P<0.001) erhöht. Aus unseren Ergebnissen kann gefolgert werden, dass die Impfung gegen GnRH eine praktische und effiziente Methode ist, um die Androstenon Synthese erfolgreich zu unterdruecken. Angst und Stress, die vor allem bei der chirurgischen Kastration auftreten, können auf diese Weise vermieden werden. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of active immunization against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in male pigs and to compare it with surgical castration. Piglets were randomly assigned to two groups, one of 263 animals for surgical castration (SC) and one of 270 animals for immunocastration (IC). Surgery was done at 14 days of age and vaccination (Improvac®, CSL, Australia) performed twice at an interval of 4 to 5 weeks with the second injection given 4 to 7 weeks before slaughter. At slaughter, testes were weighed and fat samples collected for androstenone analysis. Androstenone was tested olfactorially by heating salivary glands in a microwave oven. Daily growth rate and meat quality were assessed in all animals. Regarding mean androstenone concentrations in backfat, no significant difference was found between SC and IC (0.042 (0.041; 0.044) µg/g vs. 0.058 (0.044; 0.071) µg/g; mean (95 % confidence interval)). Testes weight was signific...