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Case Reports 2007; 28(4): 518-523 PubMed PMID: 17693964 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Blood Coagulation:physiology, Female, Humans, Platelet Aggregation:physiology, Prolactin:physiology, Psychotropic Drugs:adverse effects, Thrombosis:etiology,.   

: Administration of antipsychotics appears to be related to increased risk of venous thromboembolism and cerebrovascular side effects. The biological mechanism responsible for this possible adverse drug reaction is unknown, but there is a growing number of elucidating hypotheses. Treatment with antipsychotics is associated with elevation of prolactin level. Prolactin has recently been recognized as potent platelet aggregation co-activator, and have therefore been postulated as an additional risk factor for both arterial and venous thrombosis. We briefly review the arguments for the role of hyperprolactinemia in pathogenesis of platelet aggregation....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(4): 360-366 PubMed PMID: 17693960 Citation  Keywords:  Bottle Feeding, Chronotherapy, Circadian Rhythm:physiology, Dietary Carbohydrates:administration & dosage, Double-Blind Method, Feeding Behavior:physiology, Humans, Infant, Infant Formula:administration & dosage, Infant, Newborn, Prospective Studies, Slee.   

UNLABELLED: Some 30% of pre-weaning infants present problems of sleep during the night, especially those who are bottle-fed. The solution is for them to be breast-fed for as long as possible, or, if this is not possible, for the formula milk to reproduce breast-milk's natural circadian variations in the concentrations of tryptophan and those nucleotides which have a beneficial effect in consolidating the circadian sleep-wake cycle.

OBJECTIVE: To study in pre-weaning infants the effect on nocturnal sleep of the administration of formula milk dissociated into its day/night components.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was carried out on 30 pre-weaning infants of 4-20 weeks in age who preferentially showed sleep problems. The day dissociated formula, administered from 06:00-18:00, had lower levels of tryptophan and carbohydrates, and higher levels of proteins together with cytosine-5P, guanosine-5P, and inosine-5P. The night dissociated formula, administered from 18:00-06:00, had lower levels of proteins and medium-chain triglycerides, higher levels of tryptophan and carbohydrates, together with adenosine-5P and uridine-5P. In a random, double-blind, design, three one-week diets were administered: Diet A (Control): normal initiation milk; Diet B: 06:00-18:00 normal initiation milk, 18:00-06:00 dissociated night formula; and Diet C: day/night formulas with the schedule given above. The sleep patterns were analyzed by means of actimeters (Actiwatch). Statistical analysis consisted of an ANOVA with a Scheffe F-test, taking a value of p<0.05 to be statistically significant.

RESULTS: The children receiving the week of Diet C (with the day/night formulas in synchrony with the environment) showed increased hours of actual sleep (7.68 +/- 0.54 h vs. 6.77 +/- 0.12 h for the Diet A control) and improved sleep latency (0.44 +/- 0.04 h vs. 0.60 +/- 0.08 h for the Diet A control). The same children receiving the Diet B in another different week showed an improvement in sleep efficiency (76.43 +/- 3.4% vs. the Diet A control 69.86 +/- 0.94%) and sleep latency (0.45 +/- 0.04 h vs. the Diet A control 0.60 +/- 0.08h) The parents also reported, in response to follow-up questions, an improvement in the sleep of their infants during the Diet C week.

CONCLUSION: Day/night infant formula milks designed according to the principles of chrononutrition help to consolidate the sleep/wake rhythm in bottle-fed infants....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(3): 326-332 PubMed PMID: 17627271 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Contraceptive Agents, Female:pharmacology, Drug Implants, Estradiol:analysis, Feces:chemistry, Female, Immunoenzyme Techniques, Levonorgestrel:administration & dosage, Macaca, Perineum:pathology, Progesterone:analysis,.   

OBJECTIVE: Administered levonorgestrel enables contraception under normal cyclicity of the ovaries and does not suppress the development of cyclic perineal swellings. This study investigated the influence of levonorgestrel on fecal gonadal steroid excretion rates and the expression of perineal swelling size.

SETTINGS: Two groups of Barbary macaque females were observed: Twenty-four implanted individuals under semifree conditions and five non-implanted individuals under caged conditions. Eight of the implanted females had large expressions of the perinea and sixteen reduced. The non-implanted group had no perineal swellings.

METHODS: To determine the individual steroid excretion rates and exzymeimmunoassay for decal samples was established.

RESULTS: Estradiol excretion rates did not differ in distinctively swollen implanted females, but were increased when compared to non-implanted individuals (df=2; p=0.0002). Implanted females with large perineal swellings had lower progesterone concentrations in the feces compared to individuals with reduced swellings and did not differ from the non-swollen group (df=2; p=0.054). Females with large perineal swellings showed a higher calculated estradiol to progesterone ratio index than the other groups (df=2; p=0.0005). Non-implanted individuals showed increased testosterone excretion rates (df.=2; p=0.0001).

MAIN FINDINGS: The results indicate a positive relationship between the perineal swelling size and levonorgestrel implantation.

CONCLUSION: The ratio of fecal estradiol and progesterone titers can be judged as an endocrine indicator for the expression rate of perineal swelling size....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(3): 321-325 PubMed PMID: 17627270 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation:toxicity, Female, Fertility:drug effects, Fluoxetine:toxicity, Male, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Sperm Count, Testis:drug effects,.   

: The effects of long-term ingestion of fluoxetine on fertility were investigated in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Adult male rats were exposed to fluoxetine at a concentration of 200 mg/kg for 60 days. Long-term ingestion of fluoxetine for 60 days caused a great decrease in spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules of the testes. Sperm motility and density were also significantly reduced in cauda epididymides and testes of the treated group. The weights of reproductive organs (testes, epididymides, ventral prostrate and seminal vesicle) were decreased considerably. The hormonal assay also showed significant decrease in testosterone levels and FSH levels. Testicular cell population dynamics also demonstrated a decrease in the number of both primary and secondary spermatocystes and spermatids in the treatment group. The number of female rats impregnated by male rats on long-term fluoxetine diet had decreased. The number of implantations and the number of viable fetuses were also notably decreased in female rats impregnated by male rats ingested fluoxetine. Fluoxetine caused a slight decrease in body weight, when initial and final body weights were compared in the experimental groups. Levels of ALT and AST were found to be significantly increased in the treated group when compared to the control. Histometery of reproductive organs confirmed these results. In conclusion, these results confirm that the long-term fluoxetine ingestion produce adverse effects on fertility and reproductive system in adult male rat. Thus, it would be of great interest to investigate the impact via long -term treatment with fluoxetine in male human fertility....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(3): 311-314 PubMed PMID: 17627268 Citation  Keywords:  Blood Pressure, Creatinine:blood, Female, Homocysteine:blood, Humans, Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced:blood, Lipofuscin:blood, Oxidative Stress, Peptides:blood, Pregnancy,.   

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study were to assess the levels of lipofuscin (parameter of oxidative stress), homocysteine (as a marker of vascular injury) and tissue specific antigen - TPS - (as a marker of cell proliferation) in relation to arterial pressure of pregnant woman.

STUDY DESIGN: Healthy pregnant women (n=18), women with mild 140/90=< RR<160/100 (n=19), and severe 160/100=
RESULTS: Mean duration of gestation was 34+/-5 weeks, and there were no differences between groups. Serum lipofuscin levels in mild form of pregnancy-induced hypertension were decreased comparing to normal pregnancy. Homocysteine levels were decreased and TPS levels increased in both mild and severe gestational hypertension.

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest overestimation of the role of oxidative stress and hyperhomocysteinemia in gestational hypertension....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(3): 305-310 PubMed PMID: 17627267 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Female, Fertility:drug effects, Male, Peganum, Plant Extracts:pharmacology, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Spermatogenesis:drug effects, Spermatozoa:drug effects, Testis:drug effects,.   

BACKGROUND: The Peganum harmala is currently used by the Jordanian populations systemically for its antispasmodic, diuretic, sedative and analgesic effects and externally for its antirheumatic effect.

OBJECTIVE: To study effects of Peganum harmala on the reproductive system and fertility using adult male albino rats.

MATERIAL & METHOD: A total of 20 rats were involved in this study and were divided into two groups. Group (A) a vehicle-treated control and group (B) a treated group with aqueous extract of Peganum harmala at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight for 60 days.

RESULTS: This dose induces a significant decrease in the weight of reproductive organs (p<0.01) when compared to controls. The sperm motility and density in cauda epidydimides and testicular ducts were significantly decreased (p<0.01). Furthermore treatments have remarkably altered the histoarchitecture of testes. Spermatogenesis was inhibited at both primary and secondary spermatocyte stages. Epididymides showed reduced number of spermatozoa. Lumen of vas deferentia were devoid of sperms. The secretary activities of seminal vesicle and ventricular prostate were also reduced. Spermatocytes parameters were altered which included a significant decrease count (p<0.001). In addition counts of developing spermatocytes in treated rats showed a decrease in number of spermatocytes and spermatids (p<0.001) when compared to controls. Serum hormonal assay indicated a decrease in Testosterone and Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) levels in treated rats. A decreased in number female rats impregnated by males receiving treatment was observed and demonstrated by a decrease in the implantation sites and viable fetuses number (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: The aqueous extracts of Peganum harmala might have adverse effects on the processes of spermatogenesis due to direct or indirect effects on somniferous tubules and or the pituitary testicular axis....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(3): 295-301 PubMed PMID: 17627265 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Anxiety:drug therapy, Exploratory Behavior:drug effects, Hypertension:physiopathology, Male, Maze Learning:drug effects, Melatonin:pharmacology, Motor Activity:drug effects, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Renin:genetics, Renin-Angiotensin System:phy.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to investigate effects of melatonin (MEL) on exploration and anxiety in normotensive Sprague-Dawley (SD) and hypertensive TGR(mREN2)27 (TGR) rats with high activity of renin-angiotensin system.

METHODS: Mature control (n=20) and hypertensive (n=20) rats were used. Half of each group was treated with MEL in drinking water (40 microg/ml) for 3 weeks. The influence of MEL on exploration was measured in the open field test (OF) and on anxiety in the elevated plus maze test (EPM).

RESULTS: Hypertensive TGR rats showed a lower level of ambulation (p<0.05) and higher level of urination (p<0.001) in OF. In EPM they spent more time in closed arms (p<0.05) and showed low frequency of total arm entries (p<0.01) than SD rats. MEL treated SD rats exhibited increased ambulation (p<0.01), sniffing (p<0.05) and decreased creeping (p<0.05) in OF than SD controls and did not exhibit differences in behaviour observed in EPM. MEL treated TGR rats exhibited a decrease in creeping, defecation and urination (p<0.05) in OF and spent less time in closed arms (p<0.05) and increased frequency of total arm entries (p<0.05) in EPM than untreated TGR animals.

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that MEL decreased anxiety related behaviours in hypertensive rats with an up regulated renin-angiotensin system and stimulated active exploration of control animals....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(3): 289-294 PubMed PMID: 17627264 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Apoptosis, Cell Proliferation, Cells, Cultured, Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases:physiology, Estradiol:biosynthesis, Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases:physiology, Female, Follicle Stimulating Hormone:pharmacology, Granulosa Cells:phy.   

: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), including PPARalpha, PPARbeta/delta, and PPARgamma, are a family of transcription factors belonging to the steroid receptor superfamily. In rat ovary, PPARgamma is mainly expressed in granulosa cells of developing follicles, implying a possible role of PPARgamma in ovarian functions. In the present study, the role of PPARgamma and its gonadotrophic regulation in granulosa cells collected from diethylstilbestrol-treated immature rats were studied. The results showed that PPARgamma could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in primarily cultured granulosa cells. PPARgamma could also stimulate the biosynthesis of estradiol and progesterone after FSH pretreatment, and FSH could regulate the functions of PPARgamma through PKA, ERK1/2, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. These data suggested that PPARgamma may be involved in follicular atresia and FSH-stimulated steroidogenesis during follicle development....

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