The origin of seminal leucocytes and their biological significance were investigated in 76 whole ejaculate samples and 27 split ejaculate samples, obtained from patients attending the Zimbabwe Family Planning Council’s Spilhaus Infertility Clinic at Harare. The leucocytes were more prevalent in fractions 1 and 2 than in fraction 3, implying that the testis, epididymis and prostate are the major sources of seminal leucocytes. The contribution from the seminal vesicles was minimal. An inverse relation is apparent between leucocyte count and sperm count (p < 0.01). The percentage of abnormal sperms was higher (p < 0.05) and the sperm motility poorer in leucocytospermic samples (p < 0.01). Fructose, the seminal vesicular marker, citric acid, the prostatic marker and α-glucosidase, the epididymal marker were not decreased in leucocytospermia. It is concluded that the epididymis and prostate are the major contributors of granulocytes in semen. Leucocytospermia affects sperm morphology and sperm motility but not the accessory sex gland functions. Probably these cytotoxic effects are mediated by hydrogen peroxide due to activation of seminal leucocytes. However, the presence of leucocytospermia in normozoospermic samples is indicative of the possible peaceful coexistence of leucocytes and sperms.

The effects of creep feeding and different levels of soybean meal (SBM) and cowpea meal on the intestinal morphology and faecal characteristics were investigated in weaners. Prior to the feeding trial, one group of piglets was creep-fed and the other noncreep-fed. The two groups of piglets were weaned at 28 days and randomly assigned to four different diets whose main sources of protein were: T,-skimmed milk powder (control); T2-31 % soybean meal; T3-15 % soybean meal and 12 % skimmed milk powder; and T, -lOO % raw cowpea meal. Live weight gain was highest in the T1 group, and least in the T, group. At weaning only the noncreepfed weaners showed villus atrophy and crypt hyperplasia, but at 7 days postweaning these changes were evident in all groups except the control and were more severe in the noncreep (T2, T,) and cowpea-fed groups. At 21 days postweaning, only noncreep cowpea-fed pigs showed a reduced villus height when compared to the T, group. A mild diarrhoea was generally observed in all noncreep-fed weaners but its onset was more rapid (P < 0.01) and the duration longer (P < 0.05) in the Tz and T, pigs than in T, and TI groups. A lower faecal p H was observed in weaners that had diarrhoea when compared with a pH of 7.1 in pigs with normal moisture. The glucose content of the faeces was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the T, and T, groups. The observations of enteropathology and low growth performance in the T, group suggest that feeding raw cowpea to weaners is capable of inducing considerable antigenicity in the intestinal mucosa, causing damage and a consequent decrease in productivity. However, the introduction of creepfeeding before weaning appears to have some ameliorative effects.US. Copyright Clearance Center Code Statement: 093 1 -184X /96 /4302 -0075S11.50 /O

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There are no data on 24-hour multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH monitoring in African populations. The purpose of this study was to provide the normal values of esophageal impedance and pH monitoring in a rural African populations. South African healthy rural participants were recruited and underwent 24 hours of esophageal impedance and pH monitoring. The median and the 95th percentiles of the total reflux episodes were 49 and 97, respectively, of which the corresponding number of acidic, weakly acidic, and weakly alkaline reflux were 15 and 55, 17 and 51, and 8 and 36, respectively. The compositions of the total reflux were 5 and 21 for liquid, 27 and 72 for mixed, and 10 and 39 for gas reflux, respectively. The median bolus clearance was 18 seconds and the median bolus exposure was 14 minutes/24 hours. The proximal extent was 6%. The 95th percent time of esophageal exposure to acid was 8.6 in 24 hours. Female and overweight participants were associated with an increased number of reflux events. There were more reflux episodes, and of which, more were weakly alkaline compared with previous similar studies. The findings provide reference values of gastroesophageal reflux for a South African rural population.

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