Laparoscopic intrauterine artificial insemination (AI) of electroejaculated spermatozoa was used to compare embryo development and conception rates in domestic cats inseminated either before or after ovulation. Females were given a single (100 iu) injection of pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) followed by either 75 or 100 iu human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) 80 h later. Cats were anaesthetized (injectable ketamine HCl/acepromazine plus gaseous halothane) 25-50 h after administration of hCG for laparoscopic assessment of ovarian activity and for transabdominal AI into the proximal aspect of the uterine lumen. At the time of AI, 23 cats were pre-ovulatory (25-33 h after hCG injection) and 30 were post-ovulatory (31-50 h after hCG injection). Pre-ovulatory females produced 10.5 +/- 1.1 follicles and no corpora lutea compared with 1.9 +/- 0.5 follicles and 7.5 +/- 0.9 corpora lutea for the post-ovulatory group (P < 0.05). Six days later, the ovaries of nine pre-ovulatory and 12 post-ovulatory females were re-examined and the reproductive tracts flushed. On this day, pre-ovulatory cats produced fewer corpora lutea (2.8 +/- 1.5; P < 0.05) and embryos (0.4 +/- 0.3; P < 0.05) than post-ovulatory females (18.9 +/- 3.3 corpora lutea; 4.6 +/- 1.2 embryos). Two of the 14 cats (14.3%) inseminated before ovulation and not flushed became pregnant compared with 9 of 18 cats (50.0%) inseminated after ovulation and up to 41 h after hCG injection (P < 0.05). These results indicate that ovulation in cats is compromised by pre-ovulatory ketamine HCl/acepromazine/halothane or laparoscopy or by both and that electroejaculated spermatozoa deposited by laparoscopy in utero, after ovulation, result in a relatively high incidence of pregnancy. Because ovulation usually occurs 25-27 h after injection of hCG, the lifespan for fertilization of the ovulated ovum appears to be at least 14 h in vivo in cats.

of Columbia (0. E. W., J. L. B., M. B., M.A.B., K.A.C., J.G. H.), and the Oklahoma City Zoological Park, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (J. G.)Under the mandate of a Species Survival Plan (SSP), reproductive status was assessed in 128 cheetahs maintained in 18 different institutions in North America. A mobile laboratory research team evaluated cheetahs using anesthesia, serial blood sampling, electroejaculation (males), and laparoscopy (females). Biomaterials were also collected for parallel studies of genetics, nutrition, and health. There was no mortality, and cheetahs were capable of reproducing naturally after these intense manipulatory examinations. No marked differences were observed in reproductive or endocrine characteristics between proven and unproven breeders. However, males consistently produced teratospermic ejaculates, and cheetah sperm were compromised in conspecific or heterologous in vitro fertilization systems. Structurally abnormal sperm were found to be filtered by the oocyte's zona pellucida. More than 80% of the females were anatomically sound, but morphological and endocrine evidence suggested that -50% or more of the population may have had inactive ovaries at the time of the examination. Males ranging in age from 15 to 182 months produced spermic ejaculates, but motile sperm numberdejaculate and circulating testosterone concentrations were highest in males 60 to 120 months old. Parovarian cysts were observed in 51.5% of female cheetahs, but comparisons between proven and unproven subpopulations revealed that this abnormality likely had no influence on fertility. Fresh luteal tissue was not observed in any nonpregnant or nonlactating female, strongly suggesting that the cheetah is an induced ovulator. Overall survey results were discussed in the context of the etiology of reproductive inefficiency, especially with respect to the potential importance of biological versus management factors. Four high priority research areas in cheetah reproductive biology were identified: 1) continuous monitoring of ejaculate quality in the extant population, while studying the impact of pleiomorphisms on fertility; 2) determining the potential relationship between libido and androgen production (excretion) in males; 3) confirming the extent of cyclic, or acyclic, ovarian activity in females; and 4) continued development of assisted reproductive techniques for enhancing management. In summary, a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional survey coordinated through the SSP is both possible and useful for generating a physiological and health database beneficial to driving further research and management initiatives. 0 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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Objective To determine predictors of fistula repair outcomes 3 months postsurgery. Methods We conducted a multicountry prospective cohort study between 2007 and 2010. Outcomes, measured 3 months postsurgery, included fistula closure, and residual incontinence in women with a closed fistula. Potential predictors included patient and fistula characteristics, and context of repair. Multivariable generalized estimating equation models were used to generate adjusted risk ratios (ARR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Women who returned for follow-up 3 month postsurgery were included in predictors of closure analyses (n=1,274). Small bladder size (ARR 1.57; 95% CI 1.39–1.79), prior repair (ARR 1.40; 95% CI 1.11–1.76), severe scarring (ARR 1.56; 95% CI 1.20–2.04), partial urethral involvement (ARR 1.36; 95% CI 1.11–1.66), and complete urethral destruction/circumferential defect (ARR 1.72; 95% CI 1.33–2.23) predicted failed fistula closure. Women with a closed fistula at 3 month follow-up were included in predictors of residual incontinence analyses (n=1041). Prior repair (ARR 1.37; 95% CI 1.13–1.65), severe scarring (ARR 1.35; 95% CI 1.10–1.67), partial urethral involvement (ARR 1.78; 95% CI 1.27–2.48), and complete urethral destruction or circumferential defect (ARR 2.06; 95% CI 1.51–2.81) were significantly associated with residual incontinence. Conclusions The prognosis for genital fistula closure is related to preoperative bladder size, previous repair, vaginal scarring, and urethral involvement.

Testicular volume, semen traits, and pituitary-gonadal hormones were measured in populations of Felis concolor from Florida, Texas, Colorado, Latin America, and North American zoos. More Florida panthers (F. concolor coryi) were unilaterally cryptorchid (one testicle not descended into the scrotum) than other populations (43.8 versus 3.9%, respectively). Florida panthers also had lower testicular and semen volumes, poorer sperm progressive motility, and more morphologically abnormal sperm, including a higher incidence of acrosomal defects and abnormal mitochondrial sheaths. Transmission electron microscopy revealed discontinuities in the acrosome, extraneous acrosomal material under the plasma membrane, and remnants of the golgi complex under the acrosome. No differences were detected in mean-circulating follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, or testosterone between Florida panthers and other populations of mountain lions. Seminal traits and concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone were similar between cryptorchid and noncryptorchid Florida panthers. Animals with F. concolor coryi ancestry were categorized on the basis of amount of genetic variation (low ~ type A; medium ~ type B; high ~ captive Piper stock). Compared to counterparts, type A Florida panthers had the lowest testicular volume and sperm-motility ratings and were the only animals exhibiting unilateral cryptorchidism. These results demonstrate the existence of major morphological and physiological differences among populations of F. concolor, a finding potentially related to differences in genetic diversity.

This article presents data from 1354 women from five countries who participated in a prospective cohort study conducted between 2007 and 2010. Women undergoing surgery for fistula repair were interviewed at the time of admission, discharge, and at a 3-month follow-up visit. While women's experiences differed across countries, a similar picture emerges across countries: women married young, most were married at the time of admission, had little education, and for many, the fistula occurred after the first pregnancy. Median age at the time of fistula occurrence was 20.0 years (interquartile range 17.3–26.8). Half of the women attended some antenatal care (ANC); among those who attended ANC, less than 50% recalled being told about signs of pregnancy complications. At follow-up, most women (even those who were not dry) reported improvements in many aspects of social life, however, reported improvements varied by repair outcome. Prevention and treatment programmes need to recognise the supportive role that husbands, partners, and families play as women prepare for safe delivery. Effective treatment and support programmes are needed for women who remain incontinent after surgery.

Cervical cancer kills approximately 270,000 women worldwide each year, with nearly 85% of those deaths occurring in resource-poor settings. 1 Use of the Pap smear for routine screening of women has resulted in a dramatic decline in cervical cancer deaths over the past four decades in wealthier countries. A key reason for continuing high mortality in the developing world is the shortage of efficient, high-quality screening programs in those regions.In 1999, five international health organizations came together to create the Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention (ACCP).* For the next eight years, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the partners worked on a coordinated research agenda aimed at assessing a variety of approaches to cervical cancer screening and treatment (especially ones that may be better suited to low-resource settings), improving service delivery systems, ensuring that community perspectives and needs are incorporated into program design, and increasing awareness of cervical cancer and effective prevention strategies. Several outstanding issues were identified at that time. A general issue was a lack of consensus about the most effective and feasible options for improving cancer screening and treatment. Specific issues included uncertainty about the impact of simple screening methods and a screen-and-treat approach on cervical cancer incidence and mortality; the comparative performance of visual inspection methods of screening-visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) or Lugol's iodine (VILI) † -and new methods using human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing; the optimal ways to reduce false-positive results from visual inspection methods without producing more false-negatives; and any possible links between the use of cryotherapy and subsequent HIV acquisition.Recent studies and analyses have answered some of these questions and have validated earlier findings related to safe, effective, operationally feasible and culturally appropriate strategies for secondary prevention of cervical cancer. ‡ On the basis of these new data and the results of earlier research conducted in 20 African, Asian and Latin American countries, the ACCP partners have summarized and shared key findings and recommendations for effective cervical cancer screening and treatment programs in low-resource settings, as follows. FINDINGS•In low-resource settings, the optimal age-group for cervical cancer screening to achieve the greatest public health impact is 30-39-year-olds. Screening is considered optimal when the smallest amount of resources is used to achieve the greatest benefit. To determine the optimal age for cervical cancer screening, ACCP researchers used two methodologies: modeling and field-based study. Goldie et al. 2 conducted cost-effectiveness modeling comparing screening strategies in five developing countries. Their model predicted that for 35-year-old women screened only once in their life, a single-visit or two-visit approach with the VIA method could reduce the lifetime risk of cervical canc...

Background: Randomized controlled trials comparing different vasectomy occlusion techniques are lacking. Thus, this multicenter randomized trial was conducted to compare the probability of the success of ligation and excision vasectomy with, versus without, fascial interposition (i.e. placing a layer of the vas sheath between two cut ends of the vas).