BackgroundHumans are ubiquitously exposed to multiple environmental contaminants. Consequences of combined action on the reproductive system remain unknown. This study aimed to assess single and joint effects of cadmium and diazinon exposure on sperm quality parameters.MethodsMale adult Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups of ten animals each. Group A was used as a control, animals from group B were exposed to cadmium (30 mg/L), rats from group C were administered with diazinon (40 mg/L), and rats from group D were exposed simultaneously to cadmium (30 mg/L) and diazinon (40 mg/L) via drinking water for 90 days. Sperm morphology and motility were evaluated using a bright field microscope and a computer-assisted semen analysis.ResultsThe percentage of motile spermatozoa and morphologically normal sperm was markedly reduced in rats from the group B. Rats from the C group showed an increase in velocity parameters, amplitude of lateral head displacement, decrease in beat-cross frequency, and an increase in abnormal sperm morphology. Simultaneous coexposure to cadmium and diazinon increased distance and velocity parameters, and amplitude of lateral head displacement. Reductions were observed in straightness, linearity, wobble, and beat-cross frequency. The decreased normal sperm morphology rates were related to defects of the sperm tail.ConclusionsExposure to cadmium and diazinon at relatively low doses impairs sperm quality and can reduce male fertility. Cadmium and diazinon caused significant changes on sperm morphology with varying effects on motility patterns. These parameters were significantly higher in the group D as compared to the group C. The findings have important implications for reproductive risk assessment of combined exposures to multiple chemicals.
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of heat stress (i.e., elevated ambient temperature -Ta; 36 °C ± 3 °C) on growth performance, mortality rate, and on some haematological and biochemical parameters in different categories of gender and age of New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Animals were divided into two main groups (control and treatment), in each group there were 56 rabbits: adult females (n = 20), adult males (n = 4), growing females (n = 16), and growing males (n = 16). Results revealed that total and daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and total and daily gain in body weight for growing NZW rabbits were affected negatively by elevated Ta. Decreases in feed intake led to less protein biosyntheses and less fat deposition, which led to lower body weight gain. These observations were made in growing and adult rabbits of both genders. Analysis showed that red blood cell (RBC) counts showed alterations. Packed cell volume (PCV) (in adult females and males), white blood cell (WBC) counts (in growing females), lymphocytes (in growing males), monocytes (in growing females and adult males), basophils (in growing females and growing and adult males) were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased, and total proteins (TP) (in adult females), glucose (Glu) (in adult females), and calcium (Ca 2+ ) (in growing males and females) were significantly (P < 0.01) lower in the experimental group. Furthermore, elevated Ta increased the mortality rate (MR) in both age groups. The mortality rate was 30.36% for growing and adult rabbits of the experimental group, compared with 7.14% for the control group, and was 25% for adult compared with 34.38% for growing experimental rabbits. Exposure of NZW rabbits of both ages and genders to elevated ambient temperature (36°C ± 3 °C), negatively affected their internal homeostasis which was reflected in their growth rate and various physiological signs.
Effects of a 50 Hz extra-low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) on in vitro rabbit spermatozoa motility were analyzed, as well as the effect on fertilization rates after insemination. Pooled semen samples and a control were exposed to 50 Hz ELF EMF. The difference of the samples of the test groups G1 and G2 with the control group CG (75.56%) for spermatozoa motility were found to be significant (P < 0.01). Differences were significant (P < 0.01) for curvilinear velocity (VCL) between the test group G3 (122.38 microm/s) and the control group CG (112.02 microm/s). Hormonally stimulated adult (9-12 months) females (n = 140) were inseminated with semen samples from G1, G2, G3 and CG (0.88 x 109 spermatozoa/0.5 mL average insemination portion) immediately after ELF EMF exposure and fertilization (kindling) rates were calculated. For the G2 it was 54.28% data indicate 50 Hz ELF EMF induced alterations of spermatozoa motility and kindling rate in rabbits, therefore influencing fertility.
In this study effects of mercury administration on the kidney and testicular structure of adult rats were evaluated. Rats received mercury (HgCl2) in single intraperitoneal dose 20 mg HgCl2 (group A), 10 mg HgCl2 (group B) and 5 mg HgCl2 (group C) per kilogram of body weight and were killed after 48 hours following mercury administration. After the preparation of histological samples the results were compared with control group (K). In kidney decreased diameters of glomeruli and renal corpuscles, damaged tubules with affected quality of tubular cells and infiltration of interstitium were detected. Quantitative analysis demonstrated increased relative volume of tubules and renal corpuscles. Also the number of nuclei and glomeruli was increased in all experimental groups. The diameter of glomeruli and renal corpuscles was decreased. In testis undulation of basal membrane, dilatation of blood vessels in interstitium and occurrence of empty spaces in germinal epithelium were observed. Decreased relative volume of germinal epithelium, increased relative volume of interstitium and increased apoptosis occurrence suggest damaged interstitium and revealed occurrence of edemas. The relative volume of seminiferous tubules showed higher luminization. The number of nuclei was decreased in all experimental groups what is in positive relation with occurrence of empty spaces. Also other evaluated criteria demonstrated significant differences between control group and experimental groups. This study reports a negative effect of mercury on the structure and function of kidney and testes.
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