Biomedical subjects

Syed A Ali

Publications and source records attributed to Syed A Ali.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Effect of season and gonadotropins on the superovulatory response in camel (Camelus dromedarius).

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the extent to which season and the gonadotropin preparation interferes with the superovulatory response in the dromedary. Adult camels were treated for superovulation during the breeding (November to April) and non-breeding season (May to October). Animals were synchronized by daily i.m. injections of progesterone (125 mg/animal/day, Jurox, UK) for 10 to 14 days. Superovulation was induced by 400mg pFSH alone (Follitropin V, Vetrepharm, Canada) administered in eight descending doses at 12h intervals or a combination of PMSG (2000IU, Folligon, Intervet, The Netherlands), injected with last injection of progesterone and 400mg pFSH in eight descending doses. The follicular development was daily assessed by ultrasonography of the ovaries. The donors were classified as per their response to the superovulatory treatment into very good (>10 follicles), good (5-10 follicle), poor (2-4 follicles) or no response (1 or no follicle) on each ovary. Ovulation was induced by injecting 3000 IU hCG (Chorulon, Intervet) at the time of first mating. The donors were mated twice at an interval of 12h when all or most of the follicles reached to a size of about 1.0-1.7 cm. Camels were flushed non-surgically on Day 6 or 7 after the ovulation. The proportion of camels showing very good response during the breeding as well as non-breeding season was higher (P<0.05) when a combination of pFSH and eCG was used compared with pFSH only. There was no difference (P>0.05) in the proportion of donors flushed successfully (embryos recovered) when treated either with a combination of pFSH and eCG or pFSH alone during the breeding and non-breeding season. The rate of recovery of ova/embryos and proportion of transferable embryos was higher (P<0.05) when donors were treated with pFSH+eCG compared with pFSH only during the breeding as well as non-breeding season. The results may indicate that ova/embryo recovery rate of the dromedary is influenced by the gonadotropin preparation but is not appreciably affected by the season.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Offspring resulting from transfer of cryopreserved embryos in camel (Camelus dromedarius).

The dromedary embryos, collected at hatched blastocyst stage, survived freezing and thawing in the presence of a high concentration of ethylene glycol (7.0 mol/L) with sucrose (0.5 mol/L) and direct plunging in liquid nitrogen. The rate of survival, as judged by the morphological appearance of the embryos after thawing, was high (92%). The transfer of frozen-thawed embryos into the recipients during the breeding (n=20) and non-breeding season (n=25) resulted in two and one pregnancy, respectively. One of the two pregnant recipients, with embryos transferred during the breeding season, delivered a normal healthy male calf at term. To our knowledge, this offspring is the first camelid produced following transfer of a frozen-thawed embryo.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Giardia intestinalis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Giardia intestinalis (syn. duodenalis or lamblia) is one of the most common intestinal parasites in the world, with an estimated 2.8 x 10(6) infections per year in humans, and it contributes to diarrhea and nutritional deficiencies in children in developing regions. The wide prevalence of Giardia and its unique place in evolutionary biology have led to ongoing research. RECENT FINDINGS: Research into the basic biology of Giardia has highlighted some of its unique properties as an 'early-branching' eukaryote. Although Giardia do not contain mitochondria, they have developed pathways to perform some mitochondrial functions. Investigations into encystation and excystation have identified new gene products that are important in cyst wall formation, and signal transduction events that occur during excystation. The ability to transfect Giardia stably will lead to an improved understanding of its development and metabolism. Molecular typing of G. intestinalis isolates indicates that most animal parasites are not associated with human infection. Insights into immunology have helped define the role of IL-6 in the early control of murine giardiasis, and the contributions of IgA in controlling infection. Further studies of giardiasis in poorly nourished children in developing regions supports an important contributing role of Giardia in stunting and cognitive impairment. Finally, new diagnostic assays using antigen detection are being evaluated and a new agent, nitazoxanide, has been approved in the USA for the treatment of giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis in children. SUMMARY: Research into the biology of Giardia should increase knowledge about protist differentiation and will complement studies in other biological systems. Continued study of the role of Giardia in chronic diarrhea and malnutrition in developing regions will help focus strategies to improve childhood growth and nutrition.

Animals↗