OBJECTIVE: To assess the causality between pelvic abscess formation and intrauterine device (IUD) use through a clinical study in a hospital. METHOD: Sixty-two pelvic abscesses were retrospectively evaluated over a 7-year period. Patient records retrieved for the women enrolled in this study consisted of demographic characteristics, duration of IUD use and clinical management details. RESULTS: All the women were monogamous Muslim women without any suspicious sexual contacts, immunosupressive states, or drug use at the time of IUD insertion. In 10 cases (16.1%), a history of pelvic surgery was present. The mean age of the women was 36.1 +/- 2.3 years (range 19-50 years). Of the 62 women, 14 (22.6%) were current IUD users. The mean time interval for women using IUD prior to the diagnosis of pelvic abscess was 5.7 +/- 1.2 years (range 1-14 years). In all cases, a pelvic mass and abdominal pain constituted the referral signs and symptoms. All women received an initial antibiotic regimen comprising penicillin (24 mU/day), clindamycin (900 mg/day) and gentamycin (240 mg/day) in divided doses. In 38 cases (61.3%), medical treatment yielded a satisfactory clinical outcome, defined as a decreas in mass volume together with pain relief and a decrease in leukocytosis. Twenty-four cases (38.7%) underwent a subsequent surgical procedure, either laparotomy (n = 19) or laparoscopy (n = 5). The type of surgery ranged from abscess drainage to more radical approaches such as total abdominal hysterectomy and/or unilateral or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. There were no differences between those women responding to medical therapy and those who did not respond in terms of mean age, percentage of past pelvic surgery, gravidity, parity and the size of pelvic abscess. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of women with an IUD were diagnosed as having a pelvic abscess within a 7-year period at the university clinic. Despite current knowledge that pelvic inflammatory disease and pelvic abscess are rarely encountered in long-term IUD users, the presence of an IUD should be investigated in cases with an initial diagnosis of pelvic abscess based on clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation, demonstrating mostly acquisition via sexually transmitted disease.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to elucidate the effects of cigarette smoke per se or vitamin E on mice exposed to cigarette smoke, with regard to fertility and cleavage rates, and embryo development in an experimental in vitro fertilization (IVF) mice model. STUDY DESIGN: Female and male mice, weighing 18-25g and aged 14-16 weeks, were separated and divided into cigarette smoke-exposed (SE) and non-smoke-exposed (NSE) groups. A specially designed cage with a cigarette smoking machine was constructed. The SE (20cigarettes/day) group was put in the cage for 10 weeks. SE and NSE female and male mice were given 50mg/kg of vitamin E intraperitoneally for 10 weeks and were cross-mated thereafter so as to produce seven different subgroups of mice population as follows: group I-NSE male and female mice (control); group II-SE female mice and NSE male mice; group III-NSE female with SE male mice; group IV-SE male and SE female mice; group V-SE female mice treated with vitamin E and SE only male mice; group VI-SE only female and male mice treated with vitamin E; and finally group VII-vitamin E-treated SE male and female mice. Following superovulation with FSH, follicles of female mice were obtained via laparotomy under high-dose ether. Male mice testicles were retrieved via the same surgical procedure. Both gametes were obtained and used for IVF. Fertilization, cleavage rates, and day 3 embryo grading were assessed in four groups. RESULTS: With regard to fertilization rate, group II (36%) significantly differed from group I (85%, p=0.002), group III (68.7%, p=0.04), but not from group IV (20.6%, p=0.34). Taking embryo development rate into consideration, group II (32%) had a lower percentage of embryo development compared with group I (75%, p<0.01) and group III (62.5%, p<0.001), but not group IV (17.2%, p=0.42). Percentages of embryo cleavage, embryo development, and day 3 grade I embryos did differ among four of the groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fertilization and cleavage rates were mainly affected in the SE female mice population. The impact of vitamin E on fertilization, cleavage, and embryo development rates was not relevant among SE male and SE female mice.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the age at menopause and possible related factors in a Turkish population. STUDY DESIGN: In a three-year period, a retrospective analysis of 541 spontaneous menopause cases were evaluated. All postmenopausal women with spontaneous cessation of menses for > or = 12 months and serum FSH levels > 40 IU/l were included in the study. Sociodemographic status, reproductive and medical history, menopausal symptoms, and previous contraceptive and hormonal therapy use were assessed based on an interview using a standardized information system. Age at menarche, parity, menopausal age of mother and sister, history of lactation, physical activity, cigarette smoking, oral contraceptive use and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. RESULTS: Menopausal age of the enrolled cases was positively correlated with mothers and sisters' ages at menopause. Postmenopausal smokers had an earlier age at menopause compared to non-smokers. CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking results in earlier menopause in the Turkish population. Menopausal ages of mothers and sisters clearly correlated with the age at menopause.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of smoking on total sperm count, progressive sperm motility and sperm morphology among couples attending an infertility clinic. METHODS: A total of 223 sperm samples (126 smokers and 97 nonsmokers) from men attending an infertility clinic for routine infertility workup were compared on the basis of standard semen analysis. RESULTS: Cigarette smoking is negatively correlated with progressive motile sperm count (r =-0.1464, p = 0.042), but not with sperm concentration (p = 0.961), total motile sperm count (p = 0.890) and sperm morphology (p = 0.838). Furthermore, packages/ year (cumulative dose of cigarettes) did not correlate with any of the sperm parameters including sperm density (p = 0.976), total (p = 0.559) and progressive (p = 0.406) motile sperm count and sperm morphology (p = 0.449). CONCLUSIONS: Although the effect of smoking on male infertility remains inconclusive, smoking had an adverse effect on the progressive sperm motility, irrespective of total amount of cigarettes smoked per day.

BACKGROUND: As women age, they face a variety of co-morbid medical problems as well as gynecologic problems that may differ from those of younger women. Clinicians should know how to screen and manage those problems among elderly women. OBJECTIVE: With this background, the study was designed to assess the gynecologic problems on admission among elderly women and women aged between 45-64 years. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of symptom distribution of 200 women aged over 65 years and 200 women aged between 45-64 years from January 1999 to December 2003 was performed in an university clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Geriatric women and women aged between 45-64 years with gynecologic complaints on admission to outpatient clinics between January 1999 and December 2003. Analyses of demographic data and data related to symptom distribution, using appropriate parametric and non-paramertic statistical tests, were performed. RESULTS: Geriatric women had a higher number of pregnancies (p < 0.01) but lower percentage of hormone replacement therapy use (p < 0.1) compared to women aged 45-64 years. No significant difference was observed in terms of the age at menopause. Vaginal fullness was felt most commonly by elderly women (p < 0.01) in contrast to menopausal vasomotor symptoms which were relevant in the younger age group (p < 0.01). As a clinical diagnosis, pelvic relaxation with uterine prolapse and genital malignancies were the common two diagnoses among geriatric women (p < 0.05). Postmenopausal vaginal bleeeding was observed more often among geriatric women compared to women aged 45-64 years (19.5% vs 12%, p = 0.03). Endometrial and ovarian cancer distribution did not differ among the two groups when the initial complaint was postmenopausal bleeding. CONCLUSION: Type and management of gynecologic problems in women aged over 65 can be challenging and differ from those for younger women. Thus, caring for these women in their reproductive years as well as in later life should be an aim for all obstetrician-gynecologists.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To determine the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in malignant and borderline ovarian tumors and its correlation to prognosis. METHODS: Forty-five patients with primary epithelial ovarian tumors were enrolled in this retrospective study from 1988 to 2002. Only malignant (n = 30) and borderline (n = 15) ovarian tumors constituted the study group. All cases were surgically staged according to FIGO criteria. Patient characteristics and clinico-pathological findings were obtained from hospital records. Paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were treated with MMP-9 immunohistochemical stain. The percentage of the total number of tumors staining positively was categorised and awarded a score of 0 to 4:< 5% as 0,< or = 6-25% as 1, 26-50% as 2, 51-75% as 3 and 76-100% as 4. The intensity of immunostaining was scored on a 3-point scale: 1, weak; 2, moderate and 3, intense. A weighed score for each tumor specimen was produced by multiplying the percentage score with the intensity score and was defined as the 'epithelial MMP-9 score'. Stromal staining was also assessed as weak, moderate and intense. Cases with final epithelial MMP-9 scores < or = 6 and > 6 were then recategorised into two groups, accordingly. Based on degree of stromal staining, cases were recategorised into two final groups as mildly stained and intense or moderately stained. Tumor stages were regrouped as early (Stage I-II) and late (Stage III-IV), respectively. RESULTS: Mean ages of cases with malignant and borderline ovarian tumors were 57.2 +/- 3.1 and 49.7 +/- 2.1 years, respectively. Epithelial MMP-9 scores were higher in malignant tumors compared to borderline tumors (p = 0.014). However, with regard to stromal MMP-9 staining, no significant difference was observed among malignant and borderline tumors (p = 0.113). Among malignant ovarian tumors, epithelial MMP-9 scores did not differ between early versus late-staged and well versus poorly differentiated tumors. Median survival time of cases with epithelial MMP-9 scores < or = 6 and > 6 were 24 months and 32 months, respectively (log-rank: 0.93, p = 0.335). Cases with weak stromal MMP-9 staining had a longer median survival (48 months) compared to cases with moderate or intense stromal MMP-9 staining (24 months, log-rank: 4.46, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Epithelial MMP-9 expression generally appears in the malignant form of ovarian tumors compared to borderline tumors. MMP-9 expression in the stroma but not in the epithelium contributes to poor survival in ovarian cancers.

PURPOSE: To assess microvessel density (MVD) as a marker for angiogenesis in endometrial carcinoma (EC) and normal endometrium at the proliferative and secretory phase, and to determine its prognostic value on survival among cases with EC. METHODS: Forty-three endometrial carcinoma cases were surgically staged and recruited for this case-control study. Tissue specimens from hysterectomies due to benign conditions (uterine descensus, myoma uteri, chronic pelvic pain, adenomyosis), that belonged to proliferative (n = 10) and secretory (n = 10) endometrium (n = 10), were studied as the control group (n = 20). MVD was assessed in hot areas where a high density of microvessels were detected within tumoral tissue and normal endometrium at proliferative and secretory phases. Among EC, various prognosticators such as tumor stage, histological and nuclear grade, tumor size, lympho-vascular space involvement (LVSI), cervical involvement, myometrial invasion, adnexal and lymph node involvement, peritoneal cytology and MVD were analysed in regard to survival. RESULTS: The mean age of cases with EC was 58.3 +/- 1.4. MVD was apparently high in EC cases (p < 0.05). Among control cases, endometrium from proliferative and secretory phases of the menstrual cycle was not statistically different (48.5 +/- 3.6 vs 47.4 +/- 3.8, respectively). MVD was correlated with high surgical stage (p < 0.001), cervical involvement (p = 0.01), adnexal involvement (p = 0.04), lympho-vascular space involvement (p = 0.02), pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001) and positive peritoneal cytology (p < 0.001). On univariate analysis, with a MVD cut-off value of 81/0.739 mm2, surgical stage (p < 0.001), LVSI (p < 0.001), retroperitoneal lymph node involvement (p < 0.001), adnexal metastasis (p < 0.001), peritoneal cytology (p = 0.005) and MVD count (p < 0.001) appeared to be independent factors for survival. On multivariate analysis, only pelvic lymph node involvement (p = 0.03) and MVD (p = 0.02) were found to be independent prognosticators on survival. CONCLUSIONS: Angiogenesis is apparent in both initial and further evolution of a tumoral process. MVD appears to have a substantial prognostic value on survival in EC cases.

PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION: To determine the diagnostic value of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the preoperative assessment of the nature of ovarian masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from August 2001 to September 2002 on 40 premenopausal and 23 postmenopausal patients with ovarian masses. During preoperative workup, patient age, serum Ca-125 levels, serum VEGF levels, and tumor volume based on ultrasonographic examination were determined. Laparoscopic (n=23) or laparotomic (n=39) approaches were undertaken to obtain the final pathologic result. According to the final ovarian pathology, follicular cysts, corpus luteum cysts and endometriomas were grouped as non-neoplastic ovarian masses (n=40, group I). Serous or mucinous cyctadenomas, dermoid tumors and fibromas were allocated into the neoplastic benign ovarian mass group (n=10, group II). Primary malignant ovarian neoplasms were categorized into the neoplastic-malign group (n=12, group III). RESULTS: Mean ages of cases among groups I, II and III were 39.0 +/- 2.0, 42.2 +/- 5.2 and 56.9 +/- 4.2, respectively. As age of the cases enrolled in this sudy increased, the more likely was the occurrence of neoplastic malign ovarian pathologies (p < 0.001). Among postmenopausal cases diagnosed with an ovarian mass, serum Ca-125 levels were 113.5 +/- 20 IU/ml compared to those in premenopausal cases (85.8 +/- 16.0, p = 0.05). The values for serum VEGF values among pre- and postmenopausal ovarian masses were 46.2 +/- 6.7 pg/ml and 68.2 +/- 7.9, respectively (p = 0.04). In group I, serum VEGF levels of endometriomas (56.5 +/- 1.5 pg/ml) were higher compared to those of follicular or corpus luteum cysts (30.6 +/- 2.8, p = 0.05). In contrast, tumor size appeared to be larger in non-endometriotic. non-neoplastic cysts (10.1 +/- 2.0 cm), compared to endometriomas (6.4 +/- 0.6 cm, p < 0.01). Serum VEGF levels of group III were higher than other groups (p < 0.001). With respect to the discriminating benign or malign nature of the mass, with a specific cut-off value of serum VEGF level of 68.7 pg/ml, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios were 92.3%, 88.0%, 3.3 and 0.1, respectively. For serum Ca-125 levels, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio with a statistically relevant cut-off value of 102 IU/ml were, 76.9%, 76.0%, 3.21 and 0.3, respectively. Area under curve (AUC) for serum VEGF and Ca-125 values were 0.938 (95% CI: 0.81-0.96) and 0.769 (95% CI: 0.64-0.86), respectively (p = 0.02). Among the postmenopausal group, AUC for serum VEGF and Ca-125 was detected as 0.902 (95% CI: 0.70-0.98) and 0.873 (95% CI: 0.66-0.91)(p = 0.14). CONCLUSION: Serum VEGF has the potential to be considered as a tumor marker with a good diagnostic relevance in differentiating the nature of ovarian masses.

OBJECTIVE: Histopathological evaluation of the endometrium in cases having an intrauterine device (IUD) removed for abnormal uterine bleeding. METHODS: Fifty-eight consecutive patients with a complaint of uterine bleeding leading to IUD removal were recruited for this study. Endometrial sampling, via Novak curette, was performed during IUD removal for histopathological evaluation of the endometrium. RESULTS: A total of 58 current IUD users, presenting with uterine bleeding, were retrospectively analyzed. Mean age of the women was 37.1 +/- 2.1 years (range 25-43). Mean duration of IUD use was 4.2 +/- 1.3 years (range 1-10). Out of 58 cases, 21 (36.2%) did not harbor any endometrial pathology. In eight cases (13.8%), hyperplastic endometrial changes were apparent, six of which were simple hyperplasia (four of them were focal). Two cases of complex hyperplasia were detected (one was diffuse with atypia and one was focal without atypia). In this series, there was one case with an endometrial polyp. Mean age of cases with hyperplastic endometrium was found to be statistically high compared to those with normal endometrial histology (42.4 +/- 3.2 vs. 37.6 +/- 2.1, p = 0.04). In cases with IUD use of > 5 years, chronic endometritis was more prevalent, compared to those with < 5 years of use (chi(2) 5.08, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: IUD use is a risk factor for chronic endometritis. Nevertheless, in 13.8% of cases in this series, as a reason for abnormal uterine bleeding, other than endometritis, endometrial hyperplasia constituted the second most common endometrial pathology among cases over the age of 40, on current IUD use and having complaints of abnormal uterine bleeding. Hence, this finding should prompt the physician to perform endometrial sampling in users of an IUD over the age of 40, presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding.

A case of seven consecutive hydatidiform moles is presented. All of her pregnancies revealed a molar pregnancy, 4 of which were demonstrated histopathologically. In the context of this study, the potential risk for malignant transformation and the obstetric outcome are highlighted. The literature regarding recurrent molar pregnancies is reviewed.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of TCu380A intrauterine device (IUD) inserted in menstrual interval, immediately after vacuum aspiration, and early and later lactation periods. METHODS: A comparative, multicentre clinical trial was performed. Totally 2293 eligible women were inserted TCu380A IUD during the above mentioned 4 different period. RESULTS: Among 2293 women, 852 cases inserted in menstrual interval, 591 cases of them immediately inserted after vacuum aspiration, and 451 cases and 399 cases of them inserted at early and later lactation periods. By the end of 1st year, no uterine perforation and pelvic inflammatory disease were found. The pregnancy rates with IUD in situ from the four groups were low (< or = 0.51/hundred women year). The rate of removal for displacement in the group of later lactation period was the highest (8.08/hundred women year), while the lowest (3.97/hundred women year) in the group of immediately after vacuum aspiration. There were significant difference among the four groups (P < 0.05). The lowest rates of the total or partial expulsion were in the later lactation group, which were 0.25 and 0.26/hundred women year. The medical removal rate for bleeding and (or) pain in the four groups were 1.94, 1.73, 1.42 and 1.33/hundred women year, and there were no significantly difference among the four groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Insertion of TCu380A IUD in the above mentioned four periods are feasible, safe and effectiveness.

It will be seen at once that the mean values obtained for calcium are higher than most of those recorded in the literature, and that the values for inorganic phosphorus are perhaps lower. It is well to bear in mind, however, that the significance that may be attached to any series of determinations of calcium and inorganic phosphorus in the blood of animals depends largely upon the conditions under which the determinations are made. As is well known, there are many factors that may affect the values obtained, including inherent differences in the animal material and the method of analysis used as well as the particular procedure employed in carrying out a given method. When all other conditions are uniform, irregularities in the handling of the blood after it is drawn will give rise to surprisingly large differences in the results for both calcium and inorganic phosphorus, as permitting blood to stand tends to decrease calcium values and to increase those for inorganic phosphorus. It seems desirable, therefore, to emphasize the fact that the results recorded above are to be viewed as results obtained under certain definitely prescribed conditions which differ in several important respects from those governing determinations made by other workers in this field. Moreover, it is to be noted that the conditions varied to some extent with each of the 4 groups of animals comprising this series. For example, there was a small but definite age difference. The animals of Groups I and II were older and more mature than those of Groups III and IV at the beginning of the experiments, and this initial difference was increased by the extension of the experiments on Groups I and II over a longer period of time, so that the observations made on these animals not only included data for a more advanced age, but represented a mean age considerably above that of the observations made on the animals of Groups III and IV. There was a similar difference of experimental conditions between Groups III and IV, while the observations on Group II differed from those on Group I in that no blood analyses were made on the animals of Group II for 2 months after they were placed under observation. These particular features of the experiments are mentioned because an examination of the text-figures will show that a line of cleavage between Groups I and II on the one hand, and III and IV on the other, is traceable through all of the distribution curves and to some extent in the tabulated results. With the combined values as the axis of distribution, Groups I and II invariably hang together, or swing to one side, while Groups III and IV swing to the other. Moreover, the extreme positions are usually represented by Groups II and IV. Whether these peculiarities of the results are in reality attributable to the conditions mentioned or to some other cause, such as the length of cage life (2), or the particular period covered by the observations, the suggested relation is sufficient to indicate the extent to which even slight differences in experimental conditions may affect the results obtained for blood calcium and inorganic phosphorus. The values obtained for calcium may be regarded as showing a fairly close agreement (Tables I and II and Text-fig. 1). The extreme difference between the means for the 4 groups of animals is only 0.5 mg. or approximately 3.00 per cent of the mean for the combined groups. Still, the small absolute difference between the means for Groups I and IV is nearly 6 times its probable error and, hence, cannot be disregarded. The most important feature of these results is, however, the range of normal variation. The distribution curves (Text-fig. 1) show a remarkably close agreement in the frequency with which values of a given magnitude occurred and an unusually symmetrical distribution of all values. The coefficients of variation are comparatively small (7.09 to 8.9 per cent), but values anywhere between 14.0 and 16.0 mg. of calcium per 100 cc. of serum occurred with great frequency, while figures as low as 13.5 or as high as 17.5 mg.(Table II) were by no means rare; and the extreme limits of observation indicate a potential difference in the calcium content of the blood of normal rabbits of as much as 100 per cent. Inorganic phosphorus was found to be subject to much wider variation than calcium (Tables III and IV and Text-fig. 2). The coefficient of variation is approximately twice that for calcium (17.29 and 8.01 respectively), while the group means for phosphorus show a difference of 0.85 mg. per 100 cc. of serum. This difference is small in absolute value, but is nearly 20.0 per cent of the mean for all groups and is 15 times its probable error. It is safe to assume, therefore, that the values obtained indicate an actual difference in the inorganic phosphorus in the blood of the several groups of animals. This conclusion is borne out by the distribution frequencies (Table IV and Text-fig. 2) which show that the values obtained for Groups I and II lie at a distinctly lower level than those for Groups III and IV; the difference between modal classes is, in fact, of the same order as that shown by the means. The limits of probable variation as determined by the standard deviation of the combined results are 3.73 and 5.29 mg. per 100 cc. of serum, but one-third of all values lie outside of these limits, while the extreme limits of normal are sufficiently wide to include values that may differ by as much as 200.0 or even 300.0 per cent. From the values obtained for calcium and inorganic phosphorus, the relation existing between the two substances may be measured in a number of ways. The ratio of the calcium to the phosphorus and the product of the amounts of the two substances have received the greatest attention. In addition to these values, we have computed values for the sum and for the ratio of the product to the sum, and also for the sum of the calcium-phophorus ratio and the product-sum ratio. The value for the sum of the calcium and inorganic phosphorus in the serum is determined largely by the calcium, but as it is also affected by the phosphorus, one might expect that the constancy of the value as compared with that of calcium would be diminished unless the variations in the two substances were so related as to neutralize each other. As is well known, there is an apparent tendency in this direction and in these experiments it was found that on the whole the values for the sum showed less variation (coefficients 6.42 and 8.01 per cent) and were more uniformly distributed than those for calcium (Tables V and VI and Text-fig. 3). It is true that differences between groups were distinctly greater than in the case of calcium, but the agreement is sufficiently close to give evidence of a tendency to the maintenance of an inverse relation between serum calcium and inorganic phosphorus. Values for the product of calcium and inorganic phosphorus emphasize the phosphorus factor rather than the calcium, reversing the conditions that obtain in the case of the sum. A consideration of the product values given in Tables VII and VIII and Text-fig. 4 show that, while the order of variation is essentially the same as that of inorganic phosphorus (coefficients 17.09 and 17.29 per cent respectively), the distribution of values is more uniform. This may be attributable to the occurrence of coordinate variations in calcium and inorganic phosphorus. The situation presented by the values obtained for the ratio of calcium to inorganic phosphorus is somewhat surprising in that the ratio between the two substances proves to be less constant than the absolute amounts of either substance (Tables IX and X and Text-fig. 5). There are considerable differences between the standard values for individual groups of animals, and the distribution frequencies are inclined to be irregular. Moreover, all groups show a large standard deviation and correspondingly high coefficients of variation, but combining the results for the 4 groups of animals gives a fairly uniform and symmetrical distribution, a striking feature of which is the high frequency with which values occur over the entire range of standard variation, that is, from ratios of 2.85 to 4.29. It thus appears that, despite the evidence of a tendency to the observance of an inverse relation between the calcium and inorganic phosphorus in the blood, the ratio of one substance to the other is by no means constant. By using the product and the sum as a basis of expressing the relation between calcium and inorganic phosphorus, the form of the relation is ???

PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness of melatonin and rosiglitazone in reducing postoperative adhesion formation in a rat uterine horn model. METHODS: Thirty non-pregnant female Wistar albino rats, weighing 180-220 g, were used as a model for postoperative adhesion formation. The rats were randomised into three groups after seven standard lesions were inflicted in a 2-cm segment of each uterine horn and lower abdominal sidewall using bipolar cauterisation. The rats were treated with 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal melatonin, and 1 mg/kg per day peroral rosiglitazone. No medication was given to the control group. As much as 20 uterine horns of 10 rats were evaluated in each group. Extent, severity, and degree of the adhesions to the uterine horns and, inflammation and fibrosis scores (histopathologically) were evaluated after 2 weeks of the treatment. RESULTS: There was no mortality in the groups and all of the rats recovered without incident after operation. Rosiglitazone group had lower adhesion scores [median (min-max ranges)] regarding extent, severity, and degree of the adhesions [0 (0-3), 0 (0-3) and 0 (0-3), respectively], which were significantly different (P < 0.001, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) from those of the controls [1 (0-3), 2 (0-2) and 2 (0-3), respectively]; however, there were no statistically significant differences between rosiglitazone versus melatonin groups [1 (0-4), 2 (0-3) and 1 (0-3), respectively] and melatonin versus control groups. Moreover, no significant differences were determined between groups regarding histopathologic findings. CONCLUSION: Rosiglitazone, but not melatonin, is effective in prevention of adhesion formation in a rat uterine horn model.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to test the efficacy and safety of closure of the appendeceal stump with only laparoscopic bipolar electrocautery in rats. METHODS: In this study, 40 female Wistar-Albino rats were used. In group I (n = 10), appendix vermiformis, approximately 1 cm in width, was completely ligated with 3/0 silk suture close to cecum, and removed. In group II (n = 20) and group III (n = 10), the appendeceal stump was coagulated by bipolar cautery. The coagulation of 70 mA took 10 s, and was repeated one more time. The stump was divided, and checked to ensure complete occlusion. Groups I and II underwent relaparotomy at 15 days, cecum was taken out, and the burst pressure of the stump was measured. Group III did not undergo relaparotomy; the burst pressure was measured during the first laparotomy. RESULTS: All rats survived. At relaparotomy, no intra-abdominal complications were detected, including intestinal obstruction, abscess, and leakage. Omentum and fatty tissue of uterus was adhered to the appendix stump in group I, but only fatty tissue of uterus was adhered on the stump in group II. Although the intracecal pressure reached 30 cmH(2)O, at which pressure the cecum was highly stretched, ligated (group I) or coagulated (group II) stumps did not burst or opened. In group III, the burst or opening pressure of the stump (11.2 +/- 2.7 cmH(2)O) was significantly lower than in groups I and II (p < 0.001). Of group II rats, 80% had complete epithelial regeneration at the coagulated stump sites in contrast to ligated rats (p < 0.001) with severe inflammatory changes, abscess, and necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: At late course, coagulated stumps did not allow the leakage or burst, unlike ligated stumps. However, coagulation of the stump seemed to contribute more to epithelial healing. This experimental model suggests that the closure of the stump with only bipolar coagulation was a safe and feasible method.

A silk suture placed in the lumen of one uterine horn of rats before mating prevented pregnancy in that horn although normal implantation occurred in the unoperated horn. The suture did not interfere with fertilization or the tubal transport of ova, nor did it induce a decidual reaction; it appeared to prevent pregnancy by causing failure of implantation.

Objective To elucidate the effect of piroxicam beta-cyclodextrin (PbetaCD), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), on the efficacy of the intrauterine device (IUD) in a rat model. Methods Forty nulliparous female Wistar rats were allocated to one of four groups, comprising each 10 of these animals. Group I: neither IUD nor medication; group II: IUD, but no medication; group III: IUD and PbetaCD; and group IV: PbetaCD only. In groups II and III, a string of 3/0 silk suture of 2 cm long was transcervically placed in one of the horns of the bicornuate uterus of the rat. Rats in group III were treated during the 18 days following IUD placement with 3 mg/kg/day PbetaCD administered via a feeding tube; group IV received PbetaCD for the same length of time, but had no IUD inserted. The rats were then mated. Thereafter, vaginal smears were taken and assessed daily, in the early morning, for the presence of spermatozoa. The day when spermatozoa were detected was considered to be the first day of gestation. On gestational day 19, both uterine horns of all rats were evaluated for the presence and number of embryos. Results In group II, mean embryo counts in the horn with or without IUD were 1.0 +/- 0.2 and 4.5 +/- 0.3, respectively (p < 0.01). The comparison of group II with group I showed that the presence of an IUD in one horn did not affect the mean embryo counts in the contralateral horn (4.5 +/- 0.3 versus 5.1 +/- 0.9, p > 0.05). In groups II and III, mean numbers of embryos in the horn with IUD were 1.0 +/- 0.2 and 2.7 +/- 0.4, respectively (p < 0.01). No difference in the mean embryo counts was observed between group I (5.1 +/- 0.9) and IV (4.8 +/- 0.9; p > 0.05). Conclusions The IUD had a contraceptive effect in the rat model. The IUD in one horn did not affect the number of embryos in the contralateral horn. In this model, IUDs appear to exert a local effect, i.e. counteracted by PbetaCD. This drug had no adverse effect on the fertility of rats without IUD in situ.

The efficacy of a morantel long-acting device in preventing parasitic gastroenteric infections throughout a whole year was evaluated in heifers and steer calves in south central Québec. Thirty-two calves, comprising nine Hereford steers, one Hereford heifer, fourteen Holstein crossbred steers and eight Holstein crossbred heifers, were allotted into two treatment groups and maintained throughout the grazing season on adjacent pastures resulting from equivalently dividing one original pasture. One morantel long-acting device was administered to each animal in one group at the time of turnout onto the pasture in the spring while the calves in the other group remained as nonmedicated controls. The parasitic infections incurred during the pasture season were primarily Ostertagia, Trichostrongylus, Cooperia and Nematodirus.The following fall, after twelve calves were necropsied for worm counts, the twenty remaining ones were brought into the barn where they were kept throughout the winter with access to an outside yard. They received good quality hay and rolled barley (1 kg/head/day) up until the following May, at which time they were weighed and had fecal samples taken for egg counts. In contrast to the results observed among controls, the morantel long-acting device treatment group had an 87% reduction in fecal worm egg excretion and a 67.3 kg per calf increased weight gain after one year.

Eleven mature Beagle bitches were artificially inseminated and then used to determine the effects of ethinylestradiol or danazol on nidation, embryo survival and maintenance of pregnancy. The dogs were grouped so that three were kept as controls, four others were treated with ethinylestradiol and the remaining four were treated with danazol. The compounds were administered orally at varying intervals after insemination. The effects of the compounds were deduced from the condition of the ovaries and uterus examined at laparotomy, and the results of whelping. Ethinylestradiol had minimal effect on embryo development and implantation. Three of four bitches treated with ethinylestradiol whelped. Similarly, danazol treatment had little or no effect on embryonic survival and implantation. It is concluded that, ethinylestradiol or danazol at the dosages and schedules used in this study did not significantly interfere with embryonic survival or implantation in pregnant Beagle bitches.

A copper-bearing intrauterine device (IUD), designed to cause a slight distention of the uterus, was inserted through the cervix into each uterine horn of 230 heifers; an additional 230 heifers served as the control group. Blood was drawn at 0,1,2,20 and 120 d for progesterone and testosterone assays. The heifers were checked twice daily for estrus and examined at 0, 60 and 120 d for weight gain. Thereafter they were bred over a 120-d period. The IUD caused anestrus in 98 % of the heifers, with a daily weight gain 25.5 % higher than in the control heifers. Moreover, the device was 100 % effective in preventing pregnancy. At 20 and 120 d after IUD insertion progesterone levels averaged 0.7 ng/ml, which was 4 to 5 times lower than in the control animals, suggesting a failure in ovulation or in corpus luteum (CL) formation due to the IUD. Simultaneously, testosterone values were increased up to 8 times in IUD-treated heifers, reaching a mean concentration of 163 pg/ml. Associated histological evaluations of the ovaries from UD-treated heifers revealed the presence of 2 or more cysts per ovary, with marked hyperthecosis in many antral follicles in which the granulosa cell layers were either thinned or lacking. The results suggest that the action of the copper-releasing IUD used in this study resulted in high contraceptive efficiency but also in disturbance of ovarian function. Our findings further raise the possibility of a cause and effect relationship between hyperandrogenism and the higher body weiqht gain observed in heifers treated with the IUD.

We have developed a method to test the effect of gossypol on prevention of embryo implantation in the uterine horn. On the day of proestrus, gossypol (at a dose of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 500 mug per uterine horn was injected directly into the lumen of the right uterine horn. The left uterine horn was injected with 100 mul buffer. The rats were then mated with fertility proven males on the same day. The day of sperm-positive vaginal smear was designated as Day 0 of pregnancy. The number of implantation sites in both control and gossypol-treated horns was examined on Day 8 of pregnancy by laparotomy. The number of pups born was counted after parturition. At laparotomy, the percentages of pregnant animals with positive implantation sites in the gossypol-treated uterine horn (at a dose of 500, 200, 150, 100 and 50 mug per uterine horn) were 0, 0, 0, 10 and 44%, respectively. By contrast, implantation sites were present in 100% of the control horns of the same rats. The average numbers of total implantation sites in both horns vs the number of pups born to gossypol-treated animals using 500, 200, 150, 100, and 50 mug doses were 5.60 +/- 1.25 vs 4.00 +/- 1.00, 5.83 +/- 1.30 vs 4.70 +/- 1.10, 5.80 +/- 1.10 vs 5.50 +/- 1.20, 11.50 +/- 1.00 vs 9.50 +/- 1.50 and 11.67 +/- 1.20 vs 9.30 +/- 1.20, respectively. Gossypol metabolite completely inhibited embryo implantation when administered at 5.30 mug per uterine horn. The potency of the gossypol metabolite in preventing embryo implantation is estimated to be at least 28 times higher than the parent compound.