Semen parameters and the incidence and effects of bacteriospermia in male partners of infertile couples attending a fertility clinic in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

Background: Inability to conceive after at least 12 months of unprotected regular intercourse has been recognized as a very serious problem for couples especially those who are at the reproductive age and legally married. Bacterial infection of male genitourinary tract is considered as one of the promoting factors for male infertility. These pathogenic bacteria in the ejaculates can induce a defect in semen parameters, such as sperm count, morphology and motility which are predictors of male fertility potential. The study was conducted to assess the semen quality and the incidence of bacteriospermia in male partners of infertile couples attending fertility clinic at Trust Care Specialist Hospital, Kumasi.Methods: Semen samples of 300 male partners of infertile couples were collected and evaluated by WHO guidelines. The samples were also cultured using standard bacterial culture techniques.Results: Oligozoospermia was the highest semen abnormality identified. This was followed by Teratozoospermia. Other semen abnormalities identified were azoospermia, asthenozoospermia, oligoteratozoospermia, asthenoteratozoospermia, oligoasthenozoospermia, and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. 67 (22.3%) out of the 300 samples showed significant bacterial growth. Eight different bacteria species were isolated. E. coli, was isolated from 27 of the samples, S. aureus from 13 of the samples, U. urealyticum from 10 of the samples, Chlamydia trachomatis from 9 of the samples, Pseudomonas spp from 5 of the samples Proteus spp, Klesbsiella spp and M. morganii were each isolated from one sample.Conclusions: Although bacteria were isolated in 22.3% of the semen samples, their presence imparted negatively on the semen quality. This suggests that bacterial infection should be one of the investigations to be carried out in the treatment of infertility. Even when count, motility, and morphology look normal other parameters such as infection and sperm DNA should be investigated during the treatment of infertility

Patterns of lipids and estrogen in women visiting the fertility clinic of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana

Background: Infertility, which affects one in six couples, is a major clinical and social problem. Pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID) and sexually transmitted infections are but two of the several causes of infertility. The influence of lipid patterns and estrogen on infertility in the setting is however not fully explained. Therefore, the study sought to establish the Patterns of lipids and estrogen among infertile women visiting Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi.Methods: The design was both retrospective and introspective study. Sampling technique was convenience and random probability sampling using a list of women with fertility challenges who attended KATH for infertility treatment. Univariable associations were tested using chi-square and a logistic regression was performed to assess the influence of lipids and estrogen on infertility. Associations were considered significant at p values of <0.05.Results: BMI was significantly associated with fertility in this study. The percentage of respondents who were overweight and obese was significantly higher among the women who were non-fertile as compared to those who were in the control group ((81.4% vrs 18.6% and 84% vrs 16% respectively). An increase in LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol were associated with increased likelihood of infertility among the subjects (OR, 95% CI=4.34, 2.18-8.65) and (OR, 95% CI=1.86, 1.03-3.35) respectively. A unit increase in BMI of the women is associated with 13% increase in the odds of being infertile, (OR, 95% CI=1.13, 1.01-1.65).  A unit increase in estrogen level was also associated with 11% decrease in the odds of becoming infertile among the women studied (OR, 95% CI=0.89, 0.85-0.92).Conclusions: This study shows the influence of body mass index and high cholesterol levels on infertility. This finding will be useful in directing educational interventions aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles to reduce lipid levels and improve fertility among women

Low birth weight among adolescents at Cape Coast Metropolitan Hospital of Ghana

Background: Few studies have focused on low birth weight among adolescents. This study determines the incidence and factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) (weight at birth of less than 2,500 grams) among adolescents (aged <20 years) and how they differ from those in adult mothers (aged ≥20 years).Methods: The records of 768 deliveries at a hospital in Ghana from August 2014 to March 2015 were analyzed. Frequencies and percentages were generated. Bivariate relationships between maternal and neonatal characteristics and LBW were assessed using Chi-squared test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between maternal age (being adolescent) and LBW. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were generated, and p < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The incidence of LBW among adolescents was 14.3% and this was higher than the one among babies born to adult mothers (14.3 % vs. 7.4 %, p <0.013). Adolescent mothers were twice as likely to give birth to babies with LBW compared to adult mothers (OR 2.22; 95% CI: 1.16 - 4.25). Preterm birth was significantly associated with LBW among adolescent and adult mothers.Conclusions: Adolescents are at a higher risk of giving birth to babies of LBW than adults. Factors predicting LBW may not be different for adolescent and adult mothers. Interventions for prevention of negative sexual health outcomes should focus on adolescents

Total energy expenditure is repeatable in adults but not associated with short-term changes in body composition

Low total energy expenditure (TEE, MJ/d) has been a hypothesized risk factor for weight gain, but repeatability of TEE, a critical variable in longitudinal studies of energy balance, is understudied. We examine repeated doubly labeled water (DLW) measurements of TEE in 348 adults and 47 children from the IAEA DLW Database (mean ± SD time interval: 1.9 ± 2.9 y) to assess repeatability of TEE, and to examine if TEE adjusted for age, sex, fat-free mass, and fat mass is associated with changes in weight or body composition. Here, we report that repeatability of TEE is high for adults, but not children. Bivariate Bayesian mixed models show no among or within-individual correlation between body composition (fat mass or percentage) and unadjusted TEE in adults. For adults aged 20-60 y (N = 267; time interval: 7.4 ± 12.2 weeks), increases in adjusted TEE are associated with weight gain but not with changes in body composition; results are similar for subjects with intervals >4 weeks (N = 53; 29.1 ± 12.8 weeks). This suggests low TEE is not a risk factor for, and high TEE is not protective against, weight or body fat gain over the time intervals tested

Greater male variability in daily energy expenditure develops through puberty

The authors also gratefully acknowledge funding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant no. CAS153E11KYSB20190045) to J.R.S. and the US National Science Foundation (grant no. BCS-1824466) awarded to H.P. Acknowledgements Yvonne Schönbeck provided important information about morphometric measurements for Dutch children. A chat over dinner with Karsten Koehler, Eimear Dolan and Danny Longman brought up a number of thoughts that influenced this manuscript. The DLW database, which can be found at https://doublylabelled-waterdatabase.iaea.org/home, is hosted by the IAEA and generously supported by Taiyo Nippon Sanso and SERCON. We are grateful to the IAEA and these companies for their support and especially to Takashi Oono for his tremendous efforts at fundraising on our behalf.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Variability in energy expenditure is much greater in males than females

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Variability in energy expenditure is much greater in males than females

In mammals, trait variation is often reported to be greater among males than females. However, to date, mainly only morphological traits have been studied. Energy expenditure represents the metabolic costs of multiple physical, physiological, and behavioral traits. Energy expenditure could exhibit particularly high greater male variation through a cumulative effect if those traits mostly exhibit greater male variation, or a lack of greater male variation if many of them do not. Sex differences in energy expenditure variation have been little explored. We analyzed a large database on energy expenditure in adult humans (1494 males and 3108 females) to investigate whether humans have evolved sex differences in the degree of interindividual variation in energy expenditure. We found that, even when statistically comparing males and females of the same age, height, and body composition, there is much more variation in total, activity, and basal energy expenditure among males. However, with aging, variation in total energy expenditure decreases, and because this happens more rapidly in males, the magnitude of greater male variation, though still large, is attenuated in older age groups. Considerably greater male variation in both total and activity energy expenditure could be explained by greater male variation in levels of daily activity. The considerably greater male variation in basal energy expenditure is remarkable and may be explained, at least in part, by greater male variation in the size of energy-demanding organs. If energy expenditure is a trait that is of indirect interest to females when choosing a sexual partner, this would suggest that energy expenditure is under sexual selection. However, we present a novel energetics model demonstrating that it is also possible that females have been under stabilizing selection pressure for an intermediate basal energy expenditure to maximize energy available for reproduction. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Energy compensation and adiposity in humans

Acknowledgments The DLW database, which can be found at https://doubly-labelled-water-database.iaea.org/home, is hosted by the IAEA and generously supported by Taiyo Nippon Sanso and SERCON. We are grateful to the IAEA and these companies for their support and especially to Takashi Oono for his tremendous efforts at fundraising on our behalf. The authors also gratefully acknowledge funding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS 153E11KYSB20190045) to J.R.S. and the US National Science Foundation (BCS-1824466) awarded to H.P. The funders played no role in the content of this manuscript. We are grateful for the data submission of David Ludwig and Cara Ebbeling, and for the analysis by Steve Heymsfield of his own data indicating no change in FFM hydration with age in adults.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Variation in human water turnover associated with environmental and lifestyle factors

Water is essential for survival, but one in three individuals worldwide (2.2 billion people) lacks access to safe drinking water. Water intake requirements largely reflect water turnover (WT), the water used by the body each day. We investigated the determinants of human WT in 5604 people from the ages of 8 days to 96 years from 23 countries using isotope-tracking (2H) methods. Age, body size, and composition were significantly associated with WT, as were physical activity, athletic status, pregnancy, socioeconomic status, and environmental characteristics (latitude, altitude, air temperature, and humidity). People who lived in countries with a low human development index (HDI) had higher WT than people in high-HDI countries. On the basis of this extensive dataset, we provide equations to predict human WT in relation to anthropometric, economic, and environmental factors.acceptedVersio