Ejaculation failure on the day of oocyte retrieval for IVF: A report of five cases

Introduction: The process of IVF can be emotionally and physically stressful on the couples. The male partner is only required to produce semen for insemination with the eggs. Unfortunately, some men are not able to produce semen on the day of oocyte retrieval. Objective: To report five cases of unexpected ejaculation failure on the day of oocyte retrieval. Materials and method: We retrospectively reviewed the case records of five couples over a three-year period (December 2006–November 2009), who experienced unexpected ejaculation failure on the day of oocyte retrieval for IVF. Data, including age, cause(s) of infertility, previous treatment history and methods adopted to recover sperms were documented. Results: Overall, 301 oocyte retrieval cycles were performed during the three year period. Five men had ejaculatory failure, giving an incidence of 1.66%. Three cases (60%) had no prior history of difficulty in producing semen on demand. Prescription of 50 mg Sildenafil citrate and the couples watching sexually stimulating videos did not remedy the situation. Surgical sperm retrieval was successful in case 1. It yielded no live sperm sample in case 2. Cases 3 and 4 had repeat IVF cycles. The male partners were not aware that oocyte retrieval would take place the next day and produced semen within a couple of hours. Conclusion: Anxiety most likely played a major role in these reported cases. It is hoped that liquid nitrogen for cryopreservation would become more readily available in Nigeria so that more centres can adopt semen cryopreservation as a necessary step towards helping such couples

Structural and Antihypertensive Properties of Enzymatic Hemp Seed Protein Hydrolysates

The aim of this work was to produce antihypertensive protein hydrolysates through different forms of enzymatic hydrolysis (2% pepsin, 4% pepsin, 1% alcalase, 2% alcalase, 2% papain, and 2% pepsin + pancreatin) of hemp seed proteins (HSP). The hemp seed protein hydrolysates (HPHs) were tested for in vitro inhibitions of renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), two of the enzymes that regulate human blood pressure. The HPHs were then administered orally (200 mg/kg body weight) to spontaneously hypertensive rats and systolic blood pressure (SBP)-lowering effects measured over a 24 h period. Size exclusion chromatography mainly showed a 300–9560 Da peptide size range for the HPHs, while amino acid composition data had the 2% pepsin HPH with the highest cysteine content. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed higher fluorescence intensities for the peptides when compared to the unhydrolyzed hemp seed protein. Overall, the 1% alcalase HPH was the most effective (p < 0.05) SBP-reducing agent (−32.5 ± 0.7 mmHg after 4 h), while the pepsin HPHs produced longer-lasting effects (−23.0 ± 1.4 mmHg after 24 h). We conclude that an optimized combination of the fast-acting HPH (1% alcalase) with the longer-lasting HPHs (2% and 4% pepsin) could provide daily effective SBP reductions

The Need for Technology in Promoting Teacher Education in Nigeria through Open and Distance Learning

This paper considers Open and Distance Learning (ODL) as the mode of education delivery where learners and teachers need not be in physical contact. ODL possesses a high range of flexible learning environments, enhancing access to tertiary education. The paper goes further to explore how ODL is made effective in Nigeria through the use of a variety of media and technologies in providing quality education for a large number of learners in the country. Nigeria is a highly populated black nation. This paper further portrays how ODL could be used to enhance teacher education through technologies. As a result, the government alone cannot provide the basic educational needs of the teeming population within a formal classroom setting. Therefore, there is the recourse that with the help of technology, Open and Distance Learning becomes very essential. Distance education provides programmes for various levels. The paper discusses and concludes by showing how ODL promotes cost-effective pre-service and in-service teacher education in society, thus supporting school-based pre-service and continuing professional development programmes for teachers to upgrade unqualified teachers and enable qualified ones to acquire higher teaching qualifications, especially those in remote areas. This paper also sees the role technologies play in enhancing teacher education, therefore recommends that ODL or ODE institutions should pay more attention to the use of technologies in their mode of delivery than otherwise. Résumé Cet article envisage la formation à distance (FOAD) comme un mode d'enseignement dans lequel les apprenants et les enseignants ne sont pas nécessairement en contact dans un même lieu. L'enseignement ouvert et à distance possède un environnement d'apprentissage très flexible, améliorant l'accès à l'enseignement supérieur. L'article explore ensuite comment l'ODL est rendu efficace au Nigeria par l'utilisation d'une variété de médias et de technologies pour fournir une éducation de qualité à un grand nombre d'apprenants dans le pays. Le Nigeria est une nation africaine très peuplée. Par conséquent, le gouvernement ne peut à lui seul répondre aux besoins éducatifs de base de cette population immense dans le cadre d'une salle de classe formelle. Par conséquent, le recours à l'enseignement à distance devient très essentiel. L'enseignement à distance fournit des programmes pour différents niveaux ( Diploma, NCE, BEd, BA, BSc, PGDE, MEd, etc.) à un millier de personnes dans le pays, en utilisant les capacités du matériel, des logiciels et des réseaux, ainsi que la session de contact pour promouvoir l'apprentissage à des milliers de personnes à travers le pays, en utilisant du matériel, des logiciels et des capacités de réseau, ainsi que des sessions de contact pour promouvoir l'apprentissage. L'article se termine en montrant comment l'apprentissage à distance promeut une formation initiale et continue des enseignants rentable dans la société, soutenant ainsi les programmes de formation initiale et continue des enseignants dans les écoles afin de mettre à niveau les enseignants non qualifiés et de permettre aux enseignants qualifiés d'acquérir des qualifications d'enseignement plus élevées, en particulier dans les régions éloignées.  Mots-clés: ODL, ODE, Formation des enseignants, NTI, NOU

Open and Distance Learning (ODL): A Veritable Tool for Reaching the Unreached in Nigeria

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) has become a critical part of modern education. This development is a result of technological advancement and increasing demand for skills retraining and upgrade. As compared to the traditional face-to-face classroom, open and distance education offers more flexible, free and easy access to students. Moreover, it has been proven over time that the conventional mode of education cannot cater for the entire student community, making open and distance education very essential. ODL brings knowledge to those learners who are ordinarily neglected by the conventional learning setting such as traders, entrepreneurs, prison inmates, people living in isolated areas like islands, women whose culture or religion deprives of educational socialization, school dropouts, fulltime workers who want to further their education but are constrained by their jobs, and others. Hence, ODL offers a second chance and lifelong education for individuals while playing a crucial role in sustainable development. This paper examines the roles ODL plays in reaching the unreached in society with a view to encouraging its optimal deployment, in order to serve the educational needs of the masses. Abstrait L'enseignement ouvert et à distance (ODL) est devenu un élément essentiel de l'éducation moderne. Ce développement est le résultat des progrès technologiques et de la demande croissante de recyclage et de mise à niveau des compétences. Par rapport à la classe traditionnelle en face à face, l'enseignement ouvert et à distance offre un accès plus flexible, gratuit et facile aux étudiants. De plus, il a été prouvé au fil du temps que le mode d'enseignement conventionnel ne peut pas répondre à l'ensemble de la communauté étudiante, ce qui rend l'enseignement ouvert et à distance très essentiel. L'ODL apporte des connaissances aux apprenants qui sont habituellement négligés par le cadre d'apprentissage conventionnel, tels que les commerçants, les entrepreneurs, les détenus, les personnes vivant dans des zones isolées comme les îles, les femmes dont la culture ou la religion prive de socialisation éducative, les décrocheurs scolaires, les travailleurs à temps plein qui veulent poursuivre leurs études, mais sont limités par leur emploi, et d'autres. Ainsi, ODL offre une seconde chance et une éducation tout au long de la vie aux individus tout en jouant un rôle crucial dans le développement durable. Cet article examine les rôles que joue l'ODL pour atteindre les exclus de la société en vue d'encourager son déploiement optimal, afin de répondre aux besoins éducatifs des masses