Effects of aqueous extract of Alpinia calcarata rhizomes on reproductive competence of male rats

This study examined the effects of rhizomes of Alpinia calcarata Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) on male sexual competence and fertility, using a hot water extract (HWE) and rats. Different doses of HWE (150, 250 and 500 mg/kg) were orally administrated to male rats and their sexual behaviour was monitored (for 15 min) 3 h later using receptive females. Fertility was determined in a separate group (with the highest dose) using a noncompetitive copulation test. In the sexual behaviour study, the HWE impaired the number of rats ejaculating and markedly prolonged the latency for ejaculation. Further, the number of rats mounting and intromitting, and the latencies for mounting and intromission were inhibited. Collectively, these observations indicate a strong aphrodisiac action. The other parameters remained unchanged indicating non-impairment in libido, sexual arousability, sexual vigour and sexual performance or penile erectile ability. However, a slight impairment was evident in sexual motivation (with the highest dose) in a partner preference test. In the fertility test, HWE induced profound oligozoospermia but fertility was uninhibited. The highest dose of HWE also elevated the serum testosterone level and the number of spontaneous penile erections rapidly and markedly. Further, the HWE was nontoxic. It is concluded that A. calcarata rhizomes possess a strong and safe oral aphrodisiac activity.     

Effect of infant mortality on subsequent fertility in Pakistan and Sri Lanka

This study used data from the 1975 World Fertility Surveys in Pakistan and Sri Lanka to examine the association between fertility and infant mortality. A positive association between the mean number of children ever born and the number of child deaths was found in both rural and urban areas of each country. In Pakistan, women with no child loss had 3.3 children ever born while those who lost 1 child had 4.7 children; in Sri Lanka the figures were 3.5 and 5.4 children, respectively. However, child replacement was much less marked when controls were introduced for demographic and socioeconomic factors. When deaths at specific parities were examined, and age and time since previous birth were controlled, child replacement at the 1st parity was reduced to .3 in Pakistan and .2 in Sri Lanka. Further control for a series of socioeconomic factors (e.g. husband's level of education, husband's occupation, household structure, religion, standard of living) reduced the child replacement ratio to .2 children in Pakistan and zero in Sri Lanka. Replacement was slightly more pronounced when there were fewer surviving male children. This analysis suggests that the relationship between infant mortality and fertility is complex. A possibility that could not be explored in this study is that variation in fertilitty may itself be responsible for some of the variation in infant mortality.     

Aphrodisiac properties of Tribulus Terrestris extract (Protodioscin) in normal and castrated rats

Tribulus terrestris (TT) has long been used in the traditional Chinese and Indian systems of medicine for the treatment of various ailments and is popularly claimed to improve sexual functions in man. Sexual behaviour and intracavernous pressure (ICP) were studied in both normal and castrated rats to further understand the role of TT containing protodioscin (PTN) as an aphrodisiac. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups of 8 each that included distilled water treated (normal and castrated), testosterone treated (normal and castrated, 10 mg/kg body weight, subcutaneously, bi-weekly) and TT treated (castrated, 5 mg/kg body weight, orally once daily). Decreases in body weight, prostate weight and ICP were observed among the castrated groups of rats compared to the intact group. There was an overall reduction in the sexual behaviour parameters in the castrated groups of rats as reflected by decrease in mount and intromission frequencies (MF and IF) and increase in mount, intromission, ejaculation latencies (ML, IL, EL) as well as post-ejaculatory interval (PEI). Compared to the castrated control, treatment of castrated rats (with either testosterone or TT extract) showed increase in prostate weight and ICP that were statistically significant. There was also a mild to moderate improvement of the sexual behaviour parameters as evidenced by increase in MF and IF; decrease in ML, IL and PEI. These results were statistically significant. It is concluded that TT extract appears to possess aphrodisiac activity probably due to androgen increasing property of TT (observed in our earlier study on primates).     

Achievement of reproductive intentions in Sri Lanka, 1982-1985: a longitudinal study.

The achievement or reproductive intentions of Sri Lankan women was examined by using longitudinal data for the period 1982-85. Aggregate consistency between reproductive intentions and behavior was almost perfect, but at the individual level there were inconsistencies. Among those who wanted to have no more children, 23 per cent reported a birth in the intersurvey period of 3 years and 2 months, while failures to have a wanted birth stood at 36 per cent. There was a clear declining trend in the former type of inconsistencies in Sri Lanka, but the latter type has increased, possibly due to a continuing decline in family size ideals or due to deferred childbearing. Even though inconsistencies existed, expressed fertility intentions in 1982 significantly influenced the fertility outcome. The study also has a methodological focus on whether to include sterilized women when fertility intentions and behavior are examined longitudinally, but no specific problems were found with their inclusion. Results indicate that, apart from the intention variable, age, marital duration, family size, and education of husband and wife variables all influenced fertility in the follow-up period.     

Revision of the southeast Asian genus Sageraea (Annonaceae)

Sageraea consists of 9 species, two of which are newly described: S. sarawakensis from Sarawak and S. zeylanica from Sri Lanka. Its distribution ranges from India to the Philippines and Indonesia. Sageraea is closely related to Stelechocarpus , with which it shares the imbricate aestivation of the sepals and petals. Further characteristics are the usually glabrous plants, the coriaceous leaves, the thick, fleshy stamens, and ovules or seeds in 2 series.     

The sexual preference of female rats is influenced by males' adolescent social stress history and social status

Ongoing development of brain systems for social behaviour renders these systems susceptible to the influence of stressors in adolescence. We previously found that adult male rats that underwent social instability stress (SS) in mid-adolescence had decreased sexual performance compared with control males (CTL). Here, we test the hypotheses that SS in adolescence decreases the “attractiveness” of male rats as sexual partners compared with CTL rats and that dominance status is a protective factor against the effects of SS. The main prediction was that females would spend more time with CTL males than SS males, and that this bias would be greater for submissive than for dominant rats. Among dominant pairs (n = 16), females preferred SS males, spending more time with and visiting more often SS than CTL males (each pair tested 5 ×), and SS males had shorter latencies to ejaculation, shorter inter-ejaculation intervals, and made more ejaculations compared with CTL males. Among submissive pairs (n = 16), females spent more time with, visited more often, and displayed more paracopulatory behaviour with CTL than with SS males, and differences in sexual performance between SS and CTL males were modest and in the opposite direction from that in dominant pairs. The heightened motivation of SS males relative to CTL males for natural rewards may have attenuated differences in sexual performance in a paced mating context. In sum, the experience of stress in adolescence leads to long-lasting changes in males that are perceptible to females, are moderated by social status, and influence sexual behaviour.     

Seed-Mediated Gene Flow Promotes Genetic Diversity of Weedy Rice within Populations: Implications for Weed Management

Increased infestation of weedy rice—a noxious agricultural pest has caused significant reduction of grain yield of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) worldwide. Knowledge on genetic diversity and structure of weedy rice populations will facilitate the design of effective methods to control this weed by tracing its origins and dispersal patterns in a given region. To generate such knowledge, we studied genetic diversity and structure of 21 weedy rice populations from Sri Lanka based on 23 selected microsatellite (SSR) loci. Results indicated an exceptionally high level of within-population genetic diversity (H_e = 0.62) and limited among-population differentiation (F_st = 0.17) for this predominantly self-pollinating weed. UPGMA analysis showed a loose genetic affinity of the weedy rice populations in relation to their geographical locations, and no obvious genetic structure among populations across the country. This phenomenon was associated with the considerable amount of gene flow between populations. Limited admixture from STRUCTURE analyses suggested a very low level of hybridization (pollen-mediated gene flow) between populations. The abundant within-population genetic diversity coupled with limited population genetic structure and differentiation is likely caused by the considerable seed-mediated gene flow of weedy rice along with the long-distance exchange of farmer-saved rice seeds between weedy-rice contaminated regions in Sri Lanka. In addition to other effective weed management strategies, promoting the application of certified rice seeds with no weedy rice contamination should be the immediate action to significantly reduce the proliferation and infestation of this weed in rice ecosystems in countries with similar rice farming styles as in Sri Lanka.     

Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration among Sri Lankan Men

In Sri Lanka, over one in three women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in their lifetime, making it a serious public health concern. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as child abuse and neglect, witnessing domestic violence, parental separation, and bullying are also widespread. Studies in Western settings have shown positive associations between ACEs and IPV perpetration in adulthood, but few have examined this relationship in a non-Western context. In the present study, we examined the association of ACEs with IPV perpetration among Sri Lankan men surveyed for the UN Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific. We found statistically significant positive associations between the number of ACE categories (ACE score) and emotional, financial, physical, and sexual IPV perpetration among Sri Lankan men. We analyzed the contributions of each ACE category and found that childhood abuse was strongly associated with perpetration of IPV in adulthood, with sexual abuse associated with the greatest increase in odds of perpetration (Adjusted odds ratio 2.36; 95% confidence interval: 1.69, 3.30). Witnessing abuse of one’s mother was associated with the greatest increase in the odds of perpetrating physical IPV (AOR 1.82; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.58), while lack of a male parental figure was not associated with physical IPV perpetration (AOR 0.76; 95% CI: 0.53, 1.09). These findings support a social learning theory of IPV perpetration, in which children who are exposed to violence learn to perpetrate IPV in adulthood. They also suggest that in Sri Lanka, being raised in a female-headed household does not increase the risk of IPV perpetration in adulthood compared to being raised in a household with a male parental figure. The relationship between being raised in a female-headed household (the number of which increased dramatically during Sri Lanka’s recent civil war) and perpetration of IPV warrants further study. Interventions that aim to decrease childhood abuse in Sri Lanka could both protect children now and reduce IPV in the future, decreasing violence on multiple fronts.     

Movements of some indigenous riverine fish in Sri Lanka

The migratory movements of reproductive potamodromus fish established in man-made tropical lakes in the dry zone of Sri Lanka were determined. It was shown that the nine indigenous riverine species do not spawn in these lakes but move into the upstream channels when sexually mature. The pattern of upstream movement was found to be species-specific although most species showed a diurnal periodicity. It is suggested that the development of totally lacustrine forms of riverine species is very unlikely to occur in the man-made lakes of Sri Lanka because of their relatively short duration time.     

Comparative study of the chemical composition and mineral element content of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Treculia africana seeds and seed oils

A comparative study of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Treculia africana seeds, both of Moraceae family, was carried out to establish their chemical compositions and evaluate their mineral element content in order to investigate the possibility of using them for human and or animal consumption and also to examine if there is a relationship between the properties of these seeds. A. heterophyllus and T. africana are rich in protein; their protein contents are higher than those from high protein animal sources such as beef and marine fishes. Both seeds have high carbohydrate content and could act as source of energy for animals if included in their diets. The oil contents of the seeds are 11.39% and 18.54% for A. heterophyllus and T. africana, respectively. The oils are consistently liquid at room temperature. The results of the physicochemical properties of the two seeds are comparable to those of conventional oil seeds such as groundnut and palm kernel oils and could be useful for nutritional and industrial purposes. The seeds were found to be good sources of mineral elements. The result revealed potassium to be the prevalent mineral elements which are 2470.00 ppm and 1680.00 ppm for A. heterophyllus and T. africana, respectively followed by sodium, magnesium and then calcium. They also contain reasonable quantity of iron, in particular A. heterophyllus 148.50 ppm.     

Effects of treatment of male and female rats in infancy with mifepristone on reproductive function in adulthood

Treatment of neonatal male and female rats with mifepristone (1 mg s.c. every 2 days from Day 1 to 15 or Day 4 to 18 of life) interfered with the normal development of their reproductive capacities and of the adrenal glands. The effect on the adrenal glands seemed only temporary. Effects on reproductive functions seemed permanent. Female rats developed abnormalities in structure of the oviduct and ovarian capsule reminiscent of effects reported after perinatal treatment with androgen or oestrogen. During adulthood, anovulatory polyfollicular ovaries developed, reminiscent of rats treated with a small dose of androgen in infancy. Males showed retardation of testicular growth and delay of puberty. During adulthood testes did not grow beyond 65% that of normal rats. Sexual behaviour was deficient in that ejaculations occurred only rarely; when ejaculations did occur, fertility was unimpaired. Males treated with mifepristone in infancy exhibited female sexual behaviour as adults after castration and injections of testosterone and oestradiol. All effects pointed to an insufficient action of testicular hormones in infancy to bring about normal 'masculinization'. Mifepristone therefore appears to show 'teratogenic' actions in rats which affect female reproductive tract development and, in males and females, development of the systems underlying normal reproductive activity and functions in adulthood.     

Anthropophagy and aggregation behaviour of the sandfly Phlebotomus argentipes in Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT. The visceral leishmaniasis (VL) vector Phlebotomus argentipes Annandale & Brunetti is widely distributed throughout the Indian sub-continent and S.E. Asia. The absence of VL in areas such as Sri Lanka has been attributed to the zoophilic nature of P.argentipes , since they were not recorded biting man.
Field studies on P. argentipes were undertaken in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, near Kandy, in May 1988. Male sandflies outnumbered females on cows by 19:1, and were regularly spaced at all densities. This behaviour is considered analagous to swarming in other Nematocera. However, all-night human-biting catches show the biting rate to be similar (mean=8.4, range 2–25 bites per night over ten consecutive nights) to that in N.E. India where VL is endemic. This anthropophagy was maintained during laboratory colonization.     

Relationships of desire for no more children and socioeconomic and demographic factors in Sri Lankan women.

Data from the 1982 Sri Lanka Contraceptive Prevalence Survey are used to identify women who wish to stop childbearing; they differ in socioeconomic status from their counterparts who want more children. Educated women are more likely to be motivated to cease childbearing than non-educated women; Christian or Sinhalese/Buddhist women are more willing to stop childbearing than Moor/Muslim or Tamil/Hindu women. The relationships between sex composition of existing children and women's fertility desires indicate that although moderate son preference exists it does not affect their contraceptive behaviour. Among those who want no more children, 15% are at risk of unwanted pregnancy because they do not practise contraception. Again better education and being Christian or Sinhalese/Buddhist reduced the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Women whose husbands disapproved of contraception had over four times higher risk of unwanted pregnancy than women whose husbands approved.     

Rapid assessment procedures to detect hidden endemic foci in areas not subjected to mass drug administration in Sri Lanka

For the declaration of elimination of lymphatic filariasis, reliable epidemiological data in all parts of a country are required. In Sri Lanka, due to social disturbance, there are 3 provinces whose endemicity has been declared unknown. Further, a recent report revealed an endemic pocket, which is on the border with the district that was not covered by the national elimination program. These facts indicate the necessity of more extensive studies to discover hidden endemic foci. To facilitate such studies, we evaluated 2 methods of Rapid Assessment Procedure (RAP) in Hambantota district, where the filariasis endemicity was low: (1) indirect questioning by mailing a questionnaire to each local leader (IndQ), asking about the presence of clinical cases, and (2) focus group discussion (FGD) by villagers. The information given by people was validated with clinical examination by doctors (CE) and IgG4 ELISA using urine samples. In the results: there was a strong positive correlation between CE and ELISA rates. The hydrocele rates obtained by FGD or IndQ were associated significantly with CE rates. The rates by FGD or Cluster-IndQ (‘modified’ IndQ) were also associated significantly with ELISA rates. The IndQ was most cost-effective. Based on these findings, we have concluded that screening by IndQ and confirmation by the ELISA would be an effective and practical way in Sri Lanka to locate endemic foci in hitherto unsurveyed districts.     

A Comprehensive Assessment of Lymphatic Filariasis in Sri Lanka Six Years after Cessation of Mass Drug Administration

BackgroundThe Sri Lankan Anti-Filariasis Campaign conducted 5 rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) with diethycarbamazine plus albendazole between 2002 and 2006. We now report results of a comprehensive surveillance program that assessed the lymphatic filariasis (LF) situation in Sri Lanka 6 years after cessation of MDA.ConclusionsComprehensive surveillance is feasible for some national filariasis elimination programs. Low-level persistence of LF was present in all study sites; several sites failed to meet provisional endpoint criteria for LF elimination, and follow-up testing will be needed in these areas. TAS was not sensitive for detecting low-level persistence of filariasis in Sri Lanka. We recommend use of antibody and MX testing as tools to complement TAS for post-MDA surveillance.     

Biological influence of infant death on fertility

This study examines the biological influence of infant death on subsequent fertility in three Asian countries--Indonesia, Nepal and Sri Lanka, comparing the birth interval between two consecutive births up to the sixth birth by survival status of the preceding infant among breast-feeding women not using contraception. There is consistent evidence of biological influence in each of the three countries. Infant death shortens birth intervals by up to 30%, though its influence varies between the countries.     

Prey-capture techniques and prey preferences of Chrysilla, Natta and Siler, ant-eating jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae) from Kenya and Sri Lanka

The predatory behaviour of Chrysilla lauta and Sliersemiglaucus from Sri Lanka, and four species of Natta from Kenya, was studied in the laboratory for the first time. These salticids eat ants, a prey most salticids avoid. These species' specialized behaviour for catching ants is described and compared to their behaviour for catching other insects. Three different types of tests of prey preference were carried out and, in each type, ants were taken in preference to other insects. Preference for ants, and prey-specific predatory behaviour did not depend on prior experience with ants. Results from this study are discussed in relation to recent findings on other ant-eating salticids.     

Cytotoxic effects of a decoction of Nigella sativa, Hemidesmus indicus and Smilax glabra on human hepatoma HepG2 cells

A decoction of Nigella sativa seeds, Hemidesmus indicus root and Smilax glabra rhizome is used by traditional medical practitioners in Sri Lanka to treat cancer and has been shown to prevent chemically induced carcinogenesis in rats. The cytotoxicity of the decoction and the individual plant extracts were tested on the human hepatoma HepG2 cell line. The effects of 24 h incubation with different concentrations (0--50 mg/ml) of the extracts on HepG2 cells were determined. Results from MTT and SRB assays, and [(14)C]-leucine and [(3)H]-thymidine uptake demonstrated that the decoction had a strong dose-dependent cytotoxic activity. The greatest inhibitory effects were observed on DNA synthesis with both the decoction (91+/-S.E. 3.7% inhibition) and N. sativa plant extract (88+/-3.8%) even at low concentrations (5 mg/ml). The three individual plant extracts were cytotoxic in the order of potency N. sativa>H. indicus>S. glabra. Flow cytometric analysis using Annexin V and propidium iodide staining showed that after 24 h exposure to the decoction, cells were in the late stage of apoptosis and/or necrosis. Further experiments are worthwhile to determine the anticancer potential of this plant decoction and its components.     

Self-stimulation reaction in normotensive and hypertensive rats

The part of noradrenergic mechanisms in self-stimulation (SS) operant behaviour was studied in rats. In all experiments systolic blood pressure (BP) in the tail artery was measured by means of photocells. It was found, that small doses of noradrenaline facilitate the SS, while high doses depress or stop it. The depressive effect is accompanied by a marked increase of BP. Effective blockade of beta-adrenoceptive structures by inderal suppresses SS, and the inhibitory effect is accompanied by a small decrease of BP. Suppressing effect of alpha-adrenoblocking agent, phentolamine, is even more pronounced, but is accompanied by a marked decrease of BP. Beta-agonist isadrin causes a marked facilitation of SS without changes of BP. It is suggested that positive reward in the lateral hypothalamus is due to a direct stimulation of beta-adrenoceptive noradrenergic neuronal elements. Chronic neurogenic hypertension is developed by an overloading of the higher nervous activity. In chronic hypertensive rats there is a pronounced suppression of SS. A transient fail of BP caused by injection of catapresan (hemiton) results in a temporary recovery of normal SS behaviour. It may be concluded that reduction of lever-pressing rate during acute and chronic neurogenic hypertensions is related to baroreceptor mechanisms. The role of the autonomic nervous system in SS behaviour is discussed.     

Integration of mental health into primary care in Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, with recent protracted conflict and the tsunami aggravating mental health needs. This paper describes a project to establish a systematic “train the trainers” programme to integrate mental health into primary care in Sri Lanka''s public health system and private sector.Methods A 40 hour training programme was delivered to curriculum and teaching materials were adapted for Sri Lanka, and delivered to 45 psychiatrists, 110 medical officers of mental health and 95 registered medical practitioners, through five courses, each in a different region (Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna, Galle and Batticola). Participants were selected by the senior psychiatrist of each region, on the basis of ability to conduct subsequent roll out of the training. The course was very interactive, with discussions, role plays and small group work, as well as brief theory sessions.Results Qualitative participant feedback was encouraging about the value of the course in improving patient assessments and treatments, and in providing a valuable package for roll out to others. Systematic improvement was achieved between pre- and post-test scores of participants at all training sites. The participants had not had prior experience in such interactive teaching methods, but were able to learn these new techniques relatively quickly.Conclusions The programme has been conducted in collaboration with the Sri Lankan National Institute of Mental Health and the Ministry of Health, and this partnership has helped to ensure that the training is tailored to Sri Lanka and has the chance of long term sustainability.