Publications by authors named "J R Amory"
Background: Accurately judging the efficacy of contraceptives is vital for preventing unintended pregnancy. The Pearl index and life table analysis describe female contraceptive performance. However, they are not ideal for quantifying male contraceptive efficacy given differences between male and female methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn-farm livestock production vaccinations are commonly delivered intramuscularly using needles. While there are alternative strategies these have been subject to little attention and limited commercialisation. One such alternative is needle-free vaccines and studies have focused on the immune response few have addressed the welfare implications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Retinoic acid (RA) is crucial for sperm production, and inhibiting its synthesis via ALDH1A enzymes leads to infertility in mice, suggesting a potential method for male contraception.
- A study was conducted where male mice were given an ALDH1A inhibitor, WIN 18,446, for 4 weeks and then returned to a normal diet, analyzing changes in testicular function and structure during treatment and recovery.
- Results showed that while the inhibitor caused a decline in testicular health and spermatogenesis, these effects were reversible, with normal spermatogenesis resuming after 8 weeks post-treatment, indicating the potential for temporary male contraception.
Article Synopsis
- Retinoic acid (RA) plays a key role in regulating weight and energy metabolism, and inhibiting the enzyme ALDH1A1, responsible for RA production, can help resist diet-induced obesity.
- In a study on mice, N42 (an ALDH1A1-specific inhibitor) was tested alongside a moderate fat diet and showed significant weight loss primarily by reducing fat mass, without affecting lean mass, food intake, or activity levels.
- N42 demonstrated effective postprandial fat utilization and maintained energy expenditure while not impacting male fertility, suggesting potential for further investigation in combination with current weight loss treatments.