Vitamin E was first discovered in 1922 as a substance necessary for reproduction. Following this discovery, vitamin E was extensively studied, and it has become widely known as a powerful lipid-soluble antioxidant. There has been increasing interest in the role of vitamin E as an antioxidant, as it has been discovered to lower body cholesterol levels and act as an anticancer agent. Numerous studies have reported that vitamin E exhibits anti-proliferative, anti-survival, pro-apoptotic, and anti-angiogenic effects in cancer, as well as anti-inflammatory activities. There are various reports on the benefits of vitamin E on health in general. However, despite it being initially discovered as a vitamin necessary for reproduction, to date, studies relating to its effects in this area are lacking. Hence, this paper was written with the intention of providing a review of the known roles of vitamin E as an antioxidant in female reproductive health.

Protective action by annatto-derived delta-tocotrienol (δ-TCT) and soy-derived alpha-tocopherol (α-TOC) through the regulation of the PI3K/Akt-cyclin D1 pathway against nicotine-induced DNA damage is the focus of the present study. Nicotine, which has been widely reported to have numerous adverse effects on the reproductive system, was used as a reproductive toxicant. 48 female balb/c mice (6–8 weeks) (23–25 g) were randomly divided into eight groups (Grp.1–Grp.8; n = 6) and treated with either nicotine or/and annatto δ-TCT/soy α-TOC for seven consecutive days. On Day 8, the females were superovulated and mated before euthanization for embryo collection (46 h post-coitum). Fifty 2-cell embryos from each group were used in gene expression analysis using Affymetrix QuantiGene Plex2.0 assay. Findings indicated that nicotine (Grp.2) significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the number of produced 2-cell embryos compared to the control (Grp.1). Intervention with mixed annatto δ-TCT (Grp.3) and pure annatto δ-TCT (Grp.4) significantly increased the number of produced 2-cell embryos by 127% and 79%, respectively compared to Grp.2, but these were lower than Grp.1. Concurrent treatment with soy α-TOC (Grp.5) decreased embryo production by 7%. Supplementations with δ-TCT and α-TOC alone (Grp.6-Grp.8) significantly increased (p < 0.05) the number of produced 2-cell embryos by 50%, 36%, and 41%, respectively, compared to control (Grp.1). These results were found to be associated with alterations in the PI3K/Akt-Cyclin D1 genes expressions, indicating the inhibitory effects of annatto δ-TCT and soy α-TOC against nicotinic embryonic damage. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt in studying the benefits of annatto δ-TCT on murine preimplantation 2-cell embryos.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a major gynecological disorder in reproductive-aged women. It is due to the imbalance in the production of sex hormones. Vitamin E is known as the vitamin for reproduction but reports on its effects on reproductive health remain largely understudied. The health benefits of Vit. E on the other body systems, however, have been extensively reported including on its role as an antioxidant, anticancer, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory agent, and many

Academic writing is a specialised form of written communication that prioritizes accuracy and innovation to effectively convey knowledge. Internet bots, such as Grammarly, Quillbot, TextCortex, and ChatGPT, are commonly used to improve academic writing, particularly essays. However, AI bot-generated text has become a concern to educational institutions with academic integrity, as fabricated abstracts have been accepted through peer review processes. AI bots can generate texts, based on a given topic or keyword, leading to plagiarism accusations and misrepresentations of research findings. Researchers should always verify the accuracy and use of correct technical terms for their research write-up. Additionally, relying too heavily on AI-generated texts may result in a lack of creativity and originality, which is important in scientific writing and young scientist grooming. To address these ethical issues, OpenAI has developed a free tool called AI text Classifier13 to distinguish between AI-written and human-written texts. However, this tool has been described as an ‘imperfect tool’ by OpenAI, warning that it should not be used as a primary decision-making tool. Academic and research institutions must accept the revolution of generative AI tools in academic writing, as it is not sustainable to ban or deny it. AI tools can be efficient and time-saving for both lecturers and students, but acknowledging AI tools should be included in academic integrity policies. Additionally, institutions with current assessment methods based on written essays may need to change from accessing finished essays to assessing critical thinking through additional oral examinations.

Increasing cases of birth defects has been a worldwide problem for decades. According to the available reports, most of the birth defects were induced by exogenous factors including environmental, chemical or physical factors. As most of these problems are life-threatening and might cause lifelong disability, the concern on reducing the incidences of birth defects has been proportionally increased. This has demand for a global action plan to decrease the preventable birth defects. Present paper intended to provide a review on the global action plans through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were set by the United Nations (UN) in relation to reducing the occurrences of birth defects.