Correlation between semen parameters and sperm aneuploidy rates investigated by fluorescence in-situ hybridization in infertile men

Spermatozoa from 32 infertile patients and 13 controls with normal semen parameters were analysed using dual and triple colour fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) techniques, in order to investigate the rates of aneuploidy for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y. The patients were divided into three groups according to their karyotypes or the karyotypes of their offspring: 15 were infertile men with abnormal semen parameters and normal karyotypes (group 1), 13 were infertile men with abnormal karyotypes and normal or abnormal semen (group 2) and four were infertile men with abnormal semen and normal karyotypes but whose wives conceived a child (or a fetus) with a numerical chromosomal abnormality through an intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle (group 3). Patients with abnormal semen parameters showed a significantly higher aneuploidy rate for the investigated chromosomes in their spermatozoa compared to controls (P < 0.005). Our data suggest the presence of a correlation between poor semen parameters and an increase in aneuploidy rate of chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y in spermatozoa (r = -0.81071, P < 0.002); therefore the risk of a chromosomal aneuploidy in spermatozoa seems to be inversely correlated to sperm concentration and total progressive motility. Patients with abnormal karyotypes showed a higher incidence of diploidy and chromosomal aneuploidies compared to controls (P < 0.002). This strongly suggests the presence of an interchromosomal effect of the cytogenetic rearrangement. Men who fathered a child with an abnormal karyotype through intracytoplasmic sperm injection did not present a higher aneuploidy rate for the investigated chromosomes in spermatozoa compared to patients with infertility due to a similar male factor but showed higher incidence of chromosomal aneuploidy compared to normal controls.     

Coping and extreme response tendency in duodenal ulcer patients.

In this study we examined problem- and emotion-focused coping in samples of 30 duodenal ulcer (DU) patients and 30 matched healthy controls. Coping processes were assessed for two stressful situations, viz, an interpersonal conflict and a difficult task or job. The results indicated that DU patients and controls did not differ in terms of preferred coping strategies: irrespective of type of stressor, no differences were found between the two samples, neither in terms of a more general inclination toward problem- or emotion-focused coping, nor in terms of separate, more fine-grained coping mechanisms. Furthermore, rating extremity was studied in both samples. It was found that DU patients have a tendency to endorse extreme positive responses ("Very characteristic of me") more often than controls. The latter finding is discussed in terms of competing explanations: (a) higher polarizing tendencies of DU patients vs. (b) higher meaningfulness of the questionnaire items for DU patients. Specific directions for future research are described.     

Lung function measurements over 21 days shiftwork in steelworkers from a strandcasting department

On the assumption that short term changes in lung function may reflect the potential for a long term decline the evolution of lung function indices in 25 steelworkers from a strandcasting department and in 11 comparable steelworkers not exposed to dust was investigated over an almost uninterrupted 21 day working period and over three different workshifts. The mean total dust level in the strandcasting department, assessed by personal sampling, was 11.8 mg/m3. All subjects were examined at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of their first (day 1) morning shift (0600 to 1400), their last (day 14) afternoon shift (1400 to 2200), and their last (day 21) night shift (2200 to 0600). Indices measured were vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and in three seconds (FEV3), forced expiratory flow over the middle half of the forced vital capacity (FEF25-75), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), the slope of the N2 plateau (delta N2) and the closing volume (CV) of the single breath oxygen test. Differences in indices between initial values (0600 on day 1) and final values (0500 on day 21) were not significant in the control group (except delta N2 which became lower); in the casting group there were significant (p less than 0.05) decreases in FEF25-75 and FEV3, but these decreases were not significantly greater than in the control group. Lung function changes were not significant in either group over the morning shift. During the afternoon there were significant decreases in spirometric indices in the casting group, with no significant decreases in the control group, but the interactions between exposure and time were generally not significant. During the night shift, however, the decreases in FEV1 and FEF25-75 observed in the strandcasting group were significantly more pronounced than in the control group. The single breath test, which many subjects failed to perform correctly on each occasion, showed no significant changes in closing volumes, and an "improvement" of delta N2 over the morning and the night shift in the control but not the exposed subjects needs to be interpreted with caution. The more pronounced decrease in spirometric indices, suggestive of slight airways obstruction, found over the night shift in the strandcasting workers is attributed to their working environment.     

Lung function measurements over 21 days shiftwork in steelworkers from a strandcasting department.

On the assumption that short term changes in lung function may reflect the potential for a long term decline the evolution of lung function indices in 25 steelworkers from a strandcasting department and in 11 comparable steelworkers not exposed to dust was investigated over an almost uninterrupted 21 day working period and over three different workshifts. The mean total dust level in the strandcasting department, assessed by personal sampling, was 11.8 mg/m3. All subjects were examined at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of their first (day 1) morning shift (0600 to 1400), their last (day 14) afternoon shift (1400 to 2200), and their last (day 21) night shift (2200 to 0600). Indices measured were vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and in three seconds (FEV3), forced expiratory flow over the middle half of the forced vital capacity (FEF25-75), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), the slope of the N2 plateau (delta N2) and the closing volume (CV) of the single breath oxygen test. Differences in indices between initial values (0600 on day 1) and final values (0500 on day 21) were not significant in the control group (except delta N2 which became lower); in the casting group there were significant (p less than 0.05) decreases in FEF25-75 and FEV3, but these decreases were not significantly greater than in the control group. Lung function changes were not significant in either group over the morning shift. During the afternoon there were significant decreases in spirometric indices in the casting group, with no significant decreases in the control group, but the interactions between exposure and time were generally not significant. During the night shift, however, the decreases in FEV1 and FEF25-75 observed in the strandcasting group were significantly more pronounced than in the control group. The single breath test, which many subjects failed to perform correctly on each occasion, showed no significant changes in closing volumes, and an "improvement" of delta N2 over the morning and the night shift in the control but not the exposed subjects needs to be interpreted with caution. The more pronounced decrease in spirometric indices, suggestive of slight airways obstruction, found over the night shift in the strandcasting workers is attributed to their working environment.     

Assessing the power and quality of epidemiologic studies of asbestos-exposed populations

This paper briefly discusses criteria for evaluating epidemiologic studies for risk assessment purposes, using asbestos as an example. Asbestos is one of the few carcinogens for which substantial data exist on exposures to humans. However, there are major difficulties in using these data for conducting risk assessments. In particular, exposure data are often incomplete, and risk assessments usually involve extrapolating from the higher exposures of the occupational environments to the lower levels typically encountered in the nonoccupational environment. The term "asbestos" refers to the fibrous form of several minerals, and levels of exposures to these fibers are not easily assessed. Criteria for evaluating epidemiologic studies used in an Ontario Royal Commission report on asbestos are discussed. The importance of considering the statistical power of studies to detect an excess risk is examined using as examples major cohort studies of asbestos-exposed workers, as summarized in a report by the U.S. National Research Council.     

Analysis of neomycins A, B and C by high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column reaction detection

The analysis of the antibiotics neomycins A, B and C was investigated. The separation of the components was studied using reversed-phase and reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography. The optimum separation was obtained utilizing a Lichrosorb RP-2 column with a mobile phase consisting of 75 mg/l sodium dodecyl sulphate, 0.5M Na2SO4 and 0.015 M sodium acetate buffer at pH 7.0. Using this mobile phase, baseline separation was obtained for all three compounds in approximately 20 min. Detection was via post-column derivatization of the analytes with ortho-phthalaldehyde in the presence of mercaptoethanol to form fluorescent iso-indole products. This system is applied to the analysis of a number of formulated products containing neomycin.     

IUD insertion during cesarean section

An IUD (TCu220C) was inserted in 82 women during low-transverse cesarean section. No untoward effect on puerperal morbidity or lactation was observed and no serious complications occurred in this series. At 12 months the rates were zero for pregnancy and 7.7 for expulsion; the latter figure is comparable to that reported after immediate postplacental insertion of the same IUD model. Intracesarean IUD insertion is a procedure that deserves further promotion.

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Resumen A 82 mujeres se les insertó un DIU (TCu220C) durante una cesárea transversa en el segmento bajo. No se observaron efectos adversos en la morbilidad puerperal y la lactancia y no ocurrieron complicaciones serias en esta serie. A los 12 meses la tasa de embarazos fue de cero y de 7,7 la de expulsiones; esta última cifra es comparable a la registrada después de la inserción postparto inmediato del mismo modelo du DIU. Por lo tanto, la inserción intracesárea de DIU se considera un procedimiento que merece mayor promoción.

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Résumé Un dispositif intra-utérin (TCu220C) a été mis en place chez 82 femmes au cours d'une césarienne transverse basse. On a noté aucune répercussion défavorable sur la morbidité post-puerpérale ni sur l'allaitement et aucune complication sérieuse est apparue dans cette série. Au bout de douze mois, les fréquences étaient de zéro pour les grossesses et de 7,7 pour les expulsions. Les chiffres ultérieurs sont comparables à ce qui a été publié après insertion post-placentaire immédiate du même modèle de DIU. La mise en place d'un DIU au cours de la césarienne est une méthode qui mérite d'être plus largement répandue.

     

Comparison of three Multiload IUDs: MLCu250, MLCu375 and MLAgCu250

A comparative study was made of three differently loaded Multiload intrauterine contraceptive devices. The IUDs were used by 450 women for 3 years unless the device was removed earlier. The reasons for IUD removal (pregnancy, bleeding and/or pain, and other) were recorded, and the data analyzed after 1 year and after 3 years using the log-rank method. No statistically significant differences could be found among the three devices either in rate of pregnancy nor IUD removal for any reason.

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Resumen Se hizo un estudio comparativo de tres anticonceptivos intrauterinos Multiload con tres cargas diferentes. Durante tres años, 450 mujeres usaron los DIU a menos que el dispositivo hubiera sido quitado antes. Las razones para la remoción de los DIU (embarazo, sangrado y/o dolor y otras) fueron registradas y los datos se analizaron después de l año y de 3 años, usando el método log-rank. No se pudo encontrar ninguna diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los tres dispositivos sea en la tasa de embarazos o en la remoción de los DIU por cualquier razón.

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Resumé On a conduit une étude pour comparer 3 DIU multichargés, de charge différente. Ces DIU ont été utilisés par 450 femmes pendant 3 ans, sauf retrait plus précoce. On a relevé les motifs de retrait du DIU (grossesse, hémorragie et/ou douleurs et autres motifs) et analysé les données au bout de 1 an et de 3 ans, par la méthode des rangs logarithmiques. Aucune différence statistiquement significative n'a été constatée entre les 3 DIU; ni sur le plan du taux de grossesse ni sur celui du taux de retrait, pour un motif quelconque.

     

Aortocaval fistula: CT appearance with angiographic correlation

As CT is often the initial imaging method in the evaluation of suspected complications of abdominal aortic aneurysm, especially rupture of the aneurysm, it is important to be aware of other less common complications that can be detected by CT. A patient with an aortocaval fistula and renal venous hypertension is discussed. The constellation of CT findings that suggest this diagnosis is described as is the angiographic correlation. Awareness of these CT findings, including early equivalent enhancement of the inferior vena cava and aorta; enlarged, poorly functioning kidney; and perirenal "cobwebs," will lead to the appropriate confirmatory angiographic studies.