Reproductive toxicity of Aroclor-1254: Effects on oocyte, spermatozoa, in vitro fertilization, and embryo development in the mouse

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been reported to adversely affect reproduction in laboratory and wild animals. The present study was undertaken to determine the toxic potential of Aroclor-1254 (A-1254) on in vitro fertilizing ability of oocytes and epididymal sperm and on preimplantation embryo development in the mouse. A-1254 was added to the IVF medium at concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 μg/mL. Cumulus masses containing the oocytes were obtained from superovulated B6D2F1 mice and were placed in the culture medium containing A-1254 to which epididymal sperm, capacitated in a medium without A-1254, were added. The IVF rate was assessed 20 to 24 h after insesemination. A-1254 significantly reduced the mean percent ova fertilized even at 0.1 μg/mL. Incubation of the cumulus masses in various concentrations of A-1254 for 6 h, followed by insemination with sperm capacitated in the presence of A-1254, also significantly reduced the IVF rate. Capacitation of sperm in A-1254-containing medium, followed by co-culture with untreated oocytes, failed to affect the IVF rate. No significant effect on sperm motility was observed following exposure to 1 and 10 μg/mL of A-1254. Estradiol-17 β also reduced the IVF rate, however, the effect of A-1254 was more severe compared to the estradiol treatment. Furthermore, addition of A-1254 to the embryo culture medium was associated with a significant decrease in embryo growth at 48 h and 96 h. These results demonstrate adverse effects of A-1254 on oocytes, IVF, and embryonic development in the mouse.     

Effect of parental age on fertilization and pregnancy characteristics in couples treated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection

The purpose of this study was to investigate any influence of maternal and/or paternal age on gamete characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. In all, 821 consecutive ICSI cases were analysed retrospectively. While a significant linear decline in semen volume was detected, no significant differences in the concentration, motility or morphology of the spermatozoa were found with paternal ageing. A significant decline in the number of oocytes retrieved and the number of mature oocytes obtained was found with advancing maternal age. An increase in the occurrence of digyny was noted with parental ageing, while no difference in single or bipronuclear fertilization was found. Older women had a decreased incidence of single pronucleus formation and an increase in digyny, but no significant difference in the percentage of oocytes that underwent two-pronuclear fertilization was detected with regard to maternal ageing. Pregnancy outcomes were not influenced by the age of the male partner, while a strong negative correlation was found with maternal ageing. To better analyse male partner ageing as a factor affecting pregnancy outcome, we analysed a subgroup of patients with a female partner aged <35 years who underwent ICSI. No paternal influence on ICSI pregnancy outcome was found in this subgroup of patients. We conclude that the influence on pregnancy outcome after ICSI is related mostly to maternal and not paternal age.      

Bone sarcomas in Paget disease: a study of 85 patients

This is a comprehensive review of 85 patients who had bone sarcoma associated with Paget disease and who were seen at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between 1927 and 1982. There was an almost equal distribution of tumors in the axial and the appendicular skeletons. The pelvis, humerus, femur, and skull were the tumor sites in 80% of cases. The tumors were bulky large soft tissue masses. Lytic lesions were more common than sclerotic lesions. Mixed lytic and sclerotic lesions were much less common than either single type. Periosteal reaction was uncommon and found in less than 7%. Methylene diphosphonate scans of the bone often showed a cold area that was associated with marked increase in uptake on the gallium scan. Angiography, which was performed in 13 patients, was useful, but CT was much more helpful in showing the soft tissue mass as well as the extent of bony disease. Only three patients in this study survived for five years. Present chemotherapy protocols were disappointing in the treatment of this highly lethal tumor.     

Use of a radioimmunoassay to quantify thrombospondin

Results of radioimmunoassay procedures applied to samples containing thrombospondin indicated that reliable values are obtained either in saline or in plasma. Plasma levels in apparently normal individuals ranged from approximately 20 to 300 ng/ml. The mean for 20 individuals was 175 ng/ml. Plasma specimens stored either refrigerated at 4 degrees C or frozen at -80 degrees C showed significantly diminished thrombospondin levels over a period of 90 days. Serum levels of thrombospondin were found to range from 10,000 to 30,000 ng/ml.     

Complications of percutaneous nephrostolithotomy

In 224 patients, renal stones were removed from the urinary tract using either direct extraction with a basket or forceps (59 patients), ultrasonic lithotripsy (164 patients), or infusion chemotherapy (one patient). Residual stone fragments were present more frequently in patients treated with ultrasonic lithotripsy (27%) than with direct extraction (5%). Other complications included hemorrhage (eight patients), catheter dislodgement (four patients), large amounts of urine extravasation (three patients), glycine ascites (three patients), infection (two patients), pneumothorax (one patient), and a prolonged ileus (one patient). More complications occurred among the first 50 patients than the last 50 patients, even though more difficult cases, including patients with staghorn calculi, were accepted during the latter period. Although a learning curve exists, complications can be minimized by attempting to treat more favorable cases during the initial experience.