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Biomedical subjects

J Kremer

Publications and source records attributed to J Kremer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Sexual behavior and attitudes of university students in Northern Ireland.

Two surveys of a Northern Ireland student sample were conducted in 1987 and 1988. A total of 419 female and 201 male subjects completed self-administered anonymous questionnaires concerning their behavior, knowledge, and attitudes towards sex, AIDS, homosexuality, contraception, and relationships. Results indicated a relatively low level of sexual experience, and for those with experience, relatively few partners. The possible influences of gender and religiosity on sexual behavior and attitudes, in the context of Northern Ireland, are discussed. Subjects reported considerable variation in the amount of sex education, but the majority received little or none. This student sample held relatively conservative attitudes towards love, sex, and marriage and this was particularly true for females and for regular churchgoers. In addition, attitudes towards homosexuality were negative (particularly among regular churchgoers). Attitudes towards contraception were more positive than expected among Catholic subjects, and few indicated that they would refuse to use contraceptives on principle. Responses to items about AIDS were highly uniform, suggesting that much of the information made available to the public has been absorbed. However, the lack of uniformity of response to more general items about sex, relationships, and contraception may indicate that fundamental changes in sexual behavior are unlikely to be brought about by influencing a rather narrowly defined set of attitudes about AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

The significance of antisperm antibodies for sperm-cervical mucus interaction.

An overview is presented of the effects of antisperm antibodies on the sperm-cervical mucus interaction. Antisperm IgA on spermatozoa or in cervical mucus can severely inhibit sperm penetration of cervical mucus and migration through it. Disturbance of the sperm-cervical mucus interaction is the only firmly established effect of these antisperm antibodies and leads to reduced fertility, as shown by a poor or negative result of the post-coital test. The presence of antisperm IgA in the male or female partner can be investigated more specifically with the sperm-cervical mucus contact test and can be confirmed by the sperm agglutination test on bromelinliquefied cervical mucus, by the mixed antiglobulin reaction test or by the immunobead test for IgA.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1991

Further details on sequelae at the cervical and tubal level of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in infertile women.

OBJECTIVE: Relationships were studied between correlates of sexually transmitted diseases and chlamydial antibodies versus cervical mucus abnormalities and tubal abnormalities. An estimate was also attempted of the baseline prevalence of endogenous tubal abnormalities. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive. SETTING: The outpatient department of the Fertility Unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Groningen University Hospital. PATIENTS: Females (n = 184) of infertile couples consecutively visiting the department for evaluation and treatment. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexually transmitted disease correlates, cervical chlamydial infection, cervical and serum chlamydial antibodies, cervical mucus qualities according to World Health Organization criteria, tubal abnormalities. RESULTS: Of the 175 cervical mucus samples studied, subnormal quality was because of imperfect timing of collection of 22 of the 23 subnormal samples. Tubal abnormalities correlated with more than five lifetime sexual partners (P less than 0.035), as well as with serum immunoglobulin G antibodies (P less than 0.05), which could be because of interaction between both risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: No correlation was found between subnormal cervical mucus and chlamydial infection. Approximately two thirds of the tubal abnormalities seem unrelated to exogenous factors, although further study seems warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The origin of estrogens, progesterone, androgens and sex hormone binding globulin in peritoneal fluid in the immediate postovulatory period in normal ovulating women.

In 20 women with proven fertility, one menstrual cycle was monitored by ovarian ultrasonography, laparoscopy and estimation of 17 beta-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione (Adion), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in serum and peritoneal fluid. Three groups were studied, in which the peritoneal fluid was collected within 1, 3 and 5 days after ovulation. E1, E2 and progesterone levels in peritoneal fluid were highest shortly after ovulation and decreased with time. Testosterone and Adion in peritoneal fluid showed no changes, but peritoneal fluid levels were always higher than serum levels. No differences were found between the peritoneal fluid and serum levels of DHEA and DHEAS. SHBG in serum was always higher than in peritoneal fluid. The results are compared with reported steroid levels in follicular fluid from the literature and factors complicating the interpretation of steroid levels in peritoneal fluid are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Studies on the decondensation of human, mouse, and bull sperm nuclei by heparin and other polyanions.

We report heparin-induced decondensation of human, mouse, and bull sperm nuclei. Decondensation did not occur if the spermatozoa were intact but only if the membranes were severely damaged by freezing and thawing or by treatment with a detergent. If a disulphide bond reducing agent (thiol) was absent, decondensation of human sperm nuclei was usually a relatively slow process, with large interindividual variation. Mouse and bull sperm nuclei did not decondense in the absence of a thiol. With a thiol relatively low concentrations of heparin induced a rapid decondensation of the sperm nuclei of all three species. The decondensation activity was not specific for heparin; other polyanions were also active, with heparin being the most effective compound. It is supposed that heparin and other polyanions induce sperm nuclear decondensation because they deplete protamines from the chromatin. Thus the negatively charged phosphate groups of the DNA are no longer opposed by positively charged protamines. Consequently the mutual repulsion of unopposed phosphate groups causes the DNA molecules to stretch, which results in an increase of the sperm nuclear volume. Since heparin and other polyanions induce decondensation under physiological pH and temperature, polyanions might also be active in the oocyte.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1990

Case report: a man with breast dysphoria.

A 31-year-old married man with normal male characteristics requested treatment to enlarge his breasts and nipples. He did not feel himself to be homosexual or transsexual but considered himself incomplete without female breasts and nipples. Petting of his nipples resulted in sexual excitement and he presumed that feminization of his breasts would improve this function. His wife supported his wish. After treatment with 0.150 mg ethinylestradiol per day for 9 months, moderate breast enlargement occurred and the nipples became the size of normal female nipples. One year afterwards he remained satisfied with his female-type breasts and in particular with the increased sexual function of his nipples. Stimulation of his nipples resulted in erection and ejaculation.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The pin-hole cervical os; a small fertility problem.

24 women with a so-called pin-hole cervical os during the pre-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle were detected in a group of 850 infertile couples. This cervical condition is rarely seen and is often combined with extreme oligomucorrhea and poor cervical mucus qualities. Sperm quality was so poor in four couples that they were excluded. Nine women were likely to have been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero. The pregnancy rate in this group was poor, only two pregnancies by coitus and none by intra-uterine AIH. In the other eleven women there was a strong correlation between a good result of the post-coital test (PCT) and the chance to achieve pregnancy. Four of the eight women with a good result of the PCT became pregnant by coitus. The three women with a poor result of the PCT became pregnant by intra-uterine AIH. It is possible that the fertility prognosis of a woman with a pin-hole cervical os during the pre-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle is unfavourably influenced by DES exposure in utero. A pin-hole cervical os in the pre-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle, without DES exposure, has probably no influence on fertility.

Cervix Mucus↗
PubMed1990

Is serology of any use when searching for correlations between Chlamydia trachomatis infection and male infertility?

Evidence on Chlamydia trachomatis causing male infertility is conflicting. We therefore collected data on epidemiological and clinical correlates of chlamydial infection and male fertility in 184 males visiting our Fertility Unit. Antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis in serum and semen were also determined. Significant correlations were demonstrated between current chlamydial urethral infection and semen immunoglobulin (Ig) A, serum IgA and serum IgG. These parameters, however, were neither related to a history of sexually transmitted disease nor to lifetime number of sexual partners. Why, in the male, serology does not correlate with chlamydial infection in a more remote past is explained. Our data support, on epidemiological as well as serological grounds, the conclusion that chlamydial infection probably does not contribute significantly to male infertility.

Chlamydia Infections↗
PubMed1990

Inspection of the ovaries and steroids in serum and peritoneal fluid at various time intervals after ovulation in fertile women: implications for the luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome.

In 20 fertile women one menstrual cycle was monitored by ovarian ultrasonography, laparoscopy, and estimation of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone levels in serum and peritoneal fluid (PF). Three groups were studied, performing the laparoscopy within 1, 3, and 5 days after ovulation. The results indicate that the opening in the corpus luteum remains at least during the first 1.5 postovulatory days. The process of the closure starts thereafter and has been accomplished 4 to 5 days after ovulation. Progesterone and E2 levels in PF follow a similar pattern, showing high levels in the first, decreasing levels in the second, and low levels in the last laparoscopy groups. Therefore the significance of inspection of the ovaries and hormone level estimation in PF depend on the timing of the laparoscopy in relation to the moment of ovulation, especially in the first 5 postovulatory days.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The significance of the zona-free hamster oocyte test for the evaluation of male fertility.

Results of the zona-free hamster oocyte test were compared with pregnancy rates after coitus and after artificial insemination with donor semen (AID) in 322 primary infertile couples. Artificial donor insemination was offered if in the test the percentage of hamster oocytes with at least one decondensed sperm head (oocyte-sperm interaction rate) was less than 20. If the rate was less than 5, the pregnancy rate after coitus was significantly lower than in the group with a rate of greater than or equal to 5 to less than 20. In the former group, the pregnancy rate by AID was significantly higher than the pregnancy rate by coitus. We conclude that the zona-free hamster oocyte test is useful to predict the chance to achieve pregnancy in couples with unexplained infertility and to determine whether AID can increase this chance.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[The female condom].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Contraceptive Devices, Female↗