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Biomedical subjects

L Gianaroli

Publications and source records attributed to L Gianaroli.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Sperm-zona pellucida binding of human sperm is correlated with the immunocytochemical presence of proacrosin and acrosin in the sperm heads but not with the proteolytic activity of acrosin.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) binding is related to the presence of immunoreactivity for proacrosin and acrosin and/or to the proteolytic activity of acrosin. SETTING: The Andrology Clinic, University of L'Aquila, Italy. PATIENTS: Thirty-five infertile couples and 15 men of proven fertility. INTERVENTIONS: Salt-stored unfertilized oocytes after IVF were inseminated with a mixture of equal numbers of test and fertile donor sperm after swim-up selection, respectively labeled with fluorescein or rhodamine. Total acrosin activity, the percent of sperm immunostained for proacrosin and acrosin, and the percent of sperm with oval heads were evaluated in fresh semen and after swim-up selection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three zonae were used for each patient and sperm-ZP binding ratio (ZP ratio) was calculated as the total number of test sperm bound to ZP divided by the total number of control sperm bound to ZP. The ZP ratio was compared with the percent of live sperm immunostained for proacrosin and acrosin, with total acrosin activity and with the percent of sperm with oval heads after swim-up selection. RESULTS: The sperm-ZP binding ratio was correlated positively with the percent of sperm immunostained for proacrosin and acrosin and with the percent of sperm with oval heads, but not with acrosin activity. Ejaculates with immunostaining for proacrosin and acrosin > or = 55% of sperm (the mean value of infertile couples) and acrosin activity < 24 muIU/10(6) sperm (the mean value of infertile couples) (n = 8) had a ZP ratio > or = 0.5, whereas ejaculates with low immunostaining for proacrosin and low acrosin activity (n = 12) had a ZP ratio < 0.5. The difference between the ZP ratio of the two groups was highly significant. CONCLUSIONS: The ZP binding is related to the immunocytochemical presence of proacrosin and acrosin but not to the proteolytic activity of acrosin in human sperm, suggesting that egg recognition and proteolytic activity are independent functions of proacrosin and acrosin.

Acrosin↗
PubMed1994

Biological factors affecting subzonal sperm microinjection results.

One hundred and sixteen couples with severe male factor infertility underwent 139 subzonal sperm microinjection cycles. In total, 1343 oocytes were microinjected, resulting in a fertilization rate of 24%, followed by a cleavage rate of 65%. In 26% of the zygotes, fertilization was delayed and embryos derived from these zygotes demonstrated a poor capacity for further growth and implantation. In 102 of 139 cycles (73%) embryo transfer was performed, resulting in 9 pregnancies. This study followed the fate of injected oocytes and early embryo development to investigate biological factors that influence the results of subzonal injection.

Embryo Transfer↗
PubMed1994

Prospective randomized study of D-Trp6-LHRH versus buserelin in long desensitization protocols for medically assisted conception cycles.

In a prospective, controlled, randomized study where two different agonists were used, we compared three different long desensitization protocols for induction of multiple follicular growth in medically assisted conception cycles. In protocol A, 30 patients were injected with buserelin twice a day for 15 days prior to ovarian stimulation until human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration. In protocol B, 30 patients were injected with a single dose of long acting Triptorelin (3.75 mg) 15 days before the ovarian stimulation onset. In protocol C, 30 patients were injected with the long acting Triptorelin 4 weeks before ovarian stimulation followed by daily administration of 0.1 mg of the same agonist until HCG injection. There was no difference in the ovarian response to exogenous gonadotrophin stimulation, except for the presence of premature luteinization in two patients in group B. A significantly higher number of mature oocytes was collected from patients with protocol A; however, the fertilization and cleavage rate demonstrated no significant difference among the three groups of patients. The ongoing pregnancy rate and the implantation rate per treatment cycle were very similar in the three study groups. When the convenience, cost and side-effects for the patient are being considered, protocol B should be selected as the first choice when the agonist is utilized for the purpose of inducing pituitary desensitization before and during ovarian stimulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

IVF treatment of moderate male factor infertility: a comparison of mini-Percoll, partial zona dissection and sub-zonal sperm insertion techniques.

In this study we examined various techniques of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) for treating couples in whom the male had subnormal semen parameters. We compared two sperm preparation methods (mini-Percoll and conventional swim-up) for efficiency of recovery after preparation and for fertilization rates after IVF, and compared the suitability of partial zona dissection (PZD) and sub-zonal sperm insertion (SUZI) to patients with different types of male factor infertility. The mini-Percoll technique allowed the recovery of significantly more motile spermatozoa from the same semen sample compared to the swim-up method. More oocytes were fertilized after spermatozoa were prepared by the mini-Percoll technique. An increased number of spermatozoa recovered from an ejaculate led to an improvement in the quality of spermatozoa in the insemination droplet. Subsequently, when using the PZD technique, the fertilization rate increased when there was a higher number of spermatozoa in the patient's ejaculate. When comparing the two micromanipulation techniques, SUZI provided patients with oligoasthenzoospermia (i.e. < 10 x 10(6) spermatozoa/ml and 40% motility) with a higher chance of obtaining 2-pronculeate eggs.

Colloids↗
PubMed1992

Subzonal sperm microinjection in cases of severe male factor infertility and repeated in vitro fertilization failure.

OBJECTIVE: To examine (1) fertilization rates obtained with subzonal sperm microinjection when different numbers of sperm are injected into the perivitelline space; (2) when subzonal sperm microinjection is combined with dilute insemination; and (3) the association of semen quality characteristics with fertilization. DESIGN: Subzonal sperm microinjection and subzonal sperm microinjection combined with dilute insemination was performed in 109 and 41 cycles on patients in two clinical trials in Melbourne, Australia, and Bologna, Italy, respectively. PATIENT PARTICIPANTS: Couples who have experienced repeated in vitro fertilization failure or in whom the husband has severe male factor infertility. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of oocytes fertilized after injection of different numbers of sperm into the perivitelline space, the number of patients transferred, and pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: The injection of multiple numbers of sperm into the perivitelline space failed to improve monospermic fertilization rates but caused an increase in polyspermic fertilization. In patients with initial semen parameters exhibiting greater than 50% motility or greater than 50% normal morphology fertilization rates were improved when subzonal sperm microinjection-treated eggs were incubated in a dilute insemination medium. Six pregnancies were obtained, two of which have progressed to term. CONCLUSIONS: When applied to male factor patients, the subzonal sperm microinjection technique results in a 14% to 15% fertilization rate. However, of the 102 embryos transferred only three (2.9%) fetal heart beats were obtained.

Female↗
PubMed1992

Dopamine treatment for severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Seven oliguric patients with severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome following gonadotrophin treatment for in-vitro fertilization or gamete intra-Fallopian transfer, were treated with low doses of dopamine by peripheral infusion. Five patients were pregnant. The rationale for this therapeutic approach was to increase renal blood flow and glomerular filtration. In addition to dopamine, fluid intake was restricted to 500 ml/day and a protein and salt-rich diet was provided in order to increase serum osmolarity. Within 24-48 h from the beginning of the dopamine treatment, the syndrome started to regress in all cases. No adverse maternal or fetal effects occurred. We conclude that dopamine therapy may constitute a major advance towards the management of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Dopamine↗
PubMed1992

Oestradiol enhances in vitro the histamine release induced by embryonic histamine-releasing factor (EHRF) from uterine mast cells.

The relationship between maternal hormones and factors secreted by the implanting embryo is still controversial. We have analysed the in-vitro effect of oestradiol and human embryo-derived histamine-releasing factor (EHRF) on histamine release from rat uterine mast cells. Rat uterine mast cells which were preincubated with oestradiol and then challenged with human EHRF gave histamine release values two- to threefold higher than those without preincubation. The enhancement observed was time- and temperature-dependent. A similar enhancement was obtained with human sensitized basophils but not with rat peritoneal mast cells. Oestradiol, used as a direct challenge, did not induce any histamine release from either rat uterine or peritoneal mast cells, or from human sensitized basophils. Oestradiol preincubation also enhanced the histamine release induced by anti-IgE but did not enhance the histamine release induced by substance P or compound 48/80, two secretagogues that are not mediated by IgE. Moreover, uterine fragments derived from rats at various oestrus phases, with different amounts of endogenous oestrogen, were challenged in vitro with EHRF. The release of histamine by mast cells was higher at the proestrus and preimplantation phases than at dioestrus. All these findings suggest that the interaction of oestradiol with rat uterine mast cells was capable of enhancing in vitro the histamine releasing effect of EHRF.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Human amniotic fluid for fertilization and culture of human embryos: results of clinical trials in human in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs.

We report the outcome of clinical trials carried out in two IVF programs, comparing the use of human amniotic fluid (HAF) as a complete medium to Whittingham's T6 medium containing human serum (T6 + 10% HS) for egg incubation, insemination, embryo culture, and embryo transfer. There were no significant differences in the clinical trials between HAF used alone as a complete medium and T6 + 10% HS in fertilization rates of eggs, cleavage rates of embryos up to 48 hours in culture, pregnancy success rates after embryo replacement or the outcome of pregnancies. There was no advantage in using T6 + 10% HS for fertilization of eggs and HAF as a complete medium for embryo culture and transfer in any of the parameters examined. We conclude that HAF does not meet the complete requirements of human eggs and embryos in vitro and further developments of culture media are required to obtain embryo development equivalent to that in vivo.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1988

Early human pregnancy in vitro utilizing an artificially perfused uterus.

The penetration of luminal epithelium in the uterine cavity represents the crucial event that triggers the failure of embryo implant, thus limiting the possibility of fertility control. The purpose of our study was to implant a human blastocyst, cultured in vitro, into a human uterus extracorporeally perfused with an oxygenated medium. For this purpose, human blastocysts, collected from patients who underwent IVF program because of irreparable tubal infertility, were injected under the luminal epithelium of human perfused uteri. Light and electron microscopy showed that human blastocyst can successfully undergo the stage of implantation and trophoblastic invasion in 52 hours of extracorporeal perfusion.

Blastocyst↗
PubMed1986

The successful use of human amniotic fluid for mouse embryo culture and human in vitro fertilization, embryo culture, and transfer.

The development of mouse and human embryos was assessed in human amniotic fluid to determine its suitability as a culture medium for human in vitro fertilization (IVF). Two-cell mouse embryos developed to blastocysts after 72 hours at rates similar to that in Whittingham's T6 + 10% fetal calf serum. Significantly more mouse embryos hatched in amniotic fluid. No difference was found between individual patient's amniotic fluids obtained at 16 to 21 weeks' gestation. A preliminary trial comparing amniotic fluid with T6 + maternal serum in human IVF showed no significant difference in fertilization rate and embryo development during 42 to 48 hours in vitro. Expanded blastocysts were obtained in amniotic fluid after 5 days in vitro. Four pregnancies were obtained in 9 patients' transferred embryos grown in amniotic fluid and with 2 or 12 patients' transferred embryos grown in T6 + maternal serum.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1982

[Reversible sterilization with a physiological solution in the rat: preliminary note].

In this paper the Authors present a technique of reversible sterilization of female rats. They used saline hot solution through cervix and uterine horns in 45 S.D. female rats. They divided the rats in three groups. The first group received a 43 degree hydrotubation, the second a 50 degree hydrotubation and the third a 60 degree hydrotubation. All the animals were mated several times and the litter sizes were studied. Biopsies were taken by uterine horns and histological results are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

[Rat uterus anastomoses in a single and a double layer].

The Authors display their results on microsurgical operations in rat's uteri. After having described the instruments and methods used, the surgical techniques and the differences between a single and a double layer suture are discussed. However the formation of intraoperative adherences, which can damage the functional results of the intervention, is studied. And what's more the mean number of live born foetuses is seen as an attainable parameter for future validations.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

[Immediate and long term post-operative controls of rat uterus anastomoses].

The Authors examine the immediate control (passage of methylene blue) and the long term control (hysterography, and biopsies at later stages after the interventions) in the microsurgical anastomoses of a rat uterus. The technique of each single investigation is shown and the results are discussed. Particular attention is given to the histological data which ratifies not only anatomical but also physiological outcomes. The differences among the anastomoses carried out in a single and a double layer are verified.

Animals↗