Some recent developments in clinical neurophysiology. The recording of average visual responses and the determination of regional cerebral blood flow.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to O Magnus.
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Fourteen men each provided semen samples after 3, 6, and 10 days abstinence in a sequence decided by the individual and over a period of approximately 6 weeks. The proportion of sperm displaying progressive motility remained relatively constant up to 6 days but declined after a further 4 days of abstinence. This decrease was not associated with any major changes in sperm morphology or vitality. The total number of sperm with progressive movement in the ejaculate increased after 6 days and remained high after 10 days of abstinence. In subjects with asthenozoospermia, the greatest increase in the total number of sperm in the ejaculate occurred between 6 and 10 days. For men with reduced sperm quality participating in assisted fertilization programs, it may be advantageous to advise longer periods of abstinence, up to 10 days, prior to semen collection.
Endometrium-derived glycodelin-A inhibits sperm-egg binding, whereas differentially glycosylated seminal plasma glycodelin-S does not. The difference has been ascribed to the specific type of glycosylation of glycodelin-A. We studied whether the total glycodelin concentration or the relative glycodelin-A concentration in seminal plasma are related to the in vitro fertilization rate of oocytes. We found that total glycodelin levels were significantly higher in a quartile of men with the lowest in vitro fertilization rate compared with the remaining 3 quartiles combined (P = .01). However, for predicting low fertilization capacity of sperm, combining the glycodelin and sperm concentrations by logistic regression analysis did not significantly increase the information obtained from sperm concentration alone. We used specific lectin-immunoassays to determine whether increased glycodelin-A-type glycosylation in seminal plasma would be related to failure to fertilize. No difference was found between the groups with high fertilization and no fertilization in vitro. It is concluded that, although high seminal plasma total glycodelin level has a tendency of being associated with a lower fertilization rate, the difference has limited value to predict fertilization in vitro.
In order to establish a series of provocation tests to evaluate the integrity of the sperm cAMP pathway, manganese (Mn), 2-deoxyadenosine (DEA) (via adenylyl cyclase), and methyl-isobutyl-xanthine (MIX) (via phosphodiesterase) were tested for their capacity to activate the progressive motility of human sperm. Optimal responses were obtained using washed sperm previously incubated for 3 hours in substrate-poor medium (Hepes-buffered saline). Longer periods of incubation required the presence in addition of an energy substrate such as glucose. Exposure of sperm to seminal plasma for 24 hours prior to washing attenuated the responsiveness of the sperm to the different activators. Preliminary studies on the activation of the progressive motility of washed sperm from four normozoospermic men under fertility investigation, prepared under identical conditions, revealed differences in the pattern of response which may have pathophysiological relevance.
Embryo intrafallopian transfer was accomplished in 10 patients. Approximately 48 hours after oocyte retrieval, the embryonic cleavage stage was evaluated and from two to six embryos were transferred to the fallopian tubes at the 2- to 8-cell stage using a laparoscopic technique. Five clinical pregnancies resulted; four patients have given birth to five healthy babies (one set of twins) and one had a miscarriage. These results are encouraging, and we believe that transfer of embryos to the fallopian tubes may be an alternative to GIFT or IVF treatment in selected groups of patients.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a serious complication of ovulation induction. It is most often associated with the administration of human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) or purified preparation of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), but has also been reported after clomiphene (CC) and in patients with hydatiform mole and chorioepithelioma. Moreover, OHSS has been observed in cases of multiple pregnancy unrelated to the use of fertility drugs. In recent years, the hormonal induction of ovulation has been practised to an increasing degree, partly due to the extended use in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gamete intra fallopian transfer (GIFT) techniques in the treatment of infertility. This trend will undoubtedly result in a growing number of patients with OHSS: For this reason, it is important to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for trigging this condition and discuss the treatment possibilities once it has arisen. We will present three patients who developed OHSS after different attempts at ovulation induction. Interestingly, aspiration of the follicles, which was carried out in two of the cases, did not influence the progress of the condition.
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OBJECTIVE: To find differences in effect on sperm motility of agents that increase intracellular cAMP: manganese ion, methyl-isobutyl-xanthine (MIX), 2-deoxyadenosine, glucose, and Mn-MIX and Mn-glucose. DESIGN: Nine men with asthenozoospermia vs. fertile donors. METHODS: Sperm was washed in Hepes-buffered saline, motility tested by laser-Doppler technique. RESULTS: Best activation was obtained with Mn and 2-deoxyadenosine; generally poor response to MIX or glucose. CONCLUSIONS: Usually, poor endogenous stimulation of adenylyl cyclase, and probably not limited energy supply, is the cause of impaired motility.