Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to T Berger.
We described the 2nd European case of hepatic capillariasis. The diagnosis of this parasitosis caused by Capillaria hepatica was made by needle biopsy of the liver in a 1-year-old girl who presented with a triad of persistent fever, hepatomegaly and hypereosinophilia. The child recovered completely after treatment with thiabendazole (Mintezol, Merck, Sharp and Dohme, Hoddeston, UK).
Seminal plasma protein adsorption by boar spermatozoa was examined using ejaculated sperm from vesiculectomized boars and seminal plasma from vasectomized boars. Sperm adsorbed 14 pg protein/sperm in 10 min. When seminal plasma proteins were radiolabeled, most of the adsorbed radiolabel was present in low M(r) proteins, particularly a 12700 M(r) protein. A 349300 M(r) seminal plasma protein was also readily adsorbed. Three radiolabeled seminal plasma proteins (307600, 165400 and 7400 M(r)) were not detected on the sperm; either they are not adsorbed by the sperm or the sperm were previously exposed to these proteins in other accessory sex gland fluids and had already adsorbed them. A 29100 M(r) sperm protein was also radiolabeled (4.9% of the adsorbed radiolabel), although there was no corresponding seminal plasma protein. Large quantities of seminal plasma protein (particularly low M(r) proteins) are adsorbed by sperm not previously exposed to seminal vesicle secretion. The functions of these proteins are yet to be determined.
Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA) was evaluated as an acrosomal stain for porcine and caprine sperm that had previously been stained with Hoechst 33258 to assess cell viability. The FITC-PSA procedure was as accurate as other procedures in assessing acrosomal presence or absence on either fresh or liquid-stored porcine sperm. Approximately half of the incubated porcine sperm with acrosomal loss maintained membrane impermeability to the Hoechst 33258; these were potentially viable acrosome-reacted sperm. The FITC-PSA procedure was significantly correlated with the assessment of acrosomal status of cryopreserved caprine sperm by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, TEM results indicated a higher percentage of caprine sperm with acrosomal loss. Ability to penetrate zona-free hamster ova was not highly correlated with the percentage of viable acrosome-reacted porcine or caprine sperm. The FITC-PSA procedure provides an estimate of viable acrosome reactions and may be a useful tool in the evaluation of sperm fertility.
Various sources and components of mammalian sera were evaluated for their ability to maintain or inhibit sperm motility. Human, rabbit, hamster, and porcine sera were equal in ability to maintain motility of human sperm. Four sources of fetal calf serum and one source of neonatal calf serum were unable to maintain motility of human sperm or sperm-fertilizing potential. In the presence of human serum, fetal calf serum actually inhibited human sperm motility. Fetuin, a component of fetal calf serum, contained the inhibitory activity. An inhibitory effect of fetuin on porcine and caprine sperm motility was also observed. The inhibitory activity resided in the second peak when fetuin was separated by isoelectric focusing. The sperm head membranes remained impermeable to dye, and mitochondrial membrane potential was maintained after motility had been reduced to almost zero by incubation with fetuin and fetuin fractions. Fetuin or the active portion of the molecule may be a useful component of a vaginal contraceptive and in research where inhibition of motility is desirable.
The imaging techniques available for the diagnosis of tumors of the glomus caroticum are discussed with reference to four cases (three patients, one with tumor bilaterally). Taking into consideration the practicability and invasiveness of the investigations as well as the risks and costs involved, we propose that the procedures be performed in the following sequence: ultrasonography, Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) or (even better) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and selective angiography. In most cases where there is a non-inflammatory mass in the neck, ultrasonography and Doppler ultrasonography may be adequate to establish the diagnosis of a glomus caroticum tumor. B-scan ultrasonography reveals an inhomogeneous mass that pushes the carotid arteries apart and an arteriovenous shunt may be seen using the Doppler technique. CT and MRI show the full extent of the tumor and provide information about infiltration of adjacent structures. Selective intra-arterial angiography confirms the diagnosis, demonstrating a profound vascularized tumor in the carotid bifurcation. If angiography leads to identification of an afferent vessel, selective embolization of the tumor may be performed, thus enabling a much safer operation with less blood loss.
These studies were designed to evaluate the ability of the zona-free hamster ova bioassay to detect differences in fertility of boar sperm. In the first study, sperm from two previously infertile boars were compared to sperm from seven previously fertile boars. The percentage of zona-free hamster ova penetrated by sperm from the previously infertile boars was significantly lower than the percentage of ova penetrated by sperm from previously fertile boars (18% of ova penetrated vs. 83%, P less than .001). In the 14 ejaculates from the previously infertile boars that had ejaculate motilities of 50% or greater, the percentage of zona-free hamster ova penetrated continued to be lower than in ejaculates from the fertile boars. One of the two previously infertile boars consistently had a normal semen analysis. The only two observed manifestations of his reduced fertility were his zero conception rate and the limited ability of his sperm to penetrate zona-free hamster ova. In the second study, females were inseminated with equal numbers of sperm from two previously fertile males and the paternity of offspring determined at birth. The experiment was replicated with four combinations of six boars. A high correlation was observed between the percentage of offspring sired and the ability to penetrate zona-free hamster ova (R = .89). Neither morphology nor the ability of the sperm to undergo an acrosome reaction during in vitro incubation was correlated with fertility in the competitive mating situation. These results suggest the zona-free hamster ova bioassay can improve the in vitro fertility assessment of fresh boar semen.
The effect of nonmanipulated embryos on in utero survival of split porcine embryos was examined in this study. Previously, only limited success in the production of identical twin piglets has been reported. Embryos were collected from slaughtered donors (4 to 7 d post estrus) and were either split with the aid of a micromanipulator or left as whole embryos. Monozygotic pairs of split embryos were then surgically transferred to recipients with a complement of either split or nonmanipulated embryos. A total of 217 split embryos and 60 nonmanipulated embryos were transferred to 19 recipients. Nine of these recipients farrowed. In the two recipients that received only split embryos and farrowed, 31% of the split embryos survived to term, including two sets of monozygotic twins. In the remaining seven recipients, only 10% of the split embryos that were transferred along with nonmanipulated embryos survived to farrowing. This difference in split embryo survival (31 vs 10%) was significantly different (P<0.005). Sixty-nine percent of the nonmanipulated embryos survived to term in recipients that maintained pregnancy. Data presented in this study suggest that competition occurs between split and nonmanipulated embryos transferred to the same uterine environment.
In vitro conditions for a zona-free hamster ova bioassay of caprine sperm fertility were assessed. Washing the cryopreserved sperm by dilution and centrifugation resulted in greater ability to penetrate zona-free hamster ova than allowing the sperm to swim-up into medium. A 12-h preincubation of sperm prior to insemination of the zona-free hamster ova was optimal. Sperm had greater ability to penetrate the zona-free hamster ova when incubated in a Tris-buffered medium than when incubated in Ham's F-10 (95 vs 2%, P<0.001), although motility was not well maintained in the Tris-buffered medium. Ten million sperm/ml was sufficient for maximum penetration. The ability to penetrate zona-free hamster ova was positively but not significantly correlated with the sperm head ultrastructure, suggesting the two techniques may assess different aspects of sperm fertility.
Induction of the acrosome reaction in boar sperm by the zona pellucida (ZP) was investigated. A modified cytochemical staining method for measuring the acrosome reaction in boar sperm gave equivalent results to those obtained with transmission electron microscopy. Isolated heat-solubilized ZP effectively induced the acrosome reaction in boar sperm at a concentration of 25 micrograms/ml. Electrophoretically purified ZP components were also tested for acrosome reaction-inducing activity; both the 55,000 and 90,000 components of the ZP were effective. The carbohydrate moiety of the 55,000 component was necessary for activity because the polypeptides derived by chemical deglycosylation of the two glycoproteins did not induce the acrosome reaction.
An assay to determine the binding of pig spermatozoa to the zona pellucida (ZP) of pig oocytes was developed using conditions compatible with in-vitro fertilization of pig eggs and with pig sperm penetration of zona-free hamster ova. These conditions were used to define which of the pig oocyte ZP components were involved in sperm binding by a competitive inhibition approach. Assay variables that were optimized included: the method of sperm preparation; sperm preincubation time; sperm-oocyte coincubation time; sperm concentration and temperature; and methods for the separation of free from oocyte-bound spermatozoa. Inclusion of solubilized ZP in the sperm preincubation medium inhibited sperm binding approximately 50%. Both the 55K and 90K components inhibited sperm binding although the 55K component was more effective. The two polypeptides derived from chemical deglycosylation of the 55K families did not inhibit sperm binding. Of several monoclonal antibodies to the ZP components tested, only one directed against the 55K alpha glycoprotein family inhibited sperm binding. Sperm binding to pig oocyte ZP is therefore dependent on the carbohydrate moiety of the glycoproteins and appears to involve more than a single ZP glycoprotein.
Male reproductive capacity was examined in 5 lines of mice which differed markedly in mature body weight (30-73 g) due to selection for growth and/or substitution of the high growth gene (hg). Testes weight ranged from 0.75-0.77% of body weight in control lines to 0.33% in the largest mice which had the hg gene in a growth selected background. Both selection for growth and the hg gene in a control background reduced absolute testes size (0.200 and 0.207 g vs 0.236 and 0.228 g in control lines) as well as relative testes size although body weight was increased by at least 50%. Although the combination of growth background and hg gene reduced sperm production per g testis compared to the outbred control, the primary cause of reduced sperm production per mouse in lines containing either the growth background or the hg gene alone was reduced absolute testes size. At 24, but not at 11, weeks of age, the hg gene reduced sperm motility. In these lines, high genetic potential for post-weaning growth was associated with decreased male reproductive capacity.
The "in situ" bypass technique was first used by Cartier in 1960. It has only slowly gained acceptance among vascular surgeons. In part this can be explained by the lack of an easy and reliable method to render vein valves incompetent. The instruments most widely used for this purpose have been developed by Hall, Gruss and Leather ("Valve Stripper", "Insitucut" and "Valve Cutter", respectively). Based on theoretical considerations and practical experience, we have developed a new instrument for the incision of vein valves: the Insitutom RC. Unlike other instruments, it allows rotation control of the cutting blade and thus enables the surgeon to incise the valve cusps more precisely and reliably.
The ability to penetrate zona-free hamster ova may be a very useful test of fresh and frozen boar sperm fertility. These studies were designed to optimize assay conditions prior to evaluation of the accuracy of the bioassay in predicting boar sperm fertility. The ability to penetrate zona-free hamster ova was greater in sperm washed on a Percoll gradient than in sperm washed by dilution and centrifugation. Penetrating ability was greater in sperm from the sperm-rich fraction than from the whole ejaculate but did not differ among different aliquots of the sperm-rich fraction and did not decrease when the prewashing interval was increased from 15 to 85 min. Frequency of collection of ejaculates (1, 3, or 5 times per week) did not affect the penetrating ability of the sperm. Penetration rate was greater when sperm were coincubated with zona-free hamster ova at 39 degrees C compared to 37 degrees C. Sperm from an infertile boar had reduced penetrating ability compared to sperm from fertile boars (11% vs 93%, P less than .001). These studies suggest that the zona-free hamster ova bioassay may be a useful assessment of fresh boar sperm fertility.
Blepharochalasis is an uncommon disorder distinguished by recurrent episodes of eyelid oedema in young patients. A hypertrophic form, manifested as fat herniation, and an atrophic form, manifested as fat atrophy, have been described. Ptosis with excellent levator function, laxity of the lateral canthal structures with rounding of the lateral canthal angle, nasal fat pad atrophy, and redundant eyelid skin develop after many episodes of eyelid swelling. Fine wrinkling, atrophy, and telangiectasias characterise the excess eyelid skin. We describe four cases of this syndrome in which external levator aponeurosis tuck, blepharoplasty, lateral canthoplasty, and dermis fat grafts were used to correct atrophic blepharochalasis after the syndrome had run its course.
The macromolecular differences in the zona pellucida (ZP) isolated from pig oocytes, eggs, and zygotes were investigated using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The ZP was isolated from individual cells or zygotes using micropipettes, radiolabeled with 125I and analyzed using disulfide bond reducing and nonreducing conditions. The reduced ZP isolated from oocytes was composed of four glycoprotein components. The gel pattern of the ZP isolated from a single oocyte was indistinguishable from that isolated en masse. The ovulated egg ZP contained the four oocyte components plus three additional macromolecules. Relative to the egg ZP, the zygote ZP lacked one component but had three additional smaller macromolecules. We concluded that: the macromolecular differences between the oocyte and egg ZPs are caused by the addition of macromolecules to the ZP as the egg transits the oviduct, the macromolecular differences between the egg and the zygote ZPs reflect hydrolytic processing of ZP glycoproteins probably by enzymes derived from the egg cortical granules, and the microheterogeneity of the pig ZP glycoproteins is due to posttranslational modification and is not due to population genetic variation.
A coaxial balloon catheter system with an inner catheter and a steerable wire for selective catheterization and occlusive therapy is described. The system was designed primarily for distal sclerotherapy of varicoceles but can also be used in other arterial or venous systems.
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