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At least 541 records · Page 30Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Semen quality in spinal cord injured men: does it progressively decline postinjury?

OBJECTIVE: To determine if semen quality of men with spinal cord injury (SCI) undergoes a progressive decline as a function of years postinjury. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data. SETTING: University-based research center. SUBJECTS: Semen quality was examined in 638 specimens from 125 men with SCI. INTERVENTION: Penile vibratory stimulation, electroejaculation, and masturbation were used as semen retrieval methods. Routine semen analysis was performed to evaluate semen quality. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sperm concentration, total sperm count, and percent sperm motility were examined at 2-year intervals from men whose injuries had occurred 6 weeks to 26 years earlier. RESULTS: No difference in any semen parameter was found as a function of time postinjury. CONCLUSIONS: Semen quality in men with SCI does not progressively decline after the SCI. Men with SCI who are considering biologic fatherhood should be advised that the number of years after injury need not be a determinant in deciding when to start a family.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Hammen semen quality classification and pregnancies obtained during a twenty-year follow-up period.

The Hammen semen quality classification system is a fertility index with six qualities based on sperm count, assessment of sperm motility, number of immotile spermatozoa, number of abnormal sperm heads, and sperm viability. It was developed by Hammen during the 1940s. In the present study, the fertility of 1077 men classified during the years 1950 to 1952 was assessed after 20 years. There were significant correlations between those obtaining living children (P less than 0.01) and those with good semen quality, and between number of children obtained (P less than 0.001) and good semen quality. Moreover, the time interval between attempts to impregnate and obtainment of pregnancy was correlated (P less than 0.01). It is concluded that the Hammen semen classification system is suitable for assessing male clinical fertility.

Classification↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Semen quality and intrauterine insemination.

There is good evidence in literature that intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the best first line treatment and most cost-effective procedure for moderate male factor subfertility. It seems very difficult to identify individual semen parameters predicting the likelihood of pregnancy after IUI. This can be explained by a lack of standardization of semen analysis, but many other methodological variables may also influence IUI success rates such as the patient selection, type of ovarian stimulation and number of inseminations per cycle. A review of the literature confirmed that sperm morphology using strict criteria and the inseminating motile sperm count (IMC) after sperm preparation are the two most important sperm parameters to assess the real impact of semen quality on IUI outcome. A universal threshold level above which IUI can be performed with acceptable pregnancy rates has not been determined yet, although IUI success seems to be impaired with <5% normal spermatozoa and an IMC of <1 x 10(6). Until now, no method of sperm preparation has been shown to be superior with regard to pregnancy rate after IUI. Whether supplementation of culture media with substances such as antioxidants and platelet activating factor may improve the results remains the subject of further research.

Female↗
PubMed1999

Direct and indirect effects of electrical stimulation on the motility of human sperm.

BACKGROUND: Electroejaculation is a technique that is becoming more frequently available for obtaining sperm from men with spinal cord injury or psychogenic anejaculation. However, the effect of electrical stimulation on the movement of human sperm has not been clarified. METHODS: Electrical stimulation was applied to ejaculated semen or washed sperm via a pair of electrodes in the sperm-counting chamber while sperm motility was recorded using a computer-assisted semen analyzer. RESULTS: When monopolar pulse stimulation was applied to sperm, the motility rate and velocity of sperm near both electrodes decreased according to the number of pulses and current despite low electrical voltages. However, motility of sperm in the center between electrodes did not change. When extremely high-voltage electrical stimulation with more than 80 V/2 mm (distance between electrodes) was applied to sperm, sperm stopped moving regardless of their location between the electrodes, despite a low electrical current and low energy. Replicating clinical rectal probe electroejaculation, continuous sinusoidal alternating current at 50 V/10 mm was applied to a untreated ejaculated semen. The motility of sperm, except for those adjacent to both electrodes, did not change after stimulation for 60s, despite a high electrical energy. CONCLUSIONS: The motility of sperm near electrodes was decreased when high electric current flowed, despite low electrical voltages. In addition, sperm lost their motility when extremely high-voltage electrical stimulation was applied. However, electrical stimulation during clinical rectal probe electroejaculation seems to have no effect on sperm motility.

Ejaculation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Computerized semen analysis (CASA): effect of semen concentration and chamber depth on measurements.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of sample concentration and chamber depth on the performance of a real-time analysis computer-assisted semen analysis system, the Hobson Sperm Tracker. Fresh semen samples were provided by patients or donors who attended the author's clinic. The samples were used to estimate total concentration, percentage motility, and sperm kinematics. A considerable variation was found in total concentration and motility recordings between manual and computerized analysis, which was more profound in high-density samples (>80 x 10(6) sperm/mL). The sperm motion parameters were significantly different between low- and high-density samples. This difference could not have been due to sample variation since it was also observed after 1:10 dilution of dense samples. The results indicate that a real-time analysis system can be used clinically for semen analysis over a wide range of sperm concentration. However, high sperm concentration can distort sperm count, motility, and sperm kinematics recordings.

Computing Methodologies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Endocrine and spermatological characteristics of 135 patients with bilateral megalotestis.

Little is known about the biological and clinical significance of bilaterally enlarged testes (bilateral megalotestes or macroorchidism). We have investigated clinical, endocrine and spermatological characteristics of 135 andrological patients with a testicular volume of more than 25 ml bilaterally. 135 patients with normal testicular volumes served as controls. Subjects with bilateral megalotestis had higher sperm counts and better sperm morphology and motility than the controls. Levels of LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone and estradiol were lower in the megalotestis group. This was statistically significant for LH and FSH. No testicular tumours were diagnosed in either group. We conclude that in most andrological patients with bilateral megalotestes fertility parameters are excellent despite the unusually low hormone levels found in a significant minority. No specific pathology underlying the large gonadal volume could be identified.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Seminal characteristics and sexual behavior in men of different age groups: is there an aging effect?

AIM: To assess the seminal characteristics as well as the sexual behavior of men of various age groups to establish the presence of an aging effect on those characteristics. METHODS: Semen samples were collected from men (n = 792) undergoing in vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination in cases of female factor infertility only. Samples were collected using a seminal collection device at intercourse and evaluated manually according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Men were divided into four groups according to their ages: (i) 20-30, (ii) 31-40, (iii) 41-50 and (iv) 51-60 years, and their seminal characteristics and responses to a sexual behavior questionnaire were compared. RESULTS: The data showed statistically significant differences in the seminal characteristics tested, most notably in the sperm concentration, motility, grade of motility, hypo-osmotic swelling and normal sperm morphology. Furthermore, the decline in normal sperm morphology with age was more pronounced when using strict criteria rather than WHO standards. There were also differences in total sperm count, total motile sperm and total functional sperm fraction (assessed by both WHO and strict criteria). Significant differences were also observed in the sexual behavior patterns in older men in terms of the number of years they have been trying to conceive, sexual frequency and sexual satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The data clearly illustrate an aging effect on semen characteristics and sexual behavior in men as they age. It is suggested that the aging effect be taken into consideration when proposing normal standard values for semen characteristics in routine semen analysis as outlined by WHO standards.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Semen features of 596 truly infertile men.

Semen examinations were performed on 596 truly infertile men. The results obtained were compared with those of supposedly infertile men. Our findings indicate that the mean sperm count, mean total sperm per ejaculate, mean percentage motility and morphology of truly infertile males were far lower than past reports suggest. The type of male population studied was identified as the possible source of discrepancy. The data obtained further suggest that the realistic cutoff point between fertile and infertile semen should be a sperm concentration of 10 million/ml, a total sperm per ejaculate of 25 million, percentage motile and well-formed sperms of 40 and 60, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Sperm motility characteristics and pregnancy outcome of artificial insemination with husband's semen for male infertility.

What parameter of semen has influence on the pregnancy outcome of artificial insemination with the husband's semen (AIH) with washed sperm for male infertility was investigated. Two hundred fifteen cycles in 62 patients of AIH with washed sperm for male infertility were prospectively studied. We compared six parameters (total sperm count, motility rate, sperm motile efficiency (SME) both before and after washing) in pregnant and non-pregnant cycles. SME of washed sperm was significantly higher in the pregnant than in the non-pregnant cycles (241.0 +/- 68.0 vs. 169.5 +/- 80.0). There were no differences in other five parameters between pregnant and non pregnant cycles. SME, the parameter of sperm motility characteristics, of washed sperm is closely related to the outcome of AIH for male infertility. Sperm motility characteristics after washing may be one of the important indexes of the result of AIH for male infertility.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Reproductive responses in male rats fed extracts of fescue seed infected by the endophytic fungus Acremonium coenophialum.

This study was undertaken to determine whether a methanol extract of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed contained the factor(s) that were responsible for the decrease in male reproductive potential when rats were fed toxic tall fescue seed. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats (ca. 225 g.) were randomly allocated to one of three dietary treatments containing 50% (w/w) rodent chow and 50%: (1) noninfected tall fescue seed; (2) noninfected tall fescue seed treated with concentrated methanol effluent from serial methanol extraction of infected seed; and (3) the extracted seed residue of seed that was greater than 95% infected by Acremonium coenophialum. Parameters assessed were testicular weight, epidydimal weight, parenchymal weight, progressive sperm motility, sperm motility, sperm count and daily sperm production potential. Significant reduction (P less than 0.05) for feed intake, average daily gain, testicular weight, epidydimal weight and daily sperm production potential were observed for treatment 2. These data suggest that the serial methanol extract contains the factor(s) responsible for the lowered reproductive potential in male rats. The extract contained 15,578 micrograms/ml of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and only trace amounts of ergopeptides. These results suggest that N-formyl and N-acetyl loline may play an important role in the fescue toxicity noted in the exposed rats.

Acremonium↗
PubMed2006

Riboflavin-deficient and Trichinella spiralis-induced stresses on plasma corticosterone associated with spermatogenesis in male Wistar rats.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of riboflavin-deficient and Trichinella spiralis-induced stresses on corticosterone associated with spermatogenesis in male Wistar rats. Rats were allocated into 4 groups: Group 1: control; group 2: riboflavin-deficient diet; group 3: T. spiralis infection; group 4: riboflavin deficient diet with T. spiralis infection. This experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Plasma corticosterone was significantly enhanced when exposed to acute riboflavin deficiency and/or T. spiralis infection stress. When the rats were chronically subjected to such stresses, T. spiralis per se had prolonged effects, in a marked increase in corticosterone. T. spiralis per se tended to impact on such sperm characteristics as sperm motility, sperm count and daily sperm production, even defected seminiferous tubules. It was proposed that the Trichinella spiralis-induced stress probably had adverse effects on the level of adrenocortical-testicular axis whenever their habitats on muscle fibers were evident. However, riboflavin-deficient-induced stress had little implication in the adrenocortical-testicular axis.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alcohol abuse-duration dependent decrease in plasma testosterone and antioxidants in males.

Ethanol is a testicular toxin and it causes fertility abnormalities with low sperm count and impaired sperm motility in men. The present study was designed to investigate plasma testosterone level and hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis function in alcoholic men and also effect of ethanol on systemic oxidative stress. Forty six male alcohol abusers in the age group 20-40 years were selected. Fifty five, males in the same age group served as control. Alcohol abusers had significantly low plasma testosterone with low luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. In addition they had significantly high thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase, and low glutathione, ascorbic acid, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase. Moreover, serum testosterone level in alcoholics negatively correlated with duration of alcohol abuse, and TBARS. Duration dependent decreased serum testosterone level in alcohol abusers might be due to 1) increased oxidative stress which can damage Leydig and supporting Sertoli cells and 2) impaired HPG axis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coenzyme Q10 concentrations in normal and pathological human seminal fluid.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels were assayed in total seminal fluid or both in seminal fluid and seminal plasma in 77 subjects with normal or pathological findings at standard semen analysis. CoQ10 levels showed a significant correlation with sperm count and with sperm motility. An interesting exception was constituted by patients with varicocele, in whom the correlation with sperm concentration was preserved, whereas the correlation with sperm motility was lacking. Moreover, they showed an increased ratio of plasma CoQ to total seminal CoQ10 in comparison with the other subjects. These data suggest a pathophysiological meaning of CoQ10 in human seminal fluid and a possible molecular defect in varicocele patients. CoQ10 measurement could represent an important examination in infertile patients; moreover, from these results a rationale might arise for a possible treatment with exogenous CoQ10 in dyspermic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Effects of carbaryl on the rat's male reproductive system.

Carbaryl was orally administered to male albino rats at 50 mg or 100 mg carbaryl/kg body weight 5 d/w for 90 d. A significant decrease in weight gain was observed at the high dosage after 60 d. Although no significant changes in the weight of testes, epididymides and accessory sex organs occurred, moderate to marked histopathological changes in the testes were seen at both dosage levels. Testicular enzymes associated with post-meiotic spermatogenic cells (sorbitol dehydrogenase) decreased, while lactate dehydrogenase increased concomitant with the observed degeneration of spermatogenic cells. Enzymes associated with pre-meiotic spermatogenic cells or Sertoli cells (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) increased, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased. These effects were dose related and associated with declines in epididymal sperm count and percent sperm motility and increased abnormal sperm morphology.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Electroejaculation and seminal parameters in bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata).

In the present study, our experience in the collection of semen from adult bonnet monkeys and some of the characteristics of semen are reported. Semen samples were collected by penile stimulation every 15 days over a period of 3 years. The penile method of ejaculation was more consistent with an increased volume of semen. A distinct sesonality in the sperm count of the bonnet monkey was observed. Sperm counts were high during the months of August to October and started declining from November onwards. The sperm counts were significantly (P < 0.05) higher during the mid and post-monsoon (July to November) periods than the pre- and early monsoon (March to June) periods.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Influence of insemination-ovulation interval and sperm cell dose on fertilization in sows.

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of sperm dose at insemination on fertilization rates and accessory sperm cells attached to day 5 embryos. Multiparous sows (n = 115) were artificially inseminated once with 1 x 10(9), 3 x 10(9) or 6 x 10(9) sperm cells between 3 h and 48 h before ovulation. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed at intervals of 4 h to determine the time of ovulation and sows were killed at 120 +/- 5 h after ovulation to assess the results of fertilization. The insemination-ovulation interval had a major influence on the fertilization rate and accessory sperm count. A nonsignificant but consistent increase in fertilization rate and in number of accessory sperm cells due to the sperm dose was observed. During the insemination-ovulation interval of 12-24 h, the median fertilization rates were 95%, 100% and 100%, and the median accessory sperm counts were 11, 17 and 31 for the 1 x 10(9), 3 x 10(9) and 6 x 10(9) doses, respectively. During the insemination-ovulation interval of 24-36 h, the median fertilization rates were 88%, 95% and 97%, and the median accessory sperm counts were 6, 8 and 11 for the 1 x 10(9), 3 x 10(9) and 6 x 10(9) doses, respectively. No direct relationship was detected between embryo quality and the accessory sperm count but there was a relationship between insemination-ovulation interval and accessory sperm count. The fertilization rate was positively correlated with the breeding value for litter size of the sows. In conclusion, the effects of sperm dose on fertilization rate and on accessory sperm count in sows were small and nonsignificant, indicating only small effects of sperm dose on the functioning of the sperm reservoir in the sow.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of clomiphene treatment on different sperm parameters in men with idiopathic oligozoospermia.

76 men with idiopathic oligozoospermia mostly in addition to terato-asthenozoospermia, whose FSH level was in the middle or below the middle of the normal range, were treated with 50 mg clomiphene citrate daily for three months. Both mean sperm count per ml and total sperm count increased highly significantly (p smaller than 0.001). The changes in other physical sperm parameters were small and not significant(p greater than 0.05) except for the mean amount of motile spermatozoa and abnormal midpieces (excluding cytoplasmic droplets) and the mean quality of motility and sperm aggregation, which increased slightly but significantly (p greater than 0.05). The results of this study suggest that the beneficial effect of clomiphene citrate on sperm output in selected oligozoospermic men is not to a great extent at the expense of other physical sperm parameters.

Cell Aggregation↗
PubMed1987

Interpretation of semen analysis among infertile couples.

Among the male partners of 1074 infertile couples the mean results of semen analysis were sperm count 78 X 10(6)/ml, seminal volume 4.0 ml, proportion of progressively motile sperm 54%, proportion of sperm with normal morphologic features 81.4% and total motile sperm count 152.3 X 10(6) per ejaculate. After excluding 65 couples who chose donor insemination and 300 with known female causes of infertility, the cumulative pregnancy rates in the remaining 709 couples were higher with increasing sperm density and motility and seminal volume, but the higher rates were significant only when these variables were combined into total motile sperm count per ejaculate. The cumulative pregnancy rates were 20% with a total motile sperm count of 9 X 10(6) or less, 37% with a count of 10 to 19 X 10(6) and 52% with a count of 20 X 10(6) or more (p = 0.001). Counts higher than 20 X 10(6) were not associated with a further improvement in pregnancy rates, but variability in the results was high, which suggests that the test should be repeated as necessary to determine the true range. Although standards for these and other seminal variables are ill defined, the total motile sperm count incorporates the most useful prognostic information from semen analysis, and the associated pregnancy rates can help guide clinical decisions.

Female↗