Successful pregnancy after intracytoplasmic injection of a single testicular spermatozoon into a human oocyte: a case report

Testicular sperm was retrieved from a man with an epididymal obstruction, and an intracytoplasmic sperm injection was made into his wife's oocytes. In 4 mature oocytes treated, 2 fertilized eggs were obtained, and a clinical pregnancy was established with embryo transfers. Our experience demonstrated the possibility of fertilization and conception with testicular sperm.

Nucleotide sequence of the cDNA encoding nucleoside diphosphate kinase II from spinach leaves

The primary structure of nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase II, one of the two isozymes found in spinach leaves, has been deduced from its cDNA sequence. NDP kinase II comprises 233 amino acid residues and has a molecular mass of 26,107 Da, which is larger than that of the purified NDP kinase II subunits (18 kDa) by about 8 kDa, suggesting that NDP kinase II might be post-translationally processed. Homology was found between the sequence of spinach NDP kinase II, and the sequences of spinach NDP kinase I, rat NDP kinases alpha and beta, Dictyostelium discoideum NDP kinase, the human Nm23-H1 and Nm23-H2 proteins and the awd protein of Drosophila melanogaster.

A New Approach to Automatic Detection of Life of Coated Tool Based on Acoustic Emission Measurement

Characteristic features of acoustic emission (AE) signals are analyzed and measured during turning of medium carbon steel with both coated and uncoated tools. It was found that the AE signal changes from burst-type to continuous-type as the coated tool is worn away and the ceramic coating is removed. The AE signal further changes to one with a large amplitude and variation as the tool approaches termination. A procedure is proposed to classify the AE signal into three categories based on the experimental results and to identify the condition of tool by AE signal measured employing the pattern recognition technique. Further cutting experiments proved that the state of wear and the life of the coated tool can be identified by the method proposed.

Development of sensitivity to maturation-inducing steroids in the oocytes of the daily spawning teleost, the kisu Sillago japonica

The responsiveness of oocytes to 17 alpha,20 beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17 alpha,20 beta-diOH-P), 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17 alpha-OH-P), and silver carp gonadotropin (GtH) was examined in vitro at seven different times of the day (0100, 0500, 0800, 1000, 1300, 1700, 2100 hr) in a daily spawning teleost, the kisu Sillago japonica. 17 alpha,20 beta-DiOH-P, 17 alpha-OH-P, and GtH were effective in inducing germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and ovulation in kisu oocytes. However, the oocytes of the kisu responded to these hormones during a limited time of the day (2100-1000 hr), and their responsiveness to steroids and GtH was different with the sampling time. After a 20-hr incubation, the oocytes with yolk globules were classified into four stages based on their responses (GVBD) to GtH and steroids. Stage A, the oocytes did not respond to either GtH or steroids. These unresponsive oocytes were observed in all the ovaries examined. Stage B, GVBD could be induced by GtH but not by steroids. These oocytes were found in the ovaries collected from 2100 to 1000 hr. Stage C, GVBD could be induced by both GtH and steroids. These oocytes were found only between 0800 and 1000 hr. Stage D, oocytes spontaneously underwent GVBD without hormones. These oocytes were found between 1300 and 1700 hr. Ovulated oocytes were found in the ovaries collected during 1700-0500 hr. These results indicate that the kisu possesses a daily rhythm in oocyte development from stage A to stage D, and that the sensitivity to 17 alpha,20 beta-diOH-P appears at stage C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Studies on toxicity of clobetasone-17-butyrate (II)--chronic toxicity in rats (author's transl)]

Chronic toxicity of clobetasone-17-butyrate, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, was investigated in rats. Subcutaneous administration with the drug at dose of 0.003, 0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg/day for three and six months induced no significant changes in the rats. At 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg/day, however, some dose-dependent symptoms such as suppression of body weight gain, emaciation, regressive changes in adrenals, lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues, decrease in circulating white blood cell and lymphocyte counts, which have been known as toxic effects of synthetic corticosteroids, were induced. The results indicates that the maximum no-toxic dose of clobetasone-17 butyrate was 0.03 mg/kg/day on this experimental condition. In the recovery test for two months no significant differences in the treated rats from controls were found, suggesting that the toxic effects were reversible in the animals treated at 0.3 mg/kg/day and lower than that.

[Studies on toxicity of clobetasone-17-butyrate (I)--acute toxicity in mice and rats and subacute toxicity in rats (author's transl)]

Acute and subacute toxicities of clobetasone-17-butyrate, a new anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, were studied in mice and rats. In the acute toxicity tests intraperitoneal LD50 values of the drug were estimated to be around 5 g/kg for both sexes of mice, 1.51 g/kg for male and 1.66 g/kg for female rats. Subcutaneous and oral administration induced no fatal cases at dose of 3.6 (mice, s.c.), 2.6 (rats, s.c.) and 6.0 g/kg (mice and rats, p.o.). As for the toxic signs in both mice and rats after the i.p. and s.c. administrations, emaciation was marked, and atrophy of thymus, spleen and adrenals were observed. No marked symptoms, however, were induced in animals administered orally. In the subacute toxicity tests male and female rats were subcutaneously administered with the drug at daily doses of 0.01, 0.03, 0.1, 1.0, 10 and 100 mg/kg for one month. Dose dependent symptoms such as suppression in body weight gain, emaciation, regressive changes in adrenal, lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues, decrease in circulating white blood cell and lymphocyte counts, and increase in total cholesterol level of serum were induced in the rats administered at 0.1 mg/kg/day and more than that, indicating that the maximum nontoxic dose in this experimental condition was 0.03 mg/kg/day. In recovery tests it was observed that the rats, which had been administered with the drug at 1.0 mg/kg/day for one month, were almost normal two months after the final administration.