Effects of four methods of sperm preparation on motion characteristics and nitric oxide concentration in laboratory-prepared oligospermia

BACKGROUND

To compare four different spermatozoa preparation methods in semen samples with respect to recovery rate, percent motility, path and progressive velocity, and nitric oxide (NO) production before and after centrifugation.

METHODS

Each of 36 semen specimens was diluted to 1 x 10(6)/ml and divided into four 1-ml aliquots for sperm processing using four methods: swim-up, two (Percoll II) and three (Percoll III) layer Percoll (Pharmacia Biotech AB, Uppsala, Sweden) gradients and albumin columns. The motile sperm recovery rate, percent motility and motion parameters were measured for each semen specimen (n = 36) before and after processing using the four methods. NO was measured with the use of a chemiluminescence method before and after centrifugation (n = 17).

RESULTS

The sperm recovery rate was higher using both Percoll gradients than with the other two methods (Percoll II, 68 +/- 20.5%, Percoll III, 75.3 +/- 22.2% vs swim-up, 25.8 +/- 9.9% and albumin, 33.1 +/- 20.7%). The results were similar for total motile cells (Percoll II, 3.55 +/- 1.72 x 10(6)/ml, Percoll III, 4.25 +/- 1.29 x 10(6)/ml vs swim-up, 1.19 +/- 0.71 x 10(6)/ml and albumin, 1.89 +/- 1.36 x 10(6)/ml). Both Percoll methods and the albumin method produced a statistically significant improvement over the swim-up method in motility. The albumin column method resulted in the least path and progressive velocities (51.3 +/- 15.4 microns/s and 46.2 +/- 16.5 microns/s, respectively). NO produced during sperm processing did not differ significantly among the four processing methods (swim-up, 4,531 +/- 1,626 nM, Percoll II, 5,119 +/- 3,969 nM, Percoll III, 6,060 +/- 5,512 nM, albumin 4,838 +/- 2,462 nM).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that Percoll methods are superior to swim-up and albumin columns for sperm preparation, yielding good sperm recovery, motility and motion characteristics. The trend toward lower NO levels among samples prepared using albumin columns did not reach statistical significance.

Bilateral tubo-ovarian actinomycosis in the presence of an intrauterine device: a case report

An uncommon case of actinomycosis found in bilateral tubo-ovarian abscess is presented. Preoperatively, bilateral ovarian tumors were initially suspected by pelvic examination and ultrasonography. The patient received total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The initial pathology frozen section report showed abscess without evidence of malignancy. The final pathological finding revealed actinomycosis in bilateral tubo-ovarian abscess. In addition, an intrauterine contraceptive device, Copper-T, was found in the uterine cavity. The radiologic findings, gross pathological feature, histopathological pictures and treatment of pelvic actinomycosis are discussed, with review of the literature in English.

A method for making chronic fetal preparation in the lamb: results of 4 year's experiences

During the period between 1980 and 1983, a versatile experimental model for fetal physiology (chronic fetal preparation) was made using 26 pregnant Corriedale and Suffolk sheep. The sheep fetuses were removed from the uterus at the gestational ages of from 96 to 133 days. After performing cannulation of the carotid arteries, the jugular veins , and the trachea of the fetuses, applying tripolar cardioelectrodes, and attaching an occluder of the umbilical cord, the fetuses were returned to the uterus to complete the gestational period. The time left until the termination of the postoperative pregnancy and available for various intrauterine monitoring procedures varied from 3 to 800 hr. Eleven sheep (42.3%) continued their postoperative intrauterine term for 5 days or more. The continuation of the postoperative gestation for longer than 5 days indicated a return to the physiological state on the evidence of the measured PO2, PCO2 and pH values and rapid irregular breathing movements.

Growth of the fetal kidney assessed by real-time ultrasound

We present a method for measuring the size of the fetal kidney by real-time ultrasound. We examined 241 normal pregnancies and 27 pregnancies with intrauterine growth retardation by this method. The cross-sectional area of the kidney (KA) increases linearly from 20 weeks to term whereas the relative size of the kidney to the abdomen (KA/AA ratio) remains constant during this period. Growth-retarded fetuses had significantly smaller KA values than normal fetuses but their KA/AA ratios were generally in the normal range. The results showed that the growth of the fetal kidney correlates well with that of the abdomen and could be an additional parameter for the detection of intrauterine growth retardation.

[Ultrasound measurement of fetal head and body sizes in the assessment of fetal growth]

The growth of the ultrasound biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), chest circumference (CC) and abdominal circumference (AC) during normal pregnancy is presented. A total of 799 measurements of 619 pregnant women from 20 to 42 weeks gestation were taken. 1) The correlation coefficient between gestational weeks and BPD, HC, CC, AC was 0.901, 0.972, 0.990, 0.988 respectively. 2) The correlation of HC, CC and AC was HC greater than AC greater than CC before 35 weeks but after 35 weeks it was AC greater than HC greater than CC. 3) The growth of large-for-date fetuses (LFD) was more rapid than that of appropriate-for-date fetuses (AFD). It was difficult to detect LFD before 30 weeks. 4) In the group of small-for-date fetuses, the HC/AC ratio was always greater than one. It was suggested that the growth of the fetal body was slower than that of the head.