Adoption of Farm Management Systems for Cross Compliance - An empirical case in Germany.

In Germany, Farm Management Systems (FMS) have been introduced as a support to farmers' compliance with environmental and other regulations, aiming at the increase of farm level performance and sustainable farming practices. Different kinds of FMS were developed and promulgated with various approaches, determined by each federal state's agricultural advisory system. Knowledge on the FMS' uptake and effectiveness has been lacking so far.

Testicular sperm extraction: comprehensive analysis with simultaneously performed histology in 1418 biopsies from 766 subfertile men.

The introduction of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has revolutionized treatment of male-factor infertility. Even with a single spermatozoon a pregnancy can be achieved. In cases of azoospermia due to obstruction or highly impaired spermatogenesis, spermatozoa can be retrieved directly from testicular tissue recovered by testicular biopsy followed by sperm extraction.

Successful testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in spite of high serum follicle stimulating hormone and azoospermia: correlation between testicular morphology, TESE results, semen analysis and serum hormone values in 103 infertile men.

Spermatozoa recovered from testicular biopsies can be used through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to achieve a pregnancy. To assess the likelihood of successful testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in men suffering from severe oligo- or azoospermia, bilateral biopsy specimens were obtained. Following semi-thin sectioning, the morphology of testicular samples was graded according to a modified Johnsen score.

Noninvasive parameters of bone metabolism.

Markers of bone formation determined in serum include alkaline phosphatase, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin [bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid peptide (BGP) and procollagen type I carboxyterminal propeptide. Recently, advances have been made in the immunoassay of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. This is a marker for osteoblastic activity; it is very stable and is not primarily dependent on kidney function because it is degraded in the liver.

[Duration of desire for a child, contraceptive behavior and rate of previous infertility treatment. An epidemiologic study of 750 consecutive patients in labor at the Oldenburg Gynecologic Clinic using a structured interview].

In order to gain current information, on how long a healthy couple desiring a child has to wait until conception, on previous contraceptive behaviour and prior infertility treatment, 750 women were interviewed within 7 days after delivery between January and November, 1989, using a standardised questionnaire. This sample represents one third of all patients, who delivered a child in an Oldenburg hospital during the time period covered. 544 women had desired a pregnancy, an additional 206 women had not directly planned a pregnancy, and 73 of these had taken no precautions against conception, since they were willing to accept a pregnancy if it should occur.

Hyaluronic acid as a medium for human sperm migration tests.

Hyaluronic acid was used as a substitute for human cervical mucus as a medium for sperm migration since its viscosity, molecular weight and structure are similar to constituent glycoproteins of human cervical mucus. Parameters of sperm motility were comparable in human cervical mucus and hyaluronate as measured by a computerized sperm motion analysis system (Hamilton-Thorn 2030 and Strömberg-Mika System). Sperm migration rates were also similar in human cervical mucus, bovine mucus and hyaluronic acid and the reproducibility was best in hyaluronic acid.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation: influence on plasma levels of hormones of the anterior pituitary gland and of cortisol?

To assess possible side effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on the release of anterior pituitary gland hormones three different examinations on 10 males were performed following a standardized protocol. Plasma levels of prolactin, FSH, LH, hGH and cortisol were determined before and after stimulation. Cortical stimulation had no specific influence on the plasma levels of the hormones examined.

Evaluation of the Hamilton-Thorn 2030 motility analyser for routine semen analysis in an infertility clinic.

In routine semen analysis of 242 patients the values of sperm concentration, sperm motility and progressive sperm motility were measured with the Hamilton-Thorn semen analyser (HT) and compared to the data obtained by conventional semen analysis according to the guidelines of the WHO. Overall, the HT gave higher values for sperm concentration (mean difference 21.7 +/- 46.

Presence and distribution of leucocyte subsets in the murine epididymis after vasectomy.

Male mice were vasectomized by 'open-ended' or 'closed' techniques. After 4 weeks the cell-mediated immune reactions were compared with those of sham-operated animals by immunohistochemical localization of leucocytes, using specific monoclonal antibodies. Macrophages and MHC class II antigen-positive cells were the major cell types to appear in all regions of the epididymis after both types of operation.

Anabolic steroids and semen parameters in bodybuilders.

The influence of high-dose anabolic steroid administration on endocrine and semen parameters of 41 bodybuilders (age, 26.7 +/- 0.7 years [mean +/- SEM]; height, 182 +/- 1 cm; weight, 97.

Bias to routine semen analysis by uncontrolled changes in laboratory environment--detection by long-term sampling of monthly means for quality control.

To detect systematic bias in the results of routine semen analysis over time, monthly means of semen parameters determined by the recommended WHO methods were computed. The analysis was based on a total sample size of 1784 ejaculates and included 18 months of observation. In addition to slight changes of morphology estimates caused by a change of laboratory staff, a major bias in the measurement of sperm motility could be detected.

Combination of 19-nortestosterone-hexyloxyphenylpropionate (Anadur) and depot-medroxyprogesterone-acetate (Clinovir) for male contraception.

Because monotherapy with 19-nortestosterone hexyloxyphenylpropionate (Anadur, Pharmacia Arzneimittel, Ratingen, Federal Republic of Germany) suggested improved results for male contraception compared with available testosterone esters, it was tested for induction of complete azoospermia when combined with depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA, Clinovir, Upjohn GmbH, Heppenheim, Federal Republic of Germany). Twelve men were treated for 7 weeks with weekly intramuscular (IM) injections of 200 mg Anadur followed by 3-weekly IM injections of Anadur up to week 15. Clinovir (250 mg) IM was administered at the start of treatment and during weeks 6 and 12.

Pulsatile GnRH-therapy in oligozoospermic men does not improve seminal parameters despite decreased FSH levels.

In order to evaluate GnRH administration for the treatment of infertile men with elevated serum FSH levels we administered GnRH in pulses via portable electronic infusion pumps initially to seven patients with low sperm counts and high FSH values over 12 weeks and later to nine further patients over 24 weeks who also underwent testicular biopsies. Fifty microlitres containing 5 micrograms GnRH were infused subcutaneously for 1 min every 120 min in the short-term study and every 90 min in the long-term study. Although FSH levels could be lowered in both groups of patients, none showed any improvement in sperm count or other seminal parameters.

The antimycotic drug terbinafine in contrast to ketoconazole lacks acute effects on the pituitary-testicular function of healthy men: a placebo-controlled double-blind trial.

Among the side-effects of the antimycotic drug ketoconazole, inhibition of testosterone biosynthesis is highly pronounced. The decrease in testosterone may cause impotence and gynecomastia, and this side-effect has been exploited in drug tests for the treatment of androgen-dependent tumours. Terbinafine, an allylamine derivate, from a new group of antifungal substances, did not show similar inhibiting effects on steroid synthesis in vitro and in vivo in animal experiments.

Indomethacin and oxaprozin lower seminal prostaglandin levels but do not influence sperm motion characteristics and serum hormones of young healthy men in a placebo-controlled double-blind trial.

To evaluate the influence of indomethacin and oxaprozin on reproductive function in healthy young men, 34 volunteers with normal semen parameters were recruited. In a randomized double-blind design, 12 men were treated with placebo, 12 received 600 mg/day of oxaprozin and 10 took indomethacin 25 mg t.i.

Investigation of the cause of low sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients by multiple quantitative tests.

Multiple tests were done on the ejaculates of 10 asthenozoospermic patients and nine healthy normozoospermic volunteers in an attempt to identify individually the cause of low sperm motility in these patients. Possible defects in the sperm plasma membrane and the motility apparatus of sperm, and in epididymal function affecting the development of motility, were investigated. The presence of seminal sperm antibodies or any motility-inhibiting factors in the seminal plasma that could be removed by washing were also tested.

Comparison of computerized semen analysis with the conventional procedure in 322 patients.

To compare the results of computerized image analysis for semen evaluation with classical semen analysis, semen samples from 322 consecutive patients attending our infertility clinic were studied. In men with sperm concentrations less than 20 X 10(6)/ml, major discrepancies existed between both methods for sperm concentration. In many instances, debris could not be distinguished from normal sperm by the computerized system.

Intra-individual variation of sperm velocity, linearity, lateral head displacement and beat frequency in healthy volunteers.

In an effort to evaluate the intra-individual fluctuations of sperm motion parameters 12 healthy young men with normal semen parameters were recruited. Weekly semen analysis was performed for 13 weeks. Conventional semen parameters such as sperm concentration, percentage of motile and normally formed sperm were determined according to WHO guidelines, while sperm velocity, linearity, lateral head displacement and beat frequency were evaluated by computerized image analysis.

[Does sperm penetration in bovine mucus provide additional information to the "classical" spermiogram and motility characteristics?].

In vitro bovine cervical mucus penetration tests (Penetrak) were performed in 30 patients from our fertility clinic and in 33 healthy volunteers with normal semen characteristics. After 90 minutes maximum penetration by sperm (mm) was measured using a capillary filled with bovine midcycle cervical mucus. At the same time classical (sperm motility [%], concentration [mill/ml] and morphology [% oval heads] ) and computerized semen analyses (Cell Soft) were performed (mean velocity [micron/s], lateral head displacement [micron], beat frequency [Hz] and mean linearity).

Treatment of severe oligospermia with human chorionic gonadotropin/human menopausal gonadotropin: a placebo-controlled, double blind trial.

In an effort to evaluate the effect of hCG/human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) treatment on semen parameters in normogonadotropic men suffering from oligospermia, a double blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted. After 2 basal examinations of seminal parameters and reproductive hormones, 39 men were recruited for the trial. Nineteen men, allocated randomly to the active drug group, received im injections of 2500 IU hCG twice a week in combination with 150 IU hMG three times a week for 13 weeks, while 20 men were treated, following the same injection schedule, with NaCl only.

[Contraception with steroids in the male. Clinical possibilities].

Spermatogenesis is predominantly regulated by pituitary gonadotropins. LH influences gamete production via stimulation of Leydig cells, resulting in high intratesticular testosterone concentrations, while FSH exerts its effects on Sertoli cells. Theoretically azoospermia can be achieved by suppression of gonadotropins, whereby, however, a severe decrease in androgen production would also occur.

Computerized semen analysis: objective measurement of semen characteristics is biased by subjective parameter setting.

To test the influence of parameter settings on results of automated semen analysis, microscopic images of 43 semen samples were videotaped. Tapes were analyzed by the CellSoft system (CRYO Resources Ltd., New York, NY) at 12 different parameter combinations for gray scale, number of frames analyzed, and minimum number of frames analyzed for velocity measurements.

Testicular function in eight patients with seminoma after unilateral orchidectomy and radiotherapy.

Testicular function was monitored in eight patients with low stage seminoma who were treated with radiotherapy following unilateral orchidectomy. The absorbed gonadal radiation dose ranged from 15 to 157.5 rad.