CASA derived human sperm abnormalities: correlation with chromatin packing and DNA fragmentation.

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of morphokinetic abnormalities of human spermatozoa on chromatin packing and DNA integrity and possible beneficial effects of sperm selection in ICSI.

Methods: Semen samples from 1002 patients were analysed for morphology and motility using CASA. Protamine status and DNA fragmentation were analysed by chromomycin A3 staining and sperm chromatin dispersion assay respectively.

Electrocardiographic measurements of regional atrial fibrillation cycle length.

Background: Differences in atrial fibrillation (AF) cycle length (CL) between the left (LA) and right (RA) atrium and coronary sinus (CS) may help separate paroxysmal from persistent AF and identify patients most likely to respond to pulmonary vein isolation, but has not been measured noninvasively.

Methods And Results: We developed methods to estimate regional intraatrial AF CL from the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) in 20 patients with persistent AF and 10 patients with paroxysmal AF prior to ablation. Intraatrial AF CL was measured near the LA appendage, mid-CS, and lateral RA.