Clinical implications of fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in 13 chronic myeloid leukemia cases: Ph-negative and variant Ph-positive.

Thirteen chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, 10 with variant Philadelphia (Ph) translocations and 3 Ph negative cases, were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with the use of BCR and ABL cosmid probes and a chromosome 22 painting probe. In the variant Ph translocations, the BCR-ABL fusion gene was located on the Ph chromosome; in 1 CML Ph-negative patient, the BCR-ABL fusion gene was located on the Ph chromosome; and, in 2 patients, it was located on chromosome 9. The chromosome 22 painting probe was detected on the third-party chromosome of the variant translocation, and in none of the variant translocations was there any detectable signal on chromosome 9.

Cut-off points defining normal and asthmatic bronchial reactivity to exercise and inhalation challenges in children and young adults.

An analysis was undertaken to determine the optimal cut-off separating an asthmatic from a normal response to a bronchial provocation challenge by exercise and the inhalation of methacholine or histamine in children and young adults. Data were extracted, after appropriate correction, from published studies available in Medline of large random populations that complied with preset criteria of suitability for analysis, and the distribution of bronchial reactivity in the healthy population for exercise and inhalation challenges were derived. Studies on the response to exercise and methacholine inhalation in 232 young asthmatics of varying severity were carried out by the authors and the distribution of bronchial reactivity of a young asthmatic population obtained.

Nitroxide stable radical suppresses autoimmune uveitis in rats.

Free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). Nitroxides are stable radicals with a superoxide-dismutase-mimicking activity, which exert an anti-inflammatory effect in various animal models of oxidative damage and inflammation, such as experimental colitis and head trauma. We examined the use of the SOD mimic nitroxide 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine-1-N-oxyl (TPL) to suppress EAU.

Comparison of peritoneal fluid culture results from adults and children undergoing CAPD.

Background: Peritonitis is a common complication in patients with end-stage renal disease treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Empirical treatment is based on the organisms that are most frequently isolated and their susceptibilities.

Objective: To analyze and then compare peritoneal fluid culture results from adult and pediatric patients on CAPD, with respect to micro-organisms and antimicrobial susceptibilities.

Salvage chemotherapy using a combination of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide for refractory or relapsing indolent and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

The prognosis of patients with refractory or relapsing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) after primary therapy is poor and multi-drug salvage treatments are associated with less than 60% response rates, usually of short duration. Here we report the results of a phase II study using a fludarabine-cyclophosphamide (FAMP-Cy) combination as a salvage failure regimen in refractory and relapsing low-grade (6) and intermediate-grade (9) NHL patients. Fifteen patients, who had received up to 4 regimens prior to therapy with FAMP-Cy were treated with fludarabine (25 mg/m2) and cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m2) for 3 consecutive days followed by G-CSF (5 microg/kg).

Assisted reproduction for the treatment of azoospermia.

Azoospermia, the most severe form of male infertility, is caused by obstructions in the genital tract or by testicular failure. Microsurgical techniques are available for the correction of some of these obstructions but no effective treatment is available for testicular failure. In recent years, methods have been developed for direct surgical sperm sampling from either the epididymis or the testis to be used by intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection allows fertilization and development of a chromosomally balanced embryo from a binovular zona pellucida.

A binovular zona pellucida was found in two in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment cycles. In both cases, two oocytes of slightly unequal size were enclosed within a single zona pellucida, the larger oocyte appearing as a metaphase II oocyte while the smaller one as an immature oocyte with a germinal vesicle. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection performed in the mature oocyte of each pair led to normal fertilization and embryonic development in both cases.

Autonomous linguistic systems in the language of young children.

This paper considers cross-linguistic findings concerning the early development of formal, arbitrary, grammatical systems in normal hearing and deaf children and in children with congenital brain abnormalities. The paper reviews evidence showing an early acquisition of grammatical forms. Such learning is typically dissociated from the development of the relevant semantics.

The effect of coenzyme Q10 on sperm motility and function.

In sperm cells, the majority of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) an energy promoting agent and antioxidant, is concentrated in the mitochondria of the midpiece, so that the energy for movement and all other energy-dependent processes in the sperm cell also depend on the availability of CoQ10. The reduced form of CoQ10-ubiquinol also acts as an antioxidant, preventing lipid peroxidation in sperm membranes. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of CoQ10 on sperm motility in vitro, after incubation with 38 samples of asthenospermic and normal motility sperm, and to evaluate the effect of CoQ10 administration in vivo in 17 patients with low fertilization rates after in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for male factor infertility.

The role of uterine straightening by passive bladder distension before embryo transfer in IVF cycles.

Purpose: The present study investigated the effect of bladder distension on in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) results.

Methods: The study comprised 796 patients after successful transvaginal oocyte pickup and IVF, who, on the basis of bladder filling for ET, were divided into two groups. In group E, 385 patients underwent ET with an empty bladder, and in group F, 411 patients underwent ET with a full bladder.

Ruptured tubo-ovarian abscess complicating transcervical cryopreserved embryo transfer.

Objective: To present a rare infectious complication related to transcervical ET, without prior transvaginal puncture.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Hadassah University Hospital, IVF-ET unit.

Delivery following intracytoplasmic injection of mature sperm cells recovered by testicular fine needle aspiration in a case of hypergonadotropic azoospermia due to maturation arrest.

This is the first reported delivery following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of mature live testicular sperm cells collected in a case of hypergonadotrophic azoospermia with maturation arrest. The 30 year old couple presented with primary infertility of 11 years duration, the man being submitted in childhood to five orchidopexy operations for the treatment of cryptorchism. He had elevated serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH; 18.

Embryo growth rate in vitro as an indicator of embryo quality in IVF cycles.

Purpose: The role of embryo growth rate in vitro as an isolated indicator of embryo quality in IVF was evaluated retrospectively.

Methods: Comparison was made between 98 cycles (group 1), in which only embryos at a cleavage stage of two to three blastomers were transferred, and 99 cycles (group 2), in which all embryos were transferred at a cleavage stage of four or more blastomers. Embryos were transferred at a fixed interval of 42 to 44 h following oocyte insemination.

A chronic hypercoagulable state and life-long platelet activation in beta thalassemia major.

Increased frequency of thromboembolic events has been recently observed in patients with thalassemia major (TM), causing hypoxemia and cor pulmonale. Autopsy findings demonstrated "old" and recent pulmonary and renal infarcts as well as premature atherosclerosis. Studies to determine hypercoagulability showed: impaired platelet aggregation, increased circulating platelet aggregates, shortened platelet survival, enhanced excretion of urinary metabolites of thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and prostacyclin and decreased plasma levels of Protein C, Protein S or anti-thrombin III.

Ectopic discharge in injured nerves: comparison of trigeminal and somatic afferents.

Using the teased fiber recording method, we have compared pathophysiological properties of afferent axons injured in the infraorbital nerve (ION) vs the sciatic nerve in rats. Both myelinated and unmyelinated axons ending in ION neuromas produced much less ongoing discharge than those ending in sciatic nerve neuromas. Similarly, mechanosensitivity and acute injury discharge in ION neuromas were minimal.

Effect of smoking on concentration, motility and zona-free hamster test on human sperm.

The effect of smoking on sperm concentration, motility, and zona-free hamster egg sperm penetration assay (SPA) was evaluated in 293 smokers of more than 10 cigarettes/day and 382 nonsmokers. Prerequisites for inclusion in the study were sperm concentration of greater than 10 x 10(6)/ml, sperm motility of greater than 30%, and normal morphology of greater than 60%. Although a lower sperm concentration was found in smokers, no significant difference was observed in sperm motility and SPA.

Second-trimester heterotopic pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer--a case report and review of the literature.

Seven cases of heterotopic pregnancies following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) have been seen. In these cases, concomitant intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancies were described in the first trimester. We present the first case of second-trimester heterotopic pregnancy after IVF with successful surgical treatment of the ectopic pregnancy and subsequent full-term birth of the intrauterine pregnancy.

Inhibition of plasmin by fibrinogen.

The kinetics of inhibition of the amidolytic activity of plasmin on D-Val-L-Leu-L-Lys p-nitroanilide hydrochloride (S-2251) by fibrinogen and fibrin were determined. Reciprocal (1/v versus 1/[S]) plots of plasmin inhibition by 0.50 microM-fibrinogen showed a non-linear downward curve.

Ultrarapid freezing and thawing of hamster oocytes. Morphologic parameters, trypan blue staining and sperm penetration assay for evaluating survival.

Nine hundred sixteen hamster oocytes were cryopreserved with the ultrarapid freezing method using five different cryoprotective solutions: 3 mol/L dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) plus 0.25 mol/L sucrose, 3 mol/L DMSO, 3 mol/L propanediol plus 0.25 mol/L sucrose, 3 mol/L propanediol and 10% glycerol.

Double transfer of embryos in in vitro fertilization, or is there a delayed receptivity of the endometrium?

Sixty-seven in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients who underwent ultrasonically guided oocyte pickup (OPU) after induction of superovulation with human menopausal gonadotropins were submitted to two different protocols of embryo transfer. In the first group of 33 patients, four to five embryos were transferred to the uterus 48 hr after OPU. In the second group of 34 patients two to three embryos were transferred at 48 hr after OPU and two other embryos were transferred after freezing and thawing 48 hr later (96 hr after OPU).

Effects of penicillins and 6-aminohexanoic acid on the kinetics of human plasmin.

Human plasmin activity is inhibited by various penicillins in a dose-dependent manner. Ampicillin and cloxacillin produce a 50% inhibition of the globinolytic activity of plasmin at 4.5 and 5.

In vitro inhibition of urokinase by penicillins.

Urokinase activity was assayed by a two-stage globinolytic method and by a direct chromogenic assay. With both methods, the enzyme activity was found to be inhibited by penicillins. The inhibition by penicillin G, carbenicillin, cloxacillin and penicilloic acid was dose-dependent.