A simple method for recovering the motile spermatozoa from extremely low quality sperm samples.

Recovery of motile spermatozoa from extremely low quality samples for use in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure is difficult. To solve this problem we developed a simple method to recover the motile spermatozoa using a 3% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) droplet. After depositing a sperm pellet into this slightly viscous droplet, motile spermatozoa readily swam out to the clear area while immotile spermatozoa dispersed to a lesser extent, so that motile and immotile cells became clearly separated from each other.

[A case report of typical scleroderma accompanied with serum abnormalities characteristic of SLE during the course].

A 40-year-old woman had complained of cyanosis induced by cold exposure from the age of 26. When she was 32 years old, Raynaud's phenomenon occurred. She developed diffuse cutaneous sclerosis affecting the upper limbs, face and trunk, digital pitting scar, flexion contractures of hands, dilatation of lower esophagus and pulmonary fibrosis, and she was diagnosed as scleroderma.

[Decreased incidence of peripheral nuclear staining pattern by indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique using HEp-2 cells].

The immunofluorescence technique using HEp-2 cells is widely used for the detection of antinuclear antibodies in sera of patients with connective tissue diseases. Among different patterns of nuclear staining the incidence of peripheral pattern which is mainly produced by anti double-stranded DNA antibodies has been markedly decreased after using HEp-2 cells as nuclear substrates. Thirty-five sera in interphase cells and 44 sera in metaphase cells showed peripheral pattern at 1:1 serum dilution from 70 patients with various connective tissue diseases including 46 systemic lupus erythematosus.

[What are IgG antibodies to single-stranded DNA measured by enzyme immunoassay--re-evaluation of their clinical significance].

Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect IgG antibodies to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA EIA) and EIA to detect anti double-stranded DNA antibodies (dsDNA EIA) have been developed and widely used in Japan. However, antigenecity of ssDNA and independence of anti ssDNA antibodies, and their clinical significance are still obscure. IgG anti dsDNA and ssDNA antibodies were simultaneously measured by dsDNA EIA and ssDNA EIA in sera of two hundred and eighty five patients from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) including other connective tissue diseases.

[Cutaneous manifestations of primary Sjögren's syndrome].

Cutaneous manifestations including purpura, annular erythema and pernio-like erythema are one of the extraglandular findings of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Histopathologically, inflammatory vascular lesions are frequently detected. Two types of annular erythema, edematous and atrophic types, can be seen.

[Autoantibodies in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and their clinical significance].

A variety of antinuclear antibodies were examined in 136 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, 131 patients with secondary Sjögren's syndrome and 139 patients with various connective tissue diseases without Sjögren's syndrome. Among these, anti SS-A/Ro antibodies were found most frequently in secondary Sjögren's syndrome, whereas the incidence of anti SS-B/La antibodies, associated with anti SS-A/Ro antibodies, was highest in primary Sjögren's syndrome. In addition, anti RNP or anti centromere antibodies were also found in some patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

[Classification criteria for Sjögren's syndrome--sensitivity and specificity of criteria of the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare (1977) and criteria of European community (1993)].

In patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome sensitivity of Japanese criteria was 82.0% and specificity was 82.7%: sensitivity of European criteria was 73.

[Systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in a patient with congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma].

A 23-year-old woman, who had nonbullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma since her childhood, was diagnosed as nephrotic syndrome caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). She was pregnant but experienced fetal loss at the age of 25. Although 10 mg/day of oral prednisolone was administered, low levels of serum complement, proteinuria, thrombocytopenia (6.

[Ataxic sensory and autonomic neuropathies associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome: a case report].

A 49-year-old woman had xerostomia and foreign body sensation of eye since 27 years old. Since the age of 30 she developed occasional fever attack released by cooling body without medication. Three years later she began to complain difficulty to maintain standing position with closed eyes.

[Clinical evaluation of quantitative measurement of various antinuclear antibodies by enzyme immunoassay].

Quantitative analysis of several antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) has been developed and widely used. Among them, the EIA coating fragmented HEp-2 cells nuclei is a new approach for quantitating the amount of total ANAs. The EIA to detect IgG anti double-stranded DNA antibodies (dsDNA-EIA) is a highly sensitive method, but less sensitive compared with radioimmunoassay (Farr's assay) which detects anti dsDNA antibodies of total immunoglobulins.

[The fat soluble vitamins in obstetrics and gynecology].

The therapeutic use of vitamin D in the OB-GYN field is well known for osteoporosis in the climacteric stage, and vitamin K is for the protection of neonatal hemorrhage. The therapeutic use of vitamin E was reviewed, and it was concluded that there was a large number of diseases for example, sterility, toxemia of pregnancy, IUGR, neonatal jaundice, climacteric syndrome, in which a therapeutic value for vitamin E could be clearly establish, vitamin K prophylaxis is also under taken for the neonate. This can be done by giving a dose to the mother just before or in the early stages of labor.

[Reassessment of measurement of anti double-stranded DNA antibodies by Farr's assay using double-stranded DNA from E. coli and application of DNA binding Activities in high salt solution].

Farr's assay using double-stranded (ds) DNA from E. coli is a most sensitive and specific method for the detection of anti ds-DNA antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Because of the lack of sufficient DNA antigens, however, final antibody titers were hardly determined when the sera contained antibodies titered more than 100U/ml (or more than 60 per cent by DNA binding activities).

[Clinical application of anti double-stranded and single-stranded DNA antibodies measurements by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using E. coli plasmid DNA].

Anti double-stranded (ds) and single-stranded (ss) DNA IgG antibodies were detected in patients with various connective tissue diseases by RECOMBIGEN ELISA Anti ds-DNA Kit and ELISA Anti ss-DNA Kit (Nippon DPC Co) using E. coli plasmid DNA. High levels of anti ds-DNA and anti ss-DNA antibodies were mostly found and distributed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) and allied disorders.

[Detection of anti double-stranded DNA antibodies by RECOMBIGEN anti DNA kit].

Anti double-stranded DNA antibodies were detected in patients with various connective tissue diseases by using RECOMBIGEN Anti DNA kit (Japan DPC Co), newly developed utilizing highly purified double-stranded DNA obtained from E. coli plasmid by recombinant technique. High levels of anti double-stranded DNA antibodies were mostly found and distributed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and the allied disorders.