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Biomedical subjects

A Vitullo

Publications and source records attributed to A Vitullo.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Superovulation in vesper mouse Calomys musculinus (Rodentia-Sigmodontinae).

Optimal conditions for pharmacological induction of ovulation of vesper mouse, Calomys musculinus, were analyzed. The best superovulation (a mean of about 21 eggs per female, range 12-45) was induced by the administration of 12 IU of PMSG followed 48 hr later by injection of 15 IU of hCG. Ovulation started about 10 hr after administration of hCG and was completed during the next 4-5 hr. The induction of ovulation was achieved irrespective of the stage of the oestrus cycle at the moment of PMSG administration. The majority of females (105, 82.7%) responded to the treatment with either an ovulatory (53.4%) or superovulatory (49.7%) response. Oocyte recovery and egg quality were clearly influenced by the age of females, 30 days to more than 120 days old. The majority (90.3%) of superovulated eggs was morphologically normal, and only a small proportion of eggs showed morphological abnormalities (7.4%) or were spontaneously activated (2.3%). Superovulated oocytes under these conditions, were able to undergo normal fertilization in vitro. After 6 hr of sperm-egg interaction in vitro, 87.5% of the oocytes had extruded the second polar body and/or developed pronuclei.

Age Factors↗

Altered prostanoid production by cumulus-oocyte complexes in a rat model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Ovulation, oocyte maturation and PGE and PGF2 alpha production by oocyte-cumulus complexes were evaluated in rats with non-insulin-dependent diabetes induced by neonatal streptozotocin. Diabetic rats had normal estrous cycles, but ovulated a lower number of oocytes at estrus. When oocytes from control and diabetic rats obtained at proestrus were matured "in vitro" during 1, 2 or 4 hours (hr) of culture, differences were not found in the percent of germinal vesicle breakdown between both experimental groups. PGE and PGF2 alpha accumulation was higher in ovulated oocyte-cumulus complexes when compared to immature or "in vitro"-matured oocyte-cumulus complexes in both normal and diabetic rats. When control and diabetic rats are compared, more PGE and PGF2 alpha accumulation was observed in immature, "in vitro"-matured and in ovulated oocyte-cumulus complexes. A lower number of oocytes ovulated and increased oocyte-cumulus complexes prostaglandin production has been observed in this mildly diabetic experimental model. These abnormalities are similar to those previously found when 10 day embryos were evaluated in non-insulin-dependent diabetic rats.

Animals↗

Effects of moderate chronic alcoholism treatment on fertilization.

The effect of 10% m/v ethanol treatment during 4 weeks on mice reproductive function was studied. Fertilization rates significantly decreased when oocytes came from alcoholic females. Oocytes viability were decreased since fragmented ova were increased. Also decreased number of oocytes per oviduct was found. Spontaneous activation was increased in alcoholic females. Motility and hyperactivation were not been altered by treatment. These results show that the female gamete seem to be more sensible to moderate chronic alcoholism than the male gamete.

Alcoholism↗

Effect of nitric oxide on mouse sperm hyperactivation.

Nitric oxide (NO) has recently been found to function as an intra and extra cellular messenger by activating guanylate cyclase. Its role in sperm hyperactivation was examined by adding to the capacitating medium a classical donor of NO (Sodium nitroprusside, NP) in two different concentrations (150 microM and 300 microM). In both treatments, the percentage of motile cells was evaluated, showing a significant decrease on motility and viability at 90 and 120 minutes when sodium nitroprusside was used in a concentration of 300 microM; no modifications were observed with 150 microM. The effect obtained with 300 microM of sodium nitroprusside was avoided by hemoglobin (20 micrograms/ml), a scavenger of the NO. The percentage of hyperactivated spermatozoa in the presence of 300 microM sodium nitroprusside increased significantly more than the control during the first 30 and 60 minutes of capacitation; but with 150 microM sodium nitroprusside a significant increase was observed at 60 and 90 minutes of incubation. Thus, the data strongly suggests that nitric oxide plays an important role in sperm hyperactivation "in vitro".

Analysis of Variance↗

Prophylaxis against deep-vein thrombosis in total hip replacement. Comparison of heparin and foot impulse pump.

We performed a randomised controlled study to compare heparin with the A-V Impulse System in the prevention of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) in 132 consecutive patients undergoing total hip replacement. After the operation, all patients had compression stockings, 65 were treated with calcium heparin and 67 with the intermittent plantar pump. DVT was diagnosed by Doppler ultrasound and thermography, followed by phlebography. There were 23 cases of DVT (35.4%) in the heparin group, with 16 major and seven minor thromboses. In the impulse pump group there were nine cases (13.4%) with three major and six minor thromboses. The differences for all thromboses and for major thromboses were both significant at p < 0.005. In the heparin group there was one fatal pulmonary embolism and nine patients (13.8%) had excessive bleeding or wound haematomas, as against none in the impulse pump group.

Aged↗

The cementless PCA primary total hip system. Medium-term follow-up of 235 cases.

The Porous Coated total hip Arthroplasty (PCA), used by the authors since August 1984, represents a considerable advancement in the field of prosthetic replacement. Its original design and biological fixation give it long-lasting stability not only in young patients, but also patients with initial osteoporosis. Its use in cases of advanced osteoporosis, however, is more controversial. The 8-year results are quite satisfactory from both a clinical and radiographic standpoint, confirming, as other authors have reported, that the medium and long-term results of cementless total hip replacement tend to stabilize because there is a lack of late reactions, which are more common in cemented implants.

Adult↗

The responsiveness of bone metastases to radiotherapy: the effect of site, histology and radiation dose on pain relief.

281 patients with a total of 463 symptomatic osseous metastases treated for palliation between 1975 and 1985 have been retrospectively analysed. The most frequent primary sites were breast (50.1%) prostate (16.6%) and lung (11%), accounting for more than three fourths of all metastatic areas. Other primaries were represented by bladder, kidney, colorectal, uterus (corpus and cervix) melanoma and thyroid tumors, and by cancer from unknown origin. Palliation was evaluated only on a subjective pain score. Complete response meant complete pain relief, and partial response meant more than 50% and less than complete pain relief in all treated sites. Complete response rates were similar independently from the primary site, except for the adenocarcinomas of the kidney and for non-small cell carcinomas of the lung in which the response tended to be lower. A correlation was also found between the incidence of pain relief and the site of bone metastases, in that a lower response was shown in limb localizations. Also, the number of metastatic sites did not influence the complete response rate. As expected, the response rate in all cases seemed to be dependent on total absorbed dose while, surprisingly, it could not be shown to be affected by the fraction size. A similar trend was shown for the pain recurrence.

Adult↗