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D S Irvine

Publications and source records attributed to D S Irvine.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Predicting the fertilizing potential of human sperm suspensions in vitro: importance of sperm morphology and leukocyte contamination.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationships between sperm function tests and fertilization of human oocytes in vitro. DESIGN: Analysis of infertile patients undergoing IVF therapy. SETTING: Diagnostic Andrology Laboratory and Assisted Conception Service. PATIENTS: Forty-one couples who underwent IVF-ET therapy were studied. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The ability of human spermatozoa to achieve fertilization in vitro was examined in relation to numerous criteria of semen quality, including the conventional semen profile, the computer-aided assessment of sperm movement, ionophore-induced acrosome reaction, acridine orange staining, sperm morphology, and chemiluminescent signals induced by phorbol ester and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between fertilization rates and several attributes of the sperm preparations, including elements of sperm function (acrosome reaction), movement (percentage motile, hyperactivation, the amplitude of lateral sperm head displacement), morphology (normal morphology, midpiece defects, multiple anomalies index), nuclear normality (acridine orange staining), and reactive oxygen species generation (chemiluminescence induced by phorbol ester and FMLP). In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, an accurate prediction of fertilization rates was obtained using a multiple regression equation incorporating six variables of which sperm morphology and FMLP-induced chemiluminescence were the most informative. CONCLUSIONS: A set of criteria have been identified that accurately predict the fertilizing potential of human sperm suspensions in vitro and that place particular emphasis on sperm morphology and the degree of leukocyte contamination.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed1995

The predictive value of computer-assisted semen analysis in the context of a donor insemination programme.

In this paper we examine the value of both conventional and computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) using the Hamilton-Thorn HTM-S 2030 in predicting the in-vivo fertility of cryopreserved donor semen. Semen samples were examined prospectively and data on the conventional criteria of semen quality, sperm morphometry and movement were collected. Of 61 ejaculates identified, 33 achieved pregnancies ('successful') and 28 failed to do so ('unsuccessful'), despite insemination into at least four different normal female recipients. When the post-thaw semen profiles were compared, no differences were observed between the two groups in respect of the conventional criteria of semen quality determined by conventional laboratory techniques; however, there were differences in respect of both morphometry and movement characteristics determined by the HTM-S. When multiple logistic regression was used to examine the ability of the variables measured to predict the achievement of pregnancy, the conventional criteria of semen quality were of no value (chi 2 = 6.67, P = 0.353). However, the CASA assessment successfully predicted outcome in 86.9% of cases (chi 2 = 44.3, P = 0.0021). It was concluded that CASA assessment is of significant value in predicting the ability of an ejaculate to achieve pregnancy.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1994

A prospective clinical study of the relationship between the computer-assisted assessment of human semen quality and the achievement of pregnancy in vivo.

The objective of this study was to examine the clinical predictive value for the achievement of pregnancy in vivo of the assessment of human semen quality by computer-assisted semen analysis using the Hamilton-Thorn Motility Analyser (HTM-S), alongside classic World Health Organization (WHO) techniques. A prospective follow-up study of 303 couples attending a regional infertility clinic providing tertiary level services to the population of a single geographical region was undertaken. Couples attending the infertility clinic, in whom the female partner was normal on conventional investigations (history, examination, evidence of ovulation, laparoscopy), were studied. After initial assessment, couples were followed for a median of 15 months and treatment-independent pregnancies observed and related to the results of semen assessment. During the period of follow-up, the treatment-independent pregnancy rate was 52%. Several measures of semen quality, determined both manually and by the HTM-S, were found to be predictive of the achievement of pregnancy and were related to the time taken to conceive. Couples who conceived had higher sperm concentrations and motilities, determined both manually and by the HTM-S, as well as differences in sperm head morphometry and sperm velocity determined by the HTM-S. Using multiple logistic regression, the prognostic accuracy of the HTM-S alone was similar to manual techniques, although data from the computer assisted sperm analysis system were preferred. Using proportional hazards regression, several variables were related to the achievement of pregnancy, particularly morphometry and motility. It was concluded that a strong case can be made for the introduction of automated assessment of human semen in routine service andrology laboratories.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1994

Assessment of the conventional criteria of semen quality by computer-assisted image analysis: evaluation of the Hamilton-Thorn motility analyser in the context of a service andrology laboratory.

A comparative assessment of the conventional criteria of semen quality (sperm concentration, motility and morphology) was undertaken by standard laboratory techniques and by means of a computer-assisted image analysis system (the Hamilton-Thorn HTM-S 2030) in an open prospective study, in the context of a service andrology laboratory. A total of 1435 semen samples submitted by couples in the course of routine infertility investigations were examined by both methods, and the results compared. It was observed that the method did not provide comparable data on semen quality, either in respect of sperm concentration or graded motility, while the morphometric data generated by the HTM-S did not appear to be related to conventional morphology assessment. The clinical value of such systems in the assessment of the classical determinants of semen quality requires formal assessment in properly conducted large scale prospective studies.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1994

Seminal fluid analysis and sperm function testing.

The diagnosis of male infertility is a rapidly developing field of investigation. The traditional descriptive approach to semen analysis is still at the heart of the diagnostic workup of male patients and important advances have been made in the standardization of the procedures used to construct the conventional semen profile, as embodied in the WHO handbook. Significant improvements have also been made in the techniques used to assess the quality of sperm motility. While this was once an entirely subjective exercise, the introduction of CASA systems to take objective measurements of the trajectories of human spermatozoa has revolutionized this form of analysis. The speed and accuracy of such systems has permitted detailed analyses of the relationships between sperm movement and sperm function, which has greatly enhanced the diagnostic power of this form of descriptive analysis. Notwithstanding the importance of the descriptive approach to semen analysis, it has also been recognized that to achieve an accurate diagnosis of male infertility such criteria should be supplemented with assays designed to reveal the functional competence of the spermatozoa. Bioassays have therefore been developed to measure such functions as the penetration of cervical mucus, sperm-zona interaction, the acrosome reaction, and sperm-oocyte fusion. All of these assays have been shown to generate information predictive of the fertilizing potential of human spermatozoa in vivo and in vitro. Despite their diagnostic value, the time, expense, and expertise required to run such functional assays has meant that they have not been widely used by infertility specialists. These functional assays are of value, however, in fundamental studies designed to elucidate the biochemical basis of defective sperm function. The first fruits of this research effort are now beginning to appear in the identification of a number of cytoplasmic markers for defective sperm function and the realization that lipid peroxidation plays a key role in the etiology of male infertility. In the wake of these fundamental studies will flow a new generation of biochemical tests for the diagnosis of defective sperm function and, it is hoped, the development of rational therapies with which to treat this condition.

Female↗
PubMed1993

The effect of three anti-oestrogen drugs on cervical mucus quality and in-vitro sperm-cervical mucus interaction in ovulatory women.

The anti-oestrogens, clomiphene citrate, tamoxifen and cyclofenil are commonly used in the treatment of female infertility. Their role in the management of anovulation is well established but there is continuing controversy about their relevance to other areas of management. We have studied the effects of each of these drugs on cervical mucus and sperm-cervical mucus interaction among 23 patients with unexplained infertility. Each patient received all three drugs in an alternative month treatment regime and in addition acted as her own control. The starting point in each patient was randomized. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and oestradiol were measured daily from day 10, and follicle scanning was also undertaken. Cervical mucus quality and sperm-cervical mucus interaction were studied on the day of onset of the LH surge. The use of clomiphene and tamoxifen resulted in a significant reduction in cervical mucus score and sperm-cervical mucus interaction as judged by the distance travelled by the vanguard spermatozoa. Cyclofenil had no effect on these parameters.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Prospective analysis of sperm-oocyte fusion and reactive oxygen species generation as criteria for the diagnosis of infertility.

We have undertaken a prospective analysis of the diagnostic significance of three different criteria of human sperm function including the conventional semen profile, measurements of hamster-oocyte fusion, and determinations of reactive oxygen species generation in 139 couples. The latter, who were characterized by a lack of detectable abnormalities in the female partner, were followed up for a maximum of 4 years to determine the incidence of spontaneous pregnancy in the absence of therapeutic intervention. Assessments of monthly fecundity with life table analysis techniques revealed a highly significant, positive relationship between fertility and hamster-oocyte fusion rates that were measured in the presence of the ionophore, A23187. Conversely, reactive oxygen species generation was shown to be negatively associated with both the outcome of the sperm-oocyte fusion assay and fertility in vivo. The clinical significance of these diagnostic techniques was emphasized by the fact that within the same data set, the conventional semen profile was of no significant diagnostic value.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

A comparison of the effects on follicular development between clomiphene citrate, its two separate isomers and spontaneous cycles.

An investigation of the effects on follicular development of clomiphene citrate and its two isomers En clomiphene and Zu clomiphene given separately was carried out on 19 normally cycling women being treated with donor insemination. All women received clomiphene citrate in the first cycle and, following a washout control cycle, were treated with either En clomiphene or Zu clomiphene alone. The number of follicles present, follicular phase oestrogen secretion and luteal phase pregnanediol excretion were not significantly different when Zu clomiphene cycles were compared with control cycles, but were significantly increased in En clomiphene and clomiphene citrate cycles. It is concluded that the En isomer, which has largely antioestrogenic properties, is the isomer active in inducing follicular development. The oestrogenic properties of Zu isomer did not appear to protect it from the possibly detrimental effects on sperm-cervical mucus interaction observed in both isomers and in the combined preparation.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Predictive value of in-vitro sperm function tests in the context of an AID service.

Our inability to predict the fertilizing potential of an ejaculate in vivo is central to the dilemmas which confront clinical andrologists. In this paper, we examine the ability of laboratory tests of sperm function to predict the fertilizing ability of an ejaculate in vivo, in the context of a retrospective analysis of cryostored semen used in an AID programme. Samples were subjected to a conventional semen analysis, measurement of ATP levels, zona-free hamster oocyte penetration testing and examination of sperm movement characteristics by time-exposure photography. Using a multivariate discriminant analysis, we were able to distinguish successful from unsuccessful ejaculates with an overall accuracy of 81.25% (P = 0.0191) based upon data derived from the conventional semen profile, hamster oocyte penetration and the assessment of sperm movement.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1985

The value of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) measurements in assessing the fertilizing ability of human spermatozoa.

A study was undertaken to examine the relationship between adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels and the fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa in vitro and in vivo. The concentration of ATP in semen was found to be positively correlated with the ability of sperm to fuse with zona-free hamster oocytes. However, it was also demonstrated that a large part of this relationship depends upon the relationship between semen ATP concentrations and sperm number. Measurements of ATP levels in cryostored ejaculates used in an artificial insemination by donor program revealed that such measurements were not able to distinguish fertile from infertile ejaculates. However, among fertile donors, ATP levels did seem to contribute useful information on relative fertility. It is concluded that ATP measurement has a limited role in the laboratory evaluation of sperm function.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1979

A simple and sensitive nonradioactive method for the detection of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin and diagnosis of early human pregnancy. II. Single-unit test.

A simple, sensitive, and reliable single-unit nonradioactive method for the detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in concentrated urine and the diagnosis of early pregnancy is reported. This unit, presently termed the Ayerst pregnancy test kit (APTK), consists of four components: a sampler-filter paper cone, an ultrafilter-concentrator to which a vial holder is attached, a support stand with a mirror, and an immunologic reagent vial. In the APTK, 5 to 6 ml of urine were sampled, filtered, and concentrated, and the hCG in the retentate was detected by Ayerst immunologic reagents [APTK(AY)] and by the Pregnosticon "All In" [APTK(P)]. Some of the unconcentrated urine samples (0.1 ml) were also tested in hemagglutination inhibition tests (HIT) using Ayerst [HIG(AY)] and Pregnosticon "All In" [HIT(P)] reagents. Urine samples from pregnant, nonpregnant (ovulating and nonovulating), perimenopausal, and menopausal women were tested. It was found that the APTK(AY) and APTK(P) were significantly more sensitive and reliable than the HIT(AY) and HIT(P) in detecting low levels of urinary hCG for early diagnosis of pregnancy. The sensitivity and specificity of the APTK(AY) were better than those of the APTK(P). The APTK(AY) give significantly more correct positive and negative results than the other tests performed simultaneously. The APTK(AY) is simpler and safer than the serum radioimmunoassays and radioreceptor assay presently used to detect low levels of hCG for the early diagnosis of pregnancy and other hCG-producing states.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMed1979

Oestrogens and androgens in blastocoelic fluid and cultures of cells from equine conceptuses of 10-22 days gestation.

Six samples of blastocoele fluid recovered between 10 and 22 days gestation were tested in human clinical radioimmunoassay systems measuring total oestrogens and total androgens. The results were erratic but in 5 cases measurements for oestrogen equivalent to between 1000 and 70,000 pg/ml and for androgen between 1000 and 85,000 pg/ml were recorded. Cells from two blastocysts were cultured in medium 199 with and without horse serum. When the used media were assayed, values equivalent to at least 8000 pg oestrogen/ml were obtained on 7 of 11 occasions. In 9 of 11 samples the androgen concentration exceeded 700 pg/ml. In control media the oestrogen and androgen concentrations did not exceed 120 and 360 pg/ml respectively.

Androgens↗
PubMed1975

Duration of oestrus and time of ovulation in mares treated with synthetic Gn-RH (AY-24,031).

Synthetic Gn-RH, administered during oestrus, stimulates the release of pituitary LH in the cyclic mare. Duration of oestrus was significantly reduced by 1 mg Gn-RH given on Day 2 of oestrus; the time of ovulation, measured in days from the onset of oestrus, also tended to be reduced. An injection of 2 mg Gn-RH had nor further effect, but daily injections from Day 2 until ovulation significantly shortened the duration of oestrus and the time to ovulation. The profiles of LH were found to be variable from mare to mare, but in all mares, treated and control, elevation of LH was detected close to the time of ovulation.

Animals↗