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Biomedical subjects

H Fisch

Publications and source records attributed to H Fisch.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Incidence of external spermatic veins in patients undergoing inguinal varicocelectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of external spermatic veins at inguinal varicocelectomy. METHODS: A prospective study was performed by making intraoperative observations on 78 varicocelectomies (47 patients) performed by a single surgeon. All patients were referred for evaluation of male infertility and had a palpable varicocele present when examined while performing a Valsalva maneuver in the upright position. Varicocelectomies were performed via the inguinal approach using x 2.5 loupe magnification. Presence of external spermatic veins was defined as visualization (with x 2.5 loupe magnification) of veins on the floor of the inguinal canal traveling posterolateral to the spermatic cord that then subsequently exited the spermatic cord before passing through the internal inguinal ring. Age, anesthetic technique, and need for incision of the external inguinal ring were also recorded for each patient. RESULTS: One third of patients had undergone left-sided varicocelectomies, while two thirds had undergone bilateral procedures. External spermatic veins were identified in 15% of left-sided varicoceles and 19% of right-sided ones. Of 31 patients undergoing bilateral varicocelectomies, 19% had at least 1 external spermatic vein. Of these patients, only 2 (7%) had a unilateral right external spermatic vein, none had a unilateral left external spermatic vein, and 4 (13%) had bilateral external spermatic veins. Overall, of all patients studied, 16% had at least 1 external spermatic vein. Follow-up at 1 year showed no evidence of clinical recurrence in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: These results emphasize the importance of distal gonadal venous anatomy in the surgeon's choice of the proper approach to varicocele repair, since external spermatic veins are only accessible via an inguinal approach.

Collateral Circulation↗
PubMed1994

Infection and pyospermia in male infertility. Is it really a problem?

Controversy exists concerning the exact role of genitourinary tract infections in male infertility. This ambiguity is due to the currently conflicting literature coupled with present limitations in obtaining and evaluating the significance of diagnostic tests such as semen cultures and leukocyte counts. In the evaluation of the infertile man for a possible infectious cause, a complete history, physical examination, and urinalysis identify most infectious disorders. In the majority of infertile men who are asymptomatic, evaluation for a subclinical genital tract infection focuses on the accurate determination of seminal leukocytes. The determination of pyospermia may identify those men with a subclinical genital tract infection who require further investigation. Prospective studies using clearly defined criteria, new diagnostic tools, and effective control groups are needed to evaluate better the impact of infection and pyospermia on male infertility.

Genital Diseases, Male↗
PubMed1993

Infection and pyospermia in male infertility.

Infections of the male genitourinary tract may contribute to infertility by adversely affecting sperm function, causing anatomical obstruction or initiating a leukocyte response. The majority of infertile males are asymptomatic, and the significance and the criteria for the diagnosis of a genital tract infection are controversial. The evaluation for a genital tract infection focuses on urine and semen cultures as well as on the accurate quantitation of seminal leukocytes. An elevated seminal leukocyte count, pyospermia, can be associated with male infertility and may reflect an infectious or inflammatory disorder. In addition, the role of specific genital tract infections such as chlamydiosis, gonorrhea, ureaplasma and trichomoniasis and their possible association with male infertility is addressed.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Diagnosing male factors of infertility.

The male factor is responsible for failure to conceive in approximately 50% of infertile couples. We considered the most appropriate plan for the evaluation of the male in this review. A comprehensive evaluation includes determination of the couple's history of infertility, their sexual habits, the husband's developmental, medical, and surgical histories, family history, exposure to gonadotoxins, and a thorough review of systems. Laboratory tests include endocrine evaluation, semen analysis, quantitation of leukocytes in semen, and antisperm antibodies. Tests of sperm function can include evaluation of cervical mucus interaction, ova penetration, and the hemizona assay. Additional tests may include transrectal ultrasonography, venography, and testis biopsy.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

Simplified gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test.

Provocative gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation testing indirectly assesses testicular function with more sensitivity than determination of basal gonadotropin levels alone. Unfortunately, the drawbacks of multiple blood sampling and high cost have limited the clinical usefulness of this test. We herein present a simplified, two-point, thirty-minute GnRH stimulation test. Statistical analysis of data from 55 men with normal baseline gonadotropin levels, reveal that this simplified test is just as accurate as the traditional test (p less than 0.0001) without the latter's attendant difficulties. In addition, we found that normal basal gonadotropin levels had little correlation to the actual responses obtained from GnRH stimulation testing (r = 0.20 and r = 0.39 for luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, respectively).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Unilateral testicular torsion: abnormal histological findings in the contralateral testis--cause or effect?

A histological review of testicular biopsies of the contralateral testis, obtained at the time of surgical intervention for testicular torsion, was performed in 20 post-pubertal men. Contralateral histological abnormalities were found in 12 specimens. The duration of torsion correlated well with the viability of the involved testis but not with the presence of contralateral abnormalities. The high incidence of contralateral histological abnormalities and their nature suggest that they existed prior to the torsion since they would be unlikely to appear at such an early stage. We believe that some patients who suffer testicular torsion probably have congenital anomalies of both testes. These abnormalities involve testicular parenchyma as well as the suspension system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Detection of testicular endocrine abnormalities and their correlation with serum antisperm antibodies in men following vasectomy.

We measured the serum gonadotropin response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone in 25 men who underwent vasectomy 2 to 64 months before the study. Ten age-matched fertile men were used as controls. Baseline serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels were not significantly different between vasectomized men and controls. However, mean serum follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormone responses to an intravenous bolus injection of 100 mcg. gonadotropin-releasing hormone were significantly greater in the vasectomy group (p equals 0.008 and 0.003, respectively). There was no correlation between these responses and the interval after vasectomy. Serum antisperm antibodies were present in 13 vasectomized men (52 per cent) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and microagglutination techniques. A significant correlation (p equals 0.003) was found between the presence of serum antisperm antibodies and a normal follicle-stimulating hormone response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation. Of 13 patients with demonstrable antisperm antibody titers 9 (69 per cent) had normal follicle-stimulating hormone responses, compared to only 1 of 12 (8 per cent) without identifiable antisperm antibody titers. Our data suggest that certain men following vasectomy have abnormalities in seminiferous tubule and Leydig cell functions of the testes. These abnormalities are unrelated to the interval after vasectomy and are not identifiable with routine static hormonal measurements. In addition, serum antisperm antibodies are most likely to be present in men who demonstrate normal seminiferous tubular activity after vasectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Sperm antibodies in vasectomized men and their effects on fertilization.

Sera (vbs, n = 25) and seminal plasma (vsp, n = 21) from vasectomized men (n = 25) were analyzed for cross-reaction with lithium diiodosalicylate (LIS)-solubilized human sperm extract, protamine, and fertilization antigen (FA-1) with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among the vbs tested, 44% reacted with human sperm extract, 28% reacted with protamine, and 44% reacted with FA-1 for at least one class of antibodies (IgG, IgA, or IgM). In contrast to the sera, the seminal plasma showed minimal reactions. Neither the vbs nor vsp were found to contain immune complexes, indicating that the antibodies were present in free form. Vasectomized sera that reacted with FA-1 showed a significant (p less than 0.0001) inhibition of human sperm penetration of zona-free hamster ova. The immunoabsorption of FA-1-positive sera with purified FA-1 significantly increased the penetration rates. Affinity-purified human immunoglobulins reactive with FA-1 and not those reactive with protamine reduced sperm penetration rates. Thus, antibodies in vbs reactive with FA-1 are relevant to infertility, causing an inhibition of fertilization. These data will have clinical relevance for diagnosis and treatment of infertility after successful vasovasostomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Feline immunodeficiency virus infection in a population of pet cats from southeastern Florida.

Blood samples from 95 randomly selected pet cats that were brought to veterinarians in southeastern Florida were tested for antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Virus-specific antibodies (indicative of virus infection) were found in 8 of the 95 (8.4%) cats tested. All of the virus-infected cats were males (statistically significant, P less than or equal to 0.016) and were at least 1 year of age. The 3 most severely ill cats infected with FIV were also infected with feline leukemia virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Gonadal dysfunction after testicular torsion: luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone response to gonadotropin releasing hormone.

We studied 14 postpubertal patients at an average of 33 months after treatment for testicular torsion. Of these patients 11 had been treated by detorsion and 3 by orchiectomy. Five normal male volunteers of the approximate age of the study group served as controls. The patients treated by detorsion were subdivided into 3 groups based on the degree of atrophy of the detorsed testicle: group 1--no testicular atrophy (5), group 2--25 per cent testicular atrophy (2) and group 3--greater than 90 per cent testicular atrophy (4). Mean duration of torsion was greatest in the orchiectomy group (161 hours) compared to 6, 16 and 29 hours for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The serum luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone response to an intravenous bolus of 100 mcg. synthetic gonadotropin releasing hormone was measured in all patients. All groups had a greater mean follicle-stimulating hormone response to gonadotropin releasing hormone stimulation than controls (p less than 0.05). Patients who underwent orchiectomy had the greatest follicle-stimulating hormone response to gonadotropin releasing hormone stimulation. Mean luteinizing hormone response to gonadotropin releasing hormone stimulation was normal in patients without atrophy (group 1) but it was greater than controls in patients who had atrophy (groups 2 and 3) or who underwent orchiectomy (p less than 0.05). Several conclusions could be made from our study. All patient groups treated for torsion had evidence of testicular dysfunction. Patients who underwent orchiectomy displayed more testicular dysfunction than patients who had atrophy after detorsion. Testicular dysfunction after torsion is more likely to involve spermatogenic before Leydig cell function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Pulmonary interstitial fibrosis induced in hapten-immune hamsters.

A model for pulmonary interstitial fibrosis (PIF) based on cell-mediated immune response is described. Animals were primed for contact hypersensitivity responses by skin painting with trinitrophenol (TNP), but instead of challenging with the antigen on the skin, animals were challenged with a single intratracheally administered dose of the immunizing hapten. Primed animals developed inflammation followed by pulmonary fibrosis, as determined by histologic examination. Furthermore, immunized animals developed an increase in hydroxyproline (as an indirect measure of collagen synthesis) that could be recovered from the lung by 7 days after an intratracheal challenge with TNP. The increase in hydroxyproline within the lung persisted through 30 days. The response was specific because little or no fibrosis or increase in collagen deposition was observed in immune animals that were challenged with an unrelated hapten (dinitrophenol). Unimmunized animals demonstrated a slight increase in hydroxyproline in the lung 7 days after challenge, but with time the collagen content of these control animals approached normal levels. These studies demonstrate that a specific cell-mediated immune response to a hapten within the lung can induce pulmonary interstitial fibrosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Production of a cytotoxin from phorbol myristate acetate-treated human promyelocytes.

Human promyelocytic leukemia cells, when differentiated into macrophages by treatment with phorbol myristate acetate, secrete a cytolytic factor. Enhanced production was achieved when the cultures were treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Production of the factor was inhibited when cultures were treated with dactinomycin immediately after LPS treatment. Tritirachium alkaline proteinase treatment inactivated the factor, indicating that it has an essential protein moiety. The molecular weight was found to be approximately 40,000 by Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration. The factor was stable at 56 degrees C for 30 minutes, but 80% of the activity was inactivated at 70 degrees C in 30 minutes. The factor was destroyed (96%) by dialysis against 0.01 M HCl (pH 2) for 14 hours. The cytolytic factor had little activity on normal fibroblasts, but it was able to significantly kill transformed cells in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

In vitro production of rabbit macrophage tumor cell cytotoxin.

Rabbit pulmonary lavage cells, consisting mostly of macrophages (90-95%), cultured in the presence of LPS, secreted tumor cell cytotoxin that was similar to tumor necrosis serum cytotoxin. A similar cytotoxin was produced by phorbol-ester-pretreated rabbit bone marrow cells and by blood mononuclear cells when cultured in the presence of LPS. All cytotoxins had molecular weights of approximately 48,000 daltons by gel filtration and eluted from DEAE-Sephadex between 0.28 and 0.32 M NaCl. All were stable to 56 degrees C for 60 min, but labile to 70 degrees C for 20 min. B16C3 melanoma cells and mouse embryo fibroblasts were resistant to the cytotoxins. By 3 h in culture, all effector cells secreted detectable cytotoxin levels. Kinetics of cytotoxin production differed for effector cells derived from the different tissues. No additional cytotoxin production could be demonstrated after 30 h in pulmonary lavage or bone marrow cell cultures, despite a change to fresh medium with LPS. Actinomycin D (I microgram/ml) added with LPS inhibited cytotoxin production (greater than 95%) by pulmonary lavage cells. Delaying addition of actinomycin D after LPS treatment demonstrated that messenger RNA production for cytotoxin was completed by 2 to 6 h.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A photometric and plaque assay for macrophage mediated tumor cell cytotoxicity.

Pretreatment of L-929 cells for 2-3 h with 2 micrograms/ml actinomycin D followed by washing rendered them exceedingly sensitive to the direct cytotoxic effects of murine and rabbit macrophages. We exploited the tremendous increase in sensitivity of L-929 cells to effector cell mediated cytotoxicity by demonstrating simple and convenient photometric and plaque assays capable of being completed in 18 h for the quantitation of macrophage mediated tumor cell killing. The plaques demonstrated were generally visible to the unaided eye and were linearly related to the number of effector cells plated indicating that a plaque represented multitarget cytolysis attributed to a single effector cell. Unlike previously described assays, the effector:target ratios demonstrated were extremely low. Using the described techniques, it was estimated that a single macrophage could kill from approximately 10 to 1000 actinomycin D pretreated and washed target cells. In the presence of LPS-activated effector cells, the majority of these targets that stained with eosin Y did so in a cluster pattern, indicating cytotoxicity rather than mere detachment from the monolayer surface.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Evaluation of a carbamate-impregnated flea and tick collar for dogs.

To acquire information regarding the potential hazard of pesticide-impregnated collars to dogs, 13 male Beagles were allotted to 2 groups; 8 of the dogs were fitted wtih propoxur-impregnated tick and flea collars and the other 5 were fitted with placebo collars. All dogs wore their collars for 42 consecutive days. The dogs wearing test collars had significant (P less than 0.01) depression of erythrocyte and plasma cholinesterase activities at day 1 after collar application; however, the enzyme activity values returned to the preexposure range within 3 days. Miosis, with decreased pupillary response, was noticed during the 1st week of exposure. Irritation of the skin of the neck was mild and transient in both the test and control groups from the 2nd week onward.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

The prevention and correction of hypocalcemia in the parathyroidectomized rat by portacaval shunt.

Adult rats underwent end-to-side portacaval shunt either 30 days prior to or 12 days following parathyroidectomy. When portacaval shunt was performed initially, the serum calcium failed to decrease following subsequent parathyroidectomy and remained within normal levels up to 110 days. When parathyroidectomy first was done, the significant hypocalcemia was corrected subsequently by portacaval shunt and serum calcium remained close to the normal level up to 75 days. The effect of portacaval shunt depended on the calcium content of the food and was obtained only when rats were fed by a regular diet. Rats on a calcium-deficient diet were hypocalcemic, similar to the parathyroidectomized rats without the portacaval shunt. Prolonged calcium-deficient diet alone, without parathyroidectomy, did not by itself result in hypocalcemia either in the intact rat or in the portacaval shunted rat. The data indicate that portacaval shunt prevents and corrects hypocalcemia in the parathyroidectomized Lewis rat as long as sufficient calcium is available in the diet.

Animals↗