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Biomedical subjects

J Aitken

Publications and source records attributed to J Aitken.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Meiosis-inducing substances in human preovulatory follicular fluid related to time of follicle aspiration and to the potential of the oocyte to fertilize and cleave in vitro.

Meiosis-inducing substance (MIS) and steroid and gonadotropic hormones were investigated in 41 preovulatory follicular fluids (FFs) aspirated at either 0, 12, or 36 hours after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration in 25 women with clomiphene citrate-stimulated cycles. Twenty-one oocytes were recovered from these FFs and subjected to in vitro fertilization. MIS activity was present in 25 (61%) of the FFs. The frequency of MIS-active FFs increased from 11% (1 of 9) at 0 hours and 40% (2 of 5) at 12 hours to 81% (22 of 27) at 36 hours after hCG administration (P less than 0.001). The concentration of hormones in MIS-active FFs was not significantly different from that of MIS-inactive FFs. Twelve (86%) of 14 oocytes that fertilized and cleaved in vitro were recovered from MIS-active FFs. By contrast, all seven oocytes that remained unfertilized in vitro were recovered from MIS-inactive FFs. These findings support the notion that resumption of meiosis in the preovulatory oocyte is triggered by MIS in FF and suggest that follicular MIS production may be one of the factors that determines the success of in vitro fertilization and early embryonic development.

Androstenedione↗

Clinical and microbiological features of Branhamella catarrhalis bronchopulmonary infections.

Branhamella catarrhalis bronchopulmonary infection was diagnosed in 101 patients with clinical lower respiratory tract infections by the presence of gram-negative intracellular diplococci in sputum and growth of more than 20 colonies of B catarrhalis in quantitative culture at a 10(-7) dilution. 94 patients had either chronic chest disease or were current or previous smokers, 59 had a cause of generalised immunosuppression, and 17 had a high risk of aspiration from the oropharynx. The pathogenicity of B catarrhalis was evident from purulence of sputum, fever, blood leucocytosis, and patchy pulmonary shadowing on chest radiographs. B catarrhalis infection contributed to 4 of 6 deaths. B catarrhalis was the only bacterial pathogen isolated from the sputum of 71 patients and it was isolated with other recognised bacterial pathogens from 30 patients. All 10 isolates of B catarrhalis tested were sensitive to oxytetracycline, all 82 tested were sensitive to cefuroxime, 93 of 96 were sensitive to erythromycin, and 85 of 95 to cotrimoxazole. Beta-lactamase was produced by 38 of 99 isolates of B catarrhalis.

Adult↗

The recovery of pre-ovulatory oocytes using a fixed schedule of ovulation induction and follicle aspiration.

Thirty-two volunteer women, scheduled for laparoscopy, were subjected to a fixed regimen of ovulation induction and ovarian follicle aspiration, following manipulation of the previous menstrual cycle with oral contraceptive pills or norethisterone. This allowed the time of oocyte recovery to be planned several weeks in advance. The recovery rate of mature oocytes (loosely dispersed cumulus) in the patients who had their cycles adjusted with norethisterone was comparable to that in a group of women treated in an embryo-transfer programme who were being individually monitored, although there was evidence from cleavage rates and concentration of sex steroids in follicular fluid that further follicular maturation could have occurred. It is suggested that a modification of this schedule could provide an acceptable recovery rate of pre-ovulatory oocytes for research purposes, and possibly by simplifying the monitoring technique could be applicable to a wider range of patients seeking embryo transfer.

Androgens↗

Sperm function in patients with unexplained infertility.

Sperm function was studied in 27 patients with hitherto unexplained infertility. The ability of spermatozoa to reach the site of fertilization was assessed by laparoscopic sperm recovery from the peritoneal fluid and fimbrial rinsings and sperm fertilizing capacity with the zona-free hamster egg penetration in vitro test. The ability of spermatozoa to reach the site of fertilization correlated significantly with their fertilizing capacity in vitro, but was totally unrelated to any of the conventional criteria of semen quality, including the postcapacitation movement characteristics of the spermatozoa. Among patients with unexplained infertility, there are individuals with defects of sperm function which cannot be identified by conventional clinical techniques.

Female↗