ABSTRACT
Objective · To assess the usefulness of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in locating the testicular area to guide microdissection testicular sperm extraction (M-TESE) for patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Methods · CEUS was performed in 95 NOA patients. M-TESE was performed in the best and poorest perfusion areas on CEUS and in the conventional area. Sperm retrieval rates (SRR) of the three areas were compared. Results · M-TESE was performed in 147 testicles (95 patients). SRRs in best perfusion area, poorest perfusion area and conventional area were 66.3%, 32.6% and 47.3% respectively, and the differences between groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The arriving time (AT), time to peak intensity (TTP), peak intensity (PI) and area under the curve (AUC) showed statistical significance (all P<0.05)between the successful retrieval group (94 points) and unsuccessful retrieval group (200 points). And the SRR showed statistical difference among the three pathological groups. In maturation arrest group and Sertoli cell only group, the SRR in the best perfusion area was higher than that in the conventional area (both P<0.05). Conclusion · SRR was different in different pathological groups. The locating of the best perfusion area could guide M-TESE so as to improve the SRRs of maturation arrest group and Sertoli cell only group.
ABSTRACT
Objective · To assess the usefulness of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in locating the testicular area to guide microdissection testicular sperm extraction (M-TESE) for patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Methods · CEUS was performed in 95 NOA patients. M-TESE was performed in the best and poorest perfusion areas on CEUS and in the conventional area. Sperm retrieval rates (SRR) of the three areas were compared. Results · M-TESE was performed in 147 testicles (95 patients). SRRs in best perfusion area, poorest perfusion area and conventional area were 66.3%, 32.6% and 47.3% respectively, and the differences between groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The arriving time (AT), time to peak intensity (TTP), peak intensity (PI) and area under the curve (AUC) showed statistical significance (all P<0.05)between the successful retrieval group (94 points) and unsuccessful retrieval group (200 points). And the SRR showed statistical difference among the three pathological groups. In maturation arrest group and Sertoli cell only group, the SRR in the best perfusion area was higher than that in the conventional area (both P<0.05). Conclusion · SRR was different in different pathological groups. The locating of the best perfusion area could guide M-TESE so as to improve the SRRs of maturation arrest group and Sertoli cell only group.
ABSTRACT
The prenatal ethanol exposure induced the alterations of dendritic spine and synapse in visual cortex and their long-term effect would be investigated in mice from P0 to P30. Pregnant mice were intubated ethanol daily from E5 through the pup's birth to establish mode of prenatal alcohol abuse. The dendritic spines of pyramidal cells in visual cortex of pups were labeled with DiI diolistic assay, and the synaptic ultrastructure was observed under transmission electron microscope. Prenatal alcohol exposure was associated with a significant decrease in the number of dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons in the visual cortex and an increase in their mean length; ultrastructural changes were also observed, with decreased numbers of synaptic vesicles, narrowing of the synaptic cleft and thickening of the postsynaptic density compared to controls. Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with long-term changes in dendritic spines and synaptic ultrastructure. The changes were dose-dependent with long term effect even at postnatal 30.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Mice , Pregnancy , Dendritic Spines , Ethanol , Toxicity , Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders , Pathology , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Microscopy, Confocal , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Pathology , Pyramidal Cells , Synapses , Visual CortexABSTRACT
In order to understand the alcohol's toxicity to the quantitative alternations of synapses in mouse visual cortex, the expression of synaptophysin after prenatal alcohol exposure was investigated. In present study, the experimental mice at P0, P7, P14 and P30 were grouped, as control, 2 g x kg(-1) alcohol treatment and 4 g x kg(-1) alcohol treatment. The pre-synaptic elements which were used to represent synapses were marked with synaptophysin (a synaptic vesicle associated protein) by immunocytochemistry technique. The synaptophysin positive boutons in layer VI of visual cortex were imaged under laser confocal microscope. With stereological methods, the number cal density of synapse in visual cortex was calculated in different groups at various ages. Moreover, Western blotting was carried out to detect the expression of synaptophysin in visual cortex. The results showed that prenatal alcohol exposure could cause synaptic loss with long-term effect and in a dose dependent manner. For instance, there were significant difference among the different treatment groups of P0, P14 and P30 as well (P < 0.05). Western blotting supported the results of immunofluorescent labeling. In conclusion, prenatal alcohol exposure can induce the synaptic loss dose dependently and with long-term effect. Our findings implicate that the synaptic loss with long-term effect in CNS probably contributes to the lifelong mental retardation and memorial lowliness associated with childhood FAS.