Ploidy of spermatogenic cells of men with non-mosaic Klinefelter's syndrome as measured by a computerized cell scanning system.

PURPOSE: This study aims to characterize the origin of testicular post-meiotic cells in non-mosaic Klinefelter's syndrome (KS). METHODS: The study included testicular tissue specimens from 11 non-mosaic KS patients, with (6 positive) and without (5 negative) spermatozoa presence. The obtained testicular cells were affixed and stained for morphology followed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for centromeric probes X, Y, and 18. We used a computerized automated cell scanning system that enables simultaneous viewing of morphology and FISH in the same cell. RESULTS: A total of 12,387 cells from the positive cases, 11,991 cells from the negative cases, and 1,711 cells from the controls were analyzed. The majority of spermatogonia were 47, XXY in both the positive and negative KS cases (88.9 ± 4.76 % and 90.6 ± 4.58 %) as were primary spermatocytes (76.8 ± 8.14 % and 79.6 ± 7.30 %). The respective rates of secondary spermatocytes and post-meiotic cells (round, elongating spermatids and sperm cells) were 1.1 ± 1.39 % in the positive cases, 2.9 ± 3.33 % in the negative cases, compared to 67.6 ± 6.22 % in the controls (P < 0.02). Pairing of both 18 and XY homologous chromosomes in 46,XY primary spermatocytes was 2.5 ± 2.31 % and 3.4 ± 2.39 %, respectively, compared to 19.8 ± 8.95 % in the control group (P < 0.02) and in 47,XXY primary spermatocytes in 2.4 ± 3.8 % in the positive group and 3.2 ± 2.26 % in the negative group. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents data to indicate that the majority of primary spermatocytes in the testes of non-mosaic KS patients are 47,XXY and could possibly develop into post-meiotic cells.

Cryopreservation of a mother's oocytes for possible future use by her daughter with Turner syndrome: case report.

OBJECTIVE: To report a new fertility alternative for women with Turner syndrome, who are rendered infertile, by having their mothers freeze their own oocytes for the purpose of donating to their daughters when they are adults. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Academic teaching hospital. PATIENT(S): A 33-year-old healthy mother of three children; and her second child, a 6-year-old daughter recently diagnosed with Turner syndrome. INTERVENTION(S): Mother-to-daughter oocyte donation combined with oocyte vitrification. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Number of cryopreserved oocytes. RESULT(S): After three cycles of ovarian stimulation, 30 oocytes were cryopreserved for the daughter's possible future use. CONCLUSION(S): The treatment option presented here opens the door for the banking of a mother's oocytes as a possible donation to a young daughter with a medical condition that leads to infertility, for her possible future use.

Visible-spectroscopy study of the adsorption of alizarinate by Al-montmorillonite in aqueous suspensions and in solid state.

The adsorption of the monovalent anionic dye alizarinate onto Na- and Al-montmorillonite was carried out by adding the dye into aqueous clay suspensions. Electronic spectra of aqueous suspensions and of air-dried dye-clay complexes were studied. Na-montmorillonite adsorbed only part of the added dye. With total amount of alizarinate up to 5 mmol dye per 100 g clay the adsorption of the dye takes place on the broken bonds, leading to peptization of the clay. Al-montmorillonite adsorbed alizarinate completely up to 10 mmol per 100 g clay. Above this loading there was a partition of the dye between the clay and the supernatant. The maximum adsorption for Na- and Al-clay was 4 and 25 mmol dye per 100 g clay, respectively. Absorption bands in the spectrum of Al-montmorillonite suspensions (488-504 nm) appear at longer wavelengths than in the spectrum of air-dried Al-montmorillonite (415-455 nm). Thermo-X-ray study of these clay-alizarinate complexes suggests that the organic compound was located in the interlayer space in Al-montmorillonite but was not located there in Na-montmorillonite. In Al-montmorillonite alizarinate formed a coordination complex with exchangeable Al(3+). In Na-montmorillonite it formed bonds with Al exposed on the broken-bonds sites.

A Fifth OH-Stretching Band in IR Spectra of Kaolinites.

Transmission infrared spectra of different kaolinites were studied by curve fitting. These spectra generally exhibit four hydroxyl stretching bands. In this article we show that a fifth OH band (already identified in Raman and photoacoustic IR spectra of kaolinites) is also observed in transmission IR spectra of hydrothermal and authigenic kaolinites, which have a high degree of crystallinity. This additional band is weak or undetectable for kaolinites with a low degree of crystallinity. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Infrared Study of the Intercalation of Kaolinite by Caesium Bromide and Caesium Iodide.

CsBr- and CsI-kaolinite intercalation complexes were synthesized by gradually heating caesium halide disks of the DMSO-kaolinite intermediate up to 330 degreesC. Infrared spectroscopy revealed two types of complexes with the caesium salts: almost nonhydrous, obtained during thermal treatment of the DMSO complex, and hydrated, produced by regrinding the disk in air. Comparison of band positions for CsBr-kaolinite and CsI-kaolinite with those for the CsCl complex (observed in a previous study) shows that the strength of the hydrogen bond between the intercalated halide and the inner surface hydroxyl decreases on the order CsCl > CsBr > CsI. The nonreactivity of CsI in mechanochemical intercalation may arise from weak interaction between I- and inner surface hydroxyl groups, resulting from the fact that caesium is a very soft acid and iodide is a very soft base. Consequently, the very strong interaction between the two ions in the crystal is not disrupted during mechanochemical treatment. Copyright 1998 Academic Press and Minister of Natural Resources, Canada.