Objective: ART pregnancy rates have increased with improvements in technology. In spite of improvements in ovarian stimulation and embryo culture, implantation and pregnancy rates remain suboptimal. One variable that has received little attention is the role of the ET provider. This report describes our experience with multiple providers initiating US guidance for ET at different times. Design: Retrospective examination of clinical outcomes before and after the adoption of US guidance for ET as part of a quality assurance program. Materials/Methods: All patients who had an ET after undergoing IVF or ICSI without limitation of age were included. Laboratory culture conditions remained the same throughout the various time periods. Fertilization and early embryo growth were performed in HTF (Irvine Scientific) with Blastocyst Medium (Irvine Scientific) used for extended culture. ET was performed primarily with the Edwards-Wallace catheter. The Frydman TDT was used if the Edwards-Wallace failed to pass the cervix or if the ET was expected to be difficult on the basis of a mock ET done at time of retrieval. Trans-abdominal US with a full bladder was used to monitor placement of the catheter. Data was synchronized to the initiation of US guidance for each provider (this time varied over a 4 month period) to better examine the effect of this procedural change. Analysis was done of 40 sequential ET by each provider done immediately prior to the initiation of US guidance and of the first 40 ET done after initiation of US guidance. ET were sequentially grouped by 20 and pooled among the three providers, yielding 4 groups of 60 ET, 2 prior to US introduction (period 1 & 2) and 2 after (period 3 & 4). Patient characteristics and ET outcomes were compared among time groups, among providers, and overall with or without US. Continuous data were compared with analysis of variance while proportionate data were analyzed by chi-square. Results: Age, number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, day of ET, number of embryos replaced and time to place the catheter did not vary among periods (table below). Pregnancy and implantation rates were higher and percent of ET with blood on the catheter was lower after the introduction of US guided embryo replacement. Significant differences were seen among providers with all providers having improved pregnancy rates after the adoption of US guidance (data not shown). Patient characteristics and clinical results for periods before and after the adoption of US guidance for ET. Tabled 1Without ultrasoundWith ultrasoundUSP-ValuePeriod 1Period 2Period 3Period 4Age (years)34.1 ± 4.634.0 ± 4.833.0 ± 5.034.3 ± 4.1NSOocytes10.8 ± 4.312.5 ± 6.713.1 ± 7.112.7 ± 7.1NSFertilized (%)55 ± 2353 ± 2456 ± 2659 ± 24NSDay of ET4.1 ± 1.23.6 ± 1.03.9 ± 1.13.7 ± 1.0NSEmbryos/ET2.9 ± 0.92.9 ± 1.02.7 ± 0.92.9 ± 1.0NSTime (seconds)62 ± 8056 ± 7280 ± 8162 ± 85NSBloody (%)202058P < 0.005Pregnant (%)22224260P < 0.005Implanted (%)14132128P < 0.005 Open table in a new tab Conclusions: Pregnancy and implantation rates vary among providers. Pregnancy rates improved for all providers with adoption of US guidance for ET. Routine use of US guidance is recommended for all ET. Supported by: Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

Summary We have characterized various anti‐schistosomular surface MoAbs previously shown to partially block in‐vitro killing of schistosomula by human sera and eosinophils (Dunne et at. 1987). Immunodiffusion analysis showed that four IgM and one IgG3 MoAbs recognized periodate sensitive epitopes on the same molecular species present in schistosomular antigen but their patterns of reactivity with soluble egg antigen demonstrated that at least three distinct epitopes were involved. SDS‐PAGE analysis showed the TgMs to react with 125I‐labelled surface antigens of Mr 35 000‐38 000 and Mr 20 000, and the IgG3 to react with an Mr 38 000 antigen. In spile of their effect in vitro, transfer of the IgM MoAbs at the time ofchallenge of mice vaccinated with irradiated cercariae or of mice injected with an unrelated (anti‐Mr 16 000) protective MoAb failed to produce in‐vivo blocking. Similarly, injection of Schistosoma mansoni eggs, prior infection with worms of one sex, or passive transfer of serum from single‐sex infected mice failed to influence the resistance conferred by vaccination with irradiated cercariae.

Summary Two monoclonal antibodies against the surface of S. mansoni schistosomula were found to confer significant passive protection to mice (M7B3A, range 28–70%; M22H12C, range 14–58%). No additive effect was observed when both were transferred together. Neither McAb bound to the cercarial surface but both bound to the surface of in vitro derived schistosomula and schistosomula recovered from mouse skin up to 3 days after infection. The McAbs were species specific, but not S. mansoni strain specific. M22H12C immunoprecipitated an 125I‐labelled surface antigen of relative molecular weight (mol. wt) 32 000. In Western blotting of an NP40 schistosomular extract, M7B3A recognized an antigen smear of 13000–18000 with a dominant band at 16000. This 16000 antigen was recognized by serum from demonstrably immune mice and rats vaccinated with highly irradiated carcariae but not by sera from mice with chronic single sex or bisexual infections.

Significant levels of resistance against Schistosoma mansoni challenge were developed by mice exposed to highly irradiated (20 krad.) cercariae of the homologous species (53-67%), whereas vaccination with S. bovis, S. haematobium or S. japonicum failed to confer significant levels of resistance (-5-12%), thus confirming the specificity of the immunizing procedure. Attempts to transfer resistance to naive recipients by injection of serum and of spleen or lymph node cells from donor mice vaccinated with highly irradiated cercariae were largely unsuccessful. However, significant levels of resistance could be transferred to mice by injection of serum from rabbits exposed to irradiated cercariae. Comparable levels of resistance were conferred by injection of serum at the time of challenge (34-69%) or 5-6 days later (31-56%). In contrast, sera from rabbits injected with soluble egg antigen or homogenized cercariae failed to confer protection upon recipient mice. Sera from vaccinated mice, vaccinated rabbits and antigen-injected rabbits all caused cell adherence to skin-transformed schistosomula but neither the level of adherence nor the serum titre correlated with the ability to confer protection to mice.

Summary Levels of antibody a binding to the schistosomulum surface and b mediating in vitro eosinophil‐dependent cytotoxicity of schistosomula were studied and compared to the in vivo levels of resistance to cercarial challenge in mice infected with irradiated cercariae, unirradiated cercariae of single or mixed sex, or injected with eggs. Antibody‐binding was assessed by counting the number of IgG‐Fc‐receptor bearing cells (P388D1 cells) adhering to mechanically‐transformed schistosomula. Significant levels of adherence occurred with sera taken from 1–2 weeks following exposure to irradiated cercariae, the level increasing gradually thereafter and being enhanced by repeated exposure. Sera from the bisexual infection showed a dramatic increase in binding activity between weeks 5–8, and with the single sex infections there was a steady rise up to week 10 followed by a sharp rise between weeks 10–12. Weekly injections of eggs produced a steady rise in serum binding activity. Sera taken just before challenge were also tested for their ability to mediate killing of schistosomula by eosinophil‐enriched preparations of heterologous rat peritoneal exudate cells in vitro. Significant levels of killing occurred with all sera, but the greatest lethal activity was found in sera from the egg‐injected, chronically‐infected and 200 male cercariae‐infected groups. This ranking did not correlate with in vivo resistance against challenge as assessed by worm recovery, the egg‐injected and single sex‐infected groups failing to manifest significant resistance.

The biosynthesis and efflux of sterols from cells into the medium were investigated in skin fibroblasts from a control, a patient with obligate heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and a patient with the homozygous condition. The behaviour of the cells was studied in two lipid free media (lipoprotein deficient and delipidated serum), with and without the addition of low density lipoproteins (LDL) in order to find experimental conditions which showed maximum differences between the three cell lines. Incorporation of [14C]acetate into sterols in the presence (repression) and absence (induction) of LDL was similar in the normal and heterozygous cells, whereas the homozygous cells showed reduced repression and increased induction. In all three cell lines induction of sterol synthesis was greater with delipidated than lipoprotein deficient serum. The efflux of sterols in both the presence and absence of LDL did not differ between the three cell lines, but it was greater when LDL was added to the medium and when delipidated serum was used. Sterol biosynthesis and efflux from the cells of the heterozygote did not differ significantly from those of the control.

Journal Article Effects of pharyngeal armature of mosquitoes on microfilariae of Brugia pahangi Get access J.H. Bryan, J.H. Bryan London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar P. Oothman, P. Oothman London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar B.J. Andrews, B.J. Andrews London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar P.B. McGreevy P.B. McGreevy London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 68, Issue 1, 1974, Page 14, https://doi.org/10.1016/0035-9203(74)90241-7 Published: 01 January 1974

Journal Article A case of natural infection of S. haematobium in a Senegalese baboon (Papio sp,) Get access M.G. Taylor, M.G. Taylor Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar G.S. Nelson, G.S. Nelson Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar B.J. Andrews B.J. Andrews Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 66, Issue 1, 1972, Pages 16–17, https://doi.org/10.1016/0035-9203(72)90028-4 Published: 01 January 1972