Motility Variables Research Articles

How Do Antegrade Enemas Work? Colonic Motility in Response to Administration of Normal Saline Solution Into the Proximal Colon

The aim of the study was to evaluate the colonic motor response to the administration of normal saline into the proximal colon. Pediatric patients undergoing colonic manometry received a saline infusion (10-20 mL/kg) in 10 minutes through the central lumen of a catheter placed into the proximal colon. We compared the number of high-amplitude propagated contractions (HAPCs), motility index, frequency and propagation of other phasic contractions in the 20 minutes before and after normal saline infusion, meal ingestion, and bisacodyl administration. Thirteen patients, mean age 9.4 ± 5.8 years, received the saline infusion (3 in the cecum, 8 in the hepatic flexure, and 2 in the transverse colon). In the first 20 minutes after saline infusion, the number of contractions (P = 0.005), distance of propagation of contractions (P = 0.007), frequency of contractions (P = 0.009), and motility index (P = 0.003) were significantly higher compared with baseline. Mean amplitude and number of HAPCs were not significantly different from baseline. Motility parameters after saline and after ingestion of a meal did not differ. All of the measured motility variables significantly increased after bisacodyl stimulation. Bisacodyl increased the motility index and HAPCs more than either saline infusion (P = 0.002) or meal intake (P < 0.001). Infusion of saline into the proximal colon is associated with an increase in colonic motility; however, at the volume and rate used in the present study it does not consistently stimulate HAPCs.

A chemometrical approach to study interactions between ethynylestradiol and an AhR‐agonist in stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

AbstractQuantifiable responses in fish, such as induction of certain proteins, can be used as indicators of chemical contamination of waterways. In order to evaluate differences in ethoxyresorufin‐O‐deethylase (EROD) induction capacity of the gill and the liver and effects on organs and biomarker proteins, e.g. gill and liver EROD, hepatosomatic index (HSI), nephrosomatic index (NSI), gonadosomatic index (GSI), spiggin, vitellogenin and sperm motility were analysed in male three‐spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) exposed for 21 days to β‐naphthoflavone (βNF) alone (Exp 1) or in combination with 17α‐ethynylestradiol (EE2) (Exp 2). The sperm motility variables were studied using computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA).Exp 1: Gill EROD activity was significantly induced in fish exposed to ≥1.2 µg/l and hepatic EROD activity in fish exposed to ≥6 µg/l. No significant effect of ßNF on the production of spiggin or vitellogenin or on sperm variables was found.Exp 2: A significant additative effect of EE2 + βNF was shown for gill EROD. A significant antagonistic effect of the two compounds was found on NSI where an increased EE2 concentration led to an increase in NSI while an increased concentration of βNF led to a decreased NSI. Interestingly, the results showed that exposure to intermediate concentrations of EE2 and ßNF led to a significant increase in the sperm variables. In the aquatic environment mixtures of numerous chemicals with oestrogenic activity are present, so if the capacity to induce gill EROD activity is a general property of oestrogen‐acting chemicals, our findings are important. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

A comparison of bovine seminal quality assessments using different viewing chambers with a computer-assisted semen analyzer1

Computer-assisted sperm analysis of fresh and frozen-thawed bovine sperm requires proper handling and preparation, and the type of slide used in the assessment is critical if the resultant data are to be useful quality control measurements. In the present study, 4 different slide viewing chambers, a Makler chamber, a clean slide-coverslip, or a 2- or 4-cell chamber Leja slide, were compared with assess their utility in providing reliable measurements of sperm motility variables. A Hamilton-Thorne IVOS Computer-Assisted Semen Analyzer (CASA) was the instrument used to determine sperm measurements utilizing the 4 different chambers. Fifty-eight different freeze batches of bovine semen that had been collected from 47 bulls at 7 sites that sex-sort sperm using Sexing Technologies sorting criteria were incorporated into the trial. Neither the percentage of motile sperm nor the percentage of progressively motile sperm differed for the Makler chamber vs. slide-coverslip comparisons. Similarly, total and progressively motile sperm did not differ between the 2- and 4-cell chambered Leja slides. However, total and progressive motility of sperm determined with the Makler chamber and slide-coverslip were greater (P < 0.0001) than motilities recorded by the 2- or 4-cell chambered Leja slides. Based on the results, the type of viewing chamber can affect the range of sperm motility values when CASA is used for quality control evaluations of thawed, cryopreserved sex-sorted sperm samples.

Bimodal Analysis Reveals a General Scaling Law Governing Nondirected and Chemotactic Cell Motility

Cell motility is a fundamental process with relevance to embryonic development, immune response, and metastasis. Cells move either spontaneously, in a nondirected fashion, or in response to chemotactic signals, in a directed fashion. Even though they are often studied separately, both forms of motility share many complex processes at the molecular and subcellular scale, e.g., orchestrated cytoskeletal rearrangements and polarization. In addition, at the cellular level both types of motility include persistent runs interspersed with reorientation pauses. Because there is a great range of variability in motility among different cell types, a key challenge in the field is to integrate these multiscale processes into a coherent framework. We analyzed the motility of Dictyostelium cells with bimodal analysis, a method that compares time spent in persistent versus reorientation mode. Unexpectedly, we found that reorientation time is coupled with persistent time in an inverse correlation and, surprisingly, the inverse correlation holds for both nondirected and chemotactic motility, so that the full range of Dictyostelium motility can be described by a single scaling relationship. Additionally, we found an identical scaling relationship for three human cell lines, indicating that the coupling of reorientation and persistence holds across species and making it possible to describe the complexity of cell motility in a surprisingly general and simple manner. With this new perspective, we analyzed the motility of Dictyostelium mutants, and found four in which the coupling between two modes was altered. Our results point to a fundamental underlying principle, described by a simple scaling law, unifying mechanisms of eukaryotic cell motility at several scales.

Diagnostic value of gallbladder emptying variables in chronic acalculous cholecystitis as assessed by fatty meal cholescintigraphy

The main purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of gallbladder emptying variables in chronic acalculous cholecystitis (CAC). The variables investigated were latent period, gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) and patterns of gallbladder emptying. In addition, two other biliary system motility variables were investigated including the onset of gallbladder filling and biliary-to-bowel transit time. Thirty-nine healthy volunteers underwent fatty meal cholescintigraphy (CS) prospectively to determine the normal values of these variables. Retrospectively, fatty meal CS studies of 88 patients suspected of having CAC were retrieved and reprocessed to obtain corresponding values of these variables, which then compared with normal values. The mean onset of gallbladder filling for patient groups was not significantly different from volunteer group mean. The mean+/-SD GBEF value for CAC group (29+/-20%) was significantly lower than volunteer group value (54+/-23%), whereas for non-CAC group (60+/-21%) it was not significantly different. The latent period was found invariable and not significant in CAC diagnosis. Two patterns of gallbladder emptying were noted: ended and continuous. The pattern of gallbladder emptying did not affect the mean GBEF and was found insignificant in the diagnosis of CAC. There was no significant difference in the number of cases with late biliary-to-bowel transit time between the groups. The single most important gallbladder emptying variable in diagnosing CAC is the GBEF. The latent period and the pattern of gallbladder emptying as well as the onset of gallbladder filling and biliary-to-bowel transit time are of no significant diagnostic value in CAC.

Hyperactivation of Stallion Sperm Is Required for Successful In Vitro Fertilization of Equine Oocytes1

Capacitation is a complex and not well-understood process that encompasses all the molecular changes sperm must undergo to successfully fertilize an oocyte. In vitro fertilization has remained elusive in the horse, as evidenced by low in vitro fertilization (IVF) rates (0%-33%); moreover, only two foals have ever been produced using IVF. Incubation of stallion sperm in modified Whittens supplemented with bovine serum albumin and sodium bicarbonate yielded significant rates of time-dependent protein tyrosine phosphorylation and induced acrosomal exocytosis, consistent with capacitation. The objective of this study was to characterize stallion sperm hyperactivation and to test whether hyperactivation of capacitated sperm supported equine IVF. Treatment of sperm with procaine, an anesthetic shown to induce hyperactivation in other mammalian species, resulted in the decrease of three motility variables indicative of hyperactivation: straight line velocity (P = 0.029), straightness (P = 0.001), and linearity (P = 0.002). We demonstrated that procaine-induced hyperactivation was not regulated by changes in protein tyrosine phosphorylation and that it did not induce acrosomal exocytosis in capacitated sperm compared with calcium ionophore (P > 0.05), similar to findings in the bovine. Most notably, by coupling our capacitating conditions with the induction of hyperactivation using procaine, we have achieved the novel result of substantial and reproducible percentages of fertilized mare oocytes (60.7%) in our IVF experiments. Conversely, sperm incubated in capacitating conditions but not treated with procaine did not fertilize (0%). These results support the hypothesis that capacitation and hyperactivation are required for successful IVF in the equine.

Gastroesophageal reflux in infants and children

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common esophageal disorder and the most frequent reason why infants are referred to the pediatric gastroenterologist, affecting as much as 30% of the pediatric population. Presenting features of GERD in infants and children are quite variable and follow patterns of gastrointestinal and extra-esophageal manifestations that vary between individual patients and may change according to age. Patients may be minimally symptomatic, or may exhibit severe esophagitis, bleeding, nutritional failure, or severe respiratory problems. GERD is also complex for the diagnostic techniques required to assess its repercussions or explain its origin. Although different abnormalities in motility variables, such as lower eso-phageal sphincter (LES) function, esophageal peristalsis and gastric motor activity can contribute to the development of GERD, the degree of esophageal acid exposure represents the key factor in its pathogenesis. Esophageal pH monitoring, based on both the detection of acid reflux episodes and the measurement of their frequency and duration, has been regarded as the most sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for diagnosing reflux disease. The aim of this paper is to give a concise review for the clinicians encountering this specific disease in infants and children.

Ovarian fluid pH enhances motility parameters of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) spermatozoa

All evidence to date suggest that sperm motility is the primary determinant of fertilization success in externally fertilizing fish species. Ovarian fluid, which comprises 10–30% of the total egg volume in salmonids, enhances sperm motility with respect to swimming speed, trajectory and the duration of movement. It was recently demonstrated that there is individual variability in sperm motility enhancing potential of ovarian fluid of particular females. In the present study we examined the effect of particular ovarian fluids collected from 31 females on the sperm motility parameters of one male of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). During our experiment we also monitored the pH of ovarian fluid. We found that particular fluids differed in the ability to activate spermatozoa; sperm remained immotile in four fluids and exhibited 50–100% motility in 27 samples. The percentage of motile sperm, velocity and duration of movement positively correlated with ovarian fluid pH ( r 2 = 0.34–0.62). These data strongly suggest that the pH of the ovarian fluid is the primary determinant of sperm motility in rainbow trout under natural conditions of fertilization.

Characterization of sperm motility in sea bass: the effect of heavy metals and physicochemical variables on sperm motility

Computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) was used to characterize the motility of sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax spermatozoa and to study the effect of several physicochemical variables and heavy metals on sperm swimming performance. Duration of sperm motility in sea bass was very short (&lt;50 s). During the first 20 s all the motility variables measured remained approximately constant, the velocity and linearity of the movement being maximum during this period, while both variables decreased sharply later. While slight variations in pH did not significantly modify sperm swimming performance, changes in osmolality affected all the measured motility variables. Two of the heavy metals tested, Cu2+ and Pb2+, did not affect sperm motility when the activating media contained up to 100 ppm of the metal salts. In contrast, Hg2+ modified the morphology of post‐swimming spermatozoa at 0·4–1 ppm (sperm dilution rate 1:39) and completely arrested sperm motility at concentrations as low as 0·1 ppm (sperm dilution rate 1:2500). Assuming a covalent binding to sperm cells, this revealed a finite number of c. 10 million Hg2+ binding sites per spermatozoon. Complementary results using demembranated spermatozoa suggested that the main target of HgCl2 would be located in the plasma membrane and that HgCl2 would inhibit water channels, hence preventing sperm motility.

A Pilot Study on Chemospecific Duodenal Visceral Sensitivity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Remission

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in remission frequently experience symptoms resembling irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In IBS altered motility and visceral sensitivity are found throughout the whole gastrointestinal tract. We aimed to study chemospecific antroduodenal sensitivity in IBD patients. Methods: Antroduodenal manometry was performed in 10 IBD patients in remission and 13 controls. Small volumes of nutrients and acid were administered intraduodenally. Motility variables and sensation scores were compared before and after each infusion. Results: Acid and lipid infusion decreased the number of antral pressure waves in both groups (p < 0.05). After acid infusion the number of duodenal pressure waves in the sideholes just distal to the infusion port increased in IBD patients compared to the controls (p < 0.05). Lipid infusion increased the number of duodenal propagated pressure waves in both groups, but in controls they were also increased over longer distances (p < 0.005). None of the infusions significantly affected the sensation scores. Conclusion: Subtle alterations in chemospecific responses to lipids and acid in IBD patients in remission were observed, affecting duodenal motor activity but not duodenal perception. These changes are indicative of changes at the chemoreceptor level in the duodenal wall in this patient group.

Differences in SCSA outcome among boars with different sperm freezability

Spermatozoa from some boars sustain the process of cryopreservation poorly and yield poor fertility after artificial insemination. Poor freezability has not been disclosed using conventional semen analyses. A defective chromatin can, if present in a substantial number of spermatozoa, affect the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa. Here we tested the hypothesis that nuclear DNA instability could explain differences in freezability among boars, and complement or supersede conventional tests for sperm quality such as sperm motility or membrane assessments. Frozen-thawed (FT) spermatozoa from a total of 44 stud boars were assessed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), in relation to computer-assisted sperm analysis-derived sperm motility variables and sperm viability (triple fluorescent microscopic staining), including three experiments. The first trial, including 24 boars, evaluated the relationship between the sperm motility and viability with levels of DNA integrity. The SCSA showed that most spermatozoa had intact DNA [levels of DNA fragmentation index (%DFI) ranging from 0.63% to 11.85%] significantly correlated (albeit weakly) with current sperm quality variables. The second trial, on 15 boars, assessed the influence of two different thawing rates (20 s at 37 degrees C vs. 8 s at 70 degrees C) and the post-thaw incubation times (0, 30, 150 and 300 min) at 37 degrees C on FT-boar sperm quality. The highest sperm survival (p < 0.05) and the lowest DNA damage (p < 0.01) were achieved when thawing was carried out at 70 degrees C for 8 s, without any change during the first 150 min of incubation. Finally, the third experiment studied if differences in sperm freezability showed by stud boar semen, as 'good' or 'bad' freezers by conventional analyses, could be attributed to differences in chromatin structure. All SCSA parameters were low, but significantly (p < 0.05-0.001) higher for 'bad' freezers, showing they had less homogeneous sperm chromatin than the 'good' freezers. The results indicate that SCSA outcome complements conventional assessment of FT-boar spermatozoa, disclosing differences in their ability to sustain freezing and thawing. However, the low overall DNA damage observed in FT spermatozoa seems to have poor biological significance.

Neurologic features of horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis with mutations in ROBO3

Autosomal recessive horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis (HGPPS) is a syndrome caused by mutation of the ROBO3 gene on chromosome 11, and is associated with defective decussation of certain brainstem neuronal systems. Patients have horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis. The objective of this study was to review the neurologic, neuroradiologic, and electrophysiologic features of HGPPS. The authors examined 11 individuals with HGPPS from five genotyped families with HGPPS. Eight individuals had brain MRI, and six had electrophysiologic studies. Horizontal gaze palsy was fully penetrant, present at birth, and total or almost total in all affected individuals. Convergence, ocular alignment, congenital nystagmus, and vertical smooth pursuit defects were variable between individuals. All patients developed progressive scoliosis during early childhood. All appropriately studied patients had hypoplasia of the pons and cerebellar peduncles with both anterior and posterior midline clefts of the pons and medulla and electrophysiologic evidence of ipsilateral corticospinal and dorsal column-medial lemniscus tract innervation. Heterozygotes were unaffected. The authors conclude that the major clinical characteristics of these syndromes are congenital horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis with some variability in both ocular motility and degree of scoliosis. The syndrome also includes a distinctive brainstem malformation and defective crossing of some brainstem neuronal pathways.—Valérie Biousse

Neurologic features of horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis with mutations in ROBO3

To review the neurologic, neuroradiologic, and electrophysiologic features of autosomal recessive horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis (HGPPS), a syndrome caused by mutation of the ROBO3 gene on chromosome 11 and associated with defective decussation of certain brainstem neuronal systems. The authors examined 11 individuals with HGPPS from five genotyped families with HGPPS. Eight individuals had brain MRI, and six had electrophysiologic studies. Horizontal gaze palsy was fully penetrant, present at birth, and total or almost total in all affected individuals. Convergence, ocular alignment, congenital nystagmus, and vertical smooth pursuit defects were variable between individuals. All patients developed progressive scoliosis during early childhood. All appropriately studied patients had hypoplasia of the pons and cerebellar peduncles with both anterior and posterior midline clefts of the pons and medulla and electrophysiologic evidence of ipsilateral corticospinal and dorsal column-medial lemniscus tract innervation. Heterozygotes were unaffected. The major clinical characteristics of horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis were congenital horizontal gaze palsy and progressive scoliosis with some variability in both ocular motility and degree of scoliosis. The syndrome also includes a distinctive brainstem malformation and defective crossing of some brainstem neuronal pathways.

The effect of inorganic and organic pollutants on sperm motility of some freshwater teleosts

Using four different sperm types from brown trout Salmo trutta fario(Salmonidae), chub Leuciscus cephalus(Cyprinidae), burbot Lota lota(Gadidae) and African catfish Clarias gariepinus(Clariidae) the effect of inorganic (cadmium, copper, mercury, lead, zinc and nitrite) and organic (cyclohexane and 2,4‐dichlorophenol) environmental pollutants on sperm motility was investigated. Spermatozoa were activated in double distilled water containing the different test substances and the motility was compared to controls of similar pH. From the investigated motility variables the sperm motility rate and swimming velocity reacted most to the environmental pollutants whereby the changes depended on the species and on the test substance. African catfish spermatozoa were the most resistant, chub and burbot spermatozoa showed medium resistance and brown trout spermatozoa were the most sensitive to the pollutants. With exception of 2,4‐dichlorophenol and zinc the effective concentrations of the tested pollutants exceeded the recommendation for surface waters 100–10·000‐fold and were in a range lethal for the fish themselves. Therefore, it was concluded that fish sperm motility is not a suitable marker for risk assessment of environmental pollutants.

Inter-sample variability in post-thaw human spermatozoa

Semen cryopreservation is a useful tool for preserving fertility in men who have been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy or testicular surgery. Semen is also commonly cryopreserved prior to its use in assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The post-thaw quality of banked sperm can vary, which may negatively affect fertilization rates. The objective of our study was to assess the pre-freeze and post-thaw variability of sperm parameters in patients who used our sperm banking services. Multiple samples obtained after a short period of sexual abstinence were examined for variation in sperm characteristics. Semen samples showed a high degree of post-thaw inter-sample variability in sperm motility, motion characteristics, and percentage cryosurvival rate compared with the pre-freeze inter-sample variability. Further research is necessary to understand the mechanism(s) responsible for this variability. This may also assist clinicians utilize semen samples with optimum semen quality in ART procedures.

Effects of ageing on gastrointestinal motor function.

Existing data on the effect of ageing on gastrointestinal motility are few. In this study, we assessed the propulsive effect of all main segments of the gastrointestinal tract in a group of healthy older people. 16 healthy volunteers (eight women, eight men) of mean age 81 years (range 74-85 years) participated in the study. Gastric emptying and small intestinal and colonic transit rates were determined by gamma camera technique. The technique was also used to measure the postprandial frequency of antral contractions. Furthermore, we assessed the effects of gender, body mass index and smoking on the motility variables. The results were compared with data from 16 healthy individuals (eight women, eight men) of mean age 24 years (range 20-30 years). Advanced age did not influence gastric emptying or small intestinal transit rate. Older individuals had a slower colonic transit than young individuals (P = 0.0008). No difference was found in postprandial frequency of antral contractions between older and young subjects. None of the motility variables was affected by gender or body mass index. Smokers had a faster colonic transit than non-smokers (P = 0.0022). Normal ageing seems to reduce the propulsive capacity of the colon, whereas gastric and small intestinal motility is not affected.

Variables seminales en toros criollos colombianos con cuernos costeños y romosiniano.

En el Centro de Investigación «Turipaná», adscrito a la Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (CORPOICA), ubicado al norte de Colombia; 8º31’ latitud norte y 75º49’ latitud oeste, se estudiaron las variables seminales en toros Costeño con Cuernos (CCC) y Romosinuano (RS). Como criterios de evaluación se consideraron: motilidad (MOT), motilidad progresiva individual rápida (MPIR), motilidad progresiva individual lenta (MPIL), concentración espermática (CON), anormalidades primarias (AP), anormalidades secundarias (AS), anormalidades totales (AT), así como el porcentaje de inducción de reacción acrosómica in vitro (RA). El período experimental fue de 75 días durante el cual se les realizó a ocho toros de cada raza, cada 15 días, examen físico, palpación rectal, evaluación seminal y prueba de inducción de la reacción acrosómica in vitro con heparina a una fracción del eyaculado. Las variables seminales de los eyaculados de toros CCC y RS respectivamente fueron: MOT 67% y 68%; MPIR 49% y 50%; MPIL 17% y 17%; CON 1.009x109 y 1.013x109 espermatozoides/ml; AP 3.8% y 3.4%; AS 14% y 16%; AT 18% y 20% y RA 170% y 178%. No se encontró diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre las variables MOT, MPIR, MPIL, AP, AS, AT y RA (P&gt;0.05). Los resultados de las variables seminales, en general, fundamentan el potencial de fertilidad de los toros criollos CCC y RS.

Variation in sperm swimming behaviour and its effect on fertilization success in the serpulid polychaete Galeolaria caespitosa

Summary Established models of fertilization kinetics in free-spawning marine invertebrates predict that fertilization success is dependent upon sperm swimming velocity. Despite the prevalence of these models, there are very few published tests of this assumption. To test this, the effects of sperm swimming characteristics on fertilization success were studied in Galeolaria caespitosa (Polychaeta, Serpulidae). Both sperm activity (% motility) and sperm swimming velocities were highly variable within this species. Sperm were motile for up to 6–7 h after activation; however, mean motility, swimming velocity and fertilization success decreased after 4 h. Eggs of G. caespitosa were fertilizable up to 10 h after spawning; however, the number of embryos resulting from fertilization by fresh sperm also decreased after 4 h. Sperm motility and velocity were not affected by water-soluble egg extracts. When gamete concentration, contact time, and age were held constant, fertilization success in G. caespitosa remained highly variable. Some of this variability was attributable to observed variability in sperm motility and velocity. Fertilization success was positively related to sperm velocity (P = 0.014), but there was no correlation between percent sperm motility and fertilization success (P = 0.85). Cross-fertilization experiments indicated that individual egg fertilizability and male-female compatibility also play an important role in determining the fertilization success and thus may obscure any effects of sperm motility.

Semen collection from mice: electroejaculation.

The effects of device type (electrostimulator, function generator or computer-generated waveforms), waveform (square, triangle or sine wave), probe type (ring or strip) and anaesthetic compound (ketamine/xylazine combination or pentobarbitone sodium) were investigated on electroejaculation (EEJ) responses of C57B1 x CBA and C57Bl/6J mice. Ejaculates were analysed for total sperm count and motility variables using computer-assisted sperm analyses. Automated computer-generated waveforms delivered through a sound card were more effective and reproducible compared with waveforms generated by function generator and electrostimulator. Sine waves and triangle waves were found to be more effective in producing ejaculate than square waves. As an anaesthetic, pentobarbitone sodium tended to outperform ketamine/xylazine across waveforms and strains. Strip probes failed to produce any ejaculate regardless of the device or waveform employed. Sperm obtained by EEJ exhibited poor motility and C5B1/6J mice had lower motility variables than C57BI x CBA mice.

Zona pellucida binding improvement effect of different sperm preparation techniques is not related to changes in sperm motility characterizations

Objective: To study the relation between changes in sperm motion characteristics and sperm binding capacity to the zona pellucida (ZP) after different sperm preparation techniques. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Andrology laboratory at the Lis Maternity Hospital. Patient(s): Sixty-three infertile men. Intervention(s): In vitro preparation of 57 sperm samples by pentoxifylline (PTX), 38 samples by SpermPrep I (SP1), and 27 samples by mini-Percoll (mPER). Sperm preparation was evaluated in comparison with the control washing technique. Main Outcome Measure(s): Motility variables and binding capacity. Result(s): Binding capacity after PTX, SP1, and mPER preparation methods was significantly higher compared with the control medium preparation. Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) of sperm motility revealed a significant increase in a number of variables after the different treatments. A statistically significant but low correlation was observed between sperm binding capacity after control swim-up preparation and VAP ( r = 0.27) as well as with VSL ( r = 0.30). No significant correlations were found between the changes in the CASA and the improved sperm binding to the ZP. Conclusion(s): The two biologic effects of binding capacity enhancement and motility features improvement are not related. Furthermore, because the binding assay is highly correlated with fertilization capacity, these alterations in motility, as evidenced by CASA, probably have a minor effect on fertilization in vitro.