Procedural and declarative memory processes: individuals with and without mental retardation.

Learning and retention of procedural versus declarative memory tasks were examined with 26 young adults with mild mental retardation and 27 school children matched for MA. Results revealed a similar pattern of task performance. Performance of the young adults with mild mental retardation was inferior to that of the control subjects on both types of tasks. However, learning rate and retention over time were comparable, thereby maintaining the control group's consistent advantage throughout all repeated trials. These results are consistent with previous findings for individual's with mental retardation tested on memory and problem-solving tasks. Theoretical implications of this pattern of results for individuals with mild mental retardation were discussed.

Preferential binding of cross-reactive group A streptococcal anti-DNA monoclonal antibodies to decondensed human sperm DNA.

Four murine anti-streptococcal monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that cross-react with human DNA were evaluated by immunofluorescence flow cytometry for their reactivity with condensed and decondensed human sperm nuclei. All 4 anti-DNA mAbs reacted with condensed sperm nuclei. The reactivity of 3 of these mAbs with decondensed sperm nuclei was 13 to 177 times higher than that found with condensed nuclei. Under identical conditions, mAbs to cytoskeletal/cytocontractile proteins lacked reactivity with decondensed sperm nuclei. Binding of monoclonal anti-DNA antibodies to decondensed sperm nuclei was abolished by preincubation with double-stranded DNA. The preferential binding of anti-DNA antibodies to decondensed sperm DNA suggests the utility of decondensed sperm nuclei as the antigenic substrate for screening anti-DNA antibodies by flow cytometry.

The expression of human chorionic gonadotropin/luteinizing hormone receptors in human endometrial and myometrial blood vessels.

hCG/human LH (hLH) receptors have recently been found in human endometrial and myometrial cells and uterine vasculature. The present study was undertaken to further corroborate the immunocytochemical evidence for the presence of vascular receptors. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analyses have revealed that human uterus contains a major 4.3-kilobase and a minor 2.6-kilobase hCG/hLH receptor mRNA transcript and that these transcripts are present in part in endometrial and myometrial vascular smooth muscle cells and vascular endothelial cells. Immunoblot and immunocytochemical analyses have revealed that human uterus also contains a single immunoreactive receptor protein, and that this receptor protein in part is present in endometrial and myometrial vascular smooth muscle and vascular endothelium. The expression of receptor mRNA and/or immunoreactive receptor protein was higher in myometrial than in endometrial blood vessels, and higher in vessels of both uterine compartments from the secretory compared to proliferative phase, postmenopause, or pregnancy. The blood vessels in omentum, broad ligament, and parametrium did not immunostain for hCG/hLH receptors. A blood vessel seen traversing through parametrium immunostained for the receptor protein only after it entered the myometrium. The blood vessels in nontarget tissues did not immunostain, whereas those in some target tissues, but not all of them, immunostained for the receptor protein. In summary, the present study demonstrates for the first time that human endometrial and myometrial vascular smooth muscle and endothelium express hCG/hLH receptor mRNA and immunoreactive receptor protein. These findings suggest that hCG/hLH may directly regulate blood flow in human uterus and other target tissues. The reproductive state dependency of uterine vascular receptors suggests that these receptors are probably regulated by other reproductive hormones.

Endometrial inadequacy after treatment with human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin.

The incidence of abnormal endometrial histology in patients undergoing human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin (hMG/hCG) treatment during cycles of in vitro fertilization (IVF) or gamete intrafallopian transfer has been reported to be 52% to 91%. The incidence of endometrial inadequacy, as judged by a single late luteal endometrial biopsy, has not been studied in hMG/hCG non-IVF cycles. In the current study, 30 patients (30 cycles) undergoing hMG/hCG treatment were evaluated by an endometrial biopsy. The incidence of endometrial inadequacy was found to be 27%. No preovulatory predictors for endometrial inadequacy could be identified. Therefore, luteal support for patients undergoing non-IVF hMG/hCG cycles should be considered.

The presence of gonadotropin receptors in nonpregnant human uterus, human placenta, fetal membranes, and decidua.

The possible presence of gonadotropin receptors in nonpregnant human uterus and human fetoplacental unit was investigated by light microscope immunocytochemistry using a monoclonal antibody to rat luteal hCG/LH receptors. The receptor antibody cross-reacted with human and bovine hCG/LH receptors and appears to be directed against the receptor rather than other proteins, including HLA class I antigens. Uterus and fetoplacental unit contained receptor antibody-binding sites, which indicates the presence of hCG/LH receptors. In the endometrium these receptors were present in glandular and luminal epithelial cells as well as in stromal cells. In the myometrium the receptors were detected in circular and elongated myometrial smooth muscle and vascular smooth muscle. Comparison of immunostaining intensities, which indicates the presence of different amounts of receptors, revealed that luminal and glandular epithelial cells contained more receptors than stromal cells. These cells, in turn, contained more receptors than myometrial and vascular smooth muscle. All cells in secretory phase uterine specimens contained more receptors than corresponding cells from the proliferative phase of the cycle. Midpregnancy placenta, amniotic epithelium, chorionic cytotrophoblasts, and decidual cells contained hCG/LH receptors. At term pregnancy, while receptors in fetal membranes and decidua continue to be detected, placental tissues did not show any detectable receptors unless the tissues were pretreated with neuraminidase. This indicated that term pregnancy placenta contain hCG/LH receptors masked by sialic acid residues. Comparison of immunostaining intensities suggested that syncytiotrophoblasts contained more receptors than cytotrophoblasts at midpregnancy; mesenchymal cells or blood vessels contained no detectable receptors. There were more receptors in decidua than in fetal membranes at mid- and term pregnancy. While the amniotic epithelial receptors decreased, the receptors in chorionic cytotrophoblasts and decidual cells increased from mid- to term pregnancy. In summary, hCG/LH receptors were demonstrated in the nonpregnant human uterus, human placenta, fetal membranes, and decidua. This indicates that hCG/LH may directly regulate functions of these tissues by endocrine, autocrine, or paracrine mechanisms.

Follicular fluid Lidocaine levels during transvaginal oocyte retrieval.

Lidocaine has been shown to have adverse effects on mouse oocyte fertilization and embryo development. We have demonstrated the presence of pharmacologic levels of lidocaine in human serum and follicular fluid obtained during ultrasound guided transvaginal oocyte retrieval. The significance of this finding is unclear, as four of the eight patients studied became pregnant, including the patient with the highest follicular fluid lidocaine levels. Further evaluation of the effect of lidocaine on human embryos is warranted.

Comparison between 1-hour and 24-hour follow-up radiographs in hysterosalpingography using oil based contrast media.

A comparison was made between oil-contrast hysterosalpingogram (HSG) with 1-hour follow-up radiograph and the traditional 24-hour follow-up radiograph with respect to detection of tubal patency and pelvic adhesive disease. The results on either modality were assessed by subsequent laparoscopy. The 1-hour HSG was comparable to the 24-hour HSG in defining tubal patency. Even though it was inferior to the 24-hour HSG with respect to identifying pelvic adhesions, it may serve as an adequate substitute to the above since the sensitivity of the HSG in identifying adhesions is low and has little influence on the clinical decision process in the evaluation of infertility.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus followed by contralateral hemiparesis: report of two cases and review of literature.

Two patients with herpes zoster ophthalmicus and contralateral hemiparesis are described, and their findings compared with 49 patients previously reported. These patients presented with delayed contralateral hemiparesis approximately seven weeks after the onset of herpes zoster ophthalmicus. Most patients had evidence of infarction of the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery by angiography or by CT scan. Cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis and elevated protein commonly were found. Twenty per cent of the reported patients died, but they were older than the patients who survived and predisposed to have diffuse CNS lesions. The pathogenesis of this syndrome is thought to be due to direct viral invasion of the blood vessel wall with resulting angiitis. Further studies need to be performed to clarify the role of specific antiviral therapy or anti-inflammatory agents in treating this complication of herpes zoster.