Separation of X- and Y-bearing human spermatozoa by sperm isolation medium gradients evaluated by FISH.

An eight-layer discontinuous sperm isolation medium (PureSperm gradient) was evaluated in separation of human spermatozoa according to sex chromosomes by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). This study was carried out on spare samples from normozoospermic and oligozoospermic patients referred to the Royan Institute for infertility treatment. Semen analysis was assessed according to World Health Organization criteria. X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa were simultaneously identified in the neat semen (control) and sperm isolation medium fractions from the same samples using FISH and chromosome specific DNA probes. At least 1000 spermatozoa were scored for each sample. The proportions of X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa were determined by presence of red or green fluorescent signals. Before separation, there was no significant difference in the percentage of spermatozoa with the specific signals of X and Y chromosomes. After separation, in both normal and oligozoospermic patients, the percentage of X-bearing spermatozoa in the bottom layer slightly exceeded that in the top layer (P = 0.001). In both the normal and oligozoospermic groups, the difference between the frequencies of Y-bearing spermatozoa in the top and bottom layers was significant (P = 0.001). It seemed that eight-step discontinuous gradient was not a reliable method for the separation X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa for clinical purposes.

Investigation of the entrance surface dose and dose to different organs in lumbar spine imaging.

BACKGROUND: Dose assessment using proper dosimeters is especially important in radiation protection optimization and imaging justification in diagnostic radiology. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to obtain the Entrance Skin Dose (ESD) of patients undergoing lumbar spine imaging using two thermoluminescence dosimeters TLD-100 (LiF: Mg, Ti) and GR-200 (LiF: Mg, Cu, P) and also to obtain the absorbed dose to different organs in lumbar spine imaging with several views. METHODS: To measure the ESD values of the patients undergoing lumbar spine imaging, the two TLD types were put on their skin surface. The ESD values for different views of lumbar spine imaging were also measured by putting the TLDs at the surface of the Rando phantom. Several TLD chips were inserted inside different organs of Rando phantom to measure the absorbed dose to different organs in lumbar spine imaging. RESULTS: The results indicate that there is a close agreement between the results of the two dosimeters. Based on the results of this experiment, the ESD dose of the 16 patients included in this study varied between 2.71 mGy and 26.29 mGy with the average of 11.89 mGy for TLD-100, and between 2.55 mGy and 27.41 mGy with the average of 12.32 mGy for GR-200 measurements. The ESDs obtained by putting the two types of TLDs at the surface of Rando phantom are in close agreement. CONCLUSION: According to the results, the GR200 has greater sensitivity than the TLD-100.

(86)Y production via (86)Sr(p,n) for PET imaging at a cyclotron.

Excitation functions of (86)Y production via (86)Sr(p,xn), (86)Sr(d,xn), (85)Rb(alpha,xn), (85)Rb((3)He,xn), and (nat)Zr(d,alphaxn) reactions were studied by means of ALICE-ASH code and the results were compared with ALICE-91 code and experimental data. The greatest nuclear reaction of cyclotron (86)Y production was found out as (86)Sr(p,n)(86)Y process. (86)Y production yield was calculated too. A SrCO(3) thick film was deposited on a copper substrate by sedimentation method. The deposited (nat)SrCO(3) was irradiated with 15MeV proton at 30microA current beam. The separation of Y from Cu and Sr was carried out by means of dual ion exchange chromatography.