Warren O. Nelson

Oral smear as a method of chromosomal sex detection.

Summary A method is described for detection of chromosomal sex from a smear of oral mucosa cells. In 50 females 20-79% of the cells had sex chromatin bodies in the nuclei. The occurrence of similar masses in oral smears from 50 males ranged from 0-4%. The method offers the advantage of ease in securing suitable cells, rapidity in preparation and simplicity of interpretation.

The Effect of Therapeutic Dosages of Nitrofurantoin (furadantin) Upon Spermatogenesis in Man

Furadantin (N-(5-nitro-2-furfurylidene)-1-amino-hydantoin) was ingested at 10 mg daily in 4 divided doses by 36 male volunteers for 14 days. Total sperm counts were taken at about 4-week intervals and testicular biopsies taken at 2-4 week intervals from 25 subjects and analyzed by the chalkley quantitative method. 18 men showed no differences in sperm counts or testicular biopsies. 5 had a negligible decreased in sperm count only. 5 showed depressed sperm counts 5-8 weeks after starting furadantin and recovery 9-12 weeks later but no change in testicular histology. Of 8 others with depressed sperm counts 7 had spermatogenic arrest with polynuclear cells in some cases. Intolerance appeared in some of the men in the form of nausea and headache. These results are difficult to interpret because the dose was considerably lower than the dose which inhibited spermatogenesis in rats because 10 of the sperm counts and 13 of 25 of the biopsies were subfertile and because sperm counts from 19 men were of doubtful reliability.

Differential Reaction of Ovariectomized Pregnant Rats to Ovarian Grafts in Various Stages of the Oestrous Cycle.

In connection with a study of transplantation of ovaries removed from virgin rats, into ovariectomized pregnant females it was discovered that a differential effect resulted from the employment of ovaries whose donors were in various stages of the oestrous cycle. Fourteen experimental animals furnish the basis for the following report. All transplants were made on the 12th or 13th day of gestation, with ovariectomy following within 24 hours. Transplants were placed in specially prepared pockets between the abdominal rectus muscles. A complete check upon the oestrous cycle of all donors was made by means of the vaginal smear method outlined by Long and Evans (1922). 1 Only virgin females in full vigor were employed. Pro-oestrous stage: Five implantations were made of ovaries from rats in pro-oestrous. Abortion occurred in each instance on the average of 75 hours following removal of the hosts own ovaries. No cases of resorption occurred, although termination of pregnancy took place on the 16th or 17th day. Oestrous stage: Two grafts were made of ovaries removed during the oestrous phase. One case of resorption resulted (subsequently found to be due to failure of the graft to take), whereas the second case terminated in abortion on the 20th day. Met-oestrous stage: Two operations involving transplantation of ovarian tissue from donors in met-oestrous resulted in abortion on the 20th day. Dioestrous stage: A series of 5 successful implants was made, utilizing gonads from donors in dioestrous. In one of these cases abortion occurred on the 20th day; the remaining 4 carried to term. The foetuses were alive at birth but were not viable, in all but one instance dying within 24 hours. The results obtained would indicate that the stage of the oestrous cycle of the donor at the time of transplantation may exercise some effect upon the duration of pregnancy in the host in that the time interval between ovariectomy and abortion varies with the cyclic condition of the graft.