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Biomedical subjects

C Ross

Publications and source records attributed to C Ross.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome using agonists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone for in vitro fertilization: a European series and a proposal for prevention.

Severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was recorded in 8 of 413 patients after the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) associated with gonadotropins for in vitro fertilization. Seven of the 8 patients were pregnant. Common factors associated with the development of OHSS were high serum estradiol values on the day of ovulation induction and many follicles greater than or equal to 12 mm. Based on this experience, a new therapeutic schedule was used in a group of 10 patients who, after GnRH-a and gonadotropin stimulation, were judged to be at high risk of OHSS on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). No hCG was administered and gonadotropins were stopped. The administration of GnRH-a was continued and, after a further period of pituitary desensitization, follicular stimulation was recommended with a lower dose of gonadotropins. No cases of OHSS occurred and 3 patients became pregnant.

Buserelin↗

Ectopic pregnancy after luteal phase initiation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog before in vitro fertilization.

Three patients had an undetected pregnancy when they commenced a GnRH-a on the 21st day of their cycle before ovulation stimulation for IVF. Two of the three pregnancies were later diagnosed as ectopic gestations. Based on this and previous case reports in the literature, it is suggested that luteal phase administration of GnRH-a may predispose to EPs, particularly in patients with damaged tubes, by reducing tubal motility secondary to a transient increase in circulating P concentrations.

Adult↗

Trophectoderm biopsy in human blastocysts.

Trophectoderm biopsy was carried out on 47 human blastocysts. A slit was made in the zona pellucida opposite the inner cell mass by micromanipulative techniques. The human blastocyst zona offered more resistance to slitting compared to that of the mouse. After 18-24 h, controlled herniation of the trophectoderm cells was observed. These cells were biopsied when the diameter of the herniation was approximately equal to that of the blastocyst. The size of the slit and the stage of embryonic development at which slitting was performed were important for successful herniation to occur. After slitting, 76% of day 5-6 blastocysts showed herniation whilst only 42% of day 7-8 blastocysts herniated. Further development of the manipulated embryos was not apparently impaired, as hatching occurred in 44% of the former and 20% of the latter, compared with 18.1% in non-manipulated controls. The biopsied cells (approximately 10-30) usually remained in a clump but 14% formed vesicles on the day after biopsy. There was, however, no evidence of adherence to the dish or formation of monolayers. These results demonstrate the feasibility of trophectoderm biopsy in human blastocysts and that sufficient extra-embryonic material can be obtained by this technique for preimplantation diagnosis of genetic disorders.

Biopsy↗

Autoantibodies to crude human leucocyte interferon (IFN), native human IFN, recombinant human IFN-alpha 2b and human IFN-gamma in healthy blood donors.

Recently, naturally occurring antibodies to IFN-alpha were discovered in a few systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cancer patients; however, in most patients monitored for anti-IFN antibodies before treatment, no antibodies were found. In an attempt to explain the 'IFN-blocking effect' that we observed in all serum samples we investigated 200 sera from healthy blood donors. We isolated the globulin fraction, and used rabbit anti-human IgG and IgM columns, protein A columns and T-gel affinity chromatography to isolate human IgG and IgM. All sample fractions were tested in a biological IFN neutralization assay by means of a sensitive MTT-assay. We found that normal human serum contained autoantibodies to crude human leucocyte IFN, native human fibroblast IFN, recombinant human leucocyte IFN-alpha 2b and recombinant human IFN-gamma, and that these naturally occurring antibodies were biologically active immunoglobulins of IgG and IgM type. These anti-IFN antibodies were also present in purified human normal immunoglobulin pools. We conclude that all humans have naturally occurring anti-interferon antibodies in their serum, and it is a tempting theory that human cytokines and lymphokines are, at least partly, regulated by immunoglobulins.

Adolescent↗

[A study of suicidal tendencies in adolescents in the secondary level].

A study carried out among 2,850 Québec adolescents, aged 12 to 18 and coming from four high schools in the Trois-Rivières area, shows that 15.4% of them admit to having seriously thought of committing suicide. These teenagers are at different stages of the suicidal process. Hence, 4% admit to nurturing serious thoughts about suicide: 7.9% say they are at the planning stages and 3.5% have actually attempted suicide. The characteristics of the families involved are fairly the same for all categories of suicidal tendencies. However, the fathers of the youth who have made attempts have less schooling than the father of the other teens with suicidal tendencies. Furthermore, the adolescents who have attempted suicide report a greater number of events that are key to their suicidal thoughts. The persistence of suicidal thoughts, the depressive state, the feelings of an existential void and the despair all grow in function of the seriousness of suicidal tendencies. These affective-type variables best distinguish the different categories of suicidal tendencies.

Adolescent↗

Intraarticular corticosteroid injections: should we rest the joints?

To prevent damage in injected joints, it has been our policy to rest them for 48 hours. To test this assertion we randomized 30 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (rest, no-rest). Results in 28 patients (63 joints: 27 rest and 36 no-rest) are presented. Joint evaluation was performed at baseline and at 48 hours (pain/tenderness, swelling and range of motion). Two analyses were conducted, the first included all joints, and the second only joint pairs. In both cases measurements at 48 hours were comparable for the rest and no rest group for both upper and lower extremity joints (pain/tenderness/swelling and range of motion). At a later follow up (average 10 months) there were no differences in any of the parameters examined. Our study suggests that rest is not essential for intraarticular corticosteroids to be beneficial, at least in an inpatient setting. The applicability of our data to an outpatient population remains to be determined.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Evaluation of buspirone as an antianxiety agent: buspirone and diazepam versus placebo.

Buspirone has previously been demonstrated to be efficacious in the treatment of anxiety. This four-week double-blind parallel study compared buspirone to diazepam and placebo in the treatment of 119 outpatients diagnosed as having generalized anxiety disorder. After a seven-day placebo washout period, eligible patients were randomized to one of three treatment groups. Buspirone (5 mg) and diazepam (5 mg) were administered BID and individually titrated to an optimal therapeutic dose by the end of week two. Buspirone and diazepam were equally effective in reducing Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A) total and psychic factor scores from baseline values. Buspirone alone was significantly better than placebo in reducing the HAM-A somatic factor score. Sixty-seven percent of both active treatment groups who were classified as "ill" on the baseline global psychopathology rating scale achieved a "not ill" status by study end. There were no significant differences between treatment groups at endpoint on the 56-item Symptom Checklist self-rating scale. Buspirone was demonstrated to be as effective as diazepam in relieving anxiety in this outpatient sample.

Adult↗

In vitro fertilisation in a small unit in the NHS.

In vitro fertilisation is one of the most effective new treatments for infertility, but financial restrictions have made it impossible for it to be widely carried out in the National Health Service. We report on the establishment of a small, largely self funded, unit that was set up with the help of the local health service management. All cycles are programmed so that most work is carried out during the working week; oocyte recoveries are performed as outpatient procedures without general anaesthesia and guided by ultrasound. Roughly a tenth of treatment cycles and roughly a fifth of embryo transfers resulted in a clinical pregnancy.

England↗

Massive schwannoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses.

Schwannomas, uncommon tumors of the nose and paranasal sinuses, are discovered late in their clinical course because of their obscure anatomic location. In this report, we have described the clinical findings in a massive nasal schwannoma (neurilemoma) that obstructed both nares, the left maxillary sinus, and the ethmoid sinuses, and protruded from the oropharynx and nose. The preoperative work-up included both computerized tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging studies.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Early experience with the selective splenocaval shunt for variceal bleeding.

Selective variceal decompression is the operative method of choice in the definitive management of recurrent hemorrhage from gastroesophageal varices. The distal splenorenal shunt is the recommended procedure for selective variceal decompression, but its use may be limited in patients who have undergone left nephrectomy, in patients with an anatomically aberrant relationship between the splenic and left renal veins and in patients with preoperative visceral angiographic findings suggesting that they are at risk for development of the postoperative syndrome of renal vein hypertension. In these clinical situations, selective variceal decompression can be obtained with a splenocaval shunt, constructed by directly anastomosing the splenic vein to the infrarenal vena cava. Seven patients who have undergone the selective splenocaval shunt are reviewed in this report. Early experience with these patients demonstrates the use of the selective splenocaval shunt when an alternative to the distal splenorenal shunt is needed.

Adult↗

Thinking about the threat of nuclear war: relevance to mental health.

Ontario students in grades 7-13 responded to open-ended and multiple-choice questions about future concerns, particularly unemployment, job/career plans, and the nuclear threat. Although worries about nuclear war were more frequent than those in other areas, their expression was associated with a sense of social efficacy rather than with feelings of helplessness.

Adolescent↗

Competitive inhibition by human sera of mouse monoclonal antibody binding to glycoproteins C and D of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to test for human antibodies to antigenic sites on herpes simplex virus (HSV) glycoproteins C and D, which are recognized by mouse monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies capable of blocking the monoclonal antibodies were detected in the human sera, and the inhibition of binding correlated with the histories of herpetic infections. The binding of monoclonal antibody to glycoprotein C of HSV type 2 was inhibited primarily by sera from patients with recurrent herpes genitalis; however, the binding of the monoclonal antibodies to gC of HSV type 1 was inhibited by sera from patients previously infected with either HSV type 1 or HSV type 2. The observations suggest that the antigenic sites defined by the mouse monoclonal antibodies are recognized by the human host.

Animals↗

Dissociation between hypothalamic catecholamine levels and epinephrine-forming enzyme activity after midbrain hemitransections in the rat.

We found decreased catecholamine (norepinephrine and epinephrine) levels in selective hypothalamic nuclei of the rat after complete midbrain hemitransections. In contrast, the activity of the epinephrine-forming enzyme (phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, PNMT, EC 2.1.1.28) was unchanged in the hypothalamus after the lesions. Our results demonstrate a dissociation between hypothalamic catecholamine levels and PNMT activity, and suggest that hypothalamic PNMT may not be localized in catecholaminergic axons originating in the brainstem.

Animals↗