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Biomedical subjects

E R Miller

Publications and source records attributed to E R Miller.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Serum calcium and phosphorus levels in hens relative to the time of oviposition.

An experiment was conducted to examine the serum calcium and phosphorus level of hens in relation to time of oviposition. Sixty-eight-week-old hens were selected for blood sampling according to the criteria that: 1. they laid an egg the day prior to and the day of blood collection, and 2. the oviposition time on both days was 10 a.m. +/- 2 hours. Samples were taken at hourly intervals, from five hours before through two hours after, and again at four hours after oviposition and were analyzed for serum calcium and phosphorus. All birds received natural and/or artificial light from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day. Results indicated that serum phosphorus increased from 6.46 to 6.82 mg.% during the period from five to three hours prior to oviposition. Between three and two hours before time of lay, it dropped to a level of 4.75 mg.%, where it remained (+/- 0.35 mg.%) for the remainder of the test period. Serum calcium did not change appreciably during the 10-hour test period. It was hypothesized that the serum phosphorus cycle of the hens is composed of two segments of approximately six and 18 hours duration. The segments were delineated on the basis of activities of bone resoprtion and remineralization and egg shell formation.

Animals↗

A study of abortion in countries where abortions are legally restricted.

In countries where induced abortion is permitted, national family planning programs are able to combine pre- and postconceptive fertility control methods to maximize success in achieving personally desired fertility levels and nationally desired growth levels. The proscription against induced abortion tends to produce criminal abortions and consequent morbidity and mortality which, in some countries, are often recognized as a national health problem. The International Fertility Research Program has undertaken this study of incomplete, inevitable, threatened and septic abortion cases, using a standard data collection instrument, to facilitate comparisons across institutions and countries. The data gather since 1971 in nine Asian, African and Middle Eastern hospitals includes 7,331 cases. Policies of the participating institutions with respect to what constitutes a therapeutic abortion affected the proportions of spontaneous abortions and of abortions induced outside the hospital and inside the hospital. Women treated for induced abortion tended to be of higher parity and more likely to have attained their desired family size than patients treated for spontaneous abortions. Morbidity rates were quite low for patients treated in centers where vacuum aspiration was mainly used, particularly in contrast to the morbidity rates for patients treated in centers where dilatation and curettage was used exclusively. High mortality rates in patients admitted with sepsis confirm the need not only for improvement of clinical procedures but also for reconsideration of the legal issues since many patients admitted with sepsis can be assumed to have had abortions induced.

Abortion, Illegal↗

A comparison of D & C and vacuum aspiration for performing first trimester abortion.

In a study of techniques for first trimester abortion conducted at Kandang Kerbau Hospital in Singapore from September 1973 to April 1975, 420 physically healthy gravidas were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups either by D & C or vacuum aspiration. Half of the patients in each group were 6 to 10 menstrual weeks' gestation and half were 11 to 12 week's gestation. The numbers of women with one or more complications were the same for the two treatment groups, but were significantly less when termination was carried out at 11 to 12 weeks' gestation. Estimated blood loss was significantly lower for patients treated by VA (32.3 ml) than for patients treated by D & C (39.0 ml) at 6 to 10 week's gestation, but the difference in blood loss was not statistically significant at 11 to 12 weeks' gestation. Time from insertion to removal of the speculum was significantly less with VA than D & C at 6 to 10 weeks' gestation but not at 11 to 12 weeks' gestation. Since vacuum aspiration is at least as safe as D & C, and appears to be more convenient and costeffective, it should on the basis of this experience be accepted over D & C as the standard method for treatment of first trimester abortion.

Abortion, Induced↗

Estrogen-progesterone withdrawal bleeding in diagnosis of early pregnancy.

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of an exogenous estrogen-progesterone preparation for inducing "withdrawal bleeding" in non-pregnant women, a procedure used in some areas for the diagnosis of early pregnancy. Three hundred patients not desiring to be pregnant and with no signs of pregnancy other than menses delayed by 14 days or less were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. The treatment group received an intramuscular injection of 50 mg progesterone and 3 mg oestradiol benzoate in oil. The control group received no hormonal injection. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of uterine bleeding within 7 days. Thus, the hormonal preparation was ineffective in inducing "withdrawal bleeding". Its use as a diagnostic test for pregnancy is not recommended.

Estradiol↗

A comparison of metal and plastic cannulae for performing vacuum.

A comparative study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a metal or flexible plastic 8 mm cannula for artificial abortion by vacuum aspiration for patients at six to 10 weeks' gestation. Complication rates, amounts of retained tissue (obtained with a curette check), frequencies of cannula obstructions and procedure times were used as criteria for determining the efficacy of the two types of cannulae. Two physicians participated in the study: one was responsible for the preliminary examination and performance of the abortion, and the other physician, who was kept unaware of the type of cannula used, was responsible for patient care after completions of the abortion to the time of the follow-up visit. Paracervical block anesthesia was used in all cases. Differences in complication rates (controlled for gestational age) between groups of subjects aborted with either the metal or flexible plastic cannula were not significantly different (p less than .05). For both patient groups shock was the most frequently reported immediate complication (2.7% in the metal cannula group, 4,7% in the flexible plastic cannula group), and leukorrhea was the most frequently reported complication at the time of follow-up (3.3% metal, 5.3% flexible plastic). Amounts of retained tissue and frequency of cannulae obstruction were similar for both groups. Procedure times were also similar for both groups (means of 5.7 minutes and 5.5 minutes, respectively, for procedures performed with the metal and flexible plastic cannulae).

Abortion, Induced↗

Influence of dietary 1,3-butanediol on wieght gain, blood, and liver metabolites and lipogenesis in the pig and chick.

The influence of dietary 1,3-butanediol (BD) on body weight gain, blood and liver metabolites, and on lipogenesis in pigs and chicks was studied. Body weight gain and energy intake of both pigs and chicks were depressed when the dietary energy derived from BD exceeded about 20 percent. Circulating beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate levels were markedly increased by dietary BD. Plasma triglyceride levels were increased in pigs and unchanged in chicks fed BD-containing diets. In vitro rates of fatty acid synthesis and the activities of fatty acid synthetase and malic enzyme in pig adipose tissue were not affected by the dietary BD. Neither addition of 18 percent dietary energy in the form of BD to the diet nor addition of BD to the incubation buffer affected glucose conversion to fatty acids by chick liver slices. Dietary BD did not affect long-chain acyl CoA levels in freeze-clamped chick liver but did increase the free CoA levels slightly. The hepatic lactate: pyruvate ratio was decreased when chicks were fed a BD-containing diet.

Adipose Tissue↗

Spontaneous remission of Cushing's syndrome in a patient with an adrenal adenoma.

A 23-yr-old male student presented with clinical and biochemical evidence of Cushing's syndrome. One month later, his elevated plasma and urinary adrenal steroids had returned to normal. At surgery, an adrenal adenoma was removed from his right side. We postulate that he either underwent a temporary spontaneous remission of his disease without treatment, prior to surgery, or that his adenoma secreted glucocorticoids in a cyclical fashion.

Adenoma↗

Effects of dietary carbohydrate source on growth, plasma metabolites and lipogenesis in rats, pigs, and chicks.

Rats, chicks, and pigs were fed diets containing fructose or glucose. Plasma triglyceride levels were elevated in rats but not in chicks or pigs fed diets containing fructose. The rate of fatty acid synthesis in rat liver but not in chick liver was elevated when fructose-containing diets were fed. Conversely, the rate of fatty acid synthesis in rat adipose tissue but not in pig adipose tissue tended to be depressed when fructose-containing diets were fed. These results indicate that there are species-specific as well as organ-specific metabolic responses to various dietary carbohydrates.

Adipose Tissue↗

Influence of dietary safflower oil and tallow on growth, plasma lipids and lipogenesis in rats, pigs and chicks.

Rats, chicks and pigs were fed diets containing safflower oil or tallow. Plasma triglyceride levels were elevated when tallow, rather than safflower oil was added to the diet of rats, unchanged in chicks and lowered when tallow, rather than safflower oil was fed to pigs. The rate of fatty acid synthesis in rat and chick liver was higher, whereas the rate of lipogenesis in adipose tissue preparations from rats and pigs was lower when tallow, rather than safflower oil was fed. These results indicate that there are species-specific, as well as organ-specific, metabolic responses to various dietary fats.

Adipose Tissue↗

The temperature required to initiate blastoderm development of bobwhite quail eggs.

Three experiments were conducted to determine the temperature required to initiate blastoderm development of Bobwhite quail eggs. In the first two experiments, groups of eggs were incubated for eight days at the following temperatures: 24.4 degrees C., 25.6 degrees C., 26.7 degrees C., 27.8 degrees C. and 28.9 degrees C. At the end of the incubation period, the diameter of the blastoderm was measured with a vernier caliper. In the third experiment, the same procedure was used except that a group of eggs which had not been incubated were used as controls. Results from the first and third experiment showed significant increases in blastoderm size of eggs incubated above 24.4 degrees C. In the second experiment there was a numerical increase in the blastoderm size when eggs were incubated above 24.4 degrees C., and significant increases in the size of blastoderms of eggs incubated above 25.6 degrees C. On the basis of the results of theses experiments, it was concluded that the temperature required to initiate blastoderm development of Bobwhite quail eggs was between 24.4 degrees C. and 25.6 degrees C.

Animals↗