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Biomedical subjects

H Schulman

Publications and source records attributed to H Schulman.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Early pregnancy-abortion model using sulprostone.

Sulprostone has been demonstrated to be effective as a parenteral abortifacient, but not as a vaginal suppository. A vaginal preparation was given to 19 women to determine its mechanism of action, and to confirm the principle of uterine conversion as a biological model for the induction of an early abortion. The drug was administered to women with confirmed pregnancies and amenorrhea and not exceeding 49 days. A 95% success rate was obtained with an incidence of drug related side effects of 20% as opposed to the general 80-90% figure of PGE2 and F2a. The hormone profile obtained revealed a parallel fall in hCG and estradiol, and progesterone. This study confirms the value of uterine conversion, a concept that describes the change in uterine reactivity following PG administration and determines the phase when uterine activity is no longer dependent on exogenous oxytocic medication.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1982

Role of the cervix in the induction of labor.

A study on induction of labor was carried out to test the hypothesis that changing the cervix will enhance the effectiveness of induction of labor. Fifty pregnant women near term with Bishop scores of 4 or less were divided into 5 study groups, in which a 12-hour preparation phase procedure was carried out to produce cervical or myometrial changes. All women had continuous measurement of uterine activity by an extraovular catheter. The patients were divided into 1) control subjects, and into groups treated with 2) laminaria, 3) Foley catheter, 4) amniotomy, and 5) oxytocin infusion. These preparation techniques were used for 12 hours, after which rupture of membranes was carried out in all cases. Although all procedures significantly changed the cervix, none but oxytocin affected the induction-to-delivery interval. The authors concluded that when a study design rigidly controls for cervical Bishop score, timing of rupture of membranes, and oxytocin infusion rates, the cervical preparation alone will not enhance inducibility.

Amnion↗
PubMed1981

Human chorionic trophoblasts, decidual cells, and macrophages: a histochemical and electron microscopic study.

Human chorion, amnion, and adherent decidua were studied in term placentas obtained at spontaneous normal delivery and at cesarean section from women not in labor. There were no differences in morphologic features or in distribution of acid phosphatase reaction product in the two delivery groups--in trophoblasts, decidual cells, or macrophages of the decidual layer. No diffusion of acid phosphatase reaction product from lysosomes was evident. The significance of these findings is discussed in the context of current hypotheses concerning cellular event associated with labor.

Amnion↗
PubMed1981

The predictability of labor outcome from a comparison of birth weight and x-ray pelvimetry.

The value of x-ray pelvimetry in labor has recently been questioned by many, although few morphometric data on the fetopelvic relationship have been presented. Fifty-one women who had dysfunctional labor, in whom both x-ray pelvimetry and oxytocin were used during clinical management, were studied. Twenty-seven were delivered by cesarean section, while 24 were delivered vaginally. Regression equations were developed for multiple pelvic indices versus birth weight. The analysis revealed no differences between the vaginal group and the cesarean section group. The design of this study suggests that the variables of pelvic measurements and birth weight do not provide a predictive tool for delivery outcome. The approximately 15% margin of dimensional differences between a successful outcome and a failed outcome is too small to be detected by current diagnostic methods.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Is pre-eclampsia a disease of the sexually active gravida?

Observation of families present in Labor Rooms has suggested that pre-eclamptic parturients are usually accompanied by a male companion while young parturients without pre-eclampsia are attended by a female family member. Consequently, 72 unselected teenage parturients were questioned about their sexual activity during pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia was diagnosed in 22; all had sexual activity after conception, 19 during the entire course of pregnancy and three during the first trimester only. Thirteen parturients who denied sexual activity during pregnancy did not develop pre-eclampsia. The remaining 37 parturients were sexually active but pre-eclampsia did not occur. The etiology of pre-eclampsia is enigmatic. The concept of a sexually-related origin provides possible explanations for the lack of the disease in animals as well as for certain facts about the disease in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Calcium-dependent phosphorylation of histone H3 in butyrate-treated HeLa cells.

Ca2+ is prominant in the control of cell proliferation and function. However, the biochemical mechanism(s) mediating its effects on nuclear events is unknown. We report here that Ca2+, at physiological concentrations, stimulates the phosphorylation of histone H3 by an endogenous protein kinase in HeLa cell nuclei. Also, pretreatment of cells with Na butyrate, which increases histone acetylation, selectively increases the susceptability of histone H3 to phosphorylation by the protein kinase. Our results reveal a potential link between histone H3 acetylation and phosphorylation, modifications which are thought to have important effects on chromatin structure and function and suggest a possible mechanism whereby stimuli at the cell surface (such as hormones, mitogens and drugs) may influence biochemical events at the nuclear level; changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration may influence the phosphorylation of chromosomal proteins, mediated by Ca2+ -dependent kinases in th nucleus.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1979

Management of pregnancy after cesarean section.

Management of 226 patients with previous low transverse cesarean section in a special obstetric clinic for high-risk pregnancies significantly and safely reduced the incidence of purely elective cesarean section to less than 10%. A substantial incidence (25%) of other high-risk factors dictating antepartum indicated cesarean section were found in this population. There was 38.5% incidence of vaginal delivery in 145 patients who underwent a trial of labor. Patients delivered vaginally followed a normal labor curve up to full dilatation. Oxytocin was required in three cases of prolonged second stage of labor and resulted in instrumental vaginal delivery in all instances. There were no uterine ruptures on vaginal exploration after delivery or at the time of repeat cesarean section during labor. There was no maternal death or perinatal loss. No justification for the present clinical practice of a 99% inicidence of elective repeat cesarean section could be found. Substantial savings in hospital cost, as well as a decreased number of diagnostic tests for the otherwise normal gravid woman, can be safely achieved.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1979

Mechanism of failed labor after fetal death and its treatment with prostaglandin E2.

Pregnancy was terminated with prostaglandin E2 in 65 women harboring a dead fetus for 3 days to 8 weeks. The study was designed to: (1) elucidate the mechanism of failed onset of labor in the presence of fetal death, (2) determine appropriate dose-response relationships, and (3) evaluate safety and efficacy of this new method of intervention. Results indicate that plasma progesterone levels from 12 to 40 weeks' gestation are in the lower normal statistical range as compared to those seen in pregnancy with a living fetus. Uterine size as estimated from fetal birth weight is also in the low normal range compared to that seen in a viable pregnancy. Hence the uterine volume-progesterone ratio is equal to or greater than that in normal pregnancy and thereby partially explanatory for the failed initiation of labor. The dosage required to produce delivery declined in each month's grouping from a mean of 56 +/- 26 (SD) mg at 12 to 15 weeks to 22 +/- 8.4 mg at 38 to 40 weeks. Dose-delivery response did not correlate with age, parity, or progesterone levels but did correlate with oxytocin response. Three unusual and serious complications occured.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate receptor proteins in mammalian brain.

cAMP receptor proteins present in mammalian brain were identified and characterized with the use of the photoaffinity label 8-azido[32P]cAMP. Cytosol and membrane fractions from various regions of rat, guinea pig, and bovine brain contained two specific cAMP receptor proteins with apparent molecular weights of 47,000 and 52,000 to 55,000. Subcellular fractionation studies showed the highest amounts of these cAMP receptor proteins associated with cytosol fractions and synaptic membrane fractions. For both the cytosol and membrane fractions, the two cAMP receptor proteins represented almost all of the proteins specifically labeled by 8-azidol[32P]cAMP and appeared to be the regulatory subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinases.

Affinity Labels↗
PubMed1978

The comparative actions of uterine inhibiting drugs.

Currently there is not an in vitro or in vivo method of quantitating the potency of uterine inhibiting drugs. Electric field stimulation (EFS) of pregnant and parturient rabbit myometrial strips has been effectively used to assay oxytocic potency of prostaglandins and it is shown in this study to be useful in assaying potency of beta-sympathomimetic compounds. Decreasing electric field stimulation (DEFS) provides three measureable endpoints: tension, excitability, and threshold voltage. Three compounds were tested for these parameters: isoproterenol, ritodrine, and isoxsuprine. It is also revealed that so-called uterine inhibition by these compounds represents the creation of a chaotic fibrillating muscle which is unable to respond in a synchronous way to produce a contraction of maximal tension.

Animals↗