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Biomedical subjects

I Shapiro

Publications and source records attributed to I Shapiro.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

In utero sonographic appearance of intestinal duplication cysts.

The antenatal appearance of gastrointestinal duplication cysts is described. Two cases are presented: a duplication cyst of the pylorus and a cyst of the terminal ileum. The embryogenesis and the clinical utility of prenatal diagnosis of these malformations of the alimentary tract are discussed. Antenatal detection of these cystic masses allowed close neonatal surveillance and timely surgical intervention prior to neonatal complications.

Adult↗

Doppler studies of fetal cerebral blood flow.

Doppler flow velocity waveforms from fetal cerebral vessels can be reliably obtained by a transabdominal or transvaginal scanning route. Changes in pulsatility imply alterations in cerebral impedance and reflect the physiological regulatory mechanisms underlying pathological processes during pregnancy. In fetuses severely distressed due to failure of placental function, the ratios reflecting the redistribution of fetal circulation (e.g. the 'brain-sparing effect') help to identify fetuses at risk for fetal hypoxia. Apart from providing an increase in medical knowledge, this non-invasive technique is proving to be clinically useful.

Journal Article↗

Effect of bioactive glass templates on osteoblast proliferation and in vitro synthesis of bone-like tissue.

Using in vitro synthesized bone tissue with cells aspirated from the patient's marrow is an appealing idea to avoid the profound limitations of biological and synthetic grafts. Procedures to synthesize bone tissue in vitro primarily relied on seeding various substrates with cells that have osteogenic capacity in culture. It should be noted that in an in vitro system, osteoprogenitor cells, as well as bone cells themselves can rapidly change their phenotype, hence the substrate needs to promote the expression of the bone cell phenotype. Furthermore, it needs to provide a template for bone deposition while gradually resorbing once bone tissue has been laid down. This paper presents initial evidence that bioactive glass, a synthetic material with documented extensive bone bioactivity properties, represents a material that optimally combines the requirements of the ideal template for in vitro synthesis of bone tissue. When made in porous form, and conditioned to develop a bone-like surface prior to being seeded with pluripotential cells capable of expressing the osteoblastic phenotype, these templates lead to expeditious and abundant in vitro synthesis of extracellular matrix with most important characteristics of bone tissue.

Animals↗

Maternal plasma glucose levels and Doppler flow velocity waveforms in cerebral arteries of growth-retarded fetuses.

Doppler flow studies of the intracranial internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery performed in 17 women at 30-36 weeks of gestation, referred for evaluation of small for gestational age fetuses, resulted in abnormally low pulsatility index values (below 2 SD). These patients were investigated when fasting and 1 h after a 100-gram glucose load. Increase of 20 ml/dl or more was followed by elevation of the mean pulsatility index in the internal carotid artery from 1.03 +/- 0.09 to 1.44 +/- 0.22 (p < 0.001), and in the middle cerebral artery from 1.12 +/- 0.16 to 1.83 +/- 0.24 (p < 0.001). Pulsatility index values returned to normal (within 2 SD for gestational age) in 15 of the subjects investigated after glucose load. These findings suggest the importance of standard fasting state or determination of maternal plasma glucose levels in patients undergoing Doppler flow evaluation of growth-retarded fetuses.

Birth Weight↗

Neu-Laxova syndrome: prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis, clinical and pathological studies, and new manifestations.

A diagnosis of the Neu-Laxova syndrome (NLS) was made by ultrasonography at 32 wks of gestation. Ultrasonographic examination showed intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), Dandy-Walker anomaly, choroid plexus cysts, receding forehead and microcephaly, bilateral cataract without prominent eyes, scalp edema with no generalized edema, retrognathia, curved penis, and flexion deformities of limbs. The findings in this case are consistent with NLS; however, they did not fit any of Curry's [1982] groups. Massive swelling of hands and feet were among the main manifestations in classic NLS cases. In the case presented herein, edema was noted only in the scalp. This might shed further light on the question of variability vs. heterogeneity in the NLS. This case shows the existing possibility of an early diagnosis of NLS and adds Dandy-Walker anomaly and choroid plexus cysts as new findings to this syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Sonographic indications for karyotyping procedures. An international questionnaire.

An international survey was conducted to investigate attitudes to karyotyping procedures in cases of fetal anomalies detected by ultrasound. A questionnaire was sent to 111 current members of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The overall response rate was 48%. Analysis of the replies reflects a wide variation in the criteria for the definition of a sonographic abnormality, the indication for a diagnostic procedure, and the timing for intervention. The results emphasize the need for additional data on several sonographic findings (e.g. choroid plexus cysts, renal pyelectasis, short limbs) and for improved selection of patients for chromosomal investigation.

Journal Article↗

Doppler flow velocity waveforms in fetal surveillance of twins: a prospective longitudinal study.

In 37 consecutive twin pregnancies, monthly Doppler sonographic measurements were made of blood flow velocity waveforms of the internal carotid and umbilical artery of each fetus. A total of 197 Doppler studies were performed. Of the 74 infants, 23 were small for gestational age (SGA). Thirty-five of the SGA Doppler studies were abnormal, giving an overall sensitivity for predicting SGA fetus of 58% and a positive predictive value of 71%. These data are not as sensitive and specific as our earlier data; however, Doppler criteria preceded sonographic diagnosis of SGA by a mean interval of 3.7 weeks and demonstrated better sensitivity and specificity. A combination of these parameters improves sensitivity to 84%. We conclude that Doppler velocimetry complements real-time ultrasonography for the early diagnosis of abnormal growth in twin pregnancies.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

[Fetal echocardiography].

Fetal echocardiography is an ultrasonic technique for the diagnosis of cardiac defects and fetal arrhythmias. During 1981-1990 we examined 1800 women referred for elective examinations from all over the country. Most, at high risk for fetal cardiac anomalies, were examined in the 22nd week of gestation. Others were examined whenever a fetal arrhythmia or a cardiac defect was suspected. In 251 fetuses (13.9%) pathological cardiac conditions were found, and structural heart defects in 51 (2.8%). When a cardiac defect with poor prognosis was diagnosed during the 2nd trimester, termination of pregnancy was suggested. In 35% of these cases termination of pregnancy was accepted. In 12% of the women examined spontaneous intra-uterine fetal death had occurred, while in 52% live babies were born, but half died within 6 months. In 215 fetuses (11.9%) a cardiac arrhythmia was found, which in 73% consisted of supraventricular premature beats. In 15.8% the fetus was endangered by the arrhythmia, mainly supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Treatment was by drugs administered to the mother. In 1 case of complete A-V block echocardiographic follow-up demonstrated rapid deterioration of heart function. Delivery was induced and a pacemaker was implanted in the newborn.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗

Delirium: phenomenologic and etiologic subtypes.

While all delirious patients have clouding of consciousness (alteration of attention) and cognitive dysfunction, the level of alertness of different patients may range from stuporous to hyperalert. We, therefore, developed an analog scale to rate the alertness of delirious patients, and a separate scale to rate the severity of their clouding of consciousness. Based on these scales, patients were categorized overall as relatively "activated" (relatively alert despite clouding of consciousness), or "somnolent" (relatively stuporous along with clouding of consciousness). Cognitive function was estimated using the Mini-Mental Status Exam. Separate ratings were made of hallucinations, delusions, illusions, and agitated behavior. Activated and somnolent patients had similar ages, overall severity of delirium, and Mini-Mental Status Exam scores. Activated patients, however, were more likely to have hallucinations, delusions, and illusions than somnolent patients, and were more likely to have agitated behavior. Patients with hepatic encephalopathy were more likely to have somnolent delirium, while patients with alcohol withdrawal appeared more likely to have activated delirium. These data indicate that phenomenologic subtypes of delirium can be defined on the basis of level of alertness. These subtypes are validated in part by their differing associations with symptoms unrelated to alertness. These subtypes may have different pathophysiology, and thus, potentially different treatments.

Aged↗

Fetal blood flow velocity waveforms in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth retardation.

Fifty-three pregnancies suspected for a small-for-gestational age fetus (SGA) by ultrasonographic weight estimation (below the 10th percentile of Brenner nomograms) were studied using pulsed Doppler (Duplex) for recording fetal blood flow velocity waveforms from the umbilical artery and fetal internal carotid artery. The pulsatility index (PI) for each artery was calculated as an index of vascular resistance. The gestational age ranged from 29 to 40 weeks. In 42 cases an SGA newborn was delivered (according to Brenner tables corrected for maternal parity and fetal sex), 34 newborns were SGA according to Usher and McLean (2 SD below the mean). Fetal structural and/or chromosomal defects were found in four cases, all of which showed symmetric intrauterine growth retardation and normal PI values in the fetal internal carotid artery. After excluding the infants with congenital abnormalities and using nomograms constructed for our own population, the ratio between the PI of the umbilical artery and the internal carotid artery was found to be the best predictor of SGA (sensitivity 84.2%, specificity 90.9%, positive predictive value 97.0%, negative predictive value 62.5%). Using the more demanding criteria for SGA according to Usher and McLean, sensitivity improved to 100%, specificity was 80.0%, positive predictive value 87.9%, and negative predictive value 100%.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

Ultrasound assessment of the bladder volume after anterior colporrhaphy.

In 40 gynecological patients 44 different determinations of the bladder volume were made using ultrasonic methods. The product of bladder depth, height, and width, as determined from transverse and sagittal scans, showed the best correlation with the bladder volume measured by urethral catheter (r = 0.981). For 73% of the measurements the error was under 20% when the true bladder volume was greater than 100 cm3. This method gives a reasonable assessment of the bladder residual volume. It is quick, safe, and repeatable and, therefore, useful in postoperative clinical practice.

Adult↗

Maternal echocardiography in hypertensive pregnancies.

Echocardiographic hemodynamic and left ventricular parameters were determined in 14 normotensive and 18 hypertensive women during the last trimester of pregnancy. The hypertensive patients had significantly higher mean values of total peripheral resistance (p less than 0.001), maximum velocity of posterior wall motion (p less than 0.05), mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (p less than 0.01) and percent fiber shortening of left ventricular diameter (p less than 0.05). The mean values for heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, cardiac index, left ventricular posterior wall thickness and septal thickness did not differ significantly in both groups. These results reflect increased cardiac contractility related to elevated peripheral vascular resistance in subjects with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Adult↗