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Biomedical subjects

M Legge

Publications and source records attributed to M Legge.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Oocyte and zygote zona pellucida lectin binding in BALB/cBy and C57BL/6By mice and their F1 hybrids.

Zona pellucida intact oocytes and zygotes from two inbred strains of mice (BALB/cByEss and C57BL/6ByEss) and their F1 hybrids were reacted with a lectin panel (ConA, WGA, sWGA, PNA, UEA I, LTA, BSB4, DBA, PHA-P, LPA, and LFA). No major differences were observed between groups of mice for the majority of the lectin binding patterns. However, oocytes from BALB/cByEss and the F1 (C57BL/6ByxBALB/cBy) gave identical binding patterns for PNA. Following fertilization BALB/cByEss and the F1 (C57BL/6ByxBALB/cBy) bound UEAI and LTA more strongly, but the other two groups of mice demonstrated identical weaker binding of UEAI and LTA. These results indicate the possible influence of the paternal genotype on zona pellucida formation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Free radical scavengers ameliorate the 2-cell block in mouse embryo culture.

Mouse zygotes from a strain combination which fails to undergo cleavage in vitro (the 2-cell block) were cultured in a variety of media, using either low (5%) or normal (20%) oxygen tension in the gas phase. Development beyond the 4-cell stage was only achieved in medium containing serum and with normal oxygen tension. When serum-free medium was supplemented with free radical scavengers, reduced glutathione (1 mM), but not histidine, catalase or superoxide dismutase, development to the morula or blastocyst stage was promoted in 50% of zygotes cultured with normal oxygen tension. These data suggest that the 2-cell block is a consequence, at least in part, of free radical damage incurred by embryos during collection and culture, and that medium supplementation with the radical scavenger, reduced glutathione, can improve embryo development in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Mouse zygotes express endogenous lectins.

Cell interactions during mouse development have been shown to involve carbohydrate-containing macromolecules (glycoconjugates). We have therefore used a series of fluorescein-labelled synthetic glycoproteins to determine if mouse oocytes and zygotes also express sugar binding molecules (endogenous lectins) which might participate in such interactions. Unfertilized secondary oocytes did not express endogenous lectins at 4 degrees C but a low level of expression of fucose, mannose, and galactose-binding activity could be detected at 37 degrees C. In contrast, the zygote clearly expressed three classes of endogenous lectins, with preferential binding for i) fucose or mannose, ii) glucose or galactose, and iii) lactose. The expression of these lectins was much reduced at 4 degrees C and maximal binding at 37 degrees C was achieved only after 2 h incubation. We therefore conclude that a low level of endogenous lectin expression in the mouse oocyte is greatly enhanced after fertilisation and that, at both stages, expression, or the detection of expression, is markedly temperature dependent.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Amniotic fluid gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity during the second trimester.

Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) activity was determined in second trimester amniotic fluid taken from normal fetuses and those with fetal abnormalities. GGTP activity decreased with advancing gestation. Increasing meconium contamination correlated with an increase in GGTP activity as did increasing fetal blood contamination. Maternal blood did not affect GGTP activity. Anencephaly did not significantly alter the GGTP activity, however, fetuses with spina bifida had significantly lower activity. Klinefelters and Turners syndromes both had GGTP activity close to the 50th percentile, and two trisomy 21 fetuses had GGTP activity below the 40th percentile. Two trisomy 18 fetuses and two translocation Downs syndromes (46 XY, t (14;21) had GGTP activities considerably lower than the 20th percentile as did a fetus with gastroschisis. Second trimester amniotic fluid GGTP activity may provide an easy preliminary test to screen amniotic fluids for the possibility of certain fetal chromosome abnormalities.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1985

Second trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein as an indicator of fetal risk.

Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were raised to 2.0 or more times the median for gestation in 30 of 507 singleton pregnancies after excluding pregnancies complicated by fetal neural tube defects. The serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were significantly more often elevated in pregnancies complicated by prematurity, fetal heart rate abnormalities, delivery of a small for dates infant, a perinatal death and admission of the baby to the neonatal unit. While the predictive value of an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein was 76% for abnormal outcomes in general it ranged between only 16% and 46% for specific abnormalities. The usefulness of this assay relates only to its ability to predict an abnormal outcome when performed during the second trimester.

Apgar Score↗
PubMed1979

Prenatal diagnosis using amniocentesis: the Christchurch experience.

A service for biochemical analysis of amniotic fluid has been available since 1975. A total of 186 early pregnancy samples were received, the majority were from patients at risk for chromosome abnormalities or neural tube defects. The indications for analysis and the problems related to the results are presented and the need for an established genetic counselling system with a supra-regional assay service is discussed.

Amniocentesis↗
PubMed1978

The biochemical effects of a maternal hyperalimentation during pregnancy.

Six patients each with a very low 24-hour urine oestriol excretion were infused with hypertonic dextrose and amino acids for 48 hours prior to delivery. Amniotic fluid samples were studied before and after infusion. Lecithin sphingomyelin ratios and insulin levels were increased following infusions in all patients. There was usually a fall in amniotic fluid glucose and an increase in ammonia, amino acid nitrogen and osmolality following infusions. Maternal plasma oestriol, human placental lactogen, cystyl aminopeptidase and urine oestriol excretion were unchanged during the infusions.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1977

The clinical significance of low urine oestriol values.

Urine oestriol values from 327 pregnancies with antenatal complications were measured between 30 weeks gestation and term. Mean values were much lower than those obtained from pregnancies without complications. When infants were light for dates or developed evidence of neonatal morbidity, oestriol values were more likely to have been below the normal range than in pregnancies resulting in deliveries of normal infants. There was no evidence of severe fetal jeopardy in most pregnancies with oestriol values below normal. Perinatal death was consistently predicted when urine oestriol values lay below a line joining 35 mumol/day at 30 weeks and 65 mumol/day at term.

Estriol↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Human bite wounds.

Because only those patients receiving treatment are included in a study, it is difficult to determine the true incidence of infection in human bite wounds. Many undoubtedly never receive treatment since patients normally are reluctant to appear in the emergency department as a result of embarrasing circumstances. However, it is known that infection rates and resulting morbidity can be substantially reduced if the bite wound victim comes to the emergency department promptly after wounding. In addition, a meticulous wound care regimen should be standard for all human bite wounds, rather than relying solely on antibiotics, which is a common practice.

Adolescent↗