Hyperammonemic encephalopathy secondary to diphtheroid urinary tract infection in a patient with prune belly syndrome.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Rabinowitz.
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Indomethacin has been used in twins with polyhydramnios to decrease amniotic fluid volume. Under therapy, a marked reduction of both fetuses' urine production has been demonstrated within 24 hours concomitant with maternal symptomatic relief. Discontinuation of therapy was associated with a rapid increase in fetal urine production. The clinical observation indicates that the benefit of indomethacin in prolonging such pregnancies is most probably the result of relief of polyhydramnios through decreased fetal urine production.
CD-2 molecules on the surface of human T-lymphocytes endow these cells with the capacity of binding sheep (SRBC) and human red blood cells (HRBC). It has recently become clear that they play an important role in the regulation of T-cell functions. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of heating at 45 degrees C for 1 hour on the capacity of human T-lymphocytes to bind SRBC and HRBC and to stain with CD-2 monoclonal antibody. Heating of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), thymus cells, or cells of the HD-MAR T-cell line drastically reduced their capacity of forming rosettes with SRBC. Heating of human thymus and HD-MAR cells also abrogated the formation of rosettes with HRBC. In contrast, the proportion of cells stained by high concentrations of CD-2 MoAb was reduced by only about 10-15%. Using radioiodine-labeled CD-2 MoAb, heating was found to reduce the number of cell surface E-receptors by 42% on PBL and by 27% on HD-MAR cells. The molecular weight of CD-2 molecules present on heated T-cells was identical with that of E-receptors on unheated cells. Heating was found to abolish antibody-induced capping of CD-2 molecules. Thus, heat treatment of human T-cells resulted in a moderate reduction in the number of cell-surface CD-2 molecules and in impaired mobility of CD-2 molecules in the membrane. It remains possible that in addition heating may affect the functional integrity of E-receptors or induce metabolic alterations detrimental for rosette formation.
Clinicians have relied on radionuclide scanning for evaluating acute scrotal pain and on ultrasonography for chronic scrotal pain and anatomic lesions (testicular and paratesticular structures). This review reinforces the utility of these established imaging techniques and also introduces color Doppler ultrasonography as an integral component in the advancement of testicular imaging, particularly in effective and timely diagnosis of spermatic cord torsion. The expanding capability of MR imaging for scrotal disorders is presented.
Carbachol microinjections into the mesencephalic and pontine reticular formation in rats induced intense and long-lasting catalepsy. Systemically administered haloperidol potentiated, while apomorphine and L-DOPA reduced the cataleptogenic effect of carbachol. These results indicate the existence of functional relations between the cholinergic cataleptogenic mechanism in the reticular formation and the dopaminergic system. They are interpreted in the light of known anatomical ascending and descending interconnections between the reticular formation and basal ganglia.
Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by reduced acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction. We report a model of the disease developed by active immunization of rats with purely cholinergic nerve terminals (synaptosomes) isolated from the Torpedo electric organ. Electromyographic studies of neuromuscular transmission in these rats showed a weak initial response followed by a pronounced incremental response to paired supramaximal stimuli (8 msec apart). There was no such response in control rats. There was no evidence of a postsynaptic transmission deficit in the synaptosomes immunized rats. We conclude that immunizing rats with Torpedo cholinergic nerve terminals causes a specific presynaptic dysfunction and may serve as a model for the study of LEMS.
Hourly fetal urine production rate was determined by real-time ultrasonography immediately before cordocentesis for blood gas analysis in 27 small-for-gestational-age fetuses at 20 to 37 weeks' gestation; in 14 cases there was associated oligohydramnios. The values were compared with those of 101 appropriate-for-gestational-age fetuses. The hourly fetal urine production rate was significantly lower in the small-for-gestational-age fetuses than in the appropriate-for-gestational-age fetuses. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the degree of decrease in urine production and both the degree of fetal hypoxemia and the degree of fetal smallness. There was no significant difference between the oligohydramnios and nonoligohydramnios groups in either the degree of decrease in urine production or the degree of fetal hypoxemia.
Bacterial adherence to carbohydrate receptors on the surface of urothelial cells is important in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections. Blood group-related antigens, genetically determined carbohydrate structures found on the urothelial cell surface, may influence the availability of these receptors thereby affecting bacterial adherence and the susceptibility to urinary tract infections. Recent evidence indicates that the immunoanatomical distribution of type 1 blood group-related antigens in urothelium is influenced by ABO, Lewis and secretor phenotypes, women with Le(a-b-) and Le(a+b-) blood phenotypes have more than a 3-fold greater risk of recurrent urinary tract infections compared to Le(a-b+) women and epithelial cells from nonsecretors have more bacterial receptors than cells from secretors. To determine the relation between the expression of type 1 blood group-related antigens and urinary tract infections we performed an immunohistochemical analysis using a well characterized panel of monoclonal antibodies on 72 surgical specimens obtained from children who underwent correction of a structural genitourinary anomaly at the University of Rochester Medical Center from December 1983 to May 1988. Of 72 children 48 had a history of at least 1 documented urinary tract infection. The differences in the distribution of children by type 1 blood group immunophenotype in the infection and noninfection groups were highly significant (p = 0.003, Fisher's exact test). There is an increased frequency of urinary tract infections in children with genitourinary structural anomalies whose urothelium reflects the nonsecretor phenotype, that is they have minimal or undetectable levels of ABO and Leb reactivity compared to those with intense ABO and/or Leb immunoreactivity. Of 17 children with minimal or no ABO or Leb immunoreactivity 16 (94.1%) belonged to the infection group. Furthermore, 23 of 24 patients (95.8%) without a history of urinary tract infection expressed intense ABO and/or Leb immunoreactivity. It appears that the type 1 blood group-related antigen profile of urothelium influences susceptibility to urinary tract infection and it may be important in identifying patients who would benefit from prophylactic antibiotic therapy or earlier surgical intervention.
Twenty-seven patients presented with painful acute scrotal swelling. After a clinical impression was established, all patients underwent diagnostic imaging with color Doppler ultrasound (US). Seven patients underwent surgical exploration for testicular torsion diagnosed with color Doppler US (100% operative confirmation), one underwent radical orchiectomy for treatment of seminoma, and one underwent orchidopexy for treatment of a freely mobile testis. Eighteen patients were treated for nonoperable conditions. Diagnoses made with color Doppler US correlated with final clinical diagnoses in all patients. In 10 of 27 patients (38%), the diagnosis was established at color Doppler US. Until now, nuclear scanning has had a paramount role in the evaluation of equivocal cases of acute scrotal disease. Results show that color Doppler US helps accurately correlate anatomy and perfusion in real time and may prove to be the definitive imaging technique for the diagnostic evaluation of acute scrotal pain or swelling.
In twelve twin pregnancies with normal amniotic fluid volume, the urine output of each twin was lower than in fetuses from singleton pregnancies, and the combined urine output of both twins was between the 50th and 95th centile for singletons. In three twin pregnancies at 21-24 weeks of gestation with acute polyhydramnios, presumed to be due to the twin-twin transfusion syndrome, the urine output of the smaller fetus was zero and that of the larger was above the 95th centile for normal singleton pregnancies. These three pregnancies were managed by repeated amniocenteses and rapid drainage of large volumes of amniotic fluid. With advancing gestation, there was a tendency for normalization of urine output in the twins.
It has been shown previously that the level of soluble CD-2 determinants (E-receptors) is elevated in the serum of patients with various immunodeficiency states. The aim of the present preliminary study was to determine the level of soluble CD-2 in the sera of individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in order to assess the contribution of soluble CD-2 molecules to the immunological deterioration of these patients. The serum CD-2 concentration was determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using a monoclonal CD-2 antibody. Considerable levels of CD-2 were detected in the sera of 15.9% of 63 normal controls tested, with a mean absorbance at 492 nm of 0.154 +/- 0.033. In contrast, in none of the 13 asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals tested could soluble CD-2 be detected (mean absorbance of 0.00093 +/- 0.0048). Elevated concentrations of CD-2 were found in the sera of 3 of 12 patients tested who were suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Thus, following HIV infection there is an initial phase of reduction of soluble CD-2, probably reflecting diminished T-cell activation. Thereafter, in some AIDS patients episodes of T-cell destruction seem to be correlated with the release of CD-2 molecules into the serum.
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Serial measurements of fetal bladder volume were obtained by real-time ultrasonography at 2- to 5-minute intervals, and the hourly fetal urine production rate was calculated. The mean hourly fetal urine production rate increased from 5 ml/hr at 20 weeks' gestation to 51 ml/hr at 40 weeks. These values are double those reported in previous studies that measured fetal bladder volumes at 15- to 30-minute intervals because the cycle length is shorter than previously thought.
The CD4 molecule functions as a receptor for the binding and infectivity of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is of interest, therefore, to develop procedures for its down-regulation. In the present study, the effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) on the expression of cell surface antigens of the HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cell line was analyzed. Exposure of HL-60 cells to 1,25(OH)2D3 resulted in down-regulation of CD4 as assessed by their staining with the Leu-3a monoclonal antibody (MoAb). This treatment increased the staining of HL-60 cells with the monocyte-specific 63D3 MoAb. In contrast to the rapid elimination of cell surface CD4 by exposure of HL-60 to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), the maximal reduction of CD4 by 1,25(OH)2D3 was attained within 48 h after the beginning of the exposure.
The results of two human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) protocols of ovulation induction for in vitro fertilization (IVF) were compared. With the first protocol, 28 women (group 1) were treated with an hMG dosage which was increased stepwise. With the second, 30 women (group 2) were treated with a high dose of hMG for 2 days, then given a constant daily dose. The two groups were compared with regard to ovarian response, luteal phase and laboratory and clinical outcomes of IVF. They were comparable as regards the total number of hMG doses required, the number of large follicles (mean diameter greater than 15 mm) on day 0 (day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration), serum estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P) levels throughout the cycle and IVF laboratory and clinical outcomes. They differed significantly (p less than 0.01) only in the number of secondary smaller follicles (mean diameter less than 15 mm) observed on day 0 (3.7 +/- 0.4 for group 1 and 5.3 +/- 0.4 for group 2). Manipulating the hMG dosage during the early-mid follicular phase does not affect follicular synchrony, the number of oocytes harvested and the number of embryos achieved.
Cytologic parameters of the vaginal epithelium in 59 women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (ET) were correlated with plasma levels of 17-beta estradiol and progesterone on the oocyte pickup (OPU) and ET days. On the OPU day a late proliferative/late proliferative-early secretory pattern was observed in 84.6% of the 13 women who conceived (group 1) but in only 52% of the 46 who failed to conceive (group 2) (P less than .04). On the ET day a secretory phase appeared in 100% and 61% of group 1 and 2 patients, respectively (P less than .01). Between the OPU and ET days the mean karyopyknotic index dropped by 60% and 13% in group 1 and 2 patients, respectively (P less than .001). It seems that a high estrogenic effect followed by an advanced progestational environment, on the OPU and ET days, respectively, can provide a favorable milieu for implantation.
A nationwide perinatal census was conducted in Israel, in which medical, social, ethnic and demographic information on all births that took place in Israel within a predefined 3-month period was collected. The present study is the first to include 22,814 births that took place in all the obstetric units in Israel. The perinatal mortality rate decreased from 23.7 in 1964-68 to 13 in 1983-84. The frequency of cesarean section deliveries almost doubled over the last decade, while the use of forceps decreased significantly and the use of vacuum extraction did not change. The rate of low birthweight, however, remained constant over the last two decades. The level of hospital care has been shown to be significantly associated with perinatal mortality. The Israeli Perinatal Census may be used to provide information needed for promoting priority objectives for pregnancy and infant health, such as improving health status, identifying risk factors, increasing public and professional awareness, and improvement in services by protecting mother and fetus.
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