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Biomedical subjects

S James

Publications and source records attributed to S James.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Menstrual regulation in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Menstrual regulation (MR) (i.e., vacuum aspiration of the uterus with a small diameter, flexible cannula before pregnancy can be determined by a conventional pregnancy test) has been proven safe and effective in many clinics around the world. The present study, which we believe is the first such study of MR in Subsaharan Africa, shows that, for women in an urban African setting, MR is an acceptable backup for other contraceptive methods. Data on 507 MR patients treated at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, between January 1974 and April 1976, showed that the procedure was both safe and effective for 93.4% of the study subjects: there was an overall complication rate of 3.4% and MR failed in seven cases (3.2%). Data also showed that MR is an effective method of recruiting new contraceptive acceptors, as well as an effective back-up procedure in case of contraceptive failure.

Adult↗

Significance of androgen levels in the aetiology and treatment of homosexuality.

Serum total androgens were estimated by radioimmunoassay on blood samples of treatment-seeking homosexuals and heterosexual controls. There was no significant difference in androgen levels between the homosexual and control group, nor was there any relationship between androgen levels and response to treatment. These results suggest that androgen levels have no aetiological significance in treatment-seeking homosexuals and have no relevance as indicators of treatment outcome.

Adult↗

Plasma free fatty acids in pregnant insulin-independent Natal Indian diabetics.

A study was undertaken in Natal Indians to determine the insulin secretory response and the comparative degree of free fatty acidaemia in normal and insulin-independent diabetic pregnant women. The fasting plasma FFA and glucose levels were found to be substantially greater in the diabetic subjects. The pattern of plasma FFA and glucose response to exogenous insulin was similar in both groups. Endogenous insulin produced a similar FFA response, but a markedly obtunded blood sugar response occurred among the diabetics despite adequate plasma insulin levels. The significance of the differential effect of endogenous insulin on FFA and glucose metabolism in pregnant insulin-independent Natal Indian diabetics is discussed.

Adult↗

Tolbutamide-induced insulin release in pregnant diabetics.

A study was undertaken to determine whether the abnormal insulin release pattern in insulin-independent pregnant diabetics (IID) was due to a lack of stored insulin and whether their clinical response to treatment with tolbutamide was correlated with enhanced plasma insulin values. Ten pregnant diabetics in the third trimester of pregnancy were subjected to both an oral glucose tolerance test and an intravenous tolbutamide tolerance test. The results indicated that an enhanced early release of insulin could be evoked by intravenous tolbutamide. The biochemical inertia of the beta cell noted in pregnant IID is therefore more likely to be associated with a relative insensitivity of the beta cell to glucose or to a defect in the enteroinsular axis. Although the individual hypoglycaemic effect of intravenous insulin was similar, the plasma insulin response varied greatly. The clinical improvement in tolbutamide-treated diabetics cannot be explained solely on the basis of enhanced insulin release.

Adult↗

Placental lactogen in pregnant Natal Indian diabetic patients.

The plasma levels of human placental lactogen (HPL) in healthy and in diabetic pregnant Natal Indians were studied. The plasma HPL pattern in the control group was similar to that recorded in the literature and reconfirmed the increase in HPL during normal pregnancy. The plasma HPL of the pregnant diabetics was usually within 1 standard deviation of the mean normal value for that duration of pregnancy. HPL excess could not be incriminated as a cause for the disturbed metabolism in the women with diabetes.

Ethnicity↗

Plasma insulin response following oral and intravenous glucose in pregnant diabetic women.

The acute release of insulin in most pregnant diabetic patients is sluggish. A study was undertaken to determine whether this abnormality was due to a relative insensitivity of the beta cell to glucose or to an attenuation of the enteroinsular axis. The plasma insulin response to intravenous and oral glucose was studied in third trimester pregnant insulin-independent diabetic and normal control patients. The results suggest that the sensitivity of beta cell reaction to glucose in the diabetic group was reduced and that this may be related in part to a defective enteroinsular response. Quantitative endocrine hypofunction, as evidenced by lowered plasma insulin levels, was also noted among the pregnant diabetic patients. The results are discussed in relation to the pathogenesis of disturbed carbohydrate metabolism in insulin-independent pregnant diabetic patients.

Administration, Oral↗

Growth hormone secretion in insulin-independent pregnant diabetics.

A study was initiated to determine whether hypersecretion of growth hormone (HGH) was involved in the inhibition of normal glucose metabolism in pregnant insulin-independent diabetic (IID). A total of 25 patients was studied, of whom 13 had normal glucose tolerance and 12 were recently diagnosed IIDs. Hgh secretion was stimulated by insulin-induced hypoglycemia. The mean basal HGH levels and the plasma HGH pattern following the insulin stimulus were similar in the study group and the normal controls. Although it is unlikely that HGH participates to any significant degree in the diabetogenicity of normal and diabetic pregnancy, final proof depends on the assessment of the biologically active inhibitory polypeptide fraction of HGH and the growth-promoting protein, somatomedin.

Diabetes Mellitus↗