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Biomedical subjects

S MacGregor

Publications and source records attributed to S MacGregor.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects of plasma exchange on sperm antibody levels in males with subfertility.

Three men with subfertility secondary to sperm antibodies with measurable serum sperm antibody levels underwent a course of 3 plasma exchanges over a period of 1 week. The levels of serum anti-sperm antibodies fell by a mean of 3.3 dilutions. This fall was maintained for approximately 4 weeks, after which there was a return to the original levels. Plasma exchange is time-consuming and relatively expensive but it offers a possible alternative to steroid treatment (with its potential side effects) in men with sperm antibodies and warrants further investigation.

Adult

Your last days.

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Aged

Could Britain inherit the American nightmare?

The article offers a critical review of the debate on policy towards illegal drugs in the United States and demonstrates how discussion of the 'drugs' issue there is linked to perceptions of the condition of African-American people and to the contentious concept of the 'underclass'. Alternatives to the Reagan-Bush policies include the extension of treatment options, possibly compulsorily, and pro-legalization arguments. The links between these perspectives and wider social philosophies and programmes are indicated. Ripples of the legalization debate are now felt in Britain and Europe. The paper concludes that understanding of the social problem of 'drugs' cannot be divorced from judgements about wider socio-cultural conditions and appropriate policies. US definitions of the problem and views of policy are not as yet the only options for Britain. A 'third way' is possible between neo-conservative and free-market approaches, that of a 'new public health'.

Cross-Cultural Comparison

Substance abuse in pregnant women: recent experience at the Perinatal Center for Chemical Dependence of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Drug abuse during pregnancy is associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Patterns of abuse have changed in recent years with the increasing popularity of cocaine. We compared pregnancy outcome data from 137 women receiving prenatal care in the Perinatal Center for Chemical Dependence of Northwestern Memorial Hospital with those of matched controls. Among drug-using women, the mean gestational age at delivery and mean birth weight were significantly lower than those of controls. In addition, study pregnancies were more frequently complicated by the need for antenatal hospitalization, preterm delivery, low birth weight (less than 2500 g), and abruptio placentae.

Adult

Ultrasonic growth parameters in fetuses of mothers with primary addiction to cocaine.

Sixty-seven women with primary addiction to cocaine were evaluated during their pregnancies by multiple ultrasound studies. Ultrasonic parameters included biparietal diameter, femur length, abdominal circumference, and head circumference. These values were compared with ultrasonic growth parameters in nonaddicted fetuses. Head and abdominal circumference data were used to evaluate the fetuses according to growth pattern. With this system of scoring, subtleties of asymmetric versus symmetric intrauterine growth retardation become apparent. In addition, birth weights of addicted infants were compared with birth weights of nonaddicted infants. The results suggest that, although statistically significant differences in birth weights cannot be demonstrated, abnormal growth of the addicted fetuses does occur. Addicted fetuses show a greater proportion of biparietal diameter and abdominal circumference values below the 50th and 25th percentiles than nonaddicted fetuses, and addicted fetuses more frequently exhibit intrauterine growth retardation patterns. These data suggest that it is fruitful to study these infants with near-normal size but with abnormal intrauterine growth patterns.

Birth Weight

The Northwestern University triplet study. IV. Biochemical parameters.

Umbilical arterial and venous blood gas indices of 11 triplet pregnancies were reviewed. Ten sets of triplets were delivered by cesarean section and one set was delivered vaginally. Mean 1-minute Apgar scores were significantly lower in the group of infants delivered third than in either of the other birth order groups. There were no statistically significant differences when the mean umbilical arterial or venous pH, PCO2, and base deficit were compared among any one triplet and the other two. Similarly, no significant differences were found when these parameters were compared by birth order in relation to mean 5-minute Apgar scores, mean birth weights, and mean gestational ages at delivery. Birth order did not appear to significantly influence acid-base status, although it may become significant with an increasing time in utero after delivery of the firstborn infant. Further study is necessary to investigate whether there is a critical interval of delivery whereby the infants remaining in utero become acidotic.

Apgar Score

Temporal patterns of cocaine use in pregnancy. Perinatal outcome.

Seventy-five cocaine-using women enrolled in a comprehensive perinatal care program were divided into two groups: those who used cocaine in only the first trimester of pregnancy (group 1 [N = 23]) and those who used cocaine throughout pregnancy (group 2 [N = 52]). Perinatal outcomes of these pregnancies were compared with perinatal outcomes of a matched group of obstetric patients with no history or evidence of substance abuse (group 3 [N = 40]). Group 2 women had an increased rate of preterm delivery and low-birth-weight infants as well as an increased rate of intrauterine growth retardation. Group 1 women had rates of these complications similar to the drug-free group. Mean birth weight, length, and head circumference for term infants were reduced in only the group 2 infants. However, both groups of cocaine-exposed infants demonstrated significant impairment of orientation, motor, and state regulation behaviors on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale.

Adult

Equity or equality.

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Aged