Routine weighing during antenatal visits.
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Birth Weight↗
Biomedical subjects
A C Cruz
Publications and source records attributed to A C Cruz.
Heterogeneity in envelope protein sequence and N-linked glycosylation among yellow fever virus vaccine strains.
We have compared the deduced envelope (E) protein sequences of two biologically well-characterized yellow fever (YF) virus vaccine strains. The 17DD strain has been produced in Brazil for more than 50 years and used to successfully vaccinate millions of people worldwide. The 17D-213 is a candidate vaccine strain produced in tissue culture which has previously passed the monkey neurovirulence assay for testing human YF vaccines. Nucleotide sequence analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified cDNA revealed a number of mutations which were strain- and substrain-specific. A major difference of 17DD and 17D-213 as compared to 17D-204 and Asibi was the existence of a potential N-linked glycosylation site located at amino acid residues 153 and 151 of 17DD and 17D-213, respectively. These acceptor sites are apparently utilized for the addition of high-mannose carbohydrate chains as shown by endoglycosidase analyses of immunoprecipitated E proteins. Glycosylated E protein is also used to assemble YF vaccine virions. This work and eventual complete nucleotide sequence analysis of both vaccine strains should help to define possible changes involved in YF virus attenuation and allow their biological importance to be determined using a recently developed system for generating YF virus from cDNA. In addition, these data provide an estimate on the extent of genetic variability among YF 17D seeds and vaccines.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Ultrasonographic diagnosis of congenital anomalies in twins.
To determine whether serial ultrasonographic examinations with basic anatomic surveys provide an adequate screen for congenital abnormalities that are more common in twins, we compared the results of prenatal sonograms and neonatal examinations for 314 twins (157 pairs) delivered during a recent 42-month period. An anomaly was defined as major if it potentially required surgical repair or precluded normal life expectancy; otherwise it was defined as minor. Thirty-three twins (9.5%) had 40 anomalies; 28 (9%) were major and 12 (4%) were minor. Prenatal ultrasonography with cardiac screening limited to the four-chamber view provided detection of 39% of all major anomalies, 55% of noncardiac major anomalies but none of the cardiac lesions, and 69% of the major anomalies for which routine prenatal management should be altered. No false-positive diagnoses incorrectly altered management. We conclude that serial prenatal ultrasonographic examinations are useful in detecting noncardiac anomalies for which twins are at increased risk, but the four-chamber view is not an adequate screen for the cardiac malformations of twins.
Congenital Abnormalities↗
Prenatal sonographic findings in a fetus with Proteus syndrome.
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Abdomen↗
Treatment of human taeniasis in the Philippines: a review.
Studies relating to the treatment of human taeniasis in the Philippines using Atabrine, bithionol, and mebendazole are reviewed. Cure rates of 93.7% for Atabrine, 85%-100% for bithionol, and 84.62% for mebendazole are reported. Aside from these studies, recent experience in the treatment of Taenia saginata infections at the Department of Parasitology, College of Public Health, is also reported. Twenty patients referred to the department were treated, 3 with bithionol, 17 with praziquantel. Of the 17 patients treated with praziquantel, the study reported cure rates of 47-88.24%.
Bithionol↗
Oxytocin challenge test results compared with simultaneously studied serum human placental lactogen and free estriol levels in high-risk pregnant women.
Three perinatal health indicators (serum human placental lactogen [hPL] levels, serum free estriol [E3] levels, and OCT) were simultaneously completed in 149 high-risk women who were more than 34 weeks pregnant. There was a significant correlation between the hPL and E3 results (r = 0.28, p less than 0.01). There was a 15.4% positive OCT result rate and the blood hormone values for the negative and positive OCT groups were compared. There was a significantly lower hPL value in the positive OCT group (4.7 +/- S.E.M. 0.4 vs. 6.2 +/- S.E.M. 0.2 micrograms/ml for positive and negative groups, respectively), whereas the free E3 levels were not different in these two OCT groups (14.8 +/- S.E.M. 1.5 vs. 16.3 +/- S.E.M. 0.7 ng/ml for positive and negative groups, respectively). The free E3 value did not help in predicting the OCT result as the low free E3 subgroup had the same frequency of positive OCT result as did the over-all group. There was a highly significant increase in the positive OCT results (42.9%) in women with a low hPL value (p less than 0.01). In those women with an hPL value of 6.0 microgram/ml or more there were only 8% positive OCT's. It is concluded that on hPL test at about 34 weeks of gestation could be used to screen pregnant women, and if the value were low (less than 4.0 microgram/ml) an OCT evaluation test would be indicated, for there is a very high frequency of positive results in that subgroup of women.
Estriol↗
An evaluation of a continuous tissue pH monitor in the fetal and neonatal goat.
The validity of continuous tissue pH measurements was established in the fetal and neonatal goat model. Simultaneous determinations of tissue, arterial, and venous pH were done during alterations in acid-base status. A highly significant correlation was found between tissue and blood pH levels (r = 0.89, p less than 0.001). These data confirm the accuracy of the tissue pH instrumentation in predicting core blood pH status and support the potential usefulness of the instrumentation in perinatal medicine for continuous fetal acid-base monitoring.
Animals↗
Assessment of fetal lung maturity: a comparison of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio and the tests of optical density at 400 and 650 nm.
Seventy-eight amniotic fluid samples were obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis and were analyzed for their L/S ratio and optical density at 400 and 650 nm. The L/S ratio was considered to be mature if the values were greater than 2.0. The optical density of the fluids decreased with prolonged refrigeration. With freshly centrifuged samples, the OD650 reading of greater than 0.15 gave the best correlation with the mature L/S ratio. There were 3.8% false positive results and 14.1% false negative results. The study confirms that the OD650 test on fresh amniotic fluid is a rapid and inexpensive way to determine fetal maturity. All samples with values of less than 0.15 must, however, also be tested for their L/S ratio since some of the infants with these values may also be mature.
Amniotic Fluid↗
Intrauterine transfusion with continuous ultransonic assistance.
This paper describes a technic of intrauterine transfusion using continuous real time ultransonic assistance and discusses complications of intrauterine transfusion. The advantage of ultrasound-assisted intrauterine transfusion in reducing fetal injury and radiation exposure is emphasized.
Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine↗
Factors influencing adherence of group B streptococci to human vaginal epithelial cells.
Factors affecting the adherence of group B streptococci to human vaginal epithelial cells in vitro were examined. Maximal adherence was achieved within 15 min of incubation of bacteria with epithelial cells. Adherence was temperature and pH dependent; maximal adherence occurred at 37 degrees C and pH 5.5. Killing of streptococci with ultraviolet light or penicillin did not affect adherence. Similarly, adherence was not altered by preincubating epithelial cells at 65 degrees C for 30 min. Thus neither bacterial nor epithelial cell viability appears to be a prerequisite for adherence. Preincubation of streptococci at 65 degrees C for 30 min resulted in a marked decrease in adherence, whereas preincubation of group B streptococci with neuraminidase was associated with a significant increase in adherence. The adherence of strains belonging to five different group B streptococcal serotypes was not altered by group-specific or type-specific rabbit antisera. These findings suggest that the site for adherence on the bacterial cell wall is heat sensitive and is marked by sialic acid, but is not related to either group-specific or type-specific antigens.
Adhesiveness↗
Treatment of premature labor with ritodrine: a randomized controlled study.
Twenty-nine women with premature labor were randomly assigned to a ritodrine (N = 14) or placebo (N = 15) drug group. The 2 groups were of similar age, parity, weight, gestational age, and cervical change at the onset of treatment. They were treated sequentially with intravenous, intramuscular, and oral drugs and monitored carefully during therapy. There was a significant increase in both the maternal and fetal heart rates during ritodrine treatment, and also a significant decrease in maternal blood pressure. Ritodrine-treated women often complained of palpatations. There was no significant difference in the extension of pregnancy, birth weight, or infant survival for the ritodrine group. Although the 1-minute Apgar scores in the ritodrine group were higher, the 5-minute scores were similar in both groups.
Adult↗
Fetal heart rate tracing during sickle cell crisis: a cause for transient late decelerations.
A case of maternal sickle cell anemia crisis is presented. A continuous fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing demonstrates late decelerations that reversed when the mother's condition improved. The importance of recognizing this reversible late deceleration problem is discussed in terms of increasing fetal maturity.
Adult↗
The acute effects of ritodrine infusion on maternal metabolism: measurements of levels of glucose, insulin, glucagon, triglycerides, cholesterol, placental lactogen and chorionic gonadotropin.
Twenty-nine women in premature labor were randomly assigned to a ritodrine (N = 14) or placebo (N = 15) treatment group. Thirteen serial blood samples were drawn during the first 12 hours of therapy by intravenous drug infusion and they were analyzed for a variety of metabolic substances. There was a significant increase in the blood glucose level in the ritodrine group after one hour and this persisted for the 12 hours of intravenous drug treatment. Plasma insulin levels similarly did not increase in the placebo but significantly rose in the ritodrine group by 30 minutes, peaked at 2 1/2 hours, and remained elevated throughout the infusion. There were no significant differences between levels of plasma glucagon, cholesterol triglyceride, human placental lactogen, or human chorionic gonadotropin in the two treatment groups. Ritodrine caused significant maternal and fetal tachycardia. Its use in women with carbohydrate abnormalities should be monitored carefully. The increased glucose levels may lead to an increased fetal weight.
Adult↗
The adolescent's first pregnancy: a controlled study.
The records of 1,021 primigravida women who delivered single infants from 1973 to 1976 and who were in the adolescent (ages 10-15) and mature (ages 20-24) age groups were reviewed. It was found that the adolescent patient is more often black and unmarried, and has less prenatal care than the mature woman. There was a higher frequency of hypertensive disorders in the adolescents but this was related to race. The adolescent had fewer breech deliveries and more postpartum endometritis and premature deliveries. There was no significant difference in the fetal, neonatal, and perinatal mortality in the adolescent pregnancies.
Adolescent↗
Preservation of fetal monitor record on microfilm.
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Female↗
Rectal colonization with group B streptococcus: relation to vaginal colonization of pregnant women.
Anorectal carriage as a possible primary source of vaginal colonization by group B Streptococcus was investigated. The study was performed during two separate periods and included 789 pregnant women and 422 neonates. Specimens from multiple sites were obtained for culture from all women and infants and were streaked onto blood agar plates containing 8 mug of gentamicin sulfate/ml and 15 mug of nalidixic acid/ml, which allow selective growth of streptococci. Cultures positive for group B streptococci were obtained from 162 (20.5%) of the pregnant women and from 50 (11.8%) of the neonates. Rectal cultures were positive for streptococci in 142 (17.9%) of the women, and vaginal cultures gave positive results in 81 (10.2%). The higher incidence of positive results in rectal as opposed to vaginal cultures (ratio of 2:1) was encountered during all phases of the study. This finding suggests that the gastrointestinal tract may be the primary site of colonization by group B Streptococcus and that vaginal colonization may represent contamination from this source.
Culture Media↗
Fetal movements and placental lactogen levels for fetal-placental evaluation. A preliminary report.
Fetal movements were measured by 37 pregnant women during a 10-minute period while they were lying on their left side at various times during the day with the highest rates in the evening. Preliminary assessments of fetal movement and serum hPL levels in pregnant women suggest that the two tests might complement each other in providing more information about the status of the placenta and fetus.
Circadian Rhythm↗
Amniotic fluid L/S ratio in twin gestation.
Transabdominal amniocenteses were performed on both sacs of 14 sets of twins. In each instance one sac was marked with methylene blue to correctly identify the fluids. The lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio was determined on each fluid, and the correlation coefficient between the two sets of fluids was 0.86. There was no significant difference in the fluids' L/S ratios. The importance of this in terms of understanding the variables affecting fetal lung maturation and in clinically managing twin pregnancies is stressed.
Amniocentesis↗