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Biomedical subjects

D L DiPietro

Publications and source records attributed to D L DiPietro.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1984

Ectopic pregnancy: changes in serum human chorionic gonadotropin concentration.

In 93 patients with surgically proved ectopic gestation, the initial serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) concentration ranged from 2.0 to 5260 ng/ml; in 33 (35%) the values were below 100 ng/ml. Of 25 patients with serial hCG data, 20 showed a plateau or fall in serum concentrations over at least 48 hours, thereby identifying the gestation as nonviable. Sixty-four patients underwent sonographic evaluation; 35 of these also underwent at least one quantitated hCG determination. Correlating a single hCG value with the sonographic diagnosis correctly identified the gestation as nonviable in 21% of the cases, but a definite diagnosis was not possible in the rest. For the clinically stable patient with a suspected ectopic pregnancy, serial hCG determinations offer a useful technique for evaluating gestational viability.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMed1978

Effects of indomethacin on uterine capillary permeability and blastocyst development in rabbits.

Increased capillary permeability at implantation sites was demonstrated in rabbits by extravasation of intravascular blue dye on day 7 of pregnancy. Subcutaneous administration of indomethacin (Id, 8 mg/kg twice daily) on days 4-6 of pregnancy inhibited this uterine blueing response and appeared to reduce the size of implantation swellings. To test the latter observation blastocyst diameter and development of the embryonic disk were assessed at 144 hr post coitum. In females receiving indomethacin at the dose level which inhibited uterine blueing, blastocysts were significantly smaller than those from control females. Developmental staging of embryonic disks revealed only slight differences between the smaller (Id-treated) blastocysts and control blastocysts. No effect of Id was seen on ovarian function as judged by luteal weights and plasma progesterone and estradiol levels. Since the major biological effects of indomethacin are due to its inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, it appears that prostaglandins may play a role in the uterine response to blastocyst stimulation and in the expansion of blastocysts in the rabbit.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Assay of estriol-16alpha-(beta-D-glucuronide) in pregnancy urine with a specific antiserum.

A rapid, direct radioimmunoassay for estriol-16alpha-(beta-D-glucuronide) in pregnancy urine has been developed by use of immunogens in which the estriol glucuronide hapten is linked through positions 2 or 4 of ring A to bovine serum albumin or agarose gel. The resultant antibodies cross react less than 1% with other estriol conjugates, estradiol conjugates, or unconjugated estrogens. Pregnanediol-3-glucuronide cross reacts less than 0.5%. This high degree of specificity of the antibodies allows for a 10,000-fold dilution of pregnancy urine to be assayed directly without interference from other steroids or urinary constituents. Good linear correlation was obtained for urinary-estriol glucuronide equivalents measured in the same subjects by our routine colorimetric method which separates and measures free estriol after hydrolysis. With an accelerated antibody-antigen equilibration of 20 minutes at 40 degrees, 10 samples can be easily processed in less than 90 minutes. The method also allows for the evaluation of variations in the excretion pattern of one estrogen conjugate in normal and high-risk pregnancies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1967

Glucose metabolism by human placental villi.

1. Glucose phosphorylation rates of about 1 mumole/g./min. have been measured at room temperature in homogenates of human placental chorionic villi, and these rates are relatively constant throughout gestation. 2. This reaction has an apparent K(m) for glucose of 3x10(-5)m both in early and term placenta. 3. Human foetal membranes, the amnion and chorion, also phosphorylate glucose at a rate about equal to that of the placenta. 4. On incubation of intact bits of villus tissue from 8-12-week or full-term placenta with labelled pyruvate, followed by paper chromatography of the tissue extract, the following distribution of label was observed: residual pyruvate, 40-60%; lactate, 30-50%; glucose, 6%; fructose, 7%; sorbitol, 0.6%. 5. The concept of the placenta acting as a foetal liver during early pregnancy is inconsistent with the observation that glucose production by this organ persists up to term.

Chromatography, Paper↗