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Biomedical subjects

F Fox

Publications and source records attributed to F Fox.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A reassessment of comparative pregnancy and implantation rates following embryo transfer in recipients vs their infertile donors also trying to conceive in the background of performing salpingectomy for hydrosalpinx.

PURPOSE: To compare pregnancy and implantation rates in egg donors trying to conceive vs their recipients in the background of salpingectomy for hydrosalpinx prior to IVF-ET. METHODS: A retrospective six-year review of all donor egg cycles where the eggs are supplied by an infertile donor trying to conceive herself was carried out. Salpingectomy for hydrosalpinx was performed prior to IVF-ET. RESULTS: Clinical and delivered pregnancy rates (PRs) following fresh ET were not significantly different in donors vs recipients (60.0%, 45.8% vs 56.8%, 50.8%). Implantation rates were 27.3% vs 32.6%. The respective implantation rates following frozen ET were 13.8% and 14.4%. CONCLUSIONS: In the background of salpingectomy for hydrosalpinges the much higher PRs in recipients vs donors is no longer seen. The trend for higher implantation rates in recipients (about 20%) following fresh but not frozen transfer could still reflect some adverse effect of the controlled ovarian hyperstimulation regimen in a minority of women.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Efficacy of sharing oocytes from compensated donors between two recipients.

PURPOSE: To see if sharing of donated oocytes from a compensated donor lowers outcome following embryo transfer compared to recipients keeping all oocytes. METHOD: Retrospective review. Recipients have the option of keeping all oocytes or sharing to reduce costs. RESULTS: There were equal clinical, and ongoing/delivered pregnancy rates and implantation rates in the two groups. There were almost twice as many frozen embryos available to recipients who did not share for potential future use. CONCLUSIONS: Sharing of oocytes between two recipients reduces the financial burden for the recipient without affecting efficacy. Such a policy would make more oocytes available to recipients and thus shorten the long waiting times.

Cost Savings↗
PubMed2003

An evaluation of the efficacy of using oocyte donors aged 36-39.

PURPOSE: To determine if oocyte donors aged 36-39 can provide adequate pregnancy rates for recipients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of clinical, ongoing/delivered pregnancy and implantation rates for a group of recipients receiving oocytes from a pilot group of older donors. RESULTS: Comparable pregnancy and implantation rates were found in recipients transferring embryos derived from donors aged 36-39 as recipients using oocytes from donors < or = 35. CONCLUSIONS: The demonstration of adequate outcome following embryo transfer from embryos derived from fertilization of oocytes from donors aged 36-39 should expand the pool of donor oocytes and reduce the long waiting times for recipients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Fresh embryo transfer is more effective than frozen for donor oocyte recipients but not for donors.

BACKGROUND: Recipients of donor oocytes need to be synchronized to the donor's cycle if fresh embryos are to be transferred on the cycle of oocyte retrieval. It would be much easier to merely retrieve the oocytes from the donor, fertilize the oocytes with the recipient's male partner's spermatozoa, cryopreserve the embryos, then transfer on an oestrogen/progesterone treatment programme. METHODS: The IVF outcomes of all patients enrolled in a shared oocyte programme from January 1997 to June 1999 were reviewed. Pregnancy and implantation rates were computed and statistically analysed. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate for recipients who had a fresh embryo transfer compared with recipients whose first embryo transfer consisted of frozen/thawed embryos (63.4 versus 43.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Conception is more likely after fresh than frozen embryo transfer with recipients but is similar to donor conception rates. If a uterine defect, per se, even without the use of the controlled ovarian stimulation regimen, could explain the difference between fresh pregnancy and implantation rates in donors versus recipients, then these same differences would have been seen when comparing frozen transfers, but they were, in fact, similar.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

New humanitarianism: does it provide a moral banner for the 21st century?

There is a 'new humanitarianism' for the new millennium. It is 'principled', 'human-rights based' and politically sensitive. Above all it is new. It marks a break from the past and a rejection of the traditional principles that guided humanitarianism through the last century. New humanitarians reject the political naivety of the past, assess the long-term political impact of relief and are prepared to see humanitarian aid used as a tool to achieve human rights and political goals. New Humanitarianism is compelling, in tune with our times and offers a new moral banner for humanitarians to cling to as we enter the new millennium. Or does it? After outlining the key elements of new humanitarianism, including the human rights approach and developmental relief, the paper spells out some of the dangers. The author claims that new humanitarianism results in an overt politicisation of aid in which agencies themselves use relief as a tool to achieve wider political goals. The paper shows how this approach has spawned a new conditionality which allowsfor aid to be withheld and has produced a moral hierarchy of victims in which some are more deserving than others. The paper concludes with a plea for a revival of the principle of universalism as the first step to a new set of principles.

Altruism↗
PubMed2000

The presence of small uterine fibroids not distorting the endometrial cavity does not adversely affect conception outcome following embryo transfer in older recipients.

PURPOSE: To determine if uterine fibroids have a negative impact in older patients having embryo transfer (ET). METHODS: Comparison of clinical and viable pregnancy rates, implantation rates, and spontaneous abortion rates in older (>35) oocyte or embryo recipients with uterine leiomyomata compared to comparable patients without fibroids. RESULTS: The clinical pregnancy rate per transfer was 56% in the fibroid group vs 64% for the controls. Implantation rates were also very similar (33 vs 32%7). There were no spontaneous abortion or preterm deliveries <32 weeks in the fibroid group and the average term of pregnancies was also similar. CONCLUSION: Small fibroids not distorting the uterine cavity do not seem to negatively affect conception outcome even in older women.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A descriptive study of emergency admissions to Farview State Hospital.

The prison population in the United States has grown steadily in the past 15 years. Farview State Hospital in Waymart, Pennsylvania annually provides service to approximately 350 to 400 inmates. This is less than 10 percent of the potential need for psychiatric treatment for the state. Emergency psychiatric admissions are a burden on the mental health system, as these inmates are given priority. This descriptive study identified profiles of emergency admissions for the period of July 1, 1990 to June 30, 1993. During this time, 86 emergency admissions occurred. Differences between state correctional and local county prison inmate admissions are described. The short stays of emergency admissions indicate that Farview is achieving its goal of stabilization of the mentally disordered inmate for return to the correctional facility. More research needs to be done to compare emergency and regular admissions for both diagnosis and length of stay.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Purification of human leukocyte interferon alpha by carboxymethyl controlled pore glass bead chromatography.

Human leukocyte-derived alpha interferon [HuIFN-alpha(Le)] has been purified and/or concentrated on Carboxymethyl derivatized Controlled Pore Glass (CML-CPG240) beads. These glass beads adsorb HuIFN-alpha(Le) efficiently at acid pH and at physiological ionic strengths. Elution of HuIFN-alpha(Le) may be accomplished by several methods. Using buffers at relatively high ionic strengths (approximately 0.6 M) and pH values ranging from 2.6 to 6.9 for elution, preparations with specific activities of 10(5)-10(6) IU/mg were obtained with approximately 90 percent recoveries. Alternatively, using elution buffers at the same high ionic strength and at pH values ranging from 7.0 to 8.0, five-fold or better concentration and complete recovery of crude HuIFN-alpha(Le) were achieved. The resulting preparations were suitable for direct application to an antibody affinity chromatography column.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1983

Mouse monoclonal antibody with specificity for human interferon gamma.

We developed a monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific for human interferon gamma (HuIFN-gamma) by hybridizing cells from the NS-1 myeloma cell line with spleen lymphocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with partially purified HuIFN-gamma. Hybridoma culture supernatants were screened for neutralization of antiviral activity of HuIFN-gamma by the method determining the inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis assay (INAS), employing human fibroblasts infected with encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC). Clones exhibiting neutralization of antiviral activity of HuIFN-gamma were recloned, retested and an MAb with maximum neutralization activity was selected. This MAb was of IgM subclass and was specific for HuIFN-gamma. Antiviral activities either of human leukocyte-derived (HuIFN-alpha) or human fibroblast-derived interferon (HuIFN-beta) were not affected by this monoclonal antibody as determined by the INAS test. The specificity of the MAb for HuIFN-gamma was further confirmed by an indirect immunoprecipitation method, where monoclonal antibody-HuIFN-gamma complexes were immunoprecipitated with rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin and remaining IFN activity in the supernatants was determined by virus yield reduction assay. Ammonium sulfate precipitated preparations of this MAb were able to significantly increase (range of 230- to 1300-fold) the virus yield when compared with that obtained in the presence of IFN-gamma. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the MAb immunoprecipitates a molecule of Mr = 47 kD under nonreducing conditions. Under reducing conditions, two additional bands of Mr = 26 kD (major band) and Mr = 21 kD (minor band) were observed. A sepharose affinity column was constructed using this MAb and was able to retain approximately 60% of the partially purified HuIFN-gamma preparation applied. Significant amounts of HuIFN-gamma were eluted by increasing the ionic strength and decreasing the pH. HuIFN-alpha and HuIFN-beta were not retained by this column.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A comparative study on two radioimmunoassays with cloned human interferon-alpha.

We report here on the development of (a) a double-antibody radioimmunoassay and (b) a solid-phase radioimmunoassay for cloned human interferon-alpha (leukocyte) [HuIFN-alpha(Le)]. We present the results of titrations of human interferon-alpha-2 (HuIFN-alpha 2) using either method under experimental and optimized conditions. A comparative study of the two methods indicates that (a) the double-antibody procedure is 200-fold more economical of antibody when quantitations are carried out within an optimal range of 0.05--1.0 ng; (b) the double-antibody method is fivefold more sensitive than the solid-phase method, its sensitivity being within the range of the antiviral assays for interferons; and (c) the solid-phase assay is significantly faster. The data also support the presence in human serum of a factor(s) that decreases the maximal amount of HuIFN-alpha 2 bound to antibody. We conclude that these radioimmunoassays are superior to biological assays for the quantitation of interferon-alpha polypeptides from the standpoints of objectivity and reproducibility as well as time and effort required.

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed1978

Radiation damage due to knock-on processes on carbon foils cooled to liquid helium temperature.

Radiation damage on a holey carbon foil was investigated in an electron microscope with a superconducting lens system, where the temperature of the specimen and its environment initially was 4 K. Due to an electron dose of 2 X 10(4) As/cm2 the diameter of a hole increased 5 nm. Rough calculations show that this increase can be ascribed to knock-on processes. Estimates of the rise in specimen temperature during the irradiation are given.

Carbon↗
PubMed1977

Improvements in electron microscopy by application of superconductivity.

Resolution tests on amorphous carbon foils were carried out in an electron microscope with a superconducting system containing 4 lenses including a shielding lens at 200 kV beam voltage. Due to the mechanical and electrical stability of the system and the absence of contamination of the specimen the highest space frequencies transferred at vertically incident beam were 6 nm-1 corresponding to a resolution of 0.17 nm, a value which approaches the theoretical resolving power of the electron optical system. It should also be feasible to apply such a lens system for microprobe analysis without strongly reducing the theoretical resolution limit, if the construction of the shielding lens is slightly changed.

Carbon↗