Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone and the principal regulator of erythropoiesis in the fetus, newborn, and adult. EPO-alfa is erythropoietin manufactured by recombinant human DNA technology (rhEPO). After counseling, a pregnant woman with anti-Js(b) in her serum was started on rhEPO (600 U/Kg, biweekly) to prevent anemia secondary to serial donations of her blood for fetal transfusions. After a total of 25 rhEPO infusions and autologous donation of 8 units of whole blood, maternal hemoglobin prior to the elective cesarean section at 37 weeks was 11.3 gm/dL. Serum EPO concentration was determined in paired maternal and fetal blood samples, before ultrasound guided intravascular transfusions, in this alloimmunized Js(b)-negative and another Rh(D) alloimmunized pregnancy to determine possible correlations between maternal and fetal serum EPO. rhEPO prevented anemia in a patient who donated 8 units of blood from 18-37 weeks of pregnancy without inducing adverse biological effects such as hypertension or thrombotic complications in the placenta. Data presented in this study suggest that EPO does not cross the human placenta.

Adult↗

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LHRH-stimulated release of stored and newly synthesized gonadotrop polypeptide (GP-87) by cultured rat gonadotrophs.

Enriched gonadotrophs from rat pituitaries were used to analyze the kinetics of release in vitro of the Gonadotrop Polypeptide (GP-87) under LHRH stimulation. Proteins in cultured cells were labeled with [35S]methionine. Labeling of the intracellular GP-87 pool was effected during 16 hours prior to LHRH (10(-7) M) stimulation. Proteins were analyzed either by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE (Medium content) or by two-dimensional PAGE (Cell content). An apparent half-life (intracellular catabolism + release) of 31 h for GP-87 was estimated from control cells; it dropped to 2.5 h in stimulated cells due to intense release (26% after 1 h and about 80% after 8 h of stimulation). When cells were simultaneously labeled and stimulated, the newly synthesized species appeared in the medium after a lag phase of 30 minutes, time required for synthesis and full subsequent processing. From both series of experiments, it is concluded that the hypothalamic decapeptide promotes exocytosis of the newly synthesized GP-87 well before the endogenous GP-87 pool is exhausted. Furthermore, the release of another discrete protein (B2, Mr: 81 kDa) is also stimulated by LHRH. These proteins being co-released with LH could be part of the sorting and/or routing process of hormones towards exocytosis.

Animals↗

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Use of rifampin for the treatment of serious staphylococcal and gram-negative bacillary infections.

The use of rifampin combined with other antimicrobial agents for the treatment of 40 serious bacterial infections against which other treatment regimens had failed was reviewed. Seven of 17 staphylococcal infections (16 due to Staphylococcus aureus and one due to Staphylococcus epidermidis) were cured, as were 16 of 23 infections caused by gram-negative bacilli. In vitro tests of interaction between rifampin and other antibiotics produced variable results. However, eight rifampin-resistant strains (six of S. aureus, one of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and one of Proteus mirabilis) emerged during combination therapy in seven patients; the drugs involved were rifampin plus vancomycin in three instances, rifampin plus gentamicin in two, rifampin plus colistin in one, and rifampin plus pristinamycin in one. Thus, while rifampin produced a dramatic beneficial effect in some patients with serious bacterial infections, the emergence of resistant strains, even with dual drug therapy, was identified as a potential problem.

Bacterial Infections↗

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Spinal cord swelling as a myelographic indicator of prognosis: a retrospective study in dogs with intervertebral disc disease and loss of deep pain perception.

The association of myelographic spinal cord swelling with neurological outcome was examined in 46 dogs with intervertebral disc disease and absence of deep pain perception (DPP). Spinal cord swelling was measured by calculating a ratio of the length of the loss of the myelographic dye column to the length of the second lumbar vertebra (L2). A positive neurological outcome was defined as return of voluntary motor function. A cut-off value for swelling:L2 of 5.0 was established by the creation of a receiver operator characteristic curve. Using a swelling:L2 ratio of 5.0 as a cutoff for indication of neurological recovery yielded a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 61%. Overall neurological recovery rate was 43%. Dogs with spinal cord swelling:L2 ratios less than 5.0 had a recovery rate of 61%, whereas dogs with a ratio greater than or equal to 5.0 had a recovery rate of 26%. Evaluation of these data by chi square analysis confirmed that a ratio less than 5.0 was associated with a positive outcome, and a ratio greater than or equal to 5.0 was associated with a negative outcome, (P < .05). Although other factors, such as duration of neurological signs, affect neurological outcome in dogs with no DPP, evaluation of myelographic spinal cord swelling can assist in establishing a prognosis.

Animals↗

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Recovery of intellectual function after a brain injury: a comparison of longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches.

The goal of this study was to investigate recovery of intellectual function as a function of age at the time of a brain lesion. Participants with unilateral cortical lesions were selected from an initial data base of 685 patients. Ninety-six participants formed a longitudinal cohort for a first study and 314 participants formed a cross-sectional cohort for a second study. Participants of each study were split into two age groups according to the age at the time of the lesion: (1) before 7 years, (2) 7 years or more. Results showed a significantly different recovery profile as a function of age in the longitudinal study. Older participants manifested recovery on VIQ and PIQ, while younger participants presented stable profiles. The longitudinal and cross-sectional studies revealed differing recovery profiles as a function of age. Results are discussed in the context of the Kennard principle and with regard to the methodological approaches.

Brain Injuries↗

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[Antibiotic therapy in surgery].

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Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A gentamycin resistance plasmid in Staphylococcus aureus.

Drug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is frequently mediated by non-chromosomal DNA molecules referred to as R plasmids. So far, resistance to aminosidic antibiotics was observed with streptomycin [8] and kanamycin-neomycin [3]. Resistance to gentamycin has not been reported in a recent survey by Lacey [7]. In this paper, we describe a strain of S. aureus resistant to gentamycin-kanamycin-tobramycin-sisomycin, and experiments which suggest that the genetic determinant of these resistance characters is plasmid borne.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied