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Biomedical subjects

J H Glaser

Publications and source records attributed to J H Glaser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Comparison of maternal sera, cord blood, and neonatal sera for detecting presumptive congenital syphilis: relationship with maternal treatment.

The incidence of congenital syphilis has increased rapidly over the past few years. Most infected mothers and their newborns are asymptomatic at birth and diagnosis depends on serologic testing during pregnancy and at delivery. This study was initiated to compare maternal sera, cord blood, and neonatal sera for detecting presumptive congenital syphilis and to assess the role of maternal treatment (administration of penicillin to the mother at least 1 month before delivery) on the serologic results at the time of delivery. The serologic results from all live deliveries complicated by a positive maternal and/or neonatal test for syphilis during a 12-month period were compared using chi 2 analysis and multiple comparisons for proportions. Of 3306 livebirths, 73 (2.2%) were complicated by a positive maternal or neonatal serology. At delivery, the serologic test was positive in 68 (94%) of 72 maternal sera, 30 (50%) of 60 cord sera, and 43 (63%) of 68 neonatal sera. In the absence of maternal treatment, 95% of the maternal sera, 66% of the cord blood samples, and 86% of the neonatal sera were positive. If the mother had been treated, 94% of maternal sera, 36% of cord sera, and 39% of neonatal sera were positive. Cord blood and neonatal sera appear to be inferior to maternal sera for detecting prenatal exposure to syphilis. Cord serology is also inferior to neonatal serology at 2 to 3 days of age. The most effective way to identify newborns at risk for congenital syphilis is to obtain a maternal serologic diagnosis during pregnancy and to test maternal and neonatal sera at delivery.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

Cytomegalovirus and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

To ascertain the effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection on the course of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), we reviewed the charts of all children with AIDS who also had a lung biopsy specimen or a bronchoalveolar lavage specimen cultured for CMV at the time PCP was diagnosed. The data indicate that children with AIDS and PCP whose cultures are positive for CMV do not have a poorer prognosis during a first episode of PCP compared with children whose cultures are negative for CMV.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Congenital syphilis presenting in infants after the newborn period.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: There has been a recent, dramatic increase in the incidence of congenital syphilis, particularly in urban areas. We describe seven infants seen during one year who were first given a diagnosis of congenital syphilis at 3 to 14 weeks of age, when symptoms developed. We reviewed these infants' charts in order to ascertain the reasons for the failure to diagnose syphilis at birth and to identify the signs and symptoms of congenital syphilis in this group of infants. RESULTS: At delivery, four of the infants and their mothers had negative qualitative rapid-plasma-reagin tests for syphilis. The other three mothers had been seronegative during the pregnancy and were therefore not tested at delivery; two of their infants were seronegative at birth, and one was not tested. When the infants became symptomatic between 3 and 14 weeks of age and were admitted to the hospital, all seven infants and the five mothers available for testing were found to be seropositive for syphilis. Four infants presented with a characteristic diffuse rash; the other three presented with fever and were found on admission to have aseptic meningitis. All these infants had multisystem disease, as evidenced by hepatomegaly, increased aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels, anemia, and monocytosis. In all the infants syphilis responded to parenteral penicillin. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital syphilis may be missed if serologic tests are not performed for both the mother and her infant at the time of delivery. Even when these tests are performed, some infants are not identified as having syphilis, probably because the infection is very recent and there has been insufficient time for an antibody response to develop. Some infants with congenital syphilis of later onset do not present with a typical rash; therefore, at least in areas where the disease is prevalent, serologic tests for syphilis should be included in the evaluation of all febrile infants, even those with negative results on serologic testing at birth.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

Temporal aspects of ventromedial hypothalamic progesterone action in the facilitation of estrous behavior in the female rat.

Progesterone (P) action following estrogen priming is required normally for the facilitation of estrous behavior in female rats. Although mechanisms by which P exerts its influence on estrous responsiveness have not been elucidated, the primary site of action of P has been shown to be the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN). The objective of the present series of experiments was to describe the temporal parameters of P action in the VMN in the facilitation of estrous behavior in estrogen-primed female rats. Subjects were female Long-Evans rats stereotaxically outfitted with 23-ga. guide cannulae directed towards the VMN. Crystalline P was applied directly to the brain tissue via bilateral 28-ga. insert cannulae, which could be inserted and removed easily through the guide cannulae. Animals were ovariectomized and estrogen primed with 5% estradiol Silastic capsules. They received a counterbalanced series of two experimental tests: one involving a manipulation with a P-filled implant, and another with a blank implant. In the first experiment, a significant increase in estrous responsiveness occurred only after 2 hr exposure of the VMN to P, whereas 4 hr were required for a full display of estrous behavior, including solicitation. In Experiment 2, P was lowered into the brain for either 1, 2, or 4 hr, and testing took place 4 hr after the lowering of the implant. It was found that 2 hr of P exposure was sufficient to facilitate full estrous responsiveness at 4 hr. In Experiment 3, it was revealed that the duration of estrous responsiveness was directly related to the time the P implant remained in the brain. In the fourth experiment, the time course of P retention in brain tissue, revealed by determination of 3H-progesterone levels in hypothalamus, agreed with the behavioral findings. Progesterone levels in the region of the VMN remained high while a P implant was in place, but declined rapidly after removal. A dual mechanistic hypothesis for P action in the facilitation of estrous behavior is presented.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Immunoglobulin A stimulates growth of the extrahepatic bile duct in BALB/c mice.

BALB/c mice injected with seven 0.15-ml samples of whole rabbit serum over a 2-week period developed nonneoplastic proliferation of the extrahepatic bile duct epithelium and glandular components. Sera from other animals, including bovines, humans, pigs, goats, and chickens as well as non-serum-containing secretions such as human breast milk and bile also produced this effect. Partial purification utilizing gel filtration and affinity chromatography of the active 33-65% saturated ammonium sulfate precipitate of whole serum indicated that the distribution and characteristics of this glycoprotein showed some similarities with those of IgA. Chromatographically purified human IgA was administered to BALB/c mice and was found to induce bile duct proliferation identical to that seen with whole human serum. Purified human IgG and IgM had no activity. Since IgA-containing serum from BALB/c mice was inactive, it appears that heterologous IgA functions as a specific extrahepatic bile duct growth factor (BDGF) in BALB/c mice. Murine susceptibility to the growth-stimulating effect of serum was strain specific; genetic studies utilizing crosses of susceptible (BALB/c) and resistant (C57BL/10) strains of mice revealed that the ability to respond to the infusion of BDGF is inherited in a polygenic fashion.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Xylosylation and glucuronosylation reactions in rat liver Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum.

We have studied in rat liver the subcellular sites and topography of xylosylation and galactosylation reactions occurring in the biosynthesis of the D-glucuronic acid-galactose-galactose-D-xylose linkage region of proteoglycans and of glucuronosylation reactions involved in both glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis and bile acid and bilirubin conjugation. The specific translocation rate of UDP-xylose into sealed, "right-side-out" vesicles from the Golgi apparatus was 2-5-fold higher than into sealed right-side-out vesicles from the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Using the above vesicle preparations, we only detected endogenous acceptors for xylosylation in the Golgi apparatus-rich fraction. The specific activity of xylosyltransferase (using silk fibroin as exogenous acceptor) was 50-100-fold higher in Golgi apparatus membranes than in those from the RER. Previous studies had shown that UDP-galactose is translocated solely into vesicles from the Golgi apparatus. In these studies, we found the specific activity of galactosyltransferase I to be 40-140-fold higher in membranes from the Golgi apparatus than in those from the RER. The specific translocation rate of UDP-D-glucuronic acid into vesicles from the Golgi apparatus was 10-fold higher than into those from the RER, whereas the specific activity of glucuronosyltransferase (using chondroitin nonasaccharide as exogenous acceptor) was 12-30-fold higher in Golgi apparatus membranes than in those from the RER. Together, the above results strongly suggest that, in rat liver, the biosynthesis of the above-described proteoglycan linkage region occurs in the Golgi apparatus. The specific activity of glucuronosyltransferase, using bile acids and bilirubin as exogenous acceptor, was 10-25-fold higher in RER membranes than those from the Golgi apparatus. This suggests that transport of UDP-D-glucuronic acid into the RER lumen is not required for such reactions.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Coordinate regulation of collagen and alkaline phosphatase levels in chick embryo chondrocytes.

Chick embryo tibial chondrocytes release into their extracellular matrix several species of proteochondroitin sulfate and collagen as well as matrix vesicles that are rich in Ca2+ and alkaline phosphatase and that appear to play a role in the calcification of cartilage. To determine whether there was any parallel regulation of the production of these products, the rates of collagen synthesis by cultured chick embryo tibial chondrocytes were altered, and the resulting changes in proteochondroitin sulfate synthesis and alkaline phosphatase levels in the cells were measured. As the rate of collagen synthesis was increased by adding increasing amounts of ascorbic acid to the culture medium, there was a parallel increase in the level of alkaline phosphatase. Similarly, when the rate of collagen synthesis was inhibited by adding 3,4-dehydroproline to the culture medium, the levels of alkaline phosphatase fell. The alkaline phosphatase in the culture medium was associated with vesicles which appeared to be matrix vesicles. It was recovered quantitatively by filtration through membranes with a pore size of 0.1 mu and measured by solubilizing the alkaline phosphatase from the membrane with detergent and assaying with 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate as the substrate. When the matrix vesicles from the culture medium were analyzed for collagen types, it was found that only Type X collagen was recovered in this fraction. The implications of the association of Type X collagen and the matrix vesicles, both of which are found primarily in growth plate cartilage in the zone of hypertrophied chondrocytes which is in the process of mineralization, are discussed.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗