Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Gilbert.
During pregnancy the decline in blood [glucose] does not result from the increased distribution space of glucose. The absolute rate of glucose turnover increases in late pregnancy in parallel with the rise in the mass of the conceptus. Nevertheless, glucose turnover per kg body wt. is not increased in late pregnancy, since the lower blood [glucose] decreases glucose utilization by maternal tissues.
Thyroparathyroidectomy (TPTX) in pregnant rats on day 12.5 of gestation was associated with a progressive reduction of dietary intake between days 18 and 21 of gestation. In control mothers with a similar dietary restriction, the fetal plasma calcium and phosphate levels were unchanged, and a slight decrease in fetal weight (approximately 0.8 g) was observed at term. Maternal hypocalcemia in TPTX animals induced chronic fetal hypocalcemia beginning at day 18.5 of gestation; fetal hyperphosphatemia was only statistically significant on the last day of gestation. Weight, blood glucose and liver glycogen stores, which were greatly decreased in fetuses from untreated TPTX mothers, increased after injection of 1,25-(OH)2D3 into TPTX mothers. A marked increase in fetal weight (+ 1.6-2.0 g) occurred at term with doses ranging from 0.05 to 0.25 micrograms/kg of body weight; higher doses (greater than or equal to 0.5 micrograms/kg) inhibited this improvement. Fetal blood glucose was normalized (approximately 45-50 mg/100 ml) when TPTX mothers received 0.05 to 0.5 micrograms/kg, but decreased with higher doses. The highest fetal liver glycogen store (80 mg/g) was achieved using 0.05 micrograms of 1,25-(OH)2D3/kg, this increment being progressively inhibited when larger doses were given. Subcutaneous calcifications were observed in the fetuses of some litters after treatment of the TPTX mothers with 1 microgram of 1,25-(OH)2D3/kg.
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In the near-term rat fetus liver, insulin decreased phosphorylase a activity, slightly increased synthase a activity and increased both glycogen content and 14C-glucose incorporation into glycogen; anti-insulin serum increased phosphorylase a activity and decreased glucose incorporation but did not modify synthase a activity. When pregnant rats were previously rendered hypoglycemia, insulin injection to the fetus enhanced glycogen accumulation. It is concluded that insulin is a regulatory factor of secondary importance for liver glycogen storage through its action on phosphorylase activity.
One-hundred and fifty non-diabetic patients with stage II chronic occlusive arterial disease (COAD), were tested for red blood cell filterability (RBF). At the same time, glycaemia, uricaemia, plasma cholesterol and triglycerides, fibrinogen, haematocrit, and white blood cells (granulocytes and lymphocytes) count, mean corpuscular volume, were measured. Thirty healthy people, tested for the same biological parameters, were used as controls. RBF was performed, using the Reid & Dormandy technique, with the same batch of filters (Nuclepore 5 micrometer, No. 54 A8 A25) for patients and controls. Filtration time was expressed in s.ml-1. Values obtained in patients (41.967 +/- 0.889) were significantly different (P less than 0.005) from controls (32.1 +/- 1.329). RBF alteration was correlated (P less than 0.05) with white blood cells count, haematocrit and plasma fibrinogen values. No correlation was observed with other biological parameters.
Aggressive behavior is popularly thought to be frequently associated with the epileptic character and particularly temporal lobe disorders. However a thorough review of the literature fails to reveal any clear-cut evidence for this belief during inter-ictal periods. Some rare cases of ictal aggressive behavior have been reported but documentation has been difficult because of the previous lack of sophisticated observation equipment and because of difficulties of being present at the time of the seizure. Two rare but definite cases of epileptic aggressive behavior are presented with the help of videotape and E.E.G. recording on the scalp and with depth-electrodes.
Weight gain, food intake and blood metabolite concentrations were investigated in conscious pregnant and non-pregnant rats. A silastic catheter was inserted under light diethyl ether anaesthesia into the carotid artery. Surgery did not significantly affect the weight gain or food intake in pregnant and non-pregnant rats compared with non-operated females. Blood glucose concentration, which was constant during the last half of pregnancy, was 1.4-fold lower than in non-pregnant rats. Blood lactate and pyruvate concentrations were similar in non-pregnant and in pregnant animals until 16.5 days of gestation. Then blood lactate concentration was increased by 50% between 16.5 days of gestation and term, whereas in the same period of pregnancy, blood pyruvate concentration was unchanged. Blood alanine concentration was increased by 150% from 13.5 days of gestation to term. Plasma non-esterified fatty acids concentration increased progressively during the second half of pregnancy to reach values 2-fold higher than in non-pregnant rats. Blood ketone bodies concentrations were unchanged during pregnancy and similar to those observed in non-pregnant animals.
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The effects of variations of glycemia from 1.7 to 35 mM on the activity of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase, on glycogen content, and on U-14C-glucose incorporation into glycogen in the liver of the near-term rat fetus were investigated. Hypoglycemia did not affect the activities of phosphorylase and synthase; total glycogen content was not modified, but incorporation of labeled glucose was markedly decreased. This is consistent with a decreased glycogen synthesis. A slight hyperglycemia (about 5.5 mM) sharply decreased phosphorylase a (active) activity but increased slightly glycogen synthase a activity; liver glycogen content and labeled glucose incorporation were both enhanced. Higher levels of glycemia induced a decrease of phosphorylase a activity of the same order, but by contrast, glycogen synthase a activity increased progressively with increasing glycemia. Sequential study showed that hyperglycemia first induced the decrease of phosphorylase activity, then increased synthase activity. Marked hyperglycemia strongly enhanced liver glycogen content and labeled glucose incorporation. The fetal liver appears very responsive to acute variations of glycemia. The mechanisms seem to be oriented toward maximal glycogen accumulation.
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Transactional analysis (TA) is offered as one solution to the problems faced by doctors attempting to move away from the traditional Cartesian approach towards the holistic approach to medical practice. It can help to increase the doctor's understanding of, and insight into, the emotional and interactional components of his patients' problems.
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A group of 137 patients, 113 of whom had obstetric complications, recorded fetal movements by a subjective method. Low fetal movement counts were associated with maternal cigarette smoking and prolongation of pregnancy and high counts with maternal ingestion of sedatives or tranquillizers, abnormal fetal heart rate in labour and a true knot in the umbilical cord. The absence of fetal movement during four consecutive 20-minute counting-sessions was not associated with poor fetal outcome. Further investigations to assess the usefulness of fetal movement counting are recommended. Such investigations should take into account the limitations imposed by the methods and the obstetric population for study.
The affinity and the number of receptor sites for the synthetic steroid triamcinolone acetonide were studied in the livers of foetal rabbits. Twenty-two-, 24- and 29-day-old control and 29-day-old foetuses decapitated on day 22 were used to determine whether a change in steroid receptors occurs in the liver when it accumulates glycogen, and whether decapitation impairs such a change. Steroid receptors were found as early as day 22, when they were as numerous (0.091 pmol/mg protein) as on days 24 (0.098 pmol/mg) and 29 (0.104 pmol/mg). The binding affinity was found to be slightly higher on day 24 than on day 22 and it remained the same on days 24 and 29. The binding affinity of the receptors was the same in decapitated foetuses as in 29-day-old controls but the number of sites was slightly lower. The labelled steroid was transferred to the nucleus of the liver cells in vivo. It seems unlikely that steroid receptors are the limiting factor preventing the accumulation of glycogen in the liver of the rabbit foetus before day 26 or after decapitation.
The echocardiographic findings in a young man with a "paper-thin right ventricle" or Uhl's anomaly are reported. The usual signs of right ventricular diastolic overload with slight delay in tricuspid valve closure were observed. The discordance between the normal clinical examination and the pathological appearances on echocardiography led to cardiac catheterisation which established the diagnosis.
Incorporation and release of the radioactivity in the liver glycogen of 18.5- and 19.5-day-old rat foetuses were studied after intravenous injection of E11-14C]glycerol. Incorporation occurred during 1 h after injection of the radioactive tracer to the foetus; then, the incorporated radioactivity decreased. Glycogen content in the liver, and glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthase were not modified during the experiment. It is therefore postulated that a physiological turnover of glycogen exists in the liver of the rat foetus.
Thyro-parathyroidectomy of pregnant Rats at 12.5 days of gestation decreased maternal liver glycogen on 21.5 days of gestation and fetal weight as well as fetal liver glycogen stores. The graft of one parathyroid gland or the injection of 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol in these thyro-parathyroidectomized mothers increased their liver glycogen stores at 21.5 days of gestation. These treatments also markedly increased both fetal weight and fetal liver glycogen stores. It was concluded that maternal 1,25-dihydorxycholecalciferol, which is synthesized under the control of parathyroid hormone secretion, controls fetal growth and liver glycogen stores. The mechanism of these effects (direct or indirect) requires further investigations.
Residues of Dacthal and its monoacid and diacid hydrolytic ester cleavage metabolites were determined in carrots to which the herbicide was applied on seven plot locations throughout the United States. Residue levels of Dacthal appeared more closely related to the rate of application than to other field parameters. Traces of the monoacid metabolite were found in a few samples. The diacid metabolite was not detected in any of the samples.