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Biomedical subjects

R J Howell

Publications and source records attributed to R J Howell.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Insulin-like growth factor 1 and its binding protein 1 during normal and diabetic pregnancies.

Investigations of circulating insulin-like growth factor 1, hPL, and infant size during pregnancy in normal and insulin-dependent diabetic women have yielded conflicting results and have not been analyzed longitudinally. We studied serial changes in maternal serum insulin-like growth factor 1 levels (measured by radioimmunoassay after acid ethanol extraction) throughout pregnancy in 22 normal women and in 38 with insulin-dependent diabetes. The diabetic women had significantly lower serum insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations than normal women throughout pregnancy and after delivery, although the rates of change in both groups of women were similar. Within-patient analysis showed a significant decrease in serum insulin-like growth factor 1 between 6-12 weeks' gestation and a significant increase between 24-32 weeks, followed by a significant decrease from 36 weeks' gestation to 12 weeks after delivery. Incremental changes in insulin-like growth factor 1 between 24-32 weeks' gestation correlated significantly with incremental changes in hPL (r = 0.40; P less than .001) and with birth weight (r = 0.37; P less than .01), but not with ultrasound measurements of fetal growth. The correlation of increments in insulin-like growth factor 1 and birth weight became nonsignificant when the association of hPL with both insulin-like growth factor 1 and birth weight was taken into account. Neither insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (placental protein 12) nor its ratio to insulin-like growth factor 1 showed any association with infant size. The physiologic changes in maternal serum insulin-like growth factor 1 in pregnant diabetic women do not appear related to the increased birth weight of their infants.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Circulating levels of placental protein 14 and progesterone following Mifepristone (RU38486) and Gemeprost for termination of first trimester pregnancy.

Ten patients underwent successful termination of first trimester pregnancies with RU38486 (Mifepristone, Roussel Laboratories Ltd., Broadwater Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom) followed 2 days later by a prostaglandin (Gemeprost, May and Baker Ltd., Dagenham, Essex, United Kingdom) pessary. Four hours after administration of RU38486, the levels of progesterone (P) started to fall and continued to show a gradual decline until the abortion was completed, when a steep fall to follicular phase values was observed. Levels of placental protein 14 remained unaltered until 2 days after RU38486 administration, when levels were increased. The rise in placental protein 14 in association with falling P concentrations suggests that the decidual secretion of placental protein 14 might be independent of P. Fertil Steril 52:66, 1989.

Abortifacient Agents↗
PubMed1989

Circulating levels of placental protein 12 and chorionic gonadotrophin following RU 38486 and gemeprost for termination of first trimester pregnancy.

First trimester termination of pregnancy was successfully induced in ten patients with RU 38486 followed 2 days later by a prostaglandin (Gemeprost) pessary. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) values remained unaltered until after the abortion. The levels of placental protein 12 (PP12) showed an immediate and significant fall following RU 38486, then rose to values substantially higher than those at the initial visit after 2 days. These findings show that RU 38486 has a direct inhibitory effect on tissues producing PP12 and confirm the progesterone dependency of this protein.

Abortifacient Agents↗
PubMed1989

Relationship between the pubertal fall in sex hormone binding globulin and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-I. A synchronized approach to pubertal development?

In a cross-sectional study of 69 normal adolescents we have found sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels to fall in both males and females throughout the pubertal period. Multiple regression analysis revealed a close negative correlation with insulin in both sexes. Weaker correlations were also found between SHBG and circulating androgen concentrations, in both males and females. Similar results were also obtained for a second circulating binding protein of primarily hepatic origin. This low molecular weight insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein I (IBP-I) is one of two distinct classes of IGF binding proteins which bind IGF-I and IGF-II. IGF-I in turn mediates, at least in part, the actions of growth hormone. IBP-I also fell throughout puberty, correlating with the increasing insulin levels. In addition IBP-I correlated with androgen levels in both sexes. These similarities between SHBG and IBP-I, together with a strong correlation across puberty between the levels of the two binding proteins themselves (r = 0.737, P less than 0.001), suggest common mechanisms of control over the circulating levels of these two binding proteins. The association with insulin raises the possibility of a synchronized modulation of the actions of sex steroids and IGFs by nutritional intake. Thus pubertal growth and sexual development may occur over the same time with both modulated according to nutritional intake, linked through pancreatic insulin release, to hepatic production of SHBG and IBP-I.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Pupil response: a psychophysiological measure of fear during analogue desensitization.

15 highly aroused snake phobics individually constructed fear hierarchies by selecting colored photographs of snakes. Subjects either imagined fear scenes based on their photographs or were exposed to duplicate projected slides during desensitization. Pupillary responses of the Slide Group were also recorded before, during, and after desensitization. Fear of snakes was significantly reduced for both groups within five or fewer desensitization sessions. Changes in pupil size of the Slide Group appear to reflect arousal of fear as well as reduction of fear after treatment. Current technology makes pupillary response a viable psychophysiological measure of fear.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Inhibition of binding of gonadal steroids to serum binding proteins by non-esterified fatty acids: the influence of chain length and degree of unsaturation.

The effect of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) on the in vitro binding of testosterone, 5-alpha dihydrotestosterone and estradiol E2 to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was examined using pooled normal female serum, and SHBG and albumin fractions obtained from the partial purification of late pregnancy serum. A range of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were examined for their effect on steroid-protein binding. In normal female serum, NEFA added at physiological concentrations disrupted steroid-protein binding. The shorter chain (C8-C12) saturated acids and the poly-unsaturated acids proved to be more effective inhibitors than the longer chain saturated or mono-unsaturated acids. The greatest inhibition was obtained with E2 whereas the binding of dihydrotestosterone was least affected. With partially purified SHBG, the same concentrations of NEFA were less effective at inhibiting the binding of dihydrotestosterone and testosterone but elicited the same effect with E2. The binding of steroids to albumin appeared to be unaffected by these concentrations of NEFA.

Dihydrotestosterone↗
PubMed1989

Placental proteins 12 and 14 in pre-eclampsia.

The concentrations of circulating placental protein 12 (PP12) and placental protein 14 (PP14) were measured in 41 patients with pre-eclampsia and in 17 control subjects. The levels of PP12 were significantly elevated in patients with severe preeclampsia, whereas PP14 levels were unaffected. There was a negative correlation between the levels of both PP12 and PP14 and birthweight. PP12 and PP14 appear therefore to have different control mechanisms and, possibly, different cellular origins within the decidua.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1988

Ultra rapid blood sampling for the determination of short-term variations in the circulating concentration of oestradiol in man.

Blood was taken from three healthy female and three healthy male volunteers every 20 s for 15 min. The serum level of oestradiol was measured and the pattern of variation assessed by a cusum plot of the sequential data, by autocorrelation of the detrended serial data, and by looking for pulses. In two cases the variation in oestradiol values was greater than that which could be attributed to variation in the assay. Both these subjects showed a significant overall change in values during the sampling period (an increase and a decrease). There was no trend in the remaining four subjects. In two of the six subjects there was significant autocorrelation of detrended sequential levels. Defining a 'pulse' as three times the assay coefficient of variation no more pulses were identified than was expected from random fluctuations. By frequency analysis the two subjects with significant autocorrelation showed periodic fluctuations of approximately 70/h and 9/h respectively. It is apparent that both the rate of sampling and the method of analysis greatly influence the evaluation of pulsatile release of oestradiol.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Joint custody: a comprehensive review.

This article presents a comprehensive overview of joint custody. The history and legislative implications are discussed, as are pertinent issues relative to the reported advantages and disadvantages of joint custody. Finally, the role of the mental health professional in assisting with counseling divorced families either before, during, or after a custody decision is discussed.

Child↗
PubMed1986

Placental protein 14 (PP14) in late pregnancy.

Placental protein 14 (PP14) was measured in 496 women in the last four weeks of pregnancy. There was no correlation between PP14 levels and the sex of the child, parity, age, or birthweight. A slight reduction in the median value was noted in pregnancies complicated by hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The impact of parental homosexuality in child custody cases: a review of the literature.

As a result of the relatively high rate of divorce in this country and the increasing awareness that many parents (an estimated 1.5 million) are homosexual, the courts, as well as divorce mediators, have become actively involved in child custody placement decisions involving homosexual parents. While custody decisions have tended to reflect stereotyped beliefs or fears concerning the detrimental effects of homosexual parenting practices on child development, a review of the research consistently fails to document any evidence substantiating these fears. A number of specific custody issues are discussed as well as social factors relevant to lesbian motherhood. In conclusion, several authors call for increased awareness of the facts of homosexual parenting by lawyers, judges, and other professionals involved in homosexual parent-child custody cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Placental protein 12 (PP12): a new test for the prediction of the small-for-gestational-age infant.

The circulating levels of placental protein 12 (PP12) and placental lactogen (hPL) were measured in 501 women between 36 and 41 weeks gestation. There was a significant positive association between hPL levels and infant birthweight and a significant negative association in the case of PP12 levels. The clinical efficiency of elevated PP12 levels in the prediction of low-birthweight infant at term compared favourably with that of reduced hPL levels.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1982

Relaxation training and its relationship to hyperactivity in boys.

Examined the relationship of relaxation to hyperactivity in boys. Ten male Caucasians, who ranged in age from 6-12, were given 10 neutral treatment sessions and 10 relaxation training sessions. Behavioral observation, psychological tests and parental rating were taken before and after both neutral treatment and relaxation training. Analysis of the research was accomplished by using orthogonal planned comparisons. On all nine dependent variables, the Ss exhibited no change after neutral treatment and significant change after relaxation training. Data collected during the relaxation process demonstrated reduced muscle tension for all Ss.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1981

Rorschach simulation of mental illness and normality by psychotic and nonpsychotic legal offenders.

The ability of subjects, within four diagnostic classifications, to alter Rorschach responses as a result of varied instructions was investigated. Forty-eight prison inmates at the Utah State Prison and the Forensic Unit at the Utah State Hospital were selected on the basis of their being in one of four diagnostic groups: (a) nonschizophrenic, (b) latent schizophrenic, (c) residual schizophrenic, (d) schizophrenic-psychotic. Subjects were administered the Rorschach twice, once with the instruction to respond as if they were normal and well-adjusted, and once with the instruction to respond as if they were seriously mentally ill or psychotic. A counter-balanced design was used. The variables and ratios ep, bl, P, IC, and dramatic responses were changed as a result of instructions. In addition, there were significant differences on 21 of 48 variables within the four diagnostic groups. An independent judge accurately differentiated protocols according to instructions and diagnostic groups. When subjects were simulating normality, more popular responses were given. When mental illness was simulated, there were more dramatic responses including the use of blood, mutilation, and hatred. Finally, it should be noted that the different diagnostic groups accounted for many more significant findings than did the varied instructions, reaffirming the discriminative ability of the Rorschach irrespective of instructions.

Crime↗
PubMed1980

Vocal cues as indices of schizophrenia.

The hypothesis that schizophrenic patients can be differentiated from non-schizophrenic patients was tested. In addition, the impressions about personality characteristics conveyed by voice quality were explored. Ten schizophrenics and ten non-schizophrenic patients, all from a State Hospital, were recorded individually as they read the same passage. Five judges listened to randomized recordings and completed a questionnaire on each speaker to indicate whether the subject was schizophrenic, to rate the degree of the subject's psychopathology, to rate vocal behavior with a Voice Characteristics Sale made up of six adjectives, and to rate vocal indices of personality disorder with a Voice Psychopathology Scale made up of 26 adjectives describing pathological personality characteristics. The schizophrenics were distinguished from non-schizophrenics on the basis of voice quality. The schizophrenic patients were seen as more inefficient, despondent, and moody. Information conveyed by speakers' voices was explored by a factor analytic technique. Four factors, general disintegration, dysphoria, social distance, and agitation, were identified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Psychiatric problems in emergency rooms.

This study compared the diagnosis and referral of mental health problems in the emergency rooms of four hospitals located in communities of varying size. Although deficiencies were found in the recognition of psychiatric problems in all the hospitals, the effectiveness of emergency room service was related to the size of the community.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗