PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Y B Gordon

Publications and source records attributed to Y B Gordon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Fetal breathing movements and other tests of fetal wellbeing: a comparative evaluation.

Sixty pregnant women whose fetuses were considered to be at high risk were intensively studied with fetal and placental function tests. Fetal breathing movements were studied with real-time ultrasound and the amount of time spent breathing and the variability of the breath-to-breath interval were measured. A reduction in the amount of time the fetus spent making breathing movements and decreased variability were indicative of fetal compromise. When these results were compared with those of other tests of fetal wellbeing measurement of fetal breathing movements and ultrasound assessment of growth were more sensitive tests of fetal wellbeing than the biochemical measures (urinary oestrogen, human placental lactogen, pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein, and unconjugated oestriol concentrations) or fetal heart rate. The predictive value was highest with serum unconjugated oestriol but the results of other tests were similar. Study of fetal breathing movements or an ultrasonic assessment of growth may provide a better screening test for fetal compromise than biochemical estimations.

Estriol↗
PubMed1979

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels as an index of fetal risk.

In a prospective study on an obstetric population (1,059 cases) an association was found between elevated levels of maternal serum AFP at weeks 16 to 22 and the occurrence of premature labor or the need for emergency cesarean section in the third trimester. There was no association with other late fetal complications including perinatal death, perinatal asphyxia, and intrauterine growth retardation. The sensitivity of the test in respect of premature labor was 14 per cent but the high incidence of false-positive results reduces the practical value of the test.

Cesarean Section↗
PubMed1979

Urinary excretion of factor VIII after renal transplantation.

The urinary excretion of factor-VIII-related antigen (VIIIRAg) was measured in 72 patients with kidney transplants and compared with that of two end-products of fibrin-fibrinogen lysis (fragments D and E) to assess their usefulness in monitoring the onset of rejection episodes. Specific and sensitive radioimmunoassays were used to measure the three proteins. Unconcentrated urine samples of 24-hour collections were obtained from 20 healthy subjects, 48 patients with stable transplants, and 24 patients with recent transplants serially followed up from the day of transplantation. Factor VIIIRAg and fragments E and D were not detectable in the urine from healthy subjects but were present in 39%, 60%, and 100% respectively of samples from patients with stable transplants. During 33 acute rejection episodes in 19 patients with recent transplants factor VIIIRAg and fragments E and D were significantly increased above the values observed in patients with stable transplants in 82%, 73%, and 64% of samples respectively; in patients with recent transplants showing no clinical sign of rejection increased excretion of these proteins was observed in 11%, 26%, and 22% of samples respectively. The presence of factor VIIIRAg in urine from patients with kidney allografts suggests that endothelial cell-factor VIII-platelet interactions might pay a key part in the pathogenesis of acute rejection. The results suggest that the assay of factor VIIIRAg in urine is more useful than assays of fragments D and E as a corroborative index of transplant rejection.

Antigens↗
PubMed1979

Placental protein 5 in fetal and maternal compartments.

Placental protein 5 is produced by the syncytiotrophoblast and secreted into the maternal peripheral circulation reaching levels of approximately 30 micrograms per litre in normal pregnancy at term. In the present study the distribution of PP5 was examined in maternal and fetal compartments in 13 patients at delivery.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1979

Circulating levels of pregnancy specific beta 1 glycoprotein in pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus.

Circulating levels of SP1 were measured in 20 insulin dependent diabetic women during the third trimester of pregnancy. With one exception, SP1 levels were between the 80 per cent confidence limits of the normal range. The exception was a patient who was delivered of a normal infant at 37 weeks but had consistently low levels of SP1 from 32 weeks until delivery, suggesting a specific defect in SP1 synthesis.

Female↗
PubMed1979

Changes in the concentration of 5-methoxytryptophol in the circulation at different phases of the human menstrual cycle.

The pineal indole 5-methoxytryptophol (ML) has been shown to have an antigonadal activity when administered to experimental animals, but data on its normal pattern of secretion have been lacking. Using a new gas chromatography-mass spectrometry assay, the concentration of ML at various phases of the human menstrual cycle has been studied. Daily samples were obtained throughout the month from five women with a normal cycle and two women taking an oral contraceptive. In women with a normal cycle levels of ML were found to be significantly lower in the last third of their cycle; this change was not seen in women taking an oral contraceptive who had low levels throughout the month. The changes in concentration of ML did not correlate with the changes in concentration of gonadotrophins.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Identification and purification of a new protein from water-soluble extracts of human adrenal gland.

An homogenate of human foetal adrenal gland was subjected to negative immunoabsorption by column chromatography using anti-whole human serum coupled to Sepharose 4B. Two peaks were eluted and used to immunize rabbits. The antisera produced were absorbed and tested for specificity by double immunodiffusion. Two antigens, which appeared to be specific to the adrenal gland, were identified having molecular weights of 25 000 and 65 000 as determined by gel filtration. The lower molecular weight antigen was isolated by physicochemical methods and found to be a protein. The amino acid composition is reported.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1978

A simple and reliable method for the purification of human alphafetoprotein (AFP) from amniotic fluid and fetal livers.

Highly purified human alphafetoprotein has been isolated from amniotic fluid and fetal livers by a combination of salting-out, and gel filtration, ion exchange, and concanavalin-A affinity chromatography. They yield ranged from 25 to 37%, and purity was demonstrated by radioimmunodiffusion, crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and comparison with other preparations by radioimmunoassay. Immunochemical potency by weight of alphafetoprotein purified from amniotic fluid was similar to that from fetal liver, with molecular weights of 70 000 and 68 500 respectively. The amino acid and carbohydrate composition is also reported. This physicochemical method is relatively simple and inexpensive and is well suited for large scale production.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1978

Is measurement of placental function and maternal weight worth while?

A prospective survey of 1029 women delivered during 1976 at St. Bartholomew's Hospital was undertaken to assess the predictive value of a variety of clinical, ultrasonic, and biochemical variables in the detection of high-risk pregnancies. The best antenatal predictors of fetal risk were severe pre-eclampsia, depressed maternal serum levels of human placental lactogen, low maternal weight at 32 weeks' gestation, and heavy smoking by the mother. 62% of the high-fetal risk group had one or more of these features, but so did 33% of the controls.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1978

Fetal wastage as a result of an alpha-fetoprotein screening programme.

Amniocentesis was performed in 102 pregnancies in which maternal serum-alpha-fetoprotein (A.F.P.) concentrations were raised. 18 pregnancies were terminated. There were 15 neural-tube defects, 2 gastrointestinal abnormalities (1 of which could have been corrected by surgery), and 1 case of hydrocephaly. There was an association between raised maternal serum-A.F.P. and complications of late pregnancy including premature labour, perinatal death, and severe pre-eclampsia. After amniocentesis there was spontaneous abortion of 3 normal fetuses and 1 abnormal fetus.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1978

Circulating levels of alpha-fetoprotein and pregnancy specific beta1 glycoprotein in pregnancies without an embryo.

Ten patients with depressed serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels at 14 to 15 weeks gestation were found to have no embryo on ultrasonography: two patients had hydatiform moles and the remainder had anembryonic pregnancies (blighted ova). The pregnancy specific beta1 glycoprotein (SP1) levels in serum were measured in all these ten patients. Seven of the eight patients with anembryonic pregnancies and one of the two patients with molar pregnancies had low serum SP1 levels. These observations suggest that the measurement of AFP and SP1 may provide biochemical evidence of pregnancy without an embryo.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗