RESUMEN
What is lost when spiritual practices are secularized for the workplace?
RESUMEN
This is an initial descriptive report of observations of multiple forms of an organism found in patients with gestational trophoblastic disease and in patients with preeclampsia-eclampsia. The worm-like forms most frequently observed have an average length of 1.0 to 1.5 mm. Larva-like forms have an average length of 150 mu; primordial eggs and egg-like forms in developmental stages range from 7 to 43 mu in diameter; and sperm-like forms are 3.5 mu or slightly smaller in size. These forms have been observed in contact smears prepared from 3 ml samples of peripheral circulating blood from both groups of patients, from trophoblastic tumor tissue, from contact smears prepared from placentas of patients with preeclampsia-eclampsia, and from umbilical cord blood of infants delivered of patients with preeclampsia-eclampsia. The various forms of this organism share morphologic characteristics of several orders of helminths, i.e., hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms. The taxonomy of these forms has not yet been determined. Until the time of taxonomic classification, the various forms will be referred to as Hydatoxi lualba. We have experimental evidence that this organism has biologic activity in BALB/c mice and in beagle dogs.
Asunto(s)
Helmintos , Preeclampsia/parasitología , Complicaciones Neoplásicas del Embarazo/parasitología , Complicaciones del Embarazo/parasitología , Neoplasias Trofoblásticas/parasitología , Neoplasias Uterinas/parasitología , Animales , Sangre/parasitología , Coriocarcinoma/sangre , Técnicas Citológicas , Eclampsia/parasitología , Femenino , Sangre Fetal/microbiología , Humanos , Mola Hidatiforme/sangre , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Placenta/microbiología , EmbarazoRESUMEN
A toxemia-like syndrome was induced in pregnant beagles by intraperitoneal inoculation of concentrates prepared from placentas of patients with preeclampsia-eclampsia and hydatidiform mole, which contained an agent, Hydatoxi lualba, that stained in a unique fashion with toluidine blue-O-. The pregnant dogs inoculated with either of these concentrates progressively developed hypertension, eyeground changes consistent with hypertensive retinopathy, proteinuria, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and hepatic dysfunction in addition to intrauterine growth retardation and intrauterine fetal death. Hepatic periportal hemorrhage and glomeruloendotheliosis, lesions usually seen in preeclampsia-eclampsia, were also noted to occur in pregnant beagles inoculated with these concentrates. A significant increased sensitivity to angiotensin II infusion was also noted. The toxemia-like syndrome did not develop in pregnant beagles when inoculated in a similar fashion with concentrates prepared from placentas from normal term pregnancies which were free of Hydatoxi lualba or in nonpregnant beagles inoculated with concentrates containing Hydatoxi lualba. Although the agent was not injected in pure form, the inoculation of concentrates containing Hydatoxi lualba appears to be required for the manifestation of the toxemia-like syndrome.
Asunto(s)
Preeclampsia/sangre , Angiotensina II/farmacología , Animales , Presión Sanguínea/efectos de los fármacos , Coagulación Intravascular Diseminada/sangre , Coagulación Intravascular Diseminada/parasitología , Perros , Eclampsia/parasitología , Femenino , Muerte Fetal , Retardo del Crecimiento Fetal , Helmintos , Mola Hidatiforme/parasitología , Hígado/patología , Parasitosis Hepáticas/sangre , Placenta/parasitología , Preeclampsia/parasitología , EmbarazoRESUMEN
Two hundred one patients with high-risk pregnancy and 66 patients with term uncomplicated pregnancy underwent a nonstress test 7 days or less prior to delivery. The incidence of spontaneous fetal heart rate decelerations in the high-risk group was 5.5%. None of the fetuses in the normal group showed this finding. Among those infants presenting with spontaneous decelerations, there was an 18.2% mortality. Disturbances of intrauterine growth were found in 63.6% of cases. The possible metabolic mechanisms and clinical implications underlying this finding are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Retardo del Crecimiento Fetal/fisiopatología , Corazón Fetal/fisiopatología , Frecuencia Cardíaca , Electrocardiografía , Femenino , Monitoreo Fetal/métodos , Humanos , Embarazo , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
The etiology of cerebrovascular disease (CDV) in young patients is difficult to establish if the common causes of a focal neurological deficit are excluded by appropriate investigations. Since in some observations prolapse of the mitral-valve (MVP), alterations of platelet function, or both have been linked with cerebral ischemic events, we studied the in vivo platelet release reaction and the incidence of MVP in 47 patients (12 males, 35 females) under 45 years of age with TIA or stroke of unknown cause and in an age- and sex-matched control group. The mean plasma beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) level of the patients (mean = 54.9 +/- 31.4 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that of the controls (mean = 20.6 /- 6.9 ng/ml, p less than 0.001). MVP was demonstrated in 13 of 47 patients in contrast to 4 of the controls (p less than 0.01). However, the beta-T levels of patients with MVP (n = 13, 52.9 +/- 25.5 ng/ml) did not differ from those of patients without MVP (n = 34, 55.7 +/- 33.7 ng/ml) significantly (p less than 0.4). Our results confirm that the incidence of MVP is higher in young patients with cerebral ischemia of unknown cause than in asymptomatic controls. The significantly elevated plasma beta-TG concentrations in the patient's group indicate an increased platelet activity in vivo. Since there was no significant difference between beta-TG levels of patients with and without MVP, the mitral-valve abnormality can not be the cause for the altered platelet activity.
Asunto(s)
Trastornos Cerebrovasculares/etiología , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/etiología , Prolapso de la Válvula Mitral/complicaciones , Plaquetas/metabolismo , Trastornos Cerebrovasculares/sangre , Femenino , Humanos , Ataque Isquémico Transitorio/sangre , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prolapso de la Válvula Mitral/sangre , Agregación Plaquetaria , beta-Tromboglobulina/análisisRESUMEN
The development of a technique allowing prolonged culture in vitro of normal term human trophoblast facilitates examining what effects, if any, drugs commonly used in pregnancy may have on placental tissue. Dosages compatible with therapeutic blood levels of magnesium sulphate, methyldopa, hydralazine and phenobarbitone were tested individually in vitro on monolayer cultures of normal term trophoblast. Hydralazine and magnesium sulphate additions resulted in a 100 per cent loss of viability of trophoblast cells. Phenobarbitone caused an 8 per cent decrease in cell viability, while methyldopa caused only a 2 per cent decrease in cell viability.
Asunto(s)
Hidralazina/efectos adversos , Sulfato de Magnesio/efectos adversos , Metildopa/efectos adversos , Fenobarbital/efectos adversos , Trofoblastos/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Humanos , Técnicas In Vitro , Embarazo , Trofoblastos/patologíaRESUMEN
The development of a new technique for prolonged in vitro culture of normal human term trophoblast without stromal growth has facilitated the study of the morphologic characteristics of trophoblast in culture. Cytotrophoblast (epithelioid) cells were observed along with subsequent formation of syncytiotrophoblast in vitro. Hormonal assessment of hPL production has confirmed the viability and biologic specificity of the tissue. The morphologic characteristics of normal human term trophoblast maintained in vitro include projections, circular growths and syncytial sprouts. Growth patterns of trophoblast in vitro were similar to those described in vivo.
Asunto(s)
Trofoblastos/citología , Diferenciación Celular , Supervivencia Celular , Técnicas de Cultivo/métodos , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
Trophoblastic cells from normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies have been cultured for prolonged periods of time in vitro. The growth characteristics, morphology and hormone production in vitro were similar in both. These results suggest that given a comparable environment in vitro, trophoblast from both normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies does not behave differently. It is suggested, therefore, that the changes classically described in placentae from pre-eclamptic pregnancies are probably secondary to maternal disease rather than a reflection of an altered trophoblast.
Asunto(s)
Preeclampsia/patología , Trofoblastos/patología , Células Cultivadas , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Trofoblastos/citologíaRESUMEN
Time-lapse photographic observations of normal human trophoblast in vitro were made possible through the development of a new technique that allows for prolonged trophoblast culturing without stromal growth. Y body fluorescence and determinations of human placental lactogen (hPL) were used to confirm the specificity and viability of the cells in culture. Epithelioid cells (cytotrophoblast) with agranular cytoplasm, binucleated moderately granulated cells, and multinucleated heavily granulated syncytial masses were observed. The cytotrophoblast was observed in mitosis, whereas the syncytium showed strand formation and reabsorption, along with mass movement of cells at time of confluency. This technique should stimulate a renewed interest in the in vitro studies of normal human trophoblast.
Asunto(s)
Trofoblastos/citología , División Celular , Técnicas de Cultivo , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Embarazo , Trofoblastos/fisiologíaRESUMEN
An attempt was made to gain insight into the mechanism of orthophosphate attenuation of glucose-6-P inhibition of bovine brain hexokinase I (ADP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) from experiments of ligand binding and initial rate kinetics. Studies of glucose-6-P and phosphate binding to hexokinase reveal one binding site per hexokinase molecule. A model is presented which is consistent with the binding and kinetic data currently available on the alleviation of glucose-6-P inhibition of brain hexokinase by phosphate. The model implies that hexokinase may exist in equilibrium either as a free or phosphate-associated enzyme. The kinetic parameters of the two enzyme forms are similar except in their ability to bind glucose-6-P. It is suggested that the dissociation constant for glucose-6-P is relatively very high for hexokinase to which phosphate is bound. Phosphate appears to bind at an allosteric site on the enzyme, whereas glucose-6-P is associated either at the active site or at an allosteric site which overlaps the catalytic site.