David G. Hall

Time interval from castration in premenopausal women to development of excessive coronary atherosclerosis

Abstract The autopsy records of 80 patients who had a bilateral oophorectomy before age 50 were matched with 80 control patients. Castrated patients had an excess of coronary atherosclerotic blockage and myocardial infarcts, but this was directly related to the time interval from castration to “expected menopause” and the time interval from castration to death. Women castrated 0 to 9 years before age 50 did not have excessive coronary atherosclerosis. Those castrated 10 or more years before age 50 did have significantly more severe coronary artery disease. It took an average of about 14.4 ± 2.57 years after castration before excessive coronary atherosclerosis became apparent. Thus, women castrated before age 40 who are expected to survive more than 14 years are at high risk to developing coronary heart disease. These patients should receive estrogen replacement therapy.

The prediction of pregnancy outcome: Maternal preparation, anxiety and attitudinal sets

Abstract Anxiety, participation in preparatory classes and maternal attitudinal sets were examined in a population of women attending a University Hospital outpatient obstetrical clinic. Using a multiple regression model of statistical analysis, class participation and maternal attitudes were found to be significantly predictive of pain ratings during labor. State anxiety on admission to the labor room was predictive of labor length; social class and maternal attitudes were predictive of patient manageability during labor. None of these variables were found to be associated with the incidence of complications, fetal apgar scores, or the use of analgesia and anesthesia. The implications of these findings are discussed from the perspective of research on developing screening instruments for identifying pregnancy complications and from the standpoint of designing new and potentially more effective preparatory treatment methods.

Ultrastructure of the human endometrial glandular cell during the menstrual cycle.

Abstract The ultrastructure of endometrial stromal cells of normal healthy women in reproductive age is described on days 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 of the menstrual cycle. The stromal cells, in the course of the normal menstrual cycle, undergo distinctive ultrastructural changes that can be correlated with states of proliferation, differentiation, and maturation. On day 5, the stromal cells are essentially immature, resembling stem cells. On day 10 the cells show the beginning of differentiation toward a fibroblast. Day 15 is characterized by the highest rate of proliferation of the cycle. By day 20 evidence of proliferation has disappeared and most cells now present a fully differentiated fibroblastic morphology. Day 25 demonstrates full maturation of the superficial stromal cells to become predecidual cells.

Heat in male contraception (hot water 60 °C, infrared, microwave, and ultrasound)

Abstract Spermatogenesis in the mammalian male is disturbed by high ambient temperature. 300 male rats weighing 250–300 gm were divided into 5 groups. Group I, control; Group II, testes were exposed for 15 minutes to water at 60 °C; Group III, testicular temperature was raised to 60 °C for 15 minutes by infrared spot heater concentrating radiant energy from a 750 watt iodine cycle lamp focused on the testes; Group IV, testes were treated with a microwave diathermy unit radiating energy at 2450 megacycles/second for 1, 5, or 15 minutes; Group V, ultrasound 1.0 w/sq cm was applied once or twice, or 2.0 w/sq cm was applied once. The animals were mated with proestrus females 24 hours after treatment, then followed each 5 days with another female until pregnancy was documented to have occurred in females. This was continued for 10 months, the duration of this experiment. Group II males impregnated females after 30–35 days, while those in Group III impregnated females after 60–75 days. Groups IV and V impregnated females after 65–80 days, after 150–210 days, or did not impregnate females during the 10-month stuay—depending on the power and duration in the case of microwave, and the dosage, duration, and frequency of application in the case of ultrasound. No significant difference in blood testosterone levels occurred in treated animals. Seminiferous tubules were either normal in histological appearance or showed partial degranulation, especially in Groups IV and V. Long-term effects of recurrent heat application are under investigation. This pilot study offers the possibility of reversible and irreversible sterilization for human males as well as a new method of animal population control in the U.S.A.

Effect of ovarian steroids on hepatic metabolism

Abstract The effect of progesterone on hepatic metabolism of sexually mature rats varies according to the sex of the recipient.

Urinary D-glucaric acid

Abstract The administration of phenobarbital, a known hepatic microsomal enzyme induction agent, to human females causes a significant increase in urinary D-glucaric acid. Similar increases occur following administration of progesterone. These observations indicate that urinary glucaric acid reflects hepatic metabolic function and can be used as an index of microsomal enzyme activity in the human female.

Induced alterations in the biologic activity of estrogen

Phenobarbital reduces the biologic effectiveness of endogenous and exogenous estrogen in sexually mature virgin mice. This function of phenobarbital is documented by failure in maintenance of uterine weight and nitrogen content. Phenobarbital significantly increased liver weights and total nitrogen content. The ability of phenobarbital to act as an enzyme-inducing agent is curtailed in animals after ovariectomy.

Effect of ovarian steroids on hepatic metabolism: II. Estrogens☆

To evaluate the effect of natural and synthetic estrogens on hepatic function 200 sexually mature female and male Holtzman rats received 1 or 100 mcg of 17beta-estradiol 1 or 100 mcg of diethylstilbestrol 100 mcg or 1 mg chlorotrianisene or 100 mcg of 1 mg clomiphene citrats sc daily for 10 days. On Day 11 the livers were removed in autopsy and examined. Treatment of both female and male rats with estradiol resulted in a significant decrease (p less than .01) in the rats of hepatic demethylation. Similar effects were seen in rats of both sexes treated with diethylstilbestrol but in females only when treated with chlorotrianisene or clomiphene citrate. It is concluded that the effect of estrogens on hepatic function relates both to the structural characteristics of the estrogen involved and to the sex of the recipient. The structural relationship of estrogens to hepatic function should guide further research into the long-range metabolic effects of oral contraceptives.

Induced alterations in the hepatic metabolism of androgens in the rat.

Abstract Phenobarbital administered to sexually mature male rats acclerated the metabolism of androgen as reflected by significant reductions in weight and RNA content of male accessory organs. In addition, semen analysis of treated animals revealed an increase in the percentage of nonviable spermatozoa. This demonstration of drug steroid interaction reinforces speculation as to the possibility of utilizing such phenomena as therapeutic modalities for human gynecologic syndromes associated with overproduction of androgens.

Ultrastructural effects of norethynodrel and mestranol on human endometrial stroma cell

The ultrastructural effects of 19-nor steroid on the endometrial stromal cells of normal healthy women between the ages of 20 and 30 years is described on days 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 during the second, sixth, tenth, and fourteenth months of drug administration. When compared with normal stromal cells, the 19-nor steroid stimulated stroma cells manifest ultrastructural evidence of increasingly rapid maturation with predecidual cell formation by day 20 of the second and sixth cycles. As the tenth and fourteenth experimental cycles are approached, predecidual cell characteristics are observed in day 15 stroma cells. The gross effect of norethynodrel and mestranol on the stroma cell is hyperplasia of the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus and the gradual accumulation of glycogen. By day 25 the stroma cell assumes a less active state with most of the cytoplasm filled with glycogen and the remainder of the organelles compressed in a perinuclear position.