Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ethnic Differences In Maternal Adipokines During Normal Pregnancy, Xinhua Chen, Theresa O Scholl

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Two adipokines (adiponectin and resistin) have opposite relations with insulin resistance and inflammation. Our major focus was to determine whether there were detectable ethnic differences in maternal adipokines during pregnancy. We also explored the correlation of the adipokines with maternal glucose homeostasis, blood pressure and anthropometric parameters. Pregnant women (n = 1634) were from a large prospective cohort study in Camden NJ (African-American 36.8%; Hispanic 47.6%; Caucasian 15.6%). Serum adiponectin and resistin were measured at entry (week 16.8) and the 3rd trimester (week 30.7) using the Luminex xMapTechnology. Significant differences were observed among ethnic groups, controlling for confounding variables. African …

Sle And Pregnancy, Patricia Graham

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a life-long, life-threatening autoimmune disease which can affect any organ in the body (Marks & Tullus, 2011). SLE disproportionately affects women in a ratio of 9:1 compared to men with most women being affected during child-bearing age (15-50 years) (Ferenkeh-Koroma, 2012). Pregnancy represents a challenge for the patient with SLE. Pregnant patients with SLE are considered high-risk for multiple medical and obstetric complications, as flares are related to increased irreversible organ damage (Ateka- Barrutia & Khamashta, 2013). Severe flares are also associated with poor fetal outcomes (Peart & Clowse, 2014). Successful pregnancies happen in 67% …

A Patient With Polymerase E1 Deficiency (Pole1): Clinical Features And Overlap With Dna Breakage/Instability Syndromes., Isabelle Thiffault, Carol Saunders, Janda Jenkins, Nikita Raje, Kristi Canty, Mukta Sharma, Lauren Grote, Holly I. Welsh, Emily Farrow, Greyson Twist, Neil Miller, David Zwick, Lee Zellmer, Stephen F. Kingsmore, Nicole P. Safina

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Chromosome instability syndromes are a group of inherited conditions associated with chromosomal instability and breakage, often leading to immunodeficiency, growth retardation and increased risk of malignancy.

CASE PRESENTATION: We performed exome sequencing on a girl with a suspected chromosome instability syndrome that manifested as growth retardation, microcephaly, developmental delay, dysmorphic features, poikiloderma, immune deficiency with pancytopenia, and myelodysplasia. She was homozygous for a previously reported splice variant, c.4444 + 3A > G in the POLE1 gene, which encodes the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase E.

CONCLUSION: This is the second family with POLE1-deficency, with the affected individual demonstrating a more …

Compensatory Fetal Membrane Mechanisms Between Biglycan And Decorin In Inflammation., Luciana Batalha De Miranda De Araujo, Casie E Horgan, Abraham Aron, Renato V. Iozzo, Beatrice E Lechner

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes (PPROM) is associated with infection, and is one of the most common causes of preterm birth. Abnormal expression of biglycan and decorin, two extracellular matrix proteoglycans, leads to preterm birth and aberrant fetal membrane morphology and signaling in the mouse. In humans and mice, decorin dysregulation is associated with inflammation in PPROM. We therefore investigated the link between biglycan and decorin and inflammation in fetal membranes using mouse models of intraperitoneal Escherichia coli injections superimposed on genetic biglycan and decorin deficiencies. We assessed outcomes in vivo as well as in vitro using quantitative PCR, …

Preliminary Analysis Of In Utero Low-Level Arsenic Exposure And Fetal Growth Using Biometric Measurements Extracted From Fetal Ultrasound Reports, Matthew A. Davis, John Higgins, Zhigang Li, Diane Gilbert-Diamond, Emily R. Baker, Amar Das, Margaret R. Karagas

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Early life exposure to arsenic is associated with decreased birth weight in highly exposed populations but little is known about effects of low-level arsenic exposure on growth in utero.

Methods: Using a sample of 272 pregnancies from New Hampshire we obtained biometric measurements directly from fetal ultrasound reports commonly found in electronic medical records. We used information extraction methods to develop and validate an automated approach for mining biometric measurements from the text of clinical reports. As a preliminary analysis, we examined associations between in utero low-level arsenic exposure (as measured by maternal urinary arsenic concentration) and fetal growth …

Effects Of Prenatally Exposed Diclofenac Sodium On Rat Heart Tissue:A Stereological And Histological Study, Fi̇kret Gevrek, Mi̇kai̇l Kara, Murat Çeti̇n Rağbetli̇, Hüseyi̇n Aslan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Diclofenac sodium (DS) can cross the placental barrier and affect the fetus, and its consumption during pregnancy may cause developmental malformation of embryos. This study investigates the effect of prenatally applied DS on the quantitative morphology of the adult rat heart. Materials and methods: Pregnant rats were divided into three groups (control, sham, and test). The rats in the test group were injected with DS; the control group received physiological saline (1 mL; 1 mg/kg, i.m.) from the 5th to the 20th day of pregnancy; and the rats in the sham group were not injected at all. At the …

Intrahepatic Cholestasis Of Pregnancy May Lead To Low Birth Weight, İbrahi̇m Uyar, İbrahi̇m Gülhan, Deni̇z Özteki̇n, Cenk Gezer, Atalay Eki̇n, Seçi̇l Karaca Kurtulmuş, Mehmet Özeren

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To evaluate patients hospitalized in our clinic in the last 5 years with the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). Materials and methods: One hundred and fifty patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of ICP between January 2008 and May 2013 were evaluated retrospectively and age, week at diagnosis, gestational age at delivery, period between diagnosis and delivery, fetal weight, transaminases, and coagulation parameters were recorded. Patients were divided into groups according to their diagnosis weeks and gravida. Accordingly, patients diagnosed before 32 weeks formed group A (n = 49) and those after 32 weeks formed group B (n …

Fetal Health Locus Of Control In A Sample Of Pregnant Turkish Women, Sevgi̇ Özcan, Veli̇ Duyan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To examine the relationship between sociodemographic and pregnancy features and fetal health locus of control (FHLC) in a sample of pregnant Turkish women. Materials and methods: The study was conducted with 256 pregnant women. Data were collected by demographic questionnaire and the FHLC Scale consisting of 3 components: 1) Internality Scale (FHLC-I), 2) Powerful Others Scale (FHLC-P), and 3) Chances Scale (FHLC-C). Results: The age of marriage was found to have a positive relation with FHLC-I (r = 0.141) and a negative relation with FHLC-C (r = -0.145) (P < 0.05). The age of first pregnancy was found to have a positive relation with FHLC-I (r = 0.127). Those who have a low educational level (r = -0.258) and income (r = -0.149), who are unemployed (r = -2.839), whose number of pregnancies is high (r = 0.152), who get pregnant unplanned (r = 3.839), and who come to their first prenatal examination late (r = -0.142) have a significantly high score of FHLC-C (P

Mechanisms Of Seizure During Pregnancy And Preeclampsia, Abbie Chapman Johnson

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Eclampsia is defined as de novo seizure in a woman with the hypertensive complication of pregnancy known as preeclampsia (PE), and is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The pathogenesis of eclamptic seizure remains unknown, but is considered a form of hypertensive encephalopathy where an acute rise in blood pressure causes loss of cerebral blood flow (CBF) autoregulation and hyperperfusion of the brain that results in vasogenic edema formation and subsequent seizure. However, eclamptic seizure can occur during seemingly uncomplicated pregnancies, in the absence of hypertension and PE, suggesting that normal pregnancy may predispose the …