Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mid-Gestation Angiogenic Biomarker Levels Are Increased In Women At High Risk For Preeclampsia, Tiffany A. Moore Simas, Sybil L. Crawford, Susie Bathgate, Jing Yang, Laura Robidoux, Melissa J. Moore, Sharon E. Maynard

Sybil L. Crawford

Background: Pre-pregnancy hypertension and diabetes mellitus, multiple gestations, prior preeclampsia, are significant risk factors for preeclampsia. Whether altered maternal levels of angiogenic factors contribute to increased preeclampsia risk in these conditions is unknown. Our objective was to compare maternal serum angiogenic biomarker levels in women with major risk factors for preeclampsia and healthy controls. Methods: Women presenting for prenatal care were enrolled if they had one of the following preeclampsia risk factors: pre-pregnancy hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, nulliparity with pre-pregnancy BMI>30, multiple gestations, or prior preeclampsia. Healthy control pregnancies without these risk factors were enrolled for comparison. Maternal serum …

Lumbar Vertebral Density And Mechanical Properties In Aged Ovariectomized Rats Treated With Estrogen And Norethindrone Or Norgestimate, Carla Vanin, Neil Maclusky, Debbie Chachra, Mehran Kasra, Marc Grynpas, Robert Casper

Debbie Chachra

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of estrogen alone or combined with two different progestins, norethindrone or norgestimate, on bone density and compressive mechanical properties in an aged rat model.

STUDY DESIGN: Twenty 11-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were sham operated (intact control) and 80 wee overiectomized. Three groups of 20 ovariectomized rats were implanted with Silastic silicon rubber (Dow Corning, Midland, Mich.) capsules containing 5% estradiol (wt/wt) in cholesterol. All rats in the intact control (group 1) and the ovariectomized (group 2) and the first of the overiectomized plus estrogen (group 3) groups were injected subcutaneously daily …

Mortalidade Materna No Paraná: O Que Mostra A Produção Científica Nos Últimos 10 Anos? / Maternal Mortality In Paraná: Showing The Scientific Production In The Last 10 Years?, Everton Fernando Alves, Thais Abigail Vidoto

Everton Fernando Alves

A mortalidade materna atrai inúmeras discussões e preocupações no Paraná visto que reflete a qualidade da assistência prestada nos serviços de saúde, bem como a operacionalização das políticas públicas voltadas à saúde da mulher. O objetivo deste trabalho foi conhecer o perfil epidemiológico da mortalidade materna no Estado do Paraná, por meio de revisão de estudos sobre o tema. Trata-se de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, realizada através da busca eletrônica de artigos científicos publicados entre 2000 e 2010, nas bases de dados LILACS e SciELO. Identificaram-se inicialmente 30 artigos. Após aplicação dos critérios de inclusão e exclusão restaram 09 …

Dengue Infection And Miscarriage: A Prospective Case Control Study, Si Lay Khaing

Si Lay Khaing

Abstract Background: Dengue is the most prevalent mosquito borne infection worldwide. Vertical transmissions after maternal dengue infection to the fetus and pregnancy losses in relation to dengue illness have been reported. The relationship of dengue to miscarriage is not known. Method: We aimed to establish the relationship of recent dengue infection and miscarriage. Women who presented with miscarriage (up to 22 weeks gestation) to our hospital were approached to participate in the study. For each case of miscarriage, we recruited 3 controls with viable pregnancies at a similar gestation. A brief questionnaire on recent febrile illness and prior dengue infection …

Parameters For Establishing Humanized Mouse Models To Study Human Immunity: Analysis Of Human Hematopoietic Stem Cell Engraftment In Three Immunodeficient Strains Of Mice Bearing The Il2rgamma(Null) Mutation, Michael Brehm, Amy Cuthbert, Chaoxing Yang, David Miller, Philip Diiorio, Joseph Laning, Lisa Burzenski, Bruce Gott, Oded Foreman, Anoop Kavirayani, Mary Herlihy, Aldo Rossini, Leonard Shultz, Dale Greiner

Philip J diIorio Jr

"Humanized" mouse models created by engraftment of immunodeficient mice with human hematolymphoid cells or tissues are an emerging technology with broad appeal across multiple biomedical disciplines. However, investigators wishing to utilize humanized mice with engrafted functional human immune systems are faced with a myriad of variables to consider. In this study, we analyze HSC engraftment methodologies using three immunodeficient mouse strains harboring the IL2rgamma(null) mutation; NOD-scid IL2rgamma(null), NOD-Rag1(null) IL2rgamma(null), and BALB/c-Rag1(null) IL2rgamma(null) mice. Strategies compared engraftment of human HSC derived from umbilical cord blood following intravenous injection into adult mice and intracardiac and intrahepatic injection into newborn mice. We observed …

Human Immune System Development And Rejection Of Human Islet Allografts In Spontaneously Diabetic Nod-Rag1null Il2rgammanull Ins2akita Mice, Michael Brehm, Rita Bortell, Philip Diiorio, Jean Leif, Joseph Laning, Amy Cuthbert, Chaoxing Yang, Mary Herlihy, Lisa Burzenski, Bruce Gott, Oded Foreman, Alvin Powers, Dale Greiner, Leonard Shultz

Philip J diIorio Jr

OBJECTIVE: To create an immunodeficient mouse model that spontaneously develops hyperglycemia to serve as a diabetic host for human islets and stem cell-derived beta-cells in the absence or presence of a functional human immune system.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We backcrossed the Ins2(Akita) mutation onto the NOD-Rag1(null) IL2rgamma(null) strain and determined 1) the spontaneous development of hyperglycemia, 2) the ability of human islets, mouse islets, and dissociated mouse islet cells to restore euglycemia, 3) the generation of a human immune system following engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells, and 4) the ability of the humanized mice to reject human islet …

Information Sharing To Promote Informed Choice In Prenatal Screening In The Spirit Of The Sogc Clinical Practice Guideline: A Proposal For An Alternative Model, Meredith G. Vanstone

Meredith Vanstone

The 2011 SOGC clinical practice guideline “Prenatal Screening for Fetal Aneuploidy in Singleton Pregnancies” recommends that clinicians offer prenatal screening to all pregnant women and provide counselling in a non-directive manner . Non-directive counselling is intended to facilitate autonomous decision-making and remove the clinician’s views regarding a particular course of action . However, recent research in genetic counselling raises concerns that nondirective counselling is neither possible nor desirable, and that it may not be the best way to facilitate informed choice . We propose an alternative model of information-sharing specific to prenatal screening that combines attributes of the models of …

Dengue Infection And Miscarriage: A Prospective Case Control Study, Si Lay Khaing

Khaing Si Lay

Dengue is the most prevalent mosquito-borne infection with two billion of the world's population at risk and 100 million infections every year. Dengue is increasingly important due to expansion in the vector's range, increased population density in endemic areas from urbanisation, social and environment change. Miscarriage and stillbirth is associated with dengue when the illness is severe. Dengue can also be transmitted directly from the ill mother through the placenta to the fetus in later pregnancy with variable effect to the fetus. However, dengue infection is asymptomatic to mild only in almost 90% of cases and up to 20% of …

Oral Nifedipine Versus Intravenous Labetalol For Acute Blood Pressure Control In Hypertensive Emergencies Of Pregnancy: A Randomised Trial, Siti Zawiah Omar

Siti Zawiah Omar

Objective To compare oral nifedipine with intravenous labetalol in their rapidity to control hypertensive emergencies of pregnancy. Design A double-blind randomised trial. Setting A university hospital in Malaysia. Population Pregnant women with severe gestational hypertension >= 160/110 mmHg who required immediate treatment. Methods Patients were randomised to receive nifedipine (10 mg tablet, orally, up to five doses) and intravenous placebo saline injection or intravenous labetalol injection (in an escalating dose regimen of 20, 40, 80, 80 and 80 mg) and a placebo tablet every 15 minutes until the target blood pressure of <= 150/100 mmHg was achieved. Crossover treatment was effected if the initial treatment regimen was unsuccessful. Main outcome measure The time taken to achieve a blood pressure of <= 150/100 mmHg. Results The median time taken to achieve target blood pressure was 30 minutes (interquartile range, IQR 22.5-67.5 minutes) versus 45 minutes (IQR 30-60 minutes) for nifedipine and labetalol, respectively (P = 0.59). Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that in the first hour both systolic (F = 87.6, P < 0.001) and diastolic (F = 55.8, P < 0.001) blood pressure significantly decreased, but there was no difference between the nifedipine and labetalol groups for both systolic (F = 0.12, P = 0.74) and diastolic (F = 0.92, P = 0.34) blood pressure trends over time. Crossover treatment was required in 20% of women from each group. Conclusions Oral nifedipine and intravenous labetalol regimens are similarly effective in the acute control of severe hypertension in pregnancy.