Sonographic measurements of the fetal fastigium between 20 and 40 weeks' gestation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish a new reference angle chart for fastigial biometric measurements throughout gestation in normal singleton pregnancies. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was designed. A total of 505 pregnant women between 20 and 40 weeks' gestation were included in the study. Excluded were those with multiple pregnancies, congenital anomalies, abnormal karyotypes, and polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios. Transvaginal or transabdominal sonography was performed in the midsagittal plane of the brain. RESULTS: The angle of the fastigium was found to be 30 degrees to 60 degrees throughout pregnancy. These data were found to be constant during the progression of pregnancy without any significant changes. CONCLUSIONS: Fastigial measurements throughout pregnancy are presented. Its angle is constant throughout pregnancy. Evaluation of the fastigium may assist in cases of subtle posterior fossa anomalies.

Telomere aggregate formation in placenta specimens of pregnancies complicated with pre-eclampsia.

Telomeres are specific repetitive DNA sequences that cap and stabilize the ends of chromosomes. Functional telomeres are essential for the normal segregation and maintenance of chromosomes during mitotic and meiotic division. Pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy-specific syndrome of increased blood pressure accompanied by proteinuria, is often associated with growth deficiency in the fetus. Oxidative stress is a major component in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia. In contrast to the nonoverlapping nature of telomeres in normal nuclei, telomeres of tumor nuclei tend to form aggregates (TAs) in various numbers and sizes. The formation of TAs represents a stress-related process and is independent of telomere length and telomerase activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate TA formation in paraffin-embedded placentas from pregnancies complicated with pre-eclampsia (study group), compared with placentas from normal pregnancies (control group). There were significantly more TAs in the study group (mean, 8.00 TAs per case) than in the control group (mean, 2.36 TAs per case) (P < 0.01). Pre-eclampsia-related stress may accelerate apoptosis and cell death and lead to placental dysfunction. TAs formation, which has been linked to stress and tumorgenesis is increased in placentas of pre-eclamptic patients.

High incidence of cord entanglement during early pregnancy detected by three-dimensional sonography.

We sought to determine the incidence of cord entanglement around any part of fetal body during early gestation using three-dimensional (3D) sonography. A prospective consecutive study was designed and 3D ultrasound was performed. Two hundred thirty-seven singleton pregnancies between 13 and 16 weeks were included. Cord entanglement was defined when one or more of the following was detected: cord around neck, hand, leg, thorax, abdomen, shoulder. We considered cord entanglement when one or more loops of cord encircled any part of body. Free-floating cord through all its length in the amniotic fluid was defined as free cord. Cord entanglement was observed in 149 (62.9%) patients. Of those, 64 (42.9%) cords were entangled around necks, 23 (15.4%) around legs, 19 (12.7%) around hands, 7 (4.8%) around abdomens, 36 (24.2%) around other body parts (thorax, shoulder, and pelvis). The incidence of total cord entanglement was similar between 13 and 16 weeks' gestation and was between 60 and 65%. The incidence of early pregnancy cord entanglement was 62.9%. According to the literature, this incidence is higher in comparison to the incidence of cord entanglement later in pregnancy. Therefore, this phenomenon may be considered a part of normal early fetal development.

Somatostatin analogue treatment attenuates histological findings of inflammation and increases mRNA expression of interleukin-1 beta in the articular tissues of rats with ongoing adjuvant-induced arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Somatostatin is a neuropeptide with modulatory effects on the immune system and the function of synovial cells; it has antiangiogenic and antiproliferative properties. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, histological, and articular tissue cytokine mRNA response to somostatin treatment in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). METHODS: Adjuvant-induced arthritis was induced in a total of 68 Lewis rats by immunization with complete Freund's adjuvant. Twenty-four rats were treated with a long-acting somostatin analogue 14 days after disease induction. Twenty-four untreated rats served as controls. The severity of arthritis was scored weekly for 42 days. In a second experiment, 20 rats (ten treated, ten controls) were killed 21 days after treatment for assessment of joint histopathology and articular tissue cytokine mRNA expression. RESULTS: Somatostatin analogue treatment significantly reduced histological scores of early inflammatory changes and increased articular tissue mRNA expression of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta). A trend toward improvement in physical scores of joint inflammation was seen in the treated group. Late destructive changes were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Treatment with a somostatin analogue attenuated early inflammatory changes in AIA joints and increased mRNA expression of IL-1beta in the articular tissues of rats with ongoing arthritis. Improvement in the physical findings of joint inflammation was mild.