Expression pattern of Galectin 4 in rat placentation.

Galectin 4 (Gal4) is abundantly expressed in the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract, and functional analysis has concentrated on its roles associated with polarized membrane trafficking. This study aimed to investigate the expression of Gal4 in placentation. The expression level of Gal4 was revealed to be lower in differentiated Rcho-1 cells (a model system of rat trophoblast differentiation) than in proliferative cells. In the rat placenta, immunohistochemical analysis showed that Gal4 is preferentially located in the maternal-fetal junctional zone. These results suggest that down-regulation of Gal4 may be involved in the promotion of trophoblast cell differentiation.

Antenatal three-dimensional sonographic features of Pierre-Robin syndrome. Case report.

A case of Pierre-Robin syndrome with polyhydramnios is described. Three-dimensional sonography clearly showed fetal micrognathia and hypoplastic ear antenatally. The benefits and advantages of the use of three-dimensional sonography to diagnose Pierre-Robin syndrome in utero are discussed.

Late second-trimester nonstress test characteristics in preterm delivery before 32 weeks of gestation.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify electronic fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring characteristics in pregnancies with preterm delivery before 32 weeks of gestation, using the late second-trimester nonstress test. METHODS: Among 953 children born from 1993 to 1996, we identified 100 singleton infants born before 32 weeks of gestation in whom second-trimester (24-27 weeks of gestation) electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) records were obtained. Individual components of the FHR patterns [baseline rate, baseline FHR variability, presence of acceleration (at least 10 beats/min for at least 10 s) and periodic or episodic deceleration (at least 25 beats/min for at least 15 s)] and birth characteristics were compared between pregnancy with or without second-trimester decelerations. RESULTS: Among 100 infants, 65 had and 35 did not have second-trimester decelerations. There were no significant differences in gestational age at birth, birth weight, cord arterial blood pH, Apgar score and meconium staining between pregnancies with second-trimester decelerations and those without second-trimester decelerations. There were no significant differences in baseline rate and baseline variability between pregnancies with or without second-trimester decelerations. The number of accelerations in pregnancies with second-trimester decelerations was significantly more frequent than that in pregnancies without second-trimester decelerations (p < 0.001). There was a significant increase in the occurrence of premature rupture of the membranes (PROM; 60.0%) in pregnancies with second-trimester decelerations, when compared with events (37.1%) related to pregnancies without second-trimester decelerations (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the onset of breech presentation, cervical incompetency, preeclampsia and abnormal FHR pattern at birth between pregnancies with second-trimester decelerations and those without second-trimester decelerations. Pregnancies with PROM after second-trimester EFM were significantly more likely to have second-trimester decelerations than those without PROM (75.0 vs. 54.2%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Periodic or episodic decelerations during late second-trimester EFM were associated with an increased risk of the occurrence of PROM in pregnancies with preterm delivery before 32 weeks of gestation.

Three-dimensional sonographic assessment of fetal behavior in the early second trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the fetal behavior pattern in the early second trimester of pregnancy by use of specially developed abdominal dynamic three-dimensional sonography. METHODS: Dynamic three-dimensional sonographic examinations were performed on 11 healthy pregnant women at 14 to 18 weeks of gestation. This imaging system provided continuous three-dimensional sonographic images every 1 to 2 seconds. Fetal movements were recorded continuously for 60 minutes in each fetus. The rate of occurrence of head, mouth, arm, trunk, and leg movements was evaluated. All fetal behavioral patterns were observed during the period studied. RESULTS: The active phase (time with fetal movements) was 59.4%, and the resting phase was 40.6%. The most active fetal behavior pattern was an arm movement, whereas the least was a mouth movement. Moreover, each fetal movement was synchronized and harmonized with other fetal movements (a few movement patterns were found to be generated simultaneously). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic three-dimensional sonography provides a novel means for evaluation of fetal behavior in the early second trimester of pregnancy. These results suggest that dynamic three-dimensional sonography may be an important modality in future early fetal behavior research and in evaluation of early fetal well-being.

Plasma adrenomedullin levels in pregnancies with appropriate for gestational age and small for gestational age infants.

AIMS: To evaluate whether maternal and fetal plasma adrenomedullin levels in pregnancies with small for gestational age (SGA) infants are different from those in pregnancies with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. METHODS: Maternal and fetal circulating adrenomedullin levels were compared between 62 pregnancies with AGA (43 delivered vaginally and 19 delivered by elective cesarean section) and 28 pregnancies with SGA (20 delivered vaginally and 8 delivered by elective cesarean section) at birth. Plasma adrenomedullin levels were measured from maternal and cord venous blood samples using a radioimmunoassay. Umbilical artery blood pH was also measured. RESULTS: There were no significant differences for maternal total adrenomedullin levels, mature adrenomedullin levels, and its ratio among the groups. There were also no significant differences for fetal total adrenomedullin levels, mature adrenomedullin levels, and its ratio among the groups. In the AGA group delivered vaginally, fetal mature/total adrenomedullin ratio (mean +/- standard error, 16.6 +/- 0.7%) was significantly higher than the maternal ratio (13.8 +/- 0.6%) (p < 0.05). In the SGA group delivered vaginally, fetal mature/total adrenomedullin ratio (18.5 +/- 1.0%) was also significantly higher than the maternal ratio (14.5 +/- 0.6%) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in umbilical artery blood pH among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that maternal and fetal plasma circulating adrenomedullin levels may play a role in maternal and fetal cardiovascular adaptation during delivery in pregnancies with both AGA and SGA infants.

Three-dimensional sonographic features of fetal central nervous system anomaly.

OBJECTIVE: To visualize an intracranial structure of the fetal central nervous system (CNS) anomaly using transabdominal three-dimensional (3D) sonography. METHODS: A total of 12 cases with fetal CNS anomalies (one unilateral ventriculomegaly; three hydrocephalus; three anencephaly; three holoprosencephaly; one Dandy-Walker cyst; and one enlarged cisterna magna) from 17 to 37 weeks of gestation were studied with transabdominal 3D sonography (3.5 MHz). RESULTS: In unilateral ventriculomegaly, insight view of dilated lateral ventricle, especially dilated atrium was depicted. In hydrocephalus, severely dilated bilateral ventricles and thin brain mantle were very clearly shown. In anencephalus, an absence of the brain and defect of the vault of the skull was clearly noted. In holoprosencephaly, absent interhemispheric fissure, common ventricle, and the extent of thalamic fusion were evident. In Dandy-Walker cyst, cerebellar hemisphere was clearly depicted due to the agenesis of cerebellar vermis. In enlarged cisterna magna, posterior intracranial view of the fetus showed a large space of cisterna magna. Although the diagnosis of each CNS anomaly was made using conventional two-dimensional sonography, 3D sonography proved most helpful delineating the exact nature and anatomic level of the anomaly. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that 3D sonography provides a novel means of visualizing fetal CNS anomalies in utero. However, it should be noted that our 3D sonography cannot depict intracranial brain structures in normal fetuses or some CNS anomaly such as intracranial tumor.

Subclassification of small-for-gestational-age fetus using fetal Doppler velocimetry.

Our purpose was to determine whether small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetus can be divided to subclassified groups using fetal Doppler velocimetry. Fifty-four pregnant women with SGA infant delivered after 37 weeks of gestation were studied. After 24 weeks of gestation, fetal middle cerebral artery puslatility index (MCAPI) and umbilical artery pulsatility index (UAPI) were measured at 2- to 3-week intervals using Doppler ultrasound. Perinatal outcomes [operative delivery due to fetal distress, abnormal fetal heart rate (FHR) pattern, meconium staining, low Apgar score (<7), neonatal acidosis (umbilical artery blood pH <7.15), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission due to neonatal asphyxia, and decreased amniotic fluid] were compared in subclassified SGA groups using fetal Doppler velocimetry. The number of SGA fetuses with normal MCAPI and UAPI (normal SGA group) was 39, and those with significantly low MCAPI but normal UAPI (eventful SGA group) 15, respectively. Birth age and birth weights in the eventful SGA group were significantly earlier and lower than those in the normal SGA group, respectively (p < 0.05, and p < 0.005). There were significant increases in operative deliveries, abnormal FHR patterns and decreased amniotic fluid in eventful SGA group, when compared with events related to normal SGA group. However, there were no significant differences in meconium staining of amniotic fluid, low Apgar score, neonatal acidosis, and NICU admission between the two groups. These results suggest that SGA fetus with abnormally low MCAPI but normal UAPI has more poor perinatal outcomes, compared with that with normal MCAPI and UAPI.

Maternal and fetal circulating angiogenin levels in pregnancies with small-for-gestational-Age and appropriate-for-gestational-Age infants.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether maternal and fetal circulating angiogenin levels in pregnancies with small-for-gestational- age (SGA) infants are different from those in pregnancies with appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants. METHODS: Maternal and fetal circulating angiogenin concentrations were compared at birth between 16 pregnancies with SGA (7 delivered vaginally and 9 delivered by elective cesarean section) and 46 pregnancies with AGA (27 delivered vaginally and 19 delivered by cesarean section). Serum angiogenin level was measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in maternal and fetal serum angiogenin levels between the two groups. However, maternal serum angiogenin levels were significantly higher than those in fetal serum within both SGA and AGA infant pregnancies. There were no significant differences in maternal and fetal serum angiogenin levels between vaginal and cesarean delivered pregnancies in both SGA and AGA groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that there is no difference in angiogenin synthesis between SGA and AGA pregnancies.

Maternal ophthalmic artery doppler velocimetry in type 1 diabetes during pregnancy.

Our purpose was to evaluate whether maternal ophthalmic artery pulsatility index (PI) in normotensive pregnancies with type 1 diabetes is different from that in normal normotensive pregnancies. The ophthalmic artery in 15 normal normotensive pregnant women, and 13 normotensive pregnant women with type 1 diabetes was studied once with colour Doppler flow imaging and pulsed Doppler ultrasonography after 16 weeks gestation. The heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, and ophthalmic artery PI were calculated in each group. The PI (1.94 +/- 0.45) in normotensive pregnant women with type 1 diabetes was significantly lower than that (2.73 +/- 0.32) in normal normotensive pregnant women (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in maternal heart rate or mean arterial blood pressure between the two groups. These results suggest that vascular resistance in the maternal orbital circulation is reduced in pregnancies with type 1 diabetes that are normotensive. The lower PI in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes should be interpreted as orbital vascular vasodilatation, indicating orbital hyperperfusion or hyperaemia.

Intrauterine sonographic visualization of embryonic genital tubercle.

OBJECTIVE: To visualize embryonic genital tubercle using intrauterine sonography with a 20-MHz flexible catheter-based high-resolution real-time miniature transducer in early first-trimester pregnancy. DESIGN: Randomized prospective study. METHODS: A total of 39 women about to undergo therapeutic abortion from 7 to 10 weeks' gestational age were studied with specially developed catheter-based high-resolution real-time miniature (2.4 mm in outer diameter) ultrasound transducer (20 MHz). Before the intrauterine sonographic procedure was performed, transvaginal sonographic assessment of the embryo was conducted. The percentage of embryonic genital tubercle (or phallus) visualized at each gestational age using intrauterine and transvaginal sonography is presented. RESULTS: The genital tubercle could not be identified at 7 weeks of gestation with intrauterine sonography. The genital tubercle was visualized in 30% of embryos at 8 weeks' gestation, and in 100% of embryos at 9 and 10 weeks. The genital tubercle was situated somewhat cranially to the sacral prominence at this gestational age. The genital tubercle could not be depicted with transvaginal sonography between 7 and 10 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSIONS: Intrauterine sonography provides a novel means for visualization of genital tubercle of the embryo. These results suggest that intrauterine sonography can become an important modality in future embryological research and in detection of embryonic developmental disorders in the early first-trimester pregnancy.

Three-dimensional sonographic features of Hydrops fetalis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe three-dimensional (3-D) sonographic features of hydrops fetalis. METHODS: A total of 6 cases with hydrops fetalis from 15 to 32 weeks of gestation were studied with transabdominal 3-D sonography (3.5 MHz). RESULTS: Before around 20 weeks of gestation, the skin becomes a transparent-like structure, so internal organs can be clearly identified. After 25 weeks, skin edema, pleural effusion, and ascites were well depicted. In the case with pleural effusion, hypoplastic lungs were clearly recognized. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that 3-D sonography provides a novel means of visualizing hydrops fetalis in utero.

Hepatocyte growth factor concentration in the early second-trimester amniotic fluid does not predict fetal growth at birth.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) concentrations in the early second-trimester amniotic fluid predict fetal growth at birth. HGF and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations in the early second-trimester amniotic fluid were measured in 12 pregnancies with small for gestational age (SGA) infants, 84 pregnancies with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants, and eight pregnancies with large for gestational age (LGA) infants. HGF concentrations were measured from the early second-trimester amniotic fluid samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IGF-I concentrations were measured from the early second-trimester amniotic fluid samples using an immunoradiometric assay. Maternal age in AGA group (34.2 +/- 5.5 years) was significantly lower than in SGA (37.9 +/- 3.0 years) and LGA (37.6 +/- 3.3 years) groups (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences for parity or gestational age at amniocentesis among the groups. There were significant differences for birth age, birth weight, neonatal height, and placental weight among the groups (P < 0.05). HGF concentrations in SGA, AGA and LGA groups were 16.9 +/- 6.6, 16.7 +/- 9.0 and 20.2 +/- 14.8 ng/ml respectively (not significant). There was no correlation between amniotic fluid HGF concentrations and birth weight, height or placental weight. There were also no significant differences for amniotic fluid IGF-I concentrations among the three groups. These results suggest that differences in HGF concentrations in the early second-trimester amniotic fluid do not predict fetal growth at birth. Further study is needed to clarify the role of high HGF concentrations in early second-trimester amniotic fluid during pregnancy.

Laparoscopy-assisted intrapelvic sonography with a high-frequency, real-time miniature transducer for assessment of the Fallopian tube: a preliminary report.

Our purpose was to visualize normal and abnormal Fallopian tubes using laparoscopy-assisted intrapelvic sonography with a specially developed 20 MHz flexible catheter-based high-resolution, real-time miniature (2.4 mm outer diameter) ultrasound transducer in infertile women. A total of 21 women (20 infertile, one with unilateral hydrosalpinx, and one tubal pregnancy) were studied with pelvic saline effusion under laparoscopy. Fimbriae were clearly depicted with a cockscomb-like form in 95% of patients. All ampullae were visualized, and mucosal layers were clearly distinguished from muscle layers in 70% of patients. Scanty intratubal effusion was noted in 50% of patients, and tubal spastic findings were found in 10% of patients. In all, 60% of isthmuses were detected, and mucosal layers were distinguished from muscle layers in 30%. In the subject with hydrosalpinx, the tubal wall was thinner, and it was not possible to distinguish between muscle and mucosal layers. In the subject with a tubal pregnancy, the amniotic membrane and decidua were depicted more clearly than by transvaginal sonography. In conclusion, laparoscopy-assisted intrapelvic sonography with a high-frequency, real-time miniature transducer may be useful in the assessment of tubal texture and function in tubal disorders, possibly in infertility practice.

Three-dimensional ultrasonographic evaluation of ovarian tumours: a preliminary study.

Our objective was to determine the accuracy of three dimensional (3D) ultrasonography in the differentiation of ovarian tumours. Women (n = 20) with ovarian tumours (13 benign and seven malignant) were first examined using two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonography and were then evaluated with three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography. All patients underwent surgery within 7 days of 2D and 3D ultrasonographic evaluations, and a histopathological diagnosis was made. A 2D ultrasonographic diagnosis of malignancy was done using an established scoring system. Diagnostic criteria for ovarian malignancy by 3D ultrasonography were: irregular thick septa, irregular papillary projection, mostly solid tumour, high echogenicity, and irregular inner wall. Compared with 2D ultrasound, 3D ultrasound had a significantly higher specificity (P < 0.005) and accuracy (P < 0.01), and a significantly lower false positive rate (P < 0.005). Our results suggest that 3D ultrasonography might be a better means of differentiating between malignant and benign ovarian tumours. However, in view of the small number of ovarian tumours, these observations must be considered preliminary.

PCR-based DNA amplification and presumptive detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 with an internal fluorogenic probe and the 5' nuclease (TaqMan) assay.

Presumptive identification of Escherichia coli O157:H7 is possible in an individual, nonmultiplexed PCR if the reaction targets the enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) eaeA gene. In this report, we describe the development and evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of a PCR-based 5' nuclease assay for presumptively detecting E. coli O157:H7 DNA. The specificity of the eaeA-based 5' nuclease assay system was sufficient to correctly identify all E. coli O157:H7 strains evaluated, mirroring the previously described specificity of the PCR primers. The SZ-primed, eaeA-targeted 5' nuclease detection assay was capable of rapid, semiautomated, presumptive detection of E. coli O157:H7 when >/=10(3) CFU/ml was present in modified tryptic soy broth (mTSB) or modified E. coli broth and when >/=10(4) CFU/ml was present in ground beef-mTSB mixtures. Incorporating an immunomagnetic separation (IMS) step, followed by a secondary enrichment culturing step and DNA recovery with a QIAamp tissue kit (Qiagen), improved the detection threshold to >/=10(2) CFU/ml. Surprisingly, immediately after IMS, the sensitivity of culturing on sorbitol MacConkey agar containing cefeximine and tellurite (CT-SMAC) was such that identifiable colonies were demonstrated only when >/=10(4) CFU/ml was present in the sample. Several factors that might be involved in creating these false-negative CT-SMAC culture results are discussed. The SZ-primed, eaeA-targeted 5' nuclease detection system demonstrated that it can be integrated readily into standard culturing procedures and that the assay can be useful as a rapid, automatable process for the presumptive identification of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef and potentially in other food and environmental samples.

Photoregulation of cot-1, a kinase-encoding gene involved in hyphal growth in Neurospora crassa.

Blue light plays a key role as an environmental signal in the regulation of growth and development of fungi and plants. Here we demonstrate that in Neurospora crassa hyphae branch more frequently in cultures grown in light. Previous studies had identified cot-1 as a gene that controls apical hyphal cell elongation. In the cot-1 mutant, cessation of elongation is accompanied by hyperbranching. Here we demonstrate that the cot-1 gene encodes two transcript species of about 2100 nt (cot-1 (s)) and about 2400 nt (cot-1 (l)) in length and that the ratio of both transcript species abundance is photoregulated. The origin of the difference between cot-1 (l) and cot-1 (s) was localized to the 5' end of the cot-1 transcripts, suggesting that two COT1 isoforms with different activities may be formed. Both light effects, on branching and on cot-1 expression, were dependent on functional wc-1 and wc-2 gene products. In addition to light, L-sorbose comprises another environmental cue that controls hyphal branching in N. crassa. In the presence of L-sorbose, photoregulation of cot-1 was blocked, suggesting the involvement of alternative and potentially interdependent signaling pathways for the regulation of hyphal elongation/branching.

A ras homologue of Neurospora crassa regulates morphology.

In order to study the role of signal transduction pathways in the regulation of morphology in Neurospora crassa, we cloned and characterized a ras homologue, termed NC-ras2. The predicted protein product of this gene is composed of 229 amino acid residues and contains all the consensus sequences shared by the ras protein family. The gene is located in linkage group V. An NC-ras2 disruptant showed morphological characteristics very similar to those of the smco7 mutant, which also maps to linkage group V. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the smco7 mutant harbored a single base deletion in the NC-ras2 gene, which is predicted to result in the truncation of the protein product. Introduction into the smco7 mutant of an NC-ras2 clone yielded stable transformants with a wild-type phenotype. The smco7 mutant exhibited very slow hyphal growth and the rate of conidial formation was approximately one two-hundredth of wild type. The smco7 mutation causes both the changes in the pattern of hyphal growth and the defects in cell wall synthesis. Both the diameter and the length of the apical compartment were shorter in the hyphae of the smco7 mutant. These results suggest that NC-ras2 is identical to smco7, and that the signal transduction pathway mediated by the NC-ras2 protein regulates the apical growth of hyphae, cell wall synthesis, and conidial formation in N. crassa.