The lipase cofactor CGI58 controls placental lipolysis.

In eutherians, the placenta plays a critical role in the uptake, storage, and metabolism of lipids. These processes govern the availability of fatty acids to the developing fetus, where inadequate supply has been associated with substandard fetal growth. Whereas lipid droplets are essential for the storage of neutral lipids in the placenta and many other tissues, the processes that regulate placental lipid droplet lipolysis remain largely unknown.

Intrauterine Cataract Diagnosis and Follow-up.

In this article, we report a 21-gestational-week fetus diagnosed with congenital cataract by ultrasonography. The parents decided to terminate the pregnancy and asked for examination of the fetus. An amniocentesis was performed for fetal karyotyping.

Recanalization of Totally Occluded Stent of Superficial Femoral Artery with Multiple Direct Stent Puncture.

In-stent restenosis (ISR) is a frequent complication of endovascular stents implantation, especially in the superficial femoral artery (SFA). Beyond the standard interventions, direct stent puncture (DSP) to the totally occluded SFA increases the success rate of the endovascular procedures. Multiple attempts are required to treat total occlusions most of time.

PLIN2 Is Essential for Trophoblastic Lipid Droplet Accumulation and Cell Survival During Hypoxia.

Trophoblast hypoxia and injury, key components of placental dysfunction, are associated with fetal growth restriction and other complications of pregnancy. Accumulation of lipid droplets has been found in hypoxic nonplacental cells. Unique to pregnancy, lipid accumulation in the placenta might perturb lipid transport to the fetus.

Estrogen- and Progesterone-Induced Variation in Corneal Parameters According to Hormonal Status.

Objectives: To determine the effects of estrogen and progesterone on corneal thickness, curvature, and biomechanics in healthy corneas according to hormonal status.

Methods: The study included four groups of females: group A (menstruating, not pregnant, not lactating, and not menopausal; n=100), group B (pregnant; n=50), group C (lactating; n=50), and group D (menopausal; n=50). Group A was subdivided according to age, as subgroup A15-25 (age 15-25 years) and subgroup A>25 (age >25 years).

Administration of steroids after 34 weeks of gestation enhances fetal lung maturity profiles.

Objective: To estimate the effect of antenatal glucocorticoid administration on fetal lung maturity in pregnancies with known fetal lung immaturity between the 34th and 37th weeks of gestation.

Study Design: Pregnancies between 34(0/7) and 36(6/7) weeks undergoing amniocentesis to determine fetal lung maturity were targeted. Women with negative results (TDx-FLM-II <45 mg/g) were randomly assigned to intramuscular glucocorticoid injection or no treatment.

Hypoxia regulates the expression of fatty acid-binding proteins in primary term human trophoblasts.

Objective: Fatty acids (FAs) are essential for fetal development. Cellular FA uptake is modulated by fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs). We hypothesized that hypoxia regulates the expression of FABPs in human trophoblasts.

Fetal heart rate accelerations and the risk of cerebral lesions and poor neurodevelopmental outcome in very low birthweight neonates.

The risk of intraventricular hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia correlates with fetal brain immaturity. Given that the appearance of fetal heart rate (FHR) accelerations is associated with brain maturation, we tested the hypothesis that neonatal cerebral lesions and developmental delay in very low birthweight newborns are associated with absent reactivity of the FHR tracing prior to delivery. We analyzed the FHR tracing of 97 fetuses with birthweight < 1200 g who underwent head ultrasound at day 3 and Bayley Scales of Infant Development testing at age 1 year.

Insulin and fatty acids regulate the expression of the fat droplet-associated protein adipophilin in primary human trophoblasts.

Objective: This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that insulin and fatty acids regulate adipophilin expression in cultured human trophoblasts.

Study Design: Cytotrophoblasts isolated from term human placentas were cultured in the absence or presence of insulin (10 nmol/L), and a mix of oleic and linoleic acid in serum-free medium. The expression of adipophilin as well as the fatty acid transport proteins (FATP) 2, 3, 4 and 6 was examined.

The mean weekly increment of amniotic fluid TDx-FLM II ratio is constant during the latter part of pregnancy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the mean weekly increment in amniotic fluid TDx-FLM II ratio during the latter part of pregnancy.

Study Design: All women who underwent > 1 amniocentesis for the determination of fetal lung maturity between 1998 and 2004 were identified retrospectively. Clinical information and TDx-FLM II ratios were collected from the participant's chart and analyzed.

Removal of hydrosalpinges increases endometrial leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) expression at the time of the implantation window.

Background: The presence of hydrosalpinges is associated with lower implantation and pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF-embryo transfer, while salpingectomy improves these parameters. Although the mechanism by which hydrosalpinges affects fertility is not entirely understood, an adverse effect on endometrial receptivity has been postulated. In this study, we hypothesized that the adverse effects of hydrosalpinges on fertility may be in part mediated by inappropriate endometrial expression of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a cytokine implicated in implantation.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and retinoid X receptor signaling regulate fatty acid uptake by primary human placental trophoblasts.

Context: Transplacental transfer of fatty acids from the maternal to the fetal circulation is essential for fetal development. The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) regulates fatty acid transport and storage in adipocytes and other cell types.

Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that PPARgamma and its heterodimeric nuclear receptor partner, retinoid X receptor (RXR), regulate fatty acid uptake by human trophoblasts.

The lipid droplet-associated protein adipophilin is expressed in human trophoblasts and is regulated by peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-gamma/retinoid X receptor.

Uptake and transplacental transfer of fatty acids is essential for fetal development. Human adipophilin and its murine ortholog adipocyte differentiation-related protein are lipid droplet-associated proteins that are implicated in cellular fatty acid uptake in adipocytes. The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) stimulates lipid uptake by adipocytes and enhances differentiation of placental trophoblasts.

Effects of melatonin on noncardiogenic pulmonary edema secondary to adnexial ischemia-reperfusion in guinea pig.

Objectives: Pulmonary edema has been shown to occur following ischemia-reperfusion injury in a variety of organs and effects of several pharmacological agents on ischemia-reperfusion-induced damage has been investigated previously. However, there are only a few studies in the literature about pulmonary injury following adnexial ischemia-reperfusion. In this study we aimed at investigating pulmonary changes following adnexial ischemia-reperfusion and the effects of melatonin on noncardiogenic pulmonary edema secondary to adnexial ischemia-reperfusion.