Cost-effectiveness analysis of a first-trimester screening test for preterm preeclampsia in the Netherlands.

Objectives: The risk of preterm preeclampsia (PT PE) can significantly be reduced by starting acetylsalicylic acid ≤ 16 weeks of gestational age. First trimester predictive models based on maternal risk factors to effectively start this therapy lacked sufficient power, but recent studies showed that these models can be improved by including test results of biochemical and/or -physical markers. To investigate whether testing a biochemical marker in the first trimester is cost-effective in the Netherlands, a cost-effectiveness analysis was performed in this study.

Early pregnancy biomarker discovery study for spontaneous preterm birth.

(1) OBJECTIVE: discover new candidate biomarkers for spontaneous preterm birth in early pregnancy samples. When fully clinically validated, early pregnancy biomarkers for sPTB give the possibility to intervene or monitor high-risk pregnancies more intensively through, as example, pelvic exams, ultrasound or sonographic cervical length surveillance. (2) STUDY DESIGN: Early pregnancy serum samples of eight spontaneous extreme and very preterm birth cases (<32 weeks of gestational age) without any symptoms of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction and eight uncomplicated pregnancies were analyzed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

First trimester serum biomarker discovery study for early onset, preterm onset and preeclampsia at term.

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) is a heterogeneous syndrome during pregnancy and postpartum and it is subdivided in this study into early onset (<34 weeks), preterm onset (34-37 weeks) and PE at term (>37 weeks). First trimester models currently lack a sufficient power to predict PE, but inclusion of biochemical markers shows an improvement of their predictive power. The aim of this study was to perform a biomarker discovery study in order to find possible novel first trimester biomarkers for each PE subtype.

Healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies show differences in Guanylate-Binding Protein-1 plasma levels.

The large interferon-inducible anti-angiogenic pro-inflammatory GTPase Guanylate Binding Protein-1 (GBP-1) is produced and secreted by activated endothelial cells and is highly induced by inflammatory cytokines and inhibited by angiogenic growth factors. During pregnancy a generalized mild inflammatory response is observed. During preeclampsia this generalized inflammatory response is even further activated and activation of the endothelium occurs.

First trimester secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 4 and other adipokine serum concentrations in women developing gestational diabetes mellitus.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether soluble frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) concentration in the first trimester of pregnancy is individually, or in combination with Leptin, Chemerin and/or Adiponectin, associated with the development of gestational diabetes (GDM).

Methods: In a nested case-control study, 50 women with GDM who spontaneously conceived and delivered a live-born infant were matched with a total of 100 uncomplicated singleton control pregnancies based on body mass index (± 2 kg/m2), gestational age at sampling (exact day) and maternal age (± 2 years). In serum samples, obtained between 70-90 days gestational age, sFRP4, Chemerin, Leptin and Adiponectin concentrations were determined by ELISA.

Binding and release of basic fibroblast growth factor from heparinized collagen matrices.

Endothelial cell seeding is a promising method to improve the performance of small-diameter vascular grafts. Growth of endothelial cells seeded on the luminal surface of synthetic vascular grafts, coated with a matrix suitable for cell seeding (e.g.

Relation between cell density and the secretion of von Willebrand factor and prostacyclin by human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

In this study, the relation between the density of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured on TCPS and (crosslinked) collagen, and the secretion of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and prostacyclin (PGI2) was determined. Collagen was crosslinked using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) in combination with N-hydroxy-succinimide (NHS), resulting in a matrix containing 14 free primary amino groups per 1000 amino acid residues after crosslinking (E/N14C). HUVECs were seeded on E/N14C, non-crosslinked collagen (N-Coll) and fibronectin-coated TCPS at densities ranging from 2500 to 50,000 cells/cm2.

In vivo biocompatibility of carbodiimide-crosslinked collagen matrices: Effects of crosslink density, heparin immobilization, and bFGF loading.

Collagen matrices, crosslinked using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (E) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (N), were previously developed as a substrate for endothelial cell seeding of small-diameter vascular grafts. In the present study, the biocompatibility of various EN-crosslinked collagen matrices was evaluated following subcutaneous implantation in rats for periods up to 10 weeks. The effects of the crosslink density, referred to as the number of free primary amino groups per 1,000 amino acid residues (EN10, EN14, EN18, or EN22), the amount of heparin immobilized to EN14, and the effect of preloading heparinized EN14 with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the induced tissue reaction were studied.

Immobilization of heparin to EDC/NHS-crosslinked collagen. Characterization and in vitro evaluation.

In the present study, heparin immobilization to a non-cytotoxic crosslinked collagen substrate for endothelial cell seeding was investigated. Crosslinking of collagen using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) resulted in a material containing 14 free primary amino groups per 1000 amino acid residues (E/N14C). At a fixed molar ratio NHS:EDC of 0.

Endothelial cell seeding on crosslinked collagen: effects of crosslinking on endothelial cell proliferation and functional parameters.

Endothelial cell seeding, a promising method to improve the performance of small-diameter vascular grafts, requires a suitable substrate, such as crosslinked collagen. Commonly used crosslinking agents such as glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde cause, however, cytotoxic reactions and thereby hamper endothelialization of currently available collagen-coated vascular graft materials. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an alternative method for crosslinking of collagen, using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) in combination with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS), on various cellular functions of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro.

Endothelial cell seeding of (heparinized) collagen matrices: effects of bFGF pre-loading on proliferation (after low density seeding) and pro-coagulant factors.

Endothelial cell seeding to improve the performance of small-diameter vascular grafts requires a suitable substrate, such as crosslinked collagen. In addition to providing a suitable substrate for adhesion and growth of endothelial cells, proliferation of seeded endothelial cells can be enhanced by local, sustained release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, a heparin-binding growth factor for endothelial cells). We have previously shown that collagen crosslinked using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) supports adhesion and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Improved endothelialization of vascular grafts by local release of growth factor from heparinized collagen matrices.

Endothelial cell seeding, a promising method to improve the performance of small-diameter vascular grafts, requires a suitable substrate, e.g. crosslinked collagen.

The binding of human blood platelets to fibrinogen-, fibronectin-, and Arg-Gly-Asp-derivatized Sephadex G-10.

The adhesive proteins fibrinogen (FG) and fibronectin (FN) were immobilized to glycine-Sephadex G-10. The derivatized Sephadex G-10 gels were used to bind human blood platelets. For comparison, Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro(GRGDSP)-derivatized Gly-Sephadex G-10 was used.