Distribution of decidual mast cells in fetal growth restriction and stillbirth at (near) term.

Introduction: Placental pathology and pregnancy complications are associated with unfavorable regulation of the maternal immune system. Although much research has been performed towards the role of immune cells like macrophages and T cells in this context, little is known about the presence and function of mast cells (MC). MC can be sub classified in tryptase-positive (MC) and tryptase- and chymase-positive (MC).

Biallelic Truncating Mutations in ALPK3 Cause Severe Pediatric Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Cardiomyopathies are usually inherited and predominantly affect adults, but they can also present in childhood. Although our understanding of the molecular basis of pediatric cardiomyopathy has improved, the underlying mechanism remains elusive in a substantial proportion of cases.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify new genes involved in pediatric cardiomyopathy.

Free air intraperitoneally during chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: consider pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis.

Intraperitoneal free air in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with induction chemotherapy is an ominous sign suspective of gastrointestinal perforation. We report a case of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) with free intraperitoneal air without bowel perforation in a child with Down syndrome during ALL induction treatment. PCI is a physical sign characterized by gas-filled cysts of the submucosa or subserosa of the bowel that can lead to pneumoperitoneum.

Vascularization in first-trimester chorionic villi in complicated and uncomplicated pregnancies.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate possible altered chorionic vascularization patterns that are seen already in the first trimester of pregnancies that are complicated by hypertensive disorders or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Study Design: After chorionic villous sampling, surplus of villi were stored, and a selection was made of pregnancies that were complicated further by hypertensive disorders (n = 26), normotensive IUGR (n = 13), and matched control subjects (n = 60). Vascular parameters of these villi were analyzed with a video-image-analysis system.

Hereditary fetal brain degeneration resembling fetal brain disruption sequence in two sibships.

We present two families with sib recurrence of a phenotype which was originally diagnosed as fetal brain disruption sequence (FBDS). In the first family from the Hindu population of Surinam, two brothers were affected. In the second family of Dutch descent a brother and sister were affected.

Rapid onset of severe twin-twin transfusion syndrome caused by placental venous thrombosis.

We report a case of rapid onset of severe twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) at 25 weeks gestation in a monochorionic twin pregnancy that was uneventful before that time. Thrombosis of a main venous branch draining several arteriovenous (AV) anastomoses to the donor changed the previous hemodynamic balance that existed between multiple bidirectional AV anastomoses. The opposing AVs became hemodynamically uncompensated and, despite amnioreductions, severe TTTS developed.