Anatomical and functional changes of the fetal adrenal gland in intrauterine growth restriction.

Objective: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the establishment of adrenal sparing in intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) human fetuses. IUGR fetuses are a subgroup of small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses that are unable to reach their own growth potential because of chronic hypoxia and undernutrition. We hypothesized that in IUGR fetuses the adrenal gland is relatively larger and secretion of noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A), and cortisol is increased.

Placental and maternal sFlt1/PlGF expression in gestational diabetes mellitus.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and preeclampsia (PE) are both characterized by endothelial dysfunction and GDM women have higher incidence of PE. The placenta plays a key role in PE pathogenesis but its contribution to PE during GDM remains unclear. Herein, we compared placental and maternal blood anti-angiogenic soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt1) and pro-angiogenic Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) expressions in GDM and GDM-PE pregnancies compared to controls (CTRL) and PE cases.

The HMGB1/RAGE Pro-Inflammatory Axis in the Human Placenta: Modulating Effect of Low Molecular Weight Heparin.

We evaluated whether physiological and pre-eclamptic (PE) placentae, characterized by exacerbated inflammation, presented alterations in pro-inflammatory High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) and its Receptor of Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) expression. Moreover, we investigated, in physiological placental tissue, the ability of Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) to modify HMGB1 structural conformation thus inhibiting RAGE binding and HMGB1/RAGE axis inflammatory activity. HMGB1, RAGE, IL-6 and TNFα (HMGB1/RAGE targets) mRNA expression were assessed by Real Time PCR.

Altered expression of G1/S phase cell cycle regulators in placental mesenchymal stromal cells derived from preeclamptic pregnancies with fetal-placental compromise.

Herein, we evaluated whether Placental Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (PDMSCs) derived from normal and Preeclamptic (PE) placentae presented differences in the expression of G1/S-phase regulators p16, p18, CDK4 and CDK6. Finally, we investigated normal and PE-PDMSCs paracrine effects on JunB, Cyclin D1, p16, p18, CDK4 and CDK6 expressions in physiological term villous explants. PDMSCs were isolated from physiological (n = 20) and PE (n = 24) placentae.

Pregnancy in dialysis patients in the new millennium: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis correlating dialysis schedules and pregnancy outcomes.

Background: Advances have been made in the management of pregnancies in women receiving dialysis; however, single-centre studies and small numbers of cases have so far precluded a clear definition of the relationship between dialysis schedules and pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the present systematic review was to analyse the relationship between dialysis schedule and pregnancy outcomes in pregnancies in chronic dialysis in the new millennium.

Methods: Medline-PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library were searched (1 January 2000-31 December 2014: MESH, Emtree, free terms on pregnancy and dialysis).

Placental Chemokine Receptor D6 Is Functionally Impaired in Pre-Eclampsia.

Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is defined by new onset of hypertension and proteinuria after the 20th week of gestation and characterized by systemic exaggerated inflammatory response. D6 is a chemokines scavenger receptor that binds with high affinity CC chemokines, internalizes and targets the ligands for degradation.

Low protein diets in patients with chronic kidney disease: a bridge between mainstream and complementary-alternative medicines?

Dietary therapy represents an important tool in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD), mainly through a balanced reduction of protein intake aimed at giving the remnant nephrons in damaged kidneys a "functional rest". While dialysis, transplantation, and pharmacological therapies are usually seen as "high tech" medicine, non pharmacological interventions, including diets, are frequently considered lifestyle-complementary treatments. Diet is one of the oldest CKD treatments, and it is usually considered a part of "mainstream" management.

Is It Possible to Differentiate Chronic Kidney Disease and Preeclampsia by means of New and Old Biomarkers? A Prospective Study.

Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and preeclampsia (PE) may both present with hypertension and proteinuria in pregnancy. Our objective is to test the possibility of distinguishing CKD from PE by means of uteroplacental flows and maternal circulating sFlt-1/PlGF ratio.

Design: Prospective analysis.

Pregnancy in Chronic Kidney Disease: questions and answers in a changing panorama.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly encountered in pregnancy because of greater diagnostic awareness, which is a reflection of the newer, broader definitions (i.e., any changes in blood or urine composition or at imaging, or a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of <60 mL/min lasting at least 3 months) and of increased incidence (higher maternal age and better outcomes of several kidney diseases).

Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and pregnancy-related diseases: a prospective cohort study.

The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and extragastric disease is well established. This study prospectively investigated whether maternal H. pylori seropositivity, detected during the first half of pregnancy, could be associated with the development of the major pregnancy-related pathological conditions during the late second or third trimester in a general population.

Intensive weight loss combining flexible dialysis with a personalized, ad libitum, coach-assisted diet program. A "pilot" case series.

Unlabelled: Obesity is a growing problem on dialysis. The best approach to weight loss has not been established. The risks of malnutrition may offset the advantages of weight loss.

Is renal hyperfiltration protective in chronic kidney disease-stage 1 pregnancies? A step forward unravelling the mystery of the effect of stage 1 chronic kidney disease on pregnancy outcomes.

Background: The correlation between advanced or proteinuric chronic kidney disease (CKD) and adverse pregnancy outcomes is intuitive, although how early CKD affects pregnancy remains unknown. Glomerular hyperfiltration is a physiological response to pregnancy, correlated with outcomes in hypertension or collagen diseases. The aim of the study was to correlate first trimester hyperfiltration with pregnancy outcomes in stage 1 CKD patients.

[Intensive weight-loss in dialysis: a personalized approach].

Unlabelled: Obesity is increasingly encountered in dialysis patients, who have difficulty to lose weight. Several Transplant Centres require BMI <30-35 Kg/m2 at waiting-list. Thus, losing weight becomes a must for young obese patients, however the best policy to obtain it (if any) is not defined.

New perspectives for prostate cancer treatment: in vitro inhibition of LNCaP and PC3 cell proliferation by amnion-derived mesenchymal stromal cells conditioned media.

Aim: To determine whether normal human amnion-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) secrete trophic mediators able to inhibit human prostate cancer cell lines growth.

Methods: Human prostate cancer and normal cell lines were used. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) were isolated through mechanical and enzymatic digestion from amniotic membranes and were evaluated for specific mesenchymal stromal cells antigens.

Association of low-protein supplemented diets with fetal growth in pregnant women with CKD.

Background And Objectives: Women affected by CKD increasingly choose to get pregnant. Experience with low-protein diets is limited. The aim of this study was to review results obtained from pregnant women with CKD on supplemented vegan-vegetarian low-protein diets.

Severe diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetes and pregnancy--a case series.

Background: Diabetes and nephropathy are important challenges during pregnancy, increasingly encountered because of the advances in maternal-fetal care.

Aim: To evaluate the maternal and fetal outcomes recorded in "severe" diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetic patients referred to nephrological healtcare.

Methods: The study was performed in an outpatient unit dedicated to kidney diseases in pregnancy (with joint nephrological and obstetric follow-up and strict cooperation with the diabetes unit).

Pro-inflammatory profile of preeclamptic placental mesenchymal stromal cells: new insights into the etiopathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Unlabelled: The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether placental mesenchymal stromal cells (PDMSCs) derived from normal and preeclamptic (PE) chorionic villous tissue presented differences in their cytokines expression profiles. Moreover, we investigated the effects of conditioned media from normal and PE-PDMSCs on the expression of pro-inflammatory Macrophage migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and free β-human Chorionic Gonadotropin (βhCG) by normal term villous explants. This information will help to understand whether anomalies in PE-PDMSCs could cause or contribute to the anomalies typical of preeclampsia.

LDOC1 gene expression in two patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Risk factors for this cancer include tobacco and alcohol use, ultraviolet light exposure, and viral infection. Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, with a prevalence of 3% in persons over the age of 65 years.

Three apoptotic genes are upregulated in a patient with Alzheimer's disease and well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma.

We report the case of a 74-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and an extensive ulcerative lesion on the right ear. AD is a neurodegenerative disease with progressive loss of memory and cognitive deterioration. It has been suggested that apoptotic cell injury and eventually cell death is a major contributor to the AD neurodegenerative process.