Top-quality embryo transfer is associated with lower odds of ectopic pregnancy.

Introduction: The incidence of ectopic pregnancy is up to four times higher after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) than in spontaneous pregnancies, and the risk of ectopic pregnancy is increased by tubal factor infertility and the transfer of multiple embryos. However, the effect of embryo quality on the probability of ectopic pregnancy has not been investigated until now and it is not clear whether ovarian stimulation parameters affect the incidence of ectopic pregnancy.

Material And Methods: An historical cohort study of 15 006 clinical pregnancies (diagnosed by ultrasound at 6-8 gestational weeks) after non-donor IVF/ICSI with fresh embryo transfer (n = 8952) or frozen-thawed embryo transfer (n = 6054).

A new mini-invasive technique in treating pediatric diaphyseal forearm fractures by bioabsorbable elastic stable intramedullary nailing: a preliminary technical report.

Background And Aim: Operative treatment is often indicated in unstable pediatric diaphyseal forearm fractures. Recently minimally invasive reduction and elastic stable intramedullary nailing have been of increasing interest, instead of open reduction and internal fixation with plates. There are several disadvantages of metallic intramedullary implants, such as soft-tissue irritation and a risk of disturbing later imaging.

Association between sequence variations in genes encoding human zona pellucida glycoproteins and fertilization failure in IVF.

Background: The zona pellucida (ZP) has multiple roles in reproductive processes, including oocyte maturation, fertilization and implantation. We used, for the first time, a genetic approach to study whether human ZP genes possess structural alterations in women with unsuccessful IVF trials. In theory, this may result in gradual reduction of sperm-zona interaction and eventually in total fertilization failure (TFF).

Self-reinforcement and hydrolytic degradation of amorphous lactic acid based poly(ester-amide), and of its composite with sol-gel derived fibers.

The self-reinforcing and hydrolytic degradation of an amorphous poly(ester-amide) (PEA) based on lactic acid have been studied and compared with those of poly-L-lactide (PLLA). The studied PEA-rods were self-reinforced (SR) by solid-state die drawing resulting double shear strength. The hydrolytic degradation of PEA was studied during exposure to phosphate buffered saline at pH 7.

Lipid peroxidation in human proteinuric disease.

Background: While metabolically generated oxidants are produced locally in experimental glomerular diseases, little is still known of their significance and the respective scavenger systems in human glomerular diseases.

Methods: Here we studied kidneys from patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF), a human model disease of isolated proteinuria. Expression of specific mRNAs for a major antioxidant system against lipoperoxidation [phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx)] and for mitochondrial proteins were studied in Northern blotting together with analysis of PHGPx in semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Altered gene expression and functions of mitochondria in human nephrotic syndrome.

The molecular basis of glomerular permselectivity remains largely unknown. The congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF) characterized by massive proteinuria already present but without extrarenal symptoms is a unique human disease model of pure proteinuria. In search of genes and pathophysiologic mechanisms associated with proteinuria, we used differential display-PCR to identify differences in gene expression between glomeruli from CNF and control kidneys.

mRNA differential display analysis of nephrotic kidney glomeruli.

Background: Differential display RT-PCR (DDRT-PCR) is a new powerful technique for identification and characterization of altered gene expression in eukaryotic cells and tissues. We studied here changes in kidney glomerular gene expression in patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF), an inherited kidney disease with heavy proteinuria already in utero.

Methods: Using the DDRT-PCR approach and isolated glomeruli from removed human kidneys, we compared the gene expression patterns of normal human and CNF glomeruli.

Morphologic changes suggesting abnormal renal differentiation in congenital nephrotic syndrome.

Retrograde differentiation (or dedifferentiation) has recently been proposed as a pathogenetic mechanism involved also in various renal diseases. Here we studied whether evidence of these mechanisms can be found in the kidneys of patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF). These patients show isolated massive proteinuria but no primary symptoms from any other organ systems.

Expression of nine developmental stage-specific genes in human kidney and cultured renal cells.

Background: Several genes transiently expressed during the maturation of the metanephrogenic mesenchyme have been reported in recent years while there is accumulating evidence of a reverted developmental pathway during tissue damage and loss of function.

Methods: Here we studied the expression of nine genes associated with kidney maturation from samples of normal human fetal, juvenile and adult kidneys and cultured glomerular cells using Northern blotting analysis. Subsequently, kidneys from patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF), presenting with heavy proteinuria, and Wilms' tumor tissue were studied for the corresponding expression pattern for evidence of dedifferentiation/persistence of a fetal expression pattern.

Mechanisms of proteinuria: vascular permeability factor in congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type.

Vascular permeability factor (VPF) is the most potent known mediator of vessel wall permeability. In the kidney, it is expressed preferentially in the glomerular visceral epithelial cells. The present study was designed to clarify the proposed role of VPF in diseases with increased glomerular permeability as here exemplified by the congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF).

Sphingolipid activator proteins in a human hereditary renal disease with deposition of disialogangliosides.

Congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type is a recessively inherited renal disease with glomerular deposits of the disialoganglioside O-acetyl-GD3. Sphingolipid activator proteins (saposins) stimulate the degradation of glycosphingolipids by lysosomal enzymes, and defects in saposins cause accumulation of substrate lipids in the affected tissues in lysosomal storage disease. Here we report a study of the role of saposins in the accumulation of O-acetyl-GD3 in kidneys of congenital nephrotic syndrome patients.

Noncollagenous matrix components of glomeruli in congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type: evidence of abnormal splitting of nidogen?

The congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF) is a rare autosomal recessive disease with proteinuria starting already in utero, prematurity and nephrotic syndrome developing within the first weeks of life. The basic defect of this disease is unknown but has been suggested to be restricted to the kidney glomeruli and especially to the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). The location of the major matrix components in the glomeruli of CNF patient kidneys has previously been reported.

Decrease of glomerular disialogangliosides in puromycin nephrosis of the rat.

Puromycin aminonucleoside nephrosis (PAN) is a model for human minimal change nephropathy induced in rats by injection of puromycin. In PAN, defective sialylation of a major sialoprotein of podocytes, podocalyxin, has been demonstrated and the consequent decrease of anionic charge suggested as a causative factor for increased glomerular permeability and proteinuria. Whether defective sialylation is a general feature of PAN affecting also glomerular glycosphingolipids is not known.

Glomerular antigens in severe hereditary nephrosis.

In search of the basic defect and cell type responsible for the massive treatment-resistant proteinuria of congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF), we examined tissue samples of CNF kidneys using established antibody and lectin markers of various glomerular cell types. Markers of vascular endothelium (antibodies to factor VIII and a human homologue of podocalyxin (anti-PHM5) and UEA I lectin) showed no qualitative changes in the endothelial cells of glomeruli or peritubular areas in CNF as compared with controls. Markers of glomerular mesangial cells (antibodies to desmin, smooth muscle actin, RCA I lectin) revealed a secondary increase in mesangial reactivity reflecting the sclerosis and expansion of the mesangial areas in CNF.

Establishment and characterization of a rat glomerular endothelial cell line.

Background: Primary cell cultures have been widely used for research purposes, but kidney glomerular and vascular endothelial cells and, particularly, stable endothelial cell lines from these have been difficult to obtain.

Experimental Design: We used electroporation and lipofectin transfection to introduce various transforming constructs, and direct infection with an oncogenic adeno 31 (Ad31) virus to immortalize cells from freshly isolated rat kidney glomeruli and characterized the cells obtained at their 20th, 40th, 60th, and 80th passage for markers of various glomerular cell types.

Results: Direct infection with an oncogenic adenovirus type 31 (Ad31) resulted in a stable cell line (over 120 passages) morphologically resembling epithelial/endothelial cells line (over 120 passages) morphologically resembling epithelial/endothelial cells.