Pre-eclampsia is associated with elevated CXCL12 levels in placental syncytiotrophoblasts and maternal blood.

Objectives: Placental derived vasculogenic/angiogenic substances in maternal blood are dysregulated in pre-eclampsia. We hypothesized that CXCL12, a chemokine with vasculogenic actions, is amongst such molecules.

Study Design: CXCL12, CXCL16, CXCR4, and CXCR6 immunolocalization in placental tissue was analyzed in pre-eclampsia (n=8) in comparison to controls (n=8).

Expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor neuropilin-1 at the human embryo-maternal interface.

Objective: Angiogenesis is required for successful implantation of the invading blastocyst. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important key player in angiogenesis and vascular remodeling during the implantation process. Besides its well-characterized receptors VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) has been shown to play an additional role in the signaling process of angiogenesis in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle, as a co-receptor of VEGF.

Impact of female and male obesity on IVF/ICSI: results of 700,000 ART-cycles in Germany.

To our knowledge, this is the first analysis in which male and female weights have been combined. The registry dataset covering a 12-year period was analysed for all treatment cycles where an embryo transfer was reported. In all, 706,360 cycles were analysed.

Genital schistosomiasis as a cause of female sterility and acute abdomen.

Objective: To report the case of a Nigerian patient who suffered from sterility and underwent abdominal laparotomy to remove an adnexal tumor. Histologic analysis revealed Schistosoma haematobium ova.

Design: Case report.

Effect of oral N-acetyl cysteine on recurrent preterm labor following treatment for bacterial vaginosis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on gestational age at delivery in women with previous preterm labor and bacterial vaginosis.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 280 women between 16 and 18 weeks of pregnancy who had 1 previous preterm birth and had just been successfully treated for bacterial vaginosis with metronidazole for 1 week. The women were randomized to receive 0.

Interleukin-1beta regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone messenger ribonucleic acid in cultured human endometrial stromal cells.

Objective: To investigate the role of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in regulating GnRH mRNA expression in cultured human endometrial stromal cells using a modified semiquantitative competitive reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Design: A controlled study.

Setting: Clinical and academic research setting in a university medical center.