Corticosteroids effect on caspase 3 expression in an in-vitro model of hypoxic brain cells.

Objective: Effects of corticosteroids (CS) in the brain of growth-restricted fetus remain largely unstudied. We investigated if dexamethasone (DXM) exposure contributes to neuronal injury in an in-vitro model of neuronal cells under hypoxic conditions (surrogate for fetal growth restriction).

Study Design: U87 glioblastoma cells exposed to hypoxic or normoxic conditions for 10 h were incubated in the absence or presence of DXM for 48 h.

Comparison of bactericidal properties of alcohol-based chlorhexidine versus povidone-iodine prior to amniocentesis.

Objective: To compare the bactericidal properties of povidone-iodine versus alcohol-based chlorhexidine solution for cleansing the gravid abdomen prior to amniocentesis.

Methods: Fifty study participants were recruited from the University of Texas Women's Clinic in Houston, Texas. Two baseline swabs of the patients' abdomens were obtained to assess bacterial flora prior to treatment.

Impact of progesterone on cytokine-stimulated nuclear factor-kappaB signaling in HeLa cells.

Objective: A key event in the pathways leading to preterm labor may be the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in the fetal membranes and the cervix. Anti-inflammatory agents, such as the corticosteroids, inhibit the activation of NF-kappaB. We proposed to investigate the effects of progesterone pretreatment on cytokine-stimulated activation of NF-kappaB in HeLa cells, a human cervical epithelial cell line.

The effects of dexamethasone and betamethasone on surfactant protein-B messenger RNA expression in human type II pneumocytes and human lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of a single 48-hour exposure to betamethasone or dexamethasone in the NCI-H441 cell line and in human type II pneumocytes.

Study Design: NCI-H441 cells were exposed 48 hours to varying concentrations of betamethasone or dexamethasone (10(-10) to 10(-7) mol/L) alone or in combination with 1 mmol/L dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Likewise, human type II pneumocytes were exposed 48 hours to varying concentrations of betamethasone or dexamethasone (10(-9) to 10(-7) mol/L) alone or in combination with 1 mmol/L dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

The effect of temperature on bactericidal properties of 10% povidone-iodine solution.

Objective: Ten percent povidone-iodine (PVI) is commonly used as a bactericidal solution before amniocentesis is performed. Warming PVI may increase patient comfort; however, the effect of warming on its bactericidal properties is not known. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of warming 10% PVI on its bactericidal properties.