Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Interferon (IFN)-gamma production by decidual mononuclear cells (DMNC) is interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-12 dependent.

Problem: Th1-shifted immune response is believed to be harmful for successful pregnancy because of activation of maternal cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. However, its effects on Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated innate immune response are so far unknown and this study has been undertaken to address the issue.

Method Of Study: decidual tissues were obtained from 16 pregnant women undergoing elective termination during the first trimester pregnancy for socioeconomic reasons.

Effective isolation of bacterioplankton genus Polynucleobacter from freshwater environments grown on photochemically degraded dissolved organic matter.

Effective isolation of freshwater bacterioplankton belonging to genus Polynucleobacter from a shallow eutrophic lake and its tributary was achieved by size-selective filtration with a 0.7-mum pore filter and cultivation on R2A agar medium. Partial 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that over 80% of all the strains were highly similar to the Polynucleobacter cluster.

Re-evaluation of the true rate of hepatitis C virus mother-to-child transmission and its novel risk factors based on our two prospective studies.

Objective: To re-evaluate the true hepatitis C virus (HCV) mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate and its novel risk factors.

Study Design: A comparative study based on our own two prospective studies done during the two periods, 'early' (1989-1994) and 'recent' (1995-2004).

Results: All carrier infants became HCV RNA-positive within 3 months after birth.