More Tools for Evaluating Decidual Artery Disease.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy continue to pose the most important risks for adverse maternal and neonatal outcome. Among histological findings, decidual artery disease is one of the most common, one that has both good reproducibility among observers and whose abnormal vascular remodeling is the sole aspect of preeclampsia pathophysiology on which experts agree. Nevertheless, some aspects of arterial remodeling alterations are still under investigation.

Transfixing Anterior Laryngeal Cleft in a Malformed Stillborn at Term: Case Report.

Laryngeal clefts (LC) are upper respiratory malformations predominately found in the posterior laryngeal wall. The frequency is 1:10,000, more frequently affect males, and can be syndromic features. There is no report of a transfixing anterior laryngeal cleft.

Heterotopic Adipose Tissue in the Placental Parenchyma: Case Report.

. Reports of heterotopic tissue in the placenta are few and mainly include liver and adrenal cells. We report on adipose tissue found in the placenta.

Assessment of Placental Extracellular Vesicles-Associated Fas Ligand and TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand in Pregnancies Complicated by Early and Late Onset Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder that affects 2-8% of pregnancies and is one of the main causes of fetal, neonatal, and maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Although PE etiology and pathophysiology remain unknown, there is evidence that the hyperactivation of maternal immunity cells against placental cells triggers trophoblast cell apoptosis and death. It has also been reported that placenta-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) carry Fas ligand (FasL) and Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and trigger apoptosis in Jurkat T cells.

Expression of tissue factor and thrombomodulin in the placentas of pregnancies affected by early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia.

Aim: To analyze the differential genetic expression and protein localization of thrombomodulin (THBD) and tissue factor (F3) in the placentas of pregnancies affected by preeclampsia.

Methods: We assessed the expression of THBD and F3 by immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in placentas from 20 PE cases: 10 early-onset PE placentas, 10 late-onset PE placentas, and 10 control cases (normal pregnancies).

Results: In cases, we found higher THBD and F3 RNA levels in placental tissue.

Spiral Arteries in Second Trimester of Pregnancy: When Is It Possible to Define Expected Physiological Remodeling as Abnormal?

After undergoing remodeling, uterine spiral arteries turn into wide, flexible tubes, with low resistance. If remodeling does not occur, spontaneous abortions, intrauterine growth restriction, and pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders can ensue. Arterial transformation begins at a very early gestational stage; however, second quarter pregnancy histopathological samples have yet to pinpoint the exact moment when abnormal remodeling transpires.

Risk factors and fetal outcomes for preeclampsia in a Colombian cohort.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, hypertensive pregnancy disorders are responsible for almost 26% of all maternal deaths [1] and, in Colombia, they account for 59% of all severe maternal morbidity (SMM) cases, and 59.7% of all SMM cases in adolescents [2]. One of the most important hypertensive pregnancy disorders is preeclampsia (PE).

Impact of umbilical cord length on fetal circulatory system by Doppler assessment.

Introduction: Numerous studies have revealed the impact of umbilical cord (UC) length on fetal perfusion; abundant data implicate abnormal UC length to neurological delay and subsequent poor prognoses for fetuses and newborns. Indeed, our group previously developed theoretical approximations that contributed to formulas capable of explaining the impact of UC length on cardiac output.

Methods: We performed an observational study that measured the pulsatility index and flow velocity in umbilical arteries.

Protein and genetic expression of and and clinical features related to human umbilical cord length.

Background: Umbilical cord (UC) abnormalities are related to neurological outcome and death; specific molecular factors that might be involved are, as yet, unknown; however, protein-coding genes insulin-like growth factor 2 () and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1C () have been identified as potential candidates.

Methods: An analytical observational study was carried out. Newborn UCs were collected, along with their clinical and morphological features.

Presentation of histoplasmosis as mononucleosis syndrome in an immunocompetent patient.

Histoplasmosis is a fungal disease usually occurring in endemic areas that can affect immuno-impaired patients in whom pulmonary involvement is the rule. We present the case of an 18 year-old immunocompetent, male patient, resident of the State of Florida, who showed signs of mononucleosis syndrome that included odynophagia, cervical adenomegaly, sporadic fever and rash; however, no pulmonary involvement or visceromegaly were present. Faced with this atypical and unexpected clinical picture, histoplasmosis infection was eventually diagnosed following cervical lymph-node biopsy.

The umbilical cord, preeclampsia and the VEGF family.

Introduction: The VEGF family has been identified as abnormal in preeclampsia (PE). Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are major contributors to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide; likewise, umbilical cord anatomical abnormalities (UCAA) are linked to poor neonatal outcomes. Based on the relationship described between PE and UCAA and the role of the VEGF family in PE, this study explored VEGF expression in placental and UC tissued from patients with PE and with UCAA.

Anatomical Pathology of the Umbilical Cord and Its Maternal and Fetal Clinical Associations in 434 Newborns.

Introduction Umbilical cord (UC) abnormalities and their clinical relations in 434 newborns were analyzed. We had previously reported on clinical associations of long and short UCs with any kind of malformation. This study focuses on other UC features (insertion, vessels, entanglements, coiling, and knots) and their associations with clinical characteristics and neonatal prognosis.

Immunohistochemical protein expression profiling of growth- and apoptotic-related factors in relation to umbilical cord length.

Introduction: Umbilical cord (UC) alterations are related to fetal and neonatal deaths and late neurological complications. Abnormal UC length has been recognized as the most significant abnormality linked to unfavorable outcomes. Despite its importance, causal factors resulting in abnormally long or short UCs have yet to be established.