Interaction of Wnt Signaling with BMP/Smad Signaling during the Transition from Cell Proliferation to Myogenic Differentiation in Mouse Myoblast-Derived Cells.

Background. Wnt signaling is involved in muscle formation through β-catenin-dependent or -independent pathways, but interactions with other signaling pathways including transforming growth factor β/Smad have not been precisely elucidated. Results.

Does the use of labor-inducing drugs cause adverse perinatal outcomes?

There have been several studies of adverse perinatal outcomes associated with the indiscriminate use of labor-inducing drugs. However, the present results indicate that the appropriate use of labor-inducing drugs is not unsafe and improves neonatal outcomes in abnormal deliveries.

A case report of complete chorioamniotic membrane separation.

We describe a patient with complete chorioamniotic membrane separation (CMS). During embryologic development, the chorionic and amniotic membranes each arise from their own germ layers and form a celomic cavity in the first trimester of pregnancy. By the early second trimester, the cavity has shrunk and the membranes become conjugated.

Neonatal small-for-gestational age status as a favorable factor for the complete vaginal delivery of both fetuses in Japanese dichorionic twins.

Aim: In singletons, neonatal small-for-gestational age (SGA) status is an unfavorable postpartum outcome leading to cesarean section (CS) and increasing the possibility of maternal operative complications. Perinatal characteristics of SGA newborns in dichorionic (DC) twins were investigated for the prognostic impact on their mothers.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed from 2004 to 2009 on 329 DC twins with two live births.

Isolated torsion of a left normal fallopian tube during pregnancy.

We present here a case of isolated torsion of a left normal fallopian tube at 37 weeks' gestation. Although uncommon, especially on the left side, torsion of the fallopian tube should be included in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain during pregnancy.

Midwife-led care unit for 'low risk' pregnant women in a Japanese hospital.

Objectives: To examine the obstetric outcomes of our 'low risk' pregnant women under the midwife-led delivery care compared with those under the obstetric shared care.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study compared outcomes of labor under midwife 'primary' care with those under obstetric shared care. The factors examined were: maternal age, parity, gestational age at delivery, length of labor, augmentation of labor pains, delivery mode, episiotomy, perineal laceration, postpartum hemorrhage, neonatal birth weight, Apgar score, and umbilical artery pH.

Maternal risk factors for small-for-gestational age newborns in Japanese dichorionic twins.

Aim: To investigate the maternal risk factors for small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns in Japanese dichorionic (DC) twins.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from 2003 to 2008 on 340 DC twin pregnancies resulting in two live births. Newborns were classified as SGA if their birth weight was below the 10th percentile according to Japanese singleton norms.

Time of delivery and perinatal outcome.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between time of delivery and perinatal outcomes in singleton deliveries at Japanese Red Cross Katsushika Maternity Hospital. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all singleton deliveries at ≥ 22 weeks' gestation from 2002 through 2009 at our hospital. During the nighttime period (12 midnight to 8 am), although the rate of delivery of high-risk pregnancies was low, the rate of low umbilical artery pH (< 7) was higher than that during the daytime periods (8 am to 4 pm) (odds ratio 1.

Clinical significance of singleton pregnancies complicated by placental abruption associated with histological chorioamnionitis.

The aim of this study was to determine the perinatal outcomes of placental abruption associated with the presence of histological chorioamnionitis. We reviewed the obstetric records of 96 singleton deliveries complicated by placental abruption after 22 weeks' gestation. Of these 96 cases, 37 cases (39%) were diagnosed as having histological chorioamnionitis in the placenta.

Increased rate of elective cesarean delivery and neonatal respiratory disorders in twin pregnancies.

We examined whether the incidence of neonatal respiratory disorders has increased with the increased rate of elective cesarean delivery in twin pregnancies. We reviewed the obstetric records of 292 twin deliveries with vertex presentation of the first twin after 37 weeks' gestation at our hospital from 2000 through 2008. The study period was divided into 3 parts as follows: period 1: 2000 through 2002 (n=76); period 2: 2003 through 2005 (n=104); and period 3: 2006 through 2008 (n=112).

Clinical significance of singleton pregnancies complicated by placental abruption occurred at preterm compared with those occurred at term.

Objective: This study investigated the clinical significance of placental abruption occurred at preterm compared with those that occurred at term.

Methods: We reviewed the obstetric records of 102 singleton deliveries complicated by placental abruption after 22 weeks of gestation. The χ(2) test for categorical variables was used and differences with p < 0.

Inhibition of DC-SIGN-mediated transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by Toll-like receptor 3 signalling in breast milk macrophages.

The majority of cells in early/colostrum milk are breast milk macrophages (BrMMø) expressing dendritic cell (DC)-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3 (ICAM3) grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN), and the expression level of DC-SIGN on BrMMø will determine cell-to-cell human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmissibility. Thus, one of the strategies to prevent vertical transmission of HIV-1 through breast-feeding is to find a way to suppress DC-SIGN expression on BrMMø. As for the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in BrMMø, TLR3 was always seen in BrMMø but not in peripheral blood monocytes (PBMo).

History of abortion and perinatal outcomes associated with preeclampsia in nulliparous Japanese women.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of history of abortion on the next pregnancy outcomes associated with preeclampsia. This investigation involved 5206 nulliparous Japanese women with singleton pregnancies who delivered after 22 weeks of gestation. The patients were divided into two groups: those with a history of spontaneous and/or artificial abortion during the previous pregnancies after the marriage with the same partner (n = 1029) and those without a history of abortion (n = 4173).

Ptyalism gravidarum.

Context: Ptyalism gravidarum is of unknown origin and is usually defined as an excessive secretion of saliva, common in women with nausea and vomiting who might have difficulty in swallowing their saliva.

Case Report: We present here 2 cases complicated by ptyalism gravidarum during all trimesters of pregnancy. In one case, ptyalism recovered spontaneously at 35-36 weeks' gestation, and in the other case, it recovered after delivery.

Referrals during labor in midwifery care.

In 2008, 84% (459) of 548 women with pregnancies initially considered "low risk" requested to give birth under midwifery care at Japanese Red Cross Katsushika Maternity Hospital. Of these, 42% (191) were referred to obstetric care during labor at term; however, we found no evidence that midwifery primary obstetric care is less safe for women with "low-risk" pregnancy than is standard obstetric care. Therefore, we recommend that midwifery care be promoted with an international collaborative effort.

Recurrence of urinary retention secondary to retroverted gravid uterus.

Background: Although urinary retention caused by the retroverted gravid uterus is uncommon, acute urinary retention is an emergency condition.

Cases: We present here two cases of acute urinary retention at 12 weeks' gestation secondary to retroverted gravid uterus. Although some preventive measures were suggested to the patients, recurrences of urinary retention occurred during the following 2-3 weeks and in their next pregnancies.

Effect of sera on the adhesion of natural killer cells to the endothelium in severe pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To investigate the effect of serum on the interaction between natural killer (NK) cells and endothelial cells in pre-eclampsia.

Methods: Seven severely pre-eclamptic patients, five normal pregnant women, and four normal non-pregnant women were included in this study. Freshly isolated NK cells labeled with Chromium-51 were incubated on an endothelial cell monolayer in the presence of patient serum.

Transmission of macrophage-tropic HIV-1 by breast-milk macrophages via DC-SIGN.

Recent findings suggest that macrophage-tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) produced in colostrum/early breast milk may hold a clue to determine the mechanisms of transmission of HIV-1 via breast-feeding. Here, we show that the majority of CD4(+) cells in the colostrum are CD14(+) macrophages expressing both chemokine receptors and DC-SIGN, a dendritic cell-specific receptor for HIV-1. The R5-type macrophage-tropic HIV-1 isolate NL(AD8) infected such breast-milk macrophages and caused them to secrete virus particles efficiently; however, the secreted virions showed only a weak transmissibility to their susceptible target, MAGIC-5 cells.

Endogenously expressed HIV-1 nef down-regulates antigen-presenting molecules, not only class I MHC but also CD1a, in immature dendritic cells.

The effects of Nef molecules on immature dendritic cells (iDCs) were analyzed using recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) with intact nef gene, pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein, HIV/VSV-G/+Nef. When iDCs were infected with HIV/VSV-G/+Nef, the surface expression of CD1a, a molecule for presenting glycolipid/lipid antigens, was selectively down-regulated among CD1 molecules (CD1a, -b, -c, and -d) as well as class I MHC. Moreover, the CD1a molecules were also down-modulated and co-localized with DsRed2-tagged-Nef in CD1a-transfected cells.

Placental villotrophoblastic pulmonary emboli after elective abortion: immunohistochemical diagnosis and comparison with ten control cases.

Although pulmonary trophoblastic embolism is now considered a physiologic phenomenon of normal pregnancy, this phenomenon has not been demonstrated in a living asymptomatic patient. Recently we encountered a 26-year-old woman suspected of pulmonary embolism of villotrophoblastic tissues after therapeutic abortion. Although her serum beta-hCG was low, a computed tomography scan showed multiple nodules in both lungs.

Breast milk macrophages spontaneously produce granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and differentiate into dendritic cells in the presence of exogenous interleukin-4 alone.

Peripheral blood monocytes extravasate and differentiate into tissue macrophages to mediate effective local defence, but how tissue-specific stimuli and environments may influence their functions remains unknown. Here, we found that peripheral blood monocytes gained the ability to produce granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) upon exposure to breast milk and differentiated into CD1+ dendritic cells (DCs) in the presence of exogenous interleukin-4 (IL-4) alone. This in vitro observation appeared physiologically relevant since macrophages that were freshly isolated from breast milk were also found to produce GM-CSF spontaneously.