Pseudocoarctation of the Aorta: A Rare Incidental Finding During a Preoperative Assessment.

Pseudocoarctation of the aorta (PCoA) is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by the abnormal kinking of the thoracic aorta. It is often incidentally diagnosed but gained clinical significance due to its propensity to develop aortic aneurysm and rupture. A standard diagnostic and treatment algorithm for PCoA is lacking, and also, the natural history of the disease is not well studied.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with heart disease: the Madras Medical College Pregnancy And Cardiac (M-PAC) Registry from India.

Aims: To evaluate the feto-maternal outcome, identify the adverse outcome predictors and test the applicability of modified WHO (mWHO) classification in pregnant women with heart disease (PWWHD) from Tamil Nadu, India.

Methods And Results: One thousand and five pregnant women (mean age: 26.04 ± 4.

Transport kinetics of chromium in perfused human placental lobule in late gestation: study.

Reports relating to maternal-fetal transport kinetics of chromium, an essential trace element in the human pregnancies are scanty. Hence, we thought it interesting to investigate the transport kinetics of this trace element in the human placenta in late gestation . Human placentae were collected immediately after delivery from normal uncomplicated pregnancies.

Maternal-fetal transport kinetics of manganese in perfused human placental lobule in vitro.

Objective: There have been no detailed reports relating to maternal-fetal transport kinetics of manganese, an essential trace element in the human pregnancies, and hence we have attempted to study the transport kinetics of this trace element in the human placenta in vitro.

Methods: Human placentae from normal uncomplicated pregnancies were collected postpartum. Manganese chloride solution (GFS Chem Inc.

Influence of coconut oil administration on some hematologic and metabolic parameters in pregnant rats.

Objective: Data on the effect of coconut oil intake on various hematologic and metabolic parameters in pregnant women or animals are scanty. Hence we attempted to assess the effect of oral administration of graded doses of this edible oil during pregnancy, on various hematologic and metabolic parameters in rats.

Methods: Groups of pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were given oral doses of 1 ml, 2 ml, and 4 ml coconut oil twice per day, respectively.

Effect of methotrexate administration on status of some essential trace elements and antioxidant enzymes in pregnant rats in late gestation.

Objective: Folate antagonists are widely used in the treatment of various cancerous states. Paucity of data on effect of administration of one such widely used drug, methotrexate (MTX), on the status of essential trace elements and antioxidant enzymes in pregnant women or in pregnant animals prompted us to undertake this study.

Methods: MTX at a concentration of 5 mg/kg body weight was administered intraperitoneally as single dose to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats for three consequitive days from day 17 of pregnancy.

Transport kinetics of cisplatin in the perfused human placental lobule in vitro.

Objective: Platinum-containing drugs are used extensively in the treatment of various malignancies in humans. Data are scarce on the maternal-fetal transport characteristics in humans of one such widely used drug, cisplatin, and this prompted us to study its transport characteristics in the human placenta in vitro.

Methods: Placentae from normal pregnancies were collected after delivery.

Maternal-foetal status of copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium and zinc in obese gestational diabetic pregnancies.

Obesity is well known to be a contributory risk factor for several disease states, including diabetes mellitus. Paucity of data on maternal-foetal status of essential trace elements in obese diabetic pregnancies prompted us to undertake this study. Maternal venous and umbilical arterial and venous blood samples were collected from obese gestational diabetic patients (Body Mass Index (BMI) >30) and control obese pregnant women (BMI>30) at time of spontaneous delivery or caesarean sections and concentrations of essential trace elements such as Cu, Fe, Mo, Se and Zn were determined in various samples by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Maternal-fetal transport kinetics of carboplatin in the perfused human placental lobule: in vitro study.

Objective: Platinum-containing drugs are widely used in the treatment of various malignancies in humans. There is a paucity of data on maternal-fetal transport characteristics of one such widely used drug, carboplatin, and this prompted us to study its permeation characteristics in the human placenta in vitro.

Methods: Placentae from uncomplicated, normal pregnancies were collected postpartum.

Maternal-fetal transport kinetics of methotrexate in perfused human placenta: in vitro study.

Objective: Folate antagonists are widely used in the treatment of diverse cancerous states. A paucity of data on transport characteristics of one such widely used drug, methotrexate, in the human placenta, prompted us to study its permeation characteristics in vitro.

Methods: Placentas from normal pregnancies were collected post-partum.

Maternal-fetal status of copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc in obese pregnant women in late gestation.

Obesity is well known to be a contributory risk factor for several disease states, including diabetes mellitus. Further, obese women are more prone to have babies born with congenital abnormalities. Paucity of data on maternal-fetal disposition of essential trace elements in obese pregnancies prompted us to undertake this study.

Maternal-fetal transport and disposition of copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium and zinc in experimentally induced diabetic rats.

Objective: To assess maternal-fetal status of essential trace elements such as copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium and zinc, in experimentally induced diabetic and control pregnant rats, and to correlate the findings with those observed in human diabetic pregnancies. Fetal-maternal ratios of the elements and Cu:Zn and Cu:Fe ratios were also computed in control and study groups.

Methods: Diabetes was experimentally induced in pregnant Sprague Dawley rats by injection of streptozotocin.

Effect of hyperglycaemic load on maternal-foetal transport of L-leucine in perfused human placental lobule: in vitro study.

The effect of hyperglycaemic loads on L-leucine transport in the maternal-foetal direction has been investigated in human placenta in vitro, using perfusion of isolated placental lobules. National Culture and Tissue Collection medium diluted with Earle's buffered salt solution was used as the perfusate. (14)C-labelled L-leucine along with tritiated water as reference were injected as a 100-microl bolus into the maternal circulation and serial perfusate samples were collected over a 5-min study period.

Maternal-fetal transport kinetics of L-Leucine in vitro in gestational diabetic pregnancies.

Objective: Paucity of data relating to transport of amino acids in gestational diabetic pregnancies prompted us to undertake this study. Transport kinetics of a model amino acid, L-leucine was investigated in gestational diabetic pregnancies in vitro, using perfusion of isolated placental lobules.

Methods: Placentae from diabetic and control pregnant women were collected post-partum.

Maternal-fetal status of copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium and zinc in patients with gestational diabetes.

Objective: The status of essential trace elements such as copper, iron, zinc, selenium and molybdenum was investigated in gestational diabetic pregnancies at term, and data were compared to control pregnancies. Fetal/maternal ratios of the elements and copper/zinc ratio were also computed in control and study populations.

Methods: Samples from maternal venous, umbilical artery and umbilical vein were collected from gestational diabetic and control pregnant women, at the time of spontaneous delivery or Cesarean section, and concentrations of various trace elements were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Assessment of maternal-fetal status of some essential trace elements in pregnant women in late gestation: relationship with birth weight and placental weight.

Objective: The status of the essential trace elements copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se) and molybdenum (Mo) has been investigated in maternal and umbilical cord blood in control, uncomplicated pregnancies at term, and the possibility assessed of a relationship between blood levels of these trace elements and newborn weight and placental weight. Fetal-maternal ratios of the elements were also computed to establish baseline values for the Kuwaiti obstetric population.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from a maternal vein, the umbilical artery and umbilical vein of normal pregnant women at the time of spontaneous delivery or Cesarean section, and the concentrations of various trace elements determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Maternal-fetal status of copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium and zinc in insulin-dependent diabetic pregnancies.

Objective: The objective was to assess the status of essential trace elements such as copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium and zinc in insulin-dependent diabetic pregnancies at term and to compare the data with a control group. Fetal-maternal ratios of the elements and copper:zinc ratio were also computed in the control and study populations.

Methodology: Samples from maternal vein, umbilical artery and umbilical vein of diabetic and control women were collected at the time of spontaneous delivery or cesarean section and activities of trace elements evaluated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Transport kinetics of zinc, copper, selenium, and iron in perfused human placental lobule in vitro.

Transport characteristics of essential trace elements as zinc, copper, selenium and iron have been studied in maternal-fetal direction in normal pregnancies, using in vitro perfusion of human placental lobules. Solutions of trace elements corresponding to twice the physiological concentrations were injected (100 microl bolus) into the maternal arterial perfusate. Serial perfusate samples were collected every 30 sec from venous outflows for a study period of 5 min.

Suppression of Na+-H+ exchanger-1 in placentas of type 2 diabetic pregnant women: possible functional implication.

Placental Na(+)/H(+) exchanger (NHE-1), which plays an important role in maintaining fetal and maternal Na+ and H+ homeostasis, is uniquely regulated. However, the role of this protein in type-2 diabetic placentas, and the molecular basis for its unique regulation in normal placenta remain poorly understood. To address these issues, a C-terminus regulatory domain of NHE-1 was cloned and sequenced from normal human placentas, and was used to prepare a GST-fusion protein for raising polyclonal antibodies.

Hormone profile of Kuwaiti women with hyperemesis gravidarum.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum among pregnant women in Kuwait and the status of HCG, TSH, Total T4 and Free T4 in the serum of patients with hyperemesis gravidarum compared with a control group of women.

Methodology: During a 6-month period all patients admitted to Maternity Hospital with features of hyperemesis gravidarum (excessive vomiting and ketonuria) were enlisted into the study. In fifty of these patients and their fifty normal controls, the status of serum total (beta)hCG, TSH, total T4 and freeT4 were evaluated with AXSYM micro particle enzyme immunoassay.

Transport kinetics of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and water in pre-eclamptic pregnancies: an in vitro study.

Objective: To investigate the transport kinetics of a model amino acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), in the maternal-fetal direction in placentae from pre-eclamptic pregnancies.

Methods: Transport kinetics of the amino acid was assessed in vitro using perfusion of human placental lobules. Control placental lobules were perfused for comparison.

Effect of increased glucose load on maternal-fetal transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid in the perfused human placenta: in vitro study.

The role of hyperglycemia on modulation of maternal-fetal transport of amino acids in humans is little understood. Hence, we have explored the effect of increased glucose load on transport kinetics of a model non-metabolizable amino acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), in the human placenta in vitro. Transport kinetics of AIB in maternal-fetal direction was studied using perfusion of isolated human placental lobules.

Maternal-fetal transport kinetics of copper, selenium, magnesium and iron in perfused human placental lobule: in vitro study.

Transport characteristics of certain inorganic elements such as copper, magnesium, selenium and iron have been studied in maternal-fetal direction in normal pregnancies, using in vitro perfusion of isolated placental lobules. Copper, selenium, magnesium and iron salts corresponding to twice physiological concentrations were injected as a 100 microl bolus, into the maternal arterial perfusate. Serial perfusate samples were collected from venous outflows for a study period of 5 min.

Effect of insulin on transport kinetics of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid in the perfused human placental lobule in vitro.

Background: The limited data available on the role of insulin on maternal-fetal transport of amino acids prompted us to undertake this study.

Methods: Transport kinetics of a model amino acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) was investigated in perfusion of isolated human placental lobules in vitro in non steady-state conditions and the effect of therapeutic dose of insulin was assessed in parallel series of perfusions. National Culture and Tissue Collection medium diluted with Earle's buffered salt solution was used as the perfusate and tritiated water was used as the reference marker for comparison.