Clinical Evaluation of the Safety and Feasibility of Whole Autologous Cord Blood Transplant as a Source of Stem and Progenitor Cells for Extremely Premature Neonates: Preliminary Report.

Objectives: This is a preliminary, single-center, prospective study in the field of autologous cord blood transplant. We investigated the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of autologous whole cord blood transplant in extremely premature infants as a potential therapeutic modality to prevent developing complications related to prematurity.

Materials And Methods: This preliminary prospective study (ClinicalTrials.

Mechanism of a molecular photo-switch adsorbed on Si(100).

We present a very compact molecular photoswitch on the technologically important Si(100) surface. Its adsorption configuration is determined by a combined scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) study. The mechanisms of the isomerization reactions are discussed in view of DFT calculations and proven by in situ light irradiation.

Pregnancy delivery and puerperium in a patient with lysinuric protein intolerance--a case report.

The paper presents the course of pregnancy delivery and early postpartum period in a 23-year-old woman with lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI). The pregnancy was uneventful and resulted in a caesarean birth to a healthy baby at 37 weeks gestation. Nevertheless, the course of pregnancy in women with LPI is associated with a significantly increased risk of serious complications, including acute hyperammonemia, preeclampsia and postpartum bleeding, as well as fetus intrauterine growth retardation.

Circulating hematopoietic stem cell count is a valuable predictor of prematurity complications in preterm newborns.

Background: The frequency of preterm labour has risen over the last few years. Hence, there is growing interest in the identification of markers that may facilitate prediction and prevention of premature birth complications. Here, we studied the association of the number of circulating stem cell populations with the incidence of complications typical of prematurity.

Uterine rupture in the second trimester of pregnancy as an iatrogenic complication of laparoscopic myomectomy.

Uterine rupture is one of the most dangerous obstetric emergencies carrying a high risk for the mother and the fetus. Reports about uterine rupture in pregnancy following previous laparoscopic surgery have not been frequent; however, an increasing rate of the occurrence of this complication has been observed and reviewed in contemporary literature. We report a case of a spontaneous uterine rupture at 22 weeks of gestation in a 25-year old primigravida, who had had a laparoscopic removal of a small, peduncular, asymptomatic myoma located in the right uterine horn 20 months earlier.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells in premature infants: is there an association with premature birth complications?

Background: The most common morbidities in preterm infants are associated with vascular pathology. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been implicated in repair of the vasculature, but their role in the pathogenesis of prematurity complications is not clear.

Objectives: We prospectively investigated an association between the number of EPCs circulating in blood during delivery as well as 2 and 6 weeks afterwards, the level of growth factors regulating their migration/homing, and the incidence of premature birth complications.

[The influence of patient-controlled epidural analgesia on labor progress and neonatal outcome].

Aim: The aim of the study was to check the influence of patient control epidural analgesia on labor progress and neonatal outcome.

Material And Methods: 144 parturients were included into the clinical trial. In 73 cases patient control epidural analgesia was used and in 71 cases pethidine (meperidine) solution was given intravenously.

[The role of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in the progression of retinopathy of prematurity--a prospective study].

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the primary cause of visual impairment in preterm infants. There are available data confirming that circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are involved in forming the growing network of blood vessels in the developing retina. In this study we sought to explore potential relationship between concentration of circulating bone marrow-derived EPCs and development of ROP in prospective study.

Light driven reactions of single physisorbed azobenzenes.

We present a successful attempt of decoupling a dye molecule from a metallic surface via physisorption for enabling direct photoisomerization. Effective switching between the isomers is possible by exposure to UV light via the rotation pathway.

[Vaginal and cervical bacterial colonization in patients with threatening preterm labor].

Objectives: The aim of the following work was to evaluate vaginal and cervical colonization in patients with threatening preterm labor and comparing the frequency of colonization of the term and preterm labor groups.

Material And Methods: 532 pregnant women with threatening preterm labor were included into the clinical trial. The frequency of colonization was established and the frequency of colonization depending on the duration of pregnancy was checked.

Maternal plasma lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) concentrations in pregnancy complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Objectives: To compare maternal plasma LBP concentrations in pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM), and PROM at term, with their levels in uncomplicated pregnancy, and to determine whether LBP concentrations are of value in the diagnosis of subclinical intra-amniotic infection (IAI) in the prediction of the length of the pPROM-to-delivery interval, and in the prediction of neonatal congenital infection.

Study Design: Thirty-one patients with pPROM, 35 with PROM at term, 33 healthy women at preterm gestation and 35 healthy women at term were included. In the pPROM group, analysis of maternal plasma LBP concentrations with reference to leukocytosis, C-reactive protein, vaginal fluid culture, neonatal infection and pPROM-to-delivery interval was carried out.

Clinical outcomes of high-risk labours monitored using fetal electrocardiography.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to review clinical and laboratory outcomes of a cohort of fetuses monitored during high-risk labours, simultaneously by fetal electrocardiography (FECG) and routine cardiotocography (CTG).

Materials And Methods: Eighty-three parturients from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Medical University were included in the clinical study. Inclusive criteria to the study group were: (i) singleton pregnancy at term (between 37 and 42 weeks' gestation), (ii) longitudinal fetal lying, (iii) more than 2500 g of estimated fetal weight, (iv) meconium-stained liquor, and (v) induction of labour due to fetal indications.

[Physiological and pathological consequences of a presence of germ line stem cells in adult tissues].

Various therapheutic strategies employing stem cells have been proposed as the alternative, effective methods for therapy of multitude diseases, difficult to treat using standard, well-established methods. Advancing regenerative medicine, which is becoming a novel branch of clinical medicine, has high hopes of stem cells which could be used in treatment of injuried organs such as myocardium after heart infarction, brain after stroke, spinal cord after mechanical injury as well as in treatment of diabetes and Parkinson disease. Application of embryonic stem cells, harvested from developing embryos, is highly controversial.

Successful outcome of pregnancy complicated by Werner's syndrome.

Werner's syndrome is an extremely rare genetic disorder of the autosomal recessive type, characterized by features suggesting premature aging in young adulthood. Because of the concomitant hypogonadism, pregnancy among patients with Werner's syndrome occurs extremely rarely. We present a case of a successful outcome of pregnancy complicated by Werner's syndrome in a 34-year-old primigravida.

[Rapid assessment of the IL-6 cervico-vaginal fluid level in threatening preterm labor].

Objectives: The aim of the study was to check the cervico-vaginal fluid IL-6 levels using rapid, quantitive test in patients with threatening preterm labor before and after tocolytic treatment.

Material And Methods: Sixty seven singular pregnant women, between 24 and 36 weeks of gestation, were included into the clinical trial. 35 women who were admitted to the Department due to clinical symptoms of threatened preterm labor formed the study group.

Isoprostanes 8-iPF2alpha-III: risk markers of premature rupture of fetal membranes?

Aims: Isoprostanes may serve as sensitive and specific markers of in vivo oxidative stress intensity. We wanted to determine, whether or not isoprostane concentration may be considered as a risk marker of premature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM).

Methods: On the basis of the presence of PROM and gestational maturity, a total of 128 patients were divided into: (1) preterm PROM (pPROM) group; (2) PROM at term group; (3) control preterm (C1) group and (4) control at term (C2) group.

[The assessment of neutrophil elastase measurements usefulness in pregnant women with premature rupture of fetal membranes and chorioamnionitis suspicion].

Objectives: The evaluation of neutrophil elastase (NE) levels and its usefulness in pregnant women with premature rupture of foetal membranes (PROM) and chorioamnionitis suspicion.

Material And Methods: We evaluated the relationship between maternal plasma and amniotic fluid NE levels with the presence of chorioamnion infection in sixty pregnant women, divided into two groups--with and without PROM. The diagnostic performance of NE evaluations in discrimination of suspected intraamniotic infection was calculated.

[Giant benign ovarian tumor coexisting with late pregnancy--a case report].

We have reported a rare case of a giant ovarian tumor which, due to the lack of proper health care on the side of the patient, had not been diagnosed until 27 weeks of pregnancy. The patient did not demonstrate any clinical symptoms till the moment of the diagnosis. Peripheral blood analysis showed severe anemia at the admission.

[Evaluation of neutrophile elastase and isoprostane 8epiPGF2alpha concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood serum and in amniotic fluid in pregnancies complicated by premature rupture of membranes].

Objectives: To evaluate the total isoprostane 8-epi-PGF2alpha and neutrophil elastase (NE) concentrations in pregnancies complicated by premature rupture of membranes (PROM).

Material And Methods: 128 pregnant women were divided into four groups: pregnancies complicated by PROM between 24.-36.

Prematurity and protracted mechanical ventilation as risk factors for Pneumocystis jiroveci infection in HIV-negative neonates in an intensive care unit.

This work was undertaken to elucidate some aspects of the epidemiology of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PP). We studied 42 mechanically ventilated, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative, severely ill neonates treated at an intensive care unit. The study group included 40 premature neonates and two mature neonates with lethal congenital defects.

Maternal serum proinflammatory cytokines in preterm labor with intact membranes: neonatal outcome and histological associations.

Our aim was to compare maternal serum concentrations of interleukin(IL)-1alpha IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-8 in pregnancies complicated by preterm labor (PTL), with the levels in healthy controls at comparable gestational age, and to determine if these assays have any value in the prediction of early-onset neonatal infection or histological chorioamnionitis. The study population consisted of 65 women with new-onset PTL, and 31 healthy controls. Maternal serum concentrations of IL-6 (8.

Value of vaginal fluid proinflammatory cytokines for the prediction of early-onset neonatal infection in preterm premature rupture of the membranes.

The usefulness of vaginal fluid proinflammatory cytokine assays in the prediction of neonatal congenital infection was evaluated. Sixty-two women between 24 and 34 weeks of pregnancy, complicated by premature rupture of the membranes, were divided into those who delivered newborns with (n = 21) and without (n = 41) signs of infection. Concentrations of all studied cytokines were higher in women who delivered babies with infection.