Young Human Cholinergic Neurons Respond to Physiological Regulators and Improve Cognitive Symptoms in an Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

The degeneration of cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) in the basal forebrain (BF) is associated to the cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. To date no resolutive therapies exist. Cell-based replacement therapy is a strategy currently under consideration, although the mechanisms underlying the generation of stem cell-derived NBM cholinergic neurons able of functional integration remain to be clarified.

Observational, prospective, multicentre study to evaluate the effects of counselling on the choice of combined hormonal contraceptives in Italy--the ECOS (Educational COunselling effectS) study.

Background: Adequate counselling on contraceptive methods can help users choose the most appropriate method. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of structured counselling provided by gynaecologists on selection of a combined hormonal contraception method.

Methods: Women aged 18-40 years (n = 1871) who were considering the use of a combined hormonal contraception method (pill, transdermal patch or vaginal ring) underwent a structured counselling session in which gynaecologists provided comprehensive information.

Premature ovarian insufficiency in young girls: repercussions on uterine volume and bone mineral density.

Study Objective: To evaluate biological differences among young subjects with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) commencing at different stages of life.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Setting: Careggi University Hospital Participants: One hundred sixty-two females aged between 15 and 29 years with premature ovarian insufficiency.

Donor-Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies in Huntington's Disease Recipients of Human Fetal Striatal Grafts.

Fetal grafting in a human diseased brain was thought to be less immunogenic than other solid organ transplants, hence the minor impact on the efficacy of the transplant. How much prophylactic immune protection is required for neural allotransplantation is also debated. High-sensitive anti-HLA antibody screening in this field has never been reported.

Fetal striatal grafting slows motor and cognitive decline of Huntington's disease.

Objective: To assess the clinical effect of caudate-putaminal transplantation of fetal striatal tissue in Huntington's disease (HD).

Methods: We carried out a follow-up study on 10 HD transplanted patients and 16 HD not-transplanted patients. All patients were evaluated with the Unified HD Rating Scale (UHDRS) whose change in motor, cognitive, behavioural and functional capacity total scores were considered as outcome measures.

Human striatal neuroblasts develop and build a striatal-like structure into the brain of Huntington's disease patients after transplantation.

Rebuilding brain structure and neural circuitries by transplantation of fetal tissue is a strategy to repair the damaged nervous system and is currently being investigated using striatal primordium in Huntington's disease (HD) patients. Four HD patients underwent bilateral transplantation with human fetal striatal tissues (9-12 week gestation). Small blocks of whole ganglionic eminencies were processed to obtain cell suspension and then stereotactically grafted in the caudate head and in the putamen.

The presence of trophoblastic cells in intrauterine lavage samples: lack of correlation with maternal and obstetric characteristics.

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between maternal, obstetric and sample characteristics and the quality (i.e. yield of trophoblastic cells) of intrauterine lavage (IUL) samples.

Development of human striatal anlagen after transplantation in a patient with Huntington's disease.

Replacement of damaged neuronal population by fetal tissue transplantation represents a potential treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Consistent success has been achieved with fetal striatal transplantation in Huntington's disease animal models and patients. We report the neo-generation of metabolically active tissue with striatum-like imaging features after transplantation of striatal primordia in a patient with Huntington's disease.

Fetal cells in a transcervical cell sample collected at 5 weeks of gestation.

Transcervical cell (TCC) sampling is being investigated as a promising method for obtaining fetal cells for prenatal genetic diagnosis. The present case report describes the identification of fetal cells by both fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) and quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) analyses in a TCC sample collected by intrauterine lavage at 5 + 0 weeks. This finding underscores the possible relevance of TCC sampling for extremely early prenatal genetic diagnosis.

Use of the quantitative fluorescent-PCR assay in the study of fetal DNA from micromanipulated transcervical samples.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of the combined use of micromanipulation and quantitative fluorescent (QF)-PCR assay for the identification of fetal elements in transcervical cell (TCC) samples collected in early pregnancy.

Methods: TCC samples were obtained by intrauterine lavage (IUL) in 113 pregnant women who were between 7 and 12 weeks pregnant before termination of pregnancy. All IUL samples were screened under an inverted microscope, at which time the isolation of fetal cells by micromanipulation was attempted.

Comparison of two techniques for transcervical cell sampling performed in the same study population.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the presence of fetal cells in transcervical cell (TCC) samples collected in the first trimester of pregnancy by two different procedures [mucus collection and intrauterine lavage (IUL)], performed consecutively in the same subjects scheduled for elective termination of pregnancy (TOP).

Methods: A total of 126 mucus/IUL sample pairs were retrieved from pregnant women immediately before TOP at a gestational age ranging from 7 to 12 weeks; at termination, samples of placental tissue were collected in all cases. All mucus samples were analysed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and, in a subset of experiments involving 56 specimens, also by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) procedure.

Premature ovarian failure and fragile X premutation: a study on 45 women.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test for the presence of the fragile X (FRAXA) premutation a group of women with early menopause.

Study Design: 45 women with idiopathic premature ovarian failure (POF), five with a familial and 40 with a sporadic form, were screened for the presence of FRAXA premutation. A control group of 28 women >45 years, with one or more children and no signs of POF, was also studied.

Fetal cells in cervical mucus in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to first evaluate the presence of fetal cells in cervical mucus samples collected in the first trimester of pregnancy and then to compare different laboratory methods for the detection of these cells.

Methods: Mucus samples were collected by using a cytobrush before termination of pregnancy (TOP) from 143 pregnant women between 7 and 12 weeks of gestation. None of the women had undergone an invasive diagnostic procedure prior to cervical mucus sampling.

Strategies for the isolation and detection of fetal cells in transcervical samples.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the detection of fetal cells from transcervical samples, collected in early pregnancy, by means of different molecular techniques. The value of the isolation of trophoblasts using an inverted microscope, also referred to as micromanipulation, is discussed.

Methods: All the 89 specimens were obtained by intrauterine lavages before termination of pregnancy (TOP), between 7 and 12 weeks of gestation.

Detection of fetal cells in intrauterine lavage samples collected in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was first to evaluate the presence of fetal cells in transcervical cell (TCC) samples collected by intrauterine lavage in the first trimester of pregnancy, and then to compare different methods for the detection of these cells.

Methods: TCC samples were collected by intrauterine lavage before termination of pregnancy (TOP) from 81 pregnant women between 7 and 12 weeks of gestation. Samples of placental tissue were collected from each patient at TOP, whereas maternal peripheral blood samples were obtained in 57 cases.