Quantification of spiral artery remodelling using an Adobe Photoshop-based technique.

Uterine spiral arteries undergo remodelling in normal pregnancy, with replacement of the musculoelastic arterial media by fibrinoid containing extravillous trophoblast cells. Deficient spiral artery remodelling is associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although there are distinct components of spiral artery remodelling, assessment is subjective and often based on an overall impression of morphology.

Efficacy and tolerability of early administration of valnemulin hydrochloride premix on epizootic rabbit enteropathy.

A blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of valnemulin hydrochloride premix during an outbreak of epizootic rabbit enteropathy (ERE) when administered in feed for 21 consecutive days after confirmation of the first ERE case. Administration of valnemulin at 20 and 35 parts per million (ppm) significantly reduced mortality by 11% and 7.6%, respectively, when compared with the non-medicated control group (23% mortality).

Epidemiology of the eye worm Thelazia callipaeda in cats from southern Switzerland.

Thelazia callipaeda is a spiruroid nematode of dogs, cats and wild carnivores transmitted by zoophilic drosophilid Phortica flies and found in an increasing number of European countries. In cats the disease is diagnosed sporadically. This study presents an epidemiological investigation of feline thelaziosis, performed in southern Ticino, Switzerland, an endemic area for T.

Pregnancy and Infants' Outcome: Nutritional and Metabolic Implications.

Pregnancy is a complex period of human growth, development, and imprinting. Nutrition and metabolism play a crucial role for the health and well-being of both mother and fetus, as well as for the long-term health of the offspring. Nevertheless, several biological and physiological mechanisms related to nutritive requirements together with their transfer and utilization across the placenta are still poorly understood.

Prediction of excessive gestational weight gain from week-specific cutoff values: a cohort study.

Objective: To assess the prognostic validity of the Institute of Medicine/National Research Council (IOM/NRC) week-specific cutoff values for inadequate or excessive total gestational weight gain (GWG) by 4-week intervals.

Study Design: We merged data from two German cohorts (LMU cohort (all maternal-weight categories) and PEACHES cohort (obese women)) to provide information on GWG for 749 women (365 normal weight, 199 overweight and 185 obese). We calculated the prognostic values for suboptimal and excessive GWG according to the IOM/NRC cutoff values.

Augmentation index and pulse wave velocity in normotensive and pre-eclamptic pregnancies.

Objective: Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy remain a major health burden. Normal pregnancy is associated with systemic cardiovascular adaptation. The augmentation index and pulse wave velocity measures may serve as surrogate markers of cardiovascular pathology, including pre-eclampsia.

Diagnostic biomarkers of pro-inflammatory immune-mediated preterm birth.

Purpose: Pro-inflammatory immunity, either infectious or sterile-derived, is one of the major causes of preterm birth and associated with enhanced maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Diagnosing intrauterine inflammation at an early stage is tremendously important. Amniotic fluid interleukin (IL)-6 concentration is currently the most investigated diagnostic tool for detecting intrauterine inflammation.

Increased serum concentrations of circulating glycocalyx components in HELLP syndrome compared to healthy pregnancy: an observational study.

Severe inflammation has been shown to induce a shedding of the endothelial glycocalyx (EGX). Inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), impede the thickness of the EGX. While a controlled inflammatory reaction occurs already in normal pregnancy, women with hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome had an exaggerated inflammatory response.

Influence of maternal age, gestational age and fetal gender on expression of immune mediators in amniotic fluid.

Background: Variations in cytokine and immune mediator expression patterns in amniotic fluid due to gestational age, maternal age and fetal gender were investigated.

Findings: Amniotic fluid samples were obtained from 192 women, 82 with a mid-trimester amniocentesis (median gestational age 17 weeks) and 110 with a caesarean section not in labor (median gestational age 39 weeks). Amniotic fluid was screened by commercial ELISAs for the TH1/TH2/TH17 cytokines and immune mediators IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-15, IL-17, TNF alpha, GRO-alpha, MIP1alpha, MIP1beta, Histone, and IP10.

Therapeutic efficacy of milbemycin oxime/praziquantel oral formulation (Milbemax®) against Thelazia callipaeda in naturally infested dogs and cats.

Background: Over the last few decades, canine and feline thelaziosis caused by Thelazia callipaeda eye worms has gained the attention of the veterinary community due to the spread of this ocular infestation in geographical areas previously regarded as non endemic. The therapeutic efficacy of milbemycin oxime/praziquantel tablets (Milbemax®) against T. callipaeda was tested in naturally infested dogs and cats.

Maternal and fetal cord blood lipids in intrauterine growth restriction.

Aim: Small for gestational age neonates (SGA) could be subdivided into two groups according to the underlying causes leading to low birth weight. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a pathologic condition with diminished growth velocity and fetal compromised well-being, while non-growth restricted SGA neonates are constitutionally (genetically determined) small. Antenatal sonographic measurements are used to differentiate these two subgroups.

Pan-European monitoring of susceptibility to human-use antimicrobial agents in enteric bacteria isolated from healthy food-producing animals.

Objectives: To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Enterococcus from cattle, pigs and chickens across the European Union (EU) using uniform methodology.

Methods: Intestinal samples (1624) were taken at slaughter across five EU countries. Bacteria were isolated in national laboratories, whilst MICs were determined in a central laboratory for key antimicrobials used in human medicine.

3-Dimensional sonographic volumetry of fetal brain, liver and myocardial mass--interdisciplinary clinical validation of the method and application in fetuses with and without structural heart disease.

Background: Prenatal 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasound allows volumetry of the fetal brain, liver and measurement of myocardial mass (MM). We studied the reliability of this method in an interdisciplinary approach, defined the relation of the values throughout gestation, and evaluated the results in fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods: In 104 fetuses (39 with CHD) between 14 and 38 weeks of gestation 3D ultrasound was prospectively performed.

The evaluation of the oxidative state of low-density lipoproteins in intrauterine growth restriction and preeclampsia.

Objective: To evaluate the oxidative state of lipoproteins in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in comparison to preeclampsia (PE) and healthy pregnant control subjects (CN).

Methods: Maternal serum of 20 PE, 29 IUGR, and 29 gestational age-matched CN were analyzed. Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-bound cholesterol (LDL-C), and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) concentration were measured once between 25 and 34 weeks of gestation.

Inhibin-betaC subunit expression in normal and pathological human placental tissues.

Inhibins and activins are important regulators of the female reproductive system. Recently, a novel inhibin betaC subunit has been identified. However, only limited data on the expression of this novel inhibin-betaC subunit in normal and pathological human placentas exist.

Improvement in pregnancy-related outcomes in the offspring of diabetic mothers in Bavaria, Germany, during 1987-2007.

Aims: Reducing the risk of adverse outcomes in diabetic pregnancies to the level of risk in non-diabetic pregnancies is a major goal in diabetes care. So far there have not been any data to show whether progress is being made towards this goal.

Methods: We used population-based data on 2,292,053 deliveries between 1987 and 2007 in Bavaria, Germany, to assess temporal trends for stillbirths, early neonatal mortality, preterm delivery, macrosomia and malformations in consecutive 7 year intervals.

Associations of gestational weight loss with birth-related outcome: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Although the prevention of gestational weight loss (GWL) has become a priority for clinicians in the past few decades, recent work has suggested that GWL may be beneficial for obese mothers. We aimed to identify the potential beneficial or adverse associations of GWL with pregnancy outcome stratified by maternal body mass index (BMI) category.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Incontinence, bladder neck mobility, and sphincter ruptures in primiparous women.

Objective: To compare the function of the pelvic floor in primiparae before and during pregnancy with the status post partum concerning symptoms of incontinence, sphincter ruptures, bladder-neck mobility and the influence of the different modes of deliveries.

Methods: Questionnaire evaluating symptoms of urinary and anal incontinence in nulliparous women before and after delivery and correlating these symptoms with functional changes of the pelvic floor based on a careful gynaecologic examination as well as perineal and endoanal ultrasound.

Results: 112 women were included in our study and came for the first visit, 99 women returned for follow-up 6 months after childbirth.

Inhibin/activin-betaE subunit is expressed in normal and pathological human placental tissue including chorionic carcinoma cell lines.

Background: Inhibins and activins are important regulators of the female reproductive system. Recently, a novel inhibin subunit, named betaE, has been identified and shown to be expressed in several human tissues. However, only limited data on the expression of this novel inhibin-betaE subunit in normal and pathological human placenta as well as and human chorionic carcinoma cell lines exist.

Optimal gestational weight gain ranges for the avoidance of adverse birth weight outcomes: a novel approach.

Background: Gestational weight gain (GWG) has been shown to be directly associated with birth weight.

Objective: We aimed to define ranges for optimal GWG with respect to the risk of either small- or large-for-gestational-age offspring by using a new statistical approach.

Design: For the purpose of an observational study, data on n = 177,079 mature singleton deliveries in Bavaria between 2004 and 2006 were extracted from a standard data set that is regularly collected for national benchmarking of obstetric units in terms of clinical performance.

Temporal trends in pregnancy weight gain and birth weight in Bavaria 2000-2007: slightly decreasing birth weight with increasing weight gain in pregnancy.

Aims: To assess temporal trends in birth weight and pregnancy weight gain in Bavaria from 2000 to 2007.

Methods: Data on 695,707 mother and infant pairs (singleton term births) were available from a compulsory reporting system for quality assurance, including information on birth weight, maternal weight at delivery and at booking, maternal smoking, age, and further anthropometric and lifestyle factors. Pregnancy weight gain was defined as: weight prior to delivery minus weight at first booking minus weight of the newborn.

[Pregnancy screening in Germany].

Antenatal care in Germany is regulated by so-called national maternity health guidelines. The aim is to detect pregnancies at risk and potential high-risk deliveries in order to initiate risk-adapted treatment. The guidelines include 3 sonographic examinations as well as serological and infectious diagnostics.