Hemiarch aortic replacement for acute type A dissection in a Marfan patient with twin pregnancy.

Type A aortic dissection is a high risk surgical emergency. Its occurrence during pregnancy represents an extremely high risk for death and sequelae for both the mother and the fetus. Surgical treatment in the form of cesarean delivery and aortic repair using hypothermia and circulatory arrest is mandatory in most patients.

Expression of the internal calcium pump in pregnant rat uterus.

Uterine contraction to agents such as oxytocin during labour may utilize Ca2+ sequestered by Ca2+ pump into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Uterus expresses the SR Ca2+ pump gene SERCA2 as the mRNA splice which encodes the protein SERCA2b. The expression of SERCA2 mRNA and protein was monitored in uteri of day 15 pregnant and delivering rats.

Polymerase chain reaction assay of mRNA using 28S rRNA as internal standard.

A method is developed for PCR assay of mRNA using 28S rRNA as internal standard and its applicability is reported for 4 types of mRNA. It consists of reverse transcription of total RNA using primers selective for 28S rRNA and the message of interest. Routinely the 28S reaction mix is diluted 20,000-fold and the dilution error is minimized by adding 10 microCi of 3H2O before the dilution and determining the level of 3H before and after the dilution.

Studies of connexin 43 and cell-to-cell coupling in cultured human uterine smooth muscle.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the presence and the permeability of gap junctions between human uterine smooth-muscle cells in culture.

Study Design: The uterine smooth muscles obtained from term-pregnant women were cultured. The presence of gap junction was evaluated by immunocytochemistry with gap junction protein antibodies and by measuring input resistance and intercellular spread of lucifer yellow.