Trophoblast apoptosis in human term placentas from pregnancies complicated with idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation.

Objective: To investigate proliferative, apoptotic, and antiapoptotic activity of placental trophoblast in pregnancies complicated with idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).

Methods: Study group included data and placentas from 52 normal singleton term pregnancies with idiopathic IUGR. Records and placentas from 69 singleton pregnancies with normal fetal growth served as a control group.

Trophoblast apoptosis in placentas from pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia.

Aims: To assess trophoblast apoptosis separately in the cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast, total villous trophoblast, syncytial knots and syncytial knot formation, and to investigate the expression of apoptotic factors Fas ligand (FasL), Bcl-2 and proliferation marker Ki-67 in the trophoblast of placentas from preeclamptic patients.

Methods: The study included placental samples from 25 preeclamptic and 25 normal pregnancies. For the detection of apoptosis and proliferation, antibody M30 and antibody against Ki-67 antigen were used.

Morphological characteristics of placentas associated with idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation: a clinicopathologic study.

Objectives: To investigate histopathologic findings, placental diameters and characteristics of syncytial knots in the placentas from idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) pregnancies, and to compare them with a normal birth weight group.

Study Design: Based on strict eligibility criteria, this prospective case-control study included 52 term placentas from idiopathic IUGR pregnancies and 69 term placentas from normal birth weight pregnancies. The study was carried out at the Clinical Hospital Centre, Split, where all placentas were collected and examined.

Effect of parental anthropometric parameters on neonatal birth weight and birth length.

Data on 550 healthy pregnant women, 550 healthy fathers and their healthy term neonates born from singleton pregnancies (37(+0) through 41(+6) week) during a one-year period were reviewed. Maternal mean age was 27.7 +/- 9.

Gestational age--the most important factor of neonatal ponderal index.

Ponderal index (fetal weight in grams X 100 / (fetal length in centimeters)3) (PI) is one of the anthropometric methods used to diagnose impaired fetal growth. Irrespective of the infant's position on the growth-weight-for-gestational age charts, PI is low in malnourished infants and high in obese ones. As fetal growth is affected by ethnicity, geographic location and socioeconomic status, we developed standards for neonatal PI, and assessed the effects of gestational age, sex and maternal parity.

Perinatal outcome of pregnancies in women aged 40 and over.

Perinatal outcome of pregnancies at forty and over was analyzed starting from the diagnosis of pregnancy to seven days following delivery. Retrospectively, pre-gestational health and reproduction status were dealt with, as well as the course of pregnancy, deliveries, and newborn children (study group). The control group was composed of pregnant women aged 20 to 29, who were identical to study group in terms of parity.

Fetal reduction in multifetal pregnancy--ethical dilemmas.

As a result of the increased use of drugs that enhance fertility, and the advent of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer over the last 2 decades, the incidence of multifetal pregnancies has increased exponentially. In parallel with this increase methods of care for women carrying multiple fetuses have become more complex and well developed. Importantly, it has become obvious that in the case of such pregnancies the rates of mortality and morbidity of both fetuses and mothers, particularly in cases where four or more fetuses are involved, are extremely high.

Hypertensive retinopathy and pre-eclampsia.

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between hypertensive retinopathy and the severity of pre-eclampsia. Forty women with pre-eclampsia, mean age 29.1 (+/- 7.

Effect of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I on fetal macrosomia in healthy women.

The aim of the study was to determine the values of insulin, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and glucose in the umbilical cord blood of macrosomic (> or = 4000 g) and control (3,000-3,500 g) infants born to healthy mothers, and to assess their possible correlation with the newborns' birth weight and maternal anthropometric parameters. A series of 207 macrosomic term infants, and 200 control term infants, born to healthy mothers with normal oral glucose tolerance test throughout gestation, were studied. The glucose concentration did not differ between the macrosomic and control group while macrosomic infants had significantly higher values of insulin and IGF-I.

Influence of father's weight and height on weight of male and female newborns.

The study included 1,596 newborns and their parents living in Sibenik County, Croatia. All newborns are born between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation, with no congenital anomalies and from a single pregnancy. Fathers and mothers of male babies are older than those of girl babies (p < 0.

Oral lichen planus and HLA DR.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease, predominantly seen in middle-aged female patients. Histopathologically, OLP includes parakeratosis with T-lymphocyte subepithelial infiltration. In etiology of OLP, chronically liver and biliary diseases, stress-induced hypertension, inheritance and most commonly carbohydrate metabolism disorders including diabetes mellitus are mentioned.

Oral lichen planus and HLA B.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is mucocutaneous autoimmune disease of still unknown etiology. Among all etiological factors, OLP can be associated with carbohydrate disorders. As it is known that some HLA B and DR 3/4 antigens are cross-linked, we have determined the frequencies of HLA B antigens in group of 50 Croatian patients (5 males) with OLP and compared them with the 1089 healthy controls.

Oral lichen planus and HLA A.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is autoimmune disease that appears on the oral mucosa only, or in combination with skin lesions. The occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma in areas of lichen erosions makes it necessary to follow up patients suffering from chronic lesions. Prevalence in general population varies from 0.

Physiological anthropology and the Internet.

The Internet is the greatest computer network with many services like Web, FTP, Gopher, E-mail Discussion Groups, and Usenet Discussion Groups, that provides a rapid and the cheapest exchange of information. The benefits to anthropologists of using the Internet are growing rapidly, as the Internet becomes easier to use and ever more anthropological resources become available on line. Physiological anthropology is concerned with the evolution and biological features of human population and it's sources on the Internet are growing continuously.

[The breech partogram].

A partogram was made after analysis 383 spontaneous breech deliveries of primiparas and 343 of multiparas. The height of parturients was 160 cm or more, gestational age between 37 and 42 weeks and the newborn birthweight between 2500 and 3900 g. The newborns did not show any signs of fetal damage from the period of pregnancy or delivery.

[Intrauterine growth of live-born twins in the area of Sibenik, Split and Zadar].

By a retrospective analysis the authors studied live-born twins by gestation weeks and birth weight and height: there were 1,195 first-born and 1,189 second-born twins, all from three neighbouring Dalmatian towns (Split, Sibenik and Zadar). A common curve was worked out of the intrauterine growth of both the first and the second twins and a separate curve of each of them. The curves have shown that the twins' birth weight was increassing up to the 40th week of pregnancy; in the 41st week the curve already went down.