The use of human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells as the feeder layer to establish human embryonic stem cell lines.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are pluripotent cells that have the potential to differentiate into the three germ layers and possibly all tissues of the human body. To fulfil the clinical potentials for cell-based therapy, banks of hESC lines that express different combinations of the major histocompatibility genes should be established, preferably without exposing such cells to animal cells and proteins. In this study, we tested human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (AFMSCs) as feeder cells to support the growth of hESCs.

X pentasomy in an intracytoplasmic sperm injection pregnancy detected by nuchal translucency testing.

Althoughmaternally derived X pentasomy following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is rare, prenatal detection of a case offers insight into etiology and diagnosis. A 29-year-old gravida 1 whose pregnancy resulted from ICSI was referred for ultrasound screening at 11 weeks' gestation. Nuchal translucency thickness was 3.

Bladder perforation presenting as vulvar edema after the tension-free vaginal tape procedure. A case report.

Background: Bladder perforation during the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure is a common complication.

Case: Vulvar edema was noted 4 hours after application of TVT, and cystoscopy revealed bladder perforation. The patient had a history of a previous vaginal hysterectomy with anterior colporrhaphy.

Prenatal diagnosis of alpha-thalassemia of Southeast Asian deletion with non-radioactive southern hybridization.

Background: Alpha-thalassemia is a common hereditary disease in Taiwan. Affected patients always carry a heavy burden of morbidity and early death. Prenatal diagnosis has reduced the disease burden on families and the health care system.

First-trimester nuchal translucency measurement and echocardiography at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation in prenatal detection for trisomy 18.

Background: Trisomy 18, the second most common autosomal trisomy, has the highest incidence of congenital heart disease of all chromosomal abnormalities. This study assessed the use of nuchal translucency (NT) measurement and fetal echocardiography at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation in prenatal detection for trisomy 18.

Methods: Screening for chromosomal aneuploidy using fetal NT measurement was performed at 10 to 14 weeks of gestation.