Search results for "ionic"
showing 10 items of 2016 documents
Expression of Human Ubiquitous Aquaporins in Chorial Villus Samples
2011
Background/objectives: Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of proteins (AQP0-12) ubiquitously expressed acting as cell membrane water channels. AQP 1/3/8/9 expression has been found in human placenta and fetal membranes; however, AQP4 is the only identified in first trimester fetal tissue samples. We aimed to determine AQP mRNA expression in first trimester of pregnancy and compare it to the expression in placenta at delivery. Material and Methods: 26 Chorionic villus (CV) samples and 5 placental samples were collected and analyzed by real time-PCR using Taqman assay (Applied Biosystems®) for human AQP1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 18S. Results: CV expressed high mRNA levels of AQP1, 3, 9 and…
Dexamethasone suppresses eNOS and CAT-1 and induces oxidative stress in mouse resistance arterioles
2004
Long-term treatment with glucocorticoids is associated with mild to moderate hypertension. We reported previously that downregulation of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression and activity is likely to contribute to this increase in blood pressure. In the present study, we tested the effects of dexamethasone on the vasodilation of microvascular arterioles using implanted dorsal skin-fold chambers in anesthetized C57BL/6J mice. Experiments were performed on control mice or on mice treated with dexamethasone (0.1–3 mg/kg of body wt). Endothelium-dependent vasodilation in response to ACh (0.1–10 μM) was reduced by dexamethasone in a dose-dependent fashion. Comparable inhibition was seen in …
Morphology of placental villi after premature delivery and its clinical relevance
1986
Based on a new concept of maturation of the placental villous tree and its disorders (synchronous and asynchronous immaturity, asynchronous maturity, hyperpermaturity, and terminal villi deficiency) we studied the possible effect of the placental villous tree on the premature onset of labour. In mature normal neonates irregular and asynchronous villous patterns were found in 50% of cases. In prematurely delivered neonates, only 33% of the corresponding placentas show synchronous immature villous patterns. Uterine bleeding in the first trimester was associated with a 42% of incidence of premature maturation of the villous tree. These findings strengthen the idea that hormonal imbalance in ea…
Additive effect of factors related to assisted conception on the reduction of maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A concentrations and…
2013
Objective To analyze whether assisted conceptions need adjustments in first-trimester Down syndrome screening and why modifications in screening markers occur. Design Eleven-year cohort retrospective analysis. Setting Maternal-fetal medicine unit. Patient(s) Two thousand eleven naturally conceived normal singleton pregnancies and 2,042 normal singleton pregnancies achieved with assisted conception: 350 by IUI and 1,692 with IVF (n = 328) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI; n=1,364), using nondonor (n = 1,086) or donated ova (n = 606), with fresh (n = 1,432) or frozen (n = 260) embryos. Intervention(s) Comparison of ultrasound and biochemical markers of first-trimester Down syndrome s…
Perivascular nerve fiber α-synuclein regulates contractility of mouse aorta: A link to autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease
2010
Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders associated to changes in alpha-synuclein often result in autonomic dysfunction, most of the time accompanied by abundant expression of this synaptic protein in peripheral autonomic neurons. Given that expression of alpha-synuclein in vascular elements has been previously reported, the present study was undertaken to determine whether alpha-synuclein directly participates in the regulation of vascular responsiveness. We detected by immunohistochemistry perivascular nerve fibers containing alpha-synuclein in the aorta of mice while aortic endothelial cells and muscular fibers themselves did not exhibit detectable levels of this protein…
Soluble ligands and their receptors in human embryo development and implantation.
2014
Extensive evidence suggests that soluble ligands and their receptors mediate human preimplantation embryo development and implantation. Progress in this complex area has been ongoing since the 1980s, with an ever-increasing list of candidates. This article specifically reviews evidence of soluble ligands and their receptors in the human preimplantation stage embryo and female reproductive tract. The focus will be on candidates produced by the human preimplantation embryo and those eliciting developmental responses in vitro, as well as endometrial factors related to implantation and receptivity. Pathways to clinical translation, including innovative diagnostics and other technologies, are al…
The world of twins: an update
2010
In last years, owing to the widespread availability of assisted-reproduction technology, multiple pregnancy rates in Western countries have increased. In twin pregnancies, an increased rate of gestational complications, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm birth and severe perinatal conditions is present. These complications are more frequent in monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins as well as an increased relative risk of chromosomal abnormalities and congenital malformation. Monochorionic twins are at higher risk for complications, since they share a common placenta where an imbalance in unidirectional arteriovenous anastomoses can lead to twin#x2013;twin transfusion sy…
Controlled Ovarian Stimulation Induces a Functional Genomic Delay of the Endometrium with Potential Clinical Implications
2008
Context: Controlled ovarian stimulation induces morphological, biochemical, and functional genomic modifications of the human endometrium during the window of implantation. Objective: Our objective was to compare the gene expression profile of the human endometrium in natural vs. controlled ovarian stimulation cycles throughout the early-mid secretory transition using microarray technology. Method: Microarray data from 49 endometrial biopsies obtained from LH+1 to LH+9 (n = 25) in natural cycles and from human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) +1 to hCG+9 in controlled ovarian stimulation cycles (n = 24) were analyzed using different methods, such as clustering, profiling of biological processes…
Bafetinib inhibits functional responses of human eosinophils in vitro
2012
Eosinophils play a prominent role in the process of allergic inflammation. Non-receptor associated Lyn tyrosine kinases generate key initial signals in eosinophils. Bafetinib, a specific Abl/Lyn tyrosine kinase inhibitor has shown a potent antiproliferative activity in leukemic cells, but its effects on eosinophils have not been reported. Therefore, we studied the effects of bafetinib on functional and mechanistic responses of isolated human eosinophils. Bafetinib was more potent than non-specific tyrosin kinase comparators genistein and tyrphostin inhibiting superoxide anion triggered by N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF; 100 nM) (−log IC50=7.25±0.04 M; 6.1±0.04 M; and 6.55±0.03 M, respectively).…
EFFECT OF IONIC STRENGTH AND MEDIUM COMPOSITION ON THE REMOVAL OF Pb2+ BY ALGINATE GEL BEADS. DPVASV AND ICP-OES MEASUREMENTS.
2012
The biosorption, i.e. a passive sequestering process by metabolically inactive biomass, shows a growing interest for toxic metal ions removal from contaminated aqueous solutions (1), such as municipal and industrial wastewaters. Since the sorption mechanism occurs mainly by ion exchange between the metal ion present in solution and the counter ion of the biopolymer (2), the efficiency of the sorption process largely depends on ionic strength and on the medium composition of solution containing the metal ion to be removed. In order to evaluate quantitatively the influence of ionic strength and medium on the metal removal process by the biomass, we report here results of a study on the sorpti…