ADAMTS 1, 4, 12, and 13 levels in maternal blood,cord blood,and placenta in preeclampsia

The aim of this study is to compare ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease Domains with Thrombospondins motifs) 1, 4, 12, and 13 levels in maternal and cord blood and placental tissue between preeclampsia and uncomplicated pregnancies. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results showed that ADAMTS 1, 4, 12, and 13 levels in the maternal and cord blood were lower in the preeclampsia group than in the control group. Based on the immunohistochemistry (IHC) results, ADAMTS 1, 4, and 12 levels in placental tissues were higher in the preeclampsia group. According to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results, ADAMTS 1, 4, and 12 were higher, whereas ADAMTS 13 was lower in the preeclampsia group than in the control group.     

Genomics,microbiomics, proteomics,and metabolomics in bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) is a disorder with a multifactorial etiology and highly variable clinical phenotype. Several traditional biomarkers have been identified, but due to the complex disease phenotype, these biomarkers have low predictive accuracy for BPD. In recent years, newer technologies have facilitated the in-depth and unbiased analysis of ‘big data’ in delineating the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and mechanisms of diseases. Novel systems-biology based ‘omic’ approaches, including but not limited to genomics, microbiomics, proteomics, and metabolomics may help define the multiple cellular and humoral interactions that regulate normal as well as abnormal lung development and response to injury that are the hallmarks of BPD.     

Age,Gender, Depression,and Sexual Dysfunction in Taiwan

IntroductionThe effects of age and gender on sexual function have attracted much attention in recent years, though few studies have focused on this issue in Asian populations.AimsThe Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ) was used to: (i) assess the differences in sexual functioning between unmedicated outpatients with depressive disorders and healthy volunteers; and (ii) investigate the influences of gender and age on sexual functioning in both groups.Main Outcome MeasuresThe CSFQ was used to assess sexual dysfunction.MethodsTwo groups of subjects, 73 unmedicated patients with depressive disorders and 116 healthy volunteers, were recruited to the study, and changes in their sexual function were assessed using the CSFQ. Subjects' global depressive level and psychiatric morbidity were assessed using the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) and the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ).ResultsThe depressed subjects had significantly lower total CSFQ scores than did the controls. A negative correlation between age and total CSFQ score was found in both genders of depressed patients. Age generally predicted the sum of the CSFQ scores for both genders in the depressed group after controlling for TDQ score; however, a positive correlation between age and total CSFQ score was identified in the female controls. We also found that the S‐curve was the best‐fit curve for both the male and female controls, the cut‐off point for which was the age of 40.ConclusionsOur study confirmed that, as a screening tool for clinically significant sexual dysfunction, the CSFQ offered good sensitivity for both the healthy and depressed subjects. In addition, our findings suggested that age and gender differences should be taken into account when measuring sexual satisfaction. It is possible that the age of 40 could be an anchor point in sexual functioning for the female population of Taiwan. Chen KC, Yeh TL, Lee IH, Chen PS, Huang H‐C, Yang YK, Shen WW, and Lu R‐B. Age, gender, depression, and sexual dysfunction in Taiwan.     

Mortality,Independence in Living,and Re-fracture,One Year Following Hip Fracture in Canadians

Purposes:

• 1.To determine the one year mortality, institutionalization, and re-fracture rates following hip fractures in Canadians.
• 2.To compare post-fracture outcomes between those who fracture while living in institutions versus living in the community.
• 3.To compare Canadian data with that of other countries.

Methods: an observational study involved a cohort of 527 men and women aged 50 and older with hip fractures identified by ICD-9 codes. Subjects were contacted 12 months following acute care discharge between April 1, 1995 and March 21, 1996, from four hospitals in Hamilton Ontario. Data on mortality, place of residence, and re-fractures were obtained by telephone contact and searches of re-hospitalization records.Results: data were obtained on 504 of the 527 Patients. Overall, 25.2% of patients died within one year. Among 399 Patients coming from the community, 20.5% died, 5.2% sustained another hip fracture and 19.0% (24.3% of survivors) were institutionalized. Among the 105 patients from institutions, only one returned to the community, 39.0% died, and 5.7% refractured a hip. Of those returning to the community, 62.4% had used home care services for a mean of 154 days (95% CI = 129,179). Osteoporosis was noted in the hospital records for only nine of 141 Patients (1.7%). None had bisphosphonates or hormone replacement recorded and only 25 (17.7%) had vitamin D or calcium recorded as discharge medications.Interpretation: rates of mortality and loss of independence in living were similar to those found in other studies whereas hip re-fracture rates were higher (p<0.5). The frequency of diagnosis and preventative medications for osteoporosis was low in light of the risk of refracture. While outcomes may change with different health care systems, these findings may provide a framework in the Canadian context to direct further research and intervention to optimize patient care.     

Endocan,a putative endothelial cell marker,is elevated in preeclampsia,decreased in acute pyelonephritis,and unchanged in other obstetrical syndromes

Objective: Endocan, a dermatan sulphate proteoglycan produced by endothelial cells, is considered a biomarker for endothelial cell activation/dysfunction. Preeclampsia is characterized by systemic vascular inflammation, and endothelial cell activation/dysfunction. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine whether: (1) plasma endocan concentrations in preeclampsia differ from those in uncomplicated pregnancies; (2) changes in plasma endocan concentration relate to the severity of preeclampsia, and whether these changes are specific or observed in other obstetrical syndromes such as small-for-gestational age (SGA), fetal death (FD), preterm labor (PTL) or preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM); (3) a correlation exists between plasma concentration of endocan and angiogenic (placental growth factor or PlGF)/anti-angiogenic factors (soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor or sVEGFR-1, and soluble endoglin or sEng) among pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia; and (4) plasma endocan concentrations in patients with preeclampsia and acute pyelonephritis (both conditions in which there is endothelial cell activation) differ.

Method: This cross-sectional study included the following groups: (1) uncomplicated pregnancy (n?=?130); (2) preeclampsia (n?=?102); (3) pregnant women without preeclampsia who delivered an SGA neonate (n?=?51); (4) FD (n?=?49); (5) acute pyelonephritis (AP; n?=?35); (6) spontaneous PTL (n?=?75); and (7) preterm PROM (n?=?64). Plasma endocan concentrations were determined in all groups, and PIGF, sEng and VEGFR-1 plasma concentrations were measured by ELISA in the preeclampsia group.

Results: (1) Women with preeclampsia had a significantly higher median plasma endocan concentration than those with uncomplicated pregnancies (p?=?0.004); (2) among women with preeclampsia, the median plasma endocan concentration did not differ significantly according to disease severity (p?=?0.1), abnormal uterine artery Doppler velocimetry (p?=?0.7) or whether diagnosis was made before or after 34 weeks gestational age (p?=?0.3); (3) plasma endocan concentration in women with preeclampsia correlated positively with plasma anti-angiogenic factor concentrations [sVEGFR-1: Spearman rho 0.34, p?=?0.001 and sEng: Spearman rho 0.30, p?=?0.003]; (4) pregnancies complicated by acute pyelonephritis with bacteremia had a lower median plasma endocan concentration than pregnancies complicated by acute pyelonephritis without bacteremia (p?=?0.004), as well as uncomplicated pregnancies (p?=?0.001); and (5) there was no significant difference in the median plasma endocan concentration between uncomplicated pregnancies and those complicated by FD, delivery of an SGA neonate, PTL or preterm PROM (other members of the “great obstetrical syndromes”; each p?>?0.05).

Conclusion: Median maternal plasma endocan concentrations were higher preeclampsia and lower in acute pyelonephritis with bacteremia than in uncomplicated pregnancy. No significant difference was observed in the median plasma endocan concentration between other great obstetrical syndromes and uncomplicated pregnancies. The difference in the direction of change of endocan in preeclampsia and acute pyelonephritis with bacteremia may be consistent with the view that both disease entities differ in pathogenic mechanisms, despite their associations with systemic vascular inflammation and endothelial cell activation/dysfunction.     

Depression in menopausal period--prevalence,classification, terminology

Depression, understood as an illness requiring medical treatment, is a frequent phenomenon in woman in menopausal period. For years the literature has been presenting discussions concerning etiology and pathogenesis of depressive syndromes of this period, their specificity in comparison with other affective illnesses as well the problems connected with adequate classification and terminology. The following article is an attempt at ordering the knowledge concerning the above mentioned subjects while taking into account recent research results and diagnostic criteria in accordance with ICD-10.     

Memory in pregnancy. II: Implicit, incidental, explicit, semantic, short-term, working and prospective memory in primigravid, multigravid and postpartum women.

This study, using an information processing model of memory, made a detailed examination of the possible locus (loci) of any memory change in gravid and postpartum women using a battery of seven objective memory tests: implicit, incidental, explicit, semantic, short-term, working, and prospective memory. In addition, links were sought both between (a) self-reported data on sleep, health, and memory performance, and (b) these variables and objective memory performance. Five groups of women were tested (n = 22/23 per group), (1) primigravid, (2) multigravid, (3) postpartum, (4) non-pregnant parents with children, and (5) never been pregnant, on self-report and objective memory tests. The gravid and postpartum groups reported significantly more everyday forgetting than the non-pregnant groups but on the objective tests performed no differently from the non-pregnant groups on all tests. Sleep loss was a significant predictor of reported memory change, but not of any memory test performance, and may contribute to a perceived memory change. Pregnant women and new mothers generally should be confident of performing to their normal cognitive capabilities, but may be more affected than usual by a high cognitive load.