10 research outputs found
Resistance artery vasodilation to magnesium sulfate during pregnancy and the postpartum state
Comparison of congenital pulmonary airway malformation volume ratios calculated by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging
High-altitude residence alters blood-pressure course and increases hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
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High altitude regulates the expression of AMPK pathways in human placenta.
IntroductionHigh-altitude (>2500 m) residence augments the risk of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia likely due, in part, to uteroplacental hypoperfusion. Previous genomic and transcriptomic studies in humans and functional studies in mice and humans suggest a role for AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in protecting against hypoxia-associated IUGR. AMPK is a metabolic sensor activated by hypoxia that is ubiquitously expressed in vascular beds and placenta.MethodsWe measured gene expression and protein levels of AMPK and its upstream regulators and downstream targets in human placentas from high (>2500 m) vs. moderate (~1700 m) and low (~100 m) altitude.ResultsWe found that phosphorylated AMPK protein levels and its downstream target TSC2 were increased in placentas from high and moderate vs. low altitude, whereas the phosphorylated form of the downstream target translation repressor protein 4E-BP1 was increased in high compared to moderate as well as low altitude placentas. Mean birth weights progressively fell with increasing altitude but no infants, by study design, were clinically growth-restricted. Gene expression analysis showed moderate increases in PRKAG2, encoding the AMPK Îł2 subunit, and mechanistic target of rapamycin, MTOR, expression.DiscussionThese results highlight a differential regulation of placental AMPK pathway activation in women residing at low, moderate or high altitude during pregnancy, suggesting AMPK may be serving as a metabolic regulator for integrating hypoxic stimuli with placental function
Preeclampsia in high risk women is characterized by risk group-specific abnormalities in serum biomarkers
Magnesium sulphate treatment decreases blood-brain barrier permeability during acute hypertension in pregnant rats
Follow-up study regarding the medium-term effectiveness of the home-visiting program “Pro Kind” at age 7 years: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Legionella antibiotic susceptibility testing: is it time for international standardization and evidence-based guidance?
Legionella pneumophila, a Gram-negative bacillus, is the causative agent of Legionnaire’s disease, a form of severe community-acquired pneumonia. Infection can have high morbidity, with a high proportion of patients requiring ICU admission, and up to 10% mortality, which is exacerbated by the lack of efficacy of typical empirical antibiotic therapy against Legionella spp. The fastidious nature of the entire Legionellaceae family historically required inclusion of activated charcoal in the solid medium to remove growth inhibitors, which inherently interferes with accurate antimicrobial susceptibility determination, an acknowledged methodological shortfall, now rectified by a new solid medium that gives results comparable to those of microbroth dilution. Here, as an international Legionella community (with authors representing various international reference laboratories, countries and clinical stakeholders for diagnosis and treatment of legionellosis), we set out recommendations for the standardization of antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods, guidelines and reference strains to facilitate an improved era of antibiotic resistance determination