Elevations of amniotic fluid macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha concentrations in women during term and preterm labor.

Journal ArticleOBJECTIVE: To determine whether elevated concentrations of macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) in amniotic fluid (AF) are related to term and preterm labor. METHODS: Amniotic fluid was obtained from women from five different clinical situations: 1) term cesarean delivery, no labor (n = 29); 2) normal term labor, no infection (n = 36); 3) preterm labor, delivery more than 1 week from sampling, no infection (n = 19); 4) preterm labor, delivery within 1 week from sampling, no infection (n = 18); and 5) preterm chorioamnionitis (n = 8). Amniotic fluid was collected aseptically at the time of amniocentesis, amniotomy, or hysterotomy. Concentrations of MIP-1 alpha were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis was by Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and unpaired t test. RESULTS: Women in normal term labor had significant elevations of AF MIP-1 alpha concentrations when compared with women at term undergoing repeat cesarean delivery (P < .001). In women with term gestation, AF MIP-1 alpha correlated well with cervical dilation (r2 = 0.479, P < .001). In women with preterm labor who later delivered within 1 week of presentation, AF MIP-1 alpha concentrations were higher than those from women who did not deliver within 1 week. Women who presented with clinically evident chorioamnionitis had the highest concentrations of AF MIP-1 alpha (P = .001). CONCLUSION: Women in labor have significantly elevated AF concentrations of MIP-1 alpha, particularly if labor is associated with intrauterine infection. We suggest that MIP-1 alpha is involved in the physiology of normal labor and in the pathogenesis of infection-associated preterm labor

Integration in Housing: A Plan for Racial Diversity

The Villages of Park Forest and Park Forest South are concerned about the possibility of racial resegregation. The four parts of the plan are as follows: Part I, Why we value integration; Part II, Policy- what we can do to promote integration maintenance; Part III, A discussion of the housing forces which contribute to racial resegregation and; Part IV, A history of housing integration in Park Forest and Park Forest South

Affirmative Marketing Handbook: A Guide to Integrated Housing

From the Preface: As fair housing laws have been adopted during the late 1960\u27s and the 70\u27s, tools have been forged for implementing integration and fighting discrimination and segregation. One such tool, affirmative marketing, has come to public attention as the implementation of affirmative action became an important issue in the United States. For those groups interested in avoiding (re)segregation and promoting integrated communities through affirmative marketing, literature on the subject is sparse and scattered. Because of the need for a comprehensive guide, we pulled together existing information, and pooled our own ideas, observations and experiences concerning affirmative marketing to form this handbook. This guide is directed to fair housing organizations, municipalities , members of the housing industry, and community organizations who are interested in the implementation of an affirmative marketing program, and want to know what and how actions might be taken. Many people have helped us with our research. We want to especially thank Kathy Cardona, of the South Suburban Housing Center, for her editorial assistance and Kale Williams and the staff of the Leadership Council for (Chicago) Metropolitan Open Communities for their overall comments and legal analysis

Carbon dioxide fixation in the brain / Soll Berl, Genkichiro Takagaki, Donald D Clarke, and Heinrich Waelsch From the New York Psychiatric Institute and the Colleg eof Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York

Carbon dioxide fixation in brain was studied in cats to which NaHC14O3, with and without ammonia, was administered by intracarotid infusion. Glutamic and aspartic acids, glutamine, glutathione, and γ-aminobutyric acid were isolated from blood, brain, and liver, and their specific activities were determined. The data indicate a significant incorporation of CO2 into the amino acids of the cerebral cortex, presumably by way of the citric acid cycle. Without simultaneous ammonia infusion, the specific activity of aspartic acid is 3 times that of glutamine, whereas in the presence of ammonia the ratios of specific activity of both compounds are closer to unity or reversed. The data suggest that in the presence of ammonia the oxaloacetic acid is channeled into glutamine formation. γ-Aminobutyric acid isolated from the tissue, as well as that obtained after decarboxylation of glutamic acid or glutamine, has less than 5% of the counts of the precursor. These findings give additional support to the assumption that the operation of a CO2 fixation mechanism in brain is similar to that in liver. Additional data on the compartmentation of glutamic acid and glutamine synthesis are presented. The significance of the findings for an interpretation of ammonia metabolism in brain is pointed ou

Response to Professor Olsen's Commentary on ‘Random Sampling – Is It Worth It?’

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94518/1/ppe12019.pd

The Vehicle, November 1960, Vol. 3 no. 1

CONTENTS To the ReaderStaffpage 2 N’ = N : 1Donald C. Blairpage 3 ConsistencyDonald C. Blairpage 3 Unto MeLinda Kay Campbellpage 4 The Meek Shall InheritE. J. B. page 5 The Infinite QuestLarry W. Dudleypage 6 Dreamer’s DawnMike Hindmanpage 7 BirthNancy Coepage 7 The Lost DutchmanDonald C. Blairpage 8 W. E. Noonan IRobert S. Hodgepage 8 A Soldier’s OrdealDonald E. Shephardsonpage 9 Personal PossessionMary Beilpage 11 Thine The GloryDonald C. Blairpage 12 The ThornJan Holstlawpage 13 A Lord’s Day MorningLinda Campbellpage 14 Observations of a 6-Year-OldTom McPeakpage 15 Jewels of TimeJudith Jerintspage 16 LavenderE. J. B. page 16https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1008/thumbnail.jp

Infectious Causes of Stillbirth: A Clinical Perspective

Untreated infection may cause stillbirth by several mechanisms, including direct fetal infection, placental damage, and severe maternal illness. Many bacteria, viruses, and protozoa have been associated with stillbirth. In developed countries, up to 24% of stillbirths have been attributed to infection, although with increased availability of sophisticated diagnostics and rigorous screening, it appears likely that higher numbers may actually be associated with infection. In developed countries, ascending bacterial infection is usually the most common infectious cause of stillbirth, with a number of viral infections also an important factor. Screening, prevention and treatment of maternal infections are important to reduce stillbirth risk

User assessments and the use of information from MomConnect, a mobile phone text-based information service, by pregnant women and new mothers in South Africa

MomConnect was designed to provide crucial health information to mothers during pregnancy and in the early years of child rearing in South Africa. The design drew on the success of the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action’s programme in South Africa, as well as a growing list of mobile health (mHealth) interventions implemented internationally. Services such as MomConnect are dependent on user acceptability as all engagements are voluntary, meaning that tools have to be easy to use and useful to be successful. This paper describes the evaluation of the tool by pregnant women and new mothers using the tool. A purposive sample of 32 individual semistructured interviews and 7 focus groups were conducted, across five provinces in South Africa. All the sessions were transcribed and then analysed using a contextualised interpretative approach, with the assistance of Atlas. ti. The women were consistently positive about MomConnect, attaching high value to the content of the messages and the medium in which they were delivered. The system was found to work well, with minor problems in some language translations. Respondents were enthusiastic about the messages, stating that the information was of great use and made them feel empowered in their role as a mother, with some saving the messages to use as a resource or to share with others. The most significant problems related to network coverage. There was strong support for this intervention to continue. Given the user acceptability of mHealth interventions, MomConnect appeared to meet the target of identifying and responding to the recipient’s needs