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Background/Aim: The study aimed to examine whether resistin is present in second trimester amniotic fluid from pregnancies with trisomy 18 and 13 and evaluate its concentration in comparison with euploid pregnancies. Patients and Methods: The study included 37 women who underwent amniocentesis. Eleven fetuses had trisomy 18, 3 had trisomy 13, while 23 had a normal karyotype. Results: Resistin was detected in all cases. The mean level of resistin in trisomy 18 was statistically significantly lower compared to euploid controls. Resistin levels in all abnormal cases were below its median concentration in euploid controls. ROC analysis showed very good prognostic value for both trisomies. Conclusion: Resistin is a constituent of mid-trimester amniotic fluid of pregnancies with trisomies 13 and 18, exhibiting lower levels than those in euploid fetuses. The reduced levels of resistin in amniotic fluid may be associated with early changes in metabolic pathways and immunoinflammatory responses. © 2019 International Institute of Anticancer Research. All Rights Reserved.

Disruption of vaginal microbiota equilibrium promotes infectious clinical syndromes with annoying symptoms, such as vaginal discharge, odour, irritation, pruritus, and vulvar burning. Although identifying and eradicating the pathogen involved has been the standard of care, regional microbiota restoration with probiotics has been gaining ground in recent years. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of topical Bacillus coagulans treatment for patients exhibiting vaginal discomfort symptoms. A clinical trial was conducted on the use of a topical B. coagulans regimen among reproductive-age women (n=70) with vaginal discomfort symptoms. We assessed their symptoms using a questionnaire, measured vaginal pH, and performed vaginal swabs for microscopy and cultivation. Over the next 4 days, patients received B. coagulans vaginal douches and suppositories with appropriate antibiotic treatment being added on the fourth day based on vaginal swab results. Patients returned 16 days later to fill out in the questionnaire again. The Wilcoxon signed-ranked test was then used to assess differences in symptomatology and pH between appointments. A reduction in vaginal pH was reported between the first and second visit (P

Background/Aim: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication, characterized by insulin resistance and low-grade systemic inflammation with a pro-inflammatory immune system response. Our objective was to study the peripheral Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg response in GDM compared to normal pregnancy. Materials and Methods: Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg subsets was determined by flow cytometry based on staining for specific intracellular cytokines, as well as C-reactive protein (CRP) and total IgE circulating levels. The health status of all offspring was also assessed 6 months post-delivery. Results: Α total of 49 Caucasian adult pregnant women were enrolled into a GDM (n=26) and Control (n=23) group. At the third trimester of pregnancy, the GDM group had a higher proportion of Th2, Th17 and Treg cells compared to control. Contrary to the control group, the GDM group exhibited no significant change in the Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg profile postpartum. Furthermore, higher circulating CRP and total IgE levels were noted in the GDM group compared to controls. At the 6-month post-delivery assessment, 30.8% of the offspring from the GDM group were found to have developed atopic dermatitis, food allergy or allergic proctocolitis compared to none from the control group. Conclusion: Compared to an uncomplicated pregnancy, GDM exhibits a significantly different peripheral T-cell profile at the third pregnancy trimester characterized by higher proportion of Th2, Th17 and Treg cells which persist six months post-delivery, while the increased high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) levels stressed the low-grade inflammatory profile of this disease. © 2019 International Institute of Anticancer Research. All rights reserved.

The development of the fetal nervous system mirrors general fetal development, comprising a combination of genetic resources and effects of the intrauterine environment. Our aim was to assess the 2 nd trimester amniotic fluid levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and to investigate its association with fetal growth. In accordance with our study design, samples of amniotic fluid were collected from women who had undergone amniocentesis early in the 2 nd trimester. All pregnancies were followed up until delivery and fetal growth patterns and birth weights were recorded, following which pregnancies were divided into three groups based on fetal weight: (1) AGA (appropriate for gestational age), (2) SGA (small for gestational age), and (3) LGA (large for gestational age). We focused on these three groups representing a reflection of the intrauterine growth spectrum. Our results revealed the presence of notably higher BDNF levels in the amniotic fluid of impaired growth fetuses by comparison with those of normal growth. Both SGA and macrosomic fetuses are characterized by notably higher amniotic fluid levels of BDNF (mean values of 36,300 pg/ml and 35,700 pg/ml, respectively) compared to normal-growth fetuses (mean value of 32,700 pg/ml). Though apparently small, this difference is, nevertheless, statistically significant (p value < 0.05) in SGA fetuses in the extremes of the distribution, i.e., below the 3rd centile. In conclusion, there is clear evidence that severe impairment of fetal growth induces the increased production of fetal brain growth factor as an adaptive mechanism in reaction to a hostile intrauterine environment, thereby accelerating fetal brain development and maturation. © 2018 Nikolaos Antonakopoulos et al.