• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2015

Ethanol has long been implicated in triggering apoptotic neurodegeneration. Alcohol also may indirectly harm the fetus by imparing the mother's physiology. We examined the effects of ethanol on immature brain of mice. Three-weeks-old female ICR strain mice daily intraperitoneally injected with ethanol at the concentration of 4 and 20% in saline for 0, 6, and 24 hours and 1 and 4 weeks. The mice were weighted and sacrificed, and the brains were ectomized for the present histological, immunohistochemical and TUNEL assays. Based on the histologic hematoxylin and eosin stain, immunohistochemical expression of glutamate receptor protein and neuronal cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) were evaluated. The cerebral cortex of the ethanol-treated group showed few typical symptoms of apoptosis such as chromosome condensation and disintegration of the cell bodies. TUNEL staining revealed DNA fragmentation in the 6 and 24 hours. This results demonstrated that acute ethanol administration causes neuronal cell death. I found that either glutamate receptor inhibition or activation could induce cerebellar degeneration as ethanol effect. Neuronal death also can be induced by excess activity of certain neurotransmitter, including glutamate. Neurons must establish cell-to-cell contact during growth and development in order to survive, migrate to their final destination, and develop appropriate connections with neighboring cell. Purkinje cell in cerebellar are especially vulnerable to the cell death and degeneration. After ethanol treatment in cerebellar, NCAM had decreased by 4 weeks. This result suggest that apoptosis seems to be involved in the slow elimination of neuron and cerebellar degeneration.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2009

Over the past 20 years, neonatal mortality rates for preterm infants, particularly those born extremely preterm and with a very low birth weight, have decreased steadily. As more very immature preterm infants survive, provision of enteral feeding has become a major focus of concern. According to many experts on neonatal nutrition, the goal for the nutrition of preterm infants should be to achieve a postnatal growth rate approximating that of a normal fetus of the same gestational age. Total parenteral nutrition for maintaining nutritional integrity is mandatory before successful transition to enteral feeding. Early initiation of trophic enteral feeding is vital for postnatal adaptation. Recently published randomized controlled trials provide no evidence to support the practice of postponing enteral feeding to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis. Early trophic feeding yields demonstrable benefits and there is currently no evidence of any adverse effects following early feeding. Preterm milk from the infant's own mother is the milk of choice, which can always be supplemented with a human milk fortifier. Here we review over 50 randomized controlled trials and over seven systematic reviews published on neonatal parenteral and enteral feeding of preterm infants. Neonatologists must make use of the evidence from these studies as a reference for feeding protocols for preterm infants in their NICUs are to be based.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.327-331
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the interrelationship of weight and hormonal changes through the administration of vitamin A to first time pregnant heifers. A total of 28 Korean heifers was used for this study. The heifers were divided into two groups - with vitamin A (n=14) and without vitamin A (control) (n=14) in the feed. Body weight increased in vitamin A treated heifers starting 9 months until 15 months. After pregnancy, vitamin A treated heifers were found to maintain higher body weights than the control group. Pre-pregnancy and post pregnancy progesterone levels were not different between the two groups. Serum estradiol levels of heifers at different growth stages showed relatively higher E2 levels than the control. Also, the control during pregnancy may show higher serum E2 levels than the vitamin A treated heifers. The growth phase serum estradiol levels in heifers may be relatively higher than the control. During pregnancy it showed a similar trend. Serum levels of vitamin A treated heifers did not differ from pregnant heifers at 5 months of age. However, after 5 months from conception until 8 months of treatment it showed a high level. Serum cholesterol in pregnant cows was higher in the control group than the treatment from beginning until the end of pregnancy. This is considered to be related to fetus development during pregnancy, as well as the mother's health.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.80-83
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• 2007

A 36-year-old pregnant woman was referred for amniocentesis at 19.5 weeks gestation because of advanced maternal age and evidence of increased risk for Edward syndrome in the maternal serum screening test. Cytogenetic analysis of the cultured amniotic fluid cells revealed mosaicism for ring chromosome 11: 46,XX,r(11)[65]/ 45,XX,-11[16]/ 46,XX [34]. Parental karyotypes were normal. A targeted ultrasound showed intrauterine grow th restriction (IUGR). Cordocentesis was performed to characterize the ring chromosome and to rule out tissue specific mosaicism. Karyotype was confirmed as 46,XX,r(11) (p15.5q24.2)[229]/45,XX,-11[15]. And a few new form of ring w ere detected in this culture. The deletion of subtelomeric regions in the ring chromosome were detected by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The pregnancy was terminated. The fetal autopsy showed a growth-retarded female fetus with rocker bottom feet. We report a case of prenatally detected a de novo ring chromosome 11.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-61
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to assess pregnant women's knowledge of, attitude to, and satisfaction with prenatal ultrasound and to determine the factors that influence their perception. A self-administered questionnaire survey was completed by two hundred eighty five pregnant women who visited the obstetric departments of three hospitals located in Seoul from October 17, 2000 to October 28, 2000. The major results are as follows. 1. Overall, the respondents did not fully understand the purpose of prenatal ultrasound. 92.2% of respondents stated that the main purpose of prenatal ultrasound was to check the fetus' age, growth and development but only 44.5% of respondents were aware of the fact that chromosomal abnormalities cannot be diagnosed only by prenatal ultrasound. The majority of respondents were aware of the diagnostic limitations of ultrasound. 2. While the majority of respondents were aware of the importance of pre-examination information, only 31.8% of respondents received such information from their health care providers. 3. Regarding the examination quality, 80.3% of respondents were satisfied with the competency of the examination. But more than 50% of respondents stated the cost and waiting time were not acceptable. 4. The knowledge of, attitude to, and satisfaction with prenatal ultrasound showed statistically significant differences according to the characteristics of each hospital. 5. From multiple regression analysis, the major components for knowledge of prenatal ultrasound were characteristics of hospitals, religion, income and gestational age. The major components for attitude toward prenatal ultrasound were characteristics of hospitals, religion and gestational age. The major components for satisfaction with prenatal ultrasound were characteristics of hospitals, income and drinking during the pregnancy. In conclusion, the respondents' perception of prenatal ultrasound is considerably low. More effective educational material or programs with prenatal ultrasound information should be provided to pregnant women prior to prenatal ultrasound examination. New strategies such as process reengineering are recommendable to increase the satisfaction with prenatal ultrasound.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.182-191
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• 2001

Anemia in women during pregnancy and after delivery has been known to affect the mother, the fetus, and the infant's growth and health status. Studies examining, changes in iron and folate status associated with anemia during pregnancy and during pregnancy, and those supplements are stopped after postpartum. However, the effects of those have not been clearly determined in pregnant and lactating Korea women. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the changes in maternal iron and folate status during pregnancy and six months after delivery longitudinally in six pregnant women who consumed supplements from 20 wk to delivery. We concluded that the iron status deteriorated during pregnancy and especially was weak in the third trimester, but had a tendency to recovery after delivery. On the other hand, the folate status deteriorated in the first and second trimester and was good in the third trimester, but had a tendency to decrease after delivery. These results suggested that the iron status was not improved despite consuming total iron supplements of 50 mg/day through diets and supplements during the second half of the pregnancy. On the other hand, the folate status improved at the end of pregnancy by consuming folate supplements of a total of 800 mg/day through diets and supplements. However, folate status was poor in the first half of the pregnancy, and the tendency of folate status to decrease during postpartum was advanced. At the point in which iron and therefore supplementation is essential. However, the effects of supplement intake time and intake dosage need to be verified and the nutritional status changes of postpartum women should be carefully monitored.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2001

Precise mechanism by which the fetus can escape from mother's immune rejection is not well understood yet over the last 50 years. The clarification of immune mechanism at the feto-maternal interface is very important, because this can be a common pathogenesis of various pathologic conditions including spontaneous abortion, habitual abortion fetal growth restriction preeclampsia, implantation failure after assisted reproductive techniques, and fetal death. In this review, current hypothetical contents were described with the priority of importance: 1) The center of this mechanism is cross-talk between the expression of HLA-C, E, G on the extravillous cytotrophoblasts and their receptors on decidual NK cell, 2) immunomodulation, 3) innate immunity is the main immunologic mechanism, 4) various mechanisms besides HLA system(eq. complement) may be associated. The overall balance of immunomodulation among these mechanisms should result in the outcome of each pregnancy. Further researches regarding the regulation of HLA system, roles of cytokines, complements should be followed in the future.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.237-242
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• 2009

Pregnancy is a unique event in which a fetus develops in the uterus despite being genetically and immunologically different from the mother, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To analyze the differential gene expression profiles in nonpregnant and 7 days post coitus (dpc) pregnant uterus of mice, we performed a global proteomic study by 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and MALDI-TOF-MS. The uterine proteins were separated using 2-DE, Approximately 1,000 spots were detected on staining with Coomassie brilliant blue. An image analysis using Melanie III (Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics) was performed to detect variations in protein spots between pregnant and nonpregnant uterus. Twenty-one spots were identified as differentially expressed proteins, of which 10 were up-regulated proteins such as alpha-fetoprotein, chloride intracellular channel 1, transgelin, heat-shock protein beta-1, and carbonic anhydrase II, while 11 were down-regulated proteins such as X-box binding protein, glutathione S-transferase omega 1, olfactory receptor Olfr204, and metalloproteinase-disintegrin domain containing protein TECADAM. Most of the identified proteins appeared to be related with catabolism, cell growth, metabolism, regulation, cell protection, protein repair, or protection. Our results uncovered key proteins of mouse uterus involved in pregnancy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.247-268
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• 1996

It has been known for a long time that gonadotropins and steroid hormones play a pivotal role in a series of reproductive biological phenomena including the maturation of ovarian follicles and oocytes, ovulation and implantation, maintenance of pregnancy and fetal growth & development, parturition and mammary development and lactation. Recent investigations, however, have elucidated that in addition to these classic hormones, multiple growth factors also are involved in these phenomena. Most growth factors in reproductive organs mediate the actions of gonadotropins and steroid hormones or synergize with them in an autocrine/paracrine manner. The insulin-like growth factor(IGF) system, which is one of the most actively investigated areas lately in the reproductive organs, has been found to have important roles in a wide gamut of reproductive phenomena. In the present communication, published literature pertaining to the intrauterine IGF system will be reviewed preceded by general information of the IGF system. The IGF family comprises of IGF-I & IGF-II ligands, two types of IGF receptors and six classes of IGF-binding proteins(IGFBPs) that are known to date. IGF-I and IGF-II peptides, which are structurally homologous to proinsulin, possess the insulin-like activity including the stimulatory effect of glucose and amino acid transport. Besides, IGFs as mitogens stimulate cell division, and also play a role in cellular differentiation and functions in a variety of cell lines. IGFs are expressed mainly in the liver and messenchymal cells, and act on almost all types of tissues in an autocrine/paracrine as well as endocrine mode. There are two types of IGF receptors. Type I IGF receptors, which are tyrosine kinase receptors having high-affinity for IGF-I and IGF-II, mediate almost all the IGF actions that are described above. Type II IGF receptors or IGF-II/mannose-6-phosphate receptors have two distinct binding sites; the IGF-II binding site exhibits a high affinity only for IGF-II. The principal role of the type II IGF receptor is to destroy IGF-II by targeting the ligand to the lysosome. IGFs in biological fluids are mostly bound to IGFBP. IGFBPs, in general, are IGF storage/carrier proteins or modulators of IGF actions; however, as for distinct roles for individual IGFBPs, only limited information is available. IGFBPs inhibit IGF actions under most in vitro situations, seemingly because affinities of IGFBPs for IGFs are greater than those of IGF receptors. How IGF is released from IGFBP to reach IGF receptors is not known; however, various IGFBP protease activities that are present in blood and interstitial fluids are believed to play an important role in the process of IGF release from the IGFBP. According to latest reports, there is evidence that under certain in vitro circumstances, IGFBP-1, -3, -5 have their own biological activities independent of the IGF. This may add another dimension of complexity of the already complicated IGF system. Messenger ribonucleic acids and proteins of the IGF family members are expressed in the uterine tissue and conceptus of the primates, rodents and farm animals to play important roles in growth and development of the uterus and fetus. Expression of the uterine IGF system is regulated by gonadal hormones and local regulatory substances with temporal and spatial specificities. Locally expressed IGFs and IGFBPs act on the uterine tissue in an autocrine/paracrine manner, or are secreted into the uterine lumen to participate in conceptus growth and development. Conceptus also expresses the IGF system beginning from the peri-implantation period. When an IGF family member is expressed in the conceptus, however, is determined by the presence or absence of maternally inherited mRNAs, genetic programming of the conceptus itself and an interaction with the maternal tissue. The site of IGF action also follows temporal (physiological status) and spatial specificities. These facts that expression of the IGF system is temporally and spatially regulated support indirectly a hypothesis that IGFs play a role in conceptus growth and development. Uterine and conceptus-derived IGFs stimulate cell division and differentiation, glucose and amino acid transport, general protein synthesis and the biosynthesis of mammotropic hormones including placental lactogen and prolactin, and also play a role in steroidogenesis. The suggested role for IGFs in conceptus growth and development has been proven by the result of IGF-I, IGF-II or IGF receptor gene disruption(targeting) of murine embryos by the homologous recombination technique. Mice carrying a null mutation for IGF-I and/or IGF-II or type I IGF receptor undergo delayed prenatal and postnatal growth and development with 30-60% normal weights at birth. Moreover, mice lacking the type I IGF receptor or IGF-I plus IGF-II die soon after birth. Intrauterine IGFBPs generally are believed to sequester IGF ligands within the uterus or to play a role of negative regulators of IGF actions by inhibiting IGF binding to cognate receptors. However, when it is taken into account that IGFBP-1 is expressed and secreted in primate uteri in amounts assessedly far exceeding those of local IGFs and that IGFBP-1 is one of the major secretory proteins of the primate decidua, the possibility that this IGFBP may have its own biological activity independent of IGF cannot be excluded. Evidently, elucidating the exact role of each IGFBP is an essential step into understanding the whole IGF system. As such, further research in this area is awaited with a lot of anticipation and attention.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.248-256
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• 2011

Purpose: Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is the term used to designate a fetus that has not reached its growth potential. However it is difficult to make a distinction between infants who are constitutionally small and growth restricted small. In the present study, we focused on the clinical characteristics and the hematologic value in small for gestational age (SGA) infants and discussed how to distinguish intrauterine growth restricted infants from constitutionally small infants. Methods: SGA infants that did not have any other risk factors for IUGR in the medical record except maternal hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) and born at the Seoul St Mary's Hospital and Yeouido St Mary`s Hospital from January 2007 to July 2010 were included. The frequency of IUGR is higher in the pregnancy with medical problem, and in preterm infants. Therefore, the data was categorized by maternal disease and gestational age. We assessed the clinical data and the hematologic value. Results: The leukocyte count and the platelet count were lower in the SGA with maternal HTN group and the preterm SGA group. There was no difference in the clinical data and the prognosis resulted from maternal HTN and maternal DM. However, the hematologic difference was not found in the categorization of the preterm SGA group as maternal diasease. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that it is possible the low leukocyte count and the low platelet count are the characteristic hematologic features in growth restricted small for gestational age infants.