Academic literature on the topic 'Fetus Fetus Volume (Cubic content)'

Abstract In human and ovine fetuses, glucocorticoids stimulate leptin secretion, although the extent to which leptin mediates the maturational effects of glucocorticoids on pulmonary development is unclear. This study investigated the effects of leptin administration on indices of lung structure and function before birth. Chronically catheterized singleton sheep fetuses were infused iv for 5 days with either saline or recombinant ovine leptin (0.5 mg/kg · d leptin (LEP), 0.5 LEP or 1.0 mg/kg · d, 1.0 LEP) from 125 days of gestation (term ∼145 d). Over the infusion, leptin administration increased plasma leptin, but not cortisol, concentrations. On the fifth day of infusion, 0.5 LEP reduced alveolar wall thickness and increased the volume at closing pressure of the pressure-volume deflation curve, interalveolar septal elastin content, secondary septal crest density, and the mRNA abundance of the leptin receptor (Ob-R) and surfactant protein (SP) B. Neither treatment influenced static lung compliance, maximal lung volume at 40 cmH2O, lung compartment volumes, alveolar surface area, pulmonary glycogen, protein content of the long form signaling Ob-Rb or phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription-3, or mRNA levels of SP-A, C, or D, elastin, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, angiotensin-converting enzyme, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, or parathyroid hormone-related peptide. Leptin administration in the ovine fetus during late gestation promotes aspects of lung maturation, including up-regulation of SP-B.

Our purpose was to determine how prolonged anemia alters fetal renal function and acid-base balance. In seven ovine fetuses made progressively anemic over 1 wk by serial isovolemic hemorrhage, hematocrit was reduced from 33.3 +/- 4.5 to 14.0 +/- 1.0%. Femoral arterial oxygen content was less and renal plasma flow was greater in anemic fetuses (1.5 +/- 0.1 ml/dl and 339 +/- 58 ml.min-1.100 g kidney-1) than in 6 control fetuses (7.0 +/- 1.3 ml/dl and 160 +/- 34 ml.min-1.100 g kidney-1). Urine flow and sodium excretion were also greater in anemic fetuses (1.2 +/- 0.6 ml/min and 79 +/- 49.5 mumol/min) than in controls (0.5 +/- 0.2 ml/min and 16 +/- 9.8 mumol/min). This higher sodium excretion was apparently due to a lower fractional sodium reabsorption in anemic fetuses compared with controls (84.1 +/- 5.8 vs. 96.5 +/- 1.7%), rather than to differences in either glomerular filtration rate or amount of filtered sodium. In addition, the higher sodium excretion in anemic fetuses was associated with greater urinary lactate and inorganic phosphate excretions and larger amniotic fluid volumes than in controls. From these data we conclude that when fetal renal oxygen delivery is limited by a prolonged reduction in hematocrit, excretions of sodium and water, as well as other osmotically active solutes, increase, and this results in an increase in amniotic fluid volume.

The fetus must obtain Na and Cl ions in order to grow. However, the regulation of electrolyte acquisition by the fetus is not well understood. To explore fetal electrolyte balance, we intravenously infused 5 M NaCl at a rate equal to 80% of the total fetal body Na+ and Cl- content per day (240 mM/day) for 3 days into late-gestation fetal sheep. We hypothesized that the increase in fetal osmolality resulting from the infusion would cause a transplacental water movement into the fetal compartment, leading to hydrops fetalis and/or polyhydramnios. The fetal-to-maternal osmotic gradient was initially -2.8 +/- 0.9 (SE) mosmol/kgH2O and rose by 4.8 +/- 1.8 mosmol/kgH2O during the infusion. Fetal plasma [Na+] and [Cl-] increased (3.0 +/- 0.4 and 5.5 +/- 0.5 meq/l, respectively), but the normal maternal-to-fetal transplacental concentration gradients for these ions were not reversed. Most of the infused Na+ (92 +/- 14%) and Cl- (82 +/- 12%) was excreted by the fetus in large volumes of hypotonic urine. Amniotic fluid osmolality and [Na+] were unchanged, but amniotic [Cl-] increased 5.7 +/- 2.4 meq/l. The amniotic plus allantoic fluid volume, as estimated by ultrasonography, was increased (43.5 +/- 14.5%) at day 2 and returned to control by day 3 of infusion. There was no fetal edema during the study or at autopsy. In light of these results, we propose a novel and somewhat complex mechanism for transplacental fluid and electrolyte movement in which placental capillary permeability increases along the length of the capillary.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To investigate cardiovascular adaptation to chronic anemia we studied eight ovine fetuses made anemic by serial isovolemic hemorrhage and seven nonanemic controls. After 1 wk carotid arterial oxygen content was reduced to 1.6 +/- 0.2 ml/dl and hematocrit to 13.3 +/- 1.6% in anemic fetuses compared with 6.9 +/- 1.2 ml/dl and 32.4 +/- 3.9% in controls. Cardiac output was higher in the anemic group (753 +/- 102 vs. 490 +/- 66 ml.min-1.kg fetus-1) as stroke volume and heart rate both increased. Blood flow to the carcass, skin, kidneys, intestines, brain, and heart was increased. Vascular resistance fell in all tissues except the placenta. Central venous pressure, arterial pH, plasma total protein, and blood volume were not different although extravascular fluid accumulated in six of the anemic fetuses. The estimated capillary hydrostatic pressure was greater in anemic (7.6 +/- 1.8 mmHg) than control fetuses (5.0 +/- 1.5 mmHg) and the ratio of precapillary to postcapillary resistance was less. We conclude that reduction in the ratio of precapillary to postcapillary resistance in chronic fetal anemia increases blood flow, oxygen delivery, and capillary hydrostatic pressure.

In the late-gestation human or ovine fetus, daily swallowed volumes (100-300 ml/kg body weight) are markedly greater than adult values (40-60 ml/kg). This volume of amniotic fluid water, electrolytes and cellular debris is almost completely resorbed within the fetal gastrointestinal (GI) tract, resulting in the formation of meconium within the distal fetal colon. Despite this capacity for fetal GI water resorption, little is known regarding the sites or processes by which absorption occurs. We examined the composition of GI contents of 13 ovine fetuses (121-148 days). Fetuses were operatively delivered and killed and the Gi tract (rumen to sigmoid colon) was ligated in sections. Luminal samples were obtained and analysed for water and organic content and osmolality and electrolyte composition. The water content significantly decreased (98.7% to 70.1%) while the organic content significantly increased (55.0% to 95.3% of dry weight) from the rumen to colon. Osmolality significantly increased from the rumen to the distal small intestine (303 +/- 3 to 596 +/- 50 mOsm/kg) and returned to near isotonic values in the sigmoid colon. These results indicate significant water absorption within the fetal GI tract, with a pattern similar to that of the adult. However, fetal colonic sodium absorption is either suppresses or immature near term.

Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to distinguish bone marrow (BM) from cartilage and may therefore be used to measure BM volume in intact bones. We used MRI to measure the total human fetal BM volume in intact fetuses during the second trimester of pregnancy and determined the contribution of the individual bones to the total compartment. The total BM volume ranged from 934 μL at 17 to 18 weeks to 4563 μL at 22 to 23 weeks of gestation. The largest contributor to the total BM volume was the spine, constituting 26.4% ± 2.7% of the total volume. By analyzing leukocyte content and percentages of CD34+ cells, lymphocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes of determined volumes, absolute numbers of these cell populations in BM could be measured. The cellular composition of the BM compartment did not significantly change throughout the second trimester of gestation. Absolute white blood cell counts per fetus increased from 111 × 106 at 16 to 17 weeks to 1229 × 106 at 21 to 22 weeks. The absolute numbers of CD34+ cells increased from 25 × 106 at 16 to 17 weeks to 256 × 106 at 21 to 22 weeks. Similar analysis of liver and spleen revealed comparable absolute numbers of CD34+ cells in BM and liver throughout the second trimester of gestation. In fetal liver, CD34+ cells differentiate into red cells, myeloid cells, and platelets, while lymphopoiesis mainly occurs in BM or spleen. Combining MRI and cell counts provides a method to quantify specific cell populations in fetal compartments. This study may enable better evaluation of fetal diagnostics and therapies.

Background: Cardamom is the flavouring spices mainly cultivated all over the world. Apart from being used as the spice, it has many medicinal values. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the potential use of cardamom and its effects on the ability of learning, developmental, and various biochemical factors of Swiss-Webster mice offspring at different stages. Methods: In this method, Swiss-Webster mice offspring at different stages were used for the analysis of biochemical factors. After the administration of cardamom orally, the pups were subjected to various tests for determining social and defense behaviors of males and females, anxiety behavior; locomotor and neuromuscular activities, haemotological parameters, and hormonal factors of males and females. Results: The present findings indicate that the cardamom induced reduction in the social and defense behaviors of males and females, respectively, and also anxiety behavior. Interestingly, locomotor and neuromuscular activities decreased significantly. Discussion: In addition, the packed cell volume, red blood count, hemoglobin content, AChE in forebrain, the testosterone in males and progesterone in females were observed to increase significantly, whereas the blood platelets and total white blood count decreased non-significantly. Through perinatal exposure, cardamom can pass through the placenta or/and lactation and reaches the fetus. Care must be taken when using cardamom and especially during pregnancy and lactation. Conclusion: The administration of cardamom enhances the ability of social, developmental, and various biochemical factors of Swiss-Webster mice offspring at different stages.

Abstract Background/Objectives Maternal glycaemia promotes fetal adiposity. Inositol, an insulin sensitizer, has been trialled for gestational diabetes prevention. The placenta has been implicated in how maternal hyperglycaemia generates fetal pathophysiology, but no studies have examined whether placental inositol biology is altered with maternal hyperglycaemia, nor whether such alterations impact fetal physiology. We aimed to investigate whether the effects of maternal glycaemia on offspring birthweight and adiposity at birth differed across placental inositol levels. Methods Using longitudinal data from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes cohort, maternal fasting glucose (FPG) and 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPG) were obtained in pregnant women by a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test around 26 weeks’ gestation. Relative placental inositol was quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Primary outcomes were birthweight (n = 884) and abdominal adipose tissue (AAT) volumes measured by neonatal MRI scanning in a subset (n = 262) of term singleton pregnancies. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Results Placental inositol was lower in those with higher 2hPG, no exposure to tobacco smoke antenatally, with vaginal delivery and shorter gestation. Positive associations of FPG with birthweight (adjusted β [95% CI] 164.8 g [109.1, 220.5]) and AAT (17.3 ml [11.9, 22.6] per mmol glucose) were observed, with significant interactions between inositol tertiles and FPG in relation to these outcomes (p < 0.05). Stratification by inositol tertiles showed that each mmol/L increase in FPG was associated with increased birthweight and AAT volume among cases within the lowest (birthweight = 174.2 g [81.2, 267.2], AAT = 21.0 ml [13.1, 28.8]) and middle inositol tertiles (birthweight = 202.0 g [103.8, 300.1], AAT = 19.7 ml [9.7, 29.7]). However, no significant association was found among cases within the highest tertile (birthweight = 81.0 g [−21.2, 183.2], AAT = 0.8 ml [−8.4, 10.0]). Conclusions High placental inositol may protect the fetus from the pro-adipogenic effects of maternal glycaemia. Studies are warranted to investigate whether prenatal inositol supplementation can increase placental inositol and reduce fetal adiposity.

Abstract Introduction: Umbilical cord blood (UCB), a source of hematopoietic stem cells, represents neonatal blood and reflects the health of the newborn to a great extent. Establishing biological reference intervals is essential to discard samples before submitting for expensive investigations and storage. Also neonatal anemia has to be recognised early. Hence this study is undertaken to establish a biological reference interval for the UCB hemogram and to study the effect of maternal anemia on the fetus. Materials and methods: This is a prospective study conducted in two steps after Institutional Ethics Committee approval. In each step, 100 full term infants with normal birth weight and APGAR score delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery were enrolled. In the first step, the mothers had hemoglobin (Hb) above 12 g/dL and no co-morbid conditions. In the second step, maternal hemoglobin cut offs of 12 g/dL and 10.9 g/dL were established. UCB was collected after clamping the cord in a K₂-EDTA evacuated tube. The blood was processed in Beckman Coulter LH 780 hematology analyzer. Delta check and manual count of RBC precursors was done by peripheral smear and reticulocyte count. Data was analysed using SPSS IBM statistics software version 19. The RBC parameters (RBC count, Hb, packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red cell distribution width (RDW)) and RBC precursors between groups were compared. The changes according to the grade of anemia were analysed and compared with the biological reference interval. The maternal Hb was grouped in 1 g/dL differences and the Hb in the UCB of the respective neonates was correlated. Results: The biological reference interval for UCB hemogram was established. No significant difference was found in the RBC parameters in the UCB of neonates born to anemic and non-anemic mothers. Reticulocyte parameters namely reticulocyte count, absolute reticulocyte count, reticulocyte index and reticulocyte proliferation index showed significant increase in the UCB of neonates born to anemic mothers. No significant difference was found in the nucleated RBC (nRBC) count between the groups. When compared to the biological reference interval, MCH and MCHC were lower and reticulocyte parameters were higher in the UCB of neonates born to anemic mothers. A significant positive Pearson correlation was found between cord blood Hb and maternal Hb. Discussion: Through the UCB Hb correlated positively with maternal Hb, it has been found that maternal anemia does not cause fetal anemia. This may be due to high iron transfer from mother to fetus and maximally stimulated erythropoiesis at the end of gestation. However, significantly low MCH and MCHC values were seen in the UCB of neonates born to anemic mothers in comparison with the biological reference interval. This may be due to early decreased hemoglobin content within the cell which is compensated by the high RBC count. This is further confirmed by the significant elevation of reticulocyte parameters in the UCB of neonates born to anemic mothers. Conclusion: Maternal anemia depending on the severity causes chronic hypoxia so that the fetal bone marrow reacts to the effect of erythropoietin by increased erythropoiesis and RBC precursor release. Severe maternal anemia may cause neonatal anemia which needs further ferrokinetic studies. Maternal anemia in developing countries needs to be corrected. Also the biological reference interval established serves as a tool for neonatologists, transplant hematologists and future studies in UCB. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Lymphangiomas have a dysontogenetic origin, that is, they occur during the development of the fetus and are treated as an abnormal development of the endothelium of proliferating lymphatic vessels and manifest clinically, most often immediately after the birth of a child or in infancy. According to data published earlier by the staff of our department, among benign tumors of soft tissues of maxillofacial area, dermoid cysts (32.6%) take first place. The second place is given to hemangiomas (26.0%); lymphangiosis of such localization are quite rare, accounting for only 3% of the total number of tumors of soft tissues of the face and neck, which causes certain features of tactical approaches to choice and scope of diagnostic measures. In general, lymphangioma, a malformation of the lymphatic system, accounts for 9% of all soft tissue germline tumors and is diagnosed immediately after birth in 65-85% of children, with their superficial location. When they are located in the maxillofacial region, aesthetic deficiencies or functional impairments can be quite pronounced. The features of their topographic-anatomical location in deep fiber spaces and in the area of the floor of the oral cavity cause considerable difficulties in the conduct of diagnostics, the choice of tactical operating techniques and methods of treatment, because the postoperative period is accompanied by a high probability of complications. The presented content of the medical history indicates that the diagnosis of deep-seated and bulky lymphangiomas in young children is rather difficult. Especially, when it comes to festering and combined with acute infectious somatic diseases, it can provoke the occurrence of the inflammatory process directly in the lymphangioma. Attention is drawn to the fact that the frequency of diagnostic errors at the prehospital stage is 75%. Basically, the children were sent to hospital with an incorrect diagnosis, although they were under the supervision of district pediatricians for a long time and repeatedly looked around at a pediatric surgeon. The purpose of our study was to study the peculiarities of clinical manifestations and the diagnosis of volumetric, deep-seated lymphangiomis of the maxillofacial focal infiltration in a child of infancy. Routine diagnostic methods, such as needle biopsy and modern computed tomography, make it possible to unify the diagnostic process to a great extent and decide on the optimal option for operative access and the volume of surgical intervention. There are also certain difficulties in the choice of pharmacological drugs and their dosage when it comes to the combination of a diffuse purulent process with acute manifestations of the pathology of infectious origin. This category of children is subject to dynamic observation to exclude the possibility of recurrence of lymphangioma in conditions of its incomplete necrotization with timely involvement of measures.