Article
Reproductive Biology
Christopher J. Bowman, Marie Bouressam, Sarah N. Campion, Gregg D. Cappon, Natasha R. Catlin, Mark W. Cutler, Jan Diekmann, Cynthia M. Rohde, Rani S. Sellers, Claudia Lindemann
Summary: The vaccine BNT162b2 was found to have no adverse effects on reproduction and development in rats, and its safety for both mothers and offspring was confirmed. This data supports further studies on BNT162b2 in women of childbearing potential, pregnant, and lactating women.
REPRODUCTIVE TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dmitry Velmeshev, Yonatan Perez, Zihan Yan, Jonathan E. Valencia, David R. Castaneda-Castellanos, Li Wang, Lucas Schirmer, Simone Mayer, Brittney Wick, Shaohui Wang, Tomasz Jan Nowakowski, Mercedes Paredes, Eric J. Huang, Arnold R. Kriegstein
Summary: In this study, we analyzed over 700,000 single-nucleus RNA sequencing profiles to identify lineage-specific programs and gene expression networks that regulate the development of specific cortical cell types. By intersecting our results with genetic risk factors, we identified the vulnerable cell types and lineages associated with different brain disorders, particularly autism. Our study provides insights into the molecular progression of cortical lineages during human development.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Devang K. Sanghavi, Anoop Titus, Thomas R. Caulfield, W. David Freeman
Summary: Endothelin plays a significant role in the pathophysiological effects and end-organ dysfunction of COVID-19, with endotheliitis causing dysfunction in various organs. Endothelin receptor blockers, like bosentan and sitaxentan, may have potential in combating COVID-19 and should be further researched for their efficacy.
MEDICAL HYPOTHESES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tongtong Zhang, Xiang Zhou, Xu Zhang, Xiaohan Ren, Jiajin Wu, Zhongyuan Wang, Shangqian Wang, Zengjun Wang
Summary: Phthalate, an environmental endocrine disruptor, has been found to cause direct and intergenerational male reproductive damage. This study explored the effects of prenatal exposure to DBP on testicular injury and offspring gut microbiota, revealing a connection between gut dysbiosis and testicular damage in the offspring. Understanding the role of gut microbiota in reproductive function is crucial, and further research is needed to investigate the link between environmental pollution and human health.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Beyza Ustun, Judith Covey, Nadja Reissland
Summary: During pregnancy, fetuses are exposed to various chemosensory inputs that influence their behaviors after birth. This study systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed existing evidence to assess the continuity of chemosensory perception from prenatal to the first year of postnatal life. The findings showed that infants in their first year displayed significant head orientation behaviors and differences in mouthing behavior in response to prenatal sensory experiences.
Review
Pathology
James S. Castleman, Elizabeth Wall, Stephanie Allen, Denise Williams, Samantha Doyle, Mark D. Kilby
Summary: Prenatal exome sequencing provides a rapid genetic diagnosis for fetuses with structural anomalies, improving counseling, decision-making, and management during pregnancy. This novel investigation has a diagnostic rate of over 10% in carefully selected cases, with a potential range of 6% to 80% for certain phenotypes where conventional tests have not detected a diagnosis. Expert oversight and multidisciplinary teamwork are crucial for ensuring high-quality care and accurate counseling for patients undergoing prenatal exome sequencing.
EXPERT REVIEW OF MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Diego A. Lopez, April C. Apostol, Eric J. Lebish, Clint H. Valencia, Mari Carmen Romero-Mulero, Polina Pavlovich, Gloria E. Hernandez, E. Camilla Forsberg, Nina Cabezas-Wallscheid, Anna E. Beaudin
Summary: Adult hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells respond to inflammation and infection, and fetal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells also respond to prenatal inflammation, shaping post-natal hematopoiesis and immune cell function. Maternal immune activation causes diverse responses in fetal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, including changes in quiescence, expansion, and lineage-biased output.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Olivia Masse, Emily Kraft, Esha Ahmad, Caitlin K. Rollins, Clemente Velasco-Annis, Edward Yang, Simon Keith Warfield, Alireza A. Shamshirsaz, Ali Gholipour, Henry A. Feldman, Judy Estroff, Patricia Ellen Grant, Lana Vasung
Summary: Chiari II is a common birth defect associated with open spinal abnormalities, characterized by caudal migration of the posterior fossa contents through the foramen magnum. The pathophysiology and neurobiological substrate of Chiari II remain unexplored. In this study, we used T2-weighted MRIs of 31 fetuses to identify altered brain regions in Chiari II. Our results indicated developmental changes in the diencephalon and proliferative zones in fetuses with Chiari II compared to controls. These findings highlight the importance of considering regional brain development in evaluating prenatal brain development in fetuses with Chiari II.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROANATOMY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Shengwei Pei, Jing Luo, Xiuxiu Weng, Yanli Xu, Jingjing Bai, Fadi Li, Wanhong Li, Xiangpeng Yue
Summary: This study identified protein profiles at different stages of postnatal testicular development in Hu sheep using iTRAQ and LC-MS/MS methods, and found differentially abundant proteins between different stages and different testis sizes. The functional analysis indicated the involvement of these proteins in cellular processes, metabolic processes, and immune system-related pathways. Additionally, a protein-protein interaction network containing fertility-related proteins was constructed, providing new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of testicular development.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Tomasz Stankiewicz, Barbara Blaszczyk, Pavitra Chundekkad
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the kidneys of sheep fetuses during pregnancy and lamb kidneys in the first two weeks after delivery using ultrasound. The results showed that fetal kidneys could be visualized from 53+/-2.00 days, and corticomedullary differentiation was observed from the 10th week of pregnancy onwards. All fetal kidney biometric parameters increased significantly in the following weeks of pregnancy. The biometric parameters of lamb kidneys also differed significantly between the first and second week of life.
SMALL RUMINANT RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Alexandra Emms, James Castleman, Stephanie Allen, Denise Williams, Esther Kinning, Mark Kilby
Summary: Congenital malformations diagnosed by ultrasound screening have an underlying genetic cause in many cases. Next generation sequencing as a secondary prenatal genetic test offers additional diagnostic yield for congenital abnormalities potentially associated with genetic causes, especially in cases involving cardiac and neurological anomalies, large nuchal translucency, and non-immune fetal hydrops. The use of exome sequencing has shown significant incremental yield in single-system anomalies, making it a valuable tool for routine clinical care in fetuses with congenital abnormalities.
Article
Neurosciences
Jiaxin Qin, Baozhen Yao, Lulu Xie, Tingting Wang, Shuai Zhang, Mingcui Luo, Hui Wang, Dan Xu, Biwen Peng
Summary: This study investigated the effects of prenatal amoxicillin exposure (PAmE) on fetal hippocampal development and its possible mechanisms. The results showed that PAmE induced hippocampal hypoplasia, suppressed hippocampal neuronal cell proliferation, impaired neuronal synaptic plasticity, and damaged hippocampal astrocyte and microglia. The developmental toxicity of PAmE varied by time, dose, and course of treatment. The key role of the SOX2/Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in impaired hippocampal development was suggested by the reduction of SOX2 and genes related to the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.
Article
Toxicology
Rachael E. Rogers, Shuyi Chai, Andrew J. Pask, Deidre M. Mattiske
Summary: Over the past 50 years, significant decreases in fertility have been observed, with female conception rates dropping by 44% and male sperm counts decreasing by over 50%. This decrease can be attributed to increasing exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as Diethylstilbestrol (DES). Women exposed to DES in utero experienced higher rates of infertility, pregnancy complications, and reproductive cancers, with evidence suggesting these effects may persist in future generations.
TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Alona Raucher Sternfeld, Amichay Sheffy, Akiva Tamir, Yossi Mizrachi, Sagie Assa, Mordechai Shohat, Rachel Berger, Dorit Lev, Liat Gindes
Summary: This study assessed the natural history of isolated ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and found that muscular VSDs usually close spontaneously during pregnancy or within the first 2 years of life, while perimembranous VSDs may require intervention after birth. Muscular VSDs do not increase the risk of chromosomal aberrations.
JOURNAL OF MATERNAL-FETAL & NEONATAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
J. S. Abel, C. Berg, A. Geipel, U. Gembruch, U. Herberg, J. Breuer, K. Brockmeier, I. Gottschalk
Summary: This study found that prenatal diagnosis of truncus arteriosus communis (TAC) was accurate, but TAC was often associated with chromosomal and extra-cardiac anomalies, leading to high rates of pregnancy termination and perioperative mortality. The prevalence of repeated interventions due to recurrent stenosis associated with TAC was also high.
ARCHIVES OF GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
(2021)
