Abstract To examine the effects of maternal nutrient restriction on net uteroplacental flux during mid-gestation, 14 singleton ewes (48.2 ± 4.0 kg body weight) were fed 100% (control; CON; n = 7) or 60% requirements (restricted; RES; from day 50–90 (mid-gestation). On 90, blood flow was measured via Doppler ultrasonography and samples collected femoral artery, uterine vein, umbilical vein. Bloo...

PURPOSE Epidemiologic studies suggested complicated associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus and breast cancer. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is inversely associated with the risk and mortality of breast cancer. Our study is to determine the different effects of normal and diabetic HDL on breast cancer cell metastasis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cells were treated with N-HD...

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to identify the role of the homeostatic chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 and their common receptor CCR7 in atherogenesis and to study the relationships between CCL19, CCL21, and CCR7 gene variants and coronary artery disease in a Chinese Han population. APPROACH AND RESULTS Immunohistochemical analysis of samples with atherosclerosis of various stages showed increased CCL19, C...

OBJECTIVE Thromboxane A2 receptor (TPr) has been reported to trigger vascular inflammation. Nuclear factor κ B (NF-κB) is a known transcription factor. The aims of the present study were to determine the contributions of NF-κB activation to TPr-triggered vascular inflammation and elucidate the mechanism(s) underlying TPr activation of NF-κB. APPROACH AND RESULTS The effects of TPr activators,...

Sheep conjoined twins have been reported less than cow. An apparently female conjoined twin lambs was examined based on external and internal features. In radiology, two vertebral columns and two pairs of the ribs were seen. Only two heads and two necks were separated (thoraco-omphalopygopagus). There were three forelimbs (tribrachius), one of which grew on dorsal region as a notomelus.  Teat b...

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been widely investigated for cell-based therapy studies as an alternative source to bone marrow transplantation. Umbilical cord tissue is a rich source of MSCs with potential to derivate at least muscle, cartilage, fat, and bone cells in vitro. The possibility to replace the defective muscle cells using cell therapy is a promising approach for...

The observations to be presented here on the average oxygen pressure gradient that exists between the maternal and fetal bloods of the sheep, separated by the five tissue layers that form the syndesmochorial placenta, are in the nature of a supplement to data published earlier.' In that paper data were presented on the form of the oxygen dissociation curves of fetal and maternal bloods obtained...

OBJECTIVES The current concepts of human fetal-placental amino acid exchange and metabolism are mainly based on animal-, in vitro- and ex vivo models. We aimed to determine and assess the paired relationships between concentrations and arteriovenous differences of 19 amino acids on the maternal and fetal sides of the human placenta in a large study sample. METHODS This cross-sectional in vivo...

Transcobalamin II (TC Ill is essential for cellular uptake of cobalamin. However, t h e origin of this t ransport protein is controversial and many organ sources have been suggested. We studied human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured in vitro. The cells contained T C II (2.3 pmol/108 cells) and released progressively increasing amounts of t h e protein into t h e surrounding medium duri...