Kisspeptin is the product of the KISS1 (KiSS-1 metastasissuppressor) gene and is the ligand for the G-protein– coupled receptor, now known as the KISS1 receptor (KISS1R) (1 ). Both kisspeptin and KISS1R play a crucial role in the regulation of reproduction and puberty (1 ). The KISS1 gene encodes a precursor peptide of 145 amino acid residues, which undergoes proteolytic processing to generate ...

Owing to the frequent use of bedside ultrasound, much is known about the regulation of and normative values for amniotic fluid volume and the mechanisms by which this fluid is regulated. The management protocols for conditions with extremes of amniotic fluid volume have become more exact, resulting in interventions more likely to improve outcome. Much is still unclear; there are no tools to mea...

We assessed several methods of inorganic phosphate assay for their suitability in estimating phospholipids in digested extracts of amniotic fluids. The extraction and digestion procedures used for phospholipids from amniotic fluid were also examined critically. The effect of contamination by blood or obstetric cream has been examined. Accordingly, we suggest a method for measuring total phospho...

A retrospective analysis of 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores of patients at term gestation (37 to 42 weeks) with evidence of clinical intra-amniotic infection and meconium-stained amniotic fluid was performed. The patients were selected from the labor and delivery records of two Detroit hospitals during the study period from January 1988 through May 1994. The author suggests that the presence of cl...

Background: Amniotic band syndrome (ABS) or amniotic band disruption is a common cause of sporadic miscellaneous fetal malformation involving limbs, trunk and the craniofacial region. Diagnosis is mainly suspected by ultrasound imaging, where the fetus is seen attached to the amniotic bands. Clinical manifestation is variable from minor constriction rings to fetal or neonatal demise secondary t...

Somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) is widely distributed in tissues and biological fluids. To determine whether SLI is also present in amniotic fluid, samples obtained by amniocentesis from 30 normal and 27 abnormal pregnancies were studied by radioimmunoassay. Direct incubation of [(125)I-Tyr(1)]tetradecapeptide somatostatin (SRIF) with amniotic fluid resulted in 89% tracer degradation. ...

purpose: to evaluate the effect of amniotic membrane transplantation in trabeculectomy. methods: the study was conducted on 25 eyes of 25 patients with advanced and medically uncontrolled glaucoma. all patients underwent trabeculectomy with a fornix based conjunctival flap, amniotic membrane was then placed under the scleral flap and fixed using 10-0 nylon suture. amniotic membrane was retrieve...

OBJECTIVE The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been proposed to participate in the innate and adaptive immune responses. RAGE can induce production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as neutrophil chemotaxis in a manner that may be suppressed or stimulated by soluble, truncated forms of RAGE including the soluble form of RAGE (sRAGE) and endogenous secr...