bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of laminin monoclonal antibodies on the development of cultured rat embryos
Authors: Rasmussen Max V. , Klein Norman W. , Abrahamson Dale R. , Chung Albert E. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractWhole rat embryos (9.5 days of gestation) were exposed to six different monoclonal antibodies to laminin during 48 hr of culture. Four (LAM I, LAM V, 5A2, 9D2) of the six were teratogenic or lethal and two (LAM II, 5D3) were not toxic at comparable levels. Teratogenicity and lethality were not related to antibody level, subclass or affinity for whole laminin. Indirect immunofluorescence studies using mouse embryo sections revealed that the toxic antibodies bound in a diffuse manner, while the nontoxic antibodies showed distinct labeling of tissues. These observations suggest that previous varied responses seen in cultured rat embryos exposed to laminin antibodies obtained from humans, monkeys, and rats were the result of differences in the epitope specificity of those antibodies. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Offspring of women infected with varicella during pregnancy: A prospective study
Authors: Jones Kenneth L. , Johnson Kathleen A. , Chambers Christina D. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractDespite the well‐recognized association between maternal varicella infection and a specific pattern of malformation in the offspring referred to as fetal varicella syndrome, the full spectrum of this disorder as well as its frequency in the offspring of women infected with varicella during pregnancy is unknown. In order to resolve these issues, we have evaluated pregnancy outcome in 194 women who contacted us during pregnancy, soon after the onset of their infection: 132 (68%) during the 1st trimester and 171 (88%) prior to the onset of the 20th week, the most critical period relative to fetal susceptibility. Of those 171 women, there were 146 liveborn babies, 6 spontaneous abortions, 7 therapeutic abortions (one because of an anencephalic fetus), 2 stillborn infants, and nine pregnancies lost to follow‐up. Of the 146 liveborn births, there were 2 with features consistent with the fetal varicella syndrome: one a child with mild cutaneous scars on her face, arms, and legs, Horner syndrome involving her left eye and a scar on her retina, leading to blindness in that eye; and the other, a child with horizontal nystagmus who is otherwise normal at 1 year of age. An additional four liveborn infants had a single major malformation which included unilateral microtia, bowel obstruction secondary to an ileal band, bilateral double ureters, and a thyroglossal duct cyst. This study suggests that prenatal varicella infection is associated with a wider spectrum of severity than has been previously appreciated and indicates that maternal varicella infection prior to the 20th week of pregnancy is associated with only a small risk for the developing fetus. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cardiovascular birth defects and prenatal exposure to female sex hormones: A reevaluation of data reanalysis from a large prospective study
Authors: Hook Ernest B. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractIn data of the U.S. Collaborative Perinatal Study (CPS), the Drug Epidemiology Unit (DEU) reported a relative risk of about 2.3 between maternal female sex hormone exposure during months 1 to 4 of pregnancy and cardiovascular malformation in infants (Heinonen et al., '77a N. Engl. J. Med., 296:67–70). Wiseman and Dodds‐Smith ('84, Teratology, 30:359–370) reexamined the original CPS data and found the DEU had made some errors in classification of exposure and disease. Also they challenged the classification of cases as “exposed” in those born to mothers who received the compounds outside the day 19 to 50 window of cardiovascular embryogenesis. Wiseman and Dodds‐Smith stated that their reanalysis “clearly showed that there was [in the data used by the DEU] no statistically significant association between exposure in the critical organogenic period of pregnancy and cardiac malformation in offspring.” They did not undertake any statistical analysis, but their reanalysis resulted in a widespread nonacceptance of the association reported by the DEU. The study reported here reclassified the cases of the original DEU study in accord with the implications of the Wiseman and Dodds‐Smith reanalysis of exposure and disease. After this reclassification, an effect magnitude measure of association, the relative risk rose from 2.33 to 2.48 and remained nominally significant statistically at the .05 level. Thus, if anything, the quantitative consequences of the Wiseman and Dodds‐Smith review of the data, when applied in an unbiased manner, result in an, increase in the measure of effect. The increase is consistent with the theoretical epidemiological expectation that correction of random errors in a database and of other non‐differential misclassification, will tend to raise the estimate of an underlying association in the population studied. While these results reestablish the reported association, they do not, of course, prove that the positive association represents causal induction of defects in conceptuses by female sex hormones. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of lower birth weight in infants with congenital limb deficiency
Authors: Czeizel Andrew E. , Elek Csaba , Ivicsics Kate 
Published: June 2005

AbstractA case‐control study on different groups of isolated congenital limb deficiency was performed using a population‐based and validated Hungarian data set of 537 cases. All groups showed a significantly lower birth weight. The adjusted odds ratio indicated a significantly lower mean birth weight in infants with terminal transverse deficiencies and a significantly higher rate of preterm birth in those with amniogenic defects (part of the early amnion rupture sequence). The different analyses showed that the lower birth weight in the terminal transverse group was caused mainly by intrauterine growth retardation. Lack of limb parts appears to be of secondary importance, especially in the upper limb. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Maternal age and oral cleft malformations: Data from a population‐based series of 576,815 consecutive livebirths
Authors: Baird P. A. , Sadovnick A. D. , Yee I. M. L. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractIt has been suggested that older mothers are more likely to have a child with isolated cleft palate (CP) or cleft lip ± cleft palate (CL ± CP), but most of these studies have been based on fairly small sample sizes. Data from a population‐based registry with multiple sources of case ascertainment were used to examine any association of maternal age with the incidence of these defects in infants without other congenital anomalies. The study group consisted of all cases with CP or CL ± CP without other congenital anomalies from a series of over half a million consecutive livebirths during the period 1966 to 1981 inclusive in British Columbia. During the study period, the overall incidences of isolated CP and isolated CL ± CP per 10,000 livebirths were 3.9 and 8.2, respectively. No association with maternal age was found when either isolated CP or isolated CL ± CP was analyzed as a group. When analyzed by sex, and by CP or CL ± CP, no significant maternal‐age effect was observed for males and females with CP or CL ± CP. Our population‐based data, therefore, do not show that older mothers are more likely to have a child with cleft palate, or cleft lip ± cleft palate. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Volume and glucose concentration of rat amniotic fluid: Effects on embryo nutrition and axis rotation
Authors: Park Hyoung W. , Shepard Thomas H. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractIn order to pursue our previous studies of the changes in neural tube microvilli produced by glucose, we developed a micro method of measuring glucose concentration in the very small volumes of amniotic fluid during neurulation. The volume of amniotic fluid was found to increase nearly 10‐fold during major neurulation (day 10 to day 11 in the rat). This increase in volume and our repeated observations that physical removal of the restraining amnion initiates embryonic rotation leads us to propose that the growth of the amniotic cavity is essential for conversion from the ventral‐to dorsi‐flexion of the embryonic axis. Amniotic fluid volume continues to increase until day 18 but dropped by day 20.A method for glucose determination was developed using the color reaction on glucose oxidase indicator paper. The intensity of the color was analyzed with a color scanner. Amniotic glucose was 27.1 ± 1.6 mg/dl on day 10 and continued in this range with some fluctuation until day 20 when it decreased. We isolated days 10, 11, and 16 embryonic sites from their decidua and incubated them at 0°C and 38°C while measuring glucose concentration. The glucose concentration did not show significant decrease at 0°C on day 10 or 11 or on day 16 at 38°C. At 38°C the day 10 embryo amniotic fluid glucose disappeared after 22 minutes and the day 11 amniotic fluid glucose was gone in 34 minutes. These depletion times were statistically different. The magnitude of glucose depletion on day 10 was shown by calculation to be approximately 323 μmoles/gm protein per hour which is a substantial portion of the glucose utilized by the embryo as determined in previous experiments (731 μmoles/gm protein per hour). This model may serve as a way to study glucose utilization by embryos after their exposure to various teratogens. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Increased risk of craniosynostosis with maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy
Authors: Alderman Beth W. , Bradley Cynthia M. , Greene Carol , Fernbach Sandra K. , Barón Anna E. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractWe analyzed data from a population‐based case control study to determine whether maternal prenatal smoking or alcohol drinking might increase the risk of craniosynostosis. Between 1986 and 1989, the Colorado Craniosynostosis Registry ascertained 233 children whose diagnoses were confirmed by an independent radiologist. Of the 212 (91%) cases who participated, 86 had lambdoid, 69 had sagittal, 25 had coronal, 18 had metopic, and 14 had multiple suture synostosis. Random sampling of birth certificate records yielded 367 eligible controls, of whom 291 (79%) participated. Study staff interviewed case and control mothers between 1989 and 1991 for prenatal smoking and alcohol drinking. We used Mantel‐Haenszel and polychotomous logistic regression techniques to estimate the relative odds of craniosynostosis for smoking and drinking in all cases and in relevant case subgroups. Smoking was associated with c relative odds of craniosynostosis of 1. 7 (95% confidence interval, 1.2–2.6). For smoking of more than one pack per day, the relative odds were 3.5 (1.5–8.4) for all types of synostosis. No strong or significant association was noted for drinking. Maternal prenatal smoking may increase the risk craniosynostosis in this population. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prevention of fluvastatin‐induced toxicity, mortality, and cardiac myopathy in pregnant rats by mevalonic acid supplementation
Authors: Hrab Roman V. , Hartman Howard A. , Cox Raymond H. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractMevalonic acid is a product of the enzyme HMG‐CoA reductase which is essential for cholesterol biosynthesis. Fluvastatin (Sandoz compound XU 62‐320) is a potent inhibitor of this enzyme and, hence, mevalonic acid production. In three separate studies, oral administration of fluvastatin at 12 and 24 mg/kg/day to mated rats from day 15 of gestation through weaning resulted in unanticipated maternal mortality at the time of parturition and during lactation. Microscopic evaluations performed in two studies revealed significant cardiac myopathy in the dying animals. Drug‐related clinical signs, significant maternal body weight loss, and an increase in stillborn pups and neonatal mortality were also noted at one or both dose levels. Supplementation of fluvastatin administration with 500 mg/kg b.i.d. of me valonic acid completely blocked and/or ameliorated the mortality, cardiac myopathy, and other adverse effects. These studies indicate that the adverse maternal effects observed with fluvastatin before or following parturition resulted from exaggerated pharmacologic activity at the dose levels administered, i.e., inhibition of the enzyme HMG‐CoA reductase, its immediate product mevalonic acid, and cholesterol biosynthesis. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The effects of natural and synthetic retinoids on the differentiation of RCJ C5.18 chondrogenic cells
Authors: Von Schroeder Herbert P. , Hashimoto Yuichi , Heersche Johan N. M. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractRCJ C5. 18 (C5. 18) is a chondrogenic clonal cell line which, under standard culture conditions, develops chondroblastic features including the production of a cartilaginous matrix. Retinoic acid (RA) is known to inhibit the chondrogenic differentiation of C 5. 18 cells and this may parallel the teratogenic effects of retinoids in vivo; however, the question as to which of the 3 retinoic acid receptors (RAR α, β, γ) or the 3 retinoid X receptors (RXR α, β, γ) mediate this RA‐induced inhibition remains unanswered. We tested several retinoids with different receptor binding characteristics. Cartilage formation in C 5. 18 cultures was evaluated by counting the number of cartilage nodules formed, and by quantitating the glycosaminoglycan content of the cultures using alcian blue staining. All of the retinoids prevented cartilage formation in a dose‐dependent manner. Treatment with the retinoids did not affect cell number, thereby ruling out any toxic effects. RA, which binds to all 3 RARs with similar affinity, produced a 50% inhibition (IC50) of cartilage formation at 4 × 10−10M. We also tested Ch55, which also binds to all 3 RARs, but with higher affinity than RA. This compound was approximately 10 times more potent than RA (IC50 2 × 10−11M). 9‐cis RA, which binds to the 3 RARs with affinities similar to RA and also binds to the RXRs, was less active (IC508 × 10−9M), suggesting that RXR binding interferes with the inhibitory effect of ligand‐activated RARs. 9‐cis retinal, for which the binding characteristics are unknown, had the same effect as 9‐cis RA. The synthetic retinoids Am80 (IC50 6 × 10−11M) and Am580 (IC50 4 × 10−11M) were more potent than RA in inhibiting cartilage formation. Since these compounds bind only to RARα and β, and with higher affinity than RA, the observed inhibition of cartilage formation suggests that interaction of the ligand with RARα and/or β is sufficient to induce the effects on cartilage development. If reports suggesting than Am580 binds exclusively to RARα are correct, these finding could imply that RARγ alone is sufficient to mediate the inhibitory effect of the retinoids. Surprisingly, Re80, which binds to RARα and β with a binding affinity similar to RA (and does not bind significantly to RARγ or the RXRs), was the most potent retinoid in our system (7 × 10−13 M). This finding supports mediation of the retinoid effect through α and β receptors. Our results suggest that the retinoids act via RARα and/ or β to inhibit chondroblast differentiation. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prevalence of neural tube defects in Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Buccimazza Sandro S. , Molteno Christopher D. , Dunne Timothy T. , Viljoen Denis L. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe aim of the study was to document the frequency of neural tube defects (NTD) over a 20‐year period in Cape Town and to determine the effects of race, gender, maternal age, parity, and season of conception on the prevalence. Multiple sources of ascertainment were used, including all maternity hospital records, neurosurgical and spinal defects clinic data, as well as those from the Human Genetics Department and Fetal Abnormality Group. The prevalence rates for NTD fluctuated between 1.74 and 0.63 per 1,000 births, but showed no significant trends over the 20‐year period. Prevalence rates were highest for the white population group at 2.56 per 1,000 births compared to 0.95 per 1,000 for blacks and 1.05 per 1,000 for those of mixed ancestry. The higher rates in the whites, who are of British and European extraction and belong to the more affluent section of the community, would suggest that the possible effects of nutrition and infection are overshadowed by genetic factors. There was a female preponderance for both spina bifida (M: F ratio 0. 89) and anencephaly (M: F ratio 0. 67). The highest NTD rates were found at both ends of the maternal age range (<20 years and >35 years of age). The prevalence was highest at the extremes of birth order (1.65 and 1.58 for birth order 1and > 7, respectively, and 0.56 and 0.45 for birth order 5 and 6, respectively). A seasonal variation occurred which differed from that reported for the Northern Hemisphere and may reflect local climatic conditions. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Acardia: Predictive risk factors for the co‐twin's survival
Authors: Healey Martin G. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThis study aimed to find factors in acardiac pregnancies that could be used to predict survival rates of the pump fetus. Five cases of acardia at Monash Medical Centre were found, and all case reports available in the literature from 1960 to 1991 (184 cases) were collected and analyzed. Acardia is more common in nulliparous women and in monoamniotic monochorionic pregnancy. The acardiac fetus usually has a two‐vessel umbilical cord and is most likely to develop structures supplied by the lower aortic branches. Delivery is more often preterm (mean gestation = 31.1 weeks) than normal twins. The overall perinatal mortality for the pump fetus is 35% in twins and 45% in triplets. Factors associated with a statistically significant increase in perinatal mortality for the pump fetus include delivery before 32 weeks gestation, acardiacus anceps form of acardia, and the presence of arms, ears, larynx, trachea, pancreas, kidney, or small intestine in the acardiac fetus. Active intervention in these pregnancies is reasonable. © 1994 WiIey‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of static and time‐varying (50‐Hz) magnetic fields on reproduction and fetal development in rats
Authors: Mevissen Meike , Buntenkötter Siegfried , Löscher Wolfgang 
Published: June 2005

AbstractMated Wistar rats were chronically exposed to a static magnetic field (MF) from day 1 to day 20 of pregnancy. Flux density of the MF was 30 mTesla (mT), i.e., within the range of exposures of operators of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices. For comparison with effects of this static field, a time‐varying (50‐Hz) MF of the same flux density was used. In both experiments, i.e., static or 50‐Hz MF exposure, sham‐exposed groups of dams served as controls. On day 20, the dams were sacrificed for reproductive and teratological assessment. The litters were evaluated for numbers of implantations, fetal deaths and resorptions, gross external, visceral, and skeletal malformations, and fetal weights. No adverse effects were seen in the dams during MF exposure. The mean number of living fetuses per litter was significantly decreased in the group with static MF exposure, but not the group with 50‐Hz MF exposure. Further differences between the two types of field exposure were observed with respect to minor (skeletal) fetal anomalies which were increased in the 50‐Hz but not the static MF group. No serious malformations were seen in any group. In both MF exposed groups, increased skeletal ossification was found, possibly indicating an accelerated prenatal development. In a second experiment with static MF (30 mT) in which dams were exposed for the whole period of pregnancy, and postnatal growth and development of offspring were studied, the postnatal growth was significantly enhanced in offspring following their prenatal MF exposure. In the offspring of this experiment, no behavioral disturbances were determined by severa I standardized test procedures of behaviora I teratology, indicating normal development of brain functions. In summary, the data of the present study indicate that the effects of static and alternating MF on reproduction and fetal development differ. The increased fetal loss during static MF exposure suggests that static MF of such high flux density may induce embryotoxic effects, while 50‐Hz MF exposure does not seem to be associated with any severe reproductive risks. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interactive developmental toxicity of radiofrequency radiation and 2‐methoxyethanol in rats
Authors: Nelson B. K. , Conover David L. , Shaw Peter B. , Werren Dwight M. , Edwards Richard M. , Hoberman Alan M. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractConcurrent exposures to chemical and physical agents occur in the workplace; exposed workers include those involved with the microelectronics industry, plastic sealers, and electrosurgical units. Previous animal research indicates that hyperthermia induced by an elevation in ambient temperature can potentiate the toxicity and teratogenicity of some chemical agents. We previously demonstrated that combined exposure to radiofrequency (RF; 10 MHz) radiation, which also induces hyperthermia and is teratogenic to exposed animals, and the industrial solvent, 2‐methoxyethanol (2ME), produces enhanced teratogenicity in rats. The present study replicates and extends the previous research investigating the enhanced teratogenicity of combined RF radiation and 2ME exposures. The interactive dose‐related teratogenicity of RF radiation (sham exposure or maintaining colonic temperatures at 42.0oC for 0, 10, 20, or 30 min) and 2ME (0, 75, 100, 125, or 150mg/kg) was investigated by administering various combinations of RF radiation and 2ME to groups of rats on gestation days 9 or 13; gestation‐day 20 fetuses were examined for external, skeletal, and visceral malformations. The results are consistent with and extend our previous research findings. Synergism was observed between RF radiation and 2ME for some treatment combinations, but not for others. The study also clarified which gestational periods, RF radiation exposure durations, and 2ME doses would be most informative in future interaction studies to determine the lowest interactive effect level. Day 9 exposures generally evidenced little effect by 2ME, either by itself or in combination with RF radiation. In contrast, day 13 exposures resulted in highly significant effects from 2ME and RF radiation. The structures showing strong evidence of effects from both 2ME and RF radiation after exposure on gestation day 13 were the forepaw digits, forepaw phalanges, hindpaw digits, hindpaw phalanges, hind limbs, metacarpals, and metatarsals. Statistical analyses did not show a global synergistic effect, but did show evidence for a synergistic effect at intermediate levels of the dose ranges. Future research will address potential interactions at lower doses. © Wiley‐Liss, Inc.