Using second trimester amniotic fluid (AF), the objectives of this study were two-fold: 1) to investigate the relationship between AF glucose and insulin levels as a predictor of macrosomia and 2) to create a risk profile for macrosomia (LGA> 90th percentile) using a combination of AF glucose and insulin concentrations. Amniotic fluid samples were obtained from non-diabetic women (n = 542) undergoing age-related amniocentesis (12th to 22nd week). AF glucose was quantified using a standard hexokinase assay and AF insulin was quantified using the Beckman Access ultrasensitive assay system. Although LGA infants were found to have significantly higher concentrations of insulin and glucose in their 2nd trimester AF, logistic regressions showed that neither alone predicted the outcome of macrosomia. However, a Bayesian two-dimensional contour map plotted the risk for LGA using both AF glucose and insulin. The two-dimensional contour map illustrated the value in considering AF glucose and insulin together to predict LGA in newborns.

A fetus’ in utero environment has a profound effect on the individual’s development in postnatal life. Research has suggested that intrauterine growth restricted children have a less robust response to vaccination. Studies have confirmed similar results in animal models; however, the effect of low birth weight on clinical disease expression is unclear. This research aims to determine if pigs from low birth weight litters have increased severity of disease after experimental infection with influenza A virus (IAV) when compared to their counterparts from high birth weight litters, thus clarifying the effect of litter birth weight on disease expression. Pilot trials were conducted to determine the appropriate dose of virus to use and the optimal days post inoculation for necropsy to use for the main trial. The results indicated that the main trial should use an inoculation dose of 1 x 107 plaque forming units of IAV and the time of necropsy should be 48 hours post inoculation. In the main trial, male piglets (n=68) from parity one or two sows were identified at farrowing as coming from high or low birth weight litters. At four weeks of age, intratracheal IAV inoculation was performed (day 0) and pigs were euthanized at 48 hours post inoculation. Clinical signs were assessed prior to euthanasia. After euthanasia macroscopic and microscopic lesion severity were assessed, along with immunohistochemical staining intensity of IAV in lung tissue. SearchLight Chemiluminescent Array Technology was used to measure the concentration of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, and interleukin 8 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Interferon alpha was measured using fluorescent microsphere immunoassay. Fifty Percent Tissue Culture Infective Dose was used to measure influenza viral titers in lung tissue. The study found no differences in clinical scores or cytokine concentration between pigs from high and low birth weight litters. Gross, histopathological and immunohistochemical scores were significantly higher in piglets from high birth weight litters and viral titers trended higher in these piglets. These findings indicate that pathologic disease scores in piglets experimentally inoculated with IAV are more severe in piglets from high birth weight litters.

No description available.

To investigate the relation between amniotic fluid (amf) constituents and human fetal growth and birth weight (b.wt), amf was collected from 395 pregnant women undergoing routine amniocentesis at 14--16 weeks' gestation at the Royal Victoria (RVH), Jewish General (JGH), and St. Mary's (SMH) Hospitals. The fluid was analyzed for total protein, albumin, urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate (betaHBA), and lactate. Maternal and neonatal data were collected from a questionnaire at the time of recruitment and from medical charts post-delivery. The mean b.wt in our population was 3409 +/- 552g. Birth weight differed significantly by infant gender, maternal height (ht), and prepregnancy weight (wt), as determined by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Of the amf constituents measured, glucose showed strong evidence of being a potential predictor of b.wt, such that for each mmol/L increase in amf glucose a 119.4g increase in b.wt was observed. Lactate showed a similar but weaker tendency toward predictive value. Ongoing research is currently being done to further examine the role of human amf constituents in predicting b.wt, the goal being to develop a predictive model that would aid in preparing for and preventing aberrations in fetal growth.

The objectives of the study were to measure the concentrations of albumin, transferrin, IgG and uric acid in 2nd trimester amniotic fluid (AF) and to establish if these concentrations were associated with infant birth outcomes. / Amniotic fluid samples (n=230) were collected from mothers undergoing routine amniocentesis (12-20 wk). Maternal characteristics like height, pre-pregnancy weight, age, smoking status, parity and infant gender, birth weight and gestational age were collected from questionnaires and obstetrical medical chart review. AF samples were analyzed by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). / The results showed that the 2nd trimester AF uric acid was a significant predictor of infant birth weight (grams) and transferrin was negatively associated with gestational age in term infants.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.Sc.). / Written for the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2007/08/30). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on June 18, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-137). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.