• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.607-611
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• 2017

Primary maternal infection with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is frequently associated with transplacental transmission of the parasite to the fetus. This study was conducted to test the utility of PCR assay to detect recent infections with Toxoplasma in aborted women at various gestational ages who referred to Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Alavi Hospital in Ardabil during 2014 and 2016. Two hundred women with a history of single or repeated abortion were investigated in this study. Blood samples were tested for specific anti-Toxoplasma IgM and IgG antibodies by ELISA. According to the results, 53.5% of the women under study were positive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies: 4.0% of them had IgM, 43.0% had IgG, and 6.5% had both IgM and IgG. Subsequently, Nested-PCR analysis was used to detect T. gondii DNA in the placenta of subjects. In 10.5% of the women, the results were positive for 529 bp element of T. gondii. Among them, 5 (23.8%) cases were IgM positive, 1 (4.8%) case was IgG positive, and 11 (52.4%) were both IgM and IgG positive. In 4 (19.0%) patients, none of the antibodies were found to be positive. In total, 16 patients had positive results in both ELISA and PCR methods, and 174 cases had negative results for new infection. The findings of this study revealed that T. gondii might be one of the significant factors leading to abortion, and that the analysis of placenta can be important in order to achieve increased detection sensitivity.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2010

Purpose: To find the most effective method for extraction of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) from maternal plasma, we compared a blood DNA extraction system (blood kit) and a viral DNA extraction system (viral kit) for non-invasive first-trimester fetal gender determination. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted with maternal plasma collected from 44 women in the first-trimester of pregnancy. The cf-DNA was extracted from maternal plasma using a blood kit and a viral kit. Quantitative fluorescent-polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) was used to detect the SRY gene and AMEL gene. The diagnostic accuracy of the QF-PCR results was determined based on comparison with the final delivery records. Results: A total of 44 women were tested, but the final delivery record was only obtained in 36 cases which included 16 male-bearing and 20 female-bearing pregnancies. For the blood kit and viral kit, the diagnostic accuracies for fetal gender determination were 63.9% (23/36) and 97.2% (35/36), respectively. Conclusion: In non-invasive first-trimester fetal gender determination by QF-PCR, using a viral kit for extraction of cf-DNA may result in a higher diagnostic accuracy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.310-312
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• 2011

A preterm female infant born at 27 weeks of gestation with a birth weight of 990 g developed acute hypotonia, apnea, hypotension and bradycardia mimicking septic shock syndrome at 14h after birth. Laboratory tests indicated a severe hypermagnesemia of 45 mg/dL. The renal function, complete blood count and maternal blood concentrations of magnesium were normal, and the blood cultures were negative. The patient recovered with treatment including exchange transfusion. However, the etiology of the severe hypermagnesemia remains unknown.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.930-939
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• 1994

Vitamin B-6 nutrition has been shown to be inadequate in many population groups including pregnant and lactating women, and in infants. Vitamin B-6 intake was measured in 98 pregnant mothers and a total of 172 cord blood samples of their and other new born infants were analyzed for erythrocyte alanine aminotransferase(EALAT) activities with or without the addition of pyridoxal-5-phosphate to assess vitamin B-6 status of the infants. The average daily vitamin B-6 intake of the pregnant mothers was 1.79mg$\pm$0.88(81.4% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances ; RDA) and vitamin B-6 to protein intake ration was 0.017mg vitamin B-6/g protein. Thirty-eight percent of the pregnant women consumed diets which provided less than the RDA for vitamin B-6 during pregnancy. Seventy-two percent of the dietary pyridoxine intake was provided by the plant food source whose bioavailability was reported to be lower when compared to that of the animal food. The average activity coefficient(AC) values of the cord blood EALAT was 1.41$\pm$0.11, and 32% of the blood samples had EALATAC values greater than 1.25, suggesting that vitamin B-6 status of the newborns might be less than adequate.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.283-290
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was to identify the relationship between parental rearing attitudes and personality in nursing college students. Methods: A total of 297 subjects aged between 18 and 28 were selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected with a self-reported questionnaire from March 2 to 25, 2011. Collected data were analyzed with SpSS/pC Win 15.0. Results: Differences in parental rearing attitudes according to general characteristics were as follows. In parental rearing attitudes, acceptance were significantly different according to school record of their children. In maternal rearing attitudes, acceptance was significantly different according to economic status and paternal rearing attitudes perceived acceptance was significantly different according to parental education level. All of parental rearing attitudes perceived denial were significantly different according to the gender, grade, parental economic status, blood type, two income family. There was a positive correlation between parental rearing attitudes perceived acceptance and personality of their children except paternal rearing attitude perceived denial. 26.3% of variance in personality was explained by maternal rearing attitude perceived acceptance only. Conclusion: The findings of this study may be useful in understanding the personality of nursing college students and developing more specific personality and parental rearing attitudes programs.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.39-45
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• 2022

This study was undertaken to assess the potential of body mass index (BMI) as a risk factor for massive hemorrhage (MH) after cesarean section (CS) in patients with placenta previa. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent CS for placenta previa between January 2010 and December 2018. MH was defined as an estimated blood loss ≥2,000 mL during surgery. Clinical characteristics, including BMI, were compared between the groups with and without MH. Subsequently, multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent risk factors for MH. A total of 189 patients were included in this study. MH was observed in 28 patients (14.8%). According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis results, the risk factors independently associated with MH were BMI at delivery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.35; P=0.012), placenta accrete (aOR, 24.55; 95% CI, 2.75-219.02; P=0.004), and total previa degree (aOR, 9.86; 95% CI, 2.71-35.96; P=0.001). The study findings showed that maternal obesity, namely a higher BMI at delivery, was an independent risk factor for MH after CS in patients with placenta previa. Close attention should be paid to the potential risk of hemorrhage associated with maternal obesity as well as the well-known risk factors of placenta accreta and total previa degree.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2015

Purpose: Noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) by massively parallel sequencing (MPS) of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma marks a significant advancement in prenatal screening, minimizing the need for invasive testing of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. Here, we report the initial clinical performance of NIPT in Korean pregnant women. Materials and Methods: MPS-based NIPT was performed on 910 cases; 5 mL blood samples were collected and sequenced in the Shenzhen BGI Genomic Laboratory to identify aneuploidies. The risk of fetal aneuploidy was determined by L-score and t-score, and classified as high or low. The NIPT results were validated by karyotyping for the high-risk cases and neonatal follow-up for low-risk cases. Results: NIPT was mainly requested for two clinical indications: abnormal biochemical serum-screening result (54.3%) and advanced maternal age (31.4%). Among 494 cases with abnormal biochemical serum-screening results, NIPT detected only 9 (1.8%) high-risk cases. Sixteen cases (1.8%) of 910 had a high risk for aneuploidy: 8 for trisomy 21, 2 for trisomy 18, 1 for trisomy 13, and 5 for sex chromosome abnormalities. Amniocentesis was performed for 7 of these cases (43.8%). In the karyotyping and neonatal data, no false positive or negative results were observed in our study. Conclusion: MPS-based NIPT detects fetal chromosomal aneuploidies with high accuracy. Introduction of NIPT as into clinical settings could prevent about 98% of unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2016

Objectives: This study compared the nutritional status of child-bearing age women between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Methods: The data presented in the DPRK Final Report of the National Nutrition Survey 2012 was utilized for the nutritional status and food intake of North Korean women. To produce the South Korean women's data comparable to those of North Korean women, the data from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey were analyzed and the data presented in the 2010 Report of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards were utilized. Results: The prevalence of maternal anemia (blood hemoglobin < 12.0 g/dL) was over 30% in all the age groups of North Korean women and 8.9%, 14.2%, 16.4% in 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 year old South Korean women, respectively. The prevalence of maternal protein-energy malnutrition (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference < 22.5 cm) was 25.2%, 21.4%, 21.8% in 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 year old North Korean women, respectively and less than 10% in all the age groups of South Korean women. Result of dietary diversity comparison showed that North Korean women consumed less food than South Korean women at all food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy. Percentage of North Korean women having consumed protein rich foods-meat and fish, eggs or dairy products-were much lower than those of South Korean women. Conclusions: The striking disparity of nutritional status between South and North Korean women indicates that nutrition support for North Korean women is essential in the process of preparation for a unified nation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.504-508
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• 2002

The effects of fetal number (single or twin) on blood glucose and plasma NEFA during pregnancy and around parturition were studied on ten Alpine ${\times}$ Beetal crossbred goats in their first to third lactation. The animals were divided in-groups 1(carrying single fetus, n=4) and 2(twin fetus, n=6). The samples were drawn on day1 after estrus and then at 14 days interval (fortnight) for 10 fortnights. Around parturition the samples were taken on days -20, -15, -10, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1 prior to kidding and on day 0 and +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +10, +15, +20 days post kidding. In twin bearing goats the blood glucose concentration continued to increase from 1st until 4th fortnight and thereafter gradually decline from 5th upto 8th fortnight. In single bearing goats there was increase in levels from 2nd upto 4th fortnight and thereafter it declined from 5th uptill 9th fortnight. The difference in sampling interval was highly significant (p<0.01) in both the groups. However the values were higher in single than in twin bearing goats. The plasma NEFA concentration was low in both the groups' upto 4th fortnight and thereafter it is continuously increased upto 9th fortnight. During prepartum period the blood glucose was higher in single than in twin bearing goats. The values were minimum on the day of kidding in both the groups. During postpartum period the values were significantly (p<0.01) higher in twin than in single fetus bearing goats. The plasma NEFA was significantly (p<0.05) higher in twin than in single fetus bearing goats. The blood glucose and plasma NEFA concentration can be used as index of nutritional status during pregnancy and around parturition in goats.

• Perinatology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.165-169
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• 2018

Objective: Highly sensitive haptoglobin measurement should be used in neonates because the haptoglobin concentration in neonates is lower than that of adults. The aim of this study was to establish the reference values of haptoglobin levels in the cord blood of uninfected neonates. Methods: The cord blood of 29 preterm and 51 term babies was collected, and data from the mother and the newborn were recorded. The haptoglobin concentrations of 80 cord blood samples were simultaneously measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Assaypro, St Charles, MO, USA) and immunoturbidimetry assay (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland). C-reactive protein (CRP) was also measured by immunoturbidimetry assay (Roche Diagnostics, Switzerland). Results: Mean values of CRP and ELISA haptoglobin were not significantly different between preterm and term babies. The 2.5 percentile and 97.5 percentile values of ELISA haptoglobin concentration were as follows: 80 neonates, 0.01 mg/dL and 0.59 mg/dL; 29 preterm babies, 0.08 mg/dL and 0.18 mg/dL; and 51 term babies, 0.07 mg/dL and 0.23 mg/dL. There were no differences in ELISA haptoglobin concentration according to maternal underlying diseases, delivery method, usage of antibiotics or steroids before delivery, gestational age, gender of baby, or twin gestation. Conclusion: A highly sensitive haptoglobin method should be used to determine the haptoglobin concentration in Korean newborns because the reference values of cord blood haptoglobin concentration in Korean newborns are less than the lower detection limit for commonly used immunoturbidimetric haptoglobin measurement methods.