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Background: Microtia is a reduction in pinna size, usually seen in humans in conjunction with other medical conditions. We report microtia in CD-1 mice after gestational exposure to ethane dimethanesulfonate (EDS), an alkylating agent and adult rat Leydig cell toxicant.
Methods: Time-pregnant CD-1 mice were administered 0, 80, or 160 mg EDS/kg on gestation days (GD) 11-17, or 0 or 160 mg EDS/kg on GD 11-13, GD 13-15 or GD 15-17. Pinnae were measured on postnatal days (PND) 4, 8, 18, and 28; and were observed for detachment from birth through PND 8. Branchial-arch derived skeletal structures and histology of the pinna was examined on PND 4 and 24. Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) tests were carried out at approximately PND 160 to determine possible effects on hearing.
Results: All offspring of EDS-treated dams exhibited bilateral, dose-related decreases in pinna size. Gestational exposure during GD 11-13 produced smaller ears than during GD 13-15 or 15-17, but not as small as the GD 11-17 regimen. Ossification of other pharyngeal arch derivatives was delayed whereas histology was unremarkable. BAER analysis showed a decrease in the proportion of adult offspring producing a quantifiable response to varied auditory stimuli among EDS-treated litters.
Conclusions: Gestational exposure to EDS affects pinna development in the mouse, with a broad period of sensitivity during the second half of gestation. Microtia induced by EDS may be associated with hearing deficits, suggesting functional importance of pinna size or additional effects of EDS on ear development not detected by morphological examination.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bdrb.10033 | DOI Listing |
Mol Psychiatry
September 2025
Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Early-life experiences shape neural networks, with heightened plasticity during the so-called "sensitive periods" (SP). SP are regulated by the maturation of GABAergic parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons, which become enwrapped by perineuronal nets (PNNs) over time, modulating SP closure. Additionally, the opening and closing of SP are orchestrated by two distinct gene clusters known as "trigger" and "brake".
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Infect Dis
September 2025
Department of Preventive & Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.
This prospective cohort study evaluated rifampin pharmacokinetics in pregnant and non-pregnant women with tuberculosis in India. Pregnant women had significantly lower drug exposure, with <20% of the participants achieving target concentrations at any trimester. Findings highlight potential underdosing in pregnancy and underscore the need for dedicated pharmacokinetics studies in pregnancy, and revised rifampin dosing guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJAMA Netw Open
September 2025
Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Importance: Exposure to inflammation from chorioamnionitis places the fetus at higher risk of premature birth and may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental impairments, though the evidence for the latter is mixed.
Objective: To evaluate whether moderate to severe histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) is directly associated with adverse motor performance, independent of the indirect mediating effects of premature birth.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective, population-based cohort study recruited participants between September 16, 2016, and November 19, 2019, from referral and nonreferral neonatal intensive care units of 5 southwestern Ohio hospitals.
Pediatr Pulmonol
September 2025
Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Objective: To wean respiratory support, preterm infants with severe respiratory failure are often administered systemic corticosteroids. We sought to evaluate if postnatal age or clinical characteristics predicted death or tracheostomy following systemic dexamethasone in evolving bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Study Design: We performed a retrospective study of infants born at ≤ 30 weeks' gestational age cared for at a Level IV referral center from 2009 to 2019 who received a complete course of systemic dexamethasone beyond 4 weeks of age for the indication of preventing death and/or liberating from positive pressure ventilation.
Am J Epidemiol
September 2025
Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research (CERH), Research Unit of Population Health, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
The role of residential dampness and molds in the occurrence of respiratory tract infections is not well understood. We assessed the relations between cumulative lifetime and time-specific dampness and mold exposures and the occurrence of upper and lower respiratory tract infections (URTI and LRTI) from pregnancy to 27 years of age in the prospective population-based Espoo Cohort Study (n=2,567). We assessed three questionnaire-based reports of residential exposure to water damage, moisture on the surfaces, visible mold and mold odor, and incidence rates of URTI and LRTI when children were 1-6, 7-13, and 21-27 years.
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