Sensing and Regulating Cellular Energy Production

Cells must decide when to expand mitochondrial capacity to accommodate increased energy demands. Rutter, Winge, and colleagues have shown that the ancient mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis system has a profound and unexpected regulatory role in driving mitochondrial biogenesis. Continue reading → Sensing and Regulating Cellular Energy Production

Diaphragm Development and Congenital Hernias

The diaphragm is an essential mammalian skeletal muscle, as it is required for respiration and serves as a barrier between the thoracic and abdominal cavities. The Kardon lab used sophisticated mouse genetic studies to establish that the diaphragm arises from multiple embryonic tissues. Continue reading → Diaphragm Development and Congenital Hernias

Elective Labor Induction in First-Time Moms at 39 Weeks of Gestation

The optimal timing of delivery for low-risk pregnancies is not known. Risks of complications increase after 39 weeks of gestation, but inducing labor may increase the need for cesarean delivery, leading to policies prohibiting elective induction before 41 weeks. To address this dilemma, Robert Silver, MD, and colleagues at the University of Utah Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology randomized 6,106 low-risk, first-time pregnant women to either induction of labor at 39 weeks or expectant management. Continue reading → Elective Labor Induction in First-Time Moms at 39 Weeks of Gestation