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This article discusses the role of second trimester uterine artery Doppler (UtAd) in routine prenatal care in Switzerland. The study aimed to determine whether interpreting second trimester UtAd with the uterine artery score (UAS) is useful in an unselected Swiss population. The researchers retrospectively calculated the UAS in 503 singleton pregnancies and analyzed its relationship with perinatal outcomes. The results showed that a UAS >2 was associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes such as hypertension/preeclampsia, small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm birth. The study concludes that routine second trimester UtAd is useful in all pregnancies, as it can identify additional patients without pre-existing risk factors who may develop SGA later. The UAS is an effective tool for interpreting UtAd, with a cut-off of 2. For UAS 3 or 4, a more intense surveillance program should be offered. [Extracted from the article]

First trimester screening for pre-eclampsia (PE) combining uterine artery Doppler (UtA-PI), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and placental growth factor (PlGF) with the background risk allows the best prediction of preterm PE (pPE). Only median PAPP-A-MoM measured significantly different by the two calculations with 1.12 [0.79-1.55] and 1.24 [0.83-1.69] respectively (p = 0.0045). Combining UtA-PI, MAP and PlGF on the online calculator 141/995 (14.2%) had a risk > 1:100 and at the SPR of 11% the cut-off is 1:68. [Extracted from the article]

Chemoradiotherapy in young women with cancer has substantially improved life expectancy in these patients, but these treatments often cause infertility. One method of preserving fertility is to cryopreserve ovarian tissue. In this study, an automatic open-vessel freezing system with self-seeding was tested for cryopreservation of murine ovarian tissue; the mouse is a species widely used in human and veterinary medical research. The freezing system concerned, is used for cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos in Europe. Twenty severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) micewere ovariectomized. The ovarian tissue was either directly transplanted heterotopically into the neck muscle (group 1, n = 6) or cryopreserved after equilibration with 1.5 M dimethylsulphoxide and propanediol. After thawing, the tissue was transplanted in SCID mice (group 2, n = 6). Before and after thawing, a part of the ovarian tissue was examined with the LIVE/DEAD fluorescent viability staining. The count of follicles revealed intact (fresh 24.1%/thawed 21.7%), impaired (fresh 35.1%/thawed 35.4%), and dead follicles (fresh 40.8%/thawed 42.9%). The healthy follicular loss because of the cryopreservation was 10.0%. All recipient mice were killed after 3 weeks. Transplanted ovarian tissue was found macroscopically in all mice. Histological examination showed several growing follicles in all developmental phases in both groups of SCID mice [group 1 (fresh grafts): 315 ± 76.3 (mean ± SD); group 2 (cryopreserved grafts): 237 ± 63.4]. These results demonstrate that the use of an open-freezing system allows the survival of cryopreserved mouse ovarian tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the effect of sulfur mustard 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide on inflammatory mediators, heat shock protein 70A in two skin models. Histologic evaluation of tissues; Susceptibility of tissues to alkylating agent; Administration of antiinflammatory agents.

The in vivo- and in vitro-hyperparazitation of Gonatobotrys simplex (Gs) by Epicoccum purpurascens (Ep) is presented. Ep, showing positive tropism, grows toward the host fungus Gs. After contact Ep penetrates especially the Gs-conidia, more rarely germ tubes and the mycelium. Two types of penetration can be distinguished: I) direct penetration and 2) penetration after previous formation of appressoria. On this attack Gs reacts with local cell wall appositions (papillae), which mostly can be pierced by the hyperparasite. At the advanced state of parasitism the host fungus finally dies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three stands of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steudel were investigated regarding the relationship between the number of efflux culms and convective ventilation efficiency affecting the hypoxic status of roots and rhizomes. The lack of old (efflux) culms after mowing the preceding winter caused a significantly higher counterpressure within the rhizome, thereby diminishing air flushing rate, i.e. oxygen supply, of rhizomes. The levels of alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid in basal culm internodes increased significantly. Both amino acids indicate the hypoxic status of the root and rhizome metabolism of P. australis. Amino acid patterns of the basal culm internodes are discussed with respect to the maintenance of aerobic root metabolism and nutrient availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distorted octahedral title complex, [V(V)(C3H7O)(C3H8O)2F2O], was synthesized via ligand exchange at [V(V)O(OiPr)3] with aqueous hydrogen fluoride in propan-2-ol and crystallized from (D)chloroform at 238 K after a few weeks. Crystal structure determination shows two C1-symmetric moieties to be present in the asymmetric unit, forming infinite chains along [100] via hydrogen bonds. The compound provides the first crystal structure containing the [VF2O(OiPr)] motif.