Thrombocytopenia in Preterm Infants with Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Sick preterm infants often have thrombocytopenia at birth, and this is often associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), or birth weights less than the 10th percentile. The pathogenesis of the thrombocytopenia and its importance in IUGR are still unclear. We studied the characteristics of preterm IUGR infants with thrombocytopenia. Twenty-seven singleton Japanese preterm IUGR infants were born between January 2002 and June 2007 at Okayama University Hospital. Infants with malformation, chromosomal abnormalities, alloimmune thrombocytopenia, sepsis, and maternal aspirin ingestion were excluded. The infants were divided into group A (n&#65309;8), which had thrombocytopenia within 72h after birth, and group B (n&#65309;19), which did not. There were significant differences in birth weight, head circumference, umbilical artery (UA)-pulsatility index (PI), middle cerebral artery-PI, UA-pH, UA-pO2, and UA-pCO2. The infants in group A were smaller, had abnormal blood flow patterns, and were hypoxic at birth. We speculate that the infants with thrombocytopenia were more severely growth-restricted by chronic hypoxia. Thrombocytopenia is an important parameter for chronic hypoxia in the uterine.</p

Trends in Apgar scores and umbilical artery pH: a population-based cohort study on 10,696,831 live births in Germany, 2008-2022

Low Apgar scores and low umbilical arterial (UA) blood pH are considered indicators of adverse perinatal events. This study investigated trends of these perinatal health indicators in Germany. Perinatal data on 10,696,831 in-hospital live births from 2008 to 2022 were obtained from quality assurance institutes. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to quantify trends of low Apgar score and UA pH. Additional analyses stratified by mode of delivery were performed on term singletons with cephalic presentation. Robustness against unmeasured confounding was analyzed using the E-value sensitivity analysis. The overall rates of 5-min Apgar scores < 7 and UA pH < 7.10 in liveborn infants were 1.17% and 1.98%, respectively. For low Apgar scores, joinpoint analysis revealed an increase from 2008 to 2011 (annual percent change (APC) 5.19; 95% CI 3.66-9.00) followed by a slower increase from 2011 to 2019 (APC 2.56; 95% CI 2.00-3.03) and a stabilization from 2019 onwards (APC - 0.64; 95% CI - 3.60 to 0.62). The rate of UA blood pH < 7.10 increased significantly between 2011 and 2017 (APC 5.90; 95% CI 5.15-7.42). For term singletons in cephalic presentation, the risk amplification of low Apgar scores was highest after instrumental delivery (risk ratio 1.623, 95% CI 1.509-1.745), whereas those born spontaneous had the highest increase in pH < 7.10 (risk ratio 1.648, 95% CI 1.615-1.682). CONCLUSION: Rates of low 5-min Apgar scores and UA pH in liveborn infants increased from 2008 to 2022 in Germany. What is Known: • Low Apgar scores at 5 min after birth and umbilical arterial blood pH are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. • Prospective collection of Apgar scores and arterial blood pH data allows for nationwide quality assurance. What is New: • The rates of liveborn infants with 5-min Apgar scores < 7 rose from 0.97 to 1.30% and that of umbilical arterial blood pH < 7.10 from 1.55 to 2.30% between 2008-2010 and 2020-2022. • In spontaneously born term singletons in cephalic presentation, the rate of metabolic acidosis with pH < 7.10 and BE < -5 mmol/L in umbilical arterial blood roughly doubled between the periods 2008-2010 and 2020-2022

Studies in Blackberry: Development and Implementation of a Phenotyping Protocol for Blackberry Seedling Populations and Impact of Time of Day of Harvest on Red Drupelet Reversion for University of Arkansas Blackberry Genotypes

There are two major public blackberry (Rubus L. subgenus rubus Watson) breeding programs in the United States: one at the University of Arkansas (UA) and another at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Horticultural Crops Research Unit (USDA-ARS HCRU) based in Corvallis, OR. The germplasm and breeding objectives of these two breeding programs are diverse, but frequent collaboration necessitated a standardized method of characterizing plant and fruit traits. A phenotyping protocol for blackberry was developed at UA and implemented for two years on UA seedling populations. The protocol included plant traits (health, vigor, estimated crop load, peak bloom date, and number of canes) and fruit compositional traits (firmness by compression, berry weight, soluble solids content, pH, and titratable acidity). Multivariate analysis indicated that quantitative measurements, rather than qualitative, were best for phenotypic resolution, particularly for specific traits contributing to larger overall characteristics. Fruit compositional traits were evaluated on juice from one year from populations of blackberries grown at UA and UDSA-ARS HCRU, and included soluble solids content, pH, titratable acidity, and organic acids and sugars. Analysis of variance of fruit compositional traits indicated that population means in UA material had more significant differences for several attributes when compared to USDA-ARS HCRU material. Generally, UA seedlings had lower soluble solids content, higher pH, and lower titratable acidity as well as acid content than USDA-ARS HCRU seedlings. Another interesting attribute of fresh-market blackberries is red drupelet reversion, a postharvest phenomenon in which drupelets on the berry turn red. Nine UA advanced selections and cultivars were harvested at different times of days and evaluated for weight lost by berry, change in firmness, and incidence of red drupelet reversion after storage. Results indicated that a novel “crispy” genotype performed better than other genotypes in regard to red drupelet reversion. However, for both change in firmness and incidence of reversion, a significant genotype and harvest time interaction effect was observed. Overall, it is suggested that growers harvest blackberries at earlier, cooler times to avoid the postharvest disorder, regardless of genotype

Simultaneous Determination of Uric Acid and Xanthine Using a Poly(Methylene Blue) and Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Film Modified Electrode

Poly(methylene blue) and electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite film modified electrode (PMB-ERGO/GCE) was successfully fabricated by electropolymerization and was used for simultaneous determination of uric acid (UA) and xanthine (Xa). Based on the excellent electrocatalytic activity of PMB-ERGO/GCE, the electrochemical behaviors of UA and Xa were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). Two anodic sensitive peaks at 0.630 V (versus Ag/AgCl) for UA and 1.006 V (versus Ag/AgCl) for Xa were given by CV in pH 3.0 phosphate buffer. The calibration curves for UA and Xa were obtained in the range of 8.00 × 10−8~4.00 × 10−4 M and 1.00 × 10−7~4.00 × 10−4 M, respectively, by SWV. The detection limits for UA and Xa were 3.00×10-8 M and 5.00×10-8 M, respectively. Finally, the proposed method was applied to simultaneously determine UA and Xa in human urine with good selectivity and high sensitivity

The predictive role of color doppler sonography in evaluating hypoxia and acidosis in intrauterine growth restriction fetuses: correlation with arterial blood gas analysis

Background: Doppler is an ultrasound technique allowing non-invasive measurement of artery blood flow velocities. Objective of this study was to evaluate the role of umbilical artery (UA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) Doppler study in predicting fetal hypoxia and acidosis in IUGR fetus and a population subjected to hematologic fluctuations.Methods: In this study 100 subjects with IUGR fetuses was evaluated for comparison of Doppler sonography analysis of fetal middle cerebral arteries and umbilical arteries and cord blood samples (pCO2, pO2) that was collected at the time of delivery.Results: Among the 100 subjects (between 28-32 gestational week) of IUGR showed a high risk of hypoxia and acidosis type condition. The observations were recorded in terms of MCA/UA ratio, the abnormal MCA/UA ratio was observed in significant (p<0.05) number of patients growth restricted fetuses (n=96), as compared to normal. There is a direct correlation found in the pH and pCO2 values. The results of arterial blood gases with respect to pH were found to be less than 7.3±1.6 in 96 subjects with abnormal MCA/UA ratio as compared to normal, that relates to the increase in the relative pCO2 (61.66%) [Acid increase] and decrease in pO2 arterial gases (Hpoxia increase).Conclusions: The study provides an insight that shows IUGR fetuses have a relatively higher risk of hypoxia (less oxygen) and acidosis (low pH and high pCO2), showed the most important determinants variations

Micelle-mediated method for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid and uric acid by differential pulse voltammetry

The present work describes an analytical methodology for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) by differential pulse voltammetry employing the cationic surfactant, cetylpyridinium chloride. Differential pulse voltammetry measurements revealed that the cationic micellar media may separate the oxidation peak potentials of AA and UA present in the same solution by about 282 mV, which is enough to determine both species simultaneously. As in pH 7.0 the AA is more ionized than UA, its electrostatic attraction towards the cationic micelles formed onto the surface of glassy carbon electrode is higher, therefore, promoting a decrease in the overpotential and increasing the electron transfer rate. Calibration curves to AA and UA in the concentration range from 4.70 up to 220 µmol L-1 and 0.50 up to 110 µmol L-1 were built. The proposed methodology was applied for the simultaneous determination of AA and UA in human urine samples

Ozonolysis of Uric Acid at the Air/Water Interface

Uric acid (UA) epoxide, peroxide, and ozonide species produced in aqueous UA microdroplets exposed to O3(g) are detected by online mass spectrometry within ∼1 ms. UA conversions are independent of its initial concentration below ∼0.1 mM and are unaffected by addition of excess H2O2 or t-butanol. UA reactivity increases ∼380 times from pH 4 to 7, which is at variance with the pH-independent rates reported for the UA + O3(aq) reaction in bulk water. At pH ∼7, UA and ascorbic acid (AH2) microdroplets react with O3(g) at similar rates, although UA is ∼40 times more reactive than AH2 toward O3(aq) in bulk water. Only the UA epoxide, plus traces of UA peroxide, are formed upon mixing UA(aq) and O3(aq) solutions. We infer that the gas−liquid ozonolysis of UA proceeds in an interfacial aqueous medium quite distinct from bulk water. Thus, UA, a component of the pulmonary epithelial lining fluid that scavenges atmospheric O3(g) into less deleterious species (similar to AH2), is rendered inactive below pH ∼5. The potential implications of these findings on synergistic health effects between tropospheric ozone and acidic particulates are briefly analyzed

Electrochemical reduced graphene oxide-poly(eriochrome black T)/gold nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid

This work reports on the preparation of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO)-poly(eriochrome black T) (pEBT) assembled gold nanoparticles for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) in PBS pH 6.0. Characterisations of the composite were carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry. As a result of the synergistic effect, the modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) possessed an efficient electrochemical catalytic activity with a high selectivity and sensitivity in oxidising AA-DA and DA-UA as compared to the bare GCE. The peak separations of AA and DA, DA and UA were 183 mV and 150 mV, respectively. The linear response ranges for AA, DA and UA were 10–900 μM, 0.5–20 μM and 2–70 μM with detection limits of 0.53 μM, 0.009 μM and 0.046 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. The sensitivity of ERGO-pEBT/AuNPs was measured as 0.003 µA/μM, 0.164 µA/μM and 0.034 µA/μM for AA, DA, and UA, respectively. The modified electrochemical sensor was used in the determination of AA, DA, and UA in vitamin C tablets and urine sample with good recovery

Structural Insights of the Cysteine Protease Heynein from Induction and Characterization of Non-native Intermediate States

Cysteine proteases are vital to cell physiology and many plants secrete these proteases for defense purposes. Many recent studies have reported unusually high stabilities for several plant cysteine proteases which possibly enable these proteases to function under adverse environmental conditions. Here, we have examined the conformational features of a new plant cysteine protease heynein using spectroscopic tools to understand the basis for its robust functional stability. The studies revealed structural integrity over a wide range of pH (2.5-12.0), temperature (65 oC) and urea (8M). However, at pH 2.0, the protein gets acid-unfolded (UA-state) with exposed hydrophobic patches, which upon addition of more protons (pH 0.5) or anions (0.5 M KCl and 0.2 M Na2SO4) yields conformationally distinct refolded intermediates respectively termed: A-, I1- and I2-states. Strikingly, a high methanol level drives the UA-state into a predominantly beta -sheet rich conformation (O-state). We observed three-state unfolding kinetics of the I2-state by urea, possibly suggesting presence of two domains in the heynein molecule

Role of electrolytes and unmeasured anions in the metabolic acid-base abnormalities in dogs with parvoviral enteritis

Background: The strong ion model (SIM) is an alternative paradigm in the characterization of acid‐base disturbances particularly in complex disorders. Hypothesis/Objectives: To compare the acid‐base changes in dogs with parvoviral enteritis (PE) using the Henderson‐Hasselbalch (HH) approach, with 2 strong ion approaches. Animals: Forty‐four dogs with PE, and 16 age‐matched control dogs. Methods: Prospective controlled observational study. Acid‐base status was evaluated using the HH model, Fencl‐Stewart (FS) approach and a validated strong ion model (VDM). The acid‐base changes according to each model were classified and compared. Statistical correlations between pH, CO2, and various SIM variables were performed, as well as between the sum of effects (SOE) of the SIM and the individual variables comprising the SOE. Results: The HH model identified acid‐base disorders in 31/44 cases of which 16/31 were mixed with metabolic acidosis and concurrent respiratory alkalosis the most common (10/31). Using the FS approach, metabolic changes were present 36/42 cases, with changes in free water (FW), chloride, and unmeasured anions (UA) being the most prevalent. Both FW and UA correlated well with pH; however, UA were most consistently abnormal in severe acidemia. Similarly to the HH, the VDM detected acid‐base disturbances in 28/44 cases. Major contributors to the acid‐base changes were hyponatremia, hypochloremia, and Atot acidosis because of elevated globulins and increased UA. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Acid‐base changes are common and complex in dogs with PE, and were easier to understand using a SIM paradigm. Increases in UA have not been documented in PE in dogs