Unresolved issues on the antenatal use of corticosteroids for fetal lung maturation

Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) for fetal lung maturation is celebrating the 50th anniversary. The most recent Cochrane review concluded that there is robust evidence that a single course of ACS reduces the risk of perinatal death and respiratory distress syndrome. Some aspects of ACS remain unresolved, including variations in the steroids regimen, effectiveness in certain groups, long-term effects, optimal timing of ACS administration in elective cases. it is well established that a single course of betamethasone or dexamethasone is beneficial in cases of anticipated preterm birth and delivery eventually occurs between two and seven days from administration. The main focus for future research should be on limiting the unnecessary exposure in low-risk pregnancies and investigating the effect in specific groups, periviable and late preterm fetuses

Larvicidal activities of some bark and wood extracts against wood-damaging insects

This study investigates the larvicidal activities of plant extracts and tannins against wood-damaging insects. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), beech (Fagus orientalis), and poplar wood (Populus tremula) were subjected to larvae of Spondylis buprestoides (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) by impregnating them with mimosa (Acacia mollissima), quebracho (Schinopsis lorentzii) and redpine bark (Pinus brutia) extracts. At the end of the 6-month experiment, the numbers of dead and live larvae as well as the mean mass losses of woods were determined. In terms of wood species, the lowest larva resistance was observed in Scots pine wood, while the highest larva resistance was achieved by beech wood. The lowest mass losses and the highest dead termite rates in all tree species were observed when the concentration of mimosa and quebracho extracts was 12%. On the other hand, the pine bark extract showed a lower larvicide effect than the other two extracts

Monkeypox in pregnancy: clinical recommendation by the World Association of Perinatal Medicine-WAPM and the Perinatal Medicine Foundation-PMF

The World Health Organization in May 2022 declared the monkeypox virus (MPXV) a health emergency. Since then, over 45,355 cases have been reported, mostly from countries where the disease is not endemic. At the moment, most confirmed cases with travel history are reported to countries in Europe and North America, rather than West or Central Africa where the monkeypox virus is endemic. Its transmission depends on large respiratory droplets and skin-to-skin or skin-to-lesion close physical contact, including oral, anal, and vaginal intercourse therefore, women are also at risk of acquiring it. Given few data available, women’s and clinicians’ concerns about the uncertainty of the clinical course and management are more than understandable, especially so after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Lessons must be learnt from our prior mistakes and pregnant individuals should be included in international registries as well as any studies evaluating new treatments or vaccines. The following recommendation aims to provide the latest evidence about the effect of MPXV in pregnancy as well as recommendations for clinical management

COVID-19 during pregnancy and its impacts on perinatal health

n this review, we reviewed current literature on COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and provided up-to-date information and community/society recommendations. Although it has previous examples such as SARS and MERS and the infection findings appeared at an earlier period and have become known in China, the infection could not be limited and spread worldwide. Until June 8, 2020, a total of 6.8 million cases were reported and 397,000 cases died. As of the same date, the total case number in Turkey is 171,000 and total number of death is 4711. COVID-19 virus spread by droplets and its incubation period varies between 2 and 14 days. The rate of asymptomatic cases is 42% in non-pregnant patients while it is 44–89% in pregnant women. The disease progresses with mild-medium severity in about 80% of the patients, and it recovers by itself. A total of 17 maternal death cases has been reported. Although vertical transmission risk is very low according to a study investigating 265 pregnant women, there are cases showing fetal vertical transmission and we reviewed such cases in detail in this review

Maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with advanced maternal age affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection (Phase-2): The WAPM (World Association of Perinatal Medicine) Working Group on COVID-19

Objective To elucidate the role of advanced maternal age (AMA) in determining the outcome of pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods Multinational cohort study included women with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 76 centers in 27 different countries in Europe, United States, South America, Asia and Australia from 04 April 2020 till 28 October 2020. The primary outcome was a composite measure of maternal mortality and morbidity including admission to intensive care unit (ICU), use of mechanical ventilation (defined as intubation, need for continuous positive airway pressure, extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation), severe respiratory symptoms (including dyspnea and shortness of breath) or death. Results Eight hundred and eighty seven pregnant women were included in the study who were positive SARS-CoV-2 results by RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) on their nasal and pharyngeal swab specimens (352 with and 652 with no AMA). The risk of composite adverse maternal outcome was higher in AMA group compared to that of under 35 years of age group, with an OR of 1.99 (95% CI 1.4–2.9; p=0.002). Likewise, women >35 years were also at higher risk of hospital admission (OR: 1.88, 95% CI 1.4–2.5; p<0.001), presence of severe respiratory symptoms (OR: 1.53, 95% CI 1.0–2.3; p=0.04) and/or admission to ICU (OR: 2.00, 95% CI 1.1–3.7; p=0.003); however, no difference was observed in terms of perinatal outcome risk. Conclusion Advanced maternal age is an independent risk factor for adverse maternal outcome in pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Accurate risk stratification of women presenting with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy is warranted in order to identify a subset of women who may benefit from a personalized management, including elective hospitalization and/or prolonged surveillance in order to improve maternal outcome

Reconciling the stratigraphy and depositional history of the Lycian orogen-top basins, SW Anatolia

Terrestrial fossil records from the SWAnatolian basins are crucial both for regional correlations and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. By reassessing biostratigraphic constraints and incorporating new fossil data, we calibrated and reconstructed the late Neogene andQuaternary palaeoenvironments within a regional palaeogeographical framework. The culmination of the Taurides inSWAnatolia was followed by a regional crustal extension from the late Tortonian onwards that created a broad array of NE-trending orogen-top basins with synchronic associations of alluvial fan, fluvial and lacustrine deposits. The terrestrial basins are superimposed on the upper Burdigalian marine units with a c. 7 myr of hiatus that corresponds to a shift from regional shortening to extension. The initial infill of these basins is documented by a transition from marginal alluvial fans and axial fluvial systems into central shallow-perennial lakes coinciding with a climatic shift from warm/humid to arid conditions. The basal alluvial fan deposits abound in fossil macro-mammals of an early Turolian (MN11–12; late Tortonian) age. The Pliocene epoch in the region was punctuated by subhumid/humid conditions resulting in a rise of local base levels and expansion of lakes as evidenced by marsh-swamp deposits containing diverse fossilmammal assemblages indicating late Ruscinian (lateMN15; late Zanclean) ageWe are grateful for the support of the international bilateral project between The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and The Russian Scientific Foundation (RFBR) with grant a number of 111Y192. M.C.A. is grateful to the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) for a GEBIP (Young Scientist Award) grant. T.K. and S.M. are grateful to the Ege University Scientific Research Center for the TTM/002/2016 and TTM/001/2016 projects. M.C.A., H.A., S.M. and M.B. have obtained Martin and Temmick Fellowships at Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden). F.A.D. is supported by a Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Scientific Research Grant. T.A.N. is supported by an Alexander-von-Humboldt Scholarship. L.H.O. received support from TUBITAK under the 2221 program for visiting scientists

Fixation, leachability, and decay resistance of wood treated with some commercial extracts and wood preservative salts

WOS: 000263710700003Beech (Fagus orientalis) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) wood blocks were treated with some commercial extracts as well as water-based wood preservative salts at various concentrations to increase retention and fixation. The penetration, fixation. and antifungal properties of different treatment solutions were compared with statistical analysis. Retention levels of solutions were generally higher for Scots pine wood than beech wood. The highest retention levels were seen in wood treated with sumac leaf extract and oak valonia extract. Leaching tests indicated that both wood types treated with sumac extracts showed higher retention levels than wood treated with the other fruit and bark extract solutions. Adding 1% water-based wood preservative salts to valonia and sumac leaf extracts increased the retention levels. Concentrations of more than 1% did not contribute to retention either individually or with salt additions. Three percent and higher concentrations of wood-preserving salts accelerated and increased the amount of leaching. The results showed that the extract alone was resistant to leaching, Mycological tests showed that all extractives were significantly effective against wood decay. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Antifungal properties of some plant extracts used as wood preservatives

AKCAY, Caglar/0000-0003-1246-3056WOS: 000327166300004This study evaluated antifungal resistance of some commercial and environmentally friendly plant extracts. Four different concentrations of mimosa (Acacia mollissima), quebracho (Schinopsis lorentzii) and pine (Pinus brutia) bark extracts known with their high condense tannin amounts were used to impregnate Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L), beech (Fagus orientalis L.) and poplar (Populus tremula) wood specimens. Extract treated wood specimens were tested against two types of white rot fungi (Trametes versicolor and Pleurotus ostreatus) and two types of brown rot fungi (Fomitopsis palustris and Gloeophyllum trabeum) for 16 weeks. The lowest mass loss rates were recorded for mimosa and quebracho extract treated wood blocks at the 9% and 12% concentration levels against both white and brown rot fungi. Pine bark extract, on the other hand, seemed to be ineffective against all fungi species tested even at the highest concentration level (12%). The current study suggests that commercial mimosa and quebracho extracts can be utilized as alternative wood preservative chemicals against common wood decay fungi in indoor applications. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.BAP (Directory of Scientific Research Projects) of Duzce UniversityDuzce University [2012.02.HD.072]This research was financially supported by BAP (Directory of Scientific Research Projects) of Duzce University under the project number of 2012.02.HD.072