Double blinded study on comparison of phosphorylated insulin like growth factor binding protein 1 test and fetal fibronectin test for prediction of preterm delivery

Background: Recently new markers like fetal fibronectin (FFN) and phosphorylated Insulin like growth factor binding protein 1 (phIGFBP-1) have been found useful in diagnosis of pre-term labor. Fetal fibronectin (FFN) and phosphorylated Insulin like growth factor binding protein 1 (phIGFBP-1) were compared to predict the risk of pre- term delivery.Methods: Cervicovaginal samples of 50 symptomatic and 50 asymptomatic pregnant women were tested. Statistical analysis was done using chi square test, fisher’s exact test for qualitative data and for quantitative data unpaired student t test and Mann Whitney test were used.Results: For Symptomatic group phosphorylated Insulin like growth factor binding protein 1 (phIGFBP-1) and fetal fibronectin (FFN) had 100% sensitivity and 100% NPV for predicting delivery within 48 hours, 7days and 14 days. Specificity and PPV of FFN was higher than phIGFBP-1 to predict delivery (Specificity: within 48 hours 63.2% vs 52.6% within 7 days 72.7% vs 60.6%, within 14 days 75% vs 62.5%, ≤37 weeks 76% vs 56%; PPV: within 48 hours 46.2% vs 40%, within 7 days 65.4% vs 56.7%, within 14 days was 69.2% vs 60% and ≤37 weeks 76.9% vs 63%).Conclusions: Rapid bed side dip stick tests for detecting FFN and ph IGFBP-1 in cervicovaginal secretions are useful clinical adjuncts in ruling out delivery within 14 days of test in symptomatic patients, thus avoiding unnecessary hospital stay and medical interventions. However, FFN has slightly higher NPV in predicting risk of pre term delivery

Predictive and prognostic significance of placental growth factor in pregnant women at high-risk for development of preeclampsia

Background: The study aimed to assess the predictive and prognostic role of placental growth factor (PlGF) in high-risk antenatal women for development of preeclampsia (PE). Methods: In this observational cohort study, antenatal women with gestation age from 20 to 32 weeks with high risk for development of PE were included. Serum PlGF was estimated by sandwich ELISA technique. A p-value of less than .05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 286 high-risk women were analysed for development of PE and obstetric outcomes. Of these 97/286 (34%) developed PE and 62/286 (21.7%) had abnormal PlGF value ( 100 pg/ml). Among the women with abnormal PIGF, 48 (77.4%) developed PE and out of 224 women with normal PIGF level, 49 (21.9%) developed PE resulting in a significant (p<0.001) odds ratio of 12.2 (95% CI: 6.0-25.9). For prediction of PE, a sensitivity and specificity of more than 75% at a cut-off value of <204.5 pg/ml was observed by ROC curve analysis. For prediction of preterm delivery (<34 weeks), a sensitivity and specificity of 65% was observed at a cut-off value of PlGF 191.7 pg/ml. Obstetric complications like eclampsia, preterm births (<34 weeks), neonate with low 5-minute APGAR score, low birth weight, fetal growth restriction, still-births and neonatal intensive care unit admissions all were significantly higher in abnormal PlGF group compared with normal PlGF group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Serum PlGF levels can provide valuable information for the prediction of PE and preterm births and abnormal PlGF values showed a significant association with adverse obstetrical outcomes

Stereoselective Total Synthesis of (−)‐Thallusin for Bioactivity Profiling

Chemical mediators are key compounds for controlling symbiotic interactions in the environment. Here, we disclose a fully stereoselective total synthesis of the algae differentiation factor (−)‐thallusin that utilizes sophisticated 6‐ endo ‐cyclization chemistry and effective late‐stage sp 2 –sp 2 ‐couplings using non‐toxic reagents. An EC 50 of 4.8 pM was determined by quantitative phenotype profiling in the green seaweed Ulva mutabilis (Chlorophyte), underscoring this potent mediator‘s enormous, pan‐species bioactivity produced by symbiotic bacteria. SAR investigations indicate that (−)‐thallusin triggers at least two different pathways in Ulva that may be separated by chemical editing of the mediator compound structure

Stereoselektive Totalsynthese von (−)‐Thallusin zur Bioaktivitätsprofilierung

Chemische Mediatoren sind Schlüsselverbindungen zur Kontrolle von Symbiosen in unserer Umwelt. Hier berichten wir über eine völlig stereoselektive Totalsynthese des Algendifferenzierungsfaktors (−)‐Thallusin, die sich durchdachter 6‐ endo ‐Zyklisierungschemie und effektiver sp 2 –sp 2 ‐Kupplungen mittels Zinn‐freier Reagenzien auf späten Stufen bedient. Durch quantitative phänotypische Profilierung wurde für die weit verbreitete Grünalge Ulva mutabilis (Chlorophyta) ein EC 50 ‐Wert von 4.8 pM ermittelt, was die enorme artenübergreifende Bioaktivität dieses von symbiotischen Bakterien produzierten Mediators aufzeigt. SAR‐Untersuchungen weisen darauf hin, dass (−)‐Thallusin mindestens zwei unterschiedliche Signalwege in Ulva auslöst, die durch chemische Editierung der Mediatorstruktur separiert werden können

THE MANAGEMENT OF PRIMARY DYSMENORRHOEA (KASHTARTAVA) - A PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTRIC OPEN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Objective: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of Rajahpravartini vati in the management of primary dysmenorrhoea (Kashtartava) and changes in the quality of life of the subjects. Study design: A multi-centric prospective single arm observational study. Setting and participants: 359 subjects aged between 16 - 35 years suffering from painful menstruation at least for three consecutive regular menstrual cycles were included in the study. Intervention: Rajahpravartini Vati a classical Ayurvedic formulation was administered 250 mg b.d. with lukewarm water for 90 days followed by subsequent 90 days without intervention. Outcome measures: The management of menstrual pain assessing by 10 points Visual Analogue Scale and improvement in the quality of life using SF-36 (RAND) questionnaire. Results: The mean VAS score of pain at baseline was 6.94±1.98, decreasing to 1.7±2.22 at 90th day which further decreased and maintained to 1.24±1.9 up to 180th day. Associated symptoms like nausea, vomiting, constipation, giddiness, breast tenderness, diarrhea, headache and fainting were completely relieved. The improvements of quality of life in 8 domains viz. pain, general health, physical functioning, social functioning, emotional wellbeing, energy/fatigue, limitation due to physical health and emotional problems at the end of 90th day of intervention was also significant (p<0.001) in comparison to baseline. No adverse event occurred during the treatment period. Conclusion: Rajahpravartini Vati has shown a positive role for the treatment of dysmenorrhoea and to improve the quality of life of the subjects

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements