Doppler assessment of throphoblastic blood flow to predict adverse pregnancy outcome

Objective. To evaluate the diagnostic utility of trophoblastic blood flow Doppler parameters in predicting an adverse pregnancy outcome.Material and Methods. This was a retrospective study of 218 pregnancies of women between 8 and 11 weeks’ gestation. Depending on the pregnancy outcome, patients were divided into 4 clinical groups. All women underwent an ultrasound examination using Voluson S8, Voluson E8 with high-quality grey scale, color flow mapping and pulsed-wave Doppler modes. We used a program for obstetric research with the following instrument settings: 100 MHz Doppler frequency, thermal index (TI) was <1, mechanical index (MI) was 1. The examination time did not exceed 20 minutes. There was no radiation exposure. Transvaginal and transabdominal sonographies were performed.Results. To form a risk group for an adverse fetal outcome due to fetoplacental insufficiency, it is necessary to identify ultrasound markers of inadequate placental perfusion by means of a Doppler study of fetoplacental blood flow. For this purpose, we examined 218 pregnancies of women between 8 and 11 weeks’ gestation to determine the diagnostic utility of various parameters: resistivity index, pulsatility index, systolic/diastolic ratio and chorionic vascularization index (k, %). We received results proving high sensitivity (76.9%) and specificity (89.7%) of the chorionic vascularization index (k, %), as well as low specificity (54.7%) and high sensitivity (81.5%) of trophoblastic blood flow resistivity index.Conclusion. Thus, the chorionic vascularization index (k, %) is of high diagnostic utility for predicting an adverse fetal outcome

Weak Turbulent Kolmogorov Spectrum for Surface Gravity Waves

We study the long-time evolution of gravity waves on deep water exited by the stochastic external force concentrated in moderately small wave numbers. We numerically implement the primitive Euler equations for the potential flow of an ideal fluid with free surface written in canonical variables, using expansion of the Hamiltonian in powers of nonlinearity of up to fourth order terms. We show that due to nonlinear interaction processes a stationary energy spectrum close to $|k| \sim k^{-7/2}$ is formed. The observed spectrum can be interpreted as a weak-turbulent Kolmogorov spectrum for a direct cascade of energy.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Electronic structure and magnetic state of transuranium metals under pressure

Electronic structure of bcc Np, fcc Pu, Am, and Cm pure metals under pressure has been investigated employing the LDA+U method with spin-orbit coupling (LDA+U+SO). Magnetic state of the actinide ions was analyzed in both LS and jj coupling schemes to reveal the applicability of corresponding coupling bases. It was demonstrated that whereas Pu and Am are well described within the jj coupling scheme, Np and Cm can be described appropriately neither in {m-sigma}, nor in {jmj} basis, due to intermediate coupling scheme realizing in these metals that requires some finer treatment. The LDA+U+SO results for the considered transuranium metals reveal bands broadening and gradual 5f electron delocalization under pressure.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Multiparametric ultrasound in the diagnosis of ovarian focal lesions

Objective Development of an ultrasound diagnostic matrix for predicting the severity of proliferative changes in the ovarian focal lesion.Material and Methods The research was conducted on the basis of the Clinical Oncology Center, Regional Clinical Hospital no. 2. Echography (B-mode), color Doppler mapping, energy Doppler mapping (pulsation index, resistance index) on GE Voluson E8 and Aloka SSD 3500 devices were used as research methods. Retrospectively, 81 patients of reproductive age from 18 to 45 years were examined. Depending on the histological structure of ovarian lesion, the results of surgical treatment, dynamic observation and the outcome of the disease, were divided into 4 clinical groups: I (n = 12; 14,8%) – controls with no changes in the structure of the ovaries; II (n = 20; 24,7%) – patients with retention ovarian lesions; III (n = 20; 24,7%) – with benign tumors; IV (n = 29; 35,8%) – with malignant tumors.Results A large number of diagnostic parameters does not always allow to formulate an instrumental diagnosis correctly because they have different diagnostic significance. That is why we made an attempt to create a diagnostic matrix. For each of the 18 parameters, three answers were offered. When analyzing the results of the study, there was an increase in the number of pathological parameters from II to IV clinical groups. Thus, in group III, the combination of 2 pathological signs was found in 65% of cases, and 3 signs – in 25% of the examined women. In group IV, the combination of 2 signs was determined in 82% of the subjects, and 3 signs in 65%.Conclusion Thus, we found out that in-depth ultrasound examination (color Doppler imaging, pulsed Doppler) allowed to identify the severity of the proliferative changes and to give the prognosis of the disease

Poloidal inhomogeneity of the particle fluctuation induced fluxes near of the LCFS at lower hybrid heating and improved confinement transition at the FT-2 tokamak

This paper deals with the new spectral and microturbulence experimental data and their analysis, which show, that the radial electric field Er generated at the LH heating (LHH) in the FT-2 is high enough to form the transport barriers. The ETB is formed when LHH is switched off. The radial fluctuation-induced EB drift flux densities near LCFS in SOL are measured at two different poloidal angles. For this purpose two Langmuir probes located at low and high field sides of the torus are used. Registration of the poloidal and radial components of the electric field and density fluctuations at the same time during one discharge permits to measure the poloidal asymmetry of the transport reduction mechanism of the radial and poloidal particle fluxes in the SOL. The absolute E(~) fluctuation levels show dependence on the sign of Er shear. The modification of the microscale turbulence by the poloidal Er x B rotation shear EB at the L - H transition near LCFS is also studied by X-mode fluctuation Reflectometry. The new data were obtained by spatial spectroscopic technique.Comment: 12th International Congress on Plasma Physics, 25-29 October 2004, Nice (France

First case of Anaplasma platys infection in a dog from Croatia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is known that <it>Anaplasma (A.) platys</it>, the causative agent of infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopenia, is endemic in countries of the Mediterranean basin. However, few reports are available from the Balkans. This case report describes a dog, which was imported from Croatia to Germany in May 2010. One month later the dog was presented to a local veterinarian in Germany due to intermittent/recurrent diarrhoea. Diagnostic tests were performed to identify infections caused by <it>Anaplasma </it>spp., <it>Ehrlichia </it>spp., <it>Hepatozoon canis, Babesia </it>spp., <it>Leishmania </it>spp., <it>Borrelia burgdorferi </it>and/or <it>Dirofilaria immitis</it>.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Haematological examination of a blood smear revealed basophilic inclusions in thrombocytes, which were confirmed as <it>A. platys </it>with a species-specific real-time PCR. Additionally, an infection with <it>Babesia (B.) vogeli </it>was also detected (PCR and serology). No specific antibodies against <it>Anaplasma </it>antigen were detectable. Although the dog showed no specific clinical signs, thrombocytopenia, anaemia and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) were observed. Sequencing of a 1,348-bp partial ribosomal RNA gene revealed highest homology to <it>A. platys </it>sequences from Thailand, Japan and France.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>A. platys </it>was detected for first time in a dog imported from Croatia. As the dog was also co-infected by <it>B. vogeli</it>, unique serological and haematological findings were recorded. Thrombocytopenia, anaemia and elevated values of C-reactive protein were the laboratory test abnormalities observed in this case. <it>A. platys </it>infections should be considered in dogs coming from Croatia and adjacent regions.</p

A new class of glycomimetic drugs to prevent free fatty acid-induced endothelial dysfunction

Background: Carbohydrates play a major role in cell signaling in many biological processes. We have developed a set of glycomimetic drugs that mimic the structure of carbohydrates and represent a novel source of therapeutics for endothelial dysfunction, a key initiating factor in cardiovascular complications. Purpose: Our objective was to determine the protective effects of small molecule glycomimetics against free fatty acid­induced endothelial dysfunction, focusing on nitric oxide (NO) and oxidative stress pathways. Methods: Four glycomimetics were synthesized by the stepwise transformation of 2,5­dihydroxybenzoic acid to a range of 2,5­substituted benzoic acid derivatives, incorporating the key sulfate groups to mimic the interactions of heparan sulfate. Endothelial function was assessed using acetylcholine­induced, endotheliumdependent relaxation in mouse thoracic aortic rings using wire myography. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) behavior was evaluated in the presence or absence of the free fatty acid, palmitate, with or without glycomimetics (1µM). DAF­2 and H2DCF­DA assays were used to determine nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, respectively. Lipid peroxidation colorimetric and antioxidant enzyme activity assays were also carried out. RT­PCR and western blotting were utilized to measure Akt, eNOS, Nrf­2, NQO­1 and HO­1 expression. Results: Ex vivo endothelium­dependent relaxation was significantly improved by the glycomimetics under palmitate­induced oxidative stress. In vitro studies showed that the glycomimetics protected HUVECs against the palmitate­induced oxidative stress and enhanced NO production. We demonstrate that the protective effects of pre­incubation with glycomimetics occurred via upregulation of Akt/eNOS signaling, activation of the Nrf2/ARE pathway, and suppression of ROS­induced lipid peroxidation. Conclusion: We have developed a novel set of small molecule glycomimetics that protect against free fatty acidinduced endothelial dysfunction and thus, represent a new category of therapeutic drugs to target endothelial damage, the first line of defense against cardiovascular disease