Sinusoidal fetal heart rate pattern

We describe 2 cases of term anemic fetuses with different sinusoidal pattern morphology, and possible mechanisms.nbspCasesmdashThe first patient noted sudden cessation of fetal movement on the day of presentation. She had a sinusoidal FHR pattern. The newborn had a hemoglobin of 3.7 g/dl, and umbilical artery pH was 7.10 and BE -7 mEq/l. The second patient noted decreased fetal movement for several days. She had a FHR pattern with absent FHR variability, and intermittent sinusoidal elements, with late decelerations. The newbornrsquos hemoglobin was 1.5 g/dl, umbilical artery pH was 7.07 and BE -10.2 mEq/l. Both cases had positive Kleihauer-Betke tests

Taphonomic Criteria for Identifying Iberian Lynx Dens in Quaternary Deposits

For decades, taphonomists have dedicated their efforts to assessing the nature of the massive leporid accumulations recovered at archaeological sites in the northwestern Mediterranean region. Their interest lying in the fact that the European rabbit constituted a critical part of human subsistence during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. However, rabbits are also a key prey in the food webs of Mediterranean ecosystems and the base of the diet for several specialist predators, including the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). For this reason, the origin of rabbit accumulations in northwestern Mediterranean sites has proved a veritable conundrum. Here, we present the zooarchaeological and taphonomic study of more than 3000 faunal and 140 coprolite remains recovered in layer IIIa of Cova del Gegant (Catalonia, Spain). Our analysis indicates that this layer served primarily as a den for the Iberian lynx. The lynxes modified and accumulated rabbit remains and also died at the site creating an accumulation dominated by the two taxa. However, other agents and processes, including human, intervened in the final configuration of the assemblage. Our study contributes to characterizing the Iberian lynx fossil accumulation differentiating between the faunal assemblages accumulated by lynxes and hominins

Fetal cardiorespiratory changes during spontaneous prelabor uterine contractions in sheep

Fetal card iorespiratory changes during spontaneous prelabor uterine contractions (called contractures) were studied in 12 chronically catheterized fetal sheep at 120 to 143 days' gestation. During contractures the carcass blood flow increased significantly from 27 ± 2 (SEM) to 32 ± 3 ml/min/100 gm. There were no significant changes in combined ventricular output or in blood flow to the umbilical circulation, brain, heart, adrenal glands, gut, kidney, and lung. Fetal arterial blood pressure increased from 57 ± 2 to 62 ± 1 mm Hg (p < 0.001) during contractions. There were no significant changes in fetal heart rate. In the fetal femoral artery during contractures the oxygen content decreased from 6.1 ± 0.2 to 5.4 ± 0.2 ml/dl of blood (p < 0.001), and carbon dioxide tension increased significantly from 44 ± 0.4 to 45 ± 0.4 mm Hg (p < 0.001). The pH did not change. The increase in carcass blood flow during contractures suggests that there was an increase in fetal skeletal muscular activit