Role of omega 3-fatty acids and multivitamins in gestation

There is a rising interest in a balanced and varied women's diet not only preconceptionally but also during pregnancy and in the breastfeeding period in order to reduce fetal, neonatal, and maternal risks. A decreased intake of omega 3-fatty acids (FA) or deficiencies of micronutrients are a global health problem, not only in developing countries, where micronutrient-rich food and fortified aliments are often not available, and also in the industrialized world. In contrast to data about the daily periconceptionally intake of folate acid that has been shown to reduce substantially the occurrence and recurrence of neural tube defects (NTD), the benefit of other micronutrients is less determinant. Deficiencies of omega 3-FA may be a contributing factor for severe complications in pregnancy and postpartum. A meta-analysis for the role of omega 3-FA in preeclampsia and maternal postpartum depression is less consistent, some meta-view's results differ substantially or are even contradictory to large observational studies. Further well-designed studies are warranted. A personal interview and counseling concerning the daily diet should be integrated in the preconceptional and in the antenatal care and an individual supplementation should be offered, if indicate

Water birth, more than a trendy alternative: a prospective, observational study

Objective: To prospectively assess the effect of water birth on maternal and fetal outcomes in a selected low-risk collective of a tertiary obstetrical unit. Method: In this prospective observational study, 513 patients of a low-risk collective, who requested a water birth, were studied during the years 1998-2002. Primary outcome measurements included the maternal and fetal parameters. Secondary outcome measurements comprised data on the incidence of water births in an interested, low-risk population in an academic hospital. Result: All groups were similar in terms of demographic and obstetric data. Significant differences were observed in maternal outcome parameters, which included the use of analgesia/anesthesia during labor, the duration of first and second stages of labor, perineal tears and episiotomy rate. No differences were seen in all observed fetal outcome parameters including APGAR scores, arterial and venous pH, admission rate to neonatal intensive care unit and infection rate. Conclusion: Water birth is a valuable and promising alternative to traditional delivery methods. The maternal and fetal outcomes were similar to traditional land births. However, currently there still exist some deficits in the scientific evaluation of its safety. Therefore, the selection of a low-risk collective is essential to minimize the risks with the addition of strictly maintained guidelines and continuous intrapartum observation and fetal monitoring. Based on our results and the literature, water births are justifiable when certain criteria are met and risk factors are exclude

Labor induction in preeclampsia: Is misoprostol more effective than dinoprostone?

Objective: To compare the efficacy of vaginal misoprostol versus dinoprostone for induction of labor (IOL) in patients with preeclampsia according to the WHO criteria. Study design: Ninety-eight patients were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 47 patients received 3mg dinoprostone suppositories every 6h (max. 6mg/24h) whereas 51 patients in the misoprostol group received either 50μg misoprostol vaginally every 12h, or 25μg every 6h (max. 100μg/24h). Primary outcomes were vaginal delivery within 24 and 48h, respectively. Results: The probability of delivering within 48h was more than three-fold higher in the misoprostol than in the dinoprostone group: odds ratio (OR)=3.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24, 10.30, whereas no significant difference was observed within 24h (P=0.34). No correlation was seen between a ripe cervix prior to IOL and delivery within 24/48h (P=0.33 and P=1.0, respectively). More cesarean sections were performed in the dinoprostone group due to failed IOL (P=0.0009). No significant differences in adverse maternal outcome were observed between both study groups, whereas more neonates (12 vs. 6) of the dinoprostone group were admitted to the NICU (P=0.068). Conclusion: This study suggests that misoprostol may have some advantages compared to dinoprostone, including improved efficacy and lower cost of the drug, even in cases of preeclampsi

Long-term prognostic value of coronary flow reserve in psoriasis patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Psoriasis affects more than 3% of the general population and is associated with an increased risk of premature cardiovascular events and death. We assessed the prognostic role of coronary flow reserve (CFR) as a marker of coronary microvascular function in psoriasis patients asymptomatic for cardiovascular disease. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 153 prospectively collected patients affected by psoriasis (123 male; age 36 ± 8 years) without cardiovascular disease. CFR in the left anterior descending coronary artery was detected by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, at rest, and during adenosine infusion. CFR was the ratio of hyperemic to resting diastolic flow velocity. CFR ≤2.5 was the cut off to define the presence of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). RESULTS CMD was present in 23 patients (15%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that CMD was associated with severe psoriasis (OR 3.1, p = 0.03), psoriatic arthritis (OR 2.9, p = 0.03), hypertension (OR 4.1, p = 0.009), and time elapsing since psoriasis diagnosis >6 years (OR 1.9, p = 0.03). Patients with CFR ≤2.5 had a lower survival free from events (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS In psoriasis patients, CFR may be a reliable prognostic marker for cardiovascular event-free survival and may help identify patients at higher risk of developing cardiovascular complications. Whether novel biologic therapies able to reduce skin disease will improve CMD and prognosis in these patients needs to be further studied, prospectively

Pregnant women's perception of cesarean section on demand

Aims: To assess pregnant women's awareness of and attitudes towards cesarean section (CS) on demand, as well as to identify specific target groups by focusing on differences dependant on the participants' background, parity and intended mode of delivery. Methods: The study was conducted at two centers during three months. German-speaking pregnant women were invited to answer an anonymous, structured questionnaire. We compared urban vs. rural, nulliparous vs. parous and women opting for a CS vs. denying this wish, with regard to awareness and attitudes towards CS on demand. Results: Ninety-two percent of the 201 participants were aware of the possibility to deliver by CS on demand. Their sources of information were mostly print media reports, television, or friends. Pain avoidance and missing the birth experience were the main reasons for and against CS on demand, respectively. For women opting for CS on demand, traumatically-experienced previous birth and the child's well-being were other important reasons for a CS. Conclusions: Because negative birth experience appears to be decisive for pregnant women's attitude towards CS on demand and their perception of CS seems to be partly based on misconceptions, antenatal counseling should focus on these aspect

Design, synthesis and antitubercular activity of 4-alkoxy-triazoloquinolones able to inhibit the M.\ua0tuberculosis DNA gyrase

A number of new F-triazolequinolones (FTQs) and alkoxy-triazolequinolones (ATQs) were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. Five out of 21 compounds exhibited interesting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values (6.6-57.9 microM), ATQs generally being more potent than FTQs. Two ATQs, 21a and 30a, were endowed with the best anti-Mtb potency (MIC = 6.9 and 6.6 microM, respectively), and were not cytotoxic in a Vero cell line. Tested for activity against M. tuberculosis DNA gyrase in a DNA supercoiling activity assay, 21a and 30a showed IC50 values (27-28 microM) comparable to that of ciprofloxacin (10.6 microM). 21a was next selected for screening against several Mtb strains obtained from clinical isolates, including multi-drug-resistant (MDR) variants. Importantly, this compound was effective in all cases, with very promising MIC values (4 microM) in the case of some isoniazid/rifampicin-resistant Mtb strains. Finally, computer-based simulations revealed that the binding mode of 21a in the Mtb gyrase cleavage core complexed with DNA and the relevant network of intermolecular interactions are utterly similar to those described for ciprofloxacin, yielding a molecular rationale for the comparable anti-mycobacterial and DNA gyrase inhibition activity of this quinolone

Decreased VLDL-Apo B 100 fractional synthesis rate despite hypertriglyceridemia in subjects with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) often exhibit hypertriglyceridemia. The mechanism(s) of such an increase are poorly known. OBJECTIVE: We investigated VLDL-Apo B 100 kinetics in T2DM subjects with and without DN, and in healthy controls. DESIGN: Stable isotope 13C-leucine infusion, and modelling analysis of tracer-to-tracee ratio dynamics in the protein product pool in the 6-8 hr period following tracer infusion, were employed. SETTING: Male subjects affected by T2DM, either with (n=9) or without (n=5) DN, and healthy male controls (n=6), were studied under spontaneous glycemic levels in the post-absorptive state. RESULTS: In the T2DM patients with DN, plasma triglyceride (TG) (2.2\ub10.8 mmol/L, Mean\ub1SD) and VLDL-Apo B 100 (17.4\ub110.4 mg/dl) concentrations, and VLDL-Apo B 100 pool (0.56\ub10.29 g), were 3e60-80% greater (p<0.05 or less) than those of the T2DM subjects without DN (TG: 1.4\ub10.5 mmol/L; VLDL-Apo B 100: 9.9\ub12.5 mg/dl; VLDL-Apo B 100 pool: 0.36\ub10.09 g), and 3e80-110% greater (p<0.04 or less) than those of nondiabetic controls (TG: 1.2\ub10.4 mmol/L; VLDL-Apo B 100: 8.2\ub11.7 mg/dl; VLDL-Apo B 100: 0.32\ub10.09 g). In sharp contrast however, in the subjects with T2DM and DN, VLDL-Apo B 100 FSR was 6550% lower (4.8\ub12.2 pools/day) than that of either the T2DM subjects without DN (9.9\ub14.3 pools/day, p<0.025) or the control subjects (12.5\ub19.1 pools/day, p<0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The hypertriglyceridemia of T2DM patients with DN is not due to hepatic VLDL-Apo B 100 overproduction, which is decreased, but it should be attributed to decreased apolipoprotein removal

Melhoramento por haplodiploidização androgenética: variação genotípica no tamanho das anteras e no estágio de desenvolvimento dos micrósporos em aveia

Oat (Avena spp.) is poorly responsive to the haplodiploidization process, which leads to the production of homozygous lines in one step, increasing breeding efficiency. Androgenetic haploids in small grain cereal crops are obtained from microspores cultured at the mononucleate stage, which can be identified by the size of anthers. In order to identify the appropriate anther size for in vitro culture, microspore cytological analyses were made in Avena sativa cultivars UPF 7, UPF 18, UFRGS 14, Stout and Avena sterilis CAV 3361, cultivated in growth chamber under controlled light and temperature conditions. Variation was observed within and among genotypes for anther size at each microspore developmental stage and according to the position of spikelets in the panicle. Architecture variation in panicle shape and non-linear microsporogenesis maturation increased the challenge of identifying potentially androgenetic oat anthers. Cytological screening before culture is critical in identifying microspores at the right stage for oat androgenesis.A aveia (Avena spp.) tem sido pouco responsiva à haplodiploidização, um processo que aumenta a eficiência da seleção no melhoramento por gerar, em uma etapa, linhas puras homozigóticas. A fase mononucleada do micrósporo é critica para o sucesso da androgênese in vitro nos cereais de inverno e, em geral, pode ser inferida pelo tamanho da antera. Foram medidas anteras e analisados citológicamente micrósporos das cultivares de Avena sativa UPF 7, UPF 18, UFRGS 14, Stout e da linhagem CAV 3361 de Avena sterilis, cultivadas em câmaras de crescimento sob temperaturas dia-noite variando de 16ºC a 9ºC e 12 horas de intensidade luminosa de 300 mol m-2 s-1. O tamanho das anteras em cada fase de desenvolvimento dos micrósporos variou significativamente entre genótipos e de acordo com a região de inserção das espiguetas na panícula. A variação na arquitetura da panícula e a maturação não linear das espiguetas aumentam as dificuldades para a identificação das anteras potencialmente androgenéticas e podem explicar, em parte, os baixos resultados da androgênese na aveia. Os dados mostram a necessidade de uma análise citológica prévia para auxiliar a determinar a fase ideal de desenvolvimento dos micrósporos potencialmente responsivos à cultura de anteras, para o uso da androgenese na aveia

Enhancing reuse of data and biological material in medical research : from FAIR to FAIR-Health

The known challenge of underutilization of data and biological material from biorepositories as potential resources formedical research has been the focus of discussion for over a decade. Recently developed guidelines for improved data availability and reusability—entitled FAIR Principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability)—are likely to address only parts of the problem. In this article,we argue that biologicalmaterial and data should be viewed as a unified resource. This approach would facilitate access to complete provenance information, which is a prerequisite for reproducibility and meaningful integration of the data. A unified view also allows for optimization of long-term storage strategies, as demonstrated in the case of biobanks.Wepropose an extension of the FAIR Principles to include the following additional components: (1) quality aspects related to research reproducibility and meaningful reuse of the data, (2) incentives to stimulate effective enrichment of data sets and biological material collections and its reuse on all levels, and (3) privacy-respecting approaches for working with the human material and data. These FAIR-Health principles should then be applied to both the biological material and data. We also propose the development of common guidelines for cloud architectures, due to the unprecedented growth of volume and breadth of medical data generation, as well as the associated need to process the data efficiently.peer-reviewe

Communication on plant health risks:Social science research, audience segmentation, and communication strategy for an EU awareness‐raising campaign

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) carried out preparatory work to inform an EU awareness-raising communication campaign on plant health risks. In a first phase, this included social science research and audience segmentation to inform appropriate choices regarding targeting and topics to be covered. Mixed methods research was carried out – including analysis of survey data, literature review and in-depth interviews –, to identify plant health awareness, knowledge, risk perception, preferred information sources and trust in different actors. Four “personas” were developed based on the results, representing four potential audience segments: “curious traveller” (P1), “home gardener and hobby farmer” (P2), “conscious young parent” (P3), and “adventurous and green foodie” (P4). The research also included an additional focus on stakeholders involved in plant health, agriculture, and related sectors since they can support the objectives and reach of a campaign. Then, in a second phase, the communication strategy for the 3-year campaign was designed, building on the social research as well as on situational analysis and a stakeholder mapping. The proposed strategy for the campaign foresees targeting of P1, P2 and P3, and entails using a progressive model aimed at raising target audiences’ awareness (Year 1), triggering critical thinking (Y2), and activating and creating advocacy (Y3). A crucial role will also be played by plant sector operators, who will be involved in dedicated activities and act as touchpoints and amplifiers for the campaign. The strategy provides a common framework allowing Member States (MSs) to fully localise the national implementation and to join the campaign throughout its 3-year course. The report outlines the objectives and topics defined for the different years of the campaign per target audience, as well as the tactics and the evaluation methodology. EFSA plans to launch the campaign in summer 2023 in collaboration with participating MSs