Unique infrared thermographic profiles and altered hypothalamic neurochemistry associated with mortality in endotoxic shock.

Neonatal sepsis results in significant morbidity and mortality, but early detection is clinically challenging. In a neonatal rat model of endotoxic shock, we characterised unique infrared thermographic (IRT) profiles in skin temperature that could identify risk of later mortality. Ten-day old rats were placed in a thermally stable isolette and IRT images of cranial (T), scapula (T) and rump (T) skin temperature were obtained continuously for 8 h following an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline.

Affinity maturation of antibody responses is mediated by differential plasma cell proliferation.

Increased antibody affinity over time after vaccination, known as affinity maturation, is a prototypical feature of immune responses. Recent studies have shown that a diverse collection of B cells, producing antibodies with a wide spectrum of different affinities, is selected into the plasma cell (PC) pathway. How affinity-permissive selection enables PC affinity maturation remains unknown.

Relationship between prepregnancy body mass index and gestational age-specific risk of stillbirth and perinatal death in women with chronic hypertension.

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for stillbirth and perinatal death and is often accompanied by chronic hypertension. However, there are few studies on the relationship between prepregnancy body mass index and gestational age-specific risks of stillbirth and perinatal death in women with chronic hypertension.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between prepregnancy body mass index and gestational age-specific risks of stillbirth and perinatal death in the presence/absence of chronic hypertension.