The transverse four-chamber view for the assessment of atrial tissue deformation in the fetus.

Aims: To determine if atrial tissue deformation (peak strain, PS) and time to peak strain (TTPS) can be assessed in the fetus, with identification of best echocardiographic plane.

Materials And Methods: Pulsed-wave tissue Doppler study of a longitudinal and a transverse four-chamber view (FCV) in each of 20 healthy fetuses. Determination of PS and TTPS in regions of interest (ROI), viz.

A case of chimerism-induced paternity confusion: what ART practitioners can do to prevent future calamity for families.

In the fertility clinic setting, a negative DNA paternity test result usually suggests a sample mix-up likely occurred at the testing company or in the clinic. However, we report a case where, despite repeat negative paternity test results, the alleged father (referred to as "the proband") was confirmed to be the baby's father. The proband, a 34 year-old male, contacted our research group when routine blood testing revealed discrepant blood types between the parents and the baby, repeat paternity tests were negative (excluding the proband as the baby's father), and the fertility clinic found no evidence of any wrongdoing.

Correlation between cardiac tissue Doppler and peripheral vascular Doppler in the anemic fetus - an additional method to determine the transfusion threshold?

Purpose: To examine the relationship between cardiac tissue Doppler and peripheral vascular Doppler measurements in fetal anemia.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed high frame rate cardiac Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) data files of 26 anemic fetuses. The peak systolic tissue velocity (PSV), peak systolic displacement (PD), and peak systolic strain (PS) were determined in the mid-segment of the ventricular walls (ROI 1 right ventricle (RV), ROI 2 left ventricle (LV)) and in the basal segment of the ventricular walls (ROI 3 tricuspid annulus, ROI 4 mitral annulus).

Evaluation of placental syndecan-1 expression in early pregnancy as a predictive fetal factor for pregnancy outcome.

Objective: Early expression of syndecan-1, a regulator of growth factor and chemokine function, in animal and human abortuses or placenta at delivery suggests a potential role during embryonic development. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between early placental syndecan expression and fetal outcome in ongoing pregnancies.

Methods: Prospective immunohistochemical analysis of 203 chorionic villus sampling specimens obtained during a 4-year period (2001-2004).