Ab-initio molecular dynamics and hybrid explicit-implicit solvation model for aqueous and nonaqueous solvents: GFP chromophore in water and methanol solution as case study.

Solute-solvent interactions are proxies for understanding how the electronic density of a chromophore interacts with the environment in a more exhaustive way. The subtle balance between polarization, electrostatic, and non-bonded interactions need to be accurately described to obtain good agreement between simulations and experiments. First principles approaches providing accurate configurational sampling through molecular dynamics may be a suitable choice to describe solvent effects on solute chemical-physical properties and spectroscopic features, such as optical absorption of dyes.

First trimester supratentorial and infratentorial abnormalities in fetuses with open spina bifida.

Objectives: To examine whether supratentorial, infratentorial, and calvarial manifestations of open spina bifida (OSB) occur in the first-trimester.

Methods: Supratentorial (midbrain curvature, thalamic height), infratentorial (fourth ventricle diameter, brain-stem diameter [BSD], ratio of BSD to BSD-occipital bone diameter [BSOB]), and calvarial (frontomaxillary facial [FMF] angle) parameters were measured in stored midsagittal facial images at 110-136 weeks of 500 normal and 10 open spina-bifida fetuses by 3 blinded examiners.

Results: OSB fetuses displayed a larger midbrain curvature (93.

Color Doppler score: a new approach for monitoring a large placental chorioangioma.

We employed color Doppler score as an innovative approach for the prenatal diagnosis and monitoring of a large placental chorioangioma case diagnosed at 26 weeks and the subjective semiquantitative assessment of the vascularization. The blood flow was assessed by a color Doppler score based on the intensity of the color signal with the following value ranges: (1) no flow, (2) minimal flow, (3) moderate flow, and (4) high vascular flow. Weekly examinations were programmed.

Brain stem/brain stem occipital bone ratio and the four-line view in nuchal translucency images of fetuses with open spina bifida.

: Brain stem depth/brain stem occipital bone distance (BS/BSOB ratio) and the four-line view, in images obtained for nuchal translucency (NT) screening in fetuses with open spina bifida (OSB).: Single center, retrospective study based on the assessment of NT screening images of fetuses with OSB. A ratio between the BS depth and the BSOB distance was calculated (BS/BSOB ratio) and the four-line view observed, and the sensitivity for a BS/BSOB ratio superior/equal to 1, and for the lack of detection of the four-line view were calculated.

A Case of Enlarged Intracranial Translucency in a Fetus with Blake's Pouch Cyst.

The intracranial translucency (IT) is a recently introduced marker of open spina bifida (OSB). In this study, we describe a case of a fetus affected by Blake's pouch cyst which showed alterations of BS/BSOB ratio at the first trimester screening.

Umbilical vein volume flow in monochorionic twin pairs at 11-14 weeks.

We investigated the umbilical vein volume flow (UVVF) at 11-14 weeks in monochorionic-diamniotic (MCDA) twins, focusing on the occurrence of complications. We considered 87 MCDA pregnancies. We used "E-flow" to detect the umbilical vein and measured the mean velocities and diameters of veins, also calculating the UVVF.

Screening and Invasive Testing in Twins.

Prenatal screening and testing for trisomy 21 in twin pregnancies poses a number of challenges: the exact estimate of the a priori risk of trisomy 21, the choice of prenatal screening test and/or invasive techniques to employ for the diagnosis and the impact of the result on the options of treatment in case of discordant results within a twin pair or among multiples. These different aspects are discussed below while recognizing that many issues remain unresolved.

First trimester diagnosis of sirenomelia by 2D and 3D ultrasound.

A case of sirenomelia in a 27-year-old woman detected at 11 weeks 5 days of gestation is presented. It was suspected by two-dimensional sonography and color Doppler imaging. Three-dimensional ultrasound confirmed the final diagnosis.

Conjoined twins in a trichorionic quadruplet pregnancy after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and quarter laser-assisted zona thinning.

Objective: To describe the occurrence and management of conjoined twins (CTs) in a trichorionic quadruplet pregnancy after the transfer of three embryos obtained by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) that had undergone assisted zona hatching (AZH) using a noncontact laser.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Private and public IVF centers.

Changes in the approach for invasive prenatal diagnosis in 35,127 cases at a single center from 1977 to 2004.

Objectives: To evaluate the changes in the approaches used for invasive prenatal diagnosis for beta-thalassemia and karyotyping at a single center from 1977 to 2004.

Methods: For beta-thalassemia, in 1977 placentacentesis, in 1982 amniocentesis, in 1983 fetoscopy and cordocentesis, in 1983 trancervical chorionic villi sampling (TC-CVS), in 1984 cardiocentesis, in 1986 transabdominal CVS, and in 2002 preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) were introduced. For karyotyping, in 1977 amniocentesis, in 1983 cordocentesis and cardiocentesis and TC-CVS, in 1986 TA-CVS and in 1991 hepatic vein sampling were introduced.

Nuchal translucency and nasal bone for trisomy 21 screening: single center experience.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of fetal nuchal translucency and nasal bone assessment at 11-14 weeks for screening of trisomy 21 at a single center.

Methods: Nuchal translucency measurement and nasal bone evaluation in relation to the fetal karyotype for singleton fetuses were retrospectively assessed at the Ospedale Microcitemico, Cagliari, Italy, in a three-year period (2001-2004). Nuchal translucency was considered enlarged if greater than or equal to the 95th centile for crown-rump length (CRL) of the reference ranges, and nasal bone was described as present or absent during the evaluation of the fetal facial profile.

Nuchal translucency measurement at different crown-rump lengths along the 10- to 14-week period for Down syndrome screening.

Objectives: To evaluate the screening accuracy for Down syndrome of nuchal translucency (NT) measurement at different crown-rump length (CRL) subgroups along the 10- to 14-week period.

Methods: NT was classified 'enlarged' if greater than or equal to 1.5 and 2.

Absence of fetal nasal bone and aneuploidies at first-trimester nuchal translucency screening in unselected pregnancies.

Objectives: The absence of nasal bone (NB) has been noted in trisomy 21 fetuses at first-trimester ultrasound, in high-risk pregnancies. In this study, the nasal bone was evaluated in relation to fetal karyotype, in unselected pregnancies.

Methods: From September 2001 to September 2002, the fetal facial profile was examined at the 11 to 14 weeks' scan for screening by nuchal translucency (NT).

Changes in nuchal translucency thickness in normal and abnormal karyotype fetuses.

Objective: To investigate the dynamic trend of the nuchal translucency thickness between fetuses with normal and abnormal karyotype.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Ospedale Microcitemico, Cagliari, Italy.

Neural tube defects in the offspring of thalassemia carriers.

Objectives: The risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) is negatively correlated with maternal folate levels in early pregnancy. Thalassemia carriers often have reduced red cell folate contents. The aim of this study was to verify whether thalassemia carriers are at increased risk of having offspring with a NTD.

First-trimester ductus venosus velocimetry in relation to nuchal translucency thickness and fetal karyotype.

Aim: To evaluate first-trimester ductus venosus flow in relation to nuchal translucency (NT) and fetal karyotype.

Methods: Ductus venosus flow was measured in fetuses with NT greater than or equal to the 95th centile (group A) and in fetuses with NT less than the 95th centile (group B). The waveforms were classified as normal if the lowest forward velocity during atrial contraction (ACV) was positive and abnormal if it was absent or negative.