Cervical ripening as an outpatient procedure in the pandemic - minimizing the inpatient days and lowering the socioeconomic costs.

Objectives: With an increasing incidence of labor induction the socioeconomic costs are increasing and the burden on hospital capacities is rising. In addition, the worldwide SARS-CoV-2 pandemic asks for improvements in patient care during pregnancy and delivery while decreasing the patient-staff contact. Here, we are retrospectively analyzing and comparing a mechanical ripening device that is utilized as an outpatient procedure to misoprostol and dinoprostone as inpatient induction methods in a low risk cohort.

Do we need a 200 μg misoprostol vaginal insert? A retrospective cohort study comparing the misoprostol vaginal insert to oral misoprostol.

Aim: The misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) was reported to be more effective than dinoprostone but discussed critically because of high rates of fetal heart rate changes due to uterine tachysystole. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of induced labor using the MVI compared to off-label orally-administered misoprostol (OM).

Methods: Retrospective study including a total of 401 patients with singleton pregnancies in whom labor was induced at ≥36 0/7 gestational weeks with MVI (203) or OM (198).

Effect of oophorosalpingo-hysterectomy on serum antioxidant enzymes in female dogs.

There are few studies evaluating the oxidant-antioxidant status after oophorosalpingohysterectomy (OSH) in female dogs. Here we determined the effect of OSH on antioxidant enzymes in serum, and quantified morphological changes in subcutaneous adipocytes. Lateral OSH was performed in 12 female dogs.

Current use of MRI in patients with liver metastatic colorectal cancer: a population-based study.

Background: Liver MRI is recommended as the preoperative imaging strategy in liver metastatic colorectal cancers.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess for the first time the use of liver MRI in a French population-based cancer registry.

Patients And Methods: All liver-only metastatic colorectal cancers resected for their primary tumour diagnosed between 2009 and 2013 were included.

Imaging of Von Meyenburg complexes.

Von Meyenburg complexes, or biliary hamartomas, are frequently incidentally detected. They are usually easy to characterize with magnetic resonance imaging. However, in some occasions they are difficult to differentiate from other liver lesions, in particular from small liver metastases.

Altered basal ganglia functional connectivity in multiple sclerosis patients with fatigue.

Background: Fatigue is one of the most frequent and disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis, but its pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. It is in particular unclear whether and how fatigue relates to structural and functional brain changes.

Objective: We aimed to analyse the association of fatigue severity with basal ganglia functional connectivity, basal ganglia volumes, white matter integrity and grey matter density.

Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness correlates with brain white matter damage in multiple sclerosis: a combined optical coherence tomography and diffusion tensor imaging study.

We investigated the association of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL) with white matter damage assessed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Forty-four MS patients and 30 healthy subjects underwent optical coherence tomography. DTI was analysed with a voxel-based whole brain and region-based analysis of optic radiation, corpus callosum and further white matter.

Low contrast visual acuity testing is associated with cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis: a cross-sectional pilot study.

Background: Cognitive impairment and visual deterioration are two key clinical symptoms in MS and affect 50 to 80% of patients. Little is known about the influence of cognitive impairment on visual tests recommended for MS such as low contrast sensitivity testing. Our objective was to investigate whether low contrast sensitivity testing is influenced by cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Functional and structural brain changes in anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis.

Objective: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune encephalitis with a characteristic neuropsychiatric syndrome and severe and prolonged clinical courses. In contrast, standard clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains normal in the majority of patients. Here, we investigated structural and functional brain changes in a cohort of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Dynamics of saccade parameters in multiple sclerosis patients with fatigue.

Fatigue is one of the most frequent and disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS). Its pathophysiology remains poorly understood and objective measures to quantify fatigue are unavailable to date. To investigate whether analysis of ocular motor movements can provide diagnostic information in MS patients with fatigue, 37 MS patients (21 female, age 44 ± 9 years) and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were prospectively recruited.

Plasmatocytes from the moth Pseudoplusia includens induce apoptosis of granular cells.

The primary immune response toward internal parasites and other large foreign objects that enter the insect hemocoel is encapsulation. Prior studies indicated that granular cells and plasmatocytes are the two hemocyte types required for capsule formation by the moth Pseudoplusia includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Capsules formed by P.

Isolation and identification of a plasmatocyte-spreading peptide from the hemolymph of the lepidopteran insect Pseudoplusia includens.

Insect blood cells (hemocytes) play an essential role in defense against parasites and other pathogenic organisms that infect insects. A key class of hemocytes involved in insect cellular immunity is plasmatocytes. Here we describe the isolation and identification of a peptide from the moth Pseudoplusia includens that mediates the spreading of plasmatocytes to foreign surfaces.

Granular cells are required for encapsulation of foreign targets by insect haemocytes.

Haemocytes play an essential role in defending invertebrates against pathogens and parasites that enter their haemocoel. A primary defense response is encapsulation; a process in which haemocytes attach to the foreign organism and kill it. Whether encapsulation requires cooperation between specific subpopulations of haemocytes is unknown.

Microplitis demolitor polydnavirus induces apoptosis of a specific haemocyte morphotype in Pseudoplusia includens.

Microplitis demolitor polydnavirus (MdPDV) is associated with Microplitis demolitor, a parasitic wasp that attacks the larval stage of the lepidopteran Pseudoplusia includens. Previously, we observed that MdPDV induced several alterations in the granular cells and plasmatocytes of P. includens, the primary haemocytes involved in regulating the cellular immune response toward M.

Immunological basis for compatibility in parasitoid-host relationships.

The insect immune system serves as a key defense against attack by parasitoids. Incompatible hosts often eliminate parasitoids by encapsulation, a process in which hemocytes form a multilayered envelope around the invading organism. Capsule formation involves cooperation between one or more classes of hemocytes and is likely mediated by cytokines and adhesion molecules.

Separation and behavior in vitro of hemocytes from the moth, Pseudoplusia includens.

Hemocytes collected from larvae of Pseudoplusia includens (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) were separated by centrifugation on Percoll cushions. The procedure resulted in 95% purity of plasmatocytes and greater than 99% purity of granular and spherule cells. Medium supplemented with chicken serum enhanced cell viability and promoted spreading of plasmatocytes.

Purification and characterization of calmodulin (lysine 115) N-methyltransferase from Paramecium tetraurelia.

Calmodulin (lysine 115) N-methyltransferase was purified from the cytosolic fraction of Paramecium tetraurelia by sequential dialysis, cellulose phosphate chromatography, Reactive Red 120 agarose chromatography, and calmodulin-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The enzyme was purified 6800-fold with a 15% yield. SDS-PAGE analysis of the purified enzyme invariably revealed a major protein of 37 kDa that was reproducibly obtained and minor proteins of 35 and 28 kDa that were sometimes obtained in variable yields.

High-resolution scanning electron microscopy of frozen-hydrated cells.

Cryo-fixed yeast Paramecia and sea urchin embryos were investigated with an in-lens type field-emission SEM using a cold stage. The goal was to further develop and investigate the processing of frozen samples for the low-temperature scanning electron microscope (LTSEM). Uncoated frozen-hydrated samples were imaged with the low-voltage backscattered electron signal (BSE).