Functional Hydrogels for Agricultural Application.

Ten different hydrogels were prepared and analyzed from the point of view of their use in soil. FT-IR spectra, morphology, swelling ability, and rheological properties were determined for their characterization and appraisal of their stability. The aim was to characterize prepared materials containing different amounts of NPK as mineral fertilizer, lignohumate as a source of organic carbon, and its combination.

Two Reliable Methodical Approaches for Non-Invasive Genotyping of a Fetus from Maternal Plasma.

Noninvasive fetal genotyping is an important tool for predicting RhD incompatibility between a pregnant woman and a fetus. This study aimed to assess a methodological approach other than the commonly used one for noninvasive fetal genotyping on a representative set of RhD-negative pregnant women. The methodology must be accurate, reliable, and broadly available for implementation into routine clinical practice.

Clinical Potential of Effective Noninvasive Exclusion of KEL1-Positive Fetuses in KEL1-Negative Pregnant Women.

Background: The clinical importance of assessing the fetal KEL genotype is to exclude 'K'-positive fetuses (genotype KEL1/KEL2) in 'K'-alloimmunized pregnant women (genotype KEL2/KEL2). Noninvasive assessment of the fetal KEL genotype is not yet available in the Czech Republic.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the fetal KEL1/KEL2 genotype from cell-free fetal DNA in the plasma of KEL2/KEL2 pregnant women.