Prenatal diagnosis of congenital Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis)

The prenatal diagnosis of congenital transmission of Chagas' disease in a pregnant woman with the indeterminate form of the disease is reported. Sonography revealed fetal hydrops at 31 weeks' gestation. Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi IgM and IgG antibodies were negative in the fetal blood sampled by cordocentesis, but T. cruzi trypomastigotes were found in its buffy coat. Owing to anemia, in utero exchange transfusion was undertaken, but fetal demise ensued. Labor was induced and a stillborn infant weighing 2030 g was delivered. The pathological examination revealed placentitis and meningoencephalitis, myocarditis and splenitis in the stillborn fetus. Amastigotes were found in the myocardium, brain and placenta. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Congenital limb deficiencies in newborn infants: prevalence,characteristics and prenatal diagnosis

Congenital limb deficiency (CLD) occurs in 0.54 to 0.59/1000 live-born infants and varies according to its anatomic location, type and cause. Our aim was to present a fetus with a prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis of CLD (transverse reduction deficiency of the left upper limb), and to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of CLD at a tertiary medical centre in Israel. Among 78 500 live-born infants, there were 24 cases of CLD (0.31/1000): 45.8% of the CLD cases with affected upper limbs, 45.8% with affected lower limbs, and 8.4% with both limbs affected; 88.4% of the limb deficiencies were longitudinal and 11.6% were transverse; and, 33.3% (8/24) of the affected newborn infants had additional congenital anomalies. We conclude that CLD is not an infrequent finding in live-born infants. Comprehensive ultrasonography of the fetus allows early prenatal diagnosis of CLD and provides the parents with important information and helps them in their decision regarding the fate of the pregnancy. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

气溶胶等效复折射率反演的免疫进化算法

通过Mie散射理论公式构建目标函数,利用免疫进化算法对气溶胶等效复折射率的实部和虚部进行协同优化,据此创新性地提出了气溶胶等效复折射率反演的新途径.基于成都市2017年9~12月逐时的气溶胶散射系数和吸收系数观测数据以及该时段同时次GRIMM180大气颗粒物监测仪的连续监测资料,研究结果表明,气溶胶等效复折射率反演的免疫进化算法不仅是普适的,而且还具有收敛速度快、计算稳定和求解精度高等特点.通过与其它气溶胶等效复折射率反演方法的对比分析,进一步论证了新方法的优势,这为气溶胶等效复折射率演变机理以及气溶胶吸湿性增长模型的后续研究提供了算法保障.     

Diagnosis of cardiac defects: where we've been,where we are and where we're going

There has been tremendous development in the field of prenatal diagnosis of cardiac disease in the last 30 years. Early work centered on the technical aspects of providing an accurate assessment of cardiac structure and function. Techniques of fetal cardiac screening have been developed and utilized throughout the world. More recently, investigators have begun to explore the ramifications of fetal cardiac diagnosis by assessing measures of outcome. In this article, the field of fetal echocardiography, as a screening tool for identifying congenital heart disease, and its impact on disease outcome is reviewed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deletion 15q24-26 in prenatally detected diaphragmatic hernia: increasing evidence of a candidate region for diaphragmatic development

Survival of children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is mainly dependent on the extent of lung hypoplasia and the presence of additional congenital anomalies or chromosomal aberrations. A chromosomal deletion 15q25-q26.2 in a fetus with prenatally diagnosed CDH and growth retardation is reported. Despite optimal pre- and neonatal management the baby died shortly after birth. There is increasing evidence that the long arm of chromosome 15, and especially the region 15q24 to 15q26, plays a crucial role in the development of the diaphragm. The finding of a deletion within 15q24-26 in a fetus with CDH has to be considered a predictor of poor prognosis. It is of utmost interest for proper parental counselling to search in fetuses with CDH for subtle chromosomal lesions paying special attention to chromosome 15q. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.