BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown an association between low first trimester maternal serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A and subsequent development of pregnancy complications. Similarly, uterine artery Doppler in the late second trimester has shown that high impedance to flow is associated with increased risk for preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. The objective of this study is to dete...

The functional or structural linkage among traits [phenotypic integration (PI)] within complex structures can constrain the evolutionary response of individual traits. To analyse whether frugivores with distinct sensory ecology have shaped the patterns of fruit diversification differently, we compared PI values of fleshy fruits that are consumed by birds and mammals. We used phylogenetic compar...

Accurate inventory is a key to effective supply chain management and store execution, affecting forecasting, ordering, and replenishment. Prior empirical research, however, shows that retailer perpetual inventory (PI) is inherently inaccurate. Radio frequency identification (RFID)-technology enables visibility into the movement of inventories within the supply chain. This research investigates ...

Elevated levels of phosphate (Pi) reduce isometric force, providing support for the notion that the release of Pi from myosin is closely associated with the generation of muscular force. Pi is thought to rebind to actomyosin in an ADP-bound state and reverse the force-generating steps, including the rotation of the lever arm (i.e., the powerstroke). Despite extensive study, this mechanism remai...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the predictive value of the combination of first-trimester serum placental protein 13 (PP13), uterine artery Doppler pulsatility index (PI) and pulse wave analysis (augmentation index at a heart rate of 75 beats per min (AIx-75)), and to evaluate concurrent and contingent strategies using this combination for assessing the risk of pre-eclampsia in high-risk women. MET...

OBJECTIVE To explore if the addition of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) to maternal factors and biophysical markers yields a significant improvement in the detection of hypertensive disorders before the clinical onset of disease. METHODS Prospective screening study for early preeclampsia (PE), late PE and gestational hypertension (GH) in women attending their first hospital vis...

OBJECTIVE We examined the potential value of the uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) in pregnancies with fetal aneuploidies and in those that developed preeclampsia (PE) with the aim of distinguishing between these complications in pregnancies with low pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A). METHODS Uterine artery PI and serum PAPP-A at 11-13 weeks were measured in 165 cases of PE, ...

OBJECTIVE To examine the performance of screening for pre-eclampsia (PE) and gestational hypertension (GH) by a combination of maternal factors and various biophysical and biochemical markers at 11-13 weeks' gestation. METHODS This was a case-control study of 26 cases of early PE, 90 of late PE, 85 of GH and 201 unaffected controls. Maternal history was recorded, the uterine artery with the l...

OBJECTIVES In Latin America and the Caribbean, pneumococcal infections are estimated to account for 12000-18000 deaths, 327000 pneumonia cases, 4000 meningitis cases and 1229 sepsis cases each year in children under five years old. Pneumococcal antimicrobial resistance has evolved into a worldwide health problem in the last few decades. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibi...