RESUMO
A tube bundle system (TBS) is a mechanical system for continuously drawing gas samples through tubes from multiple monitoring points located in an underground coal mine. The gas samples are drawn via vacuum pump to the surface and are typically analyzed for oxygen, methane, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Results of the gas analyses are displayed and recorded for further analysis. Trends in the composition of the mine atmosphere, such as increasing methane or carbon monoxide concentration, can be detected early, permitting rapid intervention that prevents problems, such as a potentially explosive atmosphere behind seals, fire or spontaneous combustion. TBS is a well-developed technology and has been used in coal mines around the world for more than 50 years. Most longwall coal mines in Australia deploy a TBS, usually with 30 to 40 monitoring points as part of their atmospheric monitoring. The primary uses of a TBS are detecting spontaneous combustion and maintaining sealed areas inert. The TBS might also provide mine atmosphere gas composition data after a catastrophe occurs in an underground mine, if the sampling tubes are not damaged. TBSs are not an alternative to statutory gas and ventilation airflow monitoring by electronic sensors or people; rather, they are an option to consider in an overall mine atmosphere monitoring strategy. This paper describes the hardware, software and operation of a TBS and presents one example of typical data from a longwall coal mine.
RESUMO
We purified CALLA from human kidney and isolated a cDNA clone reactive with two oligonucleotide probes corresponding to two distinct peptides. The amino acid sequence translated from the CALLA cDNA revealed 100% identity with that of human neutral endopeptidase (NEP, enkephalinase). The distribution of CALLA antigen and NEP in normal tissues are similar.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Diferenciação/genética , Antígenos de Neoplasias/genética , Neprilisina/genética , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras B/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Antígenos de Superfície/genética , Antígenos de Superfície/imunologia , Sequência de Bases , Northern Blotting , Cromatografia de Afinidade , Clonagem Molecular , Sondas de DNA , DNA de Neoplasias/genética , Humanos , Córtex Renal/enzimologia , Córtex Renal/imunologia , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Neprilisina/imunologia , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras B/diagnóstico , RNA Neoplásico/genéticaRESUMO
In longwall mining, ventilation is considered one of the more effective means for controlling gases and dust. In order to study longwall ventilation in a controlled environment, researchers built a unique physical model called the Longwall Instrumented Aerodynamic Model (LIAM) in a laboratory at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pittsburgh Mining Research Division (PMRD) campus. LIAM is a 1:30 scale physical model geometrically designed to simulate a single longwall panel with a three-entry headgate and tailgate configuration, along with three back bleeder entries. It consists of a two-part heterogeneous gob that simulates a less compacted unconsolidated zone and more compacted consolidated zone. It has a footprint of 8.94 m (29 ft.) by 4.88 m (16 ft.), with a simulated face length of 220 m (720 ft.) in full scale. LIAM is built with critical details of the face, gob, and mining machinery. It is instrumented with pressure gauges, flow anemometers, temperature probes, a fan, and a data acquisition system. Scaling relationships are derived on the basis of Reynolds and Richardson numbers to preserve the physical and dynamic similitude. This paper discusses the findings from a study conducted in the LIAM to investigate the gob-face interaction, airflow patterns within the gob, and airflow dynamics on the face for varying roof caving characteristics. Results are discussed to show the impact of caving behind the shields on longwall ventilation.
RESUMO
A ventilation study using tracer gas was conducted at a western US coal mine. The objective of the study was to evaluate the movement of longwall face air exchanges between the face and worked-out area and to document the presence or absence of face airflow pathways between these locations. The mine operator uses a bleederless longwall ventilation system with a back return and a blowing mine ventilation system. The study was conducted on an active panel and included both underground and surface monitoring sites. The study used sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) released as a slug on the longwall face and in the front of the gob inby the face. The velocity of the tracer gas movement in the gob was 0.019 m/s (3.7 fpm). The rate of movement for the overall tracer gas slug averaged about 0.0091 m/s (1.8 fpm). A separate tracer gas test initiated with the release of SF6 into the legs of the first shield showed the existence of more than one pathway of face air in the general direction from the headgate towards the tailgate corner. Maintaining adequate ventilation air on longwall faces is important for worker safety and for the dilution of methane emitted from the face and caved gob. A more detailed characterization of longwall system air and gas movement allows a mine to better assess its ventilation design for controlling gas on the face and in the gob.
RESUMO
Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) is the terminal enzyme of the respiratory chain, with subunits originating both from the mitochondrial and nuclear genome. An eleven-year-old female presented initially with a seizure followed two months later with tonic-clonic seizures, weakness and aphasia. MRI of the cerebral hemispheres showed multiple infarcts. Previous history suggested gross and fine motor control deficits with learning difficulties. A muscle biopsy showed a specific decrease of COX staining in all fibres and pleomorphic mitochondria. Respiratory chain studies confirmed an isolated complex IV defect in muscle, whilst fibroblasts showed an initial COX activity below normal which rapidly came up to the normal range on culture. Sequencing of mtDNA revealed an heteroplasmic m.7023G>A mutation in the COX1 gene, with levels of 96% in muscle, 70% in blood and 50% in the initial skin fibroblast culture dropping to 10% in later passages. The mutation was present in a critical region of the COX1 gene, the V374M change being close to the two histidine residues His376 and His378 co-ordinating with the heme a and a (3), and His367 which co-ordinates a magnesium ion. This case highlights that a MELAS-like syndrome can occur with isolated COX deficiency.
Assuntos
Acidose Láctica/genética , Infarto Cerebral/genética , Análise Mutacional de DNA , DNA Mitocondrial/genética , Complexo IV da Cadeia de Transporte de Elétrons/genética , Epilepsia Tônico-Clônica/genética , Deficiências da Aprendizagem/genética , Síndrome MELAS/genética , Transtornos Psicomotores/genética , Acidose Láctica/diagnóstico , Alelos , Infarto Cerebral/diagnóstico , Criança , Epilepsia Tônico-Clônica/diagnóstico , Feminino , Histidina/genética , Humanos , Deficiências da Aprendizagem/diagnóstico , Síndrome MELAS/diagnóstico , Magnésio/metabolismo , Transtornos Psicomotores/diagnóstico , Análise de Sequência de DNARESUMO
The mtDNA mutation 8993T > G is associated with neurogenic muscle weakness, ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa (NARP) and Leigh syndrome. There are few reported cases of prenatal testing for mtDNA disorders. Specifically for 8993T > G, there are six cases in which prenatal diagnosis has been reported. We describe prenatal diagnosis in a 36-year-old G3P1 woman with 33% heteroplasmy in white blood cells. She had a previous child who died from Leigh disease (92% heteroplasmy). She underwent prenatal testing by both CVS and amniocentesis of the 8993T > G heteroplasmy levels. This is the first reported case in which both procedures were used. Heteroplasmy was similar in both tissues (58.6% CVS and 55% amniocentesis), in support of the theory that this testing is reliable and may be considered in prenatal cases where this mutation is known in the mother. To date, her child is 20 months old and developing normally. Heteroplasmy determination in the child was refused. Although the infant is developmentally normal, consistent with the observation that levels of heteroplasmy below 60% are compatible with a mild phenotype, this conclusion must be tempered by the limited period of observation and the fact that patients with the NARP phenotype often present later than 20 months of age.
Assuntos
Amniocentese/métodos , Vilosidades Coriônicas/patologia , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Diagnóstico Pré-Natal , Adulto , Biópsia , Feminino , Humanos , Doenças Musculares/genética , Gravidez , Retinose Pigmentar/genéticaRESUMO
A.TH anti-A.TL alloserum has previously been shown to react with monomorphic determinants of human Ia molecules. In an attempt to produce monoclonal antibodies detecting human-mouse cross-reacting epitopes, A.TH mice (Is) which lack I-E antigens were immunized with human Ia glycoproteins. Five hybridoma lines were established which recognize monomorphic human Ia determinants. Only one of the lines, 21w4, is reactive with murine cells and also with pig and sheep cells but not with rat cells. Binding studies to murine target cells show a strain distribution analogous to that of an Ia. 7-like specificity. The binding of 21w4 antibody to human and murine cells was compared to that of two other monoclonal antibodies directed to the murine Ia. 7-like specificity. Although all three antibodies had a similar pattern of reactivity with cells of different mouse strains, only 21w4 bound to the human cells tested. Competitive inhibition studies on murine cells have revealed that the epitopes were spatially related but not identical. Our results support the view that Ia. 7, the putative species cross-reacting specificity, might be composed of clusters of epitopes with variable degrees of conservation throughout evolution.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Monoclonais/imunologia , Epitopos/genética , Genes MHC da Classe II , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/análise , Animais , Anticorpos Monoclonais/genética , Sítios de Ligação de Anticorpos , Ligação Competitiva , Reações Cruzadas , Epitopos/análise , Feminino , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/imunologia , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos A , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Ratos , Ratos Endogâmicos ACI , Ratos Endogâmicos BUF , Ratos Endogâmicos Lew , Ovinos , SuínosRESUMO
Monoclonal antibodies 50D6 and 21r5, reactive with human class II molecules, were analyzed quantitatively by flow cytometry and cellular radioimmunoassay for their binding to cells of different HLA-DR types. Monoclonal antibody 50D6 bound equally to cells of all DR types tested except DR7, where no reactivity was observed. Monoclonal antibody 21r5 was reactive with all cells. However, the percentage of DR molecules at the cell surface expressing 21r5 epitope varied with the DR type and increased as follows: DR3 = DR7 less than DR2 less than DR5 less than DR4 less than DR1. MAb 50D6 reacted with an epitope spatially related to but distinct from the 21w4 epitope present on all DR molecules. The 50D6 epitope was shown to be present on isolated DR1 molecules.
Assuntos
Alelos , Epitopos/análise , Genes MHC da Classe II , Ligação Genética , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/análise , Animais , Anticorpos Monoclonais , Linhagem Celular , Membrana Celular/imunologia , Citometria de Fluxo , Antígenos HLA-DR , Antígeno HLA-DR7 , Humanos , Camundongos , Fenótipo , RadioimunoensaioRESUMO
There are currently no studies available in the literature to highlight nurses' experiences of the assertive outreach (AO) engagement process. This study aimed to understand how AO nurses experience this process and what can be learned from it. The participants were five nurses working in a rural AO service in one county. Methodological considerations were rooted in the work of Martin Heidegger and the data analysed using the hermeneutic phenomenological thematic method. The data-gathering tool was semi-structured interviews. Seven major themes emerged to construct the nurses' understanding of their experience of assertive engagement. These were: (1) having time; (2) anticipatory persistence and tired dejection; (3) pressure, relief and satisfaction; (4) being the human professional confluence; (5) accepting anxiety and fear; (6) working and learning together; and (7) bringing the caring attitude. This paper focuses on the seven emerging themes and discusses the implications and recommendations for nurses practising in the AO setting.
Assuntos
Assertividade , Papel do Profissional de Enfermagem , Relações Enfermeiro-Paciente , Processo de Enfermagem/normas , Enfermagem Psiquiátrica/normas , Anedotas como Assunto , Competência Clínica/normas , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pesquisa Metodológica em Enfermagem , Projetos Piloto , População Rural , Inquéritos e Questionários , Reino UnidoRESUMO
The splay and bend elastic constants of the bent-core oxadiazole material [C5-Ph-ODBP-Ph-OC12] have been investigated as a function of temperature across the nematic phase. The bend constant K(33) is found to take values of ~3.0 pN and to be almost temperature independent, whereas, the splay constant K(11) increases monotonically from ~3.5 pN close to the isotropic phase transition to values of ~9 pN deep in the nematic phase. No pretransitional divergence is observed in either K(11) or K(33) at temperatures approaching the underlying phase. This behavior of the elastic constants is distinct from that observed in rodlike liquid crystal systems but appears to share characteristics with the few other bent-core nematic systems studied to date. We discuss the interdependence of the elastic constants, the birefringence, and the order parameter to allow a comparison of the observed behavior with theory. We show that calculations of the elastic constants via molecular-field theory and atomistic modeling are in excellent qualitative as well as good quantitative (within 2 pN) agreement with the measurements across the temperature range, offering a deeper understanding of the elasticity in bent-core nematic materials than has been, hitherto, available.
Assuntos
Membrana Celular/fisiologia , Glândula de Sal/fisiologia , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/isolamento & purificação , Aclimatação , Animais , Membrana Celular/ultraestrutura , Patos , Microscopia Eletrônica/métodos , Ouabaína/farmacologia , Biossíntese de Proteínas , Glândula de Sal/ultraestrutura , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/genética , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/metabolismo , TrítioRESUMO
A new genus and species of freshwater sponge, Clypeatula cooperensis, collected from three lakes in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, USA, are described. The sponge grows as a hard, disc-shaped encrustation on the undersides of rocks and logs. It lacks microscleres and has amphioxeal megascleres that often show a slight midregion bulb and are usually covered with short, conical spines except at their tips. The sponge is also non-gemmulating, overwintering in a regressed state in which choanocyte chambers are reduced in number. Phylogenetic analyses of complete 18S rDNA sequences of C. cooperensis, Ephydatia muelleri, Spongilla lacustris and Eunapius fragilis suggest that C. cooperensis is more closely related to Ephydatia muelleri than to Spongilla lacustris or Eunapius fragilis. Our data, nonetheless, do not rule out the possibility that C. cooperensis is more closely related to the non-gemmulating sponges of Lake Baikal (Russia) than it is to Ephydatia muelleri. These phylogenetic analyses support the erection of a new genus, the monophyly of freshwater sponges belonging to the families Spongillidae and Lubomirskiidae, and the monophyly of demosponges.
Assuntos
Água Doce , Filogenia , Poríferos/classificação , Aclimatação , Animais , Sequência de Bases , DNA Ribossômico , Montana , Poríferos/anatomia & histologia , Poríferos/genética , Homologia de Sequência do Ácido NucleicoRESUMO
An IgG fraction prepared from an antiserum against a holoenzyme preparation of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase precipitated a single antigen when samples of holoenzyme were subjected to crossed immunoelectrophoresis but precipitated an additional, immunochemically-related antigen when a plasma membrane-enriched fraction was subjected to crossed immunoelectrophoresis under the same conditions. The immunochemically-related antigen could be extracted from the plasma membrane fraction with CHCl3:CH3OH.
Assuntos
ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/imunologia , Animais , Antígenos/isolamento & purificação , Membrana Celular/enzimologia , Membrana Celular/imunologia , Clorofórmio , Patos , Imunoquímica , Imunoeletroforese Bidimensional , Metanol , Glândula de Sal/enzimologia , Glândula de Sal/imunologia , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/isolamento & purificaçãoRESUMO
The accessible Ia molecules on the surface of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells were quantitated in the cellular radioimmunoassay with saturating concentrations of monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibody 21w4, like DA/2 antibody, recognizes monomorphic determinants of human Ia antigens. The amount of 21w4 or DA/2 bound to CLL cells derived from eight patients (varying from 2.6 to 13.9 x 10(5) molecules/cell) appears to be the maximum observed with the antibodies studied. Two other antibodies, 18d5 and 21r5, although also directed at nonpolymorphic Ia determinants, bind differentially to CLL cells, with the ratios of 21r5/21w4 and 18d5/21w4 varying from 0.08 to 0.90. Sequential immmunoprecipitation studies have established that the four epitopes 18d5, 21r5, 21w4, and DA/2 were present on the same molecules. All Ia molecules express 21w4 and DA/2 epitopes, whereas only certain subsets of Ia molecules carry accessible 21r5 or 18d5 epitopes. Competitive binding studies showed that the epitopes recognized by the four monoclonal antibodies were different. Monoclonal antibodies 21r5 and 21w4 did not inhibit each other's binding. Furthermore, binding of 21w4 to CLL cells potentiated the binding of 125I-21r5 IgG to the same cells, suggesting that binding of 21w4 antibody induces a conformational change in the molecule that renders 21r5 epitopes more accessible.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Monoclonais/imunologia , Antígenos Heterófilos/análise , Glicoproteínas/análise , Leucemia Linfoide/análise , Adulto , Idoso , Animais , Linfócitos B/imunologia , Sítios de Ligação de Anticorpos , Ligação Competitiva , Precipitação Química , Epitopos , Feminino , Glicoproteínas/imunologia , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos A , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Subcellular membrane fractions were prepared from the salt glands of osmotically-stressed ducklings. Two fractions were characterized biochemically with respect to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, alkaline phosphodiesterase I, succinate dehydrogenase, esterase, and galactosyltransferase activities and immunochemically with respect to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. The ratios of the estimates of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase contents obtained biochemically and immunochemically from the two fractions differed by more than 2 X. The results are consistent with the presence of at least two molecular species of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, unevenly distributed between the two fractions.
Assuntos
Glândula de Sal/enzimologia , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/metabolismo , Animais , Patos , Esterases/metabolismo , Galactosiltransferases/metabolismo , Imunoeletroforese Bidimensional , Frações Subcelulares/metabolismo , Succinato Desidrogenase/metabolismoRESUMO
The avian salt gland provides an ideal system for the study of plasma membrane (PM) biogenesis. Feeding ducklings 1% sodium chloride (salt stress) induces the secretory cells of the gland to synthesize large amounts of PM, which forms an extensive basolateral PM domain after 7-9 days of treatment. In the present study, the initial biosynthetic events following salt stress were investigated. In vivo studies using 3H-uridine indicated that increased rates of RNA synthesis could be detected by 2 hr after the beginning of salt stress and continued through at least 12 hr. Under in vitro conditions, increased rates of protein and glycoprotein synthesis (as monitored by 3H-leucine and 3H-fucose incorporation, respectively) were also detected after 2 hr and continued through 7-9 days. Increased levels of Na,K-ATPase, a specific secretory cell PM marker, were detected after 8 hr of treatment as monitored by specific activity and 3H-ouabain binding. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis coupled with fluorography indicated that both 3H-leucine and 3H-fucose were incorporated into partially purified preparations of Na,K-ATPase isolated after 12 hr. Light microscopic autoradiographic analysis of pulse-chase experiments indicated that in secretory cells of 12-hr salt-stressed glands, 3H-leucine- and 3H-fucose-labelled products reached the cell periphery by 1-2 hr after the initial pulse. The incorporation of both tritiated precursors was predominantly associated with the secretory cells. Quantitative electron microscopic autoradiography indicated that 3H-leucine is initially taken up by elements of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and cytoplasm (5 min postpulse), subsequently transported to and concentrated within components of the Golgi apparatus (10 min of chase), and ultimately incorporated into all domains of the plasma membrane of secretory cells by 1-2 hr of chase. The data is consistent with a flow of newly synthesized membrane components from RER to Golgi to plasma membrane and is analogous to the pattern previously found for the synthesis and processing of PM proteins in a wide variety of cell types.
Assuntos
Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Patos/metabolismo , Glândula de Sal/ultraestrutura , Animais , Membrana Celular/ultraestrutura , Citoplasma/metabolismo , Patos/anatomia & histologia , Retículo Endoplasmático/metabolismo , Fucose/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas/biossíntese , Complexo de Golgi/metabolismo , Cinética , Leucina/metabolismo , Microscopia Eletrônica , Biossíntese de Proteínas , RNA/biossíntese , Glândula de Sal/efeitos dos fármacos , Cloreto de Sódio/farmacologia , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/biossínteseRESUMO
Thy-1 antigen present in large amounts on the brain and thymus of mice, exists in two allelic forms, either Thy-1.1 or Thy-1.2. Previous results have shown that Thy-1.1 alloantigen is expressed on a glycoprotein of molecular weight 25 000, therefore referred to as the Thy-1 glycoprotein. However the presence of Thy-1.2 alloantigen on the purified Thy-1 glycoprotein could not be established unequivocally. The present paper demonstrates that Thy-1.2 alloantigen, identified by F7D5 monoclonal antibody, is localized on the Thy-1 glycoprotein. The limited neutralization by the glycoprotein of the reactivity of AKR anti-C3H allosera to thymocytes is explained by the fact that the antiserum contains antibodies to determinants other than Thy-1.2. The alloantisera are shown to react with viral proteins encoded for by endogenous murine leukemia virus and expressed at the surface of Friend cells and thymocytes.
Assuntos
Anticorpos , Antígenos de Superfície/análise , Encéfalo/imunologia , Proteínas de Membrana/análise , Timo/imunologia , Animais , Complexo Antígeno-Anticorpo , Glicoproteínas/imunologia , Cinética , Leucemia Experimental/imunologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos , Especificidade de Órgãos , Especificidade da Espécie , Baço/imunologia , Antígenos Thy-1RESUMO
Conventional fractionation procedures were used in an effort to define the subcellular distribution of the Thy-1 alloantigen in whole mouse brain. After discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation of isotonic postnuclear particulate fractions, the bulk of Thy-1 was recovered in regions of the gradients containing synaptosomes. The synaptosome fraction that banded at 1.2 M sucrose yielded a specific activity for Thy-1 significantly greater than the synaptosomes separating at 1.4 M sucrose. Osmotic lysis of both synaptosome fractions resulted in further enrichment in Thy-1 activity, with no concomitant decrease in yields. The synaptosomal membranes obtained in this way were subsequently treated with Triton X-100 and subjected to further density gradient centrifugation. Although the detergent treatment resulted in some loss of antigenic activity, the gradient fractions that contained Thy-1 also were found by electron microscopy to be richest in synaptic junctional complexes. These findings suggest that Thy-1 is associated with synaptosomes and synaptic junctional complexes and therefore may be involved in the formation and/or maintenance of synaptic connections.
Assuntos
Encéfalo/imunologia , Isoantígenos , Membranas Sinápticas/imunologia , Sinaptossomos/imunologia , Animais , Encéfalo/ultraestrutura , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos , Polietilenoglicóis , Frações Subcelulares/imunologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess the changes in multifetal pregnancy generation as a function of utilization of ovulation stimulation and assisted reproductive techniques and to document the relative control of hyperstimulation between the methods. STUDY DESIGN: The methods of infertility treatment, number of fetuses, and outcomes of 220 patients referred for multifetal pregnancy reduction were compared over three time periods (1986 to 1989, 1991 to 1992, and 1992 to 1993). Clomiphene, human menopausal gonadotropin, and ovulation stimulation with urofollitropin were compared against gamete intrafallopian transfer, zygote intrafallopian transfer, and in vitro fertilization (assisted reproductive techniques). RESULTS: The proportion of multifetal pregnancies generated by assisted reproductive techniques has steadily risen from 26% in the first two time periods to nearly half in the last 2 years. However, the number and proportion of quintuplet and greater pregnancies from assisted reproductive techniques have steadily fallen while for ovulation stimulation the proportion has remained about one third. CONCLUSION: Despite considerably increased use and proportionate generation of triplet and quadruplet pregnancies, the incidence of quintuplets has fallen for assisted reproductive techniques while there has been no improvement for ovulation stimulation. Continued, greater vigilance, particularly in the use of human menopausal gonadotropin and urofollitropin, must be emphasized.
Assuntos
Infertilidade/terapia , Gravidez Múltipla , Técnicas Reprodutivas , Clomifeno/uso terapêutico , Feminino , Fertilização in vitro , Hormônio Foliculoestimulante/uso terapêutico , Transferência Intrafalopiana de Gameta , Humanos , Menotropinas/uso terapêutico , Indução da Ovulação , Gravidez , Resultado da Gravidez , Transferência Intratubária do ZigotoRESUMO
Sirenomelus is an invariably lethal congenital anomaly characterized by complete or nearly complete fusion of the lower extremities that occurs in 1 of 60,000 births. In about 50% of cases this condition cannot be diagnosed prenatally because of the associated oligohydramnios that precludes a detailed examination of the fetus. We present a case of sirenomelus in which prenatal diagnosis was aided by color Doppler ultrasonography; visualization of the vitelline artery as a single, large intraabdominal vessel that did not branch in the fetal pelvis but rather coursed ventrally into the umbilical cord proved to be diagnostic of this rare condition. Color Doppler flow ultrasonography is a valuable tool for the prenatal diagnosis of sirenomelus.