[Advanced labour pain relief].

Delivery and labour pain is normally the most painful event in a woman's lifetime. Physical and psychological factors may influence the severity of labour pain, and labour pain relief is an important issue for the obstetric anaesthetist. We describe the current most effective pharmacological techniques used for labour analgesia: systemically with remifentanil and regionally with epidural analgesia.

[Treatment of anaphylactic schock in pregnant women].

This is an update on the treatment of anaphylactic shock in pregnant women. Most guidelines recommend adrenaline as first-line treatment in all patients, but in pregnant patients some recommend ephedrine due to a potential risk of utero-placental hypoperfusion with adrenaline. However, ephedrine is a less potent vasopressor than adrenaline and does not possess the same anti-inflammatory or broncho-dilating effects. As immediate and correct treatment is essential for both the maternal and the fetal outcome, adrenaline should be first-line treatment also in pregnant women.

Effects of latitude-related factors and geographical origin on anthocyanidin concentrations in fruits of Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberries).

Two data sets are presented to identify the effect of growth location and origin of parental plant on anthocyanidin concentrations in Vaccinium myrtillus fruits. Bilberries were collected from wild populations growing at different latitudes and from cultivated plants originating from different geographical locations but grown in the same location for over 10 years. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that anthocyanidin concentrations varied significantly with latitude and with geographical origin, with higher values form northern latitudes or from a more northerly origin of parent plants. The results show that anthocyanidin concentrations in bilberries are under strong genetic control but are also influenced by climatic factors. Furthermore, the proportions of specific anthocyanidins differed between latitudes and between plants with different parental origins. The diversity in anthocyanidin concentration and composition has important implications for plant breeders and for future development of varieties with high antioxidant capacity.

Effects of sampling time and nitrogen fertilization on anthocyanidin levels in Vaccinium myrtillus fruits.

Vaccinium myrtillus berries (bilberries) contain antioxidants, in particular anthocyanins, which are secondary metabolites that have proven health-promoting effects. Bilberries were collected at the Svartberget research forest in northern Sweden from plots with no, low, and high applications of NH(4)NO(3) on three replicated dates in each year from 2005-2007, and their anthocyanidin contents were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Their mean total anthocyanidin contents were 9.0, 6.2, and 22.7 mg/g DW in 2005, 2006, and 2007, respectively. The values were significantly higher in 2005 than in 2006 and significantly higher in 2007 than in both previous years, across all three sampling dates. In addition, anthocyanidin contents were significantly affected by sampling date in all years (P < 0.001); they were linearly correlated with the thermal sum in 2005 and 2007 but rose between the first and second sampling occasions and subsequently declined in 2006. No significant effect of nitrogen fertilization on total anthocyanidin levels was detected in any of the studied years. The results indicate that climatic factors and yearly fluctuations influence anthocyanidin biosynthesis and degradation more strongly than nitrogen availability. To our knowledge, this is the first time this effect of sampling time on anthocyanins in mature bilberries has been shown.