Parvovirus B19 during pregnancy: a review.

Several infections in adults warrant special consideration in pregnant women given the potential fetal consequences. Among these is parvovirus B19 deserves special attention since the harmful effects on the pregnant woman and fetus. It can then cause fetal anemia, non-immune fetal hydrops and fetal death. Among cases with fetal demise, B19 is foundin significant numbers, especially in the second andthird trimesters of pregnancy. There is no specific treatment or prophylaxis available against B19 infection, but counseling of non-immune mothers and active monitoring of confirmed maternal infections with intervention to correct fetal anemia is likely to decrease mortality.

Update on systemic lupus erythematosus pregnancy.

Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) still face significant risks when embarking on a pregnancy. Improvements in the field of pathophysiology, in diagnosis and a greater number of therapeutic options in the treatment of SLE, have made the medical community regard these patients with less trepidation. Despite these advances, however, the risk of significant morbidity to both the mother and the fetus still exists. THE INTERACTION OF LUPUS AND PREGNANCY IS VERY COMPLEX: the consensus is that pregnancy can worsen the lupus disease process, even if this is not predictable, and pregnancy can mimic the clinical manifestations of lupus, particularly preeclampsia/eclampsia. More specifically, pregnancy is associated in 50 to 60% of cases with a clinical flare manifesting as renalor hematological symptoms. Severe flares are uncommon (10%) and the risk of maternal death is now2 to 3%. The risk of the fetus remains high, however with increased risk of spontaneous fetal wastage and premature births, by 4.8 and 6.8 times, respectively. It is well documented that antiphospholipid syndrome and antiphospholipid antibodies are strongly associated with fetal wastage. Low-dose aspirin orheparin improves fetal outcome in these cases.Timing a pregnancy to coincide with a period of disease quiescence for at least 6 months strongly increases the chances for a healthy and uneventful pregnancy for both mother and baby. Close surveillance, with monitoring of blood pressure, proteinuria and placental blood flow by doppler studies helps the early diagnosis and treatment of complications such as preeclampsia andfoetal distress. Women with SLE frequently need treatment throughout pregnancy based on hydroxychloroquine, lowdose steroids and azathioprine. This update, based on previous available literature, should inform rheumatologists, obstetricians and neonatologists who guide patients in their reproductive decisions.

Chemical characterization of new oxylipins from Cestrum parqui, and their effects on seed germination and early seedling growth.

Isolation, chemical characterization, and phytotoxicity of five new oxylipins, together with seven already known related compounds, from Cestrum parqui L' Hérl. is reported. All the structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectral data, especially 1D-(1H- and 13C-NMR, DEPT) and 2D-NMR (COSY, TOCSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY). The configurations of the stereogenic C-atoms were determined by the Mosher's method. The compounds have been assayed for their phytotoxicity on Lactuca sativa at concentrations ranging between 10(-4) and 10(-8) M. The results of the phytotoxicity tests on the germination and growth of the test species, obtained by a cluster analysis, showed interesting relationship between the chemical structures of the compounds and their biological effects.

Structures of bioactive carexanes from the roots of Carex distachya Desf.

Four metabolites, named carexanes I-L, have been isolated from the roots of Carex distachya Desf, an herbaceous plant living in the Mediterranean maquis, together with three known compounds, already isolated from the aerial part of the plant. All the compounds have been characterized on the basis of their spectroscopic properties. Carexane I derived from the lose of a proton from the C-18 carbon of an intermediate isopropyl cation. Its stereostructure has been elucidated by Mosher's method, NOESY/ROESY experiments and computational calculations. The bioactivity on seed germination and root/shoot growth of Lactuca sativa L. of all the isolated compounds is also reported.

Structural characterization of phytotoxic terpenoids from Cestrum parqui.

Isolation, chemical characterization and phytotoxicity of nine polyhydroxylated terpenes (five C13nor-isoprenoids, two sesquiterpenes, a spirostane and a pseudosapogenin) from Cestrum parqui L'Herr are reported. In this work we completed the phytochemical investigation of the terpenic fraction of the plant and described the structural elucidation of polar isoprenoids using NMR methods. All the configurations of the compounds have been assigned by NOESY experiments. Four new structures have been identified as (3S,5R,6R,7E,9R)-5,6,9-trihydroxy-3-isopropyloxy-7-megastigmene, 5alpha-spirostan-3beta,12beta,15alpha-triol, and 26-O-(3'-isopentanoyl)-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-5alpha-furost-20(22)-ene-3beta,26-diol, and as an unusual tricyclic sesquiterpene. The compounds have been assayed for their phytotoxicity on lettuce at the concentrations ranging between 10(-4) and 10(-7)M. The activities of some compounds were similar to that of the herbicide pendimethalin.