A nucleoside triphosphate phosphohydrolase activity has been discovered in reovirus virions. This activity converts nucleoside triphosphates to nucleoside diphosphates in vitro. Properties of this enzyme are presented, with evidence that this activity is an integral part of the virion core.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intrapartum screen for diabetes in patients without prenatal care: use of labor admission serum glucose.

OBJECTIVE: For patients presenting in labor with no prenatal care, a rapid screening test for gestational diabetes would potentially aid in decisions for tocolysis (e.g., preterm patients) and mode of delivery (e.g., large for gestational age). We sought to determine whether a labor admission serum glucose is of predictive value in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. METHODS: We obtained labor admission glucose values for laboring patients and compared these with 1-h (50-g) postglucola (1 degree PG) screens obtained at 24 to 32 weeks' gestation. Diabetics being treated with insulin were excluded from the study. Labor admission serum glucose values were compared to 1 degrees PG values by linear regression. Sensitivity and specificity of admission glucose for identification of a positive 1 degree PG (140 mg/dl) were evaluated by a receiver operator curve (ROC). RESULTS: A total of 98 patients with both 1 degree PG screens and labor admission glucose were identified. Linear regression showed no significant correlation of labor admission glucose and 1 degree PG values (r = 0.13; P = 0.9). The ROC failed to demonstrate an optimal admission random glucose cutoff value for diagnosis of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: In laboring patients without insulin-requiring diabetes, labor admission glucose does not predict an abnormal 1 degree PG and thus does not aid in labor management of patients with suboptimal prenatal care.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Novel technique for assessing amniotic fluid volume: use of a three-dimensional bladder scanner.

OBJECTIVE: Abnormalities of amniotic fluid (AF) volume are associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Although current ultrasound techniques provide a linear amniotic fluid index (AFI) or 2-D area of AF, these indices have limited correlation with actual AF volume. The bladder volume instrument (BVI) 2500 ultrasound (Diagnostic Ultrasound Corp., Redmond, WA) utilizes a rotating 2 MHz transducer, a computer-defined fluid interface, and computer integration of 12 cross-sectional images to calculate 3-D fluid volume. In term pregnancies with normal AF volume, we previously demonstrated a correlation between the AFI and the 3-D volume as determined by BVI. In the present study, we sought to establish normative gestational values for BVI-determined 3-D volume and the relation to simultaneous AFI determinations. METHODS: Following written informed consent, 73 gravidas (17-41 weeks) with uncomplicated pregnancies and normal

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

"Getting involved" in politics: one dentist's story.

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Humans↗