Search

We would like to present two cases of middle-aged men found dead outdoors, in relatively low temperatures, whose postmortem brain CT scan exhibited unusual findings. Both cases presented traumatic injuries, mainly cerebral (bleeds, contusions). The first case involved a 55-year-old man, found dead in front of his house, mostly covered by snow, with an ambient temperature reaching − 1.8 °C. Before the autopsy, a native (without contrast) postmortem CT scan was performed which revealed a linear delimitation between the anterior and posterior regions of the brain, along with hypodensity in the anterior region, compatible with an advanced state of decomposition. The second case involved a 77-year-old man, found dead on the bottom of a cliff where his car was found. Temperatures recorded then approached 9 °C. However, a technical glitch in the cooling cell during the storage of the corpse was reported. The subsequent postmortem CT scan performed before the autopsy showed a grossly circular zone of hypodensity across the periphery of the brain with a centro-peripheral and right-left gradient. Furthermore, macroscopic and microscopic examinations of the brain didn’t reveal any pathological findings concerning the density differences observed on imaging in both cases. These two cases seem to highlight the processes through which the cold might affect brain tissue and his appearance on imaging, which could consequently represent a potential pitfall in postmortem forensic investigations. We intend to encourage further studies on this topic, to allow correct interpretation of such CT scan findings in forensic cases, and to open the debate about the possible causes of this phenomenon.

Mixing in a reactor can be achieved mechanically or by the injection of a gas. This can be done by injecting a gas towards the bottom of the tank. The induced flow recirculation and then the stirring quality depends on the bubbles morphology, rising velocity and frequency detachment. This study focus on the case where the stirred fluid exhibits a yield stress. It is in line with previous studies on the gas cavity at the injection point [1], the induced flow recirculation [2] and the numerical simulation [3]. Here we quantified the bubbles diameters, aspect ratios and velocities as a function of the air flow rate, rheological parameters and tank size. Scaling laws and correlations based on the characteristic dimensionless numbers governing the flow have been proposed and validated experimentally. It was found that bubble frequencies and consequently bubble volumes and velocities are mainly governed by the balance between inertial and buoyancy forces. However, viscous and yield stress effects play an important role along buoyancy and inertial in defining the bubble aspect ratios. Weakly inertial flows are characterized by elongated bubbles while high inertial flows produce almost spherical bubbles. These experimental results are of practical interest for the design of reactor or digester where yield stress fluids have to be stirred.

ABSTRACT: The objectives of this descriptive study were to (1) describe the pharmacokinetics of salicylic acid (SA) in the milk and plasma of postpartum dairy cattle following oral administration of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; aspirin), (2) to estimate a recommended milk withdrawal period for dairy cattle treated with ASA, and (3) to determine the effect of ASA administration on plasma prostaglandin E2 metabolite (PGEM) concentrations. Primiparous (n = 3) and multiparous (n = 7) postpartum Holstein dairy cows received 2 oral treatments with ASA at 200 mg/kg of body weight, 24 h apart. Concentrations of SA in plasma and milk from 0 h through 120 h after ASA administration were analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry and a milk withdrawal period was estimated using the United States Food and Drug Administration Milk Discard App in R. Two withdrawal periods were estimated: (1) a whole-herd treatment scenario with no dilution factor and (2) an individual animal treatment scenario with a bulk tank factor included in analysis. Plasma PGEM concentrations in samples from 0 h to 24 h after ASA administration were determined using a commercially available competitive ELISA. Milk SA concentrations were undetected in all cows by 48 h after the last ASA treatment. Secondary peaks were observed in plasma at 58 and 82 h after the last treatment and in milk at 87 h after the last treatment. In the absence of a tolerance for SA in milk, the estimated milk withdrawal periods were (1) 156 h for the whole-herd treatment scenario and (2) 120 h for the individual animal treatment scenario. Plasma PGEM concentrations were reduced compared with baseline for up to 12 h after ASA administration, with the greatest reduction observed at 2 h. Results from this study suggest that the current milk withhold recommendation for dairy cattle administered ASA may need revision to 120 h (5 d) and that ASA administration may mitigate postpartum inflammation through reduction in prostaglandin production for up to 12 h after treatment. Pharmacokinetic and milk withdrawal data from this study will inform future recommendations for extra-label use of aspirin in postpartum dairy cows. Further research is required to determine the basis for the secondary SA peaks and to elucidate the long-term effects of ASA administration on dairy cow health.

Summary: Despite substantial lignocellulose conversion during mycelial growth, previous transcriptome and proteome studies have not yet revealed how secretomes from the edible mushroom Agaricus bisporus develop and whether they modify lignin models in vitro. To clarify these aspects, A. bisporus secretomes collected throughout a 15-day industrial substrate production and from axenic lab-cultures were subjected to proteomics, and tested on polysaccharides and lignin models. Secretomes (day 6–15) comprised A. bisporus endo-acting and substituent-removing glycoside hydrolases, whereas β-xylosidase and glucosidase activities gradually decreased. Laccases appeared from day 6 onwards. From day 10 onwards, many oxidoreductases were found, with numerous multicopper oxidases (MCO), aryl alcohol oxidases (AAO), glyoxal oxidases (GLOX), a manganese peroxidase (MnP), and unspecific peroxygenases (UPO). Secretomes modified dimeric lignin models, thereby catalyzing syringylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (SBG) cleavage, guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GBG) polymerization, and non-phenolic veratrylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (VBG) oxidation. We explored A. bisporus secretomes and insights obtained can help to better understand biomass valorization.

Aim: The SAMe-TT2R2 score helps identify patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) likely to have poor anticoagulation control during anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and those with scores >2 might be better managed with a target-specific oral anticoagulant (NOAC). We hypothesized that in clinical practice, VKAs may be prescribed less frequently to patients with AF and SAMe-TT2R2 scores >2 than to patients with lower scores. Methods and results: We analyzed the Phase III dataset of the Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (GLORIA-AF), a large, global, prospective global registry of patients with newly diagnosed AF and ≥1 stroke risk factor. We compared baseline clinical characteristics and antithrombotic prescriptions to determine the probability of the VKA prescription among anticoagulated patients with the baseline SAMe-TT2R2 score >2 and ≤ 2. Among 17,465 anticoagulated patients with AF, 4,828 (27.6%) patients were prescribed VKA and 12,637 (72.4%) patients an NOAC: 11,884 (68.0%) patients had SAMe-TT2R2 scores 0-2 and 5,581 (32.0%) patients had scores >2. The proportion of patients prescribed VKA was 28.0% among patients with SAMe-TT2R2 scores >2 and 27.5% in those with scores ≤2. Conclusions: The lack of a clear association between the SAMe-TT2R2 score and anticoagulant selection may be attributed to the relative efficacy and safety profiles between NOACs and VKAs as well as to the absence of trial evidence that an SAMe-TT2R2-guided strategy for the selection of the type of anticoagulation in NVAF patients has an impact on clinical outcomes of efficacy and safety. The latter hypothesis is currently being tested in a randomized controlled trial. Clinical trial registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov//Unique identifier: NCT01937377, NCT01468701, and NCT01671007.

Background: Hemolytic blood samples are the number one cause for specimen rejection at emergency departments. Triggered by unsuitable blood sampling material or incorrect handling and a related strong vacuum force, hemolytic samples often must be retaken. The objective of this study was to assess whether correct manual aspiration using S-Monovette® could reduce the number of hemolytic samples. Methods: Between January and April 2019, a head-to-head study was conducted. Whereas in the first eight weeks, all specimens were collected using Vacutainer®, in the second eight weeks, blood was taken using S-Monovette® in aspiration mode. Specimens were categorized into five classes (0–30, 31–50, 51–75, 76–100, and 101+ mg/dl of cell-free hemoglobin) and for the statistical analyses, all samples exceeding 30 mg/dl were classified as hemolytic. Results: Data were collected on 4794 blood specimens (Vacutainer®: 2634 samples, S-Monovette®: 2160 samples). While the percentage of non-hemolytic samples (HI of 0–30 mg/dl) was substantially higher for specimens drawn by S-Monovette® (95.7 %) than Vacutainer® (83.0 %), the opposite was true for all HI categories above 30 mg/dl. Importantly, the reduction of hemolytic samples took place immediately following the imposition of S-Monovette® and remained stable at a low level until the end of the study. Conclusions: Based on our results, we conclude that switching to S-Monovette® in manual aspiration mode in the blood sampling process could be highly beneficial, not only from a financial point of view, but also with regards to reducing unnecessary tasks and stress for nursing staff and improving patient outcome overall.

In this study, experimental results of hydrogen producing process based on anaerobic photosynthesis using the purple non-sulfur bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus are scrutinized. The bacterial culture was carried out in a photo-bioreactor operated in a quasi-continuous mode, using lactate as a carbon source. The method is based on the continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) technique to access kinetic parameters. The dynamic evolution of hydrogen production as a function of time was accurately simulated using Luedeking-Piret model and the growth of R. capsulatus was computed using Gompertz model. The combination of both models was successfully applied to determine the relevant parameters (λ, μmax, α and β) for two R. capsulatus strains studied: the wild-type strain B10 and the H2 over-producing mutant IR3. The mathematical description indicates that the photofermentation is more promising than dark fermentation for the conversion of organic substrates into biogas.

Lichens are organisms capable of colonizing almost every type of materials, provided they are stable and have sufficient exposure to light. The growing of lichens on bone surface is rare, due to the speed to which this substrate is weathered and destroyed. For the most part, documented cases occur in extreme environments, such as the Arctic and Antarctic, where bone elements remain unaltered for long periods, although they have also been found in other latitudes. The aim of this paper is to describe the taxonomic diversity of the lichens growing on a set of human bones recovered at a looted Late Holocene aboriginal cairn burial (chenque) in southern continental Patagonia (Piedra Museo archaeological locality, Deseado Massif, Santa Cruz, Argentina). In the analyzed bone assemblage (NISP = 56), a total of 63 lichen thalli were recorded. They were assigned to seven different species, except one case that could only be determined at the genus level. This is the first well-described record of lichen flora growing on human bone remains for South America, having important implications for both archaeological and forensic sciences. Keywords: Human bone remains, Psiloparmelia, Archaeology, Hunter-gatherers, Patagonia

The field of cardiac electrophysiology has greatly developed during the past decades. Consequently, the use of electrophysiological studies (EPSs) in clinical practice has also significantly augmented, with a progressively increasing number of certified electrophysiology centers and specialists. Since Zipes et al published the Guidelines for Clinical Intracardiac Electrophysiology and Catheter Ablation Procedures in 1995, no official document summarizing current EPS indications has been published.The current paper focuses on summarizing all relevant data of the role of EPS in patients with different types of cardiac pathologies and provides up-to-date recommendations on this topic.For this purpose, the PubMed database was screened for relevant articles in English up to December 2018 and ESC and ACC/AHA Clinical Practice Guidelines, and EHRA/HRS/APHRS position statements related to the current topic were analyzed.Current recommendations for the use of EPS in clinical practice are discussed and presented in 17 distinct cardiac pathologies. A short rationale, evidence, and indications are provided for each cardiac disease/group of diseases.In conclusion, because of its capability to establish a diagnosis in patients with a variety of cardiac pathologies, the EPS remains a useful tool in the evaluation of patients with cardiac arrhythmias and conduction disorders and is capable of establishing indications for cardiac device implantation and guide catheter ablation procedures. Keywords: Electrophysiological study, Indications, Arrhythmias

The optimization of dietary phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) supply requires a better understanding of the effect of dietary fiber content of co-products on the digestive utilization of minerals. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary fiber content from 00-rapeseed meal (RSM) on P and Ca digestibility throughout the gastrointestinal tract in growing pigs fed diets without or with microbial phytase. In total, 48 castrated male pigs (initial BW=36.1±0.4 kg) were housed in metabolic crates for 29 days. After an 8-day adaptation period, pigs were allocated to one of the eight treatments. The impact of dietary fiber was modulated by adding whole RSM (wRSM), dehulled RSM (dRSM) or dRSM supplemented with 4.5% or 9.0% rapeseed hulls (dRSMh1 and dRSMh2). Diets contained 0 or 500 phytase unit of microbial phytase per kg. From day 14 to day 23, feces and urine were collected separately to determine apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and apparent retention (AR) of P and Ca. At the end of the experiment, femurs and digestive contents were sampled. No effect of variables of interest was observed on growth performance. Microbial phytase increased ATTD and AR of P (P

The ability of birds to modify dietary phosphorus utilisation when fed with low-phosphorus and calcium (Ca) diets was studied using different sequences of dietary phosphorus and Ca restriction (depletion) and recovery (repletion) during the grower and the finisher phases. A total of 3600 Ross 708 broilers were randomly divided into 10 replicate pens per treatment (60 per pen, six pens per block). Chicks were fed a common starter diet from days 0 to 10, then a grower control diet (C: 0.90% Ca, 0.39% non-phytate phosphorus, nPP), mid-level diet (M: 0.71% Ca, 0.35% nPP) or low Ca and nPP diet (L: 0.60% Ca, 0.30% nPP) from days 11 to 21, followed by a finisher diet C, M or L containing, respectively, 0.85%, 0.57% or 0.48% Ca and 0.35%, 0.29% or 0.24% nPP from days 22 to 37. Six treatment sequences were tested: CC, MM, LL, ML, LC and LM. Bone mineral content by dual-energy X-ray, tibia ash, toe ash weight and tibia breaking strength were measured on days 21 and 37. No significant effect was observed on growth performance throughout the experiment. Diet L reduced bone mineral content, breaking strength, tibia and toe ash by 9%, 13%, 11% and 10%, respectively, on day 21 (compared with diet C, for linear effect, P

Synchronization of neural activity as measured with functional connectivity (FC) is increasingly used to study the neural basis of brain disease and to develop new treatment targets. However, solid evidence for a causal role of FC in disease and therapy is lacking. Here, we manipulated FC of the ipsilesional primary motor cortex in ten chronic human stroke patients through brain-computer interface technology with visual neurofeedback. We conducted a double-blind controlled crossover study to test whether manipulation of FC through neurofeedback had a behavioral effect on motor performance. Patients succeeded in increasing FC in the motor cortex. This led to improvement in motor function that was significantly greater than during neurofeedback training of a control brain area and proportional to the degree of FC enhancement. This result provides evidence that FC has a causal role in neurological function and that it can be effectively targeted with therapy. Keywords: Brain-computer interface, EEG, Functional connectivity, Motor cortex, Stroke

Pollution relative to phosphorus excretion in poultry manure as well as the soaring prices of phosphate, a non-renewable resource, remain of major importance. Thus, a good understanding of bird response regarding dietary phosphorus (P) is a prerequisite to optimise the utilisation of this essential element in broiler diets. A database built from 15 experiments with 203 treatments was used to predict the response of 21-day-old broilers to dietary non-phytate P (NPP), taking into account the main factors of variation, calcium (Ca) and microbial phytase derived from Aspergillus niger, in terms of average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), gain to feed (G:F) and tibia ash concentration. All criteria evolve linearly (P < 0.001) and quadratically (P < 0.001) with dietary NPP concentration. Dietary Ca affected the intercept and linear component for ADG (P < 0.01), G:F (P < 0.05) and tibia ash concentration (P < 0.001), whereas for ADFI, it affected only the intercept (P < 0.01). Microbial phytase addition impacted on the intercept, the linear and the quadratic coefficient for ADFI (P < 0.01), ADG (P < 0.001) and G:F (P < 0.05), and on the intercept and the linear component (P < 0.001) for tibia ash concentration. An evaluation of these models was then performed on a database built from 28 experiments and 255 treatments that were not used to perform the models. Results showed that ADFI, ADG and Tibia ash concentration were predicted fairly well (slope and intercept did not deviate from 0 to 1, respectively), whereas this was not the case for G:F. The increase in dietary Ca concentration aggravated P deficiency for all criteria while phytase addition had a positive effect. The more P deficiency was marked, the more the bird response to ADFI, ADG, G:F and tibia ash concentration was exacerbated. It must also be considered that even if the decrease in dietary Ca may improve P utilisation, it could in turn become limiting for bone mineralisation. In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides ways to reduce dietary P in broiler diets without impairing performance, taking into account dietary Ca and microbial phytase.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the sparing effect of microbial phytase on the need for dietary zinc supplementation in chicks. A maize–soya-bean meal basal diet, containing 33 mg of zinc and 16 mg of copper per kg, supplemented with 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 or 60 mg of zinc as sulphate per kg or with 250, 500, 750 or 1000 units (FTU) of microbial phytase (3-phytase from Aspergillus niger, Natuphos®) per kg was given to 1-day-old chicks for 20 days. Sixteen chicks placed in individual cages were assigned to each diet except the unsupplemented basal diet which was assigned to 32 cages. Actual range of phytase supplementation was 280 to 850 FTU per kg diet. Growth performance was not affected by microbial phytase. Chicks given the unsupplemented basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with 60 mg of zinc per kg displayed similar performance. Bone weight, bone ash, liver weight and liver dry matter were independent (P > 0.1) of zinc and phytase supplementations. Plasma, bone and liver zinc concentrations increased linearly (P < 0.001) and quadratically (P < 0.001; P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) with zinc added. Plasma zinc tended to increase linearly (P = 0.07) and bone zinc increased linearly (P < 0.01) with phytase added but no quadratic response was detected (P > 0.1). Liver zinc was unresponsive to phytase added (P > 0.1). Liver copper decreased linearly (P < 0.001) and quadratically (P < 0.01) with zinc supplementation. Mathematical functions were fitted to the responses of plasma and bone zinc to zinc and phytase added and used to calculate zinc equivalency values of phytase. The models included a linear plateau response to zinc added and a linear response to phytase added. In diets without phytase, plasma and bone zinc concentrations were maximised for a dietary zinc concentration of 55 and 51 mg/kg, respectively. Over the range of 280 to 850 FTU, 100 FTU was equivalent to 1 mg of zinc as sulphate. Consequently, in a maize–soya-bean meal chicken diet formulated to contain 60 mg zinc per kg, zinc ingested, and in turn, zinc excreted may be reduced by around 10% if the diet contains 500 FTU as Natuphos® per kg.

Increasingly used in therapeutics, 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP), a linear furocoumarin, associated with UVA irradiation (PUVA), is now an established treatment for skin diseases such as vitiligo, mycosis funcoides and particularly psoriasis. Successful PUVA therapy depends on a sufficiently high peak 5-MOP plasma concentration coinciding with the UVA irradiation. However, as with most drugs, only the free plasma fraction is able to enter the target cells and has a pharmacological effect. In this work, the binding of 5-MOP to human albumin was studied in vitro, using a dialysis chamber. Bound and free 5-MOP fractions were quantified by a modification of Stolk's high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Dialysis was performed at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4 for 2 h, against a 4% albumin solution in phosphate buffer. The 5-MOP concentrations used were from 5 x 10(-5) to 5 x 10(-2) g/l in 1 x 10(-1) g/l steps. The 5-MOP bound strongly to human albumin in an unsaturable way. The mean 5-MOP binding to albumin was 95.3%. These results are in accordance with those published by Artuc et al. and not with those of Veronese et al., who found a lower saturable fixation (91%). These two research groups used tritiated 5-MOP. The technique used in this work is simple and inexpensive. It can be employed easily in vivo, e.g., for the assessment of 5-MOP free fractions in different therapeutic conditions.

Looking through a retrospective study of 28,828 deliveries the authors have been able to work out the frequency of thrombo-embolic complications of pregnancy (1 per 1000) and of the post-partum (3.95 per 1000). It is possible to point to different risk factors. Some are well known, these are varicose veins, Caesarean section, maternal age above 35. Other factors that are usually considered to be aetiological now appear to be less significant. These are: a history of previous thrombo-embolic conditions and post-partum sterilization. To be added to the classic risk factors are inhibition of lactation which, whatever procedure is used, significantly raises the incidence of thrombo-embolic complications. It would seem to be desirable, in view of these different parameters, that a risk score should be drawn up which would allow for medical treatment to be given prophylactically in the patients who are particularly exposed to risk.

The authors report a case of feto-maternal transfusion which showed as acute fetal distress spotted by fetal cardiac rhythm monitoring. Following this observation the authors point out such occurrences are rare with a possibility of intra-uterine fetal death at 1/1000. They also point out the value of fetal cardiac monitoring and of systematic performance of amnioscopy at the start of labour and of carrying out the Kleihauer test in every case of neonatal anaemia as well as in every case of unexplained perinatal death.

We describe the technique and the measure of the relaxation time T2 for the free precession of protons in the earth field. In vitro and in vivo experiments on human physiological fluids, including blood coagulation, are reported. We put forward the evident interest of this technique to study the meconium in the amniotic liquid and small quantities of oscite observed in situ.

Many recent studies have clearly established the anti-atherogenic effect of serum HDL cholesterol. Serum HDL cholesterol was quantified in sedentary young people (less than two weekly hours of moderate physical exercise) and in active young people (average five weekly hours of intense physical exercise). A statistical comparative study indicates that this physical training difference goes with significantly higher HDL cholesterolemia in active young people.

Since Sutherland's work simply based on the inhibition of phosphodiesterase was questioned, other researches have been carried out, indicating that many mechanisms located in the nervous system, the smooth muscle, and the immunity system interfere. The participation of receptors to adenosine, intracellular calcium ions, regulating calciproteins and autacoids such as prostaglandins was the purpose of numerous experimental researches that allow today to fill up the gap left by the fact that the inhibitor of phosphodiesterase was questioned. However, there are not sufficient but there are many seducing research and hypotheses.

We report here an unusual cause of analytical interference observed in methemoglobin values of patients parenterally given nutritive lipid emulsions. In these patients, harboured in intensive care department, T Hb, % O2 Hb, % COHb, Met Hb values are systematically measured using IL 282 CO-Oximeter autoanalyser in addition to daily blood gas determination (pH, PaCO2, PaO2). An increase in % Met Hb rate up to 10-20% was observed in lipid emulsions receiving patients. We first verified that washing red blood cells with saline instantaneously lowers Met Hb values to less than 1%. The mechanism of this interference was addressed by performing three Met Hb determination methods in normal blood in vitro added with variable amounts of lipid emulsions: CO-Oximeter determination, classical Evelyn Malloy method, analysis of continuous absorption spectra between 480 and 640 nm. Results corroborate the spectral origin of the analytical interference observed with CO-Oximeter and leading to false positive values. Blood lipids increase unspecifically the wave length proportional absorption between 480 and 640 nm. Evelyn Malloy's technique suppresses this interference since it uses the ratio of differences in optical densities. Our results emphasize the necessity of knowing patients therapeutics when performing laboratory investigations.

The authors using the information obtained by X-ray pelvimetry and ultrasound cephalometry in 300 cases of contracted pelves, suggest a diagram of cephalo-pelvic disproportion that can be used in the great majority of cases of contracted pelves. It is not applicable to those where there is significant deformation of the middle strait or an abnormality of presentation. It is divided into three zones: 1. A superior zone, favourable, into which the majority (60%) of cases of contracted pelvis fit. The risk of a serious dystocia during delivery is so small (less than 2%) that it can be considered scarcely different from those found in women with a normal pelvis. 2. An intermediate zone into which 24% of cases of contracted pelvis fit where the prognosis is uncertain. The labour should be considered as an "at risk" labour and a trial of labour conducted. 3. A lower zone into which 16% of the cases fit and which consists of two categories: --those in which the biparietal diameter is equal to or less than 90 mm. Prophylactic caesarean section should be avoided in these cases where disproportion is rare and where there is a risk of delivering a premature infant: and --those more numerous (9 out of 10) where the biparietal diameter is more than 90 mm and where, unless there is a clinically definitely favourable prognosis, it is justifiable to carry out prophylactic caesarean section. If this line is followed: one can avoid a large number of trials of labour, all of which are inconvenient and some of which are dangerous for the child; few unnecessary caesarean sections are carried out.

The authors detail their concepts of the physiopathology, the diagnostic methods and the treatments of grave puerperal phlebitis, having seen six cases in their two departments recently. They consist of 5 cases of iliofemoral thrombosis, 2 of whom were diagnosed during their pregnancies and 3 others whom were diagnosed after delivery. One of these died of pulmonary embolus: and there was one case of thrombosis of the right ovarian vein during post-partum. Over and above the classical factors that predispose to this condition in pregnancy, the authors draw attention to the anatomical constitutional factors that have been observed by Cockett in the physiopathology of these cases. The diagnosis is made using non-invasive methods: Doppler, plethysmography, labelled fibrinogen and isotope phlebography after delivery, supplemented when the results are positive by radiography of the iliac and vena caval systems which alone gives a precise diagnosis of the site. Therapeutic possibilities change according to the time that the condition is perceived, according to the topography of the lesions, and according to the existence or non-existence of moving thrombi. The treatment is directed to avoiding the complications of emboli and to preventing secondary functional sequellae. Finally the gynaecological problems of contraception and of further pregnancies are considered.

Some publications have pointed out that oxygen free radicals can induce injury of vessel wall and increase platelet aggregation and clotting, which can suppose a dependent relationship with arteriosclerotic process. We therefore studied the hypothesis of a possible abnormal platelet antioxidant enzymatic equipment in arteriopathic patients. A control group of 20 healthy subjects and an other one of 40 non diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease were investigated, and the following tests were performed: measure of transcutaneous oxygen tension (PTCO2), determination of activity of platelet superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-peroxidase (G-Px) and catalase (CAT). A significant decrease of SOD and G-Px is observed in platelets of arteriopathic patients. This decrease seems to be correlated with the severity of ischemia. The pathological reduction of platelet antioxidant equipment can be one factor enhancing thrombotic complications in chronic arterial disease.