Ductus venosus blood flow velocity wave - forms in intrauterine growth retardation [IUGR] fetuses

Identification of ductus venosus [DV] by ultrasound and description of blood flow pattern through it in intrauterine growth retarded fetuses [1UGR] in comparison to normal subjects Comparative prospective study in Menoufiya University Hospital twenty five pregnant patients complicated by IUGR [33 - 38 Weeks] compared to 25 normal healthy pregnant women [34-41 weeks] taken as control By an Esaote ultrasound scanner, DV was firstly identified by 2D-imaging, then blood flow velocity was assessed using the pulsed Doppler technique. Also umbilical artery waveform was obtained and assessed in both groups of cases. A characteristic pattern of blood flow through DV related to the cardiac cycle was obtained with a peak during ventricular systole, a second peak during ventricular diastole, and the lowest velocity was recorded during atrial contraction. Regarding the maximum velocity, there was no significant difference between the normal [73 +/- 6.2 cm/sec] and the growth retarded fetuses [72 +/- 5.9 cm/sec] [p = 0.58]. On the other hand, during atrial contraction, blood flow velocity was significantly reduced in growth retarded fetuses [28 +/- 2.4 cm/sec] compared to normal controls [37 +/- 3.1 cm/sec] [p < 0.0001]. Umbilical artery pulsatility index was significantly higher in the growth retarded cases [1.8 +/- 0.76] compared to normal subjects [0.85 +/- 0.21] [p < 0.0001]

Effects of cyclosporine on the kidney of the albino rat

This work was done to study the effects of Cyclosporine A on the kidney of albino rat in attempt to detect the ultrastructural changes in the kidney that may lead to terminal renal insufficiency after administration of this drug who is the main immunosuppressive agent used in organ and tissue transplantation. Forty five adult male albino rats were used in this study, they were divided into two groups, the first group consists of 15; rats were used as a control and sacrificed at the same periods as treated group. The second group consists of 30 rats and injected daily intraperitoneally with the therapeutic dose of Cyclosporine A: [Sandimmun] with a dose of 10 mg / kg / day. Ten animals were sacrificed after one week, two weeks and one month from the beginning of injection. Semithin and ultrathin sections of the kidney were prepared. The results were indicated that intraperitoneal injection of Cyclosporine A to albino rats induced progressive pathological alterations within the kidney that became more severe with the long duration of treatment. The changes were in the form of cell swelling, loss of brush border, nuclear condensation and focal areas of tubular necrosis. After one month wide spread of tubular necrosis was the predominate. Necrotic tubular epithelial cells could be seen detached and sloughed from the basal lamina into the tubular lumen. There was massive tubular dilatation and marked thickening of the tubular basement membranes. There was mitochondrial dissociation, central vacuolation and dense bodies in the tubular lining cells