The evaluation of cord blood interleukin-1ß levels in normal and caesarean deliveries.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective study was to establish the cord blood interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) levels and asphyxia enzymes in term newborns and their relationship between delivery modes. We investigated whether cord blood level of IL-1ß could be used as a reliable marker for detecting hypoxic stress and to determine the optimal cut-off level for IL-1ß. METHODS: The study was designed prospectively. Cord blood samples were obtained at the time of delivery from 75 noninfected full-term neonates for the purpose of measuring cord blood levels of IL-1ß. Women were classified into three groups according to the mode of delivery (20 vaginal delivery, 29 urgent caesarean section (with foetal distress) and 26 elective caesarean section). All cases were followed-up by hospitalization. Umbilical cord sampling was carried out for IL-1ß, umbilical artery gas parameters and other asphyxia enzymes at the time of delivery. Cord blood IL-1ß was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The perinatal outcomes of the cases were recorded after birth. Demographic characteristics, neonatal outcomes and laboratory findings were compared in all the three groups. RESULTS: IL-1ß levels showed statistically significant difference between groups (p < 0.01). The relationship was found between IL-1ß cord blood levels and the mode of delivery. IL-1ß levels of urgent caesarean section group were significantly higher than elective caesarean section and normal delivery group (p:0.001 and p:0.001, respectively). Normal delivery levels were significantly higher than the elective caesarean group (p:0.001). CONCLUSION: Urgent section (foetal distress) and vaginal delivery (labour) were each associated with elevated IL-1ß cord blood levels in noninfected full-term neonates, while only elective caesarean section was associated with decreased IL-1ß levels. For the evaluation of newborns at high risk for perinatal hypoxic stress, cord blood IL-1ß levels may lead the way. On the other hand, the mode of delivery may be associated with the effects on the immune system. Further investigations with larger patient groups are required to confirm our results.

Quantum control of the spin-orbit interaction using the Autler-Townes effect.

We have demonstrated quantum control of the spin-orbit interaction based on the Autler-Townes (ac-Stark) effect in a molecular system using a cw optical field. We show that the enhancement of the spin-orbit interaction between a pair of weakly interacting singlet-triplet rovibrational levels, G (1)Π(g)(v=12,J=21,f)-1 (3)Σ(g)(-)(v=1,N=21,f), separated by 750 MHz in the lithium dimer, depends on the Rabi frequency (laser power) of the control laser. The increase in the spin-orbit interaction due to the control field is observed as a change in the spin character of the individual components of the perturbed pair.

Association of subclinical vitamin D deficiency in newborns with acute lower respiratory infection and their mothers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There are other benefits of vitamin D than those for bone health. To determine the association of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations in newborns with acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) and without clinical signs of rickets, and their mothers. The design comprises a hospital-based case-control study. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study group consisted of 25 newborns with ALRI who were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit and their mothers. Controls were 15 healthy newborns of the same age as the study group and their mothers. A commercial radioimmunoassay was used to measure 25(OH)D concentrations in serum for assessing vitamin D status. RESULTS: The two groups were similar in gestational week, birth weight, birth height, head circumference, age and gender. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations in the study group newborns were lower than those of the control group (9.12+/-8.88 ng/ml and 16.33+/-13.42 ng/ml, respectively) (P=0.011). Also, mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations in the mothers of the study group were lower than those in the mothers of the control group (13.38+/-16.81 ng/ml and 22.79+/-16.93 ng/ml respectively) (P=0.012). In 87.5% of all newborns and 67.5% of all mothers, serum 25(OH)D concentrations were lower than 20 ng/ml. The 25(OH)D concentrations of newborns were highly correlated with mothers' serum 25(OH)D concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that newborns with subclinical vitamin D deficiency may have an increased risk of suffering from ALRI. The strong positive correlation between newborns' and mothers' 25(OH)D concentrations shows that adequate vitamin D supplementation of mothers should be emphasized during pregnancy especially in winter months.

Comparison of Autler-Townes splitting based absolute measurements of the (7)Li(2) A (1)Sigma(u) (+)-X (1)Sigma(g) (+) electronic transition dipole moment with ab initio theory.

We report a comparison between experimental and theoretical electronic transition dipole moment values for the (7)Li(2) A (1)Sigma(u) (+)-X (1)Sigma(g) (+) system. The experimental results are based on measuring the absolute magnitude of the transition dipole matrix elements from Autler-Townes splitting of rovibrational transitions for different R-centroid values. The ab initio theoretical calculations of the transition dipole moment for the (7)Li(2) A (1)Sigma(u) (+)-X (1)Sigma(g) (+) system were performed using two different quantum-mechanical models: an all-electron valence bond self-consistent-field method and a pseudopotential molecular orbital method. As expected for the smallest molecule with core electrons, the agreement between experiment and theory is very good.