We provide outcome data about fetuses prenatally diagnosed for clubfoot. One-third are complex cases associated with other congenital anomalies. For isolated clubfoot, the risk of requiring surgery is about 40%. The detection of a bilateral defect does not worsen the prognosis.
Twenty one dinitrogen (N2 )-fixing bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of Lolium perenne grown for more than 10 years without N-fertilization. The nearly complete sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of each strain and pairwise alignments among globally aligned sequences of the 16S rRNA genes clustered them into nine different groups. Out of the 21 strains, 11 were members of genus Bacillus, 3 belonged to each one of genera Paenibacillus and Pseudoxanthomonas, and the remaining 2 strains to each one of genera Burkholderia and Staphylococcus, respectively. A representative strain from each group contained the nifH gene and fixed atmospheric N2 as determined by the acetylene-dependent ethylene production assay (acetylene reduction activity, ARA). The nine selected strains were also examined to behave as plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPRs) including their ability to act as a biocontrol agent. The nine representative strains produced indol acetic acid (IAA) and solubilized calcium triphosphate, five of them, strains C2, C3, C12, C15, and C16, had ACC deaminase activity, and strains C2, C3, C4, C12, C16, and C17 produced siderophores. Strains C13, C16, and C17 had the capability to control growth of the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum mycelial growth in vitro. PCA analysis of determined PGPR properties showed that ARA, ACC deaminase activity, and siderophore production were the most valuable as they had the maximal contribution to the total variance.
KEY WORDS: diastrophic dysplasia; diastrophic dwarfism; skeletal dysplasia; first-trimester ultrasound Diastrophic dysplasia (DD) is a severe usually nonlethal skeletal dysplasia characterized by micromelic limb shortening and normal intelligence. We describe a case diagnosed during the first-trimester routine ultrasound scan for screening of fetal anomalies in a family with no risk for the condition, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the earliest sonographic prospective diagnosis of DD.This was the third pregnancy of a 31-year-old woman, with two previous spontaneous first-trimester miscarriages and with no history of X-ray or teratogenics exposure during early pregnancy. Her family history was unremarkable for congenital anomalies, hereditary diseases or consanguinity. A transabdominal ultrasound examination at 12 + 5 weeks of gestation revealed a normal grown fetus with a crown-rump length of 60 mm, with normal nuchal translucency (1.7 mm). However, the long bones were markedly short (Figure 1(a)) (femur: 5.0 mm, humerus 5.2 mm); therefore, a transvaginal scan was performed. Other significant findings at that time were a bilateral 'hitchhiker' thumb ( Figure 2(a)), 'buddha' position of the lower limbs and bilateral clubfoot. Biparietal diameter, head and abdominal circumference were within normal ranges for gestational age. The skull and intracranial structures, thorax and spine appeared normal, whilst no other structural malformations were detected in the remaining organs, and with normal amniotic fluid volume as well. Mainly on the basis of the long bones shortening, clubfeet and 'hitchhiker' thumbs findings, DD was strongly suspected.Chorionic villus sampling for fetal karyotyping was performed, and one week later a follow-up ultrasound scan confirmed all of the previous findings. After counselling, the parents elected to terminate the pregnancy at 14 weeks, which was performed by vaginal prostaglandine administration.The external examination at autopsy demonstrated all of the ultrasonographic findings and a further micrognathia that had been overlooked (Figures 1(b) and 2(b)). *Correspondence to: M. J. Canto, Crtra Sant Cugat 11-15, 2-1,
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