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“BACKGROUND: Retained GSK2118436 price fetal bone fragments may be an underreported and underappreciated cause of secondary infertility among women with an antecedent spontaneous or induced abortion.

CASES: Three patients with a history of an antecedent induced abortion presented with secondary infertility. The infertility evaluation diagnosed retained intrauterine fetal bone fragments. After removal of the bone fragments, two of the three patients successfully conceived.

CONCLUSION: Secondary infertility may be the only presenting symptom for women with retained fetal bone fragments.

Women with secondary infertility and antecedent spontaneous or induced abortion may benefit from uterine evaluation with ultrasonography before initiating

infertility treatment. For patients with findings of focal echogenic shadowing lesions at ultrasonography, we recommend ultrasonography-guided hysteroscopy to ensure that bone fragments embedded within the myometrium are not missed and are completely resected.”
“Silica nanoparticles (NPs) belong to the industrially most important NP types. In a previous study it was shown that CX-6258 amorphous SiO2 NPs of 12.5 and 27.0 nm are stable in algal growth inhibition assays and that their ecotoxic effects are related to NP surface area. Here, it was hypothesized and demonstrated that an alumina coating completely alters the particle-particle, particle-test medium and particle-algae interactions of SiO2 NPs. Therefore, stability and surface characteristics, dissolution, nutrient adsorption and effects on algal growth rate of both alumina coated SiO2 NPs and bare SiO2 NPs in OECD algal test medium as a function

of pH (6.0-8.6) and natural organic matter (NOM) contents (0-12 mg C/I) were investigated. Alumina coated SiO2 NPs aggregated in all media and adsorbed phosphate depending on pH and NOM concentration. On the other hand, no aggregation or nutrient adsorption Crenigacestat was observed for the bare SiO2 NPs. Due to their positive surface charge, alumina coated SiO2 NPs agglomerated with Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Consequently, algal cell density measurements based on cell counts were unreliable and hence fluorescent detection of extracted chlorophyll was the preferred method. Alumina coated SiO2 NPs showed lower toxicity than bare SiO2 NPs at concentrations >= 46 mg/l, except at pH 6.0. At low concentrations, no clear pH effect was observed for alumina coated SiO2 NPs. while at higher concentrations phosphate deficiency could have contributed to the higher toxicity of those particles at pH 6.0-6.8 compared to higher pH values. Bare SiO2 NPs were not toxic at pH 6.0 up to 220 mg/l. Addition of NOM decreased toxicity of both particles. For SiO2 NPs the 48 h 20% effect concentration of 21.8 mg/l increased 2.6-21 fold and a linear relationship was observed between NOM concentration and effective concentrations. No effect was observed for alumina coated SiO2 NPs in presence of NOM up to 1000 mg/l.